Around the Town: Assistance League, NGA, LAFD, Ryu, Johnson, Ebell festivities ring out the year
The Holiday season always brings the final meeting of the Assistance League of Los Angeles in the form of a festive luncheon held at the Wilshire Country Club.
KIEL FITZGERALD is congratulated by Assistance League past president Lisa Wierwille (right).
This year, there was added excitement over the plans for the League’s new home on Sunset Boulevard. Awards were distributed, including for exemplary service over the past year, with one presented to our own Kiel FitzGerald.
Also there Dec. 4 were Flo Fowkes, Yvonne Cazier, Juliet Brumlick, Donna Econn, Barbara Hardesty, and past president Lisa Wierwille.
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The following evening, Needlework Guild of Hancock Park (NGA) members and their guests also gathered at the Wilshire Country Club to raise funds for NGA’s many charities. The irresistible attraction: gingerbread house decorating. There was piping of icing and application of a cornucopia of candies, plus sticky fingers and cries of “Hey, do you have more of those marshmallow snowmen?” — such as from Marion Plato.
NGA MEMBERS Carrington Goodman (left) and Lisa Hutchins greet guests at Gingerbread House Party at Wilshire Country Club.
Others joining hostesses Carrington Goodman and Lisa Hutchins — and fortifying themselves beforehand with a buffet of lambs chops, polenta and Moscow Mules — were Melanie Boettcher, Michaela Burschinger, Robin Chehrazi, Megan Drynan, Peyton and Stephanie Johnson, Lisa O’Malley, Mary Woodward, Susan Kneafsey, H.J. Paik, Shelagh Callahan and Amanda Peppe.
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EBELL’S LEGACY BALL attendees Tom and Sharon Lawrence Apostle celebrate Ebell’s legacy.
Photo by Boone Studios-361
A great historic treasure in our ’hood celebrated its 125th birthday on Dec. 7. Some 300-plus members, neighbors and friends dressed in the decade of their choice or donned formal attire for music, magic, champagne, dinner and dancing to the tunes of “Undercover.”
“We persevered through Suffrage, The Great Wars and the Great Depression, aiding the causes of women and of the country in countless ways. We evolved through Civil Rights and the Women’s Rights movements. We have been responsible financial planners, charitable givers and dedicated custodians of our legacy,” said Ebell member Sharon Lawrence Apostle just before president Ginger Barnard sliced into a magnificent five-tiered golden cake. There to celebrate were past presidents Kay Balue with husband Ron and Fluff McLean with husband Sandy. Also: Dr. Tom Apostle, Patty Lombard and Bill Simon, Randi and Richard Jones, Suzanne and Hugh Wilton, Toby Horn and Harold Tomin, Laurie Schechter and Patrick Lyden, Caroline and Frank Moser, Olgac Deniz and Andrew Bilgore, Lorraine Spector, Maria and David Wohlmuth, Joyce Davidson, Carolyn Layport, Geri Hurley, Peggy and Steve Davis and Linda and Rod Dean.
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FIREFIGHTERS enjoy holiday barbecue at Wilshire Country Club.
Wilshire Country Club also played holiday host to firefighters from local City of Los Angeles fire stations on a crisp mid-December Saturday. In appreciation of the men and women serving at Fire Stations 29, 52 and 61, the golf club hosted a lavish barbecue buffet in its north parking lot, with one fire company at a time stopping by. The club’s new chef, Mark Gold (who formerly owned Eva, on Beverly Blvd.), turned out lots of high protein treats from the wood-fired grill, accompanied by all the fixings.
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AUTRY MUSEUM’s Heritage Hall was the venue for a Fourth Council District holiday party given for constituents by Regina Yoon and her husband, Councilmember David Ryu.
The Autry Museum in Griffith Park was the scene of “A Sparkling CD 4 Community Holiday Celebration” given Dec. 18 by Regina Yoon and her husband, Councilmember David Ryu. Lots of neighbors gathered in the museum’s Heritage Hall for refreshments and seasonal camaraderie. Among those seen were Sycamore Square’s Conrad Starr, Tammy Rosato from La Brea Hancock, and Julie Stromberg from Windsor Village. CD 4 staff members were present, including local favorite Renée Weitzer, who has worked for all three recent councilmen, Ferraro, LaBonge and Ryu.
GREATER WILSHIRE neighbors, from left, Tammy Rosato, Conrad Starr and Julie Stromberg at Yoon / Ryu party.
HOLIDAY PARTY HOSTS Regina Yoon and David Ryu listen to guests.
At the hosts’ suggestion, many guests brought hygiene care kits, blankets, cold weather clothing, grocery gift cards and other useful items for later distribution to Angelenos experiencing homelessness.
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The downtown loft of Meg Bates and Scott Johnson was the scene of a holiday party that included numerous former neighbors from our Mid-Wilshire ’hoods. A highlight of the evening was a brief performance by opera singer daughter Zoe Johnson, who grew up in Hancock Park and Larchmont Village. Christopher Allen accompanied her on the piano, and her brother, Max Johnson, in his third of five years of reconstructive plastic surgery residency at Keck Hospital of USC, took a break to attend the party with his family.
OPERA SINGER Zoe Johnson gives a brief holiday party performance at the DTLA loft of her parents, Meg Bates and Scott Johnson. Her piano accompanist is Christopher Allen, and her brother, Max Johnson, sits with the baby at right.
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The December weeks of revelry also featured a grand gala at the Beverly Hilton on Dec. 16. The American Ballet Theatre (ABT) unwrapped its gift to over 600 supporters — performing excerpts from “Swan Lake,” three new groundbreaking works, and of course, everybody’s favorite, “The Nutcracker.” A lavish dinner of grilled salmon and caramelized onions was followed by a dessert buffet with the dancers.
“This is America’s Ballet. We travel all over the world, educating young people about this art form with our many outreach programs,” said principal dancer, James Whiteside. Our own incomparable Misty Copeland, whose work knows no gravity, joined him. Spotted in the crowd were Nigel Lythgoe, David Lim, Rachel Roy, CBS Radio News golden voice Frank Mottek, Ann and Jim Mulally, Robin Ferracone and Stewart Smith, Sabina and David Nathanson, executive director of ABT Kara Medoff Barnett, artistic director Kevin McKenzie and gala chairs Avery and Andrew Barth.
FYI: ABT is back in So Cal on Thurs., March 5 for the World Premiere of “Of Love and Rage” and “Let Me Sing Forevermore” to the tunes of Tony Bennett. Let’s all get a party bus and go to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts! Great way to ring in the New Year.
Merry, Merry from the chat!
By Patty Hill
Category: People