47.8 F
Morgan Hill
January 10, 2025

Parents: Eat your veggies

Parents, let’s be honest with ourselves for a second.

Good karma feels great

 A recent weekend consisted of lessons in Karma at work. The good kind, even.

‘God of Carnage’ works up quite a lather

The 2009 Tony Award-winning play God Of Carnage opened at the Morgan Hill Playhouse on April 8 and raised the bar on South Valley Civic Theatre presentations. We have talent here in our little town and it’s really good.

Our Town: Life won’t be the same without Dennis Kennedy

Earlier this week Michelle and I got the call that we had been dreading for way too long. Our dear friend known for his integrity, compassion and ability to get things done lost a battle with an opponent that paid no regard to any of those qualities. Cancer was his foe, and in a world where the odds of surviving this foe grow greater every day, too often it is still unstoppable.There was no way to win this battle. Any sense of victory would have to come from the way he faced the world and fought the battle with the usual tenacity and calm air of dignity around him. He can claim that victory.The battle took place over months and brought out a cast of characters to lend support in every imaginable way. Too numerous to name everyone here, it included his son Matthew, Jill Kirk and Kathy Sullivan who need to be mentioned for all of the difficult decisions and daily toil.Everyone involved in the battle could now be considered family because the man engendered that kind of bond amongst a group that otherwise might not have naturally gravitated to each other. I guess that is what some people can do. I hope this is something everyone can understand since I wouldn’t have if I had not been involved.I know in the coming days we will hear about what a great statesman he was and how much he gave to the community and what an inspiration he is, and I think they would all be true. But what matters to me was who he was as a person.So often in public someone would come up and say, “Remember me? I met you at so-and-so working on this-or-that…” And he would always take the time to engage them—or even better, if he didn’t have the time he expressed that in a way that I could only dream of.He was honest about his time and if you got any you got it all.We both loved good food and a fine glass of wine, and we shared many—usually with a gathering of friends with varied and energetic conversations.Even the quietest of moments are remembered, maybe now the most.He was also a man that suffered more pain than most. He had lost his first wife to a debilitating disease that lingered for too many years before exacting its final toll. He lost his second wife to an insidious disease that also lingered but had more than physical effects which he had to deal with that hurt him so much inside. The final blow which was so unfair was the recent loss of his beloved Nika, his canine companion who was also the vessel that carried so many fond reminders of his last wife. Is there any fairness?But you would never guess that this man had experienced so much inequity from his approach to life.Holidays, birthdays and those other special occasions will now be a little hollow. Discussions regarding city politics, the Downtown Association, or which flavor gelato is best will be missing a voice.The sun will come up, darkness will fall, we will laugh, we will cry, we will go on. But life will never be quite the same.Dennis Kennedy has left the room.John McKay is a Morgan Hill resident, Interim President of the Downtown Association, city planning commissioner and co-founder of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance.

“tokyo fish story” – A story of tradition and obsession

Mix tradition, obsession and inflexibility into a pan of sushi and you have the basics of Kimber Lee’s “tokyo fish story’.

Pacer app rabbit hole

 In an effort to bring me and her dad kicking and screaming into 2012, our daughter, The Girl recently bought us iPhones.

Triathlon dream dashed

Triathlon dream dashed

“Dirty Dancing” – A little dusty and tired

A tired and a little worse for wear stage production of ”Dirty Dancing” limped into the Golden Gate Theatre – any resemblance to the 1987 box office hit movie with Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Gray is purely, as they say coincidental.

Our Town: Wineries’ Passport Weekend coming up March 18-20

It sure feels like spring these days with the beautiful warm and clear days. I had almost forgotten that the Godzilla of El Ninos was here with the spring like weather but that should be changing right about the time you read this.While it may feel like spring right now it won’t officially be here until March 20,  which just happens to coincide with one of my favorite things: the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley (WSCV) Spring Passport Weekend held March 18 to 20.You can hold a wake for the passing of winter and celebrate the beginning of spring in one weekend while enjoying wine in a region we can call our own.As usual, our local wineries have brought in dozens of wine awards in the prestigious 2016 SF Chronicle Wine Competition. And as great as it is reading about winners, it’s a lot more satisfying having one of those winners in a glass in front you right where it was made.Our Santa Clara Valley wines are constantly getting better and better, and their local association is always working to improve just about everything related to the exposure of local wines. This year you should be able to experience some of those efforts for yourself.Starting Friday, March 18, the WSCV Spring Passport Weekend kicks off with an invitation-only evening tasting event. You have to be a Passport Weekend ticket holder to get into this event (it’s really like a party) at the Morgan Hill Grange Hall. There will be at least 16 wineries pouring samples of their wines with many of the top local restaurants providing some special victuals that will again remind you that food and wine are an unbeatable pair, especially when done well.On these special weekends I usually set out right at the noon starting time since things can get busy, which means that some food is usually also in order.Over time many of the wineries have developed a reputation for their Passport food offerings—Satori Cellars with their chili and Morgan Hill Cellars with their pork sliders, amongst others.This year, something new will be added in the way of local restaurants also setting up to serve food at some of the wineries. Look for this as it promises to be a treat that could be a lifesaver later in the day.With only two days to sample the finest bounty of our valley in a glass, I recommend you plan ahead and try not to rush the experience. You don’t have to hit every winery in one weekend—they will be there for another visit.Take some time and enjoy the grounds at the wineries you visit. Some have elaborate properties, some funky and rustic, and some are like being at home. You could even plan a relaxing return visit with friends and a lunch basket.Get your tickets early; they will sell out (and remember you want to go to that Friday evening event), plan and pace your weekend and enjoy what few others have—our own local wine region.Go to santaclarawines.com for full details on the event and enjoy yourself in a safe and responsible manner.John McKay is a Morgan Hill resident, city planning commissioner, Vice President of the Downtown Association and co-founder of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance.

“Valley of the Heart” – A nostalgic visit to a disturbing past

“Valley of the Heart” is a heart wrenching story of actual happenings and how the almost forgotten Second World War affected the people of the time. It jars those of us that lived through that moment to remember a time we would rather forget. It also shows this generation what went on and cautions about it not letting the past happen again.

SOCIAL MEDIA

7,630FansLike
1,401FollowersFollow
2,844FollowersFollow