Alameda, CA (PRWEB) November 18, 2011

Held during the last two weekends of October, the festival was sponsored by leading national real estate investment and acquisition firm Jamestown, the owner of Alameda South Shore Center, in partnership with ARPD, Spirit Halloween retail store and Peter’s Kettle Corn.

“Together we were able to create an event that appealed to a cross-section of the community, from toddlers to teens to adults, and increased the visibility of our retail tenants, many of whom reported a growth in sales as compared to last Halloween,” said Michael Phillips, Managing Director for Jamestown.

Highlights of the festival included:

ARPD Teen Haunted House – A main attraction was the spine-tingling, 8th Annual Teen Haunted House, which relocated to Alameda South Shore Center this year. Decorated and staffed by local middle and high school students, the haunted house raised nearly $1,400 to support ARPD’s teen programs, with twice as many visitors coming through each evening as compared to previous years. ARPD also received discounts and donated resources from Alameda South Shore Center retailers including Spirit Halloween.

Peter’s Kettle Corn was onsite popping fresh kettle corn, also supporting ARPD. “With help from ARPD and Alameda South Shore Center, we are happy to report we raised a total of $1,350, with 50 percent of the proceeds going back to ARPD. We are already looking forward to the next opportunity to give back to our community,” said Peter’s Kettle Corn owners Peter and John Ngu.

Halloween Fashions – Spirit Halloween, which leased 12,535 square feet of space at the center through November, was another significant contributor to the festival’s success. Spirit co-sponsored the Costume Fashion Show, which featured 13 local models in the latest Halloween fashions and attracted more than 200 attendees. Make-up was provided by Alana Dill and henna tattoos by Lena Tooney. “Our partnership with Alameda South Shore Center was a success on so many levels. Most importantly, we felt part of a true community, and were so pleased to join Jamestown and other local organizations in supporting the ARPD Haunted House and its youth programs,” said Tonia Farinha, Director of Stores, West Coast, for Spirit.

Costume Contest – A total of 120 contestants competed in the Costume Contest, also co-sponsored by Spirit Halloween. Sixteen prizes and giveaways were awarded in eight categories, from toddlers to teens, couples and families. Trick-or-treat bags provided by Alameda South Shore Center were filled with Halloween candy, crayons, merchant promotions, and Spirit coloring books. China Gourmet, Great Clips, Chipotle, Pearl’s Deluxe Burgers, Bladium Sports Fitness, European Wax Center, Dress Barn, See’s Candy, Fruits Chocolate, Bon Voyage and Panera Breads donated contest prizes.

Pumpkin Patches – One hundred and twenty-five third graders from Alameda’s Washington, Franklin, Bay Farm, and Paden elementary schools participated in the Decorate South Shore Center Pumpkin Patch program. The carved and decorated pumpkins were featured in window displays and around Center Court Stage. Beverly’s, Office Max and Trader Joes sponsored discounted arts crafts supplies.

Merchant participants in the Halloween Harvest Festival included Chipotle, Fruits Chocolate, Panera Breads, Bon Voyage, See’s Candy, Great Clips, China Gourmet, Beverly’s, PetCo, OfficeMax, European Wax Center, and Dressbarn. Other vendors included Bladium Sports Fitness Club, Mr. Shap’s Balloon Artist, the Little Psychic Shop, Party Hoops and Abbey Party Rentals, among others.

Jamestown

Founded in 1983 with headquarters in Atlanta, Ga. and Cologne, Germany and offices in New York City, San Francisco, Ca. and Washington, D.C., Jamestown is a leader in acquisitions and value added management. Over 28 years, Jamestown has generated approximately $8 billion in strategic investments. The company is focused across the risk spectrum with core, core-plus and opportunistic funds in two primary markets: 24-hour cities and Sunbelt territories with strong demographic growth. For more information, visit www.jamestownproperties.com.

Alameda South Shore Center

Alameda South Shore Center is an established, 594,000-square-foot open-air outdoor mall located in the Bay Area community of Alameda, Calif. The only major shopping mall on the 23-square-mile island, the recently renovated property is home to a variety of national retail stores and restaurants, including Kohl’s, Safeway, Trader Joe’s, TJ Maxx, Starbucks, Ross, Old Navy, Petco, Payless Shoe Source, Bed Bath Beyond, Sushi House, Applebee’s, Lens Crafters and The Children’s Place. The center has maintained its prominence as a thriving retail destination for more than 50 years. For more information, visit www.alamedasouthshorecenter.com.

Alameda

The City of Alameda is located on a 23-square-mile island adjacent to Oakland in the San Francisco Bay Area. The community, home to the 270-acre Harbor Bay Business Park, Alameda College, 205-acre mixed use development Marina Village, is linked to nearby Oakland via three bridges and a tunnel system, and is served by bus and ferry lines for public transportation. Famous for its tree-lined streets and Victorian homes, Alameda was named one of the “100 Best Communities for Young People” by America’s Promise Alliance in 2010. For more information on Alameda, visit www.cityofalamedaca.gov.

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: www.prweb.com/releases/prwebAlameda-South-Shore/Bay-Area/prweb8976862.htm

Article source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/11/18/prweb8976862.DTL

Stefano DeZerega, a Top Producer and a Premier Property Specialist with Zephyr Real Estate, is a volunteer and is on the board of directors at Pie Ranch — a sustainable farming operation in Pescadero that is also one of the Bay Area’s more unique community organizations.

Pie Ranch’s stated mission is to inspire and connect people to know the source of their food, and to work together to bring greater health to the food system from seed to table. The farmers there are composed of staff, volunteers and apprentices who all grow food for their own sustenance and that of their community while stewarding the environment. Pie Ranch, so named because of the shape of the land it inhabits, also grows pie ingredients, which are sold to local bakeries. This environmentally-conscious enterprise partners with youth from the Greater Bay Area as well as around the globe, creating a connection to the land, the staff and each other.

DeZerega’s commitment to this cause and to making the community and world a better place have led him to join the board of directors of Pie Ranch as well as research and write a book on international volunteerism, How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas (Penguin 2000).

“Learning to grow your own food in a sustainable and eco-friendly manner is just part of the reward at Pie Ranch,” commented DeZerega. “Watching high school students connect with the land and with each other is simply amazing.” Check out their inspiring video.

Classes visit Pie Ranch monthly and participate in a variety of farming activities including goat milking, egg collection and cooking three meals a day. For questions about visits, for details on pricing, or to schedule a program, contact Kelly Munoz at Kelly@pieranch.org or 650-879-0995.

Pie Ranch also depends heavily on apprentice farmers, and is working to develop the next generation of young farmers on the San Mateo coast. Apprentices commit to a year in return for the opportunity to experience the full cycle of a farm as well as room, board and a modest stipend.

The farm’s annual fundraiser will be on September 24. This year’s theme is This Land Is Your Land. The public is invited to a unique farm-to-table experience and a gourmet, multi-course meal from Chef Ryan Harris featuring the farm’s bounty, followed by a barn dance with live music and freshly-baked pie. Tickets tend to sell out early, and reservations are recommended. http://www.pieranch.org/farm-dinner-2011/

All proceeds from this event will fund programming that teaches youth about healthy food and community building, trains emerging farmers and creates a more sustainable food system. Pie Ranch is a 501(c)3 non-profit.

DeZerega is a member in good standing of the San Francisco, California and National Associations of REALTORS®. He is a third-generation San Franciscan and has a great appreciation of his hometown and the surrounding Bay Area. He may be contacted at 415.695.7707 x154 or sdezerega@zephyrsf.com.

About Zephyr Real Estate
Founded in 1978, Zephyr Real Estate is San Francisco’s largest independent real estate firm with $1 billion in annual gross sales in 2010 and a current roster of more than 200 full-time agents. In 2010, Zephyr launched its new website, which has earned two web design awards, including the prestigious Interactive Media Award. Zephyr Real Estate is a member of the international relocation network, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World; the luxury real estate network, Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate; and the local luxury marketing association, the Luxury Marketing Council of San Francisco. Zephyr has six strategically located offices in San Francisco, a business center in Marin County, and serves a large customer base throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information, visit www.zephyrsf.com.

Contact:
Melody Brown
Zephyr Real Estate
San Francisco, CA
415.729.3555
Email Contact

Article source: http://stockmarketsreview.com/pressrelease/2011/09/16/zephyr-agent-stefano-dezerega-serves-at-pie-ranch/

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Sep 16, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) –
Stefano DeZerega, a Top Producer and a Premier Property Specialist
with Zephyr Real Estate, is a volunteer and is on the board of
directors at Pie Ranch — a sustainable farming operation in
Pescadero that is also one of the Bay Area’s more unique community
organizations.

Pie Ranch’s stated mission is to inspire and connect people to know
the source of their food, and to work together to bring greater
health to the food system from seed to table. The farmers there are
composed of staff, volunteers and apprentices who all grow food for
their own sustenance and that of their community while stewarding the
environment. Pie Ranch, so named because of the shape of the land it
inhabits, also grows pie ingredients, which are sold to local
bakeries. This environmentally-conscious enterprise partners with
youth from the Greater Bay Area as well as around the globe, creating
a connection to the land, the staff and each other.

DeZerega’s commitment to this cause and to making the community and
world a better place have led him to join the board of directors of
Pie Ranch as well as research and write a book on international
volunteerism, How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas
(Penguin 2000).

“Learning to grow your own food in a sustainable and eco-friendly
manner is just part of the reward at Pie Ranch,” commented DeZerega.
“Watching high school students connect with the land and with each
other is simply amazing.” Check out their inspiring video.

Classes visit Pie Ranch monthly and participate in a variety of
farming activities including goat milking, egg collection and cooking
three meals a day. For questions about visits, for details on
pricing, or to schedule a program, contact Kelly Munoz at
Kelly@pieranch.org or 650-879-0995.

Pie Ranch also depends heavily on apprentice farmers, and is working
to develop the next generation of young farmers on the San Mateo
coast. Apprentices commit to a year in return for the opportunity to
experience the full cycle of a farm as well as room, board and a
modest stipend.

The farm’s annual fundraiser will be on September 24. This year’s
theme is This Land Is Your Land. The public is invited to a unique
farm-to-table experience and a gourmet, multi-course meal from Chef
Ryan Harris featuring the farm’s bounty, followed by a barn dance
with live music and freshly-baked pie. Tickets tend to sell out
early, and reservations are recommended.

http://www.pieranch.org/farm-dinner-2011/

All proceeds from this event will fund programming that teaches youth
about healthy food and community building, trains emerging farmers
and creates a more sustainable food system. Pie Ranch is a 501(c)3
non-profit.

DeZerega is a member in good standing of the San Francisco,
California and National Associations of REALTORS(R). He is a
third-generation San Franciscan and has a great appreciation of his
hometown and the surrounding Bay Area. He may be contacted at
415.695.7707 x154 or sdezerega@zephyrsf.com.

About Zephyr Real Estate
Founded in 1978, Zephyr Real Estate is San
Francisco’s largest independent real estate firm with $1 billion in
annual gross sales in 2010 and a current roster of more than 200
full-time agents. In 2010, Zephyr launched its new website, which has
earned two web design awards, including the prestigious Interactive
Media Award. Zephyr Real Estate is a member of the international
relocation network, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World; the
luxury real estate network, Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate; and the
local luxury marketing association, the Luxury Marketing Council of
San Francisco. Zephyr has six strategically located offices in San
Francisco, a business center in Marin County, and serves a large
customer base throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. For more
information, visit
www.zephyrsf.com .

        Contact:
        Melody Brown
        Zephyr Real Estate
        San Francisco, CA
        415.729.3555
        Email Contact

SOURCE: Zephyr Real Estate

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=CD1BD040E6E01D5C

Copyright 2011 Marketwire, Inc., All rights reserved.

Article source: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/zephyr-agent-stefano-dezerega-serves-at-pie-ranch-2011-09-16

As expected, many Bay Area institutions have been included in Forbes Magazine’s 2010 list of the top colleges and universities that can make their students rich. In fact, six of the top 14 schools in Forbes’ list are located within an hour of Dublin, CA: Stanford University (3), Santa Clara University (4), St. Mary’s College (5), UC Berkeley (12), University of San Francisco (13), and San Jose State University (14).

Forbes scoured data from 611 colleges and universities across the country and identified the schools that had alumni with earnings that far exceeded their salary expectations based on their field of study. Forbes was also sure to control for student background so that the top institutions were picked based purely on their ability to help boost the earnings for their graduates.

Five variables were highly correlated with earnings including institution acceptance rates, percentage of the student body with majors in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) fields, and SAT scores. All data used were provided by the Center for College Affordability and Productivity (CCAP) and are the same information as those used to determine Forbes’ 2010 list of America’s Best Colleges.

“These are the colleges who can take a group of students that, statistically speaking, shouldn’t go on to earn much, and help them beat the odds and make big bucks,” Forbes Magazine’s Natalie Doss noted.

The six top Bay Area institutions represented in Forbes list of colleges that will make you rich provide the Tri-Valley’s top high school students with a panoply of options to choose from depending on factors such as their financial means, religious beliefs, and fields of study. “My experiences as a St. Mary’s College student and member of its Board of Regents provided me with the knowledge and many different perspectives to be even more successful in my career. The St. Mary’s curriculum, professors, and staff are of the highest caliber, and my involvement with the college continues to be very rewarding,” said Shirley O. Griffin, executive vice president for Wells Fargo’s Commercial Real Estate group in San Francisco.

The Around Dublin Team would like to thank reader Patrick Y. for bringing to our attention how well represented the Bay Area colleges and universities are on Forbes Magazine’s list.

Article source: http://www.arounddublinblog.com/2011/02/bay-area-universities-that-will-make-you-rich/