One of the oldest recently moved to a new location. Los Altos Parent Preschool was founded in 1954, just two years after the city was incorporated.  It has been a successful model that has seen hundreds of children pass through its program.

Recently, Los Altos Patch contributor, Jennifer van der Kleut, wrote an article about this wonderful program. Below, is a slightly edited version.  Enjoy …

For more than 50 years, Los Altos Parent Preschool (LAPP) has been a thriving and successful preschool that parents from as far away as San Jose and Milpitas are willing to make the trek to.

For a long time, LAPP had been located in a corner of the Los Altos High School campus, since the preschool is actually part of the Mountain View-Los Altos Adult Education School.

Though the reason they were losing their location was understandable, it was still devastating to the preschool, when the teachers and parents learned the news.

“Los Altos High had a tremendous growth and expansion going on at their school, and they just needed the extra space,” LAPP parent volunteer Shanon Pestrong explained.

As soon as they found out, Pestrong said a group of LAPP staff and parent volunteers set to work searching for a new location.  Fortunately, one came about—a corner of the Covington Elementary School campus.

LAPP’s campus is bigger, better and newer than ever, said Pestrong. The Covington campus features a new indoor classroom customized to meet the needs of LAPP’s programs, with several activity stations.

There is now also a very large outdoor classroom, equipped with multiple areas for hands-on learning, such as sensory play, science, gardening, painting, block play and sand play.

Pestrong said, part of being a co-op school is that every family is assigned roughly three “jobs” for the year, to satisfy their portion of the co-op requirements.

The first job is to be assigned a regular day each week to work in the classroom as the teacher’s helper. The second is to be assigned a specific job or area of contribution that the parent will do for the year.

The last part of the parent commitment is to attend regular school meetings and take part in parent education. Pestrong explained, as part of the Mountain View-Los Altos Adult Education School, LAPP offers an element of education to help parents learn how to be better parents.

Pestrong said, she also loves the sense of community she found with other parents at LAPP.  And, you just can’t match the camaraderie and emotional support that comes with volunteering together each week, she said.

All in all, Pestrong says, LAPP has been a wonderful experience for her family; one that she would recommend to anyone. “I’m just very grateful that our family has the flexibility to be able to use Los Altos Parent Preschool, and I really love it.”

Before the market goes begins it’s long winter nap, we thought that it would be great to highlight the market again.  With only 5 weeks remaining, we encourage you to swing by and enjoy the ambiance and good food.

Recently, the Voice wrote about what the downtown market had to offer.  Below, is an slightly edited version of their article.  Enjoy …

Nothing is more relaxing to me than heading out to the farmers’ market. It delights the senses with vibrant colors, a bounty of new and familiar temptations for the palate, music floating on the breeze, the air tinged with the sweet smell of peaches, the ripe scent of tomatoes, and sharper scent of fresh herbs and potted plants. It’s at the market that I experienced nectaplums, jujubes, French apricots, and squash blossoms, amongst other rare hybrids and seasonal treasures.

If you haven’t attended Los Altos’ Farmers Market, on Thursday evenings, you are missing out. It’s run by the California Farmers’ Market Association, and features a mix of fresh produce and food booths so you can enjoy dinner at the market, said Ryan Slover from the Market Association. You can find this wonderful community event between Second & Fourth Streets in Downtown Los Altos every Thursday until September 29th, from 4:00 to 8:00 pm.

“It’s a great opportunity to pick up some local produce mid-week, enjoy dinner, and stroll with the family.” Slover says.

Peter Dietzel, another Market Association official, adds that they plan to have several tastings throughout the summer. “Everyone who has gala apples, for example, will enter and we’ll have a panel and judge who has the best.”

If you aren’t an aficionado of farmers’ markets, you can’t get fresher produce than the Los Altos market unless you grow it yourself. Coming from just four miles away, Hidden Villa brings meat, eggs, and a variety of vegetables to the market. They are an educational farm that has day camps for kids, and all of their animals are humanely-raised and slaughtered.

Most of the farmers come a greater distance to be at the market. Geri Prevedelli-Lathrop and her stepson drive from Watsonville each week. Their family-owned Prevedelli Farms goes back four generations. “While most people think strawberries when they think Watsonville, we have 32 different types of apples alone, plus boysenberries, ollalieberries and pears,” she said.

It’s all not eggs and berries at the market. There are baked goods, bread vendors, falafel stands, chicken, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, shaved ice and Afghan boulani. Local restaurants with stands include the Oaxacan Kitchen and Spot: A Pizza Place.

I am particularly smitten with a booth: The g:m:me bakery. It stands for “granny to mom to me,” representing the handing down of traditional Irish recipes like soda bread and scones. It’s run by Matt and Yvonne Klinksick, who lived in Limerick, Ireland until three years ago. They make lovely (and highly addictive) scones. After sampling the chocolate chip scone (which Matt declared is a popular seller), I tasted the seasonal strawberry and the apricot (which Matt also declared a popular seller). “My wife is really the baking genius. I hand out the samples!” Matt joked. But I walked away with multiple scones, so Matt isn’t too shabby on the sales side, either.

There are also plants and flowers at the market. Will Wiersig of Wiersig Garden Plants, who has been at the market since 2005, started his Los Altos-based nursery with his brother, bringing tea roses, herbs, peppers, eggplants and advice to the public. “This is really my only opportunity to interact with the customers, and we keep seeing friends, and people we know, and we just got hooked in and we keep coming back. I also learned a lot about food here, talking to the other farmers,” he said. “It’s amazing how little I knew until I started coming to the market. My friends think everything at the supermarket is organic. They have no idea!”

I was raised going to farmers’ markets in my hometown of Chico, a farming community, so I know how willing the farmers are to share knowledge along with their samples. Farmers’ markets are treasures, an extension of the community. A mid-week market that allows you to unwind after work, restock the crisper and not have to get up early is truly a joy. The market is an easy way to eat locally grown food, and be informed about what you eat. Get to know the vendors, bring your own bags or basket, and bring enough cash, preferably in small bills.

Recently, an article was written by L.A. Chung, editor for Los Altos Patch, about this truly special place. Below, is an slightly edited version.  Enjoy …

In the beginning, Redwood Grove was not a redwood grove at all.

It was, as Berkeley resident Katherine Buss tells it, a spot “with a creek and one redwood tree,” a small house shaded by live oak trees, on about six acres.

How it became a redwood grove is a story Buss likes to share. It’s one of many stories about the special place her grandmother, Emma Wright Halsey, cultivated.

Buss is making a point to go, because the meeting is one where Redwood Grove’s future as a park is being shaped, one with a historic house that is deteriorating.

“I ran across an article online saying they were considering whether to restore or demolish it, and I thought, ‘Maybe they don’t know about the history of the occupants,’” Buss said.

Emma Wright Halsey purposefully planted the coastal redwood grove, Buss said, sapling by sapling, brought in by the truckload from her grandparent’s original property in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Redwood Grove is the place where her mother, Eugenia Halsey Buss, and uncle, Theodore Vail Halsey Jr., grew up with so many happy memories. And it is the place where her mother took family members from time to time, after the city of Los Altos made it a public park.

After the city purchased the property and it was used for summer day camps, her mother periodically took Buss and other relatives to revisit the rooms where they lived and where Emma Halsey had tended her rhododendrons and water lilies. Her mother told story after story of the old days.

Well then, downtown Los Altos is the place to be over the July 9th & 10th weekend. Over those two days, 125,000 people are expected to participate in the 32nd Annual Los Altos Arts & Wine Festival.  It is one of the largest festivals in the bay area and has something for everyone.

The outstanding works of artists and craftspeople from over a dozen states will be showcased.  The festival will also features varietals, by the glass, from local wineries.  More importantly, at least for our two teenagers, there will be a wide variety of foods including Thai, Chinese, Mexican, hot links and roasted corn, and plenty of soft freeze ice cream.  Be sure and come hungry to the Festival.

The “Family Fun Zone” will have a stage, just for kids, with entertainment all day long.  Actually, there is an entire weekend of great music lined up with performances from Black Pearl, The Cocktail Monkeys, Soul Intention, Groove Kings, The House Rockers, Blue House, along with many others.

Clearly, if last year was any indication, everyone will have a good time.  So, come on down and see yet another great part of what makes Los Altos such a wonderful community!  Carol & I hope to see you there.

In Los Altos, our libraries are a an example of excellence.  The circulation of materials is one of the highest in the State.  The local library system also has a strong support network in the “Friends of the Library.”  More importantly, whenever there is an election to strengthen the local libraries (financially, operationally, etc.), the measure passes with 80% of the vote.

Unfortunately, the local library system is anchored together with other communities who must also vote on the same county library measures.  Those communities have a much lower desire on improving the overall county library system, with less than 55% voting in favor of ballot measures in some communities … when 66.7% is needed to pass.

Recently, Diana Samuels (Daily News) wrote an article about a recent vote by the Los Altos City Council, regarding evaluating alternatives to the existing structure.  Below, is an slightly edited version.  Enjoy …

Los Altos and Los Altos Hills may split with the county to form their own library system in an effort to save money and gain more control over their book-lending institutions.

City councils in both cities recently voted to begin studying the ramifications of withdrawing from the Santa Clara County library system, which currently operates both the Los Altos Library and Woodland branch in Los Altos.

The North County Library Authority, the agency that manages a parcel tax that provides extra money for libraries in Los Altos, will fund and conduct the $120,000 study, Los Altos Hills Council Member Jean Mordo said.

Taxpayers in both cities provide about 22 percent of the property tax revenues that go into the county library system. But because of a complicated funding formula that takes into account population, property tax revenue and other factors, Mordo said, Los Altos libraries only get about 17 percent of those property taxes back. He calculates the shortfall at about $1.5 million, which goes to county libraries in South County cities such as Morgan Hill and Milpitas.

“I think it’s reasonable to let the county know that we’re concerned,” Los Altos Council Member David Casas said at a meeting Tuesday where the council voted 3-2 to support the study. “We’re subsidizing other communities, for services that our residents do not have access to.”

In addition, Mayor Ron Packard wrote in a report, Los Altos’ libraries are staffed by county employees who have “far more generous,” county-negotiated salaries and benefits, compared with city employees. The libraries could also save money with help from volunteers or part-time employees, but union contracts frequently prohibit them from working at the libraries, Packard said.

Mordo said he also disagrees with the county’s decision to begin charging an $80 annual library card fee today to patrons who live in cities outside the system. He called the fee “unneighborly”.

Whether Los Altos separates from the County Library system, is yet to be determined.  Having a clear articulated set options available to the decision makers is critical on determining the right course of action.  One thing is certain, if Los Altos does create its own system, it will be the envy of Silicon Valley.

Coming soon to downtown Los Altos, Opa! (Authentic Greek Cuisine) looks to bring our community some distinctive flavor from the Mediterranean.  While these two restaurant share a part of their name, they are not related businesses.  However, the enthusiasm surrounding this restaurant is the same.  Recently, the Town Crier wrote a article about Opa! Enjoy …

Just as the rains subside and leave local residents to dry out after a thorough drenching comes the mouth-watering news that Opa! Authentic Greek Cuisine is tentatively scheduled to open by May 15 at 325 Main St., replacing now-closed Zitune’s Moroccan fare.

With two other locations – San Jose’s Willow Glen district and downtown Los Gatos – Opa!’s Web site gives potential diners a tantalizing preview of what’s on the menu. And if reviews at Yelp.com and restaurant critics are to be believed, prepare to enjoy.

Since the April 2008 debut of its first location in San Jose, 463 reviews at Yelp overall award the restaurant four stars of five.

Most Yelpers seem to agree that Opa!’s fries are top notch, flavored with Greek spices and topped with feta cheese and herbs and well worth the $4.99 price. For $2 more, diners can have the deluxe version, served with tzatziki, yogurt flavored with cucumber, garlic and other spices, and gyro (yee-roh), skewered meat.

So maybe the wait will be worth it, too, because if diners like what they eat at the Los Gatos and San Jose Opa!s, they’ll like the dining in Los Altos.

“For the most part, our menus and specials are all consistent, and that’s what customers can expect,” said Opa! co-owner Molly Adams, who recently joined restaurant co-founders Spiro Tsaboukos and Angelo Heropoulos.

Adams said Heropoulos created the Opa! concept and executive chef Tsaboukos developed the menu.

“Spiro was raised in the restaurant business and spent time in Greece as a child,” she said. “His parents own Lou’s Diner in Los Gatos – and that’s been there a long time.”

Adams said Tsaboukos has produced an Opa! recipe book for the Greek-with-Mediterranean-flair recipes so that chefs don’t deviate from the ingredients, ensuring consistency.

Open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Opa! offers lunch and dinner: from appetizers priced from $4.99 to $11.99, assorted dips and spreads served with warm pita bread, entrees ranging from $15.99 to $22.99, daily specials and desserts – and, of course, the famous fries sprinkled with special spices and feta cheese. There is also a weekend-brunch menu.

Adams said the Main Street location is ideal for Opa!’s philosophy to serve a fresh, high-quality and authentic Greek cuisine in small, family-oriented communities.

“We love the space – it’s a gorgeous, gorgeous space,” Adams said. “It really fits in with what we’re trying to do.”

Adams said Opa!’s seating will be similar to Zitune’s – including outdoor dining – but colors and other aesthetic changes are under way inside.

“We just give it the Opa! feeling,” she said.

With more than 3,000 square feet and a seating capacity of 90, the larger Los Altos space should be good news for diners who have endured long lines at other Opa! restaurants for a bite to eat.

“Our other locations are smaller,” Adams said.

Diners get stuffed on the food just reading the menu. Like the Greek Cheesesteak Sandwich, a blend of gyro meat, sautéed onions and bell peppers blended with mozzarella cheese, served in a warm pita and topped with a spicy aioli. Or the Bifteki, a Greek burger with spiced ground beef and lamb served on a toasted bun, topped with tzatziki, ripe tomatoes, red onions and chopped mint, accompanied by a choice of sides for both – those famous fries or rice pilaf.

Despite its relatively small size, Opa! is growing in a big way, with another restaurant scheduled to open soon in Walnut Creek and other possibilities for expansion, including branching into a franchise.

“It’s definitely something we’ve talked about,” Adams said. For more information, visit their Willow Glen web site.

From time to time, I will highlight the events to help encourage attendance and participation.  Enjoy …

ZIMBABWE RUN RETURNS TO MOUNTAIN VIEW

The 12th Annual Run for Zimbabwe Orphans and Community Fair is scheduled March 27 at St. Joseph School, 1120 Miramonte Ave., Mountain View. The annual event benefits the Makumbi Children’s Home in Zimbabwe.

For more information or to register, visit www.ZimbabweParaguay.org.

GREENTOWN OFFERS ALTERNATIVES TO DRIVING

GreenTown Los Altos has scheduled a public meeting to kick off city of Los Altos participation in a Drive Less Challenge, 7-9 p.m. March 29 at Hillview Community Center, 97 Hillview Ave. The event includes tips on bicycle/pedestrian safety and information on the latest bikes, gear and accessories for safe commuting.

A Los Altos police officer will provide safety tips for bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists who share the roads. A bicycle expert will demonstrate useful gear and accessories.

For more information, visit greentownlosaltos.org or call 383-7540.

LOS ALTOS LIVE!

The third annual Los Altos Live! talent show is scheduled 7 p.m. April 2 at Los Altos High School’s Eagle Theater, 210 Almond Ave. The event, co-sponsored by the Los Altos Cultural Association and the Los Altos Town Crier, features more than 20 acts over approximately 90 minutes.

For more information, e-mail Abby Althoff at abbyalthoff@yahoo.com or Mike Abrams at michael@abrams4.com.

FRENCH FAIR BENEFITS NON-PROFIT PARTNERS

The sixth Peninsula French Fair, “A Day in France,” is scheduled 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 2 at the Lucie Stern Community Center, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. Visitors will have an opportunity to browse booths featuring vendors and artists offering a wide range of services and products, including handmade jewelry, antiques and original art.

Highlights of the fair include a fashion show with the latest creations from French designers, a dance performance by Harmony Dance Center and crepes and pastries from French bakeries.

Partners for New Generations, a Los Altos non-profit organization and co-organizer of the fair, will receive a portion of the proceeds. Partners for New Generations provides mentors and tutors to aid students with challenges in school.

For more information, visit www.frenchfair.org.

ROADRUNNERS SEEKS VOLUNTEERS

The volunteer RoadRunners Transportation Service, sponsored by El Camino Hospital, seeks volunteers to provide door-to-door service for people who can’t drive and don’t have other ways to get to their medical appointments.

The volunteering schedule is flexible: drive one day a week, 1/2 day a week or remain on call. Requirements include a California driver’s license, patience and dependability. Volunteers drive hospital vehicles, and service requires no lifting or physical demands.

Orientation and training are provided, and volunteers benefit from free access to hospital resources, including classes offered through the education department. To sign up, e-mail recruit_aux@elcaminohospital.org or call 988-8213.

For more information, call Bonnie Adamson, RoadRunner coordinator, at 988-7651.

PNG SEEKS VOLUNTEERS TO MENTOR LOCAL YOUTH

Partners for New Generations, a non-profit organization, provides tutors for local elementary, middle and high schools students; mentors at Los Altos, Mountain View and Alta Vista High Schools; and child advocates for wards of the Santa Clara County Child Dependency Court.

To volunteer or for more information, contact Linda Waud at Linda.waud@mvla.net or 691-2434, or visit www.partnersfornewgenerations.org.

Not surprisingly, most residents in Los Altos volunteer.  Whether it be in their children’s school, at their place of worship, or even with one of the local service clubs.  There is something for everyone.

For those looking for a new volunteer opportunity, there are many organizations who would love to speak with you.  Below, you will find a few of these organizations …

Los Altos History Museum: Learn about the history of the Los Altos area and help others enjoy the museum. Training provided. Flexible hours or a regularly scheduled shift. 948-9427, ext. 91; volunteer@losaltoshistory.org.

English-in-Action: Seeks people to converse in English one hour a week with Stanford’s international students, scholars or spouses. 327-7412; 498-5252; eia@ccisstanfordu.org.

American Cancer Society Discovery Shop: Downtown Los Altos. Proceeds go to cancer awareness, education and improving the comfort of cancer patients. 949-0505.

Assistance League Costume Bank: New volunteers sought for Los Altos shop. 941-2610.

Community Services Agency: Help a few hours a week to drive frail seniors to medical appointments or take home-bound seniors grocery shopping. 964-4630.

Deer Hollow Farm: Lead small groups of elementary school children as they visit farm animals, explore the wilderness preserve or discover local history and culture in a replica Ohlone village at Rancho San Antonio County Park. 903-6430; dhfarms@mountainview.gov.

Pathways Hospice: Seeks caring volunteers to help patients and their caregivers manage care at home. Volunteers provide companionship, practical help and emotional support at a crucial time. Training schedule: (408) 773-4219.

City of Los Altos: Needs handy people to work in the Senior In-Home Repair Program performing minor home repairs. Telephone greeters at City Hall are also needed. Flexible hours and basic training provided. 948-1491, ext. 229.

Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District: Outdoor educational leaders needed during the week to share nature with children at Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve. 691-1200.

Visit elderly Los Altos residents: People needed for weekly one-hour visits with local seniors. 329-0888.

Today, over 20,000 people of all ages gather the first Sunday after Thanksgiving to watch the Parade, one of the most popular Los Altos events of the year. It is a wonderful tradition for Los Altos.

Carol & I have have not missed a parade yet.  Even before we had kids, we enjoyed the parade as a symbolic slice of Americana.  Since then, both of our children have had a chance to be in the parade … one on a Fire Truck, and the other in a matching band.  In both 2004 & 2009, we were lucky enough to ride in the parade as a family.  This year, we are once again cheering all of the participants. It has been wonderful to have watched the parade for so many years, and to now share those memories with our clients and their familes.

Please note that, just like last year, the parade is set to begin at 6:00pm on Sunday, November 28. So, mark your calendars.  It is both a wonderful community tradition, and a great way to start the Holiday Season.  We hope to see you at there!