Why We’d Live In The Desert

It’s the best of both worlds.

Tucked against the Santa Rosa Mountains, Trilogy at La Quinta is only 35 miles from Palm Springs. If you’re an active adult, bring your golf clubs, shopping bags, backpacks and hiking boots because there’s going to be a lot to do. The area is renowned for world-class shopping, resorts and fine dining establishments. The surrounding mountains are filled with deep valleys and dramatic ridges ideal for hiking, mountain biking, camping, horseback riding and exploring by Jeep. The nearby National Parks are great adventure destinations.

But what if you, or your significant other, like nature okay just as long as it stays the heck outside? What if you’re an adult who simply prefers to be slightly less active? Well, in that case, feel free to gaze out at the scenic backdrop from among resort quality amenities and lifestyle activities not typically expected at active adult communities.

A master planned 55+ active adult community, Trilogy at La Quinta offers dozens of clubs, events and fun activities. In addition to sports and fitness, there are leisure and social activities, so there really is something for everyone. Whether it’s picking up another language or re-allocating your investment portfolio, expanding your photography or refining your wine tasting and culinary skills, it’s all available to you. There are neighborhood barbecues, philanthropic events, and Club Med trips to Mexico.

The Center for Higher Learning offers highly accredited instructors and guest speakers, some of whom are Trilogy residents.

The Coral Spa is a complete full-service spa offering the latest body treatments, massages, waxing, tinting, manicures and pedicures.

The Santa Rosa Club includes a state-of-the-art fitness center with cutting edge weight and cardio equipment, and aerobics and dance studio for low-impact aerobics classes, yoga and pilates. The indoor lap pool and walking track offer refuge from the hot desert summer days. There are craft and hobby studios, a ballroom, a theater, a computer lab, a library and billiards. Or have a nice cup of coffee and read the paper in the Café Solaz. Incidentally, the café’s fruit smoothies are a great way to end a workout session.

The Azul Restaurant & Bar is a great place to enjoy a relaxing lunch and a cocktail with friends, or an elegant dinner with your significant other.

Or maybe you want to actually cook an elegant dinner with your significant other? Top tier amenities don’t mean much if your “dream retirement home” turns out to be some cookie cutter tract home. Rest assured that Trilogy’s developer, Shea Homes, continually ranks among independent reviewers such as J.D. Power & Associates as the best active adult builders in the country. One tour through the community and it’s easy to understand why, the diversity of housing, exterior façade options, and sophisticated attention to detail given to every aspect of the community is outstanding.

Homebuyers in Trilogy at La Quinta can select from 12 single-family ranch-style floor plans that range from 1,381 to 2,789 square feet. The Shea designed homes are built with some of the latest luxurious finishes and high-end upgrades such as granite countertops, gourmet kitchens, spa-like bathrooms and expansive great rooms. Customization options include optional sunrooms, patios, wine cellars, cigar rooms and more. Many of the homes offer casitas and 3-car garages.

And if you’re concerned about the environment even though you don’t want to go traipsing around in it, Shea’s “green” building process incorporates eco-friendly materials and energy saving systems such as solar panels, Energy Star appliances and the use of sustainable building products. After all, decadent doesn’t have to be destructive.

Buy your Rio Vista dream retirement home now?

Buying a home is always a big deal. Buying a dream retirement home is a bigger deal. For most of us, this is the last home we’re going buy – so choosing wisely in terms of location and timing is “mission critical”. While nobody ever wants to buy a home that will lose value, it’s especially important to carefully consider your investment at this point in your life. Why? Because, let’s face it, there’s always the possibility that no matter how active your adult lifestyle, there’s the chance that when we’re really old (it’s the mileage that gets us…) we may have to opt for “assisted living” – which can be very expensive. Having a home that’s a valuable asset could be the difference in levels of care and comfort if/when that time comes.

Yes – this consideration is a total buzz kill for retirement planning. We’d all rather look at glossy brochures of active adult communities with ideal golf courses, pools, Jacuzzis, and spas, blah, blah, blah. Who wouldn’t? But let’s be honest with each other – retirement planning is about understanding ALL the possibilities, positive and negative, and plotting accordingly.

Of course, if you’re already looking at your retirement in this light, that makes the decision whether or not to buy that dream home kind of scary. Sure, the housing crash means that prices have dropped – but have they dropped all the way? If they have dropped all the way, which areas are likely to rebound the most?

Well, the bad news is that things are still tough all over. The good news is that it looks somewhat like we hit bottom and home values might be rising again. If you’ve spent any time at all looking at real estate web sites and all of the associated graphs, you probably noticed that the bottom of the trough is right about where it was in 2000. You’ll probably notice that the very last bit of the line points up from that low point. The actual numerical value seems to change by location, but all of the graphs we’ve seen do seem to agree on the trend.

According to AOL real estate, for Rio Vista CA that up tick represents a .03% increase in value from February to March 2010. No, not exactly Earth shattering, but radical upheaval isn’t what we want in home values. Steady growth in value is what we’re after, right?

What this means to you is that you can buy a beautifully appointed home at, say, Trilogy Rio Vista, right now for about what you would have paid way back in 2000. It also means that if you wait too much longer, that home will cost you significantly more when you do make the purchase. We don’t know about you, but we’d rather get the ideal home for less money now than wait and pay more for it.

And what you get for the price is amazing. Staying with Trilogy as the example, you’re buying into a complete 55+ active adult community with resort quality amenities for well below what you would probably expect to pay. Trilogy homes are beautiful inside and out, with a variety of models and styles that offer plenty of versatility, comfort, and style. Trilogy Rio Vista offers a wide variety of activities and planned trips along with a community center, exercise gym, pool and arts and crafts studio. The Vista Clubhouse is 27,000 square feet! There’s an indoor pool, lakes to stroll, golf and tennis to play, or clubs to join – so you can truly enjoy your retirement and not worry about your home retaining its value because you bought into a highly desirable community when prices were depressed. Check it out for yourself, talk to your realtor and make an appointment to see Trilogy at Rio Vista – you’ll be glad you did.

Active Adults Considering Las Vegas - No Personal Income Tax!

Retiring in Las Vegas?

As more of us are either turning, about to turn, or just starting to think that pretty soon we’re going to be turning 55, the question arises; so where should active adults such as ourselves retire?

Naturally, as the options get kicked around, we start to think about travel destinations we really enjoyed and might want to return to on a more permanent basis. One that came up recently began as kind of a joke – Las Vegas. After all, if what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, then wouldn’t it be cool to stay there too?

What’s funny about it is that Las Vegas actually is an attractive option for retirement after all. We even found a web site that lists the top 10 reasons to live in Las Vegas and discovered that some of them might be of particular interest to active adults.

Take, for example, the weather. Sure it gets hot in the desert, but it’s only really hot a few months of the year, and locals have discovered lots of easy ways to beat the heat. Lake Mead is close by, and air conditioning is standard on most cars and all new construction. In addition, even in summer, most mornings are rather temperate. Golf, tennis, etc. are still enjoyable options.

Of course, if you’re not as outdoorsy, there’s plenty of shopping, dining, and entertainment in Las Vegas. And if you’re concerned about cost of living amid all of these entertainment options, you should know that there’s no personal income tax in Nevada. Yes, we’re sure – we checked out the official City of LV web site. There are no city or state income taxes in Las Vegas (woo hoo).

Then again, maybe your idea of retirement is to finally stay home and cook. What better than to live in an oasis of home with the beauty of the desert as a backdrop? Shea Homes at Ardiente, an active adult community, features easy access to I-15, and the center of the strip/airport area. It’s also close to popular attractions such as Hoover Dam, Lake Mojave, Mt. Charleston, Red Rock Canyon, and Death Valley.

Ardiente is an affordable alternative for West Coast retirees with lots of amenities. The entire community is designed around knowing your neighbors and being active. Features include 30 fitness stations, six beautiful themed parks, a dog park, and a community center that feels like a country club. Nearby golf courses include Shadow Creek, Craig Ranch and Sunrise Vista.

Bay Area's Well Kept Secret - Active Adult Retirement Community

One of the major drawbacks cited by active adults looking to retire in the San Francisco Bay Area is the cost. Many people have opted for “second choice” retirement locations because they believe they simply can’t afford to retire in the Bay Area. However, if you haven’t yet opted out of your Bay Area retirement dreams, there’s a well-kept secret you should probably know about – it’s called Rio Vista, CA.

Located about an hour northeast of San Francisco, Rio Vista sits right on the Sacramento River Delta. According to various guide-books and web sites, Rio Vista is often described as a quaint, friendly, charming place that offers warm hospitality and a genuine small town feel. The waterway system makes for nice scenery and encourages water sports. The annual Bass Festival is a 3-day event in October that draws flocks of fishermen. Locke, the oldest surviving California town founded by Chinese immigrants, and the Dutra Dredging Museum are also nearby attractions. There are local restaurants to explore, there’s boating, fishing, hiking, golf, tennis and most of Northern California is relatively accessible from Rio Vista.

Active Adult Lifestyle

Napa, home of world famous California Wines is to the north. Right across the river, in Sacramento County is a lesser-known yet robust wine country. Family run wineries with names like Dancing Coyote, Six Hands, and Tierra del Rio Vineyards produce an eclectic mix of quality California Wines. Check out their web sites for tasting room locations and hours of operation.

http://www.dancingcoyotewines.com

http://www.sixhandswinery.com/index.html

Finally, what could seal the deal in making your Bay Area retirement dream a reality is Trilogy at Rio Vista. Trilogy is a planned active adult retirement community that features an excellent golf course and one of the most beautiful restaurants in Rio Vista, The Nines. http://www.ninesatriovista.com/nines_riovista/

Trilogy essentially offers beautiful gated, resort style living that is affordable and simply not available in San Francisco – yet is as close to the city as any of the “commuter towns” around the bay. If you really want to retire in the Bay Area, you should check out Trilogy at Rio Vista.

Your Active Adult Lifestyle in a Sunny City

As Active Adults nearing retirement age think about relocating to Active Adult Communities, a.k.a. retirement communities, it is not unusual for the states of California, Arizona and Florida to be considered.

What one thing do these states have in common? Lots of sunshine!

Active Adult Lifestyle

In a previous MyTrilogyLife.com post, writer Celine Todd addresses many questions that people have regarding staying healthy in a sunny community in her article "Here Comes the Sun. How Much is Too Much?”

Q: When do I need to protect myself from sun exposure?

A: Protection from sun exposure is important all year round, not just during the summer or at the beach. UV rays can cause skin damage during any season or temperature. Relatively speaking, the hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. during daylight savings time (9 a.m. - 3 p.m. during standard time) are the most hazardous for UV exposure in the continental United States. UV radiation is the greatest during the late spring and early summer in North America.
UV rays reach you on cloudy and hazy days, as well as bright and sunny days. They will also reflect off any surface like water, cement, sand, and snow.

Q: What exactly are "ultraviolet rays"?

A: Ultraviolet (UV) rays are a part of sunlight that is an invisible form of radiation. UV rays can penetrate and change the structure of skin cells. There are three types of UV rays: ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B (UVB), and ultraviolet C (UVC). UVA is the most abundant source of solar radiation at the earth's surface and penetrates beyond the top layer of human skin. Scientists believe that UVA radiation can cause damage to connective tissue and increase a person's risk for developing skin cancer. UVB rays are less abundant at the earth's surface than UVA because a significant portion of UVB rays is absorbed by the ozone layer. UVB rays penetrate less deeply into the skin than do UVA rays, but also can be damaging. UVC radiation is extremely hazardous to skin, but it is completely absorbed by the stratospheric ozone layer and does not reach the surface of the earth.

Other questions answered by Todd include:

• What is the UV Index?
• What does a suntan indicate? Why does the skin tan when exposed to the sun?
• Not everyone burns or tans in the same manner. Are there ways to classify different skin types?
• Does it matter what kind of sunscreen I use?
• What does a sunscreen's SPF rating mean?
• Do sunscreens need to be reapplied during the course of a day?
• Will a hat help protect my skin? Are there recommended styles for the best protection?
• Are sunglasses an important part of my sun protection plan?
• What type of sunglasses best protects my eyes from UV rays?
• Is there any particular time I should try to stay in the shade?
• I work outdoors all summer and can't stay in the shade. What can I do to protect my skin?
• If I stay in the shade, should I still use sunscreen and wear a hat?

When considering an Active Adult Community in a sunny city be sure to be up-to-date on your “Sun Know-How”.

To view the complete answers to the above sun-related question visit http://mytrilogylife.com/?section=sec-wellness&aid=17674&pagenum=1

Vistancia Voted Best By Ranking Arizona - New Homes

Active Adult New Homes

Vistancia, the 7,100-acre community, is located northwest of Lake Pleasant Parkway and Happy Valley Road in north Peoria, AZ.

“Three lifestyle villages here offer a diverse selection of homes and neighborhoods as well as many amenities to accommodate families, individuals, golfers and empty-nesters,” said Curt Smith, chief financial officer for Sunbelt Holdings, which is developing the community in partnership with Shea Homes.

The three lifestyle villages are:

• The family-friendly Vistancia Village with homes by five builders, an on-site lifestyle director and amenities highlighted by The Discovery Trail, a linear park connecting neighborhoods to the elementary school, the pools, gymnasium and event lawns at the Mountain Vista Club, and Foothills Center.
• Trilogy at Vistancia, a 1,000-acre, active adult resort-style community by Shea Homes, featuring a fully-equipped fitness center; the Alvea Spa, a full-service day spa with massage and a full menu of treatments; swimming pools; Trilogy Golf Club at Vistancia and the Verde Grill restaurant.
• Blackstone at Vistancia, a 590-acre private, gated country club offering custom home sites and luxury homes by three respected builders, the 30,000-square-foot Hacienda clubhouse and the award-winning Jim Engh-designed Blackstone golf course.

The six-year-old community currently has a population of more than 6,000 residents and its own retail center, Vistancia Marketplace, anchored by a large grocery chain store with a variety of service-oriented businesses. At build out, Vistancia will have eight separate villages, each with its own amenities.

Active Adult Communities

Ranking Arizona is the largest business opinion poll in Arizona with participants voting on quality of product, service and customer satisfaction in more than 200 business and leisure categories.

Stay in a New Home on Your Vacation Days* Getaway to Victoria Gardens, Florida

Are you ready for a Vacation Days getaway with Trilogy at Victoria Gardens?

Active Adult Lifestyle

You can experience the Victoria Gardens lifestyle for 3 days and 2 nights starting at $69.00 (or $89.00 including golf)*.

Wow! What a deal!

The Vacation Days package is your chance to join the ranks of the fun and fabulous, first for a weekend, and maybe for a lot longer. The Vacation Days program at Victoria Gardens lets you come down and get a feel for what resort living is all about. Schedule your vacation visit and stay in a spectacular Victoria Gardens home, relax in our Resort Club, play a little golf at the nearby Victoria Hills Golf Club, or meet for drinks & dinner at Mulligan’s Tavern & Grille.

The Vacation Days experience includes:

• Unlimited access to the Victoria Gardens' recreational facilities
• Complimentary lunch for two at the Clubhouse Cafe
• A beautiful Victoria Gardens home
• Championship golf at the adjacent Victoria Park Golf Club

New Homes for Active Adults

While you are at Victoria Gardens, consider other ways to spend your day there:

• Wake up to yoga followed by coffee in the cafe.
• Challenge your partner to a tennis match on our professional courts
• Enjoy a casual lunch with friends followed by an afternoon lounging poolside
• Finish off your perfect day with a toast to the good life at the Club followed by a gourmet dinner at Mulligan’s Tavern & Grill.

Active Adult Communities

*Offer good for a limited time and is subject to availability. Participants will meet for a 90 min informational orientation with a community representative. Victoria Gardens is a community by Shea Homes, Inc., an independent member of the Shea family of companies. Homes at Victoria Gardens are intended for occupancy by at least one person 55 years of age or older, with certain exceptions for younger persons as provided by law and the governing covenants, conditions and restrictions. Models shown do not represent an indication of racial preference. Void where prohibited. This is not an offer of real estate for sale, nor a solicitation of an offer to buy, to residents of any state or province in which registration and other legal requirements have not been fulfilled. Prices subject to change without notice. Cancellation refunds will be honored up to 24 hours prior to a scheduled stay. Travel expenses are not included in this offer and are the responsibility of the guest.

La Casa Debuts Today in the Active Adult Community of Encanterra

Encanterra, an Active Adult Community by Trilogy, debuts its massive $25 million La Casa clubhouse in San Tan Valley today, February 13th.

For one day only (today) the general public is welcome to visit!

It's here that all residents will pick up mail, grab coffee, mingle with neighbors, enjoy workouts and dine.

You will find a pool-side bar and grill, an Internet cafe, a full-service spa and a gym where fitness buffs can plug their iPods into their treadmills. You will also find a business center next to residents' mailboxes where you can ship packages or use a copy machine.

It's a luxurious amenity for active adults who purchase their new homes here.

New Homes for Active Adults

The design of La Casa is meant to invoke a historical, comfortable, Spanish-style ranch home - hence the Spanish name, which means "the house." It's built on a residential scale - albeit one that stretches for 47,000 square feet - to give members dozens of cozy spaces to experience.

There are a dedicated lawn and studio for fitness classes, an oversize kitchen/family room for parties and cooking demonstrations, and four restaurants.

It has 13,000 feet of outdoor patio space for dining and events, which also helps accommodate bigger crowds during the busier winter months. Those spots include outdoor dining niches with fireplaces for small gatherings.

It overlooks a private Tom Lehman-designed golf course. The clubhouse has the Mallorca events center for weddings and banquets.

Like many other areas in La Casa, the Grand Living Room features 10-foot-tall folding glass doors that can be fully retracted to erase boundaries between the interior rooms and the patios with their wicker furniture.

The clubhouse is designed as a gathering place that's grand yet comfortable, comprehensive but not institutional, Old World Mediterranean but with a contemporary vibe. In short: new resort, not old retirement.

To learn more about buying a new home in the Active Adult Community at Encanterra visit www.TrilogyLife.com.

Activities Abound at Trilogy at Rio Vista, CA

Trilogy at Rio Vista events keep you active everyday!

By owning a new home at Rio Vista you become part of a community that cares about your wellbeing. Here is a snapshot of some activities at Rio Vista -

Upcoming no-cost events include:

• Blood pressure checks by a registered nurse,



• “Open Mic” opportunities to share your natural talents,



• Scuba lessons – gear and short video provided,



• Microsoft Word (beginner’s class),



• A class on “How To Find Travel Destinations”,



• Basic Computer Level 2 class,



• AARP Refresher Driving Course,



• A farmer’s market,



• The Dan Crary - Steel String Guitar concert,



• Tarabinis Classical Jazz, and



• Wine, Music, Spa Products & Jewelry events & more!
  

And this is only a sample of what Rio Vista has to offer its residents. No wonder Rio Vista residents love it there!

If you are interested in a new home at Rio Vista in California, feel free to contact the wonderful staff at:

Trilogy at Rio Vista

1200 Clubhouse Drive

Rio Vista, CA 94571

Toll-Free: (866) 505-0426

Fax: (707) 374-1124

Adult Retirement Community - Not Just the Active Seniors, Even Younger People Prefer Them Too

Many of retired people have these days decided not to stay at the same places where they have reared their children. They want to try out better and newer ways things and engage themselves in hobbies they could never pursue because of work pressure.

In fact, they want to do something totally different - go fishing, boating, and swimming or just ambling through manicured golf courses to enjoy life all over again. And they are no singular entities that seek such simple novelties in life - more than seventy-five million retirees are doing this in the United States today. And thus, an active living retirement community is what they look for.

However, a thorough research needs to be done before the things can fall in place. Firstly, you should make up your mind. What kind of location would suit best? To begin with, you have to determine whether you want to move in to a state where the climate is good, or live nearby your loved ones.

With or without the sunny climate, Florida may fail to attract most of the seniors. Living right in your own state has plenty of benefits, and thus this is what many seniors opt for. But it may still be useful to search the Internet to find the various options that are located all over the country. You will find such communities abound in most states - there could be one too many in one's home state as well.

In the initial days, active adult retirement community members used to take care of the services offered to the new members and look after their demands. But currently, the real estate developers have engaged themselves in these duties and customs. Both the members and the communities have been benefited by this new trend. Often the retired members face an economic crunch and this can be sorted out by the real estate developers, who have a lot of funds available. Utilizing the fund in a mutually beneficial way can be a smart way to do business for both the parties.

Instead of going on with the gut feeling, any decision should be taken after serious thoughts. As for instance, a retiree on a limited budget should not select a golf condo, whose price is way above the average, even if the game is dear to the heart. Compared to that, a community that is close to a waterfront is mostly within budget and can be a swimmer's delight.

Do not ignore the listed out points here when you are selecting your own active adult retirement community.

• Zeroing in on the site in sync with the personal preferences and financial capacity.

• A list of the requirements and the wishes associated with the area. Yes, the 'desires' can be done without, but not the 'essential things'.

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Article provided by Cole Hudson, of http://www.myactivecommunity.com

Article Source: Cole_R_Hudson

Is Good Health is a Stretch for Baby Boomers?

Stretching for baby boomers is a key link in maintaining a healthy body and maybe even a healthy outlook.

Do you find it harder and harder to turn in your driver's seat and check the traffic in the lane next to yours? Have you noticed how other people and perhaps you too, twist from the waist when they need to see something around them? Many people experience stress in their neck and shoulders which results in pain, stiffness, headaches, discomfort and definitely, rigidity. Try this experiment now: stand still with your arms at your sides and feet about shoulder width apart. Now, turn your head in an easy motion as far to the left as you can. Can you see the top of your left shoulder without moving your eyes? Slowly move your head to the other side. Can you see the top of your right shoulder and still keep your eyes pointed in the same direction as your nose? If you can turn your head far enough so that your nose lines up with the top of your shoulder, you are pretty flexible and congratulations.

Active Adult Lifestyles

For the rest of us, we will look at the single most important stretching procedure that we can do to make our lives easier. This is a stretch that we can do anywhere and almost anytime, but it is vital that we begin doing it at least once daily and more often would be best. As with all stretches for baby boomers, gentleness is a key. Do not force your neck to turn further than is comfortable. Never use your hands to force your head to turn further than you can turn it on its own. You should feel a stretch of the muscles down the side of your neck opposite from the direction you are facing.

Stand comfortably with your feet apart, hands at your sides and gently turn your head as far left as you can until you feel the stretch on the right side of your neck. Hold the position for 20 seconds. Move your head to the opposite side until you feel the stretch on the left side of your neck and hold for 20 seconds again. Lastly, bring your head back to center and fold it down toward your chest until you feel the back of your neck stretch for another 20 seconds. Repeat the process. Try and do this 2 - 3 times per day and within 2 weeks you will notice a remarkable difference in your rigidity.

Boomer Lifestyles

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Bob_Bannon is the author of the blog http://healthfullboomer.blogspot.com/2009/05/welcome.html and offers suggestions, links and research to encourage the boomer generation to live a life of freedom. He has authored two books and is currently committed to bringing health, at all levels, to his age group, the Baby Boomers. His blog site is full of tips and information about living a full, active and health-full life.