Garden Show in Full Bloom at Arboretum
Flowers, water conservation and the intricate facets of horticulture were all behind the blaze of color at the opening of the Los Angeles Garden Show at the Los Angeles State and County Arboretum in Arcadia. All of the arboretum’s peacocks showed up to brighten the evening. And in the crowd was a showy mass of devotees to the arboretum which is about to announce a major multimillion capital campaign.
Suzanne Miller, in the company of her attorney husband Richard, masterminded the festive evening along with Marla Carter and Brooke Garlock. California Arboretum Foundation president Alice Thomas and Richard Grant, vice president and head of development, were in the forefront, greeting benefactors, both past and future.
Alice’s brother Dan Frost and his wife Mia, a national Wellesley College campaign chairman, circulated in the twilight, along with arboretum trustee Susan Kranwinkle and her husband Doug, trustee Art Crowe and his wife Mary, and trustee Nancy McCullough. Nancy brought her mother Nancy Banning Call and sister Kate Regan; all their husbands were at Cabo San Lucas fishing for marlin.
More first-nighters included Olin and Ann Barrett, Georgia Ridder, Peggy and William Still, Judge Cynthia Holcomb Hall of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeal (who left two video-recorders at home recording election speeches--”because I’m not clever with machines”).
Also viewing the model gardens and the displays by landscape architects, designers, gardeners and horticulturists (the garden show runs through Sunday) were Melinda Winston, Harriet and Jim Gamble and Dick and Bitsy Hotaling.
BUSY CITY: Santa Monica Hospital Medical Center’s supporters will go black-tie Nov. 5 for the Mel Torme Foundation Gala. The Grammy Award winning jazz vocalist is the big hit for the elegant evening at Filmland Corporate Center in Culver City.
Spearheading the gala are Elizabeth Burns, Marilyn Terry and Jay Smith. Proceeds will benefit the hospital’s Nethercutt Emergency Center. In 1942, the hospital became the first private hospital in the county to provide emergency services.
HIGHLIGHTS: Oscar, Emmy and Peabody winner David L. Wolper (500 films) stars next Thursday at the Beverly Hills Hotel luncheon hosted by the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge (Los Angeles Chapter). Joanne Koll, foundation president, is arranging the affair with Ruth Lockwood. . . . Dionne Warwick receives the Women in Show Business Bella Rackoff Humanitarian Award at the group’s Celebrity Benefit Ball Oct. 30 at the Beverly Wilshire. Barbara Sinatra does the presentation. The honoree is being feted for causes including the establishment of the Warwick Foundation for AIDS research and her concern with sudden infant death syndrome. . . .
Herzl School of Hollywood hosts its first benefit Oct. 30 at the Roosevelt, honoring founder Sonia Berman.
PAST PERFECT: The brass was polished for the Navy League Ball. Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet, Adm. Frank B. Kelso II, was honored guest. James C. Kissman, ball director, booked Horace Heidt Jr. for dancing and 600 guests. . . . Vice Adm. Diego E. Hernandez, Commander of the 3rd Fleet, U.S. Pacific Fleet, was special guest for the Pasadena Council of the Navy League of the United States dinner dance at La Canada Flintridge Country Club. . . . The San Marino Area Auxiliary of Five Acres celebrated the second century of the residence for abused children with a luncheon at the Sheraton Grande. . . . Crown Guild of the Crippled Children’s Society went gourmet all the way for its garden party at the Joseph Conzonire home in San Marino.
KUDOS: Security Pacific Corp.’s CEO Richard J. Flamson III receives accolades next Thursday at the Junior Achievement of Southern California dinner at the Biltmore. He’ll be feted, according to the organization’s chairman Thomas N. Fuelling, for his community leadership including affiliations with Claremont McKenna College (he’s chairman of the trustees) and the Los Angeles World Affairs Council. The Japan Business Assn. is co-host. . . .
Edison R. Lara, president and general manager of Westside Distributors, will be honored at Cal State L.A.’s Black Support Group eighth Business and Community Leaders’ Luncheon at the Biltmore today. . . .
Pasadena Mental Health Center gives its Anne B. Kennedy Award to Irene Bank tomorrow afternoon at the center open house.
KEEPING UP: Cheryl Mabey Ruebensaal received the outstanding alumna award Sunday at Mount St. Mary’s College Founders’ Day.
