BOOK SOUP
It’s an evening of books and cooks, wit and wisdom as Malibu gears up for this year’s Odyssey dinners to benefit the Los Angeles Public Library. The event, which takes place on Nov. 5, will be hosted by a who’s who of L.A elite including Wallis Annenberg, Elizabeth Hirsch and Richard Riordan as well as locals Richard and Liane Weintraub and Karen and George Rosenthal.
The 54 sit-down dinners take place at prime locations throughout the city. Each one features an intimate evening with the most celebrated superstars of the printed page.
Eighteen guests will join the Weintraubs at their spectacular Italian villa overlooking the Pacific where they’ll hang onto the words of Richard S. Tedlow. The Harvard University professor is considered to be one of the country’s leading business historians. His latest book, “Giants of Enterprise,” chronicles the life and times of industry titans like Sam Walton.
Henry Bromell, meantime, will bring an air of mystery to the Malibu Estate Winery. There, the author will share the details behind his latest political thriller, “Little America.”
Any adoring reader willing to plunk down $300 or more can select the location, host and author according to their own literary tastes. For those with a basketball Jones (addiction), it could be championship coach Phil Jackson; space cadets can fly high with Apollo astronaut Buzz Aldrin; while food fans will get the dish from Patina’s Joaquim Splichal. Carl Reiner will be around to tickle the funny bone; gift-for-gabbers Arianna Huffington and Larry Elder offer political insight; and celluloid stars like Sidney Poitier will have tales from Tinseltown. The dinners are expected to raise $400,000 for library literacy programs. So whether it’s facts, fiction or fun that tickles your fancy, the Odyssey dinners promise to be a tasteful event as well as a novel idea.
ART OF THE PALATE
It will be an extravaganza for the senses at the Barker Hanger on Nov. 5 as the design industry hosts Dining by Design to help in the fight against AIDS. An impressive team of stylists, graphic artists, interior designers and architects has spent months working on the evening’s elaborate, eye-popping table decorations. The entertainment program is equally impressive and includes featured performers from “The Lion King” and “Aida.” Tickets for the dinner, show and VIP reception are fetching upwards of $1,000. But for a mere ten bucks, you can get a sneak peak on Nov. 3 and 4.
MR. BILL GOES HOLLYWOOD
Word has it that Malibu’s Kelsey Grammer will be sharing the spotlight with an unlikely co star-Microsoft boss Bill Gates. The world’s richest man is expected to put in an appearance on “Fraiser” when the top-rated show celebrates its 200th episode on Nov. 13. The story line is anyone’s guess, but there’s nothing like a little good advice when the chips are down.