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Chef Cattaneo, "What's Cookin' Down at The Alley!"

At The Alley Burgerhouse, we have been hard at work testing and developing recipes for our menu. Each Thursday night at the Home of the Heffernan’s, I cook up a variety of dishes and snacks that will eventually be part of our opening menu. This past week we had a break from tasting our delicious burger prototypes for some tasty starters and vegetable dishes.

We snacked on these beautiful, smashed heirloom potatoes with a romesco dipping sauce. Romesco is a Spanish condiment made from roasted red peppers, tomato, almonds, hazelnuts, garlic, and sherry vinegar.

 

Next up were my version of salt and pepper shrimp. These beauties were so fresh they were alive just moments before they were dipped in a light cornstarch batter and fried until crisp. The best part is that the entire shrimp is edible from head to tail. We dipped them in a slightly spicy aioli made with fried garlic, fried onions, peanuts, and korean chili.

Lastly we had a fun throwback to childhood with my take on broccoli with cheese sauce and crispy fried shallots. The broccoli is grilled over mesquite and dressed with olive oil and salt. I made a cheese fondue with smoked white cheddar cheese and goat’s milk gouda. The dish is topped with some crispy shallots for a little salty crunch. It's a dish that takes me way back to when my mom would make broccoli with cheddar sauce.

While we are a bit away from opening we are having a blast tasting, testing and watching our bellies grow. We look forward to the day when we can have all of you in to enjoy with us!

 

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News at Bumble...

Bringing up Baby

For the month of June, we are offering our organic Big Dipper Baby Food complimentary to any of our little customers! As you all know we are very passionate about offering only the very best, organic and healthy foods to all of our guests and are thrilled to add this component to our menu.  

Come in and ask your server for our baby food and choose from Japanese Sweet Potato, Baby Dahl Veggie Combo, Beef Marrow & Vegetables or Green Dream. The babies are loving the burst of flavor combinations -- Moms & Dads have been big fans as well! ;)

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Fried Egg Flatbread Comeback!!

Keeping up with what's fresh and local, as most of you know, we change our menu from season to season. Sometimes favorites make a comeback... This week and this week only, the much loved Fried Egg Flatbread is the Chef's Weekly Choice. Only a few day's left, so come in and get yours!

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Weekend Wine & Champagne Specials...

We are also introducing a champagne special every Saturday and Sunday. Get a bottle of Prosecco with a mini pitcher of Orange Juice for $25 and enjoy your own mini Mimosa Party! 

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Hudson Paint at The Makery

There's something so fun about creating a piece for your home that adds a personal touch. Chalkboards are this season's it item to add an adorable personal note and older feel to any room or space.

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The product we recommend for all your chalking needs is Hudson Paint.  It's a 100% acrylic color chalkboard paint that is a beautiful, washable finish for creating erasable color panels of all shapes and sizes. Low odor and easy application over wallboard, wood, plaster, masonite, MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) and primed metal!  

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At the Makery, we'll have a station set up with different items to personalize with a Hudson color of your choice. Create a sign for every space in your home, make a gift for a friend, or put a personal touch on your business. The possibilities are endless!

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An Interview with Martin Chavez, Red Racer Hobby Shop Manager

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We had the opportunity to sit down with Martin and pick his brain about the upcoming opening of Red Racer Hobby Shop, what it will be and what he's most stoked about! 

RR: How is Red Racer different than a traditional hobby shop?

MC: It's more of a twist really. We will sell all the traditional toys you might find in a normal hobby shop but we will always have an emphasis on educational, interactive and engaging products for kids. Anything and everything family oriented and stimulating, whether it be visually or cognitively. 

RR: Tell us about the slot car track? 

MC: Our slot car track is a custom build by Brad Bowman, one of the first custom slot car track builders around. The 6ft x 18ft 4-lane track is a total blast for a little friendly competition between friends and the whole family. You can bet we'll be hosting events, races and competitions year round at Red Racer.

RR: What will be on the retail shelves? 

MC: Rockets, RC cars, planes, boats, quad copters, rector sets, models of all sorts, snap circuits, kites, and much more! As we stock our shelves and prep for our opening in the coming weeks, we are excited to show everyone what new cutting edge items the hobby world has to offer! 

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RR: What are you most excited about? 

MC: I'm really loving this eitech model we'll be selling. This is a metal building kit that is motorized. However, unlike an end-all model toy, the parts on the eitech are re-usable so you can take it apart and rebuild it with an entirely new design. The possibilities are really endless if you put your imagination to work. 

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PLAYROOM HAPPENINGS THIS JUNE

May's Under the Sea Fun Friday was a total fun fest! (Pictured below.)

This month's Fun Friday is June 14th and we are headed to the fair! Join us for face painting, a fun clown project, apple carousels, and more all day in the Playroom! 

And don't forget to stop by on Wednesday June 26th for some tie dye fun! Tie dye one of our tote bags or bring your own t-shirt, bag, hat, or even socks. The sky's the limit! 

Check out this month's Sunday Night Movie schedule too! 

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Put Your Stamp on the World

Here at The Makery we believe in the handmade and our printmaking kits are one more step in that direction! 

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Within each of our various block printing kits you’ll be provided with all you need to cut and print your very own linoleum block. The finished products ranging from journals, tee shirts and hand towels, will show just how you put your stamp on the world around you! As with all of our kits, instructions will be included. 

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You are always welcome to complete the project in our studio with the help of our trained Printmakers. Designed with all skill levels in mind, you’re sure to walk away from this project with a sense of satisfaction and a smile on your face! 

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Are You Ready to Party?!

We’re working away at The Makery to bring you the most unique and custom party goods around.  Whether you have a specific vision, or theme-- or you have no idea where to start-- we will have one of a kind party goods ready to pick up any time.  

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The Makery Studio is buzzing with tons of creative Pinata ideas! A custom pinata is the perfect way to add a pop of color to any party or event. Unexpected shapes and colors are what make our pinatas stand out from the rest for kids and adults alike. So add a little surprise to your party and think outside the box because pinatas aren’t just for candy anymore.

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The Makery is here to make your next event shine. Stay tuned for more goodness to come!   

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​Alicia Kealey, Head of Making

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Scarlett and Her Blanket

Jannie is an avid knitter and sewist who is known for her coveted handmade baby gifts from quilts to hats. This blanket is no exception and we’re so lucky to have her crafting powers on our side. First made with baby Scarlett in mind we couldn’t help but keep the namesake.

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This blanket features Alchemy’s beautiful yarn, "Temple". This yarn is a versatile machine washable yarn hand-dyed in a wide range of colors. Working with this yarn is a dream: soft, smooth and squishy with a nice drape. Trust us when we say it can take a beating!

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This simple blanket is designed with beginners in mind. You’ll learn to cast on (put stitches on the needle), bind off (take your stitches off the needle), the basic knit stitch (garter stitch) and changing colors. Someone who has never knit before can learn the simplest of knitting techniques and end with a beautiful high-end gift for the special little someone in your life.

This kit is the first of many we’ll be developing at The Makery and will help you construct beautiful handmade items without the stress and complication of seeking instruction or gathering the tools needed.

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Don't worry, we’ll be here to help you every step of the way!

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Instagram Contest @area151DTLA

Are you good at estimating?  Well Area 151 (@area151dtla) is currently having an Instagram contest where you have to guess how many tokens we were able to fit inside this smiley face!

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We filled one of our popular soft-bouncing smiley face balls with as many of our signature tokens as we could.  Head on over to our instagram page and comment on the post with the smiley face ball, just be sure to include your best guess for how many tokens are stuffed inside. 

Whoever has the closest guess by Friday (May 31st) will win all of the tokens currently occupying our fuzzy friend.  Feel free to come by the arcade at any time and ask to see the smiley face ball if it will help you guess!

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Kickoff your Summer at Play!

We are off to a great start for our summer of fun at Play. Lots of new offerings for June - be sure to come by and play with us!

We are excited to announce a new class to our regular schedule, dance class with Teacher Karen on Wednesday's at 3pm. (starting June 12th!) 

On June 13th we are happy to welcome back an old friend, Teacher Jo for a whole day of art in the classroom. Stop by any time that Thursday between 10am and 4pm and see what creativity you can get into! 

We even have a little something for parents this month! We are hosting a parenting yoga workshop by stretch.play.yoga on wednesday, June 12th from 7pm to 9pm

*Sign up at www.stretchplayyoga.com and enter the PROMO code: PLAYYOGA170. 

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Mayor Fishpaw Hosts his Birthday at Area 151

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Los Altos Mayor, Jarret Fishpaw, turned 26 and celebrated his birthday at Area 151.

​Everyone had a blast sipping on Martian Juice, challenging Mayor Fishpaw to arcade games, and taking photos with our own local celebrity. 

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We wish him nothing but the best of luck in his 26th year!​

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Construction in DTLA

The city is re-doing the sidewalks out in front of Bumble and Area 151.

However, we're  still open during the construction and the kids are having a blast! 

So put your gloves on,  watch your step, and come one in!

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CATTANEO NAMED ONE OF THE BEST CHEFS IN AMERICA

Marty Cattaneo, formerly Head Chef at Dio Deka in Los Gatos, now our Head Chef here at the Alley, has been named one of the Best Chefs in America, 2013.

Congratulations to Marty! Judging by his creativity in the kitchen and skilled work with popular ingredients, this comes as no surprise to us! Catch him and his culinary creations down at The Alley this Winter!

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Our Afternoon with Lily..

Bumble and The H&H Company had the opportunity to work hard in collaboration with Cody Brock Commercial Builders in this great effort to help Rebuilding Together Peninsula, and a sweet 88 year old woman named Lily.

On April 27th 2013, 40 strangers helped Lily by building her a new kitchen, a new bathroom, repainting her house, and re-landscaping her entire home. RTP and their amazing volunteers also fixed the plumbing and electrical making sure she was safe and warm in her house and so that she can to live independently for years to come. All of this was done at no cost to Lily and entirely with donated labor and materials. 

 There will be a short film made to document the day they gave Lily a new “Home” and to promote Rebuilding Together Peninsula and its effort to inspire others to help other just homeowners like Lily.

So stay tuned...  

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Red Tricycle Blogs about Bumble, Play and Area 151!

"Eat, Play, Fall in Love with Los Altos"

If city living is wearing you out and you’re wanting a bit of fresh air, family-friendly mom-and-pop stores with plenty of free parking nearby, look no further than Los Altos. Almost every single restaurant in this suburban utopia south of Palo Alto is family-friendly, and on any given day, its sidewalks are filled with tots and stroller-pushers enjoying the gorgeous weather. Park your car and take a leisurely walk down Main, State, and First streets or buy tickets to see a community-based theater performance. Whatever you fancy, Los Altos has something for the family who wants to play and explore at their leisure.

Play
For outdoor play, locals recommend Shoup Park, which is tucked away in the middle of a residential neighborhood, has access to a slow-flowing creek and is surrounded by redwood trees, to boot. For indoor ‘playtivity,’ there’s Play! Los Altos, an all-in-one playhouse with a well-stocked arts and crafts room, reading area, and spacious play space where kids can slide, tumble and jump around. Just a few blocks away is Area 151, an arcade for older kids who want to play shuffle ball, pop-a-shot, and skeeball. Pics at the arcade’s photo booth make a cute souvenir for you and your kids, and you can sync the images directly to your Facebook profile.

Tip: Area 151 provides homework help, task management assistance, and access to the arcade — but only after all the homework’s been completed, of course.

Eat
Follow the path to the yellow door next door to Bumble, where you can dine al fresco, at the bar or by the aquarium. There’s also a communal harvest table in the main dining area, ideal for brunch days where your kids are enjoying an hour in Bumble’s drop-off playroom ($10 for 30 minutes; $20 for 2 hours) and you’re nursing your Four Barrel coffee while munching on a sandwich.

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Head Chef at The Alley, Marty Cattaneo

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We had a chance to grab our busy Chef for a short time to shoot some photos of him in our empty space here at The Alley, Los Altos and ash him ourselves what he thinks The Alley will be.

As charismatic as he is a talent in the kitchen, Marty expressed to us how he'd truly like a GREAT burger to be the cornerstone of his menu. With a great team already in mind, he's currently busy doing his research on what will set our menu apart from so many others! 

We cannot WAIT to see what he comes up with... stay tuned for a short feature of the shoot and some tasty sound bites about The Alley from Chef Cattaneo! 

See you in Winter, 2013.

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Rebuilding Together Peninsula

The H&H Company is involved with a Nonprofit Organization called Rebuilding Together Peninsula. 

Each year on the last Saturday in April, Rebuilding Together Peninsula unites a huge group of volunteers from all walks of life to rehabilitate homes and community facilities and revitalize Peninsula communities. This year we're working with a woman named Lily who's loving personality is matched only by her gratitude to RTP for being chosen for such a wonderful gift!

There are many "Lily's" though, and to learn more about how you can help or donate to this great cause visit RTP's website HERE... but for now, ​

​Meet our Lily...

Join us and Rebuilding Together Peninsula on April 27th, 2013 for National Rebuilding Day! www.rebuildingtogetherpeninsula.org

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The Makery DTLA

The Makery Los Altos is a ​very special business to us here at The H&H Company. It is an innovative concept DIY studio and retail shop but we feel it will be so much more than that.  

We had the opportunity to grab Mary Heffernan, The H&H Company's Founder and the Creator of The Makery for a moment to ask her where she felt the passion for The Makery comes from and what it will truly be.

Things are getting set out and we can't wait for you all to come and create with us!​

​Just remember...

​....all good things come in Spring! 

The H&H proudly presents... The Makery! An innovative concept DIY studio and retail shop selling a well curated collection of vintage and local artisan made goods as well as do-it-yourself kits to make in the studio or at home!

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