What Happened at the Wayzgoose! (In the Words of my Beautiful Guests)

711 North Main — Overdressed for the Par-tay

The Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Wayzgoose of Studio Z Mendocino took place on November 6th, but I am still in LOVE with what happened at it, so here is the lowdown, a little late, but oh well. In a nutshell: A zillion people came. It was fantastic.

I have been waiting for the photos to come back from my very busy brother in law, Hugh Smith, and they arrived yesterday. He took all the photos in this post. THANK YOU, Hugh!! You can see his amazing wild mushroom web site at HughSmith.com.

I got so many beautiful  thank you notes and  impressions of the Wayzgoose, so decided to tell this story in the words of a few of my guests:

Ed and Jen put up a zillion lights so we glowed like a Wayzgoose beacon in the nightl

From Judy Tarbell: What do you do in the presence of twenty-five years of creativity of a beautiful woman: tear up so it’s difficult to see the images; go upstairs to get a drink; dance to Zida’s powerfully lovely voice; return, champagne in hand, to the images, the poetry, the accomplishments of Zida’s life lived well and fully; rejoice that there is more to come.

The Shop, Festooned with Printing from 25 Years of Work, & Celebratory Guests Galore

From Erica Fielder, eco-artist, dear Libra sidekick and bringer of the tofu curry pate: Your Wayzgoose event was filled with light and laughter and very fun people. I saw folks there I had not seen in 10 years. Wonderful surprises like Beans and Champagne. What a pairing!Then Zida sang passionately with her eyes closed. We  danced, and a beautiful couple gazed into one another’s eyes. I felt so blessed to be there. Love, E

John & Daurine Braet brought me a silver family heirloom as a silver anniversary present. Displays of Letterpress & other printing along every wall and hanging from the rafters

From the Splendid Cammie King Conlon, who brought me her book Bonnie Blue Butler (whom she played in Gone With The Wind at the age of Five — a GREAT read!!!) Darling Zida: My mother would have had a heart attack knowing I was sending a thank-you note via email.  How rude!  But it might not get to you otherwise.Smashing party.  Wondrous Wayzgoose!  You are such a class act:  everything was original and personal and delightful.  The house looked spectacular.  Thank you so much for including  … Cammie

My Beautiful Ed and My Beautiful Creeolleee…

Carole King, my best friend in first grade, came all the way from Oakland. Imagine!

From Carole King, my best friend in First Grade: About the waysgooze: i knew it would be a great party before i entered: the rows and rows of lights lit up the yellow house like a little sun, even in the dark. i knew too that there would be good company, big hugs from you and ed, excellent food, the best “cheap champagne” around, maybe some torch songs, and a party mood. you always give memorable parties, but this one was even more special because all around were the  beautiful examples of your work and progression through the 25 years of the letterpress. the mission statement near the door (dennis read it and said, “zida has poetic ability”-and he hasn’t even read your poetry yet),the witty and touching cards,  the wine labels, invitations to events great and small, proclamations of all kinds, business cards like little works of art. it adds up to an exceptional career built with passion and talent by my exceptional friend. love, creolee.

Steve Paul accidentally brought his trumpet. That’s me hitting a note next to my great friend Jon Solow, who is also a dreamy sax player. Who ever heard of torch singing at a Wazygoose???

Pam Amante with Michael Brown. Pam sent me the most beautiful bouquet in the history of the world. She is my “other” sis! The bouquet came in the door at the stroke of 5, then Pam and husban Dan came as my very first guests. I had been worrying about having a party and nobody coming but that was not a problem at this one!

What a fun and fantastic party!  I never thought beans and champagne could be so fabulous! Pam
Beachcomber Motel On The Beach!

Pianista Lisa Stedman & Printer Extraordinaire, Rhea Rhynearson

Rhea printed up lagniappes for our guests: “Business Cards” that said things like: “My card, Sir! I’m a pretty good bullshitter myself but it’s a rare treat to encounter one of your caliber.” and “Is GROOVY still in?” and “It’s all good.” and”Watch your Ps and Qs.” If you want one, call us or come in…we still have lots. Collect the set!

Son-in-law Noah, David Marks, artist Julie Higgins, and my little Zoe

Riantee and Maggie O’Rourke

My Beautiful Zoe (right) had a ton of her invitations and designs up on display too. She is not only a genius, as you can see.

Carla Frazier and Richard Anderson. Richard brought his spectacular Fejoada

Yeah! Ayn Ruyman Being Ayn Ruyman

David in backgroud, Moonlight, Jim Tarbell yukking it up at the Party

Vicki & Amy

Favorite artist and great friend, Bob Ross, who had so much to do with encouraging me to open my own shop, in 1984, and fabulous artist and pure jazz bass player, Nina Mera

Ken Wun brought me the most exquisite and huge present: a photograph by HIM. I put it right up in my office where I get to look at it all the time. It is stunning.

My darling Kris Reiber and granddaughter Sara Rose. Kris made mole beans to die for.

Lots of biz cards on display, including my own!

Did we say YUM??? Beans make you say that!

Linda Friedman took over downstairs and made it into a vision of loveliness and a little paper boutique while schmoozing it up with the paper-loving shoppers

Zoe & Auntie Sandi (wherever Sandi is, that’s a Party)

It’s a Family Affair…Joe and Sandi at the “Bar”

Jazzmen Steve Paul and Jon Solow…also yum!

Belting Printer with Point Arena Jon on keyboards

Rox, my sister-out-law, and Karen, came all the way from the Bay Area too xoxoxo!!

Christmas-ready front steps by Ed Murrell & Jen Heebink

Enraptured Me, with my friend, Taylor Slevin

I am so happy and grateful to everyone who participated in the preparations. Joe and Rhea and Linda Friedman, first, for the mighty efforts at getting the shop ready for over 200 guests. THAT was a feat! And Ed and Jen Heebink, who together transformed the outside of the shop into what you see above…a big, glowing beacon to party-goers who wandered up from town. To Zoe and Maia and Kris and Erica and Judy and Richard Anderson and Ed (again) and Joe (not to mention my Tuscan beans with sage nor my buttered black bean dal) for their contributions to the Bean-Feast and Dessert Table — Yum. People are still raving about the bountiful international array of beans and champagne. You would think it was Dinner at Chez Panisse, the way they talked. To Linda F. (again), for visualizing the downstairs as a shopping spree gallery and Joe (again) for putting up the “Christo Wall of Butcher Paper” and making it so welcoming and pretty.

OK, when I looked up and people had spontaneously combusted into dancing…that was IT! Jim & Judy, “That’s my Sistah” Sandi, and Creeolee’s husband, Dennis, tripping the light fantastic to me singing “Since I Fell for You” or something…

Bartender, with Paper Cutter

Brother Joe did the honors with the Cheap Champagne

And many thanks to our beautiful Christina, who just came in and made herself useful in every way without anybody telling her what needed to happen.

Also, tremendously, to Jon Solow and Steve Paul, who came with piano and cornet and changed the atmosphere to a little bit of a jazz-club-cum-printshop with their extemporaneous, cool playing, and accompanying me on a few tunes too. And of course, a party cannot be a par-tay without guests, so I thank everyone who came to celebrate at the shop, ate beans and drank champagne, appreciated the distillation of twenty-five years of work displayed along all the walls and hanging on lines across the width of the shop above our heads (Zoe’s idea). It was a beautiful collaboration and a beautiful community love-fest. I couldn’t ask for a better fete for my Silver Anniversary of being in business.