Out & About - Ranch & Coast

Sensational Smiles The 2007 Charity Ball will celebrate its 98th anniversary on Saturday, February 10 at the Hotel del Coronado. All proceeds from this year’s ball, Sensational Smiles — Every Child Deserves a Healthy Smile, will benefit Rady Children’s Hospital Pediatric Dental Residency Program, which provides clinical and didactic education for dental residents and addresses the alarming shortage of pediatric dentists in San Diego County. Chaired by Kimberly Hill Miller, the evening will begin with a pre-ball reception for box holders and donors. The reception, chaired by Susan Houser and Debi Kelly, will start at 5:30pm, followed by the pre-ball dinner. The evening concludes with festive entertainment and dancing to music by NRG. Since its inception in 2003, the Pediatric Dental Residency Program has treated more than 7,000 patients. For ticket information, please contact Lauren Root. (619/222-5256) — Jane Shiomi ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Janice Eickhoff, Alyson Goudy, and Jean Newman Country Friends Tea There’s nary a gathering as pleasant in Rancho Santa Fe as The Country Friends Tea at the end of the year. Guests browsed, relaxed, and gazed upon the exquisite merchandise in the consignment shop. More than 100 of the members came to enjoy the surroundings, each other, and the tea and delicacies provided by Festivities Catering. Of course, the board attended, one and all. President Jeanne Lucia presented $20,000 to the Elizabeth Hospice and $40,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County, beneficiary of last fall’s fashion show. Jean Newman, consignment manager and one of the chiefs of the store’s remodeling last year, is the incoming president for 2007. Next year’s chair for the fashion show is Marci Cavanaugh, and Jane Butcher and Judy Burer will be running the Day at the Races. — Sparkle Stiff ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monica Knowles, Betty Dunn, Joy Vaccari, and Kimberly Hunt Bishop’s School Tea The Bishop’s School in La Jolla held their annual Holiday Tea, and 620 guests, mostly families and friends of the school’s students, came to celebrate. The guests, who enjoyed tea, coffee, punch, and an assortment of tasty treats, were unanimous in their praise of headmaster Michael Tietelman, who has a reputation as a truly caring leader who does whatever it takes to ensure that the students receive a quality educational experience. A pageant illustrated the Christmas story, and the Bishop’s Singers provided tuneful entertainment. — Paul Andrews Save The Date Diamond In The Rough Gala 1/20: The Century Club of San Diego/Buick Invitational 2nd Annual Diamond in the Rough Gala takes place at the Manchester Grand Hyatt and benefits Monarch School and Pro Kids Golf Academy. Guests will enjoy cocktails, wine tasting, a silent auction, dinner, and entertainment. (619/281-4653) Carlsbad Marathon & Half Marathon 1/21: Both marathons begin at Westfield Shoppingtown Plaza Camino Real. (www.sdmarathon.com) Third Annual Bruce Bochy Golf Classic 1/25: San Diego Padres’ manager Bruce Bochy and several Padres players and celebrities team up for a golf classic at Maderas Golf Club in Poway to benefit Monarch School. (619/685-8242, ext. 227) The Czar’s Winter Ball — San Diego Opera’s 2007 Gala 1/27: Coinciding with the opening of San Diego Opera’s 42nd international Season, this black-tie event includes a pre-opera reception, performance of Boris Godunov, and a reception at The Westgate Hotel featuring vodka and caviar, and dinner. The event is chaired by the 2007 Dow Divas. (619/232-7636) Fourth Annual Flavors Of San Diego Culinary Gala 1/31: Proceeds directly benefit the San Diego Chapter of the American Liver Foundation, helping in the fight against liver diseases. Twenty-five of San Diego’s finest chefs will comprise the 2007 Team of Chefs with chef Timothy Ralphs of the Omni San Diego as chef chair; Bill Menish of NBC 7/39 is master of ceremonies. (619/291-5483) Charity Ball 2/10: This year’s ball, titled Sensational Smiles — Every Child Deserves a Healthy Smile, will benefit Rady Children’s Hospital Pediatric Dental Residency Program. (619/222-5256) Lifting Spirits: Making Hearts Smile 2/24: Casa De Amparo’s fifth annual fundraising event of live comedic entertainment takes place at the Carlsbad Village Theatre. (760/754-5500, ext. 29) National Conflict Resolution Center 19th Annual Peacemaker Awards 3/29: The Peacemaker Awards dinner and ceremony, held at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, recognizes individuals and organizations for creative and effective collaborations and solutions to crises and conflict in 2006. (619/238-2400) Evening In The Sky 4/28: The American Lung Association, San Diego Chapter’s benefit for clean air held at the San Diego Aerospace Museum. Ticket price includes dinner, dancing, and live auction. (619/683-8650) Mama’s Day 5/11: Mama’s Kitchen’s annual fundraising gala. This year at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla. (619/233-6262)		email your calendar listings to: calendar@ranchandcoast.com

		Casa De Trump He’s known for ambitious projects and, perhaps, an outsized ego. Now Donald Trump has his sights on Northern Baja for a luxury hotel and resort just 30 minutes from downtown San Diego. Plans were unveiled recently at Stingaree for the Trump Ocean Resort Baja. So it was only fitting that guests sipped on Trumptinis and sampled Baja cuisine while ogling a Trump-sized rock from Molina Fine Jewelers — a 76.45-carat diamond worth tens of millions. (But then, who’s counting?) The point of all the excess, of course, was to get buzz going on Trump’s latest project: the luxury 526-suite hotel-condominium resort set to rise on a cliff overlooking the Pacific about halfway between the border and Rosarito Beach. The design will draw from Luis Barragan, considered the father of Mexican modernism. Studios and one- to three-bedroom residences, from about 500 to more than 2,000 square feet, will start in the mid-$200,000 range. The first of three towers is scheduled to open in late 2008. (866/858-8736, www.trump-baja.com) — Andrea Naversen

		Project Walk Cheered on by friends and family, a group of young men and women suffering from the devastation of spinal cord injury stood up and walked. This demonstration illuminated the power of the human spirit to overcome the greatest odds and left many onlookers in tears. Fifty or more clients of Project Walk, a spinal cord injury recovery program located in Carlsbad, were once told there was little or no hope of them ever walking again. Many of these individuals are a testimony to the possibilities of recovery. With the aid of crutches, walkers, or the hands of their physical trainers, legs and feet struggled to stride onward during Project Walk’s annual fundraiser, 2006 Steps to Recovery. The walk was aimed at raising awareness and money for Project Walk’s Scholarship Fund. (760/431-3480, www.projectwalk.org) — Ingrid Hoffmeister

		Paula Taylor, Sharon Liebowitz, and Karen Miller The St. Germaine Silver Tea One of the most popular and effective organizations in San Diego, St. Germaine’s Children’s Charity, has so far given $3 million in cash to abused children’s causes around the county since its founding 22 years ago by Barbara Christensen and nine of her friends. Its 23rd annual Silver Tea, with president Karne Miller and chair Paula Taylor at the helm, was held this year at the splendid home of Sharon Liebowitz. Over 500 guests enjoyed the sumptuous surroundings and a sweeping ocean — not to mention the tea and delicacies offered. Plus, some members set up a boutique outdoors. The tea garnered around $25,000 with ticket sales alone. St. Germaine’s started out as an auxiliary to the Child Abuse Prevention Foundation. It now aids eight different agencies around the county. — Sparkle Stiff