Even though we never met face-to-face, Allyson was the perfect host! Her large home was the perfect location for our medium size family reunion, and it really could not have been any better. The house is flanked by two groves of magnificent Redwood trees, making us feel like we were high in the mountains instead of just a couple of miles outside of town. We were greeted by three deer as we approached the house the first evening. We inadvertently chose an extremely rainy weekend for our stay, but, in spite of flooding in town and all along the coast, we stayed safe, warm and dry. Allyson kept checking in with us to make sure the storm had not negatively impacted us. The spacious open-plan downstairs was the perfect location for games, music-making, socializing and dining. The old upright piano was even in tune! Should we ever plan another family reunion in the Santa Cruz area, we will certainly seek out Allyson's home again! T.M.