Welcome to Wonderland. More precisely, welcome to the Mad Hatter’s Bash in Wonderland, a production of the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department.
This dazzling and delightful evening of dinner and dancing raised money for the Special Olympics, now in its 50th year, on Saturday, Feb. 3, at the Veterans’ Memorial Center in Santa Maria.
Guests could mingle with characters from Alice in Wonderland, as well as with others wearing all manner of hats suitable for tea. Silliness was allowed.
Our Congressman, Rep. Salud Carbajal (no hat), was all smiles (in case he bumped into the Cheshire Cat). City Council members Mike Cordero (with his wife, Linda) and Dr. Mike Moats (with his wife, Susan) as well as Sheriff Bill Brown and Judge Jim Rigali (and his wife, Anne) came to see who—if anyone—fell down the rabbit hole.
They knew how to help!
The absolute star of the evening was the enchanting setting. Wendy Hudson, you did a splendiferous job with the decorations. Loved your blue caterpillar with his hookah, and the teacups all over the place, some filled with roses, fake or real, and all the oversized timepieces.
Cindy Hoskins and Teresa Reyburn wore little itty bitty crowns, and Dennis Smitherman sported a huge Mad Hatter’s type of hat. Wendy, Cindy, Teresa, and Dennis are all on the staff of the Recreation and Parks Department.
At my table, I enjoyed the company of the Sun’s General Manager Kim Rosa, along with her guests Jim Byrne, Beverly Scofield, and Oasis Senior Center Executive Director Doug Dougherty.
Our all-volunteer wait staff consisted of a congenial trio (your wish is our command): Gerald Domingues, Lucy Rodriguez, and Ashlynne Norrie.
For dinner we enjoyed stuffed pork tenderloin; chicken with a butter, lemon, and caper sauce; or stuffed zucchini and couscous—all prepared by Testa Catering. Lemon chiffon or chocolate fudge trifle, served in teacups with little silver spoons, was from Jovi’s Delights. Doesn’t that sound like you have just dined with the Queen of Hearts?
Linda Smith, who was on the event committee, stopped by my table to say hello. Some other guests a saw were Diane and Kerry Adam and Dr. Julius and Mary Lou Hoffman with their son Paul.
Tickets for the Bash were $100, which included two complimentary drinks from a very well-stocked bar, wine at dinner, and music by Steppin’ Out for after-dinner dancing.
Bonding with books
In a very rare occurrence, the city’s main library was open on a Sunday, Feb. 11, from noon to 3 p.m. to be exact. Not the whole library, mind you, just the Shepard Hall and the lobby, which was the venue for the Santa Maria Public Library Foundation’s fourth annual fundraiser, titled For the Love of Books.
Seventy people, including a contingent from the Minerva Club, which was responsible for the city’s first Carnegie library way back when, came to enjoy a program by local young adult authors Wendelin Van Draanen and her husband, Mark Parsons.
Van Draanen is the author of the Edgar Award-winning Sammy Keyes mystery series, the Christopher Award-winning Shredderman books, and other titles. Parsons is the author of Road Rash. Books were able for purchase and signing.
The Library Foundation president Marilyn Ayers told me that there were 29 items in the silent auction. That is a lot for an event of that size.
Tickets were $50 for lunch catered by Rooney’s Irish Pub. This included California chopped chicken salad, a sumptuous mac and cheese dish embellished with broccoli and mushrooms, pinto beans, Kalamata olive tapenade, and baguette slices accompanied by citrus zest-topped herb butter. This was a very tasty buffet.
Rooney’s also manned a no-host wine and beer bar with nine different kinds of beer. Nine kinds of beer was awesome for such an intimate gathering.
Carolyn McCall, Melissa Wineman, and Joe and Chris Gallas were among the crowd, which also included Bob Carey (academic dean at Allan Hancock College) and Trevor Passage (a Hancock librarian).
I am always happy to see Prudence Woods Noon (from up north), Francine Woods (from Los Angeles), and Caroline Woods (local), who represented the Woods Family Foundation.
Santa Maria Librarian Mary Housel was all smiles as she circulated among the library’s supporters, who were enjoying the festive ambience. Tables were adorned with lace hearts and pink and black balloons. Desserts from local bakeries carried out the Valentine theme.
Adding to the fun was the giveaway of 20 bottles of wine to the holders of winning complimentary raffle tickets.
If you want to hobnob with Helen, you can reach her at column151@gmail.com.
This article appears in Feb 22 – Mar 1, 2018.
