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Water Tank Art

Water Tank Art published on

The Water Tank Project is coming to an NYC rooftop near you for three months in the spring of 2013. Word Above the Street’s public awareness campaign aims to inspire millions of people to be more responsible with their daily water usage.

Select rooftop water tanks across the city will be temporarily wrapped with original artwork, the subject matter being water. Students, emerging and established artists will take part in the project.

The Water Tank Project will also promote New York City’s high quality drinking water and highlight the role of the world’s major cities in leading the way to responsible stewardship of water.

How can you help? Donate here. Or…on March 1st shop at Whole Foods as 5% of the sales will be donated to the project. Or…got a tank? Let them use it!

Via Cool Hunting

Woodstock Sanctuary B&B

Woodstock Sanctuary B&B published on 5 Comments on Woodstock Sanctuary B&B

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Spent a romantic Valentine’s evening at the Woodstock Sanctuary B&B, not with my husband but with my friend Deb. We went upstate to look at some properties and although we didn’t get to spend too much time at the sanctuary, we got to see what it was all about.

The B&B is a fairly new addition to the sanctuary. Because of it’s non-profit status, you have to be a member to book a room. The profits go to the care of the rescued farm animals, so go early and go often! Membership benefits include discounts to some serious vegetarian restaurants both upstate and in the city.

Before renovations

The farmhouse is a lovely restored pre-Civil War home. Because of the newness of it, I was afraid to touch anything, but it was definitely comfy and homey. Images of the farm animals hang from the walls and even the claws on the tub are painted like a rooster.

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Two of the rooms share the two hallway bathrooms and there is one room that is en-suite. We’re talking about $120 for a room but it was higher for Valentine’s. The vegan breakfast served in the morning gives you a selection of bagels, muffins and cereal with fresh fruit and non-dairy options. There’s a newly updated DVD collection, some books and of course, wifi.

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The sanctuary asks that you remain respectful of their cause and refrain from bringing in any animal bi-products. This means leave your fur coat and Ugg boots at home. And don’t bring your McDonald’s in for lunch and say you couldn’t go a day without meat. Not that people staying here would do that, but you get my drift.

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The owners live in this gawgeous home. Wins my award for “Best New Construction Evah”.

The sanctuary is located just off of Rt 212, somewhere between Woodstock and Phoenicia. We had dinner in Bearsville and made it back in one piece within ohh, maybe 15 minutes?

Great guest house but of course it’s all about the animals! We got to visit them and meet the farm staff the following morning. We hung out in the goat pen a bit and we were greeted by the pigs in their pen. We got to meet Dylan the giant grown up veal calf and the chickens and roosters.

So, if you’re looking for that perfect B&B in the country and you happen to be an animal lover, this is THE place. I’ll be back for sure. Perhaps I’ll even bring my husband for a real romantic evening.

And now….meet the animals! (Full set on Flickr)

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Get Naked for the Wild Life

Get Naked for the Wild Life published on

The Wildlife Conservation Society is teaming up with the Coney Island Polar Bear Club for a fundraising event that takes place on the Circle Line.

Although there is no swimming involved, participants need not keep their pants on. The longer they can withstand the cold in their bathing suits, the more money that is raised for the animals.

The event takes place February 25th. Participation is free. Too comfy in your warm clothes? Price is 20 bucks for spectators or you can sponsor someone by cost per minute.

 

Recycle Your Christmas Tree

Recycle Your Christmas Tree published on 1 Comment on Recycle Your Christmas Tree

Missed the Mulchfest this weekend? Do not fear. As long as you get your tree curbside by January 14th, it can still be recycled. Who wants to schlep their tree to a park anyway when you can just put it out with the trash?

The Department of Sanitation is asking residents to remove all stands, tinsel, lights, and ornaments before placing trees out for collection. Don’t place trees in plastic bags or tape them. Just-the-tree. They will be chipped into mulch that will be distributed to parks, playing fields, and community gardens throughout the city.

Get ‘er done. You really don’t want that thing up in your house until Easter, now, do you?

Reclaiming Our Roots

Reclaiming Our Roots published on 4 Comments on Reclaiming Our Roots

Reclaimed Home is going back to its roots! After moving back to Brooklyn, where space is an issue, we stopped collecting larger salvaged items for reuse. Well, it’s time to expand again.

Starting a tiny home based business was a breeze. Starting a small business with a team is a bit more challenging. But you know what? It’s important that we do this now for a variety of reasons.

Saving building materials from the landfills. Mother Earth is screaming for help. Tons of demolition rubbish goes into dumpsters every day.

Presenting restoration options for folks of all income levels. We’re going through some rough economic times. Why shouldn’t everyone have the same access to beautiful architectural details and furnishings for their dwellings?

Preserve our history! Old homes are being torn down to make way for new construction. Historic details are discarded of during renovations. The skilled craftspeople who created these materials are long gone. Let’s give their work a second life.

Here’s what you can do to help us achieve our goals. If it can be recycled, please don’t throw it out! We’ll take reusable materials off your hands. If you’re doing a renovation or know of someone who is, contact us before you allow your contractor to destroy house parts and throw them in the dumpster. We’ll carefully remove the items for you so someone else can make use of them.

It will save you demolition fees. It will save you disposal rates. Most importantly, it will save our planet from overflowing landfills.

You can email us by hitting the “contact” link at the top of the middle column. We thank you and Momma Earth thanks you.

 

 

 

Green Day Today, NYC

Green Day Today, NYC published on

Green Day in Union Square today! Psyched? Start lining up now for the time of your life!

GrowNYC presents NEW GREEN CITY in Union Square Park for NYC’s largest annual green event. (Sorry, Green Day fans. I know that was mean.)

2011’s family-friendly event features government agencies, non-profits, entrepreneurs and community & corporate partners at the forefront of environmental stewardship, education and awareness.

10am-6pm. Go learn about recycling, rainwater harvesting and more! Hello, there’s a scavenger hunnnttt!

Earthquake in Sensurround

Earthquake in Sensurround published on 1 Comment on Earthquake in Sensurround

*Warning. Some scenes may be reminiscent of 9/11.

Didjya feel it yesterday? Did you freak out? I was sitting on the garden level working away at my computer when the house started rattling. Sometimes I hear the rumble of the A train underground but the house never shakes. I stood on the landing where the parlor floor stairs meet the basement steps and wondered if my house was crumbling.

Then I was like “Wait. WTF? This is an earthquake.” Everything started waving around like a B movie dream sequence. If it wasn’t for the rattling, I would have thought it was a bout of vertigo.

I was about to run outside and ask my neighbors if they are feeling it, but then I remember this is 2011 and the internet has taken the place of real people. I ran back to my computer and looked at Twitter and Facebook. Sure enough.

Funny how New Yorkers are. We dubbed this “The NY Earthquake”. It’s all about us. The epicenter was in Virginia and it was felt up and down the east coast, but we weren’t going to let that steal our thunder.

So, what to do in case of an earthquake?

Well, I just stood there confused and waited to see if it was going to get worse. Correct move not to panic since this in New York and massive earthquakes just do not occur here.

But what if? It’s possible.

I did think of grabbing the pets and running down to the basement but I was confusing earthquake with tornado. And tornadoes are so last year.

So, I looked it up.

  • Stay away from large objects that could topple over.
  • Stay away from windows or anything that could shatter.
  • Get to the ground and cover your head.
  • Get under a table or piece of furniture. If you’re old enough, this may remind you of those Cold War duck and cover drills they had in some schools up until the 70’s.
  • If outdoors, stay clear of buildings that can fall. A bit difficult in NYC.
  • If driving, pull over.

I’ve not yet checked my foundation and brownstone facade to see if there are any new cracks. I don’t think I want to know.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

How I Spent My Summer Vacation published on

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We took our dog friendly vacation in Red Hook, NY this past week. After giving up our upstate home connection last year we reckoned it would be easier to rent a place whenever we felt the need to get out of the city. Dog friendly vacation rentals are plentiful enough. We just have to worry about the extra clean up and damage that our mutts may cause.

The dogs had an awesome time, of course. Long hikes and paddles in creeks. Chasing down invisible creatures. This vacation really WAS for them. I had a nice time too. At least I think I did. The fact is that, oddly enough, after 7 years of country living, I still feel completely out of my element there. I try though. And I do enjoy it to an extent. Really!!

When we first arrived at the house in the woods we were greeted by Sari of the management company. Her truck pulled into the driveway just before us…a big pick up with an American flag on the rear window. Hubby said “That must be her.” I was like “No way. She has a 212 exchange on her cell phone.” Sure enough, it was her and sure enough the truck was just a loaner while her Jeep was in the shop. After screeching and jumping from  frog, Sari explained that she was a born and bred Manhattanite who had only moved up there three months ago. We spoke about city-girl-life-in-the-country and my husband worried that my words might send her packing.

Anyway, here’s what we did during the week. Click on links as they are recommendations or places to avoid….

The house was lovely. It’s actually located in Gallatin, which is how we got the wooded seclusion. A bit remote, as it’s about 10 minutes into Red Hook or Tivoli. It sits on about 4 wooded acres. There’s a bit of a landing with some seats if you wanted to hang out in the woods, but we stayed on the deck. We were able to keep the dogs confined up there so they wouldn’t run off chasing deer. There was a table and chairs and lounge chairs. And oh yeah, a hot tub!

The house is perfect for shares because the 2 bedrooms are set up on either side of the kitchen/living room and each has it’s own bathroom. The driveway is shared with other neighbors who we saw from time to time.

On the way up we stopped in Beacon for lunch and a hike. Dennings Point is where we used to take our dogs all the time (Lyme Disease warning) when we lived there. It was an easy hike in which we knew the trail and we wanted the dogs to calm down before arriving at the house. While there, we also noticed that Long Dock is finally taking shape. They’ve built a kayak rental kiosk down at the riverfront. It’s not up and running just yet but it looks like it won’t be long. Also of note is the Roundhouse at the other end of town.

Two of the better hikes we took near Red Hook were the Stissing Mountain Fire Tower and Ferncliff Forest. The Walkway over the Hudson in Poughkeepsie is definitely worth doing. The dogs had to stay on leash for that one, but the humans enjoyed it. We missed our beloved Poet’s Walk this time but we made it to Minnewaska which was pretty crowded. Hated Mills Norrie State Park in Staatsburg. Manicured lawns and paved road, but the few trails we found were not maintained and didn’t go very far. Maybe we were missing something?

The most fabulous hike was up near the Berkshires (less than an hour from the house). Bash Bish Falls can be an all day affair even though we only spent a couple of hours. The park is great for picnicking, hiking, swimming and camping. The falls are amazing and even though swimming is no longer permitted because of several deaths, people do it anyway. The deaths were caused by stupid people diving off the rocks into the water, not just swimming in the hole.

We actually had some minor difficulty renting kayaks locally during the week. The kayak companies ran tours but didn’t want to just rent them out. We ended up renting on the more laid back west side of the river. Kenco on Rt. 28 in Kingston rents kayaks for $55 apiece or $65 for a tandem. You’re on your own from there. They’ll give you a map and some suggestions but they don’t bring it down to the water for you. We ended up with a tandem because that’s all we could fit on our car. We put in on The Rondout in Kingston. It was an interesting urban trip where we saw old boat yards, shipping containers and other industrial ruins. Pretty cool. Only not so cool because shade was hard to find. My biggest complaint was the sun. There were several beaches to pull into for a picnic.

We spent our evenings more civilized like. Upstate Films has a second location in Woodstock now where we saw a great Oirish fil-im called “The Guard“. American Don Cheadle was an executive producer and supporting actor. Go see it!

Dined at some good restaurants, both old and new to us…

Terrapin in Rhinebeck. Good vegetarian selections on menu.

Luna 61 in Tivoli. Completely vegetarian and always awesome.

Rosendale Cafe. Nowhere near Red Hook, but if you’re in this neck of the woods, it’s the best vegetarian place around. The backyard is very dog friendly too!

Red Hook Curry House. Popular Indian buffet.

Red Devon. In Bengall? Met friends for dinner here. It was really good and not all that far but it seemed like it was in the middle of nowhere. It was busy enough and yes, it was worth the trip.

Portofino. Another schlep! This one in Staatsburg. You drive through a completely rural area and then all of the sudden….hello…there’s a restaurant! Family style Italian. It was good and the waitress was a hoot, but she and the kitchen gave me shit for trying to get a cheeseless eggplant dish, so I dunno.

That was the enjoyment part. Tomorrow I’ll fill you in the real estate bit.

Hey Eco-Geeks!Solar Wireless Chargers

Hey Eco-Geeks!Solar Wireless Chargers published on

Guest Post

So there’s this most recent direction running along side our attraction with the most desirable wire-less accessories [1], and it’s how to best maintain their battery packs 100 %. With lots of the modern pads and tablet pcs, mobile handsets, and lap tops the only typical headache is the most handy alternative to have them charged up. I began wondering what normally I would undoubtedly undoubtedly do with some of these various units and now I ask myself what I’d do without them. I even worry every night whether I have all of them on their proper wires and charging up for the day ahead.Continue reading Hey Eco-Geeks!Solar Wireless Chargers

Foie Gras for the Homeless

Foie Gras for the Homeless published on

The Prospect Park goose serial killers are at it again. Last year, hundreds of geese were rounded up and gassed. There were plenty of protests, not because the geese ended up in a landfill, but because they were killed in the first place.

The DEP has a solution this year. The captured geese (who, BTW, have reproduced since the mass slaughter didn’t quite do the trick) will be shipped to Pennsylvania to feed the poor and hungry. All on the NY taxpayer’s dime.

Goose killing became a favorite pastime since that one goose took down US Airways flight 1549 from LaGuardia. That’s the plane that ended up floating in The Hudson.

What can be done in lieu of murder?

A few suggestions…

Habitat Management. “Birds shot dead can neither learn nor pass on information.”

Friends of Animals. Habitat Modification.

Via City Room

Fixing the Planet, One Step at a Time

Fixing the Planet, One Step at a Time published on 1 Comment on Fixing the Planet, One Step at a Time

Guest author: The Hubby

By choosing to live in a city, you have already reduced your carbon footprint by 2/3rds. This may seem counter intuitive but there are some major advantages including public transportation and sharing of resources.

More people cram into high rise apartment buildings and share park space. Garbage collectors use less fuel to get around because people in urban areas live closer together. How does NYC rate on the recycling front? Well, due to a lack of vision and budget constraints, NYC only recycles 30% of it’s waste while San Fransisco is at 70%. We still beat Houston, TX which is in the single digits.

Some things aren’t that clear cut though.

Do reusable bags actually save energy and resources? They take more energy to produce and now since the green movement is in full swing, they are incredibly easy to come by because everyone wants their logo on a tote. The cheaper ones tear easily and get trashed in less than a year. Then there’s the bacteria scare. Unless you wash them regularly, they can get pretty nasty. It takes water, soap and energy to clean them, so how environmental is this?

Probably a hell of a lot better than plastic bags. The heavy canvas ones beat the lightweight semi-disposables any day.

What about the bottle debate? Glass, plastic or aluminum? Glass is heavier and is thus costlier to transport to the store and recycling plant. Aluminum takes a lot of energy to produce from bauxite but it’s easily recyclable. Cans are made from 40% recycled material. Glass bottles are 20%. Plastic bottles are reusable but not recycled as bottles. The advantage of plastic is that it can be made into fleece or packing material.

In an ideal world, we would all refill our glass containers locally. Kind of like our seltzer delivery by Ronnie the Seltzer Guy.

There’s always common sense solutions to saving the planet that do not need to be debated.

Turn off the tap when not rinsing body, teeth or dishes.

Don’t run half empty dishes or laundry.

Unplug energy sucking vampire electronics and appliances when not in use.

Replace standard bulbs with CFL. For God’s sake, turn off the light when you leave the room!

Walk, cycle, take the train. Car pool.

Get a little uncomfortable. Do you really need all that heat and air conditioning? You better not be walking around the house in your skivvies in the middle of winter complaining you’re cold.

Consume less meat. The closer you get to a vegan diet, the more resources you save. Land, water. Co2 emissions. Not to mention the animals.

Buy local. This not only saves on fuel, but hello….let’s build up our own economy!

One person can’t fix the planet on their own, but if each of us took baby steps towards righting Ms. Earth, perhaps one day she will be grateful enough to thank us. (Because she’s pretty pissed right now).

 

Let’s Talk Gardens

Let’s Talk Gardens published on 4 Comments on Let’s Talk Gardens

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Let me be clear. I’m a DIY chick, but there are certain areas where I lack skills. I don’t cook. I don’t sew. And I don’t do gardening. This Spring I’m all about planning the parlor floor deck so we can hang out upstairs and watch the pets spread their feces around the yard.

I don’t know if it’s because I realize the deck won’t actually get built until 2020 or if most of the interior renovation is done and I’m getting bored, but I’m jonesing for a nice garden this year. I did get inspired by some photos (below) on Brownstone Brooklyn Garden District‘s Facebook page. Aren’t they gorgeous? Most were done by professionals, but this control freak needs to design it herself and play in the dirt.

When we first bought the house and I saw the lovely astroturf on the fence, I immediately envisioned a 1950’s kitsch back yard with pink flamingos, garden gnomes and string lights. Now that I’m working on this masterpiece deck, I know it’s not gonna match the tacky yard.

I’m thinking something more grown up. I love every single one of these photos. Between the pets and my black thumb, the less maintenance the better. Sooo, what should I do? *Also, if you wanna come over and help, there would be beer and pizza in it for you.

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day! published on

Happy Earth Day! You can find local Earth Day events for the weekend @ the Earth Day Network. Just punch in your zip code.

And please be kind to Momma Earth today and every day. Hate to get preachy on y’all, but just a few seconds out of your day would really make a difference.

Like what? Howzabout….

1. Don’t leave your reusable shopping totes behind.

2. Turn off lights when you leave the room.

3. Shut windows when it’s too chilly. Why waste heat?

4. Walk or take public transit instead of driving.

5. Recycle your paper and cans! Nobody should be throwing that stuff in the garbage. It’s 2011 for F’s sake!

6. Unplug chargers and other energy vampires when not in use.

7. Turn off water in between rinsing while doing dishes and brushing your teeth.

8. If it’s yellow….you know the rest.

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