🥖 Beloved SF Bakery Coming to Palo Alto & Safety Improvements for Centennial Neighborhood

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Good morning neighbors!

Welcome to this week's Palo Alto Scoop! This week, we feature some major accomplishments for local residents, safety improvements for Centennial Neighborhood, and a beloved SF bakery expanding to Palo Alto. We also have a fun lineup of events this week, Shakespeare in the park, Thursday live on Cal Ave, Art Studio Open House, and more!

Let's get to it!

The Brand Behind the World's Best Kitchens Just Launched Cast Iron

You've probably seen Made In Cookware® by now. They're the cookware brand used in 4,000+ professional kitchens, including 100+ Michelin-starred restaurants, and adopted by millions of home cooks.

Well, they just dropped a full cast iron collection. And they did it differently.

Where most cast iron has a rough, pebbly cooking surface, Made In machined theirs smooth. That means better searing, easier food release, and cleanup that doesn't require a degree. Every piece is cast, machined, and seasoned in the USA, oven-safe to 900°F, and compatible with all heat sources, including open flames. This is heirloom cookware, built to be the last cast iron you ever buy.

Their Cast Iron Skillets are where most people start: perfect for frying eggs, searing steaks, or getting that smashburger crust.

Shop Cast Iron

Three Los Altos Residents Win National Rowing Titles

Los Altos residents Aretha Liu, Lucy Wright, and Dominik Bera, helped the Los Gatos Rowing Club capture four national titles at the USRowing Youth National Championships, held June 11-14 in Sarasota, Florida. All three rowers train out of Lexington Reservoir in Los Gatos and qualified by winning regional races at Lake Natoma in Sacramento in early May. For Wright, a junior at Los Altos High School who joined the club just last September, and Bera, an LAHS senior, the wins capped months of grueling two-a-day practices and pre-race nerves. It's a proud moment for local rowing families and a reminder of the depth of youth athletic talent training right in the community's backyard. Read more here.

Palo Alto native named top-ranking cadet at West Point

Elizabeth Fetter, a 2023 Palo Alto High School graduate, has been selected as first captain at the United States Military Academy at West Point, the highest-ranking position among the school's 4,400 cadets. She's only the ninth woman to hold the role in the academy's 150-year history of the position. A former Paly cross-country standout who was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa in college, Fetter described her approach as "servant leadership," focused on identifying and solving problems for her fellow cadets rather than issuing top-down orders. After her term as first captain, she'll graduate and be commissioned as an Army second lieutenant with a five-year service commitment. Her hometown coaches and teachers recall her as quietly capable, thoughtful and a natural leader even in high school. Read more here.

Los Altos' first 100% affordable housing complex breaks new ground on sustainability

At 330 Distel Circle in north Los Altos, a five-story, 90-unit affordable housing complex is set to become the first residential building in Santa Clara County built with mass timber — a renewable, lower-carbon alternative to concrete — combined with modular construction for faster assembly. Developed by nonprofit EAH Housing, the project reserves 22 units for formerly homeless individuals and 66 for households earning 30-80% of the area median income, with completion expected in October, three months ahead of schedule. City housing manager Monica Gallardo-Melkesian said the project puts Los Altos about a third of the way toward its state-mandated affordable housing targets. It's a milestone for a city that has historically been dominated by single-family zoning, though officials note federal funding cuts are making projects like this harder to finance going forward. Read more here.

Redwood City approves $3.3 million to make Centennial Neighborhood streets safer

The Redwood City Council unanimously approved a contract Aug. 24 designating roughly $3.3 million for the 2026 Centennial Neighborhood MicroSurfacing Project, which will add 14 new all-way stop signs, repave roads, and improve walking and biking infrastructure. The Centennial Neighborhood was identified as one of the city's most vulnerable areas for transportation needs, with a high share of non-white residents, and the upgrades follow a dedicated traffic study. Council member Chris Sturken specifically praised new stop signs planned for Standish and Warren streets, where there have been several past accidents. The improvements come as Redwood City grapples with having the third-highest collision rate among similarly sized California cities. Read more here.

🎬 Movie on the Square: Smurfs and The Pursuit of Happyness | Redwood City | Courthouse Square | 8/27 | more
Courthouse Square's weekly Thursday night movie series continues with a free double feature for all ages.

🎨 Free Make and Take Projects | Redwood City | Eureka Gallery & Studio @ Center for Creativity | 8/27 | more
Drop in for a free, no-pressure art session with a short guided project and all supplies provided, open to every skill level.

🍷 Wine Fair | Redwood City | Feast and Floral | 8/27 | more
Sip your way through a curated wine tasting at this charming downtown florist-and-eatery spot.

🎶 Thursday Live on Cal Ave | Palo Alto | Cal Avenue | 8/27 | more
Cal Ave. goes car-free for a "Wellness and End of Summer" evening packed with live local music, giveaways, and family-friendly activities.

🖼️ Art on the Square | Redwood City | Courthouse Square on Hamilton Ave | 8/28 | more
The 20th Anniversary Summer Season wraps up with a Bowie tribute band, Starman SF, soundtracking a stroll through booths of fine art and crafts from local makers.

🍵 Herbal Tea Party | Los Altos | Gamble Garden | 8/28 | more
Spend a relaxing afternoon among the garden's blooms with a warm cup of tea and good company.

🎸 Rock the Dock | Redwood City | 459 Seaport Court | 8/29 | more
This free waterfront concert series brings Touch of Class to the dock for a night of Motown, old-school R&B, soul, and pop hits.

🦸 Stanford School of Medicine Presents: Heroes and Friends: A Community Meet and Greet | Stanford | 401 Quarry Rd | 8/29 | more
Stop by Stanford Medicine's community meet and greet for a friendly afternoon connecting with the people behind the hospital.

💐 Introduction to Floral Design | Los Altos | Gamble Garden | 8/29 | more
Kick off the new season with a hands-on floral arranging workshop that teaches you how to bring the garden's beauty indoors.

🎭 Shakespeare in the Park | Redwood City | Red Morton Park | 8/29 | more
Free Shakespeare in the Park brings its 44th season to Red Morton Park with Antony and Cleopatra, a sweeping tale of duty, desire, and political power set against Rome and Egypt.

🥙 Lebanese Festival | Redwood City | Courthouse Square | 8/29 | more
The 16th Annual Bay Area Lebanese Festival fills downtown with a full day of Lebanese food, music, dancing, and culture from noon to 10pm.

🍺 Pub in the Park | Redwood City | Red Morton Park - Valota Road | 8/29 | more
Settle into a lawn chair for an afternoon of live bluegrass from Purple Mountain Majesty, local brews and cider from an inflatable British-style pub, cornhole, and food trucks.

🎭 Shakespeare in the Park | Redwood City | Red Morton Park | 8/30 | more
Free Shakespeare in the Park's run of Antony and Cleopatra continues at Red Morton Park with another performance of Rome and Egypt's most famous romance.

⭐ Reach for the Stars WalkWithFC | AchieveKids | Palo Alto | more
Bay Area Friendship Circle's annual walk celebrates connection, inclusion, and friendship for children, teens, and adults with special needs, with a goal of 400 walkers this year.

🧘 Tai Chi | Redwood City | Redwood Shores Branch Library | 9/2 | more
Start your week centered with a gentle, guided tai chi session at the library.

🎨 Art Studios Open House | Palo Alto | Art Center | 9/2 | more
Resident artists throw open their studio doors for a free, family-friendly afternoon of hands-on art activities and a peek at where the creative work actually happens.

🎬 Movie on the Square: Freakier Friday | Redwood City | Courthouse Square | 9/3 | more
Courthouse Square's weekly Thursday night movie series continues with a free double feature for all ages.