half moon bay feburary 2013

Half Moon Bay

Pescadero resident Dan Shaffer continues his quest for the homegrown elixir. PAGE 8

t h E h A l f m o o n b A y r E v i E w m A G A z i n E

Carvingout a life

f E b r U A r y 2 0 1 3f E b r U A r y 2 0 1 3

mAGnUS SAnDblom finDS hAPPinESS

with A chAinSAw

coffEE-bASED SociAl nEtworkinGPAGE 16

PAGE 30

S E n i o r l i v i n G v A l E n t i n E ’ S D A y S c i E n c E f A i r

I have free wood to carve, people to

talk to every day, and nobody to

push me around.”“

COASTSIDE RESIDENTS ENJOY

20% OFF BREAKFASTS MONDAY-FRIDAY

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 3 � H a l f M o o n B a y � 1

cleaning up for science

PUbliShErBill Murray

EDitor Clay Lambert

writErS Sara Hayden Mark Noack

Stacy TrevenonMark FoyerSonia Myers

coPy EDitor Julie Gerth

PhotoGrAPhErCharles Russo

DESiGn Bill Murray, Mark Restani

bUSinESS officEBarbara Anderson

circUlAtionSonia Myers

ADvErtiSinG SAlES

Linda Pettengill Louise Strutner

Susan Verlander Barbara Dinnsen

finD US

714 Kelly Avenue Half Moon Bay, CA, 94019

(650) 726-4424 www.hmbreview.com

hAlf moon bAy is published the first week of

every month and inserted in the Half Moon Bay Review. The entire contents of the

magazine are also available online at hmbreview.com.

©2013, Half Moon Bay Review

Half Moon BayHalf Moon BayHalf Moon Bayh a l f m o o n b a y r e v i e w m a g a z i n e

inever did a science fair project. Somehow my junior high school missed the boat on that event. but i did get to live vicariously through my daughter as she did her project this year.

She worked at a lodge, north of lake Tahoe, for the past two summers, and a big part of the job is cleaning up — cleaning up the kitchen, cleaning up

the guest rooms, cleaning up the bathrooms. They used a variety of different cleansers to do the various jobs and there was a debate among the staff as to what works best. Thus an idea for her science fair project was born.

June laid out slices of bologna on chopping blocks overnight, then cleaned the surfaces with various prod-ucts and tested for bacteria growth. oddly enough, no bacteria were found on any of them, including the uncleaned block. She repeated the experiment with raw chicken, and a garden of bacteria bloomed within 24 hours. made us wonder what they put in the bologna? a bleach solution and a similar store-bought version vied for the most effective.

in this issue, Sara hayden follows 13-year-old Dante DalPorto from the in-ception of his science fair idea to the completion of his project. it’s a well-writ-ten and honest account. much like my experience with my daughter, the biggest challenge is simply trying to keep the young scientists on task. you simply can’t just do it the weekend before. really, time management is the biggest lesson. The science itself is somewhat secondary.

my daughter was proud to have received an honorable mention in the judg-ing, but i think her real reward was simply getting the thing done. my reward will come later, if i can get her to experiment a bit more with the cleansers in her own bathroom.

Don’t hold your breath for the results.— Bill Murray, Publisher

Publisher’s note

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850 N. El Camino Real, S.M. • 650-344-8200 License# 41050763 www.sterlingcourt.com

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contentscontentscontentsf e b r U a r y 2 0 1 3

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on thE roADroad Scholar trips invigorate local seniors.

Q&A: frosty hesson, of mavericks fame, talks about being a role model.

how does he do it? building balsa wood surfboards

cArvinG A lifEyou have seen his sculptures all around town. now find out makes the artist tick.

rEAl SociAl nEtworkinGcoffee clubs give locals a chance to meet up face to face.

22

from iDEA to ProJEctfollow a cunha student as he creates hisScience fair project.

S E n i o r l i v i n G

PReVIeWPReVIeWPReVIeW

It’s Italia • 401 Main Street • Half Moon Baywww.ItsItaliaRestaurant.com

Are you a true romantic?...Let it show!

On Valentine’s Day, bring someone special to It’s Italia!

CALL FOR RESERVATIONS 650-726-4444

Celebrating Valentine’s Day Thursday February 14th thru Sunday February 17th.

An abbreviated menu with choices will be offered on February 14th. Special celebratory selections will be offered in addition to our regular menu throughout the weekend

It’s Italia...Love Begins Here!

PReVIeWPReVIeWPReVIeWh a l f m o o n b a y r e v i e w m a g a z i n e

10Art with hEArt thAt cAPtUrES thE coASt

Art that celebrates the coastside, created by coastal artists and showcased in gal-leries and shops along the southern end of main Street, from the 600 to 800 blocks, makes today a big day, with the opening of the coastside land trust Gallery’s second annual midwinter Show coinciding with the hmb SomA valentine’s heArt walk, from 12 to 5 p.m. celebrating a new year with a new show, the land trust will spotlight roughly 25 to 30 local artists, with an emphasis on two-dimensional artwork such as paintings or photography. that’s only one of several shows put on at the gallery during the year. At that same time, hmb SomA — an acronym spot-lighting not South of market as in San francisco but South main as in half moon bay — will hold what organizers call a “romantic stroll,” which will celebrate artists and artisans showing their work in galleries and shops along main Street, south of kelly Avenue. Shops will be open to welcome arts-loving browsers, and many will offer refreshments. the land trust office at 788 main St. will be open for its formal opening and reception, attended by the artists. A list of the galleries, along with ad-dresses and photos, will be available at the coastside land trust gallery and also at hmbsomaarts.org. or call 726-5056.

7mESSAGE in A hEArtbeginning today and for two weeks surrounding valentine’s Day, artists of the South coast-based Arte motu will show their love for their community by putting up hearts from 1 foot to 3 feet square, along roads and fences and elsewhere in pub-lic view, all around Pescade-ro, for the third time. you may see one sign here and there, or a continued series — “bur-ma Shave” style. the artists’ collective always welcomes more input, at 879-0795.

8wickEDly witty SAtirE

Put energetic music-hall antics together with wicked wit and sizzling satire, and you have “tom foolery,” the musical production featuring nearly 30 songs by composer and lyricist tom lehrer that sassily send up society and its goods and ills, presented by coastal repertory the-atre through march 2. from a nun singing “vatican rag” to a 1950s-heartthrob-style “national brotherhood week,” the song, dance and com-edy spare no one, but there are laughs for all. Shows are fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.; tickets range from $27 to $45. 569-3266.

february 2013


It’s Italia • 401 Main Street • Half Moon Baywww.ItsItaliaRestaurant.com

Are you a true romantic?...Let it show!

On Valentine’s Day, bring someone special to It’s Italia!

CALL FOR RESERVATIONS 650-726-4444

Celebrating Valentine’s Day Thursday February 14th thru Sunday February 17th.

An abbreviated menu with choices will be offered on February 14th. Special celebratory selections will be offered in addition to our regular menu throughout the weekend

It’s Italia...Love Begins Here!

barbara von haunalter“the half moon bay yacht harbor”


390 Capistrano Road, Half Moon Bay, CA, 650.728.BREW www.hmbbrewing.com

Specials include Oysters Rockefeller, Mavericks Bleu Cheese Steak,

and a special Beer and Dessert Pairing

Reservations at 650-728-BREWor opentable.com

Eat your heart out...It’s Valentine’s Day at

The Half Moon Bay Brewing CompanyLooking for a Romantic Day out with THE KIDS?

Kids eat free*

*one free kids entrée with the purchase of an adult entree







Kids eat free*

*one free kids entrée with the purchase of an adult entree







Kids eat free*

*one free kids entrée with the purchase of an adult entree (12 and under)

Kids eat free*

h a l f m o o n b a y r e v i e w m a g a z i n e

2littlE lEAGUErS ArE UP to bAtthe sounds of children laughing and bats pinging can mean only one thing:the 2013 half moon bay little league baseball season is underway. this year’s season begins on march 2 with open-ing Day ceremonies at 11 a.m. the season goes until early June, with all games played at Smith field. there is no ad-mission charge for the games. www.hmbbaseball.org.

10romAncE for vAlEntinE’S DAy

classical pianist lisa Spector welcomes singles and couples alike to a valen-tine’s Day concert of the music of the great romantic-era composers includ-ing rachmaninoff, chopin, brahms and Schumann, at 2 p.m. at a half moon bay residence. Admission of $30 includes a dessert reception to make the event even sweeter. rSvP at [email protected].

march


fEbrUAry 2013

Half Moon Bay resident Jane Seifert, seen here with her dog Carmella at their

home in Ocean Colony, is a veteran of four Road Scholar excursions.


June baxter of half moon bay is an ac-tive senior, a frequent hiker and curi-ous about practically everything. but, in 1998, when a friend told her about elderhostel and its educational trips tailored for seniors, she was dubious.

“i didn’t want anything with ‘elder’ in the title,” she said. nor did she like the implica-tion that on an elderhostel

trip she’d be roughing it in a hostel.but her friend persisted. “She spoke so highly of it, i

thought i’d try it,” said baxter.Still wary, she hedged her bets with a first elderhostel

trip that was geographically close by, active and not too long, choosing a weeklong hiking trip to zion national Park in Utah. She was in her early 60s then. and what

she found there were daily hikes with a small group of kindred spirits plus engaging lectures on local history, geology and natural phenomena.

now, 15 years and more than 30 trips later with elder-hostel — now renamed road Scholar — baxter is the one speaking highly of it all.

“being in other countries among experts, meeting people who live in those countries, is so much different than reading about it in a book,” she enthused. “i’ve gained such an

understanding of where others live, the wonderful parts of their lives, and their trials and tribulations.”

her half moon bay neighbor, Jane Seifert, now 73 and a veteran of four road Scholar excursions, echoed her enthusiasm. “i’ve been very pleased with it,” Seifert said.

founded in 1975 as a nonprofit educational travel en-

on the

By Stacy Trevenon

roadagain

road Scholar trips invigorate local seniors

can’t wait to get

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1 0 � H a l f M o o n B a y � F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 3

deavor, elderhostel was renamed road Scholar in 2010 to better reflect the program’s goal of blending travel and appreciation for learning.

it offers 6,500 educational tours in all 50 states and 150 countries. Through those, participants from their 50s to 90s experience behind-the-scenes learning and exploration opportunities, camaraderie with small groups and in-teraction with local experts who speak in-depth about the area, its history and culture.

accommodating physical limita-tions, road Scholar’s walking programs — rated easy to moderate to active — involve participants from their 60s to early 70s, on average. Centenar-ian road Scholars are not unknown, and youth from age 6 are a big part of grandparent-grandchild excursions.

Trips span a broad range of interests, travel modes and locales. more popu-lar educational tours are set in regions of California, israel/Jordan/egypt, the Czech republic, france, the bahamas and environs, Canada and throughout the U.S.

for example, participants enjoy intergenerational wildlife encounters in South africa, natural and cultural history of the galapagos islands and

ecuador, riding the Colorado river and historic trains in grand Canyon national Park, discovery in the “City of lights” (or Paris), toros (bulls) and flamenco in Spain, individual cities and outside adventures.

on an average road Scholar day, morning lectures on local history, art or music complement afternoon excursions and field trips. with an eye toward budget, many programs in the United States start from $400 to $500, double occupancy. insurance, including travel-delay insurance if the client must cancel, is built in.

The focus is on education. “lifelong learning keeps minds young,” notes a road Scholar participant service ad-viser who declined to give her name.

“They believe in education,” said baxter. “you get to hear experts talk about things.”

variations on “young” — active, alert, eager to embrace the world and learn from it — seem to fit today’s mature adult.

Today’s senior is “vibrant, alive, en-joys life to the fullest, retired and doing things, takes the time to participate,” said Seifert. “They’re full of life. we’re all on the same page.’’

“it’s nice to be able to pick up and go where you want,” said baxter. “i’ve hiked all over the world with them.”

besides zion national Park, baxter’s 30 trips took her over the years to new zealand, italy, mexico, alaska, wales, the Cotswolds in england and more including the Czech republic where her group included a nonagenarian. “you run into people in their 90s,” she said. “They’re not all sitting at home in rockers.”

on each trip, she reveled in hearing local experts explain each day’s agenda and “prepare you for the sights and sounds. it adds quite a lot,” she said.

She particularly remembers more than one road Scholar trip to the Shakespearean plays in ashland, ore., and the backstage glimpses that came with it. “what was great about it was, the actors in the plays came out to tell you about them,” she said.

She also remembers her 2011 trip to

“they’re not all

sitting at home in rockers.”

June baxter, road Scholar traveler

Road Scholar informational materials from Jane Seifert’s past trips, including a tour of historic

European sites related to D-Day.

CoastsideAdult Day

Health Center

CoastsideAdult Day

Health Center

coastsideadultdayhealth.orgcoastsideadultdayhealth.org

Compassionate Care for Seniors Respite for Families

Compassionate Care for Seniors Respite for Families

650.726.5068645 Correa, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019

650.726.5068645 Correa, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019

MISSION STATEMENT Since its inception in 1982, the Coastside Adult Day Health Center’s Mission is to keep people as healthy, active and independent as possible, when advancing years or physical/mental conditions call for extra care and attention.

ABOUT Coastside Adult Day Health Center is excited to celebrate our 30th year of providing health care services to our frail, elderly, and disabled. We are especially proud that we were the fi rst Adult Day Health Center in San Mateo County. Over the years we have continued to assist coastside families and their loved ones in an effort to keep the elderly in their own homes, near family and friends, and in the community they helped build, preserving their dignity and choice. One of the biggest fears a senior has is to be placed in a nursing home. Our services offer a cost effective alternative to premature placement.

With Compassion and Professionalism, we offer comprehensive and all inclusive services that are individualized for each participant.

SERVICES INCLUDE: • Nursing and personal care/medications monitoring• Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapies• Social Services/case management• Memory Enhancement program/beginning dementia• Alzheimer’s program/progressed dementia• Alzheimer’s Café• Stimulating group activities• Respite and support groups for families and caregivers• Nutrition education and counseling• Hot nutritious lunch served daily• Door-to-door, wheelchair-accessible transportation• Information and referrals

Hours of operations are Monday thru Friday, 9AM – 4PM.We accept Medi-Cal, long term insurance and veteran’s benefi ts.Those paying privately, fees will be based on a sliding scale. For more information call: 650- 726-5067

COASTSIDE ADULT DAY HEALTH CENTER645 Correas St., Half Moon Bay | (650) 726-5067www.coastsideadultdayhealth.org

COASTSIDE ADULT DAY HEALTH CENTER

Executive Director Janie Bono-James

ORGANIZATION | Senior Coastsiders

MISSION STATEMENT | To offer opportunities that supportsuccessful aging.

ABOUT | Founded in 1977, Senior Coastsiders hasbecome the focal point for senior services on theCoastside.We strive to create an atmosphere thatacknowledges and affirms the value, dignity and selfworth of seniors and adults with disabilities.The agencyalso serves as a resource for the entire community forinformation on aging, support of caregivers, and develop-ment of innovative approaches to address issues of aging.

SERVICES | Information, guidance and referralsSocial workClasses, lectures and tripsTransportationGrocery shoppingHome delivered mealsLunches served at the centerHome repair assistanceSpecial eventsVolunteer services and opportunities

EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR |CaraSchmaljohn

Senior Coastsider staff left to right (back row): Sharon Maggert, CaraSchmaljohn, Tracy Gould, John Yengich, (front row) Molly Duff, Carla-Ruth Morgan, Kathy Perlongo, Vicki Cormack, (not pictured Paul Parsons)

SENIOR COASTSIDERS | 535 Kelly Ave., Half Moon Bay726-9056

www.seniorcoastsiders.org

MAJOR EVENTS/FUNDRAISERS |

Seniors Night Out | APRILHome Rehab Day | JUNETaste of the Coast | SEPTEMBER5K/10K Pumpkin Run | OCTOBERSenior Coastsiders Thrift Store | YEAR-ROUND

CURRENT BOARD | Herreid, Susan Kealey, James Kellenberger, Tom Kirkpatrick, Nancy Stern, Ben Tyson, Robert Zadek

Suzanne Black, Howard Hayes, Marian

■ ORGANIZATION | Coastside Adult Day Health Center

MISSION STATEMENT | Since its inception in 1982, the CoastsideAdult Day Health Center’s Mission is to keep people as healthy,active and independent as possible, when advancing years or physical/mental conditions call for extra care and attention.

ABOUT | Coastside Adult Day Health Center is excited tocelebrate our 25th year of providing health care services to ourfrail, elderly, and disabled.We are especially proud that we werethe 1st Adult Day Health Center in San Mateo County. Over theyears we have continued to assist coastside families and their lovedones in an effort to keep the elderly in their own homes, near fami-ly and friends, and in the community they helped build, preservingtheir dignity and choice. One of the biggest fears a senior has is tobe placed in a nursing home. Our services offer a cost effectivealternative to premature placement.

With Compassion and Professionalism, we offer comprehensive andall inclusive services that are individualized for each participant.

Services include:■ Nursing and personal care/medications moni-

toring■ Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapies■ Social Services/case management■ Memory Enhancement program/beginning

dementia■ Alzheimer’s program/progressed dementia■ Stimulating group activities■ Respite and support groups for families and

caregivers■ Nutrition education and counseling■ Hot nutritious lunch served daily■ Door-to-door, wheelchair-accessible trans-

portation■ Information and referrals

Hours of operations are Monday thru Friday, 9AM – 3PM.We acceptMedi-Cal, long term insurance and veteran’s benefits.Those payingprivately will be based on a sliding scale. For more information call:650- 726-5067

COASTSIDE ADULT DAY HEALTH CENTER645 Correas St., Half Moon Bay, CA 94019(650) 726-5067www.coastsideadultdayhealth.org

EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR |Janie Bono-James

MISSION STATEMENT To offer opportunities that support successful aging.

ABOUT Founded in 1977, Senior Coastsiders has become the focal point for senior services on the Coastside.We strive to create an atmosphere that acknowledges and affi rms the value, dignity and self worth of seniors and adults with disabilities.The agency also serves as a resource for the entire community for information on aging, support of caregivers, and development of innovative approaches to address issues of aging.

SERVICES Information, guidance and referrals, Social work, Classes, lectures and trips Transportation, Grocery shopping, Home delivered meals, Lunches served at the center, Home repair assistance, Volunteer services and opportunities.

MAJOR EVENTS/FUNDRAISERSSeniors Night Out | APRILHome Rehab Day | MAYTaste of the Coast | SEPTEMBER5K/10K Pumpkin Run | OCTOBERSenior Coastsiders Thrift Store | YEAR-ROUND

Senior Coastsiders staff: Back row, left to right; Joanne Butcher, John Yengich, Cara Schmaljohn, Vicki Cormack. Front row: Molly Duff, Carla-Ruth Morgan, Kathy Perlongo. (Not Pictured-Tracey Gould, Paul Parsons)

CURRENT BOARD Warren Barmore, Ed Daniels, Marian Herreid, Susan Kealey, Cris Keeney, Angela Niemann, Nancy Stern, Suzan Suer, Ben Tyson, Robert Zadek

SENIOR COASTSIDERS535 Kelly Ave., Half Moon Bay, 726-9056www.seniorcoastsiders.org

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 3 � H a l f M o o n B a y � 1 3

Pescaderan Dan Schaffer inspects one of his many olive trees.

Peru in which participants brought items including books, DvDs or instructional materials for local schoolchildren, which road Scholar travelers often do in needy regions.

and she clearly recalls her recent road Scholar trip of three weeks in South africa, where portions of her small group traveled to zimbabwe to join a group walk with lions, to Kruger Park to feed elephants, to see victoria falls, and to robben island to visit where nelson mandela was incarcerated.

The group also visited a South af-rican senior center, where residents asked them to sing some american songs. They obliged with “you are

my Sunshine.” “They loved it,” said baxter.

“Things happen spontaneously that make you feel good about the human race.”

Sometimes the trips can hit close to home, exhilaratingly or painfully, for participants.

Seifert made her first road Scholar trip in 2004, for two weeks in a small town near bordeaux to study french. There she was awestruck by excur-sions to caves where the walls dis-played ancient cave drawings. “Cave drawings of an animal made 10,000 years ago were amazing to me,” she said.

her next trips were in 2008 and

2009, respectively to San Simeon to study hearst Castle and to Car-mel valley where she saw an actor portraying John Steinbeck speak about his life and times and about the geography of the monterey bay Peninsula. “These trips keep opening doors for me,” she said.

but some of the doors opened onto painful things for Seifert. mem-ories of the world war ii air raids that were part of daily life came back on her most recent road Scholar trip in 2011, when she boarded the Queen mary for a transatlantic voyage to england as part of a road Scholar D-Day invasion course.

as part of the course, she vis-

PhoTo CoUrTeSy JUne baxTer

June Baxter (third from left) and the 11 other Road Scholars who visited Africa in August 2012 pose at the Cape of Good Hope. The travelers spent two weeks in South Africa, and some went on to Zimbabwe and Botswana.


ited Portsmouth and museums showcasing world war ii history, and spent four days in normandy. She attended a wreath-laying ceremony in a cemetery where “all those white crosses were so touching.” She fin-ished the tour in Paris where participants heard the story of a nazi general ordered to destroy the city but who refused the order.

after the trip, she said, “i better under-stood that period of time, to be in the place where those things were going on in my lifetime,” including memories of her three uncles who fought in the war, one of whom was wounded at normandy. “it was firing up that history.”

The two Coastside women vividly remem-ber not just the places they saw but people also, and how they responded with friendli-ness to the american visitors.

“never, on any trip, was there anywhere i felt like the ‘ugly american,’” said baxter. “The people who met us were prepared

for us. we all really strove to engage other people, get to know them, tell them why we’re there. That was why they loved us.”

The learning she got from actively mingling with people and places on road Scholar trips transcended what she learned in school from books, said Seifert.

“i’ve learned so much since i got out of college,” she said, remembering how on trips, one incident tended to lead to another incident filled with unexpected revelations. “i was connecting the dots on those trips, finding connections on the trips. learning is so important to me, and it really does open doors.”

making such trips is not just for the young, the women agree. “after retirement is a wonderful time to get out and explore and know more about the world,” said bax-ter.

While visiting Africa with Road Scholar in August 2012, which

included a trip to Zimbabwe, resident guides escort June Bax-ter (far right) and her traveling

companions on a lion safari near Victoria Falls. “It was an excit-

ing experience,” Baxter said of the safari, in which the trekkers followed a male lion (front) and

his sister on a leisurely stroll. You can see Baxter’s outstretched right hand as she reaches to pet the gen-

tle lioness. (She returned from that walk with her hand intact.)

PhoTo CoUrTeSy JUne baxTer

707 Elm Street, San Carlos, CA 94070 www.sancarloselms.com

A Non-Profit Community Sponsored by the San Carlos Development Corporation License #415600135

Senior living with hospitality and concierge services

Hometown Friendliness Meets Personalized Care

Please call to arrange a personal tour 707 Elm Street, San Carlos, CA 94070 www.sancarloselms.com

Email: [email protected]

2010 Volunteer of the Year•2009 Administratorof the Year•2001 HUD Secretary’sCommendation

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Locally Owned and Operated

650-595-1500


CLUBS

coffEE clUbS PErk UP

coAStSiDE

SociAl nEtworkinG

DoESn’t AlwAyS

rEQUirE comPUtErS

Coastsider Jean Jacques teaches regular hula dancing classes.

n a freezing friday morning, one hour before the sun would rise, bruno giusti and mike Serdy were pedaling bicycles

on a blistering ride down the coast. The two men, both

retired, share a trea-sured ritual. every friday

morning, for years, they take a ride up the Coastal Trail

to el granada for a cup of coffee and breakfast at Café Classique.

after a 10-mile workout, the two friends arrive with tired legs, ruddy cheeks and empty stomachs, ready to sit down and enjoy some creature comforts. Sitting down with his coffee in the center of the room, giusti discusses the latest sports gossip with Serdy and anyone else within earshot. Should barry bonds be admitted to the baseball hall of fame? or, how about this year’s high school basketball team? a younger man, who

giusti used to coach in little league baseball, scoots a chair over and joins the table banter. a man sitting alone across the cafe chimes in occasionally. The talk shifts back to sports.

The weekly coffee club all started when giusti approached Serdy after Sunday church about five years ago. Just days ear-lier, Serdy had ended his career in aviation and he was pondering what to do with his newfound freedom.

“So, i see you’re now retired,” Serdy recalled giusti saying. “Do you want to get breakfast sometime?”

The weekly bike ride and coffee has become a highlight of the week for the two men, and they’re not alone. Step into any coffee shop in the morning, and, amid the crowd of strangers, there’s a coterie of regulars who make their daily java more than just a routine. “The common thread with these coffee groups is people seeking socializing and friendship,” Serdy said. “my idea of retire-ment was doing something like this. now

by mArk noAck

Bruno Giusti, back left, gathers with friends at the Half Moon Bay Coffee Company for coffee and conversation in late January.


i look forward to it every week.” amid the nomad professionals hitting up the

free wi-fi, m Coffee on main Street also has a Tuesday contingent of retired teachers who have given up reminiscing about the classroom and now talk history. when la Di Da Cafe shut its doors in october, a loose cluster of school par-ents suddenly lost their favorite rendevous spot. even mcDonald’s has a devout group of seniors who make their penny-conscious breakfast a chance to swap local news.

Cultivating and keeping these loyal groups of regulars is how a coffee shop stays in business, said m Coffee owner max noyes.

“a lot of them have been coming here since before i owned the place,” he said. “i just need to make sure i don’t do anything to drive them away.”

Perhaps no other coffee club can claim the same bragging rights as the “round Table,” a

group of local political figures and longtime resi-dents who meet for breakfast six days a week, Sundays excepted. members can’t say when exactly they first started the club, but many believe the tradition goes back 30 years. in that time, the breakfast group has included some no-table figures on the coast, such as former mayor and political maestro Dolores mullin.

Typically numbering about a dozen people, the group used to sit in the early morning for an hour-long breakfast at original Johnny’s, the corner cafe now named main Street grill. The group derived its name from the circular table at the back of the eatery where they always sat.

for reasons that remain hotly disputed, the round Table group, years ago, picked up and left that location in a huff, never to return. The cof-fee club’s regulars say service reached a breaking point, while main Street wait staff counter that the group pushed their buttons by nursing the

same cup of coffee for hours.in any case, the group relocated to

Sam’s Coffee Shop, where owners wel-comed the refugees and directed them to sit at an identical round table in the back of the cafe.

by this time, nina whitmore, a waitress at Sam’s Coffee Shop, estimates she’s been waiting on many of the same members of the round Table for 23 years now, and she’s come to see them as more than customers.

“They’re like my family,” she said. “i’ve had some of them who were ill and i’ve brought them food. i’ll do whatever i can for them.”

after many years and several deaths, the makeup of the group has morphed, and the remaining round Table regulars are nearly all vet-erans of the military, some pushing 80 years, and seeking camaraderie. on a monday morning, six members of the coffee club enjoyed pancakes, cof-fee and, most especially, poking fun at each other.

“barnacle” bill berggren sits down and instantly takes aim at decorated world war ii vet ray mar-tini in the seat next to him.

“ray, you look good. Did someone hit you on the head?” he said.

but berggren set himself up to be the butt of all jokes, a lone U.S. navy man at the table flanked by army vets.

“bill never got off the boat,” chides bob Senz. “he had the hardest duty of all of us — he was in the Coast guard at lake Tahoe.”

“Some of us served where there were actual bul-lets, not casino lights,” adds Jim mason, a vietnam war veteran.

Checking her tables, whitmore circles by the round Table filling coffee cups and urging some of

the older men to drink their water. many of the men have more than the military

in common. Several were born and raised on the Coastside and built their lives here after returning from the service. The men have different respons-es for why they always come out for breakfast together.

“i get to stay abreast of what’s going on in town,” Senz said. “bill, here, is such a wealth of info.”

berggren cranes his head, unable to hear what was being said. he asks what the question was.

“it’s the buddy system! it’s camaraderie, that’s why we come,” he answers.

martini said his goal was more personal. “i’ve been trying to get a date with her all these

years,” he said, nodding to whitmore.

“my idea of retirement was doing something like this. now i look forward to it every week.”— mike Serdy, half moon bay retiree

nina whitmore, a waitress at

Sam’s coffee Shop, estimates

she’s been waiting on many

of the same members of the

round table for 23 years.

Meeting up at Cafe Classique provides time to catch up with friends, tell jokes and serve up some insults.

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CreativeEnergy_FebMag13.indd 1 1/25/13 5:01 PM


l egend richard “frosty” hesson, who has surfed in northern California since the 1960s, came from his Santa Cruz

home to mavericks on Sunday and took his place on the sidelines of the mavericks invitational festival.

around him, a swell of people crowded into the hot parking lot near harbor village. flashy food trucks, a mavs merchandise tent and a large screen that broadcasted foot-age of the competing surfers caught much attention.

Though there wasn’t much to advertise his presence, and he was sandwiched between the back end of a sponsor’s bus and another tent, hesson drew a particularly attentive audience at his folding table.

hesson held court. he was with his wife and fellow surfer, robin Janiszeufski-hesson. She is better known as “zeuf,” or, hesson said, “the girl in the curl.”

Coinciding with the october release of the film “Chasing mav-ericks,” which features gerard butler portraying hesson, hesson published a memoir called “mak-ing mavericks.” The intimate story chronicles his life, the friendship and mentorship he developed with the big-wave phenomenon Jay moriar-ity and how he developed his life philosophies.

The hessons took a moment to get acquainted with every fan that passed though the line at the fes-tival. She sold books and he shook

hands and autographed. both took the time to make small talk and lis-ten to everyone, however brief they may be. between readers and surfers, hesson also spoke with the review.

review: how has the culture of surfing mavericks changed since you started surfing it?

frosty hesson: The culture i think is the same, and it’s people enjoying pushing the edge and the envelope … The athletes are just phenomenal, and they’re taking big-wave riding to new limits.

review: what do you think of being a role model and mentor to big-wave surfers?

hesson: i think it’s more impor-tant to be a role model and mentor in life in general, and use whatever vehicle you need to use to do that.

review: Do you have anyone that you look up to in particular?

hesson: Kids, because they’re our future, and that’s the closest thing we have to joy.

review: what do you think of having gerard butler portray you in the film, “Chasing mavericks?”

hesson: when i get to hear about multigenerational families from children to … grandparents over 90 years old, going to the mov-

ies, going home, having dessert and discussing the movie, that’s a huge honor.

review: what do you hope they discuss?

hesson: it doesn’t matter. every-body brings what’s relevant to them into the discussion, and that’s how we learn.

learning from alegendQ&A

Frosty Hesson signs his book “Making Mavericks” at the recent Mavericks Invitational festival.

by Sara Hayden


wavesscience

of

cunha student Project combInes Interest In

surfIng wIth concern about gut florafrom idea to

final productby sara hayden

Cunha Intermediate School student Dante DalPorto takes a water sample at the mouth of a storm drain along the rocks on Surfer’s Beach in late November. The water sample would be used for his school science project that tested bacte-ria levels of Coastside beaches.

on nov. 21 – the day before Thanks-giving break – beachgoers could be seen skirting around the water or diving into it. They were wrapped in wetsuits to fend off the au-

tumn chill. light glinted gold off the surf. The afternoon looked like an impressionist painter’s interpretation of Surfer’s beach.

appearing as a smudge in the distance on the west edge of highway 1, 13-year-old Dante DalPorto carefully made his way down a rocky drop-off beyond the guardrail.

Close up, what appeared from a distance to be a painted play of light and shadow in his palm turned out to be a Petri dish.

The Cunha intermediate School eighth-grad-er wanted to collect bacteria, and lots of it, for his school science fair project: “are our beaches a Pleasure or Pollutant?”

latching onto the scientific method for the first time, he was in the middle of one of several trials to seek an answer to his original inquiry. vacation could wait. science could not.

Science fairs have been used to motivate

students to pursue science and engineering since 1942.

The first contest, known as the Science Tal-ent Search, was in part spawned by the efforts of journalist e.w. Scripps to popularize science with people outside the scientific community. Science didn’t have to be a stuffy, inaccessible world best left to the experts. he believed that when science was explained without jargon, it could interest anyone with a curiosity.

Since then, millions of dollars in scholarships have been awarded, putting the future of science in the hands of promising students. intermedi-ate and high school clubs also started to popu-larize the idea of the science fair, hosting their own contests locally and regionally throughout

the 1940s and 1950s. a tradition was born. at Cunha, science fairs have been held annu-ally for about 40 years. DalPorto is one of about 280 Cunha eighth-graders to partici-pate in the science fair this school year.

other school subjects have challenged DalPorto to methodically put his stud-ies to the test. building models of the earth, pyramids and biological cells have been educational and difficult, but he said that none of them compare to the science fair.

“you could do those in an hour. This takes weeks. months, even,” said DalPorto.“This is the hardest project you have to do in middle school.”

Cunha teacher lucinda hitchner agreed, saying that one objective of the science fair is to learn how to ex-ecute a long-term project. “it’s kind of like Christmas in class when these proj-ects come in monday (Jan. 14),” said hitchner.

indeed, DalPorto has had to dedicate count-less hours since oct. 3 to research, meeting with experts, producing an ex-

EDUCATION

“this is the hardest

project you have to do in middle

school.”

Dante DalPorto uses a neatly labeled plastic vial to collect water from a storm drain emptying into Surfer’s Beach, for his school science fair project, “Are Our Beaches a Pleasure or a Pollutant?”


periment, writing reports and preparing a presenta-tion.

Judging at the fair was to begin monday, Jan. 14. winners were to be announced wednesday eve-ning. DalPorto worked down to the wire, moti-vated by the idea that if he finished by Saturday, he would have time to attend a surf competition in Santa Cruz.

There have been fewer hours in the day for

homework in other classes, and, perhaps more regrettably, for his surfing passion. he said that he’s more sports- than science-oriented. Surfing, skat-ing, snowboarding, wakeboarding – if it involves balance and motion on a board, DalPorto does it.

“when you stand up on a board, it feels like you’re floating,” said DalPorto. he couldn’t wait

to spend more time with that feeling, as opposed to worrying about science fair. has he been quite stressed? “yes. Since Day one.”

hoewever, he quickly recognized that surfing and science were not mutually exclusive. he sought a project that would allow him to still be around the water. if it went well, it would help him help the environment that made surfing possible. “i’m a surfer, so i’m interested in saving water,” said DalPorto. “i want to see if (gut flora) is around here, so maybe people can make a mental note about it if it’s harmful.”

To make sure he wasn’t in over his head after the assignment was introduced in october, he headed to a weekly school science fair tutorial at the be-ginning of november and made sure he was on the right track. he decided he was, and decided not to go again in the following weeks.

research was in order, so DalPorto surfed the

Dante Dalporto looks over the final pre-

sentation of his proj-ect during the big

Cunha Science Fair, in the gymnasium, on

Wednesday Jan. 16.

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internet instead of his beloved waves, googled up a storm about unpleasant subjects such as e. Coli and enterococci, checked out books and made some calls. he printed off piles of paper and took fastidious notes, which he compiled in a one-and-a-half-inch binder.

lab materials came next. at ace hard-ware, DalPorto, (or rather his mother, anna mcDevitt) invested in some test kits that included sterile pipettes and Petri dishes.

it didn’t stop there. instead of going to the beach to surf after school, he went to run-off sites and storm drains to collect samples.

“i got bacteria run-off from the sewer … it’s fatal sometimes,” DalPorto explained in late november. he meticulously sealed off the testing materials after dropping presumably hazardous water in his Petri dish. greater animal and human popula-tion density, he learned the previous week, lead to more bacteria.

Then he had to drop off the samples at a lab for evaluation. later, he got results. orange spores sprouted in the once pris-tine dish.

“The Petri dishes were alarming. They’re just kind of frightening!” observed mcDevitt, but she helped DalPorto carry on with his studies. a stack of photos of his subject accumulated, which he eventu-ally organized into an album for the judge’s convenience.

he met with field experts, who sug-gested ways to improve his project. as it turns out, his first attempt was a bum trial. DalPorto scrapped it, got new supplies and ran the test again – this time in deeper waters around Pillar Point and Surfer’s beach. even this was not ideal.

“i should have done a lot more tests from Southmoor (Drive in Pacifica) all the way up, but they’re kind of expensive. Plus, there’s not too many storm drains,” DalPorto later lamented.

Staying focused for so long was a battle.

mcDevitt tried to keep him on track.

With just a few days before his project is due, Dante Dalporto looks over his project data with insight from his mom, Anna McDevitt, during the after-school homework session at the Boys & Girls Club of the Coastside on Thursday Jan. 10.

The gymnasium at Cunha Intermediate School was jampacked with students, parents, and science enthusiasts, looking over the final projects on Wednesday, Jan. 16.

“it’s always a big stress for many parents,” said the self-proclaimed taskmaster, shopper, chauffeur, and proofreader of her son. (She’s also the execu-tive director of the boys & girls Club of the Coast-side.) “i think for that age-level, it was a little bit difficult for him to grasp the concept of different variables … a majority of students i don’t see being able to interpret the steps without guidance.”

years ago, the science fair was for seventh-grade participants, but teachers realized students would be better prepared the following year in eighth grade.

now, throughout the eighth-grade class, students attend tutorials or meet with their parents for guidance to prepare them for the big day in January when they go to contest. They try to balance this with independence.

“we’re really looking for student-led progress. There’s great diversity in how much support they have at home,” said lucinda hitchner, a Cunha science teacher and tutorial leader. “we encourage them to negotiate with parents. They have to do something that works with their family dynamic … we pay close attention that it’s not parent-led.”

hitchner was present at the January fair alongside 30 or so judges volunteering from the local science

community. Usually, through an interview process, judges can ferret out who has done a project indepen-dently and who rode on the coattails of parental help.

in addition to interviews, the students prepare to speak about and present their projects.

“i think i’m going to do pretty good because i spent so much time,” DalPorto said confidently the week before the contest. he diligently documented his progress by hand on loose-leaf paper until the end.

on Jan. 6, DalPorto wrote, “i took pictures today of my bacteria colonies, and they are com-ing together very well. They have gone into many colonies, and are growing like crazy.”

“it’s like math,” mcDevitt explained. “you have to do it every day to stay on top of that … or you get overwhelmed. i didn’t want that to happen to him.”

Though DalPorto can now knowledgably rattle off comparisons between pollution levels in the waters of los angeles and Santa Cruz based on the readings his scientific studies have forced him to pursue, DalPorto said that winning the science fair was never a priority for him. he said that he just wanted to get the thing done.

Sure, he’s achieved some possibly interesting scientific conclusions, but so far as he’s concerned, the only practical application of his project has been deciding that he won’t be surfing after a storm any time soon, nor will he allow his friends to do so. The bacteria levels are too hazardous.

even his newfound knowledge of gut flora in the water won’t keep him away from the waves forever. now that the judges have evaluated his work, the teenager is ready to return. actually, he’s been ready since the project started.

“i’m just trying to get this over with, because it’s good,” said DalPorto.

“i think we’re both going to be glad when it’s done just so he can go back to surfing,” said mcDe-vitt.

Dante DalPorto’s final science-project presenta-

tion, “ Are Beaches a Pleasure or a Pollutant?”

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if you walk onto firewood farms, just off highway 92, next door to the Span-ishtown Shops, you will most likely meet up with magnus Sandblom, the wood carver. you may find him

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chainsawfinding beauty

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TALENT

By Sonia Myers

“when I start carving I have

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walking among the creative carvings

of firewood farms

chainsaw

Magnus Sandblom, owner of Firewood Farms on Highway 92, poses with one of his many chainsaws atop a redwood stump in his lumberyard in late January.

“sit down and relax, and let things come to you.”


in the mouth that went out the back of the neck. he devised a way to have a fan blow silk streamers of red and orange. it resembled the bear with flames shooting out of its mouth on the wine label. Toasted head won the contest, which meant the 30 employees in that particu-lar office received a $2,000 check and trip to San Diego. and of course Sandblom was paid. The winning bear was taken to various stores and was so well-received that the company commissioned 20 more slightly smaller bears (without ribbon flames) for display purposes. a few years later they asked for 20 more. Sandblom chuckled as he intimated, “The night crew that stocked the shelves would steal them — just put them on the dolly and took them home.”

Sandblom is from nor-rkoping, Sweden, a town two hours south of Stock-holm. There he went to forestry school. after what he dubbed a “mess of wars” he wanted to get as far away from Sweden as possible. at 27, he hopped on a flight, with all his possessions in two suitcases, and landed in montreal, Canada. from there he took a cab and was dropped off at a cafe. Since the menu was entirely in french, he simply ordered a cup of coffee. Sandblom then went on a greyhound bus trip all the way west to vancouver. he was the only person on the trip for four days and three nights across southern Canada. he set up shop in vancouver for eleven years, where he

trained people in chainsaw safety. he also competed in ax throwing. “i was probably one of the few who could throw two axes,” Sandblom beamed with pride.

ax throwing is where he got his itch to begin carving. at the competitions, men carved chairs from wood in just under 10 minutes. after buying firewood farms in 1986, he carved his first chair. he placed it outside his shop door and within an hour a man came along wanting to buy the chair. not knowing the true po-tential, Sandblom sold it for a mere $5. “i went out the same day and made another one. it took a couple days and then i sold that one. So i raised the price to $10.” he went on to make an owl, then a bear and started selling his work and dem-onstrating the art of wood-carving at a summer festival outside of fresno. Sandblom now has carvings in seven different countries.

The hefty stumps occupy-ing the far end of the yard stand as if in conversation. most are nearly 4 feet in diameter. it’s hard to fathom how these large pieces will ultimately become a bear. Sandblom explained, “first you have to pick out the right piece of wood. Then you have to make the first cut, and that’s the hardest one to make. you have to be able to see it before you do it.” Through the creative process, optimum angles ap-pear that were initially invis-ible, he explained. “you have to sit down and relax and let things come to you.”

The old fisherman of Princeton Seafood Company, Magnus Johnson, is among Sandblom’s most well-known creations, a sculpture that boasts its own Facebook page with close to 1,000 friends.

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when Sandblom first began carving, he came across a slab of redwood he believed would be a perfect piece. he asked the owner if he could buy it from him. but, since the tree was cut down from an indian burial ground near gazos Creek, he could not sell it. Sandb-lom pleaded and eventually won the piece of wood. he went back and carved out a native american standing with an ax in a nonthreaten-ing manner. no more than a week later, a man came driving down interested in the carving. Sandblom sold it for much less than it was worth and even assisted the man in loading the piece in the back of his truck. while they heave-hoed, Sandblom asked the man where he was going to display the carving. The man told him he was going to bring it back to his home at gazos Creek. “The hairs on the back of my neck stood up,” said Sandb-lom. “The indian went back home and is now standing on his porch overlooking the valley where the piece of redwood originally came from. That’s not a coinci-dence.”

venturing off the highway into firewood farms you’ll notice a different energy. The smell of fresh cut wood is so clean, and there seems to be a story for each of the carved statues. often, Sand-blom walks around the yard looking at the wood slabs pondering the inner story of the piece. Then inspira-tion strikes, and he is able to see what it will become. That’s when he begins his work. he sees himself as

extremely fortunate to have the health and strength to meet the daily challenges, especially when using such dangerous tools. when the time comes that Sandblom can no longer use a chain-saw, he said, “i will work with clay and bronze. i have to use my hands.”

Sandblom repeated over and over that anyone could learn to use a chainsaw and carve, but that true cre-ativity comes from within. he told the story of an older man who came to visit firewood farms one day. The man asked for the artist. Sandblom looked at the man and responded that there was no artist here but that he was the one who made the carvings. The man looked at him and said, ‘well, then you are an art-ist.’ This man was a retired professor of art at San fran-cisco State University. Upon hearing his background, Sandblom asked where he could take classes. The professor gave him a serious look and told him to never take classes, but to simply continue doing what he was doing because it was unique.

Sandblom is an artist whether he wants to believe it or not, but he does have to keep up the other side of his business: firewood. although the price at which he sells firewood goes down year by year, he says he won’t give up on sawing through the huge slabs and selling the pieces for personal firewood. Since 1988, the environmen-tal Protection agency (ePa) has created regulations on fireplaces and wood-burning stoves. all new stoves have

Two of Sandblom’s wood sculptures are on display in the courtyard of San Benito House on Main Street. Franco the waiter and a cluster of colorful parrots.


to be ePa certified, which es-sentially means a cleaner burning stove where you can get more out of your log. During the winter especially, “Spare the air” days are common, when it is prohib-ited to burn wood in fireplaces, wood stoves or outdoor fire pits. it is difficult to keep up with these specified days as they are called with little notice. Sandb-lom is not too troubled with the regulations. he said he is too old to start a new profession, so he’ll simply stick to the one he has. a few years back, he almost sold his business; now he’s glad he did not. “i have free wood to carve, people to talk to every day, and nobody to push me around.” Sandblom has an agreement with a couple tree-cutting services

where they drop off large slabs of wood for free, and Sandblom also takes the scrap pieces they don’t want that would otherwise end up in the landfill.

Providing firewood and wood-carvings opens up an avenue for Sandblom to give back to the community. he constantly gives away his pieces for fundraisers, or does carving demonstrations for senior citizens and local schools. it is one of the most rewarding aspects of his work. in the midst of a story of a little girl who had no luck in winning his bear in a silent auction, Sandblom broke down. he paused to collect him-self. he could see in the girl’s eyes she really loved the wooden bear. he told her to come by his shop later because he had another bear

just like it to give to her. Those are the times that make his whole world seem right. “money is of no importance,” Sandblom con-cluded.

art, he explained, comes from a connection with the head and the heart. “if you’re not happy with who you are, it’s hard to go out and start carving something because nothing will come out right. you have to be at peace with yourself. when i start carving i have no problems because i am doing what i want to do, and i’m happy. if you think, ‘why me?’ or ‘bad things always happen to me,’ stop and be open and look for what it is. There is always a silver lining somewhere.”

Magnus Sandblom works on a new sculp-

ture, carving out a family of bears from a large redwood stump.


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February, when Valentine’s Day serves as the official day of love and affection, is a great to embark on a romantic vaca-tion, especially if that getaway is to a warmer locale that can

help people momentarily forget about the cold weather back home.Some resorts and travel-based businesses take advantage of

Valentine’s Day by inflating prices to capitalize on gift-giving. How-ever, many others use this time of year to offer specialized sales and discounts to help boost business through the remainder of the winter season. It is possible to enjoy an indulgent trip without hav-ing to spend a fortune.

Consider cruising. There are cruises that depart from various ports all year long. All it takes is a call to a cruise line or logging on to their Web sites to check the scheduling. For those unopposed to flying to a different port, you may be able to broaden your options with regard to cruise destinations and departing dates. Cruises are advantageous because they are all-inclusive, self-contained vaca-tions. There also is the ability to visit different ports of call all in one trip, ensuring there is never a dull moment.

Look into winery packages. Wineries may be doing their plant-ing and harvesting in the warmer weather, but come the winter they may be facing a slow-down in foot traffic and may be eager to attract business. Sampling different vintages and spending time in an often adults-only environment can be an ideal way to spend a Valentine’s Day weekend. Make it an overnight trip and stay nearby in a hotel. Some wineries may offer a restaurant on prem-ises or work with a local establishment to provide package deals.

Visit the city. Many people living on the Coastside seldom make trips into San Francisco unless they are regular commuters for work. Even those who spend their weekdays in an the urban area may never have experienced all of the little gems that attract tour-ists. For Valentine’s Day, you may want to see the city through the eyes of a visitor, taking advantage of the museums, cultural centers and buildings that attract tourists throughout the year. Chances are the trip will not be costly, and you’ll be close to home.

Take in live music. There’s something romantic about listen-ing to music together. Investigate upcoming concerts in our local venues. Check out coffee shops and bars that host open-mic nights when budding artists can be heard. Check to see if any smaller venues are hosting intimate, acoustic concerts by popular bands. It can be a memorable night and one that doesn’t break the bank.

Going away for Valentine’s Day need not be an expensive venture. There are many ways to save money and enjoy a much-needed romantic escape.

Affordable getaway ideas for Valentine’s Day

V A l E n T I n E ’ S D A y

Surprise her in print.Put your message d’amour in the paper for her to find! Big 3” heart in the Feb. 13 issue of the Review. Pick a color. Write a message. Call us.$25. 726-4424.

behind only mother’s Day, valentine’s Day is the second

most popular day to give flowers to a loved one. Thousands upon thou-

sands of roses are imported from areas of South america in time for valentine’s Day, and the rose has become the unofficial flower of this day.

Those who have given a bouquet of roses before un-derstand that roses can be quite expensive, and that price only rises on holidays like valentine’s Day. instead of feeling pressured into giving a dozen longstemmed roses, gift-givers can explore other beautiful flower options available.

red roses may signify love, but just about any other crimson-hued flower can also represent the strong emo-tions felt for a sweetheart -- and at a much more afford-

able cost. when visiting the florist to have a bouquet or arrangement of flowers assembled for valentine’s Day, consider mixing and matching some other flowers

for an arrangement with flair and originality.

Dahlias: named after anders Dahl, a Swedish botanist, these flowers are native to mexico but actually prefer cooler growing

conditions. Dahlias come in all sizes, from small blooms of a few inches to much larger blossoms that may be a foot

in width. They are related to the sunflower, daisy

and chrysanthemum. The Dahlia usu-

beyondthe rose

half moon bay is known for its roses but don’t

forget about these other

beauties

FLOWERS

ally is not a scented flower, which may work for people who are especially sensitive to scented blooms.

chrysanthemums: also known as mums, chrysanthemums are versatile flowers that symbolize op-timism, joy, fidelity and love. although mums are traditionally yellow, they can also be white, red and other hybrid hues.

Peonies: Peonies are herbaceous perennial plants that produce large, often fragrant flowers ranging in color from red to white. Peonies are highly prized by eastern cultures, and in China they are known as the “flower of riches and honor.”

carnations: Carnations have the scientific name of Dianthus, which means “flowers of god.” Carnations are particularly coveted because they can last long after being cut, which makes them popular in floral arrangements. Dark red carnations are said to convey affection and deep love. because of their popu-larity, carnations are often easily affordable.

columbine: Columbine is native to north america, asia and europe. it has lacy-looking leaves and bell-shaped flowers. while columbines are tra-ditionally used as garden plants to attract hum-mingbirds, a few blooms added to a floral arrangement can brighten up the design.

Poppies: low-maintenance and usually easy to grow, poppies’ vivid red color and large blooms add to their aesthetic appeal.

cardinals: Cardinals are long, tubular flow-ers that grow wild throughout north america. Tall and dramatic, these red flowers can add drama to any floral arrange-ment.

The rose may be tra-ditional for valentine’s Day, but gifting with a variety of red-hued flowers may add visual appeal and affordability to ar-rangements.



By Sara Hayden

t hin slices of wood gently curl up beneath a long blade that floyd Smith holds between two hands. They’re peeled away

and dusted to the ground where they fall like ribbons. The process moves slowly but smoothly, one shaving at a time.

after about 30 hours of work, Smith will have shaped a per-fect balsa longboard for a patron.

for the new owner, it will be something of a cherished novelty. after paying a $2,500 price tag, he plans to ride it once, and then keep it as a collectible.

for Smith, it’s a piece of dying art that he mastered more than 50 years ago. on Sunday, he decided to share his artistry in a live demonstration at the mavericks invitational festival in Princeton.

growing up in San Diego, Smith first became intrigued by surfboards after a neighbor built one out of the garage.

when Smith first expressed an inter-est in learning how to make his own by hand, he was told it couldn’t be done. not to be discouraged, Smith did it any way, and ended up catching a wave of success with a company that styled the surf scene.

Smith had a heyday with surfboards in the 1950s when he worked with his friend larry gordon to innovate the way people

surfed. gordon was a chem-istry student whose family owned a plastics company, and Smith knew how to shape a board. Together, they made the legendary Southern California gor-don and Smith label.

by the 1960s, they began to replace balsa boards with polyurethane foam surf-

boards. The new ones were less prone to becoming waterlogged, a nearly unavoid-able problem for balsa board riders. The new boards were also lighter and easier to shape.

“even the regular shaping is becom-ing a dying art,” said Smith. “now they’re molding them, and they’re light

and strong.”in 1985, Smith took up his own carpen-

try business around Santa Cruz, but due to popular demand, he began to produce surfboards and related products full time.

it’s true that the balsa surfboard is a labor of love, and perhaps less practical than its modern counterpart.

materials are scarce. The wood can typically only be obtained from ecuador. balsa boards tend to be expensive. and, Smith adds, acknowledging that a bunch of young surfers would probably disagree, “it takes 10 times the skill to shape balsa wood as foam.”

Smith stood in front of an eager crowd on Sunday scraping away at yet another beautiful surfboard.

“everybody told me i couldn’t, but i did,” Smith remembered. “it wasn’t very good, but i sold one — and that was it.”

learn more at floydsmithsurfboards.com.

legendary board maker demonstrates his skill

Smith ShAvES bAlSA into

boArDS

SURFING

Floyd Smith shows off a newly created board at this year’s

Mavericks Invitational

festival.

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