
Events
Faculty speakers and panels, book clubs, happy hours, hikes and outings, casual teas, cookie exchanges, young alum meet-ups… we strive to provide interesting, entertaining, educational experiences for all our Smith alums here in the Peninsula area. Club Members will receive an Evite for events proactively. If you are not a member, that’s okay! Contact us for details of any event that you’re interested in.
Tour of the Dahlia Dell
We're heading to the city to see the San Francisco Dahlia Dell in all its glory and find out more about this amazing flower. We will have a personal tour led by our very own Jennifer Tobiason '92, a leader in the Dahlia Society of California. (Don’t get confused… this is different from our recent visit to the Annual Dahlia Show, a juried competition at the SF County Fair Building.)
Free admission. No tickets necessary. Bring the kids (dogs on leash okay) and your cameras!

Book Club - September - All the Beauty in the World
This month we're reading and discussing the New York Times bestseller "All the Beauty in the World,” by Patrick Bringley.
While looking for somewhere to contemplate his life and heal from a tragic, personal loss, Patrick Bringley quit his high-profile journalism career at The New Yorker magazine and sought refuge in the most beautiful place he could think of: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Over his 10-year career as a Museum guard, Patrick fell under the spell of the place and the people he met there.
If you are interested in attending our book club meetings or getting on the mailing list, please contact the Book Club Coordinator Sally Smith '64 via email or by filling out the form on our website at https://www.peninsulasmithclubca.org/book-club.

Annual All-club Potluck — The Year in Review!
Join us at the home of Donna Dong ‘13 for an all-club potluck where we will celebrate and discuss the previous year, and plan for coming year. This is a great opportunity to make suggestions for upcoming events. Prior to the meeting, all members will have a chance to vote on the club’s slate of board execs, and at the gathering we will introduce any new board members. Please bring a dish to share. We have a general spreadsheet available for food planning so we can avoid 37 desserts… unless we really want 37 desserts… there’s nothing wrong with that.

Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA): Routed West exhibition
Routed West: Twentieth-Century African American Quilts in California
Join us at the Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive as we immerse ourselves in the captivating colors, textures, and histories stitched into African American quilts. Routed West is a "dazzling" new exhibition that traces the flow and flourishing of African-American quilt-making traditions that were brought to California during the Second Great Migration. The exhibition features works by nearly 90 quilt artists—predominantly Black women with ties to the Bay Area.
We will have a docent dedicated to our tour. Tickets will be roughly $20 including admission to the museum — exact price to be determined — and money will be collected at the entrance. Space is limited to 25 participants. For those who want to hang out afterwards, we plan to gather for a light lunch in the area and further discuss the exhibition.

Annual Holiday Cookie Exchange
It’s time for the beloved annual cookie exchange! Bring something to share, and be ready to take some goodies home. If you have a great cookie (or anything else) recipe you would like to give folks, be sure to bring a few copies to distribute. Every year this is a Smith club favorite… don’t miss it!
Annual Summer Tea
What a delight to gather alums, current students, and students headed to Northampton for the first time for this annual event. As in years past, our hostess Joy Silver provided a beautiful tea with sandwiches, scones, and cookies. It is always the best feeling to see our pre-alums connect and exchange phone numbers, and this year even discovering housemates! Thank you, Joy, for another amazing event in your lovely home.

Book Club - August -Movie Night! Bel Canto
It was food and a flick for ten of us on Thursday, August 21, at the home of Nisha Thatte-Potter. The film, “Bel Canto,” is set in an unnamed South American country, so we had a South American-themed potluck. We had all read the book and—as is often the case—felt the movie didn’t do justice to it. Whereas the author, Ann Patchett, spends time developing the individual characters and the gradually deepening relationships among them, the movie gives us only a superficial picture of this central element of the book. The film also simply dispenses with a number of significant plot elements. Nonetheless, we enjoyed it—and we loved the book. Thanks for hosting us, Nisha.
Dahlia Show
We made the trek to Golden Gate Park's Country Fair Building for the annual dahlia show, where dahlia growers from all over California bring their best blooms to be judged and awarded ribbons. Joining hundreds of visitors, we were treated to a private tour from Smithies Sarah Smith '88 and Jennifer Tobiason '92, learning about dahlias, the official flower of San Francisco! We will follow this up with another visit in September to the Dahlia Dell, the public garden in Golden Gate Park where these gorgeous flowers are grown, and will get another tour from Jennifer Tobiason!

Wine and Sculpture Garden at Donum Estate
Meet some fellow Smithies at the Donum Estate in Sonoma for an exploration of their impressive sculpture garden, and you can also indulge in a tasting of their excellent wine. It is recommended that you purchase tickets for the 12:00 PM self-guided sculpture tour on the Donum website prior to the day of the event at https://www.exploretock.com/thedonumestate/experience/370433/the-donum-collection-art-tour.
Stanford Dish Hike & Tea
Join the Smith College Club of the Peninsula as we walk the 3.7 mile Stanford Dish loop, enjoy the fresh air, and experience local habitats, wildlife, and spectacular views. The trail is rated as "moderate" and includes an elevation gain of about 574 feet. It generally takes about an hour and a half. Near the end of the loop trail, we will detour to the back patio of Theresa Chung ‘85 for a refreshing tea!
Park in the Stanford Dish Parking Lot on Stanford Avenue, across Junipero Serra Blvd from the trailhead entrance.
Learn more about the Stanford Dish from KQED's Bay Curious segment.

Book Club - June - The Frozen River
Seven of us gathered on Wednesday, June 18, at the home of Jan Collins to discuss “The Frozen River.” Most of us really enjoyed this novel in which the author builds a murder mystery around a real-life Maine midwife who lived in a small town in the late 1700s. We were interested in the characters—although we thought the model husband was too good to be true—and in the well rendered setting. We talked about the state of both medicine and justice at the time, as well as the role of a midwife. We considered the merits and limitations of first-person narration, and the challenges of pursuing a rape accusation, especially in a society that devalues women. We thought the conclusion was a bit implausible but nonetheless gratifying—a sort of justice.

Book Club - May - The Associates
On Wednesday, May 21, six of us gathered at the home of Nisha Thatte-Potter to discuss “The Associates,” by Richard Rayner. We all felt we’d learned from this account of the four Californians who maneuvered, lied, bribed—and succeeded—in a fantastically determined drive to build the western portion of the transcontinental railroad. We found it a quick but not scintillating read that conveyed the enormous effort required for this achievement, not least by the workers, many of them imported Chinese. We felt the book suffered from not having maps and other visuals to illustrate the history, and also from its business focus—we would have liked fuller biographies of these four men of “astounding ingenuity and boundless energy.” The author’s concluding statements led us to an interesting discussion of capitalism and what is, or is not, quintessentially American about this story. Thanks to Nisha for hosting us.
Wine Tasting Meet-up
Join us for a wine tasting at Garrod Farms in Saratoga. This event is in conjunction with an earlier trail ride on the Garrod Farms horses, but if you want to only join us for a wine tasting, we would love to see you there. We do need a headcount. Please email the club at thepeninsulasmithclub@gmail.com to let us know that you will be joining. Dues-paying members of the Smith Club of the Peninsula will receive an Evite.
Cost of this event depends on your wine consumption. The winery also has small plates available for purchase.
Trail Ride at Garrod Farms (wine to follow if interested)
Join us for a scenic, slow, beginner-friendly trail ride at Garrod Farms in Saratoga Hills through Fremont Older Preserve. The trail ride will last for about 1 hour, and afterwards those who are interested can take part in a Garrod Farms wine tasting.
At this time, tickets must be purchased directly from Garrod Farms (click here to reserve your space). Cost for the trail ride is $95/person. The wine tasting afterwards is not included in this price. Space for this trail ride event is limited, so please reserve your space as soon as possible.
IMPORTANT CAVEATS:
No children under 8; no children under 42”
Weight limit of riders: 225 lbs, including clothing
Boots or running shoes, long pants are mandatory - no open-toe shoes, no heels, no sandals.

Book Club - April - Poetry Month
Smithies embrace change: instead of discussing a book on April 16, the Book Club talked about poems we brought to share for National Poetry Month. We had Shakespeare, Khalil Gibran, e.e. cummings and seven others, a varied assortment that led to interesting conversations about language, ideas, hope, gratitude, love, child-rearing—just as poetry should. And often the poems caused us to hearken back to our days at Smith: the ‘60s fascination with Gibran, poetry classes, poets visiting Smith. It was definitely a worthwhile change.

Book Club - March - Weight of Ink
Please note that we will meet 1 week later than usual for March’s book club gathering.
We will be gathering to discuss The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish, the interwoven tale of two women of remarkable intellect: Ester Velasquez, an emigrant from Amsterdam who is permitted to scribe for a blind rabbi, just before the plague hits the city; and Helen Watt, an ailing historian with a love of Jewish history.
Sweeping in scope and intimate in tone, The Weight of Ink is a sophisticated work of historical fiction about women separated by centuries, and the choices and sacrifices they must make in order to reconcile the life of the heart and mind.
To join the discussion, please fill out our book club form on this website at to get all the meeting details, including location.

Faculty Speaker
Smith College Professor and Chair of Dance Department Chris Aiken presents "The Art of Physical Intelligence”
In this presentation, Professor Aiken will discuss how physical intelligence can be developed throughout life. An essential component of physical intelligence is the ability to solve physical problems using one’s creativity, ingenuity, and through perceptual awareness. Addressing physical problems can include learning how to be more mobile, developing new skills, and building new awareness. Drawing on a forty-year career in dance and the science of movement, Professor Aiken will share insights and invite audience members to work together to have a gentle, embodied experience. All levels of ability are welcome.
Let us know you’re coming by emailing us at thepeninsulasmithclub@gmail.com.
Watch a dance performance of Smith College professors Chris Aiken and Angie Houser: https://vimeo.com/647338277

Smith Professor, Author and Activist Loretta J. Ross discusses her new book "Calling In"
Smith College Associate Professor of the Study of Women & Gender, author, and activist Loretta J. Ross will be discussing her book "Calling In; How to Start Making Change with Those You'd Rather Cancel" at Calvary Presbyterian in San Francisco. This is a free event. More details are available at https://www.bookpassage.com/event/loretta-j-ross-calling-calvary-presbyterian-sf.

Galentine's Coffee Meet-up
Drop in and have a beverage with your Smith siblings as we celebrate Galentine’s Day together. We will be at Backyard Brew @ 444 California Ave in Palo Alto from 2-4PM on Saturday, February 15. Come on by!

de Young Museum Meet-up
Come kick off the new year with your fellow smithies with an exciting docent-led art tour at the de Young Museum on Jan 25th. Your host (Donna) will be meeting in the lobby at 11:10AM to make sure we are signed up for the docent-tour.
You are responsible for buying your own tickets to the de Young museum; the docent tour is free. After the tour (1-hour), we will grab a quick bite and discuss what we have learned.
Tamara de Lempicka had a very interesting life and I'm sure we'll have a lively discussion! From the website on Tamara de Lempicka: With works that exuded cool elegance and transgressive sensuality, Tamara de Lempicka (1894–1980) helped define Art Deco. Her paintings captured the glamour and vitality of postwar Paris and the cosmopolitan sheen of Hollywood celebrity. This exhibition — the first major museum retrospective of Lempicka in the United States — explores the artist’s distinctive style and unconventional life through four major chapters.

The last hike of the year - Montalvo
This is a 2.1 mile loop with a 580 foot elevation gain; a short but beautiful hike through a Eucalyptus forest to a gorgeous lookout. There are signs located along the entire trail that have positive affirmation quotes on them, as well as a nearby art center, theatre, and garden. According to the AllTrails website, this route is shaded for most of the way, and can be crowded on the weekends. Park as directed by signage. This hike will be led by Donna Dong '13. For questions or clarification, you can text Donna at 408-613-3796.

Annual Holiday Cookie Exchange
It’s time for the beloved annual cookie exchange! Bring something to share, and be ready to take some goodies home. If you have a great cookie (or anything else) recipe you would like to give folks, be sure to bring a few copies to distribute. Every year this is a Smith club favorite… don’t miss it!

Book Club - November
In November the book club will be discussing Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. This National Book Award Finalist tells the story of a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region set in the eerie days following civilization's collapse. (Ed. note: the miniseries on HBO is awesome, too.) To join in on the discussion, please contact Sally Smith for details and this month's meeting location.

Student Care Package Micro-Volunteer Event
Join us for this quick and easy care package project! We will write notes to our Peninsula Bay Area students who are currently on campus and send them a little gift. At the home of Donna Dong ‘16 in San Jose. Please note that the location of this event has been changed recently with our apologies.
Mountain Day Hiking
Celebrate Mountain Day with us as we explore the Pedro Point Headlands! We will meet at the Hassett Ace Hardware in Pacifica (map) at 10AM on Sunday, October 13.
Annual Meeting - All Club
Please join us at the Annual Meeting of the Smith College Club of the Peninsula. The official meeting will go from 2-3pm, but you’re welcome to show up a little early and stay a little late to reconnect with your fellow area alums. At this meeting we will review the past fiscal year’s events and finances, and the coming year’s plans and goal. We will also announce the 2024/2025 board of directors and executive slate. Snacks, coffee and tea will be provided.

Coffee Meet-UP
The Peninsula Smith Club is having an informal coffee meet up on Sunday, August 18 @ 4pm PDT. If you're close to the Palo Alto area, we'd love to have you join us at Blue Bottle Coffee, 456 University Ave, Palo Alto, CA.

April Book Club - Book of Delights
In April we are reading a New York Times bestselling book of essays celebrating ordinary delights in the world around us by award-winning poet Ross Gay. The Book of Delights offers up a genre-defying volume of lyric essays written over one tumultuous year, addressing our shared bonds, and the rewards that come from a life closely observed. These remarkable pieces serve as a powerful and necessary reminder that we can, and should, stake out a space in our lives for delight.
The book is available at Kepler's Books in Menlo Park. Mention the Smith Peninsula Book Club to receive a discount for this book.
If you're interested in joining the conversation this month, please contact the Book Club Coordinator Sally Smith '64 via email.
To get details about the monthly meetings click here to join the book club.

Accepted Students Tea
Per our tradition, we have invited the students who have been accepted by Smith College for enrollment in the Fall of 2024 to come meet alums from a range of graduation years. The students have been encouraged to bring one parent along. Please consider representing Smith to these families as they make this very important decision!
All local alums are encouraged to attend. Dues-paying members have received a proactive email with location details. If you have not received an Evite and want to attend, please contact the club at thepeninsulasmithclub@gmail.com.

Hike the Stanford Dish
Welcome the start of Spring along with your fellow Smithies for a hike of the Stanford Dish. We'll walk the 3.7 mile loop as we enjoy the fresh air and and experience local habitats, wildlife, and spectacular views. The trail is rated as "moderate" and includes an elevation gain of about 574 feet. It generally takes about an hour and a half. This is an informal event, so no RSVP is needed. Look forward to seeing you!
Park in the Stanford Dish Parking Lot on Stanford Avenue, across Junipero Serra Blvd from the trailhead entrance.

February Book Club - The Women With Silver Wings
In February, we'll take flight with Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), the brainchild of trailblazing pilots Nancy Love and Jacqueline Cochran, as we read The Women With Silver Wings. WASP gave women a chance to serve their country during World War II—and to prove that women aviators were just as skilled as men. Love and Cochran’s social experiment seemed to be a resounding success—until, with the tides of war turning, Congress clipped the women’s wings. But the bonds they’d forged never failed, and over the next few decades they came together to fight for recognition as the military veterans they were—and for their place in history.
The book is available at Kepler's Books in Menlo Park. Mention the Smith Peninsula Book Club to receive a discount for this book.
The March Book Club meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 20. We'll discuss a work of fiction, title TBD. Mark you calendar now!

Galentine's Meet-Up
Join us for a coffee meet-up — no RSVP needed. Just show up and hang out with your Galentines.
2PM at Blue Bottle Coffee @ 456 University Avenue, Palo Alto.
(note: this is the downtown Palo Alto location, not the location at Stanford Shopping Center)
16th Annual Cookie Exchange
It’s time for our beloved tradition of the cookie exchange! Joy Silver ‘96 has offered up her home once again to have us all gather and share treats (and recipes). Join us for the fun!
All local alums are welcome! Club members will receive a proactive Evite closer to the date of the event with address information. If you are not a club member, please email us at thepeninsulasmithclub@gmail.com for location details.

November Book Club - There is Nothing for You Here
In November the Book Club will read There is Nothing for You Here by celebrated foreign policy expert and key impeachment witness Fiona Hill. In her book Hill reveals how declining opportunity has set America on the grim path of modern Russia—and draws on her personal journey out of poverty, as well as her unique perspectives as an historian and policy maker, to show how we can return hope to our forgotten places.

Cantor Arts Center Meet-up
Join The Smith College Club Peninsula for an inspiring visit to the "Beyond Here: The Zuber Collection of Latin American Photography" exhibit. Explore the captivating works of 34 Latin American photographers, each narrating profound 20th-century changes through their imagery. Don't miss this opportunity to join your fellow smithies and immerse yourself in the world of visual storytelling!
This is a meet-up — no tickets are necessary. This is not a docent-led activity.
When: Meet up at 12:00 p.m. PLEASE NOTE: This is the first day of the bi-annual time change when we leave Daylight Savings Time behind. Be sure to build the time change into your plans!
Where: Cantor Arts Center, 328 Lomita Dr, Stanford, CA 94305
Meet at the “Yo” sign in front of the Cantor Arts Center at 12:00 p.m.
How to get there:
Public Transit: Caltrain, exit at the Stanford train station. 20 min walk or 25 min bus ride.
By car — free parking: Roth Garage, 355 Roth Way Stanford, CA 94305, US