Train Time For Kidney Foundation

There are many who would be content to toss a shiny quarter to the porter and, as the Andrews Sisters suggested, shuffle off to Buffalo. Not so the patrons of the annual Orient Express Gala, a group that over the years has come to insist on more exotic destinations and more cosmopolitan pleasures.

Nearly 400 supporters of the National Kidney Foundation of Southern California (San Diego Region, no less--how’s that for a mouthful?) turned out Saturday at the Omni San Diego Hotel for the sixth in the organization’s yearly journeys back in time.

As always, the Orient Express pulled out of the station on schedule and bore its passengers, at breakneck speed, on a fantasy trip aboard the fabled train that in the 1920s provided stylish passage from London to Istanbul (or Stamboul, as the English style it), and currently carries the well-heeled on a nifty overnight journey from London to Venice.

The idea behind the event is so fanciful that the gala, at least as of this year, has become engraved quite impregnably upon the annual calendar. It is very much make-believe for adults, the pretense a carefully orchestrated travel adventure that begins with the issuance of passports at Folkestone Station (actual photos are taken on the spot, and affixed to the passport-programs), and continues with casino gambling, amusing entertainment and a dinner chosen to reflect the cuisines of the countries along the express train’s route. The dinner tables, usually named for railway stations in European cities so obscure as to panic the geographically insecure, this year borrowed monikers from the bistros and boits de nuit that gave Paris its enviable reputation during the Fitzgerald-Hemingway era.

The evening’s final destination traditionally has been Istanbul’s fabled souk , the Marrakesh Market, but chairman Christi Faires this year chose to concentrate upon the London-Paris leg of the route, a choice that allowed for plenty of 1920s Gallic bacchanalia as exemplified by the Can-Can and le jazz hot .

Much of this was offered by the Karizma Dance Company, which during a surprise dinner show first sent its members on the floor as jazz-crazed flappers, and later returned for a leggy can-can that enlightened some of the younger guests as to why “great gams” used to be a favorite expression. The exhibition dance team of Felix Chavez and Sandi Renee stole the show with a sizzling post-entree tango so hot that it threatened to melt the baked Alaska desserts. Later, the San Diego Zoo’s Joan Embery, who was honorary dinner chairman, showed up with a black-and-white ruffled lemur in tow, an amiable critter that was altogether much more tame than the cheetah Embery brought to a previous Orient Express gala.

The dinner itself supposedly was modeled on actual recipes served aboard the express in its heyday; the Omni interpreted these into a menu that commenced with salad in a dilled dressing, and a novel surf ‘n’ turf of fish filet and filet mignon. (Alice Toklas, the doyenne of 1920s gastronomes who knew the French cuisine of the era like few other Americans, once asked quite plaintively if railway meals were cooked in the locomotives.)

Dinner aside, the guests largely alternated between dancing to the Bill Green Orchestra (which frankly outdid itself that evening) and roulette and blackjack in the casino. The casino draw, beyond the allure of chance itself, was the opportunity to win chances on a handsome array of prizes. The party’s major drawing, however, was separate and limited to 200 tickets; this was for a trip for two aboard the modern Venice Simplon-Orient Express. This prize is awarded annually by Keith Rennison, a representative of the railway company, who said: “Everyone’s been so delighted by our participation in this party each year that we’ve just kept going right along with it. It’s an important event to support.”

That the event has great import (it raised about $65,000 for Kidney Foundation research, educational and patient services programs) was a thought stressed by chairman Faires, who repeated a role she played in 1985. “Orient Express has become a standard in this town,” she said. “Not all parties are fun, but people always have a good time at this one knowing that their support helps so many others.”

San Diego Charger Eric Sievers, who with his wife, Diana, is honorary chairman of the local Kidney Foundation, offered a simpler appreciation of the gala.

“I always have as much fun at this party Express as I have at a golf tournament, and I like golf tournaments,” he said--which was a nice way of saying that the Orient Express chugged through its course well under par.

The guest list included master of ceremonies Bill Griffith and his wife, Jenny; Susan and Michael Channick; Judy and Tom Carter; Linda and Mel Katz; Martha Hall with Eric Lundgren; Hilda Sugarman with Harry Evons; Doris and Roger Lindland; Jeanette and John McSweeny; Jill and Tom Hall; Beth and Richard Benes; Mary Michaletz with Rolf Benirschke; John Faires; Joan and David Ward; Janne Anderson with local Kidney Foundation President Don McVay; Valerie and Mike Weaver, and Linda Carroza and Francisco Herrera.

More than one observer suggested that a flock of exceptionally well-dressed penguins had come to roost at Friday’s University of San Diego Deans’ Ball, given for 375 guests in the Marina Ballroom of the San Diego Marriott.

Billed as an “Evening of Enchantment in Black and White,” the ball quite naturally was executed in ebony and ivory, a pair of shades the guests adopted to the utter exclusion of color from the ballroom. This extravaganza in the two tones of the currently fashionable palette was the brainchild of chairman Helen Anne Bunn, who said she chose the motif simply because she thought it would be fun. “I just like these colors,” she said, “but some people think I chose them because it’s Friday the 13th.”

The day’s questionable associations in the popular mind seemed to intrude not at all on the gala, which was given both to honor the deans of the university’s five schools, and to raise funds for each school’s scholarship and faculty programs. All five honorees were present to take their bows in turn; the presentation commenced with Carol Baker, acting dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and continued with School of Business Administration dean James Burns; Edward DeRoche of the School of Education; Sheldon Krantz of the School of Law, and School of Nursing dean Janet Rodgers.

Attorney and USD law professor Hugh Friedman, the master of ceremonies, attended stag, since his wife, attorney Lynn Schenck, also was on fund-raiser duty that evening; her role required her to take Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis to the local Democratic Party’s annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner at the San Diego Hilton.

Friedman seemed to savor his role. “Honoring the deans is a very special tradition at USD, because they’re often prophets without honor among their own faculties and students,” he said. “To package this honor in a ball is both fun and lively.”

Fun and lively it certainly was, with the swordfish dinner followed both by dancing to the Nelson Riddle III Orchestra, and a special appearance by the cast of “Suds,” the popular ‘60s rock musical then in performance at the Old Globe Theatre. The group dashed over to the ball after its final curtain call on the Balboa Park stage.

USD President Author Hughes and his wife, Marge, headed a guest list that included honorary ball chairmen Jean and Ernest Hahn and Marilyn and Kim Fletcher. Others were Msgr. I. Brent Eagen, Linda and Frank Alessio, Randall Phillips, Sally and John Thornton, Joanne and Frank Warren, Kathy and George Pardee, Tommi and Bob Adelizzi, Maggie and John Mazur, Jane and Herb Stoecklein, Charmaine and Maurice Kaplan, Susie and Bill Wright, Lee and P. J. Maturo, Gloria and Charles Melville and Alison and Jon Tibbitts.

The Stevens Cancer Center at Scripps Memorial Hospitals benefitted the other evening from an art exhibit-cum-pasta fiesta given at the Parallel Gallery and Scalini restaurant in Del Mar.

Co-chairs Luba Johnston and Renee and Charles Taubman drew about 150 pals to the fund-raiser, which was designed specifically to raise a part of the $25,000 the center requires to produce an educational videotape aimed at the prevention or early detection of breast cancer. The topic was approached forthrightly by most of the evening’s principals, including Charles Taubman, who said simply, “It’s a problem that strikes everyone--no woman is safe.” The center’s programs and projects later were discussed by several of the guests who have been on the Stevens patient rolls.

However, and like so many events that raise funds for difficult causes, this evening passed quite pleasantly. The guests first inspected a series of impressive glass sculptures by artist Dale Chihuly before retiring to the Scalini terrace for an elegant sunset buffet.

Among the guests were Stevens Cancer Center director Dr. John Trombold and his wife, Marcia; Jeanne Brace; Barbara and Dr. John Cherry; Sandy Henry; Ann Jones; Rochelle and Dr. Joseph Capozzi; Dolly Maw; Evelyn Truitt; Dixie Unruh with son Brian Unruh and his wife, Maureen; Virginia and Jack Monday; Cathy and Dr. Richard Fosburg, and Lynn and Edward George.