There’s new life for the struggling Clubhouse in South Coast Plaza. Clever Ideas Inc., a restaurant marketing company that is trying its hand at restaurant operations for the first time, recently paid $11.4 million to beat out another Chicago-based outfit, Lurie Investments, for the bankrupt Clubhouses in Oak Brook, Ill., Atlanta and Costa Mesa. Clever’s CFO Skip Landon says the South Coast lease has been assumed “as is” and management remains intact, but subtle changes are underway,more California cuisine, and the introduction of Clever’s bonus-point program for repeat diners. Undecided, Landon says, is what to do with the Clubhouses’ celebrity-minority owners Kevin Kostner, Jack Nicklaus, Fred Couples and Robert Wagner Speaking of Nicklaus and Couples, for $5,500 (or $20,000 per foursome) you can rub shoulders with them, as well as Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Tom Kite and other greats in the Hyundai Team Matches Pro-Am Dec. 7 at Monarch Beach Golf Links. Other (and cheaper) corporate opportunities are also available for the weekend event. Call (949) 487-4150 Observed at Prego in Irvine: Allergan’s David Pyott with Conexant’s Dwight Decker. “Don’t worry, we’re not merging,” a smiling Pyott assured a snoopy Insider …
It depends on several “ifs,” but a couple of prominent local office holders,county supe Todd Spitzer and Assemblyman Bill Campbell,could wind up swapping jobs next year. Spitzer is running to replace Campbell, who gets term-limited out at the end of 2002. All that’s needed for this scenario to play out is for county voters in March to approve a ballot issue that would require Spitzer’s seat to be filled by an election rather than gubernatorial appointment. And, of course, Spitzer and Campbell would both have to win. Besides Republican Campbell, Democrat Larry Agran (Irvine’s mayor) has been mentioned as a possible supe candidate Several graduates of the Times OC are making key contributions to the LA Times’ outstanding war/terrorism coverage,Megan Garvey, Eric Lichtblau, Nick Anderson and Esther Schrader, all now based in D.C., and H.G. Reza out of San Diego. OC-based photogs Don Bartletti and Irfan Khan are on-assignment in Pakistan Franz Wisner touched down in OC and left this message: “Just back from Micronesia. Tough to knock a place with 100-foot visibility waters, Frisbee-sized crabs at every meal and women who still walk around topless. If I drop out of society, you might find me there. Back to Brazil in a couple days, then Argentina and Chile Rants to follow.” Can’t wait ‘Tis the season: The Insider received its first holiday-New Year greeting (not counting party invites) on Nov. 20, two days before Thanksgiving, from Roel Construction Co. of San Diego Nancy Daly Riordan is taking hubbie Richard Riordan to the Holiday Inn Costa Mesa on Dec. 17 for lunch with the girls, including Peggy Goldwater Clay, Lynne Pierson Doti, Cristi Cristich, Lynn Daucher, Marilyn Brewer, Dee Higby, Carol Hoffman, Barbara Johnson, Betty Belden Palmer, Janice Smith, Linda White-Peters and Harriett Wieder. It’s $100 to attend the political fundraiser.
