Main Street
Bad writing wins Pet Rock creator notoriety
By Mary Ann Cook
PET ROCKER STRIKES AGAIN: Gary Dahl, who invented the pet rock some years back has gained notoriety again--this time distinction in the writing field. No surprise there since he owns an ad agency and has been writing copy for years.
He won the Bulwer Lytton Writing Award from San Jose State University, the competition for the world's worst first sentence for a novel, sponsored by English professor Scott Rice. It's for writers who never get around to writing the novel, Dahl says.
Winning this award is the ultimate triumph, he says, overshadowing the heady success of his five-month pet rock odyssey. "For me there are no more heights to claim." The prize is $250 and he intends to treat Rice and their wives to dinner at Valerianos. (And will have to come up with more money to do so.)
Dahl had never entered the contest before, though always meant to. This time he started four or five months ago, sent in six entries and beat out 5,000 other entries from all over the world. He actually won the second prize, too, with the entry he thought was his best.
He was amazed at all the media attention. He's been interviewed on the BBC and an Australian show and he'll be in Time magazine. This is a worldwide phenomenon, he says in amazement.
PARISIAN TAPE: Olivia de Havilland sent columnist compadre John Baggerly a video tape entitled The American Cathedral in Paris in which she provides the introduction. Yes, it's a plea for funds for maintaining the 100-year-old structure, but it's also a moving portrait of the role the church plays in the lives of its parishioners.
De Havilland says she's been a member for 25 years. Though services are mainly Episcopal in nature the church serves as a home for many nationalities and creeds. The spokespeople in the film sport a variety of accents.
The church holds a Christmas program put on by the children, Eucharist services, Bible studies, and sponsors cultural events throughout the year. A bulletin board and a receptionist help those searching for jobs and housing, and a lunch program for the jobless and homeless provides sustenance.
The cathedral is the repository of many outstanding art pieces, including 600 handmade needlepoint works, 50 of which symbolize each of the states. A panel painting from the 1400s was recently found to be extremely valuable. The cathedral is at 23 Avenue George V.
HITTING THE HIGH NOTES: Elle Stern's daughter, Emily, is a mezzo soprano who sings with the Zurich Opera company most of the year. But in August she'll be back in the states, singing the role of Julie in a production of Showboat Aug. 10-14, in Richland, WA.
The production is staged by Washington Opera East, a new opera company. Emily will sing the part played by Ava Gardner in the movie. Emily's father is surgeon Lawrence Stern, whose practice is in Los Gatos and who lives in Palo Alto.
OSCAR WINNER: Dan Jinks, the producer of the Academy Award winning film American Beauty, will speak to the Commonwealth Club on Aug. 7, at 6:30 p.m. at Camera 3 in San Jose. A reception at 5:30 p.m. will precede the talk. Jinks is the son of Larry and Claire Jinks, and went to Los Gatos High School.
FAMILY NIGHT: Family Night at the Southwest YMCA on Quito Road will be on July 27, from 6 to 8 p.m. The evening will include an Olympics Torch relay, a barbecue and jump houses for the agile--of all ages?
In other Y news, summer camps are in full swing and the buzz this year is about the physability program, where children and adults with disabilities are integrated into all Y activities. Traditionally programs for the disabled have been segregated from the main stream, the new thinking is for inclusion.
Coordinator Dalia Nir says that, above all, the Y is a place for acceptance and understanding, and that pursuing sports and games together will bring new skills and friendships to the disabled and appreciation and sensitivity to the able-bodied.
NEW HOME: Gallery House has a new home--in the same building as Printer's Inc., 320 California St., Palo Alto. A group show--New Home, New Start--features the watercolors of Los Gatan Betty Rogers, along with the art of Saratogans Theresa Robinson and Starr Davis.
Robinson, who works with found objects, has two pieces in the show: Winged Woman with Hooded Eye and An Artist's Burden, something of a self portrait. Davis has watercolors, ceramics and raku pieces in the show.
REUNION: The sixth Saratoga Alumni reunion picnic will be held on July 29, from noon to 5 p.m., at Wildwood Park. Cost is $15 per person. Last year $1,800 was donated to the Saratoga School Library, thanks to proceeds from the picnic.
Committee members are Les Landin, Dorothy Van Arsdale Stamper, Willys Peck, Patti Wyant Reschar, Adrienne Reynaud Zimmerman, Norman Zimmerman, Henry Clarke, Mary Lou Teeple Butera, Jenny Taylor, Lea Ann Hernandez, Susan Ruzak Schwartz and Rick Bonetti.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
