FREMONT FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS

Image by Kevin via Flickr

FREMONT FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS


All you art lovers the City of Fremont is having it’s 27th Festival of the Arts this weekend July 31- August 1 2010. There will be over 650 booths. Fremont Festival of the Arts has a Kid City with interactive activities.Fremont Festival of the Arts has two music stages. "The Rising", a Bruce
Springsteen tribute band will play Saturday. On Sunday "Zoo Station", a U2 tribute band. For those of you who love to eat there are five food court hrough out the Fremont Festival of the Arts. When you get tired of walking and the crowds you can go to the Wine Garden and sit back and chill out in the shade with a glass of wine. For you Gourmet food lovers
there’s a Gourmet Market Place. I’ve been to the Fremont Festival of the Arts two times and each time it‘s a lot fun. If you don’t have anything planned this Saturday or Sunday, put your walking shoes on go enjoying the
Fremont Festival of the Arts.

http://www.fremontfestival.net/index.htm

LM

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"The annual "Berkeley Kite Festival"...a high-flying event!

Image via Wikipedia

 

 

When I was a grade school kid growing up in Campbell, California I got hooked on flying kites.  For me, it was almost as exciting as Christmas morning!

 

Every February the wind would pick up around my birthday, and upon receiving the new kite I always asked for, my friend Kent and I would spend hours after school, flying our kites as high, as far, and as long as possible.

 

Eventually, the wind would take one kite, and a telephone wire or a tall tree would take another....so we'd just hike down to the five and dime store and buy more with our allowance money.  This ritual lasted us about a month, until little-league season started up!

 

Looking decades back, I still cherish those fond memories, and this weekend I'm going to re-live some of them at the annual 'Berkeley Kite Festival'.  If you happen to be looking for a great way to spend a few hours, I highly recommend this fantastic two-day event!

 

It happens this Saturday, July 31st and Sunday, August 1st at  Cesar E. Chavez Park at the Berkeley Marina, where thousands upon thousands of kites (of all kinds) will fill the summer sky.

 

However, there's much more to experience at this festival. You'll witness multi-line competitions of the Bay Area Sport Kite League, and also battling kite contests called 'candy drop' and 'rokkaku'. 

 

Traditional kites will also be displayed by special guests the 'Sode-Cho Kite-Flying Society' from Hamamatsu, Japan, and giant creature kite shows put on by the 'Berkeley Kite Wranglers and Friends'. 

 

Visitors can also receive hands-on demonstrations of the latest kite products from 'Ozone Kites', 'Revolution Kites' and 'Prism Designs". Children are also invited to free kite making lessons, while families are provided with thier own, large kite-flying area.

 

When lunch time comes, a huge array of food will be available, from sushi to seafood, corn on the cob, onion rings, and 'Ben and Jerry's' ice cream, along with an array of souvenir shops to visit. To save a little money, you can always pack a picnic lunch.

 

Thousands of kites and products will also be on sale, from beginner, intermediate and advanced, to low-wind kites, to exotic parafoils with prices ranging from $16.99 to $599.00.

 

Above all, be  make sure you take in the breathtaking kite competitions, especially the famous air ballet--where kites tumble, twirl, dance and dart through the air, accompanied by fantastic musical ballads. 

 

And, don't miss the exciting kite battles, where the object is to sever the enemy's kite line(string) with your own line that's been dipped in a glass-like resin!

 

For added enjoyment, you may want to arrive at the park an hour earlier than planned, to avoid parking hassles.  Parking is $10, and includes free shuttle service to all venues--and remember to bring a coat just in case! Tricky winds at a marina may spell chills at the end of the day.

 

To find the event from Hwy 80 (East Shore Freeway), take the University Ave exit in Berkeley. Go West towards the Bay.  As you approach the Marina, follow signs leading to the Double Tree Hotel. Go a half-mile past the hotel to the "turning circle' at Cesar E. Chavez Park, and look for the kites in the sky!

 

Above all, stay warm, have fun and enjoy the time of your life at the 2010 Berkeley Kite Festival!  For more information, call (501) 235-KITE or Email Contact: BerkeleyKiteFest.

 

 

Thanks, and have fun this weekend,

 

Sincerely, PeteCam4

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PALO ALTO”S MUSIC SCENE

Tom Chapin via last.fm

PALO ALTO”S MUSIC SCENE




Palo Alto Friday night jam session at Lytton Plaza at the Apple store.
Susan Webb started this on January 22, and it took off. Every Friday since it’s been a jam session. Anyone passing by is welcome to join her. If you’re a aspiring musician, and you want to be heard go to Lytton Plaza in Palo Alto. Palo Alto is keeping the music going in down town on a Friday night. I have not been but, I sure will make it a point to go before the summers over.


 You can also catch Tom Chapin Concert at Mitchell Park on July 17, 2010 6:30pm. this kicks off  The City of Palo Alto’s Twilight Concert Series.
If you have nothing planned this weekend, now you have two places to go Friday and Saturday night. Get out of the hot house and support our local musicians.




http://events.sfgate.com/palo-alto-ca/events/show/125396965-tom-chapin-concert




LM

The RISKS of driving on a suspended license.

Image by davidciani via Flickr

More and more California motorists seem willing to take a big risk by continuing to drive a car or motor cycle on a revoked or suspended drivers license!  Aside from breaking the law, it's dumb, extremely expensive, and often more costly to the driver's family and friends!

California Vehicle Code 14601 prohibits driving when you know your drivers license has been suspended or revoked. While only a misdemeanor, this crime could land first-time offenders in jail for not less than 5 days, be fined not less than $300. 

Obviously the penaltlies multiply for further convictions, and are even steeper for DUI offenders...however, there's another major consequence.  Upon each arrest, the vehicle is immediatly impounded, towed, and stored for a minumum of 30 days, and what's worse...quite often the offender is driving someone elses car!

I'll share a true life example of this, and how an innocent car owner suddenly became a victim too! A friend of mine loaned the family's second car(a Suburu Legacy hatchback) to his 21-year old step-daughter to go pick up a friend. She'd done this before when her own car was out of commission  for one reason or another.

What he and his wife did not know was that his step-daughter had two outstanding warrents for un-paid traffic tickets, and had her drivers license suspended!  That afternoon she was pulled over by a California Highway Patrol officer for running a stop sign near the intersection of Bascom Avenue and San Carlos Street in San Jose, California.

She was taken to jail, and the Suburu was towed to a yard in Santa Clara, California, not far from the CHP headquarters on Zanker Road.

My friend was suddenly caught in a financial mess.  Even if he chose not to bail-out his step-daughter, how was he going to afford losing his car for 30 days....and paying tow and storage charges of close to $2000?

Also, this second car was used to transport he and his wife's handicapped granddaughter(and wheelchair) to doctors appointments, as well as other family needs!  It was more than just the money! It was the inconvenience!

However, as hard as my friend pleaded with the CHP, state law requires 30 days impound, unless, in certain instances...you can manage to get the offending drivers license re-instated, and show proof with DMV documentation.

Fortunatly, my friend took an extra step and decided to visit the CHP office with his step-daughter, to discuss any possible options with the CHP sergent in charge. This particular officer was very understanding, and agreed to release the car from impound....if his step daughter promised to take care of her tickets and get her license re-instated.

My friend was lucky!  He got his Suburu back that afternoon, however, he still had to pay the tow company $335, but that's a lot cheaper than $2000!

I have a feeling there are many more car owners and family members suffering a much worse fate than my friend and his step-daughter. Should you find yourself in a similiar mess you may try what my friend did, and get lucky.

However, the best advice is to be VERY CAREFUL who you loan your car to....if anyone at all!  As for you violators, GET REAL!  SMARTIN UP!  It's dumb enough to ignore paying your tickets.  Why be an even bigger idiot by letting them go to warrent...and having your drivers license suspended in the first place.

Thanks, and stay safe on the road!

Sincerely, PeteCam4

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