Mosaic Financial Partners, Inc
Mosaic will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for on June 11 at 4:30 pm with the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce. Meet at 3620 Happy Valley Rd., Suite 100.

Brittany Comes to Shore in Orinda
Laurent Le Barbier makes traditional crepes to order at the Orinda Farmers' Market. “Bretons” are a people of peasants, fishermen and merchants. Their culinary tradition mixes hearty dishes and seafood, that is both simple and very tasty. Le Barbier comes from generations of “Bretons” who used to make crepes in the fireplace and worked markets around the Golf du Morbihan. At the market, he serves salty Savory crepes (organic buckwheat flour, gluten free) with a variety of toppings including the traditional “complete” Ham & Cheese & Egg, vegetarian options like the Brie-Pesto & Tomato, or seafood treats like the Smoked Salmon-Crème Fraiche-green onion & dill. For desert, ask for the sweet crepes (all purpose flour) with butter, sugar & lemon or apple confit with caramel sauce among other specialties.

Rubens Nunnemaker LLP moves to Lafayette
1020 Aileen Street 444.4026 www.RNCPAs.com
Rubens Nunnemaker LLP is a Certified Public Accounting and Consulting firm. Partners Sharon Rubens and Steve Nunnemaker have more than 30 years of combined industry experience and have earned a reputation for providing quality service over the last two decades. Sharon Rubens grew up in Lafayette and Steve Nunnemaker lives in San Francisco. Rubens Nunnemaker LLP offers experienced service in all matters of accounting and taxation, IRS problem resolution, estates and trusts, business formation, financial planning and investment, real estate and business sales. “We have always had many clients who live in Lafayette and Lamorinda,” said Lisa Silva, who works for the company, “as our firm evolved, we found ourselves working with more clients in Lamorinda. Lafayette is the perfect central location for our client base. We also feel that Lafayette has sophisticated individuals and businesses that we can really help.”

French For Fun Featured on Local TV
3468 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Suite B100 283.9822 www.frenchforfun.com
The French immersion school was nominated and selected by the Best of the Bay TV production of channel 4. A crew of 4 cameramen and interviewer spent 5 hours at FFF on Friday March 20th to shoot a presentation of the school. “Since we wanted to showcase our students, we had invited all our classes from the baby circle to the literature club to participate,” said headmistress Catherine Jolivet, “the teachers and I had prepared various activities, plays, songs, etc…The filming was very organized, the kids were very excited as well as the parents.” The video aired 3 times on the Best of the Bay on May 21st, 23rd and 28th. It can be viewed online at Best of the Bay TV for one year.

Patti Camras Organizes Speed-networking for Women
Real estate services 253-4609 www.patticamras.com


Patti Camras and guests Photo Wendy Scheck

On May 8 Patti Camras organized her first speed-networking for women, an event where she invited women with whom she had been doing business on a regular basis and would gladly refer. “I wanted to create an environment for networking so that these terrific women professionals could find out about each other,” said Camras, “I strongly believe that people who own their own businesses understand the benefit of networking, and now more than ever, we need each other to keep our businesses vital in today's economy.” “The event was fun and very well organized,” said Wendy Scheck from Lamorinda Weekly, one of the 24 women who attended the event,” She had us talk with each other and move around every 5 minutes. It was kind of an enterprising thing to do.” Camras plans to host another event in September after the school year starts.

News from the Three Chambers of Commerce
Small Business Awards


The Small Business Award recipients and Chamber officials (left to right): Carlos Rangle, Candy Kattenburg, Javier Galdon, Edy Schwartz, Ron Palsa (second row), Jay Lifson, Steve Palsa Photo courtesy of Moraga Chamber of Commerce

Three Lamorinda businesses were recognized at the Contra Costa Council’s 9th Annual Small Business Awards:
Minuteman Press, Moraga UPS Store and Shelby’s.
On May 15 the Contra Costa Council gave business awards to 10 Contra Costa small business owners, all nominated by their local Chamber of Commerce. The awards recognize the business owners’ success in developing an outstanding business and their contribution to the community.
“Ron and Steve Palsa moved their business, Minuteman Press, from Walnut Creek to Lafayette about 6 years ago,” says Jay Lifson, Lafayette Chamber CEO, “they took a chance on Lafayette and bought the building next to the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa on the East end of Mt. Diablo Blvd. What happened next was a partnership that resulted in one of Lafayette’s most successful businesses and a community member that has never stopped supporting our city.”
“A few years ago, with a dream to own their own business, Javier and Jacqueline Galdon searched for an affordable franchise opportunity in the Bay area, and they happened upon the Mailboxes Etc/UPS Store in Moraga,” says Edy Schwartz, President of the Moraga Chamber of Commerce, “with no background in shipping or retail, but with a lot of support and guidance from the previous owner and the franchise, three years later, the UPS store has become an indispensable ‘office’ for many home based businesses in Moraga.”
“The Orinda Chamber unanimously chose Shelby’s to receive this award,” says Candy Kattenburg, Executive Director of the Orinda Chamber of Commerce, “it’s not unusual that when you walk into Shelby’s you are greeted by the owner Carlos Rangel and if you glance over to the kitchen area you can wave hello to (the other owner) Chef Arno Kober. It’s Orinda’s local ‘hang out’ and if you haven’t tried Shelby’s you should stop by on a nice day to sit outside and experience great dining.”

Lafayette Chamber of Commerce
• Top Ten Small Business Trends for 2009 - Friday, May 29 - 12:00 p.m.
The Lafayette Library and Learning Center Foundation and the Lafayette
Chamber of Commerce invite the business community to attend a special
luncheon with featured guest speakers Steve King and Carolyn Ockels.
For registration to this event, please visit www.lafayettechamber.org.
Cost is $25 and space is limited.
• Try Lafayette First Thank You Party - Friday, June 5 - 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
- Plaza Park. (see story page 1)
• Shop Lafayette Working group, Tuesday June 9 at 8:00 a.m.
in the Chamber offices
• Chamber mixer on June 10 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Pizza Antica,
3600 Mt. Diablo Blvd. in Lafayette.

Moraga Chamber of Commerce
• Chamber meeting on Friday May 29 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
at the Hacienda. Members of the Union Bank of California will be
speaking on issues directly affecting the local business climate

Orinda Chamber of Commerce
• May 28, Orinda celebrates Cal Shakes 35th anniversary and throws a big
party, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Theater Square in downtown Orinda.
The free event is opened to the public and will offer a whole array
of attractions.
• Chamber breakfast meeting, on Thursday, June 25 from 8:00 a.m.
to 9:00 a.m. at Village Pizza 19 Orinda Way Orinda. Cost $10.00 -
at the door. This is a relaxed coffee hour in which chamber members
can mix and mingle, share ideas, and exchange business cards.