A Musical

The Center for Successful Aging (CSA) held a private concert at the home of Dr. Guy Clark and his wife, Dr. Ramona Clark. The afternoon concert was limited to 30 people and included wine and a buffet. Legendary pianist Gil Rosas performed and if ever a house was built for music it was this George Washington Smith home and salon. There was a raised platform at one end of the living room with not one, but two grand pianos. The house was built in the early 1920s, the same time as Casa del Herrero by the same architect. Both houses survived the 1925 earthquake.

Gil has had a long and illustrious career. When asked how many songs he knows, he replied, “Probably about 1,500, maybe more.”  Even though he was known as King of the Piano Bar he plays classical as well. Some of his venues were the old Somerset Restaurant and the Olive Mill Bistro in Montecito. Also the Port Royal and Pierpont Inn in Ventura. His career spans 65 years and so do his fans. I remember he also played for many of La Belle’s runway fashion shows at various country clubs. When I walked out he always played the song “Linda.”

The mission of the CSA is to prepare older adults and their families for the challenges and opportunities of aging through individual and peer counseling, education and senior support services. Executive director Gary Linker, PhD, heads it up and the board president is Bobbi Kroot.

As for aging, 94-year-old Charles LoBue says, “Do it now. We expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that we can do or any act of kindness we can show to any fellow human being, let us do it now!”

For information about CSA call 805.898.8080. A couple of their programs are pet therapy and the Careline Telephone Call program where a trained volunteer will make a daily phone call to seniors 55 years or older to keep them connected and to be sure they are okay. There’s a free Senior Day at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Wednesday, April 17, 2019.