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Jewish or Hebrew music has a long, interesting history. It dates to the Torah (Jewish Bible) in biblical times which has many references to their music and instruments.

Although Jewish music has been around for centuries, Hebrew music is the traditional music of the ancestors of the northern Semitic peoples, mainly the Israelites. David is said to have established music in the “House of the Lord” around the time of the arrival of the Ark of the Covenant.

In an anonymous article titled, Hebrew Music and Musical Instruments, the author states: “Some of the sons of Asaph, Henman and Jeduthum, were appointed for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals; and the leaders of the Levites appointed their brothers to sing joyful songs accompanied by musical instruments.”

Ancient instruments mentioned in the Bible are:

Percussion Instruments:
• Cymbals: Very much like our modern instruments. Many of the ancient cymbals were made of bronze.
• Sistrum: A rattle-like instrument in a “U” shape with a short handle that produces a tinkling sound.
• Timbrel: A framed drum with jingles played chiefly by women. It is akin to a tambourine.
• Tambourine: A shallow-framed drum with one or two heads with jingles played with bare hands. It is used in many forms of music including rock-and-roll.

Stringed Instruments:
• Harp or Kinnor: Kinnor is the Jewish name for the Harp. It is known as the Harp of King David and thought to be a native Jewish instrument.
• Psaltery: A plucked zither-like instrument known from very early times. It can be plucked with bare hands or a plectrum. It came in many shapes. It was first mentioned in the Bible with King Saul and was used in Hebrew music to accompany the voice.
• Sambuca: A rather large horizontal angular harp with a shrill sound used in Hebrew music.
• Lyre: A stringed instrument that looks similar to a small harp but has a very different sound. Most are plucked. It has a yoke and two arms with a crossbar. Invented in ancient Iraq.

Wind Instruments:
• Cornet: This instrument can be interpreted as a catch-all-name for a number of ancient instruments. Modern cornets are piston-valve cousins of today’s trumpets.
• Trumpet: A slender straight wind instrument used to announce certain events such as war, feasts and sacrificial rites. Silver trumpets were used by Moses to assemble the Hebrew people during their journey to the camps.
• Flute/Pipes: They are the ancient ancestor of modern-day flutes. In its simplest form it is a reed with holes at prescribed distances. The Hebrew name is Chalil or Helil. They were made from brass, boxwood, animal horn, bone or ivory.
• Shofar/Rams Horn: The ritual horn of the ancient and modern Hebrews. It is the only Hebrew instrument that has survived to modern times. It produces only two sounds of undefined pitch. It was used to sound the new year, on feast days and other events. The Shofar and other instruments were used when the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem.

Klezmer Music:
Not being Jewish, Klezmer music was not part of my heritage growing up. I didn’t hear it or know anything about the rich background of this music. Jan, my wife, suggested that I write an article about Klezmer music, so I started to investigate and learn about this important musical aspect of Judaism.

Klezmer music, in modern times, is alive and well. This was not always the case some years ago. Years following World War II saw a downturn in Klezmer music and it was not supported whole-heartedly by the Jewish community. Popularity waned with the decline of massive immigration from Eastern Europe. Ironically the children of the early Klezmorim (plural) favored the musical culture of America as they embraced the music of American dance bands, classic music, the folk music of America and other ethnic music.

Klezmer music, briefly described, is secular Jewish music. It also refers to the musicians who play the music and to the instruments used. This music is characterized by lively, exuberant, upbeat rhythms but can also be soulful and serious. Often played at Jewish weddings it is also played at other Jewish and non-Jewish events.

Throughout its long history, Klezmer music and musicians assimilated some of the musical traditions and culture from other countries. Major influences came from Middle Eastern cultures and some of the main sources came from Russia, Romania, the Ukraine, and similar locales. From its beginning until now, Klezmer music has never completely adopted the music of the surrounding cultures. But, it has always kept its “Jewishness” in its traditions, values and beliefs.

The advent of the Yiddish (the secular language of Eastern European Jews) theatre, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Romania, had an important effect on the development and influence of Jewish music. “Recordings made between 1912 and 1940 for the Jewish public has been the major source material for the current revival of Klezmer music,” wrote, Carl Dimow in A Brief History of Klezmer Music.

Much of the revival of this Jewish music is the result of the research and dedication of Henry Sapoznik, the son of a European-born cantor. Sapoznik discovered vestiges of earlier European Klezmer music in New York’s YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. In 1979 he founded a Klezmer band called Kapelye. This band grew with Sapoznik’s father and others into Der YiddisherCaravan. It traveled across America performing Yiddish theatre songs, cantorial selections and Klezmer music. This prompted other groups to form and promote this genre of music.

The clarinet became the lead instrument in today’s Klezmer music, previously it was the violin. The typical Klezmer band also includes flute, drums, hammered dulcimer and brass instruments.

As a result of this resurgence of interest in this music in Europe and the United states, popularity in both continents continues at full-speed-ahead. Klezmer music appeals to a wide cross-section of the population for both Jews and non-Jews alike. To quote Dimow, “This music is now more popular than ever, being performed and taken in new directions by bands all over the world.” If you’ve never heard Klezmer music try it! You will probably like it and come back for more.

Please submit your questions and comments to banddirector01@comcast.net
Visit our website at www.danvilleband.org for up-to-date information about the Danville Community Band.

I previously wrote about the importance of volunteers in all aspects of the arts. In light of that article, I want to share with you my gratitude for one volunteer in particular: Dr. Samuel Lewis, a former Lafayette pediatrician whom I had the good fortune to meet approximately 15 years ago. He has proven over and over again how incredibly valuable a good heart can be.

Dr. Lewis saw musical theater as a wonderful activity for some of the young people who were not particularly adept at sports. As an alternative, he wanted to provide opportunities for kids to get involved in theater. Plus, he thought of theater as an amazing opportunity for an entire family to experience the enjoyment of theatrical entertainment. With many parents so committed to keeping their children in sports activities, they don’t even think about the beauty and excitement of live theater. Some parents have confessed that their child is not an athlete and did not have the co-ordination or interest in sports. Yet their child was ambitious, strong, active and alive with energy. Some love to sing and dance as well, but just cannot perform as an athlete. Some of these non-athletic kids seem to have a natural stage presence. Even those who are extremely shy and seemingly non-ambitious can learn to come alive and grow more secure in a non-competitive environment.

In the mid-80s, when Dr. Lewis’s son, Rob, was at Happy Valley School, there was a talent show in either his 3rd or 4th grade. Rob tried out and performed well, but the overall general experience was not very good. Then, three young girls came on stage and did a number from The Wiz that was truly amazing; in fact, quite spectacular. After the show, Lewis sought out and conversed with the girls’ families, asking about their training. They said they were working with “this guy called Crazy Eddie” and his Dance Company called “Crazyatrics” in Walnut Creek, which in turn, eventually became Eddie Belasco and the Belasco Theater Company.

After Lewis’s son, Rob, was introduced to “Crazyatrics,” Dr. Lewis began to experience the incredible skill and talent that Eddie Belasco had in inspiring these young people to play any parts given them. However, everybody was frustrated in that the only people who came to shows seemed to be the parents and family friends of the kids in the shows.

Dismayed by the fact that this little theater company was producing superb theater and few were coming to see it, Dr. Lewis decided that he had to find a way to open up the opportunity for all kids, especially minority kids who had not been exposed to theater. It cost $1,200 a year at that time, per child, for classes, rehearsals, and the support they were given. Lewis worked tirelessly to get donors for scholarships.
Oakland-based Dryers ice cream donated $3,000, but as more talent flooded the stage, the need for more donations became quite evident. Dr. Lewis established the Belasco Theater Company’s Outreach program in 1981, a program that has provided free show tickets and transportation to underprivileged kids all over the East Bay for 14 years.

The children who attended the musicals were asked to write a letter to the Belasco Company expressing what they did and did not like about the shows, and one letter in particular from Oakland student, Matthew Martin, left a very important program-changing thought with the producer. “Thank you for letting us see Guys and Dolls,” he said, ”but they should have used real dice and when Big Shirley pulled out a gun, it looked like it was made from cardboard,” he added. He also mentioned a few other thoughtful criticisms, one which he reiterated twice, even in capital letters, “WHERE ARE ALL TH EBLACK PEOPLE?” Consequently, Lewis’s program doubled down on raising money for scholarships, enabling all kids to participate in the acting classes and to perform in the shows.

Through his Outreach program, plus finding deals like free student transportation in a Dryers Ice Cream Company provided bus, he made it possible for thousands of kids to see the shows for free. One of Lewis’s brilliant ideas was to sell blocks of tickets to his medical peers and other business professionals, who in turn donated the tax deductible tickets to schools and students all over the East Bay.

When I started writing a theater reviewer’s column in 1986, I had not even heard about the Belasco theater company. My wife and I were called by Barbara Galla, the costume designer for The Lafayette Dramateurs, the resident theater company of the Town Hall theater in Lafayette at that time. Barbara asked me if I had been out to see the Belasco theater company productions in the Del Valle Theater on Tice Valley Boulevard, next door to the Rossmoor community, for whom I wrote my theater columns. I explained that I had never even heard of the company. She said, “I’ve been doing their costumes for a number of years, and this guy Belasco is a truly brilliant 70-year-old former musician and nightclub-performer-turned-producer; a tough but brilliant director.”

So we made arrangements to go and see their production of How to Succeed in Business without Even Trying on May 14 of that year, 2004. Both Karen and I were blown away by the talent, and near adult acting capabilities of this young cast. It was in this production for the first time that I met the 12-year-old actor Dave Abrams, and my quote in my column (which I have retained to this day) said – – “Young Abrams is an exceptional young actor! He can sing, he can dance, he can act, he can do it all, and he can do it extremely well for such a young man. You simply have to see Abrams in action to begin to comprehend just how good, how exciting he really is!” This was not his first show. Young Dave Abrams performed in his first Belasco show production when he was only eight years old. Now as a grown man, I have commended Abrams for receiving the coveted Theater Bay Area (TBA) award for Outstanding Male Actor in a featured role in a musical, for his performance in June of last year for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights. In addition, he recently earned the prestige of becoming a burgeoning member of the Actor’s Equity Association (AEA), an equity professional theater performer.

Yes, Eddie Belasco was, at times, a difficult, yet a caring and obsessed director of children’s theater. But he came to create an atmosphere that inspired many children to become passionate about musical theater and eventually, for some, becoming professional actors and actresses and teachers of theater. For 26 years, it was said that Eddie Belasco brought “Broadway to the Burbs,” because the musical productions he produced with these children from ages 8 to 20, were the well-known hits from Broadway, not musicals written specifically for children.

However, while Eddie Belasco could inspire kids to play adult parts in mature musical productions, he couldn’t do it all by himself. In fact, even though the parents of the children paid for their instruction, there was never enough money at the beginning to make the company either profitable or capable of getting Belasco’s message of theater for children, into a broader platform as he wanted.

Dr. Lewis was an eminent physician who became a generous theatrical benefactor, not only providing his son the opportunity to experience musical theater, but he intently watched what was going on, making important personal suggestions and came up with ideas that he thought would provide more children the opportunity to be able to come to Walnut Creek and participate in what he felt was a tremendous opportunity. Lewis has invested immeasurable time to benefit youth all around the East Bay area for years.

His son, Rob, worked hard to perform and learn his basic skills in that same Belasco Company and today is a proud instructor of the Theater Arts in Southern California. Lewis has given close personal support and advice to many of Belasco’s protégés, and probably none more than the very talented Dave Abrams(who is shown in the attached photograph) while meeting with the Doctor recently to discuss upcoming auditions and shows on his schedule this fall.

My purpose in introducing you to this fine gentleman, Dr. Samuel Lewis, is not only to play homage to a man who acted strictly and competently as a volunteer, but like so many people in our communities, he has given back and paid forward to the youth in the East Bay. Further, my purpose is to also celebrate those of you who are willing, and wanting, and proud to be part of the good will that truly makes this country great.

As I espoused in my July article entitled “The Backbone of Community Arts,” please explore with your friends and family the wonderful contributions that you and they can make, and the joy we can have as volunteers in the world of theater and arts. Today, one of my volunteer jobs is as a member of the Eugene O’Neill Foundation Board and I am proud to do so.

What is that? As defined by Marriam-Webster, a scotoma is “a spot in the visual field in which vision is absent or deficient.” In other words, it’s what’s commonly referred to as a “blind spot.” By a purely random event, I recently discovered that I had a big one—so big in fact that my perspective on many things has been drastically altered in ways I had never imagined.

The catalyst for this discovery was a 2017 documentary film I happened to watch one evening entitled The Red Pill: A Feminist’s Journey into the Men’s Rights Movement, by then self-proclaimed feminist film producer, Cassie Jaye (Jaybird Productions). The premise of the film is just as the title suggests; Cassie Jaye embarked on this project as an avowed feminist, doing research on the “men’s rights movement”— something many feminists had branded as nothing more than a group of “women-haters, whiners, victim-blamers, and rape apologists.” But the data Cassie found revealed something far and away different from what she, and most Americans, had been led to believe.

For example, the term “domestic violence” is generally conflated with violence against women. However, data from a 2014 CDC report showed that while 4,774,000 women were victims of intimate partner violence during the previous 12-month period, 5,452,000 men were victims over that same period—nearly a million more men than women. She also found that while on average, 43% of domestic violence victims are men, government funding supports over 2,000 battered women shelters nationally (shelters that do not accept men), but only one shelter in the country that serves the needs of men.

The entire notion of “patriarchy” was thoroughly and thoughtfully challenged, not with rants and raves, but with credible arguments and data. While the feminist view points out disparity in the workplace for example, as in the vast majority of corporate CEOs are men, and women only earn on average 57-77% of what men earn, the film delved into rarely considered data regarding men. Some examples of those facts are:

Men have higher rates of homelessness, drug and other addictions, incarceration, unemployment, and failure in school than women. Little notice has been paid to the fatality rates of men vs women, whereas 75% of suicides are men, 76% of all homicide victims are men, 94% of work-related deaths are men, and of course, 99.9% of combat deaths are men. And men receive 63% more prison time for committing the same offense as women.

In light of all that is happening today—Senator Mazie Hirono’s advice to men notwithstanding—I found the film to be credible, compelling, and enlightening.

I highly recommend it to anyone seeking to know if they too suffer from the all-to-common, “Modern American Cultural Scotoma.”

Sentinel Mark Robbins: Special Operator First Class, US Navy SEAL

People are inspired by many things. The events of 9/11 inspired Mark, like so many other young men and women, to join the US Navy right out of high school. His goal was to become a Navy SEAL.

Mark attained his goal, and as a Navy SEAL he completed two combat deployments to Iraq during his seven years of service. On his last deployment, he sustained a gunshot wound to the head from a bullet that went over his rifle through his right eye and out the back of his head, inches behind his right ear. The injury left him blind in his right eye.

During his first few years of recovery, mobility, endurance, awareness, and memory were significantly affected, but Mark was determined to enter a new career path in law enforcement. He did not want to let his injury define him or hold him back. Mark recalls, “I was done being hurt and just wanted to get on making a new life.”

Mark began working at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and shortly thereafter completed the Police Academy. Sentinels of Freedom was there to provide Mark housing and living support during this transition to allow him to focus on the Police Academy and embark on his new career. Rejoining a community and establishing family roots was so important to Mark, his wife Jessica, and their two young sons. With the help of the mentors Sentinels of Freedom introduced to him, Mark was able to do just that. “They were and are always there for me. They are such an important part of my transition and success,” Mark admits.

Since beginning employment, he has been to several law enforcement/investigations related qualification courses. Mark is continuing his career at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office as a detective in the Criminal Investigations Division. He is assigned to the Sheriff’s Office Tactical Response Team as an Assistant Team Leader and is a member of the community safety team.

Mark’s journey proves that with a little guidance from Sentinels of Freedom, a wounded veteran’s journey is not over after they leave the military.

You can make a difference in the lives of a wounded veteran like Mark, visit www.sentinelsoffreedom.org to find out how!

I don’t have time for a skin care routine!
Do you think you don’t have time to take care of your skin? Think again. If you knew how much your skin depended on fresh air and being clean, you would never go to bed with make-up on again. Your skin is an organ and needs to be taken care of every day, and that means having a healthy skin care routine—cleansing, toning, and moisturizing the surface. Importantly at night your skin is regenerating and repairing, so you need to have it ready for the renewal process. One of the worst things you can do is go to bed with make-up on. It not only makes your pores enormous, it suffocates your skin causing it to wrinkle, dry out, and breakout. Falling in love with a good skin care routine is essential for having radiant, youthful, beautiful skin.

When clients come in complaining about how they never have time at night to wash or take care of their skin, I advise them to take off their make-up when they get home from their day. This habit of taking off your make-up and taking care of yourself is part of the self-love your skin needs to function and balance correctly. If they wait until bedtime they may be so tired they could skip this very important detail and their skin will suffer.

I tell my clients to start a 28 day beauty challenge for themselves and simplify their skin care routine. To simplify this nightly routine I tell them to start with cleansing the skin with a gentle cleanser, apply a toner to remove residue, massage an eye cream around the eyes, then use a good antioxidant moisturizer. Easy, right? You can add things later like serums and face masques when you start loving the routine and seeing results.

With a 28 day beauty challenge they not only see dramatic results in the smoothness of their skin, this habit forming routine begins a lifelong routine that adds youthfulness to the skin, decreases wrinkles, and reduces breakouts and problematic skin conditions associated with suffocation.

Simplify
In the morning use your facial scrub in the shower or you can apply a face masque before your shower while eating breakfast or having coffee, giving the skin an extra boost of hydration and smoothness. When you put on your make-up for the day your skin will look glowy and radiant. The benefits and outcome are amazing.

Skin Care Routine Simplified
Let The Rouge Cosmetics Professionals help you simplify your beauty routine with a simple and effective skin care solution. At The Rouge, our professional aestheticians offer expert advice and can identify what is needed to care for the skin. With years of experience and knowledge, they are dedicated specialists in the comprehension of each person’s skin needs, keeping it simple and effective with intelligent results. Everyone has unique needs. That is why at The Rouge we do not use a one-size-fits-all skin care approach; we use an advanced pharmaceutical skin care line made exclusively for us called Ongrien Advanced Skin Care, where all the products are state board regulated with superior ingredients at the most potent levels, giving every woman the opportunity to have the best in skin care. We offer skin care consultations seven days a week for your convenience. Remember: Clean skin is happy skin.

Somehow, sequels don’t seem to live up to their expectations. In this case, however, that adage is certainly not so; instead it simply reminds me of the old Paul Harvey adage, “And now, the rest of the story.”

In 2014 Unbroken was released, can you believe, in the U.S., on Christmas Day? I say that because Unbroken is a graphic, relentless, World War II movie. Did I love it? I answer with an unequivocal, yes! Did I enjoy it, not so much, but it was a story that needed to be seen. This film was based on the bestselling 2010 non-fiction book written by Laura Hillenbrand, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption. The film stars Jack O’Connell as USA Olympian and Army Officer Louis “Louie” Zamperini, who survived on a raft for 47 days after his bomber crash landed in the ocean during WWlI. He and the pilot were then sent to a series of prison camps.

Louie was a bit of a handful, so to speak, in his youth. He steals, he drinks, and he smokes. Fortunately, he had a big brother. Pete realizes Louie is being picked on for his Italian heritage and decides to help. He knows how fast Louie can run so he starts training him as a runner. Louie becomes disciplined and excels in his running and is soon nicknamed “The Torrance Tornado.” He qualifies for the 1936 Summer Olympics, comes in 8th and then sets a record in the final lap of the 5,000 meter race.

His life up to now is setting the stage for the man he becomes. After the crash landing in the Pacific and his rescue by the Japanese, he is sent to his first prison camp. Mitsuhero Watanabe, nicknamed “The Bird,” runs the camp. He finds out early on that Louie is somewhat of a celebrity and takes on the challenge to break the great Louie Zamperini. It is a battle of wills for sure. Two years of unspeakable, non-stop torture and the boys back home win the war and liberate the prisoners.

Now, the rest of the story. With a September 2018 release, Unbroken: Path to Redemption picks up with Louie (Samuel Hunt) being home, but damaged. What he went through in the camps, no man should have to endure. He has night terrors, and starts drinking again just to numb the pain and live another day. He’s married but his wife has tried everything she knows how to do but still can’t help him. She attends a Billy Graham revival tent meeting and decides this may be something that would help Louie. She issues the ultimatum, he goes with her or the marriage is over.

Louie Zamperini, war hero, finally broken, finally finds peace and becomes friends with Billy Graham until the day he dies. In fact, in this film Will Graham, Billy Graham’s grandson, portrays his grandfather.

Not to confuse you, but there is a third film that was done between the two I’ve already mentioned. After you’ve watched both of the movies I’ve reviewed you might want to see Zamperini’s story from the source. Louis Zamperini Captured by Grace, tells his own story of returning home a hero; the personal battles he faced, and what happens next. Its’s only 28 minutes long but well worth watching.

I would like to say something about Louie and all the other war heroes. So many have sacrificed their lives for our freedom but they don’t always come home draped in an American flag. Some, like Louie, come home just broken. The United States of America has fought battles all over the world, not to colonize, not to create subjects, but because we believe in freedom for all. Our flag, our anthem, and yes, our war heroes, deserve respect. I invite you to watch all three of these amazing movies and as always I welcome your comments at Carolyn@carolynhastings.com.

I always relish the gentle change of seasons, but the transition from summer to autumn may be my favorite time of all. Nowhere is this evolution more apparent than at the farmers’ market, where the vibrant shades of summer produce are gradually replaced by soft golden hues that mimic the colors of autumn leaves. We now have the opportunity to savor the very last of vine-ripened tomatoes while simultaneously celebrating the arrival of fall’s harvest. The best of both worlds.

Crisp mornings, shorter days, and cozy evenings at home rekindle my nesting instinct. No trip to the farmers’ market is complete without a wreath for the front door; an armload of unripe persimmons destined for display in a favorite blue and white china bowl; or a family of big bumpy pumpkins and other winter squash to decorate the front porch. Nor can I resist pomegranates, or the allure of voluptuous pears and crisp, fragrant apples.

If you’ve ever bought a supermarket apple in the summertime, it was probably a mealy, flavorless specimen that had been waxed to a high shine for visual appeal; trucked in from another state (or hemisphere); and then held for months in cold storage. It takes only one lackluster bite to realize you’ve made a big mistake. One must wait for autumn to buy apples at their sweet, tree-ripened best. Just follow your nose at the farmers’ market to revel in this fruit’s perfection. And then you’ll understand why poor Adam didn’t have a chance.

When baking with apples, you want one that’s pleasantly tart and won’t fall apart during cooking. In other parts of the country my choice might be limited to the ubiquitous Granny Smith, and there would be nothing wrong with that. When grown and stored properly, they fit the bill. But since we live in the heart of several renowned apple-growing regions, it’s easy to add complexity of flavor and texture by mixing things up a bit. Along with—or instead of–that old reliable Granny, I like to add any other variety tucked away in my refrigerator: Golden Delicious, Gala, McIntosh, Jonathan, and Pink Lady are all proven winners. My current fave is the rosy-fleshed Pink Pearl.

Growers at the farmers’ market welcome your questions, and may lead you to a suitable apple you have never even heard of. Whichever the variety, I’ve found that an interlude in the oven can be a very noble demise for any aging apples losing their “snap,” and therefore less appealing to eat out of hand.

As we settle in to cool-weather routines, try this recipe for a seemingly plain-Jane apple cake that’s humble appearance belies its moist apple goodness. No fancy ingredients; not too sweet; just simple home cooking .Sweet, heady aromas wafting through the kitchen will make you forget those days at the beach. Consider it a cheap form of aromatherapy.

Autumn Apple Cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large apples suitable for baking, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
Cinnamon-Sugar Topping (recipe follows)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch springform cake pan or an 8-inch round cake pan. (If using the latter, cover the bottom with a round of parchment paper and grease again.)

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk gently to blend.

3. In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until incorporated, and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla.

4. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Fold in the apples.

5. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, spreading to the edges. Sprinkle Cinnamon-Sugar over the top. Bake until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Run a dull knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, and carefully release the springform.(If using a standard cake pan, unmold onto the wire rack, peel off the parchment, and invert onto a serving plate.) Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Serves 6.

Cinnamon-Sugar Topping
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon until well blended.

Cook’s Tips
A simple cake like this welcomes improvisation. If the spirit moves you, consider adding toasted chopped walnuts or almonds; or maybe golden raisins, chopped dried apple, or candied ginger. You could also add another layer of flavor by incorporating a bit of finely grated lemon or orange zest; or reduce the vanilla extract to 1 teaspoon and add a tablespoon or two of Calvados, bourbon, or dark rum. Instead of cinnamon, consider something more exotic, like ground cardamom.

Serve this cake as is, or get fancy by topping each serving with a drizzle of custard sauce, a spoonful of yogurt, lightly whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad & Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM, or visit their web site at www.pcfma.org. This market is made possible through the generous support of the Town of Danville. Please show your appreciation by patronizing the many fine shops and restaurants located in downtown Danville. Buy fresh. Buy local. Live well!

Oh Autumn, how I love thee. What about you? Are you a fall lover? Picture this: cozy layers, muted tones, candles lit, and anything pumpkin spice. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! There’s just one thing wrong with this picture. Walnut Creek, California weather doesn’t mesh well with the cozy layers that fall typically lends itself to.

I grew up in the state of Washington, where fall is absolutely stunning. The trees are beautiful shades of yellow, orange, and red. The air is crisp and the days are cool—perfect for layering. While I do miss my hometown, California is truly filled with the most amazing sunshine year round—one of its many stunning qualities. So, I’m combining my love for fall in Washington with my love for the beautiful sun in California, sharing six must-haves for fall style perfection in the Bay Area.

For all my fall lovers out there in beautiful, sunny, and oh so warm Walnut Creek, let’s talk fall fashion—fashion that fits the temps and still allows for all the fabulous trends of Autumn.

Six must haves for fall:
1. Kimono
2. Utility vest
3. Cotton knee-length dress
4. Colored denim
5. Booties
6. Mules

Lightweight outerwear, like a kimono or utility vest, is perfect for creating dimension with your style. A floral kimono with a fall color palette is awesome for throwing on over a basic tee with jeans or fitted cotton dress. Same goes for a utility vest. I love a utility vest paired with colored pants; something like burgundy denim. Utility vests have been popular for a while and are a great closet staple. The fact that there are no sleeves is awesome for the hot temps lingering through October.

A cotton knee-length dress is a favorite basic of mine. It literally goes with anything and can be dressed up or down. If it happens to be a cool day, throw on a chunky knit cardigan and booties. If the day turns out to be warm, wear your cotton dress with a denim jacket or utility vest and mules. For a more casual look, pair it with sneakers.

Colored denim for any season is awesome! They’re especially fun for Autumn. The color palette is so yummy, and it adds some spunk in such an easy way. Burgundy, mustard yellow, or olive green are a few options. They work well with a kimono, utility vest, booties, and mules. All of the pieces we’re discussing are interchangeable for creating a fab fall outfit.

Leather booties for fall? Um…yes, please! They look great with that cotton dress, distressed jeans, or colored denim. Cognac-brown booties is a great place to start; the color is so rich and pairs well with anything. You can wear cognac with black, grey, brown, burgundy, mustard yellow, or blush pink. The options are endless. Plus, for an area like Walnut Creek tall boots are not the most practical for heat. No one needs extra layers on their legs when it’s 75 to 80 degrees out, right?

Lastly, a pair of mules is a great way to create the fall feeling. Best of all, no socks required! Perfect for those warm fall days. There are so many different styles out there right now. Mules are definitely on trend—from studded, snakeskin, blush pink, mustard yellow, classic black, and so much more. Plus, they’re super easy to wear and add a level of sophistication.

There ya’ have it: Six super fun pieces to up the ante for your Autumn wardrobe. Stop by maccarose.com to add these fall must haves to your closet!

Fall is definitely in the air! The mornings are greeting us with crisp, cool air; the leaves are displaying vivid bright colors, and the days are getting shorter. As we settle in and adjust to the final quarter of 2018, retailers are changing their displays, decking their isles, and preparing for their busiest time of the year. And, this preparation just keeps getting earlier and earlier.

This year, Starbucks introduced their Pumpkin Spice Latte in August (its earliest official launch date ever) and in September, a stroll through Costco, Target and many other retailers, leaves you wondering if you should be shopping for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. All these fun and festive holiday displays are making consumers feel the stress of holiday shopping and we are only in October!

The reality is, we have entered the most expensive quarter of the year and retailers are ready to rake in the profits. Take a look at these facts:

According to the National Retail Federation, in 2017, Americans were expected to spend 9.1 billion or an average of $87 per household on Halloween loot, and a whopping $691.9 billion or an average of $967 per household on Holiday Shopping. These figures have been steadily increasing over the past few years. Trick or Treat, I think the retailers have trained us how to deck the halls. So, how do you get through the most wonderful quarter of the year stress and debt free? Here are a few tips.

Set a budget: Determine the maximum amount you are willing to spend on each holiday. Set a budget for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas/Hanukkah. For Halloween , this figure should include costumes, candy, and décor/parties. Thanksgiving should include meals, beverages, and travel. And, Christmas/Hanukkah should include gifts, parties, holiday cards, décor, travel, and food.

Make a list and check it twice: Make a detailed list now of everyone that you have to shop for and determine the maximum amount you can spend on each person. Once you have the list created, total the amount and see if the amount matches your budget for gifts. If it is too high, adjust the amount for each gift until the total matches the figure you set in your budget. If your family pulls names, pull names now and set the spending limit.

Shop early and shop smart: Once you know how much you want to spend on each individual, determine what you want to purchase and shop early. An early start will allow you to wait for sales, comparison shop online, and take advantage of cyber deals.

Stick to your list: When you go into a store to purchase a gift, stick to your list and avoid the temptation of purchasing more than you intended. When retailers offer deep discounts, it is easy to shop for one gift and leave with several items. Most of the time, these extra items are not on the list. Stick to your list to avoid overspending and exceeding your budget.

Rather than walk into retailers and feel stressed about getting your holiday shopping done now, relax, and use this time to prepare your holiday spending guide. Taking the time to do this simple planning task now will allow time to put money away for each holiday, shop at a relaxed pace, take advantage of sales, stick to your budget, and ring in the New Year without a holiday spending hangover.

Be sure to pick up next month’s copy of Alive Magazine to learn how to entertain on a budget!

For these and many more financial tips and money saving strategies, look for my new book “Digging Out” that will be available for purchase this fall (it makes a great Holiday gift). Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for launch dates, worksheets, and more!

Let’s say you own stock in a company that you like, but you would like it even more if it paid you extra income. Additionally, you might like to reduce your risk in owning the stock. You accomplish both by using a strategy called the “Covered Call Writing Strategy.” Simply put, this is selling the right to buy your stock to the market. The buyer (who is paying you) is the gambler. He/She is betting the stock will go up by a certain amount in a specified time.

The advantages, again, are increased income and decreased risk. The increased income comes from selling (“writing”) a “call” option on your stock. This strategy is conservative and fairly simple. For every 100 shares of stock, you can sell one call option. So, on your 500 shares of ABC stock, for example, you could sell five contrasts. You pick two important variables: the strike price and the expectation date. The strike price is the price you [should be] willing to sell your stock; aka having it “called” away from you. You are obligated to sell your stock at the strike price if called. The expiration date is when the option expires.

Here’s how it works using the hypothetical ABC stock example. Suppose ABC stock is currently trading near $81, you could sell a call option with an $85 “strike” and a December “expiration,” expiring in two months. At this time, the market for that call option is $1.50 per share. Remember, you are selling call option contracts, each one representing 100 shares of your stock. So, in this example you would collect $150 per contract, which is $750 from covering all of your 500 ABC shares. This option income is called the option “premium.”

In this example, the option income equates to an annualized return of 11.11% (6 x (1.50/81). I call this “manufacturing dividends.” If done just once a year with a dividend paying stock, you would get paid five times per year; four dividends and one option premium. Your frequency of receiving cash flow from your stock could increase to 16 times, 12 monthly option premiums plus four quarterly dividends. That’s clearly an increase in stock investment income.

How is your risk decreased? By lowering you stock cost basis by the amount of option premiums you receive. The stock can fall below your original cost basis equal to the option premiums you collected before you have a loss on your investment. However, while you have reduced your downside risk, you have also limited your upside return. This is the “opportunity cost” of the covered call writing strategy (notice I don’t call it risk). Any time your stock rises above your strike price, you could have it called away. That results in a forced sell of your stock. In the ABC example, you may have your stock sold at the $85 strike in the next two months. While you made $5.50 per share ($4 gain from 81 to 85, plus the $1.50 of option premium), which is nearly 7%, you would have missed out on gains over $85. So, if ABC unexpectedly jumped to $105, you would get only $85. Less money was made on the investment; however, money was still made. Not a situation of principal risk, but rather of missed opportunity.

The 9% Solution
When you consider owning a stock that pays a modest dividend, provides a small capital gain, and generates additional income from option premiums, you can see why I call this, “The 9% Solution.” Making $9 on a $100 stock in a year from all three positive inputs is realistic. As mentioned above, the covered call strategy is conservative. Aside from the opportunity loss, there is no principal risk with this strategy. One must never forget, though, that there is always risk of loss of money in a stock investment; regardless of option income that is received.

Not for all investors. Not for all stocks.
We can all think about those great growth stocks, especially now, that seem to just go up and up. The likes of the “FAANG” stocks (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Google) have been remarkable investments over the last few years that have provided market-crushing returns. They would not have been the ideal type of stock for this strategy. I say, “Let growth grow and cover income stocks for more income.” The best candidates for this strategy are moderate-to-high dividend paying stocks that typically are unlikely to shoot up in price in the short term.

There, of course, are exceptions to these general rules of thumb. The more risk averse, conservative investor is best suited for the covered call strategy. It is not a wise approach for all investors, though. Younger, growth-oriented investors with lots of time on their side should pass. For the rest of us, the covered call writing strategy is a proven, conservative way to approach double-digit returns from stocks year in and year out.