Simple Plans for the Bistro’s Anniversary

It’s a simple little party. Take a block-long parking lot in Beverly Hills. Build a lake in it. Add some ducks.

That’s how Kurt and Christopher Niklas plan to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Bistro, Oct. 2. It’s been 25 years since Kurt Niklas, fresh from a 6-year stint as the maitre d’ at Romanoff’s, opened his own restaurant on Canon Drive.

The party will be an all-afternoon affair, billed as an Oktoberfest; on the guest list, the regulars from the Bistro and the Bistro Garden. On the menu, dishes from the original Bistro offerings--so don’t expect teeny portions of nouvelle.

UPCOMING--Two busy people--Chuck Fries (who chairs Fries Entertainment) and his wife, Ava Ostern Fries (who is president of Avanti Enterprises)--get honored by the Maple Center of Beverly Hills with its Distinguished Community Service Award. It all happens Oct. 12 at the Beverly Hilton. . . . Political consultant Joe Cerrell knows how the game is played. That’s why folks on his list are getting a save-the-date card this week for a party set for Nov. 29. It’s the 12th annual Last Hurrah Dinner, the annual shindig that Joe (and his wife Lee) put on to benefit USC’s Center for Public Affairs, and it’s set for the Century Plaza. . . . Big names at the County Museum of Art will get to see big-time gold and silver when the President Circle’s gala comes off Sept. 7. That’s the preview date for the Gilbert Collection of Gold and Silver. . . . The Museum of Contemporary Art has a very contemporary younger people’s group, the MOCA Contemporaries, which debuted last year with a party in the street outside MOCA. This year it’s a “hot summer night in L.A.” street party, set for Saturday in front of MOCA’s Temporary Contemporary on Central Avenue. This was one terrific evening last year--and between make-it-yourself gourmet buffets, rock ‘n’ roll from the Heaters, and special Billy Al Bengston silk-screens, this year could be the best ticket to an August party.

KUDOS CENTRAL--Women For: presents its annual Women of Achievement luncheon Aug. 24 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Honored this year are Venice Family Clinic president Irma Colen; activist-actress Morgan Fairchild; Southern California Child Health Network director Wendy Lazarus; choreographer Bella Lewitzky; public health consultant Mary McCoo and California Health Decisions director Ellen Severoni. Co-chairs for the event are Billie Heller, Collette North and Gloria Starr.

ADDED ATTRACTIONS--One-time-only performances are what’s shaping up for the Aug. 29 Broadway at the Bowl extravaganza, which benefits the Los Angeles Music Center Opera. On stage--Tommy Tune plus 50 singers and dancers; Mary Martin celebrating her 50th year in show biz by singing the song that brought her to Broadway’s attention, “My Heart Belongs to Daddy”; Carol Channing doing “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”; Patti Lupone flying in just to sing “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” and, from her current hit, “Blow, Gabriel, Blow”; Bea Arthur singing “Fifty Percent” from “Ballroom,” plus many others. In the boxes--at $500 and $350 per seat, Rococo will cater. And for those who require even more special treats, a post-performance party at 20-20 in Century City hosted by Allan Carr and Placido Domingo. Domingo, of course, the artistic consultant to the Music Center Opera, will be hosting the first half of the evening and performing the second half--but no opera.