Governor’s Awards to Honor Legends, Patrons of the Arts

It’s May in January if you go by the numbers. Meetings, meetings, meetings. Parties, benefits, celebrations by the hundreds.

Monday evening, Wendy Goldberg, Anne Johnson, Susan Dolgen, Iris Dart, Kent Kresa and David Lizarraga--as chairs of the fourth annual Governor’s Awards for the Arts Feb. 26--will be at the side of California First Lady Gayle Wilson at the Creative Artists Agency in Beverly Hills to kick off the gala.

They’re announcing actor-director Clint Eastwood, jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald, writer Ray Bradbury, artist Robert Graham, community group Plaza de la Raza, arts patron Gordon P. Getty and corporate arts patron Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., as recipients of the Governor’s Awards.

The event will benefit the California State Summer School for the Arts Scholarship Fund and will be sponsored by the California Arts Council, says Goldberg.

CONFLICTING DATES: Also on Monday, the Associates of the California Institute of Technology will celebrate Caltech’s 22nd Nobel Laureate, Prof. Rudolph A. Marcus, with a dinner at the Ritz-Carlton Huntington.

At the same time, the Los Angeles World Affairs Council’s International Circle and its board of directors will honor Vladimir Lukin, Russian ambassador to the United States (and rumored to be the next foreign minister of Russia).

DOUBLE WHAMMY: And, at USC, two major benefits are two days apart.

Mary Lamb of San Marino and Kathy Boulware are putting their hearts into planning their Valentine dinner dance. “Hearts of Gold & Miracles of Love,” honoring Dr. Art Ulene, will be held at the Biltmore on Feb. 14 to benefit the Kenneth Norris Jr. Cancer Hospital of USC.

Equally thrilled about their “I Love a Piano” black-tie dinner and concert, featuring Pat Cook and Bob Hardwick in concert, are Dody Booth and Richard F. Alden. The soiree on Feb. 16 at the Tower of the Century Plaza honors Richard K. Eamer with the second annual Doheny Award and lauds USC’s Doheny Eye Institute.

EXPECT ZEST: Sophia Loren, known most recently for her diligent work on behalf of Somalian refugees and underprivileged children, has accepted the invitation of The Colleagues to be honored at their fifth annual Valentine Luncheon Feb. 10 at the Regent Beverly Wilshire. Neiman Marcus will bring Carolina Herrera and her fashions to the Winter Garden Ballroom.

Anne Johnson is chairwoman, assisted by Mary Milner and Colleagues President Bobbie Foreman. The Colleagues support the Children’s Institute International, which treats abused children and drug abusers.

STRONG BEAT: Saturday, Claremont McKenna College celebrated the 85th birthday of its beloved George C.S. Benson, founding president of the college, at an inaugural President’s Society Dinner Dance at the Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum. Hosting were President Jack and Jil Stark and CMC trustees chairman Robert Day and his wife, Kelly . . . .

Two nights earlier, philanthropist-raconteur Sydney J. Rosenberg became the first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award to benefit Camp Max Straus and Jewish Big Brothers. Wife Jackie was laying out lots of place cards at the popular black-tie affair at the Regent Beverly Wilshire.

FAST PACE: Last week, too, Pasadena Junior Philharmonic Committee President Linda Seiter and benefit chair Betty Rossiter greeted more than 550 at their “Empty House Party” to show off this year’s Showcase House of Design (a 1910 English Tudor/Craftsman mansion designed by Fernand Parmentier) before it gets its face lift for tours April 18 to May 16.

There were huge hoorays a few days earlier when the committee’s Christine Varner and Judy Frank presented a check for $115,000 to Joseph LaBonte, president of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Assn., bringing last year’s Showcase contributions to $419,000 (and in 29 years to $4.6 million). . . .

Acclaimed chef Anton Mosimann of London put an exquisite touch, we hear, on the spicy prawns, the champagne risotto and forest mushrooms and on the rosette of beef with shallot sauce for Childhelp USA’s fantasy dining experience benefit at the Century Plaza Saturday . . . .

ESCALATION: Francoise Gilot held court as guest speaker for the Art Museum Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art tea Tuesday at the Four Seasons. (The council’s goal is fund raising for acquisitions and operation of the museum’s art rental gallery.)

At the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace, Letitia Baldrige, former White House chief of staff for Jacqueline Kennedy, spoke as part of the “Lady of the House: Great Wives of Great Presidents” series.

“The First Lady has a lot of power,” Baldrige said. “I hope (First Lady) Hillary Clinton realizes that . . . I’m all for Hillary Clinton. I want her to avoid the barbs of women who hate women who work.”