The Crowd: Now’s the time for Angelitos Card

The Angelitos de Oro week of holiday shopping and savings kicks off Thursday and runs through Oct. 20 at South Coast Plaza. It’s the ninth annual Angelitos Card Fundraiser benefiting the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Orange County in association with the charitable merchants of South Coast Plaza offering 20% savings on merchandise sold to Angelitos Card holders.

Those supporting the event may purchase the card for $60 at any South Coast Plaza Concierge desk or on line at https://www.angelitosdeoro.org. The card will be accepted at some 115 South Coast Plaza merchants and restaurants during the coming week.

The Angelitos de Oro, a small but dedicated women’s group, has raised in excess of $4,000,000 for the Big Brothers/ Big Sisters of Orange County. For more information, call (949) 642-9883.

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Bloomingdales at Fashion Island will present a fall fashion event Oct. 20 benefiting Laura’s House, a women’s shelter dedicated to the prevention of domestic violence. The evening fashion show will welcome special guest Bruno Serato, owner of the Anaheim White House, a major supporter of Laura’s House. Serato will be honored for his unwavering dedication. The evening will include a cocktail reception and a silent auction with 100% of the proceeds going to Laura’s House.

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In other fashion meets society news, Jimmy Choo opened its doors to welcome the Harvesters recently in advance of their annual fashion show and luncheon held at The Island Hotel last week. The Jimmy Choo pre-event cocktail party marked the reopening of the South Coast Plaza boutique following a grand re-do. Harvesters Suzan Paek, Melinda Serra and Ann Smyth welcomed the fashionable crowd joining Choo store exec Thomas Savage along with Choo president Brian Henkey launching the 24/7 Choo Boot Collection. The Harvesters work to benefit Orange County’s Second Harvest Food Bank.

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Kathy and Cliff Fleming, major supporters of The Orange County Performing Arts Center (OCPAC), once again hosted an early fall western barbecue on behalf of the Center’s “Center Stage” chapter of the Guilds. The Flemings estate in Cowan Heights welcomed the Guilds’ co-chairman, Carol Piturro-Kentner, and her husband Doug Kentner along with Linda Thauer, the Guilds’ chairwoman emeritus, and her husband Bob Thauer. Also in attendance were Louise Costa, Carol Hurst, Kathy Reich, Marilyn Rehberger and Margaret Ann Vincent.

Western Beef and Seafood Co. catered the Fleming barbecue, which featured grilled jumbo black tiger shrimp, beef brisket, sweet barbecued chicken breast and all the sides imaginable to complete the ultimate Texas BBQ feast.

Hostess Kathy Fleming is set to chair the major Guilds Fashion Show planned for March 2011, one of the most important fashion fundraisers of the season benefiting the OCPAC.

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“Peter Pan” opened this month in a spectacular tent erected on the property adjacent to the Orange County Performing Arts Center. The production runs through Dec. 5 following its London and San Francisco engagements.

This is not Mary Martin’s “Peter Pan.” However, what it may lack in sweet innocence it makes up for in the sheer physicality of its players performing the tale in a technological setting that is indeed spellbinding.

This production must be seen and experienced. It may not be warm and fuzzy, but it is daring and innovative and a theatrical achievement.

Orange County should embrace the Center for bringing this show to town with special kudos to Judy Morr, Center programming executive vice president, for her artistic vision.

On opening night, Oct. 3, cast and crew mingled with local VIP guests after the show. They dined on a superb late-night supper prepared and served by Patina Catering as Tinker Bell and Pan. This is a very young, very hard-working and talented British troupe of players anxious to make a splash in this community hopefully in advance of an extended national tour.

Tickets to the show range from $30 to $75 with both premiere and child pricing also available. Go to https://www.OCPAC.org, or call (714) 556-2787 for more information.

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays. B.W. Cook is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.