Tis the Season…for families and friends to get together to celebrate the traditional holiday…and the ending of another terrific year…and to enjoy each others’ company. Jane and John Mitakides did exactly that last Saturday evening at their big, beautiful, stunningly decorated home on Splitrail Road.  (To ‘old timers’ – that’s on the Meade Farms off West Rahn Road …”which was way out in the country when the Meads owned it…) “Come about seven thirty or eight,” read the invitation.  “…and it’s Black Tie…”  And when guests weren’t remarking about the traditional, tinseled trees, and the miniature Old English Village, the groaning or’duvre tables – they were remarking about how handsome the gentlemen were in their ‘tux-es.’  Randy Luken received extra ‘kudos’ for his cummerbund and matching bow tie – in the classic Burberry plaid.  And, Ann Luken’s co-ordinating Burberry-plaid skirt really completed their ‘togetherness’.  “This really wasn’t planned,” denied Randy – but nobody believed him!  

Kathy and Andrew Mitakides were busy being hosts.  Everyone told Andrew how terrific he was in Wright State’s production of ‘West Side Story’.   Katy promised to send Round Town a copy of her latest published article for a new ‘woman’s’ magazine.  She introduced her friend and his wife – visiting from The University of the South – the Ashton McCrae’s.

Carolyn & Mike Rice were there. Mike’s Treasurer of Montgomery County. Lou & Estelle Tracy, Dr. Elizabeth Stuart,  Mike Yokum and Mike Leesman had a great time meeting new friends and enjoying ‘old’ ones.  An Oakwood neighbor, Carol Holm, looked terrific in a black sheath and wore a beautiful blue ‘lavaleer’ hung from a gold neck-ring.  Garry Leppla, Chair. of the Ohio Bar Association, and Doug Franklin, who’s Editor of the Dayton Daily News,   were all members of ‘…the gentlemen in black.’

Dr. John & Gretchen Bullock live in that lovely condo complex on Ridge Gate Road. Last Thursday evening they were entertaining family and friends – Gretchen’s Mother, Helen Hagaman, and Dotty Culp, and Dotty’s son and daughter-in-law.  “I just saw you this morning at 8:00AM getting your hair done at ‘George’s Hair Studio’ – Dotty Culp was told.  And your hair looks as good as it did then!”. This edifying conversation took place as several different parties in the building were leaving.

Julie Hughes was in town last week and was having lunch at NCR Country Club with Ginny Cuthbertson and Dede Longstreth. “I haven’t been back to Dayton in years,” said Julie.  “I live in Arizona now…on my way back home from Paris…” In a separate group, everyone in WGBC (World’s Greatest Bridge Club) was being hosted by Jo Kelly for their Christmas luncheon.  Ada Ferneding, Sally Riffle, Dotty Bachus, Shirley Wagner, and Sara Lytle were there.  Jack Heck (Honorary Ladies Bridge Club member), and Marty Ohmer (Honorary ‘substitute’) completed the eight.

“Feliz Navidad’  from a newly arrived immigrant family” was printed, in living color, above fourteen ‘immigrants’ – all wearing large sombreros  and large grins upon their faces.  One of the larger, and more senior, of the immigrants looked a lot like our own Irv Harlament – but the ‘idents’ under the picture read: Herbenzio Enrique Harlamente. 

“Well, I had the whole family in Mexico for Thanksgiving last year,” explained ‘Herbenzio Enrique’.  I had my three children, their spouses, and six grandchildren, and…  “When we met in the lobby of the hotel to have our picture taken we asked the proprietor of the gift shop if we could borrow hats for the photo…”

“Say, did you get my invitation to my Brunch next Sunday?  Understand many haven’t received theirs…I’m having brunch at eleven and Santa, and twenty three kids.  From one ‘til three I’ve invited sixty friends to Brunch (Dayton Country Club is catering the food) and then at three we’re all going to Westminster Church to hear the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir…hope you’ll join us!”

Marty and Bob Wind invited several friends for dinner Friday evening.  “Come to the house for cocktails and then we’ll go on to Moraine for dinner.”  The conversation, which was wonderful, was all about horses – hunting and jumping horses – and about Arizona – and it was because Marty’s son, Mark Fraze and his wife Jane were visiting from Tucson.  

“When you two lived on Runnymede Road we could look out our back windows and see your house!” said one of the guests.  “That was at least eighteen years ago – and what a delight to see our former neighbors.”  

Both Mark and Jane are into the ‘Hunter/Jumper Show Circuit – big time – in Arizona, California (Indio), Pennsylvania (Devon), New York (Madison Square Garden)…..
Marty and Bob were ‘…up to their hocks’ – in horses.  But, they tried to look interested…

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