The Voice of East Bay Living

My new listing on 2224 California in Berkeley has been featured on Derik Landry's blog post -  Feelin' (Pea)cocky . His blog is a great resource for design tips.

You have galloped by this place a million times. This old-fashioned race horse track - 140 acres of land dedicated to horses - is located just off the Gilman Street exit and nestled along the shoreline of the San Francisco Bay. Amidst the ro aring crowds and pounding of hooves, the Berkeley Rotary Club has established a TEFl program (teaching English as a second language) to the many employees and their families who come from mostly Spanish speaking countries to help with the important job of grooming and caring for the horses.

Before & After photos of our lovely Grand Lake home at 649 Mariposa. You will see living room, dining room, master bedroom and front door. Adding a bit of polish to make this house shine.  It closed escrow in 20 days-over the asking price.  Living Room - fresh coat of paint and furniture rearrangement. Dining Room - mirrors added to built-ins cabinets to create depth. Bedroom - new comforter set, pillows, and lights. Front Door - new color, brass kickplate, and brass numbers.

Awesome Ikebana week-end display at the Orinda Community Center sponsored by the Sogestu School under the tremendous training of Sensai Soho Sakai. 

What used to be a place for horses and carriages is now a vibrant community of artists and studios- located at 49th and Telegraph in the heart of the Temescal neighborhood of Oakland. There is a strong current of urban renewal that is feeding the entire community. 

Check out the Sound Room located in Uptown Oakland at 2147 Broadway,  This club is run by a non-profit group dedicated to presenting jazz in the Bay Area.  It is a small and intimiate setting, attracting some fantastic musicians.  Their website is  www.soundroom.org .

As a member of Berkeley Rotary, I recently helped distribute beautiful dictionaries to 3rd graders at Emerson Elementary in Berkeley. Every year the  Rotary Club of Berkeley, California #428  hands out over 800 dictionaries to all 3rd graders in Berkeley Public Schools. The club motto, Service Above Self, has led its members to volunteer in all kinds of projects from building schools in rural Mexican villages to establishing health clinics in the East Bay.