A Spicy Opening for the Four Seasons

The Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles (within viewing of Beverly Hills) is, shall we say, being well seasoned. First, there was the unveiling the other noon. It wasn’t exactly an unveiling: How can you unveil 285 rooms and suites rising 16 stories over tropical palms?

However, the occasion was a bubbly one spiced with ear-to-ear grins from owners Robert and Beverly Cohen and Joseph and Susan Cohen as they cut the ribbons over the front entrance. Four Seasons Hotels Limited chairman, president and CEO Isadore Sharp, founder of the luxury hotel company, flew from Toronto for the 22nd chain opening and luncheon executed by executive chef Lydia Shire. Mayor Tom Bradley bestowed welcomes. Charles J. Ferraro, general manager (formerly with the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago, then five years as manager of the Four Seasons Olympic in Seattle), promised excellence.

That excellence had another show Thursday evening when the Americana Associates wined and dined. Theirs was the First Gala.

Next comes the Gala Opening on June 5, titled “Cedars Through the Seasons.” It’s being hosted by the new hotel for the Associates of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. They’re the donors who have made major financial commitments to the medical center’s $90-million Endowment Fund Campaign. Co-chairs are Susan and Mark Greenfield. George Burns serves as honorary chairman for the campaign.

Guests also are being offered complimentary lodging for the night--and, presumably, a first dip in that rooftop swimming pool (with the view of B.H.). That should make it all official.

SUNSHINE: Stanton Avery was forthright: “I am fully convinced in all the times I have been here that the sun shines a little more brightly on the Huntington.” He’s chairman, and he should know. But the Blue Ribbon members of the Music Center thought so too this week as the birds tweeted and the women put on spring silks and linens to tour the Huntington Library Rose Gardens, then lunch on wondrous Rococo-catered picnic baskets in the Scott Gallery Atrium.

The morning was carefully orchestrated by Keith Keischnick, Blue Ribbon president; Marion Jorgensen, chairman of the Huntington’s Board of Overseers; Ernestine Avery and Nancy Call, who was in Washington. Robert Middlekauf, director of the Huntington Library and Gallery, noted that the Huntington’s founder, Henry Edwards Huntington, hoped to cultivate research and the education of the public. He also noted that the museum is the oldest publisher of books in Southern California, and currently is on a search for Green & Green furniture and period California paintings.

Everyone had been somewhere: Peggy Galbraith was back from Rancho de Los Caballeros in Wickenburg, Ariz.; Kay Onderdonk had been to the desert near Palm Springs. And they were chatting about travels with Debbie Lanni and Vanya Rohner. June Banta had flown in from Beijing and the new Great Wall Sheraton. The Averys leave soon for their castle in Scotland, then to London for the wedding of Melissa Price, daughter of U.S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James Charlie Price and Carol Price. The reception’s at Winfield House, and the Jorgensens and the William Wilsons also will attend.

A big crowd was absorbing rose expert Clair Martin’s every word on the garden tour. Among the guests were Joan Caillouette, Bettina Chandler, Lavetta King, Carrie Ketchum, Dona Kendall, Betty Keatinge (involved in the May 9 dedication of the Donald Wright Auditorium at the Pasadena Public Library), Louise Jones, Diane Morton, Mary Ann Heidt, Adrienne Hall, Jackie Rosenberg, Nanci Denney, Nancy Wheat, Chardee Trainer, Erlenne Sprague, Carolyn Miller, Peggy Parker, Betty Lee Stickell, Carolyn Miller, Lee Minnelli, Fran Larkin, and Marjorie Lyte.

As Susan Danly, associate curator for American art, discussed the sensational new Mary Cassatt on loan from the Kirkeby Foundation, Dorie Pinnola, Nadine Carson and Noelle Siart lingered and had to dash through sprinkles to their car.

ESCALATION: “You . . . the Night . . . and the Music” for the Blind Childrens Center Saturday is among benefits galore. Delta Gamma alumnae and benefit chair Linda Valliant will charge $175 for the black-tie gala with Les Brown and his band and the Beverly Hills Ballroom Dancers. Betty White will emcee. The affair is in the ballroom of the Sheraton Premiere. . . . Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times benefits when Columbia Pictures invites first-nighters to meet Dustin Hoffman, Warren Beatty and friends for the world premiere of “Ishtar” May 13 at Cineplex Odeon Century Plaza. Invites say “No Black Ties!” Immediately thereafter, the crowd will cavort over culinary delights in a Moroccan bazaar. . . .

Constance A. Austin, volunteer chairman, and Frank Ellsworth, president, will be at the helm for the seventh annual Pitzer College film benefit May 15 at Universal Studios. Dinner follows a screening of “Harry and the Hendersons.”

UPSCALE: E. Patrick Healy Jr., host chef at Colette, has rallied some of the city’s finest--Ken Frank of La Toque, Elka Gilmore of Camelions, John Sedlar of St. Estephe and Roy Yamaguchi of 385 North--and they’ll join at Colette in Beverly Hills Monday for “An Evening With American Chefs,” all producing a feast at the invitation of Max Baril. Healy thought it would be an interesting idea to do a dinner together. It’s supposed to develop into a series of similar evenings at $125 per person. . . .

Speaking of chefs, in San Francisco this week plans were being announced for the “grandest culinary event in the history of our country.” Chef Jean Banchet (Le Francais) revealed plans for a benefit for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. It will be held simultaneously July 12 in 10 cities. Plans are for 100 chefs.

PAST TENSE: Native Californian Nan Birmingham--author, lecturer, humorist and contributing editor to Town and Country--delighted Westridge Alumnae at their reunion day. Her topic: “Rights of Passage” (or growing up forever). She was the house-guest in Pasadena of her cousin, Nancy Adams Holliday, and aunt, Ilse Adams. It was Nancy who inspired Nan’s book, “Store,” a memoir of America’s great department stores. . . .

Princess Norhayti of Brunei and her young children, Prince Samidar and Princess Bahar, lunched with an entourage of 40 in the VIP Room at Madame Wu’s Garden. Madame Wu will visit them on her annual trip to the Orient.

PERSONALITIES: Some of MGM’s legendary stars--Cyd Charisse, Kathryn Grayson, Gene Kelly and Ann Miller--inscribe their names next to famed photos May 14 at the Hollywood Roosevelt. It’s a Hollywood Centennial event. Hosting will be Ted Turner, chairman of Turner Broadcasting System Inc.; Roger Mayer, president of Turner Entertainment Co., owners of the MGM library; and Johnny Grant, honorary mayor of Hollywood and chairman of the Centennial.