AROUND TOWN AROUND TOWN (April 03, 2002)

Ladera quilt show

More than 50 quilts, some from the 19th century, will be on display at Ladera Community Church, 3300 Alpine road, Portola Valley, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, April 6. The quilts are from the collection of the Rev. Wilma Reichard, director of chaplains, at Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital.

A donation of $10 per person will be used to support the services of a Spanish speaking chaplain at the Children's Hospital. For the past two years, Chaplain Tessie Valdez has been helping families at the hospital. The Rev. Reichard has raised more than $50,000 a year through donors and fund-raisers to pay for the services.

Tax-deductible contributions to Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health may be given at the quilt show or sent to the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital chaplain service, 725 Welch road, Palo Alto 94304.

Menlo Art League

Artist Waif Mullins will give a talk and demonstration at the Menlo Art League's regular meeting Thursday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m. at Menlo Park Recreation Center, 800 Alma St. The public is invited to attend. Mr. Mullins teaches painting with pastels and figure drawing classes. For more information, call June Levin, 574-8587.

Atherton art classes

The Atherton Arts Committee introduces two new five-week series of adult studio classes to be taught by Amada Fin. Drawing I will be held on Tuesdays, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., from April 9 through May 7. A second class, "The Poetics of the Everyday," exploring the basics of sculpture, collage and assemblage, will be held from noon to 2:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, from April 9 through May 7.

Ms. Fin has a master of fine arts degree from Stanford University and is a working artist. Each series costs $250. For more information, call 482-9824.

Hot salsa nights

The Atherton Dames are sponsoring salsa dancing lessons from 4 to 5 p.m. on two Fridays, April 5 and 12, at the Carriage House in Holbrook-Palmer Park. The lessons will be taught by Dr. James Kleinrath.

The series will conclude with a "Hot Salsa Party," with food, drink, and music, from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, April 19, at Jennings Pavilion in Holbrook-Palmer Park. Cost of the series is $50 per person or $90 a couple. To reserve space, call Pattie DeWalt, 752-0536.

Garden Conservancy

"Suzanne's Garden" in Atherton will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 13, as part of the Garden Conservancy's open days program. The garden at 88 Selby Lane was featured on the cover of Better Homes & Gardens magazine in June 2001.

On Saturday, May 11, the private gardens of Susan Fox and Jim Gafke, and Gene and Chuck Pratt, both in Atherton, and Ruth and Jack Woodruff of Menlo Park, will be open to visitors. The tour begins at 166 Encinal Ave. in Atherton. Admission to each garden is $5 with no reservations required.

The Garden Conservancy open days program provides a peek into 453 private gardens in 26 states. The Garden Conservancy Directory gives addresses and directions to all the gardens, including three in San Francisco, one in Ross, and one in Tiburon, along with the Peninsula locales. The directory is available at book stores, or may be ordered at $15.95 plus $4.50 for shipping and handling, from the Garden Conservancy, P.O. Box 219, Cold Spring, NY 10516; or by calling 1-888-842-2442.