Mum’s the Word on Getty House Gala

To avoid pilferage of its clever ideas (yes, it happens), the Getty House Foundation committee is being secretive about certain aspects of its Getty House Gala and Auction on Nov. 15. The affable Wallis Annenberg heads the committee. Last week she brought her committee together in the Getty living room for a short meeting.

Though Joni Smith’s “dramatic plans” for decor are secret, the gala goal is not. It’s to raise $250,000 for the Getty House Children’s Program, including after-school programs for L.A. Best (Better Educated Students for Tomorrow) and civics programs for fourth- and fifth-graders. Each Wednesday groups of 25 children tour the House, have snacks in the kitchen, see city maps with City Council districts delineated and leave with positive vibes that, they, too, someday could be a mayor or a councilman or -woman, and, in any event, help improve their own neighborhoods.

Bob and Beth Lowe will be honored. Joy Fein, who is heading the night’s auction, says, “We need cruises.” Among those on Annenberg’s handpicked committee--”the real workers”--are Nancy Daly, Eva Elkins, Phyllis Hennigan, Sandy Ausman, Ryuko Sakai, Joan Hotchkis, Juli Hutner, Janet Karatz, Carrie Ketchum, Nancy Livingston, Carol Mancino, Barbara McMahon and Chase Mishkin.

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Opera Plaudits: Neiman Marcus will present its fall ’96 Gown Collection at a cocktail reception/fashion show Tuesday evening to salute the 22 women who have chaired the Los Angeles Music Center Opera’s benefit galas since the opera company was founded 10 years ago.

Special guests will be designers Mark Badgley and James Mischka.

To be honored are Hannah Carter, Alice Coulombe, Peggy Parker Grauman, Carol Henry, Joan Hotchkis, Ginny Mancini, Ruth Shannon, Joan Thompson, Maggie Wetzel, Terry Stanfill, Jacqueline Brandwynne, Alicia Clark, Tara Colburn, Jennifer Diener, Georgianna Erskine, Mary Hayley, Anjelica Huston, Linda May, Veronica Pastel, Eileen White Read, Joyce Rosenblum and Nancy Vreeland.

Kudos: The Pritzker Architecture Prize was presented to Jose Rafael Moneo of Spain on Wednesday evening at a reception and black-tie dinner hosted by Jay and Marian Pritzker at the construction site of the Getty Center. Gov. Pete Wilson and Cardinal Roger M. Mahony were among the guests. Moneo also has been chosen to be the architect of the new St. Vibiana’s cathedral . . . Friends of Sheba raised $1 million at their Arthur Hiller Tribute . . . Crossroads Upper School’s Cabaret brought in $150,000 . . . Mayfield Junior School in Pasadena joyously dedicated its new elementary playground donated by Henry and Cynthia Yost to honor Nancy Jean Turner.

Past Perfect: Former Pasadenan Julie Pizzinat mixed Montecito and Pasadena friends for her birthday party and viewing of her new home in Sea Meadows. Carpools descended--one with Kathleen Allen Lexus-ing Marcia Hayden and Susie Crowell from San Marino, another with car mates Joan Thompson, Barbara Poer, Susie Hollingsworth and Cheryl Wegge from Pasadena. Fashionable straw hats were matched with basket picnics and sea breezes.

Oohing and aahing over the combined design genius of Julie and interior designer and friend Penny Bianchi were Marcia Cannell, Cynthia Yost, Melinda Winston, Chris Withrow, Sue Campoy, Clarise Ellis, Wendy Bianchi (who brought her camera), Cathy Tyner, Joan Hotchkis, B.J. Wilcox (Julie Pizzinat’s godmother), Pat Bedford and numerous ladies from the Montecito area--Mary Alice Tudor, Marybeth Brundage and Mary Bradley.

Pizzinat’s daughter Victoria came from San Francisco. Son Sheldon pitched in on pouring iced tea. (Husband Art disappeared for golf.) In the real spotlight was baby Emerson, the Pizzinats’ first grandchild, and Emerson’s mother, Ann, wife of the Pizzinats’ son, Chris.

Elsewhere on the Social Circuit

At a tea at the Biltmore, National Charity League, San Marino Area Chapter, announced names of debutantes: Crosby Cameron, Lorraine Comeau, Eileen Dougherty, Amanda Feldon, Rebecca Gill, Carrie Giss, Heather Heideman, Kristen Kennedy, Kimberly Kester, Katherine Kingston, Catherine Krell, DeEtte Laugharn, Emma Petievich, Marie Reilly, Erin Rothenberg, Emily Seymour, Molly Spiegel, Jill Thomas, Carolyn Ude, Jennifer Van Wagenen, Lindy Villa, Alison Voors and Tara Watford.

* Keeping up: British consular representatives celebrated the 70th birthday of “Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Elizabeth II” at a ball at the Regent Beverly Wilshire . . . Neiman Marcus presented the Donna Karan fall collection for CHIPS (Colleagues Helpers in Philanthropic Service) to benefit Children’s Institute International. . . . Hermes Paris is announcing plans to open two new stores in California--a free-standing one at 434 Rodeo Drive to mark the company’s 25 years of operation in Beverly Hills, and another in Costa Mesa in South Coast Plaza, just across from Chanel.

* Pepperdine’s Center for the Arts Guild staged a gala at the Malibu estate of David and Linda Foster . . . American Film Institute and Arnie Morton’s of Chicago celebrated their “Classic American Film Series” with a screening of “The Miracle Worker,” dinner and discussions with Anne Bancroft and Mel Brooks moderated by Leonard Maltin.

* Mary Lou Loper’s column is published Sundays.