My Blog

People often ask what are the best home upgrades in to increase value and maximize return on investment.  Let’s take a look at these suggestions for 2025: The Best Home Upgrades in 2025 to Increase Value and Maximize Return on Investment If you're looking to boost your home's value in 2025 and maximize the return on investment (ROI) when selling, focusing on strategic upgrades is key. The real estate market is ever-changing, but some home improvements consistently offer strong [...]

I often take a red eye from LAX to board a cruise ship the next day in Fort Lauderdale. This April I spent 2 nights there in a charming mid-century hotel (Kimpton Shorebreak) in a equally charming mid-century beach enclave and enjoyed Yoga on the beach one morning. I visited Bonnet house, a historic artists' estate unpretentiously unique from the early 20th century, beautifully preserved amongst condos and resort hotels. Celebrity Ascent is an impressive ship, my ride across [...]

Renovating your home doesn't have to break the bank, especially with the possibility of a recession in 2025. Homeowners and renters alike can undertake various budget-friendly upgrades to refresh their living spaces without significant expenses. Here are some ideas to enhance your home: Refresh with Paint A fresh coat of paint can dramatically transform a room's appearance. Consider painting accent walls or updating trim and doors. For renters, peel-and-stick paints are available, allowing you to personalize your space without [...]

Hinted at in my December 2024 quarterly newsletter, this amazing adventure to the South Pacific with could-not-be-easier step on/step off at my home port - Los Angeles.  The trip was 33 days (laptop always with me to remote work!) and took in Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji, & Tahiti. The following is a "diary” of text posts to my family which they actually requested! Hope you enjoy the highlights with accompanying pictures... November 3rd, Day 4 of 33 …. at sea en [...]

Every winter, the world’s design authorities share their color choices for the upcoming year. One of the top firms in this space, Pantone, just announced that its 2025 Color of the Year is Mocha Mousse (17-1230) and described it this way: “A warming, brown hue imbued with richness. It nurtures us with its suggestion of the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort.” And who couldn’t use some comfort this season? Is this a color you’d embrace for [...]

Some newsletters ago I mentioned this travel company and it is now a sister company of The Points Guy (TPG), my most trusted source for all things travel hacking and how-to figure out where to go and how to book it. That’s where companies like TPG’s sister brand Elsewhere by Lonely Planet come in. Created as a reaction to the struggles of the travel industry caused by to coronavirus pandemic, Elsewhere was founded to help on-the-ground tour guides and [...]

You’ve probably been hearing - and/or have experienced first-hand - insurance rates for home and auto skyrocketing this year:  "After State Farm announced last month that it would cut 72,000 home and apartment policies in California because of inflation, regulatory costs and increasing risks from catastrophes, California's insurance commissioner, Ricardo Lara, told KCRA, "This is a real crisis."Apr 19, 2024. California Association of Realtors (CAR) have now included insurance as a contingency on the buyer offer purchase order.  We are advising our [...]

Even the healthiest seniors experience some physical and mental changes as they age, making it more difficult to keep up with household chores and home maintenance. If one of your parents has been asking for help more often than usual, it may be time to consider long-term care, which gives seniors access to professional caregivers with extensive experience providing personal and medical care. If your parent needs some type of long-term care, it's important to be prepared for how [...]