Long Hollow

Call me BiBi (Have I mentioned I'm a grandmother?)

 

 

Yes, yes. I know I've already mentioned it, but hey, I'm a grandmother now, so you'll probably hear about it a lot! 

It's hard for me to believe, but my grandson will soon celebrate his 1 month birthday. He is still mostly just eating and sleeping and growing, but it's so amazing to hold him and watch him while he sleeps. I can see him dreaming...  his eyes twitch, his mouth moves, he smiles...

What are you dreaming about, little C?

 

 

To become a grandparent is to enjoy one of the few pleasures in life for which the consequences have already been paid.

~Robert Brault

I don't live close enough to see him everyday, but I'm close enough to be there pretty fast if ever I'm needed. I'm not sure if that will ever happen. My son and daughter-in-law have things under control, but they know we are here if they need us.

Thanks to my job as a Realtor, though, I travel all over the city, so I've been able to swing by at least once a week after showing property, whether they need me or not. 

As I imagined, becoming a grandmother brought me a lot of "firsts" to add to my 60 by 60 list: the first time I heard little C cry... the first time I watched my son change little C's diaper...the first time I held little C... fed little C a bottle... changed little C's diaper myself... 

Yes, a lot of firsts and "sweet!"s come with the birth of a grandbaby.

(Isn't he beautiful?)

 

If your baby is "beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on schedule and burps on demand, an angel all the time," you’re the grandma.

~Teresa Bloomingdale

 

Life continues apart from grandmothering, though, so here are a few "sweet!"s from the past couple of months (just a handful for the sake of time!) ... 

 

I continue to find heart rocks, and friends continue sending me images of hearts they are finding from clouds and leaves to onions and radishes!

My front porch when it's all swept of leaves, dirt, and dog hair

 

 Hard hat tours of downtown Austin hi-rise condos, like 70 Rainey and 5th & West

 

Amazing views of Lady Bird Lake from 70 Rainey 

 

Hard hats shaped like cowboy hats!

 

Inspiration and chocolate, courtesy of Dove

Driving to Belton to meet an interesting, elderly, "off the cloud" client in person to sign a listing agreement

 

Stopping for lunch afterward at a restaurant on Lake Belton where I ate with my grandmother decades ago

 

A visit from my nephew and his precious kids

Finding valuable podcasts and books on Audible to listen to when driving

Playing my drums 

Spotting a deer, a cotton-tail, and a fox all on one morning walk

 

Helping a friend's son and his wife buy their first home, and having their offer selected over others

Referrals from friends and past clients

Getting a $70K reduction in our county property taxes because of my protest

Stepping out of my comfort zone

 

Friends from high school letting me know when they are in town

Rain, rain, and more rain

Listening to the birds chattering in the trees, excited about the rain

A friend living in Paris sharing photos of a sunset over the Seine River

 

Purple flowers, and other things we tend to take for granted. 

(This is an old photo of prairie verbena, a tough and beautiful flower that continues to bloom despite drought or flood, freezing winters or scorching summers.  It's blooming at the curve of our road right now, but I realized yesterday morning that I hadn't even noticed it until then, even though it's one of my favorites. I just wasn't paying attention. What favorites are you taking for granted right now?)

I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.... People think pleasing God is all God care about. But any fool living in the world can see it always trying to please us back.

~Alice Walker, The Color Purple, 1982

 

 

 

 

60 by 60

 

 

If you wait, all that happens is that you get older.

~Larry McMurtry

 

 

I can't believe I've been 59 for over a month now and haven't yet posted about the "60 by 60" challenge I've made to myself for the coming year.  Time continues to spin faster and faster, and there are still so many things I've intended to do or experience just around Austin, much less the rest of the world. If I'm not intentional about it, I'll just keep putting things off and miss opportunities to experience new things, which means I'll miss opportunities to learn and grow.

It's so easy to get 'too busy'.

So I've started a list that I will add to over the coming year, as ideas come to me or opportunities arise. My goal is to experience 60 new things by my 60th birthday.  It might be as simple as trying a new food or restaurant, or experiencing a city I've never been to... New Orleans, for example, the site for the 2019 Keller Williams Family Reunion.

The biggest and best new experience this year, of course, will be becoming a grandmother. That, in itself, will bring a ton of new and wonderful firsts.

But most of the things on my list are just touristy things around Austin or somewhere else in Texas that have been on my "one day" list for far too long.  You know how it is when you live in a city - you don't sense any urgency in visiting these places, and all too often, you never get there. I don't want that to happen.

I'm not putting everything I've ever wanted to do on here, like visit every country in the world, and some for a second or third time. If the opportunity arises during the year, that's great, but I do realize my limitations in time and finances.  

Now, without further ado (and without putting this off another day or week) here is my list so far, starting with the new things I experienced in April. May has been pretty uneventful so far, which is another reason I want to get this going!  

 

 

1. Visit Hope Outdoor Gallery/Graffiti Park -
   
   Done! This place is iconic Austin and I've been wanting to visit for a long time. Its days are now numbered; rumor has it it will be moved to another location in Austin, but I can't imagine it will be the same. I wanted to go to the original on Castle Hill, so after showing property nearby one day last month, I finally made the time to stroll through, admire the artwork and watch people putting their own mark on the concrete walls. I also met... shoot, I can't think of his name right now... who sells his own style of art created from chunks of the wall. You can see the layers of paint in each piece. 
   
   
   
   
   
2. Eat at the Soup Peddler -
   
   Done! I'll admit I had never heard of this little restaurant before I spotted it and decided to eat there. But the parking lots near Graffiti Park are full of warning signs about getting towed unless you're visiting one of the businesses they front ... plus I was hungry... plus I had never been there... so why not two new things in a row? I had an amazing turkey sandwich before climbing Castle Hill to view the artwork. Everything there is so fresh and different. It's a great spot for me to stop when I'm in the area - quick and cheap and delicious. I'm so glad I know about it now!
   
   
3. Eat at Fareground -
   
   Done! Another place I didn't know about, but experienced by tagging along with my son and his wife, who are on top of everything going on in Austin. It's an underground food court right downtown, full of satellite restaurants from some of the best spots in town, including Ni-Kome, where I experienced #4...
   
   
4. Try real Ramen -
   
   Done! Prior to this, my knowledge of ramen was limited to those cheap little packets you get from the grocery store. I had no idea ramen could be a gourmet food. My kids are always teaching me new things! Thank you, Tommy and Kirby!
   
   
5. Eat at the Bouldin Creek Cafe -
   
   Done! I finally enjoyed brunch at this iconic Austin restaurant with my dear friend Lisa when she was in town visiting her son. It was so good! Now I know where to pass the time when I'm stuck on the south side. Thank you, Lisa!
   
   
   
   
6. Celebrate San Jacinto Day at the San Jacinto Monument -
   
   
   
   
   Done! San Jacinto Day is the celebration of  the final battle on April 21, 1836 of the Texas Revolution, where Texas won its independence from Mexico.
   
   I grew up in the shadow of the San Jacinto Monument and have visited it more times than I can count, first as a child with my parents on up until I was a mom taking my own kids out there. I'm such a Texas history geek that I would even visit the museum by myself.
   
   So would you believe that even though every year there is a re-enactment of the battle and a festival, I've never gone? And I wouldn't have made it this year if my sweet and smart friend Rae didn't suggest I come in a day earlier than I planned for my reunion with friends/co-workers from my DuPont days.
   
   I admit I didn't actually watch the re-enactment on Saturday (I had to get ready for the reunion), but I experienced something even better ... I met Sam Houston at a special preview on Friday night who acted as tour guide for us through the Texan camp and the battleground. We also heard the Mexican side of the story from someone in their army. The whole time a trio of Texan pioneer minstrels followed us at a distance, serenading us with period music.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   At the festival the next day, we visited booths, bought kettle corn, watched Native American dancers (who were amazing!), and even bumped into a high school classmate dressed in period clothing who is an expert on cannons from that period, and actually owns an exact replica.
   
   
   
   I know a lot about Texas history but learned so much more that weekend. Thank you, Rae! (And thank you for sharing some of your photos like this one!)
   
   
   
   
7. Take a hard hat tour of a downtown Austin hi-rise - 
   
   Done! It wasn't my first time in a hard hat by any means, but for the first time in more than 25 years, I donned one again, this time to view a new hi-rise condo being built in Austin right now.
   
   My clients and I joined the sales rep for the ride up via a construction elevator - much more secure than being lifted in a cage by a crane like we were during construction and shut-downs at my chemical plant! They are in the finish-out stage of the interior now, so the building itself was enclosed and secure.
   
   
   
   
   
   I can't wait to see it when it's all finished.
   
   That's a first I'm looking forward to! But it's not the only one...
   
   
8. Visit 5th and West when it's complete. 
9. Visit the Elisabet Ney museum.
10. Visit the Umlauf Sculpture Garden.
11. Hike the Greenbelt and see the Twin Falls and Sculpture Falls 
12. Visit the Blanton Museum (It's true. I admit I've never been inside.)
13. Visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
14. Visit the Zilker Botanical Garden.
15. Have my photo taken in front of the real "Greetings from Austin" mural at Roadhouse Relics.
16. See the Harlem Globetrotters. (a dream from childhood)
17. Experience Sound & Cinema at the Long Center
18. Go to the Austin Kite Festival.
19. Visit New Orleans.
20. Take a Louisiana plantation tour with my friend Sandy. We've been talking about it for too many years.
21. See the Lipizzan Stallions (if they come to Texas this year - another dream from childhood)
22. Visit Hamilton Pool (it's another travesty that I've never been)
23. Swim in Jacob's Well.
24. Eat at Mattie's at Green Pastures.
25. Go to Unplugged at the Grove.
26. Experience Microsessions.
27. Listen to live music at the Continental Club.
28. Listen to live music at the Elephant Room.  
29. Make it to a taping of Austin City Limits. 
30. Visit Marfa, Texas, and see the Marfa lights.
31. Visit Marfa, Texas, and stay in a TeePee
32. Experience the Christmas light show at Mozart's 

 

It's already halfway through May. I need to get busy! If there's something you don't see on my list that you recommend, please let me know! I might go ahead and start my "70 by 70" list! So...what are some things you've wanted to do that you've just never gotten around to? Please share so I know I'm not the only one. 

 

The problem with putting off things you've always wanted to do is that eventually you run out of always.

~Robert Brault

 

 

From rustic to urban...exploring Lake Travis- and Austin-area properties!

 

Tuesdays are my favorite day of the week, because of property tours! 

We started this week's tour by traveling back in time to the days of the pioneers. The Lake Travis pioneers, anyway, who braved the narrow, twisty road out from Austin to the north shore to enjoy life on the lake. (It's now four-lanes and much straighter...just twisty enough to make it scenic.)

According to the listing agent, the first home we visited belonged to an old trapper. It was built in 1950 from cut stone. 

 

 

 

 

The home itself isn't in great shape, as you can see, but it's in a gem of a spot on three waterfront acres overlooking Lake Travis.

Plus it has this cool old cistern...

 

And take a close look at the rock. It's covered in fossils. 

Priceless!

 

Let's walk down the road to the next property, three more waterfront acres overlooking Lake Travis, dotted with two homes also built in 1950.

 

This one is already divided into three separate lots, one with this white house...

 

...one with this red brick house...

 

...and the area in between where there's currently a playscape and a gazebo.

I bet there were some fun family reunions on this place!

 

All three share access to the lake via a winding path that zig-zags down the hill, wide enough for a golf cart.

There wasn't time to walk down to the lake, but I did step up on the balcony of the red brick house to soak up the views of Lake Travis...and snap a few photos.

You can see how low it is right now, but even at this depth, it's beautiful to me. Imagine how gorgeous it will be when the lake fills back up!

This faces west, which means glorious sunsets. (I've driven the ridge on the left of this bow in the river many a sunset - they really are glorious!)

 

I regret not getting a photo of the front of the next house, a Craftsman-style cottage. It's new, but truly captures that vintage look and feel.

 

See?

 

And it has built-in bookshelves!! That gave it bonus points for me.

These reminded me a lot of one of our previous homes where Tom built cabinet/bookshelves on either side of the fireplace.

 

 

A clawfoot tub maintains the vintage feel.

 

The next home on the tour was an upgraded 1972 townhome on the Point Venture golf course. With half a dozen agents milling about, the only clear photo I got was this peek at Lake Travis from the upstairs balcony.

 

The morning's tour ended at this gated one acre lakefront property right down the road from one of my listings.

Look at that view! 

 

It comes with a boat and boat dock for summer fun, plus there's this firepit for chilly nights.

 

A huge deck - part of it screened-in - runs the length of the house in back, facing the lake. 

 

 

It also features a large, open kitchen, perfect for a bunch of agents helping themselves to a sponsored lunch!

 

Fortified with yummy fajitas, I headed into Austin to visit one more property, a 1970's condo on the north side.

I loved this unique backlit, recessed ceiling in the kitchen!

 

A greenbelt ran through the development, rare for condo communities, especially one this close to downtown.

You could access it through the private courtyard in back, which featured a little rock-lined dry (for now) creekbed. 

 

So much personality!

 

I hope you enjoyed the tour as much as I did! Stay tuned for next week's!

All of these properties are for sale by other agents, so contact me if you have fallen in love and I'll play matchmaker for you!

Exploring Austin (Homes) Again!

Ready to visit some homes with me? Buckle up and let's go...

 

 

Last week's property tour started in a townhome in this quiet neighborhood. 

I'm not sure if this stained glass goes with the property, but I love the idea and the effect. 

 

 

But then, I have a weak spot for stained glass. 

The next house was an older home that had been beautifully updated. I didn't get any good photos of the inside, but it had a lot of great details while retaining that vintage feel. 

 

I loved the location of the next house more than anything...an older, upscale neighborhood in West Austin not too far from Mount Bonnell. The home had been given an extensive update, but I didn't get many photos...

 

 

The next home was my favorite of the tour. It was an older ranch-style on the northwest side of Austin, with a huge front yard and gorgeous backyard. 

What I loved most about it, though, were these custom touches...the glass block shower...

  

 

...and all of these storage cabinets in the long hallway. I love cubbies and closets and cabinets. 

 

 

But the room below, which adjoined a large open kitchen, was my favorite part of the house.

When I was little, I spent hours sketching floorplans just for fun. More often than not, I included a sunken livingroom.

With this wall of books, fireplace, and low railing, this room made me feel I had stepped into one of my own designs!

 

 

These next homes weren't on the property tour. They just caught my eye while driving through Hyde Park one day.

 

 

I hope you enjoyed the tour! Be sure to join me next week!

Just Another Day at Work in Austin, Texas

 

Austin real estate in a nutshell:

Number of people moving here, wanting houses > Number of houses available

Consequently, it's important for an Austin real estate agent to be acquainted with builders and new homes. 

So today I attended a class on helping clients find and purchase new homes. We even had a field trip to this cute little subdivision only 10 minutes from downtown Austin. 

 

The homes had small yards and detached garages...some with small apartments on top.

(We had fun imagining who would stay in the apartments. Older children returning home? Visitors to ACL or SXSW, needing to rent a room? In-laws?)

 

 

It is so cool that part of my job involves exploring new homes, opening closets, cabinets, and drawers.

And getting free lunches.

 

 

I loved the pops of colors and Craftsman-style touches on many of the homes.

 

 

A MetroRail Station is adjacent to the neighborhood and all of these homes face a small dog park.

Very urban without being right downtown.

 

Yes, I love my job.

(Contact me if you want more information about these urban gems!)

 

P.S. Happy Halloween Week!