There are actually four days of events taking place throughout Capitola’s Labor Day weekend, and a lot of them take place high and dry around Capitola beach!

To assist people coming into Capitola Village, a free shuttle service runs every day from Friday through Monday, 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Friday evening features Movies at the Beach – this year’s feature is 1960’s favorite, “Beach Blanket Bingo”, in keeping with this year’s Capitola Begonia Festival theme “Beach Party”.

Saturday, September 4 is a pretty full day!  The Begonia pickers are up bright and early grabbing the begonia blooms to be placed on their entries throughout the day.

Meanwhile, visitors have a full day as well with a myriad of events and attractions – from:

…taking a stroll along the banks of Soquel Creek to view the floats being constructed…

…to a Sand Sculpture Contest on Capitola Beach at 8 a.m…

… to a viewing of the works of local student artist along the Esplanade at 9 o’clock a.m…

… to a concert at Esplanade Park at 4 p.m. featuring local favorites “Mike Hadley and the Groove”.

Then at dusk, another movie (this one will be “Mama Mia”).

Sunday, September 5 is certainly a big day.

Starting at 8 a.m., registered participants will be chosen for teams at random to compete on Capitola Beach in a game of horseshoes (how Americana can you get?)

Then:

More reviewing of the armada of floats along Soquel Creek…

… A children’s “Chalk Art” display along Capitola’s seawall at 9:00 AM until Noon,

… A chance to create a hat out of Begonias (as we seeing a pattern here??) at 11 a.m. on the Esplanade

… And, finally at 1 p.m., the 58^th Annual Capitola Begonia Festival Nautical Parade.

Whew!  But that’s not all.  After all that…

… the “Houserockers” – another terrific local band – provide a concert in Esplanade Park from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Now comes Monday – Labor Day – and it begins pretty early with a 6 a.m. open-to-all-ages Fishing Derby on the Capitola Wharf.

When your young anglers are finished with that, there is another Children’s Art Event in Esplanade Park at 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

Then, back to the water, folks, and the Rowboat Races on Soquel Creek beginning at 1 p.m.

Check with the Capitola Chamber of Commerce about registering for these events if you want to participate.  If you want to adopt more of an “observer” profile, all you have to do is show up in Capitola-by-the-Sea for the biggest community event of the year!

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This year, I decided to get to know more about the Captiola Begonia Festival Nautical Parade and what it takes to put it together.  So far in my Capitola Begonia Festival Diary we have taken a look at its history, found some interesting facts and stories, met some of the folks behind this two-hour trip floating down the Soquel Creek, and seen how this event has become a real part of Capitola living.

Now, let’s get into some of the details:

The Capitola Begonia Festival Nautical Parade is part of the Capitola Begonia Festival and takes place the Sunday before Labor Day every year.  But, many of the entries begin to take shape months before. That is when committees are formed, ideas for entries are bantered about, vacations are re-scheduled, and creative seeds are planted. 

Groups entering a float in the parade don’t have to be groups at all!  They can be individuals (but when you ask your friends to help, learn the difference between “commitment” and “intention”!), businesses, community groups, anybody - or “anybodies“.  In fact, they don’t even have to be from Capitola!   

There are typically between 6 and 10 entries, but Nels Westman – a veteran of many parades - remembers as many as 21 entries.

Recently, entrants have demonstrated community largess by donating the grant “prize money” to local charities, with first place netting around $1000, second place about $500, and third bringing $300.

The framework that shows off the talent and creativity of the entrant – which will be covered with a float-load of Begonias - sits atop an 8′ x 12′  ”barge”, which is delivered to the entrant-builders the Friday before the event. Things get rather fast and furious as the group affixes the framework to the barge and the resulting craft – resplendent in its floral glory - is called the “float”.

Early Saturday morning (and I mean “cock-a-doodle-doo” early!), the groups descend on The Golden State Bulb Growers in northern Monterey County to pick the Begonias.  These friends of the Capitola community donate the bulbs every year for this event.  As soon as the blooms are gathered, they are taken back to the building site and attached to the chicken wire covering the framework.  Viola – a float is born!

Now, it is not all work and no play!  When two or more are gathered  – especially in Capitola by the beach – a party is bound to break out.  Barbeques, laughing, reminiscing, and possibly imbibing (in a safe and responsible manner, of course) abound along the building sites of Soquel Creek that Saturday night.

Then – nighty night, little friend, you’ve had a busy day!  … the anticipatory wait until the actual Nautical Parade itself on Sunday.

Next, we will see what else happens on this festive weekend.

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Brand New Condos in Walnut Creek, a Short Walk to Most of the Bay Area!                   

In spite of the requisite signs and banners proclaiming “Now Selling”, you may have driven by “555 YVR”, a new home development in Walnut Creek, without even noticing it. 

But I wanted to see exactly what these new homes in Walnut Creek were and how much it would take to be a part of it.

New Homes in Walnut Creek at 555 YVR. By the way, that is the address: 555 Ygnacio Valley Road, an easy walk to BART and downtown

Before we go inside, let’s talk about the location – right on Ygnacio Valley Road between North Main Street and Broadway.  An easy walk to Walnut Creek BART, which means the entire Bay Area.  Work in San Francisco?  Walk to work.  Flying out of Oakland International (OAK) or SFO? Walk to your flight.  Want to take in an A’s or Giants game?  Walk to the ballpark.

It is also within easy striking distance of downtown Walnut Creek, its new library, and about a thousand restaurants.  That’s right, new homes in Walnut Creek within walking distance to everything in the East Bay!

Light and bright courtyard of these new homes in Walnut Creek

As I drove up, I found easily accessible parking.  It reminds me of a lot of the new home developments in Jack London Square or Emeryville.  But with these new homes, you get a Walnut Creek address!

With any new building, everything looks crisp and clean and, well, “upscale”.  This one is no exception.  A well decorated lobby entrance and a nice water feature once you enter the light, bright inner courtyard  lets you feel as if you are in a classy environment and stands up to close scrutiny.  What impressed me was the quality of materials and how they were used. Hardwood decking and interesting landscaping in a well-designed space.  Nice!

Let’s talk about the units themselves.  Again, I got the feel of quality materials from the stainless steel appliances to the hardwood floor to the tiled baths. 

The Kitchen and Dining room of the 1 bedroom, one bath unit is bright, open, and well-appointed

A lot of “loft style” condos builders make the mistake of using “cheap” appointments.  They take the “industrial” feel a little too far by using cheap cabinetry and carpet.  Not these folks!  Even the basic flooring is hardwood and tile and the cabinets have a good, solid feel.

There are six different models from 763 to 1308 square feet.  The smallest is a one bedroom, one bath priced from $349,000.  There are four other one-bedroom plans with one- and one-and-a-half baths increasing in size – and price – to a two-story 1065 square foot model offered at $480,000.

The Kitchen of the two-bedroom unit - open and upscale, just what you'd expect from a new home in Walnut Creek!

The two-bedroom plans are between 1147 and 1308 square feet and range in price from $499,000 to 4650,000.

To me, the appeal is that they are brand new homes in Walnut Creek with lots of amenities – and that fits well with a younger urban professional buyer.

A quick glance at the resident’s-only Fitness Center, the Media Center, the well-appointed rooftop deck and barbeque area and it is easy to picture a group of 20- to 30-somethings at an after-work get-together. 

Don't let the one bedroom fool you! The Townhouse style unit doesn't lack for space or bright and open feel!

Overall, I was very impressed.  Under $400,000 for a brand new home in Walnut Creek with a central downtown location and secure parking seems pretty dazzling.  As the units get more expensive, the shine loses some of its luster, however.  By the time you get to the $650,000 model, you may want to consider a single-family home if you willing to take on the extra maintenance in exchange for more space.

The Roof deck and outdoor fireplace - Room with a View!

By the way, they were smart enough to get FHA condo approval for these homes, which means you can get in for as little as a 3½% downpayment.

With a lot of very nice features included as standard, you may not feel the need to make any upgrades at all.

However, they do offer options such as upgraded wide-plank flooring, nicer carpeting, and upscale window coverings. 

Although all of the units come with modern Stainless Steel appliances, they do not come with a refrigerator.

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According to local historian Carolyn Swift in her collaborative book “By-the-Sea – A History of the Capitola Begonia Festival”, the Capitola Begonia Festival began about the same time that Capitola became a city – 1949.

All quiet - for now! A serene Capitola Beach waits at the end of Soquel Creek for the Labor Day excitement of the Capitola Begonia Festival

But the first Begonia Festival was actually held in Santa Cruz in 1940.  If it wasn’t for World War II, Santa Cruz may have remained the host for these festivities, but the outbreak of war meant the festival was replaced with more serious concerns.

Capitola, eager to promote itself and show off its new credentials as a city, set into motion a series of events which eventually resurrected the festival – first as a Water Fantasy, then the first Capitola Begonia Festival in 1954.

By 1957, the event had become a local fixture – complete with sailboat races, folk dancing, a kiddie parade, card parties, and a teen street dance.  Over the next few years, the festival grew and improved upon itself.  Local personalities placed their mark on the festival – the now-familiar floats were added to the agenda, as was a water ballet.

But, there were some upsets, too – a damaging tidal assault made minced-meat of the businesses along the Esplanade in 1960 and threatened the event itself.

But the show must go on – and go on it did!

This is more like it! The Capitola Begonia Festival Nautical Parade displays its colorful floats to an enthusiastic crowd

All in all, the Capitola Festival has endured:

•  An unexpected railroad train sending festival viewers scurrying from their vantage on the trestle above Soquel Creek,

•  A street-fight melee straight out of West Side Story

•  A mix-up resulting in the crowning of TWO Capitola Begonia Festival Queens in one year

Add to this list writhing mermaids, flying steaks, hula dancers, swimsuit competitions, fake paper Begonias, a polluted Soquel Creek, and a host of other things that were amusing, inspiring, semi-tragic, and just plain bizarre and you have a history of the Capitola Begonia Festival in a nutshell.  Or maybe a Begonia blossom!

I heartily advise anyone who enjoys attending the Capitola Begonia Festival to drop by the Capitola History Museum and pick up a copy of Carolyn’s book cataloguing the history of this local event.

As for me, I now have a basis for what can happen at this year’s Begonia Festival – Anything!

Just to give you an idea, last year a float was entered by a group from California Polytechnic – Cal Poly, the esteemed engineering school.  I will never forget the sight of this beautiful float as it slipped regally under the Stockton Bridge – and capsized!

Anything can happen!

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If you look on a map of Santa Cruz County, and in particular the area between Capitola City Beach and New Brighton State Beach in Capitola and Manresa State Beach just south of Rio del Mar, you will find long stretches of California coastline and beaches whose names seem to blend into each other.

Seacliff State Beach occupies a rather unassuming middle portion of this coastline – unassuming that is until you go there!

Blue skies peek under a bank of high fog as happy visitors enjoy Seacliff State Beach. Capitola and Santa Cruz appear in the backgorund

From California State Highway 1, take the State Park Drive exit. 

From there, meander through the gentle curves, past a rather modern shopping center and past a small but lively “downtown” area and continue to the Seacliff State Beach entrance and information booth.

That is where it all changes!

Seacliff State Beach is open all year round and attracts visitors for a variety of reasons.

As with most of the California State Beaches, the facilities are superb – clean, easily accessible restrooms, plenty of parking (on several visits, I observed huge motor homes towing full-sized cars negotiating the parking areas with relative ease!), courteous and well-informed Park Rangers, and lots of things to enjoy – even for a brief visit.

The beaches are well groomed without looking like they are part of an upscale resort.  In other words, the “nature” is still part of the natural surroundings!

A paved road takes you from the bluffs overlooking the Monterey Bay (the view is worth the visit by itself!) right down to the beach. 

A Visitor’s Center has lots of information about the area and its plant and animal residents. It and even has a “touch pool” exhibit which allows visitors to see starfish, urchins, and other bay creatures in a natural habitat.  Another interesting exhibit is the “shark egg repository” – where folks can bring local shark eggs that they find to be cared-for, then transferred back into the wild.

The Visitor’s Center is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm.

The "SS Palo Alto" also known as the "concrete ship" attracts fishermen, surfers, sun-bathers, and vacationers to Seacliff State Beach and its superb facilities

But the most apparent amenity of Seacliff State Beach is the remnants of the SS Palo Alto and its attending pier.  The Palo Alto – a concrete hulled ship – was brought to the area in the 1930’s, “sunk”, and turned into an amusement area.  Sadly, this enterprising business venture did not survive the challenges of the Great Depression and it was abandoned.

However, today it serves as welcomed habitat for a variety of sea-life and lures fishermen eager to catch Mackerel, Striped Bass, and even Halibut.  To fish from the pier, no state fishing license is required.  However, to angle from the beach, you will need a license.

On the days I have gone, I have seen fishermen, boaters, surfers, and “boogie-boarders” – all enjoying Seacliff and the Monterey Bay.  There is camping and extended stay facilities for recreational vehicles, too. 

Even after sundown (Santa Cruz and Capitola provide a lovely backdrop for some spectacular sunsets!), visitors can be seen utilizing local driftwood to take the chill from the evening air in the designated fire-pits.

As with most State Beaches, a day pass is $10, a “Poppy Pass” (a pass for certain beaches, mostly north of Big Sur) is $90, and an annual pass for all State Beaches and Parks is $124.

Get a day pass to see what I mean about this treasure, but be prepared to upgrade to the “Poppy” or annual pass once you spend some time here.

By the way, the passes are good for several people at a time, so this can be a family and friends adventure – and one you will certainly enjoy!

Visit the Seacliff State Beach website to find information about the facilities and make a reaservation!

Visit our special “Seacliff” page to learn more about living in this lovely area!

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They complain about erroneous information.  They complain about homes being listed as available when they are not and sold when they are still available. They complain that homes do not turn out to be the way they were presented.

Complain, complain, complain.

You know what?  That was going on long before there ever was a Zillow.  In fact, Zillow has done more to bring transparency to Real Estate than any newspaper or online service.

Let’s take a look at what Zillow is and what Zillow does:

Zillow is an online real estate publication, just like any newspaper only instantaneous – and free! 

Like a newspaper, it makes its money on advertising. 

Also like a newspaper, it provides property information based on public records (remember those “recent sales” sections in the Santa Cruz Sentinel?) and allows real estate professionals to place ads and write informational pieces on its site. 

If the information coming from the County or the listing agent is inaccurate, Zillow is not a fault.  They only present what they believe to be true – they do not confirm or investigate.

Just for the record, I have never paid any money to Zillow nor do they (to my knowledge) have me contribute to their site.  And they certainly do not pay any money to me.

People who think you can just “go online” and see how much to sell their home for, or how much to offer on their next home really need to get a little closer to reality. 

Those determinations can only be made by diligent - and often “in person” – analysis and investigation.  Zillow merely takes the information that is available to it and allows access by the public.  And in exchange for this access, the public is obliged to see an ad or two. 

Zillow does not pretend to be an online Realtor.  Or an online loan Broker.  Any more than they tell you that you can perform an online home inspection.

Those areas of expertise demand thoroughness and close and careful scrutiny.

What Zillow does do is allow access to a tremendous database of public information, a long list of local practitioners, and provide a forum for questions and comments from Buyers and Sellers.

But Zillow does not, nor does it pretend to, promote itself as a short-circuit to success in buying or selling real property.

So, if the information about a certain property is less than accurate, if a home does not apear the same up close as it does on a Zillow aerial photograph, or if the interest rate on your loan is not exactly the same as it was under the Zillow “mortgage” button – don’t blame Zillow!

Use them to get an idea of market conditions, what homes are going for in a certain areas, and what to expect in your Real Estate transaction.  For example, they have a calculator to give you an idea of your payment.

Then do what you should always do – align yourself with the best practitioners in their field and let them do a thorough job for you.

Zillow is a resource, not an Oracle.

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The other day I overheard two Realtors chatting about what is wrong with Zillow.

“How can you tell how much a home is worth by an aerial photograph?”

“Even if they DID know whether there had been any updating, a proper property analysis can’t be done by the click of a mouse!”

And you know what – I agree.

But that is not what Zillow.com is all about.

In fact, in the Zillow FAQ section, they tell you as much.  They describe how a “zestimate” is an online figure, then advise you go contact a Realtor for a more in-depth analysis.

Let’s take a look at what Zillow really is.  Zillow is an online newspaper full of real estate information and a forum for professionals, Buyers, and Sellers to ask questions and exchange ideas. I have no knowledge of the inner workings of Zillow, but I’m going to guess they make their money on advertising.

Just like a newspaper. 

They show homes for sale and provide a modicum of information, provide information about financing, offer a forum for getting real estate advice from professionals, offer a directory listing areas of expertise, and provide local area information.

Speaking of advice, read this Zillow.com “reminder” by Russ Hatfield on “scams and frauds”! 

And, in my opinion, they do a pretty good job of it – but it has to be used with a little common sense.

No, you cannot price your home based solely on Zillow’s “zestimate”.

No, you cannot purchase a home for a certain amount with impunity simply because Zillow say it is worth that much.

In fact, Zillow does not say a home is worth any certain amount – they simply say that, based on the data taken from public records and a photo from 10,000 feet up in the air, there are comparable sales of similar homes in the surrounding area at a certain sales price.

As always, there is no substitute for diligence and hard work.  Pricing, marketing, negotiating, and determining property condition is not a job for a “click of a mouse” – no matter how seductive that idea may be.

Here’s my advice:  use Zillow for its intended purpose.  Check out a city, scroll through the local info section.  If you need a Realtor in a certain area, chat with a couple of the folks listed under the Realtor section until you find one that resonates with you and your goals.  If you need financing, there are mortgage professionals listed there, too.  If you want an idea of current rates, they are right there. They even have tools such as a mortgage calculator to give you an idea of payment amounts.

But when it comes down to feeling comfortable with a loan officer or discussing which loan program works best for you – or deciding which Realtor is the best match for you –  or determining how much you should sell your home for or pay for your next one- no computer in the world can provide that information better than you.

That is something only you can decide.  Even Zillow will tell you that.

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It is both unique and familiar at the same time – a little bit “Fourth of July Americana”, a little bit “Beach Blanket Babylon”, and a lot of local Capitola color – both human and floral!

Kind of like David Lynch meets Frank Capra.

As you can see, the Capitola Begonia Festival is an all-out community event! It really is fun for the entire family

As I said in my last “Notes from the Beach”, I somehow managed to talk my way on to the Capitola Village Residents Association (CVRA) Begonia Festival Nautical Parade float-building team this year.

Nels Westman, veteran float-master and Spiritual Advisor to the project, directed me to the new Begonia Festival float team-leader, Ed Bottorff.

Just to help you keep things straight, Ed is like Luke Skywalker.  This is his first year building a float for the Begonia Festival (or any other festival, for that matter), and he has already developed a plan for gathering the Begonias and has built the float super-structure.  And this was as of the end of June!

"There, there, little man - you've had a busy day!" Capitola Begonia Festival floats retire along Soquel Creek after a day of fun and frivolity!

If you took Yoda, made him six feet taller, a thousand years younger, and gave him a lush beard you would have Nels Westman.  Nels and his teams have built – and won – several Begonia Festival Nautical Parades in years past.  He knows more about Begonia Festival float-building than Lindsay Lohan knows about ankle-bracelets. In a ten-minute chat, he told me more tricks and tips than you can imagine. 

“Let the Floats be with you!”  (OK, he didn’t really say that, but wouldn’t that be cool if he had?)

I, like C3PO, will do my best to find something useful to do while staying out of the way.

For now, that means doing Begonia Festival research.  And in Capitola, “research” means a trip to see Carolyn Swift at the Capitola History Museum.

I found out there is a lot to learn!

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From San Francisco to the Central Valley, Capitola is a favorite destination for people who want to get away from the summer heat.  But sometimes the cool ocean breezes get a little too cool! 

Then blue skies turn overcast and breezes become wind… then comes the fog.

This was kind of the way Wednesday, July 21, 2010 was looking.  Oh, fine – just in time for the Capitola Twilight Concert! 

And tonight was featuring “Broken English”, a local band known for its Salsa/ Merengue/ Caribbean sound, not some moody melody band. 

Still, locals and visitors began the trek to the Capitola Bandstand around 5pm – plenty of time for the 6pm Showtime – to insure they would get a good spot.

"If this town's Rockin' - You'd better start walkin'!" People walk down to the Capitola Village Bandstand early to get a good spot for the Capitola Twilight Concert every Wednesday evening

It had been cloudy and windy all day, but that wasn’t enough to keep folks from the beach – or from bringing their lounge-chairs and goodie-bags to the lawn area in front of Blue Water Grill.

Broken English is the product of two lovers of Caribbean culture, Javier Muñiz and Ishmael Huggins Diaz.  Twenty and some-odd years ago, they formed Broken English, which has grown to become an 11-piece rhythmic juggernaut – featuring the Caribbean styles of Salsa, Merengue, Soca, Guajira, Rumba, Mambo, and others.

Javier, Ishmael, and "Broken English" chase the fog away and entertain a thankful crowd

They claim to “take their audience on a Caribbean Cruise of musical styles”.  Horns enter through a framework of timbales and guitar, the piano weaves through conga beats and bass lines. Saxophone – the “Devil’s Horn”- adds spice to an already piquant blend of Calypso. 

By a little after 5 p.m., as soon as Broken English started to set up on the stage, the skies began to clear.

And once they started playing, and working their VooDoo Mambo Magic, they turned the enthralled audience into the Capitola Tonton Macoute, hanging on every note.

It is hard not to fall into their feel-good kind of groove.  Ishmael Higgins Diaz, the front man and good-will ambassador, intermittently referred to the crowd as ‘family” and “friends” throughout the show, sprinkling it with just enough Spanish and Portuguese to authenticate his message.

Capitola Beach People enjoy the Caribbean sounds of "Broken English" while the fog sulks off-shore

About half an hour into the show, I looked around to find a beautiful early evening had replaced the dismal day, forcing the foggy, soggy, blustery party-spoiler weather to watch from far off shore.

At 8pm, the show wound down to a reluctant – even for the players, it seemed – close.    

I saw people walking up the hill for at least a half and hour after it was over.  They must have had such a good time they didn’t want to leave!

Thanks so much to Christine Buechting of Edward Jones Investments and to Pacific Framing Gallery for sponsoring this show.

Oh, and the weather?  Well, once they stopped playing - the wind picked up, the temperatures cooled down, and the fog slowly crept back over the Capitola Village.

When I awoke this morning and walked out on my deck, it looked like it had rained.

It was “voodoo”, I tell you!

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Tuscan estates, Ponderosa-styled Ranches, Victorians … how about a beach home WITH ITS OWN BEACH!

All of these $10-million-plus homes are the epitome of style and function.  With these, you not only get a home to live in and enjoy, you get a whole lifestyle to go with it.

Take a stroll through a European Estate with state-of-the-art technology.  Drop by and survey your own  wine-producing vineyard. Saddle up and ride across your own western-movie set. 

There are simply no finer homes on the market than these!

Invite the Joneses over for the weekend – and let them luxuriate in their own private guest house.

This is where dreams become reality, built in wood, steel, and stone!

Showing properties 1 - 4 of 4. See more Santa Cruz County Estates - $10M+.
(all data current as of 9/7/2010)

1. $16,000,000 : 16401 Matilija Dr, Los Gatos
   
   6 beds, 6 full, 2 part baths

   Size: 16,000 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.37 ac
   
2. $11,000,000 : 18550 Black Rd, Los Gatos Mtns
   
   5 beds, 8 full baths

   Size: 18,000 sq ft

   Lot size: 11.09 ac
   
3. $12,000,000 : 5400 Cabrillo Hw, Pescadero
   
   2 beds, 1 full bath

   Size: 1,500 sq ft

   Lot size: 643.00 ac
   
4. $11,500,000 : 16721 Madrone Av, Los Gatos
   
   6 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

   Size: 6,000 sq ft

   Lot size: 21.00 ac
   

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Contact us for more information on these Santa Cruz County Luxury Homes, or ask about other spectacular properties currently for sale!

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