Saratoga News

Saratoga Sampler

Mary Ann Cook

A whole lot is happening at Hakone Gardens

Hakone anniversary party: In honor of the 10th anniversary of the Bamboo Garden at Hakone, the public is invited to attend a celebration on Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. You'll hear the latest on the garden plus slides of the Sister City trip to Japan, reports Daryl Becker, the new president of the Hakone Foundation. Also scheduled is a demonstration of the new Web page for Hakone. Becker credits Metro Newspapers president Dan Pulcrano with getting Hakone on the Web.

Art offerings at Hakone run quite a gamut, as a sampling shows: Attend pastel painting workshops, one taught by Anita Wolff on Sept. 16, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and one by Marta Szoszlay on Sept. 23, same time. Bring a bag lunch for both. What better place to learn to handle the difficult color green than Hakone? Or you can choose a watercolor class with Kay Duffy on Mondays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This class is a series, but you can take individual classes for $15 a shot. Different materials, different painting surfaces and different techniques, such as resists and glazing, will be explored. Remaining dates for this series are Sept. 22, Oct. 6 and 20 and Nov. 3.

For haiku enthusiasts, there's a Hakone Haiku Gathering Aug. 24 at noon to write and share poetry. Parking is $5 if you're not a Hakone member, but there is no fee for the gathering. Japanese quilt-making with Grace Townsend runs Mondays, Sept. 15-Oct. 20, 10 a.m-noon. A photography workshop with Bruce and Lynn Bowen is Sept. 7 and 14 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. And Sumi-e ink painting with Carolyn Fitz is Sept. 20, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

A new mentoring program with Foothill College is also under way at Hakone. Horticulture students can earn one unit of college credit for 60 hours of work under the tutelage of head gardener Jack Tomlinson. The basics of Japanese gardening will be covered, including care and repair of bamboo fencing, care of koi and the water garden, seasonal pruning, shaping and routine maintenance--all the things it takes to keep Hakone in top shape for weddings, business meetings and individual enjoyment.

Becker says the Hakone Foundation board will concentrate on increasing community awareness, attracting more business meetings and attaining more corporate sponsors as the foundation takes over maintenance costs from the city. The wedding season is healthy at Hakone, but in cooler seasons, it would be nice if planners thought in terms of Hakone for their events, the prez sez.

Besides Becker, the other foundation board members are Helen and Ralph Metcalf, co-vice presidents; Cathy Foscato, secretary; Syd Dunton, treasurer; Kay Duffy, past president; and Margaret Angelopoulof, Marge Bunyard, Jack Christensen, Ronald Duffin, Barbara Fahs, Nancy Lesser, Art Okuno, Bruce Parkinson and Lynn Wallace.

DAVID HOWELL REMEMBERED: A memorial was held in Immanuel Lutheran Church recently for David Brian Howell, who died at age 36 of complications from pneumonia. The church was packed with those who wanted to remember and pay tribute to David, who had worked for the Argonaut Safeway for 20 years and was known to customers for his unfailing friendliness and helpfulness. The church service was heartwarming, with former employees traveling from as far away as Oregon to attend. A graduate of Saratoga High School, David is survived by parents Bob and Barbara Howell and sister Suzi Hellwege and her husband, Brian. In the past few years, David had put together three cookbooks, on sale at Safeway, with proceeds to the Easter Seal Foundation. This project united his love of cooking with his caring-for-others quality. Personable, helpful and cheerful were some of the main ingredients in David's makeup, said friends and colleagues.

FEEDING THE HOMELESS at Julian St. Inn Center this month were Sent Sovi's David Kinch and Aimee Herbert. Warren Nelson delivers and serves meals there from local restaurants monthly as part of the Saratoga Presbyterian Church outreach program. Pastries from the French Roast Coffee on Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road provide the coup de grace. Every two weeks, Nelson picks up the frozen goodies from owner Mike Wampler to put the final panache on the Julian St. meal.

COVETED MEMBERSHIP: With a waiting list of eight years for new members to get in, you could say that membership in the Saratoga Men's Club is a long-awaited privilege. Membership is set at 175, so even members' sons have to wait their turns. Los Gatans and Monte Serenons can join, but that's geographically as far as this club goes. Last year's speakers included Robert Caret, president of SJSU; Ted Leland, director of athletics at Stanford University; Hans Ola Urstad, consul general of Norway; and Allan G. Lindh of the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park. Marshall (Randy) Hall is the new president of the club; he's a fifth-generation Santa Clara Valley resident. Clayton Bruntz (son of local historian George G.) was elected vice president and Sandy Frederickson, secretary. Joe Cusick is past president.

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