(Seated left to right): Lee Goldberg, Joan Jacobs, Iris Strauss, Karen Cohn, Alberta Feurzeig
(Middle row left to right): Wanda Kaufman, Sheila Potiker, Jeanne Jones, Lee Clark, Barbara Bloom, Rusti Bartell, Dawn Gilman, Jennifer Greenfield, Brenda Sarah Marsh-Rebelo (Back row left to right): Jake Figi, Colette Royston, Lynda Kerr

A Royal Rendezvous
February 16 marks the date for San Diego Opera’s (SDO) 2008 Gala, titled A Royal Rendezvous. This event coincides with the opening night performance of SDO’s production of Mary, Queen of Scots. Chaired by the Dow Divas, the black-tie event at The US Grant will feature an elegant pre-opera dinner and a performance of the Donizetti masterpiece, after which guests will return to find themselves transported to the regal court of Elizabethan England for drinks and dancing. Gala tickets begin at $1,250 per person for the pre-opera dinner and the post-opera gala party (opera tickets not included). Tables for ten individuals can also be purchased for $12,500, and special all-inclusive tables are also available for $15,000. To purchase tickets please call Jan Kaplan. (619/232-7636, www.sdopera.com) — Jane Shiomi, photo by Melissa Jacobs

Owl & Panther students share their poetry and art

Speaking Out Against Torture
On February 24, Survivors of Torture, International will feature speaker Carlos Mauricio, who was working as a professor at the University of El Salvador when he was abducted and taken to National Police Headquarters. There, he was detained and tortured for two weeks for speaking out against the government. Upon his release, he fled to the United States, where he now helps other survivors tell their stories. The performance group Owl & Panther will join the event, offering creative writing, counseling, and community service programs to help youth affected by torture and trauma. The event will conclude with live music and a reception of wine and chocolate desserts. It takes place at the University of San Diego’s Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice. (619/278-2400, www.notorture.org) — Ryan Thomas


Magic Of Music
The San Diego Chamber Orchestra plans to kick off its 25th year with the biggest annual fundraiser in their history on Saturday, March 8, at the Hyatt La Jolla Regency at Aventine. The Magic of Music black-tie event will include a cocktail reception, silent auction, live auction, dinner, dancing, and entertainment. Tickets are $250 for donors and $350 for patrons. The success of conductor Jung-Ho Pak’s first season will carry over to this new one as goers can expect more delightful surprises tucked into each concert. Last season’s unexpected treats included the appearance of a young Baroque composer, and a mandolin player from Long Beach who listened to his composition played for the first time by a live orchestra. Another rarity will be the appearance of the musicians, joined by Pak, mingling with audience members before and after the concert. (858/350-0290, www.sdco.org) — Alicia Garcia



SAVE THE DATE

SuperStar Gala 2008
2/2: Kids Korps USA presents its 2008 gala at Four Seasons Resort Aviara featuring master of ceremonies Larry King, silent and live auctions, dinner, and dancing. (858/259-3602, www.kidskorps.com)

O2 For Life Rainforest Foundation Benefit
2/5: Takes place at The Belly Up with proceeds supporting conservation awareness and the study of tropical nature among young people through hands-on field education at the reserve in Costa Rica. (www.o2forlife.org)

99th Annual Charity Ball
2/9: Takes place at Hotel del Coronado and features dinner, dancing, and music by The Heroes to benefit Rady Children’s Surgical Services Program. (858/966-7793, ahuth@rchsd.org)

Bravo San Diego
2/9: Taking place at The Westgate Hotel, Bravo connects theatre, music, and dance companies with San Diego’s corporate and private sector community to stimulate the development of funding resources and ensure the long-term stability of San Diego’s arts industry. (www.bravosd.org)

34th Annual Heart & Hand Ball — An Evening In Paris
2/9: Home of Guiding Hands (HGH) presents a gala event at the Sheraton San Diego. Net proceeds benefit San Diegans with developmental disabilities assisted by HGH. (619/938-2854, marcy@guidinghands.org)

San Diego County Credit Union 16th Annual Share Your Heart Mardi Gras
2/9: This fundraiser for the Burn Institute takes place at the House of Blues and features fantastic food, southern-inspired drinks, upscale live and silent auctions, a live band, fortune tellers, and tarot-card readers. Funds raised go to burn survivor support programs such as Camp Beyond the Scars. (858/541-2277, www.burninstitute.org)

Rady Children’s Hospital Gala 2008
2/23: The Rancho Santa Fe unit of Rady Children’s Hospital Auxiliary presents Stand Up For Rady Children’s Cancer Care Center, An Evening with Jay Leno at The Grand Del Mar. (estimson@pacbell.net)

Academy Awards Gala — Oscar Night America at MoPA
2/24: The Museum of Photographic Arts presents a glamourous evening of food, cocktails, and fantastic entertainment to celebrate the Academy Awards. Proceeds benefit programs and exhibitions at MoPA. (619/238-7559, ext. 227, www.mopa.org)

Casa Palmera Treatment Center — The Great Jeans Giveaway
2/24-3/2: In support of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2008, The Great Jeans Giveaway is a national event that empowers individuals to donate old jeans, or that new pair of skinny jeans that do not comfortably fit, to Casa Palmera Treatment Center. Adopt a healthy lifestyle and be comfortable in your genes! (www.casapalmera.com)

WinterFest Gala
2/29: La Jolla Music Society’s WinterFest Gala features Hubbard Street Dance Chicago at the Stephen & Mary Birch North Park Theatre. (858/459-3724, ext. 206)

The Magic of Music: A Magical Night To Remember
3/8: San Diego Chamber Orchestra presents an elegant, fun-filled evening of dinner, dancing, entertainment, and auctions at the Hyatt Regency in La Jolla. (858/350-0290, ext. 7, mom@sdco.org)

University Of San Diego High School — Cathedral Catholic High School’s 50th Anniversary Gala
4/19: Titled The Golden Don, this event takes place at the Claver Center on the CCHS Campus. Auctions, gourmet dinner, and rousing entertainment to benefit Cathedral Catholic High School. (858) 523-4000, ext. 1117, www.cathedralcatholic.org)
email your calendar listings to:
calendar@ranchandcoast.com
Have a Heart
It’s the number 1 killer of U.S. women — heart disease claims the lives of nearly 500,000 women each year. Go Red for Women, the American Heart Association’s campaign to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease — as well as the funds to fight it — kicks off February 1 with National Wear Red Day. Supporters are asked to dress in red to show their commitment, contribute $5 or more for research and education, and take charge of their own heart health. The Go Red Heart Checkup is a simple online tool to help women evaluate their risk of heart attack. On February 8, the Go Red for Women luncheon at the Hotel del Coronado includes seminars, a health expo and screenings, and of course, heart healthy fare. The Go Red message is passionate and powerful: love your heart. (858/410-3842,
www.goredforwomen.org) — Andrea Naversen


Fat Tuesday Festivities
Highlight your calendars in purple, green, and gold for the annual celebration, 2008 Gaslamp Mardi Gras, presented by Southern Comfort, on Fat Tuesday, February 5. This year, for the first time ever, the Masquerade Parade will run twice down the Gaslamp Quarter’s 5th Avenue. For more than a decade, the businesses in the Gaslamp Quarter have embraced the Mardi Gras tradition adding their own brand of hospitality and entertainment, featuring live music, dancing in the streets, authentic Cajun eats, and frothy libations. Born from the childhood experiences of a group of Southern transplants, Mardi Gras in the Gaslamp has grown exponentially from two floats in 1996 to over 40 floats ten years later with an annual attendance ranging from 25,000 to over 40,000 people. USA Today selected Mardi Gras in the Gaslamp as one of the top ten Mardi Gras celebrations in the world. Tickets can be purchased online in advance for $15 per person, or for $20 per person at the gates on the night of the event. Attendees must be at least 21 years old with proper identification to enter. Leave the cameras at home — they will not be allowed in. (619/233-5227,
www.gaslamp.org) — Alicia Garcia


100 Years Young
Research shows that, while genes play a key role, most people should be able to live well into their 80s in good health. That’s according to the New England Centenarian Study, headed up by Thomas Perls, MD, MPH, a renowned physician and co-author of the best-seller Living to 100, Lessons in Living to Your Maximum Potential at Any Age. Perls will discuss his findings February 26 at a luncheon presented by the Vista Hill Women’s Council on Mental Health at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego. Event chair is Marjie Atwood, with Charlotte Nielsen and Perls serving as honorary chairs. Tickets are $60 and up. The Women’s Council is dedicated to improving women’s lives by increasing awareness and knowledge of mental health issues.
(858/514-5153, www.vistahill.org)
— Andrea Naversen

 
 
 


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