THE CROWD:

The Great Park Conservancy gathered at Shady Canyon Golf Club for the second annual garden membership luncheon.

The lovely Sandra Ayres of Newport Beach served as luncheon chairwoman, enlisting the support of Keiko Sakamoto, Marilyn Krahe, Jill Johnson-Tucker, Joni Heil-Brice, Janet Ray, Teddy Ray, Ann Smyth, Becky Peterson, Sheila Peterson, David Horowitz and Rick Hume.

Also supporting the event were Carol Simon, executive director of the Great Park Conservancy, working in association with staff members including Jennifer Wilson, Shannon Webber, Jacqui Alenda and Newport’s dynamic Peggy Goldwater-Clay.

On the garden agenda were Jim Folsom, director of the Botanical Gardens at the Huntington Library in San Marino, and representing the Great Park design studio, Mia Lehrer addressed the audience giving them an update on the progress of the design phase of the Great Park.

On hand for the luncheon, Janet Marinelli, author of a book titled “Plant, A Garden Reference Book,” signed copies of her work for the admiring crowd. Marinelli is the former director of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Supporting the Great Park Conservancy are local community members Gale and Frank Robitaille, Cindi and Steven Fry, Lisa and Dan Kassel, Annette Oltmans, Diane Cotton, Carol Follman, and Robin Follman Otta.

The Balboa Performing Arts Theater Foundation will offer a series of films and performing arts programs that will take place at various venues all over Orange County during the first half of 2008.

Season Without Walls is in its second year with the mission of spreading a cultural message to the community offering performances and showings, and collaborating with existing professional arts organizations including the Pacific Symphony, Opera Pacific and Bowers Museum to showcase their work in new and different formats.

All this effort is intended to elevate the image and purpose of the Balboa Theater, which will one day reopen to the public. Organizers are hoping the Rocky Horror Picture Show presentation will help raise needed funds to assist in the restoration of the early 20th century theater. To get involved please call Mary Lonich, executive director, at (949) 673 -0895.

The Decorative Arts Society of Newport Beach had a lovely reception at the residence of Ann Fraser in Newport Heights. Fraser, a designer of considerable stature in her own right, welcomed J. Thomas Savage, director of the Winterthur Museum to address the gathering.

The Decorative Arts Society is a confederation of women and men who share a common interest in the world of design. Hosting noted artists, architects and designers, they raise funds in support of local charitable causes.

The Winterthur Museum in Wilmington, Del., former estate of Henry Francis du Pont, houses the world’s foremost collection of American decorative arts. In the crowd were Julia Jennings of Stonemill Design Center, MaryAnna Jeppe, noted interior designer and antiques dealer Tom Stansbury of Newport Beach, the fabulous antiques collector and purveyor, and local art expert Jackie Jeffries, Barbara Martin of Balboa Island, and Carole Steele.

Their theme was Orange Crush. Celebrating the old times in Orange County, the Mariners Elementary School volunteers had a wild and crazy event at the Fairgrounds, transforming an enormous hall into a bright orange and white landscape complete with live orange trees and the obligatory mod lounge area adorned with white couches and orange beanbag chairs.

Even the bar was orange, shaded by a lime-green market umbrella. The evening raised approximately $130,000 net, which will be funneled directly to the Mariners Elementary School in Newport Beach for enrichment programs in the areas of science, music, art and technology.

The money will also support the teaching staff and aides as well as assist with facility improvements.

Mariners recently won the National Blue Ribbon School Award. A highlight of the Orange Crush evening was a performance by the local band “Satisfaction,” which is a tribute band based on the Rolling Stones, featuring talented lead singer Mike Manser who also happens to be a Mariners dad. Steve Schwary, another Mariners dad, raised big bucks as the live auctioneer.

Dinner was catered by Ovations with more than 350 guests sampling the orange-glazed chicken, mandarin spinach salad, and for dessert — what else but 50/50 orange bars. Co-chaired by Jennifer Blanchfield, Jaime Weber and Sandy Rettig, the evening was an enormous success for the community.

Today is Thanksgiving. On this most American holiday, take a moment to count your blessings and focus on all that is good in your life and this community in which you are fortunate enough to live.

Most importantly, I hope you are surrounded by people you love, both friends and family. Don’t forget to tell them how grateful you are to have them in your life. That’s the most important Thanksgiving message of all.

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.