JILL AND TERRY BATEMAN:
We started and ended the summer with 80th birthday celebrations. In June we all went down to Florida to Jill's father's 80th, then over Labor Day weekend, we went to Tennessee to celebrate with Terry's mother. In between, we spent a glorious week (all five Batemans) in Cabo....where the weather was spectacular everyday.
We enjoyed an ATV adventure to a beautiful untouched area where the desert meets the ocean.......so beautiful!
WE ARE DUSTY BUT HAPPY!
Terry, Will, and Annie went deep sea fishing and caught a 7 foot marlin (a great experience except for Annie's seasickness). We loved the all inclusive resort w/fabulous views, accommodations, food, and of course, the spa!
Upon returning, Annie started an internship with Muse Architects and Claire worked at Spring Mill Bakery in Bethesda until leaving to dance for two weeks in New York in the pre-professional program at Steps on Broadway. Will attended summer school at Clemson, beginning his senior year this fall. Annie and Claire are seniors, too, at BCC. We are all looking forward to fall, although we know it will be somewhat hectic with all those college applications. It was great to see everyone at the Banana Split Party. Plans will be underway soon for the fall block party.
DOROTHY AND HENRY BEDELL:
The Bedells, Dorothy and Henry, mourn the sudden death of their beloved son-in-law, Dr. Robert Adrian, 60, a top Washington Dermatologist and laser surgeon on August 10th. He had acute leukemia.
Bob was a class valedictorian at Georgetown Medical School. He completed his internal medicine residency at Georgetown before becoming a fellow in dermatology at Harvard Medical School. He trained doctors worldwide in laser surgical techniques. He leaves his wife, who is Dorothy’s daughter, Janet Leeney Adrian and their four sons, Ton Adrian, Jack Adrian, Will Adrian and Robby Adrian, all of Chevy Chase.
LENI STENSETH AND KNUT BERGEM:
At 4130 Leland, we are getting used to the new routines for who does what when. Mira has started her first year at BCC and Falk is now at Chevy Chase Elementary. They are both happy with their new schools. Falk, in particular, enjoys riding to school on his bike together with Knut every morning. He has decided it is time to beat his cousin in Oslo in chess, so he has opted for a chess club after school. Knut is coaching Falk’s and Gordon’s soccer team in Silver Spring - "the Purples." Mira is fencing two evenings a week in Silver Spring, and has agreed to prepare dinner for the family every wednesday. And Leni has promised to be home for dinner every day before five (but is not there yet)
This summer we went to Provence for a wedding. We met up with friends and family from Norway, and spent a week among old castles, lush vineyards and secluded beaches.
A week in the norwegian mountains followed, with rain and temperatures peaking in the low 40s. Cold, but refreshing. In August, we drove up to Maine.
Spent five days on back roads along the coast to get up to Boothbay Harbour. Stopped in Newport, Portsmouth and Boston. In Boothbay we stayed at a wonderful family-run campsite called Vintage Camping.
Small, cute and carefully renovated 1950s cabins, homemade breakfast and a specialty shop on-site with imported wine and beer from all over the world. Even from Norway:-) Every evening we biked down to the harbour to enjoy fresh Boothbay lobster.
On our way back we took a very long (according to the kids) detour to a city called Lowell - where the beat writer Jack Kerouac was born - and buried. After a two hour hunt in a huge cemetery we finally found his grave - and Knut got his picture:-) taken with the Kerouac’s headstone.
LEANNE AND JIMMY BOLAND:
It was a relatively quiet summer for the Bolands - without a wedding or the birth of a grandchild which kept us very busy last summer. This summer the celebrations were the first anniversary and Will’s one year birthday celebration.
We enjoyed a relaxed pace punctuated with trips to Louisiana for Leanne, and a trip to Vail in August - a delightful way to escape the humidity of Washington D.C.
Leanne and Jimmy are off to enjoy the Notre Dame game.
FARRELL AND BILL COSMAS:
Farrell gives a wonderful report of a full summer of good times and good family news:
Special Highlight of the summer occurred Memorial Day Weekend, Will graduated from Boston College Law School. It was just fabulous.
June: Daughter, Lisa and 16 month old Oscar visited Leland Street for a long weekend. Of course, Oscar is the best grandson ever. He loves his Papou (Greek for grandfather) and gives Farrell many kisses. He also loves Maizie, who he calls “Woof-woof,” and Matthew Duffy, his new best friend on the East Coast. He went to the Zoo and swam in the Forrest’s pool. What a great time! Bill loved it as Oscar went roaring through the house calling out “Papou,” with Maizie close behind. Lisa is having another baby, due the end of November. We are very excited.
July: Daughter, Jennifer came for a surprise visit over the 4th of July. She was here for almost a week and it was just great to have her here. Jen, a clinical psychologist, is wonderful to have around. Later in the month, I, Farrell, went to Nantucket for a week to visit a dear old family friend. Heaven on earth! Fog, a very comfortable bed, wonderful suppers at home with fresh fish and vegetables, quiet conversation, books and daily naps. Six days of doing anything I wished to do. Perfect. After Will took his bar exams at the end of the month, I met him for two days back on Nantucket. We stayed with my brother, did nothing again but talk, walk and read.
August: Will went to California to visit his sisters and then came home for almost a week at the very end of the month. Such a great time with a very relaxed and happy son! Jennifer called, just after Will left, to announce her engagement to Evan Boone, a golf pro in Carmel, CA and a direct descendant of Daniel(!). Jennie is thrilled and so are we! She is completing her fellowship year in clinical psychology at a school for children with extreme emotional disturbances. She is bringing Evan home to meet us in November.
September: Will started his first job as an almost “real” lawyer with a small civil litigation firm in Boston. Like Linda Lannom, he won’t learn bar exam results until November. This is the first year for as long as I can remember that I haven’t had to do homework, write papers or stay up all night studying for exams.
Will, Jennie and Lisa are launched. Bill and I are very proud and happy!
STEPHANIE MARTZ AND CHRIS DAVIES:
Summer was wonderful. Chris returned from his long European sojourn (which permitted him to miss Stephanie's first trimester), only to make another six European trips in between May and the end of July. He and Stephanie still had time for a quick Bermudian vacation, where Stephanie was appearing on a panel about the criminalization of regulatory violations. On that topic. Stephanie spent the summer working for passage of a federal bill that would limit prosecutors' ability to compel corporations to waive privilege.
Kyle and Nora neither visited Europe nor protected corporate interests. They instead attended music camp and Lowell's day camp. They also spent time nurturing their gills; we anticipate that they'll be full-fledged merpeople by next July.
The family spent a week in the Adirondacks, where Kyle and Nora climbed mountains,
Chris sprained an ankle, and Stephanie dealt with the second worst case of poison ivy her OB had ever seen. (A 10 year old in the Adirondacks said to her "I'm sorry but are you diseased?") We then spent a few days in Nantucket, and the kids and I were then in Vancouver for 5 days. Stephanie recovered from poison ivy admirably, regained herself (and her looks), and will now delegate all gardening to Chris.
Finally, Leland Street held a wonderful baby shower for Stephanie, which preceded the birth of our new daughter by 5 days.
Penelope Martz Davies was born healthy and happy on September 13. She's eating and sleeping and hardly crying. We're not sure she's ours. Kyle and Nora nevertheless seem to want to keep her.
VICKY TAPLIN AND BEN DELANCY:
Vicky reports the theme of summer fun for her family was all about being out of town during the humid Washington summer. This was their plan when they moved here nine years ago and this summer they really put this plan in gear. Between various locations and experiences, Vicky was home only long enough in between to do the laundry.
Their destination was the island of Kauai and wisely, because of the time and distance they broke up the journey by spending time in San Francisco en route there and back again. Their former home was San Francisco so in every way, it was like going home again. Nice visits with dear friends and seeing favorite sights easily filled their time in California. They dined on Dim Sum and the fun and food of Ferry Plaza.
Then on to Kauai, the Garden Isle, known for lush greenery and sandy beaches soaring cliffs of the Napali Coast and the chasms of Waimea Canyon.
They rented a Jeep so they could explore the different beaches and explore the dramatic scenery. They drove, swam, snorkled, boogie boarded and expolored caves and waterfalls.
One of the highlights was a six hour cruise on a forty foot catamaran to sail down the coast. Russell and Paul enjoyed sailing on the trampoline part of the ship. It was smooth sailing down the coast by wind but the return was into the wind by motor. Paul was determined to ride out the backlash of the wave on the trampoline. It was a challange with the waves pounding over him and from underneath. It was an endurance test, cold and wet, as those waves hit, but he met the challenge!
If escaping the humidity of Washington, D.C. was one of the goals, it was well accomplished. They enjoyed the trades winds sweeping over their rental home in Kauai providing perfect sleeping weather. There were no major mishaps for all the action and activity they sought and yet, Vicky reports, they each left a little skin on the lava during boogie boarding. It was a memorable vacation for all.
Both Russell and Paul had separate adventures. Russell enjoyed La Croste camp at Johns Hopkins. Paul accompanied a friend’s family to Jackson Hole. He had a blast with white water rafting, attending a rodeo and seeing much wild life and the Grand Tetons.
Summer always includes three weeks of family time with cousins at the Taplin family home in Maine. This is always a joy to see the cousins grow older each summer and yet never out grow the fun they have together.
BONNIE AND CHARLES DUFFY:
Bonnie, Charles and Matthew spent a week at the beach in North Carolina with Charles' Mom, his two sisters and some of their children.
Two weeks later we returned to North Carolina and spent time in Chapel Hill and Asheville.
In Chapel Hill, Charles and Bonnie spent a couple of nights away from Matthew, who stayed with his cousins (who are just a little older) and their parents (Bonnie's sister and brother). Once we saw Matthew again he was most concerned about showing us all the new things he could do. We all then went to Asheville, NC and stayed at the Grove Park Inn, which was a nice way to end the summer. Matthew turned 2 on September 18th. He has been practicing blowing out candles and he was able to blow them both out.
BARBARA FENDRICK:
Barbara had the delightful experience of taking her thirteen year old Grandson, Raymond Fendrick, to London and Paris this summer. Barbara says he was the perfect age for the trip, he absorbed everything like a sieve. Barbara wanted to be sure to introduce him to the key historical sites in each city. Some of his favorites were the London Eye, Wisley Garden, the Tower of London and Hampton Court including the maze. They stayed at a friend’s apartment in London and then onto a petit hotel in Paris.
Raymond was so excited about seeing the Eiffel Tower that Barbara selected a L’hotel Tour Eiffel. Raymond could look out the window and see the Tower right before his eyes.. They spent four days in Paris and managed to check all the top spots off their list. They visited Notre Dame, The Louvre and Versailles.
Barbara says the Palace Pass in each city made a tremendous difference in their trip. This pass in London is actually valid for a year and in Paris, she purchased the two day pass. With these passes, they did not have to stand in any lines and it allowed them to pack much more into their days. Barbara reports there are now Smart Cars for rent at Versailles and you can take the electric train to the Petit Trianon and the Grand Trianon.
MARCY AND ARTHUR FORREST:
Nicole and Zak both are enjoying expanded professional experiences. Nicole has made a career change after five years as Senior Exhibition Manager for International Arts and Artists. She accepted a position as the Marketing and Events Manager of Dumbarton House and is looking forward to this exciting new experience with a historic museum. Zak is working with video and music. He created and projected the visuals for a Brian McBride of Stars of the Lid concert. This particular concert was held in the historic Good-Shepherd Faith Church on the Lincoln Center campus. Zak is also immersed in several music projects of his own. Zak's films for the concert can be seen by clicking here.
The Forrest family enjoys a summer routine that includes a few travel experiences woven around family events.
The annual family vacation on Peter Island in the Caribbean is the site of Arthur’s birthday celebration. A week in NYC, where Arthur directs segments of Broadway musicals, offers the perfect place for Marcy’s birthday celebration.
Arthur loves working with Broadway performers. He says they are the most professional, always on time and camera ready. Mid-summer, Nicole traveled on behalf of I A & A to Stockholm, Chateauroux and Paris. Her mission was to tour several museums and evaluate a Swedish exhibition for a tour of the U.S. It was a terrific final experience before moving onto her new position with Dumbarton House.
Marcy enjoyed a visit from her sisters and nieces for lots of laughs and chatter and pool time.
A highlight of this family gathering was a night of ballet at Wolf Trap, a dazzling performance with the fireflies twinkling around the stage. Arthur escaped all this estrogen by departing to Las Vegas for his final production weeks of the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon.
Marcy and Nicole joined Arthur in Las Vegas. We all stayed at the Las Vegas Paris Hotel. This was quite a contrast for Nicole because she had just returned from the real Paris, France. As Francophiles, it was a kick for us to see how Las Vegas interpreted the streets of Paris and the cafes of Ile St Louis into Vegas decor. Hardly like the real thing...but well done. However, swimming under the “Eiffel Tower” was a kick! The Telethon was followed by a quick R & R in Laguna Beach, California..charming art colony with great waves, dolphins swimming by and pelicans diving into the ocean. Then we hurried home to the town we love best, Chevy Chase.
Shortly after our return, Marcy and Farrell hosted the fabulous and fun-loving women of Leland Street in celebration of Stephanie and Chris Davies baby. The afternoon was filled with smiles and laughter as each women shared a experience, anecdote or advice on the wonders of children and family. The party was just five days prior to the arrival of the lovely Penelope “Pip” Martz Davies.
Some of the best times all summer were spent right here at home in the Forrest pool and we absolutely loved knowing that so many neighborhood families also enjoyed a splash in our backyard.
BETH HOROWITZ AND MICHAEL KAZIN:
The Kazins had a lovely summer and they are sorry to see it go. In June, Michael and I went to London for a few days, where Michael gave a talk. We took a train to Stratford-Upon-Avon and saw Ian McKellen give an extraordinary performance of King Lear (The show is now in NY, but sold out). Danny and Maia met us in Athens and we spent a beautiful week on the island of Sifnos with some friends.
Maia went to Sannibel Island for six weeks with a group of high school students and teachers from her school (Maret). They studied the ecology of the island and Maia did a project on birds, who are very pretty and interesting, but after 20 hours of study, even the most ardent observer wishes they would vary their routine.
Danny lived with a family in Cuernevaca for a month and studied Spanish. The language school is excellent, and he learned some extra words playing soccer with Mexican kids. He is now a Sophomore at Columbia, where he transferred this year.
Michael has the semester off and is working on a book. The rest of us are back to work and school.
LINDA AND LARRY LANNOM:
**Congratulations are offered to Linda from her Leland neighbors on completion of her studies and taking the Bar Exam. With every good wish to the results in November.
ANN LEE:
Ann’s twin grandchildren (son and daughter of Brian and Stacy) celebrated their first birthday September 6th. They recently were fitted with their first pair of walking shoes. Flannery had a fit and refused to walk with the shoes on her feet and Devon has no interest in walking so the shoes didn’t matter to him one way or the other. Beyond the walking shoe milestone, they twins are doing great, happy and energetic.
Ann loves her summer home in Bethany but the extreme heat this summer took much of the pleasure out of it. Ann much perfers the beach house in off season. She loves a fire in the fireplace while looking at snow on the sand.
Meanwhile back in Chevy Chase, a tradition continues this weekend, Megan and Dave attend the Homecoming Notre Dame game while Ann has the grandaughters come to her home. Kate, Kristen and Erin are now 7, 6 and 4 years old. Ann says the girls get along and play so well that it is a joy. She had several art projects lined up and yet the girls were very content and busy playing amongst themselves. Maura takes over babysitting her nieces on Saturday as Ann drives to Reedville where she will join a friend whom she dated in high school. He connected with Ann awhile ago and they have renewed their friendship. They will sail from Reedville to Deltaville, VA. It looks like a beautiful weekend for sailing.
LIPPOLD:
Anne and Paul just returned from their Wyoming home.
This was Ishkabidle’s first summer vacation in the the west and Anne reports that Ish is a real cowgirl! The loved the wild west and had the kick of being chased by a bear. Anne says that Ish ran fast, but she ran faster! Anne returned in time for the new school year at Holton and is enjoying her students.
Anne and Paul had exciting news to share about their youngest daughter. Susan, Physician/Masters in Public Health with the Center for Disease Control, after having just completed her work with Tuberculosis in Chicago, has accepted a position in charge of AIDS for our government and Vietnam. She will be living in Ho Chi Min City for two years, but promises to come back at least three times per year. Anne says that she will surely travel to Vietnam to visit Susan, possibly next holiday with her other daughter, Karen.
FLORENCE LLOYD:
Florence spent a glorious month with her granddaughter, Rachel and Rachel’s friend, Gretchen in Santiago de Compostela. Rachel is a professor at University of Pennsylvania and Gretchen is a professor at Hofstra. Gretchen is a mathematician and was attending a conference for Mathematicians from all over the world, she also spoke at the conference. The town is named after the Apostle Saint James ("Santiago"), who is buried here Santiago is certainly one of Spain's most monumental towns, with a particular architectonical style all of its own and onen of the most famous Universities within it’s historical walls. This ancient town was built in the 700’s and has been kept intact. They rented an apartment near the University. They rented a car and did several day trips up and down the coast, enjoying the fishing villages, sights, sounds and seafood. The region's cuisine is of great reputation, and it is said that nowhere you can eat better sea-food than in Galicia. Florence said they consumed everything that creeped, crawled or swam.
While they were there, an annual pilgrimage took place, that was fascinating to observe. Santiago de Compostela is the final destination of the legendary medieval way of pilgrimship Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James), now considered by Unesco a World Heritage Site. It attracts visitors from all over the world, many come in costumes. Florence said they met a man from Massachusetts, who heard them speaking English, so he joined their merry group of three. This man had walked from France to Spain with the pilgrimage.
Florence laughingly told her granddaughter that she just loved Spain and wanted to die in Spain (not necessarily on this trip) she said, “If I do, don’t bother to bring me home, just spread my ashes!” However, we are happy to report, Florence came home on her own and might just return on her own again one day!
SUE AND BOB PATCH:
The Patches had a break-in July 5. French doors at the rear of the house were broken, but only jewelry was taken. There were also reports this summer of several car break-ins on Leland and Woodbine.
On a happier note, Sue is comfortable and content at Carriage Hill, which is more like an old-fashioned hotel than a nursing home. Visitors are welcome, noon to 8:00 P. M. Susan has been an angel in daily attendance on Sue and makes sure that Sue gets the best of everything.
Bob had his annual seminar at Oxford in July. This year, the topic was the hydrology of the upper Thames (which runs through Oxford where, with typical British idiosyncrasy, it is called the Isis).
It coincided with a flood that matched those of 1874 and 1947. The water rose only to the edge of the University buildings. Bob had what you might call a splash course.
Then it's off to Bonaire in October, where son Tom and Bob have a place, then to Istanbul in November where Bob and Tom will poke around town for a week.They did this two years ago in St. Petersburg, Russia and liked being on their own much better than being guided. They think the trouble wih tour guides is that they tell you everything there is to know, and there's no way to stop them.
MAGGIE SIMPSON AND MICHAEL PAYNE:
The highlight of our summer was finally being able to go down to our newly renovated beach house near Charleston, SC and have enough bedrooms for a big family get together.
It was worth the wait and everyone had a great time, despite the two shark attacks (well, let's just say bites) in one day on two swimmers on the stretch of beach in front of our home! A first in the 15 years we've been going down there as a family -- so while we all avoided the water for a day, we decided we wouldn't let jaws spoil our fun and were soon all boogie boarding again. No limbs were lost.
Jack (10) went to his first sleep away camp for a week at Camp Seagull in North Carolina. He was very nervous about it. But that didn't last long. The day he got back, he announced he was signing up for one whole month next year. We are trying not to take it personally.
Michael & I just got back from a trip to Peru. Michael had business in Lima and we decided there was no better time to see Machu Picchu.
So I met him there and we flew to Cusco, which is a marvelous city. The Monasterio Hotel (yes, an old beautiful monastery covered in ancient frescos, which they've converted into a hotel) is worth the trip in itself. We then took the train to the newly named 7th wonder of the world. It was majestic and magical. A fabulous experience that I would recommend in this lifetime. And thanks to the Coca Tea we didn't have much problem at all with altitude sickness. I would also highly recommend a day trip to Pisac for the colorful Sunday market -- the sights and sounds, including the live guinea pigs being sold, the colorful dyes and spices and the llamas and alpacas at every corner -- were quite amazing.
Happy Fall to all our Leland Street neighbors and look forward to seeing you out & about!
RENTAL POSSIBILITY:
Michael and Maggie have completed the renovation on their beach home on the Isle of Palms in Charleston, South Carolina. They are making the home available for rental -- to acquaintances and neighbors only -- so if anyone on Leland Street is interested, let them know. The home is a spacious, beautifully furnished six bedroom, six bathroom home (sleeps 13) located a mere 60 second walk to the sand dunes and beach so it is a wonderful vacation spot for families. The home is on a cul de sac which offers a safe street for children to play, throw footballs and ride bikes. There is golf, tennis, kayaking, jet skiing and motor boating 5 minutes away at Wild Dunes and the local marina. Dowtown Charleston is a 20 minute scenic drive across the new bridge and, of course, is a fabulous town in itself with many great restaurants, charming old homes and historic sites to visit. Here are a few photos of the home. Maggie has many more photos available. Interested? Give Michael and Maggie a call at 301-657-3923.
MARY STUART-PROCTOR:
I went to the new Katzen Arts Center at American University Museum for the first time (not so sure about the design of the building) want to tell you that the photography exhibit is great. Song Without Words: The Photographs of Countess Sophia Tolstoy
Date/Time: through Oct 21, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Admission is free.
This exhibition, organized by the National Geographic Society, comprises 70 photographs made between 1885 and 1910 by Sophia Andreyevna Tolstoy, wife of the great Russian author, Leo Tolstoy. Sophia Tolstoy made over a thousand photographs that reveal her life and bear witness to the terrifying years of decline in pre-Soviet aristocratic Russia. Sofia Tolstoy is wondrous. I read the book of their marriage called Love and Hatred by Wm Shirer, who wrote The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Mrs. Tolstoy was evidently quite a persona, he (Leo or Lev Tolstoy ) left her with help of his daugher, at age 82, all ever intriging.
PAM KARASIK AND DAVID RUBASHKIN:
We had a lovely summer. Our family took a trip to Arizona, where we explored the red rocks of Sedona, hiked different trails of the Grand Canyon, and visited the ancient Pueblo ruins in the Navajo reservation in Chinle. It was a wonderful time, we even got to see the Meteorite crater outside of Winslow. Hannah then spent two weeks camping in Acadia and Baxter Parks in Maine, and Sophie and Jacob went to Twin Creeks in West Virginia for several weeks.
We made a trip to the Greenbrier and visited the infamous Bunkers, built to house the Congress in event of an attack on DC! We then went to Bethany Beach for our annual beach vacation.
Enjoy this view of a sunrise over Bethany Beach.
We had less than sunny weather for a week, but we kept ourselves entertained even when it rained. Now we are all back to school, and the usual fall routine! We are all looking foward to a cool fall.
Dorothy writes:
This has been a stay at home summer for the Solomon's as I , Dorothy, have been recuperating form my bathroom fall in may: I caught my foot on a bathroom run and tumbled onto the tile, breaking bones in my pelvis and right shoulder. I spent six weeks in rehab at Brighton Woods at Tuckerman, where I worked valiantly- stretching, icing, using heat and enduring physical therapy like a trojan. Fred worked equally valiantly finding private duty nursing aides for me, bringing me fresh clothes taking care of the house and supplementing my diet to make it more nutritious. (Marcy and Farrell supplied Fred with avocados for me.) And Ari flew home twice to help greatly with preparing the house for my homecoming.
The very happy outcome is that I now can walk normally on a level surface though hills and stairs, cleaning and gardening are still challenging : so we’re installed a chair-lift to the second floor, which I am quite enthused about. It’s splendid being back together in our beautiful home on our special block. A recent highlight for me was taking part in the camaraderie and high spirits of women gathered for Stephanie’s shower. We are counting our blessings.
Fred writes:
Today Sunday, as this edition of the LSSN is being delivered, I’m on my way to RFK Stadium to see the very last professional baseball game to be played there. (Starting in April 2008, the Nationals will play in a new ball field.) I’m excited to be enjoying the festivities with three of my first cousins ( and two of their offspring). If all goes well, each of us should return from the game wearing a commemorative T-shirt.
MOLLY AND JIM STROTHER:
Our splurge this past summer was a trip to Greece in late June and early July, with about five days on the mainland and a couple of weeks in the Aegean islands -- Mikinos, Santorini, Crete and Rhodes. For the arrangements, William and I are grateful to Molly and a great travel agent in Long Island who specializes in Greece. We took a 4-5 day bus tour (something I swore I'd never do having led one through Europe once while in law school) that was really pretty well put together. Afflicted as we were with jet lag, we slept easily on the bus and covered a lot of ground through the Peloponnese and Attica.
Of the four islands we visited, traveling by high-speed ferry and air, our favorite stop was 4 days in western Crete -- we would happily have spent 2 or 3 weeks -- although William particularly liked Rhodes.
Crete is still relatively unspoiled, although go soon, as there are plans to develop it as a golf destination.
The islands are much changed from my many visits there nearly have a century ago courtesy of the Navy. They've graduated from bicycles and donkeys, but retain a lot of charm.
Mikinos is quite beautiful, maybe a little risqué for a family tour, but a mandatory destination for its proximity to Delos (and our single best meal). In Rhodes, the old city is still a jewel, but surrounded by less attractive tourist attractions, including a casino and tennis club that covers the site where Lawrence Durrell wrote "Reflections on a Marine Venus." But we had a great time; the only drawbacks were a week of oppressive heat and the euro-dollar conversion rate, which really took our breath away. Call Molly for good ideas for a trip.
At home, William enjoyed thrice-weekly football practice and weight training at St Albans, followed by a week's encampment with his upper school -- he's starting 9th grade -- teammates in Front Royal. But his highlight was a visit by friends from California, whom he enjoyed showing around Washington.
JULIE AND JOHN TROCCHIO:
The Trocchio"s began the summer with two graduations, Elizabeth from Texas Christian University and Jennie with a Masters from University of Miami. We celebrated the graduations with a long weekend in Las Vegas and really had a good time. Jennie spent the summer as a teacher at a camp for autistic children and Elizabeth worked at Parkers (and still does Sundays and Thursdays) Jennie is now back to school, both as a special ed teacher and as a student, beginning doctoral work at Barry University. Elizabeth is working as an event planner at Precision Events in Old Town Alexandria.
WENDY AND VIKE VICENTE:
Peter (16 months) is walking, especially for appreciative audiences, and he's incredibly pleased both with his legs and his ability to say "wuff" when we say "dog." Mark (3 1/2) has graduated into the Bumblebee room at the Leland Center, where he makes turtle bread and comes home with buckets of sand in his shoes, which he is reasonably good about sweeping up. Vike (age not listed) is busy with his medical practice and a group called Canasta, which raises money for orphanages in Argentina. Vike and Wendy are looking forward to a Canasta silent auction in November. Wendy is working hard to defend the FDA against lawsuits of numerous kinds, and she enjoys spending the afternoons with the kids (most often as wrestling referee, but occasionally the victim).
The Vicentes enjoyed a week at Bethany this summer. Themes: brother burying brother under mounds of sand, and Chipwiches on the beach. Mark learned team Putt Putt: he would "assist" Vike's ball into the hole, and Vike would get a hole in one every time (Vike would get to hit the ball once). Vike and Wendy celebrated their 10th anniversary this summer with a kayak trip near Annapolis.
LOTTE AND MARTY WOLFE:
With great sadness, after thirty-seven years as residents of Leland Street, Lotte and Marty have decided to put their home up for sale.
Lotte says that they have had a wonderful life here and that there was no better place than Leland Street to raise a family, seen here when the children were young, but that it is time to move on. They have purchased a beautiful condo in the Westchester at Cathedral. Lotte is looking forward to exploring her new neighborhood and thinks she will be enjoying more and more the the cultural attractions in the city once she is living closer to Washington, D.C. The Wolfes will be moving in Mid-February. Between now and then, they have to prepare 4119 for the sale and also completing work on the new residence before they move in. Lotte noted that David was just two years old when they moved here and this year he turned forty. Time marches on. She encourages anyone how might be interested in their home to contact her and to spread the word to anyone who is looking for a home.
They began their summer with a special event that took them to Ile de Porquerolles. This Provence island is a half hour sail out into the Mediterranean from Toulon. The event was a wedding of a friend of the family who used to visit the Wolfes on Leland Street during summer vacations when their children were young. The wedding turned out to be a great reunion with many friends in a location that is a jewel of a place.
Lotte spent three months at their home on Block Island, N. Y. this summer and Marty split his time between the Block Island home and Leland Street. Each of their children came for extended visits through out the summer along with the grandchildren. Lotte also relished the company of a long time friend from San Diego, California who came to Block Island for a ten day visit. Lotte says it is wonderful to have a place to host and enjoy the whole family and will enjoy it all the more when she is not also tending their nearly one hundred year old Leland Street home.
Lotte and Marty say they are looking forward to this next chapter of their lives in the Westchester. She feels that once they are residing closer to the city, they will venture into the city more often and enjoy all the cultural activities the city offers. They will continue to see their long time Leland Street friends and hope to be invited back to the Patch’s Banana Split Party, Halloween Festival and Ann Lee’s Caroling Party. Lotte says they are not that far away and hope that friends will come see them in their new home.
MIRIAM DANIELS AND LARRY WOLFF:
Miriam Daniel traveled to Tel Aviv in July, where she is helping to create programs for Mishkenot Ruth Daniel, a youth hostel and community center in Jaffa.
More importantly, her son David is still living in Tel Aviv. Miriam and Larry will travel to Tel Aviv again in the fall when Miriam's 91 year old father receives an honorary degree from the Hebrew Union College.
Becky is in her senior year at Johns Hopkins University. She is head of marketing and advertising for the campus newsletter.
Larry traveled to Honduras where he gave a speech (in Spanish) on education testing and also appeared on Honduran television.
COMMUNITY NOTE:
**Barbara Fendrick encourages everyone to read the article in this week’s Chevy Chase Gazette (Page 6) on the closing of the Capital Crescent Trail and public use space between the Air Rights building and Woodmont Avenue across from Barnes and Noble . The closure could last as long as three and a half years during construction of a hotel/condominium and retail space. Barbara hopes many will write to Roger Berliner and the delegates to come up with a better solution so that this section of the trail is available while the construction takes place.
**The next edition of The Leland Street Sunday News will be
October 7th, 2007
Editors: Vike and Wendy Vicente
