December 2008

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We would encourage everyone to become a POCA member, if you aren't already a member. Your membership in the national club helps fund your local chapter. You can download a membership application at http://www.poca.com/ Please help our club grow.

PCNC Christmas Party, Dec 19th

by Emilia Seiferling

Jim and I decided to take up the invitation to attend the PCNC Christmas party this year. This would be our first time attending the PCNC holiday affair. Since it was being held in Palo Alto we decided to spend the night at the adjoining hotel. The PCNC party is very different from the CP Christmas party. We were told that it was a dress event. That is no problem for us, Jim doesn't mind wearing his tux and I have a number of sparkle outfits. So we leave Rio Vista mid afternoon to make our way to the Bay area. The trip went very smoothly since most of the traffic was outward bound! We arrived at the hotel, checked into our ground floor room (nice to not have to carry luggage upstairs since I have yet to master the art of packing light). We had plenty of time to relax and change clothes for the party. We walked over to the restaurant, Trader Vic's, for the party at a bit after 6 PM. We arrived to find the party room festively decorated for the party. Each of the 10 tables had a different holiday centerpiece. A rough count yielded about 70 people present. Lucky raffle winners would later take these centerpieces home. The raffle is a very major one. There were several dozen prizes to be won. There were all sorts of prizes: Holiday gift baskets, gift certificates from Pantera vendors, wine, automotive items, i-pods, and a grand prize of a $1500 travel certificate! We went home with a bottle of Hypercool, but we sat at the table of the Grand prize winner- Nancy Haney! It was the proverbial close, but no cigar for us. Nancy looked very nice with her new hairstyle and even wearing a formal dress! Mike was in his tux, with even a hand tied bow tie. It was a very nice affair with good food and conversation with friends. We even knew about 90% of the people there. We thank PCNC for inviting us to their Christmas party and will join them again. Sorry that we forgot to take any pictures, so you'll just have to believe me that we all looked great.

Capitol Panteras Christmas Party, Dec 20th

by Emilia Seiferling

Jim and I were on the Holiday party circuit this weekend. The day after the PCNC party in Palo Alto was the CP Christmas party in Rocklin. Dennis and Patty Gacutan and their daughters Leilani and Meilea were our hosts. Dennis is almost an original owner of a Pantera. He bought his Pantera as a returned leased car from the original owner, when it was only a few months old!

This was not the first time that Dennis and Patty have hosted for our group. We all thank them for opening their home to our group. This year we had a smaller group than usual, but it was a great group. Those present were: Dennis & Patty and daughters Leilani and Meilea, Jim & Emilia, Duane & Darice, Rick & Marcia, Chuck & Nancy, and John Worsley. All the guests helped with the food by bringing either appetizers or dessert and their favorite beverage to share. Patty did everything else, with help from Dennis and their girls. The menu was Chicken picatta, rice pilaf and green salad. The evening was full of laughter, conversation and activities. We enjoyed wonderful food and beverages. We had a Wii bowling tournament. I'm not sure who won but I do know that I had a personal best score of 130 in the second round. We also walked around the neighborhood to view the very festive Christmas decorations. My personal favorite was the house that had a snowman making snow on the roof. Children who were out viewing the displays could play in and even scoop up snow to take with them. It seemed like about a good third of the homes on the decorated circuit were having parties in their driveways. The weather was cold and dry, perfect weather for a Holiday walk after dinner. We returned to the house to do our gift exchange. Everyone successfully followed the 70's theme and could easily explain their gift's link to the 70's. The most popular theme was music of the 70's. The most usual gift was a combo of a 70's music CD, zigzags and appropriate baggie of green stuff, which also dated back some years. I think that everyone was happy with the item that they finally ended up with after a bit of present piracy occurred. The party broke up about 11:30 with the weather still good for the drive home. Jim and I enjoyed listening to one of our 70's CD on the ride home. There were 20 songs on the CD and we were on #19 as we arrived home!

I forgot to collect the $10 per person for the dinner, so if everyone who attended would please pay at the January CP meeting that would be great!

Santa Dennis

Patty won the DeTomaso colors afghan this year, but will Leilani get to keep it?

Wanted: Articles for CP Newsletter

If you have attended a car function of any type, please write about your car adventures and send it to jes@riverdeltawireless.com to be included in the next Capitol Pantera newsletter. If newsletter articles are not received, then it will be more of Jim & Emilia's automotive adventures or "The Motoring Mouth".

2009 EVENTS CALENDAR

Capitol Panteras Events in Red

Jan 11 EuroSunday Marques-Vettes and Vipers @ 508 Pavilions Ln, Sacramento

Jan 13 Capitol Panteras meeting at Mimi's

Jan 25 EuroSunday @ 508 Pavilions Ln, Sacramento

Feb 6-8 Autorama, Cal Expo http://www.hotrodshows.com/home.html

Feb 8 EuroSunday Marques-Porsche / Mercedes / Smart

Feb 10 Capitol Panteras meeting at Mimi's

Feb 22 EuroSunday, Sacramento @

March 8 EuroSunday Marques- Alfa / Fiat / Citron / Vespa

March 10 Capitol Panteras meeting at Mimi's

March 22 EuroSunday, Sacramento @

April 5 EuroSunday Marques- British Cars & Motorcycles

April 14 Capitol Panteras meeting at Mimi's

April Tech session at Rick's office/shop

April 26 EuroSunday, Sacramento @

May Spring Sprint, open track at ??. The Shelby Club.

May 10 EuroSunday Marques- Pantera/Bricklin/DeLorean/Moto Guzzi

May 12 Capitol Panteras meeting at Mimi's

May 24 EuroSunday, Sacramento @

May 29-31 Wine Country Classic, Sears Point http://www.searspoint.com/schedule/major_events/wcc/

June Car Show in Arnold - Ch. Duane

June Thunder Valley Brunch Run - Chairman, John Worsley

June 9 Capitol Panteras meeting at Mimi's

June 10-14 POCA Fun Rally, Reno

June 14 EuroSunday Marques- Ducati / Ferrari / Maserati

June 28 EuroSunday, Sacramento @

July 12 EuroSunday Marques- MV Agusta / Aprillia / Lamborghini / Audi

July 14 Capitol Panteras meeting at Mimi's

July 26 EuroSunday, Sacramento @

Aug 1-2 Festa Italiana, Sacramento, http://www.italiancenter.net/

Aug 2 Festa Italiana Car Display on Sunday - Chairman, Jeff Budelli

Aug 9 EuroSunday Marques- BMW Bikes / BMW Cars / VW

Aug 11 Capitol Panteras meeting at Mimi's

Aug 13 "The Tour", downtown Carmel @ Noon. http://www.pebblebeachconcours.net/Tour.htm

Aug 14 Concorso Italiano, http://www.concorso.com/default.asp

Aug 14-17 Monterey Historic Races, Laguna Seca http://www.montereyhistoric.com/

Aug 22 EuroSunday, Sacramento @

Sept 8 Capitol Panteras meeting at Mimi's

Sept 13 EuroSunday Marques- Models Day

Sept 27 EuroSunday

Oct Italian Car Show, Alameda. A benefit for Special Olympics. No entry fee for exhibitors.

Oct 11 EuroSunday Marques- Ford GT, Cobra, Mustangs

Oct 13 Capitol Panteras meeting at Mimi's

Oct 18th Annual Car Show, Rio Vista - Chairman, Jim ( lunch at Foster's Big Horn)

Oct Fall Classic, open track at ??. Shelby Club.

Oct 25 EuroSunday, Sacramento @

Nov 8 EuroSunday Marques- NSX / GTR / Supra / ISF / pacific Rim

Nov 10 Capitol Panteras meeting at Mimi's

Nov 22 Euro Sunday, Sacramento @

Dec. ? Capitol Panteras Christmas Party

Please keep us informed of other dates and activities.

Jim & Emilia Seiferling
Co-Presidents, Capitol Panteras
http://www.capitolpanteras.org
jes@riverdeltawireless.com
#1575 [JHSTBAD]
#7114 [JIMS CAT]
WB6BET-Jim
Life goal: To be the person my dog thinks I am.

"You're never too old to do goofy stuff."
~Ward Cleaver