When in Doubt, Walk it Out
Since the beginning of the pandemic, our family has been out on walks almost daily. When we go a couple of days without our walks (because of the weather, or unhealthy air quality) we really feel this. For us, our walks are a time to reflect, discuss important...
ANNOUNCEMENT TIME
Beyond thrilled to tell you about my big move - I’m now a part of Fast Real Estate x Powered by eXp! The folks over at #TEAMFAST have been incredibly helpful in getting me back up and running so that I can best serve my clients. Check out the core values, I think that...
Reviews & Restaurants
If you've been wondering how you can support your favorite, local restaurant, without spending a dime or leaving your couch, I've got a tip for you! Leaving a kind review on websites like Yelp, Google, Facebook and other places makes the world of difference. In an...
Diablo Magazine Highlights Martinez
I'm so thrilled to show you the INCREDIBLE write-up that Diablo Magazine did on our little downtown! Click the link below to read the full article that Diablo Magazine wrote on Martinez: City Series: Insider’s Guide to Martinez *photo was taken by yours truly, by...
The Carquinez Strait
Just a short walk from my home is the Carquinez Strait - We love it for the Regional Shoreline hike, with an amazing nature preserve. Little did we know that it had such a rich history! The strait connects many rivers, which then drain to the San Francisco Bay. It's...
Drive-Thru Pie Party Success
Our annual Pie Party looked quite different this year than those in years past. At this time last year, I was planning to host an all-out holiday party at our home, where I'd invite all our friends, family and clients. There were going to be spreads of foods, drinks...
Do Good Feel Good
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...
The 10 Best Bay Area Hikes
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...
california.com Recommended Business
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...
The Perfect Martinez Sunday
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...
Neighborhood Food Drive 2020, A Surprising Success
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...
Tiny Downtown, Tons of Parks
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...
Second Annual Neighborhood Food Drive + Donut Drive-Thru Day
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...
September – National Hunger Action Month
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...
*FREE* Pet Safety Pack
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! ...
Helping Hands in Trying Times
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...
Celebrate the Small Wins
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...
Farmers Market Finds
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...
Weekly Office Hours
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. ...
We Stand Together
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...
Take Care – Stay at #HOME
Be the Calm
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...
Lights, Camera, ACTION
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 Hidden Gem Keeps Getting Shinier
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...
State of the City, MTZ Edition
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...
There’s a New Kid in Town
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...
It Makes a Difference to Make a Difference
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...
Open Up
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...
Love Thy Neighbor
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...
FRESH
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...
Reflections of 2019
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...
Happy Holidays!
Santa Party
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...
Give, Give and Give a Little More
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...
Thanksgiving Message
A Veteran’s Day Message
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...
Friendsgiving 2019
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...
Evacuations and Resources
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...
In a small town, it’s the small things that matter.
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...
Earthquake Scare and Awareness
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...
Connections
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...
Neighborhood Food Drive 2019, A Massive Success
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...
Fall and the Smell of Pumpkin-Spiced-Everything is in the Air
Though it doesn't quite feel like fall (it's currently 97˚ outside), it's finally here. The mornings are crisp and the afternoons are as hot as the real estate market in Martinez! Around our home, we've busted out the chili & cornbread recipes, put out the...
Downtown Martinez Neighborhood Food Drive
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...
Vacation Mode, Activated
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...
Martinez Beavers – More than Cute Critters
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...
Stitches and Sausages
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...
Staycation
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...
Art in the Park – A Martinez Tradition
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...
RES|Success, a Critical Martinez Nonprofit, Celebrates 25 Years of Service
RES|Success is an incredible Martinez based nonprofit whose mission is "To provide dignified and respectful day program services to adults with developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorders, with attention to the very individualized needs of each of our...
Family First
Family always comes first - Bar none. With that being said, I'll be flying back to Indiana to help my mother make her move from her previous home to her new one. Choosing to focus on work with my few days in the Bay Area, I won't have time for an update this week....
Martinez Summer Bike Challenge
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...
Fourth of July Message
John Sparacino Park & Community Transit Center
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...
June – National Hunger Awareness Month
As you've already learned, I held two terms with AmeriCorps. Within those terms, there were weeks where I was empty in my stomach but my heart was full. This is the point in my life when I learned about food insecurity. To combat this I would volunteer extra hours at...
Community Feels Like HOME
The feeling of belonging is something that humans innately crave. This week we had that feeling of belonging to our community, and it was incredible! It wasn't one action or situation that made us feel this, rather it was many small moments throughout our week. From...
Waterfront Park at Dusk
On one of our evening strolls this week, we were greeted by an incredibly beautiful sunset. The air was cool, fresh and had an earthy smell to it. The sounds of the park were just incredible - From kiddos chasing each other around the many play structures to the...
Our New Home
The boxes are all unpacked, the linens are all washed and the storage bins have been put away! Our first two weeks in our new home have been blissful, and we are falling head over heels for our new town. We’ve had the pleasure of meeting some of our delightful...