Red Cross Will Be on the Receiving End

A Band-Aid. A tongue depressor. A swab. An alcohol prep pad. A gauze pad. All that with a Band-Aid can and red and silver packaging fluff arrived with the invitation to the first “First Aid Gala” benefit to be held Saturday at the Ritz-Carlton, Huntington. It just proves social events are au courant .

Or, disaster proof.

Last year, the San Gabriel Valley chapter of the American Red Cross responded to 134 disaster incidents, touching the lives of more than 116,000 people in 29 cities. Example: In last fall’s firestorm in Pasadena/Altadena, 93 families received Red Cross assistance. About 23,000 meals were served to disaster victims, firefighters and volunteers, and about 400 volunteers took up the cause.

Now, the Ritz-Carlton has adopted the Red Cross nationally as its charity, and the famous Pasadena hotel is lending its support for the Saturday night affair. More than 85 items, including air fare and accommodations at R-C hotels in Hawaii, Boston and San Francisco will be on the auction block.

Invitations call for “red-tie” attire. People such as Debbe Booth, Cathy Brooke and KNBC news anchor Jess Marlow are aiding.

Parties Galore: Two weeks of special openings are heralding the new Twin Palms restaurant on Green Street in Pasadena. Last week more than 300 people were turned away for the sold-out Huntington Hospital benefit, but, through raindrops, 430 slipped in to the French patio.

Holding court near the bar was chef Michael Roberts, formerly of Trumps in Los Angeles, and Cindy Costner. She owns the restaurant with actor-husband Kevin, who was working, and partners including Dennis Alfieri and Victor Ciulla.

Party-goers picked up Twin Palms T-shirts tied in French ribbon and palm leaves, then headed for the bar, which was white with bouquets of tulips and dispensing drinks faster than a downpour.

Munching on roasted artichoke leaves before sitting for Provencal cuisine were Dr. Allen Mathies, the Huntington’s chief executive, and Chris Morphy, head of the Huntington support group 100 Congress, and his wife, Mary, and his mother, Betsy Morphy.

Debbie Lanni of the Huntington’s the Circle group circled the vast area with husband Terry, saying hello to Buzzy White and Corey Waite, and Eileen and Charles Read. Nearby, Carole Kolve and Bro Morris looked on.

Madeleine and Ed Landry drove from Encino, where their home was ravaged by the quake, the bedroom fireplace missing Madeleine by one foot when it crashed inward. Cuisine lovers Phil and Betty Ann Koen tasted morsels, as did Tink Cheney, Margot and Mitch Milias, Raymond and Bette Rodeno, Andrea Nagata, Gordon Pashgian, David and Anne Covell, Steve and Cindy Hogan, Gretchen Seager, Jane Taverner, Linda and Jim Dickason, and George Hale.

A few nights earlier, the Art Center College of Design took over the restaurant for a party. On Thursday, the Pasadena Historical Society with Pasadena Heritage will have a premiere evening, and Villa Esperanza Guild hosts a preview brunch on Sunday.

Quake Change: Because of the earthquake, Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, archbishop of Los Angeles, announced Friday evening at the Beverly Wilshire that he was changing the beneficiary of his fifth annual Awards and Recognition Dinner to quake victims. The honors to city schools and detention ministry (serving prison inmates) are postponed until next year.

A stunning array of prominent citizens caused overflow capacity in the ballroom as real estate whiz William H. Hannon; Mildred L. Lillie, administrative presiding judge of the U.S. 2nd Appellate District; Kenneth O. Olsen (former president of Vons Grocery Co. and a founder of the Food Industry Crusade Against Hunger), and volunteer/good soul Grace M. Rinaldi were honored by Mahony.

All are Catholics, born or converted. As he accepted, Hannon noted that he was born only 18 blocks from St. Vibiana’s Cathedral. He paid tribute to Father Junipero Serra as “the first subdivider” of Los Angeles. Noting Serra’s wisdom in locating missions, Hannon advised: “Buy within 10 miles of any mission--they have water, good soil and are out of the wind area.”

In the audience were newlyweds California Chief Justice Malcolm Lucas and his bride, Fiorenza Courtright (Lillie introduced them), Terri and Tom Grojean, Claire and Gil Shea, Tom and Kathleen McCarthy, Pam Mullin, Charlie and Carol Smith, Mark Granich, Trudy Rutledge, Jo Ann and Bob Klein, Sister Mary Jean Meier, the Rev. Donald Merrified and the Rev. Ellwood Kieser.

Look of Love: In the name of the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center, Frank and Barbara and hundreds of others had a fine time over the weekend at the “Look of Love” black-tie concert--culmination of the sixth annual Frank Sinatra Celebrity Golf Tournament at Marriott’s Desert Springs Resort in Palm Desert.

Ol’ Blue Eyes and Tony Bennett headlined the concert, with notables Marvin and Barbara Davis, Charles Koppelman, Kelsey Grammer, Skip Hayward, Pat and Shirley Boone, Robert Wagner, and Joanna and Sidney Poitier in the audience. Actor Joe Mantegna took the celebrity prize in the golf tourney.

Past Perfect: Anne Murphy, Kathy Kilroy and Nelly Llanos gave their all for the Cuisine a Roulettes benefit at the Hollywood Athletic Club. Cocktails, dinner, gambling and a sexy torch singer--all in the name of charity--will provide Sister Alice Marie Quinn, executive director of Cuisine, with funds for her meals-on-wheels program, which delivers 1,800 meals daily to the homebound . . . .

Las Floristas staged its Premiere Party at the Regent Beverly Wilshire, lauding the Floral Headdress Ball set for April 22. Party chairwoman Julie Muelder planned the affair to honor members who will model the gigantic headdresses--Marlene Chumo, Patsy Gehl, Ina DiGrazia, Janet Seitz, Sally Hazen and Susan Talesnick.

Outrageous Requiem: Kathleen Allen turned 50, and, as only they can, Julie Pizzinat and Dee Maechling concocted an outrageous requiem in her honor, asking four tables of friends to come to Abiento in solemn attire.

The hostesses filled wooden “caskets” with wilted daisies; hung skeletons; wore widow’s weeds, including veils and hats; carried rosaries and missals, and offered prayers. The creme anglais around the chocolate mousse was inscribed “R.I.P.” (rest in peace).

Allen received a pretty box for false teeth. Laughing it up were Claire Bailey, Kelsey Hall, Pat Bedford, Mary Beth Brundage and Susan Seidel.