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First Annual Valentine’s Day YWCA Charity Fashion Show/Fundraiser
First Annual Valentine’s Day YWCA Charity Fashion Show/Fundraiser The purpose of this great event was to help At Risk Young Girls. The way they were generating funds was by an entrance fee as well as hors devours, cocktails and handmade chocolates. Check out the website http://www.smywca.org for more details. As you know I am all for good causes to help those in need. This was a great cause the goal was to raise $100,000.00 I would be interested to find out what the final tally was. Here is a little bit of history: The YWCA of Santa Monica was incorporated in 1929 and shared a facility with the YMCA on 6ths Street in Santa Monica until the late 1960’s. Great move on part of the Board of Directors in 1972 the purchased the building they are currently located. From a Realtor perspective this was Brilliant! If you are considering buying or selling a luxury home, or an ultra luxury home, or luxury investment real estate, or luxury vacation homes, or luxury beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu. Feel Free to give me a call at 310.486.1002 or emails me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at https://www.endrebarath.com Your Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue Organizations....
read moreTabbouleh with a Twist: Raw Cauliflower Tabbouleh
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 nearest Farmers Market. The Mint should be equally fresh. If you are not a fan of Mint keep it to the minimum, nevertheless you need to have some in it, augment it by using more Dill & Italian Parsley. Get firm and still Ripe Tomatoes, ideally I would recommend, that if you can, then get Heirloom Tomatoes or at the minimum organic tomatoes. Now here comes the Twist instead of using Bulgur you need to make some substitutions and additions. Get a large head of fresh raw cauliflower about a pound to pound and a half and fresh cucumbers. Ingredients: 1 to 2 lemons (juice of the lemons) and use the lemon zest as well finely choped Cauliflower (1.5lbs+/-) cut into small florets 1 large English Cucumber or 3-4 Persian Cucumbers (I prefer Persian or Japanese Cucumbers since they are sweeter) half the cucumber & dice into ¼ inch pieces. Tomato ( one large Heirloom or Organic tomato ¼ inch diced) 1 to 2 cups of Italian Parsley depending on taste the more traditional you make it the more Parsley needs to be chopped ( at the minimum you need at least 1 cup ) ½ cup of finely chopped fresh dill 1 tablespoon of mint leaves finely chopped 3-4 tablespoon of your best first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil you can afford ( like Trader Joe’s Calamata olive oil) Sea Salt (again if you can get the best it will make a difference) I am a firm believer when you make Tabbouleh you should chop the ingredients with a great cutting board and sharp chef’s knives. Never use the food processor. In this variation of the Tabbuleh, I must go against my own advice, since you need to pulse the cauliflower with a good food processor such as a Kitchen Aid or similar machine. Word of caution: if you make it with bulgur I suggest you eat it as you made it. If you use this variation I believe the meal will taste better if you let the flavors blend for at least six to twelve hours. Or overnight would be a great option. All you have to do is mix the ingredients together. And let it rest and let the flavors blend together. If you are considering buying or selling a luxury home, or an ultra luxury home, or luxury investment real estate, or luxury vacation homes,...
read moreOne of my favorite Chardonnay’s is produced by Chalone Vineyards !
One of my favorite Chardonnay’s is produced by Chalone Vineyards in Monterey County, CA. I f you are looking for a crisp, steely chardonnay, try their 2010 Estate Grown Chardonnay by Chalone. Talk to the Wine maker Robert Cook and he will agree with me, that this wine is fantastic. He attributes the wine being so exceptional is due the cool temperatures in 2010 and it allowed them to let the grapes ripen on the wine. I personally love the complex flavors, particularly the peach, pear and citrus flavors. (I do not care for the Oaky Chardonnays and Chalone will never produce wines like that).I also attribute the wonderful flavors to the soil as well as the elevation of where the grapes are grown. Just on a side note, Chalone Vineyard is the Official Wine of The PGA of America. Now keep in mind I was drinking their Chardonnays since the late 1980’s. (Way before the PGA) I actually went to the Winery and loved the fact that they emphasized that they were the oldest wine producing vineyard in Monterey County. They are located at a plateau of 1650 to 1800 feet in the Gavailan Mountain range, near the Pinnacles national Monument. The ride to this Vineyard is well worth it! Check out their website and if you can join their Wine Club and you will be glad I turned you on to them http://www.Chalonevineyard.com or call 1.800.407.9047 On n a side notes their other wines such as their Granche are out of this world tooJ If you are considering buying or selling a luxury home, or an ultra luxury home, or luxury investment real estate, or luxury vacation homes, or luxury beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu. Feel Free to give me a call at 310.486.1002 or emails me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at https://www.endrebarath.com Your Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue Organizations. ...
read moreSanta Monica, CA is the home of the Museum of Flying! Come and visit!
Santa Monica,CA is the home of the Museum of Flying! Come and visit this great Museum! The Museum of Flying has a very interesting and colorful history. It has been affected just like us by the Trials and Tribulations of the Economy. Good news is just as the economy is improving so is the Museum. The Museum was originally founded in 1974 by Donald Douglas, Jr. of the heir to the DC3-DC10 fame and was called the Douglas Museum. The museum prospered and managed to collect lots of airplanes and reached an inventory of 50 planes. Some were still in flying condition! Fast forward to April of 1989 and the Museum of Flying opened and the Douglas Museum closed. The New and improved Museum started collecting artifacts and kept growing, and then the museum started hosting special events. The most memorable event was the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, where both German & British Pilots who have survived were welcomed. In other words RAF & LUFTWAFFE pilots were present and reenacted this great Battle of World War II. Then sadly in 2002 as the economy was causing its havoc around our nation and the world ,the Museum was forced to close! I am thrilled to report that as of 2012 the Museum is back in action and visitors are welcome! There is a lot of history to see here and lucky for those who visit they will have the opportunity to see 3D Suround Sound and Video of the Flying History of California & the United States. Please come and visit! If you are considering buying or selling a luxury home, or an ultra luxury home, or luxury investment real estate, or luxury vacation homes, or luxury beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu. Feel Free to give me a call at 310.486.1002 or emails me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at https://www.endrebarath.com Your Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue Organizations....
read moreGreater Los Angeles Land Owners & Sellers: have you seen this article?
Greater Los Angeles Land Owners & Sellers: have you seen this article today on CNN Money? In case you did not know it CNN Money is a Division of Fortune & Money Magazines on line. They just published a very interesting article http://money.cnn.com/2013/02/04/investing/housing-market/ Check it out! Evidently Hedge Funds & Private Equity Firms are buying up vacant lots. This is a clear indication that they are confident of the long term direction the Real Estate Market is heading to, as well as the financial benefits of the Real Estate Market. I can confirm that the last three months have supported this article based on my own Sales Volume, as well as the increase of activity in research and inquiry of my vacant land inventory in the Santa Monica Mountain range from Mt. Washington to Malibu. As most of you know I am a Greater Los Angeles Land Specialist, hence I know it could take eight months to three years to build a home from Raw Land in the Greater Los Angeles area. Mostly it depends on a multitude of factors such as location as an example: if you start building in Beachwood Canyon or Malibu it makes a huge difference in the timeline. The Land Approval process is long and not for the faint at heart. This message is clear to me since I list and sell a large volume of vacant land in Los Angele; land is the last to start selling when the market is improving and first to drop out when it is heading to a downturn of the market. Hence do not miss out and buy yourself a vacant lot in the Greater Los Angeles area NOW! If you are considering buying or selling a luxury home, or an ultra luxury home, or luxury investment real estate, or luxury vacation homes, or luxury beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu. Feel Free to give me a call at 310.486.1002 or emails me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at https://www.endrebarath.com Your Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue Organizations....
read moreWhat do you use as a reference when cooking?I use my private library!
What do you use as a reference when cooking? I use my private libraryJ As most of you who read my blog, know that I love cooking and I also collect cookbooks. I have quite a few friends who send me cookbooks or give them as gift when they come and visit. Most do not want to be acknowledged, since their gift was a sincere recognition of my hobby and like when I post a meal. This post is meant to thank those who have given me cookbooks. Thank you for all of you who cared to spend your money and sent me a cookbook. The benefit of this is truly reaped by those of you who come visiting us and I cook something trying to impress youJ the rest of you just get my heartfelt thank you! My long distance friend’s thank you for sending me books I truly appreciate it. Currently my books have a pecking order. The books on the top shelf (what used to be a counter) are my favorites. I might have to reorganize to put them by Regional Cooking. The ones I use most often are on top. Then there are other that are inside my book case. Needless to say I consult them constantly and then when I cook Diane always asks which cookbook this is from? So often the answer is “it is a combination of about three or four”. Keep in mind I also troll the Cooking Shows and the Cooking Network for recipes:)) I love to eat hence I love to cookJ Please let me know if you have favorite cookbooks and which one they are? Thank you again and I really appreciate you thinking of me and sending me cookbooks. Words cannot express it, so please invite yourselves over for dinner soon! If you are considering buying or selling a luxury home, or an ultra luxury home, or luxury investment real estate, or luxury vacation homes, or luxury beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu. Feel Free to give me a call at 310.486.1002 or emails me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at https://www.endrebarath.com Your Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue Organizations....
read moreWhat is the definition of Luxury & the definition of Ultra Luxury?
What is the definition of Luxury? What is the definition of Ultra Luxury? There are many different definitions of Luxury: one is “a pleasure out of the ordinary allowed to one self” “Indulgence in and enjoyment of rich, comfortable and sumptuous living” This definition can apply to Automobiles, Water Vessels, Jewelry, Clothing and I could go on and on, you get the idea. In Beverly Hills luxury living means something different than in any other part of the world. A luxury home in Beverly Hills starts in the $3 million range. Then there are differentiators Ultra Luxury homes in Beverly Hills start around $10 million and up. So you ask Endre what is the definition of Ultra Luxury? A definition that I read once was “living Life without any restraints or limits” This definition to me is best illustrated by the fact, that you can buy that $3.4 million Dollar Ultra Luxury LykanHyperSport car made by W Motors based in Beirut. (Surprised that it is not made in MichiganJ) That you can buy the “LE PALAIS” THE CRESCENT PALACE,” A NEW FRENCH CHATEAU-STYLED ESTATE for a list price of $58 million dollars in Beverly Hills and not worry about what the Annual Taxes would be. My personal luxury indulgence consists of food, wine and Campaign. Speaking of Campaign I love Non-Vintage Krug. So what would Ultra Luxury mean to me? Well that is easy the Vintage Krug Campaign, specifically the 1928 Krug for a mere $120kJ If you are considering buying or selling a luxury home, or an ultra luxury home, or luxury investment real estate, or luxury vacation homes, or luxury beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu. Feel Free to give me a call at 310.486.1002 or emails me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at https://www.endrebarath.com Your Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue Organizations. ...
read moreSuffed Peppers with a lighter Twist!
Stuffed Pepper with a lighterTwist! I am sure we all had parents and grandparents who made stuffed peppers; usually the recipe had sausage or ground beef, rice and tomatoes sauce! There were always some small minor variations of this traditional dish depending on the ethnic background of the maker of this recipe. Long story short, I have had this craving for months to make stuffed peppers with some minor variations one. I was looking for a lighter and a vegetarian version of this great dish. So the other day I made a great Vegetarian Pasta Sauce which consisted of the traditional Pasta Sauce: Garlic, Onions, Basil, and Tomatoes slowly cooked with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. To make it sweeter I added Carrots, chicken stock and basically let it reduce for about four hours and yes I added Herbs of Provence (Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Bay Leaves and Lavender) then during the last hour I added Italian Zucchini for texture. Needless to say the pasta sauce was a success but I had some left over sauce. Then the other day I made a meal and used quinoa which is a high protein recipe, much lighter than rice, similar texture and flavor as a grain like rice but is actually pure protein. Feels much lighter, again I over cooked so I had some leftovers. Then the perfect world came together I was at the farmer’s market and they had a huge sale on Bell Peppers. Well you know what happened. The answer was clear; I was going to make stuffed Peppers. I had no choiceJ So follow the above steps and you will be fineJ So quickly cut the bottom of the Peppers to make a hat, clean out the insides i.e.: the seeds and the white stuff. Then take the Quinoa mix with the Tomato-Sauce in a separate container, add Shredded Parmesan Cheese to the mixture and stuff the peppers with the mixture! Top off the peppers with more cheese and place the hat back on. In the mean time heat the oven to about 400 degrees. Cover the peppers with Aluminum foil and back for about 45min then remove the foil and bake for another 15 min. Add some sauce around the peppers before you serve and have some salt and pepper available for taste! Let me know how you liked itJ If you are a consumer who is considering buying or selling a home, investment real estate, vacation homes, or beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu. Feel Free to give me a call at 310.486.1002 or emails me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at https://www.endrebarath.com Your Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue Organizations. ...
read moreWhat happened on Active Rain? Is it me?
OK I am just wondering and would like to know what happened. I noticed the other day that The Purple/Burgundy Curtain was up and could not log in for many hours…..I was wondering what was fixed? Changed and I know I have been away from reading and posting for the past few day….could anyone enlighten me? Anyway I just did my first blog post in about three or four days and amazingly I used some ” free shutter stock stock images” uploaded them as I usually do to illustrate my blog post and then I posted it as a public post…. Long and short of it there are no pictures….so what happened? Inquiring minds want to...
read moreConsidering a “Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure”? Eight things to know!
If you are a seller who is considering “Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure” Eight things you need to know! If you are a seller who considers “Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure” the most important points to be aware are the following: 1. In most cases a Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure is better than opting to be foreclosed on your home. 2. Short Sales are different from Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure. The Borrower could be still liable for the loan amount not covered by the short sale as well as some Tax Liability as well. 3. The Borrower must approach the Lender and the lender must agree, because the law is clear that the lender cannot approach a homeowner about giving up their home. 4. The most important point to keep in mind is that “The Equity” will be lost on the home. 5. There could be some Tax Consequences as well. 6. The Credit History is affected by this action as well. Although it is better than a Foreclosure, as well as better than a Short Sale, still it is a black mark on the Borrower’s Credit History. 7. I would recommend, before you proceed with this action, talk with your Tax Advisor as well as a Mortgage Broker to understand the consequences of this type of action. 8. Lastly before you sign over the Deed also consult with a local Realtor to make sure what the Local Market is like where you live. Keep in mind you might not need to turn your deed over. It is possible that due to the short inventory you can get your home sold fast and without too much difficulty and maintain your Good Credit as well as your Equity on the home! Then once you have all the information you can make an informed decision and do what is best for you in your circumstance! If you are a consumer who is considering buying or selling a home, investment real estate, vacation homes, or beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu. Feel Free to give me a call at 310.486.1002 or emails me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at https://www.endrebarath.com Your Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue Organizations. ...
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