What a brilliant week it has been, filled with new projects (one of them is about to open this weekend – keep reading to get the details!) and some truly great news. We are so proud to announce that Tracy Do is ranked in the top 25 realtors in all of Los Angeles County by the LA Business Journal. All of us at Tracy Do Team are deeply grateful to our amazing and loyal clients who made this possible, and who continue making our job so rewarding every single day. We are so happy to be making a difference in people’s lives – and are totally committed to sparing no effort in helping our clients achieve all their real estate dreams and desires.

A post shared by Tracy Do | Compass (@tracydorealestate) on May 15, 2018 at 4:53pm PDT

This past week also saw us in Curbed.com – the national edition this time – as Tracy Do was asked to contribute her expert realtor opinion on the subject of home prices in Los Angeles for a piece by Patrick Sisson, “Homebuying today: Fewer homes, higher prices, and faster deals”. Read the story here.

The E.R.B.

And finally, we finish the week on a most festive note – we are very excited to welcome everyone at The E.R.B. homes as we host our Grand Opening!

Join us this Saturday and Sunday May 19th and 20th from 2 to 6 p.m. After a successful run of pre-opening sales, the innovative new development is greeting the public with three very stylish model homes and a festive opening weekend. Food will be served and there will be a rooftop concert by a local jazz trio on Saturday beginning at 3 p.m.

The E.R.B. is unique in that it offers single-family and mixed-use residences, providing owners with the opportunity to live and work with zero commute. Four distinct floor plans provide 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and up to 2,500 square feet of living space. Each has a private two-car garage and rooftop deck, offering the perfect spot to entertain friends against an Instagram-ready backdrop of sunsets, city lights and the San Gabriel Mountains. Prices start at $826,900.

“We’re so excited to open our doors at The E.R.B.,” says Tracy, “where beautiful design and rooftop decks come together in an amazing location. Buyers shopping for new small-lot homes have options, and they should consider who the builder is. Warmington brings over 90 years of experience, with tremendous dedication to quality and customer care.”

The E.R.B. is located at 4326 Eagle Rock Blvd., Los Angeles, 90041. Grand Opening May 19th & 20th. For more information head to www.theerb.com or call 323-716-5505.

Southern California is filled with wonders. Some of them need no introduction, while others are not as well-known, yet absolutely charming. If this marvelous summer weather has you yearning to explore places off the beaten path, may we guide you to:

CALIFORNIA SCENARIO

Isamui Noguchi’s sculpture garden “California Scenario” I 611 Anton I Costa Mesa, CA 92626 I Photography by Kathryn Poindexter | KCET

Also known as Noguchi Garden, California Scenario is an immersive work of land art, situated on 1.6 acres and accessible to public. At first glance, it seems an otherworldly landscape, yet a closer look reveals the intention of its design – the sculptural forms refer to geographical characteristics in California, incorporating indigenous plants and materials, and inviting us to consider the human effect on environment and ecology.

California Scenario was commissioned by Henry Segerstrom, an heir to a fortune built on agriculture and an avid patron of the arts. Segerstrom, a friend of Isamu Noguchi, approached him with the idea for the work in 1980. Noguchi, an eminent and widely regarded sculptor late in his career, had also loved designing  stage sets for his contemporaries, modern dancers and choreographers, such as Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham – and California Scenario became just the platform where he was able to fully realize the sculptural and performative  potential of his practice.

Isamui Noguchi’s sculpture garden “California Scenario” I 611 Anton I Costa Mesa, CA 92626 I Photography by Kathryn Poindexter | KCET

Surrounded by angular sculptural objects and organic forms – the centerpiece of the garden is The Spirit of the Lima Bean, honoring the Segerstorm family contribution to California landscape – each visitor can’t help but become a part of the work as one navigates across 6 elements of California Scenario, “Forest Walk,” “Land Use,” “Desert Land,” “Water Source,” “Water Use” and “Energy Fountain.”

A visit to California Scenario is an unforgettable experience, a perfect day trip with friends and family. Find out more about it here, and head over to KCET for an in-depth analysis of the work.

California Scenario | 611 Anton I Costa Mesa, CA 92626 

The home-buying season is in full swing and we’ve been hard at work securing great prices for sellers and finding the best opportunities for our buyer clients. And yet, this spring has been as fun as it has been busy. We got to support a number of wonderful community events, and were excited to weigh in on the subject of home-buying for one of our favorite publications, Curbed LA (check out our press page for even more Tracy Do Real Estate media coverage). Here’s a round up of some of the great things the Tracy Do Team agents took part in this spring:

TASTE OF THE EASTSIDE

We had a delicious time at the annual Taste of the Eastside – featuring established hotspots as well as trendy newbies, and a crowd of committed foodies that descended upon the event to celebrate and take pride in their neighborhood eateries of Silver Lake, Echo Park, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Los Feliz, Atwater, and beyond.

Come say hi and enter our raffle to win a @silverlakewine #giftcard if you are at the @tasteoftheeastside! So much deliciousness all around 😍🌮🥗🥙🌯🍡🍧✨ #tracydoeats

A post shared by Tracy Do | Compass (@tracydorealestate) on Apr 29, 2018 at 5:08pm PDT

SILVER LAKE CONSERVATORY FUNK RUN

We got funky, got our run on and got to support bringing music into the world. The Silverlake Conservatory of Music is a 501c3 providing music education to people of all ages! The 3rd annual 5K Funk Run supported the mission and programs at this wonderful institution.

Is there a better way to celebrate #EarthDay than by running through a park with friends? We think not! Really enjoyed the annual @silverlake_conservatory 5K Funk Run this morning, now off to host some #OpenHouses 🌎👟👟🏘🏡 (visit link in profile for more info)

A post shared by Tracy Do | Compass (@tracydorealestate) on Apr 22, 2018 at 1:46pm PDT

FRIENDS OF MT WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 2018 AUCTION

We had a brilliant time at the 13th Annual Auction that benefits the Mt. Washington Elementary School After-School Programs –  Chess Club, Robotics, and Coding, among others;  provides new equipment to support the curriculum, and goes towards various other initiatives at this amazing award-winning Elementary School. Interested in living in Mt. Washington? Check out our latest listing in this beautiful neighborhood, 4653 San Andreas St and  contact us with any real estate buying or selling questions – we are just an email or a phone call away.

One of our favorite things about working in real estate is that we get to learn about the stories of the homes we sell. Each of these stories provide a glimpse into the way that the neighborhoods we love – Echo Park, Silver Lake, Highland Park, Mt. Washington, and others – developed, weaving together into the vibrant urban tapestry that is the Los Angeles we know today. Our current listing in Echo Park, located on 1964 Landa Street, comes with a history that inspires. What’s more – its history is well-documented, which is quite rare.  

1964 Landa Street was built from the ground up by a determined young couple that met right after World War II. Robert Johnson, who just came back from “a miserable year and a half in the Pacific War”, met Ruth Van Leersum when both were enrolled in Calculus class at Compton Jr. College in 1946. They soon got married, and, as both came from families that worked in carpentry and construction, they decided to follow tradition and build a home with their own 4 hands.

One sunny day in June 1947, Bob passed a FOR SALE sign at the corner where Landa Street meets Fellowship Drive, and was immediately taken by the site’s lush beauty. He envisioned a life in the “surrounding  grove of live oaks and black walnut trees, virgin ground covered by matted ivy, brambles and ancient clusters of poison oak,“ and jumped on the opportunity to purchase the plot.

The couple set off to construct their new house, ferrying materials up to Landa Street on an improvised rack atop of their car, “a board at a time”. 

During the initial period of home-construction, on weekends, Bob and Ruth camped in a tent on the building site.

The home finally took shape and they were able to move in 1947, a memorable year that was marked by an unexpected snowfall. The work continued for the next next 5 years, during which Bob and Ruth went on to have 3 children.

 In 1962, the couple separated. Ruth moved out, but for Bob, the home became a life-long project, one that he poured his heart and soul into as both an engineer and an artist. Realizing that he needed to build retaining walls, Johnson turned what could have been an ordinary concrete wall into a stunning passion project, adorning it over the years with a collection of stones, shells, petrified wood, fossils, lava rocks, polished glass, and bits of pottery. Bob continued his work on the property for decades, completing the last piece, the 70’ long tiled bench, in 2006.

Bob Johnson and his family celebrating the completion of 70′ bench

Today, the terraced steps dazzle with intricate patterns and bright colors; the magnitude of the built landscape is staggering, and brings to mind artistic landmarks like Watts Towers and Park Guell in Barcelona.

We are beyond excited to represent this unique and storied residence. Come visit us this Sunday to soak in the history and admire the views –  a stunning panorama across the Santa Monica Mountains and Hollywood Sign, transcendent its beauty.

One might think that living in Los Angeles would render one desensitized to the movie magic, but we beg to differ. We never tire of LA’s filmic nature. It still makes us giddy to see the streets and neighborhoods where we sold homes, appear on the screen. Here’s the beginning of the Tracy Do Real Estate guide to some of our favorite cinematic portrayals of Los Angeles (to be continued!): 

BOSCH

This intricate crime show, adapted from Michael Connely books, harkens to film noir classics with its striking landscape-focused cinematography, and its title character – detective Harry Bosch is Bogartian in both his looks and acting style. The gripping narrative traverses the city, moving swiftly from Downtown LA to Echo Park and Silver Lake, gliding through Hollywood Hills, and dipping into the San Fernando Valley along the way. Local landmarks, like the recently reopened Angel’s Flight trolley, the City Hall and The Times building, are all given a fair share of screen time, but it is Bosch’s house, with its epic panoramic view from the living room, what we find to be the most arresting location in the series. The glass and steel design, the secluded hillside location, and the feeling of expansive space capture the essence of living in LA, an eloquent example of local residential architecture that echoes the beauty of our land. If views and glass windows are your thing, be sure to visit our Open Houses at 4121 Sea View in Mt. Washington and 739 N Ave 63 in Highland Park this weekend – both offer truly stunning views. 

CHINATOWN

An iconic film that tells the story of our most precious resource – the fresh water supply –  and the struggle to control it by various enterprising LA residents.  While not exactly historically accurate,  Chinatown certainly captures the volatile spirit of the industrial ambitions that ruled the day in the early 20th century (though the film is actually set in 1930’s). Filled with cinematic visions from the city’s varied landscapes, Chinatown is an enduring classic that must be seen. One of our favorite moments? The scene on the Echo Park Lake lake, in which detective Jake (Jack Nicholson) pretends to photograph his associate, as a cover for photographing someone else entirely – all while boating. Revisit the scene (and ride a swan-shaped boat) after visiting our Open Houses in Echo Park this Sunday  – 2118 Elsinore St. and 1964 Landa St. will be Open from 2-4P.

THE LONG GOODBYE

Another essential LA film from the 1970’s, adapted from a novel by Raymond Chandler, The Long Good Bye was directed by the brilliant director Robert Altman. The story follows a private eye, Philip Marlowe (Elliott Gould), who is asked by his old buddy Terry Lennox (Jim Bouton) for a ride to Tijuana. He does as asked, but when he gets back to Los Angeles, Marlowe is greeted by police about the death of Terry’s wife. We don’t want to give away the plot twists, but lovers of Los Angeles architecture will no doubt enjoy the visions of 1970’s Westside and Malibu. As for us, we were rather partial to Marlowe’s apartment, seen in the beginning of the film and located in the High Tower Court apartments in Hollywood Hills.

The apartment is notable for the grand views of the city from the floor-to-ceiling windows of its circular living room, and its unique architecture- to enter, one needs to ride an elevator up to the tower and then cross a bridge to reach the living spaces. The units in the complex come up for rent every now and then, and, in fact, the last time we saw a listing in 2014, it was for the very residence featured in the film. There do not seem to be any vacancies at the moment, but if living in a historically notable home is important to you, look out for two Rudolf Schindler lease listings we have coming up right here at Tracy Do Real Estate later this week (do get in touch if you’d like more information!)

The High Tower Apartments today