HMB Magazine April 2011

HMB

La honda recreation // unique hikes // q&a With dr. MichaeL huie

HALF MOON BAY REVIEW MAGAZINEAPRIL 2011

THE ANNUAL SUMMER ACTIVITIES ISSUE

coastsiders reflect on a life built around summer campcoastsiders reflect on a life built around summer camp


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» PUBLISHER’S NOTE DEBRA HERSHON

I was looking through my sister’s stack of Christmas cards last December and stopped to ponder an enclosed photo taken of her children and all their cousins over the past summer at Lake Tahoe. Th e group of eight had just spent a week at the family’s cabin and sat together

on a dock, legs dangling, arms entwined, smiling.What struck me as odd was that all of them had skin as white and pale as they would have in

the middle of winter. I remarked that if it had been us as kids — back in the day — we all would have been brown as

a bear with sunburned shoulders and peeling noses.Of course we all know now that wasn’t a good thing, and this new generation of mothers and

fathers keep their children slathered in sunscreen until they are old enough to drive themselves to the nearest “spray-on” tanning salon — for those who like the look of the odd, orange glow.

We also know now that the sun wreaks havoc on the skin. Th ose of us who rubbed only baby oil on our skin and baked for hours in the sun at the beach may have to pay the piper sometime down the road. Sun damage accumulates slowly over time, and while sometimes the damage is only cosmetic — like premature aging of the skin — other eff ects, like skin cancer, are far more serious.

We’re lucky to have a great dermatologist on the Coastside. Dr. Michael Huie has office hours on Fridays, and spends the rest of his time researching antibodies to cure melanoma and teaching dermatology at the University of San Francisco.

Having battled and survived melanoma in my mid-20s, I was ecstatic to fi nd a dermatologist who was local and who could expertly answer my questions about skin cancer but also knew the latest cosmetics techniques to battle photoaging.

Review writer Lily Bixler interviewed Dr. Huie in this issue, and he answers questions about sun damage, sunscreens and vitamin D.

While most of us on the Coastside don’t need to worry about exposure to the sun because we so rarely see the sun during our foggy summers, remember the experts say you can still get a sunburn on a foggy day. Th at’s because up to 80 percent of ultraviolet rays can travel through clouds, fog and haze.

I don’t agree, though. How can you get a sunburn wearing thermal leggings, a down jacket and a ski cap in July?

To tan, or not to tan ...Publisher Debra Hershon

Managing EditorClay Lambert

WritersLily BixlerMark FoyerMark NoackStacy Trevenon

Photographer Lars Howlett

Production and DesignBill MurrayMark Restani

Business Offi ceBarbara Anderson

CirculationSonia Myers Advertising SalesLouise StrutnerMarilyn JohnsonBarbara Dinnsen

Find us P.O. Box 68714 Kelly AvenueHalf Moon Bay, CA 94019p: (650) 726-4424f: (650) 726-7054

The HMB Magazine is published on the fi rst week of every month and inserted in the Half Moon Bay Review. The entire contents of the magazine are also available in PDF format online at hmbreview.com

HMBHALF MOON BAY REVIEW maGaZine

4 April 2011 HMB

Puente is a local non-pro� t 501(c)(3) organization serving the South Coast since 1998.620 North Street, Pescadero, CA 94060 | www.mypuente.org

Summer on theSouth Coast:Pescadero, San Gregorio,Loma Mar, La Honda

Puente will o� er summer programs and activities for children 0-18.For information and registration call us at (650) 879-1691.

HMB April 2011 5

» CONTENTS

The Summer activites Issue.Features

9dr. MiCHaeL Huie

Coastside Dermatologist talks skin care as summer approaches

14tHe LeSSonS of SuMMer CaMp

Coastsiders refl ect on a life built around camp

22reCreation fLouriSHeS

in La Honda1,500 residents enjoy best facilities on Coastside

28not JuSt a waLk

in tHe parkDozens of guided hikes expand on history,

nature and local lore

On the cover Illustration by Bill Murray

Departments

7 upCoMing eventS 33 Seen in tHe SCene

35 downtoeartH

36 SigHtSeeing

HMB


HALF MOON BAY REVIEW MAGAZINEAPRIL 2011

THE ANNUAL SUMMER ACTIVITIES ISSUE

coastsiders reflect on a life built around summer campcoastsiders reflect on a life built around summer camp


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» UPCOMING EVENTS APRIL

Set for a dreamy April

Revving up dreams4/1 You can help a long-standing Coastside tradition come of age when the 21st annual Pacific Coast Dream Machines fires up from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 1, at the Half Moon Bay Airport. Once again, to benefit the Coastside Adult Day Health Center, Dream Machines will present more than 2,000 driving, flying and working machines from out of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries for a whimsical, fascinating and educational show for anyone even remotely interested in mechanical matters. What’s coming this year? Well, there’s a U.S. Army Nike Hercules long-range missile complete with ongoing presentations from National Park Service interpreters, the 6,500-pound “Dream Big” custom-built motorcycle that’s 20 feet long and 11 feet tall with 10-foot handlebars and 6-foot tires, and the “Flying Wing” long-range bomber with two wings and no fuselage. You’ll see the world’s fastest and loudest jet-powered rocket bike, a display of military aircraft, a “Green Machines” display of clean fuel vehicles, and fly-overs by ace aerobatics pilot Eddie Andreini. And that’s only the special exhibits. There is also a range of cars from Model As to jet-fueled, aircraft, fascinating household machines and farm craft from bygone eras, displays for all ages, food and musical en-tertainment. Spectator admission is $20 for adults, $10 for youth age 11 to 17 and seniors 65 and above, and free for kids age 10 and under. 726-2328.

Classic theaterThrough April, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” critically consid-ered the masterpiece of playwright Edward Albee, is presented by Coastal Repertory Theatre at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights and 2 p.m. Sundays in Half Moon Bay. What begins as a casual social evening turns dark and dangerous as the secrets of two couples are exposed in what the New York Times called “an electric evening in the theater.” 569-3266.

Families welcome to Family Place program

4/14 Families of children to age 5 are welcome to the Family Place program through the Half Moon Bay Li-

brary, sponsored through a state grant and the Friends of the Library and beginning today from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. In this parent-child play group, families meet informally with representatives of community resource programs like Sonrisas Community Dental Clinic over five weeks, on April 14, 21 and 28, and May 5 and 12. Each week, fami-lies meet with different representatives. Free. 726-2316.

Learn about your native plants

4/15 The Half Moon Bay Library presents a Native Plants program for adults, hosted by the California Native

Plant Society. Learn what plants to put into your garden to make it sustainable and green with the help of a society representative. This informational session begins at 6:30 p.m. and is free. 726-2316.

Bring the family to a movie

4/16 The Half Moon Bay Library presents Family Movie Night at 6 p.m., when families are welcome for a

family-appropriate, often animated feature film. It’s on a drop-in basis, and sponsored by the Friends of the Half Moon Bay Library. Free. Refreshments available. 726-2316.

Jazzing it up

4/17 The more than 30 young Bay Area jazz musicians that make up the San Francisco Jazz High School

All-Stars will pile into the Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society for a lively concert at 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $35. 726-4143.

Join a Passover celebration

4/19 The Coastside Jewish Community is going up to Pacifica for its celebration of Passover this year,

but still welcomes all Coastsiders. To reserve a spot, e-mail Nancy Marguiles at [email protected].

Video games for teens

4/22 The Half Moon Bay Library presents Video Game Day for teens, from 2 to 5 p.m., when teens can

come to the library to check out video games on a drop-in basis. It’s an opportunity for teens to meet and mix during spring break. Free. 726-2316.

Easter fun for kids

4/23 The Rotary Club of Half Moon Bay and the Boys and Girls Club of the Coastside team up to bring an Eas-

ter egg hunt for kids beginning at noon on Saturday, April 23, at the Half Moon Bay High School softball field. The field is marked off for different age groups from infants to 12-year-olds to hunt for 1,000 plastic eggs filled with candy and small toys. 726-7263.

8 April 2011 HMB

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Q&A

By LiLy BixLer | photos By Lars howLett

Between researching antibodies to cure melanoma and teaching dermatology at the University of San Francisco Medical Center and San Francisco General Hospital, Dr. Michael Huie finds time to make his way down the coast on Fridays for his practice in

Half Moon Bay. He is a medical dermatologist, as opposed to cosmetic or surgical subspecialists, and thinks of himself more like a consultant.

Rather than managing a patient’s case hour to hour, Huie is often brought in to help make a diagnosis when symptoms are expressed through the skin. Specialization, Huie said, is the direction medicine is headed.

“It’s like Adam Smith said. The key of increasing productiv-ity is the division of labor, or specialization, and that’s true in medicine,” Huie said.

“What’s driving specialization is proliferation of information and technology, and that’s going to continue. There are certain models where they want to produce more primary care because they think it’s going to save money, but I don’t think that’s true. It’s hard enough to keep up in a subspecialty with all the new information and everything.”

Huie is currently studying antibody engineering. He uses molecular biology to clone human antibodies.

“An antibody for melanoma would help diagnose and stage the disease. And, ideally, if you got a good one, you could use it therapeutically to treat the disease,” he said.

Getting under your skinFrom sunscreen pills to sunless tanning, dermatologist talks skin care as summer approaches

10 April 2011 HMB

Q&A

What does sunscreen actually do? How much sun exposure should people get? What can be done in terms of reverse photoaging? Huie sat down with Review reporter Lily Bixler to debunk some of the more controversial issues around skin care.

First off, explain the single most important thing a person can do to protect his or her skin?

It’s not a one-size-fits-all, even with something as simple as sun protection. Probably one of the ways they classify skin is into six different skin types based on how they interact with the sun, how easy you sunburn or how easily you tan. So obviously depending on the skin type, there’s going to be different types of recom-mendations. I’m not a zealot in terms of sun protection. There are some dermatologists that will say sunscreen every day, protective clothing, all of that. I’m more of a moderate because there are definitely some health benefits to the sun. Obviously vitamin D, which is kind of a more controversial issue these days with the endocri-nologists saying you need more sun because you need more vitamin D, and the dermatologists saying you need to protect yourself from the sun because sun exposure increases your risk for some skin cancers. The way the skin ages is (through) photoaging … But then again, you have to balance this because it makes vitamin D and its also good for (preventing) depression … Certain types of skin diseases improve with sun, things like psoriasis, eczema and so forth. The sun can actually make it better. So there isn’t one message or another: You kind of have to balance it on the person’s skin type and whether they have pre-existing skin conditions.

(In terms of sunscreen), generally you’re going to be looking at something that blocks out the UVA and UVB light. So UVB is prob-ably associated with the common kinds of skin cancers. UVA probably more affects the aging of the skin. When sunscreens were first devel-oped, they were just basically UVB. They had a cohort of people using them for years, and they found out it wasn’t protecting the photoaging and that’s when they real-ized the UVA was perhaps important for that as well. So most sunscreens today will be UVA and UVB. I would say one point about sunscreens is there’s what we call sunscreens and sun-blocks. Sunscreens are chemicals that absorb the light, and the sunblocks tend to be metals like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide that actually kind of block and reflect the light (which are the stronger ones), and that’s going to be what we typically recom-mend. The other thing about sunscreens is they’re absorbed through the skin and into the blood. It’s probably safe but, at the same time, if someone comes in with a baby and asks about

sunscreens for the baby, we tend to not recommend sunscreens for the baby. We tend to just recommend sunblocks.

The thing that makes the whole sun thing kind of complicat-ed is that sun is good for (some things). Epidemiological studies suggest people who get a lot of sun tend to have lower rates of internal malignancies. They have higher rates of skin cancers, but most of the skin cancers are not things that spread to differ-ent parts of the body. Even when they look at melanoma, which is the more serious one, when you do a biopsy you can deter-mine if someone has had a lot of sun or not by looking at the dermis, the upper part of the dermis, because it changes with chronic sun exposure. So even in melanoma, making every-

HMB April 2011 11

Q&A

thing equal, if you look at whether mela-noma occurs in the setting of chronic sun damage or nonchronic sun damage, they tend to do better if they are in the setting of chronic sun damage. Even something like sunscreen in skin cancer seems to be a little more complicated. There are some benefits to the sun, so again it’s going to be moderation and depend on how fair-skinned you are.

The photoaging can produce fine wrinkles, it can produce lentigines, which are a kind of brown spots. It can produce these fine blood vessels on the cheeks and nose called telangiectasia … The main thing I would recommend sunscreen for is the aging of the skin.

In a time when people are becom-ing increasingly concerned about the chemicals that are in all of our products, how do you balance the carcinogenic fear associated with sunscreen with the cancer-causing agents in the sun?

Again, everyone’s going to have differ-ent preferences. I myself tend to just use sunblocks because they aren’t absorbed through the skin and they’re stronger. On the other extreme, there’s a pill you can take, (which is) basically an extract from some kind of fern or something. They’ve been using that in Europe for a long time and it got approved here in the United States four or five years ago. It’s not a sun-screen pill but an antioxidant that goes to the skin and protects some of the oxidative damage associated with the sun. But you should still use a sunscreen or sunblock with it. On the one extreme, you have people who will take supplements to help prevent photoaging from the sun, on top of the sunscreen. So you have some people who are not concerned about whether it’s absorbed in your blood and so forth, and then on the other side you have people worried about anything getting into the blood. So recommendations are going to depend on how you feel about that. But I tend to just prefer a sunblock.

The other thing is that sunscreens do make you feel hotter because they absorb the heat and it precipitates there on the skin. So you can sometimes even get heat rashes with sunscreens; you can develop allergic contact dermatitis to the sun-screens and so forth.

We hear you’re supposed to wear sunscreen on a sunny day, but then you also hear you’re supposed to wear it on foggy days. Which days should people wear it?

Again, it’s going to depend on the particular skin type and how easily you’re sun burnt and what your other risks are. Most of the studies where they look at sunscreen uses, it didn’t seem to prevent melanoma, the bad skin cancer. And, in fact, a lot of the studies showed that sunscreen use was actually positively cor-related with melanoma, but these studies might not be so scientific. They’re kind of relying on people’s recall and “how much in the past” and so forth. I think there’s only been one study that actually shows that sunscreen use reduces the incidence of melanoma. Most of them positively correlated with it. They probably do protect against the more common forms of skin cancers.

Will our skin be affected even more in the future?

The bottom line for sunscreen is that photoaging is how the skin ages. To pro-tect the skin from aging will be the main benefit of sunscreen. It probably can reduce some types of skin cancer, but it’s really going to be the person’s skin type itself or certain kinds of genetic predis-positions.

Besides preventative, are there any additive things that can be done to increase the health of your skin?

You’re going to need essential fatty acids and monounsaturated fats, so kind of the good fats in the diet. Most people know those are in salmon. The skin uses a lot of those (fats). Whether you’re going to use a moisturizer or something like that will depend on how predisposed you are to some kinds of skin diseases. Same thing goes for soap. People who are prone to eczema and other kinds of rashes like that will probably have to use milder soaps and also may need to use moistur-izers more frequently …

There are products you can use if you’ve already hit the point where you’ve photoaged and you want to work on reversing it … there are a lot of things like topical retinoids that are good for stimulating new collagen, and alpha hydroxy acids are also probably good for that too. Pretty much the main advice is moderation.

And what about the safety of the fake tanning agents commonly used by some people?

That’s probably safe. There are some things they’ve been working on for years. When the sun hits the skin it can damage the DNA and produce what are called thymine dimers where two of the DNAs get cross linked, and then you have enzymes that kind of edit these out and find the mistakes. Prob-ably 10 years ago there was a group up in Boston who just took the thymine dimer and smeared it onto the back of a mouse’s skin, and the mouse started tanning. So the thought is that it’s not the sun directly that’s stimulating the pigment cells to increase and make more pigment, but evidence of pho-todamage to the DNA that stimulates the melanocyte to make more pigment. They got this to work in mice well, but they’ve had trouble in humans. But there definitely is an approach where people are going to try to find some secondary signaling that they can then smear onto the skin that just produces a tan without any sun exposure, but they haven’t got that working yet. But they are definitely working on that, which would be another kind of arti-ficial tanning that would probably be safer. 1

Q&A

IT’S NOT A ONE-SIzE-FITS-ALL, EVEN WITH SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS SUN PROTECTION.

12 April 2011 HMB12 April 2011 HMB

F or some, a summer spent at camp is a diversion – a way to while away the days before school starts anew in the fall. For others, though, it is a journey that builds lifelong skills and can even point the way down an unexpected career

path.Th e lessons go beyond the obvious. Learning to swim or hike or paint is one thing;

learning to take command and earning the confi dence that comes with it can provide an unparalleled experience for a teenager.

Caitlen Giacomino, Brenda Lopez and Allan Bruce turned their work at Coastside camps into something more than a summer thing. Just as they explained the rules to campers, they now take the time to relate the step-by-step growing they did along the way to the HMB Magazine.

story By LiLy BixLer

Coastsiders refl ect on a life built around camp

The lessons of summer camp

About 160 campers aged nine through 19 come together at 4-H camp each summer.

HMB April 2011 13HMB April 2011 13

1Sit next to a friend in 10th-grade biology class whose plans

to work as a counsel-or at Camp-by-the-Sea encourage you to ap-ply too. Interview with camp organizers and get offered, on the spot, a summer job to be sports coordinator for the Half Moon Bay Department of Parks and Recreation camp.

2Initially struggle with the early morn-ing hours and the

perpetual energy neces-sary to keep the campers upbeat. After spending long hours working your butt off, realize you’re making a lot of money and actually saving it be-cause you’re too tired to do anything in your off hours. Find the balance between being a leader for kids and letting your-self be a kid too. Cherish the connections you dis-cover between yourself and the campers.

3 Form incredible friendships with the other counsel-

ors and make it an inte-gral part of your teenage years. Return to camp during the summers be-tween years at San Fran-cisco State. Over the course of eight sum-mers, bump up through the ranks from oversee-ing the older kids to be-ing the assistant director and then fi nally serving as director in 2007 and 2008.

4Watch the camp close from bud-get cuts in 2008

and transfer over to be-ing program director at the Boys and Girls Club of the Coastside. Con-tinue to work with some of the kids who attended the city camp, some of whom now volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club.

5 For the fi rst time since high school, plan to spend your

summer surfi ng and just kicking back on the Coastside.

Caitlen Giacomino, 27 | How to find your inner kidCaitlen Giacomino, 27 | How to find your inner kid

Caitlen Giacomino, far left on the top, has spent every summer since tenth

grade as a camp counselor.

14 April 2011 HMB

1After years of playing soccer and volleyball as a kid in Pescadero,

begin working as a tutor and administrative assis-tant at Puente de la Costa Sur in high school.

2 In your second year on the job, take on a summer gig

as a camp counselor at Jones Gulch. Spend three weeks guiding elemen-tary-age kids through activities like canoeing, swimming, rock climbing and nature walks. Learn how to handle campers who don’t get along, es-pecially when you’re not feeling particularly gung-ho yourself. Know your enthusiasm and engage-ment draws the kids into the activities.

3 Continue tutoring many of the kids through Puente’s

after-school program during the school year and help translate dur-ing parent conferenc-es. While you’re in the classrooms, see essays and drawings on the walls explaining how they spent their sum-mers and notice many expressed their love of Jones Gulch camp.

4 Apply again to be a camp counselor, this time through

Puente’s partnership with YMCA. Spend three two-week terms with kindergarten through fifth-graders and learn more intimately that the kids who take part in the camp come from tough homes around the Bay Area. Figure out how to build trust with children who come from troubled backgrounds.

5 Enter your junior year of high school knowing you’ve

built up skills to take with you to college. Learn CPR and receive your CERT training through Puente. Build up the confidence to speak in public and the interpersonal skills to work confidently with adults as well as children.

Brenda Lopez, 17 | How to inspire youth from troubled backgrounds

Camp counselor, Brenda Lopez in the back of the

boat, prepared for a canoeing adventure with young campers at Jones

Gulch last summer.

HMB April 2011 15HMB April 2011 15

1Grow up in Half Moon Bay and join 4-H at 7 years old

because you hear from friends it’s a fun thing to do. Enjoy raising lambs for the San Mateo Coun-ty Fair. Start attending 4-H camp at 14.

2After two years as a camper, realize you, too, could play a role

running the camp. Help out in every way you can so you’re noticed by your su-pervisors. Get promoted to a manager position.

3 Spend your high school years work-ing summers at

the camp, managing the Olympic Sports Day, not to mention, cheering up kids who are homesick.

4Move up to assis-tant director in 2009 and manage fund-

raising events for the camp. Get promoted again in 2010 with two other friends and serve as camp directors for up to160 campers age 9 through 19.

5 Enroll at Cañada College and work as a checker at the

Half Moon Bay Safeway. Know your role organiz-ing 4-H camp for all those years will make you a more successful leader in the future as an event planner for youth pro-gramming.

Allan Bruce, 19 | How to run a camp

Turned on to 4-H at seven years old, Allan Bruce has climbed his way up the ranks and

served as 4-H club camp director in 2010.

16 April 2011 HMB

At Moss Beach Ranch HORSE CAMP

www.mossbeachranch.com

Weekly day camps for kids 6-15 Daily lessons and fun rides Beginner to advance levels Call 650.728.0700 or register online at mossbeachranch.com

Summer Fun for All Horse Lovers!

Reader’s Choice Winner Best Party Location!Visit our party options website for pricing.

HMB April 2011 17

EXCITE. ENRICH. EMPOWER.SEA CREST SCHOOL

SUMMER 2011 AT SEA CRESTAt Sea Crest, you can find the summer school experience that is just right for your child. The week-long sessions will offer a wide variety of classes. From Science Adventures to soccer skills, mythology and math, this can be a summer to remember.summer session dates June 20–24, June 27–July 1, July 11–15, 18–22, 25–29, and August 1–5, 2011.For more information about our summer program, call us at 650 712-9892 or visit us online at www.seacrestschool.org.

901 Arnold Way, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019

Class fee: $1,000 full day, $650 half dayDiscounts for 2 or more children.Contact: Gail Erwin at [email protected]

AT THE COASTAL REPERTORY THEATER

SUMMER DRAMA DAY CAMP

CAMP DATES: JULY 5-29 from 9AM to 4PM

Half days available from 1 to 4PM

Sign up online at www.coastalrep.com

The Coastal Rep will offer Summer Drama Day Camp for the third year, featuring classes in prop construction, scene design, music, drama and dance. Each student will have a part in the third Nitnoid play,

THE FINAL BATTLE Written and directed by Gail Erwin.

Art classes are taught by Emelia Wessel. Music by Joss Cano, dance by Michelle McDonald.

Half Moon BayJunior Lifeguards

Summer 2011

Phone: (650) 726-8806E-mail: [email protected]/guards/hmb.html

Summer 2011

Ages 8 – 16 Come Join the Fun4 Week Sessions Mon – Fri 10am – 3pmAt Dunes State BeachSession 1 June 13 – July 8Session 2 July 18 – Aug 12

Phone: (650) 726-8806

Junior Lifeguardsis an active program,run by the CaliforniaState Park Lifeguards,that emphasizesteamwork, fun andocean safety.Contact us for moreinformation or visitthe web page.

18 April 2011 HMB

ucked off the main drag through La Honda is where the townsfolk hide the secret gems of their community.

Just one block off the highway behind the Apple Jack’s bar, La Honda residents have their public tennis court, basketball court and a huge swimming pool. Horse riders are provided a shared corral and miles of riding trails. Children have some skateboarding ramps, a series of playgrounds and a community center with free billiards, pingpong and movie nights. Even the ducks have a pristine pond to glide on.

While the larger communities along the Coastside have struggled to coordinate public parks and recreation facilities for residents, the 1,500 inhabitants of little La Honda have tacitly enjoyed the best recreation in the area.

Randy Vail moved from Los Angeles to the area three years ago with his wife and children, and they were impressed by the flourishing community hidden in the hills.

“In discovering La Honda, we found the Shangri-La of childhood adventures,” Vail said. “And many of those adventures involve the rec-reational facilities of (La Honda).”

Today, Vail directs recreation programs for the Cuesta La Honda

Recreation flourishes

in La Honda

T

1,500 residents enjoy best facilities on CoastsideBy Mark NoaCk | photos By Lars howLett

Randy Vail counts the neighborhood trails as one of his favorite recreational of-ferings in La Honda.

HMB April 2011 19

Guild. Founded in 1936, the guild was established to provide water, roads and the awesome park facilities for the area.

On an average hot summer day in La Honda, the community pool becomes the de facto town square. Families, children, young people and seniors all gather at the cool waters and let the hours float by.

“Every kid in this town is at the pool when it gets warm,” said Jill Briggs, a Cuesta Guild member. “It’s definitely where the people want to be.”

Near the beginning of the century, La Honda was changing from a lumberjack community to a summer wilderness retreat for well-to-do San Franciscans. When the Cuesta Guild was formed, its founding charter commissioned the organization to look after the local water supply and roads. But unlike the regular public utilities, the Cuesta bylaws also delegated the group to provide and maintain local recre-ation.

Over the years, La Honda has changed from a vacation town to a permanent colony for an eclectic cadre of ranchers, hippies, yuppies and artists. That diverse group may disagree on many things, but they overlap on their desire to keep local recreation functioning.

Touring the facilities for Vail was a walk down Memory Lane. He pointed out the swimming pool where his children learned to swim, the forest picnic area where they learned to ride bikes and playground where they frolicked.

Standing in front of the town sign, he frowned and pointed out how

Community members gather for yoga by donation on a rainy evening and enjoy refreshing waters of the pool on sunny afternoons.

20 April 2011 HMB

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it needed a new coat of paint. One problem with having a full smorgasbord of recreation equipment is there are always things in need of maintenance.

As a trio of ducks waddled over and waited expectantly at Vail’s heels for a bread handout, he pointed out how the public pond was becoming overgrown with water lilies. The list of projects went on: The basketball court needed a new net; hiking trails needed clearing; playgrounds were getting overgrown with weeds.

“There’s an ebb and flow to maintaining local recreation, and it constantly needs to be redone,” Vail said. “We’ve got a lot of great stuff, but the trick is just maintaining it!”

The Cuesta guild has a small maintenance crew that can handle many of these repairs. But those workers are often needed for taking care of the local water system and roads, and recreation has to come in third on the priority list.

The same is true for budgeting for the Cuesta La Honda guild, which operates on a $900,000 annual budget. Besides the payroll costs, about 50 percent of the budget goes to the

water network, 25 percent to roads, and around 20 percent is left for maintaining recreation.

Often this means that many renovations to the recreational features depend on the know-how of individual residents in the area. In recent months, residents have built a community garden, a patio deck and various benches around the com-munity center. Inside, locals repainted the clubhouse and spruced up the inside with the help of some guild funding. One local helped repair the center’s dilapidated billiard table.

The nature trails have been more difficult. About six miles of paths through the hilly forest, including some old logging roads, have been covered up over the years with plant life. The remaining trails have been thrust into a tug-of-war be-tween horse riders and mountain bikers in the area, as each group claims the trails as their own.

But the town comes together each year for a Fourth of July picnic and barbecue, with music and games at the Play Bowl, an open grove in the redwood forest for celebrations.

“La Hondans love where they are!” he summarized. 1

A historic archway frames a playground and skate ramp located alongside a basketball court and the community pool.

22 April 2011 HMB

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24 April 2011 HMB

Dozens of guided hikes expand on history, nature and local loreBy Mark NoaCk

As the sun burned away the morning fog, a handful of early risers made a weekend pilgrimage to the hills above Half Moon Bay.

Meeting in a parking lot off Skyline Boulevard, the adventurers tightened their boot-straps, adjusted their backpacks — and cleaned off their magnifying glasses for a 7-mile hike through the Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve.

Th is wasn’t your common meander through the park. A docent greeted the team and advised them to keep their eyes trained, not toward the treetops, but focused down on the rotting debris underfoot. Indeed, today’s jaunt was a quest for mushrooms.

“We think of mushrooms as something in Safeway with a perfect little parasol cap,” said docent Chris MacIntosh, leader for the scheduled hike titled, “Will Th ere Be Fungi In March?”

Crouching down in the parking lot, MacIntosh uncovered a tiny little brown pod, an earthstar mush-room. Easily mistaken at fi rst glance as some kind of lumpy pinecone, the egg-shaped earthstar was actually a cauldron of spores, she explained to her audience, excitedly fl ipping through her mycology reference books.

Th e mushroom walk is just one of an assortment of nongarden-variety nature hikes organized through the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. Ea-ger to draw out more hikers and educate them about the multilayered natural surroundings, open space reserve offi cials have developed dozens of colorful educational hikes on a range of topics. Special hikes have been craft ed to teach visitors about the tiny newt, the rare mountain lion and even the mighty grizzly bear, even though it became extinct in Cali-fornia about 100 years ago. Th ere are nature sojourns designed around aerobics and mountain biking for the athletic, or for drinking wine and reading fi ction in the forest for the more indulgent.

“Anyone can go out and hike on their own and enjoy the trails, but going on a docent hike you should get a little something extra,” said Leigh Ann Gessner, MROSD spokeswoman. “You can learn things you didn’t know about and see things

Not just a walk in the park

HMB April 2011 25

“THERE ARE FAR MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET OUT AND

LEARN ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT THAN MOST PEOPLE REALIzE.”

— Jo Chamberlain, Coastside land trust

exeCutive direCtor

26 April 2011 HMB

you would have overlooked.” Like some magical al-

chemist, MacIntosh, the mushroom hunter, spotted a hogdepodge of fungal variet-ies hidden in plain sight like witch’s butter, dyer’s polypore, boletes, amanitas and many others just inches off the hiking trail. Witch’s butter, a slimy orange film on the arm-pits of some pine branches, didn’t look anything like the average mushroom. Mac-Intosh said she once met a foreign woman who would harvest the goopy fungus for cooking.

“I asked how she ate it, and she said, ‘with garlic and soy sauce,’” MacIntosh recalled. “And I asked how it tasted, and she said, ‘like garlic and soy sauce.’”

But the hike wasn’t about finding edible mushrooms, she said, reminding everyone that the open space district prohibited folks from harvest-ing plants. If anyone wanted to pick wild mushrooms elsewhere, she cautioned, be extra, extra careful — flip-ping her handy book over to some very lethal toadstools, including the aptly named “death cap” and the “destroy-ing angel.”

Huddling with a couple other mushroom scholars on the hike, MacIntosh had trouble identifying one tiny sproutlike mushroom grow-ing on the underside of a pine cone. It was the classic nondescript “LBM,” she said. (That stands for a little brown mushroom that is always a chore to precisely classify.)

MacIntosh said she was far from an expert in mycol-ogy, the study of fungus. In fact, the silver-haired wom-an worked in administration at Stanford University, but she had been volunteer-ing as a docent through the open space district for about

30 years. Funded by property taxes,

MROSD relies heavily on a crew of about 100 volunteer docents like MacIntosh, who immerse themselves in the knowledge of the outdoors to share with others on hikes. Today the district features about 275 docent hikes and other guided activities each year.

When MacIntosh began volunteering with MROSD, she went through a standard training regimen. For her first years, she led hikes that tracked the earthquake fault lines around the South Bay.

Docents are encouraged to design their own hikes based on what they know best.

Other docents have de-signed hikes mixing poetry with the wilderness, chas-ing butterflies or studying the local history of the areas like Kings Mountain or La Honda. Just two weeks before the mushroom hike, two volunteers led a “Tracks and Scat” hike through the Rus-sian Ridge Open Space Pre-serve. In that guided hike, the docents did the stinky task of dissecting animal droppings found along the trail to learn more about their diet and activity.

MROSD is hardly the only organization offering guided hikes for the public. More locally, the Coastside Land Trust hosts popular wild-flower and bird-watching tours near the Wavecrest property on the south side of Half Moon Bay.

“It’s an opportunity to show people the lands we’re preserving and examples of what you can see here,” said Jo Chamberlain, executive director of the land trust. “There are far more oppor-tunities to get out and learn about the environment than most people realize.”

Hikers on an annual “March with fungus walk” discover a trove of toad-stools on the underside of a rotting log.

PHOTOS COURTESY MROSD

Docents leading a host of guided hikes try to give visitors a full glimpse of the flora and fauna of the preserves.

HMB April 2011 27

A variety of other guided nature tours are also offered by the California State Parks, Sempervirens Fund and other organizations. But, here on the Peninsula, no other organization offers anywhere near the number of guided hikes or array of subjects as the MROSD.

MacIntosh noticed years ago that the entire MROSD lacked any hike on mush-rooms, so she decided to craft one. Already a member of the San Francisco Mycological Society, she would regularly bring along friends on the hike to help identify the spe-cies.

Through the next four hours on her hike, MacIntosh kept the entire hiking party on task scouting for telltale signs of fungus, like rotting logs or “mushrumps”— bulges along the ground often caused by emerging toad-stools. But MacIntosh and

Susan Peterson, her docent partner, also talked at length about the birds, insects and trees in the area.

“I like the outdoors, and I like sharing it,” explained Peterson.

“I’m a generalist, I know a little about everything,” MacIntosh seconded. “Doing this has always worked for me since I always learn more from leading people on these hikes.”

Descending down the hill along the Purisima Creek, the hiking party took a break at the Half Moon Bay trailhead. Between bites of a lemon bar, MacIntosh began scanning through her mycology book, before excitedly finding what she sought:

“Oh! It’s an earpick fungus!” she said gleefully, showing a picture in the book remark-ably similar to the sproutlike mushroom seen earlier. “I’m so glad we found it!” 1

Many hikes organized by MROSD feature spectacular vistas along the coastal hills.

Some special hikes are geared toward younger children as a way to expose them to nature.

28 April 2011 HMB

Klaws, Paws and Hoovesis offering the following services for Spring/Summer of 2011

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LifeguardThe Junior Lifeguard program is a unique and challenging aquatic program for young people ages 8 – 16, in which the promotion of ocean safety and environmental awareness are the primary goals. This active program, run by California State Park Lifeguards, emphasizes teamwork, fun, and ocean safety. Participants enjoy daily activities which familiarize them with the beach and ocean environment. The Junior Lifeguards’ team-building philosophy is perfect for learning how to be safe in and around the ocean. The program consists of 4-week sessions, and provides instruction in first aid, CPR, ocean safety, rescue techniques, surfing and bodyboarding. Two sessions available, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Dunes State Beach. Contact us at (650) 726-8806, e-mail us at [email protected], or visit www.scsla.org/guards/hmb.html.

CaMpYMCA Camp Jones Gulch offers safe and exciting summer programs for kids age 5 to 16. Campers enjoy activities such as horseback riding, canoeing, archery, hiking, foam-sword fighting, carpet-ball, ping pong, zip line, arts & crafts, swimming, climbing tower, ga-ga, and much more. Nights offer fun-filled and rewarding programs like nightly reflection, talent shows, campfires, and an overnight sleep-out under the stars. Our trained, compassionate staff encourages campers to build lifelong friendships, try new activities, develop new skills and grow in character values. In addition to resident and day camp, we invite you to check out our Retreats & Rentals, Family Camps, and Ropes Courses at our redwood home near La Honda. Call 747-1200, email [email protected], or visit www.CampJonesGulch.

CaMpYMCA Camp Loma Mar offers a super-fun camp experience. From traditional camp activities like hiking, swimming and sleeping under the stars to climbing our giant wall, zipping down our zip line and shooting arrows at archery- kids will find something they love. Using age-appropriate activities and challenges, our trained, caring staff encourage campers to make new friends, experience new things and learn new skills. Days and nights are packed with fun and safe outdoor activities, ending with energetic and unforgettable performances before lights out. Campers work together on campfire skits, zany weekly dances, x-treme creek hikes and mud facials. For more information, call 650-879-0223 or email: [email protected]. Visit www.CampLomaMar.org.

CaMpCoastal Adventures proudly celebrates our 7th summer of successful camps. The camp’s goal is to let children explore the wonderful sights of the coast and peninsula. Each day Coastal Adventures staff picks up a small group of children and takes them on an awesome adventure that they will remember. The summer is broken up into three theme weeks: Beach Week, Bike Week & Exploration Week. The weeklong camps are suited for ages 6-13 and are open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Some excursions include: secret caves, making rope swings, sand boarding, riding bikes around Angel Island and so much more. Coastal Adventures is about seeing new things, trying new things, and of course having fun. Please call Jon at (650) 303-4055 or check out our Website www.jonsadventures.com for more information.

a d v e r t o r i a l

There is no shortage of things to do on the Coastside this summer. Get outside! Learn new things! Explore the coast! Make new friends! Here are a bunch of great ideas — there is something for everyone!

Keeping busy

local summer activities

30 April 2011 HMB

SurfOcean Open surf camp lets you have fun, get fit, and learn to surf at your own pace, while learning to connect with, and respect the ocean. All ages and abilities welcome! The Open Ocean staff has extensive experience with all ages and levels, including special needs children and adults! Participants will learn to respect the Ocean and environment while learning the importance of water safety and the skills to surf. Safety, etiquette, technique, and proper mental and physical training methods will be emphasized in a fun, safe, and trusting setting. Don’t forget spring break — call (650) 867-0315 now for information, or visit www.openoceansurfing.com.

CaMpConveniently located off Highway 1, Good Shepherd School provides a well-rounded education encompassing academics, life skills and extra-curricular activities. Good Shepherd School offers a myriad of enrichment activities. Music is taught by a professional musician, and PE by a professional company. Students engage in public speaking, outdoor education, sports, academic decathlon, science fairs, spelling competitions and outreach programs. Good Shepherd also offers a state of the art technology lab and a well-resourced library. Given that Good Shepherd School also benefits from small class sizes – the average being twenty five – students are able to chart out an optimal learning path with the support of their teachers, teacher aides and an on-site counselor. Call 650-359-4544, or visit www.goodshepherdschool.us.

gyMnaStiCSWhere are your kids hanging out this summer? Gymtowne Gymnastics offers full-day and half-day summer camps for school-age children, and a special morning camp for preschool-age children. With a focus on gymnastics, campers will also enjoy arts and crafts, games, obstacle courses and relay races. Boys and girls entering first grade and up can choose full-day camp, or half-day camp in the morning or afternoon. Preschool camp is for children ages 3 1⁄2 and potty-trained to entering kindergarten, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every day. “Gymnastics camp is a fun way for kids to stay active,” said Doris Strom, owner of Gymtowne. “It helps develop self-esteem, coordination and strength.” Call 563-9426, or visit www.gymtowne.com.

SaiLGive your child an experience that they will remember for a lifetime – sign them up to learn how to sail. The Half Moon Bay Yacht Club offers sailing classes to kids aged 8 to 18 in the beautiful Pillar Point Harbor. Class sizes are small and all levels will be catered for. A certified instructor will guide them through the essentials of water safety, self-rescue, boat handling and rigging to more advanced skills such as sail trim, boat tuning and racing. There will be plenty to do – even on non-windy days. Students must pass a swim test prior to the camp, and provide their own wetsuit, booties and bag lunch. Classes run Monday – Friday, 9.00am to 3.00pm (aftercare available), from June 13th to August 5th. Cost is only $290 per week. Join your camper on the last day to watch racing and share a BBQ. Register at www.hmbyc.org or email [email protected] with any questions. Call (650) 728-2120.

SwiMMany Coastsiders are already familiar with La Petite Baleen Swim School in downtown Half Moon Bay. Countless children from infancy on up have eased their fears of the water and learned their strokes in co-owners Irene and John Kolbisen’s cozy indoor pool. Lessons are half-hour long, with small group, semi-private and private lessons available. La Petite Baleen also offers adult lessons for those who didn’t learn this life-saving skill as a child, or who wish to brush up on their strokes. 866-896-3603 or pre-register online: www.swimlpb.com.

HorSeBaCk ridingAfter 19 years, the folks at Lazy H Ranch in Half Moon Bay know how to run a horse camp. The weeklong camps run all summer long from June 13 through Sept. 1, giving plenty of local kids, ages 6 through 12, a chance to experience the joy of horses. There is also space for those wanting to join spring break camps held April 18. “Every child gets his own pony or horse,” said Breen Hofmann, who runs the ranch with his wife, Emma. “We teach them how to catch them, how to groom them, and tack them up. We go riding every day.” Campers also participate in art projects, barn projects and nature hikes, then finish up the week with a show for the parents. Hofmann says that many students come back to the camp year after year to get their summer horse fix. Some even sign up for several sessions all summer long. Call 726-3743, or visit www.lazyhponyranch.com.

ride tHe trainDuring the year, the weekdays are busy, but what about the weekends? Lemos Farm has an answer: Come visit the farm and the kids can ride the ponies, take a trip on the train and pet the critters in the petting zoo. “The kids have a lot of fun at the farm,” said Lemos Farm owner Bob Lemos. “Parents can keep busy, too. It’s a great place for the family to spend time together.” Lemos Farm’s activities for kids are available every Saturday and Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It also hosts exciting parties for kids. Call 726-2342 or visit www.lemosfarm.com.

CaMpLet your child experience Mariners Church’s Day Camp, PandaMania, August 1-5. Kids will discover God’s wild love through Bible-learning activities, catchy songs, teamwork-building games, yummy treats, creative crafts, T-shirts and prizes, and fun afternoon adventures. As they experience God’s love they will also share it by participating in a service project for needy children in El Salvador. PandaMania is for kids Grades K-5 and runs from 9 a.m to 4 p.m each day. If paid by July 17, the cost is only $80. For more info, call 726-5959 or visit www.marinerscc.org/children.

SwiMIn the fog or in the sun, kids will stay busy swimming in Mavericks Swim Association’s heated pool, located at the high school. Summer is a fantastic time to try competitive swimming in a fun, friendly environment says Mavericks Swim Association. Swimming is also an excellent cross-training sport for kids and adults. The spring and summer swim sessions run from April 25 through July 22 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., although the summer session times may shift slightly. Exciting new programs include “Mini-Mavs” for younger swimmers. The summer session also offers three two-week mini sessions for convenience with vacation planning and other obligations. “Under our truly talented, fun and caring coaches,” Worden said, “swimmers learn self-confidence and discipline, and to look within for improvement.” Visit our website at www.mavericks-swim.org.

SCHooLSince 1979, Mid-Peninsula High School has provided a unique college preparatory education that adapts to individual learning styles. Our students are encouraged by a caring faculty and staff who work to promote a positive, progressive learning environment. We are able to accommodate students who have learning differences, those who prefer a small school setting, and those who enjoy more individual attention. Mid-Pen offers varsity sports, community service, and excellent art and music programs. For more information, please contact Mid-Peninsula High School at 650-321-1991 or visit our school website: www.mid-pen.com.

summer activities

HMB April 2011 31

HorSeBaCk ridingWhether you’re a beginner or advanced rider and if you love horses, Moss Beach Ranch Summer Horse Camp is for you. “It’s all about horses,” said owner Lauren Allen. “Every day is filled with riding instruction and adventure, along with lessons on how to understand and care for horses.” The weeklong camps run all summer long, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., for kids ages 6 to 15. Campers each have their own horse for the week, and along with riding, learn something new about horses every day. Covered topics include safety, grooming, behavior, health and more. At Moss Beach Ranch Horse Camp, kids have fun learning basic vaulting, which builds confidence and skills on horseback. Call 728-0700, or to register online visit www.mossbeachranch.com.

CaMpPuente offers summer programs and activities for South Coast children ages 0-13. Summer activities include local field trips, sports, outdoor activities, arts & crafts, games, special events, math, science, and technology, English and Spanish language arts, story time and more. Puente summer partners include YMCA Camp Jones Gulch and the Half Moon Bay Library. For more information, contact us at (650) 879-1691 or email [email protected].

CaMpThe Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, will be running its Ritz-Kids Summer Camp Program for nine weeks beginning the week of June 20 through the week of August 19. Each week will offer a different theme and focus. Ritz-Kids will explore sports, tennis, science, art and crafts, adventure, and nature. The camps are open to ages 5-12, and siblings are eligible for a camp discount. Camps will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with an extended care option from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for an additional fee per child. Lunch is not included in the base price, but can be added for an additional cost per day for each child. For information on a specific week’s theme, camp pricing, activities, and/or to register, please contact The Ritz-Kids Department at 650-712-7667 or e-mail [email protected].

danCeThe Shely Pack Dancers has been a successful dance program on the coast for the past 17 years. It has gained both national and international attention for its many national titleholders and a European tour. The studio begins training children at the age of 2 and includes various dance disciplines and performance genres. Some of the studios most notables are: Kristin Oei, former Dance Captain for Wicked; Peter Chursin, Wicked, West Side Story; and JP Viernes, who not only won the starring role of Billy Elliott in the Chicago and Toronto touring show but has graced the pages of People Magazine and appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Shely’s mission statement is to bring dance and performance excellence to anyone who has ever dreamed about being on a stage. Call 650-726-7811 or visit www.shelypackdancers.com.

danCeKids of all levels of experience can have fun and enjoyment at the Susan Hayward’s School of Dancing’s 27th annual Theatre Arts and Dance Camp in Montara. “For many years this has been a great way for some children to start in dance and drama,” said Susan Hayward, director of the school. “It’s a sampling of all forms of dance, drama and theatre arts along with learning the skills of putting on a production at the end of camp.” Children’s classes are divided into three age groups from 5 to 16. The camp runs from June 15-30 for the younger children, and June 15 to 29 with an additional half day for the juniors and seniors on June 30. Daily times vary according to the age group. Hayward said the camp differs from year to year due to ages and experience

levels of those attending. The two weeks culminates with a show, complete with costumes, sets and props the students design in theatre art classes. Call (650) 728-7519 or visit www.shaywarddance.com.

SCHooLMake your child’s summer and enroll her/him in Camp Woo 2011! This summer’s weekly themes include: Film Weeks (June 20th-July 15th) Imaginarium, Getting’ Dirty, Rock Starts, Going Green and more. Register for four or more weeks by May 13 and receive a 5 percent discount per week. Call (650) 726-4582 or visit www.wilkinsonschool.org.

SCHooLLooking for something fun and educational for your child to do this summer? Check out what Sea Crest has to offer ... Sea Crest School’s weeklong sessions allow students to customize their summer school experience. Choose from a wide variety of interests to create a unique summer school program that is tailor made for your child. Choose from our full day Science Adventure offerings or from the morning and afternoon courses offered during our two-week mini Summer School Program. Courses are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis, with a minimum of 10 and maximum of 16 students per class. Please visit our website for full course descriptions and registration forms. Call (650) 712-9892 or visit www.seacrestschool.org.

Movie-MakingHere’s a unique camp offered by Fresh Takes in Redwood City: Create with a purpose and make better movies by learning professional techniques. It’s a fun two weeks that could help you make “viral” videos. Learn how to tell your stories your way. At Fresh Takes you’ll learn Final Cut Pro, lighting, storyboarding, scriptwriting, cinematography, sound, iMovie, Photoshop elements and Live type. Space is limited so sign up today. Register and pay for camps online at www.freshtakes.net by June 3, or call (650) 207-2623.

perforMCoastal Rep’s is the only camp in the Bay Area led by a published playwright who has written plays expressly for young actor/performers, with all of the students actively involved in all areas of the production. While other camps focus on plays or musicals written for older performers and adapted for youngsters, The Nitnoid plays were written to be performed by actors 8-16. Mornings are spent warming up, doing improv exercises, and conceiving art projects from costume items to backdrops to prop construction, which will be used in the production. Afternoons feature an hour of music, drama, and dance as each student masters his or her part in our production of THE NITNOID WARS, Part 3, The Final Battle. The classes are taught by experienced and talented teachers who specialize in working with young people. Call (650) 726-0998 or visit www.coastalrep.com.

CaMpSCoastside Children’s Programs (CCP) will offer three specialty camps and two locations — Montara and Half Moon Bay — this summer. The “Summer Sports Fun” camp in HMB will be focusing on a new sport each week including street hockey, golf, baseball, and basketball. The “Exploring the Coast” camp in Half Moon Bay will be a blast for kids 5-12. New this year will be a specialty Art and Cooking camp in Montara with a kids learning how to follow recipes and experiment in the kitchen. All camps will be offered on a weekly basis, Monday-Friday, 7a.m. – 6 p.m., June 13-July19. Call (650) 726-7413 or visit www.coastsidechildren.org to register or for more info.

summer activities

32 April 2011 HMB

GAZOS GRILL& SUNSET BAR

5720 CABRILLO HIGHWAYPESCADERO, CA • 650-879-0874

t Weekdays open ~ 10 to 8t Weekends open ~ 8 to 8t Weekend Live MusicServing Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Happy Taco Taqueria Eat in or take out:• Breakfast Burritos •

• Taco Salads • Enchiladas •• Tacos • Fajitas • Soups •

• Desserts •

726.5480184 San Mateo Road, HMB

40 stone pine road, half moon bay(650) 726-5600

sports bar & grill

half moon bay

Spanishtown Mexican RestaurantHOMESTYLE MEXICAN FOOD

andMarket

Families Welcome - Food Available To GoBanquet Catering for up to 1000 People515 Church Street, Half Moon Bay 726-7357

Open Daily 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

HarborPizza“We’re just a call away”

At the end of a hard day, we’ll bring you dinner!

Dining, carry out or deliveryOpen 12 - 10:30pm everyday

Delivery from Half Moon Bay to Montara

726.3501

Go out to eat!There are plenty of options to tempt your tastebuds...try one tonight.

Dining out

Comedian will Durst

tim Beeman, Nancy Beeman, Cheryl sinclair, Janie James and paul James

Mary oldham and Linda Cozzolino

HMB April 2011 33

(Photo courtesy Kevin Koebel)

There are plenty of options to tempt your tastebuds...try one tonight.

» SEEN IN THE SCENE

Chamber recognition dinnerThe Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber of Commerce and Visitors’ Bureau held their 2011 Annual Recognition Dinner Jan. 26 at the Oceano Hotel in Half Moon Bay. The Bert Carli Volunteer of the Year Award was awarded to Mel Mello and the Business Hall of Fame Award was presented to Jay and Patti Warshauer, owners of Main Street Goldworks. The offi cers and board sworn in by Supervisor Don Horsley and Mayor Naomi Patridge included Sara Watson, Heidi Kuiper, Robert Dragony, Sheri Olson, and Wayne Meyer. Entertainment for the evening was political comedian Will Durst.Photos and names provided by Dianne Passen.

Comedian will Durst

tim Beeman, Nancy Beeman, Cheryl sinclair, Janie James and paul James

Mary oldham and Linda Cozzolino andre Franco, Bev Miller, John kolbisen heidi kuiper, Charise Mchugh

Cheryl sinclair and wayne Meyer Naomi patridge and Bev Millerrick kowalcyk and kathy white

kevin palmer and tara earley tara earley, Jay, patti, Josh, Jeff and Jesse warshauer

tom, Debbie and keven o’Brian

34 April 2011 HMB

[email protected]

650-560-9717Individuals ~ Groups ~ Workshops

Corrine BucherLife Coach

has been helping people like yourself to achieve their goals since 1999

Make 2010Your MostVibrant

Year Yet!Don’t miss my coaching specials in

January and February, call for details

[email protected]







[email protected]







[email protected]







Helping people to achieve their goals since 1999

[email protected]







Coastal Adventures Coastal Adventures Summer Camp's goal is to give

children an adventure they'll remember. Each day we load

up the van with a small group of kids and explore the

amazing sites around the coast.

k Children Ages 6-13k Hours: 8:30 to 4pmk Adventure Weeks: Beach, Hike & Bikek 12 Children Maximum / 2 Adults

k $325 per week

Jon Lowings (650) 303-4055 www.jonsadventures.com






k $325 per week







k $325 per week







k $325 per week


Our goal is to give children an adventure they’ll remember.

Every day we explore the amazing sites around the coast.

Gymtowne Gymnastics850 Airport Street, Unit 7

Moss Beach, CA 94038(650) 563-9426

www.gymtowne.com

• Gymnastics Classes (all ages) • Summer Camp (ages 3 1/2 and up)

• Birthday Parties

1/2 OFF FIRST MONTH’S TUITIONNew students only.

Cannot be combined withany other offer.Expires 6/30/11

✁

Monday – Friday 9am – 3pm

June 13th – Aug 5th

HMBYC Pillar Point Harbor

$290 per week

Register on-line at: www.hmbyc.org

or email: [email protected]

Half Moon Bay Youth Sailing Camp

Enjoy the best summer of your life!

YMCACamp Loma Mar Summer Camp

www.camplomamar.org

650-879-0223

David W. Alexander Cell 650~867~0315

www.openoceansurfing.com

Learn to Surf Year-Round!OPEN OCEAN SURF LESSONS

& SURF CAMPS

Learn to Surf Year-Round!OPEN OCEAN SURF LESSONS

& SURF CAMPS

All Ages ~ All AbilitiesPrivate, Semi~Private & Group Lessons

Rescue ~ C.P.R. ~ First Aid Certified

All Ages ~ All AbilitiesPrivate, Semi~Private & Group Lessons

Rescue ~ C.P.R. ~ First Aid Certified

YMCA OF SAN FRANCISCO

C AMP

J ONES

G ULCH

Summer Resident Camp

Retreats & Rentals

Family Camp

Ropes Courses

Teen Adventure Camp

www.campjonesgulch.org Pescadero Rd, La Honda (650) 747-1200

LAZY “H” RANCHSUMMER CAMP

Every child owns a ponyor horse for the week.

Camp is every week during the summer.

Call for more information or a ranch tour:(650) 726-3743 www.lazyhponyranch.com

HMB April 2011 35

» DOWN TO EARTH

Terrariums make a comebackW hen I was young, in the 1970s, terrariums

were very “in.” (So was macrame, crazy-quilts and decoupage on wood with lots of lacquer,

but this is a diff erent story.) Even back then, I was a fan. I loved anything miniature and was oft en daydream-ing about stories like “Th e Borrowers” and “Gulliver’s Travels,” so terrariums — which seemed like complete, tiny worlds unto themselves — were right up my alley. I’ve also always loved cloches and Wardian cases for the same reasons.

According to the New York Times, I’m so behind the curve on their comeback, but I’m totally fi ne with that! I think it’s time for me to jump back in and make a ter-rarium, and, if you’re so inclined, here’s how you can too.

Supplies needed:t Wide-mouthed glass containers (thrift stores are great places to look for these);t Gravel, rocks, branches, beach glass, shells (whatever strikes your fancy);

t Activated charcoal (Feed & Fuel has this);t Plants (mosses, ferns, orchids, mini houseplants, etc.);t Sterile potting mix.

Layer, from the bottom up — gravel, charcoal, soil, plants and decorative items. Get creative with how you arrange everything. Water with a spray bottle every couple of weeks and take off the lid once a month to let it air out. Oh, and don’t fertilize — you don’t want to encourage growth!

If you want more detailed instructions, go to about.com or ehow.com (or a million other sites) and search for “how to plant a terrarium.”

Have fun!— CML

Here is a list of my favorite fertilizers for spring, and why I love them so:

t Plant-Tone: Th is organic fertilizer is like the little black dress you always need to have in your closet. It consistently works and is very versatile. Th e premium blend of organics is infused with benefi -cial microbes, making this long-lasting, slow-release fertilizer perfect for almost any plant in your garden. I love using Plant-Tone for all my succulents and other perennials.

t Milorganite Lawn: If you happen to have a lawn (you know, that vast green-ish area in your front or back yard, that could otherwise be planted with tons of veggies and fl owers), this is the fertilizer for you. Milorganite contains 4 percent

iron, which helps green up your lawn, without excess growth (and mowing). Of course, you can skip this step altogether by calling me and installing a Victory Garden to replace that drab lawn... just a thought.

t Earth Juice Microblast: Yep. Th at’s really the name. Other than that it’s a fabulous fertilizer, not your normal all-purpose, this blend of organics tackles that pesky micronutrient defi ciency in your garden or potted plants. Need some cobalt? Craving a bit of boron? Lusting aft er a pinch of magnesium? It’s all here in liquid form.

t Diamond Nectar: Th is is the perfect fertilizer to boost your plants as a whole, and increase overall yield and size. Dia-

mond Nectar helps increase the uptake of nutrients in the roots zones, increasing the circulation of nutrients throughout the whole plant.

All of these fertilizers can be bought online at www.planetnatural.com For more information on how, when and why to fertilize your garden, contact Jenn at jenn@wildfl owerfarms.org or visit my blog www.dirtygirlgarden.com

— JLS

Fertilizing for spring

Contact Jennifer Segale, Wildfl ower Farms, 726-5883 and Carla Lazzarini,

Earth’s Laughter, (650) 996-5168.

ferns, orchids, mini

Sterile potting mix.Layer, from the bottom up

— gravel, charcoal, soil, plants and decorative items. Get creative with

36 April 2011 HMB

» SIGHTSEEING WITH LARS HOWLETT

My favorite lens

n When: 5:36 p.m., Feb. 2, 2011n Where: Fitzgerald Marine Reserven Exposure: 1/25 of a second at f/3.3, ISO 800n Photographer’s Notes: In college I fell in love with a 20mm f/2.8 lens that was loaned to me as a photog-rapher for the Northwestern University yearbook. It’s enthralling to explore the world through a wide-angle lens — I’ve known many who can’t give up their fish eyes even out of the water. Back in the real world, I became transfixed with a 50mm f/1.4 that allowed me to create images in low-light situations without flash. A very shallow depth of field also rendered interestingly abstract backgrounds. Then, two years ago, I purchased a 105mm f/2.8 on a whim because I needed a low-light telephoto for a concert. I soon discovered its potential for macro photography, revealing amazing details, such as in this anemone, without having to get nose-to-nose with a subject. The 105mm is also a wonderful portrait lens and all my “Question of the Week” photos are cre-ated with it for the same reason. The subject is sharp, the background falls away, and I can stand at a comfort-able distance while creating intimate portraits.

Lars Howlett is the Half Moon Bay Review’s

photographer. You can reach him at

[email protected]

2010 RITZ KIDS SUMMER CAMPS REGISTRATION FORM

Please complete and return to The Ritz Carlton, Half Moon Bay: Attention Ritz Kids One Miramontes Point Road, Half Moon Bay, California Fax: (650) 712-7870 Phone (650) 712-7667 Email: [email protected]

Camper’s Name Age and Date of Birth Guardian’s Name Street Address

City State Zip

Telephone Email address

Before Care After Care $ Session 1: June 21 – June 25 Yes ___ No___ Yes ___ No___ $ Session 2: June 28– July 2 Yes ___ No___ Yes ___ No___ $ Session 3: July 5 – July 9 Yes ___ No___ Yes ___ No___ $ Session 4: July 12 – July 16 Yes ___ No___ Yes ___ No___ $ Session 5: July 19 – July 23 Yes ___ No___ Yes ___ No___ $ Session 6: July 26 – July 30 Yes ___ No___ Yes ___ No___ $ Session 7: August 2 – August 6 Yes ___ No___ Yes ___ No___ $ Session 8: August 9 – August 13 Yes ___ No___ Yes ___ No___

Total extended care at $15 per day $ Total lunch orders at $15 per day $ Other Charges $______________ Total Amount Due $ CHECK INFORMATION Check Number

CREDIT CARD INFORMATION

Name (Exactly as it appears on Credit Card)

Credit Card Number: Expiration

Card Billing Address:

Cardholder’s Phone: Fax:

Registration Fee/Payments: Full payments are due prior to start of camp. To make payments by credit card, please complete the section above, sign below, and fax or email information to the resort. Checks may be sent to the address above or included with this form.

I hereby authorize The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay to charge the above credit card for any outstanding balance not covered by advance payment for Ritz Kids Summer Camp, in the event that charges are not completely settled upon conclusion. Cardholder’s Signature: Date:

Aspire Create Imagine Discover Play

THE RITZ KIDS 2010 SUMMER CAMPS

June 21 to August 13

Tennis • Science • Sports • Arts & Crafts •Fitness • Adventure •Nature

Ages 5 through 14

The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay offers fun, enriching day camps in weeklong sessions designed for children to enjoy a hands-on experience

in a remarkable, unique coastal setting.

A TYPICAL RITZ KIDS CAMP DAY

8 to 9 a.m. Extended morning care 9 a.m. Drop off and welcome 9:30 a.m. to Noon Outdoor activities/swimming Noon to 1 p.m. Lunch and relaxation 1 to 3 p.m. Themed camp activities 3 to 4 p.m. Arts & crafts/Free play 4 p.m. Pick up and fond farewell 4 to 5 p.m. Extended after camp care

The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay offers fun, enriching day camps in week long sessions designed for children to enjoy a hands-on experience in a remarkable, unique, coastal setting.

One Miramontes Point Road Half Moon Bay, California Phn: (650) 712-7667, Fax: (650) 712-7870 [email protected]

Aspire Create Imagine Discover Play

The RiTz-Kids

2011 summeR Camps

June 20 to August 19

Tennis • Science • Sports • Arts & CraftsAdventure • Nature

Ages 5 through 12

C. Ray Sheppard, DMDA PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION

RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY

(650) 726-3355OFFICE HOURS BY APPOINTMENT

890 Main Street, Ste. A, Half Moon Baywww.halfmoonbaysmiledesign.com

O N E V I S I T C R O W N S

C E R E C

Our warm, friendly staff with state of the art technology are hereto make your dental visit a comfortable, pleasant experience!

CAD-CAM CEREC crowns in one visit!

You too can have a beautiful, healthy smile!

Mikki and Leni TribblePatients — El Granada

HMB Magazine April 2011

Documents

years ofinnovation

seton medical centers

skin cancer

years ofcelebrating

moss beach

past summer

tx hot tublarge selection

summer campcoastsiders