Local orthodontist, Michael Stepovich, hosted his annual roller
skating party at San Jose Skate last Thursday night to a record
crowd of 443 free-wheelin’ metal mouths. Stacks of pizza boxes
arriving with fresh hot pies fed the famished crowd while an
all-you-can-drink soda bar quenched the thirst of skating
patients.
Local orthodontist, Michael Stepovich, hosted his annual roller skating party at San Jose Skate last Thursday night to a record crowd of 443 free-wheelin’ metal mouths. Stacks of pizza boxes arriving with fresh hot pies fed the famished crowd while an all-you-can-drink soda bar quenched the thirst of skating patients.
After the traditional ice cream bar the drum roll of skates announced the prize drawing of the night of a complete Wii System. Emily Chagnon of Morgan Hill was the Wii winner.
According to Debra Miller, a fifth-grade teacher at San Martin Gwinn Elementary, “most of life’s lessons can be found in Harry Potter.” Miller was a featured “live” reader Saturday morning at Booksmart Bookstore in Morgan Hill. Stopping by on Friday night, Booksmart owner Cinda Meister gave me a peek at the boxes of books stored in the back room but not a peek at the last chapter. During Saturday’s party Ellen LaPointe (mother of local ballet teacher Juliette LaPointe) and her daughter Janelle LaPointe both played the HP character, Professor Trelawney, offering psychic and tarot card readings among the bookcases in the back of the store. Janelle did a wonderful Gwyneth Paltrow-type English accent that had me fooled into believing she was a Brit. And she stayed in character! Robin Beckle brought her ball python, Monty, along with a 9-foot red-tailed boa-in-a-gym-bag. The boa was restricted to the gym bag. Personally, I wanted to see her all stretched out but then again I speak parsel-tongue. Evan Franklin, a fourth-grader from Oakwood Country School had no fear of either snake as he dressed the part of Harry and wandered the stacks for more books to read.
Hatching out of an idea from San Juan Bautista residents Naomi Medina and Margot Tankersley, the San Juan Bautista Chamber of Commerce hosted its first annual chicken festival in downtown San Juan last Saturday afternoon. Happy to emcee the event was native son Joe Cousins and chefs Ron Vaccarezza, Larry Cain and county supervisor Anthony Botellho battling the heat on the old mission barbecue pits, roasting tender chicken for the gathering crowd.
Dressed in fine vintage inspired clothing, child models Samira Snodey, Emily Burge, Ruby Hill, Marvie Hill and Jennifer Oteri, among others, posed for pictures on the catwalk along the old west streets outside of Mrs. B’s Z-Place.
Patricia Bains, owner of Mrs. B’s, produced an elegant affair. Margot’s ice cream was popular and 8-year-old Christina Bless of Hollister found the pink of the strawberry flavor went perfect with her pink cowgirl hat and western-style pink shirt.
It seemed the only way to beat the heat Saturday was to ignore it. Pepe Rivera, head chef at Doña Esther Restaurant, briefly escaped the kitchen to join others on the street for a bit of Latin dancing to the fabulous rhythms of Johnny Espinosa’s Band while Candy Jam played on the opposite end of downtown.
Aztec dancers Gerardo Salinas and Niko Rios danced to a different drum as Salinas pounded out the traditional rhythms for the feathered family.
In a town whose roaming fowl population is famous, I saw very few on the streets Saturday. I think they received the memo about the barbecue.
Roaming through the streets and restaurants of Morgan Hill last Saturday night were Atherton residents George and Darleen Shaheen.
The Shaheens shared the table next to us in the bustling Maurizio’s. A quick Google search and I found Shaheen deserves a rest after serving as chief executive officer of Andersen Consulting. Welcome to South County.
Ciao for now.
