Rock N Roll Comes to Bixby Knolls in Long Beach

The Rock N Roll phenomenon comes to Bixby Knolls in Long Beach and is bringing the neighborhood together.

If you are out and about on Wednesday come join the Bixby Knolls Improvement Association as they host a party to welcome the “Rock” as it is parked in the middle of Atlantic Ave by 36th Street.

The Press Telegram reported that the event would feature food, live artists, river-rock demonstrations, photo ops and a DJ playing rock-related songs.

Check out this exciting YouTube video of the transport that is taking it through 22 cities to its final destination at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Exciting things are always happening here in the Long Beach & Lakewood areas.

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Perfect Wrigley Home in Long Beach for a First Time Home Buyer!

This fantastic Wrigley Home in Long Beach is perfect for a first time home buyer and is filled with charm.

Walk up the pathway to the tiled porch and enter this wonderful home!

 

Step into the large living room with beautiful hardwood flooring and a wood burning fireplace and settle into the cute window nook seat.

Dining area has French doors leading to the back deck.

Cute country style kitchen with tile countertops, breakfast nook and inside laundry.

This home has two large bedrooms and the closets are quite large for a home that was built in 1939.

Take a look at the my home tour and YouTube video …

 

Enjoy the tour of 2459 Eucalyptus Ave in Long Beach CA

The home has a great yard, the lot is over 6700 square feet with two patios and a wood deck … perfect for entertaining.

It comes with a two car garage, long driveway, newer windows, and … central air and heat.

Take a look at the the old milkman dial. The homeowner would dial the amount of butter or milk that they wanted delivered that day, and they would leave it in the cubby.

For more information about this home or a private showing, call at 562-882-1581.  You can also search the MLS and Internet for homes like this for even more details and homes just right for the first time home buyer.

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MY 1ST ATTEMPT AT BAKING A TOPSY TURVY CAKE

Last Sunday was Super Bowl XLVI and my niece’s birthday and … it was also my first attempt at a Topsy Turvy cake. I got the pans last month and was ready to try it out. I love the way these cakes look, and the bakeries charge a lot for them.

I had decided that I was not going to use store bought fondant as I feel It just doesn't taste that good and I think homemade must be better. So I started out baking the cakes. These cake pans are much larger than normal and so I needed a lot more cake batter. That also requires a longer cooking time.

The first one came out okay, the second cake was raw in the center, and the topper cake was fine but I soon realized that I should have started this cake the day before and now I only have a two layer cake. Its 12:00 noon and I still need to make my fondant … yikes!!!!

Above you see the first layer, the unfrosted second layer & the finished one.

The recipe for the fondant is very simple: 4 cups of miniature marshmallows, 2 tablespoons of water, and a pound of powdered sugar. You melt the marshmallows in the microwave (takes about a minute) and then add your coloring and flavor.

You add in the powdered sugar until it's a bread-like consistency then take it out of the bowl and knead it just like you would bread dough. You will need another pound of powdered sugar for your hands and the table. Keep putting in more powdered sugar until it stops sticking on your hands.

My first batch stuck everywhere. I thought it was ready but when I tried to roll it out, it stuck to the parchment paper, the roller, and my hands. It stuck so bad I had to throw everything away and start all over!

It's now one o’clock and my party starts at 2:30. I whip up another batch, powdered sugar is now everywhere. This batch of fondant works and I am able to get it on the cake.

Note to Self:  Never try to cut a Topsy Turvy cake in layers to add pudding or frosting that will just cause it to slide. Too late for mine, as I already cut it and inserted the pudding. Now I just have to work with it. Second layer goes on and I add the fondant. Cake starts to slide and …  It’s now almost party time!

 I prop it up on one side and hope it does not slide further. Next time I will start the day before.

Everyone said it was a cute cake.

I thought it just looked a mess!

The homemade fondant tasted way better than the store fondant and the cake itself was delicious. Don't judge a cake by the way it looks. Sorry the pictures are not well focused but I did not want to get powdered sugar on the camera.

Anyhow, I hope everyone had a great Sunday and enjoyed the Super Bowl and of course all those great commercials. Click the link if you missed any or want to see them again.

Today is Monday and I have been out showing homes in Lakewood. I love that we are known as tree city USA. Have a great week everybody!

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Free Ride From Long Beach to Catalina On YOUR Birthday!

To celebrate it’s 30th Anniversary, Catalina Express is giving away a free ride from Long Beach to Catalina Island.This is available to anyone who wants to go to Catalina Island ON THEIR BIRTHDAY … Just pre-register on Catalina Express’s website to get your round-trip free pass!

Hurry because this offer won’t last forever it expires on April 30, 2012.

Just like how this offer for a free ride to Catalina will expire … the low interest rates we are seeing for homebuyers WILL NOT LAST FOREVER! If you are thinking about buying a home … I am one of the top producing agents in the Long Beach and Lakewood area and would love the opportunity to help you.

If you are thinking about selling your property, once again, I can show you how I use innovative and unique marketing strategies to get my seller’s properties SOLD!

Got Questions? … I have lots of Ideas and Answers for You! 562.882.1581

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Lucky to live in Long Beach

Being so lucky to live in Long Beach, I have been in and around Long Beach the past couple of weekstrying to figure out what to highlight in my blog, we simply have too much good stuff in our city.

These pictures that I am posting today I took around the Queen Mary and the Pike area. I will be posting more as I visit different places. Although; I have been selling homes in Long Beach for over 25 years and know the area well, I thought that others who are thinking about moving here might enjoy these pictures.

First time home buyer

After 25 years of showing buyers around I understand their fears. Knowing that I understand their fears and telling them that is not so easy. So after pondering on what is the best way to help a buyer understand the first time home buyer process, I decided to develop a video series using the buyers that I have sold homes to. I hope that you enjoy watching this video. I will be posting more in this series later on. Please feel free to give me a call or email me if you have any questions.

 See what this first time buyer has to say!

It’s Time for Christmas Tree Recycling in Long Beach & Lakewood California

Several years ago I read a very cute poem about how a Christmas tree who didn’t understand how he could go from being the center of attention and so loved and adorned to being striped of all his fancy attire and then thrown out onto the sidewalk and abandoned.

Christmas tree recycling is a relatively new event but one that I welcome … to have our Christmas trees serve a new purpose somehow takes the sting of letting it go a little easier  

And so the time has come for this ritual to begin again … I am always saddened by this act; this tree which has brought so much pleasure into our lives that we must now say goodbye to … it seems being sentimental about turning the lights out for the last time runs parallel with “get this thing out of here … I want to get the house back to normal”

Long Beach has a wonderful website with information on tips about Christmas tree recycling and more to the point … have your tree at the curb Saturday from 7 am on and it will be picked up

Lakewood has their own program and Christmas tree recycling information on their website as well. I hope you will join your neighbors in recycling your trees.

Allison Van Wig – Realtor Serving the Long Beach & Lakewood Areas can be reached at 562-882-1581 or by visiting www.SuperBroker.com

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