My Folks' Place

In 1997, the summer between my senior year of high school and freshman year of college, my dad took the job as the executive director of the Djerassi Resident Artists Program. As a result, my family moved from Boise, Idaho to Woodside, California. The Djerassi property is in the hills to the west of the 280 freeway and about halfway between highways 84 and 92, which cross the San Francisco Peninsula from the bay to the coast.

The house, which is on the property and comes with my father's job, is nestled at the base of a large hill with stands of giant redwood trees downslope. There are gaps in the redwood trees that afford incredible views out over the hills, which turn brilliant shades of gold in the early August evenings. Through one of the gaps you can even see the Pacific Ocean. The house is principally constructed from redwood and the back deck includes an especially nice barrel style hot tub that is perfect for a late night or early morning soak.

One of the most amazing things about living in a rural portion of the Bay Area is that the houses are really far apart. The closest house to my parents' is more than a half-mile away. This means that there are still numerous wild animals to be seen including rabbit, raccoon, coyote, fox, bobcat, deer, numerous birds of prey, and even mountain lion. The Djerassi property also has several fire roads and numerous criss-crossing trails which make for excellent hiking.

The one minor catch to the house is that it is a ways from civilization. It takes about 30 minutes to drive the 14 miles of VERY twisty roads to get to the 280 freeway. From there it is at least another 10 minutes to the closest grocery store. This has proven to be a surmountable obstacle with a few minor changes of habit and a bit more planning. It is possible to get to San Francisco in about an hour for day trips to museums, shopping, and restaurants.