Inside Story of Irvine Saga

The words are coming slowly, surely, and when it’s finished, Athalie Clarke may have a bestseller on her hands. Even a miniseries.

But in the meantime, the writing of “Mr. Jim: A Story That’s Never Been Told” is keeping the mother of Irvine heiress Joan Irvine Smith “exhausted,” she says. “I’m plumbing the depths of my soul. I’m trying as fast as I can to finish it.”

Clarke’s dream is to have the book about the family of her famous father-in-law, James Irvine Jr.--heir to the 108,184-acre Irvine ranch--finished by the end of the year. “This year UC Irvine is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the university that bears his name,” Clarke says. “It would be so timely.”

And she just might make it. So far, the grande dame of Orange County society has penned 24 chapters. And while she isn’t sure where it will all end, you can bet what she’s already put down could keep Orange County buzzing into the next millennium.

The saga that surrounds the Irvine land is so juicy the book will probably “outdo ‘Dynasty’ and ‘Dallas,’ ” Clarke promises with a gentle laugh.

Certainly, there will be detailed accounts of Clarke’s marriage to James Irvine III--the 35-year-old she married in 1929 when she was 25. The man she honeymooned with for two months at the Royal Hawaiian on Waikiki Beach where the sand and the surf were the only game in town. The man she lost to tuberculosis when he was 41 years old.

And, of course there will be tales about her iron-willed daughter Joan, the daughter Athalie named after herself. The daughter who changed her name to Joan when she decided “Athalie” was too hard to pronounce. (The story goes that when Joan Irvine Smith was 5 years old she named herself after the nursery rhyme: “Here I am, little jumping Joan; When nobody’s with me, I’m always alone.”

Stay with it Athalie. We can hardly wait.

Fortune 500?: If Spanish consul Eduardo Garrigues has his way, Orange County will enjoy a Spanish festival in the fall of 1992.

Next year marks the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ discovery of America. And, says Garrigues, “one of Spain’s main events will be (life-size) replicas of the Columbus ships coming to California in the fall.”

“We’re hoping the caravel will visit different ports along the Camino Real,” Garrigues says, “and, of course, Orange County should be included in a very prominent position.”

The itinerary for the caravel has not been finalized. But , chances must be good for a local visit because Garrigues says he has spoken with Henry Segerstrom (managing partner of C.J. Segerstrom & Sons, owner of South Coast Plaza), about a mall celebration that could unfold while the ships are in port.

So, perk up those lace mantillas and polish up those castanets.

What could be more romantic for the Orange County social scene than a date with Spain?

Says the suave Garrigues, who hails from Madrid: “I really believe in the relationship between Spain and California. We feel at home here with our Spanish past all around us. You can’t drive 30 to 50 miles without seeing a Spanish mission.” Ole!

Talk about romance: Beautiful Dani Manto (whose parents Judie and Carmelo Manto own the in Carmelo’s restaurant in Corona del Mar) watched last week’s solar eclipse in Hawaii with none other than race car driver John Clark Gable, son of the late Clark Gable.

Seems the dashing couple--she’s petite, blond and 21, he’s tall, blond and 30--met on the ski slopes at Big Bear in March and have been enjoying a whirlwind courtship ever since.

They’re inseparable, Judie Manto says. “Dani devotes herself exclusively to John.” They spend quality time on John’s ranch in Malibu (where photographs of his father dot the walls) and the time they’ve spent in Hawaii hasn’t been bad either.

When they step out, people are apt to gaze at the twosome starry-eyed and send over bottles of bubbly, Judie Manto says.

But the limelight hasn’t turned Dani’s head. In fact, says her fun-loving mom, Dani isn’t sure what all the fuss is about--”she hasn’t even seen ‘Gone With the Wind!’ ”

Is it love? “Oh, I think so,” Judie says. “John asked Dani to date him exclusively after their second date.”

The Buzz: A New York spokeswoman for Giogio Armani says the date of the gala opening of their new Emporio Armani store at South Coast Plaza has been changed from Sept. 8 to Sept. 7. Re -mark those calendars. . . . Debonair wine buff Michael Mondavi has joined the Board of Governors of the new Spa at the Center. . . . Social hearts are skipping a beat over the invitation sent by Bob and Mary Ellen Mayer of Harbor Ridge in Newport Beach. “The President and Mrs. Bush are having a summertime soiree at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue . . . “ the invitation begins. Then, inside: “Unfortunately, you are not on that guest list. However, you are invited to a summertime soiree on the same evening at the home of. . . .” Chanel at South Coast Plaza will sponsor the popular September Bachelor Bid that benefits the March of Dimes. Chanel seized the chance to participate in the hunk auction to promote Egoiste, its new fragrance for men. . . . Francoise Gilot, mother of Paloma Picasso and wife of Dr. Jonas Salk, will talk about her life and her art at a Center Club dinner Sept. 12. The event is part of the fifth annual Perspectives party series sponsored by the Laguna Art Museum. Also on the Perspectives agenda: an Octoberfest at the Munich-inspired manse of Helmut Reiss, owner of Rothschilds restaurant in Corona del Mar. . . . Local VIPS will arrive by ambulance at the local premiere of “Doc Hollywood” staged by Hoag Hospital of Newport Beach on July 25 at Newport Center. It is hoped that the outrageous transportation will get the public in touch with the desperate need for emergency care funds. Hoag treats 38,000 emergency cases annually, says hospital spokeswoman Lynn Casella.

Over the weekend: The Corona del Mar home of Tom and Barbara Peckenpaugh was the site of Saturday night’s “From Blueprints to Cordon Bleu”--an alfresco supper whipped up by local architects Alex Caragonne and Michael Porter for supporters of the Newport Harbor Art Museum. On the gourmet menu: salmon polenta, marinated shrimp, herb-stuffed eggplant and rice with capers and pine nuts. . . . The Center Stars, a support group of the Orange County Performing Arts Center, visited William Lyon’s Classic Car Museum on Saturday night before dining at the Coto de Caza residence of Marc and Tanya Szabo. Janet Lind was chairwoman. The Center Stars has donated $1 million to the Center since it opened in 1984. . . . Bastille Day was celebrated in style at Sports Club Irvine on Saturday night with an 8K pasta party that kicked off the annual run benefiting the United Cerebral Palsy Assn. of Orange County. . . . Billionaire Donald Bren was a no-show at the Beverly Hills High School class reunion of 1950 Saturday night at the Center Club. But it was a power party anyway. Classmates such as Santa Ana appellate Judge Henry T. Moore reminisced with cronies and dined on grand fare. On Sunday, some of the alums revisited their old Newport Beach haunts--site of their shenanigans during the popular Bal Week held during Easter week in those old Happy Days. . . .