Baby boomers, like other groups, need networks.  What kinds of networks?  Well,  consider the “Red Hat Society.”  No, I’m not talking about a network of Linux users.  It’s a network of women over the age of 55 who get together for fun and various activities. And networking, of course!

I remember seeing a bunch of women wearing purple and red, with red hats, in a restaurant.  That color combination doesn’t do a thing for me, but I was interested to see how much fun they were having (no drinking, as I could see).

As networks go, this one has been great for many women.

Tags: baby boomers, network, red hat society, women

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Donna Hull has my dream job. She gets to travel all over the U.S. and the world and she gets paid for it by writing articles about her travels. How cool!

Donna is a freelance travel writer who specializes in writing for Baby Boomers

Her blog, MyItchyTravelFeet (I love the title) details her recent trips, with interesting descriptions and great photos. She and her husband Alan don’t take the “roughing it” route- they go first class all the way.

If you’re interested in becoming a travel writer, you might want to take some tips from Donna.

Tags: baby boomers, Donna Hull, myitchytravelfeet, travel writing

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Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

Today’s home is a fantastic real estate value provided you are willing to make your way to Stillwater, Minnesota. The Real Estalker reports that Jessica Lange and Sam Shepard first put this home on the market in 2004 for $3.3 million. It seems that the couple became disenchanted with their sleepy tiny town when it became a bit yuppified. The home in question is a five-bedroom Victorian on 2.5 acres. It dates back to 1892 but has been given a very nice renovation in fact you might have seen it in the pages of Architectural Digest. The woodwork is in top shape and even though the style isn’t wildly exciting there are adorable touches like the dragonfly-tiled shower. The property includes a detached garage and a guest house that is located adjacent to the heated swimming pool. The land also is home to a small fruit orchard and ponds. The home is listed at $1.95 million.

For more prime properties and lush locations, see Luxury Homes and Mansions.

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Continue reading Jessica Lange and Sam Shepard in Stillwater, Estate of the Day

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Filed under: Small business

Like many others, a friend of mine is having troubles with her business. And, to keep going, she needs an infusion of capital. However, because of the credit crunch, she can’t get a loan.

So what are the alternatives? Well, she’s thinking of raising money from friends and family (F&F). In fact, she thinks she has the ability to get about $100,000 or so — which is enough for her current needs.

But, of course, she’s concerned about the process. What if she’s late paying back the loan? What if the economy suffers for a long period of time?

Well, here are some things to consider:

Act as if you’re preparing a pitch to a venture capitalist: No doubt, you can get into a lot of trouble if you get F&F funds on an informal basis. Simply put, you are vulnerable to misunderstandings.

Take Tony Seba, who started PrintNation.com. To launch the business, he raised $500,000 from his mom and brothers.

However, he pitched his deal in a professional way. For example, he put together a business plan and investor presentation (which took several months). He also assembled the necessary legal documents.

Be clear about the risks: For the most part, F&Fs are not likely to have much experience regarding early stage investments. As a result, you need to be frank about the dangers.

The failure rate for early stage businesses is high. And, even if there’s success, it can take quite a long time.

“Make sure that your investors can live without the money,” stated Janine Popick, the founder and CEO of VerticalResponse. “You don’t want to get a call a year later from an investor who needs the money back.”

And, Janine thinks it’s important to have skin in the game. “I invested my own money in VerticalResponse,” she said. “I also went without a salary for two years.”

Third Party Administrator: If you structure a loan, there are companies that can facilitate the process, such as Virgin Money. For example, such firms provide standard forms as well as repayment plans and reporting services to credit agencies (this can help build your business credit). Moreover, there will be eligibility for tax benefits (such as interest deductions).

Actually, the founder of Virgin Money, Asheesh Advani, has written a great book on the topic: Investors in Your Backyard: How to Raise Business Capital from the People You Know. It’s a tremendous resource for anyone who is thinking about raising capital from F&Fs.

Tom Taulli is the author of various books, including The Complete M&A Handbook and The Edgar On the internet Guide to Decoding Financial Statements. He also operates MergerBook.com.

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Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

Has someone finally picked up Villa Versailles? The over-the-top Malibu mansion which we featured as an estate of the day back in May, is now listed as having gone to contract.

From the NY Post’s Gimme Shelter:
–Two Trees Farm, the site of the Bridgehampton Polo Club has gone on the market for a whopping $95 million. The land is 115 acres, which has preliminary approval for 18 “estate parcels,” as well as two houses, an eight-unit apartment building, three barns, two indoor riding arenas, two polo fields, a pool and a tennis court.
–Natalie Portman has put her apartment, shown above, in Richard Meier’s transparent West Village tower at 165 Charles St. for $6.55 million. The listing for the three-bedroom pad is here.
–Mel B. (aka Melanie Brown or Scary Spice) is in negotiations to purchase a two-bedroom apartment with a $2 million price tag at Platinum, the almost finished Midtown condominium complex on Eighth Avenue and 46th Street.
–Heather Mills has just shut on a full-floor condo at the Richard Meier-designed 173 Perry St.
–Sports broadcaster Bob Costas has sold his Time Warner Center apartment in the south tower for $8.5 million.

From the LA Times Hot Property:
– Mark Peel, executive chef and owner of Campanile, has purchased a classic Mediterranean in Hancock Park that was listed for $3.1 million. Peel’s wife, comedian Daphne Brogdon, is host of Television Guide Channel’s weekly series “The Fashion Team.” She’s creator of CoolMom.com.
–Fashion designer Christian Audigier has bought a just-restored Spanish-style hacienda that had been listed for $2.15 million.
–Actress Luciana Paluzzi and Michael Solomon,former president of Warner Bros. International and co-founder of Telepictures Corp. have llisted their Beverly Hills home for $19.995 million. The 13,638-square-foot Spanish-style home was built in 1988. The property website is here.

From the Real Estalker:
–Perez Hilton recently showed off his apartment on MTV Cribs.
–Jessica Lange and Sam Shepard have put their home in Stillwater, Minnesota on the market for $1.95 million. It’s our estate of the day later this day.
–Film and TV composer Graeme Revell has listed his Malibu estate for $27.5 million. He and his wife Brenda bought the five acre estate in May of 2004 for $12 million. The listing is here.
–Rumor has it that Ed McMahon may have finally unloaded his home.
–via TMZ, real estate agent Josh Flagg who stars on Bravo’s Million-Dollar Listing Television show has been arrested for stealing valuable paintings from listed houses.
–Pete Wentz has put his Hollywood Hills home on the market for $1.799 million. The property website is here

From the NY Observer’s Manhattan Transfers:
–Grateful Dead bassist PhilLesh and his wife, Jillspeth, paid $1,775,000 earlier this month for a condo on Prince Street near Broadway.
–Three new costly rentals have hit the marketing charging $75,000 per month (nearly $1 million per year). At the Plaza, the founder of European operations for the clothing company Esprit, J

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