By Saskia Subramanian
On Saturday, March 20th, over 100 local alumnae gathered for the Southern
California Challenging Women Campaign Gala at the Skirball Center in Los
Angeles. Joined by staff from the Alumni Association and Resources as well
as Dean Karen Tidmarsh and national campaign chairs Ruth Kaiser Nelson '58
and Catherine Allegra '84, President Nancy Vickers briefed alums about the
state of the campaign (over $131.7 million has been raised to date, with a
minimum goal of $225 million by May, 2007) and developments at the college.
Notably, the college is in the process of developing a new and unique
enterprise. Just prior to her death, Katharine Hepburn gave Bryn Mawr
permission to use her name for a program centered on women in the public
sphere. The Hepburn Houghton initiative honors Ms. Hepburn, her mother,
and her aunts, all of whom were Bryn Mawr alumnae and distinguished public
figures. The initiative seeks to expand opportunities for students to
explore careers in film, public health, public policy, and public service
through curricular initiatives, internships, and mentoring relationships
between students and alumnae who have achieved distinction in these fields.
The program has already received an anonymous $1,000,000 donation to promote
its development.
For more information about the campaign itself and the progress made to date,
visit the web site.
A Most Excellent Calendar of Events
Annie Wright Leads Us Around Southern California BUNGALOW HEAVEN HOME TOUR
Sunday, April 25, 11:00 a.m. at the corner of Orange Grove Blvd. and Catalina Street.
Cost: $12 each in advance/ $15 on the day of the tour. Children under 12 free.
Bungalow Heaven, located in Pasadena, California, is a rare and mostly intact collection
of over 800 homes built from the 1900s through the 1930s. The history of this neighborhood
is woven from the threads of several rich and fascinating stories that include the settlement
of Pasadena, the evolution of the American Arts & Crafts movement and social
and cultural changes of the early 20th century. Because of the great number
and rich variety of early 20th Century homes in this neighborhood, city architectural
and historic surveyors in the 1980s nicknamed it Bungalow Heaven. The name
became official in 1989 when it was designated as a city Landmark District –
the first city Landmark District in Pasadena. The annual tour features eight
historic Arts & Crafts-era homes in Bungalow Heaven. Unlike other tours, most
of these houses were built by contractors or their original owners without
architects. Designs were often adapted from popular "bungalow books."
MAY DAY
Saturday, May 1, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Place: Home of Marsha Stein '71
Hear ye! Hear ye! Methinks I see the trumpet of the sun. Then wilt thou
speak of banqueting delights, of masques and revels which sweet youth did make,
of tourneys and great challenges of Knights, and all these triumphs for thy
beauty's sake. In other words, strawberries and good cheer for all. Please join us in keeping the traditions alive by celebrating May Day, reconnecting with
acquaintances and forging new friendships. All friends and family are welcomed.
RSVP: No later than April 23. Annie Wright
Nota bene: Because the venue of the May Day event is in a gated community,
guards will be checking names of attendees by car. Please let Annie know
the names of everyone in your party, grouped by the number of cars in which
you will arrive.
GARDEN TOUR AND DINNER AT THE GETTY CENTER
Saturday, May 22
Time: Garden tour at 3:00 p.m. Tour lasts 45 -60 minutes.
Cocktails at 4:30 p.m. Dinner at 5:00 pm.
Place: Meet outside front entrance for garden tour or meet at
The Restaurant for cocktails.
Cost: Parking is $5.00; the tour is free; your dinner will cost
approx. $30 - 40 per person.
Perhaps the most important element of the Getty Center is its hilltop
site in the Santa Monica Mountains, just off the San Diego Freeway.
From there, visitors can take in prominent features of the Los Angeles
landscape--the Pacific Ocean, the San Gabriel Mountains, the vast street-grid
of the city. Inspired by this interplay, architect Richard Meier sought to
design the complex so that it highlights both nature and culture, creating a
synchronistic, organic whole. The 134,000-square-foot Central Garden at the
Getty Center is the work of artist Robert Irwin. The design of the Central
Garden features a tree-lined walkway that leads the visitor through an
extraordinary garden experience. The walkway traverses a stream winding
through a variety of grasses and gradually descends to a plaza where
bougainvillea arbors provide scale and a sense of intimacy. The stream
continues through the plaza and ends in a cascade of water over a stone
waterfall or "chadar," into a pool in which a maze of azaleas floats. Around
the pool is a series of specialty gardens, each with a variety of plant
material. All of the foliage and materials of the garden have been selected to
accentuate the interplay of light, color, and reflection. Join us on a garden tour of this magnificent site and/or at dinner at the elegant Restaurant overlooking breathtaking views of the ocean and mountains.
RSVP: No later than April 30 to Annie.
Join the Executive Board
Elections to be held at the Annual Meeting, May 1, 2004
As you may already know, the terms of office for two of our executive board positions end soon. The Club’s Annual Meeting will be held during our May Day Celebration. At this time we will vote on President/co-presidents and treasurer. Job descriptions follow. Both positions have a three-year term. If you would like to nominate someone, or yourself, please contact Nikki Senecal. President/co-presidents:
Responsibilities: The President of the Bryn Mawr Club of Southern California is responsible for the coordination and oversight of all club activities and for serving as the liaison between the college Alumnae Association and local members. The President convenes and presides over regular meetings with the club executive board. The President is expected to attend a weekend at the college each Fall for Alumnae Council and to interact regularly via email and phone conferences with other club presidents across the country.
Treasurer:
Responsibilities: The Treasurer of the Bryn Mawr Club of Southern California is responsible for accounts receivable and payable, reconciling bank statements, and write thank you notes to donors. The post office box is located in Santa Monica and must be checked by the Treasurer. Average hours per month: 1-4
Book Drive for the Los Angeles Free Clinic
The Bryn Mawr Club of Southern California is sponsoring a book drive for the children who visit the Los Angeles Free Clinic. The Los Angeles Free Clinic is a non-profit organization serving the health needs of the uninsured and the under-insured of the Los Angeles basin. Founded in 1967, The Los Angeles Free Clinic (LAFC) is the oldest continuously operating free clinic in the United States. The clinic provides medical care free of charge for over 18,000 patients per year. For more information about the clinic, visit www.lafreeclinic.org.
What: New or used Spanish and English language books for children ages 0-15.
When: February 14, 2004 through June 15, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth Malcolm ’89 if you would like to donate books. She will arrange a convenient drop=off or pick up site for the books. Should you donate over $250 worth of books, she will arrange for you to receive a letter from the clinic for your tax records.
EVENT REPORTS
A Softly Rainy Day and Its Dilemmas:
Curl up with a hot drink and book, catch up with friends, or go treasure hunting?
On February 21, 2004 a group of Bryn Mawr alumnae and family members covered
all the bases while antiquing in Old Towne Orange. The city’s center,
registered with the National Historic Register, boasts a European-style
traffic circle, charming restored buildings, and a plethora of antique malls.
The hot drinks came first, as the Bryn Mawr party gathered at the Starbucks
housed in the spacious interior of a local bank. Reading occurred in snippets
here and there, as one discovered well-loved books among vintage housewares,
antique hardware, and brand-new tea fittings. Scintillating conversation
with new and old friends, as well as milkshakes and root beer floats, were
enjoyed at nostalgic Watson’s Drugstore (est. 1899). Finally, everyone went
home inspired to display treasures, while at least one alumna considered
opening an antique store of her own one day, to clear up an overabundance of
beautiful old things.
Apres-Midi d'un Pho
Annie Wright introduced a group of alumnae and their families to the
mysteries and charms of ex-pat Vietnamese culture and cuisine in Little Saigon
one glorious March afternoon. We started off with sustaining bowls of pho,
each bowl individualized under Annie’s guidance. We then powered up for the
afternoon’s exertions with a potent concoction of coffee and sweetened milk
that doubled as dessert. As Annie guided us through the bright silks, unknown
and unknowable herbs (the apothecary refused to name them), snapping crabs,
shrines to Buddha, deer jerky, and other exotica, there was no language
barrier—Annie speaks fluent Vietnamese. All in all a delightful (virtual)
sojourn in the Far East, "without," as one participant put it, "the visas or
inoculations." Many thanks to Annie for organizing a splendid afternoon.
Rundown Last year’s events included several not to be missed!
* Jim Martin, Associate Professor in the School of Social Work and Social
Research, spoke at the Fall Continuing Education Tea, hosted by Ellie Herman
’81. Jim’s talk was highly informative, timely, and thought-provoking,
shedding light on stress in the military, military family issues, and the
development of 21st century military communities.
* A dozen alumnae and friends gathered in November to tour the newly opened,
architectural wonder, the Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles.
After the tour everyone gathered for a pleasant stroll through the beautiful
gardens followed by lunch at the nearby Pinot Grill.
* Over 60 Bryn Mawr and Haverford alumni, spouses and friends gathered in
December at the home of Maria Davila Rudolph ’81 and Alex Rudolph (HC ’82)
for the fifth annual Bi-college Holiday Party and Nutcracker ballet. Children
and adults alike launched the holiday season in grand style!
Library Publications
Through Library Publications, the Bryn Mawr Club of Southern California
provides a steady source of income for our Club, much as the Owl Bookstores
do other clubs. To order on-line visit our
website.
Or, to request a catalog, write to:
Bryn Mawr College Library Publications P.O. Box 878
Claremont, CA 91711-0878
