Notes from the host
4/2 House with Fireplace
If you are an executive traveler, couple or family looking for fully-furnished, short-term lodging with character, look no further. This large, intimate bungalow has all the charm of its 1920s architecture and all the convenience and comforts of a complete remodel.
We keep the place spotless, thanks to our all-star housekeeper Ligia and her team. You will find all the comforts of home, including plenty of high-quality towels and linens; body wash and shampoo, and an ample supply of paper goods.
The basic setup is for four occupants with additional guests up to eight maximum, not counting infants who don't require a bed. We are located on a private lane and limit vehicles to three/four max.
In the kitchen, we keep coffee and sweeteners, ketchup, mayo & mustard, olive oil, and one or two salad dressings. There is also a spice rack and a nice collection of seasonings. We usually keep some bisquick and/or pancake mix, syrup, some rice and a few canned goods.
The 2000 sq ft craftsmanly home is well-appointed and perfectly located in the heart of Sacramento. It has a large front porch and is surrounded by trees. It has been completely rebuilt from the frame up. Virtually everything -- hvac, windows (except for the front four), electrical, plumbing, interior walls, cabinets, staircase, all fixtures and appliances -- is like new.
There is an abundance of natural wood everywhere, from the hand-rubbed custom doors to the carefully mitered baseboards and crown molding. It is a warm, inviting and pleasant place, and highly functional.
The house is adorned with an eclectic collection of music art in every room, from the happiest Beatles photo Linda McCartney ever took to gorgeous silkscreens of John Van Hamersveld's iconic 'Endless Summer' and Lynne Porterfield's Lou Reed at the Supper Club. There's a vintage Count Basie boxing poster from Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, Wes Wilson's Lenny Bruce at the Fillmore, BB King and Etta James by Gary Houston, the Rolling Stones in Oakland, Pink Floyd, Chuck Berry and others. There are numerous handbills and some original art pieces including Leonard Cohen, Grace Jones and Elvis.
I have also framed some original art and chromelin proofs of artwork used to create mags I published while at Tower Records, including Pulse! Magazine, which I created and ran for around 20 years. There are also some interesting original Tower-oriented pieces, including art used in Tower's London grand opening and an old decoupaged page from around 1973 with a story about Tower's Sunset Blvd store. They are a lot of fun and beautiful, too. I have lots of interesting things I collected that I rotate in and out of the house, so there should always be some surprises.
The upstairs bedrooms have queen beds, dressers, closets and share a bathroom. These rooms feature deep, relaxing hues of blue and green.
The upstairs bath includes a jetted tub/shower, hand-rubbed solid wood cabinetry and granite countertop.
A laundry is conveniently located behind bi-fold doors on the upstairs landing, and includes a supply of laundry detergent and stain remover.
One downstairs bedroom has two twin beds, night stands, dresser and closet. The second downstairs bedroom contains a queen bed and dresser.
The downstairs bath has a roomy hand-tiled shower, with cornerless heavy glass and two sinks. We keep a plentiful supply of towels on hand and usually have a few toiletries in case you forget them -- toothbrushes & toothpaste, shampoo and bodywash.
Dishwasher and dish soap, spot remover, laundry soap and supplies, an iron and ironing board -- all provided.
We also have two Graco pack-n-plays, a high-chair and a few basic easy to clean toys in case some little kids show up.
If you like to cook, you're in the right place. Whether you are a beginner or a gourmet, you will find this is a very nice cooking space. The adjacent breakfast nook provides the ideal place for family members to kibitz while you whip up the feast. The granite and cherry kitchen is fully-equipped, state of the art and all-Kitchenaid, including a large french door interior-dispensing refrigerator, five-burner gas cooktop with large-btu center burner and powerful exhaust fan, large wall oven and microwave with convection feature and dishwasher. The kitchen sink is a white Kohler enameled cast iron with their dandy half-height smart divider and the well-designed Delta faucet disengages for spraying or streaming. There is also a KitchenAid mixer, Cuisinart Food Processor, food scale, coffeemaker and grinder, blender, 4-slice toaster and Belgian waffle maker, and a molten chocolate fountain which I have never had the nerve to actually use. It's a really fun kitchen to cook in and there is a variety of cookware. The large granite island is also perfect to lay out the take out, if you want to dial up Plan B, the excellent French Fusion restaurant, or Duke’s Plates and Pints, the top-notch tap house and burger joint, both across the street.
The large mission-styled dining table accommodates eight diners and there are place-settings, flatware and stemware for ten. Lots of glasses, too -- small, large, red wine, white wine, beer, aperitif, stemmed and stemless. And lots of coffee cups. And a three-burner gas grill on the back porch.
The living room has a comfy American Standard leather sofa, a corduroy armchair and jump chair. There is a 40" HDTV with a Blue Ray DVD player with a sound bar. Comcast is our cable and Internet provider and the Hi-Definition Digital service includes HBO, Starz, Encore and other premium channels. We have also installed Apple TV if you want to access your Netflix account or the many channels available, stream Pandora or Spotify, or content from your iPhone, Droid or other mobile device on the network. The bluetooth-enabled soundbar will engage your phone or other digital device with a very quick selection from the remote. There are easy to follow instructions on how to use the stuff.
The office has a small desk/table, small file cabinet, executive chair, stylish guest chairs and a large secretary, which contains many volumes of excellent music and film biographies and reference books.
It's central location is close to everything. Dozens of high-quality restaurants in all price ranges are within a mile. There are several neighborhood favorites just 50 yards up the street: the aforementioned Duke’s and Plan B, Danielle's Creperie, Mas Taco Bar and a Starbucks. There is a huge Whole Foods two miles away and a very good Save Mart within a mile. The American River is about a half-mile, Sacramento State about two and Cal Expo about three. The State Capitol is about five miles and the airport is 20, around 1/2 hour. Lake Tahoe is 100 miles east and San Francisco is 80 miles west.
The bungalow is also close to Watt Ave and Highway 50, but you wouldn't know it. It is on a large lot with dozens of trees and a large rustic greenbelt that makes it very private. It is perfect for working alone or relaxing with family or friends, and its location is in the Arden Park/Willhaggen neighborhood one of Sacramento's most desirable and secure neighborhoods.
We invite your input and your special requests. We want to make your stay perfect.
Please write or call with any questions.
Sincerely,
Mike Farrace, Owner
