Welcome to my blog. I've created this forum to share what I consider important bits of information that may be of use or interest to you or possibly enrich your lives. Perhaps a good (or bad) restaurant experience will find its way here or I'll share my secrets on deep-discount shopping (looking for a great deal on a Five Star Range or the perfect long-sleeved t-shirt that fits really well, comes in 6 colors and only costs $8.99?). And since I'm a busy intown real estate agent, I'll naturally use my blog as a way to let you in on interesting real estate finds and keep you up to date on the Atlanta market.
Good Green Thing #1: I just toured an awesome new condo development in Inman Park yesterday. Inman Green (http://www.inmangreen.com/). So cool. Calm spaces feature eco-conscious details, energy efficiency, unique finishes and great price points in one of Atlanta's prized neighborhoods. To give you an example, the one-bedroom unit has a two-car garage, additional storage and comes with a fireplace on the terrace giving you a sublime outdoor living space for only $214K. HOA is only $200/month and common space includes a bocce ball court (I am particularly good at bocce ball so consider this a true amenity). Atlanta is not short on condo supply so I always advise clients to shop wisely paying attention to location, amenities, HOA fees and size of complex and also to consider what will set your unit apart from the thousands of others when it's time for you to sell. Going green at Inman Green seems like a smart idea to me. Call me if you'd like to take a look - maybe we could even sneak in a game of bocce ball!
Good Green Thing #2: Margaret Holmes Seasoned Southern Style Collard Greens. I'm not prone to eating much of anything canned but 
have to say I stumbled onto these amazing greens over the holidays and have fallen in love. As tradition goes, I was taught early on that eating lots of collards on New Year's would ensure a bounty of paper money for you in the coming year. This year, I was pressed for time and unable to prepare my usual made-from-scratch-and-oh-so-southern New Year's feast of roast pork, fresh collards, black-eyed peas and chow-chow. Tradition had to step aside in view of a huge life change...moving out of my Candler Park home after almost eleven years. I would never have considered relenting to canned anything had time not been so elusive but I couldn't muster spare minutes to soak a dried pea much less go through the tedious rinsing process of the sandy, leafy greens. Still, I couldn't risk the loss of all that money in the coming year and thus landed on the canned vegetable aisle at Publix. Sitting on a shelf with most artful labels, Ms. Holmes line of canned veggies hollered at me and invited me to let her do the cooking. Let me tell you, Margaret has got it going on with the greens. My boyfriend and I fight over the last spoonful. My business partner has been known to eat them for breakfast. A big can only costs $1.89. What else can you ask for in a canned good? Check them out and let me know what you think. Word of caution: "seasoned southern style" means a touch of pork fat and m.s.g. so vegetarians and people prone to swelling beware.
Good Green Thing #3: Check out Sanctuary Real Estate's green calendar. Visit our homepage at www.yourownsanctuary.com for the "Thrive in 2009" download and then print only the pages you need when you need them. I recently used the formula mentioned in the spring cleaning tips on the March page and unclogged a drain like magic. I knew I had salt and baking soda on hand but actually amazed myself to find that I had cream of tartar in my spice drawer. I have NO idea why I had cream of tartar since I'm mainly a cook and not a baker and not completely sure what cream of tartar is used for anyway but, well, sorry, I digress. The unclogging experience was much like a grammar school science project and we oohed and aahed at the natural combustion taking place before our very eyes. When we poured the boiling water in, the concoction gurgled and foamed and then we heard a huge slurping sound. Seriously, just like magic! The water is flowing freely again and I don't feel guilty about pouring chemicals down the drain and into our environment, a better than good green thing!