Double Triple Entendre’ [Note to Readers: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway (“Berkshire”), or any other entity referenced. Edina Realty is a subsidiary of Berkshire.] I prefer the caption, “NO1Home,” to the more descriptive, “No One Home,” because of the former’s manifold meanings....Read More
Surprising Skyline Test your mastery of U.S. geography, and guess which city is host to the skyline above: A. San Jose B. Phoenix C. Nashville D. Portland Answer: none of the above. Give up? It’s Seattle suburb Bellevue, home to over two dozen skyscrapers — roughly equivalent to San Jose or Phoenix (my family...Read More
Winners Announced: NYC, Northern Virginia “It’s possible that [Amazon’s] plan all along was not to open a second headquarters, but to open two, smaller satellites. What’s unlikely, however, is that the deals being offered to Amazon will change significantly, even though the company is effectively halving their investment.” –“Amazon Scammed America’s Hurting Cities”; The New...Read More
What’s in a Name Label? After decades(?) buying Costco’s Kirkland (house) brand — slapped on its milk, eggs, toilet paper and dozens of other items — I’d always assumed Costco had its headquarters in Seattle suburb Kirkland, just north of the city. Unh-unh. Costco’s headquarters (pictured above) is in another suburb, Issaquah, located about 10 miles...Read More
What Bill Gates Did (Reportedly) It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood, A beautiful day for a neighbor. Would you be mine? Could you be mine?… –Fred Rogers, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” It’s no secret that new construction can be annoying for the neighbors. The endless procession of contractors, the noise, the debris —...Read More
“Aging Out of . . . Alcohol(?!?)” For a little while in my teenage years, my friends and I drank. It was fun. I have some fond memories of us all being silly together. I think those moments of uninhibited frolic deepened our friendships. But then we all sort of moved away from it. I...Read More
