Leslie's Blog

We have been hearing a lot about inflation lately, and that some people are starting to cut back on their spending, but I thought you may be interested in some places not getting that message.  There are people willing to pay $15 for an 8-ounce cup of coffee and $35 for a movie ticket.

I will start with the coffee—yes, Seattle is known for its coffee but what do you think about this?  Danny Westneat of the Seattle Times has reported that “Zoka coffeehouses have put ‘the most expensive coffee in the world’ on the menu for $13 a cup and you can buy a pound of beans for $180.”

Westneat also mentions the downtown Seattle restaurant, El Gaucho (a steakhouse) has a cocktail that costs “$480.”  It is made with Grand Marnier Cent Cinquantenaire.

He also mentions in his article “Lowly Joe Brewed to New Heights,” other brands of very expensive coffees that sell for $15 per cup and that you can buy a coffee maker called Clover for $11,000.

It is not only drinks and coffee makers that have prices going out of sight, The Seattle Times in their article “Posh Redmond theater to charge $35 a ticket” by Amy Roe, talks about the Village Roadshow Gold Class Cinemas that open at Redmond Town Center in October.  She says:

“An Australian theater chain opening in Redmond this fall is betting affluent audiences will pay three times the typical ticket price for plush, reclining seats equipped with call buttons for service, allowing them to order gourmet food, wine and cocktails from the theater's restaurant.

Exclusivity is key. Each of the eight auditoriums will have wide screens but no more than 40 seats arranged in pairs with ample legroom. The theater's restaurant and lounge will be open only to moviegoers. An online booking service will enable people to choose their seats; valets will park their cars.

The theater will offer some matinees, Burke said, with admission discounted to $20 or $25."

My mom would say about people paying those kinds of prices “They must be making too much money” or “They must make their money pretty easily.”  Dad would have said “Are they nuts!!”

P.S.  I do not what you to get the impression that all of the Seattle and surrounding areas are this steep in their prices! 

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.  

Is this a face you can trust--would you vote for this person?  I went to a caucus today and got voted in as an alternate delegate to go to the State Convention.  I am so excited about going.  While attending the caucus they were asking people to consider running for office this fall.  I decided I may want to throw my name into the hat and run for a State Representative position.  I look at some of the things that have been going on in government and, frankly, like my ethics a whole lot more then many of them--also like the idea of a balanced budget!.  I am also finding myself getting so passionate about many things that should be done to make the State of Washington better.

This was a rhetorical question--I will keep you posted!

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont, Redmond and Kent, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.  

I have spoken about Bill Moyer’s Journal before when I saw something particularly interesting.  Tonight he had “The Kerner Commission 40 years later,” the Kerner Commission Report, which blamed the violence on the devastating poverty and hopelessness endemic in the inner cities of the 1960s and includes an interview with former Oklahoma Senator Fred Harris, one of the last living members of the Kerner Commission.  This was very eye opening.

Moyer also had a segment with the Mayor of Newark, Cory Booker, a 38 year old mixed race man that is stubborn and full of hope for his city.  He wants everyone to ask themselves “What am I doing to deserve this country?” 

In the last year Booker has seen his city have a huge reduction in murders.  They are having mentoring programs and a strengthening of communities.  Poverty is still a large issue in his city and he sees a need to create businesses that can train people and put them to work.  He would also like to see more attorneys give some free legal services to those that cannot afford it.  And he would like to see some alternatives to incarceration.

I cannot do the program justice--there was just so much information.  It was a very inspirational program and really worthwhile.  I am sure PBS will air it again.

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont, Redmond and Kent, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number. 

 One of my favorite places to go after I was ten years old was to Seattle's Museum of History and Industry, 2700 24th Ave. E., Seattle.  Currently they have an exhibit from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia "detailing the secession, slavery and civil liberties constitutional crises faced by President Abraham Lincoln, and companion exhibit 'Blue vs. Gray: The Civil War in the Pacific Northwest' depicting the multitude of influences the Civil War had on life in the Northwest."  The exhibits will run through April 20th, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily, and until 8 p.m. the first Thursdays.

MOHAI* (as it is sometimes called) has many programs for students starting with the Primary (K-2) which is "Discovering Seattle Stories" Discovering Seattle Stories.  There are several educational programs for students to enjoy all the way through the 12th grade. 

So whether you are a child or an adult, if you have an interest in history, you would probably enjoy a visit there. 

*The MOHAI link goes to Wikipedia and tells about permanent exhibits that are on display. 

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont, Redmond and Kent, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.

$339,900 for this 4 bedroom 2.75 bath home in Covington.  There is a large family room (with a gas fireplace) next to the kitchen eating area.   The master bedroom also has a fireplace that is shared with it's bathroom.

 The home has a large family room (with a gas fireplace) next to the kitchen eating area.   The master bedroom also has a fireplace that is shared with it's bathroom.

 This home is in a friendly neighborhood that is close to a bus stop and all that Covington has to offer.  It has a large fenced backyard with a patio, large laundry room and a two-car garage.

MLS# 28013927 

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont, Redmond and Kent, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.

Let me start by saying that I love dogs and cats but I just needed to pass this along.  I was touring broker's open houses yesterday and went into one basement and you just knew there had been a cat down there.  That is the "kiss of death" when you are trying to sell your home--unless you find a buyer that has no sense of smell.  If it means ripping up carpet--you probably have to do it.

Also, if you have had a cat (or dog) and are use to a certain house smell--ask someone for an honest opinion--because you need to know.  

While you are at it you might want to ask someone if something smells in your refrigerator!

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number. 

To celebrate my birthday, my daughter took me to the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) to see the Ghiberti’s “Gates of Paradise” exhibit (which ends April 6^th).  “This exhibition marks the first time that the gilded bronze panels have traveled to the United States since their creation over 550 years ago.”

We also saw the “Roman Art from the Louvre” exhibit (which ends May 11^th).  The exhibit “portrays nearly 300 years of imperial Roman life and history” and includes approximately 180 pieces.  Besides having a guide we also had audio tapes that were provided with the price of the ticket that described several of the pieces. 

After we saw those two exhibits we wandered around and some of the rest of the museum.  It was very enjoyable and would recommend seeing it.  They are located in downtown Seattle:

1300 First Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101-2003
206.654.3100

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.

ABC News has come out with an article "The Cleanest Cities in America," about Forbes coming out with it's list for the "top ten cleanest cities."  Guess what, Seattle is number two on the list.  Miami is number one.  Portland, Oregon ranks number five.  The article (written by Tom Van Ripper) says "It's more than just sea breezes pushing these metros up the list. These big cities are also reaping the rewards of investing in efforts to keep clean, even as their populations boom."

People comment all of the time how clean Seattle is.  Did you know that Seattle "spends more per capita on waste management than any major city"?

The article also give links to the Greenest and least Greenest States and Washington State came out with the rank of third for being Greenest.

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.   

Living in the Seattle Area--we have many house boats here, they are popular and expensive.  People love them and the lifestyle that goes with them.   I thought it would be very helpful if some of the home inspectors would let us know something about upkeep, hazards and typical findings for houseboats inspection.

Currently there are 2 houseboats (and two house barges but I am not discussing them at the moment) for sale:

Lake Union, 1 bed/1 bath, $699,000.

Westlake, 2 bed/ 1 bath, $1,350,000.

Advantages:   water views, immediate access to the water if you want to slip into a kayak or a canoe etc.  I even know people that rowed to work.  Many houseboats have decks built onto their roof.

p.s. the picture above is not a typical houseboat. 

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.  

Every once in a while I think about when I worked in the deceased affairs department of a large company and I was speaking to the children and second wife of the man that had passed away.  The current family had found out that the man had not changed the beneficiary on his 401K after the divorce from his first wife.

It is very important to make sure that your will is up-to-date, that your beneficiaries on your 401K is how you want it and that you have arranged for guardianship of your children should something happen to you.

ABC News has an article today “Ledger's Will Dilemma Reflects Wider Issue” (by Alice Gomstyn) that brought this to mind again.  It talks about how “Heath Ledger reportedly failed to include his ex-fiancé Michelle Williams and their 2-year-old daughter, Maltida, in his will.” 

We are all busy in our lives but these things should be on the top of our priority list.

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number. 

This picture was on my son-in-law's blog and I just thought it was so cute.  I hope it doesn't gross anyone out!  Can you tell that Haiden is a "type A" personality?  He has many interests and so little time. 

There are many captions that I can think of that would go with this picture. 

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.  

Our brokerage office (BRIO Realty) celebrates birthdays, and since this is my birthday month, I was among the three that got honored.  Our Transaction Coordinator/Office Manager, Liz brought in two cakes she made and also the fixings for strawberry shortcake.  There were also bagels and cream cheese.  I was a few minutes late so they sang the “happy birthday” to me when I arrived.  We also received a gift—a Starbucks cup.

This was especially nice for me.  When I was a kid, I walked a mile to and from school—which must have been too far for most of the kids in my class to come to my birthday party because only two came.  That was my one and only birthday party and I can still see the table set with only the three of us there. 

The same thing happened to a girl that lived in one of my rental houses—only a couple of kids came to her birthday party.  I would recommend that only a few close friends be invited so that the children can be picked up and you will know for sure how will be there.

For my 16^th birthday, two of my girl friends and I went to Snoqualmie Pass with my family to play in the snow—that was much more fun and there were no expectations.

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number. 

Today I received a poem from a cousin's wife via email.  She lives in Montana and plays the organ and sings at church and said that in the last 10 days she was asked to sing or play at eight funerals. She commented on how much we learn from out elders and she passed this poem along with her message.  I thought I would share it because I can see parts of it in our lives also.  She didn't say whom the author is.

Around the corner I have a friend,

In this great city that has no end,

Yet the days go by and weeks rush on,

And before I know it, a year is gone.

And I never see my old friends face,

For life is a swift and terrible race,

He knows
I like him just as well,

As in the days when I rang his bell.

And he rang mine but we were younger then,

And now we are busy, tired men.

Tired of playing a foolish game,

Tired of trying to make a name.

'Tomorrow' I say! 'I will call on Jim

Just to show that I'm thinking of him.'

But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes,

And distance between us grows and grows.

Around the corner, yet miles away,

'Here's a telegram sir,' 'Jim died today.'

And that's what we get and deserve in the end.
Around the corner, a vanished friend.

Remember to always say what you mean.

If you
love someone, tell them.

Don't be afraid to express yourself.

Reach out and tell someone what they mean to you.

Because when you decide that it is the right time it might

be too late.

Seize the day. Never have regrets.

And most importantly, stay close to your friends
and family, for they have helped
make you the person that you are today.

SMILE, even through your
tears!!!!!

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.

The Seattle Times today had a very interesting article entitled "The WPA story: FDR, its workers and its great Northwest projects," written by John Hartl.  Hartl is discussing a book American-Made: The Enduring Legacy of the WPA: When FDR Put the Nation Back to Work, written by Nick Taylor (published by Bantam Books).

In case you didin't know what the Works Progress Administration (WPA) was, it was called the New Deal program "which President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed into law as a response to the Depression, the Golden Gate Bridge was completed, the Statue of Liberty was saved from erosion, countless roads and schools and bridges were created or salvaged, free hot lunches were served to millions of kids, stranded people were rescued from hurricanes, and millions of unemployed adults went to work for their government." 

I didn't realize that locally, the Woodland Park Zoo, Green Lake, Timberline Lodge etc. were WPA projects.  The programs went from 1935-1943 and many people there should be a program like it again.

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number. 

It is a pretty day (at the moment) in Seattle and the time when some of us think of gardening.  There is help available.  Did you know that King County has a Native Plant Guide on the web?  At this site you can find native plants, planting tips, landscaping plans and planting topics.

Under the “Find a Plant” heading, you can search for plants, browse pictures, select the plants and save the information.

Under “Landscaping Plans” heading you can find information for areas from dry to wet and from shady to sunny.  Here is an example of what is under this category:

Common Themes in Each Plan

Layering: Large trees are placed in the back of the landscape. As you work toward the front of the landscape, low-growing species are included. This creates a feeling of a larger space and allows for the best viewing and enjoyment of the variety of species. Each plan includes evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs and groundcovers or perennials.

Clustering of Like Species: To create a more natural aesthetic, several plants of similar species are planted together in "drifts" or clusters.

Creating Diversity: At least ten different species are included in each plan to create a more interesting landscape and attract a diversity of wildlife. The plants included provide food and shelter to a wide variety of wildlife species. Evergreen and deciduous species are found in each plan, as well.

Limited Species: No more than 15 species were included in each plan to keep the plans easy to use. Feel free to add more and exercise your creativity!

Constructed Environments: Lawns, patios or paths are featured in the sample plans to show examples of how plants can be landscaped around constructed features. They are not meant as recommendations for placement.

Here is a place to go for native plant nurseries in Washington State. 

You may also be interested in the native plant salvage program:

People from all around King County can volunteer for the Department of Natural Resources' Native Plant Salvage Program. Volunteers remove plants from sites which are scheduled for construction and later replant this native vegetation at locations around the County. King County works with developers and other agencies to locate potential salvage sites, organizes volunteers to remove plants just prior to construction, and replants the salvaged plants at salmon habitat restoration projects.

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.   

If you don't live in the Seattle Area, you may not know that house flies are not usually a problem here.  You can get your trusty fly swatter and get rid of them.  You can eat outside (when it isn't raining) and not be chased away by the little devils trying to eat your food.  Many houses here do not even have window screens.

When I used to visit farm cousins in North Dakota I would see those fly strips hanging from the ceilings trying to keep up with the fly problem.

Also, we don't have a mosquito issue either--unless folks keep standing water in their yards--which is really discouraged because of the possiblility of West Nile disease.  Speaking of West Nile, I see in the CDC data that as of  March 4th, 2008, King County has not had a case of West Nile in a Human.  We do have a King County dead bird hotline.  The link is an online form that can be used.

But back to my title, there is currently a fly in the house--I wonder where that fly swatter is! 

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.  

This is when a grandchild decides what is the most fun thing to play with.  Haiden has broken up a bunch of styrofoam that came in a box of shelving that needs to be assembled.  The static electricity is what made it so much fun.  His mother had to get out the vacuum cleaner to take care of the mess afterwards.

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number. 

I was watching Connie Thompson on ABC News today.  She was talking about how filing bankruptcy may help troubled homeowners avoid foreclosure using the “homestead exemption.” 

The homestead exemption was created to protect families from losing their homes in hard times. It makes bankruptcy a safety net that could keep the roof over your head even if you're facing foreclosure.

The new law aids homeowners who file for bankruptcy by protecting $125,000 of their home equity from creditors. That equity is not protected from your mortgage creditors but depending on your circumstances, filing bankruptcy may enable you to restructure your mortgage payments and other debt, and as a result, stay in your home .

I was looking for the latest information on foreclosure rates for Washington State and could not find a site yet that was up-to-date.  I did, however, find a site for the Attorney General of Washington State that has some very interesting information under the title of “Avoid the foreclosure “rescue” trap.”

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.

Have you ever noticed people using their hands on the walls for support (these are adults) when they are putting on and taking off their shoes.    It just makes me squirm!!  I have also seen people (usually young men) talk with their back to the wall and then put on foot on the wall behind them.   If this sounds like you--take note--it leaves prints, scratches and dirty marks.  Well that is my "rant" for the day.

So, everyone go home and tell their kids to stop it so they will know better when they get to be adults.  LOL

I tried to post this on Active Rain yesterday but it was down.  I found this very interesting article on USA TODAY yesterday, “Seniors head south to Mexican nursing homes” by Chris Hawley, USA TODAY

It talks about when Jean Douglas was a 70 year old senior of Banden, Oregon, she decided that she was no longer able to take care of herself.  So she went on-line to see what was in the way of assisted-living facilities near her home.  What she decided to do was go to Mexico, “where the sun is bright and the living is cheap.”

For $1,300 a month — a quarter of what an average nursing home costs in Oregon — Douglas gets a studio apartment, three meals a day, laundry and cleaning service, and 24-hour care from an attentive staff, many of whom speak English. She wakes up every morning next to a glimmering mountain lake, and the average annual high temperature is a toasty 79 degrees.

The article also features a residents named Richard Slater.  He came to Lake Chapala four years ago and now lives in his own cottage at the Casa de Ancianos. 

Slater has plenty of room for his two dogs and has a little patio that he shares with three other American residents. He gets 24-hour nursing care and three meals a day, cooked in a homey kitchen and served in a sun-washed dining room. His cottage has a living room, bedroom, kitchenette, bathroom and a walk-in closet.

For this Slater pays $550 a month, less than one-tenth of the going rate back home in Las Vegas. For another $140 a year, he gets full medical coverage from the Mexican government, including all his medicine and insulin for diabetes.

He enjoys good food and keeps up with what is going on in the United States via satellite television.

Maybe those Spanish Language tapes I just purchased are going to come in handy.

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.