Located just outside of Fairbanks Ranch, New Restaurant is A Hit
March 8, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
Rancho Santa Fe lifestyle just got that much sweeter. North County foodies can’t get enough of the new Dolce Pane E Vino wine bar and restaurant, which celebrated a soft opening in RSF’s Del Rayo Center in late 2009, and has since become a neighborhood favorite. Dolce serves handmade small plates of Italian favorites for lunch and dinner, including wood-fired pane rusticos and Panini sandwiches, paired with a tempting wine list designed by Sommelier Michael Melone. Chef Chris O’Donnell is a firm believer in farm-to-table traditions, and makes daily trips to local farms–specifically to the nationally famous Chino’s farm– to ensure the freshest ingredients every day. For those on the go, the attached Dolce Formaggeria wraps up signature small plates and bottles of wine for convenient quick stops.
Mortgages – The Housing Market’s Crystal Ball
February 24, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
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Advice for buyers: There are 2 lows in a purchase. There is the actual sales price and there is the interest rate for your loan. When interest rates rise, it can quickly erode the value of “waiting for the sales price to adjust.” Have your agent demonstrate. Give us a call 858 756 0593.
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Rancho Santa Fe Resident, Enberg excited to announce Padres games
February 23, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
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It’s been enormously productive. Part of it is just being in the environment, around the lexicon of the game, the strategy of the game and just talking baseball. Because baseball is so intimate, I have had the opportunity to talk with a lot of people. I had dinner with manager Bud Black and then with general manager Jed Hoyer. And just being able to go up to a player or a coach and they’ll give you time has been helpful. I’ve tried to keep as much contact as possible and keep my ears open.
I have seen you outside watching workouts on the field, watching pitchers throw off the mound and watching hitters in the cage. It seems you’re really getting a kick out of this experience.
Last night my wife called and we’re talking and she said, “I can tell it in your voice, you are really happy.” For me, it’s really been the right call at the right time. The other day I was watching Dave Roberts [former player, now special assistant to baseball operations] school some of the young guys on stealing bases. He’s talking about taking a lead, how not to get caught by the left-hander’s move. These are all the things I love about baseball. It’s a perfect time to be here. You can talk to so many people here without the pressure of a game later in the day.
This won’t be your first time being a play-by-play broadcaster for a Major League baseball team. Tell me about your experience calling California Angels games (1969-1978 and again in 1985)
I resisted it initially, even though it’s my favorite sport and my favorite game. But at the time, I was doing the pre- and postgame show on the Angels telecasts, which allowed me to do some little essays and interviews. I had a half-hour show and it was only me. I was doing the Rams radio, I was the UCLA television broadcaster, I was doing boxing from the Olympic Auditorium and the sports on the newscast in the evenings. I had a wonderful, full plate. They told me that if I took baseball, I would have to give up these other things. I said how about if I do it one year? I tried to quit my first year. The Angels were terrible. Fortunately, wiser heads prevailed.
You started working with Don Drysdale in 1973, doing the Angels games. What was that experience like?
When Don Drysdale became my partner … life became brilliant. It didn’t matter if you were winning or losing. With Drysdale, the broadcasts were fun. Being with Don … he wouldn’t let you get down. I would take the losses too seriously and he would say, “C’mon professor” — he would always call me professor — “they don’t care, so you shouldn’t care. I’ll buy you a drink.” I’ve been fortunate to have so many great colleagues. With baseball, you’re with that man more than in any other sport. He was always happy. It was a shame he went too quickly.
You didn’t arrive at the decision to accept this job calling games for the Padres easily, did you?
There were a lot of brain cells burned trying to think this through. I have an ESPN deal where I do three of the [tennis] majors — the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the French — and also the NFL package on CBS. I had shaped my life perfectly. There had been a few flirtations about baseball in the past. But how could I greedily keep doing the things I had been doing and do baseball? I learned in 1985, when Gene Autry hired me back to do 40 games, that baseball is a day-to-day-to-day games. You can’t just do a game here and a game there and miss two weeks.
With that in mind, how did you reach an agreement for a schedule that would allow for 120 or so Padres games while still doing the Australian Open and Wimbledon?
After the initial discussions, their original thought was they would structure a schedule where I did the games within the division and home games. That was a wonderful concession on their part. We gave it a lot of thought and said if I’m going to do this, I’m going to do it. We came back and said, ‘What if we do all the games, except the US Open?” I felt like if I’m going to be the announcer, I want to be the announcer.
What are some of the things you’re looking to most this season?
Had the Yankees, Red Sox or any other club called and offered me the same opportunity, I would have said, “No, thanks.” To be one of the baseball announcers in your hometown is important and it played a major part of this decision. When you think about the impact a baseball announcer has in his hometown, how many hours he’s on the air, it’s like 600 hours maybe, where you are exposed to your community — you’re an ambassador to your community. I really relish the opportunity to play that role. I look forward to a perfectly executed double play. There’s a rhythm and artistry about a double play that’s a beautiful thing. It’s four seconds and two outs, but it’s so much more than that. My creative juices are flowing. I was kidding with Bud Black and said, “Hey, look what I did for John Wooden.” [Enberg called eight of the Bruins' NCAA championship seasons].
Home Construction Rose in January. Interest Rates Staying Low. Is Housing in Recovery?
February 17, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
WASHINGTON (AP) Housing construction posted a better-than-expected increase in January, which pushed activity to the highest level in six months.
The Commerce Department said Wednesday that construction of new homes and apartments rose 2.8 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 591,000 units. That was better than the 580,000 annual pace that economists had forecasted.
Applications for building permits, considered a good barometer of future activity, fell 4.9 percent to a rate of 621,000, but that was after two months of large increases.
In another sign of strength, Wednesdays report revised upward data in December to show builders were starting construction at an annual pace of 575,000 units during that month, much stronger than the 557,000 originally reported. Even with the upward revision, activity was down 0.7 percent in December from the month before, a dip that was blamed on severe weather in many parts of the country that depressed construction activity.
Economists are hoping that housing is beginning to recover and a rebound in this area will help support the economy as it struggles to mount a sustained recovery from the deepest recession since the 1930s.
Januarys results were led by a 10 percent jump in activity in the Northeast and an 8.9 percent increase in the West. Construction was up a smaller 1 percent in the South and 3.2 percent in the Midwest.
The strength in January pushed construction activity up by 21.1 percent from the pace in January 2009. Last months building rate the fastest pace since July.
Construction of single-family homes rose 1.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 484,000 units while construction of multi-family units increased 9.2 percent to an annual rate of 107,000 units.
In other favorable developments, mortgage rates are hovering around 5 percent, pushed down by a Federal Reserve program to buy mortgage-backed securities. And builders say they are also seeing a boost in the demand for homes coming from a government stimulus program. That program provides tax credits of up to $8,000 for first-time home buyers and up to $6,500 for current homeowners who decide to move.
In another economic report, industrial production rose 0.9 percent in January, the seventh consecutive monthly increase as manufacturers help lead the nations recovery.
The Federal Reserve reported Wednesday that Januarys numbers rose in all three major categories: manufacturing, mining and energy utilities. That is the first such show of strength since August 2009.
It says manufacturing rose 1.0 percent, while mining and utilities each gained 0.7 percent.
The results are a more meaningful sign of economic progress than Decembers number, which the Fed revised up to 0.7 percent from the 0.6 percent reported earlier.
That increase was driven by weather-related increases in utility production, while manufacturing posted a 0.1 percent loss.
Doesn’t get much better than this! Beautiful Valentines day in Rancho Santa Fe!! View of Del Mar Country Club from our Senterra Listing.
February 14, 2010 by Tamara Stephenson · Leave a Comment
OLYMPICS: Athletes set to shine at Olympics– Shaun White lives in Rancho Santa Fe
February 12, 2010 by Tamara Stephenson · Leave a Comment
OLYMPICS: Athletes set to shine at Olympics
Shaun White, Gretchen Bleiler, Rachael Flatt are names to look for
BY SCOTT BAIR – sbair@nctimes.com | Posted: February 11, 2010 11:54 pm | No Comments Posted | Print
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Shaun White, the scrawny redhead from Carlsbad, is undoubtedly the most recognizable winter-sports athlete on the planet. And his popularity should only increase after this year’s Winter Olympics, which start Friday evening in Vancouver, British Columbia.
But White isn’t the only athlete with local ties and a chance to strike gold.
Part-time Carlsbad resident Gretchen Bleiler is the favorite to win the women’s snowboard halfpipe competition, and former Del Mar resident Rachael Flatt enters the women’s figure skating competition riding high after winning the U.S. championships last month.
“It’s going to be fantastic,” Flatt told reporters after her surprise victory. “I’m so excited.”
Bleiler reached favorite status after a solid qualifying run in the U.S. Grand Prix series and an X Games victory over a talented field in late January.
“This is great momentum for me,” Bleiler, a silver medalist at the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy, said in an X Games press conference. “Just knowing I’m capable of this is great confidence. Going to Vancouver with these girls, we’re going to try to sweep that podium.”
Medal sweeps is something White is already familiar with.
He began dominating snowboarding and skateboarding competitions at age 15 and has been a celebrity in action-sports circles ever since. When he won the gold medal in snowboarding at the 2006 Olympics, his celebrity reached the mainstream.
Fast-forward four years, and White’s popularity hasn’t waned. The quick-witted snow carver has remained an action-sports icon and a marketing dream, pushing everything from Burton snowboards to Target stores.
Increased wealth prompted a move from Carlsbad to Rancho Santa Fe, but it didn’t stifle his competitive drive. White continues to challenge himself with dangerous maneuvers on the halfpipe and is once again favored to win gold in the 2010 Olympics.
White has been feverishly working to perfect a new signature move, dubbed the Double McTwist 1260, in which he does two head-over-heels flips while rotating 3 1/2 times.
He has landed it several times, but suffered a frightening crash when he under-rotated the move during an X Games practice run. White landed on his head and emerged with a nasty facial abrasion, but that didn’t deter him. He attempted and successfully executed the maneuver in the competition and won X Games gold.
“I was pumped to get it done, to land the trick, to take first tonight and to actually walk away from that plant and still be going to the Olympics,” White said in a post-competition press conference.
The 17-year-old Flatt and fellow American skater Mirai Nagasu will face stiff competition from Korean Kim Yu-Na, Japan’s Mao Asada and others, but an upset is always a possibility in such a technical, often unforgiving sport.
“We need to embrace the challenge, and I’m sure we’re both up for it,” Flatt said after the U.S. championships. “We’re young and spirited.”
That could also easily define White, whose eccentric personality and media savvy made him a magnet for paparazzi during an extended victory tour after the 2006 Olympics. He was seen at Hollywood parties, had his picture on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine and enjoyed a brief flirtation with figure skater Sasha Cohen.
He knows popularity must be validated by performance in the Olympics, which White acknowledges as the biggest competition of his career.
“It’s just a monster event,” White said after the 2006 games. “It’s worldwide, and it was fun to be a part of it. It meant a lot to me now that I’m older to wear U.S. on my chest. It was heavy. It wasn’t like rolling into X Games on my own. I was representing the whole country.”
On that international stage, you could say that White and the others will be representing North County, too.
Posted in Olympics on Thursday, February 11, 2010 11:54 pm Updated: 12:01 am. | Tags: Top, Nct, Sports, Olympics,
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Marketing Perspective: Prudential’s Luxury Properties Division
February 9, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
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Prudential California Realty held its annual Luxury Properties Division meeting at the St. Regis in Monarch Beach, CA. This year marks the third year of the meeting of the group of agents (of which I am one) who specialize in the luxury residential market and, once again, the conference was rich with creative ideas and suggestions to effect better results for our clients, as well as presentations of market conditions delivered by the most respected real estate professionals in the industry.
Ron Peltier, CEO, Home Services of America (the division of Berkshire Hathaway, which owns Prudential CA Realty), delivered the yearly market perspective. Ron is an outstanding speaker and commands a wealth of knowledge and insight. In summary, he said:
There are 4 major factors controlling the real estate market today:
High Unemployment, which will continue through 2010. Not only do we have high unemployment, but also under employment. And, as employment drives the buying market, recovery can only start with job growth.
Foreclosures, which numbered 1.50 million in 2008 and 2.0 million in 2009, are projected to be 2.5 million in 2010 and staying at 2.5 for 2011. Also, of the 55 million mortgages in the US, 8 million (approximately 16%) are delinquent–delinquent being defined as 90+ days late in payment). Obviously, delinquency is the first step toward foreclosure.
Consumer Confidence is historically low. When the equity market collapsed, Americans lost 10 years in gains. Additionally, real estate, tradionally considered a “haven” lost approximately 25% of its value. Combined, the “wealth destruction” totaled $7 trillion. People NOW know that real estate is volatile.
Inventory is high. Historically, the 10 year average is 2.5 million properties on the market; today we have 3.7 million homes on the market–40% more than normal. Plus, 8 million homes are in distress. Distressed homes are driving prices down.
Where is the “Silver Lining” for the market? Buyer or Seller?
Essentially, the positive factors are: Affordability has NEVER been better (Buyer)
Interest Rates are Very Low (Buyer)
Inventory presents Great Choices (Buyer)
and, finally, Mr. Peltier believes that price destruction will end after the 1st half of 2010, a celebration for SELLERS.
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Beautiful new listing in Rancho Santa Fe Lakes — Ideal Family Home!
January 15, 2010 by Tamara Stephenson · Leave a Comment
This is one of the best lots in RSF Lakes. Very private, beautiful views and a long estate drive way.✐ School Information:
• • •
Solana Santa Fe Elementary Earl Warren Middle Torrey Pines High School, San Dieguito Academy, and Canyon Crest Academy
Dreaming of Southern California
January 9, 2010 by admin · 3 Comments
Luxury Million Dollar Homes with 300 days of Sunshine
San Diego makes for an ideal location for a vacation. after playing on the beaches, riding your bike on America’s best city for bikes, strolling through Seaport Village, and taking a trip to the mountains, you’ll wonder if there is any place better to call home.
When Robin Leach hosted the popular television show, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous which aired in the 1990’s, many of the homes he featured were California homes. whether it’s the wealth of its residents or their creative and laid back lifestyles, California has an abundance of opulent, luxurious homes and many of them are featured in luxury homes magazines.
Not surprisingly perhaps, the estates he featured in his show pale in comparison to the homes you’ll find there now. New developments have popped up in Orange County, that hip locale for new TV dramas. The OC definitely has its share of beautiful, expensive real estate. If you have the financial means, Orange County real estate and San Diego real estate are exceptional investments.
The geography of California provides the perfect backdrop for a stunning million dollar estate. The most expensive of these mega million dollar estates are often oceanfront properties. The rounded hills of California from San Diego all the way to the wine country near San Francisco provides panoramic views of countrysides. From Spanish villas in Rancho Santa Fe to Tuscan estates in Sonoma County, there’s a million dollar home for everyone in California.
The value of California real estate has fallen this year as every year and with the mortgage fiasco and other economic problems, a buyer’s market has appeared. for the first time in many years, you may have an opportunity to buy one of these million dollar homes as an investment or as your new home. Many people buy homes here for winter residences. The weather in Southern California is incredible. Temperatures are moderate and rainy weather is at a minimum. you can enjoy more than 300 sunny days per year. That translates to a lot of walking, tennis, golf and bicycling. That is a healthy lifestyle and one that is more invigorating.
If you’re not into leisure and relaxation, Southern California offers lots of high tech employment opportunities. From San Diego’s medical industry prominence to the hi tech industry in the Silicon Valley, Southern Cal has everything you’ll need for an exciting career. Just across the Ocean is China and Japan so although the sun sets are incomparable here, the future is a sunrise for Californians.
San Diego is a rising star in the US economy. its normally strong banking industry combined with the medical and military industries here, along with its access to cheap labour and manufacturing in nearby Tijuana Mexico give it every conceivable economic advantage. Being between Mexico and China and Japan make it an appealing locale for captains of industry.
What kind of homes might you expect to find in the San Diego area? when you see pictures of homes in magazines or online, you’ll be overwhelmed at how beautiful they are. these luxury homes feature swimming pools, master chef kitchens, interiors dressed in exotic woods and stone, spas that include workout rooms, hot tubs, Jacuzzis and swimming pools. Tennis courts and landscaped gardens are common. Many homes are designed by world renowned architects so these aren’t built piecemeal. these homes come together to appeal to the viewer’s sense of wonder.
It isn’t just that they have all the amenities of a luxury home, it’s how they’re weaved together to provide the ultimate in luxury and convenience. these are homes that draw people in. This is one of the reasons Californians want these types of homes. They attract friends and visitors and reduce some of the isolation that some may feel. for those that don’t feel isolated, they may have more friends and family coming over than they want. after all, who would want to leave a home with a 200 inch widescreen TV and swimming pool with a cascading waterfalls above it?
Southern California homes inspire our belief that anything is possible and that the good life is accessible if we work hard to achieve it. California is a land of beautiful contrasts and is worth the visit, even if to ogle the opulent real estate here. Make your next vacation to a place like San Diego and discover more than the lifestyles of the rich and famous, the lifestyles that we all dream about.
After You Decide Which of the 31 Destinations you Want to Visit, Read This! 10 Ways to Cut Your Travel Costs In 2010
January 8, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
LAST year was arguably the year of the travel deal, with resorts and airlines practically begging for bookings, and many travelers finding bargain airfares and hotel rooms as a result. But airlines have cut back capacity, meaning there will be fewer seats going unsold, and resorts may not be as quick to cut rates to attract guests, now that the economy looks as if it might be on a slight rebound. So now is the perfect time to review your booking strategy. Here are 10 simple steps you can take to help cut your travel costs in 2010.
Readers’ Comments
Share your thoughts.1. Sign Up for a Twitter Account
An increasing number of travel companies are using Twitter to market their brands, often by tweeting exclusive deals to followers. JetBlue calls out last-minute discounts at JetBlueCheeps on Tuesday mornings. A recent example: “$89 BOS to LAS this Sat. LAS to BOS this Mon. or Tues. 25 seats avail or til 6 pm ET.” Fairmont Hotels offers its Twitter followers special discounts before anyone else. Farecompare’s “flyfrom” Twitter feed offers location-specific fare sales when you plug in your home airport’s three-letter code, as in flyfromNYC.
All you need to do is sign up for a free account at Twitter.com and start following the companies you like or travel experts who do the work for you. (You can find me at MichelleHiggins.)
2. Find the Cheapest Dates to Fly
ITASoftware.com, which provides the technological backbone for many airfare shopping sites, allows users to scan an entire month’s fares for the least expensive rate. (Log in as a “guest” and click on “month-long search.” ) In January, the 28th and 30th were the cheapest dates to fly nonstop to London from New York ($536) for a week’s vacation, according to a recent search. The next best was Saturday, Jan. 23, at $640. To book the ticket, users must go to another site. Kayak.com has a flexible-dates option (registration is required) and a calendar that shows the best fares found by other Kayak users in the last 48 hours. Bing Travel, the Microsoft search engine, offers a similar option, found under “plan trips,” about halfway down the page.
3. Consider Nearby Airports
A recent Web search showed nonstop flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Miami International from $299 round trip on American in early January. But flying into Fort Lauderdale, roughly 30 miles north of Miami, was $219 on Virgin America, an $80 saving.
4. Go Against the Grain
If possible, avoid popular travel dates like holidays and spring break because airlines have begun to charge anywhere from $10 to $30 extra at those times. Farecompare.com offers a handy breakdown of the new fees by date, airline and amount. Early-morning and late-night flights may also be cheaper depending on the route.
5. Track Price Even After Buying
Airlines have long offered to refund the difference in their fares (minus a change fee) in the form of a voucher to customers who ask. Using your confirmation number, Yapta.com will automatically track the price of your ticket, taking the airline’s fees into consideration, and send you, without charge, an e-mail message or Twitter alert notifying you of the lower price. You can then call the airline to claim the credit.
Similarly, Travelocity.com promises to refund the difference in price for prepaid hotel reservations if you find the same room for a cheaper rate online before check-in.
6. Take the Bus
Cheap express buses with names like BoltBus, Megabus and Washington Deluxe have become increasingly popular along the Northeast Corridor and elsewhere, with seats for $25 or less, depending on when you reserve. With amenities like more legroom, power plugs at every seat and free Wi-Fi, the bus ride, though longer, can often be more tolerable than a flight that costs 10 times as much. Search for seats at GotoBus.com or BusJunction.com.
7. Roll the Dice
Sites like Priceline.com, Hotwire.com and Lastminutetravel.com offer deep discounts to travelers willing to pay before learning the names of the hotels, airlines or car rental agencies they’re committing to. To help you find the best rate, Biddingfortravel.com and Betterbidding.com provide strategic advice and offer tips from other travelers on how to navigate the system.
Getaroom.com offers a new twist to this gamble that may be more agreeable for risk-averse travelers. Unlike these other discounters, Getaroom tells customers the name of the hotel and price before booking. But it offers an even lower rate through its call center — typically 10 to 25 percent off — to travelers willing to pay for the room before finding out just how much of a discount they’re getting.
8. Go Rental
Tourists in most European cities can easily pay $200 a night for basic hotel rooms. By contrast, an apartment or villa can be rented for as little as $1,100 a week in Paris or Rome. Homeaway.com, Zonder.com and Rentalo.com are just a few of the many rental Web sites available. Some specialize in specific regions like Rentvillas.com for Europe or Wimco.com for the Caribbean.
9. Make Yourself at Home
For a 6 to 12 percent booking fee, AirBnB.com connects budget travelers with locals who are offering a place to bed down. The Times’s Frugal Traveler, Matt Gross, described it as “a cross between CouchSurfing.com and the vacation rentals section of Craigslist.” There were more than 2,000 listings in a recent search for New York including a futon in a one-bedroom near Gramercy Park ($65) and a bedroom with private bath and separate entrance in Hell’s Kitchen ($150).
10. Study the Fine Print
Play close attention to which airline you are actually flying, particularly on international flights. With code sharing, you may book a flight to Paris on Delta, for instance, and end up traveling with Air France, a code share partner with Delta.
But while the flight may be the same, the price often is not. Sometimes the difference can be negligible — say, $609 on SAS on a January nonstop flight from Newark Airport to Stockholm versus $627 for that same flight when booked through United. Or $817 for an American flight from New York to Lima versus the $693 that same flight would cost when booked through American’s code share partner, LAN.
There are times though when the difference can be substantial, particularly when the code share partner may be a foreign carrier not well known to American travelers.
Here are some examples, based on a search on Kayak.com for flights in late January, where the round-trip fares vary greatly depending on which code share partner you book through. (Click on “details” for a breakdown of the flight’s particulars.) New York to Singapore: $1,319 on Cathay Pacific; $1,817 on American. New York to Marrakesh: $1,098 on Royal Air Maroc; $3,257 on Delta. New York to Cairo: $908 on Egypt Air; a stunning $4,650 on United.
is a service mark of The Prudential Insurance Company of America.