Silicon Valley Local Magazine - Tara Vanderveer

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The Reininger Family Palo Alto

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San Francisco

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Walnut Creek

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San Mateo

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CONT CONT ENTS ENTS CONT ENTS Inside THE ART OF HELPING MEET Inside THE LOVE OF HELP IS MANY WHERE JENNY DEARBORN THE GAME NEEDED THE ART OF HELPING

Speaking on the art of learning, Music and Life A Fascinating Dr. Emmett Carson &HELP Silicon Valley MANY WHERE IS Conversation with Stanford’s Community Foundation developing & inspiring leadership.

NEEDED Tara VanDerveer Dr. Emmett Carson & Silicon Valley THE LOCAL STATE Community Foundation

OF REAL ESTATE Whether buying,STATE selling or just THE LOCAL interested, learn more about the OF REAL ESTATE local real estate scene Whether buying, selling or just interested, learn more about the ANDY DOLICH local real estate scene Looking Down Not Up

Inside ANDY DOLICH

THE ART OF HELPING LEADER AMONG Looking Down Not Up LEADERS Carl Guardino and MANY WHEREthe HELP IS Silicon Valley Leadership Group NEEDED LEADER AMONG LEADERS Dr. Carson & Silicon Valley CarlEmmett Guardino and the LIVEValley NEW STADIUM FOR Community Foundation Silicon Leadership Group

CONVERSATIONS MAKING SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES A special place that can’t be beat Avery COMEBACK LIVE NEW STADIUM FOR THE LOCAL STATE CONVERSATIONS MAKING SAN JOSEESTATE EARTHQUAKES OF REAL 49ERS FOUNDATION A very special place that can’t A COMEBACK Whether buying, selling or justbe beat A proud tradition on and off the Field interested, learn more about the local real FOUNDATION estate scene 49ERS A proud tradition on and off the Field

ANDY DOLICH Looking Down Not Up

DAVE RIGHETTI

A conversation with the Giants’ JOHN A. SOBRATO pitching coach And The Art of Making a Difference

DAVE RIGHETTI A conversation with the Giants’ HEALTH & FITNESS pitching coach Age is just a number

HEALTH & LOCAL FITNESS FEATURED BUSINESSES Age is just a number

THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY FEATURED LOCAL BUSINESSES A crossroads of wealth creation

THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY NORVELL ATERRI crossroads of wealth creation Accountability is motivational

TERRI NORVELL FEATUREDisCOMPANIES Accountability motivational TO WORK FOR DAVE RIGHETTI A conversation with the Giants’ FEATURED COMPANIES pitching coach JEAN-MICHEL TO WORK FORCOUSTEAU The great ocean adventure

HEALTH & FITNESS Age is just a numberCOUSTEAU JEAN-MICHEL The great ocean adventure

FEATURED LOCAL BUSINESSES Northern Cali

fornia Chapter

2013-2014

THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY A crossroads of wealth creation Northern Cali

fornia Chapter

2013-2014

TERRI NORVELL Accountability is motivational

FEATURED COMPANIES

Name: Bridgette Travis Last Podcast Listened To: Invisibilia Favorite Ride: The Coast Loop Most Fun I’ve Had: Riding the 2014 Oregon Outback Favorite Cycling Apparel: Machines For Freedom

171 University Avenue, Palo Alto • 650.328.7411 • www.paloaltobicycles.com • Hours: Mon – Fri 10am – 7pm, Sat 10am – 6pm, Sun 11am – 5pm

Ken Packer Ken Publisher & Packer Executive Editor Ken Packer Publisher & Executive Editor ken@svlocalmag.com Ken Packer Publisher & Executive Editor ken@svlocalmag.com

ROADS TO ANYWHERE, Whats right with this picture/ What’s right with this picture/ Whats right with this picture/ Whats right with this picture/ What’s right with this picture/ GOING NOWHERE FAST What’s wrong with thispicture picture Whats wrong with this Whats right with this picture/ Publisher & Executive Editor ken@svlocalmag.com ken@svlocalmag.com

Whats wrong with this picture What’s wrong with this picture Whats wrong with this picture Whats wrong with this picture

How did they know way back in 1962 … that what everyone in their everywhere. Our High Tech World here is booming and so, too, is call this seems episode, matters Think lat- commercial cerns, our worries … when wewe could be doing somany muchnew more to commute to “What experience heremost, dailymatters and we most”. still (decades real estate … and are witnessing beaumatters most, most”. cerns, worries … when we could be doing so much more er)about can’tcall seem …“What here as sung to us inmatters The Music Man:Think tiful it, this andtoepisode, itgrasp will make sense. makecorporate this aour greater community, a better world, right here, where buildings going up, meaning many, many thou- to call thisabout episode, “What matters most, matters most”.

Think cerns, our worries whencommunity, we could beadoing so muchright more to where it, and will make make thisand a… greater world, What’s right with thisit picture: In sense. just a few short years, Silicon we live, play. We need to. better sands ofwork more employees, plus thousands of new beautifulhere, apartTrouble, oh we got trouble call this episode, “What matters most, matters most”.

Think cerns, our worries … when we could be doing so much more to aboutWhat’s it, andright it willwith make this alive, greater a better world, right here, where thissense. picture: Into just few short years, Silicon make workcommunity, and play.

We need Valley has rebounded from its worst itsabest.

It is now arguMuchwe of ourcondos wealth comes from finding solutions in here, technology. ments and that I see going upto.everywhere as well.

Rightabout here with in Valley)! it,River and will(Silicon make make thisand a greater community, a better world, right here, where What’s right thisitCity picture: In sense. just few short years, Silicon we live, work play. need to.from Valley hassuccessful rebounded from itsaworst toinits best.

It isStates. now arguMuch ofasked our wealth comes finding solutions in anyone or We thought … where are … all these people and ably the most region anywhere the United It Has In programs.

In games.

Generating billions trillions of technology. dollars Trouble with a capital “T” right with from this picture: Into just few short years, Silicon Muchwe live, work and play.from We need to.solutions in technology.

ValleyWhat’s has rebounded its worst itsabest.

It in is now arguof our wealth comes finding their cars going to go … in what is already so overly congested? ably the most successful region anywhere the United States.

It In programs.

In games.

Generating billions … trillions of dollars is therhymes Gold Rush over again, the land of opportunity, milk and worth. Sports and entertainment alone are that, too. It’s the sign That withall“T” Valley hassuccessful rebounded fromanywhere its worst toinits best.

It isStates. now arguMuch of our wealthGenerating comes frombillions finding… solutions in technology. ably the most region the United It In programs.

In games. trillions of dollars is the Goldcome Rush all over again, the landmany of opportunity, milk andof theworth.

Sports entertainment honey.

People here to be successful, even ultra-suctimes and theand games we play. alone are that, too. It’s the sign And that stands for Traffic. the most successful region anywhere in the United States. worth.

It When In programs.

In games.

Generating billions … dollars is theably Gold Rush all over again, the land of opportunity, milk and Sports and entertainment alone are that, too.trillions It’s theofsign the question was recently asked for people’s opinions what honey.

People come here to behave successful, manyso even ultra-sucof the times and the gamesas we We’ve surely got trouble! cessful.

Financially speaking, things never been good …

But life is not a game.

As much weplay. have done, and do, I feel is the Goldcome Rush here all over again, the landmany of opportunity, milk and can Sports entertainment alone are that, It’sdown the sign help traffic, I wondered.

Iswe thishave what it’stoo. come honey.

People to be successful, even ultra-suctheworth. times and theand games we play.

Right here in River City (Silicon Valley), cessful.

Financially speaking, things have never been so goodof…

But with life isthe not game. much done, and do, I feel so great. collectively there isa so muchAsmore weascan do. There are many honey.

People come here to be successful, many even ultra-sucof the times and the games we play. to?lifeWe should have seen this as coming.

Is done, this the best have to cessful.

Financially things have never been so good …

But is not a game.

Asismuch we have and do,we I feel Right here! so great.time,speaking, there so much more weto can do.

There are many At the same this great region, in all the wealth and success morecollectively people coming, what will that mean what already is the offer, now, in 2016?

We have all these High Tech great minds cessful.

Financially speaking, things have never been so good …

But life is not a game.

As much as we have done, and do, I that feel so great. collectively there is so much more we can do.

There are many At the same time, this great in all the wealth and can successexisting more peoplepattern? coming,Itwhat will thatbeen meanstretched to what already that abounds us (far bigger than region, most countries!), how, then, holding has already … it willis the have helpedcoming, master continually getting and traffic Like yesterday … theand daysuccess before … more sosame great. collectively therewhat istechnology, so much more weto can do.

Therebetter are many AtToday’s the time,report? this great region, in allmost theand wealth people will that mean what already is the that abounds (far bigger countries!), then, can existing holding pattern?

It then? has already been stretched … it will you explain why weushave the 5ththan highest homeless ratehow, in the be stretched even further.

What faster.

Why can’t someone, anyone, do this with traffic and by andabounds before that it’s bad, really … wealth and forecast?

Atthe theday same time, this…great region, in bad all the and successexisting more peoplepattern? coming,Itwhat will thatbeen meanstretched to what already that us (far bigger than most countries!), how,the then, can holding has already … it willis the you explain why we have the 5th highest homeless rate in the saying be stretched even further.

What then? country?

Something’s wrong with this picture.

It’s up to us.

People will always ask, what did we do to help … to Silicon Valley,pattern?

I’m talking throughout the Bay Area, where Continue what we’re doing andthan it will onlycountries!), get worse. how, then, can existing that abounds ushave (far bigger most holding It then? has already been stretched … it will you explain why we the 5th highest homeless rate in the be stretched even further.

What country?

Something’s wrong with this picture.

It’s up to us.

People will always ask, what did we do to help You will often hear me say, “Where would we be without our help our community, to help others?

When weand lookothers: for meaning traffic is bad everywhere.

For example, Elon, While… to you explain why we havewith the 5th highest homeless rate in the It’s upbetostretched even further.

What then? country?

Something’s wrong this picture. us.

People will always ask, what did we do to help … to You not will often me say,much! would we be without our helpout ourhow community, others? look meaning Truly, they do so willIalso hear me say, tolives get … ustoittohelp Mars, etc., inWhen a record time, I wish and purpose in our comes to this … canwe we, willfor we INon say Profits?” this to be hear the bearer of“Where bad You news. think you and ev- figuring country?

Something’s wrong with this picture.

It’s up to us. People will others? always ask, what did wefor domeaning to help … to You will often hear me say, “Where would we be without our help our community, to help When we look Non Profits?”

Truly, they much!

Youother will also me say,you and purpose in our lives … comes towe thiscan. … can we, will could also figure out howwe toit get us around the Baythe Area inwe a “Where would our Non-Profits besowithout the likes ofday …”hear make a big difference where can, while It’s story eryone already realize this fordo what it is. The IIndeed, experiYou will often hear me say,much!

“Where would we be without our and purpose help ourin community, toit help others?

When we look for meaning Non Profits?”

Truly, they do so You will also hear me say, our lives … comes to this … can we, will we reasonable Seriously. would our Non-Profits befor without the likes of …”

Indeed, atime. big where while can.one, It’sitthe story enced a traffic jam that 3¼ hours, what have been there“Where are many who dowas so much to help!

Thankshould you, Silicon Valof themake starfish …difference yes, for that one, we andcan, each and we every Nonwould Profits?”

Truly, they do sowithout much! the Youlikes will also hear me say, makeand purpose in our liveswe … it comes towe thiscan. … can we, story will we “Where our Non-Profits be of …”

Indeed, a big difference where can, while It’s the 45 it took going trip that 1½ there are many who there do and so … much toanother help! you,took Silicon the starfish … yes,offor that one, and anddepend every one, leyminutes Community Foundation, SVand Gives, and Thank everyone who is aVal-doesof matter.

The quality our lives and oureach future on it “Where would our Non-Profits be without the likes of …”

Indeed, make a big difference where we can, while we can.one, It’sitthe story there are many who do so much to help!

Thank you, Silicon Valof the starfish … yes, for that one, and each and every When stop lights are out of sync, a light turns green but no one hours, when it took 20 minutes coming back.

Every day, no matSV Gives, and everyone who is what a does matter. part, ley andCommunity all our greatFoundation, Non-Profitsand ... That being said, as a commuwe do today.The quality of our lives and our future depend on there are many who do and sois) much to help!

Thank you,who Silicon Val-does of the starfish … yes, that one, anddepend everysense one, moves because the light before it and is and red, doesn’t make leyterCommunity Foundation, SV Gives, matter.

Thedoquality offor our lives oureach future on itto which direction, it great was bad. part, and all our ...and Thateveryone being said, as isa acommuwe today. nity, we are indeed so very(itNon-Profits fortunate.

Therewhat are two valleys here. There is such a divide and it’s worsCommunity and SV Gives, and everyone who is what a me.does matter.

The quality of our lives and our depend on I even see traffic that’s backed up onto thefuture freeways … and part, ley and allwe ourare greatFoundation, Non-Profits ...

That being said, as a commuwe do today. nity, very fortunate.

There areare two valleys here. There suchpeople a dividewho andhave it’s worsThe reality is thatindeed we are so one valley and two-growing-far-apartening.

There many companies andismany how many haveThere I seenisbecause of that?and I have predicted part, and all our great Non-Profits ... That being said,sometimes as a commuwhat weaccidents do today.

Yes,we noare matter which direction, you’re often stuck, nity, indeed so very There are two valleys here. such aand divide it’s worsThe reality that wefortunate. are one and while two-growing-far-apartThere many companies many people who have separate divides.is The “have’s” havevalley so much, the rest beenening. helping makeare a big difference (donating in money and/ accidents waiting to happen and sure enough.

It’s terrible and, forreality hours each day.areEvery little trip two-growing-far-apartthere’s traffic. It’s slow or ening. nity, we are indeed so very fortunate.

There areare two valleys here. There ismany suchpeople a dividewho andhave it’s–worsThe is that we one valley and There many companies and separate divides.

Theacross “have’s” so much, whilea the been helping makeboth a bigare difference (donating inthat money and/ (which includes many all thehave board) are having hardrest or volunteering in time, invaluable).

I hope many in my opinion, one ismany way too many. and many people who have non-moving or non-flowing … valley and every day it’s very stressful. been The reality is The that we are one and while two-growing-far-apartening.

There are companies separate divides. “have’s” have so much, the rest helping make a big difference (donating in money and/ (which many all across the board) are having aecohard more,orincluding volunteering in time,will both arebe invaluable). hope time.

Wehave areincludes athe limited area, facing challenges regarding companies, also so inspiredI to jointhat in. many We now worst traffic in the country?

Are we the to the grin separate divides.

Theacross “have’s” have so much, while restand or volunteering been helping makeboth a bigare difference (donating inthat money and/ (which includes many all the board) are having a hard in time, invaluable).

I hope many time.

We are a Transportation, limited area, facing challenges regarding including will to also so inspired to join nomics of Housing, Education, Non-Profits andthe Each more, and every one ofcompanies, us, collectively, can indeed make a in.

When is enough enough?

There has bebe a better way. such I hope it bear it, accept it, or many assume nothing can or willare behaving done about it? eco(which includes all across the board) a hard or volunteering in time, both are invaluable).

I hope that many time. We are a limited area, facing challenges regarding the ecomore, including companies, will also be so inspired to join in. nomics of Housing, Transportation, Education, Non-Profits and Each and every one of us, collectively, can indeed make such a is excellence we seek – to accept and tolerate what is, and what People’s Health and Well-Being.

Keeping up is one thing; getting big positive difference … beyond imagination.

It already amounts to millions of hours and billions of dollars litertime.

We are a Transportation, limited area, facing challenges regarding the eco-Each more, including companies, will also be so inspired to join in. nomics of Housing, Education, Non-Profits and and every one of us, collectively, can indeed make such a People’s Health Well-Being.

Keeping up is of one getting big positive … think beyond imagination. will should bedifference unacceptable.

It’s not working (literally and figahead is yeteach another.

In these “great” it’son great for whom?

It’s abe, new day and age, we can outside the box, we can ally wasted year,and let alone the tolltimes, it takes all usthing; in stress. nomics of Housing, Transportation, Education, Non-Profits and big positive Each and every one of us, collectively, can indeed make such a People’s Health and Well-Being.

Keeping up is one thing; getting difference … beyond imagination.

That is positive farand from excellence.

We have a problem right, ahead is yet another. these “great” times, it’s currently great for whom?uratively). a new day age, we can think outside the box, we can Unbelievably, nearly 20% ofInSilicon Valley residents makeIt’s such a big difference together right here atall home People’s Health and Well-Being.

Keeping up is one thing; getting big positive difference … think beyond imagination. ahead is yet another.

In these “great” times, it’s great for whom?

It’s a new day and age, we can outside the box, we can and it really needs fixing, fast, while we’re continually stuck in trafIlive wanted to write my column this topic because …

I care. … it’smake nearly 20% ofonharder Silicon Valley residents currently inUnbelievably, poverty … and it’s getting for many to make ends time.such a big positive difference together right here at home ahead is yet another. these “great” times, it’s currently great for whom?

It’s a new day and age, we the box, Unbelievably, nearly 20% ofInSilicon Valley residents make such a big positive difference together right here at we home fic here, going nowhere.

It’llcan onlythink get outside worse, far worse (if can that’s One accident is one accident too many.

Our loved ones are prelive in poverty … and it’s getting harder for many to make ends … it’s time. meet. That’s not too sustainable.

Unbelievably, nearly 20% of Silicon Valley residents currently make such a big positive difference together right here at home All the best, possible, and unfathomably, it is) rather than better, if we don’t. live in poverty … and it’s getting harder for many to make ends … it’s time. cious.

Our arenot precious.

Our health too,all: is to our meet.

That’s too I would likelives to suggest thissustainable. possibility to is allprecious; of us, oneso,and live in poverty … do andbetter. it’s getting harder for many toWhat makeIends … it’s time. well-being.

We can We need toto doall better. am meet.

That’s not too I would like tosustainable. suggest possibility of us, one and all: to All the best, please step up.

We are all sothis busy living in our busyness, our conmeet.

That’s not too seeing, though, is I believe an alarming cause for concern …to I would like tostep suggest thissustainable. possibility to all of us, all: please up. We are all so busy living inone our and busyness, our conI would like to suggest this possibility to all of us, one and all: to please step up. We are all so busy living in our busyness, our conIn case youstep haven’t noticed, is soliving muchinbuilding going on please up. We are allthere so busy our busyness, our… con-

II II

4 8 T H A N N UA L

2015-16 Foothill College Celebrity Forum Michio Kaku, Ph.D.

October 21, 22, 23

He is a theoretical physicist and futurist. While at Cubberley High School in Palo Alto, he famously built an atom smasher in his parent’s garage. He has the ability to make complex scientific ideas not only understandable but also fascinating.

Michele Bachmann vs.

Donna Brazile

November 18, 19, 20

Michele Bachman was a congresswoman best known for her conservative Tea Party politics and her candidacy for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. Donna Brazile is an American author, academic, political analyst and Vice Chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee.

Andrew Fraknoi

March 23, 24, 25

He is a popular, award-winning astronomy professor at Foothill College and the 2007 California Professor of the Year. The International Astronomical Union has designated an asteroid in his name for his contributions to science education and to the public understanding of astronomy.

Katie Couric

April 20, 21, 22

She co-hosted The Today Show for 15 years, was anchor of the CBS Evening News and a correspondent for 60 Minutes.

She has interviewed many of the world’s most famous political figures and celebrities. She is Yahoo’s Global News Anchor, an award-winning journalist and best–selling author.

Mark Russell

January 20, 21, 22

He is America’s best-known political satirist and comedian who also sings and plays the piano. Known for skewering Democrats and Republicans alike, he says his jokes and songs are very topical and have “a shelf life shorter than cottage cheese.”

Malcolm Gladwell

February 17, 18, 19

He is a master storyteller on how ideas spread in The Tipping Point, on the roots of success in Outliers, and in his latest, David and Goliath, on how we think about underdogs and misfits. He is a staff writer for The New Yorker and was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people.

Bill Maher

May 18, 19, 20

He is an American political satirist, writer, producer, political commentator, television host, actor, media critic and standup comedian. Fran Lebowitz, who is an author known for her sardonic social commentary on American life, will interview him.

• • • • •

Doors open at 7 p.m.

Programs begin at 8 p.m.

Programs are 90 minutes total.

There are no intermissions.

All programs are presented at the Flint Center on the De Anza College campus.

Voted Best Lecture Series in the Nation by The International Platform Association

www.celebrityforum.net

Editorial Contributors Scott Budman Award-Winning Reporter

Scott Budman is an Emmy award-winning reporter, who appears nightly on NBC Bay Area News, as well as on KNBR radio. He is the co-creator and host of the syndicated NBC program “TechNow,” which airs Saturday nights at 6:30pm.

Scott has covered Silicon Valley since 1995, and is still on the lookout for interesting personalities, startups, and gadgets.

A Bay Area native, Scott was born in Oakland, and attended Skyline High School before heading south to UCLA. You can reach him at scott.budman@nbc.com. He’s also on Twitter: @scottbudman

Marina Gavric

Marina Gavric Health & Fitness Training Marina is a long time fitness enthusiast. She is a Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Fitness & Sports Nutritionist. She has a BA in Fitness Leadership, and enjoys being a Bootcamp Specialist, a Functional Movement Specialist and a TRX Suspension Training Specialist. Marina has over 20 years of experience motivating individuals to safe and effective fitness, including health and wellness lifestyle changes, while achieving their fitness goals. She is trained in and extremely passionate about weight loss, strength training, as well as endurance and athletic programming. Being a long time runner and body builder, she often takes part in community runs & events and is a strong promoter of sustainable living. As an independent Personal Trainer & Nutritionist, Marina is a corporate trainer throughout the Bay Area, plus she also meets with and trains her private clientele. www.marinagavric.com

Jan Hutchins

Former News Anchor & Mayor of Los Gatos Jan Hutchins is a yogi, shaman and sage. He’s been professionally involved with transformational arts like health, sports, consciousness and yoga for more than 40 years. He’s the owner of the Yoga Center of Los Gatos (since 2001) where his authentic spirit, healing energy, wisdom, sense of humor and attention to individual needs make his classes unique. A Yale graduate, Hutch has lived transformation, excelling at several careers prior to opening the Yoga Center. For 20 years he was a television journalist in the Bay Area. He’s run Community PR for the San Francisco Giants, produced Emmy award winning children’s television programs and held numerous public service positions, including serving as Mayor of Los Gatos. He is active in the ManKind Project (mkp.org) doing his own inner work and helping initiate men into their sacred masculinity.

Andy Dolich Andy Dolich is a Partner in Odgers Berndtson’s North American Sports Practice based out of San Francisco. He joined Odgers Berndtson in 2013, bringing over four decades of experience in the professional sports industry. From 2007-2010, he was the COO of the National Football League’s San Francisco 49ers, where he was responsible for all revenue generating operations. Previously, he held two executive positions in the National Basketball Association, including President of Business Operations for the Memphis Grizzlies and President and COO of the Golden State Warriors. Andy has a BA in government from American University and an MA in sports management from Ohio University.

He currently serves on a number of sports industry and community-invested boards and organizations, and is also an instructor at Stanford’s School of Continuing Education.

Editorial Contributors

(continued)

Porcia Chen Silverberg

Executive Director, Thrive - The Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo Porcia brought over twenty years of experience in public relations, marketing, sales and social entrepreneurship to Thrive over 6 years ago. A collaborations advocate at heart, in 2001 Porcia founded the National Center for Community Collaboration (NCCC) based in Denver, while she was in charge of community relations for the Rocky Mountain Public Broadcasting Network. NCCC is dedicated to inspire community-based partnerships across public, private and nonprofits organizations through exchange of knowledge and resources.

Porcia is a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum, Silicon Valley; graduate of the Redwood City/ San Mateo County Chamber Leadership Program and the San Mateo County Citizen’s Academy.

She also serves on the Peninsula Partnership Leadership Council.

Russell Hancock

President & CEO, Joint Venture Silicon Valley Russell Hancock is President & CEO of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network, a position he has held since 2003. In this role Dr. Hancock is best described variously: as a civic leader, community gatherer, institution builder, social entrepreneur, and outspoken advocate for regionalism.

Since taking the helm of Joint Venture he has quadrupled the size of the organization; assembled a potent board filled with mayors, CEOs and university presidents; built strategic partnerships; recruited a highly talented staff; and launched initiatives that are delivering measurable results to the region.

Russell is also the founder of the annual State of the Valley conference, a “town hall” meeting attracting more than 1,500 leaders for a day spent in dialogue and discussion about the Valley’s opportunities. The conference features the release of Joint Venture’s Silicon Valley Index, a document now receiving national and international attention.

Dr. Hancock’s leadership in the Silicon Valley region builds on earlier work he led as Vice President of the Bay Area Council (1994-1999). There, he spearheaded the campaign extending BART to the San Francisco Airport. He also directed a broadly-based effort which ultimately created the Bay Area Water Transit Authority, charged with delivering a highspeed ferry system to the San Francisco Bay. Educated at Harvard in the field of government, Russell received a Ph.D. in political science from Stanford University where he currently teaches in the Public Policy Program. Fluent in Japanese, Russell returned to Stanford in 2000 to become the inaugural director of the Shorenstein Forum for Asia-Pacific Studies, Stanford’s gathering place for ranking officials, senior executives, journalists, and scholars who shape outcomes in the Pacific Rim. In addition to the research output of the Forum, he built up corporate programs, established international fellowships, raised money, and generated public events featuring a stream of presidents and ministers.

Editorial Contributors

(continued)

Muhammed Chaudry

President & CEO, Silicon Valley Education Foundation Muhammed Chaudhry is President & CEO of the Silicon Valley Education Foundation. He is one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent voices for education and serving the underserved student. Under his leadership, SVEF has become the leading education foundation in the South Bay supporting students, teachers, parents and the larger academic community. He has supported children and education causes since his days at San Jose High Academy when he led several youth campaigns aimed at improving the lives of students. Later at San Jose State University, he worked summer jobs as a city recreation leader, tutoring “at-risk” youngsters and teens in math and English and encouraging them to achieve in school and go to college. He has forged partnerships with the business, technology, academic and civic communities to advance education causes, such as improving high school graduation rates and overall college and career readiness, and raising student performance in the critical areas of math and science to help narrow the student achievement gap.

He is especially focused on developing intervention programs – particularly in the STEM fields of math and science – to help struggling youngsters reach for college and become Silicon Valley’s next leaders and innovators.

Prior to leading SVEF, Chaudhry held management positions in brand marketing with The Clorox Company and Dazzle Multimedia. He also worked for IBM. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from San Jose State University and is a graduate fellow of the Stanford Executive Leadership Program. He serves on numerous community boards, including the California Consortium of Education Foundations, the Hispanic Foundation and Partners in School Innovation.

He is an active member of San Jose Rotary Club and personal interests include golf, long-distance running and volunteering with various philanthropic causes, including the national Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Youth Association and its “Muslims for Peace” initiative. He resides in San Jose with his wife, Rabia, and their 6-month-old twins.

Contact him at muhammed.chaudhry@svefoundation.org or on Twitter: @macrhamuhammed.

Carole Pertofsky

Director, Wellness and Health Promotion Services, Stanford University Carole Pertofsky, M.Ed., is Director, Wellness and Health Promotion Services at Stanford University, national speaker, and seminar leader. She teaches positive psychology, mindfulness and wellness courses at Stanford University, businesses, Esalen Institute, and other leading retreat and seminar venues. She is co-founder of “Tools for Healing”, a non-profit wellness support for individuals living with life-threatening illnesses. Carole is a certified leadership and wellness coach and consultant for individuals, and teams focused on high performance. She is the recipient of numerous grants and awards.

Editorial Contributors

(continued)

Julie Hart Conde Wedding and Event Planner Owner of Celebrations By Heart

Julie Hart Conde, wedding & event planner, is the owner of Celebrations By Heart (a full service wedding & event planning company). Julie has spent her entire working life in the service industry. She studied Hospitality Management at University of San Francisco and has extensive expertise in catering, restaurants and hotels (Embassy Suites, Hyatt and Joie de Vivre Hotels). All of this experience (both hands on and in management), as well as her deep passion and enjoyment for serving people and making their lives easier, inspired her to create Celebrations By Heart to help brides and grooms plan meaningful, authentic and memorable weddings.

Terri Norvell

CEO, Trust Yourself Now – a people development company Terri Norvell is a breakthrough speaker and founder of Trust Yourself Now – a people development company. Prior to 1996 Terri was VP of Training & Marketing for a $1.2B Silicon Valley property management & development company; GM of a $9M temporary housing firm; President of the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce; Founding Board member for the Housing Industry Foundation and the Mountain View Performing Arts Center. Terri is co-author with Jack Canfield and Ken Blanchard of the highly-acclaimed book, The Masters of Success.

Terri@TrustYourselfNow.com www.TrustYourselfNow.com

Jean-Michel Cousteau

Explorer, Environmentalist, Founder, Ocean Futures Society Since first being “thrown overboard” by his father at the age of seven with newly invented SCUBA gear on his back, Jean-Michel has been exploring the ocean realm. The son of ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, Jean-Michel has investigated the world’s oceans aboard Calypso and Alcyone for much of his life. Honoring his heritage, Jean-Michel founded Ocean Futures Society in 1999 to carry on this pioneering work.

Ocean Futures Society, a non-profit marine conservation and education organization, serves as a “Voice for the Ocean” by communicating in all media the critical bond between people and the sea and the importance of wise environmental policy. As Ocean Future’s spokesman, Jean-Michel serves as an impassioned diplomat for the environment, reaching out to the public through a variety of media.

Watching Your Health?

By Scott Budman

I

t will tell you the time. The weather. Your stock prices. You can book an Uber ride, a hotel room, or a pizza, all by touching the screen.

But, unlike your smartphone, you don’t have to expend the effort to take it out of your pocket.

After all the hype, the Apple Watch is here. My first impression? It’s an awful lot like an iPhone – not that that’s a bad thing – but with Budman a much smaller screen.

Now, to be honest, if you’ve already spent the money for a smartphone (and are spending more money on the monthly data plan), do you really need its mini-me?

Which brings me to my second impression.

Admittedly, I haven’t worn a watch since buying my first cell phone. But the Apple Watch will, eventually, be a lot more than just another way to check your text messages. It may take awhile, but this could be the next wave of devices: Connected, literally, to our bodies, and telling us a lot about what’s going on in our world.

And by “our world,” I mean a lot more than text messages and stocks. Before rolling out the Watch, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased a feature called ResearchKit that will collect health data from Apple devices. If you agree to it, your data would be collected anonymously and studied by doctors.

The possibilities here go way beyond ordering food or making a phone call from your wrist. It could soon mean a new way to fight diseases. Silicon Valley companies like 23andme have been collecting DNA for purposes like this.

Imagine if millions of us could learn about, and fight, a disease like Parkinson’s by wearing a watch. App makers are already working to help; Doctors and hospitals are already lining up to collect data.

We in Silicon Valley are always on the lookout for the next “New” thing. The Apple Watch is the next entry. Look for brisk sales in the beginning, and lots of imitators. But what happens next should be even more interesting.

And, dare I say, healthy.

Scott is the business & tech reporter for NBC Bay Area. He’s on Twitter: @scottbudman

A culinary oasis in Silicon Valley “The Lion & Compass is to the Silicon Valley what Sardi’s was to the theater district.”

—The New York Times

For more than a quarter of a century, the Lion & Compass has maintained a special status in the Silicon Valley.

Opening in 1982, the Lion & Compass quickly established its reputation as the premiere dining spot for the hightech cognescenti.

From business dining and banquets, private corporate events, wedding receptions, to a fine dining experience for two, the Lion & Compass is a culinary oasis in the Silicon Valley.

1023 North Fair Oaks Avenue Sunnyvale, California 94089 (408) 745-1260 http://www.lionandcompass.com

BayAreaMags.com Greetings to all, Welcome to our new website BayAreaMags.com! For your convenience, we’ve established a single gateway to the information you seek via our various publications that include Silicon Valley Local, Peninsula Local, San Francisco Local, East Bay Local and Finally Friday Weekend Magazine, with more to come.

We hope that you have shared in the excitement of some of our recent cover features that have included Jed York, Owner/CEO San Francisco 49ers, Larry Baer, CEO San Francisco Giants, Lew Wolff, Owner Oakland A’s and Congresswoman Jackie Speier. We simply couldn’t deliver without our terrific team of editorial contributors who lend their expertise and insight to what’s going on in the Bay Area.

And what about what our readers have contributed? When you’re wondering what to do on a weekend in the Bay Area, be sure to visit FinallyFriday.com.

Since October 2007, community members, like you and me, have been sharing what’s fun – old or new, refined or funky!

Be on the lookout as we begin publishing our network of Webzines in selected cities throughout the U.S. Read us soon, Rich Borell, Founder & CEO and our discerning mascot, Hailey

YOU’RE

FIRED

A Commentary About Life in Sports … or Sports in Life

By Andy Dolich “You’re Fired” is the signature line from “His Hairness,” and Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump. It’s also the dreaded theme line for “Black Monday”, the NFL’s season ending house cleaning of coaches, GMs and other team player personnel staff after the last game of the season.

big fat severance check.

The NFL’s “Black Monday” and other high level sports job terminations aren’t close to the definition of fired that many real life workers have to deal with. In the big time world of sports the terminees have the following safety nets which don’t define fired.

Looking Down Not Up

By Andy Dolich

CONTENT IS KING

By Monday January 4th, 2016 the San Francisco 49ers Jim TomWhy would you want to buy a super pricey sula, Philadelphia Eagles Chip Kelly, Cleveland Browns Coach CONTRACTS: ticket to sit behind home plate when MLB.com At a recent sports industry forum there was a Mike Pettine and GM Ray Farmer, NY Giants Tom Coughlin (res- Most employees don’t have guaranteed contracts or agents offers access to every one of its 2,430 regular fair amount of discussion ignation) were told to clean out their desks, lockwho havegames negotiated iron clad deals their NFL season for $130?

We nowonhave regarding the “Looking ers, vacate their V.I.P. parking spaces and turn in behalf.

Nothing is more comforting than knowRed Zone, NHL Center Ice, NBA Gametime and Down Not Up” media the playbooks they helped write and coach from. ing youLive. have There a few years of much incomevideo comingand yourstatistic MLS is so mode of how Millennials way even though you no longer have a job. information that you’ll need to have as many and many other two-eyed This group was told “Thanks” for your combined eyes as the Jumping Spider who has four sets creatures are consuming record of 20-43 in 2015/16, “You're Fired.” In adPENSIONS: watch the cornucopia of choices. Looking dow their favorite spectator dition a number of assistant coaches, GMs and Even if you never work again, almost all player becoming much more compelling, Look Up an sports. other football personnel staff were told that they personnel people are covered by league wide you may miss something. Confusing.

It’s yesterday’s news, had received the ultimate challenge flag and afpension plans. As we know most businesses are especially in Siliconia, ter further review no longer capital had jobs. seeing deepDEN cutbacks or ANYWAY? no pension plans at all WHOSE IS IT thethey worldwide for their and file employees.of viewing a game in Therank visual experience of innovation, that our No matter howlives tough it is to lose a big time ANDY DOLICH a stadium has been changed by the Cowboys are crowded with coaching job, I super think it’s about time to erase the IMMEDIATE gargantuanREHIRE: LED center hung “galaxy’s largest” communicating devices.

The sports world word “Fired” from the vocabulary of professional and big time Hi, I’m Chip Kelly “Fired” by the Philadelphia Eagles I washow har at AT&T Stadium in Dallas.

No and matter continues to keep shrinking through hypercollege sports. connectivity. There are several mega-trends out of a job for you an incredibly stressful 15 days. try to look down at actual players and live

that I’ve diagnosed which are changing, cash

game action on the field your eyes will be pull

Here’s why. In the real worldand when you lose your there islandscape.

MEDIA GLAREto the board. This is an analog of the Looking registering confusing the job sporting usually a security person or HR representative with a card- The regular working person doesn't have to but, deal with a bunch it tak Down Not Up equation nonetheless, board box telling you to pack up your desk, hand in your cell of media hounds outside their house wondering what they’ll you away from live action.

A PICTURE’S WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS phone, key card, laptop and your dignity as you are shown do next.

For the big time names this can actually help keep Fans want the best possible experience an Technology sometimes hinders human theythem willindetermine which way want to the door. the public eye on the waythey to their integration. It’s clear that millions of us now watch/communicate with their favorite teams/ next job. communicate through pictures and videos and sports.

That being said, it’s hard to give a stan The vast majority of people less in words, especially if they are big with lots of ovation with a phone in your“The hand.

Sports fan who lose theirletters. jobs don’t The best news of all is that Donald” The heck with baseball cards, box scores, are thedoesn’t ultimate committed customers necessarily know where currently own a pro franchise. - they w 8x10 glossies and printed programs - let me send do what they want no matter what the next paycheck is Walt Michael’s was the last coachthe to marke you an Instagram. Here’s a shot of my favorite mavens have up their sleeves. coming from but they hear his signature: “You’re Fired” when linebacker walking his Schnauzer in Santa Clara. know that theThe discusTrump cashiered him in 1986 as positive interactivity of fans at games is going sion with the spouse/ coach of his USFL New Jersey to be changed if we pay no attention to the fans sitting family isn’t going to right next to us.

Generals. Just think of all peohave a happy ending ple in our nation’s capital who with a fairy godmother will hear ‘The Donald’s” favorshowing up waving a ite line on November 9, 2016.

CHANGE THE WAY YOU LOOK AT IDEAS.

For over 25 years, the Churchill Club has been a place in Silicon Valley for important people to say important things. We encourage an open exchange of ideas and different perspectives in pursuit of innovation, economic growth, and societal benefit. That’s a noble cause, no matter how you see the world.

churchillclub.org

™

Mike Wasserman

Santa Clara County Supervisor, District 1 One of the many services provided by Santa Clara County govern-

• Easily view closure information for food facilities that are imme-

ment is protecting consumers by conducting restaurant health

diately closed due to a major violation

inspections. The results of the inspections are now easier than

• More information about the placard color and compliance score

ever for the public to access. Simply download the County’s new

• Submit feedback to the Department

SCCDineOut mobile app to find out whether or not a local restaurant is in compliance with food safety laws. Launched recently by the County Department of Environmental Health (DEH), the SCCDineOut app is the latest product in the County’s effort to inform residents about the food safety compliance records of area food facilities.

By using SCCDineOut or scanning the QR code on any posted Green, Yellow, or Red colored inspection placard, diners can gain immediate access to the most recent food inspection results for a restaurant, including any specific violations. They will also be able to view a list of restaurants that have been closed for food safety violations during the last six months. The most recent inspection reports are readily available online as well at https://services.sccgov.org/facilityinspection The information online and on SCCDineOut is in easy-to-understand language. The colored placards are issued as Environmental Health Specialists conduct inspections throughout the year. Inspection schedules vary and depend on the historical compliance of food facilities. The inspections are more frequent for facilities that have had violations.

Features of the new SCCDineOut app include: - Inspection results for thousands of food facilities within Santa Clara County • Search by food facility name or those near your current location

• Sort inspection results by compliance score

Mike Wasserman

• View contact information for food facilities

Santa Clara County Supervisor, District 1

Y our

s mi l e i sour

t op pr i or i t y .

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Change Is Good… Right?

Commentary by Rich Borell • CEO & FOUNDER BAY AREA MAGS

Hello Everyone,

The airport currently has flights to Japan and China. In

I recently took a business trip that flew me to several cities;

2016 British Airways will begin flights to London along with

Minneapolis, St. Louis, Nashville, Atlanta and Houston. I

Lufthansa flying nonstop to Frankfurt … timing couldn’t be

thought it would be interesting to compare the various air-

better for a name change.

ports in those cities to Mineta San Jose International Airport.

My opinion; I believe our airport ranks very well. However,

For basic marketing purposes the geographic significance

I feel there’s only one thing that need

of calling it Silicon Valley Interna-

addressed … an airport name change.

tional Airport makes sense for simple branding purposes. I believe it

A few years back, I had the opportuni-

should reflect the area and the con-

ty to see former President Bill Clinton

tributions that come out of Silicon

speak at De Anza College. He spoke

Valley.

briefly about his first campaign... campaigning on change … change

Mr. Mineta is a great man. He has

is good. So isn’t it time we strongly consider changing the

served us well with dignity and honor. However, if asked, I

airport name to Silicon Valley International Airport?

don’t feel he would be offended if we renamed our airport to something more representative of the accomplishments

When we see our South Bay area in the local, national and

and strengths of our home.

world news, we are addressed as “Silicon Valley”. . We are home to some of the world’s best and biggest companies and smart-

Why not honor our great area by naming the airport Silicon

est minds. Our technology has changed people’s lives!

Valley International Airport?

Pe t er C assara C lot hiers

S un n y va l e - M en ’s S ui t - M en ’s Dr e s s - I ta l i a n S ui t s

pe terc assara

842 West El Camino Real, Sunnyvale 408-733-1234

w w w. p e t e r c a s s a r a c l o t h i e r s . c o m

FERTILITY PRESERVATION 5 Things You Should Know

By Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh

Your fertility isn’t skin deep. It’s as simple as that. Just because you look like you’re 28 when you’re 42, doesn’t mean your ovaries are the same. Unlike men who don’t run out of sperm, it is totally normal and expected for every woman to run out of eggs by a certain age. The average age of menopause is 51 and it’s very difficult to get pregnant during the 10 years leading up to that age.

Some of us are born with more eggs or run out at a slower rate but at the end of the day most women are not fertile in their 40’s.

It’s unfair for women to be made to feel like there’s something wrong with them when they’re told they’re not fertile at the age of 40. Not many women are fertile in their 40’s. Empower yourself with knowledge about your fertility so you can learn more about your options.

Running out of eggs doesn’t mean you also run out of options. Women in their 40’s often turn to more creative ways to grow their family: donor eggs, donor embryos and adoption just to name a few. I find that most of my patients who see me over the age of 40 say they wish they had frozen their eggs when they could have. Women today sadly learn that they’re running out of eggs at the same time that they decide to start a family. Egg freezing technology has changed dramatically over the past 5 years or so.

Women don’t have to say that they wish they froze their eggs 10 years ago…..a time when egg freezing success rates weren’t as good as they are today. The time is now to ask your doctor whether egg freezing is for you. Here’s what you should know: 1. There are tests you can do to find

Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh Photos by Jennifer Crandall

out more about your fertility. Your doctor can order an Anti Mullerian Hormone level (AMH) as a guide regarding how much battery you have in your biological clock.

Cycle day 3 FSH and estradiol levels and an antral follicle count (ultrasound looking at your ovaries often done by a reproductive endocrinologist) can also be used clinically as a guide.

2. If your Mom or other female family members had fertility issues related to conditions like endometriosis or early menopause, you should strongly consider preserving your fertility and seeing a doctor

to talk more about your options.

3. There are some medical conditions that require drug treatments that can be what we call “gonadotoxic” ie result in damage to eggs or sperm.

Patients who are diagnosed with conditions like Lupus, blood disorders, and cancer are often put on chemotherapeutic Dr. Eyvazzadeh has been hosting “Egg Freezing Parties” designed to raise awareness of fertility issues since 2014. drugs. Freezing eggs/sperm Harvard Medical School, she completed a can give these patients a chance for pregnancy in the future fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility at University of Michigan. She after their treatment is over if they run out also completed a Masters in Public Health in of eggs earlier because of the treatments.

Health Management and Policy at University 4. Freezing eggs for future use is best in of Michigan. She has a private practice in younger women because our eggs have a the SF Bay Area. higher chance of being viable the younger Each day she hears story after story we are. If you’re considering freezing your from women struggling to conceive. In her eggs in your late 30’s, you could still have a attempt to alleviate some of this heartbreak, good chance for pregnancy. Speaking with she has gone on a mission of “fertility a fertility specialist would be helpful before awareness”. Her hope is to empower you decide to freeze your eggs. women at an early age, making them more 5. Egg freezing involves a surgical aware of their own personal fertility levels procedure. Women have to take selfadministered shots in the skin of their lower and allowing them to be better educated about their options. Never again does she abdomen for about 10 days prior to the egg want to hear “If I had known 10 years ago extraction procedure.

To hear more about the process of IVF or that my egg reserves were running low, I would have done things differently”. egg freezing, please read Dr. Aimee’s next In 2014, she launched her message with article.

“Egg Freezing Parties”. These hosted parties Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh is a native of offer women a chance to learn more about the Bay Area. She is a graduate of UCLA egg freezing and ask their questions in a School of Medicine. After completing her comfortable, safe environment with likeresidency in Obstetrics & Gynecology at minded women.

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and

State of the Valley THE WORLD’S HOTTEST ECONOMY

By Russell Hancock President & Chief Executive Officer, Joint Venture Silicon Valley

T

he world’s hottest regional economy keeps getting hotter.

Our current pattern of growth really must be characterized as extraordinary. We’re poised now to blow through all the employment, venture capital and patent records that were set during the crazy dot-com period, only this time we haven’t spiked into it. We’ve arrived here Russell Hancock through a steady five-year process of incremental growth, each year more impressive than the last.

There’s little talk of bubble this time, and with so many promising new areas of development (big data, the internet of things, security and encryption, boutique manufacturing, the share economy) it seems our region will keep growing for the foreseeable future.

This kind of growth is a thing to celebrate, surely. But there are perils associated with prosperity, and anybody trying to navigate their way around the region feels it. The growth is straining our infrastructure, and putting housing out of reach for too many. Perhaps most vexing of all, the growth is uneven. Though we’re proliferating high-wage and low-wage jobs, we’re steadily losing share in the middle. It’s as if the economy has lost its spine, and this has important implications for the kind of community we become.

Documenting these developments is the purpose of Joint Venture and our Silicon Valley Institute for Regional Studies, which produces the annual Silicon Valley Index, a comprehensive analysis of the economic strength and overall

health of our region.

Here are the highlights from the 2015 Index: Jobs – The number of new jobs grew by 4.1 percent, bringing the region’s job total to nearly 1.5 million. Silicon Valley added 57,951 new jobs between Q2 2013 and Q2 2014; San Francisco added another 18,499 for a total of 76,450 in Silicon Valley and San Francisco.

Investment– Venture capital investments in Silicon Valley and San Francisco shot up, reaching $14.5 billion in the first three quarters of 2014 alone – more than in any other year since 2000.

San Francisco’s share was $7.1 billion, a 68 percent spike over 2013.

IPOs/M&A – 23 of the 275 U.S. Initial Public Offerings in 2014 were by Silicon Valley companies, three more than the prior year. As of Q3 2014, Silicon Valley was on pace to reach 2013 merger and acquisition activity levels. During that time period, there were 560 M&A deals involving Silicon Valley companies.

Innovation – The number of Silicon Valley patent registrations continued to rise, reaching 16,975 in 2013 (1,910 more than the previous year). The largest share (40 percent) of the patents was in Computers, Data Processing and Information Storage, with another 24 percent in Communications.

Population – The entire Silicon Valley region (including Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties, Fremont, Union City, Newark and Scotts Valley) grew by nearly 42,000 people between January 2013 and January 2014. During that period of time, Santa Clara County was the fastest growing county in the state at 1.5 percent – nearly twice the growth rate of the state as a whole (0.9 percent.

Income – Average annual earnings (including wages and supplements) in Silicon Valley as of Q2 2014 was $116,033, compared to $96,663 in the nine-County Bay Area, $70,847 in California and $61,489 in the United States. Median household income in 2013 in Silicon Valley was $94,534 and $79,778 in San Francisco.

Housing – Home prices and rental rates continued to rise in 2014, with a median home sale price of $757,585 (7.5 percent higher than 2013 and more than $360,000 higher than the median price throughout the state) and an average rental rate of $2,333 per month (11 percent higher than 2013) in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.

Commercial space – The amount of approved development hit skyscraper levels in FY 2013-14 to 12.9 million square feet – nearly twice the floor area of the Pentagon, the largest U.S. office building. This amount of net nonresidential development is far more than any other year over the last decade, and is 2.6 million square feet more than the last peak in 2004.

The 2015 Silicon Valley Index is accessible online at www. siliconvalleyindicators.org and may be downloaded from the Joint Venture website at www.jointventure.org.

Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone

By Mike Wasserman Santa Clara County Supervisor, District 1

Urban vacant lots may soon become lively gardens thanks to Santa Clara County’s proposed Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone.

land can now be transformed into urban farms that the entire community can enjoy.

Urban farms have been shown to increase surrounding property values, and selling crops to local stores and restaurants provide even more incentive ur Valley has a significant and vibrant agriculto join the program. Besides the economic benefits, tural history that dates back centuries. The which are considerable, there are other direct imregion’s soil is rich and the weather ripe for agriculmeasurable benefits. Gardens that the entire comture. Over the past thirty years, the area affectionmunity can enjoy will greatly enhance the quality of ately known as “The Valley of the Heart’s Delight” has the neighborhood, while also creating opportunibeen transformed from farmland to the epicenter of ties such as: providing healthy nutrition, educationthe tech industry.

MIKE WASSERMAN al programs, cooking classes, after-school garden The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, aimclubs, and better access to healthy and fresh foods ing to counter the loss of farmland and take advantage of unused for an entire community. urban areas, is proposing an Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone.

Many people have noticed the success and benefits of the numer- Most people, especially the majority who live in urban areas, have ous urban agricultural nonprofit organizations such as Veggielution grown farther apart from the farm and where their food comes popping up around large cities and neighborhoods, which provide from. Healthy farm-to-table foods are hard to come by, especially for low-income families and the homeless. Now, a greater number local residents with fresh produce and healthy food options. of people will have access to more food options; even growing it Small-scale “micro” farms have been gaining in popularity and the themselves.

County’s proposal would be among the first in California once approved by the Board of Supervisors. A voluntary agreement be- An Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone puts farming in cities, where tween the County and a landowner designates the use of vacant thousands of people will benefit. Neighborhood farms have the poparcels of land for crop production, thereby entitling the property tential to become a vital and prized community asset. This program owner to a significantly reduced property tax bill. Unused parcels of will allow micro farms to become a part of the community.

O

A SPECIAL CONVERSATION

WITH PAT WADORS, Senior Vice President of Global Talent Organization at LinkedIn

ful and fastest growing companies in Silicon Valley and the world. Pat joined LinkedIn in January 2013 “to lead its world-class talent (HR) team. In addition to hiring, retaining and inspiring top talent, Pat is also responsible for all employee related HR programs at LinkedIn, including compensation and benefits and performance management”. Since her arrival, the company has nearly tripled in size. All this, and more, is why she is one of the most respected voices in business. In this brief conversation, enjoy what is some of her vision and philosophies, as we indeed have …

SVL: How do you see HR evolving – from what it was to where it is and your vision of where you see it heading?

PW: HR is evolving from a function that is often viewed as process oriented to more of an innovative role. Typically, HR folks are not the first to deviate from the norm, but successful companies will have HR teams that are not only subject matter experts but they innovate at the same time. They are the ones in the industry that are making Human Resources hip and progressive. This is what we aspire to at LinkedIn. For instance, I am always looking to move the needle and to

yond their own boarders and think of talent issues that affect the world. They become game changers.

SVL: Regarding talent – What are some of the key elements looked for – How important are data analytics and PW: When it comes to talent I hire for humility and intellectual curiosity. The candidate needs to have a decent amount of the skills required for the role, but as long as they have humility and curiosity, then the rest can almost

The HR Organization of the Future … What Does It Mean?” nization at LinkedIn. LinkedIn is one of the most success-

ny culture. Typically, these are individuals who think be-

what can aspiring employees learn to improve?

“How LinkedIn Is Creating

Pat Wadors is Senior Vice President of Global Talent Orga-

have the ability to inspire leaders and influence compa-

gain a fresh perspective. What better way to do this, and tap into the collective brainpower, than by bringing together the best and the brightest interns from around the Bay Area? We did just that this past summer when we hosted our first ever HR Hackathon event. Teams comprised of technical and non-technical interns competed against each other to come up with the coolest, most creative, out-of-the box solutions to today’s toughest HR problems. Over 150 interns from companies across the Bay Area participated, and the energy level and breadth of ideas generated from each team was inspiring.

The future of HR is not about avoiding policies and processes, it is more about innovation and knowing what should be global vs. local, and creating unique experiences that differentiate your company. These leaders help evolve/create an amazing talent brand for their organizations and influence HR practices in their community. They are willing to experiment and compete for talent in new ways.

I meet with my peers and other HR and Talent Acquisition leaders every single week. What I am discovering, are more leaders are in that third bucket or are leaders who aspire to be in that space. It means taking more intelligent risks. They

Pat Wadors and participants of LinkedIn’s inaugural HR Hackathon.

Photo credit: Tony Chung

always be learned.

to work for. Connect with those employees and see how

I am also a strong believer in treating people beautiful-

they navigate the company. Remember – a company’s

ly. At LinkedIn we are in hyper growth and in order to

best hire is a referral from someone else at the company.

maintain our wonderful culture we need to continue to

If you really want to work somewhere try to find alum-

hire people who believe in this sentiment. We also need

ni from your alma mater that already works there, grab

to constantly reinforce our culture through our behav-

coffee with a current employee, follow the company, etc.

iors and decisions we make every

Leverage your network to help you get your next job.

day. Pulsing our employees twice a year on an employee voice sur-

SVL: HR is the catalyst - What

vey is one way in which we gauge

makes a good employee, man-

our culture and engagement.

ager, leader desirable and great

To help drive talent strategies

for the company and also for the

that truly enable our businesses

employee, himself/herself?

success – we need data. Talent Analytics is the new oil.

PW: I believe that a good em-

At LinkedIn we have built a talent analytics team to help

ployee is always learning, has a strong work ethic and is a

us find, engage, hire and retain the right people. The data

brand ambassador for their organization.

helps us understand things like where the candidates

Managers and leaders need to lead the way. They cre-

are, what skillsets they have, and who our competition is.

ate the vision that others aspire to achieve. They need to

This data also helps me keep an eye on our organization-

be authentic and treat people beautifully. They should

al health. What is our hiring pattern? Where do we have

ensure their teams are working on a good mix of proj-

the most effective leaders? What do they do different

ects that both stretches them in their skills and contrib-

that we can leverage in other teams? What are the key

utes to the success of the company. They encourage the

drivers to engagement? Data helps us solve problems

team to come to the table with solutions, not problems.

and improve as a company.

They realize that mistakes are just part of the necessary

Regarding aspiring employees they need to learn to build

learning curve and should not be hidden. They believe

out their network; connect with people who they went to

in transparency to build trust. They strive to be both em-

school with, or worked with. Add your friends and family.

powering while holding themselves and their teams ac-

Then learn about the companies and cultures you aspire

countable.

A SPECIAL CONVERSATION

WITH PAT WADORS, Senior Vice President of Global Talent Organization at LinkedIn

ful and fastest growing companies in Silicon Valley and the world. Pat joined LinkedIn in January 2013 “to lead its world-class talent (HR) team. In addition to hiring, retaining and inspiring top talent, Pat is also responsible for all employee related HR programs at LinkedIn, including compensation and benefits and performance management”. Since her arrival, the company has nearly tripled in size. All this, and more, is why she is one of the most respected voices in business. In this brief conversation, enjoy what is some of her vision and philosophies, as we indeed have …

SVL: How do you see HR evolving – from what it was to where it is and your vision of where you see it heading?

PW: HR is evolving from a function that is often viewed as process oriented to more of an innovative role. Typically, HR folks are not the first to deviate from the norm, but successful companies will have HR teams that are not only subject matter experts but they innovate at the same time. They are the ones in the industry that are making Human Resources hip and progressive. This is what we aspire to at LinkedIn. For instance, I am always looking to move the needle and to

yond their own boarders and think of talent issues that affect the world. They become game changers.

SVL: Regarding talent – What are some of the key elements looked for – How important are data analytics and PW: When it comes to talent I hire for humility and intellectual curiosity. The candidate needs to have a decent amount of the skills required for the role, but as long as they have humility and curiosity, then the rest can almost

The HR Organization of the Future … What Does It Mean?” nization at LinkedIn. LinkedIn is one of the most success-

ny culture. Typically, these are individuals who think be-

what can aspiring employees learn to improve?

“How LinkedIn Is Creating

Pat Wadors is Senior Vice President of Global Talent Orga-

have the ability to inspire leaders and influence compa-

gain a fresh perspective. What better way to do this, and tap into the collective brainpower, than by bringing together the best and the brightest interns from around the Bay Area? We did just that this past summer when we hosted our first ever HR Hackathon event. Teams comprised of technical and non-technical interns competed against each other to come up with the coolest, most creative, out-of-the box solutions to today’s toughest HR problems. Over 150 interns from companies across the Bay Area participated, and the energy level and breadth of ideas generated from each team was inspiring.

The future of HR is not about avoiding policies and processes, it is more about innovation and knowing what should be global vs. local, and creating unique experiences that differentiate your company. These leaders help evolve/create an amazing talent brand for their organizations and influence HR practices in their community. They are willing to experiment and compete for talent in new ways.

I meet with my peers and other HR and Talent Acquisition leaders every single week. What I am discovering, are more leaders are in that third bucket or are leaders who aspire to be in that space. It means taking more intelligent risks. They

Pat Wadors and participants of LinkedIn’s inaugural HR Hackathon.

Photo credit: Tony Chung

always be learned.

to work for. Connect with those employees and see how

I am also a strong believer in treating people beautiful-

they navigate the company. Remember – a company’s

ly. At LinkedIn we are in hyper growth and in order to

best hire is a referral from someone else at the company.

maintain our wonderful culture we need to continue to

If you really want to work somewhere try to find alum-

hire people who believe in this sentiment. We also need

ni from your alma mater that already works there, grab

to constantly reinforce our culture through our behav-

coffee with a current employee, follow the company, etc.

iors and decisions we make every

Leverage your network to help you get your next job.

day. Pulsing our employees twice a year on an employee voice sur-

SVL: HR is the catalyst - What

vey is one way in which we gauge

makes a good employee, man-

our culture and engagement.

ager, leader desirable and great

To help drive talent strategies

for the company and also for the

that truly enable our businesses

employee, himself/herself?

success – we need data. Talent Analytics is the new oil.

PW: I believe that a good em-

At LinkedIn we have built a talent analytics team to help

ployee is always learning, has a strong work ethic and is a

us find, engage, hire and retain the right people. The data

brand ambassador for their organization.

helps us understand things like where the candidates

Managers and leaders need to lead the way. They cre-

are, what skillsets they have, and who our competition is.

ate the vision that others aspire to achieve. They need to

This data also helps me keep an eye on our organization-

be authentic and treat people beautifully. They should

al health. What is our hiring pattern? Where do we have

ensure their teams are working on a good mix of proj-

the most effective leaders? What do they do different

ects that both stretches them in their skills and contrib-

that we can leverage in other teams? What are the key

utes to the success of the company. They encourage the

drivers to engagement? Data helps us solve problems

team to come to the table with solutions, not problems.

and improve as a company.

They realize that mistakes are just part of the necessary

Regarding aspiring employees they need to learn to build

learning curve and should not be hidden. They believe

out their network; connect with people who they went to

in transparency to build trust. They strive to be both em-

school with, or worked with. Add your friends and family.

powering while holding themselves and their teams ac-

Then learn about the companies and cultures you aspire

countable.

5.7% Technology

3.8% overall increase for 2015

3.5%

Accounting & Finance

3.5%

Creative & Marketing Administrative & Office Support LegalLegal

3.4% 3.0%

Tech Leads Bay Area Hiring Spree

BY SHARON BLACK, SENIOR DISTRICT PRESIDENT As metro San Francisco and Silicon Valley activity is primarily centered in the SoMa offers. To compete, managers are alterhiring soars to new heights, a so-called (South of Market) and Mission districts, ing recruitment practices — for example, war for talent has emerged across although other neighborhoods — in- expediting the hiring process to avoid multiple industries, not just tech. What’s cluding the Presidio and even NOPA losing a top candidate. Bay Area hiring different this time around, managers also are offering as opposed to the pre-reattractive perks, signing boFIND OUT WHO CAN EXPECT THE BIGGEST cession bubble, is that job nuses (which were recently PAYCHECKS IN THE COMING YEAR, WHAT NEW growth is diverse and wideresurrected) and very comspread, and the long-term JOB TITLES ARE EMERGING AND HOW THE HIRING petitive wages. The 2015 employment forecast looks Salary Guides from Robert ENVIRONMENT IS CHANGING. Half predict the average more sustainable. Here starting salaries for San are some of the key factors Francisco professional positions to be 38 impacting Bay Area hiring trends: (North of the Panhandle) — are housing percent above the national average — these companies as well. As of August 2.5 points higher than 2014 figures.

SAN FRANCISCO IS HOT 2014, the unemployment rate in San As the recruitment environment heats up, Francisco County was just 4.7 percent — companies are chasing down talent rath- the third lowest in the state.

ENTRY-LEVEL POSITIONS er than waiting for applicants to come to MULTIPLY them. Since many tech gurus reside in RECRUITMENT GETS REVAMPED San Francisco and Silicon Valley hiring San Francisco, Silicon Valley companies With unemployment dropping, special- mangers are bringing in recent grads are opening second locations in the city ized talent is in such high demand that to get a jump on the competition. Not in an effort to attract them. The surge of some job seekers are receiving multiple only do these new recruits bring fresh

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insights, but upper management can also mold them according to their company’s vision. On-the-job training for those without industry experience is becoming more commonplace, as are internship programs for students. Competing companies aren’t letting age stand in the way: Some tech interns are barely in high school.

RETENTION IS KEY

Considering San Francisco’s techfueled housing shortage and demand for skilled labor, employers need to step up their retention efforts. Turnover is not only expensive and time-consuming, but also risky: Despite noncompete and non-disclosure agreements, departing employees could still take business knowledge and clients with them. Bay Area hiring managers also have to work hard to retain young adults, who are rapidly becoming the workforce majority. Millennials are mobile, constantly connected and prefer to blend, not balance, work and personal life. By cultivating an attractive

image and staying competitive with pay and perks, like housing subsidies and remote work options, companies can boost worker satisfaction — from baby boomers to Gen Y and even the upcoming Gen Z.

RISING TECH TIDE LIFTS OTHER BOATS

The battle for talent originated in the IT industry, but it has spread to other sectors as well. With a burgeoning population, construction is up. Similarly, an influx of workers means retail and healthcare also need to keep up. A buzz in activity has created a surge in the hospitality and tourism industry, which is projected to gain almost 190,000 jobs by 2020. In addition, the Bay Area is experiencing a manufacturing revival, and the sector is experiencing growth for the first time in 25 years.

Widespread economic growth has prompted a surge in jobs and hiring in the banking and finance industry. Although IT talent is in high demand, especially in software and web development,

TOP 10 POSITIONS TO WATCH Starting Salary Increase

Starting Salary Increase

3.9%

4.0%

4.0%

4.2%

4.3%

Content Strategist

Compliance Officer**

Staff Accountant*

(1-3 yrs., experience)

Sr. Business Systems Analyst***

Human Resources Assistant

$72,000$100,000

$99,750$132,750

$45,500$59,000

$81,000$99,250

$31,500$42,000

4.9%

6.8%

7.4%

7.1%

10.2%

(10+ yrs. experience)

Lawyer****

Mobile Designer

Business Intelligence Analyst

Chief Security Officer

Mobile Application Developer

$134,000$184,500

$71,000$109,500

$108,500$153,000

$134,250$204,750

$107,500$161,500

TRENDS AFFECTING BAY AREA HIRING Demand for talent is solid across the board.

Unemployment rates for highly skilled workers can be half of the national rate, or even less.

Hiring is half the battle; turnover is costly, making retention a top priority for companies.

Flexible staffing is the new normal.

The lines are blurred; companies are taking a “hybrid” approach to more roles.

companies are also intently looking for specialized accounting and finance professionals, a trend that continues to pick up speed. Bay Area hiring trends reflect a high demand for financial analysts, controllers, senior accountants and accounting managers. Compliance and big data jobs also are sprouting up where tech companies flourish.

From IT to tourism, the Bay Area hiring market is developing so fast that companies are struggling to keep up. Although San Francisco’s unemployment rate has not (yet) dipped below December 2000’s low of 3.0 percent (before the dot-com bubble burst), it’s close enough that employers from restaurants to aerospace are having trouble finding, hiring and retaining workers. It’s not hard to imagine that the employment picture will be challenging for hiring managers — and rosy for job seekers — for years to come.

The chart at left shows some of the hottest positions in the Bay Area, along with the national average starting salary range for each and how much compensation is expected to rise in 2015.

Call us today at 1.800.803.8367 roberthalf.com/salary-center *Small companies: up to $25 million in sales | **Midsize companies: $25 million to $250 million in sales | ***Large companies: $250+ million in sales | ****Small/midsize law firm 10-35 lawyers Figures reflect national average starting salaries only. © 2014 Robert Half International Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/Disability/Vet. RH-1114.

FEATURED COMPANIES TO WORK FOR

A Great Job … What Does That Mean and Where Is It? Are you thinking about a job position change to another company?

Do you see yourself working for a company that’s a great place to work?

Would you enjoy working for a company that engages with its employees and provides opportunities for overall job happiness and growth?

If you answered “yes” to the above questions, then you would most likely be a candidate to work for a company whose values are implemented in its workplace culture.

Silicon Valley Local Magazine in the coming weeks and months will take a more personal approach and go to the source … to find out more on what makes a company tick.

Ken Packer

Publisher & Executive Editor ken@svlocalmag.com

Our goal is to search out, through our independent research, companies to work for and find out from key individuals some good answers to some good questions: What makes their company fun, what is their leadership philosophy and what is the meaning, and joy, in being a part of their organization.

Indeed, there are key factors to be considered before making one of the most important decisions of your life, and career, when searching to join a new organization, such as: A company that respects its employees, shows fairness to all, rewards its employees with perks, and by other means, and offers fair compensation, along with benefits.

How does an organization communicate, do they encourage diversity, is there team building, how can you advance, how can your ideas be welcome, how are your efforts appreciated and how is the compensation opportunity toward meeting your needs … and also your goals?

And, so, how does one who is possibly looking, and hopeful, find and learn more about great companies to work for … many of which may be under people’s radar? There may be many, and, yet, even just one, may be for each person such a great find.

If you are thinking about a change of companies, or looking to start your career with a company that’s a leader in its industry, we invite you to check out … as we continue our quest on finding … “Featured Companies To Work For In Silicon Valley”.

SILICON VALLEY’S

FEATURED COMPANIES TO WORK FOR

Connecting Employers and Employees

Financial options for every phase of your life

FEATURED COMPANIES TO WORK FOR WHY WE’RE A GREAT PLACE TO WORK

NVIDIA CORP

Chris A. Malachowsky, Co-Founder, SVP and NVIDIA Fellow SVL: What does corporate culture mean to you and your company? How important is it?

CM: This was one of the very first things we discussed shortly after founding the company, when we had just a handful of people. We felt our values, and the culture they would inspire, was a paramount issue for us, literally on par with the product and technology ideas behind our formation.

Two decades later, we continue to put a premium on instilling a culture that reflects the core values and guiding principles that our early team felt was important. It’s even more critical now that we have nearly 9,000 employees around the world. Our culture is part of the glue that holds us together. It helps us operate effectively as one team. And it serves as the basis for operational consistency, and execution excellence.

SVL: What strides does your company take to enhance your corporate culture and also support and empower your employees?

CM: We strongly believe that you can’t artificially create and mandate culture. Bullet points on a poster do not work. A wallet-size card with a motto doesn’t work either. It has to be lived, practiced, cultivated, nurtured, protected.

Our culture is evident just about everywhere you turn here. It’s reflected in the very high standards we drive to, our celebration of critical debate, the forthrightness of commentary, the lack of politics or personal agendas, and the level of creativity and thoughtfulness brought to everything we do.

SVL: What do you love most about your company culture? What excites you and others about working here?

CM: I think it really empowers the individual to do good work, unimpeded by nonsense. It encourages our people to always be proud of what they and their colleagues accomplish, and to work in a supportive environment that recognizes them as individuals and members of a bigger community.

I still find this invigorating. It allows everyone to play a role in our collective success, in a way they can be proud of. I love it that as hard as we work, as large as our commitment is to corporate success is, we play just as hard, find time to laugh, and work to better our communities. A great example of this is Project Inspire, our year-end company-wide volunteer project where we spend a weekend transforming a school or community farm instead of holding a holiday party. It’s one of the best things we do. In some ways, it’s our whole culture, writ large.

SVL: What does it take for someone to be successful here?

CM: It starts with playing your role, and playing it well. And to do that requires a high degree of skill, plus very high standards. But that’s really just the beginning. People succeed here by collaborating, by steering clear of the kind of politics that might exist elsewhere, but most of all by being passionate about what they’re doing.

THE VISUAL COMPUTING COMPANY nvidia.com

FEATURED COMPANIES TO WORK FOR WHY WE’RE A GREAT PLACE TO WORK

ADOBE

Donna Morris, Senior Vice President, People and Places SVL: What does corporate culture mean to you and your company? How important is it?

DM: Our business continues to evolve and this includes our culture – but we are grounded on the set of values since our inception 30+ years ago; Genuine, Exceptional, Innovative, Involved.

With our values as the foundation, our priority is to have an environment to enable the success of our people that will contribute to the success and growth of the business. At Adobe our employees are our core asset, driving the innovation and creativity at the company.

SVL: What strides does your company take to enhance your corporate culture and also support and empower your employees?

DM: We continue to look at initiatives to enable the success of our people. Our business continues to transform and this means our people processes also must evolve.

For example, we replaced the annual performance review with the Check-in approach – a flexible framework for providing continuous, genuine and reciprocal feedback between managers and employees. The Check-in approach has been well received by managers and employees alike and is helping to drive the success of our business transformation.

SVL: How does your company support its employees’ development, learning and wellbeing?

DM: To help Adobe employees reach their fullest potential, we take a holistic approach in providing an exceptional experience through wellness, workplace, and career development programs. As we continue to grow globally, we are using digital platforms to engage and cultivate leaders through highly interactive, virtual lab sessions. We are also focused on innovating around our workplace experience including

creating open, collaborative workspaces as well as hosting community events like our Adobe Field Trip day for employees and their families.

SVL: What kinds of sponsorships, community or philanthropic activities does your company participate in or support?

DM: It is important for Adobe to help foster the next generation of tech innovators with creativity and coding initiatives. Over the past 8 years we have engaged 150,000 students around the globe in the Adobe Youth Voices program – producing media and learning digital skills they may not have had access to otherwise.

To help bring more gender diversity into the tech industry, we are providing grants to and partnering with Girls Who Code, an organization that educates and inspires high school girls with the skills to pursue opportunities in computing fields. This summer we hosted 20 enthusiastic young women at our San Jose headquarters and were inspired by their passion and dedication.

Inspiring. Empowering.

Rewarding. Fun.

These are some of the words people commonly use to describe their careers at Adobe. As an Adobe employee, you’re encouraged to be creative.

Think way outside the box. And work with some of the industry’s most innovative minds on highimpact projects. No matter what you do at Adobe, you’ll play a part in shaping the future of digital experiences.

adobe.com

FEATURED COMPANIES TO WORK FOR WHY WE’RE A GREAT PLACE TO WORK

WELLS FARGO

Brian Pearce, Senior Vice President, Head of Retail Mobile Channel and Digital Innovation for Wells Fargo’s Digital Channels Group

Bank Apps Make Money Management A Snap SVL: In recent years, we have seen Mobile Banking change so much. What stance has Wells Fargo Bank made in embracing the future and how has it become a leader in modern Banking Technology?

Brian Pearce: We are proud, and excited, that Wells Fargo Bank recently earned #1 in overall mobile performance and best iPhone and Android apps in Keynote’s Mobile Banking Scorecard, a bi-annual assessment on how well firms’ digital channels meet the needs of their customers.

Wells Fargo isn’t innovating for the sake of innovation, but rather to help customers succeed financially. The bank is also an industry leader in security, privacy and fraud protection, and was awarded “Best Privacy and Security” by Keynote last year.

SVL: With so much recent growth behind Mobile Technology and Apps and the Wells Fargo Bank of today, what is the significance of all this and what are you and Wells Fargo Bank most proud of?

Brian Pearce: The app’s recent enhancements, for sure, are not lost on customers, as mobile continues to be the bank’s fastest growing channel in history with 13.1 million active mobile customers, up 22 percent year-over-year.

SVL: You talk about a good number of important new features … What are some of them and what are the special meanings and benefits they have for your customers?

Brian Pearce: Indeed, there are a good number.

For example, here are just three we feel are helpful for and appreciated by many. *Wells Fargo SurePay contact list import: Wells Fargo SurePay makes it simple for our customers to send money to their friends or family using the recipient’s email address or mobile number, eliminating the pain of memorizing an account number. Now customers can even import their contacts into the app to easily add new people to

their recipient list. * Wells Fargo Mobile Deposit video capture: Ever-popular mobile deposit is now complimented by auto-capture technology, which initiates and takes the check’s picture for the customer, in addition to more specific guidance when a check can’t be processed. Instructions include, “Hold steady,” “More light,” or “Get closer,” to help customers complete their deposit. * Make an Appointment: Make an Appointment enables customers to easily schedule via mobile an in-person meeting with a banker to discuss their financial needs. As more people continue to use their phones and tablets for their general banking needs, Make an Appointment allows them to easily access our store-based banking team for those more complex or nuanced transactions that require guidance from an expert.

For more information on mobile banking, search your app store for “Wells Fargo”, visit www. wellsfargo.com or come in and talk to a banker.

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.

Financial options for every phase of your life

Whether you want to save for the future, secure a personal loan, utilize exclusive online and telephone banking services, or enjoy the convenience of our ATMs and many locations, we are here for you. Call, click, or stop by and talk with a banker. If you would like to open an account over the phone, call 1-800-932-6736 any time (or 1-800-311-9311 for service in Spanish).

wellsfargo.com All loans are subject to application, credit qualification, and income verification. Š 2014 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved.

Member FDIC. 122933 08/14

FEATURED COMPANIES TO WORK FOR WHY WE’RE A GREAT PLACE TO WORK

ROBERT HALF Sharon Black, Senior District Director

SVL: What does Corporate Culture mean to you and your company? How important is it?

SB: At Robert Half, we help businesses grow by matching the right talent to their specialized staffing needs, and we build rewarding careers for the professionals we place. Our employees have a passion for helping job seekers and businesses. We treat our customers with professionalism and respect and adhere to a philosophy of “Ethics First” in everything we do.

SVL: What do you love most about your company culture? What excites you and others about working here?

SB: The company culture at Robert Half is dynamic. Our mission is to create a work environment where employees can thrive and innovate. We constantly explore new ideas; look for more effective ways of doing business and pilot technologies that will help our employees work more efficiently. We also never forget the importance of providing unparalleled customer service and building strong relationships with our clients and job candidates.

People here are engaged and passionate about their jobs. They’re not afraid of “rocking the boat” if they think that a new way of doing something will produce better results. They are problem solvers. Robert Half’s renowned customer service has always been inspired by a sincere desire to find solutions for the everyday business challenges our customers face. We have a saying in our office: “We lead by example, and hire the best!”

SVL: What does it take for someone to be successful here?

SB: Our secret to success, besides hard work and a sincere belief in helping others, is our determination to earn the long-term loyalty of our clients and job seekers. You need a desire to

give customers and colleagues your finest effort.

Our best performers understand that success comes to those who earn it.

Robert Half promotes from within and awards growth and future opportunities to recognize hard work and dedication. We have many professionals worldwide who have built lasting and rewarding careers with Robert Half.

SVL: What is your definition of leadership?

SB: Leaders appreciate the value of collaboration. They focus on group performance as well as individual contributions. They encourage a competitive spirit, but also promote the sharing of techniques, tips and best practices.

Recommended by 9 out of 10 customers.

“Robert Half has a passion for finding the right people for the role and not just someone to fill a chair. We value their quick response and excellent follow-up.”

Support Project Manager, Regional Airport Authority

1.800.803.8367 roberthalf.com

Robert Half once again was named to FORTUNE® magazine’s list of “World’s Most Admired Companies.”

Source: FORTUNE, March 17, 2014 © 2014 Robert Half International Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V. 0310-9005

FEATURED COMPANIES TO WORK FOR WHY WE’RE A GREAT PLACE TO WORK

T herma CORPORATION Nicki & Joe Parisi, FouNders

SVL: What does Corporation Culture mean to you and your company? How important is it?

TC: Corporate culture is very important to Therma Corporation. All of our employees are empowered to execute any project or task as if they had full freedom in the decision making process. This freedom allows our employees to flourish with creative ideas and solutions for our customers.

SVL: If you could describe your corporate culture in three words, what would they be?

TC: Quality, Innovation, and Relationships.

SVL: What strides does your company take to enhance your corporate culture and also support and empower your employee?

TC: Therma Corporation takes great strides to support our employees by providing them with the very best of equipment and management tools that allows each employee to be successful.

SVL: What's the best part you feel about working in this environment that is so clearly apparent as you walk around?

TC: It's inspiring to see the creativity at work as you walk around our company, you can feel the pride in all of our employees.

SVL: What does it take for someone to be successful here?

TC: The most successful employees at Therma Corporation are self-driven with a hint of hidden entrepreneurship.

SVL: Are there opportunities available to your employees for helpful advisors, mentors or coaches?

TC: All of our employees are encouraged to serve as a coach or a mentor. Therma Corporation's front office was designed with an open space concept to encourage interaction between employees so that they can share in each other's knowledge.

From vision to implementation.

Therma Corporation is a full-service design/build mechanical contractor with nearly 50 years of industry experience. Our solution-based approach is tailored to each client, resulting in the most efficient and economical designs for your project. Whether it’s a “one off” custom part or a full-service, design/build mechanical system, we’re experts at finding the perfect configuration for your needs. Our teams can help you with creative solutions in HVAC, process piping, plumbing, architectural sheet metal, maintenance, controls, custom fabrication, and more. At Therma Corporation, we’re fond of saying, “If you can imagine it, we can build it!”

Ph: 408 • 347 • 3400 | Fax: 408 • 347 • 3418 | www.therma.com

FEATURED COMPANIES TO WORK FOR WHY WE’RE A GREAT PLACE TO WORK

CMT

Computer Media Technologies

SVL: What does corporate culture mean to you and your company? How important is it?

KMK: At CMT, corporate culture isn’t just a single component to our company—it defines the way we do business. For 30-plus years, our culture – and the family, values and ethics behind it – has helped to shape a workplace that’s diverse, balanced, aggressive, focused on winning and, most importantly, commitSVL: What does corporate culture mean to ted to fostering customer and you and youremployee, company?

How important is it? community relationships.

CM: This was one of the very first things we ‘Fostering relationships’ is a founding theme contindiscussed shortly after the company, when uously ouraminds hereofatpeople.

CMT, andWe a felt our values, we hadonjust handful and thethat culture they nearly wouldeverything inspire, was a paramount mission permeates issue for us, literally on par with the product and we do. These special relationships reside technology ideas behind our formation. within the building here at CMT, but they Two decades later, we continue to put a also reside within our partner relationships premium on instilling a culture that reflects the with companies like Symantec, NetApp, core values and guiding principles that our early Brocade, Veritas, Storage and team felt wasPure important.

It’sothers. even more critical Most importantly, it’s a nearly theme that defines now that we have 9,000 employees around how we conduct business with our custhe world. Our culture is part of the glue that holds us together.

It helps usbusiness operatewith effectively as one tomers.

We’ve been doing team.

And it serves as the basis for operational the same integrity, loyalty and dedication consistency, and execution excellence. for 30-plus years—and our customers can see that clearly. In the future, our management staff, as a team, will continue to cultivate SVL: What strides does your company take our culture for the better.

NVIDIA Kurt M. Klein, CEO CORP

tivities does your company participate in and support?

KMK: Being a part of this community here in Santa Clara, and California in general, is extremely important to us. We have sponsored many charities over the years, including the Glide Memorial Church and several others.

Giving back to organizations tied to our own employees at CMT is vital. These kinds of organizations include bake sales, cancer walks and SVL: What do you your of Girllove Scoutmost cookieabout sales (pounds company culture? What excites and others which are still in you our refrigerator!)

We about working here? are committed to supporting the indiCM: I think it really empowers the individual vidual children of our employees here to do good work, unimpeded by nonsense. It at CMT. encourages our people to always be proud of We’ve supported one of ourand anchor what they and their colleagues accomplish, to charities, Second Harvest Food Bank, work in a supportive environment that recognizes for several years of running.

A second them as individuals and members a bigger community. charity we support, the scholarI still find this invigorating.

It allows everyone ship-based Pursuit of Excellence, helps to play a role in our collective success, in a way to equip under-funded college-bound they can be proud of.kids I love that for as college. hard asSponsorwe with it money work, as large as our commitment is to corporate ing and being involved in our commusuccess is, we play just as hard, find time to laugh, nitycommunities. has always been very important to and work to better our A great us, and it’s a philosophy we’ve been committed to for more than example of this is Project Inspire, our year-end 30 years. company-wide volunteer project where we spend

Chris A. Malachowsky, Co-Founder, SVP and NVIDIA Fellow

THE ULTIMATE BACKUP APPLIANCES SIMPLE

SCALABLE

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Kurt M. Klein, CEO

to enhance your corporate culture and also support anditempower yourto employees?

SVL: What does take for someone be successful here?

CM: We strongly believe that you can’t KMK: It takescreate a number of qualities to be successful here at CMT. artificially and mandate culture.

Bullet One, as Ion previously discussed, To be an outpoints a poster do notrelates work.toAculture. wallet-size card with a motto doesn’t workyou either.

It has to–be standing member of our team, need to fit into and have lived, practiced, cultivated, a thorough understanding of – ournurtured, culture andprotected. priorities. These Our culture is evident just about everywhere priorities include qualities like the drive to win and a strong focus you turn here.

It’s reflected the on very high on forming relationships, as well as in a focus being positive, passtandards we drive to, our celebration of critical sionate and always thinking about the customer first. These valdebate, the forthrightness of commentary, the ues tend to embody the typical CMT employee, and those are the lack of politics or personal agendas, and the folks committed to staying growing within this environment. level of creativity andand thoughtfulness brought to everything we do.

SVL: What kind of sponsorships, community or philanthropic ac-

a weekend transforming a school or community SVL: What is your definition of leadership? farm instead of holding a holiday party. It’s one of theFrom besta technical things we do. Inbeing somea leader ways,means it’s our KMK: definition, guiding whole culture, writ large. corporate culture and having the the company vision, direction,

ability to lead and inspire. It also relates to the products, services SVL: What does it take for someone to be and markets we address. successful here?

However, a personal leader means much CM: from It starts with approach, playing being your arole, and more than means team around me that’s playing it that. well.ItAnd to building do that arequires a high stronger in means empowering those degree ofareas skill,I find pluschallenging. very highIt standards.

But that’s around just me, to work with their underlings, and to make us collecreally the beginning.

People succeed here by collaborating, by steering clear of the of , tively successful. In essence, a large part of the wordkind ‘leadership’ politics that might exist an elsewhere, but most of all for me, translates to building environment that’s positive, dyby being passionate about what they’re doing. namic and supportive—all while empowering our team and allowing our brightest employees to shine.

F R E E D O M

www.gocmt.com

O F

Choice

590 Laurelwood Road, Santa Clara, CA 95054 Phone: 408.734.3339 Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Symantec Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries.

FEATURED COMPANIES TO WORK FOR WHY WE’RE A GREAT PLACE TO WORK

CMT

Computer Media Technologies

SVL: What does corporate culture mean to you and your company? How important is it?

KMK: At CMT, corporate culture isn’t just a single component to our company—it defines the way we do business. For 30-plus years, our culture – and the family, values and ethics behind it – has helped to shape a workplace that’s diverse, balanced, aggressive, focused on winning and, most importantly, commitSVL: What does corporate culture mean to ted to fostering customer and you and youremployee, company?

How important is it? community relationships.

CM: This was one of the very first things we ‘Fostering relationships’ is a founding theme contindiscussed shortly after the company, when uously ouraminds hereofatpeople.

CMT, andWe a felt our values, we hadonjust handful and thethat culture they nearly wouldeverything inspire, was a paramount mission permeates issue for us, literally on par with the product and we do. These special relationships reside technology ideas behind our formation. within the building here at CMT, but they Two decades later, we continue to put a also reside within our partner relationships premium on instilling a culture that reflects the with companies like Symantec, NetApp, core values and guiding principles that our early Brocade, Veritas, Storage and team felt wasPure important.

It’sothers. even more critical Most importantly, it’s a nearly theme that defines now that we have 9,000 employees around how we conduct business with our custhe world. Our culture is part of the glue that holds us together.

It helps usbusiness operatewith effectively as one tomers.

We’ve been doing team.

And it serves as the basis for operational the same integrity, loyalty and dedication consistency, and execution excellence. for 30-plus years—and our customers can see that clearly. In the future, our management staff, as a team, will continue to cultivate SVL: What strides does your company take our culture for the better.

NVIDIA Kurt M. Klein, CEO CORP

tivities does your company participate in and support?

KMK: Being a part of this community here in Santa Clara, and California in general, is extremely important to us. We have sponsored many charities over the years, including the Glide Memorial Church and several others.

Giving back to organizations tied to our own employees at CMT is vital. These kinds of organizations include bake sales, cancer walks and SVL: What do you your of Girllove Scoutmost cookieabout sales (pounds company culture? What excites and others which are still in you our refrigerator!)

We about working here? are committed to supporting the indiCM: I think it really empowers the individual vidual children of our employees here to do good work, unimpeded by nonsense. It at CMT. encourages our people to always be proud of We’ve supported one of ourand anchor what they and their colleagues accomplish, to charities, Second Harvest Food Bank, work in a supportive environment that recognizes for several years of running.

A second them as individuals and members a bigger community. charity we support, the scholarI still find this invigorating.

It allows everyone ship-based Pursuit of Excellence, helps to play a role in our collective success, in a way to equip under-funded college-bound they can be proud of.kids I love that for as college. hard asSponsorwe with it money work, as large as our commitment is to corporate ing and being involved in our commusuccess is, we play just as hard, find time to laugh, nitycommunities. has always been very important to and work to better our A great us, and it’s a philosophy we’ve been committed to for more than example of this is Project Inspire, our year-end 30 years. company-wide volunteer project where we spend

Chris A. Malachowsky, Co-Founder, SVP and NVIDIA Fellow

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Kurt M. Klein, CEO

to enhance your corporate culture and also support anditempower yourto employees?

SVL: What does take for someone be successful here?

CM: We strongly believe that you can’t KMK: It takescreate a number of qualities to be successful here at CMT. artificially and mandate culture.

Bullet One, as Ion previously discussed, To be an outpoints a poster do notrelates work.toAculture. wallet-size card with a motto doesn’t workyou either.

It has to–be standing member of our team, need to fit into and have lived, practiced, cultivated, a thorough understanding of – ournurtured, culture andprotected. priorities. These Our culture is evident just about everywhere priorities include qualities like the drive to win and a strong focus you turn here.

It’s reflected the on very high on forming relationships, as well as in a focus being positive, passtandards we drive to, our celebration of critical sionate and always thinking about the customer first. These valdebate, the forthrightness of commentary, the ues tend to embody the typical CMT employee, and those are the lack of politics or personal agendas, and the folks committed to staying growing within this environment. level of creativity andand thoughtfulness brought to everything we do.

SVL: What kind of sponsorships, community or philanthropic ac-

a weekend transforming a school or community SVL: What is your definition of leadership? farm instead of holding a holiday party. It’s one of theFrom besta technical things we do. Inbeing somea leader ways,means it’s our KMK: definition, guiding whole culture, writ large. corporate culture and having the the company vision, direction,

ability to lead and inspire. It also relates to the products, services SVL: What does it take for someone to be and markets we address. successful here?

However, a personal leader means much CM: from It starts with approach, playing being your arole, and more than means team around me that’s playing it that. well.ItAnd to building do that arequires a high stronger in means empowering those degree ofareas skill,I find pluschallenging. very highIt standards.

But that’s around just me, to work with their underlings, and to make us collecreally the beginning.

People succeed here by collaborating, by steering clear of the of , tively successful. In essence, a large part of the wordkind ‘leadership’ politics that might exist an elsewhere, but most of all for me, translates to building environment that’s positive, dyby being passionate about what they’re doing. namic and supportive—all while empowering our team and allowing our brightest employees to shine.

F R E E D O M

www.gocmt.com

O F

Choice

590 Laurelwood Road, Santa Clara, CA 95054 Phone: 408.734.3339 Veritas and the Veritas Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Symantec Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries.

The Magical World of Kevin Hauge & The Children’s Musical Theater San Jose

Y

ou have not fully lived until you have seen a musical performed at CMT San Jose. All who have, know this. And, yes, it’s true, the more shows, the merrier. And, what’s more, now celebrating its 47th year, CMT has been recognized and continues to be arguably the best youth musical theater in the country. How and why this is, is indeed very special.

It is no secret, one important reason is the brilliant Artistic Director, Kevin Hauge, who soon will be celebrating his 20th year at CMT. People wonder, people ask all the time, just how does he do it?

There are so many musical performances, back-to-back, so many children, multiple casts even, with so many who have never even acted a day in their life (not officially anyway) or even been on a stage before (act, dance, sing, in such a big

perfect production, are you kidding?) and with so little time to rehearse and prepare, just a few weeks to put it all together, from nothing to totally magnificent. And it becomes just that, the most wonderful show … every time. But how?

How does CMT do it? With this model, the youngest performers, ages 6 to 14, are placed in what is called “Rising Stars”. They perform upwards of five shows a year and many have racked up 30 theater credits by the time they age out to CMT’s next level, “Mainstage”. During Mainstage, these high school and college kids take on three shows a year from Ages 15 to 20.

In addition, CMT also provides Silicon Valley with two “Marquee” productions a year, which this year also includes the very popular Mary Poppins.

For the older productions, Kevin has a direct hand in choreographing and directing.

Even more impressive, since its founding in 1968, CMT casts everyone who auditions. If you have the guts to get in front of the artistic staff, you’re in. CMT never wants to turn anyone away for financial reasons, so scholarships are available. Even children with special needs, and performers where English is their second language, have been a part of these performances.

Raw numbers can also tell the story of CMT. Take, for example, its first Rising Stars production of this season, the Sound of Music.

The title - which Kevin secures for each of the 10 productions - along with CMT’s reputation, have led to 250 children auditioning. In a first for CMT, it went from normally a two-cast production to four casts. It also added shows both in the evenings and for school-sponsored field trips.

That’s a lot of von Trapps!

For Kevin, it was all about creating an enriching experience on stage, that a 60-person cast entails, compared to larger casts. And with more school shows, there would be twice as many opportunities for school children to experience a live performance.

Kevin would ask, “Can we continue to raise this bar, to meet the challenges of the community? I am so very pleased to have this job. The ultimate is this, where the kids can learn and grow. Getting in touch with what’s inside of them – that’s the real joy of this job. And turning it into something special. For each of them to find their niche, to find their direction, this is always something delightful.”

The families, the children, the audiences all love CMT. The shows are all fantastic productions. The children enter raw and exit

as stars. The audiences jump out of their seats with such great appreciation and the children (yes, they seem bigger than life on stage, and yet they are indeed children) have established such great relationships and wonderful memories, not just for a moment, but for a lifetime. This is the magic that you will see, hear, experience … and enjoy here, like nowhere else. It is a very unique, special and magical place.

“One key lesson is, ‘Don’t underestimate the ability of children’. People cannot believe later on, following the show, when the actors are outside to greet the audience, that they are real children. The experience of rehearsals and performances brings out and stretches something from within as far as they can go. It gives them this, the confidence, of being successful and accomplishing something wonderful …

“The greatest thing here is the life-long relationships. I still see lots of families, even if their kids are grown, who keep coming back.

And we now have children of children we had years ago who come … and we are not far off from our third generation.”

Kevin would share, “One of the greatest joys I have is being a father and the pride I have and what this experience is like. Watching the kids grow up through CMT is so very moving. We can’t take ownership for their accomplishments and growth, it’s theirs, but we certainly can and do appreciate the being in with them on the journey …

“There are six former CMT’ers who are currently on Broadway. Yes, but that number is always changing. It’s fun going to Broadway and seeing our kids. It was hard work on their part, the school work, the additional time and work that they put into getting there. We have been a part of that journey together. It is such a joy to be around … and indeed how very proud we all are. We are not a star machine. And, yes, we all take great pride in all, as many go on to become great teachers, or directors, or are usually busy in all walks of life. We are here to develop children for the joy and we take great pride in their growth and their lives. Indeed, here at CMT, we are so blessed and have so much to look forward to.”

Here’s to CMT … and Kevin Hauge … and everyone who helps to make this the very special place that it is. For children and parents and grandparents, alike … people of all ages… and many wonderful memories for the ages … Here’s to this special, joyful and exciting magic … Enjoy! www.cmtsj.org

Offering a modern interpretation of the classic American steakhouse with hints of Japanese influence.

Alexander’s Steakhouse Redefining Seafood in the Bay Area The Sea By Alexander’s Steakhouse is the Bay Area’s premier seafood dining destination. The

Alexander’s Steakhouse is a fine dining interpretation of the classic American steakhouse with hints of Japanese influence throughout the menu. Featuring a variety of classic cuts such as Porterhouse, T-bone and New York, we specialize in Certified Angus Beef grain-fed from the Mid-West. We

restaurant distinguishes itself by focusing on rich sumptuous morsels from the sea, prepared with modern technique and flair. Chef Yu Min Lin blends contemporary cuisine with Japanese sensibility and ingredients to transform The Sea’s menu into the extraordinary.

also highlight dry-aged steaks and offer the finest and most luxurious products available including a tasting menu and an award winning wine list.

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Offering a modern interpretation of the classic American steakhouse with hints of Japanese influence.

Alexander’s Steakhouse Redefining Seafood in the Bay Area The Sea By Alexander’s Steakhouse is the Bay Area’s premier seafood dining destination. The

Alexander’s Steakhouse is a fine dining interpretation of the classic American steakhouse with hints of Japanese influence throughout the menu. Featuring a variety of classic cuts such as Porterhouse, T-bone and New York, we specialize in Certified Angus Beef grain-fed from the Mid-West. We

restaurant distinguishes itself by focusing on rich sumptuous morsels from the sea, prepared with modern technique and flair. Chef Yu Min Lin blends contemporary cuisine with Japanese sensibility and ingredients to transform The Sea’s menu into the extraordinary.

also highlight dry-aged steaks and offer the finest and most luxurious products available including a tasting menu and an award winning wine list.

CUPERTINO

SAN FRANCISCO

10330 N. Wolfe Road

448 Brannan Street

408.446.2222

415.495.1111

PASADENA

TAIPEI, TAIWAN

111 N. Los Robles Ave.

235 Sec 1, Dunhua S. Rd

626.486.1111

02.2741.8080

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Are Live Conversations Making a Comeback?

By Caroline Moriarity Sacks Director of INFORUM

I

n the technology capital of the world, San Franciscans know better than most about the latest messaging or communication apps. In a city turning conversations more virtual by the minute, a phenomenon is also developing: its citizens are wanting more interactions offline, with real people. At INFORUM, The Commonwealth Club’s Innovation Lab, we’re constantly seeing the benefits that come from live interactions.

While some may argue that social media, forums, podcasts or live video streams are just as useful as the real deal, you miss the events that aren’t captured by film or social media. These are the experiences that can only be seen or heard firsthand. Notice the facial expressions on the executives on stage? Or, the way a panelist lights up because he/she noticed their family in an audience?

These cues provide more color and context that can

add to a person’s individual experience.

Let’s not forget the benefits of making real human connections. Sometimes the best part of an event is simply hearing the commentary from attendees. Conversations that happen before and after a program is just as impactful, if not more rewarding. Plus, these conversations often open up doors to meeting new people who can become a connection in the future.

There’s also a difference between witnessing it online vs. in-person. Yes, we can listen to audio from a conversation between Marissa Mayer of Yahoo! and Marc Benioff of salesforce.com, but being there to laugh with the audience, feel the tension or witness history is something that you can always look back on. That experience is one of a kind.

There are more benefits and we encourage you to see for yourself at our next INFORUM event.

Check out our site for the next program; we hope to see you there: inforumsf.org

Salesforce Chairman and CEO Marc Benioff and Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer photo by Ed Ritger

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stop and say, ‘Wow this or Wow, I’m a success at this’. Well, I’m just doing it. I’m still doing it. It’s never over. You’re always working to get better.

SVL: What advice do you offer to aspiring basketball players or aspiring youth?

TV: In anything, if you want to be accomplished, you have to put a lot of time into something. You have to love it. You have to have passion for it. For someone to do anything, you need to be passionate about it, excited about it, enthusiastic and work at it every day. And you don’t know where it’s going to take you. I had no idea that basketball would take me to where it has taken me. But, I love basketball. I love to watch

THE LOVE OF THE GAME,

A great student ... a great teacher ... a great leader. Tara VanDerveer and team in their pregame preparation as they were about to play UConn in the Final Four.

Music and Life A Fascinating Conversation with Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer

it, I love to play it; I love to think about it, talk about it. I still do.

To be good at something, yes, you have to put a lot of time into it, and you have to have a plan - how to always improve and get better.

SVL: What advice do you offer people in life in general?

TV: Young people that I meet, or even if I’m speaking, I think first of all, for the most part - I mean look at our lives, how fortunate we are to live where we live, the people that we are around, the opportunities that we have, the beauty of the Bay Area, all this great weather … It’s not to say that there aren’t problems or issues. I say to our team: when you wake up in the morning, you have two choices: Are you going to have a good day or are you going to have a great day? Make it a

Tara VanDerveer is the Setsuko Ishiyama Director of Women’s Basketball at

life and the people she meets … and she loves her coaching. There is so

Stanford University. She is one of the greatest coaches, men or women, bas-

much … in basketball … in music … and in life … She is the ultimate student

ketball or any sport, of any era. She is just one of six Women’s College Basket-

of all … and the ultimate teacher, too. I hope you enjoy this visit with her as

ball coaches to win more than 900 games … and coaches at one of the very

much I certainly have.

few schools where the academic standards are so high, so many of the best recruits cannot be admitted and play for Stanford.

SVL: What is your definition of leadership?

TV: I think leaders are people that don’t complain; they are people that get

Tara has won two national championships, 23 Pac-12 Championships, 11 Pac-

things done. Leaders to me are people with high energy; they really care

12 Tournament Championships and was the coach of the US Olympic Wom-

about the people they are working with. They care about the outcome of

en’s Basketball Team in Atlanta that went 60-0 and won the Gold Medal. She

events; they are unselfish, are very determined and are very resilient. I like

is also on the verge of becoming the winningest NCAA Women’s Basketball

resilient leaders. Having worked with different teams, leaders have to set a

Coach in history.

good example, they have to be people that you can identify with. Yes, the same can be said about coaching.

In 1985, Tara accepted the challenge of coming to Stanford where on the west coast women’s basketball was merely an afterthought. Tara saw some-

SVL: What is your definition of success?

thing … it called to her … and she has never looked back. She loves it here.

TV: I don’t know that I have a definition of success just because it seems like

“There is a culture of excellence here. We are part of a special place in time, to

it’s so fluid. To me, nothing is “done”. It is always a journey. So maybe you’re

be here, to be in the Silicon Valley and the Bay Area. It is very energizing and

lying on your deathbed and then you can say, “Wow, that was a success”. But,

it’s motivating. It gives me an incredible amount of energy.”

everything to me, a success seems like it’s a final answer. A final, here’s a successful season - Well, you’re always working on always improving and getting

She loves her piano every day, she loves her training for a triathlon, she loves

better. So, that’s a hard one for me. I am just kind of in the moment. I don’t

great day and do the things to make it a great day, by giving to others and by being excited.

SVL: What would you say about how much life is about sports and sports is about life?

TV: To me basketball is just my medium. Basketball, it could be an art, it could be ballet, it could be music. Anything you do, if someone is passionate about computers, or cars, what-

So excited. Tara VanDerveer loved being the honorary coach of the

ever it is you’re passionate about, that’s what you try to do,

Stanford football team. It was such fun and, sure enough, Stanford won big.

you try and learn as much as you can about them – work as hard as you can, like for me, to making our team as good as

cruiting weekend this weekend, so we are hoping there will be some more of those that want

it can be. Like Tesla, how do you make a great car, how do

what we call, “to be on the wall” … To be on the wall, they are great players, or All-Americans,

you make the great working environment. Whatever it is, it’s

or they’re great team players - teammates like Krista Rappahahn, who is now a doctor here at

all the same to me. You’re always recruiting, you’re always

Stanford – so it’s not just the All-American best, but All-American caliber players, teammates,

coaching. But basketball is my medium.

the whole thing.

It’s going to be a big game this weekend vs. Arizona. You know, I’m the honorary coach this

SVL: What do you look for in your recruits?

weekend at the football game. I am very excited about it. I’m going to be talking to the team

TV: You know, really, it’s are they great basketball players and

Friday night. We have our recruits here, so it’s going to be a very busy weekend. I’ll be running

are they great students? And, then, those are people that we

out onto the field, will be there for the toss of the coin, I’ll be on the field and also in the stands

recruit. You hope the fact that they are very disciplined aca-

with our recruits, so I’ll be running back and forth. I am really excited about it.

demically and that they work really hard.

Over the years, I have been here with such great Football coaches … I have been very close

We just try to keep recruiting and it’s going to be a big re-

with a number of them. Coaches like Bill Walsh, Tyrone Willingham, Jim Harbaugh, David

stop and say, ‘Wow this or Wow, I’m a success at this’. Well, I’m just doing it. I’m still doing it. It’s never over. You’re always working to get better.

SVL: What advice do you offer to aspiring basketball players or aspiring youth?

TV: In anything, if you want to be accomplished, you have to put a lot of time into something. You have to love it. You have to have passion for it. For someone to do anything, you need to be passionate about it, excited about it, enthusiastic and work at it every day. And you don’t know where it’s going to take you. I had no idea that basketball would take me to where it has taken me. But, I love basketball. I love to watch

THE LOVE OF THE GAME,

A great student ... a great teacher ... a great leader. Tara VanDerveer and team in their pregame preparation as they were about to play UConn in the Final Four.

Music and Life A Fascinating Conversation with Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer

it, I love to play it; I love to think about it, talk about it. I still do.

To be good at something, yes, you have to put a lot of time into it, and you have to have a plan - how to always improve and get better.

SVL: What advice do you offer people in life in general?

TV: Young people that I meet, or even if I’m speaking, I think first of all, for the most part - I mean look at our lives, how fortunate we are to live where we live, the people that we are around, the opportunities that we have, the beauty of the Bay Area, all this great weather … It’s not to say that there aren’t problems or issues. I say to our team: when you wake up in the morning, you have two choices: Are you going to have a good day or are you going to have a great day? Make it a

Tara VanDerveer is the Setsuko Ishiyama Director of Women’s Basketball at

life and the people she meets … and she loves her coaching. There is so

Stanford University. She is one of the greatest coaches, men or women, bas-

much … in basketball … in music … and in life … She is the ultimate student

ketball or any sport, of any era. She is just one of six Women’s College Basket-

of all … and the ultimate teacher, too. I hope you enjoy this visit with her as

ball coaches to win more than 900 games … and coaches at one of the very

much I certainly have.

few schools where the academic standards are so high, so many of the best recruits cannot be admitted and play for Stanford.

SVL: What is your definition of leadership?

TV: I think leaders are people that don’t complain; they are people that get

Tara has won two national championships, 23 Pac-12 Championships, 11 Pac-

things done. Leaders to me are people with high energy; they really care

12 Tournament Championships and was the coach of the US Olympic Wom-

about the people they are working with. They care about the outcome of

en’s Basketball Team in Atlanta that went 60-0 and won the Gold Medal. She

events; they are unselfish, are very determined and are very resilient. I like

is also on the verge of becoming the winningest NCAA Women’s Basketball

resilient leaders. Having worked with different teams, leaders have to set a

Coach in history.

good example, they have to be people that you can identify with. Yes, the same can be said about coaching.

In 1985, Tara accepted the challenge of coming to Stanford where on the west coast women’s basketball was merely an afterthought. Tara saw some-

SVL: What is your definition of success?

thing … it called to her … and she has never looked back. She loves it here.

TV: I don’t know that I have a definition of success just because it seems like

“There is a culture of excellence here. We are part of a special place in time, to

it’s so fluid. To me, nothing is “done”. It is always a journey. So maybe you’re

be here, to be in the Silicon Valley and the Bay Area. It is very energizing and

lying on your deathbed and then you can say, “Wow, that was a success”. But,

it’s motivating. It gives me an incredible amount of energy.”

everything to me, a success seems like it’s a final answer. A final, here’s a successful season - Well, you’re always working on always improving and getting

She loves her piano every day, she loves her training for a triathlon, she loves

better. So, that’s a hard one for me. I am just kind of in the moment. I don’t

great day and do the things to make it a great day, by giving to others and by being excited.

SVL: What would you say about how much life is about sports and sports is about life?

TV: To me basketball is just my medium. Basketball, it could be an art, it could be ballet, it could be music. Anything you do, if someone is passionate about computers, or cars, what-

So excited. Tara VanDerveer loved being the honorary coach of the

ever it is you’re passionate about, that’s what you try to do,

Stanford football team. It was such fun and, sure enough, Stanford won big.

you try and learn as much as you can about them – work as hard as you can, like for me, to making our team as good as

cruiting weekend this weekend, so we are hoping there will be some more of those that want

it can be. Like Tesla, how do you make a great car, how do

what we call, “to be on the wall” … To be on the wall, they are great players, or All-Americans,

you make the great working environment. Whatever it is, it’s

or they’re great team players - teammates like Krista Rappahahn, who is now a doctor here at

all the same to me. You’re always recruiting, you’re always

Stanford – so it’s not just the All-American best, but All-American caliber players, teammates,

coaching. But basketball is my medium.

the whole thing.

It’s going to be a big game this weekend vs. Arizona. You know, I’m the honorary coach this

SVL: What do you look for in your recruits?

weekend at the football game. I am very excited about it. I’m going to be talking to the team

TV: You know, really, it’s are they great basketball players and

Friday night. We have our recruits here, so it’s going to be a very busy weekend. I’ll be running

are they great students? And, then, those are people that we

out onto the field, will be there for the toss of the coin, I’ll be on the field and also in the stands

recruit. You hope the fact that they are very disciplined aca-

with our recruits, so I’ll be running back and forth. I am really excited about it.

demically and that they work really hard.

Over the years, I have been here with such great Football coaches … I have been very close

We just try to keep recruiting and it’s going to be a big re-

with a number of them. Coaches like Bill Walsh, Tyrone Willingham, Jim Harbaugh, David

The Girls’ Basketball Camp in Maples Pavilion at Stanford. The teaching and the learning of the game start early on. It’s fun and exciting and valuable, in so many ways, for a lifetime.

TV: I think the main thing is to have a great attitude and make a great effort

ski or play tennis when I am 80. So, maybe I will, I don’t know.

… and I’ll get along with players that do that. I love players that are great

So very proud of all her kids as if they’re her own. Here, Chiney and Nneka Ogwumike stand with their gleaming coach as they receive their WBCA All-America awards at the Final Four festivities.

teammates. They’re not just talented players. Talented players that work

SVL: Please tell us something about your wonderful Summer Basketball

hard, that have a great attitude, that work well with other people, that are re-

Camp …

spectful. You know, it is fun. Yes, it often is a grind. It is a lot of traveling. I want

TV: It’s something we do every year. It’s a great camp. There are over 700

people that are fun to be around, that are upbeat and positive, that are not

who attend, from all across the country, from all around the world. Our

complainers or deadbeat. Unfortunately, I think it is a challenge sometimes.

Eileen Roche (Assistant Athletic Director of Basketball Operations) here

Everyone says that the athletes have changed. Well, it’s the environment that

at Stanford runs it. It’s an opportunity to learn so much. I think in any

has changed … You know now with Social Media, Twitter, Facebook, all that,

sport you have to learn the fundamentals. And so many kids want to skip

that has made people different. I think at the core people are the same, but

through that. Like in music you have to learn the scales. You are not going

Shaw … I have been here with eight different Head Football Coaches … I

little bit. I work out. I’m kind of doing my own training for a triathlon. I swim

the circumstances are very different. We all want to feel appreciated; we want

to be a great pianist just sitting down hacking away at Beethoven or some-

have seen a lot, you know, and learned a lot.

twice a week, I bike twice a week and I run twice a week; I’m trying to get into

to work with people that care about us.

thing. You have to start right at the beginning.

better shape.

I am shocked at the number of people that I talk to out in the business world

SVL: In closing, a few words of gratitude …

SVL: What have been some of your favorite moments and memories. What’s

I love to read. As for the kids, I think they have so much studying to do, maybe

who don’t really learn the lessons that are learned in the gym or on a team. I

TV: Something I want to include here, is a part of my life that is so very

it like, such special moments?

during a break I’ll give them a book, or recommend a book to them, maybe

have talked with friends of mine that are CEO’s and they tell me about shock-

important, my sister, Heidi. She is the Women’s Basketball Head Coach

TV: Fabulous winning national championships; winning the first one in 1990,

over the summer, but for the most part, they are in summer school and al-

ing adult misbehavior that is really very sad in this day and age, when we

at University of California San Diego. I am so fortunate that I can bounce

was unbelievable. To go from being a .500 team, Jennifer Azzi’s freshman

ready have so much reading to do. I’m reading right now, Dead Wake, a book

want to be efficient and we want to win as a team.

ideas off of her and I talk with her all the time. We are so close and I think

year, to a National Championship Team in Knoxville. I mean, it was a Cinder-

about the sinking of the Lusitania. I read about 15 books over the summer,

ella Story … it was just fabulous. I loved that. And winning again in 1992 was

mostly non-fiction. One book about the Wright Brothers … some historical

SVL: What’s this about your training for a triathlon?

Also, something I am becoming more involved with, is one of our games

awesome. I think cutting down the nets from the Regional Championship

fiction … but a lot of variety.

TV: I do triathlon training … but I do my own triathlon. I do it with friends

called the Nike N7 Game … it’s our “Native American Game”. This grew

to go the Final Four that’s really exciting. Winning the Olympics Gold Medal

I love music. I love Opera. I am hoping to go to the San Francisco Opera this

in the summer, in June, July and August. We’ll do a mile swim and a fifteen

out of a fabulous clinic that was put together - with Ganon Baker, who’s

was really fun.

year. I don’t feel like I take advantage of all the great things in the Bay Area. I

mile bike ride and a five mile run. And maybe we’ll do more the next time,

like a God in what he does in basketball skills training, who was there – he

You know, I take pleasure in each day. Just watching the improvement,

love to listen to music and love going to concerts. Basically, I have too many

and maybe we’ll increase upon it each time, each month. During the season,

came with his wife - along with Johnny (Johnny Dawkins, Stanford Men’s

watching the young people grow up. Watching the young people, I’m just so

interests for the time I have in a day. And work, too. I get up early and stay up

during the year, I try to exercise every day.

Basketball Coach) – one call was all it took, “I’ll be there for you, Coach!”, he

proud of them. You know, someone like Jennifer Azzi, who is now the Head

late and I go to bed exhausted. But I sleep well.

Coach at USF; Sonja Henning, who is a Vice President up at Nike; Kate Starbird,

we benefit from that.

said … I just love Johnny Dawkins! – also Amy (Amy Tucker, Stanford WomSVL: Do You have your favorite music? Your favorite composers? Inspira-

en’s Basketball Coach), my sister, Heidi, Ceal (Ceal Barry, retired University

who is a Professor up at the University of Washington; just go through the

SVL: Are you close to any nonprofits?

tions?

of Colorado Women’s Basketball Coach) and myself. This was on the Salish

whole list (it’s a long list) of all these great players and great people I’ve been

TV: I am. Two. One is JobTrain. JobTrain is a fantastic service basically giving

TV: There are so many great … I love Chopin, Brahms, Mozart. I love the

Kootenai Indian reservation in Montana. I am so grateful to all, that we

around; it’s always fun, it’s really exciting.

people a skill set to get hired. I am on the JobTrain Board and I am very proud

classics more than anything. There are so many, that I wouldn’t want to limit

were all there. It was, it is fantastic.

of what JobTrain does. It is a fantastic organization. It is located right by Face-

myself to one or two or three. I have been playing for about 15 years, but I am

SVL: What are some of your outside hobbies, interests, passions and activi-

book. The other nonprofit I am close to is the Humane Society Silicon Valley.

not very good. It’s the hardest thing. Playing the piano is the hardest thing.

I think a big part of who I want to be is to give back. I feel so fortunate. Wheth-

ties?

I love my dogs.

But I love it.

er it’s helping the Onetta Harris Community Center (in East Palo Alto) or Job-

I am very fortunate that I have a great teacher. But, lately, I have been doing

Train … or doing things with our team like volunteering at the hospital or

TV: I love to ski, snow skiing (I don’t get to do too much of it because it’s during the season), water skiing (I enjoy getting in a lot of water skiing). I sail,

SVL: Great coaches bring great winning philosophies. What are some of

more active, physical things just because I realize I want to be in better shape.

serving Thanksgiving meals … I think it’s really an important part of what I do

I love to sail, I have three sailboats actually at different places. I play tennis a

Coach Tara VanDerveer philosophies?

I can play the piano when I am 80, whereas I might not be able to water ski or

… and who I am.

The Girls’ Basketball Camp in Maples Pavilion at Stanford. The teaching and the learning of the game start early on. It’s fun and exciting and valuable, in so many ways, for a lifetime.

TV: I think the main thing is to have a great attitude and make a great effort

ski or play tennis when I am 80. So, maybe I will, I don’t know.

… and I’ll get along with players that do that. I love players that are great

So very proud of all her kids as if they’re her own. Here, Chiney and Nneka Ogwumike stand with their gleaming coach as they receive their WBCA All-America awards at the Final Four festivities.

teammates. They’re not just talented players. Talented players that work

SVL: Please tell us something about your wonderful Summer Basketball

hard, that have a great attitude, that work well with other people, that are re-

Camp …

spectful. You know, it is fun. Yes, it often is a grind. It is a lot of traveling. I want

TV: It’s something we do every year. It’s a great camp. There are over 700

people that are fun to be around, that are upbeat and positive, that are not

who attend, from all across the country, from all around the world. Our

complainers or deadbeat. Unfortunately, I think it is a challenge sometimes.

Eileen Roche (Assistant Athletic Director of Basketball Operations) here

Everyone says that the athletes have changed. Well, it’s the environment that

at Stanford runs it. It’s an opportunity to learn so much. I think in any

has changed … You know now with Social Media, Twitter, Facebook, all that,

sport you have to learn the fundamentals. And so many kids want to skip

that has made people different. I think at the core people are the same, but

through that. Like in music you have to learn the scales. You are not going

Shaw … I have been here with eight different Head Football Coaches … I

little bit. I work out. I’m kind of doing my own training for a triathlon. I swim

the circumstances are very different. We all want to feel appreciated; we want

to be a great pianist just sitting down hacking away at Beethoven or some-

have seen a lot, you know, and learned a lot.

twice a week, I bike twice a week and I run twice a week; I’m trying to get into

to work with people that care about us.

thing. You have to start right at the beginning.

better shape.

I am shocked at the number of people that I talk to out in the business world

SVL: In closing, a few words of gratitude …

SVL: What have been some of your favorite moments and memories. What’s

I love to read. As for the kids, I think they have so much studying to do, maybe

who don’t really learn the lessons that are learned in the gym or on a team. I

TV: Something I want to include here, is a part of my life that is so very

it like, such special moments?

during a break I’ll give them a book, or recommend a book to them, maybe

have talked with friends of mine that are CEO’s and they tell me about shock-

important, my sister, Heidi. She is the Women’s Basketball Head Coach

TV: Fabulous winning national championships; winning the first one in 1990,

over the summer, but for the most part, they are in summer school and al-

ing adult misbehavior that is really very sad in this day and age, when we

at University of California San Diego. I am so fortunate that I can bounce

was unbelievable. To go from being a .500 team, Jennifer Azzi’s freshman

ready have so much reading to do. I’m reading right now, Dead Wake, a book

want to be efficient and we want to win as a team.

ideas off of her and I talk with her all the time. We are so close and I think

year, to a National Championship Team in Knoxville. I mean, it was a Cinder-

about the sinking of the Lusitania. I read about 15 books over the summer,

ella Story … it was just fabulous. I loved that. And winning again in 1992 was

mostly non-fiction. One book about the Wright Brothers … some historical

SVL: What’s this about your training for a triathlon?

Also, something I am becoming more involved with, is one of our games

awesome. I think cutting down the nets from the Regional Championship

fiction … but a lot of variety.

TV: I do triathlon training … but I do my own triathlon. I do it with friends

called the Nike N7 Game … it’s our “Native American Game”. This grew

to go the Final Four that’s really exciting. Winning the Olympics Gold Medal

I love music. I love Opera. I am hoping to go to the San Francisco Opera this

in the summer, in June, July and August. We’ll do a mile swim and a fifteen

out of a fabulous clinic that was put together - with Ganon Baker, who’s

was really fun.

year. I don’t feel like I take advantage of all the great things in the Bay Area. I

mile bike ride and a five mile run. And maybe we’ll do more the next time,

like a God in what he does in basketball skills training, who was there – he

You know, I take pleasure in each day. Just watching the improvement,

love to listen to music and love going to concerts. Basically, I have too many

and maybe we’ll increase upon it each time, each month. During the season,

came with his wife - along with Johnny (Johnny Dawkins, Stanford Men’s

watching the young people grow up. Watching the young people, I’m just so

interests for the time I have in a day. And work, too. I get up early and stay up

during the year, I try to exercise every day.

Basketball Coach) – one call was all it took, “I’ll be there for you, Coach!”, he

proud of them. You know, someone like Jennifer Azzi, who is now the Head

late and I go to bed exhausted. But I sleep well.

Coach at USF; Sonja Henning, who is a Vice President up at Nike; Kate Starbird,

we benefit from that.

said … I just love Johnny Dawkins! – also Amy (Amy Tucker, Stanford WomSVL: Do You have your favorite music? Your favorite composers? Inspira-

en’s Basketball Coach), my sister, Heidi, Ceal (Ceal Barry, retired University

who is a Professor up at the University of Washington; just go through the

SVL: Are you close to any nonprofits?

tions?

of Colorado Women’s Basketball Coach) and myself. This was on the Salish

whole list (it’s a long list) of all these great players and great people I’ve been

TV: I am. Two. One is JobTrain. JobTrain is a fantastic service basically giving

TV: There are so many great … I love Chopin, Brahms, Mozart. I love the

Kootenai Indian reservation in Montana. I am so grateful to all, that we

around; it’s always fun, it’s really exciting.

people a skill set to get hired. I am on the JobTrain Board and I am very proud

classics more than anything. There are so many, that I wouldn’t want to limit

were all there. It was, it is fantastic.

of what JobTrain does. It is a fantastic organization. It is located right by Face-

myself to one or two or three. I have been playing for about 15 years, but I am

SVL: What are some of your outside hobbies, interests, passions and activi-

book. The other nonprofit I am close to is the Humane Society Silicon Valley.

not very good. It’s the hardest thing. Playing the piano is the hardest thing.

I think a big part of who I want to be is to give back. I feel so fortunate. Wheth-

ties?

I love my dogs.

But I love it.

er it’s helping the Onetta Harris Community Center (in East Palo Alto) or Job-

I am very fortunate that I have a great teacher. But, lately, I have been doing

Train … or doing things with our team like volunteering at the hospital or

TV: I love to ski, snow skiing (I don’t get to do too much of it because it’s during the season), water skiing (I enjoy getting in a lot of water skiing). I sail,

SVL: Great coaches bring great winning philosophies. What are some of

more active, physical things just because I realize I want to be in better shape.

serving Thanksgiving meals … I think it’s really an important part of what I do

I love to sail, I have three sailboats actually at different places. I play tennis a

Coach Tara VanDerveer philosophies?

I can play the piano when I am 80, whereas I might not be able to water ski or

… and who I am.

Featured Local Biz Buzz SHOPPING LOCAL IS SUPPORTING LOCAL Think local. Yes, think local. Think of it, all local businesses depend on our support.

Each year brings more national chains displacing locally-owned businesses throughout the country. How can we not lose sense of our local community?

By our choosing local and independent businesses for your services, shopping, dining and other needs, you are not only getting real value and personal service, you are helping to build a stronger local community, while also helping to create local jobs and opportunities.

Ken Packer

Publisher & Executive Editor

ken@svlocalmag.com

Most important, local owners are local contributors, as well, who make contributions to our communities and neighborhoods. Larger firms contribute primarily to the area where the corporation is headquartered, not necessarily where they do business.

Buying local can help local economies withstand cycles of downturn. After all, it’s not how much money we have but how much we can keep in circulation in our local economy.

In closing, please keep this thought in mind, as we begin introducing you to various local businesses …

Each dollar you spend on average at a local business will return 3 times more money to our local economy than every one dollar spent at a chain store or buying from a large retailer online.

The local businesses, in turn, employ many supporting services themselves, such as designers for their new offices, local sign-makers, contractors, accountants, insurance brokers, attorneys, and many others to help build and prosper their local business. This “chain” ultimately creates more jobs and more local economic sustainable success.

All the best,

Ken

Featured Local Businesses KEEPING DOLLARS IN THE LOCAL ECONOMY

Featured Local Business

Comprehensive Legal Services Since 1955

PERSONAL INJURY • WORKERS’ COMPENSATION • SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY CLAIMS • DIVORCE & FAMILY LAW • DUI & CRIMINAL DEFENSE • BANKRUPTCY LAW

If your legal concerns seem complex and over your head, you are not alone. Understanding your legal situation requires an attorney who knows the law and can explain it to you in plain English. At the Sunnyvale law offices of Scher, Bassett & Hames, we know how to talk to our South Bay clients and we know how to get real results.

Handling everything from personal injury and workers’ comp to criminal defense and family law since 1955, Scher, Bassett & Hames has established a strong reputation based on experience and results. Offering continuity of representation across a broad range of legal areas, we are always there for our clients, providing effective counsel during their most difficult times.

When you come to our Sunnyvale law office, you will speak directly to an attorney.

Handling your intake and evaluation up front, our lawyers will be there to protect your rights until you have reached a successful conclusion. Staying in touch throughout your case, we make a point to always be accessible, and your case will not be passed off to an inexperienced associate or non-lawyer staff member.

Our goal is to help people when they are in trouble. Whether you are going through a divorce or you have suffered a serious personal injury at work, we can answer your questions, help you understand your options and take action. Whatever legal concerns you may have, we want you to feel confident that your legal matters are in competent hands, so you can carry on with your life.

SCHER, BASSETT & HAMES 298 S. Sunnyvale Avenue Suite 209 Sunnyvale, CA 94086 (408) 739-5300 http://www.scherandbassett.com

http://www.scherandbassett.com

Featured Local Business

PHELPS & COHEN Eric Phelps, DDS, MS • Jason Cohen, DDS, MS

ORTHODONTICS

At our office, consultations are complimentary. This article includes some frequently asked questions and answers from orthodontics consultations.

I see a lot of kids with braces at eight or nine years old. Isn’t that too young?

Although eight and nine year olds typically still have 12 primary teeth, many children this age can greatly benefit from early orthodontic treatment, also known as Phase I Orthodontics. Reasons for early treatment include: severe crowding, impacted teeth, jaw size discrepancies, crossbites, and many more.

While the American Association of Orthodontics recommends that all children have an orthodontic evaluation no later than age 7, a simple ‘Rule of Thumb’ is: “Eight is great, nine is fine!”

Am I too old for orthodontic treatment?

Over the past three years, about a third of the consultations at our office have been for adults.

No matter what your age, if you have healthy teeth and healthy gum tissue and bone around your teeth then you are a candidate for orthodontics.

PRIMARY MOLARS

I have been told that I need four bicuspids extracted because my teeth are crowded. What is your opinion?

With the development of self-ligating braces (we use Damon braces: www.damonbraces.com), I believe it is easier to create enough space to avoid extractions in most cases. The extra space typically is created by widening the arch form which results in a nice, broad, esthetic smile. Avoiding extractions is another great reason for Phase I Orthodontics (as shown in the images below).

Creating more arch width in an eight or nine year old patient often provides enough space to avoid the need for bicuspid extraction.

On the other hand, a primary goal of treatment is to get the incisors (front teeth) in an esthetic and functional position. Sometimes bicuspid extraction is needed to achieve orthodontic treatment goals.

Can you tell me about Invisalign?

Invisalign is a treatment option for patients that would like to have their teeth moved but are not

PHASE 1 ORTHODONTICS CREATING SPACE FOR PERMANENT CANINES

MADE SPACE FOR BICUSPIDS AND CANINES

(AVOIDED NEED FOR BICUSPID EXTRACTION)

NO ROOM FOR ADULT CANINES

PHELPS

Eric Phelps, DDS, MS • Jason Cohen, DDS, MS 2075 Forest Avenue, Suite 2 San Jose, CA 95128

ORTHODONTICS

(408) 298-3433 Fax (408) 298-6304 http://www.phelpscohenortho.com

& COHEN

interested in wearing braces. We now have an iTero digital scanner at the office that produces a digital 3D model of the patients upper and lower set of teeth in just over 10 minutes. No more impressions!!! Digital models are more accurate than models created from impressions and can be uploaded instantly to Align Technology for treatment planning. The orthodontist uses advanced Invisalign software to create ideal final positions of all teeth. A series of high-tech clear plastic aligners are then produced that move teeth in small increments.

great time to be a Bay Area sports fan because of the success of our local teams. In my opinion, it is even a greater time to be a parent of a sports fan because of great role models like Buster Posey and Patrick Willis!

For more information visit: www.invisalign.com

I would like to thank the San Francisco Giants and the San Francisco 49ers for supporting our inaugural charity concert in Campbell, CA on September 1st, 2012 in support of the Foundation for Ichthyosis and Related Skin Types (FIRST).

Please read about ichthyosis on the following page and join us for next year’s concert at the Flint Center in Cupertino on September 7th, 2013.

Why is everyone wearing jerseys?

Eric Phelps, DDS, MS

Everyone Wednesday and Saturday are jersey days at our office. We started the tradition a few years back and it has become a highlight for our staff and patients. Jerseys create some interesting conversations, especially when one of our assistants wears her Dodgers jersey. It is a

For more information about our practice (offices in San Jose and Pleasanton), please visit our website at www.phelpscohenortho.com.

Featured Local Business

he Adobe Lodge, built in 1822, is just steps from the Mission Santa Clara de Asis. This cherished, historic gem is perfect for your most special occasions. We specialize in creating memorable wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners, bridal showers, family reunions and anniversary parties.

Set amongst the beauty of the Mission Garden and in the shadow of the historical Santa Clara Mission Church, the Adobe Lodge is a true hidden treasure. One of the remaining origina l buildings left on the Santa Clara University campus, the Adobe Lodge offers a serene atmosphere for all those who wish to visit.

As the in-house caterer at Santa Clara University’s beloved Adobe Lodge, we are pleased to offer a full range of event coordination serv ices. Whether you are planning a social or business function, for 5 to 1000 people, the Adobe Lodge will be happy to meet your needs. We also have full video and IT services available for any and all presentations. Our Adobe Lodge chefs are committed to bringing you the best loca l ingredients, authentic flavors and impeccable service. We at the Adobe Lodge pride ourselves in making every event special.

Our menus are custom tailored for each event.

We create “perfect fit” menus and event planning every time and look forward to doing so for your special occasion. For your private consultation with our event planning staff, please call 408.554.4059 or email at adobelodge@scu.edu.

The Adobe Lodge at Santa Clara University 500 El Camino Real, Building 108 Santa Clara, Ca 95053 408.554.4059 adobelodge.cafebonappetit.com

Photo by Chung Li

Featured Local Business

Quality Fitness Equipment For Your Home and Workplace

A

ll American Fitness has served the specialty fitness needs of the San Francisco and Monterey Bay areas for over 25 years, since 1984. All American Fitness is owner-operated, and the owners are serious about fitness, training 5 days a week. At All American Fitness, it is our goal to offer quality fitness equipment and accessories to meet our customers’ needs. We continually review the industry for new and innovative products.

and dedicated to their satisfaction. We currently offer accessories to aid you in your toning, strength training, or cardiovascular workout. We are presenting the items we feel our customers are most interested in. If you are looking for a particular item and don’t see it, feel free to contact us via phone or our online form and we will let you know if we carry it.

All American Fitness offers high-quality fitness equipment from the leading manufacturers in the All American Fitness is committed to bringing the industry. The experienced staff at All American highest quality products to the consumer at a fair Fitness will provide product education, facility design price. We want your shopping experience to meet services and planning expertise regardless of the your highest expectations. size or scope of the project. We are committed to understanding each client’s unique goals to ensure All American Fitness is sensitive to our clients’ needs their complete satisfaction.

www.allamericanfitness.com • (408) 293-9966 1223 The Alameda, San Jose, CA 95126

Featured Local Business

Authentic Italian Dishes With Fresh Ingredients

T

he menu at Antonella’s Ristorante features a wide

array of great selections for lunch and dinner, sure to please every member of your group.

Join us for lunch or dinner, whether you are celebrating a special occasion or just feel like enjoying a great meal.

Antonella’s Ristorante

SPECIALS!

“The restaurant is the brainchild of Colorado

Sun.Mon.Tues

native Lyle Koch, proprietor, who attributes

Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chicken Dinner,

his love of cooking to his mother. “My moth-

with choice of soup or salad and Tiramisu for

er was a great cook and I liked cooking,” he

Dessert. $12.95 plus tax. Evenings.

explains. “I had to take a home economics

Wednesday

class in school and the teacher said I had a

All you can eat Spaghetti and Meatballs,

knack for cooking.”

with Salad and Garlic Bread.” No take out.

Authentic Italian Dishes, with Fresh Ingriedients!

WELCOME! Antonella’s Ristorante is proud to serve fabulous food at great prices.

We do not compromise quality, and are committed to providing our guests with foods that are prepared in-house.

Lyle Koch (Chef & Owner)

(408) 279-4922 • 1701 Park Ave San Jose

Saturday

Ask about our Party Platters!

Takeout and Catering are available for any menu item and Antonella’s will accommodate special orders as possible. We personalize and plan special menus with you & deliver for large catering orders.

Half off any Bottle of Wine.

Everyday Large 2 Item Pizza, Cheese Ravioli, Caesar Salad and Foccocia Bread $21.95 plus tax. Evenings.

MONDAY - FRIDAY Lunch 11:00AM - 4:00PM Dinner 4:00PM.-9:00PM

SATURDAY Dinner Only 4:00PM-9:00PM

SUNDAY Dinner 4:00PM - 9:00 PM

Antonella’s is available for semi-private and private parties.

www.AntonellasRistorante.com

Featured Local Business

Authentic Italian Dishes With Fresh Ingredients

T

he menu at Antonella’s Ristorante features a wide

array of great selections for lunch and dinner, sure to please every member of your group.

Join us for lunch or dinner, whether you are celebrating a special occasion or just feel like enjoying a great meal.

Antonella’s Ristorante

SPECIALS!

“The restaurant is the brainchild of Colorado

Sun.Mon.Tues

native Lyle Koch, proprietor, who attributes

Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chicken Dinner,

his love of cooking to his mother. “My moth-

with choice of soup or salad and Tiramisu for

er was a great cook and I liked cooking,” he

Dessert. $12.95 plus tax. Evenings.

explains. “I had to take a home economics

Wednesday

class in school and the teacher said I had a

All you can eat Spaghetti and Meatballs,

knack for cooking.”

with Salad and Garlic Bread.” No take out.

Authentic Italian Dishes, with Fresh Ingriedients!

WELCOME! Antonella’s Ristorante is proud to serve fabulous food at great prices.

We do not compromise quality, and are committed to providing our guests with foods that are prepared in-house.

Lyle Koch (Chef & Owner)

(408) 279-4922 • 1701 Park Ave San Jose

Saturday

Ask about our Party Platters!

Takeout and Catering are available for any menu item and Antonella’s will accommodate special orders as possible. We personalize and plan special menus with you & deliver for large catering orders.

Half off any Bottle of Wine.

Everyday Large 2 Item Pizza, Cheese Ravioli, Caesar Salad and Foccocia Bread $21.95 plus tax. Evenings.

MONDAY - FRIDAY Lunch 11:00AM - 4:00PM Dinner 4:00PM.-9:00PM

SATURDAY Dinner Only 4:00PM-9:00PM

SUNDAY Dinner 4:00PM - 9:00 PM

Antonella’s is available for semi-private and private parties.

www.AntonellasRistorante.com

FeaturedLocalBusiness

Craftsmen’s Guild, Inc. Unique Homes, Additions & Resources

The Craftsmen Guild.

Build it Right. Design it Right.

MORE THAN 30 YEARS IN BUSINESS

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FeaturedLocalBusiness

Craftsmen’s Guild, Inc. Unique Homes, Additions & Resources

The Craftsmen Guild.

Build it Right. Design it Right.

MORE THAN 30 YEARS IN BUSINESS

Design & Build All under one Roof from a to z

Planning • Building Design Engineering • Permitting • Interior Construction • Managment • Genreal Contracting • Consultating

The Amini Brothers

1 0 5 6 6 S . D E A N ZA BLV D . , C U P E RT I N O , C A 9 5 0 1 4

C A l l ( 4 0 8 ) 3 6 6 -1 0 0 0 t o d ay t o f i n d o u t h o w w e d o i t be t t e r i n t h e b ay a r e a !

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Featured Local Business

Since 1977 — A Tradition in Downtown Mountain View

The Garcia-Lopez family invites you to enjoy our family recipes that have been handed down to us for generations. From our “Mole Poblano” to our “Grandma’s Special”, enjoy the taste and ambiance of Mexico.

We feature the greatest Margaritas, more than 200 Blue Agave Tequilas & a wide selection of beers.

Thank you all - We appreciate again being voted: The Best Mexican Restaurant in Mountain View by the Mountain View Voice, The Best Margarita in Mountain View by the Mountain View Voice and also The Best Mexican Restaurant in Silicon Valley by the Metro.

Open 7 Days a Week for Lunch and Dinner, plus a Champagne/Sangria Brunch Saturday and Sunday. Banquet facilities available with seating up to 40. Wonderful for Birthdays, Weddings, Anniversaries, Engagements, Quincineras - any and all Special Events and Get Togethers - for Families and Friends.

Champagne/Sangria Brunch Saturday and Sunday 11am-3pm

Banquet Facilities Seat up to 40 Monday-Thursday 11:00am-2:00pm and 5:00pm-9:00pm Friday 11:00am-2:00pm and 5:00pm-10:00pm Saturday 11:00am-10:00pm • Sunday 11:00am-9:00pm

Contact us today! (650)968-1364

240 Villa St., Mountain View, CA 94041 • (650) 968-1364

Featured Local Business

Since 1977 — A Tradition in Downtown Mountain View

The Garcia-Lopez family invites you to enjoy our family recipes that have been handed down to us for generations. From our “Mole Poblano” to our “Grandma’s Special”, enjoy the taste and ambiance of Mexico.

We feature the greatest Margaritas, more than 200 Blue Agave Tequilas & a wide selection of beers.

Thank you all - We appreciate again being voted: The Best Mexican Restaurant in Mountain View by the Mountain View Voice, The Best Margarita in Mountain View by the Mountain View Voice and also The Best Mexican Restaurant in Silicon Valley by the Metro.

Open 7 Days a Week for Lunch and Dinner, plus a Champagne/Sangria Brunch Saturday and Sunday. Banquet facilities available with seating up to 40. Wonderful for Birthdays, Weddings, Anniversaries, Engagements, Quincineras - any and all Special Events and Get Togethers - for Families and Friends.

Champagne/Sangria Brunch Saturday and Sunday 11am-3pm

Banquet Facilities Seat up to 40 Monday-Thursday 11:00am-2:00pm and 5:00pm-9:00pm Friday 11:00am-2:00pm and 5:00pm-10:00pm Saturday 11:00am-10:00pm • Sunday 11:00am-9:00pm

Contact us today! (650)968-1364

240 Villa St., Mountain View, CA 94041 • (650) 968-1364

Featured Local Business

Where everything is

FRESH

its always FRESH in the

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1246 Great Mall Drive (Located at the Great Mall) Milpitas, C A 95035

1246 Great Mall Drive (Located at the Great Mall) Milpitas, CA 95035

Featured Local Business

Where everything is

FRESH

its always FRESH in the

( 4 0 8 ) 2 6 3 - 5 4 0 0 | W W W. O U T B A C K . CO M

( 4 0 8 ) 2 6 3 - 5 4 0 0 | W W W. O U T B A C K . CO M

1246 Great Mall Drive (Located at the Great Mall) Milpitas, C A 95035

1246 Great Mall Drive (Located at the Great Mall) Milpitas, CA 95035

Featured Local Business

Not All Doors

are created equal...

From inception to installation, we take great pride in our ability to provide you and your home with the finest products and service possible.

Premier Door Services, Inc.

394 State St., Los Altos 650.559.8281 • 5853 Winfield Blvd., San Jose • 408.281.3219

www.premierdoorservices.biz

Contractor License #790327

Featured Local Business

Not All Doors

are created equal...

From inception to installation, we take great pride in our ability to provide you and your home with the finest products and service possible.

Premier Door Services, Inc.

394 State St., Los Altos 650.559.8281 • 5853 Winfield Blvd., San Jose • 408.281.3219

www.premierdoorservices.biz

Contractor License #790327

Featured Local Business

S a n

J o s e

O a k

Who We Are San Jose Oak was established in 1989 making custom furniture, cabinets, closet organizers, and many other custom household items. We are a family owned business that has taken pride in quality, craftsmanship, and customer service. We now specialize in customizing your kitchen while incorporating your ideas and visions.

C U S TO M

K I T C H E N

CA B I N E T S

354 Umbarger Rd. Unit 14 • San Jose, CA 95111 • (408) 362-0366

Call us f or an appointment f or an in home consultation or come visit our office in person! (408) 362-0366

www.sanjoseoak.com

Featured Local Business

S a n

J o s e

O a k

Who We Are San Jose Oak was established in 1989 making custom furniture, cabinets, closet organizers, and many other custom household items. We are a family owned business that has taken pride in quality, craftsmanship, and customer service. We now specialize in customizing your kitchen while incorporating your ideas and visions.

C U S TO M

K I T C H E N

CA B I N E T S

354 Umbarger Rd. Unit 14 • San Jose, CA 95111 • (408) 362-0366

Call us f or an appointment f or an in home consultation or come visit our office in person! (408) 362-0366

www.sanjoseoak.com

americaitaliana-sv local-2015.pdf

1

14/09/15

16:29

Featured Local Business ITALIAN SOLUTIONS FOR WINDOWS, DOORS & MORE

Benvenuto! Welcome!

America Italiana provides generations of family business experience, offering a wide range of Custom Italian Windows and Doors: Contemporary, Classic, Traditional, Modern, Antique and Decorative...

IN ALL MATERIALS!

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Create an Italian Masterpiece!

America Italiana provides precision European engineering with distinctive Italian design and craftsmanshipthe product of generations of experience with custom windows and doors. This special combination permits America Italiana to be the premier importer of Italy's most prestigious window and door brands for the custom window market. We serve the Greater Bay Area, California and all of the US and Canada.

WWW.AMERICAITALIANA.COM

TO VISIT OUR 3,500 SQ.FT. DESIGN CENTER

CALL (408) 452-9166 - 275 E. Brokaw Road San Jose, CA 95112

americaitaliana-sv local-2015.pdf

1

14/09/15

16:29

Featured Local Business ITALIAN SOLUTIONS FOR WINDOWS, DOORS & MORE

Benvenuto! Welcome!

America Italiana provides generations of family business experience, offering a wide range of Custom Italian Windows and Doors: Contemporary, Classic, Traditional, Modern, Antique and Decorative...

IN ALL MATERIALS!

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Create an Italian Masterpiece!

America Italiana provides precision European engineering with distinctive Italian design and craftsmanshipthe product of generations of experience with custom windows and doors. This special combination permits America Italiana to be the premier importer of Italy's most prestigious window and door brands for the custom window market. We serve the Greater Bay Area, California and all of the US and Canada.

WWW.AMERICAITALIANA.COM

TO VISIT OUR 3,500 SQ.FT. DESIGN CENTER

CALL (408) 452-9166 - 275 E. Brokaw Road San Jose, CA 95112

Featured Local Business that will hit the exact al dente mark with plenty of pizazz. The decor is classic Italian-American and so is the menu. A place to be casual and get involved with the food.”

As another reviewer wrote: “The menu is plentiful and not to mention excellent.” There is also an array of popular vegetarian and vegan options, plus an outstanding wine selection and a full bar, as well, to choose from.

Italian family recipes an in an open-kitchen, very

A Delicious Taste of Italy

friendly ambiance, inside and also outdoors. Thus,

The dream came to Joe Antuzzi II, the proprietor of Sunnyvale train station.

wearing shorts or a suit and tie.

it is a bistro, meaning it is meant to feel casual where people would feel comfortable whether

il postale: to create a fun, festive and popular restaurant similar to what you would find in the Old World Nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley, il postale’s Italian fare - located in a historic downtown, close to setting seems perfect, in an old world charm of the train station, where people would come from its own. There, you will experience award-winning

Laura Reiley of CitySearch wrote: “il postale is an Come and enjoy il postale Italian-American Bistro & Italian gem of a restaurant in Sunnyvale, with Bar. When not able to attend, you may also wish to generous portions and attentive service.”

near and far, and feel right at home - enjoying such Italian-American food and at reasonable prices. delicious Italian food and wine and in such a warm, The intent was not to reinvent the Italian culinary friendly and comfortable setting.

world, but to include already very popular old

menu. This way you can bring il postale’s delicious, Good Life Publications wrote: “Big-hearted and fun and friendly festivities to you. Buon appetito! two-fisted, this robust restaurant likes to lavish its customers with generous portions and atten-

So it came to be that in 1995, il postale Italian-Amer-

consider their very popular “Cater your next event”

tive service.

ican Bistro was born. il postale is Italian, meaning the Post Office. It is conveniently located

“Here is a place that turns out food Dean Martin

in the heart of historic downtown Sunnyvale - yes,

would have loved. The marinara is perfection,

on Murphy Avenue -just across the street from the

and there’s invariably some seafood pasta dish

il postale Italian-American Bistro & Bar A Delicious Taste of Italy 100 S. Murphy Avenue Sunnyvale (408) 733-9600 ilpostale.com

Featured Local Business that will hit the exact al dente mark with plenty of pizazz. The decor is classic Italian-American and so is the menu. A place to be casual and get involved with the food.”

As another reviewer wrote: “The menu is plentiful and not to mention excellent.” There is also an array of popular vegetarian and vegan options, plus an outstanding wine selection and a full bar, as well, to choose from.

Italian family recipes an in an open-kitchen, very

A Delicious Taste of Italy

friendly ambiance, inside and also outdoors. Thus,

The dream came to Joe Antuzzi II, the proprietor of Sunnyvale train station.

wearing shorts or a suit and tie.

it is a bistro, meaning it is meant to feel casual where people would feel comfortable whether

il postale: to create a fun, festive and popular restaurant similar to what you would find in the Old World Nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley, il postale’s Italian fare - located in a historic downtown, close to setting seems perfect, in an old world charm of the train station, where people would come from its own. There, you will experience award-winning

Laura Reiley of CitySearch wrote: “il postale is an Come and enjoy il postale Italian-American Bistro & Italian gem of a restaurant in Sunnyvale, with Bar. When not able to attend, you may also wish to generous portions and attentive service.”

near and far, and feel right at home - enjoying such Italian-American food and at reasonable prices. delicious Italian food and wine and in such a warm, The intent was not to reinvent the Italian culinary friendly and comfortable setting.

world, but to include already very popular old

menu. This way you can bring il postale’s delicious, Good Life Publications wrote: “Big-hearted and fun and friendly festivities to you. Buon appetito! two-fisted, this robust restaurant likes to lavish its customers with generous portions and atten-

So it came to be that in 1995, il postale Italian-Amer-

consider their very popular “Cater your next event”

tive service.

ican Bistro was born. il postale is Italian, meaning the Post Office. It is conveniently located

“Here is a place that turns out food Dean Martin

in the heart of historic downtown Sunnyvale - yes,

would have loved. The marinara is perfection,

on Murphy Avenue -just across the street from the

and there’s invariably some seafood pasta dish

il postale Italian-American Bistro & Bar A Delicious Taste of Italy 100 S. Murphy Avenue Sunnyvale (408) 733-9600 ilpostale.com

Introducing

The DUX 818 Engineered to Help Relieve Back Pain.

3-Layer Continuous Coil Spring Design

Removable Top Pad

Up to 4180 Swedish steel springs provides dynamic support to your entire body.

1

THE DUX速 BED

2

Engineered to Help Relieve Back Pain

3

The DUX customizable component system is designed to resist gravity and weight to provide continuous, pressure-free support.

Our patented interchangeable spring cassette system not only allows the bed to be customized to your individual body type, but can also be adjusted due to injury, illness or pregnancy.

Adjustable Lumbar Support

HIGH PERFORMANCE SLEEP SYSTEMS

Available only at

SAN FRANCISCO 1803 FILLMORE STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115 | 415-673-7134 PALO ALTO 534 BRYANT STREET, PALO ALTO, CA 94301 | 650-322-7134 WWW.DUXIANA.COM

Lying in a hard bed, the spine is curved.

Lying in a sagging bed, the spine is curved.

In a dux bed the spine is supported in a natural, relaxed position for correct sleep posture.

HIGH PERFORMANCE SLEEP SYSTEMS

Available only at

SAN FRANCISCO 1803 FILLMORE STREET 415-673-7134 PALO ALTO 534 BRYANT STREET 650-322-7134 WWW.DUXIANA.COM

Introducing

The DUX 818 Engineered to Help Relieve Back Pain.

3-Layer Continuous Coil Spring Design

Removable Top Pad

Up to 4180 Swedish steel springs provides dynamic support to your entire body.

1

THE DUX速 BED

2

Engineered to Help Relieve Back Pain

3

The DUX customizable component system is designed to resist gravity and weight to provide continuous, pressure-free support.

Our patented interchangeable spring cassette system not only allows the bed to be customized to your individual body type, but can also be adjusted due to injury, illness or pregnancy.

Adjustable Lumbar Support

HIGH PERFORMANCE SLEEP SYSTEMS

Available only at

SAN FRANCISCO 1803 FILLMORE STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115 | 415-673-7134 PALO ALTO 534 BRYANT STREET, PALO ALTO, CA 94301 | 650-322-7134 WWW.DUXIANA.COM

Lying in a hard bed, the spine is curved.

Lying in a sagging bed, the spine is curved.

In a dux bed the spine is supported in a natural, relaxed position for correct sleep posture.

HIGH PERFORMANCE SLEEP SYSTEMS

Available only at

SAN FRANCISCO 1803 FILLMORE STREET 415-673-7134 PALO ALTO 534 BRYANT STREET 650-322-7134 WWW.DUXIANA.COM

TECH’S YOUNG GUNS

Is the next Steve Jobs out there?

By Scott Budman

T

hey’re the Young Guns. Seen by some as too young and too cocky; seen by others as the future of the world’s greatest wealth creation engine.

Here in Silicon Valley, we hold a special place for young executives.

Men and women who wouldn’t get the time of day in most traditional smokestack industries, but who are treated like royalty in tech. They start Budman companies, convince people twice their age to part with hundreds of millions of dollars in Venture funding, and

then become billionaires.

Recently, we’ve referred too many of them as “The next Steve Jobs.” But they’ve been here as long as there has been a Silicon Valley.

And thanks to people like Jack Dorsey, I’m confident that there will always be a Silicon Valley.

We catch up to Dorsey at the headquarters of Square, a growing company changing the way we buy things. The “Square” in question is a small attachment to your iPhone or iPad that lets you accept credit cards payments anytime, anywhere. It’s simple, and extremely lucrative. And it’s not all Dorsey does for a living. He also started Twitter, the much larger company currently informing just about everyone about just about everything. Nowhere near 40, Dorsey is what the tech industry is all about: Youth cool, and success.

He is, however, a lot older than Mark Zuckerberg. Another executive clearly ahead of his time, pushing through decisions that, after

initial skepticism, prove to be spot-on. Speaking of Facebook, let’s not forget Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg. Not as young as Mark, but ahead of her time in the tech world, with a strong feeling that education is what’s needed for a better tech industry (remember, Apple used to push that pretty hard, too).

All corporate neighbors, by the way, of Aaron Levie, the young CEO and co-founder of Box. His is a company focusing on cloud storage - not as consumer sexy as Facebook or twitter, but crucial to the future of tech. He has written several posts recently pretty much saying that he does what he does because he watched Steve Jobs do it. Touching and thoughtful, from someone who will surely be part of the next big tech wave.

Box’s chief competitor is called DropBox, and there’s more in common there than storage, and the word “Box” in the name. DropBox also has a young hotshot founder. Arash Ferdowsi, along with his co-founder (they were classmates at MIT) just pulled in enough money to rate a staggering $4 billion valuation.

Which, while impressive, is likely dwarfed by even the personal wealth of Google’s Marissa Mayer. While young in age, Mayer is already treated (deservedly) like a Valley veteran, taking a big role in guiding Google to its huge success. One of the company’s first hires, Mayer is given credit for the company’s easy to use design, and much-imitated culture. Search “success,” and you’ll find her.

Also in the neighborhood (what is it about Palo Alto, anyway? Is there something in the water that makes young people more ambitious than you or me?), a company called Pulse, with two co-founders still in their twenties, Akshay Kothari and Ankit Gupta. Both out of Stanford (again, where else?), they’re quiet young men, but determined to change the way we find and read news. Their app makes the iPad an intelligent device. On top of that, the Amazon Kindle Fire chose Pulse as the first built-in app for its new, popular tablet.

And, how about Ernestine Fu? We first met her as a High School student, already starting companies. She went on to Stanford, and

while still there, became an associate at Alsop Louie Partners, a Venture Capital firm. Wait a minute, you ask, a 20-year old VC? Well, why not. This is, after all, the land of the 20-something founder of companies used by twenty somethings; why not tap into a young mind when it comes to deciding who to fund?

Admittedly, some of the youth movement is here because good times are here; When the dot-com boom went bust, it also took also took a lot of the young founders down with it. This makes some sense: When people get nervous, they’re less likely to take risks, and

We here in Silicon Valley love our risk takers, and we love our rock stars.

few things say “risk” like trusting ten million dollars of your money to someone who could be your kid.

That said, we here in Silicon Valley love our risk takers, and we love our rock stars. We have a special place for young people – after all, Jobs and Wozniak were young founders, so were Marc Andreessen of Netscape, Jen-Hsun Huang of Nvidia, and many others.

They’re not worried about being the “next” Steve Jobs, as much as they’re worried about their next round of funding, next line of products, or when the IPO hits. And as long as they’re still here, Silicon Valley will rightly be known as the Wild West, where the Young Guns rule.

Scott Budman is an Emmy award-winning reporter, covering business and technology for NBC Bay Area News.

He is also the host of the weekly NBC show, “TechNow,” and can be heard doing business updates every afternoon on KNBR radio.

You can find Scott on Twitter: @scottbudman

Introducing Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage/San Jose-Willow Glen

I

t is with great pleasure that I introduce you to our Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage / San Jose - Willow Glen office. I could not be any prouder than I am of each and every one of our professional, resourceful and most friendly agents.

We are all so very fortunate to live and work in this most beautiful region of Silicon Valley and the Bay Area. Our homes, our neighborhoods and our schools are certainly among the nicest imaginable.

Whether it’s selling or buying your Home, we all take great pride in presenting you with the best service possible. We thoroughly enjoy and appreciate the work we do and all that we

can do to make this the best possible experience for you and your family.

There is a reason why our office is one of the top offices in the state of California. I like to think that our office is more like a Team, a Family, all of us working together – for all who we serve and all that we do.

This is what makes my job so very special and enjoyable. It is why we love coming to work every day. This is not a job but a passion. And I am glad to say it resonates here every day.

With Best Wishes, James Nichols Managing Broker

Coldwell Banker Coldwell Banker’s Average Sales Price is

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Coldwell Banker. Where home begins.

Visit CaliforniaMoves.com today. *NAR average price for 2012 is $225,386.

San Jose Willow Glen | 1712 Meridian Way | San Jose, CA 95125 | 408.723.3300

©2014 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Office is Owned by a Subsidiary of NRT LLC. Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor sales associates and are not employees of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage or NRT LLC. CalBRE License #01908304.

The

San Francisco 49ers

Community Relations and

49ers Foundation

A PROUD TRADITION BOTH ON AND OFF THE FIELD

ncer sula with Breast Ca m To Jim h ac Co ad 49ers He r 2014 Warriors in Octobe

49ers Linebacke rs visit Good Samaritan Hos pital

H

ow do you define a Class Organization? From the very top on down. An organization that, internally, has everyone’s attention and 100% participation. Pride that’s felt everywhere and amongst everyone. Like one big family that cares. That’s the 49ers.

The Season is actually 12 months long for the 49ers – as they like to say, “There is no off-season” – both on and off the field. As the on-field football season ends, the Foundation gets to work, hosting charitable events that raise millions of dollars to benefit non-profit organizations in alignment with the 49ers Foundation’s mission to keep kids “Safe, On Track, and In School.” During the season,

ving dinner to Serving Thanksgi at Loaves & Fishes homeless families

each week on the players’ day off, the 49ers orchestrate community events that transform people’s lives.

The San Francisco 49ers Foundation is the non-profit community funding extension of the 49ers, now in its 23rd year.

TE Vernon Davis host ing kids a a Player t VISA Sho p With

49ers honor breast cancer survivors at an October home game

The Foundation supports programs for underserved youth that keep them “Safe, On Track and In School.” Over the past 23 years, the Foundation has donated nearly $30.6 million - $4.6 million in 2014, including a $1 million gift to launch the 49ers STEM Leadership Institute in collaboration with the Silicon Valley Education Foundation and the Santa Clara Unified School District with significant support from Chevron.

The philanthropic efforts of the 49ers Foundation are highly focused and strategic; remaining true to the well-developed mission statement and purpose and committed to creating measurable results through transformational grants and impact programs.

In 2014, 49ers players participated in more than 50 events, donating over 400 hours of volunteer time, impacting over Joanne Pasternack 80,000 people in Director of Community need annually.

Relations and the In 2014, 100% 49ers Foundation of the players participated in one-or-more community events.

Meet Joanne Pasternack, the Director of Community Relations and the 49ers Foundation for the San Francisco 49ers. Joanne attended high school in the Bay Area. Her father was a dedicated fan of the 49ers and Joanne grew up cheering for the 49ers as well. She went to college at the University of Pennsylvania, then to law school at Santa Clara University.

Following law school, she went to Washington, DC, where she worked with the Kennedy and Shriver families for the extraordinary non-profit, Special Olympics. At Special Olympics, she found a perfect marriage of her two passions – sports and philanthropy. It was the beginning of Joanne’s path towards a position that seems tailor-made for her interests and skills.

After working a World Winter Games for Special Olympics in Alaska, Joanne returned to the Bay Area where she secured a job with the City of Mountain View in the City Manager’s Office and the Police Department. While there, she co-founded the Mountain View Police Activities League (MVPAL), where she once again found a natural proclivity for event management, charitable outreach and using sports as a vehicle to transform perceptions and, in turn, a community. She was at the City of Mountain View in a variety of roles for over six years when, one day, she saw a job posting.

She remembers how her heart began beating with excitement as she read the position description. “Looking for the right person … The San Francisco 49ers … Community Relations.”

She couldn’t believe what she was reading. This would be her dream job and she wanted to go for it and boy, did she!

Joanne was interviewed extensively. It was a very thorough process - it was that important to them. They certainly knew that they found the right person and she certainly knew that she found the right organization! They complete each other, on and off the field. Her words: “I live this … I breathe this … and I love this job.”

Joanne told me about the 49ers and their overall commitment to charitable work. Their concept of Sports and Philanthropy was no afterthought. Leading by example, are John and Denise and Jed York and their entire family. John, Denise and Jed live and breathe philanthropy, vigorously engaging in activities and throwing considerable energy, effort and support towards the team’s charitable endeavors. John and Denise’s daughters, Jenna and Mara, are active participants in nearly every community event, sharing their zeal for transforming the lives of at-risk youth through hands on service. Their brother, Tony, is also involved and spent time with his father in New Orleans, visiting a school that had been ravaged by Hurricane Katrina and taking time to get to know the students, among other activities. Daughter-in-law, Danielle (Jed’s wife), is a former school teacher and worked for years in an underserved middle school deep in the heart of one of the most challenged parts of San Francisco. From the top down, it’s the

49ers honor troops aboard the USS America

culture, the fabric, the very spirit. Their desire has always been, and will always be, to see “Philanthropic change through sports.” Indeed, they want to be not just the best in the NFL, but in all sports. In 2013, they achieved this goal and were named the national recipients of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s prestigious Steve Patterson Award for excellence in sports philanthrophy. They were also one of four finalists for the Global Beyond Sport Award for outstanding sports team.

The San Francisco 49ers Foundation was honored by the San Jose/Silicon Valley Business Journal for being No. 13 in corporate philanthropic giving in 2014. Not bad for a company that has only 250 employees. The No. 2 Company, by comparison, was Cisco, with 72,000 employees.

There are many examples of their contributions. The San Francisco 49ers Academy – a school for low income middle school youth in East Palo Alto – not only bears the name of the 49ers football team, but it is also indelibly stamped with the spirit of their storied franchise. The school focuses on the underlying socioeconomic situations that were barriers to the students’ success by collaborating with teachers, police officers and strong mentors.

Recognizing the challenges faced by youth in the economically disadvantaged community of East Palo Alto and seeing an opportunity to make a measurable difference for these youth, the 49ers Foundation has been a part of the Academy since 1996, giving grants while also providing

Coach Tomsula Greeting Football Camp for the Stars Participants - a camp for athletes with Down syndrome

49ers STEM Leadership Institute

hands on support through collaboration, 1000s of game tickets, mentorship, facility enhancement, and donations.

With an increase in obesity rates among our nation’s youth, the 49ers have incorporated the PLAY 60 youth fitness program into the Academy to increase the students’ overall health, building a $75,000 outdoor fitness zone and bringing national visibility to the school and its commitment to fitness through a partnership with Matthew McConaughey. With the 49ers involvement, test scores have skyrocketed to the highest level in the school district – on par with far wealthier ZIP codes. In 2014, the 49ers Foundation facilitated $750K in contributions to the Academy, hosted eight events and dedicated countless volunteer hours to assist the youth.

And there is so much more! Breast Cancer Awareness, helping feed the homeless, where Jed has been the Food and Fund Drive CoChairman for Second Harvest Food Bank for

LB Patrick Willis with Make-A-Wish recipient

QB Colin Kaepernick with a Make-A-Wish guest

two years. The Bayview Hunters Point YMCA near Candlestick Park is another place they love supporting. They are also strong supporters of City Year San Jose/Silicon Valley, Hedge Funds Care (eradication of child abuse), the Center for Youth Wellness, Fresh Lifeline for Youth (FLY), and the Football Camp for the Stars (a camp for athletes with Down syndrome), and many others.

The 49ers Taube/Koret Touchdowns for Kids program is another wonderful example of the giving spirit of the 49ers. For every Touchdown, Field Goal, Interception and Sack, in partnership

with the Taube Family Foundation and the Koret Foundation, the 49ers, philanthropist Tad Taube and Koret have raised $1.25 million to help support Bay Area charitable organizations.

Again, here is a collaborative commitment that helps improve the life, safety and educational opportunities for the children of the communities they serve.

The 49ers host two very popular — and philanthropically productive — fundraising events. One is the Pasta Bowl. This has become their popular annual kick-off to the new season, the night before pre-season training begins. All the players come together and literally serve their designated table of admiring fans with food and pictures and fun. All proceeds go to benefit the community. There is also the 49ers Foundation Winter Fest, held in March in Lake Tahoe. This event always sells out. It’s a fun time for all and in 2014, the 49ers Foundation brought in $2 million during the weekend to support local Bay Area charities.

That primarily is the Foundation side. There is also the Community Relations side. Each week, the players have one day off. Typically it is on Monday. On their day off, the Community Relations team organizes community events where players have an opportunity to participate in hands-on service events where they can directly impact those in need in the Bay Area.

From hosting a board game tournament for youth with serious illness at the Ronald McDonald House to building a playground in East Palo Alto, inspiring incarcerated youth to choose a different and more productive path and so very much more, for the 49ers philanthropic outreach efforts, it is always about the people and for those in need in our community. There are a good number of players who can relate to coming from hard upbringings and they pour their hearts into the events. FLY is a perfect example, where the players and students talk about issues and goals. The players inspire and make a difference for the kids they personally reach through such community visits.

Even on the road, like when they have traveled to Youngstown to train in between East Coast games, they made a huge difference visiting a local hospital, school, and community center. In October 2010 and 2013, when

dedication and passion. they traveled to London to play in the NFL “The key here is that the members of the International Series game, they had one day off. Instead of site-seeing, they arranged special 49ers family recognize that they have been blessed with a special opportunity - one that days with a hugely popular Premier League is not to be taken for granted,” Joanne said. team – Tottenham Hotspur – and together, in “The 49ers take this responsibility seriously. one of the poorer districts of London, they held That is why we do what we do. Whether it a collaborative event for 100 low-income youth is a rookie or a seasoned veteran, ownership showcasing the PLAY 60 movement and the or a 49ers alumnus, we are so very proud of importance of getting out to play, 60 minutes a day, through both football and soccer.

It was an amazing day. The 49ers were the first to host such a large scale event while playing the International Series game. The following year, another team repeated this warm, monumental gesture.

The 49ers are also very active in spreading the messaging of the NFL “Play 60” Campaign to inspire children to be active and keep healthy. Vernon Davis has been a 49ers spokesperson.

2014 49ers Foundation Contribution Announcement at Levi’s® Stadium One year, inspired by the youth’s our 49ers and their authentic commitment to commitment to the campaign, he hosted a transforming the lives of those in need.” team of 15 students from the 49ers Academy Indeed, when I visited with Joanne, there who participated in a competition to write a was definitely an energy, a spirit that touched commercial for “Play 60.” Vernon arranged for a Limo ride to a special evening held at his home everything and everyone there. It was obvious – all about helping benefit community – and with an Academy Awards Red Carpet look, plus infectiously and fantastically impactful. The Paparazzi and Oscar-like statues for the kids. A fun, memorable event for everyone for a life time! 49ers feel that community has done so much to benefit them as an organization and, as Another example of the tremendous a result, the organization in turn is happy player participation is Joe Staley who, with and proud to be able to give back to the a librarian for a mother, loves reading to community - as it has and will continue to in elementary students and was honored with perpetuity. If there were a Super Bowl Trophy a national accolade for helping build literacy among youth. It does make a difference. And given to the organization based on what they do off the field, as well, no doubt the San the list of what all the 49ers do, individually, Francisco 49ers would be winners of that one as a Team and as an organization is a very each and every year. long one. All without fanfare, but with total

Santa Clara County Is First Nationwide to Have Office of LGBTQ Affairs

By Santa Clara County Supervisor Ken Yeager I am proud to announce that the two full-time positions

erly serve LGBTQ individuals.

for the Santa Clara County Office of LGBTQ Affairs have been filled. The new staff includes Maribel Martinez for

• Cross-departmental Best Practices: Ensure all County

the position of Manager and Ashley Scarborough for the

departments are following best practices when it comes

position of Management Analyst. Maribel has more than

to treatment of LGBTQ clients, residents, and employees.

eight years of experience as Director of the Associated Students at San Jose State Uni-

• External Relations: Represent the Coun-

versity. Ashley comes to us from the Cali-

ty to local, state and national government

fornia STD/HIV Prevention Training Center

agencies, school districts and nonprofit or-

in Oakland.

ganizations on LGBTQ issues.

Santa Clara County is the first county in the nation to have an office exclusively

• Communications: Develop the Office’s

dedicated to serving the LGBTQ commu-

communication strategies and efforts, in-

nity. The only other similar offices are the

cluding a website, pamphlets, and directo-

Mayor’s Office of LGBT Affairs in the city of Philadelphia and the Office of LGBT Affairs

KEN YEAGER

ries, as well as coordinate with the Office of Public Affairs on media inquiries.

in Washington, D.C. For many years, Santa Clara County has been a leader

• Resource Development: Identify gaps in services to

in addressing the needs of underserved populations

LGBTQ residents and develop resources to address them.

that require the services of the County. For example, the County has created individual offices to serve

• Community Engagement and Mobilization: Play a

women, veterans, racial and ethnic minorities, and

role in promoting and collaborating on LGBTQ commu-

soon immigrants. By focusing particular attention on

nity events, including those that foster dialogue and in-

these groups, we are able to better serve them.

crease access to services for the most disenfranchised

In order to accomplish these goals, the primary functions

members of the LGBTQ community.

of the Office of LGBTQ Affairs will be: • Measuring Progress: Develop an evaluation metric to • Training: Train County staff and community stakehold-

determine the effectiveness of the Office on each of the

ers on LGBTQ issues as they relate to clients, residents,

above responsibilities. Since being elected as the first

and employees.

openly LGBTQ member of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors in 2006, I have fought hard to ensure that

• Individualized, Case-specific Assistance: Offer guid-

our County provides fair and equitable treatment to all

ance to County departments seeking to fairly and prop-

residents, including the LGBTQ community.

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Meet

Keynote speakers Randi Zuckerberg and NASA’s Dr. Natalia Batalha, Event Chair Jenny Dearborn, playwright Lauren Gunderson, and speaker Ann Bowers at TheatreWorks’ Leading Ladies, held in 2014, at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.

Photo credit: Drew Altizer Photography

Jenny

Dearborn,

Senior Vice Present, Chief Learning Officer, SAP

Speaking on The Art of Learning, Developing & Inspiring Leadership When you talk about Leadership, Management, Human Relations, Sales, and Excellence and someone who is one of the most inspiring, leading positive role models in Silicon Valley - Jenny Dearborn’s name will come up.

J

at Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems (acquired by Oracle), Suc-

peers are awesome and my manager is visionary and just

cessFactors and SAP. I’ve been a Chief Learning Officer at four

an all-around great guy. I love the type of work that I do,

different companies.

it’s challenging and rewarding. I love the variety in the work I do – leading the function at my company, helping

SVL: Who and what inspired you along your path to be where you

customers solve complex business challenges, writing arti-

are?

cles and speaking at conferences on topics that are import-

JD: I am severely Dyslexic, have ADHD (Attention Deficit Hy-

ant to me like data analytics, business strategy, the future

peractivity Disorder) and mild OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Dis-

of workplace and diversity & inclusion.

order) and was undiagnosed until age 18.

The most formative part of my early life was

enny is Senior Vice President and Chief Learning Officer

and a Teaching Credential in 1993, and San Jose State University

growing up knowing that I was very smart

of SAP, the world’s largest business-to-business software

with a MBA in Organizational Development in 2003.

and capable, but placed in the lower tracked and Special Education classes at school. I felt

company, and is accountable for the learning and devel-

I love the type of work that I do, it’s challenging and rewarding. I love the variety in the work I do

SVL: You have learned so much about the special dynamics of Leadership … First, what is your definition of Leadership?

JD: Great leaders inspire a common purpose, collaboratively create a shared vision and

opment of the 75,000 SAP employees worldwide. She has won

SVL: Where do you work? What do you do? What has been your

that my early education years were wasted.

translate that vision into reality. Leadership is

many top industry awards, including recognition as one of the 50

path leading you to today?

I felt great resentment towards the teach-

Most Powerful Women in Technology by the National Diversity

JD: I work at SAP, the world’s largest business software company.

ers and school system and vowed to make

Council in 2014 and 2015.

As the Chief Learning Officer, I’m accountable for the training, ed-

a difference in the education system so no

Her invaluable experience...plus interviews with more than 100

ucation, development and readiness of SAP’s 75,000 employees

student would ever experience the frustra-

global leaders,...has led to her best seller: Data Driven - How Per-

world-wide. I am in Human Resources and report to the Chief Hu-

tion and humiliation that I went through in

formance Analytics Delivers Extraordinary Sales Results.

man Resources Officer who reports to the CEO. I started as a high

my K-12 years. I felt great passion to drive

In the high tech universe, Jenny serves as a highly regarded advo-

school English, Public Speaking and Drama teacher at Woodside

change in our education system. This fire

cate and inspiration for many. Please enjoy this delightful conver-

High School. After two years I transitioned to corporate education

got me started in education, then after 2 years as a high school

their greatest potential. “Leadership is lifting a person’s vision to

sation with Jenny Dearborn...

as an instructor at Hewlett-Packard teaching the personal devel-

teacher I transitioned to the corporate education world for the

high sights, the raising of a person’s performance to a higher stan-

opment, management and leadership courses. I worked my way

opportunity to apply exciting and growing new learning tech-

dard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.”

SVL: Where were you born and raised? Where did you go to

up through all the various roles in corporate learning and educa-

nology to impact learners on a mass scale.

—Peter Drucker

school and what did you study?

tion including carrying a quota in Sales selling learning services

JD: I was born in Marin, California and raised K-12 in Davis, Califor-

to external corporate customers and partners. I’ve worked at a

SVL: What do you like most about what you do?

ple, they instinctively redirect all credit to the team when praise

nia. I graduated from Davis High School in 1987, American River

small learning technology start-up that went public (Docent, now

JD: There are so many things I like, that I can’t say what I

comes and absorb all blame when criticism comes. They are slow

College with an AA in Social Science in 1989, UC Berkeley with a

Sum Total Systems), and had a succession of executive roles with

like the most. I love my team, they are hands down the

to punish and swift to reward. Leadership is about the courage to

BA in English in 1991, Stanford University with a MA in Education

increasing responsibility in Human Resources, Sales & Services

best professionals I’ve ever worked with in my career. My

stand alone and the integrity of intent. “Leadership and learning

about action and driving results for the greatest good, great leaders see solutions where others only see challenges and obstacles.

Great leaders know that people want to “make a dent in the universe” as Steve Jobs famously said, and make the world a better place. This comes through empowering others to achieve

Great leaders have the humility to be a servant leader to their peo-

Meet

Keynote speakers Randi Zuckerberg and NASA’s Dr. Natalia Batalha, Event Chair Jenny Dearborn, playwright Lauren Gunderson, and speaker Ann Bowers at TheatreWorks’ Leading Ladies, held in 2014, at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.

Photo credit: Drew Altizer Photography

Jenny

Dearborn,

Senior Vice Present, Chief Learning Officer, SAP

Speaking on The Art of Learning, Developing & Inspiring Leadership When you talk about Leadership, Management, Human Relations, Sales, and Excellence and someone who is one of the most inspiring, leading positive role models in Silicon Valley - Jenny Dearborn’s name will come up.

J

at Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems (acquired by Oracle), Suc-

peers are awesome and my manager is visionary and just

cessFactors and SAP. I’ve been a Chief Learning Officer at four

an all-around great guy. I love the type of work that I do,

different companies.

it’s challenging and rewarding. I love the variety in the work I do – leading the function at my company, helping

SVL: Who and what inspired you along your path to be where you

customers solve complex business challenges, writing arti-

are?

cles and speaking at conferences on topics that are import-

JD: I am severely Dyslexic, have ADHD (Attention Deficit Hy-

ant to me like data analytics, business strategy, the future

peractivity Disorder) and mild OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Dis-

of workplace and diversity & inclusion.

order) and was undiagnosed until age 18.

The most formative part of my early life was

enny is Senior Vice President and Chief Learning Officer

and a Teaching Credential in 1993, and San Jose State University

growing up knowing that I was very smart

of SAP, the world’s largest business-to-business software

with a MBA in Organizational Development in 2003.

and capable, but placed in the lower tracked and Special Education classes at school. I felt

company, and is accountable for the learning and devel-

I love the type of work that I do, it’s challenging and rewarding. I love the variety in the work I do

SVL: You have learned so much about the special dynamics of Leadership … First, what is your definition of Leadership?

JD: Great leaders inspire a common purpose, collaboratively create a shared vision and

opment of the 75,000 SAP employees worldwide. She has won

SVL: Where do you work? What do you do? What has been your

that my early education years were wasted.

translate that vision into reality. Leadership is

many top industry awards, including recognition as one of the 50

path leading you to today?

I felt great resentment towards the teach-

Most Powerful Women in Technology by the National Diversity

JD: I work at SAP, the world’s largest business software company.

ers and school system and vowed to make

Council in 2014 and 2015.

As the Chief Learning Officer, I’m accountable for the training, ed-

a difference in the education system so no

Her invaluable experience...plus interviews with more than 100

ucation, development and readiness of SAP’s 75,000 employees

student would ever experience the frustra-

global leaders,...has led to her best seller: Data Driven - How Per-

world-wide. I am in Human Resources and report to the Chief Hu-

tion and humiliation that I went through in

formance Analytics Delivers Extraordinary Sales Results.

man Resources Officer who reports to the CEO. I started as a high

my K-12 years. I felt great passion to drive

In the high tech universe, Jenny serves as a highly regarded advo-

school English, Public Speaking and Drama teacher at Woodside

change in our education system. This fire

cate and inspiration for many. Please enjoy this delightful conver-

High School. After two years I transitioned to corporate education

got me started in education, then after 2 years as a high school

their greatest potential. “Leadership is lifting a person’s vision to

sation with Jenny Dearborn...

as an instructor at Hewlett-Packard teaching the personal devel-

teacher I transitioned to the corporate education world for the

high sights, the raising of a person’s performance to a higher stan-

opment, management and leadership courses. I worked my way

opportunity to apply exciting and growing new learning tech-

dard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.”

SVL: Where were you born and raised? Where did you go to

up through all the various roles in corporate learning and educa-

nology to impact learners on a mass scale.

—Peter Drucker

school and what did you study?

tion including carrying a quota in Sales selling learning services

JD: I was born in Marin, California and raised K-12 in Davis, Califor-

to external corporate customers and partners. I’ve worked at a

SVL: What do you like most about what you do?

ple, they instinctively redirect all credit to the team when praise

nia. I graduated from Davis High School in 1987, American River

small learning technology start-up that went public (Docent, now

JD: There are so many things I like, that I can’t say what I

comes and absorb all blame when criticism comes. They are slow

College with an AA in Social Science in 1989, UC Berkeley with a

Sum Total Systems), and had a succession of executive roles with

like the most. I love my team, they are hands down the

to punish and swift to reward. Leadership is about the courage to

BA in English in 1991, Stanford University with a MA in Education

increasing responsibility in Human Resources, Sales & Services

best professionals I’ve ever worked with in my career. My

stand alone and the integrity of intent. “Leadership and learning

about action and driving results for the greatest good, great leaders see solutions where others only see challenges and obstacles.

Great leaders know that people want to “make a dent in the universe” as Steve Jobs famously said, and make the world a better place. This comes through empowering others to achieve

Great leaders have the humility to be a servant leader to their peo-

are indispensable to each other.” —John F. Kennedy SVL: What is the best course of action for management when it comes to Leadership? What is the best course of action for the employee when it comes to Leadership?

JD: I believe in leadership at every level, leadership is about person power not position power. Everyone, regardless if they are people managers or individual contributors, can and should be a leader.

Hone your management skills – When managing your work and family, you’re managing a complex organization. Do activities as a family, to maximize efficiency.

Photo credit: Drew Altizer Photography

SVL: How do you see the workplace evolving and improving?

Keynote speakers Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo, New York Times best-selling author Lalita Tademy, Event Chair Jenny Dearborn, and Emmy Award-winning writer and producer Margaret Nagle at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s Leading Ladies event celebrating passion in arts and innovation, held in 2015, at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.

Photo credit: Drew Altizer Photography TheatreWorks Artistic Director Robert Kelley, Event Chair Jenny Dearborn, and TheatreWorks Managing Director Phil Santora at TheatreWorks’ Leading Ladies, held in 2014, at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.

Photo credit: Drew Altizer Photography

JD: The overarching theme for the workplace of the future is transparency.

the help you need.

business trip to align with a school break or just pull them from school

• Transparency in how we work: Your mobile device will become your office.

• Let it go – Your house does not have to be spotless. When you have a full

for a week here or there. John (or a grandparent or nanny) and the kids

• Transparency in where we work: We’ll work from everywhere - Workers will be

work and family life, the children have to learn to be independent. With

visit the local sites while I’m at the office working. We’ve done work/

spread across many time zones and countries in numerous satellite offices for

clear and consistent communication, every child can do their own laun-

family trips to: Mexico, Germany, China, Dubai, Singapore, Japan, Pan-

worker interaction, but not necessarily as daily destinations. Always-on video will

dry, clean their own rooms, clean the kitchen and bathrooms, make their

ama, Canada, England, France, Amsterdam, Australia, Belgium, Italy,

facilitate collaboration with colleagues in other locations.

own breakfast and lunch. Learning to be responsible and capable early on

to name a few….

• Transparency of our competence and value: Everyone will have a rating score,

is good for everyone.

I throw myself fully into what my children love as a way to spend time

based on his/her reputation capital, which is the sum total of your personal brand,

• Focus and prioritize – Do the high value work that only you can do and

together doing what interests them. Currently my 12 year old is ab-

the quality of your results, your expertise, depth and breadth of experience and

outsource the rest. You can outsource the laundry but your child only

solutely obsessed with Giants baseball, so he and I watch the games

social networks. The new workplace will be a results only work environment.

wants you there to see her win an award at school. Knowing how to fo-

together. It’s our special thing to do.

• Transparency in who we work for: Every manager will also have a rating score

cus on your highest priorities makes a big career and a big family possible.

I love to be creative. I write and publish articles in business magazines

based on similar criteria plus people management and functional leadership.

SVL: What do you see are some of the major issues facing us in today’s

and my first book Data Driven: How Performance Analytics Delivers

Employees will be hired into a company and then choose which manager they

work environment?

Extraordinary Sales Results was published in March 2015 – it debuted

want to work for based on the rating score of that manager.

JD: The globalization of work and changing demographics of the

at #1 in the new business releases on Amazon. I like to paint large

• Transparency of skill gaps: Big data, predictive analytics and artificial intelli-

workforce; multiple generations in the workplace

scale acrylic on canvas pictures, primarily pop art versions of comic

gence are enabling a workplace of the future that magnifies the global talent

• Contingent labor force

book superheroes.

shortage and makes more sparse highly skilled workers. Thus making lifelong

• Big data and analytics

learning a business requirement.

• Adaptation of mobile and social networks

SVL: Who are some of your favorite authors and what are some of your favorite books? Different topics? Are there books you like to rec-

SVL: What do you recommend as tips and strategies for work-life balance?

SVL: If you could wave a magic wand, what would you like to see for

ommend?

JD: Well, I don’t think there is such a thing as work-life balance, but work-life inte-

progress in the workplace?

JD: I try to read what my kids are reading for pleasure or in school to

gration is very do-able. I was recently quoted in the Fortune Magazine article on

JD: I’d like to see a true meritocracy in the workplace. A workplace

make our dinner table conversation richer with the themes they are

this topic - Women with big jobs and big families: Balancing really isn’t that hard.

where people are paid equally for equal work regardless of their gen-

exploring and how to connect with broader issues in the world. So

Here are the tips and strategies mentioned in that article and others that I use.

der or race, and the diversity in the workplace at all levels of an organi-

if it’s a popular young adult series, I’ve probably read it. I go through

• Hone your management skills – When managing your work and family, you’re

zation mirroring the diversity in the population at large.

phases with the books I read. Right now I’m doing a research project on the knowledge and skills first time managers need and I’m reading

managing a complex organization. Do activities as a family, to maximize efficiency. I use a shared on-line calendar and each kid is color coded, they all have an

SVL: Who are some of the people who inspire you most and why?

stacks and stacks of books and white papers on the topic. For fun I

iPhone and can see where they need to be at any given time.

JD: My children and husband. I follow the research of a few social

listen to audio books and love Doris Kearns Goodwin who is such a

• Prioritize self care – Put your own oxygen mask on first. Managing your life takes

scientists, like Amy Cuddy of Harvard and Kelly McGonigal of Stanford,

great story teller.

energy, so never skimp on sleep, nutrition or exercise.

I find their work fascinating.

SVL: What are some of your favorite movies, music, theater?

• Build your support team at work – Invest in the development of your staff to be accountable and independent. Seek sponsors and allies that understand and

SVL: You have many interests … please share with us what some of

JD: For movies – I love all horror / thriller / suspense films. I wrote my se-

support you.

these are?

nior thesis at UC Berkeley on the evolving role of women in horror films

• Build your support team at home – Enlist a village to help you and don’t be afraid

JD: I love to travel, I’m always up for going to a country that I’ve nev-

from Nosferatu in 1922 to Silence of the Lambs in 1991. The central idea

to ask for support (it’s a sign of strength not weakness). Live near family if possible.

er been to before. I’ve just passed 60 countries. I’m very fortunate

is that the female character in horror films is the manifestation of how

Invest in things that make your life easier. Not at the same time, but in the last 20

professionally to have worked for companies with operations around

our culture views women in society and as societies views of feminism

years I have employed all of the following: a part-time nanny, a full-time live-in au

the globe and have the opportunity to travel extensively for work. I

evolve, so does the female protagonist.

pair, home cook, meal delivery service, housekeeper, and a personal accountant.

also love to share with my family the cultures of the world and I’ve

For music – I love classic rap, hip hop and alternative punk from the 80s.

Depending on what the big challenge is at a given phase in life, reach out to get

brought them along on many of my business trips. I typically plan a

For theatre – I love any production that my kids are in.

are indispensable to each other.” —John F. Kennedy SVL: What is the best course of action for management when it comes to Leadership? What is the best course of action for the employee when it comes to Leadership?

JD: I believe in leadership at every level, leadership is about person power not position power. Everyone, regardless if they are people managers or individual contributors, can and should be a leader.

Hone your management skills – When managing your work and family, you’re managing a complex organization. Do activities as a family, to maximize efficiency.

Photo credit: Drew Altizer Photography

SVL: How do you see the workplace evolving and improving?

Keynote speakers Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo, New York Times best-selling author Lalita Tademy, Event Chair Jenny Dearborn, and Emmy Award-winning writer and producer Margaret Nagle at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s Leading Ladies event celebrating passion in arts and innovation, held in 2015, at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.

Photo credit: Drew Altizer Photography TheatreWorks Artistic Director Robert Kelley, Event Chair Jenny Dearborn, and TheatreWorks Managing Director Phil Santora at TheatreWorks’ Leading Ladies, held in 2014, at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.

Photo credit: Drew Altizer Photography

JD: The overarching theme for the workplace of the future is transparency.

the help you need.

business trip to align with a school break or just pull them from school

• Transparency in how we work: Your mobile device will become your office.

• Let it go – Your house does not have to be spotless. When you have a full

for a week here or there. John (or a grandparent or nanny) and the kids

• Transparency in where we work: We’ll work from everywhere - Workers will be

work and family life, the children have to learn to be independent. With

visit the local sites while I’m at the office working. We’ve done work/

spread across many time zones and countries in numerous satellite offices for

clear and consistent communication, every child can do their own laun-

family trips to: Mexico, Germany, China, Dubai, Singapore, Japan, Pan-

worker interaction, but not necessarily as daily destinations. Always-on video will

dry, clean their own rooms, clean the kitchen and bathrooms, make their

ama, Canada, England, France, Amsterdam, Australia, Belgium, Italy,

facilitate collaboration with colleagues in other locations.

own breakfast and lunch. Learning to be responsible and capable early on

to name a few….

• Transparency of our competence and value: Everyone will have a rating score,

is good for everyone.

I throw myself fully into what my children love as a way to spend time

based on his/her reputation capital, which is the sum total of your personal brand,

• Focus and prioritize – Do the high value work that only you can do and

together doing what interests them. Currently my 12 year old is ab-

the quality of your results, your expertise, depth and breadth of experience and

outsource the rest. You can outsource the laundry but your child only

solutely obsessed with Giants baseball, so he and I watch the games

social networks. The new workplace will be a results only work environment.

wants you there to see her win an award at school. Knowing how to fo-

together. It’s our special thing to do.

• Transparency in who we work for: Every manager will also have a rating score

cus on your highest priorities makes a big career and a big family possible.

I love to be creative. I write and publish articles in business magazines

based on similar criteria plus people management and functional leadership.

SVL: What do you see are some of the major issues facing us in today’s

and my first book Data Driven: How Performance Analytics Delivers

Employees will be hired into a company and then choose which manager they

work environment?

Extraordinary Sales Results was published in March 2015 – it debuted

want to work for based on the rating score of that manager.

JD: The globalization of work and changing demographics of the

at #1 in the new business releases on Amazon. I like to paint large

• Transparency of skill gaps: Big data, predictive analytics and artificial intelli-

workforce; multiple generations in the workplace

scale acrylic on canvas pictures, primarily pop art versions of comic

gence are enabling a workplace of the future that magnifies the global talent

• Contingent labor force

book superheroes.

shortage and makes more sparse highly skilled workers. Thus making lifelong

• Big data and analytics

learning a business requirement.

• Adaptation of mobile and social networks

SVL: Who are some of your favorite authors and what are some of your favorite books? Different topics? Are there books you like to rec-

SVL: What do you recommend as tips and strategies for work-life balance?

SVL: If you could wave a magic wand, what would you like to see for

ommend?

JD: Well, I don’t think there is such a thing as work-life balance, but work-life inte-

progress in the workplace?

JD: I try to read what my kids are reading for pleasure or in school to

gration is very do-able. I was recently quoted in the Fortune Magazine article on

JD: I’d like to see a true meritocracy in the workplace. A workplace

make our dinner table conversation richer with the themes they are

this topic - Women with big jobs and big families: Balancing really isn’t that hard.

where people are paid equally for equal work regardless of their gen-

exploring and how to connect with broader issues in the world. So

Here are the tips and strategies mentioned in that article and others that I use.

der or race, and the diversity in the workplace at all levels of an organi-

if it’s a popular young adult series, I’ve probably read it. I go through

• Hone your management skills – When managing your work and family, you’re

zation mirroring the diversity in the population at large.

phases with the books I read. Right now I’m doing a research project on the knowledge and skills first time managers need and I’m reading

managing a complex organization. Do activities as a family, to maximize efficiency. I use a shared on-line calendar and each kid is color coded, they all have an

SVL: Who are some of the people who inspire you most and why?

stacks and stacks of books and white papers on the topic. For fun I

iPhone and can see where they need to be at any given time.

JD: My children and husband. I follow the research of a few social

listen to audio books and love Doris Kearns Goodwin who is such a

• Prioritize self care – Put your own oxygen mask on first. Managing your life takes

scientists, like Amy Cuddy of Harvard and Kelly McGonigal of Stanford,

great story teller.

energy, so never skimp on sleep, nutrition or exercise.

I find their work fascinating.

SVL: What are some of your favorite movies, music, theater?

• Build your support team at work – Invest in the development of your staff to be accountable and independent. Seek sponsors and allies that understand and

SVL: You have many interests … please share with us what some of

JD: For movies – I love all horror / thriller / suspense films. I wrote my se-

support you.

these are?

nior thesis at UC Berkeley on the evolving role of women in horror films

• Build your support team at home – Enlist a village to help you and don’t be afraid

JD: I love to travel, I’m always up for going to a country that I’ve nev-

from Nosferatu in 1922 to Silence of the Lambs in 1991. The central idea

to ask for support (it’s a sign of strength not weakness). Live near family if possible.

er been to before. I’ve just passed 60 countries. I’m very fortunate

is that the female character in horror films is the manifestation of how

Invest in things that make your life easier. Not at the same time, but in the last 20

professionally to have worked for companies with operations around

our culture views women in society and as societies views of feminism

years I have employed all of the following: a part-time nanny, a full-time live-in au

the globe and have the opportunity to travel extensively for work. I

evolve, so does the female protagonist.

pair, home cook, meal delivery service, housekeeper, and a personal accountant.

also love to share with my family the cultures of the world and I’ve

For music – I love classic rap, hip hop and alternative punk from the 80s.

Depending on what the big challenge is at a given phase in life, reach out to get

brought them along on many of my business trips. I typically plan a

For theatre – I love any production that my kids are in.

48th Annual

2015-16 Foothill College

Speaker Series

Donna Brazile

Michio Kaku, Ph.D.

Andrew Fraknoi Bill Maher

Malcolm Gladwell

Katie Couric

Michele Bachmann Mark Russell

4 8 T H A N N UA L

2015-16 Foothill College Celebrity Forum Michio Kaku, Ph.D.

October 21, 22, 23

He is a theoretical physicist and futurist. While at Cubberley High School in Palo Alto, he famously built an atom smasher in his parent’s garage. He has the ability to make complex scientific ideas not only understandable but also fascinating.

Michele Bachmann vs.

Donna Brazile

November 18, 19, 20

Michele Bachman was a congresswoman best known for her conservative Tea Party politics and her candidacy for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. Donna Brazile is an American author, academic, political analyst and Vice Chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee.

Andrew Fraknoi

March 23, 24, 25

He is a popular, award-winning astronomy professor at Foothill College and the 2007 California Professor of the Year. The International Astronomical Union has designated an asteroid in his name for his contributions to science education and to the public understanding of astronomy.

Katie Couric

April 20, 21, 22

She co-hosted The Today Show for 15 years, was anchor of the CBS Evening News and a correspondent for 60 Minutes.

She has interviewed many of the world’s most famous political figures and celebrities. She is Yahoo’s Global News Anchor, an award-winning journalist and best–selling author.

Mark Russell

January 20, 21, 22

He is America’s best-known political satirist and comedian who also sings and plays the piano. Known for skewering Democrats and Republicans alike, he says his jokes and songs are very topical and have “a shelf life shorter than cottage cheese.”

Malcolm Gladwell

February 17, 18, 19

He is a master storyteller on how ideas spread in The Tipping Point, on the roots of success in Outliers, and in his latest, David and Goliath, on how we think about underdogs and misfits. He is a staff writer for The New Yorker and was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people.

Bill Maher

May 18, 19, 20

He is an American political satirist, writer, producer, political commentator, television host, actor, media critic and standup comedian. Fran Lebowitz, who is an author known for her sardonic social commentary on American life, will interview him.

• • • • •

Doors open at 7 p.m.

Programs begin at 8 p.m.

Programs are 90 minutes total.

There are no intermissions.

All programs are presented at the Flint Center on the De Anza College campus.

Voted Best Lecture Series in the Nation by The International Platform Association

www.celebrityforum.net

Our

Private Cooking Lesson With Alex Tishman

Regional Head Chef, Big City Chefs

Perhaps you like to cook.

For my wife and I, cooking is the last thing we would ever want to do. Our feeling has been, if you want to eat good food, someone else needs to cook it- Boy was I wrong!

By Rich Borell, Founder & CEO of Bay Area Mags LLC

N

ow, you’re probably thinking I must eat a lot of junk food and be extremely overweight. Thankfully, I don’t indulge in junk food and I enjoy exercise - be it playing tennis or using my home gym. Still, it’s hard to believe I weigh 149 based on how I eat.

For us, and as it is for many, cooking can be frustrating. You spend good money on ingredients. You invest time and effort to put a dish together, and the end result just isn’t as good as you thought, or hoped, it would be.

Eating healthy can be a challenge. We have busy lives and are on the go all the time, so we don’t always set aside the time to prepare a healthy, flavorful meal.

That being said, we decided to bring Regional Head Chef Alex Tishman from Big City Chefs into our home for a Sunday afternoon and teach us how to prepare a couple of delicious meals. While this sounds very exciting, my first question to my wife, when she suggested we should have a private cooking lesson, was: “We’re spending how much to do what?”

Boy, was I wrong. If only I knew before what I know now … So, let’s get started.

Our planned menu was based on what we wanted to learn along with some valuable suggestions from Chef Alex. He came up with the following: • Hanger Steak with mushrooms pan jus • Chicken (one whole, which we will butcher and then cook the different cuts) • Salad with English peas, shaved carrots and radishes, and simple shallot mustard vinaigrette.

Preparing for Chef Alex was pretty painless. He requested that we take a few pictures of our cooking utensils, and simply make our kitchen counters, along with some space in the refrigerator, available to him.

Once Chef Alex arrived, we kicked back and let him get things rolling. It was awesome that the price included the shopping of food and other needed ingredients. He sure saved us a lot of time and frustration.

From the start, with his vivacious personality, you feel as if you’ve known him all your life. We knew right away we were in for a fun day of cooking, right in our very own kitchen.

Chef Alex came so well prepared with a delightful customized class for us. He fully understood our busy schedules and our desire to create some great food from our own kitchen. He would teach us what we would like and not what we wouldn’t like.

As we started, his friendly, informal teaching style put us at ease.

We immediately felt comfortable that we’ll be able to reproduce the same fantastic results later on.

As the class went on, Chef Alex engaged us in the preparation of the entrées and salad. Most importantly, we learned tips on how to do all those little touches that make a big difference in flavor, texture and presentation; like, how to make carrots attractive and crunchy in your salad.

Some of the items we went over during the three hour private-class included: • Proper cooking techniques along with presentation • A big concern of ours … timing of the entrée and side dishes • Some good tips on safety … those knives are very sharp – especially the “Mandoline” (a dangerous but highly efficient instrument) • We learned some tips on nutrition and other health information, including good answers to questions we had about Fish As time went on, we tested some of the Chicken, Hanger Steak, Mushrooms and sauce that we prepared. Delicious.

We were amazed also how good our kitchen could smell. Next, our jaws we’re dropping - we couldn’t wait to dive in and reap the rewards of the last three hours.

As the end of the class came, and my wife and I had just about finished everything we had cooked, Chef Alex had tidied everything up.

Our kitchen was left squeaky clean. It was all a wonderful experience.

In sum, indeed, for many people, cooking can be frustrating. We spend good money on ingredients. We invest time and effort to put a dish together, and the end result just isn’t as good as we thought, or hoped, it would be.

What we learned and experienced is, with a little help and guidance, we all can create successful dishes packed with flavor and nutrition that are a joy to create. I encourage you to treat yourself and invite Chef Alex Tishman of Big City Chefs into your home, as we did. You will learn to have fun in your own kitchen and cook some great meals.

Bon appetit!

Our

Private Cooking Lesson With Alex Tishman

Regional Head Chef, Big City Chefs

Perhaps you like to cook.

For my wife and I, cooking is the last thing we would ever want to do. Our feeling has been, if you want to eat good food, someone else needs to cook it- Boy was I wrong!

By Rich Borell, Founder & CEO of Bay Area Mags LLC

N

ow, you’re probably thinking I must eat a lot of junk food and be extremely overweight. Thankfully, I don’t indulge in junk food and I enjoy exercise - be it playing tennis or using my home gym. Still, it’s hard to believe I weigh 149 based on how I eat.

For us, and as it is for many, cooking can be frustrating. You spend good money on ingredients. You invest time and effort to put a dish together, and the end result just isn’t as good as you thought, or hoped, it would be.

Eating healthy can be a challenge. We have busy lives and are on the go all the time, so we don’t always set aside the time to prepare a healthy, flavorful meal.

That being said, we decided to bring Regional Head Chef Alex Tishman from Big City Chefs into our home for a Sunday afternoon and teach us how to prepare a couple of delicious meals. While this sounds very exciting, my first question to my wife, when she suggested we should have a private cooking lesson, was: “We’re spending how much to do what?”

Boy, was I wrong. If only I knew before what I know now … So, let’s get started.

Our planned menu was based on what we wanted to learn along with some valuable suggestions from Chef Alex. He came up with the following: • Hanger Steak with mushrooms pan jus • Chicken (one whole, which we will butcher and then cook the different cuts) • Salad with English peas, shaved carrots and radishes, and simple shallot mustard vinaigrette.

Preparing for Chef Alex was pretty painless. He requested that we take a few pictures of our cooking utensils, and simply make our kitchen counters, along with some space in the refrigerator, available to him.

Once Chef Alex arrived, we kicked back and let him get things rolling. It was awesome that the price included the shopping of food and other needed ingredients. He sure saved us a lot of time and frustration.

From the start, with his vivacious personality, you feel as if you’ve known him all your life. We knew right away we were in for a fun day of cooking, right in our very own kitchen.

Chef Alex came so well prepared with a delightful customized class for us. He fully understood our busy schedules and our desire to create some great food from our own kitchen. He would teach us what we would like and not what we wouldn’t like.

As we started, his friendly, informal teaching style put us at ease.

We immediately felt comfortable that we’ll be able to reproduce the same fantastic results later on.

As the class went on, Chef Alex engaged us in the preparation of the entrées and salad. Most importantly, we learned tips on how to do all those little touches that make a big difference in flavor, texture and presentation; like, how to make carrots attractive and crunchy in your salad.

Some of the items we went over during the three hour private-class included: • Proper cooking techniques along with presentation • A big concern of ours … timing of the entrée and side dishes • Some good tips on safety … those knives are very sharp – especially the “Mandoline” (a dangerous but highly efficient instrument) • We learned some tips on nutrition and other health information, including good answers to questions we had about Fish As time went on, we tested some of the Chicken, Hanger Steak, Mushrooms and sauce that we prepared. Delicious.

We were amazed also how good our kitchen could smell. Next, our jaws we’re dropping - we couldn’t wait to dive in and reap the rewards of the last three hours.

As the end of the class came, and my wife and I had just about finished everything we had cooked, Chef Alex had tidied everything up.

Our kitchen was left squeaky clean. It was all a wonderful experience.

In sum, indeed, for many people, cooking can be frustrating. We spend good money on ingredients. We invest time and effort to put a dish together, and the end result just isn’t as good as we thought, or hoped, it would be.

What we learned and experienced is, with a little help and guidance, we all can create successful dishes packed with flavor and nutrition that are a joy to create. I encourage you to treat yourself and invite Chef Alex Tishman of Big City Chefs into your home, as we did. You will learn to have fun in your own kitchen and cook some great meals.

Bon appetit!

Alexander’s patisserie

Nestled alongside bookstores, boutiques and art galleries, Alexander’s Patisserie stands

EXECUTIVE PASTRY CHEF

Dries Delanghe

out as a premier location for

Chef Dries Delanghe was formally

coffee, sweet treats and a

educated in pastry and baking at Ter Groene Poorte in Belgium.

He started his career staging at

wonderful experience.

the 5-star hotel Le Sangliers

LOCATED IN BEAUTIFUL & HISTORIC DOWNTOWN MOUNTAIN VIEW

des Ardennes and Patisserie de Baere in Brussels.

Chef Delanghe then honed his skills working in Paris, France, for Pierre Hermé. French Vogue magazine dubbed Chef Delanghe “The Picasso of Pastry.”

He continued his career moving to the United States to work at the highly acclaimed, 3 Michelin starred Joël Robuchon Restaurant in Las Vegas.

The Alexander’s Patisserie team is extremely passionate about the products and experience we provide

EXQUISITE DESSERTS

our guests. Each indulgence is made

209 Castro Street

SWEET & SAVORY TREATS GORGEOUS GIFTS

Mountain View, CA 94041 T: 650.864.9999 www.alexanderspatisserie.com

in-house with the highest quality ingredients. Our offerings and flavors rotate to highlight the best of each season.

We invite you to savor all the pleasures Alexander’s Patisserie has to offer!

Alexander’s patisserie

Nestled alongside bookstores, boutiques and art galleries, Alexander’s Patisserie stands

EXECUTIVE PASTRY CHEF

Dries Delanghe

out as a premier location for

Chef Dries Delanghe was formally

coffee, sweet treats and a

educated in pastry and baking at Ter Groene Poorte in Belgium.

He started his career staging at

wonderful experience.

the 5-star hotel Le Sangliers

LOCATED IN BEAUTIFUL & HISTORIC DOWNTOWN MOUNTAIN VIEW

des Ardennes and Patisserie de Baere in Brussels.

Chef Delanghe then honed his skills working in Paris, France, for Pierre Hermé. French Vogue magazine dubbed Chef Delanghe “The Picasso of Pastry.”

He continued his career moving to the United States to work at the highly acclaimed, 3 Michelin starred Joël Robuchon Restaurant in Las Vegas.

The Alexander’s Patisserie team is extremely passionate about the products and experience we provide

EXQUISITE DESSERTS

our guests. Each indulgence is made

209 Castro Street

SWEET & SAVORY TREATS GORGEOUS GIFTS

Mountain View, CA 94041 T: 650.864.9999 www.alexanderspatisserie.com

in-house with the highest quality ingredients. Our offerings and flavors rotate to highlight the best of each season.

We invite you to savor all the pleasures Alexander’s Patisserie has to offer!

John A. Sobrato and the Art of Making a Difference

stories@svlocalmag.com

A

recent sampling: The Sobratos Donate $20 Million To The New Packard Children’s Hospital Addition To Be Called The Sobrato Pavillion … The Sobratos Donate $5 Million To Build The Sobrato Pavillion at the Valley Medical Center (which is the largest donation ever to a general hospital west of the Mississippi) … The Sobrato Cancer Center at VMC (a most important addition, opened 2009, on a floor in the new Specialty Center Building) , … The Sobratos Donate Hundreds of Millions of Dollars to the Community Foundation Silicon Valley … The Sobratos Build and Maintain Three Centers for Non-Profits That House 65 Non-Profit Organizations … The Sobratos Help Build Schools and Training Centers…

I believe in Positive Role Models and here is clearly a shining example unlike any other.

From a tiny seed comes a Giant sequoia tree, something that is far bigger, beyond imagination or belief. One’s life can be like that, too, how we can help shape infrastructures and benefit others along the way, that makes such a difference in other people’s lives. In this regard, leading by example and helping make this a better world, John A. Sobrato is truly a giant among giants, a champion among champions.

This is not your typical story, but again, this is not your typical person.

It’s about making a difference in this world we live in. How fortunate are we? You couldn’t begin to imagine. Our Silicon Valley would not be a fraction of what it is today had it not been, and continues to be, because of John A. Sobrato, the Sobrato Organization, the Sobrato Family Foundation, the Sobrato Foundation … and especially the Family Sobrato, John A. and his wife Sue, their son, John Michael, their daughters, Sheri and Lisa, and Lisa’s husband Matt Sonsini. They all work diligently together, committed to serving and contributing back to

The Sobrato Family Learning Commons at Saint Francis High School.

our community.

To answer the question, “I am but one person, what difference can I make?” - If you were to listen to John, an only child of immigrant parents, who became a selfmade multi-billionaire, and does so much for community, you will be amazed. What do you attribute your success to? He said he was lucky, that one thing after another just fell into place.

I believe he was referring to the love of his family and the work ethic that was instilled in him from an early age. He is persistent and committed to what he believes in: excellence, quality and service. He grew up going to school at the Palo Alto Military Academy (now Harker School), Bellarmine College Prep and then

The Sobrato Center for Humanities & The Arts at Bellarmine College Prep.

Santa Clara University (graduating with Honors with a degree in Business), where he was also a classmate and lifelong friend of, yet, another great Positive Role Model, Father Paul Locatelli, who for half a century was that for Santa Clara University, Silicon Valley and The Vatican.

John worked his entire life, as a youngster and all through school. His real estate career began also at an early age; in fact, it was when he was a student at Santa Clara University and he began working with Nick Carter & Co. Part-time, he devoted three days to his class schedule and three days to his work schedule, working in real estate. It was at age 21, while still a student at Santa Clara University, John became the youngest to enter the Millionaires Club in Palo Alto Real Estate. He did this by

selling Eichler Homes (“and that was a lot of homes, at $20,000 a home”).

I believe John made his own luck - and throughout our entire conversation, he was focused not at all on himself, but on serving, and helping benefit our families, causes and community – which he has been doing for many years (more than half a century himself), and is still very actively doing today, as much as is humanly possible.

I was excited and looking forward to having this one hour talk with John. I arrived early, for which I am grateful – this allowed me time to admire all the framed portraits of their buildings that adorned all their walls, from top to bottom. Each and every one is absolutely beautiful. The framed pictures were hanging there as if displaying one’s own family, indeed so proud of each and every child.

I want to add, too, that John is an extremely humble man.

He is all about what’s good for community – and helping to make a difference.

He was concerned at the time when I called him about too much publicity – he was about to be honored by 1,200 of our greatest community leaders with the distinguished David Packard Award at Joint Venture Silicon Valley and was about to be written up in the Business Journal.

He asked if I could please possibly wait, for he felt it was a bit much at this one time. It was I who asked for this article, not he.

He came to meet with me punctually at 2pm, flanked by important meetings before ours and then again right after. As busy as he was, he was as gracious as could be. He looks like a movie star, he may be 72 years old, but his looks defy his age and he has so much energy. He had a smile on his face throughout our talk. What really lit up his face, though, was when we started talking about his family and the Non-Profit projects they have done and

are doing. There are indeed many, and he is grateful for and proud of them all.

It is so apparent, everything is very close to his heart. To say he cares, is an understatement – it is a passion. And to him it is not about just giving, it’s about a gift being used in a way that will serve them, perpetually, over time.

Our needs today are greater than ever. I often say to the many wonderful Non-Profits, who all do so much: “Where would we be without you?” Shudder that thought. So many of the Non-Profits have been, and are, supported in a very large way by the Sobrato Family Foundation, and so I say again: “Where would we be without this generosity and devoted hard work?” Again, shudder that thought. Indeed, without this support, it would be a very different community world that we live in.

John was selling residential real estate when he joined his mother in the development of some of the first tilt-up high technology buildings in the early 1960’s, after founding and running Midtown Realty in Palo Alto until 1973. It was then, in 1973, when he sold Midtown Realty and moved to Cupertino to concentrate on development, where he has been busy ever since.

Silicon Valley was just being born and this became the beginning of what was to become an illustrious builder / developer career, par excellence. Imagine what it was like back then.

I will not forget how John said, when he first started in the early 1960’s, how there was no Silicon Valley yet at that time, just orchards everywhere. He added, too, that it was Southern California, at the time, that was considerably ahead in the look of commercial buildings.

A decade later, John visited Southern California to talk with and learn from the people in the industry, and he also took with him his 10 year-old son, John Michael, to absorb everything. Silicon Valley was about to be launched … and John M, would later become, and currently is, the CEO of The Sobrato Organization. Never too early … How

purposeful and dedicated are they? Indeed, very … An interesting note: the three children, and all their children (the grandchildren), all become Board Members of the Sobrato Family Foundation and start attending all Board Meetings once they reach age 18.

John went on to build many of Silicon Valley’s most beautiful buildings. He said that from all what he had learned, that he would pay more to have better materials that would provide for a better, more beautiful building … it was always about the quality … and that reputation has consistently followed him wherever he goes, in everything he does.

In our conversation, John also made a point about contributing, that people think

John went on to build many of Silicon Valley’s most beautiful buildings. contributing means simply donating money.

People don’t have to, it may not be in everyone’s means to do so, and that it is just as important to volunteer - that, indeed, it may be even more important. Can you imagine if more and more people were to get involved by volunteering, what a big positive difference it would make?

What John A. Sobrato has done for our Silicon Valley these past 50 years goes well beyond words. The Sobrato Family Foundation, established in 1996, thankfully is in place to continue to help support our Non-Profit community for many years to come. This may be called the Sobrato Way … caring for community … and helping make our Silicon Valley a better place in which we live. What we can learn from all this is truly a masterpiece … and is namely John A. Sobrato and The Art of Making A Difference.

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Ken Korach, Oakland A’s Radio Announcer A GREAT PASSION FOR THE GAME AND LIFE ITSELF

K

en Korach has been living the life of a dream come true. For the past 19 years he has been and is the radio voice of the Oakland A’s. He was born in Los Angeles in 1952. He is the son of a high school and junior college baseball and basketball coach. He has loved sports since the day he was born and remembers playing catch before he could walk. He grew up minutes from Dodger Stadium, but in his childhood grew up an Angels fan … because they were local and born then, too, in 1961.

It’s as if real life angels have been watching over Ken and everything has been in an exciting and perfect alignment. Beyond a doubt, Ken grew up in a family and household that has always loved life, sports and broadcasting.

As Ken puts it, he had heroes growing up. Growing up, “We were a CBS Family”. Every night, they would watch Walter Cronkite. He was certainly one. There was a book, The Morrow Boys … Ed Morrow was yet another … and the family tree of great broadcasters … also an inspiration.

He grew up listening to the greats: Vin Scully and Chick Hearn and Dick Enberg … and another he loved listening to: Bill King doing the Warriors games. Also Bill King doing the Raiders games, and then Bill King and Lon Simmons doing the A’s games. “Indeed, I loved broadcasting as much as I loved sports.”

Ken first went to San Diego State, where he was Sports Editor of the school newspaper, and then graduated from UC Santa Barbara. His broadcasting career began in Petaluma in 1980, doing a variety of things, including high school sports and eventually Sonoma State football and basketball in 1982.

He went on to do A-ball part-time in 1981 and a full-season of A-ball (California League) in 1984. The team was in Rohnert Park … and then AAA-ball in 1986 in Phoenix. It was a distance, yet, from where he was heading.

He was growing and so was his reputation.

Unbeknownst to him, perhaps, it would be just a matter of time and he was enjoying it all.

In addition to baseball, he would also broadcast both football and basketball for San Jose State and UNLV. He was also broadcasting AAA-ball (Pacific Coast League) in Las Vegas … that was when he got “the call” …

To read the rest of this great article, please go to our Silicon Valley Talk website (www.siliconvalleytalk.com) and enjoy the balance under the category “Sports”.

2015-16

SCHEDULE

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER ( PRE-SEASON )

JANUARY

MON TUE FRI SAT TUE FRI SAT

21 22 25 26 29 2 3

@ VANCOUVER @ VANCOUVER ARIZONA ANAHEIM VANCOUVER @ ARIZONA @ ANAHEIM

7:30 PM 7:00 PM 7:30 PM 6:00 PM 7:30 PM 7:00 PM 6:00 PM

WED SAT TUE FRI SAT MON THU SAT WED SAT

7 10 13 16 17 19 22 24 28 31

@LOS ANGELES ANAHEIM @ WASHINGTON @ NEW JERSEY @ N.Y. ISLANDERS @ N.Y. RANGERS LOS ANGELES CAROLINA NASHVILLE @ DALLAS

7:30 PM 7:30 PM 4:00 PM 4:00 PM 4:30 PM 4:00 PM 7:30 PM 7:30 PM 7:30 PM 12:00 PM

SUN TUE THU SAT TUE FRI SAT TUE THU SAT SUN WED SAT

1 3 5 7 10 13 14 17 19 21 22 25 28

@ COLORADO COLUMBUS FLORIDA ANAHEIM N.Y. ISLANDERS @ DETROIT @ BUFFALO @ BOSTON @ PHILADELPHIA @ PITTSBURGH @ COLUMBUS CHICAGO CALGARY

12:00 PM 7:30 PM 7:30 PM 7:30 PM 7:30 PM 4:30 PM 4:00 PM 4:00 PM 4:00 PM 4:00 PM 2:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM

OCTOBER ( REGULAR SEASON )

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

TUE 1 PITTSBURGH 7:30 PM FRI 4 @ ANAHEIM 7:00 PM SAT 5 TAMPA BAY 7:30 PM TUE 8 @ CALGARY 6:00 PM WED 9 @ EDMONTON 6:30 PM SAT 12 MINNESOTA 7:30 PM TUE 15 @ MONTREAL 4:30 PM THU 17 @ TORONTO 4:30 PM FRI 18 @ OTTAWA 4:30 PM SUN 20 @ CHICAGO 4:00 PM TUE 22 @ LOS ANGELES 7:30 PM MON 28 COLORADO 7:30 PM WED 30 PHILADELPHIA 7:30 PM DATES AND TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

GET TICKETS AT SJSHARKS.COM/TICKETS

SAT THU SAT MON TUE THU SAT MON THU SAT SUN TUE

2 7 9 11 12 14 16 18 21 23 24 26

WINNIPEG DETROIT TORONTO @ CALGARY @ WINNIPEG EDMONTON DALLAS OTTAWA @ ARIZONA MINNESOTA LOS ANGELES COLORADO

7:00 PM 7:30 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:30 PM 7:30 PM 7:30 PM 6:00 PM 1:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM

JAN. 28-31 NHL ALL-STAR BREAK @ NASHVILLE, TN

FEBRUARY

TUE THU SAT TUE THU SAT TUE THU FRI MON WED FRI SUN MON

2 4 6 9 11 13 16 18 19 22 24 26 28 29

@ ANAHEIM @ ST. LOUIS @ NASHVILLE @ CHICAGO CALGARY ARIZONA @ TAMPA BAY @ FLORIDA @ CAROLINA @ ST. LOUIS @ COLORADO BUFFALO @ VANCOUVER MONTREAL

7:00 PM 5:00 PM 5:00 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 7:30 PM 4:30 PM 4:30 PM 4:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:30 PM 4:00 PM 7:30 PM

THU SAT MON TUE THU SAT TUE THU SAT SUN TUE THU SAT MON TUE THU

3 5 7 8 10 12 15 17 19 20 22 24 26 28 29 31

@ VANCOUVER VANCOUVER @ CALGARY @ EDMONTON NEW JERSEY WASHINGTON BOSTON @ ARIZONA N.Y. RANGERS ARIZONA ST. LOUIS EDMONTON DALLAS LOS ANGELES @ VANCOUVER VANCOUVER

7:00 PM 7:00 PM 6:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:30 PM 7:30 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 1:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:30 PM 7:30 PM 1:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:30 PM

SAT TUE THU SAT

2 5 7 9

@ NASHVILLE @ MINNESOTA WINNIPEG ARIZONA

5:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:30 PM 7:30 PM

MARCH

APRIL

BAY AREA LEGENDS A WALK & TALK DOWN MEMORY LANE WITH

AL ATTLES W

e met in what was a different day and age. Yet, it seems like yesterday. I remember the team arriving … It was amid a lot of excitement back then. It was 1962. Professional basketball was coming to San Francisco and the Bay Area! Meet the NBA … Meet the Warriors … Meet Al Attles.

It was just a few years before, in 1958, Major League Baseball had just successfully moved the Brooklyn Dodgers to Los Angeles and the New York Giants to San Francisco, becoming the first two professional baseball teams west of the Mississippi. In 1962, the National Basketball Association (the NBA) followed, and successfully moved the Minneapolis Lakers to Los Angeles and the Philadelphia Warriors to San Francisco, becoming the first two professional basketball teams west of the Mississippi.

It was quite an era here back then. John Kennedy was President, no sign yet of the Beatles (and their concert at Candlestick Park coming just a bit later in 1964) and our San Francisco Giants, in just their 5th year here and playing in what was a “beautiful” new Candlestick Park, were playing the New York Yankees in the World Series. It would be two years later, in 1964, San Francisco would host the GOP National Convention here at the San Francisco Cow Palace, starring Barry Goldwater. It would be 23 years later, in 1985, for Super Bowl XIX at the older Stanford Stadium and 54 years later, in 2016, for Super Bowl 50 to return to the Bay Area. During this time, the 49ers have won 5 Super Bowls, the Giants have won two World Series and the Warriors have won one NBA Championship, in 1975, with Al Attles as the Head Coach.

Fast forward to the present day and it’s the same wonderful Al Attles. The same warm, friendly smile, the same positive endearing energy and the same unforgettable and most recognizable voice. And, now, there’s all this wonderful history, stories and people we can talk about, too. Al is everyone’s best friend and everyone is Al’s best friend. Case in point, to this very day, his North Carolina A&T basketball teammates are all still extremely close. They won championships playing together as a team some 50+ years ago and they still talk with one another, frequently, all the time, and as recently as just yesterday …

To read the rest of Coach Al Attles’ great article, please go to our Silicon Valley Talk website (www.siliconvalleytalk.com) and enjoy the balance under the category “Sports”.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2015 SUN

MON

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OCT 25

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TOR 7:30

DEN 5:00

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TUE

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BKN

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6:30

SAC 7:30

7:30

BOS MIL

MIL

12

5:30

18

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CLE

25

26

2:00

7:30

PHO

5

7:30

7:30

21

TOR 2:00

4:30

7:30

26

CHA

4:00

20

CHI

SAT 4

7:30

LAC

FRI 3

4:00

6

3:00

7:00

13

THU 2

4:30

5:30

7:30

LAL

MON

OCT 31

HOU

MIN

7:30

29

OCT 30

7:30

MEM

SUN

SAT

6:30

7:30

7:30

DECEMBER 2015

FRI

DAL 5:30

HOU 4:00

30

UTA 6:00

FEBRUARY 2016

JANUARY 2016 SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

1

SUN

DEN

MON

2

TUE

WED

1

2

9

7:30

3

CHA

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7:30

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5

6

7

12

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LAL 7:30

11

MIA

7:00

7:30

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5:00

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DEN 6:00

CLE

CHI

7:30

20

26

SAS 7:30

7

8

16

14

15

SAC DET

22

ALLSTAR

23

IND

21

28

DAL

29

7:30

SAT 5

10

11

12

17

18

WAS

22

23

30

28

PHI

6

13

6:00

19

POR 7:00

ATL

OKC 6:00

PHO

16

5:00

7:30

27

HOU 7:30

4:30

21

FRI 4

5:00

9

7:00

15

LAL

5:00

25

POR

8

THU 3

24

MIA 4:30

25

5:30

26

ORL

20

LAC

4:00

27

OKC 5:30

29

2:00

31

NYK 4:30

MARCH 2016 SUN

MON

TUE

WED 1

2

7

8

14

15

ATL LAL 12:30

13

ORL 7:30

4

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MIN

PHI 5:00

28

UTA NYK

23

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31

LAC

29

WAS

UTA

POR

18

DAL 5:30

7:30

7:30

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

BOS

SAT 1

2

7:30

7:30

7:30

5:00

27

OKC

7:30

NOP

SUN

SAT

7:30

7:30

20

FRI 3

7:30

6

APRIL 2016

THU

25

DAL

PHO 7:30

19

SAS 5:30

3

4

10

11

POR

6

12

13

MIN 7:30

5:00

SAS

5

4:00

SAS 7:30

MEM 7:30

26

7:30

6:00

HOME GAMES

ABC

TNT

ESPN

NBA TV

All games televised on CSN Bay Area unless otherwise noted.

All games broadcast on KNBR radio. All times Pacific.

7

8

9

MEM 5:00

Marina Gavric

Marina Gavric Health & Fitness Training www.marinagavric.com

Age is Nothing But a Number Y

ou don’t spend 20 years in the fitness industry without learning a few things about numbers. A valuable term I learned early on, and attest to, is the age old adage that “Age is nothing but a number”.

Each of us has a calendar age and a biological age. We’ve all seen this … Often I will see a 30 or 40 year-old who may look and feel considerably older than his or her actual age … or a 60 or 70 year-old who may look and feel considerably younger. How and why is that?

Good health and well-being, so much of it is in our mind. Also our diet and exercise. It includes an attitude, our habits, our way of life. Healthy and vibrant, the good news is we don’t have to be stuck, where we might not be happy. The choice is ours and there are things we can do to improve.

We should control our health rather our health control us. Health, fitness and wellness, no matter what our age, is a great recipe that works … and is everyone’s best reward.

When and how did those years get stuck within layers of unhealthy fat, lining our frames? Can you pinpoint the time you became older than you really are? Think back.

Was it when you were 12 trying to get out of gym class?

Maybe in college when all your time was spent studying and socializing over noodles

and cocktails? Perhaps your fitness years were lost when the children began ruling your world or work sucked you in to the career abyss? Is it possible you just haven’t found your way out. Resolving when you began losing those years is key to getting them back.

No matter what your current age or fitness level, taking action in changing your fitness age, to grow younger as you age, to become a fitter and wiser you, begins with some simple, clean life choices we can all make.

Ask yourself: How old am I? How old do I feel?

What is my fitness age? If I have lost years of vibrant life, when did I lose them? How can I get them back? And when do I begin taking action in the fight to take them back?

Don’t let your “real” age rule or get the better of you. You can do it ... let your fitness age take the spotlight! … Stay Hydrated, Stay Focused, Stay Fit!

Name: Jeff Selzer Last ride: Redwood Gulch Favorite Ride: Anywhere in Tuscany Last book I read: The Road to Character

by David Brooks

Photo: Jay Watson

My Bike: Trek Madone 7.9

171 University Avenue, Palo Alto • 650.328.7411 • www.paloaltobicycles.com • Hours: Mon – Fri 10am – 7pm, Sat 10am – 6pm, Sun 11am – 5pm

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

From Theatre To Zoos To Beaches

By Rich Borell CEO & Founder Bay Area Mags

well as an impressive collection of

One of our favorite stops for drinks

fine wines and craft beers. Seasonal

is Dicks Last Resort. The food there

cocktails curated by Chef de Bar Cory

is reasonably priced with above av-

Alberto are each hand crafted with

erage portions. We all know there’s al-

meticulous attention to taste and pre-

ways a reason to party at Dicks!

sentation.

Of course San Diego has some beautiful Hello Everyone,

Gaslamp Quarter:

beaches likes Coronado, La Jolla and Mission Bay.

Recently my wife and I took a long weekend trip to San Di-

Built by Ulysses S. Grant Jr. in honor of his father, the 18th

When it comes to dining, shopping and

ego, because a road trip sounded fun.

President of the United States, THE US GRANT bears distinc-

some fun, a visit to the Gaslamp Quarter Some of the sites I suggest include:

tion as a treasured National Landmark captivating world Some of the city’s most popular attractions are the muse-

travelers and hosting the city’s premier events since 1910.

• San Diego Zoo: I’d suggest a couple of days Locat-

ums, gardens, and Spanish colonial style architecture found

The hotel’s rich history includes operating a Speakeasy

ed in Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo is one of the largest

in Balboa Park, the world famous

during Prohibition to welcoming

and most famous zoos in the United States.

San Diego Zoo, and the Midway

14 U.S. Presidents, including a fire-

• SeaWorld: located along the waterfront in Mission Bay …

Aircraft Carrier Museum. For a little

side chat by President Franklin Del-

among the highlights are the myriad of shows featuring kill-

history and shopping, visitors can

ano Roosevelt.

er whales, sea lions, dolphins, and other sea life.

• Balboa Park: A great fun place for the family. Balboa Park

stroll the streets of Old Town San

is over a 1400 acre site with historical buildings, numerous

Diego State Historic Park or wander

I love that the modern updates

through the Gaslamp Quarter. San

were appropriate for the time peri-

is a must. The Gaslamp Quarter is a district made up of 16

museums, gardens, and green space.

Diego also has more than 68 miles

od of the hotel.

blocks in a historical neighborhood. If it’s night life you’re

• USS Midway Museum: The museum is an actual Aircraft

looking for … look no further. The district is loaded with

Carrier that includes over 60 exhibits and 25 restored air-

Named one of the “Best Hotel Bars”

night life venues, festivals, including Mardi Gras and at the

craft.

We decided to stay at the US Grant a Luxury Collection Ho-

in the Nation by Food & Wine, The Grant Grill Lounge offers

end of the block you will find Petco Park home of the San

San Diego, a perfect blend of attractions, tourism, awesome

tel. When you stay at the US Grant you will feel like you’re

a unique Gaslamp Quarter experience, equally tantalizing

Diego Padres.

restaurants, blue skies and lots of fun for any age!

staying at the Four Seasons. A National icon since 1910, is

for late-night revelry or mid-day happy hour. With Mixolo-

situated in the city’s lively and historic downtown Gaslamp

gist, Sommelier and Cicerone Jeff Jesenhans at the helm of

The area is loaded with great restaurants like the Bandar

Quarter, just steps from top shopping, dining, and enter-

the beverage offerings, signature drinks include US GRANT

Restaurant and elegant Persian Restaurant, Rei Do Gado a

tainment, and a short drive from the destination’s world-re-

exclusives like the 100 Day Barrel Aged Centennial Manhat-

Brazilian Steakhouse and Seafood Restaurant that features

nowned beaches, museums and family attractions.

tan and Silver Medal award-winning Genepi Americana, as

a gluten free menu.

of beaches in and around the city.

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

From Theatre To Zoos To Beaches

By Rich Borell CEO & Founder Bay Area Mags

well as an impressive collection of

One of our favorite stops for drinks

fine wines and craft beers. Seasonal

is Dicks Last Resort. The food there

cocktails curated by Chef de Bar Cory

is reasonably priced with above av-

Alberto are each hand crafted with

erage portions. We all know there’s al-

meticulous attention to taste and pre-

ways a reason to party at Dicks!

sentation.

Of course San Diego has some beautiful Hello Everyone,

Gaslamp Quarter:

beaches likes Coronado, La Jolla and Mission Bay.

Recently my wife and I took a long weekend trip to San Di-

Built by Ulysses S. Grant Jr. in honor of his father, the 18th

When it comes to dining, shopping and

ego, because a road trip sounded fun.

President of the United States, THE US GRANT bears distinc-

some fun, a visit to the Gaslamp Quarter Some of the sites I suggest include:

tion as a treasured National Landmark captivating world Some of the city’s most popular attractions are the muse-

travelers and hosting the city’s premier events since 1910.

• San Diego Zoo: I’d suggest a couple of days Locat-

ums, gardens, and Spanish colonial style architecture found

The hotel’s rich history includes operating a Speakeasy

ed in Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo is one of the largest

in Balboa Park, the world famous

during Prohibition to welcoming

and most famous zoos in the United States.

San Diego Zoo, and the Midway

14 U.S. Presidents, including a fire-

• SeaWorld: located along the waterfront in Mission Bay …

Aircraft Carrier Museum. For a little

side chat by President Franklin Del-

among the highlights are the myriad of shows featuring kill-

history and shopping, visitors can

ano Roosevelt.

er whales, sea lions, dolphins, and other sea life.

• Balboa Park: A great fun place for the family. Balboa Park

stroll the streets of Old Town San

is over a 1400 acre site with historical buildings, numerous

Diego State Historic Park or wander

I love that the modern updates

through the Gaslamp Quarter. San

were appropriate for the time peri-

is a must. The Gaslamp Quarter is a district made up of 16

museums, gardens, and green space.

Diego also has more than 68 miles

od of the hotel.

blocks in a historical neighborhood. If it’s night life you’re

• USS Midway Museum: The museum is an actual Aircraft

looking for … look no further. The district is loaded with

Carrier that includes over 60 exhibits and 25 restored air-

Named one of the “Best Hotel Bars”

night life venues, festivals, including Mardi Gras and at the

craft.

We decided to stay at the US Grant a Luxury Collection Ho-

in the Nation by Food & Wine, The Grant Grill Lounge offers

end of the block you will find Petco Park home of the San

San Diego, a perfect blend of attractions, tourism, awesome

tel. When you stay at the US Grant you will feel like you’re

a unique Gaslamp Quarter experience, equally tantalizing

Diego Padres.

restaurants, blue skies and lots of fun for any age!

staying at the Four Seasons. A National icon since 1910, is

for late-night revelry or mid-day happy hour. With Mixolo-

situated in the city’s lively and historic downtown Gaslamp

gist, Sommelier and Cicerone Jeff Jesenhans at the helm of

The area is loaded with great restaurants like the Bandar

Quarter, just steps from top shopping, dining, and enter-

the beverage offerings, signature drinks include US GRANT

Restaurant and elegant Persian Restaurant, Rei Do Gado a

tainment, and a short drive from the destination’s world-re-

exclusives like the 100 Day Barrel Aged Centennial Manhat-

Brazilian Steakhouse and Seafood Restaurant that features

nowned beaches, museums and family attractions.

tan and Silver Medal award-winning Genepi Americana, as

a gluten free menu.

of beaches in and around the city.

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

there, the line was very, very long. It’s a big tourist spot. We moved on with our original plan to spend the day in Pioneer Square which was Seattle’s first downtown. You will see an area with character - lots of nineteenth century brick and stone buildings. You won’t find a shortage of things to keep you busy in this bustling district.

A visit to the Emerald City

By Rich Borell

About a month ago, my wife and I were thinking about a long August weekend. We’d already done an awesome road trip to South Dakota/Montana, so we thought this time we would maybe take a short flight. It didn’t take long for us to agree that we needed to go back to one of our favorite cities in the Northwest, Seattle Washington.

Thursday: Our flight from San Jose was a bit delayed, but we were still able to arrive in Seattle around 2PM. The only problem, was that with the flight delay we had to miss afternoon tea at the Fairmont – But no worries, we just did it another day.

We stayed at the beautiful Fairmont Olympic Hotel. It is a historic landmark and site of the original University of Washington.

After checking in we strolled down for a late lunch at the Crab Pot located along the waterfront. After lunch we walked along Pioneer Square and did some shopping.

In the evening, we attended a really cool dinner event. It’s a cirque comedy cabaret called Teatro Zinzanni. Along with a multicourse meal this is one of the most entertaining performances you will ever see. Everyone- including the wait-staff and audience are a part of the show. The price per-person can range anywhere from $99 to $174 and additions can be purchased the night of the show. . They also have a really great gift shop and old time bar. It was fun and well worth the price.

Friday: On Friday, I wanted to start my day at the very first Starbucks that opened in 1971 on Pike Street, but when we got

Most of the tourist attractions are within walking distance, so we walked to the Space Needle for dinner. The SkyCity Restaurant is located at the top of the Space Needle. If you ever want to dine there (and I do recommend you do) be sure to make prior reservations … they start taking them 3 months prior to your date. We had an awesome table, great service and excellent food. The restaurant rotates so you get excellent views of the city, waterways, landmarks and Mount Rainier. I had the wild salmon and my wife savored in the Prime Tenderloin. Thanks to Chef Jeff Maxfiled for a splendid dinner.

Saturday: Some of our highlights today included the famous Underground Tour. There’s a few different versions and since we hadn’t been in a while, we chose the history tour. Our guide was a very passionate and extremely detailed story teller. It was great walking the underground streets hearing stories of the past underground city.

We then walked back to our hotel and attended afternoon tea. This is one of my wife’s favorite things to do and I figured - if she was going to sit through a Mariners game with me on Sunday – that I’d have tea with her.

Well, what’s a trip to Seattle if you don’t ride the Duck Tour?

This is a combo land and water tour. Most likely your Captain will have a silly sense of humor and everyone on board will be blowing their quacker for the next 90 minutes. Highly recommended!

For dinner we went back to the waterfront to Ivar’s and had another great Wild Salmon dinner.

Sunday: Today we enjoyed a leisurely morning then went for a nice long walk to SAFECO Field to watch the Mariners take on the Chicago White Sox. It’s a pretty awesome stadium … the home team crowd was very pleased as the Mariners made a great comeback to win the game.

While walking back to our hotel, we remembered a great looking restaurant around the corner from the Fairmont called The Brooklyn Seafood Steak & Oyster House. They had availability and so we had another great dinner.

Next thing we knew – it was Monday and we had to go home. We had a great long weekend trip and love Seattle.

If you’re looking for a quick getaway, check out the Emerald City … it’s only a 2 hour flight from the bay area.

Cheers

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

there, the line was very, very long. It’s a big tourist spot. We moved on with our original plan to spend the day in Pioneer Square which was Seattle’s first downtown. You will see an area with character - lots of nineteenth century brick and stone buildings. You won’t find a shortage of things to keep you busy in this bustling district.

A visit to the Emerald City

By Rich Borell

About a month ago, my wife and I were thinking about a long August weekend. We’d already done an awesome road trip to South Dakota/Montana, so we thought this time we would maybe take a short flight. It didn’t take long for us to agree that we needed to go back to one of our favorite cities in the Northwest, Seattle Washington.

Thursday: Our flight from San Jose was a bit delayed, but we were still able to arrive in Seattle around 2PM. The only problem, was that with the flight delay we had to miss afternoon tea at the Fairmont – But no worries, we just did it another day.

We stayed at the beautiful Fairmont Olympic Hotel. It is a historic landmark and site of the original University of Washington.

After checking in we strolled down for a late lunch at the Crab Pot located along the waterfront. After lunch we walked along Pioneer Square and did some shopping.

In the evening, we attended a really cool dinner event. It’s a cirque comedy cabaret called Teatro Zinzanni. Along with a multicourse meal this is one of the most entertaining performances you will ever see. Everyone- including the wait-staff and audience are a part of the show. The price per-person can range anywhere from $99 to $174 and additions can be purchased the night of the show. . They also have a really great gift shop and old time bar. It was fun and well worth the price.

Friday: On Friday, I wanted to start my day at the very first Starbucks that opened in 1971 on Pike Street, but when we got

Most of the tourist attractions are within walking distance, so we walked to the Space Needle for dinner. The SkyCity Restaurant is located at the top of the Space Needle. If you ever want to dine there (and I do recommend you do) be sure to make prior reservations … they start taking them 3 months prior to your date. We had an awesome table, great service and excellent food. The restaurant rotates so you get excellent views of the city, waterways, landmarks and Mount Rainier. I had the wild salmon and my wife savored in the Prime Tenderloin. Thanks to Chef Jeff Maxfiled for a splendid dinner.

Saturday: Some of our highlights today included the famous Underground Tour. There’s a few different versions and since we hadn’t been in a while, we chose the history tour. Our guide was a very passionate and extremely detailed story teller. It was great walking the underground streets hearing stories of the past underground city.

We then walked back to our hotel and attended afternoon tea. This is one of my wife’s favorite things to do and I figured - if she was going to sit through a Mariners game with me on Sunday – that I’d have tea with her.

Well, what’s a trip to Seattle if you don’t ride the Duck Tour?

This is a combo land and water tour. Most likely your Captain will have a silly sense of humor and everyone on board will be blowing their quacker for the next 90 minutes. Highly recommended!

For dinner we went back to the waterfront to Ivar’s and had another great Wild Salmon dinner.

Sunday: Today we enjoyed a leisurely morning then went for a nice long walk to SAFECO Field to watch the Mariners take on the Chicago White Sox. It’s a pretty awesome stadium … the home team crowd was very pleased as the Mariners made a great comeback to win the game.

While walking back to our hotel, we remembered a great looking restaurant around the corner from the Fairmont called The Brooklyn Seafood Steak & Oyster House. They had availability and so we had another great dinner.

Next thing we knew – it was Monday and we had to go home. We had a great long weekend trip and love Seattle.

If you’re looking for a quick getaway, check out the Emerald City … it’s only a 2 hour flight from the bay area.

Cheers

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

The Presidio: It’s What’s Going On!

F

By Rich Borell

or many of us, the Presidio of San Francisco may only be 10-40 miles down the road.

Perhaps you drive through it from Lombard to get over the GG Bridge. However, ever since the Inn at the Presidio opened a few years back, my wife and I have spent a few weekends each year staying at this historic hotel … right in the middle of the Presidio of San Francisco.

This former military base has so much to offer - from its many hiking trails to enjoying the open space with your pet. This vast land has over 1,400 total acres and just under 1,000 acres of open space. If you’re looking for something to fill a day … or a weekend … or more, this vast open land sure has plenty to offer.

For you history buffs, you can check out over 400 historic buildings. A good place to start is the Presidio Officer’s Club. There, you will get a good

taste of history through multi-media exhibits.

One of our favorite pastimes is to hop on the PresidiGo Shuttle. One thing we really enjoy is seeing, and experiencing, the Presidio on foot.

Each time we stay, we explore a different route … our favorite is going down to Crissy Field – and observing the spectacular views of the bridge. You can feel free to get off the shuttle anytime, as it has 40 stops.

No matter what one’s age, one activity

WEEKEND GETAWAYS everyone would want to catch is The Walt Disney Family Museum. At the Disney Museum you will capture the true history and timeline of Walt Disney’s life and the Disney enterprise. I would suggest allowing at least four hours for this selfguided tour, as well as your hands-on experience with exhibits and taking in all the original artwork that’s there.

Wish you could stay here? Well, you can. You can keep the car parked and stay at the Inn at the Presidio. This Georgian Revival-style hotel, built in the early 1900’s, was once home for bachelor officers when the Presidio was a U.S. Army post.

Now you can stay here at this historic landmark.

When we stay, we always put a request in for a room on the third floor. From here you get incredible views of the Golden Gate Bridge, also the fog rolling in and, on clear days, you can see many sailboats.

Each room is extremely spacious, offering Wi-Fi, flat panel screens and mini-fridges. For a bit more, I would suggest getting a suite on the third floor. This has a large sitting area and a gas fireplace.

The hotel offers an evening wine and cheese reception … usually there’s live music, as well. Or you can stroll outside with your wine and kick back on their outdoor deck that features a large fire pit with cozy rocking chairs. It’s truly delightful.

You’re also within walking distance to some nice restaurants on base. Recently opened is The Commissary, a new restaurant by the awardThe Inn at the Presidio

winning chef, Traci Des Jardins, featuring Spanishinfluenced California cuisine.

One of our favorite places to eat is the Presidio Social Club – which once was the home of the ex-military barracks. Inside the Presidio Officer’s Club, you can try out Arguello. This restaurant offers Mexican food with a contemporary bar.

If you still have a little time on your hands, there’s plenty more to do in the Presidio, such as: A beautiful stroll along Baker’s Beach … perhaps a round of golf at the Presidio Golf Course with its enchanted forest setting … and, yes, there’s even a bowling alley.

And think you might miss that latte or cappuccino at Starbucks? Not to worry, they have one of those, too.

People would love coming from all corners of the world to experience this, and do. A far away distant world that’s literally just a few minutes away. There’s the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow … for us, this is a gem at the foot of the Golden Gate.

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

town Palm Springs. The views and grounds are awesome of the Golf Resort, they have a large pool with two hot tubs. We were also able to enjoy a little tennis.

We had an early dinner reservation so we didn’t get too much activity in today. We did walk downtown and strolled the Palm Springs Walk of Stars … I heard that there are over 400 stars! Interesting and delightful to see and experience.

Palm Springs – Fun In The Desert Sun!

L

By Rich Borell

ooking to relax? Perhaps a nice getaway and some sun, some fun, some R&R? How about a nice quiet desert resort? Sounded great to us. Just 100 miles east of Los Angeles was our recent long weekend getaway destination … Palm Springs.

For this weekend destination we decided to do a road trip. Our journey started out early Friday morning with a quick cup for the road from Starbucks.

Along with its gift shop and Beef & Bakery store, it’s the best service along I-5 you can encounter.

Our first stop along the way was breakfast at the Harris Ranch, located in Coalinga, about two hours from Silicon Valley. If you’re traveling along Interstate 5, you may know the Harris Ranch is a welcome oasis for travelers.

After stopping off at a few rest stops to stretch a bit, our next encounter was going to be lunch. As we we’re driving, we saw a sign for a restaurant I didn’t even know still existed, so we pulled over and had lunch at Bob’s Big Boy... Yes, it was great to see them still around.

There are many amenities at this fine establishment including comfortable lodging, some of the best steaks you will ever enjoy, along with a café for that quick bite.

We arrived in the Palm Springs area around 2PM. Our stay for the next few nights was at the Desert Princess Inn. This Golf Resort is located about five miles from down-

If you’re in the Palm Springs area, then the Purple Room Restaurant & Stage is a must for dinner and a show. It all started in 1960 … The still popular venue is considered to be one of Palm Springs “Original“ Rat Pack Hangouts ... where Frank Sinatra would bring friends to Eat, Drink and Play.

Saturday morning we were up early to meet our group for the Desert Adventure Tour. This is an open Jeep tour that takes you along the San Andreas Fault. The tour was great and very informative.

You can experience the landscape of an active fault, walk between the steep canyon walls – we actually we’re able to have one foot on each of the two major plates in California. The tour took us through a natural Palm oasis. We also learned about the culture and lifestyle of the Cahuilla Indians and how they used the desert’s plants for food, medicine, tools, weapons, shelter and more.

Our tour was about three hours. We had lunch planned at the Peaks Restaurant, located on top of the San Jacinto Mountain, over 8,500 feet up. The aerial tram will take you up the mountain. The gondola floor rotates while ascending and descending so that everyone sees everything. Yes, this is a “must” if you’re in the Palm Springs area.

Ticket prices are reasonable if you only want to take the ride up for photos and get some great hiking in. There are a couple of cool trails anyone can enjoy, and also a couple of cafés that offer a different price range, being considerate of people’s budgets.

If you’re looking for entertainment in the evenings there certainly is no limit as to what’s available. You will find several high end Indian Casino Resorts close by. To fill our evening, we took in a few shows. At the Morongo Casino, we saw the very talented comedian, Lilly Tomlin. Saturday night at the Fantasy Springs Resort, we saw the very talented singer, Marie Osmond.

With many points of interest, the World’s largest rotating Aerial Tramcars, over 130 Hotels & Resorts, over 100 Restaurants and sunny days practically every day of the year … If you’re looking for a nice relaxing and fun getaway, plan on enjoying a nice weekend in sunny Palm Springs. We sure did.

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

town Palm Springs. The views and grounds are awesome of the Golf Resort, they have a large pool with two hot tubs. We were also able to enjoy a little tennis.

We had an early dinner reservation so we didn’t get too much activity in today. We did walk downtown and strolled the Palm Springs Walk of Stars … I heard that there are over 400 stars! Interesting and delightful to see and experience.

Palm Springs – Fun In The Desert Sun!

L

By Rich Borell

ooking to relax? Perhaps a nice getaway and some sun, some fun, some R&R? How about a nice quiet desert resort? Sounded great to us. Just 100 miles east of Los Angeles was our recent long weekend getaway destination … Palm Springs.

For this weekend destination we decided to do a road trip. Our journey started out early Friday morning with a quick cup for the road from Starbucks.

Along with its gift shop and Beef & Bakery store, it’s the best service along I-5 you can encounter.

Our first stop along the way was breakfast at the Harris Ranch, located in Coalinga, about two hours from Silicon Valley. If you’re traveling along Interstate 5, you may know the Harris Ranch is a welcome oasis for travelers.

After stopping off at a few rest stops to stretch a bit, our next encounter was going to be lunch. As we we’re driving, we saw a sign for a restaurant I didn’t even know still existed, so we pulled over and had lunch at Bob’s Big Boy... Yes, it was great to see them still around.

There are many amenities at this fine establishment including comfortable lodging, some of the best steaks you will ever enjoy, along with a café for that quick bite.

We arrived in the Palm Springs area around 2PM. Our stay for the next few nights was at the Desert Princess Inn. This Golf Resort is located about five miles from down-

If you’re in the Palm Springs area, then the Purple Room Restaurant & Stage is a must for dinner and a show. It all started in 1960 … The still popular venue is considered to be one of Palm Springs “Original“ Rat Pack Hangouts ... where Frank Sinatra would bring friends to Eat, Drink and Play.

Saturday morning we were up early to meet our group for the Desert Adventure Tour. This is an open Jeep tour that takes you along the San Andreas Fault. The tour was great and very informative.

You can experience the landscape of an active fault, walk between the steep canyon walls – we actually we’re able to have one foot on each of the two major plates in California. The tour took us through a natural Palm oasis. We also learned about the culture and lifestyle of the Cahuilla Indians and how they used the desert’s plants for food, medicine, tools, weapons, shelter and more.

Our tour was about three hours. We had lunch planned at the Peaks Restaurant, located on top of the San Jacinto Mountain, over 8,500 feet up. The aerial tram will take you up the mountain. The gondola floor rotates while ascending and descending so that everyone sees everything. Yes, this is a “must” if you’re in the Palm Springs area.

Ticket prices are reasonable if you only want to take the ride up for photos and get some great hiking in. There are a couple of cool trails anyone can enjoy, and also a couple of cafés that offer a different price range, being considerate of people’s budgets.

If you’re looking for entertainment in the evenings there certainly is no limit as to what’s available. You will find several high end Indian Casino Resorts close by. To fill our evening, we took in a few shows. At the Morongo Casino, we saw the very talented comedian, Lilly Tomlin. Saturday night at the Fantasy Springs Resort, we saw the very talented singer, Marie Osmond.

With many points of interest, the World’s largest rotating Aerial Tramcars, over 130 Hotels & Resorts, over 100 Restaurants and sunny days practically every day of the year … If you’re looking for a nice relaxing and fun getaway, plan on enjoying a nice weekend in sunny Palm Springs. We sure did.

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

A MEMORABLE WEEKEND TRIP TO JAMESTOWN AND YOSEMITE

By Rich Borell

Hello Everyone, I want to share with you a recent long weekend getaway my wife and I took. This road trip took us to the Gold Country, where we enjoyed fascinating historic Jamestown and the most breathtaking views of Yosemite National Park.

Our trip started out Friday around noon to beat the Bay Area getaway crowd. We had accommodations for Friday evening, just outside of Jamestown, at the Jackson

Rancheria Hotel & Casino. We really want to extend a warm thank you for a great room.

While driving up to Jackson, my wife always wanted to visit Daffodil Hill located in Volcano, CA, a few miles outside of Jackson. It’s the perfect time of year since all the daffodils are in full bloom. If you’re in the area traveling, this is a great place to get out and stretch and walk through the gorgeous gardens. You will see some rather loud and colorful peacocks, too, as you walk along the path.

WEEKEND GETAWAYS Daffodil Hill is open only in the spring, usually from the end of March through the first three weeks of April … best of all, admission and parking are free.

From there, we drove to the hotel to settle in for the evening, grab a bite; yes, pay our dues on the casino floor; and, of course, do some shopping in the gift shop.

Our Saturday morning started out with a quick bite in the café, and then it was on to the Gold Country. Our first stop was Angels Camp, also known as the City of Angels.

The story goes that Mark Twain based one of his short stories, “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”, from a story he had heard here in 1865.

Thus, a great reason to celebrate every year with the jumping Frog Jubilee each May at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds. Some say that Angels Camp other name is “Frog Town” – now you know why!

Angels Camp is a very historic town …

I’d suggest definitely stopping by the Angels Camp Museum to get the scoop on the town.

The hours are Thursday – Monday from 10AM – 4PM. From Angels Camp we drove to Jamestown.

This amazing town is filled with many historic homes and buildings near Main Street. The first gold here was discovered by Benjamin Wood, who had come from Oregon. The

crossing and also Woods Creek, which runs through Sonora and Jamestown, were named in honor of him. This was in the early summer of 1848; just a few months before, the famous gold discovery took place at Sutter’s Mill about 100 miles north, which started the Gold Rush. Jamestown is the home of the Railtown 1897 State Historic Park; and for you TV buffs, the TV shows, “The Wild Wild West” and “Green Acres”, were filmed in and near Jamestown.

If you visit the Gold Country, I’d definitely make time to visit Jamestown, park your car, step back in time and walk the street. I’d suggest dining at the Willow Steak House (established 1864), where the builders of the Sierra Railway once hung out in the bar. If you decide to stay in Jamestown, there are several historic hotels, including the Royal Carriage Inn, the National Hotel and the Jamestown Hotel.

After our stop in Jamestown, we continued for another hour’s drive to Yosemite National Park. There are several choices for lodging.

We decided to stay at the Yosemite Westgate Lodge. Normally, you would want to spend 3-4 days in the park; however, we didn’t have that much time. We did work in some of the most famous areas like Half Dome which is Yosemite’s most familiar rock formation. A “must” is getting a view from the viewpoint at Valley View; there, visitors can take in Yosemite Valley in its entirety. Clearly visible are the original lines formed by the glacier which carved out the valley. Of course, there’s Bridalveil Fall. It’s just a short hike on a paved trail and you’re right up to the front of the waterfall.

Another “must” is El Capitan – a giant granite rock that stands more than 3,000 feet from the base... a great thrill, I’m sure, for the rock climbers of the world.

The beauty of Yosemite is astonishing, whether you have a day or a week. One visit and you’ll gladly want to come back again and again!

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

WHAT HAPPENS IN

By Rich Borell

Hello Everyone, When we think about weekend getaways from the Bay Area, we may consider Monterey, Santa Cruz, Napa, Lake Tahoe … Ever think about parking the car and flying to Vegas?

That’s exactly what my wife and I did recently.

Our last trip there was very memorable since we spent New Year’s Eve celebrating with hundreds of thousands of people on the Las Vegas strip. This time we thought how fun to have a long weekend getaway there.

Our trip started out on a Friday late-morning flight via Virgin America out of SFO. Once we landed, you can feel the party starting … Indeed, this city radiates so much energy. Cab fares are posted so you will have an idea of what to pay.

With gratuity you can figure on $20, or a little more, for the fare.

Our stay was at Harrah’s Resort Hotel. They were very nice to work with, and we would like to thank them for the suite upgrade they gave us. We were early (about 3PM); yet, our room was ready and we could drop off our luggage.

We had a few hours before our 5:15PM dinner at The Strip Steakhouse located inside the Planet Hollywood. Dinner was early since my wife wanted to get some shopping time in at the Hard Rock Café prior to seeing the Kiss Concert at 8PM. For our short time before dinner, we strolled the mall next door to Planet Hollywood. The Strip Steakhouse is a chain; however, it’s a great place to eat with excellent service. I don’t usually eat red meat; however, tonight I had the urge to have a nice Rib Eye Steak. My wife had the Filet along with her two favorites, Lobster and Crab. If you have time for a long dinner, with the urge to

WEEKEND GETAWAYS be catered to, then this is the place to come. We also had the opportunity during dinner to chat with their Operations Manager and want to send a thank you to her. BTW, if you enjoy Ports, you may want to cruise their exclusive selection.

As I mentioned, the Kiss concert was at the Hard Rock Café - the band featured two of its original cast, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley – and they played to a delighted full house. If you have a chance to see them, they put on a great show.

On Saturday, we prepared a list of fun things we could choose from; however, since the weather was a sunny 70 degrees, we opted for a nice walk instead. Some suggestions of interest during the day might include: *An all-day visit to Area 51 *There are four thrill rides at the top of the Stratosphere Tower *At the New York New York you can hop on a 67 MPH rollercoaster *Drive a race car at Exotics Racing at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway *Crime Solving at MGM’s Grand CSI – The Experience We spent some time at the Mirage at Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, which defines wildness in a whole new way. You can also catch a glimpse of several white Tigers and

Lions along with the Dolphin Habitat. The shows were awesome!

Saturday, night we had two shows on tap, first, was a Murder Mystery Dinner put on by Marriage Can Be Murder. It was a great show and dinner was delicious. The cast of characters did a great job in getting the audience involved.

Our main show was at 10PM, at the Mirage, to see Ray Romano from the very popular TV Show, Everybody Loves Raymond. Kevin James opened the show, getting the audience involved, and was hilarious. Of course, Ray Ramano was himself, and everybody was in stiches. I’ve seen some great comedians, and I would put Ray high on my list as one of my favorites next to Jerry Seinfeld.

When he was closing the show and about to say good night, he said I have one more thing for you … He brought out Adam Sandler to sing a few songs. The lyrics we’re hilarious, so you guessed it, not your typical song to sing along to. After Adam played, Ray and Kevin came back out and, together, they did a Q&A with the audience. We also got to meet Ray’s twin sons, sitting near us in the audience.

So if you’re looking for a weekend getaway, and don’t want to drive, check out sin city! Yes, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas … except for the great experience of it all and good memories.

Marina Gavric

Marina Gavric Health & Fitness Training www.marinagavric.com

Commit to Balance, to Your Fitness Success and to Yourself S

taying committed to an exercise and health plan is not always the simplest task.

Breaking bad habits is never easy. “I have tried and tried!” … Yes, I know, I hear this, everyone’s story, all the time!

Regardless of what age you may be or at what point you are in your life, men and women, boys and girls … a corporate executive, a student, an employee, a stay-at-home parent … we’re all busy all the time. Please recognize that health & wellness, as well as fitness & nutrition, are interrelated. It’s all a good thing and it’s a choice we make in our busy lives.

Once you have resolved a priority to yourself of “health & fitness” in your life … make “finding balance” a key component. You can stay genuinely dedicated, enjoying your commitment, while not falling victim to excuses. What a positive difference in our lives and how we feel (the energy alone, perhaps meaning better sleep) we all seem to know it would make.

It’s a matter of doing. For example, Jane is a busy executive and, although Jane is a fictitious character, she represents a good number of men and women. She is up at 5am, by 5:15am has her coffee in hand and for the next hour, before she rounds up the kids for school, she reviews her yesterday and prepares for today. In no time, she then packs up her home team, briefcase in hand and is out the door. Finally, she’s at the office and sits with another cup of coffee, with breakfast in hand … whatever pastries there may be. The sodas come later.

Day in and day out, Jane reflects on making life changes to improve her well-being and feel good about herself, inside and out. Yet, day after

day, Jane’s willpower gives in and she seems to repeat the same old routine, a cycle, she wishes she could break. When? She feels too busy. She feels not up to it”. She believes there is no other way. She speaks for many, many people.

No matter the phase of the health cycle one is in, we all struggle with this … to get in that workout in or say no to an extra helping of our favorite foods. The first step is to find your balance … and to commit to change. It starts with that commitment … even if one step at a time to begin with and to win.

Regularly reflect on all your priorities … then decide on the commitments you can realistically make and stick with them. Whether this week it’s a 30 minutes for 3 days-a-week commitment or next week a 40 minutes 6 days-a-week commitment. A key is to write your commitments down. As you would keep your word to your boss or loved ones, keep your word to yourself.

Stay Hydrated, Stay Focused, Stay Fit

A

t Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley, we dream of a world where every child is given the opportunity to succeed in life and experience a brighter future. Together, we can provide safe and stable environments where hundreds of youth in our community can thrive every day. Across our 9 locations in Silicon Valley we serve about 3,000 members annually, giving them a safe place to learn and grow.

Youth Development Outcomes: Through daily participation in quality programs, Club members develop important life skills and attitudes, and gain critical development assets.      

Positive Self-Identity Health and Wellbeing Positive Values Commitment to Learning Social Competency Community and Civic Involvement

Key Elements of Youth Development: These key elements drive our efforts and allow us to have a sustained impact on youth.      

Safe and Positive Environment Mentoring Relationships with Caring Adults Opportunities and Expectations Goal Setting and Achievement Recognition FUN!

Trust: Your BusinessBuilding Currency

by Terri Norvell CEO, Trust Yourself Now – a people development company

TRUST MATTERS If you want a stronger ROI—build trust.

If you want a team that delivers reliable service—build trust. If you want customers to buy more and post positive comments online—build trust.

Why? Because it’s the cornerstone of creating a sense of community with your product or service. Ultimately, Terri Norvell the degree of trust you build with people will determine your organization’s success and its profitability.

It’s possible you’re eroding trust without being aware of it. Distrust is fueled by not believing another, by neglecting to follow through on promises; and by feeling disconnected. In the extreme, distrust can damage the relationships that make a business run smoothly. Not good.

Instead, regard trust as the currency for nurturing relationships. Make it your new strategic advantage. That’s a bold goal, but it’s exactly why trust needs to be as your focus at three levels.

TRUST REQUIRED AT THREE LEVELS The first level is trusting yourself, the second is building trust among team members and the third is having your customers fully trust you and your team - in each position.

You need self-trust to lead your teams confidently. And if your team members don’t have a high degree of trust with each other, how can your customers ever be expected to have faith and confidence in your organization? Without it, how can community building ever happen?

THINK OF TRUST AS DEPOSITS AND WITHDRAWALS In my work with organizations, I define trust as belief in the honesty, reliability, and ability of someone (including yourself). So, really, I regard trust - an ongoing, active process - as a verb rather than a noun. It’s never stagnant because a person’s trust level adjusts based on his or her ever-changing thoughts and actions.

Think of it as having a trust bank account with deposits and withdrawals. Every time people do what they say they’ll do, a deposit goes into the trust-building account.

Conversely, every time they don’t do what they say, it’s like a withdrawal. At the end of the day, have you and your team members built up your trust accounts with each other or taken away from them? …

To read the rest of Terri’s great article, please go to our Silicon Valley Talk website at (www.siliconvalleytalk.com) and enjoy the balance under the category: “Business Owners”.

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The Art of Helping Many Where Help is Needed A VISIT WITH DR. EMMETT CARSON & SILICON VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION “Lifelong Philanthropy - Here in Silicon Valley, we have a front-row seat to view trends, not only in the tech sector that gives us our name but also in philanthropy. Here, where the ceiling for wealth is high, and so are the needs of those without it, we’re seeing a major shift …

“We are seeing more people embrace philanthropy … Developing ways to partner with them in achieving their charitable passions is our job … Philanthropy is becoming a lifelong pursuit, one that addresses a wide range of problems, issues and needs … The effect this trend will have on our communities is up to all of us.” - Dr. Emmett Carson A VERY SPECIAL MERGER It was October, 2006, when Dr. Emmett Carson was recruited to oversee the merger of the Peninsula Community Foundation (San Mateo County) and the Community Foundation Silicon Valley (Santa Clara County).

The merger took place in January, 2007, and for Dr. Carson it meant moving to California from Minnesota to undertake the unprecedented challenge of merging two separate community foundations – an attempt to unite donors in two very different counties, as well as bridge many different business communities and city politics.

Predictably, there would be a lot of resistance.

Dr. Carson accepted this challenge, becoming CEO and President in late 2006. He is the first to say that the merger of the two entities – whose staffs

were almost completely unknown to one another – was a collaboration that took shape over time.

As CEO, Dr. Carson has continued to lead a unified Silicon Valley Community Foundation to new heights. The nonprofit organization has grown exponentially thanks to the great staff, the many wonderful relationships built, the overall inspiring group of partners, and its many donors. Silicon Valley Community Foundation has become the largest community foundation in the nation and in the world.

SVCF’s work in the community locally, nationally and globally continues to grow. “Our grantmaking activity in 2014 is just one example of the incredible generosity of individuals and corporations throughout the Bay Area,” said Dr. Carson.

In addition, SVCF launched the Center for

Early Learning, reinforcing its commitment to Silicon Valley’s young children and their families. Research completed last year included the 2014 Silicon Valley Index in partnership with Joint Venture Silicon Valley, and a report on human trafficking in Silicon Valley, completed in partnership with Juniper Networks Foundation Fund and Not For Sale. The first project of the Center for Early Learning was the Parent Story Project, a first-of-its-kind on the well-being of Silicon Valley parents. Plus SVCF also was honored to co-host a historic meeting at the White House of representatives from more than 150 community foundations and government agencies.

SVCF “By The Numbers” 2014: Contributions: $1.96 Billion … Assets under management $6.5 Billion Grants: $474 Million (awarded from all funds) … Number of Grants: 65,500, including those from matching gift programs Grants: $216 Million to Bay Area charities ... Grants: $18 Million to International Charities …

Countries: 57 received grants, including the U.S.

attended Chicago public schools, then Morehouse College and then Princeton University. When he was very young he experienced a tragedy when a neighbor’s child was shot and killed. Dr. Carson’s family quickly picked up and moved across town. He remembers, it was between 3rd and 4th grade. His life, he said, changed. The family moved just 30 blocks away and, yet, it was a world of difference. He saw and he experienced the differences in inequality and social justice. It was two worlds apart. This would impact him and his work - his entire life - to this very day.

Role models were his mom and dad. They taught him about “Heroes” and “Sheros” in black history. His father would read to him every night about successful African-American professionals, which truly inspired the young Dr. Carson. He had learned so much about African-American professionals, and all minorities, that it fed him a sense of wanting to make a difference for many, for all people. This spoke to him: “Hey, the world can be what you make of it.”

At Morehouse, he EXPERIENCING AN thought he would go to law ALL-IMPORTANT school and be an attorney.

PARTNERING But he had a professor With its individual, (who was kidding at family and corporate the time) who said he donors, as well as nonprofit would not endorse him partners, Silicon Valley for law school (he would SVGives, hosted by SVCF, raised $8 million Community Foundation have, he later admitted). for local charities in one day in 2014. is working to make a big Instead, he recommended positive difference for many Economics and Public of our nonprofits and our community as a whole.

Policy, saying: “It would be a stronger major for Dr. Carson added, “There are many who live you … that you can influence people every day.” and work in Silicon Valley, who are wonderful It would be more impactful for Dr. Carson, he supporters of Silicon Valley Community suggested, and as things have turned out, he was Foundation, who are from all around the world. right. He was Dr. Carson’s advisor in school …

Many donors are multi-dimensional. They see and is one of his “Heroes.” themselves as global citizens. It is important to them where they want to make a difference, for PREPARATION FOR THE WORK TO BE DONE where they have come from, and also for a better Morehouse, Dr. Carson said, prepared him very world.” When asked if he thinks philanthropists well. It was a time when being African-American can move mountains, Dr. Carson responded, “I felt challenging and that the education he received hope so.” there gave him confidence … and a feeling that he was ready, prepared, for the highs and the lows of THE ROAD TO SILICON VALLEY attending Princeton.

Dr. Carson was born and raised in Chicago. He The mental preparedness was so helpful, being

just one of a handful of African-American students to complete that program … and the first to have been accepted in the middle of the year. There would be positives and negatives … It was a whole new world, he felt. “Someone’s got to be first, so being a first at anything, you have to carry your own weight.”

FIRST DESTINATION: THE FORD FOUNDATION. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE? Fresh out of Princeton, the young Dr. Emmett Carson was recruited to work for the Ford Foundation. “It was a fantastic opportunity,” he said. “There were many brilliant people all around me. It was like a university with some of the most brilliant people … together there to create a better world.” He had a mentor while there, from whom he learned much about philanthropy. He learned plenty, he said, about what philanthropy can do and how to work it effectively. This helped prepare him early on and very well for what was to come.

NEXT DESTINATION: THE MINNEAPOLIS FOUNDATION. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE? From the Ford Foundation, he was recruited to become the CEO of The Minneapolis Foundation.

At the young age of just 33, he was already being asked to be the CEO of one of the largest community foundations in the country.

Emmett shared, “The pressure was, for example, when making a $500,000 decision on something … making sure I got it right. I learned it was so important to know the people, the histories, the politics … who over-promises and who under-delivers. It’s about big risky things. It’s not as risky when we know the actors and who we are betting on. It’s also very important to be a part of the community.”

THEN THE WEST COAST CALLED … WELCOME TO SILICON VALLEY At that time came this challenge, this opportunity, to come to Silicon Valley. Dr. Carson shared: “It was exciting to come here, to execute a merger that was unprecedented. (1) Can you get this merger off the ground; can you get it to work?

(2) Can you be an advocate on important issues, where it would be tough, and still raise the money and the support needed? (3) Can you bring our partners, our companies, our governments

together to approach and find solutions for these large issues facing us?

Dr. Carson, as we have seen, was up to it … and also with the great art of collaborating. Here and now, working closely together with Carl Guardino, the CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, is a perfect example. He discussed the importance of “the three-legged stool” functioning right, together, in this case, namely: Nonprofits, Business and Government. It’s imperative that we need to work together for rightful solutions.

Just the night before our meeting, he and Carl went together as a team to Sacramento (Dr. Carson representing the nonprofits community sector and Carl the business community sector) and met with our legislative leaders (representing the government community sector). Their

Emmett Carson greets families in December, 2014, at Caltrain Holiday Train presented by SVCF.

message was this: “If we don’t address these pressing issues that we face today in housing, transportation and education, if we don’t take action, it has certainly reached the crisis point that we will choke off our own success … for our present and our future.”

ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC? When asked if he’s optimistic, without hesitation, Dr. Carson responded, “I’m very optimistic because we have all the raw materials here. We have amazing smart people here who have figured out such amazing things. We have resources here that are financial to help us get what we will need. And we have a state of mind

regarding changing rapidly, a cultural mind set, to change. What’s been missing has been the political will. And we have reached a point, especially with housing, transportation and education, a convenience for some and a problem for others. It has become a problem for everyone … that has become intolerable for all.

many together, making a big positive difference.

A SPECIAL DAY AND CAUSE OF CARING: SILICON VALLEY GIVES. Another great example is “Silicon Valley Gives.” Initially, it was to have been a one-dayonly event. There have been Days of Giving in other cities - some successful, some not. Here, there would be challenges … In Santa Clara and THE THREE-LEGGED STOOL AND A PLAN IN San Mateo Counties, where there are 41 different PLACE? communities. People are busy, tens of thousands “Do we have a 5-10 year plan that we of commuters from the South Bay heading north presented or are things on the drawing board? and tens of thousands heading south. Unlike No, I think it’s somewhere in between … where other cities, where there is a central city, with a we have a good idea where the Valley is … central media, newspaper and social network: institutions where we’re doing well … and where “which you could depend on for a successful we’re falling down. Now the issue is to see if the campaign” … not so here, this was totally political energy is there to move forward with unchartered waters. some of the issues that we face. Now, it’s a matter Key sponsors stepped forward in 2014: The of the government to make specific bills and turn John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and them into action. To hopefully get enough support Microsoft, also the Sobrato Family Foundation and behind them … and then hopefully a Governor’s the David & Lucile Packard Foundation and PayPal, signature on them.” meaning the costs would be met and everything raised would benefit local grant-making initiatives.

FROM WORKING TOGETHER COMES The staff at Silicon Valley Community Foundation POSSIBILITY diligently researched how other communities were What is Dr. Carson’s vision? He sees that there successful … and a significant commitment of time are a lot of nonprofit and for-profit leaders who are across the organization was allocated to plan and heroes, too many to mention or single out, plus implement for the overall event. many partners that they are very blessed to work Silicon Valley Gives 2014 was a wonderful with. “It is a pleasure and privilege to meet with success. By The Numbers: $8,000,833 was raised, people every day to help make their dreams into 674 nonprofits participated and benefited. There reality … and our community a great and better were 14,889 donors, 21,869+ unique donations place to live and work.” and $233 was the average gift size. All in one He added, “It is this belief that is so inspiring day, a day no one was sure about, speaks well of for our community and the world … So what’s Possibility. exciting is that we get together with donors and discuss with them ‘Possibility Starts Here’ and how WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT OUR NON they would like to see our community benefit, how PROFITS? WHERE WOULD OUR NON PROFITS they would like to see change in the world. Our BE WITHOUT SVCF? donors are generous to all kinds of great causes.”

P.S. There’s great news ahead. On May 5, 2015, there will be a Silicon Valley Gives II ! What WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO TO HELP? a Cinco de Mayo it will be. There’s also a Silicon Two great examples. One is “The Big Lift” in Valley Gives 2016 planned now, too. What a San Mateo County. This effort to ensure all the Big Positive Difference this will make in helping county’s children can read well by third grade benefit many nonprofits and our community. has been undertaken by a consortium of over It is these special partnerships and the many 100 nonprofit organizations, including the county people working together that make these kind Board of Education. A federal grant of $7.5 of Possibilities real for our today and tomorrow. million in private donations will help the entire These are but a few examples where Silicon Valley county. It’s not one single effort, but many, where Community Foundation has done much and each one is important, and this represents so continues to help many where help is needed.

! o d e l o T Holy LESSONS FROM BILL KING: RENAISSANCE MAN of THE MIC

H

oly Toledo! Nobody could ever say it like Bill King! Nobody!

The life and times of Bill King … a trip down memory lane … unlike any other … a great man who transcended sports … greatly … and life, too. So many pictures … so many memories.

It’s funny how things come full circle.

Oakland A’s Announcer, Ken Korach, in his childhood grew up in Southern California. He had his share of broadcast heroes right there: Vin Scully, Chick Hearn, Dick Enberg, three of the best ever. And, yet, there was one in faraway Northern California, Ken would listen to, never missing: Bill King.

If you were to consider the best announcers of all-time, Vin, Chick and Dick would be in at the top of that short list. So, too, would be Bill King.

One the very best of them all. Basketball (with the Warriors), Bill and Chick (with the Lakers) were the all-time best. Football (with the Raiders), there was no one better. Baseball (with the A’s), the broadcast team of Bill and Lon Simmons, couldn’t be beat. For thirty years, Ken listened to his hero, Bill King. And then in 1995, Ken was hired by the A’s and would be working together in the same booth, at home and on the road, with his life-long hero, Bill King.

He was indeed a real-life hero of Ken’s and also a great influence. They worked ten years together – Bill was always great to him and made him feel comfortable, on and off the air. There was humility, never an ounce of standoffishness, as some might have been or might be. Not Bill, he could not have been kinder or more supportive.

“During these ten years, he was the world to me. He was a wonderful friend. We had a great friendship and a great broadcast partnership.”

In addition to Bill’s being perhaps the best

announcer of all time, there was so much more in so many ways.

He really was ‘the most interesting man in the world’.

After the passing of Bill, Ken felt compelled to write this book about him and his life lessons.

He had had such an amazing life, his story needed to be told…

To read the rest of this great article, please go to our Silicon Valley Talk website (www. siliconvalleytalk.com) and enjoy the balance under the category “Sports”.

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Dining

Scott’s offers extensive, balanced menu

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cott’s located in downtown San cott’sSeafood, Seafood, located in downtown Sanon Jose onAve. Park Ave. is situated Jose Park is situated perfectly and perfectly and just awayMuseum, from just steps away fromsteps the Tech the Tech Museum, the San Jose Museum of the and San Jose MuseumSt. of Joseph’s Art and the historicGet St. Art the historic Basilica.

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Its prime seating offers view of the City’s downtown and, to mention, it’s City’s in perfect align-and, offersnot a terrific view of the downtown ment catch ait’s plane or two making to a catch not to to mention, in perfect alignment descent to the San Jose Mineta International a plane orYour two making descent to the Airport. parkinga is validated in San the Jose Mineta International Airport. Your parking is valiground floor garage.

Stepininside the sixth floor dining room dated the ground floor garage. and you’ll be treated to a bright, butroom warm Step inside the sixth floor dining and atmosphere with lots of wood accents. Take you’ll be treated to a bright, but warm atmosome time to lounge in the centralized, full sphere with wood accents. somemartini time favorservice bar lots thatoffeatures manyTake of your ites and a in large TV. The ample, bar main dining to lounge the screen centralized, full service that features space seats 270; the banquet room can comfortably many of your martini favorites and a large screen TV. The handle up to 100. At Scott’s, your dining experience ample, main dining space seats 270; the banquet room can will be led by first class service that will be delivered comfortably handle up to 100.

Atvisit.

Scott’s, your dining expeconsistently throughout your rience will be led by first class service that will be Nava delivered Executive Chef and General Manager Alex began his career with Scott’s back in 1992. In 2003, consistently throughout your visit. heScott’s took over as Executive Chef and General offers an extensive, well-balanced menuManager. with a seWhen asked of what he’s most proud about Scott’s, lection that ranges from the local an assorthe takes only a second tofreshest point to hisseafood, loyal staff and ment of pasta and chicken dishes, to prime, dry-aged the family like atmosphere they all work hard tosteaks. create.As you peruse the menu, you’ll enjoy warm French bread Alex offers an extensive, well-balanced menu andChef ice water punctuated with a slice of lemon. Drawing with a selection that ranges from the freshest local from the seasons, you mayofenjoy suchdishes, as Jumseafood, an assortment pastaappetizers and chicken bo Wrapped Prawns, filled with fresh Dungeness crab and to prime, dry-aged steaks.

As you peruse menu, you’ll enjoy warm mushrooms servedthe with a mildly spicy peanut sauce. AnFrench bread and ice water punctuated with a slice other tasty appetizer choice might be the Seared Blackened of lemon. Drawing from the seasons, you may enjoy Ahi with Seaweed Salad and Wrapped Sesame Soy dressing.

Look for appetizers such as Jumbo Prawns, filled other reliable salads such as a traditional Caesar and a yumwith fresh Dungeness crab and mushrooms served with a mildly spicy my Oven Roasted Beetpeanut option.sauce. Another tasty appetizer choice might the Seared Blackened For your main entrée,bethere’s certainly somethingAhi for evwith Seaweed Salad and Sesame Soy dressing. Look erybody.

Yep.salads Fresh such local as seafood like Salmon, Halifor otherPasta? reliable a traditional Caesar but, Sole, Trout and Lobster?

Mouth watering!

How about and a yummy Oven Roasted Beet option.

ForMignon, your main there’s certainly Rib something Filet Newentrée, York Steak, a dry-aged Eye, or a for everybody.

Pasta?

Yep. Fresh local seafood like Roasted Chicken? Got it!

Salmon, Halibut, Sole, Trout and Lobster? Mouth If you still have a little room left to take care of your sweet watering! How about Filet Mignon, New York Steak, a

A Bay Area Tradition

Scott’s Scott’s Seafood Seafood 185 Park 185 ParkAvenue Avenue San Jose San Jose (408) (408)971-1700 971-1700 www.scottsseafoodsj.com www.scottsseafoodsj.com Beautifullyremodeled remodeledon on the the inside Beautifully inside ......and and also on the outside with this splendid rooftop also on the outside with this splendid rooftop patio.

Enjoy thethe private dining or intimate dining patio.

Enjoy private dining or intimate ambiance for your special occasion ... and also the dining ambiance for your special occasion delightful view overlooking downtown San Jose. ... and also the delightful view overlooking downtown San Jose. tooth, then you might want to consider some of Scott’s dry-aged Rib Eye, or a Roasted Chicken? Got it! heavenly desserts like; Key Lime Pie, Warm Molten ChocoIf you still have a little room left to take care of late Cake, ortooth, maybethen Scott’s Jack, (that’s your sweet youClassic mightRaspberry want to consider Frenchofvanilla, cream with raspberries, Triple secPie, and some Scott’siceheavenly desserts like; Key Lime Warm Molten Chocolate Cake, or maybe Scott’s Claswhipped cream). sic Raspberry Jack, (that’s French vanilla, ice cream At Scott’s you’ll also have a fabulous choice of fine local with raspberries, Triple sec and whipped cream). wines from Northern California, with an extensive At Scott’s you’ll also have along a fabulous choice of selection of world beers. fine local winesclass from Northern California, along with anLunch extensive selection of world class beers. hours are from 11:30 to 5PM Monday-Friday; dinLunch hours are from 11:30 to 5PM Monday-Friner is served up starting at 5PM Monday-Saturday and day; dinner is served up starting at 5PM Monday-Satstartingand 4:30PM on 4:30PM Sunday. on Scott’s accepts Visa,accepts Masterurday starting Sunday.

Scott’s Card, Discover, Diners, and American Reservations Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Diners,Express. and American Express.

Reservations are recommended! are recommended!

SCOTT’S SEAFOOD

185 Park Avenue 420 Castro Street #1 Town & Country Village 185San P ark #1 T own & C ountry V illage P alo A lto Jose A venue • S an J ose Mountain View Palo• Alto (408) 971-1700 (650) 323-1555 (408) 971-1700 (650) 966-8124 (650) 323-1555 www . scottsseafoodsj . com www . scottsseafoodpa . com www.scottsseafoodsj.com www.scottsseafoodmv.com www.scottsseafoodpa.com

A Bay Area Tradition

SCOTT’S SEAFOOD

185 Park Avenue 420 Castro Street #1 Town & Country Village 185San P ark #1 t own & c ountry v illage P alo a lto Jose a venue • S an J oSe Mountain View Palo• Alto (408) 971-1700 (650) 323-1555 (408) 971-1700 (650) 966-8124 (650) 323-1555 www . ScottSSeafoodSJ . com www . ScottSSeafoodPa . com www.scottsseafoodsj.com www.scottsseafoodmv.com www.scottsseafoodpa.com

185 Park Avenue • San Jose (408) 971-1700 • www.scottsseafoodsj.com

y k c e B & Jim n a g r Mo

GOOD LEADERSHIP INSPIRES GOOD MORALE

Photo credit: Jim Gensheimer

S

ilicon Valley has been and is blessed with many great people, companies and organizations doing great things … those who work hard and give of themselves to help make our world, our society, our region a better place.

You have no idea my delight when I got the green light to meet with Jim & Becky Morgan. With perhaps only one exception, that being David Packard and William Hewlett, H-P and their respective Foundations, no one has done more to help support our Silicon Valley community in the ways that Jim & Becky Morgan, Applied Materials and their Morgan Family Foundation have.

If by chance you may not know yet who they are, please know two things: they are Morgan Family Foundation Board Members (l to r): an incredible Team and their long list of accomplishments, Valerie and Jeff Morgan, Becky and Jim Morgan and Photo credit: Carol Turner and accolades, far surpass the Dr. Mary Finegan four pages I have to tell their everyone was back then. Eight moves in story. Their story begins in nine years, it was “not much of a smooth the 1950’s, having met as students at Cornell. They recognized a very special quality sailing”. Jim had been ROTC and was a 2nd Lieutenant in the military – the time was in each other and, as the saying goes, the during the Vietnam War. Becky said that rest would become history.

Jim was from Indiana – he was his dorm her dream was for a family and she hoped, someday, for a $40,000 house. rep to their class Council. Becky was from Fast forward, they arrived in 1968 Vermont – she was the VP of her class. It in Palo Alto and moved into, yes, their was 1956, women were not allowed to be $40,000 home … their 1st house … an class President. Becky said, it was not like Eichler. Becky added: What kind of home an 18 year old guy to be as supportive as can you buy here today for $40,000? Thirhe was. He was special. They have now been happily married for 53 years and that teen years later they sold their home for $210,000. Becky, in the meantime, had support of and for each other has never gone on to get her MBA at Stanford, and changed. They have two terrific children Jim in 1976 became President of Applied that they are extremely proud of and what they do - their son, who founded a founda- Materials. I asked Jim if he could see that very first day the wonderful success that tion to preserve historical landmarks and was about to come? “You know, Ken, my their daughter, who is an OB GYN. first day as President of Applied, the quesSuccess did not just find Jim and Becky tion was whether we would go bankrupt Morgan. They were young, fresh out of college, working to find their way, much like or not. We were losing money, had little

equity and were $10 million in debt. In 1976, that was a lot of money!”

That was not the answer I was expecting.

It was what he said next that put everything so into perspective. “We turned it around. We established a vision and kept to it. We cut 5 of the 6 businesses that were away from our core and added some new ones. We started thinking of propelling the business rather than working in the fear of going bankrupt. And we quickly saw a tremendous rise in millions of dollars in sales.”

Yes, this is an illustration of Leadership and how it worked and how it transformed everything. Jim went on to say that in 1976, the company leaders were located and working separately in Palo Alto, away from the company employees in Santa Clara. One of Jim’s very first acts as President was to move the management group back to Santa Clara – where they would be a visible and inclusive part of the company. This was very important to Jim. “Morale is important to success!”, he said. “Good leadership inspires good morale!”

He realized later that his personal mission was to help individuals and organizations realize their potential. If you want to know in a nutshell, who and what Jim and Becky Morgan are about, I would say, this is it. They are on the same page, and always have been.

Jim moved to CEO 1977-2003 and then Chairman 1987-2009. During this time, Applied Materials grew to become one of the most successful and most respected companies in Silicon Valley and the world. I mentioned how it seems he has always surrounded himself with outstanding people, that his Board of Directors read like a Who’s Who. He and Becky both said how very important that was and still is today.

In 1996, Jim won the National Medal of Technology for Industry Leadership. He was awarded the Silicon Valley Leadership Group Lifetime Achievement Award for his ethics, community engagement and business success.

And he takes great pride in being a founder and supporter of the popular Tech Awards – honoring people who help humanity through technology. He was then surprised that they selected him to be the first recipient of the Global Humanitarian Award.

Photo credit: LucieXYZ Photography

Under his leadership, Applied Materials won every award or has been on every good list imaginable: The 100 Best Corporate Citizens, The Super 100, Biggest Best Companies, 100 Most Important Companies in the World, 100 Best Management Teams in the World, Best Companies for Asians, Blacks & Hispanics To Work For, 100 Best Companies To Work For … and endless times, too, for always being among the very best, here or anywhere, in their corporate giving. It was as if all these years, Applied Materials was synonymous with success and giving. The interesting thing?

When financial times were hard, and community charitable giving was often cut back, Applied Materials employees gave more. Yes, more. They felt community would need more.

For Becky, what has always been an extremely important and driving force is: “Public Service” and “Collaboration”. That in a nutshell helps to describe who she is. She doesn’t care to be called a politician. Rather, she likes to be called “Public Servant” - and that it’s about our working together and finding solutions. Indeed, she has dedicated her entire life to being, and doing, just that. She has served as a Santa Clara County Board of Supervisor, and as our State Senator in Sacramento, and then as CEO of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley – a

job for which she was recruited and for which Also, there is “Teen Success, Inc.” to help she felt suited. support teen mothers. We know that without Many of her achievements will forever be a this support, the outlook for teen moms is rather positive difference for Silicon Valley. For exbleak. Over 23 years, first with Planned Parentample, she led the fight to save Caltrain. Gov- hood and now with an independent organizaernor Deukmejian did not want the state to tion, more than 4,500 girls have been helped be in the transit business. Had it not been for to avoid a second child until ready, to graduate Becky, who negotiated the sale with Southern from high school and to learn life skills. “They Pacific, whose legislation set up the Joint Pow- respond so well with our weekly group help,” ers Board and who said Becky. worked very hard to And third, there get the needed votes is the Morgan Family – and who is especialFoundation in which ly grateful to Willie the Morgans are truly, Brown, John Vasconand fully, engaged. cellos and Al Alquist, These first two efwho helped greatly to forts are supported see it through – makby the Morgan Faming it all happen. It ily Foundation. It is would indeed be a all a passion of love very different picture and dedication to the of us standing still Morgans. Over 200 today. Back then it grants a year are given was 17,000 - today it to many great causBecky Morgan with two Teen Success, Inc. is 30,000 daily riders, scholarship winners. Photo credit: Kris Ahmed, es in the community who would be withsupporting education, Teen Success, Inc. out transportation or youth development stuck in even more and many non-profits traffic on 280 or 101. such as Breast Cancer Connections and Bring Me The construction of Highway 85 was origia Book. One cause close to their hearts is the nated by Becky. She had heard the complaints Eastside College Prep. An example I thoroughly coming from the people in West Valley, that enjoyed hearing was a story of this young girl, so many were driving through their neighboreleventh child in her family, who graduated from hoods. What would life be like, here and now, the school, was accepted at MIT, had an internif we didn’t have our Caltrain and Highway 85? ship at Hewlett-Packard and is now a sophomore I shudder to think. in Boston.

That brings us to today – with that special What the Morgans left me with was this. vision of theirs. What matters and is of imIt’s about making a difference where we can. portance to the Morgans is to help make this Their message was that of generosity, giving a better world - work that others have done, and paying forward, for our present and fuand are doing - and what together we can do, ture. When fortunate, we can do more and collaboratively, which we can learn and grow must make a difference. We don’t want our from and make a difference. families to go from rags to riches to rags in There are three facets that keep the Morgans three generations. Time also means so much. as busy as ever. First, there is the Northern Sier- Please volunteer if and when possible. Helpra Partnership in the Sierras – to help preserve ing and giving means so much to others. The and protect the landscape, the rivers and lakes. strength and well-being of our community 60% of all Californians and all northern Nevadepends on what we all can do. dan’s get their water from there. It’s taking care The Morgans are great leaders, inspiration of our present and looking ahead for our future – and role models for us all. I am and we are this water supply is essential for our living. indeed most grateful.

Join The Fight Against Human Trafficking Here in Santa Clara County! By Cindy Chavez

Santa Clara County Supervisor, District Two

“Out of sight, out of mind” is a sad but fitting way to describe they recalled many suspicious situations that had occurred how human trafficking has grown into a multi-billion dollar in the past. One of the VTA drivers who received this training illicit industry across the globe. Human trafficking is a form recognized that passengers on his bus seemed to match the of modern day slavery that transcends gender, age, ethnic, description of a kidnapper and his toddler abductee texted socioeconomic and national boundaries. The most vulner- from the VTA operations center. He acted, and when the bus able of us are susceptible to traffickers’ use of deception, reached the Fremont BART Station, police officers immedifraud, threats, coercion, violence, debt ately apprehended the captor and rescued bondage and other manipulative stratethe child. The hero driver, Tim Watson, gies to force people into commercial sex credited the human trafficking training he or labor. had received the week before.

The FBI has identified the Bay Area as one We need strong enforcement, too, so the of the nation’s top four hubs for human County has also funded new teams in the trafficking. That is why one of my primaSheriff’s and District Attorney’s offices dedry foci since joining the Board of Supericated to fighting human trafficking. The visors has been to expose and combat Law Enforcement to Investigate Human the scourge of human trafficking in Santa Trafficking (LEIHT) Task Force has investiClara County. gators from the Sheriff, local police and the In 2014, I proposed, and the Board of FBI. The work of the LEIHT Task Force has CINDY CHAVEZ Supervisors unanimously apalready paid off with the arrest of proved, the creation of the multiple human traffickers and Santa Clara County Human Trafrescue of victims from both sex ficking Commission, which I coand labor trafficking. chair with Sheriff Laurie Smith We need your help in identifying, and District Attorney Jeff Rosen. reporting and raising awareness The Human Trafficking Comabout human trafficking. In colmission has already worked on laboration with our community a number of high-profile campartners, Santa Clara County’s paigns, including collaborating Office of Women’s Policy has with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) developed training materials to help raise awareness and to provide human trafficking awareness training to all VTA decrease the number of people trafficked in our neighbordrivers beginning in March, 2015, and launching the San- hoods. Please learn the red flags of human trafficking and ta Clara County Human Trafficking Awareness Campaign in remember: if you see something, say something.

December, 2015.

To view the County’s Human Trafficking training video and In the first week of the training provided to VTA drivers and brochure, please visit: fare inspectors, the Office of the Sheriff received eight tips. http://tinyurl.com/SCC-HT-Training-Video (video) VTA employees wished they had this knowledge before, as http://tinyurl.com/SCC-Know-the-Red-Flags (brochure)

GRATITUDE:

A POWERFUL ANTIDOTE TO ENTITLEMENT

By Carole Pertofsky, M.Ed. Director, Wellness and Health Promotion Services at Stanford University I was meeting up with friends in the latest hot restaurant in Palo Alto. As I walked towards my group, a very cool looking guy wearing a classy expensive black T-shirt leaned back in his chair and almost crashed into me as I squeezed between tables. He glared at me. And there, nestled just below his sculpted pecks, was the message, in bold Elephant Font: “You don’t get my respect. You have to earn it.”

There may be many interpretations. What might you think? Would you be attracted to his swagger? Turned off by the implied entitlement? Be curious about how this attitude plays out in his life? Wonder how this message impacts those around him?

I don’t know what goes through this guy’s mind when he awakens at 3 in the morning. But I know too many people of all ages who brand themselves with some display of entitlement, even arrogance. The attitude is fueled by media that offers top billing to those who display their entitlement and arrogance as strengths of character, even virtues. What is the impact on you, me, our kids looking for successful role models?

The truth is that on the surface, these people appear to be dominant, accomplished, on top of things. But trust me, it’s an illusion. Because deep down, they often experience isolation, emptiness and frustration. “Superiority” masks vulnerability. Recent studies indicate that this loss of empathy and connection to self and others is a growing concern among all ages.

Is there a way out of this trend towards displaying arrogance or entitlement as valor?

Consider the power of gratitude as an antidote to this deep well of discontent.

Gratitude isn’t just a soft filmy blur of appreciation. It takes gumption and courage to live with gratitude in a culture that rewards snarky digs and hostile irony. It takes grit to choose to live with thankfulness for what we have, rather than focusing on endless lists of what is missing. Gratefulness is a gold standard of deep happiness, positive emotion and good health.

Dr. Robert Emmons, UC Davis, leading researcher and author of “Thanks”, reminds us, “Gratitude can be as easy as a beautiful sunset, an exquisite bite of chocolate, a child, or the brilliance of autumn leaves. No matter what shape

or form gratitude takes, it fills us with a warmth and a reminder that life is good; this moment is special. Gratitude provides lessons to make us stronger. It is more than appreciation- it is a gift.”

Research suggests why the experience of gratitude is transformative and offers tremendous health benefits.

Thankfulness awakens our brain’s pleasure centers, and our bodies produce bio-chemicals that activate a strong and powerful sense of our potential, well-being and connection. Our bodies respond with vitality and a stronger immune system. We may be inspired to serve others, to contribute to the greater good.

Power up your gratitude muscle with a few simple actions.

Do these with your family. Do these with your friends.

Do them alone. Mix it up. If you practice just three times a week, you’ll begin noticing a stronger sense of ease, fun, and lightness. Best of all, these practices will spark new connections among your friends and family in fun heart-warming ways.

- Gratitext: Everyone takes out their cell phone or notepad. Each person imagines a particular person to whom you are grateful, maybe someone who helped you get where you are today. Send them a “gratitext” or a note, expressing your thoughts and feelings of gratitude to them for adding some benefit- or sparkle- to your life.

Notice the good feelings that arise when you send this note- and how you feel when they respond.

- Reach Out: Notice the many people who earn minimum wage performing a service that adds value to your day. Reach out, and thank them. Experience the gentle exchange of appreciation.

- 3 Good Things:. Begin a “gratitude” journal and several times a week, write down 3 good things that happened. Even if you aren’t feeling particularly grateful, no problem. Just take a deep breath, and give thanks for the simple things. Hot and cold running water. A daily meal.

The people who contribute to your comfort, whether or not you personally know them. Gratitude is a powerful antidote to entitlement, indifference, the “blahs”, and discontentment.

- -

- Just Like Me. Find a good place to “people watch”. Relax and just be aware of others, take a deep breath and bring to mind the following thought: “Just like me this person has faced struggles, suffering and disappointments, and just like me, this person wants to be content and happy.” Observe what gets stirred up in you or how this guided attention changes your emotional state.

Do you feel more empathy or perhaps appreciation for our shared humanity? Share your experience with each other.

- Soak in this awesome 5 minute video with your family and friends: Just watch and notice your thoughts and feelings. www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj2ofrX7jAk - Gratitude. Simple. Powerful. Transformative. It is an act of courage to express your thankfulness. Do stuff that opens your heart. Tell your friends and family how they contribute to your life. When you savor and appreciate the goodness in your life, the little things and the million dollar moments, no one will ever need to earn your respect. Gratitude itself is an act of deepest respect, freely given, for life itself.

GRATITUDE:

A POWERFUL ANTIDOTE TO ENTITLEMENT

By Carole Pertofsky, M.Ed. Director, Wellness and Health Promotion Services at Stanford University I was meeting up with friends in the latest hot restaurant in Palo Alto. As I walked towards my group, a very cool looking guy wearing a classy expensive black T-shirt leaned back in his chair and almost crashed into me as I squeezed between tables. He glared at me. And there, nestled just below his sculpted pecks, was the message, in bold Elephant Font: “You don’t get my respect. You have to earn it.”

There may be many interpretations. What might you think? Would you be attracted to his swagger? Turned off by the implied entitlement? Be curious about how this attitude plays out in his life? Wonder how this message impacts those around him?

I don’t know what goes through this guy’s mind when he awakens at 3 in the morning. But I know too many people of all ages who brand themselves with some display of entitlement, even arrogance. The attitude is fueled by media that offers top billing to those who display their entitlement and arrogance as strengths of character, even virtues. What is the impact on you, me, our kids looking for successful role models?

The truth is that on the surface, these people appear to be dominant, accomplished, on top of things. But trust me, it’s an illusion. Because deep down, they often experience isolation, emptiness and frustration. “Superiority” masks vulnerability. Recent studies indicate that this loss of empathy and connection to self and others is a growing concern among all ages.

Is there a way out of this trend towards displaying arrogance or entitlement as valor?

Consider the power of gratitude as an antidote to this deep well of discontent.

Gratitude isn’t just a soft filmy blur of appreciation. It takes gumption and courage to live with gratitude in a culture that rewards snarky digs and hostile irony. It takes grit to choose to live with thankfulness for what we have, rather than focusing on endless lists of what is missing. Gratefulness is a gold standard of deep happiness, positive emotion and good health.

Dr. Robert Emmons, UC Davis, leading researcher and author of “Thanks”, reminds us, “Gratitude can be as easy as a beautiful sunset, an exquisite bite of chocolate, a child, or the brilliance of autumn leaves. No matter what shape

or form gratitude takes, it fills us with a warmth and a reminder that life is good; this moment is special. Gratitude provides lessons to make us stronger. It is more than appreciation- it is a gift.”

Research suggests why the experience of gratitude is transformative and offers tremendous health benefits.

Thankfulness awakens our brain’s pleasure centers, and our bodies produce bio-chemicals that activate a strong and powerful sense of our potential, well-being and connection. Our bodies respond with vitality and a stronger immune system. We may be inspired to serve others, to contribute to the greater good.

Power up your gratitude muscle with a few simple actions.

Do these with your family. Do these with your friends.

Do them alone. Mix it up. If you practice just three times a week, you’ll begin noticing a stronger sense of ease, fun, and lightness. Best of all, these practices will spark new connections among your friends and family in fun heart-warming ways.

- Gratitext: Everyone takes out their cell phone or notepad. Each person imagines a particular person to whom you are grateful, maybe someone who helped you get where you are today. Send them a “gratitext” or a note, expressing your thoughts and feelings of gratitude to them for adding some benefit- or sparkle- to your life.

Notice the good feelings that arise when you send this note- and how you feel when they respond.

- Reach Out: Notice the many people who earn minimum wage performing a service that adds value to your day. Reach out, and thank them. Experience the gentle exchange of appreciation.

- 3 Good Things:. Begin a “gratitude” journal and several times a week, write down 3 good things that happened. Even if you aren’t feeling particularly grateful, no problem. Just take a deep breath, and give thanks for the simple things. Hot and cold running water. A daily meal.

The people who contribute to your comfort, whether or not you personally know them. Gratitude is a powerful antidote to entitlement, indifference, the “blahs”, and discontentment.

- -

- Just Like Me. Find a good place to “people watch”. Relax and just be aware of others, take a deep breath and bring to mind the following thought: “Just like me this person has faced struggles, suffering and disappointments, and just like me, this person wants to be content and happy.” Observe what gets stirred up in you or how this guided attention changes your emotional state.

Do you feel more empathy or perhaps appreciation for our shared humanity? Share your experience with each other.

- Soak in this awesome 5 minute video with your family and friends: Just watch and notice your thoughts and feelings. www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj2ofrX7jAk - Gratitude. Simple. Powerful. Transformative. It is an act of courage to express your thankfulness. Do stuff that opens your heart. Tell your friends and family how they contribute to your life. When you savor and appreciate the goodness in your life, the little things and the million dollar moments, no one will ever need to earn your respect. Gratitude itself is an act of deepest respect, freely given, for life itself.

Having An Impact & Making A Difference For Community Where Would We Be Without Our Nonprofits?

“Our Nonprofits play a critical role in the world we live in today. People in the community don’t realize how much they do and how that affects the quality of life for every one of us. They contribute so much.”

Thus began this insightful and inspiring conversation with Porcia Chen Silverberg.

SVL: Where do you work and what do you do?

PCS: I am the Executive Director at Thrive – The Alliance of Porcia Chen Silverberg Executive Director, Nonprofits for San Mateo Thrive - The Alliance of County Nonprofits for San Mateo Thrive was established County in 2000 by a group of leaders from the nonprofit sector to help promote collaboration and support nonprofits, in order to strengthen the economic and social health of San Mateo County.

With a membership of nearly 200 members,

Thrive is a “go-to hub” for people who want to make a difference for San Mateo County, as well as the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. We are a conduit for Government and Nonprofits. Instead of making 50 to 200 calls, they can make one call to me. I love to connect people and organizations.

For Thrive, I do pretty much everything that’s asked of a nonprofit leader - I am the chief Fundraiser, Evangelist, Member Relationships Director, Outreach Director and Ambassador. I am very fortunate to have an incredible associate, Cindy. Together, with the support of a handful of volunteers, we run all of Thrive’s programs. I am very proud of what we are able to accomplish.

SVL: Where did you grow up, go to school and what did you study?

PCS: I was born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan, until I was almost 14 when we moved to Denver, Colorado. I went on to study Communications at the University of Colorado at Boulder …

To read the rest of Porcia’s great article, please go to our Silicon Valley Talk website (www.siliconvalleytalk.com) and enjoy the balance under the category “Non-Profits”.

| | your wellness world

Valley Medical Center: World-class care. Regional specialty services. A growing need for YOUR help.

T

he day started like any other in the Emergency Department of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (VMC) – fast-paced and action-packed. But as morning turned to afternoon, the staff knew something was different.

New patients just kept coming; via ambulance, helicopter and walking themselves through the door.

It was a rush like no other.

By day’s end, over 500 patients had come through the door for treatment, more than double the daily average from six years ago. It was a new record. And this was just a regular day, seemingly like any other. There were no major storms or disasters to speak of – just a lot of sick and injured people who needed to see a doctor. The day was emblematic of the challenges facing the Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System (SCVHHS).

As the economy has worsened, more and more residents of Santa Clara County have nowhere else to turn when they need medical attention.

In fact, fully one-quarter of all Santa Clara County residents get their care at Valley Medical Center and VMC community clinics. From primary care for children, to emergency care for adults, VMC forms the backbone of this community’s health system. As a teaching hospital, VMC trains an overwhelming number of local physicians and nurses, including all Stanford University School of Medicine students. VMC operates the busiest emergency department in the region, and one of two burn trauma units in northern California.

But as costs rise and public dollars decline, the staff of VMC has to do more with less.

In fact, over the past 10 years, the patient demand for SCVHHS services has doubled, all the while undergoing nearly a decade of year-afteryear budget cuts. In that time, SCVHHS staff has gone to enormous lengths to realize efficiencies, reduce waste, innovate, and find ways to serve more people with less money. But if current trends continue, VMC will face dire financial and operational challenges.

The doors of Valley Medical Center are open to all. It’s up to all of us to keep it that way. Your help is needed now, more than ever. To learn more about how you can support VMC, contact the VMC Foundation at 408-8855299, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, or visit www. vmcfoundation.org.

For these reasons and more, all of us, regardless of where we get our healthcare, have a stake in the future of VMC. No other public institution – save the folks who bring us clean drinking water – do more to protect the health and wellbeing of this community than VMC. Without it, emergency departments at private hospitals would be overwhelmed, contagious diseases would go unchecked, and hundreds of thousands of our neighbors, co-workers and friends would be without care.

If you are among those who have helped, thank you. In 2008, you may have voted for a bond measure to re-build Valley Medical Center, and construction is going strong. You may have recently donated to support the Sobrato Cancer Center, or our Traumatic Brain Injury Rehab program, or VMC’s Burn Center – all state-of-the-art services, made stronger by our generous supporters. You may have even received care at VMC, Silicon Valley’s biggest and busiest hospital, and told others that the quality of care is top-tier.

The Sobrato Cancer Center

at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center

World-class cancer care. Available to all.

The Sobrato Cancer is located in the new, state-of-the-art Valley Specialty Center building (left) on the campus of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.

Dr. Aemonn Dunphey explains to John A. Sobrato and Jeffrey Sobrato (top right) how the Varian Trilogy® Linear Accelerator delivers ultra-accurate radiation treatment, eradicating cancer cells while preserving healthy ones.

Everyone, no matter rich or poor, should have access to the finest oncology services.

At Valley Medical Center’s new Sobrato Cancer Center, that mission is met daily.

But with budget challenges and growing need, VMC’s talented team can’t do it alone.

They need your help.

Please support the VMC Foundation. Your public hospital is here for all, regardless of ability to pay. Let’s make sure it stays that way.

www.vmcfoundation.org

Meet Gregg Adams VMC’s top trauma surgeon

G

regg Adams, M.D., Chief of Surgery at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center is on a mission to keep you alive.

For the faint of heart, his job responsibilities would seem daunting; manage over 130 surgeons, maintain VMCs high standards for trauma services and disaster response and – oh yeah – scrub in for between 200 to 400 surgical procedures each year.

VMC Foundation Executive Director Chris Wilder sat down to talk with Gregg about his career, his day-today-day responsibilities, how he manages the stress of life-and-death situations, and what makes VMC such an inspiring place to work.

Chris Wilder: True or false - the trauma team springs into action only when an ambulance drives into the ambulance bay or a helicopter lands on the roof.

Gregg Adams: False. Trauma begins with prevention. We go out and talk about wearing set-belts, and talk about wearing helmets on motorcycles and bicycles, and talk about the problems with drinking and driving and talk about gang violence.

CW: There have been times where you have actually been called to the scene of accident. Can you tell me one of those stories?

GA: I’ll use the example of a young man who was at a worksite. He was digging a hole for a foundation that collapsed around him and was buried up to his neck in dirt. He could obviously not hop into an ambulance because we was completely surrounded by dirt, and they couldn’t just dig him out, because they feared it might destabilized more of the structures around him, endangering everyone around him.

So we figured out a way to slowly remove

the dirt, to reinforce the hole, monitoring his vital signs - because when you are crushed by dirt, actually releasing the pressure can be as dangerous as the crush himself.

CW: That makes me think of every medical drama and movie. Hollywood does a pretty good idea of showing people what an emergency department looks like. But what do they get wrong?

GA: One is that they have an enormous number of exciting things that happen in 60 minutes with time for commercials. The second thing is that we are not all beautiful.

CW: One thing the TV shows do is make the emergency departments feel like controlled chaos.

Does it feel like that in real life?

GA: You are never confronted with one problem. You are confronted with 5, 10 or 50 problems. Someone that was hit by a car may be drunk, may have cracked their spleen, have a head injury, etc. The only information you have may be what their vital signs are, or what laboratory tests tell you. So, to a certain degree, it’s a little bit of sensory deprivation and learning to make decisions in a data poor environment.

CW: So it would seem to me that would take a bit of the pressure off if the patient doesn’t survive, but it doesn’t.

GA: No. I think that we are all set up as a system, as human beings, as professionals, as people who have pride in their work - I would love for everyone to survive. Trauma in particular is a killer of young people. That takes a toll and you have to learn to manage that as a human being.

CW: How do you do that?

GA: Everyone does it differently. You get a hobby, you get a pet, you hug your kids, you get involved in public service in a different way, you begin to give lectures on wearing your helmet, safe practices, gang avoidance. They become passions for you because you are tied up in the last patient you treated that didn’t survive.

CW: And you find that passion in so many people who work at VMC.

GA: Oh absolutely. And it’s one of the reasons why people not only come here to work but stay here to work. You come here because you want to take care of the most complex, most interesting, and challenging patients you can imagine.

And ultimately you stay here because you are working with some of the best colleagues you find anywhere in the world. Dedicated. Smart.

Funny. Compassionate. Absolutely beautiful human beings.

www.vmcfoundation.org

Dedicated & Working Hard for The State A CONVERSATION WITH CALIFORNIA LT. GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SVL: What you know today, what would the Gavin Newsom of today like to say to the young Gavin Newsom?

GN: I would tell myself that success is not a place or a destination; it’s a direction. There is no “having made it.” As Winston Churchill said the secret to success is moving from failure to failure with enthusiasm. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Oh, and I would definitely tell myself to use less hair gel.

SVL: Who have been your role models and who has inspired you in politics and life itself?

GN: Sargent Shriver, Bobby Kennedy, Nelson Mandela, Cesar Chavez, Mahatma Gandhi, Vaclav Havel and Richard Branson to name a few. My wife and three children also inspire me every day.

The Lt. Governor is with Gina McCarthy, the head of the EPA, as she takes a look at San Francisco’s grease recycling program.

SVL: What prepared you for this path in politics and when did you discover this idea of being Mayor of San Francisco and Lieutenant Governor of California?

GN: For a life in politics you have to

be passionate, care about issues and most importantly people. My background in business, particularly in restaurants, certainly did not hurt.

The spark to get involved in local government came from the frustration of navigating San

Francisco’s bureaucracy when I opened my first business, Plumpjack.

SVL: What did you enjoy most about being Mayor of San Francisco?

GN: Cities are laboratories of innovation. A city shows the cause and effect, the good decisions and bad decisions in real-time and with immediate feedback. As mayor you have the ability to customize policy to address the needs of a diverse citizenry. You can have a two-way conversation with citizens that result in “bottom up” solutions without having to wait for the state or federal government.

The Lt. Governor is at an event with AT&T’s Futurecast.

SVL: What do you enjoy most about being Lieutenant Governor of California?

GN: Just as cities are a laboratory for innovation, the state is a laboratory for democracy.

To be a part of the most diverse state in the world, with the most diverse democracy, is an honor. Because of California’s size, diversity and economic power, we are the perfect place for scaling innovative ideas that can then become a model for the nation. Few places can boast the kind of dynamism and influence we enjoy here in the Golden State.

SVL: San Francisco went through a great renaissance with you as Mayor. Looking back, what are some of the proudest moments or accomplishments you saw during your term as Mayor?

GN: I am proud of many things we did in San Francisco. From implementing the first city wide universal health care plan in the nation, to getting 12,000 people off the streets and addressing the pressing issue of homelessness and poverty. We also raised the bar on environmental stewardship and helped pave the way for this new tech-boom.

Beyond anything else, I am most proud of representing citizens who not only tolerate diversity but also celebrate diversity. San Francisco

The Lt. Governor discusses how cities and metros are fixing the economy at the Milken Institute in Los Angeles.

is a city that celebrates its interesting differences but, at the end of the day, also unites around our common humanity - the fundamental idea that we are all in this together. It was this spirit that led to San Francisco opening up City Hall to same sex couples in 2004.

SVL: As Lieutenant Governor of California, you are as close to this Governor as anyone ... and the same is true with the relationships with other Governorships and politicians throughout the country. What have you learned from these relationships and this extraordinary experience?

GN: I’ve had the opportunity to work with some extremely gifted politicians from Willie

Brown to our current Gov. Jerry Brown, both of whom are two unique and distinct personalities.

I’ve also had the pleasure of working with former President Bill Clinton and when I was Mayor of San Francisco, I worked with mayors John Hickenlooper in Colorado and Martin O’Malley in Maryland, who’ve both gone on to be Governors of their states, and I am now honored to call them friends. The one thing I’ve been able to learn from all of these individuals is that the best politics is a better idea and that ideas matter.

SVL: What in these past four years as Lieutenant Governor are some of the greatest, proudest accomplishments?

GN: I’m proud of the economic development plan my office put out in 2011 and the resulting statewide economic summit, both of which articulate a vision for success in building the “Next Economy” in California. Additionally, last year I released a report on college education, Boosting California’s Postsecondary Education Performance, which has started a conversation around the changing needs in higher education. Additionally, I am an active member of the UC Board of Regents and CSU Board of Trustees, I have voted against tuition increases in order to keep higher education affordable and accessible. I am also proud of the work we do on the State Land’s Commission, particularly around making this important state agency more open, transparent and collaborative.

SVL: Presently, and looking ahead, what are some of the biggest challenges or concerns we’re facing, needing our attention?

GN: The rapidly recognizable and growing divide of income inequality and social mobility in our state and nation is of great concern. It’s real. Alan Krueger referred to it as the “Great Gatsby Curve.” As everyone knows, we live in two different worlds in the same state - a coastal California and an inland California - we must reconcile this growing economic divide. As I tell my business colleagues, businesses can’t thrive in a world that’s failing and all of us are better off when everyone is better off.

SVL: If you could wave a magic wand, what would you like to see happen these next four

The Lt. Governor is at Ross School in Marin County.

He is sharing the stage with 4th graders who have taken on the role of Lieutenant Governor for the year.

They get to interview him and hear his thoughts.

The Lt. Governor is at Long Beach City College for an event centered around his higher education report … examining California’s higher education framework and providing recommendations for improvement.

years?

GN: I would like to see a 21st Century governing model based on openness, transparency and collaboration, a system that is designed for participation, two-way conversations and active engagement with citizens. I’d like to see a system that treats citizens as partners, not as subjects.

Rather than doing things to you, we do things with you. An effective, flexible and accountable system of government where the short term interests of Sacramento do not get in the way of the long term interests of California.

SVL: What advice do you give to aspiring students, and young professionals, wanting to get ahead, wanting to make a difference?

GN: I would tell young professionals to learn from, don’t follow others. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Be open to argument and interested in evidence and not to be ideological.

I would say that everyone’s expression is unique - no one else has it. Be sure to maintain your authenticity and stand on principal.

The Lt. Governor is visiting Yosemite National Park, celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the park.

SVL: Who are some leaders we should be watching for who are doing great things?

GN: Mayor Greg Fisher of Louisville, Kentucky, is doing some extraordinary things with citizen engagement; having just met Malala Yousafzai, who is changing the world for women and girls, there is no question her influence is growing every day. One thing is clear, leadership can be found anywhere – in our schools, our churches, our community centers, not just in our state capitals or legislative chambers.

SVL: What is your definition of leadership?

GN: There is no better definition then the quote by John Quincy Adams, “if your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” Leaders are not born or “made,” they decide in a moment that now is the time to be and do more.

The Lt. Governor celebrates San Francisco Pride during the annual parade.

SVL: Are you encouraged with politics in Sacramento? In Washington D.C.?

GN: If you are referring to our nation’s capital where ideas go to die, then absolutely not. I’ve always believed that if you don’t like the way things are going when you’re standing up, then stand on your head and go local. Remarkable things are happening at the local level. While Sacramento has had its struggles, in the past few years we’ve been able to turn things around. At the end of the day, however, I look for inspiration at the local levels. It’s bottom up, not top down; regions rising together.

SVL: Are you an avid sports fan? Who do you root for? As Lieutenant Governor, who can you root for?

GN: I grew up a Bay Area sports fan watching the Warriors, 49ers, Raiders, A’s and Giants. I spent countless nights falling asleep to Giants.

SVL: If you were to have a dinner party and could invite anyone (living or not), who would you like to invite and what would you want to ask them or talk about?

GN: I would have Vaclav Havel, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Cesar Chavez and Mother Teresa over and we’d talk about leadership. I envision the topic for the evening focusing on this question: “Which is more effective and long lasting, the application of one’s ‘moral authority’ or ‘formal authority’?”

SCORE: Often The Answer To A Small Business Owner’s Prayer

F

or those of you small business owners who face not only numerous challenges from the economy, but also from changing technology, changing market needs and changing government regulations, SCORE often can and does provide important valued assistance.

Would you like to find a place where you could talk to seasoned small business owners, experienced senior managers who you can level with in confidential meetings to find new solutions and bounce off ideas you have? Here is where 1000 s of small business owners turn to each year in Silicon Valley for assistance - The Silicon Valley Chapter of SCORE. Indeed, there are over 50 volunteer experts waiting for you to call the San Jose offices.

SCORE understands your challenges, as well as your lack of time and resources. Many small business owners and entrepreneurs have benefited over the years from these valuable services and consultations - why not you?

Silicon Valley SCORE is part of a national network of chapters helping small businesses grow and prosper. Here you will find to assist you: • Unlimited no charge one hour counseling appointments with two experts when you are available.

• On site or at a mutually convenient location with an appointed mentor where needed.

• Meeting seminars and workshops on key topics at minimal charge.

• On line counseling where you ask the critical question and get an answer in a day or so.

If you are starting a new business, SCORE has both workshops and seminars geared to rapidly bring you up to speed as to the key things you need to know to maximize your chances of success. SCORE can help you with that critical plan you will need. Counselors are available by appointment for free to guide you and you can continue to make counseling appointments for as long as you need their help. SCORE also offers two counselors per appointment with a long history and plenty of experience in owning, managing and starting a business.

Please call (408) 453-6237 or visit the SCORE website at www.svscore.org where you can request an appointment or register for one of their workshops or seminars. SCORE is located near the San Jose International Airport at 234 E. Gish Road, Suite 100, San Jose. SCORE always looks forward to your call and wants to help.

SCORE Success Story Janis King, In Home Support Network, LLC

J

anis King is an amazing and versatile woman. She was born in San Jose and lived in the San Francisco Bay Area her entire life.

She worked in the electronics industry for some years when she decided she wanted a change. She began working for a home care agency as a personal attendant, and within six months of becoming a caregiver, a close friend suggested that she start her own business.

Janis contacted SCORE and started regular counseling.

In 1987, with the help of her SCORE counselor Lloyd Michaels, Janis started her first business, Loving Hands Home Care Services Inc. The business provides in-home care services to the elderly and developmentally disabled.

By 1995, the business became a success!

Loving Hands generated more than a million dollars in annual revenue. In 2004, Janis sold Loving Hands. In 2005, she kicked off a quarterly, upscale magazine called Soul Mag, published by her enterprise, Soul Publications, a subsidiary of Fit for the King International, a non-profit corporation established in 1995.

Within the first year of its inception, Soul Mag became a nationally distributed publication through Anderson News and was placed on news racks in more than 356 stores and 327 chains.

In July 2006, Janis King developed The King Media Group, a multi-media corporation that

staged its first music festival at Arena Green Park across from HP Pavilion.

In January 2007, Janis was offered her own television show on a local commercial station, KICU Channel 36. She accepted the challenge and decided to use the content of Soul Mag in a weekly lifestyle television show called The Art & Soul of Urban Living.

Janis’s passion is to market her dance fitness

“SCORE aided me in discovering and developing the ability to be an entrepreneur.” program, “It’s in the Dance,” and promote an annual music and wellness festival. The nonprofit corporation still reaches out to those in need, reinvented as Fruitful Living, Inc. Fruitful Living’s mission, through a collaborative effort linking other corporations, is to enrich our community.

In 2010, Janis decided to go back to her original business. Under the name of In Home Support Network, LLC, Janis started again a new home care agency, The Caregivers, which provides in home care services to seniors, developmentally disabled, cancer patients and our veterans.

“Every business I have developed is as a result of the workshops, collaborations with my SCORE mentor and the many other counselors I’ve been blessed to work with,” said Janis.

Paul Talks Green: What Will We Do About Global Warming…And When?

C

an you “see” accelerating change without study, science and effort?

Is it part of our survival kit, built in from birth? Seems not.

Two facts that matter. You are aging. Global warming is real, but the destinations defined in part by the speed of these trends may not be obvious without proper perspective, study and trained skills.

They are mostly ignored without science, measurements and your willingness to study and accept reality.

If you are a healthy 50, it may seem that your health is robust and steady. But it rarely is.

System breakdown is underway and is accelerating. Life has an expiration date.

That change is hard to see without measurements, tools and directed attention.

After 50,000 years, the human experiment, at about 1800 AD, reached a population of 1 billion people.

In the next 212 years the population reached 7 Billion with only a slight increase in RATE of change. Hard to see in the early graph. Then came a “dramatic population spike” that was in the math and numbers all along.

Global warming rates and anthropogenic cause, were quite accurately calculated and published in a paper by Svante Arrhenius in 1895...and ignored. The facts Paul Wingate were in. The cause was us. (http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Arrhenius/ arrhenius_2.php) Back then coal was extracted and burned by 1000’s of tons. Now coal is removed from earth at 23 million tons/day. Plus oil at 12 million tons/day. Plus over 300 billion cubic feet of methane/day. And they are burned, except for too much of the methane which is lost to leakage. A worse condition. The chemistry is unchanged. Burned carbon fossils release CO2 into our atmosphere, trapping heat. The leaked, unburned methane is a nastier blanket gas.

Most of us know the facts, but will you give up junk food, cigarettes and overindulgence for a longer, better life? Walk a bit more?

What will you do about global warming...and when?

Will your children and grandchildren be toasty warm...or toast?

Wake up. Learn more. Vote for survival. Buckle up for a rough ride.

Love matters.

At GLIDE, we express our love by actively working to break the cycles of poverty and marginalization in our community. We feed the hungry, house the homeless, train the jobless, and are deeply committed to creating social justice for all. But our work depends on your generosity. Please, show your love by donating what you can at glide.org.

Thank you.

Please donate at glide.org Follow glidesf

Open Wide & Save Your Dog With Good Oral Hygiene

By Sue Lee

I

t is very common at the start and end of each day for you to brush your teeth and maintain good oral care but do you realize how important it is for your pets? Your dog can’t walk into the bathroom alone, grab a brush and work on those pearly whites. As the responsible pet owner, you need to ensure you care for your pet’s teeth and gums in much the same respect as you do for yourself and your family does for themselves.

It would be ideal to brush a dog’s teeth daily as the family routine, but every day is not always feasible. Making a commitment at least a couple of days each week will help your dog maintain a healthy mouth. Oral hygiene can take just a few minutes at a time, but without it, your pet can pay a lifetime of discomfort and diseases.

Without proper oral hygiene, the plaque and tartar will build on your dog’s teeth and eventually seep into the gums, causing gingivitis, periodontitis and pyorrhea that can be serious to fatal.

• Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums. If the gums get infected with bacteria, it can get into your pet’s bloodstream and quickly became fatal.

• Periodontitis is a disease that attacks the dog’s gums, bones and the soft delicate tissues that surround the teeth.

• Pyorrhea affects not only the gums, but the tooth sockets, through infection and inflammation. Teeth in the area can loosen, fall out or need to be removed and the gums can result in pus.

This sounds like so much to put your dog through when you can save his or her discomfort with a small brush, flavored pet toothpaste and in-between dog treats. If you are new at entering that mouth full of teeth, your veterinarian or dog groomer can demonstrate the simple techniques in brushing your dog’s teeth. The sooner you start this process, the easier it is to get full cooperation from your dog.

The ideal time to introduce your dog to oral hygiene is in the early puppy years. This is the time that the little one is learning behavior, obedience and duties necessary for its growth, health and happiness. To begin the process, you need to get a soft bristle toothbrush, one that is size appropriate for your particular pet. Pet toothpaste is available in pet stores in various flavors such as chicken or beef. Aim to introduce your dog to your brushing its teeth at least once a week, and build up to twice a week, minimum.

For better maintenance and oral hygiene, choose some good healthy treats for pleasure and in-between oral care. Some options may be crunchy milk bones, dental chews and bones, and nearly any type of rawhide chew that works to scrape and keep the teeth clean. In fact, to avoid more plaque and tartar on a pet’s teeth, provide your dog with a nutritional dry dog food rather than canned, wet varieties. A little bit goes a long way in keeping your dog healthy, starting from the top, with good oral hygiene and care. There’s nothing better than good preventative care.

EXPLORE WHEREYOU LI VE

We e k e ndE v e nt s&Muc hMor eAr oundTheBayAr e a

Fi nal l yFr i day . c om

Local Community Spotlight

Sponsored by La Fiesta Restaurant

Welcome to Mountain View

Downtown Mountain View has become one of the most popular destinations, day or night, and so, too the surrounding city of Mountain View. Here you will find many wonderful restaurants to choose from, as well as shops and one of the nicest Performing Arts Centers anywhere.

Every year, Mountain View offers many wonderful community activities and festivals throughout the year. Always fun, for example, is the Summer Outdoor Movie Night Series, and you also would not want to miss the Mountain View Art & Wine Festival, one of the oldest and largest of great annual traditions in the Bay Area.

Named for its views of the Santa Cruz Mountains, the lovely city of Mountain View is also home to many of our large hi-tech companies that share such a storied presence, the likes of Google, Microsoft, Verisign, Mozilla, Symantec, Linkedin, Intuit and many others.

The Farmers Market is also a very popular weekly tradition. It features over 70 growers and food vendors with peak season produce, including organic produce, and many other offerings.

Open Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

If you enjoy the outdoors, Mountain View boasts one of the most popular parks in the South Bay - Shoreline Park, which includes the

nationally-renowned Shoreline Amphitheater for concerts and special events, and also the beautiful, very popular Shoreline Golf Course.

If you’re into history, be sure to check out and enjoy the delightful Rengstorff House or one of the world’s largest computer collections at the Computer History Museum.

Mountain View is one city you would like to come to and enjoy a day or evening, when the city comes alive. Enjoy the restaurants and pubs, shops and bookstores and the Performing Arts Center. In Mountain View, you can stroll and experience and enjoy the many cuisines of the world. Here many people have come to know just how pleasant it can be.

Featured Mountain View Business

La Fiesta Restaurant Unsurpassed Mexican Cuisine Since 1977 — A Tradition in Downtown Mountain View The Garcia-Lopez family invites you to enjoy our family recipes that have been handed down to us for generations. From our “Mole Poblano” to our “Grandma’s Special”, enjoy the taste and ambiance of Mexico. We feature the greatest Margaritas, more than 200 Blue Agave Tequilas & a wide selection of beers.

Thank you all - We appreciate again being voted: The Best Mexican Restaurant in Mountain View by the Mountain View Voice, The Best Margarita in Mountain View by the Mountain View Voice and also The Best Mexican Restaurant in Silicon Valley by the Metro.

Open 7 Days a Week for Lunch and Dinner, plus a Champagne/Sangria Brunch Saturday and Sunday. Banquet facilities available with seating up to 40. Wonderful for Birthdays, Weddings, Anniversaries, Engagements, Quincineras - any and all Special Events and Get Togethers - for Families and Friends.

La Fiesta Restaurant

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Telephone: (650) 968-1364

Photos courtesy of The Tech Museum of Innovation

The Hackworth IMAX Dome Theater is the largest IMAX Dome screen in the West. It allows guests to be immersed in a giant wraparound screen for an unforgettable film experience with crystal clear images eight stories high and 13,000 watts of wrap-around digital surround sound.

Reactable lets visitors experiment with a revolutionary electronic instrument to create new music.

MEET TIM

RITCHIE THE EXTRAORDINARY PRESIDENT OF OUR SILICON VALLEY’S WORLD FAMOUS THE TECH MUSEUM OF INNOVATION

I

recently had the great pleasure of meeting and talking with Tim Ritchie, President of The Tech Museum of Innovation in downtown San Jose.

My conversation with Tim, who arrived at The Tech in October 2011, was so insightful and inspiring. Technology is in many ways determining our world’s present and our future. All ages, especially the young, need to be able to grasp it, and to find confidence in it.

The Tech welcomes 400,000 to 500,000 visitors a year. Its mission is “to inspire the innovator in everyone,” and, as Tim says, it’s not so much a museum as an The Tech Studio is a collaborative design space with digital fabrication, exhibit production and experience. prototyping. Visitors see first-hand how The Tech creates new exhibits – and be among the first The Tech also to test them. Some examples of programming in The Tech Studio include Beta Jams, Computer houses the Hackworth Science Education Week, Makerspace @ The Tech, and Social Innovation Workshops.

IMAX Dome Theater, ago, a group of women from the Junior League an absolutely stunning of Palo Alto wanted to create a science center. experience that attracts an additional 150,000 They breathed life into this by making a few visitors a year. It is the largest IMAX Dome screen key calls, including to Bob Noyce (co-founder of in the West, and it’s such a different experience Intel), who responded: “Let’s get this thing going.” than a flat screen. If you have seen a film here, He called Bill Hewlett and David Packard, and you know. If you haven’t, you really should. It’s they responded: “Let’s make this happen.” And that great.

Gordon Moore (Intel), too. Quite the Who’s Who How did The Tech begin? More than 30 years

Social Robots is the newest hands-on experience where you can design and build a real robot using sensors, controllers and actuators.

of Silicon Valley.

The first Tech Challenge design and engineering competition took place in 1988. The idea was for students to discover their inner innovator, to gain confidence, and to be inspired by this grand experience. The participants learn as much about themselves as they do about the world.

The competition started where The Tech offices are now, next to the Civic Center in downtown San Jose. Then, the beautiful building housing the museum opened in 1998. Palo Alto, Mountain View, Sunnyvale had all wanted it. But it was the City of San Jose that became the champion of this cause. No one wanted this more than San Jose, and no one more than its mayor at the time, Tom McEnery.

Tim Ritchie was born and raised in Louisville.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Davidson College in North Carolina, his law degree from Duke Law School, and his master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University.

Was there something in particular that inspired Tim early on? The answer is a definite yes, and it was as early as the eighth grade. Tim read a book that truly inspired him and influenced his life:

Social Circles promotes social enc

How To Start Your Own School and Why You Need To Start One. It was about learning and society. “I knew how much I loved learning,” he said. “The premise being: How institutions of learning can and do make a difference … and, if and how we can master it, this is vital for a better world.”

Throughout Tim’s career, his love and appreciation of learning, serving others and making a difference for society became very apparent. From 1998 to 2002, Tim, a lawyer at the time, felt there was a different course meant for him to make a more significant difference. At that time, he had been doing volunteer work in Birmingham, Ala. It was impactful and he was enjoying it. His greatest ambition and love was to help people toward imagination and success.

Tim said many people inspired him along the way, in particular his father, who was entrepreneurial and never afraid of taking a risk.

That confidence to think big and try and try again would become important in Tim’s way of thinking about possibility. And his father volunteered, helping those in poverty. This would influence Tim as well.

By 2004, Tim was running the McWane

counters through playful interaction.

Science Center in Birmingham. It was this experience at McWane, as well as his outstanding previous professional experience in law, community development, education, finding solutions and community leadership that prepared him very well for what soon would be his calling at The Tech.

As Tim puts it, “I have a good sense for what ‘there’ looks like, what success looks like, and how to get ‘there’. The definition of success and good leadership is how to move institutions from ‘here’ to ‘there.’” Indeed, it’s essential for the direction of The Tech in the 21st Century.

“At The Tech, the students are greeted as our treasured guests. We believe there’s a light bulb within each and every one. When we see that light bulb turn on, there’s hope. The key is keeping that light on.”

“Students need a safety net to fail.

They also need an ‘I want to.’ I want this so badly that I’ll stick with it to the end.

Here at The Tech, it’s safe to fail, and we instill the wanting. Enter the confidence, the encouragement, the ‘it’s OK,’ the perseverance, the want to keep on going. Yes -

I want to. It’s safe to. And I can do it. Indeed, it’s all enriching.”

Is there a book that stands out that Tim would highly recommend? “Yes, there is. The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind is a great book, one I feel everyone should read. It’s an inspirational true story of how one boy’s idea improved the lives of everyone in his community including himself -harnessing technology to make the world a better place.”

“There are challenges we face, and we need to find solutions. Technology is really a means to an end, a way to solve problems. There has to be a better way, which means we have to find a way to figure these things out. Such solutions will come from technology. We are in trouble if we do not find technological answers to the problems we face.”

Tim is also a big champion of finding ways to ensure more women are engaged in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Numbers are rising for women in technology and science, but not as much as they are in law and medicine. Tim added that high-tech companies are enthusiastic and supportive of this effort as well.

This year’s Tech Challenge program had more than 2,000 participants, and more than 40 percent were girls. “We are very excited about the program and we want to make it more accessible for more students wanting to participate.”

The open-ended, design-challenge experience in The Tech Challenge is evident on the museum floor, too. Social Robots, on The Tech’s lower level, allows visitors to design and build their own robot. It’s not the kind of experience you can skim through; it takes time, and that helps develop confidence and encourage perseverance.

The Tech is in the middle of a $50 million capital campaign to revitalize the entire museum including exhibits and educational programs. As part of that, Tim is aiming to raise $3 million to convert the IMAX Dome Theater to a digital format so that The Tech can expand its educational capabilities.

“The Tech is not a museum. It’s an experience,” Tim said. “People need to come and experience it.” With Tim Ritchie at the helm, it’s a VERY special experience, getting better and better all the time as a model for our children, our community and our society to learn, grow and become the best they can be.

Local Community Spotlight

Sponsored by Outback Steakhouse

Welcome to The Great Mall

The Great Mall is located in Milpitas, just off the Great Mall Exit, between 880 and 680. It was built by the Ford Motor Land Development and Petrie Dierman Kughn in 1994.

The Great Mall was later acquired in 2003 by the Mills Corporation and then in 2007 by the Simon Property Group, today’s proud owners.

Early on, since the 1950’s, the Great Mall had been a Ford Automobile assembly plant. Believe it or not, Ford Mustangs were produced at this plant; bearing the name “San Jose” as the assembly location, which, in fact, was actually Milpitas. It was a busy plant back then – where Ford Fairlanes, Torinos, Pintos, F-Series pickup trucks and Escorts; Edsel Rangers and Pacers; and Mercury Cougars, Montegos, Comets, Bobcats, Lynxes, & Capris (the US version) were all being assembled – that is, up until 1983.

Then, in the early 1990s, developers converted what had been that old automobile assembly plant into this beautiful new shopping center - soon to become known as the Great Mall. Commemorating the Great Mall’s history, there is a plaque located in the southwest section of its parking lot, for everyone to enjoy reading.

The Great Mall of the Bay Area officially

opened its doors on September 22, 1994.

Unlike many other malls, yet common for Mills malls, the Great Mall “became a flat”, or a spread out mall, and became the second largest mall in Northern California.

Here, now, you will find everything in this one destination - from Century 20 Theaters, to nearly 200 stores, plus a wide-variety of some 31 Restaurants.

There are so many things for you to experience at the Great Mall. In the heart of it all, you will find the always delightful Outback Steakhouse. It’s as if you’ve found your way down under, Mate - where the menu, the accent and the flavor are a joy - and a combined fun day, or evening, for everyone.

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Accountability is Motivational

by Terri Norvell CEO, Trust Yourself Now – a people development company

A

ccountability IS motivational when your company culture is supportive and consistent. Yet too often the first thought about accountability is negative. As in, ‘Who’s accountable for this mess up?’

Bottom line, accountability gets a bad rap and suffers due to a lack of knowledge.

Terri Norvell The lack can be in limited knowledge, skills, direction, measurement, feedback, acknowledgment or trust. That’s when the workplace feels like a maze in the unknown...with people being paid to guess at what to do.

Let’s change that.

Accountability deserves to be defined and discussed with each team member regularly.

Here’s why. Accountability is about setting people up for success in advance. This is how accountability becomes motivational.

There’s a simple 4-step process that when followed provides the clarity and infrastructure for everyone to thrive. With clarity of direction, the internal motivation to excel is more than possible, it’s probable.

Motivation is an inside job. This cycle becomes self sustaining with consistent reinforcement.

Take a look at these four accountability culture building steps: 1. Sharing the Big Picture - the overall company focus and specific goals so that everyone knows, ‘how what I do every day ties into the results that must be achieved‘ 2. Setting Expectations - providing clear individual expectations and involvement encourages engagement and accountability 3. Monitoring Progress - manager monitoring and monitoring one’s self provides opportunities to reinforce actions 4. Providing Feedback - good performance = praise feedback, poor performance = corrective feedback...feedback drives performance Accountability is a personal choice to rise above circumstances and own achieving desired results. It’s an inside job. When team members are accountable to deliver results - no matter the challenges or obstacles and know they’ve done their best.... there is indeed a feeling of satisfaction from the inside out.

Being accountable is motivational and the business results are quantifiable.

This is the desired cycle in all businesses!

Education in Silicon Valley

STEM Education Crucial to Economy and U.S. Competitiveness

By Muhammed Chaudhry

W

ith President Obama and education and technology leaders urging that STEM (science, technology, engineering & math) education become a national priority, now is the time to make a stronger push for STEM literacy and STEM integration in our local schools. This is especially important here in Silicon Valley, center of innovation and out-ofthe-box thinking. Silicon Valley understands the need to prepare our students for 21st century jobs and the innovation economy, which require strong math and science knowledge and critical thinking skills. Not enough students are following this path to replace the generation of innovators and visionaries who built Silicon Valley.

We know our K-12 students, here and across the nation, are not performing well in science and math (the “S” and the “M” in STEM), which does

Muhammed Chaudhry is President & CEO of the Silicon Valley Education Foundation. He previously worked in the corporate world for IBM, Dazzle Multimedia and the Clorox Company. He serves on numerous community boards, including the California Consortium of Education Foundations, the Hispanic Foundation and is on the advisory board of Fundly. Contact him at muhammed.chaudhry@ svefoundation.org or on Twitter: @ macrhamuhammed.

not bode well for our future workforce and maintaining America’s reputation as a global technology leader. American students consistently rank near the bottom in science and math literacy among students from developed countries.

Here in Silicon Valley, where the world thinks we produce only high-achieving students, too many of our kids are not mastering the important “gateway” subject Algebra I, whose success in 8th grade is critical to prepare for college and a possible

degree in a STEM field.

We need to turn this around if we are to keep moving forward to build a competitive workforce for tomorrow.

The Silicon Valley Education Foundation is working toward this goal, presenting rigorous science and math (algebra) courses in summer and yearround programs for middle school students to master the basics before hitting high school.

More than 5,000 Silicon Valley youth have achieved success in these programs, supported by top Silicon Valley companies, such as Flextronics, SAP, Texas Instruments, Walmart, JP Morgan Chase and Ernst & Young. These programs offer resources to arm students with skill for college and eventually work in STEM fields. The effort will drive the economy and ultimately provide American employers with home-grown talent.

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Santa Clara Valley’s undiscovered wine country

By Mike Wasserman Santa Clara County Supervisor, District 1

P

urple and brown road signs have been sprouting up in South County thanks to the new Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail Route officially adopted by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. Until recently, the South Santa Clara Valley Wine Region had been the “undiscovered wine country” of the Bay Area. The new Wine Trail is a 28-mile loop through Morgan Hill, San Martin and Gilroy marked with directional wayfinding signage to help drivers locate two dozen wineries.

“Don’t Drink and Drive” signs can also be found along the route.

Many who live in Silicon Valley are surprised Mike Wasserman to learn of our region’s role as California’s first premium wine production region. The first known planting of Mission grapes took place at the Santa Clara Mission in 1798, ushering in some of the richest wine traditions of anywhere in the country. During the Gold Rush era, French and Italian immigrants who settled here recognized the rich soils and Mediterranean climate as the perfect New World home for their European grape varietals. California and Wine Industry Historians credit Santa Clara Valley as the original premium wine growing region in the modern era of winemaking in America.

Promoting our County’s assets, including our agricultural heritage, is important to me as a County Supervisor. In fact, when I first took office in 2010 I pledged to help our agricultural industry remain viable in Santa Clara County. In 2012, we overhauled the County’s outdated and unclear rules for wineries based on feedback from the local industry. The new, improved rules streamline the permitting process, reduce cost to the wineries and advance the County’s goal to promote agritourism.

I heard from our wine community that there

was a growing desire to establish a Wine Trail.

We started by identifying obstacles and then tackled them oneby-one. No single person made the Wine Trail happen. It was the result of many determined people and organizations working collaboratively towards a common goal. The Santa Clara Valley Wineries Association, the Cities of Morgan Hill and Gilroy, the Gilroy Welcome Center, the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance, the Santa Clara County Farm Bureau, and many individuals came together to turn this dream into a reality. By working together, we were able to overcome past hurdles and create a directional sign program that is both aesthetically pleasing and promotes our local wineries -- a real win-win for our County.

The South Valley is a treasure for our County: open space, parks, farms, and of course, wineries.

We have so many award-winning wineries right here in our backyard, but not everyone knows about them. It’s time for Santa Clara County residents to stop spending hours driving to and from Napa Valley, spending $25 or more on tastings, and fighting the crowds, when they can enjoy a much better experience right here in the Santa Clara Valley.

Many South County residents have known for years what others will soon discover; that our awardwinning wineries are one of our best kept secrets in the South Bay. But it won’t be a secret for long with the new Wine Trail! I expect that we will see a steady increase in South County tourism as word spreads about our Wine Trail. Choosing to spend money locally not only supports local businesses, but it also means those tax dollars are used locally too. I hope that you will join me in supporting local agriculture and local businesses by planning a visit to the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley.

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A Modest Proposal for CHARACTEREDUCATION for

Youth

I

by Jim Thompson

f we wanted to create the most effective character-education program for kids in this country, what would we need? We’d need a place for them to gather. We’d need adults to work with them. It would need to be a program that parents would support. It would be great if it was an activity kids liked so they didn’t have to be dragged kicking and screaming to it. And wouldn’t it be great if that activity had a lot of teachable moments built in so adults could teach life lessons to kids?

I have good news. We don’t have to spend billions of dollars creating an infrastructure for character-education. It already exists; it’s called youth sports. We have fields and gymnasiums all over the country. We have four million coaches in youth and high school sports, the vast majority of whom are volunteers. Parents are willing to make sacrifices to get their kids to practices and games.

Kids LOVE sports. And finally, high school and youth sports are virtual classrooms for life lessons, with an endless procession of teachable moments.

The bad news is that this major institution in our country is not living up to its potential as a character-education program. That’s largely because the dominant sports culture is an entertainment sports culture, meant to

entertain fans, primarily by their team winning. Thus, there’s a win-at-all-cost mentality that colors every level of sports in our society.

Fortunately, there is a competing vision, where high school and youth sports offer a Development Zone culture for developing better athletes and better people. As many as 40 million kids play high school and youth sports in any given year. We know how to create development zones in high schools and youth sports organizations. And if we do, we can provide the character-education necessary to create the ethical leaders and positive contributors we need so desperately in this country.

Jim Thompson is Founder and CEO of Positive Coaching Alliance, a national non-profit based in Mountain View that creates Development Zones for developing “Better Athletes, Better People” through resources for youth and high school sports coaches, parents, administrators and student-athletes at www.PCADevZone.org and via live workshops delivered in partnership with roughly 3,000 schools and youth sports organizations nationwide.

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To find out the latest events going on in Silicon Valley and throughout the Bay Area, log on to finallyfriday.com

Photo by Nicolas Genin/Flickr

Investing With the Stars

By Scott Budman

I

’m hustled down a hallway, for a secretive, exclusive one-on-one. No one can see, and the crowds are kept away. The handler says “You’ll have three minutes.”

This, as you might imagine, rarely happens when we reporters talk to Venture Capitalists.

This is no ordinary VC, though. It’s Jared Leto, heartthrob thespian and winner of this year’s Oscar for Best Supporting Actor (“Dallas Budman Buyer’s Club”), certified rock star (“30 Seconds To Mars”), and tech investor.

Within seconds of talking to him, you can tell that Leto is the real deal. Yeah, sure he’s handsome, famous, etc, etc. He also knows his technology, having invested in rising startups like Zenefits, Surfair, and Wish, while starting his own companies that blend art and technology.

“Artists deserve a seat at the tech table,” Leto says, to explain why an already stratospherically famous person would seek out tech startups. “I’m looking for creative opportunities, and I see a lot of creativity in technology.”

Leto joins a growing list of well-known entertainers jumping into tech with their wallets.

Ashton Kutcher invested in AirBnB. Jada PinkettSmith invested in a safety app called bSafe. Andy Samberg, T.I., Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake, the list goes on. Clearly, tech is the hot spot for famous people.

They tweet, they show up to board meetings.

They’re clearly serious about learning and making money. Kutcher recently spoke at TechCrunch “Disrupt,” telling the crowd that he looks for creative people and good ideas, not “people talking about market cap and social media platforms.”

At a recent Consumer Electronic Show (think: geek paradise) in Las Vegas, I saw no fewer than three rappers talking up headphones. 50 Cent, insisting that sound quality made his ‘phones the best; Ludacris, talking about why his brand is aimed exclusively at the high-end listener; and of course, Dr. Dre, who started Beats Electronics, brought celebrities like Lady Gaga into the fold, and just sold his company to Apple for a cool three billion dollars.

So, again, why take the time to invest? Well, according to Forbes, Dr. Dre is now worth $620 million. Who wouldn’t want to play that role?

Scott is the business & tech reporter for NBC Bay Area. He’s on Twitter: @scottbudman

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Jan Hutchins

Former News Anchor & Mayor of Los Gatos

Thinkaholics Anonymous or “What the hell were you thinking?”

K

now what is the most rampant, destructive and largely untreated disease ravaging our world, destroying lives, fomenting conflict, war, misunderstanding, misery? It might be hard for you to hear this and almost certainly challenging to understand, but you are not who you think you are. In fact, it is the very thoughts you hold about yourself and identify as your self, that create much of the suffering in your life. Certainly did in mine.

I’ve started my own deadly-playful recovery program, Thinkaholics Anonymous, dedicated to freeing us from the tyranny our thoughts. Our motto is “What the hell were you thinking?” TA helps us relieve the suffering caused by our belief in thinking. Our meetings are silent because only in the silence can we hear the thoughts for what they are and not automatically believe and identify with what they’re saying.

Don’t get me wrong, I love thinking, recognize its value as a survival mechanism and enjoy communicating ideas. I just know I’m a Thinkaholic, easily get hooked by my thoughts, and have too often “come to” after

a binge of belief-ing asking myself. “What the hell were you thinking?”

The fellow they named Buddhism after, described thinking as “the waterfall,” because we are so easily carried over a cliff by it and fall out of touch with reality. This is how it happens: The mind is always measuring our experience as either pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. It uses all its tricks to reach out for more of the pleasant. It contracts and creates reasons to avoid, the unpleasant.

It’s bored by the neutral.

Here’s the trick. We create stories around the thoughts the mind is creating based on those sensations. It’s how we can love someone so much one minute and hate them the next. They didn’t change; the reality about how we feel about them in our heart didn’t actually change, but our thoughts about them changed in response to the sensation they just triggered in us …

To read the rest of Jan’s great article, please go to our Silicon Valley Talk website (www.siliconvalleytalk.com) and enjoy the balance under the category: “Business Owners / Health & Fitness”.

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The first time I met

By Scott Budman remember, as if it was yesterday, the first time I interviewed Steve Jobs, one-on-one, with no other crews in the room.

Of course, I also remember when Steve Jobs got fired. I wasn’t reporting back then, but knew of Apple, because it was cool, I was from the Bay Area, and some of my friends had Apple computers.

But back to the interview. I wondered if I’d get to experience the “Full Steve.” You know: cocky, impatient, brilliant. The whole “reality distortion field” thing. I wasn’t disappointed.

We set a chair a few feet in front of the new eMac for Budman classrooms. Then we hit the top of the machine with a bright light with a red gel on it. The photographer shooting the story was pleased with the look.

Then Jobs walked in. Not pleased.

“Why do I have to sit AWAY from the eMac? I want to touch it.” And, after another glance, “Why is it RED?? The computer is WHITE! What’s going on here?”

We quickly did away with the setup, lights, and chair. Practically trembling, 99 percent sure I’d already blown the interview (not to mention all the good will built up with the Apple PR team to actually get the interview), I attached a wireless mic to Jobs’ black turtleneck. We were silent for a bit, him checking the time, me thinking law school might have

actually made more sense, when I had a lastditch idea: “Steve, how about you just show me around the new computer?”

That did it.

Jobs spent the next 30 minutes (we were given five) walking around the eMac, touching it, showing off every nook and cranny of it. He was wonderful. He even sat down to talk strategy, and how the new machine would usher in all sorts of easy computing for its fans. I came away with a new appreciation of Jobs that day.

I though back to the day when Jobs left Apple. And, years later, when I was living outside Apple’s Cupertino headquarters on a day when times seemed so bad, a competitor flew a plane overhead with a phone number so laid-off Apple employees could call for work.

It was during that time that Dell CEO Michael Dell famously suggested Apple sell the company and move on. Several hundreds of billions of dollars later, Michael Dell is still in business, but his products are dwarfed by Apple’s -- and Steve Jobs.

Jobs himself has often told reporters that leaving Apple the first time was the best thing that ever happened to him. Did he become humble and meek? No, thank goodness.

But on the day he came back, I remember him sketching out what Apple was selling at the time, crossing it all out, and replacing it with just four boxes, to represent the categories Apple was going to focus on -- and eventually dominate.

Now, years later, Jobs is gone, and I’m faceto-face for the first time with (of all people) Michael Dell. The man of the notorious “sell the company” comment.

As it turns out, Dell was among those who said very nice things about Jobs on the day

he died. He told me he respected Steve Jobs, tried to lead by his example, and “probably wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Steve.” Pretty impressive stuff to hear from a billionaire.

We got to talking, for a bit, about Jobs’ legacy, and could there be another like him? After all, even with all the deserved respect and thoughtful tributes to what Jobs accomplished for Apple and the tech industry as a whole, we here in Silicon Valley are known for looking ahead. What’s next, and who will lead us to it?

As for candidates for the next Steve Jobs, let’s start young. Mark Zuckerberg? An obvious choice, because he’s clearly ahead of his time, pushing through decisions that, after initial skepticism, prove to be spot-on. Speaking of Facebook, how about COO Sheryl Sandberg? Not as young as Mark, but ahead of her time in the tech world, with a strong feeling that education is what’s needed for a better tech industry (remember, Apple used to push that pretty hard, too).

I’ve also been impressed by Aaron Levie, the young CEO and co-founder of Box.net. His is a company focusing on cloud storage - not as consumer sexy as Apple, but crucial to the future of tech. He has written several posts recently pretty much saying that he does what he does because he watched Steve Jobs do it.

Touching and thoughtful, from someone who will surely be part of the next big tech wave.

But, In the interest of keeping this somewhat concise (and feel free to let me know if you have ideas of your own), I’ll just add one more: I was reminded of someone else I’ve spoken to a lot lately, when I read a tweet that said, “Apple needs to buy Square and make Jack Dorsey the new CEO.” Ha, ha, that’s a good one. But wait a minute. Two companies at once, both changing the game. Add in a focus on the future and -- remember Apple’s early days? - a keen fashion sense and the similarities are almost eerie.

If we have to crown a “next” Steve Jobs, why not end the game with a Square, and a tweet? Jack Dorsey, the pressure’s on.

It’s no fun being the “next” anything, but the tech world is looking for a new icon.

Scott Budman is an Emmy award-winning reporter, covering business and technology for NBC Bay Area News.

He is also the host of the weekly NBC show, “TechNow,” and can be heard doing business updates every afternoon on KNBR radio.

You can find Scott on Twitter: @scottbudman

A SCOTT BUDMAN PERSPECTIVE ON THE EVOLVING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

Let Them Play Video Games!

I

know, the conventional wisdom is that video games are bad. I’ve heard that since I was a little kid, which takes us back to the early days of the Atari 2600, where “Pac-Man” was made of little squares, and “Space Invaders” was cutting edge. Games were evil way back then, just like they supposedly are now.

Here’s the thing: Since I was a kid, and have grown up, lots of engineers have also grown up, started companies, and changed the world. Some of them are the kids I grew up Budman with. The ones who insisted on playing video games while the rest of us were, you know, outside playing games and inside reading books. Many of the game players were also creating, coding, and programming

their own video games, and yes, those are the aforementioned people now running companies.

Of course, not all young gamers grow up to be CEOs. But I cover tech, and the thing techies cite most as their inspiration for jumping into computers, or engineering, or science (besides watching “Star Wars” a lot of times) is video games. The challenges, competition, even the cheat codes.

Maybe that’s why, when Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg was holding court among a few of us reporters about a year and a half ago – and found out that some of us had daughters, she said “Let your daughters play video games. Encourage it!”

This from the current authority on how women can advance in the workplace.

As a father of two daughters, those words stuck with me. Not enough to actually go out and buy a video game console (I really want them outside playing games, or inside reading books), but enough so that when I see them playing something on an iPad, I don’t cringe. I dream of future college scholarships, and enough future stock options to keep their parents set well into retirement.

The debate over good vs bad will continue, with lots of stats on both sides. But let the record (and Sheryl Sandberg) show: Sometimes, playing around can lead to curiosity, which can lead to really good things.

Scott Budman is a Technology correspondent for NBC News. He’s also on Twitter: @scottbudman

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Love & The Art of Seeking

A Wonderful Romance

by Tana Marie

A

hhh, LOVE — supreme mystery, exquisite commodity — the imperative goal. Mankind has pondered it, adolescents toy with it, adults yearn for it, yet children give it freely.

We all possess an intrinsic understanding the natural flow of love — whether expressed or not. So why is there so much pain or confusion surrounding it? How can love be such a sublime mixture of pleasure and pain?

Romance is wrought with conflicting experiences because: being in relationships for the wrong reason; unrealistic expectations; trust issues; fear of intimacy; or disillusionment.

Love isn’t supposed to hurt — EVER. Period. It wasn’t constructed that way. Love’s very nature is comfortable, nurturing, growth oriented and sustaining. Make love your friend by reconnecting with that fresh, childlike belief in love.

If you are seeking a wonderful romance, the first thing to do is get very specific about the characteristics, values, physical characteristics, lifestyle, goals and personality traits you want and need in a romantic partner. This will become your ‘Romance Wish List’, which is essential for everyone who is truly ready for a sustainable love relationship.

One of the reasons a specific list is so powerful, is that too many

people enter a relationship by default.

They don’t necessarily know what they want or need in a relationship, so they begin a relationship with “someone” hoping that love will grow, and conquer all. It doesn’t. Love must be given a helping hand. By specifying your needs and desires before you create the relationship you will accomplish two things: 1. You’ll have a better chance of creating a healthy relationship right from the start.

2. You’ll know if they are a viable contender, because you’ll both have similar wants and needs.

‘The List’ is not to be some edict from on high that is impossible for anyone, short of Superman/ Superwoman, to measure up to.

Instead, it is a guide for you to know if they match your criteria. If they don’t, you’ll save untold hours/days. If they do, you’re so ahead of the game!

Enjoy.

Remember, stop ‘looking for love’, just BE love and see what happens.

Tana Marie Award Winning Author * Intuitive Counselor * Reverend * Romance & Dating Strategist * Weddings * Your Perfect Life Exists – Let’s Create It Now!” (831) 646-1137 * TM@TanaMarie.com * www.TanaMarie.com

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Looking Down Not Up

By Andy Dolich

At a recent sports industry forum there was a fair amount of discussion regarding the “Looking Down Not Up” media mode of how Millennials and many other two-eyed creatures are consuming their favorite spectator sports.

It’s yesterday’s news, especially in Siliconia, the worldwide capital of innovation, that our lives are crowded with super communicating devices. The sports world continues to keep shrinking through hyperconnectivity. There are several mega-trends that I’ve diagnosed which are changing, cash registering and confusing the sporting landscape.

A PICTURE’S WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS Technology sometimes hinders human integration. It’s clear that millions of us now communicate through pictures and videos and less in words, especially if they are big with lots of letters. The heck with baseball cards, box scores, 8x10 glossies and printed programs - let me send you an Instagram. Here’s a shot of my favorite linebacker walking his Schnauzer in Santa Clara.

The positive interactivity of fans at games is going to be changed if we pay no attention to the fans sitting right next to us.

CONTENT IS KING Why would you want to buy a super pricey ticket to sit behind home plate when MLB.com offers access to every one of its 2,430 regular season games for $130? We now have NFL Red Zone, NHL Center Ice, NBA Gametime and MLS Live. There is so much video and statistical information that you’ll need to have as many eyes as the Jumping Spider who has four sets to watch the cornucopia of choices. Looking down is becoming much more compelling, Look Up and you may miss something. Confusing.

WHOSE DEN IS IT ANYWAY? The visual experience of viewing a game in a stadium has been changed by the Cowboys gargantuan LED center hung “galaxy’s largest” TV at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. No matter how hard you try to look down at actual players and live game action on the field your eyes will be pulled to the board. This is an analog of the Looking Down Not Up equation but, nonetheless, it takes you away from live action.

Fans want the best possible experience and they will determine which way they want to watch/communicate with their favorite teams/ sports. That being said, it’s hard to give a standing ovation with a phone in your hand. Sports fans are the ultimate committed customers - they will do what they want no matter what the marketing mavens have up their sleeves.

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Meet Chris Wondolowski If You Are Looking For A Great Role Model…You Need Not Look Beyond The Great “WONDO” I had the great pleasure the other day of meeting and talking with Chris Wondolowski, the San Jose Earthquakes and MLS (Major League Soccer) Striker and Star Player.

I have met many “famous” people / star athletes before. But this was different. He was as interested and excited about talking with me, as I was with him. I complimented him on ‘this’ or ‘that’ and he would say “Thank you very much. I really appreciate it” - and it was genuine.

It was a breath of fresh air and I appreciated that.

He had just completed an arduous workout session – and he was being so gracious to stand with me and spend this time conversing with me. We talked about a number of things, and then in particular, we talked about his heroes. Did he or does he have heroes, people who have inspired him to this very day? Oh, yes, many, he said. Former teachers, and especially his Dad, his coaches, fellow players he has played with and plays with.

The accomplishments he was proud of were all team oriented and he always wanted to talk about the team. Then he also included in the conversation his excitement for the new stadium.

We both would glance just a 100 yards away from the practice field where we were standing

… admiring as if we could get a glimpse of the joy around the corner. But none of the talk was a focus on him, it was him that also included his teammates, the gratitude and sure the hope of what was to come. It was different. He was different.

Wondo’s father played soccer at Cal Berkeley, so soccer was in Chris’s blood since early childhood.

One of his brothers, Stephen, also played soccer and played professionally for the Houston Dynamo. He now is a development soccer coach in the Earthquakes youth organization.

Wondo was born in the East Bay and played soccer at De La Salle High School in Orinda. De La Salle has been famous all these years for its football, its Football Hall of Fame Coach, Bob Ladouceur, and its great football winning tradition. Coach Ladouceur was one of the winningest coaches in high school football history - or any sports history for that matter. He was / he is a legend in his own right. I asked Wondo if he was an inspiration and hero of his? …

To read the rest of Wondo’s great article, please go to our Silicon Valley Talk website (www.siliconvalleytalk.com) and enjoy the balance under the category “Sports”.

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Bold Action Needed to Combat the Childhood Obesity Crisis

By Ken Yeager Santa Clara County Supervisor, District Four

C

hildhood obesity is a topic that is very important to me as a person and as an elected official.

It is not just an issue of concern. It is a crisis, and there is no magic bullet that will serve as a solution. It is a multifaceted, complex issue that will require government, businesses, schools, and parents together.

One in four middle Ken Yeager school and high school students in Santa Clara County, ages 13-17, are

overweight or obese. For some populations, such as Latinos and African Americans, those numbers are one in three. More than half of adults in Santa Clara County are overweight or obese.

Children who are obese after age six have a greater than 50 percent chance of being obese as an adult. Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. If this trend continues, this will be the first generation of children to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.

Childhood obesity is not just a health issue. It is an economic issue as well. Obesity costs the taxpayer millions of dollars in related healthcare costs. Employers are effected through lost productivity and increased insurance costs. The cost of obesity in Santa Clara County are estimated at $420 million in healthcare and $496 million in lost productivity.

Even though there is a lot of new work happening through governments and regional partnerships, we are a long way from solving the childhood obesity crisis. While we must continue to educate, increase access to healthy food, and make physical activity a bigger part of city living, bold actions are also needed to draw attention to this problem. Because the effects of childhood obesity often seen later in life, too few people are motivated to act now. Sometimes new and even controversial ideas can help move the discussion along.

An exciting idea that we passed in Santa

Most of us instinctively know that fast food is bad for you.

When you look at the data, it is even worse.

Clara County was a first-of-its-kind ordinance I authored to require restaurants to meet minimum health requirements for its kids meals that are linked to toys or other incentives. It has often been referred to in the media as the “Happy Meal Ban,” but it is not a ban at all. Rather, it gives parents a tool to resist the millions of dollars spent on marketing unhealthy meals to their children.

Most of us instinctively know that fast food is bad for you. When you look at the data, it is even worse. The Recommended Dietary Allowance for children 6-8 years old is 1500 calories, 58 grams of fat, and 1800 mg of sodium.

If you look at a basic kids’ meal of a cheese burger, small fries, and 12-oz soda, it has 750 calories, 30 grams of fat and 895 mg of sodium. One meal would provide 50% of total daily calories, 52% of fat and 50% sodium.

Fast food restaurants sold more than 1.2 billion meals with toys to children in 2006.

In 2006, restaurants spent at least $360 million on toys. Toy giveaways are estimated to be the second highest child-directed expenditure by the industry, after TV advertising. In a study of children’s meals at restaurants, 10 of 12 of the highest calorie meals came with toys.

All this money is being spent to influence children when they are young and their taste buds are developing. In essence, these toy offers get kids hooked on the taste of fast food at an early age.

Santa Clara County’s ordinance ensures that food provided along with toys meet minimum health standards.

A few months after Santa Clara County passed its ordinance, San Francisco passed an ordinance of its own, and New York City is considering one as well. Now the restaurant industry is taking notice. Recently, Jack in the Box announced that they will no longer offer toys as part of their kids’ meals. McDonald’s— the fast food chain that started the kids’ meal toy craze—is making changes of their own. They announced that they will be reducing the serving size of french fries and including fruit in all of their Happy Meals.

The awareness being raised by Santa Clara County’s ordinance is helping the restaurant industry and parents to confront the need for change. We have made some good first steps, but much more still needs to be done.

Jean-Michel Cousteau

President, Ocean Futures Society www.oceanfutures.org

Dive into underwater treasures S

tanding on the edge of a boat peering into the vast blue deep of the ocean is a thrilling – and sometimes intimidating— experience. My father “helped” me get over my nervousness by simply throwing me overboard at the age of seven with the newly invented SCUBA tank on my back, but for folks without such assistance, you have to simply take a deep breath and make the plunge.

In the past five years California dove enthusiastically into ocean conservation when the Fish and Game Commission voted to adopt a network of underwater reserves along the coast between Oregon and the Mexican borders. It is encouraging to have these new marine protected areas as a statewide system of protected ocean waters. For me, it gives me a sense of hope that future generations will have similar experiences of diving the giant kelp forests off our California coast as I did on my first dive after my father’s passing in 1997 at Anacapa Island, part of the Channel Islands National Park and National Marine Sanctuary.

I remembered that dive vividly as if it was just yesterday. There was an unusual opening in the kelp. The sun’s rays were shining brightly through the kelp, lighting up this little, inexplicable patch of sand-like a spotlight on an empty stage. All around me there were tiny garibaldi, brightly colored damsel- fish native to the area. In normal light, they’re a fantastic, shimmering orange, but here in this bright sunlight, they were like festive candles, a string of party decorations

Photo: © Carrie Vonderhaar, Ocean Futures Society

announcing some underwater fiesta. What can I do but follow these playful, carrotcolored fish to the sandy bottom? What can I do but give myself over to their sweet allure?

I drop to my knees and fall on the spot and I am overcome with emotion. It is almost mystical. I have been thinking of my father, of course, and now it feels as if he is here with me, on this sun-splashed ocean floor.

For the first time since his death, he is near.

The

Beautiful Wedding

By Julie Hart Conde

M

y passion is bringing peace, joy and beauty into people’s lives. I especially enjoy doing this for brides and grooms, who often find it overwhelming when planning their wedding.

If the multitude of details involved in planning your wedding is starting to get you stressed, below are 8 ways to keep you at peace as you plan one of the most important days in your life.

1. Breathe: When things start to get overwhelming, breathe deep, take a look at your options and focus on the most pressing one.

2. Focus: Keep a notebook near you or use your notebook app to jot down the myriad of thoughts that distract you from the task at hand. This will help you to focus and give you reassurance that you won’t be forgetting something important.

3. Hit List: While the long list of details can be overwhelming, the key is to break your list down into smaller bites.

Find a wedding timeline online and use that to break down your list into separate monthly plans. Then focus on just one month at a time.

4. Stress Reducer: If you find yourself getting stressed, talk with a friend or call your wedding planner. It’s great to get a different perspective and encouragement from those who love you and those who have the expertise.

Similar to the point above, keep focused on the positive and the possibilities. Look to your future and keep people around you who want your true happiness.

6. Vendors: When considering working with any vendor, read their contract thoroughly. Make note of the specifics and ask questions if anything isn’t clear. If something doesn’t fit in with what you originally had in mind, decide now if it is a deal breaker or if you are willing to compromise.

7. Possibilities: You don’t have to do a wedding a specific way, anything is possible. This day should be all about the two of you coming together and your guests should leave feeling like they saw who you are and what you like.

8. Wedding Style: Pinterest is a great tool that can help define your style. Once you have pinned a set of pictures that you love of the various elements of your wedding, look for common themes among your selections. Next, pick 3 to 5 words that describe your style. Moving forward, if you have a question about whether something is right for your wedding, you can go back to these words and decide if it fits in.

Remember, at the end of the day you will be married to the one that you love and the one who loves you: deeply, completely and unconditionally. No matter what elements you put into your day … take joy in this and savor the moments that bring you the most joy during the planning process.

Julie Hart Conde, Wedding and Event Planner, is the owner of Celebrations by Heart. www.celebrationsbyheart.com 5. Positivity: Surround yourself with positive people.

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Involving your toddler in recycling he routines you create for your child while he is young will grow into habits over the years. Although your toddler may be too young to understand the need to be eco-friendly, it is possible to get him into the routine of recycling by presenting it in an entertaining way. Here are some tips to get your toddler involved in recycling some common household items.

Sorting the Household Waste Sorting the household waste is a fun activity to carry out with toddlers as it appeals to their natural inclination to categorise and sort items. It also gives them a sense of achievement when they get it right.

Set up three plastic boxes and label each of them with pictures of what they should contain: one for paper, one for plastic and one for glass. Your toddler can help you search through old magazines or catalogues for suitable pictures for each box, which you can then cut out and stick on. This gives you an opportunity to talk through what types of waste should go in each box. The pictures will serve

as a useful reminder to your toddler when he is deciding what to place in each box.

When sorting the household waste, give your toddler the responsibility of spotting which items can be recycled and into which box they should be placed. He will need a lot of direction at first, so be sure to offer praise and encouragement when he gets it right.

Where items have a recycling symbol stamped on them, point it out to your toddler.

He will soon start to recognise it on a range of everyday items.

Composting If you have enough space in your garden, a compost heap can be used to recycle your biodegradable household waste. The setting up of the compost heap is a job for an adult, but your toddler will enjoy finding things to throw on to it.

Choose a suitable area of the garden and start the compost heap by placing green garden waste, brown garden waste, fruit and vegetable peelings and shredded newspaper in a pile. The pile should rest directly on the earth, not on concrete or plastic. You can enclose the compost heap with wood or wire to keep it neat, but this is not essential.

The compost will take a few months to rot down and will need to be dug over once a month. When the bottom of the heap starts to turn brown and crumbly, the compost is ready to be used.

Set your toddler the task of finding things to add to the pile. Along with garden waste and peelings from the kitchen, the compost heap will benefit from old teabags and eggshells. Avoid anything synthetic, oil and cooked food scraps which could attract vermin.

Again, it may be helpful to sit down with your toddler and go through some old magazines and catalogues to choose pictures of items which can be added to the compost heap.

These can be cut out and stuck on to a piece of card to be used as a reminder for your toddler when he is choosing what to throw on to the heap.

Clothing Toddlers can also get involved in recycling old clothing. Although you may be passing wearable items on to a younger sibling or another child, you may have clothing that is unfit to be worn again. There are recycling outlets for used clothing which pay an amount of cash per kilo. If your toddler attends a nursery or daycare facility, they can use such a scheme to raise cash and to teach the children about the benefits of recycling. Nursery managers are usually happy to receive fundraising suggestions.

Alternatively, you could

By involving your toddler in recycling and making it an entertaining activity, you are building a positive habit for the future.

use the money raised as an incentive for your child by saving it towards a treat, such as a day out or a coveted toy.

Old Toys Another key area for recycling is your toddler’s toys. You may face some resistance to passing on items he has enjoyed playing with. A long forgotten toy can suddenly become the current favourite if your toddler thinks he may have to part with it. One approach is to explain that these can be passed on to children who have fewer toys than he does, although he may be a little young to empathise with their situation. Another tactic is to schedule such a clear out shortly before Christmas or his birthday. They attraction of new toys arriving may persuade him to part with some of his existing collection.

By involving your toddler in recycling and making it an entertaining activity, you are building a positive habit for the future. Before you know it your child will be recycling items without prompting and may even be the one reminding you to be eco-friendly. stories@svlocalmag.com

BACK IN TIME

2000

• The Seattle Kingdome is demolished by implosion • The NASDAQ reached an all-time high of 5,048 • Bill Clinton is the first U.S. President to visit Vietnam • The U.S. Supreme Court stops the Florida Presidential recount giving the state to George W. Bush • Average cost for a gallon of gasoline $1.70 • U.S. Postage stamp 33 cents • Microsoft chairman Bill Gates steps aside as Chief Executive Officer • Super Bowl XXXIV: St. Louis Rams beat Tennessee Titans, 23-16 at the Georgia Dome Atlanta MVP is Kurt Warner, St. Louis QB • In a pre-dawn raid, federal agents

seize six-year-old Elián González from his relatives’ home in Miami, Florida.

• 100th US Golf Open at Pebble Beach • Los Angeles Lakers beat Indiana Pacers 4-2 in NBA finals MVP is Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. • Sammy Sosa’s becomes the second player to hit 50 or more home runs in three consecutive years, joining Mark McGwire • The 100th Space Shuttle mission (STS-92) is flown.

• NY Yankees defeat NY Mets 4-1 to win their 3rd straight World Series Championship; MVP is Derek Jeter, NY Yankees • U.S. retailer Montgomery Ward announces it is going out of business after 128 years.

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Former ‘49ers star Steve Bono is now helping other Bay Area athletes make the right decisions with their investments.

The San Francisco Bay:

A Crossroads of Wealth Creation

F

ew places in America are surrounded by as much wealth as the San Francisco Bay. While entrepreneurial technology companies and the venture capitalists backing them have been getting all the headlines, a half dozen major sports franchises have been consistently generating wealth in the Bay Area for years.

And regardless of the various sources of wealth, the inevitable complexities remain the same.

One California sports icon, Steve Bono, who played collegiate football at UCLA and professional football as quarterback from 1985 to 1999, including five years with the San Francisco 49ers, is now dedicated to helping these Bay Area athletes make the right decisions with their money. “I was lucky enough to be surrounded by trustworthy advisors during my career and

was able to avoid the unfortunate financial situations we often hear about,” said Bono, now a principal at Constellation Wealth Advisors in Menlo Park.

Bono helped establish Constellation’s newest Steve Bono division, Constellation Sports Wealth Advisors, to focus on the unique financial challenges faced by professional athletes and coaches.

“The assets earned during an athlete’s relatively brief playing career need to be properly managed to support a financially secure and comfortable post-retirement lifestyle,” said Bono. “Money doesn’t come with a game plan or a coach.”

Don’t be afraid of the outdoors.

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HOW TO PERFECT YOUR GOLF SWING

T

he search for the perfect swing is the Holy Grail for golfers all over the world as they strive to ďŹ nd an action that will permit them to play the game to a high standard. Grooving a golf swing that is repeatable and dependable can only be achieved through practice, and this will require time and patience.

Trying to perfect a swing while playing in competition is never advisable as you cannot possibly give your full concentration to the areas that need attention. Professional golfers will work tirelessly on their swings, some even hiring teachers who will give advice on elements of the swing. For recreational golfers, perhaps securing the services of a club professional will help, but for most golfers, it is a case of trial and error on the practice range. What can you do to improve

you swing?

The starting point for anyone who hopes to improve their game is to ensure that the fundamentals are in place. These include a good grip, proper stance, correct alignment and tempo of the swing. When the basics are in place, you will be in position to hit golf shots that are reasonably good. Your next step is to experiment with things that may improve your swing allowing you to hit the ball longer, straighter and with more spin. For example, ball position is something that can have a real impact on your swing as it often determines the angle at which you approach the ball and how this affects your arms and shoulders on the downswing. If you position the ball too far toward your front foot, this can encourage an over-the-top pass at the

ball, probably resulting in a pull or a slice. On the other hand, if you position the ball too far back in your stance, you may find you are blocking the ball to the right or hooking it wildly.

Experiment with ball position and you will most likely find that placing the ball in the middle of your stance or just fractionally toward your front foot will reap dividends. On longer clubs like the driver, the ball will be further toward your front foot.

A tip you will find helpful when working on grooving your golf swing, is to experiment on the practice range with different tempo swings.

Some recreational golfers swing very hard and fast in order to attempt to hit the ball further. You may be surprised to find that with a more leisurely, smooth swing, you will actually achieve greater distance. In reality, you want to hit the ball better, not harder. Fast swings tend to pull the arms into play too quickly and this often results in cutting across the ball, leading to a slice. The tempo of your swing is possibly the most crucial element you can work on as it will promote a repeatable swing you can rely on under pressure. In fact, you can groove such a swing in the garden at home without the need to hit golf balls. Find the tempo that works best for you, and make this part of your golf game.

Another element that impacts on your swing

is how you stand to address the ball. This can make a real difference to the quality of your shots and determine how high or low your ball trajectory will be. It can also influence how you bring the club head to the ball. Are you possibly stretching for the ball at address? Or is your stance too upright causing you to slice? Again, take time on the practice range to experiment by hitting shots while taking a variety of address positions. A tall person will naturally stand more upright to the ball while a shorter person will reach more for the ball and have a flatter swing. On that subject, if you are serious about grooving a solid, repeatable golf swing, you would do well to make sure you are using golf clubs suited to your height.

Badly fitted clubs will have you swinging on an arc that is unnatural and will inevitably result in hooking or slicing.

As is true for even the best of players, grooving a good golf swing is a matter of practice. You may find that there is a great deal of trial and error involved until you find a swing that suits you individually. Do not treat this as a chore, but enjoy those times you spend on the practice ground, realizing that it will result in a better golf swing that will in turn, allow you to derive greater enjoyment from the game and improve you score. stories@svlocalmag.com

As is true for even the best of players, grooving a good golf swing is a matter of practice.

Protecting Our Pets in Santa Clara County

By Mike Wasserman Santa Clara County Supervisor, District 1

A

s a dog owner and the elected County Supervisor from Los Gatos (“The Cats”), it’s fitting that I am an animal lover and strong supporter of animal shelters. County residents will be happy to know that all 2,309 healthy animals that came through the Santa Mike Wasserman Clara County Animal Shelter last year were either adopted, placed with fosters, or reunited with their owners. This is especially impressive when considering the fact that we operate a “no-kill” Shelter which handles not just cats and dogs but also goats, horses, and chickens.

Throughout the year, a variety of low and no-cost pet adoption days as well as low-cost

vaccination clinics are offered. At a recent pet clinic, over 100 animals were vaccinated and 71 microchips were installed which will help to reunite lost pets with their owners. The Shelter also recently participated in the nation’s largest free adoption day where 110 animals were adopted in one weekend! Pets adopted from the County’s Shelter are all spayed or neutered, Microchipped with ID implantation and registration, vaccinated, de-fleaed, and de-wormed.

Providing low-cost spay and neuter services for cats and dogs is an important investment since it helps control our animal population. These services are available to all County residents through participating veterinary clinics in most cities for as low as $10.

The existing Shelter in San Martin is at capacity much of the year and we are in the process of creating a 501(c)3 to take donations toward a new Shelter. We benefit from the hundreds of volunteers who annually help the Shelter through donations of blankets and food, spending time with animals waiting for adoption, and fostering pets. Please go to www.sccountypets.org to learn how to donate, volunteer, foster pets or obtain spay and neuter services.

Helpful Ways To Eat Better & Below Budget With the price of food continuing to rise, many are looking for ways to adopt a healthy diet without breaking the bank. After all, healthy foods cost more than unhealthy ones, right? While this can be true in certain cases, it’s not usually the opposite. Here are four ways to eat better below budget: Shop The Outer Perimeter Have you ever noticed how all of the whole, fresh foods are located in a store’s outer perimeter? If you’re looking for more wholesome options, this is where you should do most of your grocery shopping. Fresh fruit, vegetables, meats and dairy feature more nutrition and better flavor, and they’re often far cheaper per-serving than their dried, canned, frozen or pre-cooked counterparts.

Steer Clear of Processed Foods You’re faced on a daily basis with new food products that claim to be healthy, but are they really?

While some products may have a reduced content of fat, sodium or sugar, those are not the only important factors. For instance, artificial sweeteners, which are often used to replace the sugar that was removed, are tied to health problems like pancreatic cancer and obesity. In addition, although the item price might seem reasonable, on a per-serving basis, they cost significantly more than the same food made from raw ingredients. Your best bet for both your health and budget is to steer clear of these convenience foods.

Go For The Cheapest Options Although fresh foods are almost always cheaper than their processed variants, not all are priced equally. With whole, fresh produce like cabbage, apples, oranges and carrots, you get a lot more food for less money than with leafy greens, sweet potatoes and pre-bagged salads. The same applies to meat. Skinless chicken breasts are considerably more expensive per-pound than leg quarters, which you can de-skin yourself. The key is to pay careful attention to the pricing of different foods and select the ones that have the least impact on your budget.

Cook At Home More Many people lead busy lives, which often makes fast food an appealing choice. However, while the large salad you ordered is most likely very healthy, it’s certainly not cheap. For what you paid, you could have made several days’ worth of salads at home. The same applies to hot meals, too. Instead of paying for convenience, try making quick meals ahead. Mix up enough salad for a couple of days and put it in individual containers. You can also toss veggies, meat and whole-grain pasta into a slow-cooker for multiple no-hassle meals … Bon appetit!

TOP

10

Reasons to Shop at Local Stores

Y

ou may already shop locally because it is convenient, or perhaps you don’t shop locally at all. There are however, many excellent reasons why shopping at local stores is very beneďŹ cial to you and the community in which you live. Here are the top ten reasons why you should do more local shopping: Better Customer Experience

Are you tired of being served by a grumpy, miserable, or even downright rude checkout operator? If you shop locally you are more likely to be received with a smile and have a very pleasant customer experience. At your local shop you are not just a faceless money-carrier, you are a person. Building a friendly relationship with the local shop owner makes for a much more relaxed atmosphere and a nicer shopping experience allround. Rather than making your day worse, shopping at a local store might just brighten your day.

Helping to Local stores are owned and Maintain the operated by local people. The Community very same people as yourselves who care about the neighbourhood they live in.

Local businesses donate to local charities and causes and improve the surrounding area. Why? They care about the area in which they live, just like you. Support local stores and you are supporting your local community.

Local Economic Properity

Money you spend at local shops and businesses is money that is kept in your community, enriching it for all. When you spend at a superstore the profits are taken by the corporation, whereas when you spend locally your whole community indirectly benefits, since that money will be re-invested in your region.

Unique Nothing destroys a region’s Community character like the imposition of Charactor an all-purpose megastore store.

Local communities are unique places that have their very own culture, history and individual quality. Local stores are a part of this rich history and culture, having usually been around for several decades serving as pillars of the community. By supporting these local businesses you are ensuring the maintenance of the tradition and character of your area. A traditional diner or grocer is part of a town’s identity, and you would do well to support them with your custom.

Unique When you shop at a local store, Products and you get to buy unique, local prodQuality ucts of a diverse range that you Produce would not find at a superstore.

The stock has been carefully picked by the owner, rather than the dictates of market research and profitability. Especially when it comes to fruit and vegetables, shopping locally is superior to supermarket shopping in every way. The produce is fresher and tastier than supermarket goods, often picked only a day or two beforehand.

Fresh, organic, locallygrown food is also not only healthier for you, but it is also healthier for your community, as you are sustaining local agriculture.

Using local businesses encourLocal ages healthy competition. This Competition ultimately brings you, the consumer, and a cheaper, wider range of goods.

Multiple companies competing in individual markets is much better for everyone than one huge conglomerate selling a narrow range of every type of product.

More Local Jobs

Small local companies create a wide variety of local jobs which help sustain community economies. By shopping at local stores and using local businesses you are ultimately creating a supply of jobs in your local area, through increasing demand for goods and services.

Supporting Regional Agriculture

Through buying your fruit and vegetables from local outlets there are multiple positive effects. Aside from cheaper food bills and fresh produce, by supporting local farmers you are reinvesting money into your community and also helping the environment by reducing transport pollution.

Helping In the world today everyone wants the to do what they can to help conserve Environment the environment and the planet’s natural resources. Shopping locally serves this cause in several ways.

Major road congestion is reduced, as is general transport pollution. Buying goods from local stores also reduces fuel and energy consumption by bypassing the need to import from around the world. Local shops require little infrastructure, further decreasing our impact on the environment.

Local Decision Making

Important decisions made by local stores and businesses ought not be harmful to the community since the owners are part of the community too – they have a vested interest and are committed to the area’s future themselves. Decisions affecting the community are not made in corporate board rooms hundreds of miles away, they are made by fellow members of the community who appreciate their impact. Happy Shopping! stories@svlocalmag.com

TR TIP

WHERE TO STAY AND WHAT TO DO

RIP PS

O, SEE AND EAT ACROSS THE GLOBE

A Lone Star Christmas!

By Rich Borell

C E O

&

F o u n d e r

B a y

A r e a

M a g s

Santa’s sleigh.

Experience the Frostbite Factory – an interactive ice carving station.

A full nativity scene in stunning, crystal clear ice Finally your experience concludes with a specialty alcoholic drink at the ICE BAR. Hello Everyone, A few months back my wife suggested we kick the holiday season off by traveling to a festive place in the U.S. After checking our list twice (maybe more) we decided on the Christmas capital of Texas … Grapevine.

Before I go on, as suggested in prior articles, when you have the opportunity to check in 24 hours in advance, I encourage you to look at the upgrades your airline may have available. For a mere $162.00 each we upgraded to first class seats with American Airlines.

Our flight was early afternoon the Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day. Oddly, enough SJC airport travel was light.

Our accommodations were at the Marriott Gaylord Texan Resort Hotel. We only need to walk around this massive hotel to experience the magic of Christmas from around the world. Christmas displays that include more than 2

million twinkling lights and acres of larger-than-life decorations. There are many events going on daily and nightly at the hotel. This is great family fun, some that you may want to check out.

Our favorite attraction was ICE! featuring an all new theme … Christmas Around the World. You will truly experience the magic of Christmas around the World as you journey through colorful holiday displays. They bring in a crew from China to sculpt more than two million pounds of hand-carved ice sculptures.

As you journey through ICE some of the attractions include: Cultural traditions from around the world featuring holiday scenes and children from Mexico, Germany and other countries.

There’s a two-story tall ice slides, an enchanting Parade of Toys and larger-than-life ornaments.

How about traveling through the North Pole and sit inside

Along with the ICE attraction, there’s no shortage of family fun … some of the other daily events include: • Cookies & Milk with Mrs. Claus • The Elf on the Shelf® Scavenger Hunt • Gingerbread Decorating Corner • Santa’s Snowball Throwing Workshop • Friends of Rudolph Meet & Greet • Rudolph’s Holly Jolly™ Breakfast

torian Rail coaches. As the train departs and the anticipation of arriving at the North Pole builds, elves will welcome the guests and sing traditional Christmas music.

The town of Grapevine is filled with festive boutique shops and tasty restaurants. After strolling the shops, you can climb on board the North Pole Express train. I suggest making reservations to this popular event weeks in advance as- it’s the place to be - and many Texans travel with their families every year to climb on board.

Then, a magical moment! As the train draws closer to the North Pole, Mrs. Claus makes a special appearance to give each child a “We Believe” silver Santa bell. Guests then arrive at the North Pole and walk along a snowy Christmas tree trail, where, as they wait for an appearance by Santa, guests are entertained with songs and magical Christmas moments. Finally, Santa arrives! Santa wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and then shares his Frosty Chocolate Snow Milk served in a memory mug to all the boys and girls. Families will also receive a voucher for a complimentary Family Photo with Santa.

The experience begins at the Historic Cotton Belt Depot platform where riders board the beautifully decorated Vic-

It was a great trip with lots of fun in Grapevine a little town with a lot of holiday spirit!

One night for dinner we dined at the hotels Old Hickory Steakhouse. They offer quite a selection on their menu, with selections of Steak, Pork and Fish.

A Lone Star Christmas!

By Rich Borell

C E O

&

F o u n d e r

B a y

A r e a

M a g s

Santa’s sleigh.

Experience the Frostbite Factory – an interactive ice carving station.

A full nativity scene in stunning, crystal clear ice Finally your experience concludes with a specialty alcoholic drink at the ICE BAR. Hello Everyone, A few months back my wife suggested we kick the holiday season off by traveling to a festive place in the U.S. After checking our list twice (maybe more) we decided on the Christmas capital of Texas … Grapevine.

Before I go on, as suggested in prior articles, when you have the opportunity to check in 24 hours in advance, I encourage you to look at the upgrades your airline may have available. For a mere $162.00 each we upgraded to first class seats with American Airlines.

Our flight was early afternoon the Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day. Oddly, enough SJC airport travel was light.

Our accommodations were at the Marriott Gaylord Texan Resort Hotel. We only need to walk around this massive hotel to experience the magic of Christmas from around the world. Christmas displays that include more than 2

million twinkling lights and acres of larger-than-life decorations. There are many events going on daily and nightly at the hotel. This is great family fun, some that you may want to check out.

Our favorite attraction was ICE! featuring an all new theme … Christmas Around the World. You will truly experience the magic of Christmas around the World as you journey through colorful holiday displays. They bring in a crew from China to sculpt more than two million pounds of hand-carved ice sculptures.

As you journey through ICE some of the attractions include: Cultural traditions from around the world featuring holiday scenes and children from Mexico, Germany and other countries.

There’s a two-story tall ice slides, an enchanting Parade of Toys and larger-than-life ornaments.

How about traveling through the North Pole and sit inside

Along with the ICE attraction, there’s no shortage of family fun … some of the other daily events include: • Cookies & Milk with Mrs. Claus • The Elf on the Shelf® Scavenger Hunt • Gingerbread Decorating Corner • Santa’s Snowball Throwing Workshop • Friends of Rudolph Meet & Greet • Rudolph’s Holly Jolly™ Breakfast

torian Rail coaches. As the train departs and the anticipation of arriving at the North Pole builds, elves will welcome the guests and sing traditional Christmas music.

The town of Grapevine is filled with festive boutique shops and tasty restaurants. After strolling the shops, you can climb on board the North Pole Express train. I suggest making reservations to this popular event weeks in advance as- it’s the place to be - and many Texans travel with their families every year to climb on board.

Then, a magical moment! As the train draws closer to the North Pole, Mrs. Claus makes a special appearance to give each child a “We Believe” silver Santa bell. Guests then arrive at the North Pole and walk along a snowy Christmas tree trail, where, as they wait for an appearance by Santa, guests are entertained with songs and magical Christmas moments. Finally, Santa arrives! Santa wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and then shares his Frosty Chocolate Snow Milk served in a memory mug to all the boys and girls. Families will also receive a voucher for a complimentary Family Photo with Santa.

The experience begins at the Historic Cotton Belt Depot platform where riders board the beautifully decorated Vic-

It was a great trip with lots of fun in Grapevine a little town with a lot of holiday spirit!

One night for dinner we dined at the hotels Old Hickory Steakhouse. They offer quite a selection on their menu, with selections of Steak, Pork and Fish.

nese-style Mandara Spa and the 24-hour Stellaris Casino.

Some of the restaurants on the Marriott property include: La Vista offering awesome Seafood themed buffets with both indoor and outdoor dining

Aruba …One Happy Island!

By Rich Borell CEO & Founder Bay Area Mags

Hello Everyone, I wanted to pass along a few tips if you’re thinking about visiting one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful and romantic islands ... Aruba.

If you’re willing to get off and on the plane a few times, we scored a great price with American Airlines flying first class the entire trip for just $1,500 each round trip. Plus it’s a breeze … less than three hours by air from Miami and with U.S. pre-clearance at the airport, the only Customs officer you’ll talk to on your way home is the one in Aruba.

If you’re going back and forth about which resort hotel to stay at I can definitely make a recommendation. The Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino is the ideal choice for the ultimate Aruba vacation.

Enjoy the exquisite hotel accommodations along with an

adult pool, and the exclusive Tradewinds Club - an upscale hotel-within-a-hotel concept - on the top floor of this Aruba resort.

At the Tradewinds Club guests that book these accommodations may indulge in upgraded amenities, five daily dining presentations in the private lounge, a member-only beach area, and also includes full access to the Tradewinds Concierge Service. This floor is exclusive to adults only.

The guest rooms in this Aruba Marriott beach resort are some of the most spacious on the island, each offering Marriott’s Revive bedding, contemporary bathrooms, 37” LCD flat-panel televisions and large, private balconies. This Palm Beach Aruba hotel offers premium amenities, including some of the finest restaurants in Aruba. Enjoy yourself at Ruth’s Chris Steak House, the Bali-

Ruth’s Chris Steak House of course with some of the best steaks, fresh seafood along with their assortment of classic desserts. Reservations are recommended … a bit pricey, but hey you’re on vacation.

It was one of our favorites!

Simply Fresh We had dinner here one night. They serve some of the finest mouthwatering seafood you will ever eat. A great candle light experience with your own private table on the beach.

Ketsu Sushi Bar Oh, did I eat my share of sashimi … open late until 11:30 Considered to be among the cleanest, broadest and most beautiful in the Caribbean region, Eagle Beach and Palm Beach are some of the best beaches in the world. Hint – if you want a cabana on the beach, you need to get up early to reserve.

Breathtaking diving can be enjoyed on Aruba, especially along its sheltered southwestern coastline. A large number of outstanding reefs are a great opportunity to explore magnificent coral formations while being surrounded by a large variety of tropical fish.

If you’re considering paying a bit more for some extra amenities and upgrades, do the math to figure out if the other perks are worth the extra cost. In the case of the upscale Aruba Marriott, upgrading to the Tradewinds Club is likely worth it — especially if you take full advantage of all of the included food and drink.

If you feel the need to go shopping … you’re in walking distance to the Palm Beach Plaza Mall.

I’d strongly recommend taking the Catamaran Excursion to

experience Aruba’s spectacular sunset aboard a luxury catamaran. Enjoy views of Palm Beach from the open water as you sip a cocktail and watch the stars come out. Relax as the friendly crew entertains you with local music, dancing and storytelling.

When planning your next beach vacation . . . and maybe you’re a bit tired of the Hawaiian Island … give Aruba some thought; Aruba has some of the best white sand beaches in the Caribbean along with great diving, some of the best tropical night life you can find anywhere … plus you can always count on sunny skies.

Aruba is an ideal destination because it is located in the Netherland Antilles outside the hurricane belt.

It’s no wonder car plates in Aruba display the slogan “One Happy Island”

nese-style Mandara Spa and the 24-hour Stellaris Casino.

Some of the restaurants on the Marriott property include: La Vista offering awesome Seafood themed buffets with both indoor and outdoor dining

Aruba …One Happy Island!

By Rich Borell CEO & Founder Bay Area Mags

Hello Everyone, I wanted to pass along a few tips if you’re thinking about visiting one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful and romantic islands ... Aruba.

If you’re willing to get off and on the plane a few times, we scored a great price with American Airlines flying first class the entire trip for just $1,500 each round trip. Plus it’s a breeze … less than three hours by air from Miami and with U.S. pre-clearance at the airport, the only Customs officer you’ll talk to on your way home is the one in Aruba.

If you’re going back and forth about which resort hotel to stay at I can definitely make a recommendation. The Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino is the ideal choice for the ultimate Aruba vacation.

Enjoy the exquisite hotel accommodations along with an

adult pool, and the exclusive Tradewinds Club - an upscale hotel-within-a-hotel concept - on the top floor of this Aruba resort.

At the Tradewinds Club guests that book these accommodations may indulge in upgraded amenities, five daily dining presentations in the private lounge, a member-only beach area, and also includes full access to the Tradewinds Concierge Service. This floor is exclusive to adults only.

The guest rooms in this Aruba Marriott beach resort are some of the most spacious on the island, each offering Marriott’s Revive bedding, contemporary bathrooms, 37” LCD flat-panel televisions and large, private balconies. This Palm Beach Aruba hotel offers premium amenities, including some of the finest restaurants in Aruba. Enjoy yourself at Ruth’s Chris Steak House, the Bali-

Ruth’s Chris Steak House of course with some of the best steaks, fresh seafood along with their assortment of classic desserts. Reservations are recommended … a bit pricey, but hey you’re on vacation.

It was one of our favorites!

Simply Fresh We had dinner here one night. They serve some of the finest mouthwatering seafood you will ever eat. A great candle light experience with your own private table on the beach.

Ketsu Sushi Bar Oh, did I eat my share of sashimi … open late until 11:30 Considered to be among the cleanest, broadest and most beautiful in the Caribbean region, Eagle Beach and Palm Beach are some of the best beaches in the world. Hint – if you want a cabana on the beach, you need to get up early to reserve.

Breathtaking diving can be enjoyed on Aruba, especially along its sheltered southwestern coastline. A large number of outstanding reefs are a great opportunity to explore magnificent coral formations while being surrounded by a large variety of tropical fish.

If you’re considering paying a bit more for some extra amenities and upgrades, do the math to figure out if the other perks are worth the extra cost. In the case of the upscale Aruba Marriott, upgrading to the Tradewinds Club is likely worth it — especially if you take full advantage of all of the included food and drink.

If you feel the need to go shopping … you’re in walking distance to the Palm Beach Plaza Mall.

I’d strongly recommend taking the Catamaran Excursion to

experience Aruba’s spectacular sunset aboard a luxury catamaran. Enjoy views of Palm Beach from the open water as you sip a cocktail and watch the stars come out. Relax as the friendly crew entertains you with local music, dancing and storytelling.

When planning your next beach vacation . . . and maybe you’re a bit tired of the Hawaiian Island … give Aruba some thought; Aruba has some of the best white sand beaches in the Caribbean along with great diving, some of the best tropical night life you can find anywhere … plus you can always count on sunny skies.

Aruba is an ideal destination because it is located in the Netherland Antilles outside the hurricane belt.

It’s no wonder car plates in Aruba display the slogan “One Happy Island”

The

MagniFIcent

Wild Wild West

SATURDAY: Today was pretty much a driving day, with our destination being the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. After a long day, it was nice to have waiting for us a gorgeous roomy room, and an excellent fine dining experience. Now I know why this resort has such a wonderful reputation.

BY RICH BORELL

Hello Everyone, Well, with summer here, my wife and I were giving some thought to our bucket list. Yes, we do have a joint one. It’s to visit 50 countries and 50 states. Happy to say, we’re doing a good job so far, as we’re over half way on both. So, we thought to ourselves, let’s add a few more states to our list.

We mapped out a pretty cool trip that I want to share with you in case you desire to see some of this beautiful countryside of our amazing nation. Our journey highlights will include: Yellowstone National Park and Mount Rushmore.

Our itinerary will take us to Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and South Dakota. Hold on … here we go!

Bear Country USA

FRIDAY: We started out with a 7AM flight from San Jose to Denver. We decided to go with Southwest Airlines.

They had the best schedule to get us there early. I had some business to take care of, so we needed to get there as soon as we could. Our flight arrived right on time. Avis was nice

Rockies were so far behind, we chose not to hang around for what seemed destined to be a lengthy rain delay. We headed back to the hotel … knowing we had a long drive ahead of us the next day … and a nice warm shower Old Faithful waiting for us before bed that night.

enough to upgrade us to a Mercedes E Class, which had navigation. After a brief meeting, my wife had us scheduled for a 2PM Tea at our hotel … The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa. I’ve had the pleasure of attending some tea functions with her in the past, I usually walk away hungry after eating bits and pieces of finger food. I will say this, however: this time The Brown Palace did an excellent job in filling me up with delicious finger foods and desserts. If you’re into being spoiled, you don’t want to miss this luxury hotel that comes with all the fixings like spa and salon and nice restaurants. You will want to check out The Brown Palace, conveniently located in downtown Denver. After our Tea, we strolled the 16th Street Mall for some delightful shopping.

This is when it got interesting. For our night time plans, we had great seats behind third base at Coors Field to see the Colorado Rockies play the Miami Marlins. At game time, the weather was picture perfect. By the 8th inning, the roar of thunder and hail came out of nowhere. From sunshine to being drenched … Fans in the upper deck were asked to vacate due to lightning. Unfortunately, the

SUNDAY: After breakfast at the hotel, we found a Starbucks … needed a good fix. Super, wherever we are. From there, we went to Teton Village to take the Tram. In no time, you will breeze up over 4,000 feet (actually just over 10 minutes) to the top of Rendezvous Mountain that stands over 10,000 feet. From there you can walk around and grab some awesome pictures. While up there I suggest you grab one of Mount Rushmore

their “Top of The World Waffles” - the scent alone will force you to eat one. Oh, did I mention, they also serve hot chocolate and Baileys … “yummy”!

We then drove for two hours to West Yellowstone, Montana.

We had plenty of daylight, so we paid a visit to the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center. While some may think it’s a zoo, it’s really animals who call the Discovery Center home due to injuries where they are incapable of living in the wild. We got to see birds like Bald & Golden Eagles and Peregrine Falcons. Of course, the Bears put on a great show. The guides at the Center are informative and will answer all your questions.

MONDAY: Today we had scheduled the “Lower Loop Tour” of Yellowstone National Park. One of the more popular tour guides is Buffalo Bus Touring Company. I was really impressed; our guide, Graham, was very informative; plus, the motor coach seated around 18 and was very comfortable. The tour isn’t inexpensive, but you will get a good 11 hours of education along with some fun humor. You can order a bag lunch or, as we decided to do, you can have a very nice lunch at The Village Lodge Mammoth.

The upper loop of the figure “8” circles Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower-Roosevelt and Canyon Junction and Norris Junction then back to Mammoth. It is roughly 70 miles in circumference. The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is a must see. This is probably one of the most breathtaking sites in the entire park!

At the Lava Creek picnic area through the Blacktail ponds area watch for two large bull elk which are often seen in this stretch; many bison frequent this area, too. We also saw some coyote along the road.

We got back around 6ish, and based on a recommendation, we had a great dinner at the Madison Lounge. Fol-

The

MagniFIcent

Wild Wild West

SATURDAY: Today was pretty much a driving day, with our destination being the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. After a long day, it was nice to have waiting for us a gorgeous roomy room, and an excellent fine dining experience. Now I know why this resort has such a wonderful reputation.

BY RICH BORELL

Hello Everyone, Well, with summer here, my wife and I were giving some thought to our bucket list. Yes, we do have a joint one. It’s to visit 50 countries and 50 states. Happy to say, we’re doing a good job so far, as we’re over half way on both. So, we thought to ourselves, let’s add a few more states to our list.

We mapped out a pretty cool trip that I want to share with you in case you desire to see some of this beautiful countryside of our amazing nation. Our journey highlights will include: Yellowstone National Park and Mount Rushmore.

Our itinerary will take us to Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and South Dakota. Hold on … here we go!

Bear Country USA

FRIDAY: We started out with a 7AM flight from San Jose to Denver. We decided to go with Southwest Airlines.

They had the best schedule to get us there early. I had some business to take care of, so we needed to get there as soon as we could. Our flight arrived right on time. Avis was nice

Rockies were so far behind, we chose not to hang around for what seemed destined to be a lengthy rain delay. We headed back to the hotel … knowing we had a long drive ahead of us the next day … and a nice warm shower Old Faithful waiting for us before bed that night.

enough to upgrade us to a Mercedes E Class, which had navigation. After a brief meeting, my wife had us scheduled for a 2PM Tea at our hotel … The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa. I’ve had the pleasure of attending some tea functions with her in the past, I usually walk away hungry after eating bits and pieces of finger food. I will say this, however: this time The Brown Palace did an excellent job in filling me up with delicious finger foods and desserts. If you’re into being spoiled, you don’t want to miss this luxury hotel that comes with all the fixings like spa and salon and nice restaurants. You will want to check out The Brown Palace, conveniently located in downtown Denver. After our Tea, we strolled the 16th Street Mall for some delightful shopping.

This is when it got interesting. For our night time plans, we had great seats behind third base at Coors Field to see the Colorado Rockies play the Miami Marlins. At game time, the weather was picture perfect. By the 8th inning, the roar of thunder and hail came out of nowhere. From sunshine to being drenched … Fans in the upper deck were asked to vacate due to lightning. Unfortunately, the

SUNDAY: After breakfast at the hotel, we found a Starbucks … needed a good fix. Super, wherever we are. From there, we went to Teton Village to take the Tram. In no time, you will breeze up over 4,000 feet (actually just over 10 minutes) to the top of Rendezvous Mountain that stands over 10,000 feet. From there you can walk around and grab some awesome pictures. While up there I suggest you grab one of Mount Rushmore

their “Top of The World Waffles” - the scent alone will force you to eat one. Oh, did I mention, they also serve hot chocolate and Baileys … “yummy”!

We then drove for two hours to West Yellowstone, Montana.

We had plenty of daylight, so we paid a visit to the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center. While some may think it’s a zoo, it’s really animals who call the Discovery Center home due to injuries where they are incapable of living in the wild. We got to see birds like Bald & Golden Eagles and Peregrine Falcons. Of course, the Bears put on a great show. The guides at the Center are informative and will answer all your questions.

MONDAY: Today we had scheduled the “Lower Loop Tour” of Yellowstone National Park. One of the more popular tour guides is Buffalo Bus Touring Company. I was really impressed; our guide, Graham, was very informative; plus, the motor coach seated around 18 and was very comfortable. The tour isn’t inexpensive, but you will get a good 11 hours of education along with some fun humor. You can order a bag lunch or, as we decided to do, you can have a very nice lunch at The Village Lodge Mammoth.

The upper loop of the figure “8” circles Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower-Roosevelt and Canyon Junction and Norris Junction then back to Mammoth. It is roughly 70 miles in circumference. The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is a must see. This is probably one of the most breathtaking sites in the entire park!

At the Lava Creek picnic area through the Blacktail ponds area watch for two large bull elk which are often seen in this stretch; many bison frequent this area, too. We also saw some coyote along the road.

We got back around 6ish, and based on a recommendation, we had a great dinner at the Madison Lounge. Fol-

Grand Canyon

Yellowstone

Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, South Dakota

lowing dinner, we still had some time, so we went and saw “Yellowstone” which was playing at the IMAX Theatre.

While in Yellowstone, we stayed at the Yellowstone Lodge, which is a few miles from the gate to the National Park.

We pulled in at the perfect time as a Ranger was about to give a 30 minute lecture on what happened that day in the field. Along with the monuments, you will see the gravesites of the soldiers who died on the battlefield.

TUESDAY: Today, we decided to drive the “Lower Loop” of the park.

We were able to get into some areas that the tour bus couldn’t. The Lower Loop is the more popular loop as it has the bulk of Yellowstone’s thermal features … Old Faithful being one of them … as hundreds of people gather around to watch.

We pulled in around 5:30PM at the Holiday Inn Suites & Gold Dust Casino. Once you make your way through the casino, and take the elevator up to the Hotel Lobby, it’s like stepping into another world. We didn’t expect the hotel to be so elegant. We reserved a suite that had a bar and kitchen. If I ever get lost and end up in Deadwood, South Dakota … I’ll be staying here again.

Some other areas of interest you won’t want to miss along the loop include: Firehole Canyon Drive, Fountain Paint Pots and the Lower Geyser Basin, Firehole Lake Drive and Midway Geyser Basin.

THURSDAY: Today, we spent some time in downtown Deadwood. We also took in some local sites in Deadwood that included the following: Adams House Museum: The memorabilia here has been very well preserved. Lots of history in this old Victorian house.

Mount Moriah Cemetery: About 100 yards from the opening you will find the burial place of Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, Seth Bullock and other notable figures of the Wild West.

Be sure to check out the Old Faithful Inn Resort, as well … there are great restaurants in the area.

Wednesday: Today, we’ll be doing a good share of driving … and we’ll end up in Deadwood, South Dakota. We decided on this route because we wanted to stop off and visit the Battlefield National Monument. This, of course, is where the Battle of the Little Bighorn took place … also commonly referred to as Custer’s Last Stand.

For lunch, we ate at a local restaurant owned by actor Kevin Costner called The Midnight Star. The food was excellent … if you can get in, I highly recommend it.

After spending most of the day in Deadwood, our journey continued to Rapid City, South Dakota, and the Marriott.

FRIDAY: Today, we set out about 20 miles from our hotel to see a site my wife has been wanting to see for quite some time … Mount Rushmore. It is such a beautiful site. Rangers are there to answer your questions, you won’t have a problem getting a good picture, as well. There is a little bit of a wait to get into the park. While there, you can enjoy checking out a film on the history of the monument, along with visiting the museum and gift shop. We had lunch in the town, just outside the park, called Keystone. I highly recommend eating at the Powder House & Lodge.

We also took a visit to Bear Country USA. Here, you will drive (with your windows up) through a park with roam-

Elk

ing bears close by. The drive will take about 45 minutes, and I predict you will get some awesome looking photos, right from your car. While there in the park, you may also see: Artic Wolf, Buffalo, Coyote, Elk, Grizzly and Black Bear, Mountain Lions, to mention a few. They boast around 20 species. The larger species roam freely throughout 250 acres of the drive-thru park.

SATURDAY: Today, we start out on our final road trip, driving back to Denver. We took, however, a small detour to stop in at the Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, South Dakota. Many mammoth remains, preserved in an old sinkhole, are shown off at this museum and research center.

Originally a sinkhole that trapped a lot of mammoths (and other animals) over the years, it is now one of the best excavation sites of mammoth remains on display.

Here we are, back on Southwest Airlines once again, heading home, looking back, our journey now behind us. Our trip was more than beautiful and fun, exciting and safe. It could not have been nicer.

If you’re planning to see some of the Western States, yes, the magnificent Wild Wild West, it’s a great experience that we thoroughly enjoyed. There are indeed many awesome reasons why I believe you and everyone else would, too.

Until next time …

Grand Canyon

Yellowstone

Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, South Dakota

lowing dinner, we still had some time, so we went and saw “Yellowstone” which was playing at the IMAX Theatre.

While in Yellowstone, we stayed at the Yellowstone Lodge, which is a few miles from the gate to the National Park.

We pulled in at the perfect time as a Ranger was about to give a 30 minute lecture on what happened that day in the field. Along with the monuments, you will see the gravesites of the soldiers who died on the battlefield.

TUESDAY: Today, we decided to drive the “Lower Loop” of the park.

We were able to get into some areas that the tour bus couldn’t. The Lower Loop is the more popular loop as it has the bulk of Yellowstone’s thermal features … Old Faithful being one of them … as hundreds of people gather around to watch.

We pulled in around 5:30PM at the Holiday Inn Suites & Gold Dust Casino. Once you make your way through the casino, and take the elevator up to the Hotel Lobby, it’s like stepping into another world. We didn’t expect the hotel to be so elegant. We reserved a suite that had a bar and kitchen. If I ever get lost and end up in Deadwood, South Dakota … I’ll be staying here again.

Some other areas of interest you won’t want to miss along the loop include: Firehole Canyon Drive, Fountain Paint Pots and the Lower Geyser Basin, Firehole Lake Drive and Midway Geyser Basin.

THURSDAY: Today, we spent some time in downtown Deadwood. We also took in some local sites in Deadwood that included the following: Adams House Museum: The memorabilia here has been very well preserved. Lots of history in this old Victorian house.

Mount Moriah Cemetery: About 100 yards from the opening you will find the burial place of Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, Seth Bullock and other notable figures of the Wild West.

Be sure to check out the Old Faithful Inn Resort, as well … there are great restaurants in the area.

Wednesday: Today, we’ll be doing a good share of driving … and we’ll end up in Deadwood, South Dakota. We decided on this route because we wanted to stop off and visit the Battlefield National Monument. This, of course, is where the Battle of the Little Bighorn took place … also commonly referred to as Custer’s Last Stand.

For lunch, we ate at a local restaurant owned by actor Kevin Costner called The Midnight Star. The food was excellent … if you can get in, I highly recommend it.

After spending most of the day in Deadwood, our journey continued to Rapid City, South Dakota, and the Marriott.

FRIDAY: Today, we set out about 20 miles from our hotel to see a site my wife has been wanting to see for quite some time … Mount Rushmore. It is such a beautiful site. Rangers are there to answer your questions, you won’t have a problem getting a good picture, as well. There is a little bit of a wait to get into the park. While there, you can enjoy checking out a film on the history of the monument, along with visiting the museum and gift shop. We had lunch in the town, just outside the park, called Keystone. I highly recommend eating at the Powder House & Lodge.

We also took a visit to Bear Country USA. Here, you will drive (with your windows up) through a park with roam-

Elk

ing bears close by. The drive will take about 45 minutes, and I predict you will get some awesome looking photos, right from your car. While there in the park, you may also see: Artic Wolf, Buffalo, Coyote, Elk, Grizzly and Black Bear, Mountain Lions, to mention a few. They boast around 20 species. The larger species roam freely throughout 250 acres of the drive-thru park.

SATURDAY: Today, we start out on our final road trip, driving back to Denver. We took, however, a small detour to stop in at the Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, South Dakota. Many mammoth remains, preserved in an old sinkhole, are shown off at this museum and research center.

Originally a sinkhole that trapped a lot of mammoths (and other animals) over the years, it is now one of the best excavation sites of mammoth remains on display.

Here we are, back on Southwest Airlines once again, heading home, looking back, our journey now behind us. Our trip was more than beautiful and fun, exciting and safe. It could not have been nicer.

If you’re planning to see some of the Western States, yes, the magnificent Wild Wild West, it’s a great experience that we thoroughly enjoyed. There are indeed many awesome reasons why I believe you and everyone else would, too.

Until next time …

Forever Delightful CHRISTMAS IN LONDON … AND PARIS, TOO!

By Rich Borell

Hello Everyone, Ever think about having a jolly holiday in London, England one of the most beautiful cites during Christmas time? We have … we just did it … and we loved it!

Our trip starts Saturday, December 20th. It’s going to be a pretty quick turnaround trip; just a week, which will also include a night in Paris.

We’ll be flying out of the Norman Mineta San Jose International Airport. We had already upgraded our tickets, but decided we wanted to live a little and had them upgraded yet again. This time, into business class.

Booking through American Airlines directly, we were fortunate. It was a great price, only $499 per ticket.

For those of you who travel a few times a year, here’s a suggestion. Ever thought about getting approved by TSA? Yes, you need to fill out an application and have a personal interview (and write a check). But it was a pleasure.

You might think it’s worth it the first time you show your credentials … and are nicely directed through a separate line. This time, there’s nothing to take off … shoes, belt, etc. Plus, instead of waiting in the lines, we were promptly on board and on our merry way.

Saturday: We had a 12:55PM flight from San Jose to Dallas that was late in taking off. The pilot fortunately was able to make good timing. When we arrived in Dallas, there was still a plane at our gate. We waited for 10 minutes, and then they found us another gate so that we could de-plane. The only problem, though, there was no outside agent to assist, so we sat still yet for another 10 minutes. Some people were going to miss their connecting flights. We were very fortunate … we had another hour-plus as our flight to London was delayed.

On board once again, we fastened our seat belts - the champagne has been poured – and we toasted our trip ahead … on to London!

Sunday: We arrived in London about an hour late, which was fine. We didn’t have a lot planned other than getting on the

city tour bus. For our trip, we would be staying at the Marriott London Square, right near the world famous London Eye. This is our favorite place to stay when we visit London, one of our favorite cities in the world.

Here’s a few stops you may want to visit while on the city tour.

• St. Paul’s Cathedral • The world-famous London Bridge • London’s number one attraction “The London Eye” • Buckingham Palace • Big Ben • Westminster Abbey • The Tower Bridge Monday: Today started with a complimentary breakfast at our hotel. We had a few hours before our tour was to begin, so we took a long walk along the River Thames enjoying some really beautiful sites.

The holiday season is certainly in full swing as all the vendors were getting set up for the day.

Today we had an afternoon tour planned at the Warner’s Studio where the blockbuster film Harry Potter was filmed. If you’re a Potter fan, as we are, this is a must when in the London area.

The team behind the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter wanted to preserve and showcase these iconic props, costumes and sets so that Harry Potter fans could experience the magic of filmmaking first-hand.

Many of the original cast and crew returned to reassemble the sets and recorded their memories from filming, and on March 31st, 2012, the Studio

Tour opened its doors.

After a greeting in the Grand Hall, you have a self-guided tour seeing all of the sets and original outfits worn. On the set adjacent to the working film studios, where all eight Harry Potter films were made, the studio tour offers visitors the unique opportunity to explore two soundstages and a backlot filled with original sets, animatronic creatures and breath-taking special effects.

Here’s an interesting tidbit - The film studio where the Harry Potter film series was filmed was originally an old aircraft factory and runway where planes such as Mosquitos and Halifax Bombers were manufactured.

Tuesday: Today we again start with breakfast at the hotel. We’ve set up for an 8.30AM taxi pick-up to take us to the train station for our 10:25AM departure to Paris. A brief note about the taxi system in London: It seems only 30 percent accept credit cards … so, be sure to inquire when making your reservation … and have some cash (pounds) on you.

It was a quick two hour journey through the English Tunnel to Paris. For those of you who may not like the thought of taking a train underwater, rest assured, it goes pretty fast. The tunnel at its lowest point is 250 feet deep and it only takes about twenty minutes from end to end. Also, the good news is, they don’t even announce that you’re going through it.

We arrived in Paris around 2PM. Our accommodations were at the Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel. We didn’t have a lot of time today, so we strolled the Avenue des ChampsElysees, which is one of the main shopping streets in Paris. On one end of the street, it offers a nice view of the Arc de Triomphe; and, on the other end, it offers a nice view of the Place de La Concorde.

This evening we had tickets to see the world famous cabaret Moulin Rouge.

I assure you, visiting Paris can only be complete if you see a performance at the Moulin Rouge. The cabaret is spectacular - with excellent dancers in an array of stunning outfits. There are two shows offered - One which includes dinner & champagne (which I would recommend) and another show excluding dinner. Tickets can be

expensive based on your seats … but most tickets do include a nice bottle of Champagne.

Wednesday: Today we started out with a short walk to Starbucks for a lite breakfast. We had a private tour planned today to drive us through Paris. Although we’ve been to Paris previously, we wanted to capture more of the city. In our last trip we didn’t have time to visit the Pere Lachaise, which is the largest cemetery in Paris and is actually located right in the middle of the city. Although there are many famous people interred at this cemetery, the reason for our visit was to view Jim Morrison’s gravesite. We understood that there may be large crowds and also the site is regularly guarded; however, this day was neither.

Our tour lasted about four hours with our driver taking us to the train station for our trip back to London.

For some other site-seeing recommendations while in Paris, I can recommend the following: • The Louvre (I strongly recommend purchasing Fast Track tickets – lines can be rather long) • Versailles • Dinner at the Eiffel Tower • Notre Dame de Paris • Champs-Elysees • Disneyland Paris Thursday: For Christmas Day we had a 10 hour walking tour scheduled to start at 6AM. We arranged this several months in advance with our guide, Peter Berthoud. Peter is an excellent guideknowledgeable, perceptive and amusing. We met sharply at 6AM near the London Eye, along with 30 other people, who were also brave enough to get up this early morning in 35 degree weather … and it wasn’t going to get much warmer as the day progressed.

After meeting with Peter and his assistant, Lindsey, everyone was given a bag with lots of

Jane Seymour. The castle is usually closed for tours on the weekend since that is when the Royal Family stays.

Salisbury: Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England, and the only city within the county. This is definitely a “countryside” city that has much history.

goodies to munch on during our tour.

Despite the frigid cold weather, we really enjoyed it and found out lots of interesting facts and saw lots of interesting hidden bits of Soho and Picadilly. We also visited other interesting areas which we never would have known about.

This is definitely the best time to see London; there were empty streets, it was if we had the city to ourselves. We found out things that you would never discover in a guide book. Peter has a very good knowledge of London. We saw many interesting historical sites, plus having all these tidbits being thrown in. We also enjoyed making a few stops at some nice coffee shops, that were thankfully open on Christmas Day, as well as having a delightful lunch at a local pub.

Friday: Today we had an all day tour that would take us to Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, Salisbury and Bath. We were picked up at our hotel promptly at 8AM for our journey to our first stop … Windsor Castle.

Windsor Castle: Built high above the River Thames, Windsor Castle has been the home to the Royal Family for the past 900 years and is still the official residence of the Queen. You will enjoy strolling through the castle grounds and the fourteenth century St. George’s Chapel, the burial place of kings and queens, including Henry VIII and his third wife,

Stonehenge: Clouded in mystery, this ancient stone circle is the most pre-historic site in England. Going beyond its archaeological and even astronomical role, it’s a place of spiritual importance as early legends link it with Merlin and King Arthur, as it’s still one of Europe’s best known pre-historic monuments around. The stones are surrounded by several hundred burial mounds.

They have recently opened a fabulous, worldclass Visitor Centre that includes a museum with extraordinary exhibitions, along with a spacious shop and café.

Our tour included lunch at the Antrobus Arms Hotel located a few miles from Stonehenge.

This is a gorgeous boutique hotel featuring 20 individually styled en-suite rooms, one of which is the Beatles Suite, where the Fab 4 stayed while filming “Help” on Salisbury Plain.

Bath: The final stop of the tour is the beautiful Georgian City of Bath. We had a walking tour of some of the finest architectural sights in Europe including Bath Abbey, the Royal Crecent, the Circus, Assembly Rooms and the famous Pulteney Bridge. These Roman Baths, built around thermal springs, have been supplying water for over 2,000 years.

Saturday: Well, today it’s back home with a flight to Dallas and then our connecting flight to the Bay Area, getting us in around 11PM. Spending the holiday in London, and Paris, was everything we thought it would be. Beautiful, interesting and most enjoyable. It was indeed delightful. Stay tuned as we look forward to sharing more trip tips with you during the New Year!

Scandinavian Splendor & Many Memorable Smiles

By Rich Borell

G

reetings Everyone! I want to share with you our recent trip to Scandinavia that included stops in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. This trip actually came together just a few weeks before we left. We had tickets to fly into Copenhagen, then on to Finland. From that point, we were going to take the train and spend most of our time in Russia. We had our Russian Visa and were ready to go. Unfortunately, due to the most recent events, we were advised not to go. I want to thank our tour guide in Moscow for all he did and we look forward in seeing him on a future trip to Russia.

So, if you are considering a venture to Northern Europe, we certainly found it to be such a beautiful region. We loved all the natural scenery and European sights and, yes, the delicious food, too … and, what was extra nice, the people were always very friendly and hospitable.

Even though the Danish, Norwegian and Swedish languages are known as Scandinavian languages, you can be well-assured most everyone understands and speaks English. You should travel with a money converter, and if you carry an iPhone, you already have the app. Contrary to popular belief, not all countries have converted to the Euro. Finland has; however, the other three countries have not. You will need to convert your USD in Denmark to Danish Kroner, in Sweden to Swedish Kronor and in Norway to Norwegian

Kroner.

I also want to mention something about using your credit card. First, you should check with your credit card company to see if you have a foreign transaction fee. Indeed, it can add up. I can recommend Capital One Visa, as they currently don’t charge a fee. Since 2013, the EU went to a chip card and the US has not quite adapted to that as yet. Most businesses will accept your credit card; however, you need to let them know it’s a signature card … meaning you will need to sign.

Most will ask you for a PIN based on this chip …

I believe we will have new credit cards with chips sometime in 2015.

Here are some ideas from our itinerary:

Friday: First of all, we would like to thank Frank & Teri over at Wireless Rides for the limo service up to SFO. Our trip began on Friday with a relatively short, very nice three-and-a-half hour flight to Chicago O’Hare. Once there, we enjoyed a brief hour-plus layover. From Chicago, our transfer flight was with Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), which departed on time. We had upgraded our seats and really enjoyed the plenty of extra leg room we had for the eight hour flight to Copenhagen.

Saturday: We arrived in Copenhagen early afternoon the following day on Saturday. We took some time and strolled the Copenhagen Town Mall. From there, we enjoyed walking to Nyhavn, the popular 17th century waterfront, canal and entertainment district, and then shopping along the long streets of Stroget, experiencing this pleasant traffic free district. We stopped for a bite to eat at the Hard Rock Café, and along the way, we enjoyed some more shopping. Next, we went to the Visitor’s Center for some helpful info that would fill our day for tomorrow. Of course, we were on the prowl for our first local Starbucks … you will find a new one that recently opened at the train station.

Our first night was at a boutique hotel … the Grand Hotel Copenhagen … in a nice city central location.

Sunday: Up early, we strolled back to Starbucks. We didn’t have a lot of time today, as most of our time in Copenhagen was reserved for when we would return towards the end of our trip. Today, we would have a 3:30PM flight to Helsinki, Finland, so we took advantage of our great location and enjoyed walking around.

Our flight to Helsinki was short. We grabbed a cab (you will get a cab inside of the airport), which was approximately 30 Euros to our hotel.

We stayed at Hotel Kamp, the only 5-star hotel in Finland. By the time we got in, it was time to find a place for a relaxing dinner. We didn’t have to go far, just outside of our hotel and about 100 yards to our left was an amazing restaurant called Kappeli. We had a fabulous two hour dinner … my only advice is that this may not be the place if you’re traveling on a budget. It boasted a great menu that included something for everyone … even that something special, if you wanted to try a plate of Reindeer. I went with their fresh Salmon, my wife enjoyed her Chicken mushroom and

stew dinner. For dessert, we had the traditional Blueberry cake and ice cream … everything was delicious.

Since it was Sunday, most retail businesses were closed; however, we did come across the Helsinki Hard Rock Café and were able to enjoy doing some shopping there.

Monday: Today, we started out with breakfast at the hotel and then took a nice walk through the city square in Helsinki. There was some light rain in the morning that later broke way for blue skies and sunshine.

Our tour took us to some cool places... while in Helsinki, you may want to visit a few of these spots: Olympic Stadium (site of the 1956 Summer Olympic Games) Sibelius Monument Nature History Museum Parliament House (the guards are very friendly and not camera shy) Uspenski Cathedral Tuesday: Today is another travel day, so we enjoyed

Helsinki, Finland

strolling the very popular Stockmann’s, the largest department store in Finland and all Scandinavia.

We had lunch back at our Hotel Camp … I’d highly recommend the Salmon Soup, and also a few other favorites, which were the Shrimp Sandwich and Club with Fried Egg. From our hotel, it was a 15-minute walk to the Viking Cruise Line Terminal. First stop was our Bon Voyage Picture, then going on board for our overnight cruise to Stockholm, Sweden.

For an overnight cruise, the ship had everything you could ask for … There were several restaurants, bars, casinos, theatre, a kid’s game room, live shows and much more. I had another fabulous Salmon dinner. We enjoyed a stunning sunset, the weather was perfect.

Our ship, the Marella, was filled with such the warm friendly staff. One red flag, going back to the credit card pin number situation, the ship is a stickler on the pin number. Good news, they do offer currency exchange, so as always, carry some cash with you.

During the night, the seas did get a bit choppy.

I’d suggest getting a room in the middle and upper floor.

Wednesday: Our ship arrived at 10:30AM, there were plenty of taxi’s at the terminal to take you to your hotel.

Even though we arrived several hours before check in, our room was ready. We stayed at the “First Hotels” centrally located on the waterfront in old town. Our room had a large window with great views of the pier area and amusement park.

We took a walk around old town, which looked a bit like Venice, once you’re away from the water. We stopped and had lunch at Sally’s. Service was a bit slow, they may not be used to the American’s fast pace. We had an authentic Swedish Shrimp plate with fish eggs.

After lunch, we bought our ticket and went on the “Hop on Bus” tour which will take you throughout Stockholm for two hours.

Stockholm, Sweden After our delightful city tour, Grenka, a chic hotel, comparable to the W Hotel in we put in another couple of hours San Francisco. on foot, enjoying going through the shops of old town. We wound our day down with a drink at our Friday & Saturday: hotel bar before turning in.

We started the day with what was a great buffet breakfast at our hotel. Our hotel was nice; however, Thursday: our room was very small. So first thing this mornWe started our day with Breakfast at our Hotel. ing, we checked out and went over to the Grand We had purchased a two-day pass on the tour bus, so we got back on. While in Stockholm, you might Deluxe Suite Hotel. The price went up, up, up … but was well worth it. want to check out a few of these sights: While in Oslo, we dined at Café Christiania a Vasa Museum few times, delicious seafood soup. If you’re into Drottningholm Palace Abba – The Museum (everyone on our tour real- Starbucks, like us, you will find plenty of them around Oslo. ly enjoyed this stop) Nordic Museum Oslo is a great city … it is very clean, which we Museum of Medieval (one of our favorites) enjoyed, also such friendly people. If you make it Rosersberg Palace up to Viking country, I can highly suggest stopping Skyview off at a few of these sights: Viking Ship Museum After our tour, our stay in Stockholm wouldn’t Akershus Fortress (a must see) be complete without another round of shopping Nobel Peace Center (where the Nobel Peace and grabbing a bite at the Stockholm Hard Rock Prize is given) Café. Next up would be our flight to Oslo, Norway.

Royal Palace We arrived in Oslo around 8PM. It was a long University Botanical Garden day, so we chose to take a taxi to our hotel. City Oslo Tramway Museum center is a bit distant from the airport, so expect a hefty cab fare... like $240 USD. Our hotel was the First Hotel Grims

Oslo, Norway

Sunday: Our day started with breakfast at our hotel. We then walked to the train station... Remember when I mentioned it was a $240 USD cab fare before?

For both of us to take the train, it was only $29.00 USD … Yes, for both of us! Norway is a beautiful country; however, it’s one of the most expensive.

Today, we flew back to Copenhagen, just a brisk 55-minute flight. We checked in at the Palace Hotel.

We took a short walk over to the Visitors Bureau to book our tour which we planned for the next day.

After that, we had a long leisurely dinner at the delightful restaurant, Il Petal.

Monday: Today, our day started early with breakfast at our hotel. Then off for our Grand Day Trip, which will take until early evening. Our tour stared with our guide Andersen picking us up near the hotel.

Our tour was with four other couples … Andersen was a very thorough guide and spoke English very well.

Our tour for the day included:

Roskilde Cathedral (the astonishing church with burial places of no less than 39 kings and queens) Kronborg Castle (an impressive fortification that guarded the entrance to the Baltic Sea for six centuries, and is where Shakespeare’s Hamlet lived) Frederiksborg Palace (this is the largest and most beautiful renaissance castle in Scandinavia) Viking Ship Museum (modern rebuilt models and excavated original ships from the time when the Vikings conquered much of Western Europe and ruled the North Atlantic) Tuesday: Our last full day was jammed to get in as much as we could. So our day started with breakfast, a quick bite at Starbucks. From there, we joined the Copenhagen Walking Tour, which would be for three hours. Some of our stops along the tour included: Copenhagen Town Hall Tivoli Gardens Danish Royal Palace Hans Christen Andersen Danish Parliament

Academy of Fine Arts Stroget Shopping Mile After our tour, we got back on the “Hop on Bus”.

While in Copenhagen, below are some places you might want to put on your list: Statens Museum for Kunst National Museum of Denmark Copenhagen Opera House Museum Erotica Royal Danish Playhouse We finished our day with what was again a delicious meal, this time at the Restaurant Barock in Copenhagen.

Wednesday: Today’s our day to return home, we admitted we were very much ready to get back. Our non-stop flight was from Copenhagen back to SFO. Our flight was perfect and again we arrived on time. SAS is a great airline to fly, excellent on time schedule and with very courteous attendants.

As always, I suggest paying to upgrade your seating, if you can, it makes a world of difference. Again, a big thank you to Wireless Rides for warmly welcoming us on time at the airport and taking us home.

Scandinavian Splendor … & Many Memorable Smiles, indeed. It was such a great trip and such a wonderful time. We enjoyed sharing it with you.

Until next time …

Copenhagen, Denmark

Europe’s LOW COUNTRY

HIGHLIGHTS

The triumphal arch at the Parc du Cinquantenaire, Brussels.

Story by Rich Borell, CEO & Founder

Hello Everyone, I want to share with you my itinerary from my recent trip to Europe. It was a whirlwind trip traveling to Belgium, Luxembourg, Amsterdam along with Hamburg and Berlin Germany.

We booked our trip 6 weeks in advance using European Destinations Travel Agency. They had a very good website to navigate hotel upgrades and get enough info to plan our trip. We also spoke with one of their senior travel agents to put the final touches with private drivers to pick us up as we arrived in each of our destinations. What we like about them is they are available 24/7 which was a plus for us.

Our trip started early on a Wednesday, with our flight originating from San Jose, our first plane change was in Denver, from Denver we flew to Chicago, then Chicago to Brussels. We had an uneventful flight, taking United Airlines along with their Star Partners. We arrived on time in Brussels the next day at 9:20AM. While in Chicago we checked in with United’s customer service and was able to purchase and upgrade for a modest fee for the long flight to Brussels … very cool.

Thursday: We had a nice driver waiting for us –the drive to our hotel was about 45 minutes. We stayed at the Hotel Metropole in Brussels; a luxury hotel that was once a Palace. The staff at the Metropole were very welcoming, the hotel is in a good location close to major shopping areas, the rooms are good size and very clean.

After lunch we took the hop on hop off bus to get acquainted with the city. Every two years the Grand Place comes alive in Brussels with a stunning flower carpet of begonias. They say there are over 100 volunteers and over a million begonias. This event brings out the locals and is a hot tourist spot.

For dinner we wandered around and checked out various menu’s and ended up at nice local restaurant, we took a table outside so we could

The Atomium, Brussels

do some people watching. I started out with a standard in Brussels, a bucket of mussels and Salmon. Our waitress spoke excellent English who lived in L.A. for a number of years. For dessert, of course, we shared a Belgium Waffle.

Friday: Our day started with breakfast which was included at the hotel. We started out getting back on the hop on trolley with our first destination being the Atomium, which was the main pavilion and icon of the 1958 World Fair.

Representing an iron crystal, magnified 165 billion times; The Atomium offers the only true 360° panoramic view of the 19 municipalities. The whole thing is made up of 9 spheres (one at each of the 8 points and one in the middle) connected by 20 tubes

(12 cube edges plus 2 tubes for the 4 diagonals): the structure rests on 3 pillars (or bipods).

After lunch we walked down to a park located at the foot of the Atomium called “Mini - Europe” Mini-Europe is the only park where you can have a whistle-stop tour around Europe in a few short hours.

A truly unique voyage! Stroll amid the typical ambiance of the most beautiful towns of the Old Continent. While there you can enjoy some great shopping to bring home.

For dinner we decided to check out the all new Hard Rock Café located in the Grand Place. The menu is complete with all your favorites like New York Steak, Twisted Mac, and Chicken & Anne Frank House Museum, Amsterdam Cheese to one of my stand by favorites, Grilled Salmon.

While there, you can enjoy an upscale Flea Market where everyone brought some great rock memorabilia with some pieces their treasures out to sell; it was interesting so from John Lennon, The Sex Pistols, Jimi Hendrix we spent a few hours browsing around. We also and Elvis Presley. bought a pass for the hop on hop off to get a feel of the area. We had a 5:30PM flight out to Saturday: Amsterdam with a brief layover in Munich. Our Our day started out with breakfast at the hotel travel agent suggested flying as opposed to the train before our train to Luxemburg. Our train arrived on to save time, however it would have been nice to time; our driver met us and drove us to the Le Royal see more of the country.

Resort Hotel. Our room was ready; the heat wave Our flight arrived on time around 10Pm we had we left in the U.S. has certainly followed us to Europe. a friendly driver pick us up; our drive was about Luxemburg was pretty warm, in the high 80’s.

30 minutes from the airport. Our driver gave us The hotel is ideally located, if you want to the low down on Amsterdam. We arrived at our walk around downtown to enjoy Plaza D’Armas, hotel around 11PM; fortunately, there were a few shopping on the upscale stores, sightseeing or for upgrades available so for our two nights we were eating at the numerous restaurants in the area. The able to get a nice room. breakfast buffet offers a great variety of choices of While in Amsterdam we stayed at the Convent fruits, cereals and breads etc.

Amsterdam Hotel in one of their suites which Le Royal Hotel comes with a five star Spa if provided ample space and comfort. The room was you’re looking for a great place to relax. There’s very quiet with a view of the street. The staff was also a pool and sauna along with a fitness room. very friendly and polite … nothing was too much Things to check out while in Luxembourg include: trouble. The hotel is centrally located with access to Cathedral Notre-Dame all the major sites and all forms of transport.

William Square Palace of the Grand Dukes Monday: St. Michaels Church Our day started out with breakfast at a nearby Starbucks, and a short walk where we stood in a Sunday: long line to get into the Anne Frank Museum. The We did a lot of walking today, they actually had museum opens at 9AM, if you get there around

8:30 the line goes pretty fast, again, even at 8:30 the line was quite long. If you remember the story of Anne Frank, you will enjoy the museum as there’s a large TV screen in most rooms that offers a narrative of the events.

On display at the museum is the Academy Award Shelley Winters won and later donated to the mueum for her character performance of Petronella van Daan in the Diary of Anne Frank. You can see the award as it’s displayed in a bullet-proof glass case in the museum.

After Anne Franks we found a quiet place for breakfast. After breakfast we – yes found the hop on hop off bus, bought a ticket and journeyed to the Van Gogh Museum.

This museum boasts the world’s largest collection of Vincent Van Gogh which features over 200 paintings and several hundred drawings. If you happen to be there on the weekends, it can get crowded.

Virtually across the street from the Hard Rock was the Heineken Museum. This was a cool attraction and a must see while in Amsterdam.

You get to know everything there is about the history of the Heineken family, how they brew and of course the best part, sampling. It’s about a 90 minute tour from start to end, lots of interactive activities. You also get a couple of drinks included with the price of your ticket.

During the evening after dinner we took in a guided tour of the Red Light District. We had a great time; all I will say is that the Red Light District of Amsterdam leaves nothing to the imagination.

and gives you a great feel of the city, you will stroll through some of the bombed out locations during the WW2. Steve was our tour guide, great personality and very informative. Here are a few places you may want to check out depending upon how much time you have in the area: Emigration Museum Warehouse District St. Michaelis Church Planten un Blomen (beautiful botanical garden) In case you got to Hamburg after Amsterdam and need another fix, there is a Red Light District in Hamburg.

While in Hamburg we stayed at the Marriott City Center. This is a great location as you’re only a few minutes’ walk to shops and some nice restaurants.

The rooms are above average on size, plenty of amenities.

For dinner we ate at the Restaurant Franziskaner. If you’re looking for delicious Bavarian Food, this is the place. The owner was real cool, spoke great English. The waitress thought there was a problem since we hardly touched our food, but it was just that the portions were too much for us. Maybe, we were also a little full from enjoying some shots of Schnapps?

Tuesday: Once again, our day started out at Starbucks, we had until around 2PM in Amsterdam before we took a flight to Hamburg Germany. We did some shopping and finished at one of the “coolest” attractions in Amsterdam.

For around 20 Euros you get to put on a large heavy coat and gloves to step into an ice freezing room with a bar and musical video. The price also includes a free shot of something that was pretty good. Did I mention your seat for the video is an ice block.

Our flight to Hamburg left on time; we had a brief layover in Copenhagen Denmark and enjoyed a nice dinner at the airport.

Thursday & Friday: Today we took the Ice Train which is the best way to travel; the trains are fast and comfortable.

Our trip to Berlin would be a pleasant two hours.

My only recommendation would be that they should have the stops also in English to alter tourists of their destination arrival.

Our driver was on time, met us at the deck and drove us to the Ritz Carlton where we will be spending the final nights of our trip. If you want to travel and really feel pampered trust me, the Ritz Carlton is the way to go.

While in Berlin, you will want to check out and get some pictures at Check Point Charlie. This was the famous crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War. You will also want to check out the Berlin Wall Memorial. The memorial contains the last piece of Berlin Wall with the preserved grounds behind it and is thus able to convey an impression of how the border fortifications developed until the end of the 1980s.

Wednesday: Today, the heat wave finally left and it cooled down with a light rain as we did the “Great Walking Tour” in Hamburg. By the way this is a free offered

by Sandeman Tours. The tour is just over 2 hours

Saturday: Like all vacations, this one was coming to an end. We have a 7:45AM flight from Berlin to Frankfurt, with a short layover then non-stop to Denver and finally back in the Bay Area.

p i r T a s y a w l A the Ages 5 for

NO MATTER WHAT AGE YOU ARE!

Story by Rich Borell, CEO & Founder

R

ecently, my wife and I decided to take a trip to Orlando, Florida, over the summer. We planned to spend a few days at each attraction: The Walt Disney World, Epcot Center, Universal Studios, Animal Kingdom, Disney Studios and Downtown Disney. We also included a day tour to the Kennedy Space Center.

We planned our stay at the Waldorf Astoria for the week. Both the Waldorf and the Hilton Orlando are connected with a world-class convention center, creating a hip oasis in the middle of Orlando’s Theme Park magic. Truly convenient, the hotels are located inside the Disneyworld gates.

The name Waldorf Astoria is synonymous with luxury. If you have ever stayed at the Waldorf in New York, you will see that this Orlando property nicely brings together that New York style with the ever-delightful Floridian charm.

Whether you stay there, or not, I encourage you to dine at its legendary restaurant, Bull & Bear. This restaurant is definitely the area’s most popular go-to restaurant when it comes to fine dining. Along with this fabulous restaurant, be sure to also check out the spa, awardwinning designed golf course, state-of-the-art workout center … and our favorite: your own chic private cabana with a personal server.

Before I go any further, I want to wholeheartedly thank the management for their wonderful hospitality. Here’s the scoop on what I highly recommend: be sure to buy a planning app before you even arrive in Orlando to help you map out your day(s). Indeed, it’s well worthwhile.

Then, you can use the app on your phone, update wait times, re-optimize your schedule, etc. By having a plan, we were able to see every single attraction, including parades and fireworks. The longest we ever waited was 20 minutes. This was in the middle of the summer during peak days.

Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando.

The Magic Kingdom is a great place. This is a good combination of rides and, of course, you have to ride the coasters. The Castle draws everyone’s attention – this is where they play shows with all the characters. Space Mountain is where you must go first. Get yourself a fast pass early before the lines are long.

One of the four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, offers a behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood-style action with live shows, thrilling attractions, backstage tours and star-studded

special events. Feel like the star in your own movie as you romp through the streets and sections of the park that blend together like a large, bustling movie set.

Immerse yourself in the glitz and glamour of the Hollywood heydays from the 1930s and 1940s, captured by the neon, chrome, art deco and modern architecture. Step into the action with exhilarating attractions and experiences inspired by television and silver screen favorites. Go center stage and into the spotlight with the American Idol Experience, stunt shows and more. Collect autographs and pose for photos at special events.

Another cool ride is the Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow and, of course, the Rock n Roller Roller Coaster staring one of my favorites – Aerosmith. When it comes to rides, be sure to check out The Great Movie Ride, the 18-minute tour of some of Hollywood’s most famous films.

Then there’s the 50’s Prime Time Café, which is located at the Disney Hollywood Studios. Bring your appetite and your sense of humor. The theme is Mom’s kitchen circa 1955. There are TV’s throughout the restaurant showing black and white sitcoms, from “Father Knows Best” to the original “Mickey Mouse Club”. You can’t help but smile when you see these blasts from the past.

Everyone is “family”. Your server will introduce you to your “cousins” while giving you warnings to keep your elbows off the table and remind you to eat your vegetables. It’s all in good fun and adds to the unique experience.

There are a lot of 50’s knick-knacks and the dessert menu is on a View master!

For people who have never been here before and who love animals, this is an ultimate great place to visit. We loved the safari ride and the different animals from all around the world that they had. The only downside is that it’s so far away from all the other parks. However, this park is still worth checking out, if you are here.

Disney gives you a unique look at nature and animals through Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Enjoy yourself and take your time in the Animal Kingdom. If you have time to spend extra days at any of the parks, I would recommend doing

The Waldorf Astoria and Hilton Orlando are connected with a world-class convention center.

this park and the Magic Kingdom for more than one day. I would recommend going to the park early or late afternoon. If you are staying at a resort, take advantage of “Extra Magic Hours.”

When you enter the Animal Kingdom, you will walk through what is called “The Oasis”, with animal exhibits, exotic plants, jungle habitat etc.- all of which is really cool. This park is divided into five parts: Discovery Island, Camp Minnie, Camp Mickey, Africa and Rafiki’s Planet.

Outside of the Animal Kingdom, I can recommend the Rainforest Café. Dinner was great; so, too, was the service. It was impeccable and you can also get in some shopping.

This park is fun and there is a lot to do. You can visit the world in less than a day … and the fireworks at night are amazing. From the food to the gift shops, you will have a blast. We were on the go all day and crammed just about everything in! The Future World was great, a few nice little attractions there. I really enjoyed the greenhouse … which is about one living with the land. I had read about ‘Soarin’ and was eager to see what this was. It was excellent.

The more popular rides, such as Soarin and Test Track, have long waits. It would be a good idea to get a fast pass for these, unless you don’t mind waiting an hour or more.

Epcot Center, the world showcase, was

brilliant! It was much better than what I thought it would be. It’s very well done. We really enjoyed going from place to place, different attractions from around the world.

There are different shows going on during the day that are very interesting.

The fireworks/ lights illumination, which start around 9pm, were truly amazing! It’s very well done. We also had a wonderful time eating at Les Chefs de France. Of course, always remember to make a reservation here 2-3 months before you go. But, hey, it’s in Disney, what can you expect? This is one of Epcot’s overlooked gems. Many of the tables overlook the ‘streets’ of France and give you a bird’s eye view of the comings and goings while you enjoy your delicious meal. The tables are covered in crisp white linens, the interior is light and airy and the service is always top notch.

I’m going to first talk about the ambiance. It really does make you feel like you’re dining at some French bistro in Paris. The wait staff is from France, with the accent, and they would speak with you in fluent French if you were to ask them to. When we first arrived, our server brought us French baguettes, and it was really good. Indeed, it was warm, crisp, but soft and fluffy inside. Then I ordered the Salmon dish (with red pepper sauce and chive mashed potato) - it was delicious. The fish was cooked to perfection … I was a real big fan of sauce. It had this light, tangy and tomato-based taste to it and it complemented everything very well.

After being out in the heat and crowds for a few hours, this restaurant in the French section of Epcot was a welcome respite. We were seated promptly, and the service was spot on from the moment we arrived throughout. We could not have enjoyed this experience more.

Downtown Disney, originally the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village, is an outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment complex at the Walt Disney World Resort. This 120 acre shopping, dining, and entertainment complex is loaded with great things to do, and consume, if you’d like to spend a day away from the parks.

Parking is free here.

Downtown Disney is awesome. This place

is what I call a mall outside. It has shopping, dining, and attractions - and you can spend a day here by itself. You must stop here even if you are not going to Disney. There are shows and many places to eat. My favorite part besides the giant pin trader’s tent was the candy store. Who doesn’t love candy? You must stop by Downtown Disney.

There are three main areas here.

Marketplace (East Side), Pleasure Island and West Side. Market Place (or East Side), Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop, Planet Hollywood - Reservations are highly recommended.

Rides are totally awesome. Shopping and food and beverage are nice. Rides not to miss: Harry Potter’s Forbidden Journey, Spider-Man, Poseidon, Popeye (water ride), and Simpson’s.

I’m not into roller coaster rides, but they have several. Also most rides are 4D with special effects … and you also get sprayed with water.

What an amazing park; from the moment you drive up to the park, you tingle, Rip ride rock it (AMAZING), Shrek, Mummy Returns, Simpsons are all great, but TRANSFORMERS is awesome (as the Americans would say), great shows throughout the day, must stay for the show at night - my advice buy a unlimited fast pass for both parks. If you are disciplined, you will ride them all over and over.

The Kennedy Space Center is a must-see attraction if you are visiting the Orlando area.

It’s about a two hour drive. We were very fortune to attend a lecture by Astronaut Sam Durrance, who flew on many Space Shuttle missions.

There are two museums there - including one that houses the actual Atlantis that went to space - with lots of information to educate you on the space program. There are two IMAX movies that will take you back into history. Be sure to make the Atlantis exhibition part of your plans.

The gift shop will have a lot of cool stuff – plus, lots of good places to eat. I also want to extend my thanks to the management at the Kennedy Space Center for making our visit such an enjoyable and memorable one.

SPOTLIGHT ON TRAVEL

r o d n e l p S & y t u a e B The that is Old Europe Prague

WHERE SIGHTSEEING IS A MAJESTIC WALTZ

By Rich Borell Hello Everyone, I wanted to share some of our recent adventures as my wife and I enjoyed what was a wonderful visit to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Austria.

If you are planning a visit to Prague, Bratislava or Budapest you can definitely cover a lot by walking. Vienna is a larger city, so you will need other forms of transportation to get around.

buildings. We continually caught ourselves saying to each other: “check out that building!”, because everywhere we looked, everything was so unique. The city was like an architectural museum, very much older Europe.

Here’s a brief list of some places you want to be sure to see while in Prague: • Charles Bridge • Prague Castle • Old Town Square • Church of St. Nicholas • Stalin Monument

Prague Let’s start with Prague. As we walked around (and I DO mean WALKED … yes, about 7miles per day) you will be mesmerized by historic

The heart of Prague, Old Town, is filled with many houses, churches and other structures dating back to the 13th century. When visiting, be sure to include the Old Town Hall

and Astronomical Clock, the Carolinum, the Municipal House and the Estates Theater.

Located in the center of Prague is a vibrant square surrounded by baroque buildings, lively cafes, street entertainers and craftspeople.

Situated at the Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral is the most important and largest church in Prague. The cathedral is the burial place of the former Czech kings and a home of the Czech Crown Jewels. You definitely want to include this stop when planning your itinerary.

Connecting the Old Town with Lesser Town, this popular pedestrian bridge is filled with musicians, painters, vendors and tourists during the summertime. Here you will be able to take some great pictures.

Once the initial charm of Prague has sunk in –I encourage you to take a trip to the Castle District and be even more amazed with some awesome sights.

This fairy tale castle on a hill overlooking the Vltava River is the most popular sight in the city, reflecting the city’s “Bohemian Baroque” architecture. The seat of Czech rulers for

Bratislava

1,000 years, today it houses the office of the President. Contained within the castle walls are three courtyards, beautiful gardens, shops, and restaurants. St. Vitus Cathedral, a Gothic landmark of the city since 926, that has always been the center of Prague’s religious and political life, is in this giant castle.

Bratislava Next we took the train to Bratislava, Slovakia.

I suggest purchasing a first-class ticket; it’s more comfortable and less crowded for your four hour journey. The first-class ticket will also get you access to the business lounge where you can relax and enjoy complimentary beverages and snacks before you depart. You will also be able to get assistance taking you to your train and loading your luggage up. Keep in mind … not a lot of English is spoken in these parts.

Here’s a brief list of some places you want to be sure to see while in Bratislava: • Bratislava Castle • Michael’s Gate • Primate’s Palace

Budapest

Old Town, Bratislava, was a delightful surprise to both of us … lots of shops, museums to see. One item I suggest seeing is the St. James Chapel. It’s the oldest sacral medieval structure in Bratislava. Be sure to take a walk downstairs.

A must-see on your trip is the Bratislava Castle. The castle was originally built as a frontier post for the Roman Empire; a later version was built by King Sigismund in the 15th century.

This castle burnt down in 1811, leaving only ruins … and it took until 1956-68 for the castle to be rebuilt to its current format. The castle is located on a hill overlooking the River Danube, the southern-most hill of the Small Carpathian Mountains. There are two ways to walk up to the castle - up Beblaveho Street from the Old Town or from Mudronova Street by the Slovak Parliament building up at the hill. You will find a museum along with a restaurant that has a full service bar. Weather permitting, I suggest eating outside and enjoying the beautiful views of the Danube.

Budapest Our next train ride was just a little over two

hours and took us to the brightest jewel on the Danube: Budapest, Hungary. Budapest was created in 1873 from the separate towns of Buda, Pest and Obuda. Its population of two million resides in 23 districts.

Here’s a brief list of some places you want to be sure to see while in Budapest: • Buda Castle • Chain Bridge • Hungarian Parliament Building • St. Stephen’s Basilica • House of Terror We both felt Budapest is one of the most beautiful cities we have ever seen. Since we have traveled through Europe extensively, that says a lot. Between the view from Fisherman’s Bastion, the Matthais Coronation Church and the nighttime view of the five lighted bridges and Parliament Building, it’s a must tour … and, if you have time in the evening, so, too, is a cruise along the Danube a must.

We were very impressed with Budapest being the largest city and capital of Hungary. It’s clean, feels safe and it’s also very easy to get around by foot … and, best of all, the people of Budapest

speak good English. The cost of eating out is look into when planning your trip to Eastern inexpensive, with lots of options. There are also Europe. many Hungarian wines and beers to choose from.

Mamaison Suite Palace Hotel Prague: Vienna The hotel is clean and the hotel staff Our final two hour train ride took us to extremely polite and helpful. They were able to Vienna, Austria. The historic center of Vienna is help us with all our queries concerning tours and rich in beautiful architecture, including Baroque restaurants … and recommendations made by castles and gardens, as well as the late-19ththem all turned out fantastic for us. century Ringstrasse, that is lined with grand You can book your tours through them; buildings, monuments and parks. however, keep in mind they will charge, I believe, Here’s a brief list of some places you want to a 10% add-on fee; however, well worth it. be sure to see while in Vienna: You are within three minutes of walking and • Schonbrunn Palace being at the Charles Bridge.

• Hofburg Palace Choose a large or junior suite on the upper • St. Stephen’s Cathedral floors so you can have a great view of the river.

• Millennium Tower • Historic Center of Vienna Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel, Bratislava: Nice hotel located in Old Town. Pleasant staff, The most important fine arts museum in very good breakfast. Good views, you can see Vienna is the Kunsthistorisches Museum. It is not only the Hviezdoslav Square, but also the one of the most impressive museum buildings of Castle. the 19th century. The architects were Gottfried The old city center is a one minute walk Semper and Carl von Hasenauer and it opened away. The River Danube is two minutes away. in 1891. The museum shows the art collection of Overall the hotel has a welcoming and warm the Habsburg Dynasty, collected over centuries. atmosphere. Staff is happy to help, and most On the stairway going to the second floor is the speak very good English. Rooms are spacious sculpted group of Canova, Theseus Slaying the and clean.

Minotaur.

The number one tourist attraction of Vienna Marriott Budapest: is St. Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom), This property is beautifully located on the located at Stephansplatz, and is the most Danube - has the best staff and just the best important Catholic Church in Vienna. It has attention to detail. We were very impressed. a multi-colored tile roof with a diamond Rooms are typical Marriott, perhaps slightly pattern and two tall towers which are the most more spacious than in the average property. If recognizable symbols of the city. you qualify for the executive lounge, this is an If visiting museums is at the top of your list, excellent amenity. Not only is the view great you won’t be disappointed in Vienna. but breakfast and evening hors d’oeuvres were I will briefly mention, if you do decide to visit ample and of a good variety. the Mauthausen-Gusen Concentration Camp, it’s about an hour train ride outside of Vienna … be Marriott Vienna: sure to schedule a private tour. Not much English The staff at the hotel was all very helpful and is spoken in this town. the rooms were comfortable and clean as you A word regarding currency: Austria and would expect.

Slovakia use Euro’s; however, the Czech Republic The hotel has a great location, within walking has their own called Czech Koruna, and Hungary distance to all of the major sites and near two uses the Hungarian Forint. Don’t worry, it’s metro stops. not that confusing, and if you have an iPhone, The breakfast was good, a big spread with there’s an app that does everything for you. fantastic quality.

Before I wrap this up, I wanted to suggest If it sounds like a delightful trip, it was. a few hotel accommodations you may want to Until next time … Bon Voyage!

| | BODY & SOUL

Gaining ‘satisficience’

By Jan Hutchins Former News Anchor and Mayor of Los Gatos Zensun30@gmail.com

S

atisficient, a created word meaning a combination of satisfying and efficient. An antidote to perfectionism…

I intend you have an experience of satisficience and need your cooperation. Please read only these first few words using your mind. Instead, shift your attention into your body. Make it your intention to experience these words as something happening in your heart and belly rather than your head.

None of what is to come is for your mind.

I invite you to breathe and enact this word, RELAX, until you do actually relax some.

I imagine living in a culture where almost everyone is anxious, at least slightly dissatisfied and repressing something, so before we do anything else, let’s relax. I also imagine you are busy trying to get, do and/or be something and reading this article is a diversion from that “need”. Thank you for your time and attention! I hallucinate that the distance, or difference between here and now, with all it’s so-called “problems”, and being or having the things you want or reaching the goals you’ve set is the very definition of stress. These words are meant to be a means of easing the anxiety, stress, urge to control that come with the territory here in our Silicon Valley rush toward imagined (or actual) success and riches.

I’m checking into our connection after doing what I’m inviting you to try. I’m feel-

ing relaxed as I write. I feel lots of joy imagining you experiencing this. I feel frustrated we’re not in the same space so I could see you and guide you.

I am comfortable if this is not your medicine and you move forward “as stressed as I damn well am, thank you”.

If you’re still with me, try relaxing again but this time allow an even deeper release with each exhale. You might feel like you’re deflating yourself, like you’re letting the air out of a balloon, releasing the pressure that keeps it stretched out of it’s natural shape. Like the balloon, we’re festive when we’re all puffed up with effort and ego playing our roles in this modern day gold rush.

In my desire to survive and thrive, fear of failure arises and I become artificially happy, even festive, in an attempt to hide my fear and vulnerability from you and even from myself. Puffing myself up to hide being so stretched by the strain I’m about to burst is a way of life in our worlds.

With each exhale continue relaxing layers of tension out of, or perhaps it will feel like off of, your body.

When the next thing; the call, meeting, encounter, emotion, thought comes, see if you can meet it with a little relaxation, first.

Some awareness you are actually breathing, next.

Try that “relax and breathe” thing again and this time add a pause between the exhale and inhale. Repeat a few times until you get your face to relax a little, releasing tension from the forehead, jaw, tongue, eyes as you exhale, continuing to let it tension drop from your body and mind during the pause.

Start to allow the pause between the breaths to be at the top of the inhale and at the bottom of the exhale so you rest and relax, inhaling, pausing, exhaling, pausing as you gently slow down and find your way energetically to the ground.

If you’re actually trying this, “You’re welcome!”

I imagine I have your attention and you’re experiencing or being reminded of an alternate reality.

Silence, stillness, enlightenment without words are available in these spaces. Enjoy and play for a while then come back when you imagine you’re ready for more.

I imagine energy being birthed in my belly and rising up in me as I inhale. Try it a few times. I source it from the sensitive areas at the bottom of my torso, my genitals, anus and the area between.

More on this delicate subject in my next article. I cannot overestimate the power waiting for you in this part of the body. So relax and breathe, lifting energy up from the bottom of your torso and pausing at both ends of the process until how you think and feel, your thoughts about what is happening,

your “story” in your head, becomes less interesting than playing with the vertical power residing in the energies this squeeze releases. Women might recognize this squeeze as the exercise recommended to help them be better lovers, men are taught to do this to keep their Prostate healthy.

Either way, this as a vitality pump that not only produces energy but a sense of self-confidence and lightness in the body.

This combination of pause breathing and conscious lifting of energy up from the bottom of the body are key elements in the practice of yoga and provide those of us striving to be, get and become with a convenient, free, technique to bring ease and acceptance, body wisdom and freedom from being controlled by anxiety. Practice this in moderation. Stop if it’s at all uncomfortable. It should be pleasurable almost beyond imagination. Discuss with your yoga teacher the nuances of this technique and/or contact me or this publication with feedback about your experience.

Carly Cleverly

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Finding YOUR Place in the World: Selecting a Major for the Future I applied to the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University as an incoming freshman, guided by my father’s insistence that a business degree would secure me in an ambitious career after graduation.

Unfortunately I was waitlisted, along with the vast amount of other young students with the same thinking influencing their decisions. I then switched into the College of Arts and Sciences, with a slight triumph, since I would now be able to pursue a major of my own liking. I have always loved the humanities subjects in school and knew that I would flourish in a degree such as History, English or Psychology.

Now looking back as a recent graduate, I am entirely grateful that I was able to strengthen my critical thinking and writing skills through English because

these abilities are versatile and can be used in any career. It is with dismay that I reflect on the decline of humanities majors, due to this transitional view that undergraduate majors must connect with potential careers. On the whole, I believe that my major has been better rounded and unbounded, liberated from the restricting core requirements of a business major which has little room to explore outside of their major. It is my advice to new college students that they select a major that they find sincere interest in and can enjoy. I was able to succeed in my major because I love literature and writing. If at all possible, try to deter from these ways of thinking that discourage majors that may not have obvious connections to careers.

Anyone is at risk of homelessness.

Everyone deserves a decent place to live.

HomeFirst helps people find and keep permanent housing.

With your support, we can end homelessness.

www.HomeFirstSCC.org

Senior service agencies

getting creative

In Silicon Valley, approximately one-fifth of the population is 65 and older. This figure will jump to one-infour by the year 2030. While we have all heard about the demographic “age wave,” what is less known is that half of adults 60 and older in Santa Clara County (50%) live below the Elder Economic Standard Index (EESI), an area-specific measure of poverty, according to the latest report from Council on Aging.

Right now, many benefit programs only serve individuals that meet the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) - a cost of living at about $1000 per month. While 25% of seniors fall under the FPL, an additional 25% live below the EESI, a more accurate measure of poverty, leaving them in ‘the eligibility gap.’

Local senior service agencies are coming up with creative solutions to engage the community in helping their neighbors. For the past two years, The Health Trust partnered with Council on Aging to engage 90 volunteers and 270 agencies to inform 28,000 adults 50+ of local resources and keys to healthy aging. Resources highlighted included free and income-based local programs for health, fall prevention, housing, transportation, in-home support, caregiver support and food and meal programs.

Volunteer ‘Health Champions’ connected with faith communities, libraries, health clinics, senior lunch programs, ethnic sites, after-school programs, hospitals, the Veterans Administration, and more.

Silicon Valley is one of the wealthiest areas

in the nation, but at least one-half of our seniors have a myriad of unmet needs. ‘Healthy Steps’ is one of many volunteer opportunities to help ensure that older adults spend more years in good health and engaged as vital members of our community. How can you help to make this a place where we can all age with dignity and health?

For more information about how to get involved, please contact: Pauline de Lange, MA Health Promotion Coordinator The Health Trust in partnership with Council on Aging paulined@healthtrust.org (o) 408-879-4105

WWW.BAYAREAMAGS.COM IS A PROUD SPONOSOR OF BAY AREA NON PROFITS

THE LOCAL STATE How high will mortgage rates rise in 2016?

Will the local market stall if rates go too high in Silicon Valley?

Is 2016 going to be a seller’s or buyer’s market in Silicon Valley?

No one knows for sure but after a couple of years of the Federal Reserve being wishy washy on rates I think they are finally ready to move which is really a good thing. It means they are comfortable with where

no significant change

the economy is today and where they think Tom Tognoli the economy is going to Founder, President & CEO be in the foreseeable fu- Intero Real Estate Services, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate ture. If there were con(408) 342-3001 cerns about the future InteroRealEstate.com they would not be raising rates. I think we may see mortgage rates as much as 1/2 of a percent higher by the end of the year.

Regarding the local market stalling, I don’t think so. One thing to remember is there is a lot of discretionary wealth in the Silicon Valley. Probably more so than almost any other place in the country. I do think that rates could potentially effect affordability but what I think most buyers will do is start to opt for 3, 5, 7 and 10 year fixed rate mortgages or adjustable rate mortgages with lower rates over the 30 year fixed that has been so popular with the low interest rates over the last several years. Keep in mind that historically the Silicon Valley housing market has followed in lock step with the stock market. So…as the stock market goes the housing market typically goes and vice versa. I do think that the rate of appreciation will begin to slow down a bit but as long as companies like Apple, Google, Facebook, LinkedIn and the like are growing and expanding and bringing more people into the Bay Area prices can’t go anyplace but up. The good and bad part about Silicon Valley is we are land locked with mountains and water. Unless someone can figure out a way to get people from the East Bay or South Bay to the Silicon Valley in less than 2 hours each way during commute time, demand in the Silicon Valley is going to continue to remain strong for the foreseeable future.

Silicon Valley will continue with a healthy market in 2016 and will likely occur within the business economy.

In Santa Clara County in 2015, we saw higher closed sales in both units and dollar volume than in 2014, while inventory continued to decline.* Even with new listings coming in at the beginning of the New Year, if the trend from 2015 continues, low inventory

Rainy Hake Executive Vice President & COO

Alain Pinel Realtors (408) 741-1111 apr.com

will remain a challenge and will add to buyer frustration as demand outweighs supply. Although the foreign investor surge has diminished to some extent, there is still a strong pool of buyers, mostly from China and the local technology sector. Interest rates are anticipated to rise, but not enough to dramatically affect the market to any great extent. The coming year will likely mirror what we just experienced this past fall, with one to three offers being the norm and only the best properties in prime locations experiencing the frenzied multiple offer presentations. Most think we will see lower single digit appreciation for the year – although real estate continues to be a good long term investment. New construction and mixed-use will continue to grow in Silicon Valley and several residential projects are in progress for the year to come. Development is happening at a slower pace than needed, aiding in pent up demand and therefore buyer fatigue. Moving forward, we are anticipating a traditional spring market with limited housing supply and consistent consumer demand. *Source: TrendGraphix Market Snapshot – Santa Clara County, All Properties, 2015 YTD vs. 2014 YTD

OF REAL ESTATE 2016 Do foreign buyers still see Real Estate in the San Francisco Bay Area as ideal havens for their money?Will this phenomenon continue to grow?

Will the elements that drove market prices in 2015 be with us in 2016?

2015 was another very strong year for foreign investment in U.S. real estate, especially here in the Bay Area and particularly from Asian buyers.

The dollar volume of all foreign investment in the U.S. reached $104

on the record low avail-

billion for the 12 months ended March 2015, up Mike James 13 percent from the President same period a year ago, Coldwell Banker Residential according to the Nation- Brokerage al Association of REAL- (925) 275-3085 TORS®. More than half CaliforniaMoves.com of that investment went to California and three other states – Florida, Arizona and Texas. No one knows for sure exactly how much foreign investment there is in the Bay Area housing market, but anecdotal evidence from our agents and managers in the field tell me it is substantial. And it’s probably not surprising, considering the fact that the Bay Area has long been one of the most sought after housing markets for Chinese investors and other offshore buyers.

Asian buyers and other international investors are attracted by the strength of our local economy, particularly the tech sector in Silicon Valley. They also favor the stability of the U.S. political and financial systems, our strong schools and world-class universities like Stanford and Cal, solid appreciation on homes in the Bay Area, and the relatively affordable prices - yes “affordable” - compared to many other major cities around the world. If you have any doubt about just how fast Chinese and other Asian investment is growing in the U.S., consider a recent NAR study that found Chinese buyers were the number one international investors in U.S. real estate over the past year with $28.6 billion in sales volume, nearly three times the number two country, Canada. As recently as six years ago, Canadian investment in the U.S. market was more than double China’s, which also ranked behind India and the U.K. and was at the same level as Mexico.

Reflecting back on our 2015 forecast, we focused a great deal able supply of real estate inventory in Silicon Valley.

Real estate has always been driven by the laws of supply and demand. Just when it seemed implausible that inventory levels could decline any further, January of 2015 experienced the lowest level of available properties as far back as records have been documented.

While we anticipated continued and relatively low

Chris Trapani Founder & CEO Sereno Group (650) 947-2901 serenogroup.com

inventory for 2015, it would have been difficult to predict that we would be closing out this year with fewer available properties than during the same period of 2014. At this point, it’s reasonably predictable to confirm that January 2016 will eclipse all prior records of low residential real estate inventory levels in Silicon Valley.

Frankly, with such little inventory it would take little demand to buoy such a market.

Nevertheless, given what we expect will be a remarkable lack of available properties early in this coming New Year, when met with peaking seasonal demand in the first two quarters of 2016, the result will be further appreciation of Silicon Valley property values.

More sellers may be wondering how long this upward appreciation cycle will continue and if they are hoping to time the market and maximize gains of these recent years, may finally be motivated to sell. One theory would be that sellers who have on the horizon a goal of selling and either downsizing or relocating out of the area within the next few years, could become more active this coming year. The move up market has also been constrained as low supply has a compounding effect since most people prefer not to sell until they find a suitable replacement property.

We do hope that inventory loosens and more supply becomes available to meet demand in 2016. It would be healthy to see a larger percentage of first time and move-up home buyers participating in the Silicon Valley market. Whatever the case may be, Silicon Valley will surely be an exciting place to be and own real estate in 2016!

THE LOCAL STATE How high will mortgage rates rise in 2016?

Will the local market stall if rates go too high in Silicon Valley?

Is 2016 going to be a seller’s or buyer’s market in Silicon Valley?

No one knows for sure but after a couple of years of the Federal Reserve being wishy washy on rates I think they are finally ready to move which is really a good thing. It means they are comfortable with where

no significant change

the economy is today and where they think Tom Tognoli the economy is going to Founder, President & CEO be in the foreseeable fu- Intero Real Estate Services, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate ture. If there were con(408) 342-3001 cerns about the future InteroRealEstate.com they would not be raising rates. I think we may see mortgage rates as much as 1/2 of a percent higher by the end of the year.

Regarding the local market stalling, I don’t think so. One thing to remember is there is a lot of discretionary wealth in the Silicon Valley. Probably more so than almost any other place in the country. I do think that rates could potentially effect affordability but what I think most buyers will do is start to opt for 3, 5, 7 and 10 year fixed rate mortgages or adjustable rate mortgages with lower rates over the 30 year fixed that has been so popular with the low interest rates over the last several years. Keep in mind that historically the Silicon Valley housing market has followed in lock step with the stock market. So…as the stock market goes the housing market typically goes and vice versa. I do think that the rate of appreciation will begin to slow down a bit but as long as companies like Apple, Google, Facebook, LinkedIn and the like are growing and expanding and bringing more people into the Bay Area prices can’t go anyplace but up. The good and bad part about Silicon Valley is we are land locked with mountains and water. Unless someone can figure out a way to get people from the East Bay or South Bay to the Silicon Valley in less than 2 hours each way during commute time, demand in the Silicon Valley is going to continue to remain strong for the foreseeable future.

Silicon Valley will continue with a healthy market in 2016 and will likely occur within the business economy.

In Santa Clara County in 2015, we saw higher closed sales in both units and dollar volume than in 2014, while inventory continued to decline.* Even with new listings coming in at the beginning of the New Year, if the trend from 2015 continues, low inventory

Rainy Hake Executive Vice President & COO

Alain Pinel Realtors (408) 741-1111 apr.com

will remain a challenge and will add to buyer frustration as demand outweighs supply. Although the foreign investor surge has diminished to some extent, there is still a strong pool of buyers, mostly from China and the local technology sector. Interest rates are anticipated to rise, but not enough to dramatically affect the market to any great extent. The coming year will likely mirror what we just experienced this past fall, with one to three offers being the norm and only the best properties in prime locations experiencing the frenzied multiple offer presentations. Most think we will see lower single digit appreciation for the year – although real estate continues to be a good long term investment. New construction and mixed-use will continue to grow in Silicon Valley and several residential projects are in progress for the year to come. Development is happening at a slower pace than needed, aiding in pent up demand and therefore buyer fatigue. Moving forward, we are anticipating a traditional spring market with limited housing supply and consistent consumer demand. *Source: TrendGraphix Market Snapshot – Santa Clara County, All Properties, 2015 YTD vs. 2014 YTD

OF REAL ESTATE 2016 Do foreign buyers still see Real Estate in the San Francisco Bay Area as ideal havens for their money?Will this phenomenon continue to grow?

Will the elements that drove market prices in 2015 be with us in 2016?

2015 was another very strong year for foreign investment in U.S. real estate, especially here in the Bay Area and particularly from Asian buyers.

The dollar volume of all foreign investment in the U.S. reached $104

on the record low avail-

billion for the 12 months ended March 2015, up Mike James 13 percent from the President same period a year ago, Coldwell Banker Residential according to the Nation- Brokerage al Association of REAL- (925) 275-3085 TORS®. More than half CaliforniaMoves.com of that investment went to California and three other states – Florida, Arizona and Texas. No one knows for sure exactly how much foreign investment there is in the Bay Area housing market, but anecdotal evidence from our agents and managers in the field tell me it is substantial. And it’s probably not surprising, considering the fact that the Bay Area has long been one of the most sought after housing markets for Chinese investors and other offshore buyers.

Asian buyers and other international investors are attracted by the strength of our local economy, particularly the tech sector in Silicon Valley. They also favor the stability of the U.S. political and financial systems, our strong schools and world-class universities like Stanford and Cal, solid appreciation on homes in the Bay Area, and the relatively affordable prices - yes “affordable” - compared to many other major cities around the world. If you have any doubt about just how fast Chinese and other Asian investment is growing in the U.S., consider a recent NAR study that found Chinese buyers were the number one international investors in U.S. real estate over the past year with $28.6 billion in sales volume, nearly three times the number two country, Canada. As recently as six years ago, Canadian investment in the U.S. market was more than double China’s, which also ranked behind India and the U.K. and was at the same level as Mexico.

Reflecting back on our 2015 forecast, we focused a great deal able supply of real estate inventory in Silicon Valley.

Real estate has always been driven by the laws of supply and demand. Just when it seemed implausible that inventory levels could decline any further, January of 2015 experienced the lowest level of available properties as far back as records have been documented.

While we anticipated continued and relatively low

Chris Trapani Founder & CEO Sereno Group (650) 947-2901 serenogroup.com

inventory for 2015, it would have been difficult to predict that we would be closing out this year with fewer available properties than during the same period of 2014. At this point, it’s reasonably predictable to confirm that January 2016 will eclipse all prior records of low residential real estate inventory levels in Silicon Valley.

Frankly, with such little inventory it would take little demand to buoy such a market.

Nevertheless, given what we expect will be a remarkable lack of available properties early in this coming New Year, when met with peaking seasonal demand in the first two quarters of 2016, the result will be further appreciation of Silicon Valley property values.

More sellers may be wondering how long this upward appreciation cycle will continue and if they are hoping to time the market and maximize gains of these recent years, may finally be motivated to sell. One theory would be that sellers who have on the horizon a goal of selling and either downsizing or relocating out of the area within the next few years, could become more active this coming year. The move up market has also been constrained as low supply has a compounding effect since most people prefer not to sell until they find a suitable replacement property.

We do hope that inventory loosens and more supply becomes available to meet demand in 2016. It would be healthy to see a larger percentage of first time and move-up home buyers participating in the Silicon Valley market. Whatever the case may be, Silicon Valley will surely be an exciting place to be and own real estate in 2016!

Northern California Chapter 2015-2016

Gordy Soltau 1925-2014

NFL Alumni

Salvation Army

The Chapter teamed up with the Salvation Army’s Redwood City branch to distribute food for the holidays. Hundreds of local families were provided meals at the facility. Many local companies and stores contributed the groceries for these meals.. The Chapter collaborates annually with the Salvation Army to serve families and continue giving in the holiday spirit.

Henry “Model T” Ford, Allan Kennedy

NFL Alumni

George Mark Children’s House The NFL Alumni Northern California Chapter enjoys visiting local Children’s hospitals throughout the year. A long-standing tradition is bringing toys, games, and teddy bears to children and their families at Oakland’s Children’s Hospital. Additionally this year, the Chapter visited the George Mark Children’s House in San Leandro, where they were touched by the strength of the children.

Many thanks to Gary Weaver, Henry “Model T’ Ford, Michael Hooper, Larry Schreiber, Todd Lewis, Dave Casper, Chapter Secretary Pierre Spear, and NFL Alumni supporter John Valentine.

Charities NFL Alumni is proud to support these outstanding organizations that do so much to enrich the lives of youth in Northern California.

Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame

National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame

American Heart Association Mount Madonna School Athletic Program March of Dimes Peninsula Council of Lions Clubs Las Lomas Football Foundation Concord High School Band Boosters Joe DiMaggio League NAACP San Bruno Junior Giants San Mateo Junior Giants St. Pius School Peninsula Bay Chapter of the Links The Ted Hendricks Foundation Jewish Sports Hall of Fame Salvation Army San Mateo Police Athletic League Fatherhood Collaborative Soul Stroll Rotary Club of San Bruno Job Train Wender Weis Foundation For Children Afro - American Cultural And Historical Society, Inc. Oak Grove Youth Football Domini Hoskins Black History Museum George Mark Childrens House Silicon Valley Rugby Football Club Operation Dream (SFPD) Gold Star Parents Strides For Life Colon Cancer Prevention Multi-Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame

We are grateful to our wonderful sponsors for their support in our mission of Caring for Kids Jelly Belly Candy Company Peterbuilt Oakland Raiders Mark Davis Sanmina David Wright Rick Lozoya & Janice Claridge Children of Warriors YoDerm Jackson Rancheria Verifyle Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame Harry’s Hofbrau Keypoint Credit Union Duffy’s American Asphalt Maloney Security Straw Hat Pizza Whipple Auto Body Saags Sausage Shasta R.J. Dailey Construction Company Arthur & Carlyse Ciocca Foundation Wente Vinyards GLW Associates Len Rohde Hyundai Roto Rooter Manco, Inc. Sprig Electric St Francis Electric Magnum Drywall Saddle Rack Campanella Corporation Mark Jurich Gallina LLP Accuvant RDL Construction

WACA James V. Barnett Spicy Vines Ernie Co. Body Armor Pierre Buljan Group Rock the Casa Gordon Biersch Dennis Sanfilippo Autovino United States Marine Corp Color Guard United States Navy Color Guard Aryana Healthcare Physician Providers Tahoe Cottage Inn Carpaccio Sun Dance Eagle VInes Golf CLub Los Lagos Golf Course Las Positas Golf Course Half Moon Bay Golf Links Hidden Brooke PF Changs Kincaids Jack’s Car Wash The Office Go Kart Racer MoMo’s Dailey Construction Company Norcal Events Ted Stokes The City of Redwood City Oakland Flyers LLC Hengehuld Trucks Hooters The Cobblers Lake Chabot Golf Links The Golf Club at Roddy Ranch

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