Chalk and Cheese Chronicles

Back to the Berkeley's Adventure Playground

The other day, my son asked if we could go to the Adventure Playground. "You know, the one with the zip line," he reminded me.

The last time we'd been there was just before they were six and now my boys are seven and soon-to-be rising third graders. Prior to that, we'd been there once before, when they were about five. So off we headed this past weekend, happy to have a place to go that felt new again. 

At first glance, this kid-build playground looks like a shanty town that's under perpetual construction. The noise of its young residents filters through the scrap metal sidings, joining the sounds of hammering. Something is happening here.

It's the sound of of kids hard at play. My sons climbed rickety ladders, leaped from boats, and scaled the sides of buildings that would be condemned in the real world. Over at the workbench area, they grabbed hammers, nails and bits of wood and made swords. Then they chased each other through the playground, like children of yesteryear, before the temptation of video games, and before the pressures of standardized testing and competitive sports.

 

 

 

 

 

If you're reading this and thinking of bringing your under 5 child to the Adventure Playground, I advise you to wait. As my kids have grown up, I've learned that there are some things that are better if you wait. Too much, too soon. The Adventure Playground isn't for everyone. Think 1970s playspace. Some might think it's a tad dangerous. You won't find any molded plastic, but you will find errant nails and splintered sidings and unreinforced floors.

 

Wobbly little kids are more likely to get hurt. Wobbly little kids get in the way of big kid rough play. This is no place for strollers. Sure, little kids can enjoy the space (mine did) but really, it's better for all if you wait until they're at least five to really experience this park. Actually age 8 to 10 is probably the ideal age. Besides, kids have to be at least six to use the zip line.

I think they should have an Adventure Playground workshop at the Maker Faire and inspire kids and families to turn vacant lots into a similar space. I don't know how the city of Berkeley (of course, Berkeley) absolves itself from liability in this age of safety first but maybe they can lead the workshop. It would be worth it to bring this type of old-fashioned fun into the lives of modern kids.

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, we ended our day with a minor injury. My son scuffed up his elbow crawling through a wooden fort. He shrugged it off and so did we. He'd earned his Adventure Playground merit badge.

The Adventure Playground opens daily starting June 18 (through August 17) and is open weekend now.

 

This is an original post to Chalk and Cheese Chronicles.

 

Ano Nuevo, Rain or Shine with Elephant Seals

Rain or shine, that should be the motto of Ano Nuevo State Park where we'd gone this past Saturday on the last day of guided tours which ran December 15 - March 31. It poured just for us that day.

Seeing the Ano Nuevo elephant seals up close had been on my bucket list of things to do around the Bay Area. I'd seen them serenditiously once a few years back near San Simeon; we'd looked out the car window from the road and there they were, hundreds of big testosterone fueled bulls, throwing their weight around. It was an awesome sight. Still, the experience left me wanting more. It felt like cheating seeing them from a roadside parking lot. 

Ano Nuevo is a state park in Pescadero, between Davenport and Half Moon Bay and a protected refuge for elephant seals. It's a beautiful drive to get there. I'd booked the 9:15am guided walk, the first tour of the day. The early morning sky was cloudy as we left our home and we drove through patches of fog over 17.

Bu just as we were pulling up to the ranger station to pay our 10 dollar parking fee, it started to rain. By the time we drove 100 feet to the parking lot, it was pouring. We parked and looked up at the sky, wondering if the rain would abate.

Soon, a few other cars started to arrive. Kids and parents huddled around their cars, like nervous water fearing cats.

My kids had on rain jackets atop layers of clothing, and rain boots. The husband and I were only semi prepared for rain; we had on water resistent jackets, but for shoes, we were wearing light mesh sneakers. Grandpa was the most prepared, clad in head to toe waterproof clothing. We had one umbrella among us. 

The rain was unrelenting. The rain was sideways!

The families with kids turned and fled, probably heading to Starbucks. This was a definite rainstorm. I looked at the emptying parking lot and thought we'd better leave as well. But grandpa and the husband had resolve. "We'll be fine," the husband encouraged.

I ducked into the gift shop and emerged with a two dollar rain poncho, in bright yellow. "Ok, I'm ready," I said, smiling weakly.

About eight other people also had resolve so we followed them, this group of 30-something singles, all dressed in hiking boots. They looked cold, but not bothered by the downpour. Then down the trail we went to meet our guide at the big tree on a distant bluff. That tree looked miles away.

We sloshed down the well marked and well maintained path, past and through puddle after enormous puddle. We were soaked. But as we walked, we got our mojo back. It was still pouring but it was exhillerating to be outside while mother nature did her thing, even if were soaked and chilled to the bone.

As this was the end of the elephant seal season, we saw only pups. They were in swim school! Our guide said the pups were the class of 2012. They were cute, looking back at us with their inky, curious eyes. As we walked through a couple of small dunes, I tried to imagine what the place would look like while crowded with adult elephant seals at the height of the mating season. We passed the skeleton of a pup who'd been probably crushed by the weight of an adult male.

Toward the end of the walk, the rain settled into a drizzle and we saw other groups heading up the trail. We passed a woman already carrying a small child which is something you probably don't want to do on a wet, soggy day. Parts of the trail were definitely slippery. I don't think I could have managed to carry a small child for 4.5 miles, even in dry weather. It's just too far of a walk for small kids. Strollers are not recommended, especially on sand dunes! There are no snack breaks either and food is not allowed on the trail. So if you have small children - wait until you know they can walk the entire way. My kids are 7 and adventuresome but it still felt as if we were holding up the 30-somethings in our group.

I'd looked into touring Ano Nuevo before the start of the guided season. At the time, there'd been plenty of space available, but then I got busy and forgot to book until it was nearly too late. The best time to see the Ano Nuevo elephant seals if probably toward the end of January, at the height of the land population. We'll go again next year. It's an amazing experience.

Ano Nuevo is a rain or shine destination. In fact, our guide said the elephant seals like the rain. So next season, go forth and book a guided walk with confidence, it will not be canceled, rain or shine. But heed the advice of the bring rain gear! We also packed extra day clothes, which we slipped into thankfully after the tour.

Don't let the rain deter you. When most everyone else packed up and left, we stayed... and had an adventure!

 

 

 

Camp Galileo: These Stars say it's all good!

It's February, the month I usually start thinking about summer camps.

This will be our second year of Camp Galileo (aka Camp G). Check out my son's video in that post and you'll see how engaged he was (at age 6) during his week of sleuthing about impressionist paintings as a "detective in Paris" this past summer.

My boys almost never vividly describe their day to me at pickup. They say that everything was "good." School was good. Camp was good. The birthday party was good. Basically, it means they're blowing me off. It means, I did it and it was GOOD and now I'm busy playing so leave me alone! I have to wait a few hours or days for the details to come pouring forth. Some details never come.

I mention this because last week, I recently had the chance to sit down with the team at Galileo Learning and explore beyond my kids' one word descriptor. Turns out the word "good" is just a springboard for the Galileo Innovation Approach which means, always: Be Visionary, Be Courageous, Be Collaborative, Be Determined and Be Reflective.

This mindset, repeated in the curriculem for every theme, at every camp, year after year is important. Children will learn, over time and with repetition, to use this mindset when faced with a challenge; and they'll learn how to gather knowledge in the process of creating and bringing a new idea to fruition.

School gives my kids the basics. Camp Galileo teaches kids what to do with those basics in a variety of disciplines such as art and science. I wish that Camp Galileo were an after-school option for kids, so that they could take what they've learned in school and apply it in a way that's fun and reflective of real life matters.

My kids are Camp Galileo campers, that is, they are between Pre-K and rising 5th graders. When they become rising 5th to 8th graders, they will be eligible for Galileo Summer Quest (one week format) where I'm sure they'll beg me to sign them up for Video Game Design camp. Rising 4th to 8th graders can apply hands-on learning in science and technology at The Tech Summer Camps. And new this year, is the Chabot Space and Science Camp for rising 4th to 8th graders. All of this falls under the guidance of Galileo Learning.

There are four Camp Galileo weekly themes lined up for 2012. Nebulas (pre-K and kindergartners), Stars (rising 1st/2nd graders, like my kids were last year) and Supernovas, rising 3rd - 5th graders) can look forward to themes that can be divided into art, science and outdoors.

Briefly, some highlights are:

Galileo Olympics: Greek Art and The Science of the Games

Nebulas will construct a leaf-adorned victory head wreath and make a foam stamps to embellish their ancient Greek tunic.

Stars get to mold their own gold and bronze medals and fling about new terms like "fluid design."

Supernovas will be crafting with paper-maché and using impulse force. My kids have never done paper-maché so I'm sure this will be a fun, messy project. Then they'll learn about owls and as any Harry Potter fan will tell you, owls are not only wise, but they're magical as well. Then, if that were not enough, my boys will have the chance to test out a bow and arrow during an archery event. 

I'm thinking we might go with this theme, as it might awaken an interest in this summer's 2012 Olympics in London.

Celebrate the Golden Gate: SF Art and Bridge Engineering

San Francisco is our backyard stomping grounds and I know it like the back of my hands. Sometimes, we go about as natives and other times, we just play tourist. I love how this theme is relatable to the day trips we make to San Francisco.

Nebulas will learn the history of the Dutch Windmill (the one out by Ocean Beach) and then make their own out of clay.

Stars will craft a Lombard Street collage and learn to build a bridge.

Supernovas will make a 3D painted lady (Victorian house) and engineer a suspension bridge. I'm sure it will all be trickier to do than it looks!

Leonardos's Apprentice: Renaissance Art & Inventions

Evidence of Leonardo's influence is everywhere. My boys and I recently watched a Nova episode called Mystery of a Masterpiece. I have a massive coffee table book on Leonardo which my grandmother passed down to me. My boys have read many books in which Leonardo appears as a character (like Monday with a Mad Genius). I like that I'll be able to round out what my boys learn during a week studying Leonardo just by looking around me.

Nebulas will embellish a Renaissance sketch book and explore the concept of sink or float, to name a few of the activities they'll be doing.

Stars will pratice shading and painting to make clouds. I'm an Art Vistas docent at my kids' school so I enjoy anything that ties into the work we're doing there, and yes, we have learned to make clouds!

Supernovas will paint their own frecoes.

Galileo Rocks! The Art and Science of Music

This theme links art masters like Picasso and Matisse to instruments depicted in their works.

Nebulas will make sea masks and design drums of different diameters.

Stars will use a kalimba to explore prong placement and length in relation to pitch. Then they'll get their groove on and practice rhythm and movement.

Supernovas will create a mixed media collage (think Kandinsky) and make a guitar out of nylon, cardboard and wood!

My kids will be doing two weeks at Camp G (some people do 4 weeks or more!). We've yet to nail down the themes, but one thing is certain, I will NOT be packing lunch! New this year to Camp G, lunch and snacks will be provided by ChoiceLunch. It's an additional fee, but after 9 months of packing lunches this school year, I am done. And it's not like I'm giving my kids the license to gobble down pesticide laden junk food, either, no - it's ChoiceLunch, which provides healthy, hormone and antibiotic free meats and dairy. We're going to give the lunch option a go.

The other thing I like about Camp G is the counselors. All the lead instructors are college graduates. With less than 10 percent of applicants accepted, landing the role of a Camp G leader is prestigious indeed!

A camp is a camp is a camp, right? Wrong!

So what I learned from my kids is that in its simplest interpretation, "good" equals fun. But what I learned from the hard working team at Galileo Learning is that good and fun equal the Galileo Innovation Approach. It means that slowly and without realizing it, my kids will pack along some helpful tools they'll need as they go out into the world. They'll learn ways to be visionary, courageous, collaborative, determined and reflective.

According to my Stars, it's all good.

Did I mention the discount? Refer friends and you both get $40 off. In fact, you'll get a $40 reduction with each referral. That's a crazy discount.

This is an original post to Chalk and Cheese Chronicles.

Disclaimer: Galileo Learning invited me to a discussion centered around the Galileo Innovation Approach. They are giving my kids one free week of camp each because they want to hear my feedback, both positive and negative. So stay tuned for our post-camp write up later in the summer!

Giveaway for little explorers: The Bay Area Discovery Museum (Marin)

12/24: Winner! Amy M - thanks all for entering. Happy holidays and happy museum going!

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It's giveaway time!

I have FIVE passes to the Bay Area Discovery Museum!

 

Win This: Leave a comment telling me your favorite Bay Area children's museum(s). One entry per person. I'll draw a name via the usual random.org on December 24, 2011 and announce the winner at the top of this post.

The Scoop: Tickets are valid through 6/30/12 and can be used for children or adults. Tickets normally cost $11 each, so a family of 5 will save $55.

Sponsor: Thank you to Scholar Share for sponsoring this giveaway.

ScholarShare is California’s 529 College Savings Program. The recently revamped program features a minimum initial contribution of only $25 per portfolio to open an account and fees that have been reduced by approximately 30 percent, making ScholarShare one of the lowest priced 529 plans in the country. To sign up for an account or for more information about the plan, visit www.ScholarShare.com<

 

My top 10 Reasons to Visit the Bay Area Discovery Museum

1. The view. With a backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge, which will you watch, your kids or the scenery?

2. The sticks. Your kids will find them. Plus, sticks are Geek Dad approved.

3. The boats. There are two fishing boats to play in, one inside and one outside, and there is a sunken treasure ship. My favorite thing to do is to rock the inside fishing boat to make kids feel like they're sailing on a choppy sea. I call it the Feed the Fish activity.

4. The indoor/outdoor setting. Marin whether is a microclimate of sun and fog. We dash in/out of the buildings accordingly.

5.  The native plants. Look around, the plants have all gone native and it is beautiful.

6. The tree stumps. Climb to the top of the hill via a path of tree stumps. Go through a giant tree stump. Count the rings. Marvel, then go climb some actual trees. Yes, you can do that.

7.  Waterplay. Most kids have dunked their hands into a waterplay area, but this time, instead of tiny balls, they get to play with plastic fish and crabs!

8. The digging. Grab a shovel and dig for sunken treasure. Or dig through a construction site.

9. The gift shop. This is such a beautifully curated gift shop for kids. I'm all over the Barefoot Books.

10. The stress level. I don't know if it's slight the ocean mist or the soothing seaside color palette, but I never felt the stress I felt at other kid places. I didn't even think about germs when we were outside. It's just such a beautiful place. We were one on one with kids when until age 3, and then, I felt comfortable enough here to take my two kids on my own.

This photo of my son at the Bay Area Discovery Museum says it all to me. I call this photo "childhood."

 

The Danger Zone that is the School Crosswalk

For 15 minutes a day, twice a day, the rules of the road are abandoned. I'm not talking about traffic in developing nations, I'm talking about residential streets alongside some Bay Area neighborhood schools.

Yesterday, my kids and I had a close call. We were walking in the crosswalk toward our school's back gate (a popular drop-off and pick-up location); no cars were coming in either direction, but cars were lined up along the long curb as parents let their children off.

A white car was idling at the curb, just behind the cross-walk. One of my sons was about 3 feet ahead of me, his oversized red backpack thumping at his back. Two little boys had just exited that idling white car, the door slamming behind them and then with that, their mother put the pedal to the metal and left the curb WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING.

And there was my son, my little son, making his way to his school, a car coming right at him.

I screamed, "Noooooooo!" and my son shouted something and the white car braked. Thank God for brakes.

He wasn't hurt.

It was close, so close.

I gave her a look of stunned disbelief. She looked shaken. I shook - for hours.

As we walked onto the school grounds, I caught up to her kids. One explained that his mom was just "excited because she's going buck hunting in the hills after school today."

I hate hunting (and in SV?) but I had to laugh. I always love the way kids explain things. Perhaps his mom thought we were a herd of deer?

"Oh, ok then, " I replied, "but please tell your mom that she should look before pulling away from the curb."

We all do dumb things when we drive. I do dumb things when I drive, like the time I made a U-turn without looking and nearly got plowed into by another driver!

I tried to post a gentle safe driving reminder to our school's Yahoo! Group but the group moderator wouldn't let me post it. I think it has to be positive and/or school related in order to post there. The principal told me she'd put a little blub on her announcements corner of the school website, but to me, that's like shouting it into the air when there's no one around you. Safety should be a top priority. Better to get the word out now about safe driving rather than having to post about a tragedy later.

Ok, I'll get off my soapbox now but when I see the image of my little guy barely making it across the street, I want to do something so that he - and all students - make it to their schools safely.

The San Jose Mercury News says that the city of San Jose is considering lowering the speed limit around schools to 15 mph. That's great news. A 15 mph school-zone speed limit should be a nationwide standard. Check out what Arizona is doing with their adaptive 15 mph school-zone limits. Then, of course, there's the ever-present distraction of using a cell phone while driving.

Our close call yesterday wasn't speed related or cell phone related, but perhaps if more attention were directed to safe driving, all drivers in the vicinity of a school will be more cautious with their driving. My friend's husband will literally stand in the street and yell to drivers to slow down. Kudos to him!

I saw a sign in a school parking lot that read: If you have your foot on the gas pedal, you are going to fast. For some reason, it's stuck in my head and I do try to keep my foot off the gas pedal when in a school or mall parking lot -- anywhere there's a lot of pedestrian traffic.

My kids aren't out driving cars, but they do have to know about pedestrian safety... and that neon orange is a cool color to wear.

This is an original post to Chalk and Cheese Chronicles.

 

 

 

 

 

Our Summer Wardrobe is the Camp Galileo T-Shirt

My twin boys have easy fashion requirements when it comes to clothing. They're into soft t-shirts with cool graphics and absolutely no hardware of any kind (we're looking at you buttondown shirt). It takes my boys all of two minutes to get dressed. T-shirts, shorts and presto, they're ready for the day.

This summer has been the summer of the Camp Galileo t-shirt. It's become my boys' summertime uniform. They wear their light blue Camp Galileo "Stars" shirts nearly every day. I think my boys wax nolstaglic when they're in their Camp Galileo shirts. We went to camp and a good time was had by all.

My boys took away some incredible memories from their two week experience at Camp Galileo. As the mother of the boys who wear their Camp Galileo shirts almost every day, Camp Galileo isn't far from my mind either. Those shirts are in every laundry basket I set out to fold. I can't fathom the number of times I've folded those shirts. I could probably pick them out of a pile of clothing with my eyes shut.

My boys have worn their Camp Galileo shirts to bed. They've worn them to other other camps. Our photos from this summer look like we packed in a hundred activities into one day because no matter what my boys doing, at least one of them is wearing a Camp Galileo t-shirt!

A few examples...

At the OMSI in Portland.

 

A the beach, making a fort.

On the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad.

At Santana Row, shopping with me (think I must've bribed him).

Chalk Boy wore his camp shirt to the aquarium:

His brother wore his while trying to earn time on his beloved Sony PSP.

Tomorrow will be yet another day of making memories in a Camp Galileo t-shirt. My boys will be heading to a spy camp at a local school district and guess what they'll be wearing? HEAVILY laundered Camp Galileo t-shirts, of course.

Another day, another Camp Galileo t-shirt to wash. I see no end in sight until my boys have outgrown them. Which leaves me to wonder why Camp Galileo only allows ONE t-shirt per camper per summer? Every camper gets one t-shirt only, even if they attend camp the entire summer. I say bump it up to one t-shirt per week of camp attended, or make the t-shirts available for sale on-site.

It's all good, of course. Camp Galileo = a summer of fun and learning. As long as my boys feel happy, I'm happy to wash those shirts, again and again. We loved Camp Galileo and will be back for more next summer. I guess it doesn't hurt to ask... pssst... Camp Galileo! Do you think you can allow me to stock up on t-shirts next year? Please?

This is an original post to Chalk and Cheese Chronicles.

 

Disclaimer: We participated in two weeks of Camp Galileo, each in a different location. One week we paid for on our own; the other is a complimentary week courtesy of Camp Galileo. I decided to write about our experiences at both camps and the opinions expressed herein are my own.

 

 

 

 

Camp Galileo: Our Week as Young Detectives in Paris (video interview)

The theme of our recent week at Camp Galileo was Detective is Paris, Impressionism and the Science of Sleuthing.

From the website:

Intrigue abounds in the City of Light, where famous paintings have been mysteriously disappearing left and right. Sherbock Holmes is on the case, with the help of junior sleuth Yvette and her team of camper helpers, who hope to recover the paintings in time for the grand opening of the Salon des Refusés. This week, dig up your passport and dust off your magnifying glass for a trip to Paris. Get ready to learn the secrets behind Impressionism, put your sleuthing skills to the test and assist Sherbock and Yvette in cracking the case!

"Ok," I thought, "We're game!" My boys are into the spy thing, big time, just like most of their peers. We have a whole drawer of spy gear. We'd also taken in the Birth of Impressionism exhibit when it toured the De Young, so the theme was right up our alley.

When we arrived at Camp Galileo on an already hot Monday morning, my boys burst through the streamers at the entrance with nary a goodbye to me. I was merely le taxi.

You can't play the part of a detective in Paris unless you're sporting a mustache! So on Wednesday, all campers were encouraged to come to camp en moustache. We obliged.

I never know exactly what goes on during the time my boys are away from me. They always give me details in random bursts. But I know that they' were happy campers all week. I can just tell by the way they greeted me at pick up. No sullen faces, no complaints of boredom - clearly, they loved Camp Galileo.

Cheese Boy's group leader, Joanne, told me that he thinks he knows who stole the paintings. She described how he knew all about the science of lie detection. Apparnently, he did read the manual of the toy lie detector kit he has at home.

Here he is, describing how to detect a lie. For the record, however, it turns out he was wrong. I don't remember who turned to be the thief but it wasn't the science teacher.

 

This is an original post to Chalk and Cheese Chronicles.

Disclaimer: We are doing two weeks of Camp Galileo, each in a different location. One week we paid for on our own; the other is a complimentary week courtesy of Camp Galileo. I decided to write about our experiences at both camps and the opinions expressed herein are my own.

The Daylife Scene

Whenever I head to Santana Row, it's usually at the start of the day, when the shops first open. Sometimes, I meet friends for coffee; other times, I dash in for an Anthropologie fix. But it's usually done at the start of the day, when the kids are at school. I zip in and out and parking is not a problem. There's never a line at Pinkberry at 10am. On the weekend, sometimes I'll bring the kids because they love the giant chessboard. My social life takes place during the day: I have a daylife.

On the occasion that I find myself there during the transitional period of 5 to 7pm, panic sets in. If it's Friday, I'll notice cars starting to fill the parking lots and an increase in foot traffic. The ladies with shopping bags go home, replaced by, as they say, all the single ladies and all the single men. Those young 20-somethings are gorgeous in a way that only youth can supply. When I hear the music booming from the restaurant come bar called Straits (which, by the way, I used to go to in San Francisco back when it looked like any SE Asian restaurant), it's my signal to head home - or to Target.

I like pretty things. Pretty dresses, pretty rooms, pretty flowers. But I don't like exuding sexiness, and could never exude it even if I tried - it's just not me. Santana Row at night is the sexy side of Silicon Valley. It resembles the Vegas crowd. Get me out of here, I whisper, fleeing in my flats. I'm dumpy and tired and I want to wear sweats.

I haven't been part of a nightlife scene in ages, excluding the nightife that befalls new parents when they're up at night with a newborn (or in my case, two newborns). Santana Row has a buzzing nightlife scene. I was with a group of my mom blogger friends on a recent Thursday night and I swear, we were the only females wearing flats.

I hadn't known skyhigh heels were in style! I'm not talking platform heels, but spikey heels. What happened to Toms and espadrilles and flip flops? This was a look-at-me kind of scene. As I looked down at my white dress that my mom friends had complimented, I also realized that I was probably the only women around wearing white and worse, white paired with flats. One white dress in a sea of black and red and majenta.

Time to retreat to the comfort of home. I looked at my friend who was clad in shorts paired with - gasp - was it Clarks clogs? She didn't fit the style bill of Santana Row as well. It's not that we were lamenting our youth or craving attention; it's just that we're just not interested in that scene. Well that, and the fact that we like comfy clothes.

We are all in our bubbles, all in our time warps, caught up in the here and now. I must say that it is refreshing to step outside my bubble once in a while and realize that all the world does not live life as I do, at home, behind a computer, for the most part.

Anyhow, as I will be up early to drop off my kids at Camp Galileo in the morning, I'm sure I'll pop by Santana Row because I did spy some pretty (but not sexy!) dresses in the window of H&M. I'll just be sure to do my shopping at the start of the day because, you know, I relish my daylife.

 

This is an original post to Chalk and Cheese Chronicles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bakesale for Japan - The San Jose Event 4/2/11

I will be there, selling and buying, buying and buying. I love desserts. I also love knowing that we are all helping in this global relief effort for Japan.

Who else will be there? Many folks.

 

Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people,
can transform the world. -- Howard Zinn

San Jose Japantown is getting in on the national bakesale for Japan. Want to take part? Here's what you need to know:

When: Saturday, April 2nd from 10am-2pm

Where: Roy’s Station (197 Jackson St. in San Jose)

Who: Professional and amateur bakers, cooks, artists, artisans, and musicians coming together around food to make something BIG happen.

How: Want to help? We’ll need bakers, artists, volunteers, and lots and lots of customers. Please send offers of help to sanjosebakesale@gmail.com

Why: So we can donate BIG BUCKS to Peace Winds Japan and help our brothers and sisters over there in the best way we can. Stay tuned for details.

We will be folding 1,000 paper cranes to send to friends in Japan. Do you have origami paper to donate? Can you teach others how to fold cranes on the day of the sale? If so, send me an email.

After the bakesale is over, we'll be continuing our celebration and support of Japan. From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Ukulele Jams and Ukulele Source will be holding a Kanikapila at the Roy's Station to benefit Japanese Red Cross Tsunami and Earthquake Victims.  Smiley and Janet Kai of Ukulele Source will be donating a Ukulele for the raffle.  Baristas will be donating all of their tips for the day, and Roy's Station will be donating 10% of their sales.

Roy's will have some great prizes to raffle off, including a Kala soprano travel 'ukulele (MSRP $225.00). 100% of the raffle proceeds will be donated to the relief fund.  We will be using Jim Beloff's The Daily Ukefor most of the songs for our monthly kanikapilas.  This books is a compilation of 365 songs (one for every day of the year) with a good variety.  If you would like your own copy, you can pick one up at Ukulele Source.  For each book sold between now and April 2nd, Ukulele Source will donate $5.00 to the relief fund. 

For more information see the Facebook Event Page and National Bakesale for Japan website.

 

Please stay tuned to this page as we post updates leading up to the event!
Thank you!

Random Acts of Zhu Benefits Sunday Friends

 

100 bloggers + 100 ZhuZhus = 10,000 smiles.

The power to make a difference lies within zhu! 

For the past year, I'd been thinking about the power of charity. I'm hoping to guide my children to adulthood with a sense of empathy and compassion. When my boys turned six a few months ago, I started to look around for an organization with a program where we could volunteer as a family.

So when the ZhuZhu Pets®, the 2010 “Toy of the Year” landed on our doorstep courtesy of Cepia, the maker of Zhu Zhu Pets, I was giddy with excitement. I'd just read in M Magazine about a local group called Sunday Friends and being selected to participate in Random Acts of Zhu couldn't have come at a more perfect time.

It just seemed like a serendipitous good fit. While there are dozens of hard working organizations needing help all throughout the year, I liked that enrolled families in Sunday Friends must earn the opportunity to shop for necessities via various educational classes. These low income families come together (on a Sunday, of course) with Sunday Friends volunteers to learn how to manage money, prepare meals using healthy ingredients and other assorted activities that will assist them in developing self-suffiency. The families can then use the tickets they earn performing these activities to shop in the Sunday Friends Treasure Chest for necessities. During the holiday season, the Treasure Chest is filled with toy and gift donations.

 

When I went to drop off the 96 Zhu Zhu Pets (4 went to my boys, 4 to Toys for Tots) at Lowell school in downtown San Jose, the Sunday Friends staff greeted me warmly and appreciatively. The large room was buzzing with volunteers and long tables piled with donated items formed aisles. It was an impressive sight.

It was a room filled with good cheer and I left there with spirits soaring. When I returned home, I filled out the application to become a Sunday Friend.

 

 

 

(piles of donated toys)                                               (Gift sorting room at Lowell school in San Jose)