THE CROWD:

The American Society of Interior Designers 2009 O.C. Design Tour is in full swing this week at the urban chic Astoria Towers, the centerpiece of the Central Park West development on the Jamboree corridor, Irvine.

This cutting-edge design tour features wildly whimsical contemporary multimillion-dollar penthouse residences decorated in the au currant mode. It is a major departure for the tour, which in years past has gone the traditional route.

The tour is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and open until 9 p.m. Friday evenings through May 17 for a city lights point of view. A donation of $30 benefits both the American Society of Interior Designers and the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

Some 37 of the county’s hottest contemporary designers are featured in a multitude of new and dazzling roomscapes including not-to-be-missed penthouse roof gardens incorporating exotic plants, outdoor living rooms with fireplaces and video — just to scratch the surface of the details.

On Friday evening a special event, “Meet the Designers” welcomes visitors for a date night at the Astoria. Guests will sample wines as they tour the homes and learn the inside scoop from the creative teams involved. Turnip Rose Caterers offer fab food on the third floor pool and entertainment deck along with a select group of merchants showcasing all sorts of lifestyle, decorating, fashion and jewelry trends.

Tickets may be purchased at the Astoria or in advance by calling the Orange County Performing Arts Center at (714) 556-2787 or ASID-OC at (949) 643-1549 or at Whole Foods in Tustin’s District Shopping Center.

The drop-dead gorgeous Greer Wylder, longtime Daily Pilot columnist and now successful entrepreneur behind the electronic Greer’s OC, threw a cocktail party organized by the chic Mona Shah at the hip MESA lounge, Costa Mesa.

Greer greeted the crush, and it was packed, to launch her new online magazine, Greer’s Green e-Zine. Music by Ron Entwistle pulsated, green martinis flowed, and the beautiful people stretched out on the white leather reclining sofas in the MESA’s cavernous cocktail bar with the retractable glass ceiling. Very cool.

And speaking of cool, my very own London-based celeb spy and lifestyle informant Charly Spry, a.k.a. Lady Charlotte, cooking oil heiress and social mover, tells me that one of Europe’s hottest young comedians and singers Samantha Heard is in Los Angeles this week performing at the Viper Room.

Heard will also release her first single “Down and Out” in conjunction with her appearance. This young Brit, who is being produced by John Reynolds of Sinead O’Connor fame, has also joined forces with Suzanne Lloyd, granddaughter of silent film legend Harold Lloyd and frequent summer resident in Newport Beach. Heard incorporates some of Lloyd’s pioneering comedy footage in her act. The result is super creative and different. She is due to grace O.C. sometime in the coming year, and may be one of the new talents to watch on a rising career path.

Lexus, Newport Beach will be the spot where the Friends of Dorothy gather for Cinco de Mayo. The Friends of Dorothy is a support group of the AIDS Services Foundation of Orange County helping to raise awareness and funding for research and care for people fighting HIV/AIDS.

Founded by Newport’s very visible and colorful Barbara Venezia, the group launches an entire season of activities starting with the Margarita explosion at Newport Lexus next Tuesday. Founded in 2007, the group has raised an astounding $200,000-plus for the foundation in a short period of time. Venezia states that there is so much more to accomplish.

“Government funding of HIV/AIDS research has been drastically cut,” she said. “This crisis is not over and young people especially need to be informed of the dangers.”

The Cinco de Mayo event is open to the public. Join the Friends of Dorothy Guild (taken from “The Wizard of Oz”) and become a Munchkin (you remember them) for as little as $100 a year. For more information, go to www.friendsofdorothy.org.

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.