The Crowd:

Over the holidays, Court Appointed Special Advocates of Orange County, known as CASA, held a fashion luncheon at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Laguna Niguel, featuring the spring 2010 designs of Michael KorsMichael Kors.

Chaired by the very fashionable Deborah Keillor with assistance from Melinda Wood, Teri Pitchess, Shelly Rankin and Annette Juptner Gonzalez, the afternoon attracted almost 600 guests and raised $240,000 for CASA. Special personalities at the party were television psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw and his wife, Robin.

The McGraws launched a campaign known as “The Forgotten Children” in 2008, which expresses their personal commitment to the needs of foster children who may become involved in the legal system.

A major sponsor of the event was the new AnQi restaurant in South Coast Plaza.

Newport Beach Restaurant Week begins Friday and runs through Jan. 28.

It’s all about the love of food and dining in our own backyard.

Some 75 terrific local restaurants will participate for a full week, serving specialty prepared prix-fixe lunch menus for $15 or $20, or dinner menus for $25 or $35.

Restaurant Week launched in 2007 and over a short four years has since become one of Newport’s most talked about culinary celebrations.

Last week, organizers invited guests for a preview party at Sherman Gardens in Corona del Mar.

The crowd sampled fare from a selection of participating restaurants, including Five Crowns, Café Jardin, Blue Water Grill, Zov’s and Il Farro, to name only a few.

Many of the local star chefs, including the legendary Pascal Olhats, were front and center to meet and greet. Sheri Drewry, president of the Newport Beach Restaurant Assn., was on hand with Peggy Fox, director of Restaurant Week, and a host of local restaurateurs.

For all the latest up to date information, visit www.newportbeachdining.com.

On the other side of the county, Kooza opened at the Great Park in Irvine.

The latest extravaganza from Cirque du Soleil will run through Feb. 14, dazzling the local crowd with amazing antics and acrobatics.

On opening night the audience was treated to soft drinks, hot hors d’oeuvres and popcorn galore, with blue and yellow cupcakes at intermission.

The evening was nonstop energy from the moment of arrival at the parking lot — there was with entertainment by performers on stilts, magicians and clowns — to the final heart-stopping performance under the blue and yellow big tent.

Tickets begin at $60. For information, go to www.cirquedusoleil.com.

The Beckstrand Cancer Foundation is planning its first annual 5K run/walk Feb. 27 on the UC Irvine campus.

Organizers are calling the event the “Hope and Harmony Run/Walk,” raising funds to benefit local people fighting cancer who find themselves in a position of financial burden.

More than 2,500 people are expected to participate from all over Orange County.

The registration fee for the 5K is $35 per person, which includes a T-shirt and a goody bag.

Children can sign up for a 1-mile kids run for $25.

If you can’t make it, you can even participate as a phantom runner and send a $25 donation.

For registration and more information, go to www.ochopeandharmoney.com.

The Orange County Chapter of the USC Alumni Assn. will launch its 2010 Distinguished Speaker Series on Wednesday welcoming Dr. Mark S. Humayun. Humayun is a profession of ophthalmology at the Keck School of Medicine and the Doheny Eye Institute.

He will speak on “The Science and Engineering of Artificial Sight.”

Tickets to the lecture which is slated for 7 p.m. at the USC Orange County Center, 2300 Michelson Drive, Room C, Irvine, are $15, go to [email protected].

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.