A Hospital Benefit: Puck Stops Here

The Auxiliary of the Hospital of the Good Samaritan has received raves for decades on its biennial Golden Thimble Needlework Exhibit. From stitchery, members are jumping to the frying pan--Wolfgang Puck’s. They’ve persuaded the chef extraordinaire , author and owner of Spago and Chinois au Main restaurants, to give a $100-per-person cooking demonstration Oct. 3 at Wilshire Country Club.

Proceeds will go to the new obstetrical unit opening at the hospital this fall. Florence Mestman is committee chairman, appointed by Sandy Israel, auxiliary president.

Assuring success is a sophisticated committee that includes Janice Carpenter, Susan Blumenthal, Phyllis Bethel, Gerry Bowers, Rusty Chandler, Dr. Anne E. Hood, Lynn Kern, Jane Lombardo, Gwen Lundy, Peggy McLeod, Mona Starke and Janet Watts.

ART QUAKE ‘88: Invitations for the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art’s Monte Carlo evening, “Art Quake ‘88” on Aug. 13, are surely the most creative of the year. Trustees have mailed wooden boxes containing six-inch-square metal grids and muslin bags of creative tools--scissors, glue, paint brush, paint, stainless steel wire and needles and thread.

With this, attendees are mandated to create artwork for party entrance and, upon party arrival, to place their personal masterpieces on a main sculpture. The Quakettes, as the committee dubs itself, includes Carolyn Farris, Sue Edwards, Martha Gafford, Elizabeth McCullah, Patricia Mix, Heather Metcalf, Carol Randolph, Colette Carson Royston, Carolyn Yorston and Barbara Zobell.

“Conceptualists” can get in for $125, “pop artists” for $250, “surrealists” for $500, “futurists” for $1,000, but everyone will be in creative black-tie (“art elegant,” the invitation specifies) and dancing to Al Dente Disco and Andy’s Arty Automat and experiencing Art Quake gambling and gaming when not dining in the Pasta Palace where, it’s promised, spaghetti will be in “an outrageous art form.”

SUMMERIZING: Virginia Carpenter hosted a summer tea at her home to introduce new members of the Autumn Cotillion to the advisory board and ball committee.

Hearing the latest word on the black-tie ball, which will be held in the newly redecorated Beverly Wilshire’s Wintergarden and Ballroom in the fall at a date to be announced later, were Jane Ackerman, Janice Boswell, Victoria Browne, Rusty Chandler, Missy Crahan, Patty Garver, Mary Ann Heidt, Julie Jones, Kay McKay, Carol Mullaney, Claire Shea and Elizabeth Up de Graff.

Jane Ward amused the group with a history of the Cotillion from pre-World World II days and introduced advisory board members Mary Crary, Jacqueline K. Sesnon, Kate Luppen and Jane Mock.

Margaret Moore heads the ball committee, assisted by Margie Barry, Ginny Dickinson, Bonnie McClure and Sally Woodward.

SUMMER FUN: Metropolitan Associates are doing what they like to do best--watching classic films over picnic suppers. Recently they saw “The Third Man” at sunset on the Doris and Norman Newell lawns in Pasadena.

Archie and Lois Miller of Arcadia host “Deadly Affair” on Saturday; Mariella and Dan Dixon of Pasadena “Diabolique” on Aug. 13, and Mary Kay and Boyd Hight of Pasadena “Chinatown” on Aug. 27. Along the way, says Alice Coulombe, they’re pleasantly raising money to underwrite Los Angeles Music Center Opera performances of “Cosi fan Tutte” for schoolchildren.

PAST PERFECT: Ellen and Berny Byrens’ celebration of the summer--dinner and dancing black-tie--at Jimmy’s.

SUNDAY FARE: Hospice of Pasadena brings the French Quarter to Pasadena with “Cajun at the Commons” today. Dave Felton and Donna Harrison and George Hale, Marjorie Lyte, William Oldknow, Julie Pizzinat and Richard Stever are promising Southern hospitality at $45 per person. . . .

The blues-tinged stylings of Jimmy Witherspoon are the attraction for the Pasadena Historical Society’s benefit concert (in the series “Jazz in the Garden”) today. Tickets are $30 and include include a gourmet box supper. . . . The Long Beach Civic Light Opera benefits from the $65-per-person progressive gourmet feast beginning at 6 p.m. today. Portions of Pine Avenue will be closed for the evening so that guests can dance and graze their way through the gourmet fare of nearby restaurants.

MUCH MORE: For $100 donations, 50 will cruise on Long Beach real estate syndicator Randy King’s yacht, “Kings Court,” this evening, wine tasting and celebrating in honor of Vital Options’ first year of service in Long Beach. Options is a psychosocial support group for people, ages 17-40, with cancer.

POSTSCRIPT: Art patrons Peter and Eileen Norton were surrounded by friends for their garden party celebrating the completion of muralist Kent Twitchell’s newest piece, a 50-foot picture of fellow artist Don Bachardy on their garden wall. Giving approval were CCH Pounder, Dewain Valentine, Martha Alf. . . .

Los Angeles Men’s ORT staged “Evening Under the Stars” at the Hollywood Bowl. . . .

Institute for Cancer and Blood Research chairman Andy Granatelli was in the forefront at the Filmland fund-raiser. . . .

Dr. Edward and Diana Dickstein honored Gary Graffman, director of the Curtis Institute of Music of Phhiladelphia, at a dinner/musicale in their Brentwood home while he was in Los Angeles to solo at the Hollywood Bowl. . . .

United Liver Assn. supporters lunched at Hollywood Park with Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Chris McCarron, honorary chairman.

KEEPING UP: Joyce and Ray Watt and Linda and Ron Cedillos hosted the reception at Jimmy’s for the HOBY Associates (the Hugh O’Brian Youth Foundation), with Hugh O’Brian commenting on his recent trip to the Soviet Union where he discussed a youth exchange program with Soviet officials. HOBY stages seminars for sophomores in more than 11,000 high schools, fostering leadership.

KUDOS: For Marion Siciliano, star at her art opening (running through Aug. 18) at Gallery West on Robertson. . . . For the Wellness Community and chairman Myra Silverman, netting $110,000 on their “Les Miserables” benefit. . . . For Caroline Ahmanson, named an honorary citizen of Guangzhou (formerly Canton), China, a Los Angeles sister city. . . . For Janell Alden, new president of the Greater Los Angeles chapter of Childhelp USA (fighting child abuse). . . .

For Gerald S. Weisstein, president and CEO of the Bank of Los Angeles, Man of the Year for the 500 Club of City of Hope. . . . For Joan Terzian, surprised with 250 guests by her husband, Carl, at a party in the Grand Salon of the new JW Marriott. . . . For Sonance’s $125,000 gift to the House Ear Institute, presented by Penny von Kalinowski. . . . For the Auxiliary of the Casa Colina Center gift of $21,000 to the center in Pomona.

MORE KUDOS: For three of 23 committees comprising the Partners For support group selected for honors at the Music Center: the Foothill Committee and president Vesta White and fund-raising chair Nancy Weingartner for the largest percentage increase of donations; the Center Theatre Group Volunteers and president Kelly Schiffer and fund-raising chair June Arden for the group raising the most--$131,708, and the Junior Philharmonic Associates and president Mary Hesburgh and fund-raising chair Barbara Achard for success in securing the largest number of donors.