Palo Alto
Vol XL Vol. XL, Number 14 Q January 4, 4 2019
Report on Stanford plan leaves requests re equests unfulfilled Page 5
Donate to the HOLIDAY FUND D page 10
Eating Out 18 Shop Talk 19 M Movie i Times 19 Puzzles 27 Q Seniors La Comida to restart lunch program downtown Q Home Danish ‘hygge’ concept brings coziness to homes Q Sports Paly, Gunn in SCVAL basketball openers Friday
Page 20 Page 23 Page 26
Hybrid ablation and the minimally invasive Cox Maze procedures revolutionize the way we treat Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common irregular heart rhythm, affecting over two million Americans each year. Without detection and treatment, atrial fibrillation can cause stroke and heart failure. Stanford Medicine experts are pioneering new treatments for AFib, through medications and groundbreaking new therapies like the hybrid ablation or the minimally invasive Cox Maze procedure. Join us for this free community talk to learn more about AFib’s signs, symptoms, and all of the latest advances in treatment.
SPEAKERS
Paul J. Wang, MD
Anson M. Lee, MD
Director, Stanford Arrhythmia Service Co-Director, Stanford Center for Arrhythmia Research Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine) and Bioengineering (by courtesy), Stanford University School of Medicine
Assistant Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery (Adult Cardiac Surgery), Stanford University School of Medicine
FREE COMMUNITY TALK
January 12, 2019 9:30am – 11:30am Crowne Plaza Palo Alto Mediterranean Ballroom 4290 El Camino Real Palo Alto, CA 94306 This event is free and open to the public, though seating is limited. If you plan to attend, please register at stanfordhealthcare.org/events or by calling 650.736.6555.
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Page 4 • January 4, 2019 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
Upfront
Local news, information and analysis
Report on Stanford’s growth leaves requests unfulfilled Cities called for more information about Stanford traffic programs, contributions to local schools by Gennady Sheyner
T
he final report from Santa Clara County on the likely impacts of Stanford University’s proposed 2.275-millionsquare-foot expansion is unlikely to satisfy local city leaders, who for months have been calling for the county to require stronger
action from Stanford to compensate for the consequences of its growth. The voluminous report, released on Dec. 21, marks a key milestone for the county’s review process of a project that Joe Simitian, president of the county’s Board of
Supervisors, has described as the largest development application in the history of the county, which has jurisdiction over land not governed by the cities. As part of the review process, Peninsula cities, residents and agencies, including the Palo Alto Unified School District, asked the county to press Stanford not only for more information related to everything from transportation to housing to schools — but also
for more promised action. Stanford’s application for a “general use permit” (GUP) would allow the university to build up to 2.275 million square feet of academic space, 3,150 new housing units or beds (this includes 550 that would be available for faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars and medical residents) and 40,000 square feet for child care centers and transit hubs by 2035. But while the Final
Environmental Impact Report devotes hundreds of pages to analyzing traffic impacts (as well as everything from noise and water quality), the county showed itself to be noncommittal on most proposed solutions. County staff rejected calls to encourage Stanford to build satellite parking lots in Menlo Park to ferry employees to the university’s (continued on page 8)
EDUCATION
Board hopes calmer year will aid progress School district to focus on achievement gap, Stanford growth by Elena Kadvany
W
Courtesy Amy Armes/Kara
During a Dia de los Muertos event, Lu Echeverria, a Spanish-program volunteer for the grief nonprofit Kara, places photos, candles and sweets at the ofrenda altar, which is built to honor family members and friends who have died.
HOLIDAY FUND
Grieving their losses, in native tongues Kara provides culturally attuned grief support to Spanish speakers by Jamey Padojino
S
upporting a grieving person can be a heavy undertaking. Just ask Lupe Lujan. As a volunteer for the Palo Alto-based grief nonprofit Kara, she knows that a client who is dealing with the death of a loved one can express feelings
of anxiety, fear and guilt. “You really have to show that you are listening to what they have to say,” Lujan said. Since joining the organization as a bilingual volunteer for the Spanish program about threeand-a-half years ago, she has
become attuned to “el proceso de duelo,” or the grieving process. It’s an experience she knows all too well, having lost her husband nearly four years ago to liver cancer. Six months after he died, she learned about the Spanish program while working for community radio station KKUP in Cupertino. At the time, she felt ready to support others through their grief but soon learned she wasn’t. Any time someone mentioned her late husband, she broke into tears. Lujan didn’t start taking on clients until about a year and a half ago. Nowadays, she regularly sees two clients — one of whom
she meets with once a week and the other on a monthly basis. Breathing has become one of the invaluable practices that she has passed along to her clients, to help them clear their heads. “We can build a lot of anxiety just thinking about our loved one or ‘I should’ve done this’ or ‘I should’ve did it that way’ or ‘It was my fault,’” she said. After a few deep breaths, they can get back on track and move along with their day. This year, a $7,500 grant from the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund backed the training of the
hen asked about the most significant issues the Palo Alto Unified School District will face in 2019, the Board of Education trustees and Superintendent Don Austin this week pointed to similar concerns, including the longstanding priorities of closing the achievement gap and improving specialeducation services, as well as the looming proposal by Stanford University to expand. They all also focused on making progress with the district’s bread-and-butter operations, from smarter budgeting to more focused goal setting. All expressed a hope that the school district will continue to stabilize this year, uninterrupted by the “drama” of high turnover and public controversy that shaped the last few years in Palo Alto Unified. “It’s like hygiene and safety,” Vice President Todd Collins said. “If you don’t have that, you’re not even in a position to work on the other things. We disciplined ourselves to focus on a smaller set of top priorities as opposed to spreading ourselves thin. We’re in the position to make slow and steady progress. That wasn’t the case before.” Stanford’s proposed generaluse permit, which the district expects will generate enough new students to have a significant
(continued on page 7) (continued on page 8)
www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • January 4, 2019 • Page 5
Upfront
Learn the Guitar this Winter
* “Starting to Play” meets for one hour each Monday day night nig for eight weeks beginning January 14th. For more information about this and Carol’s other classes at Gryphon, visit www.carolmccomb.com and click on “group classes.”
450 Cambridge Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 326-8210
CITY HALL
PUBLISHER William S. Johnson (223-6505) EDITORIAL Editor Jocelyn Dong (223-6514) Associate Editor Linda Taaffe (223-6511) Sports Editor Rick Eymer (223-6516)
James Keene says goodbye after decade in charge Palo Alto city manager concludes his final week at City Hall
Arts & Entertainment Editor Karla Kane (223-6517) Home & Real Estate Editor Elizabeth Lorenz (223-6534)
by Gennady Sheyner
Assistant Sports Editor Glenn Reeves (223-6521)
Stringed Instruments Since 1969
650 493 2131
3HTILY[ (]LU\L 7HSV (S[V www.gryphonstrings.com
Express & Digital Editor Jamey Padojino (223-6524) Staff Writers Sue Dremann (223-6518), Elena Kadvany (223-6519), Gennady Sheyner (223-6513) Staff Photographer/Videographer Veronica Weber (223-6520) Editorial Assistant/Intern Coordinator Christine Lee (223-6526) Contributors Chrissi Angeles, Dale F. Bentson, Mike Berry, Carol Blitzer, Peter Canavese, Yoshi Kato, Chris Kenrick, Jack McKinnon, Alissa Merksamer, Sheryl Nonnenberg, Kaila Prins, Ruth Schechter, Monica Schreiber, Jay Thorwaldson ADVERTISING Vice President Sales & Marketing Tom Zahiralis (223-6570) Multimedia Advertising Sales Elaine Clark (223-6572), Connie Jo Cotton (223-6571), V.K. Moudgalya (223-6586), Jillian Schrager, Caitlin Wolf (223-6508) Real Estate Advertising Sales Neal Fine (223-6583), Rosemary Lewkowitz (223-6585) Legal Advertising Alicia Santillan (223-6578) ADVERTISING SERVICES Advertising Services Manager Kevin Legarda (223-6597) Sales & Production Coordinators Diane Martin (223-6584), Nico Navarrete (223-6582) DESIGN Design & Production Manager Kristin Brown (223-6562) Senior Designers Linda Atilano, Paul Llewellyn Designers Amy Levine, Doug Young BUSINESS Payroll & Benefits Suzanne Ogawa (223-6541) Business Associates Nicholas Ogawa (223-6575), Angela Yuen (223-6542) ADMINISTRATION Courier Ruben Espinoza EMBARCADERO MEDIA President William S. Johnson (223-6505) Vice President Michael I. Naar (223-6540) Vice President & CFO Peter Beller (223-6545) Vice President Sales & Marketing Tom Zahiralis (223-6570) Director, Information Technology & Webmaster Frank A. Bravo (223-6551) Director of Marketing and Audience Development Emily Freeman (223-6560) Major Accounts Sales Manager Connie Jo Cotton (223-6571) Circulation Assistant Alicia Santillan Computer System Associates Ryan Dowd, Chris Planessi The Palo Alto Weekly (ISSN 0199-1159) is published every Friday by Embarcadero Media, 450 Cambridge Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306, (650) 326-8210. Periodicals postage paid at Palo Alto, CA and additional mailing offices. Adjudicated a newspaper of general circulation for Santa Clara County. The Palo Alto Weekly is delivered free to homes in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley, East Palo Alto, to faculty and staff households on the Stanford campus and to portions of Los Altos Hills. If you are not currently receiving the paper, you may request free delivery by calling 326-8210. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Palo Alto Weekly, P.O. Box 1610, Palo Alto, CA 94302. ©2018 by Embarcadero Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. The Palo Alto Weekly is available on the Internet via Palo Alto Online at: www.PaloAltoOnline.com Our email addresses are: editor@paweekly.com, letters@paweekly.com, digitalads@paweekly.com, ads@paweekly.com Missed delivery or start/stop your paper? Call (650) 223-6557, or email circulation@paweekly.com. You may also subscribe online at www.PaloAltoOnline.com. Subscriptions are $60/yr.
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Page 6 • January 4, 2019 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
J
ames Keene’s tenure as Palo Alto’s city manager began in September 2008 on the most inauspicious of notes: a global economic collapse that plunged the city’s budget into the red zone and forced difficult conversations about layoffs and service cuts. The following year, he found himself in a tense standoff with the city’s largest employee union over a new contract, a showdown that culminated in a one-day strike by more than half of the workforce and that prompted the city to unilaterally impose a contract. He also faced public outcry after contractors abruptly chopped down 50 mature trees on California Avenue, a move that was quickly followed by the forced resignation of the city’s public works director. Yet as Keene concluded his decadelong tenure as the city’s seventh city manager on Dec. 28, the vibe at City Hall has become more upbeat compared to 2008. The city is coming off years of revenue growth, fueled by strong hotel- and sales-tax receipts. Its infrastructure plan is finally moving ahead, with several projects (such as the Rinconada fire station and Charleston-Arastradero streetscape improvements) kicking off this year and several others (including the California Avenue garage and a new bike bridge over U.S. Highway 101) set to break ground in 2019. Keene also leaves a lasting legacy when it comes to environmental sustainability, an issue about which he has particularly strong feelings. Under Keene’s leadership, Palo Alto greatly expanded its network of bike boulevards and became a “carbon neutral” city when it comes to electricity, a national leader when it comes to electric vehicles and an adopter of one of the strongest “green building” codes in the state. And despite the City Council’s political split, Keene has been enjoying broad support from Palo Alto’s elected leaders. On Dec. 17, his final meeting, the council gave him a standing ovation and passed a resolution recognizing Keene for his four decades of public service, including his prior stints as a county manager for Coconino County, Arizona, and city manager for Berkeley and Tucson, Arizona. The resolution includes an Aristotle quote, Langston Hughes’ poem “Motto” and references to Keene as a “philosopher leader,” “inspiring poet” and a “bodhisattva.” Yet his image as Palo Alto’s folksy philosopher king also helps explain some of his biggest
limitations as a city manager. Philosophers are generally known more for bold ideas than for fixing bugs once these ideas are implemented. Keene’s critics can point to the city’s error-laden Business R e g i s t r y, its sem ifunctional 311 portal or its inconsistent codeenforcement program. All of these services were subject to criti- James Keene cal audits in the recent month. It will be up to Keene’s successor, Ed Shikada (whom council members have called a “nuts-and-bolts” engineer), to make the necessary repairs. Furthermore, a philosopher can talk eloquently about bringing ultra-high-speed internet to every Palo Alto home or to separate the railroad tracks from local streets at rail crossing, a project that Keene referred to as the largest in the city’s history. But as recent years show, implementing these projects is another matter. The project once known as Fiber to the Premise (the expansion of the city’s fiber ring) has been in limbo for the past two decades, and Palo Alto remains well behind other Peninsula cities in planning for grade separation, despite Keene’s calls for more urgency. Keene’s legacy on land use is also decidedly mixed. Under his leadership, the city successfully prevented the displacement of nearly 400 mostly low-income residents from the Buena Vista Mobile Home Park and completed negotiations with Stanford University Medical Center on a major expansion of its hospital facilities — a giant project that continues to unfold. That said, Palo Alto has continued to fall well short of its goals on housing. The council came nowhere close to meeting its 2018 goal of producing 300 units per year and it hasn’t built an affordable-housing project since 2012, when the Tree House project went up on Charleston Road. During Keene’s tenure, voters held a successful referendum in 2013 to overturn an approved housing development that included 60 units for low-income seniors and 12 single-family homes. The city continues to have three times as many jobs as housing units (the highest rate in Santa Clara County). And even though Keene Weekly file photo
Carol McComb’s “Starting to Play” workshop hop includes ration the FREE use of a Loaner Guitar for the duration of the classes. * Regular cost is just $180 for or eight weeks of group lessons, and all music is included. ncluded. d.
(continued on page 7)
Upfront
Keene (continued from page 6)
can take some credit for the city’s adoption in November 2017 of an updated Comprehensive Plan, the achievement followed a costly, contentious decadelong process that was byzantine and bitter even by Palo Alto standards. Keene also took some heat from the public for the city’s involvement in two projects that had not yet materialized: the 2010 proposal by billionaire John Arrillaga to build office towers and a theater at 27 University Ave., and AJ Capital’s pending plan to convert the historic President Hotel from an apartment building to a hotel (its original use). In both cases, the negotiations between the city and the developer occurred largely behind closed doors, prompting anger and skepticism from land-use watchdogs, government watchers and even
Kara (continued from page 5)
18 people who serve as Kara’s Spanish grief-support volunteers. From graduate students to mental health professionals to retirees, the volunteers come in with diverse backgrounds, according to Executive Director Jim Santucci. One was previously a client herself. All Kara volunteers undergo an initial 21-hour training, spread out over multiple days, followed by ongoing monthly trainings. They typically meet with their clients either one-on-one or in a group, in locations spanning from South San Francisco to San Jose. This summer, the Spanish program launched an ongoing grief-support program at the East Palo Alto Senior Center, which meets on Monday afternoons. The free program was created four years ago to serve the Spanishspeaking community, which makes up about 25 percent of the population in both Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, Santucci said. The program was designed to be not just linguistically appropriate but culturally attuned as well. “It’s beyond a language. It’s really providing the service in a person’s heart language,” he said. The nonprofit chose Spanish because of that community’s great need. The Spanish language lacks a word for grief — a fact that only touches the surface of the differences of how the culture copes with death and loss, he said. The program’s clientele come as a result of community outreach, referrals from other organizations or individuals and self-referrals. Some clients are single parents or working people with two to three jobs who don’t have the time or resources to talk about grief. The current volunteers understand the power of grief support, Santucci said. The act of providing a service in their own language has become meaningful to the
some council members. He can, however, point to plenty of significant achievements when it comes to fiscal management. Even though employee costs continue to rise, Palo Alto finds itself in a far more enviable position than where it was 10 years ago. Part of this has to do with the strong local economy. Local property values are sky-high, while unemployment level (2.5 percent) is well below the state and national levels. Palo Alto’s latest long-term projections show revenues continuing to rise by more than 3 percent in each of the next 10 years, including a 5.9 percent increase in 2020. Yet Keene can also cite numerous proactive measures that the city took under his leadership: new pension rules with less generous benefits for new workers, the outsourcing of certain city functions — including park maintenance and janitorial services — to save money and new public-private partnerships, including the city’s
recently approved deal with the nonprofit Pets In Need to manage animal services (a function that was in danger of being outsourced to another city a decade ago). During his speech at the Dec. 17 meeting, Keene quoted urban theorist Jane Jacobs, who said, “Cities are problems in organized complexity” and decried the growing polarization, both locally and across the nation. He also pointed out that “democracy requires citizenship” and said he eagerly anticipates his next phase of life. “It went by really fast,” Keene said of his tenure with the city. “But I also feel like I’ve been here forever.” Q
volunteers, some of whom never received the help themselves, such as Lujan. The Holiday Fund grant also assisted the organization in holding its second annual Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, celebration on Oct. 26, which drew 50 people to Kara’s Kingsley Avenue offices in Palo Alto. The event was developed by Kara’s Spanish Services Manager Rosario Puga-Dempsey, who has long celebrated the holiday that holds a personal meaning for her. She thought it would be fitting for the organization. “This is one of the holidays we often celebrate more than anything,” Puga-Dempsey said of her family. For nearly two weeks, the organization had an altar set up to which community members could add to the decorations, she said. The three-tier altar eventually overflowed with photos of the deceased, pictures of sugar skulls brought to life with neon colors, poems, flowers, tall white candles in glass containers, a variety of fruits, corn and carefully woven bread — all sitting on papel picado, or tissue paper flags cut into elaborate designs, in a rainbow of colors. The event also served as an open house for the organization. Puga-Dempsey recalled speaking with a Kara volunteer who was attending a Day of the Dead service for the first time. “She expressed how wonderful it was to express grief in a different way,” Puga-Dempsey said. Day of the Dead rituals can be a launching point for clients to discuss the layers of their loss, including the idea of disenfranchised or unprocessed grief, in which people can’t attend the funeral for their loved ones who died in their native country, Puga-Dempsey said. It can also segue into discussions of other losses of family members or friends dating years back or traditions to help with the loss, such as a novenario, or nine-day prayer. Grief support can also uncover
stigmas attached to dealing with loss, such as the idea of being machismo or staying strong. “One of the things we know to be true in this work is that although grief is universal, it’s unique,” Santucci said. “You can’t fix grief, it’s not something you can cure, it’s something that you can give support to.” As the volunteer-driven program enters its fifth year, Santucci aims to continue increasing the reach of the program, which this year served more than 500 people through sessions with clients, community education and outreach events. Given the program has built numerous connections, he hopes to see a decrease in outreach efforts and an increase in clients. He also wants to add additional staff members. As a volunteer, Lujan understands the sensitivity of her role in supporting her clients who at times confide personal details they haven’t divulged to their family. “It’s a little hard sometimes. ... Sometimes the tears do come out,” Lujan said. “What’s important is how you treat someone else or how you’re there for someone else.” Q Digital Editor Jamey Padojino can be emailed at jpadojino@ paweekly.com. This year’s Holiday Fund goal is to raise $350,000 for programs serving kids, families and others in need. More stories about the work of funded nonprofit agencies and instructions for donating to the fund online are posted at paloaltoonline.com/holiday_fund and on page 10 of this edition.
READ MORE ONLINE
PaloAltoOnline.com
Read an interview with Jim Keene about his plans for the future in “Off Deadline: City Manager Jim Keene plans a year off — to write and recover,” posted on PaloAltoOnline.com.
Correction
The Dec. 28 story “Whatever happened to ...” incorrectly stated when City Auditor Harriet Richardson will resign from her job. She plans to retire on Feb. 15. To request a clarification or correction, contact Editor Jocelyn Dong at jdong@paweekly.com, 650326-8210 or P.O. Box 1610, Palo Alto 94302. Q
News Digest City loosens rules for autonomous robots Autonomous robots will be able to travel both faster and farther in Palo Alto in the new year. The City Council revised on Dec. 17 the rules for the city’s nascent program for autonomous robots, known as “personal delivery devices” (PDDs). The program, which made its debut this year, has been rolling out slowly, with three companies obtaining permits and performing some test deliveries, according to a new report from the Public Works Department. But while none of the robots have been active recently, according to staff, one company is trying to push the program’s boundaries. Starship Technologies has requested that the city extend its one-year pilot program and the operating area for the robots, which were initially limited to downtown and California Avenue. The expanded area, which the council approved, also includes Stanford Shopping Center, the Stanford University Medical Center and the Stanford West apartment complex west of Sand Hill Road. Starship Technologies also requested the city raise the speed limit for its robots. The city’s initial regulations established a speed limit of 2.4 mph, which is considered slow walking speed. Starship Technologies has requested an increase to 5 mph, consistent with its operations in other Bay Area jurisdictions. Though the city has agreed to the measures proposed by Starship Technologies, the local program remains in place only on an interim basis. The Public Works report noted that there has not been enough robot activity to date to determine whether permanent regulations should be adopted. The council approved the new rules for autonomous robots by a vote of 8-1, with Councilwoman Lydia Kou dissenting. Kou said she objected to the lack of information the council received since the pilot program was created in late 2017. Q —Gennady Sheyner
Police arrest man for sexual assault A man accused of sexually assaulting a woman right after she unloaded items from her car in Palo Alto early Saturday morning was arrested Wednesday afternoon, police said. The man, 28-year-old Daniel Eduardo Alvarez of East Palo Alto, allegedly committed the assault around 3:30 a.m. Saturday in the 2500 block of El Camino Real near Grant Avenue, according to a police press release. The woman told police she felt someone grab her buttocks. She turned around to find a man who pushed her to the ground. He straddled her, touched her genitals over her clothing and made threats if she yelled, according to police. Her boyfriend heard her scream, interrupted the assault and the man fled south on El Camino Real, police said. On Sunday, detectives identified Alvarez as the alleged attacker and later that evening secured an arrest warrant for assault to commit a sex offense, criminal threats, false imprisonment and sexual battery. With help from Menlo Park police officers in East Palo Alto, detectives found his red 1993 Toyota Corolla empty in the 800 block of East Bayshore Road and found Alvarez nearby inside a home in the 1100 block of Saratoga Avenue. Alvarez was arrested without incident and booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail in San Jose on the warrant, police said. He was also booked for an outstanding misdemeanor warrant for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in San Mateo County. Q —Palo Alto Weekly staff
Public Agenda A preview of Palo Alto government meetings next week CITY COUNCIL ... The council plans to elect its new mayor and vice mayor and pass resolutions of appreciation for departing council members Karen Holman, Greg Scharff and Cory Wolbach. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 7, in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 250 Hamilton Ave. UTILITIES ADVISORY COMMISSION ... The commission plans to hear an update on activities related to adoption of distributed energy resources and provide feedback on the city’s fiber-optic, wireless and advanced-meter infrastructure planning efforts. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 9, in the Community Meeting Room at City Hall, 250 Hamilton Ave. ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD ... The board plans to hold a joint meeting with the Historic Resources Board to provide input on the Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project. The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 10, in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 250 Hamilton Ave. HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION ... The commission plans to meet at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 10, in the Community Meeting Room at City Hall, 250 Hamilton Ave. The agenda was not available by press deadline.
www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • January 4, 2019 • Page 7
Upfront
Stanford (continued from page 5)
campus and to revise Stanford’s existing “No Net New Commute Trips” traffic policy, which currently applies only to campus-related trips in the commute direction during the busiest hours of the morning and afternoon hours (8-9 a.m. and 5-6 p.m.). The policy, which was introduced under Stanford’s last general-use permit in 2000, has been the county’s strongest tool to ensure Stanford’s growth does not result in overwhelming traffic. It has spurred Stanford to, among other things, expand its Marguerite shuttle program, increase parking fees and introduce car- and ride-share programs. As a result, Stanford’s rate of solo drivers has dropped from 69 percent in 2003 to 43 percent today, according to the county. But while Stanford’s trafficreduction programs are generally viewed as a gold standard in the region, many are skeptical that they will continue to hold up in the face of millions of square feet of new development. A letter from East Palo Alto, signed by former Mayor Ruben Abrica, states that the city is “gravely concerned about traffic,” especially given that 84 percent of the peak-hour traffic on University Avenue are commuters and that Stanford’s proposal would add about 5,000 new jobs. Palo Alto expressed similar concerns and asked that Stanford be required to monitor traffic over a broader commute period — 4-7
School board (continued from page 5)
financial impact on the district, was at the top of the list for several board members. In November, the board unanimously approved a resolution asking the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to require Stanford to give the district both land and money to offset the impact of additional students generated by the expansion, which proposes building more than 2 million square feet of academic space by 2035. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors is trying to negotiate a potential development agreement with Stanford by this spring. The resolution asks that Stanford be contractually required to pay annual payments to the district, with the payment based on the number of students attending the district who live in tax-exempt eligible housing owned by Stanford; to set aside land for a new elementary school; and to make a direct contribution beyond mandated developer fees to mitigate the cost of building a new school. “We are not yet at a place where I think we can be comfortable that the outcome is going to be positive for students and the district,” board member Ken Dauber said. “I would like to see Stanford and the county having some clear and
p.m., for example, rather than 5-6 p.m. It asserted that Stanford commuters drive to and from campus just before or just after the “peak period” and thus are not being counted. To support this position, the city hired a consulting firm, Hexagon, which cited its own count data as evidence that the morning peak hour frequently occurs after 9 a.m. and the afternoon peak frequently occurs after 6 p.m. “One of the likely reasons why there appears to be a disconnect between Stanford’s achievement of the ‘no net new trips’ standard and the community’s experience of increasing level of congestion may be that there are higher levels of Stanford-related trips throughout the day or during much longer periods during the morning and evening than was true in 2001,” the Hexagon letter states. The county, however, was not swayed. It offered its own data, measured twice yearly, to show that in every year since 2014, the pattern of traffic during the broader peak hours remained consistent, directly contradicting the Hexagon assertion. “Focusing the no-net-newcommute-trips standard on the peak hour has not pushed trips to the shoulder hours or encouraged peak-hour spreading,” the county’s response states. Palo Alto also urged the county to demand more details from Stanford about how it plans to ensure traffic does not get worse, including proposed programs. But the county’s analysis instead emphasizes the “flexibility of accountability” approach that was
the bedrock of the 2000 permit, in which Stanford can establish its own programs, provided that they meet the goal of not adding new commute traffic during peak hours. That said, the FEIR identifies several transportation-related programs that Stanford has proposed to implement as part of its growth plan. These include new dedicated bus lanes and express bus services, dynamic real-time carpooling apps like Scoop, the use of parking rates to discourage driving, financial incentives for non-drivers and increased use of telework and flexible work schedules, according to the FEIR. The one change that the county did institute in response to community concerns was a requirement that Stanford pay a “fair share” for improvements at intersections that are expected to see an increase in reverse-commuters. These include the El Camino Real and Ravenswood Road intersection in Menlo Park and the Alma Street and Charleston Road intersection in Palo Alto. The precise share is based on the number of reversecommute trips that would be attributable to the Stanford project. When it comes to housing, Palo Alto argued that the county should require Stanford to actually build housing and transportation improvements before it constructs new academic space. The environmental analysis does not propose such a policy, noting that the issue is better suited for a policy debate by the Board of Supervisors than an environmental analysis by staff. Separate from the environmental-review process, the county
board last year aggressively pursued new policies requiring Stanford to contribute more money for housing. These include a higher “affordable housing fee” in which Stanford will pay for each square foot of new development $68.50 (up from $20), effective July 1, 2020. The other requires Stanford to designate 16 percent of new units to affordable housing, known as inclusionary zoning. Stanford, however, last month filed lawsuits in federal and state courts challenging the new fee, which it argues violates the “equal protection” clauses of the U.S. and California constitutions. It also plans to legally challenge the new inclusionary-zoning requirement. Another topic on which the new analysis is bound to disappoint many Palo Alto residents is Stanford’s responsibility when it comes to Palo Alto schools. In recent months, Palo Alto Unified School District board members, staff and parents became increasingly vocal about the need for Stanford to commit funding to educate the additional students who would result from the university’s new housing. The board also requested that Stanford dedicate land and funding for a new elementary school. However, the final EIR makes no such recommendations. Instead, it states that existing district schools could accommodate the new students. Furthermore, it asserts the district has “multiple options to explore before building a new school, including reactivating existing school sites such as Cubberley, Greendell and Garland,
and utilizing properties currently leased to private school providers.” In addressing school impacts, the final EIR recognizes its own limitations: The county “does not have authority to require Stanford to pay additional fees, dedicate land or comply with any other requirements associated with increased school enrollment.” That said, supervisors have one tool that they can use to require Stanford to contribute to local schools. The board recently kicked off negotiations with Stanford on a first-of-its-kind “development agreement,” which is giving both sides the opportunity to request concessions and amenities that fall outside the purview of the environmental-review process. Simitian last month told the Weekly that the school district will be a key topic of negotiations. Stanford staff lauded the new analysis, which the county board expects to review and approve by this summer. Catherine Palter, Stanford’s associate vice president for land use and environmental planning, said the FEIR confirms that “almost all environmental impacts of new academic and residential facilities can be appropriately prevented or mitigated.” “The result of that process is a proposal that balances the needs of the university and the community while addressing potential impacts over the life of the permit,” Palter said in a statement that Stanford released just after the report was issued. Q Staff Writer Gennady Sheyner can be emailed at gsheyner@ paweekly.com.
public discussion that gets us to the point where we know that if and when more students are generated at Stanford without propertytax revenue associated with them that there’s going to be dollars to support the education of those students and that we’re going to be able to provide those students with a neighborhood school that is situated in a way that it’s accessible for those students.” Also on the horizon this year is a proposed master plan for a reimagined Cubberley Community Center, the 35-acre Middlefield Road campus of which the school district owns 27 acres and the city of Palo Alto 8 acres. The district is currently engaged in a joint planning process with the city. This plan will be a “big moment for the district and the community,” newly elected board member Shounak Dharap said, “because it’s going to lay the path forward for what we want that space to be” as both an educational and community resource. Melissa Baten Caswell said that whatever is built at Cubberley, some part of it will need to be flexible enough to become a school (and potentially, a home for the district office) if needed down the line. All of the board members expressed a commitment to focusing on improving outcomes for low-income, minority and special-needs
students this year, all areas that have been longstanding priorities but have resisted consistent progress. The district also suddenly lost its equity coordinator at the end of 2018, and a debate over whether a single district-level employee should and can be in charge of this work will ensue this year.
system is causing. You either fundamentally think that low-income students of color are not as bright or we are doing something that affects the outcome. “I don’t believe the first one, so it’s got to be the second one,” she said. “It doesn’t mean the people in the system are biased, but the system is set up to get the outcome you’re getting.” More cautious budgeting is likely ahead this year, DiBrienza and others said. The district has a new chief business official who is bringing fresh eyes to budget practices that largely haven’t changed for decades. Baten Caswell said she hopes 2019 will bring more proactive rather than reactive budgeting; she and the other board members want to better prepare the district for a likely economic downturn and to get rising pension costs under control. DiBrienza and Dharap also said they want to revive a focus on innovation this year by finding ways to systematically support teachers who want to try new or alternative ways of teaching. DiBrienza said Austin’s recently implemented strategy of “agile teams” — collaborative groups that form to tackle a problem or question in a short period of time — could serve well as a structure to let teachers test out ideas in a low-stakes way. Later this month, the board will meet to hear Austin’s proposed
three-year plan for the district, developed over the course of his first six months in the district. The plan will focus on operations, planning for staff succession, school safety, equity and special education, he said. The current board will evaluate his plan with the aim of strategically focusing on a few longterm goals — a preference often expressed by the board — rather ambitiously attempting to “swallow the ocean.” Collins sees 2019 as a year of unflashy “ditch-digging work” for the district. He cited a saying in the venture capital world: “Overnight success is years in the making.” “People are very impressed by the result at the end, but the process along the way is distinctly unspectacular. They put one foot in front of the other over and over and over again, and it becomes a habit and a culture. That’s the habit and culture were trying to create in PAUSD,” he said. Q Staff Writer Elena Kadvany can be emailed at ekadvany@ paweekly.com.
Page 8 • January 4, 2019 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
‘We’re in the position to make slow and steady progress. That wasn’t the case before.’ —Todd Collins, vice president, Palo Alto Board of Education Austin is planning to hold targeted focus groups in early 2019 on equity and also intends to break out special education as its own district priority goal, rather than have it embedded within another goal. President Jennifer DiBrienza has publicly voiced a commitment to having equity on the board’s agenda in some form at every meeting, from big-picture goals to smaller efforts that are having an impact at schools. She plans to push for a shift in focus from the underperforming students themselves to the systems that are contributing to their lack of success. “The results we’re getting, our
TALK ABOUT IT
PaloAltoOnline.com What do you hope to see the Palo Alto school district accomplish in 2019? Share your thoughts on Town Square, the community discussion forum at PaloAltoOnline.com/square.
Wishing You and Your Family a Happy and Healthy 2019 Expressing my gratitude for my 2018 transactions.
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36 MANSION COURT
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www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • January 4, 2019 • Page 9
Support our Kids with a gift to the Holiday Fund Last Year’s Grant Recipients 10 Books A Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$15,000 49ers Academy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Able Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Acterra. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Ada’s Café . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Adolescent Counseling Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7,500 All Students Matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000 Art in Action. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Art of Yoga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Bayshore Christian Ministries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Buena Vista Homework Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000 CASSY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000 Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto. . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000 Downtown Streets Team. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7,500 DreamCatchers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000 East Palo Alto Kids Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000 East Palo Alto Tennis & Tutoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7,500 Ellen Fletcher Middle School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$4,000 Environmental Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Family Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7,500 Foundation for a College Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7,500 Frank S. Greene Jr. Middle School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$4,000 Friends of Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Get Involved Palo Alto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000 Health Connected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Hidden Villa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 JLS Middle School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$4,000 Kara. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7,500 Live in Peace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Marine Science Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Music in the Schools Foundation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 New Creation Home Ministries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 New Voices for Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$3,000 Nuestra Casa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7,500 One East Palo Alto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Palo Alto Art Center Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Palo Alto Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$4,000 Peninsula Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Peninsula HealthCare Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Project WeHOPE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$15,000 Quest Learning Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Ravenswood Education Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000 Rosalie Rendu Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$3,500 Silicon Valley FACES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Silicon Valley Urban Debate League . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 St. Francis of Assisi Youth Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Stanford Jazz Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$2,500 YMCA East Palo Alto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7,500 YMCA Ross Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Youth Community Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$15,000 Youth Speaks Out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$15,000
Child Care Facility Improvement Grants Children’s Center of the Stanford Community . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Children’s Pre-School Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Friends of Preschool Family. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Grace Lutheran Preschool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 The Learning Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Palo Alto Community Child Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000 Palo Alto Friends Nursery School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Parents Nursery School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000 Peninsula Family Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,000
E
ach year the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund raises money to support programs serving families and children in the Palo Alto area. Since the Weekly and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation cover all the administrative costs, every dollar raised goes directly to support community programs through grants to non-profit organizations. And with the generous support of matching grants from local foundations, including the Packard, Hewlett, Peery and Arrillaga foundations, your tax-deductible gift will be doubled in size. A donation of $100 turns into $200 with the foundation matching gifts. Whether as an individual, a business or in honor of someone else, help us reach our goal of $350,000 by making a generous contribution to the Holiday Fund. With your generosity, we can give a major boost to the programs in our community helping kids and families.
Thank you, donors As of Dec. 31, 343 donors have contributed $279,330 to the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund. 28 Anonymous ..............$121,525
Robert Stevens ........................200 Richard Mazze ........................100
New Donors
Sandy Liu ................................100
Mike & Lennie Roberts ............200
Charles Katz ...........................400
Hoda Epstein ..............................*
Richard N Ellson ......................100
Larry Breed .............................200
Kathryn & A.C. Johnston.........100
Colleen Anderson ...................250
Claire Lauing...........................250
Elizabeth Bechtel.....................100
Alice Evarts .............................500
Peter Giles ..............................125
Carol O’Neill .............................25
Georgie Gleim ........................500
Reed Content .........................200
Jeremy Platt & Sondra Murphy ....*
Nancy Peterson .......................100
Jean Doble ..................................*
Joanne Koltnow ......................100
George Chippendale .................50
Susan Elgee & Steve Eglash .....500
Enclosed is a donation of $_______________ Name__________________________________________________________ Business Name __________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip ___________________________________________________ Email__________________________________________________
Credit Card (MC, VISA, or AMEX)
All donors and their gift amounts will be published in the Palo Alto Weekly unless the boxes below are checked.
__________________________________________Expires _______/_______
T I wish to contribute anonymously.
Phone _________________________________________________________
T Please withhold the amount of my contribution. Signature ______________________________________________________ I wish to designate my contribution as follows: (select one)
Send coupon and check, if applicable, to:
T In my name as shown above T In the name of business above OR:
T In honor of:
T In memory of:
T As a gift for:
_____________________________________________________________ (Name of person)
Non-profits: Grant application & guidelines at www.PaloAltoOnline.com/holiday_fund Application deadline: January 4, 2019
Page 10 • January 4, 2019 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
Please make checks payable to: Silicon Valley Community Foundation
01 – Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund c/o Silicon Valley Community Foundation P.O. Box 45389 San Francisco, CA 94145 The Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund is a donor advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization. A contribution to this fund allows your donation to be tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
Donate to the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund online at siliconvalleycf.org/paw-holiday-fund
Liz Kok........................................... *
David & Lynn Mitchell ................ 450
The Ely Family ............................ 250
Meri Gruber & James Taylor ....... 250
Ruth & Chet Johnson ..................... *
Werner Graf .................................. *
Barbara Riper ................................. *
Page & Ferrell Sanders................ 100
Tony & Kathleen Hughes ......... 1,500
Tracy & Alan Herrick ................... 100
Vincent Steckler ......................... 500
Nancy & Joe Huber .................... 100
JoAnne N. Zschokke................... 100
Erika Buck .................................. 100
Bob Fenster.................................... *
Norm & Nancy Rossen.................... *
Sue Kemp .................................. 250
Ralph R. Wheeler ....................... 300
Carolyn Williams ........................ 200
David, Zoe & Ken ....................... 100
Debra Satz & Don Barr ................... *
Richard Baumgartner & Elizabeth Salzer ........................... *
Bert Fingerhut & Caroline Hicks .. 250
Jocelyn Dong ................................. *
Mrs. Nancy Yih .............................. *
Kaaren & John Antoun............ 1,500
Spreng Family ............................ 200
Thomas W. & Louise L. Phinney ...... *
Richard Johnsson .................... 7,000
Susan D. Osofsky ....................... 200
Leo & Sylvia Breidenbach ............... *
Bruce Gee & Jane Gee ............... 250
Leo & Marlys Keoshian ............... 100
Corrine Aulgur ............................... *
Eric Hahn & Elaine Hahn ......... 1,000
John & Lee Pierce ....................... 250
Duncan Matteson ...................... 250
Bob & Dee Crawford...................... *
Susie Richardson & Hal Luft............ *
Pam Grady ................................. 300
Diane & Bob Simoni ................... 200
Don & Dee Price............................. *
Elliot Eisner .................................... *
Jan Thomson & Roy Levin............... *
Anne & Don Vermeil ...................... *
Nate Rosenberg ......................... 200
Donald & Adele Langendorf ....... 200
John & Mary Schaefer ................ 100
Francine Mendlin ....................... 250
Irvin & Marilyn Yalom ................. 100
Judy Ousterhout ............................ *
Bob Donald.................................... *
Brigid Barton.............................. 500
Ellen Lillington ........................... 300
Bill Land ......................................... *
Jerry & Bobbie Wagger................... *
B & D Fryberger ......................... 100
Emmett Lorey ................................ *
John & Florine Galen ...................... *
Stewart & Carol Hansen ............. 100
Ted Linden ................................. 200
H. Anton & Carolyn Tucher ........ 250
Gwen Barry.................................... *
Marie & Don Snow .................... 150 Ben Barres ................................. 100
John & Lynn Wiese..................... 150 Lawrence Yang & Jennifer Kuan ....................... 1,000
Sally & Craig Nordlund ............... 500
Delle Maxwelll ........................ 2,500
Stev & Mary Chapel ..................... 50
Steve & Gayle Brugler ............. 1,000
Ruth Hammett ........................... 100
Andy & Eva Dobrov .................... 150
Drew McCalley & Marilyn Green.. 100
Kate & Marvin Feinstein ............. 200
Roy & Carol Blitzer ......................... *
Scott Pearson ............................. 500
Judith Appleby ........................... 200
Marilyn, Dale, Rick & Mei Simbeck ............................... *
Carolyn Brennan ............................ *
Bruce & Mary Beth Train............. 250 Sherry Brown ............................. 250 Charlie Williams ......................... 125 Jonathan Macquitty & Laurie Hunter ....................... 1,000
Ted & Ginny Chu............................ *
Susana & Doug Woodman ............. * Jody Maxmin ................................. * Pat Burt ..................................... 250 Larry Baer .................................. 500 Arthur Keller .................................. *
Gavin & Patricia Christensen .......... *
Lawrence Naiman ...................... 100
Phil Fernandez & Daniel Sternbergh ....................... *
Richard & Tish Fagin................... 100 Margo Sensenbrenner.................... *
Kathleen Morris ............................. *
Ralph Britton.............................. 200
Pamela Mayerfeld ...................... 100
Bob & Micki Cardelli ...................... *
Al & Joanne Russell .................... 300
Barbara Allen ............................. 100
Eileen Brooks ............................. 500
John Pavkovich .......................... 500
Harry & Susan Hartzell ............... 100
Our Loving Parents Albert & Beverly Pellizzari .......................... *
Veronica Tincher ............................ *
Scott & Jan Kilner....................... 500
Eileen Stolee .............................. 100
Frances Codispoti....................... 500
August L. King ............................... *
Kay Sabin....................................... *
Andrea Smith............................. 100
Sallie Whaley ................................. *
Hal & Carol Louchheim .............. 400
Bob Kirkwood ................................ *
Leannah Hunt ............................ 250
Braff Family................................ 500
Ann Burrell & Allen Smith .............. *
Herbert Fischgrund .................... 200
Julia Schwartz ................................ *
Eugene & Mabel Dong ............... 200
Patti Yanklowitz ......................... 150
Diane & Brandy Sikic ...................... *
Lee Domenik.................................. *
Debby Roth................................ 200
Linda Selden .................................. *
Karen Backer ............................. 500
Marts Beekley, M.D. ....................... *
Phil Hanawalt & Garciela Spivak ..................... 1,000
Dena Hill .................................... 500
Rosalie Shepherd ....................... 100
Margaret McAvity - “Granny” ........ *
David Thom ............................... 200
Carol Berkowitz ............................. *
Lani Freeman & Stephen Monismith ................. 100
Michael Patrick .......................... 200 Bonnie Packer ............................ 100
Sylvia McGovern ........................ 100
Don Kenyon............................... 100
Tom & Ellen Ehrlich .................... 350
Romola Georgia ............................. *
Lawrence Dong............................ 50
Judge Bart Phelps........................... *
Businesses & Organizations Peery Foundation .................. 10,000
Robert & Barbara Simpson ............. *
Martha Shirk .............................. 500
Annette Isaacson ....................... 100
Ernest J. Moore .......................... 200
Gwen Luce .................................... *
Christina Kenrick..................... 1,000
Pamela Wong .............................. 25
Arrillaga Foundation ............. 10,000
Robert Aulger ................................ *
Dawes Family ............................. 250
Barbara Kinsey ........................... 500
Jacques, Nancy, Wanda & Jimmy George ............................. *
Pat & John Davis .......................... 50
Ken Bencala & Sally O’Neil ......... 200
Thomas Rindfleisch ........................ *
Art & Peggy Stauffer .................. 500
Nina & Norman Kulgein ................. *
Elgin & Elizabeth Lee .................. 500
David Labaree ............................ 300
Kroymann Family ....................... 250
Tom & Nancy Fiene ........................ *
Weil Family ............................. 1,000
Bruce Campbell ......................... 200
Mahlon & Carol Hubenthal ............ *
Lee Zulman .................................... *
Epstein Family ............................ 500
Janis Ulevich .............................. 100
Karen & Steve Ross ........................ *
Merrill & Lee Newman ............... 250
Kenyon Family ........................... 500
Mike Gordon ............................. 250
Wileta Burch .................................. *
Judy & Lee Shulman ................... 200
Ellmann Family ........................... 100
Bill Reller ........................................ *
Mandy Lowell ................................ *
Donna & Jerry Silverberg ............ 100
Helene Pier .................................... *
Ellen & Mike Turbow .................. 200
George & Betsy Young ................... *
Victor Befera .............................. 100
David & Virginia Pollard.............. 150
Xiaofan Lin .................................. 50
Tom & Pat Sanders ......................... *
Kay & Don Remsen ........................ *
Diane Finkelstein ........................ 200
M D Savioe .................................... *
Gerald & Joyce Barker ................ 200
Beth & Peter Rosenthal .............. 300
Elizabeth Shepard .......................... *
Ron Wolf ................................... 200
Brigid Barton & Rob Robinson .... 400
Robyn H. Crumly............................ *
Nancy Moss ................................... *
Marcia & Michael Katz ............... 200
Jim & Alma Phillips ..................... 500
Charles & Barbara Stevens ............. *
Rita Vrhel ................................... 300
Tom Goodrich ............................ 100
Peggy & Boyce Nute....................... *
Virginia Laibl .............................. 500
Leif & Sharon Erickson ............... 250
Michael & Cathie Foster ............. 500
Amado Padilla & Deborah Farrington ................. 500
Stephen Levy ............................ 500
Diane Moore.................................. *
Jerry & Linda Elkind .................... 500
Paul Kingston Duffie .................... 50
John & Meg Monroe .................. 500
Linda & Steve Boxer ....................... *
Donald & Virginia Fitton ............... 25
Carol Hubenthal .......................... 50
Daniel Cox ................................. 200
Chuck & Jean Thompson ........... 100
Don & Bonnie Miller................... 100
Steve & Virginia Morgan .............. 50
Richard Zuanich ......................... 200
Julie Jerome ............................... 500
Roger V. Smith ........................... 300
Barbara Noparstak & Duane Bay .. 100
Kieschnick Family ........................... *
Bonnie Berg ................................... *
Cynthia Costell .......................... 100
Judith & Hans Steiner ................. 150
Deborah Williams ...................... 500
Gallo Family ............................... 500
Anna & Chris Saccheri............. 1,000
Marc & Margaret Cohen ............ 250
Joan & Roger Warnke .................... *
Ann & Don Rothblatt ................. 500
Eric Keller & Janice Bohman ....... 250
Dennis & Cindy Dillon .................... *
Havern Family ......................... 5,000
Caryn Huberman Yacowitz ............. *
Diana Diamond .......................... 150
Carol Gilbert .................................. *
Bill Johnson & Terri Lobdell ...... 1,000
Shirley R. Ely ........................... 1,000
A Carlisle Scott .............................. *
Jane Holland .................................. *
Peter Beller & Nadine Dabby .......... * Carol Kersten ............................. 300
In Memory Of Er-Ying & Yen-Chen Yen ............ 250
Linda Groffie-Balint .................... 150
Janet Hermsen ........................... 200
Communications & Power Industries ...................... 500
Michal Sadoff ............................ 100
Ray Bacchetti ............................. 250
deLemos Properties .................... 200
Ellen Krasnow ................................ *
Nancy & Bob Lobdell ...................... *
Palo Alto Business Park .................. *
In Memory Of David Mitchell ............................ 200 Gary A Fry.................................. 250 Lindsey Draper ........................... 100 As A Gift For Logan Marsh & Gabby Perez ... 1,000
Previously Published
Mike & Jean Couch .................... 250
Luca & Mary Cafiero ...................... *
Tony & Judy Kramer ....................... *
Steve & Diane Ciesinski .............. 500
Peter Stern ..................................... * Dorothy Saxe ............................. 100
Jennifer DiBrienza & Jesse Dorogusker..................... 500
David & Nancy Kalkbrenner........ 100
James W. & Nancy E. Baer .......... 200
Barbara Klein & Stan Schrier........... *
Sally Landy & Betty Meltzer .......... 50 Mary Floyd & Susan Thomas ........ 50 Jack Sutorius .............................. 300 Jim & Dottie Mellberg ................ 200 Robert Spinrad ............................... * Boyd Paulson Jr. ............................. * Edward & Elizabeth Buurma ........... * Samuel Benjamin Kurland .......... 300 In Honor Of Melissa Baten Caswell .................... * Lucy Berman’s clients .............. 2,500 Jill .............................................. 200 Scott .......................................... 200 Polly........................................... 200 Hayley........................................ 200 Jake ........................................... 200 Garrett....................................... 200 Gil ............................................. 200 Joe Simitian ................................... * Marilyn Sutorius ......................... 300 Physicians, Kaiser RWC .................. * Businesses & Organizations Alta Mesa Cemetery & Funeral Home ...................... 2,000 Bleibler Properties ................... 1,000
www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • January 4, 2019 • Page 11
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Page 12 • January 4, 2019 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
Transitions Births, marriages and deaths
David Mitchell David Mitchell, a Palo Alto attorney, environmental advocate and community volunteer, died on Dec. 19, after a battle with lymphoma. He was 83 years old. Mitchell was born in Berkeley and raised in Los Angeles, his family said. He joined the Cub Scouts during World War II, then the Boy Scouts and later Explorer Scouts in San Gabriel. In 1951, he became an Eagle Scout. He went on to attend Stanford University on a full undergraduate scholarship funded through the Dofflemyer Scholarship Fund for Eagle Scouts. Mitchell also earned a full scholarship to attend Harvard Law School, where he met his wife, Lynn, who was pursuing a graduate degree in education. They went on to live and work in Los Angeles before an offer to start a law firm in San Jose drew them to northern California. Mitchell was a founding member of Palo Alto-based firm Hopkins & Carley and since 1993 had practiced with Hoge, Fenton, Jones & Appel in San Jose. He worked primarily in estate planning, family business succession and nonprofit law, his family said. Mitchell devoted much of his practice to protecting the environment for future generations. He represented families who owned apricot, prune and cherry orchards on the Peninsula as well as major almond growers and dairy farmers in California. For 23 years he served on the Peninsula Open Space Trust board of directors, lending his legal expertise to the complicated process when people donate their land for open space. Mitchell was also a “pillar” of the First Congregational Church of Palo Alto, said Senior Minister David Howell. He led capital campaigns and building projects and served on search committees. Mitchell was also a longtime board member for the Palo Alto Community Fund and volunteered with the Rotary Club of San Jose, the Stanford Historical Society and Friends of Music at Stanford. He and his wife won Avenidas’ 19th annual Lifetimes of Achievement Award in 2008. In 2015, they won the Boy Scouts of America’s Distinguished Citizens Award, given to those whose contributions have had lasting effects on the Peninsula community. A memorial has been scheduled for Jan. 20 at 2 p.m. at The First Congregational Church, 1985 Louis Road, Palo Alto. Mitchell is survived by his wife, Lynn Mitchell; daughters, Sarah Mitchell and Betsy Kinney; and grandchildren.
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Lorraine Margaret Hlavka November 5, 1923 – December 10, 2018
Lorraine Margaret Hlavka died Dec. 10 at the age of 95. Born in rural Minnesota in 1923 and raised there on a farm, she met her husband Lloyd in Omaha and was married in 1947. They moved to California in 1955 and bought one of the first Eichler houses, where she lived the rest of her life. She worked for the Palo Alto school system until retirement. She enjoyed bridge, traveling and square dancing and volunteered for the Santa Clara Valley Square Dance Association for several years. She especially enjoyed her family and visiting relatives, many of whom live in the Bay Area. She is survived by her four children, nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Jan. 12 at Spangler Mortuary in Mountain View. PAID
OBITUARY
Jeanne Killeen Scherba
December 12, 1928 – December 21, 2018 On Friday, December 21st, 2018, long time Menlo Park resident Jeanne Killeen Scherba, loving mother of four children, Jim Scherba (Janice), Rick Gannon (Kathy), Rod Scherba (Jodi), and Nancy Whelan (Jim) passed away at her home after living a full life of 90 years. She was a devoted grandmother to Tony Scherba (Lauren), Billy Scherba, Angela Schramm (Steve), Mathew Gannon, Kyle Scherba, Tori Scherba, Ray Whelan, and Danny Whelan. Jeanne was born in 1928 to Theodore Thomas Killeen and Kathryn Marie Rosetta Killeen. Jeanne was a native San Franciscan and attended Presentation Academy then went on to graduate from UC Berkeley with a degree in political science and a certification in education. At Cal she was a member of the Alpha Xi Delta Sorority. Jeanne had a passion for gardening and flower arranging and spent over 20 years volunteering at Filoli. Other endeavors included volunteering for the PTA, Children’s Home Society, and the Atherlons. Jeanne was happiest spending time with family and friends and tending her garden. A memorial mass will be celebrated at the Church of the Nativity, 210 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park on Saturday, January 5th, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in the name of Jeanne Scherba to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105 (StJude.org) (800) 478-5833. PAID
OBITUARY
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www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • January 4, 2019 • Page 15
Underdogs step out of the shadows on the big screen
A
t the end of every year after the last films hit the big screen, most movie critics, including me, get asked, “So what did you think of this year?” My response for 2018? The past 12 months weren’t much different than last year or the year before that. The cinematic landscape was dominated by franchise pictures, familiar intellectual property, reboots and sequels, from superheroes “Aquaman,” “Avengers ... ,” and “Ant-Man ... ” (and that’s just the “A”s) to (Han) “Solo”, “Paddington 2,” and “Mary Poppins Returns.” But in the aftermath of the Oval Office going haywire
and #MeToo reckonings, this year’s movies not only became a treasured escape valve but also a place to reflect and hearten the evolutionary dawn of a hopeful new Hollywood culture. So even as the old dead white guys made out well (with “It’s All True” reviving Shakespeare and “At Eternity’s Gate” returning to Van Gogh), so too did the young black folks. “Black Panther” revolutionized African-American representation by taking a seat (nay, a throne) at the blockbuster table, while “Sorry to Bother You” and “Blindspotting” told potent, black-comic tales that literally hit close to home for Bay
by Peter Canavese Area audiences (both take place in Oakland). Kudos, too, to “The Hate U Give” and “BlackkKlansman” for continuing the conversation on modern civil rights. Women also began to find themselves more often in leading roles with men as decorative support — “The Favourite,” “Roma,” and “Widows,” as well as the underseen “Support the Girls” — while LGBTQ audiences could see themselves in films like “Love, Simon,” “Can You Ever Forgive Me?,” “Boy Erased,” and “The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” among others. Like any year, there were only a few masterpieces but many
excellent films and off-the-beaten-path treasures. Three of those dealt with another trending topic: how an increasingly challenging economy pushes Americans to the widening margins of society. “Lean on Pete” and “The Rider” gave the subject a Western-tinged spin, while “Leave No Trace” put the spotlight on a PTSD father trying to keep his daughter off the grid with him, and the sprawling “A Bread Factory” looked at shrinking funding leaving artists and educators in the lurch. No one could fail to notice “Mission Impossible: Fallout” (a terrific, old-school actioner), but how many sought out the fringe-y
genre pleasures of “Annhilation” A nhilation” (sci-fi), “Hereditary” (horror), and the gonzo Nicolas Cage two-fer of “Mandy” and “Mom and Dad” (grindhouse)? No matter which genres piqued your interest, this year’s selection of documentaries, animated wonders, thrilling adventures, chilling tales, searing dramas and punchy comedies made the movies a consistently interesting place to be in 2018. So get out your pencils and pads (or iPhones) and take some notes as you read about which films were this year’s gems and which ones viewers should steer clear of. And away we go...
The Top 10 films of 2018 10. ‘Vice’
9. ‘Eighth Grade’ In his feature-film debut, comedian Bo Burnham delves into an underrepresented population — that of junior-high-schoolers
8. ‘Private Life’ Welcome back, Tamara Jenkins ... it’s been too long. The writer-director of 2007’s “The Savages” finally returns with this heart-tugging comedy about a 40-something couple attempting to conceive a child. On the one hand, “Private Life” convincingly
Page 16 • January 4, 2019 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
7. ‘The Death of Stalin’ From master of wicked political satire Armando Iannucci comes this unfortunately timely historical comedy. Set amidst the titular crisis in 1953 Soviet Russia, “Stalin” hilariously recounts the absurdity of tyrannical government and back-stabbing power politics. A crack comic ensemble, led by Steve Buscemi as Nikita Khrushchev (and ranging from Monty Python’s Michael Palin to stage star Simon Russell Beale), enacts this hysterical, high-stakes farce, wittily adapted from a wellresearched French graphic novel. Just like a certain American presidency we could name — with revolving-door cabinets and mercurial terrors — the story around the death of Stalin is one you just couldn’t make up.
“The Death of Stalin” takes a comedic look at the Soviet dictator’s last days and depicts the chaos of the regime after his death. up her game with a seriocomic performance, Melissa McCarthy plays Lee Israel, a struggling author who turns to white-collar crime to maintain her humble lifestyle. In skillfully adapting Israel’s memoir, screenwriters Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty dramatize the madness and righteous indignance that comes of dashed ego. Richard E. Grant plays off McCarthy well as her unlikely buddy and partner in crime, but it’s the comic star who
rewrites our expectations with a gut-punching turn.
5. ‘First Reformed’ Having experienced so many himself, writer-director Paul Schrader specializes in long, dark nights of the soul. The man who dreamed up Travis Bickle now brings us Reverend Ernst Toller of the First Reformed Church of Snowbridge, New York, an earnest pastor swimming against
Photo by Mary Cybulski, courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.
Annapurna Pictures
Christian Bale and Amy Adams portray former Vice President and Second Lady Dick and Lynne Cheney in the historical drama “Vice.”
explores all aspects of the fertility gauntlet known to so many, but it doesn’t take long to realize that Jenkins has crafted something even more impressive: one of the best-ever comedies about a marriage and the shape and meaning of parenthood. Jenkins beautifully fleshes out the characters of the wife and husband, their humanity heartbreakingly and hilariously amplified by a wellmatched Kathryn Hahn and Paul Giamatti.
IFC Films
Adam McKay’s bold take on former Vice President Dick Cheney suggests a meeting of Oliver Stone and Michael Moore. The film’s success is inseparable from the masterwork of its lead performance by Christian Bale, aided by hair and makeup to play Cheney from age 22 to age 71. Filmmaker and star acknowledge Cheney’s humanity while exposing the depths of his ruthlessness in doing an end run around the Constitution as the shadow President alongside Sam Rockwell’s amusingly uncomplicated George W. Bush. Steve Carell is even better as a merrily amoral Donald “Rummy” Rumsfeld. At a time when Washington, D.C.’s, rules seem to be looked at from the rearview mirror, “Vice” hits hard.
— and finds a lost generation threatened by hormonal turmoil and unnaturally unmoored by modern technology. It’s a wellrecognized irony that kids break away from confiding in their parents at the moment they need the most emotional support, and Burnham dramatizes that anxious moment with humor and heart. But “Eighth Grade” goes further by diagnosing how social media rewires social lives, and further taps the zeitgeist by honestly depicting an all-too-typical #MeToo scenario. Best of all, a star is born in teen lead Elsie Fisher, whose lovably sad but spirited performance finds its complement in Josh Hamilton’s take on the loving but dorky dad.
6. ‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’ Marielle Heller’s compellingly sweet-and-sour, based-on-a-truestory “Can You Forgive Me?” introduces us to a one-of-a-kind character that’s nevertheless sympathetic and relatable. Stepping
Richard E. Grant and Melissa McCarthy star in “Can You Ever Forgive Me?,” the true story of best-selling celebrity biographer Lee Israel.
Cover Story
4. ‘Roma’ Alfonso Cuaron was not kidding around when he set off to make “Roma.” He writes, directs, produces, photographs and coedits this nostalgic look back at his childhood years in the titular Mexican neighborhood. Unlike so many semiautobiographical coming-of-age pictures, “Roma” finds Cuaron neglecting his own character. Instead, Cuaron finds fascination in the story of Cleo, the family’s maid and nanny (effectively played by Yalitza Aparicio, here christened as an actor), following her into her personal life, dashed yearnings and enduring spirit. The ultimate strong, silent type, Cleo anchors a swoony, sad, funny tale shot by Cuaron in gorgeous blackand-white that evokes classic neorealism.
Yalitza Aparicio plays a middle-class family’s maid in Mexico City during the 1970s in the drama “Roma.” Gate” turns out to be more than just another in a long line of Van Gogh dramas. Rather, we get a vivid portrait of the artistic temperament and a philosophically intriguing consideration of genius, madness, and how observers of both rush to ill-informed judgments.
2. ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’ “Exquisite” is the word for Barry Jenkins’ follow-up to his Oscar-winning “Moonlight.” The poet of current cinema, Jenkins applies a lush aesthetic
to his source material, James Baldwin’s 1974 novel of a black family struggling against institutional and social injustice and, more specifically, a young couple’s emblematic struggle to even begin to pursue happiness. While the film’s themes remain at the forefront of our national conversation, Jenkins maintains a romantic, spiritual tone that keeps the film from ever feeling didactic. Top notch performances all around, one of the year’s most beautiful scores and gorgeous production design and cinematography add up to everything we want from a film drama.
3. ‘At Eternity’s Gate’
5. ‘Love & Bananas: An Elephant Story’ How do you make a 77-minute documentary seem endless? How do you take a worthy subject—the need for elephant conservation— and make it annoying? You be Ashley Bell, a documentary filmmaker who also happens to be an actress and therefore cannot resist (perhaps for commercial considerations as much as ego-driven ones) putting herself front and center. Cut half an hour and send this to Animal Planet.
4. ‘Fifty Shades Freed’ While the “Fifty Shades” franchise can be trashily fun, we must never forget that it is trash. This almost indescribably stupid stew of soap opera, soft-core teases of sex and violence, “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” fantasy, and romance-novel breathlessness may be perfect for a post-bar-hopping girls’ night out, but don’t watch it sober.
3. ‘Mile 22’ All firepower and no charm makes “Mile 22” a dull actioner. Mark Wahlberg plays the least likeable action lead of his career in this botched attempt at a franchise launch about a supposedly elite CIA squad. As directed by Peter Berg, the film proves just as queasy in its action, like playing a first-person-shooter game after downing a fifth of Scotch.
2. ‘The Happytime Murders’ As a die-hard Muppets fan, I take no pleasure in trashing this Jim Henson Company venture directed by Brian Henson (“The Muppet Christmas Carol”). Predicated on ye olde idea that there’s nothing funnier than cussing Muppets (see “Avenue Q” and “Meet the Feebles”), this one wastes Melissa McCarthy and fabulous Muppeteers on a dingy, uninspired misfire.
And the worst film of 2018 goes to:
1. ‘Skyscraper’ “Skyscraper” rehashes “Die Hard” (yeesh, again?) while swapping in the Rock for Bruce Willis and the impossible for the improbable. Dumb and dull, “Skyscraper” can’t even muster so-bad-it’s-good entertainment value. Its sole saving grace? A winning supporting performance by Neve Campbell that shows us who the real star should have been.
ABOUT THE COVER: Movies that shined on the big screen include, clockwise from top left, “Black Panther,” “BlacKkKlansman,” “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” and “Eighth Grade.” Design by Douglas Young.
1. ‘The Other Side of the Wind’ A long-coveted Holy Grail for cineastes, Orson Welles’ “The Other Side of the Wind” finally dropped in 2018, 33 years after its maker’s death. “Wind” in many ways serves as a sort of semi-autobiographical bookend to “Citizen Kane” in ruthlessly dissecting a deeply flawed but high-powered master of his domain — in this case, Hollywood. John Huston plays film director Jake Hannaford, a Hemingway-esque macho man whose bravado barely
conceals secrets and insecurities. Welles obviously intended his unfinished film to be an intellectual and emotional whirlwind; Welles edited about 40 minutes before his death, and Oscar-winner Bob Murawski creditably finished the job, granting us a gift from the movie gods.
Runners-up “The Favourite,” “Shoplifters,” “Lean on Pete,” “We the Animals,” “First Man,” “Support the Girls,” “Black Panther,” “Burning,” “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” “Mission: Impossible — Fallout,” “The Rider,” “Paddington 2.”
Chadwick Boseman
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
The bottom five films of 2018
And the best film of 2018 goes to:
A24
Stephan James and KiKi Layne star in “If Beale Street Could Talk.”
Orson Welles, center, Peter Bogdanovich, left, and John Huston appear in “The Other Side of the Wind,” a semi-autobiographical bookend of Welles’ 1941 “Citizen Kane” that has been released 33 years after his death.
Disney/Marvel Studios
Annapurna Pictures
Julian Schnabel co-writes and directs this exploration of Vincent Van Gogh’s later years, with an emotionally resonant Willem Dafoe as the painter. Himself a painter, Schnabel takes an expert’s interest in Van Gogh’s sputtering career and astonishing work (evoked here in beautiful location photography of landscapes that help us see what Van Gogh saw), but “At Eternity’s
Netflix
Photo by Alfonso Cuaron, courtesy of Netflix
tides of the megachurch commodification of faith and, more troublingly, impending doom for our planet. As Toller, former child star Ethan Hawke suggests a kind of disillusioned Boy Scout, ever trying to do a good turn in a bad world. With its constant tests of faith, “First Reformed” is a vital new testament that carries an Old Testament weight of signs and portents and judgments.
Elsie Fisher
Ben Kingsley
The best heroes 5. Paddington Bear (Ben Whishaw) in “Paddington 2” 4. Kayla Day (Elsie Fisher) in “Eighth Grade” 3. Mr. Rogers in “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” 2. Black Panther (Chadwick
Boseman) in “Black Panther” 1. Ruth Bader Ginsberg in “RBG” (as herself) and “On the Basis of Sex” (Felicity Jones) (Honorable mention: Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in “SpiderMan: Into the Spider-Verse”)
The best villains 5. Jeremiah Sand (Linus Roache) in “Mandy” 4. Eleanor Sung-Young (Michelle Yeoh) in “ Crazy Rich Asians” 3. Ben (Steven Yuen) in “Burning” 2. “Killmonger” (Michael B.
Jordan) in “Black Panther” 1. Dick Cheney (Christian Bale) in “Vice” (Honorable mention: Adolf Eichmann (Ben Kingsley) in “Operation Finale”)
Top documentaries 5. “Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes” 4. “Dark Money”
3. “Nossa Chape” 2. “Monrovia, Indiana” 1. “Minding the Gap”
The animated winners 5. “Isle of Dogs” 4. “Incredibles 2” 3. “Ralph Breaks the Internet”
2. “Mirai” 1. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”
Peter Canavese is a freelance movie critic for the Palo Alto Weekly and author of the website GrouchoReviews.com. You can reach him at pcanavese@bcp.org. www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • January 4, 2019 • Page 17
Octopus offers ample, creative sushi rolls in Menlo Park Story by Ruth Schechter | Photos by Veronica Weber
R
elease the Kraken! And while you’re at it, bring out a Mad Dragon, a Lava King and a Drunken Tiger. Maybe even a Foxy Lady. While the campy film “Clash of the Titans” has nothing to do with the menu at Octopus Japanese Restaurant in Menlo Park, someone was inspired enough to name one of the special sushi rolls after that classic monster. In fact, someone was pretty motivated about naming most of the restaurant’s specialty items with wit and whimsy. Thankfully, each of the 50-plus rolls includes a photo and detailed description of its contents on a multi-paged menu. Like many foods we’ve adopted from other countries, Americans have given sushi our own spin. Purists may object to fusion-style sushi — the oversize rolls with nontraditional ingredients like jalapeños, cream cheese or even Spam. The rolls at Octopus are more civilized and the contents more traditional. And size does matter. My favorite was the Ask Jamie
($15.50) stuffed with unagi (eel), avocado, mango and macadamia nuts, topped with thin slices of hamachi and salmon and drizzled with savory-sweet unagi sauce. It was an intricate blend of flavors, with the more delicate fish layered on top so they were not overwhelmed by the heavier tones from the fillings, and the crunch of the nuts was counterpointed by the creamy smoothness of the avocado. In fact, that point-counterpoint was a strong suit in all the rolls we sampled. Avocado coupled with crisp cucumber, velvety seared tuna paired with pops of salty fish roe, spicy tuna matched with low-key tempura. The attention to texture was just as apparent as the freshness of the ingredients. Rolls were large and tight, yet fish held their own, offering just enough give when you bite — yielding without being mushy. The Kraken ($20) really was a monster, loaded with hamachi, salmon, crab and cucumber, topped with spicy octopus, salmon, unagi and avocado. Despite
Diners eat lunch at Octopus Japanese Restaurant, which opened in Menlo Park in 2017. Page 18 • January 4, 2019 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
the variety of ingredients, it was easy to detect the more subtle components despite the more aggressive ones, including the somewhat heavy hand with the sauces layered on top. The same goes for the Fire Dragon ($15.50), composed of shrimp tempura, spicy tuna and kanikama (imitation crab) inside, with tuna, hamachi, ebi, avocado, roe and green onions on top. This roll, like several others on the menu, is marked as spicy but the spiciness was subtle, not overpowering. Each dish we ordered was attractive in presentation. Rolls were assembled with care and very generous in size, though some of the compositions could be challenging to eat. Octopus took over the location from longtime occupant Akasaka and redid the interior with wood flooring, pumpkin-colored walls and rustic architectural elements. Owner Jeffrey Son has 10 years’ experience working in Japanese restaurants and opened Octopus about 18 months ago in partnership with his father, who has been in the restaurant business for more than 30 years. Together they come up with the roll concoctions, often with help from the staff members, while Son invents the names. A friend created the distinctive restaurant logo. The restaurant also features excellent-quality traditional Japanese dishes, including katsu, teriyaki, maki, sashimi and nigiri. The bento box ($13.50 for two items) is generous in size and attractive visually. The option I chose included sweet salmon teriyaki and crisp vegetable tempura, and came with miso soup and firm, tasty rice. The nabeyaki udon soup ($15.50) came loaded with thick, dense noodles garnished with chunks of carrot,
Top: Octopus’ Fire Dragon roll is filled with shrimp tempura, spicy tuna and kanikama and topped with tuna, hamachi, salmon, ebi, avocado, tobiko and green onions, with unagi and a house sauce drizzled on top. Above: Kyung Son, head chef at Octopus Japanese Restaurant in Menlo Park, prepares sushi rolls. zucchini, daikon and enokitake mushrooms, all topped with a large shrimp tempura. Service was inconsistent, wavering between personable and responsive one evening to perfunctory and rushed another. Sitting at the bar eliminates that X factor, with direct interaction with the sushi chefs. Octopus has a lot going for it: creative fusion cuisine, highquality ingredients, good value and a plethora of selections. You don’t have to be a fan of monsters to find a satisfying experience there. Q Freelance writer Ruth Schechter can be emailed at ruths315@sbcglobal.net.
Octopus Japanese Restaurant, 925 El Camino Real, Menlo Park; 650-600-8794; octopusjapanese.com Hours: Lunch, Monday-Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Dinner, Monday-Friday 5-9 p.m. and Saturday 4-9 p.m. Closed Sunday.
Credit cards
Parking: Street
Reservations
Alcohol: Wine, beer, sake
Catering
Takeout Outdoor seating
Happy Hour
Noise level: Low
Eating Out Answers to this week’s puzzles, which can be found on page 27.
ShopTalk
Local food & retail happenings
A NEW MAX MARA LINE ... Max Mara, the brand behind the iconic (and now in high demand) red coat that House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi wore during her contentious televised meeting with the U.S. President in December, is expanding its women’s clothing line at Stanford Shopping Center. The Italian fashion house is scheduled to open Weekend Max Mara on Jan. 30, just eight storefronts away from its Max Mara shop on the Garden Walk. The new retail space will feature Max Mara’s casual, outdoor weekend collection that includes coats, denim, T-shirts, knitwear and other wardrobe items designed for weekend wear. Launched in 1951, the House of Max Mara was allegedly among the earliest fashion labels to profile working women as its aspirational icon. Founder Achille Maramotti began his line by making high-end coats. Today, the label includes 19 fashion lines and is the largest clothing company in Italy. — L.T.
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BAKING CO. CLOSES DOORS... The last day of 2018 was Palo Alto Baking Co.’s final day of business at 381 S. California Ave. “It is with great regret that we inform you Palo Alto Baking Company will be closing indefinitely come the new year,” according to a note posted on the bakery’s front door a week before New Year’s Day. The bakery had operated for 12 years on California Avenue, selling pastries,
MOVIES NOW SHOWING A Star is Born (R) ++1/2
Century 20: Fri. - Sun.
Aquaman (PG-13) Century 16: Fri. - Sun. Century 20: Fri. - Sun. ShowPlace Icon: Fri. - Sun. At Eternity’s Gate (PG-13)
Aquarius Theatre: Fri. - Sun.
Bohemian Rhapsody (PG-13)
Century 20: Fri. - Sun.
Mary Poppins Returns (PG) Century 16: Fri. - Sun. Century 20: Fri. - Sun. ShowPlace Icon: Fri. - Sun. Mary Queen of Scots (R) Aquarius Theatre: Fri. - Sun.
Century 20: Fri. - Sun.
Mortal Engines (PG-13) Century 16: Fri. - Sun. ShowPlace Icon: Fri. - Sun.
Bumblebee (PG-13) Century 16: Fri. - Sun. Century 20: Fri. - Sun. ShowPlace Icon: Fri. - Sun.
The Mule (R) Century 16: Fri. - Sun. Century 20: Fri. - Sun. ShowPlace Icon: Fri. - Sun.
Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch (2018) (PG) Century 16: Fri. - Sun. Century 20: Fri. - Sun.
On the Basis of Sex (PG-13) Century 20: Fri. - Sun. Palo Alto Square: Fri. - Sun.
Escape Room (PG-13) Century 16: Fri. - Sun. ShowPlace Icon: Fri. - Sun.
Ralph Breaks the Internet (PG) +++ Century 16: Fri. - Sun. Century 20: Fri. - Sun.
The Favourite (R) Century 20: Fri. - Sun. Palo Alto Square: Fri. - Sun. ShowPlace Icon: Fri. - Sun.
Second Act (PG-13) Century 16: Fri. - Sun. Century 20: Fri. - Sun. ShowPlace Icon: Fri. - Sun.
Glass (PG-13)
ShowPlace Icon: Fri. - Sun.
Green Book (PG-13) ++1/2
Century 20: Fri. - Sun.
Holmes & Watson (PG-13) Century 16: Fri. - Sun. Century 20: Fri. - Sun. ShowPlace Icon: Fri. - Sun. If Beale Street Could Talk (R) Century 20: Fri. - Sun. Guild Theatre: Fri. - Sun.
Simmba (Not Rated)
Century 16: Fri. - Sun.
Spider-man:Into the Spider-Verse (PG) Century 16: Fri. - Sun. Century 20: Fri. - Sun. ShowPlace Icon: Fri. - Sun. Vice (R) +++1/2 Century 16: Fri. - Sun. Century 20: Fri. - Sun. ShowPlace Icon: Fri. - Sun. Welcome to Marwen (PG-13)
Century 16: Fri. - Sun.
+ Skip it ++ Some redeeming qualities +++ A good bet ++++ Outstanding
Aquarius: 430 Emerson St., Palo Alto (For recorded listings: 327-3241) tinyurl.com Aquariuspa Century Cinema 16: 1500 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View tinyurl.com/Century16 Century 20 Downtown: 825 Middlefield Road, Redwood City tinyurl.com/Century20 CineArts at Palo Alto Square: 3000 El Camino Real, Palo Alto (For information: 493-0128) tinyurl.com/Pasquare Guild: 949 El Camino Real, Menlo Park (For recorded listings: 566-8367) tinyurl.com/Guildmp ShowPlace Icon: 2575 California St. #601, Mountain View tinyurl.com/iconMountainView Stanford Theatre: 221 University Ave., Palo Alto (For recorded listings: 324-3700) Stanfordtheatre.org
Find trailers, star ratings and reviews on the web at PaloAltoOnline.com/movies
desserts, bread, sandwiches and soups. Though the brick-andmortar space closed on Monday, Dec. 31, Palo Alto Baking Co. will continue to sell wholesale baked goods, wedding cakes and specialty cakes. Customers can place orders by calling 650-3213234 or emailing paloaltobaking@ yahoo.com. Ownership did not immediately return an interview request. —E.K. ALL-YOU-CAN EAT ... For those of us who won’t be setting dietrelated New Year’s resolutions, a new all-you-can-eat Asian fusion restaurant will be opening in downtown Mountain View sometime this month. Superhot Hot Pot & Korean BBQ will serve hot pot, dim sum and Korean
barbecue under one roof at 210 Hope St. The space was most recently occupied by Verde Tea Kitchen, which closed in February 2017. Superhot manager Jay Wang said the entire menu will be an all-you-can-eat model: $29.99 per person for dinner and $18.99 per person for lunch. The owners are a group of partners who own Chinese and Korean restaurants in San Francisco and Los Angeles, Wang said. He declined to name them. —E.K. Compiled by the Weekly staff; this week written by Elena Kadvany and Linda Taaffe. Got leads on interesting and news-worthy retail developments? The Weekly will check them out. Email shoptalk@ paweekly.com.
Public Notices 995 Fictitious Name Statement BAPTISTE POWER YOGA SILICON VALLEY FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No.: FBN649072 The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: Baptiste Power Yoga Silicon Valley, located at 2190 W. Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by: A Limited Liability Company. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is(are): VIBE YOGA LLC 1386 Dana Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94301 Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above. This statement was filed with the County Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on December 6, 2018. (PAW Dec. 14, 21, 28, 2018; Jan. 4, 2019) CERNA GROUP OF MARCUS AND MILLICHAP FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No.: FBN649262 The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as: Cerna Group of Marcus and Millichap, located at 84 West Santa Clara St., Suite 680, San Jose, CA 95113, Santa Clara County. This business is owned by: An Individual. The name and residence address of the registrant(s) is(are): EDUARDO CERNA 84 West Santa Clara St., Suite 680 San Jose, CA 95113 Registrant began transacting business under the fictitious business name(s) listed above on 12/11/2018. This statement was filed with the County Clerk-Recorder of Santa Clara County on December 11, 2018. (PAW Dec. 14, 21, 28, 2018; Jan. 4, 2019)
997 All Other Legals NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: JOHN H. WHARTON CASE NO. 18PR184946 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of JOHN H. WHARTON. A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by ROBERT WHARTON in the Superior Court of California, County of SANTA CLARA. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests
that ROBERT WHARTON be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act . (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 03/04/19 at 9:00AM in Dept. 13 located at 191 NORTH FIRST ST., SAN JOSE, CA 95113 IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner JANET L. BREWER - SBN 074181 LAW OFFICE OF JANET L. BREWER 2501 PARK BLVD. SUITE 100 PALO ALTO CA 94306 12/21, 12/28/18, 1/4/19 CNS-3202970# PALO ALTO WEEKLY
Call Alicia Santillan at 650-223-6578 or email asantillan@paweekly.com for assistance with your legal advertising needs.
www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • January 4, 2019 • Page 19
JANUARY 2019
A monthly special section of news
& information for seniors
Hot lunch program to resume downtown service LA COMIDA LOOKS TO BRING MEALS TO MASONIC CENTER THIS MONTH by Chris Kenrick
T
he senior hot lunch program La Comida is expanding into a temporary, trial location in downtown Palo Alto this year as the nonprofit continues its search for a long-term home. Program operators said the nonprofit will start catering hot lunches in the dining room of the Palo Alto Masonic Center on Florence Street sometime this month while maintaining its kitchen and dining room at the southern end of town, where it now serves about 140 lunches a day in the senior apartment complex Stevenson House on Charleston Road. The lunches — open to anyone 60 and older, regardless of residence or income — have become a vibrant social hub for many older adults. A recent Hanukkah lunch, featuring latkes and brisket, drew nearly 180 patrons, and a “holiday party” lunch of rib roast drew almost 200. Lunch-goers are asked to contribute (if they are able) $3 per meal — only a fraction of the real $8-$10 cost, according to
La Comida Manager Mary Ruth Batchelder. The program is additionally supported by private donations, the city of Palo Alto and state and federal funding administered through Santa Clara County. “The food is really great and the people are great,” said Pete Way of Sunnyvale during a lunch in mid-December at Stevenson House. Way, a retired engineering contractor, was deep in conversation with Palo Alto resident Henry Thielmann. The two had hit upon the fact that, during their careers, they both had done contract work for NASA. “It’s good conversation,” Way said. “As you get older, pretty soon you don’t have anybody your age. I’m 80 years old. Everybody’s working and you don’t have the chance to communicate. I love to sit and talk to these people — we’ve got a lot of stuff to talk about.” Though serving at Stevenson House for the past 15 months, the 46-year-old La Comida program has been without a permanent home since being displaced
in 2017 from the Avenidas senior center on Bryant Street, which is now undergoing redevelopment. (While co-located for decades, La Comida and Avenidas have always been separate entities.) It moved to Stevenson House in September 2017 under a one-year agreement and continues to operate there. “When we were downtown, people would say, ‘When are you going to serve south Palo Alto? We need something for south Palo Alto,’” Batchelder said. “And now, here we are, and sure enough it panned out. A lot of folks do come from this side of town, and we’re not surprised.” Because the service area is smaller at Stevenson House, staff and volunteers must quickly clear and re-set tables for a second seating. On a recent Wednesday the bustling dining room was filled to capacity with 12 tables and 70 place settings. Volunteer August Mozart tapped out jazzy background tunes on a grand piano in the corner. The south Palo Alto location has attracted new patrons, Batchelder said, and some people who ate at the Avenidas site continue to attend as well. “The crosstown shuttle has been a great service for our
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Page 20 • January 4, 2019 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
Diners at La Comida share a laugh as they eat lunch at the Stevenson House dining room on Dec. 31, 2018. clientele because it runs directly from downtown to Stevenson House,” Batchelder said. For the temporary trial service downtown, meals will be prepared in the Stevenson House kitchen, transported and served hot at the downtown location. The group currently is seeking new volunteers to help with daily setup in the Masonic Center, which will typically take about two hours, she added. Volunteers can work as few as one lunch shift a week, occasional Saturday evenings or as many as five days a week. It’s very flexible, she said. Longtime volunteer Bill Blodgett of Menlo Park comes twice a week. “You can’t help but get kind of attached to the seniors, seeing them day in and day out and watching them grow and change,” said Blodgett, a retiree from HP whose wife and college-age daughters also sometimes help out. “Obviously we primarily serve meals, but we think that’s almost kind of secondary to the social interaction that goes on. It’s just heartwarming to see so many people coming together, enjoying themselves and obviously interacting. And there’s also a lot of camaraderie among the volunteers.”
Volunteer coordinator Ingrid Lai of Palo Alto began volunteering herself after going through her father’s calendar-diary when he died in 2012. “I looked through it and found that when he was alive, he went to La Comida for lunch very frequently,” she said. “He’d write, ‘I met a nice person today’ or ‘They gave me an apple, and I brought it home for a snack.’ It brought me to tears.” Lai is now a full-time volunteer, dividing her time among La Comida (three times a week), Escondido School, Momentum for Mental Health and the Rose Kleiner Center adult day care program. “I really enjoy it, and I thank God for giving me this time where I can help people,” she said. Michael Stillger, president of the Palo Alto Masonic Temple Association, said providing low-cost space to La Comida is one of several charitable projects of his group, which also includes support for education in East Palo Alto through a partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula. Q More information about La Comida is available at lacomida.org. Contributing Writer Chris Kenrick can be emailed at ckenrick@paweekly.com.
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JANUARY 2019
Calendar of Events
Please note: @ Avenidas is now “Avenidas @ CCC”Cubberley Community Center, Building I-2, 4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. Jan 1 Avenidas closed. Happy New Year! Jan 2 Current Events, 1-2:30pm – every Wednesday, Avenidas @ CCC. Try your first meeting free! Call 650-289-5400 for more info. Jan 3 Curiosity Club in Avenidas Generation Lab. Test, evaluate and discuss tech products, 2-3pm, Avenidas @ CCC. Call 650-289-5409 for more info. Free, drop-in. Jan 4 Try it Free! Magic in Motion: Dancebased, seated core fitness class, 10-11am, Avenidas @ CCC. Call 650-289-5400 for more info. Jan 7 Caregiver Support Group, 11:30am-1pm – every Monday @ Sunrise Palo Alto, 2701 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. Call Paula 650-289-5438 for more info. Drop-in, free. Jan 8 Avenidas Village Coffee Chat, 2pm, Avenidas @ CCC. Space is limited. RSVP required. Call 650-289-5405. Free. Jan 9 CHP Age Well, Drive Smart Driver Safety Course, 9am-1pm, Avenidas @ CCC. Space is limited. Pre-registration required. Call 650-289-5400. Free. Presentation: “How Mind-Body Practice Supports Wellness” by Jido Lee Ferguson, 3:30-4:45pm, Avenidas @ CCC. Call 650-289-5400 to pre-register. Free.
Jan 10 Avenidas Hikers – every Thursday, 10am. Email Mark.Alguard@gmail.com for trailhead or full schedule information. 0/$5 Jan 11 Ukulele Fun – Beginner Workshop (3week course), 11:30am-12:30pm. Loaner ukes available for deposit. Pre-registration required. Call 650-2895400. $40/$50
Jan 22 Presentation: “Cyber-Security: The Do’s and Don’ts of Being Online” by Eric Gee, 10-11:30am, Avenidas @ CCC. Call 650-2895400 to register. $10/$15 Jan 23 Blood Pressure Screening, 9:30-10:30am, Senior Friendship Day @ CCC, Building M. Drop-in, free.
Jan 14 UNA Film Festival: Genghis Blues, 3-4:30pm @ Channing House. Drop-in, free.
Jan 24 Book Club – The President’s Hat by Antoine Laurain, 2;30-4pm, Avenidas @ CCC. Drop-in, free.
Jan 15 Lecture: “The Maverick President (not who you think)” by Phil Lumish, 1:30-3pm, Avenidas @ CCC. A discussion about Andrew Jackson. Call 650-289-5400 to preregister. Free.
Jan 25 Social Bridge – every Friday, 1-4pm, Avenidas @ CCC. Call 650-289-5436 for more info. Drop-in, free.
Jan 16 Mindfulness Meditation – every Wednesday, 2:30-3:30pm, Avenidas @ CCC. Drop-in, free. Jan 17 Musical Jam Session, 2-4pm, Avenidas @ CCC, Room M4. Bring your uke, harmonica, voice or acoustic instrument. Drop-in, $3. Jan 18 Tuina class – every Friday, 10-11:30am, Avenidas @ CCC. Drop-in, free. Jan 21 Avenidas closed – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Jan 28 Senior Adult Legal Assistance, appts available for Santa Clara County residents age 60+. Call 650-289-5400 for appt. Free. Jan 29 Avenidas Walkers, 10am – every Tuesday. Call 650-387-5256 for trailhead info or to schedule. Free. Jan 30 Avenidas Blooms recycled flower program meets. Email Sharon @ shudak@avenidas.org for more information or volunteer opportunities. Jan 31 Movie: Strange Weather, 1:30-4pm, Avenidas @ CCC. $0/$2 includes popcorn. Get ticket at front desk.
www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • January 4, 2019 • Page 21
Living Well
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IMMIGRANTS’ ‘RIDE’ ... “The Long Ride,� a documentary about the 2003 journey of more than 100 immigrant workers from Northern California to Washington, D.C., will be shown Tuesday, Jan. 8, at 1 p.m. in the Schultz Cultural Arts Hall of the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto. After sharing the film, director Valerie Lapin Ganley, will take questions from the audience. Cost is $15 at the door, no reservations needed. For more information, contact Michelle Rosengaus at 650 223-8616 or mrosengaus@paloaltojcc.org. THURSDAY HIKERS ... The Avenidas Walkers are a group of senior walkers/hikers who meet Thursdays for hikes of about 2.5 miles to 5 miles. For trailhead and schedule information, contact Mark Alguard at mark.alguard@gmail. com. U.N. FILM FESTIVAL ... The 2001 documentary “Ralph Bunche: An American Odyssey� will be shown Wednesday, Jan. 9, at 1:30 p.m. at Little House Senior Center, 800 Middle Ave., Menlo Park. Narrated by Sidney Poitier, the film is the story of AfricanAmerican scholar and statesman Ralph Bunche, who was the first person of color to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950. The free screening is part of the United Nations Association Film Festival for Seniors. STAGED READING ... Physician, professor and author Ron Rosenfeld will present a staged reading of his 2004 play “Helios� Tuesday, Jan. 15, at 1 p.m. in the Schultz Cultural Arts Hall of the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center. “Helios� is the
story of Eadweard Muybridge, a pioneering 19th-century photographer who was hired by Leland Stanford to settle a wager as to whether a galloping horse ever has all four feet off the ground at once. $15. For more information contact Michelle Rosengaus at 650 223-8616 or mrosengaus@paloaltojcc. org. MUSIC AT NOON ... The musical trio Celtic Sands, who collectively play harp, twin fiddles, guitar, piano, Irish whistle, wooden flute and Irish frame drum , will perform Tuesday, Jan. 22, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Schultz Cultural Arts Hall of the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center. Hot buffet lunch before concert. $20. Early admittance at 11:40 a.m. for those who RSVP by Jan. 20. RSVP to Michelle Rosengaus at 650 223-8616 or mrosengaus@paloaltojcc.org. FOOD TRADITIONS ... Culinary historian Erica Peters will discuss the vibrant history of San Francisco’s immigrant foodways Tuesday, Jan. 29, at 1 p.m. in Room E-104 of the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center. Peters is the author of “San Francisco: A Food Biography.� $15. For more information, contact Michelle Rosengaus at 650 223-8616 or mrosengaus@paloaltojcc.org. ESSAY CONTEST ... The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America invites high school seniors to submit essays describing how Alzheimer’s disease has affected their lives. The grand prize is a $5,000 college scholarship. For details go to alzfdn.org and click on “Teen Scholarship Essay Contest.�
Items for Senior Focus may be emailed to Palo Alto Weekly Contributing Writer Chris Kenrick at ckenrick@paweekly.com.
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SCHEDULE A COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION TO HEAR WHAT A DIFFERENCE WE CAN MAKE IN YOUR LIFE Page 22 • January 4, 2019 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
Home&Real Estate
OPEN HOME GUIDE 25 Also online at PaloAltoOnline.com
A weekly guide to home, garden and real estate news, edited by Elizabeth Lorenz
NO MORE BROKEN STUFF ... Got broken stuff? Work with volunteers at the nonprofit Repair Cafe Palo Alto to get your items working again. Dedicated to diverting items from going into the landfill, the volunteer-run organization works with residents to repair and reuse household items, such as small appliances. Residents can bring their items to the Repair Cafe’s next repair event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 27, at the Museum of American Heritage, 351 Homer Ave., Palo Alto. BACKYARD FRUIT TREES ... Want to plant a fruit tree or already have one? Learn what to consider before purchasing one as well as how to keep fruit trees healthy at the UC Master Gardener program’s “Backyard Fruit Tree Basics” class from 7-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 30, in the Orchard Room at the Los Altos Library, 13 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos. UC Master Gardener Kalpana Jain will lead the free class. She will discuss the various types of fruit trees, good planting locations, pruning, fertilizing and watering, frost protection, and identifying and managing pests and diseases. For more information, go to mgsantaclara.ucanr.edu.
Send notices of news and events related to real estate, interior design, home improvement and gardening to Home Front, Palo Alto Weekly, P.O. Box 1610, Palo Alto, CA 94302, or email elorenz@ paweekly.com. Deadline is one week before publication.
READ MORE ONLINE
PaloAltoOnline.com
There are more real estate features online. Go to PaloAltoOnline.com/ real_estate.
‘hygge’
Danish concept brings cozy atmosphere to local homes by Elizabeth Lorenz
W
hen you ask someone from Scandinavia, Germany or The Netherlands about the concept of “hygge,” their voice lightens, their eyes light up and they smile knowingly. When asked to define the term, it takes them a while to articulate it, since it’s almost instinctual. The concept, pronounced “hoo-gah,” is not coincidentally similar to the English word hug. It is an old European concept, but fairly new to the U.S., lately being capitalized upon by home decor brands such as Wayfair, Crate & Barrel and even Rachael Ray. Chunky knit or faux fur blankets, rugs and plush pillows can be found under the hygge tab. “The Danish have championed hygge since the 1800s, and the rest of us are finally catching on to the magic of embracing the cozy mindset, especially during the winter months,” said Vicki Lang, director of public relations and community affairs for Crate & Barrel, which has a store at Stanford Shopping Center. Lang said the company aims to use the concept to inspire consumers to buy a bit of hygge for themselves. “Hygge emphasizes enjoying the simple pleasures of life, so when creating hygge-inspired decor we focus on products that set the stage for a cozy night in,” Lang said, pointing to examples like soft throws, plush pillows and soft sheepskin rugs. Hygge also inspires entertaining, she said, with “hearty one-dish meals served in your favorite Dutch oven ... and lots of candlelight.” Palo Alto resident Anneke Dempsey, who is Dutch, would agree about the “night in” part, but the rest, she said, is about “atmosphere.” Her word for hygge would be the Dutch “Gezelligheid,” and the German word is “Gemuetlichkeit.” Dempsey demonstrated the concept in her own home, lighting candles, turning on her fireplace, putting on warmly lit wall sconces and baking an almond tart, the aroma floating throughout her home. “I think what you see is atmosphere,” she said, “where people feel comfortable and totally at home ... people being with each other in good spirit.” She said growing up in Holland, the days wouldn’t start until 9:30 in the morning in winter, and the northern latitude meant shivering cold. Riding home from school on her bicycle in the cold, she would see her house, always a warm place to come home to, be together with family and eat warm food. “You don’t have to be rich to have hygge,” she said. “It has to do with wanting to spend time together in a comfortable setting.” For some, this could extend outdoors. Palo Alto Realtor Dulcy Freeman, who stages many
“Hygge,” the Danish decorating concept that emphasizes enjoying the simple pleasures of life, can be created with chunky knit or faux fur blankets, plush pillows, soft sheepskin rugs or just about anything else that sets the stage for a cozy night in.
homes to get them ready to sell, said hygge comes up in her work “when having exterior patios and little nook areas staged,” especially in homes with wide, open floor plans. Mountain View interior designer Susan Bacchi said the concept may extend beyond Scandinavia, to include the de-cluttered aspects of midcentury-modern furniture design and the Japanese concept of Zen for creating a “calm and pleasant” environment. The idea, she said, is “helping people to live in their home and love where they’re living.” It may not be a coincidence that for several consecutive years, Scandinavian countries, including Denmark and Finland, have ranked among the Top 3 happiest countries in the world, according to the World Happiness Report released annually by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Solutions Network. “I think when discovering hygge, customers are drawn to it because it helps them create a spirit of simple warmth and welcome throughout their home,” Lang said. Dempsey agrees. “For us, it was coming home where it was warm and safe,” she said. Now in her own Bryant Street home, some of that safe feeling comes
Courtesy Crate & Barre
NEW YEAR TASKS ... With the arrival of the new year, Realtor.com is offering some seasonal home-maintenance tips. First, handle the holiday cleanup: Take down lights and wrap them around a hanger or wrapping paper tube to prevent tangling. Instead of throwing away holiday cards or tucking them away never to be seen again, recycle them into gift tags for next year. Second, do an early spring cleaning: If you’ve ever considered hiring house cleaners, now’s the time. Focus on those filthy places that people don’t see but you know are there, including the range hood and grills, refrigerator coils, tops of ceiling fans, dusty light fixtures and bulbs (make sure lights are off before dusting), and heating vents.
How to
Courtesy Crate & Barre
Home Front
from the smells of cooking. “I like making strong chicken stock with a bouquet garni and making fresh banana bread,” she said, closing her eyes and breathing a contented sigh. Dempsey’s close friend, former Palo Altan Kirsten Harbott, who is Danish, said it isn’t about what you buy, but how you use what you have. “(Hygge) is a difficult thing to describe as it is so nebulous ... It is being with friends and family, maybe on a winter’s evening, with the rain pouring outside the drawn curtains, the fire lit, many candles burning. “It is feeling safe and secure with the people around you. It is pulling on a big woolly pair of socks and not worrying about what you look like.” Then she painted a word picture: “I remember evenings as a child sitting in our living room with the stove lit and the door open so we could see the flames and my father reading aloud from Victor Hugo — this in the days before we had television — and us listening avidly. That was hyggeligt.” Q Elizabeth Lorenz is the Home and Real Estate Editor at the Palo Alto Weekly. She can be reached at elorenz@paweekly.com.
www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • January 4, 2019 • Page 23
1 1 5 5 C H A N N I N G AV E , PA L O A LT O Wonderful 5 Beds, 3 Baths Home in Desirable Community Center HIGHLIGHTS
• Huge master suite with walk in closet & remodeled bathroom • Spacious, bright living room w/ skylight • Formal dining room • Beautiful hardwood floors downstairs & carpeting upstairs • Central heat & air conditioning • Fenced front & backyard space - great for entertaining
W O N D E R F U L L O C AT I O N
• Walking distance to schools and parks • Located in desirable Community center neighborhood • Excellent Palo Alto Schools; Duveneck Elementary, Greene (formerly Jordan) & Palo Alto High
2 3 4 4 W E B S T E R S T R E E T, PA L O A LT O Light and Bright 5 Beds, 3.5 Baths Home in Old Palo Alto HIGHLIGHTS
• Spacious master suite w/ private balcony & his/her closet space • 3 bedrooms located upstairs & 2 bedrooms downstairs • Big living room w/ fireplace & large window overlooking tree lined street • Updated kitchen with stainless steel appliances, island & built in kitchenette • Bonus room- perfect for office or study • Fenced backyard • Central heat & air conditioning
W O N D E R F U L L O C AT I O N
• Located in prime Old Palo Alto neighborhood • Excellent schools: Walter Hays Elementary, Jordan Middle & Palo Alto High Midtown Realty, Inc. License #01900986 • 2775 Middlefield Road • Phone: 650.321.1596 • midtownmanagement.com
Joann Weber Property Manager/Realtor DRE#01896750 joann@midtownpaloalto.com Page 24 • January 4, 2019 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
Rosemary Prince-Handa Property Manager/Realtor DRE#01969632 rosemary@midtownpaloalto.com
PALO ALTO WEEKLY OPEN HOMES EXPLORE REAL ESTATE HEADLINES, NEIGHBORHOOD GUIDES, MAPS AND PRIOR SALE INFO ON www.PaloAltoOnline.com/real_estate
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Employment TECHNOLOGY Workday, Inc. has a Staff Software Engineer JAVA/API position available in Palo Alto, CA: Responsible for creating a new set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) in Java that leverages the best available technology to provide support for data integration into our suite of products. Submit resume by mail to: Workday, Inc., Attn: Human Resources/ Immigration, 5928 Stoneridge Mall Road, Pleasanton, CA 94588. Must reference job title and job code (FA-CA).
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Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation Donations Total Nearly $45,000 in 2018 The Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation donated $44,665 in 2018 to different non-profit organizations that help homeless and low-income individuals and families in Silicon Valley. Funds this year also went to scholarships for graduating seniors from public high schools in the region. The Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation is a trust which makes grants available to organizations from donations by REALTORS® and affiliate members of the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS®. In addition to voluntary contributions from members, grants are funded by proceeds from the local trade association’s district fundraisers. “With our members’ continued support and contributions to the communities where they work and live, we are thankful that we are able to continue our commitment to the welfare and prosperity of these communities,” said Eileen Giorgi, president of the Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation. “ The 2018 grant recipients include Adolescent Counseling Services, which provides a network of skilled family therapists and support groups for teens and young adults in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties; East Palo Alto Kids Foundation, which promotes educational opportunities for students in East Palo Alto and eastern Menlo Park; Westwind 4-H Riding for the Handicapped, which provides children with disabilities the opportunity to have fun while improving their coordination and strengthening
their muscles; Youth Community Service, which provides service learning and leadership activities to underserved students in East Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Palo Alto; and Community Services Agency, which provides social services, such as emergency one-time rent and utility financial support, vouchers for clothing, eyeglasses, school supplies, food and more for residents of Mountain View, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills. In 2018, the Charitable Foundation Scholars Program presented a $1,000 grant to each of 18 graduating seniors from public high schools in Silicon Valley. The foundation has been assisting students with the scholarship grants for the past 19 years, awarding a total of $342,000 in scholarships to date. The Charitable Foundation also supports further education for U.S. veterans. This year, The John Tripp Silicon Valley REALTORS® Scholarship granted its second $500 award to veterans enrolled at Foothill and DeAnza colleges. In 2016, the foundation presented $25,000 to FoothillDe Anza Foundation, an auxiliary organization of the Foothill-De Anza Community Colleges District for the creation of the endowment. The late John Tripp was a veteran of the Korean War and past president of SILVAR and the Silicon Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation. *** Information provided in this column is presented by the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS®. Send questions to Rose Meily at rmeily@silvar.org.
www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • January 4, 2019 • Page 25
Sports Shorts
likely be necessary for Gunn to be successful this season as the team is young and inexperienced and has not played a very demanding non-league schedule. Evan Dray, a 6-5 senior, is the team leader in scoring and rebounding. Sophomore Julian Steinbrenner has shown promise as a zone-busting outside shooter. The Titans open league play at Los Altos on Friday at 7:45 p.m.
CARDINAL CORNER ... Stanford allowed the defense to take charge and it led to another football bowl victory, this one a crazy 1413 decision over Pittsburgh in Monday’s Hyundai Sun Bowl in El Paso. “Our defense gave up some yards but didn’t give up a bunch of touchdowns,” Stanford coach David Shaw said. The winning touchdown occurred early in the fourth quarter when Stanford quarterback K.J. Costello had the ball knocked loose trying to score from two yards out. Senior running back Cameron Scarlett caught the fumble in the end zone. “Just like we drew it up,” said Scarlett, who rushed for 94 yards. Stanford receiver Michael Wilson rushed for nine yards, in his only carry, for a first down that sealed the victory in the final two minutes. Costello, without five starting offensive players, passed for 105 yards, completing six of 17 attempts. JJ Arcega-Whiteside caught three passes for 90 yards.
ON THE AIR Friday College women’s basketball: USC at Stanford, 8 p.m., Pac-12 Networks College men’s volleyball: Menlo at Stanford, 7 p.m., Stanford Live Stream
Saturday College men’s volleyball: UC Santa Cruz at Stanford, 7 p.m., Stanford Live Stream
David Hickey
PLAYER OF THE WEEK ... Stanford senior Josh Sharma earned Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Player of the Week. It’s Sharma first career conference honor following a career-high 23 points and a career-best 18 rebounds in Stanford’s 93-86 victory over Long Beach State on Saturday night. He came off the bench, playing 28 minutes, finishing 10-of15 from the field with three dunks. The senior center had 12 offensive rebounds in the contest, and ranks sixth in the Pac-12 in offensive rebounding . . . Menlo College senior Destinee Bowie asserted her will in the 14th-ranked Oaks’ 83-72 victory over No. 12 Our Lady of the Lake on Sunday, making her an easy choice for Golden State Athletic Conference’s Women’s Basketball Player of the Week. Bowie scored 43 points and had 26 rebounds in Menlo’s two wins during the Peninsula Classic over the weekend.
Palo Alto sophomore guard Annika Shah has handled the bulk of the scoring for the Vikings thus far. Coach Scott Peters hopes to develop additional offensive weapons.
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
League challenges await Gunn, Paly Vikings look to three-peat in boys and girls by Glenn Reeves oth the Palo Alto boys and the Palo Alto girls basketball teams have the opportunity to three-peat as league champions. That endeavor gets underway on Friday when Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division play begins. The Palo Alto boys were clearly the cream of the crop last season, going 12-0 in league, becoming the first boys public school team to win a game in the Central Coast Section Open Division playoffs, and advancing to the NorCal Division I championship game. But that team is gone. An allsenior seven-man rotation has departed as well as head coach Peter Diepenbrock. Rodney Tention takes over as coach and the team is off to a 6-5 start in nonleague play. “We’re getting better,’’ Tention said. “We’re just not as consistent
B
Annika Shah
Wednesday College women’s squash: George Washington at Stanford, 4 p.m., Stanford Live Stream College men’s basketball: Arizona at Stanford, 8 p.m., Pac-12 Networks
Thursday
www.PASportsOnline.com For expanded daily coverage of college and prep sports, visit www.PASportsOnline.com
(continued on next page)
James Beckwith
PALO ALTO BASKETBALL
M-A BASKETBALL
The sophomore guard scored 91 points over a three-game stretch of the St. Francis Joe Schram Tournament over the weekend, helping the Vikings finish undefeated. Shah scored 37 points in the final game.
The senior guard averaged 14 points in four games this week, including 19 in the championship game of the Windsor Holiday Tournament, which the Bears won over the weekend. He added 15 rebounds.
Honorable mention Annika Decker Pinewood basketball
READ MORE ONLINE
said. “Mitty got a lot of second and third shots against us. Anthony Yu had 10 rebounds against Clayton Valley, but he’s not going to do that every night. We’ve got to get five rebounds from everybody.’’ Paly will be in the crosshairs of league opponents after the way the team dominated the last two seasons. For example, the Vikings beat Mountain View by 42 and by 27 in the two games they played a year ago. “We’ve talked about, we’re Palo Alto, everybody’s going to be up to play us,’’ Tention said. “We’re looking forward to it.’’ Gunn has won three division titles in the last five years, two in the El Camino and one in the De Anza. The Titans are back up in the De Anza this season and that’s the place coach Brandynn Williams, a Paly grad, wants them to stay. Rapid maturation, however, will
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Sunday College women’s basketball: UCLA at Stanford, 1 p.m., Pac-12 Networks College men’s basketball: Stanford at USC, 5 p.m., ESPNU
College men’s volleyball: Ball State at Stanford, 7 p.m., Stanford Live Stream
as I’d like.’’ The starting five includes two infrequently-used reserves from last season’s team -- Marvin Zou and Matthew Marzano -- and three players up from the frosh-soph. Mountain View (10-2), Los Altos (9-3) and Homestead (8-4), Paly’s opponent Friday in the league opener, are off to good starts. So is Cupertino (7-5) and Gunn (65), which is back in the De Anza after winning the El Camino Division title last season. Paly’s high point so far occurred in a 91-84 win over College Park in the opener of the Dougherty Valley Tournament, but the Vikings lost their next two games to Mitty and Clayton Valley. A lot of size as well as experience departed after last season and Tention has made improvement on the boards a priority. “We have to gang rebound,’’ he
SCVAL girls Palo Alto has won the last two and three of the last four De Anza Division titles. Like both the Palo Alto and Gunn boys, the Paly girls are a young team, mostly all freshmen and sophomores. The Vikings are off to a 7-2 start. Wilcox (10-2), Saratoga (93), Los Gatos (7-4) and Cupertino (7-5) are the other top teams in the division. “I think we can compete if we keep getting better,’’ Palo Alto coach Scott Peters said. “Every game will be a war.’’ Getting another league title, making it a three-peat is the team’s primary goal. “Our goal every year is to win league,’’ Peters said. “You have no control over the playoffs, where they put you. Winning league is something you have more control over, apples to apples.’’ Last season Annika Shah, as a freshman, shared the scoring load with senior Carly Leong. This season it’s been all Shah. She has provided more than 50 percent of the team’s scoring in numerous games. The emergence of complementary scoring will be a key for Paly as the season unfolds. Palo Alto opens De Anza Division play against Santa Clara at home on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Gunn coach Hamadah Sharif is in the middle of a difficult situation with only seven mostly inexperienced players on the roster. After a 1-20 ordeal last season the Titans are off to a 2-9 start and will begin El Camino Division play Friday at 6:15 p.m. at Los Altos. “We have two freshmen in the starting lineup along with a transfer from France,’’ Sharif said. “We had seven girls who tried out. It’s a tough one with all the private schools in the area.’’ Amber Fu, the one senior on the
Hannah Jump* Pinewood basketball
Malia Latu Menlo-Atherton basketball
Page 26 • January 4, 2019 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
Maeia Makoni Menlo basketball
Sharon Nejad Menlo basketball
Zoe Zaharias Sacred Heart Prep basketball
Brendan Carney Sacred Heart Prep basketball
Cole Kastner Menlo basketball
Matthew Marzano Palo Alto basketball
Watch video interviews of the Athletes of the Week, go to PASportsOnline.com
Justin Sellers Menlo basketball
Nick Tripaldi Menlo-Atherton basketball
Timothy Waymouth Gunn wrestling *Previous winner
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(continued from previous page)
team, is the leading scorer at 12 points per game. Freshman point guard Molly Kuelker averages 8 points per game. The Gunn girls do not play Palo Alto this season, a circumstance both coaches hope changes in the future. “It’s the first time in my 14 years at Paly that we won’t play Gunn,’’ Peters said. “Sometimes these cycles happen. Gunn is at a low point. I hope things turn around. The Paly-Gunn rivalry is one of the mainstays of the high school environment. Those games were so much fun.’’ “Hopefully we can get ourselves out of this and get back up in the De Anza,’’. Q
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS for the 40th Annual
Tall Tree Awards Nominations are due Friday, February 8, 2019 in the following categories:
Outstanding Business Outstanding Nonprofit Outstanding Citizen Volunteer Outstanding Professional or Business Person The Nomination Form is available at www.paloaltochamber.com
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Questions? Call 650-324-3121 or info@paloaltochamber.com www.PaloAltoOnline.com • Palo Alto Weekly • January 4, 2019 • Page 27
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©2018 Intero Real Estate Services Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate and a wholly owned subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc. All rights reserved. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. This is not intended as a solicitation if you are listed with another broker.
INTERO REAL ESTATE SERVICES MENLO PARK 930 SANTA CRUZ AVENUE Page 28 • January 4, 2019 • Palo Alto Weekly • www.PaloAltoOnline.com
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