Columnists

Love is in the air this week, as Valentine’s Day rolls around again. During the course of your life, you’ve probably sent your share of flowers and candy. But if your valentine is also your spouse – and, in particular, your longtime spouse – you may want to go beyond roses and chocolates this year to give a gift that can help lead to financial security.

Super Bowl 50! Claimed to be the biggest single sporting event in the whole wide world, it officially landed in the Bay Area last week. “Stay out of San Francisco” is the word from the people that spend a lot of time there, and expect some big crowds in Santa Clara and San Jose too. This may be a real good time to take advantage of what we have right here.The Super Bowl Host Committee (the all controlling organization promoting the event) has put strict guidelines on what anyone can do with the name “Super Bowl,” so you might see some creative ways of expressing a connection to the big show without saying it.One example is the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley “Super Barrel” Tasting event this Saturday. That has to win the award for the most creative connection to the big event. The wine association did a wonderful job of putting together something special for wine aficionados who will have an opportunity to taste varietals still aging in the barrel. I keep hearing things like how much more fruit you can taste in the young wines and how some wineries are offering wine futures based upon the tastings. Taste a wine and if you like it, try to stake out a claim on a case or two. Ask about it.With the Super Bowl also came an opportunity by the Host Committee to help us get some playful items added to our community. There were a couple of grant opportunities offered that city staff took advantage of and parlayed into some new features in and around the downtown.On Monday a decorated crosswalk was highlighted at the north side of the intersection at Dunne Avenue and Monterey Road. You’ve got to go and see this. Some of the region’s most notable animals are represented, interspersed with grape vines. This whimsical and amusing artwork met the grant’s requirement that a) it be installed by Super Bowl day and b) it be fun. I understand that it was a heck of a push but it is there for all to see right now. Please just try to pay attention while doing so since you may be tempted to stop and take it in.Also unveiled Monday was an example of new wayfinding signage in the downtown. These aren’t just some signs hanging on non-descript posts; they are real pieces of art. The sign posts are very classy and made mostly of wood with directional pointers that indicate where you can go and maybe change your state of mind with directions to “Bright Future”, “Scrumptiousness” and “Divine Dining.”The youth of our community helped with the directions and I hope we can take their lead and follow them. These wayfinding signs also meet that requirement to be fun.Maybe we can learn something from the criteria for these grants: have more fun.Please get out and spend time in the downtown, in all of our city’s fine shopping opportunities, and hit the wineries too. Just get out and enjoy the incredible weather we’re going to have for the next week before the skies open up again.John McKay is a Morgan Hill resident, city planning commissioner, Vice President of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association and co-founder of the Morgan Hill Tourism Alliance.

Gather Brad Nye, Whitney Pintello, Nick Fryou, Sarah Smith and Ronnie Misra and you have an adept group to provide a laugh a minute offering. The production moves with super timing that keeps tickling the funny bone without stopping for the length of the play. As usual as with Pintello’s production their secret weapon is the players have as much fun as the audience, which always makes a visit to one of these productions an enjoyable hoot.