I always delight in finding products that rep the Peninsula. There are countless mugs, sweatshirts, shot glasses, keychains and postcards emblazoned with San Francisco icons like the Golden Gate Bridge, but stuff with scenes from the 650 is a little harder to come by.
Fortunately, we have local artists like Courtney Beyer to help fill in the gap. A native of Los Altos, Courtney grew up taking art lessons from a fellow resident and also enrolled in some art classes as a University of Michigan student. She returned to the Bay Area after college and joined a group for women in tech who wanted to bring more creativity into their lives, which led her to try freelance pattern design.
After the birth of her second child, she decided to make art her primary career focus and began creating greeting cards and stickers. The Menlo Park resident’s products are now in roughly 60 stores nationwide, including Linden Tree Books in Los Altos, where she spent “hours and hours” growing up.
Courtney’s designs take inspiration from the natural world and local landmarks and figures, including the Flintstone House, the Stanford Dish and more. She also uses her art to raise awareness of environmental issues.
As the holidays near, it’s the perfect time to support local artists like Courtney to meet your stationary and gifting needs. Read more about Courtney’s work in Karla Kane’s profile.
Season’s greetings,
Julia Brown
Six Fifty Editor
editor@thesixfifty.com
From the Flintstone House to the Stanford Dish, Menlo Park artist Courtney Beyer’s designs pay homage to local landmarks
Los Altos native Courtney Beyer’s greeting cards and stickers take inspiration from her Bay Area surroundings and the natural world. She also uses her artwork to draw awareness to environmental issues.
A towering achievement: Redwood Symphony marks 40 years of adventurous music
From a Tchaikovsky concerto to car parts used as percussion, the Redwood Symphony’s 40th anniversary concert on Nov. 22, which features composer Mason Bates, reflects the community orchestra’s ambitious mission.
Inside the Peninsula’s first Azerbaijani restaurant: NAR Restaurant offers Caucasus region flavors alongside original takeout concepts
Find dishes from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and southern Russia under one roof in Mountain View.
Congrats to Mark G., who was the first reader to correctly identify where last week’s photo was taken (it’s Pioneer Saloon in Woodside!).
The first person to reply to this email with the correct place where the below photo was taken will win a prize from The Six Fifty and a shoutout in our next newsletter!
Be sure to check out our November events guide for more things to do!
Friends of the Menlo Park Library Book Sale: Nov. 14-15 Find a bonanza of books, puzzles, games, music and more.
Popovich Comedy Pet Theater: Nov. 15 See dogs, cats, birds and even a pig perform alongside juggler and comedian Gregory Popovich at this family-friendly show that aims to promote animal rescue and adoption.
Native Plant Sale: Nov. 15 Purchase seed packets, nursery-grown plants and more at this annual sale at Half Moon Bay State Beach. Proceeds from the sale help support California State Parks in San Mateo County.
Craft Fair & Holiday Market: Nov. 15 Find live entertainment, craft vendors, food trucks and a pancake brunch at this Daly City holiday event.
Spread the Love: Nov. 16 eCr Pub hosts a food and essential items donation drive for local families in need plus live DJs, face painting, food and drinks.
The Wildcats Benefit Concert: Nov. 19 Longtime Peninsula band The Wildcats perform a concert of rock ‘n’ roll favorites to benefit Americares, an organization that provides health programs, medicine, medical aid and emergency support to communities in crisis.
Ada & The Engine: Nov. 21-Dec. 7 The Pear Theatre presents popular playwright Lauren Gunderson’s show about visionary mathematician Ada Lovelace, sometimes called the first computer programmer.
Plan Ahead:
Art on the Square Holiday Show: Nov. 22 Art on the Square’s annual holiday show brings more than 25 artists inside the San Mateo County History Museum offering work for sale, plus live blues music.
Root Down Fall Farm Fest 2025: Nov. 22-23 The Pescadero farm will open to the public with food from Full Steam Dumpling, farm meat products for sale and vendors offering tasty goodies, plus live music from Lucas Lawson.
Holiday Card Writing for Seniors: Nov. 22 Brighten a Daly City senior citizen’s winter by making a homemade holiday card with Peninsula Book Collaborative. Supplies will be provided, but you can also bring your own.
Holidays at Filoli: Nov. 22-Jan. 11 Filoli transforms into a festive wonderland with lights, decorations and the all-new Thistlewyck – a holiday village in the redwood forest featuring tiny trains and fairy houses.
The Great Dickens Christmas Fair: Nov. 22-Dec. 21 The Cow Palace transforms into a Victorian England winter wonderland of entertainment, shops, foods and, of course, Dickensian characters.
A Driving Beat: Through Nov. 23 A mother and her adopted son take a cross-country road trip set to a hip-hop beat in TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s newest show.
Spartan Turkey Trot: Nov. 27 MVHS Sports Boosters’ annual event includes a 5K run and walk, kids’ races and the Spartan Mile, a 1-mile run.
Opt Outside Sensory Celebration: Nov. 28 Explore the five senses in the great outdoors on a moderately paced Midpen docent-led hike of The Lost Trail at Windy Hill Preserve.
George Packer with Dave Eggers: Dec. 2 George Packer discusses his new dystopian novel “The Emergency,” about a post-imperial-collapse society, with fellow author Dave Eggers at an event at Kepler’s.
Hysterical: Marie Faustin: Dec. 13 Comedian, actor and host of the dating game show “Why Are You Single?” performs at Stanford’s Bing Studio.
Four favorite fall recipes from Peninsula chefs
Pear tarts, squash gratin, duck tagliatelle and Georgian eggplant stew? Don’t mind if we do.
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