Palo Alto.

Hola.
Last week I attended a design/creativity weeknight lecture in downtown Palo Alto.



Walking from the Caltrain Station to one of the Palantir buildings where the lecture was taking place, was a great dose of people watching. And people watching. I saw a couple of these c-racks (above) which always remind me of the first time I came across a possible prototype (display?) in 2008 in that same corner.
Don't let the capture fool you. Not sure how I managed to take the photo with no people or cars. It was crazy crowded that evening.

I love window reflections, and look at these post-it notes!
They are the analog photoshop collages from the indoor to the out.


Here is the description of the event:

“A Crash Course on Creativity Creativity often feels like a mystery. Whether we are struggling to generate fresh ideas or staring at problems with no solutions in sight, the spark of creative genius often seems out of reach. In this talk Tina Seelig reveals a set of tools and conditions that we each control our Innovation Engine - that allows us to increase our own creativity and that of our teams and organizations. She shows that just as the scientific method demystifies the process of discovery, there is a formal process for unlocking the pathway to invention.” –via eventbrite for reference only.

Having worked at one of the top ten fortune500 company, an under-10 employees startup, and everywhere in between over the last decade, I'm always quite eager to check out new company spaces, their vibe, what they provide in the restrooms (airbnb HQ), lecture halls, peek into equipment at their AV theaters (worked at one! fave jobs ever) available for free or low-cost lectures and open to the public – and of course the people speaking, or presenting!

Catching Tina Seelig's lecture was a treat! She is very kind, funny and engaging.
Very refreshing for Silicon Valley :)
Not sure the video of this particular night talk has been uploaded, so if you are interested to hear her talks, search for her in youtube for past lectures.
This one is great: The 6 Characteristics of Truly Creative People

This is me taking notes.
I've always sketched, however 2014 has been a year I have found myself drawing as constantly as I did during my undergrad years.
I showed Dr. Seelig my sketch and asked her if she'd be kind to sign it, and she did. She loved it.
How cool is that?!


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Red bikes outside.

Red bike inside the patagucci store.

I head to downtown Palo Alto about a handful of times a year, but prefer the California old downtown to University avenue.
If you are thinking it is because of pizza, you are correct.
The guys from Pasta? opened Terún a couple of years ago. I recommend it for a nice dinner with friends, or a date. Try their limoncello. Now I want a negroni.



Speaking of food, I recently picked up tamales from a youth camp fundraiser, which were SO kindly delivered by bike from San José by our very own local celebrity worldwide famous superblogger Richard of cyclelicious.

Tamalicious.

Most of recent Palo Alto moments are from dinner with good peninsula friends Diana, and also Eric from time to time.

October last year.

That is all I got for you on Palo Alto, for now.
Have a nice day.

xxomeli

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Past Palo Alto posts here.

Halloween in February

I didn't want to wait another month to share these, from Halloween last year. I really was taking my sweet time...
Well, this is from the Friday before Halloween, which for 2010 I believe fell on a Saturday. It was the first year I had my custom way ahead of time. Diana and I went vintage shopping to a gem down the peninsula, we headed to the fabulous vintage store Empire in Palo Alto.
Here we are with our friend Jasmine. She was so nice to send me the photos. I think I forgot my camera that day.

L-R: Ridlerette (Diana), Jasmine (80's Madonna) and Ring leader master (me)

The vintage Halloween queens. All of our clothing is from the Empire vintage store. We were decked out.

ahoy! dominating the untammed lions in every bike lane in this handsome town - hazaaaa!

the heartbreaker club.

Here are is a little bit more about the details of my make-up and bird earrings.  I love how much fun those earrings are and the bowtie I have continued to use it for other customes since I got it. The polka-dotted blouse is also vintage as well as the top hat.

chirp chirp. these red lovebirds kept me updated on all kinds of gossip.

+ + + + +
Did someone say custome -- because I have more alter-egos that I can count!
You know I already can't wait for Halloween this year!! I do live in San Francisco so, any excuse to dress up and play with make-up is pretty much the norm.
xxo♥meli

Los events: if in Palo Alto this evening - Green your halloween

 

If you happen to be in Palo Alto later today, there is this little giant gem of awesomeness off University for all things vintage (Empire Vintage clothing pictured above, is a must visit shop!!) and Tiffany the vintage extraoirdinare, along with local Palo Alto vendors will be putting a glam fashion show for "Green Your Halloween Fête"
So make sure you check it out!

More info via their facebook event page here:

Green Your Halloween Fête

at livegreene Retail Location 158 University Ave.
5-8PM

TGIF - Partyyyyyyyy!!

volunteer bike

Well this Friday is going to seem rather quiet in comparison to last Friday. I met up with a handful of SF cool cats in hats that were heading down to Sunnyvale (where many siliconlandians live, 40 miles south of SF) to join the San José Bike Party. Here we are right before the start. I'd guesstimate about 1000-1200 people.

ready

Below, our SF crew

suuuuuuuuup

adam y grace

ding ding ding

One of the main concerns when heading to this party as a city dweller is how the hell to get back. And I say that as in sometimes the party ends more than a few miles from caltrain later in the evening, so the trek back to the caltrain station can become a party of its own, you know - what if you miss it.

Anyways, who cares - we went, we had tons of fun. There were soooooo many teenagers, the energy was super, there were puppies, families, tons of cruisers, tons of music, I ran into coworkers, there was a couch on a bike - dogs included, new buddies, total strangers and fellow bikers that were there to have fun.
Awesome. Hellsyeah.

"thanks cop!!!"
the motorcycle cops held the freeway exit traffic as well as many of the large (huge) boulevard busy streets.

super cute amigas.
these gals were sporting their very fun outfits. the theme was 'uniform nite'
bike halo included :D

my new bici amigos from Guanajuato.

Near University ave. in Palo Alto.

High standards. There was a large group of these bikes. rad.

say queso!!

the best mohawk on wheels

We began in Sunnyvale and ended in downtown Palo Alto (next to Stanford University for those of you outside CA, is where the Facebookland of the west operates as well). Our group of city peeps caught a late 11PM caltrain full of Shark fans (hockey) and made it to SF a little after midnight safe and sound.

San José Bike Party is where is at, and if you haven't done it, that is all I'm gonna say because you got to be there. Fun fun fun.

Good times. Good times.

"bike parteeeeeeee" everyone is yelling this all night long.

&this, is about 1/200th of the ride


For info and more, San José Bike Party »

Bikes of Palo Alto

A 40-minute ride from SF, on Caltrain and there I was in Palo Alto. A bike ride away and there's Stanford. And bikes everywhere. I was very happy to finally see a wide selection of the cute Simple City series. Looked familiar since I've seen it in San's blog.
This is Palo Alto Bicycles. Checked out their Rapha apparel, Women Swobo knickers (yes! finally got to see them!) & loads of Campagnolo goodies. Very good selection under one roof.

They also carry Kinetic Coffee beans from Arcata, CA. A little super cute hippie town up north.
Muy, muy nice. Bikes y coffee, always a plus.

(L) This is Arcata near the campus HSU in 2005 or 06. (R) Oh Humboldt is so pretty and very green. I love trees.

This. What is this? Is it a new city planning secret from street planners? Looks rad.
My eyes cant really read that far but it said something like 6ike tu63 -???-

and the Palo Alto caltrain stop.

Duke of Palo Alto

My mandatory coffee stop while at Palo Alto is Caffe del Doge. Almost 2 years ago I stumbled upon this new coffee shop in Palo Alto and met the nice Italians that run it. Triplo per me, caro.

Stanford Sound Machine

Class Act

Men around the Stanford campus get an A+

Both sides of the main boulevard connecting the downtown Palo Alto to the center area in the campus,
have separated sidewalks designated for bikes and pedestrians. Very nice.