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Spring and Gardening in the Tri-Valley Go Hand in Hand

I can feel it; we’re getting so close. Last week’s warm weather in San Ramon and the rest of the Tri-Valley stirred the gardener in me.  Not personally knowing me, most folks would assume I am not the gardening type.  Upon closer inspection, pruning my bushes, digging in the dirt and helping the garden and plants in my yard to thrive is a hobby, if not a secret thrill, of mine.  Along with home construction and renovation, I rank gardening as a top stress reliever for me.  So, as the cold, crispy hold winter has on our lives starts to thaw, my green thumb starts to itch.  Spring is on the way - let the gardening begin!

A few years back, my family and I started a vegetable garden project.  We have just a wee bit of space in our backyard where we plant vegetables and herbs.  The kids get a kick out of it, and my wife loves to use the “fruit” of our labors in her cooking.  We’ve come to realize that our tiny garden (and our novice gardening skills) really delivers in a few varieties, but is not so stellar at more.  We can do tomatoes, peppers and herbs successfully, and unfortunately not much else.  So, in preparation for this year’s crop, Read more

Get Tri-Valley Kids Involved on President’s Day

This coming Monday is Presidents Day, also known as Washington’s Birthday.  It is interesting to learn about the history behind why multiple names exist for this holiday.  The official federal holiday is celebrated on the third Monday of February. My wife was thinking about some ways to ramp up our celebration of this day with our kinder and third-grader, making this day more than just a day off of school for them.  I thought I would share a few of her ideas:

• Bake a cake together for Washington’s Birthday. She was thinking of a box cake mix with an American flag in frosting and just possibly berries or sprinkles, but check out this blog’s intense listing of presidentially-inspired desserts.
• Visit the Whitehouse’s site for kids. This is an informative site with loads of information. Her best bets for kid appeal are the following: the White House/Presidents, the White House/First Ladies, Photos & Videos (especially Photo Galleries (there’s a real cute one of Bo in the snow!), and the White House/Air Force One.
• Peruse the website for George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens, especially under the Learn tab. There are some very cool facts and photos for the kids to view, as well as just plain fun games and puzzles under Washington’s World for Kids.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the Tri-Valley and the Bay Area Beyond

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is tomorrow. In addition to honoring this special man on this special day, what are you planning to do?  Your kids are home from school.  It’s the middle of winter. It’s prime time for museums and indoor fun in the Tri-Valley and beyond. 

Lucky thing is you’ve got some great choices for adventure near and far.  Staying in the Tri-Valley - you could do Super Franks in Pleasanton, Campo di Bocce in Livermore, or Earl Anthony’s Dublin Bowl in Dublin. (All are open tomorrow)  Wandering a little further out, there’s always a trip to a museum - Lawrence Hall of Science or Chabot Space & Science Center are only thirty minutes or so away.  Looking for more of a drive, you could venture for a day to Sausalito and include the Bay Area Discovery Museum.

Here’s a list of some Bay Area museums that are open on Monday’s holiday:

• Lawrence Hall of Science, Open Daily 10AM-5PM (510) 642-5132
• Chabot Space & Science Center, Open 10AM-5PM on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (510) 336-7300
• Habitot, Open 9:30-4:30PM, BONUS! - Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration (510) 647-1111
• Bay Area Discovery Museum, Open 9AM-4PM, BONUS! - Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration (415) 339-3900
• Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose, Open 10AM-4PM, BONUS! - Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration (408) 298-5437

Food Scraps in the Green Waste Cart for locations in the Tri-Valley?

According to a recent flyer, if you are serviced by Valley Waste Management, customers can now place food scraps and food-soiled paper products in their Green Waste cart.  This is a change, since, for a long time now we’ve been only placing plant material in the green cart.

What’s acceptable in your Green Waste cart (according to the recent flyer from Waste Management):

• Anything edible
• Coffee grounds, filters, and tea bags
• Fruit and vegetable peels and pits
• Food-soiled paper products: cups, plates, napkins, paper towels, pizza boxes, waxed ice cream, milk and juice cartons, grocery bags and newspaper used as pail liners
• Green waste: plant clippings, leaves and grass, branches and twigs
• Uncoated wood: no paint, stain or varnish

There should be NO plastic or styrofoam placed in your Green Waste cart!

If you are a Valley Waste Management customer, you can recycle your food scraps and food-soiled paper in 3 steps:

1. Collect acceptable items in a re-usable kitchen container or in a compostable container, like a brown paper bag or ice cream carton.
2. Place acceptable items in your Green Waste cart with your yard trimmings.  Make sure your cart lid closes completely.
3. Set out your Green Waste cart for your weekly pick-up. 

Tri-Valley New Year’s Eve Ideas for Livermore and Pleasanton

Livermore:

Rockin’ In The New Year

Doo-wop performances, comedy and a complimentary wine, champagne and dessert reception immediately following really cover your bases at this New Year’s Eve festive event at the beautiful Bankhead Theater. Showtime is at 8PM. Tickets are $98, $88, or $78.  For more details, visit Livermore Performing Arts or call 925.373.6800.

Boomers! New Year’s Event

From 9PM - 1AM on New Year’s Eve at Boomers!, $17 will get you unlimited Go-Karts, Lazer Tag, Miniature Golf, Bumper Boats, and Video Games (excludes tickets games).  A prize balloon drop at midnight for all guests!  And… for the fist 50 people there will be complimentary tiaras, hats, noisemakers and sparkling apple cider.  For more details, visit boomersparks.com or call 925.447.7275.

Pleasanton:

New Year’s Eve Celebration at the Hilton Pleasanton at the Club

See a live performance of Ryze the Band and enjoy DJ Jammin J spinning tunes to make you “move & groove.”  Individual tickets and room packages available. For more information, visit the Hilton Pleasanton  or call 925.737.5623.

Start Planning for the follwing Year - New Year’s Eve Ball at the Mall - 12/31/10

A gala event at the Stoneridge Mall benefiting Axis Community Health, Tri Valley Haven, School of Imagination, and Valley Humane Society. From 9PM-1AM, featuring two live bands, a variety of games, hors d’oeuvres, party favors and a glass of champagne at midnight (in a souvenir glass). Three ticket packages available, starting at $75. For more information, visit Ball at the Mall or call 925.292.8058.

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