Events

We will embark on a delectable journey led by Brennan Bowen, owner of the Golden Gate Cookie Company, through the history of the cookie, learning the mouthwatering mysteries behind the iconic chocolate chip cookie from its humble origins to its irresistible rise to global cookie domination! We'll also activate our senses in a chocolate-tasting experience where we'll learn to describe and compare a diverse array of chocolates, gaining an appreciation for chocolate’s sweet symphony of flavors.

Brennan is a third-generation baker whose passion for dessert was ignited by his family's baking legacy. During his time living in Mexico and China, he had the privilege of sharing his sweets with friends from diverse backgrounds, infusing his creations with international flavors and inspiration.

Musician, Pasquale Esposito, was born and raised in Naples, Italy. After he immigrated to the United States in 1998, he pursued his passion for music by studying at and receiving his bachelors degree from San Jose State University. He is now an internaional recording artist acclaimed for his pop-opera performances through the lens of his Italian heritage. He will speak to us about what coming to America has meant to him and about some of the famous people he has met along the way.

The mission of the Humane Society of Silicon Valley is to save lives, keep families and their pets together, and create a better future for pets and their people. Join us in making pet blankets for the sweet animals in their care.

Art Bernstein, a resident of Los Altos and COO of a local law firm, is an appointee of the Secretary of the Treasury serving on the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. Despite the introduction of digital money, physical coinage is still widely in use. Many American have collected coins including an increase in collectors during the U.S. Mint's 50 State Quarters Program in the early 2000s. Currently, the U.S. Mint is issuing new quarters honoring notable American women. This presentation will discuss who is being honored, how the designs were selected, what designs were rejected, and why George Washington is facing the other way in the new design. All attendees will receive a newly minted quarter to add to their collection or to perhaps start one! 

Drs. Tom Caruso and Ellen Wang are Clinical Professors of Pediatric Anesthesiology at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford. They co-direct the Stanford Chariot Program, which pioneered the use of immersive, virtual reality (VR) to minimize pain and anxiety that children experience during medical procedures. Join us for this fascinating journey into the world of VR for use in pediatric anesthesia.

Mike Ricci plain and simple is a hockey guy! Born and raised in Scarborough, Ontario. He did what all Canadian boys did-play hockey, starting with a minor hockey team at the age of 13 and then quickly moving on to the Ontario Hockey Leagues Peterborough Petes. He played soccer too. His dad was a professional soccer player in Italy.

Mike went on to be drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers, later moved to the Colorado Avalanche, won a Stanley Cup and, in 1997, joined the Sharks where San Jose fell in love with him. We lost him in 2005 to the Phoenix Coyote. He retired in 2007 and then came back to the Sharks front office and is now a scout and development coach with the organization. Does he have stories to share! Find out how many teeth he lost playing hockey! And much more!