Short Takes Short Takes (November 03, 2004)

Witch-hunt in Atherton

Jillian Manus-Salzman reports that her family's beloved 6-foot-tall witch was swiped from outside their Atherton home a week before Halloween. Removing the big decoration, which weighs about 300 pounds, was no small trick. Ms. Manus-Salzman says she is offering a treat -- a reward for her witch's safe return.

"I keep looking up in the sky and wondering if she's flown off," she says wistfully.

Witness to history

Jamis MacNiven, who prefers to be known as "The Pancake Guy" these days, will regale audiences with outrageous tales of Silicon Valley movers and shakers at the Museum of American Heritage in Palo Alto at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 3.

Mr. MacNiven draws from a lifetime of unusual experiences, as well as his bird's-eye view of the boom years as proprietor of Buck's restaurant in Woodside, in his new book, "Breakfast at Buck's: Tales from the Pancake Guy." Autographed copies of the book will be on sale at the event, with all proceeds going to the museum.

Admission is free for members, $5 for non-members. The museum is at 351 Homer Ave. For information, call 321-1004.

Circus art

Art in Action, the nonprofit that brings art classes to Bay Area schoolchildren, is celebrating the grand opening of its new offices at 3925 Bohannon Drive in Menlo Park with an open house on Sunday, November 7, from 1 to 3 p.m.

There will be hands-on art activities with a circus theme, including painting circus animals, playing with clay and the ever-popular splatter art. There will also be a fund-raising raffle.

Proceeds benefit Art in Action's efforts to bring art to more students. The organization now serves 56 schools and reaches more than 13,000 students a year, says spokeswoman Christina Acevedo.

Edited by Andrea Gemmet. Send ideas for items to agemmet@almanacnews.com.

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