Fantasy Food Fare Is Close to Reality

Los Angeles Planned Parenthood Guild’s Fantasy Food Fare has become such a hot item that president Mickey Bodek and her committee now have to exclude some party planners, caterers, retailers, chefs and cooking teachers who’d like to participate. It’s become the place to taste and see the latest in culinary and cuisine wonders--to sample a Merle’s Morsels cookie, taste a Miss Grace Lemon Cake Co. chocolate wonder with walnuts, AJM Orchards pomegranate jelly or a Graber olive from Ontario, sip the wines in vogue.

Last year 1,200 flocked to the event. The guild’s prepping now for Feb. 5 in Pacific Palisades with an “Effortless Entertaining” theme. Members plan to present party inspirations for every occasion from breakfast in bed to a gala. Guests will have the opportunity to purchase food, cookware and gifts. Food Fare ’87 will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for a $50 ticket, and 6 to 10 p.m. for the $75 evening tab, which includes a mini-supper and wine tasting and the Keith Williams Orchestra.

Benefit co-chairs Lynne Alschuler and Lenny Kelton are getting support from Susan Levich, Judy Zeidler, Shirley Feitler, Sue Allen, Eli Golub and Karen Berk.

Fare site is the Riviera Country Club, 1250 Capri Drive in Pacific Palisades. Call (213) 223-4462 for ticket information.

SOUS CHEFS: And, the glamorous adjunct to the Food Fare: the Planned Parenthood eighth annual Men’s Dinner on Feb. 8 at Le Bel Age Hotel. Steaven and Judy Jones again are chairing the event. She’ll do the arrangements; he’s recruited and organized the 20 amateur male chefs who will work all day to prepare a gourmet dinner for 200.

The 200 are the key donors and good friends (those who give $500, $1,000 and $5,000) to enhance the proceeds from Food Fare. Last year the Fare netted about $65,000, and the Men’s Dinner another $85,000.

Gary Comella, executive chef at Le Bel Age, is masterminding cuisine. He’s chosen Russian fare--caviars, smoked fish. The men will even have a separate chilled chocolate room to prepare an exotic dessert. Sous chefs include John Hotchkis, Larry Goodman, Michael Berk, Bud Ames, Harlan Amstutz, Gordon Bodek, Boyd Hight and Freeman Gosden.

TRADITION: If Mexico City could have a Black and White Ball, Los Angeles should have a Blue and White Ball. Or so reasoned Pauline Walsh back in 1949. She influenced her friends and Marymount High School Mothers’ Club president Eloise (Mrs. Pat) O’Brien. They solicited support from Dorothy Leavey and Ruth O’Connor, and the ball became a tradition, with Marymount mothers in those early days including Loretta Young, Irene Dunne, Rosalind Russell and Maureen O’Sullivan.

The first four founders were all reminiscing at the Los Angeles Country Club, and it was music to the ears of chairman Sharon Stephens. She’s scheduled the ball for Feb. 28 at the Century Plaza. Money will be raised to refurbish and equip a multi-media center on campus.

Danny Thomas, former Marymount father, will be honorary chairman. His daughter, Terre Thomas Gordon, was at the luncheon, joining Sister Colette McManus, Marymount’s principal, and the committee that includes Marti Daly (her husband John will do the flowers), Pat Lorne, Claire Shea, Jan Coppersmith, Bunny May, Rusty Chandler, Bonnie Flaherty, Dorothy Howell, Judy Rodrigues, Jayne Sullivan, Leila Badalian, Susan Grody and Barbara Overland.

IN TRIBUTE: Roberta and Carl Hartnack will be recognized for their service to education and community Feb. 4. USC Cancer Research Associates plan a special black-tie tribute in the Los Angeles Ballroom at the Century Plaza. Hartnack is former chairman of USC trustees and heads its major fund drive. Proceeds are earmarked for the Norman Topping Endowment for Cancer Research at the Kenneth Norris Jr. Cancer Hospital and Research Institute and the USC Comprehensive Cancer Center. Mel Torme entertains following cocktails and dinner.

SAVE THE DATES: We’ve a note from Sue Rose, who heads the annual benefit concert March 21 for the Palm Springs Desert Museum. The affair this year honors Mrs. Ralph Waycott. Peggy Lee is the headliner . . .

“Two Great Ladies: One of Dance, One of Song” is on the minds of the Los Angeles Chapter, American Diabetes Assn. The night March 9 in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Music Center will feature the Cynthia Gregory Twentieth Anniversary Tour and pay tribute to ballet star Cynthia Gregory and vocal star Linda Ronstadt.

JANUARY HITS: Wallace Neff Jr. is hosting a champagne buffet Sunday to celebrate the publication of “Wallace Neff, Architect of California’s Golden Age.” Appropriately, the invitation-only affair will be held at the Beverly Hills estate situated atop the highest hill in Beverly Hills. It was designed in 1923 by Neff for Frances Marion and Fred Thomson. It’s now owned by Mrs. Paul Kollsman. Neff junior calls it a prime example of his father’s work . . .

The City of Hope Diamond Circle will usher in the New Year with an auction/dinner, “The Best of Everything,” Jan. 25 in the Crystal Room of the Beverly Hills Hotel. The auction inventory is a potpourri of what everyone should have, including a DeLorean auto donated by Richard Dawson, Florence Henderson as entertainment (she’ll be there at the dinner) for your private dinner party, or a LeRoy Neiman painting (he’ll personally auction it). Circle president David Z. Marmel is limiting the guest list to 300 and advising “dress to impress” . . .

Southwestern University School of Law and its Alumni Assn. are touting a first Awards Recognition Banquet Wednesday at the Sheraton Grande. Harvey L. Silbert will be saluted as alumnus of the year, Virginia Branum Cobey as outstanding friend and Arleigh Woods as outstanding judicial officer. KNBC’s Jess Marlow will be master of ceremonies . . .

Jewish Big Brothers Assn. of Los Angeles County celebrates its 71st annual meeting with a dinner Tuesday evening at Bel Age Hotel. Tom Lasorda of the Los Angeles Dodgers will speak. Don Smith will receive the Jewish Big Brother of the Year award and Bob Waldorf the Little Brother award. . .

PAST PERFECT: The National Arts Assn. rates with Gordon P. Getty, the wealthy composer. He spoke the other day to the group and its president, Mrs. Stanley R. Johnson, about his new cantata, “Plump Jack.” The work, based on the Shakespearean character Falstaff, will have its premiere by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in London in July. His work previously has been presented at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. Arts Assn. co-founder Mrs. Bert Malouf opened her home for Getty’s visit here, and members lunched surrounded by her outstanding orchid garden . . .

In San Francisco this week Charlotte Mailliard and the San Francisco Symphony were hosting a conference to announce their upcoming Black and White Ball . . .

Attorney Philip Dichter was host to an authentic Boston clambake/40th birthday celebration for his partner Bennet Spector. The 100 guests, including interior designer Bobbi Leonard, producer Mark Allen, Linda Berkin and Jackie Applebaum, benefited from the preparations which began at 9:30 a.m. when Philip and a half-dozen of his Malibu neighbors, including Dr. Seth Weingarten, gave their professional opinions on how to dig the pit for the clambake, and then shoveled 3 feet deep, 10 feet long and 4 feet wide (a 2-hour process), before layering the pit with stones, wood, seaweed, then the layer of lobsters, clams, crabs, more seaweed and a sea-soaked tarp. High tide had been carefully checked . . .

Los Angeles Orphanage Guild members lunched to kick off their annual fund-raiser, a newspaper advertising supplement to appear on Mother’s Day.