For me, one of the best feelings in the world is helping. Whether it's hosting an event to provide awareness for a cause, or volunteering at the local Meals on Wheels; lending a helping hand always feels good!  In a recent article in my magazine Start Healthy, Alexa...

I'll be posting some amazing content from California.com that I think you're going to LOVE.   Here's the first one, The 10 Best Bay Area Hikes.   Click the link below to see the full list: https://www.california.com/best-bay-area-hikes/   TOP THREE...

I'm beyond thrilled to announce to you my new partnership with california.com! This is a space where folks, near and far, can go to get top recommendations to eateries, find out where their next adventure will be and locate other community-minded businesses, like...

We often times get asked, "what is it like to live in Martinez?"... The first response is AWESOME and the second one is "let us tell you why", and then 30 minutes later people get it!   This common question inspired me to bring to you The Perfect Martinez...

Our community raised over 660 pounds of food for families in need, through our annual food drive! Thank you so much for you folks that were able to stop by and make donations. We saw over 30 families come through our food drive. Those who attended also received a box...

This week, as my husband and I were discussing how grateful we felt for living downtown. We then started naming all the parks in the downtown area. I've listed them below and am shocked as to how many there are! These are just the parks that are in the general...

September is Hunger Action Month A month where people all over America stand together with Feeding America and the nationwide network of food banks to fight hunger.   It’s a month to spread the word and take action on the hunger crisis and to dedicate ourselves...

This month is National Hunger Action Month. Our family will be hosting our second annual Neighborhood Food Drive + Drive-Up Donut Day... But more to follow on that in the coming week!   This month, there is a lot of good that can be done. You can volunteer at...

With the recent fires in our area, I started to put together a go-bag for our pup. I wasn't sure what to put in there, so I started researching to see what other pet parent's put in their emergency bags. Upon doing so, I found a great FREE resource for you!  ...

2020 has kept us on our toes, and that is putting it lightly. Between the pandemic, heatwave, summer lightning storms, and now wildfires; there have been high tensions all around. But, there's been something else around... Neighbors, lending a helping hand. Folks have...

This week, a friend of mine reminded me to celebrate the small wins and it really resonated with me. I've been running 10-12 hour workdays recently, and have had several small wins that I've forgotten to acknowledge, such as; filing a final contingency removal days...

This weekend our family walked down to our local farmers market. It is so incredible to me, how the local businesses have been able to pivot at this time.   At the farmers market, there were little tape marks to show folks were to stand, lots of signs about...

I'm so thrilled to announce Office Hours! Each week, I'll allocate an hour to be on Zoom to answer any questions you may have. Whether be regarding real estate, the Martinez community or vendors you may need for your home projects; I'll be there to help.  ...

A direct message, from the California Association of REALORS® which I wholeheartedly stand behind, "Today, we are in the midst of yet another in a long string of unspeakable tragedies affecting our country: the May 25 death of George Floyd. We are profoundly saddened...

This week we've faced a lot of uncertainty and a bit of panic. The news has been reporting on the Coronavirus, the Fed's lowering interest rate and the stock market taking big hits. News like this makes all of us feel uneasy, can make us make different decisions than...

This weekend, my husband and I were out & about shooting videos in downtown Martinez. It was such a blast! We started by walking across the street from our home to Ignacio Plaza Park. There we saw some of our neighbors and took in the beauty of a warm February...

This weekend I attended my first improv show at the Campbell Theater and it was awesome! I recognized some of the actor's faces from our community, and that made the night even more special. Afterward, I joined some friends at a couple of the local watering holes. It...

I'm coming off a huge community "high" right now! I just attended the Mayor's State of the City Breakfast, in Martinez, and am so excited about all the recent developments and plans of great ones coming down the pipe. Having moved to Martinez just nine months ago, my...

This week our local refinery transferred hands, and from afar it may have look like just that - Shell Oil Refinery transferred to Martinez Refining Company. On a deeper level, it was much more than that! There was a homecoming of sorts of the management, recognition...

This weekend I had the opportunity to meet over one hundred new groups of people! If you haven't caught on by now, I love meeting new people and creating new connections. Many of these folks I met while hosting an open house in downtown Martinez and most of them were...

Earlier this week I met a really lovely gal, who had graduated high school earlier this year. She graduated a year ahead of schedule, after thinking she wasn't going to be able to graduate at all. I saw a lot of myself in her. I remember thinking having just graduated...

This week, I had the opportunity to create community. I helped friends purchase a home just two houses down from another family who I had recently helped. It felt incredible playing matchmaker to these sweet families!   My husband grew up in a similar...

The green grass on the hillsides; the baby cattle who freely roam the Regional Parks; the crisp pages of our new calendars and the fog that has been rolling in have all brought a sense of freshness to our little community. With a new year comes a fresh start and a...

It's at this point in the year that most folks are looking back at the year that has passed them by... I've been giving thought to this all month long and am incredibly grateful for what has come of the year. Professionally; I hit my target goals; held two meaningful...

Our client appreciation party was SUCH A BLAST! We had many happy clients who attended and took part in the holiday festivities. There were dozens of cookies, and treats, mimosas for the parents as well as arts and crafts. Santa himself even attended!   My...

Happy Giving Tuesday! This time of the year makes me extra grateful for all I have and with that; I want to give, give and give a little more. To me giving feels so much more rewarding than receiving. Whether it's dropping a few bucks in the red buckets at...

This week we celebrated Veteran's Day. At Plaza Ignacio Park, directly across from our home, our community held a lovely ceremony. There was a lovely tribute by a local choir, a 21-gun salute and powerful speeches. The ceremony was incredibly peaceful and very...

This past weekend we hosted Friendsgiving at our home. To us, Friendsgiving is all about showing your friends gratitude for being in their lives; it's a time for us to break bread and reminisce about great things that happened to us this year; and it's a time to...

It's been a very odd month. Between the earthquake, power outages and now the wide-spread wildfires; we are all on high alert. The feeling of unpreparedness was really evident when we had a fire right in our city. We now have a packed bag, food, and water at the...

This week as I left the gym I realized that I recognized a couple of the gals in class. I'm not a shy person, by any means, so I approached them to see if they recognized me too. Right away they asked "aren't you Cienna's mom?". I was so delighted that they remembered...

This week we felt multiple earthquakes in Martinez. They were, without a doubt, a scary wakeup call. My husband and I were getting ready to settle in for the night and all of a sudden our home started shaking. We rushed outside with no jackets, no shoes and no leash...

Creating connections is by far one of my favorite things to do! Just yesterday I had the opportunity to connect two sweet families. They have children that are the same age, and both live in the heart of Downtown Martinez. Good, ol' fashion connections aren't...

The amount of support and love felt at this weekend's food drive was incredible!   As a community, we raised nearly 800 pounds of food, for the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano. We met with over 75 lovely neighbors. Many neighbors simply pulled their car up...

September is Hunger Action Month – A month where people all over America stand together with Feeding America and the nationwide network of food banks to fight hunger. It's a month to spread the word and take action on the hunger crisis, and dedicate ourselves to a...

My husband, Mark and I are so thrilled to be taking our belated honeymoon this week! We decided to hold off on taking a honeymoon until we were able to take a proper vacation. This has been five years in the making, and it's an incredible way for us to spend our five...

When we were first researching Martinez, years before we moved there, we always heard rumors about beavers taking over Martinez. Then, when we were in the process of purchasing our home those rumors turned nasty. Some of the neighbors had told us that we would have to...

The Martinez Art Council's Art in the Park, this past weekend, was an absolute blast - There were local musicians jamming on the stage; incredible metalworkers; talented jewelry makers, and event snowcones! We had the opportunity to catch one of our neighbor's sons...

This past weekend I celebrated my birthday and decided to treat myself to a lovely staycation. What exactly is a staycation? To me, a staycation is where I intentionally relax in the comfort of my home, enjoy some of the local sites and take in the beauty that is my...

On August, 18th Martinez will be hosting its 50th annual Art in the Park event!   There will be a great variation of arts, vendors and local musical artist. Admission is free and they can just about guarantee an awesome time.   Our family will be there, will...

Looking for something fun AND active to do this summer in Martinez? Then you'll love the Martinez Summer Bike Challenge! Not only will you get to know your neighborhood better, but there are also freebies at each station. There are a total of five parks on this...

This weeks adventure lead us to discover "Mr. Martinez", John Sparacino. John was a lifelong resident of our little town and became the town's first major, back in 1973. His impact throughout our community was so grand that we have a park dedicated to him, at the...