Weekend of July 29 Mortgage Rate
Mortgage rate for the weekend of July 29, 2011 courtesy of Katie Rice and Victoria Conway of the Rice Conway Group:
Market Commentary – Fri, Jul 29 2011
The GOP debt plan vote was postponed last night in the House of Representatives and Republicans are scrambling today to revive the vote. As a result investors rushed into the safe haven of the Bond markets and Gold pulling money out of the Stock markets.
The Commerce Department reported this morning that the first reading on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the 2nd quarter of 2011 showed a slowing economy expanding at 1.3% versus the 1.9% read from the first quarter.
Consumer Sentiment in July fell to 63.7 from the previous reading of 71.5 in June as consumers view their finances as bleak both currently and in the near term.
2011 Lake of The Sky Garden Tour
2011 Lake of The Sky Garden Tour
This year Lake of The Sky Garden Tour will return to Truckee on Saturday July 30th from 10am-4pm. If you are an avid gardener or love looking at beautiful gardens, this is a not-to-miss event.
My front garden
At the high altitude of Lake Tahoe & Truckee, there are many challenges to gardening. A few that readily come to mind is our short planting season. This year we received a snow storm in early June and sometimes we start getting snow in October so to cultivate a garden with gorgeous flowers and beautiful gardens is no mean feat. Also we have a lot of wildlife such as deers, chipmunks, squirrels who delight in tasting the first tender buds or tasty flowers…and that is enough for me to contemplate giving up on my gardening hobby sometimes.
Shade plants in my back garden
That is why Lake of The Sky Garden Tour becomes such a treat for me every year. You will marvel at the hidden gardens and exquisite flowers nestling along rocks walls or garden paths. A few gardens will also have soothing water features with lively fishes and exotic plants. There will be 8 gardens on tour this year including one lakefront property at Donner Lake.
Tickets for2011 Lake of The Sky Garden Tour are only $20 and you can purchase them at all local nurseries or Truckee Donner Chamber of Commerce. Tickets can sell out quickly and may not be available on tour day so make sure you get some soon if you don’t want to miss this enjoyable event.
Martis Camp Home Tour in Truckee
Martis Camp Home Tour in Truckee
Following on the heel of Martis Camp Home Tour success last year, this year Excellence In Education Foundation has partnered with Tahoe Sierra Board of Realtors to bring you the third annual Luxury Home tour. This tour will be on Saturday July 23rd from 10 am-4 pm. If you had been wanting to view some of the most exclusive homes in Lake Tahoe, Truckee area…now is the chance. You will glimpse the latest trends and design ideas in luxury homes. Come and admire the award winning designs ( rustic, modern, green building ) along with the amazing craftsmanship of these distinctive homes in Martis Camp.
There will be 5 homes on Martis Camp Home Tour this year:
- 10754 Avoca Drive: Four bedroom home with lovely views of Martis Valley &Sierra Crest is a showcase for a marriage of contemporary & modern elements with a touch of “retro”.
- 8130 Valhalla Drive: This spacious home is designed to accommodate a large & extended family with outdoor dining area and separate in-law suite.
- 8197 Valhalla Drive: Contemporary 5-bedroom home brings the outdoors to the indoors with the use of transparent walls of glass and weathering steel. Very unique design.
- 8395 Valhalla Drive: This Austrian lodge inspired home boasts over 8000 square feet and features separate formal living spaces. You will get transported back into Old World Europe architecture.
- 8825 Schroeder Way: This 5800 square feet home has a rustic Tahoe mountain home design with the extensive use of reclaimed wood on floors, walls and ceilings.
2011 Martis Camp Home Tour
Not only will you have a rare opportunity to view these five luxurious homes but you will also have a chance to help raise money to benefit local schools by purchasing tickets for the tour . Tickets for the Martis Camp Home Tour are $40 in advance and $45 the day of the tour.
If you have questions or want more information on the tour, you can contact Ann at anguyen@dicksonrealty.com
7/26/2011 Update: Once again the third annual Martis Camp Home Tour is a resounding success. The event raised over $44,000 for the Excellence in Education Foundation which will go to supporting our local schools and students. Thank you to all who came to this worthwhile fundraising event!
3 Compelling Reasons for Running Barefoot
3 Compelling Reasons for Running Barefoot
By now probably most if not all of you have heard of the song “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga. But how many of you have heard of or read the book “Born To Run”? In this book, the author, Christopher McDougall told the story of how his love of running led him to the reclusive Tarahumara tribe of Mexico who can run hundreds of miles in skimpy sandals made out of rubber tire. Inspired by this story, I decided to train running barefoot for my upcoming Rock’n'Roll half marathon.
Why did I elect to run barefoot? There are numerous reasons but for me the three main benefits are:
Fun, Fit and Injury Free.
In the past, I rarely associate Fun with running. It was the hard work I had to endure to keep up with my fitness regime or to get rid of the 500 calories crème brulee that I enthusiastically consumed the night before. But for the Tarahumara, they have a blast when they run like the wind through the canyons. For them running isn’t work or punishment for eating. I have now discovered the same joy. Running barefoot helps me stay grounded and connected with my environment, and also bring back childhood memories of running barefooted through puddles of water after a rain storm or chasing my friends barefooted through grass fields near my house. And now running barefoot on the the scenic trails of Tahoe and Truckee is a delightful adventure for me.
Keeping my feet in tip top shape is the second reason that I adopt running barefoot. Most running shoes have thick cushioning soles. Without the thick cushion on the heels, your Achilles tendon and calf muscle get to stretch and lengthen. Muscles, Tendons & Ligaments in your feet also get stronger and your balance will also improve. I can tell that my ankles had gotten a lot stronger since I started running barefoot.
Last but not least, Running Barefoot will help reduce the injuries that are often associated with running such as ankle sprains, plantar fasciitis, knee pains, Achilles tendinitis. How? The barefoot runners learn to run on the balls of their feet instead of hammering down on their heels. Landing on the forefoot also allows your arches to act as natural shock absorbers, thereby preventing a lot of injuries associated with high impact running. I have not incurred any ankle sprains or plantar fasciitis since adopting barefoot running.
I have to confess that I don’t totally go bare. Since I live in Truckee and run mostly on trails, I have been wearing the barefoot style shoes which have a very thin sole and no cushioning whatsoever. My Merrell Pace Glove shoes are very flexible and allow me to connect to the earth intimately without having to endure the pain of stepping on twigs and sharp rocks. A lot of shoes company now have minimalist style running shoes to accommodate runners who want to run barefoot style but not comfortable going bare 100%… like me.
My oh soooo comfortable Merrell Pace Glove Shoes
Having fun and getting fit without injuries are the 3 compelling reasons for me to embrace running barefoot. I hope by now I have convinced you to give barefoot running a try. However, a word of caution, start out slowly and make sure you practice the right techniques. If you take time to build up the strength in your muscles to form a good foundation, I have no doubt that running barefoot style will transform your run into a highly enjoyable activity.
And don’t forget to get yourself a copy of “Born To Run”. It is a delightful read and you may discover that you were “Born to run” after all.
7/29/2011 Update: Today I ran 5 miles on the Alder Creek trail with my sister, Mai Nguyen and my friend, Hien Larson. It took me an hour and 15 min. My time has been improving with every run and thanks to the “barefoot running technique” and Merrell Pace Glove shoes…I have not had any injuries. I know that the shoes had saved me from some ankle sprains. I slipped on loose rocks and twigs a few times but due to the sensitivity of the thin sole, I quickly corrected my steps and continued merrily on my run. The trail has been beautiful with orange wild Columbine, Indian paintbrush, white California Corn flower, yellow Mule ears, white Yarrow, purple Lupine,…are all in blooms. If you have a chance, come to the high Sierra and train for your upcoming races. Not only you can enjoy the beautiful scenery but you also gain the advantage of high altitude training 
August 2011 Calendar of Events for Tahoe Truckee
August 2011 Calendar of Events for Tahoe Truckee
I was late in posting July Calendar of Events this month so I am making up by posting the August Calendar of Events extra early this time so you will not miss any summer fun events while visiting Lake Tahoe & Truckee. There are a lot of great music venues such as Lake Tahoe Music Festival so make sure you buy tickets early. This year Lake Tahoe Music Festival is held exclusively in The Village at Northstar in Truckee. Many famous artists are performing this summer: Blues Traveler, Colbie Caillat, Michael Bolton. You can buy tickets online so check out the calendar of events and come enjoy our four season resort
