During a recent whirlwind tour through California, Greyhounds showed up in force in Los Angeles, Palo Alto, and San Francisco.

Over 30 alumni and friends came together at Fia in Santa Monica for an evening of good food and fellowship. Guests braved the snarling LA traffic with little complaint, including Harry Swope '61, who happily made the hour-long drive from La Crescenta. Acquaintances — new and old — found common ground in their professional pursuits, and numbers were traded and plans made for reconnection in the coming weeks. Special thanks to Van Durrer '87 for hosting the event, even though business called him out of town at the last minute.

In Palo Alto, a small yet mighty contingent posted up at Café Pro Bono. A mix of young and more "seasoned" alumni settled in to reminisce and hear from the Gilman staff about happenings on Roland Avenue. The comfortable setting allowed for individual updates as guests went around the lunch table, providing insights on their post-Gilman adventures. Omar Brown '07 made sure to proudly sport School attire from his days as a student and teacher.

The final stop was a private room at The Wayfare Tavern near Chinatown in San Francisco, an ideal location for over 20 alumni to congregate, rallying from as far as Berkeley and Sausalito. Paul Lohrey '80 played host and set an upbeat tone with thoughtful remarks highlighting the timeless and incomparable character emphasis of a Gilman education. Preston Suan '10 met Paul's trivia challenge, naming Daniel Coit Gilman as UC Berkeley's president prior to serving in that role at Johns Hopkins. The group conversed and laughed until the restaurant staff cued up "Closing Time" by Semisonic as a gentle nudge towards the door — a certain sign of a good time!