Berkeley

Our Westie (West Highland White Terrier) boys are two years old. They are very sweet, friendly, well trained and well behaved. They are litter mates and will need at least two walks a day and some play time in the pet-safe yard (front and back). They sleep through the night in their own crates and will often tell you that it's time for bed! We appreciate updates on how they're doing and photos are encouraged.

For a stay longer than a few days in warmer months the garden will need watering as will indoor plants once a week. Our Meyer lemon tree has delicious lemons and someday we hope that our avocado trees will produce fruit, too.

Our cleaner comes in every other Thursday and changes the linens, too! We appreciate guests who don't wear shoes in the house and keep it tidy.

Our county is very serious about recycling and we also have municipally required composting. Not to worry, there's a great chart to explain it all!

We ask that guests use the washing machine detergent we supply especially after the laundry-to-landscape system is installed.

It’s possible to arrive prior to March 15th and leave a bit after March 31st.

Most guests will stay in a quiet, tastefully and completely furnished in-law apartment with private entrance in the North Berkeley hills of Kensington, a very safe neighborhood. It might work out that guests will stay in the main house upstairs with a full kitchen and upper deck with a view of San Francisco and the Bay.

The house is a 10 minute walk to Tilden Park and a 10 minute drive to UC Berkeley. Buses to downtown Berkeley are less than a 5 minute walk. The El Cerrito BART station is a 20-25 minute walk downhill.

The in-law apartment was updated with a very ‘green’, low energy, low carbon footprint remodel using non/low toxic materials. A big plus is the sound attenuation materials and super earthquake retrofit. The landscaping is now in the planting phase using native, drought tolerant plants, succulents and fruit trees.

The in-law apartment has a fully furnished kitchenette, a separate bedroom with a queen sized bed, en suite dressing area and full bathroom. It opens directly onto an outside deck. The living room/dining area also open onto the deck and private garden.

Some nice shops and great restaurants are just minutes away!

If you're staying in the upper level we have quite a collection of major art books, especially the Impressionists. We also have original paintings, most of which were done by a neighbor who was a retired painting professor. The upper level also has a view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay.

When the fruit trees are more mature we'll have avocados, apples, and pomegranates to go with the Meyer lemons.

Kensington is a very safe, quiet village next door to Berkeley so has the access to amenities of a university town. Our neighbors are friendly, there’s a nice Farmers’ Market on Sundays, a British pub, some cafes (including excellent sushi), a fabulous cheese and delectables shop, and a gourmet grocery store with an excellent deli/butcher inside.

We’re up on the hill close to Tilden Park (10 minute walk) and the views in the neighborhood are fabulous including San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, etc.

Tilden Park is just a 10 minute walk up the hill. It has extensive trails, a renown botanical garden, a farm, small golf course, a small lake and a steam train. Wine country is less than a two hour drive north and some wineries closer. Berkeley has sake and beer distilleries. San Francisco and Oakland are short BART train rides away both with major music and theater venues. UC Berkeley is just 3 miles away and an amazing campus, also with museums, theaters, and the full amenities a world class university has to offer. Solano Avenue is a long street in North Berkeley just down the hill and has all kinds of one-of-a-kind excellent restaurants, cafes, etc.