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Santa Comes To Nob Hill
Santa Claus was working Huntington Park like a politician at this year's Dorothy Fritz Cope Tree Lighting ceremony. It was a crisp, but beautiful, evening filled with music by the San Francisco Girls Chorus, led by director Elizabeth Avakian and accompanied by Randy Craig on the piano. Association president Torey Presti wished everyone a happy holiday season and asked Grace Cathedral Dean Alan Jones, retiring this year after 24 years of service, to give an invocation. Then following tradition, the giant switch was thrown by the Acting General Manager of Recreation and Parks Department, Jared Blumenfeld, illuminating all the trees in the park for the season. Hot chocolate and cookies were abundant all evening thanks to the generosity of the Huntington Hotel.
For photos of the 2008 Tree Lighting Ceremony, click here.
Top Brass Attends Annual Meeting
The Nob Hill Association's 2008 Annual Meeting was a truly unique event, exceptional in every way. While there is always a good representation of police and fire personnel for the annual Police Officer of the Year and Firefighter of the Year awards, seldom have we found both department Chiefs in attendance. But this year, Police Chief Heather Fong and Fire Department Chief JoAnne Hayes White were both present along with numerous other department officers. Captain Jim Dudley of Central Station presented the Police Officer of the Year award to Officer Tom Cunnane, and Chief Hayes-White presented the Firefighters of the Year award to Firefighter Paramedic Megan Franzen and Rescue Captain Kevin Boone. Many remember Firefighter Paramedic Franzen for her leadership and courage during the tiger escape at the San Francisco Zoo on December 25, 2007. A nice contribution was also made in the name of the Association by NHA President Torey Presti to the San Francisco Firefighters Toy Program. In addition to the recognition given annually by the NHA to honor those in public safety, the Association also recognized retiring Dean Alan Jones for his 24 years of service to Grace Cathedral and to the citizens of San Francisco. Finally, the Association recognized the many years of service to the NHA of Bob and Loraine Baxter, who have long served as Treasurer and Membership Chair, respectively, of the Association. Gary Gielow, past President of the NHA, made touching remarks and presented a gift from the Association to Bob Baxter in thanks for their service.
A sumptuous buffet and cocktail reception followed the meeting hosted by the Stanford Court Hotel, venue of this year's annual meeting. It was a wonderful opportunity for the members to catch up, many having not seen each other since the summer vacation.
For photos of this year's annual meeting, click here.
Peter Mintun Delights at NHA 80th Anniversary Celebration
What better way to celebrate the 80th birthday of San Francisco's oldest neighborhood association that with the "living incarnation of the fabulous keyboard wizards of the jazz age," Peter Mintun. (Citing Will Friedwald of the New York Sun). Perched high above Nob Hill on a warm, balmy evening at San Francisco's University Club, Nob Hill Association members and guests feasted and fêted this important milestone and at the same time honored one of its own, Bella Farrow, for her tireless efforts on behalf of the Association as well as for her recent investiture as Dame in the Sovereign Order of the Knights of St. John.
A few of the old-timers couldn't believe their eyes (nor ears) when they walked off the elevator and heard the sounds emanating from the tinkling ivories under the mastery of America's favorite society pianist himself, Peter Mintun. Many in the group remember Peter when he headlined San Francisco's favorite watering hole, l'Étoile, in the Huntington Hotel or later at Mason's at the Fairmont. Unfortunately for us, his stardom took him to New York where he headlined such famous venues as the Madison Room at the New York Palace Hotel or the Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle. But everyone was happy for this brief reunion.
Beautifully organized by Chair Lee Meyer, and her committee: Simi Barjesteh, Cathy Candelaria, Fran Hildebrand and Virginia Presi, the evening was a feast for the eyes, ears and palates. Guests dined on beef tenderloin on potato pancake corn blinis, iced jumbo prawns, roasted three onion tartlet and mini crab cakes. And the chef personally carved the giant roasted turkey to order.
For the first time at a NHA event, a live auction was held under the direction of master auctioneer and Association Vice-president, David Lefkowitz. Auction items included a Historic Tour of Nob Hill, a Get In Shape for the Summer at the Nob Hill Club in the Fairmont, professional photo ops by three separate professional photographers, Joshua Ets-Hokin, Eric Schumacher and Peter Olivetti. And the piece de resistance was a last minute item offered by the new General Manager of the Fairmont San Francisco, Tom Klein, two nights in a suite with daily treatments, at the Sonoma Mission Inn. All funds raised benefited the Association and its ongoing efforts to assure the beauty of Huntington Park.
For photos of the 80th anniversary celebration, click here.
PERFECT DAY WELCOMES HUGE CROWD TO CALIFORNIA MILLE 2008
Over 500 Nob Hill Association members and friends contributed to the annual California Mille benefiting the Nob Hill Association and its effort to preserve the beauty and history of Nob Hill and Huntington Park. Many hundreds more dropped by to spend a beautiful Sunday afternoon admiring the dozens of rare cars assembled in front of the Fairmont Hotel and in Huntington Park. The California Mille has become one of the Nob Hill Association's most popular events. .
The California Mille unites an international group of rare sports racing and production cars dating from 1927 through 1957 for a 1000 mile journey throughout Northern California. The tour is patterned after the world-famous Italian "Mille Miglia," a 1000 mile open road race which ran from 1927 through 1957 from Brescia in the North of Italy to Rome and back. It was revived in 1982 as an annual event and, today, the California Mille is the only American event recognized by the Mille Miglia Storica (Historical Society) of Brescia, Italy.)
Held in front of the Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco, manager Thomas Klein and his staff provided a sumptuous Italian buffet with Champagne, wine and cocktails. In addition to the Fairmont Hotel, California Mille 2008 was sponsored by Blancpain Watches, British Motors Jaguar, KSFO radio, Lodi Wine Growers, the Nob Hill Gazette and Symbolic Motor Car Company. Special thanks go to Chairman Bella Farrow and Co-Chairs Thomas Klein Lois Lehrman and Martin Swig and Assistant Chair Fran Hildebrand.
For photos of the California Mille 2008, click here.
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