Blackhawk Living CA November 2021

Mailed Directly to Blackhawk Residents and Published Online

NOVEMBER 2021

Blackhawk

LIVING CA

Meet the Suttons: Stan, Caren, Lisbet, Jenny and Michael Photo by Indigo Moments Photography

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NOVEMBER 2021

Table of Contents

Letter to Residents

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Expert Contributors List

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Meet the Suttons: Stan, Caren, Lisbet, Jenny and Michael Resident Feature

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ARF Adoption Stars Pet Corner

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Real Estate Statistics

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Calendar of Events

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What’s the difference between a buyers’ market and a sellers’ market?

Expert Contributor

14

Ken Behring Wine Appreciators Luncheon Wine, Food, Golf & Fun

15

Thank you for Supporting BWSF’s Barkin’ in Blackhawk Charity Spotlight

16

Tri-Valley Animal Rescue Pet Corner

18

The New Locanda Wine Bar in Livermore Local Food Scene

19

A Surprise Retirement Party for Loved Blackhawk Mail Carrier, Carl Reodica Fun in the community

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Hair for the Holidays Expert Contributor

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What is Futsal?

Local Sports

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High School Sports Update Local Sports

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Blackhawk Women’s Golf Newsletter Local Sports

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Blackhawk Women’s Golf Newsletter Local Sports

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Biking to Sausalito for the Blue Angels Junior reporter

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November Book Review Book Boot Camp

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The Resort at Couer d’Alene – World’s Only Floating Green Golf Destinations

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Movie Night at Tassajara Hills Elementary

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Now You Can Buy Before You Sell Expert Contributor

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Creamy Dipping Sauce with Prawns Let’s Get Cooking

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The Secret Ingredient is Always Chocolate Expert Contributor

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Livermore’s Henry’s A’s Car Club Cars and Coffee

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Season to sparkle-Diyas, lighting the world!

Life through a Lens

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The Holidays are Here – and ‘Tis the Season to Bling Up! Expert Contributor

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BLACKHAWK LIVING CA 3

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NOVEMBER 2021

Publication Team Publisher:

Jo Peek, Blackhawk Resident since 2014 Content Coordinator: Megan Scott Blackhawk Resident since 2010 Designer: Emily Lund Jo Peek

Contributing Photographer: Indigo Moments Photography

Advertising Contact: Jo Peek Email: JPeek@bestversionmedia.com

Feedback/Ideas/Submissions: Have feedback, ideas, or submissions? We are always happy to hear from you! Deadlines for submissions are the 10th of each month. Go to www.bestversionmedia.com and click “Submit Content.” You may also email your thoughts, ideas, and photos to: mscott@bestversionmedia.com.

Dear Neighbors, It’s the season of giving thanks and giving back, and we’re thrilled to be getting into the spirit. We are thrilled to give you the story of your neighbors, the Suttons. Stan and Caren traveled the world by boat while raising a young family. This is a family who loves adventure!

Of course, this time of year can be pretty stressful for some of us. If you feel the need to plan your next get away, Chuck Fox reviews The Resort at Couer d’Alene – World’s Only Floating Green.

Here’s to a generous season!

Any content, resident submissions, guest columns, advertisements and advertorials are not necessarily endorsed by or represent the views of Best Version Media (BVM) or any municipality, homeowners associations, businesses or organizations that this publication serves. BVM is not responsible for the reliability, suitability or timeliness of any content submitted. All content submitted is done so at the sole discretion of the submitting party. © 2021 Best Version Media. All rights reserved.

Megan Scott Resident since 2010 We are devoted to sharing stories, events and news among our neighbors in this wonderful community.

If you have a story, event or news to share please email me at mscott@bestversionmedia.com.

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BLACKHAWK LIVING CA 5

Expert Contributors

To learn more about becoming an expert contributor, contact Jo Peek at jpeek@bestversionmedia.com.

Auto Sales & Service Kerri Anderson Pleasanton Automall Kerri.Anderson@hendrickauto.com 925-737-5062

The Pleasanton Automall is a luxury automotive dealership housing the Acura and Lexus dealerships located in Pleasanton, CA. In addition to our flagships, we also carry a wide selection of quality pre-owned vehicles. We pride ourselves in offering a World Class experience to all of our guests. Visit us today or contact us online to experience the Pleasanton difference.

Dentist Dr. Larry Porteous DDS Larry Porteous Family Dentistry 925-736-9000

Porteous Family Dentistry- Larry Porteous DDS and Linda Porteous RDH have been serving the dental needs in the communities of Rodeo,Vallejo and Blackhawk/Danville for over 30 years.They are a full service practice, eliminating, in most cases, the need for referrals. Offering extended hours for your convenience. “Our practices are dedicated to treating and preventing dental diseases in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. We strive to give each person the same respect, concern and care we would expect as patients.

Catering Draeger’s Markets 650-244-6500 Social@draegers.com www.draegers.com

Draeger’s Market is a grocery store that offers fine foods, high quality meats and seafood, fresh and locally sourced produce, from scratch baked goods, over 3,000 of the world’s finest wines, and catering platters for special events.

Knowledgeable staff are ready to serve you, including the Director of Marketing, who has functioned as a journeyman grocery clerk, bakery clerk, beer and wine buyer and now spearheads marketing for the company.

Chiropractor Anatomy Power Wellness Dr. Tracey James 925-457-0210 HelloWellness@ProtonMail.com AnatomyPower.com

Dr. Tracey James joyfully serves as a chiropractor, doula and educator. She provides chiropractic care to individuals of all ages, specializing in pregnancy and pediatrics with over a decade of experience immersed in supporting families during their birth process and fertility journeys. Dr. Tracey graduated with honors from Life Chiropractic College West with further studies through the ICPA (International Chiropractic Pediatric Association) where she gained certification in the Webster Technique.

Cosmetic Surgery Stephen J. Ronan MD FACS Blackhawk Plastic Surgery and Migraine Center 925-736-5757 www.blackhawkplasticsurgery.com

Blackhawk Plastic Surgery has been offering their patients the highest quality cosmetic treatments in the Blackhawk area for more than 15 years. Now they are thrilled to introduce the Blackhawk Migraine Clinic led by migraine specialist, Alicia Choquette. Alicia brings over 5 years of migraine expertise to the Blackhawk Migraine Clinic and looks forward to helping patients live a better quality of life migraine free.

Dance The Dancer’s Institute Lacey Price 510-703-7630 https://www.thedancersinstitute.com/

We are a new dance school serving the San Ramon Valley area. We are striving to bring proper technique to students in a firm but friendly environment. We believe in fostering the passion to move in a dancer and creating an environment where that passion can grow and mature. Technique, creativity, passion and love are all elements of dance in which we want to see our students find success by taking class at our studio.

Education St. Isidore School 925-837-2977 www.stisidore.org info@stisidore.org

St. Isidore School is the East Bay’s largest Catholic School serving TK-8th Grade. We believe each student is a unique and beautiful gift. We foster individuality in a familial environment, inspiring students to explore and grow. Our teachers create a love of learning by nurturing an inquisitive spirit, building connections, and developing critical thinking. We understand that today’s learners are tomorrow’s leaders.

Home Maintenance Home Inspections Plus Mark Beck 925-240-0441 m.beck@localinspector.com www.localinspector.com

At Home Inspections Plus, we have two basic rules: client satisfaction and long-term relationships. With our many years of business experience and over 6,000 fee paid inspections, we believe after you try our service, you will gladly refer others to us and use us in the future. Realtor and consumer inquiries welcome!

Home Remodeling Ruggieri & Co Chris Ruggieri 925-263-2448 chris@ruggieriandco.com ruggieriandco.com

Chris Ruggieri is a skilled and premier residential contractor residing in Blackhawk and serving Contra Costa County.

Chris has the earned reputation of being both highly creative and original. Ruggieri & Co brings to each client experience, quality and originality. Having served Contra Costa County for over 25 years Chris has partnered with many of the top local designers in the East Bay. Chris approaches construction with a passion that strongly emphasizes communicating and understanding the wants and needs of his clients, in doing so he keeps design channels and creativity open and relevant until the fulfillment of the ultimate goal – a unique and excellent completed project.

HVAC & IAQ Awesome Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. Todd Rilston 925-989-7414 awesomeheatingandair@gmail.com www.awesomeheatingandair.com

Awesome Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. knows how important it is to make sure your business is comfortable for your employees and your customers. We are experienced in commercial sized HVAC. We can provide HVAC service contracts to make sure the air is healthy and comfortable. We do duct work and filtration and insure the best possible environment. We make sure to inspect and correct any issues. If you feel that your work environment is not right, give us a call today!

Find us online BlackhawkLivingCA www.BlackhawkLivingCA.com 6

NOVEMBER 2021

Expert Contributors

To learn more about becoming an expert contributor, contact Jo Peek at jpeek@bestversionmedia.com.

Insurance Roger Fernando State Farm Roger Fernando Agency 925-244-1700 roger@rogerfernando.com

Roger Fernando has been a State Farm Agent for 30 years, starting his insurance agency in 1988.

Roger and his team are fully licensed. We take pride in giving personal, exceptional service, in talking and listening to our clients about their insurance needs. Our mission has always been to consult with customers as their insurance needs change, protect their insurance for the risks of everyday life and help recover from the unexpected loss.

Jewelry, Diamonds & Timepieces Steve Padis Steve Padis Jewelry info@padisjewelry.com www.padisjewelry.com

Steve and Judy Padis own and operate Padis Jewelry, which has four locations in the San Francisco Bay Area. They founded the company in 1974 and are proud to have earned a reputation as one of the finest jewelers in San Francisco, serving generations of clients for their most precious moments in life, from engagement to anniversary to milestone gifts.

Padis Jewelry maintains top-tier relationships with the most sought-after designers including Tacori, Forevermark, Verragio, Breitling, Tag Heuer, and Roberto Coin. As members of the American Gem Society, Padis is among the top 5% of jewelers across the country.

Landscape Construction Design-Build Native Soil Inc Emmanuel Gomez 510-332-9048 egomez@nativesoilinc.com www.nativesoilinc.com

Emmanuel Gomez has a degree in Landscape Architecture from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and has been installing landscape since he was 12 years old. He is very passionate about Sustainable Landscape Practices and has worked for many years at perfecting his craft. Native Soil has been in business since 2015 and we have installed many Landscapes for High End Residential Homes, Schools, and Parks around the East Bay.

Luxury Real Estate Expert Keller Williams DRE # 01466776 Tiffany Stock 925-989-2138 TiffanyStock@kw.com www.TiffStock.com

Tiffany is a professional real estate negotiator, and is the #1 Top Producer at Keller Williams Danville. Tiffany is extremely creative; and has a great attitude. She has a lot of experience selling real estate in 4 states and even sold co-ops and condos in New York City. She has been in the Bay Area for the last 17 Years and has lived in Danville for the past 12 years.

Mortgage CrossCountry Mortgage LLC W. Todd Galde 925-854-5238 todd.galde@myccmortgage.com www.toddgalde.com

After more than 20 years, Todd Galde has mastered the process of helping borrowers with different income sources, matching the correct loan to their unique circumstances. We teach and advise, then we customize. A Direct Lender, Team Galde offers solutions with competitive rates and financing programs that give you more qualifying options, including the unique NINE Loan for owner-occupied purchase or refinance. Learn more at www.The9Loan.com.

Music: Soloist & Private Voice Lessons Elizabeth Hunter Ashley The Performance Studio 925-548-2694 Elizabeth@elizabethhunterashley.com www.elizabethhunterashley.com

Professional lyric coloratura soprano, Elizabeth has extensive experience as a soloist in oratorio, concert, musical theatre, sacred music, and new music. She performs nationally and internationally with renown conductors, orchestras, composers, international communities, and holds a myriad of national credits including MM degree. As the proprietor of her vocal music studio, she has taught 300+ private students from youth to mature adults offering them a sustainable vocal technique, biannual voice recitals which include philanthropic fund raisers, music connections in the community, performance preparation for high school top choirs, vocal competitions, college prep. recordings, pageant training. Elizabeth is a member of NATS, CCMTAC, an adjudicator for CMEA, and NATS.

Pool Service Jon Lubrano Atlantis Pools 925-736-0447 info@atlantispoolsdanville.com atlantispoolsdanville.com

Atlantis Pools Inc. is a family owned business that has been serving Contra Costa County for over 25 years. From pool repair, maintenance needs, remodels and updates, no job is too big or small for us. We take pride in the high quality service we give to each customer.

Residential Bridge Loans Rubicon Mortgage Fund, LLC Cesar Peña Senior Vice President / Director of Sales 925-239-6609 Cesar@Rubiconfund.net www.Rubiconfund.net

Cesar has been with Rubicon Mortgage Fund, LLC since 2013. Currently V.P. Director of Sales, Cesar is responsible for overseeing Rubicon’s loan originators and placing non-conventional financing for his clients throughout California.

Cesar received his B.A. degree in Business Administration from Cal State East Bay, Hayward, CA, focusing in Finance and Real Estate Management. Cesar serves on numerous real estate organizations located in the Bay Area. CA BRE #01984871.

Tree Service Trex Donovan Buena Vista Tree Service 415-531-1247 ntdonovan@yahoo.com www.buenavistatree.com Wealth Advisor WestPac Wealth Partners Phil Kang, CExPTM Henry Chau, CPWA® 925-350-6588 info@westpacwealth.com www.westpacwealth.com

Buena Vista Tree Service is committed to preserving our urban forests and environment. They recycle 100% of our green waste into a reusable landscaping product. Trex safely and efficiently handles all types of tree emergencies 24 hours a day to eliminate tree risks to people and property and significantly reduce your liability exposure.

Uniquely positioned to offer our clients access to one of the most comprehensive financial product platforms available today, Westpac envisions and enhances our clients’ goals by designing a customized strategy and creating a life map to achieve and protect their wealth.

BLACKHAWK LIVING CA 7

Resident Feature

Resident e F ature is proudly sponsored by uT cker Associates Real Estate

finally agreed to marry Stan, though he still warned her that he intended to sail around the world someday.

Meet the Suttons: Stan, Caren, Lisbet, Jenny and Michael

By Megan Scott, Resident since 2010

W

hile some of us dream of faraway exotic lands and of maybe one day sailing the tropical trade winds to reach them, there is one family whose dreams of romance and adventure became a reality.

The Suttons moved to Blackhawk 11-years-ago and have been using their home here as a “home port” ever since. Their odyssey began in 1967, when Caren (then 16-years-old) and Stan (then 18-years-old) met for their first date. Stan, whose lifelong dream was to sail around the world, romanced Caren with visions of tropical islands and wild adventures. When he turned 21-years-old, Stan talked Caren into hiking the length of the John Muir trail from Yosemite Valley to Mt. Whitney. Caren wasn’t sure what to think, but after 42 days, and some 250 miles of high altitude wilderness hiking, they completed their journey with a climb up Mt. Whitney.

Their adventures did not stop there. After Stan graduated with a Master’s degree in chemistry, they set off for a six-month camping tour of Europe. For Stan, it was running with the bulls in Pamplona and climbing in the Alps that were the highlights of the trip. For Caren, an art history major, it was a stop in every museum, monastery, cathedral or castle on the way that made the trip memorable.

Finally, after a courtship of seven years, which included parachuting, flying to faraway airports for a hamburger (Stan had earned his private pilot license) and wild ski runs down back country canyons, Caren

In 1974, Stan’s dream of sailing the world took hold as the Sutton Family began the arduous process of building a sailboat that would take them around the world. Novices to sailing and especially to boat building, they nonetheless put their life-savings into a lump of fiberglass and set up shop in Alameda to build their dream. Stan eventually quit full-time employment to become a boat builder, while Caren, whose salary could not be done without, continued to work as a secretary and then in her spare time became an assistant boat builder.

Weekends, nights, holidays, and virtually every bit of their spare time and dollars went into building their dream. Finally, after five years of struggle, “Marinka”, named after Stan’s grandmother, kissed saltwater for the first time with a Viking christening at the Island Yacht Club in Alameda. The next two years were spent preparing for departure and in March 1981, just three days before departure and after tons of victuals, spare parts, and essentials were loaded onto the boat, Caren found she was pregnant.

After years of striving for their dream, it was not something to be given up easily. And, after a moment of thought, it was quickly decided, that although they had planned to start a family upon their return, it was now evident that the family was going to have to join them on their voyage. That they had never been at sea on a boat didn’t seem to deter them.

This was not to be an ordinary voyage, and before long, extraordinary experiences beset the Suttons on their trip. After a trip down the west coast, and then a 2500-mile sail to Hawaii using celestial navigation, their first daughter, Lisbet, was born in Honolulu. When she was six months old, the Suttons felt confident enough to set sail for the South Pacific, where island after island with magical names like Fatu Hiva, Bora-Bora, Tongareva and Tahiti became the hunting grounds of Marinka.

Fast-forward two years on a beach in Vava’u Tonga, Caren was pregnant again. Fortunately, they heard of an opening for a high school physics and chemistry teacher in American Samoa, so the Suttons sailed to Pago Pago where Stan could work while awaiting the arrival of their second daughter, Jenny.

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When the school year ended, and Jenny was 4-months-old, Stan and his all-girl crew, set sail again on a circumnavigation that would eventually cover 58,000 ocean miles and 53 countries, returning to San Francisco in September 1989 after more than eight years at sea.

Not all of their experiences were idyllic. In their years at sea, they had at times to endure storms where waves of towering size, some taller than the masts on Marinka, threatened to capsize the boat and thoroughly terrified her crew. Other interesting experiences included being arrested as a spy in communist held Aden, Yemen. Also close encounters with sharks and giant manta rays, being chased by pirates in the straits of Malacca, among numerous other adventures.

Boredom and long ocean passages, some as long as 32 days, were part of the sailing life the Suttons had to endure, and to occupy the little ones at sea, the Suttons had the girls draw onto blank calendar squares pictures of whatever had been a special moment on that given day.

Rainbows, flying fish, starlit nights, sea turtles, sharks, and seabirds decorated these calendars. But it was one square that sticks in the memory of Marinka’s crew the most. It was the day Marinka was rammed by a whale, says Stan, “It was just turning dark and Marinka was some 20 miles past the last of the Galápagos Islands, on our final leg to Hawaii. Caren was in her bunk with Jenny trying to get her to sleep, and Elizabeth was on the head. Suddenly, there was a horrendous crash and sound of cracking and splintering wood. The boat, all 40,000 pounds of her, lifted out of the water and came crashing down to an abrupt halt, throwing Elizabeth off the head and planting my face straight down onto the chart table. Immediately, I opened floor hatches to see if the boat was taking on water and screamed to the girls to don life jackets. Thinking we had hit another boat, I went on deck where I heard a loud whoosh. At that moment I knew it was a whale. My heart still pounding, I ran below screaming to Caren, ‘I think we were

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rammed by a whale!’. She responded sympathetically, ‘Oooh, I hope she’s alright’. For a moment, I didn’t move or say anything ... Then I blurted, “f... the whale, we’re sinking’!” As it turned out, the boat didn’t sink, and they never found any evidence of damage on board.

But that moment is now seared into the family history.

After arriving home, Marinka turned into a mortgage with a lawn, and the next 30 years were spent growing the family and running a business. In 1991 another crew member was born, Michael, but it wasn’t until 2018 before Michael was to be initiated in the family sailing adventures.

After selling his business in 2018, Stan bought another boat in Trinidad. Finally dad and son, along with the eldest daughter, Lisbet, sailed the Caribbean and through the canal yet one more time. Stan ended up sailing another 13,000 sea miles on the Marinka2 to Tahiti and eventually Hawaii and home to San Francisco in 2020, but this time without Caren, who preferred to visit the family in foreign ports by way of a 747.

Now, after more than 54 years of romance and adventure, Caren and Stan, still deeply in love, have settled in for a more sedate life, taking care of their granddaughter, Ely, and having fun at car shows with the vintage cars that Stan plays with, and with Caren riding her horse four days a week.

Still, their days of romance and adventure are not quite over. Stan has quietly spoken of plans to circumnavigate the arctic by sail one day … Caren still thinks he’s just talking.

Do you know a neighbor who has a story to share? Nominate your neighbor to be featured in one of our upcoming issues! Contact us at mscott@bestversionmedia.com.

BLACKHAWK LIVING CA 9

Pet Corner

ARF Adoption Stars

Doctor

Sweet

By Cole Kuiper, ARF Looking for a furry friend during this trying time? Good news — ARF is offering a virtual adoption process! If you see an animal you’re interested in on our website, just fill out an online inquiry form. Once your inquiry has been received, you will be added to our virtual adoption queue.

Meet your forever friend at Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek, during adoption hours: Noon to 6 pm Wednesday & Thursday, Noon to 7 pm Friday, and Noon to 6 pm Saturday & Sunday.

Two-year-old Doctor is a handsome, charming and smart lad. He enjoys hanging out with people and is polite on leash. Doctor would be delighted to be your hiking partner for fun and exploration or join you for a game of fetch followed by some power cuddling. This pup loves to chase the frisbee, already knows sit and shake, and would love to join a training class where he can earn treats for learning new tricks. Doctor has a positive history with other dogs and currently weighs 89 pounds.

Would you like to be part of the heroic team that saves the lives of rescued dogs and cats? Can you share your talents to connect people and animals? ARF volunteers are making a difference! For more information see our website, www.arflife.org, or call (925) 256-1ARF.

ARF adoption fees: $250 for an adult dog, $350 for a puppy (<6 months), $125 for a special- needs dog, $175 for a special-needs puppy (<6 months), and $125 for a senior dog (7+ years).

Eighteen-week-old Sweet is ready to find a loving home! She might need some extra time to feel settled and would do well with a patient adopter who can help her build confidence. To help with a kitten’s socialization and enrichment, we suggest you consider adopting kittens in pairs if there are currently no other cats in your home.

Perhaps you’d like to adopt her along with her littermate Mesquite?

ARF Adoption fees: $100 for an adult cat, $150 for a kitten (<6 months), $150 for two adult cats, $250 for two kittens, $50 for a special-needs cat, $75 for a special-needs kitten (<6 months), and $50 for a senior cat (7+ years).

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Estate Planning

As seen on

Asset Protection Community Value/Contribution

$1.8 BILLION1 ASSETS ADMINISTERED

$138M

ANNUAL RECURRING PREMIUM

31 THOUSAND CLIENTS

$59M

INCOME PROTECTION IN FORCE

$16M

$15B

LIFE INS. COVERAGE IN FORCE

ANNUAL LIFE DIVIDENDS

160

ADVISORS

Phil Kang, CExP™ Henry Chau, CPWA® Phone: 925.350.6588 Email: info@westpacwealth.com Phil Kang & Henry Chau are Registered Representatives and Financial Advisors of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS).

OSJ: 4275 Executive Square #800 La Jolla, CA 92037 619.684.6400. Securities products and advisory services offered through PAS, member FINRA, SIPC. Kang is a General Agent and Chau a Financial Representative of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. WestPac Wealth Partners, LLC is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian. Insurance products offered through WestPac Wealth Partners and Insurance Services, LLC, a DBA of WestPac Wealth Partners, LLC. Kang CA Insurance License #0G18874| Chau CA Insurance License #0I21767 | Guardian, its subsidiaries, agents,

1 Assets Administered by agency, represents in-force for life ins., disability income ins. LTC ins and assets held in retirement, brokerage, and advisory accounts as of 12/31/20. The values provided should not be used in making a determination on the quality of services provided by representatives of this agency. WestPac Wealth Partners is not registered in any state or with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as a Registered Investment Advisor.

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and employees do not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. Consult your tax, legal, or accounting professional regarding your individual situation. | 2021-119487 Exp. 04/23

NOVEMBER 2021

Real Estate

Real Estate is proudly sponsored by Michelle Nagle

ACTIVE BLACKHAWK LISTINGS 10/10/2021

CLOSED BLACKHAWK SOLDS SINCE 9/10/2021

Street

List Price

Street

Sold Price

Sq.Ft. BR FBA PBA

Eagle Valley Way Blue Spruce Dr Blackhawk Dr Oakridge Court Blackhawk Club Dr Bent Oak Pl Eagle Ridge Dr East Ridge Ct Willow Creek Ln Blackhawk Meadow Dr

$1,650,000 $2,495,000 $3,600,000 $3,999,500 $4,299,000 $4,495,000 $4,500,000 $4,688,800 $5,888,888 $9,999,500

Silver Oak Ln Silver Oak Pl Redwood Dr Whispering Oaks Ln Blue Spruce Dr Buttonwood Dr Birchbark Pl Cottonwood Dr Live Oak Dr Eagle Nest Ln Eagle Nest Ln Silver Maple Dr Red Alder Ct Deer Meadow Dr Blackhawk Drive Deer Ridge Rd Hidden Oak Dr Quail Walk Ct

$1,205,000 $1,230,000 $1,570,000 $1,750,000 $1,950,000 $1,950,000 $2,050,000 $2,100,000 $2,160,000 $2,200,000 $2,210,000 $2,225,000 $2,574,000 $2,600,000 $2,800,000 $3,071,250 $3,750,000 $5,312,500

1869 1869 2815 2772 3060 2702 3118 3531 2985 3722 3807 2604 4107 3387 3835 3711 4977 8325

Sq.Ft. BR FBA PBA 2782 3763 6098 4523 4806 5000 7010 7172 7000 10075

4 4 5 5 5 5 4 5 6 5

3 3 4 4 4 5 4 5 6 5

0 0 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 0

Best Version Media does not guarantee the accuracy of the statistical data on this page. The data does not represent the listings of any one agent or agency but represents the activity of the real estate community in the area.

Any real estate agent’s ad appearing in the magazine is separate from the statistical data provided which is in no way a part of their advertisement.

3 3 3 5 4 4 3 4 3 5 4 4 5 4 5 5 4 5

2 2 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 4 3 2 3 3 4 3 3 5

1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 3

Source: BridgeMLS 10/10/2021

Michelle Nagle is Proudly Representing your Community!

Experience - Service - Integrity - Results!

We are the largest, independently owned and operated real estate company serving Northern California communities.

13 Offices and 500 agents producing nearly 5 Billion in annual sales volume.

Ranked among the top five in the nation for both per agent productivity and highest average sales price.

Agent driven 1% For Good Charitable Foundation has generated over $3.4 million in charitable donations.

Silicon Valley | SF Peninsula | East Bay | Santa Cruz | Tahoe

• 20 + Years of Real Estate Experience • UC Berkeley Graduate, Licensed Real Estate Broker & Proud Mother!

• I work, volunteer and live as friends among friends in your community • Experienced Negotiation Skills to serve my client’s best interests • Extensive use of Technology based resources and Marketing • Your Real Estate Transaction will be handled with the utmost diligence and personal care!

• Excellence, Service and Results

Michelle Nagle | 925.872.1478 mnagle@sereno.com NagleNagle.com DRE 01261283 Thinking of buying or selling a home in 2021?

Call Me Today!

BLACKHAWK LIVING CA 11

November

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Sat., Nov. 6 Autumn Crush Food and Wine Faire @Blackhawk Country Club Open to club members only.

Time: 6-9pm

small businesses. American Express rewards their customers for purchases on their American Express card at any small business on this day.

Time: 12-3pm

Sat., Nov. 6 Impressions Of Light Artist Reception

2nd Thursday of each month Widow Support And Social Group

@Village Theatre Art Gallery Featuring the artwork of Middle School Art Students from the San Ramon Valley Unified School District include Charlotte Wood, Diablo Vista, Iron Horse, Los Cerros, Pine Valley, Stone Valley, and Windemere Ranch.

An Artist Reception will be held on Saturday, November 6, 2021, from 4:00-6:00 p.m.

For more information, call the Village Theatre Art Gallery at 925-314-3467 or email artgallery@danville.ca.gov

Fri., Nov. 26 Lighting of Old Oak Tree

@Diablo Road Make memories with your loved ones at Danville’s annual tree lighting ceremony.

Watch as Father Christmas and the Snow Angel sprinkle a little magic dust on the old oak tree and bring it to light. Warm feelings will quickly quell the cool air as local choral groups provide musical accompaniment and neighborhood businesses pass out hot beverages. Want to keep the magic going?

Stroll downtown and enjoy refreshments, entertainment, and holiday shopping through the festively decorated streets.

Time: 5:15-8:30pm Cost: Free

Sat., Nov. 27 Small Business Saturdays

@Danville Livery This is a nationally promoted event that encourages shoppers to support

@ Lakeside Boardroom, 599 Blackhawk Club Drive Danville. TOPICS INCLUDE: Dealing with stress. Staying healthy.

Making new friends. Enjoying your life and having more fun. Optional no-host lunch at Lakeside Clubhouse Grille. Elevator available. Chair: Ann Taylor. Please contact Ann at 925-838-5556 or anntaylor007@ comcast.net. All widows are welcome.

NO CHARGE FOR MEETINGS. Next two meetings are Nov. 14th and Dec.11th.

Time: 10:15-11:45am

Every Monday During Football Season Football at The Falls FOOD STATIONS 5:00PM THROUGH 3RD QUARTER RAFFLE AT HALF TIME NO HOST BAR OPENS ONE HOUR BEFORE GAME START ADMISSION: ADULTS $25++ KIDS 11 & UNDER $14

Every Monday Tips for Change Community Fundraising Events

@Gianni’s Italian Bistro Gianni’s Italian Bistro opens up their restaurant to support our local non-profit community. Tips for Change is a fun and unique way for local charity organizations to raise much needed funds. Volunteers and supporters of local non-profits suit up and become your servers for the evening with

12

all tips and 10% of sales going to support their organization. This event occurs most Monday evenings between 5 and 8pm and is open to the public. Reservations required.

More information at www. giannissanramon.com

Every Saturday Farmers’ Market

@Railroad Ave. Municipal Parking Lot - Downtown Get the freshest seasonal fare at the Danville Certified Farmers’ Market.

You’ll find fruits and vegetables direct from local farmers, along with fresh-cut flowers, bedding plants, fresh breads, and delicious specialty food items you can eat in the market or take with you to enjoy at home. It’s the perfect place to stock up for the week, or shop al fresco while socializing with friends. This event is located at Railroad & Prospect Avenues and offers free parking in the adjacent lot.

Time: 9am-1pm More information at www.pcfma.com

Save the date: Fri., Dec. 10 Tree of Lights

@online Blackhawk Homeowners Association and Hospice East Bay are proud to be celebrating our 35th annual Tree of Lights!

For 35 years, our yearly ceremony has help provided a way for families and friends to honor their loved ones and make it possible to find solace in the symbolism of light as the names of their loved ones are read. This year’s Tree of Lights ceremonies will be held via zoom at 5 pm. Zoom information will be provided closer to the event.

Time: 5pm

NOVEMBER 2021

Experience the Difference at The Reutlinger Community

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Experience our community and meet our care staff today!

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BLACKHAWK LIVING CA 13

Expert Contributor

What’s The Difference Between A

Buyers’ Market And A Sellers’ Market?

By Tiffany Stock, Real Estate Broker, Keller Williams

A

buyers’ market is when demand for homes decreases and there are more homes (supply) for sale than there are buyers (demand) for those homes.

Oddly enough in different neighborhoods demand can be less or greater than other neighborhoods within the same city. So, a buyers’ market and sellers’ market can occur at the same time in the same city just with in two different areas.

In Danville generally there is more demand for homes closer to the freeway, but not so close you can hear it. Less buyers moving here want to drive all the way down Camino Tassajara when they can shave time off the commute to live in the neighborhoods closer to downtown.

A sellers’ market is the opposite of a buyers’ market. A sellers’ market is when there are not enough homes for sale as there are buyers shopping for those homes. The demand (buyers) is greater than the supply (homes for sale). A sellers’ market is a great time to sell your home, because you should be able to get top dollar, and in times such as now, get over appraised value.

How do you know if it’s a Buyer’s or Seller’s Market?

The market changes just as the seasons do, and it has a lot to do with school timing as well. Families want to get in before school starts and not disturb their kids in school moving and changing schools mid year. So generally, you’ll find summer is when most people buy and sell. There are a lot more homes for sale in the summer months. There are two things you should look at to understand if it’s a sellers’ or buyers’ market.

First: look at the inventory, in winter months inventory is down, so it looks like a better selling season, but hold on….

The next thing you look at is demand. How do you know how many buyers are in the market? Excellent question, call a professional such as myself and we will show you! Once you know how many real buyers are searching for a home like yours and you know how many homes there are that fit that need, then you can determine whether it’s a buyers’ market or sellers’ market for you and your home.

Real estate professionals call it “absorption rate”; we look at how many months of inventory we have based on how many homes are selling monthly. Generally anything less than 2 months of inventory is a sellers’ market. If you want to know more about your home’s value, call me! I can do a free market analysis and let you know what your home will sell for in the current market.

14

NOVEMBER 2021

Wine, Food, Golf & Fun

Ken Behring Wine Appreciators Luncheon

By Mike L. McColgan, Resident since 1990

R

ecently a wine appreciation luncheon was held at Blackhawk founder Ken Behring’s favorite lunch and dinner table in the Lakeside dining room.

Special thanks to Chef Miguel, Tony Giovanzana, Jessica and Ono for pairing some great food with some fantastic wines.

Wine Appreciators Jeff Behring, Mike L. McColgan, David Behring and Tony Giovanzana enjoyed this sensational 2 hour, 4 course luncheon.

The first entry was Day Boat Scallop with Lemon Risotto paired with a 2017 Joseph Drouhin Puligny Montrachet and a 2017 Grgich Hills Chardonnay that was spectacular.

Course two was Grilled Rainbow Trout with Bacon Green Beans and Farro. It was perfectly paired with a 2016 Sea Smoke Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir Ten and a 2014 Domaine des Beaumont Morley St Denis Les Millandes.

The next course was Orecchiette Ragu Alla Bolognese with Shaved Pecorino. It was paired with 2016 Gianni Brunelli Amor Constante IGT and a 2012 IL Poggione Brunello di Montalcino that was presented picture perfect.

The final course was Sliced New York, Pan Seared Onions and Mushrooms Truffle Potato Gratin. It was paired with a 2015 Chateau Leoville Barton St. Julien and

a 2016 Bulgeroni Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. This was a fitting ending to a very special day.

It was also a clear sunny day sitting at Ken’s favorite table overlooking the Signature 18th Lakeside hole. It was very interesting to listen to David Behring talk about Ken’s great vision to create this golf hole exactly how it is today when they walked around this property in the 70’s. Ken’s clear vision of the future was key to his great success in his busy life.

The luncheon was so much fun that we are planning another one featuring wines from Spain, Chile and Portugal.

BLACKHAWK LIVING CA 15

Charity Spotlight

Thank you for Supporting

BWSF’s Barkin’ in Blackhawk

By Judy Slinger, Resident since 2011

Y

ou helped our Scholarship Fund raise $7,000 in donations – enough to award college scholarships for two deserving young ladies!

Category Winners for 2021 My Best Friend Murphy We adopted Murphy from NorCal Poodle Rescue. A 12-pound golden doodle, he is 6 years old and a real love bug. He wants to sit on my lap or play all day long.

Waggiest Tail Cooper Cooper is a 9-yearold Maltipoo, who doesn’t know he is a dog. He can be very shy at first but once he gets to know you.... it’s belly rub time!

Bow Wow and Meow Sheriff Bullock and Maximillion Sheriff Bullock is a little over a year old, and is an AKC registered Labrador retriever.

His coloring is very unusual and he is called a Black and Tan (due to a recessive gene there were 3 in his litter- both parents are black). He is unique but is ineligible for the show ring due to his color. The kitten, Maximillion, is 3 months old and we recently adopted this sweet boy from the Humane Society in Contra Costa. They are becoming the BEST of friends.

Golden Oldie Matilda Mattie rescued us 12 yrs. ago and is still saving us from squirrels. She loves treats and hanging with her friends. She knows many words except: No! Wait! Stop! Don’t roll in that/eat that! She never gets on the

16

furniture (while we’re home) and is toxic if fed cheese. I hope she wins a prize because she’s truly a Bad Ass Champion.

Captivating Costume Peeky Peeky was picked up wandering the streets of San Leandro and was brought to the shelter in Dublin. When I saw him, he had JUST arrived. There was no option to hold him or play with him. I could only view him in his cage from a distance and make a decision. I was told to come back the next day because there would be a lottery, as there was so much interest in him. The full story is available upon request… and it’s a doozy! The next day, he had his necessary shots and came home with me. He is the perfect dog. He loves running on the beach (running everywhere, really) and playing with other dogs. He also loves hanging out on the patio of any restaurant.

Dynamic Doggie Duo Spencer & Finley Spencer is our beloved rescue dog from Okinawa, Japan.

Finley is our granddog (our daughter Paige’s dog).

They are very different in size, age and energy levels but have a great time together. We are blessed to have them in our life!

NOVEMBER 2021

Precious Puppy Rusty Rusty was delivered to our home on Valentine’s Day. She was born on December 13 and shares her birthday with CoCo our sweet boy who crossed over the Rainbow Bridge January 2nd. Rusty loves power walks in the morning and meeting and playing with all the pups on our green belt. She also loves her toys that her Fairy Godmothers and best buddy Peekie gave to her. She loves her trainer Jayne and has been an exceptional student and we are very proud of her. She follows us everywhere and loves to take naps with her Daddy. Needless to say she is an absolute sweetheart and we feel so blessed to have her in our lives.

Fabulous Fella Nugget Nugget is my buddy Stan’s dog whom I get to take care of when he’s out of town. This affectionate little rescue is 5 years old.

His huge ears remind me of Yoda and indeed he is a wise and learned creature. Nugget knows how to sit, lay down, “chill” which means lay on his side, roll over, “middle” which means he will come and sit directly underneath you between your legs, and “leg” which means he will circle around your leg from the middle position. He doesn’t know the alphabet yet, but that’s probably coming. Truly a Fabulous little Fella!

Lovely Lady Kona Kona is a sassy mini aussidoodle full of personality and energy who loves to play fetch

and roll around on the grass. She lives in San Francisco and enjoys sitting with her parents at restaurants and hanging out at parks to get attention from other humans and dogs. Blackhawk is her favorite place to visit since her grandparents live there and provide endless space for her to run, swim and watch golfers. Kona hopes that her fetching skills transfer well to golf. To see more about Kona, follow her along on Instagram @kona.theaussiedood.

Thank you for participating in our 2nd annual virtual dog show fundraiser! Watch for our 3rd annual 2022 Show scheduled to begin on National Dog Day – Friday, August 29, 2022 Blackhawk Scholarship Fund for Women is a 501c(3) non-profit organization.

Check out the wonderful things we are doing at: www.bwscholarshipfund.com

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BLACKHAWK LIVING CA 17

Pet Corner

Tri-Valley Animal Rescue

By Janine Collins, Blackhawk resident since 1999

Annie - Dog Program At T var

Meet Annie, a senior German shepherd mix who has been a wonderful companion for her foster family.

Even though she’s 9 years old – she loves to hike and walk and rides well in the car, traveling to Yosemite Valley most every weekend.

Annie is totally housebroken and always sleeps through the night. She loves to play with toys and will gather a mouthful of 1,2, or even 3 of her favorite toys for you to play with her. We rescued Annie after her family surrendered her to the local shelter and once in foster, we provided necessary hernia repair surgery.

TVAR gives deserving animals like Annie (who because she is a senior had been passed over) another chance by taking them into foster care. All TVAR dogs live in foster homes until adopted. Foster families get to know each dog’s personality and needs in a home setting - allowing TVAR to find the right match so dogs and adopters thrive!

local volunteers. At TVAR, we rely solely on Public Support to fund our life saving programs.

All TVAR’s foster animals go directly from the local Animal Shelter into foster homes where they receive much needed love and socialization and where they are kept until adopted.

We also have an invaluable Shelter Program where our volunteers spend countless hours every day at the local shelter working with the Dogs, Puppies, Cats and Kittens and the Public.

For more information see our website: www.tvar.org

Shelby- Kitten Program At T var Shelby is a 7 month old female kitten whose purrs rumble in your hands like the car she was named after.

She is an affectionate and loving dilute tortieshell (a kitten that comes with the popular doublecolored diluted coat pattern) who wants to spend her mornings giving you loving and soft eyes.

Shelby is ready to warm up her future forever home that she joins and fill the family’s heart.

TVAR’s kitten and bottle baby programs rescue kittens - some only days old - who are unable to be adopted from the shelter and place them in foster homes where they receive medical care, love and a home setting until they are healthy, able to be spayed or neutered and ready for their forever homes.

Tri-Valley Animal Rescue (TVAR) Giving them Another Chance

TVAR is a locally based and volunteer run 501(c)3 animal rescue organization. We assist in saving over 1,000 animals yearly in the Tri-Valley and surrounding areas. We are celebrating just short of 30 years of saving lives with over 250 18

NOVEMBER 2021

Local Food Scene

The New Locanda Wine Bar in Livermore

By Megan Scott, Resident Since 2010

W

e love supporting local businesses and are thrilled to share the new Locanda Wine Bar in Livermore.

Owned by Enzo Rosano and the team behind Danville’s much-loved Locanda Ravello, Locanda Wine Bar is the perfect place for a special celebration or ladies lunch.

I gathered a few friends for an afternoon sitting under the umbrellas, enjoying delicious appetizers and mouth-watering cocktails.

The service at Locanda Wine Bar was outstanding. We were made to feel as though we were the only ones at the crowded restaurant. The decor is delightful, and it’s the perfect way to spend an afternoon in Livermore.

Danville and Livermore are lucky to have the Locanda team who share their culinary gifts with the community.

BLACKHAWK LIVING CA 19

Fun in the community

A Surprise Retirement Party for Loved Blackhawk Mail Carrier, Carl Reodica

By Megan Scott, Resident Since 2010

T

he Fox Creek neighbors through a surprise party for their dedicated mail carrier of many years, Carl Reodica. Carl is retiring and to honor his many years of postal and military service, the Fox Creek community gathered to celebrate him.

They decorated every mailbox on the street, and each neighbor left a card and gift for Carl in their mailbox.

The neighborhood gathered to cheer for him as he entered the community to deliver the mail.

As a member of the Fox Creek neighborhood, Carl greeted my husband and I when we moved in 11 years ago and has smiled and shared stories with us most days since then. He shared our excitement when we had our first child and has watched him grow up. The kindness Carl has shown us over the years is one of the many reasons we love our Blackhawk community. We wish Carl a beautiful retirement.

20

NOVEMBER 2021

Hair for the Holidays

Expert Contributor

By Dr. Stephen J. Ronan, MD FACS

H

air loss should not be something that haunts you every time you look in the mirror. This is especially true during the holiday season when we typically see more family, colleagues and friends than any other time of the year. The good news is the science of hair restoration has evolved significantly over the last several years and now there are many new and innovative technologies, treatments and procedures.

At our Blackhawk Hair Restoration practice, we specialize in being able to offer men and women a variety of treatment options depending on what stage and type of hair loss they are experiencing. Our specialized hair restoration team has over 50 years combined experience treating a wide range of hair loss disorders and aesthetics. We pride ourselves in delivering the absolute best care and results so patients can have a good hair day, every day of the year.

(PRP) has also helped many of our patients achieve their goals without the need for hair transplants.

Just in the last few years there have been many dramatic improvements in hair transplant procedures. When I was a resident in medical school, I said I would never do a hair restoration procedure on myself because I thought the results were terrible.

But now, with new advances and technologies, I believe in our hair restoration procedures so much, that I did one to myself recently and absolutely love the natural looking results.

Our hair restoration team consistently stays on top of and secures the latest advances in technology. That’s why we’ve grown to be one of California’s largest and most advanced facilities in Northern California. We are also an advisor to companies who design hair restoration technologies and products, and a certified training center for other hair restoration doctors and practices throughout the United States.

We currently offer technologically advanced procedures such as the latest ARTAS® Robotic Hair Transplantation IX (one of only a the few in the Bay Area), the latest NeoGraft capabilities, FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction), FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) hair transplantation, as well as high-definition diagnostic hair analysis. Our unique Blackhawk HairMAXX protocol (medical microneedling) and platelet-rich plasma hair growth therapy

If you are interested in learning more about our various surgical and non-surgical hair treatments and procedures, please contact us at either 800-GOT-HAIR (468-4247) or 925-736-5757 to schedule a free, no-obligation hair consultation.

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We look forward to hearing from you… and helping many of you get more hair for the holidays!

BLACKHAWK LIVING CA 21

Happy Thanksgiving.

May the warm glow of autumn surround you as you celebrate the holiday with family & friends!

41

$120M+

1

Homes Sold YTD in Blackhawk

Sales Volume YTD in Blackhawk

Home Sold Every Week in Blackhawk

81

$205M+

2

Total Homes Sold YTD

Total Sales Volume YTD

Homes Sold Every Week *YTD Through October 8, 2021

Celebrating 36 years of business.

Our Compass Blackhawk Office at 3840 Blackhawk Road Suite 100 Danville, CA 94506 22

Joujou Chawla chawlarealestate.com 510.406.4836 joujou.chawla@chawlarealestate.com

DRE 00890002 NOVEMBER 2021

#1

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Lifetime Sales

Lifetime Homes

Years of Real

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Value

Sold in Blackhawk

Estate Experience

Blackhawk

•

$4,688,800

Blackhawk

16 East Ridge Court

•

$2,648,800

3015 Deer Meadow Drive

NEW + PENDING

ACTIVE

5 Bed 5.5 Bath 16eridgect.com Blackhawk

•

7,172 Sq Ft

0.62 Acres

5 Bed 3.5 Bath 3,800 Sq Ft 3015deermeadowdr.com

*LP: $3,498,800

Blackhawk

3279 Blackhawk Meadow Drive

•

0.50 Acres

*LP: $2,865,800

5005 Blackhawk Drive PENDING

6 Bed 6.5 Bath 7,012 Sq Ft Represented Seller

Blackhawk

•

0.75 Acres

*SP: $3,071,250

4455 Deer Ridge Road

5 Bed 3.5 Bath 3,711 Sq Ft Represented Seller

5 Bed 5.5 Bath 4,700 Sq Ft 0.48 Acres 5005blackhawkdr.com

Blackhawk SOLD $360K+ OVER *LP

0.38 Acres

PENDING

•

Blackhawk

*SP: $2,800,000

5106 Blackhawk Drive

SOLD $200K+ OVER *LP

5 Bed 4 Bath 3,835 Sq Ft 0.50 Acres Represented Buyer & Seller - Off Market

•

*SP :$1,570,000

887 Redwood Drive SOLD

3 Bed 2.5 Bath 2,815 Sq Ft Represented Buyer & Seller

0.12 Acres

*LP = List Price *SP = Sold Price Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01527235. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate.

BLACKHAWK LIVING CA 23

Local Sports

What is Futsal?

By Richard Northing - President, Mustang Soccer Board of Directors

What is Futsal?

Futsal is a variant of soccer that is played on a smaller playing surface and mainly played indoors. Its name is derived from the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón (and colloquially fútbol sala), which can be translated as “hall football.” During the sport’s second world championships held in Madrid in 1985, the name fútbol de salón was used. Since then, all other names have been officially and internationally changed to futsal. Futsal helps with the development of soccer skills and helps with soccer technique as well as ball control and passing in small spaces.

We are excited to offer Fall Futsal Open Gym sessions on Saturdays or Sundays, November 6th -December 18th at the San Ramon Valley United Methodist Church gym. This short session will be great for those who missed out on the soccer season or who would like to continue to develop their skills.The sessions will be run by Oscar Antezana and Justin Lola. For more information and to register, please go to our website, mustangsoccer.com, under Programs, go to Open Futsal.

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• • • •

Available Saturday evenings OR Sundays afternoons Open Gym Format Available for the U6-U11 (2016 - 2011 birth year age groups) Masks are required

more local sports articles just like this on BVMSports.com

24

NOVEMBER 2021

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BLACKHAWK LIVING CA 25

Local Sports

High School Sports Update

By Ricky Helton, Resident since 2004

Devitt Dyllan ing shredd Liberty

5-0 Monte Vista Mustangs!

Let’s just start there, shall we...

Rocco Schramm pregame

Offense is led by QB Dyllan Devitt who has seen his struggles as QB going 0-5 in the previous season, but the growth of this young man’s game has risen.

You better bring your A game when playing MVHS. Devitt can run and pass, which put more pressure on the defense, but he doesn’t have to do it all. He has many weapons to choose from like Rocco Schramm who can really run the rock, and his stiff arm can make defenses look foolish, at times.

Speaking about the other side of the ball on defense, you can’t speak enough about Nick Struempf’s game. He dominates the opposing team’s offensive line. He’s fun to watch.

So back to being 5-0...

Nick Struempf getting to the QB

A few plays of Cole Boscia

It equals one thing: #WeNotMe! The Mustangs are playing as one. I may have highlighted a few players above, but these players probably would agree with me in saying it takes a team to be 5-0 and a good coaching staff.

Let’s enjoy the journey and see where it leads.

I’ve been a resident of Danville since 2004.

My wife and I have a daughter at Stone Valley Middle School and a son who is a Senior at Monte Vista. My wife, Grace, is a San Ramon High School alumni. I do sideline photography for Niners Nation and I love to capture sports and action.

Most importantly, I love our community and I like to capture its awesome moments. More photos from other sports in our area can also be seen at my Facebook page RickyHeltonPhotography

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26

NOVEMBER 2021

BLACKHAWK LIVING CA 27

Local Sports

Blackhawk Women’s Golf Newsletter

By Janice Lind, Resident since 1989

I

t’s time to pack up that blender and pick up your pumpkin spiced latte cause the leaves are falling and autumn golf is calling! Your BWGA web site calendar is the place to go to check out the end of year organized golf plus social activities.

Flight B Low Gross – Nancy Lisiak – 95 Low Net – Lynn Prakash – 75

Flight C Low Gross – Sandra Ingwers – 104 Our 2nd to last Charm Day was on September 23rd at Low Net – Aly Baker/Judy Ma 78 our beautifully maintained Falls course. These are the Flight D ladies that played it the best: Low Gross - Jayne Tizzano – 110 Low Net – Julia Leng – 82 Overall Low Gross – Nicole Barger – 90 Overall Low Net – Denise Mallozzi – 74 On September 27th, our very own Diablo Valley Team Play squad participated in the invitationFlight A only Central Bay League Championship at Low Gross – Lydia Shell – 76 Cinnabar Hills golf club in San Jose. They were Low Net – Anna Li – 71 pitted against the best of the best. They experienced last minute line-up changes, no time for warm ups and

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28

NOVEMBER 2021

very windy conditions. But this was BWGA’s equivalent of “The Catch”. Our ladies managed, even with injuries to best their rivals by 2 strokes scoring a team total of 324 points! We thank each one of the ladies who represented Blackhawk all season long. A special nod to the group of eight who brought home the Central Bay trophy: Flight A – Lydia Shell and Lisa Winsten Flight B – Amy Shell and Lily Weng Flight C - Hailey Joo and Joni Scott Flight D – Andrea Petraila and Yasuko Zing Social Chairperson, Dolly Falvey, is pulling out the stops to make sure everyone can join us for our end of year BWGA celebration. It will be on November 18th in the Ballroom Bar following that day’s golf. There will be yummy food and libations available to all BWGA members whether you play that day or not. Dolly has even arranged for some outdoor terrace seating with heat lamps for those who may find that more comfortable.

All you need to do is RSVP to Dolly no later than November the 10th.

Her email address is of course in the BWGA directory.

Come on and celebrate this year’s golf, our hardworking Captain Paula Hamra and our amazing membership.

BWGA Publicity, Jan Lind

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Junior reporter

Biking to Sausalito for the Blue Angels

By Austin Scott, 3rd Grader, Tassajara Hills

F

leet Week always falls around my mom’s birthday and this year we didn’t have school the Friday of Fleet Week, so it was a perfect time to head to Sausalito to watch the show in the sky.

We parked at the start of the Mill Valley/Sausalito bike trail, so we could bike in and skip the traffic.

It’s a beautiful ride along the water and my favorite part was checking out all the cool houseboats.

We arrived just in time to find a spot on the water to eat lunch and watch the show. I love the Blue Angels! I tried to get a picture of them, but they move too fast. If you haven’t seen them yet, I highly recommend it.

No trip to Sausalito is complete without getting some ice cream (and a coffee for my parents) before the bike ride back.

30

NOVEMBER 2021

Book Boot Camp

November Book Review Book Boot Camp with Flola Tam, Resident Since 2004

The Dogs and The Wolves A friend recently recommended this book to me, The Dogs and The Wolves. In this novel, the author, Irene Nemirovsky, draws upon her own experiences as an upper class Jewish member during the Holocaust.

The story begins with the main character, Ada, who comes from a poor Jewish family in Russia. She grows up in a small town that surrounds a hill, where society is literally and metaphorically divided into a hierarchy. The rich Jewish families reside at the top of the hill, while the Jewish ghettos are built at the base. Ada and her cousin Ben are, ironically, distantly related to the richest family in town, who can afford to bribe government officials into letting them live comfortably. The plot takes off when pogroms, organized massacre of ethnic groups, begin the hunt for Jews in Russia. Ada and Ben flee to Paris where they attempt to return to normalcy by settling down together. Things don’t go well for the two of them, as one rekindles an old flame from Russia, and the other strives only towards financial success.

This story was unique in the way it depicted the sharp contrast between rich and poor Jewish families. It alludes to the question of how dogs and wolves, despite coming from the same background, can live such different lifestyles. Besides the underlying themes on antisemitism and social hierarchies, the author also highlights very raw human emotions of falling in love and financial goals through Ada and Ben. I found this book to be a very refreshing and original perspective on antisemitism in countries outside of Germany.

My interest in reading sparked sometime in Elementary school. Teachers at the time assigned books as projects or were read as a class time activity. I got addicted right away, and began reading ahead of the assigned pages. Each month I will be making a book recommendation and a brief summary and review of its contents, in hopes of reintroducing a passion for reading to the community

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Golf Destinations

The Resort at Couer d’Alene – World’s Only Floating Green

By Chuck Fox, Owner, Quintessential Golf, Resident since 2012

Nicely Wooded with Lake Views

L

ake Couer d’Alene is a favored vacation destination in the Idaho panhandle. Couer d’Alene Golf Resort occupies the focus of attention on the large lake with 129 miles of shoreline.

A shuttle from the resort to the golf course on their custom mahogany power boat is convenient for guests. The floating green Par3 at Couer d’Alene Golf Resort course is an unusual and entertaining experience.

The Resort at Couer d’Alene Golf Course Although noted for the world’s only floating golf green, it’s likewise a terrific golf course. Ranking #88 in America on Golf Digest’s list of public access golf courses, the Couer d’Alene Golf course should be on your bucket list. With five holes near Lake Couer d’Alene, spectacular views are normal. But the rest of the course will have you paying attention. You’ll discover some of the most diabolical yet picturesque Par3’s anywhere - five. Three very different short Par4s will test your precision. Conditioning rivals the finest private courses in the area. With a minimalistic strategy, it’s neat, and manicured. For example, bunker rakes are hidden vertical containers and there are no ball washers or hole signs on the tees. Holes framed by tall pines and juniper bushes create a remarkable bucolic and tranquil ambiance.

One of the most picturesque Par3’s we’ve seen, Hole #5, is diabolic when the pin is up front. A clover-shaped three-tiered green surrounded by huge bunkering and cool-looking rock outcroppingswith the lake in the background. Hole #6 is a back-toback Par3 that is downhill and surrounded by huge pine trees and juniper bushes.

Similar to the iconic 13th hole at Augusta National, the Par5 Hole #11 winds around Fernan Creek, which locals tell us flows in both directions during the year. The approach shot is all carry as the creek cuts in front, around the right side and behind this three-tiered

Spectacular Par3

green accessible by three bridges. You must carry the water twice on the short Par4 Hole #13. Big hitters may try to clear both as the PGA Tour’s John Daly, did in 1992 making a 15-foot putt for eagle.

Perhaps the most photographed golf green, the iconic floating green at the Par3 Hole #14, is moved daily to a different distance.

It’s large at 15,000 square feet and almost four times the size of the other famous island green - the 17th at TPC Sawgrass. Hop the boat named Putter for the ride to the green. If you hit the green and make a Par, you’ll get a Certificate of Achievement.

If you wish to maximize the fun factor while experiencing a highquality golf course, then put the Couer d’Alene Golf course on your list. You’ll want to play this one again.

If You Go: Course Info – Couer d’Alene Golf Resort has one eighteenhole course with five sets of tees from 4448 yards to 6803 yards.

Peak greens Fees are $250 while seasonal rates are as low as $99.

Forecaddies are required and included in the fee. An additional $25/bag tip is suggested.

Location - In the northern panhandle of Idaho only 45 minutes east of Spokane, WA. Lodging - Couer d’Alene Golf Resort is located directly on Lake Couer d’Alene in downtown Couer d’Alene.

Quintessential Golf (https://www.quintessentialgolf.com) A source of golf travel inspiration, Quintessential Golf online magazine spotlights the most spectacular, enduring and scenic courses, resorts and golf adventures. Written from a players point-of-view, articles include magnificent high-resolution course images. Brought to you by Chuck Fox, single-digit golfer, writer and photographer based in Danville, California, he is fulfilling his passion and dream to play, photograph and share the romance and beauty of golf throughout North America.

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Tassajara Hills Elementary School Updates

Movie Night at Tassajara Hills Elementary

By Megan Scott, Resident Since 2010

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hank you to the talented T.H.E. PTA for putting together a super-fun movie night fundraiser for the Tassajara Hills community.

There was pizza, popcorn, games, and once the sun went down, we settled in to watch Onward under the stars.

Janice Yosifon, April Arundine and Megan Scott

Corianna Yosifon and Lily Arundine Rick McBurney, Mark Arundine, David Yosifon and Mike Scott

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Expert Contributor

Now You Can

Buy Before You Sell

By W. Todd Galde, CrossCountry Mortgage

Y

ou’re standing by the window, staring into the yard as you sip your warm cup of tea. You smile to yourself, thinking of all of the beautiful memories you’ve created with the kids and loved ones over the years in this house.

As you reminisce a few minutes, the house starts to feel a little quiet and a bit large, now that the kids are grown and moved out. Is downsizing a good idea at this point?

Suppose you’ve considered buying a smaller home, but the thought of selling your home, moving somewhere temporarily, and the big ordeal that comes with it becomes overwhelming. In that case, the following is perfect for you.

Introducing The NINE Loan!

The NINE Loan is the first and only home loan that does NOT require income or employment on the application.

How to qualify:

1. Substantial equity or down payment 2. Good Credit 3. Post-closing reserves (money in the bank after closing) Unlike traditional loans, the NINE loan provides the excellent benefit of staying in your current home while obtaining your new one.

Additional benefits of buying your next home before having to sell first: • •

• •

Compete and win with a stronger purchase position by making a non-contingent offer on your next home.

Qualify for your replacement home mortgage without income documentation or employment verification even if you’re retired, in-between jobs, or self-employed with low “verifiable” income.

Obtain your new home financing driven entirely by a 25% down payment OR your existing home’s equity, sufficient postclosing reserves, and a decent mid-FICO score.

Close on your new home, move in, and then have your agent sell your vacant & fully staged existing home for maximum value after you’ve moved out.

If you’re considering the opportunity to buy before you sell, the NINE Loan may be the solution for you. For more information, visit www.BuyBeforeSell.com or www.TheNINELoan.com.

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Let’s Get Cooking

Creamy Dipping Sauce with Prawns

By Parisa Z. Ambwani, Resident since 1983

Serves 6 • 1 onion, finely chopped • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped • 2 teaspoons ginger root, finely chopped • 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided • 1 teaspoon turmeric • ½ teaspoon black cumin, powder • ½ teaspoon coriander, powder • ½ teaspoon paprika, powder • ½ teaspoon gram-masala • 1 dash cayenne pepper • 1 teaspoon cornstarch • 1 teaspoon sugar • 1 dash sea salt OR to taste • 1¼ cups concentrated milk and ½ cup coconut milk • 1-pound prawns, deveined, cleaned, pat-dried

About Parisa Z. Ambwani: Parisa, a native of Persia who moved to Blackhawk in 1983, has a BA in Fine Arts. Deeply influenced by her mother’s cooking, she has spent three decades writing cookbooks and pairing food with her poetry, philosophy, herbs and spices, and herbal teas. Parisa’s unique cookbooks are known for their merging of useful culinary information with a clear understanding of the relationship with other human beings and with the universe. She has followed this recipe to write and photograph six books that weave her beliefs into caring words on how to live life to the fullest. Learn more by visiting her website, enlightenedrecipes.com

Garnish: 1 sage sprig In a medium saucepan, stir-fry onion, garlic, and ginger in 3 tablespoons heated olive oil until onion are translucent (3 minutes).

Turn off the heat. Add spices (turmeric, cumin, coriander, paprika, gram-masala and cayenne), stir until fragrant (1 minute) set aside.

In a bowl, mix cornstarch, sugar, salt, concentrated milk, and coconut milk. Add this mixture to onion-mixture in saucepan; let it cool and blend in blender for 30 seconds. Transfer into saucepan, bring to a simmer while stirring to prevent burning. Simmer for 5-6 minutes or until thickened. In a separate frying-pan sauté prawns in 3 tablespoons heated olive oil, cover the pan for 2-3 minutes, allow the prawns to cook. Remove cover and stir gently until shrimp turn pink and the edges are curled slightly (about 2-3 minutes). Garnish creamy dipping sauce with sage and serve with prawns as an appetizer or side dish.

Holistic Journey: Often, parents give their children material gifts to please them. However, children will only remember the warm essences of love.

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Expert Contributor

The Secret Ingredient is

Always Chocolate

By Tori Draeger Paff

E

very good baker has a few tricks up their sleeve; using a wildly sumptuous chocolate for baking is one that might be easily overlooked. Draeger’s Director of Bakery, Amy Ginger: “it’s about quality and flavor profile. These chocolatiers craft true nuanced flavor from specific blends of chocolate that have been maintained for generations. The chocolate is pure: no added waxes or alkalized chocolate, leaving the flavors richer and the chocolate healthier.”

Amplify the quality and flavor of your holiday treats by selecting a top-tier chocolate.

CALLEBAUT -BELGIUM

VALRHONA -FRANCE

Cordillera means ‘an extensive chain and network system of mountain ranges.’ The name honors the rich soil of Latin American countries where the Cordillera Chocolate company beans are hand-harvested. Easy to work with, these couverture chocolates have beautiful color, sheen and texture. They offer a balanced and exquisite mix of hybrid Trinitario cacao of 100% Colombian origin highlighted by a roasting and conching process that best accents its unique traits.

Valrhona has created a range of unique and recognizable aromatic profiles by perfecting techniques for enhancing the flavor of rare cocoa beans, grown on land that has been masterfully selected for its terroir. To guarantee the consistency of the taste qualities and flavor potential of their chocolates, Valrhona takes unique steps in mastering taste.

Made using the finest ingredients with dedication passed on from generation to generation, Callebaut chocolate is relied on every day by chefs and chocolatiers to create great tasting delights. Callebaut applies the whole bean roasting technique, instead of roasting cocoa kernels. This technique allows the preservation of all the flavors and aromatic oils within the cocoa husk and fully releases them in the chocolate.

CORDILLERA –LATIN AMERICA

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Many

WORLDS W WO ORL R DS One MUSEUM M MUSE USEUM

t tm

Now Open

Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays 3 TIPS FOR HANDLING CHOCOLATE -The best way to melt chocolate is on the stove in a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water, which gives you more control over the melting process and less risk of burning the chocolate.

World of Nature

Reserved Tickets Required Available at blackhawkmuseum.org

Now Open

-Adding butter mutes intense chocolate flavor. Leave out the butter, or use less, for richer flavor.

-Water and cold temperature cause chocolate to seize, so make sure any other dishes or utensils the chocolate comes in contact with are completely dry and at room temperature.

Automobile Gallery

The Spirit of The Old West

Art of Africa

Into China

925-736-2277 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle • Danville, CA We are following all COVID-19 protocols.

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Cars and Coffee

Livermore’s Henry’s A’s Car Club

By David Tom, Resident Since 1990

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he Blackhawk Museum welcomed Livermore’s Henry’s A’s Car Club on June 19, 2021.The Henry’s A’s celebrates the venerable Ford Model A, or just “A.” Ford’s first foray into mass-produced cars was the Model T, which made affordable car ownership available to the middle class, selling 15 million cars from 1908 to 1927. The A followed and was another Ford homerun selling 5 million cars from 1927 to 1931.We are fortunate to have a number of Bay Area clubs, like the Henry’s A’s, that restore and maintain American car culture for future generations to appreciate.

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David Tom: I have lived in Danville for 30 years. I retired from the corporate tax world and now pursue a variety of projects that interest me. I have always loved cars and look forward to sharing them with you.

SHARE YOUR STORY Share your child’s first T-ball hit, their first catch, their first smile playing the sport they love!

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Life through a Lens

Season to sparkle-

Diyas, lighting the world!

By Sonia Lamba, Resident since 2015

Love the Diwali vibes at home with these gorgeous lights.

Rangoli and lights both go hand in hand during Diwali.

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NOVEMBER 2021

Happy Diwali from our home to yours. My favorite Diwali celebration memory from pre-covid days. Everyone be safe and have fun!

Rangoli at City Center Bishop Ranch. Colorful patterns created for Diwali festivities using flower petals, rice, flour, sand, and natural colors.

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This Diwali, fight the the darkness within before lighting the Diya (lamp) of hope.

As an aspiring photographer, I have always loved taking beautiful photos of my friends and family, nature and travels. After having a fulfilling career in finance in New York, I moved to California in 2014 where my love for photography turned into an invigorating passion. Moving to gorgeous Blackhawk has further enriched and blossomed my love for the camera.

I take my camera everywhere, regardless of how short the distance is.

Knowing me, there is always a photo opportunity!

BLACKHAWK LIVING CA 41

Expert Contributor

The Holidays are here and

‘tis the season to bling up!

By Steve Padis, Padis Jewelry and The Forevermark Boutique at Broadway Plaza

T

he last few years have certainly been a unique time for couples. Whether it be non-stop “quality time” provided by quarantine or the reflection we all did when faced with a world crisis and our lives coming to standstill, the pandemic and its ramifications certainly did more good for love than not.

Coming out of the shutdowns, we have seen an increase in couples re-committing to each other in the most important of ways.

Whether it be a surge of COVID babies or the two years worth of weddings that had to be rescheduled, love is in the air in a big way!

New couples are no exception. There has also been an increase in couples getting engaged – because if you can survive months-on-end spending 24/7 together – everything else sure seems easy!

As if Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanza, New Year’s Eve and Festivus weren’t enough, more than one in four grooms propose to their brides over the holiday season. November and December account for 26% of marriage proposals, according “Modern Bride.”

As the holiday proposal season is upon us, Padis and our team of non-commissioned jewelry consultants are here to assist. In addition to our already extensive collection of top designers and diamonds such as Tacori, Verragio, Forevermark and many more, we host numerous special events and showcases every weekend leading up to the holidays.

To kick off the holidays, we host Verragio and their amazing collection of unique rings on November 5th-7th. In addition to special event savings and giveaways, we will be premiering their brand new collection of anniversary bands and have the West Coast exclusive of their solitaire collection! This is the largest collection of Verragio in one place at one time in the United States!

We wish you a very happy holiday season and treasure the generations of families who allow us to become a part of their most precious moments. Please feel to reach out if we can answer any questions and if we can be of assistance at concierge@padisjewelry.com.

The next weekend, November 12th-15th, we welcome TACORI and their entire collection of handcrafted rings and fine jewelry for an extra special holiday engagement and gift-finding event. With special event savings and red carpet jewelry to catch your eye, this is one of our absolute favorite holiday events!

For Black Friday Weekend, we feature A JAFFE and always have special deals so be sure to check in to our social media @padisjewelry to learn more about our offerings.

As December approaches, we host our Forevermark Diamond showcase complete with some of the world’s largest and rarest diamonds on December 4th – 6th. This once-ayear event is an excellent opportunity to see our largest collection of loose diamonds, engagement rings, and designer diamond jewelry.

Visit Padis Jewelry in San Francisco, Napa or Walnut Creek!

Our team at Padis is here and ready to help with your hunt for the perfect ring or piece of jewelry both in our stores and on our website at padisjewelry.com. Be sure to join us at East Bay locations at Broadway Plaza – a Forevermark Boutique - and Downtown Napa in addition to our San Francisco stores.

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BLACKHAWK LIVING CA 43

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