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The people of the San Francisco Municipal Railway's Cable Car Division host a holiday luncheon for senior citizens every year. The 2007 luncheon was the 27th. This was the first one I was able to attend. I had a ball. In the beginning, the division held the luncheon in the recreation center across the street from the car barn. Later, they started holding it in hotels. In recent years, it has been held in the new Argonaut Hotel, in the Haslett Warehouse, next to the Cannery. On 20-December-2007, they served lunch to over 150 senior citizens. Co-chairmen Val Lupiz and Ken Foster did a great job. The festivities were hosted by Debi Durst. Honored guests included the Superintendent of the Cable Car Division, Brendan Scanlan, Miss Cable Car 1973, Barbara Davies Walsh, and members of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
Everyone enjoyed the music, played by the Aaron Cohen quartet. The members of the band were Aaron Cohen, saxophone, Ralph Probst, guitar, Steve Fowles, bass, and Steve LaPorta, drums. They played mostly jazz. I especially enjoyed the Duke Ellington numbers.
I was lucky to sit at lunch with Barbara Davies Walsh, Miss Cable Car 1973. She wore her tiara and sash, and brought the key to the city that Mayor Joe Alioto had presented to her. Most of the people at the luncheon had never before seen a key to the city, which is modelled on the key to Mission Dolores. Barbara spoke about her happy experiences as Miss Cable Car.
After the luncheon, Val Lupiz offerred me a ride back to the car barn on motorized Jones Street Shuttle car 62. Gripman Tony Marquardt drove us up Hyde, over on Bay to Columbus, and up Columbus to Mason. I was fascinated to see that we entered the barn by going up Pacific Avenue and over on Auburn Street, a narrow alley which points directly at the barn entrance. After a pause at the barn, we continued down Washington to Powell and out Powell to Ellis. Some people tried to board the car at stops.
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Copyright 2007-2008 by Joe Thompson. All rights reserved.
Last updated 01-January-2008