Column: The Crowd: Laura’s House hosts luncheon to support domestic violence shelter

The Russo and Steele Collection Automobile Auction will be held from June 8 through 10 at Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort. The auto collector auction, now in its sixth season in Newport Beach, will display and sell some 400 incredible works of engineering art before the show concludes Sunday evening at 7:30 p.m.

The public is invited, with admission priced at $20. To learn more, go to russoandsteele.com.

Film, fashion and fame

Women’s Wear Daily editor and style director Alex Badia jetted into Newport to join forces with Cheresse Pentella, style artist with Neiman Marcus, to produce a trend-setting runway fashion show in support of this season’s Newport Beach Film Festival.

The triad were brought together by Visit Newport Beach. The Saturday afternoon fashion event attracted a chic crowd seated on the terrace fronting Neiman Marcus in Fashion Island. Badia addressed the audience speaking on fashion in film. He was joined by costume designers Nadia Haders and Paco Delgado who were later honored at an evening reception hosted by the film festival. Kudos were delivered to both designers with the Breakout Award going to Haders for work on the film “Get Out” and the Icon Award to Delgado for his work on films “A Wrinkle in Time” and “Les Miserables.”

Laura’s House to the rescue

They call it their Brighter Futures luncheon and it’s all about ending domestic violence.

Laura’s House may not be able to stop the violence and alleviate the anger, but it can and will offer shelter and protection to those escaping the horror. The organization held its third annual Brighter Futures luncheon at Balboa Bay Resort welcoming more than 220 guests and raising $106,000 in support of Laura’s House programs.

The luncheon featured guest speaker Clayton Cranford, “a cyber cop” discussing the dangers of the internet relating to the curse of domestic violence. In the crowd were Laura’s House Executive Director and CEO Margaret Bayston, who welcomed honored guests including Vikki Shepp, CEO Girl Scouts of America, Orange County, Ali Shimabuku, a youth ambassador and volunteer, and honorary event chair Anne MacPherson.To learn more, go to laurashouse.org.

Old, but still gold

Heritage Pointe, an independent Jewish senior care assisted living and memory care facility in Mission Viejo, gathered the younger generation in support of the older generation for its 28th annual spring luncheon and fashion show at Irvine Marriott hotel. Co-chaired by Donna Markovitz and Gail Taleisnik, with a fashion show produced by Susan Stein, the luncheon brought in significant dollars of support for Heritage Pointe.

Featured in the show were the designs of Newport’s Grayse of Fashion Island.

Fashion icons Marie Gray and daughter Kelly Gray greeted the crowd and opened the show, which also focused on the formal custom attire from Bohimi of Palm Desert. Mike Silverman, CEO of Heritage Point, joined Beth Slavir, director of philanthropy, in welcoming the large attendance and praising underwriting sponsors such as My Mother’s Flowers and Yorba Linda Pharmacy. Events such as the annual luncheon raise approximately $1.5 million and support residents of Heritage Pointe in financial need. To learn more, go to heritagepointe.org.

B.W. COOK is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.