Lincoln Club’s Cue; Haddad’s Menace; Callahan’s Kickers

The Lincoln Club of Orange County said a mouthful—and not a word about Donald Trump—in a recent call for support for Marco Rubio, who came up short in his bid for the GOP presidential nomination and now seeks a second term representing Florida in the U.S. Senate. Rubio was in OC last week for a $250-a-plate luncheon fundraiser hosted by the Bahnsen Group in Newport Center—a reflection, according to the Lincoln Club’s invitation, that “we have decided to put money where we think we can make a difference on the federal level” … Looks as though FivePoint Holdings CEO Emile Haddad is right on top of trends with Great Park Neighborhoods. Ask about his inspiration for the community his company is building there, and you’ll likely hear mention of “Dennis the Menace,” the comic-strip-turned-TV-show that painted a charming picture of an American sense of community for Haddad as he came of age in his native Lebanon. Now consider this indicator of nostalgia as a point of distinction in residential real estate these days, from a recent edition of the Wall Street Journal’s Mansion section: “A Thoroughly Modern Mayberry—Luxury developers are constructing quaint communities to recreate idyllic small towns of old” … Mayberry calls to mind the old “Andy Griffith Show,” which ran about the same time as “Dennis the Menace” but had a decidedly Southern feel—indeed, the examples cited in the WSJ piece were developments in South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. Haddad’s fond memories of “Dennis the Menace” seem to put him—and Great Park Neighborhoods—more in tune with Southern California style … Double Kudos: to the Orange County Black Chamber of Commerce, which will celebrate its 25th annual banquet at the Disneyland Hotel on Aug. 27, and also honor the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Army Buffalo Soldiers … Double Kudos II: to Chapman U. Chancellor Daniele Struppa and Santa Ana-based nonprofit Padres Unidos, which honored him last week with a Community Partner Award. Chapman provides Padres Unidos volunteers with classes in child development, leadership, case management and more, prepping them for roles as “parent educators” and “family advocates.” The award luncheon was the start of a busy stretch for Struppa, who will take up the challenge of filling Jim Doti’s shoes as president of Chapman on Sept. 1, with plenty more activity in store during a week of inauguration festivities later next month … Think Dan Callahan looks formidable in a courtroom clad in a well-cut suit? Picture him in a slick pair of cowboy boots, which were no doubt just the thing for kicking around ideas about courtroom strategy with his Callahan & Blaine colleague Rich Collins over lunch at Prego awhile ago. And anyone who made it to Callahan’s Daisy Dukes & Cowboy Boots party at his place in Dana Point over the past weekend knows Callahan has got the full outfit to complement the kickers … Worth a look: the American Mosaic exhibit at OCMA, where you’ll find “Sunday,” the title of this forlorn cousin to “Nighthawks”—and perhaps join the Insider in marveling at the intriguing range of Edward Hopper.