championed the Sunday California Avenue farmers market, where they buy all their seasonal produce. Several of the farms make supplemental deliveries during the week to maintain the freshest product. Finally, I’m not much of a fan of strawberry ice cream, but this one turned my head. The strawberries had been roasted before being churned into the cream. Roasting the berries evaporated the water and intensified the flavor. It was like eating strawberry-jam ice cream. Also available was a delicious chocolate-chip ice-cream sandwich and various tartlets including a lipsmacking caramel-chocolate tartlet. All desserts were $5, required no prep time and were delivered quickly to the table. The beverage list was more than adequate. Wines were offered by the glass, carafe and bottle. While we lament the passage of Bistro Elan, we can celebrate that Lindskog and Hyde have just relocated to a smaller venue a block away. Like its predecessor, Birch Street delivers an appealing seasonal menu and chic ambiance, at appetizing prices. N
Birch Street 2363 A Birch St., Palo Alto 650-853-0667 and 650-3270188 www.bistroelan.com Hours: Tue.-Sat.: Lunch: Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; Dinner: 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. (starting July 15)
Reservations
Banquet
Credit cards
Catering
Lot Parking
Outdoor seating
Beer & wine Takeout Highchairs
Wheelchair access
Noise level: Loud Bathroom Cleanliness: Excellent
ShopTalk
PALO ALTO CITY COUNCIL
MOROCCO’S IN MOUNTAIN VIEW ... Brothers Jay and Sham Essadki are busily sharing their native Moroccan culture with Castro Street these days. On July 1, they opened their second Morocco’s Restaurant in downtown Mountain View, expanding from their first San Jose location. Their fare reflects the “international influence in Morocco’s traditional dishes�: Berber, Moorish, Turkish, European and Arab, they said in a press release. The restaurant is located at 873 Castro St., at the address that previously housed the Vietnamese restaurant Savory. Morocco’s periodically features live music and belly dancing, including Moroccan music, flamenco guitar, jazz and blues. Menus are at moroccosrestaurant.com.
— Rebecca Wallace MORE PIZZA FOR PALO ALTO ... Pizza delivery and take-out chain Papa John’s is opening a location at 3898 El Camino Real in Palo Alto, in the vicinity of Stanford Driving School and Happy Donuts. The space, once filled by a rug store, is part of a low-key yellow building that also houses a laundromat, a kung fu studio, a dry cleaner and a Hawaiian barbecue restaurant. Final touches on the store appear to be underway and pizza should be forthcoming by around mid-July, saving any Papa John’s fans in Palo Alto a trip to the Mountain View branch, previously the closest.
— Leslie Shen TOY TRANSITION ... PlanToys, an international toymaking company that sells wooden toys billed as “eco-friendly,� recently opened its flagshop store at 508 University Ave. in downtown Palo Alto. Before, the site was home to The Playstore, which sold some PlanToys products. PlanToys was established in 1981 and for many years has sold its items online and at various retailers, including Palo Alto Sport Shop & Toy World. Puzzles, dollhouses, stacking rings, matching games and other toys are made from reclaimed wood from rubber trees in Thailand. In a press release, PlanToys USA president Kosin Virapornsawan called the company “carbon neutral� and said that it distributes its products in about 59 countries.
— Rebecca Wallace Heard a rumor about your favorite store or business moving out, or in, down the block or across town? Shop Talk will check it out. Email shoptalk@paweekly.com.
CITY OF PALO ALTO RECREATION PRESENTS
27th Annual – Palo Alto Weekly
MOONLIGHT RUN & WALK FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2O11
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CIVIC CENTER, 250 HAMILTON AVENUE BROADCAST LIVE ON KZSU, FM 90.1 CABLECAST LIVE ON GOVERNMENT ACCESS CHANNEL 26 ***************************************** THIS IS A SUMMARY OF COUNCIL AGENDA ITEMS. THE AGENDA WITH COMPLETE TITLES INCLUDING LEGAL DOCUMENTATION CAN BE VIEWED AT THE BELOW WEBPAGE: http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/knowzone/agendas/council.asp
(TENTATIVE) AGENDA-SPECIAL MEETING-COUNCIL CHAMBERS JULY 11, 2011 - 6:00 PM STUDY SESSION 1. Joint Meeting With the Utilities Advisory Commission 2. Update on the Palo Alto Rail Corridor Study SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY 3. Community Partners Non-ProďŹ t Presentation Friends of the Palo Alto Library CONSENT CALENDAR 4. Approval of a Gas Enterprise Fund Contract With HydromaxUSA, LLC for the Cross-bore Investigation and Adoption of a Resolution Approving an Amendment to Utilities Rule and Regulation 23 (B and C) 5. City Council Priorities Quarterly Report for the Period Ending June 30, 2011 6. Approval of a Renewed Public/Private Partnership Agreement with West Bay Opera for the Cooperative Use of the Lucie Stern Community Theatre 7. Adoption of a: 1) Budget Amendment Ordinance Creating a New General Fund Capital Improvement Program Project for Replacement of the Newell Road Bridge over San Francisquito Creek; 2) Adoption of Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Program Supplement with the California Department of Transportation to Receive Highway Bridge Program Grant Funds; 3) Acceptance of Local Matching Funds in Approximate Amount of $42,000 from the Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority; and 4) Approval of the Scope of Work for Engineering Design/Environmental Planning Consultant for Newell Road Bridge Replacement Project 8. Approval of Amendment No. 4 to Service Order S07121018 for the Purchase of an Automated Pool Vehicle Reservation/Key Manager System ACTION ITEMS 9. Update of SB 375/Initial Vision Scenario for a Sustainable Communities Strategy and Direction on City’s Preliminary Response to Regional Agencies, and Update of Regional Housing Needs Assessment Process 10. Adoption of a Resolution Approving the Reorganization of an Approximately .65 Acre Territory Designated “Major Institution/University Landsâ€? Located in the County of Santa Clara and Second Reading for the Adoption of Two Ordinances: 1) Amendment of Title 18 of the PAMC to Add a New Chapter 18.36 (Hospital District), Adding Section 8.10.95 (Tree Removal in HD Zone) to Chapter 8.10 (Tree Preservation and Management Regulations) of Title 8 (Trees and Vegetation) and Amending Section 16.20.160(a)(1) (Special Purpose Signs) of Chapter 16.20 (Signs) of Title 16 (Building Regulations) and Amending Section 18.08.010 (Designation of General Districts) and Section 18.08.040 to Chapter 18.08 (Designation and Establishment of Districts); and 2) Approval of a Development Agreement Between the City of Palo Alto and Stanford Hospital and Clinics; Lucile Salter Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford; and the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University; and Update on Efforts to Address Comments Made by Parents of Students at the Stanford Arboretum Children’s Center 11. Council Consideration of Draft Letter of Interest to Foothill DeAnza Community College Including Options to Sell or Long Term Lease and a Request to Palo Alto UniďŹ ed School District Support and Possible Collaboration of Partnerships with Foothill College (TENTATIVE) AGENDA-SPECIAL MEETING-COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM JULY 12, 2011 - 6:00 PM 1) Interviews of the Utilities Advisory Commission Applicants STANDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS The Policy and Services Committee Meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 12, at 7:00 p.m. regarding 1) Further Review & Discussion Regarding Possible Charter Amendments to; a) Repeal Binding Interest Arbitration Provision in City Charter for Public Safety; b) Substantially Modify Binding Interest Arbitration Provision in City Charter for Public Safety, 2) Discussion and Recommendation Regarding IPAD’s for Council and Approval of a Policy, 3) Capital Projects Percent for Art Policy Exemption and Planning Procedures, and 4) Discussion and Recommendation on the Proposed Implementation Plan for the Employee Hotline The Policy and Services Committee Meeting will be held on Thursday, July 14, at 7:00 p.m. Regarding: 1) Further Review & Discussion Regarding Possible Charter Amendments to; a) Repeal Binding Interest Arbitration Provision in City Charter for Public Safety; b) Substantially Modify Binding Interest Arbitration Provision in City Charter for Public Safety *>Â?ÂœĂŠ Â?ĂŒÂœĂŠ7iiÂŽÂ?ÞÊUĂŠ Ă•Â?ÞÊn]ÊÓ䣣ÊU Page 25