Not all jobs are dirty. Collecting garbage in Gourmet Alley at the Garlic Festival is. The grease on the plastic wrap from the 50-pound blocks of butter gets smeared all over your hands and arms. I know about this; I worked the alley.
In an effort to help the coffers of my son’s Boy Scout troop, I volunteered to do the dirty deed on Sunday at the Garlic Festival. To avoid the hair net rule, I supported another charity effort and bought a Gilroy Elks hat.
The Elks Lodge had a tidy little booth set up in the back streets of Gourmet Alley, promoting hats and their upcoming Casino Night. The backstreet festival in the alley of volunteers came with a busy getting-things-done camaraderie. From first-year newbies like me to 28-year veterans like Judy Filice, the work was off and on – the need arises to take a break and eat your weight in garlic bread and fresh fruit, and socialize with other do-gooders and ol’ boys.
Although there was an official contingent of quality-control managers, Val Filice kept a watchful eye on the proceedings. It was a well-run show with happy workers.
Glasses were raised to the efforts during the Christopher Garlic Evening Buffet Friday night at CordeValle. Leading one toast was radio personality Narsai David of KCBS Food News. Mr. David spoke for the room when he said, “Christopher Ranch is the soul of the Garlic Festival. Three cheers – hip, hip, hooray!” Glasses were raised (with Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay), and the cheerful celebration of 50 years of business continued.
Micki Pirozzoli had her turn with the microphone, stating with a grin, “I run the Garlic Festival, not Karen LaCorte! Just want to clear that up. Really, we’re the best of friends.” The room erupted with laughter, and the ladies took to their corners.
Next was funny man Bill Christopher with a wit as dry as the chardonnay.
“We haven’t done anything since Dad left the business,” Bill said. Then he went on to correct his dad’s estimate of imported Chinese garlic to only 5 percent. “The rest is California-grown,” Bill claimed.
Then came the sentimentality.
“My dad taught me if you are fair in business, then they’ll be fair with you,” he said. The room began nodding, and whispers of “true, true” filled the room.
The classiness of the Christopher family continued with a well-choreographed recognition of their guests as individual acknowledgments of each of their presence rotated through each speaker. We learned of Karen Christopher’s upcoming birthday, the celebration of Don’s brother Art and his wife Noreen’s anniversary, and Eric Kraus, the Christophers’ Los Angeles warehouse manager’s bachelor status (all inquiries should be directed to the Christopher Ranch HR department).
Sitting with Elaine, a Gilroy native who handles the Christopher Ranch East Coast sales, I thought for sure she was a girl from Queens.
“It’s all those years of dealing with guys like him,” Elaine said as Anthony Sharrino of Eaton & Eustis – a Boston Produce House sales manager – came over to hassle her, East Coast-style. Elaine is like Elaine, sans the Seinfeld sidekick – a very entertaining tablemate. She has even learned to pronounce it, “gawlic.”
Garlic was on the table at the gathering on Thursday evening of the Gilroy Sister City Committee and their guests at the Portuguese Hall. An open proponent of foreign exchange, Gilroy Mayor Al Pinheiro hosted the gathering of sister city dignitaries from Takko-machi, Japan, and Monticelli, Italy.
An early proponent of a sister city program, Phil Robb applauded the mayor’s support of the exchange. Robb has led many years of musical exchange with the countries represented Thursday night. Fresh from her trip to the Azores with her musical string players was Lori Franke and her husband, Martin. Lori raved about the beauty and friendliness of the mayor’s birthplace. She loved all of the Azores, but especially the island of San Miguel with its geysers and wonderful people, she said.
“Al got misty-eyed when I told him how wonderful the trip was,” Lori said.
The sister city board of directors knows this is the best part of all the hard work. The board includes Joanne Kramer, Dave Peoples, Al Pinheiro, and Libby and Ki Lye. Pinheiro announced a delegation heading to Sainte Claire, France, for their Garlic Festival.
“We pay our own way – make sure the Dispatch gets that in print!” Pinheiro said. Duly noted and printed.
By the way, Bill Christopher – I think they have an extra ticket to France if you’re game. Bon voyage.
Ciao for now.
