Elaine King's Real Estate Blog

This blog is a summary of  upcoming weekend events in Brentwood….

For your IRIS lovers, the Brentwood Iris Garden (195 Payne Ave) is opening this weekend (3/20) to showcase the early blooming dwarf iris.  Brentwood Gardens grow irises, day lilies, and chrysanthemums.  The tall bearded-iris should be growing around 3/27.  Keep your calendars open for the weekend Iris festival on 4/17 and 4/18.  

Remember, while enjoying the flowers of Brentwood, allow time to enjoy the wineries (Hannah Nicole, Tamayo, and Bloomfield) and McCauley Olive Groves for some olive oil tastings. 

Speaking of wine, the CO.Co. Wounty Wine Company is having a Wine & Chocolate Fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on Sunday, 3/21.  The cost is $30 to benefit a worthy cause and sample wines & chocolates!  YUM!

Summerset 4, at the Orchard View Lodge is hosting  a Spring Boutique to benefit Garin Elementary School’s Library.  The event is Saturday, March 20th.  There will be 25 Bay Area Vendors  displaying  their wares.  For more information on Summerset, Brentwood’s original Active Adult Community, please email me.

On Saturday, March 20th, at Liberty High School; there will be a Diabetes fundraiser from 9AM – 5PM.  The money raised from the event will go toward education at schools on how to deal with emergency diabetic situations and promotion of a healthy lifestyle.  Come and support a worthy cause.

For you local historic fans, the East County Historical Society holds its annual Opening Day Celebration on Saturday, March 27th at Byron Hot Springs.  Be there from 11AM-4PM for a classic car show, to view John Marsh paintings and family enertainment. The Museum is open every Saturday and the third Sunday of the month from April thru October.

Speaking of John Marsh,  the only remaining relic of this cattle baron & pioneer is his home.  This week, the first phase of stabilization of the house  will take place thanks to a recent grant. The home, located on Marsh Creek Road, the home is fenced and needs serious renovation.   The $800,000 grant will be used to install temporary steel supports, tracing the outside walls and strengthening the roof and floor joists.  

Before the heat is upon us, come and explore Brentwood’s gardens, wineries, olive oil plants, vendors and shops.  If you have any Brentwood real estate questions, please call me.  Enjoy the weekend!

“Grapes have been growing in Contra Costa County for more than 100 years, but they’re just now being used to make wine again,” said Neil Cohn, CEO of Hannah Nicole Vineyards.  At the recent San Francisco Chronicle’s Wine Competition, the largest competition in the US, three Brentwood vineyards won awards. 

Hannah Nicole Vineyards received 3 silver awards and 7 bronze awards. Hannah Nicole’s wine tastings are held Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 6PM at their vineyards, located at 6700 Balfour Road.

Tamayo Family Vineyards received 4 bronze awards, and has won over a dozen awards at this competition, since first debuting three years ago. Tamayo Family Vineyards will hold its first public barrel tasting and release party on Saturday, Feb 27^th from 1-4PM at the Co Co County Wine Company, 633 First Street in Brentwood.  The event is FREE and open to the public, but limited to the first 150 consumers so reservations are recommended. To make a reservation, call 925-240-0862.  This event will feature music, food from local restaurants. 

Bloomfield Vineyards took home six awards.  Their signature wine, Devil’s Daughter, a unique blend of chardonnay and viognier, was awarded the silver medal and named Best of Class at the 2009 California State Fair Wine Competition.  Bloomfield Vineyards held its barrel tasting on Sunday, Jan. 24.

If you’d like to sample more wines from Contra Costa County, including Concord’s Sterling Albert Winery and Walnut Creek’s Shadowbrook Winery, visit Brentwood’s Co. Co. Wine Company in downtown Brentwood.  Their phone number is 634-9463.

While visiting Brentwood’s great wineries, don’t forget to stop and sample the local olive oils at McCauley Olive Groves.  Click their link to view their recent video.  To view the complete article on the Brentwood winery winners, click here.  The weather is getting nicer and before it gets too hot, come experience the joys of Brentwood!

Trilogy is a destination and a lifestyle that exceeds your expectations in a community.  Nestled in the hills of Brentwood, a setting of striking beauty, this destination for those 55 & over is a one-of-a-kind resort location to live.  Trilogy has fabulous home designs from 1734 to over 2800 square feet.  Shea is offering a select group of Designer Homes with incentives that are priced to sell quickly!  Here is a link  (link only lasts 30 days) to these homes that are packed with upgrades and are a terrific value. Surrounded by vines and located near shops, restaurants and medical facilities, Trilogy will have over 1000 homes when complete. 

The fabulous Club Los Meganos at The Vineyards is fast approaching completion.  Plans for the grand opening event are underway.  This resort location will have it all, and you can partake in its amenities by purchasing your dream home in Trilogy.  Once the Club opens and sales increase, Shea expects pricing  to appreciate.  Now is the time to get the best pricing and get in on the ground floor of this resort community.  You can partake of some wine tasting at Los Meganos, while the club is under construction.  Come and sample wines and cheeses from Europe on a guided tour of the Club.  Trilogy is offering this event on January 16^th and February 13^th at 2PM. Space is limited, so sign up soon. 

I would be happy to share with you the treasures of Trilogy, give me a call at 925-852-1659. In addition, here are two homes that are on the MLS and currently for sale.

There were two great Oktoberfest celebrations hosted by Summerset 3 (S3) and Summerset 4 (S4).  S4’s Oktoberfest was held first in their gorgeous meeting room.  The food was fabulous!  You were given a generous portion of 3 main course meats, potatoes, sauerkraut and the best carrots that I have ever eaten!  The band was good and folks were dancing until the end.  Seating for this event was in round tables of eight (8) folks.  The music was a bit loud for much conversation, but a good time was had by all.  S3’s Oktoberfest was hosted a week later, and was held at their great facility overlooking the pond and golf course.  The social committee members worked hard to insure everyone had a great time.   Folks were seated in long tables, and the attendees were enjoying themselves with camaraderie and singing.   With both events, the committees’ hard work showed up, and the drink prices at both events were so reasonable.  These events are hard to find outside of a facility like Summerset, and a great reason to live here!

October also had Summerset 2 (S2) hosting a western dinner dance that was well attended and enjoyed by all.  Summerset 1 had a Wine and Cheese tasting party for only $5!  (Yes, you read it right.)  Local Brentwood wineries attended this event and poured generous wine samplings for the attendees.  Brentwood has some great wine; look out Napa Valley!!!  Heavy appetizers were served and the only small negative was lack of tables to sit and put your food.  It was well-attended and an enjoyable event.  As you can see, there is something for everyone’s taste to enjoy at Summerset!

November is not only the time to think of the turkey going in the oven; each Summerset has charity causes this time of year.  S2 has an angel tree, where you pick an angel off a tree and purchase an age appropriate gift for a less-fortunate Brentwood child.  S4 has a Christmas wreath sale to benefit their charity group, and S3 is having a “Toys for Tots” Pizza Party.  Giving is a way of life to many at Summerset, and a way to honor our community and share the abundance this time of year.  This year, each Summerset is also involved in filling grocery bags with canned goods and non-perishable food items for “Feed the Children”.  Last year, 900 bags of foods were donated.  All donations go to feed the hungry kids in Brentwood. 

There are MANY giving residents at Summerset; come and join them!