A Dance of Ice and Fire:  A Grand Court Ball in Westeros in Alameda   A Dance of Ice and Fire:  A Grand Court Ball in Westeros.  The Period Events & Entertainments Re-Creation Society, otherwise known as PEERS, are presenting their Grand Ball on Saturday, February 7, 2015 at the Alameda Elks Lodge grand ballroom at 7:00 pm. in honor of the G. R. R. Martin’s novels and the HBO series Game of Thrones.     The PEERS will recreate the ballroom at the magnificent Court of King’s Landing in Westeros where you may dance waltzes, polkas and mazurkas and Medieval and Renaissance dances or enjoy some refreshments.   There will be a pre-ball dance instruction at 7:00 pm and all set dances will be taught and called at the ball. The Queen Regent and Ser Jaime assure you that if you can walk, you c... 01/31/2015

  Things to do in Alameda on January 31 and February 1, 2015     Things to do in Alameda:  The Alameda’s Farmer’s Market is open to the public Saturday, January 31 and Tuesday, February 3  mornings from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, rain or shine.  All the fruits and vegetables are available at great prices.  So good!  Don’t miss the opportunity to shop for delectable fruits, vegetables and flowers.  The market is on Webster Street and Haight Avenue and is open rain or shine.    Things to do in Alameda:  Alameda South Shore Center and Off the Grid food trucks on January 23, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm in the South Shore Center parking lot near Petco.  The trucks include Sensor Sisig, Little Green Cyclo, Seoul on Wheels, Whip Out! Rocko's Chocolate Tacos, Cluck it Up, Lobsta Truck, Licensed 2 Grill a... 01/30/2015

  Alameda Sewer Lateral Program is now being administered by EBMUD.  On January 1, 2015 East Bay Municipal District took over administration of the City of Alameda’s private sewer lateral program.   In July, the City of Alameda along with 8 other cities, the Stege Sanitary District and EBMUD signed an EPA consent decree to make improvements ($1 billion combined) over the next 22 years to their respective municipal sewage collection systems and the regional waste water treatment system. The private sewer lateral program is one of many efforts under that consent decree. According to EBMUD, the private sewer laterals are the sewer pipes that connect a home to the main sewer pipe in the street. The East Bay’s sewage collection system is quite old. During storms, rainwater seeps into cracked... 01/28/2015

      Market Report of Alameda real estate activity 1/19/14 - 1/26/15   Last week’s totals from 1/19/2015 to………..………….……………………1/26/2015 New homes on the market..................................................................7 Price changes......................................................................................1 Homes that sold..................................................................................9 Pending activity - all not just last week...............................................34 All single family homes currently on the market...................................21 Condos currently on the market...........................................................3 Townhouses currently on the market....................................................2 Distressed prop... 01/26/2015

  How can you enhance security for your Alameda vintage home?   How can you enhance security for your Alameda vintage home? The Alameda Architectural Preservation Society’s first meeting of the year will address what you can do to improve the security of your vintage doors and windows Sunday, January 25 at 7:00 pm at the Immanuel Lutheran Church at 1420 Lafayette Street in Alameda.   Bill Essert, President of Wooden Window will speak about restoration of windows and doors in historic homes versus replacement.  He will give advice about things homeowners can do to increase home’s security including retrofitting multi-point security locks on older doors.   VINTAGE DOOR   Windows and doors of many vintage homes are simply not secure.  Homeowners are faced with replacement which are safe bu... 01/25/2015

    Benefit concert for Ruby Bridges Elementary School on Saturday, January 24 at 7:00 pm at the Kofman Auditorium at 2200 Central Avenue in Alameda.  The Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir will join the Ruby Bridges fifth grade choir in an effort to raise money to send fifth graders to science camp. The school’s namesake, Ruby Bridges, is flying in from her home in New Orleans to address the audience at the concert.  Bridges said, “I think science camp is extremely important because it allows all our fifth-grade students to come together and bond together.  That’s really what my work is all about - bringing kids together.”   Many have seen the Norman Rockwell painting of a small black girl being escorted by U. S. Marshalls to school when she integrated William Frantz Elementary school in ... 01/23/2015

  Things to do in Alameda on January 23, 24 and 25, 2015   Things to do in Alameda:  Island City Opera presents Lucia de Lammermoor on Friday, January 23 at 7:30 pm at the Alameda Elks Lodge Ballroom. Tickets are $35 and $55.  The Alameda Elks Lodge is located at 2255 Santa Clara Avenue in Alameda.  Please call 510-263-8060 for more information. Things to do in Alameda:  Friday, January 23 at 8:00 pm Rhythmix Cultural Works presents “The Bobs and the Oakland Jazz Choir.”  Tickets are $15 for students and seniors and $25 for general admission.  Rhythmix’ is located at 2513 Blanding Avenue in Alameda.  Please call 510-865-5060 for more information.       Things to do in Alameda:  The Alameda’s Farmer’s Market is open to the public Saturday, January 24 and Tuesday, January 27  mornings fro... 01/23/2015

  Alameda Theater Classic Movie Series, Winter 2015   Alameda Theater offers great current movies, movies for children and Friday talent shows.  But the best thing they offer are the Classic Movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Seeing classic films on the large screen is an awesome experience.  The winter series begins on January 27, 2015 and ends on April 15, 2015   You can purchase a package of eight classic movies for $40.00 or 4 classic movies for $25.00.  No expiration date.  There is also a Classic Snack Pack for $4.50 which includes vintage packaging, popcorn, drink and candy.   Here’s the lineup for this winter:   Fort Apache on Tuesday, January 27 and Wednesday, January 28  Fort Apache is a 1948 American Western film, the first of a trilogy directed by John Ford.  John Wayne star... 01/22/2015

  Alameda’s Public Works Department wants your input on Clement Avenue improvements.  The City of Alameda has been awarded a grant to develop a plan for improvements for Clement Avenue between Grand Street and Broadway.     Public works will develop a concept of potential improvements on Clement Avenue with community input.  Clement Avenue is 48 feet wide with two motor vehicle lanes and on-street parking.  Improvements will be developed with community input with the first community workshop on Wednesday, January 21 at 6:30 pm at the Main Library at 1550 Oak Street in Alameda.   Some of the proposed goals of the improvements are:   Remove the abandoned railroad tracks; Encourage bicycling, walking and transit use; Improve truck access; Improve the streetscape; Connect homes, jobs, schoo... 01/21/2015

    Market Report of Alameda real estate activity 1/12/14 - 1/19/15   Last week’s totals from 1/12/2015 to………..………….……………………1/19/2015 New homes on the market..................................................................9 Price changes......................................................................................0 Homes that sold..................................................................................6 Pending activity - all not just last week................................................41 All single family homes currently on the market...................................23 Condos currently on the market...........................................................2 Townhouses currently on the market....................................................3 Distressed prope... 01/19/2015

    The Alameda Recreation and Park Department needs your help   The Alameda Recreation and Park Department needs your help to decide what movies will be shown at the 2015 Starlight Movies in the Park.  The Movies will be shown in June, July and September, 2015.       Please select one movie from each list.  ARPD would like you to return ballot by Tuesday, January 20, 2015.  You may vote on-line or on facebook.  Please choose one from each list of possible movies.   June 2015        Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day The Boxtrolls Earth to Echo Space Jam   July 2015        Dolphin Take Two Frozen - Sing-Along LEGO Movie Monsters University   September 2015    Big Hero 6 The Goonies Maleficent The Never Ending Story   The Starlight Movies in the Park is a fun eve... 01/18/2015

  Zillow Zestimate for the median value of a home sold in Alameda     Zillow Zestimate for the median value of a home sold in Alameda’s main Island,  area 94501 is now $736,800, which is an increase of 6.7% over the past year.  The median price for homes currently listed in the 94501 area is $649,900. Zillow goes further to predicts that home values in Alameda’s area 94501 will increase another 2.6% for 2015.         Zillow Zestimate for the median value of a home sold in Alameda’s Bay Farm Island, area 94502 is now $746,100, which is an increase of 4.6% over the past year.  The median price of homes currently listed in 94502 area is $749,000.  Zillow further predicts that home values in Alameda area 94502 will increase another 2.0% for 2015.     According to statistics from the East Ba... 01/17/2015

  Things to do in Alameda on Friday, January 16 and Saturday, 17, 2014   Things to do in Alameda:  Island City Opera opening night of Lucia de Lammermoor on Friday, January 16 at 7:30 pm at the Alameda Elks Lodge Ballroom. Tickets are $35 and $55.  The Alameda Elks Lodge is located at 2255 Santa Clara Avenue in Alameda.  Additional performances on January 23 at 7:30 pm and matinees on January 18 and 25 at 2:00 pm.   Things to do in Alameda:  “Climate Change and You” on Saturday, January 17, 10:00 am to 11:30 am at Crab Cove.  Learn about how the overall increase in temperature will affect the East Bay and our regional parks.  The staff will lead a walk along the shoreline and explore how to prepare for climate change.  Free for the everyone.  Crab Cove is at 1252 McKay Avenue in Alameda... 01/16/2015

  This is the last week you can ice skate in Alameda.         This is the last week you can ice skate in Alameda.  The Little Ice Rink in Alameda will be closing on Tuesday, January 19.  It has been a big success so if you haven’t skated there yet, this is your last chance.         This has been the third winter the Little Ice Rink has been opened for Alameda ice skaters.  The Little Ice Rink has been a gift to the community from Alameda’s Perforce Software Foundation and South Shore Center with the assistance of Ice-America.      The Little Ice Rink, with 4100 square feet of ice skating area, accommodates ice skates. Tickets for adults, 9 years to 109 years are $15 with skate rental or $10 if you bring your own skates.  Tickets for children up to 8 years are $10 with skate rental or $6... 01/15/2015

  How can I lower my winter utility bills in Alameda?  That first bills we receive from PG&E and Alameda Power after a cold snap are usually a shock.  Although we live in Northern California which is an area of mild climate, we do have a winter season when rain and colder temperatures greet us and that means we use more electricity and gas.     The Department of Energy reports that Americans could save between 5 and 30 percent on energy bills by practicing a few simple steps.   According to the Department of Energy, here’s what we can do:              Open curtains on south-facing windows to use the sun to naturally heat your home. Caulk and weather spripping to seal air leaks around doors and windows. Replace your furnace filter once a month. Turns down the water heater temperature to ... 01/14/2015

    2015 SEASON Fresh off a hit  and award winning 2014 season the Altarena Playhouse proudly announces it 2015 Season.       BAREFOOT IN THE PARK January 16 to February 15, 2015 Newlyweds Paul and Corrie are in love but are very different people.  He’s buttoned up and she’s a free spirit. This Neil Simon’s comedy about how the couple find a way to live – and love – together at the top of the world in New York City. BLOOD BROTHERS March 13 to April 19, 2015 In Willy Russell’s powerful musical, twins who were separated as children lead very different lives. Mickey has a troubled live, Eddie has all he needs. They become close friends until love for the same woman tears them apart again. GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS Mary 15 to June 14, 2015 Selling real estate is not for the faint of heart. David ... 01/13/2015

    Market Report of Alameda real estate activity 1/5/14 - 1/12/15   Last week’s totals from 1/5/2015 to………..………….……………………1/5/2015 New homes on the market..................................................................4 Price changes......................................................................................2 Homes that sold..................................................................................6 Pending activity - all not just last week...............................................39 All single family homes currently on the market...................................21 Condos currently on the market...........................................................3   Townhouses currently on the market....................................................3 Distressed propert... 01/12/2015

  How can I transfer my property tax base from Alameda County?   Many of my clients are moving out of the area.  They frequently ask me if they can use their Alameda County property tax base when they downsize.  Some counties in California are participating in the transfer of a seller’s property tax base when they sell their home and buy a replacement home of equal or lesser value.  Currently the following counties have ordinances allowing Props 60 and 90 property tax base transfers: Alameda, Santa Clara San Mateo,  El Dorado,  Los Angeles,  San Diego,  Ventura,  Orange, San Bernadino and Riverside.                         At the time of the sale, an owner of the property must be 55 years old.  If there are co-owners of the property, only one need be 55 years old.  Regardless of age, if... 01/11/2015

  Alameda Seniors and Estate Planning   Most Alameda seniors have made wills or trusts, but not all.  Those are very important documents which seniors should considered as part of their estate planning.  With a will or trust, seniors determine who receives their assets when they pass away.  But there are other documents Alameda seniors need to be sure that they are covered for any situation.       A Durable Power of Attorney for asset management is an important document for Alameda seniors to include in their estate planning documents.  You may name a person to act for you if you are unable to act for yourself.     An Advance Health Care Directive is a document in which you may name someone to speak for you if you are very ill and cannot speak for yourself.  The California Medical Assoc... 01/10/2015

Things to do in Alameda on Friday, January 9 and Saturday, 10, 2014   Things to do in Alameda:  Friday, January 9, at 7:00 to 8:30 pm. Book Launch of Alameda’s Poet Laureate Julia Park Tracy novel “Veronika Layne Gets the Scoop”. Julia will read from her novel and sign her book and local historian Dennis Evanosky will speak about early Alameda settlers as portrayed in the novel.  Champagne and cake will be served.  This event is free for all and will be held at the Alameda Museum 2324 Alameda Avenue in Alameda.        Things to do in Alameda:  The Alameda’s Farmer’s Market is open to the public Saturday, January 10 and Tuesday, January 13  mornings from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, rain or shine.  All the fruits and vegetables are available at great prices.  So good!  Don’t miss the opportunity ... 01/09/2015