Colorado Springs Real Estate Facts & Fun

Colorado Springs Philharmonic

Ring in the new year with the best music found in town! The Colorado Springs Philharmonic performs at the Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts. The show starts at 8pm on December 31st, with tickets at $19 or $12 if you are a student. Classic and Broadway hits will get you in a party spirit. Make a date of it and hit up a great restaurant nearby. Try Shuga’s, the Melting Pot, Phantom Canyon, or the Blue Star (make reservations as soon as possible!)

New Years At the Broadmoor

Every year the Broadmoor goes all out for a New Year’s Eve celebration not to be missed. An entire package is available starting at $263 per person based on double-occupancy (no getting behind the wheel at the end of the night!) The package includes: Accommodations for one night, incidental service fee, Gala dinner and entertainment tickets for each person on the package (Ken Miller and the dazzling 25-piece BRO^ADMOOR Pops Orchestra, along with special guests and surprises galore) and 30% discount off of published Suite rates.

There is an exciting new business in Colorado Springs, 409 N. Tejon, Suite 106, to be exact. Epicentral Coworking has finished their build out and is open for business with members already signed up. 

Just what is Epicentral?  It is a coworking facility designed for anyone who is looking for a place to work (temporary or long term) that is also community oriented.  Coworking might be a great fit for your contacts who are freelancers, consultants, contract workings, telecommuters, entrepreneurs, independent professionals, creatives, people who work from home, people who need to leave work in order to get work done, and insomniacs because members can use it anytime.

Specificallly this facility was designed to be a low-cost downtown office space for people to use when needed and be able to connect with, network or just be around other people. For more information check Epicentrals website and Facebook page.

Colorado living, like many places, is great for outdoor recreation and having a dog.  With trails, National Forest, BLM, city & state parks there is a plethora of options for taking your dog along. But what do you do to get yourself and your dog ready for being the best dog and dog owner possible?

For me, Hope at Waggin Tails Doggy Day Camp and the obedience classes she teaches continue to be invaluable.  I learned just how much I did not know about being a good dog owner and the responsibility I had for my dog in her training, lifestyle, social interactions and perhaps most importantly her safety.

Waggin Talis offers day care for dogs and starting Nyah as a puppy was perfect.  Most of her buddies who were with her in puppy kindergarden continue to be with her every day in day care.  My Texas customers laugh on a regular basis about Nyah being in day care.  Yet most of them have been with me in either dropping her off of picking her up and have met Hope.  

After two years and consistent classwork Nyah has graduated from kindergarden, Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog International.  We have started hospital visits and will expand in 2012 to nursing homes, schools and hospice.  The gift of love from a dog goes a long way for patients, families and staff.

December 9th is the beginning of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Electric Safari! Come to the Zoo to visit with all of your favorite fuzzy, furry or scaley friends and ride the lift to the top of the mountain where hot cocoa and Santa Claus await your arrival! Over one million sparkling lights illuminate crisp winter nights, including over 40 animated light sculptures. Warming fires throughout the Zoo offer a reprieve from the chill, as do select indoor animal exhibits that remain open during the event. And if you haven’t seen the city’s lights from the Zoo at night, you’re in for a real treat! Say, is that Kansas out there?

Open 5:30-8:30 pm December 9-11 and December 16-January 1st. (Closed Christmas Eve)

Adults $8.25 Zoo only, $11.25 with sky ride

Children $5.25 Zoo only, $8.25 with sky ride, all kids 2 and under free, all members free.

We are starting to enter what is known as an ugly time of year, once the leaves fall of the trees. Whether you’re looking to sell your house, the house has been on the market for awhile or you love your home and are planning to stay, you can use these tips to create a great first (or hundreth) impression.

Take all of those planters you have around the windows, porch railings, and sitting on tables and remove the dead foliage, or trim back if it is a perennial. If it is an annual, compost the roots and dead plant, and refill the pots with fresh mums, smaller pumpkins, gourds, pine cones with pine needles, or Indian corn.

On the door, if you only hang a wreath for the winter season, consider making or buying an autumn-themed wreath. The warm colors in wreaths evoke a welcoming and calming effect when approaching someone’s home. Wreaths don’t have to be for the front door only. You can hang a wreath over your fireplace using feathers, leaves, acorns, or pine cones. Simply change out the color of the ribbon used to take it from autumn to winter.

Fall garland created out of stringing gourds or Indian corn together and drapping over an entryway is a fun way to use seasonal items in a non-traditional way.

New doormats can do wonders for welcoming someone to your home. When you have a clean, new-looking doormat, it gives the impression that no detail was forgotten, and if your doormat is clean, so must the rest of your house be clean.

In front entryways inside the house, woven baskets add warmth, texture and a natural element while also hiding away kids lunch boxes, shoes, umbrellas, mittens, hats, etc.

Thanksgiving is a mere three weeks away (Eeek!), which means it’s time to take down the spooky decorations, and put up the autumn wreaths (if you haven’t already). With this handy guide, you can be a dazzling host(ess) wit out the blood, sweat and tears that typically come with this time of year.

This week, 1. stock up on the beverage needs for the holiday season. Wine can be bought by the case making it an economical option. Chardonnays pair particularly well with turkey, Pinot Noirs are excellent with beef or sipping fire-side. Think about gift ideas as well. It never hurts to have a few extra bottles of wine around the holidays to give away as last-minute gifts. If your bar is running low from the last summer blow-out party, stock up on the hard liquors as well. Some brands offer money back or coupons. Plus, these don’t require space in a cooler or refrigerator. 2. Order your turkey if you haven’t already. The Blue Star prepares turduckens (chicken wrapped around duck wrapped around a turkey), and must be ordered in advance. For organically and humanely raised birds, local farms and Whole Foods also require orders in advance. 3. Plan out your menu, and if you don’t want to make anything in particular, ask a guest to bring it for you. Pies, rolls, and jello salads all travel well. 4. Look over your guest linenes, table cloths, and serving ware. Often times we don’t realize how ratty a blanket has become, how dingy bed sheets have gotten, or that we are one plate short of a full set because Uncle Eddy broke one last year, until it’s too late. If you check it now, you have three weeks to find replacements and shop.

Next week, 1. Clean up the yard. The leaves should be completely down by now, so it’s a great time to make the outside of the home a festive welcome. If your family has the tradition of turning on holiday lights after dinner, go ahead and put them up. Remember, if you plan ahead it can be less stressful to try to do everything within a few short days. The weather can be a little warmer as well. Also, you have the time now before getting into crazy season, so if any other home improvement projects need to happen before the end of the year, now is the week to get those done. 2. Start clipping those coupons. You have your menu made up from last week, and you’ve delegated who is making what to make it less stressful for yourself. Make up the shopping list broken down by dry goods, and fresh goods which need to be bought Tuesday or Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Dry goods are foods you can find great coupons on this time of year, and you can stock up now. If your family loves hearty soups in December, consider stocking up on broths with the coupons you’ll find. This will help you out beyond Thanksgiving! 3. Shop for any replacement linens or entertaining items. If you want to really deck out your house for the holiday, this is the week to shop for autumn colored throws, candles, wreaths, and decor. 4. Confirm  your order for the turkey, or if you are buying a frozen one, make sure to start defrosting in the refrigerator 5-7 days before Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Week, 

Monday 1. Set up your pick-up time for the turkey if you haven’t already. 2. Clean the house, scrubbing the bathrooms, and preparing the guest rooms. 3. Take 30 minutes for yourself. Destress in your favorite way.

Tuesday 1. Pick up the turkey. 2. Buy the veggies, fresh foods, and dairy products. Take 5 extra minutes to double check your recipes and make sure you have a comprehensive list. 3. If you plan to make your own cranberry sauce, go ahead and make it up tonight.  If you want to send guests home with a tasty gift, consider doubling the recipe, and canning this recipe: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cranberry-apple-relish-10000000521668/, tie a bow around the jar and display near the front door when guests arrive. Now a hosting gift is done too! 4. Take 30 minutes for yourself. Go ahead, you deserve it!

Wednesday 1. Wash and chop veggies for platters, for use in soups, appetizers, stuffing, and sides. Measure and bag what you don’t need immediately, label the bag so when you go to make the stuffing or appetizer your prep work is already done for that step (just like the cooking shows!) 2. Bake pecan pie. 3. If making a sweet potato dish, you can make it tonight and refrigerate until after the turkey comes out of the oven, then heat through. 4. Bake anything else that can be made in advance, remember your turkey will take up most of the room in the oven. 5. Set the table for tomorrow. Remember, you want to be able to enjoy the holiday, and not stuck doing entertaining details. 6. If it isn’t too late, go ahead and take another 30 minutes for yourself. You’ll be a better host(ess) 

Thanksgiving Day 1. Make the dressing or stuffing. 2. Get the bird in the oven for a lunch time dinner. If you are aiming for a dinner time meal, make up the apple and pumpkin pies now. 3. Assemble the veggie and fruit platters, appetizers, and prepare the bar area. Tubs are a great way to chill beer, soda, and wine while also making it accessible for guests to help themselves. 4. The guests are arriving, heat up any warm appetizers, pour the drinks, and watch the parade or football. 5. Peel the potatoes, prepare the veggies and side dishes. 5. Allow 20 minutes for the turkey to sit covered with aluminum foil before carving. Use this time to mash potatoes, boil veggies, heat up side dishes, and make the gravy. 6. Turn off the oven. 7. Carve the turkey, dish up the sides, and call the crew to the table. 8. ENJOY your holiday, your family, your friends, and the good food you’ve taken the time to prepare.

Happy Thanksgiving!