The Valley Line: Las Candelas’ biannual fashion show, luncheon draws enthusiastic crowd
Nearly 600 people attended Las Candelas’ biannual boutique, luncheon and fashion show last week at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel.
The March 4 event, the club’s major fundraiser, was hugely successful and so well done. The organization’s mission is to provide volunteer and financial help to youths who are in vulnerable situations. This very colorful event helped fill the coffers earmarked for the club’s philanthropic goals.
Pattie McCormick and J.C. Byer were benefit chairs, with wonderful support from the club’s president Nancy Stone and 33 active members.
It was a fascinating shopping morning, as guests wandered through the nine vendor shops offering gorgeous things such as handcrafted jewelry from Bali, unique handbags, one-of-a-kind pillows with secret pockets and the latest of spring fashions.
When the doors opened to the ballroom, guests sat down to enjoy a lovely lunch beginning with a spring salad with sliced strawberries, a main course of chicken Wellington on a bed of baby roasted veggies and a dessert of baked Alaska. It was fun to see the waiters serve the desserts from trays with lit sparklers — it was quite a presentation.
Nancy Stone welcomed the guests, and co-chair ladies JC Byer and Pattie McCormick added their greetings too. Deacon Ron Baker, husband of club member Patti Baker, gave the invocation.
Before dining, a Frank Sinatra tribute artist, vocalist James Brewster, sang several Sinatra songs to get the guests primed for the event that was themed “Memories Are Made of This.”
After dining, the fashion show began featuring the beautiful designer collection of Lourdes Chavez. As always, the cadre of stunning female models was accompanied by three handsome men. Eliciting admiring sighs and ahhs was a regal black standard poodle who was fashionably coiffed for his walk down the catwalk with his blond model, who led him on a purple leash.
Guests bought raffle tickets for a special drawing for a $1,500 gift certificate from Lourdes Chavez, a $3,000 shopping extravaganza, or a Mammoth Mountain luxurious townhome for five days and four nights valued at $2,500.
Active Las Candelas members helping to make this such a success, in addition to those already mentioned, were Patricia Aleman, Carolyn Beaton, Pauline Beebe, Anna Brewer, Fran Buchanan, Marilyn Butler, Joan Campbell, Jeri Benton Clark, Margaret Cline, Marian Corbert, Carole De Paul, Jeannie Flint, Bobbi Gangi, Marion Graydon Greene, Debbie Hinckley, Diane Johnson, Ann Jones, Glady Kabateck, Cathy Keen, Mary Lane, Rosina Maize, Lynne Naeve, Teresa Nall, Sally Perkins, Liz Reynolds, Diane Russell, Ellyn Semler, Monica Sierra, Ginny Simpson, Suzanne Slaughter, Karen Swan and Ann Ways.
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Last Thursday night I was invited to go see the musical “Ragtime” at the Pasadena Playhouse. It was one of the most powerful productions I’ve seen in a long time. I’m sorry the show has closed so that more people can’t go see it.
“Ragtime” opened two decades ago at the Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles before it went on to Broadway and garnered 13 Tony nominations. I think this is quite possibly one of the most ambitious productions the Pasadena Playhouse has done — I would like to see more just like this.
Jane Napier Neely covers the La Cañada Flintridge social scene. Email her at jnvalleysun@aol.com with news of your special event.