Places Lived

Oakland, Havenscourt (1961-66)
Where my family was when I was born. My paternal grandparents lived in an in-law unit in the backyard. Unfortunately I have no memories of the place.

Oakland, Maxwell Park (1966-85)

The house where I mostly grew up and where my parents still live.

Berkeley, Piedmont Ave. (1980-82)
Lived in two undergraduate apartments, first at “The Zoo” and then right behind it on Warring St.

Zoo apartment–first time living away from home. We four guys took turns cooking. I’m remembered for once making Peanut Butter Chicken (like, a whole chicken, with PB on it)–the PB didn’t stick very well.

San Francisco, Upper Sunset (1985)
Rented part of a living room from a friend while working at a tech startup in the Lower Sunset. The place was a walkup at 9th x Irving. I fondly remember leisurely after work bike rides in Golden Gate Park.

Dallas, Texas (1985-88, 89-90)
Lived here in my last years of being single and then with Lisa my last year of seminary. I spent two years in the seminary men’s dorm, then one year in a nearby low-rent apartment (four guys slumming in a one-bedroom, you have to live like that at least once in life!).

Stearns Hall, Room 319. Note how I have things set up for studying and not socializing!

Oakland, Park Blvd. (1989)
Our newleywed apartment was a duplex owned by a friend’s mom. Yes, I carried Lisa over the threshold.

San Jose “The Redwoods” (1990-91)
Where we lived while Lisa was an intern at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and I was an intern at South Hills Community Church. Somehow we never visited the Winchester Mystery House even though it was right nearby. Some years later eBay moved into the neighborhood–I’m sure the rents went way up then!


1988 redwood Christmas ornament I won in a party game
and added the green roof to match the apartments above

San Francisco, Potrero Hill (1991-2)
Where we lived when Lisa was a resident at SF General Hospital. When the Oakland Firestorm burned, ashes floated down in our neighborhood. Potrero Hill is one of the few somewhat sunny neighborhoods in S.F.

Oakland, Glenview (1992 – present)

Our first and present house, since New Year’s Day, 1992. We saw it early in our househunting journey then came back to it about 50 houses later. It’s the house our kids grew up in from birth til going away to college, and then boomeranged back to.

1973, before former owner, a veteran U.S. Navy sailor, installed the big flag pole
Back of house, showing a fenestrational curiosity: the eight windows are all different, no two are the same shape or style
Very bad address for Chinese people, ai yah!
Original subdivision plan, early 1920s. Our street was originally “Division St., at some point it became “La Cresta Ave.” Note that the (co-)developer, Frank Havens, had also built my family’s original home in Havenscourt.
And–we have gnomes!