Jewel Ball Turns 65 With Sapphire

The lobby, pool, patio, and four tennis courts were transformed by Las Patronas, a dedicated group of volunteers, into a magical "underwater" venue for this year's 65th annual Jewel Ball.

Among those in attendance were Colleen and Augusto Angelucci, Dianne and Jim Bashor, Lee Clark and Dr. Jerry Pikolysky, Jeanne and Bill Larson, Lise Wilson and Steve Strauss, Erin and Keith Wyer, and Emma and Leo Zuckerman.

Royce and John Campbell, Valerie and Harry Cooper, Guylyn and Scott Cummins, Natasha Reiss and Eric Johnson, Tricia and Bill Kellogg, Tiffany Kellogg, Susan Dunn and Robert Mani, and Hollis and Jeremiah Sullivan were also in attendance.

Jewel Ball chair Sue Wagener wore a sapphire colored Talbot Runhoff gown, co-chair Elaine Murphy wore a blue BCBG, and co-chair Pat Marsch was in a pretty fluttery number. Blue of course for the Sapphire themed Jewel Ball.

There were performers from the Aerial Revolution on stilts and contortionists performing amidst the cocktail reception on land, and on a clear platform atop the pool.

Guests enjoyed signature drinks as well as appetizers by Café Japengo, and juicy mini-cheese sliders by Sami Ladeki and the Ladeki Restaurant Group. There was a bit of a line for those popular sliders.

Las Patronas member and floral designer Kathryn Gayner designed the dinner table centerpieces. They were four-foot tall bubble lights dripping with seashells, starfish and more.

Ball designer Kathy Broekema did a superb job tying in the Sapphire theme with such superb details including porthole aquariums with fish lining the blue sea walled entrance, and bubble lights around the dance floor.

Dinner by the Hyatt Regency La Jolla started with a lobster salad, followed by a ‘surf and turf’ entrée of tenderloin of beef and grilled lemon shrimp, and lastly a cheese plate and a trio of desserts including key lime pie.

Dancing went non-stop until 1 a.m. with the sounds of Liquid Blue.

Major beneficiaries for this year’s Jewel Ball were the Playhouse, REINS Therapeutic Horsemanship Program, San Diego Fire Rescue Foundation, San Diego Food Bank, and UCSD Shiley Eye Center.

To learn more about the Jewel Ball and Las Patronas, visit LasPatronas.org .

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