Temptation Carries the Day at Chocolate Fantasy Festival

Heaven help the diet conscious. Members of the Virginia Castle Auxiliary of the Newport Beach Assistance League made certain that all comers put their diets on hold last weekend.

When league supporters, unsuspecting shoppers and the lunch bunch regulars wandered into Fashion Island’s Atrium Court, they discovered the auxiliary’s Chocolate Fantasy Festival ’87 in progress.

With three levels overflowing with chocolate displays and 10 samples of chocolates included in the $5 admission fee, none but the most dedicated weight watcher could resist the calorie-laden temptations.

Chocolate turtles, truffles, cookies and other confections sat in vats everywhere. Instead of high tea, “haute cocoa” was served in the courtyard. On an upper level, chocolate experts such as Janice Wald Henderson of Chocolatier Magazine gave lectures on chocolate. While downstairs, back at the Irvine Ranch Market, the Italian bakery Il Fornaio served chocolate pasta.

Chocolate fever raged. Rob Rozzen, of the Swiss Chocolate Bank & Trust Candy Co. dipped “Powermouth” Patty Lotz from radio station KPWR in chocolate. “We started with milk chocolate on her left leg and white chocolate on the right leg,” Rozzen said. “Then we painted on stripes.”

Those who came to browse through the Atrium Court’s fashions stayed instead to stuff themselves with chocolates. Between league supporters and walk-ins, group treasurer Marcia Whitehead estimated 3,500 festival participants.

Children to Benefit

Proceeds will benefit the Assistance League’s Children’s Day Care Center and the Children’s Dental Health Center, both dedicated to the county’s underprivileged children. According to auxiliary chairman Barbara Amstadter, the Virginia Castle Auxiliary is one of five support groups for the Assistance League of Newport Beach. “Virginia Castle is probably one of the all-time super volunteers. She’s nearly 80 now.”

Amstadter said the group designed the fund-raiser with families in mind. She herself brought the youngest of her seven children, Nikkolas, 6. Event co-chairman Linda McClain said the group zeroed in on the chocolate concept because the idea seemed new and different.

But a new event also means breaking new ground. McClain said that in order to corral the 25 participating vendors, the group contacted 250 companies listed in telephone directories throughout the state, virtually every company that seemed chocolate-related. “The hardest part was writing to everyone and talking to everyone and then getting all the contracts,” McClain said.

Assisteens, high school students who volunteer time to league projects, also helped at the festival. Sipping haute cocoa and biting into a brownie, Assisteen Laura Booth said she planned to sample everything.

Highlighting the festival was a fashion show, Chocolates on Parade, in which auxiliary members and husbands and their children modeled.

Chocolate-Brown Fashions

Not surprisingly, considering the festival theme, chocolate-brown fashions turned up with frequency. Event co-chairman Sara Fulton and committee members Nora Jorgenson and Hortense De La Plante, for example, breezed down the runway in cocoa colors.

When other shades appeared, fashion show director Kitty Leslie simply chose other candy names. For example, Sharon McKinnon’s white sports became “white chocolate,” Les Holmes’ camel hair jacket became “caramel” and Joey Brewer’s mauve-tinged suit was christened “mocha mousse.”

With a march of chocolate soldiers, a male “hunk” on each arm of Leslie’s swimsuit-clad daughter Nancy, and a lollipop--themed number served up for the finale, the show could only be called pure confection.

Hard to believe an event could be sweeter. But according to Sue Mears, chairman-elect for the 1988 chocolate festival: “Next year it’s going to be the world’s largest!”

Committee members also included Andrea Rohrer, Anne Freeman and Barbara Lomma. The Fashion Island Merchants Assn. co-sponsored the event.

Sunday’s Valentine’s Dansant might have been named for the afternoon tea dances of France, but for the Con Brio chapter of the Orange County Performing Arts Center, the annual fund-raiser is brunch right down to its Belgian waffles, assorted pastries, fruits and bacon and eggs. “This is really a brunch dance, but we call it a dansant anyway,” said chapter chairman June Solow during the day of dining, dancing and entertainment at the Anaheim Hilton. “At first, people said: ‘Oh, how affected, ‘ but now they’re used to reeling it off . . . dansant!”

Solow explained that chapter’s dansant came to Orange County via Oklahoma, where member Dorothy Tyson grew up with the affairs as weekly Sunday events. Tyson said she and husband John still enjoy an occasional dansant when they visit Oklahoma.

Possibly because of the event’s move from the Turnip Rose in Orange, attendance was just shy of 200, according to ways and means chairman Kathleen Helsing.

Attendance was higher the previous year, but Helsing was concerned about changing locales, even to a larger ballroom. “We were too crowded there,” she said. “A third of the people couldn’t see the entertainment; it was horrifying.”

So when Ruth Jacobsen stopped by during the afternoon, commenting: “This is really lovely,” Helsing breathed a sigh of relief.

Guests “dansing” the afternoon away included Joanne Boswell, chairman of the guilds’ board of directors, Boswell’s daughter Stephanie, publicity chairman Margaret Percival, Arts Center board president Elaine Redfield, and guild member Grace Schwartz with husband Brad. Reservations chairman Corynne Stricklin said the event raised $6,000 for the chapter.

The Grand Ballroom of the Disneyland Hotel will be the setting for the Orange County Philharmonic Society’s annual Golden Baton Gala Saturday.

Recording star John Davidson will be the featured entertainer. Beginning at 7 p.m., the benefit will include a hosted cocktail party, dinner with complimentary wine and dancing to the Horace Heidt Jr. Orchestra.

Disneyland will be the recipient of society’s Golden Baton Award. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Goofy will make a special appearance. Tickets are $125 each. Call (714) 642-8232 for information.