Home Tips: Household Gadgets

Now that we are spending more time at home, it may be time to consider upgrading a gadget you’ve been using more and more or purchasing a gadget that you didn’t even know you needed until reading this! Check out some of our favorite household gadgets to elevate your time at home.

UV Sanitizer

These come in all shapes and sizes. You can get one for your phone, you can get a larger one to fit your laptop. We’ve seen some people use these and throw in their masks, cellphones, and pacifiers to extend the life between washes. Slowly but surely, UV lights are making their way into everyone’s homes during this time.

Furbo Dog Camera

This dog camera has stellar reviews. You can watch your furry friend from the camera from a live stream, get notified when your dog is barking, coughing, or choking. Two things that set Furbo apart from other dog cameras is that you get a daily summary of your dog’s movement and day along with the ability to talk through the device and throw treats to your pet from your phone! Highly recommend for those of you who are working on site and miss your furry friends.

Dyson Cordless Vacuum

Done with the days of unplugging and plugging in your cord to your vacuum as you move around your home? Consider purchasing a cordless vacuum to streamline the process of keeping your floors dirt and dust free!

Projector

Since we can’t go to the movies, spice up your movie viewing with a projector that can be fit for your garage, or even set it up in your backyard for an outdoor movie night!

 

Economic update for the week ending September 19, 2020

New York Stock Exchange
Stock markets ended the week lower for the sixth week – Stock markets ended the week slightly lower again this week. There were positive developments that included: The Federal Reserve announced that they would keep their key interest rates near zero percent through 2023. Consumer spending was at the highest level since before the pandemic. Manufacturing has increased. Unfortunately, all of that did not help the market recover from another stimulus package that died in the House. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the week at 27,657.42, down 0.1% from 27,665.64 last week. It’s down 3.0% year-to-date. The S&P 500 closed the week at 3,319.47, down 0.6% from 3,340.97 last week. It’s up 2.7%year-to-date. The NASDAQ closed the week at 10,893.28, down 0.6%, from 10,853.55 last week. It’s up 20.3% year-to-date.

U.S. Treasury bond yields – The 10-year treasury bond closed the week yielding 0.70%, up slightly from 0.67% last week. The 30-year treasury bond yield ended the week at 1.45%, up slightly from 1.42% last week.

Mortgage rates – The September 17, 2020, Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported mortgage rates for the most popular loan products as follows: The 30-year fixed mortgage rate average was 2.87%, unchanged from 2.85% last week. The 15-year fixed was 2.37%, unchanged from 2.37% last week. The 5-year ARM was 2.96%, down from 3.11% last week.

California’s existing-home sales and prices hit a record high in August – The California Association of Realtors announced that existing, single-family home sales totaled 465,400 in August on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate.  That marked a month-over-month increase of 16.3% from the number of sales in July. Year-over-year sales were up 14.6% from August 2019’s 406,100 sales on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate. The state-wide median price also hit a record high. It was $706,900, up 6.3% from $666,320 in July. Year-over-year the median price increased by 14.5% from $617,410 last August. That marked the steepest year over-year-increase in the median price since March 2014 when home prices were recovering from steep drops during the Great Recession financial crisis. The median price is the point at which one half the homes sell for more and one half sell for less. Historic low-interest rates with 30-year fixed at or under 3% have increased buyer demand, and very low inventory levels have created competition and pushed prices up. The unsold inventory index in August held steady at a 2.1-month supply. That was unchanged from July, but down from a 3.2-month supply one year ago. A 5-6-month supply is considered a normal market, but we have not seen that high of an inventory rate for many years. The index indicates the number of months it would take to sell the supply of homes on the market at the current rate of sales. The graph below indicates the number of sales and median prices for counties in Southern California.

The graph below indicates results from Southern California by county.

LA & Valley Eats: Greek

Because we did not have the Greek Island vacation to Santorini and Mykonos we all planned for this summer, we have compiled some of our favorite greek restaurants in Los Angeles and the Valley.  Check them out below! 

Aliki’s Greek Taverna – Los Angeles 

Located at: 5862 Arbor Vitae St, Los Angeles, CA 90045-4731

One of the highest rated in Los Angeles— Aliki’s Greek Taverna is a Greek Restaurant that specializes in authentic Greek food. It uses top quality ingredients such as the “Eliki” extra virgin olive oil, Greek feta cheese made from goat and sheep milk, organic tomatoes and other quality natural ingredients and the best meats available.

Avra – Beverly Hills 

Located at: 233 North Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210-5317

Michelin rated and all, Avra is an elevated take on your classic Greek food you can find all throughout the streets of Greece. 

Papa Cristo’s Greek Grill – Los Angeles 

Located at: 2771 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90006

Market and no-frills restaurant offering Greek eats from hummus to baklava & live music weekends. Amazing atmosphere. 

The Great Greek Restaurant and Taverna – Sherman Oaks

Located at: 13362 Ventura Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 91423-3939

Did someone say live music and fresh greek food? Sign us up! From Chicken Kabobs to Falafel, this place has perfected all of the classic Greek dishes. 

Cava Mezze Grill – Topanga Canyon 

Located at: 6256 Topanga Canyon Blvd The Village Level 1, Off Erwin Street, Los Angeles, CA 91367

For the person who loves variety, this is the place for you. You order by going down the counter and picking exactly what you want in your meal. It is quick and healthy! 

Daphne’s – Woodland Hills

Located at: 5780 Canoga Ave unit d, Woodland Hills, CA 91367

A valley classic for locals is Daphne’s.  It is a chain offering a wide range of modern Greek food and additional health forward twists! 

Streaming: The U.S. Open

The first of six majors to be played over the course of the 2020-21 season, the 2020 U.S. Open is officially underway, teeing off for the first time in more than a century. The USGA’s signature event has a new television home as the U.S. Open returns to NBC’s airwaves. As for the second golf major to be held amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it should be an incredible four days at Winged Foot as the best golfers in the world take on a fun yet difficult course looking for major glory (and the $12Mil Prize). Check out the Schedule below! 

Round 1 — Thursday, September 17

Early TV coverage: 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Golf Channel

Daytime TV coverage: 2-5 p.m. on NBC

TV simulcast live stream: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on fuboTV 
Late coverage:
5-7 p.m. on Peacock

Additional coverage via live streaming on USOpen.com
Featured Groups (early) — 7:55 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Featured Holes — 8:10 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.

Featured Groups (late) — 1:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Round 2 — Friday, September 18

Early coverage: 7:30-9:30 a.m. on Peacock

Daytime TV coverage: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Golf Channel

Late TV coverage: 4-7 p.m. on NBC

TV simulcast live stream: 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on fuboTV

Additional coverage via live streaming on USOpen.com
Featured Groups (early) — 7:55 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Featured Holes — 8:10 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.

Featured Groups (late) — 1:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Round 3 — Saturday, September 19

Early coverage: 9-11 a.m. on Peacock
TV coverage:
 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on NBC

TV simulcast live stream: 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on fuboTV

Additional coverage via live streaming on USOpen.com
Featured Groups (early) — 8 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Featured Holes — 8:10 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.

Featured Groups (late) — 1:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Round 4 — Sunday, September 20

Early coverage: 8-10 a.m. on Peacock

Daytime TV coverage: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Golf Channel

Late TV coverage: 12-6 p.m. on NBC

TV simulcast live stream: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on fuboTV

Additional coverage via live streaming on USOpen.com

Featured Groups (early) — 7:55 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Featured Holes — 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Featured Groups (late) — 1:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Out & About: Palisades Village 

If you do not already live in Pacific Palisades, then it is unlikely that you have been over to the Palisades Village more than a handful of times… or even once. The Palisades Village is the youngest sister to The Grove and The Americana. If you are thinking about spending the day here, look no further as this guide is for you! 

FARMERS MARKET 

Every Sunday, the Palisades Village hosts a farmers market. Discover your new Sunday staple with fresh produce and local vendors, followed by exclusive offers from your favorite brands! 

EATING

Come hungry, and leave happy! From The Draycott to Blue Ribbon Sushi, Palisades Village has you covered on any type of food you are craving. If you do not feel like sitting down at a restaurant, you can take anything to go. Another great option is grabbing food from the infamous Erewhon Hot Bar (they serve for you), and laying out a blanket and enjoying it on their grass lawn. 

SHOPPING 

Walk off your meal with some shopping at some of the best stores. Palisades Village is your one-stop destination for the most sought-after (and hard-to-find) brands in clothing, jewelry, beauty, and more. From national stores like ALC, Lululemon, Buck Mason, and Zimmerman to smaller markets like The Little Market (Founded by Pacific Palisades local, Lauren Conrad and Hannah Skvarla). Shop to your hearts content after a delicious meal! 

DESSERTS

In the mood for a sweet treat after shopping? If you want to go straight into a McConnell’s Ice Cream Cone, you can definitely do that. If you are gluten free, dairy free, and vegan? This village has you covered. There is a Sweet Laurel Bakery at the Village with specializes in these healthy desserts. It is their flagship store, so be sure to stock up on these guilt free treats! 

Home Tips: Maintaining Clean Air Inside

For most of us Southern California natives, we know that when September rolls around, it means school is starting, daily life routines adjust, and that the environment is at most risk for fires. With the fires throughout the west coast messing with our air quality, local officials have advised us to stay indoors as much as possible. You should be aware that some of the smoke from outdoors can enter your home and make it unhealthy to breathe indoor air, too. Check out our tips below on how to maintain healthy air quality inside your home.

Keep Windows, Doors and Vents Closed

Outdoor air, including fine particles from wildfire smoke, can enter your home in a few ways: through open windows and doors, which is known as natural ventilation, through mechanical ventilation devices such as bathroom or kitchen fans that vent to the outdoors, or heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems with a fresh air intake, and through small openings, joints, cracks, and around closed windows and doors through a process called infiltration.

Purchase or use an Air Purifier

Use a portable air cleaner or high efficient filter in your air ducts to remove fine particles from the air. If you use the portable air cleaner, run it as often as possible with the highest fan speed. If you have an HVAC system, run the system’s fan as often as possible to remove particles while the air quality is poor.

Purchase or use a Humidifier

Purchase a humidifier to keep the air quality at a healthy moisture level since air purifiers are notorious for drying out the air.

Avoid Activities That Create Fine Particles Indoors

Avoid using gas, propane or wood-burning stoves and furnaces, spraying aerosol products, frying food, burning candles or incense. The fine particles cause your air purifiers to work harder and your lungs to work harder. It is important to keep your home a safe space.

Clean up Ash

When the smoke clears, you may need to clean up ash or other debris left by the fires. Children, older adults, or people with heart and lung diseases should refrain from clean up work. It may irritate your eyes, nose, and skin that could cause coughing and other health effects. When cleaning, wear gloves, long-sleeved shirts and pants, shoes, socks, goggles, and an N95 respirator to protect your lungs. Make sure to clean the ask with a DAMP towel instead of a dry vacuum as that can spread the ash.

Economic update for the week ending September 12, 2020

Stocks declined for the second straight week – Although all stock market indexes were down, tech stocks were hit especially hard. The tech-heavy NASDAQ fell 4.1% for the week. It’s now dropped over 10% from its all-time high less than two weeks ago. To be fair, it’s still up 21% year to date. This week’s drop was a combination of several issues: Some investors felt the market’s incredible rise over the last 90 days had caused stock prices to become overinflated and took profits. There were also fears of a setback in a leading vaccine trial when one participant developed an unexplained illness. Perhaps the largest factor of the past two week’s declines was the realization that a stimulus package once thought of as a done deal may not happen until after the election. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the week at 27,665.64, down 1.7% from 28,133.31 last week. It’s down 3.1% year-to-date. The S&P 500 closed the week at 3,340.97, down 2.5% from 3,426.96 last week. It’s up 3.4% year-to-date. The NASDAQ closed the week at 10,853.55, down 4.1%, from 11,313.14 last week. It’s up 21% year-to-date.

 

U.S. Treasury bond yields – The 10-year treasury bond closed the week yielding 0.67%, down from 0.72% last week. The 30-year treasury bond yield ended the week at 1.42%, down from 1.46% last week.

 

Mortgage rates – The September 10, 2020, Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported mortgage rates for the most popular loan products as follows: The 30-year fixed mortgage rate average was 2.86%, down from 2.93% last week. The 15-year fixed was 2.37%, down from 2.42% last week. The 5-year ARM was 3.11%, up from 2.93% last week.

Housing sales data for August should be released next week. That data will be on next week’s update.

Out and About: Wine Tasting in LA

As Angelenos, we are lucky to be so close to the infamous wineries in Napa Valley. However, did you know that you can taste great wine locally in LA as well? From Zinfandel to Pinot Noir and everything in between spend some time wine tasting in your own backyard!

Malibu Wine Safari’s

Location: Malibu, CA

What makes Malibu Wine Safari’s so special is all in the name. Enjoy your glass of choice while touring through their vineyards and encounter safari animals along the way. Make reservations well ahead of time as they sold out constantly pre-covid. With more restrictions, their reservations are filling up even more!

REV Winery

Location: Covina, CA

One of the first to take on the trend of urban wineries is the Covina located REV Winery. REV takes the wine-making process another step further by producing wine that is non-sulfited, vegan and gluten free from organic grapes. Each bottle has a unique history and original artwork.

Firestone Vineyard

Location: Los Olivos, CA

Located in beautiful Santa Barbara, Firestone is more than your average state winery, holding concert events and even offering a cellar club membership and property rental for private events. This along with an amazing history of quality and fantastic wine makes Firestone the day-trip perfect choice.

San Antonio Winery

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Situated in DTLA, San Antonio Winery offers three tastings as a perfect intro to new flavors or forgotten favorites in their urban setting. They also have a restaurant with a menu designed around their wine selection. along with public and private events.

Ojai Vineyard Tasting Room

Location: Ojai, CA

Located in downtown Ojai, this winery is one of only four in the town but well worth the visit. Enjoy their Five Wine Flight as their wine expert guides you through the notes of your Syrah or chardonnay. A welcoming staff and reasonably priced wine makes this an ideal stop for wine enthusiasts.

Streaming: Celebrating Chadwick Boseman

When one hears of a heartbreaking death like the passing of Chadwick Boseman, a natural reaction is to seek out their life and art in order to celebrate them. The particularly gutting thing about Boseman is that he was only 43, having silently battled colon cancer for four years. He started appearing on screen in 2003, but didn’t hit his breakout role until 2013, with the Jackie Robinson bio 42. Though he starred in multiple features after that, Boseman was clearly just hitting his stride; we are thankful for all we have received from Boseman, and wish we could see more!

We have gathered a few of our Chadwick Boseman favorites! Check them out.

Black Panther 

Where to watch: Disney +

42: The Jackie Robinson Story 

Where to watch: Online Rental

21 Bridges 

Where to watch: Showtime

Marshall 

Where to watch: Online Rental

Valley Eats: Dine LA (Valley) Guide

Do you have a list of restaurants you have been wanting to try? Do you want to spice up your quarantine by adding more restaurants to your “usual” list? Well, Dine LA is the perfect week to try new to you restaurants with their prix fixe menus at an affordable cost. Check out the menu to some of our favorites below.  

Casa Vega – Sherman Oaks 

Whether you are here for lunch or dinner, the food coma will no doubt find its way to your body whether you want it to or not. There is so much to try here, and it is all delicious!

Located: 13301 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks 91423-3912

Coin & Candor – Thousand Oaks 

You have the choices between a peach panna cotta and the oreo and candor for dessert. How can you choose one? They are both well known as some of the best dessert in the valley. Check it out.

Located: Two Dole Drive, Thousand Oaks 91362

Malbec Argentinean Cuisine – Toluca Lake

Argentinean cuisine is some of the most dynamic around. Indulge in all the meats, sides, and dessert, here.

Located: 10151 Riverside Dr, Toluca Lake 91602

Gray Tavern – Studio City 

Imagine this: corn salad, mac and cheese, and the tavern steak finished off with their infamous lemon bar. The ideal meal if you ask us!

Located: 10964 Ventura Boulevard, Studio City 91604

The Raymond 1886 – Pasadena 

Full of complex flavors and dynamic dishes, this longtime Pasadena favorite is an exciting addition to the Dine LA menu.

Located: 1250 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena 91105-3417

Check out the entire list of restaurants on the Discover Los Angeles Website: https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/dinela