Community Recommendation: Crockett’s Public House

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In this series, I highlight the businesses I like to refer to my friends, family, home buyers and sellers in the Pierce County area. This month I’m talking about Crockett’s Public House.

Community Recommendation: Crockett’s Public House

Crockett’s Public House is one of Puyallup’s most famous restaurants for a reason! It’s family friendly, has a wonderful backstory honoring an early Puyallup resident (Hugh Crockett), and has some of the best food in town. Some of my favorites include the calamari, fire grilled flat bread, lobster mac-n-cheese and marcona almond pesto with shrimp.

Crockett’s Public House has a long list of accolades. It’s been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, won best of showcase magazine award 2016, 2017, and 2018, has numerous features in the South Sound Magazine, Tacoma News Tribune (TNT Diner) and the Puyallup herald, and has been mentioned as a place to visit on King 5 News Evening.

Crockett’s offers a popular happy hour 3-6pm & 9pm-close Monday-Thursday, 10pm-close Friday-Saturday, and all day Sunday. Their special is $3 off all appetizers, and $1 off all beer wine and specialty cocktails.

Here’s what people have to say about Crockett’s Public House:

“For fear of making this place more popular, this is insane food and atmosphere! and the pricing is more than fair for the portions and the uniquely great food.” -Chris

“I love this place! best thing I’ve order is the veggie burger, even though I’m not a vegetarian this burger is amazing!! seriously… the patty is fried goodness with gooey cheese inside and the pesto sauce is amazing.” -Kira

“Our waitress, Courtney, was very welcoming, patient and kind. the food was really good! my husband had the meatballs and they were huge.” -Cathy

“Love their happy hour! My favorite is the sliders. I will have to come back to try the chicken and waffles because I heard they’re pretty good. Service was great! Thank you.” -Tiffany

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Community Recommendation: Maidify Cleaning Services

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In this series, I highlight the businesses I like to refer to my friends, family, home buyers and sellers in the Pierce County area. This month I’m talking about Maidify Cleaning Services.

Community Recommendation: Maidify Cleaning Services

When helping clients buy and sell homes, a common referral question I get is finding a trustworthy and thorough cleaning service. I have had wonderful success with Maidify Cleaning Services and like to refer them to my clients who are looking for a house cleaner. They offer a weekly, monthly and deep clean for clients to choose from. Maidify Cleaning Services is located in Steilacoom and focuses on helping homes in the South Sound region.

Before starting Maidify Cleaning Services, the owner was serving in the Army as a Helicopter Mechanic. After being honorably discharged, he decided to finish his Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. He tried to get part time jobs to relieve stress off of his family and attend school at the same time, but these “part time jobs” didn’t honor his school schedule and were demolishing his GPA at school. He was very upset and disappointed with most business establishments that claim they “help” College students, only to work them as like full time employees without any benefits.

He started Maidify Cleaning Services for 3 reasons:

  1. To provide part time jobs to local college students and prior military at JBLM
  2. To donate to charity
  3. To help relieve stress on local residents by providing them with a clean home

He wants to thank all the Veterans at JBLM and McChord Air Force Base for making the world a better place.

Maidify offers a 10% discount to Active Duty, Reserve and Retired Military.

For more information about Maidify Cleaning Services, visit their website or their Facebook page.

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Community Recommendation: PNW Grill

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In this series, I highlight the businesses I like to refer to my friends, family, home buyers and sellers in the Pierce County area. This month I’m talking about PNW Grill in Puyallup.

Community Recommendation: PNW Grill

PNW Grill is a fun family-friendly restaurant that was established in 2019. Inside you’ll find casual tables, a large bar, darts, pool tables, and ping pong. PNW Grill serves scratch made food with some fun plays on American classics. I love a good steak and their rib eye is to die for! I loved this place so much that we are hosting our November VAREP Restaurant Takeover here.

Here’s what their customers have to say:

“Their wings are TO DIE FOR! Seriously, the Asian sesame are the way to go. Also, their mojitos are flavored with fresh fruit purées that are made in house daily. The peach and mango are amazing. I haven’t tried a pizza yet, but the table next to us got one and it’s definitely a must have next time. Great job to the new owners for really taking the place to its true potential.”

“My service was top notch and my waitress was very attentive.  My nephew had the rib-eye and it was mouthwatering as far as presentation. People: You want top quality beef you are going to pay for it, and I’m telling you it’s worth it to dine here.  I ordered the Rainer and some point during the meal I looked up to see my nephew staring at me.  I looked down to the pile of crust beneath me and muttered “What?” through a mouth full of meat and cheese.  I apparently was stuffing the slices in my face as though the apocalypse was upon us.  Great place, great service, great pizza.  If I ever get the chance to come back, I’m getting the steak.”

For more information, visit their Facebook page.

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Community Recommendation: Stick On U

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In this series, I highlight the businesses I like to refer to my friends, family, home buyers and sellers in the Pierce County area. This month I’m talking about decals with Stick On U decal services.

Community Recommendation: Stick On U

Stickers have been used for marketing initiatives for years because they last for years and require very low costs. They can help promote product launches, giveaways, social sharing, and reviews. If your business was about to launch a new product/service, giving stickers to prospective clients would be a great way to promote the launch. If your business was doing a giveaway, a sticker is an effective way to tell the public about your giveaway in the hopes more people would enter. If you want to spread your social network handles to new clients and old, using stickers to remind people how to find you online can be a good way to keep customers in your lead pipeline for years. Word of mouth is a highly effective way to gain new clients. Think about how many reviews you read before purchasing a product online. Giving clients a sticker to remind them to review their experience with your business can help your reputation management and bring in new business in the future.

When participating in any community event as a business, it’s nice to have decals to give away to the public, or to help create a nice backdrop for your booth. Recently I worked with Stick On U to help create decals for my VAREP booth at the Puyallup Fair. They were excellent to work with, affordably priced, and created exactly what I envisioned for my event. Sometimes it’s hard to describe what you want for a decal, but their team helped guide me on what a good layout design would be for my decals.

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How to Create a Pet Friendly Home

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Our furry friends are a big part of our families. From setting designated feeding stations to keeping lint rollers scattered through the home, here are 4 tips to create a pet friendly home your guests and your pets will feel comfortable spending time in.

How to Create a Pet Friendly Home

Designate Feeding Stations

Creating a designated feeding station that is convenient for your pets to access but also not an eyesore for your family is key to create a pet friendly home. Choose a room such as a laundry room or mud room to stash your pet’s food and water bowls. This will keep the mess away from the entertainment areas of the home. It is important that you store food appropriately to prevent spoiling or unwanted bugs.

Conceal Toys

Yes we love buying our pets new chew toys, but we don’t necessarily love to see the toys lying around the house. If you don’t want your home to scream “crazy cat or dog person” stash pet items where they are easily accessible but not noticeable. Decorative baskets and bins are great for stashing toys and treat jars. Having a designated animal toy bin helps you keep track of the toys and tidy up your living space in an organized manner.

Vacuum/Sweep Often

In the shedding season, it’s vital to vacuum/sweep on a weekly basis (sometimes twice a week if you have a severe shedder). Be sure to vacuum the living spaces, including the couches and throw pillows. If you just aren’t a fan of sweeping, consider investing in a robotic vacuum. You can set it and forget it and maintain a hair free home.

Lint Roll

People don’t mind if you have pets, but they might mind if they leave your home with a leg full of dog hair. While vacuuming often is important, sometimes hair just finds it’s way onto the couch. Store lint rollers in a few easy to grab locations, like side table drawers, to offer to guests if they need to remove hair from their clothes.

Treat Stains Immediately

Accidents happen, and it’s ok as long as you treat stains immediately. If your animals are accident prone, consider getting a portable carpet cleaner for quick spot treatments. The last thing you want is for your guests to smell a stale scent when they sit on the couch. Get into the habit of walking through lesser-used rooms to make sure there aren’t any surprise stains setting in.

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Restaurant Recommendation Series: HG Bistro

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In this series, I highlight the restaurants and food services I like to refer to my home buyers and sellers in the Pierce County area. This month I’m talking about HG Bistro.

Restaurant Recommendation Series: HG Bistro

HG Bistro is one of my favorite restaurants in the Puyallup area. Located right on Main street, you’ve likely seen this joint busy on evenings and weekends. In addition to their delicious food and superb customer service, I appreciate that they change up their menu often. Chef Arnel and his team create a featured fresh sheet every two weeks and offer by reservation only intimate wine dinners prepared by Executive Chef Arnel Gaitan. For the past 12 years HG Bistro has been known for their Happy Hour and have been voted in the top 5 of King 5’s “Best Happy Hour” for Western Washington since 2009. Recently they were honored with the #1 spot in 2015.

HG Bistro also puts a strong focus on service fresh and local dishes. They prepare their dishes from scratch by using quality fresh ingredients. They strive to use local farmers as they come available. From their kitchen to the table they are passionate about giving an exceptional culinary experience with warm and professional service for a friendly dining experience.

Here’s what others have to say about HG Bistro:

“Atmosphere was intimate enough to hold a conversation. We got a table last minute on a Friday night and the staff was very inviting and warm. The food was also very good!” – Morgan F.

“A very nice small out of the way bistro between Sumner and Puyallup. The staff is very friendly and attentive. The menu wasn’t very busy. The atmosphere was between casual and fine dining. The food was delicious. They plate the food nice and fancy, felt more fine dining. They have 2 “sides” to the restaurant, one had the decor of casual the other more upscale. I would absolutely go there again.” – Calvin W.

“My Birthday dinner pick! I was so happy with everything. Dinner amazing and the birthday dessert was incredible. Service was outstanding, very attentive staff. I tried the Pom Pom from the drink menu and loved it!” – Kristal H.

For more information on HG Bistro, visit https://www.hgbistro.com.

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Financial Benefits of Owning a Home

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Buying a home is 38% cheaper than renting a home. This is especially true if you plan on living in one space for at least seven years. As mortgage loans are more affordable now with down payment assistance and different loan options, let’s take a look at the financial benefits of owning a home.

Financial Benefits of Owning a Home

Building equity

One of the largest financial benefits of owning a home is building home equity. When you pay rent to your landlord, you’re setting aside a chunk of money that you’ll never see again. Additionally, landlords have the right to raise your monthly rent yearly, so what you pay today could differ than what you pay monthly next year. When you sign a mortgage loan, you are agreeing to the monthly payment for the life of the loan (likely 15/30 years). So, you can accurately budget your spending every month on your mortgage. When you pay your mortgage, you are building equity as you are paying off your loan. This means that unlike renting, you will see these funds applied directly toward what you own.

Tax benefits

Another one of the biggest financial benefits of owning a home is the mortgage interest deduction. Most of your monthly mortgage payments will go towards interest in your first few years of homeownership. You are able to deduct that interest from your taxes, if your loan is $1 million or less. Additionally, any taxes you pay to the government on your property are deductible from federal income tax.

No longer moving every year

Homeownership increases sustainability and stability. While moving every year from rental to rental may be necessary for your lifestyle, it is a major inconvenience and a financial and emotional burden. Renting can mean you may never know where you are going to live in a year, or how much you’ll be paying. Owning a home allows a financial and emotional investment in both your physical home and your community.

Use your home investment toward another investment

The equity that comes from paying a mortgage is what allows many individuals make future investments in the same home (refinancing, renovations), a higher-valued home (using the equity toward a down payment), a second home (using equity toward a second down payment), or additional financial goals (paying off debt, buying an RV). A home equity line of credit helps homeowners use that part of their home that’s already paid off to obtain financing for additional investments.

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Restaurant Recommendation Series: Tibbitts at Fern Hill

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In this series, I highlight the restaurants and food services I like to refer to my home buyers and sellers in the Pierce County area. This month I’m talking about Tibbitts at Fern Hill.

Restaurant Recommendation Series: Tibbitts at Fern Hill

Everyone needs to try Tibbitts at Fern Hill! Located in South Tacoma, Chef Shawn Tibbitts partners with local farmers to bring fresh ingredients directly from farm to table. Open for breakfast and lunch, Tibbitts at Fern Hill has quite the variety. From the Lobster Bomb and Southwest Frittata on his breakfast menu, to Adam’s Mushroom Bourguignon and Savor Tacoma Creperie for lunch, you’re sure to find something that will satisfy your taste buds.

Here’s what other’s have to say about their experience at Tibbitts at Fern Hill:

“He realized that we were new in the restaurant and came out and introduced himself and even asked our names. Who does that anymore? We will definitely be going back. The passion and love is in the restaurant and apparent in the food.”

“The food was so delicious. I really just want to come back for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each time they changed menus! The service was great and the chef/owner was so personable and we loved how he came out to introduce himself!! This will always be a place that we will stop by each time we visit from Alaska!! Thank you!!”

“It’s an honor to review Tibbitts @ Fern Hill. We heard about it opening on the Where to Dine in Pierce County Facebook page and decided to go there today at noon, and we ended up having the best lunch we’ve had in a long time!”

Tibbitts at Fern Hill has been recognized for various awards from #1 Farm to Table Restaurant in Tacoma to Top 5 New Restaurants of 2017 by the News Tribune to Best Chef 2018 and Best New Restaurant 2018.

For more information on Tibbitts at Fern Hill, visit their Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/TibbittsatFernHill/. Remember, tables fill up quickly so it’s best to make a reservation!

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Restaurant Recommendation Series: Devine Bites

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In this series, I highlight the restaurants and food services I like to refer to my home buyers and sellers in the Pierce County area. This month I’m talking about Devine Bites.

Restaurant Recommendation Series: Devine Bites

Devine Bites is a locally owned and operated bake shop that personally deliveries to the home, office or event venue. They can create any baked goods for any occasion! They specialize in wedding cakes, cookies for baby showers/business event, cupcakes for birthday parties, and macaroons.

I’ve used Devine Bites personally for my daughter’s baby shower, as well as for my Thanksgiving pies.

Here’s what others have to say about this amazing baked goods service.

“Amazing service & products! Very professional, sweet, attentive, enthusiastic, delicious, and beautiful!! We have vowed to become repeat customers!”

“I took some custom DB cookies shaped like teeth and toothbrushes to my friend’s clinic and they were a hit!! So cute and very well done.”

“I called up Devine Bites to cater my daughter’s Sweet Sixteen birthday party. Every cupcake was professionally decorated, complete with the baby blue to match the Tiffany’s themed birthday party. I’ll definitely be going back for my future baked goods!”

Devine Bites offers over 24 flavors of cakes, fruit tarts, cake pops, chocolate covered cherries and strawberries, cupcakes, macaroons, and cookies.

To contact Devine Bites, call (253) 224-5117 or visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/DevineBites/

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Community Recommendation Series: My Cleaning Lady

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In this series, I highlight the businesses I like to refer to my friends, family, home buyers and sellers in the Pierce County area. This month I’m talking all things home cleaning with My Cleaning Lady.

Community Recommendation Series: My Cleaning Lady

The owner of My Cleaning Lady was a stay at home mom, while raising her children. As a busy young housewife and mom, she often wondered if she really could master it all. With the laundry, sports, school, homework, and trying to keep a tidy house, there just didn’t seem to be enough time in the day to complete every task.

So, just once she hired someone else to clean her house for her. She will never forget that feeling! All she had to do was manage the kids. It took a huge load off of your task list. That is where her passion for cleaning began. She wants to continue to share that feeling with others. She loves that what she is providing essentially is time.

She cleans all rooms of the house including kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, and living areas. She has a rotating schedule, so be sure to schedule an appointment to see what services she provides.

Here’s what her clients have to say about her:

“A clean home is a happy a home! And my home is now clean and happy and I can’t thank my cleaning lady enough!”

“It is a very cute service! From logo to the service everything is Top Notch J”

“My Cleaning Lady has been cleaning our home since September. We have always been pleased with the service. She does a great job and we are happy when we come home after she’s cleaned. We highly recommend My Cleaning Lady! Thank you!”

For more information on My Cleaning Lady, visit her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/IKnowALady/

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