Kevin Owens | Fireside Life | | January 2022 Digital Newsletter

FIRESIDE L I F E S T Y L E

November |December 2021

HEALTHY HABITS

Seasonal Styles

Small changes, Big Impact

Elbow Macaroni Salad GoodNes

Market Update Presented

By Kevin Owens

EVENT CALENDAR NOVEMBER | DECEMBR 2021

CHARLES SCHWAB CUP CHAMPIONSHIP Phoenix | Nov.10-Nov 14 PgaTour.com

Featuring the top 36 players of the season, the Charles Schwab Cup Championship is the culmination of the PGA Tour Champions road to the Charles Schwab Cup, a year-long competition that ends with the Charles Schwab Cup playoffs.

WILDLIGHTS FOR WILDLIFE Phoenix | Nov. 7th PhoenixZoo.org

From the comfort of your own vehicle, you and your guests will embark on a four-wheel adventure that will scintillate your senses. Plus you’ll experience an exclusive drive-thru preview of the 30th anniversary of ZooLights – the Valley’s beloved holiday tradition, happening Nov. 7th- Jan 31st.

FRIED CHICKEN AND WINGS FESTIVAL Phoenix | Dec. 4th TicketTailor.com

Second annual Arizona Fried Chicken and Wings Festival in Downtown Phoenix. With over 10 local businesses, featuring different varieties of fried chicken from Korean fried chicken to Nashville Hot fried chicken. A finger licking food enjoyed throughout the world and every culture has their own twist on it. 12:30 PM - 5:30 PM

PHOENIX FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS Phoenix | Dec. 11-12th PhoenixCenterForTheArts.org

The 9th annual arts and culture celebration perfect for the whole family. Featuring more than 150 art vendors and cultural organizations. It’s a perfect time to connect with the local art community and celebrate the season. Plus a full lineup of live music, performances, and interactive activities.

MY BLUEGRASS HEART Tempe | Dec. 18th TempeCenterForTheArts.com

Béla Fleck has made a point of boldly going where no banjo player has gone before, a musical journey earning him 15 GRAMMYS in nine different genres. But his roots are in bluegrass, and that’s where he returns with his first bluegrass tour in 24 years. Fleck’s first road band will spotlight some of the best of the new generation of bluegrass players, including: Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Bryan Sutton.

Lighting Luxe T

he future looks bright. As interior design remains minimalist and carefully curated, lighting has taken on a scene-stealing role. Think of your overhead and accent lighting as the jewels of your home—the finishing touches that can make your casa shine and be more stylish than ever before. Follow this room-by-room lighting guide to make your house the best and brightest on the block.

Since all things start in the kitchen, let’s head straight to the hub of the house where it’s go big or go home. Kitchen chandeliers and pendants are trending toward large statement fixtures. Choosing one big and bold lighting element over an island or eating area is all the rage. Whether you choose the popular antiqued brass, black matte, or brushed chrome, finishes can mix and match and evoke a feeling of a room that’s evolved over time. For 2022, materials are all about the environment.

From rattan shades and glass pendants to wood bases and chandeliers made from organic beads and shells, lighting elements have a real eco-focus. Exposed Edison bulbs with that still-hip industrial vibe also remain popular. There’s an old-world charm that seems timeless, reminiscent of another era yet also undeniably modern.

Next up is the dining room, a long overlooked space that more and more homeowners are spending time in with family and close friends enjoying homecooked meals together. As the dining tables get larger, so do the sparkling statement chandeliers overhead. Big and bright rules the day—yet with dimmable bulbs that are a must to set any mood required as the sun goes down. Popular current shapes are geometrical, rectangular, and circular. This is the place to try something daring as more and more chandeliers now resemble art, with multiple airy and orb-like lights hanging from the ceiling. Look to pare down the dining room furniture and décor and let your chandelier be the star of the space. After all, nothing makes a dinner more magical than just the right lighting.

In the living room, look for accent lighting highlighting nap and reading corners, game table nooks, and even a table lamp by a bar area. Dimmable lights for movie times are also a must in family spaces. The feeling is light and airy, making glass and antiqued brass and silver finishes popular choices.

Moving to the bedroom, sconces are having a comeback. After all, there’s no need to light up an entire room if you’re reading before going to bed.

Sconces of all shapes and sizes are brightening up bedsides and clearing space on nightstands, giving rooms an uncluttered look. Almost sculptural in style, sconces can have a large impact on a streamlined, pared-down boudoir.

Bathrooms (and kids’ rooms) are looking more and more chic with chandeliers, an unexpected design twist. With the minimalist and uncluttered interior designs popular today, overhead fixtures have an opportunity to brighten up a space bolder than ever before. When done right, these elements are the icing on the cake. Don’t be afraid to let your lighting truly shine.

REAL ESTATE

corner

the mid 1800s. The practice soon became popular across the pond, with Americans favoring floor to ceiling trees rather than table-size versions.

Ever ponder the poinsettia? Why is it the harbinger of the holiday season? The plant, native to southern Mexico and Central America, is named after a former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett, who brought the leafy specimen back to the States in the early 1800s. He was taken by their beauty— the poinsettia is actually made of red and green leaves, not flowers—and the plant helped set the traditional red and green holiday hues.

Hyou’ve got your own traditions. Maybe you get a tree,

owever you celebrate the holiday season, chances are

decorate the mantel for the winter solstice, or send out holiday greeting cards. But have you ever wondered how some of these holiday traditions began?

When it comes to Christmas trees, the origins are definitely European. Though it is still intensely debated, the European countries of Latvia and Estonia both stake claim to being the first to decorate Christmas trees (we’re talking back to the 1400s and 1500s). According to The History Channel, however, it was the Germans who started the Christmas tree tradition in the 16th century, with the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther first adding candles to the branches.

IN GOOD TASTE

In America, however, things were quite different. In fact, even just hanging holiday decorations was once forbidden here.

Back in 1659, observing Christmas day in any way other than attending church was illegal in the state of Massachusetts.

No caroling or trees or decorations of any kind were allowed.

Of course, that didn’t last forever. Eventually, the tradition of indoor Christmas trees did make its way to our shores, thanks in large part to Queen Victoria, who was illustrated in an English newspaper gathering with her family around a Christmas tree in

Why do we hang Christmas stockings? Once upon a time they were actually put by the chimney to dry after washing. But, legend has it, St. Nicholas tossed gold down the chimney of a poor man’s home and it landed in his daughters’ stockings.

People soon began leaving socks by the fire hoping to find treasure the next morning. Speaking of St. Nick, you may wonder where Santa Claus comes from. Jolly old St. Nicholas was based on a fourth-century Greek bishop who helped protect children. In Europe, some celebrate him on December 5th or 6th, when he decides who is naughty or nice. And did you know that in Scandinavia, Santa Claus rides a goat on Christmas not a sleigh pulled by reindeer?

And finally, whose idea was it to send holiday greeting cards?

We can also thank Queen Victoria for this tradition, as well as Englishman Henry Cole, who is credited with creating the first commercial Christmas card. He commissioned a drawing and printing of 1,000 cards in 1843.

The card depicted a family celebrating and drinking wine and it caused quite a scandal at the time. Happy holidays to all!

GINGER-CREAM COOKIES INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup

shortening

1/2 tsp

salt

1 cup

packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup

sugar

1

large egg

1/4 cup

molasses

FILLING:

2-1/4 cups

all-purpose flour

3 tsp

ground ginger

2 tsp

baking soda

1 tsp

ground cinnamon

3 ounces

cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup

butter, softened

2 tsp

lemon extract

2 cups

confectioners’ sugar

1 tsp

vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS: Cream shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in egg and molasses. In another bowl, whisk flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture.

Refrigerate, covered, overnight.

Preheat oven to 375°. Shape dough into 1 inch balls; roll in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with a fork, forming a crisscross pattern. Bake until set (do not overbake), 8-10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Meanwhile, combine filling ingredients until smooth. Spread over bottoms of half of the cookies; cover with remaining cookies.

Refrigerate.

TASTEOFHOME.COM

#1 SELLING AGENT IN FIRESIDE

Just Sold By Kevin Owens!

Just Sold By Kevin Owens!

21745 N. 37th Street | $1,035,000

3753 E. Ember Glow Way | $965,000

Amazon | 4,302 sf | 6 bedrooms | 4.5 bathrooms

Amazon | 4,302 sf | 6 bedrooms | 4.5 bathrooms

HOT SELLER’S MARKET

KEVIN OWENS NAMED “2021 TOP PRODUCER”

By PHOENIX Magazine

The Cromford Report

Based On Total Sales Volume

In today’s real estate headlines, especially in Arizona, you are likely to see a lot of commentary over how “hot” the market is, but what does this mean? Arizona currently has one of the strongest seller’s markets we’ve seen and in the past month “we have 14 cities where the market moved in favor of sellers and only 3 moved in favor of buyer”. This conclusion is drawn from the Cromford market index which is “a value that provides a short-term forecast for the balance of the market. It is derived from the trends in pending, active and sold listings compared with historical data over the previous four years. Values below 100 indicate a buyer’s market, while values above 100 indicate a seller’s market. A value of 100 indicates a balanced market.”

In the three cities where the market moved in buyer’s favor this index still did not drop below 300, thus indicating that we are still very much in a powerful seller’s market.

KEVIN OWENS REALTOR ® 480.217.9184

FOLLOW KEVIN:

85050 STATS | LAST MONTH VS. LAST MONTH 2020 Positive/Negative Market Trend

THINKING OF SELLING?

See how Kevin will get your home SOLD at: YourFiresideRealtor.com

AVG PRICE PER SQFT

DAYS ON MARKET

MONTHS SUPPLY/ INVENTORY

# OF SOLD PROPERTIES

$292

27

0.6

55

2021 NOVEMBER 2021 NOVEMBER 2021 NOVEMBER 2021 NOVEMBER

2020 NOVEMBER 2020 NOVEMBER 2020 NOVEMBER 2020 NOVEMBER

$227

kevinowensrealtor

37

0.5

azrealtorkevin

78

fineAZliving.com

YOUR FIRESIDE AT DESE RT R I D G E R E AL E STAT E SP E C I AL I ST 480.217.9184 | kevin@fineAZliving.com | www.fineAZliving.com If your home is currently listed with a REALTOR, please disregard this notice. It is not our intention to solicit the offers of other brokerages. The listings presented here may or may not have been listed by North&Co. and data is provided by the ARMLS.

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