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Carlsbad, CA Real Estate News

By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
The Monarch butterflies are late in our area this year. In 2024 we had butterflies hatching in early May but something was different this year.  Have no fear...our Monarch butterflies came back this year just recently and we now have 20 caterpillars as of today on our 2 milkweed plants. Clearly we need to get a couple more plants to have enough leaves for the caterpillars to eat and grow. They are voracious! 
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Lilies in Honor of Our Cat Lily We lost Lily about 2 years ago, our female Maine Coon Cat that we had had since her kittenhood, about 19 years. She was a delightful, playful and friendly lap cat and we were devastated when she became quite ill. It was such a sad time and our home became cat-less, something we had not experienced for many years.  My wife planted a bunch of lily bulbs after Lily died in her memory, and we have been waiting for them to bloom...it's taken quite a while but they are beautiful and greet us from the front patio when we come home. It took a few months but we acquired another rescue cat, also part Maine Coon Cat, about 6 months later. Fiona is a delight but different from Lily...and that's purrfectly OK. It was hard to not have a fur friend in the house for thos...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Carlsbad Has Its Own Volcanic Plug Dome Yes, that’s right. We have a volcanic plug dome in Carlsbad. Its name is Cerro de la Calavera or Mount Calavera. And it’s about 22 million years old. And I have stood on top of it to enjoy the glorious 360 degree views, to the ocean (see photo below) and inland to the backcountry and mountains plus the surrounding residential areas. It’s been years since I hiked Mount Calavera and I’m probably due for a trek.  It’s a pretty, and relatively vigorous, hike up the mountain, but it’s only 513 feet high so you don’t have to be all that impressed.  Mount Calavera is located in northeast Carlsbad bordering Oceanside, and along with Lake Calavera is in the Lake Calavera Preserve. The mountain is adjacent to the residential area of Calavera Hills.  Carlsba...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
This recipe has been a favorite of ours for years, and while my wife often makes it by herself today I was once again recruited as sous chef...a role I'm happy to play. It's more than enough for 2 people so we get to enjoy it for several days for lunch and dinner. And we have taken it to dinner parties and picnics multiple times and it's always a hit.  The recipe calls for Roma tomatoes which we had. But we've also used heirlooms and the classic beefsteaks depending on what we have. The crust is wonderful, flavored with parmesan cheese and lemon zest. My wife is the master at making pie and tart crusts and did the honors while I did all the prep work - chopping fresh herbs (Italian parsley, thyme, basil), slicing tomatoes, and grating fresh parmesan for the filling. You can make it in a...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
The 2024 Taste of Carlsbad Village NOTE: Tickets went on sale on September and the event is now SOLD OUT.The 7th Annual Taste of Carlsbad Village returns in 2024 to the Village on October 10th. The event runs from 5 until 8 pm. So why announce this so early? Well, there are a couple of reasons. First, the Taste of Carlsbad Village is always very popular, and sells out quickly each year. Last year it took a little over 5 hours according to their website. And second, tickets go on sale September 3 at 9 am so you’ll want to get that on your calendar so you don’t forget and miss out. Keep in mind only 1000 tickets will be sold! Carlsbad food lovers get to spend 3 hours on Thursday October 10th on a self-guided tour with map and Passport (the ticket), tasting their way around charming Carlsb...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
What’s the Value of My Carlsbad Home? Carlsbad Market Report for July 2024 The Carlsbad real estate market continues to shift, with changes from June and 1 year ago. Private sales, mobile homes and multi-family housing are not included (the numbers are taken from the MLS and believed to be accurate as reported but are not guaranteed). Media market reports tend to be very generalized. As a result they do not reflect local Carlsbad housing market conditions (read more - How Local IS Local?). Up-to-date information, and analysis, about local market conditions benefits you when you need to make important buying and/or selling decisions about Carlsbad homes for sale. READ MORE ABOUT CARLSBADCarlsbad Village by the Sea 112 homes sold in Carlsbad in July (92008, 92009, 92010 and 92011), 23% mo...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
2024 Leo Carrillo Film Festival in Carlsbad Carlsbad’s pleasant summer evenings are a great opportunity to enjoy being outdoors. And if you enjoy historic movies, the annual Leo Carrillo Film Festival at the former ranch of the Hollywood actor may be right up your alley. The 18th Annual Leo Carrillo Film Festival will take place on 3 consecutive Friday nights - August 23, August 30 and September 6. The Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park is a beautiful preservation of the land, hacienda, and other buildings owned by popular Hollywood film and TV star Leo Carrillo. Carrillo is perhaps best known as Pancho in the 1950s TV series “The Cisco Kid”. A visit to this historic park in the heart of the Rancho Carrillo master planned community, and its peacocks, is well worth it. And it’s free!  Read...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
We were enjoying a glass of wine before dinner last night and heard a noise upstairs. Usually when that happens it's our cat, Fiona, getting into some mischief. Sure enough, we looked up and there she was, perched on the wooden post at the top of the stairs. The top of the post is about 4 feet high and is round, only about 5 inches in diameter, so she was sitting about 15 feet off the ground on a post top not as big as she is. She is clearly quite the acrobat, and a good jumper, but we were both a little freaked out. We had to wonder why she did this, and I suppose the answer is because she can. Our cat, Berkeley (no longer with us) did the same thing 1 time so we should not be too surprised.
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Tiramisu Recipe from my SisterMy sister was a great cook, and after experimenting with multiple Tiramisu recipes created her own years ago. I’ve tried Tiramisu multiple times in Italy and I have to say this is pretty good. I've probably made it a dozen times. 6 egg yolks1 ¼ cup sugar1 ¼ cup mascarpone1 ¾ cup whipping cream1 ¾ cup espresso or regular coffee, preferably strong (room temp)2 TB brandy2 TB rum (white or gold)2 packages of ladyfingers (about 7 oz. each). Some packages are only 3 oz. while some are larger – it depends on the brand. It’s better to have extra rather than not enough. Some brands are soft while others (the classic) are harder cookies – I prefer the soft and that’s normally what I find in our grocery stores. No doubt Amazon has them as well. Soft ladyfingers will m...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
What’s the Value of My Carlsbad Home? Carlsbad Market Report for June 2024 The Carlsbad real estate market continues to change, with changes from May and 1 year ago. Private sales, mobile homes and multi-family housing are not included (the numbers are taken from the MLS and believed to be accurate as reported but are not guaranteed). Media market reports are very generalized. As a result they do not reflect local Carlsbad housing market conditions (read more - How Local IS Local?). Current information, and analysis, about local market conditions benefits you when you need to make important buying and/or selling decisions about Carlsbad homes for sale. READ MORE ABOUT CARLSBADCarlsbad Village by the Sea 91 homes sold in Carlsbad in June (92008, 92009, 92010 and 92011), 24% fewer sales t...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Pasta del Giorno di Due Chef~ Pasta of the Day by 2 Chefs ~ My wife and I often take turns cooking dinner. More often than not, I am the sous chef (except I do all our grilling), but last night was one of those collaborations, which is actually more fun, and interesting when coordinating ideas and timing of the preparation…true of any cucina.  Tonight’s Pasta del Giorno was dinner in a dish, designed to be simple, using freshly chopped basil, spinach (about 2 cups once chopped), cilantro, and zucchini from the Farmers Market, diced sun-dried tomatoes (from Trader Joe’s), sliced smoked salmon, and Ferrara Penne Rigate from Italy (also Trader Joe’s). You could certainly substitute other pastas such as rigatoni or bow-ties depending on what you have or prefer. We sauteed the chopped herbs,...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Our Monarch Caterpillar Nursery on our back patio continues to prosper.We had another chrysalis hatch today and enjoyed seeing yet another butterfly - that makes 5 so far that we have seen.And we counted 11 caterpillars of various sizes on the milkweed plants yesterday. They are hungry and leaves are disappearing rapidly.I went to Armstrong Garden Center to buy a couple more plants  - the caterpillars are eating leaves faster than the plants we have can sprout new ones.I went to pay for the 2 plants and the cashier pointed out that I had a stowaway (I missed it), and a good sized one (about 1.5") that will be ready for the next stage soon.What a surprise bonus! 
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Carlsbad Art Wall is No More  I am in shock.I just saw a live video by #CarlsbadArtWall Founder and Curator Bryan Snyder about what appears to be the end of the Carlsbad Art Wall. While Bryan mentions he needs to confirm some information, there is now a fence blocking access to the Wall on the lot of the adjacent vacant commercially-zoned property that has been for sale for quite some time.Bryan says it sounds like the building is scheduled to be demolished and the lot to be developed. So, for now, access to the wall is blocked.Sadly, and ironically, the most recent artist, Zuzu, who hails from Austin, was just starting to paint her mural today.You can read more and see Bryan’s live video announcing the news today on his Instagram page at @SnyderArt.What may be the final Carlsbad Art Wa...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Red, White and BOOM 4th of July Fireworks and More in Carlsbad in 2024The July 4th holiday is just around the corner - next Thursday. Of course there will be celebrations and fireworks in and around Carlsbad, along with private festivities, cookouts, and picnics. And of course that means some beach time too! Let’s hope our warm, sunny weather continues! The summer crowds have picked up, restaurants are busy, and public parking at the beaches, and in the Village, is harder to find. And that will certainly be true for the holiday weekend. Red, White and BOOM at Legoland This popular annual celebration with fireworks takes place at Legoland California in Carlsbad on July 4th.  There is fun for all ages, with rides, live DJ performances, lawn activities, a scavenger hunt, and so much more! ...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Monarch Caterpillar Nursery Round 2 While we haven't actually seen one recently there has clearly been a Monarch Butterfly around laying eggs, since we spied 3 caterpillars on our milkweed plants the other day. This is the second batch this yea,r with more to come as we can see more eggs on the milkweed plants. Anticipating a number of hungry Monarch Caterpillars, we ventured out to Armstrong Nursery this morning for several more milkweed plants with lots of leaves. Hopefully it will be enough as the caterpillars are voracious eaters.  We also noticed a number of small critters on the plants we had that look like tiny spiders (mites?) so we also bought a box of ladybugs to hopefully take care of the problem without using any kind of spray, especially with the caterpillars around.    Hop...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
The Aloha Plunge 2024 is July 20 in Carlsbad Come celebrate the 2024 summer season with the Aloha Plunge on Saturday July 20th, from 5 to 8 PM. The Aloha Plunge is held at the Alga Norte Community Park Aquatics Center. Alga Norte Community Park is at 6565 Alicante Road, at the corner of Poinsettia Lane, in the La Costa area of Carlsbad. The Aloha Plunge is limited to 500 attendees and registrations tend to fill up quickly. The cost is $10 per person, with children ages 3 and under FREE (must be identified at check-out online). Register online, and get your wrist bands now so you don't miss out. Tickets go on sale 3 weeks before the event and end July 19 at 5 pm. You can pick up wrist bands at the Aquatics Center during normal business hours during the week preceding the event. Tickets w...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
What’s the Value of My Carlsbad Home? Carlsbad Market Report for May 2024 The Carlsbad real estate market continues to change, with shifts from April and 1 year ago. Private sales, mobile homes and multi-family housing are not included (the numbers are taken from the MLS and believed to be accurate as reported but are not guaranteed). Media market reports are very generalized. As a result they do not reflect local Carlsbad housing market conditions (read more - How Local IS Local?). Up-to-date information, and analysis, about local market conditions benefits you when you want to make important buying and/or selling decisions about  Carlsbad homes for sale. READ MORE ABOUT CARLSBADCarlsbad Village by the Sea 119 homes sold in Carlsbad in May (92008, 92009, 92010 and 92011), 10% more sale...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
California Wine Festival in Carlsbad June 28 and 29, 2024 The 1st day of summer is June 20, and the California Wine Festival in Carlsbad will follow soon after. If you are a wine lover and foodie it’s a great opportunity to taste some fine wines and enjoy some special appetizers. The California Wine Festival will take place Friday and Saturday, June 28 and 29, at the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort in Carlsbad. The California Wine Festival is a series, with similar events held in Dana Point (this past April 19 and 20), Santa Barbara (July 19 and 20), and Huntington Beach (November 8 and 9).  The Wine Festival features rare and reserve vintages, as well as wines from some of California’s most popular wineries. We attended a food and wine event at the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort a number of years a...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Make Music Day is June 21 Come celebrate Make Music Day on June 21 at the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad from 10 am until 5 pm. Fête de la Musique originated in France in 1982 and is now celebrated in more than 1000 cities in over 120 countries on June 21 each year. The original vision of the founders was a day of music for everyone to enjoy, whether they make the music or just listen, everywhere in each city. That dream came true and Make Music Day has spread throughout the world, coming to New York around 15 years ago. On June 21, 2023 there were 4791 free concerts in 117 US cities (per Wikipedia). And who knows what other music you’ll find in parks and other public spaces…or make your own! Make Music Day is also known as World Music Day and Music Day. No doubt there are other nam...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Carlsbad Art Wall April 2024 The 3rd Carlsbad Art Wall mural for 2024 was completed the last weekend in April. I apologize for being so late sharing this. Carlsbad artist and graphic designer Molly Alexander transformed the wall with these beautiful and vibrant orange blossoms, an influence from having grown up in Southern California. You’ll find her on Instagram at @MollyAlex_art. You can learn more on her website, MollyAlex.com. This is the 41st mural since the founding of the Carlsbad Art Wall in 2015.  The Carlsbad Art Wall was created, and is curated, by Carlsbad artist, Bryan Snyder, in cooperation with the owner of Senor Grubby’s Mexican Restaurant in Carlsbad Village The Carlsbad Art Wall provides residents and visitors the opportunity to appreciate temporary public art by local...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
2024 Carlsbad Village Flicks at the Fountain  Summer is only a few weeks away. That means several popular events in Carlsbad are coming soon. One long-time favorite (since 2013) is the annual Flicks at the Fountain. This popular outdoor movie series is hosted by the Carlsbad Village Association.  The Flicks at the Fountain take place on 5 consecutive Thursday nights. The series starts July 11th and ends August 8th.  Movies (rated G and PG) were decided by popular vote from residents. Here’s the 2024 list of movies – dates for each movie will be announced soon: Barbie (PG-13)Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (G)Trolls (PG)The Little Mermaid )G) Carlsbad residents can still vote for the 5th movie here (either one of the 5 choices or email a write-in).Flicks at the Fountain are held on...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
2024 Carlsbad TGIF Concerts in the Parks Series The first day of summer is June 20, and the annual TGIF Concerts in the Parks series starts the next day. There’s little question that the free TGIF Concerts in the Parks are a highlight of summertime in Carlsbad. This free outdoor concert series may be the best entertainment option around North San Diego County! Indeed, the series was voted the 4th best outdoor concert series in the US in the 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards by USA Today for 2023. You can’t go wrong with a combination of live music, in a beautiful Carlsbad park, on a Friday summer evening? It doesn’t get much better for free summer entertainment!  2024 is the 37th season of Carlsbad’s popular TGIF Concerts in the Parks series, presented by the City of Carlsbad’s Cultural Art...
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