Asia in San Francisco
June 20, 2000
By Carolyn Gan, biweekly social columnist
This summer you don’t have to travel far to get to Asia. The San Francisco Asian Art Museum is presenting a blockbuster of an exhibit, titled The Golden Age of Chinese Archaeology from now through Sept. 11. Culture vultures will love the scope and quality of nearly 240 discoveries unearthed in China over the past 20-30 years. Jade, bronze, silver and gold vessels, as well as, several life-size terra-cotta warriors from Xian are included in this awesome exhibition.
This month a special preview by Asian Art Museum docent Sally Yu Leung with arrangements by director Joyce Chan and the Foster City Art and Culture Committee gave suburbanites from the South Bay and East Bay a glimpse of these treasures. A reception was hosted by Man-U-Imports.
Reaching for the Stars
Summer readers may be interested in the new book Pan Am: An Aviation Legend, which recounts the history of the China Clipper and is documented by Barnaby Conrad III. When the flying boat first crossed the Pacific Ocean in l935, it was seen as a landmark in transportation technology, comparable to the initial supersonic concord jet flight and Apollo II landing on the moon.
Conrad noted that Anna May Wong, the famous Chinese movie actress in the early l930s, was a passenger on the China Clipper. Back then, it took almost 60 hours from San Francisco to the Philippines. But the social atmosphere and accommodations made the trip very comfortable. Airmail and cargo were carried on board. Definitely worth reading for the young and old.
Pan Am: An Aviation Legend by Barnaby Conrad is published by Woodford Press, 5900 Hollis St., Emeryville, CA 94608.
Model Fundraiser
On June 7, nine models from Shanghai stood statuesque and svelte as over l,200 patrons attended the benefit fashion show, dinner and dance for the San Francisco-based nonprofit Self-Help for the Elderly.
In the record-breaking event, over $500,000 was raised in the one evening. The Dragon Ball featured artist Chen Yifei and his New Silk Road Fashion Design Co., a live auction, a silent auction, and a grand auction of l0 luxury items. Directing the up-to-date choreography and fashion show was Chen’s able coordinator Gary Qian. Super Dad honorees were Sit Fung, Wing Koo, Kenneth Lai, Dr. Rolland Lowe, Bing Mah and Michael Zan.
Congrats
Women Health Care Executives named Jennie Chin Hansen, executive director On Lok, “Woman of the Year”.
Kudos to Darien Louie and KTSF Channel 26 as they were honored by Oakland’s Chinese Community Council recently.
Good luck to Oakland Asian Students Educational Services (OASES) as they recently won a grant of $l0,000 from Pacific Bell from the SBC Foundation.
Celebrating a five years birthday and a successful IPO was SINA.com, whose executives hosted a gala Community Appreciation Dinner at the Double Tree Hotel in San Jose, June 29.
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