Vessel in Berkeley

If your day needs some inspiration, or if you need an object to "jones" over, Vessel is the store. Lonnie Lee is an artist and the owner of Vessel. She strives to provide well designed jewelery, home accessories, furniture and personal items. Many items in her boutique are handmade by local artists.

Vessel for Home and You is located at 3026 Ashby Ave in Berkeley;(across the street from my office, Prudential Claremont) I often walk over to visit Lonnie and her shop full of fabulous wares. Click here for Vessel Online.

* Vessel is also an art gallery the photo of "Two Hearts", an acrylic I purchased at Vessel.

Mosaic Glass Tiles, Trendy or Timeless?

It seems like glass mosaic tiles are everywhere, in most of my design magazines, in the style section of the newspaper and now at Costco. You can't deny their beauty, the way they reflect light, and their texture, but are they a fad or will they endure? I love granite countertops, but it seems like granite has become so mass produced that it is losing it's allure. Will glass mosaics become what granite has become?

One of the problems that I have with design is that homeowners clad their homes with the latest trends and/or cheap thrills that don't match their homes architecture or the original design. I have seen many homes that should have modest clean finishes, but instead they are studded with over the top materials that belong in a villa.

I love natural and organic materials including granite and glass mosaic tiles, I feel that homeowners need to keep in mind the era and design of their homes when they chose their finishes. Glass mosaics look great in moderation, and with anything quality makes a difference.

My clients Mark and Alex who just purchased a contempary condo in the Piedmont Avenue area of Oakland installed glass mosaics in their bathroom, they did it themselves with glass tiles they bought online at CoolTiles.com, even though many designers suggest you use a professional glass tile installer, they had great success. (They have exquisite taste and they are advid do-it-yourselfers)

Let me know what you think, are glass tiles trendy? 

Carnaval SF 2007

Thanks Portsha! Portsha Jefferson is a dancer, teacher and artistic director for Tou Limen, Afro Haitian Dance Company. Portsha teaches dance at the Redwood Heights Recreation Center to children 7 years old and up, and all over the Oakland area. As a way to expose her students to the beauty and wealth of the Latin and Caribbean cultures, she includes her students in the Haiti float for Carnaval SF.

Today, despite the overcast weather, the streets in the Mission District in San Francisco were shining as Portsha, Tou Limen Dance Company including the girls from Redwood Heights Elementary School and dozens and dozens of other floats graced the streets.

*photos of Nia and Miles Joyner and Portsha and Nia

The Dimond District is getting Polished!

Coming Soon! The Dimond District is getting Polished!

La Farine and Peets Coffee are coming to the Dimond District! The Bay Area's own Peet's Coffee will open soon in the Dimond District, across the street from Farmer Joe's, applications are being accepted now.

I just corresponded with La Farine Bakery on College Avenue, and they are set to start construction for their new location in the Dimond District next week! La Farine is a French Bakery that has been an Oakland and Berkeley area favorite for 29 years. La Farine is famous for fine cakes, tarts and wedding cakes. Visit La Farine at www.LaFarine.com

Oakland

Oakland, founded in 1852, is the eighth-largest city in California. It lies on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay, nestled against the Berkeley Hills and bordering five of the East Bay Regional Parks. To Oakland's north is Berkeley, home to the renowned University of California, Berkeley, and to its west across the Bay Bridge is San Francisco. Oakland is located in the San Francisco Bay Area, the sixth most populated metropolitan area in the United States. The Bay Area has a population of over 7 million. As of 2007, Oakland's population was 415,492,[1] making it the third-largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area, after San Jose and San Francisco. Major employers in Oakland include the local, state, and federal governments, United States Postal Service, the Port of Oakland and carriers associated with the port, regional transportation and utility authorities, Kaiser Permanente (health care), Clorox, Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream, Ask.com and commercial bakeries.

Information from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland,_California

Even Die Hard "Do It Yourselfers" Hire Realtors

Why Even Die Hard
“Do It Yourselfers”
Hire Realtors Real estate transactions involve one of the biggest financial investments most people experience in their lifetime. Transactions in the Bay Area today usually exceed $500,000. If you had a $500,000 income tax problem, would you attempt to deal with it without the help of a CPA? If you had a $500,000 legal question, would you deal with it without the help of an attorney? Considering the small upside cost and the large downside risk, it would be risky to consider a deal in real estate without the professional assistance of a Realtor. But if you're still not convinced of the value of a Realtor here are a few more reasons to use one:
1. Your Realtor provides due diligence during the evaluation of the property. Depending on the area and property, this could include inspections for termites, dry rot, asbestos, faulty structure, roof condition, septic tank and well tests, just to name a few. Your Realtor can assist you in finding qualified responsible professionals to do most of these investigations and provide you with written reports. You will also want to see a preliminary report on the title of the property.
2. When selling your home, your Realtor can give you up-to-date information on what is happening in the marketplace and the price, financing, terms and condition of competing properties. These are key factors in getting your property sold at the best price, quickly and with minimum hassle.
3. Often, your realtor can recommend repairs or cosmetic work that will significantly enhance the salability of your property. Your Realtor markets your property to other real estate agents and the public. In many markets across the country, over 50% of real estate sales are cooperative sales; that is, a real estate agent other than yours brings in the buyer.
4. Your Realtor will know when, where and how to advertise your property. There is a misconception that advertising sells real estate. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® studies show that 82% of real estate sales are the result of agent contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, family and personal contacts. When a property is marketed with the help of your Realtor, you do not have to allow strangers into your home. Your Realtor will generally prescreen and accompany qualified prospects through your property.
5. Your Realtor can help close the sale of your home. Between the initial sales agreement and closing (or settlement), questions may arise. For example, unexpected repairs are required to obtain financing or a cloud in the title is discovered. The required paperwork alone is overwhelming for most sellers. Your Realtor is the best person to objectively help you resolve these issues and move the transaction to closing (or settlement).

Shop Oakland

Why should we shop Oakland? With no department stores except Sears and all of the shops I grew up with gone, Capwells, I Magnin, Little Daisy, and more it is hard to keep our retail dollars here in Oakland. As the "ultimate consumer", I yearned for more. In the past few years I have had a ray of hope with new boutiques opening up. The Lakeshore District has: Glow, a place for urban attire and jeans, Maribel a discriminating hangout for new and used designer apparel and accessories and Urban Indigo a shop filled with treasures for gifts, jewelry and the home. These are just a few of the many independent business that now call Oakland home.

It is important to shop Oakland to keep our tax dollars in our city and to keep these independent businesses open. Oakland is conducting a survey to attract more retail and to enhance our shopping experience. Take a moment to complete the survey, at www.ShopOakland.com/Survey and for news about retail in Oakland go to www.ShopOakland.com .

Multiple Offers in a Softer Market

Last Summer I had the pleasure of selling an adorable bungalow in the Melrose District of Oakland. The following is a letter of recommendation from the sellers.

Dear Deidre,

We want to express our sincere appreciation and admiration for the work you did in selling our property. We found that we were constantly amazed and pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm and professionalism that you showed throughout the entire in process. We did not think we would find someone even more conscientious than ourselves, and are still thankful that we found you. Even before we decided to sell our property you provided us with information that helped us to make a sound decision. Once we asked you to be our agent, you were available with affordable and effective marketing ideas as well as cost-effective contractors for various repairs. You even served as “project manager” for some of the work, and kept us informed about the sales status every step of the way. You were simply fantastic!

As you know, we have recommended you to friends who have let us know that you were every bit as generous and competent in helping them. We will continue to do so, but also want to extend our willingness to serve as a reference to anyone considering working with you. We wish to confirm your skills and your commitment.

Thanks for your invaluable help and guidance. - John and Elizabeth

Homeowner sells with ease

Website: Berkeley Parent Network-http://parents.berkeley.edu/ This web site contains thousands of pages of recommendations and advice contributed by members of the Berkeley Parents Network, a free parent-to-parent email network for the community of parents in the Berkeley, California area. Formerly called "UCB Parents", this network is run by a group of volunteer parents in their "spare" time. Many busy parents have taken the time to give their suggestions, their wisdom, and their experiences. Check out BPN for advice from schools to repair specialists.

Recently, I sold 50 Emery Bay Drive in Emeryville. I was happily surprised to see that my clients recommended me on the Berkeley Parents Network! I feel honored to be mentioned on BPN, as all recommendations come from people who live in our community who feel compelled to share a great experience.

Here is what my sellers had to say: " I wholeheartedly recommend Deidre Joyner with Prudential. She just sold our house with great success! (Multiple offers in less than a week, sold over asking, etc...) She is an Oakland resident so she knows the market very well. Check out her website (www.deidrejoyner.com) and call her at 510.835.6180. She does everything to sell your house. "

Oakland's Hotspot for Mexican Bites

In 1991 I graduated from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. I went on to manage restaurants for the next 13 years. In 1995, I was hired on at Neiman Marcus where I spent 9 years as one of the managers for their three restaurants in Union Square. There, I met my dear friend Diana Parker, the general manager of food service.

Since I left Neiman's, Diana and I try to meet once a month to hang out and try a new restaurant. The other day we tried, Tamarindo Antojeria Mexicana.

Nestled in Old Oakland at 468 8th Street is this gem of a restaurant. Visually this small establishment had me hooked once I entered. The exposed brick and the warm colored walls, the solid wood tables and the beautiful Mexican angels sitting over the kitchen area.

We were immediately served water (without having to ask) and our waitress, Norma, was friendly and helpful. Being the foodies that we are, Diana and I ordered half of the menu to try everything that caught our eye. The guacamole was flavorful and fresh, the tortilla chips were the best house-made I’ve had, and the Queso Fundido, (melted oaxacan cheese, with chorizo sausage and hand made tortillas) was decadent. Try the Sopecitos Surtidos, (small masa patties topped with various savories) and Tacos de Camaron, (crispy prawn tacos).

We were too full to sample their flan or Mexican hot chocolate, but were happy to have an old fashion Bubble Up in the bottle.

I am so happy to have restaurants like Tamarindo in Oakland. It is so nice to have a delicious meal minutes away from the office and home!

Tamarindo Antojeria Mexicano is open for Lunch and Dinner Monday – Friday and for Brunch and Dinner on Saturday. You can contact them at 510.444.1944 or at www.tamarindoantojeria.com.