Cape & Gown Gala honored Tim Disney at ‘Taste’ benefit
On Dec. 8, the sixth annual Children’s Institute Cape & Gown Gala was held in grand fashion at the Skirball Cultural Center, taking over the Guerin
CHILDREN’S INSTITUTE supporters enjoy dinner, drinks, honoree awards and a live auction at the Skirball Cultural Center.
Pavilion and its surrounding spaces. The “Taste for a Cause” evening event, which raised more than $820,000, started off with music, cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvre. The tastings were created by award-winning chefs who give back to their local communities, including Sandra Cordero of Xuntos and Keith Corbin and Daniel Patterson of LocoL. Small bites included tostadita de mongos made of mushroom conserva, cremini crema and manchego cheese, and barbecue brisket with slaw and toasted bread. Guests mingled and enjoyed the festive atmosphere before going into the Guerin Pavilion’s vaulted dining space. There they enjoyed more music by the Cal Arts ensemble Sirena in an evening emceed by actor and comedian Lil Rel Howery which also included a live auction, honoree presentations and dinner. The latter featured a menu of Belgian Chimay ale-braised short ribs, grilled portobello mushrooms, chocolate-dipped strawberries and spiced apple tarte tatin.
The Children’s Institute (CII), founded in 1906, employs “teachers, therapists and care coordinators to partner with 30,000 family members across Los Angeles at critical stages of their lives to create real, sustainable change.” This type of collaboration and impact requires relationships to exist between local leaders, community organizations and volunteers, several of whom were honored at the event.
LARCHMONT LOCAL and CII Executive Vice President and COO Gene Straub with CII President and CEO Martine Singer.
Children’s Champion Award honorees for the evening included Tim Disney, an entrepreneur and philanthropist who formerly officed on Larchmont Boulevard, and Erin Westerman, co-president of the Motion Picture Group at Lionsgate. The Community Champion Award went to LAPD Deputy Chief Emada Tingirides and retired LAPD Deputy Chief Philip Tingirides for their community-based policing advocacy.
Emmy-winning broadcaster Liam Mayclem hosted the live auction with an energy and flair that brought in much-needed dollars to help support the organization. Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Gene Straub, a Larchmont local, emphasized, “It’s important for people to understand what we do — that we connect people to critical services that change lives.” A very grateful Tim Disney highlighted, “The most important metric of success is self-reported happiness, and people who build deep relationships with community and who learn how to apply themselves are happier people … and what more could we want for our young people? It’s what I want for my kids and that’s what I want for everyone.”
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HONOREE TIM DISNEY addressed the CII supporters.
LIGHTSCAPE premiere attendees included (from left) Warren Techentin, George and Susan Erburu Reardon, Mimi Techentin, and Robert Ronus.
In the middle of the busy month of December, the Marciano Art Foundation (MAF) premiered Doug Aitken’s “Lightscape” multi-media artwork that is installed in the vast Theater Gallery of the art collection building at Wilshire and Lucerne boulevards. Among the other media that make the artwork “multi” are music performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and voices from the Los Angeles Master Chorale.
At the Dec. 14 premiere, singers from the Chorale serenaded the partygoers from the mezzanine surrounding the lobby. Players and singers from the Phil and the Chorale will be performing at selected times during the “Lightscape” run that continues to March 15. Among the many arts aficionados enjoying the opening reception were Hancock Park’s Robert Ronus, Master Chorale board chair Susan Erburu Reardon and her husband, George, and Pasadena’s Mimi and Warren Techentin. [More about the new MAF exhibitions is on Page 8 of Section 2. — Ed.]
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MEETING IN THE MIDDLE (at the O’Connell home in Hancock Park) for a holiday dinner party were siblings and spouses, from left, Geoff Cowan and Aileen Adams, Brentwood; Kevin and Mary Adams O’Connell; and Peter and Elaine Adams, Pasadena.
The same Dec. 14 evening, there undoubtedly were lots of holiday parties underway all around our town. One of the prettiest was at the Hancock Park home of Mary and Kevin O’Connell. The party has been an annual tradition for the O’Connell family and friends, and attendees said it felt just like last year, when they had been in that same, pretty setting (a Paul Williams house). But, they then had to agree with Mary when she said it was hard to believe that, because of the pandemic, the party last was held five years ago! But that did not matter for old friends in attendance, including Hancock Park’s Steve and Melanie Guise, former Hancock Park-er Louise Brinsley, and John and Martha Welborne, from Windsor Square. Mary’s two siblings and their spouses, Aileen Adams and Geoff Cowan and Peter and Elaine Adams, were there to continue the beautiful but interrupted, tradition.
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ST. JAMES’ preschool Jolly Jamboree-ers posed with some parents, from left, Scout and Billy Kemper, Windsor Square, with George and Phoebe; Elizabeth Fain LaBombard, Windsor Square, with Gloria; and Helen Howe Persson, Windsor Village, with Robby.
On a bright, shiny Dec. 17 morning, there were three score and more bright and shiny preschoolers dancing and cavorting to holiday music of all kinds in the assembly room at St. James’ School on St. Andrews Place. The 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. event drew parents and grandparents to watch the youngest of the St. James’ students show the dance routines they had practiced to perform in this year’s “Jolly Jamboree.” Almost all of the children are from the neighborhoods surrounding St. James’ Church. Some local dancers were Windsor Square’s George and Phoebe Kemper, with their parents, Scout and Billy; Windsor Village’s Robby Persson with his mom, Helen Howe Persson and grandparents Kathryn and Con Howe; and Gloria LaBombard with her mother, Elizabeth Fain LaBombard. The children were colorfully costumed and totally adorable – of course!
PRESCHOOL CHILDREN cavorted before an audience of parents, grandparents and friends at the St. James’ Episcopal School Jolly Jamboree at the school.
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The next day saw a California State Senator also in costume. Well, a Santa Claus hat, anyway, as Sen. Ben Allen greeted constituents and spoke at his annual Holiday Legislative Event and Toy Drive, held this year at the Original Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax. The senator and his office partnered with My Stuff Bags Foundation and the Assistance league of Los Angeles for a holiday toy drive to help local families and kids in need.
FAIRFAX High School musicians performed at Sen. Ben Allen’s (in Santa hat) holiday event at Farmers Market.
Music was provided by Elemental Choir, from Santa Monica, and the Fairfax High School Chamber Strings. Lots of people discussed legislative and district issues with the senator, many of them enjoying the generous supply of donuts offered near the check-in table!
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On the crystal-clear evening of Dec. 19, the annual Windsor Square Hancock Park caroling party saw a spontaneous amateur choir, numbering more than 100, starting out in front of Le Pain Quotidien on Larchmont Boulevard, then following a live six-piece brass band up and down the streets of Windsor Square. The crooners stopped off at several houses, singing songs and partaking in holiday beverages, including Kahlua shots served on a ski!
CAROLING REFRESHMENTS include Kahlua shots on a ski.
Then, two nights later, the Brookside annual caroling party featured a horse-drawn carriage, Santa Claus, Fire Station 61 and plenty of sweet treats and
FESTIVE FANS of Brookside caroling include Bianca Trester, Luke Trester, Taylor Louden, Jan Wieringa, Jordan Trester and Kes Trester.
libations. Children clambered aboard the sleigh and journeyed around the streets of Brookside, singing all the way. Attendees were asked to donate toys to the local fire station, which resulted in overflowing bags of presents. Many of the older children remember this event as one of their first formative memories, and they were happy to see the tradition continue!
And now you’re in the Larchmont know!
Category: Entertainment