The acclaimed Salmon Creek ArtWalk will be held this weekend from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, here in Bodega Bay! Now celebrating their 10th year, the ArtWalk is considered the premiere Sonoma Coast art event. I've sprinkled some of the artists' work throughout this post. The sizes vary, I pulled them off the ArtWalk website to share with you here.
Diana Bundy (ArtWalk Founder) Beachy Stuff
This year, the ArtWalk features thirteen artists at seven different locations throughout this unique village by the ocean. Salmon Creek is a small community, you can park just about anywhere and stroll leisurely from studio to studio. Visit with local artists plus those from other areas of Sonoma County. Some will be located in homes, others in quirky, eclectic art workshops.
Beth Fletcher, Photography & Photo Imaging
ArtWalk will feature a great variety of styles and media including photography, watercolors, pastels, sculptures, handmade footwear, custom leather, ceramics, copper, stained glass, wood turnings, and more. Studios will be decorated for the occasion, some will be serving refreshments, and Candy & Kites will give kite flying demonstrations overhead.
Lillian Lehman, Figurative Sculpture & Mixed Media
Salmon Creek ArtWalk was founded by Diana Bundy, a delightful woman with loads of energy and infectious enthusiasm. Diana is a local artist, real estate broker, and well-known organizer of community events that promote local organizations. In fact, Diana and her husband Michael produced and directed The Cabaret: 2010 A Beach ODDessy, a live show featuring local talent lip-syncing to classic hit tunes here in Bodega Bay earlier this year.
Janet H. Elmore, Watercolor
Salmon Creek is located one mile north of downtown Bodega Bay, on the west side of Hwy. 1. There will be signs at the entrances on Keefe St. and Bean Ave., along with flyer boxes that contain maps to the artists' locations.
Admission is FREE!
Ange'l Fiorito-Leddy, Handmade Footwear & Custom Leather Design
Liz Stafford, Pastels, Prints & Gourds
Friday, April 30, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
New Search Box for BodegaBayLife.com
Oh boy, I'm so excited! We now have a Search Box on BodegaBayLife.com. It's a new feature offered on Google's Blogger platform, which is what I'm using here.
This will make it easier for visitors to find blog posts about Bodega Bay topics they're interested in. And it'll make my life easier too. There have been many times when I've had to manually search back through previous posts to find things I wrote.
I placed the new box in the right column, underneath the Blog Archive. Try it out! For example, type in "food" and hit Search. Under the "This Blog" tab, you'll get links to all of the posts I've tagged as food. If you move to the "Linked From Here" tab, you'll find references to food on websites that I've written about and linked to. And under the "Local Links" tab, you'll see a variety of local listings that mention food. What a great new resource for Bodega Bay visitors--and locals too!
Have fun!
This will make it easier for visitors to find blog posts about Bodega Bay topics they're interested in. And it'll make my life easier too. There have been many times when I've had to manually search back through previous posts to find things I wrote.
I placed the new box in the right column, underneath the Blog Archive. Try it out! For example, type in "food" and hit Search. Under the "This Blog" tab, you'll get links to all of the posts I've tagged as food. If you move to the "Linked From Here" tab, you'll find references to food on websites that I've written about and linked to. And under the "Local Links" tab, you'll see a variety of local listings that mention food. What a great new resource for Bodega Bay visitors--and locals too!
Have fun!
Friday, April 23, 2010
Castles & Kites Day in Bodega Bay
The weather looks promising for tomorrow's Castles & Kites Festival in Bodega Bay! The forecast calls for mostly sunny with highs in the 60s. It's currently a little windy but that's perfect for kite-flying, isn't it!
The 6th annual festival takes place Saturday, April 24, from 11 am to 3 pm on the beach at Doran Regional Park. It's hosted by Sonoma County Regional Parks Foundation as well as two local Bodega Bay shops, Candy & Kites and Second Wind.
It's great fun for the entire family! The skies will be filled with colorful kites. Watch the stunt kite demonstrations or fly your own. If you're just getting started, the local shops will have booths there selling everything you need.
Expert sand artists will be creating huge castles and sculptures. If kids want to build their own, the parks department will have a supply of shovels and buckets on-hand to share.
You can see some of our photos and read about last year's event here.
Doran Park is located at 201 Doran Beach Road, Bodega Bay, CA. The event is free but the park entrance fee is $6 per car.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Fish Fest Fun in Bodega Bay
We had a blast at the Fisherman's Festival on Saturday! I heard they had a record attendance. The entire west side of Bodega Bay harbor was lined with cars, while thousands of people and dogs streamed in to join the festivities in Westside Park. The weather was gorgeous, sunny with a few clouds and a slight coastal breeze.
Highlights of our day included the Wooden Boat Challenge and ensuing boat race, the Pet Parade, delicious fish & chips, wine tasting (25 local wines to choose from), and rockin' music from the Unauthorized Rolling Stones.
Pictures speak louder than words and my husband took more than a hundred! Here's a visual chronicle of the day, starting with the Wooden Boat Challenge. Each of the 17 teams had to build a wooden boat in three hours, then race it around a short course in the harbor. (You can click to enlarge the photos.)
Boat made by Bodega Bay Firefighters Association.
Bodega Bay Fire Interns.
Central Victory, 2009 champions.
Wasabi Rockets, 2007 champions.
At 1:30, boat builders lined up for the exciting race. Because they had staggered starts, I wasn't sure who won. If you know, please leave a comment!
There were dozens of arts and crafts booths and one of my favorites was Save the Tails, featuring unique handmade "fish tail" totes and purses made by local Bodega Bay artist Susan Alloway.
Check this out, it's her Sonoma Coast bag! Mountains across the top, the Russian River runs down the middle, you can see apples representing the Sebastopol/Occidental orchards on the right, the ocean on the left, grape vineyards throughout, and of course beautiful Bodega Bay at the bottom.
These seal puppets were popular with adults as well as the kids.
The U.S. Coast Guard was there along with Coastie.
We were looking forward to the Pet Parade at 2:30 but it never materialized while we were there. We saw lots of beautifully groomed, well-behaved dogs and owners wandering around the starting area but we finally gave up at 2:50.
Some people think dogs look like their owners.
This huge, gorgeous great pyrenees patiently posed for a never-ending stream of photographers.
I loved these long-haired chihuahuas.
We wondered if this guy spent too much time at the wine tasting tent!
We loved the music of the Unauthorized Rolling Stones! They played everyone's favorite Stones hits, and the lead singer not only looked like Mick Jagger, he totally had his gestures and dance moves down.
Our much-appreciated emergency service providers were a big hit, but still on call. At around 1:30, a sheriff’s helicopter was about to land in the Fisherman’s Festival, but instead was called up the coast to rescue a scuba diver who was in trouble!
This was the 37th annual Fisherman's Festival. Staffed by volunteers, the Fish Fest is Bodega Bay's primary annual fundraising event for a number of community organizations.
Please note, when leaving a comment, if you get an error message, just click to submit again and it should go through. Weird quirk with Blogger templates. Thank you!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Real Estate Bargains in Bodega Bay
1750 Hwy 1, Bodega Bay, 3BR,2BA, $379,000
There are some incredible real estate deals in Bodega Bay right now, I can’t believe the prices. My husband and I have been watching this market since the mid-1990’s, when we first started dreaming of moving here. We watched Bodega Bay properties climb steadily until they peaked in late 2006. At that time, it seemed like the majority of houses were well over $1 million.
Well guess what? The median price in Bodega Bay has now dropped to its lowest level since July 2003! I’ve sprinkled examples of some amazing deals throughout this post.
One reason for the dramatic drop is foreclosures, of course. Like the rest of California, we've had our share out here. Then recently one investor lost eight of his vacation rental homes (yes eight!!!) and those REOs are coming on the market now.
We’re friends with several realtors here and I asked their opinions of the current market. John Chute, Steve Hecht, and Ed Vail are all with Coldwell Banker Coast Properties and they know this market inside and out. They’re good guys, too. They live locally, are very involved in the community and give generously of their time and resources. For example, next weekend, you’ll find Ed and Steve volunteering again at the Fisherman’s Festival while John holds down the fort at the office. (John volunteers in others ways, including serving as a Big Brother for two local boys.)
I caught up with John yesterday at an open house. The beautiful home at 21177 Heron Drive, 4 bedroom/3 bath, was listed for $789,000! If you’re in other parts of the country, these prices might still seem steep but remember this is the San Francisco Bay Area where housing has always been expensive.
John Chute on the deck of 21177 Heron Drive, 4BR/3BA, $789,000
“Our problems have been made worse by a rash of foreclosures and until these homes wash through the system it is going to be challenging for those who own homes once worth over a million dollars,” John explained. “Our market was fueled by the same bubble as elsewhere, too much money and lax lending practices. The herd chasing too few homes fearing prices were going to go up forever. Now it has gone the other way of course, buyers are concerned that prices will keep falling and they are reluctant to take advantage of the excellent opportunities that are on offer."
1482 Sea Way, 3BR/2BA, $589,000
“I think we are at the bottom now and those who buy in 2010 will be seen as savvy buyers in a few years," he continued. "I expect interest rates will creep up but predict that they will be still be under 6% in 2011.”
188 Cypress Loop, 2BR/2BA, $729,000
Steve agreed about the foreclosures. “Those properties did contribute to a lot of downward pressure on the local market and certainly had an impact on all properties throughout Bodega Bay,” he said.
“The good news is that many of the REO's are getting purchased and the effect will begin to fade away soon. Unless there is another wave of foreclosures behind that, I'd guess that we'll see a steadying of prices and activity through summer or perhaps the rest of the year.
3010 Maryanna Drive, 2BR/1BA, $475,000
“The next factor that I'd expect to see is an increase in interest rates, Steve continued. "The Administration has been holding rates artificially low for quite a while now and as we begin to see prices increase throughout much of the US, we're sure to see rates creeping up with them. That does suggest this could be, and may continue to be, a very good time to buy.” Steve writes an excellent real estate blog where he posts news, market trends, local sales reports, and his professional analyses.
1487 Sea Way, 3BR/ 2.5BA, $779,000. I LOVE the views from this house!
I love talking to Ed too because he knows so much about the history not only of the town itself, but of nearly every single house here in Bodega Bay. He knows which ones are the best-built, which have been updated when and by which contractors, the quality of materials used, and so forth.
I’ve noticed a lot more traffic at Open Houses around town on recent weekends. Ed agrees and said activity is definitely picking up. He's been hearing from buyers who have been looking in Bodega Bay for as long as ten years and are now finally ready to make the move.
20903 Grebe Ct, 5BR/3BA, $650,000
There are great deals on lots now too, whether you want to build your own custom home, or just hold coastal land for an investment. A few years ago, they were going for $500,00-$600,000. Here's a large lot with panoramic water views and two sets of plans for $399,000. Disclosure: we know these sellers personally. :-)
2134 Sea Way, $399,000
These are very interesting times, 2003 pricing in Spring 2010. I sure wish I could take advantage of one of these deals rather than just watching from the sidelines.
Please note, when leaving a comment, if you get an error message, just click to submit again and it should go through. Weird quirk with Blogger templates. Thank you!
There are some incredible real estate deals in Bodega Bay right now, I can’t believe the prices. My husband and I have been watching this market since the mid-1990’s, when we first started dreaming of moving here. We watched Bodega Bay properties climb steadily until they peaked in late 2006. At that time, it seemed like the majority of houses were well over $1 million.
Well guess what? The median price in Bodega Bay has now dropped to its lowest level since July 2003! I’ve sprinkled examples of some amazing deals throughout this post.
One reason for the dramatic drop is foreclosures, of course. Like the rest of California, we've had our share out here. Then recently one investor lost eight of his vacation rental homes (yes eight!!!) and those REOs are coming on the market now.
We’re friends with several realtors here and I asked their opinions of the current market. John Chute, Steve Hecht, and Ed Vail are all with Coldwell Banker Coast Properties and they know this market inside and out. They’re good guys, too. They live locally, are very involved in the community and give generously of their time and resources. For example, next weekend, you’ll find Ed and Steve volunteering again at the Fisherman’s Festival while John holds down the fort at the office. (John volunteers in others ways, including serving as a Big Brother for two local boys.)
I caught up with John yesterday at an open house. The beautiful home at 21177 Heron Drive, 4 bedroom/3 bath, was listed for $789,000! If you’re in other parts of the country, these prices might still seem steep but remember this is the San Francisco Bay Area where housing has always been expensive.
John Chute on the deck of 21177 Heron Drive, 4BR/3BA, $789,000
“Our problems have been made worse by a rash of foreclosures and until these homes wash through the system it is going to be challenging for those who own homes once worth over a million dollars,” John explained. “Our market was fueled by the same bubble as elsewhere, too much money and lax lending practices. The herd chasing too few homes fearing prices were going to go up forever. Now it has gone the other way of course, buyers are concerned that prices will keep falling and they are reluctant to take advantage of the excellent opportunities that are on offer."
1482 Sea Way, 3BR/2BA, $589,000
“I think we are at the bottom now and those who buy in 2010 will be seen as savvy buyers in a few years," he continued. "I expect interest rates will creep up but predict that they will be still be under 6% in 2011.”
188 Cypress Loop, 2BR/2BA, $729,000
Steve agreed about the foreclosures. “Those properties did contribute to a lot of downward pressure on the local market and certainly had an impact on all properties throughout Bodega Bay,” he said.
“The good news is that many of the REO's are getting purchased and the effect will begin to fade away soon. Unless there is another wave of foreclosures behind that, I'd guess that we'll see a steadying of prices and activity through summer or perhaps the rest of the year.
3010 Maryanna Drive, 2BR/1BA, $475,000
“The next factor that I'd expect to see is an increase in interest rates, Steve continued. "The Administration has been holding rates artificially low for quite a while now and as we begin to see prices increase throughout much of the US, we're sure to see rates creeping up with them. That does suggest this could be, and may continue to be, a very good time to buy.” Steve writes an excellent real estate blog where he posts news, market trends, local sales reports, and his professional analyses.
1487 Sea Way, 3BR/ 2.5BA, $779,000. I LOVE the views from this house!
I love talking to Ed too because he knows so much about the history not only of the town itself, but of nearly every single house here in Bodega Bay. He knows which ones are the best-built, which have been updated when and by which contractors, the quality of materials used, and so forth.
I’ve noticed a lot more traffic at Open Houses around town on recent weekends. Ed agrees and said activity is definitely picking up. He's been hearing from buyers who have been looking in Bodega Bay for as long as ten years and are now finally ready to make the move.
20903 Grebe Ct, 5BR/3BA, $650,000
There are great deals on lots now too, whether you want to build your own custom home, or just hold coastal land for an investment. A few years ago, they were going for $500,00-$600,000. Here's a large lot with panoramic water views and two sets of plans for $399,000. Disclosure: we know these sellers personally. :-)
2134 Sea Way, $399,000
These are very interesting times, 2003 pricing in Spring 2010. I sure wish I could take advantage of one of these deals rather than just watching from the sidelines.
Please note, when leaving a comment, if you get an error message, just click to submit again and it should go through. Weird quirk with Blogger templates. Thank you!
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