Cleanup bags are readily available at every entrance at Stapleton’s dog park. It is a wonderful place for our furry friends to romp and play with other dogs.

Olive, now about six months old now, made her first trek out to the Stapleton dog park. She was a bit shy and overwhelmed with the variety and size of many of the animals there. I’m looking forward to the time when Olive is more comfortable in her skin and plays with the rest of the dogs.

We are lucky that Denver people love their dogs and have worked hard to provide dog parks in numerous locations around the Denver area.

I’m sure I’ve missed a few of the great places for dogs. I know Lowry residents are planning a dog park and working to raise funds to make it a reality. They are accepting donations if you’d like to help. If I have not included your favorite dog park, feel free to add the location in your comments.

Some of these locations do not have fenced in areas and you must be in control of your dog at all times. Please display courtesy at all locations by cleaning up after your dog and making sure they are friendly at play.

Olive and I are going to try several of these parks out. We are looking forward to meeting you. Just look for the dog that is hanging out with all the people and you have found us.

 Other Resources:

Denver Dog Friendly City Guide

Dog Fun Directory

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Tonight before I go to bed, I need to remember to set my clocks forward an hour. It’s time to “spring forward”.

What has me really confused is that we just moved the clocks back an hour a couple months ago. I think someone out there is laughing as we turn up to church at the wrong time twice a year. Are we saving fuel?

At least the clocks change on Sundays. Pastors, Rabbis and Priests are probably a little more forgiving than some of the bosses out there.

The other good news is that the changing time announces the coming spring. Boy, am I ready!

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Described as one of the “fastest growing art districts in the country”, the Sante Fe Art District is one of Denver’s wonderful places to go for amazing art. From 5th to 10th Avenues along Sante Fe Boulevard, there are more than 30 galleries.

The First Friday Art Walk runs all year round from 6-9 pm. and art lovers are invited to see the work of incredible artists. If you are looking for something amazing to do on Friday nights, this is one weekly event not to miss.

Artist Sharon McEachern is known for her mixed media and has her work featured at the “Art Eclectic” show at the CORE New Art Space. The gallery is located at 9th and Sante Fe. Sharon wrote and asked that I invite all our Denver art connoisseurs to see her latest work. She has several very unique pieces and I look forward to visiting the gallery to see them up close and personal.

Denver is lucky to have a wide variety of artists in many of our fabulous galleries around the area. The next time you are looking for just the right masterpiece to hang on your wall, don’t forget to take a look at the First Friday Art Walk.

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I’m not usually a big one for birthday celebrations, however, 50 is one of those milestones and certainly deserves a good party. All of you are invited to my 50th birthday party which will be held January 2, 2009 on the Ocean Nova ship as it crosses the Drake Passage on its way to Antarctica.

I’ve always wanted to travel to Antarctica and when a full color enticing travel advertisement arrived in my mail a few months ago, I just couldn’t resist. It’s another one of those things on my “bucket list”. We leave the tip of Argentina on December 30th and head across the ocean to the Antarctica peninsula where we’ll see seals, penguins and lots of arctic birds. I’m also hoping to see a whale or two on the way over. I understand that the Drake Passage can be pretty rough and since I am a wimp on boats, I’ll be searching for the holy grail of anti-nauseau medications.

For a summary of the cruise, Click Here.

To check out the boat, Click Here.

I’m joined by my adventurous travel buddy, Delia, who is a retired school principal. I’d love to have you join us. Just tell Joy you want to celebrate Jennifer Steck’s birthday.

Joy Martinello

ExpeditionTrips
6553 California Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98136-1863
Toll-Free: 877 412-8527
Tel: 206 547-0700
Fax: 206 634-9104
www.expeditiontrips.com

I am very excited and have already started my travel journal. So, I hope you can make it, but if not, you can count on seeing my photos when I return.

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With 24,489 houses on the market in the Denver area as of the end of January and only 2,987 closings, is the successful sale of your house a roll of the dice? The answer is a resounding “No”. While there are certainly no guarantees, you can turn the odds in your favor by completing the followings steps.

1. Declutter– We’ve heard it dozens of times on the home shows and you will hear it from your Realtor and Stager. The less clutter, the larger a home feels and the less people will be distracted by your “stuff”. We want them to picture themselves in your fabulous home. Pull out the boxes and pack anything you won’t need for a couple months, including those precious family photos, to create open space on walls, counters and shelves.

2. Clean– Before your house goes on the market, do the spring cleaning. It’s time to wipe the baseboards, wash the windows and have the carpets professionally cleaned. If a buyer comes in and sees dirty light switches, it turns them off. Professional cleaning services are available for a one time deep clean. If you don’t have the time, hire a professional. It may cost you now, but you’ll reap the benefits of a sold house later.

3. Paint– It’s just like buying a new car and getting the first ding, when you paint, it is inevitable that you’ll bump the wall with furniture or the dog will rub up against it. If your walls have a few scrapes, get out the brush and repaint it. Once again, it will take time, but paint is relatively inexpensive. It contributes to the clean feeling that a buyer will experience when they walk in. If you have any odd colors, repaint the walls neutral. To get some idea of what buyers are looking for, you can take a tour of new model homes or check with your Realtor.

4. Replace Burnt Out Bulbs– Buyers love light and you can create an open and light filled space by replacing burnt out bulbs and turning on the fixtures in each room.

5. Price it Right– This is the biggest contributer to whether or not your house will sell. Forget what your neighbors house sold for last year because it is a new market and your home may have experienced a drop in value. Your Realtor will run a comparative market analysis. It is critical that you price it at, or even just a little below, where other similar homes have sold.

6. Get it Done Before the Showings Start– Once people have made the decision to sell, they usually want the house on the market right away. But, we want to make sure every buyer sees the home in its best condition. If you need two weeks to get everything done, wait before opening it to buyers. We can put up a coming soon sign until you are ready. This also gives your Realtor time to get the photographer through and provide professional brochures that will highlight the features of your house.

7. Every Showing Counts– Having your house on the market is inconvenient and frustrating at times. But when the office calls to schedule a showing, say “Yes” whenever possible. Buyers have a variety of schedules and it’s important that we accommodate them. In my experience, the majority of buyers will never return after a showing time has been turned down.

8. Hire a Professional– Marketing your house is critical in this market. Since most buyers are finding their houses on-line, make sure your Realtor has a strong internet presence. The more people who see the photos of your house, the better chance it will sell, especially if you have completed all the above steps.

Whenever I take a listing, the first person I call is my preferred stager. She visits the house at no cost to the seller and makes recommendations on how best to stage the home. Sellers then paint, add table settings and get rid of the clutter. While each house may not look like a show home, just a few simple changes can make a big difference.

Take these steps and increase your odds that you will be successful in putting your home in the SOLD column.

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