TLDR: Elk Grove is great--seriously, come visit us!
Where is Elk Grove, CA? I've never heard of it.
Elk Grove is a large suburb, approx 175,000 residents, 15 miles south of Sacramento (20 min w/o traffic). It reminds Bonnie a lot of the city of Fremont as it was 10 years ago. For you snowboarders/skiers, it's only 2 hrs from Truckee, so stop by and visit us on your way to the lifts!
What is there to do in Elk Grove, CA?
SO many things. First, visit us!! We will have a lovely guest en suite (no more sharing the bathroom with our 2 little terrors!). There are so many great restaurants in EG--Bonnie will take you for ramen, delicious spring rolls, or dim sum. Secondly, there are wineries, horseback riding, hiking trails, and so much more! And if we run out of things to do in EG, nearby Alex & Juliet can show you how to pan for gold at Sutter's Fort or the AH-mazing California State Railroad Museum.
Remind me again, why are you guys moving to Elk Grove??
After Tony left Google late last year to pursue our own projects, we realized we were no longer as physically tied to the Bay Area. Although we will miss certain wonderful things in the Bay Area--our family & friends, John Gill's Mandarin Immersion Program, the great hiking trails 10 min from our door--this is a logical next chapter for our family. We'll have a home more conducive to our lifestyle with nicer space for the in-laws, and exciting work projects in the area.
What will happen to your chickens?
Fortuitously, Danny (Tony's brother) and his wife had purchased a chicken coop and were planning to get some chickens when we realized we'd be in temporary housing for several months. They've graciously agreed to adopt our little flock! We hope to add a coop back in our lives by Spring 2020.
What's so great about Elk Grove? Should I/we move there too?
YES!! We're there (so that's an obvious plus). There's a highly rated public school system, average home prices that would make anyone on the peninsula weep cathartic tears of relief, and major companies, like Apple, have/are moving in (adding to the city's growth potential). EG is just 30 min away from Sacramento International Airport. Many new developments in the area, like Lennar and Taylor Morrison, now offer options for multi-generational housing so the grandparents can finally move in (but stay separate, haha).
What are the cons? There must be some.
Elk Grove does get hot (i.e., Sac temps), but almost all new developments have solar panels and central A/C. Local businesses are working hard to address this problem with lots of great dessert options. And if all else fails, you're welcome to sit in our garden and drink Tony's famous honey jasmine ice tea.
Also, there's no Mandarin immersion...yet (Bonnie and Juliet are having the hardest time with this one--you may see them periodically haunting John Gill premises, sad faces pressed against the MI class windows). In the interim, we'll hire a Mandarin tutor to set up after school classes for Juliet & Alex.
I can't even read this any more through the tears running down my face...
We totally understand. Give yourself time to process, and put a date on the calendar to visit us this winter. You'll feel so much better when you have that to look forward to, we promise!! ;)