Stephanie, our sassy astrological specialist

Team Diva is incredibly excited to announce that our very own personal astrology Diva, Stephanie Gailing of Planetary Apothecary, will be at this year’s Divas Take the Hill! Team Diva would be nowhere without this gal. Not only does she help to guide each of the Diva team members’ personal lives, but we even have an annual pow-wow with her to figure out what is in the stars for the business. This year, we are happy to have Stephanie providing mini-readings for people who are interested in getting a little atro-insight into their lives. Be sure to get your tickets so you can get some time with our guru, Stephanie!

Stephanie’s Bio:
Wellness astrologer Stephanie Gailing combines her knack for celestial insights with her background as a natural health educator, guiding clients towards self-awareness, personal empowerment, and optimal well-being. She offers individual astrology counseling/coaching sessions as well as group Astro-Salons. Author of the book Planetary Apothecary, Stephanie write astrology columns for JeNeSeQua magazine and Astrology.com, and has been featured in the Global Times, Martha Stewart Living, Marie Claire, and Daily Candy. Find out more at www.PlanetaryApothecary.com.

Divas Take the Hill Event Details:
Date: Saturday, June 15th
Location: Velocity Dance Center
Doors Open: 7:30 PM
RSVP: Through the Divas Take The Hill Facebook Page
Tickets: Brown Paper Tickets
Hosted By: Miss DonnaTella Howe
With Performances By: Miss Kitty Baby Burlesque, Caesar Hart, and Atasha Manila
Sponsors and Organizers: Team Diva Real Estate, Studio 5 Design, Velocity Dance Center, Babeland,Retail Therapy, Vino Verite, + Atomic Cosmetics

DJ Tony Burns turning out the tunes

This year’s Divas Take the Hill event will have you shaking your booty to the tunes of our resident musical master, DJ Tony Burns. DJ Tony will keep the party going between performances and after the show, so make sure you grab your tickets and come prepared with your dancing shoes.

DJ Tony Burns’ Bio:
Long before he dropped his first track, Tony Burns has been an animated and vigorous participant within the local dance music scene! For 16 solid years now, he has worn such hats as promoter, dancer, and staunch supporter of the various incarnations of Northwestern club and party life, from Portland to Seattle. Although he began performing out as DJ a mere 2 years ago, he has quickly become a fixture within Seattle’s new renaissance of style-savvy, culture-carving innovators.

“I began experimenting with dj-ing in the privacy and security of home between 2007 – 2009. I’ve only been playing gigs out for the last 2 years. It wasn’t until a few months before my first gig that I really started focusing on the art.” His style, thus far, ranges from pop-nouveau meets dirty electro, to the occasional breaks and everything including the proverbial kitchen sink.

“I feel that a huge part of my current love and drive for dj-ing is this amazing, new resurgence within the Seattle club and bar culture, I feel that I’m not alone when I say that is due, at least in part, to such pivotal club nights as “Hard Times” and “Lezbro”, and such progressive community pillars as The Pony, Re-Bar, and Electric Tea Garden. We, as a community are so very fortunate to have them and they continually inspire me.”

Aside from churning the disco butter on many a local dance floor, be sure to catch Tony as he frequently DJ’s at a host of venues near you, including weddings and private events. So, be warned. His sets will most assuredly turn you on. And they might just turn you out!

Divas Take the Hill Event Details:
Date: Saturday, June 15th
Location: Velocity Dance Center
Doors Open: 7:30 PM
RSVP: Through the Divas Take The Hill Facebook Page
Tickets: Brown Paper Tickets
Hosted By: Miss DonnaTella Howe
With Performances By: Miss Kitty Baby Burlesque, Caesar Hart, and Atasha Manila
Sponsors and Organizers: Team Diva Real Estate, Studio 5 Design, Velocity Dance Center, Babeland,Retail Therapy, Vino Verite, + Atomic Cosmetics

Kitty Kitty Bang Bang bringing out a little lace and leather

This year’s Divas Take the Hill looks like it might be an all out cat fight. Not only will our beloved Miss Kitty Baby be making her third appearance at Divas Take the Hill, but we are excited to be having a new kitty entering the fray, in the form of Kitty Kitty Bang Bang. This sassy little sex kitten is bound to bring a new dimension to our event with her new takes on old favorites. Make sure you don’t miss out on the battle of the Kitties and pick up your tickets now!

Take a peek at what might be in store for the evening…

Kitty Kitty Bang Bang’s Bio:
This Kitty Kitty takes the stage with a ‘Bang Bang!’ Known best for her live sultry vocals, Kitty Kitty Bang Bang embodies such sex kittens as Jessica Rabbit, Marilyn Monroe and Bettie Page. When she’s not soaking up the limelight or volunteering her time & talent, Ms. Bang Bang likes to indulge in life’s finer vices. This bad girl bombshell has a soft spot for sin and a dirty mouth that not even top shelf whiskey could clean. Don’t miss your chance to have Ms.Kitty Kitty make you purr for peace with her pop star performance!

Divas Take the Hill Event Details:
Date: Saturday, June 15th
Location: Velocity Dance Center
Doors Open: 7:30 PM
RSVP: Through the Divas Take The Hill Facebook Page
Tickets: Brown Paper Tickets
Hosted By: Miss DonnaTella Howe
With Performances By: Miss Kitty Baby Burlesque, Caesar Hart, and Atasha Manila
Sponsors and Organizers: Team Diva Real Estate, Studio 5 Design, Velocity Dance Center, Babeland,Retail Therapy, Vino Verite, + Atomic Cosmetics

Nobody can walk into this restaurant on a Friday night without being fully immersed and the fabulousness that is Atasha-land. The Stranger says Atasha is “server extraordinaire, hilarity incarnate, and one-person Friday-night drag show…[bristling] with glamour, sashaying around the dining room to a soundtrack of RuPaul’s ‘Jealous of my Boogie’ all while hauling plates laden with Filipino goodness.” Although we don’t have her hustling food at Divas Take the Hill, we are ecstatic to see what she will be serving up on June 15th!

Atasha’s Bio:
Atasha Manila a hardworking babe from Beacon Hill who does a one woman show at Inays Asian Pacific cuisine. She’s been doing drag for a little over 2 years and is inspired by her fabulous drag mother Aleksa Manila! She is dedicated not only to her craft, but also to her community.

Divas Take the Hill Event Details:
Date: Saturday, June 15th
Location: Velocity Dance Center
Doors Open: 7:30 PM
RSVP: Through the Divas Take The Hill Facebook Page
Tickets: Brown Paper Tickets
Hosted By: Miss DonnaTella Howe
With Performances By: Miss Kitty Baby Burlesque, Caesar Hart, and Atasha Manila
Sponsors and Organizers: Team Diva Real Estate, Studio 5 Design, Velocity Dance Center, Babeland,Retail Therapy, Vino Verite, + Atomic Cosmetics

Ceasar Hart reppin’ for marriage equality

This year, Seattle’s finest drag King, Ceasar Hart, will be making his second appearance at Divas Take the Hill. Last year, Ceasar tore up the dance floor with some incredible performances, wooing everyone in the crowd with soul and suave. We are super excited to see what Ceasar has in store for us this year – make sure you don’t miss out!

Ceasar’s Bio:

Ceasar Hart is our past and current Mr. Neighbours Seattle 2011-2013, as well as a cast member of the longest running drag show in Washington state, Marlayna Mcbride and The Jakettes Show, held at Jakes on 4^th in Olympia the last Saturday of every month. He has traveled from Everett all the way down to Portland performing at benefits supporting Marriage Equality, Washington United for Marriage, Referendum 74, AIDS awareness, Drag for Dolls, Breast cancer, Planned Parenthood, Camp Ten Trees, Queer Rock Camp, You Are Loved Cabaret, and teen suicide and bullying prevention, just to name a few.

Also over the past few years Ceasar has done the annual Drag shows and Pride proms for the kids attending Green River Community College, Highline Community College, Seattle Community College, and South Seattle Community College. Ceasar is also a former cast member of Boys R Us at SWANK in Kent, Queens By Nature at Bad Monkey in Auburn, Bottoms Up at the Backstage Bar and Grill, Drag On at the Deltan Club, and The Aviators at the Airport Tavern in Tacoma.

Ceasar has guest performed at shows such as Morning Glory, HOTFLASH, Mimosas with Mama, INFERNO, Girl for Girl, BENT, Fuego at the Wild Rose, Bacon Strip, UNTUCKED, Doll House, Queens Brunch at the Royal Room, Pride Idol, and FUZED. Last but certainly not least, Ceasar has performed at Tacoma Pride, Olympia Pride, Portland Pride, Bremerton Pride, and  has walked in the Seattle Pride parade and the Olympia Pride parade for many years now.

He most recently became ambassador of Social Outreach Seattle, a coalition of LGBTQ and allied persons who care about the issues, politics, and social inequalities that exist in the world.

Divas Take the Hill Event Details:
Date: Saturday, June 15th
Location: Velocity Dance Center
Doors Open: 7:30 PM
RSVP: Through the Divas Take The Hill Facebook Page
Tickets: Brown Paper Tickets
Hosted By: Miss DonnaTella Howe
With Performances By: Miss Kitty Baby Burlesque, Caesar Hart, and Atasha Manila
Sponsors and Organizers: Team Diva Real Estate, Studio 5 Design, Velocity Dance Center, Babeland,Retail Therapy, Vino Verite, + Atomic Cosmetics

No Diva event is complete without our Kitty Baby

Team Diva is delighted to announce that our very own Miss Kitty Baby will be making her third appearance at this year’s Divas Take the Hill! Ever since we were introduced to Kitty Baby by Miss DonnaTella Howe, we have been smitten with this beauty. And then just when we thought we couldn’t love her anymore, we got to know her and our love just grew. Kitty Baby is one of the most genuinely caring and adorable women we have ever met, super committed to giving back to her community and always willing to shake what she’s got for a Diva event. After all, what would a Diva event be without our beloved Kitty Baby!?

Miss Kitty Baby Burlesque’s Bio:

“The Striptease of the High Seas”
From combat boots to cabaret,
From the US Marines to the merchant marines,
She leaves a pasty in every port,
And she can tie a g-string in a sailor knot.
Coming to a stage near you in High Octane Glitter!

Miss Kitty Baby is a vintage style burlesque performer and a pinup girl for our troops and veterans.  She is deeply loyal to her community and enjoys being involved in fundraisers and community causes.  She is “The Forever Girl” and “The Action Figure With Curves”.  Learn more about her at www.misskittybaby.com.

Divas Take the Hill Event Details:
Date: Saturday, June 15th
Location: Velocity Dance Center
Doors Open: 7:30 PM
RSVP: Through the Divas Take The Hill Facebook Page
Tickets: Brown Paper Tickets
Hosted By: Miss DonnaTella Howe
With Performances By: Miss Kitty Baby Burlesque, Caesar Hart, and Atasha Manila
Sponsors and Organizers: Team Diva Real Estate, Studio 5 Design, Velocity Dance Center, Babeland,Retail Therapy, Vino Verite, + Atomic Cosmetics

Diva Dweller Cameron Enjoying Capitol Hill With His Boyfriend Tony

Our Diva Dweller for June is Cameron. As soon as we told him that he was Mr. June you would have thought he had hit the lottery. Cameron is an all around awesome guy and totally captures the Diva Dweller spirit. He is deeply passionate about his neighborhood and very involved with Capitol Hill non-profit PSKS (more below), the organization that is also this year’s Diva’s Take The Hill beneficiary.

The best part about working with Cameron was his approach to finding his Diva Dwelling. Cameron brought me a digital map of the area he was willing to live in which basically meant about 12 or so blocks on Capitol Hill. He was very focused on finding an awesome home that made  sense for him from a community standpoint. It is always so much fun to look out from the Diva HQ to see Cameron and friends going to Vino Verite or to his friend’s place at the Plaza Del Sol.

Here is Diva Dweller Cameron’s Story….
Name: Cameron

Hood: Capitol Hill

How did you meet the Divas? I did a search for “Capitol Hill Real Estate” and Yelp made the choice pretty clear.  We set up a time to chat and the rest is history.

What type of home did you purchase? A fabulous condo in the heart of Capitol Hill.  Got a nice view of the Space Needle, the Sound, and the Olympic Mountains to remind me that I’m living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

What was your first “OMG” house moment? OMG HOA dues are expensive!  How it is possible that they don’t come with complementary massage and an open bar?!

What is your greatest home extravagance? I’m a bit of a nerd, so I installed some home automation toys.  I can control my door lock, lights, temperature, etc. all remotely from my phone.  Necessary?  No.  Nifty? Yep.

What is in your junk drawer? Well… unfortunately we’d be talking about my junk closet.  I’ve got just about everything in there that doesn’t fit elsewhere.  Wine storage, file storage, camping gear, sailing gear, printer, modem, router, home control, blankets, grilling utensils, extra stemware and serving dishes, vacuum, seldom used liquors (what?!), a box of potentially unnecessary cables, and a couple of boxes of random crap.  Of course, this is all fabulously organized with Alfa Closeting from the Container Store.

Would you rather:

What is your favorite Hood hangout spot?  On Thursdays after work, I like to stop in at Vino Verité (Olive & Boylston) for their weekly wine tasting.  Big  improvement on the standard dry cleaning pick-up errand. Panevino, just up the street from me on Broadway, is great.  The food is delicious, the atmosphere is relaxed but classy, and the service is where they really stand out.  It really makes you feel like you’re part of your neighborhood when you’re greeted by name by someone who knows your cocktail of choice.

I could totally go on…  Crumble and Flake for an early morning pasty, Sun Liquor for a relaxed weeknight cocktail, Terra Plata for artisanal (but not stuffy) dining, and the Broadway Market (for everything from a carton of milk to duct tape).

What is your favorite local organization/non-profit? None other than the spotlight charity for this year’s Divas Take the Hill Pride Kick-Off Party:  Peace for the Streets by Kids from the Streets (PSKS)!  When I first moved to Seattle, I found this place when I was looking for volunteer opportunities.  Now I’m a volunteer, a board member, a donor, and a cheerleader for them.

They serve homeless and at-risk youth and young adults on Capitol Hill just a few blocks from my place.  Totally “Capitol Hill” in their style: small, scrappy, rough around the edges, grass roots, quirky, totally effective.  PSKS uses a participatory governance model and tailors services to fit each participant’s needs.  They take the time to get to know the kids and get them involved in the organization and the broader community.  That involvement turns into investment in their community, and as a result, in themselves.  They have something for just about everyone… drop-in hours, basic needs stuff, case management, tutoring, internships and job training, housing placement, outreach, aftercare, leadership opportunities, etc.

What do you love the most about your house? Location, location, location.  I was really happy to find a relatively new, reasonably spacious condo, in great shape with a great view.  What I love the most is that I didn’t have to expand my search outside of my target neighborhood; we were able to find what I was looking for right where I wanted it.  It’s nice to feel so closely connected to everything.  I can grab a bus, a cab, a haircut, a coffee, my dry cleaning, stop by a friend’s house… all within steps.  I’ve got great access to restaurants, groceries, convenience stores, and shopping.  Love it!

DonnaTella brings all the cash to the yard!

And she’s always ready for her closeup

Team Diva is excited to announce that our very own diva, Miss DonnaTella Howe, will be returning for her third year as the hot and sassy hostest of Divas Take the Hill. DonnaTella has been a long time friend of us Divas, and even became a Diva Dweller last year! She has even been a Divas Take the Hill staple since its inception three years ago, not only being the fun and fabulous face of the show, but also helping to round up our other divalicious performers. Make sure you grab your tickets to this year’s Divas Take the Hill and come dance the night away with DonnaTella.

DonnaTella Howe was once a cast member of the Lashes Cabaret show at RPlace, she’s now moving and shaking all over Seattle. From Bacon Strip to Queens Brunch, Baltic Room and the Capitol Club she has expanded her appearances and even working with Seattle Gay Social Events as their new promoter and hostess starting with the upcoming Pride Cruise on June 29^th heading out into the sound with DJ Tony Burns and a band of queens who will be performing on the high seas! Her hosting ability came about while working as assistant for MoM, running her Mothers Day and birthday tribute shows and the occasional WET night at RPlace. Between the looks her mama gave her, some MAC, lessons on how to wear it courtesy of Sharon Huzbenz and some well chosen outfits, DonnaTella has become a party girl around town.

Performances range from comedy, to top 40, old school hits and the occasional dramatic ballad. She is always looking to entertain, amuse and start the party off right. No two moments or performances of hers are alike and she is constantly striving to build her numbers into better spectacles while keeping audiences guessing. She is the social butterfly, the flirt and the lover, but also the bitch you don’t wanna cross. She’s got the sexy sass of Katy Perry with the mouth of Elaine Stritch, a new class of queen mixing substance and style and here to make the show memorable. Having completed her reign as Miss Gay Seattle XLVIII in January 2013 she has stepped into the role of Imperial Princess just moments after stepping down as Miss Gay Seattle continuing to represent her community throughout Western Washington, Canada and Oregon and making herself available to appear and perform wherever she is needed to support the community.

Make sure you mark your calendars for Divas Take the Hill on June 15th. Check out details for Divas Take the Hill and RSVP on the event Facebook page. Then go buy tickets at Brown Paper Tickets so you don’t miss out on the fun!

GSBA Staff Member Matt Landers and Our Girl Rachael!

Last year we were super happy to see the GSBA hire Rachael Brister as their new Deputy Director. Rachael is a Diva and in many ways we share the same vision of community involvement coupled with women supporting women in business. Hey we are on team Rachael! Rachael was also great in creating an opportunity for the Divas to not only join an organization but give us a way for us to give back to that organization. Hence – Tech Tuesday!

Tech Tuesday: Stop Networking & Start Connecting / Tuesday, June 11   5:30 p.m

Your Tech Tuesday Teachers Chavi and Kim

Ok – want to learn more? Yeah!!! Seriously – this will not be one of those classes that asks —> Do you know what Facebook is? Here is a #Hashtag? No not lame. You will walk out of this class with plan to rock your marketing world, get new clients, be awesome, and have fun doing it!

The Official Info: From Facebook to Twitter and other platforms in between, social media plays a very important role in how we connect…..with customers, other businesses and each other. But it’s not only about posts, links, offers and photos. Blogging should also be a critical part of any marketing or social media strategy. It’s where your content can begin. Learn from Team Diva Real Estate how to use diverse social media platforms to connect with your customer, create brand ambassadors for you and how to have fun doing it! You will leave this hands-on training with your own plan for content curation and implementation.

Location: Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center / 1625 19th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
Online Registration - only 25 spots available - special event for GSBA members only

More information>

We assess whether home prices are overvalued or undervalued relative to their fundamental value by comparing prices today with historical prices, incomes, and rents. Incomes determine how much people can pay for housing, and price increases aren’t sustainable if they push prices too high relative to incomes. Rents reflect how much people value housing even if they won’t benefit from price appreciation (as renters don’t, but owners do); the price-to-rent ratio is like the price-earnings (P/E) ratio for stocks. Using data from multiple sources (see footnote), we create several measures of fundamental value and combine them in order to calculate how overvalued or undervalued home prices are relative to fundamentals.

The key item that I really appreciated about the way Trulia approached the question was looking at the Price-To-Rent ratio and analyzing local incomes. Basically can someone buy a home for less money than they are currently renting? Are people buying higher than their income can rationalize? Well let’s take these two questions to see if Seattle is in a Rebound or a Bubble.

Overall you can buy a single family home for way less than you could back in 2007/2008 during the height. You are getting a screaming deal. So sorry if you are in non stop multiple offers. It is worth the buy right now.

One area I believe we are in a Bubble is Capitol Hill condos. The rental market on Capitol Hill is super tight due to the proximity of the neighborhood to Amazon’s HQ. Amazon has been on a hiring frenzy. All of those newbies to Seattle want to live close to Amazon HQ. As a result it is putting pressure on rental inventory in the surrounding neighborhoods. The pressure has seen a huge increase in rental prices on Capitol Hill and other neighborhoods. Those folks who have been renting on the Hill forever are suddenly inspired to make the jump to  home ownership. Individual investors are seeing awesome return on investments on condos as well. So the result has been about about a 11% increase in square footage prices for condos on Capitol Hill from February, 2012. The largest increase of prices have been found in the one bedroom market.

Square Footage Sold Prices for Capitol Hill Condos

Now let’s ask the question if Capitol Hill is in a rebound or a Bubble? The reason I think it is a bubble is the huge number of building cranes seen throughout the neighborhood. Basically back to the Price to Rent ratio. The new buildings coming online who dampen the buying frenzy we are currently seeing on Capitol Hill. Those newbies at Amazon will be discretely housed in one of the numerous brand new cheap ass apartment buildings seen from every corner of the Hill right now. Removing that rental price pressure will remove a lot of buyers from the market. *** Note to sellers of condos on Capitol Hill -> NOW IS THE TIME TO SELL***

Other areas in the city should expect to see more of a Rebound. There simply is not the same number of new construction homes coming available in other areas in the city. Also – we do not have the same flexibility of construction loans for the first time home buyer as we did back in 2005. So many buyers cannot easily pic up a “fixer” the way they were during the height. Final words – Rebound in the surrounding neighborhoods and a bubble for Capitol Hill condos.