R S V P / ORANGE COUNTY : Chorale Reaps ‘Garden’ Benefit
It was the kind of event Martha Stewart would have liked--an ode to the pleasures of gardening called “Make Our Garden Grow,” the 10th annual benefit dinner and auction for the Master Chorale of Orange County.
The 225 guests who attended the garden-themed gala at the Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa on Saturday proved they all had green thumbs--they raised more than $65,000 in net proceeds for the chorale. The $85-per-person dinner included an informal performance by chorale members and garden displays by Smith & Hawken, the upscale nursery that recently opened in South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa.
Getting Their Hands Dirty
Whether they kept a few struggling potted plants around the house or had yards out of House & Garden, many attending the gala spoke of their love of gardening.
Chorale director Bill Hall, who lives on his yacht, keeps potted plants on the deck and dock.
“Having a garden is the one thing I miss” about living on land, he said.
Anne Steinmann, event co-chairwoman, is an avid, if frustrated, gardener. While living in England for six years, she tended a lush, two-acre garden. Now that she lives in Orange County, she has a smaller plot of land, but she still loves to garden.
“I like being in touch with nature,” she said.
Going Natural
Guests mingled at a silent auction filled with garden-themed items such as rustic furniture and a one-year membership in the American Horticulture Society.
Upon entering the ballroom for dinner, they were serenaded by members of the chorale, who sang “Make Our Garden Grow” from “Candide” by Leonard Bernstein.
Around the ballroom were vignettes complete with garden furniture, potted plants and flowers, ficus trees decorated with twinkle lights, watering cans and other gardening implements, courtesy of Smith & Hawken.
Dinner was served at tables adorned with potted flowers, with small pots stuffed with floral napkins at each place setting. Guests enjoyed such garden-inspired fare as Salade Fleurie decorated with edible flowers, Spring Chicken Breast Jardiniere with mushroom sauce, and Garden of Eden berry praline cake.
Many found the theme appropriate for sowing the seeds of support for the chorale. Reflecting on the theme, board president Robert Guyett said:
“You can water plants too much. But you can’t support the arts too much.”
Also enjoying the festivities were Millie Gates, event co-chairwoman; Hugh and Lynn Galt; Takuya and Sandra Ishida; Carol Neblett; Harrison and Anne Price; Dr. Jerrell Richards and Barry and Phyllis Rogers, all honorary chairmen; Joanne Bush; Stan and Georgina Califf; Jan Flanagan; Janine Valentine; Irv and Julia Rappaport; Allen Cagle, and Lee and Janette Ditkowsky.
