My Favorite House in Davis
June 27th, 2008 Categories: Davis CA Real Estate, Davis RE Trends, Photo Tours, RE Week in Review, Real Estate News
Parkside Drive is one block from UCD - a small U-shaped street with about 45 homes in the center of town that is sometimes referred to as part of ”old professor row” - a quality of neighborhood we don’t have enough of. Unpretentious and nostalgically heartwarming, each home has a different design and character and is somewhere in the continuum between “original state” and “gorgeously remodeled”.
At the later end of that contiuum is 40 Parkside. This home was torn down to just one wall and rebuilt on the original footprint about 7 years ago by Steve Sherman. It is calm, restful home for those of us whose children have flown the coop. The house is small but open, spacious and perfectly elegant for having friends for dinner inside or out. Every detail is crafted with taste and thought. The wide plank hickory floors were distressed by hand on site. The dining room has the perfect dimensions to embody space and coziness. Best of all is the cottage! In the large back yard there is a 600+ sq ft cottage that has a fireplace, living room, kitchen with old wedgewood stove, bedroom and bath, and a large southfacing wall of windows. When we originally went to see the house, my husband and I had a rare fight about who would get to have the cottage.
This house has been “curated” by Susanne and Simon Dryer these past few years - they have enhanced the garden, colors, and the feel of the house even warmer. It is now on the market. If the time in our lives were right, we would be moving to Parkside where I would not only relish this home, but also would be thrilled to be part of the eclectic neighborhood. Alas, not the right time for us. Some lucky person will have the rare opportunity to live in graceful elegance in the center of our sweet town…
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1st Annual Central Davis Walking Tour Great Success!
June 12th, 2008 Categories: Amusement, Davis CA Real Estate, Davis Fun to Do, Davis Schools, Davis Schools Foundation
THANKS to all who came out to see 10 central Davis homes on our walking tour last Sunday. I was worried that people were tired of being asked for donations, that the weather would be too hot, but apparently you wanted it! The tour was a big draw and we were able to raise $2230 to donate to the Davis School Arts Foundation.
10 families were very generous to open their very interesting homes, and at least one of the families who declined the opportunity called right after the walk to heartily volunteer their home for next year. We had a request to include Old Willowbank next year, and that is the plan.
This would not have been possible without the relentless persistence and hard work of Joy Klineberg. I am taking bets that Joy will be Davis Person of the Year within the next 3 years. She has taken our town by storm! Thanks, Joy.
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Putah Creek Party - Celebrating 20 Years
June 3rd, 2008 Categories: Amusement, Davis Fun to Do, Davis Nature, Real Estate News
If you are new to Davis you may not know that it took a tremendous collaboration of lawmakers, attorneys, landowners, farmers, ecologists and citizens who cared to save one of the only natural riparian woodlands in Northern California - Putah Creek.
At least 100 people gathered at my house along the creek this weekend to celebrate and remember the past 20 years of the Putah Creek Council and the victory to adjudicate Federal law and keep water in the creek year round. The day was gorgeous, the wonderful local band Hardwater played, there was meat on the barbie, and wine poured freely. Energetic young members and revered old timers gathered to talk and remember. Most notably Steve Chainey, the founder of Putah Creek Council, shared his understanding that though not yet pristine, Putah Creek is so much cleaner than it was twenty years ago. The eco system is more complex and vibrant, with salmon spawning, mink, otters and more. We were inspired to consider what a difference citizens can make, and we all wondered where it was we got all that energy (and time) to see it through.
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Invitation to See a Few Good Homes in America’s #3 Friendliest Place to Live
May 30th, 2008 Categories: Davis CA Real Estate, Davis Fun to Do, Davis Schools, Davis Schools Foundation, RE Week in Review, Real Estate News
Sunday June 8, 1-4 pm, Start at 764 Elmwood Drive…
My amazingly energetic client and friend Joy Klineberg had a great idea - a walking home tour of a few homes on some of our favorite Davis streets. The people of Davis have given hugely this spring to the Davis Schools Foundation and we made national news for saving 20 teacher’s jobs, so it feels like an unwelcome tug to ask once again. However, some of the important smaller organizations are struggling for funding that has been redirected to the Schools Foundation. Joy is raising money to help the coffers of the Davis School Arts Foundation , and Ciana Wallace and I are sponsoring her. Hope you can come out for a funky Davis-style tour! Call (530.574.0596) or email (jamiebmadison@msn.com) if you have questions.
In case you missed it, the Today Show had a segment this week on the 5 Friendliest places in the US to live….yup, Davis came in number 3!
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Rare Visit to the Glide Ranch
May 21st, 2008 Categories: Amusement, Davis CA Real Estate, Davis Fun to Do, Davis Nature, Local Food, Photo Tours
This past sweltering Sunday afternoon the Ag Futures Alliance held “First Flavors” a fund raiser/tasting event at the famed Glide Ranch just west of Davis. (Sponsored in part by the Howard and Nancy Shapiro Foundation.)
Though my home is on property adjacent to the south side of the ranch and I have driven by its entrance for over 20 years, never have I actually seen this amazingly gorgeous place. Hills, swails and natural canals that transverse the ranch are unusual for this area. The main house - a classic grand valley home over 100 years old and recently restored - sits in the middle of the property surrounded by rose gardens, expansive lawns and palm trees. If you were dropped there and someone removed your blindfold, you would probably not guess that you were in Davis, but you would know that you were somewhere magical.
I will write more about the wonderful trust created by the Glides for the protection of animals, wildlife and agriculture of Yolo County in a future post, but for now, enjoy a few pictures I snapped at Sunday’s event.
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Charismatic Megafauna on Putah Creek
April 21st, 2008 Categories: Amusement, Davis Nature, Photo Tours
Feast your eyes on these amazing recent photographs of bird life along the creek near Davis. Credit goes to Manfred Kusch for his amazing patience and abilities…
Great Horned Owl
Rufous Hummingbird
Two hummingbird babies outgrowing the nest.
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