Author Archives: RSCA

Info Meeting on Joint Regional Desalination Project

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Since 2003, five of the Bay Area’s major water agencies – the Contra Costa Water District, the East Bay Municipal Utility District, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the Santa Clara Valley Water District and Zone 7 Water Agency — have been exploring the potential for a joint regional desalination project that could provide an additional water source, diversify the area’s water supply, and foster long-term regional sustainability.

A public meeting and open house to learn about this project is being held on May 29th at 6 pm. Information will include the results of studies conducted by the agencies, what the next steps in the project are and how you can become involved.

A presentation and question and answer period will be followed by an Open House featuring agency representatives who can address any particular questions or concerns:

May 29, 2012

6 – 8 pm

Redwood City Hall Council Chambers

1017 Middlefield Road, Redwood City

 

AGENDA:

6 – 7 pm: Presentation on the project background, current status, planned activities, followed by Q&A

7 – 8 pm: Open house format so you can speak to agency representatives and talk more specifically about different aspects of the project including environmental impacts and the project planning process

 

Additional information can be found at the project website at: www.regionaldesal.com

Sequoia Big Picture High School: Information Night

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Parents, students and community members are invited to learn about the Sequoia Big Picture High School (SBPHS), an exciting new charter school option coming to the Sequoia Union High School District!

Tuesday, May 29, 7:00 p.m.

Fair Oaks Community Center

2600 Middlefield Road, Redwood City

FREE Admission and Refreshments

Big Picture Schools are based on individualized learning, where each student explores his/her own passions and affinities (“one student at a time”). Parents play a key role in the Big Picture School experience, and students experience real-world learning through internships in the community.

SBPHS is part of a national network of Big Picture Schools (www.bigpicture.org). There are now more than 100 Big Picture Schools in the United States and abroad. President Obama has called Big Picture Learning a “model for educating students.” Big Picture Learning works!

To learn more about the Sequoia Big Picture High School: http://www.sequoiabigpicture.org/

For more information about the event, email: or call 650.868.0590 (Charlene Margot).

Report from the ACTIONS in Redwood Shores

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Sports in Action

Sports in Action, tennis for K-8, takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at Preserve Park courts (Wed at 1, 2, 3, 4 pm; Mon at 3, 4 pm; Fri at 3, 4 pm). The two coaches are certified by the U.S. Professional Tennis Association (USPTA), each played competitively in high school and college. Twelve children can be accommodated each hour. We are doubling capacity by adding 4-5 pm on Wednesdays and 3-4 and 4-5 pm on Mondays and Fridays. We are excited that the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) has certified our courts for USTA sanctioned matches.

 

Comments from our tennis students:

Caleb Ahn (grade 5) explained to us how the class works. There are warm ups, games, rallies and tennis matches. One of the games is called “jail” in which the Coach passes the ball, someone hits it, forehand or backhand. If they miss, they go to “jail”. That means they are on the coaches side and if they catch a ball they will go back into the game. Also Caleb told us, there are two teachers one for the younger students and one for the upper level students. He recommends tennis for committed students.

Emna Sellami (4 grade) after warm up we do tennis and divide into two groups. “We play “around the world” with cones setup at different places on the tennis court.” Then they practice forehand or backhand volleys. Emna started tennis last year and she has been doing it ever since. She said it is a lot of fun and you can learn a lot. She has friends from school, friends from aftercare (CCLC) and neighborhood friends who attend with her. Emna says the teachers are really nice even the substitutes and that if you get tired and sweaty it’s still a lot of fun.

Sammy Wong (4th grade ) thinks “tennis is fun, the coaches are nice and you learn a lot of stuff”. She says they do a warm up in class and practice foot work moving tennis balls from one cone to another. She urges other students to try it because it’s fun and you compete in little games like rallies. Two summers ago she had attended a summer camp for tennis, so when her mother asked her if she would wanted to take tennis lessons she was willing to try it.

Claire Crowder (2 grade) Claire says in tennis you move around a lot and on cold days it warms you up. She likes being outdoors. Therefore, when she thinks of her tennis lesson she says, “Oh, tennis! It’s outdoors!” and is pleased to go. Claire is also a swimmer and does a lot of gymnastics. She thinks it’s important to participate in other sports “because they all help each other”.

Clara encourages other students to attend because “you learn a lot of things especially the techniques for forehand and backhand and its fun”.

 

USTA is also sponsoring CLUB USA / USTA Ten and Under Play Day. On June 2nd CLUB USA and USTA will co-host a terrific tennis event for children 10 years and under. No experience is necessary. USTA will donate free tennis rackets to the first ten children who register online. Every registered child will receive a free one year membership in the USTA. CLUB USA will provide two hours of free coaching and its professional photographer will take photos from 1:45 to 3:15 pm.

Contact

 

Music in Action

Music in Action will start with concert pianist Alex Davis performing and teaching pre school kids on Yamaha keyboard (not the grand piano) at Redwood Shores Library (Wed between 11 and 2 pm). Contact

 

Look for ACTION from The PILOT every month for details on valuable learning opportunities for 94650 kids.

— Carol Ford

Fashion Forward: Amaze with Accessories

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“The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize.” Clairee in Steel Magnolias.

This may or may not be true, but it’s still one of my favorite quotes. Regardless, one of the easiest ways to update your wardrobe each season is with accessories. Here’s how you can make your Spring/Summer wardrobe “pop” with some key accessories:

SHOES – flats, loafers, espadrilles, wedges, peep-toes, platforms – there truly is something for everyone this season. Whether you like a floral pattern, color block, metallic, lace detailing, neutrals, brights or pastels, even transparent – you can find them all. Metallics and animal prints tend to endure as footwear trends, along with classic espadrilles and ballet flats. Find one (or two) that capture your imagination and they will up-to-date your look instantly.

HANDBAGS are also an easy wardrobe update. Again, there are so many choices: brights, pastels, neutrals, color-blocked, plus the prints (florals, tribals, animal prints). Don’t forget canvas and straw for your more casual looks.

BANGLES are still wildly popular this year. Combine them in varying widths, colors, and textures, or go for one dynamic statement bracelet. Experiment – spring/summer fashion is all about having some fun!

HATS AND HEADWEAR are all the rage (thanks to last summer’s Royal wedding, in large part.) Consider a wide-brimmed straw hat tied with a colorful scarf or maybe just the scarf itself, tied turban or headband style. Speaking of headbands – how about a bejeweled or feathered one?

Are you ready to explore accessories? Give me a call if you’re ready to jump in!

— Adena DiTonno

Adena is owner of adenaDesigns, a fashion and wardrobe consultancy in Redwood Shores.

From Lynn’s Kitchen

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MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH

One of my dear friends usually hosts a Women’s Tea for our group of girlfriends every May, in honor of Mother’s Day. Many of our Mom’s are no longer with us, or are geographically distant and so we do not have the opportunity to be with them on their Special Day. Since she lives in a large flat in San Francisco, the weather in May is typically misty and/or foggy, so a large roaring fire is always ablaze in their living room. Furniture has been rearranged for several cozy sitting and dining areas, with small tables dressed in beautiful vintage tablecloths and napkins, china tea cups (of course), luncheon plates, and family heirloom silverware. Upon arriving, guests are greeted with a chilled glass of champagne punch, lightly flavored with fresh verbena leaves. It’s always a surprise to discover what new and delicious tea sandwiches she has made, or what fruits and pastries will be served for dessert.

Several of us were just down in Palm Springs for our annual trek to the desert for sunshine and relaxation, and we decided to make a dessert that we had wanted to try for several years. I remember seeing the special little coeur a la crème white porcelain molds at Williams Sonoma and Sur La Table many times, but never took the time to purchase them. Well, we didn’t have the proper molds, but that did not stop us from whipping up one of the loveliest desserts of all time. It would be perfect for a spectacular finish to a Mother’s Day Brunch! It’s very easy to make – just needs to sit overnight – and is luscious served with this Red Raspberry & Grand Marnier Sauce! Try it – you will not be disappointed!

 

Coeur a la Crème with Raspberry & Grand Marnier Sauce

  • 12 ounces Cream Cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 ¼ Cups Confectioners’ Sugar
  • 2 ½ Cups Cold Heavy Cream
  • 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
  • ¼ teaspoon Grated Lemon Zest
  • Seeds scraped from 1 Vanilla Bean
  • Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce (recipe follows)
  • 2 Half Pints Red Raspberries

Place the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the beater and bowl with a rubber spatula and change the beater for the whisk attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the heavy cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and vanilla bean seeds and beat on high speed until the mixture is very thick, like whipped cream.

Line a 7 inch sieve with cheesecloth so the ends drape over the sides and suspend it over a bowl, making certain that there is space between the bottom of the sieve and bottom of the bowl so that the liquid can drain from the cheese/cream mixture. Pour the cream mixture into the cheesecloth, fold the ends over the top, and refrigerate overnight.

 

Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce

  • 1 Half-Pint Fresh Red Raspberries
  • ½ Cup Sugar
  • ¼ Cup Cold Water
  • 1 Cup Seedless Red Raspberry Jam
  • 2 Tablespoons Orange-Flavored Liqueur (Grand Marnier is recommended although we used Cointreau in Palm Springs)

Place raspberries, sugar, and ¼ Cup Water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam and orange liqueur into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blades and process until smooth. Chill. (You can make this the evening before serving.)

To serve, discard any liquid that has collected in the bowl with the sieve on top. Unmold the cream onto a decorative plate, and drizzle Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce around the base. Serve with fresh red raspberries and extra sauce. Enjoy!

— Lynn Kathleen Adams
— RSCA Board Member since 1994

Softening The Glare of the Summer Sun

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Do the windows in your home allow so much sunlight into the interior that some of the rooms have an unpleasant glare? Are there high decorative windows and skylights that allow the sunlight to directly hit your flooring and furnishings? Ultra-violet (UV) rays can cause color changes in art, fabrics, paint and wood in just three months. Fix the problem now before the damage occurs. Luminette® and Silhouette® window shades from Hunter Douglas will preserve the view while blocking 99% of the UV rays. Another alternative is to apply tinted window film to the problem windows for about $13 per square foot. Window film can also be applied on a custom made window (stained glass) to prevent the glass from shattering in case of an earthquake. I often recommend window film on the sidelights of a front door as physical deterrent to burglary.

Consider upgrading from mini-blinds and cheap vertical blinds. These blinds are installed in many new homes, but after five years the vanes bend, the cords break, and they become a nuisance to clean. Dangling drapery and shade cords become a dangerous attraction to children and pets. Investing in shades or shutters with lifetime warranties are a smart option. If your house includes children or pets you should consider the many shades available with cordless adjustments or with wireless remote controls. How wonderful it is to punch a button and have a whole wall of shades raise or lower! If you have tall windows or an unsightly view, installing top down bottom up shades will allow the light to come in the top of the window and still provide privacy to the occupants of the room. Vignette® fabric Roman shades roll up into a 4” head rail to completely clear the glass and create an updated look for sliders and large windows.

 

— Jean Cary, Jean Cary Interiors

To find the solutions to your home dilemmas, give Jean a call: of (650) 593-9622

Situations Requiring a Veterinarian’s Care

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Last month I wrote about emergency situations requiring a veterinarians’ care. This month I want to give you the reminder of Shock — this is a life threatening emergency. Shock can be due to injury, infection, poisoning and trauma. Cats are particularly susceptible to shock.

  • Respiratory distress – this could be caused by choking on an object, asthma, or other conditions.
  • Inability to walk – This can be due to a spinal or neurological problem.
  • Bloat – If you suspect bloat run don’t walk to your vets (or to the nearest emergency vet)! If your pet is at a high risk for bloat, talk to your vet before there is a problem and learn what actions you can take.
  • Unconscious – Even if your animal regains consciousness, they still need to be seen by your vet.

If your animal experiences any of the conditions listed, you need to get them to the vet immediately.

However, I want to reiterate what I said in last month’s column. Just because your fur kid may not be exhibiting one of the symptoms above (or one of the symptoms listed in last month’s column) does not mean you should ignore any other signs or symptoms you notice. If you feel something just doesn’t seem right with Fido or Fluffy, you need to take them to the vet. Listen to that nagging little (or big!) voice in your head and make that appointment with your vet.


–Jan Brown

Jan is the Owner of Jan’s Pet Sitting and is a Pet Tech Pet First Aid Instructor.

Defining Osteoarthritis

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Osteoarthritis (OA) is a type of arthritis that primarily affects the cartilage on the end of bones. This cartilage is needed so that adjacent bones can move freely over a slippery tissue, and the cartilage functions like a “buffer” between the bones. For joints where the cartilage has worn down or degenerated, the adjacent bones are now touching and grinding on each other. Yes, OUCH!

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis among the hundreds of different types that exist. It is also known as Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD), and it is most common in women over the age of 55. Unfortunately, there is no known cause to OA but it is usually the result of natural aging of a joint. Obesity, repeated trauma, or conditions like gout can aggravate joints and cause secondary OA. People with OA generally describe their symptoms as joint pain at the end of the day, swelling or creaking to a joint, or even stiffness or decreased range of motion in a joint.

Although there are no specific ways to completely stop cartilage degeneration, there are ways to slow down the process. A precise joint adjustment is one of the best ways to keep the tissues in a joint space healthy from cartilage degeneration. Doctors of Chiropractic are highly trained to treat OA through chiropractic manipulation, soft tissue therapy, and other physiotherapies- such as mechanical traction, all of which are ways to slow down OA and relieve joint pain and inflammation. Diagnostic x-rays can also help determine the severity of the arthritis.

People with OA are recommended to keep the joints mobile and to perform exercises with minimal impact to the joints, such as swimming, light walking, or stationary cycling. Whether you think you have OA, have been living with it for many years, or just want to prevent it, your chiropractor can help diagnose the level of degeneration and put a treatment and exercise plan together suited to your body.

 

— Dr. Jenny Kim, D.C.

Dr Kim practices at Premier Chiropractic Clinic in Redwood Shores. This reprint is part of a bimonthly Health newsletter program. If you would like to be included in future Health newsletters, log onto www.PremierChiropractic.com and sign up with your email address to receive our monthly newsletters by email.

Information provided courtesy of American Chiropractic Association (ACA) www.acatoday.org

From the The Palo Alto Medical Foundation — Is Veganism for You?

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What do former President Bill Clinton, Ozzy Osbourne and Ellen de Generes have in common? They’re all vegan. Let’s take a look at this diet and lifestyle, which is becoming more popular.

For many reasons, some people choose to eliminate all animal products and adopt what’s known as a vegan diet. In 2008, a survey for the Vegetarian Resource Group reported that .5 percent of Americans, or 1 million people, called themselves vegans. The recent documentary, “Forks Over Knives,” has brought new popularity to the vegan diet.

What is veganism? It’s strictly defined as the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products in any form. This includes eliminating all animal products from the diet. For strict vegans, who adhere to veganism as a philosophy of treating all living beings ethically, this also means not wearing clothing or shoes made of animal products, including leather, wool and silk.

What food can you eat in a vegan diet? Most vegetable dishes are vegan, or can easily made to be so. Plant-based proteins include beans and legumes, tofu and other soy products, and nuts. There are now widely available non-dairy milk substitutes made of soy, almonds and coconut. Soy and nut yogurt and cheese substitutes are also available.

What foods are prohibited in a vegan diet? Strict vegans eliminate any food containing meat, seafood, eggs or dairy products (milk, yogurt and butter). They may also avoid honey and gelatin.

What are the benefits of the vegan diet? Nutrition research has provided robust evidence that a diet composed mainly of vegetables, fruits and whole grains has great health benefits. Or as Michael Pollan put it, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” A large nutrition study known as the China Study proposes that most chronic diseases affecting adults (obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes and cancer) can be prevented or reversed by following a vegan diet.

Is there any harm in following a vegan diet? A carefully planned vegan diet can be very healthful, but there are a few micronutrients that aren’t easily obtained from plant sources of food. These include vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron, calcium, and possibly iodine and omega-3 fatty acids. The first two of these will usually need to be taken in vitamin form, but the others can be found in a carefully planned plant-based diet. So long as a diet includes a variety of nuts, soy products and legumes, getting enough protein is usually not an issue.

Helpful resources and websites:

www.TheChinaStudy.com

Forks Over Knives (documentary and book based upon The China Study)

www.VeganHealth.org (nutrition information written by a vegan registered dietician)

www.ivu.org/recipes (more than 3,000 vegan recipes from around the world)

 

— Linda Shiue, M.D.

Dr. Linda Shiue is an internal medicine physician at the Redwood Shores Health Center of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.

The Palo Alto Medical Foundation and column editor Arian Dasmalchi provide this monthly column.

Wine Appreciation

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It was a year to remember. President Gerald Ford lost his re-election bid to Jimmy Carter. Sylvester Stallone flexed his “pecs” as Rocky received the Academy award for Best Picture. Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley were TV’s most popular shows. And two “Steve’s” started an offbeat computer company named “Apple,” while a couple other nerds created one called “Microsoft.” It was 1976, the year of our Bicentennial celebration. It was also, as someone said, the year that “a vinous shot was heard around the world.” Actually, it was more like a few swirls/sniffs/spats, the outcome of which was widely publicized by an attending American magazine correspondent. It had to do with a theretofore unique wine tasting competition that has since been immortalized as The 1976 Paris Tasting.

Steven Spurrier, an Englishman who owned a retail wine shop and well known wine school that taught wine evaluation skills to French food and wine professionals as well as neophyte tourists, conceived and promoted a competitive tasting which pitted California Chardonnays and Cabernets against their crème de la crème counterparts from Bordeaux and Burgundy. It’s important to note that in the 70‘s, when it came to world class wine, there was French, and there was . . . well . . . there was French. Nothing else was considered close in quality. Even though California wines were made from the same classic varietals, and vinified with similar techniques, they never received the same respect. But Spurrier, who had previously visited several Napa Valley wineries, was impressed with the quality of their wines and felt that they could make a respectable showing in a competitive tasting.

He assembled a tasting panel that included nine eminently qualified, French wine-savvy professionals: one renowned sommelier, two owners of Michelin three star restaurants, two wine scientists, two wine journalists, and owners from each of two prestigious Bordeaux and Burgundy wine properties. All of them had experienced professionally trained palates. The wines were tasted “blind,” that is, they were brown-bagged so as to not be identifiable. Under the attentive eyes of journalists and other spectators, each wine was evaluated on a twenty point scale for color, bouquet, flavor, and balance. Much has been written how the judges disdainfully mocked some wines they thought were Californian, and how they praised others they thought were French. However, when the results were tallied and the wines were unbagged, all the attendees were stunned by the unimaginable: the Cabernet winner was a 1973 Stags Leap Wine Cellars, and the Chardonnay victor was a 1973 Chateau Montelena! Voila !

This stunning achievement for those California wines has since been immortalized at the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History with a detailed display, and one bottle of each has been placed in the permanent archives. But the most important unintended consequence of that tasting is that it initiated a quality-driven competition that continues unabated to this day, and that elusive quest for perfection is producing wines that have never been better.


– Tom Barras

www.TomBarrasWineCommentary.blogspot.com/