Sunset Get-Together in September - Small Beginnings

Over the years, Sunset Gondola has become the place for gondoliers to come together and enjoy a special camaraderie. Tim and his guys do a bang-up job for their clients (I honestly think they are unmatched in many ways), but from a gondolier's standpoint, this Huntington Harbour operation is also a favorite place for get-togethers among peers.

As is often the case, Tim began by laying out food and libation, and fired up the camp-stove to cook the pasta. When I arrived he was in the process of cooking.

Tim's natural environment finds him either on the back of a gondola, or in his office, but he sure looked like he was "in his element" gripping a wooden spoon with steam rising into the air.

As the last traces of color disappeared along the horizon, giving way to ever darkening blues, the boats and gondolas of Sunset Gondola waited patiently for tonight's festivities.

Boats and gondolas await.

New Zealander Andrew McHardy brought his niece Catherine Foster along to watch this odd group of gondoliers carry on about this and that. Beneather her jean jacket, she wore a Lakers shirt, which gained her a warm reception among many of us.

Catherine Talking about her "Uncle Andrew".

Each time we do this, there are new faces.

I love making new friends at Sunset's get-togethers.

Tonight I saw a familiar face in mark Schooling - a guy I pass almost nightly on the canals in Newport. Mark rows for another company so we hardly ever exchange more than a friendly but fleeting "buona sera". Tonight we enjoyed a little more time to swap stories and compare lies.

Gondolier mark Schooling.

We had a nice showing tonight. It wasn't the largest attendance to date, but well worth showing up for. Initially there were only a few of us, and this post is dedicated to that first remnant who showed up early (well, actually we came after the start time, but before everyone else).

From left to right: Greg Mohr, Tim Reinard, Mark Schooling, Andrew McHardy, and Catherine Foster.

It seems that Catherine was the only one who bothered to smile for the shot, but she looked good enough to make up for the rest of us.

of course a get-together at Sunset Gondola wouldn't be complete without music. Andrew showed up carrying a tiny black instrument case, which ended up concealing a small but impressive little ukelele. Most of what Andrew does musically involves a guitar, but this little song was a rare treat for those of us who were there to see and hear it.



Of course there's more to come in future posts.