Under a gorgeous tent with billowing silks of purple, Heritage
Bank of Gilroy celebrated its new location downtown last Thursday
with a smashing reception.
Under a gorgeous tent with billowing silks of purple, Heritage Bank of Gilroy celebrated its new location downtown last Thursday with a smashing reception. Bruce Williams, Vice President and Gilroy Branch Manager, greeted 350 guests, offering a tour of the new branch inside the Heritage Building and catered nosh inside the opulent tent. Williams pleaded with his single employees to “quick, get married and we’ll double the event with a wedding reception” – but there were no takers. Instead, the residents of the Heritage Building Condominiums (some call it McNamara Towers-but mostly Scotty Mac) strolled down from the upper floors to enjoy the eats, drinks and music.

Condo owners Russ Charling, Cermando Sanchez, Nina Paraders, Mariana Koroman, Gavin Tiotta and penthouse owner Sean McNamara gathered to discuss future parties. Hoping to make a football career comeback, McNamara discussed his recent try-out with the SaberCats Arena Football Team in San Jose. Scott McNamara, Sean’s dad, proudly spoke of his son’s accomplishments during his football career with San Jose State. Training camp begins in January with the Cats and Gilroy looks forward to having another pro-player launched. Cross your fingers and kiss your garlic!

The roasted garlic on the burgers called sliders were tasty to all who attended. Thanks to Golden Oak Restaurant’s Chef Socrates Diego (that’s as good a name as Napoleon Dynamite!) everyone raved over the eats, and party planners Diane Sedlak and Rebecca Levey were satisfied their efforts were appreciated. The cool names abounded – like Chloe Flowers, Jennifer Szyndrowski and Alice Kwiecien. Al and Vilma Pinheiro presided over the table with Tom Valenta, Luciano Toste, Carol and Jack Peters, Shirley Willard and Gilroy Chamber of Commerce President Susan Valenta.

The Guinness supply is now depleted in Morgan Hill as the Sister-City contingent from Headford, Ireland, had their last party at Bernie Mulligan’s Pub on the Lake Friday. Never short on jokes or a song, the Headford group settled into the night at Bernie’s, who’s house is literally decorated in Pub motif. Mairead Berrill found the piano and slowly the instruments found their way out of their cases and the joint was jiggin’!

Stories from their week in Morgan Hill circulated with the funniest one about three of the male musicians who found themselves trying to walk home from the Morgan Hill Tavern during a wee-hours-in-the-morning closedown to their host family’s house. Lead by the fearless Irish Braveheart, Fiachra Craddock (we call him “Feef”), the three set out down Dunne Avenue thinking they were on Main Street. After a short while a couch on the sidewalk appeared in the distance with what looked like a price tag of $4,000. “Feef,” being the discerning Irishman that he is, thought that because of its expensive price, the couch would be a good place to take a load off and sleep a bit. As the story continues (told by Feef during a pint at the party), the three lost Headfordites huddled for warmth. Around 6:30am, they made a call to Bill Lewis, their host Dad, to pick them up. Upon awaking, they noticed the sign on the couch read $40.

After looking for the couch to take a picture, I noticed it is gone. If anyone knows the whereabouts of this fine couch, please e-mail me as we might try to send it to Headford as a memento. As the Irish would say, “tanks.”

Ciao for now.

Have an event coming up or a hot tip for Mary Anne? E-mail it to

hi*********@gi************.com











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