Alcatraz Really `Rocked'
The locals were on their own during the big movie premiere

PAT STEGER

Where were you? ``I don't see anyone I know,'' said John Berggruen at the ``Rock'' premiere party Monday on Alcatraz. He was with his wife, Gretchen, and pal Jane Seigel. And, not looking in their direction, Jo Schuman said, ``I don't know one person here.''

Jo was with Hollywood Reporter columnist George Christy, who knew lots of people -- and the right ones. While most guests, mainly press from everywhere, had to walk to the top of the Rock, there was a car for George.

``Come and sit here. It's the San Francisco table,'' said Mayor Willie Brown, missing the other locals but catching Jeannette Etheredge at the dinner after the movie (John gave it a thumbs-up).

Jeannette was with -- it was a big table – director Phil Kaufman and son Peter and George Lucas and daughter Amanda. Jeannette returned to the city on the midnight boat with Sean Connery and went to her Tosca Cafe. ``We rocked until 5 a.m.,'' yawned Jeannette the next morning. Among the rockers: Nicolas Cage and his wife, Patricia Arquette; Ed Harris and ``Rock'' director Michael Bay.

The float home was a big thrill for John -- not because of Sean or Jeannette (John didn't see her), but because 49er great Brent Jones was on board. Right now the Berggruens are having a show at their gallery no one should miss. Proceeds from sales go to the Robert Arneson Chair in ceramics at the University of California at Davis.

The waiting list for the Haru Matsuri dinner Saturday at the Asian Art Museum was almost as long as the acceptance list. The event (Cynthia Miyashita was chairwoman) sold out immediately. It was the first event of a new program to form a link between the museum and Japanese community. The evening also included a viewing of the Mingei exhibition.

Normally when a charity auc tion gets under way after cocktails and dinner, it's hard to get anyone's attention, but that wasn't the case for the Honorable Bill Newsom, who was auctioneer at the Environmental Defense Fund dinner Saturday at the PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn. Perhaps because of his years on the bench, when Bill says, ``Listen up,'' people do.

They do that -- and pay up. Every item went for much more than the estimates. Bill even had Jim Halligan and event co-chairman Gordon Getty buying back items they donated. Billy Getty, in charge of the PJSV Inn with partner Gavin Newsom, wanted to be sure he would be high bidder on a Salmon River trip, so he held his number in front of Bill's face until he got it.

Everyone got something -- T-shirts, canvas bags and a superb dinner. The 160 guests (such a crowd that some overnighters were put up at the nearby Squaw Valley Lodge) were served a mushroom-stuffed herb chicken that immediately deleted memories of rubber chicken dinners from everyone's memory forever. The wine was a sampling from 70 Northern California wineries that provided Cabernets for a tasting earlier in the week at PJSV Inn.

Among those at the dinner: Nevada Attorney General Franckie Sue Del Papa; Gladys Poulsen, whose late husband, Wayne, was the original developer of Squaw Valley; rain forest activist Randy Hayes; Ronald and Susan Pelosi; landscape architects Topher Delaney and Robert Patterson; Nancy Hamon; and Maryon Davies Lewis with her daughter and son-in-law, Lucy and Tom Dreyer.

Name tags had been made for everyone. Tom's was fine, but hers came out ``Lucy Drier.'' ``I tell everyone it's the Druid spelling,'' he said. Jewelry designer Alana Leigh's tag read Erin Howard because that's her real name. She was with Don Dianda. They met on a ski lift at Squaw; awww. Before the Squaw Valley junket, Gordon was in New York, where he was honored for his support of the Russian National Orchestra. He flew East with Paul Mohun and Richard Walker of Bronson, Bronson & McKinnon, the firm that established the Russian Arts Foundation.

The gang arrived in New York in time for the reception Mary Sharp Cronson gave for Gordon at the River Club. Then the Robert Millers and their daughter and son- in-law, Pia and Chris Getty (he's Gordon's nephew), gave a dinner for him at the Miller home. Guests included King Constantine and Queen Anne Marie of Greece. Gordon and wife Ann are planning a trip to Russia in September for orchestra donors.

Author Danielle Steel gave a ``Knight to Remember'' dinner- dance Friday at her home for Tom Perkins, who was recently knighted by the King of Norway for his philanthropic work. Among the guests: Carole and Jeff Hays, Bob Bell, Da Mayor and Da Nise Hale. Danielle wore a ball gown to remember, a gorgeous number by Oscar de la Renta for Balmain.

Oscar for Oscar is being shown by his right-hand man, Boaz Mazor, at Saks through today -- and he reports that no one has yet bought the $23,000 gold-embroidered gown.