Posts Tagged ‘Marcy Moyer’

Top Ten Reasons To Love Palo Alto

By Marcy Moyer | September 21st, 2009 0 Comments

pizzamyheart

1. Schools, Schools, Schools!

Palo Alto has some of the greatest schools in the country. Whether your kid is seven or seventeen, going to school in Palo Alto guarantees access to incredible academic resources and enrichment programs.

Gunn High School is renowned for its competitive academics (and award-winning robotics team!) They send over twenty graduates a year to college right around the corner at Stanford University.

Palo Alto Children’s Theatre sponsors outreach programs in district elementary, middle, and high schools.

First-rate music programs are available at every turn, and choice programs like teacher-directed learning at Hoover, conceptual learning at Ohlone, and Connections at JLS are always options for parents interested in exploring a wide range of learning possibilities for their children.

2. Rolling Foothills, Open Spaces, Artfully Landscaped Public Gardens, Jasmine Flowers

Palo Alto is a community that treasures its trees and open spaces. The city is classified as an urban forest, and Palo Alto stays true to that description with 34 city parks and almost 4,000 acres of wildlife preserves. A local commitment to keeping businesses “green” ensures a healthy environment, as does a requirement forcing all new buildings to adhere to strict environmental codes. There’s also a Zero Waste Initiative and a dedication to alternative transportation.

3. Calling All Bookworms! Libraries in Palo Alto are truly exemplary.

Creativity blossoms during the interactive story-telling programs at the Children’s Library, and annual summer reading programs keep pages turning. Visits from famous writers dot the library’s schedule. Online programs offer opportunities to learn a new language or to survey newspapers from other countries. Libraries here are a community hallmark and a great enrichment resource.

4. Nationally Acclaimed Theaters

Catch the world premiere of an original play or a Shakespeare staple at TheatreWorks, the best repertory theatre in the Bay Area.

The current season includes the Pulitzer-Prize winning drama Doubt, August Wilson’s Radio Golf, and beloved musical Grey Gardens. Local theatre company the Palo Alto Players mount yearly productions in case you exhaust the shows at TheatreWorks.

The Palo Alto Children’s Theatre gives kids a place to test their acting chops.

5. Easy Access to San Francisco and San Jose

Two nearby CalTrain stops make getting to San Francisco, San Jose, and other Northern California locations a snap.

6. Red Mango Yogurt! Enough said.

If you’ve never tasted Red Mango’s creamy froyo perfection laced with your choice of mango, kiwi, strawberry, blueberry, coconut, blackberry, raspberry, chocolate chips, almonds, or basically any other delicious topping imaginable–that’s reason enough to move to Palo Alto. Or at least visit.

7. University and California Avenues

Both avenues embody Palo Alto’s quaint downtown appeal–personalized local shops and restaurants are nestled next to the Apple Store on University, and at night the thriving bar scene makes this area a prime destination for coeds and graduates.

Word-class Indian, Chinese, Thai, Mediterranean, and Italian restaurants are among the many dining choices.

8. Architecture.

Diverse housing styles make Palo Alto visually appealing. New homes with cutting-edge design line blocks alongside cottages, ranch homes, Eichlers, Tudors, and Spanish Style houses.

9. The Baylands.

The largest tract of undisturbed marshland remaining in the San Francisco Bay is hemmed in by Mountain View and East Palo Alto. The Baylands encompass 1940 acres of unique tidal and freshwater habitats. The best bird watching in the world is done right here. Wildlife observation platforms and picnic areas with barbecues make this spot a family favorite.

10. Locally Sustained Farmers Markets.

From mid-May through mid-December farmers markets downtown and on California Avenue are open every Saturday from 8AM to 12PM.

Local vendors offer a wide array of fresh produce and specialty items like grass-fed beef, artisan cheese, Bay Area wines, California-grown bananas, mangoes, and avocados. Local musicians provide a relaxing atmosphere for browsing samplings from nearby ranches and farms.

  • Get new posts via email
  • Subscribe

Ten Reasons To Love Menlo Park

By Marcy Moyer | August 12th, 2009 2 Comments

1. Schools, Schools, Schools! Menlo Park, like Palo Alto and Mountain View, have some really outstanding schools. Students in this district are consistently high performers and many gain admission to top universities after high school.  There are two public elementary school districts:  Menlo Park and Las Lomitas. As well as many private schools which include: Trinity, Phillips Brooks, St. Raymond, St. Joseph’s (part of the Sacred Heart Schools), and Peninsula School.

2. Burgess Park. located next the Civic Center, this park features a little league baseball field, a regulation baseball field, an open play field, lighted tennis courts, a soccer field, picnic areas, and children’s playgrounds. The Burgess pool, rec center, sports center, and skate park are adjacent to the main park area. There’s also a lovely and relaxing duck pond here that’s a great place to relax and read a book.

3. Huge Library. Menlo’s library (a quick walk from Burgess Park) is one of the town’s focal points, especially for children and families. My two sons always enjoyed the Summer Reading Programs, and Storytimes are another free, entertaining, educational, and kid-approved favorite. Professional storytellers spin their magic at scheduled times throughout the week. On certain days, the stories cater to younger or older kids. The online live homework help program is one of the library’s new services. It’s totally free, and many of the tutors also speak Spanish.

4. Annual Connoisseurs’ Marketplace. This is the summer festival for summer festival lovers – and one of the best events in the area. There’s hardly anything more enjoyable than wandering a tree-lined street while local bands play during this popular festival of visual, performing, and culinary arts. It’s always the third weekend of July on Santa Cruz Avenue. This year, Organic Alley will highlight samplings of the finest organic food the area offers. Old favorites like the cooking demos and the kid’s fun zone will be up and running. The festival is always as eco-friendly as possible, and it embodies community values and the sense of civic responsibility cherished in Menlo Park and the Bay Area.

5. The Guild. This independent movie theatre is the place for real film lovers. Hard-to-find independent and foreign films play here, and the space itself has art-deco touches everywhere and velvet curtains surrounding the movie screens. Plus, it’s free refills on Mighty Leaf Tea AND all you can drink coffee (two great touches that make movie-going a lot less draining on your wallet and more pleasurable.) This is not your basic space-age blockbuster twelve screen Cinemax, and sometimes you have to put up with crackly sound or finicky seats. Nevertheless I’ve never had a bad experience here–the movies are always thought provoking, and sometimes the manager thanks you personally for coming.

6. Santa Cruz Avenue. This is the main drag of Menlo Park, where great shopping and world-class restaurants are crammed in side by side. You have endless options here – craft shops, clothing boutiques, interior design stores, bistros – literally anything you need. During lunch time it’s crawling with business professionals eating at sidewalk tables, and there are always shoppers resting on benches or teenagers hanging out in the coffee shops.

7. Every Kind of Home. Wonderful housing options here as well.  New homes, green homes on Willow, ranch homes on huge lots, condos, town homes, and tons of rentals near downtown ensure you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for in Menlo Park when it comes to your living needs.

8. Caltrain Station. You can get anywhere from here! You can also get here from anywhere on Santa Cruz Avenue, which is the biggest plus of all. This station is literally steps from Cafe Barrone and Kepler’s Books, so if you arrive a little early you can always grab a magazine or a cup of coffee to ease your wait.

9. Kepler’s Books. When the final Harry Potter book came out last summer, Kepler’s threw the bash of the century. There was a brass band, tents selling magic charms, Hogwart’s culinary staples, and a sorting hat. Kids of all ages wandered around in robes with magic wands tucked under their arms, and it seemed like everyone from the Bay Area decided Kepler’s was the place to snag this  seventh wonder. My favorite touch was the keepsake ticket handed out at the beginning. You paid for the ticket, and traded the ticket in for the book. The line of Potter fans snaked out the door and around the corner, and the Kepler’s staff did everything possible to make sure the night went smoothly. This place has a great history, and is one of the last independent bookstores standing in the Menlo Park/Palo Alto area. If they don’t have something in stock, they’re always happy to order it for you.

10. Menlo Medical Clinic. The staff here is friendly and accommodating, and the clinic gives off a good – we actually care about your health vibe – instead of that sterile, impersonal feeling. The lab staff is well trained, and it’s very clean. The doctors in this group are among the best in their fields, and everyone in the facility is professional and helpful. MMC is affiliated with Stanford Hospital, so coming here with any illness or ailment guarantees you’ll receive the best medical attention possible.

  • Get new posts via email
  • Subscribe

So what is an Eichler?

By Marcy Moyer | April 21st, 2009 0 Comments

echlerPalo Alto is home to many Eichlers, mid-century single story homes with walls of windows, tar and gravel roofs, wood siding, radiant heat, and a concept of indoor/outdoor living. In the 50’s these homes were considered modern, quintessentially Californian, or fire traps called 7 minute Eichlers because they could burn to the ground in 7 minutes or less. The mahogany walls had no fire retardant properties so the homes burned quickly if there was a fire.

Joseph Eichler was a student of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright and learned from Wright the beauty of clean lines, a wonderful use of light, and a contemporary feel. What Eichler did that was so influential was taking these lofty architectural concepts and mass producing them for the families of young GI’s after WWII. He built large tracts of affordable homes, many in south Palo Alto. While builders like Roger Kohler (father of well known Palo Alto Architect Roger Kohler), or Barret and Hilp were building the typical 3 bedroom 1 bath cottages for the new young families, Eichler figured out that by adding a 2 bath he could have a huge leg up over the competition as well as adding great value to his inexpensive homes. Eichler had some good and some bad copiers. Kaufman and Brown Stern, and Macay also built contemporary style homes in the bay area. These homes have many similar features and some features that are better (like central heat) and some worse (like a floor plan that does not flow as well or use the inside/outside feel as well).

I do not think that in 1952 Eichler believed his homes would be in their original condition in 2009. Having the plumbing and heating under a cement slab sitting on expansive soil has been a problem. The lack of insulation is a problem in our energy conscious society. Many of the homes have had the mahogany walls replaced with sheetrock which makes for a much more fire safe abode. However, the style of an Eichler is very pleasing to many modern buyers. The kitchen faces the living area and looks out to the back yard. This is the open great room style that is found in most new construction today. When updated, these can be wonderfully comfortable, energy efficient homes.

There is some debate as to whether an Eichler sells for less than a ranch style or cottage style home. It is not a simple question because many Eichler’s are in the flood zone in Palo Alto which will bring the price down. Also, some Palo Alto Eichler neighborhoods have voted in restrictions on building a second story in order to preserve the privacy that Eichler built into his developments. However, this restriction has a dampening effect on re-sale value.

Right now the contemporary, mid century style of an Eichler is in favor with many buyers. With modernization of the windows, heating system, roof, and finishes, these homes will probably last for many more years to come.