Jun 24, 2007

40 dads present 40 debutantes to the world

By Janet Duca Norton / Society Columnist

The 47th annual Peninsula Ball was a night of magical moments and traditions, plus a once-in-a-lifetime Father's Day present for 40 debutantes and their families. More than 400 guests attended the June 16 gala at Palo Alto's Crowne Plaza Cabana Hotel.

This celebration is a father's favorite, because he still has his daughter after the formal presentation, unlike his future walk down the aisle on her wedding day.

Before the ballroom doors opened, guests enjoyed an outdoor cocktail reception, while dressed-up debs, fathers, escorts and ushers posed for formal portraits during a private party upstairs.

"We are so proud to continue this long-standing tradition of the Peninsula Ball, bringing it into its 47th year with one of our largest groups ever," ball co-chairwoman Nicole Patton said. "Seeing the 40 debs in their beautiful white gowns, 40 escorts, 4 ushers and 40 presenters in white tie and tails was a sight to behold."

Presentation director Christopher Martin's welcoming remarks set the tone for this festive occasion, saying he was pleased to honor the young women before they embark on the next chapter of their lives and to support the event's benefiting nonprofit organization, Family & Children's Services Agency.

Some of the yearly traditions included a gardenia scented, candlelit garden setting (created by Isabella Boyer Sikaffy of Florabella), debs wearing white ball gowns with long white gloves, and an arbor of pink Esperanza roses, hydrangeas and Sarah Bernhardt peonies, under which the debs made deep curtsies as they carried miniature groupings of matching flowers in their bouquets.

The "Everything's Coming Up Roses" ballroom decor featured lighted ficus trees, pale pink draped tables with sheer white overlays, tall cylinder candles and luxurious centerpieces of pink and white blooms.

For the third year, there were too many debs to fit on the dance floor at one time, so the girls had two performances of the promenade and first waltzes with their fathers and escorts. The Robert Vickers Orchestra played "I Could Have Danced All Night" from "My Fair Lady" for the dads' dance and "Que Sera Sera" for the escorts' waltz.

Promptly at 8:30 p.m., Martin introduced honorary chairwoman Sonja Shepard McLellan, a longtime ball supporter and former ball chairwoman, and presented her with a beautiful bouquet, which was followed by the presentation of bouquets to ball co-chairwomen Patton and Beth Martin. It was the best ball ever for McLellan, who saw her granddaughter Alexandra Shepard make her debut, and reminisced about her three sons who had been escorts during the '70s.

Participation in the Peninsula Ball is a long-standing tradition for many families. Debutante Elizabeth Englert's mother Anne was the 2006 ball co-chairwoman, her grandmother, the late Joanne Whelan, was an honorary chairwoman and her sister Hilary made her debut last year. Debutante Melissa Davison's mother Sue was last year's ball co-chairwoman and her sister Kirsten was a deb last year. Debutante Melissa Seipp's mother Barbara was a deb, as was debutante Caroline Clark's mother.

Lauren Duncan, Kristen Hiller, Katherine Jordan, Samantha Carr and Laura Olson received tips on their curtsies from their older sisters.

Augusta Loomis, Suzanne Quist (whose mother Charlene and four cousins were debs), Gwendolyn Baldwin and Katherine Schoebel, who were classmates at Santa Catalina School in Monterey, shared one last experience together before departing for college.
After the traditional dances, the party was in full swing, starting with a three-course dinner and ending with guests dancing until the band went home.

Athertonites in attendance were Safia Abbasi, Kelly Chang, Lauren Goehner, Natasha Hobbs, Adrienne Joy, Catherine McDonnell, Laura Michelson, Grace Pluvinage, Katherine Riddle and Nicole Villeneuve.

Menlo Park residents included Megan Burmeister, Kathryn Sutherland, Sofia Virani, Jessica Welton and Alexandra Zamaria.

Palo Altans present were Alyson Mackenzie, Fiona Maguire and Gweneth Sullivan.
Rounding out the guest list were Alexandra Maceda of Burlingame, Claire Lazar of Los Altos, Caroline Lewis of Los Altos Hills, Laura Kruberg and Elizabeth Winchell of Portola Valley, Avery Wood of Redwood City, Alyssa Dacay of Union City, and Caroline Stirn of Woodside.

The Family & Children's Services Agency has provided quality counseling, education and prevention programs for individuals, couples and families in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties for 59 years. The proceeds from the last 46 balls have netted more than $3 million for the nonprofit agency.

Janet Duca Norton's society column appears every Sunday in the Daily News. Send event information to society@paloaltodailynews.com or call 650-327-9090, ext. 334.