FASHION BITES: Local dentists named Bittner and dental parents named Kwong are among those Saratogans involved in the annual spring fashion show and luncheon at the San Francisco Fairmont April 5. The show benefits the Hutto Patterson Pediatric Clinic, where dental care is offered to children from low-income families.
The clinic is part of the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry in San Francisco, and local dentists involved are UOP grads. Saratogans Susan Bittner, Michi Bittner, Gerald Bittner Jr., Bonnie Kwong and Ken Kwong are on the fashion show committee.
The Bittners are an especially dentist-driven family: mother and father and three of four offspring are dentists, and all went to the UOP dental school. Susan and Gerald are retired, but their children carry on. Closest at hand is Gerald Jr. at a Saratoga Avenue office.
Other Bittner offshoots are Blair, whose practice is in Atherton, and Michi, in her first year of dental school at UOP. The fourth sibling, John, is a heretic: he's a developer.
The Kwong's son, Jeff, is a '92 grad of Saratoga High, and his dental practice is in San Francisco.
There is also a sprinkling of models from Saratoga involved in the show. These include Paula Bittner, wife of Jerry Jr., and Debbie Follmar, whose husband, Kenneth, is an oral surgeon.
Also, Angie Frangadakis, wife of Kenny Frangadakis, whose dental practice is in Cupertino. Another local model is Nava Fathi of Los Gatos, whose practice is in Gilroy. Then there are the celebs on the runway: Roger Craig, of 49er fame, is one of the models, as is San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown.
Children modeling include the Gerald Jr. and Paula Bittner children, Lauren, 10, and twins Chloe and Jerry III, who are 6. Women's wear featured in the show is by Betsey Johnson, men's fashions by Courtoue and children's by Dottie Doolittle.
A silent auction will also be part of the action. For more information, call 408.867.5343.
KEEPING HORSE RACING ON THE UP AND UP: William A. Bianco of Saratoga has been reappointed by the governor to the California Horse Racing Board. Bianco is the retired CEO of the Kinetic Group and is chairman of the Mechanical Contractors Foundation of America.
The Kinetic Group provides structural materials in support of the biotech, pharmaceutical and semiconductor industries. The horse racing board acts as a quasijudicial body. Its duties include enforcing laws related to racing, collecting money owed the state and licensing racing associations.
WEEKEND GETAWAY WIN: Even though Saratogan Judy Homen didn't win grand prize in Nestlé's Coffee-mate contest when she described her perfect mate (husband George), she was one of four runners-up, so the Homens did indeed win a getaway trip.
It's just that their trip will be a shorter one and closer to home, rather than a weeklong excursion to an island. (They also won a year's supply of Coffee-mate products.)
Nearly 50,000 romantics submitted stories about their perfect mates and why they deserved a getaway. More than 16,000 people cast votes on the Nestlé website.
George Homen owns and operates Sunrise Landscaping Maintenance in Saratoga.
TEATIME: The American Association of University Women Committee on Homeless Women and Children presents its 15th annual fundraising tea on April 5 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church, Saratoga Avenue. Doors will open at 12:45 p.m. for the silent auction action.
Students of Sondra Greene's Golden-Greene School of Irish Dancing will perform, and members of Saratoga High's California Scholastic Federation will serve the tea. Tickets to the benefit are $25. For more information or for tickets, call 408.867.0108.
SIERRA CLUB: Sierra Club's March 20 meeting at 7:30 p.m. will feature Joe Cernac's slide show about his Guatemala travels. Cernac spent two months exploring the volcanoes, jungles and pine forests of Guatemala and visiting Mayan descendants there. The meeting is at 7:30 p.m. at Harker School. The phone number is 408.554.0442.
Sierra Club members will be hiking Pinnacles National Monument's peaks and caves on March 30. There is the possibility of spotting a California condor. Hikers meet at Bear Gulch Visitor Center between 9:30 and 9:45 a.m. The leader is Teresa Nemeth, who can be reached at 408.296.5821 (after 9 p.m.).
RUSSIAN-STYLE RESCUE: A young Saratogan, driving home one recent weekend after a baby-sitting job, found herself in trouble. The car she was driving was smoking and coughing and gave evidence of catching fire.
Fortunately she was near St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, so she beat a hasty retreat there as the car flamed. Father Basil of the church had spotted her distress and was able to offer tea and succor. And drove her home.
Got a tip for Saratoga Sampler? Send email to
maryanncook@earthlink.net.
By Mary Ann Cook