Saratoga Sampler

Wedding was like a page out of history

By Mary Ann Cook

POIGNANT SETTING: Peter Stine and Ann Chrisney were married in Hakone Gardens Aug. 22, a place very familiar to Stine because it was the home of his grandmother, Isabel Stine, who had Hakone built, and many memorable family gatherings were held there.

Both bride and groom are conservation biologists in Sacramento. The setting, which had figured so strongly in landmark occasions in Stine's life, was a natural choice for this union. Besides which, he's an avid gardener.

Stine's twin sister, Jacqueline Brentano Stine, was our informant. She has been active in Hakone affairs for many years, serving on the foundation's board of directors, for one. Other celebrants at the wedding included Peter's daughters, Julia and Erica Stine DeVitto and Ann's son, Gavin Marsh. Julia and Erica are the only great-grandchildren of the late Isabel Stine.

WELCOME, SISTER CITY STUDENTS: The Saratogas Sister City organization welcomed four students from Japan at a potluck dinner in the community center recently. Five Saratoga students were just back from their adventures in Muko and now their Japanese counterparts were playing guest here in return.

Each of the Saratoga student travelers spoke briefly about their impressions of Japan and introduced their Japanese guests. "It was 90-degree weather and 90 percent humidity, said Ben Huang, about his visit to Muko's City Hall.

"I saw an amazing play by the shortstop at a baseball game and started clapping madly. I was the only white person in the stadium and the only one clapping," said an embarrassed Robin Gill. "After that, I only clapped when others did."

Brady Moran toured Monkey Mountain, was getting discouraged about ever seeing a single monkey, until all of a sudden he was facing at least 400 of the playful creatures.

Yenlie Wang felt she had made friends for life, and David Yin said the Saratoga students were treated like "really important people," and said she was impressed with how kind and generous their host families were.

While they were in the Bay Area, the Japanese students toured San Francisco, Stanford University, Montalvo, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and enjoyed a swim party and barbecue held in their honor in a private home.

KINDERMUSIK: Piano teachers from the western states and Asia converged at the Saratoga School of Piano last week to attend a week-long workshop given by internationally renowned music educator Lorna Heyge.

Dr. Heyge's innovative and child-centered Musikgarten Series for children from birth to 7 years old is now being taught at the School of Piano. Heyge is the original author of Kindermusic for the Young Child and Kindermusik Beginnings.

She is the president of the Foundation for Music-Based Learning and publisher of the distinguished journal Early Childhood Connections: Journal of Music and Movement-Based Learning. Local children were invited to attend demonstration classes taught by Heyge.

Kerstin Stone is owner/director of the Saratoga School of Piano.

SYMPHONY GALA: Saratogans Marie Low and Cathy Gillum are publicity purveyors for the San Jose Symphony Gala to be held Sept. 18. Opera star Kathleen Battle and the San Jose Symphony will perform at the Center for the Performing Arts.

Before the concert, gala-goers will dine in a tent in Discovery Meadow outfitted as "A Night of Renaissance." The wearing of period costumes is encouraged. For reservations and ticket information call the symphony box office at 288-2828. Tickets are $250 for dinner, dancing, dessert, concert and the live auction. Tickets for the concert only are $25, $50 and $75.

BALTIC RETURNEES: It was a wonderful trip, say the 40 folks who went on the Sister City-sponsored Baltic cruise on Holland America's ship Rotterdam. The cruise left from London and ended in Copenhagen and was nearly three weeks long.

Vacationers started early and stayed on for three extra days in Denmark. Some high points, as reported by Louise Webb: the Hermitage and climbing the 70 steps to the Yusupop Palace in St. Petersburg, where a private opera performance awaited.

Caviar and champagne were served, and hussars and ladies-in-waiting greeted guests on the steps, so "you felt you were back in 19th-century [aristocratic] Russia under the czars," says a bedazzled Webb. Ed Stahl marshaled the Baltic-gawking troops, aided by Frank Riddle and Ron Gemberling, among others.

ZUCCHINI ANYONE?: Looking carefully around you can see the results of the many vegetable gardens that dot the Saratoga landscape. Home gardeners are busy harvesting all that home-grown produce by this time of year. Tomatoes that are real, not the kind designed to withstand early harvesting and packaging, is the typical goal of most amateur growers. And there's the usual outpouring of the ubiquitous and much-too-proliferating zucchini.

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Photo: Courtside Tennis team