Sophisticates holds 20th anniversary celebration

The 20th anniversary of the Sophisticates, a socially active

support wing of the Assessment and Treatment Services Center, threw a

fabulous sunset cocktail party at the Newport Harbor Yacht Club.

It was a perfect early fall evening, with crystal clear skies and

balmy temperatures. A Caribbean Island steel band called “Island

Passion” spun a little magic and transported the 200 or so guests to

a tropical paradise far away.

Denise Mock, president of the Sophisticates, joined fellow

membership chairs Newport Coast’s Annamarie McGee and Mary Pon, to

kick off a year of fund-raising and socializing for the group’s

anniversary.

Coming up Nov. 2, the Sophisticates will be the charity of choice

for the opening of Thaifoon, Randy Shoch’s new establishment at

Fashion Island. The gala opening will feature cocktails and dinner,

with proceeds raised from the evening donated to ATSC via the

Sophisticates.

If that is not enough, the group is teaming up with Traditional

Jewelers at Fashion Island to support a cocktail reception on Nov. 6,

hosted by Vanity Fair Magazine and Lula and Marion Halfacre. The

affair will introduce jewelry designer David Yurman to the local

crowd. Ten percent of the proceeds will go to ATSC.

Looking very chic at the Newport Harbor cocktail reception, Karen

Hardin was outfitted head to toe in Escada. Gail Jones chose Tommy

Bahama. Sassy Sarah Corrigan was drop-dead in Louis Feraud, and

Marsha Willis strolled the Newport Harbor Yacht Club in fashion by

Laundry. Of course her shoes were by Gucci.

IN STYLE

Fashion was the operative word for an in-store reception at Donna

Karan, South Coast Plaza, benefiting the group City 60. The group is

a support organization of Pretend City.

Harper’s Bazaar Magazine joined with Donna Karan to host an

evening for local movers and shakers, including Yolanda Campbell and

Alex Parker. Donna Karan representative Kerry Wright was mingling

with Jim Cunningham and Alan Airth, the husband of Pretend City

founder Alexandra Airth.

As Cosmopolitans were served and hors d’oeuvres were passed,

Donnan Karan’s fall line debuted on the Orange Coast, and the crowd

was introduced to a new perfume, “Black Cashmere”.

HOT AT THE CENTER

The fall season at the Orange County Performing Arts Center has

been hot, hot, hot. In Founder’s Hall, which has become the

pre-eminent Cabaret stage on the West Coast of America, actress and

singer Polly Bergen opened the 2002-03 season with a one-woman show

that was a spectacular and emotional ride through the life a star of

20th-century Broadway and cinema.

Then, Saturday night, Segerstrom Hall featured the unique talent

of Mandy Patinkin. From the moment pianist John Ford played the

opening notes, the full house enthusiastically followed Patinkin, who

performed mostly offbeat and seldom heard selections from Broadway to

pop to folk music.

After standing ovations and multiple encores, Patinkin headed

across the street to Pinot Provence for late supper with his mother

and family friends.

STARTING A SALON

The unstoppable Gloria Zigner is behind a wonderful reinvented

concept for bringing people together to share ideas. Zigner is

calling it Salon, and she is assembling notable persons from varied

walks of life with the purpose of stimulating intellectual

conversation.

The second in Zigner’s series of round tables will feature Dr.

Michael Shermer, co-founder of the Skeptic’s Society and publisher of

Skeptic Magazine. The event will take place Oct. 24, hosted by Bob

Cole, Ed Gotschall and Brad Morrice of The New Century Financial

Corporation. Shermer’s topic will be “Why People Believe Weird

Things.”

For more information, call Zigner at (949) 720-1665.

OPERA BALL FASHION

Corona del Mar’s Susan Samueli and close friend Sandi Jackson

co-chaired the recent Opera Ball Fashion Show and Luncheon at the

oceanfront Samueli estate. The third annual event has become a “must

attend” for the local crowd in support of Opera Pacific.

Luncheon was served on flower-laden tables shaded by market

umbrellas on the expansive lawn of the Samueli home leading up to the

rocky edge of the Pacific Ocean. After cocktail conversation and a

healthy ladies’ lunch catered by the Sundried Tomato Cafe and

Catering Company, South Coast Plaza presented a major fashion show

that has become the unofficial start of the fall social season.

Our very own Turkish tornado Billur Wallerich, director of

community relations for South Coast Plaza, produced the runway show,

featuring the designs of Saks Fifth Avenue, Escada, Donna Karan and

children’s clothing by Bonpoint. Glamorous table favors were provided

by Cartier, represented at the party by the very stylish Caroline

Jones.

Opera Pacific directors Martin Hubbard and John De Main were on

hand for the celebration along with underwriters of the event

including Sally Crockett, France Campbell, Michelle Rohe and Gail

Kirwan.

Also in the crowd were Jonie Kahn, Donna Bianchi, Della Keipp,

Electa Anderson, Cecelia Nott, Janet Curci Walsh, Joyce Weiss and one

of the most fashionable couples on the Orange Coast, Ferie and Stan

Bailey.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.