Academy-studded gala, Havana, Hollyhock, Lincoln, tea and more
HISTORICAL SOCIETY guests at the “Tea” event are, clockwise from left: Richard Battaglia, Rob Penfold, Shar Penfold, Megan Le Fey, Caren Roberts-Frenzel, Barbara Coad, Alysoun Higgins, Valli Thornton, Patty Lombard and Karen Gilman.
There is not an organization, a gaggle of friends or lovers of beauty and style in our ’hood that does not look forward to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) Museum’s spectacular annual exhibition of “The Art of Motion Picture Costume Design.”
The gala opening was held in February at the downtown campus for the 26th year. There were 900 guests and designers treated to a first peek at the more than 125 costumes, including work by all five of this year’s Academy Award nominees for costume design.
“It just gets better every year!” said a dapper-looking Nick Verreos, there with husband David Paul.
The red carpet led into an enormous crystal tent decorated with chandeliers and laden with buffets of hearty fare and spirits.
Spotted among the throng and thrilled to be there were Ginger and John Barnard, Susie Goodman and Sheila Tepper, Academy Award nominated designers Mark Bridges and Luis Sequeira, Derica Cole Washington, Angela Dean, Kevin Fernando, Mandi Line, Mona May, Arianne Phillips, Jenny Eagan, four-time Academy Award winner for Costume Design Colleen Atwood, FIDM Museum creative director Peter Lam, museum director Barbara Bundy, curators Kevin Jones and Christina Johnson and FIDM president Tonian Hohberg.
This amazing display will continue through Sat., April 7. As always, admission is free! Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday.
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CHILDREN’S CHAIN fundraising event included Hancock Park’s Court and Liz Young.
A “Night in Havana” actually took place in Beverly Hills, at Spago. A fundraiser for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, organized by Children’s Chain, the evening featured a number of locals. Elizabeth and John LaBombard, Windsor Square, were in attendance, as were Court and Liz Young, Hancock Park. Stalwart Children’s Chain supporter Carlotta Keely and husband Rusty brightened up the event (Carlotta with a Carmen Miranda headdress). The fund-raising pitch to help the hospital came from Amanda Wells Lovrien, who grew up on June Street. Her father, CHLA surgeon Win Wells, was there as well.
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Many neighbors joined in a birthday send-off to the late Jerry Cohen, who died just about two months before his 100th. Held at the Park La Brea community room, host Steve Cohen naturally served fabulous pizza from Village Pizzeria. Family members attending included his brother, Michael, plus many friends.
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HOLLYHOCK proprietor Suzanne Rheinstein and neighbor, Janet Loveland, toasted the store’s 30 years in Los Angeles.
The closing, after 30 years, of Suzanne Rheinstein’s wonderful store, Hollyhock, generated a big turnout for the first night of the store’s big closing sale. For many years, Hollyhock was ensconced in the middle of our community on Larchmont Boulevard. Its final location on La Cienega was the site of a party featuring many from the ’hood: Melanie Boettcher spoke with Olivia Penfold and mom, Shar, of Fremont Place. Also there was Fremont Place denizen and “Larchmont Buzz” publisher, Patty Lombard.
MORE from Windsor Square were Cheryl Ziegler and Anne Ziegler Manson, with Georgia and Lou Howe, at Hollyhock.
From Windsor Square, Kelly Martin was spotted, as were Cheryl Ziegler and her daughter Anne Manson, plus Georgia and Lou Howe and Pamela Clyne and Janet Loveland. Among those from Hancock Park were Carlotta Keely, Patsy Lowry with her brother-in-law Hunt and his wife, Christine, and more, more, more.
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A sequel to his first book, “Winter in Chicago,” has just been published, and David Hamlin was signing copies of the new Emily Winter mystery, “Winter Gets Hot,” upstairs at the Original Farmers Market. Among the many attending were the Market’s Mark Panatier and his wife Gail.
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LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY gathering guests Kevin and Mary O’Connell, Janet Clayton, and Neil and Robin Kramer.
Since 1921, history-minded and patriotic Los Angeles leaders have celebrated the life of President Abraham Lincoln around the time of his birthday. At each of the annual black-tie dinners of the Lincoln Club, distinguished and nationally known speakers have talked, and the evening has ended with a solemn reading of the Gettysburg Address. This year, noted commentator and historian George F. Will was the featured speaker, and The California Club’s main dining room was filled to capacity.
Among the locals gathered to hear Will was former ambassador, and former Windsor Square resident, Vilma Martinez. Still of Windsor Square and there to celebrate the former president were Judith and Clifford Miller and this paper’s publisher, John Welborne and his wife, Martha. From Hancock Park were Allan and Nicole Mutchnik and their next-door neighbors Mary Adams O’Connell and husband Kevin. Also there was Margo O’Connell.
Sitting at the head table were Lincoln Club board of governors members Janet Clayton and Robin Kramer, of Hancock Park and Windsor Square, respectively. Also serving on the board is former ambassador Robert Tuttle, who grew up on Hudson Avenue. Several other former area residents, now living in the San Gabriel Valley, attended, including John and Louise Brinsley, who once lived on Muirfield Road, and retired Superior Court judge Carlton Seaver, who grew up on Windsor Boulevard, attending with his wife, Laura.
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Leilani and Edwin Raquel opened the Grand Ballroom of their Fremont Place home for “Love, Scandal and … Tea” on a Sunday afternoon in February. The event was the brainchild of the Windsor Square-Hancock Park Historical Society and attracted a capacity crowd.
Hollywood expert Marc Wanamaker enchanted his audience with his vast knowledge of the stars, their less than dignified moments and their real estate during the early years of the exploding local movie industry, circa 1900s.
Many of the ladies present wore hats, gloves and pearls and the gentlemen kept it classy, as requested by the invitation.
There to nibble on cucumber sandwiches and salmon mousse were Shar and Robert Penfold, Robin Jameson, Kevin MacLellan, Carolyn Layport, Yvonne Auerbach, Richard Battaglia, Brenda Chandler Cooke, Elizabeth and Steven Blatt, Carol and Ken Schultz, Barbara Hardesty, Mary Toolen Roskam, Caren Roberts-Frenzel, Sandra and Alex Hampton, Yvonne Cazier, Kathy and Wayne Saldana, Jane Gilman, Ivy and Randy Haskins, Dia Schuldenfrei and daughter Angelique Campen, Amy and Nick Sternberg, Juanita Kempe, Fluff and Sandy McLean, WSHP Historical Society’s Vice President and event Chair Myrna Gintel, with daughter Victoria Blum and sister Dale Robin Gross, and Society President Judy Zeller.
The sold-out tea event taught a serious lesson for our ’hood: Join! The WSHP Historical Society’s programs sell out!
And that’s the chat!
By Patty Hill
Category: People
