Garden Show returns to town

Author and TV host Chris Casson Madden was busy signing autographs

last week at the 14th annual Southern California Spring Garden Show.

Madden served as honorary chair of the massive event, which filled

the three levels of South Coast Plaza’s Crate and Barrel/Macy’s Home

Store wing, with every imaginable blooming plant.

The garden show weekend was free to the public, with thousands of

local citizens enjoying the spectacular spring display. The opening

night of the show is traditionally a charity event, and this year,

proceeds from the opening party were earmarked to support

preservation projects for the Great Stone Church Monument at Mission

San Juan Capistrano.

Guests arriving at the gala, paying $40 per ticket to support the

Mission, were greeted by Mission volunteers wearing period costumes,

setting the mood for a special evening in the garden.

The Great Stone Church Monument is an official project of “Save

America’s Treasures,” a partnership between the White House and the

National Trust for Historic Preservation. The local benefit chairs

for the Mission are Bayshore’s Tracy Gottlieb, along with Janice

Markley and Kristen O’Donnell. Electa Anderson serves as Friends of

the Mission director.

Guests of the Garden Show preview enjoyed cuisine provided by a

host of local restaurants, including Antonello, the Back Bay Rowing

and Running Club, Gustaf Anders, Morton’s, California Pizza Kitchen,

Bangkok Four and Cafe Pascal.

The show was sponsored by the Automobile Club of Southern

California, Smith and Hawkin, Volvo Cars of North America, Kellogg

Garden Products, Orrefors Kosta Boda, the Westin South Coast Plaza

Hotel and the Los Angeles Times.

SUPPORTING CORONA DEL MAR FROM NEPTUNE

More than 350 guests gathered forces to support the Corona del Mar

High School Foundation at the annual Neptune’s Ball at the Fashion

Island Marriott Hotel.

The evening, a coming together for parents raising funds to

enhance the education of their children, included a massive silent

auction that featured a combination of retail goods and one-of-a-kind

objects donated by teachers at Corona del Mar High School.

Highlights included objects of art made by teachers and the

big-ticket item, which was the athletic coaches’ barbecue dinner for

12. The dinner was actually auctioned off three separate times

because of the great interest in the prize.

Woody and Gina Oklejas, owners of Anaheim Chevrolet, provided a

Chevy Tahoe for the auction that was also a major draw, helping

organizers to raise more than $100,000 for the foundation.

Chaired by the dynamic team of Diane Keligian, Katie

Peters-Rollins and Karen Hinton, this most successful evening will

allow funds to go to programs in need of support at Corona del Mar

High School and Middle School.

Spotted in the crowd were Jerrilyn and Jim Kline, Marna and Brian

Tulley, Vice Principal Jack Cusack and Principal Sharon Fry. Also

attending the event were Brenda and Joe Colgate. Joe Colgate

officiated at the silent auction.

* THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.