And Santa Claus Came to Town!

On Christmas Day, Ken and I along with his daughter, Elizabeth went to Michael and Alicia Hatch’s home to see what Santa Claus had brought Jackson and Spencer.  Jackson, at 2-1/2 years old, was totally enthralled with Christmas and was surrounded with a sea of new toys.  Little brother Spencer, at 9 months, was completely happy with a strip of paper from one of the gifts while Michael labored over assembling a battery-powered Batmobile that we brought.

Alicia served a festive and casual Christmas supper which we all enjoyed, except Jackson who couldn’t take time away from all his new toys to actually eat.  He did serve us toy pizza slices with appropriate toppings from his new kitchen set however.  Yum!?  

Christmas Eve with Family and Dear Friends

Every year at Christmastime, we take turns with the Barriers in hosting Christmas Eve for any members of our family who are available to join us along with Pat Wallace and any members of her family available.  This year it was Patty and Jimmy’s turn to host the party and what a magnificent party it was!  Joining Ken and me from the Hatch family were Michael and Alicia Hatch along with their sons, Jackson and Spencer, Elizabeth Hatch, and Katie and Kevin Laramore along with their 6 month old son, Cutter.  Also joining the party were Kjell Schei and his friend Keely (see photo above) and Pat Wallace and daughters, Christy and Nancy Wallace.  Elizabeth and Christy are pictured above.  Also pictured above are Ken along with his daughter, Elizabeth and grandson, 9 month old Spencer.

We each took turns choosing a favorite Christmas carol that we sang together.  Most of the carols were pretty traditional, but it was fun to remember the words with a little help from an I-phone app.  Patty had the most unusual Christmas song that none of us had heard previously.  We ended the evening with our traditional white elephant gift exchange and the sumo wrestler fan made yet another appearance!

At the end of a marvelous evening together on Christmas Eve, we were all off to head to our beds where “visions of sugar plums danced in our heads”.

 

Hatch Family Christmas Celebration

Each Christmas season because of blended families, married children and lots of competing demands on time together, we schedule either December 22 or 23 as the “Christmas Celebration” for the Hatch family.  This year we were fortunate to have everyone join us on December 23^rd with the exception of Justin, Amy, Stephen and Catarina.  We started a new tradition of adding a photo ornament on the tree for each family member and this year, we asked each one to share with us something special that had happened to them during the past year.  In the two top photos, you can see Ken beginning the process and a close-up photo of some of the photo ornaments.

This year was special because we had three little boys to celebrate with, two of whom were brand-new since last Christmas; Jackson Hatch, the big brother at 2-1/2 years old, Spencer Hatch at 9 months and Cutter Laramore at 6 months.  Ryan and Teresa Hatch along with daughters Kylee and Nicky, came from Florida to spend Christmas in Seattle.  Katie and Kevin Laramore and son, Cutter came from Spokane to celebrate  and we were so happy to have Elizabeth Hatch, who lives in L.A. come celebrate and spend time with us this year too.  Also celebrating with us who already live in the Seattle area were Sean Hatch, Troy Clark, Renee Newitt, Michael and Alicia Hatch and sons Jackson and Spencer.

We had a very merry Christmas and hope you did too!  

Santa Supper at the Rainier Club

This afternoon we attended the Santa Supper at The Rainier Club.  The Rainier Club was packed throughout with hundreds of people there celebrating the season with their families.  In addition to visiting Santa, there were dozens of activities for young children and their families including face painting, balloon animals, holiday tattoos, decorating sugar cookies, making s’mores, etc.

We joined the Gary & Susan Neumann family at a table in the Burke Room.  Joining them was their daughter, Katherine and husband Cory and sons Benjamin and Henry.  At other tables were friends, Dave & Trudi Syferd and family, Carol & Spike Anderson and family, Nancy & Van Strom and family, Doug & Joyce McCallum and family and others.  Joining Ken and me were family members Michael & Alicia Hatch and their two sons, Jackson and Spencer and Katie & Kevin Laramore and their son, Cutter.

For their first Christmas, Santa was definitely not a hit with either Spencer (8 months) or Cutter (5 months)!  Jackson, at 2-1/2 years was quite pleased to tell Santa what he wants for Christmas though and wasn’t the least bit afraid.  Following a beautiful buffet supper with an extensive dessert buffet, everyone went home “with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads”.

And yet another Birthday Celebration!

Just when I thought this birthday was over and done with, it was time to celebrate with a few more friends who also share December birthdays.  On Friday, we had a festive luncheon celebration in the The Georgian Room at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel.  The Georgian Room, now celebrating its 20th year rated as a AAA 4 Diamond restaurant, features French-inspired Northwest cuisine prepared by Executive Chef Gavin Stephenson.

Instead of receiving birthday gifts, our civilized custom is for the birthday girls to bring small gifts for the non-birthday girls while the non-birthday girls bring birthday cards and pay for lunch.  Celebrating December birthdays with me were Jan Rogers and Londi Burnett.  Jan brought thermal “green” coffee cups from her new business ShopGreenGoods.com, Londi brought darling little ladybug Christmas tree ornaments and I brought blown glass Christmas ornaments along with handmade soap.  Denise, who was not a birthday girl this time brought us each a Tully’s gift card anyway and none of us even complained about her not following the birthday club rules.

Happy Birthday, Jan and Londi, and all my other December birthday friends!

PNB STARS Holiday Party at our home

On Wednesday of this past week, we hosted the PNB STARS Holiday Party at our home. PNB STARS is a volunteer organization dedicated to the support of the Pacific Northwest Ballet through special events and member education. Originally established in honor of the Ballet's 25th Anniversary, PNB STARS is filled with dedicated, energetic members who share the love of PNB and who have together raised nearly $2,000,000 for the Pacific Northwest Ballet.  Dear friend, Alexis Phelps, was the visionary who founded PNB STARS and she continues to be an active and valued member of the group.

In addition to Alexis and her husband, Stewart, there were many other members attending the party including Rose Dennis with husband, Frank, PNB STARS President Carrie Lee, Cindy Lee, Sharon Richardson, Barbara Ries, Margaret Dell’Osso, and PNB STARS and  ZINO Society members Elisabeth Bodal, Peggy Swistak and Susie Ostrander. PNB Dancers Ariana Lallone, Laura Gilbreath and Jerome Tisserand were also in attendance.

Anyone interested in finding out more about joining PNB STARS should email PNBSTARS@pnb.org.    

Please acquiesce to my immeasurable appreciation!

As I mentioned in my recent blog posting, we celebrated birthdays at The Capital Grille last week.  My ZINO Society associate, Mary Holmes, gave me a book entitled “The Big Book of Words You Should Know”.  The book jacket cover exhorts, “Impress your friends and family with language that’s both euphonious and sesquipedalian.”  Of course I felt obligated to make use of her gift when writing my thank you note and thought you might enjoy seeing it:

To my esteemed, charismatic cohort, Mary~

Kudos!  I am positively jubilant and emphatically endeavor to compliment you on your stellar choice of the versatile and auspicious gift you bequeathed to me.   I am enthralled, exhilarated and euphoric with the epic and intriguing compendium of interesting and massive words and look forward to regaling associates and acquaintances with my superlative, sublime and salient communication spiels and tirades.   Your gift bestowal culminates in dissipating the doldrums and bolstering my blithe animus.  However will I reciprocate in an expeditious manner?

Please acquiesce to my immeasurable appreciation!

Cathi

 

 

The Birthday Fairy Arrives.

Though I spent all weekend trying to avoid coming face-to-face with the Birthday Fairy, she finally tracked me down on Sunday evening.  Dear friends, Patty & Jimmy Barrier, hosted a beautiful small celebration dinner Sunday evening at The Ruin’s in my honor so I couldn’t be totally ungracious when the Birthday Fairy came calling.  In addition to the Barriers and the Hatchman, rounding out the party were Renee & Carl Behnke, Karen & Chuck Lytle, Bonnie & Ron Elgin and Sarah & John Rindlaub.

It was so kind of everyone to take an evening out of their busy holiday schedules to celebrate with me.  There were lots of jokes and gales of laughter as we recalled past adventures and experiences together.  However, after a full weekend of holiday festivities, we were all ready to call it a night at 9:00 pm and head home just a bit early to get ready for an early Monday morning.

And now, I am relieved that I don’t have to worry about avoiding the Birthday Fairy for another whole year! 

Norwegian Tradition

Saturday evening, the Hatchman and I attended a beautiful cocktail party at the Sammamish lakeside home of Joyce & Doug McCallum. Doug and Joyce have a very interesting home. They remodeled and put together two homes and their main entertaining space is a gallery that fills the area that once stood between the two homes. I secretly covet their two kitchens; one for Doug and one for Joyce. They each have their own refrigerators. That sounds like heaven to me!

One of their annual traditions is the lighting of the holiday tree. Joyce not only uses electric lights but also attaches actual candles to each branch. It looks like an accident waiting to happen, but is absolutely beautiful and moving! McCallum family friend, Carol Anderson lights the candles on the tree in the photo above.

Doug offered an interesting collection of wines from his cellar including a vertical of Chateau Ste. Michelle Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon spanning 1993 though 1997 along with other appropriate libations and Joyce offered delectable sweets and savories while beautiful piano Christmas music was played in the background. At the end of the evening, the guests were all thoroughly happy as they bid their hosts and other guests a fond farewell and Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Friday evening, my good friends Toni & Rod Hoffman, Susan & Gary Neumann, Suzy & Moe Krabbe, and Trudi & Dave Syferd hosted a small birthday dinner party in my honor.  What a special dinner party!  Toni and friends had gone to huge amount of effort getting photos of me as a child which were displayed on the tables and the tables were set beautifully with Toni’s antique china, antique salt cellars and sparkling crystal.  Suzy Krabbe wrote a personalized  poem which the ladies performed as a gentle roast.  (I’m so glad they were kind and gentle!)

Since we didn’t know each another then, one of the activities of the evening that I especially enjoyed was hearing a story from each person at my table about something interesting or memorable that had occurred during their high school years.  One of the couples (not married to each other) had dated briefly in high school.  Another, who had come from a privileged home life, told a story about one day when the butler was sick and she was late leaving for school, her 10 year old brother got out the car and drove her to school.  And another was a baseball letterman who played first base.  I shared a story about being a synchronized swimmer which I had a hard time convincing my table to belief.  It was true however!

Ken had fun visiting his stored wine at Seattle Wine Storage and selecting just the right wines for the dinner party.  There was certainly no shortage of wine and there were many bottles left over for the next big party.  His selections included:

Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin Brut

2006 Far Niente Chardonnay

2006 Grgich Hills Estate Chardonnay

2007 Stags Leap Chardonnay

2005 Sait-Aubin White Burgundy

2007 Rombauer Chardonnay

1994 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon

2001 Leonetti Cabernet Sauvignon

1989 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon

2006 Shafer Merlot

1994 Woodward Canyon Merlot

1993 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon

1983 Rieussec Sauternes

 

 

  

Birthday Celebration at The Capital Grille

On Friday, the ZINO Society team crossed the street to visit our sponsor, The Capital Grille, and celebrate both Robin Moore’s and my birthdays.  We are both Sagittarians with birthdays just a few days apart.  Lisa Robinson of The Capital Grille hosted us for some delicious calamari and luscious coconut cream pie.  Thank you, Lisa!  Celebrating from left to right above are Lisa Robinson, Cathi Hatch, Robin Moore, McKenzie Powell, Rob Brown and Mary Holmes.  Watching over the celebration is a Jimi Hendrix portrait.  Happy Birthday, Robin!

Ladies Who Lunch and Women of Influence

These women can fit in either category.  Sometimes we are “ladies who lunch” and at other times, we are “women of influence”.  Yesterday, I got to be both.

First, I attended the annual Ladies’ Holiday Luncheon at Overlake Golf Club, an event that I was part of founding over 25 years ago.  It was fun to see friends and celebrate the season together.  Pictured along with me above are luncheon chairman, Joan Johnston,  Chloe Mueller, Sue Grinstein, Joanne Baseler, Trudi Syferd, Suzy Krabbe, Joyce McCallum, Elisabeth Bodal, Anne-Marie Hedges, Sherry Raisbeck and Betty Tong.  Over the years, the women have brought gifts for a gift exchange that had become very competitive (i.e. Who brought the best gift that was stolen the most?) and this year I am pleased that it was decided that in future years, we will bring only toys or donations for underprivileged children and just enjoy our time connecting with one another.  To me, it feels more like the focus of the season and just feels better!

And then last evening following the ZINO Society Roundtable meeting, I attended the cocktail reception at the Rainier Club honoring the recently announced Puget Sound Business Journal Women of Influence.  See my earlier blog posting with details of the original 2009 celebration event here.  There were several of the 2009 honorees in attendance last evening including Rubicella Acosta, Sarah Carter, Nancy Pellegrino, Nancy Auer, Annette Jacobs and Ada Healey (not pictured).  I was surprised and flattered to be included in the photo ops since I was not part of the current group, but a “Woman of Influence” in 2004.

Though specific women have been selected for the ”official” Puget Sound Business Journal Women of Influence awards, it was nice to realize that with all of the activities they do and leadership skills every one of these women possess, each of the women listed above can fit into either role.  Each one of us is sometimes one of the “ladies who lunch” and at other times a “woman of influence”.  And occasionally we get to be both in the same day.  

     

 

 

Fa la la la la, la la la la!

It has been a whirlwind of holiday frivolity and activity the past few days! Monday evening kicked off with the Voyager Capital annual holiday party. The Hatchman and I stopped by and enjoyed seeing and talking with Voyager Investment Team members, Bill McAleer and Geoff Entress and ZINO Society Roundtable member, John Otter while enjoying wine tastings from DeLille Cellars and Cadence Winery and delectable chocolate bites from ZINO Society portfolio company, Theo Chocolate. Cadence Winery co-owner, Gaye McNulty, was there pouring her elegant Bel Canto from the Cara Mia Vineyard on Red Mountain.

Tuesday noon was the 15^th annual Seattle Symphony Holiday Musical Salute concert and luncheon. Good friend and past President of the Seattle Symphony, Dorothy Fluke, was there celebrating the fundraiser that she started 15 years ago to benefit the Seattle Symphony Musicians’ Pension Fund. The brief concert was conducted by Maestro Gerard Schwarz and included excerpts from The Nutcracker, several traditional Christmas carols with arrangements by Jerry Schwarz and Composer-in-Residence, Samuel Jones concluding with the crowd-pleasing favorite, Sleigh Ride by Leroy Anderson. Everyone was in the holiday spirit by the end of the musical program! The concert luncheon was a sell-out and I saw and spoke with dozens of friends and current and past Seattle Symphony Board members and Symphony supporters there including Chairwoman of the Seattle Symphony Board, Leslie Chihuly, Mary Ann Champion, Linda Nordstrom, Susan Hutchison, Joanne Baseler, Susan Neumann, Joyce McCallum, Jan Rogers, Nancy Strom, Suzy Krabbe, Carol Anderson, Jan Sinegal, Nancy Evans, Betty Tong, Patti Payne, Toni Hoffman and Elizabeth Roberts to name just a few.

Tuesday afternoon brought the PACE Board meeting which was held in Bellevue at Daniel’s Broiler. An architect's "fly-through" inside this new Eastside performing arts center, was one of the meeting highlights shared by Board Chairman Peter Horvitz and Executive Director, John Haynes. The meeting was followed by a holiday cocktail party where I had the chance to connect and say hello to fellow board members, Karen & Chuck Lytle, Alka Badshah, Maxine Barnard, Rick Wirthlin, Jim Hebert, Alex Smith and Rick Conrad among others.

Yesterday’s holiday highlights included a beautiful ladies’ holiday luncheon at the home of gracious hostess, Janet True where we were greeted by Victorian carolers and enjoyed a delicious luncheon catered by John Sundstrom of Lark. I especially enjoyed my conversations about antique china with Susan Hutchison and Nancy Mee and luncheon talk with Lauren Porter, Kathleen Shoup, Toni Hoffman and Nancy Pellegrino.

Last evening, Ken and I attended the Pacific Northwest Ballet Board of Trustees and Stowell Society Holiday Party which was generously hosted by Ferrari & Maserati of Seattle. We enjoyed seeing and talking with many PNB supporters and Board members including Chairman of the Board Carl Behnke and President Aya Hamilton as well as Artistic Director Peter Boal and wife Kelly, John & Sarah Rindlaub, Peter Horvitz, Alexis & Stewart Phelps, Margaret Dell’Osso, Mary Blackburn, Marda Phelps, Bill & Sue Grinstein, Sharon Richardson, Lynn Lindsay, Susan & Phil Lindsay, Helene Mawyer and Julie & Chip Kelly. Unfortunately when Ken and I slipped out for a pre-birthday dinner at neighboring Osteria La Spiga, the person I missed talking to and wishing him a happy day was birthday boy, D. David Brown, PNB Executive Director.

Glass Art & Gingerbread Houses!

Today Ken and I were invited by Dale, Leslie and Jackson to their Holiday Gingerbread Party at the Chihuly Boathouse.  The invitation encouraged us to bring kids or grandchildren, so we invited Ken’s son, Michael Hatch and wife Alicia, along with grandsons Jackson and Spencer to join us.

When we opened the door to enter the Boathouse, it was a mind-blowing sight.  We were greeting with a riot of color and candy and children all sitting at the long log table decorating gingerbread houses.  All the Chihuly elves (aka glassblowers??) had worked for a couple of weeks baking and putting together gingerbread houses for the party so they would be ready for decorating.  There were little bowls of frosting and bowls of all kinds of candy everywhere and the children were having an amazing time decorating their houses and eating the candy simultaneously.  Jackson, at 2-1/2 years of age, quite enjoyed putting candy on his house and then immediately pulling it off and eating it.  You can see him with a decidedly sugar-glazed look to his eyes above and his mom, Alicia is still smiling.

Among the happy crowd, we saw lots of friends attending with assorted children and grandchildren including Dan & Nancy Evans, Sherry Raisbeck, Betty Tong, Kim Richter, Julie & Tom Skerrit, Angela Wu, Kelly Boal, Alexis Phelps and Billy O’Neill.

Dale Chihuly circulated throughout the party giving a bit of artistic advice on gingerbread house decoration when requested.  Though every gingerbread house was a work of art, especially in the eyes of the pint-size artists, it was obvious to me that none of them were as alluring as Dale’s paintings and colorful chandeliers displayed throughout the Boathouse.

 

Deck the Halls and Barns!

Holiday celebrations galore!  Yesterday the Hatchman and I attended a beautiful Open House at Paul & Lita Luvera’s spectacular estate on the water in Gig Harbor.  Paul & Lita’s parties are legendary!  We have attended almost every year we have been invited because they are such gracious hosts and it is so much fun to see their sumptuous decorations and visit with their wide spectrum of friends at the party.  Even the lion statues at the gates were decorated in holiday fashion and each room boasted an exquisite Christmas tree or other special seasonal décor.  We saw many PONCHO Board friends there including Bonnie & Ron Elgin, Chloe & Lance Mueller (pictured above), Bonnie & Bill Schallert, Jeri Rice, and Mel & Leena Sturman.

Our next stop was at Lillian and Anthony Bay’s beautiful farm in Redmond.  They, along with their children, Michael, Nick and Sophia and our friends, Anna Schafer, and  Kathleen & Tom Schafer were hosting an “Open Barn” party.  The Bay’s barn is not your normal barn, since it is completely finished inside and filled with antique French furnishings.  Santa (aka Anthony)was on hand to greet us upon arrival along with his reindeer, Ruby & Isabel, who were residing for the party in a holiday decorated paddock.  Lillian prepared all the amazing gourmet hors d’oeuvres and Kathleen baked all the festive holiday cookies.  Tom, and daughter Anna, poured glass after glass of their excellent àMaurice Cellars wines which made the party even more festive.

Also enjoying the party while we were there were ZINO Society members Peggy Redding and Denny Dochnahl  along with friends Jim Rose, Christopher Chan, Nohl Martin, Joe & Simone Torres, Ted Ackerley, Karen & Tom Green and Cindy & Ralph Zech.  As we left at the very end of the party, all the gourmet food had been consumed and there were only a few lonely Mexican wedding cookies and a couple of Gingerbread men languishing by the door.

 

 

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas!

Yesterday, the holidays kicked into a little higher gear when I attended a beautiful Ladies’ Holiday Luncheon at The Rainier Club hosted by my friend, Susan Neumann. The program featured The Seattle Girls’ Choir singing carols of the season directed by Artistic Director, Jacob Winkler. My personal favorites of the ten carols they sang were “The Carol of the Drum” and the “Wassail Song”. Their voices were pure and beautiful and when I closed my eyes for a moment, they sounded how I think a choir of angels would sound. Pictured in the top photo from left to right are Diane Kuenster, Jan Rogers, Sandi Premselaar, Susan Neumann, me, Denise Nielsen, Suzy Krabbe, Nancy Strom (hidden) and Carol Anderson.

And then last evening, my friend Trudi Syferd and I attended opening night of the 5th Avenue Theatre production of “White Christmas” complete with the recognizable and often toe-tapping music of Irving Berlin and snow falling throughout the theatre during the finale. It was a festive night at the 5th Avenue Theatre as the new Marquee was celebrated. Klieg search lights blazed overhead while the block of Fifth Avenue in front of the theatre was closed to traffic and people stopped in the middle of the street and gawked at the flashing, lighted new sign. A picture of Trudi with the sign in the background is above.

We ran into Marilyn Sheldon, the 5th Avenue Theatre Managing Director, who is retiring at the end of December after 29 years. She along with Producing Artistic Director, David Armstrong, were celebrating the unveiling of the new sign 30 years after a group of visionary Seattle businesspeople (husband, Ken Hatch, then of KIRO Radio & TV, was one of them) completed the renovation of the theatre in 1979, but did not have the funding to complete the marquee at that time.

42 Rules for Creating "WE"

Yesterday morning ZINO Society VP of Business Development, Mary Holmes and I attended the Key4Women breakfast event sponsored by Key Bank at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seattle at the invitation of Key Bank executive, Bill Boucher, Senior VP of Marketing. Shannon Bell, Key Bank Vice President of Key4Women emceed and facilitated the event which began with women bringing “gently used” handbags, scarves and jewelry to share with Dress for Success, the non-profit organization that helps promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and career development tools.

The event featured Judith Glaser, creator of “The Creating WE Institute” and mutual good friend and book collaborator with Judith, Cindy Tortorici. Cindy also created The Link for Women, a Northwest based, affiliate network that connects and mentors women. Judith and Cindy have collaborated on the new Amazon best-selling book “42 Rules for Creating WE” which shares wisdom from multiple authors and collaborators on how to put the “I” into the word “Team”. The entirely female audience members were all engaged and involved as Judith and Cindy conducted a workshop-style presentation.

Pictured from left to right in the photo above is Judith, me, Cindy and Mary.