NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Sept. 28, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jane O'Connor, the author, and Robin Preiss Glasser, the illustrator of the charming "Fancy Nancy" book series will attend two Tea Parties for parents and children (age three and up) being held 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., Sunday, November 15, at The Christmas Company, the largest annual fundraiser of the Junior League of Orange County, Calif., Inc., (JLOCC). The new book "Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas" will be featured at the event at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa. Tickets priced at $15 each and autographed copies of the book are available for preorder at www.jlocc.org, or by calling (949) 263-3785.
A Belle Affaire will create an English tea party ambience for the occasion. Julie Asher will prepare delicious cupcakes, and Posh Party Box will provide tea cup party favors for the attendees. For an additional $20, photos by Blue Sky Photography will be available. A New York City resident, Jane O'Connor is also the author of more than thirty books for children including the "Nina, Nina Ballerina" stories. Robin Preiss Glasser has illustrated bestsellers "America: A Patriotic Primer" by Lynne Cheney, and "Daddy's Girl" by Garrison Keillor, in addition to the "Fancy Nancy" series. The event is sponsored by A Whale of a Tale Children's Bookshoppe and A Belle Affaire.
Other events at The Christmas Company will include a Saturday, November 14, morning "Breakfast with Santa," from 9-10:30 a.m., according to overall chair Janine Wald. In addition to a visit with Santa, children will enjoy a delicious breakfast and decorate stockings from Family Trees Unlimited. Tickets are $15 each.
The new Junior League cookbook "Orange County Fare" will be introduced in conjunction with The Christmas Company Opening Night Gala to be held 6:30 -10:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 12. Restaurants including A Restaurant, Above All Catering, Blackmarket Bakery, BlueWater Grill, Five Crowns, Golden Truffle, K'ya Bistro, Laguna Beach Gifts, Melting Pot, Mrs. Beasley's, Newport Rib Company, Opah, Panera, The Winery, Zov's Bistro and Cafe, and others, whose chefs are featured in the book, will provide small plate dining for the evening priced at $75 per person. Entertainment and a Silent Auction will also be part of this event.
A Preferred Shopping Breakfast ($35) will start the overall event at 9-11 a.m., Friday, Nov. 13. Guests will enjoy a glass of champagne and breakfast while enjoying their exclusive two hour VIP shopping experience. No baby strollers are allowed at the Preferred Breakfast. Dr. Beth Hamilton and Dr. Stephanie McClellan, authors of "So Stressed: The Effects of Stress on Women's Health and What You Need to Know to Restore Your Energy, Joy and Balance" will participate in a special luncheon ($35), which will be held on Friday, November 13. On Friday night, Olympic Gold Medal Winner Janet Evans will speak at a Women's Networking Night ($35).
"In addition to our many events, The Christmas Company will offer the opportunity to shop at more than 90 unique vendors from Orange County and across the United States," says Wald. The Christmas Company general admission is $10 per person, which includes entrance to the shopping extravaganza. Parking at the OC Fair & Event Center is $5. General admission hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday, Nov. 13; 10 a.m.- 9 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 14; 10 a.m.- 5 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 15. General admission tickets are available at the door. Tickets for the special events will be available for purchase online at www.jlocc.org or by calling (949) 263-3785 beginning October 1.
Funds raised annually by the JLOCC directly impact the community through collaborative projects with partner organizations and support JLOCC's mission of promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community. This year's projects include the Kinship Project and Bridges to Higher Education, both offered through Orangewood Children's Foundation; Higher Education Mentoring Program (in partnership with the Orange County Bar Foundation); Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Emancipated Youth Program; and Bear Hugs, a JLOCC project supporting emancipated teens in Orange County.
About the Junior League of Orange County, California, Inc.
The Junior League of Orange County, California, Inc., is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and the leadership of trained volunteers. JLOCC has contributed to Orange County by helping found organizations such as Orangewood Children's Home and the Volunteer Center of Orange County. As a solely educational and charitable organization, the JLOCC's trained volunteers actively support the community through collaboration with organizations that promote and support the health, safety and education of women and children. A 501(c)(3) organization, the JLOCC reaches out to women of all races, religions, and national origins. Originally founded in 1956 as the Newport Harbor Service League, the JLOCC is a member organization of the Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. To learn more about the JLOCC, call (949) 261-0823 or visit www.jlocc.org.