A few days ago, my wife was asking me how I interpret "business casual" as a dress code. She contended that nice jeans made the cut. I wasn't so sure, but who am I to judge?
It turns out the same topic was being discussed at the Silicon Valley Capital Club, where its board of governors has decided that diners would be allowed to wear tasteful jeans in its Founders Room, which had been the prestigious downtown San Jose business club's last denim-free zone.
"Our club's board of governors decided to be a leader, not a follower on the issues," Capital Club General Manager Bruce MacKenzie said.
The board didn't make the change lightly. Surveys by the McMahon Group, consultants to the private club industry, showed more and more clubs nationwide are allowing jeans and responding more to their members' -- especially younger members' -- desire for unique experiences like chef's tables, rather than the exclusivity of a dress code.
Not everyone in the club agrees. And, the decision's sparked a vigorous debate on its Facebook page, with some members raising concerns that easing the dress code diminishes the Capital Club dining experience, turning it into just like any other good restaurant. At least the ban on shorts is lifted only for the rare special occasion.
Of course, Silicon Valley companies have had a long reputation for eschewing what was once considered standard business wear. A navy blazer with a pair of khakis is knows as a "California Tuxedo." Steve Jobs was famous for his black turtleneck and jeans, Mark Zuckerberg for his hoodie, and a few of months ago I saw Segway inventor Dean Kamen -- dressed in his standard outfit of head-to-toe denim -- accept the James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award at the black-tie Tech Awards.
Now, I guess he could dine at the Capital Club to celebrate.
MORE GOOD NEWS AT SANTA CLARA: When Victor Vari retired from Santa Clara University in 2012 at age 92, I heard countless stories from former students and university colleagues praising him and his decades long career at SCU teaching Italian and literature. Well, let the stories begin anew: Vari and his wife, Julia Botto Vari, have bequeathed an estimated $8 million of their estate to the university that has been part of their lives for so long.
The funds will go toward the Dr. Victor B. and Julia Botto Vari Endowment for the Arts and Humanities, as well as a building named in their honor.
"Santa Clara is very important to me," Julia Botto Vari said. "I married a man whose life was Santa Clara. We loved what we were doing; we loved the students -- they were the children we never had. These relationships which extend over these many years continue to give us great pleasure to this day."
Of course, this is just the latest big contribution that Santa Clara has received in the past year, including a recent $12 million donation from alum Ed Dowd and a $1 million gift for campus beautification from the Sobrato family in memory of the late Abby Sobrato.
ONE FOR THE BOOKS: Nice job by the Rotary Club of Morgan Hill, which recently delivered 800 hardcover dictionaries to every third-grader in the South County town for the third year in a row. The donation costs the club about $10,000, but that sure seems like a good investment. Helping out in the distribution were Morgan Hill Police Chief David Swing, Mayor Steve Tate and Morgan Hill Unified School District Superintendent Steve Betando.
And while we're on the subject of book donations, feel free to pat yourself on the back, as well. The Gift of Reading book donation campaign, a partnership between Resource Area For Teachers and the Mercury News, wound up collecting more than 40,000 books -- a little less than we had aimed for but ahead of last year's donations. And that counts as a win in my book.
AWARDS SPOTLIGHT: The Santa Clara County Office of Human Relations is presenting its Beacon of Light Awards on Friday to a few individuals and one group that have worked to advance human rights and help immigrants assimilate here in Santa Clara County.
This year's recipients are Salvador Bustamante, who's receiving the Cindy Avitia Award for his lifetime commitment to social justice; Judy Rickard, for her advocacy on behalf of LGBT immigrants; Marija Kevesevic, for 15 years of service and work for refugees through the International Rescue Committee; and the FIRE Coalition, for its work on behalf of immigrants regarding civil detainers.
The ceremony takes place at 6 p.m. Friday at the County of Santa Clara Charcot Center Cafe at 2310 N. First St. It's free and open to the public, but you do need to register in advance http://ift.tt/Nk5GCI.
Contact Sal Pizarro at spizarro@mercurynews.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/spizarro.
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