LINKS

Quick Links to:

• Historical & Preservation Resources: Local, State, and National
• House: General Restoration, Salvage, Products, How-to guide
• Garden: Victorian garden links
• People that can help you
• Victoriana related links
• Costuming Themed Events Victorian Groups
• Other stuff: Bocce ball

HISTORICAL & PRESERVATION RESOURCES

LOCAL

• All about San Jose
• A unique and sometimes humorous look at San Jose
• City of San Jose Historic Preservation
• Preservation Action Council of San Jose
• History San Jose: Great research center open Wednesdays 1:00–4:00 or by appointment.
• Hensley Historic District (HHD) A federally recognized historical area.
• Northside Neighborhood Association: The oldest in San Jose.
• Steinbeck House
• Leonard McKay
  
• David Rumsey's Historic Maps of San Jose
  
• Victorian Preservation Association (VPA) A local group dedicated to Victorian preservation.
• How to get Landmark Status (City of San Jose, CA)
  • Report guidelines
  • Process
  
  

STATE

• California State Historical Building Code: The SHBC allows for performance tradeoffs in historic buildings to allow retention of original features even if they aren't code compliant. Lots of good info here that benefits people with historic homes.
• California Office of Historic Preservation

NATIONAL

• American Memory : Library of Congress' online collection of American history
• Historical & Cultural Resources: Historical landmark how-to, city history pages, National Register of Historical Places.
• National Register of Historical Places Publication: How to apply, forms, video, researching, a must for those wanting to register their homes.
• Grant Funding Opportunities: An extensive list.
• Heritage Preservation Services: Grants, tax credits and technical preservation services for historic buildings, landmarks and landscapes.

VICTORIANA

• The Victorian Emporium: A wonderful site packed with information on Victorian life, customs, etiquette,
  and more.
• The Victorian Web: Extensive site, so much to feast on. Must visit.
• Victoriana.com: A interesting mix of articles and merchandise.
• Victorian Station: From Architectural designs to interior decorating, to lifestyles & literature... I especially enjoyed the Interior Design pages.
• Miss Mary's Victorian Links: Fab articles, well organized and over 450 links to Victorian sites. Pour a cuppa and spend the afternoon!
• 19th Century Mourning practices

Shopping

• Victorian Era Mall: over 130 links to Victorian merchandise
• Nana Antiques: beautiful pieces.

VICTORIAN GROUPS

Costumers

• GBACG list of Costumers: Where to find a seamstress that specializes in your era.
• GBACG's list of Costume Organizations: Whatever your era, you'll find it here.

Tea

• The Ladies Tea Guild: A national organization dedicated to providing an oasis for women who have a passion for the past and/or a love of tea in all its dimensions. For more information, or to join our very own Southbay Chapter please contact Elizabeth Eurbach at eurbach(at)yahoo(dot)com.
  Tell her you saw this on Miranda's House website~
• A list of local Tea Rooms

Tea Houses/Tea Stores

Local Bay Area CA, Southbay

• Chic Chateau - 96 S 3rd St San Jose (408) 280-7323
  
• Fairmont Hotel - 170 S Market St San Jose(408) 998-1900 reservations required
  
• Lisa's Tea Treasures
  ~ Pruneyard - 1875 S. Bascom Avenue, Suite 165, Campbell (408) 371-7377
  ~ Meno Park - 1175 Merrill Street Menlo Park (650) 322-5544
  ~ Santana Row - 377 Santana Row #1145, San Jose (408) 247-3613
• Tea & Art - Castro Street Mt. View (*try their Drunken Princess, Their High Peak Wild Oolong (Alishan))
• Mountain View Tea Village - 275 Castro Street, Mountain View (650) 988-1939
• Verde Tea & Espresso Bar- 852 Villa Street, Mountain View (650) 210-9986
• Tea Era - 271 Castro Street, Mountain View (650) 969-2899 Also serves bubble tea.
• Neotte Tea Bar - 429 Univerisity Avenue Palo Alto (650) 330-1738
  Fine Chinese Teas, very upscale
• The English Rose Tea Room - 163 W Neal Street, Pleasanton (925) 462-6233
  Tue–Sat: 11:00am to 5:00pm. Traditional Brittish Tea (in pastels)

Eastbay

• Far Leaves, 2979 College Avenue, Berkeley (510) 655-2979 (*try their Dong Ding, 2 kinds of Lishan High Mountain)
• Teance - 950 Gilman Street, Suitte 800, Berkeley (510) 524-1696x2 Beautiful zen-like tea room.
  (*try their Charcoal-Fired Oolong, their Phoenix Single Grove, their Wenshan Baoshong)
• A' Cuppa Tea - 3202 College Ave. Berkeley (510) 420-0196
• Far Leaves Tea Shop - 59th Street, Emeryville (510) 601-5928

Northbay

• Imperial Tea Court - 1411 Powell San Francisco Beautiful Chinese Tea house with Gungfu style service. Finches hang in bamboo cages and the atmosphere is lovely. (*try their Wenshan Baojong, their Dong Ding)
• Ten Ren - 949 Grant Avenue San Francisco (*try their Charcoal Fired Tung Ting, their Spring Tea)
• Samovar Tea Lounge - 498 Sanchez Street (415) 626-4700 or at 730 Howard Street, San Francisco - (415) 227-9400 Been hearing great things about this place, will get there soon. (*try their Monkey Picked Iron Goddess)
• Vital Leaf - 1044 Grant Street, San Francisco Great selection of green teas, free tea tastings, one of my favorite shops!
• Garden Court in the Sheraton Palace Hotel - 2 New Montgomery (at Market Street) San Francisco (415) 546-5001 (reservations suggested). This is the most elegant place for tea, true Victorian splendour!
• Modern Tea - 602 Hayes Street, San Francisco (415) 626-5406 Hayes Valley tea house featuring fair trade organic tea, a homespun menu of soups, salads, hot dishes, and cast iron cooking, desserts, and gifts.
• Samovar Tea Lounge - 730 Howard Street, San Francisco (415) 227-9400 Offers tea culture from around the world. Shop for tea and accessories or stop by for a meal.
• Secret Garden Tea House - 721 Lincoln Way, San Francisco (415) 566-8834 reservations required. Beautiful!
• Lovejoy's Tea Room - 1351 Church Street, San Francisco (415) 648.5895 Cozy, quirky place filled with mismatched china and furniture. Tea service, parties, and take-away. Reservations required
• Tal-y-Tara Tea & Polo Shoppe - 6439 California Street (cross-street 27th Ave) San Francisco 415-751-9275 Unique marriage between tea and equestrian cultures. Available for afternoon tea, parties, and outdoor dining.
  
• Leland Tea Company - 1416 Bush Street (@Polk) San Francisco (415) 346.4832 Organic loose leaf teas, tea service, baked goods, Vintage music and gourmet tea sandwiches
• Bread & Honey Tearoom (in the King George Hotel lobby) 334 Mason Street, San Francisco (415) 283-4TEA For a true Brittish experience
• Fairmont Hotel 950 Mason (between California and Sacramento), San Francisco (415) 772-5281 Reservations required
• Lobby Lounge at the Ritz-Carlton - 600 Stockton, San Francisco (415) 773-6198 (right in/near Chinatown) Reservations required
• Chai of Larkspur (SF) 894 Steiner Street, San Francisco (415) 673-7109

Northbay (other)

• Tranquilitea - 1630 Francisco Boulevard, Pacifica (650) 355-8327 Reservations recommended
• Chai of Larkspur - 25 Ward Street, Larkspur (415) 945-7161

Tea Companies - Online

• Adagio Tea Co.
• Alchemy Tea & Trading Co.
• Betty's Post; Tea Treats by Mail
• Bigelow Tea Co. (although they are not my favorite tea, the website has lots of great info)
• Dragonfly Tea Co. UK
• Empress Tea Co.
• Gray & Seddon Tea Co.: Excellent selection of green, red and white teas
• Harney & Sons
• Serendipitea
• Tea of UK
• Tealux Tea Co.
• Tetley
• Twinings of London (locations everywhere)
• Upton Tea Co. (lots of good info on Green teas)

The world of Green Tea

• The benefits of Tea: Green Tea
• Jon Oda's Tea Temple (great site)
• Interview with Jon Oda (it's halfway in the show, so forward to it)

Misc. Tea links

• Wonderful events involving Tea- "So when my friend Dan Smith asked me to help him organize a Tibetan Tea Alchemy event to benefit all sentient beings and to create universal peace, I jumped at the chance."
• Great article about green tea, harvests, and specialty shops
  
• Tea Map - Before you travel, check this site to know where the tea rooms are Tea Map has great reviews, chat, and all things tea. It'll also help you to find the tea rooms in the areas you are traveling to.
  

Etiquette

• Tea Time
• Brittania House
• Japanese Tea Ceremony Etiquette
• Tamera Bastiaans

Calling cards

• Victorian Bazaar: A useful and thoughtful article on the art & act of using calling cards.
  

The Proper Victorian House

• Victorian Domestics: A lively dissertation of a small town in England.
• Domestic Service, The "Mute and Forgotten" Occupation
• Domestic Servants
• The life of a Victorian Maid: The life of a Victorian Maid
• The Victorian Mistress
• Lady's Maid: good fictional read
• How to care for fabrics:
  
• The Victorian Society in America:The only national organization dedicated to the protection, understanding, education, and enjoyment of our nineteenth century heritage.

THEMED EVENTS

• Dicken's Christmas Faire: Held in San Francisco every Nov–Dec.
• Greater Bay Area Costumer's Guild: Events with a theme happen every month. Superb events, wonderful group of folks.
• PEERS Period Events & Entertainment's Re-creation Society: Sponsor events, classes, perform in various living history events, historic dance, drama, music, literature and costume. Great events, fun people.
• The Victorian Society in America: National Victorian events calendar
• The Edward Gorey Ball: every January in San Francisco.

COSTUMING

• Alter Years: 1-(818) 585-2994 Catalogue $5.00
• Amazon Drygoods: Patterns, accessories, and other essentials.
• La Mode Bagatelle: Gracefully rendered Historical Patterns
• Harper House: Vintage Costuming Pattern Catalog
• Greater Bay Area Costumer's Guild: Their resource list is extensive!
• Thistledown: Quality Victorian inspired nightwear
• Victorian Costume: A great list of reference to Victorian Costume, accessories, and where to get what.
• Victorian Costume (UK): See what all classes were wearing.

Corsets

• Corsets & ANY type of Victorian costuming custom made for you: I cannot recommend anyone better - Victoria Ridenour 1-(650) 962-0882 (her webite is under construction).
• Long Island Staylace Association: Advocates of Corsetry (and extensive links)

VICTORIAN GARDENS

• Victorian Gardens: what was popular.
• Victorian Carpet Bedding Plans: how to make your own "living" carpet
  (shown right)
• Virtual Tour of John Steinbeck's house which is exactly like ours (save the turret) (must have Quicktime)
• Our City Forest: Urban tree grants (free shade trees for your park strip), programs and general tree information.

OTHER

SteamPunk (our latest passion!)

• Kinetic Steamworks
• The Steampunk Workshop: Making artifacts from an age of steam and brass
• SteamPunk Magazine: Putting the Punk back into SteamPunk
• STEAMPUNK: The New Speculative Fiction Clearing House Includes a large collection of reviews, author information and interviews.
• Datamancer.net:Technical Art and Steampunk ContraptionsSteampunk & retrofuturist fabrication, technical & computer art, props, contraptions, gadgets, and all manner of assorted nonsense.
• Steampunk Librarian: a meltingpot of steamy stuff
• Phil Master's Steampunk links
• Aether Emporium
• many great links
• Live journal: steam fashion
• Jewelry
• Clockpunk (fun)
• Amazing sculptures
• Cabaret Mechanical Theatre
• Steampunkopedia: a conglomeration

Bocce Ball

• Bocce at Backesto Park:
• Bocce Court Hours: dawn to dusk daily.
  Backesto Park is located at Jackson & Empire Street at N 13th - 15th Street.
  Contact: Mary Collins (408) 971-3042
  Balls are available for check-out at Bronco's Restaurant - corner of 13th and Empire. ID and deposit required.
• Rules & How to play Bocce
• ibocce.com: good all around info

Other restorationists stories

• Gordon Povey's house in Scotland
• Follow the restoration journey of Chuck and Beth Sanders as they restore their Grand Dame
  (love their sense of humour!)

HOUSE

Tips & How to

• This Old House: How to's, products & suppliers, features, and bookstore. Great place to educate yourself before you call the contractor for a quote.
• Old house Journal: THE place to find information on old homes, resources, how-to's ,ect.
• Victorian Preservation Association: a wonderful list- from Artists to Wallpaper. Great contractor & business recommendations as well. Highly recommended!
• How to care for wood floors
• How to care for Marble, Stone surfaces: HGTV marble care.

General Restoration

Furnishings & Accessories

• Victorian Source: a private website with very specialized and unusual links.
• Water Structures: "Daddy, can I get a Turkish spa for Christmas pleeeeeeease?
  

Lighting

• Rejuvenation Lighting: 2550 NW Nicolai Street Portland, OR 97210 888-401-1900
• Steve Handelman Studios 716 N Milpas St, Santa Barbara, CA 93103 805-962-5119
• Luminaria: original fixtures restored that are marvelous to look at
  

Millwork

• White Brothers Mill 4801 Tidewater, Oakland, CA 94601 1(800)322-2767 www.whitebrothersmill.com They supply millwork, mouldings, flooring, paneling, and lumber. They've been in business since 1872.
• Agrelle & Thorpe LTD "Brilliant work, and they turned it around in a week". www.agrellandthorpe.com
• SF Victoriana 3070 Newcomb San Francisco, CA 94124 (415) 648-0313 Interior & exterior millwork.
• Beronio Lumber: if it's wood, they've got it. Molding, sills, casting, cornices. 2525 Marin St San Francisco,CA 415-824-4300
  

Paint

• Doug Yeargain Painting 408 293-0427 Excellent job, references, and results. We highly recommend him.
• Paint & Decorating retailers advertising index (a gem of a list!)
• Dumond Chemicals: Peel Away 1 Superior over it's competitors, safe to use, fume-free, and could handle this many layers of paint without damaging the substrates.
• Victorian House Painting: a list of books to help you plan the exterior paint schemes.
  

Wallpaper

• Bradbury&Bradbury: We drool over these wallpapers!
  

Windows

• Gibson Wood Products will restore or create an exact replica. 643 Burnell St Napa, CA 94559-3420 255-6211

RESTORATION PRODUCTS

• Abatron wood epox and liquid filler is the best way to save rather than replace. Liquid wood consolidant. Reinforces, rebuilds, water- and insect-proofs wood by hardening after penetrating. Regenerates rotted windowsills, frames, structural and decorative parts, furniture, boats, columns, floors. Primer for WoodEpox.
  
  Structural adhesive putty and wood replacement compound. Most versatile, high-strength no-shrink adhesive paste to fill, repair and replace wood and other materials in structures, walls, floors, furniture, sculptures. A new standard in workshops, plants, buildings, museums, shipyards and homes. Unaffected by water and insects.
  
  With LiquidWood, a piece of deteriorated wood that would crumble under finger pressure can be impregnated and restored to rigidity, durability, water, insect and weather resistance superior to that of the original wood. Best of all you can sand, drill, carve, paint it.

Salvage

Rummaging Through Northern California: The guide to salvage, thrift, consignment, and other places to get deals.

Bay Area Salvage Guide

• Artefact Design & Salvage - 245 McEvoy St., San Jose, CA 95126. (408) 279-8766. Columns, iron gates, building ornaments, funhouse mirrors, statuary, fountains, lighting, ruins & fragments, doors, windows, mantels, garden ornament, www.artefactdesignsalvage.com
• Berkeley Architectural Salvage - 1167 65th St., Oakland, CA 94608; (510) 655-2270. Doors, windows, hardware, moldings, columns, gingerbread, corbels, lighting, plumbing, marble, granite.
  Mon–Sat. 10am–5pm.
• Beyond Waste - 605 W. Sierra, Cotati; (707) 792-2555. Manufactures and sells flooring made from old-growth Douglas fir rafters; custom makes flooring or paneling; carries entire sets of home windows in casement, including Victorian double-hung windows. www.beyondwaste.com
• Building Resources - 701 Amador Street (near 3rd St) San Francisco; (415) 285-7814. Lumber, plywood, marble, bricks, tiles, glass, mirrors, lighting fixtures, plumbing supplies. Mon–Sun. 9am-4:30pm.
• C&K Salvage - 718 Douglas Avenue (near Edes Avenue), Oakland; (510) 569-2070. Lumber, large timber, siding, flooring, bricks, doors, plumbing. M-F 8-5
• Caldwell Building Wreckers - 195 Bayshore Boulevard (near Oakdale Avenue), San Francisco; (415) 550-6777. Lumber, flooring, wood trim, bricks, marble, plumbing; specializes in factory seconds and overruns of new doors and windows. www.caldwell-bldg-salvage.com
• Crossroads Recycled Lumber -PO Box 928, North Fork, CA 93643. (559) 877-3645. Specializes in resawn timbers and remanufactured flooring. Recycled lumber from buildings, bridges, and railroad lines. www.crossroadslumber.com
• East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse - 6713 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley; (510) 547-6470.
• Depot Annex, 6610 San Pablo Ave., Oakland; (510) 923-1531. Nonprofit agency that collects materials and redistributes them to community at low cost. Specializing in art materials, books, small furniture, frames and garden artifacts. www.eastbaydepot.org
• Ohmega Salvage - 2407 San Pablo Avenue (between Dwight Way and Channing Way) Berkeley; (510) 843-7368. www.ohmegasalvage.com. Doors, windows, stained glass, pedestal sinks, claw-foot tubs, lighting fixtures, mantels, wrought iron, marble, Victorian hardware, architectural elements.
• Omega Too - 2204 San Pablo Avenue (near Allston Way), Berkeley; (510) 843-3636, www.omegatoo.com. Antique and reproduction lighting, plumbing, doors, windows, garden ornaments.
• Recycle Town - 500 Mecham Road (near Stony Point Road), Petaluma; (707) 795-3660
• The Reuse People - 2615 Davis St., San Leandro, CA 94577. (510) 567-8525. Cabinets, doors, fixtures, lumber, plywood, sinks & tubs, windows, bricks, ceramic tile, flooring, garden art & more. M-F 9-5, Sat-Sun 9-4
• Savvy Salvage - 4385 Piedmont Ave., Oakland; (510) 655-8877. Lots of garden ornaments and architectural elements. W-Sat 11-5. www.savvysalvage.com
• The Salvage Yard - 697 5th Street, Oakland 94607, (510) 625-9227. Specializing in industrial salvage including lockers, benches, cabinets, shelving, industrial sinks plus some claw foot tubs and sinks.
  Sun 12-5, T-Sat 10-5, Closed Mondays.
• The Sink Factory - 2140 San Pablo Avenue (near Bancroft Way), Berkeley; (510) 540-8193. Specializing in new and used basins. The full-service company will repair, rebuild, rechrome or customize a new or salvaged sink. www..sinkfactory.com
• This & That - 1701 Rumrill Blvd., San Pablo; (510) 232-1273. App. 40,000 square feet of recycled materials, including bi-fold and louver doors, wrought iron, fireplaces, door moldings, windows, sinks, granite, marble, and brick building materials.
• Urban Ore - 1333 Sixth Street (near Gilman Street), Berkeley; (510) 559-4455 and 7th &Ashby, Berkeley (510) 559-4460. Doors, windows, lumber, marble, bricks, tiles, glass, mirrors, molding, lighting fixtures and hardware. Also a general store with secondhand household items.
• Whole House Building Supply - 1955 Pulgas Rd., East Palo Alto, CA 94303. (650) 328-8731. Doors, cabinets, windows, bricks, roof tiles, gates, heaters, lighting, plumbing fixtrs, solar & pool equip, marble, fireplace mantles, hardware. www.driftwoodsalvage.com

People that can help you

• Contact these folks who can help you research the "pedigree" of your
  house. They were instrumental in the research of our home, and prepared
  all the paperwork needed to apply for Landmark status. They are awesome,
  and we highly recommend them!
  Archives & Architecture - Heritage Resource Partners
  PO Box 1332
  San Jose, CA 95109-1332
  P 408.369.5683
  F 408.228.0762
  Franklin Maggi
  email: fmaggi@topologic.net
  www.archivesandarchitecture.com
• Rebekah Owen: The best real estate agent we've ever worked with. Tell her we referred you. Rebekah@Benchmarkpropeties.com (408) 260-9877
• Mountain Coast Mortgage: Bruce L McCoy is the guy whose responsible for
  working the magic it took to get the house approved. Our house did not fit into
  any of the regular categories and therefore was out of normal bank parameters. Bruce knows the in's-and-out's of dealing with special cases. He ROCKS! Please
  let him know you found him here: Mountain Coast Mortgage in Scotts Valley
  (831) 438-7130 email: bruce@ mountaincoast.com
• Elizabeth Pidgeon: An architect that specializes in Victorians and has many years
  of experience dealing with historical and heritage issues. Meridian Architects,
  PO Box 2112, Vallejo CA 94592 707-562-2113
• Sacred Places: More than just landscape design, Jeff took the time to interview us on our
  favorite scents, colors, needs, and dreams. The plans for the front garden are spectacular!
  We can't wait until the garden goes in. His company give superior service and is a dream
  to work with. Contact Jeff at 408 280-5675 Email: Jeff@sacredplaces.com Website coming
  soon: www.sacredplaces.com

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