The Saratoga Historical Foundation and the city's heritage preservation commission will co-host a potluck dinner there.

Sen. Phelan will be entertaining a notable cast of characters in a skit written by Lynne Denman, Willys Peck and Nancy Anderson. It's anyone's guess just "Who's Coming to Dinner in Saratoga?"

Bring a hot dish or salad to share, plus plate, cutlery, napkins and beverage. Coffee, tea and cookies will be provided. The contact is Anderson at 408.867.4383. The North Campus is on the south side of Prospect near the Highway 85 overpass. Drive through to the large parking lot in the rear.

FULBRIGHT NO. 2: Carol Schmid, a '65 grad of Saratoga High, is teaching sociology in Latvia on a Fulbright Scholarship, the second one she has received so far. She is married to Switzerland native Peter Schmid, whom she met when both were students at UC-Santa Cruz.

Since then Carol has acquired a law degree, as well as a doctorate and master's in sociology from McMasters University in Canada, and written two books. The first, Conflict and Consensus in Switzerland, published in '81, explores how multicultural societies, such as those in Canada and Switzerland, can live productively.

Her more recent book is The Politics of Language, available at the Saratoga Library and at Stanford Bookstore. The former Saratogan has won various grants, including a humanities grant and a National Science Foundation grant.

Earlier, Carol received a Fulbright and was a guest of the German government while she was researching the Green Party. The family, composed of husband and son, is based in Greensboro, N.C., when not fulfilling a Fulbright.

Carol's parents are Bill and Martha Thomas. Bill taught at Sunnyvale middle schools and is now retired, and Martha was also a teacher. The Thomases have been married for 62 years and have three sons—Jim in Sunnyvale, Don in Ben Lomond and Bob in Santa Cruz. Bill Thomas serves on the board of the youth hostel at Sanborn Park.

RIVERS OF CHOCOLATE: The seventh annual Rivers of Chocolate benefit held at the Mountain Winery one recent Sunday had to overcome rivers of potential disasters that Mother Nature inflicted but emerged with happy statistics. The forecast was for rain or even possible snow up that high.

Rain hid for the afternoon, but not that morning: havoc ensued as the power went out while purveyors were setting out their wares in the rearranged configurations. Obviously nothing could be stationed out of doors. Exhibitors hunkered down in professional fashion, reports Bea Lopez.

Lopez is executive director of Social Advocates for Youth, the beneficiary of the event. Despite the weather and the economy, underwriting in in-kind services was decidedly up this year. Social Advocates for Youth serves at-risk youngsters with housing, counseling, training and job placement.

ALL THAT JAZZ: Jazz singer Dee Daniels will perform with the West Valley College jazz band April 27 at 8 p.m. in the college theater. Tickets are $15, $10 for students. Profits will be used for scholarships and to fund guest artists and speakers. For more information, call 408.741.2460 or visit www.westvalleyjazz.org.

Daniels will teach a master class the next day at 10 a.m. at the theater on the various aspects of singing jazz. "This is a terrific opportunity for our students to learn from a singer with a four-octave range," says Gus Kambeitz, director of the jazz band. "Now that her children are grown, we'll all be hearing more about her."

Daniels sings blues, gospel and jazz and often accompanies herself on the piano. She has produced four CDs: Her latest is Feels So Good!

FASHION CELEBS: Roger Craig, former 49ers great, made a special runway appearance at "Simply Gorgeous," a fashion show luncheon that benefits University of the Pacific's School of Dentistry Pediatric Clinic. Also gracing the catwalk was Dr. Rene Dell'Acqua, who was Mrs. California of '01 and first runner-up for Mrs. America.

Other models were dental school alumni, faculty and friends. Bonnie Kwong, a director of the Pacific Dental Education Foundation, and Dr. Susan Bittner, president of the Children's Dental Health Care League, have chaired this event, held at the Fairmont San Francisco, since '97. Both are Saratogans.

SECRETS: Saratogan Catherine Burr will read from and sign copies of her latest book, Silicon Secrets, at Borders Books in Los Gatos on April 24 at 7 p.m. Silicon Secrets, which uses the dot-com boom as its background, promises adventure and intrigue. Her first book was the lighthearted Motherhood is Not for Wimps, written with her sister.

Got a tip for Saratoga Sampler? Send email to maryanncook@earthlink.net.