My favorite band in the whole wide world (Madness) is still going strong in Europe even though they’ve only had one big hit here in 1983. My goal is to single-handedly get them to play the US. The last time they were here was a good 10 years ago. Thankfully, my in-laws are in Dublin, so I try to coordinate visits with concerts.

Anyway, this is their latest single off the new album. PLEASE spread it around like it’s a virus. Let’s get these boys over here!

I should be displaying more real estate porn on this site as I’ve recently hooked up with a local Beacon broker to photograph a some of his listings. I shot the first home on Tuesday in East Fishkill and didn’t expect much. “East Fishkill?” thought I.

But when we drove up to the house on 2+ acres with a some woods and a stream out back it made me pine for a country house. This place is near 84 and The Taconic and less than 90 minutes from the city. It’s so serene and peaceful. Some wild turkeys were strolling around the property like they owned the joint. Pretty cool. Priced at $475k.

The house has wide plank floors, a wood stove and antique plumbing fixtures, but it’s totally restored.  See the dark paint in the living room? Chalk board. The garage currently acts as an impressive light filled artist studio.

Check out the Flickr shots. I don’t know if they’ve officially put it on the market yet, but if your interested in seeing it, contact Peggy at JonCar Realty. 845-546-2614

Brooklyn Blogfest 2009 from Blue Barn Pictures, Inc on Vimeo.

The Brooklyn Blogfest is next week! You needn’t be a blogger and you don’t have to be from Brooklyn to attend. 2009 marks the 4th annual celebration of blogging created by Louise Crawford of Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn. This year’s event is dedicated to Gowanus Lounge founder, Robert Guskind, who passed earlier this year.

Apart from networking, eating and drinking, there will be an actual program. There’s a “Why we blog” panel, a “Birds of a feather” theme breakdown (I’m co-hosting “Food and Home” with “Eat It“), a shout out to new bloggers, a video montage of photos, raffles and more.

Brooklyn Blogfest 2009 will be held at the Powerhouse Arena in Dumbo followed by an after party at Galapagos. Doors open at 7pm. Pre-registration is suggested.

Hope to see you there!

Have you seen this NY Times clip of a 1982 documentary on graffiti, rap and break-dancing? I loved the city back then! Yeah, you can say I’m just a nostalgic chick, but I don’t get sentimental about the 90’s, so there.

Graffiti was more than just tags back then. It was an art form. Can you look at those old trains and say there’s no beauty to them? That it’s pure vandalism?

I’ll admit, boom boxes were annoying. I recently saw a near fight break out on a train when a skinny hippy 20 something asked some guy to lower his iPod because it was bothering people next to him. I thought “Good thing this kid wasn’t around when people REALLY blasted their music. ” Come on, an iPod? Really? How intolerant can you be?

Anyway, here’s a mini quiz on some famous New Yorkers of that era.

1. Who is Trisha Meili?

2. What is Dorian’s bar famous for?

3. What famous New Yorker died on February 22, 1987?

4. In the mid-late 80’s NYC was home to a graffiti museum. Which neighborhood was that in?

5. The Pop Shop. Who Dat?

6. What Brooklyn high school did Basquiat attend? (hint: I went there too)

7. Who is Adam Purple?

8. Which celebrity had a popcorn shop on W. 8th Street in the late 70’s?

Hello. My name is Phyllis and I am a home improvement junkie. I have been one for the past 15 years. My husband is my enabler but I believe he leans towards addictive tendencies himself.

There was a great article in The Times on Friday about the history of a house. It shed light upon my own situation. I now understand why I do the things I do and I know I’m not alone. The saga of the author’s Bed Stuy home is fascinating. The house went from sheltering Hugo Tollner of the Gage & Tollner family to becoming crack den.  “We buy a house believing it’s ours, but in fact it’s an ever-shifting palimpsest and we are merely the latest to write over it.”

My weakness? I look at a sad old decrepit house, with chippy paint and overgrown weeds and I want to resurrect her. I want to know her history and how she ended up so lonely and forgotten, even while people are living within her walls. The chase is always more exciting than the catch, though. Once she’s back on her feet, it’s time to move on.

Is the home a living entity? No, come on, I’m not that nuts! But I do pick up vibes. Call it ghosts of inhabitants past or ambiance, but I do believe that there’s karma in them walls. Think about it. Each of us leave traces of our energy behind.

Is that why I’m addicted? Am I being possessed? Or am I a closeted history buff? I’ve always thought of rejuvenating old houses as a major creative outlet, but maybe there’s something more to it. In any case, with housing and the economy the way it is, I’m gonna have to go cold turkey on this addiction.

I’m taking a double space at the Ft Greene Brooklyn Flea this weekend. I’ve been collecting furniture faster than I can sell it and I’ve gotta move it along. Need to shed some of those larger pieces, man. Anyway, I’ll be in the double wide space W3. Come visit! Make an offer on anything. I’m easy!

This chair had what looked like a pillow case covering the seat. I prettied it up with some matte black paint and new upholstery. Problem is, I’m not the best reuphosterer in the world. But ya gotta love those “hide the flaws” tacks! $175.

Lovely double Jenny Lind spindle bed. Comes with unoriginal metal rails. Lucky for me, I didn’t have to do anything to this bed. It looks perfect as is. $225.

I cleaned out a Park Avenue apartment during the week. The woman had been there for over 40 years until she decided to move back to Italy. She had some Spanish and Italian antiques that I’ll have to price out. I got this set of 2 mid century German nesting tables. $150 pair.

This lovely enamel top table measures 39.5″ x 24.5″ closed and opens up another 20″. That’s right. I took a picture of it in my van. And I call myself a professional photographer. $150.

Our “pet den” futon is being chewed up by Greta the Cute But Evil Dog. Her partner in crime, Lola What Did I Do?, likes to rip the covers to shreds. We stopped using nice futon covers years ago when we had Frida the Wonderful But Incontinent Pit. We just threw fitted bed sheets over the mattress.

But alas, the material could never hold up against our dogs and we found ourselves going through 2 sheets per week. Well, not really. We just left the shredded sheets on the futon so you could see the filthy, filthy mattress underneath.

“Someone must make pet proof bed sheets.” Said I. “We can’t be the only ones with this problem.”

Well, yes, it exists. I did find canvas mattress slipcovers online, ranging from $34-85. But I felt like I needed to design the cover myself with my pets in mind. Since I can’t even sew a button, I put a request on Etsy Alchemy to find someone to work with me. The first couple of quotes were more than the futon itself. I was starting to get discouraged until Christine of Pillow Throw Decor saved the day.

I informed Christine that my pets are lunatics and I’ll need extremely heavy duty material. She happened to have some recycled painters drop cloth on hand for the cover, which cost $80. She was also able to put together a canvas fitted top sheet for $20. The plaid wouldn’t have been my first choice, but a) It was the cheapest, b) I needed to go with the sturdiest material and c) It looks better than ripped sheets.

She gave me loops on the back as per my request, because the dogs always manage to pull the sheets off. This way I can secure it to the mattress with elastic or rope. Oh, and she even included a repair kit! Now that’s what I’m talking about!

So, what about the cats? Well, they just pee on everything. The new covers are pre-shrunk and washable.

**Photographer’s note: Please ignore the broken window blind, the dirt on the floor and the fact that I don’t have the patience to get a fitted bed sheet to fit.

$375k: St Albans, Queens

3BR, 2Bath single family. I’m not sure how I feel about Tudors. I do love the look of them from the outside, but they tend to be dark and cramped on the inside. Still, this house is adorable for under $400k in one of the boros. Have no idea about St. Albans. What’s the story with that neighborhood?

$420k: E Harlem, NYC

3BR, 2Bath condo. This new “luxury” apartment isn’t my taste, but it’s something you can move right into without doing any work. It’s a bright 1200 sq ft duplex in an older building.

But the real reason I chose this was because of the realtor….

What do you think? Nerdy cool or just nerdy? Sometimes it’s hard to figure out.

$449k: South Beach, Staten Island

4BR semi detached. Ok, so the house is fugly. It offers up a WT deck and pool. But I’m a sucker for staging. Check out the plastic slip cover couch below. They just sold me on this house. What? They didn’t stage it? Wow, impeccable taste! I’m impressed.

 $479k: Williamsbridge, Bronx

5BR, 2 Family brick. Open House this weekend. Looks like a nice house. Wood floors, original molding and doors. The kitchen can use an upgrade and maybe that nasty basement rug needs to go, but it seems like a swell house to me. Williamsbridge? Dunno nuthin about it.

$575k: Bed Stuy, Brooklyn

2 Family, 2312 sq ft brownstone. Bed Stuy is huge and there are less expensive places. This was my pick because it looks like it’s near the A train, although I don’t see an actual address listed. It’s not lacking in the detail department, but the garden and basement could use a good sprucing up.

I received an email from a Caroline Woolard and nosy little devil that I am, I clicked on a link within her signature. Well, I’m glad I did, because Caroline has an awesome new barter site in the works called OurGoods.

The work dress above, developed along with Jen Abrams, is the first project (soon to be one of hundreds) on OurGoods. Although I would die for this dress and shovel dog poo to obtain it, the truth is, with my work habits, I’d have the dress looking like drek in no time.

Caroline gave me the story on OurGoods.  So let’s just go to the cut and paste:

“OurGoods is a peer-to-peer online network that facilitates the barter of goods and services between artists. The site matches barter partners, provides accountability tools, and offers technical assistance resources to help artists complete their barters and their projects successfully.

OurGoods emerges in response to the current economic crisis. To some extent, the arts have always existed in a recession economy. Independent artists in particular are experts at making do with very limited resources. As it becomes clear that even those limited resources will be scarcer in the coming years, OurGoods enables us to leverage what we already do well in order to create a support system for ourselves.”

Moz Walks Off Meat Stinking Stage: Guardian UK

Former Astronaut on UFOs: CNN

Stephen Hawking’s Earth Quotes: Examiner

Earth Day Tips: Budget Artists

Earth Week Events: Treehugger

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