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Immigration on the Lower East Side

Immigration on the Lower East Side published on

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This week the City Room had the Tenement Museum respond to questions on the history of immigration on the Lower East Side. Personally, I’m fascinated by this since both sides of my family emigrated from Russia around the same time. Since this is a New York blog and I’m looking for a quickie Friday post, I figured I’d share my Lower East Side family history with you (mother’s side).

I’m totally cheating on this post. Back in October, an immigration question was posted on the Brownstoner Forum and I responded. I’m a cuttin’ and a pastin’. Hey, I wrote it! Well, I took notes from Aunt Elaine. Continue reading Immigration on the Lower East Side

Fridge Drawer

Fridge Drawer published on 3 Comments on Fridge Drawer

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I like the concept of a dish drawer because I have this fantasy that it can save me the job of putting away the dishes. However, I don’t get the idea behind the refrigeration drawer. It looks really cool?

Granted, it’s perfect for small apartments. We’ve all seen those apartments where the refrigerator is located in the foyer. Heck, even in my kitchen, the fridge is tucked away in some weird alcove. (We’ll be discussing my kitchen on Monday).

So the drawers serve a purpose when there’s a space issue and they are beautiful. But I haven’t seen any for under $1000. You can buy the same size compact fridge for under $200 and keep it under your counter. We have one in Brooklyn that was a hand me down from a friend. We paid: FREE.

Nextag: Fridge Drawers

CribCandy’s “15 Miniature Living Solutions” led me to EuroStove’s article on the Ariston refrigeration drawer.

Weekender: Wurtsboro, NY

Weekender: Wurtsboro, NY published on

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Little known fact: Ms. Reclaimed Home from straight outta Brooklyn spent a few years of her childhood in Wurtsboro, NY. My parents did the country/city thing for awhile. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Early 70’s Wurtsboro had all of the small town ingredients that scares the bejesus out of me today…hunter’s driving around with rifles and dead deer attached to their hoods, pregnant teens, drunk drivers and nutty conservatives. My mother’s BFF (no longer on this plane), an antiques dealer and psychic, moved up from Brooklyn first. By the time we arrived she had managed to befriend the one black family and one gay couple in town, so my informative years weren’t too parochial.Continue reading Weekender: Wurtsboro, NY

Preparing for Guests, Dining Room

Preparing for Guests, Dining Room published on 2 Comments on Preparing for Guests, Dining Room

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We’re finally getting to the rooms that really need work (in the blogosphere only, not in real life). The only reason we have a dining room set in here is because we ran out and bought one the day before had our first guests. It was one of those purchases we paid too much for because we needed it immediately. We bought the table on Atlantic Avenue. Need I say more?Continue reading Preparing for Guests, Dining Room

U.S. Green Building Council’s Home Guide

U.S. Green Building Council’s Home Guide published on

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Via ReNest

The U.S. Green Building Council has a new fun and informative site called Green Home Guide. They profile various LEED projects, have a green renovation checklist and list incentives.

I also found a link to the EPA’s Personal Emissions Calculator, but I’m so over those already! For today.

Alternative Heat Sources

Alternative Heat Sources published on 3 Comments on Alternative Heat Sources

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About 5 years ago when we still owned the Kingston house, we made an attempt at making the heating system more energy efficient. Not such a difficult task considering the home had electric baseboard heating.

We had a lovely stone fireplace in the living room and a wood burning stove in the basement that we used regularly as weekenders. Once we moved up there full time, chopping wood got old fast and we noticed a constant draft from the flue.Continue reading Alternative Heat Sources

Preparing for Guests: Living Room

Preparing for Guests: Living Room published on 2 Comments on Preparing for Guests: Living Room

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We’re starting on the easier projects first. Like the guest room, the living room is pretty much finished.

The major concerns here are the couch and the light fixture, both Ebay finds. Both items bought about 3 years ago and my husband has never let me live down.Continue reading Preparing for Guests: Living Room

Low VOC Coating: Whey To Go!

Low VOC Coating: Whey To Go! published on

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Via LeedPro Via Treehugger

Vermont Natural Coatings has a line of poly whey finishes available. Whey, a bi-product of cheese production, is a renewable resource. It’s also non toxic, low VOC and low odor.

The furniture finish is available in satin, semi-gloss and gloss. Floor finish comes in satin and semi gloss. Dry time is 2-3 hours. At $62 per gallon, I don’t think I want to be the guinea pig. Treehugger does point out that the coverage is higher than that of regular water based poly.

The cans are made with post consumer materials which can be recycled when discarded. It all sounds very wonderful, however, as much as I love to promote these great sustainable products, I use oil base on my floors. Toxic, high VOC oil. Unfortunately, it’s the only thing that lasts longer than a few months in my house.

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.

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