Safety Tips for Adults and Children

By: Tammy Sue Roberts

- This is just a fact of life now. Get on the internet and check your local state website for sex offenders. Almost every state has one, just do a search for your state sex offender site. Look up your zip code and it should have a list of registered offenders in your area that includes street addresses. Make sure that your kids stay away from these houses!

- Know the route your kids will be taking if you aren’t going with them. Check in with you every hour, by phone or by stopping back at home

- Trick or treating isn’t what it used to be. In most cities it’s not safe to let kids walk the streets by themselves. Your best bet is to make sure that an adult is going with them. If you can’t take them yourself, see if another parent or two

-Help your young child pick out or make a costume that will be safe. Make sure that it’s fire proof or treated with fire retardant.

- Know what other activities a child may be attending, such as parties, school or mall functions. If they are going to be at a friends home, get the phone number and make sure that you’ve met the parents.

- Make sure you set a time that your kids should be home by. Make sure they know how important it is for them to be home on time or to call immediately if something happens and they are going to be delayed.

- Kids will be kids. Explain to kids of all ages the difference between tricks and vandalism. Throwing eggs at a house may seem funny but they need to know the other side of the coin as well, that clean up and damages can ruin Halloween for everyone. If they are caught vandalizing, make them clean up the mess they’ve made.

- Some sick people find Halloween a great night to hurt cats. Explain to your kids that animal cruelty of any kind is not acceptable. Kids may already know this on their own but stress the point that it’s not acceptable behavior. Make sure that they know that harming animals is not only morally wrong  but punishable by law and will not be tolerated.

- Serve your kids a filling meal before trick or treating and they won’t be as tempted to eat any candy before they bring it home for you to check. Check your local grocery store or craft store for Halloween cook books full of tasty treats on a horror theme for both kids and adults.

- Make sure that if your child is carrying a prop, such as a scythe, butcher knife or a pitchfork, that the tips are smooth and flexible enough to not cause injury if fallen on. Make sure that costumes won’t get in the way when they are walking, which could cause them to trip.

- Teach your kids about not getting into strangers cars or talking to strangers, no matter what the person says to them. Explain to them as simply as you can that some adults are bad and want to hurt children, that they should never go into a house that they don’t know, get into a car or go anywhere with a stranger. Also, tell them what to do should this happen, to scream as loud as they can to draw attention and to run away as fast as they can to someplace safe.

Be sure to show your children know how to cross a street properly. They should always look both ways before crossing the street and should only cross at corners or crosswalks. Make sure that if you have more than one child, they know to take the hand of the younger child when they cross a street.

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

tammysueroberts

Couple ideas for a fun Halloween

By: Serena Scott Thomas

I don’t know about you but I am so tired of all this Halloween hype.  I know my 13 yr. old daughter still loves it, but frankly I can live without wasting money on costumes whose only scary feature is how attractive they might be to sexual predators and the oh-so-inevitable thumping sugar hangover.

I always enforce a large healthy dinner of Shepherd’s Pie and steamed broccolini, which coats the stomach with a thick layer of good carbs and dulls the appetite before the sugar frenzy begins.  Other effective strategies to lessen the pain of this seasonal excess are from one of my favorite websites,  Recyclebank, which offers intriguing ways to make your Halloween a more financially and environmentally savvy holiday.  Use these tips to jump-start your imagination.

Make “spider webs” with pillow stuffing. Those “cobwebs” that are sold in Halloween shops are pretty much the same as the fiberfill or cotton stuffed in throw pillows, quilts, and plush toys. If you’ve got a throw pillow that’s worse for the wear, rip it open and use wisps of the cotton batting as cobwebs to cover furniture or to stretch over the corners of windows.
Find some naturally spooky decorations outside. Take a walk in the park and raid the farm stand for creepy-looking dead branches, pumpkins and gourds. You might also use old clothes and some straw to make your own scarecrow — the head could be a pumpkin or a white pillowcase with a creepy face drawn on with fabric markers.

Make some Halloween crafts out of trash. Cut up egg cartons to make bats, make a witch out of a plastic spoon, or use decoupage or paints to decorate a cleaned plastic food container, like a large yogurt container or a gallon milk jug with the top cut off, for a trick-or-treat candy dish.

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

Daylight Saving Time is coming to an end

By: Karen Lee

On Sunday, November 7, 2010 at 2 a.m., Daylight Saving Time ends in Calabasas. Each Fall we move our clocks back one hour and “gain” and extra hour. So, it gets lighter earlier and darker earlier. We “Fall back” at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in November by setting our clock back one hour and thus returning to Standard Time. Don’t forget.

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

Karen Lee

Karen Lee, estate agent at Ewing & Associates Sotheby's International Realty, specializes in representing estate properties throughout the Greater West Valley area including Woodland Hills, Calabasas, West Hills, Agoura and Tarzana.

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Healthy Options near Calabasas

By: Tammy Sue Roberts

Who hasn’t unwrapped a sandwich while driving down the highway or pulled a hard U-turn into a fast-food joint on the way home from a late meeting or soccer game? We practically live in our cars, so we need quick food, and please, we’d like it to be healthy.

Well, guess what: We surveyed the nation’s 100 largest fast-food chains, as defined by the number of locations, and found many are creating menus that look more and more like what we’d cook ourselves (if we had the time)—from nutritious soups and healthy salads to fresh whole grains and sensible desserts. Even better: They’re offering good-news Mexican, Asian, and Mediterranean fare.

Using criteria that was created with the help of our expert panel, we scored the chains on such factors as the use of healthy fats and preparations, healthy sodium counts in entrees, availability of nutritional information, and the use of organic produce to determine the 10 highest-ranking restaurants.

One big surprise: A traditional fast-food chain, McDonald’s, cracked our top 10. Sure, it’s the home of the Big Mac, but did you know it also serves a mean yogurt-and-granola parfait? Here, the standouts that are making grabbed food healthy food.

1. Panera Bread
Over 1,230 locations nationwide (and in Canada)

This bakery-cafe-based eatery wowed our judges with a comprehensive menu of healthy choices for every meal. “Variety makes it easy for everyone to choose healthy,” praises registered dietitian and panelist Marisa Moore. What does that mean for you? For starters, you can pick from two whole-grain breads for your sandwich and have an apple with it instead of chips (though the chips are fine, too—they can be baked!). Half-size soups, salads, and sandwiches make it a cinch to control portion size. Also, most of the chicken is antibiotic- and hormone-free, a rarity for large chains.

Panera also won top honors for kid fare, dishing out RD-approved crowd-pleasers like squeezable organic yogurt, PB&J (with all-natural peanut butter), and grilled organic cheese on white whole-grain bread.

We love: Delicious, nutrient-packed combos like a half–Turkey Artichoke on focaccia bread with a bowl of black bean or garden vegetable soup.
Danger zone: Sticky buns and cheese danishes are on display at the counter.

Health.com: The 50 fattiest foods in the states

2. Jason’s Deli
206 locations in the West, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, South

How did this up-and-comer snag second place? Largely because of its devotion to organic food: About one-fifth of all its ingredients are organic, from blue-corn tortilla chips and whole-wheat wraps to field greens and spinach. Plus, its creative salads—like the Nutty Mixed-Up Salad with organic field greens, grapes, chicken breast, feta cheese, walnuts, dried cranberries, pumpkinseeds, raisins, and organic apples—make you actually want to order the greens.

Our judges applauded the portion-control option: Reduced sizes of, say, a stuffed baked potato, are $1 less. Jason’s menu also highlights ultrahealthy sandwiches and provides the nutitional info.

We love: Being able to build any sandwich on an organic whole-wheat wrap.
Danger zone: High-sodium counts on some sandwiches; if sodium is a concern, stick to the ultrahealthy choices.

3. Au Bon Pain
280 locations nationwide

A pioneer in healthy fast food, Au Bon Pain serves up sandwiches, soups, salads, and hot entrees made with whole grains, veggies, and hormone-free chicken.

New this year: Portions, a 14-item menu of nutritious small plates—from appetizers like apples, blue cheese, and cranberries to salads like chickpea and tomato—all of which are less than 200 calories. Another impressive feature: Au Bon Pain provides on-site nutritional information via computer kiosks, so before you even order you know each option’s calories, fat, and sodium. “It’s a great way to empower customers,” praises judge Amy Jamieson-Petonic.

We love: Yummy low-cal soups, from Jamaican Black Bean to Fire Roasted Exotic Grains and Vegetables.
Danger zone: The sodium counts can get high if you don’t pay attention.

Health.com: 25 diet-busting foods you should never eat

4. Noodles and Company
204 locations in West, Midwest, South

Noodles and Company isn’t your typical greasy Asian food-court joint. In fact, it goes beyond Asian fare and cuts out the grease (only healthy soybean oil is used in sauteing). Here, you choose from three food types: Asian, Mediterranean, or American, then within each style, pick from four noodle bowl options. Lean proteins—hormone- and antibiotic-free chicken, beef, shrimp, and organic tofu—can be added, too.

The result? Tasty combos like Japanese Pan Noodles with broccoli, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, Asian sprouts, and sauteed beef. Also key: “You don’t have to chow down on a giant bowl of noodles. You can opt for a small portion,” says judge Frances Largeman-Roth, RD, Health’s Senior Food and Nutrition Editor. The small Bangkok Curry bowl has just 250 calories.

We love: The whole-grain linguine—usually hard to find when eating out.
Danger zone: The desserts. The only options are two kinds of cookies and a Rice Krispy Treat bar that checks in at 530 calories and 19 grams of fat!

5. Corner Bakery Cafe
111 locations in West, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, South

What sets Corner Bakery apart? A fantastic breakfast menu, which is rare in the quick-serve world. We love the Farmer’s Scrambler: eggs scrambled with red and green bell peppers, red onion, mushrooms, potatoes, and Cheddar cheese. (It’s only 260 calories when ordered with egg whites.) There’s also Swiss oatmeal, a chilled European breakfast cereal made with rolled oats, green apples, bananas, currants, dried cranberries, low-fat yogurt, and skim milk.

But Corner Bakery also has healthy salads, sandwiches, and soups made with whole grains, fresh, lean meats, and vegetables, as well as great portion-controlled combinations that make limiting calories a no-brainer.

We love: Healthy oven-roasted chicken that comes on most pastas and salads.
Danger zone: You have to go to their Web site to get nutritional info.

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

tammysueroberts

Kitchen Tips for adding style

By: Tomer and Isidora Fridman

Home Depot designer Emily O’Keefe added cabinetry with period charm to this small kitchen. “Since space was tight, I went up, stacking the cabinets,” she says. “The ceilings are 11 feet high, but not every cabinet touches the ceiling — that way they look more like furniture.”

Simple Storage
Poured concrete countertops cover sleek cabinets built for storage. Design by Form Architecture + Interiors. Featured in August 2006.

High-Ceilinged Kitchen

Although this Saratoga Springs kitchen isn’t big, it has a 10-foot ceiling. Designer Nancy Boszhardt thought it would be cozier with a “strong” ceiling that would minimize its verticality. Instead of using bead board, as she did in the rest of the house, she left the boards open and added old-fashioned fixtures.

Original Charm

Designer Jay Griffith chose not to expand this Pacific Palisades kitchen, so it stayed true to the age of the original house. He used Douglas fir for floors and cabinets to get “the handmade look and feel of the originals,” and restored the yellow backsplash tiles to their 1933 condition.

Furniture That Fits in a Small Kitchen

A trio of backless bongo stools can be slipped under the counter to save space in this tight Alabama kitchen, designed by Susan Ferrier in a tranquil Alabama townhouse. “You don’t want the eye to stutter in a small space,” Ferrier said of the house’s neutral, relaxed decor. “You want it to move naturally from one thing to the next, from similar color to similar color, from shape to shape.”

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

Tomer Isidora Fridman

Students Let Loose with Comedy Sportz

By: Patte Gilbert

Recently, Patch.com posted this article regarding the Calabasas High improv team:

Stretching and running laps are common warm-ups for most sports, but for the players of Comedy Sportz practice starts with a game of verbal hot potato known as zip, zap, zop or a few rounds of zombie tag.

Every Tuesday night at Calabasas High School’s theater, the students on the improv Comedy Sportz team meet up to work on their acts.
“It not only prepares you for normal life, it prepares you for everyday situations where you need to improvise and you’re always ready for everything that’s thrown at you,” said Kyle Wasserman, a junior who’s been a part of the team for three years.

Calabasas High’s team also competes with other schools in the area and has a game coming up Friday.
Advisor Eric Wood, who started playing Comedy Sportz almost 20 years ago, believes the lessons learned in improv will carry on.
“Some of these kids will go on to be actors, improvisers and comedians and things like that, but most of them will go on to be lawyers, doctors and scientists, [and] this gives them a fresh way to think about things,” he said.

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

My Calabasas Listing

By: Steve Tipp

4070 Old Topanga Canyon Road is an amazing home.  The décor is beautiful, quite contemporary but very warm and the layout of the home is entirely functional; there is no wasted space.  The home has the unfortunate address on Old Topanga Canyon Road and that address stops some people from checking it out but the entire orientation of the home is opposite that street, even the front door is on Blue Bird Drive!  The home has a large gorgeous yard, with a lovely patio and other entertaining and play areas.  Check out the YouTube video and give me a call and we’ll go see the real thing!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1EzxIsTFtE[/youtube]

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

Steve Tipp

Agoura Hills will pay less for their permits

By: Irma Haldane

The city of Agoura Hills has passed a new energy efficiency incentive program that will cut Solar System permits by 80%. Amir Hamidzadeh explained that permit fees are usually based on the value of the project. For example, a $50,000 residential solar system costs homeowners about $1,300 in permit fees. The new program, however, will reduce the fee to $320, which included a building and safety plan review.

Businesses will benefit from the program in a couple ways as well. A $500,000 installment would have originally cost $8,000 in a permit. Permits now cost a mere $540.

In 2009, the Sierra Club conducted a survey which detailed the cost of Solar Panels in Southern California. Westlake Village charged the most with 1,389, Agoura Hills charged $1,058, Calabasas charged $658 and Hidden Hills charged $224.

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

Irma Haldane

Irma Haldane, estate agent at Ewing & Associates Sotheby's International Realty, represents buyers and sellers throughout the West San Fernando, Conejo and Simi Valleys with specialization in Agoura, Thousand Oaks, Woodland Hills, West Hills, Camarillo and Westlake Village.

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The Gyroscope Double Horse

By: Dana Olmes

This afternoon we had 2 spry gentleman enter our offices looking to make a sale. Although rather out of the ordinary, we welcomed Jordan Kirby and David Hernandez from Direct Marketing Services. They were selling helicopters. Remote control metal helicopters that perform 360 degree spins and move forward and backward. They have full police lights and charge through a USB. I admit, it was extremely hooky until I watched for a few minutes. Then I grew intrigued. People began to emerge from their offices at an alarming rate – we soon had a crowd of middle aged staffers standing around saying, “hey, that’s pretty cool.” Then Jordan hit the ceiling and the helicopter fell to the ground. Instead of showing a disturbed face, he seemed amused.

“These things are tough!” he shouted. “They are made of all metal so they basically don’t break.”

He continually crashed the copter just to make his point. We understood. It’s a good product. And kind of fun.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAR11VuYEww[/youtube]

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

“We aren’t commons, we’re the country mart.”

By: Jeff Biebuyck

Drive through Calabasas road 16 years ago and you wouldn’t recognize the place. The Common’s weren’t here, Blue Table was not yet an idea, and Dash was simply a verb akin to “sprint.” However, there was one independent restaurant operating called Cosmos Grill (http://www.cosmosgrill.com/).

Known for it’s mid priced American food with a tinge of Italian influence, Owner Marty Breverman prides himself on being one of the last independently owned restaurants in Calabasas. In an age marked by consumerism and chain restaurants, Cosmos focuses on the traditional mom and pop feel that used to be the unique draw of Calabasas.

As Cosmos has gained popularity however, it’s common to spot Katherine Heigl, the occasional Kardashian, Ozzy Ozbourne and a slue of movie and music execs. With mid priced food, classic wines, and family feel, Cosmos is one of our longest lasting local businesses in Calabasas. They are also successful caterers, thanks to their head chef, whom they refer to as “Zeek.”

Stop by Cosmos Grill for “half down Wednesday’s,” where you’ll receive half off on selected wines. And don’t forget to say hello to Marty, who has made this establishment a success for 17 years.

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

Jeff Biebuyck

Jeffery Biebuyck, Branch Manager of the Sherman Oaks Ewing & Associates Sotheby's International Realty Office, oversees all office operations, expansions, and new agent recruitment. Jeff thrives on using his talented and creative mind to help agents focus on their business and achieve success.

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