architecture

Palo Alto is not just home to budding tech titans, it’s also home to superb examples of early twentieth century domestic architecture. The invaluable Palo Alto Stanford Heritage conducts walking tours of Queen Anne, Craftsman, Mission Revival, Prairie Tudor, and Deco gems in neighbors like College Terrace and Professorville. Brochures are available if you want […]

Bay seniors may not realize they are missing the month-long celebration of Julia Morgan, California’s first licensed female architect and creator of over 700 buildings in the state including the majestic Hearst Castle. Exhibits saluting this eclectic genius who worked in styles beyond Arts & Crafts are running all over California including the Berkeley Environmental […]

It’s understandable why many Bay seniors might be wary of MidMarket. The parade of the city’s fringe populace can seem like a menacing circus. But the Geezer predicts it will all change within 5 years as high tech moves in. Start re-acclimating yourself to the area by taking any of the free tours in and […]

On a recent Geezer expedition to NYC the operatically epic, simply heartbreaking 9/11 Memorial re-ignited my puzzlement on our own area’s lack of interesting public architecture. I’m ok with the Litchenstein under the Bay Bridge and the Goldsworthy bower in the Presidio and the Serra at the Oliver Ranch. But the gnarled Burning Man crone […]

Bay seniors who’ve overcome their prejudices against ranch house architecture have a chance this Saturday to visit one of the jewels of that style – The Frank Lloyd Wright designed Buehler House in Orinda. Built in 1948 in a style Wright called Usonian (for USA.  He thought “American” was too broad a term) that featured […]

Bay Area seniors who avoid the twee charms of Carmel might reconsider their attitude with a visit to Tor. Here on a rocky Pacific outcropping is where Robinson Jeffers (1887-1962) the Big Sur poet who was so celebrated in his time (the 20‘s and 30’s) that he made the cover of Time Magazine, built his fantasy […]

Wine country has a personality disorder. It thinks it’s Tuscany. The most extreme case of this syndrome is Ca’toga, a stunning art & craft-filled villa that outdoes Italy itself. It’s a home, a studio, a gallery, a shop and a Renaissance folly. Just outside Calistoga at the end of the Valley. There are weekly private […]

Sexist seniors will understand why the Geezer recommends grandmothers take their granddaughters to tea at Filoli in the plush hills of Woodside. It is an English gardener’s wet dream, 16 acres of very proper horticulture. Right now the daffodils are running riot. If your granddaughters can relax the grip on their iPhones, treat them to […]