Pelican Hill

NEWPORT BEACH — For as long as locals can remember, Newport Beach has been known as an easy Hollywood getaway. Celebrities such as Humphrey Bogart and Frank Sinatra were known to seek R&R in the coastal town. Lauren Bacall, former wife of Bogart and "Den Mother" of the Rat Pack, resides in Newport. Joey Bishop, Sinatra's famed comic sidekick, was tempted by the tranquility of the beach city, moving to Lido Isle and making that his residence of choice until he died in 2007.

More than half the guests who stay at the Resort at Pelican Hill come back for a second trip. And then there are those who don't leave at all — one year and counting for the resort's most senior guest, Managing Director Giuseppe Lama said. A visit to the luxury resort has the unusual side effect of turning a seven-day vacation into a six-month or even yearlong stay. "We have cases ... [where] people just don't want to move out — we become like a family here.

They call themselves “Fearless Women.” Last week the “mothers and daughters who move mountains” joined with husbands and other assorted male companions for a luncheon at the Resort at Pelican Hill. They came to raise funds benefiting two very different medical needs: autism and Alzheimer’s disease. And, they came to hear the inspirational message of two close friends, both personalities from the world of television: Leeza Gibbons Leeza Gibbons and Nancy Alspaugh-Jackson . Both champion the search for help on behalf of autistic children and adults fighting dementia associated with Alzheimer’s.

Entertainment personality and philanthropist Leeza Gibbons and autism activist Nancy Alspaugh-Jackson will share their personal journeys of adversity and empowerment at a Mother’s Day luncheon on Monday, May 3 at The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Coast.  The joint fundraiser, Fearless Women: Mothers & Daughters Moving Mountains , benefits ACT Today! (Autism Care and Treatment) and Leeza’s Place, the signature program of the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation. Founded by TV/Radio personality Leeza Gibbons, Leeza’s Place provides multifaceted support for both caregivers and those recently diagnosed with any chronic disease or disorder.

The news that an LPGA event was coming to Southern California brought both hope and intrigue. The JoongAng Broadcasting Corporation group announced a deal with the LPGA that would have an event in the area for the next five years beginning in 2010. But no location was announced and speculation began almost immediately as to where it would be. So to further fuel the gossip I thought about the area courses and if they could or would host an LPGA event. The natural location would be Mesa Verde Country Club.

Fashion Island is slated to get a $100-million makeover over the next two years featuring Italian-inspired fountains and 150,000 square feet of additional retail space, the Irvine Co. announced Thursday. The renovations will give the 42-year-old shopping center more of an old-world feel, with replicas of old Italian street lights and brick paving stones. The updated Fashion Island also will include patio seating and more small cafes tucked into corners at the center, to give the center a more European ambience.

Newport Beach , CA – Is it the shoes and designer fashions one wears or the good deeds one does that defines personal style?  The answer lies in the August issue of Orange Coast magazine, where fifteen of Orange County’s style arbiters will be awarded the coveted OC Look honor.   Orange Coast will reveal the 2009 OC Look winners prior to the August issue being released at the second annual OC Look Party benefiting the Dream Guild of the Orange County Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation on Wednesday, July 29 to be held at an exquisite private residence in Pelican Hill.