Please note that our Book Club meets regularly on the third Wednesday evening of every month (except for December) to discuss the chosen book for that date.
Saturday, May 14 – Real Estate Workshop Presented by Katie Min ’01 and Adrian Daryanani (Palo Alto)
Host: Theresa Chung ’85
Katie Min ’01, Client Relationship Specialist at Alain Pinel Realtors and Adrian Daryanani, Mortgage Loan Officer from US Bank, presented an informative workshop on buying real estate in the Bay Area.
Katie provided tips and guidance on what to look for in a Realtor, while Adrian provided an overview on the importance of a local loan officer as well as various possible loan options. Both Katie and Adrian shared examples of the realities of the real estate market in the Bay Area.
A few key takeaways:
— If you want to buy a house in the Bay Area, be 100% certain that you want to buy, because the process will require your full commitment.
— Don’t time the market, decide based on what makes sense for your life.
— You may view up to 30 homes before you find “the one.” It’s a process of elimination.
— Be prepared to act quickly (offers may be due same day) once you find a place that you like. A good Realtor will prepare you ahead of time as much as possible.
— Don’t take take the process personally; having an offer rejected is just one more step on your journey to home ownership.
— When looking for a Realtor and a mortgage loan officer, make sure they are reputable and they are willing to take the time to develop a relationship with you.
— Most importantly, enjoy the process! Stay confident because home ownership in the bay IS within your reach and a beautiful thing. The first step is talk to professionals about your numbers and options.
If anyone has any questions, feel free to reach out to Katie for real estate. She can match you to the right Realtor: 408-637-9184 or kmin@apr.com. Adrian can help with mortgage inquiries: Adrian.Daryanani@usbank.com or (408) 806-9990.
They both appreciated the chance to speak with everyone at the workshop and look forward to helping you when the time is right.
Saturday, May 7 – Chocolate Tasting Workshop at Timothy Adams Chocolates (Palo Alto)
Coordinator: Margaret Rushing ’94
What a blast! Fourteen Smithies and guests took a hands-on chocolate making lesson at Timothy Adams Chocolates and loved learning everything they ever wanted to know about chocolates, and more. Between the delectable foods, champagne, sipping chocolates, and of course, chocolate bonbons, it was a gastronomical treat! We left with goodie bags full of chocolates to share with family members…or not!
Sunday, April 17, 2016 – Film Screening of “A Journey of A Thousand Miles: Peacekeepers,” directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy ’02 and Geeta Gandbhir (Palo Alto)
Host: Stanford Global Studies Division
Saturday, April 16, 2016 – Student Exam Care Packages Assembly Party (Sunnyvale)
Host: Carmen Say ’11
On April 16th, young alumnae gathered for mimosas, cheese, and fruit before our annual spring exam care package party. The Spring care packages were sent to our current students, full of wonderful goodies for some spring fun before finals! This year, we included a 400 ml water bottle, a small first aid kit, sunscreen for sunny days, a mixture of healthy snacks, some study supplies for finals prep, and a bottle of bubbles for a little stress relief.
Sunday, April 10, 2016 – Accepted Students Yield Party (Cupertino)
Host: Melanie Herscher ’14
On Sunday, April 10th, 7 Smith admitted high school students joined our alumnae (and one of our incoming students) at the home of Melanie Herscher ’14 for a lovely yield tea, despite the rainy weather. Over tea and cookies, we got to know these lovely ladies a little better and had the chance to answer their questions about Smith and what it means to be a Smith College student. It was such a treat to get the chance to chat with these potential young Smithies.
Sunday, March 6, 2016 – Faculty Speaker, Professor Andrew Guswa (Woodside)
Host: Shana Nelson Middler ’89
Professor Andrew Guswa, Director of the Center for the Environment, Ecological Design and Sustainability, talked to us about the following topic: “The California Drought and Water Sustainability.”
Two dozen alumnae and guests spent a fun and informative evening learning more about these important issues. Dr. Guswa is a former Bay Area resident who earned his Masters degree and Ph.D. at Stanford.
Saturday, February 20, 2016 – Young Alumnae Hike (Cupertino)
Coordinator: Mindy Chu ’11
Sunday, January 24, 2016 – Annual Cider Party (Palo Alto)
Host: Laura Selznick ’68
We had an amazing turnout of prospective students this year at the annual Cider Party! A whopping 18 prospective students joined us for this wonderful local tradition. We enjoyed delicious mulled cider and Laura’s scrumptious cookies while chatting with the students. It was fun revisiting our college years and explaining what made Smith special to us.
Saturday, December 5, 2015 – Annual Holiday Tea and Cookie Exchange (Saratoga)
Host: Sara Biyabani ’84
This was a great opportunity to enjoy tea with friends, meet fellow Smithie bakers, share recipes, and sample unique homemade baked creations and confections. Non-bakers are always welcome to join us for tea anyway!
Saturday, November 14, 2015 – Exam Care Packages Assembly Party (San Jose)
Host: Hazel Won ’11
Once again, young alumnae gathered to put together darling exam care packages for Peninsula Smithies.
Tuesday, November 10, 2015 – An Evening with Gloria Steinem (San Francisco)
Coordinator: Dartmouth Club of Silicon Valley
During this evening with Gloria Steinem ’56, she discussed her first book in over 20 years, My Life on the Road, a candid account of how unexpected people and encounters led her to transformative ideas. The author of such books as Revolution from Within: A Book of Self-Esteem and Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions, Steinem received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama in 2013. In addition to Ms Steinem’s discussion, alumnae met in the “Green Room” for a private, VIP reception before the show.
Sunday, October 18, 2015 – Mountain Day Hike (Cupertino)
Coordinator: Melanie Herscher ’14
We brushed off our hiking boots, packed up our brown bags, and gathered together at Pinchetti Ranch for a lovely Mountain Day celebration! We reminisced about fall in New England but were glad for the beautiful California weather! Unfortunately the drought has taken a toll on the pond that used to be there but we were rewarded with some pretty vistas from the top of the local peak. Afterwards, we picnicked near the winery among wandering hens, peahens and a couple of roosters who put on a crowing demonstration for us. We look forward to many more Mountain Day hikes.
Sunday, September 27, 2015 – Annual Meeting and Potluck Dinner (Los Altos)
Host: Madeleine Fackler ’80
Twenty-three alumnae met to enjoy delicious food and each other’s company. We had had a wide range of graduating classes and locations (with alumnae coming from as far north as San Francisco, as far east as Fremont, and as far south as Monterey). We also held our annual meeting where we summarized the progress made over the past year and elected our new board members.
Friday, August 7, 2015 – Annual Newsletter Assembly Party (Woodside)
Host: Anne Halsey ’06
We assembled the annual print newsletter in a record amount of time this year, thanks to alums, spouses, and even one Smith dad who helped out! We had fun chatting about our summers and learned about the strict postal regulations for mailing newsletters.
Saturday, August 2, 2015 – Students Summer Sendoff Party (Palo Alto)
Host: Julia Moran ’03
Current students, new students, club admission volunteers, and board members gathered to wish our students good luck for the upcoming academic year. New students received tips on Smith life and living in New England while alumnae fondly reminisced about their years at the college. Julia provided us with a lovely assortment of refreshments and beverages.
Saturday, July 11, 2015 – Financial Planning Workshop (Palo Alto)
Host: Ariadne Horseman ’86
A small group of Smithies woke up bright and early to hear Ariadne Horseman ’86 talk about financial planning at all stages of life. Ariadne, who is a certified financial planner, gave us a lot of information and advice about money and asset management. The group asked many questions and walked away with a wealth of information.
Sunday, June 7, 2015 – Summer Afternoon Tea (Atherton)
Host: Jean Davidson ’73
About 40 attendees, including alumnae, current students, and incoming students from the classes of 2019 and 2020, gathered to kick off summer with afternoon tea. There were many lively conversations as students and alumnae socialized and enjoyed delicious food.
Thursday, May 14, 2015 – Sunset Magazine Tour (Menlo Park)
Coordinator: Sally Smith ’64
A hardy group braved the rain to accompany Sally Smith ’64 on a tour of the gardens at the Sunset magazine headquarters. Established in 1951, the gardens feature habitat areas plus a rose garden, test gardens for the editors, and an outdoor entertainment kitchen. At this transitional time, we enjoyed matilija poppies, alstroemeria, Sunset Celebration roses, and 8-foot stands of sweet peas, as well as the beginnings of the vegetable planting and two chickens. The tour was followed by tea and pastries at Douce France in Palo Alto, a very Smithie conclusion to the event.
Sunday, April 12, 2015 – Annual Yield Party (Cupertino)
Host: Melanie Herscher ’14
Six accepted students from the Peninsula and their families joined our alumnae interviewers and admission volunteers for delicious treats in the spring sunshine at the lovely garden of Melanie Herscher ’14. Alumnae had the chance to converse and share their experiences with some of the amazing young women who may enter the class of 2019. The students and their parents had plenty of questions about Smith that kept the conversations lively.
Saturday, March 14, 2015 – Negotiation Workshop (Palo Alto)
Coordinator: Catharine Wallace Ingram ’07
Leslie Mulligan of Watershed Associates gave an eye-opening seminar entitled “Women Entrepreneurs: Excellence in Negotiation.” She walked us through the different ways that women and men negotiate and helped us identify our own negotiating strengths and what we can work on. We were guided through the steps of negotiating from preparation to the final agreement. Leslie was an engaging speaker who integrated real-life examples that we could relate to, encouraged audience participation, and directed small group exercises. We came away with key points on how to better negotiate what we want in all parts of life.
Thursday, February 25, 2015 – Young Alumnae Happy Hour (Palo Alto)
Coordinators: Mindy Chu ’11 and Katie Min ’01
Saturday, February 21, 2015 – Winter Afternoon Tea (San Mateo)
Host: Jennifer Bock Hughes ’84
Many thanks to Jennifer Bock Hughes ’84 for hosting the Peninsula Smith Club Afternoon Tea at her lovely home in San Mateo. Alums enjoyed delicious treats on a beautiful afternoon. It was a great opportunity to catch up with local Smithies, network, and make new friends.
Saturday, January 25, 2015 – Annual Hot Cider Party (Palo Alto)
Host: Laura Selznick ’68
A great turnout of prospective students and alumnae from many different decades gathered at the house of Laura Selznick ’68 for our annual hot cider party. We enjoyed delicious mulled cider and refreshments while chatting with the students and their families. It was fun revisiting our college years and explaining what made Smith special to us.
Wednesday, December 17, 2014 – Young Alumnae Happy Hour (Mountain View)
Coordinators: Mindy Chu ’11 and Katie Min ’01
Sunday, December 7, 2014 – Holiday Tea and Cookie Exchange (Hillsborough)
Host: Linda Cooperman ’72
Two dozen alumnae met at the beautiful home of Linda Cooperman ’72 to share cookies and memories of Smith. As always, there were many delicious varieties of cookies and cakes to sample. With so many different years represented, we had a great time swapping stories of our various times at the College. Everyone went home with a slight sugar high, goodies to share, and many new recipes to try out. This wonderful event has become a much anticipated tradition.
Sunday, November 23, 2014 – Student Exam Care Packages Assembly Party (Foster City)
Host: Shadavia Jones ’10
Young alumnae gathered at the lovely home of Shadavia Jones ’10 to assemble winter exam care packages for 30 current Peninsula Smithies. We enjoyed a delicious selection of snacks and refreshments while reminiscing about Smith and sharing college memories. Some fun items for our students included warm festive socks, lip balm, hand/feet warmers and various study snacks. Care packages are a big hit with our current students and are made possible by members’ donations.
Sunday, October 12, 2014 – Mountain Day Celebration (Watsonville)
Coordinator: Catharine Wallace Ingram ’07
On a beautiful, sunny day, alumnae met to go apple picking to celebrate Mountain Day California style. We picked bags of apples, sampled apple cider and ate apple turnovers at the Clearview Orchard in Watsonville. We left with plans to make lots of apple dishes!
Thursday, October 9, 2014 – College Admissions Talk with Deb Shaver, Dean of Admissions (Woodside)
Host: Shana Nelson-Midler ’89
The Club was pleased to host Smith College Dean of Admissions Deb Shaver, who spoke to 30 alumnae, friends of alumnae, and their high school-age students (girls and boys). Deb addressed the increasingly stressful topic of selective college admissions with humor and energy. Deb walked the group through the components of the process, demystifying what it takes to get into a college as highly selective as Smith. Overall, it was a fun, informative and lively evening of Smith conversation and camaraderie.
Sunday, September 14, 2014 – Annual Meeting and Potluck Dinner (Los Altos)
Host: Maria Allo ’68
We had a lovely evening and a beautiful setting for our 2014 Annual Meeting and Potluck on September 14. Many thanks to Maria Allo ’68 for hosting us again this year. Fabulous food and drinks along with meeting old and new friends were the first part of the agenda!
Sunday, August 31, 2014 – Young Alumnae Hike
Coordinator: Mindy Chu ’11
A few young Smithies got together on Sunday, August 31, for a morning hike through Rancho San Antonio County Park. They enjoyed views of the South Bay Area and a delicious dim sum lunch afterward.
Saturday, August 16, 2014 – Student Send Off Party (Menlo Park)
Host: Jean Parmelee ’70
On Saturday, August 16, a group of new Smithies, their parents and several alumnae gathered at the lovely home of Jean Parmelee ’70. Questions about winter clothing, best travel routes and favorite Smith traditions and legends were asked and answered with great enthusiasm. Iced tea, lemonade and Jean’s delicious homemade cookies were enjoyed by all. The eleven new Peninsula Smithies, Class of 2018, are now launched and will be on campus by the time you read this. Best wishes to them and thanks to all who made this a fun Smith event!
Saturday, August 2, 2014 – Annual Newsletter Assembly Party (Woodside)
Host: Anne Halsey ’06
On August 2, ten alumnae spent an evening assembling, stamping, and sorting our annual written newsletter. Everyone had a great time chatting and eating delicious food while making quick work of preparing 630 newsletters. Many thanks to Anne Halsey ’06 for hosting!
Tuesday, July 8, 2014 – Career Talk (Los Altos)
Host: Nisha Thatte-Potter ‘88
Colleen DelVecchio, Director of Alumnae Engagement for Smith, visited with the Peninsula Club. She met one-on-one with individual alumnae to give personalized career counseling and gave a talk titled “Tap Into Your Talents” at Box, Inc. in Los Altos. She highlighted ways to discover your passions and how to use that knowledge to find a job that fits you. She also talked about setting your priorities, how they change over your lifetime, and how to apply them to your job decisions. Many thanks to Nisha Thatte-Potter ’88 for hosting Colleen during the day and to Anne Halsey ’06 for providing us with our evening space.
Saturday, June 14, 2014 – Summer Afternoon Tea (San Jose)
Host: Catherine Wallace ’07
The parents of Catharine Wallace ’07 kindly opened their home in San Jose to the Peninsula Smith Club again for tea to kick off summer with local Smithies. The weather and conversations were warm. Alums, grads, and new students offered stories, and our newest grads shared their graduation news with us and old friends caught up with each other. It was a great casual event that was well attended by representatives from the classes of 2018 through 1960s. We are glad that this is a popular event, and will continue to keep this one on the calendar.
Saturday, May 10, 2014 – Tour of the San Francisco Botanical Gardens (San Francisco)
Coordinator: Jean Davidson ’73
Fourteen Smithies enjoyed a lovely afternoon in San Francisco. We began with lunch at the De Young Museum Cafe and then walked over to the San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park. Mary Pitts, a Trustee of the Garden Society, gave us a fascinating private tour of the California native plants found in the Garden. Sue Ann Levin Schiff ’69, Executive Director of the S.F. Botanical Garden Society, joined us as well.
Saturday, April 26, 2014 – Hike at Rancho San Antonio (Cupertino)
Coordinator: Mindy Chu ‘11
Smithies came together for a sunny Saturday morning hike at Rancho San Antonio Park in Los Altos hosted by Mindy Chu ’11. The hike was leisurely and we exchanged memorable stories from our days on campus in Northampton. In addition to the hike, a visit to the Deer Hollow Farm was very much enjoyed. There were animals such as sheep, pigs, chickens and cows. We even purchased farm fresh eggs to take home!
Saturday, April 19, 2014 – Spring Care Package Assembly Party (Los Altos)
Coordinator: Mindy Chu ‘11
Young alums gathered to put together Spring semester care packages for current Peninsula Smithies. Some items we sent over to Northampton included colorful Post-It notes and highlighters, tea, Ramen noodles, Kashi bars, and Emergen-C. We will be assembling care packages again in November/December for Winter 2014
Saturday, April 5, 2014 – Annual Yield Coffee (Hillsborough)
Host: Susan Cleary Garratt ‘59
The Club hosted a yield coffee for all accepted students from the Peninsula. Six accepted students (three of them Early Decision) attended, each with one or two parents in tow. We had a nice group of alums there to answer their questions and talk about Smith. We heard from many parents how easy and stress-free Smith made the process and that our interviewers had made a huge difference — even inspiring one applicant to go Early Decision! Many thanks
to Susan for opening her beautiful home to us and providing lovely refreshments.
March 13, 2014 – Draper Business Plan Competition Review (San Francisco)
Coordinator: Susan Strom ’04, President of the Smith Club of the East Bay
Sponsored by venture capitalist Tim Draper and Melissa Draper ‘77, the Draper Business Plan Competition is an exclusive opportunity for current Smith College students to compete for $20,000 in prize money. Fifteen Smith College alumnae and Safe Shepherd team members met to review the 2014 Draper Business Plan Competition semi-finalist’s pre-competition pitches. These 90 second pitches are one of the many exercises that Smith’s Center for Women and Financial Independence is running to help students produce compelling and competitive business plans.
March 22, 2014 – Wine Tasting Party (San Mateo)
Host: Jennifer Bock Hughes ’84
25 Smithies and their guests had a delightful evening of wine tasting with Lauren Kemp ’05, the talented head sommelier of Spruce restaurant in San Francisco. Lauren carefully selected red and white wines from around the world for our enjoyment during the five-course meal, offering both common and less common choices. She artfully combined wines with each course and explained why the pairings made sense from the art and science of wine. The group enjoyed the wines and the tastings and interesting conversation flourished.
February 1, 2014 – Faculty Speaker Event (Woodside)
Host: Shana Nelson Middler ’89
Dr. Michael Marcotrigiano, Director of the Botanic Gardens and professor of Biological Science at Smith, gave a talk on Invasive Species: When Encouraging Diversity Goes Bad. He led a great discussion, bringing awareness to the different threat levels of non-native plant species, including how and why certain species are so destructive to the broader ecosystem. Our guests were pleasantly engaged and asked informed and concerned questions. Shana Nelson Middler and her family were gracious hosts and provided a very comfortable space for us to have this insightful conversation. Many thanks to Shana and to Professor Marcotrigiano for their time and great work!
January 4, 2014 – Hot Cider Party (Palo Alto)
Host: Laura Selznick ’68
Smith alumnae and current and prospective Smith students and their parents gathered at the lovely home of Laura Selznick ‘68 for our Club’s annual Hot Cider Party. Smith alumnae in attendance came from the classes of 1960 through 2013, with each decade in between also represented. Everyone enjoyed sharing their favorite Smith memories and munching on Laura’s delicious home-baked goodies. The silver ladle bequeathed to Laura by Miss Annie Porter ’23 was once again put to good use in serving up the hot cider that has become our annual tradition.
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