TINA AFTER DARK Eastern Dynasty

Istill remember that one morning in April, 2020 when I shed a few tears watching the morning news. Kearny Mesa’s longstanding China Max Seafood Restaurant was destroyed in a massive fire. It happened in the midst of the Covid shut down, and I was devastated. San Diego would no longer have an authentic Cantonese-style dim sum restaurant. China Max opened in 2003 and had become a staple in Convoy.

While I wait patiently for China Max Seafood Restaurant to rebuild and reopen after the fire that completely destroyed the restaurant, I was overjoyed to discover a small spot in the same Convoy Street plaza that is now serving a similar style of Cantonese cuisine.

Eastern Dynasty is a nice little hole in the wall Cantonese restaurant. It’s hard to miss it as it always has a long line outside of the door. Eastern Dynasty serves an impressive array of classic Cantonese barbecue, from crispy-skinned roast duck and roast pork to char siu and soy sauce chicken, which can be ordered in combination plates of two to five items.

The extensive menu also includes fresh seafood, including steamed whole fish and stir-fried lobster, in various preparations, ranging from ginger and scallion to pepper and garlic. My go to dish is the house special pepper steak. The steak is tender and juicy, plus lightly fried for a crunchy crust. The green beans that come with the dish provide extra crunch and additional color and texture.

My other favorites are:

- Roasted duck: Crunchy skin, and tender meat; it’s aromatic without being too salty.

- BBQ pork: Perfectly roasted cut into juicy bites.

- Seafood and dried scallop fried rice: touch of smokiness with unique umami flavor from the shredded dried scallop... delightful!

- Deep Fried eggplant and ground pork: Balanced sweet and savory. You need white rice with this dish to really appreciate it.

- Crab and fish maw soup: A great starter, try to hold off on adding soy sauce here. The crab flavor comes through nicely so you don’t want to mask it by adding anything.

- Assorted mushrooms and beef: If you get one dish, get this one, for its filet mignon tenderness.

Despite the long wait, the service is always good. Now the word is out the line probably will get even longer. But sharing is caring, so make sure to say hi to me when you see me waiting in line next time!

Tina Wu Broker Associate® CalDRE #02070656 Direct: (760) 473-8649

Retiring in a Foreign Country

Travel With Troy

Hello, my travel friends! I have quite the story for you this week, one in which I never thought I would write for a while, however, I have been really fascinated with this increasing surge of Americans retiring in different countries across the globe. I know it’s not necessarily a new trend but how could one not be interested in the fact these countries claim to offer a better quality of life.

Don’t take my word for it, according to a study released by International Living in January2023, “Americans are moving abroad to pursue healthier and happier lives, spend less money, and maximize their retirement goals that they wouldn’t ordinarily achieve in their home country.”

I understand that everyone’s definition of a “happy life” looks different but why not learn a little bit more and decide for yourself.

Based on my research here are the top 5 countries to retire in: Portugal, Panama, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Thailand. Even Spain and Italy were close to making the list, considering the region you’re in.

Let’s first address the elephant in the room by acknowledging your cost of living will be significantly cheaper.

There are numbers across the board about how much you save but a good rule of thumb is to plan on spending at least 40- 50% less and taking into consideration everyone has a different lifestyle. For example, two adults in Thailand expect to pay around $1300 a month including a luxury rental and meals. Thus, giving you the opportunity for new life experiences which experts have linked to healthy aging—since they provide physical, cognitive, and social benefits.

I understand the real concerns of living in a foreign country as there are many realities one must face such as access to high-quality health care, reliable infrastructure, a sense of safety, and of course making sure everything is financially feasible. I’m going to be 100% straight up and say yes there will be some things that will fall short as some of these countries listed may excel in one aspect over the other. But many places such as Panama already have incredible infrastructure and a reliable health care system and the numbers have proven that with thousands of Americans flocking to the warm climate and not looking back.

Note to self, retirement doesn’t have to be in the exact location or maybe you try it out for 6 months or a year and see how it goes. With any major lifestyle change, it takes time to adjust but it may just be worth it for you.

As a matter of fact, I’m going to take it as far as if you are fortunate enough to work remotely this could apply to you as well.

Just think one year in Costa Rica, surfing the waves after work, or hopping on a short flight to a neighboring country, it all sounds like a dream but could be your reality sooner than you know it. Don’t wait, just do it as my dad tells me many times a week.

This is my line of inspiration for 2023 and I hope it inspires you to go out of your comfort zone and think about some other alternatives for retiring or maybe a year abroad!

There are countless articles online about top countries to retire in so check them out if you’re interested in learning more. If I can help in any way, give me an email at troy@shayrealtors. com and I’ll be more than happy to help answer any more questions.

This week the median list price for San Diego, CA 92127 - Rancho Bernardo is $2,474,500 with the market action index hovering around 63. This is an increase over last month's market action index of 54. Inventory has increased to 36.

This answers “How’s the Market?” by comparing rate of sales versus inventory.

Home sales continue to outstrip supply and the Market Action Index has been moving higher for several weeks. This is a Seller’s market so watch for upward pricing pressure in the near future if the trend continues.

Each segment below represents approximately 25% of the market ordered by price.

BY BART MENDOZA