Barn in the outfield... Unique paintings on the side of the barn! - 10/20/11 12:29 AM
I was driving up Highway 101, from Santa Barbara...  And as I was driving, I saw this barn on the side of the road.  I quickly picked up my camera and snapped these quick pictures.  They are not the best quality, but it they are of a rather unique barn! 

The side of it seems to be painted like a baseball stadium.

Complete with the outfielder catching the pop fly!
-Chris Alston
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So, there's this tree... And a sunset... Yeah, that's the picture of the day? - 10/19/11 11:31 PM
So I took a picture of a tree.  A tree at sunset, or maybe sun down, or whatever you want to call it.  The sun was down, and as I was drivng back from Southern California I pulled out a camera and snapped this picture.  What a beautiful tree...  Just sitting there on the hill, on the side of the road.

A wonderful tree made of steel, and wires, and mesh, and fake branches, and cell phone thingies on its branches...  Odd, but I guess better to look at than just a cell phone tower made of steel.
-Chris Alston
Do … (24 comments)

Motivational Monday - Life's Challenges - Bernice Johnson Reagon - 10/17/11 11:11 PM
"Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are."
Bernice Johnson Reagon

Wow...  Now I am not sure who Bernice Johnson Reagon is, but I now want to find out more about this wonderful sounding person.
I wonder if life has challenged her and she overcame obstacles to achieve a dream she had.  
How often does life paralyze us into inaction?  How we react to those challenges really shape us and define us to who we actually are.
So do you like what you see when you look in the mirror?
Chris … (21 comments)

Me and my son Ryan in Solvang, CA - 10/16/11 02:05 AM
One thing I love to do, is to go new places with my son Ryan.  He is so eager to explore the world, just like all 4 year olds do!  Through all the exploring and tinkering and running and jumping and wanting toys comes the times I need him to stand a bit still to take a picture I can put in the photo album to remember forever.

So when we walked past this sign, I had to snap a picture.  See that red thing in his hand?  Yup, that is a back scratcher!!!  Out of everything, he wanted a … (17 comments)

The sites in and around Solvang, California - 10/16/11 01:58 AM
Solvang is located North of Santa Barbara a few miles inland from Highway 101.

This Danish Village is a place you could spend all day, or many days exploring.

Sometimes you have to remember that you are still in California!  And did I say FREE parking everywhere?

It seems that wherever you look, you just want to take your camera out and take a picture!  Looks like my loner camera is doing pretty good!

There is even a replica statue of the Little Mermaid...  But this story didn't end like the Disney version...  In Hans's story, she … (11 comments)

Mission Santa Inez, Solvang CA (Est. 1804) - 10/14/11 10:32 PM
Traveling to Southern California on Highway 101 towards Santa Barbara takes you to a cut off to a city called Solvang.  A Danish hamlet located a few miles off 101 before Santa Barbara, and what a treat do you have in store!
Don't plan on spending a few hours, consider a few days!

At the end of town is the old Mission Santa Ines that was founded on 1804.

It has endured through a long and varied history to still serve the community today.

The Mission is open to the public, and has a museum and gift shop.
… (11 comments)

Sunset in Solvang, CA - 10/14/11 10:14 PM
I am spending the weekend in Sunny Solvang, CA.  It is a Danish community in Southern California about 30 or so minutes north of Santa Barbara.  After a long day taking in the sights, eating the food and exploring with my son we headed back to our room, exhausted!
I looked out the window and saw an amazing sky!  Now my camera is not the best as most of you know I broke my old camera...

I hope to post more pictures of the trip in the next day or so!
-Chris Alston
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Cupertino Tournament of Bands - 2011 Pictures and Winners! - 10/12/11 12:01 PM
What a great time at the Cupertino Tournament of Bands on Saturday night (October 8th, 2011).  The annual event is hosted by Cupertino High School.
You have to excuse my pictures, as I broke my camera and was using a loner type.  :)  We all brought jackets, food, blankets and really enjoyed the 4 1/2 hours of feild shows by local favorites!  

The event drew dozens of bands from around the bay area, and towards the end of the evening the stands were PACKED!

My Alma Mater was in the house!  Cupertino High School, the Host Band was … (13 comments)

Blog and comment on ActiveRain from your iDevices starting TOMORROW - 10/11/11 11:55 AM
Ok...  For those iPhone and iPad users, you will now be able to blog and comment on ActiveRain using your apple gadgets!  So no more rushing to a computer to post...  You can do it with your WiFi or Cell connected devices!
Good stuff!
-Chris
Via Abe Schmidt - ActiveRain Real Estate Social Media Trainer (ActiveRain):
With the highly anticipated release of iOS5 finally arriving tomorrow, iPhone and iPad users will be able to comment and blog on ActiveRain from the fully functional WYSIWYG integration in the new and improved Safari application.
Users that upgrade to the amazing new ios5 will also notice … (13 comments)

In 1492 Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue, by Jean Marzollo - 10/10/11 01:39 AM
Columbus Day...  We all learned this poem growing up.  I forgot most of the words, but for Columbus Day I thought I would post the words to the poem.  
By Jean Marzollo
In 1492
In fourteen hundred ninety-two Columbus sailed the ocean blue. He had three ships and left from Spain; He sailed through sunshine, wind and rain. He sailed by night; he sailed by day; He used the stars to find his way. A compass also helped him know How to find the way to go. Ninety sailors were on board; Some men worked while others snored. Then the … (15 comments)

Motivational Monday - Christopher Columbus - 10/10/11 01:13 AM
By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination.
Christopher Columbus 
I thought in honor of Columbus Day I would use a quote from him, to help inspire and motivate.  I know the Vikings probably came to America before him.  And maybe the Chinese before the vikings...  BUT, he had an awesome first name...
Just imagine living in Europe in the 1400's...  600 years ago...  And heading a voyage across the vast ocean that many thought ended in a giant waterfall or something.  Doing that needed courage, and perseverance.  Leadership to get others … (9 comments)

Me and my son Ryan getting Pumpkins! Half Moon Bay, CA - 10/09/11 11:35 PM
Every year, my son and I go to get pumpkins in Half Moon Bay, CA.  I have been heading over there ever since I was a kid.  Even though it is bigger and has far more people than back in the day, it is still an amazing place to go!

It had just rained a few days earlier, so we put on our boots.  Me with my hikers and my son with his fireman boots!

My son is so used to me having to take a ton of pictures, so now he just hams it up and takes as … (13 comments)

Peregrine falcon in my backyard... Kinda cool! - 10/09/11 11:23 PM
I was sitting in my kitchen having a snack and I saw big bird having field day down at my pool!  Chasing whatever seemed to catch it's fancy.  There are lizards, field mice, bunnies, gophers and other stuff down there so I still wonder what it was chasing!

He (she?) landed on one of the recliners and just chilled for a bit!  I walked down to the pool and took this one through the bars...

I then entered the pool area and walked over to it hoping I could get a closer/clearer picture...  He flew up to one of … (11 comments)

A Day at the Pumpkin Patch. Half Moon Bay, CA - 10/09/11 11:02 PM
I spent the morning in Half Moon Bay at Pastorino's and Lemos Farms...  You have to go early at this time of year, as the crowds get pretty big later in the day.

This first picture was from Pastorino's farms.  I have been getting pumpkins at this patch for over 35 years!

And this one is from Lemo's Farms.  Both of these patches are right across the street from one another.  Pony rides, bounce houses, haunted houses, train rides, hay rides and Halloween spirit.  Oh yea, and pumpkin pie!
… (4 comments)

How many loaves of bread can you fit in the back seat of a car? - 10/09/11 10:35 PM
Okay, so I was driving over to Half Moon Bay to get my pumpkins on Saturday...  This white car passed me up and it looked quite peculiar...  

The dude driving was loaded down with tons of loaves of bread!  I mean stacked to the brim!  I had to step on it to get a better picture...  I wonder if it was hard to resist the bread, and he snacked a bit on his way!

As I was driving toward Half Moon Bay, I giggled to myself...  I was thinking it would be funny if this guy was headed … (13 comments)

Los Gatos High School 9th Annual Art Glass Pumpkin Patch - 10/09/11 10:15 PM
Los Gatos High School had it's annual Glass Pumpkin Fundraiser reciently on the front lawn of Los Gatos High School...

It was held the weekend of Oct 1st and 2nd, and the weather was perfect!

Thousands of Glass Pumpkins to choose from, and it seems it has become a yearly tradition to purchase one a year.  Then again, seeing how many people were there, I think some are starting to buy more than one!

If you live in the Los Gatos, CA area, mark it down for next year. It is a neat event you just cant miss!
… (3 comments)

Awesome Time Lapse Photography! WOW! - 10/08/11 06:53 PM
I have to say, this is some awesome time lapse photography at work here! I came across this, and thought I would share. Sometimes we have to take a break from real estate and just have a bit of fun! Or in this case, awe!

Landscapes: Volume One from Dustin Farrell on Vimeo.
What do you think? It must have taken a lot of patience and perserverance to achieve this masterpiece of art, Hope your saturday is awesome!
-Chris 
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I told her that the more she lead generates, the more "no's" she will get... ??? - 10/07/11 01:40 AM
Strange huh?  Or is it that strange?
We tell (or we are told) to lead generate, lead generate, lead generate...  Day after day after day.  The more we lead generate, the more likely we will increase our business.  Get to that yes, yes, yes...  That we have to go through no's to eventually get to a yes.  We hear this...  We know this.
If we are idle with our lead generation efforts, we have then become comfortable with doing nothing.  And doing nothing is sometimes pretty comfortable.  When we finally get off our butts, everything becomes hard...  Maybe even harder than … (115 comments)

A Visual Remembrance to Steve Jobs - Photo/Design - 10/06/11 10:57 PM
I found this when I was on facebook last night.  I am unsure as to who created it, but I thought it was the best visual impression that we all are feeling right now.  If you know who created this, please let me know, so I can say how AWESOME it is.

Being a Cupertino Native, I grew up with Apple Computers being right here in town.  Steve, Woz and others were always around.  At the coffee shops, dry cleaners...  Just normal members of our wonderful town.
Steve's passing has touched us all here in Cupertino as we lost one … (39 comments)

Environmental Recycling Day & Document Shredding Event – Cupertino, CA. 10/22/2011 - 10/02/11 02:23 PM
Environmental Recycling Day & Document Shredding Event – Cupertino, CA. 10/22/2011
The City of Cupertino will be hosting this event on October 22, 2011.  It will be located in the De Anza College in Parking Lot “A”.  This free drive-through, drop off service is for Cupertino Residences and happens twice a year.  It is to help encourage extended use of products and prevent valuable resources from being sent to the dump!
ACCEPTABLE MATERIALS
·         Shred your confidential documents - two box limit
·         Yard Waste (processed for compost)
·         Reusable furniture, clothing and shoes (for donation; NO dirty, broken, stained or … (19 comments)

Pumpkins in the Park - San Jose, CA (October 8th, 2011) - 10/02/11 01:50 PM

 What a day to spend with family this October!  Right in our back yard!
Saturday, October 8, 2011!10 AM to 4 PMGuadalupe River Park / Discovery Meadow(Woz Way & San Carlos)San Jose, CA
EVENTS
Pumpkin PatchScarecrow RowFresh Apple CiderGuadalupe River EducationLots of Free Kid’s ActivitiesChildren's Concert

For more info, log on to the following website: http://www.grpg.org/PIP.shtml
 
Chris Alston
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… (6 comments)

 
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Chris Alston (Silicon Valley, California)

Cupertino, CA

More about me…

Chris Alston (Keller Williams Realty, Cupertino California)

Address: 20230 Stevens Creek Blvd. , Suite E, Cupertino, CA, 95014

Office Phone: (408) 850-6955

Cell Phone: (408) 921-4711

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Helping Real Estate Professionals learn new ideas and thought to help them in their business... At the same time, comments from our community help me in my classroom setting.


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