GREEN Living with Lauren

By: Lauren Rauschenberg

One part of keeping yourself healthy is keeping our planet healthy.  Here are some tips to be more responsible:

1. Natural Beauty—Our skin absorbs everything that we put on it.  Try to avoid products containing hormone-altering parabens or toxic laureth sulfates.  Use organic and toxic-free products. www.cosmeticdatabase.com

2. Onions–  Support farms that converts onion waste into renewable energy and high-quality cattle feed, providing hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings in annual electricity costs.  www.gillsonions.com

3. Organic Foods—Eat organic foods.  Foods that are free of toxins, pesticides and chemicals nourish your body.  Eat only ocean friendly seafood.  Blue Ocean Institute has an Ocean Friendly Seafood guide application for your smartphone.  This app allows you to make the right choices about seafood and to be responsible.

4. Clean Vehicles—Drive a hybrid.  Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Volvo, Honda, Lexus and Toyota are just a few of the manufacturers that offer hybrids.  www.hybridcars.com

5. Clean with Green—Use green products to clean instead of using products containing high toxicity levels that can be harmful to your health and the environment.  Use environmentally-friendly products.

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.

Lauren Rauschenberg

Lauren Rauschenberg, Estate Broker at Ewing and Associates Sotheby's International Realty, is a practicing civil litigator and emerging Realtor. With nearly 10 years of experience in real estate law and as a title company manager, Lauren discovered a broader demand for her estate expertise.

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Topanga Westfield supports breast cancer donations

By: Karen Lee

Westfield Topanga shopping center teams up with Susan G. Komen to host a “Buy it for Breast Cancer,” fundraising event going on now through May 15th. Receive 20% discounts at participating stores when you donate $50 to Susan G. Komen. The kickoff, Friday, May 6 from 4 – 6pm at the Westfield, will honor five breast cancer survivors by hosting a “Celebration of Life” event. The five survivors will be treated to a pampered day at Carlton Hair International, The Body Shop, Napoleon Perdis and Ziba Beauty.

All donations made will be matched by Westfield Topanga. Participating retailers offer the 20% discounts include: The Body Shop, California Pizza Kitchen, Charles David, Coach, GAP, Lucky Brand Jeans, Salvatore Ferragamo, Sketchers, and many more. For more information go to http://westfield.com/topanga/offers/.

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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Very excited to have Alex Nester coming to Opening Ceremonies

By: Kenny Melcombe

The opening ceremony for this years Calabasas Relay For Life will have a little extra flavor from the popular, Alex Nester. She will be sharing a few songs from her new album, Burn it Down. Alex is a Cancer survivor with an encouraging message which she will share as well. Come check her out in Calabasas on Saturday, May 14th.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOwtMRdqa8s&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

2011 Relay For Life of Calabasas CA
Saturday, May 14, 2011 9 AM at AE Wright Middle School
26 days left until Relay!

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.

Kenny Melcombe

Kenneth Melcombe, estate agent and licensed broker at Ewing & Associates Sotheby's International Realty represents buyers and sellers. He specializes in representing residential real estate properties throughout the San Fernando Valley and beyond.

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Record number of Chinese Study Abroad

By: Angela Wong

As a Realtor who specializes in Chinese buyers, I am always interested in the latest trends involving China. I recently found this interesting article on “China Daily.”

China now has the largest number of overseas students in the world, with a record 1.27 million studying abroad at the end of 2010, according to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Education.

About 285,000 of them were new students who began their overseas studies last year, up 24 percent over 2009, said the ministry.

Self-financed students now make up the largest group of those going overseas, and among more than 100 countries they selected, more than 90 percent of the students chose to study in the top 10 destinations – the United States, Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Canada, Singapore, France, Germany and Russia.

For example, at Grinnell College of Iowa State, nearly one of every 10 applicants being considered for the class of 2011 is from China, according to a New York Times report earlier this year.

For the universities, assessing these applicants’ command of English is a challenge since their parents have usually hired agents to write their application essays, experts said.

“Since China’s economy is booming, more middle-class families can afford to send their children abroad for education,” Wang Qiang, a Beijing resident who plans to send his son to study in Australia, told China Daily on Sunday.

“Even short-term overseas study experience could win my son better job opportunities here in the future,” he said.

Instead of staying abroad after finishing studies, more Chinese students choose to come back after graduation.

The shortage of high-end professionals is also posing a challenge to local governments, and an increasing number of provinces and cities in China in recent years have been designing local benefit packages to lure overseas talent.

学生出国人数创纪录

中国拥有世界上最大的留学生创纪录的127万出国留学在2010年年底，根据教育部最新统计数。
其中约285,000谁是新的学生开始了他们的海外学习，去年比2009年增长24百分之说
自费的学生现在去弥补海外的最大的群体，并在100多个国家，他们选择的，超过百分之九十的学生选择了学习的前10个目的地-美国，澳大利亚，日本，美国英国，韩国，加拿大，新加坡，法国，德国和俄罗斯。
例如，在美国爱荷华州立大学格林内尔，几乎每10个申请人之一正在考虑于2011年从中国是类，根据纽约时报的报导今年早些时候。
对于高校，评估这些申请者的英语能力是因为他们的父母通常雇请代理人来写自己的申请文书的挑战，专家说。
“由于中国的经济正在蓬勃发展，更中产阶级家庭有能力送孩子出国教育“，王强，北京居民谁计划送他的儿子去澳大利亚留学，周日告诉中国日报。
“即使短期留学的经验可以打赢未来我儿子更好的工作机会，“他说。
而不是停留在完成留学，更多的中国学生毕业后选择来了。
对高端人才短缺也构成了挑战地方政府，以及​​省，在中国城市数量不断增加，近几年一直在设计福利计划，以吸引当地的海外人才。
（来源：中国日报）

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.

angelawong

Local Teams to Participate in The 2011 Hard 9 National Classic Baseball Tournament April 18-21

By: Maggie Mayall

Three San Fernando Valley high schools are set to participate in The 2011 Hard 9 National Classic Baseball Tournament April 18-21 in Anaheim, CA. They are: Chaminade College Prep in West Hills, Chatsworth High School in Chatsworth and Bishop Alemany High School in Mission Hills.

My husband and I will be in attendance watching our 10th grade left fielder. This is our very first year attending and we are very excited to participate in watching this new level of play for our big guy.

The fun begins for the players on Saturday, April 16 at 3:00 p.m., with the annual Home Run Derby taking place at El Dorado High School field.

The 32-game tournament starts at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, April 18, at the home fields of the tournament co-hosts, Esperanza and El Dorado high schools. This High School Tournament features the #1 team in the country, Saint Francis High School from Mountain View, CA. Sixteen Teams from Arizona, California, Florida, Tennessee and Utah are set to compete, including 32 players who have committed to NCAA Division 1 programs.

All the teams will compete on the campuses of California State University, Fullerton (CSUF), Esperanza High School and El Dorado High School. The semi-final and championship games will be played at Goodwin Field at CSUF.

Here’s a look at our three local schools in the San Fernando Valley that will be participating:

• Chaminade College Prep West Hills, CA (go Eagles!)

Head Coach Frank Mutz coaches Chaminade College Prep, ranked 13th in Southern California as of 4/11/2011, for his third-year. Chaminade is currently 6-1 in the tough Mission League. Included in these six wins is a sweep against another National Classic team, Bishop Alemany. The Eagles will enter the 2011 season with eight returning starters and 14 seniors. They have 7 players committed to NCAA Division 1 programs: RHP/C Mathew Troupe (U of Arizona), RHP Michael Dingilian (Cal Poly SLO), RHP Dalton Brown (Duke University), OF Brandon Rapoport (U of Washington), INF Dylan Delaney (U of Michigan), C/OF Jason D’Andrea (UCLA), and INF Tanner Reibenspies (San Diego State Univ). The Eagles were 27-7 overall in 2010, and advanced to the CIF-SS Division II Quarter Finals. They return most of last year’s starting line-up. Pitching and defense is their strength and they plan on manufacturing the runs to remain competitive in 2011.

• Chatsworth High School Chatsworth, CA

The Chatsworth Chancellors, ranked 4^th in Southern California as of 4/11/2011, have won 3 CIF City Championships in the past 4 years. The Chancellors return 5 All–League players, and are led by Seniors Aaron Brown (Pepperdine .368 BA, 5HR, 29 RBI), Steven Karkenny (.425 BA, 2 HR, 22 RBI), Brady Conlan (.349 BA, 1 HR, 22 RBI), Christian Lopez (7-1, 2.58 ERA), and Angel Rodriguez (6-2, 2.55 ERA). Chatsworth is making its second appearance in the National Classic.

• Bishop Alemany High School Mission Hills, CA

Bishop Alemany, not ranked in the top 25 as of 4/11/2011, is coming off a 19-8 season in 2010, and a second place finish in the tough Mission League (one game behind Crespi – the 2010 National Classic Champion). The Warriors, under Head Coach Randy Thompson, return almost their entire pitching staff from 2010. Junior Ryan Paramo, the Mission League Pitcher of the Year, returns after going 7-2 last season. Junior Cody Thompson posted a 2.14 era in 6 league starts last year, earning 1st team All-Mission League honors. The offense will look to Seniors Edgar Montes (CF) and Anthony Esparza (C), as well as Junior Peter Van Gansen (SS) to provide some spark. Van Gansen was an All-CIF selection last year, and Montes and Esparza are 3-year Varsity starters.

In a press release at pr.com, The National Classic quotes tournament director Marcus Jones: “The 2011 Hard 9 National Classic will showcase some of the best baseball talent in the country, including the top team in America. Since 1990, the National Classic has been recognized across the United States as the #1 high school baseball tournament in the nation, and that continues with this year’s field.”

Also reported is that more than 250 schools from 24 states have participated in the National Classic over the years. National Classic Alumni include Major League Baseball players Alex Rodriguez, Shawn Green, Brett Tomko, Shannon Stewart, AJ Hinch, Hank Blalock and Pat Burrell, just to name a few. In its’ history, more than 300 players that participated in the National Classic have been drafted and 42 players have played in the Big Leagues.

Our first game is at 10 a.m. Monday morning against Valley Christian from San Jose, CA. They are currently 10-6 and recently beat #1 ranked St. Francis on March 22. But we have a great team and anything can happen. This “Baseball Mom” will be wearing our team colors and shouting “Way to stay alive!” “Great wheels, kid!” and “You got this!”

If we win that, we might go on to play IMG Academy, which, my son says, “is basically a school that breeds baseball players. No joke, mom.”

Whatever happens, it’s all good. I’m a baseball lover and I can’t wait for the fun to begin! I love watching those kids play. We are expecting great weather, too. Put on the sunscreen! Wear a cap!

And let’s play ball!

For ticket and schedule information, visit: www.national-classic.com.

A complete list of teams participating:

• El Dorado High School Placentia, Ca
• Esperanza High School Anaheim, CA
• IMG Pendleton Academy Bradenton, FL
• Chaminade College Prep West Hills, CA
• Christian Brothers High School Memphis, TN
• Valley Christian High School San Jose, CA
• Bishop Amat High School La Puente, CA
• Sunrise Mountain High School Peoria, AZ
• Chatsworth High School Chatsworth, CA
• Bingham High School South Jordan, UT
• Notre Dame Prep Scottsdale, AZ
• Saint Francis High School Mountain View, CA
• Cypress High School Cypress, CA
• Clovis West High School Clovis, CA
• Bishop Alemany High School Mission Hills, CA
• El Capitan High School Lakeside, CA

For a list of Southern California High School Baseball rankings, go to http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-0411-high-school-baseball-20110411,0,1337099.story. Updates every Monday.

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.

Maggie Mayall

Maggie Mayall, Realtor Associate at Ewing and Associates Sotheby's International Realty, specializes in representing residential properties in the West San Fernando Valley. A diligent Realtor and seasoned business owner, Maggie treats her clients with steadfast compassion and care.

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Hoping to draw as many as 1,200 people

By: Karen Lee

The Parks, Recreation and Education Commission voted 3-1 on Monday to recommend a Summer concert at Juan Batista De Anza Park. Planned to kickoff June 18th, the event will feature a wine garden and video game tournament.

The two brains behind the project, Voilinist Noel Webb and Mike Patterson said they wanted to feature a family event that included everyone. Webb has already lined up signer Bobby Caldwell, the well known smooth jazz artist. Thus far, the event is being called, “An Evening Under the Stars.”

For the kids who aren’t so impressed by the great Caldwell, Tournament Legacy, a video game tournament organization, will set up consoles at the park’s clubhouse to simulate a tournament like setting.

Tentatively mark your calendars Calabasas residents, this one should be fun.

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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Wonder where your Calabasas drinking water comes from?

By: Mickey Nathans

How does your water to get to your tap? Is it cleaned? What happens when it goes down the drain?

In light of these questions, the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District is having a free behind the scenes tour of the potable water system on May 7, 2001 at the Las Virgenes Reservoir and Westlake Filtration Plant. If you’re interested, call 818.251.2100 to make a reservation.

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.

Come check out the art in Calabasas

By: Karen Lee

From April 30th – May 1st, the Calabasas Fine Arts Festival will celebrate its 14th anniversary in the heart of downtown Calabasas. Located at the beautiful Calabasas Civic Center and the Commons at Calabasas, you can stroll through the grounds to see handmade jewelry, sculpture, pottery, photography, glass work, wall art, woodwork and metal art. The festival also brings an array of musical entertainment and youth art activities. For artist applications and other event information including music lineup, visit the Calabasas Fine Arts Festival website.

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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Angry Birds and the Mighty Eagle

By: Karen Lee

So I was at the airport with an hour before the flight and about 20 people, men and women, were playing the number 1 iphone/ipad app-Angry Birds. Here I am, waiting in a room with 80 or so people and 1/4th of them are playing the same game. Grown men in suits, moms, teenagers, kids you name it.

It’s really a game of strategy, figuring out how to knock out the target piggies. Very addictive. At 4 am this morning I finally figured out 14-14!  For those who cannot pass a level after multiple, multiple tries, you can download mighty eagle app – $.99 and use it(only once per hour) to wipe out that level and move on. From what I understand, they will be adding more levels, and, once you finish all levels you can start over to achieve 3 stars on all games. Don’t start unless you’re willing to go the distance! This game is not for the faint of heart. Extremely addictive and fun.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4P3ueF4CxY&NR=1&feature=fvwp[/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.

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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Russian Investor buys Silicon Valley Chateau

Google Earth

By: Jeff Biebuyck

Yuri Milner, 49, just bought a $100 Million home in Los Altos Hills, making it the highest known price paid for a single family home in the United States. This 25,500 square foot home has a ball room, indoor and outdoor pools, wine cellar and tennis court.

Milner, who heads Digital Sky Technologies is also know for investments such as Facebook Inc., Groupon Inc. and Zynga Inc. Milner is the stocky founder of a Moscow- based fund called DST. Its first U.S. investment was a $200 million check for Facebook in 2009.

Milner, an interesting man in his own right, studied theoretical physics in Moscow and attended the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of business. He began his career in Moscow in the 1990′s and had a hand in everything from private equity to a macaroni and cheese factory. His primary residence is still in Moscow, where he lives with his wife and two children.

Although Milner now owns the most expensive home in the U.S., his spokesman said he had no plans to move into the home. I guess that’s what Billionaires do.

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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