Photograph by Kathy De La Torre
Among the kitchens that will be shown on the Hillbrook Autumn Kitchen Tour is this one in the Monte Sereno home of Gary and Jill Sullivan.
Autumn Kitchen Tour is in good taste
By Shari Kaplan
The recipe they served up last year turned out so well that they're doing it again--and people are already making reservations to sample this year's wares.
The recipe for success is the second annual Autumn Kitchen Tour, that takes place on Oct. 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It's a fundraiser for Los Gatos' Hillbrook School, an independent coeducational day school founded in 1935.
Cooking up this alternative to the school's former fundraisers were Hillbrook moms Jenniffer Lewicki and Sheri Wolfgram. They're co-chairing the event this year as well.
"The 1999 tour was a great success--from the large amount of attendees, to the wonderful homes, to the outstanding cooperation from merchants, Hillbrook parents and others, who helped organize the tour," says Lewicki, adding that this year's tour promises to be more of the same.
The tour centers around guided tours through eight kitchens in the vicinities of Monte Sereno and Los Gatos. It offers a personal peek into real families' kitchens, which exhibit a wide variety of floor plans, styles, design trends and materials.
"The differences in the true custom cabinetry among the various kitchens are tremendous--from natural woods and stains to faux painting," Wolfgram says of the materials angle. "All of these kitchens prove that the kitchen itself is no longer another boxy room, but rather an architectural feat in design and function."
The homes that contain the kitchens are also flavored by many different architectural styles. One home was remodeled with Tuscany-style decor; another is a contemporary Mediterranean mansion on stately grounds. There are also some ranch-style homes; a custom home built with a European flair by a Dutch immigrant; and a Mediterranean villa with a French country kitchen.
As part of the tour, Hillbrook has printed a program for participants that details the homes and kitchens, and carries ads for providers of home-related goods and services. The program also provides information about Hillbrook.
Advance tour tickets are available for $40 each at Fiori's card shop, 728 Blossom Hill Road, and at the Rose Collection, 155 N. Santa Cruz Ave.--both in Los Gatos. Tickets on the tour date are $45 each.
Free tour parking is available at La Hacienda Inn and Restaurant, 18840 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road. A free shuttle service leaves continuously from La Hacienda from 10 a.m. through 2 p.m. A personal chauffeur is also available at an additional charge.
An optional La Hacienda buffet lunch is available for an additional $16. Served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the menu includes herb and cheese ravioli, sautéed chicken and vegetables, three types of salads, rolls and butter, fresh fruit and beverages. Reservations are recommended.
The tour takes approximately three hours to view all eight homes. The tour also features a raffle, as well as boutique items at some of the homes. No photography or smoking is allowed. Babies carried in parent's arms and children are not permitted. Low-heeled walking shoes are recommended.
For more information, call 408.356.0837, or visit www.hillbrook.org/announcements/kittour.htm on the Internet.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
