The stars were not in the sky on a recent Saturday evening in Newport Beach, but they were on land, shining brighter than ever on an outdoor stage erected on the sand at Balboa Bay Resort and Club.
Billed as “Season Premiere 2026,” benefiting the Foundation of Orange County School of the Arts, several hundred spirited guests converged for a first-class al fresco dinner on the resort’s bayfront.
The celebration was punctuated with tributes, toasts, and gratitude for the generosity of guests and sponsors helping to raise needed financial support enabling the school to offer its expanded arts curriculum in addition to fulfilling state mandated standards for California charter high schools.
Jason Herthel and Jessica Herthel attend the annual dinner in support of the Orange County School of the Arts held at the Balboa Bay Resort.
(Courtesy of Orange County School of the Arts)
Spotlights focused on the stage, and OSCA president and chief executive Teren Shaffer commanded a dazzling production with a dose of Broadway pizzazz, introducing one talented act after another.
Applause was infectious. The crowd was quick to rise to its feet as singers, dancers, and musicians delivered their all. With a performance level so elevated, it was difficult at times remembering that the performers were young teens.
Sandy and Jennifer Sternshein donors to and champions of the local charter school attend a benefit for it at the Balboa Bay Club.
Adding to the magic of the show, OCSA alumni added star-power into the show. Former students who have gone on to successful performance careers including Hanna Eyre, Adam Levy, Alisa Melendez and Michael Montgomery had the crowd on their feet with applause.
Spotted in the audience enjoying the performance were major OSCA donors Sandy and Jennifer Sternshein, Michael Le and Tina Nguyen, and Janson and Jessica Herthel.
The annual “Season Premiere” from OCSA stands as one of O.C.’s most enjoyable civic endeavors supporting students pursuing dream careers. For the past several years, the generosity of presenting sponsor Carole Pickup and family have made this possible. This season Pickup was joined by event sponsors Becky Cooper, Albert and Miaad Bushala, the Herthel family and OCSA’s own Teren and Brianna Shaffer.
More OC ‘star power’
The fashionable Elizabeth Segerstrom, co-managing partner of South Coast Plaza and serious patron of the arts, traveled to New York City with an entourage from the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, led by its president, Casey Reitz and board member Jane Fujishige Yada. Also present from South Coast Plaza was the new executive director of marketing, Tenley Zinke. They were there to attend Carnegie Hall’s “Concert of the Century.”
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, left, poses with Elizabeth Segerstrom and Clive Gillinson at Carnegie Hall’s recent “Concert of the Century.”
(Yvonne Tnt/BFA.com)
Segerstrom co-produced the celeb-studded late summer night in the Big Apple with her friend Barbara Tober. Both women lost husbands who were significant patrons of symphonic music. Creating a special bond, and a tribute to the late Henry Segerstron and Donald Tober, “Concert of the Century” starring the New York Philharmonic raised funds supporting the orchestra.
Adam Corti, from left, Christophe Marque, Alexandra Peltre Marque and Tenley Zinke attend the “Concert of the Century” in New York City.
(Yvonne Tnt/BFA.com)
A celebrity audience joining with Segerstrom and good friend Rene Fleming were Mikhail Baryshnikov with Lisa Rinehart, Michael Feinstein, Candace Bushnell, Kip Forbes, Peter Marino and Sandra and Stanford Warshawsky, to name only a few.
A 5-star dining experience
There is a new and exceptionally bright star dining experience in the O.C. If blue diamonds are considered among the most valuable jewels, the blue boxes they come in surely hold the best of the best. Tiffany & Co., arguably one of America’s most respected and historic purveyors of fine jewelry and artistic items, has opened Blue Box Café in its handsome store in South Coast Plaza. Handsome is an understatement. The new Tiffany & Co. store is visually stunning.
The Blue Box Café, tucked behind all the gems in a lovely setting is the latest Peter Mariano-designed dining room is bringing raves from critics and diners. It is the second Blue Box Café, the other is in Tiffany’s flagship New York store on 5th Avenue.
Chefs Daniel Boulud and Alberto Ragoni pose together at the Blue Box Café
at Tiffany’s in South Coast Plaza.
(Courtesy of Blue Box Café
)
Last week Blue Box Café OC chef Daniel Boulud welcomed guests for Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The Michelin-starred French chef presented a magnificent sampling of his culinary talent honoring the current issue of Taste magazine’s winter edition produced and edited by Lee Healy. As guests were seated in the upscale bistro bathed in Tiffany blue and crème, under a room transecting chandelier made of blue boxes artfully strung from the ceiling, Boulud’s staff served three-tiered china trays offering oeuf et caviar (to start) followed by cruissants, oranaic (apricot Danish), madeleines, parfait framboise (Hampton’s grocer granola, raspberries, coulis and orange yogurt), carpaccio de melon, along with curated morning beverages.
A very special treat. Reservations a must.