PRESEASON s p e c i a l a d v e r t i s i n g s e c t i o n
HOLIDAY
GUIDE
96 South Bay Accent
JEWELRY
Kerns Fine Jewelry. 214 Lorton Ave., Burlingame, 650/348-
7557. kernjewelers.com. Family owned since 1944, Kerns
has been serving the Peninsula and Silicon Valley for three
generations. Carrying many of the finest watch and jewelry
lines in the industry, the store’s experts travel the globe to
bring customers all the latest handcrafted designs. Kerns
offers an extensive selection of diamonds and other precious
and semiprecious gemstones, the finest men’s and women’s
wrist watches from around the world and customizable gift
items for that special one on your list. The store also provides
jewelry and watch repair services as well as expert appraisals
and estate buying. For keepsakes to be treasured for a
lifetime, exquisite jewelry and elegant, distinctive timepieces,
visit Kerns, where service and quality go hand in hand.
ARTS & RECREATION
Montalvo Arts Center. 15400 Montalvo Road, Saratoga.
408/961-5858. montalvoarts.org. Creative gift giving comes
naturally at Montalvo. Start a new holiday tradition by visiting
the historic villa—a Mediterranean Revival mansion
nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains—where
holiday-themed offerings fit for the whole family offer ample
opportunity to make the most of the season. Revel in the
Vintage Yuletide Celebration, which includes the Yuletide
Marketplace (Nov. 16–18) featuring unique handcrafted offerings,
plus the Yuletide Intimate Holiday Tea (Nov. 17), Yuletide
Breakfast with Santa (Nov. 18), and Vintage Fashion Show
& Holiday Tea (Nov. 18). Also, not to be missed is the highly
anticipated concert, “David Benoit: Christmas Tribute to
Charlie Brown” (Dec. 16). So, grant your family and friends
an artful experience at Montalvo this holiday season; it’ll
be music your ears.
Opera San Jose. The California Theatre, 345 S. First St.,
San Jose. 408/437-4450. operasj.com. Treat family and
friends to music, drama and spellbinding storytelling this
holiday season, with a gift certificate to see Opera San
Jose’s world-class performances including Leoncavallo’s
Pagliacci (Nov. 17–Dec. 2), Heggie’s Moby-Dick (Feb. 9–24,
2019) and Puccini’s Madama Butterfly (April 13–28, 2019).
For an even more musically infused yuletide, embark on a
diva-worthy Parisian excursion with Opera San Jose (Dec.
25, 2018–Jan. 2, 2019). Spend Christmas and New Year’s
exploring the City of Lights with visits to Opéra Garnier,
Musée d’Orsay, Vaux-le-Vicomte and more. Savor Parisian
delicacies in storied brasseries and view seminal masterpieces
in the city’s most iconic museums. OSJ’s General Director,
Larry Hancock, will enhance the experience with insights
that showcase the role of the opera in Paris.
Peninsula Ballet Theatre. 1880 S. Grant St., San Mateo.
650/342-3262. peninsulaballet.org. Create cherished family
memories with a dazzling holiday outing to a performance
by Peninsula Ballet. Take petite patrons of the arts to see
Nutcracker Sweet (Dec. 1–2, 8–9, 15–16) a condensed, totfriendly
version of the Christmas classic. Head to the Fox
Theatre in Redwood City to jazz up the season with the widely
acclaimed Hip Hop Nutcracker (Dec. 21–23, 28–29), a new
take on the holiday classic; then round out the holidays with
performances of PBT’s full-length Nutcracker (Dec. 22–24,
and Dec. 29), a sumptuous production featuring over 125
characters. Gift classes to your favorite aspiring dancer or
host a festive fete at the Peninsula Ballet Theatre, which
features five dance studios, a pilates studio, a meeting room
and a spacious lobby.
The Shop @ Children’s Discovery Museum. 180 Woz Way,
San Jose. 408/298-5437. cdm.org. Cap off a visit to the
Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose with a stop at the
gift shop and take the interactive fun home with you. The
carefully curated selection of creativity-sparking toys and
unique gifts reflect the museum’s core values of hands-on
learning, educational enrichment and imagination. You’ll find
science experiments, arts activities, costumes, maker kits,
books and countless creative pastimes that enhance learning
and draw out the scientist, artist, inventor and visionary in
your child. For a gift that will last throughout the year, treat
your family to museum membership. Perks include invitations
to members’ only exhibition previews and celebrations, along
with discounts on programs, birthday parties and purchases
in The Shop @ Children’s Discovery Museum.
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. Various locations. 650/463-
1960, theatreworks.org. Now in its 49th year, TheatreWorks
Silicon Valley’s exhilarating repertoire continues to enthrall
South Bay audiences. This season is no exception, as the
celebrated company presents the enchanting Broadway
musical “Tuck Everlasting” at Palo Alto’s Lucie Stern Theatre
(Nov. 28–Dec. 30). Take time for some theatrical therapy
with the grown-up holiday hit “The Santaland Diaries” (Dec.
5–23) at the Lohman Theatre in Los Altos Hills. Based on
celebrated humorist David Sedaris’s most cringeworthy
cherished memories, this show will have you laughing off
seasonal stress. For the gift that keeps on giving, purchase
a subscription. Upcoming shows include “Frost/Nixon” (Jan.
16–Feb. 10, 2019), “Marie and Rosetta” (March 6–31, 2019),
“Hershey Felder: A Paris Love Story” (April 3–28, 2019) and
“Archduke” (June 5–30, 2019).
Winchester Mystery House. 525 S. Winchester Blvd., San
Jose, 408/247-2000. winchestermysteryhouse.com. This
historic architectural gem was the obsession-project of
Sarah Winchester, a 19th-century widow who spent decades
adding on to her house to deter the spirits of those killed by
the guns her husband’s company made. Today, you can tour
the labyrinthine mansion and learn firsthand why it’s called
one of the most haunted places in the world. In October, the
Winchester Mystery House hosts a spirited awakening for
those on the…other side. On a Hallowe’en Candlelight Tour
