Salons and gyms may fill vacant storefronts in downtown Menlo Park
Instead of retail and restaurants, Menlo Park may soon see new kinds of businesses, like veterinary hospitals, and more beauty services and banks filling vacancies in the heart of downtown thanks to a proposal by the owners of a Santa Cruz Avenue building seeking to loosen up the city’s “restrictive” zoning rules.
More Local news
Clifford teacher removed from classroom after past misconduct allegations surface
A Clifford School math teacher is no longer in the classroom after parents learned he had been fired from a previous job over allegations that he sexually harassed students.
Monday is last day to register to vote in June 2 primary election
May 18 is the deadline to register to vote in California’s statewide primary election, which will be held June 2.
North Fair Oaks continues debate over potential school expansion
North Fair Oaks residents opposed to a potential expansion of the Synapse School implored San Mateo County during a public meeting on Thursday, May 14, to honor a recent community vote recommending that the project not move forward because of…
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Food
Meet the Peninsula’s new ‘vegetable garden coach’
Ritu Shrestha started Backyard Nourish with the goal of helping residents grow food at home.
Yemeni coffee shop Haraz Coffee House is coming to Mountain View
Yemeni coffee franchises continue to proliferate along the Peninsula. The latest? Michigan-born Haraz Coffee House.
From software to sourdough: Menlo Park resident starts home-based microbakery Kirana Bakehouse
At a home in The Willows neighborhood of Menlo Park lives a sourdough starter named Albus. Created during a baking workshop at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, Albus now plays an essential role in Vanya Weng’s home bakery.
Arts & Culture
Permission to dance: BTS brings a joyful ARMY to Stanford
The K-pop superstars will play three local dates on their first international tour since going on hiatus. The band is touring in support of their 10th studio album, “Arirang.”
From ‘Dark Matter’ to ‘Rainbow Cardigan,’ Bay Area band’s sixth album strikes a buoyant balance
Indie-pop foursome The Corner Laughers recently released ‘Concerns of Wasp and Willow,’ their first album since 2020. A duo from the band will perform songs from the album May 15 in Redwood City.
Over a decade of Palo Alto chamber music school
Unique year-round program based in Palo Alto welcomes students of all ages.
Spotlight
Changing diet to generate a healthier microbiome and a healthy individual
Stanford microbiologists Justin and Erica Sonnenburg are working to understand the complex microbial community that resides within the human gut and its potential for helping people live healthier, longer lives.
Ivy League mentorship for college applications and career foundations through meaningful projects
Path Mentors was born out of dissatisfaction with the toxic high-pressure environment that college admissions has created. Founded in 2019 by Columbia graduates, the Path Mentors’ team of nearly 100 mentors from a wide range of professions including technology, finance,…
Community Calendar
Did you miss
Meta halts $3.5B project, leaving Belle Haven empty-handed
For the three decades that Peter Adams has lived in Menlo Park’s Belle Haven neighborhood, he hasn’t had access to basic amenities such as a full-service grocery store. Now, he will have to wait even longer after Meta halted work…
YouTube ‘auditor’ provoked, pepper-sprayed shopper at Mountain View Costco, police say
Mountain View police arrested a Southern California YouTuber for blasting pepper spray at a man outside Mountain View’s Costco. He was with a group of “First Amendment auditors,” one of whom is being sued for pepper-spraying a man in downtown…
Real Estate
Atherton sale ranks 9th most expensive in nation, behind Zuckerberg’s Florida purchase
Each week, Embarcadero Media takes a look at home sales activity along the Midpeninsula in the communities of Atherton, East Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Portola Valley and Woodside.
It’s allergy season on the Peninsula. Here’s how to reduce pollen in your yard.
In spring, trees leaf out and bloom, bringing fresh greenery across the landscape. For many residents, it also signals the start of allergy season across the Bay Area.
Inside cutting-edge Peninsula homes rarely open to the public
From sprawling walls of glass to airy open layouts, the 2026 Silicon Valley Modern Home Tour offers a rare chance to get an insider’s look at some of the best examples of modern architecture on the Peninsula from Atherton to…
The Six Fifty
A ‘special hidden gem’: The newest landmark in San Mateo County is a 116-step mosaic staircase
Seen throughout San Francisco but less common in Silicon Valley, the new ‘Sea to Stars’ tiled stairway in Brisbane pays homage to the city’s history and California ecology.
Walk and talk: 10 guided tours around the Peninsula
We’ve rounded up 10 spots on the Peninsula where you can take guided walks or tours, covering topics from cuisine and arts to history, agriculture and nature.
From upgrades at landmark parks to events in nature, here’s what’s happening outside in Silicon Valley this spring
Get the inside scoop on the outdoors with The Six Fifty’s latest roundup of parks and recreation happenings.
