So long Los Robles

Santa Rosa landmark the Los Robles Lodge, once a home to wedding banquets, happy hour and social scenes from the sixties and seventies, is no more. I was surprised to see it shuttered and boarded up like a ghost town on a recent trip to Coddingtown Mall, which has also seen better days.

My friend Jean had her wedding dinner here, and I still have pictures of her dancing with her dad, and all of us in our 80's clothes and hair.

I haven't lived in Santa Rosa for 20 years but I still feel nostalgic for how things used to be... RIP Los Robles Lodge.

Here's a link to a Press Democrat story on the property.

What I'm writing this week...

Near foreclosure sends Napan spiraling out of control
When Stephanie bought her Napa house in August 2003, she figured she was buying into the American dream of home ownership and the benefits of home equity. But her dream turned into two-year nightmare. For her desire to buy her first home, the emotion...
Apr. 22, 2007

A sale at the courthouse steps
The image of a home sold to the highest bidder on the courthouse steps may cause some to dream of quick deals and real estate steals. But that is a fantasy for most. "The reality is that there are some deals out there but not every foreclosure is a d...
Apr. 22, 2007

Vallerga s to lay off 30 employees
Vallerga s Markets hand-delivered letters to 30 employees Tuesday, terminating them from jobs effective April 28. Because the employee union contract requires terminations based on seniority, layoffs affect Vallerga s employees from both the Redwood ...
Apr. 12, 2007

At the Gala...

Jen and Don at the St. John's Gala. Don was the auctioneer and I was the photographer for the night. For more pictures go to school.stjohnscatholic.org

Happy Easter.

Don't sign your rights away...

What I've been writing...

Napa kids get into the Zone
A former grocery store in a south Napa strip mall has been transformed into Napa's largest and most diverse indoor play space. Working with local businessman Paul Johnson, Main Street Martial Arts and the former Sky High Gymnastics have combined unde...
Apr. 9, 2007

Florida firm buys JV Wine site
A Miami-based real estate group is the buyer of the JV Wine & Spirits property on First Street. Brad Weiser, managing partner of the Continental Companies, confirmed the purchase Friday. Weiser confirmed that Continental Companies is also the develop...
Apr. 7, 2007

Room 15: The Alphabet Show
Who knew that cool jazz and the ABCs went together? A local teacher did, and she s made a DVD to help Napa s youngest get the hang of the building blocks of literacy. Robin Thompson, a kindergarten teacher at Shearer Elementary School, has created R...
Apr. 4, 2007

Vallerga s to close Silverado Trail store
Vallerga s Markets announced Monday it is closing its Silverado Trail store at the end of April, the second store closure in the last two years. The move was precipitated by the sale of the JV Wine Spirits property on First Street. JV a Vallerga ...
Apr. 3, 2007

Pain at the pump
Misael Rosales, 55, feels he's getting too old to look for a part-time job to augment his full-time one -- but that's what he feels he has to do to feed his truck's eight cylinders. "I'm using the truck less than last year," said the Napa resident. "...
Mar. 11, 2007

Building business: Trestle Grove
Inspired by the Main Street neighborhood, and taking cues from the bungalow style architecture of cities like Berkeley, Portland, Seattle and even Napa, local builder/developer Kirk Guyer has created Trestle Grove, a six-home development on a small p...
Mar. 13, 2007