Exact Home Team

I was honored to be featured in a Seattle Times article this week!

With home prices staying high, buyers are left wondering if they'll ever come down. This article shares a great in-depth look at the market and what to expect in the coming months.

Thanks for including me in this timely piece!

JUST LISTED! 🏡

Discover this stunning, fully remodeled split-entry home on a spacious lot in a serene cul-de-sac within the desirable Fairwood neighborhood!

This home showcases an open-concept design with elegant designer touches throughout. Enjoy the brand-new kitchen with quartz countertops, a sizable prep island, a dining area, and new appliances and cabinets. The expansive living areas are complemented by a second living room downstairs.

The home features new LVP flooring and carpeted bedrooms, including a luxurious primary suite. The lower level boasts a versatile rec room that can also serve as a fourth bedroom. Additional highlights include a large 2-car garage, central A/C, and extensive outdoor spaces perfect for entertaining, featuring expansive decks and a large patio.

Don't miss the chance to make this exceptional home yours—schedule a tour today!

📍13037 SE 159th Place, Renton, WA 98058

Interested in learning more? Feel free to reach out, I would be happy to c***ect with you!

📱 206-369-6240 (text friendly)
💻 [email protected]

JUST LISTED! 🏡

Conveniently located in the sought after Mukilteo School District, this beautifully remodeled townhome features 3 spacious bedrooms, 1 full bath, 1 three-quarter bath, a 1/2 bath, and convenient upstairs laundry. Open dining and living area boast a cozy gas fireplace, perfect for relaxing evenings.

Recent updates include fresh paint, flooring, upgraded vanities. Enjoy a huge fully-fenced and level backyard, detached 1-car garage, and extra storage space. Situated close to shopping, freeways, and park & rides, this home offers both comfort and convenience. Just a short drive from local parks and recreational areas, making it ideal for outdoor enthusiasts. The neighborhood provides the perfect balance of tranquility and c***ectivity.

📍10417 4th Ave West Everett, WA 98204

Interested in learning more? Feel free to reach out, I would be happy to c***ect with you!

📱 206-369-6240 (text friendly)
💻 [email protected]

Sooooo, this was a BLAST! So excited to be a part of the first premium sake dinner at !

I volunteer as the Chair of the Wine Committee, which puts on fun wine-centered events(there’s also committees for Scotch, travel, literary, culinary, fashion etc. The conversations for this evening’s event started in August 2023.

The Rainier Club team knocked it out of the park, as always. It’s especially notable because the cuisine was a little bit of a departure from our standard fare but WOW the results!! Kudos to Chef Jim and the entire events’ team.

Our next event is focusing on rosé from France and we’ll be on the patio in July. sound good?

If you like events like this and are looking for a community that’s diverse in age and background, let me know! We are running a membership special, something we never do!

As we celebrate the halfway mark of Pride Month, let’s dive deeper into the vibrant legacy and ongoing advocacy within the LGBTQIA+ community in Seattle.
Here are a few remarkable LGBTQIA+ owned businesses and a few impactful non-profits working to advance LGBTQIA+ rights (I’ve tagged them so you can check them out!)
Let’s keep pushing for inclusivity and equality, not just this month but always!

As we celebrate the halfway mark of Pride Month, let’s dive deeper into the vibrant legacy and ongoing advocacy within the LGBTQIA+ community in Seattle.
Here are a few remarkable LGBTQIA+ owned businesses and a few impactful non-profits working to advance LGBTQIA+ rights (I’ve tagged them so you can check them out!)

Let’s keep pushing for inclusivity and equality, not just this month but always!

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day XXI

Got to explore Stirling Castle by way of Calton Hill! It was about an hour out of Edinburgh and well worth the trip.

Calton Hill is a UNESCO world Heritage site and is fascinating. It’s a volcanic crag, and has many monuments on it from different times, not to mention the absolute spectacular views of Edinburgh. It was fogged in, but just starting to lift as I headed out to the castle for my ticketed time.

From the castle website:
Stirling is one of Scotland’s greatest stone castles – an icon integral to how we understand the nation’s story. The castle peaked in importance in the 1500s, but its volcanic crag has been fortified since ancient times.
Generations of Scottish monarchs have enlarged, adapted and embellished Stirling Castle; childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots. The palace’s lavish design drew on European Renaissance fashions to show off James V’s power and good taste.

I’ve read about it in a lot of books, and it was super cool to be walking around exploring the castle.

Dinner afterwards was at a bar in the old town of Edinburgh called the Devil’s Advocate, another CM recommendation, where their Scotch list is more than 300 deep!

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day XX

Our last day of golf is at and it’s the newest of the courses, having just been built in 2020.

It’s also a difficult course, but again the vistas are spectacular. Mostly looking at the North Sea and an oil rig that is not operating but has been tethered there for eight years, they didn’t know why.

After our round we made a bee line for Edinburgh via the per family request. It was prominently featured in The DaVinci Code and is gorgeously gothic. I’m a fan of the book and it was fun to see it.

Checking in to the Edinburgh Waldorf Astoria we could see the Edinburgh castle! A quick change and we were off to dinner at as recommended by a friend (CM, you know who you are). Delicious! Funny enough we discovered that it and are by the same chef!
Next up? Explore a little bit of Edinburgh!

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day XIX

St. Andrews, THE OLD COURSE. . Legend. History. Timeless. Intimidating. Surreal. Gorgeous. Challenging. Emotional.

It’s considered the “Home of Golf” and was established in 1552(!!) when Archbishop Hamilton signed a charter granting the townspeople of St Andrews the right to play golf on the land. However, golf has been played on the Links at St Andrews since around 1400 AD(!!), and the course has evolved over time.

The first hole is absolutely nerve-wracking; it, and the 18th, are nestled amongst our hotel, the course’s starting shack, and a few other buildings with lots of windows, and never mind the crowd of people watching the golfers as they tee off. It feels a lot like trying to parallel park in front of a shop; I know no one was watching me, but they’re still standing there! 🤣

The course is beautiful and the caddies kind. It was packed, as you’d expect. Along the course we got to see some of the ancient stones that used to mark the farmland from the golf course with a G on one side. This was built as a municipal course, and they still close it in Sundays for the locals to roam with their animals if they’d like.

Because this trip was booked through ; we had guaranteed tee times for all of us, which this part of the trip was built around.

We were treated to a big rainbow and it made me think of my Dad and Grandfather (Mom’s Dad), who were both golfers and have passed on but it felt like they were waving hello.

As we got to the 18th tee, with the same surroundings as the 1st, there were even more people. The bridge, that predates the course, is an obligatory photo-opp. The best part? Mom’s reception! This is a course whose players are mostly male and younger so when the dozens of spectators on the ground and balconies of restaurants and rooms, saw her approaching with her white hair, the crowd literally went wild and cheered her on. It was a spectacular moment, and core memory for the family. She hit beautiful shots all the way in, to continued encouragement. What a way to finish a round here. We celebrated with a traditional drink at . ❤️

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day XVIII

Today was at and we fared better with the weather! This course felt friendlier, and I had some great shots. As we’ve discovered, the views everywhere are spectacular. It’s really hard to describe how it feels to be playing all these courses but I keep trying! 🤣 The 15th hole was the longest, and along water as so many are. They had these fog lights that could show you where to hit if the fog rolled in. We started with the fog and it eventually burned off, at least mostly. Then, it was chili and a perfect Manhattan to round out the day.

London-Scotland Day XVII

Having breakfast looking at the 18th hole of the storied Old Course at St. Andrews is hard to describe. A beach looking at the North Sea, enjoying waves crashing, with both wind and rain as supporting characters in all experiences here. You can feel history everywhere in this town! Wandered through the shops a bit, my golf bag is sprouting all kinds of logo-ed towels, bag tags, club head covers etc.

was the agenda for today. When Julie & Art were here last year they were treated(??) to the last 6 holes in wind and rain as an introduction to part of why it’s affectionately(??) known as ‘Carnasty’.

OH MY GOD; the weather Gods, the golf Gods, pace-of-play Gods and any other Gods having a bad mood all teamed up and threw us a day that almost had this Pacific Northwesterner taking her ball and calling out early. The course is crazy hard and the weather was pelting rain and strong winds All. Day. Long. Suffice to say I’m glad to have played (survived?) it and have a great story. Unfortunately, the “waterproof” shoes I bought in January were not at all waterproof. Soaked through before the 8th hole and that is without going in any puddles. A hair dryer on low for an hour didn’t dry them out. Same goes for the rain pants and jacket. I was soaked through. The good news is that the hotel had lots of hot water when we got back, exhausted. 🤣

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day XVI part 2

Dinner at recommended and it was so good! Their signature dish, smoked local lobster, was melt-in-your-mouth good and served with an herb infused butter. The caviar added to local trout and A5 Wagyu did not disappoint. An elegant iteration of the Scottish favorite ‘Cullen Skink’ was simple but packed a flavor punch. Wines perfectly paired and, of course, I kicked it off with a glass of .

It’s a good thing I’m walking 7-8 miles a day!! 🤣🤣

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day XVI

We have arrived in St. Andrews! Words really can’t describe how it feels to be here. The HISTORY! We are playing two of the St Andrews’ courses: Jubilee and Old Course. A friend (CC, you know who you are) asked me a while back “Do you have any idea how lucky you are to be playing the courses you are playing?” The answer is I don’t think it’s possible to truly understand how lucky we are. I’m a new-ish golfer and playing at the Home of Golf? Spectacularly lucky, I’d say. Also blessed with an entire family that loves to golf and travel.

We checked in to Rusacks St Andrews, home for the next 4 nights, and headed straight out to play the Jubilee course today and had a blast! Got bogie on the 2nd hardest hole on the course. Was hitting mostly straight and well. It’s a long course (they mostly are).

Dinner was at Michelin recommended , see part 2!

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day XV

Today we moved on to . It’s getting ready for the open in July, so we were lucky to get on ahead of that. Stayed at the hotel, which looks at the course. Designed in 1878, this course is deceptively flat. Make no mistake, it was brutal. It has a very famous hole, called “the postage stamp“; a 123(less for ladies) yard Par three. You hit down to it and it is anything but simple. Managed to Bogie that hole, but the rest of the round I was concentrating on the incredible views and the stunning weather that we have been blessed with vs how I was or was not doing. 🤣 The grasses were treacherous, and the fairways 160+ yards from the ladies’ teeboxes, which meant that I rarely hit the fairway with my tee shot as that is the very outside edge of my driving range right now. But, no matter, every day on a course is a win. It’s fun to see how they’re setting up for the open, putting the stands in place. This course is renowned for championship history and for its challenge when beset with winds as is often the case. We didn’t have any wind, but an absolutely sunny gorgeous day.

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day XIV

Today was the first of seven days of golf; Ailsa course. Independent of its owner, this is renowned amongst courses as one of the World’s top and it was spectacular. There is a fantastic lighthouse that you can see from most holes on the course. For the first half you play towards it and the second half you play back towards the resort. The water is almost always in sight, which is a win for me. I learned from my brother-in-law last year that, when visiting courses like this, to keep in mind that it’s the experience and the incredible luck to be here. I managed to bogie a couple of the par 3s. The vistas are breathtaking.

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day XIII

Today was a day for touring Glasgow. Mom and I got on the ‘hop on hop off’ bus and did the loop around the city. So many fun things to see! There was a statue of James Watt, a distant relative of ours; schools, churches, and Shipbuilding areas. The town used to be built on shipbuilding and, as that faded, the areas have gradually been reclaimed by the city.

We had lunch at based on a friend’s suggestion. My first sampling of Scottish rarebit; served as an open-faced sandwich. Walked around a bit more and then met up with the rest of the group for dinner at .

Great day! Tomorrow we are off to Turnberry and the first day of golf!

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day XII

Headed to Glasgow for the third and final leg of this trip! Caught the 9:30 am train on and it was very comfortable! Clean and well organized; and there was almost no one in my car which made for a very relaxing ride. Caught up on all my travel diaries and enjoyed a meal. It was fun watching the country go by, and having a chance to see the English countryside was really nice. Beautiful, flat, rolling hills with lots of sheep.

Arriving in Glasgow, caught a cab to the for the next couple nights. As I checked in, my sister Julie & her husband Art showed up and we headed out to the airport to pick up Mom! Reunited! So fun to be together again. Went for a great walk around town before we headed to for a delicious dinner. Mom is a trooper and walked to dinner jet-lag and all! Tomorrow is a relaxing tour around Glasgow kind of day. Other sister Cathy comes in tomorrow and then we all head out for GOLF!!!

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day XI

The Tower of London and High tea were the plan for today.

We booked a ticket for 10 am entry and it was a good thing as the crowds were right behind us. We started with the Crown Jewels; loved reading the history of the pieces. The items we know today are a second set. When Parliament overthrew and tried to abolish the Monarchy in 1649, killing Charles I, the then Crown Jewels were dismantled; their stones sold and metals melted for coinage. Then, in 1660, when the Monarchy was restored, a new set of Crown Jewels and Coronation regalia was commissioned and that’s what is used and known today.

Worked our way through the rest of the tower complex; white tower, medieval castle etc. Built in the 1100s(!!) and it has served so many purposes!!

We walked and walked, found St. Paul’s but inside will have to be next time.

For my last evening in London, it was high tea at the Ritz! The club, where I’ve been staying, is about a block away so super convenient. Have always loved high-tea! I love the pomp and circumstance and formality; the delicious treats certainly help; as does starting with Champagne!In this case, the room is stunning and the service outstanding.

After tea, kept a promise to a friend (SD, you know who you are) and had drinks at the bar. Definitely understand the recommendation.

It’s been fabulous, London, I’ll definitely be back!

I’m off to Glasgow early tomorrow on the train for the next and last leg of this trip; two weeks of golfing with my family on historic and storied courses.

I’m taking the train up to Glasgow, one sister has been golfing in Portugal with her husband and flying over, another on business in Edinburgh and coming in, and our Mom flying in from Seattle! What an adventure we will have!

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day X, part 2

Dinner at was a spectacular and elegant treat. While I’ve been to 3-starred restaurants before, most recently for friends’ birthdays at Arzak restaurant in booking a table for just me was a new experience. I was seated in the main part of the dining room and had an unforgettable experience. Ms. Hélène D’Arroze is French Basque and the menu is full of classics in beautiful interpretation. I chose the 7(!!) course with classics’ wine pairing and elected to start with a glass of . I learned that Alsace makes Pinot Noir as well as the whites it’s mostly known for. The food! The people (everyone so kind and friendly; and surprisingly, mostly from Italy)! The service (the ratio felt like 3:1 service to diner)! The ambiance (formal but cozy and comfortable)! I left delighted and oh, so FULL! Highly recommend.

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day X, part 1

Having walked the area yesterday, we toured this morning and it never disappoints! It’s been decades since I saw it last and what an immersive experience in History, Theology, Art, Beauty and irony (Queen Elizabeth I and her sister Queen Mary buried side-by-side as though they had been fast friends) and so much more. Loved every minute of it.

I love seeing the carved marble and the artists’ genius in making it look like soft fabric. The stained glass! The High Altar! So much in this place; it takes hours to wander and absorb.

Afterwards, our brains and hearts again full, we stumbled on another great pub A Cornish pasty and pint of Guinness brought memories of my Dad. My family has a recipe for Cornish Pasty that was one of Dad’s all-time favorite meals. It always surprises me how instant and powerful the transport to another time and place can be with a familiar thing. It was as if he was there having lunch with us. Miss you, Dad.

Then, off to a spectacular dinner; posted as part 2!

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day IX

Today was a special exhibition at the . “Michelangelo: The Last Decades”. Booked a ticket in advance (highly recommend) and thoroughly enjoyed this. He is one of my favorite artists and such a genius! Feeling so much awe for this legendary talent. From there we proceeded through our preferred exhibits and WOW, there is a lot. 🤣 definitely maintains a place on the “London to-do list”.

Having filled our hearts and brains we had a great lunch at . It has a fun collection of Sherlock Holmes memorabilia and so we enjoyed and then walked and walked and walked! Big Ben, Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, oh my!!

London-Scotland Day VIII

This morning I ventured out, walking all through Mayfair, walking up and down the streets exploring and getting to know my new surroundings. I haven’t spent any appreciable time in London in decades so this is a real treat. I discovered , , , (where I’ll be having dinner one night this week). Mostly it was a journey of discovery as I walked with no particular destination in mind.

If you think you’ve seen department stores, Selfridge’s is on an entirely new level. I couldn’t believe my eyes! Beautifully done, and a celebration of pampering. I grabbed lunch at looking over the street at Marks & Spencer.

Then, for the evenings’ adventure: the ABBA show! I have been a fan of the band my as long as I can remember and probably know their entire catalog. Friends Pam, Patrick & Nataliya joined in for the concert and it was amazing; I knew and sang along with every song. 🤣. While the original members are not on stage, it is such a marvel that you would never believe the figures on the stage were not human. The entire concert is backed by a live band and dozens of live singers. It is an unbelievable Production. Nataliya and I splurged on the VIP OceanBird lounge and it did not disappoint! Incredible service, bottomless drinks and delicious fresh food unlike anything you’ve ever had at a stadium. We were also treated to a celebrity sighting! Jose Carreras was in the lounge with a press crew in tow.

If you haven’t heard about this show, I highly recommend you check it out. They worked with George Lucas Film special effects; and the show and venue’s creation took 5 years! It’s called

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day VII

Traveled over to London for the next leg of the trip. Everything went smoothly; I caught the flight from San Sebastian to Madrid with friends, and then my c***ecting flight over to London. Baggage arrived on time and the car transfer brought me to The Lansdowne Club where I’m staying. It is a reciprocal club with a club I belong to in Seattle called The Rainier Club and It has a phenomenal location in the heart of London’s Mayfair area. It’s an older building and has been a private club for decades. It also has a room called the “Round Room” that hosted some remarkable history for our two countries: “In 1782 Lord Shelburne negotiated the peace treaty with America. Tradition holds that he drafted the treaty in what is now the Round Room Cocktail Bar of The Lansdowne Club. His friend Benjamin Franklin is the chief American signatory”.

Pretty cool stuff! Tomorrow the London adventures begin; stay tuned!

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day VI

Our last full day in San Sebastián! Wandering around the town, popping in to shops and generally enjoying the area. Walked all the way over to different beaches and then a leisurely lunch on the square at followed by another phenomenal dinner at

Tomorrow I am off to London!

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day V

Today was spa and more spectacular food! The La Perla Thalassotherapy spa was where all the ladies spent the day after the big night. It was really fun and just what we needed after a such a rich and filling dinner. It was my first time at a spa like this and it was a series of pools, saunas and treatments. The first pool was very large and warm, not hot, and had hydro jets aimed at different parts of the body. You move from one set of jets to the next and all the way around so that you treat different areas. Shoulders, back, etc. Then we went to warmer water, wet sauna, dry sauna, steam room, cold plunge pool and so on. One of the fun things was to go from the hot tub directly outside, down the beach, and into the ocean! Oh boy, did that wake you up!

This spa experience was so rejuvenating! I had traveled over with a cold and this process knocked it out! Felt AMAZING.

We followed it up with a super healthy lunch of the most delicious tomatoes and burrata with Spanish olive oil.

Many of the group went to a steakhouse but for a few of us tonight’s dinner was at .official, a Michelin acknowledged pinxtos restaurant. It was crowded and a line out the door. We got in!! A fabulous meal was had in a lively atmosphere. Soooo good!!!

Arzak pics #2!

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day IV
Today there was some shopping with friends and then the epic birthday dinner! We went to , a 3 Michelin starred restaurant and it was absolutely spectacular. Incredible artistry; each bite an experience of itself. Then there is the service which is seamless and elegant. We had the entire upper floor as there were 20+ of us, which provided an intimate atmosphere for us all together.

When you look at these pieces on the plate you think that it couldn’t possibly have that much flavor! So much fun to see what they can do with food. It was a wonderful way to celebrate amazing friends’ birthdays. Many memories made!

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day III

Today was the first day of scheduled activities. We went to a Basque cider house, and learned about how they make the cider. Fermented, not unlike wine with zero sugar added, and the flavors are savory bordering on sour and it is flat not sparkling. The cider that is sold is a blend of different apples’ juice grown during the year, blended for a flavor profile. They “break” the cider by pouring it against the side of a glass rapidly, so that it foams and bubbles, aerating the liquid. We learned that this beverage, considered Basque wine, dates back to 1024! So fun!

Then a hike up Mt Urgull, which is right behind my hotel, and pics of the church between the hotel and the hill. The hill is crowned by the Castillo de la Mota fortress. Built in the 12th century, this structure played a key role in defending the city and its walls and fortifications have borne witness to the 800+ year history of Donostia/San Sebastián.

A big group dinner rounded out the night.

RECENTLY CLOSED! 🏡✨

This 3 bathroom, 2.5 bath townhouse is located in the coveted Reserve at Star Lake community in Auburn!

Step inside, and guests are greeted by an inviting foyer and a conveniently located office, providing the perfect work-from-home setup. Ascend to the next level, where natural light abounds, complemented by 9′ ceilings and hardwood floors in the kitchen. Here, you’ll find a cozy living room with a fireplace, a dining room, a well-appointed kitchen, laundry facilities, and a convenient half bath.

Outside, a fully fenced yard with a patio awaits your BBQ gatherings and outdoor relaxation. The Reserve at Star Lake offers 10 acres of open space, featuring a circular sidewalk for jogging and walking, along with a community playground for our the new owners to enjoy!

Congratulations to the sellers on their recent closing, and we are so excited for the new homeowners to enjoy their beautiful space!

San Sebastián-London-Scotland Day II
My travel Angel karma was with me through the Amsterdam c***ection and my baggage, with what feels like most of my closet is in it as I was packing for three climates, promptly showed up when I seamlessly arrived in Bilbao. As it turns out, it was a good thing I didn’t try to fly into Donostia-San Sebastián because others in our group were diverted away due to weather! Good to note for another time. The car transfer was waiting as I emerged from baggage claim and it was a very smooth journey to San Sebastián.

Checked into , and got a look at the stunning church from my window. WOW!

Then, it was off to join the group and get acquainted.

Can’t wait to see what the week has in store!