January Edition
Welcome 2022 with the SWELL Living Newsletter!
Inspirational Quote of the Month
“I love beginnings. If I were in charge of calendars, every day would be January 1.”
It’s a brand new year!
Filled with exciting prospects and hopeful aspirations. Did you know making New Year’s Resolutions is a centuries-old tradition?
Did you know that January was named for the Roman god Janus, who symbolizes beginnings and endings? The Romans often made promises to Janus and exchanged good wishes.
However you choose to celebrate 2022, we wish you the best of luck!
This month’s edition of SWELL Living has:
SWELL Eats
Fun Fact: Garnet vs. Pomegranates
Homeowner tips
SWELL Streaming
Interest Rate Rundown: On the Rise
Exciting Area Events!
What to do with your Christmas tree
Creme de Violette Fun!
Market Report: “Solid or Sliding”
Ron White
At The Wilson Center
Comedian Ron “Tater Salad” White rose to fame as the cigar-smoking, scotch-drinking funnyman from the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, but now as a chart-topping Grammy-nominated comedian, feature film actor, and author Ron White has established himself as a star in his own right!
Saturday, January 8, 2022, at 7:30 pm
703 N Third Street
Wilmington, NC 28401
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade
Did you know that Dr. King was scheduled to travel to Wilmington for a speaking engagement on the day he was assassinated?
Wilmington honors his memory with a week of events dedicated to him and his work ending with Monday's commemorative parade.
Price is free!
Monday, January 17, 2022
Parade starts on N. Third Street
from Hanover to Princess Streets
Plastic Ocean Project Gala
Get all fancy for a gorgeous evening at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher!
Catered by True Blue Butcher & Table, there will be drinks, live music, a silent auction, AND a first look at a brand new documentary If the Ocean Could Talk.
Congratulations Lauren!
Our SWELL Holiday Raffle winner
Here’s what Lauren won:
~ Enchanted Airlie Tickets = $33
~ Cape Fear Rum Cake = $30
~ Gift certificates, $65 each to:
Outdoor Equipped
Unleashed
Soif de Vin
That’s $250+ in prizes!
Here’s how our raffle works:
Subscribe to SWELL Living: your source for area events, interviews, gardening tips, & a whole lot more!
Once subscribed you will be automatically entered to win the next raffle.
You will also be entered to win every raffle going forward, pretty sweet!
So be sure to register using the form below
Be sure to check your email to confirm your subscription!
Christmas trees are lovely!
It’s a wonderful way to bring the outside to the inside, but what to do with it after Christmas?
Recycle It!
Live Christmas trees and wreaths are biodegradable and can be recycled into mulch by local waste management departments.
This year, New Hanover County is accepting live Christmas trees for recycling at local Home Depots as well as the New Hanover County Landfill. The service is free for New Hanover County residents and trees will be accepted from Dec. 26 to Jan. 31.
Feed the Birds
What could be better for backyard birds than a tree strung with food?
Remember to remove all tinsel and decorations beforehand! Decorate it with strings of popcorn, berries, citrus fruits, or suet packets made from seeds and peanut butter.
Re-purpose the Trunk!
Put your trunks to good use!
Slice them up for coasters or plant holders. OR hollow them out for an epic planter/mushroom log.
There are lots of ways to keep memories of your beautiful tree!
Tap into your creative side, or responsibly recycle your tree.
While stocking our cabinet for the holidays last month, taking our time to stroll the aisles of our friendly neighborhood ABC store, we happened upon the most wonderful surprise: Creme de Violette!
We took this as a sign, obviously, that we should share the bounty with you, so here are 3 spectacular cocktails featuring Creme de Violette for you to sample as our SWELL Cocktails for January:
Introductory: The Violette Royale
Your favorite champagne or prosecco
3/4 oz. Creme de Violette
Grab a Champagne flute, pour in 3/4oz of Creme de Violette, top with sparkling wine, and garnish with a lemon twist.
This pretty little thing will add a major mimosa upgrade to your next brunch party or book club meeting, and the bubbles bring out all the vanilla-floral notes that the Creme de Violette has to offer.
2. Intermediate: The Scotch Violet
2oz blended scotch (we suggest Chivas Regal or the Cutty Sark 100 Proof)
3/4oz Creme de Violette
1oz lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
Ice
Combine in shaker, add ice and shake, and then strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice.
Garnish with a lemon slice (and/or a sprig of rosemary if you want to be fancy!)
Typically, we would recommend pairing something as floral or herbal as violet liqueur with lighter liquors like gin and vodka, but we’re pretty proud of this refreshing pairing with scotch - lookout for some very cool cocoa notes!
3. Advanced: The Aviation
2oz gin (we suggest Boodles or Sutler’s, but any 80 Proof gin will do fine)
1/2oz Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
3/4oz lemon juice
1/2oz Creme de Violette
Ice
Start by chilling down a martini glass in the fridge.
Combine all ingredients, add ice, and stir, then stir some more (we want to chill the mixture without breaking up the ice).
Strain the chilled cocktail into your chilled martini glass, and garnish with a cherry.
We’ll admit it: this cocktail isn’t really all that “advanced” to make, but the addition of another premium liqueur makes it a little tougher to plan for; that, and this martini is seriously strong. Come fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away….
The Aviation is a classic standard in a bartender’s playbook, assuming the bar stocks Creme de Violette and Luxardo Maraschino, and dates back to the 1920s and 30’s. So named because the finished cocktail is strikingly sky blue, this blend of gin, liqueurs, and lemon is always worth a sip.
Now it’s time to sip and enjoy!
NAWAB Fine Indian Cuisine
Nawab is the best Indian Restaurant in Wilmington!
Family-owned and operated, every dish is filled with love and fresh ingredients.
Their menu is vast and filled with modern interpretations of classic dishes.
SWELL Favorites: The Naan Bread comes in lots of flavors, all delicious!
The appetizer Onion Bhajia, the Coconut Curry, and the Lamb Rogan Josh are all must-haves!
Find out more here.
From garnets to pomegranates, January’s favorite color is red!
Garnet species are found in every color, with reddish shades most common.
The word garnet is derived from the Middle English word, ‘gernet,’ which means dark red. This also shares its origin with the pomegranate, whose fruits contain abundant and vivid red seed covers.
Looking for a way to combine both pomegranates AND garnets? Check out these Etsy shops that make pomegranate necklaces out of garnets…
Selling a home doesn’t have to be hard.
We believe selling a home should be simple, easy, and even a little fun too.
Make your next move a smooth one and move confidently with SWELL!
We also offer industry leading rates for home-sellers. Many firms charge as much as 3% of the sales price to sell your home. The most we ever charge is 2.5% and for qualified clients, we only charge 2%! To save thousands of dollars as well as time and energy, click the button below.
Home Owning In January…
Tips, tricks, and things to be aware of, courtesy of:
Neil Sims Home Inspector
Did You Know?
That even new construction homes should undergo inspection before you move in?
Well, they should!
Here’s Why It Might Be Time For An Inspection…
•New Construction Homes
Just because it’s brand new does NOT guarantee that corners weren’t skipped!
There are so many houses being built so quickly in this area, and there aren’t enough county employees to properly check.
•Find Out Before Your Warranty Runs Out
In a new construction home, if you find a defect or flaw, chances are the builder will fix it.
But not forever so the sooner you know, chances are it won’t cost you to get it fixed!
•You might learn something new…
Neil recently inspected a 12-year-old home and found that 60% of the attic had NEVER been insulated!!
An un-insulated attic with our Wilmington summers can lead to astronomical electric bills.
• DIY Billy Bob Previous Home Owner
Rarely do we move into a house and not change things around a bit. Firepit here, screened-in porch over there, maybe a dishwasher where there never was one….right?
Well, there’s absolutely no guarantee that the DIY sections of the home are up to code!
• You Could Save a LOT of Money in the Long Run
It really never hurts to know more! The sooner you are able to catch a problem, the more you can contain that problem, and fix it while it’s manageble.
Thinking You Might Need a Home Inspection…
Discover New TV, Movies, Music, & More
Ty covers the TV & Movie recommendations, here are his picks this month:
For a serious drama: Yellowstone
Yellowstone follows the Dutton family who controls the largest contiguous ranch in the United States, under constant attack by those it borders - land developers, an Indian reservation, and America's first National Park. It is an intense study of a violent world far from media scrutiny - where land grabs make developers billions, and politicians are bought and sold by the world's largest oil and lumber corporations.
Starring: Kevin Costner, Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser. This is the story of one family’s fight to stay together and protect the land they love. Available on Peacock.
For a fantastic fantasy: The Witcher
Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster-hunter for hire, journeys toward his destiny in a turbulent world where people often prove more wicked than beasts.
Be warned, the first season is a bit jumpy. That said, the world and characters are well developed and thoughtful. There’s something for everyone: drama, action, love, revenge. You get it, it’s super bingeable tv!
Starring: Henry Cavill, Anya Chalotra, Freya Allan. The newest season is the third so binging is an option and highly encouraged! Available on Netflix.
For a seriously funny movie: Don’t Look Up
Two astronomers go on a media tour to warn humankind of a planet-killing comet hurtling toward Earth. The response from a distracted world: Meh.
This is very much a social commentary and not without merit. Everyone is so burned out by covid, politics, war, and all the other usual suspects. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if this did happen!
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep. Available on Netflix
Music on Repeat: Anthony's Monthly Picks for Featured Tunes
Elvis Costello & the Imposters - The Boy Named If - He’s still doing it, folks! Elvis Costello and the Imposters have announced yet another album release with The Boy Named If, dropping on January 14, 2022. This album follows Costello’s latest collection, Hey Clockface released in 2021, and keeps up the wry and rocking style that he’s been strutting around with for decades. The album was produced by Costello and Sebastian Krys, and, according to Costello, it’s a collection “that takes us from the last days of a bewildered boyhood to that mortifying moment when you are told to stop acting like a child—which for most men (and perhaps a few gals too) can be any time in the next 50 years.” Costello was kind enough to drop a single from The Boy Named If to keep us busy until the entire album releases - check out “Magnificent Hurt”
Bonobo - Fragments - If you don’t know Bonobo, here you go! AKA Simon Green, AKA King of the Dancefloor, Bonobo has been rocking the disco for a while now. Based in the UK, Bonobo isn’t just relegated to rave culture - he’s accumulated 3 Grammy nominations, sold over 2 million tickets on his 2017 tour, and is famously one of the only EDM (electronic dance music) DJ’s to perform in the Royal Albert Hall in London (in fact, he’s doing 3 straight nights at the Royal Albert Hall in his 2022 tour!). The new album, Fragments, releases on January 14, 2022. Along with the announcement of his 2022 tour and this new album, which is surprisingly emotionally intense while meditative and boppy, Bonobo just treated us with the single release of “Rosewood”.
For the love of Podcasts: Marisa’s favorite this month
Smartless: If you’ve never had the pleasure of being entertained by the trio that is Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett, you’ve been missing out!
In each episode of SmartLess, one of the hosts reveals a mystery guest to the other two. What ensues is a genuinely improvised and authentic conversation filled with laughter and newfound knowledge to feed the SmartLess mind.
“Solid or Sliding?”
Last quarter we predicted the market would start levelling off and prices would continue to rise, which happened.
So what’s next for our market?
Interest Rates are still at historic lows!
Thanks to Daniel Pedroni from North State Bank for sharing his interest rate information with us.
•Conventional 30 Year Fixed, 20% Down Payment:
Rate: 3.25%, APR: 3.321%
Conventional 15 Year Fixed, 20% Down Payment:
Rate: 2.625%, APR: 2.749%
FHA 30 Year Fixed, 3.5% Down Payment:
Rate: 2.75%, APR: 3.767%
VA 30 Year Fixed, $0 Down Payment:
Rate: 2.75%, APR: 3.546%
We love working with Daniel!
He’s a hardworking lender who will do what it takes to get you the home you deserve.
Contact Daniel today to see how he can work for you, click the button below for more information.
Every lender has their own rates for the loan types above, if offered. This is meant to show generally where interest rates are currently. Talk to Daniel Pedroni or your preferred lender to see what rates you can qualify for. All Rate Quotes assume top tier credit, 30 Rate Lock, Single Family Dwelling, Rates effective 1/1/2022:
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