HIDDEN VALLEY — Hardester”s Shopping Center in Hidden Valley was alive with merchants and consumers Saturday in celebration of the center”s grand re-opening. Visitors of the event were sent on a journey that introduced them to every business within the complex.
Upon the completion their informational journeys, guests were qualified for the raffle event that concluded the celebration. The grand prize gift, which was a 42-inch flat screen television donated by Hardester”s Market, was won by Teddy Duke.
The purpose of the event was to celebrate upgrades to the center as well as to welcome new businesses serving the Hidden Valley Lake community.
“We”re getting more and more things here in Hidden Valley and I”m real excited about that,” said Certified Personal Trainer Lara Keyser of Muscle Matrix Gym. Keyser was on hand to greet guests and tell them of the gym”s services including its Women”s Boot Camp. Keyser said she recommends the program because it provides an opportunity for healthy exercise accompanied by the encouraging support of a group.
Guests were entertained throughout the event with music played from the patio area at Crave Coffee House. While visitors shuffled from one business to the next, children enjoyed jumping around in the bounce houses provided by Astro Jumps. Guests were also privilege to demonstrations in beauty care and cooking.
The Dream Salon, which has been open in the shopping center since February, offered demonstrations in hair extensions. Ashley Potter, hairdresser and manager of the salon, explained the versatility of the hair extensions as she demonstrated her techniques on model Brittany Lane. Potter said that the extension are made from human hair and can be cut or colored to preference. The technique she displayed was simple with the hair extensions snapping easily into place. It took only about 10 to 15 minutes for Lane”s hair to appear long and lustrous. Potter finished the demonstration styling Lane”s new locks.
At Chic Le Chef, guests enjoyed demonstrations in the kitchen, which hosts a classroom-type setting. The business offers a variety of cooking classes as well as customized sessions for specialty groups such as those managing diabetes.
A favorite of the staff at Chic Le Chef is its cooking birthday party packages. “You come in and mess up our kitchen instead of your own,” chef Julie Hoskins said. The birthday packages are reportedly a big hit with children; however, the packages are available to all age groups. The birthday cooking party includes games and prizes as well as a special gift for the birthday child.
Patricia Tyrrell welcomed guests to Guangxi Martial Arts. She said she has another location in Napa where she has been offering instruction since 1990. Classes at the martial arts studio are open to all ages. “We have a pretty robust kids program and pretty robust adult program, too,” she said, adding that she also offers a class designed specifically for women.
Saturday”s event was pet-friendly with the Hidden Valley Pet Palace hosting a pet costume contest. The family-operated business has been open since July, according to Aimee Gonsalves, daughter of owner Terri Gonsalves. “We”ve always had animals and we were like ?what does the community need” and a pet store seemed perfect,” she said.
Other business participants included Ting”s Thai Kitchen, Brian”s Pizza, Century 21, H&R Block and Linda Fergusson, of New York Life, served as mistress of ceremony. Subway Sandwich Shop, which will be opening soon in the Hardester”s Shopping Center, also participated in the event.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com.
