The 43rd Annual Alameda Holiday home Tour & Holiday Tea Saturday Dec. 14   The 43rd Annual Alameda Holiday home Tour & Holiday Tea will be on Saturday, December 14, 2013 at 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.  Five homes will be on the tour.  Tickets are $35 in advance or $40 on the day of the tour.  A Gourmet Shop and Holiday Artisan Boutique is free to the public and will at the Alameda Elks Lodge at 2255 Santa Clara Avenue. The tour will benefit the Alameda Family Service will serves 800 families and 3,000 people in 2012/2013.  Please call 510-629-6208 for information and tickets.       The Alameda Holiday Home Tour is Alameda’s premier fund-raising event.  Home is where the heart is as all proceeds go to the organization that has as its sole goal: Serving Families, Strengthening Our Communities -... 12/13/2013

    Pumpkin patches in Alameda 2013 The West End Pumpkin Patch, supporting schools and local businesses, is now open daily until Wednesday, October 30 from 11 am to 5 pm on weekends and 3:30 to 7 pm on weekdays at the corner of Pacific Avenue and Webster Street.  Look for the very tall scarecrow.     Each night a different west end school and Webster Street business will host the patch.  There will be crafts, games, face painting and a spooky tent!  Don’t forget to sign ups for the pumpkin pie baking contest and the pet costume contest.   Come support West End schools and businesses!   October 30 is the date for the pumpkin pie contest. Sign up early at the Pumpkin Patch.  If you have a killer recipe for pumpkin pie, now is the time to sign up to impress your family and friends with you... 10/21/2013

Did you know that.... Alameda has the largest number of Victorians, per capita, than any city in the world. San Francisco Business Times featured Alameda CA...and pointed out that Alameda Has the largest number of Victorian homes per capita, than any city in the world Has the second highest number of boat slips per capita of any city in the world, after Marina Del Rey Home to the oldest operating municipal electric system in California. Focusing on the subject of Victorians.... San Francisco is also famous for its many gorgeous Painted Ladies gracing the City. And to think that at one time, the City almost lost its Victorians due to an effort to "modernize". In Alameda, we also lost many Victorian Treasures --- one can see pictures of some of those gorgeous buildings in the book Alameda... 03/21/2013

  The Legacy Home Tour “Architecture Through the Years” Alameda Museum and Alameda Architectural Preservation Society join forces to present the annual Alameda Legacy Home Tour,  “Architecture Through the Years,” on Sunday, September 23 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. The tour is a self guided tour featuring interiors and lush garden of seven classic homes.  The homes extend from Central Avenue near the Gold Coast to the East End. The highlight of the tour are the mix of historical periods and architectural styles built between 1854 to 1907.  Pick up your tour tickets and tour booklet at Franklin Park at Morton Street and San Antonio Avenue.  You may then visit each house at your leisure.  If you feel the need for a snack or a meal,  Alameda is blessed with many fine restaurants.  Or bring a ... 09/16/2012

  Alameda Recreation and Parks Program - Alameda Walks The Alameda Recreation and Parks - Alameda Walks program begins its 2012 Alameda Walks season by taking an “Historic Preservation Walk” on May 5  at 9:00 am at the entrance to Franklin Park on San Antonio Avenue.  The walks are easy, entertaining and fun and last about an hour.  Exercize and learn something about your city.  What could be better? The Alameda Walks historical preservation walk will highlight the Gold Coast and the efforts to preserve our architectural heritage.   One of the gorgeous homes in the Gold Coast, the Bruton House, was recently named an Alameda historical monument by the City. Alameda Walks are very well attended.  Patrick Russi, Recreation Supervisor had led these walks since their inception.  There is a l... 05/02/2012

      The Bruton House, a Gold Coast Landmark     The Bruton House, which has been named an Alameda Historical Monument, will be the topic of discussion at the Alameda Architectural Preservation Society meeting on Thursday, March 8 at 7:00 pm at the Immanuel Luthern Church at 1420 Lafayette Street.        Woody Minor, local historian and author of several books about Alameda, performed the research and will discuss the steps necessary to nominate the home for landmark status.  Minor's family has been in Alameda since the 1890 which is one of the reason he is so passionate about Alameda's history.  The Bruton home will be designated Alameda Historical Monument No. 30 later in March by the City Council.    A Colonial Revival with Queen Anne elements, the Bruton house is one the largest pr... 03/06/2012

LUXURY HOMES IN ALAMEDA   Bryan Robertson recently wrote a blog titled What is a High End House?  Bryan got me thinking about what a luxury home in Alameda is.  Homes have sold for $2 Million+ in Alameda, but not for a while.  Currently, we are experiencing a resurgence of luxury homes.  The new listings are in the Gold Coast, an excellent and much sought after residential neighborhood of Alameda.   The Gold Coast has always been a premier location in Alameda.  San Franciscans had grand summer homes in the Gold Coast in late 1800s and early 1900s.  At that time, there were lush oak woodlands, warmer weather than San Francisco and a fine beach nearby.  When the 1906 earthquake destroyed their homes in the City, many moved to Alameda permanently.   *******   715 Grand Street  A lovely Dut... 09/21/2011