Chocolate in Jamaica Plain

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Would you like to find some excellent chocolate in Jamaica Plain, MA? Well, look no further. Brad Brown, owner of the Blue Frog Bakery at 3 Green St., is here to satisfy that craving. His chocolate is one of Jamaica Plain's best kept secrets because it makes a rare appearance only twice a year: Christmas and Valentine's Day.

Am I the ultimate chocolate connoisseur? No. Do I love me some good dark chocolate? You betcha. Do I like boxes of assorted chocolates? Not usually -- until I tried the chocolate at Blue Frog Bakery.

Over Christmas, I tried one of Brad's coconut-filled chocolates. Coconut-filled chocolates are usually the first boxed chocolate I spit out. But this one wasn't filled with the usual sugar coated wad of coconut. Instead it was a slightly chewy cream filling with the subtle taste of coconut. Melt in your mouth deliciousness.

Then I tried his maple-filled chocolate. Yes, that's the other flavor I almost always spit out. But this was a light mousse flavored with maple that just slid down your palate.

As I write this, he is busily preparing this year's Valentine's Day collection of tasty morsels. In addition to an assortment of delicious chocolate, Brad will also be offering a selection of pate de fruit. All of this will be available starting this Saturday, February 11th.

Chocolate: 4-piece box ($5) or 9-piece heart shaped box ($15)
Dark chocolate orange ganache; milk chocolate hazelnut; chocolate fondant; strawberry jelly; cranberry almond marzipan

Pate de fruit: (the pricing and packaging isn't set yet)
mango ginger; strawberry; raspberry; passion fruit

Jamaica Plain offers all sorts of choices for Boston area foodies. It offers great options for sweet treats. BUT if you're looking for the best chocolate in Jamaica Plain -- perhaps the only chocolate in Jamaica Plain that doesn't come in a wrapper -- Blue Frog Bakery at 3 Green St. can't be beat.

At Room To Improve, we make it a point to get to know what resources are available in and around our town. If you need help finding the right sources in assisting you with your next home transition, please don't hesitate to give us a call! We'd love to help. And maybe we'll even bring you some of Jamaica Plain's best chocolate!

Too Much Stuff? Have You Seen the "Crap At My Parents' House"

Let's face it: Realtor, home stager, move manager, professional organizer -- it doesn't matter. We've all seen those homes that have just TOO MUCH STUFF!

As a home stager, I cling closely to the stuff:square footage ratio. The more stuff you have, the less square footage you appear to have. It's very challenging to sell a house when a buyer can't see past the stuff.

As a move manager, it's my job to help people to get rid of a lot of it and you just never know what it is that is going to make them dig in their heels and draw the line. Often it's furniture or kitchen stuff. One of my clients was very agreeable while we whittled down her kitchen collection until I started throwing away spices that were older than I am. Evidently they came from her father's old general store. Even though they were hidden in the back of a top shelf in an upper cabinet, she couldn't part with them. In her new home, we installed a small decorative shelf in her kitchen so she could display them and appreciate them.

Sometimes you just have to scratch your head and ask, "Why?" Why would they buy this? Why would they keep this? Why would someone even create this?

You may think you've seen it all but you haven't come close until you check out

Crap At My Parents' House

This is a blog started by the son of a friend of mine. Yes, the crap is at her house! Since the site launched, hundreds of people have posted photos of their own crap. Unbelievable.

This site has become so popular Joel Dovev, a comedian, has now published a book with clever captions accompanying the photos. If you would like some entertaining reading for your clients while they wait for you in the office, I highly recommend this. It will bring a smile to your face.

You think your clients have too much stuff? Check out the Crap at My Parents House.

ICE Your Phone!

Do you know how to ICE your phone? No? Well, you should -- it could save your life. No ice cubes required.

Just about everyone carries around a cell phone these days -- especially real estate professionals. If something were to happen to you so you couldn't speak for yourself, would first responders know who to contact? Which medical conditions you have? Allergies? It is now becoming standard practice for first responders to look for ICE listings on cell phones.

I.C.E. stands for "In Case of Emergency".

It's very easy to add emergency contact info to your cell phone. Just add a contact to your address book called "ICE". For the phone number, be sure to include the first number that should be called if there is an emergency. In the "notes", include medical conditions, allergies, medications you take and anything else first responders or doctors should know.

If you would like to make your emergency contact info more obvious, app your ICE.

Yes, that's right folks, there's an app for that!

Actually there are quite a few. I use SmartICE. It has a couple of features I really like: they provide an ICE banner for my lock screen. There is also a button you can push to alert EMS and it then beeps until EMS locates the phone. They also have an audio feature: as soon as someone clicks on the app, they hear an audio of my voice telling them all of the pertinent information they need to know.

Update: If you install an ICE app on your phone, be sure to put it on the first page of apps in the top left corner. It is easier to locate that way.

For help ICING your phone and other ways to prepare for any type of emergency, give us a call at Room To Improve. We guide our clients with customized systems to organize all of their vital records and documents. You will be prepared for any emergency and will be able to locate any document at a moment's notice. You will also be organized in such a way that, should something happen to you and you can no longer speak for yourself, your loved ones will know everything they need to appropriately handle your affairs.

Reading this blog really could save your life. If you'd like to save someone else's life, please provide them with a link to this post! In the meantime, ICE your phone!

How To Set Up a Moving Box

Moving is never fun it is much easier if you how to set up a moving box correctly.

Many people mistakenly believe the tabs at the top of the moving boxes are used to keep the boxes flat during transport.They may help to keep the boxes neat and tidy during transport but that is not the real reason they exist. They are really there to keep the flaps out of the way while you pack the boxes. Let me demonstrate:

1. In this photo, you can see the tabs I'm talking about. This is what they look like before you assemble the box.

2. To assemble the box, fold the flaps down while the box is STILL FLAT.

3. Now open the box keeping the flaps folded down as you do so. Turn the box upside down. Fold in the bottom of the box and tape. Once the box is taped, turn it rightside-up again.

4. Now pack your box. The flaps of the box will stay neatly out of your way until you are ready seal the box. Once the box is full, a quick yank upward on the flap will pop the tab. No box cutters are necessary.

I hope this tip helps you with the daunting task of moving. Learning how to set up a moving box is not difficult but, if you set up moving boxes correctly, packing the boxes becomes less of a chore.

Just a quick note: most professional moving boxes do come with these tabs. If your box does NOT come with these tabs, use a piece of packing tape where the tabs would be to keep the flaps out of your way while you pack up your boxes.

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Network Effectively

Do you feel as though you are networking relentlessly but not networking effectively? Well, changing your objective may help to change your results.

In my humble opinion, the best way to approach networking is to hope you have something to offer rather than something to gain. Provide someone with the name of a good mover or a loan officer you like. Share a little morsel of your knowledge that you have acquired from your years of experience. Give a little away and you will gain much more in return. Share a name and number from your preferred vendor list. Tell that home stager about ActiveRain (and then send them an invitation for extra points...) How about complimenting someone's hair or jewelry? Tell them about an awesome farmstand nearby that sells the most amazing organic lettuce they have ever seen. You get the idea...

If you show an interest in the people you meet, they will remember you far more favorably than if you just try to impress them with your credentials. Share the love and reap the reward. That is how you can network effectively rather than relentlessly.

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