From the category archives:

Fun Stuff

At first glance, you would think this small Victorian home looks charming, and some of you might want to move right in. But if you were to walk up and knock on the door, you will have to stoop over to walk through the door. Now if you were a four year old, then this miniature home would be right up your alley.

Confused? Well, don’t be. If you have the land and want your kids to have a playhouse in the back yard, look no further than the luxury playhouses built by Lilliput Play Homes out of Pennsylvania. The Grand Victorian pictured above is their top of the line home, priced at just $20,000. Of course if you want to upgrade the square footage, increase the height, etc, that can be done as well for a little more. Don’t forget to look at the furniture they also offer on their website.

If your child really wants a miniature version of your own mansion, you can custom design the building…the sky’s the limit. I am not kidding. Check out some of the special creations that Lilliput has put together for clients.

0 comments

I came across a website that any jewelry fanatic will love. If you are looking for Fine Jewelry and Estate finds, then look no further than 1stDibs, an online site where dealers from around the world can showcase their luxury furnishings, rugs, quilts, jewelry, etc. Prices vary from a few hundred dollars to thousands, vintage to new. So visit and do some window shopping if you like. Oh, they also have a Saturday Sale where, starting at 8 AM EST, dealers can post items that have been marked down…think of it as a rummage sale.

0 comments

Don’t we all wish for the next year to be better than the last? I know I always do…and I make goals, both business and personal, to help keep me on track to having a better year. I think the real estate market will do better than last, though it will still be “sluggish” compared to years past. But keep your chins up…unless we strive to make our lives better, they never will be.

I look at my kids and wonder how they are going to change, how much they are going to learn and grow in 2009. Call me silly, but I find the unknown exciting. If I knew exactly what was going to happen to the real estate market in the next year or two, the challenge of furthering my experience would cease to exist and I would grow bored. Some things turn out the way we hope, and many others don’t. But we pick ourselves up, keeping living and learning.

And of course you still need the humor and fun that goes along with life. I guess that is why, even though I like the unknown, I will still keep my magic 8-Ball around for those emergency, want-to-know future questions.

Happy New Year!

0 comments

If you haven’t yet read the October issue of Architectural Digest, you might want to pick up a copy and check out the article on a new collection from Hearts On Fire, a diamond company that has only been around for 12 years. You might recognize their work if you are a Victoria’s Secret fan…they designed the $6.5 Million Diamond Fantasy bra that you saw in 2006.

Their newest creation is a series of diamond jewelry that has been inspired by architectural masterpieces throughout the world. The Montreal Olympic Stadium, the Spire of Chicago, and the Sydney Opera House are just three of the pieces used in a spectacular display of diamonds. I honestly don’t know which is my favorite…I would like them all.

0 comments

Dreaming of buying that waterfront property on Lake Minnetonka so you can sail around the lake? The neighbors belong to the local yacht club and you want to as well,but….Oh, that’s right, you don’t know how to actually captain a sailboat, let alone know the difference between the stern or bow. What is an adult to do?

This year you are in luck. No longer are classes available to just the youth, now adults can learn how to sail as well, thanks to the Upper Minnetonka Yacht Club. Beginning in June, they will be offering a sailing class for adults at the cost of $395. Sessions run four times, three hours each, and the sailing school says you will be able to sail without an instructor after the final class. I am seriously thinking about doing this myself!

0 comments

I guess the Republicans that are coming are making a lot of people stir crazy in this town. Some are prepared to protest every waking moment while the convention goes on, while others are welcoming them into their homes by renting them space to sleep. I have never seen anything like it. Having never lived in a state that was so full of democrats has been opening my eyes to how fanatical those with liberal viewpoints can be.

Now this in not a political post so please do not attack me. But ever since I moved to Minnesota I have heard how proud Minnesotans are to be so nice. The term “Minnesota Nice” has even been coined to describe it, but I wonder if this characteristic is going to go bye-bye when the Republican convention comes to Saint Paul this fall.

Last weekend I volunteered to help at a silent auction to raise money for a local association. As we were checking people out and giving them their winnings, my friend and I were joking about how I am a Republican, probably the only one in the whole building. I have a good sense of humor, and it takes a lot to offend me, so the joking really did not bother me. But one gentleman who entered the room overheard our conversation and decided to take it upon himself to unleash his anger onto me.

I was told how I was to blame for everything wrong in this world, among other things, and I sat there and took it. To not do so, would not only have been unprofessional, but been bad manners. As I sat there, I wondered to myself where the famed Minnesota Nice went. Obviously it was thrown out the window by this gentleman. When his rant was over, I thanked him for his viewpoint, thanked him for his donation, and handed him his winnings.

After he walked away, my two friends working with me immediately looked at me with this horrified look, wondering if I was going to get upset. They were in absolute disbelief that I was just attacked. Many apologies followed, and I made sure they understood I was not offended. These things happen when emotions get in the way.

I guess the point to my story is that I am a very open minded person, and I welcome different viewpoints. I try my best to not become emotional during a discussion, but let reason prevail. Doing so leads to a better debate. But I fear that many in Saint Paul and Minneapolis are going to let emotions rule during the convention, and forget their manners. It’s one thing to disagree, but another to personally attack someone and tell them how they are the anti-Christ. While the event is still months away, I only ask that Minnesotans remember what they are famous for, being nice to our guests.

0 comments

Today is my son’s third birthday, so I will not be doing any work today…that includes blogging. Ok, so I had to post this, but doesn’t that mean I am working? Well, not technically. It is 12:30 am on Sunday morning…almost quitting time for Saturday.

0 comments

Yes, I took a break this weekend from blogging. It was just too beautiful to sit in front of a laptop typing away. I know you all missed me. So here I am, at almost midnight, typing away, and I stumbled upon this bit of humor.

If you know a luxury home owner who has everything, I highly doubt they have one of these in the thrown room. What it is is a Swarovski crystal encrusted toilet. I just don’t know about this “luxury” item. Feels like I should have a matching disco ball light above. At a cost of $75,000, you be the judge if you want one in your home.

0 comments

Moving into a new home is proving to be very time consuming, especially when Dakota Electric keeps turning off our power to replace a transformer. It starts to get cold in a house when no heat is on for four hours! And of course, it makes me unable to get on-line and blog.

So instead, I took the day off and took my kids to The Mall of America. They had a fun time riding the “horsies”. MOA, as it is called, is in the process of redesigning its amusement park. A few years ago it was a Snoopy theme, and now it will be Nickelodeon characters. I have to say that I just don’t get Sponge Bog Square Pants. The mall is a great place to take the kids in the winter because it has many activities to keep them busy:

  • Lego Land
  • the Aquarium
  • Amusement Park,
  • Mini-golf
  • Flight Simulator

…and of course there is plenty of space to just run around. If you want your hyper child to tire out, take him to the Mall of America and let him run around. In about two hours, he will be falling asleep in your arms.

0 comments

I am an avid reader. Currently I am reading three books, one about Mao, one about going good to great, and the last about walking in the woods. Sprinkle in the magazines I subscribe to and I have reading material strategically placed around the home, for what ever mood I am in. Needless to say that Barnes and Noble is one of my current homes away from home (but also because my kids love going there).

So when I spied this month’s cover of Minnesota Monthly, I couldn’t resist snatching it up for a good read. The featured article is titled, “Who Makes What…Does your paycheck measure up?” Of course, being ever the inquiring mind, I just had to look and see what people make because, face it, asking about someones income is still taboo and not good etiquette.

Here are some interesting wages:
  • The Governor makes $120,000, just about as much as the Senior Curator of the Walker Art Center
  • For around $ 1 Million, you could either be the anchor of WCCO or the Gopher football coach
  • At $60,000, choices range between a registered nurse, a religious executive director, or a high-end stripper
  • The golden bar for most of us is to reach the $100,000 mark. So if this is your goal, consider these professions: Secretary of State, President of a University, professional flutist, law associate, or a morning TV host

The article took up twelve pages, which I looked through about ten times, but I couldn’t find anything about real estate agents. I mean they had income stats for surveyors, architects, roofers, landscapers and plenty of people involved in real estate, but they left all of us out, the ones that actually facilitate the transaction to closing.

I guess we just don’t cut the mustard when it comes to fancy magazine articles because we just don’t earn that much, on average, to make our profession exciting. It’s not like we are Johan Santana who rakes in $13 Million a year. Most of us are just normal people trying to make a living. Secretly I think that there isn’t any negative spin to attach to our profession so most “journalists” won’t bring us up because we are no longer news worthy. But deep down I hope they were thinking about us. Maybe they were kind enough to lump is in with “Market-Research Analysts”. One can hope!

0 comments