Party Gives Country Friends Early Taste of Autumn Style
Sue Hutchison wore two shoes to the sponsors’ party she and husband Murray gave at home Friday for the Country Friends’ annual “Appearance of Autumn” fashion show.
Well, yes, you say, that’s very nice, but people generally do wear shoes to dressy evening receptions.
Of course they do, but there was something a little different about Sue’s choice of footgear--one shoe was red, the other purple.
This two-tone approach provided a kicky personal accent to a party built around color. The Hutchisons call their spacious rural retreat Casa de Colores, and not without reason; the place looks as if they snagged a passing rainbow, siphoned off its hues and splashed them in every direction. If variety is the spice of life, the colors used at this house add up to a potent visual curry.
To dramatize the premises even further for the reception, the Hutchisons added tables draped in bright cloths (no two matched) and festooned in ribbons, with kaleidoscopic bouquets of balloons rising above each.
Into this maelstrom of colors the Country Friends tossed 300 of its most loyal benefactors, the folks who provide underwriting for the Appearance of Autumn show. Most admitted to being swept off their feet by the scene, including Country Friends President Mary Ann Fitch, and Sue Bubnack, who will chair the Sept. 9 fashion extravaganza.
Titled “American Style,” this year’s show will be the 32nd to be presented by the group. As always, it will be given on the front lawn of the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, and again as always, it is expected to draw the largest audience of any outdoor show in the county; last year, more than 1,800 guests attended, a figure that the Country Friends expect to meet or exceed in September. A touch of novelty has been injected into American Style, however, since Nordstrom, a merchandiser new to Appearance of Autumn, will be presenting the fashions. (At the sponsors’ party, roving Nordstrom models offered an appetizing foretaste of the styles to be presented at the show.) Mary Ann Restivo will be the featured designer.
Since she wore two shoes, Sue Hutchison also sported two hats, at least figuratively, by supplementing her hostess’s cap with a chef’s toque. She personally prepared the elaborate buffet offered the guests, having rented several freezers in which to lock away the bounty of several weeks’ worth of constant laboring in the kitchen. The theme was international, with an emphasis on treats from south of the border; for one tasty offering, a pair of women grilled fresh tortillas and spread them with a savory black bean filling. Mariachis followed on the heels of servers passing exotic canapes and, at a favors table, women rolled strips of variously colored crepe into bright Mexican flowers. All this was enjoyed outdoors under a moon that highlighted the colors with a silver brush.
Many long-time supporters of the Country Friends attended, including Sue Teasdel with Brick Allison, Nancy Podbielniak, Joanne and Frank Warren, Joanne and Harry Wenz, Peggy and Richard Pharr, Margaret Muench, Sylvia and Arleigh Anderson, Luba Johnston, Constance Clotfelter, Frances Burgar, Mary and Irby Cobb and Betty and Eric Bass.
Among others present were Nancy and Robert Salisbury, Betty and Mark Coates, Lynn and Paris Adkison, Flo and Robert Bible, Laurie and Mike Peters, Dragon and Donald Sherman, Pat and Charles Wood, Jennie and Sid D’Agosta, Midgie and Gary Vandenberg, and Rose and Walter Van Boxtel.
SAN DIEGO--Some people have been known to offer their friends tea and sympathy.
JoBobbie MacConnell, being a thoroughly practical person, prefers to offer her pals tea and sandwiches.
At an elaborate afternoon tea given July 15 in the U.S. Grant Garden Room, MacConnell served watercress sandwiches (of course), as well as thin smoked salmon sandwiches, crumpets, strawberries in thick cream, and sweet raisin buns. Tea was served from a large silver samovar and, for the less circumspect, white wine also was poured.
The afternoon’s menu excluded sympathy in favor of enthusiasm, however, since the 40 guests had been invited to a kind of cheerleading session designed to applaud the plans for the Fine Arts Ball, which JoBobbie, fresh from her success with last year’s version of the San Diego Museum of Art-benefiting bash, again will be chairing.
“Last year was a baroque, romantic overture, and this year we hope to create an atmosphere of happy sophistication,” she said. Translated, this means that the Sept. 27 event will be given a big-time nightclub theme; New York society bandleader Mike Carney will bring his orchestra, and Sotheby’s auction house will bring a lavish display of jewels to add glitter to the decor (these will be offered at auction in New York the following month). The evening will begin with cocktails in the Garden Room and continue with dinner and dancing in the Grant’s grand ballroom, which will be decorated by Beverly Hills party planner Arthur Simon to resemble a hybrid of the storied El Morocco, Stork Club and Copacabana nightclubs. JoBobbie hinted that she may have picked up a few party ideas on her recent two-month swing through Europe, where, among other things, she floated over Burgundy in a hot air balloon and placed winning wagers on every race on opening day at Ascot.
Most of the ball committee was present for the tea, including ball co-chairman John Siglow; decorations chairman Bob Faust; music chairmen Norma and Ollie James; arrangements chief Virginia Monday; invitations chairman Lois Roon; seating leader Ingrid Hibben; and publicist Ann Jones. Also in attendance were Museum Director Steven Brezzo; Board of Trustees President Gordon Luce and his wife, Karon; Jane Rice; Frank Kockritz; Dolly Maw; Lee and Larry Cox; Jean Stern, and museum benefactress Muriel Gluck.
LA JOLLA--Not too long ago, singles’ auxiliaries to major fund-raising groups were about as scarce as singles’ bars are prevalent.
Lately, though, a goodly number of unmarried movers and shakers have discovered the pleasures of the fund-raising and social circuits, and the result has been an explosion of groups and parties.
The newest auxiliary, at least as of this writing, bowed Saturday night at a cozy soiree given under the stars in the narrow garden behind the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art. Given by the Single Professionals of the Crime Victims Fund, “A Midsummer Nights Dream” attracted 400 patrons to an evening of dancing, mingling, and munching hors d’oeuvres contributed by several local caterers and restaurants.
The salt breeze blowing off the Pacific kept the revelers cool even when the action heated up. Interestingly enough for a group largely born after the Big Band era passed its prime, the dance floor grew especially crowded when the Rolling Record Co. deejays played a series of Glenn Miller and Tommmy Dorsey numbers.
Lorraine Kimel, Karen Kaye and Lynne Krepak shared the chairmanship duties, assisted by a committee that included Roni Hicks, Joy Poncie, Ellen Choiser, Sally Nunn, Shuri Rosiak, Lynn Flanagan, Marlene Ward, Bud Kastner, Berrie Christopher, Ray Mercado, Ronnye Friedenn, Becky Rader and Gary Laturno.
