Don Quixote Trifecta

Pacific Northwest Ballet’s American Premiere of Don Quixote is brimming with wit and romance. Actor Tom Skerritt really adds to the entertainment factor. We were blessed to be able to go to the studio rehearsal to see it up close and personal, then the dress rehearsal followed by the opening night’s stunning performance by Carla Korbes and Karel Cruz.

PNB shipped in the set and costumes from the Dutch National Ballet and they are stunning as well as very expensive to bring to Seattle. This will be a once in a life time opportunity to see them. We highly recommend attending.

Click here for more information on Don Quixote (www.pnb.org.)

Welcome Lena Meyer

I am pleased to announce that Lena Meyer has joined us as our new Relationship Manager, and Nicole Vitelli will move to the role of Operations Manager. Lena will take on your day-to-day contact with Nicole’s support.

Lena is an experienced advisor and financial planner and will be more actively involved in your financial planning management and monitoring. I hope you enjoy working with her as much I do.

Self-Healing Paint

The paint is used on iPhone covers to keep the phones and cases scratch fee. Scratch Shield paint is made with polyrotaxane, which can snap back to its original shape. Small scratches can heal in under an hour while deeper scratches can take up to a week. The paint has a gel-like texture, making it easier to grip. The iPhone covers, made by Nissan, are available in Europe as part of a trial run. I can’t wait until the paint is available for cars, especially ones that have to take the abuse of tight garage parking in downtown Seattle.

2012 Key Tax Numbers

Forfield does an excellent job of summarizing all the key tax numbers in this very condensed version of the most important tax numbers for personal tax filing. Please note that in 2012 the maximum amount you can add to your 401(k) has increased to $17,000 up from $16,500, so don’t forget to increase your contributions to adjust for this increase. The catch up for those over 50 years old remains the same at $5,500. For IRAs the limits have not changed, with a contribution limit of $5,000 and catch up provision of $1,000.

Click here for the full report

Calculating Cost Basis Gets Easier This Year

Brokers must track and report cost basis to both you and the IRS. Anyone who has ever been baffled by calculating the net proceeds from the sale of an investment will find some relief, starting with the 2011 tax return due April 17. If you bought any stocks after January 1, 2011, and sold them later in the year, you should be receiving information from your broker shortly that tells you the adjusted cost basis of those stocks.

Click here for more information

Garage Christening

One of my passions is designing and renovating our home and Yakima property. This winter we finished the renovation of our two car garage which included the installation of two electric car power stations - one for our Nissan Leaf and the other for my long anticipated Tesla Model S.

It was my husband’s goal to be able to convert from a two car garage to a full woodworking shop and back in less than 30 minutes. We had some of our neighborhood friends over to christen the garage and they had fun timing Rocke as he converted from shop to garage in less than 10 minutes.

Shrimp and Hearts of Palm Remoulade

The Holidays tend to be a very broadening experience with all the parties, food and drink so my New Year’s Resolutions usually start with dropping the extra pounds that accumulated in November and December.

We found this delightful salad in the January issue of Bon Appétit that would go well with sour dough or some other special bread, but is good all by itself for those more concerned about their waistline.

Click Here for the Recipe

2010 – 2011 Favorite Recipes

It’s hard to believe we have been adding recipes to the blog for two years now. We thought you would enjoy the accumulation of our ever growing list of favorite recipes in one place. In a couple more years we will be close to a full cookbook. 2010-2011 RockCandy Cookbook will be coming soon!!!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR TAX SEASON 2011

Delayed Tax Reporting Due to Cost Basis Reporting Changes: As you prepare for the 2011 tax season, please consider this important information. Due to the Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and the IRS mandated reporting of cost basis, this tax season will not be like previous ones. By being aware of these changes, you will know how best to plan and set expectations.

Click here for more information