Laura Cole & Tana Gaskill
561.758.8625 561.389.6838
Illustrated Properties
Newsletter February, 2020
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Mid- February, we are not sure where the time goes but we are having fun. Friends and family have been visiting and our activities list grows longer and longer. With so many choices for all interests, its hard to schedule it all in. We are exhausted!
We include a review of Zuccarelli's, an old-time favorite of ours, by our resident gourmet critic, Vicki Slotnick. It is still a favorite and justly well-loved for "red" Italian dining, good service and friendly ambiance.
And be sure to catch up with Real Estate trends and BallenIsles listings.
Happy Valentine's Day.
Laura & Tana
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Featured Property
116 Sunesta Cove Drive
A beautiful home on a private, topical landscaped lot in the desirable Sunesta Cove neighborhood. Located in the heart of fabulous BallenIsles, this Chenille model features an impressive entry with double etched glass doors, soaring foyer, stunning ceiling details, Great Room plan and powder room. Enjoy the Florida lifestyle with a heated pool and spa, open and covered patio areas, and lush landscaping. The gracious master bedroom has a sitting area, generous his and her closets and a large master bath. Additional features include two separate guest suites, lovely library/4th bedroom, wet bar, gourmet kitchen with tall wood cabinetry, double wall ovens, center island with breakfast bar, and 5 burner gas cook top. A separate golf cart garage, newer A/Cs and hurricane shutters add to the ease of living. This home is truly exceptional! BICC
Golf membership purchase ($130,000) required.
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Restaurants
Zuccarelli's
- by Vicki Slotnick
So, yes, we haven't been there in sooo long. We've been busy 'kissing a lot of other frogs', Italian restaurants both new and new-ish and closer to home. But boy am I glad we listened to old friends from West Palm Beach and went back to our old favorite, Zuccarelli's! We gave it a real tough litmus test by making reservations for a Saturday night in the heart of the busy winter season, and they did not disappoint us. Our table was ready in the quietest part of the inside space [just as requested] as soon as we notified them of our arrival. Outside is a very large awning-covered space, which was crazy busy with diners and servers everywhere, and with a live band and a crooner singing oldies from decades of yore. Although it was a beautiful evening for dining outside, we were happy to have that table inside and far from the maddening crowd. The décor is somewhat dated-Italian-family restaurant-style, who cares? The staff is efficient, knowledgeable and hospitable.
Oh yes, the menu...have you got time? You might have a difficult time getting through the entire menu, it is sooo comprehensive. Appetizers, soups, great pizza, including gluten free, pastas, veal, chicken, fish and seafood, meat, the list goes on and on. That means we have to get back there soon to enjoy their wonderful variety. Regular Italian bread, crispy on the outside and soft and tender inside, arrived right after we ordered, as well as garlic and herb [reeking!] rolls dripping in butter, [or was that olive oil?]. Next, fresh, crispy salad or soup is included with every entrée. Two of our friends had their favorite, the seafood cioppino, which I tasted...I snuck my soup-spoon in as soon as she wasn't looking, and it was chock full of fresh clams, mussels, fish filet, and a whole lot of chopped aromatic vegetables, and seasoned just right for my taste. L. had the chicken Scarparello, a half chicken cut into many pieces still on the bone and fried crisp with lemon garlic sauce, mushrooms, homemade sweet sausage, peppercini, capers, rosemary, and herbs. Whew! Sounds a bit complex, I know, but the end result was over the top delicious! The size of the portion also over the top...3 people could have dined well on that dish alone. I had Saltimbocca with chicken instead of the traditional veal and it was perfect, sauced just right, tender, and enough for me to have it for dinner the next night.
I will not risk losing my audience, so I am not going to go into any more details of what we had. You will just have to see for yourself. If you haven't been there in a long time, you might just be hankering for the good old days when the food was very good, the service was the same, and the prices were definitely more right than wrong.
Oh, and Kudos to Olympia at the helm in the front, and her mom and dad still at the helm in the kitchen after all these years.
Zuccarelli's
4595 Okeechobee Blvd., #126
West Palm Beach
Phone - 561-686-7739
See more Restaurants
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REAL ESTATE TRENDS
BallenIsles Sales
A lukewarm month for sales with 3 sold properties. However, inventory continues to remain low with only 67 properties now on the market. We expected to see a much greater rise in inventory as seasonal residents returned and began to reassess their real estate needs. But alas, this did not happen. We suspect many residents decided BallenIsles has a lifestyle too fabulous to leave. New inventory is desperately needed! Please contact us for a confidential discussion relating to your goals and an informative Comparative Market Analysis.
BallenIsles Sales - 2020*
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#
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ADDRESS
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BR
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BA
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SOLD $
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ORIG. $
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DATE
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MKT TIME
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1
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105 ORCHID CAY DRIVE
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3
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3
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$410,000
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$595,000
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01/02/2020
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284
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2
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107A PALM BAYY DRIVE
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3
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2
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$282,500
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$300,000
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01/15/2020
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144
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3
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389 ISLE COURT
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3
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3
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$649,000
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$649,000
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01/17/2020
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10
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*This representation is based on data supplied by the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches or its Multiple Listing Services thru 02/08/20.
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