A Bit of Panama at Party in Pasadena
With the Panamanian flag unfurling and banana trees everywhere, the mood was decidedly victorious the other evening at Maria and Sandy Mallace’s home in Pasadena.
Maria, born in Panama, hugged arrivals, and, referring to the U.S. role in Panama, greeted guests with a teasing, “We’re glad you came--what took you so long? Let’s celebrate!”
Crowding in were David and Holly Davis, attorney/Churchill buff Bob Hastings and Phyllis Diller, Bud and Virginia Carpenter, Patty and Roger Burschinger, Carolyn Fox, John and Dee Maechling (off to Hawaii to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary), Patty and Davis Pillsbury.
SUPER LADY: Whittier College trustees have bestowed the supreme accolade on Ruth Shannon Jr. They’ve named Whittier’s new performing arts center the Ruth B. Shannon Center for the Performing Arts. Since the formation in 1985 of the Performing Arts Center Campaign, under her leadership, the campaign has raised more than $8.6 million.
AMEN, AMEN: Now Beverly Hills has what Newport Beach has had for nine years--Amen Wardy. There, Wardy turned an auto supply store into a Taj Mahal of high fashion. This week, at 131 S. Rodeo, just across from the porte-cochere of the Regent Beverly Wilshire, and with invites out only five days in advance, he opened his new showplace.
The night before, Wardy, his daughter Soffia and architect Budd Holden were up all night to see that the wood parquet glittered around the Oriental rugs, porcelains and crystal sconces gleamed and Clarence House silks billowed.
At the opening, windows at the rear weren’t washed, and, in a Chinese jar with a cymbidium at the entrance, a tiny piece of newspaper with a Thrifty ad protruded. But, the panache was there when Erlenne Sprague, Mary Jane Wick and Betty Adams were the first high society to arrive and meander through haute couture boutiques. (Later they lunched at the Bistro Garden in the Valley.)
For now, Wardy will shuttle between Beverly Hills and Newport--he’s taken an apartment on Burton Way.
PRO BONO: Attorney Margaret M. Morrow’s commitment to legal services for the poor won her the Maynard Toll Award at the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles luncheon at the Biltmore.
A partner in Quinn, Kully & Morrow, she recently completed a term as president of the Los Angeles County Bar Assn. She has crusaded for law firms to devote at least 35 hours annually (per attorney) to pro bono representation of the poor.
The late Maynard Toll’s daughter, attorney Janet Davidson, was there, along with Court of Appeal presiding justice (division seven) Mildred Lillie, William W. Vaughn, Joseph D. Mandel, Samuel L. Williams, Russel I. Kully and president of the county Bar Assn. Harry L. Hathaway.
REVVING UP: House Ear Institute supporters, The Friends of Sonance--including Pat Moller, Helene Irvin, Nina Fields and Sheri Lombardi--turned out to see Giorgio Armani’s collection at I. Magnin and to chat about plans to team up with House Ear Institute Associates for a March 15 gala at the Beverly Hilton. Judy Tallarico, Liz Hirsch and Nina O’Hearn are planners. The event will honor Jimmy Stewart . . .
When John B. Grundhofer, Wells Fargo vice chairman, resigned to go to Minneapolis, Carl E. Reichardt, Wells Fargo chairman, stepped in to be dinner chairman for the USC Ides of March VIII dinner/roast on March 21 at Regent Beverly Wilshire. William F. Buckley Jr. will be in the firing line; invitations depict him as a righteous King of Darts . . . .
Something new--a Sports Spectacular Preview Night for members with ballpark snacks--kicks off the Junior League of Los Angeles rummage sale, opening to the public Saturday at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.
PAST PERFECT: Dody Booth and Paul Zuest hosted a reception at Hotel Bel-Air for pianist/composer Richard Currier . . . .
The Fleet Party hosted by Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge on the USS Missouri at Long Beach served up dinner and dancing until two bells (9 o’clock) for a crowd including Sally and Frank Raab, Jeanne and John McDonald . . . .
The March of Dimes Southern California Chapter Jack Benny Memorial Dinner at the Sheraton Grande honored Gene Roddenberry, creator of “Star Trek” . . . .
The Blue and White Ball at Century Plaza with chairman Sandy Costa, Katie Osterloh and Barbara Overland raised funds for Marymount High School . . . .
Cedars-Sinai Cheerful Helpers’ dinner dance at the Beverly Hilton was chaired by Ruth Fenton Sax.
DEBS: Debutantes were presented by Philoptohos Society of St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral at the Beverly Hilton: Vasie-Leigh Chames, Nicole Kalomas, Morfi Kokkinides, Marika Krissman, Eleni Livitsanos, Marisa Poulos, Annemarie Preonas and Nicole Props. Pauline Ladicos chaired the ball . . . .
St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral Ladies Society presented 23 at the Beverly Hilton. They are Alyssa Abraham, Christiana Ajalat, Juliana Capata, Nicole Casagrande, Nicole Gerro, Mona Khoury, Suzy Koudsi, Lisa Malouf, Margaret Mas, Christine Naim, Svetlana Nasrawi, Michele Nassaney, Charlene Phillips, Michelle Salamy, Airyn Saliba, Amy Saliba, Gina Samore, Nada Shamonki, Nadia Shashaty, Paula Simon, Brandie Stephen, Marie Tahan and Elizabeth Thabet.
AGENDA: Businesses were solicited to open their warehouses rather than their checkbooks, at the inaugural Merchants and Manufacturers Dinner at the Biltmore for Shelter Partnership . . . .
Caroline Goldthorpe of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York defined Victorian dress for the Costume Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art . . . .
Jewelry designer Dona Powell glittered at Jimmy’s at a dinner attended by Gen. Graham Shirley, Pakistani Prince Ali Azzez of London, Grace Robbins, Stanley Liebman and Michelin Lerner. She discussed plans for a world tour (beginning at I. Magnin) of her jewel collection.
