Beachcomber July2007.Pdf
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Muir Beach Neighborhood News Issue 238 July 2007 Before the Lagoon 9 x 12 by Tom Soltesz TABLE OF CONTENTS FROM THE EDITOR ANNOUNCEMENTS Before the Lagoon by Tom Soltesz 1 Dear Reader: Table of Contents 2 Some of you are reading your third free issue of the year. From the Editor 2 Beginning with the October issue, the Beachcomber will The Beachcomber Invites You to Announcements no longer distribute free copies to those households that TR Elliott Wine Tasting Invitation 3 don’t carry current subscriptions. We don’t have the an Evening of Wine Tasting funds to subsidize unpaid subscribers. Please subscribe by Mary Collier Turns 88 4 with Muir Beach Marriage 5 returning your remit envelope and keep up with the Muir Kate Brandt Graduates from Brown 5 Beach news. Questions? Call Ann Browning 383-2359. Theodore R Elliott A Journey with the Pelican Inn 6 Proprietor of The 35th Annual Firemen’s BBQ Next issue: October 2007 May 5th Work Party 7 Submissions Deadline: Sept. 17, 2007 Featuring 2005 “Queste” Russian River Valley Pinot Noir May 12th Work Party 8 See page 54 for Submissions Guidelines. May 19th Work Party 9 (available at restaurants, stores, and on the website) Barbecue Prep Week 10 Email: [email protected] and “Queste” Russian River Valley Pinot Noir May 26th Work Party & Volunteer Dinner 11 Drop: Beachcomber mailbox, south end of Mailbox Row BBQ Day 12 Mail: Beachcomber c/o Linda Gibbs, 2002, 2003, and 2004 (only available from Ted’s personal wine cellar) May 28th Post-Barbecue Cleanup Party 15 30 Sunset Way, Muir Beach, CA 94965 • 415.381.2515 BBQ Committee Chairs 16 Letters to the Editor Muir Beach Volunteer Firemen’s Association Saturday, September 15, 2007 The Beachcomber welcomes your letters. Community Fired Up Over Fire Tax 19 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Address to [email protected] with Letters to the Muir Beach Volunteer Fire Department Editor in subject line. Muir Beach Community Center Spotlight: Asst. Fire Chief Eric Groneman 20 MBVFD Incident Log 24 Support Those Who Support Us $35 per person; reservations required; seating limited. Cartoon 24 Many thanks to Dee Turman, Graphic Designer, for once again designing the Beachcomber without charge. This Muir Beach Quilters issue, as with the May newsletter, represents many hours Big Wheel Keep on Turnin’... 25 of professional graphic design work. Your generosity is To reserve space, please make your check payable to Photograph by Peggy Elliott Greater Muir Beach Neighbors stunning, Dee. Beachcomber. Drop in 30 Sunset mailbox or mail to: Back to Basics, Again 28 Linda Gibbs, 30 Sunset Way, Muir Beach, CA 94965. As this is a fundraiser for the Beachcomber, you Muir Beach Walkabouts 305 College View Drive Ollie: Where Are You on the Species List? 29 Rohnert Park, CA 94928 will be listed as a Friend of the Beachcomber in the 707.843.1625 newsletter. Please include a note indicating how you Muir Beach Community Services District [email protected] Supervisor Steve Kinsey Visits Muir Beach 31 Graphic Design & Illustration Services www.dturmanillustration.com would like your name listed or tell us if you would “Nothing is Certain but Death and Taxes” 35 prefer being listed as Anonymous or not at all. If you Government Inaction and Action 35 Hats off to printer Dave Semling, owner of Mill Valley do not give instructions, we will assume you would Verizon Wireless Franchise 36 Services, for contributing 4-color covers for a second like your name listed. Real Estate time. Providing color covers is a historical first for the Real Estate Tidbits & Misc. 37 Beachcomber and we appreciate your contribution, Dave. Muir Beach Garden Club Muir Beach Garden Club 38 Muir Beach Walker TR Elliott is dedicated to producing small lots of Hey, I’ve Been Thinking… 40 Ted inspects grapes from the 2006 harvest. Photograph by Nature Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley. Located in Peggy Elliott The Critter Report 41 the heart of Sonoma County, California, this grape- Natural Curiosities 42 growing region combines The Hummingbird and I 43 His search for the perfect bottle of wine began while The BEACHCOMBER is a community newsletter published by ideal soils and climate to still a resident at Muir Beach. He commuted to and for the residents, friends, and former residents of Muir Art create Pinot Noir of world- Sonoma County with the harvest of 1978, and for the Life is a Beach 44 Beach. Published since 1946 (on and off). Circulation 200 class quality. My Interview with Andre 46 (more or less). Appears four times a year (sooner or later). next quarter-century he worked with the finest wine growers and vintners in the region. In 2002 he founded Travel SUBSCRIPTIONS Ted Elliott is a resident TR Elliott with his wife and two children, opening a Buenos Aires, Tourism, and Immigration 52 $25 per year delivered; $30 mailed of both Santa Rosa and new chapter in his pursuit of excellence. To learn more Community Info Beachcomber Staff Muir Beach. He has about TR Elliott, visit www.TRElliott.com Classified 54 Editor Linda Gibbs maintained close ties with In Appreciation 54 Graphic Design Dee Turman the community since 1976 The Beachcomber thanks Ted Elliott for his generosity Submissions Guidelines 54 Masthead Larry Yamamoto Community Center 54 when he moved into the in offering an evening of wine tasting for the benefit of Weekly in Muir Beach 54 Reporters old Navy Barracks at 185 the newsletter, which he has been reading since 1976. Greater Muir Beach Neighbors Judith Yamamoto Friends/Donation/Subscription Sunset Way. He currently He is truly a Friend of the Beachcomber. Muir Beach Quilters Pam Barlow spends as much time as Friends of the Beachcomber 55 MB Volunteer Fire Dept. & Roving Paul Jeschke Become a Friend of the Beachcomber 55 possible at the beach, or We hope to see you on September 15th. All proceeds Give a Gift Subscription to the Beachcomber 55 MB Volunteer Firemen’s Assoc. Anne Jeschke Ted samples the 2006 vintage at the stables or working benefit the Beachcomber. Nature Dave MacKenzie on endless projects at his The 35th Annual Firemen’s BBQ 56 Photographer Julie Smith from barrel. Photograph by Announcing the Beachcomber Beach Towel 56 Charlotte’s Way home. Circulation and Business Affairs Ann Browning Peggy Elliott 2 3 ANNOUNCEMENTS ANNOUNCEMENTS Mary Collier Turns 88 Muir Beach Marriage By Malcolm Collier By Jessica and Brian Steel On May 2, 2007, the community of Muir Beach came out to celebrate the In March 2006, Brian Steel and Jessica Stoner fell in love with Muir Beach and purchased 88th birthday of a local legend, Mary Collier. The potluck began right after 300 Sunset Way from Bev Biondi. As residents of the Rockridge area of Oakland, Brian bistro. Malcolm and Aaron Collier were present and Malcolm brought a number of photographs that Mary had taken to give us a visual history of her life. Many and Jessica spend as many weekends as possible in Muir Beach and look forward to a “old timers” who do not often make it to bistro showed up. Just before the time when they’re able to make Sunset Way a more permanent home. cake was cut, neighbors shared stories of their first encounter with Mary or their favorite Mary story. It was a wonderful way to recognize the spirit of one On Memorial Day weekend this year, while the rest of the Muir Beach community was of the oldest and most beloved residents of the beach. Following is a biography busy hosting the annual BBQ event for the MBVFD, Jessica and Brian were busy getting of Mary written by Malcolm. ––Tayeko Kaufman married. It was a small ceremony with just 50 guests, comprising immediate family and a few longtime friends in Sudbury, Massachusetts near Brian’s childhood home. Mary Elizabeth Trumbull Collier was born May 4, 1919, in Albany, New York, The service, which was officiated by Brian’s mother, Virginia, took place in the Martha- and raised in Schenectady in a family with many strong personalities and Mary Chapel at Longfellow’s Wayside Inn, which has been in continuous operation a long history in the region. According to her sisters, Mary was considered since 1716. In keeping with Jessica’s musical background, a string trio played the more than unique from an early age. The family combined a strong focus prelude music and Jessica’s father and her best friend sang in beautiful harmony with on education with a love of the outdoors, aspects of Mary’s character the string section during the ceremony. certainly familiar to her Muir Beach neighbors. Mary’s father passed away (Left to right): Jessica Steel, Virginia in her early teens leaving her mother—a teacher, librarian, a founder of Steel (Brian’s mother), Brian Steel After exchanging the vows they had written, the bride and groom left the chapel the Friends Meeting in Schenectady, and a character in her own right —to Photograph by Eric Macklin (Brian’s brother-in-law) in a horse-drawn carriage and rejoined their guests for dinner and dancing at the raise the five children. Mary’s accomplishments in high school earned her historic Lyman Estate, also known as “The Vale,” chosen because it emanates a full scholarship to Vassar College. Along the way she also played the Mary Collier at her 88th birthday party. a feeling of old-fashioned romance. The elaborate architectural detail of the home and the backdrop of jazz standards Photograph by Malcolm Collier cello for the Albany Symphony and acquired professional photographic contributed to create an atmosphere of elegance and fun.