Anthony (35), Stephanie (34), Luca (3.5), Mia (2), and Isabella (3 months), plus two big dogs, Samson (10) and Dexter (6), are a busy, local, deeply rooted Moraga family.

They purchased their home in April 2020, but their connection to Moraga goes back generations. Stephanie grew up here, and her dad discovered Moraga through his work in the mortgage industry, knowing it was a hidden gem with top-tier schools. Much of her extended family followed. Anthony’s roots run just as deep, with family ties to Acalanes, Campolindo, and Saint Mary’s, and relatives still living nearby.

Anthony is a fourth-generation business owner and President of Berkeley Cement Inc., a commercial concrete subcontractor founded in 1947. The company has worked across Northern California and completed many local projects, including Saint Mary’s facilities, Campolindo fields, and Joaquin Moraga. Stephanie, a former nurse, now stays home with the kids.

Luca attends the Nurtury and loves it. He’s already into swim team, gymnastics, and anything active. He’s high energy, very social, and currently into trucks, dirt, climbing, and wrestling anyone who will participate. He also memorizes books, does puzzles, and recently mastered riding his bike without training wheels.

Mia is “a little pistol” with a quiet confidence. She knows what she wants, loves to sing, dance, dress up, and take care of her babies. She’s also quick to check on anyone who gets hurt, especially her baby sister, Isabella, who is all smiles so far.

The kids are best friends and already great siblings. Their house is full of movement, imagination, and constant play.

Samson, a yellow lab, is “a big love,” and Dexter, a rescue mix, joins the family on walks along MCC and EBMUD trails.

Family life is centered around, well, family. Gatherings regularly include 50 to 100 relatives. Holidays are big, especially Easter and Christmas, filled with church traditions, food, and full houses. The Fourth of July means Tahoe with about 20 family members, boating, BBQs, and kids on inner tubes. More recently, they’ve started hosting Halloween, which now includes cousins from both sides running through the house together.

Around town, they’re regulars at Sisi’s Café, where the kids run around back and Luca hands out treats to dogs (plus hugs from Lia). They also frequent La Chamba, Penini’s, Golden Palace, and Canyon Club, and spend time at the Commons, Rancho Laguna, and Lafayette Community Center Park. 

You’ll also find them at Hacienda Nights, the Pear Festival, Concerts in the Park, the Moraga Library, Pear picking harvest at JM, Festivals at the Serbian Orthodox Church,and just about any community event happening.

Community isn’t just something they enjoy, it’s something they actively build. From church involvement to family traditions to simply showing up, they’re all in. Stephanie jokes that she’s always sending Zillow listings to family members to convince them to move back to Moraga.

One of their favorite parts of living here is proximity to family. Anthony’s brother lives nearby, so cousins are often biking over to play, swim, and have dinner together. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are constantly stopping by. It’s busy, loud, and exactly how they like it.

For them, Moraga isn’t just where they live, it’s where their whole wonderful life happens.