John Maxwell quality how to organize your creative side

File (again) under F for Filing

By John C Maxwell · Comments (6)

I’ve shared in the past how I jump-start my creativity with quotes and articles from others.  Whenever I need to prepare a new book, lesson, article, or sermon, the first thing I do is pull all of my files on the topic. I’ve spoken and written about this a lot. But I always get a follow-up question:

How do I CREATE the files?
Two years ago, I wrote a post devoted entirely to this topic. In case you missed it the first time, or just need a refresher, here once again is how I collect and file all the quotes and articles that I use in my speaking and writing:
Where I file:
I have two main systems for filing away the quotes and materials I collect: index cards and lateral files.
Index cards are filed alphabetically in card/photo boxes. They contain quotes, written or taped to the front and back, with sources included whenever I know them. As soon as a card on a topic fills up, I just start a new card. I have hundreds of quotes for some subjects, and just a few for others. For example, I have quite a few cards for “delegation,” and not quite as many for “management.”
Lateral files are stuffed with folders in hanging files, arranged alphabetically by subject. Each subject folder contains larger pieces, like magazine or newspaper articles. If a manila folder gets too full, I just start another one which I file behind it.
Trivia Question: How many 5×8 cards (front and back) do you think I’ve filed in the course of 30+ years? **look for answer later in the article
Important note: I get asked all the time for the list of topics I use. Here’s my answer: My list doesn’t matter. Don’t create a list of topics and try to fill them. Instead, create your topics as you find material that you want to file. You know what you speak or write about, and this will give you a personalized filing system that’s easy for you to search through and use.
How I read:
Books: I mark them up as I read. I put brackets around sentences and paragraphs that contain ideas, quotes and illustrations that stand out. In the margin next to each I write the subject under which I want it filed. Then for each item, I turn to the inside of the front cover and write down the page number and subject. I do this throughout the book. Really good books will end up with dozens of passages listed inside the front cover.
Articles: I cut or tear the entire article out, writing the subject and source at the top. (I staple multiple pages together.)
How my staff files for me:
(Because you know I delegated this task as soon as I had someone to delegate it to.)
Quotes: With a marked-up book, a staff member uses the list at the front of the book to find the passages I want to collect. They make copies of all of those pages. Then they cut each passage to size, attach it to a 5×8 index card under the appropriate subject, and write in the source. After so many years of collecting, at least one card probably exists for almost every subject I want to file. If not, my staffer just creates one.
**I have approximately 4,000 individual cards filed away.
Articles: These are filed in their entirety in manila folders under the subject noted. My office contains hundreds of article filed in multiple lateral file cabinets.
How I use my files:
These are the files I draw from. Whatever I’m writing, my first step is always to pull all the files and cards on that subject and have them on my desk beside my legal pad, scissors and scotch tape. (I also carry these supplies in my briefcase at all times.)
My one nod to technology in my office is a copy machine. On it I make duplicates of any quote I want to use, since I don’t want to cut up my cards. (I still have all of my original cards, going back 30+ years.)
I start writing on my legal pad. Then whenever I want to use a quote or article, I cut out the passage from the photocopy and tape it right into my outline (writing in the source). If it’s from a card, I mark the original card to indicate the audience I’m using it for. That way I can avoid delivering the same illustrations to the same group of people.
Share your tips!
I hope this is helpful to you. I’m sure some of you might have systems that are even better than mine. You might even use [shudder] your computer!
Please share with us in the comments: What would you add? How do you structure your files? If you do it on computer, what programs do you use? Let’s help each other improve.

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My friend Carolyn Jung food gal blueberry cake

Seamus Mullen’s Favorite Blueberry Cake

Monday, 11. June 2012 5:25 | Author:foodgal

Chef Seamus Mullen was working grueling hours just after opening his Boqueria restaurant in New York, when he woke up one night with hip pain so agonizing that he had to dial 911.

The then 32-year-old chef spent the next three days hospitalized, with doctors running every test conceivable until they discovered the cause: rheumatoid arthritis.

The auto-immune disease causes the body to produce too many white blood cells and attack itself, causing painful and debilitating inflammation.

For a chef who works long hours on his feet, it was devastating news. But Mullen vowed he would not let it get the best of him. Not even when he competed on “The Next Iron Chef” three years ago, making it to the final three. The frenetic experience, though, led to another rheumatoid arthritis flare-up, leaving him unable to move quickly around the set. He was eliminated, and returned home in a wheelchair.

But Mullen fought his way back, making changes to his life, including in his diet. He doesn’t believe that food can cure illness, necessarily. But he does believe that what you eat can improve your sense of well-being.

To that  end, he’s written “Hero Food” (Andrews McMeel), of which I recently received a review copy. Arranged by the seasons, it spotlights the 18 ingredients that have made a dramatic difference in his life, including almonds, parsley, fish and olive oil.

It’s no surprise that blueberries — rich in Vitamin C, manganese and antioxidants –make an appearance in the book. Specifically, in “Mutti’s Blueberry Boy Bait,” a cake that his grandmother started baking for him when he was just a tot. It’s based on a recipe by a 15-year-old girl who competed in the junior division of a Pillsbury baking contest in the 1950s.

I couldn’t resist the name, which appears to be apt, given that my husband was as endearing as can be after having a slice warm from the oven.

Read the rest of this entry »

why get pre-approved? Read on

Loan Pre-Approval and Turning Yourself Into a “Cash Buyer

Being pre-approved for a loan puts you in a great position when buying a home. It puts you on equal footing with an all-cash buyer, in essence turning yourself into a cash buyer.
With a real pre-approval, the buyer is the next-best-thing to being a “cash buyer” because the seller can rest assured that the buyer will qualify for a loan.

A truly “all-cash buyer” does not have to worry about lender approvals, but will typically still be concerned with a property appraisal and an acceptable title report.
Being pre-approved for a loan puts a buyer in a better position with the seller of the property. It allows the buyer to understand the costs associated with the purchase as well as the monthly costs associated with the ongoing ownership.

The Pre-Approval Process
The pre-approval process simply means that a buyer is getting approved for a loan prior to reaching an agreement with a seller of a property. The buyer will provide the lender with current income, asset and credit documents and the lender will determine the loan amount for which the buyer will be able to borrower.

The pre-approval process can take anywhere from 2 – 30 days, depending on the variables surrounding the possible transaction (credit worthiness, location of assets, calculation of income, etc).
Once a loan amount and purchase price have been determined by the lender, the final approval will usually be subject to an acceptable purchase contract, property appraisal, title report and final interest rates.
While it will vary from borrower to borrower based in the individual characteristics, a lender will typically be able to pre-approve a buyer within 5 days of receiving all of the applicable income, asset and credit documents.

This week's Market update

This Week’s Market Commentary

This week is pretty busy with five economic reports scheduled to be released, all of which are being posted over three days. Three of the five are considered to be of high importance to the markets and mortgage rates.

The rest are of interest to the markets but likely will not cause a large change in mortgage rates unless they vary greatly from forecasts. In addition to the economic data, we also have two Treasury auctions that have the potential to influence bond trading and mortgage rates.

None of the relevant data is being posted tomorrow or Tuesday, so look for the stock markets to influence bond trading and mortgage rates again. Of particular interest will be this weekend’s news that Spain’s banks are receiving a significant cash infusion to at least temporarily ease the crisis there. This will likely fuel a stock rally today that should pressure bonds and mortgage rates. On top of that, weakness late Friday has us going into the new week with a small upward revision built into today’s morning rates.

The first data of the week comes Wednesday when two of the highly important reports are scheduled. May’s Retail Sales data and Producer Price Index (PPI) will both be released at 8:30 AM ET Wednesday morning. The sales data gives us a very important measure of consumer spending, which is highly relevant to the bond market because consumer spending makes up over two-thirds of the U.S. economy. Analysts are expecting to see that retail-level sales fell 0.2% last month. A larger decline in sales, signaling a slowing economy, would be good news for the bond market and could lead to lower mortgage rates Wednesday.
The second release of the day is one of the week’s two key measurements of inflation. May’s Producer Price Index (PPI) will help us measure inflationary pressures at the producer level of the economy. There are two readings of this index, the overall and the core data. The core data is considered to be the more important one because it excludes more volatile food and energy prices. A large increase could raise concerns about inflation rising as soon as the economy gains some traction. This would not be good news for bond prices or mortgage rates since inflation erodes the value of a bond’s future fixed interest payments. Rising inflation causes investors to sell bonds, driving prices lower, pushing their yields upward and mortgage rates higher. Analysts are expecting to see a decline of 0.7% in the overall index and a 0.2% rise in the core data.

The two relevant Treasury auctions scheduled will also be held the middle part of the week. A 10-year Treasury Note sale is scheduled for Wednesday while 30-year Bonds will be sold Thursday. Results of both auctions will be posted at 1:00 PM ET on the sale days. If investor demand was high, we may see bonds rally during afternoon trading, however, weak demand could lead to selling and an increase to mortgage rates. It is common to see some pressure in bonds right before these sales as investors prepare for them, but as long as the sales are not weak those pre-auction losses are usually recovered once they are completed.

Thursday has one of the week’s most important and arguably one of the single most important reports the bond market gets each month. That is May’s Consumer Price Index (CPI). It is very similar to Wednesday’s PPI, but measures inflationary pressures at the more important consumer level of the economy. It is expected to show a 0.2% decline in the overall reading and a 0.1% increase in the core data. A larger than expected increase in the core reading would most likely lead to a noticeable upward change to mortgage rates Thursday, while a weaker core reading could lead to a bond rally and lower mortgage pricing.

Friday closes the week with two relevant reports, the first coming mid-morning when May’s Industrial Production data is released. This report will be released at 9:15 AM ET and is considered to be moderately important. It measures output at U.S. factories, mines and utilities, giving us a fairly important measurement of manufacturing sector strength. If it reveals that production is rising, concerns of manufacturing strength may come into play in the bond market. A larger increase then the expected 0.1% would indicate that the manufacturing sector is stronger than thought and would likely help push mortgage rates slightly higher.

June’s preliminary reading to the University of Michigan’s Index of Consumer Sentiment will be posted late Friday morning. This index measures consumer willingness to spend and usually has a moderate impact on the financial markets. It is expected to show a reading of 77.0, which would be a decline from May’s 79.3. A smaller than expected reading would be considered good news for bonds because it would mean that surveyed consumers were less optimistic about their own financial situations than thought. That often means they are less likely to make large purchases in the near future, but since this report is only moderately important it likely will not influence mortgage rates considerably.

Overall, look for Wednesday or Thursday to be the biggest day of the week. Not just because it brings the release of three of the week’s five reports, but also because of the importance of some of those releases. We saw plenty of movement in the markets and mortgage pricing last week and it is quite likely that this week will be similar. The stock markets will also influence bond trading and mortgage rates, so watch the major indexes in addition to the economic reports. It is highly recommended that you maintain contact with your mortgage professional this week if still floating an interest rate.

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I bought 50 of these did I lose my mind?

Best Eco-Friendly Lightbulbs

For the best eco-friendly light bulb, consider how and where it will be used in your home.
Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have improved dramatically and are getting even better. You can choose a light bulb that makes everything look as nature intended and still get energy savings.
The best LED bulbs can cost $10 to $70, but considering that they last for up to 25 years, they are a worthy investment.
When selecting a bulb, lighting expert Michael Hsu says considering how it will be used makes a big difference. His recommendations:
For Recessed lighting, Hsu uses the Sylvania Ultra Professional Series LED. It’s exceptionally good at highlighting colors when illuminating people, plants and furniture. It works well in track lighting ($33 to $70 at sylvania.com).
For a shaded floor lamp, the Phillips L Prize LED bulb sends light in all directions ($50 at usa.lighting.phillips.com). The GE Reveal CFL does the same and has very pleasing light (from $8 at gelighting.com).
For task lamps, which cast focused light, LED’s are a good match and don’t produce as much heat as incandescents. Quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Hsu likes the Sylvania Ultra Professional Series PAR20 ($33 at sylvania.com), because it renders beautiful colors.
For mood lighting, the GE Energy Efficient Reveal Clear halogen is about 30 percent more efficient than an incandescent, and the light quality is crisp and white. It creates a cozy pool of light ($5 at gelighting.com) and has a standard light bulb base.
The halogen, a form of incandescent, is the least efficient, but its light closely resembles that of a traditional bulb and creates ambience.

this weeks market update

This Week’s Market Commentary

This week is relatively light in terms of scheduled economic reports that are relevant to mortgage pricing. None of the factual economic reports are considered to be highly important to the financial markets or mortgage pricing. The data that is on the agenda is considered to be moderately important, but Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning have events scheduled that could be the biggest factor in whether mortgage rates move higher or lower this week.

The first release of the week will come from the Commerce Department, who will post April’s Factory Orders data late tomorrow morning. This manufacturing sector report is similar to last week’s Durable Goods Orders release, but also includes orders for non-durable goods. It can cause some movement in the financial markets if it varies from forecasts by a wide margin, but it isn’t expected to cause much of a change in rates. Current forecasts are calling for an increase in new orders of 0.2%.

There is nothing of relevance scheduled for release Tuesday, but Wednesday has two events that we will watch. The first is the revised 1st Quarter Productivity and Costs data at 8:30 AM ET. This data measures employee output and employer costs for wages and benefits. It is considered to be a measurement of wage inflation. This is relevant because it is believed that the economy can grow with low inflationary pressures when productivity is high. Economic growth isn’t much of a concern to the bond market at the moment, but if productivity is at a high level when the economy does turn the corner, inflation may not be as much of a topic as it would be without strong productivity levels. Last month’s preliminary reading revealed a 0.5% decline and analysts are expecting to see a 0.7% decline, but I don’t think this piece of data will have much of an impact on the bond market or mortgage pricing unless it varies greatly from that reading.

Wednesday afternoon has the Federal Reserve’s release of their Beige Book. This data details economic conditions throughout the U.S. by Federal Reserve region. It is relied upon heavily by the Fed to determine monetary policy during their FOMC meetings. If it shows surprisingly softer economic activity since the last report, the bond market may thrive and mortgage rates could drop shortly after the 2:00 PM ET release. If it reveals signs of inflation growing or rapidly expanding economic activity in many regions, we could see mortgage rates revise higher Wednesday afternoon.

Thursday has no important economic data scheduled, but Fed Chairman Bernanke will speak before a Congressional Joint Economic Committee about his outlook for the economy. His words are always the focus of attention and can be highly influential on the markets and mortgage rates. It will be interesting to see exactly what he says and how much his outlook has changed in the recent weeks, especially after Friday’s disappointing Employment report. He is scheduled to testify at 10:00 AM ET, so we could see many lenders post rates later than usual to allow the markets to react to his prepared speech and the Q&A that follows. I think this event is more likely to benefit mortgage shoppers than lead to a spike in rates, but it is the week’s most important event so I recommend proceeding cautiously into it if still floating an interest rate.

April’s Goods and Services Trade Balance report will close the week’s economic reports early Friday morning. This data gives us the size of the U.S. trade deficit and will be released at 8:30 AM ET. It isn’t likely to cause much movement in the markets or mortgage rates, but nevertheless forecasters are expecting to see a $49.9 billion trade deficit. It will take a wide variance from this projection for the data to influence mortgage rates.

Overall, it likely is going to be a moderately busy week for the mortgage market. The most action will likely come during the middle days, assuming that the stock markets don’t go into heavy selling or rally. Friday’s employment data helped fuel large stock losses and pushed bond yields to new record lows. The loss puts the Dow just a little more than 100 points away from breaking below an extremely important benchmark of 12,000. If stocks recover a good part of last week’s losses, we can expect bond prices to suffer and mortgage rates to rise. On the other hand, further stock weakness could lead to more funds moving into bonds and another round of improvements to mortgage rates.

As referenced Friday, I believe the major indexes still have plenty of room to fall, which traditionally makes bonds more attractive as investors seek a safe-haven to place funds and escape the volatility. However, we should note that the 10-year Treasury is currently at a historic low yield of 1.47%. Even lower than when the financial crisis was at its peak. My concern is that I am not sure just how much lower we can see yields fall before investor appeal wanes, raising concerns about inflationary risks in the future. We are in unchartered waters with mortgage rates so low, stocks still relatively overpriced, overseas concern rising again and bond yields at record lows. It is going to be interesting to see what happens over the summer. At some point in the near future we will need to shift to a conservative approach towards mortgage rates, but for the time being, enjoy the improvements.

Fixed rates hit a new low

Another record low for fixed-rate mortgages

But rates on adjustable-rate mortgages are on the rise: Freddie Mac

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By Amy Hoak, MarketWatch

CHICAGO (MarketWatch) — Fixed-rate mortgage rates hit yet another set of record lows this week, with the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaging 3.79% in Freddie Mac’s weekly survey of conforming mortgage rates.

The mortgage averaged 3.83% last week and 4.61% a year ago.
“The European debt crisis overshadowed improving economic indicators for the U.S. and allowed Treasury bond yields and fixed mortgage rates to ease for another week,” said Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac, in a news release.
The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged a record 3.04% for the week ending May 17, down from 3.05% last week and 3.8% a year ago.

Click to Play

Where's the safe haven?

Investors return to Asian markets after a selloff Wednesday, but commodities are no longer the place to hide from the turbulence. The WSJ's Deborah Kan speaks to Hong Kong digital editor Jake Lee.

But rates on adjustable-rate mortgages ticked up this week, with the 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage averaging 2.83%, up from 2.81% last week; the ARM averaged 3.48% a year ago. And 1-year Treasury-indexed ARMs averaged 2.78% this week, up from 2.73% last week; the ARM averaged 3.15% a year ago.
To obtain the rates, the fixed-rate mortgages required payment of an average 0.7 point, while the 5-year ARM required an average 0.6 point and the 1-year ARM required an average 0.5 point. A point is 1% of the mortgage amount, charged as prepaid interest.
In his comments, Nothaft also pointed out some good news in the home construction industry.
“Housing starts rose to an annualized rate of 717,000 homes in April, well above the market consensus forecast, and construction on one-family homes increased to its strongest pace in three months. Moreover, home-builder confidence in May reached its highest reading since January 2008 according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index,” he said.

Vicki garcia my kick ass coach helped me today read on

Stop Playing Victim

 

I am not a fan of playing victim or martyr.  Actually, I find it very irritating.  I want to scream, “You have choices!  No one is holding a gun to your head”.  I am seeing this mentality more and more lately – especially on Facebook and online in general.  It’s time we shine a light on it.

What does it mean to play victim or martyr?  It’s when you act as though you have no choice but to make certain decisions or display certain behavior, usually due to another person’s actions.  This is complete and utter bullshit and you know it.  No one can make you do anything.  You make the decisions you make because you choose to.

Some examples of victim and martyr that I’ve seen or heard lately:

• FML!  If you don’t know what FML stands for, ask someone.  J  I see this one on Facebook all the time in regards to jobs and relationships or any other thing that happens to be going “wrong” today.  Have you ever noticed it’s the same people day after day who claim their life sucks?  If you don’t like it, change it.
• Claiming that everyone is judging you and feeling terribly indignant about it.  Hmmmm.  Aren’t you judging others by claiming they are judging you and expecting them to be anything other than who they are?  Quite a conundrum, isn’t it?
• My job sucks but I can’t quit.  This means you are choosing to stay for some reason.  What is that reason?  Stop saying it sucks and that you have no choice.  You do have a choice.  More than one, actually.  Choose to acknowledge why it’s working for you to stay or choose to leave
• .
• I want out of my relationship but I can’t leave.  No, you are choosing to stay and complain about it instead of working to make it better or leaving.  Again, you have choices.
• Claiming you hate drama yet creating it at every opportunity.  I love this one.  When you claim you hate drama but choose to air your dirty laundry or attack people on Facebook (even under the guise of self-defense), this is you creating the drama you claim to hate.  Also, being overly sensitive and getting your feelings hurt at every turn and then blaming everyone else.
• Blaming your partner for everything that is wrong with your relationship and claiming you’ve “tried everything”.  You haven’t tried everything or things would either be improving or you would be gone.  It’s time to take a good hard look at yourself and where YOU can improve things.

I can think of more but I’ll stop here.  Where do you see this happening?  Where do you play victim?
I want to offer this: you always have a choice.  What you see in your life at this moment is a direct result of the choices YOU have made.  It’s not about anyone else.  It’s not someone else’s fault.  The beautiful news is that if you created this, you can create something else.  You just have to take 100% responsibility for your life.  All of it.  The good, the not so good, the great and the totally awesome.  Playing victim takes your power away.
It’s all you, baby!

Another record low for fixed-rate mortgages

But rates on adjustable-rate mortgages are on the rise: Freddie Mac

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By Amy Hoak, MarketWatch

CHICAGO (MarketWatch) — Fixed-rate mortgage rates hit yet another set of record lows this week, with the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaging 3.79% in Freddie Mac’s weekly survey of conforming mortgage rates.

The mortgage averaged 3.83% last week and 4.61% a year ago.
“The European debt crisis overshadowed improving economic indicators for the U.S. and allowed Treasury bond yields and fixed mortgage rates to ease for another week,” said Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac, in a news release.
The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged a record 3.04% for the week ending May 17, down from 3.05% last week and 3.8% a year ago.

Click to Play

Where's the safe haven?

Investors return to Asian markets after a selloff Wednesday, but commodities are no longer the place to hide from the turbulence. The WSJ's Deborah Kan speaks to Hong Kong digital editor Jake Lee.

But rates on adjustable-rate mortgages ticked up this week, with the 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage averaging 2.83%, up from 2.81% last week; the ARM averaged 3.48% a year ago. And 1-year Treasury-indexed ARMs averaged 2.78% this week, up from 2.73% last week; the ARM averaged 3.15% a year ago.
To obtain the rates, the fixed-rate mortgages required payment of an average 0.7 point, while the 5-year ARM required an average 0.6 point and the 1-year ARM required an average 0.5 point. A point is 1% of the mortgage amount, charged as prepaid interest.
In his comments, Nothaft also pointed out some good news in the home construction industry.
“Housing starts rose to an annualized rate of 717,000 homes in April, well above the market consensus forecast, and construction on one-family homes increased to its strongest pace in three months. Moreover, home-builder confidence in May reached its highest reading since January 2008 according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index,” he said.

time to get your Pink on- Daniel pink

3 cheap and effective productivity apps

Need a life-hack fix? Got a couple bucks? Here are three cool iPhone apps that will help you track your journeys, value your time, and meet your goals:


The first app is the delightfully named Wonderful Day. The idea is similar to Jerry Seinfeld’s ruthlessly elegant productivity tip. Set up your goal in Wonderful Day (I’ve established two: running at least 3 miles and writing at least 400 words). Wonderful Day will send you a single daily reminder — not a riot of beeps and buzzes — and when you accomplish your task, you mark it as done in the app. After a few days, you’ll see a chain of green dots next to your goal. The longer the chain grows, the more reluctant you’ll be to break it with a dreaded red dot indicating that you haven’t done what you set out to do. A very sensible 99-cent investment.


The next is Replay My Day, a $1.99 app that captures your Facebook updates, Tweets, photos, notes, just about anything else you want and plots them by location. Its creator calls the result “a magic diary.” The magic part is that you can then replay any of your recorded days like a mini-movie, traveling back in time and space to relive those moments as you recorded them. You could use it, say, to remember a family vacation — but it might also have business applications. How about using Replay My Day to compile research for a book or article? Salespeople could use it to track their customer visits. A farm-to-table entrepreneur could record the travels of a turnip to your dinner plate. Imagine if Leopold Bloom had had this app in his pocket.


The last app offers fun and insight — with a bite. Ever wonder what all those meetings are costing your company? With MeetingCalc, you’ll get your answer. Enter the hourly rate of each person in the meeting, and at the end of the meeting the app will tabulate the total cost. Say you’re in a meeting with nine co-workers who average $60 an hour, and 15 minutes are wasted fumbling with the laptop and projector. That just cost your company $150! The beauty of MeetingCalc, which costs just 99 cents, is that you can then share the results — with the whole world via Twitter, if you want. However, some people would consider that a waste of time.

I love Cherries look at these from the food gal

Cherry Time, Sunset Celebration Weekend & More

Friday, 1. June 2012 5:25 | Author:foodgal

Cherries Galore at Local Restaurants

Who can resist sweet, crisp cherries? Not San Francisco chefs, who are featuring them on many menus.

At Bluestem Brasserie in San Francisco, indulge in cherries in multiple forms in one over-the-top dessert: gelee, granita, fresh and marinated in Cherry Heering Liqueur.

You get all that in the “Bing Cherry Sundae,” that’s also loaded with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. If that weren’t enough, it also comes with chocolate chip cookies. Oh my!

At Vitrine at the St. Regis in San Francisco, Executive Chef Romuald Feger pays homage to his grandmother by recreating her Alsatian black cherry clafoutis. During cherry season, she’d bake it daily, offering him a big slice after school.

His version comes with Sicilian pistachio ice cream. To pair with it, he recommends an Alsatian Gewurztraminer.

At Michael Mina in San Francisco, enjoy cherries in two unique savory preparations. First, the “Foie Gras Sphere” that is a tiny, rich mouthful of cherry and amarone-scented foie gras. It’s playfully shaped like a red sphere with a stem on top to mimic a real cherry. You’ll find  it as part of the “hors d’oeuvres platter” ($16).

Second, cherry puree is a pivotal component of the “Vacca Rosa Risotto with Cherry and Squab Ragu.” The rich Vacca Rosa cheese, similar to Parmigiano Reggiano, is a striking counterpoint to the sweet cherries. The dish is part of the tasting menu, but also can be ordered a la carte.

Understanding Your Credit Score

Your credit score is one of the biggest determining factors in your ability to get a quality loan, and it is far more complex than just a three-digit number.

Yahoo! Personal Finance recently wrote an in-depth piece about understanding the intricacies of your credit score and what it means.

According to the article, “consumer research conducted by the Consumer Federation of America and VantageScore Solutions shows that many Americans don’t really understand their credit scores.”
The lower your credit score, the higher interest you will pay on loans and any line of credit. Understanding the basics of credit scores can help you achieve your goals, including home ownership.
Click here to view the article and learn more about credit scores.