lafayette today, december 2011

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Local Jazz By Fran MillerJazz seekers no longer have to cross the bridge to find live music in

a club-like atmosphere. For jazzy sounds as entertaining as anything you’ll find at the Rrazz R o o m , P e t a r ’ s r e s t au ran t in Lafayette features occasional Monday night jazz jam sessions. Arrive early though; the musicians have a curfew.

Featuring jazz students from Stanley Middle School, Bentley, Campolindo, Acalanes, Miramonte, and other area schools, Petar’s Jazz Night is the brainchild of music instructor Terry Miller. From 6 – 8:30pm, young jazz musicians are

Holding the winning ticket is Janet Pease, posed with husband Norm (right) and John Fazel, representing Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary Club, which handbuilt and raffled the 15-foot wood canoe. Gross ticket sales exceeded $17,000. Every dime goes toward funding community service projects in Lamorinda, including construction of the new outdoor concert stage at Lafayette Reservoir.

Volume V - Number 123000F DANVILLE BLVD #117

ALAMO, CA 94507Telephone (925) 405-NEWS, 405-6397

Fax (925) 406-0547 [email protected]

Alisa Corstorphine ~ PublisherThe opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do not necessarily reflect that of Lafayette Today. Lafayette Today is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.

See Canoe continued on page 10

See Jazz cont. on page 11

December 2011 Serving the Lafayette Community

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Lafayette, CA

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See Help continued on page 20

Evan Mickas (tenor sax), Ryan Kapoor (trumpet) and Nick Curry (trumpet) jam on stage at Petar's Jazz Night.

Behind-the-Scenes HelpBy Fran Miller

Junior Prom, Senior Ball, Senior Day of Reflection, Homecoming, Senior Breakfast, Graduation – It takes time, a great deal of organization, and funds to stage these traditional Acalanes High School rites of passage, for which Acalanes class officers are officially in charge. But the transitory nature of annually elected officers, combined with heavy class loads, athletic or club endeavors, family obligations, and the need for occasional rest and relaxation, make event-planning continuity a challenge.

Enter the Acalanes Class Liaisons – behind-the-scenes committees of three to four dedicated parent volunteers who are enlisted for a full four years to advise, guide and support their graduating classes’ student body officers through the planning and fundraising for these time-honored events. In addition, the liaisons act as a conduit to the parent community as well as to the chairs and co-chairs whom they recruit for the various other committees. They organize adult fundraisers to benefit each class, coordinate donations and volunteers for football and basketball game concession stands, chaperone Homecoming events, assist with community service day transportation, and organize back-to-school Dons Days.

Acalanes Student Body Secretary Kate Avery suspects that without the assistance of the class liaisons, chaos would more than likely reign. “I mean, we're teenagers,” says Avery. “It's always difficult to really know what we want, but these moms and dads are fabulous at translating what we mean. They are extremely helpful. They usually have had a kid already go through Acalanes before us, so they know the ‘lay of the land’ much better than we do. They do so much, most of which is all behind the scenes work and they are incredible and we are so grateful.”

Acalanes Principal Aida Glimme allows that while her students can be organized, creative, and hardworking, she agrees with Avery that most of the events at school would not be successful without the parent help. “The help of the liaisons allows for students to participate in other activities and spend more time on academics,” says Glimme. “The liaisons are also truly liaison's to the community. We receive feedback and input from them and come to many of our decisions based on that input. Many times, we get to know the needs of our community by working with the liaisons.”

What possesses these altruistic parents to not only raise their own teenagers, but to act as mentors for scores of others? The answers vary, but most cite an interest in staying apprised of school events, something that becomes more difficult as kids

Couple Wins Rotary Raffle CanoeWinners of a custom-made, handcrafted wood canoe raffled by

Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary Club are Norm and Janet Pease, longtime residents of Orinda. Their winning ticket was drawn after the recent Lafayette Reservoir Run - in which Norm was an entrant - by Jay Lifson, executive director of the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, Run sponsor.

Gross revenue from the raffle totaled $17,310. The winner had the choice of accepting the canoe or $2,000 cash. The Peases opted for the

Acalanes students work on spirit activities, with behind-the-scenes help from their Class Liaisons, who try to maintain a low profile while guiding student activities.

www.yourmonthlypaper.com - December 2011 ~ Lafayette Today

Holiday Concert Featuring Youth OrchestrasThe talented young performers of Diablo Regional Youth Orchestra and Young Performers Or-

chestra present an upbeat, fun, musical program featuring such classic greats as Handel, Salieri, and Mozart plus chamber music and holiday medleys. The Leadership Ensemble will also present Mozart’s dazzling Divertimento in D, K. 136.

The concert will be held December 13th at 7PM at Shadelands Auditorium located at 1111 N. Wiget Lane in Walnut Creek. For information, call (925) 943-5846.

Save the Date!The celebration to recognize Lafayette’s 2012 Business Person of the

Year will be held at the 2012 Chamber General Membership Meeting, scheduled for Friday night, January 20th at the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa. Everyone is invited to join. In addition, our new Mayor, Carol Federighi, will give her “State of the City” address and you will be introduced to our 2012 Board of Directors led by incoming President Caesar Perales. Register on our website www.lafayettechamber.org today! This event will sell out quickly.

Open Mic NightStart your holidays off right with a visit with friends at the Lafayette Community Center. The

Lafayette Youth Commission is hosting an Open Mic Night on December 9th. Anyone can participate – come play an acoustic guitar, read poetry, or tell a few jokes. The event is free and open to High School Students. Doors open at 7:30PM, and the festivities begin at 8PM. We will be serving coffee and snacks. The Lafayette Youth Commission ensures that this will be an alcohol and drug free event. Please call 284-2232 for more information or directions.

Seniors Without WallsThe holiday season is an especially challenging time for many older

adults. With the current decrease in availability of Adult Day Centers and other senior programs, it is vital that other options be available to help reduce the isolation of elders who have difficulty leaving their homes. Undoubtedly, there are numerous lonely seniors in the community who would benefit from daily conversation with others who share their interests.

Senior Center Without Walls is an award-winning non-profit telephone activities program, and it is an option for those seniors in California who are unable to go to a community senior center. The program is absolutely free! Participants call in from the comfort of their homes to join others in activities, friendly conversation, and an assortment of classes and support groups.

To find out more, please call us at 1-877-797-7299 or visit www.seniorcenterwithoutwalls.org.Twirl, and Chat at Weekly Dance Social

Toe-tapping music, twirling dancers, and the friendly buzz of conversation keep the atmosphere lively at the weekly Dance Social held Wednesdays 12:30 to 2:50PM at Lafayette Community Center.

The longtime event is held in the big, bright Live Oak Room. There’s plenty of space for a sizable group to swirl, twirl, and socialize. The Dance Social specializes in ballroom, but any style of dance adds to the fun.

The whole scene gets extra lively the first Wednesday of each month when professional dance duo Karen and Michael offer lessons from peppy Latin, to waltz, to swing. Other weeks, Elroy Holtmann, Dance Social president and longtime Lafayette resident, presents ballroom music compiled by a professional DJ.

Observers, all levels of dancers, music lovers, and friends from near and far are invited to join the fun. The new, smooth floor is ideal for dance, and tables are set up for friendly conversation.

The Lafayette Community Center is located at 500 St. Mary’s Road in Lafayette. For more information visit sites.google.com/site/lafayetteteadance.

The event is $2 for members of Lafayette Senior Center and $4 for non-members. It’s just $10 yearly to join the Center and enjoy the complete range of activities.

Lafayette Holiday Sing-a-longBundle up and join the crowd at the Holiday Sing-a-long. The event runs

from 7-9pm at Collector’s Choice Antiques located at 3574 Mt. Diablo Blvd., in Lafayette. Please bring a can or boxed food for donation to the local Food Bank. For questions or more information contact Mark Shaw at 925-250-5591.

Assistance League Thrift ShopAssistance League® Way Side Inn Thrift Shop, located at 3521 Golden Gate Way,

in Lafayette, has scheduled its Holiday Attire and Christmas Merchandise Promotion which runs through Saturday, December 17, from 10AM to 4PM. Let the dedicated member volunteers show you daytime and evening apparel, as well as shoes and ac-cessories for men, women, and children. Please plan your one-stop shopping early as we can’t guarantee how long these marvelous finds will last!

The Thrift Shop is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Heartfelt thanks for support-ing our eight philanthropic programs.

To learn more about Assistance League of Diablo Valley, visit our website at dia-blovalley.assistanceleague.org.

One Week Host Families Needed for StudentsHigh school students from the south of France will be coming to our area

for one week, April 13th - April 20th. Host families are needed to take care of the students on the weekend, and evenings. Weekdays the students will travel with their class to explore San Francisco. This is a wonderful opportunity to expose your family to another culture and language. Students have a varying command of the English language and are looking to improve their English skills! For more information, visit www.exchange-students-lecas.com or email teacher Martine Causse at [email protected].

[email protected] Lafayette Today ~ December 2011 -

Holiday MemoriesBy Alisa Corstorphine, Editor

One year when we were living in Seattle, my very creative sister came to visit with her two boys. She made Santa costumes for all of the kids except one (mine) who insisted on being Rudolph. We paraded them all down to the local department store to have their photo taken with their namesake. As we walked past the make-up counters, the make-up artists were besides themselves and happy to add rosy cheeks to the Santas and a red nose for Rudolph. Once posed, Rudolph proudly stood to the side while the young-est, (also my child) was not at all happy to be sitting in the lap of the bearded man himself!

The holidays are all about family and tradition. We love the together-ness, games, cooking, and presents. One “required” activity each year

is making frosted sugar cookies. Below is the recipe we have used...forever!Frosted Cookie Cutter Cookies

12 Tbs butter2 teas vanilla2 egg yolks3/4 cup sugar2 cups flourCream butter and sugar. Add egg

yolks, vanilla, and flour. Roll out to 1/4” thick. Cut with cookie cutters to desired shapes. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350o for 10-12 minutes. Cookies should barely start browning and still be soft. Let cool. Frost. (Frosting - 6T but-ter, 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup milk, 1 1/2 teas vanilla. Beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add 1/2 of the powdered sugar. Beat in milk and vanilla. Add remaining sugar until desired consistency. Divide into smaller bowls and dye with food coloring as desired). We share these cookies with our neighbors and friends as a treat from our home to theirs.

As a child in a family of seven people, Christmas morning was an hours long affair. Mom insisted that we open our presents one at a time to give proper respect to the gift and the gift giver. Now, as the family of seven has extended to a group of 24, plus any extras in need of a place to be on the holiday, a white elephant gift exchange has taken the place of individual gift giving. The white elephant exchanged usually becomes the ultimate form of recycling, transferring ownership of something silly or just plain weird, or hunting for outlandish thrift-store bar-gains! The exchange actually recreates what Mom did in the past by having everyone opening a present one at a time to really see what each individual chose, or got stuck with!

Holidays for us have become a little less of needing the latest and greatest fad-present, in favor of more local, more earth friend-ly, and more meaningful

treasures. On my wishlist this year is to get the kids together for an updated fam-ily photo. It is something simple, meaningful, and timeless. Of course this requires the cooperation of the kids, but it doesn’t cost them a penny and on a college student’s budget that is usually a good thing!

May your holidays be warm and bright. WWW.HOLIDAYHOTDEALZ.COM

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Sustainable Lafayette Tip of the MonthYou’ve probably heard, likely more than once, the phrase “Shop Local.”

Perhaps you’ve seen the “Try Lafayette First” banners or heard the statistic about how 68% of your dollars spent locally stays in our community. That is just the first of 10 reasons to shop local listed on the Chamber’s TryLafayetteFirst.org website (trylafayettefirst.org/shoplafayette).

Besides all the economic reasons to shop local, there are personal reasons too. There are fewer lines, smaller crowds, better parking, and nicer help at local stores.

We all need to shop out of town for certain things, but if we can learn to pause for just a moment when we’re about to head out shopping, to consider whether the items can be purchased locally, we will build a better community for all of us.

Shopping locally does take a bit more thinking than simply pulling into the garage at Target or Macy’s. First, you may want to check the web for store information, especially hours, as some small businesses have unusual hours. Many local stores do not open until 9:30am, but some open earlier. Call ahead or check the web to avoid extra trips.

Next, plan out your route so you can park once and walk to several stores. You can focus on one of the three shopping centers in Lafayette or

just a section of Mt. Diablo Blvd. Don’t forget about the small parking lots that are behind a lot of the stores, like the lot behind Novella Jewelry or the lot behind Wine Thieves.

Some off-the-beaten-track stores you might want to consider:For kids: They Grow So Fast Children’s Consignment, Red Wagon,

Storyteller, Whippersnappers, Handlebar Toys, and Lamorinda Music.For the foodie: Chow’s Market, Diablo Food, Open Sesame, Wine

Thieves, or Tea Cakes.For the design buff: Chameleon Consignment, Hen House, Queen Bee,

Loot, Across The Way, Farmyard Darlings, and Lafayette Gallery-where there’s a Special Trunk Sale December 10 and 11.

For the crafter: Yarn Boutique, Big Sky Luxury Yarn, Cotton Patch, Sew Now (Class gift certificates).

For the athlete: Nor-ski, or membership to local gyms: Lafayette Health Club, Absolute Center, or Oakwood.

For the fashionista: Posh, Souvenir, Tart Collections, Sandy’s, Ware Designs jewelry, and McCaulou’s.

For the knickknack lover: Transitions, Orchard Nursery, Diablo Nursery, Madison, or HomeGoods (Rheem).

For the pet lover: Nitro Dog, Lafayette Pet Shoppe, Rheem Valley Pet Shoppe.

For the theater lover: Town Hall Theater certificates, Rheem or Orinda theater certificates.

Use the Chamber’s Green Shopping Guide to learn about all the county certified and chamber designated green businesses in town. (lafayettechamber.org/community/lafayette-green/)

Besides shopping locally, read real-world success stories about what others in Lafayette are doing to live more sustainably at sustainablelafayette.org.

Cinema Classics Auntie MameBy Peggy Horn

This month’s movie is Auntie Mame, (1958), starring Rosalind Russell. The movie is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Patrick Dennis, written in 1955, regarding his real-life aunt. Owing to its huge popularity, the movie generated a sequel movie, a play and a Broadway musical. Angela Lansbury won a Tony Award for best musical

actress of the year for her performance in the Broadway musical, Mame, in 1966. In the movie, Auntie Mame, Mame is an eccentric, jovial, and lovable kook, with a generous heart and a tolerance we would strive for today. She becomes the guardian of her pre-teen nephew, Patrick, when her only brother, the boy’s father, dies. She teaches Patrick how to make a martini, she increases his vocabulary, but most importantly, she teaches him how to live, live, live. Although her antics are wacky, her overall open-minded view of the world is to be applauded, a view illustrated by one of the most quoted lines from the movie, “Life is a banquet, and most pour suckers are starving to death.” This is a statement definitely worth thinking about. One of the most tender moments in the movie is a scene at Christmas time when Mame has lost her job and has no money, but she manages to give gifts to her dear friends Norah, Ito, and her nephew Patrick. As their gift to Mame, Norah and Ito have paid the overdue grocery bills for Mame. These actions result in a tearful, loving exchange between the four and remind us about the real object of gift giving.

This movie is funny, warmhearted and memorable even if a bit corny at times, and it is worth seeing. It is available inexpensively online for purchase.

Port Primer By Monica ChappellThe holidays are a wonderful occasion to look

beyond the normal eating and drinking routine – especially with desserts. It’s easy to stick with the basics - cookies and milk or coffee and cake - but why not try a port wine with your dessert?

True port comes from the hot, mountainous region of the Douro River Valley in northern Portugal. After fermentation and fortification, port is typically transported to the city of Oporto, which shares its name with the wine,

to be finished and shipped. The real McCoy bears the name Porto to distinguish itself from similar beverages made in other countries.

Port begins life much like any other wine: grapes are picked and crushed, and the juice is allowed to ferment – but only to a point. About halfway into the process, the wine is fortified by having brandy added to it. There are many styles of port. You can usually count on port to be sweet and red, but beyond that the sky is the limit. Styles vary according to the quality of the base wine, the length of wood aging (2-40 plus years), and whether it’s vintage or blended. Most ports are ready to drink as soon as they’re bottled with vintage port being the exception. Port Defined

• White Port is produced in very small quantities.• Ruby Port is young, fruity, a non-vintage blend aged in wood for about 3-6 years.• Tawny Port is well, tawny in color and made from a non-vintage blend.

It is lighter and more delicate than ruby port.• Vintage Character Port is a blend of quality wines with about 5 years

of wood aging. These ports are full-bodied, rich, and ready to drink.• Late Bottled Vintage Port (LBV) is a vintage wine, but not from a top year.

These wines have been aged 4-6 years and are ready to drink when released.• Colheita Port is a tawny port from a single vintage year.• Vintage Port is considered the cream of the crop. Blended from several of

the best vineyards in a declared vintage year. Aged for two years then bottled and sold, this rich wine usually take 20 years until it is ready to drink.

• Single Quinta Vintage Port is a vintage port from a single estate, usu-ally the best vineyard in a winemaker’s portfolio.

Monica Chappell teaches wine appreciation classes in Lafayette, Walnut Creek and Danville. Visit www.wineappreciation101.blogspot.com for current programs.


History Sleuth Discovers Acalanes Radio StationBy Julie Sullivan, Lafayette Historical Society (LHS)

Michael Troutman, a volunteer with the Lafayette Historical Society, unearthed a fascinating bit of recent history. “I was told from a young age that Acalanes High School once had a radio station,” Troutman says, “so I decided to search for the mythical station.

“I stumbled upon an image of stairs with the call letters KCEQ, the clue left behind.” Next, Troutman found a radio enthusiast newsletter mentioning the station and a Facebook group hosted by former radio club member.

The story actually begins in 1976 at the former Del Valle High School, where Wendell Pleis taught electronics. Paperwork was filed to set up an FM station at Del Valle, but the school closed in 1979 before the FCC authorization came through.

Pleis came to Acalanes to teach electronics and math, where he started a Radio Club and became its faculty advisor. A Nebraska native and Air Force veteran, he earned a B.S. and a Masters degree in Education before moving to California to teach electronics and math in 1964. “I actually taught more math in my electronics course than in most math courses,” he says.

Mark Jeffreys, an Acalanes student, took on the challenge of completing a new FCC application, and money was raised from the community to buy equipment and build a studio at the back of the school in room 501. (The studio was eventually torn down when the building was remodeled.)

The first official broadcast of KCEQ 100.5 FM hit the airwaves on November 15, 1982. Founding officers of the Radio Club were Michael Parker, Robert Lewis, Brian Atwood (DJ for the first broadcast), Elaine Wang (who later became administrative manager of KOIT radio), Mark Jeffreys, and Babak Daneshrad.

“From the first the station was motivated by the students, and I think they learned everything you would at a real, commercial station,” Pleis says. “We had monthly staff meetings where we went over issues of personnel, what type of music to play, and capital allocation. It was great business training. One year we had 75 students who alternated as DJ’s.”

To raise money, students held car washes and acted as DJ’s at dances. In 1984, the station sponsored a DJ-athon, collecting pledges to stay on-air for 100.5 hours and raised $5,000.

Programming encompassed news, live events, and music chosen by the students. Programs were broadcast from the studio to a radio then amplified by speakers on the school’s Quad. The station took phone requests and broadcast home basketball games. During the 1985-86 school year, they simulcast the school production of Oklahoma. Teachers were invited to take a turn on the air, and Larry Freeman, who taught English and Public Speaking (Freeman still teaches at Acalanes, where he advises the school newspaper), and Ernest DeMartini, who taught math, both participated.

Pleis, who served as the station’s faculty advisor from 1982, retired in 1993. The station operated five days a week during the school year until the end of 1994. During that period, more than 700 students participated in the Radio Club.

If you have further interest in the radio club or information to share, Troutman has set up a website, www.acalanesradioclub.com. He received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from UC Berkeley and is an avid film buff. His blog www.ishootthepictures.com has been online since 2008.

You can reach LHS at (925) 283-1848 or www.lafayettehistory.org. The History Room in the Lafayette Library and Learning Center is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, 10AM – 2PM.

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The BookwormBy Joan Stevenson

Just when the hype and sugar highs of the holiday season have the kids on overload, the Lafayette Library offers an escape that will enchant kids of all ages. On Tuesday December 20th from 3PM – 4PM you are invited to experience the music and artistry

of Peter and the Wolf as performed by the amazing Fratello Marionettes. Kevin Menegus and Fred Reilly create, build, and perform these wonderful puppets, so meet us in the Community Hall to follow Peter on his Journey accompanied by the majestic score of Sergei Prokofiev.

I just picked up a couple of children’s holiday books for my grandkids at the Friends Corner Book Shop. I have a stash I bring out every year at this time…those wonderful timeless tales just right for snuggling on the sofa with a cookie and cocoa. Remember that the best bargains in town help to support our library!

First Sweet Thursday of 2012 will welcome Ron Hansen, the acclaimed author of Atticus and Mariette in Ecstasy, to discuss his new novel, A Wild Surge of Guilty Passion set in the hard-drinking, fast-living New York City of the Jazz Age. The story is based on a real case whose lurid details scandalized Americans in 1927. Ron Hansen’s latest work is a tour de force of erotic tension and looming violence. Well-written and artfully constructed, this impossible-to-put-down story marks the return of an American master known for his novels that cut cleanly to the essence of the human heart. Join us at Sweet Thursday on Thursday, January 5th 7:30PM – 9PM.

The end of the year is usually a time of reflection and gratitude. The November Board meeting of the Lafayette Foundation honored the four retiring founding trustees. They are Anne Grodin, Teresa Gerringer, Bret Peterson, and Jack Jenkins-Stark. A big round of applause for those committed volunteers there since the beginning. And while you are in a reflecting mode, remember how many opportunities the LLLCF provides and be sure you have

Mt. Diablo Branch California Writers ClubThree local authors will share “Proven Paths to Successful Writing and

Publishing” at the next luncheon meeting of the Mt. Diablo Branch of the California Writers Club (CWC) on Saturday, December 10, 2011 at Zio Fraedo’s Restaurant, 611 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill.

Judith Ingram will discuss four steps to publication, using her non-fiction book, A Devotional Walk with Forgiveness: Daily Exercise for Spiritual Fitness, as an example. She is an editor, teacher, published poet, and columnist.

Jeryl Abelmann will share overcoming rejection and goal-setting for publication. She has written a children’s book, Quickly, the Magic Spatula, and is a past Teacher of the Year honoree in the San Ramon Valley School District.

Nannette Rundle Carroll will present how to handle critical conversations and preserve vital relationships in the publishing process. She is the author of The Communication Problem Solver, and is a communications trainer and consultant.

Check-in begins at 11:30am, with a seated luncheon following a short meeting. The cost is $20 for CWC members, $25 for guests.

Reservations are required. Contact Jean at [email protected] or phone 925-934-5677.

The California Writers Club Mt. Diablo Branch web address is http://cwcmtdiablowriters.wordpress.com/.

mailed in your contribution! Because really “All We Need is You!”Here is another way to contribute. Library Foundation is establishing a

Program Host Committee to assist at LLLCF programs. Volunteers will be entitled to free admission to any program where they serve as hosts, supporting registration, setup, and hospitality. Programs can include options like lectures, science cafes, music events, and for those who love to spend 90 minutes with the wide-eyed delight of the younger set on weekends, Lawrence Hall of Science, Chabot Space and Science Center or Lindsay Wildlife museum programs. There will be an annual Viva Volunteers appreciation event.

I read this quote the other day by Dave Kellett and it says it for me. “Nothing can do what a book can do. Lifts you out of your life... to a whole new world, whole new perspective. A book is like a dream you’re borrowing from a friend.”


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Winding Down 2011 By Art Lehman, Village Associates RealtorsIt’s hard to believe that 2011 is winding down. What a roller coaster ride in real estate it has been! The good news is the market

has clearly become more stable than 2007, 2008, 2009, and even 2010.The sky hasn’t fallen for most of us. Don’t get me wrong. Prices have come down, and the upper-end market has clearly not

recovered. The homes in our area under $1,000,000 have, for the most part, been gobbled up this year. Buyers are still searching for the “perfect” home but seem to be keenly aware that the unprecedented low interest rates will eventually move up.

At the time of this writing there are only 67 homes on the market in Lafayette. Contrast that with numbers of 100+ throughout those past years and even in 2010 which had 76 homes on the market at this time. Are we moving into a low supply and higher demand mode? It really is hard to say, given the time of year. There are likely plenty of pent up sellers poised to place their home on the market in 2012. The question is whether they actually will. I think at this point we are all willing to accept a balanced market

with far fewer extremes, and if I had to guess, that is where we are likely heading. But I qualify this by saying there is still plenty of uncertainty and volatility with unemployment and consumer confidence which will certainly have an impact on real estate. Congress isn’t helping either!

So maybe it is time, if you’re thinking about selling in the coming year, to start over the holidays to put together a plan, get some of those fix-it projects completed, and get that house uncluttered. On the buying side, speak to your financial advisors and lender to get clear on what you can afford in purchasing a home (let’s do a better job than the past years and try to live with a mortgage product that is within our means).

On a more personal note, I wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season and the best for 2012.For those residents who are considering selling their home or would simply like more in-depth information, I can provide a customized home value report and a

strategy for how to make a home worth more. The detailed information I provide helps homeowners better understand the value of the investment they have made in their home by detailing key factors such as a home’s value based on current market conditions and amenities, recent home sales in Lafayette and listing prices of other homes that home buyers may be considering in the neighborhood. You can call me at 925 200-2591 or email me at [email protected]. Advertorial

Nunset BoulevardWillows Theatre Company presents the West Coast premiere of Nunset Boule-

vard. This time, the nuns think they’ve been invited to perform at the Hollywood Bowl. Instead, they’re actually booked into the Hollywood Bowl-A-Rama. Lunacy ensues. Dan Goggin, creator of all seven Nunsense musicals, directs. The show runs through January 15, 2012 at the Willows Theatre mainstage, 1975 Diamond Boulevard in Concord (in The Willows Shopping Center). Guaranteed fun for the Holidays! Tickets are $28-34 at www.willowstheatre.org or (925) 798-1300.

Daughters of the American Revolution“Family Quilts” was the theme for the most recent meeting of

the Acalanes Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Members displayed their family quilts and shared stories about the qulit’s history. If you are interested in joining DAR and can prove a direct ancestral link to a Revolutionary War patriot, please call Pat Peterson at 925-284-9590 or email her at [email protected].

Share Your News and Events With Us!Contact us at 925.405.6397 [email protected]

or visit www.yourmonthlypaper.com.


Europe, Investment Prudence, and your Retirement SavingsBy Daniel A Barnes, CFA

What a year 2011 has been. Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities comes to mind: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” It really isn’t the best of times, but it’s not the worst of times, either. It is scary.

Great anxiety and uncertainty about Europe’s financial situation is creating a stressful environment as 2011 comes to an end.Anxiety

I’ve spent the last few days at the Hard Assets Conference in San Francisco. I heard the end of the world proclaimed. From the price of gold and the Dow Jones Index reaching parity (they are currently at $1700 and 11,200), to predictions about the demise of the Euro, Germany leaving the EU, and other outrageous, potentially possible, prognostications, professionals are, to quote one friend, “as freaked out as I’ve ever seen.”

The current anxiety is really about the increasing trepidation that worldwide global growth will be derailed by the debt crisis across the developed world. The reason why this would be so scary is that if global growth is derailed it’s pretty darn likely that “deflation” will ride to victory, and all assets will pretty much decline, leading to unprecedented worldwide debt defaults.Capitalism Endures

But let’s take a step back. Is a global recession really likely? How has the developed world fared through other crises over the last century? I’ll tell you this, betting against global growth has historically been a bad bet. In the last 100 years, capitalism has endured and survived the “War to End All Wars,” the Great Depression, the Nazis, fascism, communism, World War II, the Cuban missile crisis, the counter-culture movement of the ’60s, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, stagflation, high inflation, supply-side economics, George W., the tech and dot com bubbles, and the profligate policies of central banks and elected officials. Presently, it is digesting the global banking crisis, real estate deflation, and the problems with the Euro.

Through all these challenges, a sustained contraction in global growth only occurred in the 1930s. So is it reasonable or prudent to bet against that record? It is beginning to look contrarian to believe that global growth can be sustained.

The big question, however, is really — how are we to handle this uncertainty? Is the current economic system really in danger of collapse? For those of us in the investment field — and for those of you trying to prudently plan your future — how do we protect ourselves? What is prudent?Your Retirement

At Barnes Capital, we believe that every retirement plan should rely on multiple pillars. If you have worked a fair amount, you will receive one pillar in the form of Social Security. It will likely cover your grocery bills and utilities and perhaps supplemental medical insurance in retirement. To cover your property taxes, maintenance and/or rent, you’ll need another pillar, probably an IRA or company pension worth about $500,000. With those two pillars, you can enjoy a basic retirement. Medical expenses will help you live longer, but you will need a third pillar to pay the premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket expenses.The Debt Solution

The solution to Europe and all the debt in the developed world’s system is sustained inflation of between four and five percent for the next 30+ years. As we work our way to fiscal solutions in Europe, volatility is likely to remain extraordinarily high. High-quality international corporations likely provide the greatest long-term security for prudent investors.

If your sizable fixed-income allocation in your portfolios have locked-in safe yields in the 6% plus range, you probably do not have to trade out of them, particularly in retirement accounts which you will not touch for 10+ years.

Finally, I believe that everyone should have 5% to 15% of their portfolio exposed to gold. This exposure to gold could even include some gold stocks, which I generally do not like. They are universally deplored, likely to become cheaper, and also offer great value on an unfortunately selective basis.Get Someone Objective in Your Corner

The bottom line is this: You want to think through your situation with someone objective to assess the appropriateness of your current allocation.

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Lamorinda Peace and JusticeThe Lamorinda Peace and Justice Group meets on the fourth

Tuesday of each month from 7 – 9PM in the fireside room of Lafayette Methodist Church, 955 Moraga Road, Lafayette. Our group is committed to working to support a healthy planet, a thriving local community, and a safe, equitable world for all. For more information, call 925-946-0563.


Charity Begins at HomeBy Robert J. Silverman, Esq.

During the holiday season, people tend to spend more time than usual thinking about how they can help the needy. And that’s certainly a great thing.

Of course, first and foremost, it’s a terrific time to reflect on how well you are helping your loved ones. Hence, the old, familiar adage, “Charity begins at home.”

Given many, time-consuming, day-to-day challenges people face dur-ing the year, it’s really nice to take advantage of some extra time off dur-ing the holidays. Traditionally, most folks take at least a portion of this extra time to reflect more on the “big picture.” Part of the “big picture” for every adult should be to ask himself or herself the important “what if” questions. The two critical ones are: 1) “What would happen if I became incapacitated?” and 2) “What would happen if I died?”

Though not the most pleasant questions to ask yourself, they’re obviously important. Unfortunately, for all too many people, the answers to these questions are disturbing.

I write regularly about the importance of establishing, and keeping updated, a comprehensive estate plan, including a Will, a Durable Power of Attorney, an Advance Health Care Directive, and (in most cases) a Living Trust. Proactively establishing a plan with an experienced trust and estates attorney answers these ques-tions. Furthermore, the questions are answered clearly, and in a customized manner, consistent with your own particular wishes and needs. Almost universally, people feel a dramatic sense of relief when their plan is put into place. In addition, their loved ones re-ceive significant benefits (even if some or all of those benefits only accrue in the future).

Recently, I was thinking about how I might be of more help to the needy. I also regularly think, as do most people who own a busi-ness or professional practice, about ways in which I might attract new clients. Finally, I was contemplating what kind of incentive I might offer to stir prospective clients to stop procrastinating and establish an estate plan - immediately.

I had a brainstorm that might accomplish all three objectives. Since an idea remains merely that unless it is implemented, I de-cided to implement.

Here’s my idea, and my limited-time offer to you, whether you are married or unmarried:

If you hire me to help you prepare a comprehensive estate plan - Will, Durable Power of Attorney, Advance Health Care Directive, and Living Trust - before the end of December 2011*, I will make a $1,000 donation in your honor to the charitable organization you prefer from the three listed below:

1) Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano County (foodbankccs.org) – Fights hunger and poverty by distributing donated food di-rectly to people in need and through a network of non-profits.

2) Shelter, Inc. (shelter-inc.org) – Provides community based, emergency and longer-term housing for children and adolescents who are abused, neglected, dependent, or in need of supervision.

3) Meals on Wheels of Contra Costa County, Inc. (mealson-wheelsofcontracosta.org) – Supports homebound elders to maintain their health and dignity, and to live independently in the comfort and security of their own homes.

While charity begins at home, it shouldn’t end there. Now, you have a chance to make a meaningful difference to your loved ones and a worthy charity.

Have a wonderful holiday season, and feel free to contact me or any of my staff members if you have questions about this offer, or wish to schedule a free introductory consultation.

* For the purpose of this offer, hiring me involves signing a rou-tine client retainer agreement under which you agree to pay me my standard flat fee, and you pay a retainer of one half of the flat fee

before the end of December, 2011. My “standard” flat fees are published in an estate planning primer that I will be happy to send you upon request. The above offer is strictly contingent upon the above conditions being satisfied and the offer does not guarantee that I will accept as a client every person who contacts me in connection with this offer (for example, I don’t take on clients who are mean and nasty!).

Mr. Silverman is an attorney with Shapiro Buchman Provine Broth-ers Smith LLP, 1333 N. California Street, Suite 350, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 944-9700; [email protected]. His practice emphasizes Estate Planning, Trust Administration & Probate, Real Estate, and Business. Please call for a free introductory consultation.

This article is intended to provide information of a general nature, and should not be relied upon as legal, tax, financial and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain and rely upon specific advice only from their own qualified professional advisors. This communication is not intended or written to be used, for the purpose of: i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code; or ii) promoting, marketing, or recommending to another party any mat-ters addressed herein. Advertorial


canoe, whose commercial value is estimated at between $8,000 and $10,000. Proceeds will be used by the club to fund a variety of community-service projects, including partial underwriting of the new outdoor concert stage under construction at Lafayette Reservoir.

Tippy, as dubbed by the club, will make the trek next spring to the Peases’ summer home at Elk Lake, near Bend, Oregon. Meantime, it will “hibernate” in a hangar at Buchanan Field in Concord, where a private airplane owned and flown by Mr. Pease is stored.

The canoe was built from scratch by a dozen worker-bee Rotarians in the private woodshop of Gary Fulcher, a club member and resident of Orinda. In addition to acting as official project supervisor, Fulcher put in untold hands-on hours himself. It is estimated that some 1,500 manhours were invested over a period of eight labor-intensive months, beginning last January.

The 15-foot canoe -- literally one of a kind -- was hand-built stem to stern, including the two caned seats. The outer top and bottom are “woven” from hundred of lengths of African rosewood veneer. Other materials comprising the laminate hull are Kevlar, fiberglass and resins. The topmost layer is professionally applied thick clearcoat of high-gloss varnish.

Canoe continued from front page

How We Learn By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO

Technology has dramatically changed the way we learn. Think about what it was like when we were kids. When my siblings or I would run into a word we didn’t understand at the dinner table or doing homework, I can still hear my mother say, “Look it up!” We had a huge Webster’s dictionary on a wooden stand in the front room, and it was the ultimate arbiter of all grammar in the Corstorphine household.

Of course there was always the ubiquitous Encyclopedia Brittanica, circa 1962, sitting on the shelf in our living room. All of us seven kids used those

classic pages for our school reports, just like every other kid in the elementary school. Other than the dictionary and the encyclopedia, we had our parents (who we thought knew everything anyway), and the local and school libraries to rely upon.

We used to hang out at the local record store to find out when our favorite music group was putting out an album. When we listened to music on our record player, we hung on every lyric and listened to the record over and over until we could be sure we had the words memorized perfectly. And when we wanted to order tickets for a concert, we’d dial the 800 number on our rotary phone over, and over, and over, until we got connected and were able get our tickets.

When we wanted to see a movie, we’d go to the theater. If our whole family was going, we’d take the station wagon and visit the drive-in. The drive-ins were fun, but the sound was bad, and we could hardly see the screen due to all the ambient light from the nearby industrial yards.

The common thread in what I’ve written is that everything I used to do has been changed, usually (but not always) improved, by technology. Now when I run into a word I don’t understand, I open a webpage and type “define the word,” and Google returns the definition. On any particular topic you can think of,

there are scores of websites, books, scholarly articles, and references available. Not too many folks use their (outdated) Encyclopedia Brittanica anymore. I can find out just about anything I want, on anyone I want, within minutes. If you have a computer, you are at the helm of a phenomenal amount of power.

When I wanted to treat my wife to a concert, I researched seven venues we enjoy, and I built a list of all the possible concerts we could attend. I gave my wife a list of the different groups, had her pick her top three, and then went back to the web to choose the venue, order the tickets, and receive my confirmation via email. After the concert, I was streaming some music on Pandora and didn’t quite catch the lyrics. I visited my favorite lyric’s website, and I found all the lyrics for the song.

Last night I couldn’t get to sleep, so I got my iPad, and while lying in bed, I logged into Netflix and used my $7.95 per month subscription to continue watching a series I found called Warehouse 13. It even played in high definition!

Another example occurred this weekend. My son was taking apart a complex mechanical device and was a little stuck on the procedure for its reassembly. So, he opened up his browser, went to YouTube, and looked up the instructions. Someone had made a video that explained exactly what to do. It took just one minute and thirty seconds for him to find the video, watch the video, and for him to learn what he needed in order to proceed.

The point of all of this reminiscing is that there is now an incredible amount of information available at our fingertips, and the pace of our lives has been accelerated as a result. We’ve gone from an information-whenever-it-becomes-available world, to “just in time learning.” We get what we need, right when we need it. Instead of worrying about knowing everything, we concentrate our effort on knowing how to get the information we need at the right time. It’s all about the “App” and ensuring we have WiFi or 3G coverage to keep us connected. We’re a mile wide and an inch deep, and that’s the way we keep up at this incredible pace. We have nearly instant information accessible to us, and we can research, spend money, or run our whole business by sitting at a keyboard, or, for that matter, from a tablet or our smart telephone. It’s incredible.

I still pick up my iPhone like it’s an alien sitting there in my palm. I’m amazed at the confluence of genius and innovation that have conspired to put this incredible source of power and knowledge in my hand. I can’t even begin to fathom how this changes the game we call our lives. Technology has caused this to become a very exciting, chaotic, and unpredictable time to be alive.

If your business or residence is using some of the technology I’ve mentioned, and it seems to be getting the better of you, why not call Portable CIO, where our team of people who do this for a living can help you out? We’re always ready to help. Contact us at 925-552-7953, or [email protected]. Advertorial


invited to whet their appetite for public performance and jettison stage fright by jamming in front of a packed audience. Facilitators Miller (bass), Frank Martin (keyboards) and Michael Henning (drums) create a positive, fun experience where the kids call the tunes, and solo improvisation is welcome.

“The students get so ‘jazzed,’ and it translates to enthusiasm and energy in their school jazz bands,” says Judy Haxo, parent liaison for the Stanley Middle School Jazz Band. “Our student performers love when they hear the positive and encouraging response and applause from the audience. This is the most fun and safe and uncritical audience the musicians will ever experience.”

Any jazz student is welcome. “The more the merrier,” says Haxo. Interested participants are encouraged to contact Miller at [email protected] who will provide an advance play list. The next scheduled Jazz Night is January 23, 2012.

Shop Talk from Urban Suburban The Holidays are Here! Handling the Stress…One Mile at a TimeBy René Aguirré

No denying it now, the holidays of 2011 are officially here! I love the holidays around home and around Urban Suburban. No doubt we have an extra element of stress, gifts to buy, dinners to plan, parties to attend, relatives to chauffeur, college kids coming home, and the list goes on! Every one of us can do our parts to make life a little easier this holiday season.

Holiday Driving Habits - Ok, you know we had to talk about this eventually! Believe it or not, we see a rise in brake work around the holiday season - perhaps due to more stop and go traffic or rushing to slow down, who knows? Since it is

the holidays, let’s really get into the holiday spirit. Be aware of your surroundings. Avoid taking the one car length space in front of the Mack truck, or give a little extra room to the car in front of you. I know we have a lot to do and very little time to do it in. But I promise, patience really pays. We need to remember courtesy to others, using turn signals, giving extra space to cars around us, and being aware of the kind of vehicle you might jump in front of in the rush to get moving. Large trucks and cars do not stop or slow down the same way the compact or sporty cars do. The bigger vehicles take longer to stop quickly, needing more room to do so. If you are driving a larger vehicle, keep in mind the space in front of you needed to be able to stop safely. Instead of thinking about where you are trying to go, think about where you are. Lots of holiday music is playing on many radio stations, so kick back, relax and enjoy the ride. We all have some place to go in these coming weeks. Let’s have fun, and enjoy the journey to get there!

Holiday Greeting from Team Urban - This year Urban Suburban celebrated 17 years of successful business in the Lafayette community. It was a family filled year for us around here, which is always a ton of fun. Since Krysten is from the East Coast, we do not often get to spend a lot of time with her family. This year, we took her parents on a tour around Nevada, Utah, into Death Valley and finishing in Yosemite. They had never seen any of those sites. Her mother was my umbrella girl at the Salt Flats for my speed run and had a blast being part of the action! My brother and his family joined us out on the Salt Flats as well, adding to the fun. Not long after this adventure, Krysten’s brother and his family came to visit. We showed them the sites of Santa Cruz and San Francisco, celebrating their anniversary and getting to know our niece, who is now just shy of her first birthday.

In 2012, we are looking forward to more ways we can get involved in our community. If you want a cow appearance at your event, let us know. We are always happy to show our support in any way we can! We are thankful to all of you for your continued support to our business. We have really enjoyed the first 17 years and are looking forward to the next 17 years! Team Urban promises to be even more involved in our community and continue to provide high quality service and excellent resources to all of your automotive needs. Happy Holidays and we wish you all a Happy and Prosperous 2012!

If you have any questions about this or any other Shop Talk issues, call US today at 925-283-5212 or visit our website www.urbansuburban.com. Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 7:30am - 5pm. At Urban Suburban we work on all makes and models, foreign and domestic. Urban Suburban - not just SUVs anymore! We provide free shuttle service to the local area. Advertorial

René Aguirré

[email protected] • http://anglicanchurch.net

Saint John’sAnglican Mission

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Andrew DeShong (bass), Frank Martin (keyboard), Lali Wildeboar (trombone), Corinne Hindes (flute), and Isabelle Tankka (alto sax) jam on stage at Petar’s Jazz Night.

Jazz continued from front page


The Incense-Cedar By Blaine Brende & Joe Lamb

The incense-cedar graces many Bay Area gardens with its shade, beauty, and intriguing fragrance. Calocedrus decur-rens, its Latin name, means beautiful cedar. The striking contrast between the

vibrant greens of its leaves and the trunk’s rich reds creates a pleasing aesthetic further enhanced by the relaxed elegance of the weeping foliage. The beauty of this tree is not confined to the realm of the visual. The incense-cedar gives off a distinctive fragrance that fills the air with a pungent aroma strongly reminiscent of grade-school classrooms and the unforgettable smell of the pencil sharpener. In my youth, and still largely today, pencils were made from the soft, and distinctively fragrant wood of Calocedrus decurrens.

The incense-cedar is not a true cedar (thus the hyphen). The so-called “true cedars” are native to the Mediterranean and the Himalayas, and they are members of the genus Cedrus. These include the majestic Deodora and Atlas cedars, as well as the famous Cedar of Lebanon.

The incense-cedar, which may live a thousand years and attain a height of 150 feet, is a true California native. It evolved in North America, and its cur-rent range extends from the Cascade Mountains in northern Oregon, through the Sierra Nevadas, down to the Sierra San Pedro Matir of Baja California. Throughout its range it has been important in the lives of Native Americans. The Klamath tribe of Oregon wove its bark into baskets. The California Paiutes made infusions of its leaves for colds. The Round Valley tribe of Mendocino Country used leaflets as flavoring when leaching acorn meal. This species has provided Native Americans with food, shelter, clothing, and music.

The incense-cedar’s natural resistance to rot made it very useful both in an-tiquity and in modern times. Homebuilders use it for siding, decking, moulding, and interior paneling. Landscapers use its chips and bark for mulch. Its wood is made into furniture, shingles, and railway ties. Sawdust and wood scraps help fuel co-generation of electricity.

The softness of the wood and its resistance to splintering make the incense-

cedar ideal for encasing pencil lead. However, these qualities also make the wood fragile, brittle, and potentially somewhat problematic as an urban landscape tree. When it grows as one trunk from a thick base to a single pyramid-shaped crown, the incense-cedar is relatively stable; it requires little work other than the periodic removal of deadwood. But if the trunk of the tree divides into multiple columns, or has large branches which turn up and rise parallel to the trunk, the tree has structural problems that make it vulnerable to column failure. After some recent winter storms, Brende & Lamb looked at many incense-cedars that had shed branches and sometimes entire columns. Most of the failed trees suffered from a malady of tree anatomy called included bark. This structural defect occurs when the bark at the crotch folds inward, and it interrupts the continuity of the fibers supporting the columns.

Good pruning can ameliorate many structural problems. Co-dominant stems (more than one column of roughly the same diameter) are more likely to fail than trees with a single leading column. Sometimes reducing one of the competing leaders can minimize the hazard. If column removal is not advisable for aesthetic or functional reasons, it is often possible to cable the multiple stems together. However, individual trees are so unstable that removal is the safest alternative. Whatever you do, do not top these trees. Topping a cedar will eventually produce many unstable columns multiplying the risk and, ultimately, the expense of keeping the tree. Preventative medicine is almost always less expensive and more effective than later surgery. If you plant an incense-cedar, choose nursery stock with only one trunk and no crotches with included bark. Remember that a seedling cedar can grow to over a hundred feet and that tall trees may cause view concerns for yourself and your neighbors.

Calocedrus has graced the California landscape for almost 200 million years. With a little forethought and good pruning, it can continue to bless Bay Area gardens with the subtle fragrance of childhood. It takes a little effort to live at peace with this large California native, but its bounty of colors, shapes, and scents make that effort worthwhile.

If your trees and shrubs need a little TLC give us a call at 510-486-TREE (8733) or email us at [email protected] for a free estimate. Additionally, go to our website www.brendelamb.com to see before and after pictures, client testimonials, and work in your neighborhood. Advertorial

Gardening with Kate By Kathleen Guillaume

We have one holiday behind us. If you were lucky to be out and driving around, you were able to see some of the fall color that put the East Coast to shame. Ahead of us we have a season of holidays. So here are some suggestions for those who have gardeners on their gift lists. Go into your local nursery, and look around at all of the wonderful holiday ideas they have put together. There are great

rose gloves with a leather gauntlet that reaches mid-arm. Most gardeners don’t treat themselves to these because they can buy plants with that extra money, and so they suffer a little. Keep them from suffering, and put a pair on the gift list of anyone with roses.

As gardeners, we are notoriously cheap, often not buying for ourselves the highest quality pruners, loppers or saws figuring that we can get by. We walk by that Felco display case every time we walk through a nursery, thinking...someday. These are always a great gift.

There is nothing like a live plant to warm a gardener’s heart. Just ask yourself, what type of garden does my friend or loved one have? Do they collect unusual plants? Do they have a particular color palate, reds and warm colors, pinks and pale pastels? This information will assist the nurseryperson in showing you the best candidates. Remember that most gardeners face those munching deer, so keep your choices as deer resistant as possible.

Cymbidium orchids are always a trea. A gardener can tuck them under eaves or lath structures, and they are remarkably hardy given shelter from frosts. A gardener who does not have orchid experience can go online and learn about how easy orchid care is.

And, of course, there is the always loved gift certificate to one’s favorite nursery, where the recipient can choose exactly what they most desire. When I get a gift certificate I always buy something that will remind me of the person who gave me the gift. So when my friend Terry gave me a gift

certificate, I bought a lime tree, and I call it Terry’s Lime, and think of her every time I collect fruit or feed it.

Most of us gardeners are a little on the sentimental side, and our gardens are often filled with plants that came from friends gardens. So you can also send a promissory note: “Happy Holidays. My gift to you is the cutting I am nursing along of the hydrangea (or fill in the plant name) that you always said you loved. It will be ready by late spring, so think of where you would like to plant it, and I will drop it by. Have the most wonderful Holiday.”

If you have skills in the floral arrangement area, you can go through your garden, select any long lasting greenery, add a few Holiday picks that you can find at a craft store and you have created a long lasting arrangement any host or hostess would be glad to have amend their holiday decorations.

The holidays are also a time of sharing. Think about those navel oranges, lemons, or limes your garden is producing. A basket of these always are a welcome gift in any home.

If you have any of these in abundance, thinks also of those who have so little during the Holiday Season and contact one of the many organizations that will gather and pick your surplus winter fruit and transport it to the food bank. If you aren’t healthy enough to harvest, get your kids or grandchildren to help, and contact the food bank about the best drop off days. It is a way to share and pass your commitment of community service to those who look up to you. You can even organize the neighbors on your block to gather from all of their gardens and get your community involved.

One of the people who can gather and deliver is Anna, The Lemon Lady: [email protected] or call her at 925-671-1988. Edi Birsan and Eric Maldonado of the Concord Diablo Rotary Club are also available. They can be reached at [email protected], 925-798-3537, or 510-812-8180.

Remember this is the season of giving and the most important gift you have to give is your time and attention. Share it freely with those you love. May you have the very best of Holiday Seasons.

Happy Gardening!


Life in the Lafayette Garden The Night GardenBy John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape Architect #4059

What if the glory of your Lafayette garden

could come to life at night? A whole other dimension of our gardens comes alive after dark. There is much to be enjoyed after the sun goes down. When designing a successful garden the night garden must be considered. Many residents of Lafayette enjoy evening entertain-ing, sitting on the patio drinking wine, or iced tea, reading a good book, night swimming, or kids playing hide-n-seek until midnight. The essentials of a great night garden are sound, scent, light, and fire.

There’s nothing more soothing than the sound of trickling or babbling water echoing through the landscape. Waterfalls, streams, and fountains are an important attraction to all gardens, whether it is day or night. Water masks the “unwanted” sounds of traffic and noisy neighbors. The night garden becomes much more romantic with the sound of water soothing the night.

Designing-in the essential night-blooming plants that add fragrance and scent enhance the night garden ten-fold. Fragrance adds another dimension of pleasure to your garden, especially at night. It also heightens your outdoor experience by encom-passing the most powerful of our senses, the sense of smell. Just as perfume induces the senses, fragrant plants intoxicate and romanticize any setting. White and pastel flowers are the most fragrant. Pale pinks are the most potent pastel flowers, moving through the color wheel to the mauves and yellows, and to the less scented purples and blues. Vibrant colors such as oranges and crimsons will provide dramatic color in the garden, but they add little or no fragrance to the night garden. Fragrance becomes intensified in enclosed areas, so plant your most fragrant selections in a courtyard or trellised patio, or surround your garden with hedges and windbreaks to encourage the fragrance of plants to linger. Some of my favorites include jasmines (jasminum polyanthum, jasminum officinale, and jasminum sambac), gardenias (Gardenia jasminoides), Angel’s trumpet (poisonous Brugmansia versacolor and Brugmansia ‘Charles Grimaldi’), Mexican orange (Choisya ternata), Daphne (Daphne x burkwoodii), Sweet Olive (Osmanthus fragrans), and Citrus (oranges, lemons, tangerines, and blood oranges) to enhance the sense of fragrance of the night garden.

Lighting your garden at night touches our visual sensibilities. Creating a “lighting portrait” is another essential to the night garden. From mood and ambiance to functionality, lighting brings life to the night garden. A “lighting portrait” is not just plunking Malibu lights into your landscape, but it is a creative approach that paints a landscape for night-time enjoyment. Downlighting, moonlighting, uplighting, silhouetting, shadowing, and washing, create moods and ambiance. Lighting to feature sculpture, ac-cents, and structures create visual focal points in the dark which in-turn brings drama to the night garden. Lighting water features produces very dramatic effects. Watching the illuminated diamonds bounce off the glowing surface becomes a mesmerizing effect at night. Underwater lighting for pools, waterfalls, fountains, and ponds makes the water glow, giving emphasis to water’s natural attraction.

Another major mood-maker and important feature in the night garden is fire. There is nothing like fire on either a warm or cool evening to bring drama, func-tion, and romance. I find the fire element to be very important to my clients. Fire can be implemented from the very simple to the more complicated. The simple and least expensive approach is a portable firepit from Target or a Mexican pottery “chiminea.” These simple accoutrements can add hours of evening pleasure. For more complicated fire elements there are built in firepits to full blown outdoor fireplaces. Fire elements have become very popular in the last several years because they add yet another element to make your outdoor environment more inviting and useful, especially in the night garden.

A hot tip from your local Landscape Architect: The elements of a night garden such as sound, scent, light, and fire can be added to an existing landscape with creative and thoughtful design. If you have a beautiful garden and no lighting, we can design a “lighting portrait” to enhance your night garden.

Gardening Quote of the Month: I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day. ~Vincent Van Gogh If you would like me to write on any particular subject, email your ideas to

[email protected] or for design ideas visit www.jm-la.com. Advertorial

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Pick-up &DeliveryAvailable

www.yourmonthlypaper.comNow you know my wishes for a memorable holiday. I wish you quality time with

your family and friends and a wonderful holiday season! We look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

Barbara Persons MD owns Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc. located at 911 Moraga Rd. in Lafay-ette. Please call 925-283-8811 or email [email protected]. Advertorial

- December 2011 ~ Lafayette Today

How I Plan to Keep this Season Merry and BrightBy Barbara Persons, MD, Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc.

Whatever your faith, heritage, or beliefs, this is the sea-son of celebrations. These festivities are observed by the wonderful mix of people who live here in the Bay Area. The holidays universally mean family traditions. I am fortunate to have patients from 2 to 92 who have families that consist of a man who lives with a small dog to an older woman

with a family clan of more than one hundred. My patients have taught me about their many religions and my family has taught me to be open to all traditions.

This is one of my favorite times of the year, and it’s the traditions that make it most meaningful for me. Traditions help me slow down and focus on what really matters – family, friends, and community. In this article, I share some of my favorite traditions and how you may be able to experience them too.

1. Community Lighting. Most tree lightings have taken place but there is still the Grand Menorah Lighting at Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek - December 20th from 4-6pm.

2. Ice Skating in Walnut Creek. Everyone can enjoy the outdoor ice rink sponsored by the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce at Civic Park. The twin-kling lights and icy surrounds offer a terrific opportunity for colored scarves and gloves, holding hands and laughing as we skate around to holiday music. www.IceSkateWalnutCreek.com or call (925)935-SNOW (7669).

3. Decorating the Christmas Tree. Bringing out the boxes filled with orna-ments collected over a lifetime provides the makings of a warm and delightful eve-ning of storytelling. My favorite ornaments are those my children bring home from pre-school and elementary school with their pictures and lots of messy glitter.

4. The Bethlehem Experience & Christmas Caroling. The Lafayette United Methodist Church puts on a fun Bethlehem experience every year, www.thelumc.org. Christmas Caroling with friends and family offers enjoyment for the singers while spreading joy to the recipients of our fa-la-la-la-la’s.

5. Walk in Nature. Have you visited the Lafayette Reservoir lately? No matter the season, head over to the Reservoir to breathe in the fresh air and take in the beauty of the hills, oak trees, and water. It is at this time of year that fellow walkers decorate a tree on the far side of the reservoir to celebrate the season. See if you can find it! The Rim Trail is also one of my favorite hikes. The Reservoir is located at 3849 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette - don’t forget quarters for the meter!

6. Scrooge. How can you escape the Christmas Season without a little bit of Bah Humbug? See Center REP’s A Christmas Carol in Walnut Creek - www.lesherartscenter.org, or Town Hall Theater’s Scrooge! in Lafayette - www.thtc.org.

7. The Trains. Christmas would not be complete without a visit to Tilden Park for a ride on the steam trains. My kids love to go with grandpa, and it is all smiles. www.redwoodvalleyrailway.com.

8. The Food. Our extended family cooks Dungeness crab with fresh chowder on Christmas Eve and then has a big traditional dinner on Christmas day. My family also makes a big production of cooking and giving English Butter Toffee that we take great joy in making from scratch every year!

9. The Nutcracker. From the aspiring ballerinas to grandmas, put aside some time to get all dressed up to see the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. There are stu-dent shows throughout the East Bay which are priceless. CAPA has a wonderful show December 9th, 10th, and 11th. Learn more at www.capadance.net.

10. Fenton’s. The holidays mean the entire family gets to head through the tunnel to Fenton’s on Piedmont Avenue for crab sandwiches and a Black and Tan. Fenton’s is located at 4226 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland. Their number is (510) 658-7000.

11. Pamper yourself and Shop Local. Visit us! Our new Laser Genesis can give you that extra holiday glow. Exercise daily so you feel great and do not have to worry about a few sweets passing your lips. And, see the wonderful women at McCaulous’ Cosmetic Counter in Lafayette to make sure your holiday make-up shimmers. Mc-Caulous’ is located at Plaza Shopping Center, Lafayette (925) 283-3380.

12. Give back. The holidays are truly about giving. My family participates in a giving tree, and we give gifts to children who otherwise would go without. Another option includes Toys for Tots, www.toysfortots.org. Thank you to our troops for sacrifices they make every day. This time of year is especially hard on morale, and I hope everyone will make an effort to brighten the season for the troops through one of several organizations. Opchristmas.org or treesfortroops.org. Donate food or serve dinner at a local shelter such as Loaves and Fishes www.loavesfishescc.org.

Ask Dr. HappyBy Bob Nozik, MD Dear Dr. Happy,

I am a 68 year old widower in poor health. Two months ago I suffered cardiac arrest while I was in the hospital, and they were able to resuscitate me. But, while I was “out,” I actually observed them working over me from what seemed like a point way up on the ceiling. And, what’s more, I felt myself actually leave the hospital and fly through space towards a very bright light. I must have been dreaming, but,

Dr. Happy, it all felt so real! I haven’t told anyone but you about this because they’d think I was crazy. Dr. Happy, am I losing my mind? ~ I Must Be NutsDear Nuts,

I have good news for you: you’re not nuts. What you encountered is called a near-death experience (NDE), and variations of it have happened to many thousands of individuals. The reason you haven’t heard more about NDE’s is because, just like you, those who have gone through it usually keep it to themselves, fearing, as you did, that others would think they were crazy. But Raymond Moody, MD, in 1975, wrote a book titled: Life After Life, in which he reported on many patients who had experiences similar to yours. I would recommend you read Moody’s book or one of the many other more recent ones that report on NDE’s. These reports will help you understand and make peace with what you encountered. It may also give you some insight into what may actually happen to us when we ‘die.’Happiness Tip

Although I’ve not seen any actual statistics, I suspect the number of people who have experienced an NDE is huge. But, because it is still considered far outside of our paradigm of what is possible, the fear of being labeled crazy keeps many from revealing their experience. And yet, many of those who have had a NDE, and here I include myself, have benefited enormously from it. They now tend to see more clearly what is really important in life; they just don’t sweat the small stuff so much anymore and certainly fear death less because of the glimpse their NDE had given them into eternity. So, surviving to have an NDE can give us a happiness boost.

Please send questions/comments for Dr. Happy to [email protected].

Brainwaves by Betsy Streeter


Handling Life Calls for AgilityBy Michael Anne Conley, MFT

The other day, while walking down a hill, I came upon a man and his son enjoying the morning, as they passed a well-worn soccer ball back and forth on the street.

They each greeted me with a cheerful “good morning!” as the father, standing on the downhill slope, gave a firm kick up toward the boy, who looked to be about seven or eight. Obviously the lad

had been given the easier end of the deal, since a missed ball on the downhill side of that steep incline could lead to quite a chase for his shorter legs.

I’m not an athlete or an avid sports fan, but in that moment, I found myself reminiscing about my own experiences playing on equally angular terrain as a child, only without the benefit of asphalt. Living on a hill in a high mountain desert of New Mexico, baseball was the sport, soccer not being on the radar in those days. We played untethered from adults in this rural environment. There was no handicap for size and gender — I was always the smallest no matter what age and at times the only girl. When we played baseball, I took my turn along with the rest on the downhill slope. That was the catcher’s position.

When you’re squatting behind someone who, depending on age and ability, might just as easily crack the ball uphill for a home run as miss the darn thing altogether, agility helps.

Humorously, I think of the movie Bull Durham, where one character said, “This is a simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball.” On our hillside field, we would have added, “and you chase the ball, and then you chase the ball some more and some more after that!” Without the capacity to move quickly in any direction or, in our case, sliding over rocks and desert grass, that ball could be long gone down that hardscrabble hill.

This month’s column is as much about baseball as Bull Durham was. You know what I mean: In life, whether we’re a child playing a game, or an adult juggling the needs of a household, a partner, aging parents and a job as well, we all want to be agile and catch whatever ball gets thrown our way. And we want to be joined by others in the process.

In my office, I doubt that I’ve ever seen a client who doesn’t seek, more than anything, these two paradoxical goals: to feel supported by others while also experiencing our own sense of self-direction.

Sadly, I see too many people caught in a trap between these two desires. Trying to figure things out on their own, they say, “I don’t want to bother anyone,” or “No one will understand anyway,” or “I’m too embarrassed to talk about it.” Then, when they do seek support, they feel ashamed for needing help. Does this sound familiar?

Yet imagine that boy or his sister with the ball, playing on less than ideal terrain. Imagine any kid without someone else to exchange that ball with. They could do it – human beings are, after all, imaginative creatures. The learning that happens, though, in the company of others, is invaluable. That morning, I could see from the bright smile on their faces, as the dad sent the ball in his son’s direction, the pleasure they got from being joined, being witnessed by each other.

Agility is a dance, a continuum from being autonomous in handling what life gives us, to allowing ourselves to be received and supported by others.

How has support gotten you through rough terrain? Are you keeping yourself from receiving the support you deserve? I invite your comments and questions at 925-262-4848 or [email protected].

Michael Anne Conley is a health educator, marriage and family therapist, and the director of Stillpoint Integrative Health Center at 953 Mountain View Drive in Lafayette. She has been offering holistic approaches to habit change and addiction issues for 27 years. You can learn more at wellnesslafayette.com. Advertorial

bands beneath the nail plate which do not grow out with the nail, and Mee’s Lines - pale colorbands in the nails which grow out with the nail. Beau’s lines develop when the nail growth cycle is disrupted-such as with chemotherapy, pso-riasis, some infections, and malnutrition. Hypothyroidism and low thyroid levels can cause thin, brittle nails.Infection

Paronychia is a bacterial infection which occurs along the sides of nails or with an ingrown nail. A hot tender swell-ing along the nail fold develops rapidly over hours to days. Soaking the finger in warm water can help, but sometimes an abscess forms which requires medical attention and drainage.

Fungal, yeast, and mold infections cause white spots on top of the nail or thickening and lifting up of the nail, crumbly keratin fragments beneath, and white streaks along the length of the nail. Treatment of infected nails includes surgical or chemical removal, oral antifungal medications which require monitoring for side effects, and recently laser has been tried. Generally, fingernail fungal infections clear more quickly with fewer recurrences than toenail infections.

Warts, caused by viral infections, grow around and beneath fingernails. Cancer

A dark streak in the nail, melonychia, may be a normal variant, but if the streak is wide and particularly dark, it could be caused by melanoma, a potentially fatal cancer. If the nail cuticle is also dark, a melanoma is the likely cause. Squamous cell carcinomas also grow around the nail and resemble warts. Healthy nails

Nails nutrition - I am referring to nutrients to keep nails healthy, not the nutritional con-tent of nails - includes vitamins A, B12,C, D, calcium, and iron. Fatty acids also keep nails strong and flexible. Hand creams also hydrate nails. I recommend massaging the cream around the nails and cuticles daily to protect your nails, particularly during cold winter months. Look for Cetaphil Ultra Hydrating Lotion, Cera-ve, Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream, and Am-Lactin lotion when your hands need some moisture.

To have your skin evaluated by a board certified dermatologist and have a treatment specifically designed for your skin, contact Dr. Shanny Baughman at Alamo Oaks Dermatology, 3189 Danville Blvd, suite 130, Alamo, 925-362-0992, [email protected] or Dr. Kelly Hood, 970 Dewing, Suite 301, Lafayette, 925-283-5500, [email protected] Advertorial

Fingernail FundamentalsBy Dr. Shanny Baughman

Have you ever wondered why you have fingernails? What purpose do they serve? Why do you need them? And, what do they tell you about yourself? I invite you to learn more about the purpose of fingernails, what is normal and what is not. Development

Fingernails are comprised of three parts – the nail plate, the nail bed and the nail matrix, or root. The nail is formed in the nail

matrix, located behind and beneath the cuticle, and grows out dis-tally, or toward the tip of the finger. Fingernails are composed of keratin, a tough protein also found in claws, hooves, and hair. Growth

Fingernail growth averages three millimeters a month (1/8 inch), with more rapid growth in the summer and slower growth in the winter. Nail growth slows with advancing age or decreased circulation. Fingernails grow out completely in 3 – 6 months, while toenails take 12 – 18 months. Fingernails do not continue to grow after death, even though we might have heard that as children. Function

Fingernails help to protect our fingertips from trauma. Yes, it really hurts to smash your finger in a door, but that pain is better than breaking the bone in your fingertip. Fingernails make marvelous tools, but they are a bit bendy. Can you name some ways to use your fingernails as tools? How about opening an enve-lope, turning a screw, scratching a lottery ticket, getting that piece of spinach out of your teeth, or tapping secret messages in class? Disease

Fingernails reveal your health and habits. Healthy nails are evenly pink and smooth. They do not have ridges, crossways lines, grooves, or dark streaks. Pale nails may mean a person has drastically reduced peripheral circulation, as when in shock or dehydration. Bluish-purple nail color is due to cyanosis and anemia- the blood is not carrying enough oxygen. Beau’s Lines are crossways indentations or grooves in nails, but not from the base of the nail to the tip. They differ from Muehrcke’s Lines, which are pale color

Dr. Kelly Hood, LafayetteDr. Shanny Baughman, Alamo


Breast Radiation Treatment in One Day By Sachin Kamath, MD

Today, more than ever, one of our primary goals in cancer treatment is to provide better targeted thera-pies. One of the most exciting innovations in breast cancer treatment recently is intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT).

Traditionally, early-stage breast cancer treatment has been treated with surgery (usually lumpectomy)

and six weeks of whole breast external beam radiation therapy, either with or without chemotherapy or hormonal therapy. Not all patients who choose lumpectomy comply with the recommended follow-up radiation treatment because of factors relating to time, money, distance, and access to a radia-tion center. Neglecting follow-up radiation therapy after lumpectomy can increase the risk of cancer recurrence. Fortunately, today there is another newer method of delivering radiation to the breast after lumpectomy, in-traoperative radiation therapy (IORT). IORT allows for a more expedited, convenient treatment schedule.

IORT has been performed successfully over the past several years with good results, but very few centers around the country could afford to have the specially shielded operating rooms that were necessary. With the advent of electronic brachytherapy technology, like the Xoft eBx system, IORT can now be more easily performed since a shielded vault is not required. With breast IORT, the radiation is delivered in a single treatment right to the target tissue (lumpectomy cavity) in the operating room at the time of surgery. The rationale for IORT is to deliver a high dose of radiation precisely to the target area with minimal exposure to surrounding tissues, which can be dis-placed or shielded during the IORT procedure. With conventional radiation techniques after lumpectomy, there are some drawbacks. First, the tumor bed, where the highest radiation dose should be applied, can be missed due to the complex localization of the wound cavity even when modern radiotherapy

Your Personal Nutritionist By Linda Michaelis, RD. MS.Great Nutrition Tips for Parties

We are in the midst of the holiday season, and it seems like there is one dinner party after another. How do I enjoy these special gatherings when I know I cannot afford to gain any more weight, or I have to keep my blood pressure and cholesterol under control, or my doctor tells me that I am pre-

diabetic? There are some great ways to enjoy these parties and still keep these problem areas in check.

The number one problem my clients have is arriving too hungry to a party where they then find it difficult to make good food choices. Everything looks delicious when you are starving. At least an hour before you arrive have a substantial snack like a dozen unsalted almonds and an apple to take the edge off of your hunger. Almonds, when limited to a dozen, are reasonable in fat, and the delicious winter apples have the least amount of sugar of all fruits.

Appetizers are killers. They are usually laden with salt, fat, and hundreds of calories. We all have experienced getting filled up on appetizers and then con-tinuing to eat the main meal anyway. I am always explaining that bread, crack-ers, and cheese along with processed frozen items, typically served at appetizer time, often have 200mg of sodium per serving. A low sodium diet now is set at 1500mg per day, so you need to substitute the endless servings of bread and crackers at appetizer time for baked potatoes, legumes, brown rice, whole wheat couscous, quinoa, barley, etc. which contain zero salt. Why not bring these or fat free unsalted potato and corn chips, available at stores like Trader Joe’s, that can be served with lite dips to the party? Veggies are great served with salsa or homemade hummus which will contain less oil and salt than premade hummus. Or consider bringing an appetizer like shrimp with cocktail sauce. You can have some shrimp even if you have high cholesterol. Take one or two crackers with a topping, and then save your calories and salt for the meal to come. You must simply walk away and tell yourself how this is best for your health.

For the meal, the best approach is to first walk around the table to see what food is available. For your entrée, build the meal around protein and vegetable choices, and then allow yourself a serving of the decadent scalloped or au gratin potatoes that you absolutely love. Typically, the sliced meats and veggies without sauces and green salads are lite on salt and fat, unlike prepared items. Stay away from the bread and biscuits that are full of salt, fat, and concentrated calories. Allow yourself a piece of yummy dessert that will end up having fewer calories than all the bread and crackers you might have consumed. I often see clients who are pre-diabetic eating too many starches because they think that they cannot eat sweets or a lot of fruit. I often surprise them when they learn they can have a dessert each day and two servings of fruit if they will have starches that are 100% whole wheat such as Thomas English muffins, La Tortilla Factory tortillas and AkMak crackers, to name a few. Whole wheat products contain protein and fiber and will keep the blood sugar stable and prevent you from being hungry all the time.

Fruit should be eaten like a dessert with a meal. If it is eaten on an empty stomach or in between meals, it will cause a spike in blood sugar and then a quick drop in blood sugar along with the arrival of a false hunger. Often my clients are astounded by how many calories there are in fruits. The problem is that in the store there are no food labels to refer to when looking at fruits. So, if you can avoid loading up on fruit, you will save yourself hundreds of calories so you can have a reasonable piece of that cheesecake you are crazy about.

I consider alcohol to be in the dessert category, especially eggnog and holiday drinks. To slow yourself down I suggest having a sparkling water next to your drink so that you can alternate sips and cut your intake in half.

Lastly, please make time to exercise on the days when there is a party. Remember if you burn a few hundred calories exercising, it will certainly help balance the extra calories you will be consuming.

My office is located in Alamo. I welcome your call to discuss your nu-trition concerns. Note, my services are often covered by healthcare insur-ance. Please visit www.LindaRD.com for more information, past articles, helpful tips, recipes, and my blog or call (925) 855-0150. Advertorial

planning is used. Second, the usual delay between surgical removal of the tumor and radiation treatment may allow for repopulation of tumor cells. These potentially harmful issues can be avoided by delivering IORT directly to the target tissues leading to immediate sterilization of any residual tumor cells. With the Xoft eBx system, a typical IORT treatment for breast cancer can be completed in as little as eight minutes.

Last year, a landmark breast IORT study (TARGIT trial) published in the journal Lancet offered tremendous hope that a single radiation treatment, at the time of lumpectomy, might be able to replace the more cumbersome and time-consuming radiation treatment options commonly used today to treat patients with early stage breast cancer. If the excellent results with breast IORT hold up long-term, as hoped and expected, then this approach to early stage breast cancer treatment has the potential to significantly increase the speed and efficiency of patient care while at the same time decreasing the overall cost of care.

Unfortunately, not all patients with early stage breast cancer are candidates for IORT because of technical and/or anatomical difficulties. However, if we continue our efforts to catch more cases of breast cancer in the earlier stages, then breast IORT using the Xoft eBx system has the potential to improve the quality of the lives of millions of patients over time by freeing them up to move on with their lives more quickly after receiving the breast cancer diagnosis.

Two Bay Area institutions, Stanford and UCSF, participated in the TARGIT study. Diablo Valley Oncology, a UCSF research affiliate, has been using the Xoft electronic brachytherapy technology for two years and is partnering with local breast surgeons to offer the breast IORT procedure beginning in December 2011 at the Aspen Surgery Center in Walnut Creek. Diablo Valley Oncology will be the first practice in the East Bay to offer this procedure to breast cancer patients.

Dr. Kamath is a radiation oncologist with Diablo Valley Oncology. Located in the California Cancer and Research Institute located at 400 Taylor Blvd in Pleasant Hill, the practice is home to the largest single site for cancer treatment in Contra Costa County. Its seven physicians bring together medical oncology, hematology, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, diagnostic imaging, clinical trials, and supportive care all in one convenient location. www.DiabloValleyOncology.md Advertorial


How to Make Your Health Insurance a True BenefitBy Bridget Scott, D.C.

Here’s a common health care problem: you are paying more, getting less, and growing frustrated as your options dwindle. The solution is simple: you must know your options (i.e. HSA or FSA?) and know how to leverage them for your benefit. Spend 10 minutes at Johnson Chiropractic Group, and you will understand your options – including which services are covered by your plan and

which are not – and be better prepared to make them work for you. As many families look for ways to put money aside to cover health care

expenses, you may not know about two great options to get you the care you desire and deserve: a Health Savings Account (HSA) or a Flex Spending Account (FSA). These accounts are pre-taxed, cover many kinds of care you need, and can save your family lots of money!

Therapies covered by an HSA and FSA at Johnson Chiropractic Group:• Chiropractic Care • Neuromuscular Re-education• Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression • Massage Therapy• Exercise Therapy • 28 Days to Health™HSA plans also include:• Therapy Packages (including chiropractic, massage and exercise therapy)What is a Health Savings Account (HSA)? HSAs enable you to put away

tax-deferred money to pay for qualified health care costs. You can find an HSA plan on your own (contact the bank where you have a checking/savings account and ask about an HSA account) or through your employer. All contributions to an HSA are tax-deductible. Any earnings in the account are tax deferred and distribu-tions are tax-free as long as they are used to pay qualified medical expenses. To get the most out of an HSA account, it is best to contribute the maximum each year. In 2012 an individual can contribute as much as $3,100. The family contribution limit is $6,250. In addition, the employer’s contribution is not treated as additional income. HSAs continue to grow for the life of the owner and rollover from year to year. These funds can accumulate and compound until they are needed, providing a tax benefit and the potential for long-term growth.

What is a Flexible Spending Account (FSA)? FSAs are very similar to HSAs except that an FSA is only provided through your employer, and the funds must be used by the end of the year.

Key difference between HSAs and FSAs: The primary difference be-tween the two accounts is how long you can hold onto the money inside the account. HSA funds can be kept until retirement, if you choose. FSAs are “use it or lose it” accounts. That means you have to use the funds inside the FSA before the end of the plan coverage period (usually the end of the year). The FSA is a spending account. That indicates that you are expected to spend the money you have in the account within the year it is invested. The HSA is a savings account, meaning you may save that money until you need it, even if you don’t need it until many years later.

What medical expenses are covered by HSA and FSA? When you incur a medical or health related expense that is not covered by your insurance, there is a good chance that you can pay for it out of your HSA or FSA. The IRS defines quali-fied expenses as “the costs of diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease and the costs for the treatments affecting any part or function of the body.”

Traditional health insurance has gatekeepers and top-down controls. Even when chiropractic care is covered (not typical on individual plans), your request for treatment may require an expensive office visit or referral from a family physician. Using a HSA to pay for chiropractic care gives you more choices! You can choose what type of treatment to get, where you will get that treat-ment, and how many treatments you will receive. You can also spend HSA dollars on preventive care, and the government will give you a tax deduction for keeping your family well. So, if you are looking to recover from an injury or maximize your health by utilizing our proven clinical approach to wellness, remember you don’t need to have health insurance to cover it!

Johnson Chiropractic Group loves that you now have the freedom to come as often as you need and get care that will last, as well as the education and therapy needed to sustain your health. You cannot ignore the fact that health insurance is changing. But you can (and should) know your options, know how to make those options work FOR you, and know how save and spend your money wisely.

For more info go to www.movepastyourpain.com, call us at 925-743-8210, visit us on Facebook, or contact us at Johnson Chiropractic Group, 115 Town & Country Dr., Suite E in Danville. Advertorial

Rocks in Your HeadBy Michael Nelson, M.D.

Dizziness is a challenging symptom for patients and physicians. I always have to ask the patient to describe their sensations in detail rather than accepting that they have used the right word. In school, we learned to write stories that included the how, what, when, where, and why. I need to get those story details out of the patient. Vertigo is a rotational sensation that is frequently strong enough to be incapacitating. The Alfred Hitchcock movie, Vertigo,

unfortunately adds to the confusion because the main character has a fear of heights, not vertigo. There is also light-headedness, which is the feeling like you are going to pass out, like after you stood up too quickly. In addition there is imbalance, which is a feeling like you are riding in a large boat or walking on a dock.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is a condition in which the patient will experience a strong rotational sensation for a few seconds, typically with head movements. It used to be just benign positional vertigo (BPV), but someone decided that was too easy and had to add paroxysmal. I most often hear that the symptoms occur after rolling over in bed. If you read a textbook about BPPV, it will describe an endolith becoming lodged into the semicircular canals. I usually describe to patients that a small calcium deposit (or rock) floats into circular tubes in the inner ear and tells the brain the head is moving when it is not. This kind of vertigo does not last more than a few seconds, but you may have it with even slight head movement.

How does that calcium deposit get to the wrong place? Frequently, there is a very mild head trauma, such as hitting your head on the car door or kitchen cabinet. I find it rare though that a patient will remember any event though. There are more significant injuries such as a car accident, especially if the airbag went off. We’ve all hit our heads and did not develop vertigo, so you have to add a dose of bad luck in there too.

The treatment of this kind of vertigo does not involve a fancy scan, expensive pill, or other modern miracle. After picking the correct ear through the Hallpike-Dix maneuver, the Epley maneuver can put the calcium deposit back into place.

It is named after John Epley who described it in 1980. It involves putting the patient through a series of head movements that basically lets that rock move through the tube (semicircular canal) back where it belongs. While it is not guaranteed to work 100% of the time, I love having a patient come in with BPPV and cure them by simply doing an Epley maneuver in the office.

Unfortunately, there are concerning causes of vertigo such as stroke and tumor, so proper diagnosis should be made by a physician. Neurologists and otolaryngologists are specialists who diagnosis and treat vertigo. As always, the information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and does not replace proper medical care. Happy Holidays.

Michael Nelson, M.D. is a board certified adult neurologist who has been serving general neurology patients in the East Bay for the past nine years. His office is located at 970 Dewing Ave, Suite #300 in Lafayette. He can be reached at (925) 299-9022 to schedule and appointment and can also be found on the web at www.michaelnelsonmd.com. Advertorial

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Events for Lafayette Seniors

All classes are held at the Lafayette Senior Center (LSC) located at 500 Saint Mary’s Rd in Lafayette unless otherwise noted. Space is limited. Please call 925-284-5050 to reserve a spot. Annual Membership fee: $10 per person. General Event fee: Members $1; Non-Member $3. Special Concerts fee: Members $3; Non-Members $5. Ongoing Caregiver Support Group: Members: no charge; Non-members $1.Lafayette Senior Services Annual Holiday Music Concert and Fund Raiser Friday 12/9 • 1:30 – 3:00 • Live Oak Room, LCCJoin us for a festive afternoon of splendid music featuring a performance by Rossmoor and Moraga Community Chorus, light re-freshments, caroling, and an opportunity to win any of several raffle prizes. Funds raised will go to support our Lamorinda Spirit Van program. Bring friends, and call us at 284-5050 so we can plan accordingly. Fundrais-er admission fee $5 non-members/ $3 for members, group discounts available. Raffle Tickets $1 each or $5 for seven raffle tickets. Please donate to this essential program which provides transportation so seniors may live in their own homes as they age and give up the car keys.The World Wide Web - Practical Knowledge for Today, and Is It All Still Good? Tuesday 12/13 • 10:30-Noon • Elderberry Room, LCCThe explosion of the internet and the World Wide Web has deeply impacted our everyday lives with even the most reclusive unable to avoid its influence. Edward Zeidan from Nerd4Rent in Lafayette will help us to under-stand their basic underpinnings and to most expeditiously use these tools to feed our cu-riosity, plan anything, tease our fancies, and stay in touch. He will bring us up to date on features non-existent only a few years ago which could, with wisdom, enhance the qual-ity of our lives.Hearing Screening-Is Your Hearing Not What it Used to Be? Wednesdays 12/14 • 10:30, 10:50, 11:10, 11:30, 11:50 & 12:10 Dr. Mimi Salamat, Ph.D. Audiology, in partnership with Lafayette Senior Services, is presenting hearing screening by appointment.Self-Discovery and Aging, Creative Writing Workshop Fridays 12/9 • 1:30 – 3:30PM • Elderberry Room, LSCWrite to explore issues around aging, emotion, and perception–or get sup-port to write on any topic! Workshop sessions include writing prompts, feedback and encouragement, and information about the world of writers, writing, and publishing. Bi-Monthly Caregiver Support Group Mondays 12/12 • 1:30–2:30PM • Sequoia Room, LSCCaring for frail older adults in the home often creates great stress and emotional anguish for spouses and family members. Licensed Geriatric Care Manager Carol Shenson, M.A., CMC, offers a bi-monthly support group for family members who will be or are involved with the direct care

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of an older relative. Drop-ins welcome.Lamorinda Dance Social Every Wednesday • 12:30 – 3PM • Live Oak Room, LSCEnjoy afternoon dancing every Wednesday, and learn some great new dance moves. On the first Wednesday monthly, professional dancers Karen and Michael will provide a dance lesson and live DJ services, playing your favorites and taking requests. $2 Members/ $4 non-members.Positive Living Forum (a.k.a “Happiness Club”) Thursdays 12/8 • 10:30 – noonPositive Living Forum features eminent speakers on a wide range of topics that will stimulate and guide participants towards a more ideal and positive life experience. Drop-ins are welcome. Moderated by Dr. Bob Nozik, MD. Lafayette Senior Services Commission - The Commission meets on the 4th Thursday of the month at 3:30 – 5:30PM at the Lafayette Senior Services Center. View agendas at the City of Lafayette office or at www.ci.lafayette.ca.us.


Lafayette Today ClassifiedsReach over 11,500 homes and businesses in Lafayette - Help Wanted, For Sale, Services, Lessons, Pets, Rentals, Wanted, Freebies... $35 for up to 45 words. $5 for each additional 15 words. Send or email submissions to: 3000F Danville Blvd #117, Alamo, CA 94507 or [email protected]. Run the same classified ad in our sister papers “Alamo Today” or “Danville Today News” and pay half off for your second and/or third ad! Payment by check made out to “The Editors” must be received before ad will print. Your cancelled check is your receipt. We reserve the right to reject any ad.

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ARCHITECTJOHN ROLF HATTAM - ARCHITECT Specializes in modest budget, new and remodeled residences. Over 200 completed projects. AUTHOR: Houses on Hills and Other Irregular Places. Also, National Parks from an Architect’s Sketchbook Call for a brochure: 510-841-5933. 737 Dwight Way, Berkeley.

LESSONSMUSIC INSTRUCTION with Robbie Dunbar. Bach to Beatles and beyond. Piano, guitar, other instruments. All ages and levels welcome! I travel to your home. Decades of experience, including Masters of Music Composition. Also PIANO TUNING. (925) 323-9706, [email protected]

Lamorinda Senior Transportation An Alliance of Transportation Providers

*Call each program for information, opportunities to volunteer and to make tax-deductible donations. Volunteer drivers are always appreciated.

“On this day of your life, dear friend, consider…. ...that light shines through you when your light shines on another.” ~ Neale Donald Walsch Lamorinda Spirit Van 283-3534

Serving Lamorinda seniors with rides to the C.C. Café for lunch in a social setting, grocery and sundry shopping, errands, medical appointments, physical therapy, other appointments, etc. $10 round trip. Call to register for more information.Contra Costa Yellow Cab and DeSoto Company 284-1234

20% discount for Lamorinda seniors. A taxi is often an economical alternative to owning, insuring, and maintaining a car.Volunteer Driver Program Volunteers driving their own cars provide free rides for seniors.Orinda Seniors Around Town 402-4506

Serving Orinda seniors with rides for appointments and errands.Senior Helpline Services Rides for Seniors 284-6161

Serving Contra Costa seniors with rides to medical appointments Monday through Fridays and to grocery shopping on Saturdays. Ask about reassurance phone calls.

FOR SALEFOR SALE - TWO SIDE-BY-SIDE SINGLE BURIAL PLOTS. Located in Garden of Serenity, Oakmont Memorial Park, Lafayette. $5000 each or best offer. Contact Pat Moe at 925-283-0102.

FOR RENTMAUI CONDO VACATION RENTAL - Maui Kapalua Golf Villa. Sleeps 6 - two bedroom, two bath. Fully remodeled, spacious, and private. Large kitchen, gas barbeque, pool, and lanai. Free phone and WiFi. Mention this ad for a discount. Terry 925-933-6716, [email protected].

ST. PAUL’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH cordially invites you to join us for Christmas Service on December 24th at 4pm, 8pm, 10:30pm, and 11pm, and De-cember 25th at11am in our Historical Chapel 1924 Trinity Ave, Walnut Creek. 925-934-2324, www.stpaulswc.org.

CHURCH SERVICES

Lamorinda Senior TransportationAn Alliance of Transportation ProvidersBy Mary Bruns, Program Coordinator

A Second Used Van from the County Connection and Expanded Transportation Service for Lamorinda Seniors: We are excited to announce that the Lamorinda Spirit Van Program is becoming a two-van program beginning in January or sooner if possible. This means that in addition to taking people to lunch at the Walnut Creek Senior Center Monday through Friday, grocery shopping on Wednesday for Lafayette passengers, and grocery shopping on Thursday for Moraga passengers, we will be able to expand our service for medical and physical therapy appointments, shopping, and errands.

This increase in service is possible because the County Connection has donated a used 14-passenger vehicle to us, allowing us to take additional passengers to the lunch program and turning our regular van over to the

volunteer drivers for errands, shopping, and appointments. The 14-passenger vehicle has eight two-passenger seats which can be converted to four wheelchair positions when needed.

Holiday Shopping Transportation: For your holiday shopping needs, van rides are available Fridays, December 9th, and 16th to Sun Valley Mall, Broadway Plaza, and the Kohl’s Shopping Center at Monument and

Contra Costa Blvd.City of Lafayette Holidays

include Friday, December 23rd, Monday, December 26th, and Monday, January 2nd. However, since the lunch program is open on Friday, December 23rd, we expect to be open for rides to lunch. Call to double-check since rides are dependent on our drivers’ availability.

More volunteer drivers are wanted and needed to be able to fully expand our hours of van operation. Please pass this information onto those who are looking for volunteer opportunities and would enjoy driving seniors in a para-transit van.

Warm wishes to you from all of us: Alicia, Bob, Cathy, Doreen, Eddie, Dave, John O., John V., Lisa, Malcolm, Marlys, Mary, Mauna, Mike, Paula, Reigh, and Steve.

Mary and Billie at the C.C. Café

June shopping at OSH

Malcolm and June

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

grow-up and become less communicative. And, a parent who may have set-foot on an elementary or middle school campus daily often finds that the self-sufficient nature of a car-driving teen makes that parent a stranger to her child’s high school experience. “I like being connected to the kids on campus, and being ‘in the know’ for events at school,” says class of 2014 liaison Kristin Kisner. “Being a liaison gives me a reason to be involved, and I love helping out.

“My favorite part of this job is working with the kids,” continues Kisner, who, with her fellow liaisons, meets with the class officers throughout the year to answer questions and provide guidance. “And they are so thankful. It is so great to hear their ideas and help guide them to success.”

Class liaisons are recruited via the Acalanes Parent’s Club nominating committee. Viable parent names are discussed, and candidates are contacted. An attempt is made to have equal representation by families from each of Lafayette’s four elementary schools – with hopes for reaching a greater contact base. Some years it is difficult to find those willing to commit, while other years it is easy. Kisner wanted the job and is already looking forward to participating again for her youngest daughter’s class.

“The liaisons basically support us in everything we do,” says Sophomore Class President Robbie Stern. “It is reassuring to know we have a group dedicated parents to help us. They are always encouraging and maintain a positive attitude with all the twists and turns of our leadership responsibilities.”

While Acalanes administration has recently made it a goal for the student body officers to take more responsibility for events, fundraising, and budgeting, Acalanes Student Body President Brennan Quinn echoes the sentiment that much of what the officers accomplish would be challenging without the guidance of the liaisons. “While we students are the ones making most of the decisions regarding Prom, Homecoming hallway decorating, etc., the class liaisons help a lot with the ‘dirty work,’ like running last-minute errands,” says Quinn. He surmises that one of the liaisons’ biggest challenges is likely knowing when to take a step back, forcing the students to exercise autonomy.

Quinn notes that all of the liaisons have children at Acalanes, and he appreciates their desire to help their community. “I would guess that the most rewarding aspect of their work is being able to see the enjoyment that Acalanes students receive from their efforts.”

Senior class liaison Meg McNiece concurs, and she adds, “What is not to love about working with three other vibrant, interesting adults, working with our fantastic leadership kids and being involved in what my son is experiencing in high school? That is rewarding in and of itself.”

McNiece accepted the volunteer job as a way to stay involved, know the kids, and stay abreast of Acalanes activities. She didn't want her volunteer opportunities to end in middle school. “I have loved being a liaison and having the opportunity to be able to attend my son’s milestone events, especially those in senior year,” says McNiece. “This has been a job made in heaven. Too bad they don't need liaisons in college!”

“Our kids have big plans, and want to do many things, and we need adults to help,” says Glimme. “The class liaisons contribute positively to the culture of this campus. They absolutely make a difference.”

- December 2011 ~ Lafayette Today

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lafayette today, december 2011

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