Although Dr. Gary Gold & Associates Optometry, Inc. takes pride in its amazing optometric technology and high-end eyewear, nothing it offers would make you see cows grazing across the street when you leave the downtown Sunnyvale office wearing your brand-new spectacles.
But Dr. Gold says that’s precisely the sight that greeted the first clients of the practice he now owns. Initially opening its doors 1955, Dr Gold bought the practice from a retiring optometrist in 1981. He moved the office to its current location, at 130 S. Sunnyvale Avenue, between Washington and Evelyn Avenues, in 2008. That makes Dr. Gary Gold & Associates one of the oldest continuing small businesses in downtown Sunnyvale, perhaps only behind Walt’s Cycles. The days of pastoral old Sunnyvale are gone and replaced with the much-loved, historic Murphy Avenue, and Dr. Gold’s business has certainly changed with the times. High tech, high style “We keep pretty high tech here,” Dr. Gold said. “We keep ahead of the curve as best we can.” The practice is actually two businesses in one, Style Eyes Optique and Dr. Gary Gold & Associates Optometry. Through Style Eyes Optique the office provides many exclusive frame lines in addition to prescription and non prescription sunglasses such as Maui Jim and Oakley. The optometry side offers a wider range of vision services than found in most offices, from routine eye examinations, prescribing glasses and contact lenses to the treatment of eye infections. They also treat ocular diseases such as glaucoma and manage macular degeneration enhanced by Zeiss imaging technology. In addition, the practice also co-manages refractive surgeries such as LASIK and cataract surgery by working with outside ophthalmologists. Services are available Monday through Saturday. To make an appointment, call 408-736-3802, and visit drgoldeyes.com for more information. The practice also makes a great effort to keep up in the style department and to offer great variety of choices. So much so, Dr. Gold said “since we really love and are continually adding new and exciting frame lines, it becomes challenging to decide which designer lines to keep and which ones to give up.” Six optometrists Dr. Gold did his undergraduate studies at UC Berkeley where he developed an interest in optometry. He was attracted to optometry, he said, because it’s “a medically oriented people business without the downside that medicine sometimes presents. By choosing graduate school at UC Berkeley’s School of Optometry I also got to continue going to school at Berkeley where their optometry school was considered the best.” With six optometrists on staff, mostly from UC Berkeley, he says it’s one of the larger practices in Santa Clara County. While most of their patients come from the surrounding neighborhoods and nearby computer industries, there are many who travel from out of town, out of state, and even as far as Hong Kong to continue to be seen by Dr. Gold. In 2014 Dr. Gold was awarded the Outstanding Business Person of the Year Award by the City of Sunnyvale. As if Dr. Gold’s longevity doing business in the community and his sponsorship of local youth organizations weren’t proof enough of his commitment to downtown Sunnyvale, the San Jose native has taken an active role in the Sunnyvale Downtown Association Board and appreciates being a part of the innovative and growing Sunnyvale community.
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After years as a “road warrior” for several Big 5 consultancies, Anil Nair was looking to invest in a retail franchise as a way to be home more on nights and weekends, and to partner with his wife in business.
One of his criteria was to integrate his family’s social values into this investment. The search led him to buy into Vitality Bowls. “Serving the community with something we can be proud of — that was very important for us,” Anil says. “It was one of the few businesses we could live with.” He says the couple feels good about selling Vitality Bowls’ fresh, quality food — something he and his wife insist upon at the family table. So good that, in May, he opened the Vitality Bowls, in downtown Sunnyvale, with two friends he’s known for 15 years. For those not familiar with the growing, San Ramon-based chain, Vitality Bowls offers 12 kinds of bowls, most of them based on organic acai berries and topped with organic granola and other “superfoods.” While bowls are the main emphasis, the Vitality Bowls menu also includes smoothies, juices waffles, soups, salads and an assortment of panini. What ties it all together? “It’s all healthy, vegan-friendly natural food with no added preservatives or sugar, no yogurt, no GMOs (genetically modified organisms). It’s seasonally organic, as well,” he says. “And it’s good for any time of day, breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack. It’s quite filling and gives you the energy to go the whole day.” Allergy fighters It’s not so hard to get fast food, or to eat in a casual environment. But tasty and healthy, too? That’s what makes Vitality Bowls stand out from the crowd, Anil says. There are about 30 locations around the state, and at least one in 11 states. The first one opened in San Ramon in 2014, a few years after franchisors Roy and Tara Gilad discovered their young daughter had several food allergies. They decided they wanted to spread the health, and that’s a must for any franchisee, as well. Anil says he and his partners chose the Sunnyvale location in the historic Murphy Avenue area, because there’s lots of foot traffic, a built-in customer base in the many tech companies located nearby and little competition in his niche. It has proved to be a great decision. The Sunnyvale location is on the Plaza del Sol and also offers a fully catered menu. Call (408) 498-0074 or email downtownsunnyvale@vitalitybowls.com. They’re open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Address: 115 S. Frances St., Sunnyvale 94086. Be sure to follow on Facebook and Twitter for offers posted regularly Any way to help the community make healthy food choices is what Vitality Bowls is all about. Sleep is not a luxury. Chronic sleeplessness should not be ignored.
These are the first two points that Sleiman Masri, marketing manager at Sleep Health MD, makes, and two of the key messages the medical team work with patients to understand and resolve. Since opening the South Sunnyvale Avenue location regional sleep clinic in 2016, the doctors and staff at the facility have been taking this message to patients, businesses and civic organizations. The medical team at the facility, led by Sleep Medicine Specialist and Adjunct Clinical Faculty, Stanford University School of Medicine, Shehlanoor Huseni MD, who grew up in Sunnyvale and graduated from Sunnyvale High School, have in-house treatments for insomnia, sleep apnea and other issues that cause chronic sleeplessness. As part of the clinic’s effort to educate the community, Dr. Huseni shared her insights for our Sunnyvale community: Q - Are people in Silicon Valley likely to be more sleep deprived than people of similar ages in other parts of the country? Dr. Huseni: I believe that people in Silicon Valley have incredible work ethic. But I often remind them that it is important to have to have work/life balance as this balance helps to regulate our sleep wake cycle. Anxiety about work projects etc. can certainly lead to a racing mind and if this occurs on a regular basis it can lead to sleep deprivation and insomnia. Q - We keep hearing that being on "screens" interferes with sleep. Are there two or three simple ways that people can do their jobs, and be on their phones to get their business done, and still have good sleep? Dr. Huseni: When I talk to my patients about regulating their sleep wake cycle I often start with discussing the mnemonic “SELF”
Q - When is it time to seek professional help for sleep issues? If a bed partner informs you that you “stop breathing” or that you have “pauses” in your breathing at night because of loud snoring it is important to see a sleep medicine physician. This is a very common finding in patients with obstructive sleep Apnea. If on most nights of the week it takes you >30 mins to fall asleep or you wake up in the middle of the night frequently and have trouble going back to sleep this may be insomnia. Especially if the lack of sleep is affecting your daytime/executive function (memory, concentration, decision making, mood) Q - How can we help our children develop healthy sleep habits? Dr. Huseni: Healthy sleep in children requires adequate duration, appropriate timing, regularity, and absence of sleep disorders. To maintain good “sleep hygiene” in children I recommend:
Maybe 2018 is just the right time to have more energy by sleeping better! Personal consultation is the best way to diagnose your sleep challenges with the Sleep Health MD team and thankfully it is covered by most insurance plans. Follow Sleep Health MD on Facebook and visit their website to learn more. New parents grew concerned when their week-old baby would still turn her head only to one side. She had been injured during childbirth when the doctor used forceps to pull her out of the birth canal.
The couple brought her to Dr. Scott Cady, a chiropractor who works out of a multidisciplinary medical practice in downtown Sunnyvale. Dr. Cady examined the child, and very gently adjusted her neck. Within a few minutes, the child regained full range of motion. Such satisfying experiences are what attracted him to chiropractic in the first place. “We help people without prescribing drugs, and help them quickly,” said Dr. Cady, who accepts most insurance. Back, neck and joint work One thing that distinguishes Dr. Cady from many chiropractors is the range of problems he treats. While many in his field just stick to treating back and neck pain, Dr. Cady works on many other joint problems, as well. Recently, he said, he treated a professional ballerina who had sprained her ankle while dancing on “en pointe” She recovered quickly and returned to her production of the Nutcracker. He’s even become, through word of mouth, known as someone who can provide relief to people with TMJ and other jaw problems. Dr. Cady said he’s pleased that he can often keep people from having to undergo surgery. While there are times that he’s not able to heal someone’s back or neck problem and surgery is necessary, he said that’s rather rare. “We take a conservative approach,” he said. “And we treat the actual problem so the problem goes away; medical doctors treat the pain and hope the problem goes away.” Experienced hand Dr. Cady has been in practice in Sunnyvale since 1990. In June he moved back to his current location at 260 S. Sunnyvale Ave. after years in an office a half-mile away that was scheduled for demolition. He is happy to now be in downtown Sunnyvale. Some chiropractors have been criticized for trying to get their clients to buy into tests and treatments that really aren’t necessary. “I prefer to be honest upfront,” he said, adding that his practice is to inform clients of all their treatment options but never attempting to up-sell them. When you need an experienced hand to get you moving with confidence, call Dr. Scott Cady at 408-739-2273 for an appointment and you’ll be pain free soon. “Invest in your body. Invest in yourself,” says Elaine Little, Studio Manager and Co-Owner of Orangetheory Fitness Downtown Sunnyvale. “The goal here is to change lives.”
If it sounds ambitious, that’s because it IS ambitious. Elaine points out that when you see improvement in your body, when you can conquer the roadblocks to your own health, it changes the way you approach mental blocks as well. Sunnyvale – Robust Community Elaine, her husband Ty, and co-owners Antonia and John Rowdon knew they wanted to open an Orangetheory franchise, and when the possibility of Sunnyvale came up, the four owners were unanimously taken with downtown Sunnyvale. Elaine defines downtown as “robust, bubbling over with possibilities, a great community.” “We wanted to be part of this community. We wanted to help make it even better.” All the owners are engaged in the business, however, for Elaine, it was also a mid-career switch from senior marketing executive in the casino gaming industry. “This is the best time in my life,” she says. She’s inspired by the community of members that has formed and feels like she is making a difference that matters. “My dad died, basically due to obesity, and I know the price people pay because it is so hard to get fit.” Getting the Job Done Since the December, 2015 opening, the scientifically-based fitness program has done more than attract techies who love the analytics and data that helps them track their workouts. There are people of all fitness levels, all ages. Some are post-surgery, others use walkers, and people come with a variety of health conditions. The program is adaptable and can work at any level. “This isn’t some gimmick,” according to Elaine. “I think everyone has the same struggle when it comes to fitness. We all want to be fit. We just don’t want to do what it takes. I like that this program actually gets the job done and you can have some fun too.” Anyone can drop-in to try a class with discounts for first-time visitors. Stop by Orangetheory Fitness at 155 S. Frances Street or call 408-508-6724. Information is available at www.orangetheoryfitness.com and you can join the Orangetheory Downtown Sunnyvale local community on Facebook. Imagine you find yourself in a theater—it is very dark—you can see a performer lit by spotlight on the stage before you, playing music you love with an exhilarating beat. The performer is not just a DJ, and you are not just sitting still. Your heart is pounding, your breaths come at an exhilarating pace, and you are connected with the performance, keeping pace. Then as you expected, it’s 3-2-1 and you are invited to push beyond yourself, to work to exceed the beats in the music for a short interval. You feel yourself break through your own personal wall.
This is not just any theater The performer is an accomplished athlete and your coach. You are astride a stationary bike that you have adjusted for the resistance that is right for you. Flywheel’s signature class is high-intensity interval training Your ride lasts 45 minutes. You enjoyed the class at a pace that is comfortable for you, and your instructor encouraged you to reach your fitness goals. The resistance you set for yourself is recorded as Torq and your speed is measured in RPMs on a small computer on your bike. FlyWheel uses these two measurements to calculate and display your total energy output throughout your ride as your Power Score. Along with your top speed and maximum Torq for each ride, your Power Score yields a lot of information, such as the total calories you burned and total miles; all of this is available to you on your account dashboard on the Flywheel iOS app and website. You can track your progress as little or as much as you want. If you are feeling a little more competitive, you can opt-in before your ride to have your Power Score posted anonymously on the TorqBoard during the class. Some riders enjoy knowing where they ranked, especially in the short races that instructors lead throughout each class. Other ride options Some classes are purely beat-driven, known as FlyBeats, where each rider stays on the beat of the music and plays with their resistance for a maximum workout. Other classes offer themed rides, such as 80s dance parties and East Coast vs West Coast hip-hop jams. Some riders prefer longer classes: 60 and 90-minute classes are offered throughout the week. Classes incorporate an arm workout for upper-body toning to give you a full body workout. Regardless of your fitness level, your Flywheel team is there to provide plenty of support for you. They will prepare for you for your ride, setting a comfortable starting point for your resistance and helping you become confident with your bike. Equipment Flywheel bikes are compatible with SPD cleats or Look Delta cleats, if you choose to bring your own shoes. Don’t worry if you don’t own cycling shoes; your Flywheel team will have a fresh pair of cycling shoes in your size waiting for you before each class. They can provide other little essentials, such as saddle cushions, hair ties and earplugs, as well. It’s easy to stow your personal gear; Flywheel can give you a seat bag for your class, or you can put everything away in a self-locking locker that includes a charging port for your cell phone. Flywheel is convenient for busy people Once you have completed your initial orientation, you can walk-in, on-time to any class: you use your Flywheel app or one of the laptops in their lobby to sign-up. After your ride, you can scrub down in one of several private shower rooms which are outfitted with soap, shampoo, conditioner from Bliss Spa. You will find everything you need to dry your hair at the blow-drying station. Need a little more support? Once a quarter, you can enroll in a four-week wellness program. You get one-on-one guidance from your instructor coach, who helps you stay accountable to yourself for a set number of classes per week as well as a nutrition plan to meet your health objectives. Flywheel is not about intimidation Unlike other cycling and workout programs, each class at Flywheel is open to anyone, regardless of experience or fitness level. Every ride is your very own, in an environment that is comfortable for you. To get started, your first class at Flywheel Sunnyvale is free. If you mention this post in an email to flywheelsunnyvale@flywheelksports.com, you get your second class free, as well. Come out and join the Flywheel team at 331 West Washington Avenue, in downtown Sunnyvale. |
AuthorSunnyvale Downtown Association Archives
April 2018
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