ow’s the time to start planning next year’s home improvement projects, and today we’d like to give a little bit of focus to the oft-overlooked aspect of home ownership, the landscaping. All too often, people just have a spit of grass, some overgrown and poorly trimmed shrubbery on the periphery of their homes and call it a day, choosing to focus instead on the internal aesthetic of the home.
This is a major mistake, though. Nothing makes a home look less appealing on first glance than poor and lazy landscaping, though, not to mention all of the time you could be spending enjoying the amazing weather here in southern California but can’t because your yard is a total mess.
Alright, so you know you need to get it done – that’s a good first step. What’s next? Well, that’s obvious – you call the guys who are the best at not only doing the landscaping, but helping you plan it.
That means (if you’re in the San Diego area) calling Torrey Pines Landscaping company, the best of the best in our neck of the woods and beyond. Their projects are world renowned and have been winning awards for the better part of a decade now.
If you need proof, check out a couple of their projects, like this Del Mar backyard design or this Coronado landscape design and implementation. Better yet, take a look at some of their socials, where they have a perfect 5-star rating everywhere you care to look:
“Last fall we contacted Harry Thompson to redo our backyard. After considering a few other companies, we decided to go with TP Landscape Co. Harry was thorough, knowledgeable and listened to all our concerns/requests. I must say this was a big investment for us, but definitely worthwhile.
In the end, we were very pleased with the overall outcome, and just in time for Thanksgiving! His crew was respectful, hard-working and cleaned up at the end of each day. Dave, his project supervisor, was great to work with. You can tell he has a nice working relationship with the crew and clear communication with them.
Thank you TP Landscape Company for our new beautiful, tropical oasis! We look forward to firing up our built-in BBQ and fire pit. Also, it’s nice to know that you guys check up on us periodically to make sure things (sprinklers/timers/etc) are working as they should.”
– Gina L., Yelp
“Our backyard garden remodel just recently was completed by Torrey Pines Landscape and we could not be more thrilled with the execution and the final result! Harry Thompson and his crew designed our dream backyard and made it a reality. Our space is on a city-sized lot in the Banker’s Hill area and he addressed every challenge our space presented. The entire crew was completely respectful of our privacy, maintaining our security of our yard and keeping the site neat and tidy at the end of each day. Every day, either Harry or Mark would come and check in on the progress of the project and Harry had the crew rebuild part of our custom fountain because he was not satisfied with how it looked initially! Dave, the project supervisor was fantastic to work with and provided valuable insight for things concerning the BBQ island and how the layout would work best. Every single detail was considered, from dog-friendly plants to lighting. I can not recommend them highly enough, they are true craftsmen and if you can dream it, they can create it!”
– Kelli G., Yelp
If you need desperate assistance in getting your yard looking presentable and have either a basic idea or a grand scheme for the future, give Torrey Pines a call. They have a habit of making dreams come true with their work.
This year has reminded us that taking care of our bodies and monitoring our health is more important than ever. Getting proper exercise, maintaining a good diet, getting plenty of sunlight, and establishing a schedule for health screenings with medical professionals are all now recognized as essential aspects of a functional life in a pandemic-stricken world.
This new emphasis on health doesn’t stop with us, however! Our furry friends and pets shouldn’t be neglected in terms of proper health procedures, which includes regular veterinary diagnostics to make sure that their little bodies are as healthy and solid as our own.
To these ends, today we’re spotlighting a veterinary service that is as well adapted to the times we live in as any we’ve ever seen – a telemedicine practice that offers diagnostic analysis, veterinary consultation, and all sorts of cardiac reading interpretations provided by one of the best pet cardiologists in the country. We’re talking, of course, about Carley Saelinger at Cardiac Vet, a seasoned veteran who provides vet consultation services for pets suffering from heart problems and disease or is at risk of acquiring them.
Cardiac Vet provides worried pet owners the diagnoses they need to make the correct decisions about treatment and therapy for their companions. The service is based on referrals, where a primary care veterinarian contacts Carley to do the in-depth analysis needed to give the animals the absolute best course of treatments they need to live a happy and fulfilling life.
Carley is, of course, a highly experienced cardiologist, with years of work at famed Los Angeles-based VCA ASEC, an animal hospital and emergency center that provides owners with the specialists they need to get their pets back to their peppy, tail-wagging selves. Carley receives special mention in a number of different reviews for VCA ASEC, with clients noting her delicate touch and genuine compassion for her furry patients:
Our beautiful cat Kai was diagnosed with a heart condition when he was about 2 yrs old and we were referred to VCA ASEC by our Vet. The care and compassion given by all the staff was exemplary and we knew we were in excellent hands. Dr. Carley Saelinger (Dr. Carley) was Kai’s doctor and when Kai died suddenly (which often happens to cats with cardiomyopathy) on June 24th one day after his 8th birthday, she took our call immediately and patiently talked with us sharing her sadness. Last week we received a book from ASEC entitled “The Cat” which had beautiful quotes and photos of feline companions. The pages were personally signed with a little remembrance by the staff that helped care for Kai…Doctor, ultrasound tech, cardio nurse, etc etc. What a wonderful gift. I wish he could have been with us longer but we are thankful for the time we had with him and recognize ASEC and the staff for helping make that happen.
– Toni W., Yelp Review
Cardiac Vet will provide your pet with the best treatment plans possible to extend their longevity and provide them with the most pain-free and fulfilling lives possible if they have been diagnosed with a heart disease or issue. If you think your dog or cat may be suffering from a cardiovascular issue, get your primary veterinarian to refer their case to Carley – she’s the best at what she does.
As long as there will be marriages, there will also be divorce. The universe has a way of balancing things out like that, though divorce itself has not always been an equitable outcome.
Throughout most of recorded history, divorce has favored the male half of the population, casting a negative light over the female half if proceedings are undergone. In recent years, it can be argued that men have been given the short end of the stick, as most alimony and child support costs are borne by them while simultaneously restricting their access to their children.
Equitable outcomes are always desired, and divorce court is often incapable of providing such outcomes. Lawyers play a game that allows them to suck as much excess value out of their clients as possible, rather than reaching a settlement that benefits both parties.
To skirt this issue, there is an alternative to divorce court that, while it doesn’t leave everyone happy, it does have a higher chance at providing an equitable outcome. That alternative is mediation, where a neutral third party discusses the issue with the aggrieved parties and brings the issue to a settlement that both can agree to.
If you are in Orange County and are in need of divorce mediation specialists, look no farther than McNamee Mediations, a local Santa ana firm that specializes in divorce mediations for both complex and convoluted cases, and those that are more straight forward. The firm has been providing divorcing couples with more equitable outcomes for decades, and their long list of glowing testimonials points to their skills in this regard.
Katerina Hencova has sent many of her clients facing divorce to the firm, and has gotten nothing but positive feedback from them:
“As a financial planner, I see my clients go through a number of changes in their lives and sometimes it includes a separation/divorce. Mediation is the far better option when dissolving a marriage as it puts a lot less strain not only on the finances but also the emotions of everyone involved. This is where Colleen McNamee stands out. As an attorney-mediator, she is extremely knowledgeable in her field, has two decades of experience, but also truly cares about her clients. Something that cannot be taught in law school is the gift of empathy and caring for others, which translates into achieving fair and equitable results for couples. Thanks to her very strong skill set and the services she’s able to offer, she remains a neutral counsel to both parties throughout the process, and the Agreements she drafts are far superior to any other divorce mediator I have seen! My clients have come out feeling like they were treated fairly, received their equitable shares, and can now move forward with their lives onto their next chapters.”
Katerina Hencova, Google Review
Lisa Nguyen, a client, has gone through with her divorce and her experience left some positive impressions on her:
“If there is such thing as a Divorce Angel, then Colleen McNamee is it. More than an attorney with so much experience in family law, I believe Colleen’s life purpose is to mitigate as much pain as possible for the divorce couple. Having gone through a divorce, I am so thankful that we each didn’t have our own lawyer. If you have young children like I do, you must consider mediation as your first option. Colleen will address every concerns and legal ramifications and will make sure both parties feel heard and fairly treated. She gives couples a chance for a more successful co-parenting relationship. Do yourself a favor and reach out to her first before hiring an attorney.”
Lisa Nguyen, Google Review
Not all divorces end acrimoniously, and the tendencies of divorce court may force a more negative relationship with your previous spouse than you intend to. If you want a more equitable separation that leaves your friendly relationship with your spouse intact, contact McNamee Mediations:
McNamee Mediations
+19492233836
4590 MacArthur Blvd Suite 500, Newport Beach, CA 92660
Spring is quickly passing by and summer is just around the corner, which means for many of us it’s high time to start planning out the renovations we’ve been putting off for months now. Hours of browsing Pinterest later, we need to start asking ourselves how we want our bathrooms to look, how to open up the kitchen to make it less confining, and, most importantly, what contractors are we going to hire to get the job done right?
The contracting question is one for the ages, as the businesses that populate the industry have a well-deserved reputation for cutting corners and providing shoddy workmanship in order to increase their margins. Even contractors that come recommended to us from friends and family have a tendency to disappoint, as I found out after one such company revamped my kitchen just to find that they had accidentally removed a load-bearing wall. Whoops!
So, what are we to do about finding the diamonds in the rough? Well, Yelp is one option – people spending a significant chunk of change on a shoddy remodel are unlikely to keep their silence for long.
So, a brief search for home remodeling contractors in Orange County will bring up some of the best contractors in the business, which brings us to the spotlighted company for today’s post, Inspired Remodels, Inc. Not only do they have one of the best ratings on Yelp for a contracting firm I’ve seen, they have some truly stellar testimonials that go on at length about the quality of their craftsmanship. Lisa G., for example, talks about their work on her bathroom here:
“After spending time looking for a contractor to renovate our master bathroom, laundry and power bath, we settled on Inspired Remodels and I’m so glad we did! From start to finish every single person that worked in our home was professional, considerate and communicated with us throughout the process. I am rather “particular” about things being just right and they went above and beyond to ensure our satisfaction. Joe and Collin were very patient with me during the selection process and Jason was responsive and made me feel at ease with any questions I had along the way. The tradesmen were all outstanding but I need to give a special shoutout to Haime and Rudy, Mark and Ulysses, for their attention to detail and the long hours they put into making our home beautiful. Thank you, thank you! I highly recommend using IR if you have high expectations – they will be met!”
“Our experience with Inspired Remodels was the best I’ve ever experienced with contractors. Jason and Joe Mueller we’re responsive throughout the project. We are very meticulous and hired IR to redo a remodel that went south. Our remodel included removing new wood like tile flooring due to improper installation from a previous fraudulent contractor. IR flawlessly removed all flooring and kept the job spotless during the 7-week remodel. Our house was virtually left better then IR found it. IR installed the new wood tile above and beyond industry standards, removed and replaced all new baseboards and doors. Additionally, IR painted and perfected areas that were previously left imperfect by the previous contractor. I will definitely use IR again for our future remodel needs. Jason even brought us a house warming gift at the end. We moved back into our house on schedule and couldn’t be happier. Thank you IR family! We look forward to using your professional and family oriented services again in the future. Thank you” So, there we have it. Excellent quality work in a reasonable time frame, which is much more than you can say about a lot of firms in the biz. Happy hunting, folks, and don’t forget: never use stainless steel for your counter tops. Just don’t.
There are few mantras in the world as dependably true as the one regarding the government’s revenue services: “Don’t mess with the IRS.” As the economy tumbles through the tumultuous throws of a worldwide pandemic, government policies and actions come and go, new loans and payouts are dolled out, but the other old adage, ‘nothing in this world is certain, except death and taxes’ remains as true as ever, meaning you’d better pay what you owe, or else.
Accurate bookkeeping has always been key to not only staying in business but staying out of jail. Just ask Al Capone, the infamous Prohibition-era gangster who was caught not for the pile of bodies he left behind, but the 22 counts of federal income tax evasion he was eventually sentenced over. Crime may pay, but some of that had better make its way into Uncle Sam’s pockets or else you are going to run into some real state-sanctioned thuggery.
As the pandemic progresses and more government programs roll out to assist in the recovery effort, good bookkeeping might make the difference between your small business dying out in the economic destruction reeked by COVID and living to see another day. To best navigate these new and uncertain waters, you need to be constantly updating your financial knowledge to ascertain what programs you can take advantage of to stay afloat.
For many of us, that is a step too far in a direction we don’t specialize in or have time to learn about. There is not a lot of time to read up on how to repair a leak when your boat is quickly filling up with water, so for these matters we can turn to some of the experts. A great bookkeeper not only keeps up with your numbers, they also keep up with every new development to make sure they stay within the strict confines of the law while helping your company thrive in the new financial environment.
For our Orange County readers, there’s only one bookkeeping service we can think of that truly rises above the rest: The Bookkeeper Specialists. Jonathon Agee and his team work tirelessly to not just understand your business on a fundamental level, but also keep at the forefront of every new law you need to conform to and program available at your disposal. Pramod P. of Los Angeles testifies to the firm’s unceasing dedication on this front:
“Jonathon has assisted my business with multiple matters. He assisted with transitioning from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online. He has assisted with getting the accounting in order. Those are normal things that a good bookkeeper should be able to do. What separates Jonathon is that he has taken the time to be well informed on financial matters of importance to small business loans. Since he has done his homework on the Federal and California COVID-19 related financial relief programs he is a go to resource for information on those matters in regards to how those programs work and how to best apply for them. Of course, he can also get your books and records ready for the applications.”
To get out of this pandemic alive both physiologically and financially, we need to listen to the experts. In regard to the latter, there is no better resource than The Bookkeeper Specialists in southern California. Remember: Don’t mess with the IRS, and don’t end up like Capone. Get the bookkeeping services you need now by looking up:
