California
Science Center’s
Seventh Annual
Discovery Ball 2005
A Stunning Success
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From
left to right Discovery Ball co-chairs Tony Anderson
and Julia Stewart, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Jeffrey
Rudolph
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Los Angeles,
CA – The California Science Center held its black-tie
gala event recently in Exposition Park. A highlight of the evening
was a concert by Grammy Award winner James Ingram, who serenaded
guests with such hits as “Just Once”, “One
Hundred Ways” and, “There’s No Easy Way”.
Exposition Park’s Rose Garden turned out to be the perfect
setting for this stellar entertainment and al fresco dining experience.
Following a live auction, it was announced that Mojgan (Meg)
Jalali, wife of Science Center Foundation Trustee Bahram Jalali,
was the lucky winner of the opportunity drawing prize 2006 Lexus
RX 400h. Another highlight of the dinner program was Mayor Antonio
Villaraigosa’s remarks about his first-hand experience
with the Science Center, its contributions to Los Angeles and
the lives of young people and their families. Also on the program
was the Honorable George Deukmejian who presented the California
Scientist of the Year award to Professor Kip Thorne of the California
Institute of Technology. Professor Thorne was recognized for
his research achievements as one of the world’s leading
experts on the astrophysical implications of Einstein’s
General Theory of Relativity.
Other distinguished
guests included Senator Nell Soto, Former California State
Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson, Assemblymember Mark Ridley
Thomas and former Assemblymembers George Nakano and Roderick
Wright. The Discovery Ball 2005 dinner committee was co-chaired
by Tony Anderson, Area Managing Partner at Ernst & Young
and Julia A. Stewart, President and CEO of IHOP Corporation.
The Discovery Ball’s cocktail reception made quite an
impression with a “Robotics Demonstration Lounge” decorated
by elements of the Science Center’s Robots + Us exhibit
and an artifact from the movie “Lost in Space”.
Couches and play stations were set up with the latest Japanese
fighting robot video and a disco dancer dressed in silver performed
in a plastic space capsule-like tube. The wait staff, for the
first time ever, eschewed the traditional on-foot service and
instead served cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while riding
on Segway Human Transporters (HT) a two-wheeled electric transportation
device which emulates human balance.
Located
just south of downtown Los Angeles in Exposition Park, the
California Science Center is one of Southern California’s
premier family destinations. The Science Center’s mission
is to stimulate curiosity and inspire science learning in
everyone by creating fun, memorable experiences. The Science
Center has welcomed more than 10.8 million visitors since
its grand opening in February of 1998.
California
Science Center is located at 700 State Drive-Exposition Park,
Los Angeles, CA 90037. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except
Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Admission to
the exhibits is free. IMAX Theater tickets range from $4.50 to
$8. Both the Science Center and IMAX Theater are wheelchair accessible.
Visitors can enter the parking lot at 39th and Figueroa Street.
Parking is $6. For general information, phone (323) SCIENCE or
visit our web site at www.californiasciencecenter.org.
