This time of year is big on spooky symbols – zombies and mummies, bats and tarantulas, witches and black cats (which aren’t terribly creepy to me, but I’m a little biased as the owner of one). But it’s also a time I find myself thinking about those I’ve known and loved who are no longer with us.
Between 2017 and 2020 I lost three of my family members – my grandmother and two uncles. Two months after my grandmother’s death, my husband and I walked down the aisle after our wedding to her piano recording of “Wedding March.” That moment was a reminder to embrace the joy and the sorrow that comes with living and how sometimes that means holding those two emotions together when they intersect.
The immediate sting of their deaths may have passed, but I still miss and think about them all the time. My uncle Doug thought I brought his Yankees good luck when I watched their games and swore Aaron Judge would lead his team to the championship; I watch them in the postseason and think back on all our cross-country phone calls, his voice bellowing “How you?” when he picked up the phone. I keep a portrait of my uncle Ron that graced the front of invitations to his memorial service on our fridge, the lively twinkle in his eyes reminding me how he lived life to the fullest. A couple of clicks on YouTube and I can listen to my grandmother playing piano, taking me back to family gatherings when I could find her by following the melody of the piano keys. I like to think that remembering them helps keep their stories and voices alive.
With Dia de los Muertos coming up, there are events throughout the Peninsula in October and November providing opportunities to remember and celebrate the lives of loved ones through public altars, traditional crafts and festivities full of music and dancing. It’s joy and sorrow colliding again in all its glory and vibrancy, a way to preserve the memory of a loved one and pass it down to new generations. From Daly City to Mountain View, find the festivities near you in our guide below.
“What died didn’t stay dead, you’re alive, you’re alive in my head,”
Julia Brown
Six Fifty Editor
editor@thesixfifty.com
Where to celebrate Dia de los Muertos on the Peninsula
Commemorate the lives of deceased loved ones with music, food, art and community.
Ghost kitchens are losing hype. Here’s why these 4 restaurateurs set up shop at a new Sunnyvale ghost kitchen
Many ghost kitchens are now, well, ghosts. Once lauded as the future of the restaurant industry, ghost kitchens are beginning to decline in popularity.
New trail opens at Bedwell Bayfront Park as part of ongoing marsh restoration project
The morning of Oct. 19 was crisp, breezy and full of excitement, as nearly 300 people gathered at Bedwell Bayfront Park to celebrate the opening of the park’s newest trail: The Flyway Trail.
No one was able to correctly identify where last week’s photo was taken (it’s a mural at Hangry Planet in San Bruno!).
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 Mother Hips: Oct. 26 Beloved rock band The Mother Hips has a new album – “California Current” – and an upcoming performance at The Guild.
Laura Benitez: Oct. 26 California country artist Laura Benitez performs at Filoli as part of its autumn Orchard Days series.
Unholy Sunday with Peaches Christ: Oct. 27 Peaches Christ brings humor, music and fabulous costumes to Stanford, along with guest performers Jason Brock and Cheetah Biscotti and members of Stanford Dragfest Troop.
United Nations Association Film Festival: Through Oct. 27 The annual documentary film fest returns to the Peninsula and San Francisco with a theme of “Shared Humanity.”
Diana R. Chambers: Oct. 30 You probably know Julia Child as a celebrated chef. But Diana R. Chambers’ historical novel “The Secret War of Julia Child” chronicles her wartime experiences working for America’s first espionage agency.
Zoppe Italian Family Circus: Nov. 1-Dec. 1 Downtown Redwood City once again hosts Nino the Clown and his dazzling troupe of circus performers as they return to amaze local families on their annual visit.
Rancho Day: Nov. 2 Los Altos History Museum’s interactive Rancho Day takes participants back in history through games, exhibits, demonstrations, performances, crafts and traditional Mexican food.
Plan Ahead
Springline’s Diwali Celebration: Nov. 8 Food from New Delhi Restaurant, cocktails and mocktails from Burma Love, a marketplace and live performances are planned for Springline’s Festival of Lights celebration.
CASP Open Studios: Nov. 9 The artists of Palo Alto’s Cubberley Artist Studio Program offer a peek into their processes, along with food trucks, programming and activities by other local organizations. Free prints for the first 200 attendees.
Kandace Springs: Nov. 10 Catch soul/jazz vocalist, pianist and songwriter Kandace Springs when she performs in Half Moon Bay.
Patchwork Show: Nov. 10 Artisans and makers will be selling their unique wares as part of this bi-annual makers festival, which also features DIY crafts, food and more.
Nobuntu: Nov. 13 Nobuntu, an acclaimed vocal group from Zimbabwe, performs traditional Zimbabwean songs, Afro jazz and gospel.
Big Head Todd and The Monsters: Nov. 15 The long-running rock band is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a tour.
Winter Wine Walk: Nov. 16 Taste wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains while strolling downtown Menlo Park, with proceeds benefiting the Menlo Park Atherton Education Foundation.
Fantastic Feasts and Where to Find Them: Nov. 19 Kepler’s hosts an evening of food samples and drinks, featuring four culinary writers: Carole Bumpus, Sara Calvosa Olson, Jennifer Newens and Vina Patel.
Domenico Winery’s Holiday Boutique and Craft Fair: Nov. 19 Find unique gifts and handcrafted items from small businesses at this event, which will also feature a full bar, wine and food for sale.
Fiddler on the Roof: Through Nov. 24 Tradition! Palo Alto Players’ latest production is the beloved musical “Fiddler on the Roof.”
How a Palo Alto woman became a pumpkin-carving pro and Food Network regular
Competitive carver Leigh Henderson shares her tips for carving seriously scary scenes for Halloween.
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