Life@Home June 2013

June 2013

Swim Safety for pool owners

Arts & Crafts one man’s tribute to a design movement

Take perfect vacation pics with these tips! see page 71

Garden Glory a backyard haven in Niskayuna

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Contents Home

24

In Every Issue 10 12 14 20

Talk Back On the Web Editor’s Note Window Shopping

In This Issue 24 The Craftsman Tradition An arts and crafts home in Ballston Spa

36 Pinteresting

How to use Pinterest to inspire your home decor

38 Oh, My Aching Back!

Tips for getting a better night’s sleep

42 Movie Nights

Home theaters within everyone’s reach

46 Reface It

You don’t have to replace those kitchen cabinets

62 Garden Glory

A backyard haven in Niskayuna

June 2013

June 2013

Features 18 Home Life

Swim Safety for pool owners

Life@Home | Ideas and Inspiration for Living

Arts & Crafts One man’s tribute to this design movement

www.timesunion.com/lifeathome

Take

perfect vacation pics with these tips! see page 71

Garden Glory a backyard haven in Niskayuna

Now where did I hide that money?

32 Design Defined

Salvaging the barn

34 Problem Solved

How to redo a room without tearing it apart

50 10 Ways to Use ...

58 Refurnished Living

54 Dollars & Sense

60 Down the Garden Path

56 Living Green

66 Tech Tips

... your dishwasher!

Home improvements that hold their value Clever tips to reduce your family’s garbage

Let the games begin

You can make a minigarden anywhere!

What to do when your tablet goes swimming

On the cover: Photo by Colleen Ingerto  timesunion.com/lifeathome | 7

Children whose sleep was affected by breathing problems like snoring, mouth breathing or apnea were 40%-100% more likely than normal breathers to develop behavioral problems resembling A.D.H.D. The Journal Pediatrics, Volume 129, Number 4 April 2012

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Contents Life

In This Issue 73 Picnic Perfect

98

88

Taking your portable dining to the next level

77 Out of Your Depth Smart safety tips for pool owners

81 Living in Between

Fostering dogs and cats can be a win-win for all

84 Power Down

What to keep and what to toss after a power outage

Features 71 Help Me ...

... take great vacation photos

87 Kitchen Crumbs

Tasty tidbits to brighten up your cooking

88 Dish

Cooking with Rory Moran

92 The Vineyard

Casanova’s wine

94 Food Trends Mmm, homemade ricotta

98 Table@Home

Strawberries mark summer’s start

101 My Space

Paul Caiano’s favorite spot

102 Photo Finish

Flower in bloom

77 timesunion.com/lifeathome | 9

 Talk Back

The story behind the story ... from our contributors Read below about how our contributors learned new things while working on this month’s edition of Life@Home.

Dollars and Sense

Waste Not, Want Not

Ann Hughes

Cari Scribner

Before looking into it, if you asked me to name the top five home improvement projects that hold their value, my list would have been way off. This was a good lesson for me that the most popular projects aren’t always in line with those that are tops for resale. It doesn’t change the wish list for my house, but I will definitely think twice when comparing a standard option to an upgrade. See Ann’s story on page 54.

Cabinet Magic Lee Nelson Everyone wants a fantastic kitchen, but not everyone can afford a complete remodel. Refacing the cabinets seems fairly efficient and cost- and time-effective if you want that 2013 look without all the hassles. And who wants their kitchen torn up for months? See Lee’s story on page 46.

Picnic Pleasures  Wendy Page Not enough people partake in this lovely pasttime anymore.

My inquiries were met with, “We used to picnic when the kids were little,” or “We haven’t had a picnic in ages.” I hope people are reminded how much fun picnics can be, especially with the number of places to picnic in the Capital Region. See Wendy’s story on page 73.

My Aching Back!

Elizabeth Floyd Mair Turns out my suspicions were correct: an old mattress can cause unwelcome aches. What I didn’t know was that those can, in turn, lead to arthritic changes and progressive degeneration of the spine and joints. See Elizabeth’s story on page 38.

We asked ... you answered Join the conversation! facebook.com/ lifeathomemagazine

There’s always something happening on Facebook. Click to add your two cents and enter contests.

10 | Life@Home

• Does anyone have a favorite outdoor place?

Kristi: Lounging in my tree swing reading a book.

Denise: Our gardens which we’ve filled with continuous blooming flowers and shrubs along with cozy sitting areas in and out of the sun.

This family’s commitment — and success — to eliminating household waste was a huge eye-opener. It literally changed the way I think about consumables and wasting everything from water to leftovers. I read chapters aloud to my kids so they can learn, too. See Cari’s story on page 56.

Down the Garden Path Colleen Plimpton I’ve been amazed at what some gardeners use as containers.

Everything from old boots, past-theirprime watering cans and cracked birdbath basins to bicycle baskets and toy trucks. The adventurous gardener fills these with an array of flowers, small shrubs and ornaments and creates a unique garden.

See Colleen’s story on page 60.

Here’s what our readers said this month on Facebook.

• How do you organize your bookshelf? By author? Color? Genre?

Or no order at all?

Richard: Subject.

Julie: Subject matter and size.

Linda: Any place where I can see/hear water.

Colleen: Loosely organized by fiction & nonfiction, and then by size.

There is also an entire shelf for art, photography and history books.

Sandra: Where I am right now, out in the breezeway.

Tony: Although I generally tend to organize first by subject and then

by author, I got creative in my living room, where I have a large wooden shelf on the left, and a matching one on the right. I decided it would be fun to have the left shelf contain “left brain” books (nonfiction, how-to, etc.) and the right shelf contain my “right brain” interests (art, theater, etc.). It’s worked rather well ... not only for finding things, but just for general browsing and appreciating.

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more

ONLINE

Find more at timesunion.com/lifeathome Explore more content — photos, stories, recipes, videos and companion blogs — all in once place.

RECIPES Get this recipe for Spring Lamb Ragu from Chef Rory Moran (story on page 88).

PHOTOS See more photos of this arts and crafts home in Ballston Spa (story on page 24), as well as more gorgeous photos from our featured Niskayuna garden (page 62).

Want to learn how to make Chef Moran’s Dozen Egg Pasta? Or are you curious about how Pinterest can help inspire your home decor? Check out our videos!

Handmade projects: crafts and basements!

Read about Sarah Goldschadt’s super-fun Craft-A-Day book, and get some great tips for remodeling an unfinished basement.

LIFE@HOME ONLINE Pinterest

pinterest.com/ timesunionmags Like our photos? Follow us on Pinterest, where we pin all our original photography and more!

12 | Life@Home

Facebook YouTube

youtube.com/ TimesUnionMagazines Want to go beyond the pictures in the magazine? Check out our behind-the-scenes videos.

Life@Home Blogs timesunion.com/lifeathome

Follow our 518 blog for great local finds and our House Things blog for gems dug up around the Web.

facebook.com/ lifeathomemagazine

Like us! Join in our conversations! Win free stuff! And stay on top of all our latest stories and news.

Basement Photo: © iStockphoto.com/kevin miller.

VIDEOS

STORIES

 Editor’s Note

Pin It! Talk Back!

Home décor inspiration with Pinterest and telling us what you think

I

Countertop photo courtesy custommade.com; chair photo courtesy freshome.com

le a coup t s u j re ave Here a hotos that h t. p es of the us on Pinter d inspire

14 | Life@Home

thought Facebook was a rabbit hole.

Then I discovered Pinterest — and quickly discovered I could jump into this Web world and easily not come up for air for a good hour ... or more.

The appeal of Pinterest is broad. As a virtual bulletin board where people pin their favorite images — both their own and those of other pinners they follow — it’s visually stunning. It’s impossible to log in and not be dazzled by dozens of beautiful images of things you’re interested in based on people you’re following.

But Pinterest is more than just eye candy. It’s filled with ideas for creative solutions to just about any problem you’re tackling in your own life. Planning an anniversary party and looking for clever DIY decorations? Looking for the perfect armoire for your bedroom? Pregnant and planning a nursery? All these and more more more can be found on Pinterest. It’s inspiration haven.

Sure you can read design blogs and check out your favorite websites for home décor. But in Pinterest you can have it all in one sweet spot as more and more bloggers and businesses realize that pinning what they do can help get their ideas in front of

readers who are actively looking for information and inspiration. We’ve got our magazines up on Pinterest (pinterest.com/ timesunionmags).

If you’re not sure where to start or how to take full advantage of Pinterest for your home décor, we’ve created a handy little online primer. Check out the story on page 36 and then go online to see our exclusive Pinterest video tutorial (youtube.com/ TimesUnionMagazines).

W

hile you’re online, we hope you’ll also take time to fill out our new Life@Home survey. We did a survey three years ago, and the results were impressive — both in terms of the high response rate and what you thought of the magazine.

Now we want to get your feedback again.

When we redesigned the magazine in February, we added new features. We’d love to hear what you think of them and how you like the magazine in general.

After all, it’s your magazine. What you think really matters to us. And, as a thankyou, one lucky survey-taker will win a ladies’ getaway for two to the Cranwell Resort and Spa. To take the survey, go to timesunion.com/ LifeAtHomeSurvey or scan QR code at right.

Janet Reynolds Executive Editor jreynolds@timesunion.com

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Furnishings  Gadgets  Décor

Home 17 – 68

A “tree” made with sautered nails. Photo by Philip Kamrass. Read more on page 24.  timesunion.com/lifeathome | 17

 Home Life

Now Where Did I Hide that Money?

By Megan Willis

1. THE SWISS BANK ACCOUNT: Several years ago I established a bank account at a credit union that I selected specifically because it put a 20-minute drive between me and my money. On the day I established this account, the teller asked, “And how many ATM check cards would you like?” I replied, “None.” This one thing is probably more responsible than anything I have ever done in helping me meet my financial goals.

2. ACCOUNTS WITH RIDICULOUS NAMES: Just as I will go to great extremes to hide money from myself, so, too, will I go to extremes to amuse myself in mundane matters. Credit unions are a great 18 | Life@Home

advantage here in that many allow you not only to divide automatic payroll deductions into numerous savings accounts of your own devising, but you can also name them whatever you like.

I created an account that is actually called “Swiss Bank Account,” which humors both me and every teller I work with. So you can go right ahead and have a payroll deduction that automatically deposits into separate bank accounts with names like: a. Hanukkah Fund b. Mama Needs a New Pair of Shoes c. Get Me Out of Here d. Hell Freezes Over There’s not a lot of fun to be had in financial management, so I say get it where you can.

3. CLAIMING ZERO DEPENDANTS ON THE W-4: Many of us forget what dependents we claimed on our W-4 unless we have recently changed jobs. Long ago I began claiming “0” on this form to ensure the highest rate of tax withholding. Most financial consultants will advise against claiming zero under the guise that you are giving the government the interest on that money. My claim? If I had it, I wouldn’t be earning interest on it because it would be gone.

4. IF IT DOESN’T HURT, I’M PROBABLY NOT SAVING ENOUGH: This basic philosophy causes me to rethink how much I’m saving, whether for 401K, 529b or the holy nest egg grail. Saving is painful and that’s … OK. Better to hurt a little along the way than to be up the creek without a financial paddle, which hurts far more.

5. QUICK CASH FOR KIDS: This one saves me money by teaching my kids how to make their own. I’ve got to give it up for CAP COM Federal Credit Union for two programs I have used with continued success. Great Grades program is a cashfor-report-cards program that earns kids $10 each marking period. They also offer a reading program that earns $3 a book for up to $30 per year. These two programs can earn a kid what I refer to as “the easiest $70 they will ever make in their lives.” Also, CAP COM change-counting machines don’t keep a percentage.

I am not a financial-planning professional. But I did have an asymmetrical haircut in the ‘80s and I know what works for me (P.S. — not that haircut). One adage about saving money still rings true — every little bit helps — so now that austerity is coming back into vogue, it’s a good time to take inventory and see where you can stash away some cash.  Megan Willis is a freelance writer and director of marketing for a global software company.

Read her blog, The Davenport Chronicles, at blog.timesunion.com/davenport.

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/Debbi Smirnoff.

W

hile I’ve always been fairly thrifty and mostly debt-free, I also know this truth to be self-evident: I will spend every dollar in my wallet and obliterate any balance in my checking account if given even half a chance. Therefore, I have learned to create barriers to accessing my money in the interest of building something that could be referred to as a “nest egg.”

It is easier than ever to access our moolah and to spend it sight unseen. As our dough has gone digital, we have gained much in the form of convenience, but for me that has had a downside. Increased access in the absence of discipline has been the root of many a financial downfall, so where I lack the discipline, I limit the access.

Financial experts recommend having an emergency fund equivalent to eight months’ salary. This figure makes me choke-laugh. Still, I do now have a reserve, where five years ago there was nothing. For me, there was only one path to liquidity and that was through trickery and deceit.

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 Window Shopping

Shop Smart Shop Local In each issue, Window Shopping highlights interesting and unique items available at area stores. This month we present creative upcycling in Troy.

Photos by Krishna Hill

Green Chair So pretty! The purple flowers are just the right complement to the spring green of the chair. $85 at Playing on the Furniture.

Agave Planter Porch/Exterior Table Cool upcycling! This table’s legs are made from wood salvaged from an 1890s ship, and its tongue and groove top come from a pre-war porch. Finished with spar varnish. $165 at Artcentric.

20 | Life@Home

This natural, untreated cork planter comes complete with an agave plant (also available separately). $68 at The Botanic Studio.

White Corner Vanity This white corner reproduction vanity (44"x15"x16") has three drawers and includes a dark wood finish chair, repainted to match the piece. $425 at Playing on the Furniture.

Featured stores Artcentric 266 River St., Troy (518) 272-4ART (4278) artcentricgallery.com

Playing on the Furniture 272 River St., Troy (518) 272-2006 facebook.com/ playingonthefurniture

Tree Root Sculpture The Botanic Studio 282 River Street, Troy (518) 279-7470 www.botanicstudio.com

Oh, the things you can do with roots — like make a sculpture! This bleached tree root is three feet tall. Blooming air plants available separately. Sculpture, $68; plants, $10 each at The Botanic Studio. continued on 22 timesunion.com/lifeathome | 21

 Window Shopping continued from 21

Our Bloggers Shop

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ONLINE

To stay in our bloggers’ design loop 24/7, go to timesunion.com/lifeathome.

Are you a design and décor junkie? We’ve got your fix at timesunion.com/lifeathome. And check out this month’s picks from our local and national bloggers. There’s more where these came from!

House Things

By Brianna Snyder

This contemporary update on a chaise lounge was designed by U.K.-based James Uren, who customdesigns and hand-builds each order he gets. This particular piece, which he calls the Luso Lounger, was built using American cherry wood and lacquered plywood. According to Uren’s website, “The Luso Lounger

22 | Life@Home

is a modern reinterpretation of the Chaise Lounge. It evolved from looking at redundant furniture, and re-inventing it to suit the way in which we live today.” Broken into two parts -chair and stool -- Uren says the Luso can be used as a day bed, lounger, chair and, well, footstool. $2,944.45. jamesurendesign.co.uk

Home Décor@518

By Valerie DeLaCruz

Fresh flowers add beauty to any setting. But how about accent pieces that take their inspiration from a flower’s intricacy and lovely patterns? These delicately glazed ceramic objets d’art reference zinnias, dahlias, even sea flowers and coral. Added to a collection of accessories, they are sure to evoke your love of nature, bringing

the outside in. Shown here with a free-form vase on an oval platter carved from authentic quartzite, the sparkle of the natural mica in the plate subtilely complements the soft sheen of these fineedged adornments. Available at Certified Framing Art Gallery, they range in price from $25 to $55.

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In the

Craftsman Tradition An Arts and Crafts home in Ballston Spa

By Brianna Snyder | Photos by Philip Kamrass

24 | Life@Home

“I designed that mirror, which is in the style of Greene and Greene,” says Olenik, “and once I did that it gave me the influence for doing the rest of the house.”

26 | Life@Home

S

implicity. That’s the defining principle behind the Arts and Crafts design movement. And John Olenik fell in love with it about 10 years ago.

“I always had a sense for the particular style,” Olenik says. “Over a period of time, I became more and more familiar with it and I started reading about it and I started getting magazines and I started building some furniture.”

Olenik is a skilled and — remarkably — self-taught carpenter. He built almost all of the furniture in his house. And this year he won Best in Show at the Woodworkers’ Association Showcase for a table he made in the style of Greene and Greene, two architects who played major roles in

the Arts and Crafts movement. Most of the light fixtures that Olenik did not build come from Meyda Lighting in Utica, whose pieces are largely modeled in the style of the movement. (“You walk in there and it’s like a candy store,” Olenik says.)

Though Olenik has owned this Ballston Spa raised ranch since 1973, he began converting his home to this specific aesthetic in the last decade. “My furniture has progressed over time from simple to pretty sophisticated,” he says.

The Arts and Crafts movement emerged at the turn of the 19th century as a response to the decadence of the Victorian era and its ornate decorating style. Those in the movement regarded overly elaborate ornamental-

ism as a vulgar display of wealth and status.

Instead, the A&C movement celebrated craftsmanship and the working class. Materials matter in this movement: the grain and cut of beautiful woods, the complex structure of a piece of furniture, the joints and edgework of the architecture of what the movement described as “ultimate bungalows.” Arts and Crafts is a celebration of modesty and craft.

It also celebrates individual craftsmen rather than mass production. Large-scale manufacturing was considered impersonal and rigidly templated. “They wanted to simplify things,” Olenik says. “They felt it was time to get into a simpler era.” Critical to this idea of simplicity is the way in which

John Olenik finds much of the wood he uses for his furniture locally, chopping trees down (with permission from local municipalities), having the wood sawyered, and drying it himself.

timesunion.com/lifeathome | 27

28 | Life@Home

Far left: notice the L brackets under the drawer on this table.

They’re a hallmark of the Arts and Crafts style and are on display instead of hidden.

On the right, Olenik’s piece, which won Best in Show recently. Both tables have Asian influences, as did much of the work of the Arts and Crafts architects Greene and Greene.

(And also look at the drawers’ detailed “joinery,” where the slats are fitted together and pegged with meticulous and deliberate precision.)

timesunion.com/lifeathome | 29

structures are joined. Brackets, hinges, Lincoln Log-like joints, and tenons — all on view in Olenik’s home — prove the point.

Tenons — peg-like protrusions connecting two adjacent pieces of wood — display the joint on a table or a bureau. Gently latticedtogether molding is interrupted at regular intervals by keyed scarf joints, which Olenik says are inspired by a Chinese aesthetic, another big influence on Greene and Greene.

Olenik loves joints in particular, as Greene

30 | Life@Home

and Greene did, because they draw attention to the complexity of the way tables, chairs and shelves are put together.

Many of the patterns and designs in Olenik’s furniture are inspired directly by the two architects, though he makes no exact replications of their work. Making a copy would go against the nature of the Arts and Crafts movement, which celebrates unique and original work.

One place where Olenik deviates from a

true Arts and Crafts house is the flooring.

While many A&C homes have hardwood flooring, he prefers carpet. “I didn’t have hardwood floors for a specific reason: I like comfort.” He’s got a bad back, he says, and lying on the cushy carpet is a relief for him.

“Craftsmanship. It’s all about craftsmanship, doing things well,” Olenik says. “We in this country today, we strive for mediocrity. And I want to stay as far away from that as I can.” 

This table got its gap when John Olenik butterflied an asymmetrical piece of wood and brought the two pieces together.

The result? Gorgeous imperfection. more

ONLINE

For more photos, go to timesunion.com/lifeathome.

 Below, Olenik in his first-floor living room. In the foreground, a lamp whose base — you guessed it — he built.

timesunion.com/lifeathome | 31

 Design Defined

Salvaging the Barn

By Lucianna Samu | Photo by Mark Samu

U

ncertainty keeps my design ego in check.

Uncertainty is different than a lack of confidence. Uncertainty is competent and confident design with an asterisk. Even when the asterisk explains a happy confluence of circumstance, I’ll still feel fuzzy about a design triumph when it’s not entirely of my making.

This uncertainty creeps in whenever I’m blessed with a room outfitted with superior architectural features. Any room bathed in a rare or glorious lighting circumstance leaves me to question just exactly how much my talent had to do with the results. It’s a curious and insidious thing, this uncertainty.

And nothing makes me suspect my talents more than holding a fascinating piece of salvaged old wood from an historic barn.

My love affair with barns began many years ago, as I witnessed the demolition of countless magnificent barns on the east end of Long Island. When I made the trip north with my family and everything we owned to settle down in Saratoga Springs, a new devotion to barns was born. Unlike the heartless demolition of these magnificent structures I’d witnessed, here the barns stood abandoned, seemingly, or so it appeared to me, on some arbitrary Wednesday afternoon. It wasn’t long before I set a new mandate for myself — to incorporate into my design aesthetic anything and everything “barn” I could get my

32 | Life@Home

hands on. My confident use of old wood, hardly a trend at the time, was supported only by the knowledge that, of the 3 trillion board feet of timber milled in this country since 1900, nearly all of it was still standing. Reclaiming what might otherwise fall into a dumpster seemed as good a thing to take a chance on as any.

Unfortunately, today’s sound recycling practices were not in vogue when the potato farms of the Hamptons were relegated to providing sweeping views to the lifestyle of the rich and famous. But thankfully, salvaging the rare American Chestnut, wide plank pine, white and red oak or the hickory and hemlock so many of these structures were built with is fast becoming a viable industry. Machines suited to the task of cleaning, milling, and repurposing the old growth

timbers are running at full steam, and the concerns of the past are mitigated now by the steady demands of an architectural and design community committed to the allure of skip planed wood, worm holes, knots and more knots.

Sophisticated metal scanners, which limit the scourge of ruined saw blades, have improved the odds an old barn will find new life as flooring, stair treads, counter materials, dimensional timbers or wood veneer. Even the pattern of nail holes, left behind when the nails are painstakingly removed by hand, is now worthy of discussion amongst salvaged barn wood aficionados. All seek to find the perfection of pattern confident carpenters once took great pride in adhering to. And so too, the fascinating character and colors only a cen-

“

Bits and pieces of the salvaged barn movement can fit nicely into any new home or renovation plan.” tury spent in the sun and the weather can cause to appear, is a coveted aesthetic only this material can deliver.

B

its and pieces of the salvaged barn wood movement can fit nicely into any new home or renovation plan.

The doors are of particular interest to me, and the availability of real barn door hardware, made to suit residential installations of all sorts, is another pleasing development. Add to this a newfound respect for all things locally made by hand, by craftsmen, and as part of the DIY revolution fueled by so many talented bloggers and artists’ collectives, and it appears the salvaged barn has a bright future.

Shelving is another superior use for old timbers, which are aged to perfection and have a structural integrity few species of readily available wood product can rival. Fireplace surrounds and simple mantles are another singular use for impressive old timber, particularly when the remains of prepowertool-era joinery, such as notches, hand planing or mor-

tise and tenons, are obvious.

Recently I was asked to finish a room in “old school” knotty pine. I suspect it won’t be long now before the solid wood paneling we’ve all been so eager to cover with paint is sanded and stripped back to its bare wood beginnings. Little by little, our respect for salvaged wood and the warmth it adds to our interior designs is enjoying a resurgence. Bravo to those who are making the preservation of old barns and historic wood structures their life’s work.

And bravo to those among us who confidently place the use of these prized materials front and center in our homes without apology.

As for who can lay claim to advancing the design idea and unique atmospherics the addition of salvaged wood products will add to a room, I can’t say for certain. But I’ll live with my uncertainties on the subject, and be content to let the wood speak to its historic past in knots and uniform nail holes, and its perfectly weathered gray — all of which I’m only too eager to work with and admire. 

Lucianna Samu is an interior designer and project expert for Aubuchon Hardware. For more of Lu’s musings, go to www.luciannasamu.com

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 Problem Solved

AFTER

Looking Up

How to redo a foyer without tearing it apart

34 | Life@Home

A foyer’s ceiling tiles and the pink wallpaper in this 1920s Albany home were dingy and dated.

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BEFORE

SOLVED Mary Korzinski of Custom Design Associates in Albany worried that ripping out the tiles would be a project of gigantic proportions. “It was going to be a mess ripping them off the ceiling,” she says. Once you start to pull apart a ceiling — especially one this old — you never know what you might find. So she and the homeowner opted to redo the foyer without breaking apart the infrastructure.

Using oil-based primer and caulk to tightly seal the tiles and the wallpaper, Korzinski painted over both. Using pieces of wood to make geometric elements gave the room a coffered ceiling. Painting the walls and parts of the ceiling a robin’s-egg blue, Korzinski modeled the room in a way that pleased the owner — who had been inspired by a picture of an English living room — and complemented the 1920s architecture. “All our little geometric pieces coming out of the ceiling [were] inspired by the molding in the house,” she says. “And the color pulls your eye up, gives you something to look at.” 

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construction project, then paint, caulk and an oil-based primer are your friend,” Korzinski says. The oil part is key. Water-based paint can absorb the moisture in the glue behind a wallpaper (or ceiling tiles) and cause them to bubble up or slip. To ensure that everything stays where it should, give it all a really good shellacking. “You have to seal the heck out of it with a good shellac-based primer,” she says. “It’s stinky but it works.”

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Isn’t that Pinteresting

By Brianna Snyder

Y

ou want to redecorate your dining room. Great. But what color should it be? What should you do with the light fixtures? Should you even change the light fixtures? You need a little guidance.

The first thing to know about Pinterest is that Pinterest is a sort of virtual bulletin board. It’s like a recipe box or a scrapbook.

When you’re browsing online, Pinterest is the best, easiest way to dog-ear what you see and like.

More than 12 million people use Pinterest — 80 percent of them women. It’s a visually36 | Life@Home

more

ONLINE

centric organizational tool for domestic tasks — cooking, fashion, home renovations and general life advice are all centerstage here. But as more and more people participate in Pinterest (in 2012, the site had a 1,000-percent growth rate), the bulletin board gets bigger. That’s more ideas for you, more inspiration, more collaboration.

Not sure where to start? Relax. Just scan the QR code at right or go to timesunion. com/lifeathome. Our video will get you going. And when you’re done with that, check out our Pinterest boards. 

See our exclusive Pinterest video tutorial at timesunion.com/ lifeathome, or scan the QR code at left.

Photos: Cork board, mbbirdy/GettyImages; Computer, Peter Dazeley; Additional photos taken form Life@Home Archives.

Using Pinterest to inspire your home décor

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Oh, My

SIGNS YOUR MATTRESS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED

Aching Back!

Tips for getting a better night’s sleep

• If there’s a valley in the middle of your bed • If your bed is lumpy • If your bed is causing you pain in the morning • A mattress needs to be replaced every seven to 10 years.

“

The notion that we should sleep on the hardest bed we can find is a myth that needs to be dispelled.”

— David Shiroff, president and CEO of Metro Mattress Corporation

D

oes this sound familiar? You wake up feeling worse than when you went to sleep. Your lower back hurts, and you feel older and stiffer than the night before.

While the reasons behind this can certainly be medical or stress-related, another culprit could be the cause: your mattress.

We spoke with local experts about whether this link is real — can minor back pains really be related to a mattress that’s too old?

— and to get their recommendations about what kind of mattress, and what sleeping position, are best.

Dr. Allen Carl, an attending orthopedic surgeon at Albany Medical Center, says the scientific evidence is not hard or fast on

38 | Life@Home

which mattress is best. So when patients ask him what kind of mattress they should get, he advises them, only half-jokingly, “Put on your pajamas and go down to the mattress store and tell the guy you’re going to be there for about eight hours. And try to figure out which one is right for you.”

On the debate of firm versus soft, he offers this suggestion: “Comfortable is best.”

And that, he says, may very well differ from one person to another.

He recommends first trying out every mattress in your own house and seeing what works best for you. Then angle toward finding a similar mattress.

Dr. Claude Guerra of HealthSource Chiropractic and Progressive Wellness in Albany,

agrees that no one type is best. “Your back and neck need to be supported based on the person’s individual sleep parameters — height, weight, position you sleep in.”

What is critical, Guerra says, is a mattress that properly supports the spine during sleep so that you don’t toss and turn all night to get comfortable. The wrong mattress can cause spinal problems because people spend six to eight hours per night in bed, Guerra says. Lack of proper support can lead to aches and pains, which can promote arthritic changes and progressive degeneration of the spine and joints.

The good news is that the industry is evolving as people are better understanding the science of sleep. David Shiroff, president and CEO of Metro Mattress Corporation, says that in the last 10 years or so, technology in the industry had changed dramatically, creating a category

Photos: Vstock LLC/GettyImages.

By Elizabeth Floyd Mair

, S G , N I S D N D O I E W RADUAT S E U Q G E B R A B Celebrations that require good hearing!

Sleeping Positions All our medical experts believe a good night’s sleep and preventing back pain is about more than just the mattress: how you sleep is also critical.

“If you ask any physician who treats spines, they will agree that side lying, with your knees somewhat bent and a thin pillow between your knees — although hard to do — is usually the best position for someone with back pain,” Ferrillo says. If the pillow doesn’t work well for you, he says, then just lying on your side, with knees together and somewhat bent, is best.

Back sleeping, he says, is probably second-best, although “people will be more prone to airway obstruc-

of sleep products designed to do two things: relieve pressure and allow people to toss and turn less and therefore experience longer Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, which is deep and restorative.

I

ncreasing options, of course, can make shopping for a mattress confusing. Shiroff suggests paying particular attention to cushioning, especially as we age. “Into our 40s and 50s and beyond that, our muscle tissue begins to slowly go downhill and deteriorate in terms of strength and health,” he says. It’s beneficial, then, “to sleep on a mattress that provides a bit of cushion

Come see the experts at Hear For You because your life is worth hearing! tion and snoring, especially if they’re overweight.”

Both Ferrillo and Guerra suggest avoiding sleeping on your stomach.

Guerra also recommends a cervical pillow to support the neck while sleeping on your side or back, to achieve a neutral posture.

Guerra is also not a fan of reading in bed. “I can’t tell you how many older patients I see with a significant forward head posture and severe cervical disc degeneration, who can’t lie supine because they read in bed or use multiple pillows.”

between their body and what is ultimately providing them with their support.” The notion that we should sleep on the hardest bed we can find is a myth he believes needs to be dispelled.

Two of our three medical experts say memory foam products such as Tempur-Pedic are probably among the best sleep products for helping to prevent back pain. Dr. Carl says that he thinks the hype surrounding memory foam beds “probably is real to some degree, on the basis of pressure mapping,” or the way that these products are designed to distribute the body’s pressure more evenly.

Dr. Martin G. Ferrillo, a partner with the Albany and

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SHOPPING FOR A MATTRESS Some tips from the experts • Comparison shop. Dr. Ferrillo sleeps

on a Tempur-Pedic mattress at home.

He says that for other rooms he has also purchased less-expensive versions from other manufacturers, and that these are very similar.

• If shopping online, read customer

reviews and look for free shipping.

• When shopping locally, look

for a retailer that offers a guarantee or trial period.

40 | Life@Home

A Guarantee of Comfort Locally, a quick round of phone calls turned up this information. All of the following have “comfort guarantees”: If you don’t like the mattress, you can return it, and the store will pick up the old one and deliver the new one (for a fee that varies from $80 to $149). One requirement: you must have purchased a mattress protector at the time of the original sale.

LOCAL STORES WITH THIS COMFORT GUARANTEE: Taft Furniture 1960 Central Avenue, Albany (518) 456-3361 121 Ballston Avenue, Saratoga Springs (518) 580-1314

Metro Mattress 1706 Central Avenue, Albany (518) 452-4433 plus several other locations Raymour and Flanigan 873 New Loudon Road, Latham (518) 782-1316 plus several other locations Mooradians 800 Central Avenue, Albany (518) 489-2529 plus several other locations Capital Mattress and Waterbed 775 New Loudon Road, Latham (518) 785-0493 offers a more limited guarantee, on only higher-end products (TempurPedic and Serta iComfort).

Photo: Tanya Constantine/GettyImages.

Saratoga Centers for Pain Management, says memory foam mattresses are “all the rage right now,” and do seem to work well because they more evenly distribute weight.

Shiroff of Metro Mattress, who says he has helped “hundreds if not thousands” of people select their next mattress, is a “great proponent” of memory foam, and believes that for most people one of those products or a traditional innerspring mattress will likely be best.

Shiroff says that particularly “for the 65 percent of people who are side sleepers,” memory foam can be a great choice because it distributes pressure evenly and not just at the single points of the shoulder and hip areas. This leads, he says, to less tossing and turning, and longer REM sleep. Longer time spent in REM sleep, he says, “leads to things like weight loss, lower blood pressure, just an overall healthier existence.”

He recommends against “adjustable firmness” mattresses, which he calls “air beds.” It’s his opinion that these are a niche product aimed at two people with very different comfort needs sleeping together in the same bed, rather than the absolute comfort of the people sleeping.

Another good choice, Shiroff says, is a new category of hybrid mattresses that uses innersprings but also takes elements from memory foam mattresses. These may ultimately provide, he says, the best of both worlds. 

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Movie Night at

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I

t used to be the only way to get the motion picture experience was to pack the family into the station wagon and head out to the local Cineplex, drop a ton of money on movie tickets and snacks, file into a crowded room full of strangers, and sit silently in cramped chairs without the ability to pause the show for a snack or bathroom break.

Then, in the 1980s, came the VCR. And while it didn’t immediately put movie

42 | Life@Home

theaters out of business as some warned, it did introduce moviegoers to an entirely new concept in viewing — in the comfort of their own easy chairs — and inaugurated a home-theater revolution.

“It became an opportunity to bring the family together to enjoy their leisure time,” says Anthony P. Hazapis, owner of Hippo’s Home Entertainment Center in Albany. “We go to the movies for the big picture and the big sound, and now with a

good home theater you can enjoy both in your own home.”

Indeed, in 2011, consumers spent $18 billion to buy or rent DVDs and Blu-ray discs, stream and download movies and TV episodes from the Internet, and access video-on-demand, while theater box office sales have been on the decline, accounting for only $9.9 billion in 2011, according to Digital Trends 2012, a publication of the Consumer Electronics Association.

Photos: left, Jodi Jacobson/GettyImages; right, © iStockphoto.com/Keith Muratori.

By Traci Neal

Getting Started The basic components of a home theater include a large-screen television, a surround-sound speaker system, an audio/video receiver, and a source — or multiple sources — to bring in content.

Here’s what to look for, according to Consumer Electronics Association trends and research information:

• Viewing — televisions are available up to 90 inches and after that, home theaters often use projectors and screens. Look for 3DTVs, smart TVs with Internet connectivity and apps built-in, 4K and 8K displays with four and 16 times the resolution as the best of today’s HDTVs, respectively, and organic LED TVs, which offer a better picture and thinner screen.

• Hearing — the so-called Home Theater in a Box provides affordable starter speakers with fairly simple connectivity.

A surround sound setup has five to seven speakers.

• Content — cable television, satellite TV, Blu-ray, Internet streaming, DVDs

• Audio/video receiver — amplifies sound and routes video signals to the television.

• Extras — theater seating, popcorn machine, wall mount or TV stand, cables

Demo Days: CE Demo Days 2013, national retail promotions sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association, take place over the weekends of June 21-23 and 28-30, during which CEA retailers host product demonstrations of new technologies and products, including Ultra HDTV, 3DTV, Connected TV and the big-screen home theater experience. Visit ceademodays.com to find a CEA retailer near you.

Some homeowners hire professionals to set up elaborate home theater rooms, actually recreating a small cinema with projection equipment, hidden speakers, roomy leather cinema chairs, popcorn and candy, movie posters, and video collections sorted by genre. But getting the big-screen experience can be as simple and as affordable as self-installing a few specialized electronics in a family room.

“You don’t need special seating or a dedi-

cated room,” Hazapis says. “It’s an option and certainly many people do that, but a lot of people use the couch that’s in their family room and put a big television and surround sound in because it’s a central, comfortable room where people already congregate.”

And while the cost can vary depending on budget and individual needs, “on average, the sweet spot,” he says, “is probably in the $6,000 to $10,000 range.”

“It’s all a matter of everybody has a

different budget for their discretionary purchases,” he says. “I’ve been in million-dollar home theaters, and since the first of the year we’ve done a couple of $40,000 ones.”

But don’t let the name fool you. Home theaters are not just for movies, says Hazapis. “When you’re watching the Super Bowl and you hear cheering all around you, it’s almost as if you’re in the stadium. It’s an excellent experience.”  Choosing the right TV for you: See page 44 timesunion.com/lifeathome | 43

continued from 43

Choose the right set in four easy steps: 1. Choose the right size Measure the distance (in inches) from the television to the seats, divide by two and write that figure down. Then, divide by three and write that figure down. The set’s size should range between the two figures you recorded.

2. Decide on features Decide if you want features such as 3D, input connectivity (for components, games, etc.), ease of use, broadband connectivity, apps and Internet connectivity, multimedia inputs (for SD cards, HDMI, and USB)

3. Choose image quality Many sets on the market are full 1080p.

Movie buffs and home theater enthusiasts looking for the true cinema experience will want a set that displays 1080/24p (24 frames per second, the frame rate at which movies are filmed). On the other hand, if you are purchasing a TV for more casual viewing, such as in a kitchen or bedroom, a 480p or 720p display may be an adequate choice.

4. Select a display type: Plasma offers deep blacks and rich colors, can be viewed from wider angles and achieve their best performance in lightcontrolled or darker rooms.

LCD (liquid crystal display) excels in Photos: Getty Images. LED, Steven Puetzer; LCD, Sarah Palmer; Woman with TVs, Glow Images, Inc.

brighter rooms where reflections and ambient light can wash out a plasma’s picture.

They consume less power than plasma displays.

LED (light-emitting diode) has a higher contrast ratio, brighter and more accurate colors and less power consumption.

DLP (digital light processing) produces vivid colors and deep blacks, making it a great choice for front and rear projection.

Source: Information from the Consumer Electronics Association, ce.org

LED 44 | Life@Home

LCD

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AFTER

Reface It I

Think replacing your kitchen cabinets is your only update solution? Think again.

By Lee Nelson | Photos courtesy Hickory Hill Cabinetry

t didn’t make sense for Donna and Richard Pavlovic to gut their entire kitchen and start investing big bucks to modernize it. “We are retired and live in a townhouse that is 20 years old. The kitchen cabinets were in good shape and made of solid wood. But they looked 20 years old and dated,” the Albany woman says. “I wanted a more modern look.”

So, the couple decided to give their cabinets a facelift — or should we say a refacing lift. Rather than replace their cabinets, they replaced the doors and drawer fronts with another surface. The result? In only

46 | Life@Home

four days and for about a fifth of the price of new cabinets, the couple had a kitchen that looked brand new.

Refacing is exactly what it sounds like – the existing boxes of the cabinets are used, which makes the whole process environmentally friendly. Matching veneers or wood cover the exposed frames and ends of the cabinets to make them look cohesive and new. Installing new hardware such as the hinges and knobs add a further update to the finished cabinets.

The Pavlovics turned to Tom Brennan, owner of Hickory Hill Cabinetry of the Capi-

tal Region area. He’s been refacing cabinetry for 25 years. They chose a contemporary-style door with a light-colored wood from the hundreds of available choices.

The look was completely opposite from their former dark cabinets. It opened up the kitchen to make it seem brighter and bigger, Pavlovic says.

“I am very satisfied. It was a good choice for us because a few years ago we had a bathroom gutted and reconfigured. We knew what construction would have been involved in our kitchen. We didn’t want to go through that again,” Donna says. “It’s beautiful.”

BEFORE

June is filled with excitement

While an economical alternative to replacing your cabinets, refacing is still catching on, Brennan says. “Home values aren’t climbing up fast. So folks are hesitant to put an investment into their homes if they won’t get it back in a few years,” he says.

Taking the leap, though, can pay back. According to Remodeling magazine’s 2011-2012 Cost vs. Value Report, mid-range minor kitchen remodels — new countertops, appliances, cabinet fronts (refacing) and hardware — have an average national cost just under $20,000 and get 72 percent return on investment if the homeowner sells the home. In contrast, midrange major remodels, which include new appliances, cabinets, countertops, flooring, and lighting, have an average cost of $57,824 and a nearly 66 percent return. New cabinets from big box stores such as Home Depot can cost from $350 for each base cabinet on the high-end to $175 on the low end.

“It all adds up. Refacing can save a customer a lot of money

because a cabinet door will only cost about from $36 to $80 if they are doing it themselves,” says Mark Murtomaki, owner of HouseSmart Home & Office Improvement in Ballston Spa. “Most kitchens have at least 12 cabinets and doors.”

However, while economically attractive, refacing isn’t for every situation. Cabinets must be in good condition and well made, and changing the layout of the kitchen may also mean refacing is not a good option.

Brennan says the price for refacing an average-sized kitchen starts at $5,000. He has remodeled kitchens in everything from historical to modern homes. “If someone does the refacing well, most people can’t tell the difference from new kitchen cabinets to ones that have been refaced,” he says.

T

he value of refacing is about more than money.

It’s also about time.

When Murtomaki works on a kitchen-refacing job, the family — unlike in a complete kitchen remodel — can still use the

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 Want to brighten up dark kitchen cabinets but not a fan of paint?

Refacing can help, as these before and after shots show.

COME SHOP WHERE STYLE MATTERS, FASHION FLATTERS, AND THE EXCITEMENT IS DOOR TO DOOR. FOLLOW OUR SIDEWALKS AND YOU’LL DISCOVER 62 SENSATIONAL SPOTS TO SHOP AND DINE. SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

ON WESTERN AVENUE WHERE THE NORTHWAY BEGINS.

Sign up for our e-newsletter at stuyvesantplaza.com facebook.com/StuyvesantPlaza

 Another dramatic change, owing largely to cabinet refacing; this one is enough to make you think you’ve walked into another kitchen entirely.

BEFORE

AFTER

appliances when he goes home at night.

“I just clean up the mess each night when I’m done, and they can use the kitchen,” he says. “They can use everything just like they would if I hadn’t been there. Refacing saves you a whole bunch of trouble.”

Richie Macygin, owner of Adirondack Home Renovations in Albany, says a refacing project typically takes three to six weeks from when he first sits down with a client to when she’s opening her finished cabinet doors, depending on when the materials comes in.

“It all depends on who is installing the refacing,” he says. People get what they pay for. “Make sure your contractor has done refacing before.”

48 | Life@Home

For every 30 kitchens that he remodels, one of them is a refacing job. “The refacing jobs usually are within the older houses built in the 1950s and up, and it’s usually older people that just want it spruced up. The doors are broken or hanging by a loose hinge,” he says. “Many of them choose refacing because they don’t want to lose the use of their kitchen for weeks or months.”

Brennan says that more than 90 percent of homeowners plan to keep the layout of their kitchen basically the same. If your existing kitchen is well-designed, well-built and functional, tearing out your cabinets is likely unnecessary. That saves a lot of time in the demolition phase of a remodel.

Refacing also saves a lot of trees. Reusing existing cabinets means less trash heading to the landfill. Additionally, doors and drawer fronts can be donated to places such as Habitat for Humanity Restore for reuse. People can use them to put in their own houses or for another purpose, such as creative furniture.

“By just using new doors and drawers, you are using less new wood. They don’t have to chop down a new cherry tree to make new cabinets,” Brennan says. “Others who are environmentally conscious also choose laminate veneers because 30 or 40 percent of it is made from recycled materials. The products have changed so much with better technology and materials.” 

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10 Ways to Use …

What about the detergent?

the Dishwasher

Bonus tip! An alternate use for your dishwasher detergent: It can help clean the bathroom (shower walls, bathtub, etc.) when you’re in a pinch and out of Scrubbing Bubbles.

By Melissa Fiorenza

P

lates,

bowls, forks ... flip-flops? Yup! For this “10 uses,” we unloaded a batch of reasons your dishwasher is handier than you think. After reading what may be our most surprising list yet (you won’t find #5 in the user manual!), you’ll never look at your Maytag the same way again. Disclaimer: We’re trusting your word and the testimonials of others, so we didn’t dry run all of these. Use your discretion on the iffier ones before you hit the switch!

Deodorize baseball hats

According to divinecaroline. com, tossing baseball hats in the washing machine can cause them to lose their shape. So, they suggest putting caps on the top rack of your dishwasher. Run it once, and they’ll come out clean — and odor-free.

2

Breathe new life into beauty products

Collect your combs, hairbrushes and makeup brushes. Remove all hair; then let them get a good wash in the silverware caddy.

3

Wash your shoes

Here’s what huffingtonpost.com says about this one: “Just make sure the heat-dry setting is turned off because it can ruin any rubber on your shoes.

And if you run an empty cycle after you cleaned shoes, that should get rid of any possible shoe-to-plate cross over.”

Apparently, they say, it works really well!

salmon in there. But then I keep thinking why would you cook a salmon in there. Still, though.

Party tricks.” Turns out, she’s right.

On foodnetwork. com, search for “Dishwasher Salmon with a Piquant Dill Sauce.” It’s a real thing …

6

Get gunk off bathroom fixtures

You know how your soap dish, toothbrush holder and toilet paper tower can get dusty and dirty every now and then? Bring ’em to the dishwasher.

7

Neatly spray PAM

nice and clean in the top rack with a rinse-only cycle (no detergent). Sound crazy? It makes mashed potatoes for 20 a lot quicker,” it says.

9

“I put the kids’ bath toys in there periodically to clean them,” Diane told us on Facebook. (A tip of our own we’ll add: Wash small toys, such as Legos, in there as well. Keep them together in a mesh bag.)

“When I need to lightly coat a sheet pan for cookies or a Bundt pan for cake with Pam or similar vegetable/ olive oil spray, I spray them inside the dishwasher, obviously with the door ajar,” says Julie of Minding Your Manor in Columbia County (mindingyourmanor. com). “That way any excess spray will be washed away next time I run the washer as opposed to settling on my counters.”

5

8

Anything in your tool kit that’s metal and plastic (no wood) is dishwashersafe — so says many a message board we found online. Who knew? 

4

Give toys a rinse

Make salmon for dinner (you read that correctly)

Also on Facebook, Brianna wrote in: “I keep reading about how you can cook a

Prepare potatoes

Another shocker! This one from realsimple.com: “Potatoes can get

Create extra storage space

Say you’ve made a whole bunch of food for an upcoming party, it doesn’t need to be refrigerated and you’re not using your dishwasher anytime soon. Open it up and store the food in there. Clears the counter, and you’ll nix the risk of flies.

10

Renew your tools

Want to join in the 10 Ways fun? Stay tuned to our Facebook page for upcoming questions: facebook.com/lifeathomemagazine.

50 | Life@Home

Photo: JazzIRT/GettyImages.

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 Dollars & Sense

Money Well Spent

Home improvements that hold their value

By Ann Hughes

I

1. STEEL REPLACEMENT DOOR — It may not be the project of your dreams, but a steel door offers safety benefits and can increase energy efficiency. It is typically a cheaper option than a front door made of fiberglass or wood. Jill Birdsall, office manager of Weichert, Realtors in Delmar, says a sharplooking steel replacement door can make a big impact when a potential buyer first lays eyes on your home.

“Buyers are already starting to make a decision on whether they’re going to like this house or not, so obviously you want your entry to look as inviting and warm as 54 | Life@Home

possible, and new and bright.” It is estimated you will recoup 93.8 percent of the door’s purchase price.

windows on this one. We’re going to lean towards the other one that doesn’t need that.”

2. SIDING REPLACEMENT — Whether it’s

calls kitchens (and bathrooms) the “wow factors,” aka rooms that leave an impression. She says sellers who don’t have an up-to-date kitchen risk paying a price, because buyers have a set expectation when they walk in. “For your typical four-bedroom, four-and-a-half bathroom colonial that may only be 15 or 20 years old, you’re going to want to replace the countertops and make sure the cabinets are in tip-top shape, maybe switch out the handles.” Whether it’s appliances, countertops or cabinets, the cosmetic changes hold about 70 percent of their initial cost.

traditional vinyl, foam-backed vinyl or fiber-cement, new siding holds nearly three-quarters of its value, according to the Remodeling 2013 Cost vs. Value Report. Birdsall says it makes sense because of curb appeal and the low maintenance involved.

“When buyers are comparing a couple of different houses that may be the same square footage, maybe the interior is the same, condition-wise and one has vinyl siding and the other has, say, clapboard, they’re thinking we have to replace the siding on this one, we have to replace the

3. MINOR KITCHEN REMODELING — Birdsall

Photo: Dorling Kindersley/GettyImages.

f you have a home improvement project in mind, you may wonder how much value it adds to your house. The Remodeling 2013 Cost vs.

Value Report (costvsvalue.com) gives us a good idea, with figures specific to Albany. Based on information that includes a survey of National Association of Realtors members, it’s a popular reference for local real estate experts. Here are their thoughts on the top five projects that can improve your home now and hold the most value, if you sell in the future.

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4. WINDOW REPLACEMENT — According to the Cost vs. Value Report, new wooden windows hold a slightly higher value than vinyl (68.6 percent vs. 64.3 percent), but it’s safe to say the better their condition, the more value they will add.

“Everyone in this area is concerned about heating and cooling, heating particularly.

Good windows improve that significantly,” says James Ader, CEO of the Greater Capital Association of Realtors.

5. UPSCALE GARAGE DOOR REPLACEMENT — Think along the same lines as the importance of an attractive front door. Garage doors are

Before You Begin …  Consider the houses around you Jill Birdsall, of Weichert, Realtors in Delmar, warns against overimproving, if you are strictly making a change to add value.

She uses granite kitchen countertops in a starter-home neighborhood as an example.

“You want to make sure your property is in alignment with what other properties have sold for,” she says.  Shop around If it’s a DIY project, take the time to make sure you’re paying a fair price for materials. If you need to hire someone to do

made to be tough, but our winter weather and summer sun put them to the test. Clean, undamaged garage doors add to the curb appeal of your home. Expect an upscale garage door to bring about 67 percent return on investment.

Ranking low on the list of projects that hold their value: remodeling a home office, adding a master suite and installing a backup power generator. But our experts warn not to get too caught up in the numbers. After all, the most important thing about making a home improvement is making an improvement you will enjoy. 

the work, the Better Business Bureau recommends checking its online directory for BBBrecommended contractors or remodeling businesses. Also, ask for references and follow through.

Find out if that homeowner is happy with the work and see it with your own eyes.  Set a budget Decide how much money you’re comfortable spending, and make sure the improvement falls within that range. Then figure out how to pay for it. If the project requires financing, a home equity line of credit may be a good option, considering the interest is tax-deductible.

Ann Hughes is a journalist who has been counting her pennies ever since she saved up for a Cabbage Patch Kid at age nine.

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 Living Green

Waste Not, Want Not Clever tips to reduce your family’s garbage

By Cari Scribner | Photo courtesy Zero Waste Home

I

n her remarkable new book, Zero Waste Home, Bea Johnson gives cheerful, motivating, results-oriented advice for reducing the trash and recyclables that end up at the end of your driveway weekly for waste collection.

How successful is she? Her family of four produces just one quart of garbage a year.

You read that right. One quart.

Johnson’s daily practices range from the “why didn’t I think of that?,” such as assigning a stainless-steel bottle for each member of the family to use for drinks, which eliminates the need for water glasses stacked in the sink and filling the dishwasher, to the off-putting, such as using your finger in place of a Q-tip for ear cleaning, to the unusual, such as using dryer lint to make putty for kids’ projects or homemade paper. Somewhere in between lie enough tips to enable anyone to make an environmental difference.

Hailing from the suburbs of San Fran-

56 | Life@Home

cisco, Johnson lives with her husband, two sons and one small dog, and admits to once living the typical American consumer life.

But at age 32, Johnson felt disconnected with her life and environment, and wanted to find more meaning by living with less.

Setting up her household with the bare necessities to live simply was complicated.

It’s far easier to live with consumables than to devise — and put into action — alternatives. Johnson admits it took her a year to devise ways to work around packaging, but is happy to share her tips for busy families to assimilate.

A big step toward establishing a zero-

waste household is not accumulating items in the first place. As their foray into using less accelerated, the family downsized their home and gave away 80 percent of their belongings, including recreational items such as snowboards, golf clubs, camping gear and bike racks. The Johnson house, with its stark white rooms, is devoid of decorative items that draw dust and require cleaning.

Nor are there items in disposable packaging.

Each family member, meanwhile, has pared down their wardrobe to just enough items to last seven days. As you can imagine, the house has no garbage cans.

But that was just the beginning. After

Getting Started It stands to reason that if you don’t buy consumables, you won’t deal with their packaging. So Johnson includes hundreds of ideas in her well-organized chapters for how to replace homemade with store-bought, including:

 Grow your own loofah for cleaning dishes and yourself.

 Forego shampoo and conditioner.

Instead, sprinkle baking soda on your scalp, massage well; then rinse with apple cider vinegar.

 While you have the baking soda out, store a glass container by the bathroom sink and use in place of toothpaste.

 Unravel a piece of organic silk fabric, twist a couple of strands together and use as floss. Compost the used threads.

 Place a bucket in your shower to collect cold water after you turn on the shower (while waiting for the water to warm up).

Use the water for dishes or houseplants.

 If yogurt passes expiration date (but isn’t moldy), season with salt and hang above the sink in a handkerchief to make a soft cheese.

 Add citrus peels to vinegar to make multi-purpose cleaner with 1 cup water and ¼ cup white distilled vinegar. Vinegar

gleaning tips from various sources including Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie series, the Johnsons’ mantra morphed into something beyond the wellknown “reduce, recycle, reuse,” into “refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, rot.” The “refuse” step requires moxie: Johnson brings her own mason jars to the market and asks the servers to place meat or fish directly into the jars. If people balk, she tells them that she doesn’t own a trashcan. Refusal also means turning down a commercially baked pie a guest brings to dinner, because

is Johnson’s go-to cleaner for everything from removing adhesive stickers to stains on garments to dissolving soap scum.

 Rub lavender flowers onto your skin instead of bug repellent.

 Use overripe fruits for jam and pickle extra veggies.

 Bring your own beer jug to a local brewery or wine bottle to a wine bottling event to be refilled (Johnson recommends Googling “bottle your own wine events” to find one locally).

 Make your own votive candles with wire, a thick nail and leftover cooking oil.

 Make dryer lint putty with 3 cups lint, 2 cups water, 2 tablespoons salt and ¼ cup flour. Use for craft projects.

 Mix cocoa powder with oil or steep loose tea and spray on to give your skin a darker hue rather than bronzers or sunless tanning lotions.

 Make your own liquid soap with grated soap (purchased in bulk without a wrapper) and warm water. Blend.

 Use burned almonds, ground well, with a drop of oil, to make your own kohl eyeliner.

 Make your own balm for everything from lips to wrinkles by heating beeswax and sunflower oil.

the Johnsons don’t want the packaging.

Rot, as you may guess, refers to composting, an activity that’s allowed them to cancel their waste removal service altogether. The family composts everything from dead flies and toenail clippings to dust bunnies and discarded dog chews.

Foregoing large grocery stores, Johnson visits farmers markets and whole-food stores to buy fresh, local and bulk items.

She manages with just three large reusable tote bags, bringing other cloths for specific items, such as a pillowcase for fresh bread.

Zero Waste Home The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste,

by Bea Johnson, Scribner, 292 pages, $17

She lives by “BYOC,” bring your own container, from a reusable piece of paper for a stick of butter to glass bottles for maple syrup, olive oil, etc. (Bring a washable crayon to label what’s in the bottle, and always refuse the paper receipt!) Despite the fact that buying in Whole Foods stores tends to cost more, the family saves a whopping 40 percent off its annual budget by paring down purchasing and packaging.

Johnson admits to her failed experiments, such as using leftover plumbing lye and bacon fat to make soap (she ran out of lye and it was just as simple to buy loose soap in bulk). She gave up making butter due to the time commitment, and found one of her early methods of making mascara resulted in raccoon-eyes shortly after application.

Given that Johnson hates to see paper and ink used in large quantities, it begs the question: why she would have a 290-page book published. Her answer? If her book results in people making changes and reducing their household waste, it’s worth the paper.  timesunion.com/lifeathome | 57

 Refurnished Living

Let the Games Begin

By Alison Grieveson

With the warm weather upon us, my family and I are spending as much time outdoors as possible. When I’m not purloining perfectly good plastic playhouses and slides from my neighbor’s junk pile, I like to search for outdoor toys that are also easy on the planet.  x

This Ride-On Recycle Truck is made from  eco-friendly materials. Paints used are waterbased and non-toxic. mookla.com, $99.99  Check out these biodegradable beach toys 



y Good enough to eat!

made from corn! Also available in orange and pink combo. zoeborganic.com, $22  This lead-free sidewalk chalk is made from w organic ingredients and comes in five colors. weecantooart.com, $12  This eco-friendly croquet set is made x from environmentally-friendly rubberwood and non-toxic paints, dyes and lacquers, plus formaldehyde-free glue.  TheGreenPlayroom.com, $48 “Bob” is a climb-on sliding board tractor y made of recyclable corrugated cardboard. tsuchinoco-kids.com, $1,700  

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58 | Life@Home

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Alison Grieveson is a graphic designer who enjoys exploring the greener side of the design and decorating industries. For more green tips, check out RefurnishedLiving.com.

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 Down the Garden Path

Counting on

Containers

You can make a mini-garden anywhere!

Story and photos by Colleen Plimpton

C

ute or complicated, serene or scintillating, containers are finding increasing favor with gardeners. They can range in complexity from a tiny window box full of chubby marigolds to pots stuffed with vegetables, to huge ornate sculptural pieces highlighted by pricey perennials. And unlike the ornamental border, they may be changed with the season.

60 | Life@Home

The reasons to go the container-gardening route are many. Want to spark up that stretch of patio? Tired of having critters dine on your delphiniums in the cutting garden? Desire a water garden but don’t have a pond? Have a spectacular vessel you wish to showcase? Is your soil poor and unproductive? All these are grounds for jumping into container gardening.

You’ll find a wealth of resources at gar-

den centers, online, and in your friends’ landscapes. Here’s a primer on container gardening and some plant suggestions:

CHOOSE THE RIGHT CONTAINER. Though the classic clay pots are gorgeous, they can be fragile. In recent years manufacturers have created fabulous fakes, some of which are difficult to distinguish from their more expensive clay cousins. Also consider troughs and trays, urns, cracked birdbaths and granite basins. Even old boots can feature a few annuals. I tend some 40 containers on my patio and all are filled each spring with a 50/50 mixture of homemade compost and purchased organic potting soil, the kind with incorporated fertilizer. (Sometimes I mix in water-grabbing crystals such as Soil-Moist,

From left: Purple and black arrangement of black mondo grass and heuchera; Autumn arrangement of sedum, pepper, cabbage, penesitum rubrum and mums; Salvia Argentea

but I find that the compost holds water well.) I let the soil mixture settle for several days before planting.

CHOOSE THRILLERS, SPILLERS AND FILLERS. The best containers have all three of these. Thrillers are those tall plants such as grasses or yucca. Spillers, such as petunias or creeping Jenny generally relax over the pot edge. Fillers are all the rest, the main course. Use your imagination here; perennials, herbs, annuals, small shrubs and trees, and even some vegetables can fill the bill.

THINK COLOR, TEXTURE AND FORM. Try using an impressive vessel as a focal point, planted high and wide with components such as canna or ornamental grasses.

When grouping pots, position them in a relaxed triangle but perhaps allow one pot to dominate. Or arrange planters in vignettes, and use bricks or blocks of wood to lift the more petite pots so they can play nicely with their neighbors. A blank background such as a garage wall can be made more interesting by massing pots with appealing color and foliage in front.

Place several large pots of showy begonias among the plants during the summer slowdown. That keeps the color going until the sedums, Japanese anemones and asters commence their reign.

NOT ALL WATER FEATURES ARE PONDS. Water gardens may be created in a leakproof pot.

Depending on the size of the container, material from dainty waterlilies to statuesque cannas may be appropriate.

To provide a serendipitous color splash, include small goldfish.

SEASONAL SPECIALS. Containers allow the gardener to plant according to the season.

Start fresh in the spring by combining

pansies and pots of daffodils, hyacinth or tulips to create a cheery welcome. Once the weather warms, pull out the early bloomers and compost, and then choose colorful annuals such as coleus or rex begonia, perennials such as heuchera, salvia argentea and variegated carex.

Anchor the setting with a statuesque grass, a small shrub or New Zealand flax and fill in with sweet potato vine, draping coleus or million bells. Autumn brings to mind pansies once more, and to them the gardener may add sedum, variegated ivy, and crimson-edged bergenia.

CAREFUL CARE. Container plants are no different than regular garden plants in terms of exposure. Put shade-loving plants in shade and sun-lovers in sunshine.

Check moisture needs regularly, especially in the dog days of summer or in windy conditions. I like to keep an attractive watering can nearby, that way there’s no excuse not to water. Since my patio pots are grown in a rich soil/compost mixture, I seldom need to add supplemental fertilizer once planted. However, some material looks a bit peaked by August, and if so, I check to see if they are root bound. The entire plant may be gently removed from the pot, the bottom third of the root ball sliced off, and new potting soil placed in the bottom of the container. The plant is

replaced, watered well, and thus receives a new lease on life.

WINTERING OVER. If the perennials used are at least two zones colder, they may be overwintered in their pots. Otherwise, remove perennials such as small buddleia, hosta, and grasses and plant them in the garden, taking care to mulch well to prevent frost heaving. Take tip cuttings of annuals such as coleus and fuchsia, or slice out a rooted section of plants such as Rex begonias. Place in a smaller pot, and arrange in a cool windowsill for their winter vacation. In early spring, commence hardening off prior to planning once more in outdoor containers.

WINTER DISPLAYS. If you wish to use the pots to display outdoor winter décor, remove the plants and the top few inches of soil; fill in with sand. Place red twig dogwood, berried branches, crabapples, and various evergreens into the containers to decorate for the holidays. A few added pinecones spice things up. Before use the following spring, however, all pots should be cleaned thoroughly. Empty containers, especially those made of clay, should be stored upside down under cover.  Visit garden communicator Colleen Plimpton’s website at colleenplimpton.com. timesunion.com/lifeathome | 61

 Don’t worry about precision, says Gillian.

“Take the line of least resistance.”

Garden

Glory

A backyard haven in Niskayuna

 Bertie the cat loved the garden. Now this statue, also named Bertie, watches over the plantings.

By Janet Reynolds | Photos by Colleen Ingerto

W

hen Gillian and Sidney Woodcock moved to their Niskayuna home just over 30 years ago, the yard was nothing special. Today the yard is awash in roses, coreopsis, daisies, hydrangeas and more.

“It was a weedy, grassy slope when we came here,” Gillian says of their sloping backyard.

As gardens do, the Woodcocks’ spaces have spread over the years as they’ve had more time to devote to the space. The yard is still a work in progress, she says, calling herself a “lazy gardener.” “I try to do a little something each day,” she says.

Why put in the hard work? “I like sitting and looking at a pretty garden,” she says. see more gardening tips on 64

The key to successful hostas? Divide and conquer. Otherwise “they can get enormous.”  timesunion.com/lifeathome | 63

 Gillian loves roses. She recommends varieties like Knockout because they’re hardier and more likely to last a New York state winter. Added bonus? “They bloom all summer, which is what I like,” she says.

Sidney built this bridge over a very damp area of the 

yard with thick clay soil, i.e. not a soil many plants love.

Gillian’s advice? Plant things that will work in the area you’ve got, rather than in an area you wish you had.

64 | Life@Home

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 Tech Tips

Gone Fishing

What to do when your tablet goes swimming

By Brianna Snyder

What to do when liquid is the culprit Take the battery out (if you can — if you’re trying to resuscitate an iPad, don’t pry it open to get to the battery or anything else; but if the battery can be easily popped off the device, do it). Do not try to pry apart a phone or a tablet, even if 66 | Life@Home

you think you know how to do it. Delicate ribbons and wires inside can be badly damaged if an amateur tries to crack into the body of a gadget.

If it’s a plugged-in laptop or charging phone, immediately unplug them. You don’t want electricity surging through your weakened device; it can cause more damage. Then, Spaulding says, put your gadget, if you can, in rice. It helps to absorb some of the moisture. Zimbler says he’s had less luck with this approach. He says just laying the device on a towel — if it’s a laptop, make it an upside-down V shape and prop it up to let the liquid drain out — and call your nearest technician ASAP.

If you have to drink around your device, make it water If it’s just water, you have a good chance of recovering your device ... depending on the water. “We’ve had decent results recovering water-damaged [devices], but again it’s going to be hit or miss depending on the duration [of submergence] and mineral content,” Spaulding says. “if something falls in the ocean, that may kill the device right there.”

“If you have any choice in the matter it is better to drink things that don’t have milk or sugar” around your device, Zimbler says. “When you’re trying to get rid of the bad stuff, the milks and the sugars are the worst things for it in terms of causing longterm damage. I tell people I drink my coffee black because I spill too much.”

“The sugar acts like an acid and burns through the boards,” Zimbler adds. “When the water dries, it makes a film that acts as a conductor, so you have electricity

going in the wrong direction or it actually is an acid that eats through the sauter on the board.” This is why, Zimbler and Spaulding agree, it’s crucial to call a local repair shop and take the gadget in for a cleaning as soon as possible after you’ve begun the drying process. It’s the cleaning of these minerals, salts and sugars from your device that give it a chance of survival. But all that has to be done, Spaulding says, within about 48 hours — though there’s no guarantee.

“It’s basically always going to be hit or miss,” he says. Zimbler says recovery rates are pretty strong; sometimes devices can be fully recovered or sometimes they need replacement parts, but he’s had good luck bringing gadgets back to life.

What can you do to prevent or minimize (inevitable) liquid damage?

“If you buy the right model computer, it can have a system set up so that literally water that pours in will pour out,” Zimbler says. “Having said that, obviously that’s not encouraging people to go [dump water on their computers], but the point is it definitely helps you when you have a problem.” Lenovo’s ThinkPad laptop series is a good example of this kind of model. For cellphones, certain covers, such as ones made by OtterBox and LifeProof, have excellent waterproof sealants that go a long way in protecting your device, according to Spaulding. But the best preventive method is just to keep your tech objects away from sinks, bathtubs, toilets, pools, oceans, drinks in tall glasses and the rain. Mm, on second thought, keep your repair man’s number handy. 

Illustration: © iStockphoto.com/aleksandar velasevic.

O

h no. Your cell phone just kerplunked into the soapy kitchen sink. Panicking, you rescue your drowned device and pray the 5-second rule applies here. You mash on the power button and all you see are garbled pixels. What do you do now?

“Turn it off and take the battery out,” says Larry Zimbler, president of Liberteks, a computer repair business in Albany. “Do not [try to] turn it on again.”

Zimbler says water (and other liquid) damage is “probably the most common damage” he encounters with phones, tablets and laptops. And with the way most warranties read, it almost seems as if big tech companies want you to spill that full cup of coffee all over your laptop’s keyboard. Many warranty and insurance policies don’t cover for liquid damage — and many devices have ribbons inside them that turn colors when liquid touches them, so that guy working behind the Apple Genius Bar knows you’re full of it when you shrug and tell him you don’t know why your water-logged iPhone stopped working.

Don’t panic, we say. Our experts — Zimbler at Liberteks and T.J. Spaulding of Spaulding Computers in Albany — gave us some tips for what to do with a dripping tablet and a little bit of the science behind why your laptop doesn’t float.

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Help Me …

take great

vacation photos

By Jennifer Gish

V

acation photos used to be a surprise at the end of your trip. In the film days, you’d flip through the prints only to find that great shot you thought you captured of your son screaming down Splash Mountain had half your thumb in the frame.

Digital photography erased all those kinds of surprises, but it didn’t necessarily make us better at documenting our vacations with beautiful photos. Here are some tips from the pros.

Photo: Peter Kindersley/GettyImages.

USE YOUR BEST EQUIPMENT: “Many people leave their good camera at home when going on vacation. But those rare once-in-alifetime moments are exactly what deserve the best camera you own,” says Paul Grupp, photographer and partner at Upstate Photographers in Troy. Many smartphone cameras take great shots, but you’ll need that “good camera” if you plan to shoot dim interiors or night scenes. (For those who know photography, Grupp says that means a large maximum aperture of f/2.8 or better.)

If you’re afraid to take along your expensive camera because you think it may get stolen, Grupp says to ask your insurance agent about a rider on your household policy, which can cover your gear.

BEFRIEND YOUR CAMERA: Check out all your camera’s features before you leave, which may require reading the manual. “Even inexpensive consumer cameras have great capabilities nowadays,” says Jeff Foley, of Jeff Foley Photography in Mechanicville.

“If you are interested in making lasting

images, challenge yourself to get beyond the camera’s basic modes.”

IT’S IN THE DETAILS: “Like many other people, I love a beautiful sunset or a stunning waterfall, but sometimes it’s the finer details that make for a unique photo,” Foley says. “I have fallen in love with small architectural details on the streets of Colombia and piles of coffee beans in Costa Rica.”

CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE: “Be creative with different angles and composition. It is amazing what changing your perspective and avoiding the standing-adult angle can do to elevate an ordinary snapshot. Crouch or lay on the ground,” says Ashley Brown of Ashley Brown Photography, based in Clifton Park.

“Mix in some close-up shots — a melting ice cream cone, sandy toes — and wide-angle shots in addition to your typical lineup.”

LOSE THE FLASH: “Your camera’s built-in flash produces images that look more like crime-scene photos than art,” Grupp says.

“Experiment with shooting without the flash. Pick up a little table-top tripod for when you are shooting in low light.” The tripod will keep your photos from blurring because your hand was shaking.

SEEK SOME SHADE: “When possible, try to position your subjects so that their back is to the sun or so that they are in the shade,” Brown says. “Facing into the sunlight will produce harsh shadows and squinty eyes.

If you are trying to get the best beach images, try shooting right after the sun rises or right before the sun sets for the

best results.” Oh, and if you’ve brought along your good camera, like a DSLR, keep it away from the sand. The two don’t mix.

BE CANDID: “Sometimes an image of a family member enjoying something ... will showcase genuine happiness more effectively than a posed moment can,” Foley says. Grupp suggests being a true documentarian of the experience by photographing those you encounter.

“Create a visual record of what you see and the people you meet, rather than just trophy shots of you and your family in front of famous places,” he says.

SHOOT AND SAVE: “Take lots and lots of images,” Brown says. “This should be a given, but make sure to pack enough memory cards. It’s easy enough to weed out the duds to make sure that you don’t miss a moment.” And if you’re worried about losing memory cards or you are using a smartphone to take all your photos, Grupp suggests uploading images online to Facebook, Zenfolio or Flickr.

GET OUT FROM BEHIND THE CAMERA: “Include yourself in some of the photos,” Foley says. “Don’t be the one who says, ‘Oh, I’m not in any of the photos because I was always taking them.’ Trust me, your family wants you to be in some pictures, too. So, maybe bring a small tripod and use your camera’s timer so your family and friends will be able to prove that you were there with them.”  Jennifer Gish is features editor at the Times Union. timesunion.com/lifeathome | 71

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Taking your portable dining to the next level

By Wendy Page

Photo: Stígur Karlsson/GettyImages.

e all know what ruins a picnic — ants, mosquitoes, rain.

What makes the perfect picnic is more individualistic. Some prefer an open field while others like a nook by a stream.

Some like the tablecloth-on-the-ground approach where others demand a table.

Whatever your picnic druthers, the Capital Region has spots aplenty. Here are some tips to help make your picnic stress-free.

PLAN AHEAD. No matter where you decide to picnic or what you serve, some supplies are universal: Two coolers (one for beverages, the other for food), ice, plates/napkins/utensils, serving utensils, tablecloths, bottle opener/corkscrew, garbage bags, sunscreen and bug spray, candles for when dusk sets in, and a camera. Plan where food will be laid out.

Have something for seating.

THE MENU. Safe food storage is critical,

especially on hot, humid days. Packing the food in plastic bags makes them lighter and easier to pack in a cooler than plastic containers, and you can toss (or recycle) the bags when you’re done. Ingenious tip from Jeanne Cornell of Clifton Park? Freeze juice boxes. “They stayed cold and kept the food cold, too,” she says of doing this when her children were young.

The food can be as elaborate as you’re inclined. Cheese, crusty bread, grapes and wine work well. There’s nothing wrong with the standard hot dogs and hamburgers.

My unofficial poll yields a clear-cut winner on favorite picnic food: cold fried chicken.

Have snacks to nosh on before and after

the main meal.

Not interested in cooking? Call on the pros. Many sandwich shops will put together food and sides, and barbecue restaurants often offer packages specifically geared for picnics. Top Shelf Catering/ Bartending, for example, has a package for a drop-off BBQ, as well as a popular fullservice package consisting of six hours of actual serving time on-site. “We do anything the customer needs,” says owner Dan Batto. You do need to call ahead for food.

MUSIC. The beauty of mobile devices is that music is just a click away. Add some speakers and you’ve got instant sound and ambience. One caveat: Be aware of your picnicking neighbors – some people only want to hear the babbling brook. continued on 75 timesunion.com/lifeathome | 73

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Our Readers Say… We asked you where you like to picnic and what you like to bring. Here’s what some of you offered.

FAVORITE PLACES TO PICNIC “I love the canal system along the Erie and Mohawk,” she says, “and all the locks have parks.

You can see the boats go by, some spots have grills and picnic tables. You don’t want to fuss over food when you’re out at a picnic — you fuss at home.”

— Cynthia Gifford Saratoga Spa State Park. “When we have guests, it’s a fun summer place. They have the pool open and all the trails. They have picnic tables. Parking is never a problem. We bring a lot of food and walk over to the Peerless pool.”

— Mona Caron of Adirondack Sports & Fitness continued from 73

SHADE is essential. Opt for a spot under

HAVE A THEME. A theme ties everything

a tree, or bring a pop-up tent. If the park allows, put a beach umbrella into the ground. This cools you, but also works to shade your cooler and food.

together, says Cynthia Gifford, co-owner with her husband of Liberty Ridge Farm.

Go Western (red and white checkered tablecloth, bales of hay, country music, standard barbecue fare and lemonade served in Mason jars), all-American (burgers and hot dogs, cake iced with white frosting or whipped cream and striped with blueberries and strawberries for the red, white and blue), or Hawaiian with a luau (leis, tikis, exotic fruits, colorful blankets or towels to sit on). Party rental stores can supply linens and extra chairs.

Photo: Kauro Mikami/GettyImages.

AMBIANCE AND ACTIVITIES. Event planner Jessica Herberger, owner of Experience Events, says doing this can transform an everyday picnic into “a special little moment.”

Herberger advises planning at least one activity, which gives people a purpose other than eating. “Have the kids draw out a scavenger hunt,” she suggests. “Explore the area and look for these items while you take a nature walk. Or bring a Frisbee and a ball. Sparklers are fun. It’s a little tough to make it special.”

Other ideas: cards, checkers, a board game.

For ambiance, Herberger suggests votives in Mason jars. “They travel easily and won’t make a mess in your bag or on the table,” she says. “Anything in a Mason jar makes it look cool — and it’s an easy way to carry things.” She serves salad in a Mason jar and puts flowers in a Mason jar. Check first, however, that where you’re picnicking allows glass. Otherwise, put everything in plastic containers.

Another simple touch is to offer paper striped straws. “It’s nothing big, but it feels special because it shows you thought of one extra special thing,” she says. “It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. People respond to knowing they’ve been thought of.”

INSECTS. Want to keep the ants off your picnic table? Place a plastic container filled with water under the bottom of each table leg; they can’t crawl past them. Another tip? Encircle the food on the picnic table with a line of flour, which ants, oddly, won’t cross; powdered chalk works well, too.

Michelle Bielawa, a Clifton Park resident who travels with her family in their camper, offers a great tip for staving off insects: “To avoid bugs — mostly bees — we put a sweet soda like Mountain Dew in an empty bottle and place it away from the food,” she says. “The bees go inside the bottle to drink the sweet stuff and can’t get out.”

Place net covers over the food, if possible. These start around $5 each and are really effective. When dusk hits, be ready with bug repellent and citronella. 

Jessica Herberger and her husband Josh picnic in their front yard. “We have a picnic there most often,” she says. “We put a quilt out, look at the clouds, and eat peanut butter and jelly. It’s perfect.”

FAVORITE FOOD TIPS • Avoid mayonnaise salads, which can go bad in the heat. Instead consider sides made with flavored vinegars. Don’t go overboard with the cooking; simple is best.

• Before you leave home, boil water and pour into a large thermos. Put hot dogs in with the water and close it tightly. By the time you’re ready to eat, the hot dogs will be cooked.

Don’t forget the buns or add-ons: tomato, onion, lettuce, guacamole, sauerkraut, relish, ketchup and mustard.

• Michelle Bielawa’s favorite? “Bruschetta made from our home-grown tomatoes, basil and balsamic vinegar from The Meat House (with a little olive oil). I try and keep it cold in a cooler as long as possible and keep the food in the shade to avoid it getting warm. Sometimes it take a few trips to the cooler/refrigerator to keep it cool, but it’s worth it!”

• Clifton Park’s Ellen Mooradian used to pack elaborate cooler-filled picnics, but gave that up “for a trip to the deli on the way to Lake George. Each person gets a sub of their choosing and a bag of chips. I still pack a cooler of drinks, but that is it.” timesunion.com/lifeathome | 75

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Out of Your Depth Smart safety tips for pool owners

By Brittany Lenotti

Photo: Chris Windsor/GettyImages.

O

n a hot summer’s day when the sun beats down, nothing is more refreshing than a dip in cool water, whether it’s a pond or a pool. Sadly, too often what was meant to be a fun, relaxing afternoon can turn into a parent’s worst nightmare. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that from 2005 to 2009, 3,533 fatal drownings in lakes, pools and other bodies of water occurred on average annually in the United States.

The CDC also reports that most drownings of children 1 to 4 years old occur in home swimming pools. Knowing what to do in an emergency around your backyard pool, then, can literally mean the difference between life and death.

Pool safety in particular begins with proper precautions. New York State regulations require that the pool area be enclosed with a fence that is at least four feet high and includes a locked gate.

Preventing access to the pool is important

so that small children can’t easily fall in by accident. In general, children should never be left unsupervised in an area where they have access to water.

Don Geurtze, a retired American Red Cross aquatics specialist who worked for the American Red Cross for over 41 years, recommends that homeowners stock their pool with safety equipment. Tools such as a reaching pole and a flotation device can be thrown to a swimmer in need. Professionally manufactured and U.S. Coast Guardapproved equipment can be purchased at local pool stores or aquatic suppliers.

Homeowners should also set rules about equipment such as slides and diving boards. Slides can be a fun addition to a pool as long as they’re used properly: Swimmers should go down on their backs and the slide should always end in at least four feet of water so you don’t hit the bottom of the pool, according to the New York State Department of Health. Similarly, Geur-

tze advises that diving boards be installed in a depth of at least nine feet to prevent head and neck injuries.

It’s also important to recognize that flotations such as pool noodles and inflatables are not safety devices. The only recognized safety floats are those certified by the U.S. Coast Guard. These devices such as life jackets, ring buoy and flotation suits are put through rigorous tests to make sure they are failsafe. Inflatables such as inner tubes, swimmies and other pool toys are unreliable and shouldn’t be used as a sole floatation device. Children can easily slide off of a pool noodle, or an inflatable could pop, leaving a swimmer in water too deep, according to Megan Streeter, aquatics coordinator at the Rudy A. Ciccotti Center in Albany, New York.

Swimming in open water means paying attention to other safety concerns. On any pond or lake, water depth can change suddenly with drop-offs or holes in the ground. timesunion.com/lifeathome | 77

Jump In! You are never too old or too young to learn water safety, whether it’s a how-to-swim class or CPR/First Aid. Here are a few of the many locations and services in the Capital Region.

CHILDREN AND ADULT SWIM CLASSES Rudy A. Ciccotti Center 30 Aviation Road, Albany 518-867-8920 ciccotticenter.org University at Albany - SUNY Campus Recreation 1400 Washington Ave, Albany 518-437-3739 albany.edu/campusrecreation/ swim_lessons.php

CPR/AED/FIRST AID CLASSES American Red Cross of North Eastern New York 33 Everett Road, Albany 518-458-8111 Malta Ambulance Corps 2449 State Route 9, Ballston Spa

78 | Life@Home

warns. “All too often an untrained person tries to make a swimming rescue and they become a second drowning victim.”

Once a swimmer has been safely pulled from the water, Geurtze says emergency medical services or 911 should be called immediately. While waiting, Geurtze says the victim should lie on her back or sit up in a reclined position and her breathing should be closely monitored. If a victim is removed from water and is unconscious, he should be laid on his back with his head tilted backward to open the airway.

Monitor signs of breathing and pulse; if he has a pulse but is not breathing, administer mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing. If he has no pulse, start chest compressions at a rate of 100 per minute until emergency personnel arrive.

Even whose untrained in CPR can help a victim. At the very least, an untrained person can deliver mouth-to-mouth rescue breaths that might cause the victim to cough and breath. According to the American Red Cross, rescue breaths can be delivered by tilting the victim’s head back to open their airway, pinching the nose shut, and creating a seal over the victim’s mouth.

Colonie EMS Public Safety Center 312 Wolf Road, Latham 518-782-2645 colonie.org/ems

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American Red Cross protocol advises using a barrier, such as a CPR mask. Blow in for about one second to make the chest rises.

Dr. Raymond Walsh, attending physician at the Children’s Hospital of Albany Medical Center’s section of pediatric critical care, strongly urges all parents (and those of non-swimming children in particular) to take a course in Basic Life Support. “Anyone who cares for a child in a home with a pool should be proficient in BLS,” Walsh says.

American Heart Association Basic Life Support teaches how to recognize several lifethreatening emergencies, provide CPR, use an AED and relieve choking in a safe, timely

Photos: Jeff R Clow/GettyImages.

Lakes can also have waves, from tides or boats in the area, which can cause swimmers to lose their balance and fall over. It is important to always swim in designated swimming areas that are monitored by a lifeguard, says Geurtze.

Preventing a child or adult from drowning starts with supervision. Children should never swim alone. It is also important to know how to recognize a swimmer in distress. Swimmers in distress, according to Geurtze, tend to not make any forward movement. They may be holding onto a lane line, floating or treading; they might have a look of concern on their faces.

Distressed swimmers can quickly turn to active drownings. An active drowner is still conscious and struggling to keep her head above water to breathe and usually cannot call out for help.

The best way to pull a distressed swimmer from the water, according to the American Red Cross is to “reach, throw, don’t go.”

What this means is that if a swimmer is within your reach you should remain on land or in a boat and extend them a reaching pole or throw a floatation device to them. Do not try to swim out and save someone, Geurtze

O

ne of the best ways to prevent a swimming accident is to ensure children and adults know how to swim and how to be safe around water.

Streeter, who has been teaching swim lessons for 12 years and has been a certified water safety instructor for five years, says it is never too early, or too late, for swimming lessons.

James and Julie Prendergast can attest firsthand to the value of swimming lessons.

As an outdoors family, the Prendergasts knew that it was important for their two daughters to know how to swim. When they moved to Latham last year, the girls were enrolled in swimming lessons at the Rudy A. Ciccotti Center.

Before taking swim lessons,

Iona had been afraid of the water and getting her face wet, but after only a month of lessons her new skills were put to the test. James and Iona were fishing off of a rock wall along the Mohawk River off of Route 9 last year when Iona, who was only 4 years old, accidentally slipped and fell into the water.

Luckily, she was able to swim herself to the wall where her father pulled her to safety.

“If she didn’t know how to swim I would have had to jump in after her,” says Prendergast.

Iona’s ability to stay calm and swim to the edge made the difference between a minor accident and a tragedy.

At least 90 percent of the rescues Streeter has seen in her career are because swimmers of any age get overconfident and think they are a stronger swimmer than they really are. “Often, enrolling children in swim lessons gives the false impression that they are invincible around water.

Children need to be supervised at all times around any type of water,” Streeter says. “The most important thing is for kids to realize their own limits.” 

let’s stay in touch

and effective manner.

Non-professional rescuers need to be aware that drowning victims could have sustained injuries such as bone fractures, neck or spinal injuries. Once a victim is removed from the water and is out of danger, it is important that movement be kept to a minimum until professional help arrives.

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! d e v l o v n i t Ge Do you want to get involved with a nonprofit but aren’t sure where to start?

Our next Women@Work Connect is the perfect place to meet some local charities and network with Capital Region professional women.

Meet these area nonprofits and learn how you can volunteer, mentor or be a board member: BIG BROTHERS/BIG SISTERS OF THE CAPITAL REGION DOUBLE H RANCH HOMELESS AND TRAVELERS AID SOCIETY (HATAS) HUDSON MOHAWK HUMANE SOCIETY MAKE A WISH RED CROSS OF NENY AND MORE! To be a featured nonprofit at this event, call Charmaine Ushkow at 518-454-5792 for information.

Crafting the Ask Mona Golub will speak on what today’s business donors want, expect and need from nonprofit partners.

Mona Golub

VP Public Relations and Consumer & Marketing Services for Price Chopper Mona oversees media and community relations, marketing, customer communications, and the philanthropic endeavors of Price Chopper’s Golub Foundation.

Mona has also conducted business from the nonprofit side, having founded and served as Producing Artistic Director of Second Wind Productions and she is currently serving on multiple boards throughout the year.

Tuesday, June 25 5:30 - 7 p.m.

Space is limited. Register at womenconnect.eventbrite.com

The Desmond, 660 Albany-Shaker Rd., Albany

Questions, call 518-454-5583.

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NETWORK

FREE EVENT!

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Capital Region Women@Work is a bimonthly magazine designed to help women navigate the world of work.

Women@Work Connect events are held regularly at various locations in the Capital Region.

Dogs and cats photo, © iStockphoto.com/Eric Isselée; illustration by Emily Jahn.

Living in Between B

By Elizabeth Floyd Mair

ecoming a foster home for animals doesn’t just help the dogs or cats. It also helps the people who are forced through circumstance or hardship to give them up, says longtime Peppertree Rescue volunteer Karen Harmon of Glenmont.

Last year, Harmon and her three teenage daughters fostered a homeless family’s dog for three months. Peppertree had received a phone call from a social worker who told them about a domestic violence case in which a mother and her young daughter needed to enter a women’s shelter but couldn’t bring their poodle mix with them.

Harmon and her family cared for the little dog, named Buster, until the woman and her daughter found a place of their own and came back to claim him. “I was

Fostering dogs and cats can be a win-win for all

dreading giving him up, because I had gotten pretty attached,” Harmon says. “But that little dog leapt for joy that day when he saw them.”

The experience convinced Harmon’s middle daughter Elyse, 17, to begin studying to become a social worker. “Fostering,” Harmon says, “has made all three of my daughters much more empathetic and community-minded people.”

Fostering can be a way for animal lovers to satisfy their desire to have a pet without the long-term commitment. Maybe they don’t feel they can make a commitment of a decade or more to a pet. Perhaps they head south every winter. Or maybe they are busy during the year, but have summers off.

Fostering for a few months at a time can

be a good way to enjoy the companionship of an animal and also to know that they have helped save a life, by providing an animal with shelter, food, affection and exercise until its sponsoring agency can find it a loving permanent home.

“Our staff will work with you based on the amount of time you are able to offer,” says Nancy Haynes, animal welfare manager of the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society. Even people who have just a week or so can sometimes try fostering, says Mary Ellen Grimaldi, foster home coordinator for Peppertree Rescue.

A tight budget doesn’t mean you can’t foster either. Many rescue organizations or shelters will supply an animal’s food upon request (and some, like the Animal Protective Foundation and Out of the Pits, timesunion.com/lifeathome | 81

Fostering at a Glance Who can foster? Pretty much anybody can foster. “Among our foster caregivers we have renters and homeowners, families and singles, people with no other animals and people with a houseful. We are very flexible,” says Ravida from Out of the Pits.

No experience is needed, she adds. “If someone is willing to learn and open to following our recommendations, we are willing to give them a chance at fostering.”

Foster caregivers should be at least 18 years old and be able to provide a safe, loving, and caring environment. They should possess or be willing to learn basic cat or dog handling skills.

Responsibilities: “Fosters have no financial responsibility,” says Ravida. Her organization, like many rescues, pays for all medical care and will provide the food if needed. “We ask fosters to help the foster dog by teaching manners and give them proper exercise, love, and attention,” she says.

Patience and willingness to spend time with animals are most important, according to Pearson of the Animal Protective Foundation.

Foster caregivers spend time each day working on socialization, or helping the foster animal 82 | Life@Home

Photo: © iStockphoto.com/peeterv.

routinely supply the food). Most groups pay for any medical care that a foster animal needs.

While it can be difficult to give up a pet that has spent time in your home — several of the people we spoke to mentioned they had kept at least one of the pets they fostered — Joann Ravida from Out of the Pits puts it in perspective. “It’s better to save a dog,” she says, “and have a slight amount of sadness when the dog leaves to go on to an amazing forever home than for the dog never to have been saved at all.”

Besides, the joy you experience in the meantime is so rewarding. “When you look into a dog’s eyes, you can see unequivocal love and devotion, and to return that is a big part of being a human being. There is nothing more soothing than coming home to a dog who is all excited to see you,” says Ken Watson, who regularly fosters dogs, “whether you have been out for 10 minutes or 10 hours.”

Homeward Bound Dog Rescue of New York

Approximately one of every two animals that enters a shelter in the U.S. during a given year will be euthanized.

The Humane Society of the United States estimates that the country’s shelters care for six to eight million dogs and cats annually, and of that total, three to four million are euthanized. overcome any shyness and get used to men and women, adults and children, so that it can become a good family pet. They also provide some basic training and help with housebreaking as necessary.

Kitten details: The Animal Protective Foundation and the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society both need foster caregivers for cats year-round and have an especially great need during “kitten season.” According to Marguerite Pearson of the APF, longer days increase breeding, and the shelters see a peak in kitten births in March and April, with another spike in July and August.

Kitten fostering, which involves bottle-feeding every few hours around the clock, usually lasts anywhere from two to eight weeks, until kittens are old enough to be returned to the shelter for adoption, according to the MHHS website. Whiskers president Carol Hall notes that newborn kittens — unlike other foster animals, which are usually kept as part of the family — need to be kept in a separate room, away from the bustle of family and other pets. 

P.O. Box 5782, Albany (518) 424-1738 homewardbounddogrescue.com • “All of our dogs are in foster homes; we do not have a physical location.”

• Seeks foster homes for dogs only • Provides food for the foster dog • Provides supplies (such as a dog crate) if needed • Provides all medical care for the foster dog • Provides support with training issues More info: Fill out a foster application online or call the number above

Capital District Humane Association P.O. Box 11330, Loudonville (518) 664-3450 capital-district-humane.com Jennifer Politis, president and founder • All-volunteer group with no physical location.

• Seeks foster homes for dogs and cats • This group asks foster caregivers to bring animals to adoption clinics three or four Saturdays a month. “This is the only way we can showcase the animals and find them homes.”

• Provides food for the foster animal if needed • Provides all medical care for the foster animal More info: Call Jennifer Politis at the number above

Animal Protective Foundation (APF) 53 Maple Avenue, Scotia (518) 374-3944 animalprotective.org Marguerite Pearson, director of communications • Currently seeks foster homes for cats only (Says communications director Pearson, “We work with various other rescue

5798 State Highway 80 | Cooperstown, New York

Organizations in need of foster caregivers organizations when a foster placement is needed for a dog.”)

• Provides all food, supplies, and medical care for the foster animal • “Foster caregivers have access to our vet staff, should concerns arise,” Pearson says.

More info: Call Melissa Bressette at the number above, or email vet@animalprotective.org

Mohawk Hudson Humane Society (MHHS) 3 Oakland Avenue, Menands (518) 434-8128 mohawkhumanesociety.org • Seeks foster homes for dogs and cats, and occasionally for rabbits or birds • Provides food and supplies for the foster animal if needed • Provides all medical care for the foster animal • “We sent over 1,000 animals through foster homes last year, and without those homes, we wouldn’t have been able to help those animals,” Haynes says.

More info: Email fosters@ mohawkhumane.org with “Interested in fostering” in the subject line.

Whiskers Animal Benevolent League 310 State Street, Albany (518) 448-9565 ewhiskers.com Carol Hall, president • Small, all-volunteer-run, nokill shelter that also seeks foster homes for cats • In addition to the shelter, Whiskers runs a foster parent program that provides care for pregnant mom cats and kittens until they are able to secure permanent homes, which are often found through the Whiskers Adoption Center housed in the Clifton Park Petsmart. Foster parents also care for older cats, those with health

challenges, and those too shy to adopt out to the general public.

More info: Fill out a volunteer application online or call the number above. “We’ll welcome them with open arms,” says Hall.

Peppertree Rescue, Inc. P.O. Box 2396, Albany (518) 435-7425 peppertree.org Mary Ellen Grimaldi, foster home coordinator • All-volunteer group with no physical location • Seeks foster homes for dogs only • Provides food for the foster animal if needed • Provides all medical care for the foster dog • Says Grimaldi, “We are always happy to provide a donation receipt for tax purposes.”

• Asks that foster homes make an effort to get the dog to adoption clinics twice a month, if possible • Allows foster caregivers input into selection of an adoptive home for the foster dog • Also provides support to adoptive families, to help them and the new pet adjust to each other More info: Call (518) 435-7425 or email rescue@peppertree.org

The Wyeths: A Family Legacy May 25 - September 2, 2013

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Overlooking Otsego Lake, the Fenimore presents a variety of compelling art exhibitions April through December.

Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009), Mother Archie’s Church, 1945, Tempera on masonite, 25 x 48 in. (63.5 x 121.92 cm), The Addison Gallery of American Art, Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachuse�s, museum purchase 1946.3, © Andrew Wyeth

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Out of the Pits P.O. Box 2311, Albany outofthepits.org Joann Ravida, adoption/ foster coordinator • Seeks foster homes for pit bulls only • Provides food for the foster dog if needed • Provides all medical care for the foster dog • Provides any necessary grooming, flea treatment, and heartworm medication More info: Email Joann Ravida at adoptions@outofthepits.org or fill out a foster application online.

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Power Down What to keep and what to toss after a power outage

By Cari Scribner

84 | Life@Home

Be Prepared It’s smart to prepare ahead of time for storms or power outages. According to the NYS Health Department, you should prepare a reserve supply of food and other supplies that will last three to seven days. The following are items you should keep on hand at all times:  Bottled water — two gallons per person per day.  Ready-to-eat canned foods — vegetables, fruit, beans, meat, fish, poultry, pasta, soup, juice.

 Milk — powdered, canned or shelfstable brick pack.  High-energy foods — peanut butter, jelly, nuts, dried meat (such as beef or turkey jerky), granola, trail mix.  Cereal and snacks — cookies, crackers.  Staples — sugar, salt, pepper, instant coffee, tea bags, cocoa.  Infant and small children’s needs — baby food, formula, disposable diapers.  Specialty food — for elderly or people on special diets.  Pet food (if needed).

Photo: Lise Gagne/GettyImages.

A

ll it takes is one mighty storm to knock out power, and while we don’t have to worry about keeping our homes heated this time of year, we still have concerns about foods going bad in our fridge and freezer.

Yes, you can try to keep the fridge cool by keeping the door closed. (Your mother was right.) But what can we do after that?

And when should we toss whatever is left?

We went straight to the experts to get the answers. Darby Greco is chief sanitarian for the Bureau of Community Environmental Health in Food Protection for the NYS Health Department. “The best way to be prepared during an emergency like a power outage is to be prepared every day,” Greco says.

Being prepared means having a thermometer in your fridge and another in your freezer to monitor temperatures on a regular basis. “Whether or not to throw out food isn’t dependent on length of time, because it varies greatly between a power loss in midJanuary or one in June,” Greco says. “Food safety is driven by temperature, not time.”

Bacteria readily grows at temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit in many foods, including eggs, cream, sour cream, yogurt, milk, cooked pasta, rice, pasta salads, gravy, opened spaghetti sauce and casseroles. When the temperature of your

REFRIGERATOR: DISCARD? DISCARD if held above 40°F for over 2 hours:  Meat, Poultry or Seafood (raw or leftover cooked meat, poultry, fish or seafood; soy meat substitutes; gravy or stuffing; lunchmeats, hot dogs, bacon, sausage; pizza with any toppings; open canned meats and fish)  Dairy (soft cheeses: blue, Roquefort, Brie, cottage cheese, cream cheese, Monterey Jack, ricotta, mozzarella, muenster, Neufchâtel, queso blanco, queso fresco; shredded cheese, low-fat cheeses; milk, cream, sour cream, buttermilk, evaporated milk, yogurt, soy milk; opened baby formula)  Eggs (fresh eggs, hard-cooked eggs, egg dishes; opened mayonnaise, tartar sauce, horseradish, tuna, shrimp, chicken or egg salad; custards and puddings)

FREEZER: REFREEZE? OR DISCARD? Type of food

If it still contains ice crystals and feels as cold as if refrigerated

If held above 40°F for over 2 hours

Meat, poultry and seafood

REFREEZE

DISCARD

Dairy and milk

REFREEZE; may lose some texture.

DISCARD

DISCARD if held above 50°F for over 8 hours:

Eggs (out of shell and egg products)

REFREEZE

DISCARD

Ice cream and frozen yogurt

DISCARD

DISCARD

 Sauces and Dressings (fish sauce, oyster sauce; opened cream-based dressings; opened spaghetti sauce)  Bread, Cakes, Cookies, Pasta, Grains, Pies, Pastry (refrigerator biscuits, cookie dough; cooked pasta, cooked rice, cooked potatoes; pasta and potato salad with mayonnaise or vinaigrette; fresh pasta; cheesecake; cream-filled pastries; custard- and cheesefilled pastries; quiche)  Vegetables/Herbs (greens, pre-cut, prewashed, packaged; cooked vegetables; tofu; opened vegetable juice; garlic in oil)

Cheese (soft, semi-soft and shredded)

REFREEZE; may lose some texture.

DISCARD

Hard cheese

REFREEZE

REFREEZE

Casseroles (containing milk, cream, eggs, soft cheeses); cheese cake

REFREEZE

DISCARD

Fruits (juices and home or commercially packaged)

REFREEZE

REFREEZE; DISCARD if mold, yeasty smell, or sliminess develops.

Vegetables (juices and home or commercially packaged)

REFREEZE; may suffer texture and flavor loss.

DISCARD if held above 40°F for 6 hours.

Breads and pastries (breads, rolls, muffins, cakes without custard fillings)

REFREEZE

REFREEZE

Cakes, pies and pastries (with custard or cheese filling)

REFREEZE

DISCARD

Pie crusts and bread dough (commercial and homemade)

REFREEZE; some quality loss may occur.

REFREEZE; quality loss is considerable.

 Casseroles, soups, stews (any leftovers with meat that have been previously cooked)  Fresh fruits that have been cut

Other (casseroles that are pasta- or ricebased; frozen meal, entrée and specialty REFREEZE items such as pizza, sausage and biscuit, meat pie, convenience foods)

DISCARD

Other (flour, cornmeal, nuts; breakfast REFREEZE items such as waffles, pancakes, bagels)

REFREEZE

source: fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/keeping_food_Safe_during_an_emergency/index.asp

fridge or freezer rises above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s time to toss perishables.

Greco says a refrigerator/freezer thermometer measures temperatures from 0 degrees Fahrenheit to 220 degrees Fahrenheit, costs about $10 and can be found at supermarkets. “You can’t rely on the dial inside your refrigerator that says ‘cold, colder, coldest,’” Greco says. “The dial doesn’t indicate temperature that’s precise enough to go by.”

Smart organization of what’s in your fridge can help produce last longer in a power outage. Some foods, such as condiments, may not need refrigeration in the first place. Ketchup, mustard, acidic salad dressings, hard cheeses or dried cheese blends in a shake container don’t need to be refrigerated. Remember, too, that colder air sinks, so the bottom of your refrigera-

tor will be cooler. That’s the place to store dairy and meats. Keep sensitive foods off the fridge door and freezer. Instead, use the door to hold soda bottles and juice drinks.

Remember, too, that a well-stocked fridge and freezer holds the cold longer than those that are partially filled. “When my freezer at home isn’t full, I put in milk bottles with water to take up space,” Greco says. “Just like larger ice blocks melt slower than small ice cubes, an empty freezer loses cold faster.”

W

hen the power comes back on and your fridge is humming again, it’s time to take stock. In the freezer, it’s easy to determine if foods have thawed, such as a squishy bag of frozen peas, but again, check your trusty thermometer before you toss.

“Many people believe you can’t re-freeze foods, but if it hasn’t gone [over] 40 degrees Fahrenheit, it will likely be somewhat frozen and you can re-freeze safely,” Greco says. “The most you’ll lose is some quality; there may be crystals in the meat, or freezer burn on vegetables.”

When it comes to pre-cooked foods, such as leftovers, abide by the same temperature guidelines, but keep in mind the “when in doubt, throw it out” advice. “If it’s left over in the first place, is it worth it to save?” Greco says. “Better safe than sorry.”

Of course, it’s always a good idea to stock up on non-perishable foods such canned soups that, in a pinch, can be eaten without being heated first. “It’s logical to keep a few days’ worth of food on hand,” Greco says. “And also hope the power isn’t out for more than a few hours.”  timesunion.com/lifeathome | 85

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Tasty Tidbits

Kitchen Crumbs  to brighten up your cooking

By Caroline Barrett

 Flower Power With the bounty of local fruits and vegetables this season also comes locally-grown flowers, available at farmers markets and through CSA farms. Beautiful and vivid flowers of all kinds are grown without fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. Brighten up your home with some local flowers!

tinyurl.com/lah13icecream

“

You don’t need a silver fork to eat good food.”

— Paul Prudhomme

Strawberries are Here!

Late spring marks the arrival of strawberry season in our region.

One cup of strawberries contains 149 percent of your daily allowance for calcium, and 12 percent of daily fiber.

Make This  Easy mini-ice cream sandwiches: Purchase small, chewy chocolate chip cookies, chocolate or vanilla ice cream.

Allow ice cream to soften slightly; then scoop onto one cookie. Press another on top, and place on a plate in the freezer. Freeze for 2 hours, then wrap individually or eat.

Photo: Iain Bagwell/GettyImages.

What ice cream Americans like best? Chocolate ice cream is the favorite, with 28 percent favoring that flavor, followed by 26 percent for vanilla.

Photo by Paul Barrett.

Have You Ever Wondered …

 Flower Treats

Photo: Barbara Lutterbeck/GettyImages.

Did you know that many flowers are edible? That you can easily plant and harvest flowers in your own backyard?

Simply pick the flowers, rinse well, and gently blot dry with a tea towel. Here are some uses: • Impatiens: garnish a salad with these delicate and colorful leaves.

• Pansies: toss the leaves with salad greens and chives for a fresh, earthy taste.

• Roses: Rose petals are beautiful on cakes or floating on iced drinks.

• Dandelion: This much-maligned flowering plant is delicious in salads.

Add the young leaves to salads. Mature leaves can be blanched and eaten like any other bitter green. timesunion.com/lifeathome | 87

 Dish

more

ONLINE

Spring Lamb Ragu: Want to get this recipe from chef Rory Moran? Find it at timesunion.com/lifeathome.

88 | Life@Home

At home with

Hospitality means...

Rory Moran

Creating an evening that makes your mouth water just thinking about it.

Big, Big Chocolate Cake photo by Michael Gallitelli

By Steve Barnes | Photos by Paul Barrett

R

ory Moran has an Irish name but is an evangelist for fresh, homemade pasta.

He makes 5 to 10 pounds per week for use in the daily pasta special at Comfort Kitchen, the small Saratoga Springs restaurant that he opened in June 2012.

“The difference [between fresh and dried] is really significant,” says Moran. “It’s totally worth making it at home.”

Although chefs who make

pasta on television often mix eggs into a well of flour on a marble slab or other work surface, Moran prefer to start his pasta in a stand mixer, before transferring it to the counter for hand-kneading. After the dough has rested, he runs it through a pasta roller, cuts it into ribbons and serves with sauce of choice. continued on 91

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TELL US WHAT YOU THINK & WIN! When we started life@home over six years ago, we were the first in the area to create a monthly glossy magazine devoted solely to home and lifestyle issues. Each issue we strive to bring you local information about ways to make your house into the home you want.

In the past six years, you’ve heard a lot from us. Now it’s your turn. While we regularly receive feedback from readers — keep those e-mails and phone calls coming! — we decided to take a more formal route. We’ve created a survey so we can take life@home to the next level — all with you in mind.

Thank you in advance for your feedback.

Janet Reynolds Life@Home Magazine Editor

»

The survey is online at www.timesunion.com/LifeAtHomeSurvey or scan the QR code to the right with your smart phone to go directly to the online survey. It only takes a few minutes.

Take the survey and you’ll be entered to win an OVERNIGHT GETAWAY PACKAGE FOR TWO AT

CRANWELL RESORT, SPA AND GOLF CLUB IN LENOX, MA. All surveys submitted by June 21, 2013 will be entered to win.

Dish 

continued from 89

For this recipe, Moran made a ragu from lamb from Elihu Farm in Easton, Washington County, which he buys during twice-weekly visits to the Saratoga farmers market. Loaded with fresh vegetables and brightened with lemon zest, the ragu clings beautifully to thick, soft, fresh pappardelle noodles. It’s hearty enough for winter, sufficiently light that a small portion and a salad would make a full spring meal.

Moran, 30, and his wife, Lucy, 28, live on a side street off of North Broadway in the Spa City. It’s an easy walk to work for both

— he to Comfort Kitchen, she to Lucia, her women’s-clothing boutique that, as it happens, is just upstairs from his restaurant in a two-story downtown mini-mall called Saratoga Marketplace.

The couple, who will mark their second wedding anniversary this month, bought the house last summer, about a month after Rory opened his restaurant. Both from the Saratoga area, they knew they wanted to be close to downtown, and they made an offer on the house within days of it going on the market.

Built circa 1890, the home has three bedrooms, two baths, wide-board floors and enough pending projects to keep the couple busy for years. “It’ll never be done.

There will always be something to do,” says Lucy. “That’s part of its charm.” 

Dozen Egg Pasta 2 whole eggs 10 egg yolks 2 tablespoons heavy cream 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/3 cups semolina flour Method  In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, heavy cream and olive oil with a fork. In a separate bowl, whisk together the two flours.

 Using the dough hook attachment on low speed (1 or 2), slowly add the first third of the flour mixture. Stop and scrape down the flour from the side and continue until all the flour is incorporated. Continue adding remaining thirds until the dough has come together.

 Lightly flour a work surface and knead the dough for 5-8 minutes until it is elastic and a bit sticky. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

 Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Flatten each piece into ¾-inch thickness and put through a pasta roller in the following way: Twice through on setting 1; fold into thirds the width of the pasta maker; 1 time on setting 1, then one time each on each setting until setting 6.

 Lightly flour each piece and fold over twice, then hand-cut into rustic 1-inch-thick ribbons.

 Place on lightly floured surface and rest until ready to cook.

more

ONLINE

To see an instructional video on how to make Dozen Egg Pasta, go to youtube.com/ TimesUnionMagazines.

Got a smartphone? Scan the QR code at left to like directly to our YouTube playlist.

timesunion.com/lifeathome | 91

 The Vineyard

Casanova’s Wine And other whites for the adventurer in you Story and photo by Alistair Highet

U

p in the northeast corner of Italy, near the border with Slovenia and in the region called Friuli, is a magnificent resort called Castello di Spessa. These days, it has a golf course and rooms start at $243 a night. Back in the 18th century, it was the home of Count Luigi Torriano, who — one night at a theater in Trieste — met Giacoma Casanova.

You may have heard of him. Casanova was, among other things, a Venetian spy, a card player, and a writer who composed over 43 works, translating Homer. Oh, and he was popular with the ladies as well.

Anyway, in September of 1773 Count Torriano invited Casanova to come and stay for a while in the Castello di Spessa.

During his comfortable stay in the estate, Casanova worked on his History of the Trouble in Poland, and as luck would have it, his attention was drawn to a woman named Sgualda, a young widow in the count’s service, who would later be described in Casanova’s famous account of his life as “in love and mild as a lamb, something that is quite rare in Friulian peasants.” The lovers’ nightly interludes came to an end when Casanova discovered his host beating the woman with a stick — evidently, Sgualda had spurned her employer’s advances and was now jealous. Casanova, ever the man of honor, came to his lover’s aid and, taking the stick, started beating his host.

That kind of a wild night can ruin a friendship, and Casanova took off the next day. In his memoirs recalling the event, he took note of the beauty of the estate, and particularly of “an excellent wine” that was fashioned there.

And so our story ends as it always does, with a wine: the Castello di Spessa

92 | Life@Home

Collio, Sauvignon Blanc, 2007 ($47). I doubt — though I can’t prove — that this is the same wine Casanova savored, but it is made on the estate and there is something seductive in imagining the chevalier sipping on a glass as he worked away at his writing table. It’s a weird wine — that’s where my head is these days — very crisp, alkaline, more honey than a Sancerre but also more bitterness, granite, seawater, juniper and smoke. It comes together though once the palate gets used to it. Austere and commanding, it is as grown up as a white wine gets, and was wonderful with smoked oysters as I enjoyed it at my writing table.

I sampled a number of white wines that were unknown to me as I probed the inner world of the chevalier, searching, ever searching, for the eternally fleeting object of desire — as he did so fully. All of the wines below are highly recommended, and very off center in a charming way. But if you really are in the mood for something radical try the Castello di Spessa.  Alistair Highet is a former editor, restaurant manager, and vinedresser, and has written about wine for over 20 years.

La Cala, Vermentino Di Sardegna, 2011, $14 From Sardinia: Here is a really charming bargain. The Vermentino grape originates up in the hills of Tuscany. In hot, sunny Sardinia, it produces a gorgeously fruitful but light wine, with ripe pear, mandarin orange, and apricot notes. Very open hearted and you can taste the sun. Highly recommended.

Castelo Do Papa, Valdeorras, 2011, $17 From Spain: This wine is from Galicia in the north, which is about as Celtic as Ireland only with much better food and wine.

The Romans planted here, and the Godello is a native grape that produces an austere wine, with bone, limestone, pale pear, cut grass, and refreshing tang. Very appropriate for shellfish.

Esperance Cuvee d’Or, 2009, $14 From France: I’ve written of this charming wine before, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Gros Manseng. Clean and bright, but with a delicate floral nose, white flowers, pear, and mineral water, with an ethereal finish.

 Food Trends

Creamy Curds Homemade ricotta is super easy to make and totally worth the effort

By John Adamian

94 | Life@Home

to be used in just a couple of days — sort of jump-started my thinking about what it was good for.

But before spelling out all the ways that fresh ricotta can provide a light and creamy touch, let me reassure you: It’s really easy to make at home. You don’t need any special equipment — besides cheesecloth. And in the case of ricotta, I think it’s pretty safe to say that the homemade stuff is worlds better than what you get in the plastic tubs at the grocery store.

R

icotta means “recooked,” and it was originally made when whey, the watery

byproduct of making another cheese, was recooked. Italian cookbook author Marcella Hazan calls ricotta a “most resourceful ingredient in the kitchen,” in that it can be used in cakes, as the filling in desserts, mixed with vegetables, made into fritters, as part of a pasta sauce, or in numerous other ways. Mexican cookbook author and TV chef Rick Bayless has recipes for ricotta tacos, which are just like what they sound — tacos filled with thick and creamy ricotta and topped with fresh herbs, guacamole and zingy salsa. The Flying Biscuit, a great little Georgia-based family of restaurants, serves exceptionally good ricotta pancakes.

Photos: GettyImages. strawberry ricotta, Tara Donne; making ricotta, Ngoc Minh Ngo.

I

started making homemade ricotta in my kitchen recently. I hadn’t found myself using store-bought ricotta all that much before this, so I didn’t expect the experiment to change my cooking habits.

But it did.

Learning how to make essential cooking ingredients or foodstuffs in your own kitchen and how to deploy them in new ways is gratifying. Over the past year or so, I’ve made things such as bacon and mustard and written about them here. Every time I approach one of these projects I ask myself if it’s really worth all the trouble. Do you save any money? What do you get for all the time put in? Is the end product considerably better than what you can buy at the grocery store? Do you learn something valuable by going through this effort?

The answer is always yes to at least one of those questions. We get new insights by understanding where the flavor comes from in the things we put in our food.

The smoky sweetness of bacon becomes something you can imagine tinkering with and tweaking to get more of certain notes to better accentuate particular dishes. And the acidic bite of mustard becomes a force you find yourself speculating about igniting in tandem with beer or hot peppers.

Ricotta was the same. Having creamy and dense homemade ricotta on-hand in the fridge — and knowing that it needed

Fab5 Photography for Evoke Style by Joann Hoose

Rich Ricotta 2 quarts whole milk 1 cup cream 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice method  In a pot, bring the milk, heavy cream and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a roiling boil by heating it slowly, stirring occasionally to avoid scalding or boiling over. When it hits a rolling boil, stir in three tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, and turn the heat to low while stirring. The mixture should curdle and thicken.

the mixture, so don’t be surprised about that.

 Line a strainer with cheesecloth

between two and five minutes.

There will still be plenty of liquid in

and place it over a large bowl. Pour the mixture through the cheesecloth.

(You may need to empty out some of the liquid that comes through, depending on how big your bowl is.)

Let the contents drain in the strainer for an hour.

When you make your own ricotta, you’ll start thinking of making cheese cake or stuffing cannoli with it.

I wanted to just eat spoonfuls of the stuff plain. It was sweet and rich and satisfying, buttery.

Realizing that we were about to start eating the whole batch by itself, we decided to quickly make a tray of bruschetta, taking slices of crusty French bread, spreading the pieces with ricotta and then embedding salty roasted walnuts and drizzling it all with thin bands of honey. The combination of sweet, creamy, salty and crunchy was refreshing and tasty. Next I made a white pizza, with a sauce of sauteed onions and thyme, finished with some cream, and then topped with ricotta. For another variation, I cooked some spinach and

mixed it with about a cup of ricotta and then put that as the sauce for the pizza, topping it with a little mozzarella and some parmigiana. Fritters and pancakes are definitely next on the list.

The crowning ricotta creation of my first couple of batches was a dessert pizza.

After tossing out the dough, I covered it with a fig preserve and put that in the oven for 7 minutes or so, until the fig preserves were bubbling and starting to caramelize. Then I spread little white lumps of ricotta across the pie and threw it into the oven for another 5 minutes or so. It got me thinking that maybe a few crispy and salty bits of that home-cured and home-smoked bacon would go nicely on a fruity pizza with homemade ricotta. 

 This last part should just take

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 Table@Home

Berry Nice

Sweet, succulent strawberries mark summer’s start

By Caroline Barrett | Photos by Paul Barrett

J

une mornings are funny. They have the luster of summer days with bright sunshine and warm air. It’s a hint of the good things to come for my children — slow mornings that lead to lazy, hot afternoons.

Early in the month, though, we must still do what is required of us any other

98 | Life@Home

school day. It doesn’t matter that it looks like summer outside: inside it’s still a school day. Backpacks must be filled, lunch boxes packed. Each September, I vow a new strategy: Each child will make their own lunch and stow it neatly in the fridge every night before going to bed.

And they do it, sometimes. And sometimes we forget. On those mornings, I call up the stairs, “Peanut butter or turkey!” They yell back their orders. I mutter, grumpy, about people making their own lunches. Still, I add a cookie and try to get the sandwiches into the right lunch boxes.

The morning usually involves a frantic search for shoes. Homework getting into folders and then into backpacks is another trick we haven’t mastered. I often stop at the school on my way to work, with folders, gym clothes, forgotten assignments.

Once, I ran out into the yard with Zoe’s math homework as she stepped on the bus. I waved it frantically over my head.

With one foot on the steps of the bus, Zoe paused. Little faces watched in each bus window as I ran over, yelling. Zoe took it, her face bright red against the yellow school bus. Yep, I did it all with my slippers on and wearing my green fleece pajamas, the ones with the dancing purple monkeys.

With a big smile, I pushed the homework into her hands and gave her a huge hug.

I waved to each face watching us, then jogged home, laughing along with the monkeys. Hey, I thought, maybe next time she’ll remember her homework.

Breakfast can be a little haphazard too.

Zoe does the same thing every day. She pours juice, yogurt and frozen berries into a big cup and blends it into a big, pink smoothie. Sometimes, I shake a little protein powder in, but that’s it. She gulps it down, and then she’s gone. If there wasn’t a trail of melting berry juice, a yogurt-covered spoon and a glass covered in her smoothie, it would seem as if she hadn’t been there at all. She’s always first out the door.

Elliot likes to sit down, dreamy and slow, to be served a proper, full breakfast. He likes eggs, sausage, toast with jam and sometimes the little bit of smoothie left by his sister.

Aunt Kathy’s Crepes with Strawberries and Nutella This recipe is tweaked, slightly, and comes from my friend Mary Convertino 1 cup white whole-wheat flour 4 tablespoons melted butter 1 cup whole milk, heated 2 eggs pinch sea salt 2 tablespoons butter, melted Nutella and sliced strawberries, for serving method  Blend the ingredients (except the Nutella and berries) together with an immersion blender until smooth. Place a small frying pan over medium heat. Lightly coat the bottom of the pan with melted butter. Add just enough batter, to coat the bottom, twirling the pan until evenly covered on the bottom. Cook until the top is just set and the bottom is just beginning to brown. Use a butter knife to loosen the edges and slide the crepe onto a plate. Slather with Nutella, scoop strawberries on top, roll up burrito-style, and serve.

Lucy is the tough one at breakfast. She doesn’t want to eat, claims she’s not hungry.

My reciting statistics about how children perform better in school after a healthy morning meal doesn’t impress her one bit.

She stands in the bathroom, straightening her hair. I tell her the bus is due in four minutes! And her breakfast of toast with hummus and juice is sitting untouched! I wring my hands with worry over people not eating breakfast. Calmly, she answers and promises to be right there. But then she’s out the door, toast untouched. Sadly, I wrap it up and hope she will eat it after school.

A

nd then, every once in a great while, we have a morning where everything syncs. Backpacks and lunches are packed. No one fights over the hairbrush.

And the sun shines warm, so I open the back door and pretend, just for a little while, that it’s summer.

I like to surprise my kids with a nice

breakfast every now and then, warm muffins, waffles, or their particular favorite: crepes. Crepes are a simple affair, quick and so delicious. I fry them up, one at a time, and lay out a big bowl of strawberries.

There are many fillings for crepes, but for us only Nutella and strawberries suffice.

We fill the warm, thin pancakes with big spoonfuls of Nutella and then push sliced berries into the chocolate. We roll them up, burrito style. Chocolate drips from the bottom and smiles, real big smiles, abound.

Even Lucy stops to eat.

I remember one morning, where the air was warm, the sun shone brightly and everyone had time to eat. Enough time to carry a plate to the deck and sit, properly eating our breakfast. The berries on that morning were the first of the season, small and ripe and so, so sweet.

The time we spent sitting there was probably not more than seven minutes.

But it felt so good. Zoe managed to eat two

crepes. Lucy ate hers, chewing the last bite as she ran out the door. I even let Elliot lick his plate and drink the juice from the bottom of the strawberry bowl. Then I sent him back upstairs for a clean shirt. He did it with no complaints.

This crepe recipe works with fillings of all kinds: apples, cream cheese, peanut butter, goat cheese, even vegetables. And, of course, Nutella and strawberries.

Local strawberries will be around all summer, but June is our favorite time to eat them.

This time of year, they are still a novelty, still a thing of wonder after a long winter filled with greens and potatoes and squash.

It’s a sweet thing, to celebrate having these berries around with a nice breakfast.

My kids love the sugary, chocolate filling and know it’s something to be savored.

And while I’ll eat a crepe or two, what I savor most is the seven minutes we spent eating in the sun, the smiling faces and the sweet, sweet berries.  timesunion.com/lifeathome | 99

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My Space 

W

e all have favorite spots, places where we feel most comfortable or at home.

Sometimes it’s a favorite chair or nook in a room; other times it’s outside the house. Wherever it is, it is where we are most at home.

Story and photo by Suzanne Kawola

WHO: Paul Caiano — Meteorologist, WNYT, News Channel 13

FAVORITE SPACE: The Weather Center @WNYT “It started for me when I was a kid. We had a hurricane that came through and knocked down a bunch of trees in my neighborhood.

I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. I just remember from that moment on storms always fascinated me.” Caiano was about 7 at the time and already intrigued by nature and science. He noticed early on that there were always unanswered questions. He says he constantly asked his teachers and parents, “Why does this happen like this? And why does that happen like that?”

Caiano loves being out in the elements in the Capital District but says he’s most useful in the Weather Center. “I think I can help people and describe what’s going on better from in here with all of the equipment,” he says.

WHY: This summer, Caiano celebrates 20 years of forecasting for WNYT. “There has not been one day where I have stepped into this office where I felt like I was at a job. ... I love it. If you were to ask me when I was a kid what I would want as an adult to be around me every day, you’re looking at it. This is my dream, to have all this stuff at my fingertips.” All of the screens and computers in this small room move with data and images, unintelligible to most people. But for Caiano, “That’s what helps me describe the weather when I am on television: seeing what weather on a screen translates to on the ground, in real life. I paint that picture for my viewers.”  timesunion.com/lifeathome | 101

 Photo Finish

Lovely flower in bloom. Photo by Colleen Ingerto. Read more about this pretty garden on page 62.  102 | Life@Home

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