Tri-Valley Mortgage News

Want some candy? If you have a sweet tooth (like I do), you NEED to head to At The Candy Shop in downtown Danville! This feast for the eyes as well as the mouth has been wildly popular since it opened in early 2009.

A true candy lover's dream the store has the expected rainbow of Jelly Belly and M&M dispensers. But here you will also find candy you may not have seen in some time - remember Charleston Chews, Necco Wafers and Chick-O-Stix? They're all here. Are you a Choc-aholic? Head over to the glass case chock full of chocolate covered temptations.

And if even after all this mouth-watering you actually get thirsty, there's a refrigerator case stocked with a variety of sodas (remember Jolt?)

According to the store's website, the owner, a father of two young children, wanted to provide a happy and inviting place for kids. He definitely succeeded. You cannot help but be happy in this colorful sugar oasis. Aside from the amazing array of confections, the store also carries unique gifts and toys. Many are items parents will recognize from their own childhoods. I've bought my son his fair share of pinewood glider kits. But one of his favorite gadgets purchased here was the "Pickle-Pult"(exactly what it sounds like but with tiny plastic pickles).

Needless to say, when we take the kids to At The Candy Shop, we end up lingering over the immense variety they've managed to display in a small store (it's a good thing candy is relatively small!). If you're planning a trip, and especially if you're towing small ones, plan to stay a spell. And don't be surprised if you end up leaving with far more than you planned on.    

Getting there couldn't be easier. Whether you travel to Danville from the north or south, exit Diablo road and go West. You will literally run straight into the store as Diablo Road ends on Hartz Avenue. Keep going straight into the driveway of the Clock Tower shops and you will find ample parking. If you make this store one of your favorites your life will no doubt be sweeter for it...but better put your dentist on speed-dial!

Memorial Park / San Ramon and Danville Area Parks

Summer is in full swing and that means it's time to hit the parks. The San Ramon/Danville area has absolutely fantastic parks to take advantage of. With average summer temperatures around here in the high 80s, most of the parks also have water features to cool the kiddos down. A few parks even have newly updated play structures.

I have two children: ages 6 and 2 so I have lots of experience with Danville parks and San Ramon parks. In the coming weeks I will lay out the low-down on the best this great area has to offer.

Memorial Park in San Ramon

Perched atop a hill at the intersection of Bollinger Canyon Road and San Ramon Valley Boulevard, Memorial Park was dedicated on September 11, 2002. According to Wikipedia it was originally to be named Alta Mesa Park but during its construction the city changed the name to honor the heros and victims of the September 11^th, 2001 terrorist attacks. Most notable among these is Tom Burnett, a San Ramon resident who perished on Flight 93 and was one of the integral group who thwarted that flight's intended attack. Memorial plaques honoring Burnett and other local residents who have passed adorn the base of the flagpole monument as well as the bases of a few young redwood trees planted in their honor.

Memorial Park's amenities and view live up to the park's notable reputation. The playground is a plethora of monkey bar, zip line and sliding fun for older kids as well as a smaller climb, crawl and slide structure for the younger set. The two areas are nicely spaced but close enough for parents to watch the whole brood. There is also a spacious enclosed sand play area with plenty of bench seating.

There is a neatly manicured baseball field bordered by a sandy walking/running trail. There are also horseshoe pits and a bocce ball court, two ample BBQs and 3 picnic tables (if those are taken, there is ample grass space to picnic too).

Two other added features make this a unique park. One is the popular dog run which is up the hill from the main park as well as a hilly BMX bike track near the dog run, equally as popular. After my young kids are through playing it's fun to go watch the big kids defy gravity!

Perhaps the most attractive and all-encompassing feature of Memorial Park is the sensation of rising above the noise and chaos of the streets below. The clear view of Mount Diablo and the surrounding mountains in the distance imparts serenity and peace - fitting for a park whose very name reminds us all of how precious and fragile life really is.

For more information on San Ramon parks click here.

Blackhawk Plaza Summer Concerts 

If you're looking for something to do Friday nights this summer, Blackhawk Plaza has lined up an impressive concert series that promises fun for the whole family.

The place was packed last weekend for the Michael Jackson tribute band, Foreverland.  Tonight the party band Fundamentals takes the stage which should raise the temperature on an already hot night. Next Friday the Journey Tribute band Evolution is up.

The shows start at 7:00pm and are scheduled to run until 8:30pm. Blackhawk Plaza will host a Friday evening concert every Friday through August. Click here for the Blackhawk Plaza website.

Sycamore Valley Park / San Ramon and Danville Area Parks

Summer is in full swing and that means it's time to hit the parks. The San Ramon/Danville area has absolutely fantastic parks to take advantage of. With average summer temperatures around here in the high 80s, most of the parks also have water features to cool the kiddos down. A few parks even have newly updated play structures.

I have two children: ages 6 and 2 so I have lots of experience with Danville parks and San Ramon parks. In the coming weeks I will lay out the low-down on the best this great area has to offer.

Sycamore Valley Park

A few years ago this spacious park had a playground face-lift and it is now one of the neatest, most creative playgrounds in the area. There are two sections - one for older kids and one for younger. The younger side has a space-age spinner for two and is self-propelled with a wheel in the middle (think the Tea Cup ride at Disneyland but more streamlined!). A small sand play area divides the two playgrounds. The older kids' playground however,  has the majority of creative play attractions. It's nearly impossible to adequately describe the innovative structures on this side so hopefully the picture below will give you an idea. The contraption on the far right is something you actually stand and spin around on!

Of course, there is also a wildly popular "spray ground" water feature complete with two water spray guns and lots of sprinklers.

Sycamore is also home to a gorgeous water fountain and a large expanse of beautifully maintained lawn bordered by concrete trails which makes it a popular place to walk dogs and ride bikes. There is a large BBQ and picnic area, a bocce ball court and sitting further up the hill a huge artificial turf play field.

Even if you don't live in Danville, it is worth the trip if you are in the area to stop by this park with the kids.

For more information about Danville parks click here.

Green has always been my favorite color. I am a quarter Irish. I don't like corned beef or cooked cabbage or ale so I'm not a very good Irish I guess....

Okay, that's enough about me. Here are some St. Paddy's Day facts that are actually interesting! Have a happy, festive day (and go easy on the green beer!)

• March 17^th is the feast of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland who is believed to have died on that date in the year 461AD.
• According to the last US Census, 34 million Americans have Irish ancestry. That's nearly nine times the entire population of Ireland!
• Every year the Chicago River is dyed green in honor of the holiday. The dye only lasts a few hours.
• It is estimated that there about 10,000 ordinary 3 leaf clovers for every one lucky 4 leaf clover.
• A spokesperson for Guinness claims that on any given day 5.5 million pints of the ale are consumed around the world - but on St. Patrick's Day that number soars to 13 million!
• The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place in Boston in 1737 and it is still a yearly tradition there.
• St. Patrick's Day is not just a national holiday in Ireland. It is a provincial holiday in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.  It is also a public holiday on the Caribbean island of Monserrat, which was settled by the Irish.
• There are nine cities in the US named Dublin. The largest is Dublin, Ohio. (FYI - I live just a few miles from the city of Dublin, California!)
• McDonalds has served its seasonal Shamrock Shake since 1970.
• St. Patrick wasn't Irish! He was said to have been born in either Scotland or Wales. Also, he didn't actually chase snakes out of Ireland because there have never been snakes on the island.

You don't think it will ever happen to you but the fact is that home burglaries happen every day. In fact from 2004 to 2008 the number of burglaries increased by almost 4%. Most of these incidents happen in residential homes and average more than $2,000 in stolen items. If you would rather not be a victim of statistics here are some steps you can take to protect you and your home.

The most effective way to reduce the risk of burglary is to install a home security system. These can sometimes be quite expensive but take a few moments to price out your options and see if there is one that fits into your budget. You can think of the expense as added insurance (and you may actually qualify for a discount on your homeowner's insurance for installing a security system!).

In addition here are some simple steps you can take to reduce your risk of a break-in: 

Awareness is the key to keeping you and your home safe. Please pass these tips along so together we can start to see a decrease in home burglaries. Have a great day and stay safe!

Recently we emailed out our quarterly newsletter and I was impressed by one article that I thought would be nice to share. The article is called Sales Cycles - The Secret to Shopping Savings and was published by All About News, Inc. It contains a very useful calendar outlining month- by-month, which items tend to be on sale according to consumer reports experts. Apparently major sales are cyclical in nature and with proper knowledge and planning, those of us in the know can save big!

Here is the run-down outlining what's on sale and when:

Of course, not all of these will hold true in every region 100% of the time. In fact I left out "Houses and

Condos" under February's list. I just thought it was too oddball to include considering these days they

are "on sale" pretty much all the time! But you get the idea. If you're in the market for any of the above do a little comparison shopping. It'll only take a few minutes and you could stand to save a significant amount of money.

For many years I have kept two large plastic file boxes in my linen closet that hold any and all paperwork pertinent to my family's life. I have hanging file folders neatly labeled for each category and yes, they are alphabetized. But as organized and accessible as these items are I am still nagged by the knowledge that some of the contents just don't belong in my home.

In fact, where they should be is at my local bank, tucked away in a safe deposit box. I have put this off for years but I am making a resolution right now to "just do it." There are some documents that should be stored outside of your home in case fire, flood or any other destructive incident were to occur.

If you have any of the following items in your home, please consider storing them elsewhere. If you rent a safe deposit box, make sure someone close to you (preferably in another area) knows where you have it and how to gain access should something happen to you.  Also, before you store these items you might want to make a copy of them and keep them in a file labeled "Safe Deposit Box" so you have an inventory. Items you will want to store include:

• Social Security Card(s)
• Birth Certificate(s)
• Marriage License
• Copy of will
• College degrees
• Copy of professional license(s)
• Divorce papers
• Health records
• Deeds, titles, insurance for home, autos and/or other property owned
• Video inventory of your home's valuables
• Copy of receipts for big ticket items and home improvements
• Any jewelry you feel would be safer in a safe deposit box

One last tip to remember - safe deposit box rental can be tax deductible! Check with your tax professional.