Free Admission to Happy Hollow!

Visit Happy Hollow Park & Zoo for Free!!! On Friday January 28, 2011, Happy Hollow is offering free admission between 9:00 am – 10:00 am and free parking for arrivals before 8:45 am. Come out early and play ‘til 3 pm.

Reservations required and other requirements apply.

For questions call Guest Services at (408) 794-6400.

Free Nature Classes at Hayward Shore

This is a bit further afield, but why not check out the selection of free (or small-fee) classes available at the Hayward Shore Interpretive Center?

January Jackrabbits
Saturday, January 8, 11:00am-12:00pm
What's the difference between a hare and a jackrabbit? A jackrabbit is actually a hare. To end this confusion, join the naturalist to learn about our furry shoreline residents.
Class #10471

February Feathers
Saturday, February 5, 11:00am-12:00pm
The birds of the marsh depend on their wings for flight, warmth and camouflage. This month we'll take a look at feathers and the important role they play.
Class #10472

Free Crafts at Lakeshore Learning --Saturdays

As the holiday gift-giving season rolls around, check out the great teacher supply store Lakeshore Learning on Bascom Ave. in San Jose. It's a great place to find art supplies, workbooks, puzzles and math and science activities for preschool through elementary kids that are non-commercialized, durable and classroom tested. The also have a make and take center with a laminating machine. Check out their free arts and crafts workshops on Saturdays with your kids.

New French Bakery Open in Downtown SJ

I just had to plug this brand new tiny shop near my workplace: A Taste of Paris which just opened a week or two ago. It's a sandwich shop/bakery with a limited menu located conveniently on the Paseo San Antonio near Christmas in the Park and San Jose State University where you can walk in and get a yummy pannini, baguette sandwich or croissant. I did attempt to "parlay Francais" with my American "Frenglish" the other day with the owner -- and he was super friendly and welcoming. For an authentic pain au chocolat at less than $2.00, it's a great deal.

Free Trolley Rides at History San Jose Sat - Sun 11am - 4 pm

Well, it has been a month since I last wrote a post. Mr. Cheap and Great and I've been busy fixing up the house and yard these past few weekends and we've invested in a family membership to the fabulously remodeled Happy Hollow Park and Zoo. Now, when the kids and I come back from a morning adventure jumping on the Frog Hopper, or feeding the goats --the young ones are guaranteed to crash for a few hours. It's like bonus time for the parents! We find free parking on Alma or Phelan and hit the rides for the first hour, rounding it out with a visit to Sam Safari's awesome read-a-loud and the retro puppet show theater. Where, you guessed it --we always brown bag it.

We'll walk through the Japanese Gardens on the way back from our visit to the zoo. Sadly, the gardens lost their beautiful collection of 500 koi fish to a virus brought in by a non-native species fish dumped there a few years ago. They seem to be having trouble containing massive algae in the ponds, but it's still fun for the kids to explore the bridges and pathways. Finally, we stroll through History San Jose and check out whichever museum might be open that day before hitching a ride on the free historic trolley that rolls either inside or outside the park. They have a a lovely bunch of volunteers running the trolley barn.

Yesterday we met the descendants of one of the pioneers of the Portuguese community in San Jose, who exhorted us to come and have a look to their tiny Portuguese Museum. Two twinkly-eyed cousins, proudly showed us pictures of their great grandfather who came from the Azores at age 14 and started his own dairy company. Each individual museum (all historic buildings or homes relocated to the park) is operated by volunteers and open according to special events or their own schedule. The collection includes: printing office, dentist office, firehouse, fruit barn, livery barn, school house, trolley barn, gas station, ice cream parlor, Chinese temple, gift shop and gallery as well as a new Vietnamese museum in the works. History San Jose is always sparsely attended, unless an event is in progress, and makes a lovely place for a post zoo picnic, a safe wide place for scooter practice for the novice rider and in general is just a diamond in the rough in the South Bay. It's definitely a place I would love to volunteer at some point in the future.

Tibetan Monks Create a Sand Mandala of Universal Compassion

In conjunction with the the Dalai Lama's speaking event in San Jose, the city library is planning several events showcasing Tibetan art and culture. As a teenager, I remember seeing a Sand Mandala being constructed. It was an amazing, ephemeral sand "painting" that the monks put together in a public art space in San Francisco. This is definitely on the must list for any kids who are interested in art and a great opportunity to expose them to another culture and religion. Here is the information from the library's events page:
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library 150 E. San Fernando St. 1st floor entrance 4th and E. San Fernando Street (408) 808-2011 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (408) 808-2011 end_of_the_skype_highlighting	Sat, Oct 9 - Wed, Oct 13 All Library Open Hours
Experience the creation of a Tibetan Sand Mandala. Watch "sand painting" in action as monks from the Drepung Loseling Phukhang Monastery make a blueprint for world peace and compassion. The creation of a Sand Mandala blesses the entire region in which it is built: the environment as well as the beings who reside therein. All ages are welcome. Oct. 9 Opening Ceremony 12:00 - 1:00 pm Construction of the Mandala 1:00 - 6:00 pm Oct. 10 Construction of the Mandala 1:00 - 5:00 pm Oct. 11 Construction of the Mandala 9:00 - 5:00 pm Oct. 12 Construction of the Mandala 9:00 - 5:00 pm Oct. 13 Construction of the Mandala 9:00 - 1:00 pm

Pumpkins in the Park

We rode the VTA light rail in to the Pumpkins in the Park festivities downtown today. After a swing by Psycho Donuts, we met friends back at Discovery Meadow for plenty of people watching and activities. This is a great free community festival featuring a ton of food, entertainment, arts and crafts booths, pumpkins and scarecrows. Tons of "spin the wheel for prizes" booths abound. We packed our own lunch (of course) and sat under the shade of a fir tree watching the jets fly over head. A perfect Fall day. No fire truck this year, but here's a look at our haul!

VTA's New Commuter Express Train

On my way to work one day this week a VTA employee handed me a new schedule as well as flyer announcing a new "Commuter Express" light rail train operating on the Santa Teresa/Baypointe Line. They are going to start this new Northbound Departure service Oct. 4, 2010. The train will depart from Santa Teresa and make regular stops until Ohlone/Cheynoweth where it shall become non-stop all the way to Convention Center downtown. Hopefully shaving off a few minutes from the total ride will encourage more ridership on the three Northbound and three Southbound trains they are adding. It will shave 12 minutes off my ride time, enabling me to hit the later train and relax a bit at the morning school drop-off without my literally sprinting through the station lot to grab my train on time. Hooray for saving the planet and saving on downtown parking fees!

Another Cheap and Great Tip: they are offering a free token to ride the new Commuter Express through Oct. 29th through their website.

Outrageous Outgrowns

Outrageous Outgrowns (a wonderful kids' resale event) is coming to the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds on Oct. 15-17th from 9am to 5pm. To the uninitiated, Outrageous Outgrowns is an enormous twice yearly consignment soiree --put together in a warehouse size building. Free parking & admission -- go on Friday for the good stuff! On Sunday they mark everything down that is left -- be wise, these frugal moms will park every which way on the lawn surrounding the pavilion. On previous missions we uncovered bibs, a fold and go potty seat for visiting public restrooms with a toddler in tow, a trio of sweet gingham dresses for growing into as well as some excellent gardening and rain boots for my oldest to wear while assisting in yard work. They have a great selection of baby gear, books, toys and some furniture and maternity clothes.

Cheap and Great Over the Hill

One of the best things about living in San Jose is our proximity to the coast. We love being able to wake up on a weekend morning and impulsively blow off the yard work, and the city traffic for a 30 minute trip over the hill to Natural Bridges State Beach.

And every time we find ourselves repeating the same refrain, "I can't believe we don't come over here more often." Our routine is to walk beautiful West Cliff Drive, then swing by my old college hang-out Taqueria Santa Cruz for the most killer salsa and giant burritos "to-go," grabbing some free parking on on Delaware St. before plopping on the beach to eat, play and let the Silicon Valley stress melt into the sand. Guaranteed napping by the back seat crew all the way home.

Santa Teresa Community Fest

Here's a free community festival planned for our little corner of the valley this Saturday. It's located near the Miyuki Dog Park and George Page Park, one of our little girl's favorite toddler playgrounds.

Book Sale Today

Friends of the Santa Teresa Library is holding their book sale today, Sept. 11, 2010 from 10-4 at the Santa Teresa branch. We scored some great children's books for .25 each at the last sale. We even had been given a one free book coupon from the adjacent farmer's market on Santa Teresa. Enjoy!

Easy Ice Cream Layer Cake - Better Homes and Gardens

Easy Ice Cream Layer Cake - Better Homes and Gardens

My daughter requested a mint ice cream cake for her birthday. Checking the prices at Coldstone and Baskin-Robbins prompted me to research a simple home-made version.

Potty Training Supplies

Two days ago my little 23-month old initiated a "no more diapers for me" stance....and so begins the onslaught of laundry, stickers, mopping and back of the trunk potty chair triage at every stop throughout the day. Whew... but it's for a good cause! Rather than using disposable pull-ups, we use thick cotton underwear and plastic over-panties from Tiny Tots (a diaper service and boutique with plenty of free events and classes in downtown Campbell). They have been handed down from the older daughter and are still in great shape. Normally the word "boutique" would not appear on Cheap and Great, but I feel this store has great resources (such as a fold down toddler potty seat you attach to the toilet) for parents looking to get out of the expense of diapers sooner rather than later.

Healthy Trails Challenge

On Sunday, the official beginning of our recent heat-wave, my husband "treated" me and the kids to a surprise hike of Los Gatos Creek Trail where he used to do training runs (the shadeless and dusty stretch which starts near Forbes Mill, underneath the fancy shops on University and stretches beside Highway 17 to Lex. Reservoir). I had vaguely remembered the three hour "death march" we took at this particular trail when we were first dating, but I held my tongue in the hopes of being a good sport and a role model for the kids. However, with three of us girls soon counting spiderwebs to kill the time and whining,"are we there yet," above the din of the freeway, it re-freshened my memory of the first experience. Tricked again!

But I was happy to pick up a brochure about a new program called the Healthy Trails Challenge. Once you've registered, You and the family have 12 months to hike 5 of the 21 trails in the Santa Clara County Parks system and log your activities. With the second set of 5 trails you are promised a free gift (...new shoes...we could only dream!) So bring your hats and water bottles. The County Park's activity calendar is also available online.

Quicksilver County Park's Mining Museum Grand Re-opening

Years ago we were scouting rural wedding locations and my husband and I took a drive into New Almaden. We had read about the Casa Grande, an 1854 historic mining hotel owned now by the County Parks Department. It is located in a lovely setting near a brook with mature trees and a patio for hosting events. Unfortunately, the facility was no longer rented for private functions, but luckily it has recently undergone a long renovation and the mining museum will be open to the public for a re-dedication day on:

Pioneer Day
Oct. 9, 2010 from 11am-3pm.

Activities will include:
Children's games, entertainment, the "Original Well's Fargo Coach" and a horse-drawn wagon. Food available for purchase.

It's sure to be a great resource to introduce local history to students and families, thanks to the fine efforts of all the volunteers and County Parks Dept.

NOVA/ Connect Job Seekers Center

Anyone affected by the recession or just interested in developing their future career goals should check out this great free resource center for all things job-search related: resume workshops, career advisement, computer classes and interview preparation. It is located near the Sunnyvale Public Library, at 420 S. Pastoria Avenue. 408/774-2365.

Connect! Calendar

I plan to attend one of their career advisement sessions soon and will report back on my observations.

Autumn Book Festival

We came across this flyer for an upcoming scholarship fundraiser the other day while attending an event at San Jose State's Career Center:

Paul F. Byrd
Autumn Book Festival
Sat. Oct. 16, 2010

Divine Science Community Center
1540 Hicks Avenue
San Jose

• Huge Book Sale with free Harry Potter books for the first 50 kids 14 and under.
  
• Free T-shirts and balloons (while supplies last)

We love a good used book sale and frequently shop the Friends book sale sections at our local branch libraries for beginning chapter books and VHS tapes, so this sale will definitely go on the family calendar!

Free Pass to Lawrence Hall of Science

Here is a free pass for one youth admission (age 3-18) with the purchase of an adult ticket, to Lawrence Hall of Science:

https://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/visit/exhibits/youthpass/youthpass.php

Free Cooking Events

Stopping in at the impressive Whole Foods in Sunnyvale the other morning for a quick tour before an appointment, I happened upon something new to me: Cooking seminars in their demonstration classroom! What better way to brush up on a few new recipes to put into the family rotation. Some of their choices included: Kids Cooking with the Culinary Dude ($25.00 for two hours) to Wich'-Craft: The Art of Making Innovative Sandwiches ($35.00 for two hours). They also host tons of FREE special events and workshops, such as a Food Fest, a program on healthy school lunch menus and Hot August Nights: Battle of the Burgers and Brews. I confess that this up-market chain is not on my regular shopping circuit. But I just love "window shopping" at their deli and gleaning ideas for my own summery salads.

Check out their Calendar for August.