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Posts from January 2008

Preparing for Houseguests

Preparing for Houseguests published on 5 Comments on Preparing for Houseguests

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The in-laws are planning a visit over in June. Used to be just Mum and the 2 brothers. Now one of the brothers has an entire family, so we’ll have all of Dublin landing on our doorstep. Five months to plan for houseguests should be sufficient for anyone. But not us.

No matter where we live, we’re constantly in mid renovation. We only finish when it’s time to sell a house. Sometimes we’ll give a little extra push when we know we’re having guests. That’s when we actually realize that we don’t have furniture or dishes. Stuff like that.

We’ll start to post our “to do” list so we can be publicly shamed into following through with these things. You may ridicule us, mock us, tell us it ain’t never gonna happen by June. Or you can choose to encourage us. The choice is yours.Continue reading Preparing for Houseguests

Vintage Carrara Anyone?

Vintage Carrara Anyone? published on

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This was just posted on our forum yesterday. We’ll continue to post forum items on our main page until folks start to get comfortable using it.

If you have any questions, best to call them directly. I was told the discoloration is just dirt.

“We have seven slabs of White Carrara marble that were used for various projects 30 years ago have been stored outside since. Will sell at a large discount off retail ($50-60 sq foot). The slabs are odd sizes that you can have fabricated and polished for table tops, dresser tops, vanities, etc. Will sell for approx $20 sq foot … or less (very negotiable) based on the dimensions that you need. Contact Dianne at 347 482-7042. If you have questions about fabrication, cutting or polishing, please call Statewide Granite and Marble (201) 653-1700.”

Etsy Find: Neil Collins

Etsy Find: Neil Collins published on

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Neil Collins had me at the mask. Very Darth Vader meets Hannial Lecter, no? The wall sculpture is made from an oil painted antique gas mask with new nylon straps attached to the frame by steel rings. Rings are hand made from the metal of a football helmet face guard. The frame is welded steel painted in a pattern of alternating black and bare steel. Entire work, apart from glass, is sealed. $500.Continue reading Etsy Find: Neil Collins

Donate Your Hair

Donate Your Hair published on 1 Comment on Donate Your Hair

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Sites like Inhabitat wrote about this months ago, but I’m slow, what can I say?

From the Matter of Trust website: “The mission of Matter of Trust is to Link ideas, spark action and materialize sustainable systems. We like to mimick how Mother Nature integrates enduring cycles and provides access to necessities in abundance. “

Hair collects dirt and oil. Think about it. Don’t wash your hair for 3 days then think about it again. So, a sponge made out of hair used to clean up an oil spill makes sense.

Matter of Trust is asking for hair donations. They are really looking at businesses such as salons and pet groomers, but individuals are welcome to participate. Ever wish you could do something with all of that cat hair you collect on your clothes? Well, now you can! Pet hair is not as efficient as human hair, but they accept it. So let your pets shed all over!

More Fun With Carbon Calculators

More Fun With Carbon Calculators published on 4 Comments on More Fun With Carbon Calculators

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On Friday we got tipped off to yet another fun carbon calculator. This test is brought to us by Earth Lab.

I took it. I’m embarrassed to tell you my score, but if you tell yours, I might share mine. See, here’s the flaw with these things…it’s multiple choice. They should allow you to explain your answers! For instance, we own a pick up truck, but that doesn’t get used unless we need to haul stuff. We also have an oversized house for just 2 people. These things ask how many people live there, but what about the pets? 6 cats and 2 dogs need space! What of the animals? Think about the animals!

I hate doing these things. It just makes me feel guilty. But you should do it. I want to see some scores worse than my own.

Suburban Pioneers?

Suburban Pioneers? published on

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Our $385k house

Hey, don’t look at me. I didn’t say it. The NY Post did. As if this is news all of the sudden that starving artists are leaving NYC for more affordable digs upstate.

“Meet the suburban pioneers – folks who’ve migrated to edgy, diverse towns in the Hudson Valley where you can nab a house for less than $350,000.” Pioneers? People lived here before we did. I hate that word “pioneer”! Edgy? Who wrote this? Someone living in the mid west? I’ll give you this….Beacon is edgier than…umm…..Marine Park.Continue reading Suburban Pioneers?

Affordable Housing @ NYC.Gov

Affordable Housing @ NYC.Gov published on

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I was on the city’s site the other day for one reason or another. It’s a great resource that I never took advantage of. Some of these things are pretty obvious, but there just might a helpful tip or two that you never knew about.

Check it out:

Apartment Hunting Tips : Finding an apartment, securing it and protecting your rights as a tenant.

Tenant’s Rights: Guidelines and legal help

Affordable Homeownership includes information on counseling, lotteries, down payment assistance and home improvement.

Repair and Maintenance for tenants and homeowners

Seniors and People with Disabilities

Help?

Help? published on 7 Comments on Help?

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I didn’t want to bring you down with our sad news, but 3 weeks ago, we lost our wonderful 12 year old Pit, Frida. I’m so not ready to “replace” her, but our 3 year old, Lola looks like she’s in need of a companion. So I started looking. And I found this on Craigs. Oy.

I’ve been in contact with the woman who brought her to the shelter. She is pulling her out and we agreed to have her meet our Lola. Now we find out the dog has kennel cough. The woman can’t keep the dog in her house since she has one of those mean yappy little mutts, so she’s keeping her in the office.

We would still like to take this dog if she gets along with Lola and our cats. Word is she’s a sweetheart, so we don’t think it will be a problem.

Anyone out there willing to foster a pup with kennel cough?

Oh, and she might not be house trained.

UPDATE

Affordable NYC: Sheepshead Bay

Affordable NYC: Sheepshead Bay published on 1 Comment on Affordable NYC: Sheepshead Bay

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I didn’t grow up in an ultra cool brownstone neighborhood of Brooklyn. Being in Midwood, I was sort right in the center of the boro. When my friends and I weren’t running into Manhattan for our thrills, we sometimes hit Sheepshead Bay. Captain Walter’s was a decent bar, always followed by coffee at El Greco or some nasty shit at the not so fast Roll-n-Roaster. (Does anyone remember their late night commercials?)

Sheepshead Bay did kind of fall apart in the 80’s. Lundy’s closed. Then reopened just in time for my high school reunion. Then closed again. Pip’s Comedy Club is gone. But Sheepshead is being resurrected, as all NYC neighborhoods eventually are.Continue reading Affordable NYC: Sheepshead Bay

Jahn’s: Kickin’ it Old Skool

Jahn’s: Kickin’ it Old Skool published on 5 Comments on Jahn’s: Kickin’ it Old Skool

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This post is for my folks. They don’t read this blog because they have no interest in home renovation or NYC real estate for that matter. But they’ll get a kick out this.

When I was researching Sheepshead Bay, I came across this article on Gerritsen Beach. I haven’t thought about Jahn’s ice cream parlor in about 20 years, but reading it brought back some memories. Actually, it was the mention of the “Kitchen Sink Sundae” that triggered my fondest memories.

At one time, Jahn’s could be found in locations around Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island and New Jersey. The Richmond Hill shop just closed in November, leaving one remaining Jahn’s in Jackson Heights. Worth the trip.

The antique fixtures were purchased by a Mid Westerner looking to restore his/her period ice cream parlor. So, not only is NYC losing it’s history. We’re losing it to the Mid West. Great.

Weekender: Windham, NY

Weekender: Windham, NY published on 3 Comments on Weekender: Windham, NY

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Like many of the other upper Catskill towns, Windham is strikingly beautiful. It’s all about the mountains. What sets Windham apart from Phoenicia or Athens is that it’s SERIOUSLY all about the mountains. Dude.

This is ski country. And Windham Mountain is not just for serious skiers. Awkward klutzes like myself can enjoy ice skating, snow tubing or snow boarding. Not that I’m not on my ass half the time doing those things, it’s just not as torturous as skiing. Anyway, in 2006, new owners, Windham Mountain Partners, invested over $5 million for new chair lifts, trails, the ice skating center and a restaurant.Continue reading Weekender: Windham, NY

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