"Umbrellas Over Time"
Sunday, September 8, 2002

Live Auction Items

Silent Auction Items

A1 · Sail Into Open Space
Sail out onto the bay -- or even under the Golden Gate to the ocean -- with up to six friends and John Wade, on his fast 40-foot cutter. John will captain you on a 4-6 hour sailing adventure from the San Francisco Marina out into the aquatic open space of the Bay. Included is a $75 gift certificate from Draeger's, which you can use to shop for a picnic lunch or dinner (perhaps best enjoyed on dry land?).

John, who worked at POST for many years, is a former Merchant Marine and has 40 years of experience sailing. He'll be a grand captain, and will schedule this trip with you according to weather; it's best to go out before mid-October or after mid-March, 2003.

Donors: John Wade, Suzanne Keith   Value: $575   Starting bid: $100

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A2 · A day around Davenport: A docent-led tour of the Coast Dairies property
Just north of Santa Cruz, the 7,000-acre Coast Dairies property runs from the Pacific to the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Your group of four coastal devotees will spend the afternoon exploring the central coast's soon-to-be-newest public park - led by park ranger and naturalist Bern Smith. With Bern as your expert guide, you'll hike and drive through this magnificent property (not yet open to the public), exploring its beaches, grasslands, agricultural lands, woodlands, coastal scrub, chaparral, creeks, and marsh. Your group will meet at the Whale City Bakery in downtown Davenport for lunch before the exploration begins. Lunch is on Bern!

Donor: Bern Smith   Value: $200   Starting bid: $75

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A3 · "Love" from Koko and membership in the Gorilla Foundation
Woodside resident Koko, the world's most famous gorilla, has created an artistic expression of "Love." This 11" x 17" original print comes with a one-year membership in the Gorilla Foundation, established in 1976 to promote the protection and preservation of gorillas. Project Koko, a primary focus of the Gorilla Foundation, involves teaching a modified form of American Sign Language to two lowland gorillas, Koko and Michael. Koko has a vocabulary of more than 1,000 words - including one of her favorites, "love."

Donor: The Gorilla Foundation   Value: $125   Starting bid: $50

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A4 · Science exploration fun pack
You and your kids will delve into hands-on science and fun with this pack of goodies for the young and the young-at-heart. This item includes four tickets to the Exploratorium, San Francisco's cutting-edge, hands-on museum of science, art, and human perception. Be prepared to touch a tornado, stick your shadow on a wall, paint with light, and experiment with illusions. For the more studious scientist in you, we're including the "Frozen Worlds" Jason XIII curriculum (complete with maps and video), which will help a parent or teacher lead up to 30 students through the colder regions of our planet, focusing on current research in earth, ocean, atmospheric and space sciences. And to lighten up the exploration, you'll get several books from Klutz Press, so you can have fun playing with Cat's Cradle, Jump Rope Rhymes, Icky Poo, and more. Science can be fun!

Donors: Mary and Jack Davey, The Exploratorium, Klutz Press  
Value: $162   Starting bid: $25

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A5 · Dinner for two at Woodside's Village Pub
Don't expect pub grub at Woodside's Village Pub - you're in for a treat. Dinner for two at Woodside's posh dining establishment includes plush leather chairs, arty black-and-white photos, the delectable "new American" stylings of acclaimed head chef Mark Sullivan. Dinner's on the house - but you're on your own for alcohol, tax and gratuity.

Donor: The Village Pub   Value: $80   Starting bid: $40

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A6 · One-hour deep tissue massage...and lavender bath salts
Need to release those tight muscles, or help your pulled or tight ligaments become flexible again? Michael Takatsuno of Mountain View's Chronic Pain Center has donated an hour of deep tissue therapeutic massage so you can begin relaxing and releasing those muscles that have been causing you trouble. Michael can help you spell relief for your aching back, shoulder, or feet. Three packs of lovely lavender bath salts will help you relax before and after the massage.

Donors: Michael Takatsuno, Carol Espinosa   Value: $120   Starting bid: $50

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A7 · Hand-crafted baby memories box and Gymboree shopping spree
This lovely wooden box is the perfect place to save all those baby memories that won't fit in a scrapbook: that tiny hospital hat, a first lock of hair, those cute baby shoes and a favorite toy or rattle. You can also use this sturdy box to organize photos and negatives, or to store all those art projects that come home from school. However you use it, it will become a treasured depository of the fleeting moments of childhood, which your child will love to explore as he or she grows up. And, you can outfit that baby in style thanks to a $35 gift certificate at Gymboree.

Donors: Carol Espinosa, Gymboree   Value: $135   Starting bid: $40

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A8 · Private consultation with Interior Designer Kit Davey
With the help of Kit and her eleven years of interior design and decorating experience, you can transform your home in just a few hours. Your two-hour consultation from "A Fresh Look," Kit's design firm, will help you with a room transformation, design, home staging, decorating advice, or professional organizing. Kit works primarily with the furniture and accessories you already own, so this is one consultation that won't break your budget.

Donor: Kit Davey and A Fresh Look   Value: $225   Starting bid: $75

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A9 · Mixed case of wine from Portola Valley vintners
Celebrate local wines with this assorted case from three Portola Valley residents who are serious amateur winemakers: Paul Brown, Jim Starr, and Tor Lund. They offer an assortment of red and white libations from the Westridge and Quail Hill labels. The Quail Hill wines feature a label designed by the Committee's very own Jane Gallagher. This wonderful mixed case includes the following Westridge vintages: one 2000 Chardonnay, two bottles of 2001 Chardonnay, one bottle of 1998 Sangiovese, two bottles of 1999 Vintner's Blend, and two bottles of 2000 Cabernet/Merlot. It also includes four bottles of Quail Hill wines: two bottles of 1999 Zinfandel and two of 1998 Zinfandel.

Donors: Nancy and Tor Lund   Value: $250   Starting bid: $80

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A10 · Bay Nature and birding by boat
Join environmental activist (and Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society Executive Director) Craig Breon for an engrossing three-hour nature expedition and birding trip by boat! Your group of four will join Craig and an Audubon Society birder in canoes or kayaks and explore either Elkhorn Slough (south of Santa Cruz) or the South Bay (departing from Alviso) - your choice. Kids ten and older are ok on this trip. Lunch is included. You can continue your nature explorations with a one-year subscription to Bay Nature, the first magazine to explore the natural world of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Donors: Craig Breon, Bay Nature Magazine   Value: priceless   Starting bid: $75

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B11 · Aerial tour of the Peninsula in a Piper
Experience the open space of the Peninsula from the sky on this private flight in a Piper Cherokee airplane. Bay Area Ridge Trail Council board member Donald Herzog will be your pilot and tour guide for a private two-hour flight from the Bay Area airport of your choice. Up to three people may go on this special aerial tour.

Donor: Donald Herzog   Value: $300   Starting bid: $175

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B12 · Exploring the secret trails of the San Mateo County Coast
Bring your friends and join renowned Coastside naturalist and native plant specialist Chuck Kozak on an expedition of the secret trails of the San Mateo County Coast. You'll explore places where few have traveled on this custom hike on Montara Mountain and the Coastside's newest and not-yet-public open space, Rancho Corral de Tierra. Experience the windswept beauty, expansive views, and historic artifacts of the Coast on a tour that Chuck will design just for your group. This expedition is for up to 10 people - bring your own lunch and be prepared for a spectacular day.

Donor: Chuck Kozak   Value: priceless   Starting bid: $40

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B13 · Ceramic bristlecone pine vase, tall
Conservation biologist and ceramic artist Stuart Weiss has created a unique piece that displays the gnarled beauty of the bristlecone pines in stunning bas relief. Finished with a celadon glaze, this unique porcelain vase is a magnificent representation of the beauty and strength of these long-lived trees. This vase is similar to, but taller than, item C25.

Donor: Stuart Weiss   Value: $250   Starting bid: $75

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B14 · We're going to the zoo!
Go wild -- your favorite kids will love a day at the newly renovated San Francisco Zoo. With a pair of tickets to the zoo and six ride tickets for the carousel and Little Puffer Train, you'll be set for a day of fun. Visit the giraffes, zebras, and antelopes in the African exhibit. Check out the lemurs in their brand new forest. And roar with the big cats in the Lion House. The new zoo includes a new entrance, education center, and animal resource center. The famed Dentzel Carousel has just been restored and is ready for riding. We'll include an assortment of fun juggling and song books from Klutz Press so you can sing in the car on the way home - your kids will love singing along with Nancy Cassidy on "Chicken Hips and Lizard Lips." This will be a fun day for the whole family.

Donors: The San Francisco Zoo, Klutz Press   Value: $65   Starting bid: $25

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B15 · A coastal escape at the Goose and Turrets Bed and Breakfast
Peaceful Montara offers a perfect weeknight getaway at the Goose and Turrets, an inn catering to readers, nature lovers, and enthusiastic eaters. One night (Monday through Thursday) at this historic earth-friendly bed-and-breakfast and you'll be refreshed for the rest of the week. The 1908 Italian villa began life as Montara's post office, grocery, town hall and Sunday school; today, you'll find a hammock in the garden… hummingbirds at their fuchsias…Beethoven on the tape deck…bread baking in the oven…down comforters to cuddle under…and the sound of surf and foghorns in the distance. We'll even include a set of four paperback mysteries to help you completely escape the real world.

Donors: Raymond and Emily Hoche-Mong and Goose and Turrets, Perseverance Press
Value: $170   Starting bid: $50

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B16 · Going native - Gardening consultation with books and plants
Ready to get your hands dirty? Thinking about going native? Local landscape architect Sandy Sommer will meet with you in your garden to help you consider how to redesign your landscape using native plants and compatible features. An expert on native plants and Peninsula habitats, she'll then research and compile a list of suitable species for your site, and meet with you again to review the possibilities. You'll receive a $50 gift certificate from Ladera Garden Center to help you carry out your new plan. And to further inspire and inform your gardening soul, we're including an assortment of seven gardening books from Sunset, the award-winning local publisher.

Donors: Sandy Sommer, Sunset Publishing Company, Ladera Garden Center   Value: $717   Starting bid: $150

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B17 · Private tour of Portola Valley's smallest logging railroad
Here's a delightful experience for craftsmen, gardeners and train lovers. Portola Valley resident and small-gauge train buff Bob Bell has created an exact scale replica of a logging railroad from the late 1800's. Bob will take you and a group of friends (up to 12 people) on a private tour this fall in his miniature wonderland, featuring lakes, rivers, tunnels, waterfalls, and towns in a mountainous terrain of spruce forests -- all at his home in Portola Valley. He'll even serve hors d'oeuvres and beverages. The tour will be geared to adults; any young people should be at least 7 years of age. This is sure to transport you back to a bygone time.

Donors: Rose Ann and Bob Bell   Value: $200   Starting bid: $75

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B18 · Family portrait by Susan Thomas
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then well-known Portola Valley photographer and author Susan Thomas is the talk of the town. Portola Valley's favorite family photographer, Susan will shoot one roll of film (color or black and white) to photograph your child, children, or family in informal dress at a local setting of your choice. (Film developing and prints are not included.) This is a perfect way to capture a special day or create a meaningful gift.

Donor: Sue Thomas   Value: $100   Starting bid: $50

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B19 · Fresh-off-the-press apple cider
Direct to you from a heritage orchard in Woodside, two gallons of fresh-pressed apple cider in four lovely glass half-gallon jars will be yours to savor. The cider will be pressed during the peak of the harvest - the week of September 23 -- and produced with a hand-operated cider press. If you'd like, you can even help with the pressing. As this is unpasteurized, unfiltered, and perishable, this cider will need to be refrigerated and enjoyed or frozen within two days of pressing.

Donors: Carol Espinosa, Sandy Sommer   Value: $40   Starting bid: $20

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B20 · A night hike through open space
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District preserves are not open to the public at night, but your group of up to eight hikers will enjoy special permission to explore the nighttime sights and sounds at Montebello Ridge Open Space Preserve -- a beautiful mountain day and night. An experienced nature docent will lead your group on night hike so you can experience the wonders of night. Daytime hiking will never be the same again!

Donors: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District docents  
Value: priceless   Starting bid: $50

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B21 · A year of discovery: The California Academy of Sciences meets Icky Poo
With a year-long family membership in the California Academy of Sciences, you and your family can enjoy the fish and reptiles at the Steinhart Aquarium and African big game in the Natural History Museum 365 days a year. Your membership (good for two adults and their children under 18) includes 8 tickets to the Morrison Planetarium, 4 guest passes, invitations to lectures and events, and more. Continue the discovery at home - we're including a great kids' library from Klutz Press, including such intriguing titles as "Icky Poo," "Cat's Cradle," and "Juggling."

Donors: California Academy of Sciences, Klutz Press   Value: $90   Starting bid: $25

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B22 · "Guardian" assemblage by Kit Davey
This creative framed assemblage and collage of found and natural objects represents artist Kit Davey's vision of a "Guardian." At 8.5 x10 inches, the original mixed media art could easily jazz up your desk, bookshelf, or mantelpiece - serving to guard your own creative spirit and environment. Don't miss your change to have a one-of-a-kind piece by this Redwood City artist.

Donor: Kit Davey   Value: $100   Starting bid: $50

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B23 · Your day on the Hill: a private tour of Congress, and lunch with Annette
Thrilled at the thought of a personal tour through the U.S. Capitol? Ever wanted to dine in the Congressional Dining Room? Here's your chance: you can spend the day with Annette Lantos, wife of U.S. Representative Tom Lantos, environmentalist, and supporter of the Committee for Green Foothills. Annette knows the stories that linger in the Capitol halls of those who made this country great. An art history buff, she also knows the story of each piece of art and how it came to the Capitol. She'll take you and a friend on a personal tour of the Capitol, and treat you to lunch in the Member's Dining Room.

Donors: Congressman Tom and Annette Lantos   Value: priceless  Starting bid: $100

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B24 · Private birding expedition with Les Chibana
Renowned nature guide, professional birding instructor, and beloved teacher Les Chibana will lead a day-long birding trip for up to four people to one of four fantastic locations of your choice. This is a great opportunity for a beginning birder to find out what it's all about...or for an intermediate or expert birder to hone skills and add to that life list. Bring your lunch and binoculars, and be prepared to share a great day with a master in the field.

Choose your season-- Les offers: a fall trip to see migrating birds at Point Reyes; a wintertime visit to the central Valley and Consumnes River Preserve to search for wintering birds - including the sunset fly-in of sandhill cranes and tundra swans; a spring trip in the Inner Coast Range (Smith Creek Firestation, Mt. Hamilton, Arroyo Bayo, and San Antonio Valley) to visit varied habitats and an amazing array of spring migrants and breeding birds; or a summer trip to Yuba Pass (you provide your own overnight stay), where you'll bird for montane species in beautiful forest habitat along the Sierra Crest.

Donor: Les Chibana and BirdNutz - Ornigasmic Birding Experiences
Value: $200   Starting bid: $75

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C25 · Coastal sightseeing by biplane
Join famous Half Moon Bay pilot and airshow performer Eddie Andreini for a one-on-one flight in his show-stopping two-passenger bi-plane. Eddie will take you on a 45-minute tour of our San Mateo Coast to view this precious resource from above. His beautiful restored vehicle is the most highly modified 450 Super Stearman performance plane in the United States. The plane has room for only one passenger. Hang on to your hat!

Donor: Eddie Andreini   Value: $600   Starting bid: $125

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C26 · Ceramic bristlecone pine vase, wide
The gnarly strength and endurance of the bristlecone pine is portrayed on this gorgeous porcelain vase in bas relief. Beautifully decorative and useful, this piece was created by conservation biologist and ceramic artist Stu Weiss especially for our auction. It is finished with a celadon glaze that portrays the natural world with a magical light. This vase is similar to, but wider than, item B13.

Donor: Stuart Weiss   Value: $250   Starting bid: $75

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C27 · Woodside birthday party extravaganza
Here's an extra special way to celebrate that big birthday - a private docent-led nature hike, a birthday party at Buck's, and sing-along song books for everyone. You'll start in Huddart Park, where a docent will lead a group of eight children and accompanying adults on a nature hike. The docent will introduce the various local ecosystems through clues and games, and the kids will learn to identify common plants, animals, and insects, and enjoy themselves in this beautiful park. Then your group will move on to nearby Buck's Restaurant in Woodside, where the kids will be treated to their very own birthday party! As an extra treat, each party guest will receive Klutz Press' fabulous "KidsSongs: A Holler-Along Handbook" - complete with a cassette of popular hits including "Kumbaya" and "Wabash Cannonball."

Donors: Buck's Restaurant, Friends of Huddart and Wunderlich Parks, Klutz Press
Value: priceless   Starting bid: $75

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C28 · Mixed case of organic wine from Dickerson Vineyards
Dickerson Vineyard's 80 year-old vines are dry-farmed, organically cultivated and harvested by hand. The resulting artisanal wines have a bright, lively combination of cedar, eucalyptus and raspberry. Dickerson's unique reds are well-balanced and enjoy international recognition. The mixed case includes the following Dickerson Vineyards vintages: a 1994 Zinfandel, three bottles of 1998 Zinfandel, two bottles of 1999 Zinfandel (rated 93 by Wine Enthusiast), two bottles of 1990 Merlot, two bottles of 1998 Merlot, and two bottles of 1999 Merlot.

Donors: Jean and Bill Dickerson, Dickerson Vineyards   Value: $347   Starting bid: $75

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C29 · Birding trip for two on the San Mateo Coast
Bring your binoculars and join expert birders Peter and Sue LaTourrette (both CGF board members) for a personal birding expedition along the San Mateo County coast - with a picnic! Pete and Sue will lead two people on this special outing, which will be scheduled on a mutually agreeable date this summer or fall. No birding experience necessary, just enthusiasm for the outdoors and its feathered friends. Picnic lunch included.

Donors: Peter and Sue LaTourrette   Value: priceless   Starting bid: $75

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C30 · Handspring Visor Edge with hard case and stylus/pen
This sleek metallic handheld computer will manage thousands of your contacts, addresses, dates, and more. It's thin and lightweight, so its powerful Palm OS 3.5.2 and 8mb memory and 33mhz processor fits easily in your pocket. The Edge's detachable Springboard slot allows you to fit it with add-on modules such as a mobile phone, digital camera, MP3 player, or GPS unit. The stylish metal protective case makes your technology even hipper, and the multi-function stylus is also pen for when you just need to resort to paper. Includes rechargeable battery and charging/synching cradle; compatible with Windows and Mac systems. Perfect for either urban or wildland use.

Donors: Handspring Foundation, IDEO   Value: $235   Starting bid: $95

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C31 · Sex and violence on the beach: a private tour of the Año Nuevo elephant seals
Año Nuevo State Reserve south of Pescadero hosts the world's largest mainland breeding colony of the northern elephant seal. During the winter breeding season, the males battle for mates on the beaches and the females give birth to their pups on the dunes. Your group of four (no children under 6, please) will join experienced Año Nuevo docent Emily Hoche-Mong for an exclusive, after-hours walk through the winter breeding site - and an up-close and personal introduction to these amazingly large mammals. You'll schedule your tour with Emily between the last two weeks of January and the first two weeks of February, during the height of the breeding and birthing season.

Donor: Emily Hoche-Mong   Value: priceless   Starting bid: $75

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C32 · An evening for four at San Francisco's Magic Theatre
Experience the magic of intimate contemporary theatre in Fort Mason, where you and three friends will enjoy the 2002-2003 season opener at San Francisco's premiere venue for new plays, contemporary issues, and original voices. Commissioned by the Magic Theatre, the brand new play Ted Kaczynski Killed People with Bombs explores our fascination with the nice Harvard boy who ditched academia to blow up strangers. Whether you consider this man a terrorist, cultural hero, madman, or visionary, you will be entranced by the story (part serious, part vaudeville) as told by playwright Michelle Carter. Founded in 1967, the Magic Theatre engages audiences in the development of new work in an intimate, professional setting. Magic Theatre artists have earned international critical praise, fellowships, awards, and the Pulitzer Prize. The show runs October 18 through November 18; the winner may choose the date for the tickets.

Donor: Magic Theatre   Value: $140   Starting bid: $50

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C33 · Children's Discovery fun pack - the museum and more
The Children's Discovery Museum in San Jose has fun, learning, and discovery for all ages-and has been called one of the ten best children's museums in the US. You'll get four admission tickets to the hands-on museum, where you can visit Alice's Wonderland for fun math and science learning, the Kid's Garden, and the Post Office -- where you can learn the "ins and outs" of mail delivery. And you can continue the fun at home - also included is a fun assortment of books from Klutz Press, including songbooks, fingernail art, and more.

Donors: Children's Discovery Museum, Klutz Press   Value: $72   Starting bid: $25

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C34 · Shoot like the pros: Wildlife and Nature Photography workshop for two
Though his work now appears in publications such as National Geographic, Audubon, Discover, and Wildlife Conservation, professional wildlife and adventure photographer Roy Toft remembers what it was like to start out. He's developed his "Shoot Like the Pros" workshop series for the intelligent amateur who wants to learn quickly. A wildlife biologist and a teacher by training, Roy has a natural talent for blending humor with education. You and a friend will enjoy learning from Roy (and hearing his field anecdotes). The workshop will be held along the beautifully scenic San Mateo County coast, minutes from Half Moon Bay.

Donors: Robin and Roy Toft   Value: $125   Starting bid: $60

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C35 · Fall house and garden tour at Filoli
Experience the magnificent gardens and grand Georgian mansion of Filoli, a wondrous 654-acre estate in Woodside. A property of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Filoli is seemingly untouched by the passage of time. You and three friends will be treated to a guided tour through the famous, immaculately preserved 1915 home and the surrounding formal gardens, featuring hundreds of rare flowers, plants and heritage trees. Filoli is open until October 26, and tours are available morning and afternoon, Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Donor: Friends of Filoli   Value: $40   Starting bid: $15

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C 36 · Full moon hike and picnic on Windy Hill
Windy Hill Open Space Preserve is a magical place to experience a full moon, and you can make a party out of it! A docent from Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District has made special arrangements to take your party of 8 on a nighttime hike at Windy Hill, which is closed to the public after sunset. You'll learn about the quiet of the night, watch (and listen) for owls swooping through the darkness. Included is a $75 gift certificate from nearby Bianchini's Market in Portola Valley to shop for picnic supplies - you'll be all set for a memorable full moon experience.

Donors: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District docents, Bianchini's Market
Value: priceless   Starting bid: $75

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C37 · Hot tub, cold wine, and massage at Watercourse Way
There's nothing like a soak in a hot tub to relax and rejuvenate your body and spirit. You'll enjoy Palo Alto's beautifully decorated Watercourse Way spa (including the "Three Trillium," "Five Fish" and "Seven Clouds" tub rooms), and then be treated to an hour-long massage by one of Palo Alto's finest masseuses. We'll even throw in two bottles of Portola Valley winemakers' "Westridge" and "Quail Hill" wines to make sure you're completely relaxed, California style. You deserve a treat like this!

Donors: Watercourse Way, Nancy and Tor Lund Value: $136   Starting bid: $50

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