Go For It - Nov. 11 - Rancho

November 2011 GO FOR IT 1

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Grocery Outlet’s Semi-Annual Wine Sale

By Monica Ortiz Here at Grocery Outlet we’re getting ready for our semi-annual wine sale, from November 9th through November 13. All wines are 20% off. This is the perfect time to stock up for your holiday season; we’ll be featuring some great wines at bargain prices and now 20% less, wow! You won’t want to miss it.

We carry wines from all over the world like Australia, Chile, Argentina, Italy and France as well as domestics from your favorite places like Napa, Sonoma, the central coast, Mendocino, Amador county and more To help you select the right wine here is a list of wines that would pair best with your holiday dinner.

• Chardonnay—roasted turkey, seabass • Pinot Noir—dark turkey, turkey with gravy, baked ham • Pinot Girgio—honey ham, red meat, duck, smoked or grilled foods • Merlot—bbq duck, T-bone steak • Zinfandel—New York strip, ed meats, especially a juicy bbq steak, grilled and smoked foods • Cabernet Sauvignon—Filet Mignon • Syrah—Prime rib • Sherry/Port—Pumpkin pie

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We have over 200 happy members!

Don’t be left out — join today at Facebook.com/Rancho Cordova Grocery Outlet.

2801 Zinfandel Dr., Rancho Cordova, CA (916) 858-2801 www.groceryoutlet.com Mon–Sat: 8am–9pm • Sun: 8am–7pm

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Thanking a Veteran

By Bob Cox Hi dad. I heard the familiar sound of a cable clanging against a metal flagpole the other day and it reminded me of those blustery Saturday afternoons down at the boat docks in San Pedro. The scent of the salty ocean air hung heavy in the harbor as it blended with the pungent aroma from the canvas sails.

I know this may sound weird, but my fingers always smelled like barbequed hot dogs after a day at the docks.

Remember the cool picture in the diner of the river that looked and sounded like it was moving whenever it was lit up? How about the time we laughed hysterically at my best friend Vince when he was trying to be cool and then fell into the algae infested water we called the green glick! Kids, it’s never a good idea to have one foot on a boat and the other on a dock, unless of course you’re looking for an excuse to get wet or laughed at.

With Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving just around the corner, I thought that this would be a good time to bring the spirit of both holidays together by expressing my gratitude for all that you did for me and for our country. I hope I’ve thanked you enough for all the love and support you gave me unconditionally. You were a great dad and an excellent role model. I don’t believe I would have this

wonderful life filled with loving and amazing people had it not been for you. You were always there when I needed you most.

I know for certain that this blessed life I have would not be possible without the bravery and sacrifices of millions of American soldiers just like you who fought for our freedom. When you are born and raised with the freedom we all enjoy, it’s far too easy to take it for granted. I know I do.

Sometimes I wish I would’ve asked you more about your experiences during the war. What were you thinking after you heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor? What was it like going through basic training in the Marine Corp?

What islands did you fight on and which battle did you get shot in the leg? What was it like for you when your dad never came to visit you while you were lying in a San Diego hospital bed for a whole year?

When I think about all the tragedies and heartache you experienced before your 21st birthday, it’s sort of ironic that you weren’t legally old enough to drink your sorrows away.

Your mom died when you were six, you were separated by over 1,000 miles from your dad and sisters for eight years during the Great Depression, then when you were finally reunited with them in California at age 14, you found out that your dad was an angry and abusive alcoholic who constantly criticized you. Then of course there were the horrors of war you spent the rest of your life trying to forget about. On second thought, maybe it’s better that I didn’t grill you like a news reporter.

I suppose that’s why I’m still amazed at what a fine man and father you were. I’ve heard it said that it’s extremely common for boys to turn out to be like their fathers. Fortunately for me, that didn’t happen to you.

You managed to break the chain. While you fought for the freedom we all continue to enjoy, you also exercised the freedom to become the man you wanted to be. That was the best example you could’ve ever set.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 18 years since you took your last breath here on earth. I have so much to thank you for, it’s hard to know where to begin. Thank you for taking me to McDonalds and putting up with my special orders, which always seemed to take forever to get. Thanks for buying me my favorite plastic dinosaurs that day we went to Toy World. Thank you for not making a big deal out of me crying and wanting to leave my friends birthday party when I was five. Thank you for not dying when your doctor told you that you had 5-15 years to live and I was only nine. Mostly, thank you for giving me a better childhood and a better life than you had. Mom said that’s what you really wanted to do, so all I can say to that is mission accomplished.

Bob Cox is the founder and publisher of Go For It Magazine. He can be reached by phone at (916) 266-3115.

His email address is coxrobert@comcast.net. Go For It Magazine is owned and operated in Rancho Cordova, CA. Copyright © 2011.

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6 Months to a Beautiful Smile

By Dr. Andrade & Dr. Montalvo After

Before

Research shows that nearly 50% of people say a smile is the first feature they notice about someone. If you’ve ever thought about straightening your teeth, there are new advances in orthodontics that allows you to do so without showing any metal and to do it in only 6 months!

If you would like straighter teeth by the time you have your next cleaning, we can offer you short term orthodontics by Six Month Smiles.

Q: What is Six Month Smiles?

A: It is a cosmetically focused orthodontic treatment system that is performed in less than 9 months.

Q: How is Six Month Smiles different from traditional braces?

A: Six Month Smiles focuses on adults. It’s quicker, it shows no metal, its less expensive and most importantly, it focuses on the patient’s primary concern, fixing the front teeth.

Q: Why does comprehensive orthodontics normally take much longer?

A: Comprehensive orthodontics not only fixes the smile but also fixes the back teeth to fit into the ideal position.

It is the process of getting the bite and roots of teeth into ideal position and that takes years to accomplish.

Q: How long does it normally

take to complete Six Month Smiles?

A: The average length of treatment time is 6-8 months.

Q: How much does it cost?

A: It is less expensive than traditional braces, aligners or veneers.

Q: Who’s a candidate for Six Month Smiles?

A: Nearly every adult.

Dr. Andrade and Dr. Montalvo are now scheduling appointments for Six Month Smiles consultations. Visit our office to make your FREE consultation and see if you are a candidate.

Patient with clear braces.

Dynamic Dental

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Dr. Andrade and Dr. Montalvo with son Noah and daughter Ella Luz.

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Horn Rd.

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Tues, Thurs & Fri: 7-5 Wed & Sat: 9-5 Hablamos Español

Emergencies & Walk-Ins Welcomed!

Exam, X-Rays and Basic Cleaning (Reg $230)

Not valid with any other offer. Expires 12/31/11.

FREE

6 Month Smiles Consultation ($150 Value) Not valid with any other offer. Expires 12/31/11.

Five Fabulous Fall Beauty Ideas

By Melissa Langley

1

Fall colors inspire warm tones. Ask your Aveda stylist if your color complexion calls for any red, violet or copper tones in your hair. A focus foil service should achieve that extra fall warmth.

2 3

Choose a berry colored lipstick to match this fall’s color trend.

Rain and humidity causes frizziness in your hair.

Ask your Aveda advisor which anti-smoothing product would best fit your hair needs.

4

Braids are in this season. Do a loose braid in your bangs or hairline area. Pin it into a lower side ponytail with loose curls.

5

Have your Aveda advisor do a make up touch up.

Ask to see if any bronze or rosy toned blushes compliment your complexion...a beautiful cheekbone will sure brighten that winter gloom.

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The Best Gift is Under the Gifts Beautiful & Affordable Floors by Ralph Opfer Floors

By Bob Cox With the company called With Thanksgiving and Ralph Opfer Floors, you may be Christmas just around the wondering how a woman named corner, how great would it be Lynn became the owner. To make to replace those old, outdated a long story short, Lynn acquired and worn out floors with brand the business from her father, who new flooring before you serve happens to be Ralph Opfer. Ralph that delicious turkey with all started the business over 30 years the trimmings? You may be ago and built a reputation for thinking that there’s not enough being a bargain hunter. When time to get it all done in time the time came for him to retire, before your guests arrive. Well, he passed his business along to think again, because I have the capable hands of his daughter some great news. We have a Lynn, who faithfully worked by flooring company right here in his side for several years, soaked Sacramento who specializes in up everything he knew about the fast turnaround times, quality business and the rest is history. workmanship and all at bargain Actually, it’s actually her-story, so prices! The name of this business Lynn Lawson (right), the owner of Ralph Opfer Floors truly cares about helping without further ado, I’ll let Lynn is Ralph Opfer Floors. tell you her story.

How do I know this to be her customers get exactly what they want. true? Because I was able to get Q: A lot of your customers have been amazed at how fast the beautiful laminate flooring I wanted for my home delivered you can get their floors done without sacrificing quality. How on the same day and it just doesn’t get any faster than that! Best are you able to get jobs done so quickly? of all, I was able to work with Lynn Lawson, the owner herself and A: I have a lot of installers who are experienced and can get she hooked me up with a killer deal on everything I needed at a the job done quickly. Of course, the only question that comes price that so was ridiculously low, I’m almost embarrassed to tell into play that could slow things down is if the customer picks out anyone. So, let’s just keep it our little secret that I got the flooring, flooring that’s hard to get. We do have lots of suppliers that are the pad and baseboards for $1,000! local, so we can get product right away.

Q: If your customer picks flooring that you can get from a local supplier, how quickly can you get it?

A: Oftentimes, we can get the flooring delivered to us on the same day.

Q: How long does it usually take to complete a job, once the customer has picked out the floor and the measurements have been taken?

A: Depending on what it is and how much it is, we can get a job done in a couple of days to a week.

Q: What do your customers like most about working with you?

A: I think it is the fact that I spend the time to listen to what they want and then I will try my best to get them exactly what they are looking for. It feels like we’ve been friends forever most of the time.

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Q: I’ve heard stories about how you sold floors that are less expensive then what your customers originally wanted.

Is that really true?

A: After finding out the customer’s needs and exactly what they want, if a less expensive floor would be a better value for them, then I will always recommend the floor that is the best value for what they have to work with.

Q: Do you believe that honesty is really the best policy?

A: Yes. I just like to be honest with what I tell people. I don’t want to be like the stereotypical used car salesperson and try to get them to buy something because I want the sale. I try to personalize it make everybody happy. Of course I want the sale, but that’s not the whole purpose of me doing things. I like to make people happy with their decisions and make sure what they buy is what they want and not what I want them to buy. So that’s a big part of it. There are a lot of places that will sell you flooring just to get the sale and not really care where you’re coming from or what your budget is. They just want the sale and I’m not like that. I like to sleep with a clear conscience knowing I put the customer first.

Q: Doesn’t it take a lot more time to really get to know your customers and find out what they want?

A: Yes, most definitely.

Q: The company you own is called Ralph Opfer Floors, which was named after your father who founded the business.

When did your dad get started in the flooring industry?

A: Dad started selling and installing laminate floors in the 1970’s. Before that, he was a real estate broker and a handyman.

Dad bought and sold houses and refurbished rentals. When Pergo came into the country in the late 1970’s, he talked the local hardware store into letting him have a space in the corner of the store. Dad sold and installed Pergo out of the hardware store for many years. After moving up to Northern California he became known as “the bargain hunter,” to all his suppliers. He would buy all of their closeouts so he would have deals to extend to his customers. With a warehouse full of inventory, you could always come to Ralph Opfer Flooring to find a bargain.

A: The personal attention you get when you come here. When someone comes in looking for flooring, I try to ask as many questions as I can to try to get an idea of what it is they are looking for. I go to quite a few lengths to actually find what people want. I will have customers come in with a piece of wood from an existing floor and they don’t know what it is, but they need more of it. I’ll spend the time researching it and trying to find it, so I can help them get what they want. So yeah, it’s the personal attention… I try to be very honest with people about quality and pricing. I’m also kind of a bargain hunter. I’ll look for specials when people have a certain budget. A lot of times, the budgets won’t fit into what they actually want in their house, so that’s where those special items come into play. You can get some really nice products at lower prices, but it takes time to search for those things. I’ll go to bat for them and try to find what they want in a price range they can afford. We carry every type of flooring you would need, including laminate, hardwood, carpet, tile, and vinyl. I also have a lot of stock in my warehouse of special purchases I’ve made, so customers can come in, pick flooring and leave with it. Cash and carry!

Q: Speaking of deals, do you have any great deals on popular flooring?

A: Yes, we have a big sale on self locking engineered hardwood flooring for $1.99 sq ft. I have over 18,000 sq ft in stock. As well as ½” x 5” hand-scraped engineered birch for $2.99 sq ft.

Q: Would you say your dad is proud of you?

A: Oh, I would say yes definitely. I would hope so. I think he’s very happy that all of his hard work raising me has paid off! Like father like daughter!

Editor’s notes: For more information about Ralph Opfer Floors, visit their website at www.ralphopferfloors.com, their showroom at 10265 Old Placerville Road #14 in Sacramento or call (916) 366-1672.

Q: How did you get involved in the business?

A: I got married and moved up here in 1979 and three of my siblings did as well, so 4 out of 7 children were up here in the Sacramento area. We finally talked my dad and my mom into moving up here. In 1999 my brother helped get the flooring business started up here. By 2002, the business had grown to the point where it needed an office manager and I was in a position to take that challenge on. I learned a lot from working side by side with my dad and brother.

Q: What makes Ralph Opfer Floors really special and unique that you won’t find in other flooring stores?

November 2011 GO FOR IT 9

We’ll go the extra mile to find the

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Overstock Blowout Sale!

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10 GO FOR IT November 2011

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Doing More with Less

Seems like we all have less time, energy and resources to accomplish an ever-growing and challenging list of items on our “to-do” lists. So how do we do more with less? By collaborating with others to the benefit of all. By looking for creative ways to accomplish multiple goals, we can each get more done faster, cheaper and generally have more fun in the process.

The old adage is “many hands make light work”. The Saturday Farmer’s Market at Sunrise Mall is a great example. There you will see vendors working with teens from the BeMoneySmartUSA rent-a-teen program. The Market has grown into a huge community asset thanks to the work of many... Visit www.BobsPocket.com for a calendar of local events**.

Be sure to check out the community effort behind building an ICE RINK in Rancho Cordova. It will bring a brand new dimension to living, working and playing in Rancho Cordova and will open Nov. 10. Visit www.RanchoCordovaIceRink.com for details and the calendar of special events. See you on the ice! ** On-line calendar including fund-raisers (post yours) brought to you by:

*Visit www.BobsPocket.com for Bob’s Blog & Bio.

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RC

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Winter Car Care Tips

#1

Take your car in for a tune up. If you haven’t taken your car to a shop for awhile, now is the time to do so. A tune-up will help keep your car running longer and may save you money by detecting problems early.

#2

Check your tires. On slippery or icy roads, your tires are extremely important to giving you stability and controlled handling. So, before the weather takes a turn for the worse, make sure to check your tires’ pressure and wear. You can place a penny on its edge in a tread groove to test your tires tread. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s hair, it’s time to replace your tires. Do this in several spots, because tires don’t always wear evenly.

#3

Check your fluid levels. Make sure you check that the transmission, brake, power steering and windshield washer fluids and coolants are filled to proper levels. You should use de-icer windshield washer fluid, which will help clear light ice and frost while preventing re-freezing.

#4

Make a winter emergency kit. In addition to the emergency road kit you should already have in your car, it is a good idea to have a special winter car kit. This kit should include things like cat litter or sand for tire traction on snow and ice, an ice scraper and de-icing liquid.

#5

Check your air filters. During the summer and fall, contaminants can get caught in your air filters and will eventually get caught inside your vehicle and cause problems. If you see any debris caught on the filter, it’s a good idea to replace the filter. * Resource: Vehicle Vibes by Allstate

WOW...Gold River Auto Repair is Now Open Until 10:00 p.m.!* Q: You’ve recently expanded your business hours from 7:30 am until 10:00 pm Monday through Friday. Why did you decide to do this?

A: We’re restructuring our business model to cater to the soccer moms, the working families who work 8-5 Monday through Friday and can’t come in Saturday because the kids have a soccer game or little league on Saturday. So, we’re trying to make it easier for people to shop by offering more convenient hours.

We’re also helping people who want faster service. For example, if you have a problem and need it fixed by tomorrow, you can drop the car off this evening after you get off work and get the problem fixed and pick it up by 7:30 the next morning before work. We want to appeal to the busy working person or family.

We’re also catering towards business owners. We want to be the local family and business shop.

Q: Will you have to charge more for being open longer hours?

A: No. In today’s economy, it’s made it more affordable for us to have a quality staff after hours. There’s so many people looking for work, service technicians are more willing to be flexible.

Q: Are you offering the same wide range of services at night?

A: Everything except smog. We won’t have a smog technician at night. The biggest challenge will be gathering parts because a lot of parts shops are closed.

That’s why we have been encouraging our customers to call ahead or bring your vehicle in today to get inspected and schedule for drop off the next day. That way, we’ll have all the parts ready to go.

Q: Are you offering any financial incentives for people to bring their cars into your shop?

A: Yes, bring this ad in from Go For It Magazine and get 10% off your parts bill.

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The Top Four Kitchen Cleaning Tips

#1

To remove tough and sticky caked-on food in microwaves, boil a cup of water, use the steam to loosen all food particles, then wipe clean.

#2

To clean and remove bacteria from cutting boards, put rock salt and a little water on it, let it sit for 20 minutes, scrub and rinse off.

#3

From the owners of E-Z Living Cleaning: Kristy Skondras and Annette Arent.

For tough stains in porcelain sinks, place a paper towel with bleach in the sink, let it sit for 5 minutes to remove those unwanted stains.

#4

To have your kitchen smelling fresh, light a vanilla candle.

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14 GO FOR IT November 2011

Military, Disabled & Seniors Every Day!

Q&A

With Joel Perez Q: What are some of the biggest challenges facing buyers and sellers in the real estate market these days?

A: Well, I think the biggest challenge for buyers now, especially first time buyers is to understand the process of short sales and realizing that it takes time to negotiate these short sales. They also need to understand the difference between a short sale and a foreclosure. On the seller’s side, they need to understand that the majority of the inventory is foreclosures and short sales, and that is the competition. The key to selling is pricing your property appropriately with regard to the competition.

Q: What’s the best advice you can give to people who are buying a property?

A: They should get pre-approved with a lender. After that, they should get together with a real estate consultant that really understands the market and understands the inventory that’s out there. A good agent will give them a clear and concise explanation about the different types of properties that are out there for sale and explain the most common scenario’s, including foreclosures, short sales and standard equity sales.

Q: What advice do you offer people who are selling and want to maximize the value of their property?

A: The best advice I can give to anyone that’s trying to sell their property is to understand what determines pricing and to price your property appropriately by taking a look at the competition.

Also, sprucing up your property to make it more appealing can help. That could be something like doing some simple landscaping out front and doing some light touchups on the interior as well.

I would never encourage somebody to do a total kitchen remodel when they’re trying to sell their property. I would suggest doing a light touchup before putting their home on the market.

Q: What should buyers and sellers look for when hiring a real estate agent?

A: Given the real estate environment, it really benefits one to hire a real estate consultant who really understands the market, both the listing and the buying side. I’ve been in the market long enough to understand that the market is changing, so I know both the listing and the buying side.

I also understand what you have to do in order to sell your property, whether it’s a short sale or a standard equity sale. With my clients who are buying property, I take the time to explain the difference between a short sale, a foreclosure and what to expect when you’ve put in an offer on a distressed property.

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