...more mundane with some San Francisco thrown in for some spice.

I appreciated the many complimentary comments on the "Color That Inspired A Photo" blog. Thanks.

With a pal, we took a stroll around my neighborhood, Kentfield Gardens in Marin County California.

What realtor Madeline Schaider says: Kentfield Gardens comprises a small number of streets south of Sir Francis Drake, bordering the Corte Madera Creek and Hal Brown Creekside Park. Most houses in Kentfield Gardens were built from 1951 to 1954, and many extensively remodeled in recent years. Charming older homes in the Mira Monte section go back to 1906 and may be as new as the 1980’s. The area is level and open, with a country feeling and views of Mt Tamalpais.

The original homes had a few basic layouts to choose from & then the original purchasers could customize a bit.

Straight ahead, across the marsh, is Kentfield Gardens. Years ago at low tide we’d bike on dirt paths inside the marsh. It’s closed off now. At high tide on January 3, 2026, the day of a king tide, this was all under water to the bike path.

To the left, under the trees, is a path along the Corte Madera Creek. When Barbara Boxer lived nearby & was a Marin county supervisor she was instrumental is having the path built.

To the left is Mt. Tamalpais, the birthplace of mountain biking..

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An A.D.U. added to an already built up home. This one is for the mother-in-law.

Some changes made to the front, I don’t know what if anything has been done in back.

Lots of renovation including a second story.

Same here.

The first renovation we did our home was a bay window like what was done here.

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Unusual wooden remodel.

With neat wooden sculptures on the fence.

They’re in the process of adding more.

It seems that the original owner, back in 1953, opted to have the builders make this a two bedroom home instead of the three bedrooms that were being built in the rest of the ‘hood.

Those six metal poles are an indication that this is an original front. There were variations in the number of poles. We have only one.

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An original driveway.

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The round window was a choice in 1953.

Metal roof.

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Some houses back-up on the marsh.

Some construction happening.

This house looks original.

We have bricks like that in front but they were painted over when we got there.

The only tile roof that I passed.

A routine P. G & E. inspection detected a small gas leak across the street from…

…this trench. This work was related to that.

Note the workers having lunch on the roof across the way.

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We are at the absolute end of the water line. Every once in a while the Marin Municipal Water District…

… flushes out the line in front of our house.

In the earlier developed Mira Monte, Look At the Mountain, subdivision of Kentfield Gardens. Some homes have really nice views of Mount Tamalpais.

Also Mira Monte.

On a street of a tiny subdivision leading to Corte Madera Creek.

Magnolia Ave. between Larkspur & Kentfield.

“1973 or 1974?” I wondered and discussed it with a few friends.

Mitch wrote “the 72 had smaller tail lights and the 75 went to fuel injection 1 tail pipe, so I think it is 73/74.”

My ‘74 Karmann-Ghia had these square chrome bumpers. I think they replaced the round ones in ‘73.

This Mercedes could be worth a cool million bucks; depending on the year, condition…

Balloon Delights had a boarded up window & we thought they were out of business But no…

A local success story that started here. We’ve encountered their crackers, far away, in our travels. “Pope Francis famously requested Rustic Bakery flatbread and crostini when he visited the U.S. in 2015.”

A 5 story housing & commercial building is going up here in Larkspur.

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Enter if invited.

An entrance for a new immense house.

And San Francisco.

On the side of the Green Street Mortuary.

Transamerica PYRAMID ARTS - Tara Donovan STRAGEMS.

Transamerica Pyramid, Jackson Sq. San Francisco.

Transamerica PYRAMID ARTS - Tara Donovan STRAGEMS.

Transamerica Pyramid, Jackson Sq. San Francisco.

Transamerica PYRAMID ARTS - Tara Donovan STRAGEMS. Most ingenious use of C.D.s.

Transamerica Pyramid, Jackson Sq. San Francisco.

Transamerica PYRAMID ARTS - Tara Donovan STRAGEMS.

Transamerica Pyramid, Jackson Sq. San Francisco.

Transamerica Pyramid, Jackson Sq. San Francisco.

Mechanics Bank, 343 Sansome St, San Francisco.

The glass case on the right is filled with al sorts of archealogical finds from various excavations at this site.

Year Built/Renovated - 1929/1991

“…343 Sansome occupies a full block in San Francisco's Financial District, combining a new 16-story building with an existing, historically significant building… This building incorporates the historic facade of the 1929 Crown Zellerbach Exterior skin is Sardinian gray granite with terra cotta and ornamental metal.”

1929 elevators no longer in use have been replaced with “new destination dispatch elevators.”

“A landscaped rooftop garden is open to the public during business hours, providing a significant amenity to tenants and others.”

When on the rooftop, I turned around & was surprised to see those rooftop statues on a neighboring building.

A California St. cable car & on the right the base of the ca. 1908 The Bank of California Building, "The Grand Old Lady of California Street" @ 400 California Street.

Leo's Oyster Bar at 568 Sacramento St. The interior is done in 1950’s style & it has an extensive fish menu. They open at 5:00. We’ll have to try it sometime.

"Beyond the Sea - The Life and Legacy of Captain Leidesdorff."

Coincidentally, this week’s “J. THE JEWISH NEWS OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA” has an article from its archives William Leidesdorff was America’s First Black millionaire. Could it also be true he was San Francisco’s First Jew?

https://jweekly.com/2026/03/09/was-americas-first-black-millionaire-also-san-franciscos-first-jew/

"Beyond the Sea - The Life and Legacy of Captain Leidesdorff"

CLUB WHEELHOUSE TURNS ONE Anniversary Open House 5842 Paradise Drive, Corte Madera.

I parked our 2012 MINI roadster at the far end of this lot. The MINI was a bit outclassed.

CLUB WHEELHOUSE TURNS ONE Anniversary Open House 5842 Paradise Drive, Corte Madera.

In the next door warehouse is Cars Dawydiak Marin. Years ago we bought our 1953 MG TD at their San Francisco shop & subsequently sold it there. We also bought a VESPA LX 150 from them.