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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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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Up Putah Creek: My Kind of Hummer
March 13th, 2008 Categories: Davis Nature, Photo Tours
Who has the patience/time to sit still enough to see the many amazing little lives around us? Fortunately I live with one who has both time and know-how, and this spring my husband Manfred Kusch has been watching hummingbirds build nests and raise a family, minks swimming in the creek, sacramento suckers (fish, not a baseball team) spawn and more. Enjoy these photographs of spring life along the creek…
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Davis Farmers Market photo tour
November 26th, 2007 Categories: Local Food, Photo Tours
Better than Harrods
Don’t come to the Davis Farmers Market if you don’t have time to meet friends and talk about 13 kinds of heirloom tomatoes or how to cook with lovage. (Hint: if you want to know what to do with lovage go to Amazon and check out Local Flavors by Deborah Madison. Yes, she is my sister, but she also is an amazing writer about food and farmers markets.) Do come if you want fresh, organic, local bread, vegetables, olive oil, meat, fish, fruit, flowers and more. Even better, come on Wednesday evening to picnic in the park - enjoy dinner, local music, frolicking children, a good time to be had by all.
Enjoy these wonderful photos by Frederic Conte!
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