Healdsburg, CA

Does anybody remember the old TV show, Rowan and Martins Laugh In. It was a variety show and it often featured "Beautiful Downtown South Healdsburg' There used to be a restaurant there by the name of Lonnie's. Lonnie senior was a hell of a business man and self promoter. He was always up to something. Anyway he got the show to run a feature every few weeks from his dining room. It soon became the place where Pat Paulsen the comedian launched his presidential campaign. It was the longest running unsuccessful presidential campaigns in US history. If you asked Pat what his stand was he would point at the sign of Lonnie's restaurant and say "It is a hamburger stand. I will write more about this little part of town again soon.

Congratulations to Costeaux Bakery on winning the national title for "RETAIL BAKERY of the YEAR" in a highly competitive national competition. If you are not familure with this wonderful cafe and bakery you have to visit them. This is a locally owned family business with a great reputation as a community builder. Will Seppi, the son of the founder took over the reigns of the business a couple of years ago and has built upon what his family had started with countless years of hard work and bakers hours.

WHY IS THIS A 3PEAT?

Because here in Healdsburg right on the same block we have the "BEST CHEF in AMERICA" Douglas Keene. This honor was bestowed on him recently and we are proud to have him at the helm of CYRUS RESTAURANT. CYRUS is known for being over the top with quality and great service. They do charge a premium but you have to try it. You can easily get several appetizers and a couple of rounds of the best cocktails you have ever had for about a hundred dollars. The best part is the chef always throws in a couple of surprise courses. They also manage HEALDSBURG BAR and GRILL right on the historic HEALDSBURG PLAZA. It has great outdoor dining. Try the truffle oil infused french fries on the side of your Neiman Ranch hamburger with blue cheese and bacon.

AND THE 3 IN THIS 3PEAT

The BEAR REPUBLIC BREWERY. Ranked the #1 beer in America by its peer brewers. If you are in Wine Country and really need a beer then you really need to go to THE BEAR. It is a brewers paradise. Again with outdoor dining along Foss Creek. This is another family owned business that provides countless hours of volunteerism to the community.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU!

Healdsburg's Dry Creek Valley is home to great wineries, great scenery, and some truly great vineyard estate homes. It's also home to more modest farmhouses for the grape growers and other residents who work in the wine industry. Make no mistake, wine and grapes are the heart and soul of this area. If you're not growing, processing, tasting, or selling wine, you might as well look somewhere else for a home. This map based search for Dry Creek Valley homes for sale will help you see what is on the market today.

Dry Creek Valley is a very discrete, geographically limited region. At the south-east end is the city of Healdsburg (shown on the aerial photo). At the north-west end is Warm Springs Dam, the blocking force that created Lake Sonoma, a wonderful source of recreation, water, and flood control for the area. The hills rising up on each side of Dry Creek Valley are the other boundaries that define this appellation and the neighborhood. Dry Creek Road on the north and W Dry Creek Road on the south west side of the valley are the two country roads that service this area.

The agricultural nature of this valley has always meant large parcel sizes. You can see this clearly on the aerial photo of the valley. That continues to be the case today, so most residential real estate comes with either vineyards or forests. There are a few smaller parcels with an acre or less, but for the most part, a big component of the price you pay for property is going to be in the land.

The property has more than 20 acres planted to premium, award winning Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc vines. There is a wine making barn with the potential to convert this property from a vineyard to a 5,000 case per year wine-making operation for buyers who are serious about the wine business.

The other end of the valley, close-in to Healdsburg along W. Dry Creek Rd, is another wonderful wine-centric property. This estate was built on the aesthetics of lodges like the Ahwanee Hotel in Yosemite.

Large scale rooms and ample use of wood and stone make this striking estate memorable. There are grapes here as well; more than 10 acres of Syrah in contract with the neighboring winery. This estate also has a guest house, orchards, and other outbuildings. Details

It's hard to find homes for sale in Dry Creek Valley. The neighborhood is reasonably large in area, but there are relatively few residences because of the large parcel sizes. If you are willing to take the time and energy to build your own home there are some great Dry Creek Valley land parcels waiting for your dream home.

If you can't walk to the corner market for a few groceries, you might be suburban.

If you have never walked to the library, you might live too far from town.

If you can't walk to a nice restaurant and stroll home with your sweetie under a full moon, you might be missing something special.

Healdsburg, my work-base in the wine country, still retains it's original small town charm. We have a plaza where people can congregate for weekly outdoor concerts. There are markets at both ends of town and more shopping in the middle, so people can walk north or south and shop within walking distance of home. There is a real downtown area that's often thronged with people sightseeing, hanging out, or grabbing a meal. It just feels right to be here.

Our real estate office is only a block from the plaza and judging by the number of people who want to grab real estate flyers and brochures, almost everyone is intrigued by the idea of living here as well, Towns and neighborhoods built on a human walking scale are just plain comfortable..

100

This graphic is from the great website, Walkscore.com. Walkscore rates towns based on how many amenities are within walking distance of your location. The link above shows that Healdsburg scored 100 which is a great walkability result. You should visit the WalkScore site and put in your address to see how your town is doing for walkability.

In addition to simple scoring, the site has lots of useful information about walking, quality of life, and the existence of great walkable areas even in cities that aren't known for being friendly to walkers. If you feel at all civically inclined, their front page currently has a walkability link to encourage politicians to support walking, biking, and transit in the 2009 Transportation Bill.

Whether you are rural, subarban, or a city dweller, walking more is good for your health, good for the planet if you're cutting down on driving, and good for your spirit. A brisk walk on a crisp summer morning with the dew still on the grass is refreshing no matter where you are. Even if you just take one fewer driving trip per week, you are doing yourself and the planet a favor.

Good Day Everyone,

I hope that tyou are enjoying this little heatwave we are enduring. Two words jump out at me from that past sentence. Heatwave and enduring. We have such great weather here in Healdsburg butthere are a few nights a year that it does not cool down from our costal fog that comes in almost nightly. When that happens it is the talk ofthe town. I have spent enough time back east or in the tropics to know that a few hot nights are a blessing and not a curse. This is something that we do not endure because it passes so quickly. As tha saying goes "if you cant stand the heat go jump in the river!" My partner in real estate and I are sponsoring the music in the plaza tonight that starts at 6:00 PM. I have come down early to secure our spot and well if you know me at all do what I do best market, market, market. I have my little portable Century 21 office set up her for the day and look forward to seeing you. We will be serving great wine and pasta salad after 5:00 PM. We are on the west side of the plaza and it should be a hoot.

As always, Thank you,

Bob