Jimmy Dunne welcomed about 180 people to the bocce holiday party at the Legion Hall.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT
Actor Steve Guttenberg was welcomed by Jimmy Dunne.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT
The venue, the Ronald Reagan American Legion Post 283, was festively decorated for the Palisades Bocce Holiday party. About 180 people attended the December 7 event. Bocce Ball commissioner Jimmy Dunne led the festivities.
“What a mix of ages, from 90-year-olds to many young moms and dads,” Dunne said and pointed out the unity of the group as “Christians, Jewish and Muslim” all sang together during the evening.
It was a silly, fun evening, as Dunne orchestrated several contests, such as singing contest when players warbled “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire.”
Dunne said, “They were all so good it was too close to call.” There was a dance contest.
There was a particularly hysterical game of musical chairs, while vocalists sang Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire. One can see why Palisades bocce is so competitive, the people playing musical chairs were absolute “cut-throat.”
Participants in the musical chairs contest were told to keep their hands above their heads while they walked around the chairs, to ensure there was no cheating.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT
Prizes for the contests, $25 gift certificates to Luxxe Café, were donated by The Tabit Group, Justin Tabit and the Tabit family.
The band, which provided music, was good and largely from the Palisades. Members included Jai Winding (keyboard), Jake McGregor (guitar), wife Aliycia (singer), Peter Murray (drums) and Matteo Musceletto (bass).
A trio of festively clad Santa Claus led the singing: Palisadians Bella Hicks Cat Fray and Victoria Renee Hand.
The trio of Bella Hicks Cat Fray and Victoria Renee Hand led the singing.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT
Maybe one of this editor’s favorite musical challenges of the evening, pitted the men against the women: Who could sing O Holy Night better? First the women sang the song and musically it was nice. Then the men attempted it, and as they got their footing stood up and nailed it, easily beating their spouses.
The assigned tables had bottles of wine that were donated by Dennis Miller. “Such a great guy,” Dunne said, and added that Palisadians Harry and Jacquie McMahon, who are associated with the Red Car vineyard, gave us a “ridiculous deal on their extraordinary cabernet, red wine and rose.”
The meal started with a salad, followed by platters of pretzel poppers, chicken and beef strips on sticks and a pasta dish, that could be shared. The chef, Derek Brandon Walker, of MV Grab and Go in Venice oversaw the food. For dessert there was butterscotch budino with tuille cookies.
After serving the main course, Walker and staff performed/ imitated Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love.” Dunne said, “We had a blast writing/rehearsing/recording it for the band to learn in my studio.”
At the December party, L.A. Times Writer Deborah Netburn received an acknowledgment from Dunne for her July 1 story about bocce.
It started “Jimmy Dunne hopped off his electric bike, hung his helmet on the handlebars and hurried over to the three bocce courts at Veterans Gardens just in time to offer his usual Tip of the Day.
“’Think strategically,’ the commissioner of the Palisades Bocce Club told the 50 amateur players who had gathered at the park on this chilly gray morning. At 68, he was a relative youngster compared with most of the assembled crowd. ‘If you’re playing against a master like Bill Skinner and you’re down in the last quarter, go hard.’
“Everyone laughed. Skinner, who is 90 and plays for the OBG (Old But Great) Rollers, beamed.”
Regarding the party venue, Dunne told CTN, “The American Legion was so wonderful to collaborate with. We really wanted to show off American Legion to the community to those that hadn’t been inside to see the home of the place that is so wonderful and important to Pacific Palisades in so many ways.
Introducing a new venue to many, filling a room with song and laughs, and highlighting that what unites us is stronger than our differences, Dunne was masterful. It was a community party that will long be remembered.
Jimmy Dunne with L.A. Times Writer Deobrah Netburn.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT