YOU KNOW THEIR SHOES: The brothers Florsheim are two Central Valley homebuilders who grew up in Saratoga. Their names are Bob and David Florsheim, and their development firm is called Florsheim Homes. They started in 1983, after college days, and have built thousands of homes between Stockton and Merced.
At this point they build approximately 300 homes a year. Their great- grandfather was the founder of the Florsheim Shoe Company in Chicago in the late 19th century, so the name may sound familiar. Since their mother, Mary Florsheim, still lives in Saratoga, they continue to have strong ties to the Saratoga community.
A-A ARTIST EXHIBIT: The work of Saratogan Maryln Mori will be exhibited along with nine other Asian American women artists at the San Pablo Arts Gallery Oct. 5-Nov. 17. A reception for the artists will be held Oct. 12. Gallery hours are limited, so Anne Austin, at 510.836.2663, is the one to call for times.
Mori also continues to show her work at the Amaury St. Gilles Gallery at the Hapuna Prince Hotel on the island of Hawaii. Another Mori, Tobin, Saratoga High '88, recently released his second CD, titled For 100 We Try Harder. His band is called ee. For a sample of his music, log onto www.eetheband.com.
Other band members are Che Chou, bassist; Peter Nguyen, drummer; and Sooyoung Pak, guitars. "There's a whole new world of music out there," his mother comments, though she confesses to being out of the loop.
Tobin graduated from UC-San Diego with a degree in world literature and now works in computer programming.
LATER VIEWING: The Saratoga Sister City Association's moon viewing at Hakone was moved back an hour because the governor's wife had scheduled an event there that wasn't quite finished. That's the governor of California, not the governor of Hakone, if there were such a title, you understand. At any rate, the later hour proved fortuitous.
This year you could actually see the moon because it had risen high enough to be in plain sight. Usually the trees or clouds obscure the moon up until the time the party breaks up.
HARPIST DUO: Two youthful harpists entertained the folks at the Saratoga Senior Center fundraising tea recently. The two are sisters Joy Wan, 11, and Noel Wan, 8. Joy is a member of the San Francisco Youth Orchestra, and both are students of Saratogan Linda Rollo. Rollo played with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra and has given harp lessons here for a number of years.
FOR THE HEART: Robert and Richard Patane, owners of Hammerheads Fish House in Westgate, donated 15 percent of all sales made on a recent Sunday to the American Heart Association (AHA) in memory of their parents, Salvatore and Lola Patane.
Both of their parents died from heart disease, so the benefit was a good fit, and coincided with the AHA Heart Walk at West Valley College. Their father was the original chef at Scoma's on Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco.
Richard was in banking and Robert was studying law when they decided to go into business with their father.
ASSISTANCE LEAGUE: The new officers of the Assistance League of Los GatosSaratoga are Jan Ehrhardt, president; Sally Burke, secretary; Liz Iverson, vice president, membership; Carole DeSantis, vice president, philanthropy; Kathy Duryea, vice president, fundraising; Linda Krain, chairman, education; Kristine Burke, treasurer; Cynthia Snelham, chairman, public relations; and Chrystie Desoto, parliamentarian.
The assistance league's good works focus on clothing for needy children, encouragement for hospitalized children and programs for older adults.
SOME LIKE IT HAUTE: The Junior League's Some Like it Haute Fashion Show fundraiser will be held Oct. 10 and 11 at the San Jose Fairmont. Saratogans modeling in the extravaganza of Nordstrom fashions are Susan Bozzini, LiLinda Carta-Samuels, Jennifer King and Sandy Baker.
The Bakers have made it a family event: Husband Jerry and daughter Lauren will also be modeling. The league office can be contacted at 408.264.5917; the website is located at www.jlsj.org.
POETRY WINNER: A former writer for the Saratoga News, Diana Clarke, has won the Talba Wallis Poetry Prize of $500, beating out more than 100 entries. Clarke, now living in Citrus Heights, was the test facilitation coordinator at De Anza College, tutored at Harker Academy and taught at an InnVision homeless shelter.
PRICE IS RIGHT WINNER: College student Chris Drew was a winner on the TV show "The Price is Right" in a show that aired last week. Drew is a student at USC, much to the dismay of his UCLA-grad grandparents Jack and Mary Lou Taylor. Chris claims he was in a daze for most of the program.
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By Mary Ann Cook