Carlsbad Real Estate News and Views: California: Encinitas: Encinitas Ranch

Here's the REAL scoop on living in Carlsbad ~ beaches, things to do, places to eat, community events, and of course neighborhoods, homes and the Carlsbad real estate market in general, including surrounding communities.

Flowers and Dessert in One Place in Encinitas - An Intriguing Combination

Flowers at The Flower Fields in CarlsbadI love desserts, at least most of them. Especially chocolate. I don't have much self-discipline in that arena, and now, combined with a fondness for gardening, it will be even harder to steer away from chocolate, and other desserts.

Residents of Encinitas and surrounding communities like Carlsbad and Cardiff-be-the-Sea now have a place they can indulge in their passion for gardening AND desserts. A unique combo, but it works...and very well.

Sunshine Gardens, on the edge of Encinitas Ranch, is well known throughout the area for a great selection of flowers and plants, and good pricing. [by the way the photo is NOT of Sunshine Gardens but of the Flower Fields in Carlsbad - I did not have a photo of the nursery to add but thought folks would enjoy this view as well ]. If you are a passionate gardener this is important since you probably buy in bulk and are always looking for a deal. And quality is critical so you don't waste money.

Sunshine Gardens was established in the 1970s and they have a fine reputation, for obvious reasons. Encinitas is known as a flower capital (e.g., Ecke Ranch, very close by, has an international reputation for poinsettias; Quail Botanical Gardens is 1/4 mile at most up the street from Sunshine gardens), and Sunshine Gardens is part of what makes this area so popular for flowers, and why so many gardeners stop by to shop, or simply to look. You can also visit their Elfin Valley Nursery in Elfin Forest, just beyond San Elijo Hills in San Marcos- it's out "in the country" so a very pleasant and beautiful drive as well.

Now to the desserts. In the Red Roof building is a terrific bakery/pastry shop, Elizabethan Desserts, starring Elizabeth Harris. She had only been in this venue for a month or two but her already well-established reputation (she was the pastry chef at Delicias in Rancho Santa Fe for 10 years) and her heaven-sent treats are gaining a wide following, including yours truly. I learned about the shop for a good friend who joined us for Easter Brunch at our house and shared the bounty from Elizabethan Desserts.

So, stop by sometime, buy some flowers for your garden and take home some treats - there is a terrific selection and you can't go wrong no matter what you buy. And Elizabeth's prices are amazing. Plus she will do catering as well. Flowers AND dessert in one place in Encinitas - what more do you need?!

If you are currently looking at Encinitas homes for sale, why not stop by to visit?

If I can provide other information about the area or the housing market, or you have any questions, please let me know.

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2 comments • Jeff Dowler ~ Carlsbad Real Estate ~ 760-840-1360 • April 23 2007 10:05AM

Encinitas Ranch - Upscale Encinitas, CA Neighborhood

 

Within the town of Encinitas (Virtual tour with music so turn up the sound) is the upscale community of Encinitas Ranch, a fairly new community in an area known as Ecke Ranch(part of the Ranch, a well-known and large poinsettia nursery, the world's largest poinsettia producer actually), located between the 5 (to the west) and El Camino Real (on the east), La Costa Avenue 1 mile away to the north, and Encinitas Boulevard about ½ mile to the south.

Part of the appeal of the Encinitas Ranch is the open use space, trails and attractive vistas of the area from its hilltop location.

Encinitas is located about 25 miles north of San Diego along the coast, and just south of Carlsbad.

 

 

 

Encinitas Ranch consists of over 500 homes in a number of neighborhoods, including Quail Ridge, Braemar, The Links, Quail Hollow, 37 Ranch Road, Mendocino, and Devonshire. The Ranch has been developed over  7 - 8 years and many homes offer views of the hills, the ocean, back country and the golf course.

As of February 12, 2007 there are 21 homes for sale, ranging in price from $875,000 to $2.15 million. Average market time for these homes is 68 days (range is 10 to 241 days, based on the current listing contract) and the average price is $1.285 million. The average home is 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths and offers 3,600 SF of living space.

 

A highlight of the area is the Encinitas Ranch Golf Course, an 18-hole championship golf course that opened in March of 1998. Many homes offer views of the course, which is public, and the course itself has some pretty nice views itself of the surrounding area. There is even a golf school here.

While the community itself is residential, you are close to tons of shopping, especially on El Camino Real, Encinitas Boulevard, and Leucadia. Encinitas Town Center offers a broad range of stores and eateries, including Target and Office Depot. Need everything for your home remodel? Then visit the nearby Home Depot, across El Camino from Encinitas Town Center. The Forum, in adjacent Carlsbad, offers upscale shopping and is just a short distance to the north at Calle Barcelona and El Camino Real.

If you are looking for things to do, other than golf, you can enjoy biking and walking the trails in Encinitas Ranch. The Quail Botanical Gardens are a wonderful place to enjoy year-round, with special lighting and events at holiday time. Encinitas Beaches are a short distance away, including Moonlight and Swami's (close to Cardiff) or you can enjoy two lagoons - Batiquitos, just north in Carlsbad, and San Elijo, bordering on Cardiff to the south.

 

If you are in a meditative mood, swing by the Self-Realization Center on the Coast Highway just south of town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Encinitas schools are very highly rated in California, and many choose to live here for that reason. San Dieguito Union School District which services students from Encinitas, as well as Solana Beach and Del Mar, and some nearby unincorporated area. There are 9 elementary schools in Encinitas along with several private schools.

Encinitas offers a number of restaurants to enjoy, most of which are in the town itself, along the Coast Highway, in the old beach community of Leucadia, and on EL Camino Real in one of the strip malls. Some of the popular places include Savory, Sage Grill, Meritage, Firefly Grill, and several of the Vigiliucci's family. Dining choices include Italian, Jamaican, Thai, Indian, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, California and more, in a range of styles from very casual, to family, to upscale.

For more information, visit the Encinitas website. There is also a visitors center on Encinitas Boulevard near the coast highway. Please also visit my information page for more details on things to do, shopping, beaches and more in the Encinitas area.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if I can provide any more information or answer your questions about Encinitas. And if you are relocating, check out Relocation A to Z. If you are a first time buyer there are some areas that are more affordable...so necessarily don't rule it out, especially if you are willing to consider a condo.

3 comments • Jeff Dowler ~ Carlsbad Real Estate ~ 760-840-1360 • February 12 2007 10:31PM