ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Enjoy wine and roses on Mother’s Day Everything’s coming up roses on Sunday, Mother’s Day, as rose enthusiasts gather at the Senior Center to share their prize blooms. It’s the 73rd annual Pleasanton Rose Show, known as “the people’s show� because anyone can bring roses from their home garden to enter. For many years, Pleasanton rosegrowers have brought the best from their gardens to a community rose show to be enjoyed by others and to be judged against their petaled peers. It all started in the 1930s when banker Harry Harding gave his customers rose bushes in appreciation for their business. Continuing the reciprocation, the customers would bring back blooms in the springtime for him. The beauty and fragrance that spread throughout the bank inspired Harding to start the Pleasanton Rose Show so everyone could share the loveliness. The show eventually outgrew the bank and moved to other venues including the Century House on Santa Rita. In 2011, it was held at the library, then last year it moved to the Senior Center. Somewhere along the line, the roses began to be judged. The show wasn’t held for a few years until a trio of women, who call themselves the Rosettes, decid-
(rain or shine)
What: 73rd annual Pleasanton Rose Show When: 2-5 p.m., Sunday, May 12 Where: Pleasanton Senior Center, 5353 Sunol Blvd. Cost: Free and open to the public
FEATURING 10 BEAUTIFUL PRIVATE GARDENS IN PLEASANTON
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Roses are on display for everyone to enjoy on Mother’s Day at the Pleasanton Rose Show.
ed to bring it back seven years ago. The women, Leslie Faught, Marti Gilbert and Joyce Jones, are Alain Pinel Realtors, which sponsors the show. The city of Pleasanton has also joined in. “When we first started out about we probably had about 400 people come through the Century House, and at the library we’ve actually had up to 2,000 people come through, over 400 entries,� said Jones in an interview on Tri-Valley Community Television last year. Because of the growth, the event moved to the Senior Center last year. Also the city became a sponsor,
VFW resurrects swing era at Tea Dances Stop by Wednesday to enjoy old favorites BY DOLORES FOX CIARDELLI
SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2013 10AM - 4 PM
A rose is a rose
Put on your dancing shoes and head to the Veterans Memorial Building, 301 Main St., for an afternoon Tea Dance on Wednesday, May 15. The Mellotones Combo will play dance music, with Joe Buonsante crooning as well as playing light percussion. “We play a variety of songs — samba, tango, rhumbas,� Buonsante said. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6298 has sponCONTRIBUTED sored these Tea Dances for VFW Tea Dances feature music from the the last two months, and Swing Era by the Mellotones Combo. Buonsante said they draw mostly folks older than 60. “But some are around 50,� he noted. Buonsante himself is 80, a veteran of the Korean War. He began singing at the age of 13 after walking into a movie theater and observing Frank Sinatra in action. He was a teacher by profession, in Pleasanton elementary and middle schools. The other Mellotones members play piano, bass, drums, guitar, trumpet and saxophone, in this and other bands in the area. The Pleasanton Senior Center used to host Tea Dances, as did the Dublin Senior Center, which halted them due to budget cuts. Pleasanton’s VFW was motivated to host them with the Mellotones. “They play what some might call the Great American Songbook, that is, popular tunes of stage, screen and radio, plus all-time favorites from the Swing Era of the 1930s and 1940s,� said spokesman Pat Leary. “They are a good time,� Leary added. “The music is a lot of fun — lot’s of memories.� Dancing begins at 12:30 p.m. and continues until 3. Cost is $7, which includes a light lunch. From Moonglow to Volare to the Tea for Two Cha Cha, join the VFW to dance or tap your toes to the music. N
which allowed the Rose Show to add even more features, Gilbert said. The schedule for Sunday is as follows: ■Exhibitor registration: 8-10 a.m. ■Judging: 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ■Show opens: 2-5 p.m. ■Awards ceremony: 2:30 p.m. This year’s Rose Show will again include wine tasting for $5 featuring Little Valley Winery of Pleasanton. N
Presented By:
PLEASANTON WEEKLY
$35/person
Purchase tickets online at valleyhumane.org or at one of these locations (cash/check only):
IS THERE A BABY IN YOUR FUTURE?
Free Maternity Education Seminar Presented by: Laura Silverstein, MD Rebecca Stone, MD ValleyCare Medical Foundation OB/GYNs Date: May 29, 2013 Time: 6:30 PM Location: ValleyCare Medical Center 5555 W. Las Positas Blvd 2 West Conference Room Pleasanton Please join us for a free education seminar where ValleyCare physicians will discuss important issues related to pregnancy, including staying healthy during pregnancy. Drs. Laura Silverstein and Rebecca Stone will also cover when to schedule your first visit to confirm pregnancy, what to expect during this visit and subsequent visits, as well as answer any questions you may have. We invite you to register for this seminar by calling the ValleyCare Health Information line at 1-800-719-9111 or visit our website at www.valleycare.com/ educationseminars.
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Pleasanton WeeklyĂŠUĂŠMay 10, 2013ĂŠU Page 17