Saratoga Sampler
Ackerman kicks off expressionist series
By Mary Ann Cook
EXPRESSIONISTS: Poet/naturalist Diane Ackerman will be the first in Villa Montalvo's Speakers Series, the Expressionists, on Sept. 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the Carriage House at the villa. The evening includes an hour-long program, a question and answer period and a reception following.
Her latest book, Green Thoughts in a Green Shade, will come out this fall. She is also the author of I Praise My Destroyer, Jaguar of Sweet Laughter and New and Selected Poems. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, the New York Times and other publications.
A PBS special was made in '85 from her book A Natural History of the Senses. Ackerman holds a doctorate and a master's from Cornell--and she has the unique distinction of having a molecule named after her.
Others in the Expressionist series are Anne Lamott on Oct. 29, and Terry Gross on Nov. 9. For reservations to the Ackerman lecture call Leslie Zane at 408.961.5858.
FASHION SHOW 2000: The Junior League's major fundraiser is its annual fashion show and many local folks are part of the planning and presentation. This year's event, Avenues of Style, is Oct. 19 and 20, at the San Jose Fairmont. Nordstrom is the clothing purveyor.
Committee chairpersons from Saratoga include LiLinda Carta-Samuels, Liz Dillon, Mary Kay Marvin, Debbie Simon and Katie McLarney. From Monte Sereno are Laura Brossart, Shauna Garzee, Lisa Duflock and Linda Graham.
And from Los Gatos: Deb Renee Cooley, Trudy Esrey, Jennifer Krach, Caroline Macnab, Marcia Riedle, Stacy D'Amico, Susan Kevorkian, Kris Lamson, Sally May and Dianne Van Voorhis.
Tickets for the fashion show are $70 for either of the luncheons and $150 for the Friday evening black tie gala. The fashion hotline is 408.264.5917, or website: www.jlsj.org.
OPERA GUILD: Larry Hancock, marketing director of Opera San Jose, opened the San Jose Opera Guild's fall lecture series, bringing Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky into vivid focus. The opera is based on an epic poem by Alexander Pushkin, the first man of letters in Russia.
Some 11 operas have used the Pushkin story as the starting point for a story of unrequited love, first for the heroine, Tatiana and six years later for the hero, Onegin.
As fascinating as that story is, the story of Pushkin's great grandfather is even more remarkable--and evidently true. He was an Abyssinian prince who was kidnapped at the age of 7 and given as a gift to Peter the Great of Russia, who raised him as his son.
In other opera news, the guild's fall gala will be held Sept. 26, at the St. Claire Hotel.
FLYIN' HIGH: Gary Niva of Monte Sereno is a licensed pilot who takes young people for demo rides as part of the Aviation Foundation's Young Eagles program. He has now given more than 400 youngsters a ride up into the blue in his plane.
The idea is to help young people discover the possibilities in the world of aviation. In his down-to-earth job Niva is a biology and chemistry teacher at Lynbrook High School. His son, Eric, is midway through his own pilot training. Gary's father was a crop duster in South Dakota, so Niva grew up with flying.
ORCHARD VOICES: Carolyn Downey will discuss her book Voices from the Orchard on Oct. 6, at 7 p.m. at the Los Gatos Library. The book is a compilation of 21 personal remembrances when prune pits, not computer chips, were the focus of most households. The stories are told from the point of view of those who worked the orchards and those who owned them, including Saratogan Vince Garrod.
REUNION: The 57th reunion of the Los Gatos High class of '43 will be Oct. 6 and 7, at the Toll House Hotel in Los Gatos. Both events start at 6 p.m. with no-host cocktails. Saturday dinner is at 7 p.m. at the Toll House. In those pre-SHS days, Saratoga youngsters went to LGHS.
Price for dinner is $40. For reservations, contact Pete Radonich, P.O. Box 642, Los Gatos, 95031.
NEW AT HAKONE: A new class at Hakone is origami with Yoshiki Hirabayashi. Five classes will be held beginning Sept. 16, from 1 to 3 p.m. at $10 per class. Bring regular typing paper for practice. To register, call 408.257.9685, or send a check to Hirabayashi at 10334 Dempster Ave., Cupertino, 95014.
SOPHISTICATED? YOU BET: On a city-guided walk through Nob Hill recently, the guide, who knew an impressive amount of California history, related that he was also a docent at Filolli. He said he had been amazed at the level of conversation of a class of fourth-graders that he was guiding through the mansion.
He overheard various members of the class debating the relative merits of cappuccino vs. latte. And when they talked about vacation trips they mentioned such far-flung destinations as Japan or Germany. Well, this fourth-grade class was from Saratoga, he added, as though that explained everything.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
