the secret, hidden hideaway

let me introduce myself.

just a few years ago, i didn't exist.

i was nothing - truly, nothing, just wide open space cradled in the palm of the universe. my owners fell in love with me before i even came into existence - i suppose it's like that with every child? - and now, after five wonderful years together, they have to leave me.oh, they are crying and whining and whimpering about it, believe me. something about a job down in san diego. there were a few angry words about it all, but suffice to say that what happens within my walls stays within my walls, which should serve my new owners well.

so, here's what they wrote about me that couldn't fit in the MLS (the lady creator tends to be a bit long-winded):

The lost charm of the old Laguna is found in the unique, historic neighborhood of Sarah Thurston Park. No streets here; just bucolic footpaths meandering between towering eucalyptus trees, bunnies scuttering across hillsides, deer munching grass at the back gate. Surrounded by soothing, rolling hills, this is where Timothy Leary turned on, tuned in and dropped out in the 1960s, where neighbors know each others' names, and where everyone gathers to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in their own hidden park, which no one else in Laguna even knows exists.

Located less than one mile from Main Beach off Laguna Canyon Road - just south of Canyon Acres, just north of the Sawdust Festival - this very special neighborhood is home to a custom 3-bedroom, 2.5 bath home designed and built by Robin Young in 2005. The Young Building Corp. was founded in 1884 by Young's great-grandfather; his dad, the late David Young, was a long-time board member for the iconic Festival of the Arts/Pageant of the Masters, as well as a founder of the Laguna College of Art and Design. The appx. 1,900-foot Craftsman-inspired cottage has mahogany-stained hardwood floors and beamed cathedral ceilings in living room, master bedroom and master bath. The line between inside and outside blurs here: One set of French doors in the living room opens to the front porch, which looks out over a long stretch of grass to the hills beyond; the other set of French doors opens onto the "tree deck" behind - an enchanted, flower-filled outdoor space where four majestic eucalptus grow up through the decking, providing shade and solace. The kitchen and dining room features custom mahogany cabinets, stunning granite countertops/backsplash and a large center island that houses the stove and oven, making cooking a social activity. A half-circle picture window completes the composition. The master bedroom is a retreat at the back of the house, with French doors opening onto a large deck that features a bubbling spa and a view of the terraced yard, which rises to a flower-filled hillside. The master bath has double copper sinks and a large, glass-enclosed, double-headed shower. Upstairs are two bedrooms and a full bath with lovely views of the hills. The landing is designed to serve as an office, with recessed lighting and cable hookups.The bathrooms upstairs and down feature hand-painted Talavera sinks and Mexican tilework that the owners traveled south-of-the-border to bring back themselves. There is storage space under the house; the space around it is bricked, so it is usable; and it comes with two dedicated parking spaces on the little road leading in. The living room, tree deck, kitchen/dining room and master bedroom have in-ceiling speakers for your sound system.

you can see the rest of my gorgeous pictures on the MLS listing, which is here.