By Ashley Lodato
Well, back in Molly Patterson’s and my day at Little Star Montessori School, we might have shied away from the “Puttin’ on the Ritz” auction theme due to our opinion of flapper dresses, but I for one will freely admit how wrong we were. If you were at Little Star’s auction at the Winthrop Barn on Saturday night, you know what I’m talking about — everyone looked fabulous. Beaded caps, sparkly headbands, fringed dresses, dapper caps, spiffy coats, pinstriped suits, and even a 1920s bathing costume: all were worn with great flair and to excellent aesthetic effect.
Does everyone have a roaring ’20s outfit just hanging in their closet awaiting an occasion? Where did people come up with these outfits?! I hope someone got some photos of the event, because I don’t think you’ll see 250 Methow Valley residents all looking quite so classy at the same time in the same place ever again.
In addition to providing a tasty meal and a fun evening, the auction ensured that Little Star can keep its doors open (“for at least another two years,” as founder Rayma Hayes always says philosophically) and, quite significantly, continue to offer a robust scholarship program, thanks to Katie Paz’s moving speech about what Little Star has meant to her kids and the generosity of those who value the school’s importance to early childhood education and to our community.
This next bit will expose my ignorance in the realm of equestrian sports, and, some might argue, general popular cultural references, but sometimes a gossip columnist has to practice a little humility — or humiliation, in this case. I’m sure you all know by now that American Pharoah (this is the real, although incorrect, spelling) won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. Old news. But since I get virtually all of my news via radio, and since I don’t follow horse racing, what I’ve been hearing in my mind is that “American Farro” is on track to win the Triple Crown.
And I’m thinking, “Yes! Let’s hear it for domestic grains!” This isn’t surprising, given that I do occasional work for Bluebird Grain Farms (grower and purveyor of America’s finest emmer-farro) and that I am quite possibly the valley’s most prolific producer of emmer-farro salad; I hear “pharoah” and immediately think “farro.” Still, it was a little bit embarrassing to run across an article online with the horse’s name spelled out and realize my mistake. I’ll bring some pharoah salad to my next potluck to atone.
