spring/summer 2010 loving your library - los altos town crierspring/summer 2010 a los altos town...
TRANSCRIPT
Spring/Summer 2010
A Los Altos Town Crier Publication
living los altosliving los altosinininm a g a z i n em a g a z i n e
Loving your libraryInviting environs cultivate knowledge in young and oldFerreting feathered friends Los Altos’ colorful world of avian wonders
Hills’ housing ranks high Median home prices placeLAH in top 50 small towns, U.S.A.
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Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010 | Page 3
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The Los Altos Town Crier138 Main Street, Los Altos, CA 94022
(650) 948-9000www.latc.com
Editor Bruce Barton Magazine Editor Mary Beth Hislop Designer Mary Watanabe Writers Mary Beth Hislop Eren Göknar Johanna van de Woestijne Rose Meily Copy Editors Joan Gavin Colleen Schick
Photographers Elliott Burr Eren Göknar Johanna van de Woestijne Bill Walker Eric Rosenberg Sales Staff Janice Fabella Dawn Pankonen Kathy Lera Ad Services Director Chris Redden Ad Services Assistant Leverne Cornelius Production Staff Janine O’Neill Mary Watanabe Marilyn Winans
Publisher Paul Nyberg
Associate Publisher Howard Bischoff
Cover photo: Sharon Nieh and daughter Gillian, 5, share aquietmoment reading in theLosAltosmain library.TheLosAltosHills residentsvisit thebranch three to four timeseachweek.Photo by:ElliottBurr.
Magazine Staff SSSS
Circulation16,500.MaileddirectlytohouseholdsinLosAltos,LosAltosHillsandselectedareasofMountainView.HundredsofsubscribersreceivetheTownCrierinneighboringcommuni-tiesaswellasout-of-state.TheTownCriercanbepurchasedat newsstands in LosAltos, LosAltos Hills, MountainViewandPaloAlto.
Upcoming 2010 Magazines
Home & Garden MagazinePublishes: April 28, 2010
LA Arts & Wine MagazinePublishes: July 7, 2010
Copyright Los Altos Town Crier Company Inc., 2010. All Rights Reserved.
m a g a z i n em a g a z i n eliving los altosliving los altosinin
Bird paparazzi
Look,upinthesky...oratreeorabush...LosAltosisabirder'sparadise.
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Hills high in healthy home pricesLosAltosHillsranksfourthamongthenation’ssmalltowns.
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Spare wood and spare time Fromburlstobowlsandbeyond,LeeTannenbaumlovestoworkwithwood.Page 23
Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010 | Page 5
By Mary Beth Hisloptown crier staff Writer
Not unlike the cultural and his-toricalthemesboundinthevo-luminoustomesthat linebook-
shelvesaroundtheworld–fromancientcollectionsdatingtothethirdmillenniumB.C.totoday’scontemporaryliterature–libraries,too,havehadtoevolvetomeetthe needs of a public that consistentlychangesitsmeaningof“enlightenment.” TheLosAltosLibraryisnoexception. As early as 1995, the news media was touting theWorldWideWebasthefuture’s informationsuperhigh-way.Manypredictedthetouchoffingertipstoakeyboardwouldspellthedemiseoflibraries.
It’sbeen15yearsandLosAltos’mainlibrarybranchat13S.SanAntonioroadisstillaround–andbusierthanever.
cover story
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ELLIOTTBUrr/TOWNCrIEr
After choosing a selection of DVDs, Ellen Engelman, right, researches their ratings on the computer while Wendy Lynn checks her e-mail.
Loving our library
There’s something for everyone
Page 6 | Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010
It’s still about books Once a library’s predomi-nant pulse, books now sharesacredspacewithDVDs,CDsandpopularmagazines,aswellascomputerterminalsthatpro-vide access to e-books, musicthatcanbedownloadedtoiP-odsandMP3s,onlinedatabas-esand…theInternet. Still, many library patronsare there to do the old-fash-ionedthing–cuddleupwithagoodbook.That’sexactlywhatLosAltosHillsresidentSharonNiehanddaughterGillian,5,dothreetofourtimeseachweek. “Weloaduponbooks,andtodaywe’redoingsomehome-workandsomereading,”Niehsaid. With the rain pouring out-side and light pouring insidethe library’s expansive win-dows,Gillianleansbackinhermother’slap–evenMomlookscomfortablyrelaxed. “It just has a very nice at-mosphere that’s conducive tolearningandreading,”shesaid. It’swhynannyKarenCoblynbringsheryoungcharges,GraceandClaire,asoftenasshecan–“Becausethere’rebookshere,”Gracesaid–“Lotsofbooks,”chimedClaire. And when they’re through reading, they’ll visit thechildren’sDVDsectionandchooseamovietotakehome. “It’sanicewaytopasstheday,”Coblynsaid. Adult Program Librarian Cynthia Wilson isn’t sur-prisedbytheLosAltosLibrary’spopularity. “Lastyear,ourcirculationtopped2million,”shesaid–2,008,914,tobeexact. Thatequatesto48itemscheckedouttoeachpersoninLosAltos. “That’soneofthehighest(counts)inthestate,”Wilsonsaid. Andthatamountincreases8to10percenteachyear,shesaid. Moreover, in2008-2009, the library recorded61,000questionsfrompatronsneedinganswers. “These are the questions that necessitate a librarian,the nitty-gritty, detailed questions,” Wilson said. “ThemythoftheInternetreplacinglibrariesisjustnottrue.”
Something for everyone BethSmithworksinLosAltosandlikestocheckouttheDVDs.
“IpreferthislibrarytotheonewhereIlive,”shesaid.“Icomehereforeverything.”EllenEngelmanlikestocheckouttheDVDs–literally.Assoonasshemakesherchoices,sheheadstoacomputertocheckouthowwelleachmovierates.“IlookattheYahooreviewsbeforeItakeithome,”thePaloAltoadult-schoolteachersaid.Engelmanteachescomputerapplications.
ButLosAltosHighSchoolstudentMadelineTaussigisn’tinterestedincheckouts–justcheckingin. Withafullloadofclasses,includingAdvancedPlace-mentclassesinU.S.historyandEnglish,thelibraryoffersTaussigawarmandquietplacetostudy–safely. “IcomehereafterschoolbecausemyparentsworkandIdon’thaveacaryet,”shesaid. Formany,thelibraryisjustaplacetobe. “Alotofkidshangouthereafterschool,andthat’sagoodthing,”Wilsonsaid.
The gift of gab Librarypatronsaren’tlimitedtosuchpassivepartici-pationasreadingabook,listeningtomusicorwatchingaDVD. Since established locally in 2000, the Great BooksClub meets at the library 6-8 p.m. every third Tuesdayof themonth todiscuss theworksofwriterssuchasdeBalzac,PlatoorSocrates. BasedontheGreatBooksmodelfoundedattheUni-versityofChicago in1947,LosAltos residentMarceneVanDierendonckknewshewantedtotalkthetalkwhenLosAltos’discussioncirclewasforming. “I’m interested in literature and thinking and founditanattractivewaytodiscussandshareideas,”shesaid.
cover story
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PHOTOSBYELLIOTTBUrr/TOWNCrIEr
The library offers oodles of books for Karen Coblyn to read to Grace, left, and Claire. After they’re finished, they’ll visit the children’s DVD collection.
Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010 | Page 7
“Thesereadingsarelikesomethingyou’ddoinaclass–verydeepreading.Usually,weareevenmoreimpressedwiththeworkafterdiscussingit.” There are rules – “The 10 Commandments of GreatBooks,”sotospeak–whichincludemandatoryreadingoftheassignedselectiontoparticipateindiscussion,discus-sionis limitedtotheexcerptassignedandthoughtsandtheoriesmustbesupportedbyevidence,amongothers. “Therulesaretheretomakeitameetingofequals,”VanDierendoncksaid.
Equal access Avisittothelibraryisn’tahop,skiporjumpawayforeveryone.That’swhere theSantaClaraCountyLibrarySystem’sbookmobilecomesinhandy.Butwiththepleth-oraofmediachoices,itcouldbeanominousandarduoustasktostockthemobilelibrarywithsomethingthatwillpleaseeverybody. Butthebookmobileservesanelderlyclientelewhotellmobilelibrarianswhattheywant–bookswithlarge-typeprintoraudiobooks,Wilsonsaid. Librariansdependonprofessionalreviews–“Weusethose heavily,” Wilson said – as well as the good-oldstandbysofpopularauthors,best-sellers,publicitypicksandlocalmediatoknowwhatthepublicwants. “AndifOprahsaystoreadit,webettergetit–alotofit,”Wilsonsaid. Ascirculationandservicedemandsincreaseeachyear,
Wilsonsaidtheever-evolvinglibrary’sbiggestchallengeisgoingtobe“Howdoweworkwiththespacewehave?” That and finding books presumed lost, but merelymissing. “Somepeopleputthembackinverycreativeplaces,”Wilsonsaid. For more information, visit www.santaclaralib.org/losaltos.
cover story
ELLIOTTBUrr/TOWNCrIEr
Natural light filters into the library’s quiet room with a view, where Madeline Taussig likes to study.
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birds
By Johanna van de Woestijnespecial to the town crier
You’llfindthemcarryingbinoc-ularsloopedoveroneshoulderand a big telephoto lens over
theother.Stashedintheirpocketsareafieldmanual,aniPodtouchandanenergy bar. The digital photographyboom,photofile-sharing,informationat a touch, easyGPSphoto tags andvibration-stabilizedopticshavefueledanewgenerationofbirdingpaparazzi. They’re not classical birders, thisnewgeneration,orall-aroundphotog-raphers or even ornithologists. Theyareadifferentbreed.Frequently,theycan’tevenexplainexactlywhytheydowhattheydo,buttheydoknowthis:LosAltosareaisprimeterritory.
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jOHANNAVANDEWOESTIjNE/SPECIALTOTHETOWNCrIEr
At this time of year, the scrub jays are retrieving their acorns and crack-ing them open for a quick snack on the go.
Birdwatchers in paradise: Los Altos home to winged wonders
Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010 | Page 9
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Page 10 | Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010
Birdphotographyisagreatwaytoenjoythelocalwild-lifeandmeetpeople.Attheendoftheday,youcanmatchyour still images against the references and verify theidentitiesofyourbirding“shots.”Itbeatstheoldshotgunmethod.Youcanshareimagecapturesonline,regalefam-ilyandfriends,participateincitizenscienceprojectsandcreatepersonalart. And,nothingattractsattentionmorethanapersoncar-ryingahugelensandpointingitintoatree,acrossafield,downagullyorintoabush.Passersbyassumetheremustbe something pretty interesting to see. Neighbors andstrangerswillengageyouinaneruditetechnicaldiscus-sionofthegearbeforedroppingagoldennuggetofwheretofindthelocalhoodedorioleorothercolorfulrarebird. IntheLosAltosarea, ifyouseeaCaliforniapeppertree with neat little holes, all in a row, slow down andlookup.Youjustmightcatchaglimpseofared-breastedsapsuckersidesteppingaroundtothebackofthebranch.Looktoolonganditwillflyoff.Oryoumayseeayellow-rumpedwarbler,lessshy,movingin,lookingaround,thennippingintothesapsucker’ssapwell.Tenminuteslater,thesapsuckerwillprobablyreturnandtakeoverthesapwellagain.Thisgoesonalldayinwinter. Eddie Bartley, a professional birder with the BayArea'sGoldenGateAudubonSociety,saidthatalthough
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birds
BILLWALKEr/SPECIALTOTHETOWNCrIEr
Nesting in a dead tree, the Western Screech-Owl is widely popular with birders visiting Rancho San Antonio.
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Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010 | Page 11
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red-breastedsapsuckersdosipthesap,theyareprimarilyinsectivores,asarewarblers.Hesaidthatitwasn’tuntil1983thatornithologistsdividedred-breastedsapsuckers,red-napedsapsuckersandyellow-belliedsapsuckersintothreedistinctphylogeneticspecies. Prior to that, they were lumped together. Only theWilliamson’s sapsucker was categorized separately, andfor many years the male and female Williamsons wereconsideredtwodifferentspecies.Theabilityofamateurpaparazzitocapturetheimagefacilitatedtheinformativedialogwithprofessionals. Male sapsuckers are very involved in parenting, ac-cording to Bartley, including selecting and building thecavity and sharing incubation of the eggs. Their broodpatch therefore ismorehighlyvascularized than thatofmalesinspeciesthatdonotbrood. There are a few records of red-breasted sapsuckersnestingintheBayArea(MarinCounty),buttheyprimar-ilybreedintheSierraandnorthernmountainsandalongthePacificCoastmountainsasfarnorthassouthernAlas-ka.Mostcloselyrelatedtored-napedsapsuckers,theyin-terbreedwhentheirrangesandpathscross. SapsuckerstendtonestinaspensandfeedinwillowsinaridregionssuchastheSierra.Theyareshyandsecre-tiveandwillhideforlongperiodsoftimeiftheydetecta
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birds
jOHANNAVANDEWOESTIjNE/SPECIALTOTHETOWNCrIEr
This red-breasted sapsucker, photographed locally, pauses between dipping and sipping into the sap wells the pepper tree provides.
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Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010 | Page 13
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Page 14 | Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010
predator–andbirdingpaparazziwiththeirbiglenseslookpredatory. Anotherbirdyoumayseelocally,ingardensalongro-bledaroadinLosAltosHillsandfartheroutoftown,istheCaliforniaquail.Usuallyyouseeonlythemale,withhischaracteristictopknot,standinglookoutandsignalingbycallandposturetothehiddenfemale.Theyarenonmi-gratorybirds,sowillonlyreturntoanareabydeliberatereintroductionor localextension.Theyareground-nest-ingandvulnerabletobeingflushedoffthenestbydogs,cats and ground maintenance activities. During MarchandApril,avoidflushingthemifyouwantthepleasureofseeingthechicksinMayandjune. ThroughoutMarch,territoriallocalscrubjaysraucous-lydefendtheirterritorieswhilediggingupandcarryingacorns around. They literally wing “wrestle” with eachotherduringdominancedisplays.Theywilloftenstealaneggfromotherbirds’nests,butarealsothefirsttowarnofintrudersandpredatorsinthearea. Andbeon the lookout for theWesternScreechOwlandacornwoodpeckers.Theowliswidelypopularwithphotographers,asarethewoodpeckers,aslongasthey’reinaparkandnot inresidentialneighborhoods.Becausethey are losing their granary trees to development, thebirdshavestartedtuckingtheiracornsintoSpanish-styleroof tiles instead, making them less than popular withthosehomeowners.
A little farther afield and easy to see during MarcharethewildturkeysatranchoSanAntonioOpenSpacePreserve. Keep your distance, as the males are fightingforterritory.Thehensarelessvisibleandtrytoremainhidden.Thereareatleast10wildturkeysattheparkyear-round. Marchisthemonthtograbyourbinocularsandcam-era and join the birding paparazzi. There are plenty ofbirds,largeandsmall,shyandbold,toenjoylocally.
birds
Three Tom turkeys battle it out for territory at Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve, while a turkey hen, be-low, prefers to remain in the background, usually hidden from the birding paparazzi.ErICrOSENBErG/SPECIALTOTHETOWNCrIEr
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birds
jOHANNAVANDEWOESTIjNE/SPECIALTOTHETOWNCrIEr
Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010 | Page 15
birds
PHOTOBYjOHANNAVANDEWOESTIjNE/SPECIALTOTHETOWNCrIEr
A male quail perches on a wall calling to potential mates.
Johanna van de Woestijne has lived in Los AltosHills with her husband and two children since 1994.Sheisa1987graduateofStanfordMedicalSchoolandamemberoftheSantaClaraValleyAudubonSociety,with particular interest in avian habitat preservationandrestoration,ornithologyandbirdphotography.m
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Page 16 | Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010
Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010 | Page 17
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By Mary Beth Hisloptown crier staff Writer
WhileLosAltosandLosAltos Hills may rateNo.1intherankingsof
greatplacestoliveforthosewhomake their homeshere, theHillscommunity has gained a highmarknationallybyrankingfourthin the 50 most expensive smalltownsinAmericafor2010. In a study that analyzed thehighest median home prices incities across the nation with ayear-roundpopulationoflessthan10,000, Los Altos Hills’ medianhomepriceof$2.6millioniswellbelowthe$4.4millioninSagapo-nack, N.Y. – ranked as the most
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Hills high in healthy home pricesSurvey ranks LAH in top 50 for expensive estates
Continued on Page 22
ELLIOTTBUrr/TOWNCrIEr
With homes averaging a median price of $2.6 million, Los Altos Hills ranks No. 4 among the country's priciest small towns.
Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010 | Page 19
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Page 20 | Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010
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Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010 | Page 21
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Page 22 | Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010
expensivecity–andwellaboveMenloPark’s$1.2mil-lion,whichplaceditatNo.50. Theresultsofthejanuary-publishedsurveyconductedbyBloombergBusinessWeekandZillow.com,areales-tateinformationWebsite,determinedtheexpensivesmalltownsarehubbednearSanFrancisco,Sanjose,Seattle,NewYorkCityandPalmBeach. Only seven states in the country can boast of high-pricedhomesinlessdenselypopulatedareas–California,Washington,Hawaii,Florida,Maryland,NewjerseyandNewYork. NewYorkishometothegreatestnumberofexpensivecities–26–onenamedMuttontown.Californiaissecondwith12,includingWoodside,whichrankedseventh,andMonteSereno,No.18. Butwhatreallybucksthetrendinthetop50forLosAl-tosHillsandWoodsideistheyear-over-yearmedianpricechange,whichconsistentlyrangedinpositivepercentagepoints.From2009to2010,Hills’homesenjoyedamedianpriceincreaseof4.5percent–Woodside’sgained2.6per-cent. Sagaponackfell4.3percentforthesametimeperiod–Muttonhead,0.3percent.AndjustalittlesouthacrossthevalleyinMonteSereno,homes’medianpricesfell9.4percent. Amongthesetop-50towns,themedianpricedecreased
5.4percent,withpricesdroppingasmuchas18.1percentinonecityandincreasing14.3percentinanother. IfbeingNo.4isanathematoHills’residents,thetowndoesrankNo.1onthelistoftop101cities(with5,000-pluspopulation)with the largestpercentageofmales inmanagement, professional and related occupations, ac-cordingtoinformationfromcity-data.com.Alas,it’sbacktoNo.4whenitcomestothetop101citieswiththelarg-estpercentageoffemalesemployedasjudges,magistratesandotherjudicialworkers. Thetownalsoranked56inthetop101citieswiththebiggesthouses. Nottobeoutdone,LosAltosmadecity-data’sowntop101listofcitieswiththehighestmedianhousevalue,atNo.13,andNo.14asthecitywiththemostpeoplehavingmaster’sordoctoraldegrees.AndNo.16asacitywiththelargestpercentageofmaleswhokeepthemselvesoc-cupiedasaccountantsandauditors. Ergo,thereasonforallthesenumbers.m
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Continued from Page 18
home
From 2009 to 2010, Hills’ homes enjoyed a median price increase
of 4.5 percent – Woodside’s gained 2.6 percent.
Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010 | Page 23
By Eren Göknarspecial to the town crier
In jeans and aT-shirt and a tat-tooonhisforearm,LeeTannen-baum looks like he might have
sparetime.Appearancesaredeceiv-ing. The chief operating officer forjussle.comjustknowshowtojugglealotofballsintheair. As a business partner for jussle,he also consults for several SiliconValleyfirms.Butavisit tohispris-tine, newly rebuilt home reveals anartisticsidetotheLosAltosresident–TannenbaumenjoyscreatingwoodobjectsandcustomfurnitureworthyoftheSmithsonianInstitutioninhisfreetime. Infact,avesselturnedfromAus-tralianKerriwoodsitsintheMuseum
WoodWorker
Spending time with spare time
ErENGÖKNAr/SPECIALTOTHETOWNCrIEr
Lee Tannenbaum has honed his woodworking skills to branch beyond salad bowls and carves custom furniture that enhances his Los Altos home.Continued on Page 24
Page 24 | Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010
ofArtsandSciences,anaffiliateoftheSmithsonian.Withanamelike Tannenbaum, which means“Christmas tree” in German, itseems apt that he would have awoodworkingbusiness. The transplanted Floridianbegan thecraft afterwatchingasegment about wood turning on“This Old House.” He boughta $7,000 lathe and began turn-ing salad and fruit bowls, sell-ing themat art shows.Within ashortamountoftime,hehadsoldenoughtopayforthelathe. While working as a salesmanagerforDitechNetworks,hemanaged to travel to shows, ex-hibitingandsellinghiscreationsmademostlyfromexoticAustra-lianwoods.Sometimes,hedab-bles in turning South AmericanwoodssuchasBloodwood. “I’mnotabigfanofmapleoroak,”Tannenbaumsaid–they’retoovanilla. Hehaslongsincebranchedoutfromsaladbowlsand
nowcreatescustomfurnitureoncommission. A long,narrowdovetailed tablemadeofBloodwoodsitsinthehallwayofhishome.Tannenbaumpreferscolor-fulwoods,andthisoneisstrikinginbloodred.
Erika Ameri Realtor®, SRES, GREEN
• Creative & Responsive • Excellent Results • Great Client Satisfaction
[email protected] DRE# 01727613
WoodWorker
Continued from Page 23
ErENGÖKNAr/SPECIALTOTHETOWNCrIEr
Lee Tannenbaum prefers colorful woods such as those used in the mirror frames above. “I’m not a big fan of maple or oak,” he said. They’re too vanilla.
Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010 | Page 25
apr.com | LOS ALTOS 167 So. San Antonio Road 650.941.1111
Susan Sims,Realtor/SRESDre# 01408349
Offi ce: 650.209.1607Cell: 650.743.1838Email: [email protected]
Susan will provide you with:
• Extensive Experience• Tremendous Knowledge• Astute Negotiating Skills• Most Satisfying Results
If you are looking for an agentwho will always go the extra mile
-call Susan.
WoodWorker
PHOTOSBYErENGÖKNAr/SPECIALTOTHETOWNCrIEr
From his stash of Australian woods, above left, Lee Tannen-baum carved the vessel, above, which requires a year to dry.
Tannenbaum recently relocated from Daytona Beach– transportinghiscollectionofAustralianwoodscross-country required a semitruck. Staring at the shelves ofwoodinhisgarageworkshop,Tannenbaumsaideachinchofwoodtakesayeartodrycompletelysoitcanbehol-lowedandthenshapedwithcalipers. “EverypieceofwoodislikeGod’sgift,”hesaid. Heattributeshis artistic abilitypartly tohismother,whosculptsandworks inmixedmedia.Hegetsa littleannoyedwhenotherslabelhimacraftsmaninsteadofanartist. “MyworkisintheSmithsonian,afterall,”hesaid. Formoreinformation,visitwww.leetreeart.com.m
Page 26 | Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010
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LaNdscaPes
Expert tips for creating beautiful
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ArACONTENT
For garden lovers who don't possess green thumbs, land-scapers can help create verdant and aromatic beauty.
ARAcontent
It may be cold outside, but homeowners are alreadydreamingofcreatingbeautifulgardensettingsaroundtheirhomescomespring.Landscapingsuccessdoesn’t
havetobehitormiss,butifithasbeenforyou,itmaybetimetocallinaprofessionallandscapedesigner. Why?Becauseinthelongrun,hiringalandscapede-signer can cost less than doing it yourself. You’ll get adoabledesigncreatedcorrectlythefirsttime,savingtheexpenseofrepeatedtriesatgettingitrightorplantingthewrongplantsinthewrongspots.Aprofessionallandscapedesignercanenvisioncreativesolutions to themostdif-ficult outdoor challenges – problems they’ve more thanlikelysolvedbefore. Plus, abeautiful landscapecan increase thevalueof
Continued on Page 28
Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010 | Page 27
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Page 28 | Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010
yourpropertyupto10.8percentcomparedtoahousewithanaverage landscape,according to thejournalofEnvi-ronmentalHorticulture. Followingaretipsfromlandscapedesigners. •Evaluateyourspaceandanyissuesithas.Hidinganunsightlyairconditioningunit,addingprivacyandchang-ing boring views to beautiful ones are challenges thatlandscapedesignersfacefrequently. “Iseethebigpicture,”saidMariavonBrincken,aBos-ton-basedlandscapedesigner.“Adesignerseestheprob-lemsthatyousee,andoftentheonesyoudon’t,andcanoffer solutions tocreatebeautiful, functionalandearth-friendlylandscapestoaddtoyourlives.”
Classified Ads650-948-9000 ext. 308 • Email [email protected]
EstatE salEs ManagEMEnt
In-House Sales of Residential Contents
sheri D. galvin
(650) 594-0404
Leo-Michael Anshutz Landscaping, Inc.
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408-846-0125
Serving Los Altos and surrounding community for over 25 years with
quality landscape installation.
A & ELANDSCAPES
• Irrigation • Planting• Sod installation• Woodwork (trellis, arbors, fences)• Hardscape, flagstone, brick pavers & concrete
(408) 655-6780 Lic. #856772
Continued from Page 26
LaNdscaPe
•Doyourhomework.Tearoutfavoritepicturesfromgardening magazines and start a file, compiling photosthatdepictyourdreamgarden.While everythingmightnotbepossibleforyourgarden,itwillgiveyourlandscapedesigneravisualstartingpoint.Don’tforgetabouthard-scape, suchaspatios,decksand fencing.Designerscanhelpwiththesealso. •Takeyourtime.VonBrinckenwarnsofthetempta-tiontobuyplantsimpulsivelyatagardencenterandat-temptagardenmakeover.Thiscanbeacostlygambleforthosewithoutexperience.Manyhomeownersfindthatittakesthehelpofadesignertocreateawell-plannedland-scapeprojectthatincludesbothplantsandhardscape. Whilethereisacostinhiringalandscapedesigner,itisultimatelymoreeconomicaltoworkwithanexpertto
Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010 | Page 29
Classified Ads650-948-9000 ext. 308 • Email [email protected]
RONNING ROOFING & CONSTRUCTIONGutters cleaned /
repaired / replaced.Prof Lic# 610537
Tom (408) 390-3185
Hand Painted InteriorsMuralist artist painting. Residential & commercial interiors incl. creative
decoration to furniture. Online portfolio. www.polkadotbuggy.com
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The Time ButlerChoose, Challenge, Change.
Lisa MarkProfessional Organizer
2310 Homestead Road #435Los Altos, CA 94024
650 965 4201 phone650 965 4271 [email protected]
MERVYN SALT LANDSCAPES
• Full Service Landscape Construction• Mediterranean gardens• Planting• New lawns a specialty. Combining Art & Craft since 1979• Diamond Certified• Preferred Service Magic Contractor408-865-0521
www.mervynsaltlandscapes.comLic # C27-494793
LaNdscaPe
create aplan specific toyouryard.Theproject is com-pleted in a timelymanner andwithinbudgetwhenyoutakeyourtimeandworkfromaplan.Expecttospendap-proximately10percentofthetotalcostoftheprojectonthedesign. • Consider what you want to achieve. “People arebusy,andtheywanttohaveanoutdoorspacethatmakesthemfeelcomfortable,notfrustratedandwornoutfromgardening chores,” said judy Nauseef of Iowa City,president of the Association of Professional LandscapeDesigners.“Theyalsowanttomaximizetheirinvestmentintheirhome.Havingawell-designedlandscapegivesthehomeownermorelivingspaceandalsohelpswithresalevalue.” •researchandreachouttoafewlandscapedesigners.
Besuretointerviewseveraldesignerstofindonewhomeetsyourneedsandpersonality.reviewtheirportfoliosandWebsites,andviewsomeoftheirwork,ifpossible.Ifyouhaveabudgetinmind,sharethiswiththedesignerupfront. • Get ready to get dirty. “You can hire a landscapedesigner for a range of services,” said Berkeley’s Patri-ciaSt.john,incomingpresidentforthedesignerassocia-tion.“Youmightchoosetohireadesignerforatwo-hourconsultationforideasandsuggestionsthatyouimplementyourself.” Alandscapecanbeinstalledoveraperiodoftimeaswell.Homeownerscandecidewhichareasaremostim-portantandstartthere.
Formoreinformation,visitwww.apld.org.m
Page 30 | Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010
Counting down: 38 days left to claim
homebuyer tax credit By Rose Meilyspecial to the town crier
PotentialhomebuyersshouldbeawarethattheWorker,HomeownershipandBusinessAssis-tance Act of 2009 expires April 30, accord-
ingtomembersoftheSiliconValleyAssociationofrealtors.TheactextendstheFirst-TimeHomebuyerCreditandexpandsthelistofthosewhoqualify. BuyersmustmeetthefollowingIrSrequirementstoqualifyforthecreditsundertheassistanceact. •YoumustbuyorenterintoabindingcontracttobuyaprincipalresidenceonorbeforeApril30. •IfyouenterintoabindingcontractbyApril30,youmustcloseonthehomeonorbeforejune30. •Forpurchasesqualifying in2010,youhave theoptionofclaimingthecreditoneitheryour2009or2010return. •Alongtimeresidentof thesamehomecannowqualify for a reduced credit. You qualify for thecreditifyou’velivedinthesameprincipalresidenceforanyfive-consecutiveyearperiodduringtheeight-yearperiod thatendedon thedate thenewhomeispurchased and the settlement date is after Nov. 6,2009. • The maximum credit for long-time residents is$6,500. However, married individuals filing sepa-ratelyarelimitedto$3,250. •Peoplewithhigherincomescannowqualifyforthecredit.ThenewlawraisestheincomelimitsforhomespurchasedafterNov.6,2009.Thefullcreditisavailable to taxpayerswithmodifiedadjustedgrossincomesupto$125,000or$225,000forjointfilers. •TheIrSwillissueaDecember2009revisionofForm5405toclaimthiscredit.TheDecember2009formmustbeusedforhomespurchasedafterNov.6,2009–whetherthecreditisclaimedfor2008orfor2009–andforallhomepurchasesclaimedon2009returns. •Nocreditisavailableifthepurchasepriceofthehomeexceeds$800,000. •Thepurchasermustbeat least18yearsoldonthedateofpurchase.Foramarriedcouple,onlyonespousemustmeetthisagerequirement. •Adependentisnoteligibletoclaimthecredit. Formoreinformation,visitwww.irs.gov/recovery. The Silicon Valley Association of Realtors pro-vided information for this column. Send questions to Rose Meily at [email protected]. m
tax credit
LISTOFADVErTISErS
A&ELandscapes.............................Page28
CampiProperties,Inc..............................9
ColdwellBanker.............................19-21
DavidBergman,InterorealEstateServices............3
Deniece“D”WatkinsSmith/Cashin&Company.......20
DylanStudios,Inc................................5
ErikaAmeri/AlainPinelrealtors....................24
EstateSalesManagement..........................28
FibrenewSiliconValley...........................4
Footwear,Etc...................................31
GeorgeMonaco/AlainPinelrealtors................8
IKB,Inc......................................13
IreneYang/AlainPinelrealtors...................25
jim&jimmyNappo/AlainPinelrealtors.............2
joBuchanan&StuartBowen/ColdwellBanker........7
KathyBridgman/AlainPinelrealtors...............32
Leo-MichaelAnshutzLandscaping,Inc...............28
LynnNorth/AlainPinelrealtors.....................18
LynnWilsonroberts/AlainPinelrealtors.............23
Malovos&Konevich,Attorneys&CounselorsatLaw...10
MarciaNewton/AlainPinelrealtors................22
MervynSaltLandscapes.........................29
OwenSignatureHomes..........................11
Pattirobison&UrsulaCremona/AlainPinelrealtors..15
PolkaDotBuggy...............................29
Phyllis&jamieCarmichael/ColdwellBanker.........18
ronningroofing&Construction...................29
SerenoGroup...............................16-17
ShellyPotvin/ColdwellBanker.......................15
SoliSaatchi/AlainPinelrealtors.....................22
Statcomm,Inc..................................29
StepUpj.S.CarpetCleaning&HouseCleaning........29
SteppingStonesPreschool&InfantCare............28
SusanSims/AlainPinelrealtors.....................25
TerriCouture/ColdwellBanker.....................12
TerrieMasuda/ColdwellBanker.....................8
TheForumatranchoSanAntonio...................27
TheKitchenCrafter.com.........................28
TheTimeButler.................................29
UrsulaChristiansen,Owner/Broker..................10
ViewpointsGallery...............................24
Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010 | Page 31
Page 32 | Living in Los Alltos | March 24, 2010
Kathy bridgman
•Over37homessoldin2009
•DistinguishedBrokerAssociatedesignation,earnedbyonly15%ofrealestateagents
•AlainPinelPresident’sRoundTable,Top5%,for10years
•SILVARLifetimeAchievementAwardsince1996
•RankedinTop1%bySiliconValleyBusinessJournal
•ActiveCommunityMember - CommunitySchoolofMusic
&Arts - CenterforInnovation - LosAltosCommunity
Foundation - LosAltosChamberof
Commerce - LosAltosGolfand
CountryClub
•FormerintermediateEganTeacher
650.209.1589DIRECT
650.941.1111OFFICE
“With these current market conditions letmy experience work for you.” -Kathy Bridgman
Nationally Ranked By The Wall StreetJournal Top 100 For 2008 Sales Volume!