Birthday Bash for our Big 60... A fabulous weekend "in the city by the bay" San Francisco, CA October 7-10, 2005

On Tuesday, October 4, My wife Janet and I flew to San Francisco for my 2005 Birthday Bash Reunion. Our plans are to tour the San Francisco area, attend the reunion and then fly on to Hawaii for ten days of vacation before returning to our home in Florida. However, all I could think about for weeks in advance was our reunion. Would this reunion be the same as Charleston in 2004? Could this reunion be as much fun? After all the class is so much closer now. We have found almost a hundred class members and most of us have email and the internet. Some of us have seen each other during this past year at mini reunions. Many of us exchange email weekly if not more so. Mineola '63 is no longer a once every five year gathering. Would the spirit that was so evident in our previous reunions still be there? I hoped it would. I was anxious to see so many friends... Friends that are special to me.

When we returned from Hawaii, I sent Rich Ottaviano a short email which I have been encouraged to share a part of with you.

"How do you write a love letter to your class? How do you convey the warm wonderful feeling of being close to this group? How do you explain the pleasure of meeting old classmates a-new and spending a day with them as if they were as close as family? How do you explain the special joy of watching and observing each of us seemingly experiencing that same joy? I can not really find a couple of sentences that would be appropriate or believable but I will attempt to do that. We have all come together for our own reasons on life's journey and have found something special in that reunion... may it continue and continue.

It will not be possible for Kathy and I to replicate San Francisco in 2006. We will be inspired and challenged and we will try, to say the least. My hope and measure for success is that the spirit that exists now is sustained and grows."

San Francisco was wonderful and I thank Gene Borstel and Sandy Silva for months of research, planning and three fabulous days which will not count against our time on this earth. For all of us from the Class of '63 a huge...

THANK YOU!

Now for the reunion details...

Tuesday, October 4, As I mentioned previously we flew into San Francisco, picked up our rental car and drove to the funky Hotel Del Sol, settled in and wandered off for a dinner at a small neighborhood Chinese take-out place with two tables. The Hotel Del Sol... what a great location... Restaurants and nightlife all around us and you didn't have to climb any hills for the most part.

Wednesday, October 5, This day we drove slowly down the Pacific Coast Highway (the other Route 1) to Monterey and Carmel about two hours south. We stopped often along the route for the views. Carmel is a gorgeous community and well worth another visit. We walked the shops, had lunch and later visited the San Carlos Mission... a beautiful place. Then we returned to San Francisco late... in the dark... a little lost when we hit the city... and oh Lord the hills at night are scary... we found our way back using traditional Nordic navigation (I think we go this way!).

Thursday, October 6, we drove to the Napa Valley about an hour northeast over The Golden Gate Bridge. This is The Wine Country and there Janet and I toured Beringer Vineyards and Winery. The tour included a little tasting as well. We drove the entire valley stopping to take in that wonderful afternoon California sun... We were clearly having 'California' this day. We drove back to our hotel and to my surprise and delight several of our classmates had arrived early.

First sited was Marianne and Babs, then Mary Lou Minard and Bob and JoAnn Kenny, Paul and Karen Malvese, Frank and Louise Bernhart and more in the courtyard gathered in the warm afternoon California sun at the funky Hotel Del Sol. There was no doubt at all that this would be a wonderful reunion. So many traveling so far for something more than a visit to San Francisco.

When about a dozen of us early arrivals mustered in the courtyard the task at hand was to find dinner. Someone knew where we should dine so off to 'Rock and Roll Sushi' near our hotel. I was surprised anyone could find time to look at the menu as the conversations back and forth were thick.

Friday, October 7, my anticipation was apparent and being the Columbus Day Weekend the area was filling up with people coming to watch the air show scheduled for the next three days. We stayed close by and toured the San Francisco waterfront visiting the Maritime Museum and after a great lunch of dungeness crab soup in a sourdough bread bowl we walked back to the Hotel Del Sol.

Immediately upon our return the weekend just burst with as much excitement as the Blue Angels Air Show going on overhead . Kathy Madden and Eileen Mendelsohn were first spotted two rooms down from us. Phil and Ida Meringolo below, Jim and Mimi Litterelle across the courtyard, Gene and Sandy Borstel stocking up the hospitality suite, Elaine Anderson and Ann Marie Jankay across the courtyard and Rich and Harriet Ottaviano driving in. Al and Nancy Morgan wandering by not knowing many of us as yet. Bob with his signiture cowboy hat and JoAnn Kenny going down to the courtyard. Then meeting Vicky (Barnhill) Ratto after forty two years both with our heads tilted wondering I know this person. Who is it? Marianne, Babs, and others had toured Alcatraz that morning and they had now returned. Once again in the glorious afternoon California sun, this larger group was now gathered with numerous conversations and hugs and picture taking and I was experiencing just a wonderful feeling. What I had hoped for was happening once again.

At some point later on it was time for dinner. Gene and Sandy had arranged this activity for us tonight reserving a small local Italian restaraunt. With directions and hand motions, we walked several blocks to "The Cafe Union" on Union Street for our arrival dinner. We took up the entire place. The evening conversations were great. Its amazing that MHS is our common bond but not what we are about. Perhaps it is about being who we are today and our conversations underline that. But I think its more than that. Though the occasional story, from high school or before from elementary school for some of us, can generate a huge laugh!

After dinner the group returned to the Hotel Del Sol and gathered in an overflowing hospitality suite provided by Gene and Sandy. A room redecorated with Mineola memorabilia and refreshments. This would be our evening gathering spot for the next three evenings. Conversations continued and camera flashes seemed to snap unendingly (damn 'paparazzi') all evening until all exhausted from travel settled in our rooms for the night.

Saturday, October 8, Its amazing how we all got up and gathered for breakfast in the courtyard within a half hour of each other. Some marched beyond for a hearty breakfast while some of us were content with good coffee and a muffin... a doughnut... a bagel. Some had both.

Janet and I had a rental car and took off for Muir Woods and Sausalito with Nancy and Al Morgan. We met them the evening before not having seen Al in forty two years. We knew each other as just classmates in high school but felt very comfortable with them and had a great day together. Muir Woods, a Redwood preserve, is a gem of an attraction fifteen minutes over the Golden Gate Bridge. The Redwood trees are very tall and majestic and the place is quiet and tranquil. A 'must see' if you visit the area. We found most of the class that had taken a bus there and we finished off the trails and requisite gift shopping with them.

After Muir Woods, Al, Nancy, Janet and I visited Sausalito, a touristy community across from San Francisco, that offers seafood and fabulous views of San Francisco Bay. While in Sausalito we ran into Rich and Harriet Ottaviano and we walked the main shopping street with Rich as Harriet was running that afternoon. We... Rich, Al and I... will never forget our preoccupation with certain Christmas ornaments in one of the gift shops there. Grown men asking each other which one we liked better... and if you really like it we'll go in with you to the register. What friends! After saying goodbye to Sausalito and Rich and Harriet, we drove north a bit had lunch near a community of houseboats which we spent some time admiring. We learned latter that they start at about a million dollars each. We figured they were attractive, interesting, inexpensive living/lifestyle alternatives. Boy, were we wrong. Rule one everything in San Francisco is expensive.

Marianne, Babs and many other classmates also visited Muir Woods and Sausalito by bus. People have great fun with the group and great fun with another couple. Fun is fun regardless. They where having a lot of fun though. Their bus stopped at the Golden Gate Bridge at the start of their trip and enjoyed some great photo opportunities. In Sausalito many of the group remained and enjoyed a great lunch at one of the fine seafood restaurants on the water overlooking San Francisco Bay.

About a quarter to six in the early evening we gathered again in the courtyard awaiting our transportation to a community center/hall that Gene and Sandy had secured for our Birthday Bash. Soon four vans arrived and we piled in. We arrived to a decorated the community hall not all that different than the Masonic Club in Williston Park where Janet and I had our wedding reception some thirty four years ago. It was comfy and quaint and festive with birthday decorations and streamers hanging from the ceiling and table decorations and party hats for all. There was Rock and Roll music and dancing from the fifties and sixties courtesy of this web site playing all evening. Just about the nicest birthday party I have ever been invited to.

I reflected on this simple event and felt so special that this was happening to all of us there. I never thought this could occur so many years from that day in late June in 1963 when life's journey really started for us all. So many different directions and destinations and experiences along the way and now the circle and the journey has brought many of us back here together on this occasion. Oh yes, we sang Happy Birthday, We sang the Alma Mater under Rich's fine direction, we recognized Gene and Sandy for the fabulous weekend and Marianne and me for what we do... and were presented with funny hats. We had two Birthday Cakes; one for the chocoholics and one for those that like the other flavor. Faster than any of us wanted our party was ending. It was after ten and our vans began to arrive to take us back to the hotel. When we returned we gathered for a while in the hospitality suite.

Sunday, October 9, We were on our own for most of today and many of us slept in late before we took off for our destination for the day. We were heading for North Beach and the Italian neighborhood for the Christopher Columbus Parade and later for the Beach Blanket Babylon Show. We took a cab there with Phil and Ida Meringolo and found a spot on a strategic corner to watch the parade. San Francisco is a small city with a unique identity and the parade reflected that and it was very entertaining and unique. It was fun. After the parade ended the four of us visited Silvia's Bakery for a snack before we met the rest of our group in front of the theater for the 4:00 PM matinee.

Beach Blanket Babylon... What a great show. It is completely over the top entertainment and parody. I enjoyed it even though I didn't hear a good part of it. After the show The Meringolos, Ottavianos and Petersens scouted out a small Italian restaurant several blocks west of the theater where we had a fine dinner and good conversation. After dinner we returned to the Hotel Del Sol and the hospitality suite for one last late evening together until we would meet once again in 2006 for our Groove'n and Cruise'n Cruise.

Monday, October 10, I arose up early to make sure I could be down in the courtyard and bid goodbye to as many of my class mates as I could. It takes a while for us to do that. We know the reunion has come to its end but we don't want it to and we want to capture every last minute together that we can. Soon it was time for Janet and I to depart the funky Hotel Del Sol and say our goodbyes and head for the next stop on our vacation and drive to the airport for our flight to Hawaii... Ah yes... Palm trees, warm days, breezy evenings with the trade winds, torch lit beaches, slack key Hawaiian Guitar Music, white sandy beaches and thoughts of hula moons. Sometimes it is easier to say goodbye.

I hope everyone enjoyed this reunion as much as I did... Carl

Please send your pictures for the Photo Album to webmaster@mineola63.org or send me your CD and I will go through them, transfer them to the Photo Album and send back your CD.

Now Please visit our:

Birthday Bash Photo Album (Early Version)

Birthday Bash Slideshow (Early Version)