bay area kids oct/nov issue

ONLINE EDITION

Sally and Caden protecting the

universe, starting with Chabot Space and

Science Center

OCT/NOV 2009 $3.95w w w. b a k i d s m a g a z i n e . c o m

A M O D E R N R E S O u R C M I L I E S

ALSOINTHISISSUE:

pumpkin farmsfast fashionscake wrecks

and more!

11

Far Out! inspirational styles for interplanetary travel(or just going to school)

PLUS» Storyteller Kirk Waller» Fun in the sun in San Diego» Of garlic and vampires» Cake Wrecks» Yoshi’s restaurant

ONLINE EDITION Memory/Comprehension

LearningIs your child struggling in school? Has tutoring failed your child? 80% of smart kids who struggle in school have one or more cognitive skill deficits that

tutoring cannot fix. Our neurocognitive training program, developed over 16 years of clinical trials and applications, has proven to be successful for over 14,000 kids. Based on CSU Northridge data, gains of at least 3 years can be seen in as little as 6 months. Unlike tutoring, we address the core issues so that your child can learn. Results are lasting – and guaranteed!

ADD/ADHD

AttentionDoes your child watch TV or play video games for hours, but does he have trouble completing a page of homework? ADD and ADHD are often misunderstood because 80% of children who have ADD are not hyperactive and can focus for hours on things they like to do.

Most doctors are quick to diagnose ADD/ADHD and prescribe medications, but these diagnoses are often wrong and there are better, non-medication options available.

Our interventions, developed at NASA, UCLA, UCSF, among other prestigious institutions, are safe, non-invasive, fun and drug-free. They have been proven to be just as effective as medication(s) with sustained, long-term results – and without negative side effects. Results are lasting – and guaranteed!

$495500*

Cost Includes:Pre- and Post-Assessment +

40 Hours’ Training

$269500*

Dyslexia

ReadingDid you know that as many as 15% of school children are affected by dyslexia? Your child may be bright and eager to succeed; yet, despite his or her best efforts, struggles to master age-appropriate tasks and falls behind in school. Dyslexia is not simply exhibited by an inversion of letters and numbers. Reversing “Ps and Qs” and “6s and 9s,” while thought to be the most common symptom, is actually only present in 20% or less of diagnosed cases. Your child’s symptoms may include problems with the following abilities: reading speed & accuracy; reading comprehension; writing proficienty; math proficiency. Results are lasting – and guaranteed!

$399500*





San Mateo 1900 South Norfolk Street

650.961.5200

Pleasanton 5820 Stoneridge Mall Road

925.416.1400

Walnut Creek 1600 South Main Street

925.280.9100

*Subject to credit approval. See Center for details.

Auditory Processing

ListeningDoes your child have good hearing, but trouble listening or paying attention, especially in noisy environments or when complex information is being given? Do you have to repeat instructions multiple times, or break them down into simple, one-step instructions? If so, it might be due to auditory information processing difficulty. There are non-medication based, scientifically proven ways to improve auditory processing skills. Results are lasting – and guaranteed!

$149500*



Before you medicate, consider proven, drug-free solutions from The Attention & Achievement Center. Our scientifically validated methods have been proven to be just as effective as medication, without the negative side-effects.

The Best Option For Your Child:

Our Drug-Free Solutions.

Some services may be considered alternative or complementary: therefore, these services and their providers are not required to be Healing Arts Practitioners. Not intended to address any medical or mental disorders.

www.drugfreeadd.com

Fremont 39350 Civic Center Drive

510.794.6400

*0% Financing for 1 Year

or extended payment plan for up to 4 years.All programs are available at all four locations.

0% Financing for 1 Year or 6.9% APR for 3 Years

October/November 09 | East Bay Bay Area Kids 3

Memory/Comprehension

LearningIs your child struggling in school? Has tutoring failed your child? 80% of smart kids who struggle in school have one or more cognitive skill deficits that

tutoring cannot fix. Our neurocognitive training program, developed over 16 years of clinical trials and applications, has proven to be successful for over 14,000 kids. Based on CSU Northridge data, gains of at least 3 years can be seen in as little as 6 months. Unlike tutoring, we address the core issues so that your child can learn. Results are lasting – and guaranteed!

ADD/ADHD

AttentionDoes your child watch TV or play video games for hours, but does he have trouble completing a page of homework? ADD and ADHD are often misunderstood because 80% of children who have ADD are not hyperactive and can focus for hours on things they like to do.

Most doctors are quick to diagnose ADD/ADHD and prescribe medications, but these diagnoses are often wrong and there are better, non-medication options available.

Our interventions, developed at NASA, UCLA, UCSF, among other prestigious institutions, are safe, non-invasive, fun and drug-free. They have been proven to be just as effective as medication(s) with sustained, long-term results – and without negative side effects. Results are lasting – and guaranteed!

$495500*



$269500*

Dyslexia

ReadingDid you know that as many as 15% of school children are affected by dyslexia? Your child may be bright and eager to succeed; yet, despite his or her best efforts, struggles to master age-appropriate tasks and falls behind in school. Dyslexia is not simply exhibited by an inversion of letters and numbers. Reversing “Ps and Qs” and “6s and 9s,” while thought to be the most common symptom, is actually only present in 20% or less of diagnosed cases. Your child’s symptoms may include problems with the following abilities: reading speed & accuracy; reading comprehension; writing proficienty; math proficiency. Results are lasting – and guaranteed!

$399500*





San Mateo 1900 South Norfolk Street

650.961.5200

Pleasanton 5820 Stoneridge Mall Road

925.416.1400

Walnut Creek 1600 South Main Street

925.280.9100

*Subject to credit approval. See Center for details.

Auditory Processing

ListeningDoes your child have good hearing, but trouble listening or paying attention, especially in noisy environments or when complex information is being given? Do you have to repeat instructions multiple times, or break them down into simple, one-step instructions? If so, it might be due to auditory information processing difficulty. There are non-medication based, scientifically proven ways to improve auditory processing skills. Results are lasting – and guaranteed!

$149500*



Before you medicate, consider proven, drug-free solutions from The Attention & Achievement Center. Our scientifically validated methods have been proven to be just as effective as medication, without the negative side-effects.

The Best Option For Your Child:

Our Drug-Free Solutions.

Some services may be considered alternative or complementary: therefore, these services and their providers are not required to be Healing Arts Practitioners. Not intended to address any medical or mental disorders.

www.drugfreeadd.com

Fremont 39350 Civic Center Drive

510.794.6400

*0% Financing for 1 Year

or extended payment plan for up to 4 years.All programs are available at all four locations.

4 Bay Area Kids BAKidsMagazine.com

ONLINE EDITION

Serving children living with brain tumors, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, skin disease, Crohn’s, colitis, celiac, diabetes, autism, bereavement, bipolar disorder and many more.

Campers shine in 2009.

Help our kids dream big in 2010!

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We need your help to continue

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to their families. Every dollar of

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To be a Camp Hero and help The Taylor Family Foundation send kids to camp, visit www.TTFF.org

The Taylor Family Foundation’s Camp Arroyo 5555 Arroyo Road, Livermore, CA 94550 • (925) 455-5118 • www.ttff.org • e-mail: [email protected] ID No. 94-3262932

Help us send

kids to camp!

TTFF BAKids mag0708ver2.5.indd 1 7/6/09 4:22:10 PM


36 farout!fashionable inspirations for the fall months

the regulAr the good stuffVolume 1, Number 6October/November 2009www.BAKidsMagazine.com

Publisher/Editor/FatherEverard G. [email protected]

SalesGeneral [email protected] Helga [email protected] [email protected]

General Editorial [email protected]

[email protected]

PhotographyChristina Fabbri Photography

ContributingWritersKelly Pollard, Patricia Kutza, Elise Cooke, Cathy Jetter, David MacFadden, Amy Renaud

SubmissionsSend photos, events, news, and story requests to [email protected]

ProductsubmissionsSend all products to address below. Include return postage.

Doing our PartBay Area Kids magazine is printed on 10 percent recycled paper using only soy based inks. Our printer meets or exceeds all Federal Resource Conservation Act (RCRA) Standards and is a certified member of the

Forest Stewardship Council.

Small Print2009 Big E Productions (DBA Bay Area Kids magazine). No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Big E Productions assumes no liability or responsibility for any claims made by advertisers in the magazine.

BAY AREA KIDS magazineP.O. Box 30442Walnut Creek, CA 94598www.BAKidsMagazine.com

BayAreaKids

6 small talk boo ... yeah

8 play dates a comprehensive calendar

13 pumpkin farms plan your fall outing

14 book shelf NEW»literary calendar

16 book reviews putting the “boo” in books

17 mixed media video games, music

18 spinning a tale storyteller kirk waller

22 fast fashions quick change

28 when I grow up a school fit for your child

44thought for food garlic: not just for warding off vampires

46cake wrecks NEW»spelling it out

48 table talk: clean plate club yoshi’s oakland

49 recipe chocolate mousse with whipped cream ghosts

50last words diary of a suburban queen

40sandiegoa family finds fun in the southern california sun

5what’sinside

specIAl sectIon32 Absolutely Essential Back to School Guide II

thisisoursixthissue...wemadeitoneyear…woohoo!

ONLINE EDITION


ONLINE EDITION

AsIwaswalkingupthestairImetamanwhowasn’tthere.Hewasn’tthereagaintoday.Iwishthatmanwouldgoaway.Hughes Mearns(1875-1965)

IwasbornonHalloween(at7:30pm,tobeexact).Truestory.Iwasborn at a small hospital on an island called Bonaire, part of theNetherlands Antilles (think Aruba, Curacao, and then Bonaire).Whymyfamilywasthere…longstory.ButwelivedthereuntilIwasseven,andinallthattimewenevercelebratedHalloween(nobodyelsedideither,forthatmatter).Wecelebratedmybirthday,yes,butnever with costumes and trick-or-treating and ghosts and goblinsandallthat.

AfterastintontheislandwemovedtoBuenosAires,Argentina.Once again,Halloweenwasnot celebrated.By the timewemovedtoChicago,IllinoisforapermanentresidenceintheU.S.ofA.,Iwasbeginningmyteenyears.Standingalmost6’3”,notmanydoorsopenedformeonHalloweennight,eveninmyhastily-madeDracula-meets-the-Mummyoutfitdidn’twinmemuchinthewayofcandy.

I’mnotaskingforapityparade.Neverexperiencingtheritual,IneverknewwhatImissed.Collegebroughtalongitsshareofcostumeparties, and after I turned 35, I stopped paying attention to mybirthdayanyway.(Ironically,thoughbornonHalloween,I’mnotthehugestfanofhorrormovies.)Halloweenwasanexcusetogopartywithfriendssomewhere,whichmeantmydoorwasusuallylockedandnotubofcandysatoutsideforvisitinggoblinsandghosts.

That all changed when my daughter started walking, and weboughtherfirstcostumeandtookher—alongwithNani,Grandpa,and her cousin (whowas one year older) and some older friends—out forher first trick-or-treat gig.Following the leadof theolderchildren, sheambledover to the frontdoor,openedherbag, andlookedup,notknowingreallywhattodo,onlythatbydoingso,candymagicallyfellintoherbag.

Now,at four, she iseagerlyawaitingHalloween,going throughthemanycostumecatalogsthatcomethroughourmailbox,pointingatalmosteverygirl’scostumeinthem:Iwantthatone,andthatone,andthatone,andthatone...okayDaddy?She’sevenniceenoughtostartpreppinghertwo-yearoldbrotherforwhat’stocome.Hedoesn’tgraspthewholescenarioyet,butheknowscandyisinvolvedsomehow...andpirates…andhe’sgettingveryexcitedaboutitall.

Oh,my daughter did also say this aboutHalloween: “It’s myDaddy’s birthday.” (Something I thinkmy wonderful wifemighthave taught her.) She was quick to add to the above statement,however: “That means we get to have cake and more candy!”Something’sneverchange.

HaveaHappyBooDayandTurkeyDay!EverardGStrong,Publisher,Editor,[email protected]

6smalltalk

thIs Issue’s fAshIon theme

For this issue we decided to reach for the stars (pun intended) in putting our fashion spread together. Inspired by Chabot Space and Science Center—and lots of B space race movies from the Fifties and Sixties—we combined hand-crafted costumes and accessories with the latest fashion trends.

We want to thank the following people who made this happen: Sharon Fletcher, Robert Ade, and all the other staff at Chabot Space and Science Center for opening the place up so we could run around and have fun. To our models Caden, Brandon, and Sally, their parents, and J E Model, San Francisco. To Courtney JoBarnes, Chris Bloomingdale, and CarolynCarcionefor their invaluable assistance.

Your turn

We’re already planning our next shoot. Want your child to be a part of it? Send us a photo (head shot preferable) to [email protected]. No guarantees, but we try.

Halloweenisthesecondbiggestholiday,asratedbyconsumerdollarsspentonit

edItor’s letter

boo…yeah

sound checKKID-FRIENDLy

hALLOwEEN TuNES

Monster Mash BobbyPickettPurple People EaterShebWooley

Witch Doctor DavidSevilleI Like MonstersAbbyandThe

PipsqueaksGhostbustersRayParkerJr.

Time WarpRockyHorrorPictureShow

ThrillerMichaelJacksonBoris the SpiderTheWhoMartian HopTheRandellls

BlobTheFiveBlobsBad Moon RisingCredence

ClearwaterRevival

Forsomerealspookyfun,checkoutlocalbandTheChillsnew

release,Creepy Songs for Courageous Kids.

www.brainytunes.com

send your mix list to [email protected]


www.TheRenaissanceSchool.org3668 Dimond Avenue, Oakland CA 94602

A Montessori Education in the Heartof the Dimond District of Oakland

• Spanish & French Immersion • Fine Art Instruction •

• International Community • • Ages 2 yrs - 8th Grade •

To Schedule a Tourcall 510.531.8566

going beyond the expected


ONLINE EDITION

These listings are provided as a free

service to our readers. Submit your event

to us (include place, date, and description)

online at [email protected]

event cAlendAr compiled by David MacFadden

October|November

8play

dates

there’s A mYsterY there: sendAK on sendAKMon, Tue, Fri-Sun 11am-5pm; Thu 1pm-8pm, through January 19, Contemporary Jewish Museum, 736 Mission St., San Francisco, (415) 655-7800, www.thecjm.org. $10 adults; $8 seniors 65 and older, and students with valid ID; children under 19 free. Maurice Sendak, author of Where the Wild Things Are and In the Night Kitchen, among many others, inspired generations of children and changed the landscape of picture books. Included in the exhibition are original watercolors, preliminary sketches, drawings, and dummy books from more than forty of Sendak’s books. A number of different aspects of Sendak’s work are explored, including his child characters, monsters, literary and artistic influences, and the settings of his stories.E

DIT

OR

’S P

ICK

MauriceSendakonceworkedasawindowdecoratorforFAOSchwartz


October 1-4

Jack and the Beanstalk Fri 2, 7:30pm; Sat 3, 2pm and 7:30pm; Sun 4, 2pm, Front Row Theater, 17011 Bollinger Canyon Rd., San Ramon, (925) 973-2787, www.sanramonperformingarts.com. $16 adults, $12 children, matinees $10. The entire family will enjoy this outrageous musical comedy about a young lad who trades his cow for some magic beans and finds his way into a magical world of golden-egg laying geese and giants. Will Jack escape with the giant’s prized harp?

grand opening of Baboon cliffs Sat 3 10am-4pm, Oakland Zoo, 9777 Golf Links Rd., Oakland, 510-632-9525, www.oaklandzoo.org, $10.50 adults, $7 children ages 2-14, children under 2 free. The baboons are being relocated to a spacious new habitat that includes a naturalistic exhibit with a large rock wall, waterfall, grass, and trees. This new exhibit will allow the baboons to engage in lots of natural behavior. The Oakland Zoo will be handing out special Top Trumps “Super Cards” of the baboons. Zoo docents will also give presentations about baboons and other primates at the Oakland Zoo. Help welcome the baboons to their new home.

saturday stories: Jackson and Bud’s Bumpy ride: America’s First Cross-Country Automobile Trip by elizabeth Koehler-pentacoff Sat 3 1pm-2pm, Museum of Children’s Art, 538 Ninth St., Ste. 210, Oakland, (510) 465-8770, www.mocha.org. Free admission. In 1903 Dr. Horatio Jackson bet $50 that he could drive one of those new-fangled cars from San Francisco to New York. Elizabeth Koehler-Pentacoff will read her story of this amazing dare. After the story take your own journey by fabricating your own car.

October 5-11

tomie de paola’s Strega Nona presented by Active Arts Sat 10-Sun 11, 2pm and 4:30pm, Front Row Theater, 17011 Bollinger Canyon Rd., San Ramon, (925) 973-2787, www.sanramonperformingarts.com. $16 adults, $12 children, matinees $10. Everybody’s favorite do-good witch Strega Nona hires penniless Big Anthony to help with her busy schedule. Strega Nona warns him not to mess with her magic, especially not with her magical pasta pot. But does Big Anthony pay attention? Come see what happens when Tomie de Paula’s beloved masterpiece of children’s literature bursts into life in the Commedia dell’arte tradition. Show is designed for children 3 and up. creativity competition: techno geek Art challenge Sat 10, 1pm-3pm, Museum of Children’s Art, 538 Ninth St., Ste. 210, Oakland, (510) 465-8770, www.mocha.org. $7 children, $3 adults, free to members. Family teams compete in wacky, ridiculous art making. Become a gadgeteer and join fuses, resistors, capacitors and thingamajigs to create deranged designs, or cyborg sensations. Don’t get too technical; it’s all about the fun. Prizes for invention and ingenuity for all participants!

Pediatric Dentistry

M.H. Ashrafi, D.M.D., M.S.Diplomate, American Board of Pediatric Dentistry

Clinical Professor of Pediatric Dentistry, UCSF

Cosmetic Pediatric Dentistry • Nitrous OxideConscious Sedation • General Anesthesia/Hospital Dentistry

Interceptive Orthodontics and Dentofacial OrthopedicsChildren with Special Needs

1501 Bollinger Canyon Rd., San Ramon(925) 820-0303 • Fax (925) 820-7373 • www.smiles4kidz.com

Ask about our complimentary

Peek-A-Boo Visitfor baby and parents

Providing Smiles 4 Kidzfor over 25 years!

(510) 887-4311 • (415) 431-1137 www.ggbc.org

“Building Friendship Through Music”

Boys age 7 and older are welcome to join the angelic voices and heavenly sounds of the internationally acclaimed Golden Gate Boys Choir and Bellringers.

Cultivate his musical gifts with choral les-sons and instruction on handbells and Orff instruments. Performances, tours and music camp available.

Golden Gate Boys Choir and BellrinGers

BERKELEY PLAYHOUSE PRESENTS

B E R K E L E Y P L A Y H O U S E . O R G

JULIA MORGAN CENTER FOR THE ARTS

G E T T I C K E T S A T

NOV 13th - DEC 6th


ONLINE EDITIONplaydates

primo’s run for education Sat 11, 7:30am-9:30pm, (925) 820-9181, www.primosrun.com. Registration fees range from $20-$65. Dust off your athletic shoes for Primo’s Run for Education. Choose from a 5K Run/Family Fun Walk in San Ramon or a half-marathon that stretches from downtown Danville to Iron Horse Middle School in San Ramon. The run benefi ts the San Ramon Valley Education Foundation, which raises money to fi ll in the gaps in funding at each school site of the San Ramon Valley Unifi ed School District. Stick around after the race and enjoy a Fun Fair and a slice of Primo’s Pizza.

there’s A mystery there: sendak on sendak Mon, Tue, Fri-Sun 11am-5pm; Thu 1pm-8pm, through January 19, Contemporary Jewish Museum. See October 1-4.

October 12-18

cornfi eld maze and pumpkin patch Mon-Thu 4-8pm; Fri 4-10pm; Sat 10am-10pm; Sun 10am-8pm; from October 3-31, G&M Farms. See October 1-4.

tomie de paola’s strega nona presented by Active Arts Fri 16, 7pm; Sat 17 11am, 2pm, and 4:30pm; Sun 18, 2pm and 4:30pm, Front Row Theater. See October 5-11.

goblin Jamboree sponsor Breakfast Sun 18, 8am, 9am, and 10am, The Bay Area Discovery Museum, Fort Baker, 557 McReynolds Road, Sausalito, (415) 339-3900, www.BayKidsMuseum.org/goblin09. Ticket prices start at $200 for a family of four. Get a jump on the fun with a buffet breakfast including special entertainers and early access to the Museum and Goblin.

Annual goblin Jamboree fundraiser Sat 17-Sun 18 10am-4pm, The Bay Area Discovery Museum, Fort Baker, 557 McReynolds Road, Sausalito, (415) 339-3900, www.BayKidsMuseum.org/goblin09. $14 adults and children, $12 members, children under 1 free. Children and their families are invited to come in costume and explore a haunted wonderland complete with games, attractions, and live entertainment. Enroll in the witches’ school, take a train or pony ride, or visit the petting zoo.

target family day Sun 18, 11am-4pm, downtown San Francisco, (415) 614-3216, http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/artsf/target.asp. Free admission. San Francisco’s biggest day-long family block party features free admission to four downtown museums including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Zeum: San Francisco’s Children’s Museum. Circus performances will take place in Yerba Buena Gardens. there’s A mystery there: sendak on sendak Mon, Tue, Fri-Sun 11am-5pm; Thu 1pm-8pm, through January 19, Contemporary Jewish Museum. See October 1-4.

October 19-25


children’s fall fest Fri 23, 3:30–5:00pm, and 5:30–7:00pm; Community Center, Danville, (925) 314-3400, www.ci.danville.ca.us. Enjoy a safe evening with arts and crafts, face painting, games, trick or treating, and much more. Costumes encouraged. Pre-registration required.

star trek: the exhibition Opens Fri 23; Mon-Wed 9am-5pm; Thu-Sun 9am-8pm; The Tech: Museum of Innovation, 201 South Market, San Jose, (408) 294-8324, www.thetech.org. $25 adults; $22 seniors 65 and older, and students with valid ID; $19 children ages 3-17. Transport into parallel universes of the past and future. The exhibit features over 200 artifacts including an authentic replica of the bridge from the U.S.S Enterprise NCC-1701 as featured in the original Star Trek television series. For a separate fee, enjoy a ride on the full-motion fl ight simulator.

california Academy of sciences eighteenth Annual family-friendly halloween party Fri 23, 6:30-8:30 pm, California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco (415) 379-8000, www.calacademy.org, Tickets cost $375 per family, which includes two adults and two children. Individual tickets can be purchased for $125 per adult and $75 per child. Creepy creatures like tarantulas, snakes and eels will greet families in Steinhart Aquarium, and face-to-face

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Town of DanvilleRecreation Services Department

“Creating Community through People, Parks & Programs”www.ci.danville.ca.us

Celebrate the Magic of this Seasonwith the Recreation Services Department

Children’s Fall Fest at the Community Center

Friday, October 23,3:30pm–5:00pm, 5:30pm–7:00pmA ghoulish evening filled with arts and crafts, face painting, games, trick-or-treating and much more!

Pre-registration is required. Call (925) 314-3400 to register.

Village Theatre Art Gallery Opening

“Peanuts at Bat” Exhibition

Saturday, November 14, 11:00am

Bring the family and experience America’s favorite past time

through the eyes of Charles M. Schulz and the Peanuts Gang.

Special appearance by Snoopy.

Santa’s MailboxDecember 1–11

Santa has a mailbox at the Danville Community Center!

Drop off your children’s letters and they will receive letters from Santa

by December 24! Be sure to include your name and mailing address on

the letter.

encounters with Academy scientists and their fascinating collections are sure to captivate the entire family. Partygoers will enjoy spooktacular activities, crafts, and surprises galore throughout the museum.

danville fall crafts festival Sat 24, 10am-5pm, Hartz Avenue in Downtown Danville, (925) 837-4400, www.danvilleareachamber.com. Free admission. This popular event features arts and crafts from more than 200 artisans, along with food, music, and entertainment for the whole family. Children can also participate in the Halloween parade on Saturday, and safe trick-or-treating throughout the day. Shuttle service will be provided at the 680/Sycamore Road Park ‘N’ Ride.

family extravaganza: superheroes and mythical monsters Sat 24, 1pm-3pm, Museum of Children’s Art, 538 Ninth St., Ste. 210, Oakland, (510) 465-8770, www.mocha.org. $7 children, $3 adults, free to members. Parent-child workshops combining creativity, teamwork and fun. Become a crusader by creating a personalized cape and mask for Halloween or get eerie and make a creepy monster mask to spook the neighborhood.

the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe Sat 24 at 1pm; Sun 25 at 1pm and 3:30pm, Young Performers Theatre, Fort Mason Center, Bldg. C, San Francisco, (415) 346-5550, www.ypt.org. $10 adults, $7 children under 13. This stage production brings all of C.S. Lewis’ classic adventures in the land of Narnia to life! Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy wander through an old wardrobe to meet old Mr. Tumnus, Aslan the lion and the dreadful White Witch. The story contains valuable lessons about the triumph of love, faith, and courage.

glow Bones Sat 24 10am-4pm; Sun 12pm-5pm, Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose, (408) 298-5437, www.cdm.org. $10 adults and children, $9 seniors, children under 1 free. Celebrate the spookiness of the month and learn a bit about bones to boot. We will paint your bones with special glow-in-the-dark paint and then you can shake, rattle, and roll your skeleton under black lights.

halloween cabaret carnival Sun 25, 2:30pm-4:30pm, Ashkenaz, 1317 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley, 510-525-5054, www.ashkenaz.com. $6 adults, $4 children. Help raise money for Unicef projects in Mexico while

celebrating one of the best holidays of the year. Vaudevillians Stage Troupe performers will sing and dance along with a rockabilly band of award-winning Bay Area musicians, featuring songs like “The Monster Mash” and “Flying Purple People Eater.” The troupe will host an evil-laughing contest and perform many other skits and tricks. Don’t forget to wear your costume to this party!

there’s A mystery there: sendak on sendak

See October 1-4.

October 26-November 1


Animal secrets Tue-Fri 9am-4pm; Sat-Sun 10am-5pm, beginning October 31, Bay Area Discovery Museum, Fort Baker, 557 McReynolds Road, Sausalito, (415) 339-3900, baykidsmuseum.org. $10 adults, $8 youth under 19, $8 seniors 62 and over, children under 1 free. In Animal Secrets, visitors discover nature from an animal’s point of view as they see the world from an eagle’s nest, pretend to be a chipmunk and gather food for the winter, and help a raccoon family escape from a hungry fox.

glow Bones Tue 27-Sat 31, 10am-4pm, Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose. See October 19-25.


star trek: the exhibition Mon-Wed 9am-5pm; Thu-Sun 9am-8pm; The Tech: Museum of Innovation. See October 19-25.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Sat 31 at 1pm; Sun 1 at 1pm and 3:30pm, Young Performers Theatre. See October 19-25.

cash for candy Sun 1, Noon-4pm; Canyon Pediatric Dentistry, 1501 Bollinger Canyon Rd., San Ramon, (925) 820-0303, www.smiles4kidz.com. Bring Dr. Ashrafi your child’s Halloween candy, and he gives you cold, hard cash (while donating the sweets to worthy causes.)

Oktoberfest & Pumpkin Patch: October 24, 11 am - 4 pm.

A family event with old fashioned games, crafts, ponyrides, horse drawn wagon rides and pumpkin painting.There will be suds and sausages for the grown upcrowd, and German style music. The event will be heldin and around the Carriage House at Covington Gate.

Dunsmuir HellmanHistoric Estate

2960 Peralta Oaks Ct, Oakland (By the Oakland Zoo) | www.dunsmuir.org

Holidays at Dunsmuir: Weekends between December 5 andDecember 20.

Our 39th annual holiday tradition with a beautifullydecorated mansion, music, entertainment, food,Breakfast with Father Christmas, children and adultteas, demonstrations and so much for the whole family.


ONLINE EDITION

November 2-8

Alameda Children’s Musical Theatre Presents the music man Fri 6-Sun 8, Altarena Playhouse, 1409 High Street, Alameda, (510) 521-6965, www.acmtkids.org. $12 adults; $6 children under 17, seniors, and veterans. In this musical classic, follow fast-talking, traveling salesman Harold Hill to River City, Iowa where his world turns upside-down upon meeting Marion Paroo, a strong-willed librarian. With his word-a-second style, he convinces the town to buy into his revolutionary music program. Fun, singing, and dancing ensue. fortieth Anniversary celebration weekend at the exploratorium Sat 7-Sun 8, Palace of Fine Arts, 3601 Lyon Street, San Francisco, (415) 397-5673, www.exploratorium.edu. Free admission. To celebrate its Fortieth Anniversary, the Exploratorium is offering free admission and special events, including “Bubble Magic” demos by “bubble troubadour” Tom Noody, and an installation in which a hanging motorcycle cuts through a large block of ice—and mysteriously leaves the ice in one piece.

Animal secrets Tue-Fri 9am-4pm; Sat-Sun, 10am-5pm, Bay Area Discovery Museum. See October 26-November 1.there’s A mystery there: sendak on sendak Mon, Tue, Fri-Sun 11am-5pm; Thu 1pm-8pm, through January 19, Contemporary Jewish Museum. See October 1-4.

star trek: the exhibition mon-wed 9am-5pm; Thu-Sun 9am-8pm; The Tech: Museum of Innovation. See October 19-25.

the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe Sat 7 at 1pm; Sun 8 at 1pm and 3:30pm, Young Performers Theatre. See October 19-25. November 9-15

Alameda children’s musical theatre presents The Music Man Fri 13-Sun 15, Altarena Playhouse. See November 2-8.

Berkeley playhouse presents Wizard of Oz Fri 13, 7:00pm; Sat14, 2:00 and 7:00pm; Sun 15, 4:00pm, Julia Morgan Center, 2640 College Ave., Berkeley, (510) 665-5565. Advance tickets: Adult $28, Senior (65+) $25, Child (14 and under) $19. Take your family over the rainbow with this musical adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s novel featuring all your favorite music, lyrics and adventures from the classic motion picture. The colorful wonderland of Dorothy’s unusual imaginings begins a season at at The Julia Morgan Center. Directed by Jon Tracy. Music Direction by Phil Gorman.

Animal secrets Tue-Fri 9am-4pm; Sat-Sun, 10am-5pm, Bay Area Discovery Museum. See October 26-November 1.

there’s A mystery there: sendak on sendak Mon, Tue, Fri-Sun 11am-5pm; Thu 1pm-8pm, through January 19, Contemporary Jewish Museum. See October 1-4.star trek: the exhibition Mon-Wed 9am-

5pm; Thu-Sun 9am-8pm; The Tech: Museum of Innovation. See October 19-25.

the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe Sat 14 at 1pm; Sun 15 at 1pm and 3:30pm, Young Performers Theatre. See October 19-25.

village theatre Art gallery opening: “pea-nuts at Bat” exhibition Sat 14, 11:00amVillage Theatre Art Gallery, Danville, www.ci.danville.ca.us. With a special appearance by Snoopy, enjoy America’s favorite pastime through the eyes of Charles M. Schulz. November 16-22

Berkeley playhouse presents Wizard of Oz Sat 21, 2:00 and 7:00pm; Sun 22, 4:00pm, Julia Morgan Center, 2640 College Ave., Berkeley, (510) 665-5565. See November 9-15.

pier 39 tree lighting ceremony Nov 22 1pm-6pm, Pier 39, Beach and Embarcadero, San Francisco. Free admission. This tree lighting celebration will feature Bay Area groups performing seasonal favorites. Pier 39’s majestic tree, adorned with glistening ornaments, bows, and twinkling lights will be lit at 5:30pm in the Entrance Plaza.



star trek: the exhibition Mon-Wed 9am-5pm; Thu-Sun 9am-8pm; The Tech: Museum of Innovation. See October 19-25.

November 23-30

Berkeley playhouse presents Wizard of Oz Fri 27, 2:00pm; Sat 28, 2:00 and 7:00pm; Sun 29, 4:00pm, Julia Morgan Center, 2640 College Ave., Berkeley, (510) 665-5565. See November 9-15.

lighting of the old oak tree Fri 27, 5:15pm-8:30pm, Diablo Road, Downtown Danville, (925) 837-4400, www.danvillecachamber.com. Ring in the offi cial holiday season with a good old-fashioned tree lighting. You might even catch a glimpse of Santa Clause.


there’s A mystery there: sendak on sendak Mon, Tue, Fri-Sun 11am-5pm; Thu 1pm-8pm, through January 19; closed Thanksgiving, Thu 26, Contemporary Jewish Museum. See October 1-4. BAK

playdates

Open October 1-31, 9am to 8pm daily

Kids ActivitiesPlumpkin™ Playland featuring

Giant Straw maze • Lima Bean Pots NEW! Black Hole Tunnel

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Huge selection of pumpkins, squash, gourds

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Huge selection of pumpkins, squash, gourds

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Fall Flowers

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Clayton ValleyPumpkin Farm &

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Open Friday after Thanksgiving for Christmas Trees.

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We specialize in:* Sensory integration* Motor skill development* Therapeutic Listening Program

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SPECIAL EVENT SECTION:

PUMPKIN FARMS

g&m farms487 East Airway Blvd., Livermore, (925) 447-FARM, www.gmfarms.com Six acre cornfield maze and pumpkin patch. Your little ones will love G&M’s farm animals and the free straw bale maze, pony rides on the weekends, and don’t for-get to ride G&M Farms’ famous Cow Train!

Joan’s farm and pumpkin patch4351 Mines Rd., Livermore, (925) 447-0794, www.joansfarm.com Maze, Old West town, hay ride, farm animals, gem panning, antique muse-um, pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, corn stalks, straw bales, nuts, refreshments, gift shop.

moore’s pumpkin patchRowell Ranch Rodeo Park, 9711 Dublin Can-yon Rd, Castro Valley, and Alameda County Fairgrounds, corner of Bernal Ave & Valley Ave, Pleasanton, (510) 886-6015, www.moorespump-kinpatch.com. Family Fun Park with rides and at-tractions. No need to be afraid herethis patch fo-cuses on a Fall Harvest theme rather than a dark and gloomy one.

clayton valley pumpkin farm1060 Pine Ln., Clayton, (925) 672-5198, www.cvpumpkinfarm.com. Every Fall, our farm trans-forms into a pumpkin wonderland. The Gift Shop carries a huge selection of flags, pumpkin deco-rating products, home decorations, novelties and much more. Activities are plentiful with the most popular being our Plumpkin Playland (with a tun-nel of straw) and the “Pumpkin Farm Express” trackless train. (See ad in this issue for more info.) pumpkin patch on orchard lane2260 Concord Ave., Brentwood, (925) 516-1365

smith family farms4430 Sellers Ave., Brentwood, (925) 625-5966, www.smithfamilyfarm.com There is a corn maze, barnyard animals, country style “Hoe Down” in the barn, music in the picnic area (weekends) educational displays, and a Miwok Indian village.

dell’ osso farms26 Stewart Road, Lathrop, (209) 982-0833, www.pumpkinmaze.com. Come see the mile long train, corn maze, pumpkin blaster, haunted house, gem mining, U-pick pumpkins, kiddie land, pony rides, petting zoo, face painting, and a tractor train. Free: hay ride, hay bale pyramid, speedway, hay bale labyrinth, maze bridges. Picnic area, food court, seasonal decorations, photo opportunities and more.

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2722 Benvenue AvenueBerkeley, CA 94705

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Information Events: Sunday, Oct 25th 1-3 pm

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ONLINE EDITION

14literaryevents

CzechAuthorJankomesnkypublishesthefirstchildren’sbook,Orbis Pictus,in1658

lIterArY events by Amy Renaud

October|November

mIchAel BucKleYWednesday, 7, 4pm Clayton Books 5433 D Clayton Rd., Clayton. The author of Nerds and the Sisters Grimm series will be at Clayton Books on Wednesday, October 7. After growing up in Akron, Ohio and graduating with honors from Ohio University, Mr. Buckley found himself living in New York where he has written for a number of television shows as well as his popular children’s books.

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lIterArY cAlendAr compiled by Amy Renaud

OCTOBER 1-3

various themes Thurs 1-Fri 2, 10am, Barnes and Noble Dublin, 4972 Dublin Blvd., Dublin. Free Admission. Thursday events include a snack.

storytime Fri 2, 10am, Barnes and Noble El Cerrito, 6050 El Cerrito Plaza, El Cerrito. Free admission. Discover a new favorite book or author at this fun event.

toddler storytime Sat 3, 11am Barnes and Noble Emeryville, 5604 Bay Street, Emeryville. Free admis-sion. Toddlers will learn valuable pre-reading skills while listening to a story geared for their shorter atten-tion spans. saturday storytime Sat 3, 11am, Barnes and Noble Walnut Creek, 1149 S. Main St. Walnut Creek. Free admission. Readers will read a different story aloud to an audience of children and their adults.

OCTOBER 4-10

toddler storytime Tues 6, 10am Barnes and Noble Walnut Creek, 1149 S. Main St. Walnut Creek. Free admission. Bring your toddler to Toddler Storytime for a reading of a book geared for those with shorter attention spans.

toddler storytime Wed 7 & Sat 10, 11am Barnes and Noble Emeryville, 5604 Bay Street, Emeryville. Free admission. See Oct 1-3

various themes Thurs 8-Fri 9, 10am, Barnes and Noble Dublin, 4972 Dublin Blvd., Dublin. Free Ad-mission. See Oct 1-3

storytime Friday 9, 10am, Barnes and Noble El Cerrito, 6050 El Cerrito Plaza El Cerrito. Free admission. See Oct 1-3

saturday storytime Sat 10, 11am, Barnes and Noble Walnut Creek, 1149 S. Main St. Walnut Creek. Free admission. See Oct 1-3

OCTOBER 11-17

moms Bookclub Mon 12, 7:30pm, Barnes and Noble Dublin, 4972 Dublin Blvd., Dublin. Free Admission. Once a month, moms can attend this book club dedicated just for

them! Whether the subject of the book is mom-related, or a just-for-fun read, moms will appreciate a night to talk about the book. toddler storytime Tues 13, 10am Barnes and Noble Walnut Creek, 1149 S. Main St. Walnut Creek. Free admission. See Oct 4-10

toddler storytime Wed 14 & Sat 17, 11am Barnes and Noble Emeryville, 5604 Bay Street, Emeryville. Free admission. See Oct 1-3

various themes Thurs 15 & Fri 16, 10am, Barnes and Noble Dublin, 4972 Dublin Blvd., Dublin. Free Ad-mission. See Oct 1-3

storytime Fri 16, 10am, Barnes and Noble El Cerrito, 6050 El Cerrito Plaza, El Cerrito. Free admission. See Oct 1-3

saturday storytime Sat 17, 11am, Barnes and Noble Walnut Creek, 1149 S. Main St., Walnut Creek. Free admission. See Oct 1-3

OCTOBER 18-24

toddler storytime Tues 20, 10am Barnes and Noble Walnut Creek, 1149 S. Main St., Walnut Creek. Free admission. See Oct 4-10

Author signing: Jeff Kinney Wed 21, 5pm, Barnes and Noble El Cerrito, 6050 El Cerrito Plaza, El Cerrito. Wristband required to par-ticipate in event. Jeff Kinney will be signing copies of the fourth install-ment of his Diary of a Wimpy Kid series at the Barnes and Noble in El Cerrito. Participants must have a wristband (given at the event) and a copy of the latest book in order to attend. The bookstore will also have a trivia contest, a scavenger hunt, and a special Wimpy Kid menu in the store’s café. Wristbands will be distributed starting at 3:00.

toddler storytime Wed 21 & Sat 24, 11am Barnes and Noble Em-eryville, 5604 Bay Street, Emeryville. Free admission. See Oct 1-3


storytime Fri 23, 10am, Barnes and Noble El Cerrito, 6050 El Cerrito

Plaza, El Cerrito. Free admission. See Oct 1-3

saturday storytime Sat 24, 11am, Barnes and Noble Walnut Creek, 1149 S. Main St., Walnut Creek. Free admission. See Oct 1-3

OCTOBER 25-31

toddler storytime Tues 27, 10am Barnes and Noble Walnut Creek, 1149 S. Main St., Walnut Creek. Free admission. See Oct 4-10

toddler storytime Wednesday, 28, 11am Barnes and Noble Emeryville, 5604 Bay Street Emeryville. Free admission. See Oct 1-3


storytime Friday 30, 10am, Barnes and Noble El Cerrito, 6050 El Cerrito Plaza, El Cerrito. Free admission. See Oct 1-3

NOVEMBER 1-7

toddler storytime Tues 3, 10am Barnes and Noble Walnut Creek, 1149 S. Main St. Walnut Creek. Free admission. Barnes in Noble in Wal-nut Creek has a story time dedicated to this youngest group of potential bookworms.

storytime Fri 6, 10am, Barnes and Noble El Cerrito, 6050 El Cerrito Plaza, El Cerrito. Free admission. Your child will get to hear a story while developing important reading comprehension skills.

various themes Thurs 5 & Fri 6, 10am, Barnes and Noble Dublin, 4972 Dublin Blvd., Dublin. Free Ad-mission.

saturday storytime Sat 7, 11am, Barnes and Noble Walnut Creek, 1149 S. Main St., Walnut Creek. Free admission. Develop your child’s love for reading by attending Satur-day Storytime. NOVEMBER 8-14

moms Bookclub Mon 9, 7:30pm, Barnes and Noble Dublin, 4972 Dublin Blvd., Dublin. Free Admission. Whether the subject of the book is mom-related, or a just-for-fun read, moms will appreciate a night to talk

books.toddler storytime Tues 10, 10am Barnes and Noble Walnut Creek, 1149 S. Main St. Walnut Creek. Free admission. See Nov 1-7

various themes Thurs 12 & Fri 13, 10am, Barnes and Noble Dublin, 4972 Dublin Blvd., Dublin. Free Ad-mission. See Nov 1-7

storytime Fri 13, 10am, Barnes and Noble El Cerrito, 6050 El Cerrito Plaza, El Cerrito. Free admission. See November 1-7

saturday storytime Sat 14, 11am, Barnes and Noble Walnut Creek, 1149 S. Main St., Walnut Creek. Free admission. See Nov 1-7

NOVEMBER 15-21

toddler storytime Tues 17, 10am Barnes and Noble Walnut Creek, 1149 S. Main St. Walnut Creek. Free admission. See Nov 1-7

various themes Thurs 19 & Fri 20, 10am, Barnes and Noble Dublin, 4972 Dublin Blvd., Dublin. Free Ad-mission. See Nov 1-7

storytime Friday 20, 10am, Barnes and Noble El Cerrito, 6050 El Cerrito Plaza, El Cerrito. Free admission. See Nov 1-7

saturday storytime Sat 21, 11am, Barnes and Noble Walnut Creek, 1149 S. Main St., Walnut Creek. Free admission. See Nov 1-7

NOVEMBER 22-28

toddler storytime Tues 24, 10am Barnes and Noble Walnut Creek, 1149 S. Main St. Walnut Creek. Free admission. See Nov 1-7

saturday storytime Sat 28, 11am, Barnes and Noble Walnut Creek, 1149 S. Main St. Walnut Creek. Free admission. See Nov 1-7 BAK

Bookstore managers, owners, or authors: submit your events to [email protected]


ONLINE EDITION

whoo’s thAt Kay Winters (author | Jeannie Winston (illustrator)Witches, bats, monsters, cats and all the other Halloween favorites are waiting to be discovered, again and again, behind the giant pumpkins featured on each of these easy to turn, brightly colored pages. Unlike other peek-a-boo books, these flaps are firmly attached and easy to grasp— keeping little fingers happily playing hide and seek for many, many readings.

pIggIe pIe! Margie Palatini (author) |Howard Fine (illustrator)Gritch the Witch has woken up grouch, grumpy and very hungry….for Piggie Pie! A quick check of the pantry reveals one key ingredient missing: no piggies. No problem for a witch and her broom—a short ride to Old McDonald’s farm should solve Gritch’s pangs of hunger … but those piggies are pretty smart and awfully elusive. With rollicking dialogue and crafty, crazy artwork, kids will still be clamoring for more Piggy Pie long after the Halloween screams have faded. Gritch’s glorious adventures continue in two other Palatini favorites, Zoom Broom and Broom Mates.

dIArY of A stInKY deAd KIdDavid Gerrold, Stefan Petrucha, Rob Vollmar, Jim Salicrup, John L. LansdaleHalloween is an ideal time to introduce the graphic novel series Tales from the Crypt to your pre-teen. The eighth and newest entry in this not-too-gory, but definitely ghoulish genre features plenty of pop culture references, beginning with the cover creature, Stinky Dead Kid (a take off on Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series). From Guitar Hero to the infamous Twilight novels, these terribly talented authors and illustrators have their fingers firmly on the pulse of what works with today’s teens, and that resonates clearly through the Crypt.

J Is for JAcK o’ lAntern: A hAlloween AlphABetDenise Brennan – author | Donald Wu – illustrationsRhyming the way through the Halloween season, Brennan-Nelson’s thoroughly researched and beautifully illustrated book delves much deeper than “A is for ‘Autumn’ and B is for ‘Boo’.” Beyond the friendly, engaging illustrations, each page is filled with Halloween facts, fables, traditions and recipes.

sometImes I’m scAredJane Annunziata, PsyD | Marc Nemiroff, PhD | Bryan Langdo – illustratorKids like to be the boss of things, but some things just can’t be controlled. Spiders, storms, robbers, monsters, thunder, fire, even feelings can all seem like too much when you’re still learning about the world around you. Annunziata and Nemiroff offer explanations for common fears, then outline a plan for managing the worries that keep little ones from exploring and enjoying their environment. Additional notes for parents of anxious children can help answer the question of when it might be time to seek professional help.

BooK shelf: hAlloween round-up by Cathy Jetter

» 1-3 years

» 4-7 years

» 8-12 years

» 4-7 years

» 4-7 years

16bookshelf

Are you or do you know a children’s

author (or illustrator)? Send information

to [email protected]


creepY songs for courAgeous KIds TheChills (Brainy Tunes)

Local musicians The Chills fill a void with this Halloween offering, providing scary songs that kids will want to sing along to, but crafted with pop sensibilities that even adults won’t mind hitting repeat on the disc for the seventeenth time. Spooky songs include “Fear of Little Men,” “Here Comes the Booger Man,” “Ghost Story,” “Haunting School,” and more—all with smart lyrics and memorable harmonies. Intended for children over five, the band consists of a ghoul, a zombie, a gnome, and some unlucky drummer’s skeletal remains.

listen online Go to http://www.brainytunes.com/CHILLS_CD.html and listen to selections from the album before buying it.

lIttle BIg plAnet MediaMolecule/SonyEntertainment(www.littlebigplanet.com)

Even though this enchanting videogame came out in 2008, we at Bay Area Kids deemed it engrossing enough to launch our video game review section. At it’s most basic, Little Big Planet (LBP for short) is a jump-and-run game, with one of up to four players guiding a Sackboy through different levels of various themed locations.

The game, however is way more than that. The scenery is a lush patchwork of homemade objects and fuzzy textures, as if it were all built by crazy scrapbookers, and your character is this cute stuffed little ... sack dude. As you guide him (or her—you can alter the look and gender of the character in many ways), you unlock balloons that have different costumes and accessories; many also have stickers that you can literally stick all over the place, to a little heart’s content.

Built on a real-world physics engine, items roll, bounce, teeter, sway, and fall, allowing young children to see the laws of action and reaction at work first-hand. Once you complete all levels, your child can unlock their own creativity and create their own worlds which they can then upload to share, or trade.

Available only for the Playstation 3, Little Big Planet is ideal for children over four, and is so charming that you will find yourself playing too.

storYlIne onlIne | www.storylineonline.net

Presented by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation, Storyline Online brings your child some of their favorite stories as told by some of the most well-known actors and actresses of screen and television. Cuddle up with your children on your lap and listen and watch as Amanda Bynes reads The Night I Followed the Dog, or Sean Astin tells of A Bad Case of the Stripes, Elijah Wood talking about Me and My Cat, and countless others. A free service, think of it as a great alternative to bedtime story time on those nights when you want to take a break from telling tales yourself.

musIc

onlIne fun

vIdeo gAme

17mixedmedia


ONLINE EDITION

Importantstorytellingtip:everystorymusthaveabeginning,middle,andend.

Thisistheeraofdeficit-spending.Attentiondeficit-thatis.IfyouwanttocompetewithcellphonesandBlackberrysforanaudience’s

attentionfortwentyorthirtyminutes,youneedtoknowhowtomakeyourpointshortandsayitfast.

Toseethisprincipleinaction,considerattendingaKirkWallerperformance.Waller,aprofessionalstoryteller,isknownforhisabilitytokeeplistenersenrapturedwithhisspokenwords.Fromthelooksofhisyearlyengagementcalendar—locallibraries,schools,summercamps,churchesandevenafederalprisonwanthisspecialbrandofmagic—there’splentyofdemandforWaller’sbrandoftaletelling.

Wallerchooseshisstoriesbasedonhowheconnectswiththem.“Thecharacter,themessage—therehastobesomethingtherethatresonateswithme,”hesays.“OnceIselectastory,IworkwithituntilImakeitmyown.Toreallymakeitreal—Icallit‘gettingitoutofmymouth’—Ineedtotellitinfrontofanaudience.”

18neighbors

TheSpinnerofStoriesStoryteller Kirk Waller Talks a Tall Tale

Story by Patricika Kutza | Photography Christina Fabbri


That’swhenitgetsinteresting.Everyaudiencebringstheirownchemistry,makingauniquestamponeachofhisperformances,sometimesinmemorableways.WallerrecountsthetimewhenheperformedatalibrarywherehardlyanyoneunderstoodEnglish:“Theysmiledandnodded,butIsensedtheydidn’tunderstandanythingIsaid.”Timeslikethosearechallenging.Storytellingbyitsnatureisinteractive,andWallerdrawsontheenergyfromhisaudience’sreaction.

Wallerhasalsolearnedthevalueofcontrollinghisenvironment.Atoneengagement,thewell-meaningstaffplacedaplateofcookiesnexttothestage.“Thekidskeptongettinguptogetthosecookies;IneverdreamedIwouldbecompetingwithcookies.”

Walleralsoneverdreamedthatitwouldtakesuchatragicevent—thedeathofhiswife—tolaunchhimonafull-timestorytellingcareer.“Aftershedied,Ineededaflexiblescheduletomanageraisingmykidswhileearningaliving.”HerdeathinspiredWaller’supcomingproject—aCDofstoriestouchingonthemesofloss,grief,andhope.

Helaunchedhisfirstchildren’sbook,Sister Water and Misses Wind(readareviewonlineatwww.bakidsmagazine.com),thispastMay.WalleradaptedhisstoryfromtheZoraNealeThurstonanthologyofearlyAfrican-Americanfolktales,Why the Waves Have Whitecaps.Likeothertaleshehasadaptedforhisoralpresentations,Wallerhadtoworkwithit.“Theoriginalstoryisprettyviolentinitspersonificationoftheweatherelementsandtheoriginationofthe

firststorm,”hesays.“Itweakedittomakeiteasierforreaderstorelatetoit.”

Wallerhopestochangetheprevailingmisconceptionthatstorytellingisjustforkids.HealsohopestointerestmoreAfrican-Americansintobecomingprofessionalstorytellers.“ThereareanumberofgreatAfrican-Americanstorytellersonthe

scenebuttheirpresenceisnotproportionatetoothernationalities.Storytellinghasbeenandremainsaveryimportantpartofourtradition.”

Perhapsiftheyknewwhatrewardsawaitedthem,therewouldbemorestorytellersoverall.“Iwasdoingaschool-residencyprogram,workingwithfifth-graders,”Wallershares.“Itwasa‘thrillme’daywhenallofmyownstoriesseemedtoborethem.Thenonegirlpipedup:‘CanItellastory?’Sheproceededtotellthisamazingstoryabouthergrandfatherdyingofcancer.Herstorytriggeredotherkidstosharetheirstoo.ItwasoneofthemostmovingtimesIhaveeverhad.”BAK

» ONLINE: go to www.kirkwaller.com

“Toreallymakeitreal,Icallit‘gettingitoutofmymouth.’Ineedtotellitinfrontofanaudience.”Kirk Waller


ONLINE EDITION

sister water and misses wind by Kirk WallerKirk Waller’s special way with words informs this Waller-adapted version of Zora Neale Thurston’s African-American folktale about the origin of Earth’s first storm. The complicated friendship of Sister Water and Misses Wind is beautifully told and illustrated with powerful and colorful images. It’s not hard to imagine how the sisters’ friendliness gets so easily tangled with their competitiveness, wreaking havoc on an Earth that, until that moment, had only known peace and quiet. The story progresses in such an engrossing way that even the most reticent of readers will feel their natural storyteller-impulses stirring. Sister Water and Misses Wind can be purchased online at www.kirkwaller.com. Patricia Kutza


German International School of Silicon Valley

• Growing K-5 campus in Berkeley/Kensington

• Accepting applications for children entering Kindergarten, First and Second Grade

• High-standard bilingual (German-English) educational concept

• Integrated curriculum fosters holistic and individual development

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tel (650) 254 0748 310 Easy Street, Mountain View, CA 94043fax (650) 254 0749 email [email protected], web www.gissv.org

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Emotional nurturing • Social integrity • Diverse community

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NEW at ourMORAGA CAMPUS:Ballet now offered along with our other electives: Spanish, Puppet Making, Art, and Yoga

Sakura GakuenJapanese/Chinese Language School

Sakura Gakuen offers a variety of classes depending on the student’s age and language proficiency level. Whether the language is Japanese or Chinese, a group lesson or private, “Mommy & Me” class or high school class, everyone has fun learning the language at Sakura Gakuen.

Come see us Open House Week, Oct 19-24

Sakura Gakuen6850 Regional St., Ste 110, Dublin(925) 556-9555

[email protected]

See f

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Diablo ValleyMontessori School

Expanding Worlds of Learning

3390 Deer Hill Rd., Lafayette

(925) 283-6036www.DVMS.org

Now enrolling children 3 months-6 years of age(Half-Day & Full-Day Available)

Tour Our Campus or Visit Us Online www.dvms.org

• Montessori-Certified Teachers• Parent Involvement

• AMS Affiliate• Convenient Access Off Hwy 24

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ONLINE EDITION

ThemostancientservicetotheCrownofEnglandistheofficeoftheSheriff

22hautestuff

fAst fInds

QuickChangeArtists

Theseselectionsserveadualpurpose:bydaythey’restylishschoolselections;afterthebell,theycanbeslightlyalteredforafternoonadventuresinthewildwest,onthehighseas,orthenearestconstructionsite.


CowboyStack From Top to Bottom: Multi-colored plaid shirt, Target, $9.99. Black and white plaid button down, Lucky Brand Kid’s, SF, $22.50. Black, white and yellow plaid shirt, Target, $9.99. Red and white plaid shirt, Lucky Brand Kid’s, SF, $22.50.

Boy on Horse Black and white gingham button down, Zara, $9.99. Levi’s jeans, Sear’s $18.99. Durango cowboy boots, Zappos, $53. White cowboy hat, model’s own.


ONLINE EDITION


Pirate Grey striped shirt, Mossimo for Target, $7.99. Men’s scarf worn as belt, Target, $12.99. Black jeans, Target, $12.99.

Piratestack Red and white striped short sleeve tee, Rugged bear, www.ruggedbear-online.com, $14.95. Grey and aqua striped long sleeve tee, Land’s End for Sear’s, $10. Lime and white long sleeve tee, Land’s End for Sear’s, $12.50. Green and white stripe short sleeve tee, Rugged bear, www.ruggedbear-online.com, $14.95. Orange and grey stripped, long sleeve tee, Land’s End for Sear’s, $10.


ONLINE EDITION


Short Stack Greendog grey, khaki, and brown cargo shorts, available at Macy’s, $12.98. Engineer stripe cargos, Old Navy, $14.50. Carpenter shorts, Old Navy, $14.50.


ONLINE EDITION

28schooldaze

EliseTan-Roberts,alloftwoyearsold,istheyoungestmemberofMensa

Find more back-to-school articles, tips, and

more online at www.bakidsmagazine.com


If you want your child to grow up to be a world traveler, send them to …

viva el español

3451 Golden Gate way, Lafayette

(925) 962-9177 | www.vivaelespanol.org

Classes are offered for preschool age through highschool.Saturday family classes, andparent and childclasses for toddlersarealsooffered.Emphasis isonahands-on, multi-sensory approach using music, art,games,andstorytellingtolearnSpanish.ProgramsareofferedatlocalelementaryschoolsinLafayette,Moraga,WalnutCreek,Oakland,Pleasanton,SanLeandro,andSanFrancisco.CheckWebsiteforspecificschools.

ecole Bilingue de Berkeley

1009 Heinz Ave., Berkeley

(510) 549-3867 | www.eb.org

Bonjour! French immersion programs are offeredbasedonthethreeprimarygradecyclesoftheFrencheducation system:Cycle 1 (preschool andK),Cycle2(K-1-2),Cycle3(3-4-5);middleschoolconstituestheentranceintoCycle4.

mandarin play and learn

480 Teresita Blvd., San Francisco

415-469-0195 | www.mandarinplaylearn.com

Saturday morning classes (ages 3 to 7) are availablealong with after-school classes for elementary agechildren.Summercampsofferedtoo.

WhenIGrowup…Cool Schools for Cool Kids

by Kelly Pollard

Inthiscurrenteconomicclimate,fundingformusic,arts,andscienceeducationisvirtuallynonexistent.Re-sourcefulparentsaredealingwiththisbyturningtoalternateeducationalopportunitiesthathelpbroadentheirchildren’soutlook.MargaretGrover-Roos,ownerofVivaElEspañolinLafayette,believesprogramssuchasherSpanishschool

complementanychild’seducation—fittingtheseextraclassesintoanalreadybusyscheduleiseasierthanonemightthink.

“Tome,speakinganotherlanguagegiveschildrenalifelongabilitytocommunicatewithpeoplefromoth-ercountriesandbackgrounds,”saysGrover-Roos.“Therehavebeennumerousstudieslinkingknowledgeofasecondlanguagetohigherstandardizedtestscoresandacademicachievement.”

Manyoftheprogramslistedbelowcanalsofitintoyourchild’sschedule.Whatisyourchildpassionateabout?Perhapstheperfectschoolinwhichtheycandevelopthispassionisjustaphonecallaway.

Theselistingsarebynomeanscomprehensive,astheBayAreaishometoavarietyofamazingschoolsforchildren.Thisisonlyastartingpointforyourfutureresearch.\

sakura gakuen

6850 Regional St., Ste 110, Dublin

(925) 556-9555

www.eastbaysakuragakuen.com

InstructionareavailableinJapaneseforbothJapaneseand non-Japanese students (ages 3 to adult).Gakuenprograms are based on the elite kindergarten andgradeschoolcurriculumsfromJapan,ratedoneofthehighestintheworld.

golestan Kids

1808 5th St., Berkeley

(510) 704-8541 | www.golestankids.com

The only immersion program of its kind in the BayArea,theyteachFarsiandPersianlanguagestoIranianAmericankidsintheBayArea(ages18monthsandup).

If you want your child to grow up to be a rock star, send them to …

where music Begins:

Academy of music education

5460 Sunol Blvd., Ste 1, Pleasanton

(925) 249-0661 | www.wheremusicbegins.com

Music for all ages. Lessons in piano, rhythm, vocals,kindermusik and sign language. They also provideadaptedmusiclessonstochildrenwithspecialneeds.


ONLINE EDITION

Andrea’s musical Adventures

Check web site for class locations

(925) 280-7364 | www.musicwithandrea.com

Introduction of music concepts (agesinfancyto7).Pre-pianoandgrouppianoclasses,aswellasparent-childclasses

music together

Check web site for East Bay locations

(925) 551-7722 | www.musictogether.net

Emphasis is on mixed-age classes withinfants attending with older siblings.Classesheldatavarietyoftimesandplaces.

Academy of language and music Arts

99 Brookwood Road, Orinda

(925) 254-5056 | www.alma-leap.com

This school offers group and privatelessons in all instruments, and you canalso sign up your child for a variety oflanguageclasses(ages3andup).

If you want your child to grow up to be an Artistic genius, send them to …

smartsunlimited

53 wright Brothers way, Livermore

(925) 245-0283 | www.smartsunlimited.com

This school has it all for the aspiringartist: classes in musical instruments,theater, opera, film making, drawing,painting,andmixedmediaart.CheckouttheKindersmartclass(ages2to6),wherethey areexposed to various artsover thecourseoftheclass.

lamorinda Academy of music and Arts

3381 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette

(925) 299-1240 | www.musicandart.corg

Locations also in Moraga, Orinda, walnut

Creek and other East Bay locations.

Thisstudiooffersartclasses(ages6andup), with student exhibitions. Musicclasses in various instruments and oncomposition. Students are trained forrecitalsortocompete.

If you want your child to grow up to be a rocket scientist, send them to …

sarah’s science

27525 Knoll way, Castro Valley

(510) 581-3739 | www.sarahscience.com

Classes in Berkeley, Oakland and San Ramon

This program features hands-on scienceprojectsforkids(ages5to15)thatteachcomplex science concepts. The schooloffers camps over holiday breaks andsummer camps, as well as sciencenightsandSaturdayclassesthroughouttheyear.

mad science mount diablo

1150 Burnett Ave, Ste A, Concord

(925) 687-1900

www.madscience.org/mtdiablo

Kids learn and get to participate inunique experiments and dazzlingdemonstrationsofscienceinaction.Takeclasses, workshops, and summer camps.Offeredatoveronehundredschoolsandrecreation sites in Alameda and ContraCosta Counties; check Web site forlocations (preschool age and up). Scoutscan also earn badges through specificprojectsintheprogram.BAK


Academy at Berkeley2722 Benvenue Ave., Berkeley, (510) 549-0605www.theacacemyk-8.comSunday, Oct 25, 1–3pmTuesday, Nov 10, 7–8:30pm

diablo valley montessori school3390 Deer hill Rd., Lafayette(925) 283-8036www.dvms.orgMontessori 101Oct 21, 6pm: For parents of PreK/KindergartnersMontessori in the Home: Nov 19, 5pm: For parents of Infants and Toddlers

ecole Bilingue de Berkeley1009 heinz Ave., Berkeley(510) 549-3867www.eb.orgNov 12, 6:30pm

renaissance school3668 Dimond Ave., Oakland(510) 531-8566Pre-primary/PrimaryOct 6, 2009 – 9:30amOct 29, 2009 – 9:30amNov 18, 2009 – 9:30amDec 2, 2009 – 9:30amK/Elementary/Middle SchoolNov 17, 2009 – 9:30amDec 3, 2009 – 9:30am

german International school of silicon valley, Berkeley campus1 Lawson Rd., Berkeley/Kensington, (650) 254-0748www.glssv.orgOct 10, 10am to 2 pm Nov 10, 6:30–8pmDec 8, 6:30–8pm

sakura gakuen6850 Regional St., Ste 110, Dublin, (925) 556-9555www.eastbaysakuragakuen.comOpen house week for Japanese classes and abacus (soroban) classes Oct 19—Oct 24

growing light montessori schoolswww.growinglight.net4700 Lincoln Ave., Oakland(510) 336-989752 Arlington Ave., Kensington(510) 527-12781450 Moraga Rd., Moraga(925) 377-0407Nov 6, 6:30–8pm: For Pre K / K & 1st-3rd grades.

seven hills school975 North San Carlos Dr., walnut Creek925) 933-0666www.sevenhillsschool.orgOct 27, 9:15amJan. 20, 9:15 am.

» open house/parent Info session calendarpreschool fAIrslamorinda moms preschool fairNov 12, 6:30-9 PM, Oak-wood Athletic Club, Lafay-ette www.lamorindamoms.org east Bay moms preschool & childhood resource fairJan 23, Scottish Rite Center, Oakland www.eastbaymoms.com

BayAreaKidsB A K i d s M a g a z i n e . c o m

Foradvertisingopportunities,call(510)[email protected]

Family Matters


ONLINE EDITIONDiablo Valley

Montessori School

3390 Deer Hill Rd., Lafayette

(925) 283-8036 www.dvms.org

Serving children 3 mos. -6 yrs. of age, DVMS of-fers a rich curriculum de-signed to produce devel-opmentally appropriate academic progress and independence. Experi-enced Montessori-trained teachers provide the high-est quality education using a “whole-child” approach. The goal is always to engage the child’s love of learning, while honor-ing each individual and his/her physical, emotional, social, and cognitive needs. Now enrolling for 2009-10. Visit us online or call to arrange a campus tour to observe our Montessori classrooms and learn more about our academic programs and enrichment opportunities, which include Dance/Movement, Computer Lab, Spanish and Mandarin.

Sakura Gakuen Japanese/Chinese Language School

6850 Regional St., Ste 110, Dublin • (925) 556-9555 [email protected] • www.eastbaysakuragakuen.com

Sakura Gakuen provides a Japanese environment where your child will be immersed in the language and culture of Japan, through academic instruction, songs, traditional games, and crafts. Non-Japanese children will also find it to be a fun way to learn about a different culture, begin to develop their own foreign language skills, and make new friends along the way. Our curricu-lum is not simply an enrichment program. Nor is it just intensive language training. Elements of Japanese culture and games will also be introduced to help students gain a better understanding of the language and have fun while learning. To further experience Sakura Gakuen, we encourage to attend one lesson for free!

Chinese classes starting soon. Call for more information.

Diablo Hills Country School1453 San Ramon Valley Blvd, Danville • (925) 820-8523

50 Creekside Dr, San Ramon • (925) 831-1210

Chosen as a PACE Child Care Center of the Year in 2006, Diablo Hills Country School provides safe, educational experiences that last a lifetime. Low student-to-teacher ratios help best develop each child. Smaller classrooms provide a warm, home-like learning center. We are licensed for children 2 year-olds and older and they do not need to be potty trained. Snacks and hot lunches provided. Our curriculum prepares children for Kindergarten while having fun. Our goal is to have children develop a positive self image while honoring each family’s unique cultural situation. Fully licensed by the State of California Department of Social Services.

Admissions: Currently registering for our 2009/2010 school year. We will register for summer camp and 2010 - 2011 in March 2010. We would love to answer any questions you have or set up a tour whenever is convenient for you.

Calvary Christian Preschool3425 Concord Blvd., Concord

(925) 682-6728

Your child’s growth—physical, mental, social, and spiritual—is our first priority at Calvary Christian Preschool. From Kindergarten to high school, we offer a structured curriculum (with a school year implementation), field trips, and special activity days for the summer. Two healthy snacks and a savory lunch are served every day. Our smaller classroom settings offer a fun, loving, caring, nurturing, stimulating experience for your child. Infant care available too!

Admission: Visit our location and experience our environment for yourself, or call us at (925) 682-6728.

special advertising section

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Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley1009 Heinz Ave., Berkeley • (510) 549-3867 • www.eb.org

Since 1977, EB has offered a challenging, creative curriculum in an international environment to students from preschool through eighth grades. With 520 students and over 40 nationalities rep-resented, our school provides daily opportunities to appreciate a greater world view while producing students who are confident, academically prepared, and fully bilingual. Our carefully structured French-American curriculum offers an emphasis on technology (Middle School has a 1:1 laptop program), world languages (Span-ish & Chinese are taught in grades 6-8), travel, community service and extracurricular activities. Accredited by the French Ministry of Education, CAIS, WASC.

For more details or to fill out an Admissions application, visit our website at www.eb.org.

Growing Light Montessori SchoolsOakland (510) 336-9897 | Moraga | (925) 377-0407 Kensington (510) 527-1278 • www.growinglight.net

Our goal at Growing Light Montessori is to help children feel good about themselves and others in a wonderfully diverse world. Welcoming classrooms allow preschoolers the chance to express and acknowledge feelings, listen to others, resolve conflicts and freely explore interests in a child-centered setting designed to promote confidence, creativity and success.

Admissions: Limited openings for 18 months-Pre-K/K for the 2009-2010 school year. To apply, download an enrollment ap-plication online. Parents are also encouraged to attend our Open Houses throughout the year.

The Renaissance School3668 Dimond Ave., Oakland • (510) 531-8566

[email protected]

The Renaissance School is a Montessori school for children aged 2 years through grade 8. Our school is a warm and supportive community of students, teachers, and parents.

We are an international school, and as such our curriculum, faculty, and student body reflect a global perspective. Completely integrated within our Montessori curriculum are Spanish, French and English immersion, as well as Fine Art and Kodály choral instruction.

At The Renaissance School, learning is not focused on rote drill and memorization. Our goal is to develop students who really understand their schoolwork. Our students learn through hands-on experience, investigation, and research. They become actively engaged in their studies, rather than passively waiting to be spoon-fed.

Our educational program is consciously designed to recognize and address different learning styles, helping students learn to study most effectively. We challenge and set high expectations for all our students, not only a special few. Our students develop self-discipline and an internal sense of purpose and motivation.

Our students learn to collaborate and work together in learning and on major projects. They strive for their personal best, rather than compete against one another for the highest grade in their class.

We are located in the heart of the Dimond District in Oakland, immediately adjacent to Dimond Park. Please feel free to call us and come take a tour of our school.

Admissions: Please visit our website to learn more about our admissions philosophy and application process today

Upcoming Tours: (adults only, please)Pre-primary/PrimaryOctober 6, 2009 – 9:30amOctober 29, 2009 – 9:30amNovember 18, 2009 – 9:30amDecember 2, 2009 – 9:30am

K/Elementary/Middle SchoolNovember 17, 2009 – 9:30amDecember 3, 2009 – 9:30am

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ONLINE EDITION

Applied Scholastics Academy East Bay2050 Lincoln Ave., Alameda

(510) 748-0428

Applied Scholastics Academy East Bay (formerly Golden Gate Apple School) is a private, nonsectarian school, located in Alameda. The school builds a strong foundation for learning by assuring mastery of the basics in reading, writing, math, spelling and handwriting. We offer small class sizes aimed at harnessing the power of the students’ personal interests and goals, aligned to their education. Individualized programs and remedial assistance are provided to get kids caught up, fully engaged and winning. Students are taught how to learn and study, embracing an “I can do it” attitude that makes them confident in their ability to learn anything and achieve their own true goals in life. Admissions: Students are admitted based on test scores, inter-views and available openings. Call for a free educational analysis of your child or to arrange an interview and/or tour of our facility.

The Academy at Berkeley2722 Benvenue Ave., Berkeley

(510) 549-0605 • www.theacademyk-8.com

We Care Services for Children2191 Kirker Pass Road, Concord

(925) 671-0777 • www.wecarebmcc.org

German International School of Silicon Valley—Berkeley Campus

1 Lawson Road, Kensington(650) 254-0748 • www.gissv.org

The Academy is an independent, co-educational school for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Class sizes are limited to 16 students, enabling academic cohesiveness while also accommodating individual academic needs. The curriculum is traditional, yet also rich in opportunities for creative experience and expression. The school has a warm family atmosphere and celebrates it’s diverse school community. Information Events: Your entire family is welcome to attend one of our Information Events on Sunday, October 25 from 1pm-3pm and Tuesday, November 10 from 7pm-8:30pm.

We Care Services for Children is a private, nonprofit agency that serves young children, including those who may be at-risk or have special needs. For 50 years, We Care has a proven record of success. Their team of highly-qualified and caring professionals works with each child to reach his or her full potential. Currently, We Care has openings in their “Mommy and Me” classes, teaching creative learning to children of all abilities, along with their caregivers & siblings. Developmental assessments, individual occupational & speech therapy, and parent education are also offered.

Admissions: To schedule a free consultation, call Darcie Azzolini, Director of Developmental Services, at (925) 671-0777, X26.

Our German-English immersion program is open to any families interested in a high-quality bilingual education, whether they are German or non-German speaking. Our program offers children an effortless and natural language acquisition in both directions—German and English. Both languages are everyday speech and language of instruction at the same time.

For the 2009/2010 school year we will have openings for Kindergarten, First Grade, and Second Grade. For additional information or to schedule a tour, e-mail at [email protected], call at 650-254-0748 or visit us at www.gissv.org.A

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especial advertising section


Diablo Hills Country School“Educational Experiences that Last a Lifetime”

• Low student-to-teacher ratios • Smaller classrooms

• Licensed for two and older, no potty-training needed • Snacks and hot lunches • Licensed by state of California

• Undergoing NAEYC accreditation

process

Currently registering for the 2009/2010 school year. Register for our summer camp in March 2010.

Diablo Hills Country School1453 San Ramon Valley Blvd., Danville

(925) 820-8523

50 Creekside Dr., San Ramon(925) 831-1210

2006 PACE

Child Care Center

of the Year

© 2009 Applied Scholastics Academy East Bay. All Rights Reserved. Applied Scholastics Academy East Bay is licensed by Applied Scholastics International to use education services and materials based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard. Applied Scholastics, the Applied Scholastics Academy design and the Applied Scholastics open book design are trademarks and service marks owned by the Association for Better Living and Education International and are used with its permission.

EB educates children to become fully bilingual and well-prepared for our rapidly changing world.

www.eb.org

1009 Heinz Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94710 - (510) 549-3867

Information Evening Thursday, November 12 6:30 p.m.

INFANTS AND TODDLERS CAN’T WAIT!

Ask What We Care Services For Children Can Do For Your Family

Free ConsultationsDevelopmental AssessmentsIndividual Occupational TherapyIndividual Speech TherapyParent Education Mommy & Me Classes - Creative Learning For Children Of All Abilities

10% Off First Service With This Ad

(925) 671.0777, Ext. 262191 Kirker Pass Road, Concordwww.wecarebmcc.org


ONLINE EDITIONhautestyles

Chabot

has several

telescopes

available for

public viewing.

Come after

dusk and peek

at the moon,

stars, distant

planets, and

other galactic

bodies.

Far Out! inspirational styles for interplanetary travel (or just going to school)

Grey and green jacket, $34.50; grey and green jogging pants, $24.50; shoes, $49.95. Puma.

Photography Christina Fabbri Photography; Styling Courtney Jo; Assistant Carolyn Carcione;StudioTeacher Chris Blooming-dale; ; Hairandmake-up Cath-erine Bui; Models Caden (4), Brandon (4), and Sally (5), JEModel(jemodel.jetalent.com), San Francisco. Shot on location at Chabot Space and Science Center, Oakland, www.chabot-space.org

Chabot has this cool mission control simulator and rooms that resemble the inside of a space ship. you can act as a guide on land or a scientist in space.


Background bomber jacket, $56, HawksandCompany; grey pants, $69, Diesel; dog tags, $80,Diesel; brown suede shoes, $49.95, Merrell

Foreground Black racing jacket, $56, Guess; white pants, $92, 7forallMankind;shoes, $49.95,Puma


ONLINE EDITIONhautestyleshautestyles

Chabot has this room that lets you learn all about the physics, sizes, and weather conditions on other planets with lots of hands-on experiments and learning tools (like dry ice—we like dry ice.)

Him black t-shirt, black pants, $99, Diesel; shoes $29.95, Converse

Her Dress, $69, Aqua; cotton tights, $8.95, Peek-a-Bootique; purple boots, $24.99, Crocs


If you’re looking for a kid-

friendly destination where your

children can play, touch, and

explore while also learning

about their world (and others).

Chabot supplies all those

qualifications.

Grey and pink dress, $59, Diesel


ONLINE EDITION

UsPollardsareaweekendgetawaykindoffamily,sowhenthestarsalignedforanopportunitytospendsixdaysinSanDiego,therewasno

hesitation.WetookoffearlyoneTuesdaymorningwithoursonsBobby,age6,andShane,age4,pumpedtodiscoverwhattheareahadtooffer.Stoppingonlytwiceontheroad,wemadeitintoCarlsbadinlessthansevenhours,theextratimeallowingustospendalazyafternoonatthehotelpoolorwanderingacrossthestreettoplayinthesandsofCarlsbad Beach.

Thenextmorning,aswesteppedinsideLegoland,BobbyandShane’seyeslitupastheytookinsculpturesoflife-sizedpeopleandvehicles,allbuiltusingonlyLegobricks.Wedousedoutapretendfireonafiretruckandtheboysearnedtheir‘driver’slicense’onseparateracetracksdesignatedbyage.Shane,admittedlytallforhissize,wasbigenoughtoridethemassiveTechnorollercoaster,experiencingthesamethrillsthatmyhusband,BobbyandIshared(thoughhewasabitscared).WetookapauseattheKnight’s Table Barbecue,wherewemunchedonsomenot-to-be-missedGranny’sAppleFries,batteredfreshappleslicesthatarefriedanddustedwithcinnamonsugar.

InsideMinilandUSA,surroundedbyreplicasoffamoustownssuchasSanFranciscoandLasVegas,Bobbyloudlyproclaimed:“WhenIgrowup,IwanttobeamasterbuilderforLegoland.”Legolandwassucha

hitthatwedecidednottovisittheadjoiningAquariumSeaLife(requiringaseparateentrancefee),stayingoninstead,makingsureeachboygottochoseaLegosetoftheirownfromthemassivegiftshopbeforefinallyleavingthepark.

Thenextmorning,weheadedofftoSan Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal ParkinEscondidotogetintouchwithourwildside.Childandadultalikewerefascinatedbythesiteoflions,giraffes,rhinos,andotherendangeredanimalslivingamorenaturalhabitatwhilealsolearningaboutallthestepstheparktakestobreedtheanimals.AdmissiontotheParkincludesatwentyminutetramridethroughthewildlifehabitat,whichendsuptobejusttherightamountoftimeneededforyoungerkids.Ifyourkidsaresixandup,splurgingonaPhotoCaravantourtakesyouevenclosertotheanimals.

Atournextstop,La Jolla,wecheckedintotheelegantHotel Parisi,intheheartofSanDiego,decom–pressingwithtakeoutfoodfromKarl Strauss Brewing Company (gourmetmacandcheeseanyone?).Thenextmorning,wewalkeddowntoLa Jolla Cove, boastingthesoftestsandmytoesevertouched,matchedbysweepingviewsofthedeepbluePacificandacoastpepperedwithmountainsofshellswashedupintotherocks.Children’s Pool Beach,unofficiallycalledSealBeach,wasclosedtothepublicduringourvisit,thoughwedidspotsomefrolickingsealsfromourwalkwayabove.

Forournextadventureweheadedsouth,toSea World.Theparksprawlsinalldirections(parentsbewarned,virtuallyeveryexhibitfunnelsyouthroughtoagiftshop).Thislayoutproveddisastroustoourchildren.Astheafternoonworeon,sodidtheboys’whining,whichgrewtofeveredpitches.Aftermissingthemuch-hypedShamuShow,RobbieandIdecideditwastimetopackupthetwotiredboysandtrektheKeating Hotel,indowntownSanDiego.

FORMOREINFORMATION

Find out more about Kelly Pollard’s trip to San Diego, including a listing

of places to eat, stay, and play, online at www.

bakidsmagazine.com

40travel

SanDiegowasoneofthefirstEuropeansettlementsontheWestCoast

SanDiegoFinding family-friendly fun in the sun

by Kelly Pollard

LEGOLAND

WILDANIMALPARk


ONLINE EDITION

TheKeatingboastsanurban-chicdécorinspiredanddesignedbythePiniFarinadesigngroup,bestknowfortheirexoticcarstyles,pairedwithaprimelocationinthecity’sGas Lamp Quarter.WecorralledtheboysdownstairsandhittheHard Rock Caféwheretheydugtheloudmusicandrockstarmemorabiliaadorningthewalls.Whiletheboyswerestar-gazing,RobbieandItooktheedgeoffourSeaWorldblueswithsomesignaturecocktails.Afterdark,wewitnessedthestreetsintheQuartercomealivewithlivemusic;hundredsofpeopletakingtothestreetstocheckouttheclubs,sidesteppingbicyclescartingaroundpassengersinrickshaws.Theboys(thankfully)sleptblissfullythroughthenoise,butweadultslistenedwistfully,longingforasittertorelieveusforafewhourssowecouldgodownandcheckouttheaction.

ThelastlegofourSanDiegojourneysawushitthenewChildren’s Museum,whichprovidedsweetrelieffromthestickershockandcrowdsofotherhigh-pricedattractionswehadlookedinto.BobbyandShanegleefullypaintedaVolkswagenandtumbledaroundaroomfilledwithmattressesandpillows.

OurfinalstopbeforeheadinghomewasBalboa Park,andtheworldfamousSan Diego Zoo.TheNaturalHistoryMuseumsparkedBobby’sinterestwithitsdinosaurbones,andShanelovedthependulumswayingwiththeEarth’srotation.Arrivingatthezoointheevening,wetookadvantageoftheskytramandthedoubledeckertourbusforsomerelaxedsight-seeing.AvisittotheSanDiegoZooisn’tcompletewithoutsayinghellototheirfamousblack-and-whiteresidents,thegiantpandas.Onlyonepandawasondisplaythatday,butwegottogetareallygoodclose-uplookofher,andwatchassheadorablygnawedonherbambooshoots.

SANDIEGOzOO

SanDiegooffersfamily-friendyattractionsandaccommodationsthatwillbringparentsbackagainandagain..BobbyandShanestillaskwhenwearegoingbacktoLegoland,andwhilewealltalkaboutthepossibilityofafamilyovernightstayattheWildAnimalPark,RobbieandsecretlymuseovertheideaofareturnescapetotheGaslampQuarter;thistime,however,foranadults-onlyromp.Hmmm…Ineedtostartplantingtheideaforthattripinmyeditor’shead.SanDiego,we’llbeback.BAK


» Before you goVisit theSanDiegoConventionandVisitor’sBureau, online at www.sandiego.org. Request their official planning guide that comes with pre-planned itineraries and coupons.

» eatknockoutPizzeria2937 Carlsbad Blvd., Carlsbad www.flippinpizza.comNew York-style pizza pies and slices

karlStraussBrewing1044 Wall St., La JollaDelicious pub style food

AppleGreenYogurtWall St., La JollaFrozen yogurt, coffees and pastries.

Powell’sSweetShoppe1000 Prospect Place, La JollaOld fashioned candy store.

TheMerkatThekeatingHotel432 F St., San DiegoCalifornia cuisine and gourmet pizzas.

HardRockCafé801 4th St., San DiegoKids menu, fun atmosphere.

» stayBestWesternBeachView3180 Carlsbad Boulevard, Carlsbad, (800) 535-5588Family friendly, pool and spa, across the street from beach.

HotelParisi1111 Prospect Place, La Jolla(877) 4PARISIwww.hotelparisi.comStellar service and amenities like in-room massage. Prime location in La Jolla. Pay nightly parking fee.

Thekeating432 F Street, San Diego(619) 814-5700www.thekeating.comHistoric building in Gaslamp Quarter walking distance to great restaurants and nightlife.

» playLegolandCaliforniaResort1 Legoland Dr, Carlsbadwww.legoland.comSanDiegozoo’sWildAnimalPark155500 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondidowww.wildanimalpark.org

SeaWorldSanDiego500 SeaWorld Drive, San Diegowww.seaworldsandiego.com

BalboaParkandSanDiegozoo2920 Zoo Drive, San Diegowww.sandiegozoo.orgwww.balboapark.org


ONLINE EDITION

Author EliseCooke

will be teaching a

Winter Gardening class

with the City of Walnut

Creek Parks and

Recreation Department

this fall. Go to www.

SimpletonSolutions.

com for more

information.

44thoughtforfood

Togetridofgarlicbreath,chewonfreshparsley

crucifixthevillagersgaveyou.Smackingyourforehead,yourememberthatit’sinyourotherjacket.Thestrangerseemstoreadyourthoughts,andsmileswidely,flashingthosesignaturesharpcaninesintheprocess.

Tryingtooutrunhimispointless,butthere’snotalkingyourwayoutofthisone,either,soyoumakeadashforthenearestfield,inhopesthatthere’safarmhousesomewhereontheothersideofit.Whennextyoulookup,he’sdirectlyinfrontofyouagain,soyoucuttotheleftbeforehecanpounce.

Nomatterwhereyougo,hecangettherefaster,withouteffort.Yourealizethathe’sjustlettingyoutireyourselfout.Youdodgehimafewmoretimes,rackingyourbrainsforabetterplan.

Nothingpresentsitself,untilyounoticeseverallongslenderbladespokingoutofthegroundafewyardsahead.Coulditbe?Withthelastofyourstrength,youmakeadesperatelunge,slidingheadfirstintothefield.Thestranger’sblackleatherbootsplantdeftlyoneithersideofyou,butyou’rethequickeronethistime,firmlygraspingthethickeststemyoucanreach,wrenchingthebulbupoutoftheground,andholdingitinfrontofyourfacelikeatalisman.

Congratulations,you’vejustgivenavampireafacefullofgarlic.Withagaspandasputter,oneveryangrybatfliesaway,hissingintothenight.

Beforeyougetup,besuretograbsomemore.It’safullmoon,and,asluckwouldhaveit,werewolvesdon’tlikegarlic,either.

Inancientlore,garlicisalmostalwaysthegoodguy.Romansoldiersconsumeditbeforebattletogivethemstrength.Egyptianslavesateittoworkharder.TheScandinavians,Greeks,GermansandNorsepeoplesallusedittowardoffvariousmanifestationsofevil.AncientHindusrevereditashavingoriginatedfromheavenlynectar,afterthegoddessSachioverindulgedandupchuckedontotheearth,fromwhencegarlicsprouted.

Garlic(AlliumSativum)isamemberofthelilyfamily,Liliaceae,whichincludesonions,leeks,chivesandshallots.Healthadvocatesfromancienttimestothemoderndayappreciategarlic’scurativepowers.Itsfamouspungentodorisahighlyvolatilecompoundcalledallylsulphide,whichhasbeenshowntohaveantibiotic,decongestiveandothermedicinaluses.

Foodieslovegarlic,too.Whenheated,theharshodorgiveswaytoaricharomathatflavorsallkindsofsavorydishes,fromsoupstoroasts.Wholecookbooksaredevotedtothisherb.

Gardenersalsoreveregarlic.Mostinsectpestsandevenfungusarerepelledbythisherb,sogardenersinterplantitwithother,morevulnerablecrops.Aspraymadewithcrushedgarlicsteepedinwaterwillalsodowonders.Evenratsandmicewillgivetheplotawideberth.

Garlicisveryeasytogrow,whichisasalienttopicforeventhistimeofyear.Manygardeningbooksassumea“springplanting,fallharvest”formula,butthatisn’thowit’sdoneinGilroy,California,theself-proclaimed“GarlicCapitaloftheWorld.”Garlicthrivesonourmildwinterssofarmersoftenplantitin

Grateful for GarlicIt’s not just for warding off vampires anymore (it scares off werewolves too)

byEliseCooke

Youaretrampingalongalonelyroad,borderedbybrittlefieldsgrowingmistyinthegathering

darkness,thelastofOctober’sdaylightslippingbeneaththeApuseniMountainrangeinthedistance,You’reinthenorthwesternregionofRomania,anareamanyofthelocalscallArdeal.

Thecrunchofyourstepsquickenstokeeptimewiththehammeringinyourchest.Yousensethatyou’rebeingwatched.Thesteadyhumofbatsoverheaddoesnothingtolessentheeerinessofthescenearoundyou.Allwarmthandcolorseemstohavedrainedawayfromthelandscapelike…suddenly,atall,cloakedfigurestandsintheroadahead.Atfirstheappearsasjustanotherblackprofileofaleaflesstreethatdotsthecountryside,butasyougetcloser,hiswhitefacebecomesluminescentinthemoonlight.Evencreepierarehiseyes;there’shungerinthem.

Uh-oh.NowyourememberthattheothernameforArdealisTransylvania.Youfumblethroughyourpocketsforthe


Try this little experiment with your

kids: Slice a fresh clove of garlic and

rub the cut side against the webbing

between the first and second toe of

your child’s foot. In a few seconds,

ask them if they can taste the garlic.

Allyl sulphide is so volatile, herbalists

insist that it can penetrate the skin

and flow through the body.

SeptemberandOctober,foralatespring,earlysummerharvest.Youcanbuybulbsatagrocerystore,splitthemapartintoindividualcloves,thenburytheclovesaboutsixinchesapartinloose,fertilesoil.Puttheminthegroundwiththepointytipoftheclovefacingupward,thencoverwithacoupleofinchesofsoil.Alightmulchoffallenleavesdoesagoodjobkeepingmoisturefromevaporatingafterwatering.Solongastheclovesdon’tdryout,thinstalk-likeshootswillappearwithinacoupleofweeks.

Theleavesofthegarlicplantareeverybitasedibleasthebulbyou�llharvestlater,sopickaleafortwofromeachplantasyouneedthem.Theyaddexcellentflavorandcolortoyourwintersautés,stewandstirfries.

Asspringwanes,garlicplantedthepreviousfallwillsignalharvest-readinesswhentheirstalksstarttobrownandfoldover.Stopwateringatthatpointandleavethemaloneforanotherweekorso,toallowtheirbulbstodryintheground.Pullthemupandletthemfinishcuringinadryshadyplaceforafewmoredays.Atthispoint,thestalkswillbebrown,andtheskinofthebulbswillbeflakyandtranslucent.Theywillstoreforweeksorevenmonthsat65-70F(18-21C).Don’tkeepthemintherefrigerator,astheywillgobadquicklyinthecold.

Plantnowandyou’llhaveagoodsupplyofgarlicleavesbyHalloween.Shouldoneofthosecostumedghoulsandgoblinscomingtoyourdoorturnouttobetherealthing,you’llbeready.BAK

Serving seasonal farm-fresh American fare for the whole family since 1995

Lark Creek Walnut Creek serves lunch daily, brunch Sunday, cocktails, and dinner nightly, and private parties.

Lark Creek Walnut Creek1360 Locust Street, Walnut Creek

(925) 256-1234 • www.larkcreek.com

• Kids menu includes fresh fruit plate, hand-breaded fresh crispy chicken fingers with house cut fries, peanut butter and housemade jelly sandwich

• Award winning all-American wine list for Mom and Dad

recipe

Garlic Ice CreamHere’s a recipe for more adventurous palettes from the Gilroy Garlic Festival. (Makes 1 quart)

Ingredients 2 cups whole milk 1 clove garlic, minced 1 cup heavy cream 8 egg yolks1 vanilla bean, split in half, seeds scraped out and reserved1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

PreparationPut milk, garlic, vanilla pod and seeds in a saucepan. Bring to a

boil over medium heat and remove immediately. In mixing bowl, whisk the cream, sugar and egg yolks until

combined. Whisking constantly, slowly strain the hot milk mixture into the egg and sugar mixture.

Return the mixture to the pan and stir continuously over low heat until it thickens slightly, and coats the back of a spoon, about 10-12 minutes. Do not boil!

Pour in a bowl and chill over an ice bath. Pour into ice cream machine and churn until done. Freeze until ready to serve.


ONLINE EDITION

Cake is really “in” right now. First there was the nationwide obsession with cupcakes, which had cupcake shops vying with Starbucks for every street corner. Then the TV shows started. Cake challenges,

wedding cake specials, bakery reality shows … cake artists are the new rock stars, and even your average twelve-year-old knows what “fondant” means.

As a huge fan of cake, I happen to think all of this is A Very Good Thing. However, I also know that every light has its shadow, every up has its down, and every gorgeously piped rosette has its sloppily slapped-together icing blob. Enter … [dramatic pause] … the Cake Wreck!

On my blog and in my book, I catalog professional cake-tastrophes. The misspellings, the misunderstandings, the overly ambitious, the unin-tentionally creepy, the out-and-out ugly—you’d be surprised at how many ways there are to Wreck a cake. In fact, let’s take a look at some general types of Cake Wreckage and the best ways you can avoid them.

First, and perhaps most common, is the misspelling. Not a big deal, you say? Ah, well it depends on which word gets misspelled:

Jen Yates is the author of Cake

Wrecks: When Professional Cakes go

Hilariously Wrong (available through

www.Amazon.com. Keep up with

her ongoing blog at cakewrecks.

blpgspot.com. Send your cake wrecks

to [email protected]

cAKe wrecKs by Jen Yates

dowehavetospellitout?

Next is what I’ve dubbed the Literal LOLs. These cakes pretty much speak for themselves:

These kinds of Wrecks are eas-ily fixed, if you catch them before leaving the bakery. Proofread ev-erything before you walk out the door, and you’ll save yourself a lot of potential grief (and teasing from friends) later.

Next issue we’ll introduce the three dreaded C’s: Cup Cake Cakes. Stay tuned!

exhibit A This is an actual proposal cake, and was supposed to read “Marry this dork.”

exhibit B A Freudian slip, perhaps?

exhibit c This is a tough Wreck to avoid since even clear instructions can be misinterpreted

exhibit d Can figure out what this baker was trying to say? (Hint, it’s supposed to say “Fatherhood.”)

46cakeand

bake


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ONLINE EDITION

dining guideA rotating list of kid-friendly dining

destinations in the East Bay. For a

more complete list, go online to

www.bakidsmagazine.com. This

issue we focuse on the TriValley

area: Danville, San Ramon, Dub-

lin, Pleasanton, and Livermore.

Have a favorite family-friendly

dining spot? Send your review to

[email protected] and

we might print it in our next issue.

Danville

Danville Rising Loafer 340 Hartz

Ave., (925) 838-8800, www.danvil-

lerisingloafer.com. It’s taken very

little advertising and plenty of excel-

lent reviews to bring the breakfast

crowds to the door of this unpre-

tentious and totally charming café.

Feels–like-you’re-one-of-the-family

service and big portions of really

good food are a consistent draw

along with a light and healthy menu

that doesn’t leave you feeling de-

prived. Plenty of healthy favorites for

the little ones too: 9-grain pancakes,

low-fat French toast, oatmeal, and

yogurt and fruit.

Marcello’s 515 San Ramon Val-

ley Blvd., (925) 838-8144, www.

marcellosofdanville.com. Lunch

Tues–Fri, dinner Tues–Sun. Full

bar, private room. When your in-

ner American Idol star is yearning

for a chance to perform, head to

Marcello’s where the piano bar is

almost always open for auditions.

While the entertainment value

may be questionable—no one is

turned away—the food can usually

be counted on to satisfy. A grilled

salmon filet wrapped around halibut

and scallops was tender and moist

while the artichoke ravioli special

was something to come back for.

The kids feasted on traditional spa-

ghetti and meatballs and Caesar

salad—and cleaned their plates.

Pasta Gondola 664 San Ramon

Valley Blvd., (925) 820-1144, www.

pastagondola.com. Mon-Thurs

11:00am–9:00pm, Fri-Sat 11:00am-

9:30pm, Sun 11:00am-9:00pm.

Don’t be fooled by the child-friendly

atmosphere—this is no home for

overgrown rodents and their card-

board crust pizza pies. A pocket

full of quarters is a small price to

pay for an evening of family time

and family-style Italian fare that

would stand alone without all the

bells and whistles of the flashing

kid distractions. The tradi-

tional pasta dishes are

portioned big enough

for two, the calzone is

always satisfying, but a

salad constructed from

the forty item salad bar

can be a meal, and a work

of art.

Pete’s Brass Rail and Car

Wash 201 Hartz Ave. (925) 820-

8281, www.petesbrassrail.com.

Mon–Thu 11:00am-9:30pm,

Fri-Sat 11:00am-10:00pm, Sun

11:00am-8:30pm.

Though we’ve tried on more than

one occasion, we’ve never found

anyone to clean the car while we

dine at Pete’s. In fact, we’ve never

even been able to find Pete. This

reality blow is greatly softened by

the burgers and fries and beer—

twenty different taps last time we

checked. Plenty for kids to choose

from—PB&J, grilled cheese and

our favorite—hot dogs. Top one

with the homemade chili, a little

cheese and a few onions. The

citrus chicken salad is big enough

for two, the homemade citrus vinai-

grette is not too sweet.

The Crown 331 Hartz Ave. (925)

855-2185, www.crownpub.com.

Open daily, 11:30 until late. Full bar,

outdoor dining, private room. Fish

and chips are a popular and obvi-

ous choice at this British pub-style

local favorite, but don’t overlook

the burgers, especially on Tuesdays

when a half-pound of high quality

beef with fries is only $6. The Cae-

sar salad has quite a following, even

among the mini-Brits—it wins out

every time over the ‘mushy peas’

children’s menu option. Thursday

nights bring the all-American inno-

vation “Beer Pong” to the otherwise

family friendly atmosphere.

Dublin

Hana Japan Steak House

7298 San Ramon Rd.,

(925) 829-7491, www.

hanajapan.com (lo-

cation in Berkeley

too). Lunch: Mon–Fri

11:30am–2:00pm;

Dinner: Mon–Thu

5:00–10.00pm, Fri 5:00–

11.00pm, Sat 4:00–11:00pm,

Sun 4:00–9.30pm Get ready for

the sing alongs, because joining in

a chorus or two of “Happy Birth-

day” is a requisite part of the fun.

A favorite celebration destination

for kids and adults, Hana Japan

is all about the presentation, and

who doesn’t love a “volcano of

onions” and attempting to catch

the appetizer shrimp as they come

flying from the chef. Dinner comes

with salad, soup, rice and vegeta-

bles. It’s warm, crowded and un-

believably popular with the valley

crowd who make Hana Japan part

of their birthday tradition. Reserva-

tions are strongly recommended.

Matsu Sushi 4930 Dublin Blvd.,

Suite 800, (925) 833-3966, www.

matsusushiusa.com. Beer, wine.

lunch, dinner daily. Mon-Sun,

11:30am–10:00pm. Located a few

steps and around the corner from

the Regal Theater, the restaurant

is as cheery and clean as it is ef-

ficient. Sushi comes in all those

popular, funny name varieties; you’ll

have to search the extra-long menu

for your favorite combination of

flavors; we enjoyed the Rainbow,

Spicy Aloha, and Cherry Blossom

rolls before we headed out to the

movies and some popcorn. And at

$8.50, their children’s plate combi-

nation of tempura, chicken yakitori,

gyoza, soup, and rice just might be

the best value in the Valley.

Red Tractor Café 4920 Dub-

lin Blvd., (925) 828-8300, www.

redtractor.com. Open daily

9:00am-9:00pm. Breakfast, lunch,

dinner daily. Dinner for breakfast is

a kid favorite, and the Red Tractor

Café offers their fluffy pancakes

and waffles from open to close.

Served up with spiced apples and

real whipped cream, the deluxe

waffles give the chocolate chip

pancakes real competition in the

popularity contest. Those looking

for more substantial options find

plenty of down-home choices—the

BLT sandwich is reliably good

while the Farmhouse Platters will

ensure you leave with leftovers. On

a menu filled with comfort foods,

the chicken Caesar salad is a good

choice for those couting their carbs

(dressing on the side, please).

Livermore

Campo di Bocce 175 E. Vine-

yard Ave., (925) 249-9800, www.

campodibocce.com. Bocce courts

open 9:00am–close, Restaurant

11:00am–close. Our last trip to

Bocce involved a girl’s night out,

but there are plenty of reasons to

bring the kids for a little friendly

competition. In the end, everyone

one is a winner when the cioppino

is so good and garlicky—those who

say the pasta carbonara is the real

champion are wrong—while the

light cream and pancetta sauce is

wonderful, it just can’t compete with

one and a half pounds of seafood in

a full to overflowing the bowl.

Sansar 2220 First St. Livermore,

diningguide

find more

reviews on-

line at www.

BAKidsmaga-

zine.com

October/November 09 | East Bay Bay Area Kids 49Weddingcakeswereoriginallyreferredtoas“Bride’sCakes”

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The Perfect Hands-On Activity for Birthday Parties, Schools, Scouts & More!

We Come To You!

(925) 606-6191, www.san-

sarindiancuisine.com, Wine,

beer. Open daily, 11:00am–

3:00pm for lunch, 4:30pm–

9:30pm for dinner. Sansar’s

daily lunch buffet is an excel-

lent way to open your child’s

world to the fl avors and spices

found in popular Indian dishes.

Favorites include the chicken

tikka masala, tandoori mixed

grill and vegetable samosas.

Garlic naan bread comes hot

from the clay oven—when

the dipping sauces arrive, go

ahead and ask for more, you’ll

need it.

simply fondue 2300 First

St., Suite 110, (925) 337-

8581, www.simplyfondu-

elivermore.com. Sun-Thurs

5:00–10:00pm, Fri-Sat

5:00–11:00pm. Whether it’s a

fi rst date, third date or twenty-

fi fth wedding anniversary,

there’s something intimate

about all the dipping, swirling,

and sharing that goes on over

a silky pot of melted swiss

cheese. Little ones may be

overwhelmed by the lengthy

dinner process, but the eight

and up crowd will go wild for

any of the thirteen chocolate

fondue options: we recom-

mend Chocolate Bliss—it’s

simply delicious.

Pleasanton

girasole grill 3180 Santa Rita

Rd., (925) 484-1001, www.

girasolegrill.com. Lunch, Mon-

Fri 11:00am–2:00pm; Dinner,

Sun-Thur 4:30pm–8:00pm,

Fri–Sat 4:30pm–9:00pm. Mom,

Dad, look what we found: a

kid-friendly restaurant with

chicken strips and a nice wine

list. While little gourmands

color the paper-topped table,

more advanced palates can

enjoy the garlicky goodness of

scoozzi bread, the spicy Abso-

lut! Prawns or the prosciutto-

stuffed chicken California

‘Cordon-Blu’. Reward good

behavior with an ice cream

sundae—and keep the Tuxedo

Chocolate Mousse Cake all to

yourself.

Gay Nineties Pizza 286

Main St., (925) 846-2520,

gayninetiespizza.com. Open

daily at 11:00am.Long before

Pleasanton’s Main Street

became the restaurant row

we know and love, Gay Nine-

ties Pizza was serving slices

of pizza pie to residents who

really had very few other

choices. Fifty years and plenty

of options later, you’ll fi nd the

award winning pizza still has

them lined up and out the door

waiting for a table. The se-

crets, they say, are the hand-

made sauces and sourdough

crusts…and a specialty pizza

that has been known to induce

labor for overdue mamas-to-

be. Walls full of memorabilia

make the time till you’re seated

fl y by. Be sure to glance in

the mirror before you leave...

the permanent “Boo” is said to

have been etched by a ghostly

hand.

Stacey’s Cafe 310 Main St.,

(925) 461-3113, www.sta-

ceyscafe.com. Sun–Thurs

11:30am–9pm,

Fri–Sat until 10 PM. If there

were an award for Best Restau-

rant to Eat at Alone and With-

out a Book, Stacey’s would

be installing extra shelves to

hold the trophies. The ironic,

sarcastic, and fairly irreverent

menu is such good reading

material that it is easy to forget

it serves a purpose. When the

very courteous waiters catch

us unprepared, again, we can

always rely on the crab crusted

ono fi let to satisfy. Stacey’s also

wins for Best Kid’s Menu, with

choices from the simple ched-

dar cheese and crackers to

grilled salmon fi llet with red skin

mashed potatoes and broccoli.

Substitutions/changes/special

requests are always welcome.

San Ramon

Zachary’s Chicago Pizza

3110 Crow Canyon Pl., (925)

244-1222, locations in Oakland

and Berkeley too, www.zacha-

rys.com. Sun-Thurs 11:00am–

9:00pm, Fri–Sat 11:00am–

9:30pm. For twenty-fi ve years

Zachary has had them lined

up out the door and down the

street in Oakland and Berkeley.

With the opening of their new-

est pizzeria in San Ramon, the

drive got shorter, but the lines

are just as long. San Ramon

is the one Zach’s that accepts

reservations You should know

it is just as delicious ordered

half-baked and fi nished at

home…but if it’s atmosphere

you want, order when you walk

in the door and things almost

always work out. Nineteen top-

pings, thin or stuffed crust, pes-

to or good and garlicky tomato

sauce mean you can spend

your waiting time wondering if

you ordered the right pizza, and

guaranteeing you’ll be back to

try a different combination next

time. BAK

We try to keep restaurant infor-

mation as current as possible.

However, menu items, hours,

pricing, and other details can

change without notice, so call

fi rst.


ONLINE EDITION

YoshI’s oAKlAnd

510 Embarcadero west

Jack London Square

Oakland

(510) 238-9200

www.yoshis.com

50restaurant

review

the cleAn plAte cluB by Jake S.

fortheloveofsushi

Confession: I admit the initial reason for my family’s recent trip down to Yoshi’s Japanese Restaurant at a corner of Oakland’s Jack London Square was purely selfish: I was craving sushi—

really good sushi—and sake to help wash it down. Living out in the ‘burbs, quality sushi is not a menu item one encounters on a regular basis, and withdrawal does set in.

I justified the excursion by thinking it might be a good opportunity to have our young one get a taste of new cuisine. Truth is, I never thought of sushi—in all of its forms—as being that kid-friendly of a food choice. (Once again) I was proven wrong.

While I viewed our time at Yoshi’s as a really nice dining experience, looking through the eyes of my four-year-old child, I realized that to her, the evening was so much more.

If you’ve never been to Yoshi’s, the restaurant sits on a corner by Jack London Square, which abuts the strip of ocean that separates Oakland from Alameda. So to get to Yoshi’s you walk by boats—big ones, parked ones, sailing ones, small ones—and seagulls, and people and shops and water fountains and open grassy areas and other distractions. Second, upon entering the dining hall, you are met with exotic wood carvings, high ceilings, and a view of chefs cutting strange things up behind the sushi bar. Third—the clincher—in order to get into the dining area, you have to take your shoes off, and climb into your recessed booth. By provid-ing something out of the ordinary without even sitting down, my daughter was already entranced.

After digging the whole no-shoes thing and wiggling her feet in pure pleasure, our daughter was presented with a hand-drawn menu—which featured such remarks as “You need eat Veggie!! Ask Mom” underneath a line drawing of a tempura plate, and “Kiiiddss!!!! I wanna see Empty Plate!!” next to a drawing of head chef Sho. With crayons in hand (also provided) she lost herself in coloring the teriyaki chicken a nice shade of blue, only to be interrupted—and then to be awe-struck—by an

approaching Amtrak train that rolled along ... about 15 feet from our window (there’s an Amtrak terminal at one end of the Square).

While she was occupied with the Choo Choo, my wife and I de-cided to experiment and see if our daughter might actually like some “adult dishes” and appetizers.

First though, my wife and I indulged in our own desires, me with a glass of Kirin beer and a cup of Sho Chiku Bai Nigori Sake, her with a Rockitt martini.

Based on recommendations from our server and the Maitre’d, our dinner choices showcased a variety of menu items: a mixed tempura plate (she devoured), blue fin/Akami sashimi (she ate the rice and the avocado, but nibbled on the fish), Japanese seaweed salad (she made a valiant effort, but in the end gave up—I had no problem eating her share), a tasty tuna tower (ditto), an order of the Shichimi Lime edamame (see below), some chicken fried appetizers, and a geisha roll.

Though she didn’t seem to mind the chicken or the geisha roll, she was too engrossed with the edamame to eat anything else. The concept of popping the peas out of the pods (and being allowed to do this), and then into her mouth kept her busy for the rest of the meal, allowing us adults to actually enjoy our food (a rarity).

My kudos then to Yoshi’s for providing what I didn’t consider before: a new dining experience in a true kid-friendly environment that allowed the act of eating to be what it ultimately is supposed to be … fun.

Looking for our kid-friendly restaurant reviews? They’re included in the online version of Bay Area Kids magazine, and also posted at www.bakidsmagazine.com

WhatweknowassushiwasoriginallyaChinesemethodofkeepingrawfishedibleforalongtime


recIpe

ChocolateMoussewithWhippedCreamGhosts

chocolAte mousse 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup water, divided 2 tbsp butter 3 egg yolks 2 tbsp sugar 1-¼ heavy whipping cream, whippedWhipped Cream Ghosts for garnish (see instructions below)

In a microwave or double boiler, heat chocolate chips, ¼ cup water and butter until the chocolate and butter are melted. Cool for 10 minutes. In a small heavy saucepan, whisk egg yolks, sugar and remaining water. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture reaches 1600 F, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; whisk in chocolate mixture. Set saucepan in ice and stir until cooled, about 5 to 10 minutes. Fold in whipped cream. Spoon into dessert dishes. Garnish with Whipped Cream Ghosts.

whIpped creAm ghosts1 Cup heavy whipping cream¼ C powdered sugar or to taste1 tspn vanilla extractMini semisweet chocolate chips (for the ghosts’ eyes)

Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar a little at a time then add vanilla. Whip so the cream holds its shape but isn’t too stiff. Garnish chocolate mousse as follows: 2 tablespoons (give or take) of whipped cream on top of each other; then top off with a good teaspoon on top of that. You should now have a ghost shape. To finish: add two mini semisweet chocolate chips for the eyes.

Recipe courtesy Clover Stornetta Farms

Did you make this recipe? Send us photos to

[email protected], and we’ll post

them online.


ONLINE EDITION

Ialwaysthoughtofmyselfasaglasshalf-fullkindofgirl.Yet,asIstumblethroughparentingmysonsthroughtheirvariousagesandsometimesnot-so-

greatstages,Ioftenforgetthesimpleactofgratitude.Ifindmyselfzeroinginonthedestructiontheboyshaveblitzedthroughmyhousehold,thebrotherlywrestlingmatchesandthehumofwhinesonthosedaysthatseemtostickinthememoryfarlongerthanthoseblissfullymellowones.InthespiritofThanksgiving,I’mshift-ingmyfocus tocountmyblessingsasIdidasachildaroundtheholidaytable.

Yes,myboysfightandattimesIwanttolockmyselfinaroomandhide.Thesefightsarethephysicalproofoftheirhealth.Proofisinthenotsoniceshoveduringanargument,thespeedtheyrunonthesoccerfields,thewayagummywormbribecanteaseanothermileoutofthemonthehikingtrailandtheswiftmaneuveringoftheirbikesandscootersinthebackyard.

Igrumblesometimes,usuallyinmyhead,abouttheendless school and sportsobligations, thepressure tovolunteermydwindling free time for their activities.ThenIremindmyselfhowgratefulIamtobeafixtureintheirlives,thatIcangetbyworkingonafewwrit-ingassignmentsanddevotingamajorityofmytimetogrowingtheseboysintogoodmen.(Ihope.)

Icomplainaboutmyhousethatneedsupdating,thepopcornceilingsthatneedscrapingandtheweedsover-takingmyyards.Howeasytoforgetthatweareluckytohaveahousebigenoughtoholdusandouraccumula-tionofthings.Wehaveamassiveorangetreethatfeedsusthroughoutthewinter,alemontreethatfreshensuprecipesyearroundandawildlytendedvegetablegardenthatsustainsusinthesummerandfallmonths.

Inthiseconomy,westillpayourbillsandkeepthatoutdated popcorn ceiling over our heads, living in atownwe love.Myhusband’s job is stable;we still canmake our mortgage payment and afford my young-erson’spreschool sohecanholdoffonkindergartenonemoreyear.Ourcarsarepaidoffandstillrunningusaround to various sportspractices, shopping trips,birthdaypartiesandschooleventsaroundtown.

Thanksgiving took on more significance than IthoughtpossiblewhenIbecameamotherandcelebrat-edmy first holiday withmy son rocking lazily in hisportable swingwhilemy loudand fun family ate andchattedaroundhim,admiringwhatahandsomeaddi-tionhewastoourclan.

dIArY of A suBurBAn queen

ingratitude

kellyPollard is

a TriValley writer and

mother of two boys,

ages five and four.

You can find her at

TwoBoysinTwoYears.

BlogSpot.com with

more incriminating

tales of her family.

Theboyshaveshotuplikeweedsovertheyears,theirgrowingbodiesandmaturingmindsleavemespeech-lessattimes.TheybringmeThanksgivingturkeyscon-coctedoutoftracedhandsandconstructionpaperandautumninspiredplacematshomefromschool.Icollectthesetreasures,buildingupacollectionofmementostodisplaylikehardwontrophiesatthistimeofyear.

I’m thankful for this eclectic mix of family andfriendsthatgatherseveryNovembertoeatandyellatthefootballgameanduncorkyetanotherbottleofwinetopassaround.TheholidaytakesthestingoutofthosedaysthatIfeellikeafailureasamother,liketheboysaretoowildandIcan’tpossiblyreinthemin.Thesim-pleactofgatheringaroundatablesetwithenoughplac-esforthelovedonesthatenrichmylifeputstheevery-daydrudgeryinperspective.

YearsfromnowI’llbelaughingwithmysacredcir-cleof familyaboutmemoriesofbabypowderdousingallcornersofthenurserybyasneakytoddler,attheredfood coloring incident traced to thepermanent stainon my carpet and the succession of broken windowsduringonepriceyseason.Asawriter,I’mgratefulfortheendlessmaterialtheboysprovidemewith.

Andforallofthesereasonsandmorethatcouldneverfitonthispage,I’mincrediblythankful.BAK

38last

words

Congresspassedaproclamationin1941makingThanksgivingalegalholiday

“I’mthankfulforthiseclecticmixoffamilyandfriendsthatgatherseveryNovembertoeatandyellatthefootballgame.”

bay area kids oct/nov issue

Documents

school children

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hours trainingcost

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child watch tv

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longterm results

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