Staff Appreciated in Copacabana Extravaganza

By Jan Jennings I May 2, 2005

Here name was Lola, she was a showgirl
With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there.
At the Copa, Copacabana.

Pearl Simard IS Carmen Miranda at the Copacabana.

The hottest spot north of Havana last week was the Price Center Ballroom when UCSD Catering and University Centers presented Copacabana at UCSD, the ninth annual Support Staff Appreciation Luncheon.

Tuxedo-clad Bert Amador, assistant banquet manager, instantly set the salsa tempo singing Barry Manilow's Copacabana - and following through, ahem, with all the right moves. "I just got the (Manilow Copa words/music) and I have been going over it for days," said Amador. Neither his diligence nor his talent were lost on the sold out audience naturally moving to the music and heating up to the festivities which included salsa dancing, the Macarena, a costume contest, Lucy and Desi trivia questions, and a series of prizes.

One lucky prize-winner was Amy Fader, an endowment steward, who won a $35 gift certificate for the UCSD Bookstore after correctly answering a Lucy trivia question and parlaying that with the luck of a drawing.

"I've only been at UCSD about a year," said Fader, who came from duties at UCLA. "It's way better here. This party is terrific. They never did anything like this for us at UCLA."

Alan Moloney, left, and Mark Cunningham, man the bar at the Copacabana.

For a very brief music-tame moment, Dave Miller, senior vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, greeted the staffers and, speaking on behalf of Chancellor Marye Anne Fox, commented upon the respect that administration and faculty have for the talent and creativity of members of the UCSD staff.

Speaking afterward, Miller said, "As a long-standing faculty member, I have enormous appreciation for our staff and, in this case, not only their talent and creativity, but their spirit. It is important that we show this appreciation."

Miller's words were as good as gold. Judy Keane, executive assistant, and Joyce Jenkins, administrative assistant, were among many staffers in Academic Affairs enjoying the Copa as guests of the vice chancellor. "This is really great," said Jenkins. "It is a real treat."

Slight formalities aside, interactive DJ Duffy Fainer smoothly wove the widespread Copa audience, spilling from table-of-nine to table-of-nine to table-of-nine in the darkened nightclub atmosphere - ala the era of Hollywood's Tropicana and Coconut Grove - through music and dancing, trivia time and presentation of gift certificates, gift baskets, wine and the like. All the while, the mid-day night clubbers were munching on a Cuban buffet that included Cuban black beans and rice, island vegetables, tropical fruits, fried plantains, Barbados chicken, flank steak, and roast pork loin. Desserts included key lime tarts, fresh fruit tarts, assorted petit desserts and flan.

From left UCSD staff members Melanie Arias, Keira Perkins, Amy Fader, Brandon Freeman, and Claire Donndelinger enjoy a moment of triumph at the Copacabana extravaganza after Fader wins a bookstore gift certificate.

Prior to filing through the colorful buffet tables, Copa guests stopped at the Babalu Bar for the club specialty, Virgin Mojitos - or if not quite up to that, just about any other drink of a soft nature.

Among Copacabana bartenders was Mark Cunningham, director of housing and dining services, who said that as soon as this event is over, they are beginning planning for next year's appreciation luncheon for staff. "We know how fortunate we are to have such a talented and dedicated staff," Cunningham said. "This is a way we show them our appreciation. We've been doing it for nine years. Each year is a different theme."

To carry out the Copa theme, some guests wore Carmen Miranda headdresses; all guests took home a party favor of a tall glass with the image of Carmen Miranda; and at least one staffer came as Carmen Miranda. Pearl Simard of UCSD Catering donned all the trappings of Carmen. The only thing missing:

Salsa dancers demonstrate the moves of the dance before the sold-out Copacabana audience at the Price Center Ballroom.

She would merengue and do the cha-cha.
At the Copa, Copacabana.

In addition to the Copacabana at UCSD, staff appreciation events last week included:

. Oceans of Fun at Birch Aquarium at Scripps, a BBQ at the Splash Café by the bronze whale fountain with free admission to the aquarium.
. Club Med Staff Appreciation BBQ, Fun in the Sun, on the Club Med North Lawn at the School of Medicine.
. Faculty Club Staff Appreciation Breakfast at the Faculty Club.
. East Meets West, a luncheon in the Meridian Room of Café Ventanas, Eleanor Roosevelt College.