Home&Real Estate

Home Front
OPEN HOME GUIDE 70
Also online at PaloAltoOnline.com

OWN TH
LAWN ALTERNATIVES ... Deva

E
Luna, of EarthCare Landscaping,

D
will offer a free workshop on “Smart

D
and Attractive Lawn Alternatives”
from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday,

Y
Sept. 15. Focus is on creating
beautiful landscaping while con-
serving water and lowering bills.
From 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday,
Sept. 18, a free, educational work-
day — a hands-on experience in
maintaining a native garden — will
be held at the Lucie Stern Bay
Friendly Demonstration Garden.
E

RAI
Volunteers of all ages are welcome,
MON
but minors under 18 need a signed
waiver to participate, and children
12 and under require an accompa-
nying adult. Gloves and tools will be
provided; bring water bottle, sturdy
shoes and long pants. Both events

N
will be held at the Lucie Stern Com-
munity Center, Community Room,
1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto.
Information: Space is limited and
pre-registration is required. Call
650-329-2241 for lawn alterna-
tives, 650-496-5910 or Paul Hepie,
paulh@acterra.org, for hands-on
workday.

YOGA FOR GARDENERS ... Com-

mon Ground Center Manager (and
yoga teacher) Patricia Becker will
offer “Yoga for Gardeners with Live
Music” from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30
p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15, at
Common Ground, 559 College
Ave., Palo Alto. The class will em-
phasize how to care for knees, back
and shoulders while stretching to
live music by Herb Moore. Bring a
beach towel or blanket. Cost is $31.
Information: 650-493-6072 or www.
commongroundinpaloalto.org

MORE LAWN OPTIONS ... The Cali-

fornia Native Plant Society, Santa
Clara Valley Chapter, is organizing a

symposium — “Lawn Alternatives:
Do-It-Yourself Native Plantscap-
ing” — from 8:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
on Saturday, Sept. 29, at Foothill
College, Lecture Hall 8338, 12345
El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills.
Designed for both homeowners
and landscape professionals, the
program includes garden design,
plant selection, lawn removal and
maintenance, as well as a plant
leaky pipes
and book sale. The symposium is
co-sponsored by Bay Area Water
Supply & Conservation Agency and
Santa Clara Valley Water District
and hosted by the Foothill College
Environmental Horticultural Depart-
ment. Cost is $85 general, $75
CNPS members by Sept. 15; $100
at the door. Information: http://sym-
posium.cnps-scv.org, symposium@
cnps-svc.org or 650-260-3450. N
Send notices of news and events related
to real estate, interior design, home
improvement and gardening to Home
Front, Palo Alto Weekly, P.O. Box 1610,
Palo Alto, CA 94302, or email cblitzer@
paweekly.com. Deadline is one week
before publication.
B
Spikes in ills come in the mail nearly everyday,
though occasionally, one contains a
water bills surprise: a charge for water you did
not think you used. Leaking pipes or
may be fixtures in your home or yard, such as a
toilet or a garden hose, may be responsible
caused by for unusually high water bills.
Many people become the victims of slow
leaks, or small, steady streams of water
dripping from faucets or showerheads when
they are not in use.
by Helen Carefoot Though the leaks are usually small, the
financial burden they add is not: A single
leaking faucet can waste up to 350 gallons
of water a month, while a leaky irrigation
system can potentially waste up to 15,000
gallons of water monthly.
“Customers are really shocked and don’t
understand where (the extra charges) are
coming from,” said Joyce Kinnear, manager
of utility marketing services for the City of
Palo Alto. “If the leak is really bad, the bill
could be thousands of dollars. The bill will
be higher depending on how fast the leak
is.”
According to Kinnear, dripping toilets
and sinks are the most common cause of
indoor leaks. One leaking toilet is capable
of wasting up to 14 gallons of water daily,
while a sink with even the smallest leak can
waste up to nine gallons of water per day.
“A leaky toilet can easily double or triple
the bill, while a leaky house sprinkler can ‘If the leak is
increase the bill by 20 or 30 times,” she said.
Outdoors, leaky sprinkler systems are the
main concern because they receive a lot of
really bad, the
wear and tear and can be easily hidden in
large yards by plants or yard decorations.
bill could be
“People often don’t even notice their thousands of
sprinkler head is broken,” Kinnear said.
“Sometimes they are hidden under bushes
or plants, so it’s hard to see that they are
dollars. The bill
damaged or even missing a head.”
Leaks are often the result of aging water will be higher
systems and pipes. Old pipe or irrigation
systems can develop cracks or fractures depending on
that spew water or leak. As a result, water
is released from the appliance even when it how fast the
is not in use. Though many larger outdoor
leaks are caused by cracks and holes in ag- leak is.’
ing infrastructure, the age of the appliance
itself can be blamed for causing smaller
leaks in more common appliances like toi- Joyce Kinnear,
lets and faucets. Errant water use may also manager of utility
be to blame: Keeping the faucet on while it marketing services,
City of Palo Alto
is not in use wastes money.
In addition to denting your bank account,
slow leaks can also cause significant dam-
age to your home. Even a modest amount of
leaking water can spill over and cause water
damage to walls and floors, while broken
(continued on page 43)

ÜÜÜ°*>œ
Ìœ"˜ˆ˜i°Vœ“ÊUÊ*>œÊ
ÌœÊ7iiŽÞÊUÊ-i«Ìi“LiÀÊ£{]ÊÓä£ÓÊU Page 41
Page 42ÊUÊ-i«Ìi“LiÀÊ£{]ÊÓä£ÓÊUÊ*>œÊ
ÌœÊ7iiŽÞÊUÊÜÜÜ°*>œ
Ìœ"˜ˆ˜i°Vœ“
 Home & Real Estate
Leaks HOME SALES
Home sales are provided by
(continued from page 41) California REsource, a real estate
pipes and sprinkler heads are likely to damage the water sys- information company that obtains
tem itself. the information from the County
Recorder’s Office. Information
“If the appliance leaks for long enough, the water can cause is recorded from deeds after the
soil erosion and structural damage to the home itself,” Kin- close of escrow and published
near added. “In some rare cases, a home may need to be re- within four to eight weeks.
foundationed to repair damage from a long-term leak.”
Atherton
If one finds a leak at home, the best thing to do is to call a 79 Quail Court E. & R. Albini to S.
specialist to assess the situation, she said. Stout for $2,800,000 on 7/31/12
“Unless you are a really handy person, you should call a
East Palo Alto
plumber or gardener to take a look at your home or yard,” 132 Maple Lane S. Ali to E. Shay
Kinnear said. “They would have to diagnose the problem, then for $535,000 on 7/31/12; previous
fix it.” sale 6/11, $500,000
The best way to avoid being struck with an astronomically Los Altos
high water bill is to regularly check the appliances in your 691 Casita Way R. Canham to B.
Hwang for $1,490,000 on 8/17/12
home and yard, Kinnear said. 1015 Crooked Creek Drive Dunn
“Be aware of your home. If no one is using water and you Trust to A. & N. Jain for $1,515,000
hear it running, there is still water going through your water on 8/17/12
system,” she said. “There are a variety of ways to fix leaks, but 1513 Julie Lane S. Weeks to S.
Tholen for $1,915,500 on 8/14/12;
you have to be aware of them first.” N previous sale 7/99, $952,000
706 Los Ninos Way P. Hanley to Z.
Check for leaks Liu for $1,940,000 on 8/14/12; pre-
vious sale 4/05, $1,500,000
If you receive an unusually high water bill, consider doing 11652 Putter Way RNM Invest-
the following to check for leaks: ments to S. Ng for $1,970,000
s 'ET COLOR CHANGING TABLETS FOR TOILET WATER TANK AND TEST on 8/15/12; previous sale 5/11,
s ,OOK FOR SOGGY OR WET SPOTS IN YARD $2,356,000
1286 Richardson Ave. R. Hong
s #HECK UNDER PLANTS FOR BROKEN SPRINKLER HEADS OR TORN to L. Dsouza for $1,975,000 on
cracked hoses
8/16/12
s "E AWARE OF RUNNING WATER SOUNDS WHEN APPLIANCES ARE NOT Los Altos Hills
in use and random wet spots in your home 26400 Purissima Road J.
s #HECK FOR CRACKS AND BREAKS IN PIPE AND SPRINKLER Stenger to J. & W. Vanderbeek for
systems $1,795,000 on 8/16/12
s 2EGULARLY CHECK YOUR WATER METER
Menlo Park
915 Menlo Ave. Scola Trust to H.
Yang for $1,925,000 on 7/31/12;
READ MORE ONLINE previous sale 5/88, $610,000
847 Roble Ave. K. & J. Kara-
www.PaloAltoOnline.com mchandani to S. Huffman for
For more Home and Real Estate news, visit www.paloaltoonline.com/ $1,935,000 on 7/31/12; previous
real_estate. sale 11/06, $1,505,000
Atherton
Total sales reported: 1
Lowest sales price: $2,800,000
Highest sales price: $2,800,000
East Palo Alto
Total sales reported: 1
Lowest sales price: $535,000
Highest sales price: $535,000
Los Altos
Total sales reported: 6
Lowest sales price: $1,490,000
Highest sales price: $1,975,000
Los Altos Hills
Total sales reported: 1
Lowest sales price: $1,795,000
Highest sales price: $1,795,000
Menlo Park
Total sales reported: 2
Lowest sales price: $1,925,000
Highest sales price: $1,935,000
Mountain View
184 Farley St. Canaan Taiwanese
Christian Church to G. Black for
$1,000,000 on 8/17/12; previous
sale 12/91, $205,000
1857 Golden Way Regan Trust
to W. Wallace-Freedman for
$1,612,000 on 8/17/12
1547 Lilac Lane D. Hew to J.
Casillas for $800,000 on 8/16/12;
previous sale 7/98, $310,000
447 Lotus Lane J. Caywood
to B. & A. Taylor for $530,000
on 8/16/12; previous sale 3/91,
$230,000
1963 Rock St. #22 S. & Z. Morse
to J. & L. Dinneen for $748,000
on 8/17/12; previous sale 10/04,
$620,000
ÜÜÜ°*>œ
Ìœ"˜ˆ˜i°Vœ“ÊUÊ*>œÊ
ÌœÊ7iiŽÞÊUÊ-i«Ìi“LiÀÊ£{]ÊÓä£ÓÊU Page 43
SALES AT A GLANCE
Mountain View
Total sales reported: 7
Lowest sales price: $500,000
Highest sales price: $1,612,000
Palo Alto
Total sales reported: 7
Lowest sales price: $715,000
Highest sales price: $1,750,000
Portola Valley
Total sales reported: 1
Lowest sales price: $1,200,000
Highest sales price: $1,200,000
Redwood City
Total sales reported: 8
Lowest sales price: $471,000
Highest sales price: $1,125,000
Source: California REsource
2255 Showers Drive #152 S. $475,000
White-Desilva to S. Ullman for 3731 Egret Lane S. Soundararajan
$500,000 on 8/16/12; previous sale to C. Liou for $890,000 on 8/16/12;
2/00, $320,000 previous sale 12/07, $858,000
826 Tulane Drive J. & E. Nadeau 835 Homer Ave. A. Gansheimer
to C. Ho for $1,150,000 on 8/14/12; to I. & R. Ohana for $1,750,000 on
previous sale 7/05, $900,000 8/15/12
Palo Alto
819 Oregon Ave. R. & S. Siu to W.
Chung for $1,510,000 on 8/17/12;
1431 Alma St. ALMA Limited to R. previous sale 5/92, $399,000
Krentler for $870,000 on 8/20/12
3973 Bibbits Drive Ranes Trust Portola Valley
to R. Brown for $1,450,000 on 161 Erica Way C. Eliaser to R.
8/20/12
420 Cambridge Ave. #5 Lucco Inc.
Parsa for $1,200,000 on 7/31/12
to S. Jovidan-Nejad for $1,004,000 Redwood City
1479 Ebener St. V. Lashkareff to J.
on 8/20/12
Baron for $589,000 on 7/31/12
1062 Colorado Place C. & S.
Freeland to Y. Guo for $715,000
on 8/14/12; previous sale 9/02, (continued on next page)
 Home & Real Estate

Real Estate Matters

language, Spanish, but many Panamanians
speak English so communication is comfort-
able.
Panama has a first-world infrastructure
Build a dream home in Palo Alto including a U.S.-style capital city with high-
speed Internet, the second largest Free Trade
for under $550,000? Zone in the world, a banking sector with
more than 100 separate banks and a popula-
by Nancy MacLeod hear thunder alerting tion of 3,300,000.
that somewhere near Panama is the business capital of the
ernment agency, as a rule, the properties do
not have exclusive listings with one agent.
A suggested outline to follow, should one
decide to purchase in Panama, would be as
follows:
1. Find a lot in your favorite area of Pan-
ama. Explore the different elevations and
experience the temperature changes. From
the highlands one can see both the Pacific
Ocean and the Caribbean.

T
he first question is not “how” or “why”
to build a home in Palo Alto for less the clouds are crying Americas. The World Economic Forum 2. Employ an attorney to assist through the
than $550,000, but “where”? The an- and magnificent rain- ranked Panama as the second most competi- process of land transfer and securing your
swer is Panama. bows are formed. tive economy in Latin America. ownership.
My favorite area in Panama is Boquete, The average price Panama was selected by both Forbes and 3. Apply for a visa (which may take up to
known as coffee country, which is located in for a top-quality Business Week magazines as one of the top six to nine months). The Panamanian gov-
the rain forest. Palo Alto is one of the neigh- home on 1 or more places in the world for retirement. ernment wants to see evidence of income.
borhoods in Boquete, which has a popula- acres in Boquete with Panama has foreign investment incentive 4. Employ an architect.
tion of 30,000, including 7,000 ex-pats from amenities similar to laws, a simplified tax structure and boasts a 5. Employ a contractor.
around the world. Boquete is located be- what one would find in Palo Alto, Calif., is 7.5 percent GDP growth rate. 6. Collect and choose materials for your
tween 4,200 and 4,500 feet above sea level; $550,000 — where a typical asking price The final question is how to secure a home. Many products are available in Pan-
the year-round temperature is between 65 could be $4+ million. Of course the Cali- home. Once you have found the property ama but many of your choices and prefer-
and 75 degrees. The entire area is blanketed fornia home would not be sitting on an acre you wish to purchase, employ an attorney to ences may be from other countries, which
with greenery and magnificent flowering or more. guide you through the transfer process. The will need to be transported to your location.
plants; the air is fresh and fragrant and with There are numerous reasons why one majority of properties are held in trust and 7. Employ a landscape gardener. Many
each breath one feels invigorated. would wish to own a home in Panama. the corporation will be transferred into your beautiful plants are readily available and
Land is plentiful in Panama. Areas The home may be a second home or your name. The buyer will then own the corpora- flourish in this tropical wonderland.
throughout the country vary in temperatures primary residence. The people are happy tion and can gift it in a number of ways, to Or if you wish to purchase an existing
depending on elevation. The wet season is and friendly, the currency is the U.S. dollar, a spouse, child, relative, etc. and no taxes home skip items 4 through 7. N
from April 15 to Dec. 15. The usual day which has much more buying power than it are paid upon transfer. The initial transfer Nancy MacLeod has run an independent
starts a little overcast from sunup to 8:30. has in the U.S.A. Land is plentiful, extraordi- is taxed at 2 percent of the purchase price. boutique real estate firm, Homes2Buy.com,
By 9 a.m. the skies are blue until one hears narily beautiful and incredibly inexpensive. There is no property tax for 20 years if you since 1999. She was named Palo Alto Real-
thunder between 2:30 and 4 p.m. It may or The tap water is safe to drink. Many people build a home. tor of the Year in 2011. She can be reached
may not rain for a few hours depending on chose filtered water only for a more pleasant A Multiple Listing Service “MLS” does at nancy@homes2buy.com. She wrote this
your location. One may see lightning and taste. It is helpful if one speaks the native not exist in all of Panama and although the while visiting and exploring the tropical
real estate agents are licensed through a gov- paradise of Panama.

10/84, $152,000 $1,030,000 America to E. Sussex for $471,000 $1,125,000 on 7/31/12; previous sf, 3 bd
(continued from previous page) 1141 Fay St. J. & M. Hudson to J. 601 Leahy St. #207 P. & J. Ma- on 8/1/12; previous sale 1/06, sale 2/87, $248,000 255 S. Rengstorff Ave. #125
Meisner for $810,000 on 7/31/12 rotta to G. & J. Biagi for $520,000 $768,000 Wells Fargo Bank, 8/16/12,
1369 Edgewood Road S. & 175 Jeter St. J. & M. Esguerra on 8/1/12; previous sale 12/08, 591 Shoal Circle J. & R. Chan to $241,209, 935 sf, 2 bd
L. Crane to A. Wijeyekoon for to C. & T. Nettles for $840,000 $537,000 S. Tan for $785,000 on 7/31/12; FORECLOSURES
$900,000 on 7/30/12; previous sale on 8/1/12; previous sale 7/07, 602 Mendocino Way Bank of previous sale 8/09, $659,000 Foreclosures are provided by Redwood City
California REsource, a real estate 90 Columbia Ave. Shoreline As-
1548 Whipple Ave. T. & S.
information company that obtains sets Group, 7/30/12, $358,000,
Meisenbach to C. Kunnappilly for
the information from the County 1,110 sf, 2 bd
Best value in palo alto!!! Recorder’s Office. The date is the
recorded date of the deed when Sunnyvale
two FABULOUS HOMES BACK-TO-BACK ON One LARGE LOT the lender took title to the property. 615 Bernal Ave. Aurora Bank,
8/14/12, $556,229, 1,327 sf, 4 bd
The price is what the lender paid
great NEW price for it (usually the mortgage balance
plus foreclosure fees). Each prop-
819 San Ramon Ave. Pinewood
Capital, 8/20/12, $401,000, 1138
sf, 3 bd
HEART OF PALO ALTO -strolling distance to downtown erty is now owned by the lender
706 San Tomas St. Trinity Hills
and is for sale, or will be for sale
0 Limited, 8/16/12, $405,000, 1345
-4 : 3 soon, individually or through public
1 : 30 auction. Individuals should contact sf, 3 bd
N SUN a Realtor for further information.
OPE
East Palo Alto BUILDING PERMITS
463 Larkspur Drive Fed-
eral National Mortgage, 5/08/12, Palo Alto
$298,504, 1020 sf, 3 bd 101 Alma St. K. Sheridan, add
lights in living room and bedroom,
Menlo Park replace doorbell, upgrade recep-
1101 Ringwood Ave. HSBC Bank, tacles, $n/a
7/24/12, $747,899, 3,708 sf, 7 bd 717 Lincoln Ave. R. Colley & K.
234 Terminal Ave. Maywood Con- Godfrey, replace existing furnace
struction, 7/24/12, $300,000, 1,320 and air conditioner, $n/a
sf, 3 bd 3694 Louis Road G. & B. Fole-
usun, remodel two bathrooms,
Mountain View $55,000
AY 938 Clark Ave. #12 Silicon Valley
SU ND Homes, 8/08/12, $370,000, 982
251 University Ave. 251 University
N Ave. Association, construct two
OPE sf, 2 bd
N OT 109 Evandale Ave. Wealthmax
offices and relocate coffee bar,
$42,000
Capital, 8/17/12, $465,000, 1,604

Pacific Heights Penthouse Coming on the Market

524 EVERETT COURT
designed by Peterson Architects
2 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath contemporary with Great LYTTON AVENUE V iew America’s Cup Races
from this 2-story co-op
penthouse with sweeping
room, dining area, 2 well-outfitted offices, 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, Craftsman style
home, living room with fireplace, formal Bay views. 3BR/3.5BA, with
elevator, lovely patio garden and 2-car garage dining room or family room and hard-
www.524EverettCourt.com wood floors. large formal living areas.
2nd level offers pent room
$3,350,000 – PRICE INCLUDES BOTH HOMES with dramatic Bay views, a
second kitchen, half bath,
JOE & GINNY KAVANAUGH
650.400.5312 JOE JOSEPH.KAVANAUGH@CAMOVES.COM and a private sun-drenched
K NOWLEDGE IS THE DIFFERENCE
650.400.8076 GINNY GKAVANAUGH@CAMOVES.COM Mark Allan Levinson terrace.
WWW.THE KAVANAUGHS.COM mark@markallanlevinson.com
Find us on Facebook: The Kavanaughs
Follow us on Twitter: @JoeKavanaugh & LinkedIn: Joe Kavanaugh Mobile: 415.215.6750 2170JacksonPenthouse.com
Office: 415.441.5500
Pacific Union Christie’s International Real Estate
©2012 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker®, Previews® and Previews International® are registered trademarks licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.
An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Owned and Operated by NRT LLC. All rights reserved. This information was supplied by Seller and/or other
sources. Broker believes this information to be correct but has not verified this information and assumes no legal responsibility for its accuracy. Buyers should investigate these DRE#00798967
Listed at $6,500,000
issues to their own satisfaction. If your property is currently listed for sale, this is not intended as a solicitation. DRE License # 01908304. DRE#01351481 DRE#00884747

Page 44ÊUÊ-i«Ìi“LiÀÊ£{]ÊÓä£ÓÊUÊ*>œÊ
ÌœÊ7iiŽÞÊUÊÜÜÜ°*>œ
Ìœ"˜ˆ˜i°Vœ“

557 East Crescent R. Johnson,
remove damaged Sheetrock in
basement and replace with 5/8
quiet rock walls and ceiling, $5,000
418 Coleridge Ave. D. & A. Kalar,
bathroom remodels, all new fix-
tures and finishes, hall bathroom,
new toilet, demo one wall, master
bathroom, new fixtures and fin-
ishes, $20,000
310 Maclane St. S. Ongbongan,
install nine retrofit windows, $5,144
440 Olive Ave. B. Klein, stucco
walls, $9,500
735 Homer Ave. K. Kelty, two sky-
lights, $5,000
3440 Janice Way Renati, remodel
and addition to master bathroom,
$7,000
665 Towle Way R. & J. Vebbing,
remodel existing bathroom, replace
all fixtures, tile, Sheetrock, repair
damaged subfloor and floor fram-
ing, $10,000
248 Hamilton Ave. Forest Casa
LLC, demo existing t-bar ceiling
and light fixtures, cap off plumbing
at existing bathrooms, $6,000
1021 Paradise Ave. D. Rickling,
stand alone service upgrade from
100A to 200A, $n/a
877 Moanna Court B. Steen,
remodel three bathrooms, install
three new bay construction win-
dows, $60,000
742 Melville Ave. A. Hald, interior
remodel, remove non-load-bearing
dormer walls, fixture and finish up-
grades, $24,000
558 Bryson Ave. Hamai Survivor’s
Trust, remodel kitchen, master
bath, convert 1/2 bath to full bath,
complete rewire using exiting ser-
vice, new furnace with AC to be lo-
cated in attic, relocate water heater,
all new drywall, $80,000
1601 California Ave. tenant im-
provement including lab spaces,
office spaces, shower rooms, toilet
rooms, electrical, mechanical,
plumbing upgrades, $1,852,006
945 Amarillo M. Kao, kitchen and
bath remodel, structural bedroom
and shear wall added, $36,384
 
$<
68 1'
3 ( 1
 2
6HUHQLW\3ULYDF\6HFOXVLRQZLWK9LHZV
‡$PD]LQJPRGHUQDUFKLWHFWXUH
‡'UDPDWLFWLPEHUIUDPHFRQVWUXFWLRQ  SRVVLEOHEXLOGDEOHSODQV
 ZLWKORIW\FHLOLQJVDQGPDVVLYHUHG
 FHGDUORJV
‡(QRUPRXVOLJKWÀOOHGZLQGRZV
 RYHUORRNLQJPDJLFDOUHGZRRGIRUHVW
$ERXW7HUUL
2IIHUHGDW
,QIRUPDWLRQGHHPHGUHOLDEOHEXWQRWJXDUDQWHHG‹5*DJH0DUNHWLQJ6UYFV
Positively Green
Reconnecting
with the wilderness
by Iris Harrell
I
recently just returned from a
week in Lake Tahoe National
Forest. Myself and 23 other Sili-
con Valley executives, without any
recent camping experience, survived
and thrived in cabins and tents. We
hiked extensively for three days in
brand-new hiking boots. The last
night we slept solo away from all
others and in 13 hours of silence ...
just to rediscover our own selves in
the wilderness.
The cumulous clouds seemed
close enough to touch, had they not
been constantly moving. The stars
at night made the IMAX theater
experience seem small. The distant
8,000-foot-high craggy mountain
peak of Sierra Butte and the snow in
its crevices were dramatic and even
more exotic upon reaching its peak
with breathless exhilaration. The
large lake below was surrounded by
untamed forest and mighty boulders.
The pine trees we slept beneath were
tall and looming as they swayed in
the cool night breezes.
Fortunately the trek organizers
prepared us well — what to pack,
what not to pack, how to prepare
for living in the outdoors and how
 

‡/RWDFUHV PXOWLSOHORWV ZLWK
‡+RXVHVTXDUHIHHW
‡3RUWROD9DOOH\6FKRRO'LVWULFW
Home & Real Estate
to enlarge our
perspect ive
of this world
we live in.
The sounds
of wi ld-
life and the
wind moving
through the
trees were
simultaneously incredibly quiet
and yet deafening. While canoeing
on Gold Lake just a bit offshore at
sunrise, suddenly my perspective
of where we were changed dra-
matically. The sun was gleaming on
huge boulder formations behind the
camp that could not be seen from the
shore. This “aha” moment enlarg-
ing my perspective came by getting
a little distance from the camp and
seeing a “wider-lens” picture of my
surroundings.
Was this symbolic of how I could
make better long-term decisions by
getting back far enough to gain a
wider perspective?
A 23-year-old staff assistant at the
camp told us how critical it was for
us to not step on plants around us.
By doing so, it would take years for
some of those plants to recover. Af-
ter hiking seven miles up to a higher
base camp, we were instructed to
make sure we left nothing of our
presence in the forest, including
refuse or paper from any and all
activities that occur when humans
get together for any length of time.
No campfires were allowed due to
the dryness and danger of forest
fires. We gathered rocks in a circle
and pretended we had fire to gather
around. Our connection with each
other deepened as our comfort with
the wilderness increased.
I was struck by how we live in
such a small slice of our world that
we have 24-hour access to and yet
ignore. In our urban lives we don’t
take time to watch the clouds form
and move. They seem much further
away from our “reality.” The stars in
town can hardly be seen due to light
pollution. The interrelated linkage
between the ground we stand on, the
trees and vegetation that surround
us and the clouds and stars that all
move in concert above us is nothing
short of a miracle that happens on a
minute-by-minute basis.
Humans, animals, plants and our
surrounding environment are tightly
interwoven into the fabric we call
life. If we are all so interconnected,
might we need to be more cognizant
of the ripple effect of each of our ac-
tions, whether positive or negative,
not only on our environment but on
each others’ souls?
John Muir, one lonely citizen,
realized how incredibly important
ZZZ6XPPLW5GFRP
7HUUL.HUZLQ
%URNHU2ZQHU
'5(

WHUUL#NHUZLQDVVRFLDWHVFRP
.HUZLQ$VVRFLDWHVFRP
ÜÜÜ°*>œ
Ìœ"˜ˆ˜i°Vœ“ÊUÊ*>œÊ
ÌœÊ7iiŽÞÊUÊ-i«Ìi“LiÀÊ£{]ÊÓä£ÓÊU Page 45
it was to protect and preserve our
geographical natural treasures na-
tionwide. Wilderness protection be-
came his life’s mission. He managed
to personally convey this mission to
President Teddy Roosevelt, who was
also an extreme nature lover. From
actions almost 100 years ago, these
two people have profoundly and pos-
itively impacted the quality of our
lives and environment in a positive
way by setting up national parks as
wilderness preserves.
I hope to hold on to this newly
found awareness that I am a short-
term guest on this glorious planet. I
don’t want to wear out my welcome
or keep this habitat from being hos-
pitable and inviting to future genera-
tions of guests.
If you haven’t been out in the
wilderness for a long time, I highly
recommend getting out again soon
while we still have it in such pristine
form. You will be amazed at how
your perspective changes on what is
truly important in life. I came back
personally renewed and more in-
tensely committed to protecting the
incredible, undisturbed natural sur-
roundings we are blessed with.
What price can be placed upon the
value of a restored and reconnected
soul? N
Iris Harrell is CEO and presi-
dent of Harrell Remodeling, Inc.
in Mountain View (www.harrell-
remodeling.com). She can be
reached at 650-230-2900 or irish@
harrell-remodeling.com.
Page 46ÊUÊ-i«Ìi“LiÀÊ£{]ÊÓä£ÓÊUÊ*>œÊ
ÌœÊ7iiŽÞÊUÊÜÜÜ°*>œ
Ìœ"˜ˆ˜i°Vœ“
 Community Connected

OPEN SUNDAY 1:30-4:30

740 Seale Avenue
North Palo Alto
NEW CONSTRUCTION
7BR 6BA | ±5598SF
±10,050SF LOT
Traditional Architecture
Meets Modern Living

Offered at $5,995,000

OPEN SUNDAY 1:30-4:30

1130 Hillview Drive
West Menlo Park
TIMELESS RENOVATION
4BR 3BA | ±2430 SF
±10,413SF LOT
Impeccable Ranch-Style Home

Offered at $2,395,000

COMING SOON
Prime Downtown Menlo Park
NEW CONSTRUCTION
Three Detached Homes
3BR | 3BA
Stunning Modern Design
Offered at $1,595,000

ZACH TRAILER
International President’s Premier
Top 1% Internationally
650 906 8008
www.zachtrailer.com | ztrailer@zachtrailer.com
Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. DRE# 01371338

ÜÜÜ°*>œ
Ìœ"˜ˆ˜i°Vœ“ÊUÊ*>œÊ
ÌœÊ7iiŽÞÊUÊ-i«Ìi“LiÀÊ£{]ÊÓä£ÓÊU Page 47
Page 48ÊUÊ-i«Ìi“LiÀÊ£{]ÊÓä£ÓÊUÊ*>œÊ
ÌœÊ7iiŽÞÊUÊÜÜÜ°*>œ
Ìœ"˜ˆ˜i°Vœ“
ÜÜÜ°*>œ
Ìœ"˜ˆ˜i°Vœ“ÊUÊ*>œÊ
ÌœÊ7iiŽÞÊUÊ-i«Ìi“LiÀÊ£{]ÊÓä£ÓÊU Page 49
 Open Sunday 1:30-4:30 pm

7E (AVE "UYERS

,OOKING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
Greenmeadow - These buyers love the Greenmeadow
community, and just about any condition home will do
Eichler - Lovers of contemporary architecture, looking for
an Eichler in a nice, friendly neighborhood
760 MONTE ROSA DR.
MENLO PARK Cottage or bungalow - Looking for an older home with
OFFERED AT $1,998,000 character and charm - Old PA, Southgate or College
Terrace ideal
Bright Remodeled Sharon Heights Charmer on Large Private Lot
s  "EDROOMS  5PDATED "ATHROOMS s 2OOM FOR %XPANSION Lot - Local, renown builders looking anywhere in Palo Alto
s $ETACHED 'UEST #OTTAGE WITH &ULL "ATH s /UTSTANDING ,AS ,OMITAS 3CHOOLS
s !TTACHED  CAR 'ARAGE s #ONVENIENT ,OCATION NEAR SCHOOL PARK Downtown PA Condo - Young family looking to enjoy life
s 'OURMET +ITCHEN W'RANITE #OUNTERS SHOPS  COMMUTING
OPEN TO 'REAT 2OOM WVAULTED CEILINGS downtown
s 0RIVATE MOSTLY LEVEL   SF ,OT View Virtual Tour at
www.760MonteRosa.com
MP Willows or Menlo Oaks - Buyers looking for a
traditional style home with separate dining room and eat-
Coming Soon: 3TUNNING  YEAR OLD #USTOM (OME ON PRIME CUL DE SAC LOCATION IN in kitchen
#ENTRAL -ENLO 0ARK  "EDROOMS  "ATHS /FFERED AT $4,998,000
San Carlos or Belmont - updated home with a view
Redwood City to San Mateo - Close to the train, 3
bedroom, 2 bathroom, ideally a fixer upper
STEPHANIE SAVIDES
Broker/Owner/Attorney
Midtown Realty, Inc.
DRE #01177101
2775 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto
Cell: (650) 464-3581
Stephanie.Savides@gmail.com Phone: (650) 321-1596 Fax (650) 328-1809
www.SavidesRealEstate.com License # 01900986

550 Ortega B323, Mountain View

Exceptional light and bright
1BR/1BA condo overlooks a
beautiful central courtyard in the
upscale Domizile complex. This
is a gated complex with amenities
that include pool, sauna, gym, steam
room, secure underground parking,
and concierge. Super location
close to restaurants,Whole Foods,
Trader Joe’s, Caltrain/Light Rail
station, and Google campus, plus
Los Altos Schools!!

Open Sat/Sun, 1:30-4:30

www.550OrtegaB323.com Offered at $479,000

Lynne Mercer
DRE#00796211
650-906-0162
Lmercer@apr.com
www.LMercer.com

Page 50ÊUÊ-i«Ìi“LiÀÊ£{]ÊÓä£ÓÊUÊ*>œÊ
ÌœÊ7iiŽÞÊUÊÜÜÜ°*>œ
Ìœ"˜ˆ˜i°Vœ“
ÜÜÜ°*>œ
Ìœ"˜ˆ˜i°Vœ“ÊUÊ*>œÊ
ÌœÊ7iiŽÞÊUÊ-i«Ìi“LiÀÊ£{]ÊÓä£ÓÊU Page 51
Page 52ÊUÊ-i«Ìi“LiÀÊ£{]ÊÓä£ÓÊUÊ*>œÊ
ÌœÊ7iiŽÞÊUÊÜÜÜ°*>œ
Ìœ"˜ˆ˜i°Vœ“
photo by www.handsonphoto.com

Friday 5:18 p.m.

Stimulating Market Trends
@ Philz Coffee

PALO ALTO

Brian Chancellor
Davena Gentry
Owen Halliday
Leannah Hunt
Bob Kamangar
Kristine Kim-Suh
R. Brendan Leary
Kathleen Pasin
Christine Perry
Laurel Robinson
Chris Trapani
Alex H. Wang
Leslie Woods
JAMES YANG REDEFINING REAL ESTATE SINCE 2006
Edmund Yue W W W. S E R E N O G R O U P. C O M

ÜÜÜ°*>œ
Ìœ"˜ˆ˜i°Vœ“ÊUÊ*>œÊ
ÌœÊ7iiŽÞÊUÊ-i«Ìi“LiÀÊ£{]ÊÓä£ÓÊU Page 53
 Just Listed! Absolutely Charming
1034 Menlo Oaks Drive, Menlo Park
OPEN SATURDAY & SUNDAY, 1:30- 4 :30
Beautiful updated and landscaped, spacious home, in
a wonderful Menlo Park neighborhood! Tastefully
remodeled and sparkling with high-quality upgrades
and finishes throughout. Excellent Menlo Park City
Schools and in close proximity to Stanford, Silicon
Valley Commute Routes, and Facebook Complex.

The Main Home Features:

t
.PEFSO
BNFOJUJFT
JO
B
DMBTTJD
GMPPS
QMBO Versatile Studio/Office in Home:
t

MPWFMZ
CFESPPNT
XJUI
BNQMF
DMPTFU
TQBDF t
7FSZ
TQBDJPVT
TFDPOE
GMPPS
BDDFTTPSZ
SPPN
BEBQUBCMF
UP
BOZ
OVNCFS
PG
VTFT
t
"O
BQQFBMJOH
MJWJOH
SPPN
XJUI
BUUSBDUJWF
DPGGFSFE
DFJMJOH
BOE
NPEFSO
GJSFQMBDF
TVSSPVOE t
4FQBSBUF
CBUI
XJUI
TIPXFS
TUBMM
t
'PSNBM
%JOJOH
&MM t
"


SFUVSO
UP
B
XPOEFSGVM
FSB
XJUI
QFSJPE
MJHIUJOH
BDDFOUT-BSHF
8BMLJO
DMPTFU'SFODI
EPPST
PQFO
UP
BO
BQQFBMJOH
DPWFSFSE
QPSDI
t
$

IFGT
LJUDIFO
XJUI
TUBJOMFTT
BQQMJBODFT
IBOETPNF
XIJUF
DBCJOFUSZ
CVUDIFS
CMPDL
BOE
HSBOJUF
counters Two Car Detached Garage
t
4
FQBSBUF
'BNJMZ
3PPN
XJUI
EJSFDU
BDDFTT
WJB
B
CBOL
PG
'SFODI
%PPST
UP
UIF
TVO
GJMMFE
EFDL
BOE

idyllic back yard "
SBSF
PGGFSJOH
BOE
SFBEZ
GPS
OFX
PXOFST
UP
FOKPZ
GPS
NBOZ
ZFBST
BIFBE
t
'
PSDFE"JS
)FBUJOH
4ZTUFNy%VBM1BOF
8JOEPXTy.FEJVNTUBJO
IBSEXPPE
GMPPSTy3FDFTTFE

MJHIUJOH
y4FQBSBUF
MBVOESZ
DMPTFU Offered at $895,000

STEVE BELLUMORI
International President’s Premier Top 1%
Coldwell Banker - Worldwide
DRE# 00494595

(650) 752-0826 More photos at: SteveBellumori.com

sbellumori@cbnorcal.com
CONSISTENTLY SUCCESSFUL RESULTS FOR CLIENTS
IN OVER 900 HOME AND PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS.

Page 54ÊUÊ-i«Ìi“LiÀÊ£{]ÊÓä£ÓÊUÊ*>œÊ
ÌœÊ7iiŽÞÊUÊÜÜÜ°*>œ
Ìœ"˜ˆ˜i°Vœ“
 12422 Skyline Blvd, Woodside
Aerial and Walk-Through Video Tour Available Online

Miles McCormick
Number One Team out of 79,000 Keller Williams agents
650-400-1001

H o m e s O f Wo o d s i d e. co m
Averaging 10,000 Visits Per Month
DRE 01184883

ÜÜÜ°*>œ
Ìœ"˜ˆ˜i°Vœ“ÊUÊ*>œÊ
ÌœÊ7iiŽÞÊUÊ-i«Ìi“LiÀÊ£{]ÊÓä£ÓÊU Page 55

OPEN SUNDAY 1:30-4:30

 &

!
"!
!

148+
94
"4<3
4)'9/43


')

?


(+*74428

?

441

48
1948
!).4418

,,+7+*
'9
 

<<< 472'3*>)42 Co-listed with LINDA TATUM DRE# 01233773

ATHERTON

')7+8

?


(*

?


('

?


4,B)+8



(*
('
-:+89
.4:8+



+)
74424,B)+
'3*
.'1,
('9.

?

441
$/3+
)+11'7
51:8
+9').+*

</3+
).'5+1
+314
'70
8).4418

,,+7+*
'9
 

<<<-:11/=843)42

ATHERTON

')
?

1+;+1
.42+
4,
@ 
86
,9

(+*7442
8:/9+8

?

/(7'7>

?

+*/'

74424,B)+

?

+84791/0+
-74:3*8
441

?

!5'

?

"+33/8
4:79

?

!9:*/4

)'('A'

?

)'7

)'7
-'7'-+
'8
42/9'8
!).4418

,,+7+*
'9
 

<<< !94)0(7/*-+)42

ATHERTON
=9+38/;+1>
+24*+1+*



')

?


(*

?


('
)'7
-'7'-+

441
?
441
4:8+
+314
'70
!).4418

,,+7+*
'9


<<<  '/7'08)42
Co-Listed with LANCEFREEMAN DRE# 01046732 650.888.7513

 &

 " ,3
  
5
'#/&&%2-)(*,)'

#%! ,!(.
  
5
#/&&%2-)(*,)'
gullixson.com


  
4





("),'.%)(
!!'!
,!&%&!
/.
().
#/,(.!! 
+/,!
")).#!
( ),
,!#!
%("),'.%)(

)(.%(!
$!,!%(
$-
!!(
,!!%0!
",)'
-!&&!,
!2%-.%(#
,!*),.-
**,%-&-
*/&%
,!), -
( ),
).$!,
-)/,!-
!!'!
,!&%&!
)1!0!,
(!%.$!,

-!&&!,
(),
&%-.%(#
#!(.
$-
0!,%7!
.$%-
%("),'.%)(
"
.$%-
%("),'.%)(
%-
%'*),.(.
.)
/3!,
%(
!.!,'%(%(#
1$!.$!,
.)
/3
),
.)

*/,$-!
*,%!
/3!,
-$)/&
)( /.
/3!,6-
)1(
%(0!-.%#.%)(

Page 56ÊUÊ-i«Ìi“LiÀÊ£{]ÊÓä£ÓÊUÊ*>œÊ
ÌœÊ7iiŽÞÊUÊÜÜÜ°*>œ
Ìœ"˜ˆ˜i°Vœ“