The Voice of East Bay Living

Need a break from the routine but don't want to spend a long time waiting in line at airports? Why not drive to Carmel-by-the-sea, located 120 miles south of San Francisco on the Pacific coast. This charming  town, known for its natural scenery and artistic history, is just a delight. In 1910, over 60% of its population were people devoting their lives to work connected with the arts.The city has had several mayors who were poets or actors.Their presence is still felt with the many quaint homes, numerous art galleries and classical concerts. The town has a romantic and gentle vibe. It is  short drive from home but feels like a million miles away. Visit  GlassSabine.com Contact Team Glass Sabine at  ssabine @grubbco.com 

Did you know that nearly one half of the world's population cook on an open fire? Did you know that the smoke exposure to people that cook three meals a day over an open fire is equivalent to smoking 200 cigarettes per day. In fact, smoke inhalation actually kills 4.3 million people across the world per year. An energetic team called  Potential Energy , led by director Michelle Kreger, decided to help this situation. In 2005, they went to Zam Zam refugee camp in Darpor, Africa and began to do research in conjunction with U.C. Berkeley. They came up with a a small cook stove called the five minute stove - It is made out of steel and burns fifty per cent less fuel and has much less smoke.The stoves were originally distributed for free and now cost about $20.00. So far, 37,676 Stoves are being used in Darfur. Our American lifestyle could not handle hauling wood 7 hours a day for cooking. Don't take anything for granted, let's be grateful for what w...

If you want to go to a great movie theater 10 minutes from the East Bay-- a hop,skip and a jump through the tunnel... try the Orinda Movie Theater .  This adorable Art Deco theater has been completely restored to it's original grandeur. And if you want a delicious meal before the movie, try Siam Orchid  - quiet, wonderful, and moderately priced Thai food. 

A great get away for the day is the Sonoma Mission Inn .  Ask for a good neighbor pass ($49.00) and have access to all the wonderful pools, sauna, hot tubs, and yoga classes. Call directly for a reservation at 707-938-3000. Visit  GlassSabine.com Contact Team Glass Sabine at  ssabine @grubbco.com 

Voulez-vous un repas fancais?  Try Michel Bistro -a wonderful new hot spot at 3343 Lakeshore in Uptown Oakland. -bone marrow, incredible fresh salads, escargot, olive tapenade, an extensive French wine list.. it is for sure  an ooo-la-la. Visit  GlassSabine.com Contact Team Glass Sabine at  ssabine @grubbco.com 

The guest speaker at our Berkeley Rotary meeting was Nancy Skinner, a member of the California State Assembly. Here are a few tidbits from her talk: -California is the 8th largest economy in the world. -California voters in 2012 passed a temporary tax which paid down the state debt by $12 billion.  -There has been increased funding to elementary schools and all public schools will receive a 10% increase in funds this year.  -More money is currently being spent for improvement of local streets ,roads, and the park systems.  -California has made the largest investment in a decade for pre-school care.  Two areas that desperately need help in the state: -The state has an incredibly high incarceration rate-state is spending a lot of money and this is not serving us.New funds are being used to assist low level offenders to find productive work and lives.  -A shocking 25% of California residents live on or below poverty level-the poverty is a toxic i...