The Crowd

B.W. Cook

The Newport-Mesa crowd in support of UCI turned out in full force --

without black tie, wearing basketball jerseys -- for the second annual UC

Irvine Executive Roundtable Basketball Extravaganza.

The Saturday evening playoff at Bren Center on the campus began with a

late-afternoon reception in the Koll Room where team captains like

Newport’s Dick Sim, Henry Samueli, Ted Smith and Jack Norberg rallied

their players to victory.

In the coed playing crowd were Julie Hill, Al Nichols, Ross Peters,

Elizabeth and Tom Tierney (on opposing teams), UCI Chancellor Ralph

Cicerone and his wife, Carol (also on opposing teams), Ron Stern, David

Silver, Susan Wampler, Jack Peltason, John Carrington, Jim Bowling, Raj

and Marta Bhathal (they both played for Henry Samueli) and Virginia

Gogan. Why even the cheerleaders were in top form, led by Terri Baas and

Toni Alexander.

Doing the good ol’ rah-rah-rah were Peggy Goldwater Clay, Linda

White-Peters, Jay Dutta, Jane Welgan, Elena Schonfeld and Carolyne

Johnson. The ladies -- and Jay -- certainly gave the Laker Girls reason

to fear for their jobs.

The tipoff party was hosted by Bob and Betty Grant and Deloitte and

Touche LLP. The teams were set and ready for action, though many

confessed privately that eating and drinking prior to the big game was

not such a hot idea.

The crowd was ready, dressed in blue, gold and white, screaming for their

favorite teams, hooting and hollering for the big-time chancellor’s

free-throw contest, and the all-time favorite team airball competition --

a highlight of the event.

Following all of the hoopla (pun intended), UCI men’s basketball

challenged Boise State for some real action on the court.

The Jewish Federation of Orange County will bring together young business

professionals for an inaugural event unfolding this evening at the

Newport Beach residence of Jim and Marti Eisenberg. The dinner gathering

is part of the local Ben Gurion Society, a division of the Jewish

Federation, with a goal of making a real difference in the Orange County

community.

Guests at the Eisenberg reception have pledged $1,000 or more to support

Jewish community services in Orange County and around the world.

Later in the month is another Federation dinner for young couples, under

the banner of the Herzl Society. Hosted by Newport’s Blossom Siegel, the

evening will feature Nina Tishkevich, a former Soviet citizen who managed

to leave her homeland to make a new life in America in large part due to

the work and support of the Jewish Federation.

To participate call, (714) 755-5555, Ext. 225.

Jerry Mandel, president of the Orange County Performing Arts Center,

announced the formation of a new support wing of the center to be called

BRAVO!

This new alliance, to be composed of young professionals in the region,

will be led by Danny Sonenshine, Leonie Mulville, Wendy Cantor, Renee

Croce, Julia Rice and Kerri Sonenshine.

Many of the members of the new BRAVO! board are second-generation

supporters of the center. Their parents have set examples of cultural

leadership that are being followed and advanced by the next generation of

Orange County leaders.

This fact in and of itself is encouraging, and it will be interesting to

see what is accomplished by this new organization. For info on BRAVO!

call Stacy Spencer at The Center, (714) 556-2122, Ext. 218.

The talented Mr. Loring, John Loring that is, design director for Tiffany

and Co., returns to Orange County Feb. 20 and 21 for two special

receptions to introduce his new book, “Tiffany Jewels.”

Loring, an elegant chronicler of the finer things in life, has graced

Costa Mesa in years past with his meticulously studied viewpoint of

society in America from many vantage points including the table, the

style and the people of our time and times past.

“Tiffany Jewels” traces the history of America’s world-renowned jeweler

from its origins as a stationery and fancy goods boutique to its

present-day status as a leading purveyor of gems and quality gifts.

The upcoming Loring receptions will be organized by Friends of the

Mission at San Juan Capistrano, and The Art Institute of Southern

California.

On a sad note, we remember Dr. Mike McNalley, founder of the Hoag

Hospital Cardiology Department in 1970. McNalley, 68, passed away this

past week leaving a legacy of community involvement.

He is survived by his loving wife, Sharon Cook McNalley, and a large

family. One of his sons, Joe McNalley, is the artistic director and

co-founder of the Hutchins Consort, a local group of musicians that

represents the first permanent ensemble of professionals that perform on

eight acoustically matched violins designed and crafted by famed luthier

Dr. Carleen Hutchins.

The group has a mission of providing a unique musical and educational

opportunity to locals afforded by this ensemble, the creation of which

represents the culmination of 500 years of research into the acoustics of

the violin family of instruments.

Sharon and the late Mike McNalley have been ardent supporters of music

education and performance in Orange County. The tradition continues in

the McNalley family of Corona Del Mar. A recent Hutchins Consort event at

the Irvine Barclay Theatre introduced the world to Joe McNalley’s dream,

carrying on the legacy of his much loved dad and mom.

* B.W. COOK’S column appears every Thursday and Saturday.