Playground (and White House) Taunts At least to someone my age (born in 1959 — you do the math), the expression “it takes one to know one” is inextricably linked to a playground taunt. The usual exchange (typically between adolescents, the Trump administration notwithstanding): Child #1: “You’re a doody head!” Child #2: “No! YOU’RE a...Read More
Credit Card Signing Threshold Even if you filled your grocery cart with $20/lb. cheeses, $8.99 organic gallons of milk, exotic truffles, etc., you’d be hard-pressed to spend $1,000 at Whole Foods (at least in a single visit). So, it was surprising to learn that, at least for credit card purchases < $1,000, Whole Foods no...Read More
Professional vs. DIY Want a sure, umm . . . sign that Spring has finally arrived in the Twin Cities? The temps have warmed enough that the ground is finally thawing — and long frozen-in-place “For Sale” signs are listing, Tower of Pisa-like, towards the ground. The solution? For the listing agent (representing the...Read More
When the Neighbors are the Dealbreaker Prospective Buyer: “We love the house. But we could never live across the street from that pornographic statue.” Phil Dunphy: “Oh . . . huh . . . I never noticed it.” Prospective Buyer: “Yeah . . . you can see it from inside when you look out the...Read More
Sliver-Thin Package The sleek lines, the soaring height, the dramatic coloring ” all fused onto a rectangular shape so thin it was hard to believe that it could actually stand up (in fact, the shape evoked nothing so much as a flat panel TV). The latest, sun-blocking addition to the Manhattan skyline? Try, General Mills’...Read More
Is it good news or bad news that a home scheduled to be on “Broker Tour” — essentially, open houses for local Realtors each Tuesday in the Twin Cities — abruptly cancelled? Answer: it depends. It’s good news if the reason is that the home received multiple offers, and sold at 11 p.m. Monday night. It’s bad if...Read More
