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For our BHG Christmas party this year, we checked out the new location of the Pinstripes chain in Broadway Plaza – where Crate & Barrel used to be. Pinstripes has several locations around the country (with a few more to come, apparently!) and after our party, I can definitely see why it’s so popular.
Downstairs, there is a full-service restaurant offering food, drinks, and a Mon-Fri Happy Hour from 3-6!!! Upstairs, they have a 4 lane bowling alley, 1 short bocce ball court, and an area for reserved groups with a bar and eating area where they catered the event. We held our party upstairs and had a great time.
It was really a fun way to celebrate, great for a group of people, and equally fun for a family. They catered with sliders, a chicken dish, Caesar salad, and a pasta dish – along with some dessert cookies.
The downstairs area
After having carpal tunnel surgery, I have found that I am a horrible bowler (who am I kidding? I was never a great bowler!). But this was a fun way to hang out with my colleagues. I do want to try the downstairs, and the bar area looks fun. Maybe I’ll schedule a happy hour birthday drink with fellow Capricorns and a few non-Capricorns next week.
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Cheers to a great 2024, and looking forward to an even better 2025. Thank you to everyone who has made this year – and the years before it – so memorable for me. Happy New Year!
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I recently took a road trip to South Lake Tahoe. I love Tahoe and go up there in the winter and summer often to ski and relax – it is one of my favorite local destinations and growing up in Reno, it was always very accessible. This time, I stayed at the Timber Lodge and made sure to eat dinner at Base Camp Pizza. It was highly recommended by my friend Evo who has a cabin on the North Shore It’s an extremely popular (I’m talkin’ 2-hour lines!) pizza joint.
The same group owns Fireside in the Palisades in Tahoe and Azul Latin Kitchen in Heavenly. Base Camp is by far the most popular, as it sits right at the base of the iconic Heavenly Valley gondola. I have now eaten at all three locations; Fireside doesn’t have the line like Base Camp, but the Village at the Palisades (I can’t stop thinking it is “Squaw Valley!”) is a bit more sleepy than at the base of Heavanly’s Gondola.
Rubicon is a small pizza place in Northstar and Wally’s is a collaboration with Base Camp (and the number one sports bar in Folsom). Believe it or not, Yelp’s list of the top 100 pizza places in America has Base Camp at #5. The fifth-best pizza place in the country!
I haven’t sampled all of the competition, of course, but it definitely was delicious. Like I said, it was worth the wait and the crowd. We ordered the Base Camp medium pizza which includes pepperoni, Italian sausage, roasted peppers, roasted onions, portobello mushrooms, and a four-cheese blend. I only wanted pepperoni on my side and my friend only wanted sausage on her side. Since it was already on the pizza, they did this for us but typically only do halves on the large pizza.
What we ordered was more than enough for two people. We also ordered the pear walnut salad. All of it was delicious. The key for the reservations, especially if you are staying at the Timber Lodge or the Marriott Chateau (Harveys and Harrahs are also very close), is to put your name in way ahead of time.
In our case, we were able to go back to the Lodge and enjoy the hot tub. We started getting ready a little less than two hours later and it worked out perfectly. Once the text message saying your table is ready is received, you have about seven minutes to get there. By the time we arrived for our reservation, they were not taking any more reservations for the night, booked out until 9:00 p.m.
According to SF Gate’s review, Base Camp’s success is due to its unique dough recipe. I don’t know if that’s what did it for me, but there is nothing like a hot slice of ‘zza in the snow. Where is your go-to spot for a slice?
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…is actually two terms using three words? According to Dictionary.com, the word of the year is “demure.” According to Oxford, it is “brain rot.” Though both can apply, depending on the situation, they can’t both be the word(s) of the year. Right?
Why don’t you decide? Here is what Dictionary.com says about demure: “The word demure experienced a meteoric rise in usage in 2024. Between January and the end of August, this term saw a nearly 1200% increase in usage in digital web media alone.” This phenomenon is mostly attributable to a TikToker whose videos using the word went viral. What an incredibly “2024” reason!
As for brain rot, Oxford has this to say: “Our experts noticed that brain rot gained new prominence this year as a term used to capture concerns about the impact of consuming excessive amounts of low-quality online content, especially on social media. The term increased in usage frequency by 230% between 2023 and 2024.”
“Demure” has traditionally been used to describe someone reserved, quite, or modest, the new social media usage of it is to describe a refined or sophisticated appearance. “Brain rot” is pretty self-explanatory, but defined as “the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (particularly online).”
Both of those definitions check out and I can see why they would be chosen as the Word of the Year for 2024, given what we all went through this year! Now, take your pick. Which should be the real Word of the Year for 2024? Or, suggest your own!
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The National Association of Realtors (NAR) released its 2024 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers last month. I got my cliff notes of the report from a newsletter by Jason Barlow of Arbor Financial Group but you can read the full NAR report here.
The NAR Profile helps people like me, Jason, and others in the real estate industry understand what buyers and sellers are looking for. Here are the basic takeaways:
Shift in First-Time Buyers: first-time buyers made up only 24% of the market this year, the lowest share since 1981.
Aging Buyer Demographics: the average first-time buyer is now 38, up from 35 in 2023, and repeat buyers are typically 61, showing a trend toward older buyers.
Family and Home Choices: only 27% of buyers had children at home, the smallest share to date. Plus, 17% purchased multigenerational homes.
Financing Trends: cash sales are up, with 26% of buyers paying fully in cash – a record high.
Agent Loyalty: buyers and sellers still overwhelmingly choose agents they know, with 40% of buyers and 66% of sellers using a referred agent.
Technology’s Role: 43% of buyers’ first step was online, with the internet being the main tool for their search.
If you are considering buying or selling, a discussion about the process, market, and your expectations is a great place to start. Give me a call if you want to understand more about the process or email me directly: Kristin.lanham@bhghome.com.
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I hope you and yours are preparing for a happy Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow evening. I love having family and friends around the big table swapping delicious sides and stories on one of the most memorable holidays of the year. And, for you, I want to share some fun trivia about Thanksgiving!
On average, how many questions does the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line field from callers during the holiday season?
In 1995, this popular Thanksgiving vegetable was the first to be grown in space.
What year did “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” debut on television?
Which U.S. president was the first to officially pardon a turkey?
According to the National Turkey Federation, roughly how many turkeys are consumed each Thanksgiving?
Let’s see how many you got right – and then try to stump your Thanksgiving guests with a few of the trickier trivia questions!
On average, how many questions does the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line field from callers during the holiday season? ANSWER: 100,000
In 1995, this popular Thanksgiving vegetable was the first to be grown in space. Answer: The potato
What year did “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” debut on television? Answer: 1973
Which U.S. president was the first to officially pardon a turkey? Answer: George H.W. Bush in 1989
According to the National Turkey Federation, roughly how many turkeys are consumed each Thanksgiving? Answer: About 45 to 46 million
There you have it! Some of the craziest turkey trivia questions you can imagine. Also… there is a National Turkey Federation? Who knew? Enjoy your holiday, everyone!
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I’m a sucker for a good bakery. Luckily for me, there are plenty of them in Walnut Creek, including a new one called Model Bakery on N. Main St. right next to Tomatino. I took a visit to Model the other day to check it out. I was struck by the beauty of the bakery, both on the outside and inside. But how did the food stack up? Watch my short videos below to find out.
So… a beautiful location, delicious food, and good coffee. But, like everywhere else in town, it comes with inflated Walnut Creek prices. Nothing you can do about that! It turns out that Model Bakery has been a popular location in Napa Valley for almost a century. They specialize in artisan, organic breads and pastries.
Model bakery is privately owned with their roots in St. Helena and Karen Mitchell, once a successful caterer has been the current proprietor for nearly 30 years. Apparently they are famous for their robust English Muffins, they even made Oprahs favorite list one year. They are also located in Napa, Yountville and now Walnut Creek. Give them a try and let me know what you think!
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Last month, Jason Barlow of Arbor Financial Group sent an interesting newsletter about the rising costs of utilities and rent and how all of that affects home values. I wanted to share some of that information with you here (and add my own takes).
Right now, rent and utilities are outpacing home values for the first time in a decade. Last year, rent increased 3.8% while home values only grew 1.8%. Nearly half of renters are spending 30% or more on their income on housing. And minority households are facing the highest burden, with Black renters at 56%.
Those figures are certainly something to keep in mind if you’re deciding between buying and renting. Here is an article from The Washington Post that lays out all this information in more detail. As a realtor, I find incredible value in homeownership (if only as a form of long-term investment that can create generational wealth for your family). But I understand the markets and economy fluctuate, taking these rent and utility costs with them.
Kristin’s take: Right now, if you have been on the fence in buying a home or an investment home, I think is a great time to get into the housing market. We still have low inventory, however we have seen price reductions. In this graph many of the lenders are anticipating rates to fall next year (see graph above). Get in now, before everybody gets into the market – marry the house, date the rate – then refi when rates start to go down. You most likely will get a lower price now than when rates go down.
I work for Better Homes and Gardens, and I wanted to share their new campaign here because I think it is pretty cool! They are sharing ads like the one in the video below to encourage clients and potential clients to see why Better Homes and Gardens knows homes better, and how that can help YOU!
As an employee of Better Homes and Gardens Reliance Partners, we are the only company under the Anywhere Brand that is under the BHG umbrella and thus associated with the BHG Magazine. We got a new CEO this year named Ginger Wilcox and I have to admit she is really on point with updating the brand. The magazine is iconic and melds so nicely with real estate, thus our new tagline. I am excited what new ideas she will bring to the table. I am proud to work under this brand, I now think it is cool and promotes the lifestyle clients want to lead. We act as personal property curators. We pay attention to all the little details that make a future home a source of joy and pride, whether it’s a fixer with tons of charm and potential or a fully remodeled estate. A BHG real estate sign is a sign of a home where better living begins.
