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MARCH 2017 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • PAGE 1
MARCH 2017
Left to right: Stacey Leyson Wilfong, Camille Leyson, Mia Leyson, Lis Leyson, and Larry Sly.
ONE BOOK ONE SCHOOL
By Fran Miller Doug, Isabelle, and Bill English at Meadow View.
GRAPE-GROWING AND WINE-MAKING IN LAMORINDA? YOU BET! By Fran Miller
The weather conditions of Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda echo those of Napa Valley. Afternoon fog rolls over the Oakland/Berkeley hills to naturally cool the heat of summer, just as it does over Napa’s Mayacamas mountain range. Heat during the day and cooler temps at night are one of the most distinguishing characteristics of both Lamorinda and the fabled wine growing region just north. If Napa can cultivate legendary grapes for legendary wines under these conditions, surely Lamorinda towns can too. And they do. The area even earned its own AVA distinction (American Viticultural Area) in 2013, due to the efforts of the Lamorinda Winegrowers Association (LWGA) whose members successfully demonstrated that its wine growing region is different and distinct from other AVAs, and that the name, geology, and climate are unique. “It was obvious that Lamorinda was different from other qualified grape growing areas,” says Bill English, Lamorinda Winegrower Association (LWGA) member and proprietor of Meadow View Winery in Moraga. “The older and better known wine growing area in Contra Costa County is in the Oakley/Brentwood area, but it and Lamorinda are very different. Lamorinda is cooler, and has different soil and hillside vineyards.” The Lamorinda AVA boasts approximately 125 vineyards producing mostly Chardonnay, Syrah, Cab Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sangiovese. Most are located in backyards and are less than an acre. Only a few are visible from public roads. The LWGA and its members promote the Lamorinda AVA and its status as a wine growing region, and seek to enhance marketability of Lamorinda grown grapes and wine. Members also support each other with the exchange of vineyard maintenance and sustainability tips. Of its nearly 20 members, five are bonded, meaning product can be sold in stores and restaurants, and another dozen are hobbyists. English had been making wine for many years as an amateur before going commercial this past year with his Moraga based Meadow View Winery varietals.
SEEWINE CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
Local Postal Customer
PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit 21 Lafayette, CA
ECRWSS
What happens when an entire school of sixth, seventh, and eighth graders reads the same book? At Stanley Middle School, it brings the large student body together as one community, making students feel safer and connected. Students mix and mingle over a shared topic while learning about varied experiences and cultures. And they learn that reading can be fun. Since 2008, Stanley students have participated voluntarily in the school’s One Book One School summer library program, which always culminated in a live or Skype event with the book’s author. In 2012, the program evolved into the entire student body of 1,300 reading the same book. “We have had authors visit us from New York and Tennessee,” says Barbara Stevens,
SEE BOOK CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
DICK AND ROBIN HOLT: CITIZENS OF THE YEAR
Long time residents of Lafayette, Dick and Robin Holt, Lafayette’s 2017 Citizens of the Year, have been individually and collectively “giving back” to the Lafayette community at a pace that is hard to keep up with. Robin has served as PTA President at Happy Valley, President of the Garden Club, and President of the Friends of the Lafayette Library. Dick served for many years on the city’s Planning Commission and Environmental Task Force, and was President of Lafayette Rotary, board member of the Lafayette Community Volume XI - Number 3 Foundation, creator of the Concert at 3000F Danville Blvd #117 the Res, and the inspiration for building Alamo, CA 94507 a permanent stage at the reservoir. As Telephone (925) 405-6397 Robin often says, “Volunteering in our Fax (925) 406-0547 community: it’s what we do.” editor@yourmonthlypaper.com The “Citizen of the Year” dinner is Corstorphine ~ Publisher sponsored by the Lafayette Chamber TheAlisa opinions expressed herein belong to the of Commerce and Lamorinda Weekly. writers, and do not necessarily reflect that of LaToday. Lafayette Today is not responsible The event takes place at the Lafayette fayette for the content of any of the advertising herein,
SEE HOLT CONT. ON PAGE 3
nor does publication imply endorsement.
PAGE 2 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • MARCH 2017
WINE & TAPAS FILM NIGHT AND FUNDRAISER
Sustainable Lafayette and Our Savior’s Lutheran Church are co-hosting a special wine and tapas film night and fundraiser featuring the new documentary Before the Flood. The event will take place on Thursday, March 16th, 6:30-9PM, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 1035 Carol Lane in Lafayette. Start the evening with shared wine & tapas at 6:30PM, and then at 7PM grab some free popcorn and join Leonardo DiCaprio on a journey to five continents and the Arctic to witness climate change firsthand. With unprecedented access to scientists, political leaders, and thought leaders, DiCaprio shares a riveting account of the changes now occurring as well as the actions we can take to prevent the disruption of life on our planet. All donations collected ($5 suggested) will go towards the host church going “Deep Green” (100% renewable electricity). More information can be can be found by visiting sustainablelafayette. org and oslc.net.
"DAY IN THE LIFE" PHOTO CONTEST WHAT DOES LAFAYETTE LOOK LIKE TO YOU?
It’s time to participate in the Lafayette “Day in the Life” photo contest. Break out your cameras on the spring equinox March 20th, and take some snapshots around your
wonderful community. There are three submittal requirements, and the deadline is April 17. (1) Photographers must submit an online registration form to the City of Lafayette Public Art Committee (2) Photographers must submit an 11 x 14 photographic print taken on Spring Equinox, March 20, 2017, to the City of Lafayette Public Art Committee. Prints may be color or black and white, but they may not be larger than 11 x 14. Prints smaller than 11 x 14 can be accepted, but must be mounted on 11 x 14 black mat board. Only one photo entry per person. The back of the photo must contain identifying information, including photographer’s name, title of photo, email address and phone number. Prints should be submitted to: City of Lafayette Public Art Committee, 3675 Mt. Diablo Blvd. #210, Lafayette, CA 94549, Attention: Juliet Hansen. (3) Photographers must submit a digital image via email to Juliet Hansen, PAC Staff Liaison. The email must contain identifying information including the photographer’s name, email address, and phone number, and the title of photo, . Photographers must live or work in Lafayette. Photographs must be taken in Lafayette and must be appropriate for general viewing. The City of Lafayette may, at its discretion, use submitted photos to display on its website or other social media. The Public Art Committee will review the entries and display photos in the art gallery at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center (LLLC) in June 2017. A reception will be held on June 12, 2017. To learn more or access the online registration form, visit www. lovelafayette.org/city-hall/commissions-committees/public-art-committee/day-in-the-life-photo-contest. For questions please contact Juliet Hansen at JHansen@ci.lafayette. ca.us or call 925-299-3216.
MONTELINDO GARDEN CLUB
The Montelindo Garden Club will be holding their next meeting (third Friday of every month, September through May) on Friday, March 17 at 9AM at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 66 St. Stephens Drive in Orinda. Everyone is welcome. The March meeting features Heath Bartosh speaking on Wonderful Western Wildflowers. Bartosh is one of the California Native Plant Society’s top rare plant experts and is co-founder of the Bay Area ecological consulting firm Nomad Ecology, LLC, located in Martinez. To learn more about the Club, visit www.montelindogarden.com.
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Lafayette Volunteer Opportunities There are currently openings on the following Commissions and Committees: Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee | Circulation Commission Code Enforcement Appeals Hearing Board | Creeks Committee Crime Prevention Commission | Environmental Task Force Parks, Trails & Recreation Commission | Public Art Committee Senior Services Commission For additional information visit the city’s website: www.lovelafayette.org and click on Hot Topics Or call City Clerk Joanne Robbins, City Clerk at 925-284-1968 Application deadline is March 31, 2017. Positions open until filled.
FREE TAX PREPARATION
Free tax preparation for the 2017 tax season is available starting February 2017 from AARP’s Tax-Aide and United Way’s Earn It, Keep It, Save It (EKS) programs. All tax preparers are trained and certified by the IRS. While both programs serve taxpayers of any age, Tax-Aide does not have an income limit in whom they can serve but EKS can only serve individuals whose incomes do not exceed $50,000. For information or to make an appointment for the Tax-Aide sites serving the Walnut Creek area, please call (925) 943-5851 for the Walnut Creek Senior Center site, (925) 405-6278 for the Walnut Creek Grace Presbyterian Church site, or (925) 979-5013 for the Walnut Creek St. Paul’s Episcopal Church site. For general information and other site locations, call (925) 726-3199. For information on EKS sites, call 2-1-1 or visit www.earnitkeepitsaveit.org. To complete your tax return, Tax-Aide will need you to bring to the appointment your: • Social Security Card or ITIN letter for all individuals to be listed on the return • Photo ID for the taxpayer and spouse, if applicable • Other income and deductions • 2015 Tax Return • Copies of all W-2s • 1098s and 1099s
URGENT NEED FOR HOST FAMILIES FOR TWO WEEK STAY BY VISITING FRENCH STUDENTS
For the twelfth consecutive year, students from a large high school in the south of France are coming to the Bay Area. The students will arrive on April 1st and depart April 16th. Currently a dozen more students need to be accommodated or they won’t be able to travel with their peers. The teens stay with local families and have a full itinerary of activities during the days and only require your attention in the evenings and weekend. The visit is an ideal opportunity to experience another culture and hopefully consider visiting France in return. Anyone interested in hosting a student (or students!) is welcome to participate. For more information or to find out about past year’s programs, please contact Martine Causse (teacher in charge of the group) at dachary.martine@orange.fr. There are many happy local host families ready to discuss any questions with you. The local contact is Danville parent Kevin Dimler, who can be reached at kevindimler@gmail.com or (925)718-5052.
To share a story or inquire about advertising, contact us at 925-405-6397 or editor@yourmonthlypaper.com.
NEW YEAR
• CARPET NEW FLOORS! • HARDWOOD • CARPET RUGS • HARDWOOD CUSTOM RUGS • RUGS LINOLEUM • LINOLEUM TILE Family Owned Business Since 1989 3344 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Lafayette, CA 925.284.4440
www.LamorindaFloors.com License# 708486
The Writing Studio Lamorinda Weekly 3.875 x 4 April 2016.pdf
editor @ yourmonthlypaper.com
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MARCH 2017 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • PAGE 3
BOULEVARD VIEW
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By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor
3/28/16
ĂŵƉ ĨŽƌ zŽƵŶŐ tƌŝƚĞƌƐ June 12-3 A friend sent me a short story titled “The Moral of the Porcupine.” July 10-Au 0 The story goes: gust 4 “It was the coldest winter ever. Many animals died because of the Join CAMP YOUNG WRITERS this summer as your children enter cold. The porcupines, realizing the situation, decided to group together a world of CREATIVE NARRATIVE and ABSORBING ESSAY-BASED WRITING PROJECTS. Through grade appropriate classes and to keep warm. This way they covered and protected themselves; but one-on- one sessions, students learn proper sentence structure, the quills of each one wounded their closest companions. After a while, ƚŚĞ ĞůĞŵĞŶƚƐ ŽĨ ǁĞůůͲǁƌŝƩĞŶ ĞƐƐĂLJƐ͕ ĐƌĞĂƟǀĞ ƵƐĞ ŽĨ ĚĞƐĐƌŝƉƟǀĞ they decided to distance themselves one from the other and they began words, correct grammar, usage, and so much more. to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept CAMP YOUNG WRITERS is open to students in grades 3-12 who the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth. ƐƚƌŝǀĞ ƚŽ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞ ƚŚĞŝƌ ǁƌŝƟŶŐ ƐŬŝůůƐ͘ WƌŽũĞĐƚƐ ĐŽŶƐŝƐƚ ŽĨ ĮƌƐƚ ƉĞƌƐŽŶ Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. They learned to live with the little wounds ŶĂƌƌĂƟǀĞƐ͕ ŚŝƐƚŽƌŝĐĂů ďŝŽŐƌĂƉŚŝĞƐ ĂŶĚ ůŝƚĞƌĂƚƵƌĞ ĂŶĂůLJƐĞƐ͘ KƵƌ ĐĂŵƉƐ caused by the close relationship with their companions in order to receive the heat that came ǁŝůů ƚĂŬĞ ƉůĂĐĞ June 12-30 and July 10-August 4͖ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶƐ ǁŝůů ďĞ ŚĞůĚ ƚŚƌĞĞ ĚĂLJƐ ƉĞƌ ǁĞĞŬ͕ ϮͲϱ Ɖŵ͘ from the others. This way they were able to survive.” &Žƌ ĨƵƌƚŚĞƌ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ͕ ƉůĞĂƐĞ ĐĂůů The best relationships are not the ones that bring together perfect people, but those that ϵϮϱͲϯϴϱͲϬϮϭϭ Žƌ ǀŝƐŝƚ ƵƐ Ăƚ allow each individual to learn and to live with the imperfections and differences of others and ǁǁǁ͘ůĂĨĂLJĞƩĞǁƌŝƟŶŐƐƚƵĚŝŽ͘ĐŽŵ. THE WRITING STUDIO to admire the other person’s good qualities. Where Words Come to Life In our current times, people are so quick to call names, to flame over social media, to hide behind invisible walls, and to spout negativity. They break-up over politics or issues they have ϯϰϱϱ 'ŽůĚĞŶ 'ĂƚĞ tĂLJ͕ ^ƵŝƚĞ ͕ >ĂĨĂLJĞƩĞ ;ϵϮϱͿ ϯϴϱͲϬϮϭϭ little control over. They “report” and “tattle” and have tantrums when things don’t go their way. They reach out to dozens, hundreds, thousands, or millions of people at once with the tip-tap typing on a keyboard to get people on their side or to y announce to them to the world the wrongs done. A sense of community used to be fostered with more socializing with our neighbors. We talked face-to-face rather than via a screen. We had block parties and progressive dinners. Growing up our neighbors were extensions of our family. We climbed over the fence or even built a gate in a fence to easily visit our neighbors or borrow an egg or a cup of milk. We lived at our home as well as our friends homes. Our friends parents were our bonus parents. We baked delicious treats together, listened to records, climbed trees, and played kickthe-can and hide-and-seek. We rode our tandem bike around the block and had • Reduced cost compost bins many days of swimming and lounging around the pool. We didn’t have cell • Free workshops phones where we could be spied on and checked on at any moment. We didn’t • Vermicomposting & need micromanagement. We went home to dinner when the streetlights went on. We didn’t rush from scheduled activity to scheduled activity, grabbing Bin Building dinner on the run. We had a to-do list of household chores, and we (sometimes Workshops begrudgingly) got things done for the common good. It wasn’t everyone lost Please check all didn’t text carefully. you provided required us to typeset part or all of the text in your ad. We will not assum in their own little world, tuned out from everyone else. We isolateThe Material • CompostSMART ourselves but rather spent time bonding together. Advanced Training Look around you the next time you take a ride on BART, a bus, or a plane. Please reply to: email: wendy@lamorindaweekly.com • Phone: 925.377.0977 • Fax Artwork designed by Lamorinda Weekly is subject to copyright A large percentage of the people are focused on their electronic devices and • Republic Services not engaging with each other. Not only do they miss the human interaction garbage bill discount but they miss what is going on around them. They tune out. Rather than talk to the stranger sitting next to them, they sit content in their own little bubble. • Free guides and resources There’s got to be a better way to exist rather than isolating ourselves, I think. Frank Somerville from KTVU posted on his Facebook feed the following story: “I was at my parent’s house in Berkeley this morning when the doorbell rang. I went to answer it, and it was their neighbor holding a piece of pie. He said, ‘We just went to Fat Apple’s restaurant and brought your dad back a piece of pie.’ I wasn’t in the best mood because I’m sick of the rain. But as soon as he told me about the pie, I got a big smile. It was just a small gesture, but it totally changed my mood. I kept thinking how nice it was for Offer available to RecycleSmart residents within Orinda, Lafayette, Moraga, Walnut him to do that. That’s what neighbors do. That’s what builds community. It’s Creek, Danville and unincorporated Central Contra Costa County (Alamo, Blackhawk, Diablo) and residents within the City of San Ramon. amazing how small acts of kindness can change your whole outlook. Bring on the rain. I’m ready.” HOLT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 I sit and reflect, “If we can’t get along with our families, neighbors, towns, Park Hotel & Spa on Friday, March 27. Online registration can be found etc. how can we expect to get a long as a nation and world?” I’m ready to on the chamber’s website, www.lafayettechamber.org. Cocktails will be expand my social interactions and will be implementing a monthly and then served beginning at 6PM, and dinner is served at 7PM. hopefully weekly dinner inspired by an article titled, “Friday Night MeatThe Holts were picked from a field of 15 nominees. To qualify for Citizen balls.” Perhaps there are some ideas for you of the Year, you must be a current Lafayette resident; must be someone to try too (www.seriouseats.com/2014/08/ who has given of their time, money, or energy to help make Lafayette a simpler-entertaining-friday-night-dinhealthy community, where people will want to live, work, and shop; must ners-end-loneliness-how-to-build-commube models of excellence in everything you do; and must be someone who nity-after-having-kids.html). brings this community together and/or makes others proud to be a member We can all help build better neighborhoods of the community. and communities. Let’s get going! C
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Home Composting for Busy People
www.RecycleSmart.org
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PAGE 4 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • MARCH 2017
SMOKEY JOE’S CAFÉ COMES TO TOWN HALL
Grammy Award-winning musical Smokey Joe’s Café, the longest-running musical revue to play Broadway, has opened at Town Hall and will be running through March 25. The musical revue features some of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller’s best known rock ‘n’ roll hits, including “Hound Dog,” “Stand by Me,” “On Broadway,” “Spanish Harlem,” and “Jailhouse Rock.” Called “wildly infectious” by New York critics, each compelling song is a complete story – of love, romance, dreams won and lost – told with a little humor and style and a lot of heart. According to the New York Times, “To the baby-boom generation, the songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller are as sacrosanct as George Gershwin is to their parents.” The Town Hall production of Smokey Joe’s Café is directed and choreographed by Lauren Rosi and features an impressive ensemble of local performers. “Smokey Joe’s Café tugs at my heartstrings,” says director Rosi. “This show is filled with the music my parents listed to, music I was raised on,” said Rosi. Town Hall will host several special events for Smokey Joe’s Café. On March 18 and 23, there will be sing-alongs in the Town Hall lobby with local musician Mike Miller at 7pm before the 8pm performances. On March 19, members of the Clayton Valley, Lamorinda, and Walnut Creek Villages are invited to attend the 2pm matinée performance and meet volunteers from the Village Network who will share the Network’s wide array of services. Smokey Joe’s Café plays at Town Hall through March 25, with performances Friday, Saturday, and some Thursday evenings at 8pm and Sunday matinées at 2pm. Ticket prices range from $25 to $32. For tickets, purchase online at ww.townhalltheatre.com or call the Town Hall Box Office at 925 283-1557.
LAFAYETTE HIKING GROUP
Join the Lafayette Hiking Group on upcoming hikes. Bring snacks or lunch, water, layered clothes, good walking shoes, sun protection, and money to contribute toward gas and tolls (about $5). Wednesday, March 15 ~ Shell Ridge, Walnut Creek Meet at the end of Marshall Drive, Walnut Creek at 9AM. Enjoy the early spring with oak trees starting to leaf out and maybe poppies flowering. Participants should see acorn woodpeckers and other birds. The exact trails will be chosen closer to departure depending on the weather and muddiness of the trails. The hike is easy to moderate with some hills, and about 4 miles long. The hike leader is Jennifer Russell. Saturday, April 1 ~ Mitchell Canyon, Mount Diablo Meet in the parking lot out from Lafayette BART’s main entrance at 8:30AM. The group forms carpools to the trailhead. This is a great area for wildflowers. Hikers will head up Mitchell Canyon, enjoying spring wildflowers and returning on the Globe Lily Trail which should be lined with beautiful spring flowers which are endemic to Mount Diablo. The hike is moderate to strenuous with some hills, and about 4 miles long. The hike leaders are Alison Hill and Jennifer Russell. For answers to questions, e-mail LafayetteHiking@comcast.net.
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
Debra Alber is our winner! Luther was hiding on page 11 last month!
CALL FOR ARTISTS
The City of Lafayette Public Art Committee invites artists living or working in the Bay Area to submit proposals for exhibitions in the Library Art Gallery, located at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center (LLLC), 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd. in downtown Lafayette. The Library Gallery at the LLLC was created to support rich and diverse artistic expression and to encourage the appreciation of the visual arts in the community. It provides an exciting opportunity for local artists to display their work in Lafayette’s cultural center. Individuals and non-commercial groups based in the Greater Bay Area may exhibit. Priority consideration is given to those in Contra Costa County. There is no cost to apply for review or to exhibit in the LLLC. Exhibitors interested in displaying artwork in the Library Gallery must complete and submit a LLLC Gallery Exhibition Application and executed Art Gallery Release to the City of Lafayette, 3675 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Suite 210, Lafayette, CA 94549. Completed applications will be reviewed by the Public Art Committee. The committee meets on the first Wednesday of each month. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. For additional information, contact Juliet Hansen, Staff Liaison, at (925) 299-3216 or JHansen@ci.lafayette.ca.us.
SAN RAMON VALLEY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
You are invited to attend the March 21st meeting of the San Ramon Valley Genealogical Society from 10am - noon at the LDS Church located at 2949 Stone Valley Road, Alamo. The program is entitled “The Old Northwest Territories” and will be presented by Pamela Dallas. For more information please visit http://srvgensoc.org or email SRVGS@SRVGenSoc.org.
TOASTMASTERS
Goal Achievers Toastmasters meetings are held every Monday from 7:15 - 8:15pm at Atria Park Lafayette, located at 1545 Pleasant Hill Road. Develop your presentation skills and become the speaker and leader you want to be. The group is open to everyone aged 18 and up. For more information, visit http://goalachievers.toastmastersclubs.org.
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MARCH 2017 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • PAGE 5 Lafayette Boy Scout Troop 204 will honor 14 young men who have achieved the Eagle Scout Award, the highest rank in the Boys Scouts of America on March 25th, at 1PM, at Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church. These Scouts have advanced through the ranks, been active in the troop, earned at least 21 required badges, served in Leadership positions, and completed an approved Eagle service project. In addition they have attended 50-mile backpacking trips, planned and led a trek, hiked over 500 miles, and actively participated in Camporees. Front row: Ryan Regan, Trenten Tso, Garrett Vana; second row: Thomas Edwards, Chase Severson, Joe Kahler; third row: Seppi Ortman, Robby Goldman, Jack Spiering, Matthew Goldie, Luc Davis; and back row: John Torchio, Colin Kuiken and Michael Williams.
COMMUNITY GARDEN AND OUTDOOR LEARNING CENTER
HISTORICAL HOUSE PRESENTATION AND TOUR
Chirpy Wine Pourer! It Really Chirps! ♫
♫
♫
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Chirpy novelty wine stopper and pourer fits both corked and screw top wine bottles. This drip free wine pourer creates smiles.
Incredibly Entertaining!
Colors ............................. 24.95 Learn about local history through the chronicles of three old houses from the 1800’s: the Old Yellow Blk/Chrome..................... 25.95 House in Orinda, Rodgers Ranch in Pleasant Hill, and the John Muir House in Martinez. The inhabitants of these three houses lived in an original sustainable FREE Gift Wrap fashion, initially with wells, gardens, fruit trees, livestock, and horses. The houses were miles apart and yet webbed Walnut Creek Danville together by an overall similar lifestyle, use of the horse and carriage, and some exchange of information and goods. MADISON Lafayette Supporters/caretakers will be at the garden to speak about the first two houses, and a special guest from the 1800’s will give his presentation about the John Muir House. These fun and informative historical presentations will be given on Saturday, March 25 between 1:30 and 3:00. They will be followed by an optional field trip to the Yellow House in Orinda, hosted by guest speaker, James Wright. Information about days and times to make visits to the two other houses will be available at the garden presentation. Classes are free. However, a $5 donation is appreciated to support the Garden’s educational programs. To register, visit LafayetteCommunityGarden.org/classes-and-events. Old Yellow House in Orinda
Lafayette Today
AAUW-OML PRESENTS DR. BOBBIE PRESTON
The American Association of University Women — Orinda-Moraga-Lafayette Branch (AAUW-OML) will be presenting Dr. Bobbie Preston, Chief Operations Officer, speaking on “No One Left Behind — Local Residents Help Refugees Resettle” on March 21st. The event will begin at 9:30AM and be held at Orinda Community Church, 10 Irwin Way in Orinda. Afghan and Iraqi interpreters and support personnel who once sought reforms and democracy for their countries, and worked side-by-side with U.S. troops, are now targets of the Taliban and ISIL. They were promised by our country that if they were known targets of the Taliban or Daesh (ISIL), they and their families would get visas to come to the United States. Many have worked with our troops for years. The mission of No One Left Behind is to assist Afghan and Iraqi combat interpreters and their families who have received Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) with resettlement in the United States. Much of this work involves providing assistance, including tutoring in English, for many non-English speaking women on these special visas. Come find out how some of your Lamorinda neighbors are making a difference in the lives of these new arrivals. AAUW has empowered women as individuals and as a community since 1881. They have worked together as a national grassroots organization to improve the lives of millions of women and their families. General Meetings are open to the public. For more information, visit oml-ca.aauw.net.
EARTH DAY RESTORATION AND CLEAN UP
California State Parks Foundation will be holding an Earth Day Restoration and Clean-up at multiple sites throughout the state on April 22 from 9AM - 12:30PM. The closest event will take place at Mount Diablo State Park. Check-in time is 8:30AM. Work will involve trail work, split rail fence installation, and weed removal. Project leader for the Mount Diablo site is Dan Stefinisko, who can be contacted at Dan.Stefinisko@parks.ca.gov or (925) 855-1730.
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PAGE 6 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • MARCH 2017
THE BOOKWORM
By Joan Stevenson
I was grateful when the clouds and rain left. So was my dog, and we decided to cruise the main drag - Mt. Diablo Blvd.! We came home with two observations: we are building and building, town houses, condominiums, etc; and we have fewer and fewer gas stations! I was considering the changes when Mary Mc Cosker sent me a story from the Lafayette Historical Society, and it was a reminder of my children’s favorite store when they were growing up, The Handlebar Toy Shop. In 1968, Randall Davidson was a high school student at Acalanes, employed at the Lafayette toy store on the Plaza. He and a friend moved an old barrel out from behind some lattice-work at the rear of the building. The barrel had been used to store molasses/corn syrup when the building served as the General Store. Davidson cleaned the inside of the barrel, varnished the outside, and kept the barrel for over 40 years through five changes of residence. The barrel, a reminder of a very different Lafayette, was preserved and has now returned to its home. Visit the Lafayette Historical Society, right next door to The Friends Corner Book Shop. I imagine some of the seniors who attend Friday Connections can recall The Handlebar. Friday Connections meets at 1PM every Friday. Seniors are invited to gather for a variety of activities, attend film screenings and speakers, catch up with old friends, meet someone new, and enjoy a cup of tea. Friday Connections is presented at the library in partnership with the City of Lafayette Senior Services Commission. The Lafayette Library and Learning Center Foundation hosts Joseph Di Prisco, author of The Pope of Brooklyn, on March 30. This eagerly anticipated memoir brings his father; hustler, gambler, criminal, bookmaker, and confidential informant; back to life and reveals the fascinating truths that both bound and separated father and son. Tickets can be found at Tinyurl.com/ DiPrisco. Reserved seating and one copy of The Pope of Brooklyn cost $30, and general admission is $15. On March 16th at 7PM, Sweet Thursday brings back by popular demand author Jil Plummerr and Brenda Oum. The story, Remember to Remember,
Thursday, March 16 Community Hall 7:00 PM
Friends of the Lafayette Library Sweet Thursday presents Jil Plummer Remember to Remember Back by popular demand! Join author Jil Plummer and local hero Brenda Oum, who survived the Cambodian killing fields and is the fictionalized subject of Plummer’s book. Adults Register: www.LafayetteLib.org
Every Friday March 17, 24, 31 Arts & Science 1:00 PM
Wednesday, March 22 Community Hall 6:30 PM
Come by for coloring club on 3/17, create colorful Ukranian painted eggs on 3/24, view a nature documentary on 3/31. Enjoy weekly activities for older adults. Catch up with a friend over a cup of tea or meet someone new. Walk-ins welcome! Register: www.LafayetteLib.org Free Electrifying Science: The Magic of Electricity Lawrence Hall of Science will share science so electrifying it makes your hair stand on end! Marvel as objects levitate in midair and light up from across the room. Free
Cross-Cultural Communication: Perception & Deception Author Joe Lurie, based on experience in the Peace Corps and UC Berkeley’s International House, shares a wealth of stories that illuminate the origins & pitfalls of cultural misunderstandings in our globalized society. Adults Register: www.LafayetteLib.org
Free
NEW! Friday Connections for Seniors
Ages 5 & up Register: www.LafayetteLib.org
Tuesday, April 4 Community Hall 6:30 PM
a fictionalized true story of a courageous child who survives the Cambodian death march through the Khmer Rouge killing fields. Brenda Oum is the owner of Lafayette’s Papillion Café. The Lawrence Hall of Science will be here on March 22nd 6:30PM in the Community Hall to make Electrifying Science: The Magic of Electricity. Join us to experience a science so electrifying that it literally makes your hair stand on end! Look out when the lightning flies in the spectacular, high-voltage finale! This event is free and suitable for kids 5+. Register at tinyurl.com/LAF-Magic. Join us for family fun at our first STEAM Ahead lab, a new monthly program oriented towards family learning and tinkering with different STEAM activities and themes. In March, we will be experimenting with art-bots, zoetrope, and an introduction to stop motion animation. This event is free but has limited space. Please register online or at the front desk. How does your cultural background inform your view of the world? Can we ever fully connect with someone who has vastly different perceptions fed by their own biases? Join us on April 4 at 6:30PM to hear author Joe Lurie discuss his experiences in the Peace Corps and his 20 years serving as Executive Director of U.C. Berkeley’s International House. In his book Perception and Deception, he shares a wealth of stories that illuminate the origins and pitfalls of cultural misunderstandings. The Friends host WOW on April 12 at 2PM, and my advice is to get there early because the presentation is a discussion of the Legion of Honor Exhibit, Monet: The Early Years. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience Monet’s mastery before Impressionism through approximately sixty paintings from some of the world’s most important international collections. Winners of The Friends Annual Bookmark Contest will be honored at an awards ceremony April 27 at 6:30PM. You can view the 2016 winners online at http://www.lllcf.org/. Each winner will receive a gift certificate for a local book store and the Friends Corner Bookshop. Looking ahead, on May 4th, Erik Larson, author of Dead Wake, the story of the Lusitania in 1915, comes to Acalanes Performing Center as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series. Also on May 4th in the Science Café Community Room, there will be a presentation on the Earthquake Warning System. More on those events will be listed in the April Bookworm. What’s on your calendar?
Wednesday, April 5 Community Hall 7:00 PM
Free
Science Café: Earthquake Early Warning System Building ShakeAlert, an Earthquake Early Warning system for the West Coast. Robert de Groot of U.S. Geological Survey explains EEW and how it can save lives in a quake. For information: tinyurl.com/LLLCQuake
Wednesday, April 12 Community Hall 2:00 PM
Wonders of the World Docent Lecture Series: Monet, the Early Years at the Legion of the Honor Experience Monet’s mastery in the years before Impressionism, through sixty paintings from some of the world’s most important international collections. Adults Free For more information: www.LafayetteLib.org
Free programs are brought to you through the combined generosity of the LLLCF, Friends of the Lafayette Library, and Contra Costa Library System
Lafayette Library & Learning Center Foundation Distinguished Speaker Series proudly presents
Joseph Di Prisco The Pope of Brooklyn Thursday, March 30, 2017 6:00 PM Library Community Hall
Joseph Di Prisco’s anticipated memoir brings his father - hustler, gambler, criminal, bookmaker, and confidential informant - back to life, and reveals the fascinating and unsettling truths that simultaneously bound and separated father and son. Tickets: tinyurl.com/DiPrisco
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DOLLS ARE MORE THAN PRETTY FACES
MARCH 2017 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • PAGE 7
Mindful Parenting Workshop Sunday March 26; 1-5pm
By Laura Torkelson, for Lafayette Historical Society
• decrease yelling and frustration • cultivate peace, calm and more joy • increase connection with your child
•learn effective discipline • be more present • respond, not react
A couple of months ago, a woman, Lauren Tombari, came into the Lafayette Historical Society History Room Register now – space is limited. Check out website for more info on Golden Gate Way and held out a tiny blue dress. The Joree Rosenblatt, L.M.F.T. License #93545 ~ 925.212.2996 doll dress had a label with the words, “Jane Miller, Lafaywww.mindfulnessandtherapycenter.com ette, Calif.” Lauren is a collector of Madame Alexander Dolls and their clothes. She told us that clothes with the Jane Miller label were highly regarded for their quality and therefore highly collectible. Lauren asked us if we knew anything about Jane Miller. She knew the address of the doll clothes company because it was on a box – where Mike’s Auto Body on Mt. Diablo Blvd. is now. Ms. Miller sold her doll clothes through major outlets such as Nordstrom’s and Macy’s. We put our best researcher on the case and he found that Ms. Miller had worked sewing Jane Miller dress doll clothes for Madame Alexander in New York before moving to Lafayette and opening her business here. Unfortunately, we found no information about what her connection to Lafayette was or what precipitated her move. In the early 1960’s, she disappeared. If any readers know anything about Jane Miller, please let the Historical Society know! Lauren, now a San Francisco State professor, has been collecting dolls “all her life.” She began with a Madame Alexander doll that her mother had as a little girl. Over the years, with gifts and purchases on eBay, she has amassed a wonderful collection. She is also very knowledgeable about the doll industry and had lots of interesting anecdotes and information to share. When we talked with her, it became obvious that her collection would make a wonderful display for the library! Along with all of the information she shared, she helped us arrange a very interesting display in the library and a small one in the History Room. Please come to the Library and Learning Center Display and the History Room to find out how dolls saved the Paris Couture Industry after World War II!
CINEMA CLASSICS
THE VERDICT By Peggy Horn
This month’s Cinema Classic is The Verdict, (1982) starring Paul Newman, Jack Warden, James Mason, and Charlotte Rampling. It was nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Actor in a leading role (Paul Newman), Best Actor in a supporting role (James Mason), Best Director (Sidney Lumet), Best Picture (This movie lost to Ghandi), and Best Adapted Screenplay. The Writer’s Guild of America rated The Verdict, 91st out of the top 101 screenplays ever written. David Mamet adapted the screenplay from a novel by Barry Reed also entitled, The Verdict. Bruce Willis made one of his first film appearances as an extra in the final courtroom scene. The movie is a sort of David and Goliath story in which Paul Newman appears as a down-on-his-luck attorney (Frank Galvin) who has been given a case by a friend. This case is supposed to be a slam-dunk, a straight forward settlement case and easy money for Frank. The case involves a young woman who was giving birth and was rendered in a vegetative state by a negligent doctor having given her the wrong anesthetic. After Frank turns down an offer to settle, everything about the case goes spiraling downward. Positive he is going to lose and completely demoralized, he tries to resist the beckoning drunkenness. His expert witness assures him that sometimes people have a great capacity to hear the truth, but Frank can only hope for that outcome. The Verdict is a wonderful movie, deeply engrossing, thought provoking, and surprisingly inspirational. Paul Newman is superb in his role as he wrestles with what is right…and wrong! And the jury does indeed display a great capacity to hear the truth, even though the very cunning defense attorney does his best to cover it up.
MUSICAL NOTES
This film is difficult and involves struggle, so I am recommending music from the past that is vigorous and spirited and uplifting. Joseph Hayden’s “Trumpet Concerto in E-Flat Major” fits the bill. It was composed in 1796 for Joseph Haydn’s close friend, Anton Weidinger, when Joseph was 64 years old. It has three movements: I. Allegro (sonata), II. Andante, and III. Allegro (rondo). There is a 1983 Grammy award winning version by the phenomenal Wynton Marsalis available.
SPRING - RAINY OR NOT
By Erin Martin
Last week there was a leak in our laundry room, so we were without a washer and dryer for nine days. The clothes from three kids and three different sports piled up at rapid speed. I even made an emergency trip to Target to load up on new undies for my kiddos. It reminded me of the days when my husband and I lived in the city without a washer and dryer. When kids entered the picture, the lack of a washer and dryer went from being a small inconvenience to painful. Last weekend during my open house, young families poured in carrying tiny babies in car seats. All I could think about is that they are looking for washing machines and dishwashers. My good friend and colleague, Paddy Kehoe has a great analogy for the spring market. He says to picture a bus filled with buyers – their pockets filled with their year-end bonus and a new baby strapped to their chest – looking to buy a house. In the beginning of spring, the bus is totally filled. The anxious buyers get off really quick for fear they won’t find something better at the next stop. As the inventory picks up, the buyers thin out. Summer time comes along, and the bus is almost empty except for the few that decide that they are not getting off at all until next year. If you are thinking about selling you want to be one of the first stops and catch all the anxious motivated buyers. The longer you wait, the fewer buyers there are to compete for your house. The spring market is traditionally the best time to sell, and the real estate market remains strong. The stock market is on fire recently hitting all-time highs. IPO prospects are promising for high-flying San Francisco technology companies like Uber, Airbnb, Pinterest, Dropbox, and Lyft that will provide liquidity for the Lafayette real estate market. Despite interest rates ticking up slightly, rates remain at historically low levels, helping potential buyers finance their future dream home. Please feel free to email me at erin@erinmartinhomes.com with your real estate questions, or call for a free home evaluation (925) 951-3817. Advertorial
For advertising information contact Lafayette Today at 925-405-6397
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PAGE 8 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • MARCH 2017
QUALIFIED APPLICANTS NEEDED FOR CIVIL GRAND JURY AND PENSION BOARD
By Supervisor Candace Andersen
Have you ever wanted to help local government become more effective? Consider applying to be a Civil Grand Juror or a County Pension Board member. Dedicated community volunteers are needed to serve on these two very active and rewarding government bodies. The Superior Court is accepting applications for Civil Grand Jury service for the 2017-2018 term through the end of March. The Grand Jury is made up of 19 members tasked with investigating and reporting on the operations of local government. The Grand Jury’s fact-finding efforts result in written reports which contain specific recommendations aimed at identifying problems and offering recommendations for improving government operations and enhancing responsiveness. In this way, the Grand Jury acts as a representative of county residents in promoting government accountability. Every effort is made to ensure that the Grand Jury reflects the makeup of the residents of the county. Grand Jurors are agents of change in their communities. They come from all walks of life. They bring with them a broad range of interests, talents and life experiences, but they share a dedication to democratic ideals and a willingness to devote their time and energy to matters of civic importance. Civil Grand Jurors are appointed by the Superior Court to serve a one-year term, from July 1st through June 30th. Individuals may be recommended by the Judges of the Superior Court or may volunteer to serve. Each applicant is interviewed by a group of Superior Court Judges. Those applicants who are deemed qualified are placed in a pool, and 19 are randomly selected as Grand Jurors. Some individuals are selected as alternates, who may be sworn-in during the term if a vacancy occurs. All county citizens have the authority to call the jury’s attention to issues within their governmental agencies that they think should be reviewed. Individuals selected for service will be expected to be available during the last two weeks of June to meet with outgoing jurors, tour county facilities, meet with department heads, become familiar with their colleagues, learn about juror responsibilities and procedures, and select committees on which they will serve. A person qualified to be a grand juror must be a United States citizen, 18 years of age or older, a resident of Contra Costa County for at least one year prior to selection, and they must possess sufficient knowledge of the English language to communicate both orally and in writing. Jurors cannot currently hold any elected position within the county. No particular background, training, or experience is necessary to be a grand juror. In fact, it is the diversity of its members that is one of the grand jury’s greatest strengths. Applicants should have reliable transportation to Martinez and must be prepared to devote at least 20 hours per week to Grand Jury service. Citizens who work should apply only if they can be released from their jobs to perform the jury duties. Those selected will be fingerprinted before the selection drawing. Jurors receive a stipend for attending full jury and committee meetings and are reimbursed 53.5 cents per mile for allowable jury travel. Parking permits may be provided to park in the City of Martinez while performing Grand Jury duties. Serving on a Grand Jury is both an interesting and gratifying way to give back to our community, and it helps improve local government. Persons interested in applying may contact the Office of the Civil Grand Jury at (925) 957-5638 or visit www.cc-courts.org for additional information regarding service on the Civil Grand Jury and to obtain an application. Applications are also available in my office. The deadline to apply is Friday, March 24, 2017. The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors is seeking individuals with a sound business background, experience in pension fund investment or administration, or in equity investments or banking to appoint to the Contra Costa County Employees’ Retirement Association Board of Trustees. To be considered, candidates must be County residents, must not be Retirement System members or retirees, and may not market any investment, consulting, or related service to the Contra Costa County Retirement Board or any other 1937 Act Retirement Board. Regular meetings of the Retirement Board are held the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month beginning at 9AM and sometimes extending into the afternoon. There may also be additional meetings on special topics that arise from time to time. Members of the Retirement Board receive $100 per meeting up to a monthly maximum of $500 plus reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses. The County is seeking to fill two regular seats and one alternate seat.
The appointments will be for full three-year terms beginning July 1, 2017, and ending June 30, 2020. Application forms can be obtained from the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors by calling (925) 335-1900 or by visiting the County website at www.co.contra-costa.ca.us. Applications should be returned to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, Room 106, County Administration Building, 651 Pine Street, Martinez, CA 94553, no later than 5PM on Friday, April 7, 2017. Applicants should plan to be available for public interviews on Monday, May 8, 2017. Further information about the Retirement Board can be obtained by calling CCCERA CEO Gail Strohl at (925) 521-3960 or by visiting the website www.cccera.org. My office is here to serve the residents of Contra Costa County District 2, which includes San Ramon, Danville, Alamo, Walnut Creek, Saranap, Parkmead, Lafayette, Moraga, Canyon, and Orinda. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if we can provide you with additional information on this topic or on other County issues. I can be reached at SupervisorAndersen@bos.cccounty.us or (925) 957-8860.
WHAT’S UP?
By Jim Scala MT. DIABLO ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (MDAS)
March 28, Monthly meeting. At 7:15PM, in the Lindsey Wildlife Museum Auditorium, is a talk By Dr. Nicholas Duncan on Solar Flares. These flares are not only visually spectacular, but they are very important to us earthlings. They occur when the sun erupts and sends particles into space. We experience them as radio static, and the radiation they produce is critical to astronauts. This illustrated talk will provide new insight and respect for our sun. Mt. Diablo on April 1. Though your evening under the stars begins with a brief talk at 7PM, arrive before 6PM at the summit parking where members will help you park. You’re in for an evening of looking though member telescopes and the observatory telescope. It’s rewarding for everyone and is bound to spark an interest in astronomy and science for young people. Besides the Moon, there are two planets in the western sky. Mercury, the closest planet to our sun, will be low in the western sky. Most people, even some astronomers, never see Mercury since it’s so close to the sun that it’s seldom seen against a dark sky and must be studied during the day from observatories. In contrast, you will be able to see it with your naked eye and through telescopes. It is a very unusual opportunity. Though Mars has moved far from earth, through a telescope, it will show its disk and, in steady seeing on Mt. Diablo with high magnification, you might glimpse its polar cap. You’re bound to have some conversation about Martian life while driving home. The almost quarter Moon will be spectacular, and you will be able to see craters up close through the members’ telescopes. Start with an overview, and notice the large dark areas that the ancients called seas because they thought they were like the Earth’s oceans. Notice how the lunar seas seem to undulate due to the Earth’s atmosphere, and observe the rills and ridges on them. Possibly the most remarkable is the Sea of Conflicts and the craters around it. After you look at craters and lunar mountains with high magnification, the moon will never be the same for you. Deep sky objects include several star clusters and galaxies. You’re bound to have a great evening for the nominal automobile entry fee to the state park. To learn more about MDAS visit www.mdas.net. Contact me with questions at jscala2@comcast.net. COMPUTER SERVICES, IT DESIGN & IMPLEMENTATION, IT INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT
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MARCH 2017 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • PAGE 9
THE STORMS OF 1861-1862 TRANSFORMED THE SAN RAMON VALLEY
By Beverly Lane
One storm after another is sweeping through California this year. But for historians, the storms of 1861 and 1862 were far more impressive and devastating. Some have called them Megastorms. Once farmers recovered after losing so many cattle, they began to focus on grain and hay-growing instead of the grazing which had been dominant for decades. A 43-day storm which began in December of 1861 turned the Central Valley and Southern California into inland seas and killed thousands of people, according to a Scientific American article in 2013. Sixty-six inches of rain fell in Los Angeles that year. The Sierras had snow levels from 10 to 15 feet followed by warm rainfall, sending water into rivers in unprecedented levels. The water rose to 30 feet in some areas, covering the new telegraph poles which stretched from Sacramento to New York. All of Sacramento was entirely under 10 feet of brown water that January. William Brewer, who was surveying California, wrote that in January of 1862: “thousands of farms are entirely under water – cattle starving and drowning. All the roads in the middle of the state are impassable; so all mails are cut off.” One quarter of the state’s 800,000 cattle drowned in the flood. UC Berkeley Professor B. Lynn Ingram wrote, “Downstream of Sacramento, towns and villages throughout the eastern San Francisco Bay Area were struggling with catastrophes of their own. Twenty miles northeast of San Francisco, four feet of water covered the entire town of Napa; to the east, the small town of Rio Vista on the Sacramento River was under six feet of water. “The entire population of Alamo, at the foot of Mt. Diablo 50 miles east of San Francisco, was forced to flee rising flood waters. People abandoned their homes in the middle of the night. Some found refuge, others drowned. The San Ramon Valley was one sheet of water from hill to hill as far as the eye could
see. The destructive force of the floods was awesome: houses, otherwise intact and complete with their contents, were carried away in the rapids; horses, cattle, and barns were swept downstream for miles.” A Contra Costa Gazette article in December 3, 1861, stated that in Alamo, “it came suddenly and without any warning at about three in the morning. Many of the people fled as fast as possible and took refuge in the Academy and Wolfe’s brick store. The barn and stable of Hoffman and White washed off with 15 tons of hay (and) a fine buggy…The horses were saved.” August Hemme lost a large barn, a fine carriage, and some outbuildings and fences. And George Engelmayer had 1,500 sacks of wheat destroyed. In one of his farm diaries, San Ramon’s George McCamley wrote (January 2, 1862): “rained all day and all night. Creek very high, the whole county flooded.” The Gazette stated that “The bridges have been swept away or rendered impassable from one end of the county to the other,” which included the bridge over San Ramon Creek south of McCamley’s property. What a mess it was. California agricultural historians pointed out that these floods marked a transformation from the state’s Age of Grazing to the Age of Grains since so many cattle were lost. The County’s wheat and hay production in the next decades was tremendous, with much of the local firm, flavorful grain sent to the Liverpool Corn Exchange on ships out of Martinez. Local hay was a staple crop sold for horse consumption in San Francisco liveries and for Presidio cavalry and draft horses. Our winter season is still not over, and the rainfall is impressive. At 35 inches, Danville currently has 10 inches more than its normal average. Let’s hope the remaining valley barns stay in place. Sources: William H. Brewer, “Up and Down California in 1860-1864, 1966; B. Lynn Ingram “California Megaflood: Lessons from a Forgotten Disaster” n Scientific American, Jan. 1, 2013; Ralph Cozine, “Agriculture: For a Century the Business of the Valley”; John and Tena Gallagher research; George McCamley’s farm diary for 1862.
PAGE 10 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • MARCH 2017
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CHROMATICA CELEBRATES ITS FIFTH BIRTHDAY WITH FOUR CONCERTS
Chromatica, a regional chorus recently dubbed “the undiscovered musical jewel of the East Bay,” will celebrate its fifth birthday with four concerts. • April 20, 7PM: the Event Center at Rossmoor (residents and guests only) • April 23, 4PM: St. Perpetua Church, 3454 Hamlin Road, Lafayette • April 29, 7PM: Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church, 1578 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton. • April 30, 6PM: Peace Lutheran Church, 3201 Camino Tassajara, Danville
WINE CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
He makes Chardonnay, Rose, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Super-Tuscan style blend with partners Doug Spear and Isabelle Ord who provide Meadow View with a majority of its grapes from their Moraga vineyard. “We members of the LWGA are very up on the future of the Lamorinda AVA,” says English. “The grape growing conditions are ideal in the temperature sweet spot with all hillside vineyards and in a residential suburban environment. Most folks in the area don’t realize what they have around them.” LWGA member Tony Inzerillo converted a horse barn on his Moraga property to house 20 barrels of wine from which he produces 150 cases per year of awarding winning varietals under the name Vicenza Ranch. He works directly with local grape growers in producing Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Meritage, Petite Syrah, Sangiovese, Super Tuscan Blend, and Zinfandel. He is well-known for his exclusive Pear Wine, made annually for the Moraga Pear and Wine festival. Bill Scanlin, current president of
Los Arabis
LWGA, and his wife Alissa operate Deer Hill Vineyards in a quiet suburb of Lafayette. The two take pride and care in producing small batches of smooth, bold, and flavorful Cabernet Sauvignons that are less filtered than commercial wines, giving them more character. The Ward Family planted 1,500 Pinot Noir vines in Lafayette in 1999 and named their winery Los Arabis in honor of the Arabian horses that ran the hillside for years. Their grapes continue to thrive on a southwestern facing slope just past the coastal fog belt where days are warm and nights are cool. The steep hillside dictates that the vineyard is completely hand farmed. Dry and silky, with flavors of cola, nutmeg and mace, Los Arabis Pinot has a luscious round mid-palate and a sweet finish. Moraga based Captain Vineyards is family-owned and operated by Sal and Susan Captain
SEEWINE CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
Chromatica began in 2011 in a kindergarten classroom at Peace Lutheran Church in Danville with seven singers and an electronic keyboard. Says founding musical director David Huff, “If enthusiasm was anything to go by, I expected we’d still be around in five years. But growing a successful chorus is a challenge…” Chromatica sang its first formal concerts in 2012 and ever since has sung two concert series every year in the spring and fall. Chromatica is noted for the extraordinary range of repertoire ranging from the 12th to the 21st century and from classical to contemporary. These concerts showcase some of the group’s favorite pieces. Chromatica will sing in Latin, French, German, Italian, and English. From opera comes Verdi’s Va Pensiero, Offenbach’s Neighbors’ Chorus, Gounod’s Soldiers’ Chorus, and Mascagni’s Easter Hymn, a huge audience favorite the first time Chromatica performed it. Chromatica will also sing Brahm’s Zigeunerlieder and parts of Cherubini’s stunning Mass in C Minor. Add Eric Whitacre’s hilarious Animal Crackers and his wonderful A Boy and a Girl. Add to it Andrea Bocelli’s Con Te Partiro, and this is a concert with something for everyone. Chromatica will also perform Billy Joel’s lovely lullaby Goodnight My Angel, Monte Vista graduate and commissioned composer Stacy Garrop’s Love’s Philosophy, as well as Ticheli’s extraordinary There Will Be Rest. Says David Huff: “Chromatica has been very much a labor of love on everyone’s part. Our musical journey over the past five years has covered nearly every conceivable type of choral music, focusing particularly on pieces that are not often performed by community choruses. I’m delighted to be directing an ensemble that consistently exceeds expectations. I think our audiences will be particularly pleased with this program as it highlights pieces that had a very enthusiastic response.” Chromatica now includes 26 singers. It has performed ten series of ticketed concerts in the East Bay, attracting large and enthusiastic audiences. Led by David Huff and accompanied by pianist Julie Rieth, it seeks to perform challenging choral works at a high level of professionalism. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students. For tickets and to find out more about Chromatica, visit www.chromaticachorale.org. For a more personal look, you can find Chromatica on Facebook. Tickets for all concerts are also available at the door.
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MARCH 2017 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • PAGE 11
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WALKING THE RESERVOIR
By Jim Scala
Otters. On a recent seniors’ walk, my friend Bill and I noticed frantic activity in the water near the dam’s east end. Reservoir otters were attacking a school of fish and having a feast. We counted at least six stirring up the water as they dove and resurfaced with a fish. When the river otters discovered the Lafayette Reservoir, did they know that they had discovered River Otter Heaven? The amounts of fish stocked, almost year-round, can be expressed in tons. Where else can otters have such a ready meal? Contentment and happiness. A recent study involving over ten thousand people monitored the effect of regular exercise on personal happiness. A study like this wasn’t possible before the advent of iPhones. With specially designed apps, scientists monitored the participant’s exercise and personal feelings. Overwhelmingly, people who did moderate exercise regularly were usually happier than people who didn’t exercise. Many types of exercise were included in the study, but the best, and most common, was the equivalent of walking the reservoir three to five times weekly. The study of the non-exercisers proved that jumping to conclusions, or running from responsibility, doesn’t count as exercise. Nor do they bring lasting personal contentment. Reservoir helps real estate sales. The Sunday newspaper real estate section had a nice advertisement about the new Moraga housing development with prices starting at over $1.2 million. It emphasized the Lafayette Reservoir and the fine recreation it offers not far from the homes. Weekend res-activity. The almost incessant rain of January and February dramatically reduced reservoir activity, but it didn’t deter some seniors, joggers, and young mothers pushing strollers. On the first clear weekend, I spent several hours on Saturday and Sunday getting a feeling for how many people took advantage of good weather. The parking lot was full and, at times, cars were bumper to bumper driving up the hill. The trail was crowded, and our diversity emerged. Including English, I counted seven languages being spoken among the walkers. When I heard one that I didn’t recognize, I asked what language the people spoke. Usually in broken English, they proudly told me. It proves that people of all ethnic
(Across from Costco Gas Station, next to Harvest House)
backgrounds enjoy the recreation our unique resource offers. Every child needs the January sun. This Old Wives’ Tale traces to the fourteenth century in Weistar, Germany where women would expose infants and small children regularly to the winter sun. As usual, in modern times, it was typically dismissed. Then, in the 1950s, anthropologists and biochemists explored its possible basis in human experience. Using church records and skeletons from the time, they clearly matched the bone-deforming disease rickets to children who, due to illness, didn’t get the winter sun. And many children who did get rickets died. They proved that the Wives’ Tale is correct. The study also led to the conclusion that Vitamin D is an unusual hormone even though we still classify it as a vitamin. Health records from the twenties and thirties show that many American children living where the winters are severe got rickets. Though few died, many were left with bowed legs and mildly stunted growth. So, this old advice applies in modern times because insufficient vitamin D can affect both children and adults – especially women. In modern terms, take a reservoir walk when it’s sunny during the winter months, and bring the young sprouts along. Next month I’ll explain how Popeye came to be. Let me hear from you at jscala2@comcast.net.
YOUNG PROFESSIONALS CONFERENCE
The Young Professionals Conference (YPC) will be held on April 1 from 9:30AM to 5:30PM at The Roundhouse at Bishop Ranch in San Ramon. This is an exciting opportunity where 300+ young professionals from the Greater East Bay and Tri-Valley areas, a new generation of leaders, will have the opportunity to advance their careers and be ready to mold the community in which they live. They’ll learn about the East Bay business climate of tomorrow and hear from experienced executives, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists from over 15 companies spanning tech innovation to talent, to utilities that fuel electric cars, and to organizations like the Rotary and the Wheel Chair Foundation on what it takes to be the best by doing the most good. Issues and ideas, and people’s passion will be discussed with the audience at the breaks, during lunch, and at the Meetup Mixer to end the day. Powerful speaker Jim Marggraff of Google will share how his passion that stems from tech innovation empowers hundreds of millions of people
SEE YPC CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
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PAGE 12 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • MARCH 2017
SONOMA’S NEW CHOCOLATE TASTING ROOM AND CAFE: COCOAPLANET
By Linda Summers-Pirkle
A slice of hot buttered toast with a smear of exquisitely tart raspberry rhubarb Danish marmalade for breakfast in Scandinavia, and a perfectly grilled salmon steak with potatoes, onions, and a bit of Becherovka in the Municipal House in Prague are two “meal memories” that stand out for me. I can add a memory to my list when on a recent trip to Paris in a café on Rue du Bac my three adult children and I enjoyed a rainy afternoon as we sipped our coffees and luxurious hot chocolate. Anne McKibben, the founder of CocoaPlanet, a newly opened chocolate tasting room and café in Sonoma, was born in Paris to a French mother and American father. She was inspired by the memories of the delicious hot chocolate lovingly made by her mother and grandmother as well as her experiences in the grand cafes and chocolate houses of Paris where hot chocolate is made the old fashioned way (l’ancienne). Anne says, “I love the taste of the delicious rich hot Anne McKibben chocolate in France. The true French method requires high quality tempered chocolate (no powdered Swiss Miss) and slowly melting it into hot milk. The process can take an hour or more if done in the traditional manner. I wanted to make the process easier yet retain the creamy delicious taste I loved as a child.” Jeff McKibbin, the founder’s husband, shared the story behind CocoaPlanet. “When she was pregnant with our first child (who is now 12 years old), Anne had the idea to make chocolate that was reminiscent of her early days in France and also be low in sugar—her mother had been diagnosed with diabetes.” With a background in manufacturing and marketing, Anne invented a new technology so she could create her ‘pearls of flavor’ which suspends pearls of flavor within premium dark chocolate. It’s low in calories and low in sugar. The chocolate is delicious as a morsel and dissolves into hot milk, creating a rich and creamy hot chocolate. With flavors like salted caramel, deep dark truffle, vanilla espresso,
OAKY, UNOAKED, OAKED
By Monica Chappell
How many times have you caught an aroma and just couldn’t put your finger on what it was? If you’re at all like me, it has been a time too many, which is why I love this cheat sheet which helps solve such problems. My cheat sheet contains the most common aromas found in wine, yielded from oak aging. It supplies a sensory vocabulary of common descriptors so that you can communicate precisely. Oak can enhance the color of the wine, soften and round out flavors, and impart its own unique characteristics. Almost all red wines and many white wines spend time in oak barrels before being bottled, and that’s just because winemakers have found they taste better that way. Knowing descriptors for oak’s influence can facilitate a common flavor language in appreciating the relationship between wood and wine. I invite you to send me any additional oak derived descriptors as the list is truly endless.
OAK DERIVED FLAVORS
Earthy: Ash, Mushroom, Shoe Box, Wet Cardboard, Musty, Leather Herbaceous: Weedy, Dill, Mown Hay, Menthol, Grass, Tobacco Woody: Planky, Cedar, Sawdust, Pencil Shavings, Sappy, Green, Pine, Tar, Resin Astringent: Harsh, Chewy, Bitter, Tannic, Drying Spicy: Clove, Cinnamon, Coconut, Vanilla
TOAST DERIVED FLAVORS
Sweet: Brown Sugar, Bourbon, Cotton Candy, Chocolate, Maple Syrup, Butterscotch, Hot fudge, Caramel, Molasses, Honey, Toffee, Soy Creamy: Vanilla, Cream Soda, Marshmallow, Lactic, butter Yeasty: Popcorn, Baked Bread, Bread Sticks, Cookie Dough Nutty: Hazelnut, Walnut, Almond, Peanut butter, Coconut Roasted: Cedar, Graham Cracker, Toasted Bread, Coffee, Mocha, Cereal Smoky: Barbecue, Grilled meat, Bacon, Sweet Smoke, Burnt Sugar Spicy: Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Clove, Licorice, Anise Monica Chappell is a wine educator and writer living in Lafayette. Contact her at wineappreciation101@gmail.com.
mandarin orange and CocoaMint, it’s difficult to choose a favorite. Jeff mentioned that when the old Sonoma Print Shop location became available, it was just the kind of spot they were looking for. Just a short distance from Sonoma Square, the building was long and narrow which was the configuration they needed to house their chocolate making equipment. The area behind the building was in need of restoration with overgrown weeds and even an abandoned car or two. It’s hard to imagine the history of the lot when you see the complete transformation from a junk area into a stunning garden with olive trees, wisteria, stone paths, and cozy areas with fire pits. During the summer and spring, this “Chocolate Garden” will be open for entertaining. CocoaPlanet offers a full menu including French favorites: Lentil Soup, Croque Monsieur’s, Crepes, Cassoulet, and Quiche, and some interesting tastings such as the “Power Nibble” - two chocolates, almonds, and sharp white cheddar cheese. The CocoaPlanet Mocha with steamed milk (lactose free), an espresso shot, and CocoaMint flavoring is delicious. CocoaPlanet tasting room and café is located at 921 Broadway in Sonoma, and they are open Thursday-Saturday 11:30AM-6PM and Sunday 11:30AM-5PM. Expanded hours will begin in the spring. Starting this summer, they will offer demonstrations of how to make hot chocolate from CocoaPlanet Chocolates. Call (707) 721-1275 or visit their website at www.cocoaplanet.com. Call ahead for tours. Linda Summers Pirkle, travel consultant and long term Danville resident, has arranged and led 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 Outside “Chocolate Garden” at CocoaPlanet. friends and family. “What a great place to live, so much to see, so much to do.” To share your “Quick Trips” ideas email Coverthemap@gmail.com.
100 YEARS YOUNG!
Lafayette resident Colleen Starrett turned 100 years old on February 17th! Born of Sicilian immigrants in 1917 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Colleen moved from Portrero Hill in San Francisco to a sunny street behind Acalanes High School in 1969 – and she has been an active community member of Lafayette ever since. She loves her quaint brick house and keeps her yard a spectacular landscaping vision with irises, daffodils, rhododendrons and many fruit trees. As spry as always, Colleen still enjoys downtown Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill and Concord to shop and dine. Colleen spends time every day in her garden, talking to neighbors and family. She keeps up to date on current events – listening to the daily news and enjoying books of all types. She also loves listening to music – Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Charlie Pride are among her favorite singers and she was fortunate enough to have an Elvis and Frank Sinatra singer at her birthday party. Colleen welcomed her 4 daughters, 8 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren and their families to join her along with many friends for a big 100th birthday celebration!
SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCE
The Lafayette Scottish Country Dance class recently enjoyed the annual Valentine’s Ball. Stirring live music was provided by Reel of Seven, and dancers and spectators alike appreciated the kilts and formal finery. Regular classes are held every Thursday evening at 8PM at the Danville Grange located at 743 Diablo Rd in Danville. All adults are welcome; no experience, Scottish ancestry, nor partner required! Call Kathleen at 925-934-6148 or Witsie at 925-676-3637 for more information. There are also youth classes for Scottish Country Dance and for Highland Dance which meet on Wednesday afternoons; for youth information email Fred DeMarse at FredDeMarse@Chevron.com.
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ENERGY CURRENTS
ON YET ANOTHER MISSION By Mark Becker, GoSimple Solar
Recently there has been a glut of unappealing solar PV projects installed in my neighborhood that negatively impact the individual home and the neighborhood’s visual appeal. Per California Law, Homeowner Associations (HOA’S) do have some amount of control over the aesthetic impact of solar PV projects. It may sound strange to you that a business owner in the solar industry is seeking more regulation or enforcement. However, solar professionals know it’s best for the solar industry to be represented by aesthetically appealing installations and have pride in ALL solar work, even if performed by others. HOA Architectural Review Committees (ARC’s) are often demonized. But ARC’s do important work to maintain community aesthetics. A solar project’s potential visual impact to the community should have some oversight through design review. For those with homes outside of HOA’s, you may consider yourself lucky. However, unless your neighbors are well educated as to how to ensure a visually appealing solar PV system is installed, a “solar ugly home” may be soon coming near you. Homeowners and business owners choose to “go solar” for financial reasons. There are well over 580,000 solar projects in California. A properly installed solar PV project will provide excellent financial return and stand the test of time for 25+ years. Twenty-five years is a long time to be generating typically well over six figures of income in savings with solar. It’s also a long time to be subjected to the visual impact of a poorly installed solar PV system. With knowledge, you can have excellent savings and maintain visual appeal. The solar PV industry will continue to grow which is a great thing for homeowner’s finances and for the environment. With growth will come more unappealing installations unless efforts are made to improve the appeal. By experience, I’ve realized it’s going to take a community to positively improve solar aesthetics moving forward. With this effort we will protect our home values and the visual appeal of our neighborhoods, and ultimately, the solar industry will benefit as well. After all, a well-installed solar PV system can be a beautiful thing. How do we achieve this? Homeowner Education: A homeowner should be aware of the aesthetic options a properly qualified solar PV installation team can offer. A homeowner should ensure that the layout of the planned system is well understood and conceptualized before contract signing. Expect exact design drawings from a solar
SUSTAINABLE LAFAYETTE
SAY “NO” TO PLASTIC STRAWS … EXCEPT AS ART MATERIALS! By Pam Palitz
Next month, Sustainable Lafayette will host its 12th annual Earth Day Festival in downtown Lafayette, in partnership with the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce. The theme is “Sustainable Youth,” and most of the cool projects and activities will be either created by local schoolkids or designed to entertain and educate them. One cooperative art project at the April 23 Festival will utilize thousands of plastic straws that have been collected from California beaches. It will raise awareness of the vast quantity of plastic pollution in our oceans and on our shores. Eighty percent of all marine debris found in the ocean originated on land, and 80-90% of that marine debris is made from plastic. Astonishingly, 500 million – yes, that’s half a billion – plastic straws are used and discarded in the United States every single day. That’s more than a straw a day for every man, woman, and child in the country. In one day, America’s discarded straws could wrap around the earth’s equator 2½ times. The use of plastic has exploded in the past 50 years because it’s light, durable, moldable, cheap, and water resistant. Yet it is increasingly obvious that plastic is bad for the environment and bad for our health. Some of the issues: Plastic isn’t very biodegradable – It takes hundreds of years to biodegrade, so every ounce of plastic that’s ever been created is still in our environment somewhere. Plastic recycling is sort of a myth – Most plastic in the U.S. isn’t recycled, and the plastic that is collected is expensive to process and is really “down-cycled” to textiles, bumpers, or plastic lumber – all unrecyclable products. Plastic is a health concern – There are increasing reports on the human health effects of chemicals used in plastic products, such as Bisphenol-A in hard plastics, PFOA in non-stick coatings, and others. So, reducing the amount of plastic in your life is an important goal. Try to avoid anything that is single use
MARCH 2017 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • PAGE 13
PV contractor after contract signing but before approving an installation date for your project. Of course, ensure your solar PV contractor is properly licensed. Proper solar PV licensing and installer qualifications is critical as water intrusion is the number one homeowner damage claim. Solar PV Contractor Compliance: The California State Contractor’s Board (CSLB) has singled out the solar segment of the contracting industry as one that generates some of the “biggest sources of complaints from consumers.” Google “CSLB, Solar Reminders ” and you’ll see the complaints run from falsification of cost savings, shoddy work, unlicensed work, selling more than a customer needs, etc. “Selling more than a customer needs” is a tactic that maximizes the profit for the contractor. There is virtually zero return on investment for the portion of a solar project that has been sized too large for the customer’s needs. Homeowner’s Associations: The Solar Rights Act law is intended to help encourage the adoption of solar PV systems. Conversely, The Solar Rights Act also provides HOA’s a legal means to enforce aesthetic guidelines for solar PV installations. When these guidelines are not enforced in an HOA, the result is (to speak frankly) oftentimes the appearance that some contractor simply puked solar panels onto a homeowners roof. In my opinion, it’s the contractor’s responsibility to perform with diligence and professionalism. Unfortunately, in the real world, “buyer beware” has become the norm. HOA’s “Codes, Covenants, and Restrictions” must actually be enforced to be effective. Homeowner interaction with the HOA: If an HOA does not have, or is not enforcing, their rights to protect your neighborhood, it’s incumbent on the homeowner members of that HOA to petition the HOA to do so. HOA’s represent the will of the homeowner group. Whether or not you are in a neighborhood with an HOA, the most effective tactic to ensure appropriate compliance with aesthetic guidelines is indeed homeowner education. Find GoSimpleSolar’s “Solar Aesthetic Commitment” document at www.GoSimpleSolar.com/AestheticCommitment. Demand your solar installer follows similar guidelines; your neighborhood appeal and your home’s value will be positively impacted. Mark Becker is the President and business owner of GoSimpleSolar, by Semper Fidelis Construction Inc, CSLB 948715. GoSimpleSolar is one of the very few solar PV installers utilizing both licensed roofers and licensed electricians for installation work, project managed by a solar PV NABCEP professional. For more information, call 925-331-8011, visit www.GoSimpleSolar.com, or stop by the showroom at 115 West Linda Advertorial Mesa Avenue, Danville. or disposable. We hope you have already moved in that direction in two easy and obvious ways: 1) carrying reusable bags to the grocery store and 2) refilling with free tap water your stainless steel, glass, or BPA-free bottle. Next step…stop using plastic straws! When you’re at a restaurant, use your consumer power to speak up: ask for no straw with your drink. Then sip away. OK, so you really love using a straw, or you have a little one who has a terrible time without one. The solution is obvious: bring your own. There are great plastic-free alternatives (stainless steel, bamboo, and sturdy glass) that you can carry along. And if you are worried about cleanliness, there are simple and thorough ways to clean them (how about dish soap and a pipe cleaner?). Online, check out the following reusable straws: Simply Straws, Life Without Plastic, Glass Dharma Straws, and Bamboo Straws. Finally, let your local restaurant, eatery, or cafe know that you would like to see straws given out on request only, or switch to a compostable or paper version. Lafayette was able to ban single-use plastic bags, and all of California followed suit. Perhaps next we could consider taking aim at plastic straws! Recycling has become second nature to most of us; we also can train ourselves to reduce our consumption of plastic. To learn more about how to live plastic free, visit http://myplasticfreelife.com/, and to learn about plastic misconceptions, visit www.ecologycenter.org/ptf/misconceptions.html. Visit sustainablelafayette.org for more information about transforming your home and community into more sustainable places with enhanced quality of life.
PAGE 14 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • MARCH 2017
ESTATE PLANNING MYTHS
By Robert J. Silverman, Esq.
A considerable number of myths exist about Estate Planning. While misconceptions may be less prevalent due to increased media coverage and more sophisticated consumers, I still encounter quite a few. Below, I’ve outlined some of the more common misconceptions, and I attempt to set the record straight as to each. 1. Myth: If you are not wealthy or if you have a Will, you don’t need a Revocable Living Trust (“Trust”). Reality: California Residents who die with or without a Will (and have no Trust), owning an aggregate of more than $150,000* of assets are generally subject to probate. Probate is a public, court supervised estate administration process that typically takes nine months to a year, or longer; requires a great deal of paperwork and hassle; and involves substantial attorneys’ fees, executor fees and costs. *Certain kinds of assets, such as joint or P.O.D. accounts, joint tenancy assets, and insurance and retirement accounts with designated beneficiaries are not included; they’re also exempt from probate. Fortunately, all assets titled in a Trust are exempt from Probate. So, regardless of one’s level of wealth and particularly for those who own a home and/ or any other real estate, a Trust is an excellent “Will substitute” and probate avoidance vehicle. Note that even if you have a Trust, it is important to also have a “pour-over” Will – a safety net to ensure that any non-trust assets are distributed per your wishes. 2. Myth: It is time consuming and complicated to establish and manage a Trust. Reality: A Trust: a) takes little more time to establish than a Will; b) does not need to be significantly more complicated than a comprehensive Will; c) is typically quite straightforward to fund (i.e. to retitle your assets in the Trust); and d) is managed nearly identically to the way one manages assets without a Trust, other than the need to observe some minor formalities. 3. Myth: A Trust has income tax implications and triggers extra filing
TECHNOLOGY MATTERS
By Evan Corstorphine
Being a small business, we’ve adapted our staffing model to address your changing needs. When we formed Portable CIO in 2001, we offered our services solely through a time and materials (T&M) approach. As the marketplace matured, the sophistication of our client networks grew and clients required more regular attention; the T&M approach of a higher hourly rate no longer financially scaled. That rate was designed for short-duration engagements of a few hours, not for day-long, week-long, or regular weekly engagements. T&M rates add up very quickly, and there has to be a cost justification when Information Technology (IT) services are performed. Since IT falls into the category of a “necessary expenses” and isn’t a profit center for businesses, we needed a service model that could work for our clients. The premise of providing outsourced IT services is that we the vendor will purchase and manage the people, processes, and software so you don’t have to grow your own IT function. You end up with a predictable line-item expense for support each month instead of adding costly headcount. At daily rates versus T&M rates, the cost justification for outsourcing your IT is compelling because we can provide your firm’s IT services better, faster, broader, and cheaper than you can do it for yourself. Suddenly, we’re a part of the team, a partner, and not someone you see only when big problems occur. Our typical clients are firms who initially assigned IT responsibilities to someone internally who seemed to ‘have the knack,’ or they hired an entry-level person out of college to be their IT support when people inside need a little help. Or they’ll hire a “one man band” contractor. All of these models have serious shortcomings. Insofar as you need basic desktop support, it works OK for a while. My experience is that although these support folks above have great intentions, they have narrow, limited viewpoints when it comes to networking, security, best practices for backups, or approaches to disaster prevention or recovery. They don’t have great backgrounds in security, ran-
www.yourmonthlypaper.com requirements. Reality: When you establish a Trust for yourself (or you and your spouse), no additional income taxes or property taxes are triggered, and there are no additional income tax filing requirements during your life. 4. Myth: You should be afraid to do a Trust because doing so will lock you into the decisions you make. Reality: A Revocable Living Trust is revocable (though there is seldom any reason to revoke it) and may be amended any time you wish. As your personal, familial and financial circumstances change, it is quite easy and affordable to work with your estate planning attorney to review and revise your document so that it continues to reflect your current wishes. The above is in contrast to Irrevocable Trusts, which are used only in limited, specialized situations (e.g. when people gift to minors, young adults or anyone who receives government benefits for special needs; and when very affluent people gift to loved ones and/or charitable organizations for Federal Estate and Gift Tax mitigation purposes). 5. Myth: If I sign a Power of Attorney, I don’t need a Will or Trust. Reality: Every adult should have a Power of Attorney. It gives someone you trust the power to transact financial business for you in the event of your incapacity. If you become incapacitated and have no valid Power of Attorney, an expensive and cumbersome Conservatorship court proceeding will likely be necessary to vest someone with legal authority to manage your finances. As helpful as a Power of Attorney is, however, it’s only operative during your life; when you’re gone, it ceases to operate and your Trust and/or Will then become the governing document(s). * Estate Planning * Trust Administration & Probate * Real Estate * Business Please contact the author to request a complimentary: i) “Estate Planning Primer”; ii) Real Estate titling brochure; iii) introductory meeting. Mr. Silverman is an attorney with R. Silverman Law Group which is located at 1855 Olympic Blvd., Suite 125, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 705-4474; rsilverman@rsilvermanlaw.com. This article is intended to provide information of a general nature, and should not be relied upon as legal, tax and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain specific advice from their own, qualified professional advisors. Advertorial
somware prevention, centralized systems, or corporate best-practices. In the business they support, they slide into a position of benign neglect because they lack the experience and reputation that gives them the positional authority to be taken seriously. They cannot lead their management because they are not seen as being credible or authoritative. As such, they become isolated in their role, and as familiarity increases, their already limited clout diminishes. They don’t have the benefit of an experienced team to back them up. There is only so much one person can know or do. They also don’t have tracking systems or a Helpdesk to manage incoming requests, so they’re hopelessly reactive. Been there, done that. There is a better way. We provide ongoing business support in one of two ways. The first way is through a per-device service based on the number of computers you use. In this model, you have full-time access to our IT department, and we are responsible for ensuring everything in your technical world works. We’re full-time monitoring your computers and servers, and our Helpdesk picks up any requests by someone needing assistance, by email, telephone, or the client portal you can also use to submit requests. No matter what it is, someone will respond and take care of you. We provide an SLA (Service Level Agreement) that guarantees we will respond within a certain amount of time, and it includes different severity levels so that we have a way to triage incoming problems, separating emergencies from casual requests. This is the most popular of our support options, and it allows us to do our best work. The second option is through staff augmentation at daily rates. We provide an onsite technician for anywhere from one to three days per week who stays at your site helping your staff and doing projects for you. The advantage to this model is that because of the relationship, your staff now has full access to our fully staffed Helpdesk every day during business hours. When combined with the per-device services mentioned above, we have 360 degree visibility to support your needs. All the help that’s provided is tracked through a ticketing system which you may access remotely via your client portal. If you think there’s a better model to support your firm, let’s chat. We’re excited about the capabilities we bring and would love to learn more about your situation. You can reach us at info@pcioit.com or 925-552-7953 opt 3. Advertorial
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MARCH 2017 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • PAGE 15
ESTATE PLANNING STRATEGIES FOR A SINGLE PARENT
By George M. Noceti, CRPS® -Wealth Advisor and Paul A. Noceti, Financial Planning Specialist, Integra Group at Morgan Stanley
As a parent, your primary concern is the well-being of your children, both in the present and future. When planning for the eventual distribution of your estate to benefit your children while also minimizing estate taxes, it’s important to recognize that some of the benefits afforded to married couples will not apply to single individual. So, what aspects of estate planning might require additional attention on your part? At a minimum, it is essential for single parents to consider the following tips. • Name a guardian. It is essential that your will include the name a guardian for your minor children and, if different, the person who will be granted custody. Without this information from you, the state courts will make this decision, potentially placing your children with an individual you don’t believe to be the best to see to their needs. • Review beneficiary designations. Not all assets are governed by your will. Update your insurance policies and retirement plans to be sure that your children will receive your assets either directly or through a trust that you have created. If leaving an individual retirement account (IRA) to your children, look into what you might do today to enable it to be used as a stretch IRA in the future. • Obtain or increase life insurance. Review your life insurance coverage to determine if the proceeds will be sufficient to cover your children’s expenses as well as your estate tax obligations. Consider taking life insurance out of your estate tax calculation, set up an irrevocable trust that will own the policy and, through the trustee, make premium payments from contributions you make to the trust. • Provide for your children’s health insurance. Your children’s health insurance coverage might end upon your death, or it might be eligible for continuation for up to three years under COBRA laws. It may be a good idea to familiarize yourself with other health insurance options, whether offered privately or through your state’s exchange, and share this information with the guardian you named.
• Gift, gift, gift. Monetary gifts to your children can reduce the size of your estate while benefiting your children. You might make these gifts through a trust, such as using the money to cover life insurance premiums. As a single individual, you may make tax-free annual gifts of up to $14,000 per recipient. Depending on your situation, you may need to pay special attention to some of these points. For example, if you are divorced, it may be that your former spouse is still named as beneficiary of your retirement plans and insurance policies. If you are widowed, ensure that your estate plan also covers the assets you inherited tax free from your spouse, as those assets now belong to you. The situation may become more complicated if you are in a domestic partnership. Although you may be raising children together, the tax rules regarding your estate could be different than those of married couples. For instance, assets do not transfer tax free from one unmarried partner to another. Using life insurance as an example, a surviving partner must own the insurance to avoid it becoming part of the estate of the deceased. Therefore, it’s often suggested that each partner own enough insurance to pay taxes on the other’s estate. Also, it is typically recommended that each partner name the other as beneficiary and guardian in their wills to help prevent the distribution of assets, or even the guardianship of a child, to a blood relative who feels entitled to them. For financial assets, you might consider a trust to avoid probate. There are many factors to be considered when planning your estate and the well-being of your children. Begin building an action plan today. Contact us for further information on how our advice can better help you plan financially. Also contact us for a complimentary Financial review, Long Term Care review, Medicare review, or Social Security review at (925)7462982, via email at george.noceti@morganstanley.com, or visit our website at www.ms.com/fa/theintegragroup. Connect on LinkedIn: George M. Noceti, CRPS®. Follow me on Twitter: @GNocetiMS.
Sources/Disclaimer - Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters. Insurance products are offered in conjunction with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC’s licensed insurance agency affiliates. Since life insurance is medically underwritten, you should not cancel your current policy until your new policy is in force. A change to your current policy may incur charges, fees and costs. A new policy will require a medical exam. Surrender charges may be imposed and the period of time for which the surrender charges apply may increase with a new policy. You should consult with your own tax advisors regarding your potential tax liability on surrenders. The opinions expressed by the authors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley. The information and data in the article or publication has been obtained from sources outside of Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley makes no representations or guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of information or data from sources outside of Morgan Stanley. Neither the information provided nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation by Morgan Stanley with respect to the purchase or sale of any security, investment, strategy or product that may be mentioned. © 2016 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. CRC 1563014 08/16 Advertorial
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PAGE 16 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • MARCH 2017
SPRING PRUNING
By Blaine Brende & Joe Lamb
Once again, it’s that time of year when the landscape grows lush, beautiful... and out of control. At Brende & Lamb, we prune to balance the practical with the aesthetic. When our clients ask us to restore their views, bring more light into their gardens, and reduce fire hazards, we do our best to keep their screening intact and to protect their privacy. At the same time, we work hard to enhance the natural beauty of their trees. Balancing your tree care needs is a skill we’ve developed over decades of caring for trees.
AESTHETIC PRUNING
Each plant has a natural growth pattern. Aesthetic pruning accentuates the shape given the plant by nature, and good pruning creates a light and open feeling. A well-pruned plant enhances the observer’s experience by accentuating the interplay of light and shadow, open spaces and denser spaces, and the sculptural elements revealed in a tree’s trunk and branch. The first step in aesthetic pruning is to see the flow of the tree. We begin by looking at the base of the trunk, and then we let our eyes follow the trunk upward into the branches and out to the branch tips. We notice how the flow of the branches determines the tree’s form. The form may be weeping, as with Willows and Chinese Elms. Perhaps, as with Monterey Cypress, the branches form at acute angles to the trunk, giving the tree an upswept look. Or the branches may bend and twist, forming complex arcs, as does the Coast Live Oak. Within these patterns, each tree has its own unique form and flow.
PRUNING AND SIZE REDUCTION
It is important to prune in a manner that does not harm the health of the tree. When thinning a pine, for example, it is important not to strip the major branches of their smaller branches, a practice called “lion-tailing” which leaves a branch denuded except for foliage at the end. Lion-tailing increases the chance of branch failure by concentrating the weight at the
GARDENING WITH KATE
By Kathleen Guillaume
We are dancing on the edge of spring, and while we have had the drenching of a decade, California’s underground aquifers are still quite low. The primary water source for our neighbor to the south, San Jose, is the underground rivers that lace that city. Don’t get grumpy if the water restrictions don’t end immediately; just smile and enjoy the sunshine. Right now we have crocus that have poked through our very damp soil after a strangely soggy winter, and birds are once again filling our gardens with song and building nests. We are all getting closer to those warmer days which will startle us with displays of blooming roses, iris, and phlox and a magic swath of lilac, dogwood, and rhododendrons. After the heavy winds of a few weeks ago, my neighbor had a heavy fruit drop of ripe navel oranges and as yet has had no energy to clean them off the ground. If you have an excess of oranges, please think of contacting one of the many organizations that will come and harvest your excess fruit for our local food bank rather than let it lay on the ground rotting and encouraging a growth in our rat population. You can request that they harvest from the highest branches, leaving fruit for your familys’ use on the lower branches. For those of you with a Saturday to burn, it is a perfect time to make candied orange peels or a sweet marmalade. I want you to take a second to mark your calendars. The California Master Gardeners’ Our Garden, located off of Ygnacio Valley Road on the corner of N. Wiget and Shadelands in Walnut Creek, will be having their BIG Heirloom Veggie Sale with over 14,000 plants, mostly heirloom tomatoes, on April 1st, from 10am to 3pm. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes as the area is open ground with a heavy layer of mulch. All of the plants are in 4” pots, so I recommend that you bring a box or tray to carry your finds to the cashier. You can go on their website and download information on the varieties they will be offering at ccmg.ucmg.edu. This is also a site that will list all of their gardening classes and information on upcoming events. The Master Gardeners are a great resource for our area.
branch tips. A healthier tree and more subtly beautiful look is achieved by thinning to highlight the spaces or “layers” in a tree’s natural patterns. Removing diseased wood, and removing or reducing crossing branches that interrupt the natural flow, lets in more light and air, encouraging interior growth and overall health. Careful pruning can increase desired screening over time by encouraging interior growth.
AESTHETIC VIEW WORK
In view work, the beauty of the view and the beauty of the tree often seem to be in conflict. Some tree-workers will sacrifice the tree for the view by “topping” the tree. Topping is almost always a bad idea. “Topping” creates a dense re-growth in “water-sprouts” that is unsightly. But more than the tree’s beauty is at stake here. Topping wounds the tree and promotes disease, including heart rot, and can make the tree dangerous. The water-sprouts on a topped tree are not deeply anchored in the trunk and are subject to failure in high winds. Add in the fact that these sprouts may be anchored onto a rotting trunk, and you have a safety problem that gets worse over time. Responsible arborists do not top trees. Removing a tree, perhaps replacing it with a smaller variety that can be kept out of the view, is usually preferable to beheading it. Looking at tree and view as two elements that complement each other can often solve view problems. Sometimes, lightly bringing the tree back without cutting into major branches can prevent further encroachment on the view. To open even more of the view, we create windows by selectively removing branches not essential for the tree’s natural form. We can enlarge these windows by removing branchlets that rise or drop into the view. Thinning above and below the window creates a feeling of openness, rather than a gaping hole. The image formed by Mt. Diablo framed by the trembling leafs of a well-windowed tree proves that nature and civilization can complement each other. 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 I always start my Early Girl tomatoes in March. Early Girl is a variety that will set fruit at a lower temperature, so it usually brings the first yields. I buy the plants in 4” pots and replant them into 1-2 gallon pots, burying all but the top leaves, using any good potting soil. By the time we are past frosts I will have strong plants with a well-developed root system ready for replanting in April. This is a perfect time to plant summer perennials. I make my pre-shopping list by visiting online sites and going through catalogs. The reason this step is necessary is because this is where you find photos of the blossoms and information on the mature size of the plant, growth habit, water use, and whether the deer will devour it or not. I take a walk through my garden and write down what type of space I have to add additions and whether it is full sun, morning sun, or partial shade. Armed with this information, I go to my local nursery and visit the perennial section, looking for 4”pots and to see what they have in stock. The previous homework is necessary unless you have deep plant knowledge, because in spring those 4” pots have a small ruffle of leaves, no blooms -- nothing at all about them to give you the slightest hint of the glory they will achieve. Or you can wait until summer and buy the same plants in 1 and 2 gallon pots at four to five times the price in full bloom, and take them into your garden where they have a higher chance of going into transplant shock because of summer’s warmer days. A perennial planted in spring has its deep root set by summer and will be well established as a healthy plant by the time the buds set. Most of our local nurseries have experienced staff who can help you with your plant selection. These people have good expertise to share. Don’t be shy, because even those of us who are experienced gardeners need experts to talk to. March is also the time for garden clean up, and spraying roses and fruit trees...I recommend horticultural oil as it is non-toxic. I try to keep my garden as pesticide and fungicide free as possible, for the sake of my wonderful bees which I need to pollinate my peaches and tomatoes. After cleaning up dead leaves and branches, the best gift you can give to your garden is a thick layer of bark or mulch to keep the soil from drying out as quickly and to keep weeds down. Happy Gardening.
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MARCH 2017 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • PAGE 17
LIFE IN THE LAFAYETTE GARDEN
THE NIGHT GARDEN By John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape Architect #4059
What if the glory of your Lafayette garden could come to life at night? There is so much to be enjoyed after the sun goes down. When designing a successful garden the night garden must be considered. So many Lafayette families enjoy evening entertaining, sitting on the patio drinking wine or iced tea, playing games, night swimming, or playing hide-n-seek until midnight. The essentials of a great night garden are sound, scent, light, and fire. There’s nothing more soothing than the sound of trickling or babbling water echoing through the landscape. Waterfalls, streams, and fountains are an important attraction to all gardens, whether it is day or night. Water masks the “unwanted” sounds of traffic and noisy neighbors. The night garden becomes so much more romantic with the sound of water soothing the night.
Designing-in the essential night-blooming plants that add fragrance and scent enhance the night garden ten-fold. Fragrance adds another dimension of pleasure to your garden, especially at night. Scent also heightens your outdoor experience by encompassing the most powerful of our senses, the sense of smell. Just as perfume induces the senses, fragrant plants intoxicate and romanticize any setting. White and pastel flowers are the most fragrant, pale pinks are the most potent pastels, these characteristics diminish through the color wheel to the mauves and yellows, and to the less scented purples and blues. Vibrant colors such as oranges and crimsons will provide dramatic color in the garden, but they add little or no fragrance to the night garden. Fragrance becomes intensified in enclosed areas, so plant your most fragrant selections in a courtyard or trellised patio, or surround your garden with hedges and windbreaks to encourage the fragrance of plants to linger. Some of my favorites include jasmines (jasminum polyanthum, jasminum officinale, and jasminum sambac), gardenias (Gardenia jasminoides), Mexican orange (Choisya ternata), Daphne (Daphne x burkwoodii), Sweet Olive (Osmanthus fragrans), and citrus (oranges, lemons, tangerines, and blood oranges) to enhance the sense of fragrance of the night garden. Lighting your garden at night touches our visual sensibilities. Creating a “lighting portrait” is another essential to the night garden. From mood and ambiance to functionality, lighting brings life to the night garden. A “lighting portrait” is not just plunking Malibu lights into your landscape but is a creative approach that paints a landscape for nighttime enjoyment. Downlighting, moonlighting, uplighting, silhouetting, shadowing, and washing create moods and ambiance. Lighting to feature sculpture, accents, and structures create visual focal points in the dark which in-turn brings drama to the night garden. Lighting water features produces very dramatic effects. Watching the illuminated diamonds bounce off the glowing surface becomes a mesmerizing effect at night. Underwater lighting for pools, waterfalls, fountains, and ponds makes the water glow, giving emphasis to water’s natural attraction. Another major mood maker and important feature in the night garden is fire. There is nothing like fire on either a summer evening or a cozy winter’s night to bring drama, function, and romance. I find the fire element to be very important to my clients. Fire can be implemented from the very simple to the more complicated. The simple and least expensive approach is a portable firepit from Target to a Mexican pottery “chiminea.” The simple accouterments can add hours of evening pleasure as well as a built in firepit or full blown outdoor fireplace. Fire elements have become very popular in the last several years because they add
yet another element to make your outdoor environment more inviting and useful, especially the night garden. A hot tip from your local Landscape Architect: Lighting and fire features are always considered in a new landscape design but can be considered as an addition to an existing landscape. Gardening Quote of the Month: I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day. ~Vincent Van Gogh 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 or www.houzz. com/pro/jmla/john-montgomery-landscape-architects. Advertorial
RUTH BANCROFT GARDEN SPRING FLING
The Ruth Bancroft Garden’s Spring Fling is the place to find plants, pottery, garden art, and more! The event will feature the Bay Area’s best selection of new release and hard to find succulents and water-wise plants. Receive expert advice on great plants for your location, and tips and tricks to planting a stunning garden that looks great all year long with less irrigation than a lawn. Unique garden related gifts will be available including books, Plantillos (garden inspired art pillows by Sabine Herrmann), pottery, and a selection of garden art by local artists. Spring Fling will take place Friday, March 31 through Sunday, April 2 from 10AM - 3PM each day. A 10% discount on plants and nursery items will be available, and members receive 20% off. Membership is available at the door. The Ruth Bancroft Garden is located at 1552 Bancroft Road in Walnut Creek. The Garden and is open 10 AM - 4 PM with docent-led tours at 11 AM and 1 PM each day. Admission to the Garden is free. For more information, please visit The Ruth Bancroft Garden or call (925) 9449352.
PAGE 18 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • MARCH 2017
BOOK CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
Stanley’s school librarian and program coordinator. “We have had very interesting and entertaining guest speakers who are heartfelt and motivating.” Last year, Stevens took the program in an even newer direction by creating a post-lunch, 25-minute reading period that mixes students from all grades in “book club” groups. With teachers acting as book club facilitators, groups of 20 students of varying grades gather together to read aloud and discuss the book, aided by activities, videos, and teacher created podcasts to enhance the reading experience. “There is no homework or grading with this reading project,” says Stevens. “It’s merely about the power of the story and how it focuses on our annual school theme, which is always designed to build community and promote literacy.” The title of the book is always kept a secret until its January reveal. “This makes it a fun and highly anticipated school event,” says Stevens. Last year's book was I am Malala by Malala Yousagzai, in support of Stanley's school theme: ‘To Make a Difference, Be the Difference.’ This year’s selection is The Boy on the Wooden Box, How the Impossible Became Possible on Schindler’s List, by Leon Leyson. The title supports this year’s school theme: ‘What You Do Matters.’ “Leon Leyson was 10 years old when the Germans invaded Poland,” says Stevens. “As the youngest survivor on Schindler's list, his heartfelt memoir of hope and survival is truly unforgettable.” This year’s reading program culminated on January 27, when the student body presented food from their annual canned food drive to the Contra Costa Food Bank. Leon Leyson’s widow Lis attended the presentation. “The Food Bank donation was made in honor of Leyson, his life, and the incredible example set by Oscar Schindler in helping people,” says Stevens. “This story of an unlikely hero is one of bravery and hope.” “I am thrilled that this program has evolved to be a part of our school culture and tradition,” says Stevens, who gives a shout-out to the administration support of Principal David Schrag, Asst. Principal Betsy Balmat, Asst. Principal Brian Mangold, and Leadership teacher Victoria Shegoian. “And of course we thank our parent community, which is so supportive,” says Stevens. “More than 1,000 families volunteer to purchase the book each year to support this program, and PTA support allows for all 1,250 students and staff to have a copy.”
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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.
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A PHYSICIAN FIRST
By Dr. Barbara Persons, MD, FACS
Recently, I had a discussion with someone who was considering career choices. They confided in me and asked if they should pursue being an investment banker or a plastic surgeon. To many, these aspirations might seem similar: two careers, each offering the hope of success and prosperity. Shouldn’t we all pursue such dreams? I offered the best advice I could. “I know very little about investment banking,” I said, “but from my perspective as a plastic surgeon, I believe there is another choice you must make first.” I explained that long before mastering the field of surgery, a person must first choose to become a physician. I explained that this path means caring for people and finding joy in it. In the field of medicine--increasingly so as the taxonomy of healthcare broadens--we are given many options. We may choose to be a dermatologist or an obstetrician. Some choose radiology, and others, like me, are drawn to surgery. In the end, however, being a physician comes first. No matter what specialty we choose, we become, and should always remain, doctors. Any medical student will tell you that the moment they entered training, family and friends began asking for counsel. I am sure that most of my colleagues will remember those first years of medical school: everyone asked us for advice, and we probably gave it, thinking we already knew so much. That kind of enthusiasm shouldn’t change over the years, but unfortunately it sometimes does. So when I was asked for career advice, I found myself answering a bigger question. Is it possible to dedicate oneself to something truly loved? And does that choice include a commitment to service and compassion? The answer is yes. For me, going into medicine was a calling. I became a physician for two reasons. The first was simple: a sense of duty. The second is one I hold dear: the wonder of forming relationships with people in their time of need. Some might describe it as a sacrifice; holidays, weekends, and nights are dedicated to helping patients. But it has never felt like a sacrifice to me. Being a physician is honorable, and it offers me purpose. It gives me great pleasure, and I go home feeling good about what I do. Sometimes my job is challenging, but the most difficult moments pale in comparison to what patients feel when they are in pain or chronically ill. In my experience, many doctors forget the idea of what it feels like to be a patient. Separating ourselves can be a way to keep an even keel, but this risks alienating the very people we are trying to help. It is tempting to believe that work is better left at the office. “Don’t take your patients home with you,” I have been told. And although it is important to maintain a good balance between my personal and professional life, I do, ultimately, take my patients home with me. I think about patients in my car as I drive home, and I look forward to seeing them when I wake up in the morning. Medicine is part of who I am, and I don’t think of it as a job or occupation. Rather, it is something I have chosen because I believe in it. This perspective has actually helped me be a more energetic surgeon and a more complete person. It is thus that I think those of us with a stronger sense of calling are more resilient to the challenges of our profession. We enjoy what we do. It informs us, shapes us, and makes us better people. Becoming a board certified plastic surgeon took more than a decade of training. But along the way, I was a doctor to my patients. I find comfort in the fact that simply caring for people is something I still do on a daily basis. Over the years, I have watched our healthcare system transform and policies evolve. Many of us feel swept up in the changes; we are not sure what to predict and how it will affect us. I hope that whatever system emerges will allow doctors to follow their calling, as I have done. I hope that if we have been called to serve, we will be able to do it. How will that happen? Who among us should choose this path? These are difficult questions. In the end, however, I have begun to recognize that even the most complex questions have a simple answer. For me, the answer is taking care of my patients and finding joy in it. I am so grateful to have found my calling, for it is one that inspires and rewards me in equal measures. I am a surgeon, but I am also a physician; both are roles I am honored to fulfill. I look forward to meeting you at my practice soon. Dr. Barbara Persons is a 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@ Advertorial personsplasticsurgery.com.
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FAILURE TO LAUNCH SYNDROME
By William Shryer, LCSW, DCSW Clinical Director, Diablo Behavioral Healthcare
“Failure to launch” is the term used to describe a phenomenon that is far more common than most folks think. The term is used to describe young adults, usually males, that seem unable to take the next step in their lives and move into increasing independence and employment. The young adults often have a history of starting school or jobs and not following through and dropping out -- in more ways than one. They often have histories of substance abuse and addictive behaviors. By addictive behaviors, we don’t just mean the use of substances such as drugs and alcohol; we include in this area the over use of computer technology, video games, and Role Playing Games (RPG) such as World of Warcraft, Black Ops, and Diablo 3 to name but a few. When the term computer or internet addiction is used, it usually refers to this type of behavior. Often the teen or young adult will require more and more time gaming in a subconscious attempt to balance their mood and anxiety. Another area that parents are reluctant to talk about is when parents find that their child has been looking at internet pornography to excess. This is understandably disturbing for parents. We often find the child sneaking online to view more and more hardcore sites, often staying up until the wee hours to use the computer uninterrupted. This is far from the old sneak-a-peek at the Playboy Magazine at the barbershop. This is an inability to not look and fantasize, as this is a type of stimulation that affects an area of the brain that needs more and more stimulation to feel balanced. Teens and young adults that are involved in this type of behavior need assistance, not moralizing, as it has very little to do with conscious choice after a while. The pornography becomes a driven, even obsessive need that negatively impacts a large part of their life. If their computer time is restricted, the teen or young adult may expe-
MENOPAUSE MATTERS
By Timothy Leach, MD, FACOG, CNMP
In last month’s Menopause Matters column, there was a typo on my part that should have said 30 thousand (not million) women worldwide have undergone MonaLisa Touch.
WHAT IS MONALISA TOUCH?
MonaLisa Touch was the first FDA approved CO2 laser (2015) specifically designed for use in the vagina. The laser energy stimulates a painless rejuvenation and restoration of genitourinary tissues to their premenopausal state. The procedure takes 2-3 minutes over three treatments six weeks apart and one yearly “touch up” treatment.
WHO IS A CANDIDATE FOR MONALISA TOUCH?
More than 50% of postmenopausal women experience vulvovaginal dryness, painful intimacy, and UTI like symptoms which constitute the “Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause” (GSM). These symptoms are chronic and progressive and do not simply get better with time. In a national survey (The EMPOWER Survey) of approximately 2,000 menopausal women, 90% reported some degree of painful intimacy, and 70% reported bothersome dryness, and 50% of women reported never trying anything to relieve their symptoms. Approximately 7% of symptomatic women actively take hormones for GSM, which means that any untreated symptomatic woman is a candidate for MonaLisa Touch.
WHAT ELSE DOES THE MONALISA TOUCH HELP WITH?
MonaLisa Touch can decrease both the number of times a woman gets up at night to urinate (nocturia) and the sudden urge to urinate (overactive bladder).
WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL VALUE OF MONALISA TOUCH COMPARED TO STANDARD TREATMENT?
Standard treatment with estrogen does not help everyone all the time. In scientific papers looking at patient compliance with estrogen prescriptions, long term use was 17%. Patients taking systemic estrogen replacement therapy can still have bothersome symptoms about 20% of the time.
MARCH 2017 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • PAGE 19
rience a deep melancholy and become angry, irritable, and even aggressive towards caregivers or parents. They often avoid social encounters, homework, and other daily responsibilities that remind them of what they should be doing which raises their anxiety and plunges them back to the computer and the safety of the game and the fantasy world that is easier to contend with than the real world and its subsequent demands. Some of the characteristics that seem to contribute to this stuck life position are depression - which is usually reactive to their inability to move on, ADHD and the need for constant stimulation, and learning disabilities that not only effect schooling but reading and its impact on educational progress. Young adults with Asperger’s can be prone to this phenomenon as they can perseverate, meaning, get stuck on themes and ideas and not transition to what they need to be doing. All of these things contribute to low self-esteem, academic under achievement, and being unprepared for adulthood, leaving them dependent on their families. Most, if not all of these teens and young adults, have a great potential, even superior IQ’s for developing the awareness needed to move confidently towards a life free of dis-empowering perspectives and negative behaviors and their self-imposed limitations. This is where it “takes a village” to get them back on the right track. Usually, the more typical “how does that make you feel” therapy is a dead end. The village is the family, a guide, or therapist/mentor to begin the transition to adulthood and a good and proper launch! If anyone you know falls into this category there are resources that address this issue and do it well. We are happy to schedule a phone consultation time to point you in the correct direction. For more information on any behavioral or developmental concern, call our office at (925) 648-4800, and we will take the time to answer your questions. To learn more about behavioral disorders, visit our website at www.behaviorquest.com. Our location is 4185 Blackhawk Plaza Circle Suite 210, Danville. Advertorial
WHY IS MONALISA TOUCH NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE?
While MonaLisa Touch fractional CO2 laser is approved for use, it is not the first line treatment. Estrogen has been approved for use for over 40 years and is considered the standard of care. There are no procedure codes for MonaLisa Touch, and therefore it is not billable to insurance. Studies are currently comparing MonaLisa Touch to estrogen which may help get insurance coverage.
IF THERE ARE DIFFERENT DOCTORS OFFERING MONALISA TOUCH, WHY SHOULD I HAVE IT DONE WITH DR. LEACH?
I was the first physician in the East Bay to offer MonaLisa Touch and have the most experience in the East Bay. I am the only certified North American Menopause Society practitioner in the East Bay (menopause.org) and have a nuanced appreciation of how the MonaLisa Touch is one part of improving overall genitourinary health. A $100 donation (for every new patient) is given to the Cancer Support Community (cancersupport.net) in Walnut Creek whose partnership helps breast cancer survivors get the initial treatments for FREE. Donations in 2016 were $6,000. Patient testimonials can be seen on my website at leachobgyn.com. Visit my website at www.leachobgyn.com for links to resources and our Facebook page, Timothy Leach MD, for more information. My office is located at 110 Tampico, Suite 210 in Walnut Creek. Please call us at 925935-6952. Advertorial
Join Me for an Open House on MonaLisa Touch Saturday March 25, 10-11am Please register at (925) 935-6952 or simply drop in
Do you have a story idea? Contact us at 925.405.6397 or Editor@YourMonthlyPaper.com.
PAGE 20 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • MARCH 2017
UNDERSTANDING SURGICAL WEIGHT LOSS
By Diane Kwan, MD
Karen is a 45-year-old mother of two who tells me she has been “chubby” since her first pregnancy. She says that she has been struggling to lose her baby weight for the last 15 years. There is no program she has not tried including Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, physician supervised metabolic programs, and even prescription medications. While she was able to lose weight, up to an impressive 80 lbs with the metabolic programs, the weight always seems to creep back up. Karen said, “Doctor, I’m tired of being overweight. I am worried because now I am on medicine for diabetes and high blood pressure. Can surgery help me?” Bariatric or weight loss surgery may be the solution for those who have been unable to lose their excess pounds through diet and exercise alone. While traditionally we have considered obesity a behavioral issue, we now know that it is much more complex than that. Genetic and environmental factors play a significant role as well. In fact, less than 10% of obese patients
YPC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11
globally through his and Google’s entrepreneurial leadership. Currently, Jim is working on technology that transforms people paralyzed by disease with the ability to function in society while advancing human performance for all people with new computing platforms. Other inspiring speakers and panelists include Jeremy Bates of Revolution, Mitty Chang of Candeavor, East Bay EDA, Kaiser, UCSF, PG&E, RES, Tesla, FulllifeBalance, Robert Half, and other executives, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists. Young professionals and business leaders will discuss issues and ideas about career and personal development, affordability, building communities, and being a person of influence with purpose and passion. YPC East Bay is hosted by seven Rotary Clubs of the East Bay/Tri-Valley and Corporate and Community Sponsors to bring together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. For further information, visit www.ypceastbay.com.
WINE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
who blend upwards of 35 reds. Members of their ‘Captain Club’ take part in harvest, bottling, labeling, and first wine releases. “We take pride in every step of our production process: energy conservation, dry farming, zero waste, and reduced carbon footprint,” says Susan. “Our goal is to grow with our grapes and show that everyone's favorite beverage need not cause environmental damage or worsen a drought.” “The newly formed Lamorinda AVA shows that our region is exceptional in its ability to produce unique grapes,” says Sal Captain. One taste of these superlative Lamorinda grown wines, and wine lovers will agree. Find tour and purchase information for each of the wineries listed and others at www.lamorindawinegrowers.com.
Captain 2016 harvest with Johann Kerbrat and Matt LeBel.
www.yourmonthlypaper.com are able to maintain weight loss through diet and exercise alone. While surgery is not a cure, it is a very effective tool to assist with weight loss. Close to 300,000 patients undergo bariatric surgery every year in the United States. Weight loss surgery involves altering the stomach or gastrointestinal tract to restrict the amount of food the stomach can hold and to reduce the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food. All procedures are performed laparoscopically, meaning the surgeon uses thin instruments that only need a tiny incision to see and work inside the body which results in fewer wound infections and a shorter recovery time. There are several bariatric procedures to consider. Gastric bypass surgery creates a small pouch in the stomach that restricts how much food can be eaten, and reattaches the small intestine so food passes without being broken down and absorbed. Sleeve gastrectomy turns the stomach into a slender tube that limits the amount of food one can eat. Gastric banding places an adjustable, inflatable band around the stomach to limit food consumption. Another option is the gastric balloon which offers a nonsurgical alternative. An inflatable balloon is placed into the stomach and filled with saline. The weight and size of the balloon gives the sensation of feeling full and restricts the amount that can be eaten. Many patients like this alternative because it does not involve surgery. Whichever procedure a patient decides on, results can be profound with lasting weight loss. Most patients lose weight quickly, maintain healthy body weight, and feel comfortable with their new lifestyles. Many patients are able to stop taking medication for obesity-related conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. If you are thinking about bariatric surgery, join Dr. Kwan and other bariatric specialists at an informational seminar about surgical solutions for weight loss. The event will take place on March 22, 6:30-8:30PM, at the Walnut Creek Library. To register, please call (925) 677-5041 x272. Dr. Diane Kwan is a general and bariatric surgeon with 680Bariatrics, a division of West Coast Surgical Associates in Walnut Creek, Concord, and San Ramon. For more information, visit www.680bariatrics.com or call (925) 933-0984. Advertorial
BRAINWAVES BY BETSY STREETER
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YOUR PERSONAL NUTRITIONIST
TEEN WEIGHT LOSS THE HEALTHY WAY By Linda Michaelis RD, MS
Many local teens that want to lose weight and look their best have been referred to me. I feel qualified to counsel them because of my own personal weight problem as a teen as well as 25 years of teen counseling. Majoring in nutrition was a huge help to my success with weight loss, and nutrition education is what teens need to lose weight and keep it off. Let me tell you about my teen Diane. Diane attends high school and plays soccer. She is certainly active, but because of her busy schedule she ends up eating most of her food at the end of the day. For breakfast she ate Honey Nut Cheerios, and the rest of the day she would consume smoothies, Think Thin and Cliff Bars, as well as yogurt. Diane was eating a low fiber, low protein, and high sugar diet. At night with her family she would eat double servings of meat and starches and often skip the veggies. She would snack at night on bowls of cereal which she thought was a healthy choice. I calculated that at night she was consuming at least 1,500 calories. In my initial session with Diane, I evaluated her food diary and showed her where her meals were lacking in protein and fiber. I taught her how to read food labels for serving size, calories, fat, protein, fiber, and sugar. I always explain to my clients the food label is backwards. We also do not use the metric system and do not go by grams. I note protein is listed as the last item when it should be first along with dietary fiber. I continued to teach Diane that one ounce of protein is equal to 7 grams. Now she could see that her Honey Nut Cheerios has a skimpy 2 grams of protein. We compared her Cherrios to Kashi Go Lean cereal that has 13 grams of protein or about 2 ounces of protein. When you add a cup of milk, you get an additional ounce of protein and a breakfast with 3 ounces of protein. I was adamant with Diane that she must consume at least 8 ounces of protein and 15 grams of fiber before dinner. I asked Diane to bring in a list of favorite foods, and with that list I set up a meal plan for her. For breakfast Diane agreed to have oatmeal or Kashi Go Lean with some fruit. For mid-morning snack, Diane liked the idea of an apple with peanut butter, beef jerky, or a pack of almonds. Diane was open to trying Trader Joe’s fresh grilled chicken strips with a cup of mixed beans and salsa or a leftover chicken breast with veggies and brown rice. Now she is making it a routine to take the second serving that she used to have for dinner and save it for lunch the next day and add veggies that she likes. When Diane came homes from school before soccer practice, she likes the idea of having a hearty lentil soup or even oatmeal. She has traded in all of her smoothies for fresh fruit and is drinking more water than ever. She has eliminated bars and now enjoys low sugar Greek yogurts. Diane reported after our meeting that she went off to practice at 5PM feeling better than ever with high energy. She no longer came home famished, and she can control her portions and does not feel the need to snack endlessly at night. She is happy with a fudgesicle or creamsicle for dessert. Diane and I worked together for several sessions and discussed social and restaurant eating with friends and family. I taught Diane not to go to a party hungry and fill up on unhealthy junk food that is usually available at teen gatherings. When it is a buffet, I taught her to first scan the choices and set up a plan instantly in her mind and keep to it. She makes room for dessert and eats less starches and fat. Diane has lost 10 pounds in one month, and we are still working together via phone and e-mail. Her goal is to lose 10 more pounds before the summer. Most insurance companies cover nutritional counseling. Please visit www. LindaRD.com for more information about your nutritional concerns, call (925) Advertorial 855-0150, or e-mail me at lifeweight1@yahoo.com.
CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY
MARCH 2017 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • PAGE 21
ADD A LITTLE SPICE TO YOUR LIFE
By Jewel Johl, MD
Curcumin is an active ingredient of turmeric, a spice widely used in curries. In many Southeast Asian countries it has been consumed in the diet on a daily basis for centuries. This daily consumption not only speaks for its safety but has been said to be responsible for the low incidence of colorectal cancer in these countries. Ancient Chinese and Indian Ayurvedic medicine literatures have described the usefulness of turmeric in the treatment of a variety of ailments such as joint pain, wound dressing, liver and biliary disorders, anorexia, and sore throat. There is a growing interest in curcumin’s ability to fight cancer. Even though it has many biological activities, it is not fully understood exactly how curcumin exerts these effects. From laboratory experiments, it has been deduced that substances in turmeric (called curcuminoids) prevent inflammation by inhibiting the molecules that are involved in inflammatory reactions. Curcuminoids may protect the body in a few ways: they enhance the activity of an important detoxifying enzyme, and they also act as antioxidants by neutralizing free radicals (which can cause DNA damage). Research studies show that turmeric prevents the development of kidney damage from toxins. Turmeric also stimulates the flow of bile in the gastrointestinal tract. In lab experiments, rats treated with turmeric were protected from colon, stomach, and skin cancers. Turmeric prevents replication of tumor cells when applied directly to them in the laboratory, but it is unknown if this effect occurs in the human body. Curcumin, a curcuminoid, has shown biological activity in pancreatic cancer patients, and there are ongoing studies to test its effect as an addition to current cancer treatment. However, recent experiments have suggested that turmeric might interfere with the activity of some chemotherapy drugs in breast cancer, so the question remains whether this spice is helpful or harmful during chemotherapy. Curcumin is known to interfere with cytochrome P450 enzymes which are important for metabolism of various medications, and it may interact with chemotherapy drugs like cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin that are commonly used to treat various cancers. Overall, the development of turmeric for clinical use needs further investigation due to its inherent poor absorption, rapid metabolism, complex mechanistic profile, and largely preclinical data. Preliminary data suggest effectiveness of a topical turmeric-based cream for reduction of radiotherapy-induced skin reaction in patients with head and neck cancer. A number of clinical trials are currently under way to further explore both the chemopreventive and/or therapeutic role of curcumin in various cancers, especially colorectal cancer. Curcumin can potentially increase the risk of bleeding, especially in patients taking blood thinners, so caution and consultation with your doctor is advised before you consider taking it. Even though there are ongoing clinical trials to explore the effectiveness of curcumin in the prevention and treatment of cancer, it may not hurt to add a little spice to your life. Dr. Johl is a Board Certified Medical Oncologist and Hematologist with Diablo Valley Oncology & Hematology Medical Group. He has expertise in treating all forms of cancer and blood disorders and has a particular interest in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers, colorectal cancers, and benign and malignant hematologic diseases. Dr. Johl sees patients in Pleasant Hill Advertorial and Brentwood. For more information, call (925)677-5041.
The following classes are held at the Cancer Support Community which is located at 3276 McNutt Avenue in Walnut Creek. Classes are free of charge. For more information and reservations, please call (925) 933-0107. Many Faces of Head & Neck Cancer ~ Monday, April 24, 6:30-8:30PM ~ A panel of medical experts will discuss current information regarding risk factors (including HPV), advances in treatment options, nutrition survivorship, and the unique issues of head and neck cancer patients. Held at the Walnut Creek Library. For cancer patients and caregivers. Ask the Oncology Pharmacist ~ Tuesday, April 25, 4-6PM ~ With Y. Tiffany Meng, Kaiser Walnut Creek. Learn about managing side effects of cancer treatment, minimizing drug interactions, and the role medications play in cancer treatment. For cancer patients and caregivers.
PAGE 22 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • MARCH 2017
EVENTS FOR LAFAYETTE SENIORS
All classes are held at the Lafayette Senior Center (LSC), located at 500 Saint Mary’s Rd in Lafayette, unless otherwise noted. Space is limited. Please call (925) 284-5050 to reserve a spot. Unless otherwise mentioned, events are free for members and $10 for non-members. Friday Connections at the Lafayette Library Every Friday • 1PM – 3PM • Lafayette Library & Learning Center - Join the gathering at the Lafayette Library for a variety of activities: speakers, games, film screenings, presentations and more. Catch up with old friends or meet new ones over refreshments! Check with library staff or the online calendar (tinyurl.com/ lafcalendar) for each week’s activities and meeting room. For more info, contact Chris Gray at (925) 385-2288 or cgray@ccclib.org. Let’s Do Lunch! 1st Tuesday monthly • 11:30AM - Discover and explore the various dining experiences in the Lamorinda area. Relax, dine, meet new people, socialize, and enjoy lively conversation! Space is limited. Contact Lafayette Senior Services for the schedule of restaurants and to make your reservations: Seniors@LoveLafayette.org or 284-5050. Individuals will pay for their own lunches; the restaurants will provide separate checks. This interest group is offered in conjunction with Lamorinda Village. Lunch n’ Learn: How to Create a Household Inventory for Insurance Purposes Wednesday, 3/15 • 10:30AM – noon • Cedar Room, LSC - Your home is your largest investment. Be prepared with both emergency supplies and a home inventory. Tricia will discuss the importance of a home inventory, insight into insurance coverage, real case studies of loss, and instructions on how to get started. A home inventory document will be yours to take with you. Trisha will also share with you a link to a free online software tool if you prefer to record your inventory on the computer. This presentation is offered in conjunction with Lafayette Emergency Preparedness Commission. Reservations are required for a box lunch; Lunches generously provided by Merrill Gardens Senior Living. Cooking for One or Two: Breakfast & Brunch Wednesday, 3/29 • 2 – 4PM • Byron Park, 1700 Tice Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek - As everyone knows, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. In this demonstration-style class, Chef Jaime will help you find new inspiration with recipes that will transform your breakfast and brunch routine. Class will include delicious taste-testing of everything prepared and recipes for you to take home. Space is limited; these classes fill up quickly. RSVP by Wednesday, March 22. Please arrive early to allow time for parking. Android Basics 3rd Thursday monthly • 10:30AM – noon • Elderberry Room, LSC - Designed for owners of non-Apple mobile devices that use Google’s Android operating system, this series will explore the wide range of functions including texting, calendar, email, music, photos, and more. Learn how to download and use free apps from the Google Play store (bring your Google Play account log-in information). There will be time for individuals’ questions at the end of each class. Please note: this series deals with non-Apple devices. Apple Basics 1st Thursday monthly • 10:30AM – noon • Elderberry Room, LSC - This ongoing series covers many topics such as Apple IDs, iTunes, iCloud, and the basics of iPad and iPhone usage. Topics for upcoming sessions are based on participants’ input and needs. There is always time for Q&A at the end of each class. Please note: this series deals with Apple devices only. Lamorinda Dance Social Wednesdays • 1 – 3:30PM • Live Oak Room, LSC - Enjoy afternoon dancing every Wednesday, and learn some great new dance moves. On the first Wednesday monthly, professional dancers Karen and Michael will provide a dance lesson and live DJ services, playing your favorites and taking requests. Words of Wisdom...From the Philosophical to the Lighthearted 3rd Tuesday monthly • 10:30AM – noon • Elderberry Room, LSC - Share your opinions with us in a freewheeling exchange of ideas: from current events to philosophy to the inspirational. There may be agreement or there may be different opinions -- it’s all in the spirit of learning, sharing, enrichment, and good humor. Our “elder perspective” frequently sounds a lot like wisdom! Reservoir Walking Group Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Saturdays • 9:30AM – 11:00AM • Meet at reservoir at 9:20AM at the center bench on the dam Come for camaraderie, fresh air and enjoyable exercise, all in magnificent surroundings. Optional bonus: at the end of the walk, Jim will lead you through easy yoga poses and breathing exercises in the most beautiful outdoor yoga studio: the band stage overlooking the water. Increase your balance and fitness – both physical and mental – and leave each week
www.yourmonthlypaper.com uplifted and radiant with that overall feeling of well-being! Jim is an author, nutritional expert, former Air Force pilot, and consultant to the U.S. Olympic Ski Team and Mt. Everest expeditions. Please call 284-5050 or email seniors@lovelafayette.org to add your name to the email list. Bring quarters or credit card for the parking meter. Annual senior (62+) parking passes may be purchased at the reservoir Visitor Center. Free Free Peer Counseling 2nd Tuesday monthly • 10AM - noon • Alder Room, LSC - Contra Costa Health Services offers free one-on-one counseling with senior (55+) counselors who use their life experiences to help other older adults cope with life changes, problems, crises, and challenges. Confidentiality is strictly observed. Appointment required. Please call Lafayette Senior Services to sign up for one of the 60-minute appointments. Lamorinda Nature Walk and Bird-Watching Wednesdays • 9AM - noon • Alder Room, LSC - Experience nature at its finest along our local trails. Delight in the beauty that unfolds around each bend, all the while learning to identify a variety of birds. Bring a water bottle; binoculars will be helpful if you have them. Join us every Wednesday or whenever you are able. For more information or to place your name on the route email/phone list, call Lafayette Seniors Services. Drop-In Mah Jongg! (Intermediate Level) Tuesdays • 12:30-3:30PM • Cedar Room, LSC - Bring your card and mah jongg set, and join us every Tuesday afternoon for intermediate level play. Positive Living Forum (“Happiness Club”) 2nd Thursday monthly • 10:30AM – noon • Elderberry Room, LSC - Brighten your day and take part in this interactive gathering which features discussions on a wide range of topics that guide participants toward a more ideal and positive life experience. Drop-ins welcome! Anne Randolph Physical Therapy Presentations: Art of Balance Wednesday, 3/22 • 11:30AM – 12:30PM • Cedar Room, LSC - If you are worried about falling or are at risk of falling, you should know about simple ways to improve balance. Learn how to gain increased balance and avoid the risk of falling. Hearing Screening 1st Wednesday monthly • 1PM – 2:20PM • Alder Room, LSC - Minimum of two sign-ups required in order for hearing screenings to take place. To reserve one of the 20-minute appointments, contact Lafayette Senior Services.
ASSISTANCE LEAGUE’S R.E.A.D. PROGRAM GIVES THANKS
When two community minded organizations work together to help children learn, the entire community benefits. One of Assistance League of Diablo Valley’s (ALDV) hands-on philanthropic programs is R.E.A.D., an acronym for read, enjoy, achieve, and discover. Since 2003, the R.E.A.D. co-chairmen and committee members have taken great Standing left to right: ALDV Corporate care in selecting books that they currently Partners Committee Chairman Linda Mercer read in13 schools and 48 classrooms each and R.E.A.D. Co-Chairmen Meredith year. One of the most important themes Kingsly-Brochier and Gen Camera welcome Fehr & Peers Corporate Partners employee they have focused on in the past six years volunteers Ryan McClain and Chelsea concerns events that are relevant to the San Caldetera’s help in placing an I LOVE TO READ! sticker in hundreds of donated books. Francisco Bay Area. Rosie Revere, Engineer, written by Andrea Beaty, captures the pride American women felt when taking over the jobs vacated by men who fought for the United States of America during World War II. Pop’s Bridge, written by Eve Bunting, relates the construction of the “impossible bridge,” the Golden Gate Bridge. Too Tall Foyle Finds his Game, written by Golden State Warrior Adonal Foyle and Shiyana Valentine Williams, describes how an athlete finds a venue for his height, while The Night Before Baseball at the Park by the Bay, written by David Schnell, depicts a young boy’s dream of playing for the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park. Before distributing the books to the recipient schools, Assistance League of Diablo Valley member volunteers placed a sticker stating I LOVE TO READ! in each book. On hand to help with the enormous task were Corporate Partner employee volunteers from Fehr & Peers, a Walnut Creek based corporation that specializes in transportation planning and engineering. When two community minded organizations work together to help children learn, the entire community benefits. To learn about all of the philanthropic programs that are primarily funded by the Assistance League Way Side Inn Thrift Shop in Lafayette, please visit diablovalley.assistanceleague.org.
editor @ yourmonthlypaper.com
MARCH 2017 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • PAGE 23
A FEW WORDS FROM THE LAMORINDA SPIRIT DRIVERS
By Mary Bruns, Lamorinda Senior Transportation
About a month ago, I asked our drivers if they would write a paragraph or two about their experience as volunteer drivers with the Lamorinda Spirit Van Senior Transportation Program. It was heart-warming to read their responses: Hadi: “Every month I look forward to receiving Lafayette Today in the mail. I enjoy reading the local news and finding out about events in Lafayette. About two years ago, I had just retired and was reading the paper with even more interest when I came across an article about seniors in our community needing rides to their appointments, shopping, and errands. I called the number, and before I knew it I was trained and certified as a Lamorinda Spirit Volunteer Driver. Now, every Thursday morning, I take a group of older adults grocery shopping. I have come to realize how much I look forward to seeing my six ladies each week, and I can’t help but notice how happy the ladies are when I’m driving them. It’s great to be a part of their lives. I feel I’m providing a very important and necessary service to our community, and who knows: maybe someday I will need this wonderful service myself.” Jeanne: “I am one of the newest Spirit Van Drivers, though I have chosen to volunteer with seniors many times in my life. I have been thrilled to meet the people who regularly ride the van; they are mostly in their 80’s and 90’s, many late 90’s, who are very kind and appre- From left to right: Mike McNeill, Mauna Wagner, ciative. For my first shift, my Warren Garrison kids (aged 9, 6 and 3) made holiday cards for me to hand out. A couple of shifts later, there was a handwritten note in my folder from one of the ladies to my son. She thanked him for the drawing and said she had it hanging on her refrigerator. What a satisfying community interaction all around!” Mike: “One of our passengers was scheduled for a four o’clock pick-up at BART. I arrived about 15 minutes early, and she was already there. I asked how long she had been waiting, and she replied she had been there since 3:15PM. She then explained that she didn’t ever want to keep a Spirit Driver waiting for her. That is one dedicated rider!”
Lamorinda Senior Transportation An Alliance of Transportation Providers
Volunteer Drivers – Needed, Valued, and Appreciated We will accommodate your schedule. Call one of the programs below to volunteer.
Lamorinda Spirit Van
925-283-3534
Takes Lamorinda older adults, age 60 and up, to errands, appointments, shopping, classes, and to lunch at the C.C. Café. Wheelchair and walker accessible. WE LOVE TO SAY YES, so call early to make your reservation. ‘LIKE” us at www.facebook.com/lamorindaspiritvan.
Contra Costa Yellow Cab and DeSoto Company 925-284-1234 20% discount for Lamorinda seniors.
Orinda Seniors Around Town
925-402-4506
Mobility Matters Rides for Seniors
925-284-6161
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.
County Connection LINK Reservation Line 925-938-7433 For people with disabilities. (Older adults often have “age-based” disabilities.)
Mobility Matters Information and Referral Line 925-284-6109 Gogograndparents.com 855-464-6872 A way to use UBER or LYFT without an iPhone. Press “0” to speak to an operator.
Warren: “It is very hard to single out any one event or experience while driving for the Spirit Van. Over the years, the ladies that I drive have become more my friends or even grandmothers to me. Our interchanges are definitely personal as they show compassion and interest in my issues regarding my mother as I share concerns for their personal situations with their health and families. Every week is like getting together with friends for a short trip around Lafayette. Last week I experienced a very touching moment when driving one passenger. I had to help her into the van, and once seated, she explained: ‘I don’t get around as well as I used to. I can’t hear very well, and I can’t read any more, but I’m going to be 100 tomorrow!’ I told her she was doing great! And then, another passenger and I sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to her. Driving the Spirit Van has been a rewarding experience for me. I really believe I receive far more than I am able to give.” We invite you to join our dedicated Volunteer Driver Team or to get to know us as a passenger. Call (925) 283-3534 for more information.
TM
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PART-TIME HOUSEKEEPER NEEDED
Older couple in single family home with central vacuum system need part-time housekeeper. Time is flexible. Social Security required. No smoking. Please phone (925) 284-7060 before 6PM.
COMPUTER HELP ITkid Computer Help Assistance with any tech related issue for a low price. Help with Email•Wifi•Computer•Smartphone•Tablet•Etc. $40/hr. Contact Max Nunan, local ITkid consultant. (925) 482-5488, maxnunan@gmail.com.
ARCHITECT
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PAGE 24 • LAFAYETTE TODAY • MARCH 2017
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