Main Street

Lewis brings Austen and other writers to life

By Mary Ann Cook

JANE AUSTEN AT HISTORY CLUB: Bonda Lewis is a Los Gatan who impersonates women writers or those who were politically active. She calls them all "women warriors." As part of Women's History Month, she portrayed Jane Austen at a recent luncheon at the LG History Club.

The History Club and the Los Gatos-Saratoga AAUW combined forces for this one. Lewis read sections from Sense and Sensibility, as well as enacting a theatrical written by Austen when she was 12 and quoting from a history of England Austen wrote at age 14.

Austen's "dance of phrases," as Lewis terms good writing, won't leave her alone, she says, describing how she picked her first subject. The impersonator even dreams about Jane Austen: The revered writer gives her an OK on her presentations. Lewis also takes on Louisa May Alcott, Isabella Bird, Amelia Jenks Bloomer and Sara Bard Field.

Field was a poet/feminist from Los Gatos, active in the early 20th century. Her home is where the cats, those original town logos, are found. Bird was a botanist, nurse, photographer and the most published travel writer of the 19th century. Bloomer was a suffragette, the first woman to wear pants in public. (Hence the term "bloomers.")

Bonda Lewis trained at ACT and has a master's in theater studies from San Jose State U. Her latest project is about the history of nursing, based on personal stories told over a 140-year period. She writes her own material, incorporating the words of the writer-activists themselves.

GROWING SALES: Friends of Los Gatos Library netted their heftiest sum ever at the recent Saturday book sale, bringing in $2,030. Book sale totals have been steadily climbing since the Friends initiated the every-other-month sales of better books. And the March total for 50-cent paperback sales was impressive too.

Hardworking sales stalwarts Marge Rice, Joanne Crum, Pamela Laurence, Judy Etherington and Leslie Dinette were delighted. Another biggie was Dale Hill's sale on eBay of a first edition Gone With the Wind for $1,200. Hill and Kathie Gaylord man the eBay Internet keys.

PROMOTION: Dr. Neil Mitchell of Los Gatos has been promoted to senior vice president of marketing and strategic alliances by Centric Software of San Jose. Mitchell has been at Centric for the past four years. His job involves strategic planning, product management and partnerships.

Collaborative Product Innovation is what their software is called. Designers can get a clear picture of a total product by using collaborative software and also validate digitally whether it will work or not. This software pulls all the information together.

EIFFEL EXHIBIT: Sallie Robbins-Druian's Eiffel Tower collection is on display at San Francisco International Airport from now until the end of September at Boarding Area C. Robbins-Druian was stunned at the successful sleuthing of the museum gallery people. She was found after making some Eiffel purchases on eBay.

Though dismayed at the lack of restraint shown by eBay, she's happy to share her collection with other Francophiles. Her collection includes jewelry, coins, postcards, maps, books, statuary and photos. She is co-owner of The French Cellar in Los Gatos.

SPRING AWARD: The flower display at 291 E. Main St. has won the Spring Award from the town/Chamber beautification committee. Pearl Rosenthal owns that plot of land, which is in front of Healthetek near the Los Gatos Athletic Club. "That display is an Easter basket of color," says Patti Hughes, of the beautification committee.

JOB OPENING: The museums of Los Gatos need an office administrator for 12 hours a week, 9 a.m.-noon for four days. Pay is $13 an hour. Current occupant Jane Holland is retiring in April after 10 years with the museums.

Letters of interest and résumés should go to: Museums of Los Gatos, Attn: Laura Bajuk, Executive Director, P.O. Box 1904, Los Gatos, CA 95031. Alternatively, fax to 408.395.7386, or email to LGMuseums@aol.com (attached résumés should be in Word 97 format).

JAZZ CONCERT: A special jazz concert by the Taylor Eigsti Trio will benefit Hospice of the Valley. It's April 7, 4-8 p.m., at the Toll House in Los Gatos. Taylor Eigsti is a 16-year-old jazz pianist; Jason Lewis is on drums; John Shiflett on bass. These last two are touring veterans.

BAGELS & BOTOX: Plastic surgeon Matthew Mingrone is offering a bagel brunch throughout the day April 10, starting at 10 a.m. A special price on botox treatments will also be offered. Botox treatments are shots designed to eliminate wrinkles, such as the frown line found between the eyes after a certain age.

BREAST CANCER STAMP: The Postal Service has released a "Fund the Cure" stamp to help fund breast cancer research. The stamp will cost 40 cents; $8 for a book of 20, compared to $6.80 for standard stamps. If all the stamps are sold, $16 million will be raised for cancer research.

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