Oh, what a glorious party! Oh, what a glorious day! The weather
gods did it again.
Oh, what a glorious party! Oh, what a glorious day! The weather gods did it again. Delighted and intrigued to get my first glimpse of the Chiala Estate, known as The Fountain Oaks, I joined the rest of the costumed Gatsby Crowd in perfect “Chamber of Commerce weather” and drove to the east Morgan Hill foothills, up the long, dirt driveway and back to the 1920s.
Parked on the expansive, enclosed front lawn of the mansion were motorcars that some people only get to dream of owning. A 1925 Pierce-Arrow Series 80 Runabout (complete with rumble seat) – driven down from Belmont, Calif., by its generous costumed owners, Alexia and Luther Gentry III – graced the lower lawn, adding the right amount of ambiance.
Hiram Morgan Hill surveyed the cars and greeted guests as more than 200 Gatsby players filed through the hedged entrance. Valet service opened doors, offering a steadying hand to the ladies.
The afternoon of gracious living in the sunny garden wasn’t complete until you stopped by the table of antique parasols, which were opened up to reveal the fabulous inner design, creating a moving art exhibition. Artist Marlene Amerian presented a pre-unveiling of the “Waiting for the Train” bronze statues depicting the Hill Family patiently answering questions about the bronze-casting technique.
Jack and Sylvia Huang joined the celebration of elegance as a way to get more involved with the community. Jack is assistant vice president of Heritage Bank and a student of Leadership Morgan Hill class of 2006.
Alice Chiala, no stranger to the estate grounds, floated gracefully around in a green and black period dress with matching antique parasol. Alice’s daughter, Christi Becerra, and daughter-in-law, Serena Chiala, remembered the many family events and parties of the past, and they promise the estate has many more to come.
Leadership Morgan Hill 2006 class member Suzanne Barrett enticed her party-shy husband, Perry, to the gathering with the chance to wear his period suit and black bowler. “They knew how to dress in those days,” Perry said.
Elena Moreno knew how to pull it all together wearing a gorgeous floral floor-length dress. Elena dated it to a wedding back in the ’60s, which proves classy is truly timeless. Stepping back in time, Elena’s son, Kim Moreno, played a convincing Charles Kellogg both in dialog and song. One could see the reason the Eastman-Kodak heiress, Gertrude Strong Achilles – the original owner of The Fountain Oaks – came to have such admiration for the bird-song guy who lived at the end of the lane.
Leadership Morgan Hill 2006 soon-to-be graduates supported the event en masse including Donna Foster, Maureen Drewniany, Daniel Ehrler, Jeff Camiel, David Conragen, Paige Riveron, Jerry Pyle and Live Oak High School Principal Nick Boden. Boden was a two-party man on Saturday, running from the afternoon picnic to chaperoning the annual Sadie Hawkins dance at Coyote Ranch in the evening. I still remember the hayrides.
If you missed the Gatsby event and want to enjoy more glorious outdoor time, check out Yogi Patel’s Miniature Golf Tournament from noon-4pm Sept. 30. This is an adult-only event with wine and beer served on the course, and putting instruction from Eagle Ridge Golf instructor Scott Kraus. Yogi promises great prizes, and a fun and festive atmosphere. For more information, call Yogi at (408) 838-4924.
Ciao for now.
