The Belmar Neighborhood in Lakewood The Belmar neighborhood in Lakewood is one of the new living, working, shopping and dinning communities in Colorado. The great thing about these areas is they are built to resemble the older, downtown communities by having everything you need conveniently located nearby. The living spaces range from one-bedroom loft-style flats, five-bedroom rowhomes, live/work units and everything in-between. Only 5 minutes to downtown, 30 to DTC, and around 50 to the airport, these homes are great if you love to entertain. Spacious, convenient, and modern, stop by one of the markets on your way or meet up with friends at one of the many restaurants. Parents in for the weekend? Belmar has bowling, movies, and events year round. With the weather getting colder, Belmar... 11/13/2011

The French Press Cafe and Bakery in Lakewood The French Press Cafe and Bakery philosophy is all about providing a comfortable and welcoming environment with delicious, wholesome, and affordable food and beverages.  With coffee shops on every street corner, the French Press stands out because they embody that philosophy. Located 5 blocks south of 6th Ave on Union Blvd, behind the Wendy's, the French Press serves  traditionally brewed "drip" coffee, as well as coffee brewed with a "French Press". Theirwebsite states "100% of our coffee is Fair Trade & Organic". Along with the organic coffee, they also strive to include as many organic ingredients as they can in their breakfast and lunch items. Breakfast items include homemade pastries, omletttes, bennies, waffles, and pancakes. Lunches ar... 11/13/2011

Frijoles Colorado Cuban Cafe in Lakewood With the weather turning colder, you may be on the hunt for warm, home-cooked food. Frijoles Colorado Cuban Cafe in Lakewood is just what you are looking for! Located off of Union and Alameda, in the King Soopers Parking lot near Starbucks, this Cuban Cafe is brand new! Skip the coffee next door and grab a cup-of-Joe and a Cuban pastry, or if you work in the area, get out of your fast food rut with filling Cuban sandwiches, soups and chowders. Dinner is an affordable and intimate affair with Seafood and Cuban Ham Paella, Fried Plantains, and Triple Chocolate Cake! The staff, all family or good friends, are warm and inviting as well. Sergio welcomes you in as if you have been friends for ages. Sergio's wife, son, and mother-in-law take time to sto... 11/13/2011

Cafe Jordano in Lakewood Family owned and run, Cafe Jordano has a rich and colorful history that compliments it's delicious food. Elisa Heitman came to the United States with her childhood sweetheart in 1979. Bringing with her a wealth of good cheer, family hospitality, and simply decadent recipes, she and her brood have made Cafe Jordano a favorite destination in the Lakewood area for over 18 years. Serving your favorites like Lasagna, Gnocchi, Pollo Al Marsala, and Fettuccini Alfredo; it's no wonder the place fills up fast. As their website states, they do not take reservations unless you have a party of 6 or more because they believe "if they did, there'd never be an open table for the neighbors!"  Grab a Panino Caprese with soup for lunch with friends. Share a few cappuccinos and an... 11/13/2011

      FHA Financing in Lakewood CO     Located several miles just outside of Denver,  FHA Financing in Lakewood CO is perfect for many young families.  Those looking for FHA Financing in Lakewood CO find that they are making a sound investment.  Those Coloradans seeking FHA Financing in Lakewood CO, find themselves just an hour from world class ski resorts.  Especially for those individuals that have a limited down payment, FHA Financing in Lakewood CO only requires 3.5% down.  With the 30 year fixed rates hovering at or below 4%, now is a better time than ever to get FHA Financing in Lakewood CO.  Over the past several  years I have secured FHA Financing in Lakewood CO for many families and most plan to live in the Lakewood area indefinitely.   11/10/2011

When life gives you lemons.....be creative!  Sure you can make lemonade or you can come up with even more ideas!  I decided to try to duplicate a photo that I had seen in a book....with just a slice of lemon, a flower vase, club soda, salt and a clothespin, I came up with what I think is a pretty cool shot....quite refreshing if I do say so myself.  For more refreshing photos, check out my photo tour. And here is how I photographed it:   10/28/2011

Oh what a difference a few days can make in Lakewood, CO.  I live in a wonderful neighborhood called O'Kane Park which is only a ten minute drive from downtown Denver.  Most of the homes were built in the early 1960's....mainly ranch style with full basements. Across the street from my house is a lovely, well mainained home with a large, old tree that was just awash with color on Saturday..... Well, last night we got the start of our first winter storm.....that translates to snow!  Here is the same home just a few days later:   10/26/2011

Pumpkins in Lakewood Colorado!   I know you are having a hard time believing that there are pumpkins growing in Lakewood Colorado and surrounding areas!   But it is true, you can find wonderfully fresh pumpkins for this Halloween season. As I traveled down Alameda Avenue to Garrison, there is a wonderful pumpkin patch right at the the corner. Proceeds benefit charity and there is a very large selection....from mini pumpkins to large plus some very strange looking species to choose from 10/22/2011

Lovely Denver Area Home Sold In 5 Days! Just sold this was a nice ranch-style townhouse located in South Lakewood, CO.  I didn't even get the chance to get all of my marketing in high gear, but my seller could now care less.  Our time from contract to closing was less than 2 weeks, hastened by a cash sale.  We verified buyer funds, jumped a few hoops with the homeowners association, and that gave way to a smooth settlement and closing.  No inspection issues, no appraisals, and no financing. My seller was incredibly prepared, and the extra efforts they put into making the house shine, really paid off.  Well cared for homes with a combination of curb appeal, top condition, and correct pricing, will always find their buyers.  The trick is to get all three of these home sale preparations or... 10/17/2011

It is a good seller's market for homes in Lakewood, zip code 80226. The results of the sales for the month of September, 2011 are in and it shows a normal Seller's market for homes in our area. Considering other parts of the country, this is really good news!  During the month of September, 20 homes sold in zip code 80226 and there are currently 90 homes on the market (all price ranges).  This indicates an inventory of 19.5 months... in normal language, that means, if no other homes come on the market, it will take 19.5 months to sell the current homes.  The average sold price was $202,717 and the average days on market was 72. If you would like more information or if I can answer questions about what is happening in our neighborhoods, please let me know. 10/06/2011

Lakewood Townhome for sale --- Owning is Better Than Renting! This townhome is now sold.Ready to move-in Lakewood townhome could be your answer to renting!     With rates so low, your mortgage (including HOA) could be lower than a rental payment!       With the deductions you will have --- property taxes and mortgage interest, you could bring home more on your weekly pay check.       THIS COULD BE A GOOD IDEA!    Conveniently located at Alameda & Garrison, there is easy access to 6th Avenue, close to Bel Mar shopping Center and a short drive to the proposed light rail.    If you spend every weekend in the mountains, this property is very easy to jump on the highway and be in the mountains within minutes!  Camping, skiing, hiking --- all so close!         Did I tell you --- it is move-in... 09/23/2011

We have just dropped the price on this great ranch style home located in Mount Carbon Estes in Lakewood, Colorado. 3736 S. Lewis Court, Lakewood, CO 80235 New Price $185,000 This home has a park like yard with 15,134 square feet. It has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Have an RV? No problem.  There is plenty of room next to the garage to park all of your toys. Great mountain views can be enjoyed from the front of the house. This is a quiet culdesac location.    08/26/2011

Colorado Christian University --- Townhome for Sale This townhome is now sold.Colorado Christian University's Week of Welcome is August 17 - 21, 2011.     This college is located at Alameda and Garrison in the great City of Lakewood.    If you are about to begin school, here is a great list of items to have for your dorm room -For Your Bedroom: Sheets (X Long Twin)Extra set of sheetsPillowComforterHangersCalendarPosters/Pictures Desk LampLight bulbs for desk lamp (No halogen)- all other provided by facilitiesAlarm ClockTelephone For Your Bathroom: TowelsShower Curtain Bath MatWaste Basket For Your Living Room: StereoTVDVD Player Posters/PicturesBean Bag/Floor PillowsFloor Lamp for extra lighting Laundry/Cleaning Needs: Laundry DetergentBleachFabric SoftenerLaundry BasketIron Ironing Boa... 08/18/2011

This early morning photo was taken from my backyard in Lakewood, Colorado.   08/07/2011

The third annual Chile Harvest Arts Festival in Lakewood will feature food, music and art.  Mark August 27 and 28 on your calendars so you don't miss this wonderful event that celebrates traditional Spanish Colonial and contemporary art with music, entertainment and food in tribute to the harvest of the chile pepper. Hosted by the city of Lakewood and the Chicano Humanities & Arts Council, this event will be held at the Lakewood Heritage Center, 801 S. Yarrow Street, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for children 3 to 12.  You can easily walk from Belmar or take advantage of the ample free parking.   More than 40 artists will exhibit and sell their work. Many diverse forms of media will be featured. There will be music, including Ballet Folklorico and Aztec dancers... 08/04/2011

I live in Lakewood which was named All American City for 2011 by National Civic League. Just announced this week, our community of Lakewood has much to celebrate. The award is given every year to 10 communities to recognize their ability to bring residents, government and organizations together to solve the challenges in their communities. Apparently we were up against cities such as Philadelphia and Cincinnati to midsized and smaller suburban and rural towns. Congratulations to all of Lakewood.         06/24/2011

Sometimes, adapting a recipe can make for a delightful meal. This evening, we took Chef Jamie Oliver's recipe for oven baked salmon with purple brocoli in an anchovie with rosemary sauce and adapted it slightly which produced an incredibly delicious meal. Who would have thought to combine anchovies with rosemary! Rather than oven bake the salmon (fresh wild salmon), we chose to grill it over a soaked cedar plank. The rosemary came from our garden and our brocoli came from the farmer's market at our local Belmar neighborhood in Lakewood, CO. The combination of the natural fat from the salmon, the anchovie's, olive oil, salt and pepper with fresh brocolli (plain green, not purple) made for a remarkable dish....a real keeper!  For some reason, the anchovies took a real backseat to the over... 06/21/2011

As I mentioned in previous posts, the Columbine flower comes in many colors - the famous blue, red and even yellow. When we re-landscaped our backyard, we didn't realize that the garden had contained many columbine plants. We literally scraped the yard taking out everything but a couple of trees and two bushes. We put down landscape fabric to cut out the weeds....but amazingly, the Columbine plant survived and we have yellow columbines. Enjoy!   06/15/2011

Colorado Red is another version of the Colorado Columbine.  Typically, I haven't seen the "red" in the wild as I do in local gardens. But the combination of red and yellow is divine: It is amazing how prolific these flower are in Colorado.  I was so delighted to see them reappear in my scraped off garden.  They will be a prominent feature in the future. 06/15/2011

Colorado is famous for the beautiful Blue Columbine which grows wild in the foothills and mountains of the Rockies. Several years ago, my husband and I gutted out old backyard (previous owners) and started from scratch. We only salvaged a couple of pine trees and a lilac bush as well as a forsythia.  Much to our surprise, the columbine reappeared and has flourished. 06/15/2011