Dear Friend:

Don’t miss out on the fun local events taking place this month! All events are free, unless otherwise noted.

December 2 – 4:15 to 8 p.m.  – This Friday Burlingame heralds the season with the annual Holiday Tree Lighting and Open House. This family event begins with music by local school groups and the tree lighting in front of City Hall, 501 Primrose, at 4:15 p.m., followed by entertainment (including Santa Claus) and special promotions by merchants along Burlingame Avenue and side streets. Why not have dinner at a local restaurant and get a head start on your holiday shopping? Stacks at 361 California Drive is open for dinner and will donate proceeds to the CALL Primrose Center, which helps the needy.

December 2, 3 and 4 – Broadway by the Bay performs “Godspell Junior” at the Bayside Performing Arts Center, 2025 Kehoe Ave., San Mateo, at 8 p.m. on Friday, 3 and 7 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

December 3 – 5:35 p.m. – Santa will make a 20-minute stop at the Burlingame Avenue station to lead a holiday sing-along this Saturday, when Caltrain Toys for Tots Train arrives at 5:35 p.m., decorated with more than 40,000 lights. Attendees are urged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to drop in barrels to benefit the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Toys and the Salvation Army.

December 4 – 4 p.m. – The Burlingame High School Choir presents itsWinter Concert at First Presbyterian Church, 1500 Easton Drive.

December 5 – 6 to 8 p.m. – Books Inc. at 1375 Burlingame Ave. presents a Poetry and Music Benefit for California Poets in the Schools, with music for all ages by Kevin North and poetry readings.

December 5 – 7 p.m. Come and see our new mayor and City Council members installed at City Hall, 501 Primrose.

December 6 – 7 p.m. – The Peninsula Girls Chorus sings at main Burlingame Public Library, 480 Primrose.

December 8 – 5 to 7 p.m. – Holidays on Broadway (Burlingame). Come and shop and listen to the Mills High School Jazz Band, the Burlingame Intermediate School Choir, a bell choir and more. Santa will be there.

December 8 – 7 p.m. – Il Piccolo Caffe at 1219 Broadway (Burlingame) hosts the first Old-Fashioned Radio Drama, with readings of “The Plot to Overthrow Christmas” and “A Christmas Carol” by local talent.

December 8, 9 and 10 – St. Catherine of Siena School presents “A Christmas Carol.” Tickets cost $5 for children, students and seniors, $7 for adults and may be purchased from mrmikemiller@aol.com.

December 12 – 7 p.m. – The Burlingame High School Band presents its Winter Concert at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center, 600 N. Delaware, San Mateo.

December 21 – 7 p.m. Singer Jim Stevens will conduct a Family Sing-Along by the Fireside at the Easton branch library, 1800 Easton Drive.

Planning Commission Opening

Applications are now available for one seat on the Burlingame Planning Commission, due to Commissioner Ann Keighran’s election to the City Council. Applications are due December 9. For more information, contact Netie Sinday at nshinday@burlingame.org or (650) 558-7204.

Adopt-A-Unit Program

Burlingame has formally adopted Bravo Company, 1/327, 101st Airborne Division, which was recently deployed again to Iraq. A local citizens’ Adopt-a-Unit committee is collecting items to send to the troops and their families. Go to http://www.burlingame.org/ASA-package-items.htm for a list of suggested items. To donate items, contact Don Dornell, Deputy Chief of the Central County Fire Department, at ddornell@centralcountyfd.org or call him at (650) 558-7604. Items can be dropped off at any fire station in Burlingame or Hillsborough.

Water Rebates

Did you know that Burlingame will give you a $50 rebate for installing a low-flow toilet or a $75 rebate for a high-efficiency washing machine? Details are available at http://www.burlingame.org/water/rebates.htm.

Buy Books and Help Burlingame

If you’re buying books this season, please shop locally at Books Inc. on Burlingame Avenue or click go to the Burlingame Library’s home page at http://www.burlingame.org/library/def_library.htm and click on the Amazon.com link. If you buy books through that link, a portion of the sale will benefit our Burlingame’s libraries.

Suggested Reading

Did you know that you can cut the odds of your dying in half in the coming year by joining one group? That’s one of the fascinating facts in a very interesting book I recently read about the human benefits of socializing and participating in community activities. It’s called “Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community” and the author is Robert Putnam. I highly recommend this book.

We’ll be talking a lot about the future planning of Burlingame in coming months as the city shapes a new Specific Area Plan for the Burlingame Avenue area—an idea supported by every council candidate. To learn more about some of the thinking behind ideas helping modern American cities evolve, here are some other books recommended by Martin Dreiling and other local architects:

“The Death and Life of Great American Cities” by Jane Jacobs – This classic book explains how cities work and should work.

“The High Cost of Free Parking” by Donald C. Shoup – This book discusses the myth of free parking.

“The Home Town Advantage” by Stacy Mitchell – The author offers grassroots ideas for countering plans by mega-stores to dominate small cities. This book is only available online at http://www.newrules.org/retail/hta_retail.html for $14 plus $3 shipping and handling.

Quick Tip: How to Cut Through Voice Mail

If you’re trying to talk to a human being at a major company or organization and are trapped in an endless voicemail loop, try this cheat sheet, which lists shortcuts to reach real live people who can help you: http://paulenglish.com/ivr/.

See you around Burlingame!