Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Main Street

Mary Ann Cook

Food question put Cathy Landers in jeopardy

ON JEOPARDY: Cathy Landers was on Jeopardy and made it to the semifinals in the College Championship round of the TV show. Cathy placed second on her second appearance, so wasn't a contender in final Jeopardy. However, she racked up the most points of any of the 15 contenders during the first week of the competition--14,001. She's still annoyed at missing the huevos rancheros question, since she's fluent in Spanish and knows her food. An avid Jeopardy fan, she's the fourth of five daughters to go to UC-Berkeley. The grads are Patty Gonser, Virginia Dowd and Victoria Thielmann. The youngest, Susie, is a junior, joining senior sister Cathy.

SMOKING STORY: What with smoking in disrepute, positive takes on the habit are hard to come by, but here's one: the award-winning smokers at the Los Gatos Meats and Smoke House at 575 University Ave. The shop won three awards this year from the California Association of Meat Processors: a second for fresh sausage; and thirds for their jerky whole muscle and marinated chicken breast. In the 1997 competition the Smoke House won the Grand Champion Award, top prize, for its bone-in ham.

John and Donna Chiala own and operate the store and have for seven years. Brian Chiala is operations manager, and daughters Jackie and Danielle are in the thick of things, too, what with wild-game storage, custom processing and catering trays.

FAREWELL LUNCH: Lita and Gordon Langloises were treated to a farewell luncheon by friends recently at Los Gatos Lodge. Longtime Los Gatos residents, the Langlois are moving to Murrieta in Riverside County. Lita worked for the Chamber of Commerce from 1978 to 1992.

Donna Mahin and Carolyn McWhirter organized the farewell fete for some 20 people, most of whom are active in the aerobics class the Langloises faithfully attended at the Los Gatos Athletic Club. Their home on Hernandez, oft-named most outstanding Victorian in Los Gatos, was the site of many memorable parties, relates McWhirter with a regretful sigh.

WIND ANNIVERSARY: This wind wasn't an ill one and blew plenty of bodies good at the 40th anniversary concert of the San Jose Wind Symphony. Premiered at the May 17 performance was a symphonic band piece commissioned by the symphony and composed by Los Gatan Craig Bohmler.

In other Bohmler news, he and his cohorts are awaiting angels-- Broadway angels anyhow. Samples from their musical, Enter the Guardsman, were presented in New York last week.

SCOUTS' TRUST: Loren McQueen has put land he owns on Mt. Umunum in trust for the Boy Scouts, announces Knowlton Shores. The land is near the radar station on the Santa Cruz side, and you can spot it from Highway 17. The Scouts have used it for years for overnight wilderness hikes from Los Gatos to Umunum and back. McQueen feels he's gotten so much out of scouting that he wants to give something back--in perpetuity.

FOLLIES: You never know when or where a Ziegfeld Follies star will show up. This one is Alvina Casucci, who appeared on Broadway for 11 years, starting in 1931. She worked at the Silver Slipper and in Billy Rose shows, and she has a flood of memories to relate.

She was named Miss Broadway at one point in her career. She lives at Lincoln Glen Manor in Willow Glen but was temporarily housed at Terrino Gardens Skilled Care in Los Gatos for rehab, and that's where our informant found her.

GOLDEN JUBILEE: Sister Jeannette Marie Bolce was one of six Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary who are still very active in their ministry and who celebrated their golden jubilees recently in a Eucharistic liturgy at St. Theresa Church in Oakland. The church was packed with family and friends.

Sister Jeannette Marie has served in support services and prayer ministry in the Sisters' Convent and Care Center in Los Gatos for the past 36 years. She entered the novitiate in 1946 and took final vows in Los Gatos in 1953 at the Convent of the Holy Names, which had been constructed just the year before.

POPS CONCERT: "Anything Goes" is the theme for the choir concert May 28-29 at 8 p.m. at Los Gatos High School. The Fisher Middle School choir will perform, as well as the high school choirs. Diana Pleasant is show director and department chair, and Jeanne Aikman is set designer. Tickets at $10 reserved, $8 general, benefit the high school music program. Ticket discount before May 26. Call 354-2730, ext. 240.

OPERA LOVERS: No question there are opera lovers aplenty in this area. Jean Nelson reports that the last concert of the season for the Los Gatos-Saratoga Community Concert Association was packed, and Opera San José singers received a standing ovation. Three sopranos and seven tenors and baritones were the performers. The high school auditorium holds some 400.

KID LIT ALERT: A new group for those who write children's books will meet May 28. Call Linda Baxter at 395-6676.

CHORUS: The Garden City Barbershop Chorus performance last weekend at the high school benefited the Wildcat Marching Band.

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