Columbus
TheSixFifty.com
10 ways to celebrate the Lunar New Year around the Peninsula
From lion dances to calligraphy lessons, here’s how you can mark the Year of the Rabbit. Lunar New Year has arrived and Peninsula cities, libraries and local groups are hosting a variety of events marking the advent of Year of the Rabbit. From music and dance performances to hands-on crafts, here’s a sampling of a variety of ways to celebrate the new year.
From pandemic pods to Pints of Joy: How two Sunnyvale mompreneurs are bringing innovative Indian dessert-inspired ice cream to the Peninsula
Gulab jamun and salted guava are among the unique flavors that can be found at Ketki Dandekar and Arshiya Shaikh’s ice cream shop. Sunnyvale residents Ketki Dandekar and Arshiya Shaikh had built a friendship around their shared backgrounds long before the pandemic hit. Both women worked in the finance technology industry, their kids had gone to the same preschools and elementary schools, and they shared a nostalgia for the Indian desserts they grew up with.
Where to watch San Francisco 49ers games around the Peninsula
If you don’t have a ticket, the best seat is on your couch…or the nearest barstool. The 49ers find themselves on the cusp of another deep postseason run with a familiar foe standing in their way. Bolstered by one of the league’s best defenses, the Niners beat the Seahawks in the wild card round of the playoffs Jan. 14 behind a stellar playoff debut from the 49ers’ third-string quarterback Brock Purdy, whose play in replacement of the injured Jimmy Garappolo (and before him Trey Lance) has helped the team streak to 11 consecutive wins.
Making connections: How a Redwood City woman is fostering community through jigsaw puzzle competitions
Putting together puzzles is more than a pandemic pastime for Emma Taylor, founder of the Peninsula Puzzlers. On a rainy Saturday in January, 25 teams of two gather in Redwood City for a competition testing their patience, strategy and speed. The rules: no pauses, no teammate substitutions, no spatulas and no magnifying glasses.
A Los Altos teen and his sister started a baking business. Then Food Network came calling.
Naiel Chaudry is starring on the latest season of ‘Kids Baking Championship’ and sharing Asian American fusion desserts through their venture Lá Jawab. Two years ago, Los Altos siblings Naiel and Punhal Chaudry started their culinary adventure with great intentions and some help from YouTube. During the COVID-19 lockdown, they wanted to do something nice for their mom, a front-line doctor, and dad, an entrepreneur and engineer. They had been watching some cooking shows and wanted to try it themselves, so they took on the challenge of becoming the chefs behind a date night for their parents.
Start the new year with the Peninsula’s best personal growth deal: Free college classes and a deeply discounted gym membership
Take advantage of San Mateo County’s new free college program and learn about the history of video games, interior design or magic and witchcraft. For the first time, the San Mateo Community College District has waived the tuition and enrollment costs for all of its classes this spring as part of a new pilot program for county residents. The district includes three community colleges: Cañada College in Redwood City, College of San Mateo and Skyline College in San Bruno. Classes start Jan. 17.
‘I let them tell their story’: From butchers to bistro owners, a Redwood City resident interviews Peninsula food industry professionals on their ‘Food Origins’
Dave Sands’ podcast delves into how restaurateurs got their start. Dave Sands has tried a number of career paths since becoming a professional chef after graduating from the City College of San Francisco’s Hotel and Restaurant Program. The San Francisco native and Redwood City resident spent five years...
From vintage tarot cards to a novelist’s autograph, this rare sale in Palo Alto will highlight unusual items
Friends of the Palo Alto Library hosts its High Value Sale this weekend. A week before the Friends of the Palo Alto Library (FOPAL) are due to hold their next book sale, volunteers at the group’s headquarters at Cubberley Community Center are sorting and arranging the contents of banker’s boxes and library carts, stocking neatly labeled shelves with books on travel, art, cooking, graphic novels, tomes on religion, politics, history and a large selection of fiction.
‘People come here expecting things to stay the same’: Step back in time for breakfast at Millbrae Pancake House
Little has changed at the beloved family-run diner since it opened in 1959. Its customers and owners wouldn’t have it any other way. Songs from The Shangri-Las and Brenda Lee rotate through Millbrae Pancake House’s playlist. The upbeat ‘60s-era music greets you soon after you step out of your car and pulls you inside, where you imagine people conversing with words like “jalopy” and “groovy.” Yes, the popular all-day breakfast spot is dated, but places like this offer a respite from a world that can feel like it’s spinning out of control.
Facing climate change, Peninsula environmental groups brace for new battles
As they hit milestones, four organizations reflect on the past and look to the future. Imagine the Bay Area without the San Francisco Bay. The Santa Cruz Mountains are crisscrossed by freeways bringing hundreds of thousands of commuters who are living cheek by jowl along the coasts of San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties to the flatlands to work each day.
The Six Fifty’s guide to New Year’s weekend on the Peninsula
Ring in 2023 with live music, guided hikes and boozy brunches and dinners. Still pinning down your New Year’s weekend plans? The Six Fifty has you covered with our running list of performances, parties, multicourse meals and other ways to celebrate the end of 2022 and kick off 2023.
From breakfast sandwiches and Korean barbecue to speakeasy cocktails, these were our favorite bites and beverages of 2022
Staff and contributors reveal their most memorable meals of the year around the Peninsula and beyond. This year was marked by a plethora of new eateries opening around the Peninsula and a spate of restaurant closures. We saw many restaurants face delays as they readied to open their doors for business, while others decide to close their doors after long battles against forces like a difficult labor market, rising costs and the ever-present threat of redevelopment. Between the newcomers and longtime establishments (as well as some that are now out of business), our staff and contributors reflected on the past 12 months and compiled our favorite drinks and dishes of 2022. Let us know what we missed by emailing [email protected].
‘I don’t know how this story’s going to end’: Pioneer Seafoods’ future on the line after Redwood City port terminates contract
Giuseppe Pennisi started selling his fish directly to local customers in 2020 after losing his spot at Fisherman’s Wharf. He’s once again in search of a new home for his boat. The Pioneer, a 76-foot-long seafaring trawler, has left its dock in Redwood City and relocated to Richmond...
Looking back at all creatures great and small: The Six Fifty’s 2022 year in photos
From tiny critters to larger-than-life locals, we take a look back at the year behind the lens. This year marked the full-fledged attempt at returning to some semblance of pre-pandemic times, with many annual events and customs returning to the Peninsula for the first time since 2019. Our photographers got up close and personal to bring you an array of images from around the region throughout 2022. Here are some of our favorites:
Where to spot Palo Alto architect Birge Clark’s iconic work
Clark brought ‘Early California’ style to the Midpeninsula with red-tiled roofs, arches and wrought iron details that still define local streetscapes. Just about everyone who has driven through Palo Alto likely has seen the Spanish-influenced architecture of Birge Clark. His iconic red-tiled roofs, stucco walls, arches and wrought...
Take a trip down San Carlos’ Christmas Tree Lane for one of the best holiday light displays on the Peninsula
Photographer Devin Roberts captures the tradition that has Eucalyptus Avenue aglow all December long. Live in a city long enough and you’ll start to subconsciously chart the homes that have unique architectural features, unusual landscapes and, in December, the biggest light displays on the block. In San Carlos, Eucalyptus...
Hot chocolate for cold nights: 10 places to satisfy your cocoa cravings, from boozy options to giftable ones
Visit these Peninsula restaurants, shops and chocolatiers to find cups of cocoa worthy of your wallet. When it gets truly cold outside (by California standards anyway), there’s a reason that the hot drink many people of all ages reach for remains the tried-and-true humble mug of hot cocoa. It’s the quintessence of cozy: warm, creamy and revitalizing. And while many cafes and restaurants tend to treat hot chocolate as a kids-menu afterthought, we think our readers deserve better this holiday season. So we scoured the Peninsula to find the best hot chocolate – and European drinking chocolate – offerings around. We’ve got both boozy and alcohol-free options, some for drinking out and others for making at home, and even a best-served-cold option or two. Here’s your classy cocoa guide:
10 unique holiday date ideas on the Peninsula
Naughty or nice? We polled readers and consulted with matchmakers to help make your days merry and bright this December. The holidays are often packed full of people and events, leaving limited time to unwind and spend quality time with a date. To help you make room for romance, we’ve consulted with local hoteliers and matchmakers and polled our readers to pull together a list of holiday-themed date ideas. Whether you and your significant other are looking for a party atmosphere or a tranquil spot away from the holiday hubbub, here are 10 options to try this December.
A growing tradition: At Christmastime, Peninsulans flock to the Santa Cruz Mountains to cut down their own trees
U-cut Christmas tree farms Skyline Ranch and Lone Star are rooted in the generations that run and support them. Perilous switchbacks and a little bit of mud and frost can’t keep families and groups of friends from venturing to the Santa Cruz Mountains and cutting down a Christmas tree this time of year.
TheSixFifty.com
658+
Posts
1M+
Views
The best of what to eat, see and do in Silicon Valley.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.