Fit for a queen

When Island resident and jewelry maker Sue Harris went to see a taping of the Oprah Winfrey Show in August, she thought it would be appropriate to bring the talk diva a gift.

Fittingly, the show that day was about gifts -- and a 9/11 widow who had been spending the cash gift she received from a victims' fund on lavish luxury items.

Harris says that Oprah chipped in her belief that when you get a gift, you can do whatever you want with it - you can take it outside and ``pee on it'' if you want.

Harris seized her opportunity and handed Oprah the home-crafted jewelry set as she breezed past Harris' seat near the aisle.

Whatever she chose to do with her gift in the meantime, Oprah wore the earrings on her Oct. 14 show with guest Jay Leno.

Harris was elated. ``My wildest dream is that someday (my jewelry) will be on `Oprah's Favorite Things,''' said Harris, referring to Winfrey's annual showcase of cool stuff.

Before the local goods get that Midas touch, Islanders have an opportunity to check them out at Harris' open house from 1-4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 25, at her home. For the address or other information, call Harris at 817-7028.

Nutcracker march

Mercer Island ceramist Michal Ozeri Goldberg is following up her participation in last year's Ponies on Parade by lending her artistic flare to the Nutcracker March, the Seattle Downtown Association's new holiday public art project.

The Wells Fargo Ponies on Parade project placed 50 decorated carousel ponies on the streets of downtown during the 2004 holiday season. Goldberg created a colorful ``Garden of Eden'' pony that sold at auction for $10,000, the second highest sale of all the ponies.

She just completed decorating her 9-foot-tall fiberglass nutcracker king, which features the theme of Noah's Ark.

Hers and other nutcrackers will liven up the streets of downtown Seattle for the next three holiday seasons. This year's figures will be auctioned in December to benefit Northwest Center, which helps people with disabilities.

Kennedy for president?

Another Kennedy in the White House?

John Joseph Kennedy, humanitarian, environmentalist, journalist, novelist, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, fashion model, television producer, honorary marine biologist and distant cousin of another famous Kennedy, said he is kicking off a campaign for the White House in 2008.

Cassandra Chamberlain, Islander, actor, director, writer, producer, teacher, and sister-in-law of another famous Chamberlain (Richard), is hoping to bring JJK here to share his vision for America with her fellow Islanders.

``John has a fantastic philosophy -- very fresh,'' said Chamberlain, who owns the Actor's Studio on Mercer Island. The two met last week over dinner at Chamberlain's home to discuss a possible collaboration on a documentary campaign film.

Chamberlain is working on finding a venue for the Democratic candidate from South Carolina to speak to Islanders about his ``Campaign for the New Humanity.'' So keep your eyes peeled in the next couple of weeks for his face, which apparently smiles so brightly it was featured on a dentistry ad campaign.

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