East Bay Home and Gardens

East Bay Then and Now: The Bentleys of Le Conte Avenue: 96 Years of Service and Art

By Daniella Thompson
Friday, December 14
Among the original Northside residences that survived the Berkeley fire of 1923, the Bentley House at 2683 Le Conte Avenue is one of the least assuming. Built in 1900 by the prominent Berkeley contractor and amateur artist A.H. Broad, this modest Dutch Colonial Revival residence is the quintessential “simple home” advocated by Charles Keeler in his 1904 book of the same name. -more-

Garden Variety: The Gift That Keeps On Living

By Ron Sullivan
Friday, December 14
Some of the best gifts I’ve ever received have been from people’s gardens. -more-

Quake Tip of the Week

By Larry Guillot
Friday, December 14
I’m Bolted, I’m Ok? -more-

About the House: You Broker It, You Fix It: Why Buyers Should Buy ‘As Is’

By Matt Cantor
Friday, December 14
You’re in the last throws of the deal and it’s time for the home inspection. The inspector finds that the water heater is defective and needs replacement now. You’re a little upset, since you’ve just offered more money to buy this house than your parents have in their retirement fund. You expected the house to be perfect for that kind of money and you’re not about to shell out another dime. -more-

Arboreal Estate and a Yule Tradition: Mistletoe

By Ron Sullivan
Tuesday, December 11
One of the several “pagan” plants that appear all over in the midwinter holiday season is one that lives in trees: mistletoe. It’s Frazer’s eponymous Golden Bough. -more-