Luxury Real Estate

Ilya Moshenskiy, our favorite estate photographer, shared these pictures of Seafair - Seattle's Summer Celebration with us. Take a look at some of his amazing work!

Please click here for more pictures

Courtesy of Philip Marmin of Cabinet Marmin Immobilier

By Susan Han of Nantes International

A bustling jazz festival on the Erde River. A giant hydraulic elephant heralding its arrival. A high-tech museum housed in a formidable feudal castle. These are some of my favorite memories of Nantes after a whirlwind week of shooting in late August.

Before I was approached by University of Nantes professor Laurence Lotode to collaborate on a documentary about the Seattle-Nantes relationship, I confess I did not know much about Nantes, much less the sister-city connection between the 2 cities. I had visited Paris several times before, and in fact had seen the signage for Nantes while catching the TGV to Bordeaux, but did not realize the 27-year history between us. I was intrigued to learn about the geographical similarities, the parallel industries and even the relatively more liberal political leadership we shared.

Seattle has 21 sister cities – or "twin" cities, as it is known in France! Nantes was one of Seattle’s earliest siblings, thanks to the efforts of former University of Washington Romance Language and Literature professor Howard Lee Nostrand (now deceased) and former Seattle City Council member Randy Revelle. According to Revelle, around 1978, professor Nostrand was organizing a local festival called Bonjour Seattle and approached him to gain city hall sponsorship for the event. Revelle has a reputation for being passionate about all things French, and before long, he was roped in to help pick a French sister city for Seattle. The dilemma at the time: Nantes on the west coast, or Nancy in eastern France? As it turned out, Nantes was much more simpatico with Seattle, and in April 1979, a deal was struck, twinning the 2 cities.

Today, while there are some traces of Nantes’ influence in Seattle (a bakery here, a park there), the truth is most Seattleites are still unaware of the rich history, culture and economy of the Nantais. My goal in spending a week in Nantes this fall was to create a 30-minute documentary that will air as part of the Seattle Channel’s “Sister Cities” series starting next January. Our hope is to give Seattle residents a flavor of the diverse ties we have around the world and to provide some insights into how those relationships developed. Naturally, since many viewers are “armchair travelers,” we also want to transport them to Nantes through the magic of television and the web for a first-hand look at why our sister city was recently voted “the most pleasurable and peaceful city to live in France.”

Perhaps one of the most striking observations for a first-time visitor to Nantes is how green the city is. I was amazed to learn that 15% of the city is green and that there are over 400 city gardeners in Nantes, responsible for planting a million flowers and plants each year while maintaining the many lovely parks. I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing Jean Noel Soignon, a lifelong resident of Nantes who runs the team responsible for Nantes’ parks, and we toured the Jardin des Plantes, a very cosmopolitan and beautifully landscaped park reminiscent of New York’s Central Park, right in the heart of the city. (I confess I was tickled by the local interpretation of totem poles there, which differs greatly from the Native American creations found in the Pacific Northwest.)

A little-known fact for most Seattleites is Nantes’ connection to slavery. I was able to gain some insight into this dark part of Nantes’ past through deputy mayor Yvon Chotard, who graciously spent time with us during my visit. His law office is housed in a building that belonged to an 18th century slave trader, and he explained that while there were technically no slaves in Nantes, the city was the biggest and richest slave trading port in France. He was also instrumental in organizing an eye-opening exhibit in 1992 that forced the Nantais to “open the armoire” and confront their historical link to slavery. I visited the new slavery exhibit housed in the Chateau des Duces de Bretagne and was amazed at the historical artifacts like documents, whips and shackles that have been preserved over the centuries.

On a lighter note, I also had the opportunity to take a couple of field trips outside the city, and enjoyed meeting the Marquis Robert de Goulaine, who spoke candidly of his family history, the business of running a chateau, winery and museum, and the joys of sustaining a very unique butterfly sanctuary (in one of our most surreal photo-ops, we captured a giant monarch butterfly that landed on the Marquis’s face, engulfing it!). Along with coordinator Laurence Lotode and photojournalist Mekioussa Boudjema, I also visited the Guerande Peninsula and stood on the banks of a square sea salt pond where the famed fleur de sal is harvested. And we also visited the childhood home of naturist John James Audubon in Coueron to learn about local efforts to convert it into a museum.

Since Seattle is the original hometown of the Boeing Company, it was with some guilty pleasure that I visited the Airbus plant in Nantes, for a first-hand look at the competition between the 2 aerospace giants. I was surprised to learn the facility is the first plant to build major airplane body parts using composite materials, and that the center wing box and nose of all Airbus planes, including the A380, are made there. The Airbus-Boeing competitive tension was even more palpable than in Seattle, especially at a time when both companies are vying for orders for their next-generation aircraft.

Seattle is considered a hotbed for biotechnology, and I was impressed by the entrepreneurial talent and zeal in Nantes’ blossoming biotech sector. I was also amazed at the creative genius behind the very cool and fantastical machines on the Ile de Nantes, and enjoyed talking with designer Francois Delaroziere about how his imaginary journey has been a success. I had read that the public transportation system was Nantes’ pride and joy, and was surprised to learn that Nantes’ tramway system is the longest and oldest in France, growing in tandem with the city’s development over the past 2 decades.

In fact, this time frame of the past 2 decades seems like a significant one for Nantes. From what I understand from my brief visit, Nantes has undergone a series of rapid transformations over the past 20 years or so, necessitated by the relocation of the shipbuilding industry and port to Nazaire. Former eyesores are now promising new enterprises.

The fact that the city has successfully blended elements of the old while embracing the new is quite remarkable, and there is a feeling of history and presence even as avant-garde modern facilities pop up around town. The Chateau des Duces de Bretagne seems to epitomize this and curator Marie Helene Jouzeau helped provide some context for how, after 15 years of renovation and 52 million euros, the ancient royal residence has been preserved yet thoroughly modernized.

Ultimately, my overarching impression of Nantes is that it is a city in transition. 2007 has been a big year, with many new attractions opening and with a renewed pride in the citizenry about the future of the city. I was struck by the openness and joie de vivre of the people I met in official meetings and on the streets. All these wonderful individuals made my visit to Nantes unforgettable, and their generosity and kindness made our crazy production schedule only a minor annoyance. I hope that now it takes less than 11 hours to fly from Seattle to Nantes, with a short connection in Paris on Air France, even more Seattleites will choose to discover Nantes and better understand what it is that has bonded our 2 cities for nearly 3 decades.

By Jessica Ravitz

(CNN) -- It's about that time of year, when dyed green rivers and Guinness beers flow, the shamrock sunglasses and leprechaun T-shirts come out, and corned beef and cabbage enters the mainstream menu.

With St. Patrick's Day one week away, the Irish across America -- and those who just want to be Irish for a day -- are preparing to celebrate, if they haven't started already.

When it comes to St. Paddy's, many people think of the annual parades. The American invention originated in New York, which still has the largest, but the green season is about so much more.

For hundreds of years in Ireland, people have observed the feast of St. Patrick, a fifth-century missionary credited with saving pagans on the Emerald Isle. On the feast day of March 17, which falls during the Lent season, the Irish can cut loose: sing, dance and enjoy meat, even on a Friday, when it would otherwise be prohibited.

Irish Americans, who account for more than 12 percent of the U.S. population according to the U.S. Census Bureau, mark St. Paddy's Day and celebrate their heritage in numerous ways that may go unnoticed to the casual observer or outsider. Here are glimpses into how some of them do it.

Political wit a hit in Boston, Massachusetts

The link to Ireland couldn't be stronger than it is in Massachusetts, where a quarter of the population claims Irish heritage.

And while the state capital is awash in green cheer at this time of year, a tradition of exchanging political barbs has kicked off each morning of the St. Patrick's Day parade, dating back about 60 years. The March 15 breakfast, including song and dance amid the playful ribbing, was an outgrowth of the community's involvement in politics, which runs as deep as Irish humor.

"It allows people to see their elected officials [local, state and national] in a role they don't normally see them in," explained state Sen. Jack Hart (or, as he says it, "Haht") of south Boston, who's hosting the political roast for the eighth year. The televised event draws about 4 million viewers and "beats the Sunday morning talk shows."

Neither Sen. Ted Kennedy nor Sen. John Kerry is expected this year, but getting a call from the nation's highest office isn't unheard of. Vice President Joe Biden has attended, and Hart said they're working on getting the attention of President Obama. Or is that O'Bama?

Honoring their ancestors in Savannah, Georgia

They may not match the Irish population numbers of Boston, New York or Chicago, but several Southern cities, including Savannah, Georgia, have deep green roots.

The city's annual parade, which dates back 185 years, draws about 400,000 and is reportedly the second largest in the country, according to the parade committee Web site.

Behind the public fanfare, however, there's a lower-key event that John Forbes, the parade committee chairman, touts as more important to the southern city's Irish Catholics: the Celtic Cross Mass and ceremony.

The Sunday event, on March 15 this year , starts at 11:45 a.m. in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, where members of all the Irish societies come together to pray before walking in procession to the Celtic Cross (made of stone from Ireland) in Emmet Park.

"That's just a big day for us," Forbes said. Away from all the commercialism, "to us, it's in honor of our ancestors."

Kicking up their feet in Chicago, Illinois

The night before Chicagoans see their river turn an emerald green, an annual dyeing practice that dates back 40 years, the Irish community and other observers will gather for one of its newer traditions: Irish Dance Chicago.

Drawing 400 to 500 participants ages 4 to 17, the 3-year-old event showcases the Irish step dancing skills learned in six area schools that are dedicated to passing along this piece of culture. It begins at 7 p.m. March 13.

Step dancing, a tradition popularized by 1994's "Riverdance" show, involves rapid foot work while keeping the upper body stiff. It's also a platform for traditional Irish music and costumes.

For parents who usually spend time carting their children around, the event offers them a chance to "finally get to see their kids perform ... showcasing the styles they have," said Kathy O'Neill, a spokeswoman for the Irish American Heritage Center, which hosts the weekend's kickoff event.

"It's important to carry on heritage," she said.

A taste of tradition in Seattle, Washington

During Irish Week in Seattle, which features everything from a genealogy conference and run to street painting and the passing of a shillelagh (an Irish walking stick), one particular event rose to our attention.

The decades-old Irish soda bread baking contest, which happened Saturday, attracts more than 100 competitors each year.

The bread dates back to about 1840, traditionally features a cross on top "to ward off evil" and uses bicarbonate of soda -- instead of yeast -- for rising, said Mike McQuaid, a spokesman for Seattle's Irish Heritage Club.

"It was simple to make, the ingredients were easy to find, and it was very filling," said Mary Shriane, who oversees the contest and grew up on her mom's soda bread.

It was a staple in Irish homes "up until 40 years ago," she continued. "And it's a tradition we like to keep alive."

Green grows in the desert of Phoenix, Arizona

When Mary Moriarty and her husband, a retired New York police officer, moved to the "valley of the sun," she wasn't sure what to expect. Looking around during their first St. Paddy's Day parade in the Southwest, she said, "I remembered thinking, 'This is it?' "

But 14 years later, the chairwoman of the St. Patrick's Day Faire and operations manager for the Irish Cultural Center knows that the desert connection to the lush green Emerald Isle is as real as anywhere else.

This year's parade starts at 10 a.m. Saturday and is followed by festivities in the park adjacent to the cultural center.

"We will naturally have liquid libations," Moriarty said. "You can't have an Irish party without liquid libations."

But it's not all about drunken revelry. Their center's groundbreaking in 1999 began by dedicating a memorial to the "Great Hunger," or the mid-19th century potato famine that led to death, disease and mass emigration, Moriarty said.

And the center, today, is a place where the estimated 400,000 Phoenix-area residents with Irish heritage can learn about their culture, including traditional foods, music and dance.

"The United States is made up of immigrants from all over the world ... and it's very important for all the different groups to celebrate what they brought with them," she said. "Yes, you are American, but you still have to realize where your ancestors came from."

By Brian Langhorst

According the Forbes Magazine, Seattle is the #1 market for real estate to rebound and grow. Forbes Magazine along with the Urban Land Institute polled hundreds of real estate professionals asking them the best and worst markets to invest in for commercial real estate. Seattle came out ahead of all other cities in the United States as the best market to invest in. The residential real estate market closely follows the commercial real estate market as jobs and economic growth are tied in to the commercial real estate market. Seattle does not have an over supply of space or projects upcoming creating a strong investment market for commercial investors and residential buyers as well.

Rounding out the top 5 cities for real estate improvement were San Francisco, Washington D.C., New York and Los Angeles. These are all great areas to invest in Warren Buffet, Ben Stein, and many other notable financial experts all recommend that the time to invest in the residential real estate is now. There are wonderful investment opportunities in many markets around the United States and Internationally for buyers. Please feel free to contact any of the members of Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate to speak about opportunities around the world!

For the full article from Forbes Magazine written by Dorothy Pomerantz click here.

By Robert Lockard

Ilya Moshenskiy, the Principal Photographer of Ilya’s Photography, recently came home from an eventful trip to Cannes for the International Boat & Yacht Show. He arrived with a whole bunch of beautiful photos highlighting the celebration of luxurious watercraft of all shapes and sizes. Check out his collection of photos here:

http://ilyaluxury.com/gallery/luxury/Cannes%20International%20Show/expl.php?user=Cannes%20International%20Show

Ilya is no stranger to covering big events with his keen eye for small details. Near the end of summer this year, he took time to photograph beautiful images at Seafair in Seattle. He has also been present at many Luxury Real Estate conferences, and he will be at the 13^th Annual Luxury Real Estate Fall Conference on Oct. 11-14, 2008. He’s such a hard worker and we definitely appreciate all of his efforts here at Luxury Real Estate.

Enjoy some of his amazing work below. Be sure to contact him at Contact him at ilya (at) ilyaestate.com or 425.883.2246 for all of your photography needs, including luxury homes, events, food and more.

Editor’s Note:
Robert Lockard is the Public Relations & Media Specialist with LuxuryRealEstate.com. I am Robert. I create all of Luxury Real Estate's newsletters, write the editorials in LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine and much more. All of the photos in this blog entry are the copyright of Ilya’s Photography.

By Robert Lockard

“Photography is not about cameras, gadgets and gismos. Photography is about photographers. A camera didn't make a great picture any more than a typewriter wrote a great novel.”

So says Ilya Moshenskiy, the Principal Photographer of Ilya’s Photography in Washington state. I love that quote because, as a writer, I can definitely relate to his point about great works being written by people and not by keyboards or computers.

Ilya is an amazing photographer in a variety of fields, including luxury homes, weddings, events and cuisine. He has been the Official Photographer of the past nine Luxury Real Estate conferences and he always produces the finest photographic masterpieces. Just ask Jim Walberg, a LuxuryRealEstate.com member in the Caribbean.

Check out these amazing photos that Ilya took at this year’s Seafair, Seattle’s big summer festival.

To see more of Ilya’s photos from Seafair 2008, click here!

I’ll end with one more quote from Ilya. He uses only the finest photographic tools in his work, but he also notes, “It doesn’t matter what kind of camera you are shooting with; the real issue is who is behind the camera. Great photography requires perfect lighting and composition. It will always be a human behind the viewfinder. High-end photography demands exceptional skill and not every photographer is up to the task.”

Ilya certainly is up to the task. Contact him at ilya at ilyaestate.com or 425.883.2246 today!


Editor’s Note:
Robert Lockard is the Public Relations & Media Specialist with LuxuryRealEstate.com. I am Robert. I create all of Luxury Real Estate’s newsletters, write the editorials in LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine and much more. All of the photos above are the copyright of Ilya’s Photography.

By Brian Langhorst

Each year some of the best tennis players in the region and country come to the Seattle Tennis Club on the shores of Lake Washington for the 118th Washington State Open.

John Brian Losh and the Ewing & Clark – Our Distinctive Home Shop team have been one of the headline sponsors for this notable event for over 10 years. Jane Powers, Betsy Losh and John Brian Losh all very much enjoy being a part of the Seattle and Madison Park communities. Together, they sponsor several key events throughout the year.

Editor’s Note:
Brian Langhorst is LuxuryRealEstate.com’s Membership Manager. He meets members’ unique needs through the dynamic services LuxuryRealEstate.com provides. There are so many positive events like this going on and I’m pleased to hear about all of them. Philanthropy should be an important part of every business that hopes to succeed. People recognize true kindness when they see it and I think it builds trust just as much trust and goodwill as successful track records and financial performance. Be sure to show how much you care!

By Robert Lockard

I hope this doesn’t sound too prideful, but I really like what I write. And I do a lot of writing as the Public Relations & Media Specialist for LuxuryRealEstate.com.

While my blogs on ActiveRain and the LuxuryRealEstate.com Blog are sometimes quickly written and they don’t have the benefit of as much outside editing as I usually receive for my other work, I think they give you a taste of my writing skill and style.

My mind is constantly working before, during and after the writing process. I think about what is interesting about the story I am currently writing about. I ponder why my target readers would bother to read what I’ve written. I try to decide which points are most important and how best to convey them. I only have a limited amount of time to create my news releases, newsletters, magazine articles and other works, so I need to make quick decisions.

For the Week in Review newsletter I create each week, I receive a lot of news releases from members of the LuxuryRealEstate.com network. I am very grateful for that fact because it helps me keep our newsletters filled with great material. Many of the stories I receive are really interesting while others are about new employees, anniversaries and other topics that don’t seem too interesting at first. However, once I go through a news story, I can usually find something remarkable in it and I usually rewrite the headline so it’s much more eye-catching.

With these thoughts in mind, I’d like to talk about my recent experience writing a news release on a seemingly average topic: a Ewing & Clark, Inc. broker celebrating her 20^th anniversary. I don’t mean that the broker, Jane Powers, is average; I’m just saying that I’ve read many stories similar to hers. As I approached this story I tried to remember that this is an important moment for her, and she has many great stories to tell after 20 successful years in the Seattle luxury market.

So I sat down to write about her story. Many times when I write I have a sudden inspiration that I know did not come from me. This time was no different. I suddenly had a thought that I should look up remarkable events that occurred in July 1988, when Powers started with her company. As it turned out, I discovered that a little movie called “Die Hard” debuted in theaters the same day that Powers began working at Ewing & Clark.

I was ecstatic by the creative opportunities opened up by this coincidence.

I am a big movie buff and I couldn’t pass up this chance to add some really unique flavor to Powers’ story. So that’s exactly what I did. You can see the final product here. I wrote the first and second-to-last paragraphs first and then worked on the rest of it. I had a blast writing this story.

I got butterflies of nervous excitement when I showed it to Powers herself for approval. Luckily, she liked my take on her story and I got to distribute it through my usual PR sources.

I believe any story can be interesting to read. I could have written Powers’ news release in a really boring, run-of-the-mill way, but I found that little something special that turned it into a great story. I hope that you can find the greatness in your stories and, as long as you’re a LuxuryRealEstate.com member, I’d love to post them in the Week in Review!


Editor’s Note:
Robert Lockard is the Public Relations & Media Specialist with LuxuryRealEstate.com. I am Robert. I create all of Luxury Real Estate’s newsletters, write the editorials in LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine and much more. By the way, John Brian Losh is the Chairman/CEO of Ewing & Clark, which is a member of the Luxury Real Estate Board of Regents. The copy of the “Die Hard” movie poster is from www.flickr.com/photos/nickslidepics/442646618 and it is the copyright of Nick Slide.

By Jennifer Schuyler

Seattle is the international headquarters for LuxuryRealEstate.com and best known for its cloudy skies and rain. What many people don’t know is how beautiful our city is during the spring and summer months.

In the spring, the cherry blossom trees and rhododendrons are in full bloom throughout the city. During the summer months, the city is abuzz with outdoor festivals, concerts at the pier, community farmers’ markets, pick-up volleyball games at Golden Gardens and Alki Beach, boating, sailing… you name it, we’ve got it!

If you are visiting Seattle this summer, please stop by LuxuryRealEstate.com’s international headquarters and say hello. Our staff would love to see you!

The following poem sums up many of my feelings. It is by Miles Christian Barth:

Summer
When water flows, and the wind blows.
You can feel the summer breeze,
playing with the autumn leaves.
When clouds are white, and the sun is bright.
You can see the grass grow tall,
next to the river's water fall.
When roses are red, and the weeds are dead.
You can taste the gold, sweet honey,
while the earth is warm and sunny.
When trees are green, and they can't be seen.
You can hear the church boys singing,
while the morning bells are ringing.
When morning turns to night, and the moon's your only light.
You can smell the honeysuckle,
as you stroll along and chuckle.
When summer comes around,
fun and mischief sure abound.

- Miles Christian Barth, USA


Editor’s Note:
Jennifer Schuyler is the Senior Membership Manager with LuxuryRealEstate.com. She has a remarkable history of meeting and exceeding luxury brokers’ marketing needs. Summer is definitely awesome, isn’t it? I can’t wait until the summer issue of LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine arrives later this month, I believe. The photo above of the cherry blossoms on the University of Washington campus is from www.flickr.com/photos/mystereys/438434552 and it is the copyright of mystereys on Flickr.

By Robert Lockard

On Friday, June 13, 2008, Ewing & Clark, Inc. closed on the sale of a Lake Washington waterfront home in Seattle for $13,300,000, marking the second-highest Seattle real-estate sale in the past eight years. John Brian Losh, Betsy Terry and Jane Powers were the listing agents of the property. This home includes 6,000 square feet of living space, a tennis court and boathouse on a 20,000-square-foot lot with 146 feet of shoreline.

In February, they closed on a home at 1620 Washington Blvd. on Lake Washington for $15,800,000. These are the second- and third-highest sales in Seattle history and the two highest sales in Seattle in eight years. Congratulations!


Editor’s Note:
Robert Lockard is the Public Relations & Media Specialist with LuxuryRealEstate.com. I am Robert. I create all of Luxury Real Estate’s newsletters, write the editorials in LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine and much more. Ewing & Clark is a member of the Board of Regents.