The Valley Line: Flintridge Riding Club members gather to nibble on scones and savor tea
Happy New Year, everyone! Upward and onward we go into this shiny new year — it will be quite interesting to see how events unfold over the coming 12 months.
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I’m still catching up on holiday news, so bear with me. Just before Christmas, the Flintridge Riding Club held a lovely tea. The gathering was held in the historic club house that was designed 95 years ago by architect Reginald Davis Johnson.
The tea table was beautifully decorated with softly glowing candles, fragrant greens and red berries. The food prepared was as elegant as at any teas held at the famed Savoy Hotel in London. About 50 or so guests enjoyed this happy respite from holiday madness.
Tiny tea sandwiches were arranged on silver platters. Making this truly a proper tea were the tasty scones, clotted cream and delicious jams. Coffee and tea were poured from silver pots. An especially tasty addition to the pastries was a savory cinnamon petal biscuit that Erin Gershik made from a recipe treasured by her family for countless years. By the way, Gershik was chair of the tea.
Other riding club members who joined forces to make this such a delightful afternoon were Ame Austin, Gina Groth, Suzie Osimo, Roberta Pollock, Ann Deren-Lewis, Wendy Hodgin, Suanne Mandell and Christine Ho’o.
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The La Cañada Flintridge Orthopaedic Guild recently held its final meeting of 2018 and installation of its new 2019 board of directors and officers, followed by a luncheon. The local guild supports Orthopaedic Institute for Children in Los Angeles.
The installation of the new guild board was presided over by Mary Beth Perrine, the institute’s assistant vice president of development and outreach, with assistance from Karla Delgado, assistant director development and community outreach and Michael (“Mikey”) Willis, manager of volunteer services and community outreach.
Perrine likened the 20-member La Cañada Flintridge guild to an “extra-powerful, double shot, mocha and caramel coffee drink.” She described its members as truly amazing women whose generosity and commitment to the Orthopaedic Institute as genuinely inspirational.
The local guild’s major fundraiser each year is a very popular book and author luncheon.
Marianne Jennings is the organization’s new president. Assisting her are Ginney Pruitt, Elinor Bunn, Joanne Plosza, Jeanne Long, Marie Gilhooly, Chris Roper, Barbara Self, Maria Gero, Linda Labrie, Caryl Petit, Wendy Nicoll and Arlene Massimino.
Luncheon attendees brought along an abundance of unwrapped toys for the Orthopaedic Institute to deliver to a medical clinic in Calexico.
To learn more about membership in the La Cañada Flintridge Orthopaedic Guild, call Jeanne Long at (818) 248-7822.
Jane Napier Neely covers the La Cañada Flintridge social scene. Email her at jnvalleysun@aol.com with news of your special event.