Half Moon Bay February 2015

DayTripping: Tunitas Creek Beach and Kawasaki Burgers

Half Moon Bay FEBRUARY 2015

Our Wedding Issue ~ Look to our wedding directory for tips and suggestions about your upcoming nuptials and find local businesses that will help you make the day perfect.

The future of solar? ~ Half Moon Bay physicist is using robots to help harness the sun’s potential.

COASTSIDE

COUPLES Cottage foods ~ Some Coastsiders are taking their passion for cooking to the shelves on the stores.

“So, how did you meet?”

All couples have their story. Meet five Coastsiders and learn how they started down their romantic path.

Because handshake stillCHOICE Because aa handshake still means 2014 means moremore. than a mouse click R E A D E R S

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Half Moon Bay

Contents Features Making bread as 14 well as dough

Cottage food startups flourish on coast

BY MARK NOACK PHOTOS BY DEAN COPPOLA

20

The Solar Age

HMB-founded startup refines solar farming

BY MARK NOACK PHOTOS BY DEAN COPPOLA

26

Love on the Coastside Local valentines share stories of how they met and what makes their relationships successful

FEBRUARY 2015

Departments CoastalGarden

Finding inspiration for your winter garden. 44

OpenDoor

Half Moon Bay yard gets family-friendly upgrade. 42

CoastsideCanines

Winston, a Maltese poodle. 48

DayTripper

Lonely Tunitas Creek Beach is ripe for adventures. 50

Publisher’s Note 6 Flashback 8 Upcoming 10, 12 Real Estate 54

BY JULIA REIS PHOTOS BY DEAN COPPOLA

30

Wedding Directory Wedding resources to make your special day absolutely perfect.

Nancy Margulies and Gary Warhaftig at their home in Montara. Photo by Dean Coppola

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hmb review

on the cover

S TAY C AT I O N S | V I SITORS | ROMANTIC GETAWAY S

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Publisher’s Note

FEBRUARY 2015

Fortunately, you can’t spell ‘Rumba’ without ‘rum’

I

met my wife in a tent.

We were both students in the same field quarter class at University of California, Santa Cruz, where instead being taught in classrooms, we would be led by our professor on various week-long backpacking trips throughout the Sierra Nevada, lugging our textbooks the whole way. We were paired with tent mates for the first night and mine ended up being my future wife.

No. I didn’t know from the moment I saw her that I would marry her and she would become the mother of my children. I just hoped that she might become a good friend. Both turned out to be true.

That was 26 years ago this March. And while it hasn’t all been like walking through a field of freshly bloomed lupine, a suprising amount of the time it has been. The key, as far as I can tell so far, is not to take anything for granted. Will we still be married next week? I certainly hope so. But the moment you start riding no-handed is the moment that bunny on the Coastal Trail decides to jump in front of your tire. Best to pay attention.

The other key to a long-term relationship? Taking Rumba lessons. Because if there is one thing that requires you pay full attention to your spouse, it’s doing an underarm turn to a Cuban beat without crushing her freshly manicured pinky toes. (Sorry about that.) Luckily, the post-Rumba mojitos seem to have healing powers.

Take a look at Page 26 to see how five other Coastside couples got their start. And talk to Gail at the Half Moon Bay Parks and Recreation Department about starting those Rumba lessons.

Bill Murray Publisher bill@hmbreview.com

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Publisher Bill Murray

COPY EDITOR Julie Gerth

Business Office Barbara Anderson

Editor Clay Lambert

Photographer Dean Coppola

Writers Mark Noack Stacy Trevenon Julia Reis

design Bill Murray Mark Restani

Circulation Lynn Altwer

Advertising Sales Linda Pettengill Randie Marlow Barbara Dinnsen Kathy Schramm

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contact us 714 Kelly Avenue Half Moon Bay, CA, 94019 (650) 726-4424 www.hmbreview.com send letter and photos Your contributions are welcome. Please send photos and letters for consideration to bill@hmbreview.com. ©2015,Half Moon Bay Review

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Wordsonaword The word: Aging

If you want to strike up a conversation, just go to the Coastside Adult Community Center at lunchtime. You will always find friendly faces and people eager to share their experiences. Now, ask them what they think of getting older and stand back.

America is rapidly aging. One-third of U.S. counties now boast populations with an average age of 50 or better, according to one Harvard study. In 15 years, there will be 33 million more Americans over the age of 65. Clearly, aging is on a lot of minds. The folks waiting for lunch at the Senior Center have plenty of opinions on the joys and struggles that accompany aging. We asked three of them what they thought about the process of aging and were rewarded with both humor and insight.

ELI ROSS

A

ging is an accumulation of experience, and you can use it wisely and well or you can moan about your groans and pains. You have to affirm the positive in order for your life to be more enjoyable.

I had no idea what it would be like until I got there, any more than I didn’t know what Korea would be like until I got there.

Some things you have to approach and then you can assess it, and aging is one of those things.

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Kasea Thain

Terry Hernandez

y advice is, if you can avoid it, don’t do it. I sometimes wish that people who are older than I would give me little clues as to what I can look forward to as I age. They don’t, so some of the things that happen to you become surprises.

For example, aches and pains, oftener than you would think.

Some of us get wisdom and some of us don’t. It’s like those people who stay 24 forever and never age.

’d say that getting old is not for sissies. It takes more effort to do everything and you wake up every day with a new pain.

If you are lucky, it goes away; and then you have a new one the next day. If you are not lucky, then they build up.

You still feel like the same person in your head. Then you hit 70 and it surprises you.

Of course, senior discounts help.

Retirement is good. Not having to get up in the morning and go to work is good.

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CHOICE 2013

Flashback Pages from the past july 6, 1961 In 1961, Miss Half Moon Bay, otherwise known as Miss Judy Cunha, represented the Coastside at the San Mateo County Fair and Fiesta. Miss Cunha, 16, was given her title at a beauty contest held at the Miramar Hotel. Miss Patricia Riley, 19, of Montara was awarded second place.

A lead story alerted residents to a rat poison drive in the Pilarcitos area. About 300 pounds of poisonous grain was placed along Pilarcitos Creek banks in “spots most likely to be visited by the rats.� Residents were advised to keep small children and poultry away from the creek.

Other stories included an assumption that a killer whale had bitten a harbor seal in half and the installment of Louis C. Foster as the new superintendent of Half Moon Bay High School District.

The editorial page alerted readers that work would begin on a master plan that would shape the look of the Coastside for the next 10 years.

The Half Moon Bay Review office has papers going back to 1960. To read old editions yourself, see the microfiche at the Half Moon Bay Library.

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Upcoming

~ Año Nuevo

history comes to county museum

Feb. 7 It’s not happening on the Coastside but you don’t have to go far to learn about the Año Nuevo lighthouse: Come to the San Mateo County History Museum from 1 to 4 p.m. today and hear California State Parks interpreter Mike Merritt present the history of Año Nuevo Island and the lighthouse that once stood there. It’s free with museum admission: $6/adults, $4/seniors and students, at 2200 Broadway in Redwood City. (650) 299-0104.

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~ A rollicking look at ~ Look beyond our own shores Feb. 16 The Half Moon Bay branch of the American Asrelationships Feb. 6 It’s hailed as the secondlongest-running off-Broadway musical while it’s one of the longestrunning human conundrums. “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” takes a comedic look at the myths, legends, triumphs and struggles of those who have won or lost love or just gotten involved in a “relationship.” The Coastal Repertory Theatre production runs at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through Feb. 28, with tickets ranging from $27 to $45. 569-3266.

sociation of University Women welcomes all to its February meeting at 7 p.m. at the Community United Methodist Church hall in Half Moon Bay. A speaker from the Half Moon Bay-based Terma Foundation will discuss health and human welfare conditions affecting Tibetans living on the Tibetan Plateau. Terma Foundation programs combine indigenous and Western knowledge to support the people in the Tibetan Autonomous Region. Free. 726-4416.

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~ Crowning champions Feb. 21 The Peninsula Athletic League will crown a team champion and individual champions at the Peninsula Athletic League Wrestling Tournament. The oneday tournament starts at 10 a.m. at Half Moon Bay High School. The top three placers in each weight division qualify for the Central Coast Section.

There will be a slight admission charge. (650) 802-5454.

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~ Want help tracking your genealogy online?

~ Get tools to help you find that perfect job

~ Comedy and improvisation fill an evening of mirth

Feb. 8 The Half Moon Bay Library offers a free computer class centered on how to track your genealogy online, at 2:30 p.m. at the library at 620 Correas St. in Half Moon Bay. Registration is not necessary; drop-ins are fine. The teacher will come from the San Mateo County Library System. 726-2316.

Feb. 12 If you’re an adult starting the new year by trying to snag a new job, come to the Half Moon Bay Library at 6:30 p.m. today for a class on online job-searching. Registration not necessary, just drop in.

726-2316.

Feb. 28 Short-form comedy improvisation based on audience suggestions and sprinkled with musical numbers, will fill this evening beginning at 7 p.m. That’s when improvisational actors from Blue Blanket Improv cut loose at Fit Studio in Strawflower Village in Half Moon Bay. Tickets are $10/adult and $5/ youth age 12 and under. blueblanketimprov.com.

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Audrey Seaton works on an Italian cream cake in her kitchen at home in Half Moon Bay.

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Making bread as well as dough

Cecilia Mello’s chocolate chip cookies at Here Comes the Sun in Montara.

Cottage food startups flourish on coast

By Mark Noack / Photos by Dean Coppola

O

n a sunny afternoon in Half Moon Bay, Audrey Seaton is doing her daily waltz around her kitchen.

Mixing batter, prepping ingredients and pulling pastries from the oven, she maneuvers between two ovens and eight burners in her kitchen with the efficiency of a pro.

And a professional is exactly what she is. Seaton is proprietor and sole employee of Born, Bred & Buttered, a barely 1-year-old bakery startup run out of her Spruce Street house.

Her marketing is little more than a Facebook page and a circle of supportive friends, but nevertheless her little pastry factory has found a steady stream of customers. Her products — including Kahlua bars, carrot cakes, and red-velvet cupcakes — are being featured already in one downtown coffee shop, and she’s in talks to expand to others. Filling those orders has essentially made her home bakery a full-time job.

“The thing I’m most proud of is I make everything from scratch in small productions,” she said. “Everyone knew I was always baking. Once I put it out there that I was starting it, it was just word-ofmouth.”

Seaton is one success story in a relatively

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Ram Subedi makes up a batch of his homemade chai.

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new surge of cottage food startups that are bringing the creations of home chefs into the wider marketplace. The program was first launched statewide in early 2013 through the California Homemade Food Act, a state bill that, for the first time, authorized small-scale food producers to sell their wares under less stringent guidelines.

The bill was somewhat controversial, as health inspectors across California were nervous that allowing home chefs to sell their products could put food safety on the back burner.

But many across the state were clamoring for a simpler alternative for small-scale food startups. Prior to the cottage food law, the only option for small food producers was a certified commercial kitchen, which was extremely costly. A certified commercial kitchen requires specified training, electrical wiring, ventilation, plumbing and sanitation. Outfitting a space to meet that bar can fetch a six-figure bill.

Since kicking open the doors for the program, the San Mateo County Environmental Health Department has approved just fewer than 70 applications for producers of all manner of culinary treats, including specialty biscotti, cake pops, butterscotch and toffee.

The program’s guidelines allow for a range of products, but state health officials don’t allow any potentially hazardous foods that would require refrigeration, particularly dairy or meats. All food items must be on an approved list from state health officials. “In general, everything appears

Docent Pam Patek leads a tour at Ano Nuevo State Park.

to be working as for public health,” said Heather Mellon, county environmental health director. “Our biggest challenge is to remind business operators that anything they want to make has to be listed by the Department of Public Health.”

A total of 13 entrepreneurs have launched cottage food startups on the Coastside with names such as the Saturday Morning Bread Club, Rustic Tart, and Spread the Love. Like Seaton, the majority are bakers, but even the pastry world allows a lot of room for creativity.

Kings Mountain Baking owner Nathalie Swanson decided to launch her home pastry startup last year as a way to

put to use her skills from a baking course.

As a mother of two, she likes that the home business gives her plenty of time for her family.

Over the months, she’s come to focus her talents mainly on the art of bread baking, particularly sourdough made with her own yeast starter. She makes about a dozen loaves each week, which she mostly sells to others in the close-knit community.

It’s a small operation, but she likes it that way. Her baking operation wouldn’t be a reliable way to put bread on the table, so to speak.

“It pays for the ingredients and a little bit more, but that’s it,” she said. “It gives me

Cecilia Mello, left, of Montara, and her son Xavier Jones, 11, talk with a visitor at Here Comes the Sun in Montara.

“The thing I’m most proud of is I make everything from scratch in small productions.”

Audrey Seaton

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Left, Audrey Seaton puts finishing touches on her red velvet cupcakes in her kitchen at home in Half Moon Bay. Above, Cecilia Mello, of Montara, carries fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and lemon tarts at Here Comes the Sun in Montara.

time to keep practicing and get better, but I don’t want to produce as much as I can and get overwhelmed.”

The cottage food operations don’t feel like something new as much as an extension of one’s heritage, Seaton said. Her family, which goes back four generations on the Coastside, used to grow and prepare their own food. Even as a girl, she used to package meats that her family butchered on their ranch. She inherited many of her recipes from her grandmother. Unfortunately, because of the prohibitions on what she can sell, one of her favorites recipes, an artichoke loaf, is offlimits because it relies heavily on eggs and cheese.

To find one of the more unique food startups on the Coastside, look no further than Montara resident Ram Subedi’s business that sells chai tea. Before he immigrated to the U.S. around 1999, Subedi ran a restaurant in his home village in Nepal where chai is consumed like coffee, he said. Now the owner of the art gallery Mandala Treasures, in Half Moon Bay, he decided to launch a side business mixing the spices for his old chai tea powder. He plans to market his product to local supermarkets soon.

“You smell it, you taste it, and you know it’s the real chai,” he said, smiling. HMB

“You smell it, you taste it, and you know it’s the real chai.”

Ram Subedi 18

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COCKTAIL of the

MONTH

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Bartender Abe Engel works his magic at Cameron’s Pub and Restaurant.

He created the infamous “Nate’s Nipple Milk.” Bad name, great cocktail!

2 oz. of Purissima Vodka 1 oz. coffee liqueur (Abe uses Kahlua) 2 oz. cinnamon cream liqueur (Abe uses Rumchata) Mix ingredients with lots of ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a martini glass. Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy!

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HMB Wine & Cheese • Cunha’s Country Store • OK Liquor More For Less • Moss Beach Coastside Market • Buri Buri Liquors Draeger’s Markets • Hofman’s Fine Wines & Spirits FEBRUARY

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sol Wasiq Bokhari, of Half Moon Bay, talks about solar energy and his invention at his Qbotix field office in Menlo Park.

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HMB-founded startup refines solar farming

larage The beginning of the

By Mark Noack | Photos by Dean Coppola

L

ike many clean-energy advocates, Half Moon Bay resident Wasiq Bokhari looks to the sun as a potential source of infinite energy.

Sunrays hitting the Earth contain more energy than mankind could likely ever use — just 100 square miles of Nevada desert equipped with solar arrays could meet the entire U.S. energy demand. So why then do fossil fuels continue to dominate the U.S. energy portfolio while solar remains a side note?

A 40-something physicist, Bokhari has been brainstorming these challenges since 2010, and he realized the big obstacles could be circumvented. The solar industry had a marketing problem, but he also believed it could be much more efficient.

“We have the best solar resources in the world, but we’re only 8 percent of the market globally,” he said. “Once you solve the issues of solar cost, storage and transmission, it’s an infinite source of energy.”

Solar panels work like a charm if they have optimal conditions — specifically, panels that are directed straight at the sun on a clear day at noon. But perfect conditions are infrequent, and the energy can drop precipitously as the angle of the sun’s rays shifts.

Many solar installations have worked around this problem by allowing solar panels to pivot. These types of fixtures, called solar trackers, can follow the sun’s path throughout the day, achieving a more consistent stream of photovoltaic energy.

Solar trackers can present their own set of challenges. A tracker is only as good as the method used to aim it toward the sunlight. For most trackers, this involves a motorized control system to regularly adjust the panels.

But putting this gear on each set of panels comes at a considerable

“Once you solve the issues of solar cost, storage and transmission, it’s an infinite source of energy,” — Wasiq Bokhari, QBotix founder

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cost. Typically, this expense leads those trying to maximize their solar system to try and build out each tracker with as many panels as possible, Bokhari explained. This can be an inelegant solution, he said, because solar trackers can grow to the size of billboards, and those large, flat spaces create big problems during high winds.

Much of the savings could be eaten up by the cost of extra steel to reinforce the gear.

This is where Bokhari enters the solar debate.

He’s adding robots to the mix.

On a sunny November morning, Bokhari led a quick tour of the Menlo Park headquarters for his company, QBotix, a solar-energy startup. He opened the gate to a padlocked yard adjoining his offices, and he presented a galvanized-steel track running along the base of about two dozen solar trackers.

Although it looked like a monorail train set, the rail line was for the SolBots, the company’s signature innovation. These gadgets were barely larger than a breadbox, but Bokhari said each one of them had the potential to replace hundreds of individual motors and controllers found on conventional tracking systems.

The SolBots were designed to work off as much data as possible — GPS positioning, weather conditions and sun tables. Using that information, the robots’ job was to function as a mobile control system, aiming the solar trackers at the best possible angle on a regular basis.

“Luckily for us, the sun is very predictable,” he said. As an analogy, he compared his device to how a sunflower naturally faces the sun. “Nature already does this and does it very well,” he said.

At about 10:30 a.m., the SolBots whirred to life. Zipping around the track, the robots docked at each solar tracker and quickly inserted a metal crank into the base. As a SolBot vigorously spun the crank, the solar panel set pivoted its angle to match the sun. The bots ran every 40 minutes and were programmed to position the solar panels about 10 degrees ahead of the sun’s path to anticipate its upcoming movement. Within seconds, the robot moved on to the next tracker.

When the SolBot finished its lap around the track, it returned to its charging dock to power back up. The robots were remarkably cheap to operate, Bokhari said, costing about 30 cents each day for the pair, or 0.1 percent of the energy produced.

The morning of the tour was sunny, but the

Wasiq Bokhari wants to make solar panels more efficient with the use of robots.

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Why not buy her Pearls this Valentine’s Day?

$1.95 each, or $21.95 per box of 12 The Blackwing story: Eberhard Faber first introduced the Blackwing pencil in the 1930’s. Ever since, some of the world’s most legendary artists have created with Blackwings, including John Steinbeck, Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein, and Chuck Jones, who proudly used Blackwings to create Bugs Bunny and countless other Looney Tunes characters. No matter what your discipline, these tools will help you (or your loved one) create your own legacy of greatness.

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The Qbotix Robotic Tracking System moves along it’s tracking at the Qbotix field office in Menlo Park.

system could compensate for clouds, rain or other conditions. If clouds blocked the sunlight, the SolBot would aim trackers to the flat horizontal angle to make the most out of it. During snow, the system was designed to put panels at an angle to avoid having snow build up on the surface.

The QBotix system has a track record of success, demonstrating it can cut the rates of generating solar power by about 20 percent. The company is also showing success by the yardstick of venture funding. QBotix has raised $25 million in financing for its system, allowing the company to grow to 45 employees. So far, QBotix has installed its systems in the U.S., the United Kingdom and Japan.

For Bokhari, the early success of QBotix was his latest success combining innovation and enterprise. After earning a doctorate in physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he left the academic world about 15 years ago to found a string of companies. One of his startups produced printable electronics; another of his companies built micro-electromechanical systems. Like many Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, his pattern was to grow companies through their infancy, sell them and start fresh on a new project from square one.

The sky’s the limit when it comes to solar power, he insists, pointing out that the industry is nearly doubling in size every year. Yet, he acknowledges the solar industry continues to have a public-perception problem. People typically believe solar energy is much more expensive that it actually is. Policy makers tend to reflect this skepticism and treat solar energy like a novelty.

Bokhari hopes the United States can follow the example of other countries in making solar power a lynchpin of its energy portfolio. Germany, he points out, is a worldwide leader in making this switch, and today the European country gets about half its power supply from solar.

Both as a businessman and a scientist, Bokhari is confident that sunshine will one day power the future.

“It’s literally an infinite resource, and it will definitely be the default energy source for the future,” he said. “This is just the beginning of the solar age.” HMB

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Love on the coast

“So how did you guys meet?”

I

f you have a significant other, chances are you’ve been asked this question before. And chances are,

your response may be one that cannot be answered simply. Rather, it may involve a story that is unspooled every time the inquiry arises, one that instantly takes you back to the moment you first caught sight of your partner.

The question is interesting enough that it’s become fodder for

research. Stanford University sociologist Michael Rosenfeld has explored it by surveying couples in a study entitled “How Couples Meet and Stay Together.” In collecting data in sets over the last several years, he found in his initial 2009 survey of 3,000 participants that 23 percent of heterosexual couples met through the Internet versus 61 percent of gay participants. The youngest study participants, between the ages of 18 and 24, were least likely to find their significant other online.

Local valentines share stories of how they met and what makes their relationship successful

The Pew Research Center has also delved into the subject of how technology has changed courtship. While more people feel that online dating is a good way to meet people — 44 percent of survey participants answered this question positively in 2005 versus 59 percent in 2013 — only 5 percent of those in a committed relationship met their spouse online.

In asking the question of our readers through social media, we received several responses from couples that had unique tales to tell about how they first met, courted and committed to their sweetheart. Read on for these profiles of love on the Coastside. By Julia Reis / Photos by Dean Coppola

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Devon Yoshimine, 23, of Half Moon Bay, and Michelle Marconi, 23, of El Granada Met in 1997, began dating in 2009

T

he day they first met was nearly 20 years ago, so forgive Devon Yoshimine if his memory is a little cloudy on the subject.

What he does recall is standing up in front of his second-grade class at Hatch Elementary School and introducing himself, saying his family had just moved to the coast from Los Angeles.

And he remembers a little girl walking up to him at recess and introducing herself as Michelle Marconi.

They played tetherball and they were friends from that day forward.

Then, as students at Half Moon Bay High School, each began to think of the other differently. When Marconi’s friend accused her of having a crush on Devon, she denied it but then realized she did have feelings for him.

Meanwhile, Devon thought it better to keep his feelings to himself, lest he ruin their friendship by telling her.

But shortly after graduation, Yoshimine, out of town for a family event in Southern California, texted Marconi that he had something to tell her.

“I asked him, ‘Devon, do you love me?’” Marconi said, sitting beside Yoshimine on a bench outside Hatch Elementary. “He texted yes, and I said ‘I love you, too.’”

“If I was in town I would have told you in person,” Yoshimine said.

It’s been five years since that fateful text-message exchange that led to Yoshimine and Marconi becoming a couple. Yoshimine

devon yoshimine + michelle marconi

credits their longtime friendship with helping build a foundation for a solid relationship.

“It helps to have a strong friendship in place before,” he said.

Marconi described their common personalities and interests, saying they’re both “kind of nerdy” and enjoy comic books.

“We try to understand and listen to each other and make each other laugh,” she said. “Being there for each other has helped us a lot.”

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didn’t have a Sunday sports section.

“So now I’m weighing whether I should do interviews for something I can’t write anyway, or go to the city and have this date,” he said. “It was a lifechanging thing, really. As soon as the game ended, I was in a dead sprint for the parking lot.”

They laughed over drinks at Lefty O’Doul’s in San Francisco, and within two weeks Bruce had moved in with Martha and her roommates in Montara.

Fast-forward a few years to when the two attended a rehearsal dinner for a roommate’s wedding. Bruce was giving a toast to several attendees and acknowledged his then-girlfriend by saying, “And Martha, the woman I plan to marry.”

“I didn’t know I was going to say it,” Bruce Jenkins said. “I felt bad because I sort of stole the show for a minute.”

An attendee promptly fashioned Martha an engagement ring out of wire from a champagne glass, which she still has. They wed with a waterfall as their backdrop in Hawaii in 1994.

The couple has three children, two from Bruce’s previous marriage and a daughter who is a sophomore at Half Moon Bay High School. Today they reserve their biggest arguments for which sporting event they should watch first on television.

“People have always said marriage is a lot of work,” Bruce Jenkins said. “Getting married to Martha, nothing changed. It’s never been any work.”

Bruce & Martha Jenkins Sports columnist and former photographer for the San Francisco Giants Met in 1990, married in 1994

B

ruce Jenkins was coming out of a relationship that ended poorly when he first caught sight of Martha at a press conference for a book about the 1989 World Series, and neither knew the other had contributed to it. Bruce was, and still is, a sports columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, while Martha had just gotten a job as the photographer for the San Francisco Giants.

“We were going to meet somehow, because she was shooting at the ballpark and I was writing at the ballpark,” Bruce Jenkins said.

Bruce made the initial move after a baseball game waging Giants’ front office staff and players against the media. Martha

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took photos at the game and asked afterward if anyone wanted to see the pictures.

Bruce quipped that he did, and later mailed her a letter requesting certain photos, then ended it saying, “I’m one of the 150 guys who has a crush on you.”

“I asked my friend Karen what it meant and she said, ‘He likes you!’ and I was like, ‘Oh yeah, duh,’” Martha Jenkins said.

They scheduled a date night for when their Saturday game assignments were over.

She was covering an event at Stanford; he was at Game 4 of the 1990 World Series between the Cincinnati Reds and the Oakland Athletics. When that game ended, the Reds had swept the championship at the Oakland Coliseum. Bruce debated whether he needed to get quotes from the players, though at the time the Chronicle

deb & michael wong

Deb and Michael Wong, 62, of Moss Beach Professional photographers and owners of Spring Mountain Gallery Met in 1959, married in 2002

T

here are many eye-catching photos lining the walls of Spring Mountain Gallery on Main Street, but there’s one — on a wall leading to a back room — that shows how Deb and Michael Wong met.

It’s of a fourth-grade class at Westview Elementary School in Pacifica, a school that no longer exists. Deb points to the image of herself and then a young Michael in the row below.

“He was really cute,” she says, standing behind the counter as her husband works on framing a photo.

“Deb was the cutest girl in the whole class,” he chimes in.

Their story begins in 1959, in the second-grade at Westview, where they became fast friends, then childhood sweethearts.

“We used to play marbles and play on the monkey bars. We would hold hands,” Deb Wong said.

Deb liked to draw horses as a child, an interest that often drew peers to her desk to watch her in action. Michael was one of those classmates. One day he asked her to draw a horse for him, to which she sketched a stick-figure horse, crumpled the paper in a ball and threw it at him: her subtle way of showing her jealousy over his showing interest in another girl.

“And then he disappeared,” Deb Wong said.

Michael’s family moved to another part of Pacifica in the middle of the school year, and though they didn’t see each other again as they grew up, they still remembered the other fondly.

“We don’t remember details, but you remember feelings and people in general if they make you feel happy,” Michael Wong said.

Years passed. Michael opened a photography and framing business on the coast in 1980. Each had been married and had a daughter, and both frequented classmates.com, sharing memories of growing up in Pacifica with fellow classmates. One day, Michael looked up the page for Oceana High School.

“I went, ‘Oh, wow!’” Michael said.

He’d found Deb. He wrote to her through the message board, to which she replied, “You were my first boyfriend.”

“There was no turning back after that,” Deb Wong said.

They wed in 2002 and reside in Moss Beach while running the downtown Half Moon Bay gallery together.

“Now everything is combined — our lives, our business. …

He’s my other half,” Deb Wong said.

“I just need her in my life,” says Michael Wong.

As for the stick-figure horse, shortly after they reunited Deb drew him a better horse. That drawing is in a frame hanging on their bedroom wall.

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Julie + greg sarab

Software company CEO and former psychiatric nurse Met in 1996, married in 1998

J

ulie had visited San Francisco from Scotland a few times before, but it wasn’t until she was on sabbatical from her nursing job in 1996 that she met Greg, who had stopped by a mutual friend’s house in San Francisco to return a book.

Neither of them was looking for anything in particular relationshipwise, and Julie was due back at work thousands of miles away in a month. But Greg offered her a ride across town to where she was staying on her visit, and on the way they detoured to “the diviest bar in the Mission (District).”

“He was being chivalrous,” Julie Sarab said of the offer of the ride home.

“It was across town and not a nice area at the time,” Greg Sarab said.

They learned of their common interests and tastes in music, like a fondness for the British band Marillion, over drinks at the Albion Bar. Over the next few weeks, they continued to spend time together.

“We just kept hanging out. And right before I was leaving, he starts to get smoochy,” Julie Sarab said. “So, of course I had to come back.”

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They were a couple when Julie returned to Scotland. She came back to the United States around Thanksgiving of that year to meet Greg’s family in New York, and he met Julie’s parents in Scotland the following February. That’s when they decided to get married, not wanting to keep up the longdistance aspect of their relationship.

“Greg said, ‘We should just do that marriage thing,’” as Julie Sarab tells it.

“Sometimes you have widely branching choices; this is one of those situations,” Greg Sarab said. “We knew it wouldn’t work out if we went back and forth, so we rolled the dice.”

They wed at Memorial Park in Loma Mar, in 1997, and their wedding presents were food and beverages donated by their guests. Their honeymoon was a trip around California in a friend’s borrowed car.

The Sarabs have now been together nearly 20 years and have two young children.

“He’s very positive,” Julie Sarab said of her husband.

“She likes adventure,” Greg Sarab said. “Not just like treasure hunts, but not being afraid to turn over an entire life and try something new.”

Author and coin-operated telescope maker Met and married in 1998

A

t 51 years old and divorced for 14 years, Margulies had given up on getting remarried.

But Margulies’ friend Sara told her that she knew someone she might strike a chord with: Sara’s cousin Gary, who lived in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Margulies already planned to come out to San Francisco from St. Louis on Sept. 4, which happened to be Sara and Gary’s birthday. While Sara invited Nancy to attend their birthday party, Margulies figured she should introduce herself before crashing the celebration.

So she emailed Warhaftig a note with a poem, to which he replied with a phone call. They talked for hours, following up their initial conversation with a couple more.

And that’s when they decided to get married.

“We knew we were meant to be together,” said Margulies, as she sat beside her husband in their oceanside Montara home. “I would never advise anyone to get engaged to a stranger, but I knew he was the right person.”

They soon met in Texas, where Margulies was visiting on a business trip, followed by an excursion to St. Louis where Gary met Nancy’s children from her previous marriage and bought her an engagement ring.

Then they traveled to New Zealand for another business trip.

“That was our second date,” Warhaftig said.

On their return to the United States, the couple realized they needed to move up their wedding, planned for the spring of 1999, because of their fathers’ ailing health. They chose the day after Thanksgiving in St. Louis, where all of Margulies’ family would be gathered.

But some of Warhaftig’s relatives were too frail to travel from California, and the two wanted to find a way to ensure that they, too, could see the wedding.

They realized they could stream it via a remote satellite system, but they lacked the technology themselves. So they were married at a Kinko’s copy shop in St. Louis.

“It’s true that life can change on a dime,” Warhaftig said. “The French have a word for what happened to us, and it translates to ‘hit by lightning.’”

Their whirlwind meeting has since settled down

Nancy Margulies + Gary Warhaftig into a companionship each of them appreciates. Margulies has retired from her corporate job into a life of writing, and both work from home, spending each day around each other.

“We’re always around each other and it never gets old,” Warhaftig said.

The couple attributed their successful marriage to not holding grudges and doing things for each other while not keeping score of their efforts.

“The real key is, we respect and admire each other; it makes for a great marriage,” Margulies said. “I wasn’t planning to marry, but that’s what I wanted to do.”

“Lucky me,” Warhaftig said with a smile. HMB

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COASTSIDE WEDDINGS

I do.

Wedding resources to make your special day absolutely perfect.

Tips / Guides / ideas 32 3

H Pa El Cf I AMLo o S F En A TB Ua Ry E F W E BE RD UD AI R N YG S2 0 1 5

Look for these wedding related businesses 33 | It’s Italia, Half moon bay 34 | Moonside Bakery, Half Moon bay 34 | Geneve Jewelers, Burlingame 35 | Cameron’s Pub, Half Moon Bay 35 | Sky-King Entertainment 35 | Driftwood & Roses, El Granada 35 | Hastings House, Half Moon Bay 36 | The Posh Moon, Half Moon Bay 36 | Via Uno, Half Moon Bay 37 | Mazzetti’s Bakery, Pacifica 38 | Goldworks, Half Moon Bay 38 | The Mountain House Restaurant, Woodside 39 | Flavor, Half Moon Bay 39 | Toque Blanche, Half Moon Bay 39 | Cabrillo Family Dental Care, Pacifica 40 | Alborzi Orthodontics, Half Moon Bay 41 | Jewels Forever, Pacifica 41 | Ambrini Events, Half Moon Bay 42 | La Costanera, Montara 42 | Michael A. Wong Wedding Photography, Half Moon bay 43 | Repetto’s Greenhouse Florist, Half Moon Bay 43 | Galati Jewelers, San Mateo 43 | Luz Luna, Half Moon Bay 43 | Suneenat Dress Maker, Half Moon Bay

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weddings

Transportation tips: Getting to and from your wedding Transportation can be easily overlooked when couples plan their weddings.

Couples may recognize they may have to hire a car or limousine to get them to their ceremonies and then their receptions, but what happens when the limousine calls it a night?

While some couples immediately depart for their honeymoons after saying good-bye to their wedding guests, many build a day in between the wedding and honeymoon, giving them a chance to rest, take stock of their wedding gifts and finish packing. That leaves the question of how a couple will return home from the reception or get to the airport.

The best man may offer to drive the bride and groom where they need to go. But if the best man is from out of town, he may not have a chariot awaiting to escort the newly christened husband and wife to the airport.

As a result, all members of the wedding party should discuss their post-wedding travel plans in advance. Any person who will be arriving in a hired car will need to make arrangements to have their own vehicle available at the end of the wedding or be able to call a taxi or car service to get a safe ride home. Some wedding party members may decide to park a car at the reception site or a hotel the day prior to the wedding so they will have a return ride. It’s also a good idea to ask friends or family members who are not in the bridal party for a ride home.

Geneve Jewelers 1465 Burlingame Ave., Burlingame • 650.348.4983 • www.genevejewelers.com 34

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Safety is an utmost concern after the wedding. Even if wedding party members have a car available, no one should drive when intoxicated. Couples may want to include the phone number of a local taxi service in their hotel gift bags just to be safe.

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couple’s first dance as man and wife is a cherished wedding tradition.

For those couples who need a little musical inspiration, turn to many of the modern hits you’re bound to hear on the radio which may help you to shine in that first dance.

“A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri: “Twi-hard” fans enjoyed this romantic song during the pivotal wedding scene between Bella Swan and Edward Cullen in the popular “Twilight” movie “Breaking Dawn.”

“All of Me” by John Legend: It’s been hard to escape this popular love song by R&B artist John Legend. An ode Legend wrote to his wife, this song has quickly become a popular choice for a couple’s first dance.

“I Choose You” by Sara Bareilles: This

peppy song by singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles is a good choice for couples who prefer being nontraditional. It’s faster paced and less sentimental than many other wedding songs.

“Better Together” by Jack Johnson: Johnson is known primarily for his soft rock and acoustic guitar work blended with catchy lyrics. Also an accomplished surfer, Johnson’s work is enjoyed by many but may be especially prized by couples who want to their reception to be a laid back affair full of fun and whimsy.

“I Won’t Give Up” by Jason Mraz: Another acoustic ditty, this song has a country influence and talks about not giving up and staying in a relationship for the long haul.

Couples can make that first moment on the dance floor a special experience by choosing modern classics for their first dances.

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Our Secret Ingredient is LOVE! MAZZETTI’S BAKERY

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weddings

WHEN DO WE CUT THE CAKE?

T

he timing of when a couple cuts the wedding cake can have a specific meaning. Long ago, the cake was usually cut at the very end of the reception and would signal to the guests that it was the end of the festivities. Today, cutting the cake is an unspoken signal that represents that the formal wedding is nearing a close, and guests who would like to leave can do so without worry of being rude. Many couples will cut the cake right after dinner as a courtesy to older guests who may want to get started on their trips home.

This affords them the chance to make an earlier exit, rather than staying through the dancing that could extend into the wee hours of the night or missing the cake entirely. Cutting the cake mid-reception also serves another practical purpose for couples who are paying a photographer by the hour. Photographers typically go home after the cake-cutting, so a mid-reception cutting can save couples a substantial amount of money.

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SPECIAL

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WEDDINGS

WAT E R F R O N T

Weddings Rehersal dinners Special Events

R E S TA U R A N T AND LOUNGE

Make Sure You’re Ready to Show Off Those

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TIMES AVAILABLE CONVENIENT APPOINTMENT TIMES AVAILABLE CONVENIENT APPOINTMENT TIMES AVAILABLE

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WEDDINGS

39

A smile takes one moment,

weddings

How to find the right wedding vendors

but the memory of it lasts a lifetime...

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W

eddings are a careful balance of many elements that culminate on one special day. Making all of the components of a wedding come together seemlessly requires a well organized bride and groom and the cooperation of professional wedding vendors who understand their unique roles.

Vendors, including florists, transportation companies, musicians, and dressmakers are essential to a successful wedding. Competent wedding vendors will remove much of the worry and work from a couple’s shoulders.

650-726-6321 • www.GotToSmile.com 705 Purissima Street, Half Moon Bay 40

SPECIAL

FEATURE

WEDDINGS

But not every couple ends up with top-notch wedding vendors.

Research, planning and verifying references are some ways to ensure your vendors make your wedding day that much more enjoyable.

Seek recommendations from trusted friends and family members. Talk to friends and family members whose insight you value about which wedding vendors they used. If you attend a wedding or another party and find the flowers or the music particularly well done, ask for the name of the florist or band. Word-of-mouth advertisement is a great way to find quality wedding vendors who will help make your dream wedding a reality.

Consult with a wedding planner. If budget allows, work with a wedding planner. He or she will have an extensive list of wedding vendors you can contact. A wedding planner wants the job to get done right and efficiently, and many wedding planners have already vetted and verified certain vendors as quality workers.

Always ask for references and don’t ignore them. Busy wedding vendors should provide you with a list of names of satisfied customers. Talk with couples who used the vendors’ services in the past and ask the questions that are most important to your decisionmaking process. Unbiased feedback also may be available through online review sites, but direct contact with references may make you feel more comfortable. If a vendor fails to provide references, this should raise suspicions about the person’s reliability.

Deposits should be a fraction of the total price. Avoid wedding vendors who insist on hefty deposits. A deposit is a good-faith agreement to hold the date of the wedding, and it should be a small percentage of the overall cost of the services.

Romance is in the air.

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Do not pay balances too far in advance. Many wedding vendors require the balance be paid on the day of the wedding or shortly before. Good vendors realize couples will not want to pay the tally until they have received the products or services they signed up for. A photographer may ask for the final payment when albums are delivered.

The exception may be a caterer or reception site that needs the funds to order food and beverages a few weeks in advance. Paying off a vendor too early means you run the risk of that vendor having your money and then not coming through on the wedding day. It’s difficult to track down a person for a refund, plus you’re left with finding a replacement at the last minute.

Contracts are your friends. Every agreement should be in writing.

You have a better chance of fighting for a refund or restitution in court when you have a contract in writing.

Consider wedding insurance. Even the best-laid plans can go awry on a wedding day. Anything from freak weather events to illness to vendor absences can wreak havoc. The Better Business Bureau advises purchasing wedding insurance to protect yourself when weddings are especially costly. Such insurance may cover vendors who fail to show up, cancellations, inclement weather, military deployment, medical emergencies, and travel delays. With wedding insurance, you won’t lose money if plans change. A basic insurance policy that covers loss of photos, videos, attire, presents, rings, and deposits usually costs between $155 and $550, depending on the amount of coverage you want.

Leave the details to us.

Your only care is to enjoy your dream wedding! ambrinievents.com ambrinievents@gmail.com 650.766.3199 435 Johnston Street Half Moon Bay SPECIAL

FEATURE

WEDDINGS

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Valentine’s Day

Make it a Day to Remember Valentines Day is just around the corner.

Make your Reservations Now! Open from 5–10 p.m.

Serving a menu prepared by Chef Carlos Altamirano.

weddings

Modern trends in wedding videography

FOUR COURSE DINNER!

$85.00

Per Person

Plus tax and gratuity

The Perfect WeddingVenue on the Coastside

A

couple’s wedding day is often a whirlwind for the bride- and groom-to-be. Happy couples hope to remember every little detail, but that can be difficult when so much is going on. That is why many brides and grooms hire videographers to preserve the memories of their weddings.

Couples who fail to capture their ceremony and reception on film may feel like they missed out once their big day has come and gone. As a result, a professional videographer can be a wise investment.

Today’s wedding videos have come a long way from their poorly produced predecessors. Gone are the potentially cheesy soundbites and elevator music. Many of today’s videos are artfully edited and highly cinematic productions that could have couples wishing they were viewing videos in theaters. The following are some wedding video trends popular among today’s couples.

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SPECIAL

FEATURE

WEDDINGS

Brief clips and highlights: Few people want to sit through their entire wedding day frame-by-frame. Montages of key elements of the day are much more popular than a chronological unfolding of the ceremony and reception. Some videographers like to show snippets of what’s to come at the start of the wedding video, then go into more extensive segments later on.

Special filters or film: Filters and lighting effects can give a wedding video an entirely different feel. For example, filming in 8mm can lend a grainy touch to the video and make it seem ethereal or even part of a home movie collection. However, few people want the stark reality of a high-definition camera that highlights every flaw.

Film chapters: Dividing segments of the video into different chapters allows viewers to fast forward to the parts they want to see and pass those they can skip. This saves the hassle of having to watch the video in its entirety.

Repetto’s Greenhouse Florist Now Offering “Do It Yourself Weddings” Make Life Simple & Save Choose your own cut flowers from our Cooler…$3 a bunch Arrange them here yourself Storage until your event is FREE Or give us your color scheme and we’ll take care of the rest Boutonnieres Pin On Corsages Medium 8” Bouquet Centerpieces 6”–8”

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Cinematic styling: Instead of a stationary camera on a tripod, this method of filming incorporates different angles and close-up shots to give the video a modern feel. It’s shot more like a movie than a documentary, allowing viewers to feel as though they’re really experiencing the event.

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Artistic, indy feel: Film buffs may want a wedding video that breaks the mold. Ask videographers to create something that would fit in at the Sundance or Tribeca film festivals.

Same-day editing: Want to revisit the ceremony at your wedding reception?

Some videographers will edit portions of the ceremony and preparations for the big day in the time between the ceremony and reception. This gives all guests, including those who may not have been able to make the ceremony, the chance to view the nuptials.

HONEYMOON OUTFITS AND ACCESSORIES SHOWER GIFTS

Custom made clothing and any alterations Dress restoration Hand-crafted items, Thai imports Supporter of Thai women entrepreneurs

Preserving wedding memories takes on new meaning when couples explore the growing trends in wedding videos.

527 MAIN STREET (NEAR KELLY), HALF MOON BAY

604 F Main Street, Half Moon Bay 650 720-0923 SPECIAL

FEATURE

WEDDINGS

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CoastalGarden

Find winter

inspiration for your garden

Winter on the Coastside means the oxalis is bloom, like in this field near Poplar Beach. Dean Coppola 45 4

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n

W

inter might not seem like the most gardeninspiring time, but, believe me, there are many awesome places to visit for inspiration.

Here are just a few of my favorites: Highway 1 and Purisima Canyon. The oxalis and mustard are gorgeous right now! All you need to do is simply drive the Coastside and get inspiration. I like to drive Purisima Canyon and see the different ferns and wildflowers in bloom. These drives always remind me to buy my wildflower seed and sow them for spring flowers.

Whether you want to replace your lawn or have a few empty perennial beds, creating a wildflower meadow is a droughttolerant, colorful addition to any sunny garden.

Purisima Creek Redwoods State Park always has a lovely display of ferns and mosses. I love hiking through there as a reminder that you don’t always need flowers for a garden to be lovely.

See for yourself: http:// www.openspace.org/preserves/ pr_purisima.asp San Francisco Botanical Garden, Arboretum and Conservatory of Flowers.

When was the last time you visited? You can easily make a day trip to the arboretum and surrounding gardens. On a rainy day, hang out in the greenhouse for some tropical warmth and good plant vibes.

Check out the ever-changing exhibits and see what’s blooming in the moment. If you are lucky enough to see some gardeners out there working, be sure to

ask a question or two for your own garden. You might learn some tricks of the trade from these interesting professionals.

And while you are in the city, drive through some of the gorgeous neighborhoods for small-space ideas. Last week I cruised through Sacramento and California streets and found some lovely houses with clipped boxwood and herb gardens.

Learn more on the Web at http://www.sfbotanicalgarden. org/ and http://www. conservatoryofflowers.org/ Filoli. This is our hidden treasure only about 15 minutes from downtown Half Moon Bay! Filoli opens up from its slumber in early February. It kicks off 2015 with a “Branches, Blossoms and Buds” celebration, Feb. 13 and 14. The flowers will be mostly camellias and a stunning array of bulbs, but seeing the freshly sprouted boxwood and older, established shrubs and trees is worth the visit too.

For the schedule, see http:// www.filoli.org/ For more information on places to visit and order from, check out the resource page on my website at http://www.gardenapothecary. com/resources/`

Jennifer Lee Segale is the owner of Garden Apothecary on Main Street in Half Moon Bay and can help anyone have a better garden.

FEBRUARY

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OpenDoor

By Julia Reis / After photos by Dean Coppola

T

Half Moon Bay yard gets family-friendly upgrade DETAILS: Homeowner: Whitney and Jeff Mills.

Contractor: Blue Sky Designs Inc. Goal: Spruce up front and backyard.

Construction time: Three months.

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here were no problems with the Mills family’s Half Moon Bay front and backyard space per se, just a desire for improvement.

The driveway was cobblestone, making it a lessthan-smooth surface for young children to ride their scooters and bikes. The grass was abundant in the backyard, and many of the plants in the front yard were not drought tolerant.

“When it came to plants, we weren’t too picky,” said Whitney Mills. “We said we wanted low maintenance. I don’t personally have a green thumb, so whatever won’t die on me would be great.”

Blue Sky Designs redid the Millses’ driveway over a month last summer in the first phase of the remodel, followed by extensive work to the front and backyard shortly thereafter.

The latter entailed replacing the expanse of grass in the back with a smaller patch of artificial turf, planting native plants as well as small lemon and lime trees, putting in new stonework and subterranean work to relocate the gas line for the fire pit.

The Blue Sky crew also helped install a hot tub and added a unique, familyfriendly touch to the backyard: an engraved basketball key, complete with a cut-in 3-point line.

“It was a cool idea,” Mills said. “Dad loves that one probably the most.”

Ken Coverdell, of Blue Sky Designs, said that besides

FURNACES • GAS FIREPLACES MAJOR APPLIANCES NEW WATER HEATERS EW DUCT CLEANING N SALES • SERVICE REPAIR • INSTALLATION Before construction, the Mills family yard was not overly welcoming.

planting more drought tolerant plants and the artificial turf, he installed drip irrigation for planted areas.

“Instead of putting out water 11 gallons a minute, it’s 11 gallons an hour and water is going exactly to each individual plant,” Coverdell said. “We were really careful to pick things well suited to the Coastside and very drought tolerant.”

Coverdell added that the project turned out well in part because the Mills allowed him to put together a master plan and didn’t mind the work being completed in two separate phases.

“That’s what we really appreciate — when people give us the ability to design for the ultimate project, and if we have to slow down on installation, it’s OK,” he said.

Mills advises that unless you know a lot about permitting and construction, leave this type of job to the professionals.

“Some say the way we went costs more, but it was worth every penny,” she said.

Serving the Coastside since 1988

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FEBRUARY

2015

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CoastsideCanines Winston Age: 3 Breed: Maltese poodle or “Maltipoo” It all started with a forgotten anniversary.

It was August 2011, and Adora and the late Alan Palmer were in San Diego helping daughter Camryn move into college housing. Family activities and dog ownership were big parts of the Palmers’ lives, but at this time they had no dog. “Alan was adamant that now we were free to travel,” said Adora.

But fate and family conspired against him.

“Cammy contrived to have us visit a nearby pet store that featured small dogs,” said Adora.

The store would let patrons visit with any dog for $2, and the Palmers were interested in the scruffy little Maltipoo. “For $2,” said Adora, “it was love at first sight.”

But when her husband said no, Adora mounted her own conspiracy. Their 47th wedding anniversary was coming up and he had forgotten it — so on that morning she presented him with a poem she had written.

“He felt horrible,” Adora said. “He looked at me and said, ‘I guess we’re going to the pet store.’”

In the end, the English-born Alan “fell totally in love” with the little dog, naming him after Winston Churchill, whom he deeply admired. And Adora and Winston started a busy life together.

Adora volunteers once a month in the Seton Medical Center Coastside gift shop, and she “got the dog authorized to be a volunteer as well,” with his positive effect on elderly or ill Seton residents. “Many patients who seldom smile break into a huge smile as they pet him,” Adora said.

Adora looks upon the little dog as her “connection to Alan,” who died in April 2014 — and who she has long since forgiven for forgetting their 47th.

“I was never so happy to have an anniversary forgotten.” she said. “It ended up getting me my little Winston.”

— Stacy Trevenon photo by Dean Coppola

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2015

We love your pet as much as you do.

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Half Moon Bay CELEBRATING THE COASTSIDE LIFESTYLE

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PO Box 3307, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 All work guaranteed for quality with LOWEST PRICE! FEBRUARY

2015

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49

Daytripper

The wide open Tunitas Creek Beach provides wonderful views.

Photo by Bill Murray / Review.

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PLACE TO GO New Leaf

Tunitas Creek Beach One of the most striking views on all of the Coastside is the view travelers get while heading northbound on Highway 1 just after San Gregorio. The road dips down and the sweeping vista of Tunitas Creek Beach appears. The shear cliffs rise directly out of the water forming a magnificent backdrop.

Alice’s Restaurant Tunitas Creek Beach

Be warned, however. There are no easy ways down. There are several trails that lead from the dirt parking area, but all are quite steep. One trail even has a rope to help guide the descent. Watch for poison oak and slippery conditions. This is a beach for adventure, not for coolers or barbecues. This is not a state park and there are no amenities. Do not leave any valuables in your car.

BILL MURRAY

If you are touring the coast, it is well worth a stop to enjoy the view. If you have more time, and are the advernturous sort, an exploration down to the sand will reward you with one of the most wide-open beaches in all of San Mateo County.

PLACE TO EAT

If you do manage to make your way to the beach, explore both ends. To the north, you’ll find the beautiful, tall cliffs that really give the visitor the sense that they are at the edge of the continent. To the south, the visitor will find a series of caves that can be explored at low tide.

The surf can be quite good at certain times of the year, but the access will limit the number of takers.

Be sure to pack up all your trash as there are no receptacles.

Scan here for a link to the Yelp reviews for Tunitas Creek Beach.

Alice’s Restaurant If your journey to Tunitas Creek Beach and the Coastside involves driving “over the hill,” consider taking the scenic route over Highway 84. It’s a long, twisty journey, but the views and majestic redwoods will keep you company. Time your journey to arrive at Skyline Boulevard near lunch time and stop in at the very popular Alice’s Restaurant for a burger or sandwich. Don’t be surprised to find a sea of motorcyclists join you. The two-wheelers are so prevalent they have an impact on the menu. Try the Kawasaki or Harley burger. The vintage building has a great patio for people watching while fueling up for your beach journey. On the corner of highways 84 and 35.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner. (650) 851-0303 FEBRUARY

2015

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BigShot

A watchful eye The radar towers at Pillar Point create a distinctive silouette above the harbor as a beautiful winter sunset lights up the sky. While most Coastsiders would have opted for more precipitation in January, the clear skies have made wonderful weather for outdoor activities on the coast. Dean Coppola / Review

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RealEstate RECENT SALE Address 848 Buena Vista Street, Moss Beach Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 2 Sale price $780,000

On Top of the World

This Moss Beach Highlands home sits above the rooftops and over the treetops with sweeping ocean views. The house features an open living area with vaulted ceilings and an expansive deck with two separate family rooms. Solar panels help keep utilities minimal. Fenced rear yard and extra parking for boat or RV, plus two-car garage. Many upgrades with granite, travertine, marble, and hardwood flooring. Close to beaches, parks, open space and walking trails, yet less than 30 minutes to San Francisco and the Peninsula.

Courtesy of Ara Croce, Intero Real Estate

H A L F M O O N B AY M A R K E T T R E N D S

Average home price

Median home price

Average price per sq. ft.

$1,337,960

$875,000

$465

Week ending Jan. 14

Oct.-Jan. 2015

Oct.-Jan. 2015

-.6%

+12.2%

+.4%

Week over week

Year over year

Year over year

TRULIA.COM MARKET TRENDS 55 4

Half

Moon

Bay

FEBRUARY

2015

RealEstate Select transactions Oct. 30 through Dec. 17, 2014 Seller

Property

Buyer

Amount

Pamela A. Moyce

423 Palma, El Granada

Robert and Jennie Zelis

$952,000

John S. and Pamela J. Taliaferro

356 Grove St., Half Moon Bay

Douglas J. and Marta A. Gardner

$760,000

Hsiue-Te and Change H. Tu

2221 Bayhill Court, Half Moon Bay

Basheer and Emiko Janjua

$1,900,000

Janet L. Kidd, trustee

433 Granelli Ave., Half Moon Bay

Daniel C. and Kristina D. Tomalesky

$720,000

Judith Wilson, et. al.

400-408 Redondo Beach, Half Moon Bay

Coastside Estates LLC

undisclosed amount

US Bank

321 Magellen Ave., Half Moon Bay

Trevor Seim

$1,134,000

Boston Private Bank and Trust, trustee

30 Pembroke Court, Half Moon Bay

Clyde E. Beffa Jr., trustee, et. al.

$589,000

Evelyn B. Plankinton, et. al., trustees

vacant land, Loma Mar

Peninsula Open Space Trust

undisclosed amount

Irvin C. and Sharon A. Blomquist, trustees

vacant land, Loma Mar

Peninsula Open Space Trust

undisclosed amount

Irvin C. and Sharon A. Blomquist, trustees

vacant land, Loma Mar

Peninsula Open Space Trust

undisclosed amount

Kevin E. and Kirsten E. Barron

168 Sixth Street, Montara

Dr. Linda S. and Earl Moss, trustees

$770,000

Gerald R. Straw

vacant land, Montara

Eraclio and Adriana N. Serrano

$1,500

Thomas J. and Lisa P. McCaffrey

374 El Granada Blvd., El Granada

Todd M. Cirissey

$1,225,000

Ronald E. Johnston and Wanda J. Johnston

106 Dolphine Ave., El Granada

Michael T. Ireland

$870,000

Carnoustie LLC

vacant land, Half Moon Bay

Jeffrey A. and Carrie G. Sims

$1,487,000

Jayne Kenyon, trustee

361 Eagle Trace Dr., Half Moon Bay

Lionhead Enterprises LLC

$1,300,000

Christine A. Hanson, trustee

27 Terrace Ave., Half Moon Bay

Orlando and Marissa B. Tabios

$1,499,000

Juliette Kulda • Realtor on the Half Moon Bay Coastside since 2003 • 2013 & 2014 Voted one of the Favorite Realtors on the Coast • Closed over $40 Million in Real Estate transactions in 2014

Lynnette Giusti

David Oliphant

• “She was a true maestro for us, always ensuring we were comfortable with decisions, and explaining the pros and cons in very simple language”

Top Producer serving the Coastside thru San Francisco. Recommendations and referrals are the core of my business and always greatly appreciated.

• “One of her assets is her intuitive ability to listen to your needs, financial limits, and emotional feelings”

Thank you for your continued support!

His integrity and genuine desire to help us realize our personal goals above his own is truly admirable.

David exceeded our expectations at every turn.

Choose him as your agent. You can thank us later!

— Stephen and Amanda Hill El Granada CA

Lisa Forward What are her clients saying about Lisa Forward?

• “Lisa is the agent to partner with when you want your real estate transaction to move forward”

Lic # 01949984

Move Forward with Lisa Forward

FEBRUARY

2015

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Select Coastside Real Estate transactions Oct. 30 through Dec. 17, 2014

Carolyn Shade “More Than a Shade Better” Carolyn has resided on the Coastside for the past 45+ years and has in depth knowledge of the coast as well as the peninsula. Whether you are a first time buyer or seller, downsizing or expanding, let Carolyn help you with all your Real Estate needs.

Lic # 01451449

SPECIALIZING IN COASTAL AND MID-PENINSULA CITIES: Half Moon Bay, El Granada, Moss Beach, Montara, Burlingame, Hillsborough,

Mary T. Lee

160 Medio Ave., Half Moon Bay

Thomas S. Martin

$1,150,000

Eileen E. Lepera, trustee

4100 Cabrillo Hwy No. 202. Half Moon Bay

Kelly H. Huber

$289,000

W.S. and Joan M. Wilson

157 Miramontes Ave., Half Moon Bay

Edward F. Jr. and Ruthie L. Fitzgerald

$1,790,000

Kate M. Ridgway

416 Casa Del Mar Dr., Half Moon Bay

Jorg and Kathrin I. Blumel

$875,000

Gary J. Arata, trustee

185 Verde Road, Half Moon Bay

Chris and Sunneva Gounalakis

$850,000

Patricia L. Brett, trustee

590 Miramar Dr., Half Moon Bay

William S. Wilson

$1,200,000

Jack Russo Jr. and Gregory G. Russo

vacant land, La Honda

Alliance for Revitalized Communities LLC

$23,500

James C. and Wendy L. McConachie, trustees

265 Cuesta Road, La Honda

Brandon A. and Charlotte R. Russell

$606,000

Andrew J. Geiser, Trustee

671 Franklin St., Montara

Jason E. and Kristeen C. N. Ament

$960,000

David and Joanne Shaw, trustees

40 Afar Way, Montara

Catarina Williams and Simon Olavarria

$2,850,000

Elizabeth A. Adler, ADM

100 Terrace Lane, Moss Beach

Seal Cove LLC

$1,730,000

Joel W. Le Maitre, trustee

523 Isabella Road, El Granada

Keaton C. McColloch

$775,000

Deborah M. Finch and Mark D. Finch

407 Almeria Ave., El Granada

Jacques Leibovits

$1,025,000

Matthew Biackberby

436 Grand Blvd., Half Moon Bay

Sherry C. and Vivek Shaker

$700,000

John A. and Donna l. McClung, trustees

488 Terrace Ave., Moss Beach

Mylah L. De La Rosa

$814,000

Mary E. McNesby

vacant land, Princeton

Jeffrey M. and Laura E. Critchfield

$304,000

Brian K. Donaldson, et. al.

vacant land, Half Moon Bay

Anthony R. and Sherri L. Taffera

$450,000

Brian A. Pianca; Claudia N. Pianca

vacant land, Half Moon Bay

Nils and Mary Moberg

$285,000

Ly B. Tran and Le-Mai T. Duong, trustees

133 Spyglass Lane, Half Moon Bay

Peter J. and Dorothy L. Rado, trustees

$2,825,000

Pennymac Corp.

25 Spyglass Court, Half Moon Bay

John M. and Nancy S. McGwire

$1,835,000

Mildred R. Golder, Trustee

76 Patrick Way, Half Moon Bay

Boston Private Bank and Trust Co.

$649,000

William F. Jr. and Ann M. Moreland

9 Le Havre Pl., Half Moon Bay

Michael P. and Lisa A. Murphy

$845,000

Chi-Shin Wang; Kai Y. L. Wang, co-trustees

135 Cypress Point Rd, Half Moon Bay

Sami Nawas, trustee

$1,570,000

Real Estate Financing I have over 20 years coastal lending experience. Call me today.

You will get straight talk, honest answers and the personal service you deserve. Our turn times are industry-leading, allowing us to close escrows in 30 days or less in most instances and often in as little as 14 days.

San Mateo, Belmont, San Carlos, Foster City, Redwood City, Redwood Shores

MORE THAN 27 YEARS EXPERIENCE SELLING REAL ESTATE

Your Coastal Home Loan Experts!

We are here to help with your mortgage so you can focus on what’s important in your life. Rediscover the value of homes with W.J. Bradley Mortgage Capital, LLC

SUSIE MONTGELAS CRS, SRES

Mike Ervin Branch Manager, Mortgage Loan Officer NMLS: 282715

Mobile: 650-766-8500 michael.ervin@wjbradley.com

Jennifer Castaneda Mortgage Loan Officer NMLS: 282904

Mobile: 650-270-4663

We can loan up to $850,000 with only 10% down! jennifer.castaneda@wjbradley.com

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Sandra Viana

Direct: 650.931.2026 Cell: 415.828.4530

Loan Officer Assistant Direct: 650-204-3316 sandra.viana@wjbradley.com

VETERANS: you may be eligible for $0 Down Payment Home Financing to $1,050,000!

Jennifer Mike Sandra • VA • 203(k) • FHA • USDA Conforming • Jumbo

smontgelas@apr.com www.SoldonPersonalService.com

© 2013 W.J. Bradley Mortgage Capital, LLC. 6465 Greenwood Plaza Blvd, Suite 500, Centennial, CO 80111 Phone #303-825-5670. NMLS ID 3233. Trade/service marks are the property of W.J. Bradley Mortgage Capital, LLC. This is not a commitment to lend. Restrictions apply. All rights reserved. Some products may not be available in all states.

WJB is not acting on behalf of or at the direction of HUD/FHA or the federal government. All Borrowers and properties securing Mortgage Loans must be approved by WJB. Loan terms subject to change without notice. Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act RML No. 4131002; NMLS consumer access: www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/EntityDetails.aspx/COMPANY/3233.

“SOLD ON PERSONAL SERVICE” Half

Moon

Bay

FEBRUARY

Mike Ervin

650-735-5261

Branch Manager, Mortgage Loan Officer NMLS: 282715 Mobile: 650-766-8500 Direct: 650-735-5261 michael.ervin@wjbradley.com 235 Rockaway Beach Ave. #4, Pacifica, 94044

It is my goal to make your Real Estate experience so special — you will refer a friend!

56

Conforming & Jumbo loans - 10-yr to 30yr fixed - low fixed & adjustable rates Conventional - VA - 203(k) - FHA - USDA 235 Rockaway Beach Ave. Suite 4, Pacifica CA 94044

2015

© 2014 W.J. Bradley Mortgage Capital, LLC. 6465 Greenwood Plaza Blvd, Suite 500, Centennial, CO 80111 Phone #303-825-5670. NMLS ID 3233. Trade/ service marks are the property of W.J. Bradley Mortgage Capital, LLC. This is not a commitment to lend. Restrictions apply. All rights reserved. Some products may not be available in all states. WJB is not acting on behalf of or at the direction of HUD/FHA or the federal government. All Borrowers and properties securing Mortgage Loans must be approved by WJB. Loan terms subject to change without notice. Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act RML No. 4131002; NMLS consumer access: www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/EntityDetails.aspx/COMPANY/3233.

The Coastside is filled with wonderful and unique places.

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HALF MOON BAY MAGAZINE IN RACKS, ONLINE AND IN THE PAPER

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2014

650.726.3355

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