VOLUME 1 ISSUE 4
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INTERIOR NEW YORK OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008 3
living and more
TABLE OF CONTENT
An Intrepid Voyage The USS Intrepid’s return to New York’s waters.
Trendy Home Furnishings The new trends are in, pick what right for you.
Profile: Ani Brieger Who is Ani and what is all the rage?
Family Living in Boro Park Affordable housing in Boro Park.
End of an Era:Yankee Stadium Eighty-five years and countless memories,it’s hard to say goodbye.
The Rise of DUMBO DUMBO. And we’re not talking Disney.
Ten Top Bulbs Now is the time to start your Spring garden,just pick your favorite flowers.
Kitchen Gadgets New designs with an added twist
Weekend Redecorating Bored and need a change? You’ve come to the right place.
Get Organized Organizing in the most neglected room in the house.
High Blood Sugar What we need to know and how to keep it under control.
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EDITOR’S NOTE
living and more
Summer came and in a blink of an eye has already gone! It’s hard to believe, but just a week or so ago, we had sunny skies and warm temperatures. Since then, Mother Nature has taken an about face and I for one am not pleased at all. Being a life-long New Yorker, I know that this is not the end of summer. We can expect many warm days, extending well into November (who said there’s no such thing as Global Warming?). However, despite a few sporadic reminders of the lazy, hazy days of summer,we’reclosingourwindowsatnight,pullingoutourwinter quilts, and taking the heavier coats down from the attic. Goodbye summer, welcome autumn! A familiar part of New York City’s waterfront, the USS Intrepid returnstoitsHudsonRiverhome,freshfromamajorrefurbishmentin November.Joinusaswewelcomeherhome,andexplorethehistoryof this great ship and get a glimpse of her future. Autumn is known as a time of endings, and NewYorkerssaidgoodbye tothe“HousethatRuthBuilt”inthesummerof2008.Welookatthe historyofYankeeStadiuminthismonthsfeaturedstory:TheEndofan Era. DUMBO. The name conjured up visions of Walt Disney’s beloved flyingelephant.InBrooklyn,DUMBOisanareaofeconomicgrowth andfastbecomingtheheartandsoulofthecity’sartisticcommunity. DiscovertheareaDownUndertheManhattanBridgeOverpassin“The Rise of DUMBO”. Thismonthwe’llalsotellyouhowtogetorganizedandreadyforwinter inthe garden, inside your bathroom, health-wise, andofferupsome quick tips to change your living space in a few simple steps. So,whetheryourinterestsarehomeimprovement,thechangingNYC scene,personalhealthorshoppingfornewhomefurnishings,thereis something for you in this months issue. Enjoy!!!! Finally,wespendalotoftimewritingaboutotherfolksdesignideas. We’dliketoseeyours!!Ifyouareinterestedinsubmittingaphotograph of a special area of your house we’d love to see it, along with a brief explanationandifselected,itwillbeshowcasedinanupcomingedition. Please note that all submissions become the property of INTERIOR NEWYORK living and more ©. Only digital photographs will be accepted and should be sent to editor@interiornewyork.com.
Dave
6 INTERIOR NEW YORK OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008
PUBLISHER W MEDIA EDITOR IN-CHIEF CAROLE DELMONICO SENIOR EDITOR DAVID P. KAUFMAN ART DIRECTOR EFRAIM SCHNALL PHOTOGRAPHY W MEDIA DIRECTOR OF MENASHE SCHWARTZ OPERATIONS
SALES RAIZY NEUFELD PRODUCTION ABE BERKOWITZ COORDINATOR CONTRIBUTING JULIA LISANTI WRITERS ZACHARY SCHLEE ADVERTISING 5104 12th AVE OFFICE BROOKLYN NY 718.854.3773 www.interiornewyork.com
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES Interior New York has openings in its sales department. Commissioned sales are offered at a competitive rate in a great work environment. Please contact Carole Delmonico at (718) 854-3773
An Intrepid Voyage
By Julia Lisanti
A monument to the power and might of the United States military, the USS Intrepid has cast an imposing presence on Pier 86, on the West Side of Manhattan for over twenty-five years. That is, it did until two years ago when the aircraft carrier turned military museum left its mooring with great difficulty and began a two-year period of extensive repair and refurbishment.
USS Intrepid operating in the Philippine Sea in November 1944
returntoanewlyrebuiltPier86 in October, with a November reopening of the museum that servesmorethan750,000visitors every year. Thebow-to-sternrenovations to the Intrepid include the addition of new, interactive museum features and the restorationofamassiveexterior flightelevatorwhichoncecarried fighterplanestotheflightdeck fortakeoff.Oncecomplete,the elevatorwillferryvisitorsfrom thehangardecktotheflightdeck –tracingthesamepathmilitary planestookwhenembarkingon A DouglasA-4F Skyhawk attack plane is brought to the missionsovertheSouthPacific, launchingpositiononasteamcatapultaboardtheaircraft Vietnam and Korea. carrier USS Intrepid Theentireinterioroftheship has been refurbished – with oldandnewexhibitsinstalled Twoyearslater,excitementisbuilding in a manner that Museum as New York City prepares to welcome ExecutiveDirectorSusanMarenoffsays the Intrepid Sea Air and Space Museum will emphasize “the humanity behind back home. As one of New York’s most the hardware.” Among them are an A-6 populartourismdestinations,Intrepidwill CockpitSimulator,aVirtualFlightZone 10 INTERIOR NEW YORK OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008
andathrillingrecreationofa“KamikazeDay of Darkness, Day of Light” using realistic lights and sound effects that recreate such an event. New and improved portions of the displays will include some neverbefore-seen sections of the ship where crewmembers once worked, slept, and ate,togivetheIntrepidagreatersenseof living history. Originally commissioned in 1943 for service duringWWII, the USS Intrepid’s longanddistinguishedcareerincluded service in Vietnam and later as a space capsulerecoveryshipforNASA. In1974, the aircraft carrier was saved from the scrapheapbyZacharyFisher,aconcerned citizen, and opened as the Intrepid SeaAir-Space Museum in 1982. Now the home to a collection of more than 25 aircraft spanning the history of flight fromWWII to the present, the museum is a great place to get up-closeand-personal with some of the most impressiveaircraftevermade.Theflight deck of the museum houses an extensive collectionofUSmilitaryplanesincluding
a Navy f-16 Tomcat, an Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon, a Marine Corps aV-8C Harrier,andanA-12Blackbirdspyplane whichwasformerlyinservicetotheCIA. Thehangardeckofthemuseumharkens backtotheship’sheyday,featuringplanes like those that flew from the Intrepid duringWWIIincludinganoriginalTBM
Avengertorpedobomber.Thereisalsoan A4 Skyhawk, nicknamed “Heinemann’s HotRod”afteritsdesigner,ofthetypethat flew from the Intrepid duringVietnam. Therearealsoseveralplanesrepresenting airpowerfromaroundtheworldincluding aPolishMiG-21,aFrenchEntendardIVM, and British Royal Navy F-1 Scimitar,
12 INTERIOR NEW YORK OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008
which are each on loan from there respective countries. In addition to the planes, the museum alsohasanextensivecollectionofmilitary helicoptersincludingtwoVietnam-era UH-1 Hueys, a restored Army AH-1G Cobra gunship, and a Marine CorpsAH1J Sea Cobra. Moreofthemuseum’sgreatattractions arenotontheaircraft,butadjacenttoit: the BritishAirways Concorde G-BOAD and the USS Growler submarine. The Concorde was added to the collection in 2004 and was the first plane to cross theAtlanticinlessthanthreehours.The Growler is a diesel powered submarine thatoncecarriednucleardeterrentpatrols while armed with Regulus missiles. It is the only intact submarine of its kind opentothepublicanywhereintheworld and allows visitors a firsthand view of life aboard a submarine.Visitors to the Growlercanaccessvariouscompartments ofthesubmarineincludingitsonce“topsecret” command center. The museum also offers a multi-week summer camp for children featuring submarinescience,boating,spacethrough astronomy, and kite flying. TheIntrepidissettoreopenonNovember 8,2008withagrandopeningweekendthat willincludegive-aways,freepublictours, and educational demonstrations. The museumwillalsohostaspecialVeterans Day celebration on Tuesday November 11, 2008.
Trendy
Home Furnishings T
he word “trendy” gets a bad rap. When we think of something as trendy, we tend think of something that will be hot today and not tomorrow. But keep in mind that what is trendy today may become a classic tomorrow, and the classics are always trendy. Besides,trendsinhomedecoratingtendtobemuchlongerlivedthan,say, trendsinclothingdesignornightclubs.Thereasonforthisissimple-buying homefurnishingscanbeamajorexpense.Buyingacouchisnotlikebuyinga shirt.Whilemanyofuscouldaffordtobuyashirt,takeithome,decidewedon’t likeitandthrowitout,thesamecannotbesaidofthatcouch.Oncewegetit homewehavetolivewithitforatleastacoupleofyears,sofirstandforemost itisimportanttobuysomethingthatweknowwelikeandwillcontinuetolike.
Thetruthisthathomedecoratingisamatterofpersonaltaste.Whilebuying something simply because it is trendy may be a bad idea, it is a good idea to lookatthecurrenttrendsinhomedecoratingiffornootherreasonthantoget asenseofwhatisoutthere.Seeingwhatisavailablebeforeevergoingtothe storemaysaveusfromthoseregrettableimpulsepurchases,andgivesusa chancetocreateadesignschemeorplanforthoseroomswewishtoredecorate.
Red couches are all the rage. If black and white is a bit too stark for you- try red! Redcouchesarebecomingsoubiquitousthese days that it’s becoming impossible to look at any home fashion magazine without seeing one. They look especially good in rooms in whichtheuseofcolorisatapremium,butalso look great in rooms with contrasting colors. Ingeneral,brightprimarycolorsareallprettyhot rightnow.Ifyoudon’tlikered,tryblue,greenor yellow.Fortheyin/yanglook,useaccentpillows thatcreatecontrast.Tryredonblack,pinkon white, pink on yellow, or orange on brown.
It’s as simple as black and white From cars to iPods to home furnishings, the dominance of the color white remains unabated. Bright white couches, onceexclusively for the super rich (due to the difficultyinkeepingthemclean), have been made more user-friendly of late with the introduction of more stain resistant materials. White leather couches are hot as hot can be, as is black leather and furniture that incorporates both black and white in the same piece. Infact,thehottesttrendmaybetheyin-yanglook.Blackandwhitecheckerboard patterns,zebraandcowprints,polkadotsandblackandwhitegeometricdesignsseem tobeeverywherefromTargetandIkeatothemostexclusivehomedesignstudios.The monochromaticlookmaynotbesubtle,butitdoesseemtobeomnipresent.It’sbeing incorporatedintoeverythingfromcouchesandchairstoottomans,beanbags,andcabinetry.
Counter height dining sets are hot. Many of us living in NYC have little or no use for a formal dining room. Space is at a premium and even if we are lucky enough to have a dining room, that room may have tododouble-duty,servingasanofficeorto holdthespill-overfromotherrooms.And let’s be honest. Most of us rarely use the room for its intended purpose, except on special occasions. In an effort to make the dining room more practical,nottomentioncomfortable,itis being downsized.The size of dining tables is being scaled back, as are the sizes of the various curio cabinets and buffets which often occupy these rooms. In addition, smaller counter height dining sets are becoming more commonplace in the effort to make the dining room more functional and family-friendly. The look of counter height dining sets is reallydependantonthekindofchairsthat accompany it. Obviously, these chairs are tallerthannormalwhichmayseemaustere, butitreallyalldependsonthestyleofchair youuse.Modernchairdesignscancomeoff looking downright playful, or for a more elegant look, try classic wooden chairs. INTERIOR NEW YORK OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008 15
Shiny is in. In keeping with the bold and bright theme that seems tobepredominatingfurniturefashion,woodfurniturethesedays isallaboutbeingshiny.Naturalwoodstainsareoutandbrightly painted furniture is in (especially anything with a high-gloss finish). If you are interested in keeping up with this trend, there aresomeplacesouttherethatwillrepaintyourexistingfurniture, oryoucouldsimplybuyunpaintedfurnitureanddo-it-yourself. Lacqueredwoodfurnitureisalsoinrightnow,althoughitmaynot beforeveryone.Itrequiresacertainlevelcareandpreservation if it is going to last. On the plus side, it is more subtle and refinedlookingthanmanyoftheothertrends mentioned here.
Green is in. By green, I mean eco-friendly. In an effort to be moreenvironmentallyconscious, many people are looking for greenalternativestotheheavily manufactured products of yore. Furniture which incorporates recycledmaterialsinitsframe,or is made of renewable resources like hemp and bamboo, is becoming increasingly popular. In fact, anything that even has the appearance of being bad for the environment is out. Plastic, chrome,andmetalingeneral,are out.The manufacturing of these productsispotentiallydetrimental totheenvironment,andthemarket is speaking. Manufacturers are attemptingtokeepupwiththistrend, andmoreenvironmentallyfriendly furnishingsarefindingtheirway ontothemarket-solookoutforthem!
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Try something exotic. If you are not lookingtodoanymajorredecorating, try some exotic accents. Anything tropical or exotic looking will do, but Asian and African designs are particularlyhotrightnow.Throwsand rugs with a tribal pattern, Japanese inspired tables and chairs, oriental carvings and pottery,African drums, Chinese paper lamps, and anything to dowithspirituality,yoga,orBuddhism are a sure fire way to add interest to your home with a minimum of expense. Ifthefarflungandexoticisnotquite yourspeed,tryaccentswhichreflect yourownpersonalheritageorethnicity. Putupanantiquemapofyourfamily’s homecountryordigoutthoseoldblackand-whitefamilyphotos.It’syourhouse anditshouldsaysomethingaboutyou.
PROFILE
Ani Brieger is a New York City based decorative artist. She has studied at
the prestigious Parson’s School of Design and FIT. During her twenty years of practice hundreds of prominent residences, synagogues, world class eateries, boutiques, lobbies, schools has been graced by this talented artist’s work. Ani conquers the blank space and fills it with the mood of her client’s desires. Her staff is comprised of highly qualified artists of international backgrounds, hence her style is truly versatile, and she can undertake large, commercial scale projects. Her works appeared on the cover of Window Fashions magazine, she was featured in the international Lifestyles magazine, in New York Spaces, Image and Good Fortune. She is available directly or welcomes interior designers and architects. Decorative Art and Design by Ani. 212-724-0621 or artani10@verizon.net
18 INTERIOR NEW YORK OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008
THIS MURAL
was designed to create a feeling of wide, open space, architectural interest, sunlight and the beauty of nature’s colors in a narrow, windowless room of plain , sheet-rock walls.
CUSTOM ARTWORK
to enhance the character or your room
PROFILE 20 INTERIOR NEW YORK OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008
Family Living in Boro Park Imagineowningyourownthree,four,orevenfive-bedroom home!ProjectTwenty-One,NewYorkDeveloperslatest project, the dream of owning a home large enough for yourentirefamilycanfinallycometrue.Readytomove in, complete with 15 year tax abatements.
Thinkaboutit!Whycontinuetorentanapartment youwillneverown?It’sabuyersmarketrightnow, so why not make a real investment in your family’s future? Twenty FirstAvenue and Fifty Seventh Street is theperfectplaceforhome-buyerslookingforalotof spaceatareasonableprice.Convenientlylocated,this developmentcommunityisoffering36condominium unitsintwelveindividualhouses.Theseapartments range from 1600 to 2600 square feet in size. Butnomatterwhatsizecondominiumyouchoose, eachhomeinParkGardensfeatureslotsofamenities that make it the perfect choice for you and your family.Eachunitfeaturesfront-and-backbalconies, twofullbathrooms,amplecabinetandclosetspace, and hardwood floors. Thekitchenofeachcondominiumfeaturesall-wood construction,withinsetspotlightingforawarmand cheerfulaffect.Eachkitchenopensuptothedining area,whichisseparatedonlybyanisland,creating a sense of openness and enlarging the space. Each kitchenalsoofferstwosinks,morecabinetspacethan youwillknowwhattodowith,high-endfinisheson allitssurfacesandceramictileflooringinboththe kitchen and dining areas. Alsoaddingtothesenseofopennesscharacteristic of theses condominiums are the nine-foot ceilings 26 INTERIOR NEW YORK OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008
which come complete with crown moldings. There are also numerouswindowsfromwhichtotakeinthepeacefulviewof this relatively quiet neighborhood. Eachcondominiumalsooffersalargemasterbathroomjustoff thelargemasterbedroom,eachbathroombeingcompletewitha relaxing Jacuzzi tub. Extraprivatestoragespacelocatedinthebasementforeach unit and onsite parking is available. Thesecondominiumsreallyhavetobeseentobebelieved,so contactNewYorkDeveloperstodaytogetachancetoseethem foryourself.Theseunitsaregoingfastanditmightnotbelong before this incredible opportunity passes you by. New York Developers makes purchasing a home easy and affordablebycreatingspecializedfinancingoptionsbasedon yourbudget.Weunderstandtheimportanceofsavingmoneyin today’smarket,andourlendingpackagesaredesignedtomake purchasing a home easy and affordable.We work with you to createafinancingpackagebasedonyourindividualneeds,and with your pocketbook in mind. So contact New York Developers today, and learn more aboutthisexcitingrealestateopportunity,unitsarelimited. To schedule a viewing call 718 812-3559.
28 INTERIOR NEW YORK OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008
The End of an Era:
Yankee Stadium Closes after 85 Years
Photo Jeff Keen
By Julia Lisanti
T
he“HousethatRuthBuilt”isabouttobetorndown.Personally,I’mstillnot quitesurehowIfeelaboutthis...ambivalent,angry,oraccepting.Knowing fullwellthatit’sadonedeal,thenewstadiumisalreadymostlybuilt,and there’snotathingI,oranyoneelse,candoaboutit,hasforcedmetoacceptreality, butIstilldon’treallylikeit.Iwouldratherseethestadiumturnedintoabaseball museum,orrepurposedforotherevents,thantorndownoutright.Afterall,people still visit the ruins of the Coliseum and Parthenon, and in my opinionYankee Stadium is equally as iconic a structure.
Yankee Stadium ended its historic 85-year run on September 21, 2008, with the YankeesbeatingtheBaltimoreOrioles 7-3. This is ironic considering the fact thattheYankeeswereoriginallynamed the Baltimore Orioles, as the team was originally from Baltimore before relocating to New York. Builtatconsiderablefinancialriskby thethenownersoftheteam,Tillinghast L’HommedieuHustonandJacobRuppert, Yankee Stadium was a gamble. With a $2.5 million price tag, the 60,000 seat stadiumwasbuiltattwicethecapacity ofmostoftheotherbaseballvenuesof thetime.Theentirecostofbuildingthe stadiumwaspaidbyHustonandRupert,
whobankedonBabeRuthtodrawinthe crowds. Aslegendhasit,thestadiumwasbuiltfor BabeRuth,withitsrightfieldshortened to accommodate Babe Ruth’s hitting style.Astruthwouldhaveit,thedesign probablyhadmoretodowiththeshape oftheplotoflandonwhichthestadium sits,whichisanirregularoctagon.The designer’splanstoextendtherightfield uppertiersalsonecessitatedashortright field. In any case, the design gave Yankee Stadiumauniquelyintimatefeelforsuch
32 INTERIOR NEW YORK OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008
alargespace.Italsomadeitnotoriously hardtohithomerunsfromcenterfield andleftfield.Knownas“deathvalley,” evenBabeRuthlostafewhomerunsto these cavernous spaces. Having gambled everything on Babe Ruth’sdrawingpower,theteam’sowners werefarfromdisappointed.Onopening day, April 18, 1923, Babe Ruth hit the stadium’sfirsthomerun,athree-runshot thathelpeddefeattheBostonRedSox, hisformerteam.TheYankeesroutinely drew crowds of up to 80,000 in these earlydays.Thecrowdsweresolarge,in
Photo by flickr user Pvsbond
Andy Petite on the mound.Yankees vs Red Sox in the Bronx on May 23, 2007
fact,thatfansoftenhadtobeturnedaway.TheYankeeswent ontowintheirfirstWorldSerieslaterthatyear,beginningtheir legendary winning streak. In1927,BabeRuthwouldsolidifyhisplaceinbaseballhistory bysettingthelong-standingleaguerecordof60homerunsin one season. Perhapsthemostnotableeventinthestadium’shistorytook place on July 4, 1939. Dubbed “Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day,”itwasthedaythattheALSstrickenGehrigdeliveredhis famous “Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth” speech. Over the years, theYankees have won more World Series Championshipsthananyotherteam,26intotal,undoubtedly makingthemthegreatestteamevertoplaythegame.Yankee Stadiumitselfhashosted37WorldSeries,farmorethanany othervenue,andhasalsohostedthemajor-leagueAll-Star Game four times, this year included. Yankee Stadium is also the former home of the New York Giantsfootballteam,whoplayedtherefrom1956-1973before relocatingtoNewJersey.Amongthenumerousspecialevents Yankee Stadium has hosted in its time are: twenty boxing matches, three Papal masses, and dozens of concerts. ManyYankee greats showed up for the team’s final game in the stadium, includingYogi Berra, Reggie Jackson,Whitey Ford, and Goose Gossage. Before the game, the fans got a chancetowalkaroundthefieldandseetheoldYankeegreats. JuliaRuthStevens,BabeRuth’sadopteddaughter,threwout the first pitch. PerhapsthemosttouchingpartoftheYankeesend-offcame afterthegameended.Inthedecidedlylow-keyfinalmoments, DerekJeter,theteam’scaptain,cametothemicrophonetosay a few wordswhichseemed unprepared and to comefrom the 34 INTERIOR NEW YORK OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008
Ruth in 1920, the year he joined theYankees
heart.Afterthankingthefans,heandhisteammateswalked aroundthefieldwiththeirhatsheldhighintheairinafinal salute to the House that Ruth Built.
The Rise of DUMBO
By Julia Lisanti
DUMBO, an acronym for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, is one ofBrooklyn’sfastestgrowingandmost excitingup-and-comingneighborhoods. AlreadyrivalingSohoasaculturaland artisticcenter,DUMBOhasundergonea majortransformationoverthelastfewyears withlow-rentartist’sloftsgivingwayto highrisecoopsandcondos.Theapparent gentrificationoftheneighborhoodcould ultimatelybeitsundoing,butfornowthe neighborhoodremainsaculturalmecca for the artists that put it on the map. Untiltheturnofthecentury,DUMBO was primarily a manufacturing district that made cardboard boxes and Brillo pads.Howthendiditbecomethecultural centerofBrooklyn?Theansweris-cheap lofts.Startinginthe1970’s,starvingartists began to move into the area seeking low rent spaces in which to work. In fact, the name DUMBO was coined in 1978 inthehopesthatitwouldbesufficiently unattractivesoastodeterinvestorsfrom the area and keep the rents low. The problem is- it didn’t work.As rents inManhattanrose,thislittleneighborhood inBrooklynbecameincreasinglyattractive toothersseekinganinexpensiveplaceto live. Unfortunately, there may come a day whenthestarvingartistsarepricedoutof theareaaltogether,asnewcommercialand residentialbuildingsseemtogoupbythe
day,andfillupjustasfast.Fornowtheareas largestdevelopersseemtobesympathetic totheneedsoftheartisticcommunity,anda cityDepartmentofHousing,Preservation, andDevelopmentprogramhasbeenstarted tohelpartistspurchasespaceswhentheir buildings convert to coops and condos. Severalfactorshavecontributedtothe rise of DUMBO, not the least of which beingitslocation.Nestledatthefootofthe BrooklynBridge,andjust5minutesfrom downtownManhattan,thispicturesque neighborhood offers stunning views of thelowerManhattanskyline,theStatueof Liberty,theBrooklynBridge,Manhattan Bridge and the East River. Add to this its antique cobblestone streets and its twowaterfrontparks,andit’snothardto see what is driving people to the area in droves.
Thewaterfrontparks,inparticular,are exceptionallybeautifulandreallyhave to be seen to be believed. They remain undiscoveredjewelstomanyNewYorkers, but Brooklyn Bridge Park and Empire FerryStateParkaretrulybreathtaking locations to sit back and enjoy the view. Whetherbyday,atsunset,oreventoview thenighttimeskylineofManhattan,even the most jaded New Yorker should be properlyawedbythearchitecturalwonder of our great city. Anothergreatdrawofthewaterfront is the Tobacco Warehouse in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Originally built by the Lorillard family in 1870, this former tobaccocustomsinspectioncenterisnowa premieroutdoorentertainmentvenueused forperformances,concerts,specialevents, and even weddings. On its face, it looks
INTERIOR NEW YORK OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008 37
Row boating at Dumbo cove
Photo by Maryanne Ventrice
ElephantArtUsinghermassivetrunktoholdbrushes,Donditheelephantpaintsandshowcases herartisticprowess.ApresentationbytherenownedartistVitalyKomarwhoestablishedan elephantartacademyinThailandwithfellowartistAlexMelamidattheDUMBOArtsFestival.
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likeanunfinishedchurchortheruinsofa Welshabbey,butwiththeBrooklynBridge toweringoveritsrooflesswalls,this25,000 squarefootspaceisaspectacularvenuein which to take in any event. And events there are! DUMBO’s waterfront,andtheTobaccoWarehouse itself,drawtensofthousandsofvisitors a year for a reason- there is always something going on. Throughout the summerBrooklynBridgeparkplayshost to “Movies with a View,” a free movie seriesthattakesplaceeachThursdayin July andAugust.With the movie screen placedagainsttheedgeoftheriver,this theme-basedselectionoffilmsisscreened with the Brooklyn Bridge and lower Manhattanservingasthebackwallofthe theatre. Afterthemovieseriesends,theAnnual
Sculpture Show takes place featuring exhibitsbydozensofartistsandspanning the length of both parks. Coinciding with the end of the Sculpture Show is the DUMBO Art Under the Bridge festivalwhichtakesplacethisyearfrom September 26-28th, encompassing both parks, as well as 30 city blocks of live art,performances,lightinstallations,and more. The Tobacco Warehouse is also usedinBKFashionWeekendinOctober, athreedayfashionextravaganzafeaturing runway shows by Brooklyn designers. The parks aside, DUMBO has a great many other attractions which bring in boththenativesandtouristsalike.Not theleastofthesearetheareasnumerous artgalleries.Ofparticularimportanceare the BAC Gallery and the Dumbo Arts Center,buttofullyappreciatewhatthe neighborhoodhastoofferwerecommend takingintheFirstThursdayGalleryWalk, whichtakesplaceonthefirstThursdayof everymonthandfeaturesmorethan30 participating galleries. Otherattractionsintheneighborhood includetheSt.Ann’sWarehouse(another famous performance space), the River Café,Grimaldi’sPizza,theBrooklynIce CreamFactory,JacqueTorresChocolate, andOlgaBloom’sBargemusic,afloating venue for classical music. Byfar,DUMBO’sgreatestannualdraw
comesinthefallwithitsannualArtUnder theBridgefestival.Thisthreedayevent is in its 12th year and last year it drew a crowd of over 150,000. The festival encompasses the entire neighborhood includingbothEmpireFultonStatePark andBrooklynBridgewithoverahundred featuredartistsopeningtheirgalleriesto thepublic,inadditiontoalltheartthat will be going on in the streets, lobbies, elevators,parks,storefrontsandevenon the water. In one of this years more unusual exhibits, called D’art Buoy, a buoy will be placed in the water which will readthewaveheightsandcurrentsand translatetheseintomusicinrealtime.The undulationanddirectionofthewaveswill controlthevolumeandspeedoftheaudio andselecttheinstrumentsandsoundsto be heard. The festival organizers wish to emphasize art which requires audience participation.Accordingtothem,there goal is to break “the white cube,” and create,“artthatistouchable,accessible, andinteractive.”Tothatend,therewill benumerousinteractiveartprojectsthat transformtheroleofanaudiencefrom spectatortoparticipant.Projectsofthis natureincludeTaraParson’s“NotWithout aTrace”inwhichfestival-goerscanhelp tocreatelargeflocksofendangeredbirds
native to the NYC metropolitan area, andAnnetteTacconelli’s“TheTraveling ShrineoftheGolden Sumskara”where participantscan“whisperawordandsee itmaterializeinredthreadonthescrollof time and space.” Also on deck for this years festival are over 65 new public art projects, site specificartinstallationandsculpture, roving and performance art, and at the newGalapagosArtSpace,video_dumbo willfeatureacuttingedgenon-stopvideo art program. By far, two of the most illuminating featuresofthefestivalareProjectGlow and the Simultaneous Projections. In Project Glow, the entire 30-block area ofthefestival,alongwiththewaterfront and the parks, will be illuminated by sculpturesandprojectionsoflightthat willcreateabreathtakingatmospherefor festival-goerswhoremainintothenight. IntheSimultaneousProjections,artistsare encouraged to use slides, video, motion graphicsandfilmloopstosimultaneously illuminatebuildings,windows,andstreets in a similar fashion. Tobehonest,nomatterwhattheydoat thisyear’sfestival,itwillbehardtotop lastyearwhenDonditheelephantpainted her way into our hearts!
INTERIOR NEW YORK OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008 39
Top Ten Bulbs
to Plant This Fall
F
orthoseofuswhoarepassionateaboutgardening, thefallcanbeadownrightdepressingtimeofyear. Therearenomoreweedstopullorseedstoplant, ourperennialshavelongsincebloomedandwecontinue towaterthoseannualsinthefeeblehopethattheymight stillgiveupafewmoreflowers.Iknowhowyoufeel,but don’t despair!The good news is that now is the perfect time of year to plant bulbs
Daffodils
Usuallyoneofthefirstheraldsofspring,thesebrightcheerfulflowersnaturalizeeasilyintoany landscapeandprovideweeksofcolortoyourgardenearlyinthegrowingseason.Byfar,the greatestthingaboutdaffodilsisthattheyareexceptionallyeasytogrow.Theywilltoleratealmost anysoilconditionsandmultiplyannually.Theycomeinavarietyofsizesandshapes,fromsmall daintyminnowdaffodilstocolossaltwo-foottallmonsters.Althoughmostofusarefamiliarwith thecommonyellowvariety,theyarealsobredinseveraltwo-tonecolorcombinationsincluding white, peach, yellow, pink, and orange.
Tulips
EasilythemostpopularbulbinAmerica,thisdecidedlyelegantflowermissedoutonthetopspot onthiscountdownbecauseitisslightlymoredifficulttogrowthanthedaffodil.Theypreferarich soilandmustbeplantedearlysothattheircomplicatedrootsystemhastimetodevelop.Ifplanted toolate,theymaynotbloomatallthefirstyearafterplanting.Thisbeingsaid,tulipsarestilla greatchoiceforanygardenerandmakebeautifulcutflowerbouquets.Theycomeineverycolor oftherainbowandbeyond.Fromsimpleprimarycolorstothemulticoloredmasterpiecesthatare Rembrandttulips,theevolutioninthebreedingoftulipsistrulyremarkableandnewvarieties seemtopopupeveryyear.Forsomethingtrulydramatic,trytheQueenoftheNightvarietywhich is such a dark shade of maroon that it appears to be black.
Irises
Unsurpassedintheirgraceandelegance,irisesareatrulystunningadditiontoanygarden.These daintylookingflowersareactuallysturdierthantheylook,withlonglastingbloomsonupright stems.Theycomeinavarietyofhues,frompurplesandbluestopastelsandcoppertones,most withateardropshapeofadifferentcolorontheirbottommostpetal.Althoughtheymightbe slightlypickyaboutthesoilinwhichtheywillgrow,theydowellinmostsunnylocationsand even in dappled shade.
Lilies
Thesesturdyplantscomeinseveralsizesfromtheshortborderlilytothegargantuan3-4foottall treevariety.ThemostcommontypesofliliesaretheAsiaticvarietieswhichstandanimpressive 2-3feet,sotheyareagreatchoiceforsunnybackborders.Theshorterbordervarietystands about15inchestall,whichmakesitperfectforliningwalkwaysorplantingaroundthebaseof trees. Lilies come in many colors including pink, yellow orange, and red.The border variety tendstobeasinglecolorwhilethetallervarietiestendtobemulti-colored,blendingoutfromthe center.Bloominginearlytomidsummer,theywilleasilymixwiththerestofyourannualsand perennials.This is a good thing because some people may be turned off by the stems, which are thick with pointy leaves which you may decide you want to camouflage.
Crocuses
Crocusesareamazinglittleflowerswhichactuallybloomweeksbeforetheendofwinter.A smallervarietycalledthesnowcrocusdoesjustwhatitsnameimplies,bloomingupthroughthe lastofthewintersnow.Thesecompactlittleflowersstandonly3-4inchestallandhavegrasslikefoliagewhichmakesthemperfectfornaturalizingintolawns.Theymultiplerapidlyandare available in several different colors, including orange, purple and white.
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Hyacinths
Lovethemorhatethem,thesefragrantflowershaveadecidedlyunusuallook.Hyacinthsare cylindricalinshapeandcoveredinsmallstar-shapedblooms,butImustadmitthattheyarenot foreveryone.Infact,somepeoplewhohaveseentheminmygardenfindthemdownrightugly. Ifthetraditional,largerhyacinthsarenottoyourtastetrywoodhyacinthswhichhavedrooping bellsshapedblooms,orgrapehyacinthswhichareagreatoptiontoaddcolortoshadyareas.
Mountain Bells
Thismemberoftheallium,oronion,familyisagreatchoiceforanyonewhohasaproblemwith deerorotherpestseatingtheirplants.Mountainbellslooklikeminiaturebouquetsofsmall,starshapedflowersandmultiplerapidlyforagreaterdisplayofcoloryearafteryear.Speakingof colors,theyaregenerallyavailableinwhiteyellowandpurple,withtheircousin,alliumroseum, beingpink.Theybloominlatespringtoearlysummer,whichmakesthemagreatplantforfilling in during that transition period between spring bulbs and later blooming summer flowers.
Globe Allium
Anothermemberofthealliumfamily,theseuniquelookingflowerssitatopstemsthatvaryfrom 18inchesto3feet,dependingonthetype.Comprisedoftinylittlestar-shapedflowerswhich bloomtogethertocreatetheirball-likeshape,globealliumcomemostlyinshadesofblueand purple.Thesizeoftheglobevariesgreatlydependingonthevariety,fromthesmallerdrumstick andPersianblueallium,tothecolossalgladiatorallium.Likemountainbells,theybloominlate spring to early summer.
Grecian Windflowers
Thesesmalldaisy-likeflowersareperfectforearlyborders.Availableinawiderangeofcolors, Grecianwindflowersonlystandaboutthreeinchestall.Whattheylackinsizetheymakeupfor inbeauty,withshadesofpink,purple,whiteandblueradiatingoutfromyellowcenters.They alsohavetheaddedbenefitofbeingexceptionallyeasytoplant.Thesmallnut-shapedbulbscan beplantedinanydirection,soyouwon’tbeleftwonderingifyouaccidentallyplantedthem upside-down.
Gladiolus
Thesebeautiful,exoticlookingflowersarerelegatedtothebottomofourcountdownforone reason-forthemostpart,theyneedtobeliftedinwinter.Therearesomehardyvarietieswhich canstandallbuttheharshestwinterclimates,butbyandlargethesebulbsneedtobedug-upfor winterstorage.Thisbeingsaid,theyarestillabeautifulflowerwithdelightfultear-droppatterns available mainly in shades of red, white and pink.
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AR+COOK Enters Kitchen Tools With Air-Cushioned Handles Brooklyn, NY - Kitchenware company AR+COOK (pronounced ‘Art and Cook) islaunchingitsfirstkitchentoolcollection, featuringproductsconstructedwithair technology. Inspired by the air chambers in the sole ofrunningshoes,AR+COOKhascreated the O2 series with air-cushion handle manufacturedwithpocketsofpressurized air. TheseriesincludestheO2zincandthe O2Titaniumcollections,anassortmentof 49toolseach,thatwilldebutatretailers thisOctober.TheO2Titaniumcollection comes in black and white, while the O2 Zinctoolscomeinboldpurple,limegreen, orange, and hot pink.
The collections feature hand tools, whisks, spatulas and utensils, such as turners, ladles, spoons and forks. They willbeavailablenationwideatdepartment stores and specialty stores, including Macy’s,Bloomingdale’sandFortunoff, according to the company. The concept for the Brooklyn-based company was created in 2003 when AR+COOK’sdirectorAllenBenandCEO SamAyalsetouttodesignauniquelineof kitchen tools. “Our tag line says it all: ‘Love Food, Live Design and Dream Art.’ We began this company because we wanted to createsomethingthatmarriedthesethree concepts and complemented people’s
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Article Courtsy of Home World Magazine written by Cynthia Ward Vesey
kitchens,”explainsAllanBen,whohandles allofthedesign,productionandmarketing forAR+COOK.“Theculinaryworldwas lackingutensilsthatbothlookedgoodand workedwell.Thereisnothinglikethison themarket,andwefeelwehavecreated andbuiltaproductthatisexactlylikewe envisioned.” Withtheirdifferentbackgroundsand strengths,BensaidheandAyalcomplement each other well. “I have spent The majority of my career as a commercial photographer and began
working with Sam in 2003,” noted Ben. “Initially, I photographed some of the products he manufactured, and our relationshipdevelopedfromthere.”He continued,“Sammanufacturesconsumer electronicsandwomen’sshoes.Hebrings 20 years of business expertise to out relationship,runningasuccessfulfamilyowned, self-financed operation. As director,Iworkedonthemorecreative aspects of the business.” In 2004, the company published a cookbook titled “Art and Cook: Love Food,LiveDesignandDreamArt,”which won design awards in three different countries. The cookbook was the result of an experience I had at a local bookstore,” recalled Ben. My wife asked me to purchaseacookbook,andasIwaslooking forabook,Inoticedthattheyalllooked the same. “At that moment, I decided to create my own cookbook - something thatgavereadersmore tothinkaboutthan simply the recipe on the page. We createdathoughtprovoking,artistic cookbook that features simple flavorfulrecipes with powerful messagesattached.” The company workedwithveteran industrialdesigners and manufacturers for morethenthreeyearsto design a line of kitchen toolsthatcombineunique style and technology. “I took a twodimensional idea and transformed it into a three-dimensional concept,” commented Ben. “I noticed that many of the kitchen utensils currentlyonthemarket looked the same and were mot user friendly. I began to think about how iI couldmaketoolsthatnotonly enhancedtheperformance,but
also got people excited.” He continued, “We wanted to createaproduct that gave users anexperience, tools that encouraged people togetintothe kitchenandbe excited to cook a meal. Inspiredby the air i n t h e sole of running shoes, we began working ontoolsthatwould be as comfortable for thehandasthesneakeris to the foot.” The patent-pending O2 Technology creates handles thatprovidecomfort,asecuregrip andcompletecontrolwhenperforming kitchen tasks, said the company. The core of the tools are made of Zinc, a durable material that is resistanttostainsandscratching. According to Ben , the weight ofthismetalallowsthetoolsto workmoreefficiently,reducing theneedtoexertexcessiveforce whencompletingthecooking task at hand. Newtechnologiesandoriginal shapes were incorporated into the line to make cooking more productive.Themeattenderizer features crossed spikes on one side andanultra-flatsurfaceontheother;the pizzawheelboastsanopenwheelanda bladesleevemadeofnylonforeffortless rolling;thepotatomasherisenhancedby honeycomb-patternedheadwitbeveled bottomedges;thepastaspoonfeatures an extra large head incorporating a uniquepatternofholesandslots;and the citrus reamer is covered with a large,ball-tippatternforefficiency. Along with hand tools, whisks and utensils, the company will also introduce10spatulasfeaturingsilicone headswithmicro-fineedgesandhallow stealhandleswithaZincorTitanium finishes. “The only tools that do not feature our O2 technology or a Zinc core are the spatulas,” said Ben. “Our research
indicatedthatneitherofthesefeatures werenecessarytoenhancetheuseofthe tool.” Toensurethesafetyandlongevityofthe tools,thecompanyteststheair-in-fused handlesandtheZinc.Thehandler’s air pressure is measured by PSI (pound per squareinch)toensureconsistencyineach tool. Once the air has been calibrated, thehandleissoakedinabathofwaterto check for any air leakage. Totestthezinc’sstrength,thecompany usesmachinesthathammeronthetools. Inaddition,applicabletoolsaretested tomakesurethatthezincisresilient to hot oil and water. The materials for all tools arenon-toxic,dishwashersafe andFDAapproved,according to the company. “Retailershaveresponded welltoourinitialcollection oftools,”Bensaid.“Theyare impressedwiththeinnovative technology and design that makes the AR+COOK tools unique.” The company is currently developing new product concepts. “We’ll [have] moreexcitingproductswithinnovative technologyanddesigninafewmonths,” he said
INTERIOR NEW YORK OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008 47
Weekend
Redecorating S
oyou’vedecidedyouneedachange.You’re notsurewhat,butsomething,anything, needs to change, and it needs to change right now! It’s been bothering you for weeks, maybemonths,butrightnowyoucan’tstandto look at your house for one more minute. You know the first thing you usually do in thissituation;yourearrangethefurniture.It’s actuallynotabadplacetostart.Ineverceaseto beamazedathowthesimpleactofrepositioning furniturecanchangethelookofaroom.IfIturn my bed in one direction, I automatically make myroomappearlonger.IfIturnthebedtheother way,Ifreeupvaluablefloorspaceonwhichmy catcanplay.Inthelivingroom,trymovingyour furnitureawayfromthewallsandgroupingit in the center of the room. Having your couch, coffeetable,chairsorlove-seatgroupedclosely togetherinthecenteroftheroomcreatesamore intimatefeelandfreesupvaluablewallspace thatcanthenbeputtouse,providinganareafor bookcasesandotherformsofstoragespaces,as well as more decorative pieces. Ifmovingthefurniturearoundhasnotsatisfied yourlongingforchange:relax.Don’tgetonthe phoneandcallthecontractororpainterjust yet.There are a lot of things you can do short ofrenovatingyourhousethatwillinstantly transformitslook.Thetrickistogetinspired. Decide on a color palette or a theme and get started. When I decided I wanted to change my allwhitebathroom,Ichosetogowithablack-andwhitecolorschemeratherthanrepaintingthe entireroom.Ipaintedthewoodwork,cabinetand mirrorblack.Ithenpurchasedablacktoiletseat, bath-mat,andtowelrack,aswellasablack-andwhitecheckeredshowercurtain,soapdish,and
48 INTERIOR NEW YORK OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008
toothbrushholder.Mysisterwentwithanunderwaterthemefor herpinkandbluebathroom.Inadditiontobuyingfishandseashell themedaccessories,shedecoratedherbathroomwithrealseashells thatshehadfoundatthebeachovertheyears,evenusingoneasa soapdish.Shefinishedthelookbyapplyingstampsofpaintinthe shapes of starfish, puffer-fish, and sea-horses. The point is that you are only limited by your imagination. Thinkabouthowyouwanteachroominyourhousetofunction, butmoreimportantlyhowyouwantittofeel.Findapaintingora pieceofartworkthatyoulikeandbaseyourcolorpalettearound that.Pickafewofthecolorsfeaturedinyourpaintingandget some new draperies, throw pillows, or lamp-shades to match. To change the look of your bedroom, start with the bed. Get newsheets,blankets,pillowcases,orallthree.Foraserenecolor schemetrywhite,softgreensandblues.Toaddinterest,usebold contrastingcolors.Getsomenewdecorativeprintsorposterart. Putupsomeshelvesanddisplaythatseriesofcollector’splates that you haven’t quite found a place for yet. Insteadofgettinganewcouch,getaslipcover.Infact,youmay want to get two. Slipcovers are an easy and inexpensive way to transformthelookofvirtuallyanycouch(nottomentionprotect theupholstery). Theycomeinsuchvarietynowadaysthatyou couldprobablygetaseparateoneforeverydayoftheyear,and neverhavethesameonetwice.Slipcoversmadefromcrispwhite cottonwillbrightenaroom,whileaboldfloralorabstractprintcan reallymakearoompop.Justremembertousecolorinmoderation. Youdon’twantyourfurnituretoclashorcompetewitheachother
forattention.Tofinishthelookofyourcouch,addthrowpillows in bold colors like lime, pink and yellow for an instant pick me up,orusewarmhuesforacalmingeffect. Ifyoudecidethatyou absolutelymustpaint,tryonlypaintingpartoftheroom.Picka singlewall,orjustpainttheceiling.WhenIwantedachangein my kitchen, I simply painted a blue sky on the ceiling, then used aspongedippedinwhitepainttocreatefluffyclouds.Ilikedthe bluesomuchthatthefollowingweekendIpaintedthewoodwork to match. Ifyoudon’twanttopaintatall,tryputtingupsomedecorative border paper along the edge of your ceiling or woodwork.You mightevenwanttowallpaperjustthebottomhalfofyourroom. You can then apply a decorative border to boundary between your wallpaper and the painted wall. (However, if you don’t have experience putting up wallpaper, you may want to call a professionaltodoitforyou.Chancesare,eitherway,theycando italotfasterandmoreefficientlythanyoucan.)Thereareeven giantwallpaperposterswhichyoucangetthatcomeinthousands of different styles, from landscapes to outer-space scenes. Really,thepossibilitiesareendless.Theworldisyouroysterand youaretheonewhoshoulddecidewhatyourworld,yourhome, shouldlooklike.Remember,it’syourhouse.Itshouldreflectyour personalityandsenseofstylesinceyouaretheonewhohastolive there.Ifyoulikemedievalarmor,decorateyourroomwiththat (andtohellwithanyonewhodoesn’tlikeit).Getinspired.Startby using what’s at hand, but when that fails- go shopping!
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GET ORGANIZED The Bathroom
L
et’sfaceityourbathroomisprobablythe smallest,nottomentionthecleanest,room inyourhouse.There’sabathtub,asink,a toilet, and not much else.At most, the mess in yourbathroomprobablyconsistsofasmallpile of cloth esortowelsstrewninacorner.So what’stoorganize?Whybotherwritinganarticle onhowtoorganizeatiny,seeminglyinsignificant room? Because you know as well as I do that the polishedporcelainexteriorholdssecrets.The messesinyourbathroomarewellhidden.They maynotbemessesatall,somuchasclutter.They areinthemedicinecabinet,underthesink,andin thevariouscabinets,baskets,andothercontainers thatholdyourtoiletries,haircareproducts,and make-up. Theyaretheexpiredbottlesofpainkillersand tenyearoldrazorbladesstilltakinguproomin your medicine cabinet, the container of Epsom saltunderthesinkthatissooldthatitprobably belonged to the previous owner, the tube of lipstickthatyouboughttwoyearsagobuthave neverused(becauseyougotithomeanddecided youdidn’tlikethecolor),andthatcontainerof hair gel that you’ve had since the 1980’s. So why do we keep these things? Usually not forsentimentalreasons,unlessyoucountthe body spray that someone (you can’t remember who)gaveyouforyourBirthdaytwoyearsago. It’s usually because we have some vague idea
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thatatsomepointinthedistantfuture wewillneedthem.Well,Ihavenewsfor you-youdon’tneedthem.Throwthem out! There is a reason that they have beencollectingdustsincetheClinton Administration-theyaregarbage.And evenifyoudoneedoneoftheseitemsat somepointinthefutureyouareprobably better off buying a new one. Let’sstartwiththemedicinecabinet, forexample.Halfofthemedicineinthis cabinetisprobablyexpired,andalthough takingitmaynotcauseanysignificant harm,itseffectivenessdoesstarttowear offpasttheexpirationdate.Icertainly wouldn’ttouchthatbottleofcough medicinethatissooldthatithasbegun tocongeal.Nottomentionthatrustyold razorbladethatwouldprobablyrequire atetanusshotifitweretocutyou.It’s time to throw all this stuff out. Next, let’s turn to your make-up.
Make-upcanbeharmfulifitisexpired, especiallymake-upthatisusedaround they eyes. Unless you want to end up with a nasty infection, any eye makeup that is over a year old should be discarded.Infact,youmightaswellget ridofallthemake-upthatyoudon’tuse. Ifyoudidn’tlikethecolorimmediately afterpurchasingit,youprobablynever will. Now it’s time to look under the sink. Chances are there are some cleaning productsundertherealongwiththat twentyyearoldcontainerofEpsomsalt andsometoiletries.Youobviouslyneed the cleaning products, but you might consider moving some of them to the kitchenifyoufeeltheyaretakinguptoo muchroom.Thetoiletriescanstay,but allthoseitemsthathaven’tbeentouched inmorethanayear,especiallyanything with a thick layer of dust, should go.
Thesame“one-year”ruleholdstrue for everything in the various other cabinets and drawers which may be in yourbathroom.Alloftheoldlotions, ointments,creamsandexpiredfeminine hygiene products need to go. It’s also timetopartwiththoseBirthdaypresents from years past which you obviously didn’t like well enough to use. Once you have gotten rid of all the junk,it’stimetoorganizewhat’sleft. To this end, I recommend investing in someclearcontainersinwhichyoucan placesmallitems.It’seasytoseewhat’s inthemandtheyeliminatethenecessity ofrummagingthroughadrawer.Similar items should be placed in the same container.Forexample,youmighthave onefornailpolish,oneforlipstick,one for hair accessories, etc. Youmightevenconsidergettingsome smallglasscontainersinwhichyoucan
displaysomeofyourmorebrightlycolored items.Tryputtingbrightlycoloredrubber bands or bath beads in jars and displaying them onacounteror around the rimofthe tub.Bathroomsareoftentheleastcolorful roomsinourhomes,anditmightnothurtto brighten the place up a bit. Even some more monochromaticitemshaveeyeappealwhen displayed in this fashion.You could place cottonswabsinonejarandcottonballsin another. Once you have finished purging the bathroomofunwanteditemsandrearranging therest,youmayfindthatyoustillwantmore room.Ifthisisthecase,considerinstalling morecabinets.Bathroomsoftenhavealot of room that is not utilized because they areoftensosmallthatwecan’tconceiveof addinganythingtothem.Butthereisroom forthosewhoknowwheretolook.Mostof us have cabinets installed in our kitchens high-up by the ceiling, and the same thing can be done in the bathroom. Inaddition,therearemanufacturerswho now make cabinets that are meant to fit aroundandabovethetoilet,andtheseare perfect for small, cramped bathrooms. So takealookandseewhat’savailable.Eventhe smallestbathroomcanusuallyaccommodate some additional storage. Finally, keep in mind that the best way to deal with a mess is to prevent it from happeninginthefirstplace.Onceallofthe items in your bathroom have a permanent home, put them back where they belong every time you use them.
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High Blood Sugar effects everyone tobecalleddiabetes,high-normalblood sugarhaslongbeenoverlookedbydoctors andtheirpatientsalike.Yetanestimated16 millionAmericanshaveit-includingtens of thousands of children and teens. The rise of the high-normal blood sugar epidemic is the direct result of the rise in overweight and obesity in the United States.Ourlifestyleshavechanged;our bodies haven’t caught up.
High normal blood sugar is often overlooked, yet millions of Americans have it
The average American consumes more than a pound of refined sugar a week. It soundsunbelievableuntilyourealizethat sugargoesbymorethan50namesandisan ingredientinvirtuallyallprocessedfoods, fromyourmorningdoughnuttotheketchup on your burger. Eatit(alongwithexcessfatandcalories), sit around, and you’ll gain weight. It’s the averageAmerican way of life, and it deservesanewwarninglabel:Practicing thislifestylecouldsendanothersugaryour blood sugar - into the danger zone. Yourbody’sprimarysourceoffuel,blood sugar plays a vital role in physical and mentalwell-being.Butwhenitriseseven slightlyabovenormal-thankstoexcess bodyfat,lackofexercise,and/orgenetics -yourhealth,yourenergylevels,andyour weight-loss efforts are jeopardized. High-normalbloodsugarisanythingbut normal.Toohightobehealthyyettoolow
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“Our bodies are essentially the same as they were 40,000 years ago, but our eating and exercise habits have changed tremendously,” says Bryant Stamford, Ph.D., director of the Health Promotion andWellnessCenterattheUniversityof Louisville in Kentucky. “Thesamenumberofcaloriesitmighthave takenourprehistoricancestorsanentire daytohuntandgather,wecannowhave broughttoourdoorwithaphonecall.We simplyeattoomuchandexercisetoolittle,” says Stamford. Theresult:highbloodsugar.Thedanger: More and more research links even “slightly”highbloodsugartofoodcravings, mood swings, and overweight, as well as pregnancyandfertilityproblems,heart attacks,stroke,full-blowntype2diabetes, and even, early evidence suggests, some forms of cancer. It’sserious.That’swhyitsimportantgetting abloodsugartestandtakingstepstokeep yoursugarlevelswithinahealthyrange.
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