The Six Fifty

04/09/2022

From Los Altos to Half Moon Bay, here are 15 spring events we’re excited about

We’ve all been eager for longer light-filled days, warmer temps and fun excuses to get outside, especially with the pandemic limiting springtime gatherings for the last couple of years. Here are 15 events we’re especially looking forward to — the first one’s tomorrow! Featuring Gamble Garden’s Spring Tour, Silicon Valley Open Studios and more!

We’ve all been eager for longer light-filled days, warmer temps and fun excuses to get outside, especially with the pandemic limiting springtime gatherings for the last couple of years. Here are 15 events happening in April and May that we’re especially looking forward to.

04/06/2022

Quesabirria and hot chicken sandwiches: Off the Grid’s food truck markets return to the Peninsula

Off the Grid’s seasonal food truck markets are back in #MenloPark and #FosterCity every Wednesday starting tonight. Get the delicious details on what they’ll be serving:

Off the Grid, which curates food truck markets throughout the Bay Area, is bringing its Peninsula and South Bay markets back next week.

04/05/2022

After escaping war at home, Ukrainian chess grandmaster teaches youth in Palo Alto

Three years ago, chess player Evgeny Shtembuliak was enjoying the most successful year of his career. He won the World Junior Chess Championship and achieved the title of grandmaster. Now, essentially retired from competitive chess, Shtembuliak has an entirely different focus: reuniting with his family, supporting his war-torn home country #Ukraine and imparting life lessons on young chess players of all levels, including kids who took part in a chess camp in #PaloAlto March 26-27:

Three years after winning the World Junior Chess Championship, Shtembuliak is focused on reuniting with his family and supporting his war-torn home country.

04/01/2022

What the Woodside author behind The Forest Feast learned from road-tripping across California

Erin Gleeson’s latest cookbook, “The Forest Feast Road Trip,” coincidentally arrives at a time when the #pandemic has popularized traveling by car. The work inspires wanderlust through a journey around California, including stops at 10 stunning vacation homes ranging from a cabin on a lavender farm to a yurt with an outdoor kitchen overlooking Los Angeles.

However, the #Woodside resident makes one thing clear: Her latest work is a personal journal of lessons learned and recipes inspired by #California, not a guidebook:

The stunning recipes from Woodside cookbook author Erin Gleeson will inspire you to drive across California.

03/30/2022

Blooms, birds and bees: 10 gardens to visit on the 20th annual Growing Natives Garden Tour

About 40 local private home and public gardens landscaped with #California native plants will be open to the public for free, in-person tours this weekend as part of the 20th annual Growing Natives Garden Tour. Here are 10 you don’t want to miss:

Gardeners and plant lovers alike are abuzz over the return of the Growing Natives Garden Tour, which went virtual the last two years due to the pandemic.

03/24/2022

Why el Alto chef Traci Des Jardins wishes she had led a Mexican food movement

Our food writer Anthony Shu sat down with star chef Traci Des Jardins and chef de cuisine Robert Hurtado ahead of el Alto’s opening today in #LosAltos and talked about the menu, how they experienced Mexican food growing up and the evolving landscape for Mexican cuisine in America:

The el Alto chef says that if she could start her career over again, it would have a different focus than the seasonal, Californian-French cuisine she helped define.

03/23/2022

What the Foodist is eating: mezcal cocktails and veggie huaraches | Peninsula Foodist | The Peninsula Foodist | Palo Alto Online |

Ever wonder what our food writer is eating lately? From bone-in ribeye at Town in #SanCarlos to veggie huaraches at Los Carnalitos, check out Anthony’s roundup of his recent meals:

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03/22/2022

The pandemic transformed the Peninsula’s real estate market. What happens next?

After shutting down for nearly two months in early spring 2020 during the initial #COVID-19 lockdowns, the local real estate market has come roaring back with surprising resiliency. So what happens next? See what Penindula real estate agents have to say:

The biggest uncertainty moving forward isn't the pandemic, but whether companies will continue to expand their workforce in Silicon Valley.

03/19/2022

Inside Palo Alto’s newest chocolate shop @shekohconfections, two aprons from the prestigious l’École Valrhona, a professional pastry training program in France, hang on the wall. A plaque boasts that gaining admission to the program is as hard as breaking into a bank vault. However, when owner Shekoh Moossavi discusses her trip to France that took place 10 years ago, she portrays the accomplishment as an escape more than an achievement.

Read the story from @peninsulafoodist at the link in our bio.

Photos by @itsmagalig

03/17/2022

You have less than a week to submit your photos to our annual Peninsula Photo Contest! Winners will be displayed in @paloaltoonline, TheSixFifty and be part of a @paloaltoartcenter exhibition! Enter your photos by Monday at peninsulacontest2022.artcall.org.

03/14/2022

Why the chef at one of the Peninsula’s only Maya restaurants doesn’t stick to his mother’s recipes

Memories of growing up in Hunucmá, Mexico, surrounded by #Maya communities inspire Ed Correa’s menu showcasing Indigenous cuisine at Mayan Kitchen in #Sunnyvale. Through his partnership with Katie Voong, managing partner of K Tea Cafe, a bubble tea and jianbing shop, Correa’s cooking has evolved to reach a wider audience, even though it has meant making changes that his family’s matriarchs would disapprove of.

Mayan Kitchen chef Ed Correa believes in adapting traditional recipes to share them with a larger audience.

01/29/2022

‘This is just the beginning’: Boichik Bagels opening Peninsula outpost

Boichik Bagels is coming to #PaloAlto! 🥯After a glowing writeup in the New York Times and the announcement of plans to open a bagel factory, owner Emily Winston and her team are starting off 2022 with more big news. Winston is bringing her acclaimed #Berkeley business to Palo Alto's Town & Country this summer. With a menu filled of bagel sandwiches, chocolate iced coffee and outside dining options available, this new location is sure to bring the crowds.

After a glowing writeup in the New York Times and the announcement of plans for a bagel factory and second retail location in 2021, Boichik Bagels owner Emily Winston is starting 2022 off with more big news: She's opening a new shop in Palo Alto.

01/27/2022

Feral Photography: amazing animal imagery from Silicon Valley trail cams

Get a glimpse into the unseen world of #BayArea wildlife. #Peninsula resident Katharina Pierini has compiled a gallery of #wildlife she captures via motion-triggered cameras. Get to know your animal neighbors and read more about Pierini’s process https://www.thesixfifty.com/feral-photography-amazing-animal-imagery-from-silicon-valley-trail-cams-4664/

Peninsula resident Katharina Pierini has compiled a unique glimpse into the unseen world of Bay Area wildlife By Charles Russo Katharina Pierini is surprisingly quick to refer to herself as “skittish.” That can come across as a bit of a dubious admission, especially if you’ve seen the images...

01/19/2022

We're hiring! Embarcadero Media is looking for a new Marketing Assistant to join our growing marketing team. If you are interested in digital marketing and community outreach we would love to hear from you! Help us expand the engagement and outreach of our print and digital news publication on the Peninsula and East Bay. Read more about the position and apply here: https://bit.ly/33ctmpI.

01/17/2022

15 Peninsula sandwiches we’re craving now

Need some new lunch spots? These #Peninsula sandwiches satisfy from bread to filling, layer by layer. 🥪 Check out crispy duck in South #SanFrancisco, tortas in #RedwoodCity, veggie #sandwiches in Half Moon Bay and more at the link in our bio. https://www.thesixfifty.com/15-peninsula-sandwiches-were-craving-now-10949/

From tortas in Redwood City to crispy duck in South City, check out 15 sandwiches around the Peninsula we're craving right now.

01/15/2022

We're hiring! Embarcadero Media is looking for a new Marketing Assistant to join our growing marketing team. If you are interested in digital marketing and community outreach we would love to hear from you! Help us expand the engagement and outreach of our print and digital news publication on the Peninsula and East Bay. Read more about the position and apply here: https://bit.ly/33ctmpI

01/15/2022

MLK weekend celebrations include service projects, ‘soundscapes’ and online performances and symposiums

From service projects to art exhibitions and performances, check out our list of virtual and in-person events on the #Peninsula that honor the life and legacy of Dr. #MartinLutherKing Jr. https://www.thesixfifty.com/mlk-weekend-celebrations-include-service-projects-soundscapes-and-online-performances-and-symposiums-10976/

While the recent surge in COVID cases has canceled many in-person Martin Luther King Jr. Day events again this year, local orgs are still offering a variety of (mostly virtual) events.

01/10/2022

Bike battle: How a spat over open space access in Belmont could shape preservation on the Peninsula

A battle is brewing between #locals over access to open space on the #Peninsula. As more people have been driven outdoors due to the #pandemic, cyclists, hikers and #environmentalists are at odds in #SanMateoCounty. Read more https://www.thesixfifty.com/bike-battle-how-a-spat-over-open-space-access-in-belmont-could-shape-preservation-on-the-peninsula-10921/

Access to Crystal Springs and Waterdog Lake in Belmont are now uncertain. A small group of people has been lobbying hard to restrict who can use these open spaces, triggering a battle between the group members, who describe themselves as environmental advocates, on one side and mountain bikers and r...

01/07/2022

The best hidden museums of the 650

Need a rainy day activity for the whole family? Get out and explore some of the best hidden #museums of the 650. 🖼 From trains and planes to artwork and artifacts, explore the #Peninsula's past and present through these local favorites. https://www.thesixfifty.com/the-best-hidden-museums-of-the-650-10733/

The Peninsula’s lesser-known museums are hiding in some delightfully unexpected places and have plenty to offer in eye-catching exhibits and intriguing historical displays.

01/07/2022

Meet the Woodside woman behind the new high-end Jane Lane cake mixes

Jane Lane tortes are not the typical boxed cake mix. 🍰 Meet Woodside's Jane Mackey, the woman behind the new torte mix that is setting out to shake up the baking aisle. Read more https://bit.ly/3HJbvVI

Woodside resident Jane Mackey has launched a line of high-end cake mixes that aim to bring bakery-quality desserts into one's home with minimal prep time.

01/05/2022

7 predictions about the future of dining on the Peninsula in 2022

It's officially #2022! Our Peninsula Foodist is sharing her predictions on the future of #dining on the #Peninsula. 🍽 From cross-cultural innovation to more casual fine dining, here's what to watch for in 2022. https://www.thesixfifty.com/7-predictions-about-the-future-of-dining-on-the-peninsula-in-2022-10909/

From cross-cultural innovation to more casual fine dining, here are seven predictions for dining on the SF Peninsula in 2022.

12/29/2021

How California’s only outdoor ice rink has survived in spite of COVID

There's a winter wonderland in #PaloAlto. ❄️ Winter Lodge, a nonprofit ice skating facility has been the only permanent outdoor ice rink in the west for more that 65 years. ⛸ Offering an old-fashioned wood lodge atmosphere with festive trees, holiday lights, cocoa and fireplaces, the skating rink is a local favorite. Learn more about the rink, its history, and how it has adapted during the #pandemic that closed the facility for seven months. https://bit.ly/3Hn0Ekk

Winter Lodge offers an outdoor ice skating rink that's held its own against Palo Alto's Mediterranean climate and the threat of development for more than 65 years.

12/27/2021

Hot drinks for cold weather: A guide to the SF Peninsula’s best toddies, teas and mole’d wine

With more cold weather and rain on the horizon, it's time for some holiday-themed hot drinks. ☕️ Get bundled up and visit these bars, cafes and restaurants for warming cups of tea, hot cocktails, and exceptional coffee on the #Peninsula. https://www.thesixfifty.com/hot-toddies-teas-and-coffees-drinks-to-warm-you-up-on-the-peninsula-10779/

The ultimate guide to the best warm drinks on the SF Peninsula: hot toddies, mulled wine, exotic teas, craft coffees and more.

12/23/2021

Early bird: Keith’s Chicken-N-Waffles to open restaurants with country-style breakfast

Keith’s Chicken-N-Waffles is taking flight. 🐔Our Peninsula Foodist spoke with owner Keith Richardson on his plans for new restaurant locations in Half Moon Bay and South San Francisco. 🍽 The new locations will feature a country-style breakfast full of biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits, and steak and eggs. Learn more about Richardson and his food inspiration. https://www.thesixfifty.com/__trashed-10824/

In January 2022, Keith's Chicken-N-Waffles plans to open new locations serving breakfast and lunch in Half Moon Bay and South San Francisco.

12/09/2021

Winter holiday feasts: 21 Peninsula eateries where you can celebrate the season

Celebrate the #holidays at some our favorite #Peninsula restaurants! 🎄🍽 There’s no shortage of local eateries that are providing feasts throughout the winter holiday season. Whether you want to enjoy a longtime favorite or try something new, we have a few ideas to whet your appetite as we step into December.
With dine-in and pick-up available, these eateries have options for everyone. Check out the list here: https://bit.ly/3rTKWbQ

There's no shortage of excellent Peninsula eateries that are providing feasts throughout the winter holiday season.

12/08/2021

The 12 best views on the SF Peninsula and how to see them

From sweeping skylines to coastal tides, the #BayArea has nothing short of beautiful vista points. The Six Fifty has compiled a list of some of the best views on the #Peninsula. Check out our latest article to start making your weekend plans! https://bit.ly/3oGJgRb

The Six Fifty staff has curated a list of our favorite vistas and viewpoints around the SF Peninsula. From parks to preserves to neighborhood perches, there are plenty of vantage points to take in the best sights of the 650.