Claire Mack Lactose-Free Hollandaise Demo a Success

[caption id="attachment_1271" align="aligncenter" width="483"] Maurice Gwinn, Jerry Hill and Claire Mack[/caption]

Claire Mack, former three-term mayor of San Mateo, spent a few hours at our store yesterday demonstrating her lactose-free take on the classic Hollandaise recipe.

Among those who stopped by to shop, test-taste and mingle was California State Senator, Jerry Hill.

Look for more demonstrations with Claire coming up in the new year! Want to be notified of our next event? Email us with your name and email with the subject "sign up".

Claire, a San Mateo native, became the first African-American woman elected to the San Mateo City Council in 1991. She served three terms as councilwoman followed by her three terms as mayor. During her years on the council, she fought to preserve and improve neighborhoods, advocated for activities for youth and worked to develop more affordable local housing.



Claire has taken a recipe from one of her daughter's cookbooks
and modified it to be lactose-free. Hollandaise sauce is most often served on Eggs Benedict, and on vegetables such as broccoli or asparagus, but can be creatively added to all manner of savory dishes.

Eggs Benedict was originally created as a hangover cure for Lemuel Benedict. The chef at the restaurant was so impressed that he added it to his menu!

Cruise for a Cause Gives Back in Willow Glen

Cause and Effect

On September 8, 2013, the Sixth Annual Cruise for a Cause took place near the La Villa Deli in downtown Willow Glen.  The cause was to raise money and collect non-perishable foods for the Second Harvest Food Bank.  The effect was actually collecting the food and monetary donations so that less fortunate folks could have something to eat, and, as a result, allow participants to bask in the simple pleasure of giving back.   Simple?  It should be.  Unfortunately, in today's world there seems to be less and less interest in helping your fellow (hu)man, then in days gone by.  But there are always opportunities for individuals and groups to change that, and theRompacoglioni Car Club Crew, and their Cruise for a Cause, stand as an example of just such an opportunity. 

As a member of the Hassett ACE Hardware F.A.C.E. (Facilitating Awesome Community Engagement) team, I had the pleasure of participating in being part of the effect for the cause.  Jeff Cimoli, chief organizer for the event, approached our store for support.  As a family-owned operation for over fifty years, Hassett Hardware was definitely in tune with community outreach.  So we offered a store gift card for their raffle and individual discount coupons for the participants and spectators.  Due to a scheduling conflict, the coupons meant to go in the participants gift bags needed to be personally distributed...by me.  And that was quite an experience.   Nearly all the recipients of the hand delivered coupons expressed their enthusiasm and appreciation that a local business would "go the extra mile" in working to make the event a success.  Their complimentary expression was returned by my thanking them for THEIR participation, for without them, there would be no event.  And so it is, cause and effect.  So the challenge is...what cause is out there waiting for YOUR participation?  Pick one and see what wonderful effects can transpire.  You will only be pleasantly surprised.

-Paul Vezinaw

Free Paint Saturday!

If you missed it last Saturday, you've got another chance! Come in this Saturday, August 10, and get a free quart of paint.

Remember to enter for a chance to win 1 of 10 $1,000 ACE Gift Cards. 

Hassett ACE Hardware 4th of July Hours

Ace Hardware is having a fabulous 4th of July sale, Wednesday, July 3 through Monday, July 8!

Our hours will be shorter than normal, but we'll still be as helpful as we can.

Half Moon Bay:
Monday - Friday: 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sat and Sun: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

Palo Alto:
Monday - Friday: 7:30 am – 8:00 pm
Saturday & Sun: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

San Mateo:
Monday - Saturday: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sunday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Willow Glen:
Monday - Saturday: 7:00 am - 8:00 pm
Sundays: 8:00 am - 7:00 pm

Rock the Block, Half Moon Bay

Come join us at the Coastside's favorite block party! We'll have multiple chances to win prizes, and we'll be giving away lots of raffle tickets to win a BBQ (and other great stuff!).

Cub Scouts Make Pinewood Derby Cars at ACE

We had the fun privilege of hosting Cub Scout pack 236 and helping them cut out their Pinewood Derby cars! We also got to go watch them race those cars last weekend at their Pinewood Derby in Half Moon Bay.

We are hosting more car-cutting events. The next one is schedule for February 10, 2013.

At our Palo Alto store: 10am - 12pm at 875 Alma St.

At our San Mateo store: 10am - 12pm at 545 First Ave.

At our Half Moon Bay store: from 12pm - 4pm at 111 Main St.

We've got all the tools, supplies and accessories the Scouts need - even the cars!

Here are some photos from the last Pinewood car-cutting event and from the Derby itself!

Cub Scouts Birdhouse Project at Our Half Moon Bay Location

We hosted a troop of Cub Scouts last Monday for a great project on making and painting birdhouses. The boys got a great hardware lesson in the different types of woodworking nails and tools and we had a lot of fun helping them learn and play!

Thank you, Troop 263!

Note: If you have a group who'd like to do a fun project at one of our locations, let us know!