Principal Bob Bales with Teacher Carla Schloemp at Chili Cookoff
Friday, Feb. 5, was a hot time at Palooza Gastropub in Kenwood, as it was the site of the annual Kenwood School Chili Cook-off. Principal/Superintendent Bob Bales was there, sporting a Guy Fieri hairdo (nice try, Bob) and serving up his chili entry, Great Bales of Fire, which won first place in the adult division. The 4th grade class won in the kids' division, but it was the Kindergarteners who stole the show with their chili recipe, which, besides the usual ingredients, also listed raspberry Jell-O mix, a peeled, chopped green apple, 20 raisins, and three rectangles from a Hershey's chocolate bar. They called it Chili Licky Kicky Mickey. Yum!
Luka Armand, Principal for a Day
Also on Feb. 5, Luka Amand was Principal for a Day at Kenwood School, and she immediately extended recess for her classmates, a classic prerogative of the job. The fifth grader has her sights on U.C. Davis and becoming a veterinarian. She already tends to chickens, goats, two cows and a dog, and really loves animals. When not taking care of the menagerie, she loves playing soccer.Nancy and Jerry Fischman, who used to own Birmingham Bed & Breakfast (now Casa Bella) are packing up and heading east. They're moving to Durham, North Carolina, to be closer to their son and daughter-in-law. But not too close. The kids live in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but that's just too cold, so the Fischmans opted for Durham instead, which is where Nancy's sister lives. Jerry said the housing prices were just too good to be true. Anything is cheaper than California, he noted. Sad but true. The gregarious Jerry really loves Kenwood, and said he will especially miss walking to the Post Office, the Market, VJB, Ty Caton, and the Kenwood Press. We wish Nancy and Jerry all the best.
Lisa & Sean O'Conner Birthday at Superbowl
Lisa O'Conner is a Super Bowl baby, but not the kind in those NFL commercials from last week (the ones born nine months later). She was born in January of 1966, and her dad always kept track of how old she was with the Super Bowls. So if you do the math, that makes Lisa 50, and to celebrate, she and her husband Sean went to Super Bowl 50 at Levi Stadium last week. Sean entered a drawing for regular fans to buy tickets to the big game, and he won the option to purchase two tickets at face value. Since neither of them were rooting for the Broncos or the Panthers, they wore their 49er jerseys - Lisa had #16 Joe Montana, and Sean wore #8 Steve Young. While they were waiting to go in, the real Steve Young walked by, but Sean almost didn't see him because he was looking at his phone (Doh!) Lisa said that getting in and out of the stadium was surprisingly easy. She said, Other than spilling a $15 Lagunitas down my front when the Blue Angels made me look up (rooky move), it was a fabulous, sunny day It was my 50th birthday experience of a lifetime.Maurice Tegelaar is joining the board of Jack London Park Partners, the group that operates Jack London State Historic Park under the auspices of the Valley of the Moon Natural History Association. You'll remember that in 2011, VMNHA took over management of the state park which was slated for closure, and they have been doing a great job ever since. Maurice is a top real estate agent with Pacific Union. He has served as a member of the Scholarship Committee of the Sonoma Valley Chapter of Realtors, and is a former board member of the Kenwood Education Foundation. In 2013 he received the KEF's Big Heart award, and deservedly so.
We were sad to learn that Linus Maurer died last week, at the age of 90. His obituary is on page 5. Linus used to live at the end of Randolph Avenue, and he would always drop by the Press on his way to or from the Post Office. Linus' colorful and larger than life paintings grace the walls of many homes around here, and this one is a classic - it's called Mama Mia Mona Lisa. Rest in peace, Linus.
That's all for now. Thanks to everyone who sent in their news and photos. It's easy to do! If you have an item for Village Chat, you can email it to ann@kenwoodpress.com, or call 833-5155 and chat me up! - AQP