On The Town:

This past week, Burbank Chamber of Commerce officials took a nostalgic step back in time as they presented their 2008 gala under the theme of “An Evening at the Coconut Grove.”

For the event, which honored retiring Burbank City Manager Mary Alvord, chamber officials transformed the Grand Ballroom of the Sheraton Universal Hotel into the Ambassador Hotel’s legendary nightclub.

During its heyday, the Coconut Grove was the splashy nightside playground for luminaries like Gloria Swanson, Joan Crawford, Errol Flynn, Clark Gable and Katharine Hepburn. Today, with the legendary Wilshire Boulevard club being transformed into a school by the Los Angeles Unified School District, the Burbank chamber gave local luminaries the opportunity to experience what an evening at the palm-tree-canopied club of yesteryear might have been like.

Enjoying the evening’s silent auction, cocktail hour, dinner and entertainment were Chamber of Commerce President Gary Olson, his wife, Sharon, and son, Kyle. Others who attended or assisted in making the evening a success included Mayor Marsha Ramos and her husband, Dave; state Assemblyman Paul Krekorian; former Mayors Mary Lou Howard, Bill Wiggins, Jef Vander Borght and Michael Hastings; council members Anja Reinke and Gary Bric; City Atty. Dennis Barlow and his wife, Annell; Airport Commissioner Don Brown; Sunder and Mandy Ramani, Bud Alleman, Alan Arzoian, Ernie Burger, Darin Chase, Ray Cruickshanks, Michael Cusumano, Sonja Hagen, George McGann, Joan McCarthy, Jack O’Neill, Jim O’Neil, Pat Patterson, Whit Prouty, Lisa Rawlins, Keith Sanneman, Jeanne Vlazny, Lee Wochner and Scott Scozzola with his wife, Heather.

Also making the scene were Burbank Police Chief Tim Stehr, Greg Bowman, Victor Gill, Dan Feger, Lucy Burgdorf, Barry Burnett, Scott Rife, Don St. Clair, Tony Tartaglia, Peggy Korecko, Marilyn Wiggins, Sue Vander Borght, Kathy Hastings, Sue and Vic Georgino, Eric Hansen, Shelly Bric and David and Kim Nos.

This past Friday evening the galas continued as the Verdugo Hills Council of the Boy Scouts of America convened at The Castaway Restaurant for the 34th Annual Big Strike Auction. The auction, conceived as a fundraiser to financially assist the Verdugo Hills Council, was co-chaired by Dede Mueller and Greg Krikorian, who presented this year’s event under the theme of “Building the Scouting Ark.”

Among those who enjoyed the sunset patio cocktail reception, dinner and auction were Council President Dennis Fors, Rep. Adam Schiff, Jessica Howard, Joe Ayvazi, Jack and Glady Kabateck, Joe and Sharon Terranova, and Bob and Sydney Heins.

Others on hand included Bob and Joan Nellis, Frank and Sharon Bell, Bill James, Bob Keiter, Kevin Keyes, Barry and Sally Lane, Fred Morrow, Tye Veden, Jon Maeda, Sue Keyes, Wynne and Rosemary Ritch, Lou and Jenny Schwing, Linda Fors, Jim and Pat Rabe, Ceclia Nazarian, Mark Ewoldsen, Jackie Natividad-Lawrence, Deibe Potter, Shelly Rowlins, Jack and Betty Wagner, Dorraine Miesse, Gail Farnsworth, Harriet Hammons, Tom and Rahla Lindsey, Bruce Lilly and his wife, Leslie; Darcy Bauer, Sheri Fisher, Pam Hall, Sue Krames, Renee Maxwell, Kathy Perea, Patricia Roberts, Deidra Ross and Lupe Schubert.

 DAVID LAURELL can be contacted at dlaurell@aol.com or (818) 563-1007.