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BAKERY & CAFÉ
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THE WOODSIDE
European Style Bakery & Bistro KIDS DECORATING PARTIES Gingerbread Houses and Holiday Cookies!
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GIFTS & BASKETS PLACE YOUR BAKERY ORDERS (Buche de Noel, pies, cakes, stollen, cookies,+++)
CHRISTMAS EVE HOURS Bakery 6am to 3pm sharp! Lunch 11am to 4pm Dinner 4pm to 9pm traditional Christmas Dinner selections *Taking reservations now Closed Christmas Day 3052 Woodside Road, Woodside "AKERY s #AFE www.woodsidebakery.com
Photo by Michelle Le/The Almanac
Sisters Sienna, 6, and Genevieve, 3, watch Santa read their wish lists at the Breakfast with Santa event.
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A visit with Santa Menlo Park families flock to annual event By Jane Knoerle Almanac Lifestyles Editor
Santa arrived early for Menlo Park’s annual Breakfast with Santa, held Dec. 1 at Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, a popular local tradition since 2002. More than 450 kids, moms, dads and doting grandparents attended the breakfast, which offered pancakes and sausages prepared by members of the Menlo Park Rotary Club. Visiting Santa was, of course, the highlight of the morning. Maddy, 7, Kyle, 5, and Jake Chai, 2, stood in line to present their wish lists to Santa in his “throne room.” The kids were familiar with
the rec center, said mom Sarah, since Maddy and Jake take gymnastics and Kyle plays basketball there. The Chais have lived in Menlo Park for about a year. “This is a great family place,” said Ms. Chai. Other Menlo Park newcomers making a visit to Santa were Robin and Ed Newman, there with son, Robert, 5, and the Lenihan family with sons Frank and Bob. Originally from Ireland, the Lenihans have also enjoyed the town’s Halloween parade and the fireman’s pancake breakfast this fall. Hannah Silberman, 3, chose her own floor-length party dress to wear to see Santa. “She loves to dress up,” said grandpa Don Albers, who accompanied Hannah, along with his wife, Geri.
Greta Cooney brought Finn, 6, Hayes, 3, and Charlie, 6 months, for their turn to sit on Santa’s lap. “Santa recognized me,” said Lia Gemmet-Young of Menlo Park, who said she’d been to Breakfast with Santa several times before. In the arts and crafts room, students from Kuk Sool Won martial arts helped kids create red-nosed reindeer from candy canes, and fashion Christmas ornaments. Among those lending a hand were Garrett Pohlman, Max Kaufman and Alex King. The breakfast was a big success, said Sandy Crittenden of Atherton, who donned a chef’s hat and jacket to flip pancakes with other Rotarians. “This was Continued on next page
Complimentary Assembly
Complimentary Gift Wrapping
3ANTA #RUZ !VENUE -ENLO 0ARK s 650-328-7975 s www.cheekymonkeytoys.com 12 N The Almanac N TheAlmanacOnline.com N December 19, 2012