‘A Romantic Tradition’ for Debutantes

As the musicians in the Joe Moshay Orchestra fiddled with their instruments, Peter Gregg Benjamin--the tall, tanned surfboard manufacturer who moonlights as a dancing master--strode to the center of the stage in the Hotel del Coronado’s Grand Ballroom. At his approach, the five dozen faces (variously pretty, handsome and grizzled) on the dance floor turned in his direction.

“We’ll rehearse it one last time,” Benjamin announced, and the young women in white gowns, mature men in tail-coats, tuxedoed young men and crisply uniformed Naval ROTC midshipmen hurried to their appointed stations, the midshipmen to the center of the floor, where they raised their swords to form a sort of arch of Damocles.

“Okay, daughters and fathers,” called Benjamin to the attentive circle of faces. “When the swords go up and the band starts ‘Thank Heaven for Little Girls,’ hit it!”

The month of May would be incomplete without the milling group of blushing fathers, proud debutantes and nervous escorts (they are expected to waltz) that annually melds into such a vivid tableau vivant at the annual La Jolla Debutante Ball.

Seventeen young women bowed Saturday at “A Romantic Tradition,” the 29th annual debutante presentation; the group, smaller than in recent years, included upperclassmen from several area high schools as well as a pair of college freshmen. More than 350 family members and friends applauded the debs as they passed through a ritual that in some circles historically has marked a young woman’s transition to full adult status.

The ball capped a six-month whirl of not only teas, parties and dressmakers’ appointments for the young women--the list included Dana Barton, Rebecca Brophy, Carri Ann Crowley, Shawn Davis and Colleen Dolan--but of excursions into avenues of social responsibility and charity work as well.

“The girls debuting this year are special,” said ball chairman Kay Allman. “They’re lovely ladies, they’re unique and intelligent. When they’re older, they will be an asset to our community--they will be our leaders.”

Allman added that the debs’ round of activities was not a case of all fun and no work.

“Watching their growth in social and community awareness was a joy,” she said. “The care and kindness they showed homeless children when they gave them an Easter party would have made every community leader proud.”

Debutante chairman Anne Rifat said that she found a rare convergence between the young women and the event.

“I really think that we have the best of the best this year, both in the ball and in the families represented,” she said. “It’s truly an up-scale event, but the best part is that we always make significant gifts to charity.”

These donations traditionally are presented well after the ball takes place, but to charities at least partly chosen by the debutantes. Rifat said that last year, the ball’s largest donation was a gift of $40,000 to the Mercy Hospital Teenage Maternal Infant Care Unit; another $5,000 was donated toward the medical expenses incurred by an infant born with AIDS.

For the parents, the evening also brought a long season of deb activities to a close and, in the eyes of some, seemed to open a new chapter. Developer Tawfiq Khoury, standing on the sidelines as daughter Noelle Felice Khoury danced by in the arms of escort Mike Borelli, spoke for many parents when he observed, “I can’t believe that she’s already grown.” Some of the other young women whose nosegays of white and pink roses made them seem caught between childhood and maturity were Danielle Farr, Elizabeth Henry, Kathryn Jones, Marianne Castagnola-McAllister, Caroline McCarty, Amanda Robinson, Bernadette Shook, Samantha Slipock and Laura Zondorak.

Designer Gail Hewitt created a summer garden party effect by adding a solarium backdrop to the stage and centering the tables with tall epergnes of snapdragons and other seasonal blooms. In this setting, debutantes Vanessa Madigan and Caroline Walther-Meade mentioned a few highlights of the debutante program.

“It really prepares you for the future, and I hope it’s a really social future,” teased Madigan, a freshman at San Diego City College. Walther-Meade, who debuted last summer in Vienna and is a resident of both La Jolla and Tijuana, said “It’s all a lot of fun, but it also helps you establish rapport with girls from all over the city. I know we’ll work together in the future.”

The ball committee included Alison Ramey, Mary Wayne, Lauree McKeown, Claire Reiss, Adrienne Boroff, Ilene Swartz, Mary Lewis, Linda Merkin, Dottie Meanley, Gail Hewitt, Pat Hannum and event founder Brownie Kniff.

SAN DIEGO--This city now offers cause-cum-support groups tailored to suit just about anyone, and even if you’ve never been a joiner, International Dog Diners may be the group for you if you’ve ever felt miffed at having to leave Spike or Bowser at home when going out for a restaurant meal.

The first-ever Mad Dogs and Englishmen’s Tea Party (Noel Coward wrote that these two groups “go out in the mid-day sun”) was given Sunday on the grounds of the Rancho Santa Fe Polo Club as a benefit for Canine Companions for Independence and a kick-off for International Dog Diners.

There was a warm and furry feel to the proceedings, even if some of the guests did look down cold noses at one-another. But since every dog has his day, for the 80 canines in attendance it was a true dog day afternoon--the chiens assortis found the wide stretches of the field perfect for cavorting purposes.

Their human pals seemed in equally high spirits, aided in part by a high tea featuring cucumber sandwiches and scones.

Piret Munger, whose husband George co-founded IDD (and whose dog, Louie, is president of the fledgling group), saw the tea as a something of a vindication for the organization.

“My biggest fear was that we’d get 70 or 80 dogs--which we did--and that they’d be skittish and upset. But they’re all sweet, and this absolutely demonstrates that there is no reason on earth not to allow dogs in restaurants.”

“We’d love to have our dogs dine out with us but know that goal is difficult to reach, so for the meantime we’re raising money for Canine Companions for Independence,” added George Munger. The event was expected to raise about $2,000 for the program, which trains dogs to assist individuals with a variety of disabilities. A demonstration of CCI pets at work was given near the conclusion of the event.

CCI executive director George Kuhrts attended the tea and said that his group was “just really delighted” to be the beneficiary of Dog Diner’s first event.

IDD co-founder Nancy Hester was accompanied by her husband, architect Henry Hester and their yellow Labrador, Chelsea.

“This is a group that would like equal rights for dogs if they’re well behaved,” she said. “After all, dogs are our best friends, and if they can join you in restaurants in Paris, why not here?”

Among those who turned out with pooches in tow were Linda and Chuck Owen, Dottie Howe and daughter Mayo Howe, Cuilly Burdett, Robin and Alan MacKenzie, Penne and Tom Horn, Lycia Hepburn, pianist Barry Levich, Thelma and Stanley Shoemaker, Marian and Whit Boardman and Mary and James Hickey.