Charles Fleming has written a guide book of the LA Stairs to reveal the Los Angeles cityscape: more than 200 stairways across the hilly sections of the city, many of which are remnants from the days when most city residents depended on streetcars and buses for transportation. Containing more than 40 walks and detailed maps, this handbook highlights the charms and quirks of this quintessential feature of Los Angeles’ development and chronicles the geographical, architectural, and historical features of each staircase and the neighborhoods in which the steps are located. Rated for duration and difficulty, the circular walks deliver tales of historic homes, their fascinating inhabitants, and troves of historic trivia—such as where William Faulkner lived while he wrote the screenplay for... 01/31/2011

There are so many great green alternatives to traditional countertops nowadays.  Many are more cost-effective as well.  Remember to try to buy from local producers.  It's good for our city, and it cuts down on all the extra pollution shipping produces.  Here's a few of my favorite materials!  Did you know that every time we recycle a glass bottle we save enough energy to light a 100-watt light bulb for 4 hours? This recycled glass tile company is too beautiful! www.glasstile.com Another beautiful one, Kirei board.  They've got bamboo, a new chocolate colored option, and the traditional Kirei board.  Made from reclaimed sorghum straw and adhesive with no added formaldehyde. www.kireiusa.com   Next is Icestone.  Beautiful, the color options are endless, and it's made of recycled glass and... 01/26/2011

Took us up on yesterday's yoga post?  Then you'll probably want to get in on this deal.  Massages are not only good for unwinding after a long week, but are also proven to release toxins that your body holds onto.  Drink lots of water, knead out those knots, and wash your worry away. K-O Massage in Los Feliz is offering a 1 hour massage for 65% off the normal price!  That's $35, down from $100.  Offered on www.Yipit.com for a limited time only.  Pretty good deal!   Here's a little bit about your relaxation artist: (from yipit.com) "Edward Kiniry-Ostro, LMT, has been a practicing massage therapist for several years. Educated at the highly acclaimed Institute of Psycho-Structural Balancing (IPSB), he has expertise in a wide breadth of work, including circulatory massage, deep tissue, acu... 01/26/2011

  Silver Lake Yoga is the oldest yoga studio in Silver Lake. They like to refer to themselves as "Yoga without the attitude".  So whether it's your 1st try, or you're a seasoned Yogi, you have a home here! Here are some of S.L.Y.'s specialties: Prenatal. This is a big one.  Also offering Labor Support Workshops for couples.  I have yet to see a studio with this much attention on the prebirth stage.  With lots of cushions and doo-dads to accommodate your specific needs at this stage. Baby & Me AND Toddler & Me.  Moms and Dads welcome!   And Finally, Kid's Yoga! "Come join us for an hour of mindful play and animated and creative breathing exercises. Storytelling, games emphasizing community, and drawing are also implemented.  Yoga helps to develop strength, flexibility and self-awareness,... 01/24/2011

Silver Lake Craftsman Home in move-in condition This Silver Lake craftsman home is ready for you to move right in. Situated high off the street with views of downtown from nearly every room, this two story 1917 bungalow is sure to please.  There are 4 bedrooms, each with walk-in closets and 2 full baths.  You'll also find a formal dining room, updated kitchen and two enclosed sunrooms.  If this isn't enough space for you, there's also a separate bonus room above the garage that makes a perfect office or studio. Over 2100sf of living space, this charming craftsman home at 1461 N Benton Way in Silver Lake is currently listed for $915,000.  It's in a great neighborhood, not far from all that Silver Lake and Echo Park have to offer.  For more information on this particular property and buyi... 01/24/2011

                  Intelligentsia is a Chicago-based coffee company.  Recently expanding to Los Angeles with locations in Venice, Glassell Park, Pasadena and Silver Lake.  But People... this is not not just any coffee.. Their baristas win international brewing contests.  The buyers fly across the world to buy the beans directly from farmers.  To ensure that all is done fairly and with integrity.  This is not just fair trade- it's DIRECT trade. Only sold when in season. Roasted on site at each cafe.  From their website: "Intelligentsia Coffee’s buying philosophy is not very complicated. We believe in coffee quality and have made a commitment to our customers to offer only truly dazzling Specialty Coffees that speak for themselves in the cup. We believe that to get such coffees we need to ... 01/23/2011

L.A. Cafe is quickly becoming my top eatery when I'm Downtown.  It's open and DELIVERS 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  The really exciting news? It's just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Echo Park, so yes... it's delivers to the 90026-ers! With a fabulous selection of baked goods, one would wonder if you'll ever even get to the menu.  Well, lucky for me I ordered before I actually walked into the place, so I was impervious to the delicious display.  A fact that I am terribly grateful for, because what I found in their regular food menu was absolutely delectable. BOWL OF OUR FAMOUS CHILI (This really sounds delicious.  Not only am I a chili-girl at heart, but I've often wished I could go back in time to dine at The Brown Derby. Maybe it was after seeing the "I Love Lucy" episode where... 01/20/2011

We all know that switching to Energy Star appliances can help save you serious money in the long run. NAMELY your refrigerators made before 1993- major energy guzzlers. But here are some less publicized methods that I found particularly helpful. Something that can save you almost twice as much as new Energy Star appliances is installing a ceiling fan! Cutting down on A/C use in the summer and heat use in the winter (switch your fan to run clockwise and it'll bring the rising heat down), it's one of the best ways to conserve efficiently. If you DO use your thermostat, remember to program it to shut off when you are asleep or at work.  Giving your water heater a "blanket" is also an easy fix.  Any insulating cover will help.  Find that your water's getting unnecessarily HOT?! Then reduce ... 01/20/2011

Moreno Highlands Silver Lake home -Ivanhoe Elementary listed under $900k! If you have been looking for a home in the Ivanhoe School District, I’m happy to report there is a new Silver Lake listing worth checking out. Most homes in the Moreno Highlands sell for well over a million dollars. This listing at 2177 Kenilworth Ave came on the market at a mere $877,000. Built in 1953, it’s a mid-century with its own sense of style. The listing agent calls it a “dash of Mid-Century and a splash of Modern Contemporary.” There are 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths in just over 1800 sq feet of living space. The fact that it’s a hillside lot affords some terrific view of the Silver Lake Reservoir. This Moreno Highlands home has an open floor plan with plenty of light. There’s a black slate wood burning firep... 01/17/2011

Silver Lake Wine is a great place to spend your Sunday afternoon I know that Silver Lake Wine has been in the neighborhood for a number of years now. I actually wrote a previous post about the business and what takes place at this hip Silver Lake wine shop. It wasn’t until this past weekend that I had the fortune of experiencing the place for myself first hand and I can’t think of enough good things to say about it. I was the recipient of a gift card for Silver Lake Wine during the holidays and as my husband and I rounded the corner near of the Silver Lake reservoir last Sunday, I suggested we pop into the shop and see what it was all about. Unbelievably, there was a space right in front of the shop so we parked and trotted inside. Silver Lake Wine is neatly laid out with both wines and... 01/15/2011

A recent story published in the New York Times reminds us that there is more than one way to lower your mortgage payment. Homeowners looking to lower their monthly mortgage payments and reduce their interest rate may be able to do so without refinancing.  A little-known strategy called recasting or re-amortization is available through some mortgage lenders and servicers, and eliminates the hefty fees and daunting credit requirements of refinancing.    * Re-amortization requires borrowers pay off a lump sum of the principal amount on the mortgage and asking to have the monthly payments reset according to the original interest rate and loan terms.  The lump sum reduces the principal, so the new monthly payments decrease slightly and interest paid over the life of the loan is reduced.    *... 01/13/2011

  Located at 3820 West Sunset BoulevardLos Angeles, CA 90026(323) 661-7465 Silverlake's "Le Pink and Co., Beauty Apothecary"'s cozy and adorable environment make you want to spend all day basking in it's smells. Home to all of the delicious staples (Dr. Hauscka, Rosebud lip balm, etc) and also to my new favorite line. Villainess. Let the blogging begin. I was given a vial of Villainess' signature perfume oil (Villainess: "all ball gowns and combat boots. Raw, smokey leather and sweet vanilla musk engulfed in a sheer haze of exotic florals - ylang, neroli, jasmine, lilac and tuberose.") by a friend for Christmas.  I'm not really a perfume wearer.  I get tired of the scents too quickly.  But this?! I haven't taken my wrist away from my nostrils for a month.  These scents are so deeply bo... 01/12/2011

           Lark's cupcakes are the only thing I've ever tried there.  Mainly because when I'm in the area, I'm looking for a nibble. Not en route to an occasion that warrants buying an entire gorgeous cake.      Although had I known the cappuccino cheesecake (pictured here) existed, I might have made one up.      I am a big fan of the new salted caramel craze.  Here I present to you the salted caramel cupcake.  Most of their frostings are buttercream, unless otherwise noted.  But yummy, magnolia bakery in NYC (which actually just opened a shop on 3rd st. in West Hollywood) type buttercream.  Not gritty with powdered sugar and water.      I Love the billowing buttercream on their basic vanilla cupcake. The old fashioned ice box cupcake is dreamy.  Mostly because I've always envied those... 01/10/2011

Some of my buyers are running in the opposite direction from what are known as "flips," while many of my buyers are only interested in seeing these homes.  A flip in Los Angeles generally means a home that has been purchased within the last 3-6 months and renovated to within an inch of their lives!  They are tight on space, but so charming that most buyers are willing to overlook the square footage issue.  And the folks on the designing end of the best ones are hitting every note and they are drop dead gorgeous!  They are practically brand new homes, but they're actually facelifts on top of a 1920's - 1940's foundation.  Some of the best companies out there are doing top quality work, where as a few of them appear as if they ran out of money and had to start cutting corners.  The smart ... 01/08/2011

Silver Lake Short Sale! Sunset Silver Lake Loft unit new to market! If you've lived in or been through the Silver Lake area in the last few years you are probably familiar with the Sunset Silver Lake lofts that were built in 2007. In the heart of Sunset Junction, these live/work lofts were a welcome addition to the area. A total of 43 architectural units grouped into 4 buildings where developed by the Kor Group and designed by award winning Rothenberg Sawasy Architects. These well appointed units include commercially inspired kitchens with stainless steel appliances, stone countertops, tiled baths with large soaking tubs and inside laundry hookups. Underground parking and gated entrance provides security to the residents.  When 4111 Sunset first came on the market in 2007, the units wer... 01/08/2011

Traditional Korean spas in Los Angeles are an experience not to be missed.  The first time I went, I expected a bit more of a Burke Williams luxury afternoon.  My friend and I came donning our cutest frilly swimsuits and ready for some major ambience.  The sound of seagulls and a sitar plucking away to soothe our tired bones.  Well... that was a joke.  First things first, absolutely no clothing allowed.  So get to know your neighbor.  The closest thing to ambient music you'll hear is the bubbling of a jacuzzi in a room that looks more like the Y.M.C.A. than an "exotic getaway".  I sure will take it though, because you can't argue with results! Especially since they've got great herbs in some of their jacuzzis.  Hankook Spa has just opened it's Ginseng jacuzzi.  I can't imagine that's an... 01/05/2011

"Cowboys And Turbans" started off as a little cafe on Wilshire blvd. by the El Rey theatre.  Their style being described as "Indian Mexican Street Food".  It was there that I first came across these tandoori tacos.  I ordered a basic chicken taco to start (they've also got tofu -pictured-, spinach tofu, aloo gobi, shrimp, and fish).  Listed on the menu as "soft shell corn tortillas with lettuce, tomato, cilantro, grilled onion chutney, tamarind chutney, mint chutney and garnished w/crispy chick pea strips", it could be as delicious or as confusing as it sounded.  1st bite down.... they were incredible!  They're light (I could eat 20), and spicy, and a teensy bit sweet.  Never have I found a taco since that I crave more than I do these puppies. They've since moved on to a full on restau... 01/03/2011

Thanksgiving is very sentimental holiday for me. Just watching the news and seeing the conditions and sacrifices which some endure at home and abroad make me appreciate the relative safety and comfort of my home. That said, this year has been an interesting one for real estate--the underwriting rules have changed, the financing rules have changed, the condo requirements have changed, FHA rules have changed. Even the rules with regard to how many loans an investor is allowed to hold has changed (The Obama Administration is apparently not a fan of individuals having a real estate empire, and has thus limited the amount of loans an individual can take out to 4!). What this means is that the successful clients, those who have made successful real estate efforts, have been those creative thi... 11/24/2010

Adorable Silver Lake view home new to market A new listing came on the market in Silver Lake this week with a great view of the reservoir, Glendale and the Hollywood Hills.  Though the home is walking distance to Silver Lake hot spots like Silver Lake Wine and the Red Lion, once you are inside the property you feel like you've left the city. It's such a serene setting with lovely yards both front and back. The house was originally built in 1924 and still has its original charm intact.  You'll find 2 bedrooms and a bath plus a basement with an additional half bath.  This California bungalow feels like a respite from the city. It took alot for me not to make myself at home and spend the afternoon lounging on the front porch gazing at the Silver Lake Reservoir! To see this property or for ... 11/17/2010

Did you Know THIS about Silver Lake, California  Whether you live in Silver Lake, are thinking of relocating or are simply curious, it’s always fun to hear some of the lesser- know facts about an area. Silver Lake Was Estalished in the 1900s, with the creation of the Silver Lake Reservoir. In the 1920s, City Planners started to invest in the building of underground utilities and cement streets to create a residential development in Silver Lake. The Population of Silver Lake is 30,972 as of the 2000 census, with a wide variety of subcultures and ethnicities. It is also known to have a very large gay population.Silver Lake got its name from Silver Lake Reservoir, which was named after Herman Silver, the Los Angeles Water Board commissioner who was instrumental in the establishment of the ... 11/02/2010