A Time to Create New Holiday Memories
The Della Robbia wreaths from Boys Republic are decorating doors throughout the Southland. Trees are twinkling with lights. Friends are stepping under the mistletoe at thousands of celebrations.
For Converse family friends, “Christmas Cheer” for 375 at Billie Converse’s colonial mansion in Holmby Hills brought back decades of memories--the New Year’s Eve parties, the Marlborugh graduation parties, the Fourth of July parties.
Conversations, laughter and merriment began as guests escaped the rain into the elegant halls. From the Barclay kitchen, bar and patio to the formal living and dining rooms, every nook was elbow to elbow, and chat invariably turned to yesteryear. Said Jane Barrett, “This is incredible. Everyone is here.”
Billie Converse, who has resumed the traditional holiday party she and her late husband, Roger, hosted, welcomed Colleagues friends--Onnalee and Bill Doheny, Howard and Catherine Edgerton, Noora Eversole, Annie and Bill Farrer. Converse’s daughters Joan, with husband Jack Mackey, Joyce, with husband Sandy McGilvray, and Judy Converse Barnum also wished guests a merry Christmas.
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On The Town: Priscilla and Curt Tamkin hosted their always charming cocktail party in Bel-Air with chums galore. Earlier in the week Curt, president of the Founders at the Music Center, joined Andrea L. Van de Kamp, Music Center chairwoman, to honor new $150,000 benefactors at a dinner in the Founders of the Dorothy Chander Pavilion.
A classy group convened--Joanne Reeves representing MCA Foundation, Barbara and Buzz McCoy, Milton and Rosemary Okun, Richard and Cynthia Troop, Erna Schulhofer, Mike Kubacki of Northern Trust and wife Rebecca, Scott Brown of Tenet Healthcare, Sandra Krause of the Strauss Foundation, Michael and Phyllis Hennigan and Anthony Palma.
Music Center board members including Alan and Nancy Wayte, Priscilla Tampkin and Lester and Carolbeth Korn welcomed the Founders group, which raised $3.76 million for the Music Center this year. Paul Salamunovich led a miniature Master Chorale in Yule songs. Everyone left humming.
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White Tie: Paulette Burkitt accepted kudos for the elegant Pasadena Supper Club white-tie dinner (lobster salad and pear tarts) and dancing at the California Club. Guests included Adam and Penny Bianchi, Douglas and Lynn Brengel, Paul and Georgie Erskine, Warner and Carol Henry, Anton and Anita Garnier and Walter and Kathy Rose. Dancing all evening to the music of Michael Carney were Cici and Tad Williamson, Don and Susie Crowell and Long and Polly Ellis.
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Music Center Family: Phyllis Hennigan, chairwoman of the Music Center Blue Ribbon, joined with Mike Roos, chairman of the Fraternity of Friends, to invite members of the two Music Center support groups and their families to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Grand Hall for the L.A. Master Chorale and Los Angeles Children’s Choir concert.
First, though, turkey and beef sandwiches and gingerbread cookies were gobbled. Dozens of parents and offspring and grandmothers, among them Lenny Greenberg and her granddaughter, Kathryn Jackson, swayed to the music. Shelly Kadison, Beverly Mitchell and Claudia Foster masterminded details. Said Hennigan accompanied by her lawyer husband, Mike, and daughter Amanda with her fiancee, Anthony Mansour, “Make the Music Center a part of your children’s lives. . . . We are charged with saving the arts.”
More on hand were the affable Julie Yost, attending with daughter Debbi Hoffman and grandkids Matthew, Hayley and Spencer.
Elsewhere on the Social Circuit
Las Patronas held its 40th annual presentation tea at the Oxnard home of Cynthia Lloyd-Butler. Debutantes introduced: Cyndyann Albaugh, Heather Borchard, Jennifer Crain, Amanda Johnson, Megan Mitchell, Elizabeth Moll, Megan Perez, Jaclyn Stiles and Stephanie Walski. Welcoming guests were Las Patronas chairwoman Martha Spriggs, ball chairwoman Nancy Gregory and debutante chairwoman Carol Hambleton . . . Carroll Shelby was given the United Liver Assn. Maurice Strauss Lifetime Achievement Award.