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$150 Million Donation, Rich Girl Doggy Purses, Beverly Hills Heiresses and Malibu 'Real' Real Estate...

'The Buzz' for July 15th, 2007

July 15th , 2007
The Social Diary Columnist & Photographer Margo Schwab

(high resolution photos available by request )

Just when you thought donations to charity couldn't get any bigger in California. $150 million Kaboom! That was the recent anonymous gift from a very generous couple to the very top, top rated UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center. Ann Carollo, Senior Director of Development for the Center has this to say. "I am pleased that I was able to provide Frank McCormick (Director, Comprehensive Cancer Center) with a proposal that incorporated his vision with the ideas of several other leaders at the institution and marry that to the donor’s expectations in a way that helped inspire this level of gift."

.... now that's a happy marriage indeed.

And there's a lot of money being made in California. With tech companies, oil, hedge funds and let's not forget real estate. Coastal real estate mainly to be specific. We all probably know of Madeleine Pickens $35 million purchase of an oceanfront home in Del Mar. Not bad for a beach pad. And just think of the easy zip it will be for her to watch her winning thoroughbreds over at Del Mar this Summer.

Speaking of those racing winners. I understand Madeleine's top horses are getting $50,000 a pop for stud fees over at Lane's End Ranch in Tennessee. Those happy horses, those happy owners! And the studs probably get more primping and pampering than most average folk.

Meanwhile, back to real estate. Beverly Hills, Bel Air and related areas are just hopping up the scales of millions in sales. But Malibu, Malibu has gone wild on prices. Oceanfront homes there have doubled in each of the last few years. One pal o'mine just bought a house by Bruce Willis and Halle Berry. His comment. Why go to the movie theater when you can watch the stars entertain you on the beach right in front!

Speaking of rich. There's a few small pooches in California that are being carried about in style. Their owners bought $22,000 alligator pet carriers from Polo. The four alligator dog carriers apparently sold out immediately.

And my favorite Beverly Hills Hotel heiress, Electra Anderson is not sitting idly while mending broken ribs from a car racing crash. Oh no. Down Peru way Electra has been busy judging the Miss Peru Pageant, and doing charity work. Electra's called "The Hada Madrina" or 'Fairy Godmother' there. Although she tells everyone she was The Tooth Fairy originally, and has since worked her way up. Electra wears a tiara and elegant ball gown whilst presiding over numerous soup kitchens and the opening of a park for kids named in her honor. It's called "ElectraLand." No surprise there!

Meanwhile two of Electra's daughters are going big in style. Talulah is at Lady Annaly's Summer Academy, a very posh finishing school in England, and Tati is cruising the Mediterranean on her boyfriend's 200 foot yacht, aka ship!

Also over Mediterranean way recently were Lisa and David Casey. They were celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary. While in Sardinia, they looked across the way and saw someone they know from home turf. There was Dave Copley who had stopped in for some land time. Dave's been on his yacht Happy Days. Happy but busy days actually. Dave's supporting some important international charity events like the Bal de la Mer which is all about marine preservation. Something close to the hearts of all San Diegans and sea lovers.

And speaking of ocean loving, local San Diego guy Jesse Billauer has garnered some big support for his Life Rolls On Foundation. Jesse will be front row with his Honorary Chairs Minnie Driver and Kelly Slater July 22nd at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The Life Rolls On Foundation funds programs revolving around spinal chord injury.

And for a funny comment at a soiree recently, a woman was asked what she thought of Restylane. Quote "read my lips." .... And it was said with a big smile!

Another comment on parking ingenuity. A judge at a recent party remarked that some people were making their own parking spots by painting grey over red curbs on the 4th of July. The ruling, illegal but clever.

Another funny 4th of July moment came for those who marked their territory with tents etc. early on 4th of July down at Kellogg Park in La Jolla Shores. They arrived as early as 3 am. All was good until the automatic sprinklers went on at 5:30 am!

And if you think you saw Scott Johnston on the side of the freeway changing a tire last Thursday evening you were right. A half mile short of the Westgate Hotel destination, the rear tire blew. A rather interesting way to break in his new pinstripe Polo suit!

And yes that was Kima the RunAway Bride down by the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club (by the water's edge of course where dogs are permissible) modeling her exquisite new leopard gown by Jemima Garcia. Her photo buddies? A few Maasai warriors and a memsaab maridadi, that's beautiful young woman to you and me, who were there for a quick BBQ with locals, before beginning their two month performing period at the San Diego Wild Animal Park.

Til next time, that's the Buzz!

* 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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