Santa Cruz Chocolate Festival at the Coconut Grove in Santa Cruz, CA

On Sunday, January 18, 2014 at the Coconut Grove in Santa Cruz, CA there will be a chocolate festival.  The proceeds will benefit a program for re-entry students to UCSC.  I will be there!

Saul's Deli

Saul's Deli on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley is an excellent New York-style deli - pretty much as good as it gets for deli in Northern California.  Love the hot pastrami or corned beef sandwiches.  Outstanding latkes around Chanukah, too.

Image from saulsdeli.com.

Resources:

Saul's Deli
www.saulsdeli.com/
(Jewish and Eastern European cuisine located in Berkeley, CA.
(510) 848-3354
1475 Shattuck Ave.
Berkeley, CA

Cornish Christmas Festival in Grass Valley, CA is tonight, December 11, 2014!

Enjoy this 47th annual Grass Valley Cornish Christmas celebration tonight with chestnuts roasting over an open fire on the street, carolers, crafts, food, live music, and other merriment!  I love this event as it really helped me imagine life in another era!  A life where men and women worked hard, had little, but cherished the simple pleasures of hearty food and drink, good song, and a warm fire with family and friends!

Resources:

downtowngrassvalley.com

Recommended Hotel in Santa Barbara area, California- The Goodland a Kimpton Hotel

The Goodland, Kimpton Hotels' new 158- room property is set in the Santa Barbara- adjacent surf town of Goleta, California.  The L.A. design firm Studio Collective shaped the interiors, mixing in a nostalgic beachy sensibility courtesy of custom-shaped surfboards  and beaded macrame wall hangings, a Southwestern flair by way of vibrant Mexican textiles and Saltillo tile flooring, and nods to  Mission-style architecture, with dark wood ceiling beams offsetting crisp hand-trowled white plaster walls in the guest rooms.

Rooms from $229.
thegoodland.com

Holiday lights at the Winter Fantasy event at Tilden Parks Merry-go-round, in Berkeley, CA

The historic Tilden Park's Merry Go Round was built in New York in 1911, and made its way in Berkeley in 1948.  It even earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

There are twinkling lights, ornaments, carousel rides, refreshments, and other activities!  This is a really magical place at night!

Resources:

Tilden Park Merry Go Round
(510) 559-1004
http://www.ebparks.org/parks/tilden

Winter Fantasy
December 1-12th
weekdays- 3PM to 8:30PM
weekends- 12PM to 8:30PM
December 13- 23rd, Daily, 12PM to 8:30PM

Holliday light viewing- Christmas Tree Lane, Alameda, CA

Sometimes it is fun to go hunting for holiday lights, and Christmas Tree Lane is a great place to start.  The whole street is lit up and has holiday props.

Resources:

Christmas Tree Lane
3200 Thompson Ave.
Alameda, CA
(between High Street and Fernside)

Handling Grief this holiday season, workshop and service at Unity of Walnut Creek, Walnut Creek, cA

The Unity Church of Walnut Creek is offering a Grief Basics workshop today at 2:00PM.  Also, there will be a remembrance service on Tuesday, December 9th, 2014 at 7:30PM.  The service is a time to honor those who are no longer able to share our Christmas with us.

Unity of Walnut Creek
Walnut Creek, CA

Spiritual Movie Night- Popcorn with a Purpose- "The God Question"- December 12, 2014

Usually this event is on the first Friday of the month, but this time it is this Friday, December 12, 2014.
The movie is "The God Question," a film that focuses on a university professor who secretly asks the world's most powerful computer, "Is there evidence that God exists?"

Suggested donation is $10 to $20.

Unity of Walnut Creek
Walnut Creek, CA