Mine was Dec. 24, 1971. My soon-to-be fiance had made reservations at a famous restaurant in Pittsburgh to celebrate Christmas. The LeMont is situated on a bluff overlooking Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle and reservations by the window are hard to obtain. He had planned on surprising me with my engagement ring that evening but was so excited that he couldn't wait until we arrived at the restaurant. While in the car he gave me a present to open. Inside was an old German Christmas ornament that had been in his family. It consisted of three balls that nestled inside each other. When I opened the smallest ball I discovered my ring. He really did surprise me, the first of many. I was so excited that I barely recall the actual meal. But it truly was my most memorable. Here's a link to the view - http://www.lemontpittsburgh.com/LeMont/images_04/images_04/homepage_r5_c1.jpg

Hi! I've had a crazy week and have just made it back here. I agree with Lynn's thoughts on the casita choices. #1 will be on a bit of a hill on the northeast corner of downtown. Fairly walkable to plaza, restaurants, and Canyon Road. #2 is in a bit more of a quasi-residential area. Still walkable to places, but a bit further to all things than #1. #3 is a bit further east of downtown -- looks to be on or near Alameda, so could have a bit of traffic noise. Will feel more like a neighborhood setting. #4 is in the South Capital neighborhood - truly residential (meaning working people of means rather than simply people of means). It will give you more of a true feel of a neighborhood of year-round residents with children. It's a bit closer to the railyard area, but a bit farther from the Plaza and Canyon Road. I like the restaurant selections, and will add a few: Coyote Cafe is very good. And if you have time, go to El Nido out in Tesuque. I'll admit my bias because some dear friends of mine are partners in the newly reopened (2016) operation, but it's truly terrific. Get reservations, because July is opera season and El Nido is near the SF Opera so very busy at those times. For inexpensive casual, Cowgirl Cafe in the Guadalupe/Railyard area is great. They have a courtyard with live music, but you can eat inside as well. For truly fine dining, try Geronimo. Also, for fun and history, El Farol on Canyon Road. It closed for a while when the long-time owner sold a few years ago, but has now reopened and is doing well -- this is a place you can go for just drinks if you want, and dine elsewhere.

Talking about one's first trip to England ... When I was in high school, my dad worked for a company that would send him to England for two weeks, then he'd be home for two weeks, then Germany for two weeks -- lather, rinse, repeat. He was able to take my mom with him on a few of these trips, but I had all of my "teenage things" going on and it probably never even registered to me that I might enjoy going as well. When my high school graduation was approaching, my parents offered me a trip to England (all on my own, although we had/have friends there at the time who would've looked after me) - OR, help with buying my first car and a trip to hang out with a family who had an adorable college- aged son in Daytona Beach. Guess which one I (foolishly) chose? I did consider the offer of England, though, and even had a lovely high school teacher who was quite an Anglophile himself, and when he learned of my consideration he tried to sway me in favor of England. He brought me books to read, maps, brochures, and outlined an itinerary for me. He was truly a lovely, lovely man (now long since passed on). Anyway, I got the new 1980 Pontiac, got the trip to Daytona (where I deepened my crush on the college boy, to no avail), and England returned to the deep, dark recesses of my mind. Sometime in the 90s (I'd have to dig deep to remember the actual date), my mother asked me if I'd like to accompany her to visit our friends -- the ones who would've looked after me, had I chose to visit after graduation) in their 450-year old thatched-roof cottage. Well, of course I wanted to -- so I did. And thus began my love affair with England that, despite several instances post-trip where I told myself, "OK, that was the very last one", it remains in my blood and I truly don't know if I'll ever be done returning. I will never forget that very first trip, though -- of being in Gerry's car (with him driving on "the wrong side"), whisked from London-Heathrow to just outside a little village in Wiltshire where their cottage stood, and saying over and over to myself, "I can't BELIEVE I'm in England!" Waking the next morning to the raucous call of the rooks in the tree out the little wonky window of my room, I thought, "That's ENGLAND out there!" And after many other trips across the pond, I still think the very same thing each time. It never gets old. I don't think it ever will.

We're doing a total rehab of a 1970's ranch on a farm. We were super fortunate to find one a well known luxury builder had built, then decided to live in it himself for 10 years. Problem was it was built in 1970s and not updated. The bedrooms are huge and each has its own large bathroom. The things we changed that made a huge difference: we removed some pointless closets in a hallway to add space to the Master bathroom and closet, this in turn gave us room to use the husband's small master closet for a desperately needed powder room (there was none and people had to use a bedroom bath). It had a 3 season porch between the kitchen and garage and behind the Master bedroom. In St. Louis three season porches are pointless because it's always too hot or too cold to use them. We changed the one behind the Master to be part of the Master which gave us room for a large sitting area and windows all the way around it. the Master had ONE small window before and was VERY dark and depressing. We raised the living room roof above the windows another half story to add more windows and light. We removed the walls between the kitchen, eating area, and into the 3 season porch to make a large open kitchen, eating area, and family room. and added a fireplace. We took half the existing garage and made a mudroom that goes from the front to the back of the home, with laundry room, powder, and desperately needed walk in closet. That gave us space to use the previous pantry (they had to put the only freezer in, because it wouldn't fit in the kitchen, and they had the washer/dryer in there). Now it's a wonderful huge pantry. We added a very deep 3.5 car garage with a storage/work room above it. That was the only space we actually added on, in an attempt to not get slammed with taxes (except they'll hit us for the 2 half bath. We offset it by walling over 2 closets in the library and turning them around into the front hall and bathroom, to decrease the house by a bedroom, since we didn't need it. It can always be changed back if needed LOL) Since the house is 1970's it was woefully depressing with windows. All are too small. Since we were replacing all, and roof was stick built, it was easy to raise the roof in the kitchen to add a row of windows up high for more light, then add dormers in bedrooms to let more light into rooms. All the windows were increased in size. The outside brick got painted a much lighter color and porch got new half stone columns. After having a completely custom home built and re-designing this one, I can say a really good architect and an interior designer are not negotiable. My tip with designers is to find one that works straight by the hour ONLY. Mine charges a set hourly fee and gives me wholesale (actually gives me the invoices sent to her) for everything (plumbing fixtures, electrical, furniture, and windows) She will go anywhere to help with furniture and is much better than the first one I used that wanted to sell me a 30K oriental rug for under my kitchen table, for a family with 8 children LMBO She is the most organized person I've ever met and keeps everything for our two homes in boxes. The construction people call her for the tile layout, samples etc. It's worth every penny! In the kitchen, I HIGHLY suggest a real kitchen designer, not letting the architect do it. In our first custom home, all the neighbors let the architect do it. We got a kitchen designer. they have 10 FEET between the counters and island! It should be 4 ft ish. At first it seemed odd that the freezer and fridge were on opposite sides in our kitchen, till you cook with it. I've had women's groups with 24 people cooking in this kitchen and we are not tripping on each other. Worth every penny. Did the same thing in design of new home. The kitchen designers know what really works when cooking, except I nixed the microwave drawer in the island. My kids would have it broken in a month and it was at least a $1,000. Hope you get your dream home!