RSVP / THE SOCIAL CITY : An Evening Just Like in the Good Old Days
Bergman and Bogey were missed, but, otherwise, “An Evening in . . . Casablanca” was glamorous and as ‘40s as twentysomethings can get. For the Junior League of Los Angeles Spring Gala, President Kim Ulrich was in a celadon Badgley Mischka; gala chair Emily Hsu in Pamela Dennis black lace; gala vice chairwoman Alison Thorpe in navy and gold Carmen Marc Volvo; and Linda Small, development director, in slinky black Versace--all delightfully formal.
The night recognized two dynamos: California First Lady Gayle Wilson with the Lifetime Community Achievement Award, and Jean Smith, wife of the late U.S. Atty. Gen. William French Smith, with the 1996 Spirit of Voluntarism Award.
Wilson, accompanied by the governor, was in Nancy-red flowing silk pants. Smith, on the arm of Ross Barrett, was stunning in hunter green velvet from I. Magnin. Gayle Wilson is a former president of the Junior League of San Diego; Jean Smith was president of the Los Angeles chapter, going on to be president of the Assn. of Junior Leagues of America, the only Angelena who’s accomplished that.
More than 500 energetic guests dined, danced and bid on silent- and live-auction items, then settled into the wee hours with a casino party where cigars were puffed. Leaguers are hoping for a $100,000 net for programs for homeless women, tutoring and domestic violence pamphlets printed in English, Spanish and Korean.
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First Ever: The Los Angeles Public Library awards dinner last week at the Central Library is slated to become an annual black-tie affair. For the inaugural, a trio was honored: E.L. Doctorow with the Literary Award, Robert F. Erburu with the Philanthropy Award, and Gregory Peck with the Light of Learning Award.
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Memorable: The Freedoms Foundation is dedicated to teaching young Americans about America. And Donna Tuttle, Milan Panic, Stan Sanders, former Ambassador to the United Nations Lester Korn, Dick Ferry and Ron Walker staged a super Freedoms Foundation Awards Dinner to raise funds to support visits by thousands of young people and teachers to Valley Forge, Pa., each year. It was a night to quote Alexis de Tocqueville: “America is great because America is good.”
Dick Cheney received the American Statesman Medal presented by the governor. His wife, Lynn V. Cheney, accepted the National Service Medal, and Kathleen Leavey McCarthy accepted the Private Enterprise Exemplar Medal on behalf of the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation. Dorothy Leavey was in the audience, and so were 20 teachers who have received Leavey grants. Among community leaders present were Gini Braun, Dody and Otis Booth, Jane and George Barrett and Massachusetts Gov. William F. Weld.
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Women’s Society: The Diadames are surely the best known Los Angeles woman’s gourmet society. Organized in 1966 to be a hostess group for visiting dignitaries, the Diadames in 1973 redirected their purpose to what members like best: gourmet foods and wines in beautiful settings. This year, at the Regent Beverly Wilshire, Nanci Denney led the luncheon committee in staging a retrospective of the best of the past--creative table settings of the second, eighth, 12th and other gourmet dinners, including the 1993 21st affair. In on the fun: Coco Viault, Barbara Knight, Claudia Mirkin and Diane Skouras. Art Linkletter was at the mike, bringing on laughs.
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Anniversary: Los Angeles City Hall has been a historic cultural monument for 20 years. Last week Mayor Richard J. Riordan and City Council President John Ferraro led statesmen and heritage stalwarts at a gathering to view recent restoration of the Main Street Lobby.
Elsewhere on the Social Circuit
Los Angeles Supper Club patrons and guests were in long gowns or black-tie for the pretty dinner party in the Crystal Ballroom of the Beverly Hills Hotel. Charlotte Acret, Bonnie McClure, Audree Penton and Chris Westwater created a glowing affair.
* Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena went duo with its events. At a dinner in the old United Parcel Service building (now owned by the hospital), hospital Chairman James N. Gamble and President Stephen A. Ralph gave an insider’s peek into the hospital’s future. Life-size mock-ups of hospital rooms had 80 guests imagining themselves as patients. Then the group sat for dinner--not hospital food, but caterer Peggy Dark’s. Board member Jane Popovich gets credit for the creative evening that also provided overviews from Drs. Allen W. Mathies and James C. Caillouette. First, the Huntington will construct three new patient floors, replacing outdated rooms. The drive for $25 million is underway. Dr. Sam Kojoglanian (“Dr. Rap”) performed one of his songs, to be on an upcoming album, about the disasters of drugs and violence . . . A few nights later, the Circle of Huntington Hospital was “Rollin’ on the River” at the bayou buffet at the home of Terrence and Debbie Lanni. Benefit chairwomen Brooke Garlock and Liz Gilfillan headed an enthusiastic committee that included Susie Talt, Maritia Walper, Kathy Rojas, Bonnie Sill and Victoria Howe to raise funds for the Huntington’s rehabilitation unit. Nearly 250 strolled the gardens.
* Oscar fever stimulated the Costume Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to do a show of costumes from Oscar-nominated motion pictures. A chat titled “Do Films Influence Fashion?” was led by Maggie Pexton Murray, gallery director, the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, designer Michael Novarese and UCLA professor Alan Armstrong. Do films influence fashion? Of course, they do . . . Hollywood Entertainment Museum celebrates the Academy Awards “like it was the first time” Monday at the Hollywood Roosevelt . . . Five Acres in Altadena has taken over the popular Twin Palms restaurant in Pasadena to watch the 68th annual Academy Award ceremonies. Co-chairwomen are Lynda Patton and Espinoza Kubacki.
* Mary Lou Loper’s column is published Sundays.