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OMVNA Newsletter
June 2006
Volume 18, Number 4
Prepare for a Disaster with CERT
Prepare for a Disaster with CERT
Annual OMVNA Ice Cream Social
When: August 6, 2-4 p.m.
Where: Mercy-Bush Park
There will be lots of ice cream and other treats, a jump house and fun games for the kids, as well as community information booths. Come and join the fun. All neighbors are welcome and the event is free!
For more information, contact Margaret Abe-Koga at margaretabekoga@gmail.com
From the Chair
By Ken Rosenberg
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending two swanky parties at high-end homes up in the hills. Both houses had most of the things you'd expect in those areas: huge amount of square feet, basements, all the most luxurious trimmings, view of the bay or the valley below, lots of privacy from their neighbors, and even a deer in the front yard. Most of the guests at these parties owned similar type homes, but without exception, when I mentioned that I lived in downtown Mountain View people were excited to hear more about it.
As a professional financial advisor, it is customary for me to delve into the private and typically guarded financial lives of my clients. That is, I have a keen understanding of how much money they make and how much they have saved. An interesting dynamic of the process of "discovery" (finding out about people's assets and learning how they have managed heretofore) is that most people fear they have done things wrong. They feel they have invested unwisely or spent inappropriately, or perhaps have not contributed enough to their retirement accounts. Regardless of income level or location of residence, everybody else is doing better than they are, or so they think.
So being surrounded by "rich" people who were so interested in what it was like to live in downtown Mountain View didn't necessarily catch me by surprise. I spoke of all the positive attributes of my neighborhood: I know my neighbors and they know me, we look after each other’s home, my children play at the park located only 100 yards from our house and can walk to the Farmer's Market, public library and post office. My wife and I have date night every now and again and never get in our car to attend the theatre or to choose from one of the 100 restaurants. And of course, we frequent every street festival on Castro Street each year.
When I list off these items, people come to the same conclusion: you give up a lot to live in the expensive house on the hill. But don't get me wrong, my house is very small with no view other than the back yard of my neighbor or the cars that pass by on Mercy St., and the layout isn't conducive to having the large social gatherings that my wife and I would enjoy hosting. But I get the sense that many of the folks I was talking to got the impression that the grass is greener in Old Mountain View. If it isn't for them, it certainly is for me!
Successful Showcase
By Margaret Abe-Koga
On April 30th, OMVNA sponsored the first Showcase Old Mountain View event where neighbors were able to display their services ranging from personal training and piano teaching to massage therapy and a "Jim of All Trades" handyman. With the high amount of emails on OMVNAtalk related to referrals for specific service providers, the occasion was intended to give neighbors an opportunity to showcase their services in hopes that business could be done within the neighborhood as much as possible. The event seemed to pave the way to such possibilities.
Mayor Nick Galliotto, also an Old Mountain View neighbor, opened the event and then, each service provider was given an opportunity to speak about their business. The range represented was quite impressive, and the participants seemed to really enjoy, not only learning about services in the neighborhood that they could access, but also getting to know their neighbors. Twenty-five neighbors shared their services and over sixty people were in attendance.
The list of service-providers who "showcased" their businesses is available online. We encourage neighbors to utilize these services to help support our neighbors. Thanks to all who contributed!
Prepare for a Disaster with CERT
By Paul Goldstein
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training is a program designed to prepare Mountain View residents to help themselves, their families and neighbors, in the event of a disaster. The training covers basic skills that are important to know in a disaster when emergency services are not available, and is free to all citizens of Mountain View.
Over the course of 7 weeks, CERT members receive training in earthquake awareness, disaster fire suppression techniques, disaster medical operations, first aid/CPR, light search and rescue as well as team organization and management. All classes are taught by trained emergency personnel, including firefighters and emergency medical services personnel, with an emphasis on hands-on practice.
The CERT program provides an effective first-response capability. Following a disaster, CERT teams can extinguish small fires, turn off gas inlets to damaged homes, perform light search and rescue and render basic first aid.
The course is taught in two different formats in addition to being offered once a year in Spanish. For more detailed information about CERT and its training programs please visit http://www.omvna.org/cert.html. The goal of the city and OMVNA is to have all of its citizens receive the training.
Roadhouse Food Goes Upscale
By Liz Scott
When my husband and I walked into the California Roadhouse on Castro Street last Friday night, the first thing I noticed was the light dusting of peanut shells carpeting the floor of the airy open bar. Though the establishment provides an empty bucket for the shells of the peanuts placed on every table as a cocktail snack, some patrons are more familiar with traditional roadhouse etiquette: throw shells on the floor.
Even on a busy Friday night without a reservation, we were seated as soon as we walked in. The dining room is a barn-like space filled with big, comfortable booths. In the summer, the patio is another pleasant place to enjoy lunch or dinner. Live bands play after 9pm on weekends. Plan a late dinner if you like music or an early meal if you prize a quieter atmosphere.
The large menu contains an eclectic combination of upscale cuisine and down-to-earth roadhouse food. Bruschetta and brie baked in puff pastry jostle for position with loaded potato skins and cheese fries on the appetizer menu. Plentiful salads make great summer entrees - the Cajun spice steak salad is particularly tasty. Burgers are big and cooked to order, and sandwiches are filled with anything from barbecued beef brisket to crab cakes.
The steaks were recently named "Best of Mountain View" by the Mountain View Voice, and the Roadhouse strives to improve upon already great meat. Steaks are now served with two tasty sauces: a gorgonzola blend that is tangy yet smooth and a sweet brandy-raisin concoction both that pair wonderfully with any of the cuts of beef.
For those who prefer a lighter dinner, pasta is a great choice. The seafood entrees feature salmon and ahi tuna as well as daily specials.
A large cocktail menu boasts signature drinks as well as classic cocktails, and the wine list is surprisingly diverse, with plenty of by-the-glass options. TVs playing the games of the day circle the horseshoe bar, which draws patrons all day long.
Service is friendly and attentive - our waitress chatted with us about wines and was happy to recommend her favorite dishes. She tried her best to talk us into dessert, and while the Chocolate Lovers Only Ganache cake was terribly tempting and fresh strawberry shortcake beckoned as well, we were too pleasantly full to indulge.
For a nice meal at a reasonable price in a casual, convivial atmosphere the California Roadhouse is a great place for lunch with coworkers or dinner with family.
401 Castro St., (650) 254-8981
www.californiaroadhouse.com
Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30am-3pm
Brunch: Sat-Sun 10am-3pm
Dinner: 4pm-10pm Daily
Children’s menu available
Cats and the City
By Shelly King www.shellyking.com
You may have this image of me as this cool, hip kind of modern single gal, Mountain View’s own Carrie Bradshaw, strolling down Castro Street in overly-priced, uncomfortable shoes, stopping for a brightly-colored cocktail with my gal pals, and dismissing perfectly nice men from my life for reasons that make sense only in my neurotic mind. Well, friends, I wear Clarks, drink bourbon, and one of the main reasons I stopped seeing the last guy I dated was because he refused to come to Mountain View from SF. And yet, images of cool-single-gal-ness may still linger. But I am about to destroy all remnants of that image with four little words: I have a cat.
I never considered how Scout, my grey and white, polydactyl, furry friend may be putting me in danger of being unhip, until recently. I was having lunch with a friend from work, a fellow Southerner, and we got on the subject of her family’s cats back in New Orleans. Someone who talks about furry beings with as much love in her eyes as she did prompted me to ask, "So, why don’t you get a cat of your own?" Without even a beat, she said, "Single woman with a cat? Oh, no, can’t go there."
So what’s the deal with single women and cats? I think having a cat is perfect training for a balanced relationship. Scout and I enjoy our time together snuggling or playing with her favorite toy, but we have our own interests, too. I’m writing a novel; she’s trying to figure out where the bath water goes. When I get home, I listen to her yammer about her day while absently responding at appropriate intervals with, "Really? And then what happened?" She stares at me blankly when I complain about things she doesn’t understand. When I’m mad at her, I ignore her. When she’s mad at me, she shreds the toilet paper. There’s really no misinterpreting bits of tissue all over your bathroom floor. It’s refreshing to have such open paths of communication.
One of the main reasons I moved to my apartment building off of Castro Street is because of the pet policy. Not only are they allowed, it borders on a requirement. Barely is a new neighbor introduced before they are asked, "When are you going to cat up?" Not only do the single women have cats, but so do the single guys. And they are cool, happening single guys with active lives and rockin’ girlfriends.
So here’s my theory: I think having a cat actually makes you cool. I love Scout. I tell her that every day and it feels good to say the words even if they mean nothing to her. I feel good when, no matter how bad I screwed up on any given day, I am still able to keep Scout well and happy. There’s something about caring for the welfare of another living creature that exercises our hearts and our emotions in a way that just taking care of ourselves doesn’t quite manage. And if that doesn’t make me cool, attractive, and dateable, then I don’t know what does.
The OMVNA Newsletter
is published by a volunteer editorial committee & distributed to some 2400 homes and businesses by volunteers.
To get in touch with us:
- Write to P.O.Box 391328, Mtn. View, CA 94039
- E-mail the editor editor@omvna.org
- Find us on the Web at http://www.omvna.org
The opinions printed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the OMVNA Steering Committee.