THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Welcome to my weekly newsletter featuring a personal note on the ever-evolving world of real estate along with a few news-worthy updates. Enjoy!

the art of patisserie

I return to DC after a week and a half in Europe with my family. From London to Bordeaux, we ate fabulous food and, of course, drank some spectacular wine.

But in honor of something largely sidelined in my “regular” life, I focus this week on the art of patisserie - a staple in the lives of French people and an important daily tradition that is enjoyed, savored, and, like most things French, particular to each region.

In Bordeaux, the Canalé is, naturally, related to wine. Crispy on the outside and sweet and eggy on the inside, these “baby cakes” are found all over Bordeaux. Legend has it that the leftover egg yolks were given to nuns by winemakers who used egg whites to purify their wine. Considering ourselves canalé experts by the end of the week, we found the best ones at a small restaurant in St.-Émilion called Le Tertre.

Les dunes blanches come from Cap Ferret, a chic seaside escape for the Bordelaise where we spent a day boating, swimming and (again) eating great food. The dunes blanches are named after Europe’s largest sand dune, located in Arcachon. They are a more recent creation, devised by the son of pastry chef Pascal Lucas. Upon returning home in the wee hours from a party, the very hungry mixed the cream of one dessert and the leftover profiterole-like puffs of another, and the result became an immediate success. Now shops selling the dunes blanches exclusively are in Arcachon, Bordeaux and even Paris.

real estate & the news

• According to the World Values Survey from the Policy Institute at King’s College London, 84% of people in the UK trust their neighbours, the 4th-highest levels of trust in the world behind Norway, Sweden and Egypt. In the US, 72% of respondents said they trusted those living next door. (FT)

• Annual wage growth for so-called “job stayers” has eclipsed that of “job switchers” for the past 6 months according to data tracked by the Atlanta Fed. We've not seen this since 2008. Is A.I. impacting job opportunities and wages? Or is it a slowing economy? (CNBC)

• Sales of previously owned homes rose 2% in July compared with June to 4.01 million units, on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis. Housing analysts had been expecting a slight decline. Sales were 0.8% higher than July 2024. (NAR)

around dc

NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

ANNUAL FREE LABOR DAY SHOW

The National Symphony Orchestra’s free annual Labor Day weekend concert returns to the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol! Join us this year as Enrico Lopez-Yañez conducts the NSO and special guests at this family-friendly celebration—a Washington, D.C. tradition! This performance is free to attend, no tickets required. Seating is first-come, first served.  More details here.

Lee Arrowood

Principal, Arrowood Advisory at Compass

M: 202.251.3175

O: 202.448.9002

lee.arrowood@compass.com

+$173M Sold In 2023

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