Almost 500 of the young and hip crowd descended on posh Pelican Hill Friday night on behalf of Orangewood PALS (providing assistance, love and support). PALS is an auxiliary of Orangewood Children's Foundation, whose members are primarily on the youthful side of the social roster. Hosted by Kurt Caillier, the event was billed as Endless Summer Nights and while the party was called for 7 p.m. arrivals, the crowd just kept coming late into the evening.
Valets took the guest's cars when they arrived at Pelican Hill's gate and ushered them into a caravan of long black limousines, shuttling the party goers back and forth from Caillier's ocean view estate. Chaired by Katy Higgins, the evening netted $40,000 for Orangewood by the time the last mojito was muddled.
Caillier, president and chief executive of A & A Ready Mixed Concrete, clearly has poured a lot of cement. His home is the ultimate dude pad. Upon entering, guests pass the hunt room replete with a major display of firearms and animal trophies. Caillier's 20-car garage had been transformed into a disco with DJ Hoff spinning the night away. Another room featured an indoor putting green. The mojito bar was poolside and the crowd was individually instructed on how to make their own custom mojito with a brushed aluminum engraved muddler — which they took home as a party favor. What is a muddler you might ask? A muddler is a long pestle-like bar tool used to crush the mint leaves and berries used in a mojito. Just what every Newport-Mesa kitchen must have on hand.
