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Luxury Home Design Trends To Get In On
Try Out These Luxury Home Design Trends
Trends, well, trend for a reason. Something becomes popular because people like it, get excited about it, and tell their friends (or followers, in this day and age). As popularity spikes, the trend gets more attention. Sometimes trends are fleeting, but others make a lasting impact. Fortunately, my years of real estate experience make it easy for me to see which trends will matter in the long-term. To help you capitalize on the right luxury trends, here are a few design items I want to highlight.
- Superb Showers: A Jacuzzi tub might seem like a great idea but honestly, who has time for a long soak in the tub? Fortunately, you can give your body the chance to release its tension with a luxury shower that skips all the hassle of a bath. Steam showers are a particular favorite of mine.
- Poolside Pits: In the warm summer evenings, taking a dip in your pool will feel refreshing and fun. That is, until you have to get out of the water into the crisp night air! If you install a poolside fire pit, you have the perfect place to dry off and snuggle up. As a bonus, the fire pit will get plenty of use in the winter, too!
- Wine Wind Down: Wine cellars are wonderful, but why not expand yours to get more use of it? By adding a comfortable seating area to your wine cellar, you create a tasting room perfect for hosting small parties or just enjoy a glass in peace.
Do all of these trends sound too good to be true? They are not! Let me show you what luxury living in Los Angeles looks like; contact Betsy Dittman today. I can help you find a home so perfect you will think you are living at a resort!
Los Angeles Restaurants You Should Try This Summer
Must-Hit Restaurants This Summer
The summer is in full swing, and on top of the warmer weather and longer days it also brings an energy to get out and do more! If you and your friends are looking to spice up your summer, you might be thinking of dining at some new restaurants. I know from experience, though, that there are so many options in LA finding the right restaurant can feel daunting! To help, here are a few of my recommendations for can’t-miss dining during summer 2015.
- Sushi Nishi Ya: Want to get a deliciously fresh bite to eat? Why not try this relatively hidden Omakase (chef’s choice) gem? Chef Nisi crafts tasteful, tasty sushi that is as beautiful as it is delicious. This place is sure to only get busier as word about it spreads, so head there now! 1712 Victory Boulevard, Glendale │(818) 244-2933
- Guerrilla Tacos: Tacos are a California favorite, but Chef Avila is putting his own global twist on them at Guerrilla Tacos. Incorporating interesting elements like black truffles, whole sardines, foie gras, and lots of farmer’s market finds, I am never disappointed by the fresh flavor from this food truck. Locations Vary │(818) 640-3033
- Trois Mec: Chef Lefebvre is already famous, but Trois Mec secures his place as a master in the world of fine dining. You will not want to miss his handcrafted, internationally-inspired menus so make sure to get your ticket (yes, you read that right; you need a ticket to dine at Trois Mec) here. 716 Highland Avenue, Los Angeles │No phone number available
There is so much great dining in Los Angeles, if you are living too far from it you are missing out! Fortunately, by working with a California real estate expert you can find the perfect home close to all of the action. To learn more about finding the right home for your lifestyle, contact Betsy Dittman. I am here to learn about you and show you houses that will meet not just your needs, but also your wants!
Who Is Excited For DineLA Restaurant Week?
DineLA Restaurant Week Is Just Around The Corner
I love eating out in Los Angeles! There are so many great restaurants to try, but I often find myself going back to my old favorites. Fortunately for me and those of you similarly faithful foodies, there is an upcoming event that can get us out of our habits.
DineLA Restaurant Week 2015 runs from July 13th to July 26th. During these couple weeks, we all have the chance to check out prix fixe menus from restaurants all over the city. With great prices (menus are $15, $20, or $25 at lunch and $30, $40, or $50 at dinner) at standout restaurants all over Los Angeles, DineLA Restaurant Week is the perfect chance for us to forego our favorites and check out a new dining experience (or a dozen). Who knows, we might just find a new favorite!
DineLA Restaurant Week has something for everyone. Mediterranean, French, Italian, Mexican, Indian, American, Vietnamese, Spanish, Thai, Brazilian, Peruvian, Asian Fusion, and more are all on the menu for this dining experience, which means you can find something for the pickiest eater and the most adventurous palate. Travel the world as you travel across our great foodie-friendly city trying new restaurants during these two weeks!
You can find a full list of the hundreds (yes, hundreds!) of restaurants who are participating in DineLA Restaurant Week, their locations, their pricing, and more information here. Have a great time exploring new restaurants and new flavors!
I hope you have a great time checking out DineLA Restaurant Week; I know I will! If you want to be closer to all of the delicious action, contact Betsy Dittman. I am a Los Angeles real estate expert and am passionate about helping you find the right home to suit your lifestyle. Stop living in a lackluster area and call me today!
Smart Home Technologies To Make Your Life Easier
Work Smarter, Not Harder, With These Home Technologies
We have seen how technology is making our work lives easier. From email to video conferencing, doing business has become simpler and more direct thanks to the modern age. Technology is making our personal lives easier, too. I am loving the way that smart home technology is transforming the modern home, freeing us up to pursue our best lifestyle instead of worrying about little details. Here are a few smart home technologies that can do the work for you around the house.
- Kitchen: New technology for your home’s hub ranges from kitchen faucets that turn on and off automatically and help you save water to tablets built into refrigerators and ovens that can guide you through your favorite recipe, play tunes for you, or even play your favorite cooking show.
- Bathrooms: Sharing the bathroom? With smart home technology, you can program your individual settings so that your shower will offer you your preferred temperature, lighting, and even music played through sound tile speakers.
- Climate Control: You want to be energy efficient, but you also want your home to be a comfortable temperature. Fortunately, with a programmable, learning thermostat you can have your house cooled off just when you get home from work. You can even control the settings via wifi, so you never have to worry you left the AC blasting when no one is home.
- Outdoor: You love sitting under the shade of your awning, but rolling it out is a pain. Fortunately, new technologies are making it possible for you do just that with a simple press of a button. Want to cool off further with a dip in the pool? Heat it up for yourself with another button press.
Are you looking to find a home with all of these brilliant technologies to make your life easier? For all of your real estate needs across Calabasas, Agoura, and Westlake Village, contact Betsy Dittman. I am here to help you find the right home to free you up to pursue your best life instead of having to focus all of your energy on keeping up the house.
Take Advantage Of The Summer At These Farmers’ Markets
Find Local Produce At These Markets
With the warming weather comes more opportunities to get out of your standard grocery shopping routine and head to the farmers’ market instead. I love heading the farmers’ market because it gives me the chance to stroll in the summer sunshine and discover some new local favorites to work more flavor and nutrients into my meals. So you can enjoy the season with me, check out these great weekend markets.
- Westlake Village: As a California Certified farmer’s market, it is no surprise that Westlake’s market delivers delicious produce and so much more. It is held each Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 2797 Agoura Road.
- Calabasas: Rain or shine, this great market on Calabasas Road just west of El Canon Avenue offers everything from farmers’ market classics to less traditional wares like wine and flowers. It runs on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Marina del Rey: At Via Marina and Panay Way, this market comes alive on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Park next to Cheesecake Factory for easy access.
- Camarillo: Ventura Boulevard comes alive with live music, fresh produce, baked goods, artisan crafts, artwork, and more. Do not miss this fun event between 8:00 a.m. and noon on Saturdays between Elm and Fir Streets.
- Santa Monica: Since 1981, this market has worked to provide fresh food and promote sustainable agriculture in Southern California. It is held between 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on the Santa Monica Promenade.
Are you hoping to move somewhere you can get great local produce to help you on the path to your best, healthiest life? To find a home that complements your life goals, contact Betsy Dittman. Serving Calabasas, Westlake Village and the surrounding area, I am here to help you discover your dream house this year.
Spotlight On: Shingle Style Homes
New England Architecture Marks These Stunning Homes
Shingle style architecture has become synonymous with East Coast class. Made popular with the rise of the New England school of architecture in the late 1800s, this architectural style focuses on shapes and flows instead of ornamentation. I am a huge fan of shingle style homes! Here is a look at some distinctly, beautifully American homes in the shingle style.
The shingles tie this unique 19th-century windmill in Long Island in with the main house, which was renovated by architect Andrew Pollock.
The exterior talents of Botticelli & Pohl Architects and interior skills of designer Elissa Cullman perfect this Nantucket home.
Perfect for a summer retreat, this Sagaponack, New York home was architected by Taryn Christoff and Martin Finio.
Robert A.M. Stern Architects and design firm S. R. Gambrel joined forces to lend the breezy, fresh feel to this shingle style home.
Want to get away to an estate-esque weekend home? Call on the talented architects at Shope Reno Wharton who designed this Southampton home.
Design elements from Shope Reno Wharton add interest to this New Jersey home’s façade.
Combining the traditional and the contemporary, Shope Reno Wharton designed this stunning getaway spot on Long Island Sound.
The collaboration between interior designer Victoria Hagan and Ferguson & Shamamian architect Oscar Shamamian resulted in this gorgeous Nantucket family home overlooking the water.
Located harborside in Nantucket, this home was transformed into perfectly planned cottages by Jacobsen Architecture.
This Martha’s Vineyard home designed by Ferguson & Shamamian offers its residents the chance to soak up the sun and the gorgeous views from every room in the house.
Designed by Eric Woodward and updated by Thad Hayes, this home manages to hold its own against the natural beauty that surrounds it.
Only Shelton, Mindel & Associates could blend Martha’s Vineyard high-brow style with beach house relaxation.
This 11,000 square foot home still manages to look cozy thanks to the design of Nantucket Architecture Group.
Mark P. Finlay architected this palatial retreat in South Carolina.
If you are looking to bring East Coast charm west, contact Betsy Dittman. I can help you find the perfect shingle style home!
Designing The Kids’ Bathroom
Take The Space To The Next Level
When you are thinking about decorating your house, the kids’ bathroom probably does not come immediately to mind. That does not mean, however, that you should resign the room to a ho-hum existence. The kids’ bathroom offers you the chance to play with colors and textures in a controlled space, so take that design opportunity in 2015 with this guide!
- Color Code: Sure, you would love for your kids to know which towels, toothbrushes, etc. are theirs, but since your little ones cannot yet read, labeling might seem pointless. Fortunately, you can skip the letters and jump straight to colors! Color-coding everything in the kids’ bathroom will bring fun and organization to it.
- Take A Seat: When bath time rolls around, having somewhere to sit other than on your own knees is a great help. Look for a fun colored, small chair to tuck in the kids’ bathrooms to add an interesting décor element with function.
- Ditch The Medicine Cabinet: Even if your kids can reach it, odds are they do not need it. Swap it out for a mirror that catches your eye. If you fall in love with it, you could always move it to your own bathroom!
- Do Decals: Removable wall decals can give you—and your kids—the chance to play with patterns and colors with zero commitment. Bear in mind that fabric decals hold up best in bathroom humidity.
Are you looking for a home that will already have the design done, freeing you up to relax and enjoy it? To work with an expert agent who can help you find the perfect home in Conejo Valley or Los Angeles, contact Betsy Dittman. I have deep luxury real estate experience and am here to serve you!
The Best Pre-Beach Places To Eat
These Healthy Eateries Are Perfect On A Beach Day
Whether you prefer to pass your beach days in Santa Monica, Malibu, or Venice, there is nothing worse than going out for a greasy lunch only to have to take off your cover-up at the beach right after. Here are a few great pre-beach options right along the ocean that will fill you up (not fill you out) with healthy food, best preparing you to enjoy a day on the sand.
- Seed Kitchen (Venice): Seed is famous for its macrobiotique, raw, organic food, but that does not mean they skimp on flavor. Perhaps surprisingly, their burger is one of their most popular menu items. This vegan restaurant puts a spin on a classic with options like a blackened tempeh burger with mango salsa or a bean and grain burger with ancho chili spread. 1604 Pacific Ave, Venice │(310) 396-1604
- True Food Kitchen (Santa Monica): Whether you dine vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free, True Food will have something for you. They have gluten-free pizzas, an inside out quinoa burger, super fresh cocktails, and non-alcoholic libations packed with nutrients. 395 Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica │(310) 593-8300
- Urth Caffé (Santa Monica): Farm fresh, locally sourced ingredients are the staple of every dish at Urth. With a standout weekend brunch and fresh roasted whole bean organic coffee, this is a great spot to kick off your Saturday or Sunday. 2327 Main Street, Santa Monica │(310) 314-7040
If you are looking to get closer to the water or closer to the best eateries in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, contact Betsy Dittman. I have the insider’s scoop on the best areas for food and recreation and am here to help you find the ideal real estate to meet your space, design, and lifestyle needs. To get a luxury real estate expert on your side in 2015 and beyond, call me today!
