New Couch ,  no New Sofa Bed: whose is it? It’s my CouchJ! No their Sofa Bed! The other day Diane decided to get rid of the old Couch and get a new one. Not only is it a Sofa it is a Bed too. Keep in mind; she wanted the best, since we are expecting visits from friends and her father during the year. She did not want to put them in a Guest Suite near, where we live; rather she preferred her father and our friends to stay with us. So after a detailed internet research and personal visits to two different Bed Stores we decided on a Queen Sized Sofa bed. Not too large, hence it does not dwarf the living area. The Sofa Bed is actually custom built. I did not realize we had to pick the size, style, quality of the mattress as well as the overall  quality of the other materials and of course t... 03/30/2013

Crab -Stuffed Tomatoes Ingredients:   ·         1 can of Crabmeat (I prefer Trader Joe’s) if you prefer and can get fresh crab meat even betterJ use about a cup +   ·         ½ cup of cream cheese if you are concerned about calories use low fat.( I like the regular full flavored one)J   ·         Half a cup of fresh chopped parsley (I like Italian or Flat leaf Parsley since it is more flavorful   ·         ½ cup of onions (some people like green onions, I prefer Vidalia sweet onions for all my cookingJ)   ·          A cup full of shredded Parmesan Cheese   ·         ½ cup of bread crumbs   ·         Lemon juice   ·         Garden Tomatoes   ·         Extra Virgin First Cold Pressed Olive Oil ( or any other Olive Oil)   ·         Freshly shredded Basil leaves Directions:   Combine all th... 03/28/2013

Cucumber & Tofu, what can I make? Good thing I am not on the Iron ChefJ I only have to make one meal out of these ingredients and not fiveJ lucky me! Clean and thinly slice the cucumbers (Japanese, or Persian cucumbers) do not need to cut the skin since they are so fresh. Sprinkle  the cucumbers with seal salt and leave for 20 min or so until soft and the rinse and drain. In the mean time cut Tofu into strips of about half inch wide (extra firm)  Broil in oven for about 10-15 minutes until the Tofu Gets firm and little brown. While the Cucumbers are marinating and the Tofu is getting firm prepare a dressing for the Tofu and the Cucumbers.   Dressing:   1 table spoon of Mirin   2 table spoons of Honey   1 table spoon of Soy Sauce (low sodium)   3 table spoon of rice wine vinegar   1 egg ... 02/12/2013

 Tabbouleh with a Twist: Raw Cauliflower Tabbouleh When I lived in Boston, MA I had been invited by a Lebanese Family for Dinner, hence I had the pleasure of eating Lebanese Tabbouleh.  Much of what you will see and eat as Tabbouleh in this country has little resemblance to the original or Lebanese Tabbouleh.  Of course there is nothing better than a controversy as to who created the original Tabbouleh? Was it the Lebanese or was it the Israelis? Either way, most people around the world when they hear Tabbouleh think Lebanon. To make a fantastic Tabbouleh, the most important tip I can give you is to get the freshest ingredients, especially the flat-leaf parsley or better known as Italian Parsley. So if you want the ultimate meal I suggest for this specific meal you must go to your neare... 02/08/2013

How is the Marina Del Rey, CA Luxury Condominiums Market? It has been refreshing to go out to a function this evening and be asked: how is the Real Estate Market. Have not heard this type of questions in a positive frame in years, hence it was fun to say”... The market is fast. ..Inventory is short, more buyers than sellers hence prices are increasing…” Then to be asked how is the Luxury Condominium Market now that was even more interesting. I was happy to report that the high end market is moving and confidence is back. The key points to remember are that the property needs to be well priced, and properly staged for the current market. In English that means that well priced and properly marketed Condominiums do sell. Condominiums that are overpriced or have something intermittently wro... 01/05/2013

A casual walk in Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 on January 1st, 2013!     Last night we decided to get up early and watch the Rose Parade on TV. Well we got up early and watch the countdown to the Rose Parade too. Then we decided to take it easy all day. I made small bites to eat. Will post about them laterJ       Diane kept saying after about 2pm that ’… it is starting to warm up let’s go for a walk…’ So by the time we went out it, was about 3:30pm and the temperature was somewhere around the ‘50’s. So a little walk turned into an hour and a half stroll. Luckily today I only had about a handful of client emails to handle so it was a very casual and relaxing walk.       Check out these pictures and seeing them you understand why we are so grateful to live in Marina Del Rey, CA. After all it i... 01/01/2013

The Holiday Boat Parade in Marina Del Rey, CA 2012 in Marina Del Rey, CA 2012 celebrates it's 50th Anniversary!  The last time I wrote a Blog Post about the Holiday Boat Parade was in October 2010 (http://actvra.in/MJ8), ironically I was looking forward to seeing it that year. Then a personal tragedy happened and I missed the parade. Then I had some business conflict in 2011 and I missed it again. This year I did not even focus on it, since Diane was having family issues. So as I was pulling into our complex I was surprised to see all the additional Security? I had to ask as I was wondering what was going on? I was informed that today is the Boat Parade. Then it hit me that this was the 50th Anniversary of the Marina Del Rey Boat Parade! Armed with my trusty Blackberry and a large glass... 12/08/2012

Holiday Lights in Marina Del Rey, CA. 90292 Enjoy and pass it around! I find the holidays are very enjoyable to most people, because a great many home owners, management companies and tenants decorate their homes and their properties; hence it is fun to drive by or walk by and enjoy their creative and festive spirit. No matter what your troubles are, as you walk by a festive home with lots of lights for a moment you forget your troubles and a smile comes on your face. Yeah I find it sweet that a simple gift from a stranger can bring joy to so many.       So with that said I was out for a stroll to forget my troubles. As I walked by the Marina Del Rey Channel, I had to take a few pictures and share it with all who appreciate holiday lights.  If you are a consumer who is considering buyin... 12/07/2012

 The Ficus, Eucalyptus and Bottlebrush Trees disappeared in Marina Del Rey, CA . I was driving to one of my Condo listings for a  showing and I took a double take. What happened to those beautify trees on Admiralty Way in Marina Del Rey, CA? Then it hit me, a while back, I remembered hearing something, that the County will be removing the Trees and replace them with “Native trees”. Evidently there are about 75-80 Trees on this “hit list” and the other day it was a big wipe out day for these beautiful trees. I find it bitter sweet that this project is taking place. The majority of these trees were the Ficus trees. They were originally planted, when the man-made harbor of Marina Del Rey was created in the 1960’s. So basically a large history of Marina Del Rey, CA has just been wiped out. ... 12/01/2012

Just a casual Saturday in Marina Del Rey, CA! Sometimes we need to stop and appreciate what we have near us. We are so busy with our day to day activities that we forget to look around and be thankful for what we have.  Due to a scheduling mix up on my part we went to a performance that turned out great, even though not what we were expecting  see  and hear, check out my blog about it here, if you missed it. http://actvra.in/LZp  I took a few pictures with my Blackberry as we were listening to the band.  I did not post them, because the focus was on the band. Anyway one of my Active Rain Friends called me to tell me something about one of my Blog Posts that had some technical glitches which I needed to correct. She then commented how beautiful the day was here in Marina Del Rey, CA… whi... 11/29/2012

Gondoliers in Marina Del Rey, CA, Can you imagine a  Romantic Gondola Ride in Marina Del Rey? Are you a Romantic? If you are, then this is definitely  for you. Diane and I were strolling by the Channel in Marina Del Rey, CA when we noticed a Gondola like in Venice, Italy moving in the Channel with a Gondolier Singing Italian Love Songs.  We saw a couple snuggled up, very romantic and cozy. Needless to say I had my BlackBerry with me and snapped these photos to share. As you can see it looks like the same ride as being at the Venetian in Las Vegas or the original Gondola Rides of Venice Italy.   When we came back from our walk I had to do some research. Evidently you can have day time; evening or sunset rides from an hour and a half to two and a half hours, with wine, Champaign, fruit pl... 11/26/2012

Susie Hansen Latin Jazz Band will be at Fisherman’s Village in Marina Del Rey, CA       Susie Hansen Latin Jazz Band will be at Fisherman’s Village from 1pm-4pm on 11/25/2012 in Marina Del Rey, CA. It is a free event to all. Violinist Susie Hansen has been in the Los Angeles Music Scene for quite some time. She has been with the same band since 1990. Their third album is  Representante de la Salsa. She has a saying “we aim for the feet!” get the audience up and moving. The Band is well known by the who is who of Los Angeles. They have performed at high-profile events such as the inauguration of LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as an example. At the Oscar party for the “Titanic” and many other events such as private parties at Goldie Hawn’s home, Peter Falk’s home and Leonard Nimoy’s privat... 11/23/2012

Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Menu in Marina Del Rey, CA. 90292 Many of us think of Thanksgiving Dinner as a Family & Friends get together talk, laugh and eat and drink to the point of pleasantly over indulging. We generally do not think of Thanksgiving Dinner as something out of the ordinary or something too Gourmet, or too extravagant, rather something we call comfort food. So with that said my Menu for this Thanksgiving will be:   ·         Baked Brie with water crackers and granny smith apples   ·         Hummus   ·         Cashews and other assorted nuts ( to munch on)   ·         Butternut Squash Soup with sautéed shrimp   ·         Steamed green beans with nuts   ·         Buttered Squash   ·         Mashed potatoes with  infused Cauliflowers   ·         Traditional Baked Turke... 11/21/2012

The Tourist, by Olen Steinhauer, If you never heard of Olen Steinhauer, you must put him on your must read list. The important contingency is, that you must like spy novels, provided you like a good contemporary espionage novel you will be calling this a classic soon. The Tourist is a fast paced spy novel with characters that you learn to love, hate and feel sorry for. The twists and turns are unexpected, so it is not your typical story that you figure out the answers. Ironically when you are wrong you are not disappointed. The main Character is Milo Weaver a “retired Tourist” who wants to have a family life….the story starts in Budapest, Hungary and off we go…. The plot is very fast it has deceit, betrayal, trust, family and on an and on…. (I am not going to spoil it for you) All I can... 11/09/2012

Mission 26th of the Space Shuttle Endeavor:  Endeavor is making its final trip to the museum! (photo credit Sandra Oshiro) Astronaut Mark Kelley has been on two Space Shuttle Missions on the Endeavor. He is going to be on the final mission too: Bitter Sweet! This will be a 12 miles mission and ironically the shortest final mission, but probably the most challenging one: The Trip is on Los Angeles Surface Streets! The last Astronaut who flew the Space Shuttle to land in LAX  was NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, who flew on Space Shuttle Endeavour's final mission to space, talks with the media early Friday morning prior to Endeavour's landing at LAX. Credit: John Schreiber This final mission has been full of controversy, people have been accusing the coordinators of destroying Trees, and not ... 10/11/2012

How Much is My Home Worth?   Many home owners contemplating selling or refinancing their current home are not quite sure what their home is valued at.  This information is vital to either selling your home quickly or when refinancing it.   There is a free service online that allows home owners nationwide to find out what their home is currently worth and valued at.   Here is the website: http://heatherpaulonline.com/free-home-value/Just enter all your home property information such as home address, bedrooms, baths, and contact information.  This is one of the best home valuations services available online and it's completely free. If you are thinking of selling your home, here are some tips to help increase the value of your home when it sells. 1.  Contact a Local Realtor to Walk-Throug... 09/12/2012

Food Trucks: 'Beach Eats' are here to stay in Marina Del Rey,CA! Food Trucks, I have written about them, when they were just breaking into the Los Angeles Street Scene (http://actvra.in/5Gg) it seems like ages ago. Hard to believe that was only February 2011. Since then the Food Channels have had many shows, contests, competitions with and about Food Trucks. Food Trucks are now all over the country and everyone has picked up on this relatively inexpensive way to eat and enjoy Gourmet Fast Food. When I wrote that post it was the beginning of the Food Truck Scene, now no one calls them “Roach Coaches” anymore, when James Beard Award winning chefs have food trucks you know it has become main stream. On one of my most recent post about the Venice Meet up (http://actvra.in/Cl5%20 ) Food Truc... 09/08/2012

by Jodi Summers How did they get the space? Construction has started on a 12-building complex, $120-million multifamily project at 4201 Via Marina in Marina del Rey. Called the Shores, designed by Nadel Architects, the project is scheduled to open in spring 2013. Located on an eight-plus acre site, the 12 inter-connected, five-story buildings will offer 544 units, with one-bedroom and two-bedroom options, ranging in size and floor plan from 650 square feet to 1,245 square feet. At the heart of the complex lays a two-acre park-like courtyard with lush greenery, open space and outdoor amenities, such as fire pits, BBQs and a pool and spa….not unlike the Shores towers in Santa Monica. “In dealing with high-density projects such as Shores, we know it is important to include design elements ... 09/02/2012

Café del Rey in Marina Del Rey California – Waterfront Dining with Excellent Views   I am a big foodie, as most people who know me can attest, and I really enjoy dining out when the opportunity presents itself.   And I enjoy sharing restaurants I’ve enjoyed that I think others might also appreciate.   Café del Rey in Marina del Rey California is another great find – waterfront dining with excellent views, and the food was tops!   My wife and I celebrated an anniversary recently with an overnight to Playa del Rey near Los Angeles, and Café del Rey was the venue of choice.   We stayed at a wonderful B and B to the south, Inn at Playa de Rey, a charming getaway at the beach in Los Angeles, with views of the wetlands and the marina, just a couple of miles away - definitely worth a visit.   ... 08/26/2012

Practice Safe Boating & Water Activities in Marina Del Rey, CA or anywhere else. As we are in the middle of the summer, I must remind everyone who considers going in the water to make sure that they practice Safe Boating & Safe Water activities in general. Since Marina Del Rey is the largest man made harbor in the nation there are a great many water and boating recreation activities. I will mention some of them here to give you an idea. We have several Yacht Clubs, harbor kayaking, and surf kayaking, in addition to these there are companies that offer harbor, coastal, sunset cruises, cocktail cruises, and wedding cruises. On top of this, you can rent sailboats, power boats, and power yachts. In addition to these activities, there are companies which offer surfing and windsurfing classes... 08/07/2012