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Main Street
Beautification committee announces winners
By Mary Ann Cook
WINNERS: Here are the winners in the Beautification Commitee's best holiday decoration contest. Best house is at 110 Cardinal Ave. Best neighborhood is in the same locale--Stonybrook and Cardinal. Best lighting (a tie) is at Sushi Yokohama on N. Santa Cruz Avenue and Los Gatos Spa near the Toll House.
Best painted window is at McMurtry & Bell Insurance Agency on Main Street. Best window dressing is Jennifer Croll on N. Santa Cruz, and best interior decorations are found at Lo Castro's Hair Salon on Main. Most patriotic houses: at 110 Stonybrook and the one at Englewood and Topping Way.
Honorable mentions went to the choo choo train atop Swanson Ford and the entire Blossom Hill Manor and Bayview neighborhoods. Also the tree at Ann Arbor Court, off Kennedy Road. Honorable mentions, too, to these houses: 16508 Farley, 17843 Andrews and 16286 Camelia Terrace.
FAMED NAMESAKES: When dance doyenne Betty McClendon had her tonsils removed, she looked so young--she was actually 21--that authorities were inclined to put her in the children's ward in the hospital. However, once they started talking to her they began to change their minds.
For starters, they asked for her father's name. "George Washington," came the cheeky reply. Since it was McClendon, the tongue was probably well embedded in cheek, despite the fact that the response was truthful. At the incredulous look on her interviewer's face she kept going.
"That's nothing," she said. "My grandfather's name is Christopher Columbus." All too true, with all the names ending in McClendon, but by this point the hospital staff was ready to stow her in the psychiatric ward for safekeeping. You, too, may have a McClendon story that's been stowed away for safekeeping.
Do pass it on to this interviewer at maryanncook@earthlink.net. I'll print any that are deemed appropriate for the innocent eyes of newspaper readers.
SOLSTICE PARTY: The husband/wife team of Jeanine Bugh and Curtis Wright of Monte Sereno has held a "Joyous Celebration of Winter" every year for the past 18 years. And this year was no exception, despite the fact that Wright's job had recently been dissolved.
He's an international sales director for fiber optics companies; she teaches French and metaphysics. Some 60 revelers attended this year's party, including French students Judy and John Field. He's a retired surgeon whose license plate reads, "hand doc."
The solstice doings included a wassail bowl and a reading of The Night Before Christmas, courtesy of neighbor Dr. Steve Jackson. Carols were sung by the three tenors, who in this case were Jeanine's brother Steve Bugh, plus Mark Wallace and Phil Stephens.
Other religions and rituals were not shorted: Laynee Gilbert sang a dreidel song and Penny Spalinger explained the English tradition of crackers, a noise popper that contains a party hat and toy. Pamela Hinz and Jeffrey Killeen, from the Santa Cruz Mountains, are the only guests who have attended all 18 solstice celebrations.
The evening wrapped up with a sacred circle of some 20 people, spiritually assessing what the year had meant to them and their wishes for the New Year.
ONE PERSON'S IMPACT: When Betty Peck's 80th birthday rolled around recently, longtime friends wanted to make sure the occasion was marked in a memorable way. Los Gatan Mert Parsons, a former assistant of Peck's, set to work assembling a wish book for the honoree.
Friends were to relay to Parsons their wishes for the teacher and garden guru and what she had meant to them. Parsons then assembled their remarks into memory book form. She expected an outpouring of affection and appreciation, but still, even she was staggered to receive replies from 310 people.
Now that's making an impact. The book was presented to the revered kindergarten teacher at a birthday tea held at her house. Peck taught in Los Gatos, founded the Los Gatos-Saratoga Observation Nursery School, and has led campaigns for community gardens throughout the West Valley.
TO TEENS: Tom Olds, president of Generations Health Care, the parent company of the Plum Tree Care Center on Los Gatos Boulevard, donated $500 to the Teen and Family Counseling Center, whose target area is both Los Gatos and Saratoga. Jim Geddie is the new administrator of the rest home.
He's new to the area, but his family isn't: His father, Larry Geddie, now retired, was building and grounds supervisor for the Los Gatos Union School district for 30 years. Plum Tree is one of the newest members of the Town Chamber of Commerce. "We want to be more actively involved in the community," Jim says.
GIVING TREE: The Giving Tree, a joint venture of the Los Gatos Rotary and the Salvation Army is now in its fourth year. Chaired by Julian Rodriguez, the project enlisted 127 Rotarians, who answered requests for Christmas gifts to needy children.
In other Rotary news, the club is looking for a UC-Berkeley grad who would like to sponsor the men's octet from Cal who will perform at the president's dinner Jan. 2. Needed is $1,500 to support both Cal and Rotary.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
