Palos Verdes Source

Yesterday, I went to the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana to view the Terra Cotta Warriors, the Guardians of China’s First Emperor.  It was fabulous!  I highly recommend it.  It was very well organized.  We had tickets for 10:00 am,  only stood in line for a few minutes and then were given an audio phone to help guide us through history.  This is the largest exhibit of the Terra Cotta Army ever seen outside of China.  There are 20 life-size figures and 100 other items from the tomb.  The Bowers’ website has great photos which will give you an idea of what you will be seeing.

This was my first trip to the Bowers and I was pleasantly surprised.  It is  a beautiful museum, easily accessible (only a 40 minute drive from Palos Verdes)  and not crowded at all.  We had lunch at the museum at Tangata (part of the Patina group) 714-550-0906 which was delicious.

I have not seen too much press on this event.  I actually read an article on Sandy DeAngelis Historic Homes Blog.  As the word spreads, the tickets may become scarce.  If you are interested in seeing this amazing exhibit, it will run through October 12, 2008.

Photo courtesy of the Bower Museum

It is one month past the official “Earth Day” and here is my personal scorecard.  My favorite tip was checking the fruit and vegetable labels in the supermarket.  Did you know that a 4 digit number means it was conventionally grown; a 5 digit number beginning with 9 indicates organically grown and a 5 digit number beginning with 8 means genetically modified.  I don’t know about you, but I am not ready for genetically modified and now I have an easy way to identify them.

And yes, my husband was right, turning off lights when you leave the room actually saves energy (I thought it actually used more energy to turn off and then on again).  I also give my clients an option of hard copies or emailed versions of paperwork; most actually prefer the emailed version.  I learned that it’s better to keep cardboard dry in the recycle bin otherwise it clogs the sorting machines; another reason to keep the lids on the trash cans.  And even if there is still food stuck in glass containers, it is okay to recycle as their equipment will take care of that.

There were additional “green” tips on Live w/Regis and Kelly(click here) which featured the editor-in-chief of Real Simple magazine. 

Photo above is the wild mustard in Palos Verdes Estates.

Recently I enjoyed “High Tea” at Trump National, one of the few locations in the Palos Verdes/South Bay area to offer this tradition.  It felt like a mini vacation — relaxing, pampering and beautiful scenery.  One can make reservations (at least three days in advance 310-303-3260) for high tea Monday through Saturday from 11:00 to 3:00.  I have had the traditional tea sandwiches and the vegetarian (my favorite but must be ordered ahead of time). 

After tea, we took a walk on the public trails at the bluff with fabulous views of the ocean.  You can also walk down a path to the beach and walk along the shoreline.  Tip: We brought our walking shoes and hats in a festive bag which we placed under the table during our tea. 

Currently there are 5 luxury homes for sale at The Estates at Trump National between $3,900,000 (for a 5 bedroom, 6.5 bath, 5,670 square foot home) and $5,900,000 (for a 5 bedroom, 6 bath, 6,945 square foot home).

I just returned from a weekend yoga retreat and it was such a “treat”.   I spent the weekend in yoga classes, meditation, hiking and sharing stories with 15 fabulous other students.  It was such a sense of family. 

I met a woman who is the editor of Enjoy Positive Magazine (a magazine devoted to positive news - I can get behind that).  We all went on a fantastic hike/walk lead by Nancy Cohee of Take A Walk.  I have been going to the desert over 30 years and learned so many new things (for example, a palm tree is really not a tree but a grass) and saw waterfalls and oasises that I never knew were there.

 After reading a recent post (4-10-08) from Hawaii by realtors Kelly Evans & Laura Medina, I was inspired to share my experience also.  This weekend, I was able to connect with another part of myself and redefine my dreams and goals.  I returned with a clearer focus and a fresh perspective on my real estate life.

Always good to take a moment to take a breath, relax and appreciate.

My neighbor passed away in her home just two weeks shy of her 102nd birthday.   When I think back on the 33 years we “shared a fence”, I cannot  remember her ever being stressed about anything.  The other neighbors have also commented on this phenomenon.  We never saw her angry, upset, tense or worried.   She loved everybody.  We think this is the secret to her longevity.  She was such an inspiration.

At her memorial service, I heard how in response to some “bad” news, she said, “Oh well”.   The gentleman giving the eulogy had her mannerisms down perfectly - the cocking of the head to the side, the shrug of the shoulders, the raising of the eyebrows and the words, “Oh well”.  I remembered how many times I had actually seen her do this.

“Oh well” is my mantra for this new year.  This was put to the test yesterday when an “issue” came up for a client.  Instead of jumping into fix mode complete with my adrenalin soaring, I said “Oh well, let me make some calls”.  The problem was taken care of without any stress on my part and the client was very grateful.  I love it.