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JANUARY 27, 2010 -- Dear Readers: It’s my pleasure to inform you that sandiegoDTOWN.com is moving. This Web site is being merged into the much bigger SanDiego.com site. DTOWN will soon be a page on SanDiego.com, and I have been hired to be Editor in Chief of SanDiego.com. From inception in 2009 until now, I’ve enjoyed writing and editing stories about downtown San Diego for the neighborhood site Heather Back and I started up. We both previously worked at San Diego Magazine (which is not affiliated with SanDiego.com), and resolutely took our print experience to the new media world. Entering the Wild West of journalism was exhilarating. We found a great host company called Neighborlogs that gave us the framework for sandiegoDTOWN.com. Then we learned how to post stories, size photos, create eBlasts and even found paying advertisers for our site. The ride was bumpy and there was no map, but the journey had begun. Very soon, everything you may have liked about DTOWN will start showing up on SanDiego....
JANUARY 8, 2010 -- The New Year got off on the right foot (and every other body part of mine) in Palm Springs. I found innovation and inspiration aimed toward better days on, of all places, a massage table (details later). One thing I got to experience live was a tipsy Mariah Carey slurring through her spacey award acceptance speech at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Stars were out en masse—including Morgan Freeman, Clink Eastwood, Sean Penn and Jeff Bridges. Cracks director Jason Reitman after getting his award: “This feels good—almost as good as how Mariah Carey feels right now.” Hey, everybody: 2010 is gonna be filled with Mariah giddiness. Our spirits are high. Just check out the highlight reel from my First Week 2010. During a brisk trip during the desert’s cool season, I felt Mariah-esque while I got to:
DECEMBER 18, 2009 -- San Diego yogis sometimes drive to various corners of the county to follow their favorite instructors. And instructors have had to leave the county to study with master teachers. Now, La Jolla Yoga Center offers all that (but no bag of chips) under one roof. The full-service studio offers more than 90 classes per week from more than 40 instructors in approximately 20 different styles. The weekly schedule provides about 20 classes per day, beginning on the half hour. There are offerings for true beginners up to level 3/4 in Anusara, Ashtanga, Hatha/Raja, Iyengar, Svaroopa, Vinyasa and more. Tailored courses include Yoga for Golfers, Anusara-Inspired Playtime, Yoga for Cancer Recovery and Prenatal Vinyasa. The 6,000 square foot, eco-conscious facility, with feng shui design, was the vision of founder and director Jeanie Carlstead. She brings 22 years of yoga experience to the center. “Many of our students and the community in general have been calling us a beacon of light,”...
While The Lift Ticket Will Get You on The Mountain, fit-2gether.com Will Get You There with Friends fit-2gether.com, “where fitness meets” and the social network for individuals who are dedicated to an active and healthy lifestyle, is the new hub for the winter sports community. Whether a family is looking to meet fellow vacationers on their ski trip, or a snowboarder is looking for a group to hit the slopes with in his or her own town, fit-2gether.com provides the medium to connect like-minded winter enthusiasts. “Snowboarding and skiing are extremely popular sports all across the nation. I can’t tell you how many times I would have friends complaining on Wednesdays and Thursdays about needing people to carpool with up to the mountains to get some runs in over the weekend,” said fit-2gether.com’s founder and San Diego resident, Scott Bowen. “One of the reasons I created fit-2gether.com is to help others meet new friends with similar interests. Many of our members are snowboarders and skiers and met...
DECEMBER 17, 2009 -- One party guest at the new El Camino Mexicana in northern Little Italy seemed a bit confused about the venue. He approached a pair of pretty party-goers on the al fresco back patio and asked if the planes would still be flying overhead. Seems he’d been to this site when it was called Airport Lounge and back then, it was directly under the Lindbergh Field flight path. That reveler was advised to have another cocktail and just wait a couple minutes. The décor has changed, but indoor-outdoor El Camino is still under the flight path, and you still have to freeze your conversation while each Southwest 747 roars down from above. When it was Airport Lounge, the interior was made to look like the inside of an airplane. The bar was sleek and white, and bartenders and waitresses dressed like pilots and stewardesses. Now, the décor is muy Mexican. Day of the Dead-inspired paintings cover walls, and Virgin Mary candles are everywhere. The bar has been paneled over with dark wood....
DECEMBER 16, 2009 -- The downtown Morton’s the Steakhouse revamped its bar a few years ago. The bar is called Bar 12/21 because the original Morton’s in Chicago opened 31 years ago on December 21 (12/21—get it?). Well, mark your calendars for that date. On Monday, from 5-6 p.m. Morton’s is giving away mini-cheeseburgers for free. This is the third year the San Diego Morton’s is celebrating its corporate anniversary with a giveaway. Morton’s sales and marketing manager Alicia Pazelt hopes downtown residents and workers will stop in that day for Happy Hour. From 5-6:30 p.m. beers are $4, wine and all “bar bites” are $5 and martinis are $7. The cheeseburgers are served on dollar rolls with lettuce, tomato and purple onion. Other bar bites include: miniature crab cakes, iceberg wedge bites (with tomato, egg bacon and blue cheese dressing), oysters on the half shell and a “colossal” shrimp salad. Morton’s is on the ground floor of the Harbor Club...
DECEMBER 15, 2009 -- Personal training sessions at Sweat Personal Training Studio begin with a one-hour inquisition—a one-on-one consultation with East Village studio owner Joan Lindley. “I already know they want to lose weight and have tighter abs or glutes,” says Lindley. “So, why bother asking those questions? I want to know specifically what other body parts my clients want to change.” Lindley’s 550-square-foot studio is the only one in San Diego with Corepole—resistance training through bands—which she believes is ideal for female backs. She also uses body weight training and The PowerStraps, as well as traditional items like Pilates rings, BOSU and balance balls. During that initial meeting, she starts with the ankles and goes through the body—literally muscle by muscle—forcing clients to describe satisfaction level and desired changes. All the while, notations are made on injuries, access to fitness equipment and the current routine. After copious note taking and careful consideration to body parts that you...
DECEMBER 12, 2009 -- Pilates practitioners (estimated at over 11 million of us) can take a note from car enthusiasts and their souped-up engines. Pilates “SPX” is a revved-up version of the system developed by Joseph Pilates. The traditional method uses the mind to control core postural muscles, teaches awareness of breath and alignment of the spine, and aims to strengthen the deep torso muscles. The technique provides results often without breaking a sweat. Pilates Plus La Jolla offers a race-car version of Pilates, aimed at making your pores produce some liquid exhaust. The 40-minute sessions jump start your metabolism while toning the entire body. SPX creator Sebastien Lagree infused core stability with muscle dynamics. With resistance and counter-resistance sequences, muscles hit peak contraction and maximum exertion. “Circuit-training-style Pilates with a cardio base works each muscle to exhaustion, which transforms the shape of the muscle and makes you feel tighter,” says...
DECEMBER 10, 2009 -- Cowboy Star bartender Garth Flood improvised his way to a close win in the first Preiss Imports Cocktail Competition, held Tuesday night at downtown’s El Dorado Cocktail Lounge. Eight local bartenders battled though a NCAA basketball-style bracket to compete for the title. Each had to create cocktails on the fly, using pre-determined base liquors and adding their own choice of ingredients. Flood says he didn’t necessarily begin the night with a firm game plan. “I really had no idea coming in,” he says. “I don’t have names for the drinks I made—it was all spur of the moment. I took the ingredients that were here and modified them.” The bartenders’ concoctions were graded by a panel of five judges. “Garth took some risks and pulled out a win,” says judge Sarah Daoust, managing editor of 944 magazine. “All these bartenders seemed very focused, and took this very seriously.” Daoust says her favorite cocktail was...
DECEMBER 8, 2009 -- Solar panels will be installed on the roof of the west side of the downtown San Diego Convention Center. The environmentally friendly project is slated to begin in early 2010. The photovoltaic panels will cover 90,000 square feet, and will not alter the look of the bayside convention center, according to a spokesperson. “Installing solar power on the top of our building is like having our own clean power plant at the facility,” says San Diego Convention Center Corporation general manager Brad Gessner. The panels are being installed by SPG Solar at no cost, via a 20-year power purchase agreement between the SDCCC and Alternative Energy Capital. The panels are valued at $2.7 million, and will be maintained, owned and operated by AEC/SPG Solar. The power generated by the panels will be sold to the convention center at lower “peak demand” rate per kilowatt hour than the SDCCC is currently paying. Spokesperson Steven Johnson says the savings over the course of the 20-...
DECEMBER 4, 2009 -- A group has gathered to help celebrate my sixth 29th birthday. We all enjoy wine, but have different tastes. You know how it goes—sometimes when a group of gals gets together for grape-bred libations it’s hard to agree on a bottle—or even two—for the table. Thank goodness for the new Ultra Lounge and Wine Bar at the downtown Ivy Hotel. Both novices and oenophiles will delight at the ability to purchase a taste, half or full glass from more than 80 selections. Tastes (1.5 ounces) range from $1.50 to $15 per glass; full glasses range from $7 to $60. The concepts was uncorked late this year, and has been embraced by hotel guests who sip and sample before ordering a full bottle for dinner at The Ivy’s upscale restaurant, Quarter Kitchen. Premium wines like Opus One, for example, are available to guests who may hesitate to splurge without a sample taste. “The concept allows an informed decision with a leap of faith that you may not be willing to take from...
DECEMBER 3, 2009 -- Tonight’s the end of the road for San Diegans growing moustaches to raise money for men’s health issues. The “Movember” movement climaxes tonight with a Gala Parte at downtown’s Bondi restaurant and bar. Hundreds are expected to show up in costumes that accentuate the “mo’s” we grew all through November and had to endure for three extra days in December. Mo Bros—as well as Mo Sistas—will be thanked for their efforts in raising money and awareness for prostate and testicular cancer research. The Gala Parte will culminate with a contest contest (emcee-ed by a rather familiar-looking Ron Burgundy). Costume categories include: Miss Movember, Lame Mo; Best Mo Bro/Sista Combination; Best Team; Best Mo In Character; and The Ultimate Mo. Someone from amongst these standouts will be declared the 2009 San Diego Man of Movember. Tickets are $10…but mention Ron Burgundy sent you, and get in free (if capacity allows). Mo Mos: The Ten...
DECEMBER 2, 2009 -- Local singing sensation and Americal Idol runner-up Adam Lambert will make a special appearance in downtown San Diego on Thursday (December 3). The glam-rocker will personally donate the KISS-inspired costume he wore on last season’s Idol final to the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, which has an extensive display of artifacts from the annals of rock-and-roll. “He is excited to have the opportunity to do this,” says Hard Rock spokesperson Rana Kay. “He’s from San Diego and Hard Rock is a celebration of music, and we believe in his longevity to be doing this.” Lambert’s debut album, For Your Entertainment, sold nearly 225,000 units in its first week, according to Billboard.com. The presentation of his costume is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Lambert is expected to draw a big crowd, but the lobby capacity of the Hard Rock will limit the number of fans who will be able to attend. Kay says she gave out 10 pairs of tickets on Twitter, and the radio station Sophie...
DECEMBER 1, 2009 -- If the head-to-head battles seen in Iron Chef and the NCAA Basketball Tournament were rolled into one event, it’d be akin to the Cocktail Competition, coming to El Dorado Cocktail Lounge on December 8. Eight local standout bartenders will be put into a single-elimination bracket, and compete with each other until one is declared the top ’tender. “The goal is to showcase the bartenders in San Diego who are paying more attention to the products they’re using, and the techniques,” says El Dorado co-owner Nate Stanton. “We want to encourage bartenders all over town to have more integrity with the drinks.” The “Elite 8” bartenders will include: Trevor Thorpe (The Merk), Ian Ward (Whisknladle), Eric Johnson (El Dorado), Scott Shumate (Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina), Frankie Thaheld (Alchemy), Ariana Johnson (Confidential), Garth Flood (Cowboy Star) and Tim Stevens (Prohibition). The competition will require bartenders to...
This chart shows how Downtown San Diego Condos and Downtown San Diego Lofts were financed in the third quarter of 2009! Conforming loans lead the way with 177 units (82%) and Extended conforming loans had 29 units (14%) and after that came Jumbo loans with 8 units (4%). Total units financed was 214 out of 322 units sold. ... 
“Hotel Indigo” located in the Gaslamp District in Downtown San Diego has something not every hotel has, their own mascot! Rescued for the local animal shelter, someone who will always greed you with a big smile and welcomes your questions and concerns is the dog “Sadie”! When you enter the hotel, Sadie will be there to help you check in, and make sure your stay at the Hotel Indigo is a great one! Every Tuesday until December 29th 2009 from 6.30 to 9.30 the Hotel and Sadie is hosting a cocktail event for Downtown San Diego Condo homeowners, Downtown San Diego Loft homeowners, residents and visitors and their dogs. The event is taking place on the 9th floor and your dog can take a swim in the dog pool and socialize with friends. Very tasty dog bones, snacks and bottled water will be served and for their mamas and papas, there will be cocktails from the Phi Bar and Bistro. One dollar a drink will be donated to the San Diego Humane Society and this is the place where Sadie was adopted from. Why not take some time and...
This graph is showing how many Downtown San Diego Condos and Lofts were sold by type of sale in the third quarter of 2009! Developer sales had a good start of as many as 160 units sold which is 50% of the total market. Resales were heavy behind with 66 units sold, 20% of the market. Slightly behing is Resales with 57 units sold, 18% of the market and last is Possible short sales with 39 units sold, 12% of the market. Total units sold were 322. The sales for the third quarter was the highest of all quarters in 2009 with Developer sales staying high, Resales increases and REO’s and short sales staying the same. Tax credit is approved by the Senate through April 2010 and this is good for first time home buyers in Downtown San Diego! To see another graph for the third quarter of 2009 please visit our former blog Downtown San Diego Condos & Lofts Sold - Financing vs. Cash, 3rd Quarter 2009!
Whether all cash, or down payments to reach conforming and extended conforming limits of $695,000, people are confident putting cash into Downtown San Diego Real Estate. This chart shows Downtown San Diego Condos and Downtown San Diego Lofts sold in the third quarter of 2009, Financing vs. Cash. Financing is leading the way with 214 units sold with a 66% of the market. Cash has 108 units sold with 34% of the market. Total units sold during this time was 322.
There is no up-front cost for us to assess your situation and determine whether you’re a good candidate for a modification. This isn’t to say we work for free, we don’t, but we have never charged an Advanced Fee, we only charge for services that are performed.
I’d love to say it’s 100%, because that would mean I don’t spend time working on files without earning my fee! We are very proud of our success rate, which is over 85%, but it’s due in large part to the amount of diligence we put in on the front end. We have very in depth, very candid conversations with our clients as part of a diagnostic process. I wish I could help everyone I talk with, but the truth is that even when someone is in need, they might not necessarily be a good candidate for a modification. With the amount of time and energy involved in each file, it simply wouldn’t be fair to our other clients to just “throw against the wall...
Thinking about becoming a Downtown San Diego Loft homeowner? Take a second and see what Solara Loft - the new definition of ideal Downtown San Diego living has to offer! Solara Lofts is located in the Cortez Hill District in Downtown San Diego with easy access to two major freeways, Hwy 5 and 163. A short walk or trolley ride away is Petco Park, the San Diego Zoo, Horton Plaza, The Embarcadaro, the Gaslamp District, the Little Italy District, Balboa Park and everything Downtown San Diego has to offer. The builder - Skandia is a Real Estate Development firm with more than 30 years of experience in all aspects of the San Diego Real Estate and construction marketplace and has built Solara Loft with current and furute amenities in mind to enhace homeowner equity over time. With only 77 residences on 8 floors, Solara Loft is known to have a popular community feeling with a lot of features not found anywhere close by including;
Hotel Indigo in the Gaslamp District in Downtown San Diego is keeping its promise to the environment by being a green building and has developed practices into the design, construction and operation of the hotel. Hotel Indigo opened up its doors in August 2009 and is the first hotel to be LEED certified in Southern California. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The hotel is located on 509 9th Avenue in Downtown San Diego just across the street from Park Loft and a short stroll away from Petco Park. Hotel Indigo is the:
Green Features:
The new waterfront park, Ruocco Park, is to be located just North of Seaport Village in the Marina District in Downtown San Diego. The design concept includes:
Right next to Harbor Drive and Pacific Highway, just a short walk from the Gaslamp District, Ruocco Park will be a 3.3 acre urban oasis where the once seafood restaurant and market used to be located. The empty buildings are to be demolished! Perfect little get away for Downtown San Diego Condo and Loft homeowners in Park Place, Pacific Terrace and Harbor Club located just a short stroll away from the park! The Port of San Diego held its third meeting on Nov, 2nd 2009 in regards to the parks design. The public was able to see how their suggestions where incorporated. The architect of the Ruocco Park, Dennis Otsuji, presented new renderings which depicted many of the suggestions mad by the public at previous meetings. Next step...
It varies with the complexity of the file, and the backlog with both the Servicer and Investor. I’ve literally gotten clients terms in a week, and there have been others for whom I’ve battled for over six months. Each client has a unique set of circumstances, and we’ve always felt that their family deserves whatever time it takes to craft the very best modification for their situation.
The result is a payment that fits within the client’s budget so that they can stay in their home. Whether the terms are 2% rate for 40 years, 5% interest only, 4% but deferring 25% of the principle balance, or any of a hundred other formulations, the target is always the same – the lowest possible payment for our client. The recipe itself is determined by the investor and what they want to do with that segment of their portfolio. To read 92101 Urban Living's former blog please visit Home First, Inc - What is...
Modification are done by homeowners all the time. The problem is that the term “modification” can mean anything from changing the interest rate by .5%, adding delinquent payments to your loan balance, or changing your payments by a few dollars. The goal for most homeowners when attempting to modify is to get into a payment that makes financial sense for them to stay in the home long term. When dealing with such a huge financial responisbility, you want to make sure that you are working with someone who will make your first and only attempt at this a succesful one with results that are worth your efforts.
Home First has been successfully negotiating loss mitigation for homeowners for over three years, well before every loan officer, lawyer, debt collector and used car salesman decided to advertise their services on Craigslist. They have negotiated over 1,500 loans and saved their clients... |
