Philharmonic Patron Tour of Europe Set

Put this on your wish list: the glamorous first Los Angeles Philharmonic Patron Tour of Europe May 14-27, rendezvousing with Andre Previn and the Los Angeles Philharmonic on their first European tour together.

The tab is steep, but, then, isn’t the best? Classy tourists will attend performances by the Philharmonic in four of Europe’s great concert halls: Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Munich’s Philharmonie Hall, Vienna’s Konzerthaus and London’s Royal Festival Hall.

Stupendous pluses: a pre-concert reception hosted by Ambassador and Mrs. Charles H. Price at their London home, Winfield House. Dinner with Ambassador and Mrs. Ronald S. Lauder at Palais Pallavicini in Vienna. Candlelight dinner in Amsterdam’s 17th-Century Stadthuis with the city’s Mayor Edj Van Thijn. A private tour of Amsterdam’s privately owned Van Loon Museum. A boat ride with the orchestra following the evening Concertgebouw performance. Cocktails and dinner with Prince Luipold von Bayern in Munich’s medieval Torggel Palais.

Philharmonic program annotator Orrin Howard will be the musical guide for the tour and no doubt the intellectual with the mostest for the tours of castles, palaces and historic houses. An adjunct will be the private tour of the Houses of Parliament, followed by dinner in the Peers’ Gallery as guests of the Hon. Neil Thorne, O.B.E., member of Parliament.

Land costs: $3,980 per person and air fare with choices ranging from $1,438 to $4,939. OK, stay home and give yourself a season subscription to the Philharmonic!

WISTERIA: Walk into the David M. Davises’ Craftsman bungalow near the Arroyo in Pasadena, and there’s a smell of narcissus as one views the eclectic treasures--a feast of two grandmothers’ inherited porcelains, Art Deco screens, silver tea strainers impishly placed on the piano, raku and pine needle vases, suede sofas, chintz-covered dining room walls, trompe l’oeil of the pet cats on a kitchen cupboard, a Central American rug picked up from a guy in a car on a street corner, the antler chandelier. Cats are everywhere, precariously so, perched overhead in the wisteria arbors surrounding the brown-shingled house. The wisteria has faint buds. But, it will be blooming lavender March 20-21, because the Davises and Carol Bressler, chairman of the San Marino League’s 16th Biennial Art Walk, say so.

It’s below this wisteria arbor that the league will host its tea as the respite stop on an art walk that features four extraordinary Pasadena homes: One is the Malcolm Glovers’ international modern Conrad Buff-designed residence with its sculpted look and the owners’ contemporary art collection. Another is Penny and Adam Bianchi’s French Regency house on the west edge of the Arroyo with its magnificent view of the San Gabriel Mountains and a plethora of French prints, antiques and personal mementos. A third is Patsy and John Austin’s English country house with vaulted ceilings, leaded-glass windows and a lifetime collection of English antiques and maritime prints. The fourth is the Davises.

A committee including co-chairman Katy Benton and Gloria Renwick, Caroline Blackburn, Jane Stott, Nancy Frykman, Marge Richards, Nancy Eckerman, LaRita Stoufer, Betsy Houlihan, Martha Jones, Jody Dundas, Peggy Class, Maureen Bell, Katy Benton and Gloria Byke have delved for months into historical tidbits. Mary B. Hunt, with a knowledgeable crew including Cheryll Wegge (she’s the Davises’ decorator), Mary Tollenaere and Stevey Bruce, will provide ikebana flower arrangements.

WOMAN TO WOMAN: Junior Leagues of Los Angeles, Pasadena and Long Beach are collaborating March 17 on a Woman to Woman meeting to promote public awareness of alcohol education. Members will meet at the Hyatt Regency in Long Beach to hear Former First Lady Betty Ford speak, according to chairman Sue Tucker. Numerous leagues throughout the nation are staging similar events.

SANTA ANITA: Lots of Northern Californians will be at Santa Anita Park next Sunday for the $1-million Santa Anita Handicap. Coming from Hillsborough will be the Marten Barrys, the George Dyers, the Fritz Graus, the J. Francis McGinnises, the Robert Rooses and from San Francisco the Paul B. Fays Jr. Their hosts will be Robert P. Strub, Santa Anita president, and his wife, Betty. They’re renewing the annual tradition begun by the track’s late founder, Dr. Charles H. Strub, who hosted his friends from his home city, San Francisco. Among those invited from the Southland are Westsiders Hannah and Ed Carter, Mary and Gordon Crary of Hancock Park, Fred Duckett of Pasadena, Mary Jane Hinds of Beverly Hills and Maggie Robbins of Pasadena, who will be pulling for their Nostalgia’s Star trained by Maggie’s son, Jay Robbins. Libby Keck will focus her binoculars on her steed, Ferdinand, the Kentucky Derby winner this year. The Carl Grinsteads of Chula Vista and the Ben Rochelles of West Los Angeles will be pulling for their Snow Chief.

ON TRACK, TOO: The California Arboretum Foundation, and various arboretum leaders including Joan Malafronte, Patty Rider, Alice Thomas and Ruth Mary Larson, host “A Day at the Races” at Santa Anita on March 11.

ACHIEVERS: USC’s Oscars of alumni achievement are coming up March 15 in the Grand Ballroom of the Sheraton Grande. Top honor, the Asa V. Call Achievement Award, will go to builder J. Douglas Pardee, USC trustee since 1978. Recently appointed California State Supreme Court Chief Justice Malcolm Lucas (former law partner of Gov. Deukmejian) heads the Merit Awards, along with Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Harry Handler, Olympic Gold Medalist Cheryl Miller, television producer Barney Rosenzweig, Wells Fargo Bank chairman and CEO Carl Reichardt and Margaret Gibbs, former professor in the School of Administration, Cal State San Bernardino. Accepting service awards will be Nick Pappas, Dr. George Boone, Alli Solum, Robert Hillen, Stephen Carr and Leslie Enlow.

KEYNOTER: Economist Dr. John Kenneth Galbraith, keynote speaker at Harvard’s 350th anniversary celebration, will deliver the address at Cal State L.A.’s 40th anniversary convocation March 16 at 4 p.m. in the University’s State Playhouse. Earlier, president James M. Rosser will honor him at a luncheon.

STAR DATES: William Travilla, Oscar and Emmy winner, receives the third annual Fashion Achievement Award from the Merchants Club for the City of Hope at the Regal Ball on Saturday at the Beverly Hilton. Jane Russell presents the honor. The event culminates a $2-million campaign by the club headed by Richard Ritz, whose wife, Iris, is event chairman.

Travilla is further in the spotlight Tuesday when Town and Gown honors John Ritter and stages a Travilla fashion show for 800 at the Beverly Wilshire. And the designer also starred at the 31st annual Flame Fantasy luncheon Saturday presented by Delta Zeta Lamplighters of Southern California. . . . UCLA Black Alumni Assn. presents its first scholarship/awards dinner Monday at the Beverly Wilshire. Dr. Don Sanders is chairman. Some of UCLA’s most illustrious alums are honorary chairs, including Mayor Tom Bradley, Arthur Ashe, Yvonne Burke, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Rafer Johnson and Chancellor Charles Young, who people are saying is the mastermind in polishing the deal that will unite UCLA and Norton Simon’s Museum in Pasadena. Attorney Rickey Ivie is event co-chair. Assisting are UBAA president Beverly Robinson and Percy Bolton, Joy Childs, Oscar Edwards, Bobby Grace, Audrey Harris, Lottie Perkins and Mary White.

TOY KING: A modern-day Gepetto? Jerry Blatt has worked in the toy industry for years. He’s retiring, but first toy industry leaders from around the country are coming to town to honor the 44-year resident/philanthropist of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. The Childrens Bureau of Los Angeles will benefit from their tribute to him this evening in the Crystal Room of the Beverly Hills Hotel. Bercor, Inc. is underwriting the evening, and its executive vice president, Paul Schur, will be roastmaster. Roasters, too, will include Richard Berger, Joe Mendelsohn, Larry Bernstein, Phil Jacobs, Stephen Hassenfeld, George Ditomassi, Bill Brett and Joel Greenberg.

PAST PERFECT: Governors of the Beverly Hills Country Club celebrated the gala opening of their new clubhouse on Motor Avenue this weekend. . . . Mrs. Richard Hazard hosted tea for 65 to spark interest in Pride House, a residential treatment program for sexually and physically abused youngsters in Van Nuys. The immediate priority is replacing 30-year-old beds. Listening to pleas from Sandra Crosby and Marsha Feldman, were Mrs. Bob Newhart, Mrs. Don Rickles, Mrs. Henry Mancini, Mrs. Al Toffel, Mrs. Paul Monash, Mrs. Pete Rugolo, Mrs. Dwight Hemion, Mrs. David Rose, Mrs. Bill Conti. . . . Pasadena Philharmonic Committee members joined for a just-for-fun evening Saturday at the Flintridge home of Lilias and Bill Jost. . . . As a benefit for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Zeta Beta Tau fraternity staged its eighth annual dance celebrating the fraternities of UCLA at the Palace in Hollywood. The Timex Social Club was the attraction for the invitation-only party expected to draw 2,000.

MORE PAST PERFECT: Bette Midler received an Omega gold constellation watch for her “significant moment” when she was outrageously glorified at the American Cinematheque’s second annual Moving Picture Ball at the Hollywood Palladium. Announcing that the event raised $250,000 was director Sydney Pollack, along with co-chairman Kenneth Kleinberg, artistic director Gary Essert, honorary chairman David Puttnam (new president of Columbia), and honorary co-chairmen Jackie Applebaum and Sherry Lansing. The crowd dined sumptuously on Ambrosia’s lobster and grilled mesquite chicken planned by Terri Aronson. The finale was a “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy From Company B” surprise rendition with the Harlettes.

SNOW WHITE: Nine O’Clock Players of the Assistance League of Southern California introduces its production of “Snow White” this weekend. The play will run Saturdays and Sundays through March 29 at 2 p.m. at the Assistance League Playhouse, 1367 N. St. Andrews Place, Hollywood. Tickets are $4.

NOTEABLES: Betsy Bloomingdale was wearing a sleek turquoise-and-black Adolfo when she spoke at San Marino Guild’s Celebrity Series. . . . Los Angeles Area USO presented its Distinguished Service Award to Martha Raye. . . . American Honda Foundation has given $50,000 to Children of the Night to aid sexually abused children. . . . Encore (past presidents of the Affiliated Philharmonic Committees) honors the orchestra and its conductor Andre Previn at a party tonight at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Mrs. Howard E. Contgarsy is chairman. . . . Councilman Michael Woo, honorary chairman of the Asian American Friends of the Center Theater Group, was in the spotlight when the Friends entertained at a reception after a preview of “The Traveler” at the Mark Taper Forum Friday evening. . . . Iona Brown, recently named music advisor, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, will be honored at a reception by British Consul Gen. Donald F. Ballentyne and Mrs. Ballentyne on Tuesday at their Hancock Park home. . . . Los Angeles Alumnae of Pi Beta Phi will host an I. Magnin fashion show to benefit the Crippled Chidren’s Society Monday at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

dianne