The Valley Line: Bossa nova sounds, Brazilian food highlights of Oakmont League’s summer party
The Oakmont League of Glendale held a fabulous summer party at the beautiful home and garden of Martial and Fernanda Genthon.
A native Brazilian, Fernanda had a grand time planning the menu of delicacies from her homeland and making sure the bossa nova music, mixed in with other soft jazz pieces, delighted the guests.
The bossa nova, a mix between samba and jazz music, was popularized in the 1950s and ’60s by the master guitarist Jaio Gilberto.
Interpreting the beautiful music at the party was acoustic guitarist and vocalist Daniel Carneiro.
It couldn’t have been a more beautiful evening, with the terraced garden accented with glowing lanterns.
Guests nibbled on hors d’oeuvres and then a buffet dinner of specially created Brazilian cuisine catered by Mikamora.
Just some of the appetizers were empadinhas de espinafre e ricotta, sandulches de carne louca, batatinhas a vinagrete and pao de queijo.
Dinner included daldinho de felijas (black bean soup) a tropical salada and escondidinho, Brazillian shepherd’s pie.
Dessert was sorvette de coco con frutas tropicals (coconut ice cream with tropical fruit skewer and corn pudding flan).
Some of the guests attending this lovely party were Terry and Fran Buchanan, Jeraldine Saunders, Jackie and Phil Kubel, Patsy Dewey, Carol Eldred, Ellen and Bob Farewell, Marion Graydon Greene and Paul Greene, Barbara and Les McCullough, Mary Kay and Tom Prather, Nina and Larry Ratliff, Donna and Frank Sauer, Pam and Ian Spizman, Cathy and Alan Steel, Lydia and Brook Trout, Allison Weir, Ester Bowen, Julie Budimir, Sharon Swinford, Pam and Keith Sorem, Judy and Joe Mendicina, Marian Getts, Valarie Nelson, Erika Meyer and JR and Kim Beaton, and Shauna Lehmann.
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Natalie Durkin, daughter of La Cañada Flintridge residents Lisa and Mark Durkin, was one of 13 young women who made their bows to society as debutantes during the Pasadena Guild of Children’s Hospital June Ball. Held at the Langham Huntington hotel in Pasadena, this was the guild’s 56th debutante presentation.
Pasadena Guild president Rita Briston and Annie Higgins and Melissa Patterson, ball co-chairs, greeted guests at the reception prior to the deb presentation.
During the program, welcome remarks were made by Briston and Dr. David Warburton, who oversees the current guild-funded project in developmental biology at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
The “l’orangerie – chinoiserie” inspired theme was crafted by Jacob Maarse Florists. They created a Hampton’s summer garden with centerpieces of white and salmon-colored roses interspersed with oranges and lemons that were arranged in blue-and-white Chinese bowls placed on ocean blue tablecloths. Large blue-and-white temple jars framed the debutantes as they made their entrance into the ballroom.
Jonathan Howe presented each deb as she appeared in the middle of the stage. After each young woman was presented and escorted on the arm of her father, she returned to the center of the ballroom with her fellow debs to curtsy in unison to the applause of guild members and guests.
The deb fathers then joined their daughters on the dance floor for the first waltz of the evening.
Other debs joining Natalie at the presentation were Caroline Brockett, daughter of Peter Brockett and Laureen Chang; Faith Doney, daughter of Todd and Michele Doney; Mary Holt, daughter of Steven and Katie High; Devin Jack, daughter of John and Nam Jack; Erin McCloskey, daughter of Kevin and Joanne McCloskey; Lindsay Bellack daughter of Robert and Tracey Bellack; Elizabeth Malloy, daughter of Joan Malloy and Brian Molloy; Alexandra Treister, daughter of Dana and Toi Treister; Angela Fung, daughter of Elisabeth Hunt Price and William Price; Emily Serhan, daughter of Michael and Elizabeth Serhan; and Reilly Shea, daughter of Edmund and Elizabeth Shea of Charlotte, N.C.
Proceeds from the evening will benefit the guild’s current project, the Pasadena Guild Endowed Chair in Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, established in 1947 by a small group of dedicated hospital volunteers.
The Pasadena Guild has raised more than $30 million through the years, successfully completing seven guild endowments in the areas of pediatric eye cancer, pediatric surgery, adolescent medicine, and bone and soft tissue research.
JANE NAPIER NEELY covers the La Cañada Flintridge social scene. Email her at jnvalleysun@aol.com with news of your special event.