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Crown Heights House Tour This Weekend!

October 1, 2008 RH 1 Comment

This Saturday, October 4th, marks the second annual Crown Heights North House Tour!

The festivities begin with a Home Buyers and Finance Workshop from 9:30 – 10:30. A panel of experts will advise on topics ranging from first time home buying to predatory lending. There’s a kick off ceremony at 11:15 and then the tour begins at noon. Until 5pm. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. More info on the CHN website.

There are 10 homes on the tour this year. Beautiful restored period gems, dripping with Victorian detail. Several of the homes have completely new interiors, modern classics brought back from total decay.

I asked for the inside scoop from one of the organizers. Here’s what I got:

“We’ve got an authentic Tiffany Studio window (St. Bartholomew’s Church), we’ve got a gorgeous 1923 synagogue turned church, we have a museum dedicated to the legacy of the founder of the West Indian Day Parade. We also have an outdoor art exhibit in the community garden with the works of Thomas Cadet, a Haitian American artist.

Home wise – we have 2 houses recreated from top to bottom. One sleek modern townhouse with Carrarra marble kitchen, slate tiled bathrooms, and modern chrome and steel furnishings and trim. Another a former mansion, former school, former derelict wreck, now a 3 family modern home with an open floor plan, exposed brick feature walls, great bath and kitchen.

We’ve also got a couple of period perfect homes with really great woodwork. 3 of the homes have huge garden plots of 80 to 100 feet, and most homes have wonderful tales of hard work, stripping woodwork, contractors from hell and a couple with long family ties to the properties.

We’ve got the homes of 2 doctors, a lawyer, a biggie in the NY Obama campaign office, a cop, 2 real estate brokers, an opera singer, a math and history prof, 2 contractors,an architect, and just folks. We got it all – a gay couple, people with really cute kids, white people and black people.

Can’t show specific houses until after the tour. Pictures are allowed on the tour, unless specifically prohibited.”

Hey, if you’re counting “just folks” that adds up to more than 10 houses! But I get the point. It’s a well rounded house tour.

Wednesday Linkorama

October 1, 2008 RH

Hey kids! Ever wonder why my linkoramas are usually on Wednesdays? It’s due to my midweek slump, when I start to get bored and not much is going on….so I look elsewhere for inspiration. And that’s my fact of the day.

“Mobile Home” takes on new meaning: Dwell

Leed Platinum McMansion: Low Impact Living

Cutting Class in Paley Park: Materialicious

Where They Used To Drown Dogs: City Room

Recession Proof Yourself: Treehugger

Newman’s Own

September 30, 2008 RH 1 Comment

If Newman’s Own didn’t donate all their after tax profits to educational and charitable organizations, I’d still buy their products. Why? Well, they ain’t half bad! The ingredients are fairly natural and healthy and they taste good too. What’s not to like?

The Westport, CT foundation and Paul Newman have given more than $250 million to thousands of charities worldwide. The company motto is: “Shameless exploitation in pursuit of the Common Good.”

“Hole in the Wall Camps” was Paul Newman’s pet project. In 1988 he opened a camp for children with serious medical conditions. The Association of Hole in the Wall Camps soon expanded into a worldwide movement. Campers benefit from supportive physical, mental and spiritual programs and it’s all free of charge.

Go here to contribute cash and here to see the NY camp wish list. Or just buy some Newman’s Own tomato sauce and popcorn.

Palinistas in NYC? I’m Frightened. Mommy, Hold Me.

September 30, 2008 RH 18 Comments

I know the NY Post is a right wing rag, but now this is starting to scare me. Barack Obama’s 18 point lead in New York has dwindled down to just 5 points. And he’s dead even with women voters. This is New York! What the hell is going on? I thought it was smooth sailing what with the economy and all.

According the “Palinistas” article, the New York Young Republican Club topped 700 for the first time since the 1960s. The club has registered 47 new members (26 women) under the age of 35 since John McCain announced Palin as his running mate.

Just read these scary quotes. I can’t even construct a post. I’m too agitated.

Lynn Krogh, 27, president of the New York Young Republican Club: “It’s a great time to be a GOPer in NYC,” “We’re kicking butt, and it’s in large part because of Sarah Palin.”

Gail Allen, 30: “I was thinking, ‘Where’s Ronald Reagan when you need him? Who’s going to come in and give us the warm and fuzzy feeling?’

Yeah, Ronnie was so adorably cuddly when he was arming our terrorist buddies back in the day.

Zoa Martinez is voting Republican in part because she supports lower taxes: “I’m a good judge of character, and I believe Sarah Palin is real.”

First, Zoa, do you know anything about the tax thing? Secondly, you are wrong. You suck at judging character. Get your head out of your ass.

Jennifer Gallacher, when asked about the library censorship incident: “I’m not familiar with that. I read the papers every day, but that skipped over me somehow.”

Ah-huh. Yeah, I guess that wasn’t in the funnies.

Who ARE these women and why are they in my blue city?

There’s a Palinistas website, but no way in hell I’m linking to it.

Another Brooklyn Trivia Quiz

September 29, 2008 RH 3 Comments

I’m currently reading Marc Eliot’s “Song of Brooklyn, An Oral History of America’s Favorite Borough”. Here are some things I didn’t know. Did you? Answers will posted later. If I remember.

1. Legend has it that two would be celebrities encouraged Nathan Herdwerker to open his hot dog stand in Coney Island. (That would be Nathans). They were:

a. WC Fields and Lou Abbott
b. Jimmy Durante and Eddie Cantor
c. Groucho and Harpo Marx
d. Ed Sullivan and Jerry Lewis

2. Which young star was a Steeplechase stilt walker?

a. Patty Duke
b. Dean Martin
c. Sidney Portier
d. Cary Grant

3. Pips is:

a. The oldest continuously operating comedy club in the country.
b. A comedy club in Flatbush that has open and shut it’s doors 20 times since it opened.
c. A music venue in Sheepshead Bay.
d. The place where the Not Ready for Primetime Players started out.

4. The first major Brooklyn rapper was:

a. Biggie Smalls
b. Run DMC
c. Big Daddy Kane
d. Grandmaster Flash

5. Which of these people is NOT from Brooklyn.

a. Larry Davis
b. Larry Bud Melman
c. John Cusack
d. None of the above.

6. Mel Brooks grew up in Williamsburg. During his childhood, the rent on his apartment would’ve been:

a. $16 per month
b. $40 per month
c. $1 per week
d. $200 per month

7. Barbara Streisand and Neil Diamond were in the same class in which high school?

a. Midwood
b. Lincoln
c. Erasmus
d. Tilden

8. The 1991 Crown Heights race riots were sparked by an incident involving:

a. Rudy Giuliani
b. The NYPD
c. Yusef Hawkins
d. Gavin Cato

9. Author Sol Yurick wrote the book:

a. The Warriors
b. The Lords of Flatbush
c. It Happened in Brooklyn
d. Saturday Night Fever

10. Which area was modeled after the Champs-Elysees?

a. The Junction
b. Ft. Hamilton
c. Eastern Parkway
d. Cadman Plaza

Reclaimed Home’s first BK Trivia Quiz

Upcycled Spool Furniture

September 29, 2008 RH

Child’s Playhouse: £ 3000.

We’ve all had that table made out of a large cable spool found on the street. Haven’t we? First apartment? Couldn’t even afford Ikea? Well, there’s a company in England that makes a whole line of furniture out of these spools.

Furniture designer David Meddings started Reel Furniture in an effort to protect and conserve timber resources. And to earn money.

The pieces come (from the UK) flat packed and assembly is required (just like Ikea!). Reel Furniture does commissions as well as the pieces you see here.

Disk Chair: £325 ea

Small Rocker: £ 425.

Shipping Container Homes For The Poor

September 26, 2008 RH

Ever been to a poor country? No, I’m not leading into a joke about our own country’s economy. If you’ve ever traveled through poor neighborhoods in less developed countries, you know that shelter takes on a different meaning. It’s literally…shelter. People without money were the original green builders. Their homes were made out of wood pallets, cardboard and scrap metal out of necessity before it became trendy in the US or Europe.

It was on a trip to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico that Brian McCarthy came up with the idea to offer poverty stricken folks the chance to own homes. The concept? Shipping containers.

Each container home will be 320 square feet and cost less than $10,000. McCarthy and his three partners designed the prototype to include a/c hookups and water and electric systems.

The partners named the company PFNC Global Communities: “Por Fin, Nuestra Casa,” which translates to “Finally, our own home.”

Via CNN

DIY: Make Stuff Out Of Stuff

September 26, 2008 RH 3 Comments

I’m trying to get back to my original idea of this business, which is to give salvaged material a new life. It’s been a tough year organizing the grand plan and I often find myself just buying vintage items to turn around and resell.

Today I actually got to do some work. The other pieces are in progress, but I did mostly finish one I can show off. I bought a set of water skis that I thought would be totally cool to just hang on a wall. Well, people loved them, but alas, they didn’t sell. Then I had this brilliant idea to make coat hooks out of them. Ok, it was my friend James’ idea, but don’t tell anyone. My idea was to do something too elaborate for my baby skills: make a bookcase with a ski on either side.

Anyway, it was pretty easy. I had these wooden finials in my garage and they already had screws in them. All I had to do was drill pilot holes and screw them in. A bit of glue to help them stick. Put some hooks on the back for hanging and Bob’s your uncle!

In retrospect, I probably should have left the finials unpainted. Do they look like nipples or dog penises or is it just me?

Shipping Pallet Furniture

September 25, 2008 RH

When I first started selling Reclaimed Home pieces, I tried to make something out of discarded shipping pallets. I thought it was the best idea since sliced bread. I scavenged the Home Depot parking lot behind the store and filled my driveway with pallets. Then I tried to take them apart and that was the end of that. Waaahaaayhaaay too time consuming. You know, come to think of it, I don’t even like sliced bread anyway.

Here are some designers with patience.

Google “pallet furniture” and Studio Mama is all over the place! She makes lamps, chairs and benches. I can’t figure out if these things are for sale or not, but I see that you purchase instructions.

Corazon Fair Trade has this rustic kid’s chair for $30. Made in Mexico. For $30? Does that mean it was made BY kids FOR kids?

This fish cabinet from Pallet Art is a bit too whimsical for my sophisticated New York taste, but the hippie designer from Burlington, VT does some nice unpainted pieces. None of which I could grab photos of.

Martin Davis Furniture has by far the most detailed and finished look of this group. I’m sure it’s the most expensive too. These are made from industrial pallets.

And for all you DIY experts out there, here’s a link to Ready Made pallet lawn furniture.

Sarah, Fake Trees and Junk Mail

September 25, 2008 RH

Zaproot Video

Fall Furniture Festival

September 24, 2008 RH

Coming this October to the Brooklyn Flea: The Fall Furniture Festival curated by Greenjeans.

Every Sunday in October, 5 to 6 furniture designers out of a total of 15 to 20 will be highlighted. Most of the furniture will be designed and constructed in Brooklyn, but a few upstaters and out of staters managed to finagle spaces. A 20×60 pod will be situated near the handball courts so it will be easy to spot.

Greenjeans closed their Park Slope store in the spring and will re-open in Dumbo in early 2009. They have been working the flea and getting positive feedback, so they spoke to Mr. Flea, Eric Demby to see if they could take it up a notch. If the fall fest goes well, it will become bi-annual, including during May’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair and BKLYN Designs.

You can see a full list of the eco-friendly designers on the festival site. We’ve already covered some here, including Uhuru, Counter Evolution and Nightwood.

Wednesday Linkorama

September 24, 2008 RH 1 Comment

Makezine: Exercise machine

Shorehouse Chic: Red Bank house porn

Fancy Pants: Concrete Jungle

AMNY: Sarah in NY

Faux Painting Circa 1886

September 23, 2008 RH 6 Comments

We started chipping away at peeling paint and plaster behind an old radiator in the brownstone and made an interesting discovery. The “wood grain” in the above photo is not wood at all. It’s actually painted plaster and it looks as if it’s original to the house. This was the only area of the hallway not skimcoated during our restoration because the radiator was still connected.

The question now is: How far do we go? Now that we found it, we don’t want to cover it up again.

Do we keep that one area uncovered?

Keep going up the stairs?

Leave the faux as we found it?

Restore the entire thing?

I know what I’d like to do. But I also know our limitations on time and budget. And let’s not forget…this is the hallway. Our apartment is not even livable yet.

What would you do?

Humane Society Legislative Fund Endorses Obama

September 23, 2008 RH

For the first time in it’s history, the Humane Society Legislative Fund has endorsed a presidential candidate. The board of directors, made up of both Democrats and Republicans, voted unanimously to endorse the Obama-Biden ticket.

President of the HSLF, Michael Markarian says that “As an Illinois state senator, he (Barack) backed at least a dozen animal protection laws, including those to strengthen the penalties for animal cruelty, to help animal shelters, to promote spaying and neutering, and to ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption. In the U.S. Senate, he has consistently co-sponsored multiple bills to combat animal fighting and horse slaughter, and has supported efforts to increase funding for adequate enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, and federal laws to combat animal fighting and puppy mills.”

OMG, I think I’m weak in the knees. Obama had me at “I’m not a Republican” but the only thing that could top this would be if he was that tree hugging, ufo spotting, vegan, Kucinich himself. And I know that guy hasn’t a chance.

According to the HSLF, Joe Biden has been a friend to the animals during his long career. McCain has been lukewarm. And we all know where Palin stands. That moose killing, polar bear dissing, wolf shooting, PTA hockey mom, nasal, Tina Fey wannabe is the reason they felt the need to oppose the Republican ticket.

Click here for article including the lovely photo of Miss Sarah with her freshly killed moose and small child by her side. How sweet.

Flea Finds Without Leaving My Booth

September 22, 2008 RH 4 Comments

I get so lazy sitting at the market all day. Sometimes I don’t get out of my booth unless it’s to use the facilities or get ice cream. That worked out quite well for me this weekend since I made my little helper Emilia bring some of her artwork .

I’ve known Emilia for over 20 years. An SVA graduate, she has always struggled to make ends meet in the real world while working on her paintings. She is currently managing a successful art studio for someone else. Her work, as well as the other studio artists, goes unappreciated. Judging from the stories I hear, the place is a step above a sweatshop. Oh wait, do sweatshop employees get paid a week late?

Emilia has always had this idea to paint on found objects, but she doesn’t have much free time these days. Last week I twisted her arm to get some paintings together to sell at my Brooklyn Flea booth so I don’t have to pay her as much. (What? Did you think I was doing it out of the goodness of my own heart?) The small paintings are done on pieces of reclaimed wood and coated in oil polyurethane for protection. They are $35 online and as always, negotiable at the market. People seemed to really like them yesterday and they make lovely holiday gifts, kids!

If you’re in need of faux finishing, murals, gold letter painting or any skilled artist work in your home, Emilia is the one to contact. Whatever she can’t manage, trust me, she knows someone who can. She has access to all the struggling artists in NYC looking for work.

The paintings aren’t online yet, but check out Emilia’s wooloo site.

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