🎉 The Valley Magazine – January 2026 Edition is Out Now!
Ring in the new year with The Valley’s first issue of Year 4! This edition is packed with community milestones, hidden local gems, stunning art, and comfort food recipes that’ll warm you right up. Here’s what’s waiting inside:
🔨 100 Years of Pete’s Ace Hardware — Castro Valley’s oldest business just hit a century! From its founding by Hungarian immigrant Peter Selmeczki just after the Spanish Flu era — when locals were buying ceramic jugs for Prohibition moonshine — to today’s fourth-generation family operation, this is a remarkable story of community, resilience, and tradition.
🌮 Restaurant Review: El Rancho Taqueria — Tucked inside a supermarket on Redwood Road lies one of Castro Valley’s best-kept dining secrets. Fresh, authentic Mexican food made right in front of you — and a nearly perfect 9.5 out of 10 rating.
🎨 Artist Spotlight: Rita Sklar — A world traveler and award-winning painter, Sklar’s stunning wildlife-inspired works — born from adventures in Africa and Latin America — have graced galleries across the Bay Area. Her piece “Missing You Already” won Best of Show at the 2022 Alameda County Fair.
🍅 Cozy Kitchen Recipes — Warm up with a roasted tomato soup made with Boursin cheese and charred garlic, paired with the ultimate grilled cheese — a love story in a bowl, straight from a local kitchen.
📸 Bay Area Nostalgia — Relive the golden era of Southland Mall in Hayward and the dramatic history of San Francisco’s iconic Cliff House.
🌿 Community & Local Gems — From a tranquil Japanese garden tucked between Castro Valley and Hayward, to a Postal Annex owner living her dream of serving her hometown — this issue celebrates the people who make the Valley special.
The Valley is always free — download your copy and celebrate everything that makes Bay Area living so good.
