It is all the time a pleasure to go to the town center San Jose Fire Museumbut being at retired fire Chief Sam Seibert's party was truly special.
Seibert turned 105 on Monday and was the guest of honor at a celebration on the Market Street firehouse-turned-museum on Tuesday. He sat on a throne, was serenaded by retired firefighter Jim True and blew out the three candles on his chocolate birthday cake. (Had it been 105, that might need set off some alarms.)
Seibert acknowledged that few people have reached his age and lived nearly as good a life as he has, particularly his work as a firefighter and his involvement within the founding of the San Jose Fire Museum, which incorporates a lot of his donated items and even has a gallery dedicated to him in the doorway hall.
“This fire department is very special to everyone who is in this building,” he said. “Most people have come here because they want to see me die, but I'm not leaving for another week or two,” he joked. “It's a joy to be in this organization.”
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John McMillan, one other retired firefighter who’s president of the museum, said, “We are so lucky to have Sam in our lives. He told me and some other friends that his goal was 105. But I expect we can start planning for 110 now.”
Seibert may already be the oldest living firefighter within the United States, as New Jersey native Victor Dransfield died in June on the age of 110.
McMillan said Seibert looks higher than he has in years and attributed that partly to the individuals who deal with him. But a few of Seibert's secrets to longevity were revealed on the party: He recommends not sitting around an excessive amount of and says drinking an excessive amount of water causes pipes to rust. “He drinks beer and soda,” McMillan said, laughing.
I don't think my doctor would agree. But Seibert managed to live greater than twice so long as I did, so you possibly can't really argue with the outcomes.
CHEERS: Philanthropist Al Castellano also had a milestone birthday last weekend: He celebrated his ninetieth birthday and partied with family and friends – including his recent great-granddaughter – on the Saratoga Country Club on Saturday evening.
Castellano is best known for winning the then-record $141 million California Lottery jackpot in 2001, which he and his late wife, Carmen Castellano, become a family foundation that provided tens of millions of dollars in grants to Latino causes within the Bay Area and elsewhere over twenty years.
Looking dapper in a black tuxedo, Castellano talked about his childhood in Hollister, where he met Carmen and raised his three children – Armando Castellano, Maria West and Carmela Castellano-Garcia – within the Cambrian Park neighborhood of San Jose. Mariachi Azteca performed for the gang, but “Happy Birthday” was played by Armando Castellano on French horn and his son – and Al Castellano's grandson – Wim Castellano on guitar.
STAGE PRESENCE: The reading tour of US Representative Nancy Pelosi from San Francisco – undoubtedly probably the most powerful politician in US history – and her autobiography “The Art of Power” brought people to San Jose on Monday and to a full house on the California Theater.
Pelosi spoke for over an hour onstage with Bay Area philanthropist and education advocate Laurene Powell Jobs, discussing her life in politics and her hopes for the longer term. The appearance, sponsored by the Kepler's Literary Foundation, was accompanied by two standing ovations, many outbursts of applause and loud protests in support of Gaza from the balcony, prompting Pelosi to lift her volume to what she called her “mother-of-five” voice.
Attendees also got a glimpse into her personal life, including her passion for chocolate. The former Speaker of the House fueled herself for the event with a dark chocolate milkshake from My Milkshake shop just just a few blocks away.
CURSES: Apparently there weren't enough wards across the Guggenheim family, which operates 3Below cinemas in downtown San Jose, to maintain COVID at bay. Unfortunately, attributable to illness, 3Below needed to cancel all of its “Back to Hogwarts” plans for this weekend, including a Harry Potter party and a 22-hour, eight-movie marathon.
They plan to try again next 12 months, but within the meantime, movies are still playing within the theater – luckily the Guggenheims don't need to be there for movies like they do for events. You can find the schedule at www.3belowtheaters.com.
FUN WEEKEND: This weekend, Tech Interactive is getting really prehistoric with a “T.REX Takeover,” inspired by its latest IMAX educational film, “T.REX,” about three kids who discover a young T. rex. Tyler Lyson, the paleontologist featured within the film, will probably be available for a Q&A on Saturday following the 11 a.m. screening.
Later Saturday, Lyson will probably be joined by fellow paleontologist Nathan Smith for “Dino Fight Night,” a fun talk hosted by writer/illustrator Ted Rechlin on a subject dino fans will love: which dinosaurs would win in a fight? There may even be activities throughout the weekend resembling fossil hunting and making a dino egg bath bomb, together with visits from Azul and Rex, the Tech's dinosaur mascots.
Stomp over to thetech.org/trextakeover for further details and ticket information.
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