Tag: location

Home ownership, a vital element in what constitutes The American Dream, is certainly a blessing. Unfortunately it also contains the seeds of what can be financial misfortune, perhaps never more graphically depicted than in a 1986 Steven Spielberg movie, The Money Pit, in which a young couple experiences every calamity possible in remodeling a dilapidated house. To help aspiring homeowners avoid some common errors, I want to pass on five tips.

Before taking off on that vacation, make sure you’re not needlessly putting your home and possessions at risk. Although people today are not leaving their doors physically open to thieves, many are unknowingly inviting burglars in by "over-sharing" on social media sites.

According to the MetLife Auto & Home Safety Pulse: Danger at the Door survey, 15 percent of the total population reports using social networking sites to post updates when leaving their homes, and more than double that amount—35 percent—of younger Americans (aged 18-34) "check in" to locations and tweet about their whereabouts when away. While it might be tempting to update family and friends on your adventures, this can give burglars clues about the best time to strike.

We all need a break. How amazing does it sound to venture out into the tamed agriculture gems of the country to explore amazing fresh cuisine and drink only to be followed by luxury accommodations to wind down? We think so too, which is why we put together these five spots for your next stops.

Yakima Valley

Yakima Valley is home to the largest variety of produce in the Pacific Northwest including 78 percent of the hops grown in the entire nation. With fields, farms, and orchards at every turn, it’s easy to eat local in this abundant sun-kissed land. It’s also inspirational.

Mike Sinor
ANCIENT PEAKS & SINOR-LAVALLEE WINES
The wineries are just five miles on average from the ocean, so the prevailing marine conditions are very pronounced, giving the fruit a lot of time to develop rich, full flavors while maintaining structure, complexity, and balance. I have a unique opportunity to work with grapes from two distinct terroirs within this region: Ancient Peaks’ Margarita Vineyard, at the northernmost border where it’s warmer, and Sinor-LaVallee’s Bassi Ranch Vineyard, just 1.2 miles from Avila Beach.