THE CROWD:

International designer Salvatore Ferragamo was in town last week joining local celebrity restaurateur Antonio Cagnolo at a dinner held at Antonello, his restaurant in South Coast Plaza Village. Ferragamo presented his award-winning wines, created at their winery in Tuscany, to the adoring crowd. Wine Spectator magazine has rated the Ferragamo red wines at 90 and above — among the highest ratings possible.

The gala dinner was prepared by executive chef Franco Barone with support from sommelier Steve Ebol and Antonello manager Thad Foret. In the crowd were Newport Coast’s chef Jamie Gwen, Corky and Marilyn Lani Severson, A.J. and Joni Amato, Bob Chavez, Edie and Dan Brothman, Donatella Barone, former L.A. Rams player Vince Ferragamo (no relation), Nicola Faganello, the Italian consul general based in Los Angeles, and in from New York, Josephine Seidita, representing the International Italian Trade Commission.

They call it the Friends of Dorothy Guild. For those unfamiliar with the expression, it once was a secret code identifying homosexuals as in “Are you a friend of Dorothy?” Dorothy was the character in “The Wizard of Oz” played by the late Judy Garland. Garland remains, of course, an icon in the gay community.

That was then; this is now. The old stigmas have faded into obscurity. Today in Orange County the Friends of Dorothy Guild is a confederation of men and women, both straight and gay, who are dedicated to raising funds for AIDS Services Foundation of Orange County. Recently they gathered at the Newport Beach estate of Loren Blackwood and Richard Moriarty for a benefit held in the private vineyards on the estate that took on a Halloween costume theme. The guild has raised $50,000 for the AIDS Services Foundation so far this season. Major supporters include Scott Stoney and Jacqueline Lee, Barbara Venezia and Stan Tkaczyk, Tim Dunn and the Rev. Patrick Munoz.

Supervisor John Moorlach, who has been in the news recently concerning Sheriff Mike Carona and Treasurer Chriss Street, was honored recently by a number of local activists concerned about community airport issues. The reception took place at the Newport bayside home of civic leader Evelyn Hart, former mayor and current president of the Oasis Foundation. The reception was underwritten by Tim Stoaks and his mother, Carolyn Stoaks, as a way to bring together a grassroots organization known as “AirFair.” They are dedicated to bringing to the forefront matters concerning airport traffic and passenger caps, as well as curfew issues at John Wayne Airport. Their purpose is to effect political change, and their mantra is “10.8, lock the gate!”

In the crowd were Marian Bergeson, former California State Senator and a member of the California State Transportation Committee; Bonnie O’Neil; Mario Mainero; Chris Palmer; Newport Mayor Steve Rosansky, and Newport Councilmember Ed Selich.

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.