Cold Spring School Scholarship Auction

Saturday

15 May 2010

6:30 p.m.

Auction Catalog

Download the complete catalog here (PDF) or see below.

Questions? Contact Paula Coyne at pcoyne@coldspringschool.org or a member of the Auction Committee: Cheryl Andresen, Deborah Caplan, Stephanie Carbone, Aisling Colon, Erica Dawson, Gina D’Errico, Heidi Downey or Regina Frangipane

12 Things You Should Know | Silent Auction Items | Live Auction Items

Program

6:30 to 8:00
Cocktail hour
Silent Auction open for bidding

8:00 to 10:00
Dinner and Live Auction
Jonathan Holloway, auctioneer

10:00
Checkout

Twelve Things You Should Know About the Auction

1. Have a good time
The Benefit Auction for the Cold Spring School Scholarship Fund is held every other year, and the money raised is used for a worthy cause: to support the school’s generous commitment to financial aid. The evening is designed so that there are many ways to support the school and leave at the end of the night with a smorgasbord of special items—goods or activities or services.

Don’t forget to have fun. It’s for the kids.

2. Registration
When you arrive at Calhoun College, you will be given a bid card and a catalogue. Each person will have a bid number to use for all bids in the Silent and Live Auction. Please register a credit card at the beginning of the night to expedite checkout.

3. Music with a Green Theme
Mary Bloom, mother of Nate and Maddy, will entertain us with piano music chosen especially for the Auction.

4. Silent Auction
If you’re shy about bidding in a live auction, this is the solution. The Silent Auction items are displayed with a bid sheet next to each item. You bid for an item by writing your bid number and the amount of your bid on the next available line. It’s simple and anonymous. Return to bid as often as you like until the Silent Auction ends at 8:00. Winners will be posted at the checkout station.

5. Super Silent Auction
We are pleased to offer a hand-knitted quilt, a collaboration by a number of Cold Spring community knitters, old hands and beginners alike. Over a year ago Andie Asnes, mother of Caroline and Simon, began rounding up knitters and handing them yarn, needles, and instructions. Another avid knitter and parent, Terri Bennett, mother of Beth and Will Hartog, surfaced to help Andie. Many other knitters got involved, and together they produced 56 individual squares that were laid out by Penny and Gretta’s 2/3 class, with design guidance by Pam Franks, Noah Delorme’s mother. This quilt is the vibrant result of the work of many hands and minds.

There is no bid sheet for the Super Silent Auction, but there is a minimum bid of $500. You decide how much you feel comfortable bidding above this minimum bid, then write your price on the preprinted bid slip and add it to the fishbowl. You will not be able to see the other bids. The winner will be announced later in the evening.

6. Duck Pond
Michael and Jennifer Deakin, parents of James, are the custodians of this year’s Duck Pond. Purchase a numbered duck from these two for $25. If your duck’s number is “up” and announced later in the evening, you will win a deluxe package designed to keep hunger pangs away: a $100 gift certificate toward goodies at Chestnut Fine Foods of New Haven; a bottle of Christian Moueix Dominus (Napa, 1997) valued at $200, a fabulous red wine donated by Sandy Jedniziak and Jeremy Mellitz; and an authentic Russian dinner for six prepared for you by Elena Schmitt, mother of Phillip, —cooked and served in your home or delivered to your door.

Why not increase your odds by buying a whole flock of ducks?

7. 50/50 Raffle
Watch for the roving ticket seller and buy one ticket for $1 or an arm’s length for $10! The holder of the winning ticket will split the proceeds with the school. Cash only.

8. Grab Bags
We have a couple dozen bags full of fun items and gift certificates to restaurants, stores, and other destinations. You won’t know what you’ve got until you buy it, but these go fast, so buy one (or more) quickly. Two price points based on the value of the items inside: $50 or $25.

9. Dinner
At 8:00, bidding for the Silent Auction will end and you may be seated for dinner.

10. Live Auction
A number of highly desirable items will be auctioned live with a starting bid announced by our auctioneer, Jonathan Holloway, father of Emerson and Ellison. Follow along using this catalogue. Bidding is simple—all you do is hold up your bid card! Enter the bidding early and bid as often as you like until Jonathan says the item is sold. When you are the successful bidder, Jonathan will call out your number and the final bid price, which will be recorded.

11. Fund-a-Cause
This part of the evening allows you to contribute an amount that works for you toward a special project or need at Cold Spring. This year the donations from Fund-a-Cause will go toward rebuilding the wooden fence that runs behind the buildings that house the Art Studio, Music Room, and sixth-grade classroom.

12. Checkout
At the end of the evening, your purchases, from both the Silent and Live Auctions, will be tabulated, and you will receive a computer printout with your total. Payment must be made in full by check or credit card.

Once you have paid for your items, you are free to present your paid receipt to the folks at the “distribution center” in the lobby, and take your winnings with you.

SILENT AUCTION

Once you have registered and received your personal bid card, grab a drink and stroll among the tables where the Silent Auction items are displayed. When you spot something you’d like to bid on, place your bid number in the marked column and the amount of the bid in the other column. If others have already bid, raise the amount and make sure your bid meets the minimum increase for that item. Good luck!

ARTS AND CRAFTS

S1 Indulge yourself or someone you want to impress with a hand-thrown pottery bowl by Louise Harter of Bethany. Louise mixes her own clay in a bathtub in the woods, uses a low-momentum kick-wheel to fashion each piece, and then bakes her works in a Japanese wood-fired kiln. Beautiful and functional. Oven and dishwasher safe.

S2 Is the stork making a stop at your house or that of someone you know? Bid high and ensure that you’re the lucky winner of a baby sweater handknit by Emily Bazelon, mother of Eli and Simon. Sweater will be completed by June 15.

S3 Now you can take it with you in this roomy hand-embroidered, hand-appliquéd satin tote style bag with mother-of-pearl clasp and braided hemp handles. Handmade in Belize.

S4 Have you always wanted to knit? Andie Asnes, mother of Simon and Caroline, will get you started with a trip to the yarn store to select your first pair of knitting needles and yarn. From there, Andie will teach you to knit a scarf. And the doctor is on call for any knitting emergency you might run into!

S5 A hand-stenciled customized birthday T-shirt from our own Sara Armstrong, mother of Sam and Caleb Crumlish.

FOOD AND DRINK

S6 You take care of the cheese and we’ll supply the wine when you’re the winning bidder on a three-liter bottle of 2006 Pinot Gris from the King Estate winery in Oregon. This Pinot Gris has virtually unlimited food pairing potential, making it a perfect wine for summer’s best fare!

S7 Everyone could use this! An overflowing bag of staples from Whole Foods and $50 gift card

S8 Enjoy four jars of homemade jam from John and Deborah Hilts, parents of Annalise, who have been raising the standard of jam making to an art for over ten years! Apple butter, blueberry, pear, raspberry, strawberry, peach, and loganberry are a few of the many jams John and Deborah make each summer and fall.

S9 Alas, winter will come again, and when it does you’ll want to have been the winning bidder on homemade soup by Andie Asnes. It will be delivered to your door on three chilly fall or winter nights. Selection includes carrot ginger, a medley of root vegetables, and, just what the doctor ordered, chicken noodle.

S10 You supply the occasion and Emma Zihal, rising sixth-grader, will supply the cupcakes. Enjoy a dozen home-baked cupcakes six times over the course of the 2010–11 school year, September through May. Yum!

S11 Savor an authentic homemade Puerto Rican meal for six. Camille Lizarribar (mother of Arcadio) will prepare a meal that includes pork roast (her grandmother’s recipe!), rice, beans, plantain, yucca and a coconut flan. One-week notice, please.

S12 For Pete’s sake, you’ll want to be the high bidder on a six-pack of home-brewed beer by Peter White, father of Alexandra. Sample Pete’s delicious brew on auction night!

S13 All of your favorite nonperishable snacks from Trader Joe’s packed in their reusable bag.

S14 What could be better than a cake? Two cakes! That’s what you’ll get when you win this offering. Meaghan King (nanny of Owen Kempton) will decorate a six-inch layer cake for display and for the winning bidder to take home. Then, when you say the word, she will bake a cake to serve 25 for the occasion of your choosing. You select the design, color, and flavor. And delivery is included. Sweet!

S15 Homemade jam from the kitchen of Terri Bennett—a dozen jars of it made fresh from local fruit throughout the summer. You’ll get two jars of each: strawberry, blueberry, jostaberry, apricot, peach, and raspberry. Start toasting those English muffins.

S16 The beans come from far away, but they’re expertly roasted just the road in Lyme, where Ashlawn Farm Coffee operates in a former dairy barn. Enjoy a three-month subscription and have two pounds of freshly roasted organic fair trade beans delivered to your door each month.

S17 ¡Qué rico! Imagine receiving a dozen homemade empanadas each month from September through June. Ingrid Iglesias Ruoco, mother of Martin and Yaco Pastor, will make empanadas with traditional fillings of pork and chicken, or you can specify your preference.

S18 Homemade cupcakes! You decide the occasion and flavor, and the Asnes family will bake them for you—three dozen all at once, or a dozen at a time. Asnes family favorites include marble, black and white, and salted caramel. Yum!

GALLERY

S19 Now you can own an original, signed print by popular illustrator and CSS parent Michael Sloan, father of Dylan and Mia. The framed print is from Michael’s popular Travels of Professor Nimbus series.

S20 Enhance your homescape with an oil pastel landscape by Vermont artist Dorothy Martinez, grandmother of Greta Parker. The work is titled Standing By.

S21 Did you miss out on Standing By? You get one more chance with Tree Study I, another oil pastel by Dorothy Martinez, whose expressionist works are exhibited at Green Mountain Fine Art Gallery in Stowe, Vermont.

S22 Commission an 11-by-14-inch oil portrait of your child by New Haven artist Muffy Pendergast. Her playful, vibrant style will make you smile. To be arranged with the artist in summer 2010.

S23 Own an original oil painting of iris and poppy by Lois Read, grandmother of Julia and Maria Cusick.

S24 Brighten up your walls with this cheerful Florida beach scene oil painting.

BODY AND SOUL

S25 Headache? Backache? A visit to Mt. Carmel Chiropractic & Acupuncture will set you straight with a chiropractic evaluation and acupuncture treatment followed by a relaxing 30-minute massage. Go ahead, feel goooood. You deserve it!

S26 Not feeling you’re ready to try acupuncture? Then how about a chiropractic evaluation and a 30-minute massage at Mt. Carmel Chiropractic & Acupuncture?

S27 Has someone in your household been diagnosed with celiac disease or an allergy? Sarah Berry, mother of Talia Colten, has been there and can help you with recipes, baking tips, and ideas for organizing your kitchen.

S28 Time to relax. Experience a 90-minute Thai yoga massage with Jane Gamm, a former Cold Spring parent.

S29 A natural family medicine chest of comforting alternatives selected by Lee White, naturopathic doctor and mother of Alexandra. Your medicine chest includes cough syrup, all-purpose salve, immune support, vaporizer rub, bug spray, and a soothing boo-boo spray.

S30 Could it be time for some inner reflection? Fresh Yoga can help. You’ll get a yoga mat and bag, a gift certificate for a 5-class card, and a water bottle. Now, breathe.

CHILDREN’S ART

S31 Does your child have the potential to be the next Bobby Fischer? (or Garry Kasparov? Or . . . ?). Then you won’t want to pass up the opportunity to encourage him or her with this child’s chess set made by the Bloom family (Mary, David, Nate & Maddy) from recycled wooden spools in metallic peridot and pewter.

S32 Cold Spring students Yasmin and Reza Bergemann, with technical help from their mom, Kishwar Rizvi, have created an original piece of art using recycled wood cutouts on a vibrant green and blue background. Very cool!

S33 Handmade postcards by K/1 and Kate & Catelin’s 2/3.

AROUND THE HOUSE

S34 “Magneto Shelves” by industrial designer Henry Julier, Cold Spring class of 1996, are an ingenious alternative to permanent shelving. Affix the mounting plate and then attach the 3 magnetic shelves wherever whim and need dictate. Or, attach the shelves directly to your refrigerator, filing cabinet, or anything metallic. Go to www.henryjulier.com to view Henry’s entire line of residential and office designs.

S35 Customize your walls with a mural painted by CSS’s own Rebecca Mickelson. She will work with you to determine your style and subject matter. Brighten up your world!

S36 Are you planning to do a little spring cleaning, expecting a visit from the in-laws, hosting a party, or just wanting a clean house? The Merry Maids of Cheshire will send two cleaning staff to your house for two hours. They’ll dust, vacuum, mop floors, clean bathrooms, and pay attention to all the details you’ve learned to overlook. After this, you may just want them back again.

LIVELY ARTS

S37 Get some culture and kick off the summer in style with a basket of goodies from the International Festival of Arts and Ideas, June 12 through 26, 2010. Included is a gift certificate for two to the 2010 festival, two festival T-shirts and a festival sports bottle, plus a gift certificate for dinner at Zinc!

S38 Learn to play the banjo with this handcrafted instrument made of wood and cardboard. It’s quieter and slightly smaller than a standard banjo, and extremely lightweight, making it perfect for practice and travel and beginners of all ages. Instruction book included. Donated by David Cross and Backyard Music.

S39 Have you always wanted to try the flute or recorder? Take a test drive with a 45-minute lesson with flutist Naomi Senzer of Neighborhood Music School.

S40 What could be more romantic than a concert under the stars? Enjoy two tickets to one of Neighborhood Music School’s Twilight Tuesday concerts this summer. Calendar will be available soon.

S41 Afraid you’ve waited too long to take up the piano? Overcome your fears with two lessons with Mary Bloom, mother of Nate and Maddy. Or, if you already play, Mary will work with you on improvisation or interpreting popular music scores. Time to be arranged after September 1.

S 42 Grab your sweetie and come see the classic Bye Bye Birdie this summer at Neighborhood Music School. Package includes snacks during intermission, and we’ve thrown in dinner at BAR.

LITERARY LIFE

S43 Two autographed books by Iranian born writer Firoozeh Dumas: Funny in Farsi, a laugh-out-loud collection of childhood stories about growing up Iranian in America, and Laughing Without an Accent, a series of autobiographical essays. Great discussion potential for book groups!

S44 For the Harlan Coben addicted, it doesn’t get much better than this. A collection of Harlan’s best-selling mysteries signed by the author. Included are the number one New York Times bestsellers Long Lost and Hold Tight, along with his just-released thriller Caught and a copy of the DVD Tell No One.

S45 Read the book and then meet the author. Jennifer Baszile, author of The Black Girl Next Door, will join a local book group to discuss her memoir in person. Winning bidder will receive a signed copy. Invite up to 15 participants and join the discussion!

S46 This copy of Sections Through a Practice: Cesar Pelli & Associates is signed by the author, the internationally acclaimed architect Cesar Pelli.

INDULGENCES

S47 Don’t miss your chance at an original necklace and matching earrings artfully assembled by Amity Doolittle, Georgia’s mother, of jet and Czechoslovakian crystal. A joy to behold and fun to wear.

S48 Treat yourself and your best friend to a Thursday Girls’ Night Out on the beguiling Guilford Green. These two tickets entitle you to a manicure or a fifteen-minute massage at Rituals Spa followed by a glass of wine or martini at the chic Quattro’s Restaurant. Gratuity included.

S49 Show your love with this gorgeous 14-karat gold heart charm on a fine 18-inch chain. From the online jewelry purveyor Helen Ficalora.

FOR THE KIDS

S50 The Eli Whitney Museum will entertain and educate ten guests for your child’s next birthday. If you win this item, you will get a two-hour birthday workshop to be held on a Saturday or Sunday. Each child will construct a project to take home. Good fun, and delightfully messy. (Date to be arranged with museum. Additional children may attend for an additional fee; refreshments to be provided by the party hosts in a space provided by the museum.)

S51 Enjoy a year-long Family Membership to the Peabody Museum at Yale. You’ll get free admission to the Peabody (and to more than 300 other science museums in the U.S.), free parking, and the adoration of your children.

S52 These four Park Hopper passes entitle each holder to a full day of admission to any of the Disney theme parks. This means you’re free to come and go through the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and the Animal Kingdom on the same day. Track shoes recommended!

S53 Rainy day relief! Keep the kids occupied and challenged with four games from Yellow Moon Toy Company in Milford. Selection includes Hop Hop Hooray, Spelling Bee Bingo, Rush Hour, and Hoppers.

S55 Has your child been asking for guitar or dulcimer lessons? Well, this is for you! Four half-hour lessons with Cold Spring School’s own Rob Brereton. Priceless!

S56 A gift basket of hand-selected toys from the Purple Bear toy shop in Guilford, including construction toys and, of course, a purple stuffed bear.

S57 Admission for a family of four to Kidcity in Middletown. This popular hands-on children’s museum is best for young ones up to age 8.

S58 Support a love of all things science in your child with a membership at the newly opened Connecticut Science Center in Hartford for a full year. With your membership two adults and up to three children will enjoy unlimited admission to the center, discounted 3-D theater tickets, entry on Saturday mornings, and more.

OUR BEST FRIENDS

S59 New puppy in your household? Start things off right with this gift basket from Paws ’N Effect of Hamden. You’ll get a gift certificate for a 6-week Family Dog Training course and a complement of toys and treats. Good dog!

S60 Lucky Dog Grooming brings the beauty shop to you! Win this prize for your own lucky dog and receive one free grooming session performed in a specially outfitted mobile salon.

S61 Give your favored pet the spa treatment at Little Shop of Howlers in Hamden. Package includes styling, bath, blowdry, brushout, nail trim, ear cleaning, toothbrushing, and sugar scrub. Mahvelous!

S62 Too good to be true! If you worry about finding care for your aged (or young!) pet, you can put your concerns aside if you’re the winning bidder on a week of pet-sitting by Michele Veiga. Elderly and medicine-dependent animals aren’t an issue for Michele, who is an R.N. and bona fide pet lover.

GROWING GREEN

S63 Enhance your landscape and create oxygen with a blue birdnest spruce (Picea mariana nana) donated by Christensen Landscape Services of Northford.

S64 Two large terra-cotta pots filled with thoughtfully selected plants especially chosen for your site and exposure. The greenest thumbs at CSS—Penny Serafin and Paula Coyne—will do the honors. Pots are 16 inches in diameter and will be “aged” beforehand with a mossy patina.

S65 Do gardeners dream in color? Yes—in green! And they envision shopping for the perfect plant at White Flower Farm in Litchfield, Connecticut. Being the high bidder on this item can make your dream come true: you’ll get a $100 gift certificate and three hand tools, a trowel, rake, and clippers.

S66 Think green. Plant a tree. The experts from Sandweiss Tree Service will help you select an ornamental tree and also provide the planting brawn to ensure that your new tree has the right start.

GETTING AROUND

S67 Take me out to the ball game, and buy me some peanuts and Crackerjack… Treat yourself and a friend to two New York Yankees tickets for the June 29, 2010, game against the Mariners. If you haven’t been to visit the new Yankee Stadium, now’s your chance!

S68 Four box-seat tickets for the Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament to the session of your choice between August 22 and 25, 2010 (sessions 1-7). A great family outing on a summer night! And once you get motivated you can nurture your child’s inner tennis player with a Prince junior racquet, a private lesson offered by Tennis Central of Woodbridge (for a child or an adult), and a $25 gift certificate from Racquet Koop in Westville.

S69 Enjoy four passes to the fascinating Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, where art and history come together. Tickets valid till end of December 2010.

S70 You’ll want to plan your vacation around this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enjoy a guided trip on the beautiful Salmon River in Idaho. Five days, four nights, creature comfort camping and scrumptious chow. All needed equipment included. Donated by Elsa Steen Koppel’s aunt, Alison French Steen. Check it out at www.yjriverguides.com.

ART WORK BY THE CHILDREN

Dita and the children found inspiration in nature and recycled objects.

S71–88 The children worked on several size canvases. In Laura’s and Brianna’s K/1, the students collaborated on playful assemblages of found objects. Penny’s and Kate’s classes created the whimsical papier mache vases you’ll see decorating the tables. Students in Karen’s and Josh’s 4/5 classes assembled skeleton leaves on acrylic painted canvases in a multitude of colors. Haiku and decorative papers are the theme in the collaborative canvases created by students working in groups of four in Chris’s class.

LIVE AUCTION

While we are seated for dinner, the Live Auction will begin. To bid on an item, raise your bid card with your number fully visible to the auctioneer. Enter bidding early, and don’t try to outguess the auctioneer!

L201 Un peu de dessert? The first Friday of the month from September through June won’t come quickly enough if you’re the lucky winner of a French dessert a month concocted by our own legendary baker Michele Cohen. Move over, Julia, and sharpen the bidding pencil! Minimum bid $250

L202 Who couldn’t use a relaxing weekend in Stonington, Connecticut? Ellen and Andy Wormser, alumni parents, are once again generously offering their cottage in this charming and historic seaside village. Stroll the cobblestone streets, browse the antiques shops and then use the $100 gift certificate included in this package to dine at Noah’s, a favorite local eatery. September through May. Minimum bid $500

L203 Bang a gong! Sarah Weiss, mother of Sam Day-Weiss, will provide an introduction to Javanese gamelan, a traditional music ensemble consisting primarily of gongs and metallophones. Available for up to 10 children over the age of eight. Here’s your chance to learn about Javanese culture while making glorious music on the authentic instruments of the Gamelan Suprabanggo at Yale University. Minimum bid $400

L204 Fire house birthday party or tour for up to 12 children led by Captain Carbone, father of Sophia, Olivia, and Mallory. Give your child and 11 friends the chance to raise the fire truck ladder, try on a pair of fireman’s boots, and sound the siren! Five-alarm snacks included. Minimum bid $200

L205 Summer is right around the corner, and there’s no better place to enjoy it than on the deck of a sailboat. Cold Spring alumni parents Dan and Gretchen Biemesderfer are your captain and crew aboard their forty-three-foot sloop Shearwater for a cruise around the Thimble Islands and Faulkner’s Island. Dan and Gretchen will host a party for six (children and adults). Depart from the dock at the Guilford Yacht Club for a memorable time on the sea. Food and drinks included. Don’t forget the sunscreen! Minimum bid $400

L206 For the truly adventurous! Erica “Daredevil” Dawson will accompany you and your tandem skydiving instructor as you fall 12,000 feet to a soft, safe landing. And, you’ll receive a video recording of your jump to relive the moment… or show proof to family and friends. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime chance! Minimum bid $250

L207 Alumni parents Gene Shapiro and Susan Bowers will prepare dinner, complete with wines from their personal collection, in your home or theirs. Dinner and wine samplings for up to eight also includes commentary by Gene, who is a long-time wine collector and extremely knowledgeable on all things wine. The value of the wine will be equal to the winning bid. To be arranged at a mutually convenient time. Minimum bid $300

L208 The Big Green Truck is a “traveling pizzeria built on an antique truck,” and if you’re the winning bidder it could be heading to your house soon. The Truck will serve you and forty-nine of your friends. On the menu are green salad, unlimited piping-hot pizza of nearly infinite variety, and gelato—a few of our favorite things. All you need to provide is a place to park. Date to be arranged; Saturdays excluded. A larger group can be served for an additional fee. Minimum bid $750

L209 Enjoy the restful surroundings of the Deakin clan’s four-bedroom cottage on Little Lake Sunapee in New London, New Hampshire, to plan a hike in the White Mountains, ski the nearby slopes or just curl up with a favorite book and take a nap when the urge beckons. The cottage sleeps 8 to 10 and can be yours for three nights between September 25 and May 10. Dates, exclusive of school holidays, to be arranged with Jennifer and Mike Deakin. Minimum bid $600

L210 Trick or treat? Definitely treat! A custom-designed Halloween costume handmade by Yale Repertory Theatre costume designer Mary Zihal, mother of Emma, will delight your child and maybe even increase the loot on Halloween night. Let your imagination run wild! Minimum bid $150

L211 Thinking of remodeling your kitchen? Adding a sunroom? Get a jump-start on your project with a six-hour consultation with architect Fernando Pastor, father of Martin and Yaco, who will visit your site and provide a sketch and ideas for your project. Minimum bid $400

L212 Treat your family and friends to live music in your own home with an evening of piano music by Mary Bloom, piano teacher extraordinaire at Neighborhood Music School (and mother extraordinaire of Nate and Maddy). Enjoy a one-hour concert-style performance or two hours of background music. Minimum bid $500

L213 Imagine a weekend in a picturesque cottage on Block Island a few hundred yards from Southwest Point. Now imagine it in late summer or early autumn, when the ocean is still warm and the birds are migrating south. Bring family and friends for a restorative interlude by the sea and feel your cares melt away. This lovely cottage – with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a fully equipped kitchen with a washer and dryer – is generously offered by a Cold Spring alumni family. Minimum bid $400

L214 What could be better than your own personal handyman? Well, two of course! John Cusick, father of Maria and Julia, and Gary Carbone, father of Mallory, Olivia and Sophia, are yours for four hours! They can install a window, rehang a door, or take on other small projects you’ve been dying to complete. Minimum bid $500

L215 Listen, watch, and learn as John Ginnetti of 116 Crown in New Haven teaches you the art of the cocktail. You choose the particular topic (for example, Evolution of the Cocktail), then gather seven of your friends for an evening dedicated to spirits. Sunday or Wednesday. Bottoms up! Minimum bid $250

L216 Noted CSS foodies Michele Cohen, Linda Oechsle, and Marianne Pantalon will make it very easy for you to host an elegant brunch in your own home: they’ll do all the work! The team will set your buffet table and prepare the food and drinks for up to sixteen people. Select a menu tailored to adults or to families, with choices including frittatas, savory bread pudding, baked french toast, bacon or sausage, poached salmon, roasted pork tenderloin, fresh fruit, and freshly baked breakfast treats—scones, coffee cake, brioche, muffins. Don’t forget coffee, tea, hot chocolate, juice, and mimosas. All you have to do is dust a little and propose the toast. Unbeatable. Minimum bid $400

L217 Does your child have superior leadership qualities? Sterling moral character? A benevolent spirit? Managerial aspirations? Let your child be Director for a Day! He or she can run School Meeting and make birthday announcements, assign extra recess, cancel homework, or have a fire drill. The Director for a Day will have a small budget to work with and authorization to order items for classroom or school use! Minimum bid $300

L218 Enjoy a private guided tour of the collection of the Yale Art Gallery conducted by John Walsh, the preeminent art scholar and director emeritus of the J. Paul Getty Museum. The hourlong tour can accommodate up to ten of your art-loving relatives and friends--perfect for adults and children over age seven. Tour to be scheduled on a mutually agreeable weekend day in September 2010. Minimum bid $400

L219 Looking for an idea for your child’s next birthday party? How about an activity that lets children take a walk on the wild side? Make sure you’re the winning bidder on ornithologist Celia Lewis’s bird-watching trip for up to 10 children and adults. Or, leave the kids with a sitter, gather your friends and enjoy the fresh air and adult company yourself. Celia, a former CSS parent, will help you learn to identify birds by their song and characteristics on a spring or fall morning in East Rock Park, New Haven. Minimum bid $250

L220 Dine, drink, and dance (if the spirit moves you!) at BAR, a New Haven destination for almost 20 years. Enjoy brick-oven pizza (their signature bacon and mashed potato is a must) and fresh, microbrewed beer for six to eight. Justly famous. Minimum bid $300

Thanks

Many hands helped create this extraordinary evening in a spirit of generosity and collaboration. A herculean task in itself, the Auction event wouldn’t have been feasible without the efforts of the Cold Spring community. Auction Committee 2010 expresses appreciation to the following individuals and to those who volunteered after this catalogue went to press.