-
The 411: The PNW Operations Retreat
March 18, 2019 /Every year, Pickett Street’s Admin Department (aka Command Central) organize the PNW Operations Retreat. This 3 day retreat focuses on building community and helping fellow admin professionals realize their value and full potential, in order to disrupt the real estate industry in positive ways. This year’s retreat, happening April 4-7, is particularly special. Three major speakers will share their stories: Gary John Bishop, author of Unfuck Yourself, Tyler Schmitt, Executive Assistant to entrepreneur, author, speaker, and internet personality Gary Vaynerchuk, and En-may Mangels, Strategic Intuitive Advisor. If you’re interested in the retreat, reach out to Margaret at #206-228-5067 or margaret@pickettstreet.com. Also, I was able to chat more about this event with Pickett Street’s Director of Operations Margaret Smith and Team Admin, Sarah Troske. Here’s what they had to say. 1. Okay—I've been hearing a lot of hype about this Operations Retreat! What is it? Who's it for? Margaret: My goal with this retreat is to show admin just how powerful they can be through persistence, hard work, and networking. Many admin are afraid of talking to their team leaders/bosses about what they want or think they deserve. Thus, much of this retreat is about personal development. By working on ourselves…Read more
-
Love in Seattle: 9 Ideas for Romance and Fun
February 15, 2019 /Though Valentine’s Day was yesterday, it’s still, in my opinion, perfectly acceptable to celebrate and gorge on chocolate throughout the weekend. How are you celebrating love this week? I splurged on an $8 chew for my dog that he ate in approximately 30 seconds, passed out chocolates to my undergraduate students to soften the fact that their papers are due next week, and scooped up all the dog poop in the yard so that my husband didn’t have to—a sign of true love. If you’re still looking for some good ideas for going out in Seattle with your love, your loves, or yourself, read on for the best romantic and fun spots. For Adults: 1. Canon I’ll start with my husband and I’s personal favorite. In 2014, this bar won a spot on the list of best cocktail bars in the world. In 2017, Canon won another prestigious award for the best spirits collection in the world. Despite all of these fancy awards, however, the bar maintains a down-to-earth, cozy vibe with dim lighting and reasonable cocktail prices. Get there early—there’s almost always a wait to squeeze into this small, intimate space. 2. The Octopus Bar With nearly 200 Yelp…Read more
-
Pickett Street’s Coziest Holiday Traditions
December 21, 2018 /Right now I’m curled up in my parents’ home in Gig Harbor, which just lost power in the wind storm. Because the house’ sits in a secluded spot in the woods, they lose power several times per year and never know if electricity will return in a few hours or a few days. One Christmas, we lost power for a full week. However, despite the fact that the wind storm has just plunged my family into darkness for the unforeseeable future, the holidays in our home remain infused with hygge. We have a wood-burning stove, a pot of coffee, stacks of reading material, and plenty of candles. Recently, I read about an adorable tradition in Iceland called Jólabókaflóðið (“flood of books”), where loved ones gift books to each other on Christmas Eve, then spend the rest of the evening snuggled up at home reading and drinking hot chocolate. To celebrate tōji, or the winter solstice, people in Japan take hot yuzu baths to warm up, lift their moods, and soothe chapped skin. I’ve learned over the years that homes feel the coziest when you choose a space that feels true to your needs and when you maintain social connections and…Read more
-
Pickett Street’s Holiday Event Guide 2018
December 7, 2018 /Real talk: December can feel difficult for many people. Financial issues, complicated family dynamics, and other personal challenges often rear their ugly heads. Additionally, with its deeply northern location, the Seattle area can feel especially dark and wet this time of year, resulting in low energy and dips in one’s moods. Curious about how people in even darker parts of the world handle winter, I recently read an article about a PhD student who spent a full year researching mental health in Tromsø, Norway. Tromsø is so far north that between late November and late January, the sun never climbs above the horizon. Apparently, however, residents in this town largely avoid seasonal depression. As it turned out, Norwegians “view winter as something to be enjoyed, not endured.” Tromsø residents infuse everything they do with a sense of koselig—roughly translated as “coziness” and similar to the Danish hygge—through fires, warm drinks, candles, and fuzzy blankets. According to the article, the research student also reported that Norwegians typically form close-knit communities and that “Tromsø had plenty of festivals and community activities creating the sense that everyone was in it together.” So, in order to help you embrace winter’s chill, spend more time…Read more
-
Pickett Street’s Favorite Places to Dine and Unwind
November 9, 2018 /Seattle’s restaurant week, which celebrated the area’s incredible cuisine, ended yesterday. This event got me thinking about how food and local businesses are so inextricably connected to our sense of belonging and home. My husband and I agree that when we find our local bar, restaurant, and coffee shop, we have finally made the neighborhood our home. (Even better is when the owners of these neighborhood businesses start to recognize your dopey-badly-behaved-but cute puppy and give you free fries!) So, in the spirit of Seattle’s restaurant week and of home, I asked Pickett Street’s team to tell me about their favorite local restaurants and bars. Read on for their list of places to unwind and enjoy a homey vibe. Or, if you’re looking to sell or buy a home in this area, get in touch with the team at 425-502-5397 or info@pickettstreet.com. Anderson School Hotel - McMenamins in Bothell With locations throughout the Pacific Northwest, McMenamins renovates historic buildings to create homey, quirky spaces to eat, drink, and socialize. Bothell’s Anderson School Hotel is located in the city’s first junior high school, built in 1931. The owners renovated this art-deco style building to preserve its school days vibe, with an adult…Read more
-
Community Highlights: Revolve Food & Wine
November 5, 2018 /Pickett Street Properties is dedicated to serving the community and is highlighting businesses and community members that are dedicated to doing the same. This week we are excited to share about Revolve True Food & Wine Bar located in downtown Bothell. Our team has frequented this restaurant a handful of times during lunch. This couldn’t come at a better time since Seattle Restaurant Week is in the midst! Revolve’s Owner, Dr. Dusty DuBois, shares her story with us: I’ve been a chiropractor in Bothell for 20 years and about 8 years ago I embarked on a weight loss journey called Ideal Protein at Bothell Ideal Weight-Loss. I lost 70 lbs in 7 months and I just craved more information about this process. I had previously dieted and exercised my way to 217 lbs, and just changing the way I ate is what caused the weight loss. I was shocked that it was that easy. So I researched everything I could about food and how it either contributes or degrades our health. Everything kept pointing me to a low carb, grain free lifestyle to support my health goals. After learning what I believe to be the truth, I found…Read more
-
Community Highlights: Buddha Bruddah
October 17, 2018 /Pickett Street Properties is dedicated to serving the community and is highlighting businesses and community members that are dedicated to doing the same. This week we are excited to share about Buddha Bruddah. Drea Mizer, Owner, Operations and Catering Manager shares their story: My husband, Mark, and I started our business, Buddha Bruddah, back in December 2014. We started as a food truck. Originally, my husband and his mother were planning to open a food truck together. Unfortunately, she passed away before they could realize the dream together. Mark’s mother had one of the first Thai restaurants in Seattle back in 1982, Rama House on 2nd and Bell, and later also had Rama on Post in Post Alley. Mark grew up working in her restaurants and later took over as General Manager/Owner of the restaurant in Post Alley after his father passed away. I began working in restaurants when I was 15 years old and continued through high school, college and after college. In early 2014, Mark had purchased a food truck and was slowly working on remodeling it when I was unexpectedly laid off from my job as an Operations Manager for a local mortgage company. That is when…Read more
-
Fall Reflection and the Luxurious Cameo Heights Mansion
October 2, 2018 /Autumn often feels like a period that calls for deep inner reflection. This week, I’ve found myself daydreaming about future travels and thinking about how I want my daily routines to look. Pickett Street's Sarah Troske and her bodybuilding journey inspired me to think about how these small, daily details add up to the big things. As Sarah says, “our daily decisions are either taking us closer or further away from our goals.” How are you doing this fall? Do your daily routines feel fulfilling? Are your daily decisions bringing you closer to your dreams? Perhaps, as summer’s adventures end and fall’s chill settles, you’ve realized you need a change of scenery, work, or lifestyle. If this is the case, Pickett Street can help you think about your options for buying or selling your home (info@pickettstreet.com or 425-502-5397). While you’re thinking about your options, check out this newest listing, a breathtaking 11,000 square foot bed and breakfast retreat in southeastern Washington. The Listing Nestled in the heart of Washington’s wine country, Cameo Heights Mansion overlooks 300 acres of vineyards, orchards, and the Walla Walla river. Pickett Street says that “this stunning and unique location, removed from city noise and bright…Read more
-
Pickett Street’s Bodybuilding Queen
September 21, 2018 /The Pickett Street Team includes some highly passionate, motivated individuals. This week, I was able to chat with Sarah Troske, the team’s Transaction Coordinator and resident kick-ass, glam hero. On Saturday, October 6, Sarah will participate in the Washington IronMan Natural Bodybuilding Championships, which sounds, as I sit here in my sweatpants eating cereal, nothing short of amazing. According to Sarah (Pickett Street's Bodybuilding Queen), the show is “all tan, glam, and muscles—where the body becomes art, and the competitors show off their masterpieces.” Sarah says that the show is pure entertainment: each competitor performs their posing routine in front of a panel of judges as the crowds ooh, ahh, and cheer. Here’s what Sarah had to say about her inspiring bodybuilding journey and how this journey carries over into her work for Pickett Street Properties. How did you first become interested in bodybuilding? In May 2017, I was four months sober and I woke up one morning with a feeling and a vision. I wanted to be strong, I wanted to be ripped, I wanted to be shredded, I wanted to look like I could kick ass. I not only wanted to be physically strong, but I also wanted…Read more
-
Football, Floating Homes, and A Fall Real Estate Update
August 31, 2018 /What do you love most about fall? I love wearing absurdly enormous scarves, enjoying the scents of crisp woodsmoke and apples, and watching the Seahawks beat my husband’s favorite team, the Broncos. [Insert gleeful snickering here.] In other Seattle football news, however, some sports enthusiasts predict that the University of Washington’s Huskies will outshine the Seahawks this season. The Huskies’ competitive edge is partly due to what one columnist calls “a slew of the most talented players to ever come through the program.” No matter who you’re rooting for this season, the recent autumn chill in the air brings promises of Sunday afternoons watching the games with friends, cooler, cozier nights, and back-to-school excitement. Fall also brings a few changes in real estate. Let’s take a look at the most recent news in the Puget Sound-area market. 1. Real Estate Update: After two years on top, Seattle is no longer the country’s hottest housing market. Since August 2016, Seattle has ranked as the hottest housing market in the country. However, according to the Case-Shiller home price index, Las Vegas has taken over the top spot with a 13% increase in home prices. With a 12.8% increase in single-family home prices…Read more
-
Blueberries for Sal and Slower Living: Pickett Street’s #LiveLaughLoveFarm
August 24, 2018 /Last week, while discussing their exciting new blueberry farm for sale, the Pickett Street Team and I found ourselves reminiscing about the book Blueberries for Sal. Have you read it? It’s a completely charming children’s book by Robert McCloskey, a writer and illustrator who also wrote the classic Make Way For Ducklings. The book features a mother and daughter wandering the wild fields and beaches on an island in northern Maine. They spend the entire summer day picking blueberries. Though the story is simple, it brings to mind a question that is quite complex: what do we want our lives to look like? And, which moments matter the most? As I reflect on my week, which was filled with long commutes, city traffic, air pollution from nearby wildfires, and–I admit–way too much screen time, the thought of an island’s cool salty air, wild blueberries, and quieter life makes my heart ache with longing just a little bit. Most of us long for more time outside, less time sitting in traffic. Several studies show that nature and country living carry powerful health benefits. Stanford researchers found that 90 minutes walking through country fields, as opposed to walking in urban settings, actually decreased the brain activity associated with depression.…Read more
-
Find Your Calm with a West Seattle Waterfront Home
August 22, 2018 /Many of you have probably experienced it--that feeling of calm that arrives while near the water. Whether it’s a rushing creek, the Puget Sound, or just a neighborhood pool, water has long been associated with a zen-like peace. Staring at the ocean or a large body of water has a meditative effect on the mind and boosts your mood. According to psychologists, the sounds of water “activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for slowing us down and allowing us to relax and feel more engaged.” Breathing in salt air is also good for you; in places like waterfalls and the ocean, the air contains negative ions. Many health experts believe that negative ions have healing properties, especially for people who suffer from seasonal affective disorder. Because water is so calming and powerful, waterfront homes are special spaces. Pickett Street’s latest listing, a gorgeous West Seattle waterfront home, features enormous windows to let you take in the views and fresh salt air. Read on for the details about this home. Or, feel free to get in touch with Pickett Street’s Jesse Moore at 425-502-5397. The Home: This stunning, custom-built modern home is a paragon of West Seattle waterfront living.…Read more
