Local shops, Facebook join forces

Run Date: September 24, 2010

FACEBOOK, TWITTER, e-mail. Social media is all around, enabling us to stay in touch “real time” with friends, family and our online and offline communities. It’s how we connect in the 21st century and now it’s helping those who work and live in Pleasanton to “Shop Around Pleasanton.”

This week, the city launched the Shop Around Pleasanton page on Facebook. It is designed to bring up-to-the-minute news on bargains, products and events directly to your Facebook page and, ultimately, into your e-mail inbox.

The site was designed by the 18-member Economic Vitality Committee, whose charge is to implement the city’s economic strategic plan.

“Two of the goals of the strategic plan are to maintain and expand Pleasanton’s economy and maintain the city’s retail and entertainment” business, said Pamela Ott, the city’s economic development director. Part of the strategic plan is a shop local campaign—traditionally, that would include coupons, passports, gift certificates, discount opportunities and special events. Ott says the committee immediately recognized the value of such a campaign but took 18 months to put together an expanded version.

Shop local campaigns drive consumers to spend money in target areas. “From our research, for every dollar spent here, 45 cents stays in the community,” Ott said. “That money helps pay for parks, programs and other community amenities.” Using a social media campaign was not only cutting edge, but fiscally responsible, she said. “We used a Facebook platform so anyone who is a consumer in town has access to deals, specials, events—whatever merchants want to share.” It will include real-time product notifications, events and savings opportunities for those who work or live in Pleasanton, from all the retailers who operate within city limits.

In its first 24 hours, and two weeks before the official launch, the site had 100 fans. Following the official launch early this week, the site had 300 fans. The site has opened with a contest asking consumers to upload photos of their favorite shopping location in town and to include a status update that says why they like shopping there. The post with the most “likes” wins a $1,000 gift card good at retailers throughout Pleasanton. The contest ends Nov. 18.

The Shop Talk area of the site is starting to fill up with merchants who register for free, and can post deals, special merchandise, events and sales. Consumers can sign up for e-mail “shop alerts,” where merchant information is e-mailed to them every two weeks. Merchants can also use the Twitter application to share information with consumers.

Employees of the Golden Apple Learning Store, located on Hopyard Road in the Gateway Shopping Center near Chili’s, are all atwitter with their first Twitter experience. “I put something on Twitter last week about a product we have called ‘Architecto,’ and we had someone come in 45 minutes later and said they’d heard about it on Twitter,” said Golden Apple buyer Nancy Halseth, a 30-year resident of Pleasanton.

Like many merchants, Golden Apple will feature events and new products on the site. With so many types of shopping experiences in Pleasanton, with Shop Around Pleasanton it’s good to know people can shop around town through this citywide campaign. Go to www.facebook.com/shoparoundpleasanton to find out more.

You can contact Susan Hayes at aroundpleas@aol.com.

Armstrong Townhomes’ 3rd Street New Home Stroll Event

Run Date: September 20, 2010

KTSF San Francisco

Armstrong Townhomes hosts the first-ever “3rd Street New Home Stroll” in San Francisco’s bustling Bayview District.

Builder’s Notebook: Dan O’Brien, Area President, Northern California, Shea Homes

Run Date: September 4, 2010

By Linnea Smith Jessup
Special Sections—Contra Costa Times

Today’s homes are built with more than solid materials, better insulation and modern construction practices. In the Trilogy at the Vineyards in Brentwood, more than 300 hours of focus group input was put into the mix as the design process began for this innovative active adult community development.

And that dialogue continues. With the recent opening of Club Los Maganos, an event center and gathering place, residents are actively participating in a variety of groups and special interest events that continue the dialog of what else can be added to make this community even more pleasing to them.

Listening carefully is Dan O’Brien, area president for Northern California for Shea Homes. Since taking that position with Shea more than five years ago, O’Brien has enthusiastically worked with designers, construction staff and support staff. In fact, he is a resident of Trilogy at the Vineyards along with his wife Kathy.

“When we buy a property,” he said of Shea Homes, “we don’t have a plan until we’ve held focus groups and learn from them.” Ground breaking began in 2005.

In the case of this development, there were several “a-ha” moments, according to O’Brien. These included dialogue that led to the realization that home plans needed to be flexible in many ways—offering space for offices, dens or libraries, sometimes even two offices in a home. Even the laundry room can be reconfigured, for example, to accommodate a particular hobby. Courtyards are an option in several of the model plans, and square footage in the single-story homes ranges from 1,719 to 2,853. Buyers can select a model and any customization at purchase and then the home is built specifically for them.

“These homes focus on the boomers, the empty-nesters,” he says, as well as “The big four”—a fabulous kitchen, large family room, luxurious master suite and a good office. Not every plan has a formal dining room, because that’s not important to many boomers. The secondary bedrooms may not be so big because they’re not used very often, or the resident might want a larger space for an office.

But the homes are only one aspect of the development. Enthusiastically noting that the community has three important pillars—mind, body and heart—the facilities were designed to encourage social interaction, education, exploration and fitness. Currently there are groups who enjoy discussing or participating in literature, theater, sports from walking to heli skiing. “Travel is major—they all want to do this—and we have a concierge who can help with local travel plans, group events and other services. There’s a wine making club (O’Brien is a member) and there are community service activities including “Travel with a purpose trips” where participants pitch in at a destination by helping with housing, clean-up or other support. There are also plantings of vines which are tended and harvested by the resident wine club.

The new Clubhouse at Los Maganos has lounge areas, a café/bar, demonstration kitchen with herb garden, a large ballroom and outdoor terrace plus lawn, a library, a game room with a pool table (soon), bocce court, resort-like pool and deck area complete with cabanas and infinity edge. And the views of Mt. Diablo and open space are dramatic. These are all spaces where residents can entertain family and friends, eliminating the need for large indoor and outdoor spaces within their own homes. The health club and spa offers tai chi, yoga, spinning, Pilates, water exercise (there’s an indoor pool), exercise equipment and full spa services. New members, as residents are called at Trilogy, can meet with a health professional who evaluates them and provides a thorough consultation and recommended fitness routine.

The socialization aspect is immediately observed in the clubhouse, where all residents come to pick up their mail, make arrangements for an upcoming event or stop by for a coffee or a game with friends. The spaces also pay homage to John Marsh and his family, early settlers and ranchers on this property. There are portraits of both John and his family, and much of the Sawa Spa’s theme reflects the ways of the Bay Miwok people who also lived in the area. Herbal treatments and services have Miwok names and use natural herbs and plants, for example.

As president of Shea in Northern California, closely overseeing the Trilogy at the Vineyards community, and as a resident, O’Brien is an enthusiastic promoter of the facilities and the lifestyle it supports. As a resident, he is equally engaged in the lifestyle and community.

He grew up in the Midwest, graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Madison with an accounting degree and enjoyed playing guitar, keyboards and drums. He arrived in California just a few years ago and quickly adopted the mindsets that include being environmentally responsible as well as enjoying the many geographic pleasures of the Golden State, from horseback riding along the beach to bicycling the San Francisco Bay with his granddaughters and their parents. He’s still known to belt out a Beatles tune or two but admits he hasn’t had much time for his electric guitar in recent years.

Asked what he might cook at Abby’s Cooking Studio, he described a recent “experiment” that shows both Midwest roots and California flavors—fresh herb crusted lamb chops with wild mushroom merlot sauce, asparagus accompanied by garlic and gorgonzola cheese mashed potatoes with s rosemary spear. “I made it up as I went along; that’s when the fun begins,” he explained.

John Marsh, the first American citizen to settle in Contra Costa, purchased the surrounding land in 1837 and with his wife Marguerite established a ranch; he also practiced medicine. In 1856, at the time of Marsh’s death, the Marsh home here was considered among “the finest ranch home in California.”

When asked about any vision or wisdom he has gained through learning about Marsh, O’Brien remarked on the early settler’s brilliance as well as “an entrepreneur spirit.” He continued, “We have drawn from that spirit to pioneer our most architecturally inspired product in (Shea’s) 125-year history I think John Marsh is smiling, nodding and thinking we have done him proud.”

The developer president, resident and HOA president is proud of his staff, his development and the friendships he and his wife have forged here. There’s a lot of responsibility, but clearly a lot of pleasure in his current work and lifestyle. He says he once explained to a member, “If I am holding a glass of wine, I’m a resident; if I am holding a bottle of water, I’m working; if I am holding a bowling ball, I am dangerous.”

As members of Trilogy, O’Brien said, “Our members love life and I relate to them; it was an easy choice for Kathy and I” of their residency in the development that will eventually have about 1,100 homes.

For more information, contact Dan O’Brien at 925-809-7101, TrilogyLife.com. Trilogy at the Vineyards is located at 1988 Sacred Mountain Lane in Brentwood.