I canrsquot thank our readers enough for such an amazing reception to our first issue Our Facebook page at wwwFBcomClaytonGazette jumped to over 2350 followers in under a month and keeping up with your comments has been challenging and fun

With this issue our second I hope to really show you what wersquore

made of local people sharing local stories and local events man on the street interviews and photographs videos online and an occasional hot topic

In addition we have added features we believe you will enjoy and soon we

will be tying it all together with our media site

In this issue we have LOTS of GIVEAWAYS If you follow us on Facebook yoursquoll already know that we have given away TWO FREE tickets to see the Clayton Theatrersquos last show ldquoA Trip Down Broadwayrdquo won by Geri Wilkinson Phillips and Sharon Petersen also a very cute ldquored hatrdquo ceramic Christmas ornament won by Christy Ottobani and TWO FREE TICKETS to see CenterReprsquos

DEATHTRAP won by Priscilla Mercado Congratulations to all of you

Team Clayton Gazette has grown This month we were joined by Jill Banks a Clayton native

and social maven Many of you already know her and I have enjoyed watching her posts on our Facebook page and her interactions with you

In addition my stepson Nick Gensburger (now an adult) joins us as Client Services Manager You will most likely speak with him on the phone and he is the go-to person for advertising as well Our man on

the street Mikah Nunez offers us impromptu images and videos that catch YOU at your best As our media site develops you will find lots of videos included And finally our friends at CSK Photography who have given us two wonderful front covers in additional to other imagery I cannot recommend them enough

Through this 20-page issue you will find MORE items of interest and FREE TICKET GIVEAWAYS including two tickets to see the Contra Costa Balletrsquos ldquoNutcrackerrdquo at the Lesher There is more yoursquoll just have to read it to find them

And finally we are developing CLAYTON NOW a website that offers all our contests event calendars and things you will want to do NOW It will be live in the next few weeks and you will be able to reach it at wwwClaytonNowcom

Happy Halloween Happy Thanksgiving We have a lot to be thankful for Irsquoll see you Online

Warmly

Tiffany GTiffany GensburgerPublishertiffanyclaytongazettecom

PS Tell your friends to LIKE and Follow us on Facebook wwwFBcomClaytonGazette

Holidays AboundThe Clayton Cornerby Tiffany Gensburger IN THIS ISSUE

A Walk Through Time 3

A Littel Bit Off 3

Luke Bryan Closes the Season 4

Dan Ashleyrsquos ldquoWhat Really Mattersrdquo 5

Calendar starts 6

Fighting the Good Fight 8

Teacher Extraordinaire 11

Swansong Edward Stegge 11

Mind Games 12

Holiday Recipes 14

Movie amp Book Reviews 17

The Clayton Gazette bull NOVEMBER 2014 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom bull (925) 303-4779 ~ Page 2 ~

Follow us on FacebookhttpwwwfacebookcomClaytonGazette

The Clayton Gazette bull NOVEMBER 2014 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom bull (925) 303-4779 ~ Page 3 ~

A Walk Through Time

with Misty Bruns Docent at Clayton Museum

Paul De Martini was born in Genoa Italy in 1844 He came to the US in 1861 and moved to Concord California in 1865

Later he moved to the coal mining community of Nortonville where he operated a boarding house for two years

He then moved to Clayton where he bought approximately 44 acres from Joel Clayton and planted his vineyard

The De Martini winery produced prize-winning wines winning first place for port and sherry at the St Louis

Exposition in 1904The wineryrsquos production ranked

second in the county at 200000 gallons surpassed only by Martinellirsquos Mt Diablo Winery

On August 30 1984 the De Martini Winery was placed on the National Register of Historic Places

The stone building is now the townrsquos civic center with a community meeting room city offices and the Clayton Police Department

httpwwwclaytonhistoryorg

DeMartini Winery

Information from the researchresource center at the Clayton museum

the humor of Cathy Turneya little bit Off

Itrsquos time to think about Christmas and how the gifts we choose can affect the recipientrsquos self esteem This year you or someone you care deeply about will undoubtedly receive a piece of technologymdashan apparatus with a mind of its own a mind more devious than Tony Soprano more Machiavellian than Machiavelli For instance a computer And guaranteed you will be talking to India

I was invited to participate in a Google Hangout (high tech talk for interview) about real estate Well it was really about promoting my new book Laugh Your Way to Real Estate Sales Success The book that will be available on Amazon for 927 rupees a nominal price on or around when the planets align November 15 But I shamelessly digress

So I had to get the camera on my computer to work Funny how everyone else worries about bad guys spying on them through that little red dot that is the camera lens on their monitor and I canrsquot get mine to open its eye MyHusbandTheEngineer who can fix anything tried his hand at it

MHTE ldquoWhat did you dordquo

Me ldquoNothing I just Googled lsquoGoogle Hangoutrsquo and there isnrsquot a single bit of information about how to make the camera workrdquo

MHTE ldquoYou must have done something

to the camerardquo

Me ldquoLetrsquos just call Dell That name rings a bell Which rhymes with hell whichhelliprdquo

MHTE ldquoNo Irsquoll fix itrdquo

Itrsquos hard for a grown man to admit defeat so while he was ldquofixingrdquo I got on the phone to Dell because I have a file folder that says ldquoDellrdquo which must mean that the computer is a Dell

Dell aka India answers ldquoThank you for calling Technical Support How may I help yourdquo

Me ldquoI canrsquot get the camera on my computer to workrdquo

India ldquoThank you for calling Is the problem that your camera does not workrdquo

Me ldquoYesrdquo

India ldquoAllow me to understand your problem please The camera on your computer does not workrdquo

Me ldquoThatrsquos right And my husband who is an engineer cannot fix itrdquo I whisper stepping out of the room

India ldquoI understand You are having difficulty with your computer camera

Continued on page 18

Talking To India

The Clayton Gazette bull NOVEMBER 2014 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom bull (925) 303-4779 ~ Page 4 ~

Luke BryanLee Brice amp Cole Swindell

Close Out the Concord Pavilion Season

Cole Swindell - Photo courtesy of Bennett Shots - Brad amp Sara Bennett

Luke Bryan- Photo courtesy of Bennett Shots - Brad amp Sara

Clayton Theatre CompanyThe Clayton Theatre

Company closed out ldquoA Trip Down Broadwayrdquo which was a resounding success with four of the eight shows a sell out including a very successful fundraiser for Rett Syndrome

ldquoEveryone who saw the show absolutely raved about itrdquo said Beth Neudell show publicist ldquoThey thought it was very professional the

Photo credit Meghan PardiThe cast and crew of ldquoA Trip Down Broadwayrdquo in front of Endeavor Hall after a successful run

voices were wonderful they were wowed by the sheer number of talented singers and actorsrdquo

This was the third production for the Clayton Theatre The Robber Bridegroom was the first Night of January 16th was the second

The next show will be Arsenic and Old Lace in April 2015 in Endeavor Hall The exact dates will be determined

The final concert of the season at The Concord Pavilion drew a huge crowd to hear Luke Bryan Lee Brice and Cole Swindell close out the season in style

Luke Bryan spent most of his childhood on a farm in Leesburg Georgia helping his father with his peanut business and learning to hunt and fish as any good country western singer must

At age 14 he got his first guitar and emulating the likes of George Strait was already entertaining groups by age fifteen He was quickly signed up by local talent scouts only to be siderailed with the death of his brother in an automobile accident He chose to stay in Leesburg with his family

Luke is now the ACM Entertainer of the Year on a tour that includes larger venues and topped by an appearance at the Hollywood Bowl Send Us Your Selfies

Send us YOUR PHOTOS and SELFIES We want to know where you go to have fun Simply email them to infoclaytongazettecom and yoursquoll automatically be entered into drawings for our contests and the opportunity to be in print

WhatReallyMattersby Dan Ashley ABC-7 News Anchor

Watch Danrsquos live newscasts at httpabclocalgocomkgolive

You may still have that carved pumpkin on the front stoop and you certainly have at least a couple of ldquofun sizerdquo candy bars left over from Halloween but ghosts and goblins are a facing memory Wersquore on to the main events Quick bird walk Irsquove never thought of those tiny candy bars we hand out to trick-or-treaters as the ldquofunrdquo size who are they kidding Anyway I digress regular commentary service is now resuming

The next couple of months are a magical time of year but in our busy work-a-day lives it is easy to miss the magic The winter holidays Thanksgiving Christmas and Hanukkah are truly a time of gratitude good will and joy So often however we seem to whiz by these important mile-markers with only a passing glance as we notice them fading away in our rear view mirrors We are too busy today too distracted to steep ourselves in some of the most precious moments we are meant to enjoy with our families

How many years have you entered the holidays excited and looking forward to making the most of them only to look back in February and wondered how and why they passed by so quickly

Our working lives are demanding and can be unforgiving While we may not be able to change the reality of earning a living we cannot allow ourselves to make that an excuse for not being engaged in our home life when wersquore not on the job Admittedly this is a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black as I am often far too busy too distracted too pulled in too many directions to unplug and enjoy down time And it has only gotten worse thanks to the insidious influence of my smart-phone What began as a device to keep us connected has in so many ways disconnected us from our loved ones I should probably sue the thing for all of the time itrsquos stolen

With Halloween over wersquore off to the racesmdashthe mad dash to Thanksgiving followed by that panicked sprint to Christmas We can come up for air by Valentinersquos Day

Herersquos an ideamdashmake your New Yearrsquos resolution now Resolve not to let another holiday season pass without embracing What Really Matters

The Clayton Gazette bull NOVEMBER 2014 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom bull (925) 303-4779 ~ Page 5 ~

Holidays are for the Home

Dan Ashley is an anchor at ABC-7 News and can be seen weeknights at 5 6 and 11 pm on ABC-7 and at 9 pm on KOFY TV20

Contact him at danmyconcordiancom Visit httpwwwrockwithpushcom for more on the band

Jeff Holmesrsquo

A Heart forChristmas

Clayton resident Jeff Holmes is in the midst of setting up one of the largest Christmas displays and light shows in Contra Costa County Called ldquoA Heart for Christmasrdquo the end result is a FREE Christmas tour and musical light show orchestrated and directed by the award-winning lighting designer Jeff was also creator of the largest musical Christmas tree in the world

The entire property is designed to be an interactive experience

ldquoAs you cross the bridgerdquo Holmes explained to the Gazette ldquoyou leave that traditional Christmas world and you enter our land Everything here is whiterdquo The initial section behind the house is made up of white Christmas lights The design is complex using a base of mulch with quilt batting and lights to give a believable snowscape ldquoLast year we had a forest of fairies and lasers The music is still here but it is a different songA different emotion You have to be immersed in this experiencerdquo

The display boasts 60000 lights

on 2-acres of land The walk-through display located at 1185 Pine Lane in Clayton was created to raise financial support and awareness for the Katie-Grace Groebner fund of the Childrenrsquos Organ Transplant Association Katie Grace now twelve years old was a former sufferer of pulmonary hypertension She received a heart and bi-lateral lung transplant earlier this year and despite obstacles is doing well

The display features nearly 60000 lights snow machines lasers and a 20-minute musical light show featuring our two adorable snow children Blizzard and Flurry It is a 20 minute light show repeated every half hour

The show opens November 28 You can follow Jeffrsquos progress at wwwaheartforchristmascom and at wwwfbcomheartforchristmas

FREE FOR THE TAKINGFree Firewood - Pine cut 2x2 rounds not split

You load amp haul

Call 925-207-0449

The Clayton Gazette bull NOVEMBER 2014 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom bull (925) 303-4779 ~ Page 6 ~

Enter to win TWO FREE Tickets to ldquoThe Nutcrackerrdquo show on November 29 730 pm Email infoclaytongazettecom and tell us why you read The Clayton Gazette Deadline Friday Nov 14 5pm

FAIRSSHOWS118 Concord Con Toy amp Collectibles Show 9 am Center Concord 5298 Clayton Rd wwwconcordconcom 1115 ndash 1116 Contra Costa County Fair 1201 West 10th St Antioch wwwContraCostaFaircom SEE OUR AD PAGE 191119 530 pm 14th Annual Amateur Boxing Show Community Youth Center presents the 14th Annual Amateur Boxing Show at Scottrsquos Seafood Restaurant Jack London Square Oakland httpwwwcommunityyouthcenterorg127 334pm Pearl Harbor Day Beacon Lighting Ceremony Lighting the Eye of Diablo Every year since 1964 the Pearl Harbor survivors and their families have memorialized Pearl Harbor Day by relighting the historic Beacon atop Mount Diablorsquos summit This year will be the first official Beacon lighting since it underwent an extensive restoration process earlier this year to ensure it continues to shine for many more years Mount Diablo State Park Concord

Outdoors

1031 Trick or Treat 300pm ndash 500pm Come and Trick or Treat around the downtown plaza and see which of your favorite scarecrows won this years Scarecrow competition wwwCityofconcordorg112 Save Mount Diablo Trail Adventure- Half Marathon10K5K A portion of all registration fees will go to Save Mount Diablo to fund land preservation and trails Castle Rock Park Walnut Creek httpwwwbrazenracingcomDTAmainhtml118 - 11115 Walnut Creek on Ice Childrenrsquos Winter Festival $52 hour skating sessions offered all day httpwwwiceskatewalnutcreekcom1116 3815 41215 51015 Family Day at Sienna Ranch Each Fall and Spring Sienna Ranch opens its doors for special family and community open house days Come enjoy our lovable animals fun activities good company and wholesome environment Bring your own picnic lunch or pre-order a healthy lunch to eat on the day Family Day Passes are $85 Admission to Sienna Ranch Family Day for up to 5 people 3 pony or horse ride tickets3 archery tickets 5 tractor-pulled hayride tickets Participation in the hands-on activityOpportunity to go on a guided nature hike to our Tree FortUnlimited animal visits to goats sheep and chickens during open pen timeshttpbitly1FOtrdc to register Sienna Ranch 3232 Deer Hill RdLafayette112 Pleasan Hill Family Fun Triathlon This Swimming event will be located at Pool - Pleasant Hill Education Center 1 Santa Barbara Rd Pleasant Hill

CLUB EVENTS1113 7PM Clayton Valley Garden Club Club memberrsquos will share and discuss their best flower plant garden andor wildlife related digital images on our Clubrsquos HD video projector Diamond Terrace 6401 Center Street Clayton httpwwwclaytonvalleygardencluborgNov 15 all day - Online Registration Clayton Valley Little League wwwcvllorg

Home amp GardenFarmersrsquo MarketsbullPacific Coast Farmers Market Association bullConcord Tuesdays 10am to 2pm year-round rain or shine Todos Santos Plaza bullConcord Thursdays 4pm to 8pm Todos Santos PlazabullClayton Saturdays 10am - 2pm bullMartinez Sundays 10am to 2pm year-round Main St and Estudillo bullPleasant Hill Saturday May 3rd through November 15th 9 am to 1 pm Downtown Plaza (in front of Jackrsquos Restaurant) httpwwwpcfmacom httpwwwpcfmaorg bullContra Costa Certified Farmers Market Sundays 9 am - 1 pm Year Round WalnutCreek North Locust St between Giamona and Lacassie St (925) 431-8361 httpwwwcccfmorg

Senior Events119 1145 am Bingo and Spaghetti Lunch

Come join us every second Sunday of the month to have lunch andor play bingo Lunch $3 Bingo packs $5 (6 cards10 games Special games cost extra Questions call 925687-2585 Concord Senior Center 2727 Parkside Cir ConcordNovember 16 ndash 900 to 1045 am Family Breakfast at theConcord Senior Center Join us for Pancakes or Biscuits amp Gravy with eggs ham fruit coffee juice and service with a smile Adults $400 Children 3-11 years $200 Children 2 amp younger free Questions call 925687-2585 2727 Parkside Cir Concord

Visual ArtsThru 42015 Artist Deborah Ashley -Twenty of Deborahrsquos paintings will be on exhibit until April 2015 at Kanishkarsquos Restaurant 1518 Bonanza St (near Locust Avenue) Walnut Creek

TheatreFilm11 1-2 6789 times vary Wunderworld Sara Moore the brilliant San Francisco-based clown and her Thrillride Mechanics troupe star in Wunderworld a stunning new re-imagining of the Alice in Wonderland story wwwcenterreporg 1601 Civic Dr Walnut Creek Continues on Page 9

My 15 year old niece is over-the-top happy at being invited to her first prom I couldnrsquot help but think back to my first

prom It didnrsquot matter that my

date was arranged by my mother and her best friend

My date was a classmate and also the son of momrsquos best friend I had known him since childhood and we barely

tolerated each other But we wanted to go to the prom so we prepared to go and have a good time

My mother took me to a fancy store in San Francisco to get the perfect dress I remember it was lavender taffeta and had yards and yards of skirt A wonderful ball gown The dress cost $1495 which was more than my folks had ever spent on an article of clothing The prom was being held in the Colonial Ballroom at the St Francis Hotel in downtown San Francisco Since neither I nor my date drove we took a taxi to the affair What could be more grown-up To see all my classmates dressed in suits and gorgeous dresses was a sight to behold Of course my dress was the most beautiful and I felt like a fairy princess

There was a big-band orchestra playing all the current hits of the 40rsquos I was dancing to every song and actually having a marvelous time when a classmate stopped me and asked if that was my mother hiding behind a potted plant in one of the balconies above the dance floor Not only was my mother there but so was my datersquos mother

Soon all my friends were commentating on our parents viewing us One smart-mouthed boy referred to me as ldquoBaby Ruthrdquo needing her mom to be near

Irsquod like to say I confronted both moms and chewed them out but I was too upset So I kept quiet stayed until the affair was over

We taxied to my home and my angry date stormed off to have a few words with his mom

When my mom came home I let loose on her citing all the embarrassment she caused me

Peeping Moms by Ruth Dywer

Sponsored by the Diamond Terrace 55+ Retirement Communityresidenttales

wwwdiamondterracenet

The Clayton Gazette bull NOVEMBER 2014 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom bull (925) 303-4779 ~ Page 7 ~

Editorrsquos Note Sadly Lora Ingalls a longtime resident of Diamond Terrace and a contributor to this paper passed away on Sept 28 Please see a memorial and Lorarsquos final story on page 8

The Clayton Gazette bull NOVEMBER 2014 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom bull (925) 303-4779 ~ Page 8 ~

In-MemoriamLora Ingalls

Lora Ingalls an original resident of Diamond Terrace passed away peacefully Sunday September 28th 2014

Lora first moved to the Retirement Community in January 2003 She was born on a ranch in North Central Nebraska and was a twin She often shared her years growing up with wonderful stories about her youth - many printed in The Concordian

She came from a very caring and generous family which helped her become the person she was - genuine loving and smart In her early years she was a teacher in a one-room country schoolhouse 100 miles from her home Lora continued teaching until she married Mitch and together they had 2 children Lenita and Chuck

Playing scrabble was one of her favorite past times and you could always spot her on Wednesday mornings in the lobby at Diamond Terrace engulfed in a game She was also a very accomplished seamstress and enjoyed crafts and needlework Among items she collected her pencil collection was near and dear to her heart and proudly shared her extensive pencil assortment to the amazement of all who got to see it

Lora Ingalls had a deep and meaningful faith and was responsible for leading fellow residents in a weekly time of study in the Bible Lorarsquos Devotions for many years

Always up for fun whenever the opportunity arose Lora loved to dance and was sure to make all the parties The Halloween Party was one she never failed to get excited about and always came in costume of course Little Red Riding Hood was a favorite over the years She will surely be thought of this coming Halloween

Lora will be deeply missed by her many friends who knew her loved her and enjoyed her for so eleven years at her beloved Diamond Terrace

On June 27 1927 my twin brother and I were not only excited about our 8th birthday but were excited about our very first car that would be delivered by the dealer that day We were all eagerly waiting for its arrival When the dealer finally drove that shiny black Model T Ford up to the house we all ran out to see it Of course we all wanted to check it out investigating every nook and cranny We could hardly wait to ride it At the time there were very few cars in our area of Nebraska

When the dealer talked to my folks about the car he asked them who was going to drive it My dad said ldquoIrsquom not Irsquom sticking to the horsesrdquo Then Mama explained that she was going to be the driver ldquoDo you know how to driverdquo Mama answered ldquoI will know when you teach merdquo

The dealer took Mama out on our country roads and taught her how to drive And of course she had to learn how to crank the car because thatrsquos how the engine started For years Mama did all the driving but eventually Dad learned to drive by Mama teaching him She was the very first woman among all our neighbors to drive an automobile

Mama had several small car accidents during those years But they did not deter her from driving Many humorous stories were told about the incidents of her driving years Herersquos one story that always came up at family gatherings and never failed to bring much laughter

among us all even MamaMama sometimes drove the car to

our gardens about a mile from our house to gather produce One day she and Nyle my youngest brother drove to the gardens to get fresh vegetables When they got ready to leave Nyle got in the front seat and Mama stepped in front to start the car She had to crank it over and over Apparently she either failed to set the parking brake or the gear leaped out of neutral because when the engine finally started the car began to roll It knocked her down and rolled right over her and kept going down the hill until it stopped in the middle of the creek Mama was not hurt and all she could think of was getting her car out of the creek

She immediately ran to the house to get Dadrsquos help After she told him what had happened Dad asked ldquoWherersquos Nylerdquo ldquoOh My goodnessrdquo She exclaimed ldquoI do hope our little boy is okay Hersquoll be so scaredrdquo

Dad went to the barn and hitched up a team of horses to recover the car Mom couldnrsquot wait to get to Nyle

When my parents got to the car my little brother was just sitting very patiently watching the water in the creek

Allrsquos well that ends well Mama wasnrsquot hurt Nyle wasnrsquot hurt and the car was no worse for wearmdashand best of all we all got a laugh out of it

Mama and Her Car by Lora Ingalls

Fighting the Good Fight with Good Friends

Twelve year old Clayton resident Katie Grace Groebner has made huge strides back home following her heart and bilateral lung transplant a few months earlier

With the support of many in the community and across the country she has become an inspiring story of resilience

During the ordeal which began at her birth her family has endured much financial hardship With Online funding sites and local fundraisers such as Jeff Holmesrsquo ldquoA Heart for Christmasrdquo light show (see this issue) Katie Grace has become Claytonrsquos favorite girl

CVCHS student and Clayton native Chandler Wakefield decided to do something of his own And so

he had a CVCHS football jersey made using his number and adding Katie Gracersquos name to the back

ldquoFootball has become a huge part of my life it takes up a lot of my time ldquoChandler said ldquoOn my football pads I wear an extra pad that covers my lower back and a lot of the time this is the only visible pad on a football player Since you can see it many people cover it in tape and write or draw something on it this is one way a player can add their own unique touch to their uniform At

the beginning of the summer when Katie first got her surgery I took the Katiersquos dream logo and put it on my back pad This was my own personal way of showing my support to Katie ldquoAs time went on almost every single player on my team ask me what it meant and I gave them a brief run down of Katiersquos story and they would always ask is she gonna be okay I would tell them now she will be and they would always say thatrsquos really coolrdquo

Katie Grace wore the jersey to the Oct 18 game

ldquoI never expected to get attention from thisrdquo Chandler said ldquoIt was just my own little piece of support So then I realized I donrsquot want her to be supporting me I wanted to make her a jersey of her own and then it will be like Irsquom the one wearing the compliment jersey to her She is such

an inspiration to me and has changed the way I look at a lot of things in liferdquo

ldquoShe was so excited to see Chandler out on the fieldrdquo Kathy Groebner said All the new things that Katie Grace can now do is still overwhelming to her mother

ldquoBreathing is something everybody takes for grantedrdquo Chandler said ldquoConsidering Irsquom an athlete I realize that I use fatigue as an excuse sometimes and that is really selfish since I know a little girl whorsquos lungs were failing her and she has lived 11 years basically breathing as though through a strawrdquo

November is PH Awareness Month You can learn more about helping to fund the Groebner family expenses at httpwwwgofundme

comkaties-dream and about Pulmonary Hypertension at httpwwwphassociationorg

Photo credit (in order) courtesy of Kathy Groebner Chandler Wakefield and Brent Wakefield

PumpkinMuffins 1 12 cups all purpose flour 34 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoon cinnamon 14 teaspoon ginger 14 teaspoon nutmeg 12 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 cup canned pumpkin puree 34 cup vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place paper liners into each well of your standard size muffin baking pan

In a large bowl combine flour sugar baking soda and all spices Combine eggs pumpkin and oil in a separate bowl Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and gently stir together until all is incorporated Do not over mix Gently fill paper-cup lined muffin tins 23 full Bake your muffins for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out cleanRecipe courtesy of Alpine Pastry amp Cakes

HELPsupport The

Clayton GazetteWe want to be the feature paper you know that you can count on We are not the daily There is a newspaper for that or Claycordcom for even faster news We are not covering politics unless someone has done something that needs to be celebrated

We celebrate the people of Clayton and the many fun and wonderful things that happen

Support The Clayton Gazette by telling your friends and businesses to LIKE amp FOLLOW us on Facebook and even to advertise with us Our

rates cannot be beaten

wwwClaytonGazettecomEmail infoclaytongazettecom

1118 15 22 29 1pm - 320pm BERKELEY PLAYHOUSE MAINSTAGE PRESENTS MARY POPPINS Based on the books by PL Travers and the 1964 Disney film MARY POPPINS is simply sweet like a spoonful of sugar Set in 1910 England young troublemakers Jane and Michael Banks have duped their way through so many nannies However when Mary Poppins suddenly arrives at their door the Banks family learns mdash through magic and wonder mdash how to value each other again Berkeley Playhouse2640 College Ave Berkeley httpberkeleyplayhouseorg boxofficeberkeleyplayhouseorg11 6 ndash 1415 times vary James and the Giant Peach performed by Bay Area Childrenrsquos Theatre ndash Mill Valley Berkeley San Ramon amp San Francisco An exciting new musical inspired by Roald Dahlrsquos classic tale about the orphaned boy who escapes from his wicked aunts aboard an enormous enchanted peach inhabited by a bevy of very big bugs httpwwwbactheatreorgshows Bay Area Childrenrsquos Theatre | 6114 La Salle Ave Ste 431 Oakland infobactheatreorgThru 118 RedWolf Fridays at 8 pm Saturdays at 2 pm and 8 pm Sundays at 7 pm A girl is ripening on the edge of town uncontrolled chaotic voracious This is an orderly place Everything is on the map the last scrap of woods the old house on the outskirts You can see the line where the big new road will go Right through Redrsquos room Thru 119 - DVC Drama presents THE WEDDING SINGER Music by Matthew Sklar Book by Chad Beguelin and Tim Herlihy Lyrics by Chad Beguelin October 24-November 9 Directed by Lisa Drummond Musical Direction by Enrico Banson Choreography by Amanda Boyan Itrsquos 1985 and rock-star wannabe Robbie Hart is New Jerseyrsquos favorite wedding singer httpswwwfacebookcomdvcdramaonline11 10 Theatre Bay Area (TBA) the nonprofit service organization for theatre and dance in the Bay Area has announced the finalists (httpwwwbitly1wJKIkY) for the inaugural year of the TBA Awards11-11-14 Veterans Day Celebration At Lesher Center for the Arts wwwlesherartscenterorg1114 amp 15 A Swinginrsquo Holiday and More-21st Season Opening November 14 2014 at 800 pm and November 15 at 200 pm and 800 pm Del Valle Theatre 1963 Tice Valley Boulevard Walnut Creek Purchase tickets online at wwwLesherArtsCenterorg or by calling (925) 943-7469 Following each performance ticket holders are invited to meet and mingle with the costumed dancers and celebrate Diablo Balletrsquos 21st Season- see article PAGE 11Thru 1115 Bye Bye Birdie A musical theatre classic - Satire done with the fondest affection Lesher Center 1600 Civic Drive Walnut Creek wwwccmtorg1115-16 Piedmont East Bay Childrenrsquos Choir Ensemble premieres a new oratorio by Stacy Garrop with the San Francisco Choral Society httpwwwsfchoralorgsiteworks-vaughan-wiliams-garrop Calvary Presbyterian Church 2515 Fillmore Street San Francisco 1115 Headliner Ryan Stout is a regular guest on Chelsea Lately and has also appeared on Conan HBOrsquos Funny as Hell Comedy Centralrsquos Live at Gotham and his own special Comedy Central Presents Ryan Stout Ryan Stout featuring Dhaya Lakshminarayanan amp Hosted by Brendan Lynch pittsburgcaliforniatheatrecom SEE ARTICLE ON PAGE 13

Thru Nov 22 Deathtrap (CenterRep) a mystery writer willing to do anything it takes to achieve success Lesher Center for the Arts Walnut Creek centerreporgDec 12-14 Cinderella Diablo Youth Theatre The timeless enchantment of a magical fairy tale is reborn with the Rodgers amp Hammerstein hallmarks of originality charm and elegance Originally presented on television in 1957 starring Julie Andrews Rodgers amp Hammersteinrsquos Cinderella was the most widely viewed program in the history of the medium Four performances only Friday December 12 at 7 pm Saturday December 13 at 1 pm Saturday December 13 at 7 pm Sunday December 14 at 1 pm The Village Theatre 233 Front Street DanvilleTickets (925) 314-3466

California Theatre listings - see PAGE 13 Continues on Page 20

The Clayton Gazette bull NOVEMBER 2014 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom bull (925) 303-4779 ~ Page 10 ~

We all love our pets but we all also love our vacations and unfortunately itrsquos not always in the cards to take our pets with us when we travel In fact I think this decision about what to do with our pets when we are away prevents a lot of us from committing to those travel plans in the first place

Sometimes we can count on neighbors or friends or family to pop in and refill the food and water bowls But is that really enough care to make us feel comfortable with leaving our furry companions for extended periods of time Might be okay for a night away but not for those longer trips

So what are our options for going away without the worry Nowadays lucky for us there are lots of options when it comes to care for our pets and options that suit all types of budgets I think it really depends on what works best for your pet For example a rescue dog who has been in and out of shelters may not do well in another kennel type environment He may be more comfortable in his own home having a professional pet sitter look in on him maintaining the consistency of his own routine I think this is also true for geriatric dogs and cats or animals that have special needs The home environment and home routine

is very important to maintaining their health Then there are dogs who do great in a boarding facility away from their own home This is usually the most cost effective care There are even professional pet sitters who board dogs in their homes which is another great option if you arenrsquot comfortable with kennels or with having a pet sitter come into your house Like anything it is just a matter of finding the right fit for your pet and I think that depends on the animalrsquos history the condition of her health and the environment that is the most comfortable for her All of these factors can change with age so your dog may love going to the kennel as a pup or as an adult canine but as he gets older his needs may change where he will be happier in his home environment when you travel

We are fortunate to have so many options to choose from and to live during a time when people treat pets as family members So visit some kennels interview some professional pet sitters and see what is the right fit for you and your animal companions and then book that vacation

Aimee OrsquoBrien RVTVet Tech Pet Care ownerwwwVetTechPetCarecom

Making the Right Choice for Your PetAssemblywoman Bonilla Holds Select Committee Hearing on STEM Education

Assemblywoman Susan A Bonilla (D-Concord) will be holding a Select Committee on Increasing the Integration of STEM Education hearing on Thursday October 23rd at Mills College in Oakland from 900am to 1230pm The hearing titled the Bay Area Regional STEM Education Summit Advancing STEM through Public-Private Partnerships will serve as the kickoff to the 4th Annual Bay Area Science Festival which is a10-day event filled with a wide range of science and technology activities

ldquoThis hearing will produce actionable initiatives to advance STEM education throughout the Bay Area and beyondrdquo said Assemblywoman Susan A Bonilla (D-Concord) ldquoOur extensive list of confirmed panelists will produce a wide variety of perspectives on the best strategies and practices to improve STEM education and increase investments for its expansionrdquo

The Bay Area Regional STEM Education Summit will bring a diverse group of education industry and government leaders to strategize policies partnerships and investments that will strengthen STEM education throughout the Bay Area The hearing will explore state policies that promote

STEM provide insightful dialogue from the perspective of educators and encourage effective public-private partnerships In addition the hearing features presentations on the Broadband

Infrastructure Improvement Grant and the Career Pathways Trust two state funded grant programs that support STEM learning

ldquoIn a constantly shifting economy it is important that public

education reflects the necessary skills students will need in the workforcerdquo said Assemblywoman Bonilla ldquoSTEM education does just that ndash it prepares students for the 21st century economy It is essential that we continue to develop and expand these programs with public-private partnerships being an integral part of the processrdquo

Among those participating in the panels are executives from the Bay Area Council Bayer Hewlett-Packard Wareham Development various leaders from K-12 higher education and STEM organizations as well as current and former legislative officials For the full hearing agenda and to RSVP to this free event please visit httpasmdcorgstemsummit

The Clayton Gazette bull NOVEMBER 2014 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom bull (925) 303-4779 ~ Page 11 ~

Teacher Extraordinaire Karen Krieder

Swansong Edward Steggrsquos Final Performance

Karen Kreider is a first-grade teacher at Saint Francis of Assisi School in Concord and one who recently returned to teaching after a two year battle with colon cancer On October 8 she received a special surprise she had been named a winner of the Warren Eukel Teacher Trust award for excellence in education a prestigious honor that also comes with a $10000 cash prize

ldquoI was humbled when I learned that the parents had nominated me for this special honorrdquo Kreider said ldquoThen I was shocked to learn that I was one of the three winners All of the students were very happy for me I received buckets of hugs smiles beyond measure and some congratulatory notesrdquo

The school held a special assembly to honor her The award was only the second time that a Catholic school teacher has won the award

ldquoLearning that I had colon cancer was quite devastatingrdquo Krieder explained ldquoBut what really helped me through the dark days was to stop and take stock of my many blessings I had chemotherapy radiation and surgery at Stanford Hospital I was fortunate to be a patient at this wonderful facility Sister James Marien the Principal and Father Ismael the Pastor made it a point to say special prayers on my behalf The staff parents and children all prayed for my good health My friends stayed close to offer any assistance I needed So how could I not be thankful for all of the wonderful prayers good thoughts and help When I regained my strength and health there was no

question about my wanting to return to my ldquoslice of heavenrdquo Saint Francis of Assisi Schoolrdquo

As far as the cash award Kreider did not now how it was to be spent ldquoI assumed that I would write a proposal or grantrdquo she said ldquoUpon receiving the special call telling me I was a winner I asked lsquoDo I

write a proposal for how to spend the moneyrsquo The gentleman who called me answered lsquoThis money is for you Go to Francersquo WOW Of course I will give Saint Francis of Assisi some of the money My heart is full of appreciation to Angie Elgazzar and the parents who ldquoplotted my happinessrdquo Their children are currently in Second Grade I will give their wonderful teacher Mrs Burke money to buy something special for the class I will also donate money towards their party fund which is organizedsupported by parents I love animals so I will give some money to support animal welfare I might buy a really nice digital camera since I have wanted one for a while Or I might buy a new door with glass paneling I embrace a simple life so I will not be jetting off to far away placesrdquo

Kreider was also honored at an awards dinner November 20 at the Diablo Country Club ldquoI am very happy to teach First Grade at this wonderful school I hope that I am able to find and celebrate the special qualities or ldquolightrdquo that every child possessesrdquo She said

You can watch the video of her award presentation at httponfbme1zq7K2v

Photo courtesy St Francis of Assisi

ldquoI embrace a simple liferdquo Karen Kreider

Edward Stegge who joined Diablo Ballet in February 2002 will retire from the stage after the Companyrsquos 21st Season Opening performances November 14-15 Stegge has been an audience favorite and adored by his fellow company members His engaging presence both on and off the stage has made him a mainstay in the Companyrsquos roster Stegge has also served as Diablo Balletrsquos PEEK Outreach Assistant a role he loves and will continue ldquoI am so honored to have been a part of Diablo Ballet for over twelve seasons I look forward to my continued work in the schools with the Company Diablo Ballet is my familyrdquo says Stegge Artistic Director Lauren Jonas stated ldquoEdward has made an incredible impact and he is a gift to all who know him and watch him dance His work with under-served school children has been insurmountable and I am delighted he will continue in this vital rolerdquo

In an interview with The Clayton Gazette Stegge shared his

involvment teaching second grade classes twice a week at underserved schools He admitted that he used to get teased while in high school ldquoI was willing to endure thatrdquo he said ldquobecause I had a passion for being in front of an audience and ballet in particularrdquo The teasing did not follow him for long ldquoAfter high school everything changesrdquo he added ldquoA lot of the people who used to tease me are my friends on Facebook People grow uprdquo

Edweard Stegge received his training on full scholarship at the San Francisco Ballet and also received training at the School of American Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet He danced with the Colorado Ballet for ten seasons performing the Cavalier in ldquoThe Nutcrackerrdquo Franz in ldquoCoppeliardquo Bluebird in ldquoSleeping Beautyrdquo and the leading role in Alvin Aileyrsquos ldquoThe Riverrdquo Stegge was a guest artist with Minnesota

Continues on Page 12

Photo Credit Mikah NunezClayton Gazette

The Clayton Gazette bull NOVEMBER 2014 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom bull (925) 303-4779 ~ Page 12 ~

STEGGE Continued

Dance Theater under the direction of the late Loyce Houlton and has performed extensively throughout Japan He returned to California in 2000 and performed with Peninsula Ballet Theatre Oakland Ballet and the San Francisco Opera Ballet Since joining Diablo Ballet in 2002 Stegge has performed the title role in Julia Adamrsquos ldquoThe Little Princerdquo George Balanchinersquos ldquoTarantella Pas de Deuxrdquo and ldquoWho Caresrdquo KT Nelsonrsquos ldquoWalk before Talkrdquo and Val Caniparolirsquos ldquoAquilarcordquo Pas de Deux

ldquoEvery dancer has an expiration daterdquo Stegge reflected ldquoIrsquove more than fulfilled thatrdquo

A Swinginrsquo Holiday and More-21st Season Opening

November 14 amp 15 2014Diablo Balletrsquos 21st Season begins

November 14th at the newly renovated Del Valle Theatre in Walnut Creek with the Diablo Ballet premiere of Tolstoyrsquos Waltz by former principal dancer of San Francisco Ballet and Artistic Director of Oregon Ballet Theatre Christopher Stowell

This romantic work premiered at Oregon Ballet Theatre on June 6 2008 at Portlandrsquos Keller Auditorium and is set to the music of such composers as author Leo Tolstoy and choreographer George Balanchine and Julian Scriabin Oregon press noted ldquoIt stands out as an instant hitrdquo

Diablo Balletrsquos performances will feature beloved Bay Area concert pianist Roy Bogas Also on the program is the 2014 Edition of A Swinginrsquo Holiday created in 2012 by Sean Kelly former resident choreographer for the national tour of the musical Billy Elliot and former principal of Houston Ballet

In 2012 the SF Chronicle raved ldquoThe Company has a hit on its handsrdquo Diablo Balletrsquos 2014 Edition features favorite holiday tunes and songs from the 30rsquos and 40rsquos by such legends as Duke Ellington Nat ldquoKingrdquo Cole Wynton Marsalis and Tchaikovskyrsquos The Nutcracker Suite performed live by the Diablo Ballet Swing Orchestra under the direction of Greg Sudmeier The show plays at the Del Valle Theatre 1963 Tice Valley Boulevard Walnut Creek on Friday November 14 2014 at 800 pm and Saturday November 15 at 200 pm and 800 pm Following each performance ticket holders are invited to meet and mingle with the costumed dancers and celebrate Diablo Balletrsquos 21st Season Purchase tickets at wwwLesherArtsCenterorg or by calling (925) 943-7469

Photo credit Tiffany Bertolami-Fong and Michael Malerba

Edward Stegge and Hiromi Yamazaki in ldquoA Swinginrsquo Holidayrdquo

Diablo Balletrsquos ldquoSwinginrsquo Holidayrdquo Launches 21st SeasonAnswers on page 20

Enter to win TWO FREE Tickets to ldquoA Swinginrsquo Holidayrdquo show on Nov 15 800 pm Email infoclaytongazettecom and tell us why you read The Clayton Gazette Deadline Friday Nov 7 5pm

The Clayton Gazette bull NOVEMBER 2014 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom bull (925) 303-4779 ~ Page 13 ~

The Diablo Womenrsquos Chorale presents its December concert ldquoHoliday Sweetrdquo A luscious confection of seasonal and vintage pop music Friday Dec 12th at 730pm and Saturday Dec 13th at 2pm at Mt Diablo Universalist Unitarian Church 55 Eckley Lane Walnut Creek Advance tickets are $10 students $16 general admission and $20 premium seating at wwwdiablowomenschoraleorg or call 800-838-3006 Tickets purchased at the door will be $20 general admission and $10 students

Indulge in sweet hits by Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians the Chordettes the Chiffons the Maguire Sisters Broadway favorites vintage pop contemporary American and seasonal delights DWC is directed by Mary Sorenson and accompanied by Stephen Evans featuring the Sugar Daddies the Bon-Bons and the CAE Cello Choir

For more information visit wwwdiablowomenschoraleorg

Getting Ready for a Sweet Christmas

ENTER TO WIN TWO FREE Tickets to Diablo Womenrsquos Chorale ldquoHoliday Sweetrdquo show on Dec 12 or 13 Email infoclaytongazettecom and tell us why you read The Clayton Gazette Deadline Friday Nov 28 5pm

Comedy with Ryan Stout and more Headline at The California Theatre

Stop by our office today and pick up a copy of The Clayton Gazette

Headliner Ryan Stout was only 22-years-old when he won the prestigious Boston International Comedy Festivalrsquos competition He is now a seasoned comedian with well crafted material who has performed all over the world

He is a regular guest on Chelsea Lately and has also appeared on Conan HBOrsquos Funny as Hell Comedy Centralrsquos Live at Gotham and his own special Comedy Central Presents Ryan Stout

Featured comic Dhaya Lakshminarayanan was named Best Comedian 2013 in the SF Bay Guardianrsquos Best of the Bay Readers Poll Shersquos also appeared as a storyteller on NPRrsquos Snap Judgment

Host Brendan Lynchrsquos astute observational comedy will surprise you with its bold sarcasm absurd twists and hilarious punch lines The show features Ryan Stout andg Dhaya Lakshminarayanan amp Hosted by Brendan Lynch Saturday November 15 2014 at 800 PM

Popovich Comedy Pet Variety ShowInternational circus legend award winner Gregory Popovich

brings his European-style physical comedy acrobats jugglers but most important his furry cast of animals the real stars of the show All animals have been rescued from shelters all over the country and has been transformed into Las Vegas stars The show features an amazing cast of house-cats dogs parrots geese mice even a miniature horse named Diamond and a German goat duo named Kurt amp Helga Tuesday November 11 2014 at 700 PM

Other shows at The California TheatrebullVETJAM 2014 with HOT FOR TEACHER amp Alan Iglesias and

Crossfire ndash A Loving Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughn Saturday November 8 2014 at 5pm

bullRENT - Los Medanos College Department of Dramatic Arts in conjunction with LMCAS Pittsburg Arts amp Community Foundation and Keller Canyon present the award winning Broadway musical December 3-6

bullDisneyrsquos Mulan Jr - Travel back to the legendary storytelling days of ancient China with Disneyrsquos MULAN JR with this action-packed stage adaptation of Disneyrsquos film December 11-14

California Theatre 351 Railroad Ave Pittsburghttpwwwpittsburgcaliforniatheatrecom

ENTER TO WIN TWO FREE Tickets to see Ryan Stout show on Nov 15 8 pm Email infoclaytongazettecom and tell us why you read The Clayton Gazette Specify Ryan Stout Deadline Friday Nov 28 5pm

The Clayton Gazette bull NOVEMBER 2014 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom bull (925) 303-4779 ~ Page 14 ~

Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad with Pancetta From Karen MacPherson

12 oz pancetta small diced blanched4 oz Brussels sprouts- shredded1 oz red wine vinaigrette (see below)1 T Chopped toasted pecansSpanish Manchego cheesePoached eggSalt and pepperIn a hot sauteacute pan render pancetta Add in Brussels sprouts and coat with rendered fat Season with salt and pepper Add in vinaigrette and toss sprouts Sauteacute for 45 seconds until al dente Do not overcook Plate and garnish with toasted pecans and shredded Manchego cheese Top with poached egg and fresh cracked pepper ServeVinaigrette recipe12 cup red wine vinegar2 T lemon juice1 T Dijon mustard1 T chopped parsley12 T chopped thyme1 small clove garlic chopped1 T minced shallot1 12 cups blended olive oilSampPCombine all ingredient except oil Slowly whisk in oil to emulsify Season salt and pepper to taste

Savory Pumpkin Soup From Jill Banks

14 c butter 1 med sweet onion - chopped 1 large garlic clove - crushed 2 tsp curry powder 1 tsp salt 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp crushed red pepper 2 12 c chicken stock 12 c white wine2 c pumpkin - pureed 1 c chestnuts - pureed (no sugar)

Sour cream chives pepitas for garnish

In a large saucepan melt butter Saute onion and garlic until soft Add curry powder salt coriander and red pepper Cook 5 min Add chicken stock and wine Boil gently for 20 min Stir in pumpkin and chestnuts Cook 5 min Use a hand blender or pour into blender and blend until smooth

Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake SquaresFrom Lori Smith10 oz gingersnap cookies 2 tbsp granulated sugar5-6 tbsp unsalted butter meltedFor the filling 8 oz of cream cheese softened2 large eggs 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) 1 cup dark brown sugar1 (12 oz) can of evaporated milk 2 tbsp pure maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract1 heaping tsp of pumpkin pie spice frac14 tsp saltPowdered sugar or fresh whipped cream for garnish (optional)Instructions Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil with an overhang about 3-inches on either side Lightly spray the foil with baking spray Set asideIn the bowl of a food processor pulse cookies and sugar together until you have fine crumbs Through the feed tube while the food processor is on low drizzle 5 tbsp of melted butter in and mix until the mixture comes together like sand when you pinch it together If itrsquos too dry add in a tsp of butter at a time until the mixture becomes wetter and comes togetherPour the crumbs into the prepared baking pan and press it into the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 minutesWash and dry the bowl of the food processorWhile crust is baking make the filling Combine all filling ingredients (EXCEPT powdered sugarwhipped cream) in the food processor Process until smoothPour mixture onto the pre-baked crust and tap pan against the counter to get rid of any air bubblesBake for 30-35 minutes or until filling is set in the centerRemove from oven and set pan on top of a wire rack to coolOnce completely cool carefully lift the bars out of the pan and place on a cutting surface Peel the foil from the edges and using a sharp knife cut the cheesecake into square bars If your knife gets too gummy wipe it downServe chilled or at room temperature with powdered sugar sprinkled on top or whipped cream

Whiskey amp Chai

3 cinnamon sticks broken into pieces20 black peppercorns16 whole cloves8 cardamom pods seeds removed from the pod1 teaspoon ground gingerPinch of freshly grated nutmeg1 12 quart whole milk12 cup light brown sugar1 tablespoon loose black tea4 ounces bourbon or rye whiskey

In spice grinder bring all of the spices to a powderIn a saucepan simmer the milk Remove from the heat Add spices sugar and tea and allow to stand for 15 minutes Strain the chai into a bowl Rinse the saucepanReturn the strained chai to the saucepan and rewarm over moderate heat Stir in the whiskey and serve hot

Clayton Cooks - Holiday Recipes

Where In Clayton

Do you know where in Clayton this plaque can be found Wersquove left you a clue Post your answers on our Facebook page at wwwFBcomClaytonGazette

The Clayton Gazette bull NOVEMBER 2014 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom bull (925) 303-4779 ~ Page 15 ~

Halloween Fun

Photo Credit AMJ

Young Elijah playing hide and seek in the pumpkins being delivered

Diamond Terrace Retirement Community is hosting their 2nd Annual Veteransrsquo Dinner

This is a wonderful multigenerational event where we will celebrate those who served in our United States military Participating will be Diamond Terrace veterans VFW members in Contra Costa County along with children and adult members of the local community

Boy Scouts from Troops 262 and 484 will be performing the Flag Ceremony and Bugle Call The public is invited to join us in this very special and touching tribute The dinner served will be Texas-Style Chili as much as you can eat for a $5 donation All proceeds from this dinner will go to the local VFW chapter

Donrsquot miss this rare opportunity to honor and recognize our military veterans at this exceptional event on Friday November 7th at 6PM

Please RSVP with Elizabeth Sanches Activity Director at (925) 524-5100 by Wednesday November 5th

Donrsquot miss this special opportunity to say ldquoThank Yourdquo and honor veterans in our community

Veteranrsquos Day Dinner

by Debra Morris Pacific Coast Farmers Markethttpwwwpcfmacomconcord

farmerfresh

Roasted Root Vegetables2 carrots1 turnip2 parsnips1 large white potato (do not have to peel if you like skin)2 tablespoons olive oilSalt and pepper2 cloves minced garlic1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs of your choice

Preheat oven to 400degF Line a baking sheet with foil Spray with non-stick cooking spray Clean and peel vegetables Cut into uniform sizes so they all cook equally Toss them in a large bowl with olive oil salt pepper dried herbs and garlic Spread them out evenly on the baking sheet Cover with another piece of foil Bake for 45 minutes or until browned and slightly softRecipe courtesy of Pacific Coast Farmers Market

Fall Root Vegetables for Thanksgiving Most people are familiar with common root vegetables like potatoes onions garlic and carrots but donrsquot know too much about the other root vegetables such as beets turnips rutabagas and parsnips These underappreciated varieties of root vegetables are very nutritious additions to meals loaded with good carbohydrates and dietary fiber rich in flavor and easy on the wallet They can make a wonderful addition to any Thanksgiving feast

The root part of a plant is the nutritional powerhouse We can tap into these ldquostorage containersrdquo if you will for the starches and sugars that the plant produces and this is where they hold many nutrients The humble root vegetable has an undeserved reputation for being dull and bland While they may look unassuming root vegetables may surprise you with tastes that range from slightly bitter to pleasantly sweet Plus they have a heartiness thatrsquos great for cool days

Read Us OnlinewwwClaytonGazettecom

and on FacebookwwwFBcomClaytonGazette

The Clayton Gazette bull NOVEMBER 2014 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom bull (925) 303-4779 ~ Page 16 ~

ldquoEach year all 300 Windermere Real Estate offices across the Western United States gather together and devote their workday to making a positive change in the neighborhoods they serve through local service projects This year our Clayton office chose to support the Food Bank of Contra Costa amp Solano Counties We were able to donate and sort 1970 lbs of food collected during our food drive for local families in needrdquo ~ Angelique Booth Managing Broker Windermere Real Estate Clayton

1970 Pounds of Food Collected for the Food BankWindermere Real Estate Clayton Steps Up to the Challenge

Perhaps continuing to call ourselves ldquoAgentsrdquo feeds into the belief that anyone with a computer or the latest app can click on a few sites and easily replace us Not a week passes without at least one ldquoI didnrsquot know you all were still aroundrdquo Yes we are still around and we are thriving

To help dispel the numerous myths I have compiled a list of reasons why finding a good travel consultant will be the best thing you do for your vacation plans and ultimately your wallet

Itrsquos not only what we know but who we know We have long-standing relationships with individuals and travel partners that give us clout exclusive privileges and perks to pass along to our clients as well as insider tips not yet accessible by the public consumer

Consultants belonging to a consortium have buying power My agency for example has 5 billion dollars in Signature Travel Network behind us to ensure the best value for clients

One never plans for things to go awry before or during a vacation but sometimes they do You will be quite relieved to have a ldquofixerrdquo act on your behalf should this happen

A travel consultant is well educated

and experienced in the ways of travel The list of destinations visited and specialized in the designations earned and the knowledge base for the many nuances of travel is extensive

We have much more to offer than just competitive prices A good travel consultant creates an experience There is no replacing a person that answers your questions before you leave town and calls to hear about your trip when you return The tour guide in Rome that is a favorite and now will be yours a complimentary upgrade or the ldquoWelcome Aboardrdquo gift that awaits your arrival to your dream cruise are just a few things a consultant can do to make your travel plans special

In our profession we take great responsibility for the investment that is our clientsrsquo time money and travel memories Why forfeit peace of mind with something so important Place your vacation dreams and plans in the very capable hands of one who specializes in and is passionate about travel You will be glad you did

Maureen OrsquoRegan CTACruise Adventures Unlimited

SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 3

Why Do I Need A Travel Agent

by Maureen OrsquoRegan

Good Stuff ClaytonAlice Andersonrsquos

Proclamation

Alice Anderson was delighted that Clayton Mayor Hank Stratford made October 2014 Rett Syndrom Awareness Month

Alice seen here on the preview night of the Clayton Theatrersquos ldquoA Trip Down Broadwayrdquo with the proclamation has a daughter of suffers from Rett Syndrome

The Clayton Theatre donated 50 of its preview night proceeds to Rett Syndrome research

You can read more on this only in the October issue of The Clayton Gazette

If you have stories you would like to submit send them to infoclaytongazettecom

Red Hat Ornament Winner

Congratulations to Christy Ottobani of Clayton who sent the winning selfie of her sons Landon and Logan (5)

An interesting sidenote about the twins is their acting and modeling work The Clayton Gazette will have an exclusive article with the family for our next issue The twins are in a new FitBit commercial and about to start shooting a movie ldquoSpotlightrdquo starring Rachel McCadams to be filmed in Boston You may know them from their Facebook commercial httpyoutubeC5H7WDZX7oQ

Dr Muumltterrsquos Marvels A True Tale of Intrigue and Innovation at the Dawn of Modern Medicine

by Cristin OrsquoKeefe AptowiczBefore I picked up Cristin OrsquoKeefe

Aptowiczrsquos Dr Muumltterrsquos Marvels A True Tale of Intrigue and Innovation at the Dawn of Modern Medicine I had never heard of Dr Thomas Dent Muumltter or the famous museum that displays his private collection of medical oddities

When I started the book I expected it would be nothing more than a quirky recounting of how Dr Muumltter gathered the items in his collection The story of what they were and where they had come from an entertaining tour of one manrsquos unique disturbing freak show

I was wrong and never happier to have been

The marvels that the title alludes to are not the specimens in Muumltterrsquos collection No Muumltter lsquos marvels are in fact the radical plastic surgery techniques he pioneered (the most famous being the Muumltter flap) and the students he taught and influenced during his tenure as Professor of Surgery at Philadelphiarsquos Jefferson Medical College

Flamboyant and outgoing Thomas Dent Muumltter was a truly revolutionary figure in the medical community of the first half of the 19th century

He championed compassion-based treatment where the patient was not seen as a challenge or an obstacle but

as a suffering human being He believed in cleanliness at a time when germs microbes and transmissible illnesses were dismissed as mere quackery He stridently argued for the use of anesthesia when it was thought better and safer

to have the patient awake and aware during surgery

He even pioneered pre and post-operative care at time when surgeries were not only unexplained to the patients they were also pushed out of the building as soon as the operation was over

Muumltter fought and fought hard for these changes to happen He felt that it was every bit as important for a doctor to end suffering as it was to treat illness or injury That so many of his contemporaries would strenuously even contemptuously dismiss Muumltterrsquos humane efforts is horrifying and difficult to believe

Obstetrician Charles Meigs a fellow professor at Jefferson Medical College and vocal opponent of everything Muumltter argued for gives a human face to and saddening example of those that did not know understand or respect the advances and improvements in patient care they were fighting so hard to keep from happening

If like me all you knew of doctoring came from episodes of Greyrsquos Anatomy or Scrubs I cannot recommend enough that you read Dr Muumltterrsquos Marvels

bookends

A T

ale

to T

ell

by Chadwick H Saxelid

Read more of Chadrsquorsquos book reviews at httpbitlyMcHguP

by Jason Rugaard wwwmoviemaverickscomthemoviemaverickGone Girl

2-StarAn astute master

craftsmanrsquos befuddled love letter to the two directors he loves most Alfred Hitchcock and David Fincher The resulting movie taken from the book by Gillian Flynn and interwoven with the directorrsquos almost trademark nihilism is watchable for the first 45 minutes or so until ludicrous plot turns and genuinely unlikable characters cave the story in on itself Itrsquos tempting to dismiss Gone Girl as topical sensationalism But Fincherrsquos film is too meticulously crafted to write off as mere exploitation Unfortunately itrsquos also incredibly boring

Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) and his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) are an upper-middle class couple living in the suburbs On the day of their fifth wedding anniversary Nick returns home to find Amy missing The crime scene has the appearance of a struggle but something doesnrsquot sit right with the investigating officers Nickrsquos anxious demeanor and somewhat aloof behavior is troubling Soon the story of the missing housewife

has gone national-wide and the ensuing media frenzy revels embarrassing truths about the disintegrating state of their marriage and Nickrsquos infidelity All of which condemn the man in many peoplersquos minds and leads to the Public opinion that Nick murdered Amy

To discuss the story in detail requires a viewing or familiarity with the source material It would be unfair to have the events told and not experienced whether you enjoy the experience is

debatable after the fact The typical cold detachment that is present in every Fincher film is pushed to itrsquos blistering extremes the movie is so lumbering that I was expecting the ldquoit was all a dreamrdquo ending that mercifully never came

Gone Girl has moments of acute awareness wether it be social media speculations cable news talking heads or even the way our neighbors perceive us All is undone by the need for Fincher to set his lead character as a walking Hitchcockian vamp The obvious inspiration is oddly pretty good when the director copies Hitchcock and pretty awful when he apes himself The least of the esteemed filmmakerrsquos work to date

Director David Fincher

Time for the Artsby Deborah Ashley

Shorter and colder months are almost here and for some people the winter season with less daylight can get you down It can be hard to feel upbeat and energetic when itrsquos gloomy outside but the colors you decide to wear can help change your mood What we wear can also tell the people who see you something about your traits and characteristics It may even make you rethink some of your choices

You may be used to wearing the same color palette and you may not even be aware of what your favorite color choices say about your personality There have been numerous studies on the science of color and what it says about us Of course these observations are not iron clad but it might be interesting to reflect on your preferences and see if they match the characteristics that are attributed to that color

If red is your favorite hue you might be assertive or extraverted Pink has calming effects and those that like pink are thought to be sweet and romantic The color yellow shows a cheerful and energetic personality and people may find you charismatic If you wear a lot of orange it is associated with warmth and enthusiasm If you are more a fan of the cool colors blues are the worldrsquos most preferred color and it is associated with trust and dependability Purple lovers are thought to be unconventional creative and elegant If green is your choice it is

a serene color associated with nature and can indicate stability and approachability

The brown tones reflect a down-to-earth attitude relaxed and reliable Black shows strength seriousness and sophistication and an air of mystery People who wear white tend to be orderly and meticulous and grey projects a cool and composed disposition

Once you decide what colors you like and want to wear you might want to consider what colors look best on you Your choices get more complicated when you are determining what colors are most flattering

to your skin tone Whether your skin has cool warm or neutral undertones will play a key role in what colors look best against your skin So we may love the color yellow but it may not be the best choice if we want to enhance our appearance But wear it if you want to come across as cheerful and energetic

There really is a science to color and there are graduate courses devoted to color theory There is so much more to color than most people realize from how we use it in art to why we choose certain colors to wear decorate our homes and paint our cars Advertisers use it very deliberately to get us to buy certain products Years of research has been done on the effects of color and the role it plays in our psyche Next time you really love a piece of art clothing a car or anything else you might want to notice the emotion that is associated with its color

What Color Says About You

The Clayton Gazette bull NOVEMBER 2014 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom bull (925) 303-4779 ~ Page 17 ~

Photo credit httpnewsinstylecom20120405

How Apple Pay Works

The Clayton Gazette bull NOVEMBER 2014 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom bull (925) 303-4779 ~ Page 18 ~

ldquoWhat is that difficultyrdquo

Me ldquoThe little red spy light does not go on and I donrsquot get a picture on the screenrdquo

India ldquoAha Your computer camera is not working Will you please tell me your computerrsquos serial numberrdquo

My computer is actually a laptop which is the good news because it can easily be flipped over on its belly to reveal the tattoo The bad news is that my husband is nesting on it and will notice when I flip it over So I must break it to him that Irsquove gone over his head

India ldquoMay I ask your patience as I check our records to determine if your computer is under warrantyrdquo

Which he does and finds that the warranty expired two months earlier but for $39750 he will talk to us

MyHusbandTheEngineer ldquoI can fix thisrdquo

Me ldquoBut I need it tomorrowmdashin fourteen hours And yoursquove already been fixing it for two hours and by the sound of things itrsquos going to take Tech Support two more hours to understand that the camera doesnrsquot work and then heaven knows how long it will take them to fix itrdquo

So my husband begins to explain to Tech Support that the camera doesnrsquot work For ten minutes I hear pages flipping in India and wonder if itrsquos a userrsquos manual or the English to Hindi dictionary

Me ldquoHELLLLLO Tech Supportmdashcan we just fix thisrdquo

Tech Support ldquoYes marsquoam May I take control of your computer remotelyrdquo

Me ldquoThe sooner the betterrdquo

Tech Support ldquoI will not look at any of your personal informationrdquo

Me ldquoLook Irsquoll give it to you my credit card numbers passwords account numbers anythingmdashyou donrsquot even have to steal them Just fix my camera Pleaserdquo

Tech Support ldquoThank you madam Oh Marsquoam I am sorry to inform you that your computer has a wirusrdquo A wirus I hope thatrsquos less serious than a virus ldquoI must cleanse your computerrdquo he concludes

At the end of the purge he informs us that he fixed everything so we should now hang up and go for it Which we did which we will never again do before hanging up because it did not work

We redial and get another province of India Cut ahead a half-hour during which India has seized control of my computer again tried to assess me another $39750 because ldquowe have no record of your warrantyrdquo and reported that we have a wirus

Me ldquoI do not have a wirushellipvirus We were cleansed an hour ago Your compatriot told me sordquo

India ldquoOh no marsquoam He was mistakenrdquo

And then a miracle happens I see India on the screen and India sees me India smiles at me

India ldquoMarsquoam you have a very youthful voicerdquo

Me ldquoOh thank yourdquo

India ldquoBut I can see that you are notrdquo

The point here is think about the consequences when you give those Christmas gifts

____________________

Contact Cathy at wwwCathyTurneyWritescom

Cathyrsquos new book ldquoLaugh Your Way to Real Estate Sales Successrdquo is coming soon to Amazon

ldquoTalking to Indiardquo continued from page 3

Herersquos the Good The Bad and the Ugly on Applersquos new Apple Pay

First of all nothing is ever really safe Nothing Sorry

We have a false sense of trust when it comes to things like this Everyone is going to be different in what they feel comfortable with Some will never use a credit card online Others donrsquot even want to use them in person at a grocery store ndash and with the recent news of skimmers or accounts being hacked (Target Home Depot etc) that card they hold in their hand isnrsquot even safe

THE GOOD

For that reason wersquore all getting new cards soon ones with EMV chips embedded in them

Square does a great job explaining why a smart card is betterhellip

Itrsquos nothing new Irsquove been carrying around a Google Wallet card with a chip in it for a while

When it comes to Apple Pay your account information isnrsquot stored on your phone at all To top that Visa has also rolled out a token system

The technology generates a specific digital account number thatrsquos associated with your card That means Apple Pay would never actually passes your 16-digit credit card number through to a merchant when yoursquore making a purchase

with a Visa card Rather the digital account number is passed through to the merchant and then to Visa to charge your credit card

Read more httpwwwbusinessinsidercom

That system works by using a complicated algorithm to generate a unique number each time

THE BAD

PINs are always safer than no PIN but the truth is that I could stand behind you at the store and learn your PIN pretty easily As for that thumbprint ndash it can be hacked No really It can be faked with a little effort

THE UGLY

Therersquos something else you should know before you jump headlong into the world of NFC payments

As new and safe as this new technology is hackers will still go after this If itrsquos popular ndash theyrsquoll seek to infiltrate it Anything is only as safe as the weakest link and thatrsquos exactly what a hacker looks for That weakest link might just be the NFC reader at the register In the end yoursquoll still need your wallet with all itrsquos cards but if you choose to do so yoursquoll be able to pay with your phone

Just be careful out there

Follow us on Facebook

httpwwwfacebookcomClaytonGazette

The Clayton Gazette bull NOVEMBER 2014 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom bull (925) 303-4779 ~ Page 19 ~

ENTER TO WIN TWO FREE Tickets to see The Holiday Music Showcase December 12 13 amp 14 We have SIX (6) tickets to giveaway (we like giving them two at a time a set for each of the shows) Email infoclaytongazettecom and tell us why you read The Clayton Gazette and what the holidays mean to you Specify Holiday Music Showcase

Clayton Now is our site focused on contests giveaways events and things that are happening well NOW

Looking for a restaurant and want to know what deals they have Want a gift certificate to a local shop Feel the need to get pampered and want to know who is offering a freebie or a discount

We are working for YOU wheeling an dealing with companies theatres stores to bring you offers that you will enjoy

Clayton Now will be fully functional within the next few weeks so stay tuned for more

And remember that its brought to you by Claytonrsquos feature publication The Clayton Gazette We are ldquothe peoplersquos paperrdquo

wwwclaytongazettecom

The Clayton Gazette bull NOVEMBER 2014 bull wwwClaytonGazettecom bull (925) 303-4779 ~ Page 20 ~

servicedirectoryClayton Gazette

FREE Service Directory ads thru 2014 - visit wwwClaytonGazettecom to submit

Answers to puzzles from page 12

HOLIDAY FUNHOSPICE OF THE EAST BAY - TREE OF LIGHTS SCHEDULEMartinez Tree of Lights Saturday November 1 500 pm Morello Avenue north of Arnold DriveWalnut Creek Tree of Lights Sunday November 16 500 pm1511 Mt Diablo Blvd behind Va de ViPleasant Hill Tree of Lights Thursday November 20 530 pmGregory Lane near Cleaveland Reception to follow at Teen CenterConcord amp Clayton Tree of Lights Monday December 8 530 pm John Muir Medical Center Parking Lot East Street amp Almond Avenue Concord

1127 630 AM - 1130 AM Walnut Creek Turkey Trot Sponsored by Forma Gym more than 7000 runners and walkers from across the country are expected at Walnut Creekrsquos largest runningwalking event to raise funds for both the Contra Costa County Food Banks and local public schools Please visit wwwformaturkeytrotcom1129- 1214 Annual Holiday Faire Shadelands Ranch amp Museum httpwalnutcreekhistoryinfo1121 22 amp 23 ndash Annual Clayton Valley Womanrsquos Club Holiday Boutique Sale 11am to 4pm Clayton Community Meeting Room 6125 Clayton Road Information call Peggy Arundell at 672-2043 or Priscilla Manlove at 672-3039

MISCELLANEOUS11 15 from 9 am to 12 noon Mt Diablo Recyclingrsquos free e-Waste event Old computers printers televisions cell phones and other electronic equipment can be recycled for free at Mt Diablo Recycling Drop off location is at 1300 Loveridge Road in Pittsburg Calif Free bagels and doughnuts will be provided Anyone who drops off their e-Waste items will also receive up to four bags of compost for free wwwGaraventaentcom