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Watch world-premiere documentaries without leaving the Peninsula at the 25th annual United Nations Association Film Festival

Much has changed since the United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF) made its debut 25 years ago. But what hasn't changed is the festival's mission, which focuses on human rights issues — and the fact that many of those issues remain as timely and urgent as when the festival was founded.

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Pet portraits, mobile movie-making and ‘Small Gestures’: Palo Alto unveils 2022’s public art projects

The city of Palo Alto's 2022 ArtLift projects feature both visual and performing arts, with temporary artworks and installations, as well as pop-up and scheduled performances. And the projects offer more opportunities for the public to get involved.

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How to celebrate Earth Day around the 650

Earth Day offers the chance for the community to gather for the first time in two years to raise awareness about climate change and promote sustainability measures. 

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MLK weekend celebrations include service projects, ‘soundscapes’ and online performances and symposiums

While the recent surge in COVID cases has canceled many in-person Martin Luther King Jr. Day events again this year, local orgs are still offering a variety of (mostly virtual) events.

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Zoppe Circus next generation
How the Zoppé family built a Redwood City circus legacy
October 14, 2021
The sweet-scented legacy of Ah Sam: 88 years of fame, family and flowers
September 9, 2021
Live it up this Labor Day: 20 local events for the long holiday weekend on the Peninsula
September 2, 2021
Missing the playa this year? Get your Black Rock fix with “Burning Man: The Musical”
September 2, 2021
Stanford art professors and De Young Museum painters loom large in Palo Alto tapestry exhibition
August 12, 2021

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Recent Posts

  • Your advent event calendar: 24 days of holiday happenings around the Peninsula December 1, 2022
  • The nearly centurylong resilience of the Loma Mar Store & Kitchen December 1, 2022
  • Seven family-friendly holiday reads for storytime December 1, 2022
  • Six decades of football photography: Michael Zagaris talks fighting for access, the San Francisco 49ers’ deep Peninsula roots and his new photo book November 23, 2022
  • Silicon Valley’s next meat substitute is being grown in a Morgan Hill mushroom lab November 22, 2022

Popular Posts

Zoppe Circus next generation
How the Zoppé family built a Redwood City circus legacy
October 14, 2021
The sweet-scented legacy of Ah Sam: 88 years of fame, family and flowers
September 9, 2021
Live it up this Labor Day: 20 local events for the long holiday weekend on the Peninsula
September 2, 2021

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Once a lumber mill, then a post office, a dinner c Once a lumber mill, then a post office, a dinner club and a general store, the site that is now home to the Loma Mar Store & Kitchen has served as a gathering place for Coastside residents since the 1930s. Nestled among a redwood grove off the side of the winding Pescadero Creek Road lies a cozy cabin-like structure with wood shingles. On any given day at the Loma Mar Store & Kitchen, you might hear a local musician performing outside or witness a gathering of car fanatics bonding over coffee. Each new owner of the Loma Mar Store has been tasked with carrying on the existing legacy of previous owners while also changing the store’s purpose to accommodate local needs. Implementing these changes is often a sizable, yearslong undertaking involving major renovations and menu changes in order to make the store a relevant culinary destination on the coast. Click the link in bio to read the story from @stephanie.gerson. Photos by @devoroberts.
Buckle up: We’ve got your advent event calendar Buckle up: We’ve got your advent event calendar jam-packed with Christmas, Hanukkah and Las Posadas celebrations every day between now and Dec. 25. 🎄🕎🎁Click the link in bio for our guide. Photo courtesy Hometown Holidays.
When it comes to trends in the sustainable food mo When it comes to trends in the sustainable food movement, the elusive plant-based meat alternative is often presented as a buzzy panacea. Now, there’s a fungus-based meat alternative debuting on the market, making waves in Silicon Valley’s high-end kitchens. Called Mamu, the mushroom-based substance developed by Sempera Organics comes packaged like ground beef and has already made appearances at Palo Alto’s Ettan and is coming soon to Los Altos’ Little Blue Door and Sunnyvale’s Oxford Kitchen and Gastropub. Made from ground mushrooms grown on chickpeas and then treated to remove some of the mushroom flavor, Mamu is gluten- and allergen-free, according to Sempera Organics CEO Nirmal Nair. There’s no flavoring or salt. As plant-based options expand in part as a response to climate change, Mamu joins a market populated with existing brand-name meat alternatives produced by companies like Beyond Meat and Redwood City-based Impossible Foods that have partnered with restaurants and major chains nationwide. But it’s one of the few purveyors that has involved chefs in the tasting and testing process from the early stages, according to Ettan and Little Blue Door chef Srijith Gopinathan, chief culinary officer at Sempera Organics. Click the link in bio for @k8bradsh’s story. Photo courtesy Kelly Puleio.
By early 1972, after years of rock photography dur By early 1972, after years of rock photography during which he photographed musicians like the Rolling Stones, Janis Joplin and Peter Frampton, Michael Zagaris found himself missing sports. A football and baseball player in high school and college, he missed the locker room interactions and camaraderie of sports. He called the San Francisco 49ers’ PR director, passing himself off as “Michael Herbert, editor of Football Digest,” and told him the publication would be sending a young photographer named Michael Zagaris to cover the team. The ploy earned Zagaris a season field pass, and by 1979 he was approaching then-new 49ers head coach Bill Walsh at the team’s Redwood City practice and training complex with the idea to historically document the team through photographs and unlimited access. “I was very fortunate that Bill Walsh was named head coach and that he was not just an academic, but a historian and had a keen appreciation of history and imagery as history,” Zagaris told The Six Fifty. “There’s no way I would’ve had that access in Green Bay with Vince Lombardi.” That 49ers history and moments throughout six decades of NFL photography are on display in Zagaris’ new photo book, “Field of Play: 60 Years of NFL Photography” (with text by longtime sportswriter Steve Cassady). The Six Fifty spoke with Zagaris, who also works as the team photographer for the Oakland Athletics, in advance of his appearance at Books Inc. Palo Alto at 7 p.m. Nov. 30 with Tim Ryan, former NFL player and current radio analyst for the 49ers on KNBR 104.5/680. Click the link in bio to read the interview for Zagaris’ insights on fighting for access, the shot he wished he’d gotten and how the book came together. Photos by @michaelzagaris.
The San Francisco Peninsula’s coastline is studd The San Francisco Peninsula’s coastline is studded with breathtaking views, world-class surf breaks, wildflower-dappled hiking trails and charming seaside towns. In the last several years, though, it’s become notorious – at least among surfers, scientists and environmental activists – for having some of the most polluted beaches in all of California. The reasons why the Peninsula’s ocean beaches are so filthy are complicated, and few of the many experts we talked to for this story agreed on what exactly is happening in the water or on what can or should be done about it. But one thing they all agreed on is that the problem isn’t going away despite years of study, many thousands of volunteer hours and tons of pressure on regulators and politicians to fix it. To some extent the problem is invisible, even to swimmers and surfers who dive into it daily. The consequences of fecal pollution can manifest as ear, skin, eye and respiratory infections. Any frequent surfer you talk to will have a story of getting sick, usually if they ignored conventional wisdom and surfed shortly after it rained, but there is currently no mechanism for tracing these illnesses back to specific concentrations of pollution. What is obvious from speaking to experts is that a labyrinth of laws and government agencies, from local municipal utilities to the federal EPA, has sometimes served to stymie accountability and delay action instead of facilitating them. Click the link in bio to read the story from @pcbeller and @k8bradsh. Photo by Charles Russo.
For those looking to watch World Cup games in a pu For those looking to watch World Cup games in a pub with fellow fans to those looking for an excuse to duck out of a family-filled house over Thanksgiving weekend, we’ve put together a running list of Peninsula bars and restaurants where you can watch the World Cup. Grab a friend, find your vuvuzela (OK, maybe leave that at home for patrons’ sake) and get ready for some football. Head to the link in bio for the list. Photos by Katie Brigham, Vivian Wong and Michelle Le.
While online shopping for gifts over the holidays While online shopping for gifts over the holidays has become the go-to choice for many, there’s an indistinguishable spark that arises when you spot that perfect present or snag the last available must-have gift of the season off the shelf. Throw in some holiday activities like wreath-making, dancing and ice skating to make shopping an outing to remember at these Peninsula holiday fairs, craft boutiques and other seasonal events. These one-time events often feature one-of-a-kind wares, from food and clothing to artwork, toys and home decor. Click the link in bio for our guide to 16 happening around the Peninsula starting this weekend. Photo by Rich Yee.
In @k8bradsh’s family, Thanksgiving pies are a b In @k8bradsh’s family, Thanksgiving pies are a big deal. They go all-out, baking her grandma’s pie crust recipe days in advance, blending an ungodly amount of Crisco into the dough before rolling it out, shaping it and baking it. But the baking process is onerous (the crust dough has to be chilled for how many hours?!), and with so many top-notch pie places and bakeries nearby, it’s a great opportunity to impress friends and family and save some time by showing off your good taste rather than your baking prowess. Whether you’re looking for a tried-and-true classic, a gluten-free or vegan option or even a five-flavor flight of mini pies, there’s a pie on the Peninsula to meet your needs. Click the link in bio for our guide to 12 different spots offering locally made Thanksgiving pies filled with everything from sweet potatoes to chocolate cream. Photos courtesy @engagingaesthetics, @fishwifesweets and @thevillagebake.
A lighthouse that has stood sentinel over San Mate A lighthouse that has stood sentinel over San Mateo County’s rugged coast since the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant is turning 150 this month, a milestone anniversary that will be recognized at a celebration this weekend. The 115-foot tall Pigeon Point Lighthouse in Pescadero – among the tallest lighthouses in the U.S. – has overseen some of the biggest commercial shifts in American life over the past century and a half, and the dangerous waters it watches over have pulled no shortage of mariners to their deaths. Today, it’s a historic site that attracts visitors from around the world who stay at the hostel on the property, but it’s also a landmark in need of repairs, which are finally on the way thanks to recent funding. Read @k8bradsh’s story on Pigeon Point Lighthouse’s fascinating history and tomorrow’s @castateparks celebration at the link in bio. Photos by @devoroberts.
With multiple exhibitions now open and a symposium With multiple exhibitions now open and a symposium planned for the end of the month, Stanford’s interdisciplinary Asian American Art Initiative (AAAI) aims to make the university a major center for the study of Asian American art. Visitors to the Cantor Arts Center can view the initiative’s first three exhibitions: “The Faces of Ruth Asawa,” which opened in July and will be on display indefinitely; “At Home/On Stage: Asian American Representation in Photography and Film,” which runs through Jan. 15; and “East of the Pacific: Making Histories of Asian American Art,” on display until Feb. 12. Full story at link in bio. Words by @karlajkane, photos courtesy @cantorarts.
For some, having a large blank wall in a home migh For some, having a large blank wall in a home might be soothing, but others feel the need to fill such spaces with a showstopper like original art, or maybe a gallery wall or a beautiful piece of furniture. But what about a wall of…plants? Vertical gardens, essentially landscapes installed on walls with watering systems built in, were once rarely found outside of larger corporate and public building spaces like Google, Symantec or Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. Over the past few years, that’s changed as more and more residents have started installing “living walls” in their homes. Full story at link in bio.
Gary Steinberg was a serious trumpet player in hig Gary Steinberg was a serious trumpet player in high school, where his orchestral band was the best in the state. He minored in music at Yale University, spent three months after graduation intensively studying music at an institute in Switzerland, and kept up playing through the middle of his medical residency at Stanford University. As family and career obligations increased, though, he focused on other things, including serving as the longtime chair of Stanford’s department of neurosurgery and leading the Stanford Stroke Center. But recently, after decades, he picked the trumpet back up, making music a part of his daily life again despite his very busy schedule. And he’s not alone. Steinberg is now a member of the Stanford Medicine Orchestra, which, alongside the Stanford Medicine Chorus, gives around 80 Stanford Medicine faculty, staff, students and affiliates the opportunity to make music together each week. The groups will perform an inaugural concert at Bing Concert Hall on Nov. 9. Full story at link in bio.
There are about 25 breweries in San Mateo and Sant There are about 25 breweries in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and, as of last month, zero hard cider makers. Sunnyvale’s Red Branch Cider Company (@redbranchcider), San Carlos’ Redwood Coast Cider (@redwoodcoastcider) and South San Francisco’s South City Cider (@southcitycider) have all shuttered recently. While many businesses have faced a hard times, a unique confluence of bad luck and challenging policies have hit these three cideries hard, pushing them to halt or relocate operations, leaving the Peninsula bereft of local makers of the apple-based alcoholic beverage. Full story at link in bio.
Twelve years after a Sunnyvale woman first decided Twelve years after a Sunnyvale woman first decided to bake a few birthday cakes for a Los Altos nonprofit serving kids in foster care, Cake4Kids, now a national nonprofit, delivered its 40,000th cake to a youth in need this year. It all started when Libby Gruender, a former program manager for satellite launches at Lockheed Martin, read an article in 2010 about a little girl in foster care whose foster mother made her a birthday cake. The girl burst into tears, and so the foster mother apologized, thinking she’d somehow hurt her feelings. But the girl told her she was crying because she’d never had a birthday cake before. While that family was based in the Midwest, Gruender suspected there might be children in foster care in and around Sunnyvale who hadn’t had birthday cakes. She had recently been diagnosed with melanoma and had decided to leave working in tech. She and a group of friends partnered with a foster care agency in Los Altos to bake cakes for the children it served, and the nonprofit effort expanded into Cake4Kids. Gruender died of melanoma in 2013, but the organization she started lives on, inviting volunteers to bake personalized desserts for underserved kids in 21 regions nationwide. Click the link in bio to read the story from @k8bradsh and find out how you can get involved as a volunteer baker. Photos courtesy @cake4kids
🎉Today we hit 1,000 Instagram posts, a mileston 🎉Today we hit 1,000 Instagram posts, a milestone reached through posting hundreds of stories about life on the Peninsula. Thank you to everyone who’s read, liked and shared our stories and posts and subscribed to our weekly newsletter! If you’re not signed up for our newsletter, we can fix that — click the link in bio to visit our website and subscribe.
For years, Redwood City resident VC Tang balanced For years, Redwood City resident VC Tang balanced nonprofit work with her passion for cooking Thai comfort food at home. When the pandemic hit, she found herself cooking more and wanting to do something to combat the rise of anti-Asian hate she was seeing in the community. She was also inspired by the elders she’d gotten to know as a tai chi practitioner and member of her Thai temple community, many of whom were remarkably adept at soldiering on with their daily lives. So she turned to the kitchen. The experience has inspired the publication of VC’s cookbook memoir “Come Eat, Grandma! Recipes and Stories of Thai Home Cooking.” To launch her book, she’s hosting a book signing and party at the @theparkjames in Menlo Park on Sunday, with a reception sponsored by @thaifarmhouse. Click the link in bio to read the story from @k8bradsh. Photos by @itsmagalig.
Gather your family and friends and join the @mvvoi Gather your family and friends and join the @mvvoice at the city of Mountain View's annual Monster Bash for some Halloween fun! Free and open to the public on Saturday, October 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Rengstorff Park. Don’t forget to wear your favorite costume and visit their booth for some free candy! 🎃🍬🍭👻
Emil DeAndreis, a born-and-raised San Franciscan, Emil DeAndreis, a born-and-raised San Franciscan, isn’t a typical writer. For starters, he says he does a lot of writing during his day job as a substitute teacher in San Francisco public schools (he’s also an English professor at College of San Mateo). He began teaching and writing after seeing his dreams of becoming a professional pitcher fall apart following a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis — the subject of his previous book, a memoir called “Hard to Grip.” His latest novel, “Tell Us When To Go,” follows two friends and Fresno State baseball teammates — Cole Gallegos and Isaac Moss — as they navigate San Francisco and Silicon Valley in 2010 and 2011. Gallegos, a top-ranked pitcher from San Francisco, gets the yips (a sudden inability to throw the ball accurately) and drops out, while Moss, a benchwarmer, has already graduated. The two move together to San Francisco’s Sunset neighborhood and land their first post-college jobs: Moss as a contract worker at a tech company called “GO,” similar to Google Maps, and Gallegos as an aide in a special education classroom in the San Francisco Unified School District. The novel follows their character arcs as Moss looks to snag a full-time tech job and Gallegos works to support Dizzy, a struggling student he’s been assigned to work with. We spoke with DeAndreis about witnessing how the tech boom has changed the Bay Area as a San Francisco native, how his teaching career influences his writing and the writing lessons he tries to pass on to his students. Click the link in bio to read the Q&A with @k8bradsh. Photos courtesy @emildeandreis.
Much has changed since the United Nations Associat Much has changed since the United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF) made its debut 25 years ago. The documentary festival has nearly quadrupled in size, growing from three days of screenings to 11. And now, the festival not only hosts screenings around the Peninsula, but it also takes some of its offerings on the road to national and international destinations throughout the year. The festival’s jury, which selects the films, has grown as submissions have steadily increased. What hasn’t changed is the festival’s mission, which focuses on human rights issues — and the fact that many of those issues remain as timely and urgent as when the festival was founded. The 25th anniversary UNAFF, which has the theme “Reflections,” takes place in person Oct. 20-30 at venues in Palo Alto, Stanford University and East Palo Alto. This year’s festival will screen 60 films from around the world and include six panel discussions. Among the films will be four world premieres and a dozen U.S. premieres. Click the link in bio to read the story. Photo from the documentary “A Decent Home” courtesy UNAFF.
Brewery bashes, pumpkin-carving shindigs, costume Brewery bashes, pumpkin-carving shindigs, costume parties and spooky movie nights: It’s Halloween in the 650. Celebrate all month long with our comprehensive event guide. Click the link in bio for details. Photo by Natalia Nazarova.
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