You don’t need the holidays to come around for an excuse to eat cookies, but the season provides a built-in reason to do some major quality assurance work for the sake of fellow cookie swap attendees and your kids who are expecting the cookies left out for Santa to be gone when they wake up on Christmas morning.
Pro and novice bakers alike are busy baking cookies by the dozen, fulfilling longtime traditions through multigenerational recipes and sweets shared among family and friends. Get some cookie decorating and baking inspo from three San Mateo County businesses devoted to baking: La Biscotteria in Redwood City, San Carlos home-based bakery After-School Snack Attack and Baking Arts cooking school in San Mateo. Stephanie Lam spoke with the cookie connoisseurs behind these businesses to learn more about their cookie crafting and get tips for readers.
Visions of sugar cookies dancing in my head,
Julia Brown
Six Fifty Editor
editor@thesixfifty.com
Where to volunteer on the Peninsula this holiday season and beyond
Whether you have a couple of hours or a few days a week to spare, Peninsula organizations could use your help with everything from delivering food and maintaining trails to caring for animals and talking to seniors in need of connection.
Peninsula cookie connoisseurs share their top holiday cookie crafting tips
Whether you’re crafting your own holiday cookies or splurging on goodies from local bakeries, Silicon Valley has no shortage of cookie connoisseurs brimming with tips and expertise that’s particularly helpful this time of year.
Meet the Midpeninsula artisans making furniture, decor and more out of reclaimed materials
In a world of fast fashion, mass production and rampant waste, two Redwood City residents are making furniture, light fixtures and other home goods out of salvaged materials, turning what might otherwise languish as trash into functional, aesthetically pleasing treasure. You may have encountered products by their company, TroubleHouse, around town.
Congrats to Kathy S., who was the first reader to correctly identify where last week’s photo was taken (it’s Alpine Lake at Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve in La Honda!).
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!
The Blind Boys of Alabama: Dec. 12 The gospel and soul ensemble makes a stop in Menlo Park as part of its Christmas tour.
Hysterical: Marie Faustin: Dec. 13 Comedian, actor and host of the dating game show “Why Are You Single?” performs at Stanford’s Bing Studio.
Geminid Meteor Shower: Dec. 13 Catch the Geminid meteor shower at Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park. College of San Mateo astronomy professor Justin Stevick will give a presentation, followed by stargazing with the Santa Cruz Astronomy Club (weather permitting).
Harley Farms Christmas Faire: Dec. 13-14 Bring the family to the Pescadero goat dairy for carolers, tamales, wine and cheese, hot apple cider, Santa Claus, face painting and artisan vendors.
Winter Art Faire: Dec. 13-14 Art Guild of Pacifica hosts a fair featuring gifts created by local artists and artisans.
Gingerbread House Decorating Contest: Dec. 14 Drink beer at Taplands Taproom while decorating gingerbread houses with friends. Prizes will be awarded for the best house.
Devil’s Canyon Holiday Market: Dec. 19 Find wares by 20 local artisans for sale alongside Devil Canyon’s weekly Beer Friday event, featuring food trucks, live music and craft beer.
Harpers Hall Ensemble: Dec. 19 Hear an ensemble of Celtic harps playing Christmas music, with proceeds supporting Second Harvest of Silicon Valley.
The Great Dickens Christmas Fair: Through Dec. 21 The Cow Palace transforms into a Victorian England winter wonderland of entertainment, shops, foods and, of course, Dickensian characters.
It’s A Wonderful Life: Dec. 24 The Stanford Theatre’s holiday screenings of the classic film are a Peninsula tradition.
Noon Year’s Storytime: Dec. 31 Kids can celebrate the New Year with a storytime party featuring songs, crafts and Paddington Bear.
NYE with Eric Schwartz: Dec. 31 Roosters Comedy Club hosts two New Year’s Eve comedy shows with Eric Schwartz and a complimentary champagne toast.
Plan Ahead:
Guided Walk at Gray Whale Cove: Jan. 10 Docents lead a two-hour walk along Gray Whale Cove Trail, including evidence of the remnants of the Ocean Shore Railroad and WWII-era bunkers, plus views of the ocean, coastal plants and birds.
A Twelfth Night Feast: Jan. 10 Renaissance reenactment group The Guilde of Sainte Marie presents an evening of feasting, dancing, music and intrigue set in Tudor times.
BayLUG LEGO Holiday Show: Through Jan. 10 Palo Alto’s annual LEGO show this year has the theme of “Great American Road Trip.”
San Mateo on Ice: Through Jan. 11 Central Park transforms into an ice skating rink for the holiday season, with sessions available during the day and under the stars.
Club Fox Blues Jam’s 20th Anniversary Concert: Jan. 16 The Club Fox Blues Jam is celebrating two decades of jamming with a special concert featuring The Daniel Castro Band, The Chris Cain Band, The Greaseland All-Stars and The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra, concluding with a big jam session, naturally.
Fun with Fungus: Jan. 17 and Feb. 7 Hidden Villa leads introductory workshops on local fungus. Taking both sessions is recommended but not required; classes can be taken independently.
Peninsula Symphony with Joyce Yang: Jan. 17-18 The Peninsula Symphony is joined by Grammy-nominated pianist Joyce Yang at a concert including Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 plus three orchestral interpretations of “Romeo and Juliet.”
Brian Barth: Jan. 19 Kepler’s Books hosts investigative journalist Brian Barth to discuss his book “Front Street: Resistance and Rebirth in the Tent Cities of Techlandia,” an immersive look into Silicon Valley’s homeless encampments.
Patches and Pockets: Jan. 22 At this workshop, upcycle scrap fabric and learn to make a cozy quilt block to use as a patch or clothing decoration.
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
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