Open Studios to display art
Silicon Valley Open Studios 2006 will feature 21 artists from Los Altos and Los Altos Hills among the approximately 330 artists participating in this year’s event. Local residents will display their artwork in their homes May 6 and 7. As a preview, members of the Open Studios board and steering committee have works on display through Sunday at Main Street Cafe & Books, 134 Main St., in Los Altos. For more information and locations, visit www.svos.org.
Native plant sale May 6
The California Native Plant Society is holding a native plant sale 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 6 at Hidden Villa preserve in Los Altos Hills.
California native plants thrive without amendments, fertilizers or pesticides and offer incomparable habitat value. At the sale, you can choose from scores of hard-to-find native plants: from deergrass and monkey flower to redbud and blue-eyed grass, from orchids and lilies to ferns, sedum and buckwheat.
For more information, visit www.cnps-scv.org, e-mail cnps_scv@yahoo.com or call 691-9749.
SPARC sponsors talk on capitalism
The South Peninsula Area Republican Coalition (SPARC) has scheduled “Ayn Rand’s Defense of Capitalism: Why America Needs It Now” featuring Dr. Yaron Brook, president of the Ayn Rand Institute and a prominent advocate for Objectivism, 6:30 p.m. May 3 at Main Street Cafe & Books, 134 Main St.
Brook will discuss novelist-philosopher Ayn Rand’s answer to the question: How should we defend economic freedom against its many enemies? Brook said that freedom-loving Americans need to understand Rand’s defense of economic freedom because capitalism today is poorly defended.
The $10 program fee includes dessert and wine/beverages.
For more information or to RSVP, call 917-9125, e-mail reserve@sparcgop.org or visit www.SparcGop.org.
Cuesta Park Annex provides natural gallery
Save Open Space Mountain View (SOS-MV) has scheduled art and a walk 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. May 6 in the Cuesta Park Annex.
Local artists and photographers, inspired by the natural beauty of the annex, will share their works and the process of capturing that beauty with visitors.
SOS-MV is a group of residents united to preserve natural open space in Mountain View. The Cuesta Park Annex is a city-owned parcel adjacent to Cuesta Park on Cuesta Drive between Miramonte Avenue and Grant Road.
For more information, call 938-3726, 938-4245 or e-mail saveopenspace@pacbell.net.
Hospital foundation cooking with gala
The El Camino Hospital Foundation has scheduled its annual gala May 20 at the Parking Pavilion, Penthouse Level.
Celebrity chefs from premier restaurants in Northern California, including Amber India, AP Stump’s Chop House, Caffe Riace, Chez TJ, Emile’s, Evvia, Quattro-Four Seasons and Kokkari, will cook their signature hors d’oeuvres onsite - the tented rooftop of El Camino Hospital’s new parking garage.
The black-tie-optional event will celebrate the building of the new hospital campus and raise funds for the programs and outreach services the hospital provides to the community, including RotaCare, the Health Library and Resource Center and Healing Arts.
A sit-down dinner and dancing to the music of the Robert Vickers Orchestra will follow the appetizer hour, which begins at 5 p.m. The evening costs $250 per person and $150 is tax deductible.
For more information, call Lindsay Greensweig at 988-7849 or e-mail lindsay_greensweig@elcaminohospital.org.
Local electronic waste disposal set for Saturday
Electronic Waste Recycling Day is scheduled 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at St. Simon Church, 1860 Grant Road, Los Altos. Computer and electronic equipment (working or not), including power cords, battery chargers and cables/wires for recycling, can be dropped at the site at no charge.
For more information, contact Rose Lue at (408) 807-5268 or e-mail roselue@gmail.com.
LAHHA to sponsor equine clinics
Los Altos Hills Horsemen’s Association has planned two equine clinics at the Los Altos Hills Town Riding Ring on Purissima Road.
The clinics, scheduled for May 13-14, will feature horse trainer Marybeth Wiefels. Space is limited, but those wishing to learn more about building better relationships with horses may audit clinics for a reasonable fee. For more information, e-mail lahhaboard@yahoo.com.
Discovery Shops holding white sales
The American Cancer Society’s Discovery Shops in Los Altos and Menlo Park are holding “Everything’s Coming Up White” sales on selected articles of clothing, hats, shoes, jewelry and other items 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 5 and 6.
Proceeds from the non-profit stores go to fight cancer.
The Los Altos Discovery Shop is located at 243 Main St. For more information, call 949-0505.
The Menlo Park store is located at 748 Santa Cruz Ave. For more information, call 325-8939.
Los Altos hotel donates bedding items
The Courtyard by Marriott in Los Altos announced last week that it has donated $16,000 in hotel guest bedding to Gifts in Kind International.
Gifts in Kind will distribute all bedding items throughout the San Jose area.
The hotel is located at 4320 El Camino Real.
Rancho pancake breakfast benefits Relay For Life
Los Altos Rancho Merchants and Covington Elementary School are sponsoring a pancake breakfast 8-11 a.m. May 6 at Los Altos Rancho Shopping Center, corner of Springer Road and Foothill Expressway.
Cost is $5 for adults, $3 for children and includes pancakes, sausage, coffee and juice. The morning features musical entertainment, face painting, the Los Altos fire truck and drawings for prizes. Proceeds benefit the Los Altos Relay For Life.
Relay For Life is a 24-hour walk that aims to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
To sign up for the June 24-25 relay at Los Altos High School, call 917-7979 or visit www.losaltosrelay.com.
