Get all your Holiday and  December birthday gifts wrapped at the Manhattan Beach Mall..







Are you gift wrapped challenged? Do you have a lot of gifts to wrap? Are you so busy that you don't need one more thing to do? If you answered YES to any of these then let me offer you a solution.

The Neptunian Woman's Club of Manhattan Beach will wrap all your holiday gifts.. whether you bought them at a Mall store or made them at home.  We'll wrap one gift or one humdred and the fee is tax deductible.

This is one of our largest fund raisers of the year. Proceeds go toward scholarships for Manhattan Beach students. Each year we give academic scholarships to local students in Art, Music, Literature, Fashion Design, Nursing and for women who go into Police work. The Neptunian Woman's Club is the oldest Woman's club in Manhattan Beach. We were the driving force that got the city incorporated, the library system started and opened Pacific school.

These are just a few of the things we have done over the years as part of our philanthropic services for the City of Manhattan Beach. You will find us at the Hometown Fair, the Pier Lighting, the Santa Float, the Fireworks on Sunday and at the Manhattan Beach Mall wrapping away.

Bring us your gifts and we'll make your life easier..... Remember...Big or small... we'll wrap them all.. and it's tax deductible..

** We will be wrapping from December 10-24, 2011...

Happy Thanksgiving

The last few years have been hard ones ... We are constantly bombarded with bad economic news, terrorist plots and other events that seem to jump at us on a daily basis. Thanksgiving is a time to take a break and think about all the good things we have in our lives. These are some of the things I am thankful for in my life.....

Manhattan Beach: The Koffee Kart gone.... Oh No...Say it isn't so!

Dear George Loren,

Say it isn't so... No  Koffee Kart in Manhattan Beach... how can that be?

The Koffee Kart was one of the last "local" places in town.. Unlike Uncle Bill's it was a little off the path for most visitors.  Even on Sunday morning you could get a table after a short wait.  It was my favorite place to eat breakfast.

Over the years not much changed.... It was small with cozy booths,  just right for  reading the paper while waiting for breakfast.   The food was always good and the staff  friendly.   My friends and I would walk Sunday mornings and then stop by for breakfast before heading home. 

All of us were  upset about the fire and have been patiently waiting for the sign to read OPEN once again.... I walked by a few days ago and things were looking good... so I was stunned to learn that you won't reopen at the Koffee Kart home.

Please  find a new spot  and reopen soon.. Fans of the Koffee Kart will be waiting to hear the news.  Over the years we have lost a number  places in Manhattan Beach that many of us remember fondly and miss.   I really hope the Koffee Kart doesn't become one more memory of Manhattan Beach.


I'm hoping for good news soon....

A loyal fan


 P. S. The Hibachi found a home in Hermosa... not quite the same as the old place but darn close... So  I know there's a spot waiting for the Koffee Kart near the beach... just like before but maybe a little different....

Friday, November 04, 2011

Open House 3011 Johnston Ave Redondo Beach

Saturday November 5, 2011...1-4 pm

Hard to find... Home plus legal Guest house on a large lot

Don't miss this rare opportunity to own a single family home and a permitted guest house on an oversize lot in the TRW tract of North Redondo. ... The main house is an 1860 sq ft 2 bedroom 1.5 baths with large family room, huge dining room and remodeled kitchen and baths.. The guest house is a charming  300 sq + studio with remodeled bath.

This home is the ideal solution if you are looking for a place for parents, grown children or a separate office area. The terrific home is on an 8300+ sq ft lot that has alley access... The possibilities are endless....

This is a wonderful mid-Century home with a definite Palm Springs resort feel...

$819,000

Beach Cities:  Homes and townhomes sold in September 2011

North Redondo 2 on a lot Townhome

September  is always a tough month for real estate sales in the South Bay-Beach Cities.  This September was no exception.  The good news is that the number of sales was up for Hermosa Beach and South Redondo over 2010 and  just slightly less in North Redondo, Manhattan Beach and El Segundo.  The bad news( for sellers) and good news (for buyers)  is that prices were down in almost all the Beach Cities.  

Much of the decline in price levels is due to short sales.  In the last two weeks North Redondo is posting significantly lower prices for a number of REO's and short sale 2 on a lots and buyers are waiting in line to purchase at the new price levels.   Another significant factor is that many owners want to sell before the end of the year and  have  realized that they need to cut their asking price now to  be sure escrow closes by the end of the year. 

But before everyone gets  excited a lot has been happening this week that may change the picture a bit.  The Administration announced yesterday their new plan for refinancing properties of  homeowners who  owe more than their home is worth .   But as all programs put forward by the government there are a few hitches in their get along so read the fine print carefully before you get too excited. 

   If all goes as the administration hopes folks will be refinancing right and left.  In fact banks will be so busy with refi's they might not be able to deal with buyers who want to purchase a new home.  Dan Green the author of The Mortgage Reports has written an interesting article on  why interest rates may be headed upward in the future.    


South Bay-Beach Cities: Sold September 2011