Walnut Lane

Condo captivation: Luxury Living on Mag

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 02:45:00 +0000

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All the conveniences of Magazine Street at your doorstep. 3400 Magazine St., Unit #12 is for sale! This luxury, one bedroom condo on Magazine and Louisiana hit the market today. Wood floors, exposed brick, tons of natural light, huge walk-in closet and gated parking.... Dunn & Sonnier down the street and the CVS directly across is just the cherry on top! Click here for official details. Scroll down for pics.

First showing this Sunday, May 1, 2016 from 1:00-3:00. Enter on Louisiana. Unit #12 is on the second floor. A must see! Listed at $279,000. Please get in touch for more details. 504-810-0432 . emily.carrere@gmail.com

Estate Envy: Sur le Parc

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 19:02:00 +0000

Well, basically. One block off the park (sitting on park like grounds, itself!) this spacious home boasts a 1,100 sq. foot guest house, 3 car garage and all the beautiful molding and finishes one would expect to find a few blocks away from the Saints' QB.

Please get in touch if interested in a showing.

French Quarter Finds

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 20:58:00 +0000

And we're back! Baby number two is doing well and it's back to business this first work day in the new year. I'm so excited to bring you this show stopping property in the French Quarter to kick off the new year. Message me if interested.

This beautiful Creole property steps from Jackson Square is a true gem. The slate roof and copper gutters are overshadowed by the fabulous courtyard centered entertaining space. All of the French doors and balconies make it the perfect place to through some fabulous french quarter fêtes! 910 Orleans Ave. | List price $1,875,000 | 2438 Sq. Ft.

Condo Captivation: The French Quarter

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 18:43:00 +0000

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Wouldn't it be fun to roll out of bed and have one of the city's best brunch spots just down the street? For only $2.6 million, this French Quarter condo buys you just that. And beautiful hardwood floors, a 30 foot balcony, high ceilings etc... What's not to love? Maybe the vieux carré pricing, but believe it or not, $900+ a square foot is the going rate in that neck of the woods. Call/email/text/message me for a private showing (see the "send a note" icon on the right? Just click it!)

Happy hump day!

Powder Room Reno

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 15:51:00 +0000

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Because there is no better time to renovate two bathrooms in your house then when you are pregnant and chasing a 16 month old.... Maybe it's the whole nesting thing, or maybe I'm just a glutten for punishment, but we are down to one working bathroom in our house while we renovate our first floor powder room and make some minor changes to our master bath.

The real story is that we had a leak in the powder room and a mold issue in the exterior wall which required immediate remediation. Long story short, we had to gut and start over. Here is the current state of the space...

It's located under our stairs and about the size of a postage stamp. There is really only configuration possible - toilet in the back sink on the right wall. We were able to salvage the floor (although not in the best condition, but at least it's marble) and the sink faucet (cold water only but beautiful Sherle Wagner). The window above the sink and left wall are being mirrored and a shelves added behind the toilet. We are working on the sink bowl now, any suggestions welcome!

Here is some inspiration...

Love this sink!!

Like the check on the wall and the sconces.

We were originally considering a mounted sink bowl to sit on top of the original wooden banjo counter but have decided to just go with the white sink bowl in marble.

I love a fun wall paper and bright color in a powder room. Our space is really too small to do much color, but still calls for a fun paper. I chose this Farrow and Ball Napoleon Bumble Bee.

We are in the middle of searching for a marble remanent for the sink. I like the warm tones of this one with the wall paper we are using. We'll see what I can find...

Finally, the boisserie in this powder room is really standout. It just makes everything look more finished and refined, doesn't it? Hopefully we will have it all finished by the time baby comes. Check back for a finished update. Soon I hope!!

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Pasta & Grilled Shrimp

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 13:03:00 +0000

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We have a rotation of about 6 things we eat for dinner and get super excited when we find something we like enough to add into the mix. This is one of those things. Whole Foods sells a delicious little jar of this for a million dollars, and I will admit, I usually get lazy and just buy it. BUT making your own pesto and freezing it would be even better. This recipe is one I would try if I ever got adventurous enough to make my own pesto. Here is the Sandra Lee version of the recipe for the meal for 2.

Ingredients:

Red Pepper Pesto Pasta
1 jar red pepper pesto (or homemade!)
1/2 pound of radiator pasta (or any noodle you like)
Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Parmesan Reggiano

Grilled Shrimp Kebobs
1 pound of peeled and deveined shrimp (we like to get them as large as they come locally)
1 red pepper
1 onion
Salt & pepper
Pimente d'esplette (an ingredient we got hooked on while living in France and use on everything now)

Recipe:
Season shrimp with spices. Cube the vegetables into about 1 inch squares (smaller the better because if too big, it gets in the way of the shrimp grilling properly). Lace shrimp and vegetables onto a skewer alternating so that each shrimp is surround by the vegetables (we like the metal skewers that we can wash and reuse). Send husband out to the grill.

In the meantime, heat pesto in a saucepan (I actually use a wok because I like the way it heats better). Add desired about of heavy cream (I use a decent amount to make the sauce go further). Once heated, add in parm. While you are doing this, cook the pasta to just al dente.

I like the radiator shape because sauce really sticks to it with all the edges. Once you have drained, toss pasta in the sauce (not the other way around or you lose sauce!) and remove from heat. Combine and let sit (can leave on low if still cooking shrimp). One day I will actually remember to take a pic of finished product.

LGD Townhouse Luxury

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 20:12:00 +0000

One of my favorites on tour today was this Lower Garden District townhouse at 1351 Magazine St. The sprawling 4500 square foot restoration boasts original ironwork and floor-to-ceiling windows. Just a few blocks from the warehouse district, it's a unique, must see property. Check out the Curbed article re: the former famous owner here. Let me know if you would like a private showing. Listed price: $1,550,000.

Closet Reno

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 15:14:00 +0000

When we bought our house, one of the things missing was a master closet. We've been here about 2 years and are finally getting around to adding it. We are using Carbine Restorations to build out a new closet, taking over a portion of the bathroom and the adjacent linen closet in the hall. (I found the graphic above very useful when planning out the space!)

This is the existing space, which was originally two closets - small bedroom closet and small hall linen closet back to back (photo taken from bedroom closet entrance). The door to the hallway, and original linen closet door, was taken out and walled in. The left wall was taken out and space from the bathroom incorporated to make the closet wider.

Image after door walled in and bathroom wall removed (cut out is for chest of drawers). It extends about 5 more feet to the left with an 8 foot back wall and 4 foot side walls.

So now it's time for the design. These are a few inspirational images:

Picture lights + built-in dresser/vanity

Wall of shoes.

Laquer.

Shelving + built ins.

I had the hardest time allocating hanging space with open shelving and found this graphic to be useful. Obviously, my space is not nearly as large as any of the photos shown above. Always gotta dream big though!

I am still deciding on paint and finishes. I'd love to do a fun color but with such a small space, I think white is going to be the safest option. I've been leaning toward Benjamin Moore White Dove. What whites do you like?

For hardware, I am thinking lucite, but again, can't really make up my mind. The gold looks really good above.

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Would handles be better since drawers are 34 inches wide? Gold? So many decisions... I think I'm out of my league!

Hopefully I'll be following up with an after update very soon....

Would love to see you on house tour tomorrow. Let me know if you are interested in a weekly email with tour list....

Alice Kathleen: Les Garçons

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 13:41:00 +0000

We are so so excited to host the adorable Alice Kathleen trunk show in New Orleans July 23-25th. My sister-in-law, Keenan, introduced me to the line this Spring and I haven't been able to stop clicking through the photo gallery since.

I hope you stop by for a little bubbly on Thursday, or Friday-Saturday to see this precious line. All are welcome!! So please, pop in and bring a friend.

Here are some of my favs from the Fall line. It's important to remember that most pieces are customizable with lots of great fabric choices, making for what seems like limitless options. My advice is to get familiar with the styles in advance!

PJs with the little car stitching and polka dots are too cute.

All of the applique tees are so sweet and special! I could eat them up.

Last but not least, the cutest little toggle jacket.

List v. Sold

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 15:32:00 +0000

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I am constantly trying to explain to clients how strong the market is for Sellers in New Orleans right now, and in turn, how frustratingly competitive it can be for Buyers. Particularly, in the Uptown and Garden District areas. I thought it would be interesting to start a series highlighting the list versus sold price of property that fits that description. Based on these numbers, it doesn't look like the strong Seller's market is not going anywhere anytime soon...

Check out the following houses that sold for significantly over asking price recently.

1234 Eleonore St.

Listed: $865,000

Sold: $905,000

$30,000 over asking

5631 Laurel St.

Listed: $649,000

Sold: $696,000

$47,000 over asking

4106 Constance St.

$525,000

$601,000

$76,000 over asking

4220 Coliseum St.

List: $465,000

Sold: $528,000

$63,000 over asking

The house photoed above needed a complete renovation, which underscores the value placed on property location, lot size and architectural details of New Orleans property. I have to congratulation Lynn Morgan for that sale, as the impressive numbers speak for themselves.

As always, please don't hesitate to contact me if you would like a market evaluation of your home or want to start searching for a new one. 504.810.0432 : emily.carrere@gmail.com

Garden District Jewel Box

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 14:53:00 +0000

I hate that I'm bringing this to you late, but this 2100 square foot Garden District jewel box situated on Philip Street went on the market, and immediately under contract, while we were out of town last week. It's such a gem, I couldn't help but share. Listed for $748,000, it will be interesting to see how much it sold for in this dauntingly competitive market. I'll report back after it closes...

Alice Kathleen: Les Filles

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 13:37:00 +0000

Another Alice Kathleen sneak peek!

Show info. recap:

Thursday, July 23rd: 5:00-8:00 PM

Friday, July 24th: 10:00-2:00 PM

Saturday, July 25th: 10:00-2:00 PM

Chez nous

**Please email or call me if you want more info. emily.carrere@gmail.com or 504.810.0432. All are welcome so please tell a friend!!

Some favorites from the girls collection...

The count down begins. I hope you will come see us!

Estate Envy: Esplanade Avenue

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 13:27:00 +0000

Stunning renovation of this Neoclassical Revival in Faubourg St. John make this Esplanade Avenue home one to admire. Listed at $1,190,000, this 4 bedroom home boasts parking, a pool, 2 laundries and even an emergency generator. There is also a finished 760 sq. ft. basement with a workout / entertainment space & ¾ bath (not incl in living area).

Cove ceilings, grand staircases and all the modern amenities, please let me know if you would like a private showing. This gem hit the market yesterday and will not be here for long! Emily.carrere@gmail.com

The 4th in The Kil

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 14:42:00 +0000

The Mr. and I got married in Kiln, MS - which I write about here - and it's one of my favorite places in the world. Less than an hour from New Orleans, the Mississippi Gulf Coast makes for a nice get away from all of the hustle and bustle. There's something about my Alabama roots that can't stay away from open fields and a river for too long. The Mr.'s parents have a beautiful property on the Jordan river and we are so lucky to get to spend lots of weekends relaxing here.

Here are a few favorite pics from the weekend.

The baby is really into animals, particularly those of reptilian heritage, right now. It's pretty cute that these were the Mr.'s when he was little.

Have you all seen these little French bathing suits? They are pretty awesome. Since this chunk weighs just about a pound over the maximum capacity, it doesn't actually hold him up completely on his own but it does allow him to float if being prompted by one of us. I'd be interested to hear how it works on a more average sized child...

3 generations of golf cart lovers.

I learned how to slo-mo video on the i-phone and that pretty much entertained me all weekend while watching these two in the pool.

I couldn't resist a few pics of the beautiful cut hydrangeas in this fabulous pair of refraichissoir (defined as a table from the 18th century with a cooler for holding wine and shelf for holding plates). It's one of my favorite pieces of furniture. The pink detail on these makes them one of a kind.

One more room shot that I could not resist. This is the sunroom off of the family room. If you find yourself in Atlanta or Houston, check out my mother-in-laws beautiful collection of French antiques in her shop Michele et Cie at the Stalls and MAI. If only I could have captured the view out the windows you could really get the whole effect...

Never too young to appreciate the art of summer hydrangeas.

These are to document that Barqs was actually here, too.

And of course, a few pregnancy friendly spritzers to keep the weekend festive (lots of ice, 1/4 wine, 3/4 soda, mint and raspberries).

And that about sums it up.

I hope you and yours had a great weekend celebrating the red, white and blue. À bientôt.

Happy 4th!

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 15:07:00 +0000

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Have a great weekend celebrating the red, white and blue. We are off to Mississippi to spend a relaxing weekend with a side of fireworks. See you next week.

Oreo cheesecake bites

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 02:13:00 +0000

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I don't really know if the old addage about pregnancy and ice cream cravings has any truth in it, but it certainly perpetuates a good excuse and I'm quite committed. Although every now and then, even my eye wonders and the glossy pinterest shine to these oreo cheesecake bites reeled me in. I actually omitted the caramel because I didn't have any, and too tired to make any, but they are pretty delicious on their own. If you get adventurous, I'm sure a chocolate ganache would be pretty good as well. Never a savory moment around here...

Ingredients
12 oreos
3 T. unsalted butter (melted)
2 packages cream cheese (room temp)
3/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. greek yogurt
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 C. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Cupcake liners

Recipe
Line cupcake pan with 12 liners. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In food processor, grind oreos to fine crumb. Mix with melted butter in small bowl. Distribute evenly among the cupcake liners and press down to form crust. Bake for 5 minutes and allow to cool slightly before adding filling.

Filling: Use a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment or an electric mixer to combine cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and yogurt and beat until combined. Add egg one at a time and mix on low speed. Finally, add chocolate chips and vanilla. Distribute evenly among the cupcake liners, filling almost to the top. Bake 20-23 minutes. Allow to cool an hour, then place in the fridge to cool completely (at least 2 hours).

*Recipe adapted from sally's baking addiction

UPDATE

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 19:47:00 +0000

Looks like someone agreed and snatched up the Third Street gem. Stay tuned next week for more great opportunities. Bon weekend, everyone!

Broker Tour Best Buys

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 15:17:00 +0000

New series! Every Wednesday all of the New Orleans area real estate brokers have the opportunity to visit new property on the market (clients are welcome to come along, too!) I'm going to feature property on tour each week that I find noteworthy.

I'm kicking off the series with this fabulously located Garden District home. 1406 Third Street is notable because it could be easily be a gorgeous two million+ dollar home with that adorable courtyard and guest house or a cash cow rental (all three units renting for $5900 a month). It's listed for $952,000 and on tour today from 11:30-2:00.

If have a couple pennies or looking for that rare Garden District reno opportunity, I'd check it out. I'll make sure to keep you updated on this one. Call/email/text/tweet me for a showing!

Summer Swing

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 11:44:00 +0000

For most of us, the goal for maternity gear is multi-use and functionality. If you are anything like me and nearly double your body weight by the end of nine months, there is nothing worse than buying clothes that you hope to NEVER EVER fit into again...

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Every now and then I come across a piece that will actually fit during and post pregnancy. This Old Navy number is one of those rare finds that fits the bill. Love that it comes in so many color options! Oh, and did I mention is under $25.00?

Bon Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 19:30:00 +0000

This is a great story to kick off the weekend. A few weeks ago, a piece came out about abandoned golden retrievers in Turkey. Since then, so many have come together to save these dogs and give them homes. Love the happy ending to this story, which we so rarely hear about these days.

Bon weekend, everyone!

Has our market peaked?

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 17:41:00 +0000

The latest pulse on the market predicts that New Orleans housing market is at its peak. There has been a whopping 79 percent increase in unit sales over the past five years according to the UNO/Latter & Blum Economic Outlook & Real Estate Forecast Seminar. As reported by a recent City Business article, the average sales price increased 7.8 percent in 2015, going from $197,300 to $212,610.

If you are thinking about buying or selling in the historic areas of New Orleans, then you've seen this first hand. Just yesterday I did a property valuation for a double shotgun on Henry Clay between Laurel and Tchoup. The property was purchased two and a half years ago and has already achieved an appreciation of close to 25 percent.

According to local real estate experts at the Seminar, the top influences of rising prices in 2015 include consumer confidence, job availability, cost of financing and the national debt.

Call/text/email/tweet me if you are ready to jump in on the action!

Wednesday Weekly Roundup

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 11:39:00 +0000

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EAT: At the hottest food trucks in Nola. 9 and 11 are in my 'hood and I can't wait to try.
DWELL: In the Irish Channel. This is my favorite listing so far this week.
BIEN-être: With natural bug repellant - great solution for you and kids without the chemicals. We tried the lotion and have been happy with results so far.
PEEK: At the hottest celeb of the moment: Prince George, of course. Just discovered that Leta Austin Foster of Palm Beach sells all of Kate's favorite brands. She even does a pretty close replica of this adorable heirloom button-on. (Although you can't shop online, you can email and order directly from the store...ask for the classic Leta Austin Foster line).

Mom to Bee

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 22:00:00 +0000

It's that time of year. Spring has come and gone and babies are abounding. There is nothing like a good summer baby shower. It's especially exciting, and challenging, to plan a surprise gender shower. But with Pinterest, a mom that works at a stationary store and twenty hosts, we managed to pull it off.

Our sweet friend Cameron Adams has a little baby bundle on the way and oh, did we have fun showering this Mom to Bee.

I put a wreath on the door and popped up a tent. Betsy did the rest....

The adorable invitations were done by Betty Hunley and designed by Nancy Ellis.

Little bee accents abounded.

And beautiful white roses straight from my MIL's garden.

Salted caramel macarons pleased the crowd.

Along with the obligatory adorable iced cookies, of course. (Courtesy of Joan Ferrell-Mathis).

La Boulanger outdid herself with this adorable La Louisiane Bakery cake.

And we couldn't have been more captivated by the always beautiful flowers by Meade Wenzel.

Thanks to Gerrie Bremermann Designs for the stunning centerpiece.

Betsy, Nancy and the crafts committee outdid themselves on handmade bee swizzle sticks for mimosas.

And, of course, the custom honeycomb lids on the mason jars for the delicious mint lemonade can't be missed.

Thanks to all the hosts for making this shower a success and sweet Cameron for letting us go over-the-top after repeated requests to keep it simple.

Off to la plage

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 11:21:00 +0000

We're kicking off the summer with our annual family vacation to Jupiter Island. I don't foresee much time on a pretty beach towel catching up on summer reads with a rambunctious one year old in tow, but this is definitely how the vacation looks in my head... We will definitely be sneaking in at least one stroll down Worth and lunch at Renatos though.

See you next week!

pied-à-terre dans Les Marais

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 15:44:00 +0000

Today, I'm in Paris. This FABULOUS flat in Les Marais is for sale and just the perfect size. The original herringbone floors and exposed wood beam with beautiful marble counters and neutral finishes have me dying for more information!! Click here to check out the pics and imagine you having this little pied-a-terre all to yourself. The only thing I'd have to do immediately is change out the light fixtures, but otherwise, it looks move-in ready. Who wants to invest with me?