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ALC West Coast Reunion Paso Robles May 3-5, 3013
Jan and Meredith Voboril hosted a wonderful weekend in wine country for our West Coast Reunion. The 36 participants enjoyed being together in this beautiful countryside and charming estate the Voborils so graciously shared with us. They are realizing their dream of having a winery and have two lovely places in the area of Paso Robles where they have vineyards already established and newly designed ones. It was interesting to hear about the business, and several of us were able to enjoy the fruits of their labor at a tasting of their wine at one of the wineries that is barreling their grapes.
Friday we were treated to a grand wine and cheese reception at one of their houses where Michelle, Jan’s daughter, laid out a beautiful spread. Paul Tullius pulled up in his "back on the road" Aurelia convertible with Joachim Griese, a friend and Lancisti from Switzerland who came for the Reunion. Vicki and her sister Patty arrived separately, but found rides during the event in John Richard’s Roesch-Talbot (a frequent visitor to our reunions and new member of the ALC) and the Peterson’s Appia Berlina. The Voborils and Tina Byrd also sported Appia Berlinas on the event. People found restaurants on their own that evening. Bill and Arlene Stebbins drove all the way from Whidbey Island in their sweet cream Flavia Vignale convertible which looked really nice beside the Bill and Marlene O’Sullivan’s twin red one. Neil and Elsa Pering’s Fulvia Coupe looked lovely with the vinyards in the background as well. Cory and Robin Youngberg in their Appia GTE and Tom Thornhill in his Aurelia Coupe both arrived straight from the California Mille, so they probably drove the farthest!
Saturday morning we met at the Voboril’s primary residence for a picture perfect breakfast and pre drive social hour. John Stuckey and Kim Grenco having driven all the way from Scottsdale and having missed the Friday evening because of an overturned semi just miles away from the party, arrived in their Beta Coupe Volumex. A really fun route had been planned which took us through lush green rolling hills on back country roads that ended up in the quaint town of Cayucos for an ocean view lunch. More great food and socializing were in store there. The afternoon held various activities, from strolling on the streets to going to an antique show to visiting wineries. Great to see the return of Tom McGaffagin with navigator Ken Haven in Tom’s Scorpion Volumex. Hank Konig also returned in his Fulvia Zagato. Adan Figuero in his Fulvia GTE had Ed Levin as his navigator.
Saturday evening a catered Italian feast was featured in their barn. More car talk, good food and lively conversations were enjoyed by all. Gayle Bilek and Michelle’s husband Dan joined us for that evening. We all received a wine glass with the Voboril’s Fronty Wines label and the reunion date etched in the glass.
Sunday we met at a local bakery/bistro for brunch and final goodbyes. Steve Peterson announced that Paul and Vicki Tulluis would host the reunion next year in the Chico area with an extended tour. He also told us that Kjell Nelin volunteered to take over the regalia and add some neat items to the store. Kjell hopes to post soon on the American Lanciaclub.org website. Bill and Marlene have gratefully offered to bring back the Lanciana! Hooray for all of these improvements to our club.
Other Lancisti present (sans cars for one reason or another) were Nancy and Julie Thurston, Tony Nicosia, Steve and Jeanne Katzman, and Kent Wakeford.
ALC West Coast Reunion Paso Robles May 3-5, 2013
Jan and Meredith Voboril hosted a wonderful weekend in wine country for our West Coast Reunion. The 36 participants enjoyed being together in this beautiful countryside and charming estate the Voborils so graciously shared with us. They are realizing their dream of having a vinery and have two lovely places in the area of Paso Robles where they have fields already established and newly designed ones. It was interesting to hear about the business, and several of us were able to enjoy the fruits of their labor at a tasting of their wine at one of the vineries that is barreling their grapes.
Friday we were treated to a grand wine and cheese reception at one of their houses where Michelle, Jan’s daughter, laid out a beautiful spread. Paul Tullius pulled up in his debuting Aurelia convertible with Joachim Griese, a friend and Lancisti from Switzerland who came for the Reunion. Vicki and her sister Patty arrived separately, but found rides during the event in John Richard’s Roesch-Talbot (a frequent visitor to our reunions and new member of the ALC) and the Peterson’s Appia Berlina. The Voborils and Tina Byrd also sported Appia Berlinas on the event. People found restaurants on their own that evening. Bill and Arlene Stebbins drove all the way from Whidbey Island in their sweet cream Flavia Vignale convertible which looked really nice beside the Bill and Marlene O’Sullivan’s twin red one. Neil and Elsa Pering’s Fulvia Coupe looked lovely with the vinyards in the background as well. Cory and Robin Youngberg in their Appia GTE and Tom Thornhill in his Aurelia Coupe both arrived straight from the California Mille Milia, so they probably drove the farthest!
Saturday morning we met at the Voboril’s primary residence for a picture perfect breakfast and pre drive social hour. John Stuckey and Kim Grenco having driven all the way from Scottsdale and having missed the Friday evening because of an overturned semi just miles away from the party, arrived in their Beta Coupe Volumex. A really fun route had been planned which took us through lush green rolling hills on back country roads that ended up in the quaint town of Cayucos for an ocean view lunch. More great food and socializing were in store there. The afternoon held various activities, from strolling on the streets to going to an antique show to visiting vineries. Great to see the return of Tom McGaffagin with navigator Ken Haven in Tom’s Scorpion Volumex. Hank Konig also returned in his Fulvia Zagato. Adan Figuero in his Fulvia GTE had Ed Levin as his navigator.
Saturday evening an Italian catered feast was featured in their barn. More car talk, good food and lively conversations were enjoyed by all. Gayle Bilek and Michelle’s husband Dan joined us for that evening. We all received a wine glass with the Voboril’s Fronty Wines label and the reunion date etched in the glass.
Sunday we met at a local bakery/bistro for brunch and final goodbyes. Steve Peterson announced that Paul and Vicki Tulluis would host the reunion next year in the Chico area with an extended tour. He also told us that Kjell Nelin volunteered to take over the regalia and add some neat items to the store. Kjell hopes to post soon on the American Lanciaclub.org website. Bill and Marlene have gratefully offered to bring back the Lanciana! Hooray for all of these improvements to our club.
Other Lancisti present (sans cars for one reason or another) were Nancy and Julie Thurston, Tony Nicosia, Steve and Jeanne Katzman, and Kent Wakeford.
A Memorial Blog to Yale Braunstein, 1945-2012
This has been a horrible month. On 25 July, Yale Braunstein died of kidney failure. When one looses a good friend of 40 years, it is devastating. Funeral is Wed.1 Aug at the Chapel of Home of Eternity Cemetery. This almost verifies the saying that these things come in threes.
I spoke with Yale on 17 July to invite him to go with me to the Carmel car show on 14 Aug. He mentioned a planned kidney transplant, actually the addition of a third kidney since they do not remove any that at functioning at all. I was initially hoping the Obit. was a misprint but when it mentioned a Professor in the Information School at UC Berkeley, it really hit home. I will be at the funeral and will do a memorial bio. for the Lancia website. Steve Snyder 31 July 2012 P.S. The threes I mentioned are Swig, DeMartini, and Yale.
1 August 2012. Yales funeral was today at the Home of the Eternity Cemetery in Oakland, CA. As much as I don't like funerals, I went and was inspired and informed by the eulogies. Since Lancia automobiles and their related enthusiasm were only one aspect of Yale's myriad interests, we probably did not realize the depth and genius of this person. Some abbreviated quotes from the eulogies: Full of stories, Great punch lines that made a serious point, Sense of humour, Motivated by genuine excitement, Had definate interests and opinions but would see beyond himself, Idealistic, passionate, and pragmatic, and on and on. Yale brought to the School of Information at UC Berkeley an academically sound economist's perspective that greatly enhanced their practice results; i.e. the graduates experienced more opportunities and greater income. His classes were oversubscribed. In terms of mechanical interests, Yale had three sets of tools; SAE, Metric, and Whitworth. Metric for the Lancia and Whitworth for the Norton motorcycle. Regardless of how old you are, whether most of your time is in the future or in the past, you will greatly benefit by emulating Yale Braunstein. Steve Snyder,
I almost didn't go to Yale's funeral. I am so glad that I did. I assumed
that there would be so many people; my presence wouldn't add much. I've
never been to a Jewish funeral, (this most ancient of religions), it
performed its function with grace and warmth. I discovered that Yale was a
true Renaissance Man. His intellectual pursuits, his knowledge of language,
his love of fine food, fine wine, and fine women (you would know the last to
be true, if you have ever met Betsy). There was much to say about Yale. . .
but everyone who spoke, did not fail to mention his love of odd machinery,
and in particular his black Aurelia Convertible, clearly, that car was an
important part of his life. Tina Byrd gave an impromptu address; with love
and emotion. It was her friendship with Yale, (from their meeting at
Stanford University, 42 years ago), and Yale's friendship with one Lancia
fanatic, a Mr. Gary Byrd. . . (well we know the rest of the story).
Following the funeral, at the reception, I met a variety of smart and
interesting people, each a testament to Yale's rich and full life; a
remarkable man who is, and will be, greatly missed. Paul Tullius
Since Yale was known to many persons, both at the Lancia Club and at UC Berkeley, than I know, please feel free to add your experiences and recollections to this memorial.
I was very sorry to learn of the death of Yale Braunstein. When I first met him, he and Betsy were living in the East, and we saw them often. In addition to a shared interest in Lancias, we also shared relatively common experiences as academics. After they moved to California, I saw them much less often, although we exchanged letters and later e-mails from time to time. Yale had hoped to attend the ALC East Coast Reunion that my son and I hosted in Red Hook in 2010, but he was serving on a faculty salary and benefits negotiating team at UC Berkeley at the time, and had to cancel his plans at the last minute because of an important meeting with school administrators. Jim Steerman
Yale was very active with the American Lancia Club while he was living on the East Coast and those members may remember his lively antics at some of their reunions. Rumor has it that at one reunion, Yale parked his Aurelia in front of the hotel, where it looked lovely, and refused to move it. Normally, this would just upset the hotel, but because the hotel was located in a national park, the National Park Rangers got involved. And the park rangers have the authority to arrest people and charge them in federal court. At that point, I believe that Betsy convinced Yale to move the Aurelia. Tina Byrd
I do have a Yale story for you. I guess it was back in 1976 /77 (not positive about the year) Yale & Betsy went to Italy, and came back with a Beta HPE, think it was a Europe spec car. It was Taxi yellow with stickers covering most of the HPE; you could not miss it coming down the road. They were always at the fall reunion and the Brewster picnics with the HPE; he would go up to Lime Rock when we shared the track with the Alfa club, and spin around the track with it. Not certain what ever happened with the HPE. Yale, my friend you will be missed. Steve DiGiglio
Yale - we hold you in dear and loving memory - the meeting at the Giglio's with Betsy and Baby, and even earlier, at your NYC - NYU apt. in the Village for a "regional' get together. All that long before the move to San Francisco. We have not forgotten you and your work for the Lancia Club!
Al & Heidi Boucher
Tom-tom Stewart and Tom Stewart sr.
