Cycling on the coast

The Arthritis Foundation of Orange County will join in a statewide

bicycle tour, a total of 530 miles over eight days, leaving from San

Francisco and finishing in Los Angeles.

It’s being called the Amgen California Coast Classic Bicycle Tour,

set for Sept. 24 through Oct. 1. The bicycle tour will benefit the

Arthritis Foundation, as team participants are committed to raising

significant donor sums prior to the ride.

One outstanding team is coming out of Orange County. Carla

Ralston, a personal trainer, will join her client Mary Lonich on the

bicycle trip. Their partnership represents the culmination of 15

months of training and weight loss for Lonich, during which time she

has shed 136 pounds as she approaches her 50th birthday.

“I am in the best physical condition of my life and this bicycle

ride will be yet another incredible milestone for me,” said Lonich,

who added that she and Ralston are committed to raising $6,000 to

benefit the Arthritis Foundation.

CDM Fitness in Corona del Mar will host a pre-ride cocktail

reception Sept. 10 at its East Coast Highway workout facility. For

more information, please contact CDM Fitness at (949) 903-1493, or

Lori Contant at the Arthritis Foundation at (714) 436-1623.

The Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa is planning

a “One Year And Counting” celebration to take place Sept. 16 at the

performing arts center.

Organizers anticipate the completion of the new arts center and

concert hall by September 2006, and plans have been underway for a

gala opening party to end all parties in Orange County. Elizabeth

Segerstrom -- the chic wife of Henry Segerstrom, major benefactor of

the center expansion -- is chairing the massive debut undertaking.

The opening of the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall,

Samueli Plaza and the rest of the new Segerstrom Center for the Arts

will be celebrated at the Sept. 16 event. The festivities will

feature a performance by members of the Orange County Pacific

Symphony, as well as a hardhat tour of the new facility in progress.

To find out more, please call the Orange County Performing Arts

Center at (714) 556-2122, ext. 4322.

The South Coast Plaza Village Green will be the setting for a wine

tasting and auction hosted by the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce’s

CM900. The event will benefit Costa Mesa United’s campaign for new

athletic facilities at Costa Mesa’s high schools.

Supported by South Coast Plaza, the Sunday afternoon wine event

will feature 50 domestic and imported wines, including Cakebread, Far

Niente, Nickel and Nickel, Croze and many more. A host of restaurants

from South Coast Metro will provide tasting stations to accompany the

wine.

A $75-per-person donation is requested. Please call (714) 885-9095

to purchase tickets and make reservations.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.