We recently renovated our Broadmead home and we quickly found out that this entails coordinating various trades people, learning to work with different personalities, finding out how long things take and what materials and labour cost, etc. etc.

This has been quite an education and as Real Estate Experts we have compiled a list of specialists which we are glad to make available to our clients.

And btw: we perfectly survived this experience, as individuals and as a couple, with our sanity and our marriage intact. The results are worth all the dust and noises that go along with a renovation.

We both love good food! And we take pleasure in cooking. This prompted us to attend cooking classes at Cook Culture. More recently, we attended “French Cuisine” with Chef Anna Hunt and enjoy everything we learned with her. A few days ago, Diane attempted her own ‘Clafoutis’, a pie made of seasonal fruits, baked on light pastry and topped with a sweetened egg base. Sooooo Yummie!

The Clafoutis comes from the Limousin-region of France, and while black cherries are traditionally used, we would recommend using whatever fruits are in season for more freshness.

Of course, we cannot just give away Anna’s secrets… But if you want to try baking your own Clafouitis, here is a good Jamie Oliver version. Your dinner guests will love you for it! Or even better, take a cooking class with Anna.

Yes, we have a new bridge at Johnson Street! While we somewhat miss the old blue bridge, we have to admit that the new one looks quite well. But at what costs?  Here is what the Times Colonist wrote to this subject:

“Massively over budget and years behind schedule, the fact that the new Johnson Street Bridge will officially open today and actually goes up and down is well-nigh a miracle.
The project began in the spring of 2009 when, armed with a consultant’s opinion that the deteriorating then-85-year-old bridge would fail in the event of a significant earthquake, Victoria councillors opted for replacement.
Refurbishing the old Blue Bridge would cost between $25 million and $30 million and add 40 years of life, while a new bridge would cost $35 million to $40 million and likely last 100 years, councillors were initially told. A month later, when the city (unsuccessfully) applied for federal-provincial stimulus grants, the new-bridge estimate was already $63 million.
By 2010 the budget had jumped to $77 million, and by 2012 it was $92.8 million. It now stands at more than $105 million with bills still coming in. (The federal government ultimately agreed to provide $37.5 million in infastructure and gas tax funding. The province, not a cent.)”

We are SOLD on the Belfry!!!

DPL Liatowitsch Real Estate Team is a proud supporter of the amazing Belfry Theatre.