Fresh Food and Fun Parks in El Cerrito

It’s almost officially summer here in El Cerrito, which means the farmers’ markets are in full swing and parks are becoming the perfect picnic destination. Here are a few that are worth exploring.

Visit the El Cerrito Plaza Farmers’ Market for access to an assortment of crafts, fruits, organic food, local specialties and vegetables. This market is open year round on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Have a dog in your life that loves dog parks? Visit the Bruce King Memorial Dog Park where your pet can play with other friendly dogs! Located in the 1600 block of Lexington Avenue between Potrero Avenue and Blake Street (along the Ohlone Greenway) in El Cerrito.

What about kids that love parks? Visit the Cerrito Vista Park, boasting a well-equipped playground area, tennis courts, a track for jogging and an adjacent barbecue and picnic area.Visit the Parks Department website for even more great local parks.

Hosting the Perfect Memorial Day Cookout

Memorial Day is the last Monday in May and is a day that commemorates U.S. soldiers that have died while in military service. This day also marks the unofficial start to summer and is a popular weekend for cookouts. Follow these tips for a successful and fun Memorial Day cookout!

More often than not, Memorial Day cookouts have a patriotic theme to them. Feel free to embrace this tradition with red, white and blue decorations, desserts and drinks. Try strawberry shortcake or red, white and blue sugar cookies. Make lemonade and iced tea and then freeze an assortment of berries in ice for a flavorful twist.

For activities, set up a volleyball net or leave the space open for people to play wiffle ball. Other fun games include horseshoes, Frisbee, bocce ball, or even a water balloon toss! If you’re feeling super ambitious, rent a bouncy-house or inflatable obstacle course for your guests to compete in. Offer a gift card or some other small incentive to get people excited to play!

To document the event, buy several disposable cameras and leave them around so guests will take pictures of themselves having fun at your party.

Interpreting Your Vehicle’s VIN Number

If you’ve purchased a vehicle within the last 30 years or so, new or used, you’ve probably come across a 17-digit identification number commonly known as a VIN number. And while you might have figured out that each VIN code is unique, did you know that these digits actually mean something? Together, they can tell you about where the car was manufactured, its weight, its engine type, and much more.

This guide will help you decode your car’s VIN number, using the following VIN code as an example:

1  H  L  Q  U  1  5  2  0  K  A  1  8  6  3  9  2

1st digit - Represents the country in which the car was manufactured. This digit can be either a number or a letter (for example, the U.S. uses 1, 4 or 5.)

2nd digit - Represents the manufacturer.

3rd digit - Represents the division of the manufacturer.

4th through 9th digits - Make up what is called the “Vehicle Descriptor Selection” and varies by manufacturer. These digits represent weight, chassis type, series, body type and engine type.

The 9th digit is known as the check number, identifying the accuracy of the VIN number. (With a few simple mathematical equations, you can determine if your VIN code is fake or not. Check online for tips on how to calculate this!)

10th through 17th digits - Identify a unique vehicle (i.e. no car will have the same 8 sequence of numbers.)

The 10th digit represents the model year--this 30-year cycle started in 1980 with the letter A and ended in 2009 with the number 9. Cars made in 2010 would also use the letter A, cars made in 2011 would use the letter B, etc…

The 11th digit is the plant code and is unique to each manufacturer.

The 12th through 17th digits make up a sort of serial number and are unique to each vehicle.

So, using the VIN code from the top, we can determine that our car is 1) American-made, 2) a Honda, 3) a multi-purpose passenger vehicle, 4) a manual transmission, 4-door sedan, 5) a DX Accord manual seat belt, 6) a 1989 model, and 7) manufactured in Marysville, Ohio.