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The Buzz - August 10th, 2007

Danica McKellar is the Person of the Week on ABC World News Tonight with Charles Gibson, Davis Cup Finals in San Diego?, a Big 40 in the Hamptons & ....

by The Social Diary Reporter & Photographer Margo Schwab

Danica McKellar is big, big, big in the news lately. This time not just as an actress, writer, producer or award winning director. Danica has just finished a book that is bound to be quite popular with teens and their parents. It's called “Math Doesn’t Suck: How To Survive Middle-School Math Without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail.” Last told it was already #38 on Amazon.com's best seller list. And that was before it was released.

Danica tells us exclusively this. “Math Doesn’t Suck” is perfect for any middle school girl who would rather read a teen magazine than open a math book.

People ask me how I avoided the whole “child actor syndrome” that we all see so often in the news. I would say, unequivocally, that it’s because of being a part of a family who always believed education comes first, and “glamour” second. My mom always reminded us that acting was nothing but a hobby, and that we could stop at any time. My sister Crystal and I gave up acting opportunities to go to Hawaii with our mom and river rafting in Oregon with our dad. The message from both our parents to each of us was clear: That our true value had nothing to do with the attention garnered from acting, and everything to do with the basics: kindness, integrity, and intelligence."

Danica was featured August 10th, 2007 on ABC World News Tonight being interviewed by Charles Gibson. Danica was the chosen 'Person of the Week.' Quite an honor and quite an accomplishment. This follows a stream of interviews recently on CNN, USA Today, the Washington Post and Fox News.

Look for more on Danica in her exclusive interview with The Social Diary coming your way on September 1st.

And save these dates. Danica will be signing books Monday, 7:30 pm, September 10th, at Warwick's in La Jolla and Tuesday, 7pm, September 11th, at Borders Books and Music #111 in San Diego.

In the meanwhile, Danica just launched book’s official website is : http://www.mathdoesntsuck.com. And for all of you worried about your math class this Autumn, Danica also has a math forum at
 http://www.mathdoesntsuck.com/forum/index.php .

Another super smart one with San Diego connections is David Ulevitch. He is the guy behind OpenDNS.com a service that makes it easier to locate web pages according to a recent feature article on David in the New York Times. OpenDNS also has blocking features to protect you from unwanted materials and protective measures to guard you against theft. His company apparently is going gangbusters. And he is a young 25 years old ... and the son of some very proud, and smart parents, Susan and Richard Ulevitch!

And when you think of Mikimoto, Bulgari, Chanel, Fendi, Hermés, Valentino, Giorgio Armani, Gianni Versace, Hugo Boss, Dolce & Gabbana, Barney's, Tiffany.... you probably think of South Coast Plaza and all of its fabulous shopping. Well, spotted this way in La Jolla Tuesday were the owners of South Coast Plaza, Renée and Henry Segerstrom. Nice couple, she's gorgeous, from Bulgaria originally no less.

For those of you who travel up to Orange County from time to time, you might also recognize the Segerstrom name from the new Segerstrom Concert Hall named after them at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

And it's not performing arts but rather the Davis Cup Finals that is the big talk here among tennis sorts. Bill Kellogg, President of the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club and the man who brought the Davis Cup USA v. Romania match here in 2006 is a man with a mission. For potentially bringing the November Davis Cup Finals here, Bill has already secured a commitment from the San Diego Sports Arena to serve as the host site. Now it's time for funding. Bill's doing his part. The La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club has committed to a whopping 250 complimentary room nights for the USTA.

Odds are we're told that the event will be a Russia vs. USA match that is sure to be a sellout. Donations are being sought in the $5,000 plus level. The perks potentially are big including nice seats and helping local tennis institutions like the Barnes Tennis Center. For inquiries, please, contact Bill Kellogg at 858-454-6500 directly.

And it's not Russia but Italy that has captured the heart of one San Diegan. Yolanda Walther-Meade has been enjoying an all Italian speaking visit to every small village she can find this summer. That includes Sora, Brocostella, Assisi, Orvieto, Spoleto, Spello, and Lago Trasimeno. La Dolce Vita! Rather a nice break for Yolanda from all of her many charitable pursuits.

And local Cal Pacific Mortgage 'go to' guy Robert Fudge just got back from a non-stop party filled weekend at Martha's Vineyard. The celebration was for friend Kelly Dorvillier's 40th. The fun was big. Magnums of champagne and Bordeaux, sailing, but not in that order, and a quaint stay at a Bed and Breakfast called the Shiverick Inn. Among the fun people there were Wendy Maguire, party host Mike Dorvillier, Dawn and Sam Maywood, Brynn Morales, Scott McLaughlin, Collen Mclaughlin and Frank Maguire.

Amidst the scenery were a who's who of mansions including Meg Ryan's. Robert says "My overall impression of the Vineyard is far beyond what I had anticipated. The landscapes surrounding nearly every home were right out of a Home and Garden Magazine."

And lastly, Spa MD's Marketing man Jason Sigala has been busy training for the October 27th, Dublin Marathon. Creative he is on fundraising too. Jason and his friend Katy will be hosting an IRISH BOWL-O-RAMA on August 26th from noon – 2pm, at Kearny Mesa Bowl. A green themed dress code is encouraged. The cost is $30 and it goes for a great cause. The San Diego Leukemia Society. Ring 619-632-2183 to learn more.

And Spa MD's own Dianne York-Goldman and Dr. Mitchel P. Goldman have been training away too. Not running though but cycling. Forty to seventy or so miles in fact every Sunday. That doesn't include the rest of the week's training. All for a great cause too, the Challenged Athlete Foundation /Qualcomm Million Dollar Challenge event held right here in October. To learn more about the event and sponsoring the Goldman's, please visit www.challengedathletes.org

That's the Buzz for now. Look for the Globe Guilder's luncheon coverage tomorrow featuring photos of the exquisite designs of Carolina Herrera.

* Margo Schwab has produced, written, interviewed and photographed for various media organizations since 1989. Schwab attended Holton Arms School, La Jolla Country Day School and La Jolla High School. Schwab has a B.A. from Scripps College and a Masters of Business degree, M.B.A., from the University of San Diego. Schwab volunteers for numerous charity organizations. She also continues to lobby for water safety and for family violence mitigation. Schwab is the editor of The Social Diary. Margo is currently writing a book based on La Jolla.

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