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Published on 05/25/1998 All articles from this issue

Local barbershop legends celebrate 50 years in town

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By Robin Katsaros

Socially Speaking

Fifty years for Al and Louis: The legendary Al's Barber Shop on Main Street will be closing next year and there will be a lot of people (myself included) who will miss these two characters, Al Galedrige and Louis Piro. My son was getting his hair cut the other day, and I noticed the "Al's Barber Shop 50th Anniversary" sign in the window. Now, in Silicon Valley, 50 years of anything is a record, much less a business with that kind of longevity. But I was equally surprised when talking to one of the patrons, Mountain View resident Dr. Seymour Stein, who has been a customer of this fine establishment, and has sat in the same chair for 47 years. Where in the world will we go for the local gossip and the best jokes?

Little things come in good packages: The Little House of Palo Alto celebrated its 49th Anniversary Tea on May 19. Los Altos Hills resident Jill Jerrehian, the 1998-99 Peninsula Volunteers president, was on hand to help with the celebration. Peninsula Volunteers, a charitable organization founded in 1947 and dedicated to fostering community welfare with an emphasis on seniors (they were doing senior housing projects long before it became fashionable), staged the celebration complete with fashion show and delectable goodies. It was an emotional celebration as members voted to sell the Turnabout Shop, which was established by the organization in 1949 and provided the fashions. This may well be the last fashion show for the Little House.

It's a wrap: Numerous locations across the country held special parties to celebrate the final episode of "Seinfeld." But Mountain View resident and local actress for the San Jose Repertory Theatre, Billie Shepard, and her husband Andy Preston, president and chief executive officer of Zane Publishing, hosted their own little finale. It was an unusual combination of theater-meets-high technology. Alexandra Urbanowski, managing director of San Jose Rep, and her husband, John McCluggage, associate artistic director, attended. John Howard Swain and Marsha Mercant, actors with Full Circle Productions of San Francisco, came dressed as the "Soup Nazis" while bringing homemade soup that was "not so Nazi." No tears, no eulogy - just like Jerry would like.

Goin' solo: San Francisco Ballet performed a showcase of its work at the fund-raiser "Spring Student Showcase" held May 21 at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. But no one was more excited than 16-year-old Los Altos Hills resident and Mountain View High School student Erin McNulty (and a little nervous, said big sister Cailin) who performed her very first solo in front of 600 or so ballet aficionados. The evening went well and even raised $100,000 for the school. Way to go, Erin!

Have a funny story to tell? A celebrity sighting or any other good scoop? Let me know by writing to "Socially Speaking" at the Town Crier, 138 Main St., Los Altos 94022, or by calling or faxing 949-4207. E-mail me at: rkatsaros@aol.com