Residential Longings

On First Hill

Mon, 8 Mar 2010 17:07:54 -0800

Out for an afternoon stroll earlier, I came across an old acquaintance, Molly; she was out strolling, too. And she had brought along her man Andrew. Here they are in front of their home at the Gainsborough on First HIll.

So much cuteness.

Oscar Pays A Visit

Sun, 7 Mar 2010 21:33:39 -0800

During the rest of the year, Oscar resides in a dignified though folded-up position in my storage locker. Today, though, I busted him out for a petite Oscar party at my place. This mainly consisted of very delicious Moet and Chandon and house made popcorn. I thought about donning my formal gown, but realized I looked pretty good for the venue and the crowd. What fun it all is, red carpet, Barbara Walters, et al.

Tonight, Six O’Clock

Sat, 6 Mar 2010 23:54:24 -0800

And we haven’t even begun Daylight Saving Time. One more week. Then this will be what
seven o’clock at night looks like.

Visiting The Books

Fri, 5 Mar 2010 19:55:50 -0800

Being at the book store makes my heart beat faster. So many possibilities! And I love it when things are alphabetized. It’s somehow really reassuring, isn’t it?

Fifth Floor Penthouse

Thu, 4 Mar 2010 23:00:12 -0800

In my building, the fifth floor is the top floor, thus, by all that is deemed proper and of accepted real estate parlance, here we are, a bunch of us girls, dining tonight in the penthouse at 1805 Bellevue.

We know during our entire visit that we are really lucky. It’s just one of those places in the world.

And this was before we heard astonishing stories.

Over cracked crab.

I believe that at the end of life we will be glad to have collected as many of these penthouse moments as possible.

In Bloom

Wed, 3 Mar 2010 22:56:49 -0800

I need to plant some color in the containers on my patio and down in my own little yard, but in the meantime, I am really grateful so much is blooming and in color right now, all over the place!

And also? There was still a little light in the sky right before seven p.m. this evening.

This is such a hopeful time of year.

Rush Hour

Tue, 2 Mar 2010 20:29:35 -0800

So I found myself at the Zig Zag bar when this evening began, sitting next to two sleekly beautiful young women visiting from Manhattan. They were curious, what is it like to live here? That was right after they assumed I must be from someplace else and seemed surprised when I said, “Why, I’m from Seattle.”

I still haven’t figured out why they had this wrong impression. A compliment? A slight? Camaraderie? Something to do with the dim lighting and the prescription strength cocktails?

Nevertheless, I felt like I was in a good position to say, dining! theater! music! the lush and wild and breathtaking Pacific Northwest!

Oh, and pretty darned mild 58 degree days in the winter time. Not snow. Just to emphasize.

I’m a booster.

Then one of these women said she was considering moving here and had been looking at property in Bothell, Kirkland, Renton. I said, “Oh dear, no, no, no.” And I gave her my card. I said, If you live in Seattle, you have to LIVE in Seattle. In a neighborhood. We have so many good ones!

I suggested she pick a neighborhood close to downtown (where a girl can easily walk right down Pine Street, for instance, and find herself in the always enchanting Pike Place Market). My gosh. Especially if you are coming from a big place like Manhattan.

Between the intoxicating charisma of the Zig Zag bar and the emphatic insistence of the local lady sitting next to them, I hope these women never again think of Seattle as Bothell, Kirkland, or Renton.

Sugar Shack

Mon, 1 Mar 2010 16:55:03 -0800

Though I’m not sure about where exactly is the sweet, this house from today’s Monday morning tour has been dubbed by some in my office as the Sugar Shack.

It really is a house, has always been a house, and a surfer lives here.

You will able to buy it for much less than $200,000 one day soon.

So that’s pretty sweet, I guess.

Plus, sometimes it’s diverting to imagine another life different from than the one you have.

Open House Greeter

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 20:21:29 -0800

Since Olive the Dog is such a gracious greeter, she makes people feel very welcome at an open house. Today, at 710 35th Avenue in Madrona, Olive got up to say hello to every one of the two dozen people who came through the door, which really takes the pressure off me. I get to let Olive be the charming one.

She made friends with and sidled right on up to this darling teen-aged girl who sat and waited near the front door while her father looked at the house.

And she finagled treats from the pocket of Jack Saver’s fourth grade teacher, the awesome Ann Gilpin.

I was very excited when one of the visitors offered to take a photo of me with my dog. When you are the girl with the camera, you hardly ever get photographed.

I told Olive that she has a job as my official greeter from now on and for as long as she wants it.

At Home On The Ice

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:57:10 -0800

Apolo Ohno gets my vote for most compelling Olympian at the 2010 Winter Olympics. I think any of the sports performed on ice are simply breathtaking. Except maybe curling. Not to demean curling. I know it’s popular in some quarters.

Oh, but SIGH. Apolo Ohno. Magnificent.

Her Majesty In Madrona

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:56:03 -0800

Special in every way! Like a queen, this 1907 landmark is enthroned on a high peak of the neighborhood for sweeping outlooks over Lake Washington.

Regally preserved with antique elegance.

Modernized to perfection.

Sited on two city lots, lots of wonderful living space, inside and out.

Enjoy a rare opportunity to view this stunning residence on Sunday, February 28th, 2-4 p.m.

710 35th Avenue, Seattle
Offered at $3,450,000
Five bedrooms, three and a half baths, four fireplaces
6700 interior square feet on a 12,720 square foot lot (two tax parcels)

For more info and photos: mls#27737

Right At Home

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:31:50 -0800

I didn’t used to let her, but recently Olive has been taking over this corner of the couch. She does always ask before climbing up, so at least she has maintained her lady-like manners. Somewhat.

Hot

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:56:24 -0800

Last year at this time I was visiting our 50th state where it is hot most all the time. Because of the weather app on my iPhone, I see that this is so, day after eighty degree day. Aw, but it doesn’t matter much. We are having a mild season and the Olympics are on t.v. every night! Winter.

When Home Was Once A School

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:57:18 -0800

Marvin Durning likes to tell a story about meeting me once to look at an apartment at the historic Queen Anne school and how enchanted he was that I brought along my little three year old and my six month old baby for the showing. I was new at my job and young and I must have had no choice but to bring along my boys, so wasn’t it lucky how it made us all friends for life? Real estate has been generous to me that way.

Anyway, whenever I visit the Queen Anne School, I first think of this long ago moment. And then I am usually struck by how beautiful it always is here. The impeccably kept grounds encompass an entire city block with the Romanesque-style building its magnificent centerpiece. I cannot think of another condominium in all of Seattle with such an impressive setting, except for maybe the nearby Victoria on Highland Drive. But the Queen Anne School sits notably higher up.

Because of all my fondness for this building, I like to see the distinctive - idiosyncratic sometimes, large units when they are offered for sale. I once was in the gymnasium; what an experience! So today I went to the brokers open for a two bedroom penthouse unit (on the fourth floor) priced at $925,000.

I was excited when I walked in and realized it was not a unit I had ever seen, perched on the southeast corner of the building with good light and such pretty downtown and Puget Sound views.

This lofted space includes more than 1800 square feet, two bedroom suites, scads of custom cabinetry, and a balcony where one can gaze upon the quintessential south slope panorama.

Being here is a little like being left to roam your grandparents’ attic, if your grandparents happened to be the grandparents in a Nancy Meyers movie. Such elegance in the eaves!

1401 Fifth Avenue West #412, Queen Anne, Seattle.
Two Bedrooms, Two and a Half Baths, Parking for Two Cars plus Storage,
One Year Prepaid Condo Dues.
Asking Price: $925,000.

For more info and photos: mls#7848.

Monday Morning Marathon II

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:20:25 -0800

Another one! And this one exceeded the last long Monday tour by two more properties, which means we drove hither and yon this morning to see seven homes from Queen Anne Park to Hayes Park to West Seattle and back to Capitol HIll.

Two striking things: the house shown above backs right up to the next home we toured - over the fence neighbors! -weird and crazily coincidental; and, except for the home in Queen Anne Park, all of other six properties we saw were priced in the $300,000’s. Three little houses, three one bedroom condos. Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo.

We said, as we drove from place to place, Remember when we told buyers: There just aren’t any homes anymore priced in the $300,000’s?

Well then. Now there are.

Face to Face

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 22:13:24 -0800

As seen at Marymoor Park off leash dog park this morning where dogs have forty acres of room to roam and the Sammamish Slough for swimming. A really glorious place to be a dog. Or a dog owner.