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Welcome to the Tom & Dori ~~go through hell~~ move to Healdsburg web site.

A few frequently asked questions, some of which we even answer:

Q Where the hell is Healdsburg?

A On the web, you can see the city site and the chamber of commerce site (the latter is better). In the real world, it's about 70 miles north of San Francisco. Just drive up 101, and when you find yourself saying "Wow, this is beautiful," you're there. It's in Sonoma County, in the heart of the wine country. In fact, Healdsburg was once known as "the buckle of the prune belt." For some inexplicable reason, the city fathers no longer use this motto.
Healdsburg is a small town of just under 10,000 people. It's built around a plaza, where in the summers they have concerts, antique fairs, and things of that nature. One thing we like about the town is that even though it's small, it's not backward (Dori still has nightmares about the 7 years she "lived" in Poway). It's a common tourist destination, so there are a number of excellent restaurants and shops, along with a first-run movie theater. By the way, "Healdsburg" is pronounced as HEELDS-BURG.

Healdsburg was founded in 1867, and one of the nicest features of the town is the number of well kept-up Victorian homes. However, as neither of us is the handy type, we're not buying one of them.

Q So what are you buying?

A We're buying one of the first new homes to be built in Healdsburg since 1988. Since then, the city has been strictly limiting growth. We're buying a one-story house in the new Parkland Farms development. Buying a yet-to-be-built home allows us to specify the features we want, like computer wiring and trading off a bedroom for an expanded living room. The biggest feature of this house for us is the separate office over the garage; it will be big enough for both of us. The office has a bathroom, so it can double as guest quarters. Check out the Floorplan page.

Q Why are you moving, anyway?

A It's all Tom's fault. He's always muttered about wanting to move out of Los Angeles, but he never did anything about it up till now. In January '99, he took a short vacation (hey, he'd written two books back to back), and chose Healdsburg as his destination because our friends Charlie and Loretta live there. Little did he know that a simple vacation would lead to such dramatic changes.

Q When are you moving?

A Well, the house is supposed to be done in November. We've sold our place in Culver City, and we're in a 90-day escrow, so we should be moving right around Thanksgiving.

Q Are you selling your townhouse in Culver City?

A Why yes, thanks for asking! Want to buy it?
If you're curious about what comparable townhouses are going for, take a look at the LA Times Real Estate page, and search on zip code 90230, at least 2 bedrooms, at least 2 bathrooms, built after 1990, and at least 1500 square feet.

Of course, that doesn't include that we've got Ethernet drops in almost every room, a server closet, the built in bookshelves (with library ladder!), or that we built out the loft. If you ask nicely, we'll throw in the server closet hub and the surround sound speakers in the living room.

Update 8/26: the house is sold! See the News page for more info.

Q Do they have cable modems in Healdsburg like the one you have in Culver City?

A Get real. We're hoping (in fact, two competing companies have promised) to have DSL by the end of summer. We hope to see cable modems some time before grandchildren, but we're not holding our breath.
Update 11/9: no luck with the DSL, unfortunately. It's looking like Centrex ISDN, although we did have a few fantasies about a point-to-point T1. If you have any ideas on ways that Tom can convince Dori to let him have one, please let him know.

Q What does Sean think of the move?

A He's "iffy" about it, but he said that he thinks it'll be okay. He's not happy about changing schools, but he knows that he'd have to do that this fall anyway, even if we stayed in Culver City. Here, he'll be in middle school, but there he'll still have another year in elementary school.

Q When can we come and visit?

A We'll let you know.

Q	Where the hell is Healdsburg?
A	On the web, you can see the city site and the chamber of commerce site (the latter is better). In the real world, it's about 70 miles north of San Francisco. Just drive up 101, and when you find yourself saying "Wow, this is beautiful," you're there. It's in Sonoma County, in the heart of the wine country. In fact, Healdsburg was once known as "the buckle of the prune belt." For some inexplicable reason, the city fathers no longer use this motto. Healdsburg is a small town of just under 10,000 people. It's built around a plaza, where in the summers they have concerts, antique fairs, and things of that nature. One thing we like about the town is that even though it's small, it's not backward (Dori still has nightmares about the 7 years she "lived" in Poway). It's a common tourist destination, so there are a number of excellent restaurants and shops, along with a first-run movie theater. By the way, "Healdsburg" is pronounced as HEELDS-BURG. Healdsburg was founded in 1867, and one of the nicest features of the town is the number of well kept-up Victorian homes. However, as neither of us is the handy type, we're not buying one of them.
Q	So what are you buying?
A	We're buying one of the first new homes to be built in Healdsburg since 1988. Since then, the city has been strictly limiting growth. We're buying a one-story house in the new Parkland Farms development. Buying a yet-to-be-built home allows us to specify the features we want, like computer wiring and trading off a bedroom for an expanded living room. The biggest feature of this house for us is the separate office over the garage; it will be big enough for both of us. The office has a bathroom, so it can double as guest quarters. Check out the Floorplan page.
Q	Why are you moving, anyway?
A	It's all Tom's fault. He's always muttered about wanting to move out of Los Angeles, but he never did anything about it up till now. In January '99, he took a short vacation (hey, he'd written two books back to back), and chose Healdsburg as his destination because our friends Charlie and Loretta live there. Little did he know that a simple vacation would lead to such dramatic changes.
Q	When are you moving?
A	Well, the house is supposed to be done in November. We've sold our place in Culver City, and we're in a 90-day escrow, so we should be moving right around Thanksgiving.
Q	Are you selling your townhouse in Culver City?
A	Why yes, thanks for asking! Want to buy it? If you're curious about what comparable townhouses are going for, take a look at the LA Times Real Estate page, and search on zip code 90230, at least 2 bedrooms, at least 2 bathrooms, built after 1990, and at least 1500 square feet. Of course, that doesn't include that we've got Ethernet drops in almost every room, a server closet, the built in bookshelves (with library ladder!), or that we built out the loft. If you ask nicely, we'll throw in the server closet hub and the surround sound speakers in the living room. Update 8/26: the house is sold! See the News page for more info.
Q	Do they have cable modems in Healdsburg like the one you have in Culver City?
A	Get real. We're hoping (in fact, two competing companies have promised) to have DSL by the end of summer. We hope to see cable modems some time before grandchildren, but we're not holding our breath. Update 11/9: no luck with the DSL, unfortunately. It's looking like Centrex ISDN, although we did have a few fantasies about a point-to-point T1. If you have any ideas on ways that Tom can convince Dori to let him have one, please let him know.
Q	What does Sean think of the move?
A	He's "iffy" about it, but he said that he thinks it'll be okay. He's not happy about changing schools, but he knows that he'd have to do that this fall anyway, even if we stayed in Culver City. Here, he'll be in middle school, but there he'll still have another year in elementary school.
Q	When can we come and visit?
A	We'll let you know.