Reunion ’19 — San Diego
Photos by Marianna & Ron, Suzie & Peter, Crackey, Melon, Pat, Paulette, and Julie.
Hello / Goodbye
Together Time
Around Town
Salk Institute
Pizza Patio Party
San Diego Zoo
Dining Out
LA JOLLA is a beautiful place, full of greenery and flowers and sunny weather . . .
Attendees included
Class of ’65: Jenny & Walt
Class of ’66: Crackey, Pat, Barb & Tom, Suzie & Peter, Ellie & Ed
Class of ’67: Marianna & Ron, Mary Ann & Dan, Kay, Julie, Paulette
Class of ’68: Melon
Class of ’69: Mim
From April 8-12, we stayed at the Bed and Breakfast Inn at La Jolla/San Diego.
SPECIAL THANKS to Pat for planning our week so well! And to the event planners: Melon for the Salk Institute, Paulette for the San Diego Zoo, Steve and Lil Cowen for the Pizza Patio Party, and Barbara and Suzie for our dinners at George’s and Manhattan.
Reunions grow more precious as the years roll by swiftly! Our 2019 Reunion was joyfully attended by 13 Alpha Gam sisters and 6 Alpha Gam guys. Flying in from all over the U.S., we settled into our LaJolla Bed and Breakfast Inn, gathering in its flower-filled courtyard for Happy Hour. Oh the JOY of seeing each other again! Plus the additional bonus of welcoming first-timer Paulette! The hugging, sharing, laughing and catching up with each other was non-stop.
After breakfast, we enjoyed different destinations each day: tours of the Salk Institute and the San Diego Zoo; walks along the coastal trails overlooking seals, sea lions, and the Pacific panorama; shopping, schmoozing, and relaxing together in superb sunshine!
Memorable dinners followed Happy Hour: a fine-dining splurge at George’s at the Cove and an evening at Manhattan Restaurant with its Italian cuisine, cozy decor and live music that transported us back to the 60’s. Another special evening was the Pizza Patio Party at the home of Lil and Steve Cowen (Pat’s brother), who graciously invited us all to enjoy dinner and drinks on their lovely patio.
A sweet young “innkeeper” on duty each day remarked that she had never seen a group of guests like ours — so joyful, loving, fun-seeking, and so happy to be together! All too soon, with grateful hearts, we were hugging each other goodbye (faux-mooning a few as they departed) and looking forward to our next reunion.
A note from Marianna...
Now that our reunion is over and I am back in my home, I feel like our time together was too short. I now realize that I feel that we are family.
Like family, we know where we each “came from.” We know about the paths of each of our lives, our successes, our challenges. Unlike a lot of families, we have great respect for each other and great joy being together.
Who among us would have thought, when the tea cart rolled into the living room after our ‘lace tablecloth’ Sunday dinner, that we would share our lives for over fifty years. Certainly, not me! But I do remember the excitement of our (first) “20 Year Reunion” on campus, having dinner on the floor of the Dome (aka Archibald Stadium). I remember that when we first congregated at the student union, one of Suzie’s friends entered and from across the room he yelled out “What a great looking group of 40-year-old women!” I remember that Suzie got carded when we entered The Orange and she hugged the bouncer!
Ron and I feel so grateful for the lives we have, our beautiful daughters, our special sons-in-law, our loved grandchildren and extended family, some of whom are still with us. Now I add the recognition of the amazing gift we unknowingly received when we joined our Alpha Gam “family.”
Tidbits from Pat...
- We got on planes and trains. We drove cars and trucks hauling motor homes. We used apps to ride Lift, Uber and taxis. 13 sisters and 6 partners descended on La Jolla, CA
- So happy to see each other. Mother and daughter cried after a separation of 45 years.
- Wine, wine and more wine. Gourmet sandwiches, dinners and desserts.
- Private architecture tour of the Salk Institute. Pat tripped through the River of Life.
- Melon and Mim rode in a 1929 Model A and a Tesla!
- Patio Pizza party hosted by Pat’s brother, Steve and his wife, Lil. Very good Pinot Noir.
- The San Diego Zoo, of course.
- Walked the streets of LaJolla.
- Superb weather all five days.
- José’s gourmet breakfast.
- Sweet little Riley at the front desk.
- Beautiful flowers, new to the folks from the East Coast.
- Final dinner in a local Italian restaurant with live oldies music. Suzie and Peter danced.
- Singing “Remember.“ Did I see a few tears