Bushes Beg Off, but the $1-Million Benefit Is On

It was going to be the power ball of power balls, an Orange County gala so chock-full of political connections that it would be the envy of every charity committee outside the White House. Until very recently, there was reason to think that President Bush and his popular First Lady might be the guests of honor at Saturday night’s Orangewood Ball.

But the hopes of ball organizers were dashed when the call came from Washington: thank you very much, but no thank you. One insider chalks up the disappointment to Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev’s recent visit: “President Bush is just too busy.”

Why would a local ball committee send an invitation to the President of the United States? Give yourself 200 Social I.Q. points if you know the answer: a few Orangewood activists--William Lyon, Kathryn Thompson, George Argyros--are members of Team 100, donors of $100,000 to Bush’s presidential campaign. In fact, when Kathryn Thompson and her husband, Gus Owen, dined with the First Couple at the White House last year, Mrs. Bush remembered the tour of Orangewood that Thompson gave her in 1988.

The good news is that the gala will raise more than $1 million, making it Orange County’s biggest single fund-raiser ever . How does one little ole soiree rake in so many smackers? Simple. Forbes 400 developer William Lyon is at the helm (ably assisted by developer and good friend Kathryn Thompson). Not only have Lyon and his wife, Willa Dean, inspired commitment by tossing an underwriting bash that pulled in $300,000 (more than enough to pay for ball costs), they also plan to ante up $250,000 out of their own pockets. Ditto developer Peter Ochs, president of the Fieldstone Co. And something new has been added to everybody’s favorite spring gala: a Gold Circle consisting of donors of $25,000 or more. So far, 13 Orangewood supporters--Tommy Tucker, Glen Stillwell, Leo Cook and Marvin Weiss among them--have joined those ranks. Add 750 guests who have paid $300 each and you’ve got a gala that’s sitting on a powder keg of record-breaking dollars.

Festivities, themed “A New Beginning,” begin at the Irvine Hilton with a pool-side reception followed by dinner in a room hung with silk butterflies. Dinner will include something tres nouvelle: caviar asparagus frappe served in a martini glass. Dessert will be to die for: a hazelnut ladyfinger charlotte topped with a chocolate filigree butterfly.

Speaking of Gorby: Former astronaut Buzz Aldrin and wife Lois were in the Soviet Union 10 days ago as guests of H.R. Haldeman. Seems Haldeman is working with a couple of local businessmen to bring Moscow a thoroughly modern business-hotel complex. As such, he was invited to attend a meeting of the World Trade Council and he invited the Aldrins to come along. A few days into the trip, the Aldrins found themselves at a party with about 500 guests, including Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. Mindful of his hero status, and always gracious, Aldrin thoughtfully handed Gorbachev a picture postcard of himself in his spacesuit. Gorbachev whipped out a pen, signed the card, and handed it back to Aldrin. “He thought Buzz wanted his autograph!” Lois said this week. “Isn’t that a scream?”

Catching up with the Segerstrom salute: There are 50 seats still available for the tribute that will mark a decade of involvement in the Orange County Performing Arts Center by philanthropist Henry Segerstrom. Set for June 22 at the Center, the $500-per-person gala has received “oui-oui” replies from 250 Center supporters. The elegant ivory invitations, which arrived two weeks ago, feature the Center’s famed Firebird metal sculpture in embossed splashes of gold and bronze.

The party--which Center President Thomas Kendrick describes as “simple, elegant and classy, a party to embrace the Center family”--will have a Firebird theme and begin with a reception in the Center’s backstage area. Dinner will be served on stage in Segerstrom Hall, where guests will dine on fare whipped up by the Westin South Coast Plaza hotel. On the tentative menu: a main course of lobster-stuffed veal chop. Decor? A huge screen will provide the backdrop. During the festivities, the screen will be used to present a video tribute to Segerstrom as well as project a blazing image of the Firebird. After dinner, pianist Michael Feinstein will play for guests. The Segerstrom family plans to attend, en masse , as does the entire Center board.

Chanel of New York in town: Who could miss the bevy of beauties dining at the Emperor’s Fortune restaurant in Santa Ana on Wednesday? None of the elegant eatery’s lunch crowd. Having a bite of gourmet Chinese while discussing plans for the Opera Pacific gala that will open South Coast Plaza’s new Chanel boutique this fall were Barbara Cirkva and Arlette Thebault of Chanel, New York; Jeanette Segerstrom, a member of the Opera Pacific board, and gala co-chairwomen Donna Bunce and Gayle Anderson.