California Capitol Institute: Learning More About Sacramento To Help San Mateo

This week I am attending "Capitol Institute", a three-day seminar for local city officials to learn more about the legislative process in Sacramento.

During my time in Sacramento, I am observing first-hand the budget and legislative process, and discussing issues that are important to our City. One of the goals of the Institute is to give local officials a better understanding of the process in Sacramento.

I was honored to be selected to participate in this Institute after applying through the non-profit group "California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus Institute". My time in Sacramento is not using any City funds or taxpayer money.

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Preparing for Disasters - San Mateo Amateur Radio Club

This afternoon I was thrilled to take part of "Amateur Radio Field Day", hosted by the San Mateo Amateur Radio Club.  

Held at Beresford Park, the Field Day was part of a nationwide event in which thousands of amateur radio operators practiced setting up mobile communication sites in the event of a disaster.  

When a disaster strikes, radio amateurs are often the first to provide critical information and communications.  Using only emergency power supplies, amateur radio operators will construct emergency stations in parks, malls, schools, and backyards around the country.  

More than 34,000 amateur radio operators across the country participated in last year's event, and Field Day has been held each year since 1933 except during World War II.  

At Field Day, I was shown how amateur radio operators are able to set up communication stations within hours after a disaster which allow them to communicate worldwide with other radio operators.  In a disaster in which electricity, phones, and internet service could be down for days or weeks, the ability of the amateur radio operators to communicate from any location without the electrical grid will be crucial for our community. 

As a City Councilmember for San Mateo, I gained valuable insight in the work of the San Mateo Amateur Radio Club, and I thank them for their dedication to our community. 

Thanks especially to Jeff Martin for giving me a tour of Field Day and teaching more about the important role of amateur radio communications! 

 

Thanks to Jeff Martin and all the members of the San Mateo Amateur Radio Club!

Discussing Development in Downtown San Mateo

This morning I am at "Good Morning San Mateo", hosted by the San Mateo Chamber of Commerce.

The featured speaker is Tim Draper, the new owner of he Ben Franklin Hotel building.

Run, walk or even crawl for good eats

June 22, 2011, 03:33 AM By Bill Silverfarb Daily Journal staff

Social networking is all the rage on the Internet but some folks have taken to ditching their computers to actually make new friends in face-to-face interactions all while sampling fine cuisine. Last night, a group of about 50 people cruised downtown San Mateo to partake in some of the area’s best food and drink all while getting to know each other. The event, called Dishcrawl, has livened up downtowns throughout the Bay Area in recent months including Mountain View, San Jose, Livermore and Palo Alto. Founder Tracy Lee calls Dishcrawl a way to blend good food with good company. For $26, Dishcrawl participants get to walk around a downtown and eat some of the best food at three to four different restaurants all while mingling and sharing drinks with mostly perfect strangers, although participants have to buy their own beverages. There is also an element of secrecy to the event, since most participants have no idea what restaurants they will be visiting before arriving at a common meeting place. Lee held a Dishcrawl in downtown San Mateo back in May that Councilman David Lim and his wife participated in. Lim’s group visited Rave Burger, Fletch’s, Kingfish, Astaria and finally Beard Papa’s for dessert. Lim was told by others to pace himself that night but he packed in the food and drinks and said he made a lot of new friends. “I was excited to see such an exciting, vibrant and tasty experience come to downtown San Mateo,” Lim said. Lee decided to do a Dishcrawl in San Mateo because the city needs some “new movement.” “It is a chance to meet your neighbors but also meet the people behind the food,” Lee said. Chefs will engage the group, put on cooking demonstrations and offer up their best dishes, she said. “There’s a real synergy in all of this,” Lee said. Last night, a group of new strangers met at the Versailles Condominiums at Crystal Springs Road and El Camino Real for a private chef cooking before strolling out into downtown to sample more food at the next secret location which happened to be a gourmet food truck called Hiyaaa! Marlon Evangelista, who lives in San Bruno, attended last night’s Dishcrawl in San Mateo for a second time. He has taken to bringing his camera to the event, like many others, to document the experience. He especially enjoys sharing his opinions with others about the food being sampled. “I also like the exploration aspect of it,” Evangelista said. San Mateo Parks and Recreation Director Sheila Canzian also attended last night’s event. “I never heard of it until a few days ago,” she said. She and the rest of the group enjoyed some Angus burgers at Versailles and some other specialty appetizers along with some champagne before heading outdoors to sample from the gourmet food truck. Hiyaaa! served Vietnamese-inspired hot fusion sandwiches with a Korean twist that were gobbled up quickly despite participants already being filled up at Versailles. After that, the group headed down to B Street to sample the menu at Las Americas, a Peruvian-themed restaurant that serves empanadas, anticuchos, sopa al la Criolla and many other dishes. The spot for dessert was kept a secret until the end of the night. Lee has actually started to conduct Dishcrawls in Canada, with one scheduled in Montreal July 6.   Bill Silverfarb/Daily Journal Dishcrawl participants sampled food at the Versailles Condominiums in downtown San Mateo last night before venturing out to sample food at three other locales.

Trendy Happenings in Downtown San Mateo

Downtown San Mateo has great places to eat, shop, and hang out with friends and family.  Starting next week, even more trendy, fun happenings will be coming to Downtown. 

Dishcrawl San Mateo - Tuesday, June 21

A new way to dine, explore, and meet new friends!  Last month I posted about my experiences with Dishcrawl.  I'm pleased to report that the owners of Dishcrawl are coming back to Downtown San Mateo with an opportunity for you to sample four great restaurants for one low price!  Click here for more details. 

Music in the Park - Thursday, June 23

The return of the popular FREE summer series returns with it's opening night on Thursday, June 23 from 6-8 PM with the music of Club 90 playing pop hits of the 90's.  And this year, members of the Downtown San Mateo Association will be selling wine in addition to the always great food booths!  Bring the whole family for a night of fun at Downtown Central Park!  Click here for more information.