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10 AMAZING TECH COMPANY HEADQUARTERS
UBER, SAN FRANCISCO
The Best Bars To Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
Where To Head For The Holiday
St. Patrick’s Day is one of those great holidays that centers on getting family and friends together to eat, drink, and enjoy each other’s company. The biggest problem that arises around the holiday, then, is not knowing where to go to grab your pint of Guinness. To help you, here are a couple of suggestions for the best local restaurant options.
- Tom Bergin’s Tavern: If you want to celebrate a comeback story this St. Patty’s Day, head to this tavern, the longest operating Irish establishment in LA. It closed in 2013 but has had a second chance at making its mark in Los Angeles after being purchased and reopened by a regular customer named Derek Schreck. Once there, you will see why Schreck did not want to let it go: the shamrock theme, wood paneling, famous Irish coffee, and bangers and mash make this a can’t-miss spot on St. Patrick’s Day and throughout the year. 840 S. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles • (323) 936-7151
- O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Restaurant: This Santa Monica staple is decked out so you can perfectly celebrate the holiday. Enjoy their Irish art, spacious patio, and live music while you grab a pint of Irish beer and savor traditional Irish dishes like shepherd’s pie, fish ‘n’ chips, and Guinness pie. If you are looking for a sweet treat this holiday, do not miss their Guinness floats. 2941 Main Street, Santa Monica • (310) 396-4725
Are you working with a real estate expert who will ensure you next home is close to the best places to support your lifestyle? For a guide to the most fun areas of Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and Conejo Valley, contact Betsy Dittman today. I am here to help you find the best neighborhood to meet your needs.
The New LA Restaurants You Should Hit
Restaurant Openings In LA
LA offers some of the best food in the country, but to know you are truly getting the most from your meals you have to keep a finger on the pulse of the local restaurant scene. As restaurateurs and hipsters alike flock to Los Angeles to offer delicious plates served in oh-so-chic scenes, you know that 2015 will bring great new eateries to the area. To get you started on your journey to discovering your new favorite spot, check out these new bars and restaurants.
- Sweeney’s Ale House: It’s about time the West Valley got its own gastropub, and the team behind Surly Goat is delivering just that. This Encino beer hall offers happy hour seven days a week, so don’t miss its notable menu of craft brews and tasty burgers.
- SpreadPB: Who doesn’t love being able to customize their meals? À la the frozen yogurt shops that offer endless options for satisfying your unique palate, SpreadPB lets you take the blasé PB&J and spice it up with the trendiest, most delicious options locally available.
- aestus: If you are looking for a great beachside restaurant without the usual ho-hum beachside menu, this is a can’t-miss spot. The upscale location serves trending produce and healthy protein options like grass-fed beef and grilled octopus.
Looking for a home is so much more than just looking for the house itself. You know that neighborhood is important. To get a guide to California luxury real estate properties who can guide you on the best, most happening areas, contact Betsy Dittman today. Serving the Conejo Valley, Beverly Hills, and Los Angeles, I am here to ensure your luxury real estate needs are always met. You deserve to find your dream home in your ideal location this year, so call me today.
Three Apps For Your DIY Projects
Use These Apps For Your Next Home Improvement Project
If you are working on your home, it can be easy to become overwhelmed. Because the improvements have to be conducted in your home, you never get to leave the work behind for longer than a night on the town. Fortunately, as technology has advanced there are smartphone apps that can make your DIY projects easier. To help you get the most from your home improvement project, check out these apps.
- RoomScan: As you try to re-envision your home with updated furniture and décor, it is helpful to have the floor plan drawn out. Unfortunately, if your room is not a simple square drawing out the shape in the right proportion can be a challenge. RoomScan can quickly and accurately sketch out any floor plan for you, and the only thing you need to do is tap your phone to each wall of the room.
- Houzz: CNN did not deem Houzz the “Wikipedia of interior and exterior design” for nothing. This app is filled with examples of great design and décor, and you can even search by specific paint colors to have a better understanding of how each hue will look in the room.
- SnapShop: You know heading to that ritzy boutique would likely result in you finding your dream piece, but could also lead to you busting your budget. This handy app allows you to snap a picture of the item you love, enter a small amount of information, and then offers you similar options at different price points from hundreds of retailers.
Are you looking for a luxury real estate expert to help you visualize your dream home for 2015? If so, contact Betsy Dittman today. I serve Beverly Hills, Conejo Valley, and Los Angeles and am here to be your guide to California luxury real estate properties. You deserve to work with a dedicated, educated agent so call me today.
The Benefits Of A Design-Build Firm
How One Company Can Meet Your Landscaping Needs
After you get into your dream home, it is time to create your dream landscape. You would not want your new property to be left lackluster, so it is important to get a team on board that you can trust to ensure the work you have done is of superior quality. If you want to leave bringing your landscaping dreams to life to a trusted company, you should consider hiring a design-build firm. These companies will be able to handle your landscaping needs from start to finish. Here are a few pros of hiring a design-build firm.
- Simplicity: Rather than having to seek out two different companies—one to design your landscape and another to build it—you can hire just one to handle your needs from start to finish.
- Expectations: Because a design-build firm is fully acquainted with the work that needs to go in to bringing an idea from the drafting table to your property, they will only offer you designs on which they can actually execute. You can rest easy knowing your expectations will be fully met by working with a design-build firm.
- Budgeting: A design-build firm offers the benefit of having your design and execution costs combined into one price. They will also be aware of what materials are available, in which seasons, at which prices, so that their budgeting will be accurate.
If you have not yet found your dream home, do not wait to contact Betsy Dittman today. Why should you hesitate before getting into the luxury real estate you deserve in 2015? Serving Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and Conejo Valley, I will help you find the right California luxury real estate properties to bring your home buying dreams to life.
Valentine’s Day In Los Angeles
Don’t Miss These Restaurant Openings
Not that you should ever consume a boring meal, but Valentine’s Day is an especially important date to put emphasis on finding the ideal dining location. To help you find the perfect place to celebrate the day with your special someone, check out these restaurants offering notable Valentine’s Day menus.
- Blue Plate Oysterette: With locations in Santa Monica and West Hollywood, getting to this “beachy chic” seafood restaurant is a snap. They will be serving up blackened steak with lobster tail and parsnip puree, lobster tagliatelle served in shellfish sauce with cherry tomatoes and arugula, and king crab legs with classic corn and French fries complemented by arugula salad for the holiday.
- Church & State: For a four-course prix-fixe menu sure to delight every palate, do not miss the special Valentine’s Day menu served at this Industrial Street eatery. Its holiday menu will include halibut, Maine lobster, butternut squash risotto, pate á choux, and more for $85 a person.
- RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen: For just $48 a head, you and your sweetheart can enjoy a shared appetizer, entrée each, shared side item, and two desserts. Options will include sweet-hot shrimp as the appetizer, spice-crusted Ahi tuna and black pepper New York strip for your main course, and caramelized banana custard cake to finish the night with something sweet.
Wouldn’t it be nice to work with a real estate agent who understands the local scene? You can, by contacting Betsy Dittman today. Serving Conejo Valley, Beverly Hills, and Los Angeles, I will be your guide to California luxury real estate properties so you can find your dream home this year. Do not get lost amidst the mélange of luxury real estate in Southern California; get the guidance you deserve by calling me today.
A NEW VOLUME SHOWCASES DELIGHTFUL PARISIAN LANDSCAPES
In & Out of Paris: Gardens of Secret Delights, a new book from publisher Gibbs Smith, offers a look inside the City of Light’s private retreats.
Paris has many famous, beautiful public gardens and even more exquisite private ones tucked behind the walls of its private houses and on the terraces and rooftops of its apartment buildings. A selection of these come beautifully to light in In & Out of Paris: Gardens of Secret Delights (Gibbs Smith, $50), a new book written by Zahid Sardar and photographed by Marion Brenner.
In smart, anecdote-filled prose, Sardar offers a primer on the evolution of landscape design in France’s capital city, juxtaposing descriptions of celebrated and lesser-known public and estate gardens in and around Paris with portraits of private retreats within the city. Brenner’s luminous photographs show how different styles of design—from a classic garden by Louis Benech and Pascal Cribier to a Japanese-inspired sanctuary by Iwaki to towering green walls by Patrick Blanc—can share a consistency and elegance that is, simply put, very French.
Los Angeles’ Best New Restaurants
Your Guide To The Must-Try Spots In LA
Are you looking for a way to spice up your eating habits in 2015? Then LA Weekly has good news for you, as they recently released their list of the top new places in Los Angeles to enjoy lunch or dinner. Here are their top three picks for best new LA restaurants of 2015.
- Maude:If you have been looking for a way to add more fresh, seasonal produce into your diet, celebrity chef Curtis Stone’s first restaurant is a must-be place for you. Each month, Stone and his team create a nine- or ten-course meal centered around one seasonal ingredient. In January, the ingredient will be pomegranate, followed by parsnip in February. For the full year’s ingredients, head here.
- Petit Trois:If you are looking for a more down-to-earth approach to your dining, check out this location for French bar food. They do not take reservations, so get ready to be in close quarters with the other diners as all of you enjoy flawless croque monsieur, escargot, omelets, and steak frites. Ludo Lefebvre’s homage to the French brings the best of their flavors straight to LA.
- Night + Market Song:The second installment of Kris Yenbamroong’s Thai ventures in LA, this new Night + Market location is a blend of carefully crafted, true Thai flavors and comforting food that is simply yummy. With a menu to be shared, this is a great place to bring a large party and savor Yenbamroong’s flavorful dishes.
Have you been looking for a real estate agent with a firm finger on the pulse of Los Angeles? Then do not hesitate to contact Betsy Dittman today. I am here to be the solution to all of your luxury home buying and selling needs in 2015 and beyond. Serving Los Angeles and Conejo Valley, I am the real estate expert who can get you into your dream home this year. Call me today.
Why To Buy Before Spring
Maximize Your Savings By Buying Soon
Committing to purchasing a home is one of the biggest decisions most Americans will ever make, both financially and personally. It is not a decision that should be rushed. If, however, you have already reached the point where you are ready to switch from renter to homeowner, you should consider buying before spring. Here are a few reasons why:
- Costs Are Rising:If you waited to buy a home in 2014, you were no doubt surprised by the skyrocketing prices of homes. Although home appreciation should slow in 2015, it will continue to gradually rise. Mortgage interest rates are also expected to increase in the coming year. Buying a home is not going to be any more affordable than it is right now at any point in the foreseeable future.
- Your Living Expenses Are Not Decreasing:You may think that buying a home would wipe out your savings, but you might be surprised how similar a mortgage payment could be when compared to what you are already paying in rent. In fact, in some cases it may even be less. You need to put money towards your living expenses each month no matter what, so why not put that money into an investment rather than your landlord’s pocket?
- You Deserve A Stable Future:Experts predict rent prices will continue to rise in the next five years. With a fixed-rate mortgage, however, you lock in your monthly housing cost. Get the financial stability you deserve by fixing your living expenses now.
You deserve an agent who will help you get into the best home at the best price. To work with an expert on the local real estate market in Conejo Valley, San Fernando Valley, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, contact Betsy Dittman. I am here to make sure you get the luxury you deserve at the price you deserve in 2015. Call me today.
Creating A Clutter-Free Home
Use These Tips To Get Organized In The New Year
Are you tired of all the clutter in your home? Does the disorganization make it hard for you to focus? Do yourself a favor and crush the clutter by utilizing your home’s existing space for increased storage. Use these tips to get organized in 2015.
- Use Your Vertical Space:From your office to your laundry room, utilizing your wall space can be the key to a clutter-free home. Install affordable hanging rods in your laundry room for air-drying space, and put hanging file baskets up in your office to free up extra desk space.
- Use Your Ceiling:You may not think to put things that high up, but mounting a hanging pot rack in your kitchen can be the solution to all of your pot and pan storage woes. Finally, a place to put that colander!
- Use Your Extra Space:Do you have an odd area at the end of a hallway, landing of a staircase, or under your stairs that you have been unsure what to do with? Add shelving customized to fit the space to give yourself extra storage space throughout your home.
- Use Your Existing Shelving:Your bookshelf can be the perfect place to display the extra décor that is making your home feel cluttered. Create beautiful displays on your existing shelves by clustering vases, small pictures, and other small decorative items.
Is it your dream to get into a home that already has the built-ins necessary for keeping your life flawlessly organized? Do not hesitate to contact Betsy Dittman for all of your real estate needs. She will guide you to premium California luxury real estate properties. Serving Los Angeles and Conejo Valley, Betsy is the real estate expert who can get you into your dream home this year. Contact Betsy today.
