Andria's Blog (92)

Did you know this website is mobile-compatible? Just come to the regular web address from your smartphone and you should be redirected to GCVEichler.com/m (or you could just type that in on your tablet if it's easier for you to digest the simplified format on that device as well). There is a menu button in the upper right hand corner to navigate to the different pages, including an option to call up the regular full desktop version of the…

A new year-long exhibit opens tomorrow (February 23) at The California Museum in Sacramento, devoted to Ray Eames, the understated (and often misidentified) wife in the famous duo with husband and partner Charles. Celebrating her centennial, "Ray Eames: A Century of Modern Design" will not only chronicle the well-known Eames collaborative body of work, but also showcase new information about her early life as a…

If you missed the debut of American Masters - Charles & Ray Eames: The Architect & The Painter on PBS tonight, you can look for the reruns (through Dec 27) on KQED on this page - or…

They may not be Eichlers, but there will be 10 stunning modern homes available to tour September 17 & 18 in the city at this year's American Institute of Architects Home tour.

General admission tickets are $85 (discounts available for AIA members, students, some teachers & bicyclists!) and include a cocktail reception on the 17th.  Tickets & full discount details…

Do you know about the new "Reduce Your Waste" program? If you downsize your trash pickup bin to the new 20 gallon size, you'll get a $50 credit on your next bill PLUS you'll save money on your monthly bill moving forward on the smaller program.  You can also upsize your green bin and/or recycling bin while you're at it - they now have 96-gallon bins!

Details and the number to call are on the CVSan site at: …

It's that time of year again...  the annual California Native Plant Sale is this Saturday in Tilden, just in time for Spring (isn't it amazing how they time that?).  Maps & details are at EBRPD's site here, but this is the scoop:

Saturday, April 16, 2011   10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Organized by the Volunteers of the Regional Parks Botanic Garden

The Botanic Garden is located at…

Congratulations to our Greenridge neighbors Mark Yin & Sharon Young, who are being honored by the Hayward Area Historical Society for the beautiful, period-appropriate renovations they completed on their Eichler!

They'll be feted at Stonebrae Country Club in Hayward on Friday, April 29 at the 12th Annual History Awards Gala, which is open to the public. To buy tickets or…

For those who haven't yet heard, our neighbor Doris McKim, who hosts the annual Christmas party, had a car accident this past week here on Greenridge. The brakes on her car failed and she chose to run into some trees and power pole down near the bottom of the hill instead of hitting one of the houses; this was actually the cause of the power failure we experienced on Wednesday. Doris has suffered some bruising, a laceration that required stitches and a broken rib but is reportedly in good…

A lovely tongue-in-cheek infographic from CoreToons explaining how to describe your furniture for sale. From: http://www.core77.com/blog/cartoons/core-toons_how_to_describe_your_used_furniture_on_craigslist_18103.asp…

CASTRO VALLEY BOULEVARD

PUBLIC ART PROGRAM

Artists’ Proposals on Display for Community Feedback

Are you curious about the artwork associated with the Castro Valley Boulevard Streetscape Improvement Project? Are you interested in giving feedback about the artists' proposals? Read on to learn…

We had Adam Levy play in our great room last year in a trio - he's now coming back with another great new singer-songwriter from Nashville! Please join us if you can - details are below; you can preview the music on their websites. Click the button to register on Eventbrite so we can keep track of who's coming, and feel free to forward to others who might be interested in attending:…

Sorry for the late notice everyone - haven't had time to post this until now, and it's due tomorrow! The good news is it's quick and easy and you can send your feedback by email. Please fill out this questionnaire to provide your views on Castro Valley life to the 6 artists being considered to design our downtown artwork. The artists' proposals will be displayed for public comment in late October/ early November - details to follow closer to that…

We all know this is a big reason we live here :) Some recent news about our fantastic Castro Valley schools:

• Independent, Jensen Ranch, Palomares, Proctor, Vannoy Elementary schools recognized by the California Business for Excellence in Education (CBEE) Foundation http://bit.ly/dBoGmf…
  
  

So the sun may have (mostly) abandoned us again, but that means it will be more than bearable this weekend at Jack London Square for major foodie grazing at the Eat Real Festival! Starting today and running through Sunday, this is an opportunity to check out some of the best food trucks in the Bay all in one location. Some of my lunchtime favorites from work who will be there include Chairman Bao (a…

Wanted to take your kids to a Penguins & Pajamas sleepover at the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park but thought it was too pricey? Have a chance to win a package for a family of four! The Academy is running a sweepstakes through August 31; strangely, they are not taking online entries, but you can either enter on site when you visit the Academy, or mail in…

Hello folks! You may have heard about a beautification project that is underway for Castro Valley Boulevard. As part of this project, commissioned artwork will be integrated into the seating and gateway markers (you may have seen some similar new fixtures in downtown Dublin recently). A committee has already narrowed down the selection of artists, but YOUR presence is requested to meet and interact with the artists to ensure that the end result best reflects all…

Didn't get enough local rodeo action back in May? Rowell Ranch is back with the 48th Annual Junior Rodeo on August 7th & 8th, and better yet, attendance & parking are FREE! More information on some of the key events is on the website at www.rowellranchjrrodeo.net. Participants range in age from "Pee-Wees" (under 5!!) on Saturday morning, to "Seniors" (one of the few places this term refers to 14-18 yr…

Just thought I'd share this great retro-modern style video intro for local SF artist Brian Barneclo's latest and most ambitious work, Systems Mural Project being planned down by the Caltrain station in San Francisco. I've written about his work…