Vista Hill treatment center presented the 18th annual Spring Fashion Show, Boutiques, Silent Auction and Luncheon on Wednesday, April 29 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Downtown. The theme for the afternoon was “Barbie: 50 & Fabulous.” The event began with a silent auction and boutique shopping, with an array of clothing, handbags, jewelry and children’s clothing. The fashionistas were hopping back and forth from table to table, enjoying a fun-filled time. The celebration began with the mistress of ceremonies Carol Le Beau, news anchor at KGTV, Channel 10. Each table was decorated with Barbie dolls, adding to the ambiance of the luncheon. Barbie Spinazzola was chair, and Barbara J. Brown was honorary chair. The theatrical show delighted the audience with a Ken and Barbie segment, one scene with Barbie lookalikes and another segment with a model in a Barbie car. Gretchen Productions produced this show. Proceeds benefit various Vista Hill programs, including SAFIR (Supporting Adolescents and Family in Recovery), Don Allen Parent Care Family Recovery Center and Stein Education Center. The East County venue improves the lives of families by providing education, treatment, prevention and early intervention. For more info, visit vistahill.org. Fashion’s high note Lyric Opera San Diego and Leonard Simpson presented “Fashion Hits a High Note” on Thursday, May 14 at the Birch North Park Theatre. The evening celebrated 30 years of Lyric Opera San Diego and the venue’s 80th year. Guests arrived on a red carpet that led into this beautifully remodeled theater, originally a movie house. This elegant event began with a delightful social hour and a fabulous silent auction with must-have items. Honorary Chair Sally B. Thornton got the festivities going, while Simpson, of Fashion Forward, produced the show. He is known for his high-tech runway shows and his drama. This show had one high note after another, combining fashion, singing and dancing. The runway was not the typical catwalk. The models came out onto the stage and took turns walking down the left and right stairs into the aisles, showing off their stylish fashions. The highlight of the evening was a segment in which all the male models took off their shirts—the audience went wild. Lyric Opera San Diego brings in opera and musical theater productions with live orchestras and talented singers. Its mission is to create a vehicle in which young professionals can hone their craft alongside established artists. For more information, visit: lyric operasandiego.org. ‘Fashion Exposed’ San Diego Mesa College presented the 28th annual Golden Scissors Fashion Show and Awards Gala on Friday, May 15 at the Town and Country Resort Hotel and Convention Center. The evening began with a VIP social hour and a silent auction. The theme for the night was “Fashion Exposed.” Andrea Marx, program director, and Prof. Susan Lazear greeted the crowd. KUSI Style Guy Leonard Simpson gave welcoming remarks. Another crowd-pleaser was the millinery section, in which Mesa deans and college president Rita Cepeda modeled hats made by the students. One of the audience’s favorite segments was the “Retro Redo,” wherein the students used all kinds of things other than fabric to create their outfits. The finale ended with the students showcasing their creative designs. The show wrapped up with Cepeda handing out awards to deserving students. Students in the promotion class produced this show. Additional contributions were made by the multimedia students under Prof. Alfonso Saballett and a group of hip-hop dancers under instructor Melissa Adao. San Diego City College cosmetology students, under the direction of Sudabeh Phillips, styled the hair and makeup. Mesa College has a two-year program in fashion design and fashion merchandising. For more information, contact Andrea Marx at (619) 388-2206. For your information… • Saturday, June 13, Victorian tea and fashion show, San Diego Women’s Club at 11 a.m., presented by Victorian Ladies Society. For information, call (619) 589-7433.• • Wednesday, June 17, Summer 2009 Swimwear Fashion Debut, launching Eco-Panda (the first recycled swimwear), at the Hard Rock Hotel. RSVP at RSVP@ OceanMagazine.com. • Sunday, July 19, Summer Bridal Bazaar, with three fashion shows at the San Diego Convention Center. For information, call (760) 334-5500. •?Tuesday, July 21, Celebrating Couture luncheon and fashion show, featuring Naeem Khan, presented by Neiman Marcus and the Globe Guilders. For information, call Jill Holmes, (619) 231-2508. Diana Cavagnaro is a nationally recognized hat designer and milliner. Diana has been operating a fashion business for 27 years, the last 17 years in Downtown San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter. She has been teaching in the fashion department at San Diego Mesa College for 17 years. Diana is an active member of the Gaslamp Quarter Association, the American Sewing Guild, the San Diego Costume Council and the Fashion Group International. ahead­productions.com.