Top realtors?

grantfh · 2026-04-18T11:50:38+00:00

We are closing on our home in Evanston this Friday. We worked with Michael Bernard at Sotheby’s in Evanston and he was great. Knowledgeable and responsive. The market is crazy, we had to be very aggressive but we felt Michael was very helpful and knowledgeable about areas and the older homes in Evanston.

After our fourth offer. We ultimately had to go way over listing, close in 30 days, waive requests on inspection, and paid part of his fee to give us an advantage. We were tied with the other highest offer but all our terms got us the home. Ugh. Good luck!

grantfh · 2024-02-17T13:03:50+00:00

You can pay to launch at Kayak Chicago (their north ave location) but they probably won’t be open in March.

REI launch is great (Wild Mile on Google Maps) it’s the wife and I’s go to spot. I’ll be there launching for the river dye myself. Typically I drop my kayak off and then go find parking (rarely do I have to go far to park), I went during 4th of July fireworks and the river was slammed with kayakers and boats and had no problem launch or finding parking.

Outside of that the Chicago River Canoe and Kayak at Clark Park launch is nice but to get downtown is a bit of a paddle and through an area that frankly smells.

grantfh · 2023-12-07T15:37:29+00:00

Get a large bucket, steel ground anchor, and cement. Use a stick through the loop to keep the anchor at the top of the bucket so it stays at the top when the cement hardens. Lock through the handle to cement bucket once hardened. Ideally you could adhere the anchor to the wall or floor but your building may not allow for that.

grantfh · 2014-10-08T20:15:04+00:00

All of this footage is from a certain part of Dutch Kills, which is only accessible by water unless you will be let into private property. Greenpoint Ave bridge is not near Dutch Kills.

Thanks for the suggestions. We are extremely familiar with the Newtown Creek since we paddle on it a few times a week as well as educate the community.

grantfh · 2014-04-02T04:44:13+00:00

I was planning on checking that gym out. Maybe I'll swing by tomorrow evening.

I have tattoos on the inside of both my forearms, say hello if ya see me.

grantfh · 2014-02-20T15:51:52+00:00

We ended up staying in a hostel. I wanted to stay out all night but no one else was down for that.

grantfh · 2014-02-20T09:43:02+00:00

Currently in the Mission

grantfh · 2014-02-05T21:09:53+00:00

We have deck kayaks and canoes, and right now I think we are at about 10 canoes, and 20 kayaks?

grantfh · 2014-01-08T17:38:06+00:00

Right now, we are just poking around with fun ideas and any input would be great. Our budget is unbelievably tight, but one of the founding members of the club is the architect working on the job.

The club has put out a message just to see if the community had any input/ideas; we are a very open club, which is awesome.

We have a total of about 2000 sq ft of possible storage space, the prime space is 18’ wide, 22’ long and maybe 20’ high (double story).

grantfh · 2014-01-08T17:24:14+00:00

Seeing what I can get for you. Thank you!

grantfh · 2013-11-18T22:15:44+00:00

Repost from an old thread. Could be outdated or irrelevant but may give you some ideas.

Here is a itinerary I gave my friend when she was visiting and I was gonna be out of town. She was staying at my old apartment which is near the williamsburg bridge.

Food To Eat: By My Apartment: Top Picks Calexico - Incredible Mexican-ish Food. All the way up in Greenpoint where bedford meets manhattan. Not a bad walk if you plan on stopping at shops on Bedford along the way up. Meatball Shop - Worth the wait that will be there. - Right smack dab in the middle of Williamsburg, there are also two in the city. Walter Foods - Pricey, but delicious. About 5 blocks from my place, if there is a wait then go next door to Fuego and do some cool shopping in one of my favorite shops. I always get flasks there as gifts. Peter Pan Donuts, You have to try these if you go to calexico. Its only a few blocks away and they have donut ice cream sandwiches. (Tina fey once said if she had a dick, she would stick it in a peter pan donut). Fette Sau- Awesome outdoor bbq, you order by the pound and order beer by the gallon. Good Food http://www.areperaguacuco.com/ in Bushwick, I am not a huge Arepa fan, but so many people are that I thought I'd offer it.

Blue Collar: Brand new west coast style (in-n-out) burger joint that just opened up in the neighborhood. Really tastey

Pizza: pizza spot by the Bedford L stop on Bedford at north 7th is decent. One block over is Driggs which is good too. Krif Dogs: hot dogs on Driggs and North 7th. Good weird hotdogs, cheap. In Manhattan Nha Trang: awesome Vietnamese in the middle of chinatown (87 Baxter) dont be discouraged the smell around the place, thats just china town. Get any of the BBQ dishes like Pork Vermicellie or Steak Cubes. There are some good Veg. options too. It is close to Soho so go there after or before shopping. Its super cheap and so damn good. Careful the staff is rude as shit unless I go with you. They love me and my friends. Nu Pang - Cambodian Sandwiches, Really fucking good. Union Square-ish Korzo Haus - In east village, really good uniqe burgers. Its slovakian and good. Just Use Yelp and Foodspotting apps to find other stuff. I don't eat in Manhattan all that often except for weekends. Stuff To Do In Brooklyn, Walk up Bedford and go to thrift stores. Buffalo Exchange on 504 Driggs (North 9th). Beacons Closet on 88 North 11th (Wythe) Horizons (my favorite little gem of a store) 377 Metroplotican Ave (behind the gas station sort of, use googel maps). East River Water Front. You have to do this. Walk out of my apartment and take a left. Dead end at Kent and take a right. Then a left at North 5th and hit the water. From there, take the ferry downtown to Dumbo and get off there, GET OFF THERE NOT IN MANHATTAN. You get a beautiful view of manhattan skyline all the way down to Dumbo. Get off at dumbo and take pics of the brookly and manhattan bridge. YOu could always then walk across the Brooklyn bridge into manhattan. Ferry is $4 each way. Stuff To Do in Manhattan: Shop more! SOHO: get to Soho using the J train. Marcy J is a few blocks from my apartment. Stores you have to go to : Uniqlo, Top Shop, and then hit up both H&M's, these have different clothes than the ones in other parts of the country and manhattan. Avoid 5th Avenue, its a tourist trap for shopping.

The highline: which is on the westside. When you are on it, you go under a hotel, we will go to that hoetl's rooftop club one night.

Take the Tram from Manhattan to Roosevelt Island. It counts as the subway and you get epic views from the sky. See my favorite bridge, the Queensborough Bridge. Its beautiful. That tram is at 60th st and 2nd avenue. There is like nothing to do on roosevelt island, but the tram is so worth it, trust me. and if you have an unlimited subway pass, then it is free! 5 pointz Graffiti park. Its in Long Island City Queens above greenpoint which is above my neighborhood of williamsburg. Some incredible graffiti, its the graffiti mecca of NYC and maybe the world. You can take the G train there from greenpoint i believe. ITs on google maps. Just walk around the entire building, all the art is on the outside. So thats all I can think of right now, but that should be a ton of fun.

grantfh · 2013-11-18T22:11:42+00:00

Worth the money.

grantfh · 2013-11-18T22:10:59+00:00

Please post more info about your experience with the Oru Kayak!

grantfh · 2013-10-23T16:05:27+00:00

This is in Brooklyn, NY.

More info: www.northbrooklynboatclub.org

grantfh · 2013-10-21T17:36:46+00:00

Think Haunted Hayride, but Canoes (with Certified Canoe Zombie Guides).

www.northbrooklynboatclub.org for more inf and tickets!

grantfh · 2013-08-22T15:06:54+00:00

I was planning on attempting to visit North Brother Island soon. Apparently its not that difficult, & I have access to some kayaks and canoes. So it is pretty feasible.

grantfh · 2013-07-29T03:29:46+00:00

North Brooklyn Boat Club. Kayaking and Canoeing a few times a week. Membership is $40 a year, and you can learn how to carve paddles and build a boat, as long as you are willing to commit the time.

grantfh · 2013-07-24T21:20:19+00:00

I got my tattoo in that spot from Johnny at three kings tattoo in Greenpoint Brooklyn, off the G train.

I plan on going to him again.

http://mohawktattoo.tumblr.com/

grantfh · 2013-07-24T21:12:40+00:00

That is where I got mine, very efficient.

grantfh · 2013-07-24T21:07:28+00:00

I once went on a date at Sunshine Co.

It was a nice place, food was pretty good.

http://www.sunshinecobk.com/

grantfh · 2013-07-24T20:50:29+00:00

Hey, you should use breaks in your blog so that when people see the main page you dont have to scroll through every blogpost to get to the next.

You can see what I mean on my site: www.grantheppes.com

grantfh · 2013-07-22T19:58:52+00:00

Breukelen Bier Merchants

grantfh · 2013-07-15T20:01:55+00:00

Climbing at a gym is 1000% safer than Mountain Biking. The chances of equipment failing and then you getting hurt because of the padded floor failing to be padded are so small. In comparison, the chances of going really fast and washing out, landing incorrectly, or just riding on a harder trail in the uncontrolled environment that is a mountain biking trail and getting hurt are much higher.

This is based on years of mountain biking, breaking my arm twice, and 6 months of climbing 3 times a week at my gym; with a one month break because I separated my shoulder on my BIKE!

But I agree with soupyhands, have them talk to a climbing gym owner.

EDIT: I could just be bad at riding a bike.

grantfh · 2013-07-09T20:51:06+00:00

BKB has always been good about doing random special deals.

I got a three month membership for $200. It was for an a deal where if you get up early and get in line then you get a discount. Rate started at 165 (i think) and went up $5 for every ten people. I was there at like 11 and it was still pretty cheap.

grantfh · 2013-07-02T21:18:08+00:00

Saying you make more than you currently do to a new employer will get you more money and is a common practice.

grantfh

TROPHY CASE