Dances With Costner, Uh, Sort Of

Kevin Costner, here?

Dana Davis of Mission Viejo knew the actor was an investor in the new Clubhouse restaurant at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa.

But she didn’t know he was going to be on hand for Sunday’s grand opening of the $20-million eatery. The celebration featured a VIP bash and a separate benefit for Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

Mingling with fellow CHOC supporters on the first floor of the bi-level food emporium, Davis got wind of the fact that Costner was upstairs, schmoozing with fellow investors such as actor Robert Wagner and golfer Fred Couples at an exclusive party attended by about 500 people.

Charming her way into a room where the actor was dining with friends, the CHOC volunteer sat in the booth next to his and watched with amusement as “groupie types” threw napkins scrawled with their telephone numbers his way.

Davis sat quietly, preferring not to disturb the handsome star.

Then came one of the thrills of her life: “When he got up to leave, he came over and shook my hand!” Davis exclaimed. “I was star-struck. Here I am, 48 years old, and thinking, ‘I’m not going to wash my hand for a year!’ ”

The VIP bash had all the excitement of a post-Academy Awards party. Sipping libations and piling their plates with crab legs, chicken piccata, jumbo shrimp and pasta, guests wended their way through the elbow-to-elbow crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of Costner or Wagner.

During an interview, Costner said he wanted the public to feel welcome when they visit the Clubhouse.

“This is not an over-the-top kind of place,” he said. “When you think of a clubhouse, you think of something of a repetitive nature. I want people to come here, feel comfortable and return, again and again.”

Wagner said he was hopeful that Clubhouse customers will feel like they’ve gotten their money’s worth.

“Dining at a restaurant can cost a great deal of money these days,” he said. “I want people who come here to feel confident of its value--know that they’ll get exactly what they order.”

Toasting the Turn of the Century

A scene out of “La Traviata” was the setting for Opera Pacific’s black-tie gala Saturday at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel.

More than 300 opera buffs swept into a ballroom featuring tables draped in damask and crowned with silver candelabra. Overhead: sparkling crystal chandeliers and swags of white chiffon.

“Opera Pacific will stage ‘La Traviata’ next month, so I decided to re-create the ballroom scene from Act 1,” gala chairwoman Patricia Marshall said.

Guests at the “Fin de Siecle” (end of the century)-themed gala included ball founder Ruth Ding.

When Ding set out to stage the inaugural event 16 years ago, fellow opera enthusiasts were skeptical about her initial asking price: $100 a person.

“I decided to drop the price to $75, and we hardly made any money,” Ding said. “But we didn’t lose money. Disneyland underwrote everything.”

Watching the ball develop into a dynamic fund-raising event--Saturday’s $300-a-person gala, underwritten in part by Cartier Inc., netted $250,000--has been a gratifying experience, Ding said.

“When you have something beautiful and people keep coming back, it’s a wonderful thing.”

John DeMain, artistic director for Opera Pacific, credited opera’s ever-growing popularity to the world-acclaimed performances and recordings of the Three Tenors--Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carreras.

“There’s no doubt they have given opera one of its greatest boosts in this century,” he said.

During a champagne reception, gala-goers had an opportunity to bid on an original oil portrait of the Three Tenors painted by post-Impressionist Aldo Luongo. Opera Pacific patrons Elfa and Jerry Ernst of Mission Viejo paid $23,500 for the artwork, commissioned by the opera company.

“La Traviata” by Verdi will be staged at the Orange County Performing Arts Center from Nov. 9-14. Opera Pacific’s season will also feature Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” (Jan. 18-23), Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut” (Feb. 22-27) and Offenbach’s “The Tales of Hoffmann” (April 18-23).

“Opera is the quintessential art form,” DeMain said. “You have a symphonic orchestra, gorgeous scenery and costuming--and great singing. When it all comes together, well, there’s nothing like it.”

Ticket information: 1-800-34-OPERA.

Voices for Children

It took Lori Petrotta of Huntington Beach two months to whip up the regal costumes worn by her children to “Pumpkins & Pancakes,” a Halloween extravaganza staged by the Friends of CASA-CAST on Saturday morning at Costa Mesa’s South Coast Plaza.

Little Alyssa Petrotta, 2, turned heads in her lace-trimmed Queen Elizabeth get-up. (Never mind the baby bottle.) So did Jared Petrotta, 5, who came as Henry VIII, complete with silk pantaloons and burgundy velvet cap.

“I love preparing for this event--the kids have a great time,” said Petrotta, a registered nurse. “The cause is so important; we all need to reach out to help children.”

CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) recruits, trains and supervises community volunteers, who help represent abused and neglected children in their journey through the justice system.

CAST (Child Abuse Services Team) is a special project of CASA’s providing volunteers to support sexually abused children as they undergo interviews and medical examinations.

More than 1,000 people attended the annual event, which featured pancakes cooked up by the Lion’s Club of Anaheim--toppings included whipped cream and chocolate chips--entertainment by Craig ‘N Co. and trick-or-treating at South Coast Plaza stores.

CASA advocates Vicki and Brian Hassman of Irvine attended the annual benefit with two young boys they support.

“We bond with these kids and help them get through the dependency system,” Vicki Hassman said.

“We’re trying to help these little guys get through life when things are confusing and difficult for them,” Brian Hassman said.

There are 750 CASA programs nationwide, including the local chapter, which was founded in 1985 by the Junior League of Orange County.

“Junior League supported the program for about five years and then spun it out into the community,” CASA President Kyle Team said. “They realized they couldn’t put it out there without financial help, so the auxiliary, Friends of CASA--CAST, was formed.”

Jennifer Beck of Mission Viejo chaired the benefit, which netted about $40,000.

Information: (714) 935-6460.