Wednesday, May 20, 1992 - North Shore News - 27

Louise Aird photos ~

AT THE firefighters’ bail: (left to right) Elizabeth Hagopian, Shane AFTER A 17-year absence the Vancouver Firefighters’ Bali returned with a gala evening at the Hote!

Barber and Dusty Martell.

Vancouver.

Vancouver Firefighters’ Ball

AY 2 marked the return of the Vancouver

Firefighter’s Ball, after a 17-year absence, thanks

largely to the efforts of sponsor Murray Pezim, who’s now an Honorary Fire Chief (there were many other

sponsors too numerous to mention here).

About 750 firefighters and wives turned up at the Hotel Vancouver for the party and to help raise money for the VGH Burn Unit.

His always.charming self, The Pez appeared with a pretty young blonde, a marathon runner of all things, named Michelle Rockhill (or not — she gave me ‘Schagle’ first, then changed her mind and gave me Rockhill. Go figure).

The evening began with a con- cert by the Firefighters’ (Brass) Band. All 50 of ‘em. In an enclos- ed space. Sounded good, though.

The evening’s emcee, CKNW’s Rick Honey, was beyond hilarious (he’d say something into the microphone, then walk over and

Louise Aird BRIGHT LIGHTS

Several B.C. Lions were there. New quarterback Danny Barrett, who seems very nice, was there stag — his wife was at home waiting for their new baby to ar-

Heather Belzberg and Roger Scott.

yell the same thing into Pezim’s ear, and he wouldn't allow Fire Chief Don Pamplin to sit with his hand in his lap). One thing | couldn't figure out — since wh do we appiaud after grace is said?

The Hotel Vancouver may have been overwhelmed (BC Hydro was having its 50th anniversary dinner next door) because the shrimp was too fishy and many bloody filets mignon went back to the kitchen, leaving everyone haplessly thinking of their pooches.

No matter — everyone had a good time, mingling and dancing to the music of the excellent “Tuxedo function.”

rive,

Barrett was sitting with Jim Mills, fan Sinclair and their shab- bily-dressed dates who were also incredibly icy — The Pez should send his boys to PR Training Camp.

B.C. Lions president Frank Gigliotti was there with his wife Dorothy, coach Bob O'Bilovich was with his wife Judy and we had the pleasure of the company of Texas oilman Richard Bowes with his drop-dead gorgeous ‘‘niece,” Vancouver's Tatiana Rose, who wore an exquisite hot-pink satin strapless dress.

Also beautifully dressed were Heather Belzberg, in orange

satin, an! BCTV’s Dusty Martell, in a cream silk sheath (Dusty was there with her boyfriend, West Van cop/hunk Shane Barber).

Speaking of clothes — there were some real disasters at the ball. A dozen women showed up with bare legs beneath short skirts. Bzzzzzzt!

One of them, with tanned skin that looked like the floor of the Mojave Desert, borrowed her mini-dress from her granddaughter — so the skirt went up to here and the cleavage went down to there. And another wore a modified electric blue bridesmaid’s gown | wouldn’t wear to a Sarnia wed- ding.

And since Mac Parry had discussed her thoroughly in his Vancouver Sun column that day, | had to check out Bonnie Johnson, whom Parry referred to as a ‘Pezim associate.’

Ms. Johnson should Jearn that a recitation of her plastic surgery history does not good public rela- tions make — everyone was look- ing for her scars.

Great dress, though — a full, daffodil-yellow number which, Pezim told me, cost $12,000. (Note to Bonnie: at that level, the best-dressed women never pay retail.)

kw *&

Couldn't make it — actually, | wasn't invited — to the May 8 bir- thday party of political strategist Lorne Valensky.

Valensky, who surely halds many Socred markers, celebrated his 35th at the Cannery, with Socred heavyweights Rita

Johnston, Patrick and Brenda Kinsella, Jerry and Sherry Lampert, Steve and Valerie Vrlak, Jess and Ramona Ketchum and Craig and Ginnie Aspinall. Telegrams also arrived from Bill Bennett, Stan Hagen and Dan Peterson — popular guy.

My spy couldn't precisely hear the conversation, but said they weren't discussing political strate-

8

vie does know that the anec- dotes and jokes flowed as furiously as the wine, and every time the name “Harcourt” or “‘Sihota”’

was mentioned, the group erupted into squeals and peais of laughter.

kkk

My favorite exchange-of-the- month, overheard between two somewhat prominent West Van- ners at Someplace Special:

4 saw you at the Vancouver Playhouse — did you enjoy Macbeth?”

“| thought the acting was good. Wasn't very well written, though.”

Michelle Rockhiil with the Pez (above); Gigliotti (lower photo).

Dorothy and Frank

An Invitation To West Vancouver's

Cruise Ship Event Of The Year Saturday, May 23, 1992 5:00 pm — 7:00 pm Peppi's Restaurant Join us to toast the spectacular Regal Princess as she salutes West Vancouver. Champagne and hors d'oeuvres will be served. Tickets $15 per person. (Refundable when you book a Princess Cruise!) Please purchase tickets in advance from: Roseway Travel 926-4344 Travel Experts 926-8511

Whytecliff Travel 926-6871