Short Takes: The Amazing St. Claires; Woodside Village Band, and more Short Takes: The Amazing St. Claires; Woodside Village Band, and more (December 01, 2004)

Amazing St. Claires

Fans of the CBS reality TV program "The Amazing Race" may have noticed two familiar faces on the current series -- that of Dr. Don and Mary Jean St. Claire of Portola Valley.

Referred to as the "grandparents" in the show's Web-site literature, the couple has stayed in the punishing race for the first two segments, racing through Norway and Iceland, while two other -- much younger -- couples fell behind and were eliminated. Dr. St. Claire, 69, and his 66-year-old wife competed in the world-wide race this summer. Although they are not allowed to talk about their experiences until the program has aired in its entirety, the adventurous doctor would say that the experience "was very exciting, very challenging -- I would do it again in a minute."

The remaining segments air on Tuesday nights. Did they make it to the end? The St. Claires can't say. You'll have to tune in yourself.
Here comes Santa Claus

Santa ditches the reindeer and rolls into Menlo Park aboard Caltrain on Saturday, December 4. The festively decorated train pulls into the Menlo Park train station at 7:05 p.m. and stays for 20 minute visit. The Salvation Army brass band will lead a seasonal sing-along, and model train enthusiasts can check out the adjacent West Bay Model Railroad, open from 6 to 8 p.m.
Yuletide carols

The Woodside Village Band's 16th annual Christmas Concert is set for Saturday, December 4, at 3 p.m. in the sanctuary of the Woodside Village Church. The tuneful townies will present seasonal works by Leroy Anderson, Gustav Holst and Sergei Prokofiev, among others.

In case you missed the Woodside Community Theatre's recent production of Cole Porter's "Kiss Me, Kate," the band will play a medley of pieces from the show.

Admission is free, but donations to the Village Band's sheet music fund will be accepted with gratitude, says director Richard Gordon.

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