land park: Kitchen Remodel Day 12 and Day 13
- 08/03/08 12:18 PM
Many people don't know I wear contacts. That's because until I turned 40, I never needed vision correction. But that darn newspaper print kept getting smaller, and I could no longer read the fine print on the back of cans of paint. Oh, sure, I tried bifocals, but I don't like them. As a result, I wear monovision, with one contact lens at a plus 375 and the other is for distance at plus 125. If I'm not wearing my contacts, I do use reading glasses -- which is what I was wearing while lying in bed this morning to … (16 comments)
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land park: Land Park Has Fast Growing Fast-Food Chains
- 08/03/08 03:23 AM
I bring home take-out a lot, and not just because my new range and oven is sitting in my living room during the remodel. Basically, it's a time-related issue. I rarely have time to cook, especially during the week, plus my husband is the actual in-house cook. And some nights he gets home from work totally exhausted to find me sitting in front of my computer yelping about where's my dinner! So, he drives over to Broadway and brings home Pad Thai from Taste of Thai or Scallops in Lobster sauce from Fortune House.
However, I don't have the patience to … (15 comments)
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land park: Day 12 Kitchen Remodel - Some Appliance Installs & Backsplash Chosen
- 08/01/08 03:17 PM
My day started off really crummy. After I booted up my Mac, I opened Parallels to check MLS. Staring me in the face was a screen asking me to reinstall Windows XP. See, this is why I despise Windows. Since I didn't have time to work myself up in lather over the reinstall, I booted up my PC laptop. It asked to verify Windows XP. Call me silly, but I see a pattern there. Perhaps I forgot to update something. I verified my Windows XP and, during the start-up phase, my screen turned into a bunch of scribbly lines. Shut … (12 comments)
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land park: Day 11 - Kitchen Remodel: Hardware & Range Hood
- 07/31/08 03:16 PM
The hardware installers showed up on time this morning. The guy who does it is also the demo guy. I wasn't sure I wanted a demo guy drilling delicate holes and trying to make my door pulls plumb and spaced correctly. To me, it seemed like that sort of job as compared to bashing holes in walls required conflicting skill sets. But the Kitchen Design Center swore he would do a good job or they would buy new cabinet doors.
When he arrived, I said, "Hey, your referrers said you never mess up and you always do a perfect … (20 comments)
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land park: Day 10 Kitchen Remodel - Painting is Finished - Sink Cabinet Cut
- 07/30/08 02:06 PM
I called in a favor from my favorite painting company last night, and the owner sent over two painters this morning at the crisp hour of 7:45 AM. In fact, I was just out of the shower when he called my cell, wanting to know why I didn't answer the door.
His painters were marvelous. Two great 20-year-veterans of the business, Chris and Barbara. I think Barbara might buy a home soon -- after I armed with her enough information and yakked her ear off about the opportunities for buying homes in Land Park and other neighborhoods in Sacramento. … (9 comments)
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land park: How Do Cats Survive a Remodel? Take a Look at Pia!
- 07/30/08 02:02 AM
I have 3 cats. Or rather, 3 cats own me. One has kidney disease, and he just turned 17. He's a grumpy old cat, but I love him to pieces. He was flown to Sacramento from Minneapolis, and he almost missed the flight because ground temperatures can't exceed maximums on arrival, and we all know hot Sacramento can be in the summer. He's lived here six years now.The other two are Ocicats. I got Pica from a breeder in Orange County. She was ready to let him go because he was marbled, and only spotted Ocicats can be shown. I … (13 comments)
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land park: Day 9 of Kitchen Remodel - No Painter, No Surprise
- 07/29/08 02:50 PM
The countertop guy came back today to measure again because he was wrong yesterday. When I examined the spots he marked for me to cut on the front of the cabinet, I realized his math was off. So, I made him come back out. Turns out I was right. Which is kinda scary when you think about it because if I hadn't double-checked his math, my countertops would not fit my cabinets -- not to mention, I would have totally screwed up my cabinet base.
The electricians came and finished up the trim work. They were a bit astonished to … (19 comments)
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land park: Kitchen Sink Dilemma - Day 8 of Kitchen Remodel
- 07/29/08 05:33 AM
The countertop dude came yesterday to measure for the installation of the Quartz Cambria counters. I had considered granite, but it's so trendy and doesn't appear to be as strong as the quartz. First thing the guy said was "Whoa, your base cabinet is 32 inches and your sink is 33-inches." Well, I told the cabinet designers my sink was 33-inches!! "It won't fit," he declared. My heart sank. So, I asked the obvious question: How can we make it fit?
By cutting the cabinet on the sides. The front needs to be cut anyway, because I bought a farmhouse-style … (11 comments)
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land park: Day 7: More Cabinets = Less Storage Space
- 07/28/08 04:39 PM
I spent most of Sunday putting away dishes and pans -- and god knows what we have collected over the years -- into some sort of semblance in our new cabinets. We have more cabinets than we've had before, but less space. Know why? Because the old cabinets were like big boxes, and you could cram stuff into every corner. Land Park homes have a lot of original cabinets that are spacious. The new cabinets come with sensible pull-out drawers, the things they can charge extra for. And they take up valuable space.Fortunately, I found a spot for everything, even if … (11 comments)
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land park: Get a Sewer Inspection When Buying in Land Park
- 07/28/08 01:57 PM
Oh, my goodness. I'm batting 100% on sewer inspections lately. This is the third sewer inspection in Land Park over the past 30 days that has called for a new sewer line. The last two Land Park homes my buyers inspected turned up problems, but that was expected, primarily for the following reasons:
These Land Park homes were built in the 1920s and 1930s The yards contained a lot of mature trees The sewer lines had not been replaced However, I really did not expect problems with this home today because there were no trees in the yard and it had … (15 comments)
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land park: A Quality Paint Job is in the Eye of the Beholder
- 07/27/08 02:40 AM
One of the reasons to hire professional painters is because they are supposed do a better job than you would, right? Because if I wanted a lousy job, why, I'd do it myself. Except that I am a fairly good painter. I carefully tape off the walls . . . roll slowly enough to avoid "vacation" lines . . . sand between coats and have, on occasion, used a make-up brush for minor touch ups. This might sound a bit obsessive to you, but I believe a job worth doing at all is a job worth doing to the best of … (21 comments)
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land park: The Only Thing Better Than Installing Cabinets is When Countertops Arrive
- 07/26/08 03:58 AM
Of course, I have a week to wait for that. The countertops won't be installed until August 4. But the cabinets are in. Whew. It was no easy job.First, the diagram given to the cabinet installers differed than the diagram I agreed upon in one small but important way. The microwave was to be installed at the entry to the family room and NOT to the right of the floor-to-ceiling cabinet. I noticed the installer had them switched.He showed me the drawing he had and, sure enough, it was transposed. That meant the side of the lower microwave cabinet was … (16 comments)
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land park: Come to the Sacramento Zoo in Land Park for an Ice Cream Safari on Saturday
- 07/25/08 04:03 AM
The Sacramento Zoo will officially close at 1:30 on Saturday, July 26, to get ready for the Ice Cream Safari, which will be held from 4:00 to 8:00 PM. Enjoy live music and entertainment, plus stuff for the kids, too. A raffle will be held, known as the GiRaffle, plus face painting and prizes.Tickets cost $17 for Adults.Children 3 to 13: $13And children under two are FREE.Members of the Sacramento Zoological Society save $2.A free shuttle runs through the park from 14th Avenue to 18th Street, south to Sutterville and up 17th to Land Park Drive and over to 13th Street.More … (3 comments)
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land park: Today I Love My Contractors to Itsy Bitsy Pieces
- 07/24/08 06:51 AM
Day 2 -- Electricians, Plumbers and FramersPut a power tool in a framer's hand and wield that power tool with authority, and I swoon. There is something remarkably appealing about a young man clasping a reciprocating saw tightly in his left hand with his right forefinger firmly depressing the power button as he masterfully cuts a perfectly straight line through the wall. But, sshh, don't tell my husband.We now have a 36-inch wide by 30-inch high pass-through in the wall to the living room. I've been talking about cutting a hole in the wall for the past six years. My husband … (5 comments)
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land park: Don't Assume That Professionals Know What They Are Doing
- 07/22/08 02:19 AM
The cats are very upset. Everything is not where it's supposed to be. Not to mention, two of them were locked in the bedroom all day yesterday. The other cat spends most of his time in a 4 x 4 pen because he has kidney disease, plus a touch of senioritis. He was pretty oblivious to the goings and comings around him. After all, he had cat food, clean water, fresh litter and occasional pets. He was in seventh heaven.Which is where I wished I could be. But not. You see, you absolutely cannot do a major home remodel and … (12 comments)
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land park: Being Prepared Means More Than Showing Up on Time
- 07/21/08 04:24 AM
I would not walk into a listing presentation without a properly prepared CMA, which includes not only the active listings that will compete with this home, but data on the pending sales (even though they have not yet sold, I can generally weasel the price out of the listing agents) and, of course, the sold comparables. I adjust each comparable by adding or subtracting values to arrive at a price in line with the subject property. I also pull the expireds, canceled and withdrawn listings. By the time I sit down with the seller, I am fully prepared to discuss … (11 comments)
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land park: Recycling and Gifting is Better than Sending Stuff to the Landfill
- 07/19/08 05:12 AM
My husband is aghast that I am giving away our refrigerator. He says I should sell it on Craigslist and pocket the $300 or so we could probably get for it. He wasn't in favor of buying a new refrigerator anyway. Our Kenmore has been chugging along for almost six years without causing us one lick of trouble. It's in excellent shape, no dings or scrapes, and it's energy efficient.
But it's not as efficient as our new GE Profile with French doors and bottom freezer. Plus, let's face it, our old refrigerator is not stainless. (That's what kitchen remodels do … (10 comments)
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land park: Are You as Green as You Can Be? Preserving the Earth Isn't Easy
- 07/18/08 01:21 AM
It used to be it was only hippies and left-wing fanatics who cared about the Earth. But now it's becoming profitable for everybody else to jump on board. As usual, California is leading the way. On Thursday, California adopted the nation's first "green" building regulations. The California Building Standards Commission adopted new standards.
In my Land Park home, I recently installed a tankless water heater. Sure, it was 5 times more expensive than the usual water-filled tank, but it saves energy, saves on utility bills, reduces the chance my home will flood from a malfunctioning water heater and it lasts twice … (15 comments)
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land park: New Restaurant in Land Park on Riverside: Masullo
- 07/12/08 02:23 PM
Anybody who knows me realizes that I can't be bought, and I'm not the type to present a rosy picture that is all sunshine and lollipops to get anybody to like me. I try to present balanced opinions and will explain both the pros and cons to just about any situation so my readers can make an informed decision. I say this because a neighbor (a daughter of a client) emailed me a few days ago raving about a new restaurant in Land Park: Masullo. She had such a wonderful experience to share with me. I wish I could say my … (8 comments)
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land park: Land Park is One of the Most Desirable Neighborhoods in Sacramento
- 07/10/08 08:16 AM
Wherever I travel, I take photographs of homes. My passion for photography sometimes thwarts vacations as I get sidetracked. Instead of shopping at cute boutiques or dining at out-of-the-way cafés, often I end up wandering the streets of a town to admire its picturesque homes, invariably with camera in tow.
Last fall, I noticed the maple trees in Sacramento were beginning to drop their colorful leaves. The sun was sinking lower in the sky toward the afternoon, lending a soft glow on the horizon as light bounced off rooftops.
Suddenly, I felt inspired. It occurred to me that I have spent … (6 comments)
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