EVENTS

Halloween

Halloween is always a production!
Here you see the Port of Tortuga,
a famous Pirate Port

Every year, the number of homes participating in the festivities grows. We started in 2005 with nine homes, 2006 brought our count up to twelve houses, and who knows how many more houses will join us this year!

Your hosts for Halloween

Each house embodies a different decorating theme. We had Halloweentown, a place with thousands of cheery lights for the little ones to go. The Goblin's Garden, with a real live goblin sending treats over in a basket connected to a line hung far above your heads. Port Tortuga where trick-or-treaters had to "walk the plank" in order to get treasure. The house of the Mist Spirits, an eerie blue mist hides winged spirits that try to steal your candy. The Addam's Family Plot, where Morticia and Fester welcome you in with candy. Dracula's Castle, with vampires playing host and inviting you to "dinner." The Mad Scientist's Laboratory where bizzare experiments abound! Pirate Island, treasure yes, but beware thar be pirates too! House of the Grim Reaper... watch your back! The Angel of Death's Garden where all type of goulish characters live. The Spider's Lair, hundreds of spiders will welcome you into their lair.

We love living here. Every October we head for the coast to the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival. On the way home we stop at Pastorino's Farm to select our pumpkins. Soooo beautiful!

Tree Planting

In order to "green" our street, we partnered with Our City Forest in order to get free trees. Many of these tree's replaced ones that had died/been removed at some point in the past. Some trees went into completly new spaces.

People from five different neighborhoods joined together to plant 16 trees around the perimeter of the grocery store with the help of Our City Forest www.ourcityforest.com

Harvest Party

Each year we try to get all the neighbors together for a little Autumnal feast and pumpkin carving. It's the last outdoor event we host and everyone brings hearty dishes to share. When the chill hits, we make a fire and gather round it drinking hot mulled apple cider or a nice glass of Cabernet.

Victorian Weekend

Once a year, we open our doors to a select few who are invited to the house to spend a weekend in true Victorian style. Back in the day when a visit lasted days instead of hours and various "amusements" were planned for honored guests.

Guests arrive on Saturday and are shown to their rooms by the staff. Guests can change from their traveling clothes into Croquet whites then are whisked off to the Park for Tea and Croquet.

Later in the afternoon everyone returns and goes to their rooms to "rest" and ready themselves for a formal dinner.

Dinner is created by our french-trained Chef and served by our in-house staff.

After dinner, cigars & absinthe is enjoyed as well as Victorian parlor games.

Sunday morning guests awake to a sumptous breakfast artfully arranged in the formal dining room. After lively late morning conversations, the guests eventually take their leave.

Pre-Raphaelite Tea

Ladies from the Southbay Tea Guild were treated to a lovely afternoon of small performances and an exquisite Tea. Funds raised benefits the Southbay Ladies Tea Guild. For more information on this wonderful organization, visit their website. For information about joining the Southbay Chapter, contact Elizabeth Urbach at eurbach@yahoo.com

Hensley Walking Tour & Tea

We played host to the Southbay Ladies Tea Guild for their Hensley walking tour & Tea event. Local historian Manuel Lima guided the group and gave a lively presentation on the houses of note as we passed them. The tour ended on a high note at the Wing House, a local landmark (that happens to also be Manuel's home) where the group was treated to a full tour of this magnificent home.

After the tour, the group walked back to the Reed House (another Hensley landmark) to enjoy a sumptuous tea prepared by Elizabeth Urbach (chapter leader of the Southbay Tea Guild). A wonderful afternoon indeed!

Victorian Christmas Decorations

The Dining Room received a fresh coat of Venitian red paint for the holidays which really makes the wood and wainscotting really "pop". The old chuckwagon light has been replaced by a new chandelier (shown below bedecked in winter berries and icicles). All we have left to do is wallpaper the ceilings.

The French sideboard sports an arrangement of sugared fruit and evergreens with an assortment of fat little Gobel birds nestling amongst the branches.

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