THE CROWD:

A splashy summer cocktail party at Fashion Island welcomed Blue Coral to the Newport restaurant scene. The new dining room teamed up with Surf Industry Manufacturers Assn. Environmental Fund and the Miocean Foundation to make the opening night a charitable affair benefiting the all-important preservation of our precious Pacific Coast.

VIP guests arriving at the Fashion Island dining destination were greeted with Blue Coral’s signature “culinary” cocktails, made with fresh herbs and fruit mixed with spirits. Canapes of baked goat cheese and beef tenderloin were shared by guests including the handsome couple Jennifer and Anton Segerstrom and Orange County’s dynamic restaurateur David Wilhelm and his wife, Paula. Chef Jaime Gwen was also on hand along with Lana Sills, John Paul and Mark Zigner.

The Blue Coral kitchen went beyond the limits with a presentation of incredible seafood including jumbo shrimp, crab and fresh oysters. Osetra caviar served on blinis was offered to guests enjoying the sounds of the Dwight Kennedy Jazz ensemble. Outside on the patio, the summer evening was a perfect compliment to Ketel One’s ice luge serving midnight martinis while the crowd shared the Blue Coral’s perfectly sauteed scallops, shrimp scampi and dessert of chocolate seashells.

Across town on the Newport Bay, hotelier Henry Schielein and his staff at the Balboa Bay Club & Resort hosted the 12th annual gentlemen’s smoker and lobster clambake on the lawn of the club, facing the main channel of the harbor. An impressive $35,000 was raised benefiting the club’s 1221 Scholarship Fund, which grants college aid to deserving Newport-Mesa graduating seniors.

“It was the most successful fundraiser we’ve had,” Schielein said with pride. “The live and silent auctions brought in the donations and we are most grateful to all of the vendors who were so generous.”

A long list of travel and dining contributions to the auction included stays at the Island Hotel, Newport Beach; the Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills; the Westgate, San Diego; the Four Seasons, Chicago; and the Mauna Kea Resort, Hawaii.

The evening began with a seaside reception featuring Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label champagne, followed by a dinner that included steamed Maine lobster and mesquite grilled filet mignon.

More than 200 gentlemen, mostly attired in classic blue blazers and white summer slacks, converged at Schielein’s invitation to continue the grand tradition of a man’s dinner for fraternal camaraderie and to benefit charity.

In keeping with tradition, a lavish display of spirits and premium cigars tempted the guests during and after dinner. For the smoker, the highlight of the night was the invitation to partake in a taste of the leaf, including selections from such relished brands as Bering, Hoyo, Cohiba, Bahia, Ashton, Macanudo, MacBeth, Monte Cristo, Partagas, Punch and Siglo.