Saratoga Sampler
Newcomers are still hanging out together
By Mary Ann Cook
TOTS AND NOTS: A group of seven women who met 14 years ago as part of the Los Gatos-Saratoga Newcomers have remained so close throughout the years that they even vacation together. Some of the originals have moved away, but the core group still tries to convene yearly.
The most recent excuse for a reunion was prompted by a one-woman cabaret show in New York performed by one of the group, Mary Eibeler, who now lives on Long Island. The show was a benefit for Alzheimer's, in tribute to her mother, who had recently died of that disease.
Called Come Dream With Me, the show was a potpourri of 17 songs. Eibeler has been active in community theater since her move and now has an agent and a voice coach, who arranged the show. The out-of-towners spent five days in the Big Apple.
Besides the Eibeler show they took in the Guggenheim, the Elton John musical Aida and the sights at Rockefeller Center. Since the group met when all were members of Moms & Tots, they now call themselves Moms & Nots, because the tots are now college-aged.
Both with and without the rest of their family the M&Ns have been to Boise, Nantucket and a cruise to Mexico. Those still in Saratoga are Cindy Hartsfield, Rita Witmer, Elaine Pfeifer and Sandy Deagman. Nearby is Cupertinian Cheryl Richey. Nancy Richards now lives in Chattanooga.
ON THEIR TOES: We all know how hard it is to find housing in this valley. And it's even more of a tightly wedged, shoe-horn proposition when you're in the arts, because those jobs are traditionally lower paying ones.
That's why it's incredible news that four of the dancers in the fledgling Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley company have found places to rent in Los Gatos. They are Zuri Goldman, Daniel Gwatkin, Todd Fox and Jenni Chiarelli.
Fox will be dancing the role of the Prince in The Nutcracker in some performances, the love interest of Maria, being played by Dalia Rawson, who grew up in Saratoga. And Gwatkin is playing the Mouse King in those performances.
ENTER THE GUARDSMAN: With music written by Los Gatan Craig Bohmler, Enter the Guardsman plays at the San Jose Rep through Jan. 7. The musical is based on a romantic farce by Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnar, is set in decadent, turn-of-the-[19th] century Vienna, and examines erotic and romantic love.
Witty, ironic and very realistic, its director, Lillian Garrett Groag, calls it. Bohmler is the composer, musical director and conductor for this production. The play won an international competition in Denmark in 1997, and will be on Ashland's bill of fare in 2001, the first musical ever to be presented by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
CULINARY OLYMPICS: Just when you thought you knew about all the Olympics categories comes another round the bend. This one is the Culinary Olympics, held every four years in Germany and Terry Borge, raised in neighboring Campbell, won the gold.
She created an 18-inch-high chocolate sculpture captioned Eve Facing the Garden of Temptation. Borge heads the pastry/baking division of the Golden State Culinary School in Roseville. Her mother is Jeanette Watson, the mayor of Campbell.
Watson was shopping at the Travel Store in Los Gatos, which is where we caught up with her. She made that a requisite stop before flying to Germany to witness her daughter's triumph. The U.S. team captured three team gold medals, competing against 35 other countries.
TREE TRIMMER TIMES 15: When you're getting out your wreaths and holly and bedecking the house you may think you're really knocking yourself out. Until you hear about the handiwork of a dedicated Christmastreephile, someone like Martha Hoffman.
Hoffman adorns about 15 artificial trees each holiday season throughout her home and has for years. Each tree illustrates a different theme. The custom started when she inherited her parents' and grandparents' ornaments and displayed these family treasures on two trees in the family room.
Since Hoffman taught for years at Marshall Lane School she had untold number of handmade gifts from students, so that led to student-designed trees. Then, there were special events that needed to be acknowledged: the Capitol Engagement tree, for one.
That has mementos of the Hoffmans' engagement in Washington, D.C., festooned thereon. Then there are trees to commemorate each of three grandchildren. Naturally, the millennium warranted a tree. Husband Russell is a musician, so one tree has a musical motif.
The largest tree is a huge flocked beauty in the living room that's decorated with Victoriana. Retired now, Hoffman wonders how she managed that much decorating when she was still teaching. She can't imagine how, except that she's a night owl--and loves going ape over Christmas trees decor.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
