Raising Glasses--and Funds--for a New ER

“Votre Sante,” exclaimed Los Angeles French Consul Gen. Guy Alain Yelda, adding “a delightful wine.”

He was toasting the 550 crammed into the regal Biltmore’s Emerald Room, there to sip the Beaujolais Nouveau at “La Grande Affaire 1996” and raise funds for the downtown California Hospital Medical Center’s new J. Thomas McCarthy Emergency Center.

The arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau from France traditionally falls on the third Thursday of November. Georges Dubouef donated eight cases. They were emptied by 7:15 p.m. while guests mingled around grape arbors and tables stocked with cheeses.

Then the crowd filed by the shiny white Lexus ES 300 positioned in the lobby down to the Crystal Ballroom (purchasing $100 raffle tickets for the Lexus along the way) for a five-course dinner described as a tribute to Troisgros, France’s oldest three-star restaurant. Lead chef Jean Francois Meteigner, chef / owner of La Cachette (he apprenticed at Troisgros) and his staff introduced courses as waists grew inches.

First, the terrine de foie gras, then the homard aux trois couleurs, then the saumon a l’Oseille de jardin, the coeur de filet a la Moelle and the cahoa Arabica dessert, which melted in the mouth.

The four co-dinner chairmen, Frank and Betsy Ulf and Richard and Kathy Schlosberg, were accepting plaudits. Schlosberg, publisher and CEO of the Los Angeles Times, said, “I am happy to report this is a sellout. Thank you for fighting the rain and the valet parking.”

Then Ulf, who is chairman and CEO of U.S. Trust Co. of California, paid tribute to the committee: “No event of this magnitude can be done without the work of a huge committee.”

With KNBC-TV weatherman Fritz Coleman auctioneering, and Miss USA 1996 Ali Landry spotting bidders, the auction quickly netted $50,900.

Earlier Ulf had teased, “Nobody gets to eat, nobody gets more wine until the raffle tickets are sold.” The $100 bills flowed.

Then Douglas M. West, senior vice president, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., spun for the winning raffle ticket. When he announced the name of the hospital’s Dr. John Holly, Holly and his wife, Jackie, jumped up and gave high-fives.

The party will gross $360,000, thanks to good people including the hospital’s new chairman, Paul Colony, with his wife, Sherrill; United Way President Joe Haggerty; David and Leila Carpenter; Dave Schmidt; Al and Nancy Plamann; Irene Cole; Laurie Bayless; and Janice MacPherson.

Elsewhere on the Social Circuit

Chairwoman Alice Avery put a new spin on the First Century Families 58th annual luncheon Thursday in the Grand Ballroom of the Regent Beverly Wilshire. That’s the luncheon where descendants of Los Angeles pioneers of 1781 to 1881 gather annually to renew friendships. Avery chose her granddaughter Katrina Moiso to interview members of historic families. The Wolfskill family was represented by Peter Anderson; the Bandini / Winston family by Carolina Barrie; Robert Tremane Brant spoke for the Brant family; Janice Carpenter, for the Dominguez / Carson clan; Peter Forgie, for the Kellers; Bridget Gless, for the McCarthys; Kacey McCoy, for the Dohenys; Father John McGarry, S.J., for the McGarrys; and Sandy Walker, for the Hellmans.

* Retiring UCLA Chancellor Charles E. Young and his wife, Sue, were named Honorary Fellows of UCLA’s College of Letters and Science (both are graduates of the college) on Thursday evening at the Century Plaza. More than 400 attended the black-tie gala to support academic programs. Provost Brian Copenhaver and his wife, Kathleen, hosted with dinner committee co-chairs Roz and Monte Livingston and J. Paul Getty Trust President and CEO Harold M. Williams.