End of July Tri-Valley Real Estate Update
July 31, 2008
The following consists of real time inventory numbers for Danville, Dublin, Livermore, San Ramon and Pleasanton. Here are the stats for the Tri-Valley cities for the end of July.
Corked in San Ramon
July 25, 2008
Does your wine smell like a wet newspaper? If it does, you’ve probably been corked.
I experienced what I believe to be my first “corked” bottle of wine last night. After opening the bottle, I poured a small amount into my glass for a taste. I immediately noticed the wine was cloudy. I held the glass up to the light and it was very difficult to see through. I shoved my nose in the glass and that’s when I got another surprise - the smell of wet newspaper. It smelled just plain ol’ musky and moldy.
A wine reference site estimates that as many as 3% to 7% of all wines have contamination at levels that can be detected by consumers. Most of the time a wine is deemed “corked” when it was bottled with a contaminated cork, but wine can even be considered “corked” due to contaminated barrels or other contaminated wood during its aging process. The result of the contamination leads to that unfortunate damp newspaper smell. When you taste a corked wine, it tends to be very astringent.
Including being corked, there are four most common defects that Read more
Del Valle in Livermore
July 21, 2008
I’ve noticed one thing these last few weeks - the summer sure seems to go a lot smoother when the kids are active. This summer, we’ve decided to try to take lots of Bay area day trips both to keep the kids busy and to explore this fantastic place we are fortunate enough to call home - the Tri-Valley.
One of our favorite recent getaways was a trip to Livermore’s Del Valle. The beauty of this trip is that it keeps you in the Tri-Valley area but provides a whole day of fun for the family.
My family and I enjoyed every minute of our trip to Del Valle. Depending on where you are in the Tri-Valley, the destination is definitely within an hour. It takes about 35-45 minutes from the 580/680 interchange.
Once you meander through some of the winding country roads that Livermore has to offer, you find yourself quickly entering the main gate where there is a $6 vehicle entrance fee. If you have a dog it is an additional $2 fee. There is lots of parking, restrooms, a pay phone, and drinking water on site. Maps are available.
There are a number of things to do at Lake Del Valle. The centerpiece of the park is Read more
Unique Herding Method Captured Near Point Reyes
July 16, 2008
On a recent trip to Point Reyes, my vehicle was abruptly stopped in order to let the passing of 100 or so cows cross the road. I looked over the hill where the cows were streaming from, well aware of what was to come - a herding dog. I quickly showed the kids and pointed in the direction over the hill. I knew we were about to see a herding dog in action.
As a kid in Arizona it was a rare opportunity to see herding dogs. The few times I did, I found it fascinating to watch how the dog knew to run back and forth working the animals into a defined location. It appeared that I was about to get another opportunity.
The march of cows moved at a frantic pace toward their holding spot. After a few minutes, the number of cows started to dwindle over the hill. The herding dog was next. Crazily, a herding dog did not appear. The sound of Read more
San Ramon Program Helps Recycle Plastic Bags Curbside
July 12, 2008
Have you ever considered how many plastic bags you use and then dispose of during the year? If you are like most people the number is too many. Also, you probably don’t realize that plastic bags are made from costly, nonrenewable oil resources, and they are a direct threat to wildlife if not properly disposed.
As an EcoBroker, I happily report any potential solutions that could eliminate stress on the environment. Recently, I read a circular from Valley Waste Management that offered potential solutions for San Ramon residents in dealing with plastic bags.
The first solution is that Valley Waste Management has started a program, Bag-a-Bag, that makes it easy for San Ramon residents to recycle plastic bags. If you live in the communities of Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton and Danville contact your local Waste Management company to see if they have a similar program. The steps are easy. Just collect all the acceptable plastic items in one plastic grocery bag and tightly tie a knot in the bag. The tied grocery bag should then be placed in your Recycling cart before closing the lid. These plastic bag bundles will be transferred to a facility where sorters segregate the bundles. These bundles are then sold to companies that remanufacture them into numerous products. Read more
