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| Martha Perez and staff celebrate 24 years of owning Jose's Mexican Restaurant in Amador Plaza "where every meal is a fiesta." |
| Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger Dispatch |
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| Promoting the Aug. 26 Farm Tour and dinner at Avio Winery as a fund-raiser for Amador Farmers Market and Farms of Amador are from left Michelle Grondin, market manager; Greg Motch, vendor; and Susan Bragstad, owner of Amador Olive Oil. |
| Photo by: Marcia Oxford |
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| Becky and Dan Steele specialize in fire and water damage as well as clean-up and restoration of damaged businesses or homes through ServPro, a nationwide franchise based in Tennessee. |
| Photo by: Marcia Oxford |
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| John Leggett, who has opened Leggett Piano Service in his family's historic Chichizola Store in Jackson, is shown at one of the grand pianos he is working on with his Wife Kirstin, and youngsters Carlton, 4; Ariana, 5 and Jonathan, 3 1/2 months old. |
| Photo by: Marcia Oxford |
She recalled opening the eatery in July 1983 after she and her then-husband Jose managed Tortilla Flats in Monterey. "We'd never been to Jackson before - didn't have any idea where it was," Perez said. "A friend who was selling restaurant equipment told me, 'Martha, there's a nice little restaurant in Jackson you might want to look at it and it's a nice deal.' So I said OK."
Perez remembers driving down Highway 49 into Jackson. "The sun was coming up, and it was one of those real pretty mornings," she said. "It was a spectacular view of Butte Mountain and something grabbed me. I just said, 'oh my God, this it.' Even with all the expansion and all the changes in the county since then, I still feel it's beautiful."
She and her husband later divorced, but worked together for some years. "We became really good friends and decided the business was very important to us," she said. Perez has been sole owner since 1991, and is helped by her son Jose, who also works at the Jackson Rancheria Casino, Hotel and Conference Center, and daughter Rachel, who manages 17 to 20 employees. Perez gives a lot of credit to her staff. "I just couldn't have done this without them. They're the best employees in Amador County, and I get a lot of compliments on them. And I thank Amador County residents because without my customers, there would be nothing."
Perez is definitely a "show must go on" woman. She recovered from a brain aneurysm some years ago to continue growing her business and furthering her community work. She served on the Sutter Amador Hospital board of directors for more than eight years, was an Amador County Chamber of Commerce Businessperson of the year, served six years as a chamber director, and does cooking demonstrations on TSPN-TV. Annually, she collects and takes sports equipment to Baja California, as director of Sports For the World's Children. The equipment goes to tiny towns, like the kind she grew up in where Americans brought toys for the children. "I see what I do as giving back, whether it's here or in Mexico," she said. The World's Children convention will be held in San Francisco in September this year and is expected to draw people from Alaska and across the United States.
"About my 24 years, I just say wow," she repeated with a smile. "I made it another year. Unless you have a business, nobody knows what you struggle with every day. You have to have passion and heart for your business. It's not so much the money, but the reward of giving a job to families through our employees. And I've made a lot of friends with customers. When people ask how I do it, I tell them, I'm just used to doing what it takes."
Her restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday until 8 p.m. For large group accommodations, call 223-3886, or just drop in for some south-of-the-border specialties including tostadas, taquitos, enchiladas, flautas and much more. Sip Martha's secret recipe for a Jose Cuervo Tequila Margarita, soak up some Sangria or choose beer or soft drinks.
Farm groups team up to present tour, gourmet dinner fund-raiser
Amador County Farmers' Market and Farms of Amador present an exciting new event that includes tours of ghost wineries, historic ranches and ancient olive groves that take participants back in time to the roots of Amador agriculture.
The tour, a fund-raiser for both organizations, is set for Sunday, Aug. 26. Tickets at $30 are available now at Farmers' Markets in Sutter Creek, Ione and Pine Grove. Tours start at 3 p.m. and culminate with dinner at Avio Winery on Ridge Road in Sutter Creek.
This is a perfect opportunity to explore the origins of the county's economic past, when agriculture and wineries were kings of the realm. Enjoy tastes of fine, local varietal wines, olive oil and local products while talking with winemakers, farmers and ranchers.
At Sutter Ridge Vineyards, attendees will see an early gold mine and tour the picturesque stone ruins of a ghost winery. At Amador Olive Oil, stroll amid century-old olive trees and taste the oil produced from these silvery-leaved trees. For a tangible feeling of the past, visit the Fregulia Ranch, a pioneer Italian homestead.
Following the tour, gather at Avio Vineyards for a catered dinner featuring barbecued chicken, salads, side dishes, dessert, soft drinks and a no-host bar. The dinner will be held under the winery's shade trees overlooking vineyards and rolling hills. Joseph Costa, son of market vendor Eric Costa, will perform on the guitar, and the event will also feature an auction and raffle.
Purchase tickets at the Sutter Creek farmers' market, open Saturday from 8 to 11 a.m.; Ione farmers' market Monday from 3 to 6 p.m. and Pine Grove farmers' market Wednesday, 3 to 6 p.m. Call 223-3165 for other information.
Women invited to 'paint your pots'
Enjoy Ladies' Night Out during an evening of painting your own pottery on Monday. Aug 6, from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Potters Workshop, 148-A Main Street in Jackson. Imagine creating your own fabulous vase or serving dish in your colors and motif.
Owners Jerry and Belinda Illers, who have had their Jackson shop for more than a year, invite adult or high school age women to the event; participants are encouraged to purchase their bisque ware piece in advance at $15. The price includes the bisque ware, glaze, clear dip, fire and use of The Potters Workshop studio and brushes and stencils to create a unique piece. For an additional $15, which must be paid in advance, a catered dinner can be arranged.
Call 223-4560 to reserve a space, then invite your friends to enjoy an evening of pottery painting and lots of giggles. The Illers plan this on a monthly basis, but don't miss this first flight out. The shop is open Wednesday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
ServPro franchise owners specializes in fire, water damage
When fire of water damages occur, property owners have a new ally ready to aid them in their recovery efforts.
Dan and Becky Steele recently opened ServPro Industries Inc. of Amador/Calaveras counties to offer a full line of fire and water cleanup and restoration services to help home and business owners regain control of their lives faster following a loss.
Formerly Sunrise Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning, the Steeles have been in business since 1985. "Our motivation was to be able to more efficiently work with major insurance companies who prefer dealing with well-known companies such as ServPro," Dan said. "We've been doing this all along, but now, as a new franchise, we are proud to bring ServPro's nationally recognized services to our customers. We encourage home and business owners to contact us about any cleaning or restoration needs they may have, especially following a fire or water loss where emergency response is vital to protecting their assets from further damage."
The Steeles are available on a 24/7 basis for emergency service. They are among some 1,400 franchisees nationwide with the company which is headquartered in Gallatin, Tenn. The Steeles also intend to pursue certification for mold removal.
In addition to cleanup and restoration services, residential and commercial customers can take advantage of ServPros' wide variety of cleaning services which include cleaning of carpets, floors, furniture, tile, stone, and grout cleaning and sealing.
ServPro Industries Inc. was founded in 1967 and provides coverage in 48 states. Over the years, the company has established solid relationships with major insurance companies and clients.
The Steeles can be reached at 223-4423.
Piano expert has deep roots in Amador County
The expansive Chichizola Store, established in 1850 on Jackson Gate Road, now echoes with the sounds of Leggett's Piano Service, where John Leggett, registered piano technician with the Piano Technicians Guild of America, tunes, rebuilds and refinishes pianos and sells new and used ones.
As a dealer for Charles Walter Pianos, he is able to offer competitive prices on that line which has earned a fine reputation for the well-crafted pianos it builds in Indianapolis. Leggett also carries American pianos from Mason and Hamlin, as well as top-of-the-line Yamahas, Baldwins and Steinways. He has some 40 pianos from various makers in the store.
He finds the craftsmanship of the 1900s "just amazing. Americans made the best pianos in the world," Leggett said. "Some are very intricate with lots of hand-carved hard wood. I'm kind of a collector of the old American uprights. We probably have 16." Although he is a pianist, he gives that title to his wife Kirstin, a music educator. The couple met when she was a flute major and he was a trombone major at California State University, Sacramento, where he earned his bachelor's degree in music in 2000. "I used to love to play, and she used to love to listen. One thing led to another," he said. The couple are now parents of Ariana, 5; Carlton, 4, and Jonathan, 3 1/2 months.
Leggett's devotion to music stems from his childhood where his mother, Shirley, played piano. He also remembers marching in the annual Italian Picnic Parade with Wesley Hills and the Jackson High School band. "Wes was a great man and that really got me going in music," Leggett said. After high school, Leggett spent four years cutting wood for a living. During that time, a piano tuner friend got Leggett interested in that profession which ultimately led to his 15 years in the business.
His restoration or repair of a piano includes stripping and refinishing an instrument's finish, putting in new strings, felt and mechanical parts up to installing a new sound board. "There are all kinds of things I can do, depending on what the owner wants," Leggett said.
Leggett, a member of the Piano Technicians Guild, first pursued trombone at CSUS. Following his graduation there, Leggett later earned his master's degree in choral conducting. His college studies included a year at the University of Jerusalem, where he learned to speak and write Hebrew. He also studied trombone with a musician in the Jerusalem Philharmonic and he played in the University Symphony there from 1994-95.
Music lovers, already acquainted with Leggett as conductor of the Interfaith Community of Choirs can look forward to the choir's its eighth annual Festival of Carols Nov. 23 and 24 at the Church of the Nazarene in Sutter Creek.
While Leggett's musical diversity and acumen is well established, his talent may well have bloomed from one generation of the Chichizola family tree. His paternal great-great grandfather, Agostino, built the store which Leggett now occupies. The third of the store in which his pianos are showcased once brimmed with general store food and merchandise; meats, cheese and wine were stored in a middle room, and a third was devoted to hay and grain.
One of Agostino's sons, Victorio, lived in the stately home next door, which was built in 1902 by another family; the Chichizolas lived there until the 1970s when they sold it. Over more than two decades, the building known as the Gate House Inn, has served as a bed and breakfast inn under different owners.
Leggett's paternal grandmother, Lucy, descendant of one of Agostino's two sons, was married to Pierce Deasy who played piano and entertained at Lake Tahoe. Their son, James Deasy and his then wife Shirley, encouraged young Leggett at the piano; Leggett still owns the Vose on which he first learned the magic of piano artistry. While he teaches piano to individual students, Leggett's forte is tuning, moving and rebuilding or restoring pianos to return them to their original clear sound and beauty.
Leggett Piano Services, at 1324 Jackson Gate Road, is open Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday noon to 4 p.m. or by appointment. Call 223-2834 for additional information or visit www.jleggett.com. For a step into the past, drop into www.ChichizolaStore.com.
Valley newspaper lauds Sutter Creek innkeeper
Jane Way has become a legend over the years. The Sacramento Bee recently paid homage to Way for her vision 40 years ago of establishing a bed and breakfast inn in Sutter Creek, the first, it is said, west of the Mississippi.
The genesis of the Sutter Creek Inn and the rest of her story were detailed in the July 12 article in which Way shared anecdotes about her role as innkeeper. While her daughter, Lindsay Way, is now innkeeper, Jane Way's fabled role has to do how she opened the inn and then launched a unique, and successful business. In 1966, she purchased an 1859 New-England style structure on Sutter Creek's Main Street. After adding her own distinctive decor, she marketed the accommodation in an unusual way for those times. She invited travel writers from Sunset Magazine, Los Angeles Times and other media outlets for a two-night stay complete with food and champagne, a Way favorite. The writers wrote exultant reviews and travelers flocked to the inn, drawn by the home-away-from-and better-than-home concept. After her original purchase, Way acquired small structures surrounding the main building, which brings to 17 the guest rooms each of which is named for its original practical purpose.
Jane lives at the inn and maintains her interest in it and in travelers who relax at her Sutter Creek oasis. Looking back on her life as an innkeeper, she told the Bee writer, "I think I did everything right."
For lodging information, call 267-5606.
| Marcia Oxford |