Photos: Athenaeum's Thai Fantasy Gala

A total of 230 guests attended the 22nd annual gala Thai Fantasy on Friday, Sept. 9 in La Jolla.

Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres were served along with Thai white wine spritzers adorned with sprigs of mint and lavender. A three-course dinner featuring a main entrée of spicy Thai chicken curry with jasmine rice and julienne of Thai vegetables was catered by Hyatt Regency La Jolla.

The Summer School of Wat BuddhajakraMongkolratanaram, a local school specializing in Thai performance, art, and culture, presented traditional dance on the Athenaeum’s outdoor patio. A parade led by entertainers, committee members, and guests took place just outside of the library portico.

Guests also enjoyed Thai shadow puppet performances staged by the San Diego Guild of Puppetry in the North Reading Room. After dinner, Evona Wascinski and her Jazz Trio set the tone for an evening of late night dancing.     

This year’s gala committee was comprised of 30 volunteers who gathered a total of 23 raffle prizes and 48 silent auction items. The committee was led by gala chair Miriam Krippl and vice-chair Alice Brana.

Notable donations included a week-long stay in a beautiful lake view home, a two-night stay at the , and dinner for ten in the home of Salah Hassanein and Zandra Rhodes, hosted by Salah Hassanein and Zandra Rhodes.

The Athenaeum Music and Arts Library’s annual gala is the library’s largest fundraiser and social event of the year. All of the proceeds from tickets, raffle, and silent auction items go towards furthering the Athenaeum’s music and arts programming for the La Jolla and San Diego communities.

This new release was provided by the Athenaeum.