Northgate Living Magazine January 2020

Mailed Directly to Northgate Residents and Published Online

JANUARY 2020

Northgate LIVING

M E E T T HE

Zacharys:

Passionate about Wellness COVER PHOTO:

by Julie Cheshire Photography

1401 N. BROADWAY SUITE 120 WALNUT CREEK • 925-322-8266

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Publication Team Publisher: Jo Peek

Content Coordinator: Kara Navolio, Resident since 1991 Designer: Emily Lund Contributing Photographer: Julie Cheshire

Advertising Contact: Jo Peek Email: JPeek@bestversionmedia.com

Feedback/Ideas/Submissions: Have feedback, ideas, or submissions? We are always happy to hear from you! Deadlines for submissions are the 10th of each month. Go to www.bestversionmedia. com and click “Submit Content.”

You may also email your thoughts, ideas, and photos to: Knavolio@bestversionmedia.com.

Any content, resident submissions, guest columns, advertisements and advertorials are not necessarily endorsed by or represent the views of Best Version Media (BVM) or any municipality, homeowners associations, businesses or organizations that this publication serves. BVM is not responsible for the reliability, suitability or timeliness of any content submitted. All content submitted is done so at the sole discretion of the submitting party. © 2020 Best Version Media. All rights reserved.

Dear Neighbors, As we begin our third year of Northgate Living, I am thrilled with how the community has embraced it. I love this neighborhood and this city we live in and love sharing stories about the great things going on here. I love that this magazine is designed to build community and help neighbors get to know each other better.

Enjoy getting to know some of our newest neighbors The Zacharys who are also local business owners bringing holistic wellness to our community.

I’m eager to hear from you and would love to hear what you would like from our neighborhood magazine. I believe that interesting stories don’t just come from celebrities, but from our own communities. Everyone has a story to tell, and I’d love to hear yours. Send your suggestions, articles and photos to knavolio@bestversionmedia.com.

Happy New Year!

Kara Navolio Northgate Living Content Coordinator Resident Since 1991

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Expert Contributors Happy Holidays!

Mention this ad to learn more about our

New Year 2018 Move-In Special!

Place a holding deposit before January 1st & The Heritage Downtown will donate $1,000 to the Charity of your Choice this Holiday Season!

Discover the Almond / Shuey Neighborhood, Home to our Boutique, Condo-Style Senior-Living Community!

Call 925.943.7427

to learn more, and to schedule your visit!

www.TheHeritageDowntown.com 1785 Shuey Avenue

(off of Bonanza & California)

To learn more about becoming an expert contributor, contact Jo Peek at jpeek@bestversionmedia.com.

Active Seniors

The Heritage Downtown is “the” Bay Area’s #1 Active Senior Living Apartments, focused on providing the highest Quality of Life for each and every one of its residents. The Heritage Downtown promotes, facilitates and encourages our residents to continue to lead a Full Active Life in Retirement. The Heritage Downtown is beautifully and conveniently located in Downtown Walnut Creek.

Design, Build & Remodeling

With over 35 years in business, our National Award-Winning Design Build firm has abundant experience with creating your dream space as your friend in the remodeling business! We design and remodel kitchens, baths, whole houses, and additions; from concept through completion, our highly skilled team of professionals are knowledgeable when it comes to transforming your living space. Great ideas, communication, and execution distinguish our process with award-winning results!

Functional Medicine & Nutrition

Dr. Zachary was a patient first after a “mysterious illness” caused her to be written off by conventional medicine as permanently disabled and told she’d never recover. She refused to listen, used Functional Medicine to fight back and astounded all with her return to health. She then founded Body Love Cafe so others may have the same healing opportunity. Dr. Zachary is passionate and determined to help her patients thrive.

Insurance

Vanessa Sisemore, owner of a Farmers Insurance agency since 2016, grew up in Walnut Creek and received her college degree from UNLV in 2006. She is the loving wife to Isaac of 7 years and mother to 3-year-old daughter Mckenzie. After working for Farmers for 8 years, Vanessa is proud to serve people in the community that have given her so much.

Jewelry, Diamonds & Timepieces

Steve and Judy Padis own and operate Padis Jewelry, which has four locations in the San Francisco Bay Area. They founded the company in 1974 and are proud to have earned a reputation as one of the finest jewelers in San Francisco, serving generations of clients for their most precious moments in life, from engagement to anniversary to milestone gifts. Padis Jewelry maintains top-tier relationships with the most sought-after designers including Tacori, Forevermark, Verragio, Breitling, Tag Heuer, and Roberto Coin. As members of the American Gem Society, Padis is among the top 5% of jewelers across the country.

Plastic Surgery

Dr. Vivian Ting (Veritas Plastic Surgery) is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Walnut Creek, California in practice since 2003. She specializes in cosmetic rejuvenation of the face, breast augmentation and body contouring as well as reconstruction for breast and skin cancer. Her philosophy is to combine proven surgical techniques with the best in technology to achieve superior results and high patient satisfaction.

Real Estate

Rita has been a Northgate resident and selling neighborhood properties for over 25 years. She’s received numerous awards including being nominated as Realtor of the Year by the East Bay Business Times, previously ranked the #64 Realtor in America by the Wall Street Journal/REAL Trends, previously ranked the #1 Realtor in Contra Costa County, and ranked the #1 Realtor in Northgate for total sales volume over many years.

Jenny Shively The Heritage Downtown www.theheritagedowntown.com (925) 943-7427 Gordon Reese Gordon Reese Design Build (925) 885-3770 Marketing@GordonReese.com GordonReese.com

Body Love Cafe Dr. Brandy Zachary, DC, AFMCP (925) 788-6300 Team@BodyLoveCafe.com www.BodyLoveCafe.com

Vanessa Sisemore Vanessa Sisemore Insurance Agency (925) 943-6762 vsisemore@farmersagent.com www.farmersagent.com/vsisemore Steve Padis Steve Padis Jewelry info@padisjewelry.com www.padisjewelry.com

Dr. Vivian Ting Veritas Plastic Surgery (925) 949-8587 www.viviantingmd.com Rita Dhillon Compass Real Estate (925) 570-1010 Rita.Dhillon@compass.com www.RitaDhillonTeam.com

Anthony Lozano is the owner of Honest Rodent Proofing. He has over fifteen years of experience in business ownership, sales/marketing and in the pest control industry. Anthony was raised and currently living in Walnut Creek with his wife and three kids. Anthony trains his staff with three Anthony Lozano simple rules. One, treat every home as if it was your own. Two, honesty and transparency is the only way to conduct business. Three, without our Honest Rodent Proofing customers we don’t have a business.

(925) 433-3988 customercare@honestrodentproofing.com www.honestrodentproofing.com

Rodent Proofing

Tree Service

From the diagnostic of tree problems, to pruning, cabling and bracing, tree removal, stump grinding and planting of new trees, Traverso Tree Service, Inc is here for all of your tree care needs. We’re a local business proud to have been serving the community for over 30 years.

Wealth Management & Financial Planning

David and Frank started Nissim & Gavidia Wealth Management & Financial Planning, LLC to give their clients the flexibility and independence that they deserve. They pride themselves in working with families and understanding their long terms goals, from retirement to setting things up for the next generation by removing emotions from investing and taking the time to understand their client’s individual needs.

John Traverso Traverso Tree Service (925) 930-7901 traversotree@gmail.com www.traversotree.com

David Nissim & Frank Gavidia Nissim & Gavidia Wealth Management & Financial Planning, LLC David (925) 239-0117 Frank (925) 239-0116 DavidNissim@NissimGavidia.com FrankGavidia@NissimGavidia.com www.NissimGavidia.com

Find us online NorthgateLivingCA www.NorthgateLivingCA.com

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Resident Feature

carnival games and having a grand time as we danced the night away under the stars.”

Brandy, a Lafayette native, received her BA from Loyola Marymount University’s Honors College graduating Magna Cum Laude. She completed advanced training in an elite Functional Medicine certification program achieved by only a few physicians in the Bay Area. If that didn’t keep her busy enough while running her practice, she is involved in the local launch of the Functional Medicine Academy which provides training for other doctors and healthcare professionals.

M E E T T HE

Zacharys:

Passionate about Wellness

By Kara Navolio, Resident since 1991

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ome of Northgate’s newest residents are the Zacharys! Their local holistic health clinic, Body Love Cafe, has been in the neighborhood for years, but this summer they relocated their family here as well. Their home, near Arbolado Park, has undergone an extensive remodel with David performing most of the work and Brandy creating the design. They love that their home is so close to work that they can bike there.

Brandy was a single mom for 15 years raising her daughter, Nikita, on top of being a business owner and Functional Medicine practitioner, so she was not interested in dating. Her friend Katie kept pushing her to try online dating so in an effort to appease her she agreed to go online for only one week and promised to go on just one date. “After creating a totally impossible wish list for a mate, including that he had to live in the same town, the computer matched me with David,” says Brandy. “It was love at first sight, and a year and a half later, Katie was the officiant who married us. Nikita was key in selecting the non-traditional ‘Victorian-Steampunk Carnival’ theme. Our amazing community of family and friends helped us pull together an incredible wedding with all the guests dressed in costume, playing

Brandy is driven to educate her community about the benefits of her profession after a life-threatening chronic illness forced her to abandon her career as a professional speaker and business consultant. She became very ill and labeled permanently disabled with conventional medicine providing little in the way of diagnosis. In between caring for her young daughter and doing her own deep dive researching her symptoms, she felt compelled to start crossing off things on her bucket list and made it to the semi-finals in a competition to find the next great Bay Area stand-up comic. That sense of humor kept her going and a never-give-up attitude led her to recovery and her current career.

“Creating Body Love Cafe was my passion project after getting well, with the hope that no one else would suffer the way I had,” explains Brandy. “To this end, I continue to teach free educational classes to the public each year. Body Love Cafe is a very different type of doctor’s office that embraces a variety of natural and alternative health therapies while blending eastern and western medical expertise.”

David grew up on a farm in Minnesota. He learned how to work with his hands and developed an appreciation for the beauty of nature and a responsibility to ‘leave more than you take’ from the earth. After studying physics at Moorhead University, he discovered a talent for bodywork and massage therapy and went on to obtain advanced certification from Northwestern Health Sciences University. While he had a successful practice and enjoyed both the elements of human physics and the personal fulfillment of healing his clients through bodywork, a few years ago he felt the pull to leave snowy winters behind. He decided to give in to his long-time love of sustainable living and electric cars and moved to the Bay Area after accepting a job at Tesla. It was that move to a city where he worked long hours with little time to socialize that he decided to join the dating site where he was instantly matched with Brandy.

“It was love at first sight,” says David, “when I realized I had found a woman who equaled my passion to help others and laughed at my corny jokes (sometimes!).” Once he met Brandy’s daughter, they easily transitioned into life as a family. He missed the gratification of helping people relieve their pain through bodywork, so he started

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working at Body Love Cafe once a week.

They soon decided as a family that David should leave the grueling Tesla commute behind, and he made the leap to working full time at Body Love Cafe. When he’s not in the office, you’ll cooking healthy gourmet meals, transforming his yard into a soothing oasis, or keeping his hands busy providing handyman services to neighbors that keep referring him.

Rounding out the home chaos are two pets: a cat named Kiki and a dog named Sookie. Kiki loves tearing up furniture, much to Brandy’s dismay. Sookie, a tiny long-haired Chihuahua and ARF rescue, is a bit neurotic and loves chasing squirrels twice her size.

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David and Brandy love relaxing in their backyard hammock while watching the turkeys fly by, soaking in their mineral Brandy and David celebrated with a VictorianSteampunk themed wedding Nikita, 17, graduated from high school water hot tub, or riding their electric bikes early, at the age of 15, and now attends along the trails. Look for them in their community college studying psychology and criminology. She’s matching bright pink and blue Mohawk bike helmets. an avid reader, is writing her first novel, attends kickboxing with The Zacharys love the quiet neighborhood of Northgate, the wildlife David, and is an active leader in her school’s LGBTQA community. and the open sky. “This neighborhood has such good energy,” adds She is preparing to transfer to Mills College to complete her BA Brandy. “We love the park, and every neighbor we’ve met has been with the hope of later attending a joint MS/Ph.D. program. She incredibly kind and welcoming.” She’s hoping to continue meeting is interested in research but also toying with idea of a career as a more neighbors and expanding her “Sunday Brunch Crew.” profiler for the FBI.

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IT’S MORE THAN A HOME. IT’S YOUR LIFE.

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Learn more about me at jongomez.realestate

KODA

Jon Gomez @yogomez 925.464.3027 jgomez@climbRE.com

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I grew up in Northgate and am thrilled to return to raise my two daughters in the community where I was raised. My love for our neighborhood runs deep. I am grateful to help families set down roots here and to guide longtime neighbors in passing their beloved homes to new owners who will continue to cherish this beautiful corner of Walnut Creek. I love to chat about all things real estate, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if I can be a resource for you in any way.

NORTHGATE LIVING 7

Charity Spotlight

Walnut Creek’s Turkey Trot builds community

By Michelle Kulman | Photo credit: Facchino Photography

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e showed what “community” means.

And we couldn’t be more grateful for the community that we are.

It was one thing to witness the energy of more than 4,200 participants in the Forma Gym Walnut Creek Turkey Trot. But it was completely another to learn why so many people (and animals!) participate year after year.

We showed what health, wellness, and cooperation look like.

We did much more than raise awareness and funds for the WCEF Walnut Creek Education Foundation, PEAK, the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, the Forma Gym Walnut Creek Kids Foundation, and RISE Paralysis Recovery Center.

We inspired.

This was our second year offering a ‘Wheel and Walk’ (wheelchair) division. According to Rachel Galaraga of RISE Paralysis Recovery, we had several more entrants in that division this year, including grandparents in wheelchairs whose grandkids walked with them!

We wowed.

Did you see retired police officer, Dennis Gilmore, who completed the race in his hand cycle with his dog, Blue, beside him?

We couldn’t have done it without you.

Thanks to everyone who participated and provided feedback on everything from the t-shirt design (“a keeper”) to the “great energy” of a “festive” atmosphere and the “camaraderie and tradition” of the event. We’re still tallying up the final figures and soon will let you know how much we raised for the organizations we all supported.

In the meantime, big props to each participant and our dedicated sponsors, Cole European, Barsotti Juice, WCI GC Construction, Bank of the West, Walnut Creek Convention & Visitors Bureau, Dudum Real Estate, The Seven Hills School, Jimmy John’s, Sports Basement, Crio Wellness Studio, Republic Services, Walnut Creek Magazine, Private Spring Water, lululemon Walnut Creek, Ralph Gracie Walnut Creek, Northgate Living, SPORTea® CSI America, Blackstar Security, Out Of The Cave, C & M Party Props, and, of course, or photographer, Facchino Photography, for capturing thousands of special moments (see the Forma Gym Walnut Creek Turkey Trot page for the complete album).

We’re so grateful for our community on Thanksgiving and every day.

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Active Listings Address List Price 3350 Westport Ct 3136 Lippizaner Ln

$998,900 $950,000

Pending Listings Address List Price 154 Brodia Way 3559 Eris Court 215 Clyde Dr 710 Comanche Ct 203 Via Monte 2645 San Benito Dr 609 Colby Ct 235 Encina Corte

$1,780,000 $1,450,000 $1,395,000 $1,390,000 $1,148,000 $1,100,000 $1,050,000 $949,000

Sold Listings Address List Price 2070 Shell Ridge Trail 117 Brodia Way 616 Harrogate Court 470 Sutcliffe Pl 955 Cheyenne Dr 366 El Divisadero Ave 2532 Venado Camino

$2,700,000 $2,250,000 $1,295,000 $1,349,000 $1,319,000 $1,075,000 $1,095,000

BD 4 3

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SQFT

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1,839 1,901

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Real Estate Listings in Northgate 12/10/2019

BD 5 4 4 5 5 4 4 5

BD 5 5 4 4 4 4 5

BT

SQFT

3 2.5 2 2.5 3 2 2.5 3

4,732 2,785 2,820 3,493 2,253 1,785 2,164 2,253

BT

SQFT

3.5 4.5 2.5 3 2 2 3

4,821 4,381 2,466 2,449 2,052 1,819 2,543

DOM 12 1 18 62 10 47 64 10

DOM 101 62 59 33 14 14 68

Sold Price $2,500,000 $2,125,000 $1,275,000 $1,300,000 $1,295,000 $1,050,000 $1,010,000

Best Version Media does not guarantee the accuracy of the statistical data on this page. Any real estate agent’s ad appearing in this magazine is separate from any statistical data provided which is in no way a part of their advertisement.

What if you could sell your home faster and for a higher price– with no upfront costs or interest?

Call us to find out more about our Compass Concierge program.

Rita Dhillon

925.570.1010 Rita.Dhillon@compass.com DRE 01109990

Tim Dhillon

925.570.0418 Tim.Dhii lon@compass.com DRE 01521381

Khush K.

925.577.3422 Khush@compass.com DRE 01480990

www.RitaDhillonTeam.com

C0MPASS

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January

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Sun., Jan. 12

Wed., Jan 22

Thurs., Jan. 30

Opening Reception – “Great Wave: Contemporary Art About the Ocean”

NEW Weight Loss & Hormone Balancing Challenge

Remodeling Seminar

@Bedford Gallery Artists through the ages have looked to the ocean in all its majesty and terror for clues about the planet’s future. This group exhibition features contemporary artists who live near the coast, and whose work immerses us in a watery drama.

Organized by longtime Bay Area curator Ann Trinca, this show finds inspiration in the work of Japanese ukiyo-e master Katsushika Hokusai’s ubiquitous woodblock print The Great Wave. The Great Wave is recognizable across cultures as a symbol of the unpredictable power of the ocean.

Using this historic piece as a jumping off point, the artists in the exhibition explore the ocean as a source of mystery and strength. Show will run through March 22.

Cost: $5 adults, $3 youth 13-17 Time: 3-5pm www.bedfordgallery.org

Wed., Jan. 15

Chemistry of Food @Body Love Cafe, 3093 Citrus Circle, Ste. 125 Join Dr. Zachary and her team for a free class that will teach you the tips and tricks to use food to get the results YOU want.

Dr. Zachary will share a few surprises plus bust many commonly held nutrition myths.

This educational experience is designed to empower you to know HOW food works in the body including food combining, weight loss, hormone balancing and the pros/cons behind 17 popular diets.

Cost: FREE Time: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm www.BodyLoveCafe.com

Sat., Jan. 18

Book Sale – Friends of the Ygnacio Valley Library @Ygnacio Valley Library Find your next great read; children’s, teen and adult books.

Cost: FREE Time: 10am-5pm www.ccclib.org/ygnaciovalley.html

@Body Love Cafe, 3093 Citrus Circle, Ste. 125 Join Dr. Zachary and her team for a free class series that will teach you all about food, digestion and include FREE weight loss meal plans of your choice with 7 options: Whole Food, Ketogenic, Vegetarian, Vegan, Anti-Candida, HFLC & Detox. This is a “no shame, no blame” purely educational program offered as a service to the local community. Hundreds of participants have attended and frequently lost 5-15 lbs in just 4 weeks without stress, deprivation or added exercise. Come check it out for yourself knowledge is power and once you know, you own that information for life!

Cost: Free Time: 6:30-8:30 pm www.BodyLoveCafe.com

@Gordon Reese Design Build, 3021 Citrus Circle, #170 Are you, a neighbor, a family member, or a friend looking to remodel, and just don’t know where or how to get started?

Do you have questions like: • How do I get started? •How do I make sure that the construction costs don’t exceed my budget? • How do I make design decisions I won’t regret later? • How do I choose the right contractor? • How do I avoid an ugly court battle? • What is a mechanic’s lien and how do I protect myself? • How do I make sure my remodel gets completed on schedule? Join us and get your questions answered. Seating is limited, RSVP required.

Cost: Free Time: 6-8pm GORDONREESE.COM or call (925) 885-3770 today!

Every Monday Sat., Jan. 25

Northgate Athletics Annual Crab Feed @Centre Concord The Athletics Boosters will host their largest annual fundraising event with auction, games, dancing, and crab dinner.

Cost: $70 Time: 6-11pm www.northgatebroncos.org

Thurs., Jan. 30

Handmade @ The Library: Valentines with Origami @Walnut Creek Library Come and make some charming valentines with origami. This month local artist Margie Obendorf will teach us how to use beautiful Japanese washi and origami papers to make simple origami hearts and delightful valentines. Please join us. Handmade @ The Library is an ongoing monthly craft program for adults sponsored by the Walnut Creek Library Foundation. All supplies are provided. Registration is required.

Cost: Free Time: 6-7:30pm www.ccclib.org

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Picture Book Time @Ygnacio Valley Library Helps build kindergarten readiness using longer books, flannel board stories, songs, crafts and other literacy building activities for ages 3-5.

Cost: FREE Time: 10:15-11am www.ccclib.org/ygnaciovalley.html

Every Saturday

Farmers’ Market @Shadelands Business Park Farmers bring their best from the nearby farming areas, kid’s craft corner, live music.

Time: 9am-1pm www.cafarmersmkts.com/ diablo-valley-farmers-market

Save the Date…

Ygnacio Valley Book Group @Ygnacio Valley Library All are welcome to drop in and join the discussion. This month’s book is Time of the Doves by Merce Rodoreda.

Cost: FREE Time: 6:30-7:30pm www.ccclib.org/ygnaciovalley.html JANUARY 2020

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Expert Contributor

Tired of “New Year, New You” Headlines?

By Dr. Brandy Zachary, DC, AFMCP with Body Love Cafe

T

here’s a reason why comedienne Ali Wong says “I don’t want to ‘Lean In’...I want to lie down” and we all burst out laughing.

Aren’t we all a little tired?

Modern life often means both parents working, more information about how to raise our kids, but less support and community than ever before.

It’s lonely.

And women often feel this in the extreme with the perceived pressure to be perfectly fit, beautifully appointed, have an immaculate house while volunteering for charity, running a company and acting as “Momager” at home.

Can we say “mom guilt”?

Then January comes and instead of joy that we survived the holidays, there’s shame about a few extra pounds around your midsection.

Is there any wonder New Year’s Resolutions fall by the wayside?

I do want 2020 to be the “best year ever” - but let’s make this realistic.

depression, anxiety, sleep, stress, and digestion while supporting you over 5 weeks with free meal plans (choices include: ketogenic, vegan, whole food, vegetarian, anti-candida, or HFLC). No shame.

No blame. Optional weigh-ins and we have a lot of fun!

Happy New Year and remember to be kind to yourself!

1. Start With Acceptance of What Is - more than a few have

shared along the way that you need to “love what is” and that “expectations are the key to suffering”. I know you’ve heard this before - but this really is the starting point. You Are Enough.

2. It’s Okay to Love Yourself and Still Want Change - you don’t need to beat yourself up or make yourself “wrong” to initiate change. Use the carrot instead of the stick. Visualize, dream, write, chat with girlfriends about what you desire. A healthy body to play with kids? A vacation to run away to? A new job where you feel valued?

3. Create the Plan and Take the First Step - next you need to propel forward and action is the key. And you know you, so how do you work best? Do you need to make one small change at a time? Do you need to dive headfirst and all-in? Do you need to be surrounded by friends & community encouraging you? The best plan is the one you will follow.

4. Set Yourself Up to Win - there are a few things that athletes and entrepreneurs know and we can all benefit by embracing these ideals: • You’ll “fail” more than you will win, it’s part of the learning • You’re never “out” unless you quit, if you keep playing you’re still part of the game • Visualize yourself succeeding and celebrate every win If you want to spend some time with people who are working to “create their best life” while also setting realistic goals and laughing along the way, then come join our Body Love Challenge this January. It’s free and yes, you read that correctly.

Classes include cutting-edge research & education in nutrition, hormone balancing, thyroid health, fertility-to-menopause, 12

JANUARY 2020

Wayne Wiegand, Scholar and Library Historian,

Wayne A. Wiegand will speak on Jan. 15 at the Walnut Creek Library.

Coming to Live! from the Library

By Susan Moon, Executive Director of Walnut Creek Library Foundation

L

ive! from the Library will host Wayne Wiegand, PhD, in a presentation titled Part of Our Lives, taken from his 2015 landmark book, Part of Our Lives, A People’s History of the American Public Library, on Wednesday, January 15, 2020, 7:008:30 p.m., in the Oak View Room at the Walnut Creek Library, 1644 N. Broadway. This free program is sponsored by the Walnut Creek Library Foundation and is open to the public. RSVPs can be made online at www.wclibrary.org/live or by phone at 925.935.5395.

In Part of Our Lives, Dr. Wiegand delves into the history and heart of why Americans love their libraries. For many, the public library’s most important function is to provide commonplace reading materials and public space. Beyond that, Dr. Wiegand suggests a professional ethos about public libraries and their responsibilities to fight censorship and defend intellectual freedom, and demonstrates that the American public library has been (with notable exceptions) a place that has welcomed newcomers, accepted diversity, and constructed community since the late 19th century.

Often referred to as the “Dean of American Library Historians,” Dr. Wiegand is Florida State University F. William Summers Emeritus Professor of Library and Information Studies. He received a BA in history at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, an MA in history at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, a Master of Library Science at Western Michigan University, and a PhD in history at Southern Illinois University. A Walnut Creek resident, Dr. Wiegand is the author of nine books and more than one hundred scholarly articles. He served as a historical consultant for Free for All, a documentary on the American public library that will be released in 2020, and is currently working on a history of American public school librarianship.

Live! from the Library, produced by the Walnut Creek Library Foundation, features free public lectures, literary events, and cultural programs at the Walnut Creek and Ygnacio Valley libraries. Program sponsors are East Bay Times, Friends of the Walnut Creek Library, and Minuteman Press Lafayette.

2020 will be a banner year for Walnut Creek’s libraries as each celebrates a milestone: the 10th anniversary of the Walnut Creek Library, and the 45th anniversary of the Ygnacio Valley Library. The Walnut Creek Library Foundation is planning a special community celebration later this year.

For more information about Walnut Creek Library Foundation programs, please visit www.wclibrary.org or call 925.935.5395.

FREE Weight Loss & FREE

Hormone Balancing Challenge No Shame. No Blame. Optional Weigh-Ins.

Class starts on Jan 15th at 6:30 pm FREE Meal Plans provided!!!

925-788-6300 Team@BodyLoveCafe.com Across from Nob Hill Foods

NORTHGATE LIVING 13

Expert Contributor

Benefits to using a 3D Design

By Gordon Reese, Gordon Reese Design Build, Resident since 2006

H

ome remodeling may be nothing new to the seasoned homeowner, but 3D design certainly is.

Design contractors still use 2D blueprints to visually represent a client’s remodel request, but more and more of them are seeing the appeal of 3D design software.

If you’re planning a room renovation or a whole home remodel, we highly recommend you choose a 3D design build firm for your project. Here are some reasons why:

ELIMINATE DESIGN DECISION YOU WILL LATER REGRET

In home remodeling, using 3D design software to build a scaled model of the final product can speed up the approval stage. A 3D model can clearly represent the proposed remodel better than even the most detailed blueprint by accurately translating

2D measurements into physical, true-to-life dimensions, angles, and placements.

ACCURATE SPATIAL PLANNING/ ACCOMMODATION

A physical model of the remodel proposal means clients can actually see the space they’ll end up having to work with. This true-to-life representation makes it easier for them to accurately divide the space and prepare accommodation plans that will translate almost seamlessly into the actual remodel—with very little risk of error.

IMPROVED COMMUNICATION

Not everyone gets written dimensions, measurements, and degrees. While it’s easy for an engineer or architect to visualize what it means when someone says the cabinet is “30 degrees parallel to the corner,” or that kitchen island “runs perpendicular to the counter for about 2 feet,” the average

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layman or homeowner might have too much trouble with the lingo to clearly picture what is being described. However, everyone understands 3D. It’s physical, visual, and highly interactive, making it the perfect platform to initiate seamless communication between all parties involved in the remodel process.

JANUARY 2020

Shop Local

Kick-off the new year in

Downtown Walnut Creek!

By Kathy Hemmenway, Walnut Creek Downtown

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our local businesses rely on your support year-round and now that the holiday rush has passed, residents can enjoy Walnut Creek’s downtown restaurants, retailers or services. Winter 2019 brought the arrival of a few new restaurants including: Bierhaus (Locust St.), Burger Loft (N. Main St.), Tacos Walnut Creek (Locust St.) and Capullo Cocina Mexicana (Bonanza St.) to name a few – stop by and discover a new favorite! New retailers include Shoes on Solano (N. Main St.), Maximillian (Locust St.), and Forevermark (Broadway Plaza) while The Red Box (N. Main St.) moved 2 doors down to a beautiful new location!

De-stress from the holidays and make an appointment at one of the luxurious

downtown spas/salons for a special postholiday treat for you and yours. If you’re working from home and need a change of scenery, check out Industrious, Broadway Plaza’s new co-working space which opens in late January.

Parking is convenient in one of the downtown garages (City garages are free for the 1st hour) or utilize one of the purple poles, $1/ hour parking meters (up to 10 hours) located in the downtown perimeter. Be sure to try out the ParkMobile App – you’ll be thrilled with the convenience! Download the App to pay for parking, receive a notification when your time is running out, and extend your time without returning to the meter.

We look forward to seeing you downtown!

Northgate Football

Northgate High School

By Zack Torrey, Northgate Football

I

t was a bounce back season for the Bronco Football team in 2019.

After a brutal schedule and some injuries in 2018, Northgate Football worked hard in the off season and put together a winning overall season with a record of 6 - 4. They also had a winning league record of 3 - 2. Led by Senior Captains Jackson Malakoff, Eric Prough, Nathan Wu and Max Berrien, the Broncos generated multiple blowout wins including strong road victories at Hercules, Hugg High in Reno, and Ygnacio Valley. Dominic Balastieri and Cooper Champion lead the powerful offensive and defensive lines with excellent year long efforts from Josh Moorhouse, Isaac Owen and Tyler Johnson among others. Jonathan Campbell was a punishing runner on offense with Mikey Mainer and Spencer Hagerstrand serving as very reliable receivers for Malakoff. The defense was lead

by Prough and saw lock-down pass coverage from Shane Kaiper as well as strong linebacker work from Dennis Bayasgalan and Andrew Daigle. Unfortunately with the North Coast Championship format going back to 8 team brackets for each division, the Broncos fell just short of making the playoffs for Division 3.

who will undoubtedly be the Senior leaders through the off season program and into the 2020 campaign. Look for another strong team to take the field next year!”

Nonetheless the season was a massive success and showed that Bronco Football is back to its’ winning ways. The future is bright for the football team as they return a large group of battle tested Juniors

NORTHGATE LIVING 15

Expert Contributor

Sciton Erbium Skin Resurfacing: Staying Forever Young

By Dr. Vivian Ting, Veritas Plastic Surgery

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ow that winter is here it is the perfect time to turn over that sun damaged skin and get ready for the spring. Good skin care combined with laser resurfacing can give you the clear and beautiful skin of your youth and fight the aging process. Veritas Plastic Surgery is the first plastic surgery practice in the East Bay to acquire the latest state of the art Sciton Joule X Erbium laser platform. This revolutionary machine has been all the rage on The Doctors and with dermatologists and plastic surgeons who offer cutting edge technology. Why Sciton? There are many types of lasers out there. Sciton offers a powerful combination of hybrid fractional resurfacing that can be tailored to your skin type using Halo, a 30 minute in-office procedure that has a couple hours of downtime and results in more youthful clearer skin with tighter pores, erasing years of acne, aging and sun damage. When combined with spot reduction with BroadBand Light (BBL), the result is phenomenal and results in the “Forever Young” rejuvenation. Clinical studies of skin cell gene expression in Sciton patients receiving regular maintenance with Forever Young treatments have shown unique expression seen only in young skin. This is the perfect method for maintaining a youthful appearance in younger patients and reversing aging in older skin. Patients who have annual Sciton treatments appear younger in their 50’s than when they started in their 40’s! Forever Young can be delivered to skin types I through IV. The same platform can be used for Skin Tyte (fine lines), spider vein reduction and hair removal.

ClearSilk is a final skin rejuvenating modality that is great for all skin types. Start the new year with a clearer and younger you!

Before and after Halo + BBL photos are courtesy of Sciton.

BEFORE

AFTER

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JANUARY 2020

Charity Spotlight

Teen and Parent Service Organization is an opportunity for high school girls and their moms to volunteer together Hamming it up after the

By Rylie and Kathy Lawrence, Residents since 2002 and 2000

What is the mission of the TAPS organization?

One of the three main pillars of TAPS service is ‘service with a joyful heart’, and that really represents what the Teen and Parent Service organization is all about.

We are an entirely volunteer run, mom and daughter service organization; we assist a lot of different charities, from volunteering at local fundraiser walks for ALS or Alzheimers to participating in fashion shows for the American Cancer Society Thrift Store. However, our strongest connection is with an organization called Love A Child, based in Bay Point, which serves mothers and children in one of the largest homeless recovery shelters in the county. We organize several events each year for and with the families that are there.

We’ve also recently been participating in collections for fire victim relief. One nice thing about being a small, local organization is that you can adjust easily to changing community needs.

What made you want to volunteer to be part of TAPS? How long have you been part of it?

Rylie joined as a freshman and is now finishing up her 4th and last year with TAPS; it is designed with a 4-year plan to take members through high school. It was started in 2002 by several Northgate area moms. We now have members who attend various local high schools, including Northgate, Carondelet, and Las Lomas.

TAPS is a great way to provide service to local charities and make an impact in our part of the Bay Area.

Why do you feel it’s important to volunteer and “give back” to the community?

We have so much more in our Northgate community than many other neighborhoods in the Bay Area. By helping others, it teaches us that people have more similarities than differences, and that even the ‘small’ things like a meal, a book, playing some games, or

American Cancer Society Thrift Shop’s fashion show in downtown Walnut Creek

just listening can mean so much to others.

What are some of your best memories or experiences from your time in TAPS? One of the projects we plan is putting on a day long ‘carnival’ for the mothers and kids at Love A Child. Rylie was responsible one year for collecting clothes and accessories for a no cost ‘boutique’ we provided for the residents. We were astonished at the generosity of so many people in our community – our entire front room of our house was filled with bags two deep, that we collected in just a week or two. It was overwhelming and memorable.

We periodically go out to do what we call Random Acts of Kindness – one year we went to downtown Walnut Creek and put money in meters that were about to expire, helped people with their grocery carts, things like that. It was interesting how small acts can turn someone’s day around. And hopefully the kindness is shared forward by those we help.

Please share a special story about your volunteer experience?

Rylie: One of my favorite memories was participating in Jump In, where we teach the kids from Love A Child how to swim and about water safety, play games and have snacks. In my first week I was paired with a little girl about 7 years old. She was pretty afraid of the water at first, so we started out just hanging out in the kiddie pool. Every week she came back even more excited to learn how to swim. She eventually tried the “big kids” pool. By the end of the summer she was able to swim around in the big pool and jump off the diving board (with floaties of course). It was really amazing to see her development throughout the summer and help her to become comfortable in doing so. Learning how to swim is something I take for granted in my life, so it’s impactful to see how special a day at the pool is for these kids.

The Class of 2020 putting together care packages for teens who have been victims of sexual assault

What advice would you give people who are thinking of joining TAPS? If you are interested in service and would like to participate with a group of your peers, TAPS has so much to offer. The service hours themselves are very rewarding, and we have become much more aware that other people have more extreme challenges than we do. We have also learned and improved our organizational and project planning skills.

Parents are also required to participate with volunteer hours as well, some with activities and meetings, and some with varying jobs within the organization. So the time spent with TAPS becomes a shared mom and daughter experience, which can be hard to come by during the high school years.

How can people learn more about this volunteer opportunity?

This year we are accepting applicants that are currently in 8th grade (graduation year 2024). Our annual membership drive runs from January to March each year. This year it starts January 15th and closes March 15th. If you are interested in applying for membership, an application and a recommendation form are required. You can contact Kathy, who is the Membership Chair this year, at kfinucan@outlook.com for more information, or you can visit the website at www.tapservice.org for some more information. The application and recommendation forms will be available on the website after January 15th or can be emailed to you before that date.

NORTHGATE LIVING 17

Expert Contributor

Ring in the New Year with a New Look!

By Steve Padis, Steve Padis Jewelry

H

appy New Year from our family to yours! This is the perfect time to kick off the New Year by re-doing the ring you wear and enjoy daily. Resetting your diamond is a great way to get a whole new look. Whether you have a pear-shape, marquise or a classic round brilliant diamond, we at Padis can show you the hottest new styles that you will be sure to love.

There are endless reasons as to why you would want to re-set your center diamond into a new mounting. Tired of your old setting, not happy with the quality of the ring, was not a design you truly wanted, or fell head over heels with a design you saw on Padis Jewelry’s Instagram account?

When updating a ring or remounting your center diamond, there is always the question: well what can I do with my old mounting (setting)?! There are a number of different options, some naturally more cost-effective than others.

The next option is to have it set with a colored gemstone. Sapphires, emeralds, and amethysts can turn your old mounting into a beautiful, colored-stone ring. This will allow you to keep your ring which may hold sentimental value and wear it as an alternative to your new engagement ring.

Whatever you choose, your rings should always be a reflection of your love and spark memories of the moments shared throughout your life. Our team at Padis Jewelry is happy to assist you in any way. Don’t hesitate to visit us at the Forevermark store in Broadway Plaza, give us a call or shoot us an email!

Remember, no matter the shape of your diamond, it can be remounted into a beautiful new setting. It can be difficult to let go of something with so much personal value attached to it, but Padis Jewelry can help guide you toward the best option for what to do with your piece, and make sure you are well educated in all the different options.

Concierge@padisjewelry.com

Still love your ring the way it is? Stop by for a complimentary cleaning service.

You’d be surprised at what it can do!

The first option is to keep it! Some of us like to plan ahead and think in terms of taking care of those we love, so keeping your old mounting to make a gift for a loved one, or helping your soon to be son-in-law marry your daughter, is one sentimental option. You can set a complimentary cubic zirconia in it and keep it as a travel ring for vacations.

18

JANUARY 2020

NORTHGATE LIVING 19

Happy Holidays!

Pending 20928 Wilbeam Avenue, Castro Valley 2070 Shell Ridge Trail, Walnut Creek 117 Brodia Way, Walnut Creek 3559 Eris Court, Walnut Creek (Not on MLS) 616 Harrogate Court, Walnut Creek

$13,950,000 $2,700,000 $2,250,000 $1,450,000 $1,295,000

Just Sold 53 Hidden Oaks Drive, Lafayette 111 Brodia Way, Walnut Creek 3707 Northgate Woods Court, Walnut Creek 123 Brodia Way, Walnut Creek 760 Northgate Road, Walnut Creek 4215 Arbolado Drive, Walnut Creek 705 Snyder Lane, Walnut Creek 3520 Eris Court, Walnut Creek 1236 Pleasant Hill Road, Lafayette 3158 Hambletonian Lane, Walnut Creek

Sold at $3,325,000 Sold at $2,850,000 Sold at $2,450,000 Sold at $2,285,000 Sold at $2,000,000 Sold at $1,775,000 Sold at $1,620,000 Sold at $1,425,000 Sold at $1,220,000 Sold at $841,000

Rita Dhillon Team 925.570.1010 Rita.Dhillon@compass.com DRE 01109990

www.RitaDhillonTeam.com

C0MPASS