Memorial Day Observance in Chicago
Photo by Spc. Cliff C. Gajda
May 26, 2008

U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. walks alongside Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley in a wreath-laying ceremony procession at Daley Plaza during the city of Chicago’s Memorial Day observance on Saturday, May 24, 2008. 

Many folks know that Memorial Day is a day that honors men and women who have served in our armed forces, specifically those that have died in war, those who have fought, and those who are still fighting.

The very first Memorial Day took place was in May of 1868. They called it Decoration Day, and the idea for this celebration has been attributed to a Civil War General named John Logan. Apparently, Logan felt that a day like this would help to mend the strained relationship between the North and the South after the Civil War.

They say that John Logan selected a day at the end of May for a Memorial Day for a few reasons:  1) it was a day that no Civil War battles occurred; and 2) he thought that flowers would be in bloom all over America.

In 1971, Memorial Day became an official holiday.

The patriot’s blood is the seed of freedom’s tree. -Thomas Campbell

Relocation Can Cause Quite a Buzz

Sometimes relocation can cause quite a buzz, figuratively AND literally. 

In this case we are talking about a true buzz…due to the relocation, in process, of thousands of bees in my back yard. 

I was on the phone today and heard a loud humming sound. When I looked out into the back yard outside the kitchen/family room I saw a huge swarm of bees. After 15 minutes or so they all settled down…into what I truly hope is not their new home. 

As you can see, they decided to hang out in the Japanese pine tree off the patio. Yes, we have a nice back yard with views of the hills and golf course, but I’m not sure it’s quite what the bees are looking for. At least I hope not. 

Relocation CAN be a drag if you don’t work with the right person to get you into your new home where you want to be.

In case you are interested, you can read more about the why and how of honey bee swarms.

I wonder if we will need to call a relocation expert (besides myself, that is)?

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All content copyright © 2010 Jeff Dowler Carlsbad Homes and Real Estate Tidbits

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Tile Accents in San Diego Homes for Sale

Tile is a popular decorative feature in Southern California architecture, as well as being an often-used flooring choice.

The variety of tile choices is quite amazing and you see them used in many ways as flooring and wall coverings, as well as wall, floor and ceiling accents. 

The heritages of Italy and Mexico are most obvious, not surprising given the strong Spanish and Mediterranean influences we see in the area especially in the newer homes. 

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All content copyright © 2010 Jeff Dowler Carlsbad Homes and Real Estate Tidbits

I got the flu last week; it was truly viral. No clue how I got it… how it dug into my system, despite the fact that I had a flu short. I guess that it is going around-like a virus.

When working on the Internet and creating blog posts and videos, it is our goal to have our creation get the flue (so to speak), go viral, and spread like wildfire. Of course, it is that kind of behavior that can help us to grow our business to the next level.

Take a look, for example at Greyson Change, who played a Lady Gaga song at his school talent show. The video of his musical abilities has had over 23 million hits, and Ellen Degeneres is now creating a record label and has signed Greyson. Talk about success in going viral.

Local real estate Broker, Kris Berg created an xtranormal video which parodies all of the trials and tribulations of representing buyers in this unique real estate market.

I’d love to create something that goes viral. Do you think that it is something that just happens by accident or is it something that you plan and plot over the course of time?

Any thoughts?

I was in Washington, DC a couple of weeks ago for the NAR and CRS meetings, and spent a lot of time walking to and from the Metro at Dupont Circle to get from my hotel to the meetings. 

I also had the opportunity to spend several hours with good friend and ace blogger, Pat Kennedy, touring some homes and neighborhoods during caravan. 

Another fun activity was visiting the International Spy Museum with good friend Marlene Bridges, but photos were not allowed so you will just have to imagine. The International Spy Museum is well worth a visit and lots of fun. 

What you get are rather random musings in photography – favorite places from my past life there, new discoveries, and images that simply caught my camera eye as I was walking around, all of which reminded me of why I like Washington, DC so much.

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All content copyright © 2010 Jeff Dowler Carlsbad Homes and Real Estate Tidbits

Fiesta del Sol in Solana Beach

The ever-popular – well, for the last 30 years – Fiesta del Sol is happening next weekend, June 5 and 6, in Solana Beach, CA. 

Read More: Solana Beach Real Estate – Seaside Community Extraordinaire 

Fiesta del Sol is one of the more popular outdoor festivals in our neck of the woods, with 50,000 expected. And the location can’t be beat – the streets adjacent to the beach at Fletcher Cove in Solana Beach. 

Fiesta del Sol is a 2-day festival of fun, music, food, entertainment and shopping, sponsored by the City of Solana Beach, the Solana Beach Chamber of Commerce, and the best live music venue around since 1974, The BellyUp Tavern. 

Hopefully the sun will make an appearance, but given the time of year, June Gloom may limit this a bit. But there’s no gray today at all so it’s anyone’s guess, and given all there is to do at Fiesta del Sol it won’t matter anyhow.

In addition to all the shopping, there will be paintball, a kids’ interactive area, and a beer garden, face painting, a rock climbing feature, an inflatable jump, llama rides, along with a host of food booths. 

Entertainment-wise, there are some terrific area bands appearing: a great reggae group from LA, the Aggrolites, and Atomic Groove, a local fave at The BellyUp Tavern and other venues, to name just a couple. 

The Solana Beach Fiesta del Sol is one heckuva good time, by all reports. Put it on YOUR calendar for next Saturday and Sunday, June 5^th and 6^th. 

The event is free and just west of the Coast Road/Route 101. Consider taking the Coaster to avoid the parking nightmare – the Solana Beach train stop is just a couple of blocks from Fiesta del Sol.

Search for Solana Beach Real Estate and Homes for Sale

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With the last four months being, well, worse than we can ever remember in our lives we are seriously reviewing our options as it comes to our house that we retained in Las Vegas.

Where do I really begin?

We have tenants in our home, kind tenants that we absolutely love. We know they are taking good care of our home. We feel responsible for their family as well as ours, knowing that they have been through the wringer when it comes to housing. First they had a bankruptcy due to their self employment situation. Then the home they were renting went into foreclosure and the owner didn’t even have the decency to tell them what was going on. They found out by accident. Without a doubt they probably check the recorders website every single week wondering if we are going to do the same thing to them.

But the last four months? Not so good. We are going 00 a month into the negative just covering our expenses. You have to imagine, that can’t last forever. So each month we think, “Next month will be better.” Each month, not better, and no end in sight.

I was speaking with a coworker the other day whose mortgage is held by the same company as mine and she told me that she recently did a short sale. The line of reasoning was that her employer moved more than 50 miles from her home and it was a hardship to her. I am wondering, does that count six months after the fact?

I mean, they closed our office December 31st. We have sustained as long as we can, but I just can’t see us tapping any further to make ends meet, especially considering we have no idea how much longer this is going to take. The thing is, I just can’t bring myself to really do this. I just don’t know how I am going to give up like this.

I made the call to the lender. They told me they would fax me the short sale package within 30 minutes. It never came. If this is any indication as to how this would go, I think maybe I should just put it out of my mind right now.

A Visit to the Seaside Market in Cardiff-by-the-Sea

The Seaside Market in Cardiff-by-the-Sea is an amazing local grocer within view of the ocean. Indeed, Seaside Market, in the Walking District of Cardiff, is much more than a grocer.

 Read More: 

Cardiff-by-the-Sea – The Quintessential Southern California Beach Town 

The Seaside Market is also a gathering place for locals and tourists, with a spacious outdoor area for enjoying sandwiches, salads and other take-out foods, or just wathing the world go by. 

Seaside Market seems to have just about anything most folks could want.

In addition to gorgeous piles of fresh vegetables and produce, you‘ll find aisles and aisles of canned and packaged goods you’d expect in the largest grocery stores, plus all sorts of sundries, gift items, stuff for the beach, beer and wine, frozen goods, drug-store type stuff and so much more. 

There are also two very extensive take-out counters with goodies for every meal – fresh meats and fish, desserts, handmade sandwiches and salads, and on and on. 

Perhaps the best way to describe the Seaside Market is in the photos from my visit the other day on my way to an Open House. I had a marvelous Nicoise Salad with real grilled tuna, NOT the canned stuff you so often get in this particular salad even in restaurants. 

Seaside Market is far more impressive than you would expect to find in a small town like Cardiff. A real gem of a grocer and absolutely worth a visit. I wish it were closer to my home…perhaps it’s a good thing it’s not. But there are plenty of folks living in the Walking District of Cardiff who can just walk down the street. They’re the lucky ones!

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All content copyright © 2010 Jeff Dowler Carlsbad Homes and Real Estate Tidbits

The color purple is rampant this time of year in Southern California.

A host of flowers, and the unusual Jacaranda trees, sport varying shades of purple which catch. One cannot help but marvekl at the spectacular rnage of purples and the variety of plants – the giant Bird-of-Paradise, the lavender that appeals so to our local hummingbirds. Certainly there are plenty of other flowers and flowering trees but the purples seem most dramatic.

Spring is my almost-fave season, perhaps because it is follwer by summer, Yes, we DO have a change of seasons here in SoCal – just not as dramatic as other parts of the country. Enjoy!!

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All content copyright © 2010 Jeff Dowler Carlsbad Homes and Real Estate Tidbits