Blue Ribbon: Glamour Chronicles
The Blue Ribbon is streaked with glamour. This week it was welcoming new members at the Humble House of the Butterfly Tile in Beverly Hills with special guest Wendy Wasserstein, whose play “The Heidi Chronicles” opens Oct. 14 at Ahmanson at the Doolittle.
In high one-upsmanship, the same Music Center group (it donates $1.6 million annually to the Music Center) will celebrate the opening of Two Rodeo Drive Oct. 14 and stroll on Via Rodeo, site of the new $200-million-plus, 23-store, high-end retail complex where Tiffany & Co., Valentino, Christian Dior and Cartier will sell pricey wares.
“We’re thrilled to be a part of the opening,” said Blue Ribbon president Joanne Kozberg. Ribboners Sandra Ausman and Deborah Tellefsen plan dancing under the stars.
IN LOVE: Individuals raised $2.5 million in cash--not pledges--and restored the circa 1927 California Mediterranean, Myron Hunt-designed Pasadena Public Library, which is listed by the National Register of Historic Places.
The Pasadena Library Foundation celebrated with an elegant “Love Your Library Gala” arranged by Ann Longyear and Pasadena Public Library Foundation president Tempe Brooks.
Some 300 dined around tall beribboned Victorian topiaries of roses amidst the books and under exact replicas of original chandeliers in the 44-foot high central foyer. The old checkout desk became a location for the orchestra. Cocktails were served in the newly dedicated Ernestine Avery Childrens Library with Ernestine and Stanton Avery beaming in a spirited auction of books autographed by the likes of Richard Nixon, Dr. Seuss, Ray Bradbury, Alex Haley and Jack Smith.
In careful planning, invitations were embossed with a likeness of the library down to the stately palms. Place cards of the same design became collectors’ items. Noting the institution’s 1.6 million books, librarian Edward Szynaka said, “If you went to the Rose Bowl, there would be 12 books on each seat.”
Pasadena’s beneficent were everywhere: George and Jeff Jagels, Alyce Williamson, Gordon and Connie Fish, Bob and Betty Strub, Eton and Beverly Ballard, Betty and Richard Keatinge, Kay Paschall, Jean Van Tuyle, Ron and Debbie Lee, Laura and Carlton Seaver, John and Elsie Sadler, Georgie Van de Kamp, Bruce and Rosemary Anderson, Gloria and Ed Renwick and Kraig A. Westra, whose Community Bank underwrote the benefit for $75,000.
RECORD SETTERS: USC was glowing in gold at the “Magic of Giving” campaign gala officially completing its $641.5-million Campaign for USC, the largest fund-raising campaign in the university’s history, and revealing gifts from 170,000 individuals.
USC president James H. Zumberge, new trustees chairman Forrest Shumway, outgoing trustees chairman George Scharffenberger, national campaign chairman Carl Hartnack and USC Associates president John C. Argue were instrumental in the magic for the campaign, first announced in 1986 with a $557-million goal.
Multimillion-dollar donors (the biggest--former Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s Walter Annenberg with $28 million--was not present) were at the thank-you gala at the Regent Beverly Wilshire: Thomas and Kathleen McCarthy, $9 million through the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation; Katherine Bogdanovich Loker, $7 million; Harold E. Moulton, $6.5 million; John and William Lusk, $4 million; Harry and Della MacDonald, $3.4 million, and Ron Stever, $3 million.
PLAUDITS: Sandra Moss will be honored for her “extraordinary achievements on behalf of rape victims” today at the Rape Foundation brunch at the home of Susie and Ted Field. Kudos also go to Susan Dey, Corbin Bernsen and Kelly McGillis for their efforts to thwart campus rape . . . .
Hollywood salutes Dennis Weaver’s 40th year in television with an all-star gala and roast and special performances by John Denver and Dorian Harewood Oct. 12 at the Century Plaza. Eleven co-chairs include Stephen J. Cannell, James F. Montgomery and Ken Shapiro . . . .
KUDOS: To Tommy Tune, honored with the Jean Cocteau International Style Award at the Mondrian Hotel . . . .
To Rosetta and David J. Cohen, to be honored by the University of Judaism next Sunday . . . .
To June Ebensteiner, named Hospice Volunteer of the Decade by the National Hospital Organization in Washington . . . .
To Christopher Hunt of the Ojai Festival, introduced at a sparkling party at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Malibu.
PAST PERFECT: Roy and Elaine Reeves’ buffet dinner dance at Annandale Golf Club honoring their son Roy and his fiance, Lesley Scherer of St. Louis, and attended by Ceil Pulitzer of St. Louis . . . .
The National Arts Assn. luncheon planned by Marilyn Rudley at Jimmy’s with David Cardoza, Neiman Marcus’s fashion director, touting glittery hose . . . .
Maurice Sendak was the focus at a reception preview of “The Art of Idomeneo” at the gallery Every Picture Tells a Story, hosted by Abbie Phillips and Lois Sarkisian.
THE SCENE: Andrew and Marilyn Kisylia’s candlelight dinner for National Charity League of San Fernando Valley debutantes who will be presented Nov. 24 . . . .
Beverly and Sid Adair’s tea in Hancock Park for the Committee of Professional Women for the L.A. Philharmonic . . . .
Composer Elizabeth Waldo Dentzel’s celebration at her Rancho Cordillera del Norte naming Carl Princi as first laureate and announcing establishment of a multicultural music and art foundation . . . .
Bridget Martens’ luncheon in honor of jewelry designer Kai-Yin O at the Bistro Garden . . . .
Janet Cree’s Diane Freis charity dress sale for the Long Beach Cancer League . . . .
David Lynch chairing the Spare Change Project at Mondrian Hotel after the Emmy Awards.
