Reuse. Rehabilitate. Restore. Architectural salvage and repurposed pieces for the home.
Shopbcue has launched! Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment, a local nonprofit that provides innovative environmental education programs throughout New York City, announced the news on Friday (or at least that’s when I got wind of it).
Shopbcue is not just another green shopping site. They link to sustainable stores and a percentage of sales helps fund public environmental programs in New York City.
So far, vendors include Vivavi, Design Public , Viva Terra and Ebay, among others.
Justin at Materialicio.us is good. I believe he was the first one to catch the new Green MLS. At least that’s where I saw it. Listed Green is the MLS for green, sustainable, energy efficient homes and developments worldwide. They screen the listings before they are placed on the website to assure the dwellings are indeed green and not just fake green. You know what I mean. Currently, there are only 2 listings in New York.
We’ve all seen them. Some of us have been unable to resist taking them in. My friend SS was one of those compassionate suckers. She and her tenant took in 7 kittens, all with bad eye infections and a few of them already blind. They’re nursing them back to health, but obviously cannot keep all of them. They would like to place them in wonderful homes. The above photo is the best one she was able to capture (I’ll leave my photo critique out). I’ll have her leave contact info in the comments and/or on the forum.
It prompted me to write this post because it breaks my heart that I can’t take in each and every stray I see in Bed Stuy. We ended up with 2 new cats since buying that house, bringing our total up to 6. There are so many on the streets there, eating from the garbage, getting hit by cars and getting diseases.
If you have feral cats living in your backyard, there are some things you can do even if you cannot house them. The city has a number of animal rescue programs which help folks trap, spay and/or neuter wild cats and release them back to the streets. They won’t have a home, but at least it will stop them from reproducing.
Please see the links below for workshops on trapping, low cost spay/neuter, private rescuers and no kill shelters.
And check out this poor bastard’s blog. Little does he know he’s going to get attached and keep every one of those cats. Sucka!
Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals
Pet Finder
Muffin’s Pet Connection
NYC Feral Cat
BARC
Slope Street Cats
It IS The Bronx!
I’m not too familiar with The Bronx. Now you know why you see so many Brooklyn posts. I have to admit, until recently, I wasn’t sure if Riverdale was part of The Bronx or Westchester. Apparently, I’m not the only one.
Soooo, I asked a friend who lived in Riverdale for years. Here’s what she had to say:
Riverdale still feels like NYC’s best kept secret. It’s still pretty much undiscovered. The prices are much lower than parts of other boroughs.
It’s green, clean and safe.
There is a diverse community with a fine selection of ethnic restaurants to show for it.
Great location for getting into or out of the city. The 1 or 9 line runs to 242nd Street. You can walk “up the hill” from Kingsbridge or take a city bus. Alternatively, there is an express bus or Metro North.
It’s probably not the best area for young hipsters, as there isn’t too much night life. Many young families are moving/living there.
I know I can only get away with this meshugas because it’s Halloween. For the few of you out there who aren’t afraid to accept “the truth”, if you have unwanted spirits, read on….Continue reading DIY: How To Get Rid Of Ghosts
For me, there are two reasons to visit Hyde Park: the restaurants and the antiques.
The restaurants are CIA, the Culinary Institute of America. There are 5 restaurants on the campus and reservations are suggested for all but the Apple Pie Cafe. These places are worth the trip, even just for the day. I only like to eat, not cook, but CIA offers one day programs such as “An Indian Feast” and “Gluten Free Holiday Baking”.Continue reading Weekender: Hyde Park
The following is a simple way to repair hairline cracks. If your walls are badly damaged or need to be smoothed out completely, see the link below.
Tools and Materials:
Utility knife
Putty knives (3″-10″)
Spray bottle
Joint Compound
Mesh tape (if needed)
Structolite (if needed)
1. You have to make it worse before it gets better. Take your knife (or similar tool) and dig out the crack. You have to widen it enough (about 1/8″) so the compound will adhere to the interior wall, not just cover it like a band aid.
2. Get rid of loose dust with a brush or vacuum. Spray it down to dampen, not soak. Wipe the wall down. You only want the crack to be wet.
3. If there were no disasters, you’re ready for the joint compound. If the wall started crumbling alittle more than you wanted, you should fill the gaps with Structolite or use mesh tape before applying compound.
4. Fill the crevice with the compound. Smooth the surface with putty knife. Allow to dry.
5. Scrape down lumpy bits with putty knife. Apply second coat with wider (6″-10″) knife. “Feather” it out, meaning there’s more covering the crack, but you’re angling the blade to scrape down outer areas.
6. Let dry. Sand with fine grit drywall sponge. If it looks funky, it may need more compound. If not, you’re ready to prime and paint.
7. Make sure you use primer that’s for drywall or bare plaster.
I discovered this holiday appropriate house while cruising around Offbeat Homes. It’s set on 15 acres in Vermont and was built in 1997. Reading about the construction, I felt a bit guilty about ever complaining about my own renovations….“We were camping with a 1 1/2 year old not yet potty trained with cold weather coming fast. There were several 28 degree nights that month.” Gosh, I’ve had it so kushy, with my heating and luxury porta potty.
Sphere Cottage
SMEG, not sold in the US, as far as I know
Lucky you….our dishwasher died! It stopped working weeks ago, but we continue to use it. We’re getting some help from the dogs licking our plates clean. I wish I was joking.Continue reading Buying A Dishwasher
I’m always looking at inexpensive historic homes out in the middle of nowhere. I know that homes can be moved and I’ve often wondered if it’s cost prohibitive to move a house from North Carolina to NY, even if that house is free. I can’t imagine it’s cheap!
Plus, you have to buy land. Then there’s insurance, building the foundation, proper permits. It adds up.
Ah, but still….it’s something I wouldn’t mind looking into one day. Anyone know anything more about it?
Winter is coming! Ok, maybe not. But just in case, go ahead and check out the Energy Star website for some helpful tips on properly sealing up your home.
The site gives advice on insulation and heating, ducts and appliances. But here’s the fun part…you can do your own energy audit. You’ll need 12 months of utility bills, but once you put in a few hours finding those (I know I’m not the only one who doesn’t file), the quizzie itself takes about 5-10 minutes.
If you want to call in a pro for the audit, they list partners.
Related: Get tax credits for efficiency!
Who says all of your kitchen cabinets must match? Someone show me where that is written as law. Period homes didn’t have consistent Kraftmade or Ikea cabinets lined up neatly in a row. They had pieces of lovely one of a kind furnishings.
I must disclose one minor fact now. I have never been, nor will I ever be, a cook. I’m coming at this from the perspective of someone whose most important appliance is her microwave. Followed by the telephone if nothing is available to reheat. So, all I really want is for my kitchen to look bitchin’ cool.
Hoosiers, cupboards and vintage iceboxes can all be used as storage. Antique farm tables can make lovely countertops. Vintage cabinet doors seem to be easier to come by than full cabinets. If you’re handy, you can build the rest of the cabinet around the doors. If you’re lucky, they’ll fit your existing cabinetry (but chances are, they won’t).
You know where to look….antiques fairs and shops, Craigs, Ebay, salvage places. Keep in mind these old pieces can be repainted or stripped and embellished with vintage hardware.
Dream Green Homes is fabulous site for anyone doing research on building their own green home. The site is laid out so even an A.D.D. person like myself can find their way around. It’s broken down into styles, materials and functions. House plans can be purchased in the store. I want the packaged earthship.
Kelly Hart, the site’s host, is also the guy behind Green Home Building. Very similar subject matter. Loads of info. Here, you can sign up for training programs and buy informative books.
Call me a cynical New Yorker, but it looks like these folks drank too much kool aid. I’m not used to seeing shiny happy people. I just wanna say….if they’re affiliated with some kind of cult, I am not aware of it.
