Ode to Potato Chips

My husband has been on a potato chip buying binge lately which has put me on a potato chip eating binge lately. He came home this weekend with a smile saying "I got a large bag this time" and I joked back "Only one?" So he goes out and buys a second bag.

I've learned I really like potato chips with my morning yogurt. It's a sweet and salty thing. But I also like them alone, especially when a client whines about another showing to clean up for. Come to think of it, they are good when a client bellyaches about no showings. And when I'm grumbling about no sales, it's usually with potato chip breath. And when I have lots of sales in the works, I can take the whole bag with me and enjoy them for lunch and dinner in between home inspections and meeting appraisers.

But today, there is no real estate on the agenda. I had to cancel all my appointments to go shopping for a new wardrobe. It seems nothing fits me anymore.

Breakfast in Rochester

I recently asked my buddies on Facebook where to go for the best breakfast in Rochester.  The recommendations came in fast and furious and so I decided to check out some of the recommendations.  

This morning I headed just a few block from where I live to the South Wedge Diner, located at 880 S. Clinton Ave.  It was a rainy, dreary day in Rochester and a warm breakfast just seemed a good way to break the mood.  There was a nice sized crowd there (although many had left by the time I took the photo) but the place is big enough that it didn't feel crowded or noisy.  And lots of windows let in natural light, even though it was dreary outside.

Friends had suggested their omelets and so I went for it!  I had a spinach, tomato & cheddar cheese omelet and it was outstanding.    

South Wedge diner opens at 7 am seven days a week but on Sunday's their menu is limited to breakfast food.  If today's meal was typical, I'll be back.

Student Housing in the White Coat Neighborhood

Last week it was 70 degrees out and today there is more than 2 feet of snow on the ground.  That is typical March in Rochester, NY.  And while the weather is not predictable, one thing you can count on..... a new crop of smart, young doctors canvassing the Rochester area looking for a place to live while they complete their residency at the Strong Medical Center.

Many of them end up in the Rochester's White Coat Village, which is named for the many medical professionals that choose to live there to be close enough to walk to the University of Rochester Medical Center.

Besides being close to the hospital, this neighborhood is bordered to the south by the Erie Canal that features a great walking and biking path and is less than a mile to City Gate, a brand new shopping and dining center.  To the west, there is the Genesee River that boast the River Walk Trail that offers a biking and walking trail to the north through downtown Rochester, past several gorgeous waterfalls and ends up at Lake Ontario.  Across the River is the Genesee Waterways Center that offers canoe and kayak rentals.  

Just north of the neighborhood is College Town, a mixed use district with loft apartments, fine dining, puts and shopping.  During the summer months, College Town provides free live concerts and outdoor movies.

Also close by are two beautiful parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.  To the west, Genesee Valley Park has two golf courses, soccer fields, baseball diamonds and picnic shelters.  Highland Park, located to the east, is home to more than 1,200 lilac bushes, plus Warner Castle with a sunken garden and Lamberton Conservatory.  

With so much to do, it is no wonder that the White Coat Neighborhood is a very popular place to live.  There is great demand on the local real estate market.  For more information about living in the White Coat Village, contact Mary Shelsby with ReMax Realty Group at 585-414-5513.

Happy New Year Rochester

What Attracts Me to Rochester

I came to Rochester in 1988 for a job, but there are many things that keep me here:

R for Redwings, Rhinos, Amerks, Razor Sharks, Knighthawks, Flash and the Raiders. We love our sports!

O for Olmsted designed parks, such as Highland Park, Genesee Valley Park, Seneca Park, Maplewood Park, plus the smaller Jones Square and Brown Square.

C for Cultural Activities including the RPO, Broadway Theater League, GEVA Theater, Garth Fagan, the Memorial Art Gallery as well as top-class art festivals throughout the summer.

H for Housing Stock. Rochester features beautiful homes and is one of the most affordable cities in North America.

E for Easy Commutes. You can get from one end of town to the other in 15 minutes flat. Literally! 

S for Summer. Nowhere else has more comfortable summers than Rochester. July, the warmest month, has an average high of 81 comfortable degrees.

T for Tourist Attractions second to none, such as Strong Museum of Play, George Eastman House, Xerox Jazz Festival, ArtWalk, Genesee Country Village and the Susan B. Anthony Museum and House.

E for the Erie Canal, the Genesee River, Lake Ontario, Irondequoit Bay and the beautiful Finger Lakes. All beautiful waterways that weave through our region.

R for Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Rochester, plus several first rate smaller colleges such as St. John Fisher College, Nazareth College and Roberts Weslyen College all contributing to the area being recognized as an international center of higher education.

12 Days of Christmas - Real Estate Style

On the twelfth day of Christmas
My Realtor® sent to me:
Twelve Offers Coming!!!
Eleven Ads Hyping
Ten Inspectors Weeping
Nine Buyers Prancing
Eight Contractors Bilking
Seven Appraisers Slimming
Six Prayers for Saying
Five Feedback Stings
Four Falling Hopes
Three Staging Friends
Two Cleaning Gloves
And a Hefty Price Reduction Plea.

There are days when I feel like I make a living torturing people and so I had such fun putting this together.  Best wishes to you and yours for a safe and happy holiday season.  May all your real estate dealings go smoothly! 

Seven Free (and Cool) Things to Do in Rochester

It's the time of the year to count blessings and give thanks.  I have a great family, wonderful friends, awesome clients, good health and much, much more to be thankful for.  I'm also thankful for my adoptive hometown, Rochester, NY, and all that it offers.  Following are a few of my favorite things to do within city limits that are perfectly free.  Free is good, right?

1.   Warner Castle & Sunken Garden.  It's pretty cool that Rochester has a  replica Scottish Castle right off Mt. Hope Avenue, that is open to the public Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9 till 4, free of charge.  But even cooler, is the sunken garden located behind the castle that is available to view 7 days a week.   Somewhat of a hidden gem, it is not unusual to find yourself all alone in the garden.  (5 Castle Park, Rochester, NY  14620)

2.  Gardens at the George Eastman Museum.  While there is an admission fee to tour the museum that was the home of George Eastman, the founder of Eastman Kodak Company, much of the grounds and gardens are open to the public and they are gorgeous.   (900 East Avenue, Rochester, NY  14607)

3.  Turning Point Park.  While Rochester has many awesome parks, one of my favorites is Turning Point, mostly because it is so easy to forget that you are right smack in the middle of the city while you are there.  Located in the Charlotte neighborhood, it features 275 wooded acres along the Genesee River.  The boardwalk extends over the River and provides a great hiking and biking trail.  (260 Boxard Street, Rochester, NY  14612)

4.  Mount Hope Cemetery.  Yes, people are buried there but Mt Hope is so much more than a cemetery.  It features 196 acres of glacial hills and valleys, decorated with beautiful monuments and mausoleums.  It is thought of more as a peaceful park and it is not unusual to see people walking, bird-watching, biking or running along the trails.  Occasionally, there are even organized runs through the cemetery.   The cemetery is open 7 days a week, 7:30 am to sunset and visitors are asked to be respectful of services or individuals visiting loved ones.  (1133 Mount Hope Avenue, Rochester, NY  14620)

5.   Maplewood Rose Garden.  The rose garden features more than 3,000 rose bushes, and it is purely heaven to visit in the summer.  There are other flowers that bloom outside of the rose season, but nothing beats the blooming rose garden.  (Lake Avenue & Driving Park Avenue, Rochester, NY  14613)

6.  Charlotte Pier.  A perfect spot to catch a sunrise or sunset over Lake Ontario, the
Charlotte Pier is also great for a walk on a warm summer day.  In winter, it is often encased in ice and while beautiful, very dangerous to walk.  The pier is also popular for fisherman.  It is located in Ontario Beach Park, which has sandy beaches, beautiful gazebos and plenty of picnic tables.  (4650 Lake Ave, Rochester, NY  14612.)

7.  High Falls District.  Of course, the waterfall of High Falls is the main attraction but there is so much more to see in this historic part of the city.  The Pont De Rennes walking bridge provides gorgeous views of the falls.  The Center at High Falls is an interactive museum and welcome center that is open free of charge, June through August 11 am to 4 except Tuesdays and weekends in the spring and fall.  There are also factory ruins and remains from Rochester's milling past.  The area is lush with park benches and even picnic tables.  (60 Browns Race, Rochester, NY  14614.)

Did I forget to mention your favorite free thing to do in Rochester?  If so, please don't hesitate to share within a comment.  Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving.

One Nation Under God

There have been so many surprises over the past few months in relation to the national election. Surprises about missing e-mails and missing tax returns.  Surprises about locker room talk and board room speeches.  But more surprising than the sparring between the two candidates, is the anger and divide among the citizens of this great country.  So much name-calling and spreading of untrue stories to shame the opposing candidate.  Such hatred makes me so sad.

But perhaps the greatest surprise to me is the number of people that said they were not going to vote.  They didn't like either candidate and therefore either were not going to polls or just not going to pull a lever in the presidential race.  Or they were going to write in "Mickey Mouse" or some other ridiculous candidates That too made me very sad.

I set my alarm for 5 a.m. this morning and I was the first in line when the polls opened in my neighborhood.  Then I did something I really don't enjoy doing.  I took a selfie of myself with  my "I Voted" sticker and posted it for the world to see.  And I urged people to go vote.  Damn-it, too many young Americans have laid their lives on the line to preserve our democracy for grown Americans not to take this privilege and responsibility very seriously.  As I write this, there are still two hour before the polls close and if you've not voted, please do it and do it seriously.

All the surprises today were not bad surprises.  I also wandered over to Mt Hope Cemetery where Susan B. Anthony  is buried.  Me and thousands of others.  What a heart-warming experience as many women and a few men stood in line for up to two hours to put their "I voted" sticker on SBA's tombstone.  Thank you Susan for fighting for our right to vote and today we had the opportunity to vote for a woman as the President of the United States of America.  I never thought this would happen in my lifetime.

God bless America and help us heal.