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September 2013 Recycle Lafayette – New Campaign Targets 75% Waste Diversion
Serving the Lafayette Community Gold Coast Chamber Players Celebrate 15th Season in Lafayette
By Fran Miller
If you looked closely you may have noticed four college students walking around downtown Lafayette this past summer. They were four summer interns offering free assistance to local businesses to start or expand their recycling programs. This was the first big step in a new campaign, called “Recycle Lafayette,” whose goal is to reach a 75% waste diversion rate. Lafayette has come a long way since California passed a law in 1989 that required each county and city to divert 50% of its wastestream to recycling by 2000. Since then L a f a y e t t e ’s diversion rate has climbed from below 30% to 58% in 2011. Even with all the progress there are still critical problems that Lafayette residents should care about. The biggest issue is that we are still sending over Three of the four summer interns taking a tour of the Davis Street Transfer 20,000 tons of Station in San Leandro where our residential recyclables go. The interns from left to right are Nicole Nevin, Chris Sallstrom, and Michael Shea. trash to Keller Landfill in Pittsburgh every year. Trucking all that trash away is costly and noisy, and when it sits at the landfill it produces methane (a potent greenhouse gas), takes natural resources out of circulation, and can pollute ground water with toxic chemicals. Because of those and other issues, many cities and counties are now shooting for a higher recycling rate. For example, Alameda County has targeted 75% waste diversion and is almost there. San Francisco is leading the nation, diverting 80% of its waste from landfills, and now the city is targeting zero waste. We are in the midst of an exciting and important transition from zero recycling towards zero waste! In 2011 the City of Lafayette set its own goal to divert 75% of its waste and try to become the first city in Contra Costa County to reach that level. The campaign that has emerged involves Sustainable Lafayette, The City of Lafayette, Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, Lafayette School District, and Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority. All groups were present as the campaign was unveiled at the Lafayette Library after a screening of the movie Trashed on July 18th. The four summer interns focused on the downtown this summer because only about 23% of Lafayette’s business/commercial waste is recycled, which leaves a huge opportunity for improvement. The interns reached out to Lafayette businesses up and down Mt. Diablo Blvd. to discuss the cost savings and environmental benefits of recycling, to help them start or expand their recycling activities, and to raise awareness and participation in free programs, such as the Food Recycling
Gold Coast Chamber Players (GCCP) has brought the finest in chamber music performances to the San Francisco Bay Area since 1987. This year, GCCP celebrates its 15th anniversary in Lafayette, where the highly acclaimed group has found an ideal home at the Lafayette Library’s Community Hall.
“Quintett” musicians of GCCP
Named by the Contra Costa Times as “Best East Bay Chamber Group,” GCCP provides a unique listening experience for audiences of all musical backgrounds. GCCP’s internationally renowned musicians have performed in concert venues throughout the world; many core
See GCCP continued on page 24
Saturday, September 21st 10-7 PM Sunday, September 22nd 10-6 PM Downtown Lafayette
Lafayette Art & Wine Festival
al 18th annu
For a fun and free event, don’t miss the “Best of the FREE East Bay” Lafayette Art & Wine Festival. T BAR The Festival, Contra Costa County’s biggest “End-ofthe Summer Party,” now in its 18th year, is held in beautiful downtown Lafayette. A family and dog-friendly San Francisco Bay Area regional event, the Festival attracts 100,000+ people of all ages every year. The Festival is scheduled for Saturday, September 21st (10AM -7PM) and Sunday, September 22nd (10AM -6PM). Admission is FREE, and free parking is available at the Lafayette BART station, with free shuttle service from that parking lot and free Secure Valet Bike parking. •Admission
Take
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•Parking at BART
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•Shuttle to event
21 & 22
•Bike Valet Parking
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• ZEBOP • THE SUN KINGS • AJA VU • EAST BAY MUDD • BOB ATHAYDE & FRIENDS • THE SPAZMATICS • OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY • THE VOLTONES • ANNIE SAMPSON • SPIN OUT • COVER 2 COVER • RED HOUSE ALLSTARS • JUICE • PETTY THEFT • FLEETWOOD MASK • MERSEY BEACH • SAVANNAH BLUE • CHUBBY’S ALLSTARS • DOMINANT 7 Presenting Sponsor
Green Festival Sponsor
Local Postal Customer
PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit 21 Lafayette, CA
ECRWSS
Festival Sponsor
Logo Usage Guidelines March 2008
Minuteman Press Lafayette
6100 State Farm Drive
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
Minuteman Press Lafayette
www.lafayettefestival.com
www.facebook.com/lafayettefestival
See Recycle continued on page 11
Festival Sponsor
@friendly chamber #LafFest
6100 State Farm Drive
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
See Festival continued on page 16
LLLCF Distinguished Speaker Series
Presents New York Times Bestselling Author Joyce Maynard As part of its Distinguished Speaker Series, the Lafayette Library and Learning Center Foundation welcomes New York Times bestselling author Joyce Maynard on Tuesday, October 22nd at 6:30pm in the Library's Community Hall. Maynard, a Bay Area resident, has been a reporter for the New York Times, a magazine journalist, a radio commentator, and a syndicated columnist. She is the author of 15 books and is most known for her works of memoir and fiction. Her novel Labor Day has been adapted
See Maynard continued on page 17
Volume VII - Number 9 3000F Danville Blvd #117 Alamo, CA 94507 Telephone (925) 405-6397 Fax (925) 406-0547 editor@yourmonthlypaper.com Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher
The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do not necessarily reflect that of Lafayette Today. Lafayette Today is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.
Page 2 - September 2013 ~ Lafayette Today
Openings on the Board of Trustees of the Lafayette Library and Learning Center Foundation Community Members Invited to Apply
The Library Foundation Board of Trustees: • Have fiduciary responsibility for managing Foundation assets • Develop/implement a major fundraising plan and grant program • Oversee non-County library budget, operations and staff • Coordinate activities of the Glenn Seaborg Learning Consortium • Manage collaborative relations with the County, City, schools and other community partners Applications are available at LLLCF.org or a print copy is available in the LLLCF office on the mezzanine floor of the library. The deadline to apply is September 30th, and interviews will be conducted from October 1-18. The Governance Committee will: • Manage an open, broadly focused recruitment process • Select up to five candidates to serve as Trustees for two-year terms Please return applications to LLLCF, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Suite 214, Lafayette, CA 94549. For further information, call (925) 283-6513 x 104.
Save the Date!
Save the date for the upcoming Lafayette Reservoir Run. The Lafayette Reservoir Run, to support local education and services and programs of Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, will take place Sunday, October 27th. The Lafayette Reservoir Run is the city’s most popular family affair, involving kids, parents, grandparents, and hundreds of serious runners from throughout the Bay Area. Participants compete in 10k or 5k certified runs and a two-mile run/walk for fun through the heart of the downtown, around the reservoir, and back. Sprinters, walkers, the “stroller brigade,” and many of Lafayette’s top four legged residents share the streets on the festive Sunday morning. For registration information, visit www.lafayettechamber.org.
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Scottish Country Dancing is Back in Town!
Come dance every Thursday evening, year-round (with the single exception of Thanksgiving)! No partner is required and no Scottish ancestry is required. Adult beginner classes for Scottish Country Dancing take place each week with free lessons at 7PM followed by more experienced dancers dancing at 8PM. Once a month Ceilidh dancing will take place as well. Dancing will be held at the Lamorinda Theatre Academy, located at 83 Lafayette Circle in Lafayette. All dance nights are drop-in. Three weeks of free beginner lessons are offered. Afterwards the cost is $8/night or $6/ night if attending a 10-week session paid in advance. Please visit a demonstration of a few simple dances at the Lafayette Arts and Wine Festival on Sunday, September 22nd. Call Witsie 925-676-3637 or Kathleen 925-934-6148 for more information. For children’s classes ages 7 and up, please contact Cathy at 925-284-9068 for dates and fees.
AARP Tax-Aide Call for Volunteers
Do you like working with people? Are you good with numbers? Contra Costa County AARP Tax-Aide is looking for volunteers to become members of a team providing free tax preparation for individuals of all ages. Tax-Aide volunteer positions include Tax Counselors who are trained by TaxAide and certified by IRS and Client Facilitators who schedule appointment and assist clients at tax sites. Orientation is in November 2013, and classes for tax counselors start in January 2014. If interested, call LaVerne Gordon at (925) 726-3199 for information and to apply.
Meals on Wheels
Seniors in our community need your support! Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services have been supporting seniors in YOUR neighborhood since 1968. Two of the programs, Meals on Wheels and Friendly Visitors, rely on the support of volunteers, and we need your help now more than ever. Meals on Wheels volunteer drivers deliver meals to local homebound seniors through regular two hour shifts once per week or as substitute drivers. Friendly Visitors volunteers provide weekly one-hour companionship visits to isolated seniors. To volunteer for either program, please call (925)937-8311.
Serving the Bay Area with honesty and integrity since 1973
Since 1973
3191-M Crow Canyon Pl San Ramon Carpets, Hardwood, Laminate & Stone (925) 866-2200 www.MacFloor.com • info@macfloor.com
In Loehmann’s Shopping Center (next to Lucky’s)
2395 Monument Blvd., Suite J Concord (925) 680-4433 (Across from Costco Gas Station, next to Harvest House)
editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
Boulevard View
By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor
“Spring cleaning” at our home extended through the spring and into the summer. My son was cleaning his childhood room and moving out some of the old knickknacks. I found a pile of old hockey, baseball, soccer, and Pinewood Derby trophies he left sitting in the hallway ready to be disposed of, as they were taking up too much space and collecting dust. It seems so wasteful and slightly irreverent to just throw the trophies in the trash. But, other than a few crafty ideas on the Etsy and Craftgawker websites for repurposing them into bookends, coat hangers, cake toppers, and planters, throwing them out is one of the only options. Some of the “trophies” were awarded just for showing up and being on the team. Some were awarded for a teams’ success and some were given for individual successes. Many of theses awards which were pined for have now ended up headless, armless, and with little meaning. Cleaning is contagious and I have been tidying my boxes and bins and going through piles of paper as well. I have been scanning photos and other papers, photographing old artwork, and lightening the load. About 10 years ago I ran a roller hockey league at the skating rink, and my husband coached many of the teams. One of the papers I ran across was written by my husband to his team. The handout was about “champions.” The information he relayed to his team was this: I have always stated that it is my goal for these teams to play like champions. What is
ZimbabWE Care Family Festival
If you have a heart to share please join us for ZimbabWE CARE Family Festival benefiting JF Kapnek Pediatric AIDS Fund Zimbabwe. On Saturday, September 28th from 12-3pm at Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church (49 Knox Drive, Lafayette), Bay Area kids will get a taste of Africa! Bring your entire family to play, learn and experience authentic African culture. Learn an African dance. Taste Zimbabwean food. We’ll have something for everyone including African music, games, crafts, cuisine, face painting, and a few surprises. Our Kids Helping Kids program will be building toys to send to the JF Kapnek Preschools in Zimbabwe, serving orphans and children affected by AIDS. We will also be collecting USED preschool toys for The Kapnek Preschools. We hope to see you and your family at this little festival with a huge heart! Admission is free. Food will be available to purchase. For additional information call 925-962-7150, email info@JFKapnekTrust.org, or visit www.JFKapnekTrust.org.
ZimbabWE
JF KAPNEK TRUST
CARE... • KIDS HELPING KIDS•
Lafayette Today ~ September 2013 - Page 3 a champion? Being a champion is not about winning or losing -- it is about playing to the best of your abilities. It is playing selflessly and giving your all to your role within the team and the system. A champion knows that hockey is a sport of inches, and he is willing to do whatever it takes to win that inch. A champion fights for every loose puck, backchecks will all his effort, and is proud that he gives 100% all of the time. Champions show up to practice ready to perform to the best of their ability. They know the playbook inside and out, and they understand that they, like the rest of their teammates, have an important role in the success of the team. Champions do not play dirty. They win with class, and they lose with class. They respect their opponents, as well as their teammates and coaches. A champion plays not only with his arms and legs, but also with his heart, his mind, and his soul. A champion does not always win, but when a champion asks himself, “Did I do everything in my physical and mental power to help my team succeed?” the answer is always a resounding, “Yes.” ...Remember this whenever you step on the rink. When trophies were awarded because they were “winners” it was because they acted with intention and had a plan. Their success was not an accident. And, while the kids at the time thought the games were always about winning and bringing home the trophy, upon reflection now as young adults, what was taken forwarded was not the lumps of plastic, metal, and marble. It was the words, friendships, and memories of being a part of a group working towards a goal. Those attributes are what endure. Those are the life lessons that translate into good business skills and good relationship skills. Those are the memories they can reflect on and pass on. Saturday, September 21st 10-7 PM Sunday, September 22nd 10-6 PM Downtown Lafayette nual 18th an
FREE
•Admission
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4 • ZEBOP • THE SUN KINGS • AJA VU • EAST BAY MUDD • BOB ATHAYDE & FRIENDS • THE SPAZMATICS • OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY • THE VOLTONES • ANNIE SAMPSON • SPIN OUT • COVER 2 COVER • RED HOUSE ALLSTARS • JUICE • PETTY THEFT • FLEETWOOD MASK • MERSEY BEACH • SAVANNAH BLUE • CHUBBY’S ALLSTARS • DOMINANT 7 Presenting Sponsor
Green Festival Sponsor
Festival Sponsor
Festival Sponsor
Logo Usage Guidelines
SAT • SEPT 28 12- 3 @ LOPC
March 2008
Blood Drive
The City of Lafayette is sponsoring a blood drive for the American Red Cross on September 25th between Noon and 5pm at the Community Center, located at 500 St. Mary’s Rd., Manzanita Room. For more information, call Dana Anderson at 925-284-1968. To schedule your appointment, visit www. redcrossblood.org (sponsor code: LAFAYETTE) or call 1-800-733-2767.
Minuteman Press Lafayette
6100 State Farm Drive Rohnert Park, CA 94928
Minuteman Press Lafayette
www.lafayettefestival.com www.facebook.com/lafayettefestival
6100 State Farm Drive Rohnert Park, CA 94928
@friendly chamber #LafFest
Page 4 - September 2013 ~ Lafayette Today
Lafayette Flag Brigades’ 9/11 Remembrance and Candlelight Vigil
The Lafayette Flag Brigade’s 12th Annual 9/11 Remembrance and Candlelight Vigil will be held on September 11th from 4PM to 8PM at El Curtola Bridge, Highway 24 overcrossing at the 680 freeway in Lafayette. Take Highway 24 to the Pleasant Hill Rd. Exit, turn on Old Tunnel Rd, and go to the top of the hill. The event serves to never forget 9/11 with the largest overpass flag display in the state. Participating in the remembrance will be the United States Volunteers and their Flag Folding Ceremony, local Blue Star Moms, and Lafayette Boy Scouts Color Guard. This special 12th anniversary will feature a music program, VIP speakers, live local singers, the 9/11 Memorial Theatre, as well as the Candlelight Vigil at dusk which are not to be missed. This is a family oriented, educational, and non-political event, and all are welcome. Free commemorative flags will be available for children. For more information, visit www.nevereverforget911.com.
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Donate Your Car 800-YES-SVDP (800-937-7837)
• FREE same day pickup • Maximum Tax Deduction • We do DMV paperwork • Running or not, no restrictions • 100% helps your community www.yes-svdp.org
Serving the poor since 1860
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY
The Big Band of Rossmoor Dance and Show
Swing with the sounds of the 1940s, as Generations In Jazz Foundation presents The Big Band of Rossmoor in the main auditorium of the New Rheem Theater. The show features Rossmoor’s seniors and Lamorinda’s most musical middle and high school student associates. The show will take place on September 21st from 8 to 10PM, and the show will be preceded by complementary dance lessons by Gail Enright from 7 to 8PM. Reach back to a time when USO shows were common and the country was “In the Mood.” From the Glenn Miller book to Bernstein’s Westside Story, listen or dance to the tunes that made history. Guest vocalists, Mary Anne Meltzer and Jeovani Abenoja, will again please the crowd singing the books of Harry James, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin. Then listen to ten Fred Astaire movie themes arranged by our own Frank Como called “The Fred Astaire Medley.” Tickets are $10 and available from the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce or at the door. For more information, call 284-7404. Don’t miss this unusual evening of entertainment!
AAUW Events
Join the Orinda-Moraga-Lafayette Branch (OML) of the American Association of University Women (AAUW at their upcoming events!
Walnut Creek Restaurant Walk - October 1st, 6-9pm
More than 25 Walnut Creek restaurants will be providing delicious samples from their menus. Ticket sales will benefit the Orinda-Moraga-Lafayette (OML) Tech Trek fund which supports sending young women to science/ math university summer camps designed to develop interest, excitement and self-confidence in young women who enter eighth grade in the fall. The camps feature hands-on activities in math, science, and related fields. To learn more about this state-wide program, go to www.aauw-techtrek.org. For more information about the Restaurant Walk or scholarship opportunities, email communication-publicity@aauwoml.org. Send checks ($30/person) for the Restaurant Walk to Gail Chesler at 2914 Fyne Dr., Walnut Creek, CA 94598. Checks should be made out to AAUW OML Community Outreach Fund, Inc.
Holiday Fashion Show - October 15th, 10am-1pm
The OML branch presents a holiday fashion show to support the AAUW funds for Legal Advocacy and to showcase Community Women Entrepeneurs. Eliza Jamkochian of Glamorous Boutique will present holiday wear, cocktail outfits, scarves, and accessories. In addition creations by OML Artisans will be on display and available for purchase during the event. A buffet lunch will be provided for all attendees. The cost of the event is $20. Proceeds will benefit the AAUW funds for Legal Advocacy, supporting women in academia and the workplace who encounter sexual harassment and unfair hiring and firing practices. Visit www.aauwoml.org for more information.
Assistance League Way Side Inn Thrift Shop Annual “Summer Clearance” Event!
Member volunteers at Assistance League® Way Side Inn Thrift Shop, located at 3521 Golden Gate Way in Lafayette, maintain that there is a “cure for the summertime blues.” By Tuesday, September 10, dedicated member volunteers will have placed fall merchandise on the floor that will include something for everyone. You’ll want to take fashion awareness to a new level and start thinking about color, texture, patterns, sleeve length, and collar style. September marks a time of year when you take inventory of what clothes you have. You store the clothing you will need and discard those items that will no longer serve you. Thrift shop member volunteers will gladly accept the latter and will give you a tax receipt in return. When you purchase and donate items at Assistance League Way Side Inn Thrift Shop, you will improve the lives of those who are in need and at risk. To learn more about Assistance League of Diablo Valley and its eight philanthropic programs funded by the thrift shop, please visit its website at diablovalley.assistanceleague.org.
Lost Dog!
$50 REWARD If you find him and your name is drawn!
He is very small, so you will have to look hard if you want to find him.
Lafayette Luther is Missing He has become lost in this paper.
Send a letter telling us where you found him, along with your name and address to:
Lost Dog! Lafayette Today, 3000F Danville Blvd #117, Alamo, CA 94507
Ann Wullschleger is our August winner! Luther was hiding on page 15 last month.
Since 1978, Assistance League® Way Side Inn Thrift Shop, located in Lafayette, has served as the primary fundraiser for Assistance League of Diablo Valley’s philanthropic programs. It’s known best for selling donated high-end items at rock bottom prices.
Lamorinda Peace and Justice
The Lamorinda Peace and Justice Group meets the fourth Tuesday of each month from 7 – 9PM in the Fireside Room of Lafayette Methodist Church, 955 Moraga Road, Lafayette. We are committed to working to support a healthy planet, a thriving local community, and a safe, equitable world for all. For information, call 925-946-0563.
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Lafayette Today ~ September 2013 - Page 5
Walk ‘n Roll
Las Trampas invites you to a fun event for the entire family that also supports a good cause. You can walk, roll or run at our 4th Annual Walk n’ Roll 1 mile or 5k event on Saturday, September 28th from 8:30am – 12:30pm on the Lafayette-Moraga Trail. The course starts at Las Trampas, located at 3460 Lana Lane in Lafayette, continues east towards Olympic Blvd., then ends back at Las Trampas. The Las Trampas campus is located adjacent to the trail at Foye Drive. Registration fee is $25 per person and includes a T-shirt, a Whole Foods goodie bag, games by KKDV and Backyard Carnivals, refreshments, and entertainment by the KKDV van and Bread & Roses. You can register online at www.active. com or fill out a registration form. For the forms, please contact Suzanne Pestal at Las Trampas 925-284-1462 ext.240, or by email at spestal@lastrampas.org. Las Trampas’ website is www.lastrampas.org. Since 1958, Las Trampas has helped people with developmental disabilities to discover their capabilities and to lead fuller lives in their homes, at work, and in the community.
BIG BAND
BALLROOM DANCE/SHOW
The New Rheem Theatre
24 HOUR PROOF SHE
Kids Run for SHELTER
350 Park Street, Moraga
Come swing with your friends and neighbors or just watch the show!
DATE__________________
Phone 925-328-0888 • Fax 925
Saturday, September 21st 231 Marketplace # Dance Lessons - optional from 7PM to 8PM. The dance will start at 8PM. Please join our 31 member band ages 14 to 92 and enjoy the show.
San Ramon Ca., 94
E-mail: yourtownmonthly@comcast.net • Website: www.sandjadvertisin
Kids Run for SHELTER was a three-mile run organized by Kristi Conner, a fourth-grader at Lafayette Elementary School. Kristi wanted to find a way to raise money for homeless families in the Bay Area. The Run was held at the Lafayette Reservoir last month. Helping Kristi in this endeavor were Kirra Allio, Audrey Baumer,
Tickets $10 at the door
or at the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce.
Call 925-284-7404 for reservations.
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*Call for details/mention YourTown • Exp. 10/4/13 Kate Conner, Ella & Clara Dunderdale, Audrey Flitter, Hunter & Dakota Goyert, Cole Hink, Kendall Keely, Brooke Palma, Marco & Gia Stassi, Allie Tarkoff, and Paige Willcox, who are all between the ages of 5 and 10 years old! PRESSURE WASHING Wearing red team shirts displaying the run’s motto - IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING! - these 16 kids ran around the hilly reservoir as a team with the common goal of raising $10,000 for SHELTER Inc. (www.shelterincofccc.org), Walkways, Driveways Up to 2,500 SF Pools, Decks & Pavers a non-profit dedicated to helping the homeless in Contra Costa County, which *Call for details/mention YourTown • Exp. 10/4/13 served over 6,000 people last year alone with over half of them being children. Thanks to generous donations of family and friends as well as a few successful BENEFITS OF WINDOW FILM: WINDOW FILM lemonade stands, the kids have so far raised $8,405 for SHELTER Inc. • Invisible Fade Control • Optimize Comfort One of the best memories from the run was witnessing the children • Reduce Glare supporting each other to get across the finish line. Kids who had already • Lower Your Energy Bill Minimum Purchase Required crossed the finish, or siblings who were there for support, would run back • Economical Upgrade *Call for details/mention YourTown • Exp. 10/4/13 toward those that were approaching the finish line so they could all run across the finish line together. These children showed what it really means to CALL TODAY FOR A FREE ESTIMATE! support one’s teammates. Kids Run for SHELTER first began July 31, 2011 when then 7-year-old www.windowgenie.com Kristi ran three-miles around the Lafayette Reservoir and raised $3,000 for Independently Owned & Operated • Insured & Bonded SHELTER Inc. After seeing the homeless in San Francisco, Kristi was moved to try and make an impact on the homeless in her community. Kristi came up with the run because she had seen her parents support friends doing similar fundraising efforts for worthy causes. Kristi decided to expand the Run by inviting other kids to join her. In Kristi’s words, “If I can raise $3,000 by myself, just think of how much more money we can raise for the homeless if my friends run, too, and it will be that much more fun to run with other kids!” For more information about the run or if you are interested in helping these kids reach their $10,000 goal, visit http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/ kidsrunforshelter/2013.
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Page 6 - September 2013 ~ Lafayette Today
The Bookworm By Joan Stevenson
Hear ye! A special Town Hall Meeting is being called on Tuesday, September 24th from 7-8:30PM. All Lafayette residents are urged to come to the Lafayette Library Community Hall to share their ideas on how the library can better serve the community. The Contra Costa County Library is conducting a series of town hall meetings throughout the county as part of an extensive outreach and planning process aimed at making the library as valuable as possible to all county residents. Come with your ideas and help chart a course for the future of your library. Are you a budding writer or want-to-be, or are you just curious about the group, “A Writer’s Place”? Here is an opportunity you will not want to miss. Current members are holding a first-ever no host coffee for writers on Saturday, September 14th from 10AM – noon on the upper terrace near the main entrance to the Library. Grab a cup of coffee from the Bookmark Café, and join the members of the four ongoing writing groups that meet at the library. You might just release your inner Hemingway! Ellen Reintjes, program coordinator for the WOW (Wonders of the World) lecture series has a dazzling fall series planned. Kicking off the 2013-2014 season on Tuesday September 17th, at 2PM is a discussion of “Beyond Belief: 100 Years of the Spiritual in Modern Art.” This exhibit consists of over 60 works on loan from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art to the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. These paintings, sculpture, works on paper, photographs, videos, and installation art are conceived as a journey into the connections between spirituality and modern and contemporary art. The works span the years from 1911 – 2011 by artists with a wide variety of cultural backgrounds and interests, including Paul Klee, Piet Mondrian, Jackson Pollock, and Mark Rothko. Ellen Sussman will be our first Sweet Thursday author on September 19th at 7:30PM. She is the author of three national bestselling novels The Paradise Guest House, French Lessons, and On a Night Like This as well as two critically acclaimed anthologies. Ms. Sussman will join us to discuss her latest book, The Paradise Guest House. It is a tale of healing and redemption, of finding love in the most unexpected places, and of the importance of moving forward. Books are available for sale, and Ms. Sussman will be signing them after the event. The Storyteller Bookseller will donate 20% of proceeds to the Friends of the Lafayette Library.
www.yourmonthlypaper.com What are the kids reading in the Children’s Room? Al Capone Does My Homework!, which is the 2013 Lamorinda Kids Read selection, is a favorite. It is the third in a series by Gennifer Choldenko which includes Al Capone Shines My Shoes, and Al Capone Does My Shirts. One critic commented on the “author’s sensitive ability to humanize heroes and villains alike, grounding the tense action in palpable reality. With rich characterization, tender drama, and sleuth worthy clues, this poignant mystery makes for a thoroughly satisfying conclusion to the landmark historical trilogy.” On Tuesday September 24th from 4-5PM boys and girls can gather in the Children’s Room to talk about the book, and on September 27th from 6-8PM Phil Dollison, who lived at Alcatraz while his dad was warden, will come to talk about “Life on the Rock” as a kid. Science Café and Pixar? What could Toy Story have to do with science? Come and join Pixar’s Director of Photography for Lighting, Danielle Feinberg on Wednesday, September 25th at 7PM – 8PM when she shares the process of making an animated movie. She will uncover the underlying math and science concepts of animation and how imagined worlds come to life. The program is designed for adults and youth. The cost is $5 per adult and free for youth. To reserve, call 925-283-6513 x103 or email reserve@LLLCF.org. Boxed meals will be available for pre-purchase please call 925-283-6513 x103 to order. Flip your calendar to October because I want to share two more not to be missed events. On October 17th Sweet Thursday at 7:30PM the Friends will roll out the red carpet for the creator of Sweet Thursday…our own Linda Peterson (we had her first, Portland!). Linda will tell us about her latest mystery, The Devil’s Interval. The good news is the return of Maggie Fiori, magazine editor, amateur sleuth and heroine of Linda’s first novel, Edited to Death. On October 22nd at 6:30PM the Distinguished Speaker Series welcomes bestselling author, Joyce Maynard. The author’s new novel, After Her, follows two teenage sisters living in the shadow of Mount Tamalpais in Northern California during a spate of killings of young women by a serial killer in 1979. Tickets for the event, which includes an author reception, are $20 and can be purchased at www.LLLCF.org. Joyce Maynard has generously added another gracious incentive for one lucky book club; a chance to win an appearance by Maynard at your private gathering. Raffle tickets are available for $20 each or 3/$50. Maynard will join your book club, dinner club, or fan club of up to 14 guests at your Bay Area venue. Wow, wouldn’t that be a coupe! If you wonder how all these things are possible, let me give you some numbers to consider. they are a summary of the contributions from the Friends to LLLC for this fiscal year: programs, $41,000, Sunday hours, $33,000, books and materials, $33,000, and facilities, $33,000. Awesome! How nice to have Friends like this!
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Gambling: The Heat Goes On…Chapter 3 By Ruth Bailey, Lafayette Historical Society
After the 1950 New Year’s Eve local slots extravaganza and the January 17th Crossroads Restaurant gathering of gambling interests (including, just maybe, Eastern mobsters), a new voice joined the fray, Jimmie Tarantino, ownerpublisher of Hollywood Life. A special, free, Contra Costa edition of that publication was distributed throughout Lafayette, Orinda, Walnut Creek, Martinez, and Richmond at the end of January. Its purpose seemed to be to debunk the stories that had been running in the Sun concerning gambling in the area. For example, here’s how Hollywood Life began the story: “The picturesque towns of Orinda and Lafayette are being sold down the river by its own newspaper…Sun, published by Herman Silverman. In a campaign organized by Silverman and Dana McGaugh, smear-headlines and articles are attempting to frighten citizens… with lies about incoming Eastern gangsters and gamblers.” As the victims of these “lies” were the good family men of the Tunnel Strip’s Club Owners Association, the beleaguered club owners decided to meet at the Crossroads to discuss the problem of “dishonest journalism.” Said Tarantino, “Evidence of Sun reporter Dana McGaugh’s ridiculous and trumped-up story about being taken for a ride in the Berkeley Hills, gangster-style, lies in the fact that until his by-lined story appeared, he was a complete stranger to Sun readers. This was his first story and assigned for a special reason. The reason is obvious. “McGaugh, evidently a student of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, must have taken an overdose of opium to dream up so fantastic a story…Who is paying Silverman to push his staff into such fabulous fabrications is a question being currently investigated. Is he behind a gambling syndicate himself and afraid that another group is moving in, although no such move is being contemplated? To take such libelous potshots makes one wonder what ‘shakedowns’ are being perpetrated.” [I’ll see your libelous potshot and raise you one.] Tarantino posed questions about the reporter who observed the Crossroads gathering and was subsequently taken for the harrowing ride into the hills, and said McGaugh’s first-hand account of the evening was “the shock of their lives” to the ten club owners who attended the meeting. “THERE IS NO VICE ON THE STRIP,” he continued in capital letters. “The people of Orinda and Lafayette know that there are no gangsters, houses of prostitution, dice tables, and GENERAL GAMBLING in that vicinity.” Tarantino asks why the supposed kidnapping wasn’t reported to the police and why there weren’t photos of the scratches and bruises the reporter says he sustained in being pushed from the car. In reply, Sun Publisher Silverman wrote, “As we go to press (Wednesday morning) McGaugh is being quizzed by the District Attorney’s office.” In summary, Tarantino said, “To fake a kidnap of this type is a direct violation of ‘the Lindbergh Law’ which automatically makes McGaugh an accessory to a Federal crime, perpetrated by himself and upheld by Editor-Publisher Herman Silverman.” But the feisty Silverman wasn’t in any way cowed by Tarantino’s insults and speculations. In his introduction of the Hollywood Life article, which is the only record we have of it, Silverman noted, “This situation is apparently of much more consequence than even we had realized. Apparently the gambling disclosures and the accompanying storm have hit home. Could it be that some mighty important plans have been upset? That they fear more disclosures? That it is necessary to becloud the issue as soon as possible? That too much heat is being applied? “If not, why are thousands of dollars being spent to print and distribute
Lafayette Today ~ September 2013 - Page 7 such a magazine in this area? And WHO is footing the bill? This was a special edition, tailor-made for Contra Costa County. The regular edition on sale in San Francisco doesn’t contain the Sun ‘expose.’” Silverman pointed out that the Crossroads Restaurant and Tunnel Inn were advertising in this issue of the Hollywood Reporter. And they’re in good company, with Mickey Cohen (who Silverman identified as “THE Mickey Cohen”), the Flamingo and Hotel El Rancho Vegas in Las Vegas, Nardoni Bond Agency and many night clubs. And you thought the 1950s were very quiet and orderly and, frankly, just a little bit dull. The story will continue.
3328 Mt Diablo Blvd, Lafayette (925) 283-5212 | Monday - Friday 7:30AM-5PM
It’s That Time of Year!
By Art Lehman, Village Associates Realtors
I got tired of writing all about the market and the state of the market, so how about discussing something practical for a change? The weather is good so now is the time to take care of those last minute home projects. Unfortunately, many of our projects get put on the back burner and simply catch our attention when a big problem shows up. In many cases the problem becomes greater than if it had been taken care of early on. This is the point of the article – It’s that time of the year! Do you need roof and chimney repairs? Have you cleaned your gutters and downspouts, trimmed back your trees, completed that drainage work, repaired a damaged portion of a driveway, or cleaned drainage ditches or creek debris? The list goes on and on. I always feel better knowing my gutters and downspouts are clean so that when the first big rain storms come and I won’t be outside in the wind and rain trying to stop the flood cascading off the roof. I realize that it seems easier to react to a problem than to anticipate one. Some homeowners live for maintaining their homes, but many call and ask why are the “new” gutters not working (of course new means three years ago and they have not cleaned them in that time). We have a few months before the good, gets bad, or even ugly. I hope after reading this article it will call forth my readers to take ACTION and get those items that should have been fixed a while ago, taken care of, because you know it will not survive another winter. Perhaps if there is some extra time a little preventative maintenance will help you sleep even better! Just let me share one thought about the market. This year we can finally look back and say, “Wow”! In our area there has been quite a recovery. In August in Lafayette there was still far less inventory then we are accustomed to. However, there has also been a bit of slowing since May – whether it is a slight interest rate increase, buyers tired of multiple offers that may have out priced them, or just summer fun. I still see that once again if you have a plan for moving and you price your home properly, it will sell. If you have any questions on selling or buying a home in the area, please contact me at 925-200-2591 or by email at art@artlehman.com. Please feel free to email a topic for the next article too. If you’d like a free automatic email update of current listings and sales, call or visit my website to sign up, www. artlehman.com. Advertorial
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Page 8 - September 2013 ~ Lafayette Today
Cinema Classics and Musical Notes
Walking the Reservoir
Moonstruck By Peggy Horn
By Jim Scala
This month’s Cinema Classic film is Moonstruck, from 1987 which stars Cher, Nicholas Cage, Danny Aiello, and Olympia Dukakis. At the 60th Academy Award Ceremony, Cher received the Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in this movie, and Ms. Dukakis won in the Best Supporting Actress category. A third Oscar was presented to Moonstruck screenwriter, John Patrick Shanley, for the Best Original Screenplay. Moonstruck is a love story about an Italian family in New York City. In spite of its size and sophistication, New York is depicted in this movie to be an ordinary place where people like you and I struggle with ordinary issues and find happiness in the normal family values. “Nothing can replace family!” declares Johnny Camerreri (Danny Aiello). Johnny, not to be confused with his brother, Ronny (Nicholas Cage), is slated to marry Loretta Castorini (Cher) but life is complicated, and things happen. A myriad of family issues are dealt with in this Italian family. Fallibility is forgiven, not overlooked. The characters’ flaws and frailties are tended to rather than ignored. Love provides the backdrop, and a sense of humor doesn’t hurt either. Through it all, ‘la famiglia’ is the rock on which the relationships, activities, and behaviors of the characters are built. Like a lighthouse, it guides the characters throughout their lives. Moonstruck can be purchased or rented online, and like all cinema classics it can be viewed several times with pleasure. To the family!
Musical Notes
Because Moonstruck is about an Italian family, the suggested music download is a song entitled “L’appuntamento,” by an Italian pop singer, Ornella Vanoni. Ms. Vanoni’s singing career began in the 1960’s. “L’appuntamento” was composed in 1970 and is the Italian version of a Brazilian song entitled “Sentado a Beira Do Camino,” by Erasmo Carlos and Roberto Carlos.
Steve Hobbs is an artist who captures nature with his camera. His photo of two geese making a water landing shows one about to touch down on its webbed feet while the other, slightly higher, was just lowering his natural landing gear. Bob’s critical eye captured every detail, making it a unique action picture. Each of his spectacular images tells a visual story about nature and brings out the changing beauty of our reservoir. The elegant 175-page coffee table book, Lafayette Reservoir, A Visual Celebration, by Steve Hobbs will be out in November. I’ll discuss it more next month. I received several responses to my question, “What does the reservoir mean to you?” Roger, a Rez-regular, compared the rim trail to similar hiking venues in England and Scotland. He observed that our year-round, lush, green vegetation, serene views of Mt. Diablo and the surrounding hills transport him back home. Many others agreed. Brian compared it to hiking the Cameroon Highlands in Malaysia, but he noted that our climate isn’t as humid. Isn’t the rim trail a hike and the lower trail a walk? Roger said that a clockwise rim trail hike takes about two hours compared to 1.5 hours counter clockwise; it’s the hills. In contrast, the paved trail takes the same time no matter which way you go, and you don’t need hiking-style shoes. Please let me know your times for both trails. “Meetup” is an East Bay web group that brings people together who enjoy walking, hiking, nature, and camaraderie. Information about the active Lafayette branch can be found at www.meetup.com/LafayetteReservoirFun. They have a group that walks both trails and slowly spreads into several groups by pace and links up again at the end. On every walk I’ve met enthusiastic people, enjoyed great conversation, and had a great hike. Afterwards, some go for coffee and fellowship at Starbucks. If you like company and conversation while walking and over coffee, I promise you can’t go wrong. Give “Meetup” a try and tell me about your experience. I asked young mothers pushing strollers why they take our hilly trail instead of walking locally where it’s flat. Indeed, in town they can window shop and stop for coffee and ice cream. I got the same answer every time. “We introduce our children to nature while keeping fit and enjoying friends. By three years the children are familiar with the plants, animals, birds, even dragon flies, and the occasional snake.” One mom, pushing her one-year old son in a stroller and following her seven year old daughter on a bike, stopped at every display. Her bright daughter stood on her toes and read each nature-panel aloud. She soon had a following of children and other walkers. Teaching children about nature and honing her child’s reading skills while outside in the fresh air is great. Where else can children and parents learn and have fun like that? After my walk while doing yoga poses, Cat, a trainer, and another woman walked onto the bandstand. She introduced Tara, a tall, muscular, wellproportioned young lady. They began rigorous exercises while I continued my yoga routine. Soon, Cat put on special boxing gloves with a big flat area like a wide-padded catcher’s mitt, and Tara donned regular boxing gloves. In no time Tara, in a boxer’s pose, was tossing punches at Cat’s gloves which she positioned as they both danced. As I rolled up my yoga mat they stopped and Cat asked, “Jim, do you know that Tara is Mohammed Ali’s cousin?” That spoke volumes for her build, skill, and warm friendly smile. I said, “To me, he’s Cassius Clay and Tara’s from Gone With the Wind!” When I told Stuart that regular Rez-walking helps prevent cataracts, he asked, “Jim, are you smoking something? Aren’t cataracts about blocking ultra-violet light with sunglasses?” Yes, sunglasses are essential, but preventing cataracts is also about eating plenty of vegetables to get the special antioxidants your eye lens requires. Good cholesterol, HDL, carries these antioxidants in the blood to the eye-lens where they’re needed. He looked puzzled, so I explained that HDL is elevated through exercise. It’s a fitness index, and with more, it can do a better job. It’s that simple. He asked, “How can I raise my HDL?” Simple, 40 minutes of brisk walking, 20 minutes of jogging regularly, or other exercise that burns about 250 calories will do it. Since the lower Rez trail takes over 45 minutes walking and 25 jogging, it seems designed for the task. What’s easier than that? Send me your thoughts at jscala2@comcast.net.
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Lafayette Today ~ September 2013 - Page 9
Be Street Safe with School Back in Session
By Supervisor Candace Andersen, Contra Costa County, District 2
11 Critical Home Inspection Traps to be Aware of Weeks Before Listing Your Home for Sale Lafayette - According to industry experts, there are over 33 physical problems that will come under scrutiny during a home inspection when your home is for sale. A new report has been prepared which identifies the 11 most common of these problems, and what you should know about them before you list your home for sale. Whether you own an old home or a brand new one, there are a number of things that can fall short of requirements during a home inspection. If not identified and dealt with, any of these 11 items could cost you dearly in terms of repair. That's why it's critical that you read this report before you list your home. If you wait until the building inspector flags these issues for you, you will almost certainly experience costly delays in the close of your home
sale or, worse, turn prospective buyers away altogether. In most cases, you can make a reasonable pre-inspection yourself if you know what you're looking for, and knowing what you're looking for can help you prevent little problems from growing into costly and unmanageable ones. To help home sellers deal with this issue before their homes are listed, a free report entitled "11Things You Need to Know to Pass Your Home Inspection" has been compiled which explains the issues involved. To hear a brief recorded message about how to order your FREE copy of this report, call toll-free 1-866-265-1682 and enter 2003. You can call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Get your free special report NOW to learn how to ensure a home inspection doesn't cost you the sale of your home.
With school back in session, traffic is impacted significantly. Safety around our schools and respect for students walking or riding bikes, and for fellow motorists is very important. Over the past few years our communities have encouraged students to walk or bike to school. Not only is this terrific exercise for our children, but it reduces car trips and congestion around schools. In the fall of 2012, 511 Contra Costa County received a Federal Safe Routes to School grant to fund the Street Smarts Diablo program. Street Smarts Diablo is very similar to the program in the San Ramon Valley, with the Diablo program covering all public schools located in the cities of Antioch, Brentwood, Clayton, Concord, Martinez, Oakley, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, as well as the unincorporated areas of the county. More information about the Street Smarts Diablo program can be found at www.511contracosta.org/ This report is courtesy of J. Rockcliff Realtors #01763819. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. Copyright © 2013 schools/street-smart-diablo. The Lamorinda School Bus Program serves the communities of LafayCelebrate Wine! ette, Moraga, and Orinda. In 1994 the municipalities and school districts in By Monica Chappell Lamorinda collaborated to establish a school bus program for the purpose of September is California Wine Month, and that traffic mitigation, also funded by Measure J tax dollars. Today, they operate makes it a perfect time to visit Wine Country. twenty-one buses serving 1,500 students attending twelve schools, successCalifornia Wine Month celebrates the state’s ideal fully eliminating 623,700 vehicle trips during the 2011-12 school year. See climate for wine and its importance to the California www.lamorindaschoolbus.org for tickets and more information. economy. Did you know that California is the fourth 511contracosta.org provides some great resources and links to other allargest wine producer in the world and makes 90 ternatives to driving to school. One of the great programs called SchoolPool percent of American wine? In celebration, getting provides free public transit tickets as an alternative to driving your student out and visiting a winery can be one of the most fun to school. Qualifying students will receive two 12-ride County Connection things you do all month. transit tickets. Students must be registered in a public or private school (1st Living in Northern California affords us the opportunity to visit wine - 12th grade) in San Ramon, Danville, Alamo, Lafayette, Moraga, or Orinda. country as often as we care to. Here are a few tips to make your visit a This offer is available to a maximum of three students per household while success: supplies last. The application is available at www.511contracosta.org/schools/ • Book the wineries in advance. You can try simply showing up at the schoolpool-program/application/. winery, but keep in mind that the finest places are often the least accessible. Finally, if you have a teenage driver, there are some great resources pro• Observe the basic rules of etiquette. If you have an appointment, vided by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The Impact Teen Drivers call if you’re running more than 15 minutes late, and don’t be a no show. program offers important information about good decision making behind the Word gets around. wheel for drivers and passengers of all ages. Visit www.impactteendrivers. • Dress comfortably. Wine touring requires a lot of footwork. If you’re org for more information. Additionally, the CHP holds driver safety education sampling in a wine cellar, the floor will probably be cold and damp, so classes, called Start Smart, for new and soon to be licensed drivers between come prepared. the ages of 15 - 19 and their parents/guardians. For more information, visit • Show interest. Listen to what the pourer is saying and ask questions, www.chp.ca.gov/community/startsmart.html. Rules for new drivers continue but don’t pretend you are an expert. You’re there to learn and have fun. to evolve, and information about the current laws can be found at dmv.ca.gov. • Offer a few words of praise. Start slowly; odds are your host will You may find that your city police agencies, the CHP, and the Sheriff's begin with the lesser wines and work up to the more serious in the portfolio. Department will be increasing enforcement around our schools to encour- Offering too much of a fuss too early on will seem insincere. age safety, so keep that in mind during your travels. Enjoy a safe start to the • Remember to spit. You won’t be expected to drink everything you are school year – whether or not you have children entering school! given to taste, but if you drain each glass, your day will be over before lunch.
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• Do comparative tastings. Tasting rooms offer a terrific opportunity to taste wines against each other. If there are two chardonnays being offered for tasting, taste them side- by side. You’ll enjoy tasting the differences. • Buy a bottle. You don’t have to but it’s a polite gesture, and if you’ve had a nice chat with the winemaker, ask him to sign the bottle. Some wineries charge to taste and often deduct that fee from the cost of a bottle. A visit to wine country can often be as entertaining as it is educational so get out there and enjoy! Monica Chappell, Wine Writer and Educator, offers wine appreciation classes. For a list of classes visit www.wineappreciation101.blogspot.com.
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Page 10 - September 2013 ~ Lafayette Today
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City of Lafayette Contacts
11/16/12 9:28 AM
Below are key city departments and their contact information. Administration: Responsible for overall city operations such as human resources, finance and office operations. Key staff members include the City Manager, Administrative Services Director, City Clerk, and Financial Services Manager. The City Offices are located at 3675 Mt. Diablo Blvd., #210, Lafayette. Hours are 8am – 5pm Monday-Friday. For information call (925) 284-1968 or email cityhall@lovelafayette.org. Planning: Responsible for current and long-term planning for the physical development of the community that is consistent with the General Plan, Zoning Ordinance and the direction of the City Council. Planning Department hours are 12pm – 5pm Monday-Friday. For information call (925) 284-1976 or email planner@lovelafayette.org. Police: Responsible for public safety, law enforcement, emergency operations, and parking control. The Police Department is located at 3675 Mt. Diablo Blvd, #130, Lafayette. Hours are 8am-12pm & 1am-5pm Monday-Friday.For general questions call (925) 299-3220. For police dispatch call (925) 284-5010 or 911. Public Works: Responsible for maintaining the infrastructure of the City including road repair, storm drains, and landscaping of public property. The Public Works Corp Yard is located at 3001 Camino Diablo, Lafayette. Hours are 7am – 3pm Monday-Friday. For questions call (925) 934-3908. To report potholes, streetlight outages, traffic signal problems and other issues call the Hotline at (925) 299-3259. Parks & Recreation: Responsible for the management and operation of a variety of recreation programs, special events and facilities including the Lafayette Community Center, the Community Park and a system of city trails. The Parks & Recreation (Community Center) is located 500 St. Mary’s Road, Lafayette. Hours are 9am – 5pm Monday-Saturday. For questions call (925) 284-2232. Code Enforcement: Responsible for enforcing the Lafayette Municipal Code. The Code Enforcement Officer concentrates on the investigation and abatement of complaints involving land use (zoning), housing conditions, abandoned vehicles, signs, animals and vermin, weeds/fire hazards, fences and general public nuisances. Contact Mark Robbins at 925-299-3207. For more information visit www.ci.lafayette.ca.us.
Good Technicians Don’t Grow on Trees By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO
This month’s article is about people who work with technology. Pretty soon after starting Portable CIO, it dawned on me that I was not actually in the computer business as much as I was in the ‘people’ business. Computers are objects that facilitate our lives, and they occasionally need service. Looking at what we do as solving problems for people changes our emphasis, and it reminds us that it is always the people and solving their problems that matter. This year we have been busy helping a large organization with their computer rollout. It’s a very large project, and it has required us to refocus our firm from purely implementing client technology to that of acting as technology staffing agents for the project. It’s been a refreshing addition to our usual routine. But, good technicians don’t grow on trees. It’s been quite a process to source all the people necessary to get this work done. We’ve staffed for this large project from two main sources. The first is Heald College of Concord. They have an excellent placement specialist who we were fortunate to find early in our process. This placement counselor has worked extremely hard for the students at his college, and we have been impressed by his dedication and service. He has provided countless résumés of able, trained, and excited young people looking for their first opportunity to get into the technology workforce. Not all of the students are young, either. Some of the Heald students are in their second career, having re-tooled themselves when whatever they were doing previously came to an untimely end. All of the students we have hired have been excellent. The second source of project staff has come from the local community. My wife is a member of what we call “Cathy’s List,” which is an email list passed between nearly one hundred mothers in our community. These are women who have kids who grew up together, went to the same schools, attended the same sports, or are just friends of friends who like doing things together. If you ever want to get something done in our area, ask the women of Cathy’s List! From this email list we’ve pulled many college-aged young people who enthusiastically embraced our offer of performing semi-technical summer work at a good wage. The majority of these young people haven’t been very technical to start out, but they’ve been enthusiastic and willing to learn whatever was required to succeed on the project. Their enthusiasm, combined with the willingness of the project to train, has made these students a great compliment to the technicians we’ve found. Most people just need a chance in life. They need someone to say, “Sure, go ahead, you have the job.” There are definitely specializations that require deep training, and I’m not trivializing those specializations whatsoever. For instance, could I staff my company with nothing but well-intentioned and enthusiastic college students? Not at all. We need a balance of experience with enthusiasm. But, we shouldn’t underestimate what enthusiasm is able to accomplish or how quickly someone who is motivated can pick something up. A major key to success is exhibiting an attitude of enthusiasm to learn, always being on-time, and having a positive demeanor with the people around you. Anyone can learn a role if they have the right attitude. Character and attitude are what I look for first, technical ability is second. As we roll into September, we’ll be looking to add one of these smiling faces to the roster at Portable CIO. One of our dear employees has decided to branch out and try something new, and we have a big hole to fill as a result. We’re excited for the opportunity to work with a new technician, to train them in the Portable CIO way, and to see what they can teach us in return. We’re very picky, though, so this could take a little while. We’ve been very successful with our technician placement business, and hopefully we can help more companies inexpensively fill their technical staffing needs with quality individuals. Every time we place a technician, we’re spreading the ‘Portable CIO way’ to a new firm. With that, we believe we’re improving not only the way technology works at their business, but strengthening the fabric of good will in the business community. When you have technology needs, who should you call? Portable CIO. Our friendly staff is here to help you address those vexing issues that eat up your time. Call us at 925-552-7953 or email helpdesk@theportablecio.com to address your questions. Advertorial
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Solar Currents
By Mark Becker, GoSimpleSolar
It’s official! The rank and file of both political parties agree on at least one thing; when presented the question about how solar energy is viewed, 94% of Democrats and 75% of Republicans view solar power favorably. As a solar professional, it’s exciting that there is consensus on this issue, seemingly more agreement on this issue more than any other that comes to mind. If I were to stereotype, I’d guess that the “left” likes the environmental advantages and the “right” likes the financial advantages that solar energy has to offer. Certainly that’s a poor stereotype because everybody likes a good investment. Most of us care greatly for our environment. Why there is agreement should not be of great concern to those of us in the solar business; what matters is that industry growth is strong and adoption of solar and alternative energy strategies is becoming more mainstream. This is good for business and the environment, and it’s very good for national security. The recent study also found that some political stereotypes don’t stick. Both party’s rank and file agreed that the 30% Federal Tax Credit for individuals and businesses (which is available until tax year 2017) should be extended to continue the mass adoption of solar photovoltaic (PV). In many places the extension of the tax credit to speed the adoption of solar may ultimately not be necessary. “Grid parity” is being achieved; the cost of solar energy is equal to, or lower than, the cost of utility energy from day one of installation. The beat goes on: PGE electric rates rose 4.6% so far this year. Many of the readership may be chuckling at this fact; they’ve purchased their own solar power systems, so PGE rate increases don’t effect them. The biggest concern amongst Americans is the perceived cost and practicality of solar power. In California, with ample sun and extremely high utility electric costs, it’s much more expensive to NOT have solar power installed. Paying a utility bill that generates a zero rate of return on investment is no investment at all. If you have any doubt as to the validity of this previous statement, answer this question: Why will a financial institution be willing to become your power provider by installing a solar system on your home for FREE, then contractually sell you the power for 20 years at a lesser price than you are paying PG&E? In this model there is a LOT of money to be made as an energy provider. It’s an investment with little risk due to the inherent reliability of solar PV systems and little chance that electric rates will decrease. The financial institution will charge you less than PGE, they’ll make money in the process, and you’ll save money in the process. Of course, if you purchase your own solar PV generating system, you’ll not have to share any of the profits with the bankers.
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Lafayette Today ~ September 2013 - Page 11 Another “It’s official” moment: A Chinese professor from Nanjing University School of Finance summarized the relationship between Chinese solar module quality and the warranty/insurance that theoretically protects the buyer. “To our disappointment, many financing banks have not noticed the severity of this problem and the quality issue of Chinese PV modules distressing the solar industry. If several solar module makers have serial losses, the insurer will likely become insolvent.” I’ll say it again: As is true with many purchases, the best insurance starts with a quality product. Myth buster: It’s a common misconception that once one “goes solar” all natural gas appliances should be switched to electric appliances. Natural gas prices are stable, and natural gas appliances are more energy efficient than their electric brethren. Any solar PV installer worth their salt should communicate that “right sizing” the solar PV system is the most critical aspect of “going solar.” Simple energy efficient measures should be taken prior to, or in conjunction with, a solar PV project. Replace that single speed pool pump NOW, replace that electric clothes dryer NOW, and lose those incandescent light bulbs. If you’re a business or homeowner, PGE provides excellent rebates for many projects that increase efficiency (See EnergyUpgradeCa.org and PGE.com/rebates for more info). A good contractor will install a quality solar system at your home. However, an excellent contractor will properly assess your electric usage and discuss efficiency upgrades, then engage in a dialogue about solar system size and electric bill offset to meet your budget or financial goals. Mark Becker is the President of GoSimpleSolar, by Semper Fidelis Construction Inc, a Danville based Solar Installation Firm (License 948715). Mark can be reached at 925.915.9252. Visit GoSimpleSolar’s showroom at 114 West Prospect Avenue in Danville or www.GoSimpleSolar.com, or email Mark@GoSimpleSolar.com. Advertorial
Lafayette Hiking Group
Join the Lafayette Hiking Group in the their upcoming adventures. For both events meet in the parking lot out from Lafayette BART’s main entrance at 8:30am. We form carpools to the trailhead. Bring lunch or snacks, water, layered clothing, good walking shoes, sun protection, and money to contribute toward gas, bridge tolls, and parking ($5).
September 14 - Tennessee Valley, Marin Coast
We will hike up to Coyote Ridge for great views, then down to the coastal trail and to Tennessee Cove for cool sea breezes. We will return along Tennessee Valley. The hike is moderate with hills and about five miles. The leader is Alison Hill.
September 28 - Point Isabel Regional Shoreline
The park provides rich bird watching opportunities and great views of the Golden Gate and Marin. Dogs are allowed and can be off-leash, but owners should have a leash with them, and the dog should be under voice control and within sight. The hike is flat and approximately four miles or possibly more, depending on the group. The leaders are Pam Murray and Linda On. Questions? Email LafayetteHiking@comcast.net.
Project. Over 60% of Lafayette restaurants now participate in the Food Recycling Project, diverting a few hundred tons of food waste from landfills annually. The food waste is diverted and delivered to an EBMUD facility where it is turned into renewable energy and a soil amendment. The benefits of recycling are many, but one of the most compelling is saving money. With some quick math you can figure out that if every Lafayette household switched from a 64 gallon to a 32 gallon waste bin it would save the community over $2,000,000 per year! Businesses and schools stand to benefit as well. Metro Lafayette saves about $425/month by recycling their food waste. Springhill Elementary has reduced their lunchtime waste by over 70% and is expecting to save the school thousands in garbage costs. So, how can you help support the campaign? Simple – go to the new campaign website recyclelafayette.org. There you can monitor Lafayette’s diversion rate and find helpful tips and info for residents, businesses, and schools. To learn more about the campaign you are invited to visit the “No Waste Zone” at the Lafayette Art & Wine Festival on September 21st and 22nd. It will be set up in La Fiesta Square by Nitro Dog. There you can pick up free Recycle Lafayette stickers to put on your brown and green bins. A special thank you to Whole Food’s “Nickels for Non-Profits Program” for helping to fund the campaign along with Sustainable Lafayette’s “Annual Sponsors” and the Lafayette Chamber of Lic# 1100014354; Bay Area Entertainment Commerce who is providing various types of support.
Page 12 - September 2013 ~ Lafayette Today
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It’s Not Easy Getting Green!
Submitted by AAUW members Pat Beckner & Gail Chesler
It’s Not Easy Getting Green! is the topic for the Tuesday, September 17th meeting of the OrindaMoraga-Lafayette (OML) branch of The American Association of University Women (AAUW). This first meeting of the academic year will be held at the Trinity Serbian Church Cultural Center at 1700 School Street, Moraga. Coffee, snacks, and networking will begin at 9am, and the program begins at 9:45am. The community is invited and the program is free. Juan Ortiz, staff attorney for the Antioch office of the International Institute of the Bay Area, will address current laws affecting immigrants, both legal and illegal. He will speak about some of the issues and implications surrounding reform of the immigration system and the current processes that a person needs to go through to study, work, or immigrate to our country. There will be an opportunity for questions and lively discussion. For 90 years in Northern California, the International Institute of the Bay Area has provided fair, accurate, and low cost legal advice on more than fifty USCIS federal government procedures that can move individuals and families toward becoming US citizens, with all the rights and responsibilities that come with full participation in our democracy. The institute provides programs and services for immigrant and refugee families that ease the transition to American life. The American Association of University Women is a national organization that advances equity for women
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Environmentally Friendly Options for Getting to School
In 1964, 50% of kids in the U.S. rode their bikes to school. In 2004, only 3% of kids rode their bikes to school. Biking and walking have been replaced by parents zipping their kids to and from school and to other activities by car. This may seem safe and hassle-free for the kids, but it prevents kids from getting needed exercise, adds considerably to traffic congestion (think Moraga Road at 8:15am!), sends a cocktail of pollutants into the air that we all breath, and emits greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Considering all of these factors, the “true cost” of driving our kids everywhere is more expensive than we might think. Try GoLafayette.org to compare the full cost, fuel used, CO2 emissions, and calories burned for walking, biking, carpooling, taking a hybrid, or driving a typical car to school. Just enter you home address, choose your school, and then click “View Your Options.” The data is just for one direction.
Consider the Following Options for Getting your Kids to School
Bike or Walk – Walking and biking are great alternatives for students that live within 1-2 miles of their school. These activities can promote responsible behavior, increase awareness of the outdoor environment, and help students stay physically fit. Lafayette has a number of bike trails and routes which are located near our schools. Investigate possible biking or walking routes. If you live far away from the school, but want your child to start to experience walking/riding, find a safe place to drop them off and pick them up as far away from school as is appropriate for their ability. For bike safety tips, go to www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/ bike/kidsandbikesafetyweb. Lamorinda School Bus Program – The program operates 21 buses serving 1,500 students in Lamorinda. These buses run on ultra-low sulfur fuel, and their emissions are similar to buses running on natural gas. Stops are convenient to a student’s house. The bus fares are reasonable as a majority of the funds come from Measure J, a ½ cent sales tax to support the program. For information about the bus program, visit www.lamorindaschoolbus.org. Form a “School Pool” – This takes a little coordination, but it reduces your drives per week and definitely cuts down on energy use and air pollution. Carpooling also fosters a sense of community among riders. A carpool can give students a sense of responsibility about being on time and an arena where they can practice their pleases and thank-yous. Conversations in the car allow parents a chance to get to know what’s happening at school in a way a single child rarely shares. Learn more about carpooling to school at www.CarpooltoSchool.com. Form a “Walking School Bus” or “Bicycle Train” - A walking school bus is a group of children walking to school with one or more adults. The bus leaves when the farthest family begins to walk the route and picks up kids along the way. It can be as informal as two families taking turns walking their children to school or as structured as a planned route with meeting points, a timetable, and a schedule of trained volunteers. A variation on the walking school bus is a bicycle train where a group of children and adult leaders ride together to school. Learn more at www. saferoutesinfo.org. Take a Public Bus - Riding the public bus can be a wonderful experience for a child. Safe and reliable, there are public CCCTA buses in town that stop at or near many of our schools. The CCCTA school bus routes can be seen at http://cccta.org/maps-schedules/#school. Check 511contracosta.org, which sometimes offers free or reduced tickets for students. Other Tips - If you do drive, please remember to turn off your car while waiting. An idling engine generates air pollution right where kids are congregating. Another suggestion is to combine a trip to school with errands that you need to run. This will save time and reduce your total driving. Preserving Quality Time - Many parents consider one-on-one time with their kids in the car to be a special time to visit, but there may be alternatives that are just as special or even better. Consider talking with your child about alternatives, knowing that such a change might contribute to their development and help ensure the future health of their environment. To read success stories about how families in Lafayette are getting their kids to school and living more sustainably, please visit www.sustainablelafayette.org. through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. AAUW has more than 100,000 members in 1,300 branches across the United States and 550 college/university members. It lobbies and advocates for education and equity for women and girls. General meetings of the OML branch are held on the third Tuesday of each month, September through May. The organization also provides numerous educational and social networking opportunities to members, including current event discussions, book clubs, golf, bridge, as well as volunteer opportunities benefiting women and girls in education. The September meeting will also afford members and guests an opportunity to learn more about what the branch has to offer and sign up for activities that interest them. For more information about the event, visit the OML website www.aauwoml.org or email communication-publicity@aauwoml.org.
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Quick Trips By Linda Summers Pirkle USS Hornet
Lafayette Today ~ September 2013 - Page 13
The USS Hornet, a 1942 aircraft carrier docked in Alameda, is always an interesting trip destination. Last month our group of 22 veterans, their grandkids, and friends had an outstanding day. We arrived at 10AM and were met by Tom Constable, Vietnam veteran (multiengine Navy pilot) and retired American AirFostering Self-Resilience lines pilot who flew SFO to Tokyo and Taipei. These days he spends some of his free time as a docent on the USS Hornet, along with about 100 other dedicated in Children & Teens volunteers. The Hornet is one of five aircraft carrier museums in the United States, according to Bill Callahan, one of the docent supervisors at the museum, and all but one are the same type of ship as the USS Hornet; Essex class carriers that were the backbone of the Pacific fleet in WWII. The other museums are located in larger cities and thus attract many more visitors than the Hornet. It makes it more difficult, if not impossible, for the other ships to offer the kind of personalized docent led tours that you see on the Hornet, but the Hornet, because of its more limited number of visitors, is able to offer a personalized docent tour, as our group experienced. “We like it the way it is and so do our visitors who really appreciate the personal touch and personal stories of our docents,” says Callahan. Sunday, Sept. 22 We started the morning on the hangar deck with a seven minute orientation video, then we began 6:00 p.m. $10 our two hour tour of the ship. Tom, our guide, took us all over the ship. We toured the hangar deck, second deck, third deck, engine room, boiler room, flight deck, and the island (the structure above the Ken Ginsburg, M.D. flight deck). Nationally Known Pediatrician & Advocate for Families We learned about the Hornet’s history with the first two NASA missions that landed men on the moon. On July 24, 1969, Hornet helicopters and crewmen “plucked the Apollo 11 astronauts and their Register today at LOPC.org space capsule from the Pacific Ocean” according to the brochure from the Hornet museum. 49 Knox Drive, Lafayette CA 94549 The Sea King Helicopter, on permanent display on the Hornet, has its own place in history as the recovery craft for the crew of Gemini 4 in 1965. The day we visited happened to be the anniversary of the recovery of the crew of Gemini 4 in the Atlantic Ocean. The Sea King Let’s Talk About This ! There are a few things we need to iron out! Helicopter’s last mission was as the lead helicopter in the movie Apollo 13. The Hornet is a very large ship, and it is full of things to see. Having a knowledgeable In fact there are probably more than a few for most of us. guide is very helpful. Tom exceeded our expectations with his information and his ability If we are going to tackle the things that need ironing, why not enjoy with the new Sunbeam Steam Iron? to make history come alive. He encouraged the vets in our group to add their own personal Automatic, light weight, non stick experiences. A member of our group, a submariner veteran from the 1980’s, gave us insight Best of all, reg. $50.00, SPECIAL $29.99 about the size of the submarine quarters he lived in; they were much smaller than on the Available now at David M. Brian in Broadway Plaza USS Hornet. Another veteran shared that he had served on the USS Hornet, and he found Walnut Creek. the location of his bunk. The docent training program on With home values increasing, take advantage of the Hornet is very extensive and the opportunity to Refinance into a traditional loan! well thought out. According to Bill Callahan, included in the training is Purchase or refinance up to $825,000 with 10% equity! on-the-job mentoring that requires • No monthly mortgage insurance. docents to spend a minimum of 18 • We have no cost options! hours aboard the ship learning the details of the main tour areas. There • Savings of AT LEAST 0.55% to 1.50% are “check rides” in knowledge and in mortgage insurance rates! continuing education classes and FREE consultation and option sheet! each docent is encouraged to use their own history and experience to add a personal touch of authenticity to their tour. Callahan mentioned that they are always recruiting new volunteers, “One thing that is worrisome is that nearly half of our active docents are now 80 or older, and they can’t keep going up and down those ladders forever.” ~ In order to have a private tour, call at least a week in advance. Docents on board daily offer tours of the Engine Room and the Navigation Bridge. Call 510-521-8448 x224 for more information or visit www.uss-hornet.org. ~ Ask to see the 442nd Room, located on the aft end of the hangar deck of the USS Hornet, dedicated to the highly decorated 442nd Division of 6,000 Japanese American servicemen who served in WWII. The one-of-a-kind exhibit is maintained entirely by the 442nd division survivors and their families. Linda Summers Pirkle, travel consultant and long term Danville resident, has been arranging and leading tours for the Town of Danville for several years. Inspired by the many wonderful places to visit in the Bay Area, she organizes day trips, either for groups or for friends and family. “If it’s a trip for my husband and me, my husband drives and I talk (he’s a captive audience) – the perfect combination! What a great place to live, so much to see, so much to do.” To share your “Quick Trips” ideas email Coverthemap@gmail.com.
Page 14 - September 2013 ~ Lafayette Today
Tree of the Season: The Monterey Pine By Blaine Brende & Joe Lamb
The imposing Monterey Pine, Pinus radiata, perhaps the most common large landscape tree in the Bay Area, is one of the most widely-planted trees on the planet. It covers millions of acres in places as far-flung as England, Chile, and Australia. However, its native range covers just a few square miles of the California coastline, which explains why it prefers a cool, moist coastal climate with well-draining soils. With their dense, towering canopies, dark, glossy green needles, refreshing scent, and magnificent sweep of boughs, Monterey Pines give the feeling of being in a forest. They provide habitat for many species of birds and butterflies. The beauty of these trees, combined with their immense vigor and rapid growth, appeals to landscapers who want a quick, tall screen between houses, a cool shady hillside behind their home, or an instantly woodsy subdivision. Unfortunately, the quick hedge or woodland effect you enjoy in the first year of the tree’s life can become a major safety hazard and a source of conflict with uphill neighbors when, two decades later, the tree reaches 50-70 feet in height. The Monterey Pine’s soft, brittle wood and its shallow root system combine to make it a serious hazard during winter storms on the hilly slopes. Away from its native habitat, it is vulnerable to root-rot diseases and, stressed by lack of water during our dry summers, it becomes prey to often fatal beetle infestations. The species is relatively short-lived, around 75 years, and its proclivity for toppling, or for shedding large branches, increases with age.
Coping with Pines
So what are we to do with these beautiful but bothersome pines that define so much of the Bay Area landscape? First of all, don’t plant any more of them unless you are willing and able to offer them ideal conditions. These include a large, level, adequately moist planting site, with porous soil, far from both houses and power lines, and with no uphill neighbors whose views your growing tree will obstruct. Monterey Pines also require regular care, including safety thinning every few years, as well as periodic watering, aerating, and fertilizing.
Gardening with Kate By Kathleen Guillaume
This time of year I often drive over Highway 4 between Martinez and Hercules because it is a beautiful drive and a good excuse to go to the restaurant The Dead Fish in Crockett. Mostly I love this drive because as you leave Martinez you can see the rolling wheat colored hills that are the back of the Briones area and Franklin Canyon which is studded with some of the healthiest and most beautifully formed native California Oaks. Also, along the right edge of the freeway from the golf course to the west are ribbons studded with California buckwheat whose stunning clumps march in waves of buckwheat congregations, some still with pink buds and cream flowers slowly turning to the rusts and browns of fall. Buckwheat is a worthy plant for dry gardens. Go to www.lapilitas. com/groups/buckwheat/california_buckwheat.html and you will find the Eriogonium fasciculatum foliolosum and the Eriogonium giganteum, known as St. Catherine’s Lace. There is also a link on this page for ‘Wooley Blue Curls,’ Trichoslema lanatum which is perfect for unamended, never watered, clay soil. Blue Curls only asks for well drained soil, so it is a perfect companion for Buckwheat planted on a slope which will allow it the drainage it needs. Buckwheat provides the nectar for both butterflies and those good predator insects that keep our gardens in balance. You can get your local nursery to order these plants for you. They look best if placed in offset waves of three or five plants. Natives should never be planted in a row, but they should look like they just formed naturally. Buckwheat is so much better than some of the grasses people select for drought tolerant gardens as they have a good year round appearance. They are perfect for those of you who have natural slopes that you want to landscape but not irrigate or fuss over. This is also the time of year to order Daffodils, that wonderful bulb that
www.yourmonthlypaper.com If you are already living with Monterey Pines, reduce the safety risks through preventative maintenance before it’s too late. To improve drainage, invigorate your pine’s root system, and strengthen its resistance, we suggest aerating, then filling the holes with rich, porous organic matter (we use American Soil’s “Clodbuster” mix). Check your pine for infestations by looking for areas where whole branches are turning brown, as well as for small holes, tubes or splotches of pitch, or red “sawdust” droppings around the trunk and major branches.
Pruning Pines
The best time to prune any type of pine trees, and the only recommended time to prune Monterey pines, is between October 1st and February 15th. Sap from pruning cuts attracts beetles destructive to pines. These beetles are dormant during the fall and winter months. Given that the beetles can smell sap from long distances, it is important to prune your pine when they are inactive. Not only are the beetles themselves harmful, but some species can carry pine pitch canker, a fungal disease that disfigures pine trees and sometimes kills them. If your tree has dead tips scattered throughout the canopy it probably has pine pitch canker. If you want to prolong the life of the tree, as well as its appearance, now is the best time to prune out the diseased tips. Even healthy pines require occasional pruning to keep them safe and beautiful. To reduce the fire hazard associated with pines, fire departments recommend removing deadwood and taking branches back from buildings. Pines are sometimes subject to branch and column failure. Judicious thinning of the crown reduces the wind-sail effect of the canopy and thereby reduces the risk of the tree falling in a windstorm. Removing weight from the ends of heavy branches reduces the likelihood that those branches will break. The safety pruning of trees is an art as well as a science. A well-pruned tree should not only be safer, it should look beautiful. At Brende and Lamb, we take great pride in both the science and the art of pruning. Now is the best time to make your pines as safe, healthy, and beautiful as possible. If your trees need a little TLC, please call 510-486-TREE (8733) or email us at bl@brendelamb.com for a free estimate. Additionally, go to our website www. brendelamb.com to see before and after pictures, client testimonials, and work in your neighborhood. Advertorial
Montelindo Garden Club
The Montelindo Garden Club monthly meeting, which is held every third Friday of the month from September to May, will be held on Friday, September 20th at 9AM at St. Stephens Church, located at 66 St.Stephen’s Dr. in Orinda. The topic for September’s meeting is “Autumn is the Second Spring.” The speaker will be Krisitin Yanker-Hansen, garden designer at Ruth Bancroft Gardens. Visitors are welcome. For more information, go to www.montelindogarden.com. gophers do not bother. Go to www.BrecksWholesale.com for large orders of 25 to 100 bulbs, which run in the $19 to $49 range, and you will find some wonderful hybrids that are really showy. These are perfect for naturalizing, and if they are planted during late fall or winter in areas that get little to no summer irrigation, they will thrive and multiply. I love ‘Copper Queen’ which is orange with a red trumpet and that really makes a statement. I also like ‘Revcurvus’ which has white petals and a short trumpet with a green throat that goes to yellow then is ringed with red. If you do not have a lot of space in your garden, go to www.Brecks.com/fallsale and you will find some wonderful hybrids in smaller quanities. One that I really like from this catalog is ‘Quail Daffodil,’ a very long lasting bloomer and fragrant to boot, and ‘Irish Eyes,’ whose white trumpet throat is splashed with green. All of these bulbs are on sale in the regular catalog at this time. You can store them when they arrive in a refrigerator vegetable bin for planting later (Just make sure that you are not storing apples in the refrigerator). You will also find a good selection of reblooming irises; my ‘Autumn Circus’ blooms spring, late summer, and winter. You will also find some fragrant bearded irises. On sale you can also find mixed bags of Hosta and Peony. Gardeners always live in a world where they enjoy the plants of the season, like the late summer blooms that fill our gardens, but they always their eyes open to the seasons in front of them. September is the time to buy spring bulbs. October through November is the time to add spring perennials and shrubs. December is the time for bare root fruit trees. Late winter through spring is the time you add summer perennials...always dreaming into the future. Gardening is truly an act of faith that there will be tomorrows. Happy gardening.
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Life in the Lafayette Garden
By John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape Architect #4059 A Garden for the Senses
We long to connect with nature to rejuvenate, relax, recreate, and redeem ourselves. A garden is one of those places that have the gift to touch all of our human senses; sight, smell, touch, sound, and taste. Wandering through a beautifully designed Lafayette garden allows the senses to be stimulated by the wonderful visuals, fragrances, textures, sounds, and tastes that nature can offer. One of the key elements to creating a gorgeous garden is to intentionally stimulate our human experience through our senses. Sight is the primary sense in distinguishing the beauties of a garden. All the elements of a garden; plants, paths, structures, water, fire, and lawn form the visual scenery. Color, texture, balance, form, and composition are the visual scales that our sight measures the landscape with. Sight is the very sense by which a great garden design flourishes. It gives our eyes pleasure by offering interest to spur the imagination, color to dazzle, texture to distinguish, composition to sooth, scale for a sense of place, balance to nurture, and form to define.
The sense of smell in the garden is such a delight! Remember the delicate fragrances of orange blossoms, irises, mock orange, and apple blossoms? The old favorites are the more overwhelming scents of rose, jasmine, gardenia, winter-blooming daphne, and lavender. The scents so often not at the forefront of the nose are newly cultivated soil, tomatoes, decomposing leaves, compost, manure, and sprinkler water when it settles on the dry dirt. Even though these smells add to your experience they are not very often planned for. Give your garden design a good smattering of fragrances throughout that will dazzle the old sense of smell both day and night. Touch seems to be the sense we don’t often intentionally think about when planning a garden. We think primarily about our sight, secondarily about our smell and lastly about sound. Touch adds a whole new world of sensuality to a garden. Hold out the palm of your hand to brush through a clump of wind grass (Nasella tenuissima), dip your hot tired feet into a cooling pond, walk barefoot through the cool grass, feel the warmth of the sun’s rays, and refresh under the shade of a red sunset maple (Acer rubrum ‘Red Sunset’). Allowing your body to feel the environment gives you a sense of place and reality. Touch brings you to your senses and brings your experience to you. Design elements that beckon your touch. Let the branches hang over the path to reach out and touch you. Provide leaves with texture, flowers with interest, and bark with coarseness to coax the touch. Go quietly into a well designed garden and listen. What do you hear? The sound of honey bees buzzing, the rustle of leaves in the breeze, the crunch of gravel under your step, and the chirping songs of birds can be deliberate design elements. Plantings provide everything necessary for bird and insect music. The breeze will do its magic in the trees and grasses without effort. Sound brings a sense of rejuvenation to our experience in the garden. Nothing sooths the senses more than the sound of trickling water. Water elements are the most common way to add the sense of sound to your garden. A water element needs deliberate design. Its placement, size, and sound play an important role in a successful garden. The sound of water serves many purposes. Most of us in the Lafayette valley can hear Interstate 680 at one time of the day or another. The sound of water can create “white noise” to veil the freeway noise. Trickling water will be a much more desired sound than the hectic rush of cars, trucks, and motorcycles. The sense of taste has to be my favorite. To reap the harvest of what can be
Lafayette Today ~ September 2013 - Page 15
Lafayette Community Garden Classes
Please join us for one of our classes at the Lafayette Community Garden, across from the Reservoir. These classes are interactive, informative, and fun, so come join us and prepare to get your hands dirty!
Winter Gardens ~ Saturday, September 14th, 3:30 to 5pm
Nanette Heffernan returns to the Community Garden for a lively discussion on how to prepare your garden for winter to ensure that you have a healthy spring. We will also discuss winter edibles that do well in Contra Costa such as Swiss chard, broccoli, and collard greens. This was such a popular class last fall that we wanted to bring Nanette back. You’ll take home great knowledge of caring for your garden this winter and maybe even some cool season seedlings to plant! Classes are free, although a $5 donation is appreciated. To register for a class, please visit www.lafayettecommunitygarden.org, and click on “Classes.”
grown in our Lafayette Sunbelt has to be the most fulfilling to our sense of taste. Vine ripened tomatoes, fresh juicy peaches, sweet red strawberries, apples, pears, lettuce, chard, green beans, corn, onions, peppers, and rosemary are all successful treats grown in Lafayette. Thanks to our wonderfully warm climate and long growing season, an abundance of garden treats can be added in any garden. Not only are the tastes exquisite, but they are attractive. The silvergray of artichokes among the plantings add pizzazz! The abundance of fruits and vegetables growing in your garden brings an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment. You don’t need a lot, just some. There’s nothing better than stepping out of your kitchen and into your garden for fresh rosemary, tomatoes, or artichokes. Just because you grew it in your garden, it tastes better. Your garden is solely experienced through your five senses. The five senses when intentionally applied to our design process truly add another element of design to your garden experience. A hot tip from your local Landscape Architect: If you are planning a new garden, make a list of each of the five senses. Under each sense list what you would like to experience in your new garden. Gardening Quote of the month: The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses. ~Hanna Rion If you would like me to write on any particular subject, email your ideas to jmontgomery@jm-la.com or for design ideas, visit www.jm-la.com. Advertorial
Page 16 - September 2013 ~ Lafayette Today
Why is the Market...?
By Deborah Mitchell, CFA, MSW
Stock Market participants have scrutinized every move of the Federal Reserve (FED), looking for clues as to when tapering of the $85 billion bond buying program will begin. The release of the last FED meeting minutes revealed few changes to the news previously disseminated. There did appear to be ample support for FED Chairman Ben Bernanke’s vague timeline, which included the possibility of making changes as early as the September meeting. FED officials remain very data-dependant in their decision making process. Although the June employment report showed “solid gains in payrolls,” “overall labor market conditions remained weak.” Central Bank officials continue to be divided on the timing of cutting back bond purchases with a few saying soon and others warranting caution. Importantly, it is not expected that the FED will raise interest rates immediately after paring back on the stimulus program. Uncertainty over when the tapering will begin has been cast as a negative event by investors. But the possibility of the FED reducing purchases should actually be viewed as a vote of confidence that the economy may be in true recovery mode. If the progress was not considered sustainable and not showing signs of improvement, the FED would not consider ending the stimulus program. In reality, tapering back is a positive sign indicating that the FED considers the economy to be on stronger footing. However, the vacillation over “will they or won’t they” has created a tremendous amount of volatility in the global markets. The markets are really caught between a rock and a hard place. When economic data has been strong, the markets fall out of fear the FED will pare back sooner than expected. When economic data has been weak, major stock indices drop in fear of a slower recovery. Up until last week, all eyes were on the anticipated behavior of the FED. But now, concerns over Syria have become the primary focus. After evidence
Brainwaves by Betsy Streeter
www.yourmonthlypaper.com revealed the use of chemical weapons on civilians, killing hundreds in the process, the conflict has escalated over the possibility of a U.S. lead military strike in retaliation. Increased tensions over incidents in Syria have pumped up oil prices to an eighteen month high, due to worries that a strike could disrupt oil supplies in the region. Although not a significant international oil producer, Syria is located near sea routes and pipelines that are responsible for transporting a large portion of the worlds oil supply. If a U.S. initiated strike occurs, there are several possible negative outcomes. Results could include a potential conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran, as well as blockage of the Suez Canal, which is a major passageway for oil tankers. School is now back in session, and investors fit in final summer vacations over the Labor Day weekend. Soft trading volume remains but should subside after the holiday weekend when traders will return and be raring to go. The nearly three hour trading halt on the NASDAQ did not seem to matter much, as most major indices closed up that day. But the summer rally may have finally run out of steam. The technical picture has become more fragile, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) dropping below their respective 50 day moving averages. The uncertainty over FED taper talk and the conflict in Syria are weighing heavily on market indices. Lighter trading volume may be amplifying the reaction to news about Syria. When trading volume is soft, there are not as many buyers and sellers present. This dynamic results in a more volatile price point that would not exist in a market with more active traders. In the near term, absent any meaningful catalyst, the market is expected to have a period of digestion. If you have any comments or questions, please contact Deborah at 925299-2000 or dmitchell@noroian.com. Deborah Mitchell holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, a Bachelors degree in Psychology, and a Masters in Social Work degree. She is a Vice President for Noroian Capital Management, an independent investment advisory firm located in Lafayette, California for individuals and businesses. Advertorial
Festival continued from front page
Free Continuous Entertainment and a Band Contest - The Lafayette Art & Wine Festival features four music stages and 20 Bay Area headliner cover bands, including The Sun Kings, Fleetwood Mask, Aja Vu, Petty Theft, Zebop!, The Spazmatics, East Bay Mudd, and Annie Sampson, of Stoneground fame. New this year will be a Best of the Festival band contest with fans voting via text message. Unique Wine & Beer Available - Throughout the Festival, there will be a wide variety of wine, beer, and ale. In the Premium Wine & Craft Beer Pavilion, you’ll find unmatched selections of high-end wine and craft beer that most of us never get a chance to taste. Sip while enjoying the bands on the Pavilion Music Stage with continuous live entertainment starting at noon each day. Lafayette's Restaurant Row, Food Trucks, & Other Vendors - Choice is everywhere! Lafayette’s famed Restaurant Row is in the heart of the Festival footprint, and you’ll find over 20 of our top Lafayette restaurants as you walk from Festival stage to stage. There are also dozens of outside vendors that participate in the Festival that offer everything from pulled pork tacos to crab cakes. The Food Truck Alley supports (ironically!) Meals on Wheels. Original Art & Crafts - With more than 260 artist and handmade crafts booths, the fair offers a unique variety of gifts, jewelry, art, clothing, furniture, and display pieces created by local and regional artists. Our “Local Artists Alley” showcases Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda fine artists who are members of the Lafayette Gallery and Lamorinda Arts Alliance. America’s Cup Viewing. This year, the Festival is offering large screen, real-time video coverage of the America’s Cup finals, scheduled for Saturday, September 21st. For complete Lafayette Art & Wine Festival details, go to http:// lafayettefestival.com. The Lafayette Art & Wine Festival is an annual event that promotes Lafayette’s downtown and raises money for local education, the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, and many other local non-profit organizations.
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How to Choose a Trustee By Robert J. Silverman, Esq.
Establishing a Revocable Living Trust for yourself and your family is worthwhile for many of the reasons I’ve written about previously, including avoiding probate, maintaining privacy, controlling when and how young loved ones inherit assets, estate tax mitigation, etc. But perhaps the most compelling reason is to create a “financial succession” vehicle, designed and optimized to ensure that your assets are handled the way you want, both during your life and after you’re gone. A Revocable Living Trust (“Trust”) has three “stakeholders”: 1) the Settlor (aka “grantor” or “trustor”) – the person who establishes the trust, 2) the Beneficiaries – the people who benefit from the trust, and 3) the Trustee – the person who manages the trust. As long as a Settlor is willing and able, he or she typically serves as his or her own Trustee (or if the Settlors are married, the spouses serve as Co-Trustees). A much more difficult but important question is who should serve as Successor Trustee(s) and thus manage the Trust - the Settlor’s financial affairs - when the Settlor (or if married, when one or both Settlors) dies or becomes unwilling or unable to do so. This has many implications and should be thought through carefully and discussed in detail with your estate planning attorney. First, it’s critical to step back and ask what the appropriate criteria is for choosing a Successor Trustee. There is no “one size fits all.” It depends on all relevant facts and circumstances, including the makeup of the Settlors’ family and their loved ones, assets, and objectives. Certain criteria is intuitive. The starting place should always be trustworthiness. If trustworthy, is the person responsible and reasonably good at handling financial matters? Regardless of how trustworthy, a Successor Trustee is not going to be helpful if he or she isn’t the type who gets up in the morning and takes care of business. Geographic proximity is a factor, but it tends to be less important now because of technology advances in managing assets from afar. Emotional character and personality should be assessed since one or more trust Beneficiaries (often related to the Successor Trustee) may try to manipulate the Successor Trustee. For example, a Beneficiary may make requests and try to persuade the Successor Trustee to exercise certain Trustee-authorized discretion in a manner that may not ultimately be in the best interest of that Beneficiary. Much too frequently, a quick, “painless” decision is made by nominating one’s spouse, oldest child, or all children as Co-Trustees. Such haste may lead to problems, if not disaster. Choosing Co-Trustees, even when they consist of all of your children, is often problematic because of logistics and/or the required compatibility and cooperation involved in making Trust decisions (e.g. how, when, or whether to sell or divide certain cherished assets). Family relationships can be devastated as a result of a Settlor not taking ample care in deciding who is truly best suited to be Successor Trustee. Interestingly, the decision about who is to serve as Successor Trustee after the first spouse dies can have a more dramatic impact than who will serve when the surviving spouse dies. This is particularly true with blended families and/or with couples in which one or both spouses have significant separate property holdings. But issues can arise even for spouses whose entire estate consists of community property, such as those triggered by the remarriage of the surviving spouse. Sometimes, neither relatives nor friends are the best candidates. Many financial institutions have reputable trust departments, with capable, seasoned trust officers who can potentially carry out a Settlor’s wishes most objectively, safely, and effectively. Another alternative is to choose an experienced, “private fiduciary” – someone who is properly licensed and bonded, whose job entails serving as Successor Trustee for many different family trusts. In this, as in many instances, your trusted professional advisor, such as your estate planning attorney, CPA, and/or investment manager can serve you best not just by getting to an answer, but by knowing what questions to ask. NOTE: If you read my articles on a regular basis, you may notice something looks a bit different. I’ve opened up a new, independent law office, and thus have a new logo and new contact information. My experienced, long-time staff and I continue to dedicate ourselves to serving the best interests of our clients’ legal needs in these areas: * Estate Planning * Trust Administration & Probate * Real Estate * Business. I offer a complimentary Estate Planning primer and/or free, introductory meeting. Mr. Silverman is an attorney with R. Silverman Law Group, 1855 Olympic Blvd., Suite 240, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 705-4474, rsilverman@ rsilvermanlaw.com, www.silvermanlaw.com. This article is intended to provide information of a general nature, and is not intended nor should it be relied upon as legal, tax and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain and rely upon specific advice only from their own qualified professional advisors. This communication is not intended or written to be used, for the purpose of: i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code; or ii) promoting, marketing, or recommending to another party any matters addressed herein. Advertorial
Lafayette Today ~ September 2013 - Page 17
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Maynard continued from front page
for film by Academy Award-nominated director Jason Reitman, and it stars Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin. Her latest book, After Her, is a story of family, friendship, and suspense. Part thriller, part love story and part family narrative, After Her is based on true events of the late 1970’s involving one man’s elusive search for Northern California’s notorious “Trailside Killer.” Maynard will read a portion of After Her and will share the story of her inspiration for the novel. As a long-time Marin resident with a view of Mt. Tamalpais, site of several “Trailside Killer” murders, Maynard had long been haunted Joyce Maynard. Photo: @ MICKE Sebastien/Getty Images. by the case. She was given a unique opportunity to explore the decades-old story, when the two adult daughters of the case’s homicide detective happened to participate in one of her day-long writing workshops. The sisters agreed to allow Maynard to tell a fictionalized version of their account. They provided Maynard with details from their childhoods and memories of their deeply flawed father and his search for the killer. After Her is a poignant, suspenseful tale that traces a young girl’s loss of innocence, the bond of shared sisters, and the tender but damaged relationship between a girl and her father. Tickets for the event, which will feature a 6:30pm author reception with light appetizers and beverages, 7:15pm presentation, and post-presentation booksigning, are $20 and can be purchased on the Lafayette Library and Learning Center Foundation website www.LLLCF.org. Raffle tickets, for a chance to win an appearance by Maynard at your private gathering, are also available for $20 each or 3/$50. Maynard will join your book club, dinner club or fan club of up to 14 guests at your Bay Area venue. “This is an extraordinary opportunity to spend time with one of the bravest, most generous people I have ever known,” says LLLCF board member Karen Mulvaney. “I’ve seen Joyce’s generosity in her gifting of her time to support our Library efforts, in the way she instructs and champions her students (I was one) in her writing workshops, and in her love of friends and strangers, both of whom she embraces with a no-holds-
See Maynard continued on page 24
Page 18 - September 2013 ~ Lafayette Today
Are You on the Medication Merry-Go-Round? By William Shryer, LCSW, DCSW, Clinical Director, Diablo Behavioral Healthcare
How many have been depressed or had other disorders that required prescribed medications? For adults, less than 50% respond to the level called remission or feeling completely well to the first medications and even less to the second or third medication tried. The side effects of medication include feeling sluggish, being nauseated, having sleep problems, and having other side effects too numerous to mention which can all contribute to feeling frustration or going off of medication. At times, the side effects of suddenly stopping medications results in even more unpleasant side effects called discontinuation syndrome. For those who stay with the antidepressant merry-go-round, after a period of not getting better with the typical antidepressants, then often comes the “augmenting,” or adding on of agents as seen on TV with the cute little cartoons with such “augmenting” agents such as Abilify or Seroquel, two well known antipsychotics with more side effects than are imaginable. Remember, the majority of depressed people are not psychotic. Are the side effects of weight gain, confusion, feelings of dullness, and feelings of being sleepy all the time like a punishment for being depressed? The problem here is multi-pronged in that the drug companies and insurance companies work together. This has led to our psychiatrists to become nothing more than walking prescription pads who hold appointments with their patients for as short as 15 minutes. No longer do psychiatrists have the time to talk and get to know their patient. All they have time for is to get to know the symptoms and what medications can treat those symptoms. Many patients being treated for depression and other disorders have to then see an outside non-medical therapist such as a Marriage and Family Therapist, Social Worker, or Psychologist for ongoing psychotherapy to discuss why the treatment isn’t working and why they are not getting over their symptoms. This is where another fracture takes place as these two providers rarely talk. When ongoing communication does not take place, it’s the patient who suffers. Trying to find competent care for the treatment of depression, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive disorder is an uphill battle, and we at Diablo Behavioral Healthcare are well aware of this. We have put together a comprehensive program with all resources under one roof. Board Certified Child and Adult Psychiatrists handle the medical care, and every patient has a case manger to make sure the treatment is progressing and the patient is receiving the care most appropriate for their situation. We have been providing psychotherapy and medication management for over 25 years in Danville. We treat patients from three years for developmental evaluations to seniors. A few of the more challenging conditions we have expert training in are Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, and Au-
www.yourmonthlypaper.com tistic Spectrum Disorders. Treatment resistant depression is being successfully treated with our most recent addition of TMS or Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. I urge any of you in treatment for depression to ask your provider about this to see if they have even heard about this cutting edge treatment. If they have a negative opinion about it, share with them the information on our website to review the well-known medical schools utilizing this treatment. To name a few, there is Johns Hopkins, Weill Cornell in NYC, Stanford Hospital and Medical Center, and Harvard Medical School. These are not fringe organizations and are in fact leading the research to find even more uses for this technology. Recently researchers have been looking into possible use of this for fibromyalgia, early onset Alzheimer’s, migraine headaches, autism spectrum disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, ringing in the ears, ADHD, and post stroke rehabilitation to name but a few. What has researchers so excited? We can thank the high tech area of Silicon Valley for many of these breakthroughs. Researchers had this technology for the past 20 years or so, and it has only been FDA cleared since 2008. The technology allows practitioners to stimulate the neurons with pulses from what in its simplest terms is a fairly powerful electromagnet. This does to the brain what medications try to do. This is the same technology that allows us to perform an MRI used so often in medical care to see into the body without the danger of X-Rays. TMS is in fact a non-invasive medical procedure performed under the care of a psychiatrist to do what antidepressants try to do without the side effects. If you’re curious about this contact our office to arrange a time to discuss this change option further. Explore our website dedicated to TMS at www.blackhawkTMS.com to learn more. For more information on TMS or any other of our comprehensive services contact our office at (925) 648-4800 and we will take the time to answer your questions. Our office is conveniently located at 4185 Blackhawk Plaza Circle Suite 210 next to Bank of America. Advertorial
Ask Dr. Happy By Bob Nozik, MD Dear Dr. Happy,
I am so unhappy. My husband, Mac, and I are both in our mid 30’s and really want to have a child. We’ve tried without success, so we went for a fertility evaluation and learned that I am the problem. I was kind of wild as a teen and contracted gonorrhea which caused me to be sterile. I feel so guilty! I really don’t want to adopt; I want my own baby. Mac’s been very supportive, but I know he’s disappointed. He’s suggested adopting, but it wouldn’t really be ours. I’m at my wits’ end. ~ Desperate
Dear Desperate,
You didn’t mention it, but since you’ve been evaluated for fertility, I suspect you know there are ways you can have a baby using a surrogate or even in vitro fertilization. But, from the tone of your question, it sounds like your biggest problem is guilt along with non-acceptance of your sterility. That happened a long time ago when you were young and foolish. It sounds like you’ve matured a lot since then. What you need to do now is accept what happened, forgive yourself, and move forward. You can’t change what’s happened, and being guilty over it just adds more suffering to your pain. We all have things we’ve done that we regret but have to accept in order to move on with our lives. Please forgive yourself, consider adoption, and dedicate yourself to making good decisions now rather than wishing for a better past. It sounds like you have a supportive husband to help you, so count your blessings and move forward rather than looking backward.
Happiness Tip
Lic# 1100014354; Bay Area Entertainment
A good general rule for helping all of us live happier lives is to only fight battles we can win. Despite knowing that she is infertile, ‘Desperate’ still hasn’t accepted it nor has she forgiven herself for the choices she made as a teenager. Instead, she continues to beat herself up over the results of her early indiscretions. If she wants to be happy, she will have to learn the wisdom contained in the opening line of the Serenity Prayer: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change…” ‘Desperate’ needs to accept her sterility and forgive herself for having acted in ways that caused it. Only then can she move beyond it and make better decisions now and in the future. We all make mistakes, especially when we’re young and naïve about the importance of making good decisions in life. Acceptance and forgiveness are the tools we all can use for learning the lessons mistakes have for helping us do better and move forward in our lives. Send questions/comments for Dr. Happy to Pollyannan@aol.com.
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Mommy Makeover
Lafayette Today ~ September 2013 - Page 19
By Barbara Persons, MD, Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc.
As a mother of three and a Plastic Surgeon, I am acutely sensitive to how pregnancy effects our bodies. The experience of having three children has given me a unique perspective regarding how we view ourselves as women and mothers. I understand what it is to be a busy mother and what it is to want my body to look and feel like it did before I had children. I understand the work of trying diet and exercise and the limitations of the abdominal muscles that are simply in need of a little work that even a million sit-ups will not provide. A Mommy Makeover surgery at Persons Plastic Surgery takes place at our certified surgery center, the Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery Center in Lafayette, over the course of a morning or afternoon. It is performed under a light sleep anesthesia. After surgery, you will be able to go home or to a recovery suite in town with a private nurse. A patient is required to take two weeks off from work and other duties in order to recover. I stay in close contact with each patient. A Mommy Makeover is not just one procedure, but it’s a combination of individualized procedures (outlined below) that lift, tighten, and shape your body to help reverse the rapid changes that occur during and following pregnancy and breast feeding.
Mastopexy (Breast Lift) and Augmentation
Breast surgery can be considered as early as six months following the completion of breast feeding. A mastopexy, or breast lift, restores the shape of the breast and also the size and location of the nipple. Although a breast lift without implant may be just right for many women, some women may want a mastopexy augmentation for additional size and projection. The augmentation can be achieved with a silicone or saline implant, or with autologous fat grafting.
Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)
An abdominoplasty, commonly called a “tummy tuck,” is a plastic surgery procedure which flattens the abdomen by tightening the muscles of the abdominal wall, and it involves removing excess skin, fat, and stretch marks. The abdomen tends to take on a rounded appearance as we age, as our weight fluctuates, and after such events as childbirth. The muscle and tissues of the abdomen are weakened, and the skin becomes stretched, so no amount of sit-ups or leg raises can remove this shape. A Tummy Tuck can re-contour and reposition these tissues with the added benefit of removing any pre-existing scars from the lower abdomen.
Reshaping of Buttocks and Flanks (Vaser, Laser and Traditional Liposuction)
A trained plastic surgeon with the right tools is able to use liposuction techniques to alter the shape of the body through the removal and transfer of fat. An alternative to traditional liposuction, Vaser Liposuction uses advanced ultrasound technology designed to gently reshape the body. Sound energy is transmitted through small probes that diffuse the ultrasound waves and liquefy the fat for easy removal. I combine Vaser Liposuction with Laser Liposuction to achieve a result which is natural appearing and with less skin laxity. One more thing…the natural childbirth experience or just genetics can weaken and alter the shape and aesthetics of the female pelvic floor. When these structures are weakened vaginal rejuvenation surgery is an option. This can be used to improve the aesthetic appearance of the labia and can also rejuvenate to improve sexual function. There is also a G spot shot and a C spot shot of natural filler. These are the not often talked about, but they are highly satisfying procedures. Motherhood is wonderful and my children are the joy of my life. I am passionate about helping my patients achieve realistic goals through plastic surgery. My patients tell me every day that they are thankful for the changes we accomplished together. They tell me they wish they had done it sooner. I would be happy to consult with you about your desires and goals concerning the rejuvenation of your body. Barbara L. Persons, MD is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and owns Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc. located at 911 Moraga Rd, Suite 205 in Lafayette. She may be reached at 925.283.4012 or drbarb@ personsplasticsurgery.com. Advertorial
Is Food a Problem for You?
Overeaters Anonymous offers a fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience and mutual support, are recovering from compulsive overeating. This is a 12-step program. The free meetings are for anyone suffering from a food addiction including overeating, under-eating, and bulimia. The group meets Wednesdays at 6PM at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Lafayette. Visit www.how-oa.org for more information.
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Page 20 - September 2013 ~ Lafayette Today
My Aching Shoulder
How can I avoid surgery if I have a rotator cuff tear? By Dr. Jeffrey G. Riopelle, MD
Patient: “Doc, my shoulder just aches.” Doctor: “When did it start?” Patient: “About a year ago. It wasn’t bad at first, so I just put up with it, but it lingered and lingered and now it’s getting worse.” Doctor: “Do you remember injuring it?” Patient: “No, it just started one weekend after I was lifting boxes of clothes up into the attic.” Doctor: “When does it bother you the most?” Patient: “It just aches if I lift my arm, and I can’t get my arm up over my head anymore.” What’s the diagnosis? Possibilities include frozen shoulder, shoulder arthritis, or shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis. But this type of story is quite typical of a rotator cuff tear. It starts as simple rotator cuff tendonitis, but left untreated the inflammation causes swelling, leading to impingement syndrome in which there is not enough space for the tendons to move freely. This confinement leads to wear and tear on one or more of the rotator cuff tendons, and after a year of untreated wear and tear, the tendon wears through, leading to either a partial or complete tear. So even if you’re not a football player or athlete and have never had a blow to the arm or shoulder, you can still tear your rotator cuff. Anatomically the rotator cuff consists of three tendonous structures attached to three muscles--the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and subscapularis--which rotate and abduct the arm. A torn rotator cuff occurs when one or more of the three tendons tear, either from acute injury or from chronic tendonitis. In an acute injury, there is usually a history of an acute blow to the arm or the shoulder, traumatically shearing the tendon(s). The more common cause, though, results from chronic shoulder tendonitis. The original injury usually occurs due to overuse of the tendons from sports or daily activities, such as repeatedly reaching for items, lifting at arm’s length, moving rapidly (such as serving in tennis or volleyball), or moving with a sudden jolt. Once the tendon becomes inflamed, it is difficult to care for the initial injury, and eventually the tendon wears through.
Many Faces of Cancer
The following events are hosted by Diablo Valley Oncology, Cancer Support Community and American Cancer Society. The programs and breakfast are complimentary. Please register by calling (925) 677-5041 x272.
Many Faces of Gynecologic Cancers -
Tuesday, September 24 ~ 6PM to 8PM Walnut Creek Library - Oak View Room, 1644 N. Broadway, Walnut Creek Come and experience the Many Faces of Gynecologic Cancers, an event focusing on some of the most overlooked and commonly misdiagnosed cancers in women. Join an engaging panel of medical experts as they explore the unique issues of ovarian, cervical, uterine, and vaginal cancers. The panel will offer insight into the information on screening for early detection, genetics, latest treatment and surgical options, menopause, sexuality and rehabilitation.
Many Faces of Breast Cancer -
October 12 ~ 10AM-12PM Lesher Center, Knight Stage 3, Walnut Creek Come and experience the Many Faces of Breast Cancer, an event focusing on the unique needs and issues of survivors and providing the latest information on breast cancer, one of the most common cancers in women. Join an engaging panel of medical experts as they offer insight into the latest data surrounding treatment and explore key survivorship issues like lymphedema, psychological, fatigue and physical rehabilitation.
www.yourmonthlypaper.com Common symptoms of a torn cuff are similar to rotator cuff tendonitis. These include pain with abduction (raising the arm laterally), pain with forced internal and external rotation, and weakness in moving in these same directions. The diagnosis is readily made by the clinician as the patient has pain and weakness with forced use of any one or all three muscles in the various directions the shoulder moves. There is more weakness than with simple tendonitis. Final differentiation between tendonitis and a tear can be made with an MRI scan. Plain X-rays are usually normal. Initial treatment for a rotator cuff tear is similar to tendonitis treatment and starts with ice, anti-inflammatory medications, and physical therapy. If these are ineffective, a cortisone injection into the subacromial space coats the damaged tendons, promoting resolution of inflammation and improvement in symptoms, although it will not actually heal a tear. The injection is often diagnostic, though, since the tendons are also coated with lidocaine, anesthetizing the injury, causing an immediate temporary improvement in the pain. However, with a tear, the anesthetized shoulder remains weak as opposed to tendonitis in which an anesthetized shoulder can produce a near normal exam. A torn rotator cuff tendon generally does not respond as easily or as quickly to non-surgical treatment as does tendonitis. However, contrary to popular belief, a torn rotator cuff tendon often does not require surgical repair. While most highly competitive younger athletes will require surgery, patients over 35 can often be treated similarly to impingement syndrome and can return to their full pre-injury function without surgery. Often the tear is only partial or involves only one of the three tendons. With proper aggressive physical therapy, once the inflammation resolves, the remaining muscles and tendons can be re-educated to make up for most of the function of the lost tendon. On the other hand, complete tears of all three tendons can markedly impair function if not surgically repaired. In our practice, we treat most forms of shoulder injuries, acute and chronic. We do not perform shoulder surgery, but we do have an ongoing patient sponsored study for joint treatment with autologous stem cells. We did our original training with Dr. Joseph Purita, the physician who performed the stem cell joint procedure on A’s pitcher Bartolo Colon. We want to stress that this protocol uses your own stem cells removed and purified out from your own fat and re-placed in the joint the same day, NOT one of the highly controversial fetal stem cell procedures performed in other countries. For information on any of our programs, please call our office, San Ramon Valley Medical Group, Inc., at (925) 275-9333 or visit our website at www.riopellecosmetic. com. We are located at 5401 Norris Canyon Rd, Ste. 312 in San Ramon. Advertorial
Learn, Listen, Act... for Women
By Gigi Chen, MD
September is Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month, and the Foundation for Women’s Cancer reminds everyone that it is important to LEARN about risk factors and symptoms of gynecologic cancers, LISTEN to your body for symptoms and ACT to reduce your risk and take preventive steps. Steady medical progress has been made in the field of gynecologic cancers. Of particular promise is better understanding of the risks, symptoms, and prevention of the three most prevalent gynecologic cancers: cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, and uterine cancer. Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer among women worldwide, with more than 85% of cases occurring in developing countries. Cervical cancer is preventable and most often caused by HPV (Human Papilloma Virus). Most often there are no symptoms. Watch for bleeding after intercourse or excessive discharge or bleeding between periods. It is recommended, to get vaccinated for the HPV virus before you become sexually active, to get pap tests regularly when recommended and to stop smoking. Other approaches for screening, such as visual inspection with acetic acid, are being evaluated in resource poor countries where PAP testing is not easily implemented. Uterine/Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic cancer. It usually occurs around the time of menopause, but younger women are also at risk. The pap test does not screen for uterine cancer, so knowing one’s family history of endometrial or colon cancer is important information to share with your primary care physician. The use of estrogen alone or tamoxifen have proven to be possible risk factors as well. Listen to your body for these symptoms: bleeding after menopause and abnormal, irregular, or very heavy vaginal bleeding in younger women. If you have these symptoms, you should receive an endometrial biopsy. You can also reduce your risk by managing your weight and keeping your blood pressure and blood sugar under control. One in 71 women will develop ovarian cancer. There is no screening for ovarian cancer, and only 15% are detected at the earliest most curable stage. Knowing one’s family history of ovarian and breast cancer is important. Infertility and not bearing children are risk factors while pregnancy and the use of birth control pills decrease risk. If you have bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating, a feeling of being full quickly, urinary urgency, or frequency symptoms almost daily for more than a few weeks and they are persistent and unusual for you, it is important to report these symptoms to your primary care physician. Help the women in your life understand and reduce the risks for these cancers. It is through symptom recognition that the earliest possible diagnosis can be made. Gigi Chen, MD is a Medical Oncologist and Hematologist with Diablo Valley Oncology. Join Dr. Chen and other medical experts at the Many Faces of Gynecologic Cancers on September 24, 2013 from 6-8 at the Walnut Creek Library. For more information or to register for the program, call 925-677-5041 x272. Advertorial
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Stress, Memory, and Mentalpause By Michael Anne Conley, LMFT
If you find yourself being more forgetful than you like, maybe you’re in mentalpause. Yes, there’s a word for those of us, men, women, girls, and boys, who are way too young to have “senior moments.” Sounds like a joke, but it’s not that funny when it’s happening to you, is it? Before you start worrying about where your memory loss could be heading, just consider the possibility that your stressed out life plays a role in your forgetfulness. When I get stuck in a bout of mentalpause, it’s a signal to take action. It helps to keep it simple, so here are three areas where I focus my action:
ZZZZZZZs
Sleep doesn’t just help with weight loss, by the way. It directly benefits our ability to think, learn, and remember. For instance, researchers at Northwestern University discovered that repeating what you want to remember isn’t just a daytime activity. One member of the team said, “A lot of our rehearsal happens when we don’t even realize it -- while we’re asleep.” In another study a German team have been studying bees for 40 years, because human brains are too complex to research some specific brain functions. They messed with the memories of bees simply by disrupting their sleep.
Exercise, Briefly
I’m a stair-walker myself. After a shoulder injury 12 years ago, I started skipping elevators unless I’m carrying something really heavy. My shoulders are happy with this, the rest of me not so much. One way I balance that out is to dig in the dirt, even for a short time, which gets my brain out of any funk. It turns out that just six minutes of exercise can improve your memory. Researchers at UC Irvine found that for people aged 50-85 moderately intense exercise not only benefits memory, but people who already have memory deficits improved more, not to mention what this does for getting and staying fit.
Kidney Stones Come in the Fall By Wei Zheng, MD
There is an increased incidence of kidney stone in the fall and early winter because people tend to get dehydrated more often in the summer. Studies have shown that the time delay between high temperature exposure and clinical manifestation of kidney stone is 2-3 months. The urine from dehydrated people is more concentrated. The minerals in the highly concentrated urine are often above the saturation point and therefore form crystals more readily. The purpose of urine is to get rid of the body’s toxins and excess minerals. Every mineral in the urine has its saturation point. Once the saturation point is reached, minerals will precipitate out from the urine to form crystals, which will in term snowball into stones. A good analogy is that if you put too much sugar in your coffee, you will have a layer of sugar at the bottom of the cup. Foods can also contribute to the risk of kidney stone formation. A high sodium, high protein diet increases the risk of kidney stone. Certain fruits and vegetables also have similar risk. Most of the kidney stones in the East Bay area are calcium-based stones. The culprit of the calcium-based stone is actually not calcium; oxalate is the one to be blamed here. Calcium supplementation is actually protective for some patients. Oxalate in our body comes from two sources. Our body produces a small amount but the bulk of oxalate in our body comes from our diet. The best way to protect yourself from having kidney stones is hydration. Pay attention to the color of your urine, keeping the color light yellow or better yet clear. If your urine is dark yellow or brown, you are at risk of forming stones. Dr. Zheng is a urologist with Pacific Urology and sees patients at offices in Concord and Walnut Creek. His group recently partnered with John Muir Medical Center - Concord to establish a “Stone Center” which features the only fixed (non-mobile) lithotripters in Contra Costa County. For more information call 925-609-7220. Advertorial
Lafayette Today ~ September 2013 - Page 21 One-hour monthly class Eat Wisely Habit Healthy ~ By now, almost everyone’s heard that blueberries enhance memory. The benefit is New Skills for the in the antioxidants. But it sure seems you’d New You have to eat a lot of blueberries, and they’re Tuesday • September 17th, not always in season. I like Dr. Mehmet Oz’s 7-8pm, Lafayette suggestion to mix a tablespoon of blueberry • Have you ever covered concentrate, which is equivalent to a cup of up the gap between your berries, with 4-5 ounces of water. It tastes “look good” and your good, too. “feel bad” with unhealthy In my research, I learned there is a memory habits? enhancement benefit to that rosemary I planted • Do you hurt because in my yard. Now when I’m in the garden, I’m someone you know engages not just clipping the rosemary for looks and in an unhealthy habits? enjoying the smell, I’m remembering that it Learn and practice helps with mentalpause. time-tested, practical If you’re feeling concerned that your trouble ways to feel just as remembering is a sign of bigger problems, take powerful on the inside as stock and adjust some small lifestyle habits to you look on the outside! see if it helps. And if you want to add your tips First visit is free. to my list of mentalpause remedies, send me Reserve your place at least your comments and I’ll post them in the future. two days in advance at If you’re feeling stuck in mentalpause no http://recoveryplusclass. matter what you’ve tried to do, changing some eventbrite.com. lifestyle habits might do the trick. Apply for one Want to know more? of my September complimentary phone sessions Apply now for a to help you get clarity about your options by complementary consultation visiting www.habitsintohealth.com/get-support. to clarify if this class could Michael Anne Conley is a holistic therapist benefit you at http://www. and addiction specialist, practicing since 1991. habitsintohealth.com/getShe is also the director of Stillpoint integrative support. health center in Lafayette. You can reach her at info@habitsintohealth.com or 925-262-4848. Advertorial
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Page 22 - September 2013 ~ Lafayette Today
Events for Lafayette Seniors
www.yourmonthlypaper.com
Our mission is to provide personalized care, help All classes are held at the Lafayette Senior maintain independence and enhance our Center (LSC) located at 500 Saint Mary’s Rd client’s quality of life on a daily basis. in Lafayette unless otherwise noted. Space is • Free in-home assessments • Regular home visits limited. Please call 925-284-5050 to reserve a ensure the right care plan • Hourly care Heartfelt & spot. Annual Membership fee: $10 per person. for you • Live-in care Supportive • Fully bonded and insured • Geriatric care mgmt. General Event fee: Members $1; Non-Member • Elder referral and placement $3. Special Concerts fee: Members $3; NonAt All Times... 3645 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Suite D Members $5. Ongoing Caregiver Support Lafayette, CA 94549 Group: Members: no charge; Non-members $1. (beside Trader Joe’s) www.excellentcareathome.com 925-284-1213 Lamorinda Dance Social Every Wednesday • 12:30 – 3PM • Live Oak Room, LSC - Enjoy afternoon Alder Room, LSC - By Audiologists from Hearing Science/Diablo dancing every Wednesday, and learn some great new dance moves. On the first Valley Ear, Nose, and Throat. Appointment required. Minimum of two Wednesday monthly, professional dancers Karen and Michael will provide a sign-ups required in order for screenings to take place. Please call Ladance lesson and live DJ services, playing your favorites and taking requests. fayette Senior Services at 284-5050 to sign up for one of the 20-minute appointments. $2 Members/ $4 non-members. th Lafayette Senior Services Commission 4 Thursday of the month Hearing Aids: Fact vs. False Advertising Thursday, 9/19 • 10:30 from 3:30 – 5:30PM at the LSC - View agendas at the City of Lafayette of- – noon • Lafayette Library and Learning Center, Arts & Science Room; Presented by Diablo Valley Ear, Nose and Throat Audiologists - Have you fice or at www.ci.lafayette.ca.us. Lamorinda Nature Walk and Bird-Watching Every Wednesday noticed the recent spike in hearing aid advertisements that seem too good to • 9AM - 11AM • Call LSC to find out weekly meeting locations - Experience be true? Consumers are often lured in with ‘bait’ such as highly-discounted nature at its finest along our local trails. Delight in the beauty that unfolds products and false promises, only to be sold more expensive items. Discover around each bend, all the while learning to identify a variety of birds. Bring the truth about hearing aids, acceptable price ranges, and what your rights a water bottle; binoculars will be helpful if you have them. Join us every are as a consumer. Plenty of time will be allowed for questions and answers. Bus Trip: Livermore Winery Tours and Wine Tasting, Lunch, Wednesday or whenever you are able. PM PM Come Play Mahjong! Every Tuesday • 1 –3:30 • Cedar Room, and Bocce Ball Thursday, 10/3 • 10-4PM • Meeting Place: Hacienda de LSC - Come join us on Tuesdays for a drop-in game of mahjong. Mahjong las Flores, 2001 Donald Drive, Moraga • $69/person - Join us for our first Lamorinda Travelers day trip to Livermore. The is a game of skill, strategy, and certain degree of chance. All levels welcome. Bring your card, a mahjong set, and a snack to share (optional). Livermore Valley is home to more than 50 wineries and is rich in viticulture history dating back to the 1840’s. Taste amazing wines at The Steven Kent RSVP not required. nd th Creative Writing Workshop 2 and 4 Thursday monthly 9/12, 9/26 Winery, Wente Vineyards, and Garré. Enjoy lunch on the Garré patio, and • 10:30AM - noon • Cedar Room, LSC - Join creative writing and English challenge a friend to a game of bocce after lunch! The bus departs at 10AM instructor Judith Rathbone, and examine the possibilities of self-expression sharp. Fee includes transportation, admission to three wineries, tastings, through writing. This friendly group, with an ever-changing membership but lunch, and bocce. Payment in full due by 9/25. No refunds can be given. lots of returning participants, will welcome you and any of your writing efforts. Please send check, made payable to Lafayette Senior Services, to our office Find encouragement and feedback and bring out the writer in you. If you can at 500 St. Mary’s Road, Lafayette, CA 94549. Space is limited; first come, speak, you can write, and we will show you how! Beginners to established first served by receipt of payment. For more information, call Lafayette Senior Services (925) 284-5050. Winery destinations are subject to change. writers welcome. Positive Living Forum (“Happiness Club”) Thursday 9/12 • Lunch n’ Learn: Computers Tuesdays • 10:30AM–1PM - Lafayette, 10:30AM – noon • Sequoia Room, LSC - Brighten your day with Dr. Bob Orinda and Moraga are pleased to present three technology classes taught Nozik, MD, Prof. Emeritus UCSF and author of Happy 4 Life: Here’s How by Ed Zeidan, owner and CEO of Nerd4Rent. Staying in touch with people to Do It. Take part in this interactive gathering which features speakers on a who matter in your life is made easy with tools such as Facebook and Skype. wide range of topics that encourage and guide participants towards a more Learn how simple it is to stay connected! Do you have an iPad? Gain an understanding of how your device works and all you can do with it. Call ideal and positive life experience. Bi-Monthly Caregiver Support Group Mondays 9/23 • 1:30–2:30PM Lafayette Senior Services to reserve your spot at least 3 days prior to each • Elderberry Room LSC - If you are a family member helping to care for class: (925) 284-5050. • Facebook • 9/17 • Manzanita Room LSC an older adult, join our support group to find balance and joy as you manage • Skype • Tues 10/15 • Orinda Parks & Rec Dept, 28 Orinda Way your responsibilities. Drop-ins are welcome. rd • iPad • 11/19 Free Peer Counseling 3 Wednesday of the month, 9/17 • Alder Room, LSC - Contra Costa Health Services offers free one-on-one counseling with Town of Moraga, Hacienda de las Flores, 2100 Donald Dr. Senior Services senior (55+) counselors who use their life experiences to help other older Members: $10/class • Non-members $11/class. Fee includes lunch. adults cope with life changes, problems, crises, and challenges. Confidentiality Anne Randolph Physical Therapy Presentation Friday 9/27 • is strictly observed. Appointment required. Call LSC to sign up for one of 11:30AM–12:30PM • Sequoia Room LSC - Osteoporosis: What are the risk factors for developing osteoporosis? What are some of the treatment options? the following appointment times: 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, or 11:30AM. ‘As the Page Turns’ Book Club 3rd Tuesday monthly 10/15 • 1– Learn how to maintain or possibly increase your bone mass. Get tips on 2:30PM • Elderberry Room, LSC - Looking for a good book to talk about how you can take control and keep your bones in the best shape possible. with others? Join this informal group of book lovers, and enjoy enrichment, Anne Randolph, RPT, has been practicing physical therapy for 35 years. She provides outpatient therapy in Lafayette and specializes in the care of discussion, fellowship, and refreshments. Words of Wisdom…From the Philosophical to the Light- those 55 and over. hearted 3rd Tuesday monthly, 9/17 • 10:30 –Noon • Sequoia Room, To share your story, advertise, LSC - Take part in this free-wheeling exchange of inspiration, information, or see past issues, visit and humor. Topics – from soup to nuts – will be explored, examined, and discussed by participants. Stories and photographs will stimulate humorous www.yourmonthlypaper.com discoveries regarding the benefits of becoming the ‘elders of our tribe.’ or call 925.405.6397 Hearing Screening 1st Wednesday monthly 10/2 • 1 – 2:20pm •
editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
Creating the World as You Would Like It to Be By Mary Bruns, Lamorinda Senior Transportation
People who have recently retired tend to remain fairly active in the world. They are still driving, participating in activities, meeting with friends, and getting out and about. They may be actively pursuing their bucket list and staying engaged in the community. They may be taking up their avocations, exercising more, reconnecting with their families and friends, and looking for ways to contribute. Pursuing these goals, interests, and activities slow down the aging process because we are still growing and increasing our capacity to be and do more. It’s when we decide to sit back and watch TV, becoming increasingly passive and uninvolved in the community we live in, that we begin to age at an accelerated rate, leading to isolation, loneliness, illness, and old age. It seems that if we are not progressing, we begin to decline. I would like to suggest that you pick up a pen and tablet, sit down for a moment, close your eyes, and begin to visualize the world as you would like it to be, the world that you want to live in. Let ideas and pictures form in your mind of what this more ideal world would look like. Jot down a brief description of what comes to you. Next, jot down an inventory of your strengths, gifts, talents, and resources. What are you good at? Then ask yourself the question,”How can I use my strengths, gifts, talents, and resources to make a contribution to my family, neighborhood, community, or the larger world? What can I do to create the world as I would like it to be?” This is your opportunity to be first a visionary and then a change agent as you take steps toward bringing your vision about. Our volunteer drivers all have some things in common: they want to give back to their community; they like older adults, they enjoy hearing peoples’ stories, they remember that someone helped their mother or father with a ride to the grocery store or a doctor’s appointment, and they want to contribute. Elaine Welch, Executive Director of Senior Helpline Services, promises her volunteer drivers that when the time comes that they no longer drive, Senior Helpline Services will provide them with needed transportation. These volunteers are “paying it forward.” Those who participate in friendly visitor programs are helping isolated seniors be less isolated. Meals on Wheels drivers are sometimes the only visitor their clientele will have that day, the only person that they will have to talk to for a few moments. Consider where you might volunteer…where you might contribute your time, talents, and resources. You are not only “paying it forward,” you are creating the world you want to live in. One of our special passengers recently moved into a senior living facility – primarily because she was having trouble walking. She refers to it as living in the inside world, and she sees me as living in the outside world. Although she lives in a beautiful facility with caring people, she feels a need to get into the outside world. We went out to lunch and shopping for clothes. Many thoughts went through my mind in the days before and after. I remembered how much I enjoyed taking my children out for “a special day” which generally involved clothes shopping, lunch, a visit, and a treat. I thought forward to a time when I will need someone to take me out for these things. I thought about this special passenger, now living in the “inside world” and
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Lafayette Today ~ September 2013 - Page 23
how she might get out and about more in the ways she has always enjoyed. Now that you have retired and have some discretionary time and resources, consider how you can continue to create the world as you would like it to be. What will be your legacy? These thoughts were also articulated at the recent Lafayette Senior Symposium. Speaker, Dr. Brast, noted, “You are as old as you think you are. You have an enormous wealth of knowledge to share with people.” Dr. Nelson added, “Your mind/brain is an organ Visiting the Japanese Tea Garden. that needs exercise,” and Dr. Dochterman stated, “Real happiness is helping others, so much comes back to you.”
Lamorinda Senior Transportation An Alliance of Transportation Providers
Lamorinda Spirit Van
283-3534
Takes Lamorinda Seniors to errands and appointments, grocery shopping, and to lunch at C.C. Café.
Contra Costa Yellow Cab and DeSoto Company 284-1234 20% discount for Lamorinda seniors.
Orinda Seniors Around Town
402-4506
Senior Helpline Services Rides for Seniors
284-6161
Volunteer drivers serving Orinda seniors with free rides to appointments and errands. Volunteer drivers serving Contra Costa seniors with free rides to doctors’ appointments during the week. Grocery shopping on Saturdays.
Alzheimer’s Association Walk
The Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s is a united movement to reclaim the future for millions of people with Alzheimer’s which is the nation’s sixth-leading cause of death. The Walk is the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. The Walk to End Alzheimer’s will take place on October 5th at Heather Farms in Walnut Creek. Participants will join in a three mile walk and will learn more about Alzheimer’s disease, advocacy opportunities, clinical trial enrollment, and support programs and services of the Alzheimer’s Association. Each walker will also join in a meaningful tribute ceremony to honor those affected by Alzheimer's disease. Start or join a team today at alz.org/walk, or call 1-800-272-3900 for more information.
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Page 24 - September 2013 ~ Lafayette Today
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Lafayette
GCCP continued from front page
Plaza Center (925) 283-3380
Danville
members hail from the San Francisco Symphony, Opera, and Ballet Orchestras, as well as ensembles throughout the greater Bay Area. Guest artists from around the world are regularly featured. Helping to open this 15th season in Lafayette with “Hungarian Strings” on September 13th and 15th is special guest violinist Juliana Athayde, daughter of Stanley Middle School’s beloved music teacher Bob Athayde. Appointed concertmaster of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in 2005 at the age of twenty-four, Athayde became the youngest person to hold the position since the orchestra’s inception in 1922. She grew up in Orinda and attended Acalanes High School and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She is an associate professor of violin at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. “Juliana fits into my idea of the type of musicians I seek for Gold Coast because she connects comfortably and without pretense with her audience,” says Pamela Freund-Striplen, GCCP’s co-founder and artistic director. “She is really a unique artist - a blend of virtuosity, maturity and warmth that is rare to find anywhere. She is a natural leader but also collaborates in an open and inviting way.” Athayde started playing violin at the age of two. With parents who are both professional musicians and music educators, Athayde says it never occurred to her to do anything else. “I always wanted to be a violinist, and my violin and I were inseparable from the very beginning,” says Athayde. “I love everything about performing - the creative process, the pressure, the adrenaline rush, the spotlight, the feeling of personal achievement - there's nothing else quite like it!” Athayde looks forward to her upcoming performances with GCCP. She loves returning to the Bay Area to perform with friends and colleagues whom she has known for so many years. “I was first invited to perform with GCCP when I was in high school, so this is a long-standing professional and personal relationship,” says Athayde. “Since my family is still in the Bay Area, along with so many family friends, it is especially meaningful to be able to perform close to home, returning to my musical roots!” Accompanying Athayde will be Russian piano soloist Yana Reznik, violinist Candace Guirao from the prestigious New Century Chamber Orchestra, cellist Amos Yang, a regular with GCCP who holds the position of Assistant Principal Cello of the San Francisco Symphony, and Freund-Striplen who plays viola. Selections by Bartok, Liszt, Kodaly, and Dohnanyi for strings and piano will be performed.
Town & Country (925) 837-0261
Montclair
6211 Medau Pl., Oakland (510) 339-2210
Described by Lafayette City Manager Steven Falk as “cultural pioneers,” the Gold Coast Chamber Players are devoted to education and to the art of chamber music and are committed to sharing their passion with the community. For tickets to “Hungarian Strings,” Friday, September 13th, 7:30pm and Sunday, September 15th, 2pm, at the Lafayette Library Community Hall, call (925) 283-3728 or visit www.gcplayers.org ($35 General, $30 Senior, $10 Student). Tickets include a pre-concert discussion by Saint Mary’s College professor Martin Rokeach, 30 minutes prior to the performance, as well as a post-concert reception with an opportunity to meet the musicians. Juliana Athayde, violin
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barred style. Joyce is simply fun to be with, and the winner of this unique raffle prize will get to experience firsthand her joie de vivre.” “Louis Zamperini’s appearance in 2011 was the genesis of our Distinguished Speaker Series,” says LLLCF board member and DSS chair Alex Engs. “Michael Collopy, Cheryl Strayed and Alexander McCall Smith followed, in what has quickly become a fantastic program for our community. It is so exciting to see the caliber of speakers that are coming to Lafayette to share their experiences and perspectives with our citizens. We are thrilled with the work of our committee and what we have planned for the next several months. Not only do we plan to sustain the high caliber of speakers, but we are also looking at ways to grow the Series into something even more special.” Tentatively scheduled future DSS guests include European travel author and television personality Rick Steves (December 6th) and former NFL player, radio and television personality, and best-selling author Tim Green who will appear as part of the LLLCF’s Authors and Athletes series (November 20th). For up-to-date details, visit www.LLLCF.org or call 925-283-6513. Funding for this and other DSS events is made possible with private donations from local residents and other donors. All proceeds benefit the Lafayette Library and Learning Center Foundation in its mission to fund more than 50% of library operations and to provide a variety of programs for all ages.