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Saratoga Sampler
Book-Go-Round offers tale of little dog lost
By Mary Ann Cook
DOG GO-ROUND: A poster at the Book-Go-Round announced that a little white dog with a blue collar was lost. Book-Go-Round volunteers Jane Alexander and Peggy Corr noted it when they were working their stint at the used book shop.
When Alexander headed home she ran into Cindy Ruby, who was posting a "found" sign near Oak Street School. And yes, the "found" sign was about a little white dog with blue collar. The bichon frisé dog had showed up on the Ruby porch two days before.
The Rubys have two boxer dogs, which may have been the attraction. The two women traded poster information and thus Ruby was able to contact the owner, who had newly moved. The dog was trailing a leash, and the boy who owned it had been searching for it for three hours, he said, upon retrieving the pet.
Everyone was so helpful, Ruby relates--the people at the Book-Go-Round, the postwoman on that route. Now the Book-Go-Round can pride itself on reclaiming pets, along with books.
HAKONE FUNDRAISER: Theme tables at the recent Hakone Gardens fundraiser were incredible, report Hakone Foundation members who attended. Some $25,000 was raised at the dinner, which will be used to help maintain the authentic Japanese gardens.
Some 24 tables were decorated to fantastic imaginative effect. Not many table settings you encounter have sod for the tabletop, but this one did. It was the work of Jillian Ring, who was co-chairwoman of the theme tables. Mother Goose on a revolving carousel and stuffed animals were part of the display too.
Artist Kay Duffy's placemats were all palettes she had handmade. Marge Bunyard's theme was birds of a feather with peacock feathers central--all 30 of 'em. Another standout was Bruce Parkinson's bachelor table, where the placemats were old blue jeans with a dying palm as centerpiece.
Cathy Foscato had a train theme; Don and Fran Miller's table was decorated African style, what with mosquito netting hung from a tree above. Allan and Becky Breed employed a sailing/fishing theme; Helen and Ralph Metcalf worked up an Indian motif; Marlene and Ron Duffin celebrated Italy, complete with dry pasta.
Earl and Donna Harris displayed Japanese carpentry tools at their table; Don and Jan Morgan had a panda table; Dodie Walker stayed true to the 49ers with her decor. The theme dinner saw many Japanese executives in attendance, too.
The Lamplighters presented operatic excerpts before the dinner and Cooper-Garrod supplied the wine. Lon Saavedra is executive director of Hakone and declared the event "the most successful we've ever had, in all kinds of ways."
THIRD-TIME CHARM: This is the third time I've been to a Hakone Moon Viewing sponsored by Saratoga Sister City and the first time I've actually seen the aforementioned moon. The other times clouds obscured the natural phenomenon.
Other years the subtle sounds of ancient flutes being played were sometimes overshadowed by the sounds of a concert at Montalvo or airplanes overhead.
This time the only competition was the clicking of myriads of crickets. I was told firmly it wasn't the sound of cicadas, which is how I would have pegged it. A magical evening at Hakone.
OPERA LECTURES: San Jose Opera Guild hosts lectures about upcoming operas in the season shortly before each opening. The next talk will take place on Oct. 7 at 10 a.m. at the Los Gatos History Club with Robert Glick shedding light on Lucia diLammermoor by Donizetti.
For more information call 408.395.8936. On Oct. 21 the lecture subject will be "The Tale of the Nutcracker," with Los Gatan Craig Bohmler the composer. Excerpts from the operas are presented and the lectures are better than the operas, comments opera lover Elle Stern.
SOLAR HOME TOUR: A solar home tour of 14 South Bay homes that employ solar energy will be held on Oct. 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Two of the homes are in Los Gatos-- the Barbara Ott home, whose solar design collects heat from the winter sun, and the Brendan Eich home, which converts sunlight into electricity via solar panels.
The Northern California Solar Energy Association is the sponsor; registration deadline is Oct. 7. The number to call is 510.869.2759, or check the website at www.norcalsolar.org.
BEST OF SHOW: A painting by Dawn Hart-Kocsis has won yet another best of show--this one from Northern California Arts Inc.'s "Bold Expressions" exhibit in Carmichael. The long-titled painting also won best of show from the Las Vegas Arts Council's "Faces of Woman" regional art exhibit in Las Vegas, N.M.
And it won an Award of Merit from the California State Fair art exhibit in Sacramento this summer. Its title: "A Joyful Heart Is Good Medicine but a Broken Spirit Dries Up the Bones--It's the Heart That Matters."
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
