LOCALISM FEATURED: San Diego - Petco Park Rocks!

I've just returned from San Diego and yesterday I paid my first visit to Petco Park. It was a picture perfect day with the temperature hovering between 71 and 73 degrees. You should see my sunburned knees!

Petco Park is located in the historic Gaslamp district. It was a very short walk from the Convention Center, where Laura was manning her booth at the NACDS Marketplace. San Diego deserves to be very proud of the job they have done with Petco Park. It's beautiful and very fan and family friendly. It is a state-of-the-art facilty with a beautiful hi tech scoreboard.

If you've been to a ballgame over the past few years, you know how they pan the crowd and put people's faces on the scoreboard. Well I'm sitting watching the various fans and who's mug do you think they flashed on the 30' x 80' screen? After the initial shock, I pumped my fist in the air and flashed a big grin. That was a first!!!

As far as the game, well, I left my seat in the 7th with the Padres trailing Seattle 5-1. The score was 8-1 by the time I reached the exit and the final score was 9-2. Needless to say, though, I had a wonderful time and can't wait to go back.

Murrieta Real Estate Expert – Tom Plant, REALTOR® - Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage – Active Rain Ambassador (951) 907-9701

It would be my honor to show you the incredible Temecula Valley, a place I’m very proud to call home.

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The Fantastic Machine - Have You Seen This? OMG!

I just got an email from a friend with an amazing video I had never seen before. The story was that this machine was built as a collaborative effort by engineering students from two schools and that it took them over 13,000 hours to assemble and fine tune it. In truth, it's computer animaton, but it's a jaw dropper nonetheless. Let me know what you think.

Murrieta Real Estate Expert – Tom Plant, REALTOR® - Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage – Active Rain Ambassador (951) 907-9701

It would be my honor to show you the incredible Temecula Valley, a place I’m very proud to call home.

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Happy (17th) Birthday Murrieta!

She doesn't look a day over 16! My hometown Murrieta is celebrating her 17th birthday tomorrow and in true Murrieta style, there's going to be a celebration! I have lived in Murrieta for more than two years now and I can honestly say I enjoy living here more than anywhere else I have lived.

Come join the festivities tomorrow at California Oaks Sports Park beginning at 2pm. With live music and fireworks, we'll be honoring this great city in grand fashion!

Murrieta Real Estate Expert – Tom Plant, REALTOR® - Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage – Active Rain Ambassador (951) 907-9701

It would be my honor to show you the incredible Temecula Valley, a place I’m very proud to call home.

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The TOP 5 (The Best!) Things To See and Do In The Temecula Valley

Let me start by saying I love the concept of this contest. I'm passionate about where I live and I love to share my favorite things.

1) The Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival - This month was the festival's 25th anniversary. Each year the crowds get bigger and it's no small wonder why. Picture dozens of hot air balloons launching into the dawn sky near picturesque Lake Skinner. Imagine strolling the vast grounds, sampling delicious foods offered by a variety of vendors. Take time to explore the craftsmanship of our talented artisans. Sample our local wines. Take in the balloon glow at dusk. Listen to great live music, like this year's headliner Kenny Loggins. I'm already looking forward to next year!

2) The Santa Rosa Plateau - Oh my. This place is simply magical. Only a fifteen minute drive west of Murrieta lies an ecological preserve that is home to brilliant wildflowers and dozens of bird and animal species. Plan on spending a day exploring the trails. Don't forget to bring your camera.

3) The Temecula Old Town Farmers' Market - It's such a treat. Every Saturday a visit to Old Town Temecula rewards you with farm fresh produce, gorgeous flowers, yummy food and a chance to mingle with your neighbors. You can even take a free horse drawn carriage ride.

4) The Lake Elsinore Storm - I hadn't been to a minor league baseball game before 2006. Now I'm hooked. It's family friendly, the games are a blast, you get to see up and comers along with some big leaguers coming off the disabled list. Not only that, Thunder may be the coolest mascot anywhere!

5) The Temecula Valley Wine Country - Rapidly gaining a reputation as a destination, our wine country is a force to be reckoned with. More than twenty wineries await your discovery. Try Wilson Creek's Almond Champagne for real treat. Several of the wineries are drop dead gorgeous and there are excellent restaurants to choose from. It's hard to beat a beautiful summer evening listening to jazz in the vineyards.

Now you can see why I love this area so much. I've barely even scratched the surface of what we have to offer. Come visit!

Murrieta Real Estate Expert - Tom Plant, REALTOR® - Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - Active Rain Ambassador (951) 907-9701

It would be my honor to show you the incredible Temecula Valley, a place I'm very proud to call home.

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Look! Up In The Sky! It's A Bird! It's A Plane! It's Supermeme!!!

I got tagged not once, not twice, but three times for a meme in one week. My eternal thanks to Deb Brooks, Ricki Eichler and Cynthia Tilghman. It's been a while since I've done a meme, and I was intrigued by the super meme. So here goes...

1. Who is your favorite musical artist? Okay, this is a no brainer. I have been a fan of Little Feat for more than three decades. I've been fortunate enough to become friends with the band members and have travelled with them to Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Denmark and Norway. Here's a taste of what makes them so special.

Coming in a very close second is Paul Thorn. I just discovered him last year and think he is a phenomenal singer and song writer.

2. Who is your favorite artist? I really love Georgia O'Keeffe. Not only was she a multi-talented artist who was best known for her watercolors, she was larger than life.

3. Who is your favorite blogger? Sorry, I can't limit it to one. I'm a huge fan of Jo-Anne Smith, Jason Crouch, Paul Slaybaugh, Brian Block, Jennifer Bukaty and Sally Cheeseman. Each does an incredible job of writing thought-provoking posts and being extremely transparent.

4. If you could meet anyone (dead or alive) who would it be? Mmmmmm, tough one. Where do I start? I think Paula Deen would be so much fun to hang out with. Not only that, you know you'd be eating fabulous food!

5. What did you want to be when you grew up? I have loved music ever since I can remember, so I think it's fitting that I was a disc jockey for more than twenty years. I don't know that it was a childhood wish, but I jumped at the opportunity when it was presented.

6. If you could live in any point in history when would it be and why? I really love living is this day and age. I'd love to feel what life was like in the late 1800s, early 1900s, but I don't know if I would like to stay there.

7. What is the most interesting job you have ever had? I'm not making this up, honest. My dad managed the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco. I spent a summer there when I was in my early teens breaking empty liquor bottles. There was a law that the bottles had to be destroyed so they couldn't be re-filled, so every morning it was my job to take the empties from the night before and smash them into a garbage can. Ahhh... the glamorous life!

So now I pick 8 victims folks to take their turn?

Gene Wunderlich

Denise Gentile

Barbara-Jo Roberts

Gary Woltal

Eleanor Thorne

Joey Aszterbaum

Tom Braatz

Teri Ellis

This is your life!

Murrieta Real Estate Expert – Tom Plant, REALTOR® - Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage – Active Rain Ambassador – (951) 907-9701

It would be my honor to show you the incredible Temecula Valley, a place I’m very proud to call home.

From Artichokes To Zinfandel - California In 48 Hours

We Californians are blessed to live in a state with such an abundance of beauty and bounty. Friday morning, Laura and I took off for an afternoon and evening in Paso Robles enroute to see R.E.M. Saturday night at the Greek Theatre. We stopped for lunch in Santa Barbara, then finished the five hour and change drive to Paso Robles. If you've see tne move Sideways, you've seen some of the area. It is gorgeous and home of some of the best wines California has to offer.

Our first stop was at Zenaida Cellars. We were fortunate enough to be the only two visitors, so we has a nice visit with the hostess, sampled some very tasty Syrahs and Chardonnays and joined their wine club. From there we went to Dover Canyon Winery.

I'm a big fan of Zinfandel, and Dover Canyon makes some of the best I have tasted. Their wine label features a painting of a dog. The story goes that he saved the winery owner's life several years ago by pulling him from the surf.

(editor's note: I am resuming writing this post from Crofton,MD)

We Made stops at Peachy Canyon and Castoro Cellars and then drove into town for a visit to Anglim.

We stayed at the lovely Paso Robles Inn, and had a wonderful dinner there, starting off with an appetizer of grilled artichokes. Yummmmmmmmmmm.

The next morning, he headed off to San Francisco to meet Laura's daughter Emily, her husband Dan and their adorable daughter Mather.

It was freezing cold in San Francisco and we bundled up, got in the car and drove to Berkeley to see R.E.M. at the Greek Theatre. I had not seen them in concert before. If you like their music, I highly recommend you see them in concert if you get the chance.

Our whirlwind trip continued the next morning after a delicious brunch at home and a nice visit. We got in the car and decided to head right back to Paso Robles. We had heard there were some wonderful wineries off the beaten path. In fact they're referred to as the Far Out Wineries. Our first stop was at Justin. Their grounds are beautiful, their wine is excellent, but we found it a bit pretentious. We were rewarded by our next stop at Carmody McKnight Estate.

The winery is stunningly beautiful and we were blessed to have winemaker Greg Cropper on hand. Greg makes incredible wines and we sampled several of them. Their Cheval Rouge is simply incredible. With many miles to go, we had time for a few more stops. We hit Norman Vineyards for some great Zin, and then stopped at Opolo and Jada. Opolo was very nice and Jada is a relative newcomer, but their wine is superior and they pair their tastings with different cheeses. It was then time to bid farewell to the wine country.

We really loved our visit to Paso Robles and can't wait to return!

Murrieta Real Estate Expert – Tom Plant, REALTOR® - Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage – Active Rain Ambassador – (951) 907-9701

It would be my honor to show you the incredible Temecula Valley, a place I’m very proud to call home.

Horse-Drawn Trolley Rides In Temecula - FREE!

Photo by Frank Bellino - The Press-Enterprise

There are so many things about the Temecula Valley that I just love. While looking at property yesterday I drove through the wine country and stopped at Falkner Winery. I love to go the the Old Town Farmers' market on Saturdays. The list goes on and on.

This morning's Press-Enterprise had an article about free horse-drawn trolley rides Saturdays from the Stampede to the Farmers' Market. The carriage seats 20 and runs from 8 am to 2 pm. The service will continue through June and longer if warranted. Sounds like fun to me!

Murrieta Real Estate Expert – Tom Plant, REALTOR® - Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage – Active Rain Ambassador (951) 907-9701

It would be my honor to show you the incredible Temecula Valley, a place I’m very proud to call home.

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Temecula's Mayor Pro-Tem Chimes In

While serving on the board of the Southwest Riverside County Association of REALTORS, I had the good fortune to meet many community leaders. One of those I have enjoyed spending time with is Maryann Edwards, Temecula City Council member and mayor pro tem. I have been asking Maryann to write a guest article for my blog, and she has delivered:

“Government should be run like a business, or like we run our household budget!” How many times have you had that same thought?

Me too, and that’s exactly the way the city council and staff prepare the budget for the city of Temecula each year. Here are the basic rules that are the key to this city’s success:

1) Don’t spend more than you take in;

2) Safety first;

3) Put money away for a rainy day

4) Your “special projects wish list” should have a separate savings plan and timeline

5) Don’t skimp on the important things

Temecula has no debt, and in 2008-09 the city will take in $1.1 million more than it spends with a budget of $62.8 million. Public safety (police and fire) will receive 41% of the budget with one police officer for every 910 residents and a paramedic on every fire engine. The city’s emergency rainy day reserve will be $12 million.

The “special projects wish list” is the Capital Improvement Budget of $405 million. The CIP provides for complete funding over a five year period and includes the French Valley Parkway freeway interchange, Pechanga Parkway improvements, and the Temecula Community Center expansion. This “project savings plan” has served the city well for nearly 20 years and allowed Temecula to remain debt-free while completing nearly a billion dollars in infrastructure improvements.

Lastly, I believe that when Temecula builds a public facility or project, it should be the very best - every time. Temecula’s facilities (library, theater, parks, civic center) are meticulously planned and budgeted to be the best in quality, beauty, and long-term functionality.

Whether it’s for a business, a home, or a shining city, fiscal responsibility is vital. A budget must be based on sound financial principles administered by people with vision and the guts to stick with the plan. It is this winning formula that has made Temecula the beautiful place we all call home.

Thanks so much, Maryann. I think Temecula is in excellent hands. The Inland Empire is a wonderful place to live, and I would love the honor of showing you around.

Murrieta Real Estate Expert – Tom Plant, REALTOR® - Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage – Active Rain Ambassador (951) 907-9701

It would be my honor to show you the incredible Temecula Valley, a place I’m very proud to call home.

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Real Estate Connect SF - Do You Have What It Takes?

If you know me at all, you know I think Real Estate Connect is the most worthwhile and relevant real estate conference on the planet. I'm not alone in this opinion. Inman's San Francisco conference is slated for July 23-25. Plan on seeing many of your fellow bloggers in attendance.

The folks at Inman care about the cutting edge - so much so that they are looking for innovators. Quoting Joel Burslem:

"Subject: Got a great idea? Working on a cool product? Tell us about it at Connect. This is your chance to get on stage and share your vision with the world. We're looking for 5 great individuals with 5 great new ideas."

If you do, click this link.

I hope to see you in San Francisco this July. It's going to be amazing.

Murrieta Real Estate Expert – Tom Plant, REALTOR® - Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage – Active Rain Ambassador – (951) 907-9701

It would be my honor to show you the incredible Temecula Valley, a place I’m very proud to call home.

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Recognize That Redhead?

If you guessed Bonnie Raitt, go to the head of the class. I went to the Doheny Blues Festival yesterday and Bonnie was the headliner.

I was fortunate enough to be backstage as my favorite group Little Feat went on before her set. I was able to not only meet her, but to have my picture taken with her! Don't believe me? Well, here's the proof!

Umm, did I mention my friend Laura had never used my camera before? Oh, well. It ws great fun and I'll never forget it. Bonnie's set was outstanding. I'll end with a shot I took from the back of the stage with the moon over the audience...

Murrieta Real Estate Expert – Tom Plant, REALTOR® - Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage – Active Rain Ambassador (951) 907-9701

It would be my honor to show you the incredible Temecula Valley, a place I’m very proud to call home.

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