Halloween movies!

Top 10 Halloween movies to watch as you countdown to one of our favorite holidays:

1. Halloween-The original

The movie that launched the slasher genre and follows Mike Myers return to Haddenfield. This is a Halloween namesake is a must see! Please watch this version before you watch Rob Zombie’s most recent version.

2. Nightmare on Elm Street

Freddie tears up the scene in this 80s surrealistic slasher flick. No one’s dreams will be safe after watching this one!

3. Texas Chainsaw Massacre-The original

Tobe Hooper’s graphic re-imagination of the Ed Gein’s story is just as un-nerving today as it was in the 70s. On a person note, nothing scares me more than Leatherface!

4. Night of the Living Dead

George A. Romero’s political satire delivers an unprecedented reimaging of the zombie genre and in doing so invigorated independent film and catapulted horror films into a new era.

5. Poltergeist

No movie makes you be wary of the house you are buying than Poltergeist. Hahahaha. Make sure you read your seller disclosures (unless you are buying a lender or corporate owned property and don’t get them) and do your due diligence or you may find corpses floating in your pool!


6. Friday the 13th part 1

Before Jason slashed up screens in his hockey mask, his mother was seeking revenge against Kevin Bacon and his friends in this 80s classic. C’mon, even Kevin Bacon made a trip to Crystal Lake!


7. Frankenstein-The original

No list would be complete without at least one of the monster classics. Boris Karloff invents what would become a mainstream horror icon in this treasured classic.



8. Psycho-The original

Alfred Hitchcock is a true master of horror and it is evident in this as one of his most treasured films. You’ll think twice about staying at the Bates Motel after shivering through this classic!

9. The Exorcist

1973’s Exorcist was as controversial as it was shocking. A true good vs. evil story with plenty of head spinning and pea soup vomiting goodness for everyone.

10. The Shining


No Halloween season can be complete without hearing Jack Nicholson scream, “Here’s Johnny!” in this Kubrick classic. Be sure to check out the ghostly twins which probably aren’t very qualified to sell you a home ;)


Off-the-wall:

Suspiria

Filmed by Dario Argento, not the cheese maker, but the master of Italian horror, dishes out gore and horror in this visually stunning masterpiece from 1977.



Check out these newer flicks:

The Strangers

This film depicts a feuding couple isolated in a cabin when uninvited guests arrived to terrorize their evening.

Fido

This Canadian film gives a fifties retro feel to domesticated zombies. This was one of my faves of 2007; I loved it!

Dawn of the Dead (remake)

Now adays slow-moving zombies just don’t cut it. Check out these amped up zombies wage way on survivors holding up in a mall in Middle America. This is a remake of the sequel to ‘Night of the Living Dead’.

Campy goodness:

Evil Dead 2

Bruce Campbell hams up the screen in this film written and directed by Spiderman’s directed Sam Raimi in this 80s horror flick.


Horror Comedy:

Shaun of the Dead

A British romantic comedy with zombies. We’ll call it a zomedy. They single-handedly invented the genre. Be sure to watch every other zombie movie on this list as they do slight parodies and you’ll appreciate the nods they do to their predecessors.

Top 5 seasonal fall/winter beers

Top 5 seasonal beers ~ Fall/Winter

5. Sam Adam’s ‘Octoberfest’


4. Samuel Smith’s ‘Winter Welcome’


3. Stone’s ‘Russian Imperial Stout’


2. Anchor ‘Special Christmas beer’


1. Delirium ‘Noel’


A special shout out: Four Peaks puts out a Pumpkin Porter every year at their locations only that will knock your socks off. It is available in pints and growlers.

What to do with pets, if your house is on the market

We meet with sellers every week who have fuzzy family members. We know how special pets are to their owners, and it is important to remember the pets when you get ready to list your house.

If you have dogs, we have a few tips for you that will help make your home easier to show and allow buyers to feel more comfortable in your home:

1. If it is possible to enroll the family dog(s) in day care, while you are at work, do it. A home that doesn't have a furry distraction gets more attention. You want the buyers to fall in love with your house, not your dogs. If they are petting your dog, they aren't looking at your new windows or remodeled kitchen.
2. If day care is not an option while you are away, consider a designated dog area, either inside or outside your home. If you have a doggie door, consider fencing off a small area in the home and a small area outside, so that buyers can view all other areas.
3. If you aren't away from your home for extended periods of time, consider putting your dog in a crate/kennel. The best areas for keeping a kennel/crate are in a laundry room or guest bedroom. These tend to be rooms that buyers don't spend an extended amount of time in.
4. If none of the above suggestions are possible, be available during the day to remove the dog(s) for all scheduled showings.

If you have cats, we have a few tips for you:

1. Clean the litter box every day and keep it in a room with fresh air ventilation. There is nothing worse than the smell of a litter box, when a buyer is walking through your home. If you must keep a litter box in a bathroom, make sure the room has a plug-in or air freshener in it.
2. Try to keep the cat(s) in a designated area of the home. Some buyers get scared when cats jump out from under beds or move from room to room. This will help keep showing distractions to a minimum.

In order to minimize pet odors, consider having your carpets professionally cleaned and keep air fresheners, plug-ins and candles around for quick odor removal. Not every buyer has pets, and some buyers are allergic to pets, so it can be important to keep these tips in mind.

Mosquito and west nile virus update

This update is provided by the Arizona Department of Real Estate:
West Nile Update-
·         Season’s Activity-It’s been a busy season and it seems that the end of September is bringing no immediate relief in terms of mosquito activity or weather.  To date in 2008, Maricopa County Vector Control has:
o Received 2,500+ mosquito complaints in the first two weeks of September alone
o Received 11,8939 mosquito complaints since January
o Set more than 14,400 surveillance traps
o Larvacided more than 6,300 acres of known, routine breeding sites
o Fogged more than 233,711 acres due to mosquito activity that meet established triggers
o Investigated 10,366 green pool complaints
o Found 147 WNv positive mosquito samples
o Confirmed 48 human cases (including 3 deaths) and 7 more suspect cases
·         Economic Impact- Needless to say, foreclosures are up and with them the number of abandoned houses across the Valley.  Vector Control has seen green pool complaints almost double.  While we continue to work 60 hour weeks and employee volunteers on weekends, we are still dealing with a backlog of complaints. However, there is some good news!  Our new procedure for dealing with abandoned houses appears to be working.  Please advise the appropriate staff in your agency to look for the bright posting on the fence or door that indicates when Vector Control has been to a property and treated the pool with gambusia fish to address the mosquito breeding.  Also, please keep this in mind; drained pools often fill up with stagnant water after weather events, restarting the cycle of mosquito breeding.
·         The New Breed - Aedes Aegypti-For the last five years, the Valley has been hosting a new breed of mosquito which is capable of carrying and conveying West Nile virus.  Unfortunately, this tenacious little species is difficult to fight.  The Aedes Aegypti is a backyard mosquito that can breed in very small amounts of water.  (Our inspectors once found a candy wrapper under an oleander that was putting out plenty of this new species.)  It is also a species known for its daytime activity, making the overnight fogging a rather useless part of our arsenal.  So, what does this mean?  The answer is, as always, prevention.  It is more important than ever that we spread the word about removing breeding sites, especially in our own backyards.
·         Information at your Fingertips-Have you visited our website recently?  In the last year, we’ve automated our surveillance and fogging activity with a GIS system that is available online.  To view trap locations, trap results, fogging activity and more, check www.maricopa.gov/wnv and
 
Choose “Mosquito Activity in your neighborhood” on the right hand side.

Tour De Fat Bike and Beer Festival this weekend in Tempe, AZ

It's officially bike weather in Arizona. My husband and I both have beach cruisers, which only see the sun this time of year. We'll be dusting off the bikes and cruising down to Tempe Town Lake for the Tour De Fat bike and beer festival this Saturday, October 11th, 2008.

9:00am
BIKE CRUISE-ADE
REGISTRATION BEGINS

10:00am
BIKE PARADE DEPARTS

11:00am
RIDERS RETURN FROM BIKE PARADE, HUNKER DOWN, TAP THE KEGS AND LET THE FESTIVUS BEGIN

11:00am-11:15am (Bicycle Revival Stage)
WELCOME ANNOUNCEMENTS, HOUSE RULES, and INTRODUCTIONS

1:15pm-11:45pm (Bicycle Revival Stage)
Scot Nery – Pancake Juggler

11:45pm-12:15pm (Bicycle Revival Stage)
ACT #1 “SLOW DOWN or THROW DOWN”: Annual Slow Ride Competition

12:15pm-1:15pm (Longhorn Music Stage)
1st BAND: PAPERBIRD

1:15pm-1:45pm (Bicycle Revival Stage)
ACT #2: “Carpocalypse Now”: Funeral Procession & Puppet Show
Culminating in Ecstatic Commuter Bike Raffle

1:45pm-2:45pm (Longhorn Music Stage)

Squirm Burpee Circus
(Nery & Burpee will host Juggling Camp at 3pm)

2:45pm-3:15pm ACT 3: “Would you Trade Your Car for a Bike?” (Bicycle Revival Stage)
Car for Bike Trade

3:15pm-4:00pm (Bicycle Revival Stage)
2nd BAND: Mucca Pazza

4:00pm “THANKS FOR COMING TO TOUR DE FAT!”

October 11, 2008
Location: Tempe Town Lake



Details about the tour are available at Tour-De-Fat.com.

From the website:
Tour de Fat 2008.
Visit the New Tour De Fat Blog! www.tour-de-fat.com

2008 Tour dates!

Chicago: 6/21
San Francisco: 7/19
Truckee: 7/26
Seattle: 8/2
Portland: 8/16
Boise: 8/23
New Belgium: 9/6
Denver: 9/13
Durango: 9/20
Tempe: 10/11
Austin: 10/18



PREPARE YOURSELVES FOR YET ANOTHER SEASON OF ANTICS, COSTUMES AND THE MOST FUN YOU MAY EVER HAVE ON TWO WHEELS!


Yes folks, the Tour de Fat will once again be meandering and pandering through 11 western cities spreading the good word about the positive societal offerings of the bicycle. Along with our exceptional ability to roust a city's inner-cyclist, in 2008 we hope to drive our message even deeper by bringing you the biggest, most enjoyable traveling bike festival that we know of. May the revival roll forth in the name of the bicycle, and may you ride true to The Ten Commandments of the Tour de Fat:

1. Put no means of transport before thy bike: Come by bike because not only are bikes fun, but they help stave off some of our most wicked ills: Traffic, obesity, and pollution. Tour de Fat has a solution: ride this day, every day, and definitely when Tour de Fat heads your way.

2. Honor all other bikes: All bikes are good bikes, and all those who ride them are good people. This is the one Bike Festival that cherishes bicycle diversity on our Cruise-ade through town.

3. May every generation come forth: This is a family friendly event. Costumes, bikes and a parade? We were thinking like kids when we created Tour de Fat.

4. Thou shall come as a participant not a spectator: It's a costumed celebration of human-powered transportation. Muscles not motors, coasters, v-brakes and rotors. Come in your favorite alter ego, because when everybody's weird, no one is.

5. Thou shalt not bring booze; But enjoy the supplied malted adult refreshments responsibly: Please do not bring any outside alcohol on the ride or into the park. It could result in getting the event shut down...don't be that guy. And when you imbibe in our tasty brews, remember this is a Bicycle Festival with beer, not the other way around.

6. New Belgium shalt not profit: Our goal is to raise money for bicycle and environmental charities. New Belgium Brewing Company does NOT retain any of the events' proceeds. Please think of your $5 beer tokens as donations to a worthy cause. All sales are final; beer tokens do not expire and will be accepted next year.

7. Remember the purpose, and bring not your pooches: No canine friends allowed this year. We're a dog-loving Brewery, but sadly not all municipalities and parks are. Please leave your best friends at home for their safety and the safety of others. Besides, it's not much fun for dogs with all the noise and crazy people around.

8. Keep the day true with thy good juju: The ride is free, but we suggest a $5 donation to the good bike advocates who are putting it on for you. If you give more, you will not incur flats, mechanical troubles, or dry skin for a while…maybe. This is a celebration of the bike, not an anti-car rally. All tools have their place.

9. Thou shall rise early: Since Tour de Fat is a free show, we sometimes get more folks than we can accommodate. Once we're full, we will handle overflow like a restaurant or bar: one in, one out. We reserve the right to determine the appropriate crowd size in the name of safety and enjoyment for those inside.

Thou shalt not steal thy neighbors' bike: Don't even think of leaving with a bike that doesn't belong to you. Modern-day horse thieves will be dealt with by angry mob, pitchforks, and torches.

For more info check out followyourfolly.com

Old Movie night- 6 week movie series at Biltmore Fashion Park

Not only is Scottsdal offering a fall outdoor movies series, but Phoenix has one as well.

Every Friday through November 7th, starting at 7:30pm, there will be a classic movie being shown on the Central Lawn.

Here is the schedule:
October 10– Goldfinger
October 17– Breakfast at Tiffany’s
October 24– Sixteen Candles
October 31– Psycho
November 7– An Affair to Remember

Biltmore Fashion Park is located at the NE corner of 24th St and Camelback.

Anyone that knows me knows that I love outdoor movies and drive-ins. This might be right up my alley because the movies are classics, too.

For more information about the movies series

Coming soon to South Scottsdale: Avalon Restaurant

I have long championed South Scottsdale. I've lived in the area for about 7 years and can't even think of a place I'd rather live. I am always excited when I see something new opening within a couple miles of my house.

I was driving by 3 Palms hotel on McDowell yesterday when I noticed a sign that says "Coming soon". I did some investigating and found out that the building that has been under construction for what seems like more than a year is going to be an awesome contemporary restaurant named Avalon. Avalon's website

How cool is it that this is a stand-alone restaurant and it is not going into a strip mall or downtown Scottsdale. I think it was a risk to place a restaurant in this location because it isn't located amongst a bunch of other restaurants or shops and the area isn't a destination diners would normally think to visit.

This area of South Scottsdale has been seeing crucial revitalization for at least the last 10 years. Many locals might know this area on Mcdowell as the motor mile or Los Arcos area. We've seen Sky Song sprout up from the rubble of the old Los Arcos Mall. We've seen a non-descript vanilla hotel turned into the contemporary boutique hotel 3 Palms, and a host of other improvements along the street. If only someone was listening that is scouting locations for a Whole Foods! Please...bring South Scottsdale a Whole Foods!!!! Please!!!!

I will try to be one of the first people to dine at Avalon because I want to support the investment in our neighborhood. Everyone asks me if I go to Sprinkles, after hearing that I adore cupcakes. I always reply, "No. And, I probably will never go in there." I am a neighborhood girl through and through, which is why I support Lulu's cupcakes on McDowell and Miller. Lulu's cupcakes website They make the yummiest, all natural cupcakes in the most decadent flavors. My favorite is the chocoshnitzel, which is like a modified german chocolate cake with a coconut frosting. My husband loves the mood elevator, which is a chocolate cupcake with coffee frosting.

Places I still need to try out in the neighborhood are:
Scratch- a French Bistro at Miller and Indian School


Happy Feet Pet Salon and Nursery at McDonald and Granite Reef