Casa Romantica, a premier Southern California cultural center
and gardens hit a high point at its 2018 Casa Classic: An Evening With Tony DeSare fundraiser on March 16, 2018. The black-tie dinner, which obtains critical funding for Casa Romantica’s cultural and educational programming for children and for people of all ages, netted in excess of $15,000 from ticket sales and a live auction.
“Tony DeSare’s refined jazz standards were a hit with our guests,” says Casa Romantica Executive Director Berenika Schmitz. “The generosity of our audience is strong evidence of how passionate South Orange County residents are about bringing high-caliber artistic programming to our community and to our children.”
An Evening with Tony DeSare was chaired and underwritten by Dr. Standiford and Noel Helm; it is the second year in a row that they have underwritten this event. “Casa Romantica does a remarkable job of bringing artists and musicians from the international stage, such as Tony DeSare, to encourage creativity in our local community,” said Mrs. Helm, who is on the Board of Trustees at Casa Romantica. Dr. Standiford Helm is the Medical Director of the Helm Center for Pain Management.
Left: Tony DeSare with underwriters Dr. Standiford and Noel Helm
Notable guests included Casa Romantica Board members Scot Proud, Gayle Pereira, Dave Westendorf, Maggie Chang, and Gordon Olson. Proud is the VP and Branch Manager of Farmers & Merchants Bank in San Clemente, Pereira is a realtor with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, Westendorf is the owner of Westendorf Produce, and Chang is a former healthcare marketing executive. Olson is a retired partner of the firm Knobbe Oslon Martin Bear. Other notable guests included Ed L. Chang, the Co-founder and VP of Avenu Medical; and Dr. Kent Adamson, an orthopedic surgeon who is Chief of Medical Staff at Mission Hospital as well as President Emeritus of the Orange County Medical Association. Fluidmaster, which underwrites the Casa Classic series as a whole, had a large table in the VIP section.
The intimate fundraiser, limited to 100 guests, completely sold out two months in advance as it has for the past four consecutive years since its inception. Guests arrived in dazzling black-tie attire and mingled in a cocktail reception in the historic Octagonal Room. Guests who purchased VIP tickets were treated to a special martini reception in the Art Gallery with the opportunity to talk to performing artist Tony DeSare, a three-time Billboard Music chart-topper for jazz albums on which he composes, plays piano and sings. Right before dinner was served, guests proceeded to the Main Salon, where all tables and the C7 Grand Piano provided by Yamaha were set up.
The Bloom of Time provided complimentary floral arrangements, and Events By Rola handled the décor and event coordination on rentals from Signature Party Rentals. DJ Todd of Epic Sound & Lighting donated the use of shimmering lighting effects. Caterer Iva Lee’s provided a delectable three-course meal and wine pairing inspired by Sinatra’s favorite meal at Patsy’s Italian Restaurant in
New York City.
During dinner service, Tony DeSare and his band (consisting of DeSare on piano and vocals, Dylan Shamet on floor bass, and Ed Decker on guitar) performed Frank Sinatra classics, peppy tunes from the Great American Songbook, and original works composed by DeSare. The artist wowed guests with his versions of “Fly Me to the Moon” and “The Way You Look Tonight” during the evening, and his uncanny rendition of Jerry Lee Lewis’s “Great Balls of Fire” (for which he thrust one of his legs atop the piano during a complicated bridge) drew guests’ delighted applause.
Auctioneer Vincent Sapien led a bullish live auction following the conclusion of DeSare’s performance, enticing the crowd with eight high-value prizes including a Caribbean cruise from Holland America, an all-expenses-paid weekend Land Rover rental from Land Rover of Mission Viejo, two boutique cigar and wine packages valued at nearly $1,000 apiece, a delicate pair of vintage diamond and amethyst drop earrings valued at nearly $8,000, a VIP dining experience for two at the newly opened Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina inside the Monarch Beach Resort, a handsomely-framed limited-edition giclée from beloved Russian artist Viktor Shvaiko, and a private dinner party at Casa Romantica.
About Tony DeSare
Crooner Tony DeSare has wowed audiences with his take on American Songbook standards from Las Vegas to Carnegie Hall. The accomplished pop singer, composer, and jazz pianist has made the ‘Top 10’ Billboard list for 3 jazz albums and played for the CBS Early Show, NPR’s Prairie Home Companion, and NBC’s Today Show. DeSare is renowned for his styling of Frank Sinatra’s classic hits.
About the Casa Classic series
Casa Romantica’s Casa Classic performance series features the work of internationally-recognized artists. Recent artists have included Ivan Rutherford, a Broadway star known for his leading role as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables; Garrick Ohlsson, an awardwinning classical pianist; Ann Hampton Callaway, a multi-platinum-selling singer; the California Chamber Orchestra, and the Christ
Church Cathedral Choir from Oxford University. There are four Casa Classic concerts each season.
An Evening with Tony DeSare was held Friday, March 16, 2018, from 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM at Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens. General admission was $175 and VIP admission was $250.
Next fundraising event: Mary Colby Tea: Saturday, May 5, 2018, 3:00 PM. Tickets: $65 individual; $520 for a table of eight.
About Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens maintain a robust series of year-round programs in arts, music, history, horticulture, and literature for all ages. Under the leadership of Executive Director Berenika Schmitz, Casa Romantica has commissioned several critically-acclaimed works, including Casa Coastal: Rebecca Louise Law (2017; visual art), Casa Kinetic: Contemporary Dance
Collective (2017; contemporary dance), The Beauty of the Butterfly (2017; visual art), Casa Kinetic: Carrie Lee Riggins (2016; contemporary dance), Casa Drama: Slings & Arrows (2015; theater), and Open Casa: The Photographs of Douglas Kirkland (2015; visual art). The 2017-18 Casa Captivating season includes a new jazz series, visual and performing arts commissions, and an enhanced wellness program.
“Casa Romantica strives to be the epicenter for innovative artistic experiences in our southern California community,” says Casa Romantica Executive Director Berenika Schmitz.
Casa Romantica also hosts a variety of free arts education programs for children year-round. The institution’s annual Casa Romantica Music Festival and Academy has received critical praise for its comprehensive two-week music studies program in cello, piano, viola,
and violin. Casa Romantica also offers a Summer Dance Workshop, a Spring Break Arts Week, various art, literature, and horticulture events to grades K-12, and welcomes over 2,000 children from the Capistrano Unified School District each year for STEAM-based field trips that examine the history of San Clemente and the coastal environment.
Mission Statement: Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and is the historic home of the founder of the City of San Clemente. Casa Romantica provides programs for all ages in arts, music, history, and horticulture and is a premier Southern California
cultural center.
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens is located at 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, CA 92672. Hours: Tuesday—Thursday 11 am—4 pm; Friday—Sunday 10am—2pm; closed Mondays and holidays. General admission is $5; Casa Members and children under age 13 visit for FREE.
For more information, call (949) 498-2139 or visit CasaRomantica.org
Photo Credits: Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens
