We are lucky to live here!

So, things will be a little weird for at least another month in California. If you’re like me, all this social distancing has started to wear on you both personally and professionally. Luckily, we live in a beautiful place with great weather!

That’s one saving grace – we are still allowed to go on hikes in the Open Space! Recently, I went on one of my favorite Shell Ridge hikes. It goes about 3 miles up a hill and rewards you with great views of the Walnut Creek/680 corridor. You may recognize the spot because it’s where a huge water tower used to be.

To get there, you come in at Marshall, turn left, and then go up and around the side (you used to go straight up the hill, but it’s been blocked off). To get to the highest peak, you backtrack at the top of the ridge. Check out these beautiful views!

I like to sit on the bench up there and take in the incredible landscape below. We really are so lucky to call the Bay Area home, even during a global pandemic. Take advantage of the outdoor opportunities, like this hike, if you can. But make sure your eyes are peeled – it’s rattlesnake season up there!

Road Trips: Concord Pavilion

Have some of our other “Road Trips” installments been too far away for your liking? Love music and being outdoors like me? Then this blog is for you!

Recently, I took a short trip to the Concord Pavilion – basically the mini-me of Shoreline Amphitheater – to see One Republic play a show. It was a rare warm summer night; we sat on the grass, brought in sushi and enjoyed the show. Fitz and the Tantrums were the opening act and they were also very good. It’s a really fun place to hang out with friends, grab a drink and enjoy an outside concert.

One Republic is one of my favorite bands. This is the third time I have seen them – but the Super Bowl arena in downtown San Francisco didn’t really count since it was so crowded and with limited space. The front guy Ryan Tedder is extremely multi-talented. I didn’t realize until this concert that he wrote “Rumor Has It” for Adele, plus songs for Rihanna, Ed Sheeran and many more artists.

The Pavilion is bigger than you’d expect for a venue buried in the East Bay, holding up to 12,500 guests. When I was there, it was packed but didn’t feel suffocating.

Other acts on the schedule include country stars like Florida Georgia Line, Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan, as well as Janet Jackson. Kings of Leon, Linkin Park, Fall Out Boy and Nicki Minaj are some of the performers who have graced the Pavilion stage in the past couple years.

To get to the Pavilion, just drive up to Kirker Pass in Concord and follow the signs. It is a fun evening the whole family can enjoy!

Pantone “Color of the Year”

Everything’s coming up Better Homes and Gardens right now. Even Pantone’s Color of the Year is “Greenery,” which is very similar to what we use here at BHG.

Check out the story on the Color of the Year, which Pantone describes as “a fresh and zesty yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring when nature’s greens revive, restore and renew.” As an outdoor enthusiast and BHG realtor, I love this. But, I probably won’t be painting my walls this color – I think it makes a great accent color!

My favorite part of Pantone’s description, though, is this at the end: “A life-affirming shade, Greenery is also emblematic of the pursuit of personal passions and vitality.”

As we near the end of 2016 and move into 2017, it’s a good time to reflect and consider what we’ve accomplished and what there is to look forward to. I have a few resolutions: up by 6, work out Monday through Friday and in bed before 11 (no more falling asleep on the couch)! And of course, the time to lose some weight needs to become a reality versus just thinking about it. I am also going to start a remodel and add an in-law unit to my current house; I’m thinking about setting myself up for retirement. What is on your New Year’s resolution list?