Dinner With an Eye on USC’s Future

June, July and August may officially be summer, but September in Los Angeles--well, it’s hardly fall. Under starlit skies Thursday evening on the Ernest K. Hahn Plaza at USC, the season will heat up with a colorful black-tie dinner for more than 700 guests.

University President Steven B. Sample will announce an ambitious program ending in the year 2000--the largest fund-raising campaign ever launched by the school. “Building on Excellence” aims to increase--significantly--the USC endowment.

University trustees, chaired by Malcolm B. Currie, are hosts. The USC Symphony will be conducted by John Mauceri.

Speaking of Symphony: The Orchestra Tour Committee of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, headed by Robert Attiyeh, announced the formation of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Tour Consortium last week at a dinner at the Hollywood Bowl. Headed by William E. Siart, president and CEO of First Interstate Bancorp., the consortium is a group of companies doing business in Southern California. Through an annual sponsorship fee of $2,000, each company will help support the Philharmonic and Hollywood Bowl orchestras’ tours.

It’s About Time: More than 300 supporters of the Newport Harbor Art Museum will sip champagne and bid on time-themed artworks to be auctioned by Jay Cantor, New York senior vice president of Christie’s, on Oct. 7 at Tourneau at South Coast Plaza. The “It’s About Time” benefit will feature artworks using time and clocks as imagery. Sponsors are Swiss watchmakers Tourneau and Bertolucci.

“This will be a memorable event that shouldn’t be missed,” ticks off Michael Botwinick, museum director.

Event committee members clocking the affair are Joan Beall, Ann Blake, Bobbie Dauderman, Alison Baker Frenzel, Signe Gallagher, Pat Hancock, Barbara Klein, Twyla Reed Martin, Randy Morrison Baird, Sondra Samuels, Harriet Selna, Judy Steele and Jennifer Van Bergh.

Old but Nice: Invitations are out for Planned Parenthood of Pasadena’s annual dinner-dance benefit Sept. 23 at the Greene & Greene home of Marilyn and George Brumder. Committee members have been sending notes and tinted photographs of the old Hotel Green to entice friends to attend. It’s to be “An Evening in Old Pasadena” with a barbershop quartet and memorabilia from the early 1900s.

Already, patrons have donated $60,000. Tickets are $150. Proceeds will support medical and educational programs serving more than 49,000 clients.

Co-chairwomen are Carol Palladini and Carole Bourdillon. Joan Caillouette is patron chairwoman. The committee includes Robin Banks, Beth Calleton, Dorothy Gantvoort, Priscilla Gibbs and Kathy Gillespie.

Garden Party: The Western Center on Law and Poverty hosted its 11th annual garden party fund-raiser last week at the home of John and Louise Brinsley. Proceeds will provide quality legal representation for those otherwise denied access to the courts.

According to Mary S. Burdick, executive director, the center is faced with massive reduction in its government funding. “More than ever, we must rely on the generosity of private donors to help us through this most critical period in the center’s 28-year history,” she said.

The center is paying tribute this year to Laurie Zelon, president of the Los Angeles County Bar Assn., and Jack Londen, a San Francisco attorney. Together they founded Californians for Legal Aid, a coalition of attorneys, judges and business leaders working to preserve federally funded legal services for low-income people.

Elsewhere on the Social Circuit:

* The Coronet Debutante Ball Committee hosted its traditional luncheon at the Bel-Air Country Club honoring mothers and their deb-to-be daughters. Fourteen will curtsy at the ball Nov. 25 at the Beverly Hilton, wearing the Coronet lavalieres they received at the luncheon. Greeting guests were Sonia Randazzo (ball director), Nelda Smith (president of the ball board), Barbara Fountain (president of the National Charity League, Los Angeles chapter) and Fran Carter (patroness chairwoman). Debutantes are Jennifer Perucca (who came from San Francisco), Amanda Vogel, Kristin Woolley, Nicole Tilley, Jaime Salisian, Jennifer Ruud, Alexandra Mira, Jannine Mackie, Vanessa Langridge, Miriam Hodges, Margaret Gilman, Joelle Farmer, Melissa Ellis and Ariela Abulafia.

* Top California wines, a buffet and live and silent auctions will be in the spotlight next Sunday at the ninth annual Vintage Bouquet Charity Wine, Art and Travel Auction at the Harold Lloyd Green Acres estate in Beverly Hills. It’s presented by the Beverly Hills Bar Assn. Barristers.

* Busy Town: The Assistance League of Southern California benefited from Nordstrom’s “The Greta Garbo Collection” fashion premiere last month at the Westside Pavilion. . . . Saturday, the Pasadena Historical Museum will benefit from the same show at Nordstrom, Santa Anita Fashion Park. A Greta Garbo photo exhibit is part of the event. . . . The American Cancer Society Discovery Shops are celebrating their 30th anniversary this year. The 45 upscale shops have annual sales of $7.5 million, thanks to 2,500 volunteers.

* Cigars by Alfred Dunhill/Lane Ltd., food and drink by Remi Restaurant and live music come together next Sunday at the George Sand Society and Les Amis du Cigare of Remi alfresco afternoon at Elin Vanderlip’s Villa Narcissa in Portuguese Bend. Benefiting will be the Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women.

* The Men’s Clubs of Inter-Community Medical Center and Queen of the Valley Hospital in West Covina host their first joint steak fry and blackjack tournament Sept. 27 at “P” Hill in City of Industry. Proceeds will benefit a pediatric mobile health-care unit.

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Mary Lou Loper’s column is published Sundays.