Pets, prancing and spicy food

OUR LAGUNA

Hot chili and even hotter pets starred at the Laguna Board of

Realtors & Affiliates sixth annual Pet Parade and Chili Cookoff, held

Sunday at Tivoli Too.

And may we have the envelope, please.

First Team Nolan Real Estate’s Bump and Grind chili and the team’s

booth took first places.

“It was Casey McKenzie’s recipe,” said Nolan’s Kathy James. “The

first couple of years, we entered recipes that had won national

competitions and we didn’t even get an honorable mention.”

Wright Mortgage placed second for chili, Coldwell Banker South

came in third. RTC Mortgage’s chili was the People’s Choice.

“The recipe came from my stepson, Ron May,” said Red Raczkowski,

who helped staff the RTC booth. “My wife Marianne works for the

company.”

Sandi Werthe supplied the recipe for the Exchange Club’s Buffalo

Chili.

“We didn’t know whether to enter it in the pet parade or the chili

contest,” said Pat Freeman, who sponsored the booth as a board

affiliate.

Mayor Wayne Baglin, Police Chief James Spreine, three-time

cook-off champion Dave Faylor, Bivens Hunt and Planning Commissioner

Anne Johnson judged the chili.

“I like my chili with a bit of bite at the end, but not so much

spice that it overwhelms me,” Johnson said in her distinct Boston

accent. “As if any New Englander would know about chili.”

The Pet Parade was judged by Theresa Daem, superintendent of the

Laguna Beach Unified School District; Darrin Reed, Theresa’s

assistant; Joanne Culverhouse, principal of El Morro Elementary

School; Suzanne Morrison, Laguna Beach Design Review Board member;

and James Levin, Laguna Beach veterinarian.

Prizes were awarded to the winner and the runner-up. Dogs, cats

and even a rat were entered in the contests.

Sasha, owed by Molly Zunflueh, won for most talented and was

runner-up for prettiest female pet. Nicholas Laighton’s Koho was

runner-up for most talented. Council candidate Elizabeth Pearson’s

blond and white cocker spaniel was judged the prettiest female pet.

“She was a rescue dog and look how far she has come. When I got

her she had been living in a dark garage for nine months,” Pearson

said.

Melissa O’Neal, also a council candidate, entered her rescued

boxer, Raleigh, in the most handsome male pet category.

Murphy, owned by Sherri Boldig, took the trophy for most handsome

male. Rascal, owned by Matt Hordlicka, was the runner-up.

Lola, an adorable and beautifully-behaved, three-month-old golden

retriever was judged the cutest small pet -- with some confusion in

the category between small and young. April, owned by Ted Miller,

came in second.

The judges gave the best costume award to Martini, owned by Logan

and Alia Gavins and Gulianna Davar. The runner-up was Chamois, whose

owner was identified only as Marianne.

In all, 58 animals were entered in the competition. After the

judging, all the pet owners were invited to parade their animals.

Rick Gold, chair of the Realtors’ Community Events Committee,

chaired the event as he did the Taste of Laguna, held at Tivoli Too

earlier this year. Caroline Haines chaired the chili competition.

Larry Wilson, who owns a rescued greyhound, chaired the Pet Parade.

Colleen Watkins, art chair of the Taste of Laguna, organized the

appearance of the dogs in the cordoned-off show area.

Susie and Sgt. Darin Lenyi attended the event with their

8-month-old son.

“We had to choose between him and our toy poodle,” Darin Lenyi

said.

No contest.

Also there: John Zepatos, Hal Werthe, Al Oligino and Greg Adelman

with his Maine Coon cat, Tiller, draped around his neck. Tiller is 2

and weighs 15 pounds. He’ll get up as high as 20 pounds when he

reaches maturity, between 3 and 4 years old.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Laguna Beach Animal

Shelter, Blue Bell Foundation for Cats and the Marine Mammal Center.

All three groups had booths at the event.

The mammal center booth was staffed by Dee Manis and Suellen Zima,

two of the center’s 75 volunteers.

Blue Bell’s Cassie Latendresse, Lee Bradford and Roz Grashaw

staffed the foundation booth.

The Animal Shelter was represented by Synthia Schofield, a

volunteer at the shelter for 16 years, and Jo Girouux, with almost

five years of service. The shelter operates under the auspices of the

Laguna Beach Police Department.

For two entry tickets, board President Gayle Waite engraved pets

names on tags. Julie Hutchinson of Heritage Escrow painted faces and

Faye Kirk of Southland Title photographed pets. Jerry Bieser of

Chicago Title, one of the event sponsors, provided popcorn and Steven

Saucer of Washington Mutual provided soft drinks and water.

Brad and Linda Trifka and their daughter, Tawny, owners of Animal

Cracker pet shop in South Laguna, hosted a booth for Nutro Products,

a sponsor of the event.

In the eye of the beholder

R. W. “Dutch” Vanderhoof passed the gavel recently to incoming

Beautification Council President Jan Osborne. Osborne’s participation

in the council is a family tradition. Her father, Larry Lantz, was an

early and long-time member.

The changing of the guard was held at the council’s annual potluck

dinner at the Temple Hills Drive home of Cossie Mechling.

Dutch, who has served three terms as president, moves to recording

secretary. Landscape architect Bob Borthwick was chosen as the

council’s vice president. Joy Dickerson will serve as treasurer;

Marian Williams as corresponding secretary. Marsha Bode and Mechling

are the members at large.

The council was organized in 1952 as a committee of the Chamber of

Commerce. Nita Carmen, Dr. Berryman Green, Harry Willets, Fred Lang

and Warren Imports owner Harry Lawrence were the founders.

Harry, who is still active in the council, was among those who

attended the potluck. Participants included Gigi and Ben Blount, Ed

and Kit Drollinger, Gilda Elk, Eleanor Henry, Ora Sterling, Brian

Osborne and Caroline Hoover, representing the Laguna Beach Garden

Club. Steve May, director of the Public Works Department, has

replaced Terry Brandt (known to the council as the Cookie Monster for

the desserts he always brought to the dinners), as the city’s

representative. Jamie Pendleton, staff liaison to the Vision

Committee, also attended.

One of the council’s most important projects will be the

recognition of landscape improvements on private and commercial

properties that can be viewed by the public. Council members scour

the city for noteworthy projects and present the property owners with

certificates at an awards ceremony held after the annual breakfast.

For more information about the council or membership, call the

Chamber of Commerce, 494-1018, or Dutch at 494-6311.

* OUR LAGUNA is a regular feature of the Laguna Beach Coastline

Pilot. Contributions are welcomed. Write to Barbara Diamond, P.O. Box

248, Laguna Beach, 92652, hand-deliver to 384 Forest Ave., Suite 22;

call 494-4321 or fax 494-8979.