Gilroy Assistance League - Impressions Home & Garden Tour

This is a tour I hadn't heard about until today - and yet it is their 7th annual tour!

I know very little about this tour other than what is on their website. The tour details are:

Friday May 6 - Saturday May 7

10am - 4pm (both days)

Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 on the day

There are three homes and gardens on the tour. If you want to find out more, you can check out their link at

http://www.gilroyassistanceleague.org/-impressions-home-garden-tour/

Best wishes,

Catherine

Review - Willow Glen Lifestyles Home Tour

Hi

I didn't have a chance to mention the Willow Glen Lifestyles Home Tour before it happened this past weekend (April 30 & May 1, 2011), however, I did go on the tour. Tickets were $30, available at various retailers in Willow Glen or available on the day, at one of the houses. This was also a self-guided tour. Several years ago the houses were closer and so my friend and I walked the tour, this year the houses were more spread out and driving was definitely a better option.

If you are interested in this tour for future reference, here is the link for the tour. It is hosted by the San Jose Day Nursery Child Development Center.

http://www.sjdn.org/Default.aspx?pageId=314015

There was a variety of house on this tour - and several with pools - which I always enjoy. There was a particularly lovely home - the exterior of which I would describe as 'storybook' - but the booklet described it as 'Tudor Revival style'. There was a high attention to detail within the house (which I always appreciate) and a really lovely sitting area in the front of the house. It was on a particularly lovely tree-lined street full of other interesting, beautifully kept houses. This house was my favorite on the tour, so I give this tour 4 out of 5 House Hearts

Fondly,

Catherine

Carmel-by-the-Sea House Tour May 7

This Saturday, May 7, 2011, the Carmel Heritage Society is hosting a House and Garden Tour in Carmel-by-the Sea. I haven't been to this tour before, however because I LOVE Carmel, I am going to try and get down there for this tour. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 on the day. You can find out more details by going to their website

http://www.carmelheritage.org/events.htm

Enjoy!

Catherine

Review - Heart of the Home 2011 Tour

Hi

This past Friday I went to one of my annual, must see, house tours in the Piedmont/Oakland hills - the Childrens Support League Heart of the Home Tour. Tickets were $47 (without lunch) for this is a self-guided tour. We collected our tickets, and a booklet of the tour at the Piedmont Community Center, where they hosted a boutique in the Community Center and had tables set up for lunch outside under umbrellas. I didn't have time to browse the boutique, however it was packed inside, and I have heard many times over the years from the other ladies on the tour, that they are buying gifts for later in the year - Christmas, hostess gifts etc.

I have to say this year I didn't feel like the houses were as amazing as past years. Don't get me wrong, the houses were lovely, it was just for me, none of them had that 'wow' factor that I love, and that I go to the house tours for. I will absolutely go again next year, and thank you as always to the home owners for sharing your houses with us.

For 2011 I give this house tour 3 out of 5 House Hearts

Fondly,

Catherine

Kitchens in the Vineyards Tour

This year marks the 14th anniversary of this annual event. The Napa Kitchens in the Vineyards Tour raises money to benefit Music in the Vineyards which brings together musicians from around the world to perform in Napa's vineyards in August. Apparently this year's houses are all located in Calistoga.

Details are as follows:

Saturday April 30, 2011

http://www.napavalleymusic.org/kitchens/index.htm

Tickets can be purchased online.

Fondly,

Catherine

One my favorites and a must-see

One of my annual favorite house tours is coming up at the end of April, the Children's Support League of the East Bay Heart of the Home Tour.

I consider it an annual 'must see' event. Not only does it support a great cause - children in the East Bay - but it always has great houses on the tour. This is a self-guided tour that often takes me over a wide area in the Piedmont and Oakland Hills and a number of very beautiful, inspiring houses.

The details for this very special tour are:

Friday April 29 - Saturday April 30, 2011

http://www.wehelpkids.org

I really recommend this tour, and if at all possible I would strongly encourage you to go on Friday rather than Saturday as Saturday tours have been very busy in previous years.

Hope to see you on this tour!

Best wishes,

Catherine

A couple of upcoming garden tours

Yay, it finally feels like spring in California! And what better time to do a garden tour (or two) than when the spring flowers are blooming. Here are a couple of garden tours that might be of interest that are coming up this month in the Bay Area. I am not able to attend either of them, however I would love to hear from anyone who is able to go, and what you think.

On Thursday April 28, 2011 the Mill Valley Outdoor Club is hosting their event. The details can be found at

http://www.gardentourtickets.org/

On Friday April 29 and Saturday April 30, 2011 the Gardens of Palo Alto are hosting their annual event. You can find out the specifics at

http://www.gamblegarden.org/events/springTour.html

Happy touring!

Catherine