tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71365989318179716822024-02-19T11:47:42.759-05:00the irrelevant monkeydesign, fashion, pop culture and everything importantDenise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.comBlogger176125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-56376874872950942842021-03-18T13:19:00.014-04:002021-03-18T14:12:17.077-04:00Want Diversity? Start Streaming. <div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-c7f03e3c-7fff-f913-3084-483955260a69"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the first time in its ninety-three year award history, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has nominated two women in the Best Director category. Chlo</span><span style="font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">é Zhao has been nominated for <i>Nomadland</i> and Emerald Fennell for <i>Promising Young Woman</i>. They place in the category alongside Lee Isaac Chung (<i>Minari</i>), Thomas Vinterburg (<i>Another Round</i>) and David Fincher (<i>Mank</i>). Zhao is also the first woman of Asian descent to ever pick up the nomination. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCNaiY_ccdSlvGjLgsDfEYwa5f-Dqy-cvPzt05ym0NHEiC10dUJhS7Ko84wIpcLGSGPz7-ldFn2DSITb6BsxkNfcpXAoXhi7d-qGUl2f_7qYNG9HAGUkg92H2ft34WBJn372yzuUTseHgl/s1000/chloe-Zhao-Emerald-Fennell.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: xx-small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCNaiY_ccdSlvGjLgsDfEYwa5f-Dqy-cvPzt05ym0NHEiC10dUJhS7Ko84wIpcLGSGPz7-ldFn2DSITb6BsxkNfcpXAoXhi7d-qGUl2f_7qYNG9HAGUkg92H2ft34WBJn372yzuUTseHgl/s320/chloe-Zhao-Emerald-Fennell.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">Oscar nominees Chlo<span style="font-family: Arial; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">é</span> Zhao and Emerald Fennell</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prior to this year, only five women in the history of the Awards have ever been nominated for Best Director. They are Lina Wertmüller (1976) for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seven Beauties</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; Jane Campion (1993) for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Piano</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Sofia Coppola (2003) for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lost in</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Translation</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Kathryn Bigelow (2009) for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Hurt Locke</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">r, and Greta Gerwig (2017) for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lady Bird</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zhao has already picked up the Golden Globe for Best Director this year. It was three years ago, in 2018, when Natalie Portman presented the category at that awards show by declaring, “Here are the all-male nominees.” This year at the Globes, Zhao beat two women for the prize-- Regina King for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One Night in Miami</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and Emerald Fennell for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Promising Young Woman </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">along with two men-- </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aaron Sorkin </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Trail of The Chicago 7 and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">David Fincher for</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Mank.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The new diversity in nominations may have to do with the fact that the Academy has made an exerted effort to be more inclusive when inviting artists into the academy. Since 2018, they sent out 819 invitations – to creators like Awkwafina,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Zendaya</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Ryan Murphy, Cynthia Erivo,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Kaitlyn Dever</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Constance Wu</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Florence Pugh</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and Olivia Wilde, to name a few of the most recognizable names. Of the new invitees, 36% are people of color, 45% are women and 49% are based outside of the U.S.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; vertical-align: super;">[1]</span></span></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_scAKe_fmZROOKH98vL0mWzejL2ppeYv2mGZHsChbuDohUgXo-lXsARxg5bfUmO5_bvJFqmVaaxCiSZ9Ps8-GsxBUms4xWm7MlMs0ej2CiT-YP3358njSGLCwAC3QeDcrihLn6FUJB8G7/s900/zen+awk.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_scAKe_fmZROOKH98vL0mWzejL2ppeYv2mGZHsChbuDohUgXo-lXsARxg5bfUmO5_bvJFqmVaaxCiSZ9Ps8-GsxBUms4xWm7MlMs0ej2CiT-YP3358njSGLCwAC3QeDcrihLn6FUJB8G7/s320/zen+awk.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;">Academy members Awkwafina,Zendaya, Cynthia Erivo and Constance Wu</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another part of the Academy’s new inclusion program involved setting up criteria—beginning in 2024-- that would only allow a film to be nominated if it met certain requirements. They laid out four elements, two of which must be met in regards to “underrepresented” population (“underrepresented” in this case is defined as “people of color and those from the LGBTQ+ or differently-abled communities”).</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The four elements that set the standard include that one or a group of people from underrepresented groups must either be A) featured as the lead actor or part of an ensemble; B) working behind the scenes; C) have been offered paid internships; and D) be one of “multiple senior executives” on the project.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; vertical-align: super;">[2]</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although this seems like a groundbreaking initiative, the past fifteen years of Best Picture Winners were analyzed by </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Washington Post</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to see if they would still have been able to qualify. If most previous winners would easily pass this new criteria, that would mean that these new standards are not rigorous enough to improve behavior—they would only keep the bar at the existing state of play when it comes to gender and racial inclusion.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Washington Post</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> found that more than 70% of past Oscar-winning films would still have qualified-- even if these new conditions were required of them. Ways that filmmakers could worm their way through this new criteria are evident in how these films were able to qualify.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For instance, filmmakers of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spotlight </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(2016)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">—</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">about the Boston Globe’s investigation of sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">—</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">could argue that the sexual assault victims are considered an underrepresented group. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39WlFfQcTHArT3sJlwnHDLIf3MKvZLp5l_WamBZPwlj0wPPtvJtbo8gixm3Mw1mTfX4hQSBo-A0cOlUeggydeXF9nmOVFwhNNAire2D67A-oT8eNbbmaFwrteA_08X_vOAYU9_lPgBS7A/s325/Spotlight_%2528film%2529_poster.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39WlFfQcTHArT3sJlwnHDLIf3MKvZLp5l_WamBZPwlj0wPPtvJtbo8gixm3Mw1mTfX4hQSBo-A0cOlUeggydeXF9nmOVFwhNNAire2D67A-oT8eNbbmaFwrteA_08X_vOAYU9_lPgBS7A/s320/Spotlight_%2528film%2529_poster.jpeg" /></a></div></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Also, the primarily white executives behind </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Green Book</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (2019), about a Black jazz pianist and his driver, would argue their film meets the standards since (only) the composer, Kris Bowers, is Black</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; vertical-align: super;">[3]</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></div><span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIMUbROmO4B20jXgbKJUExNI45CqJzBjCEywKeqN27_jW6IqnQa3Kap9GSrs_JQUpF_CTT1IbjJ1xrZ8m6iKjENyacqDSnlQ8ZhMEL1QXmG3UI3WyIrccxpSO5eaB4o006a7X5zT_YAaPp/s262/greenbook.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIMUbROmO4B20jXgbKJUExNI45CqJzBjCEywKeqN27_jW6IqnQa3Kap9GSrs_JQUpF_CTT1IbjJ1xrZ8m6iKjENyacqDSnlQ8ZhMEL1QXmG3UI3WyIrccxpSO5eaB4o006a7X5zT_YAaPp/s0/greenbook.jpeg" /></a></span></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, if women and minorities are still undervalued in the movie industry, where can one go that treats these groups—if not equally—at least with more respect? </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">With more people staying in and streaming content, rather than going to the movies these days, one would assume that streaming services would better represent the world we live in.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To investigate inclusion in the streaming industry further, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Netflix commissioned</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The </span><a href="https://annenberg.usc.edu/research/aii" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Annenberg Inclusion Initiative</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to s</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tudy inclusion across their scripted series and films. While the findings conclude that women and minorities are <i>far from equally </i>portrayed on the small screen, they do seem to be a bit more visible in front of and behind the scenes of the small screen.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The number of speaking roles of women and minorities in film vs streaming services from 2018-2019 is one area of the study. It found that women received 28% of those roles in film, compared to 38% on streaming services. Minorities were given 26.7% and 29.4% of those roles respectively.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">During that time period, 23% of Netflix movies were directed by women—which more than triples the 7.6% of top-grossing box office movies, but is still very far from half. If you’re looking at women of color, those numbers are even more anemic—only 6.2% of Netflix films were directed by women of color-- and that's compared to the barely-there 2.2% films at the box office. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwEXC8D5eDgDJcH9BhhP1QIb9Bh4-VqjorvNuwEBwq4t0a_KxWlCCHLCabl7LPZyAJSNFjDTxWpQ4G1eJINIahgXI0njGcbNlyfHAx_xtcohhTjYuy4KPAnmI5r_K44FCnlxzivf0SaA1T/s263/Lana+condor+director.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwEXC8D5eDgDJcH9BhhP1QIb9Bh4-VqjorvNuwEBwq4t0a_KxWlCCHLCabl7LPZyAJSNFjDTxWpQ4G1eJINIahgXI0njGcbNlyfHAx_xtcohhTjYuy4KPAnmI5r_K44FCnlxzivf0SaA1T/s0/Lana+condor+director.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lana Condor with director Susan Johnson "To All the Boys I've Loved Before"</span> </td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Representation by race on streaming productions gives a more complete outlook of the world we live in when compared with the nation’s population, but it too, still needs to improve. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">The report found that the percentage of Black actors in leading roles on streaming services exceeded that of the U.S. population. But only 4% of leading roles in movies and 1.7% in TV series, were filled by Latinx actors-- way below the 12% US population. And Asian actors appeared in just 1.7% of leading roles in Netflix TV series, compared with being 7% of in the population. Appearances by LGBTQ+and characters with disabilities were too rare to mention. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Overall, 19 of 22 measures examined by the researchers improved from 2018 to 2019 and although diversity onscreen is improving, everyone—Hollywood studios, streaming studios, and network and cable television—should be trying to do </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a lo</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">t better.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With more than 90% of American viewers currently subscribed to a paid streaming video service<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(5)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and since more inclusive stories are what </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Netflix, Amazon</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and Hulu customers seem to want, we can only</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hope other executives are taking note. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The film industry is one of the most impactful creative mediums we have, as it both reflects and shapes our society and culture. So, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">seeing yourself represented on screen is important for self esteem, and for feeling accepted and seen. It can also reduce bigotry, as bigotry stems from isolation. </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">Characters become friends and heroes to the fans, and seeing different colors and genders on screen breeds familiarity and kills the fear of the unknown. Diversity in film—behind and in front of the camera—is crucial in our attempt to represent the world as it truly is. Let's hope the numbers improve and a more diverse population can find a home behind and in front of the camera. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></p><hr /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: super;">[1]</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scott Feinberg. “Film Academy Invites 819 New Members, with 36 Percent People of Color”, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Hollywood Reporter</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. June 30,2020.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: super;">[2]</span></span><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/steven-zeitchik/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Steven Zeitchik</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. “Most Recent Best Picture Winners would have met new Oscar Diversity Requirements”, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Washington Post.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Sept 9, 2020</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: super;">[3]</span></span><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/steven-zeitchik/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Steven Zeitchik</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. “Most Recent Best Picture Winners would have met new Oscar Diversity Requirements”, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Washington Post.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Sept 9, 2020</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="vertical-align: super;">[4]</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Stacy L. Smith, PhD. “Annenberg Inclusion Initiative releases Study of Representation in Netflix Original Productions”, USC Annenberg, February 26, 2021.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(5) </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Todd Spangler, :Streaming accounts for 19% of Total TV Viewing”, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Variety</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, February 11, 2020</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></p><div><br /></div></span>Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-16932479361239118762018-10-10T19:29:00.003-04:002018-10-16T00:36:32.240-04:00Design on a Macadamia Nut- Sized Budget: Free Art!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The NY Public Library has always been a rabbit hole for me.... whether browsing the shelves of books to read the spines or wandering aimlessly in awe through the reading rooms of the Fifth Avenue branch to stare at the magnificent architecture. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And now, hundreds of miles away in the islands of Hawai'i, I still feel at home, getting lost on their images database (<a href="https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/">NYPL digital collection</a>). It is an online treasure chest of images, manuscripts, cartography and illustrations that turns my decorating impulse into overdrive. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ysG66QFAXIk4G92vMS5AFJ9UMdhmRyqymb5NmpTfI-hAp6GyQ-R38kexwtzE6Dws5rDv-MG85oNPeyB1vvoSe8oomitXmA01s8i0TL-FccXezEJkGonP00Svh3OUBolkTDNNrAZ4BK7g/s1600/birdp1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="534" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ysG66QFAXIk4G92vMS5AFJ9UMdhmRyqymb5NmpTfI-hAp6GyQ-R38kexwtzE6Dws5rDv-MG85oNPeyB1vvoSe8oomitXmA01s8i0TL-FccXezEJkGonP00Svh3OUBolkTDNNrAZ4BK7g/s320/birdp1.jpeg" width="224" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">They have nearly 200 thousand images available for use in the public domain- fish, birds, mammals, plants, ferns, mushrooms, maps-- absolutely everything! All copyright free and able to use for anything-- business or pleasure. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0I_X6yMXfxvyzDrMxvK0-u3_2HAGoGNeeFRd8ghnnAPmqJPVSpyFWA2gtZFIYu1zjskeBYgfLA2up3928thUxdbbeaSVmAL15-7Z6HtGZBT-TR5TLb2HHmkkX86QVL4cYQlSdDPWRHL7E/s1600/birdp2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="533" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0I_X6yMXfxvyzDrMxvK0-u3_2HAGoGNeeFRd8ghnnAPmqJPVSpyFWA2gtZFIYu1zjskeBYgfLA2up3928thUxdbbeaSVmAL15-7Z6HtGZBT-TR5TLb2HHmkkX86QVL4cYQlSdDPWRHL7E/s320/birdp2.jpeg" width="224" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To bring a little of that NY spirit to the Big Island but still keeping in theme, I went on a glorious, time-sapping twisty-turny hunt for Audobon-theme artwork for my master bedroom. After a few days of deliberating between octopus (too scary- leave it for the bathroom) or botanical nut trees (too on point) I found my theme. Birds of Paradise and Peacocks! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2TdxVM9GRnG_BS4_Nuf-c0YP8KSyUyy_eY_kx-mFmSRtw0dUSSlVsC0z3EbDwqtwuobHOo2mSn8JLhInsqw4zbn0GoIt2p-gYJavWYj3ao41cL3uFpHLfNDU5s255EAe63F1JShJmIkJ/s1600/peacock.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="463" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2TdxVM9GRnG_BS4_Nuf-c0YP8KSyUyy_eY_kx-mFmSRtw0dUSSlVsC0z3EbDwqtwuobHOo2mSn8JLhInsqw4zbn0GoIt2p-gYJavWYj3ao41cL3uFpHLfNDU5s255EAe63F1JShJmIkJ/s320/peacock.jpeg" width="193" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I emailed the the links to the images I preferred to the local printer (that's the free part!) and had them download the images at 300 pixels (the images are also available larger and up to 750 or 1250 pixels depending on the picture you choose). I had them printed out onto a gloss thick photo paper (that costs about 15 cents a sheet). </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-63R32I3TDUO_h8-0he_obkPPVoyya7JbmQEFeMMP0XctNhYeFOICj5UHBIe4lPENACg8KQhMLaCEz0xPTgddBGjl6ztq65KU4ZZId4Ff5X4fBTVuRwZ75FRqhStBj4TqsEyNP2Lg9d8/s1600/IMG_5179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-63R32I3TDUO_h8-0he_obkPPVoyya7JbmQEFeMMP0XctNhYeFOICj5UHBIe4lPENACg8KQhMLaCEz0xPTgddBGjl6ztq65KU4ZZId4Ff5X4fBTVuRwZ75FRqhStBj4TqsEyNP2Lg9d8/s320/IMG_5179.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I bought double matted frames and hung them on either side of the bed and when I walk into the room I let out a happy sigh knowing a little part of New York sneaked into the Hawai'ian home and nobody knows but me! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKR_tbFoRsyg2QyyQb3DP-pu53z6FzI6NO68Cky1-zKTwoLVj8xYeW0hSuxmNJo4LTy7qJrKydqRrl90qAPL-kxO4uB5xm-zQZisya7muYZT1to0zE82QmwKtmUw53D0aqhbWAxt3da_h/s1600/IMG_5181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKR_tbFoRsyg2QyyQb3DP-pu53z6FzI6NO68Cky1-zKTwoLVj8xYeW0hSuxmNJo4LTy7qJrKydqRrl90qAPL-kxO4uB5xm-zQZisya7muYZT1to0zE82QmwKtmUw53D0aqhbWAxt3da_h/s320/IMG_5181.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIiKD9tMacnC2c6mExlNGbvIRVmf_nT6OcxMxxeqRDAtTkDpYzgXC80d5l1SPQXq2zEtIjUj0hpgc-_rSYU5Gt8u537FOSMQBmJprx2ZmvMZyyw_Wn5KefourXivhr5fAephY52CbtKjiM/s1600/IMG_5182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIiKD9tMacnC2c6mExlNGbvIRVmf_nT6OcxMxxeqRDAtTkDpYzgXC80d5l1SPQXq2zEtIjUj0hpgc-_rSYU5Gt8u537FOSMQBmJprx2ZmvMZyyw_Wn5KefourXivhr5fAephY52CbtKjiM/s320/IMG_5182.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNulGuLZyEdhUDf81LEzWd5DF2-JWDzGYzNT5kNbATeHApH8jj07AEQTG0gSnY6KA678r6zPNFpke0y3ac2cMMHgx2jQiqM43XgWFWfc6nxMmRO88mDWkRDpqwQgHz3obzowif1S4E_Gk2/s1600/IMG_5183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNulGuLZyEdhUDf81LEzWd5DF2-JWDzGYzNT5kNbATeHApH8jj07AEQTG0gSnY6KA678r6zPNFpke0y3ac2cMMHgx2jQiqM43XgWFWfc6nxMmRO88mDWkRDpqwQgHz3obzowif1S4E_Gk2/s320/IMG_5183.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-41482150238223142362018-10-09T00:40:00.000-04:002018-10-10T18:34:05.755-04:00Sober as a Judge<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">America was captivated this week with yet another gripping court drama that could have been written for a bad episode of Law & Order. Our democratic system is messy, it's mean, it's anything but boring-- with political mudslinging, character assassinations, defendant deceptions and colorful alibis. yet all this treachery and vilification and backstabbing happens in a very plain, boring place. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi76T5XeIPw9lhyphenhyphenzf41Ygk3NhpJ0hiv_zdH-WaSBY5rHDTsQTk4HpUPyNooMFbge-jbVQvulmue4KAlT9rXva7proQmAgYSAcmKXf1dkMW56Zn1tx9UmW3989FBbfknCapZfMF8DJv5xS05/s1600/court+wide.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="270" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi76T5XeIPw9lhyphenhyphenzf41Ygk3NhpJ0hiv_zdH-WaSBY5rHDTsQTk4HpUPyNooMFbge-jbVQvulmue4KAlT9rXva7proQmAgYSAcmKXf1dkMW56Zn1tx9UmW3989FBbfknCapZfMF8DJv5xS05/s320/court+wide.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The interior design of a courtroom is as sober as a judge as they used to say (that metaphor doesn't quite work as well since one of our supreme judicial leaders ranted about his </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">love of beer). Wood paneled jury boxes and witness stands and long tables for the defense and prosecution teams face the raised Judge's box. There is no color, no fun, no lightness or cheer when one's fate is on the line. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji0WfAy7G8goJwXu_zrdYe7plOGVmP8q0h7wR4ydICVgNJKdn1XVwmN43lpvOGYmewkuzqCmtOviBNHHut_KEuiuSn2LfIoyB7Hlc_usT5ugLhaFxXNNUVse7a6TQXEnptXnANjaMCOJen/s1600/court+def.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="340" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji0WfAy7G8goJwXu_zrdYe7plOGVmP8q0h7wR4ydICVgNJKdn1XVwmN43lpvOGYmewkuzqCmtOviBNHHut_KEuiuSn2LfIoyB7Hlc_usT5ugLhaFxXNNUVse7a6TQXEnptXnANjaMCOJen/s320/court+def.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So we can all agree that the design of the court, at least, is sober for sure, with its plain wood tables and puritanical benches. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Every courtroom is more or less the same layout and design on or off tv, so what is the psychology behind the stark look and strict seating arrangements of the teams?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We in the USA are (all too) familiar with seeing the defendant seated at a long bar-desk alongside their legal team. Our courts have found that this is the best way to avoid giving the impression of guilt and our Supreme Court reinforced that decision in 2005, stating that any form of visible constraint violates the presumption of innocence.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, in Europe, the UK and Australia, defendants are seated in a glass or open dock. The concept was </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">originally conceived in the Dark Age to protect judges and witnesses from intimidation. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_P7Bo2qs69G_tYZ2sb3z2yGuKAgz62UHQ4-2qxA9P4Wq7HOrRMkxrpR1bf9m28-2VBBS4TSRJ_8vw-qDvjqad3tZJWbcII3RnYq7D-0KKkyH2w-iI9CrBvCasDzbP3TPs74Ll46Gv3YYJ/s1600/glass+dock+court+UJ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_P7Bo2qs69G_tYZ2sb3z2yGuKAgz62UHQ4-2qxA9P4Wq7HOrRMkxrpR1bf9m28-2VBBS4TSRJ_8vw-qDvjqad3tZJWbcII3RnYq7D-0KKkyH2w-iI9CrBvCasDzbP3TPs74Ll46Gv3YYJ/s320/glass+dock+court+UJ.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqwPEivSOaobGL874xkJRlxr3_QGq_VPEAnXIAjmenxyo-HRtDquCDhG02wxmRHAn6cf1sPdcq1aGHKRxkFIqPrIHesz5PrjyvdTIQEbJjBVs9-Wr0n-DfrOoP15O5FUEeP45eaP0emQ1h/s1600/glass+dock+singapore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqwPEivSOaobGL874xkJRlxr3_QGq_VPEAnXIAjmenxyo-HRtDquCDhG02wxmRHAn6cf1sPdcq1aGHKRxkFIqPrIHesz5PrjyvdTIQEbJjBVs9-Wr0n-DfrOoP15O5FUEeP45eaP0emQ1h/s320/glass+dock+singapore.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">And in Egypt and some Middle East countries, the defendant is placed in a literal cage.</span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPGXy6L-ZzQBgbw_x2CdWXkANlbfc5YE3hXgroAIjDrP5rkE-txefiKclhEUkH-kBPfdWalZmNkfAPwJM-6rgR_WrWMuAeSqUlfFOJra8wmgrxVvp8LtVtNc3i4_pAoC4mA_X9qGmczeZ/s1600/saddam+in+cage+court.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="191" data-original-width="265" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPGXy6L-ZzQBgbw_x2CdWXkANlbfc5YE3hXgroAIjDrP5rkE-txefiKclhEUkH-kBPfdWalZmNkfAPwJM-6rgR_WrWMuAeSqUlfFOJra8wmgrxVvp8LtVtNc3i4_pAoC4mA_X9qGmczeZ/s320/saddam+in+cage+court.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">Common sense would tell you that placing a defendant in a cage may sway a jury and a recent Australian study has found the same. Visual bars or glass walls that enclose the accused are more than a trick of the eye, </span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">but they are, in fact, an interior designed presumption of guilt.</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr93ZYPWAMieG3Bls_ZhQDnVVMAceTyAfjT9p8celp0pP0kujP-5KlSmFX1Pp_I3K9iCNf6D-I4cFh1gbBAMMqXUVIjEzPx7m9VJBY_QPP1U4gK8qPE-C0R1fQMRcZSiIY9LpJxwENvzBk/s1600/oj.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="734" data-original-width="1100" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr93ZYPWAMieG3Bls_ZhQDnVVMAceTyAfjT9p8celp0pP0kujP-5KlSmFX1Pp_I3K9iCNf6D-I4cFh1gbBAMMqXUVIjEzPx7m9VJBY_QPP1U4gK8qPE-C0R1fQMRcZSiIY9LpJxwENvzBk/s320/oj.png" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By putting the courtroom architecture on trial, the study found juries were more than twice as likely to convict a person sitting in a glass dock compared to the US-style bar table. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfYSeamzyoa2sczRvG6VIymFh6-fQcV5aVoiDy_m1uQslZBGXgmqKpZAP4vqGQYjcV2qpYD7ltn4Scf-kE67qwS3yOs-2cs5qKRGuTyuLMqs_UvsAwtI61D6koFAsM02QhS8_eAuaSmO2/s1600/menendez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfYSeamzyoa2sczRvG6VIymFh6-fQcV5aVoiDy_m1uQslZBGXgmqKpZAP4vqGQYjcV2qpYD7ltn4Scf-kE67qwS3yOs-2cs5qKRGuTyuLMqs_UvsAwtI61D6koFAsM02QhS8_eAuaSmO2/s320/menendez.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When seated at the bar table, 36% of the 407 jurors found the defendant guilty, whilst 47% and 60% found the same person guilty when seated inside an open or glass dock respectively. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPEzJxnQc3vS9QGZ7HIljJE78Dgm3KircU1U-mGNDrB7WriKygT9n1pcdjZQT-4AWkMlc8xkiH1LqarZnkzuIuLrGpWcRmDdv55JzTcz6zW9CYceKUffMuS2M9PjkFJN96shQJ79pNU0YH/s1600/mockin.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="474" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPEzJxnQc3vS9QGZ7HIljJE78Dgm3KircU1U-mGNDrB7WriKygT9n1pcdjZQT-4AWkMlc8xkiH1LqarZnkzuIuLrGpWcRmDdv55JzTcz6zW9CYceKUffMuS2M9PjkFJN96shQJ79pNU0YH/s320/mockin.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So however we perceive the state of our court system-- sullied and disgraced, drunk with misogyny and bipartisanship or still a little bit respectful-- it is, in one way, balanced in its visual design and interior makeup. It may not be a handsome room, and the juries and judges may not be impartial to the facts, but at least it's designed to be fair. Let us rest this case. </span><br />
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Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-75047387731656087732018-10-02T23:38:00.000-04:002018-10-02T23:53:46.434-04:00Design on a Macadamia Nut-Sized Budget: 70's Bamboo Lamp<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My Aunt Fay gifted me an appreciation for all things vintage. Her bespoke midcentury modern mahogany sideboards, stacked stone fireplace, and velvet sofa had me dreaming of one day furnishing my own home just like she had. The piece that mesmerized me most was her 1970s multicolored hanging swag light. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now living in Hawai'i, and trying to decorate my lanai and home on the earnings that a small macadamia nut farm will allow, I spend many days scouring the local antique and vintage shops. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Browsing through one of my favorite stores, I looked up one day to find a piece that paid Aunt Fay's swag light homage whilst keeping with the earthy, islandy Hawai'ian tradition. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKhAr4Y99sHJhykChnjPXNsAF3bbv_Eu84_Qs8GecsCw2qh1PHE6lqfEpcy4lpCjFc4cwU-X7uvXNR8Io5_OPBJC7GdWXLB37Q12KO2kiXJe_Z1sQlAocOEz_wfStDBS4DeRl3IfrSvnY/s1600/IMG_4845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKhAr4Y99sHJhykChnjPXNsAF3bbv_Eu84_Qs8GecsCw2qh1PHE6lqfEpcy4lpCjFc4cwU-X7uvXNR8Io5_OPBJC7GdWXLB37Q12KO2kiXJe_Z1sQlAocOEz_wfStDBS4DeRl3IfrSvnY/s320/IMG_4845.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A 1970's vintage swag pendant made of bamboo!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitr3C3tKh9x5ctg-5DY4T7M_KIQ3gRQih2zdWYB9EYA1d9IbWr71zlNXAztGq-EQl4m4AdwkS6BrJAo-4ez8L6RA7bRj8TVyZj3NzS2EZ9026DJdJqBRuQ56M95ANyfY3GK3Aw4ofxLq3K/s1600/IMG_4846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitr3C3tKh9x5ctg-5DY4T7M_KIQ3gRQih2zdWYB9EYA1d9IbWr71zlNXAztGq-EQl4m4AdwkS6BrJAo-4ez8L6RA7bRj8TVyZj3NzS2EZ9026DJdJqBRuQ56M95ANyfY3GK3Aw4ofxLq3K/s320/IMG_4846.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I gasped with excitement and pointed to the ceiling where it hung in anticipation of my husband's agreeing exhilaration of the find. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But he just shrugged and said "I don't think the brass would look good on the lanai". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I let it go. I thought. But I found myself stopping by the next day, just enquiring about the price. $125. That would make the lamp the most expensive purchase so far. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It never left my mind and I would check up on the lamp each time I drove by to make sure it was still there. I began speaking with the owner, Peter, about how I loved the lamp but my husband didn't. He told me I was welcome to visit it anytime I liked (unless of course, someone bought it). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A few weeks after discovering the lamp, my in-laws from England came to visit. Not one to let this go, I made a deal with my husband. We would take them to the antique store to see the lamp and and tell them one of us loves it and the other doesn't. If they too appreciate the vintage beauty of it, we will buy the lamp and hang it on the lanai. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVod4JhptZByw_ZyCgM1_g76OhFxEBH7FCHu174KCurzINTEAPI9Tz40XJ_AF6gKvN3bYAFpiiONUsNJx6F5rylMnA0AlZXAeq3_dHvpy_wn5l0jFJdw7QP8LZ4MwZJFMezemZv4b-bWw/s1600/IMG_4854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVod4JhptZByw_ZyCgM1_g76OhFxEBH7FCHu174KCurzINTEAPI9Tz40XJ_AF6gKvN3bYAFpiiONUsNJx6F5rylMnA0AlZXAeq3_dHvpy_wn5l0jFJdw7QP8LZ4MwZJFMezemZv4b-bWw/s320/IMG_4854.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We walked in. I pointed up. His brother and sister-in-law's jaw dropped when they saw the holes made of the bamboo pattern and brass chain swag. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I told Peter the owner about our little bet and he seemed almost as happy as I was that is lamp was going to a good home! I asked if he could do anything better with the price to make the loss of the bet easier for my husband. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He said I could have the lamp for $75! My brother-in-law and husband hung it up that evening and it remains hanging stoically in the front of the lanai.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXkInsCY8H30rcA_mQF4ncqe7vEf031ITp6qGJtDYPY5mtcLBAuMSzifaNFf-mWpY6kxp_7CdW0M3Hlkpdg_3gn1g86gDSTpdLcLNPpLgWBD_8Gcg4jIQh-yOqbGaPgF2IN1CrfVAUPRb/s1600/IMG_4675.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXXkInsCY8H30rcA_mQF4ncqe7vEf031ITp6qGJtDYPY5mtcLBAuMSzifaNFf-mWpY6kxp_7CdW0M3Hlkpdg_3gn1g86gDSTpdLcLNPpLgWBD_8Gcg4jIQh-yOqbGaPgF2IN1CrfVAUPRb/s320/IMG_4675.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-89593917906408234372018-09-19T17:43:00.001-04:002018-09-24T16:27:41.690-04:00Design on a Macadamia Nut-Sized Budget: Bug Out Lamp <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Decorating the farmhouse in Captain Cook, Hawai'i on a macadamia nut-sized budget is an enjoyable sabbatical of merry scavenger hunting for me. I am attempting to avoid all 'regular" furniture stores and take advantage of the island's nomadic population. Many people fall in love with Hawai'i when they are on vacation and move here permanently on impulse. With no planning and research into what careers they can jump into (not many) and the cost of living (bleach at the grocery store is $4!! What??) They soon realize there's reality even in paradise, give up on the dream and hightail it back to mainland.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Unfortunate for them, but lucky for those of us staying behind, the cost of shipping furniture and home goods back to the mainland can give you a serious case of sticker shock. So, many pieces are donated to the several thrift stores dotting the back island streets. The shops are a treasure trove of gently used goods just ripe for the picking. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7fbcAALE-9KQwY0fxPvLTNxv2TdXb_pkX08bV1zaUi3r6HlC1Pz6DZt3a9dHEAF2VETicDeQjbfVDoX2-ActugfZrW4_DlKlEtVP9X5T_Y-dGI8QEt_OMVEe6WaarDZpHf6sCIqo8fSI/s1600/thrifts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7fbcAALE-9KQwY0fxPvLTNxv2TdXb_pkX08bV1zaUi3r6HlC1Pz6DZt3a9dHEAF2VETicDeQjbfVDoX2-ActugfZrW4_DlKlEtVP9X5T_Y-dGI8QEt_OMVEe6WaarDZpHf6sCIqo8fSI/s1600/thrifts.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of my favorites is a large warehouse specializing in furniture and lamps, mostly resort furnishings that were binned by hotel staff during redecoration projects. Rummaging through one day, I found myself in a sea of lamps -- all gorgeous and all with price tags more than $150 but reasonable for their quality. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I fell in love with one in particular-- a pale yellow one </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">decorated with fine-handed bug illustrations-- like dragonflies, grasshoppers and locusts. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I rushed to find the worker in the store before anyone else grabbed it. She was in the second building. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRR7fQcr-RZbDCAho577LwrA89178XKjtXyK5yXsWoxtlBZtycvu5HCUhzbZ2kGdhdkjEPmE-cT6lSWX83BZM3mH0NU3rFqXV-3bePuyy8-MdqJ8uawVBxvLGhyC3FB4HGabVXxthbQTVc/s1600/bug+lamp.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRR7fQcr-RZbDCAho577LwrA89178XKjtXyK5yXsWoxtlBZtycvu5HCUhzbZ2kGdhdkjEPmE-cT6lSWX83BZM3mH0NU3rFqXV-3bePuyy8-MdqJ8uawVBxvLGhyC3FB4HGabVXxthbQTVc/s320/bug+lamp.jpeg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Out of breath, I approached her and said, "You have a lamp in the other building with bugs all over it..." Before I could continue, she gasped "Oh my God, I am so sorry!" she kept apologizing, not allowing me to get a word in. I didn't understand why she was so upset, the bug lamp was one of the most unique pieces I had seen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I mustered out, "No. it's ok, I want it. How much is it?" She looked at me with an eyebrow raised, questioning my sanity and finally, after the longest six seconds of my life, responded.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"$40" was her reply. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was shocked in the very best way, yet still confused with her outburst. I gave her the money and rushed to grab the lamp, heading to the car. Halfway home, still reveling in my bargain find, I burst out laughing, finally realizing the misunderstanding-- that my description of this gorgeous lamp made her believe there was an infestation of insects crawling all around the beautiful lamps she had procured. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm sure the woman searched the lamp building right after I left for any termite damage or blight of flies and quickly realized all was well, but she may never know how much I cherish this lamp. It now has a special place on my bedside table so I can see it every morning and chuckle about how I managed to get a fly-swatting good deal on it. </span></div>
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Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-70557768416226204772018-09-10T19:06:00.001-04:002018-09-15T15:08:21.406-04:00Where Art Thou?<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">When I was young, entering my older brother's room (when not forbidden) was like embarking on a journey into another decor macrocasm. I could admire a completely different design landscape worlds away from the neat, symmetrically hung framed photos and shelved Barbie-dolled collection on my purple walls. A blacklight Led Zeppelin poster and glow in the dark zodiac stars jumped straight up in my face when I walked in. His oh-so-impressive vinyl collection hung chaotically in</span><span style="background-color: white;"> wood milk crates against the wall. That was my first memory of his world-- what he chose to put on his walls. His creative eccentricity and anarchic rejection of contemporary artwork left an impression on me-- and my design aesthetic-- for years to come. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62-f_P-96j5jAbuLSL57W3aL5n07dEt0iOU3igHZUthTlnLBiuT4WeQMFPAupPbt_zklLLuYg-yENz85m1FfPq_MhGUPvp4audRUNBYPRAqooOBz9kRdMzP7X17UgmFs-By8wa8vblxZV/s1600/lpcrates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62-f_P-96j5jAbuLSL57W3aL5n07dEt0iOU3igHZUthTlnLBiuT4WeQMFPAupPbt_zklLLuYg-yENz85m1FfPq_MhGUPvp4audRUNBYPRAqooOBz9kRdMzP7X17UgmFs-By8wa8vblxZV/s400/lpcrates.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Because my brother stuck his middle finger up to the conventional (and conservative) wall art wisdom of the time, I became a strong believer that art-- whatever the taste-- commands the room. It is the thing anyone coming over will remember most. I mean, even Neanderthals knew the importance and longevity of its memory-- each scribble on their cave walls made a statement that persisted through time. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So why the bloody heck do so many of us regard art as an afterthought when we design a room?</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuADN5kvZo6EdaFVI8poBaF9ONygi4851SgVkOMdA5SFDV89UMGQPA2fKx6Pnwbg8EOAnGsb8NZ-fxJxJ7wetlv9NwCKreh6TY0Avgsh7JTnZw3nUgjH4ueain_qpgcGeeYpayvx_jlN-/s1600/art+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuADN5kvZo6EdaFVI8poBaF9ONygi4851SgVkOMdA5SFDV89UMGQPA2fKx6Pnwbg8EOAnGsb8NZ-fxJxJ7wetlv9NwCKreh6TY0Avgsh7JTnZw3nUgjH4ueain_qpgcGeeYpayvx_jlN-/s400/art+2.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I argue that art is indubitably the most important part of the room plan-- that wall art should be the first and main piece of your design and the rest of the room decor should, if not bow down to, at least accentuate it. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnaDQnWjGZn6ik8lApSZBJmUF3ltOD2irIWFgsLkI4jgOuuJSgqMz-9jzb5mWRi9L06fY-fFwmZtHclNMyT8YYdY32gtgOVPRewnvV0EigxiUG_N6F71dDdctl9dHwsG4nF7mMhUnxu9ga/s1600/art+gal2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnaDQnWjGZn6ik8lApSZBJmUF3ltOD2irIWFgsLkI4jgOuuJSgqMz-9jzb5mWRi9L06fY-fFwmZtHclNMyT8YYdY32gtgOVPRewnvV0EigxiUG_N6F71dDdctl9dHwsG4nF7mMhUnxu9ga/s400/art+gal2.jpg" width="325" /></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What the cavemen (and my brother) didn't know, and we do, however, is that the number one most important facet of any room decor is, COLOR. It is also one that we ruminate forever over. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUD7RX8iJuHqZcz-RnQuvH5eyLxwuO0M0440V6QFOc8_LorXTTjGf7drsleIqAbtbeuy_iB45eKQHIVrs_HShWvyTa7ijTa-m5jrb2sWeTHaElpr7bce2K-pcWTeyuHwFrq2vpoX95R1dU/s1600/art+color.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUD7RX8iJuHqZcz-RnQuvH5eyLxwuO0M0440V6QFOc8_LorXTTjGf7drsleIqAbtbeuy_iB45eKQHIVrs_HShWvyTa7ijTa-m5jrb2sWeTHaElpr7bce2K-pcWTeyuHwFrq2vpoX95R1dU/s400/art+color.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The weeks-long enigma of choosing the perfect shade is a kindergarten-grade equation when you have first and foremost planned the art that will hang in the space. Use the colors in the art to choose the palette of the room. Picking a few shades out of the art will allow you to toss out a few hundred of the cardboard color swatches you lugged home from the DIY store-- and let the art decide if you should go for that red sofa or the grey tufted settee; or if the teal rug will work in the space. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjFFmvG2-t3cOnQdnGmH027KWnVc67OGdCzBeVt2zqG-xkuwUdNEFTAAHByRdxSVxj9yljNKZiCC-zAaLESg6p1QaPrCmtBlCHxkpsZ8m3mryoZoKZdoNd7zD71dWg1uF5M_cYqh_PeHDH/s1600/art+yellow.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjFFmvG2-t3cOnQdnGmH027KWnVc67OGdCzBeVt2zqG-xkuwUdNEFTAAHByRdxSVxj9yljNKZiCC-zAaLESg6p1QaPrCmtBlCHxkpsZ8m3mryoZoKZdoNd7zD71dWg1uF5M_cYqh_PeHDH/s400/art+yellow.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And like most things, when it comes to wall art, SIZE matters. Big walls crave big art. Don't be scared to bring in a piece that will take up a majority of wallspace. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAkHsDROZLrp75HZ9DPcNbvqCUsWe_bG3QAhyphenhyphenyqd8QDiOuF1l79pgxxtwEacc4hBaSBn8P_CxHU6oh3A34J22Xp9PiJ2CzxCvpVBNb7HA8JsuWXvtk-BelRyCqg_mZzxx28hvysdjM9Py/s1600/art1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAkHsDROZLrp75HZ9DPcNbvqCUsWe_bG3QAhyphenhyphenyqd8QDiOuF1l79pgxxtwEacc4hBaSBn8P_CxHU6oh3A34J22Xp9PiJ2CzxCvpVBNb7HA8JsuWXvtk-BelRyCqg_mZzxx28hvysdjM9Py/s400/art1.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Art that is too small for the wall will get dwarfed. Art should be bold, make a statement, be a conversation in the room-- not cowering indecisively like it's not sure it belongs there. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A statement like that will also provide the essential FOCAL POINT of the space, drawing all eyes upon the prominent wall. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOISgHaMRiiRIK2oxGfUDFYz54hKJSBwsP56k-hg0cLMW09V04RwShroa5z04_o_TrfuzIW2GZRD4XmIQnQtGV8W_l4l-0eqjQk5j-LNkhyphenhyphenjF26KvLHNIVejc7gYNp_Pqtl_JiJLbEf8Ar/s1600/art+large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOISgHaMRiiRIK2oxGfUDFYz54hKJSBwsP56k-hg0cLMW09V04RwShroa5z04_o_TrfuzIW2GZRD4XmIQnQtGV8W_l4l-0eqjQk5j-LNkhyphenhyphenjF26KvLHNIVejc7gYNp_Pqtl_JiJLbEf8Ar/s400/art+large.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You can easily mix it up as well to add interest and TEXTURE to your room. Wall art is not banished to just flat art prints and paintings, it can be a schizophrenic mix of materials -- woods, plastics, metals or even bones can bring life to plain flat white walls.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sculptures, taxidermy and organic materials are three dimensional and add depth and spirit. They allow the light and your eye to bounce off their layers, expanding the zone by adding eccentrically interesting surface areas as well as providing leaping off points for conversation.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyU-VGEnTGDT_xkTxd0NbC7upuhplEbFfInxBCwN9ZeFhVdZ96hVJZl13WkILiCFqYHODE6SDsrq1sIg65xuVqPHe-DYHwwaycEcw8VjUYPBlAQtbXQsjhwa8cCy_Q9VtMl7CcOwVT9Ch7/s1600/art+textur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyU-VGEnTGDT_xkTxd0NbC7upuhplEbFfInxBCwN9ZeFhVdZ96hVJZl13WkILiCFqYHODE6SDsrq1sIg65xuVqPHe-DYHwwaycEcw8VjUYPBlAQtbXQsjhwa8cCy_Q9VtMl7CcOwVT9Ch7/s400/art+textur.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When it comes to Color, Texture, Focus and Interest, wall art dominates the character building of your space, defining the room as <i>designed</i> rather than just functional. Reconsider using art as a postscript to decor and reimagine it as the important and most memorable feature of your space-- a kick-off inspirational piece that will conceive an incredibly intriguing and unforgettable room design. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-64935558391098749002018-09-09T22:18:00.000-04:002018-09-12T14:51:25.234-04:00Listen Up! <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nietzsche was right, "Without music life would be a mistake."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And so would an interior design plan that left out a listening room that allows you to escape into your vinyl-scented nostalgia of long-saved and treasured LPs.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As unique as your taste in music may be, however, a true listening room that will deliver the best soundwaves your way should be set up by a set audiophile's blueprint. These design rules may make the punk inside you pull out all your tongue piercings in protest, but will make for a better listening experience.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGQB3hbtTKb0E31WHIPBFEobcaDcsEnSrI3X1Y7ezoI-v1IGVzyDt2CfsNgZk9xWi97Z3BAE1g6zUB-tpqkaOQcNaUtGxzn76XSvNrVL2_yheDB5TT1GioKffAG3MwBt8JEWdKEkcHjrF/s1600/maxell+blown+away+ad.jpg"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGQB3hbtTKb0E31WHIPBFEobcaDcsEnSrI3X1Y7ezoI-v1IGVzyDt2CfsNgZk9xWi97Z3BAE1g6zUB-tpqkaOQcNaUtGxzn76XSvNrVL2_yheDB5TT1GioKffAG3MwBt8JEWdKEkcHjrF/s400/maxell+blown+away+ad.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">First, think of you and your speakers as one, with your favorite listening chair the tip of an equilateral triangle, with yourself, the left and right speakers as close to equal distance apart as possible. The tip of said triangle is straight between your ears-- so position the speakers at ear level, away from walls a little.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXMRvD4bMVWikAkll3w4ivZWozcMssX191iZsIPY27Bm4Kn5htlChxdUBSITJurXkelBG6oQ-eOjWFXx4wc7_8slccjncZ0soGfyE7jr5P0487QNKiqU9_CjNzyWv8w8mEN_-gfddRAcxs/s1600/listen+room+4.jpg"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXMRvD4bMVWikAkll3w4ivZWozcMssX191iZsIPY27Bm4Kn5htlChxdUBSITJurXkelBG6oQ-eOjWFXx4wc7_8slccjncZ0soGfyE7jr5P0487QNKiqU9_CjNzyWv8w8mEN_-gfddRAcxs/s400/listen+room+4.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If, like Steven Tyler, you believe "everything worth doing is worth overdoing" and you bought seven speakers for a surround sound, then just build two triangles in front (the main speakers) and behind you, the two smaller speakers at your sides and the center speaker straight out on front of you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Before you put the needle to the record, add some spikes on the bottom of speakers-- they will decouple the sound from the floor to minimize the bass rattle.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBWyttQ60LY9HCojzXbK11EFt8jroBJBIS0MRLc9XR0mdoR9mKB6N4Ai-pL2eHyN76UNBv3xEhE8pXTQkdcBCPTgjQvfi3gdC9Lqj2waKghP3RbHO0a10lRLt4WqVkeAKsNO9r6A2sTAq/s1600/listen+room+2.jpg"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBWyttQ60LY9HCojzXbK11EFt8jroBJBIS0MRLc9XR0mdoR9mKB6N4Ai-pL2eHyN76UNBv3xEhE8pXTQkdcBCPTgjQvfi3gdC9Lqj2waKghP3RbHO0a10lRLt4WqVkeAKsNO9r6A2sTAq/s400/listen+room+2.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You never ever have to sacrifice good design for great sound, and should let your style vibes run wild and crazy and barefoot and free in this hedonistic room because a minimalist approach won't be best for sound quality.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNKQYRKU7KCBz-H1h83_kpDlFfupr5Vle93hSkBiiPaFlUfoZbD9h_p4YUWC-2Ffe3HPb5WNBJWPzv-Xo8MZpiT2yEDBaqt2TBDPcmroo2p8c6TI7xzqrgD3WfXN3gfTfAtJHWqoGuXAn/s1600/listen+room+3.jpg"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNKQYRKU7KCBz-H1h83_kpDlFfupr5Vle93hSkBiiPaFlUfoZbD9h_p4YUWC-2Ffe3HPb5WNBJWPzv-Xo8MZpiT2yEDBaqt2TBDPcmroo2p8c6TI7xzqrgD3WfXN3gfTfAtJHWqoGuXAn/s400/listen+room+3.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm not saying you have to add a little country to your rock n' roll, but a few rugs or cork flooring </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">and a cushy sofa </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">will help the way the music travels around the room, </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"The only truth is music”, said Jack Kerouac but we know we need a little more glam in our rock to design a perfect room.</span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwkz8lZ0sV_O5Fz0n6lKaVFbeIBh8Ci4yj2tHQzKkXuGRYYPlfnKKM-2G2MOUn3qQG5zkulFnccea3LFXb0YLaAZqSr38kHBaPU8EVfQUDOpHvLNww8LUrjeRQ2vDozoBtTpWQC2v-rt3/s1600/vinyl.jpg"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwkz8lZ0sV_O5Fz0n6lKaVFbeIBh8Ci4yj2tHQzKkXuGRYYPlfnKKM-2G2MOUn3qQG5zkulFnccea3LFXb0YLaAZqSr38kHBaPU8EVfQUDOpHvLNww8LUrjeRQ2vDozoBtTpWQC2v-rt3/s400/vinyl.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-63374421689884157862018-09-02T07:13:00.000-04:002018-09-12T20:47:32.179-04:00Raise the Roof!<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">During the minimalist-dominated decades that we've experienced in our interior design lifetimes, we've gotten used to slapping some white paint on our ceilings and calling it a day. The top half of our rooms were the forgotten child--to be not seen and not heard, to fade into the upper limits of non-imagination, as we vowed to never again look up come hell or high water (well, maybe water). But leaks aside, the ceiling became a place no designer dared to travel, leaving the largest space in the room devoid of dressing, naked and bare. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But recently, we've grown tired of looking down at our shaggy piles and chevron weave rugs and yearned for a grandness that can only come from above. Facing the risk of a neck crick head on, we have finally noticed the highest echelon of room design--</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Ceiling. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">Giving some needed love and attentrion to the summit of our eye space </span><span style="color: #333333;">is not a new design trend, but one clipped from the more luxurious of ages-- </span><span style="color: #333333;">Versailles, Robert Adam’s homes in Scotland, Otto Wagner’s post office in Vienna, and Grand Central Terminal's astrological heights of grandeur rule the roadways of opulent canopy. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">To draw the eye to to the top of the room doesn't require you to forge "The Last Supper", as you dangle upside down from a scaffold. A </span><span style="color: #333333;">statement that will bring down the house can be made with a much simpler gesture. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To give your ceiling the design interest it deserves, its as simple as dipping a brush into a a graphic paint color...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZv2pg04AdhipUl2GIlAsUi7Q3150LJZVHkFWP-f6OIR9n0Jpvp8PKf2DjoLrbUEY-h6oeQEfmtQlrecPH8ingtq5zgfnaxLsq_DsunUjgpHUG1MD8xbw3ZQagNeUwamzetTdMKKcr5RL/s1600/ceiling+designer+James+Dawson+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZv2pg04AdhipUl2GIlAsUi7Q3150LJZVHkFWP-f6OIR9n0Jpvp8PKf2DjoLrbUEY-h6oeQEfmtQlrecPH8ingtq5zgfnaxLsq_DsunUjgpHUG1MD8xbw3ZQagNeUwamzetTdMKKcr5RL/s400/ceiling+designer+James+Dawson+.jpg" width="265" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> ...bringing out a headbanging shiny Metallic...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTCX121xW93HkADLiKeNUsT1xWvQ1laAjWV9I37BxdXwLeZdAxM7VbKAO_U23qcWFL6RZW6rJE_TsKYkti397O8caqsKb3EHUUadq9IdfM-QAPFmKImptAUwnAq8TOQ7r61FUce-FMN8zW/s1600/ceiling+metallic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="212" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTCX121xW93HkADLiKeNUsT1xWvQ1laAjWV9I37BxdXwLeZdAxM7VbKAO_U23qcWFL6RZW6rJE_TsKYkti397O8caqsKb3EHUUadq9IdfM-QAPFmKImptAUwnAq8TOQ7r61FUce-FMN8zW/s400/ceiling+metallic.jpg" width="265" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">...sticking mirror tiles overhead to bounce the light around the room...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi242m4QYHVR3jThfHwBkZ6_3rvZ1l7p7EqrO3e17hhrR7P9rQ8tFhfaeDimPwyB2Pv0llVsAkfGh_mHgP2NTc-jy_RFEzgRht-4sm1Yrg-3aDF91W9fMjW1lUHANVzkMAXquZkaw6ZO_EG/s1600/cewiuling+mirror+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="564" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi242m4QYHVR3jThfHwBkZ6_3rvZ1l7p7EqrO3e17hhrR7P9rQ8tFhfaeDimPwyB2Pv0llVsAkfGh_mHgP2NTc-jy_RFEzgRht-4sm1Yrg-3aDF91W9fMjW1lUHANVzkMAXquZkaw6ZO_EG/s400/cewiuling+mirror+.jpg" width="256" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">...or using wallpaper that either keeps in the hues of the wall paint or just extend the wallpapered walls up and over to the next level. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifO_n02ez0kKqOs_VuBxq4CRFXjhu3PCo7pyDl03eHw1n7Ci01dKzaWOaEAlHgw4phbklC6D4e0p5Er8ib74NbM-z4uuQhAVFcmalsCFlt8zAHYh2_BQ1UgXQl0KI-Z4LB_pseTzEFw-3d/s1600/ceiling+wallpaper+same+hue+as+wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="660" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifO_n02ez0kKqOs_VuBxq4CRFXjhu3PCo7pyDl03eHw1n7Ci01dKzaWOaEAlHgw4phbklC6D4e0p5Er8ib74NbM-z4uuQhAVFcmalsCFlt8zAHYh2_BQ1UgXQl0KI-Z4LB_pseTzEFw-3d/s400/ceiling+wallpaper+same+hue+as+wall.jpg" width="312" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pimping out the upper part of your room adds intrigue to the forgotten space, allowing the eye to take in the entire room, leaving no part behind. The ceiling is the last of the interior design frontiers that will cap off your space in fashion. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-52305320020101923072018-08-26T15:49:00.000-04:002018-09-12T15:02:51.946-04:00You Can Take the Hipster Out of Brooklyn... Or Can You?<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.2px;">The super hip can only survive in a sub-universe of originality and distinction; remaining untouchable in their ironically independent expression of style and design. </span><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.2px;">The problem with being the author of the constantly revolving redefinition of "cool" in the hipster dictionary, however, is that everyone, eventually, wants to be part of it. More people appropriate the look and join the hipster club until, alas, the synonym for cool quickly becomes a bad word. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.2px;">That is what has become of Brooklyn.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">The borough that could once only boast about great views of Manhattan, </span>has in the last decade, become a destination of its own; a shorthand adjective that defines a lifestyle; its own design aesthetic. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The industrial, natural wood and exposed-antiquely lit open-spaced loft design has been adopted by</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> coffee shops and retail stores around the globe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And the hipster has been lost in its own ubiquity. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="990" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5PHxdjzoNTvNW0DCPYHD2FLdjVn9SiyB3y8_4nFFqIby9mwc01N2qpKPNeziNM8Liok_wCZry_XuDHpJ5Nx4FjSY31uPMSoxBaTvkX-dZWo10_DGPFLUYUM0NaxCA_LOt_un0dqdFKux/s320/cofee2.jpg" width="320" /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once a style of independent expression and creative re-use and recycle, Brooklyn-the-aesthetic has become a commercial cover band for overpriced eco goods, creating a homogenous, monotonous, travel culture where one can take an airplane half way around the world only to land in their own neighborhood comfort spot. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's expected artists will commune and share design ideas in places like New York, London, Paris, Sydney and San Francisco, but Brooklyn-inspired cafes have popped up in places like Ljublana, Slovenia; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Krakow, Poland. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><span style="letter-spacing: normal;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">This signals the destined end to the Brooklynization of </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">interior design and will soon be the time we bid farewell </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">to </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">the reclaimed wood, Edison bulbs, and wrought iron fixtures that once defined a hipster location.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQnL3BBWm_NZcTNL0zrHAlTmaUTZtCwxESKq_1tJydJpjgOUo4AgIHUs68ly-uvgzCPmP4gvHHTeEfUFKt2fqnCUhmYu-WT5qBcc4R3lgGOP07NpYqxdX_BTttQX34XtOxECG2WhwgC6Xe/s1600/coffeshop2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1170" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQnL3BBWm_NZcTNL0zrHAlTmaUTZtCwxESKq_1tJydJpjgOUo4AgIHUs68ly-uvgzCPmP4gvHHTeEfUFKt2fqnCUhmYu-WT5qBcc4R3lgGOP07NpYqxdX_BTttQX34XtOxECG2WhwgC6Xe/s320/coffeshop2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.2px;">New Yorkers may remember when Brooklyn was just a scrawny, bullied, bridge and tunnel borough of the city-- when hooking up with a guy that lived there was "slumming it" for the Manhattanite chicster who just wanted a little more "rough" in her rough and tumble for one night. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">But years ago, when Manhattan was busy staring into its after-work Cosmo, Brooklyn grew up, grew a beard and donned some upstate Catskill-chic plaid clothing. Brooklyn looked super cute sipping his fourteen dollar lavender latte in the open-space industrial cafe and Manhattan fawned over its dirty, diy-skilled, lumberjack manliness that refused to conform to the grey concrete urban environment.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Brooklyn brought raw, organic materials into their walk up. It laughed at Manhattans' matchy-matchy sofa and loveseat sets and those thousand dollar analagous living room sets bought at one store. It leaned unabashedly against the exposed brick wall and stood proud amongst its rustic interior look. sans serif logo-ed signage and quirky wall art.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnf4Jv361a1qa-P1BX3C9jm_7pNGFPRctrcwjAQdhkiXl12nibqCyXKSdkEZKl8FQbQEfQx3K1uBf3x00QzDJI-ffRqTaW4YzsUyT3lru-8Zf35b7hl0rHaceBJnxiInCTKUV19kXKbeb/s1600/coffekansa+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnf4Jv361a1qa-P1BX3C9jm_7pNGFPRctrcwjAQdhkiXl12nibqCyXKSdkEZKl8FQbQEfQx3K1uBf3x00QzDJI-ffRqTaW4YzsUyT3lru-8Zf35b7hl0rHaceBJnxiInCTKUV19kXKbeb/s320/coffekansa+.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Its strength proved persistent and the look spread, soon over-taking the world. Brooklyn became a household name, its own logo on a hoodie. It's not Brooklyn's fault it was adopted globally so lovingly and widespread. It's a good look with a natural, environmentally proud design sense and I will miss it terribly. We just don't want to feel at home everywhere we go, sanitizing our travel adventures when we explore other cultures. That is how I feel when I leave Brooklyn now-- that I just never left. </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0feZlKoguCSYARUP2VmX42vVflD7AFmZwqsIsIitaDchbDUzaUORvkp1ndp43WaprAkhxnT2DddGKMYhL3Xr1NONLJ08aq7WEXsaq8Ml8xp-Hk5MrEJFjio5zOjFk3uOsAFQ5RbYbUaTd/s1600/coffeey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0feZlKoguCSYARUP2VmX42vVflD7AFmZwqsIsIitaDchbDUzaUORvkp1ndp43WaprAkhxnT2DddGKMYhL3Xr1NONLJ08aq7WEXsaq8Ml8xp-Hk5MrEJFjio5zOjFk3uOsAFQ5RbYbUaTd/s320/coffeey.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
But Brooklyn is nothing but hipster and hipsters, like a lizard that lost its tail, regenerate, reinvent and regrow. I know as a resident, I can sink into my coffeeshop's big distressed leather tufted armchair with my nitro cold brew, take a long sip and wait and see how my borough once again will reinvent and redefine interior design chic.</span>Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-71351907130966418142015-03-02T13:32:00.003-05:002018-10-02T23:54:32.032-04:00Design on A Macadamia Nut-Sized Budget (in Hawai'i!)<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ajrNIDk9rgRqQFypjR4X6QqUTu1ujP6dwoGNn4GSyG42blp29dl5_hLao-i7Cu2ff2N5Z0r1X-y_zYDaiIroij0tI9x3Z9rL0qYJirqvv42pAmLu06E1zLlSFolxZE6xfprGZykn1gVC/s1600/hawaii+map.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="191" data-original-width="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ajrNIDk9rgRqQFypjR4X6QqUTu1ujP6dwoGNn4GSyG42blp29dl5_hLao-i7Cu2ff2N5Z0r1X-y_zYDaiIroij0tI9x3Z9rL0qYJirqvv42pAmLu06E1zLlSFolxZE6xfprGZykn1gVC/s1600/hawaii+map.jpeg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For our honeymoon, my husband and I came to Hawai'i and our love for Big Island began. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The black lava-rocked land being kissed by seas of dark turquoise as it tumbled ashore whitewashed slabs of driftwood, mesmerized us with its stark comment on color.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8USCgp4n5gQYt45RccCqgDLAMLkbfWTDXRpi8unpOCfGcSyJ1B5hdYnIeYscWUC2SA15xCMwAQuaTLPlu57BtjPQy2SjdrwBiI27_VLKC17NWXa57mejGFQ9V9IbzZujxqfLCOLk-OPM/s1600/fullsizeoutput_3779.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8USCgp4n5gQYt45RccCqgDLAMLkbfWTDXRpi8unpOCfGcSyJ1B5hdYnIeYscWUC2SA15xCMwAQuaTLPlu57BtjPQy2SjdrwBiI27_VLKC17NWXa57mejGFQ9V9IbzZujxqfLCOLk-OPM/s320/fullsizeoutput_3779.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Traveling away from the shores, the sweet scent of molasses grass and the delectable scent of coffee cherries roasting enticed us to Captain Cook, the agricultural area of the island.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyS3wsuK9SkBz0gZ_P2emqrtflfwfkIa0T_PtctH50m4dWIvg9ZK8O99JoomlBvYuMp7HGATyMsU4RWulfcQuKQscvck8Czwx8nacVFcY7PHwpseuFeAUUz3FK6hVTv8Q3NhhjEUfOgQJy/s1600/IMG_4651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyS3wsuK9SkBz0gZ_P2emqrtflfwfkIa0T_PtctH50m4dWIvg9ZK8O99JoomlBvYuMp7HGATyMsU4RWulfcQuKQscvck8Czwx8nacVFcY7PHwpseuFeAUUz3FK6hVTv8Q3NhhjEUfOgQJy/s320/IMG_4651.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Away from the touristy strip, Captain Cook, with its rustic potpourri of untamed macadamia nut, coffee, avocado and mango farms is where we would spend our time off. Glimpsing a pack of wild piglets, playing frogger with mongoose crossing the road, searching for wild goats amidst the fields of lava and listening to the symphony of exotic birds and coqui frogs replaced the urban sights of New York City for two restful weeks a year.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fifteen years of annual pilgrimages back to the island later, we found our dream-- a three bedroom two bath house with a super-sized lanai nestled on 9 acres of macadamia nut trees!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0amK253TMBRnEH7I2tFfyboxbK-fcnLwiqT18tWIX2a7EbFV7-OZ0j_c9Jcvr-KDxYQeQETf2F2v3xKdSvIiuRvQiaJgkDjX_iPrtNuDssrWlrMpQ_sKZkZKB_lIzcYP6hvghA5GmkC1/s1600/IMG_4655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0amK253TMBRnEH7I2tFfyboxbK-fcnLwiqT18tWIX2a7EbFV7-OZ0j_c9Jcvr-KDxYQeQETf2F2v3xKdSvIiuRvQiaJgkDjX_iPrtNuDssrWlrMpQ_sKZkZKB_lIzcYP6hvghA5GmkC1/s320/IMG_4655.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We didn't think twice about packing our stuff up in Brooklyn and making the movie to Big Island, Hawai'i. It definitely was a massive culture shock to leave the hipster urban streets filled with trendy coffee shops for the chill ultra-casual farming community, but as "t<i>he only way to make a sense of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance."</i> (-Alan Watts, philosopher) that's just what we did.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5z44roEAbg1jI_Q7Yn4p23YtzqsDrErGo3EW0snTaf5_uD81bNskCKWQjTWOoya1ororIoNwMHI2piF-udJhOMOriLT4iz8YINsjqatDJFKuQTis-VrP9cKdfF31Pg8erzqXfrJmXsaDk/s1600/IMG_4653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5z44roEAbg1jI_Q7Yn4p23YtzqsDrErGo3EW0snTaf5_uD81bNskCKWQjTWOoya1ororIoNwMHI2piF-udJhOMOriLT4iz8YINsjqatDJFKuQTis-VrP9cKdfF31Pg8erzqXfrJmXsaDk/s320/IMG_4653.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, stranded in paradise with no Ikea in sight, we must now face the challenge of furnishing the farmhouse on a macadamia nut-sized budget using only thrift stores, craigslist, antique shops and garage sales. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Game On, or "<span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">e hele kāua" as they say on the Island!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcHvbLaiff0A3OZqsAR468Xo5VoVwRpUHmaN5gp5IHpvcG7FX370HPi51N8UFTOpUtZOxXxTG3KTL_ulrDMho45Qs33oC869FH1t4mEghwNgkZQokmsPmQc2Iha1uV5iz4h5XKsmDaP72/s1600/IMG_4627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="1600" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcHvbLaiff0A3OZqsAR468Xo5VoVwRpUHmaN5gp5IHpvcG7FX370HPi51N8UFTOpUtZOxXxTG3KTL_ulrDMho45Qs33oC869FH1t4mEghwNgkZQokmsPmQc2Iha1uV5iz4h5XKsmDaP72/s320/IMG_4627.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
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Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-23002368990076989612015-02-25T08:31:00.003-05:002018-09-19T17:17:16.917-04:00How to Build a Zombie Proof House<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">When the Brain-Eating Walking Dead take over the Earth, you will want to keep your Grey Matter safe. Design firm </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">KWK Promes has built the perfect residence to hide out from Zombies. Here's how you can keep your family's flesh intact.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pxC4wC_Y-dT2ZQWAtxpGkSWRi6QkRfSQTRujfciGOy9XhcHRiG8JAPX6OjJGPbeo3OqRV_jF0FujPWYieW8KXZRkTrajMvmHxLIaWRHQi8mfklN5Cl3eXdk3NvI_VumAYakjWLVsbMor/s1600/zombie+house3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626242271692155426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pxC4wC_Y-dT2ZQWAtxpGkSWRi6QkRfSQTRujfciGOy9XhcHRiG8JAPX6OjJGPbeo3OqRV_jF0FujPWYieW8KXZRkTrajMvmHxLIaWRHQi8mfklN5Cl3eXdk3NvI_VumAYakjWLVsbMor/s400/zombie+house3.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">1. This house has a Pool which is a good idea as Zombies can't swim. However, a Moat will be much more effective.</span></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxj8422YkoxqHXVzyJhiuynhdGTJoRHms_k8jTT8lN3WIkhsO8z3kuFETo8aFxzxpbFgCasaMMo41M8Df3SDfowqQHLQoyAYdLyHttzs86VtF2ptzQr_8tVdS1i43t_v6UP26phfpVhG1/s1600/zombie+house.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626242261478718562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxj8422YkoxqHXVzyJhiuynhdGTJoRHms_k8jTT8lN3WIkhsO8z3kuFETo8aFxzxpbFgCasaMMo41M8Df3SDfowqQHLQoyAYdLyHttzs86VtF2ptzQr_8tVdS1i43t_v6UP26phfpVhG1/s400/zombie+house.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">2. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">Movable walls that will confuse Zombies' sense of direction. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_mlpvJALKBduHKleV9vu6aNw87NByY29XbKc-_YIWNXYbTdY1UU68JwC3qvau39tLKAHcfRiaen0-ZZfRAus5HHJfcXIJgBbPcAwGt9k-Vrv1VRUrOW-_oWVVa9hxOIz-5piDFlRtVrYL/s1600/Zombie+house1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626242251060243202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_mlpvJALKBduHKleV9vu6aNw87NByY29XbKc-_YIWNXYbTdY1UU68JwC3qvau39tLKAHcfRiaen0-ZZfRAus5HHJfcXIJgBbPcAwGt9k-Vrv1VRUrOW-_oWVVa9hxOIz-5piDFlRtVrYL/s400/Zombie+house1.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 268px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">2. Make sure there is only one entrance. This one is located on the second floor after crossing a drawbridge. A drawbridge is a great way to keep the Living Dead off the premises. Just make sure its drawn up when they arrive. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHn3qrPvqrDinLNGoNH1KzklGjaJbUGTFt3mhwq5ar6mEOB3lVsakrxNqDZpPjp_Dqyshyphenhyphenf7tcdFymFrINgE5uKI5n74EBgBXFvWRlqgRaW6JhVLkKi5m2PD9vBvVmMnZ8aMr1oxJH4R4i/s1600/zombie+house2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626242229009210514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHn3qrPvqrDinLNGoNH1KzklGjaJbUGTFt3mhwq5ar6mEOB3lVsakrxNqDZpPjp_Dqyshyphenhyphenf7tcdFymFrINgE5uKI5n74EBgBXFvWRlqgRaW6JhVLkKi5m2PD9vBvVmMnZ8aMr1oxJH4R4i/s400/zombie+house2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 265px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">3. Steel shutters. Zombies do like to watch.</span></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6EU2Ws3EIhxiJbjgHwpfBZm7HQVfErSiWEcaRVQqQ3TUR75BwJMThPEeY4BzLiC1m6Ai_W1SO7jCaePe30Uw7LwdbW7Ms9qHzen3_8kD4DYnem2TCBfgJ8_VmRemgsS1u4XUnFKaMC_ak/s1600/zombie+house+sealed.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626242229549592562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6EU2Ws3EIhxiJbjgHwpfBZm7HQVfErSiWEcaRVQqQ3TUR75BwJMThPEeY4BzLiC1m6Ai_W1SO7jCaePe30Uw7LwdbW7Ms9qHzen3_8kD4DYnem2TCBfgJ8_VmRemgsS1u4XUnFKaMC_ak/s400/zombie+house+sealed.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">4. The house in Red Alert mode. It</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> folds in upon itself to become completely sealed with </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">concrete slabs over windows</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 18px;">Be prepared and be safe!</span></span></div>
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<br />Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-42147010028305720312015-01-23T11:42:00.002-05:002018-09-20T00:32:37.200-04:00NSFW Men's Fashion and Apartments<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rick Owens let it all hang out in Paris for his 2015 Men's collection. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">His peacoats were cut from Berber blankets;</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR7eX3t8UD_zXF5Ln_PaJ-vj5krTqljMsRWWCQW_0bEsJ2fymXdbwbkjB6TBuvaY4aPxi2iNIGVeuJnTLE1K2NPUj-pL2v-Mo8k7qLMElibE5LVRsgUlldMBLTwEZmeTdyuIiHcer_ohJW/s1600/owenspeacoat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR7eX3t8UD_zXF5Ln_PaJ-vj5krTqljMsRWWCQW_0bEsJ2fymXdbwbkjB6TBuvaY4aPxi2iNIGVeuJnTLE1K2NPUj-pL2v-Mo8k7qLMElibE5LVRsgUlldMBLTwEZmeTdyuIiHcer_ohJW/s1600/owenspeacoat.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cable knits were stretched to the limit...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXSkcDbGaMvKUQhxx59qz6je81W_K9TOfUOinkqrxeS0wh7oVOtvqJvqBXPOOcyO9TWI4rD3ZyH7LyNs-YSHWNfoeaeXUD9EnN0chVavEwdB2w6RqMJkqet5XuygnyiIeWdqb9hz9Zrgy/s1600/owenssweater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXSkcDbGaMvKUQhxx59qz6je81W_K9TOfUOinkqrxeS0wh7oVOtvqJvqBXPOOcyO9TWI4rD3ZyH7LyNs-YSHWNfoeaeXUD9EnN0chVavEwdB2w6RqMJkqet5XuygnyiIeWdqb9hz9Zrgy/s1600/owenssweater.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and portholes were placed to show everything a man has to offer. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8SEYKSp8KtZnOocHwaex0Da_PKVyP7rYe4qCHQHGU5mJkS1ASXRQ0dwdZeRKdu2jWSe-DMGEOjKWRQgc5bLIamyeK3nGRU9AuRNJ6zOF0_MYsO5nxzELtm4ca5RH3YW3ZAf_jAou_ww6I/s1600/RICK-OWENS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8SEYKSp8KtZnOocHwaex0Da_PKVyP7rYe4qCHQHGU5mJkS1ASXRQ0dwdZeRKdu2jWSe-DMGEOjKWRQgc5bLIamyeK3nGRU9AuRNJ6zOF0_MYsO5nxzELtm4ca5RH3YW3ZAf_jAou_ww6I/s1600/RICK-OWENS.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is way too full frontal for even the most casual Friday. The California designer says the collection was inspired by "an old French movie set in a submarine". We don't need a periscope to see the genius here. Owens toys with sex and censorship in his own sleek way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Male genitalia and artistic geniuses are not as uncommon as one would think. Robert Mapplethorpe pissed off an entire generation of older American prudes in the 1960s and 1970s with his impeccably-lit black and white photographs of the sex organs of the underground BDSM culture in New York City. </span><br />
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During this time, Mapplethorpe shared a Brooklyn apartment with his girlfriend and rocker-poet Patti Smith. They paid $80 a month. It can be rented today for a bit more (try $8,000) and so fully renovated there's not one dustball of rock 'roll spirit left.<br />
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Here's the place when the king and queen of cool were living in it. If you'd like to see the sanitized ballad that it's become, check out <a href="https://ny.curbed.com/2018/1/26/16937708/brooklyn-house-for-rent-patti-smith-clinton-hill">curbed.com</a>. I don't care to show you any of that bland, tamed clean soulless space at all.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6SVLUQH8wlLepWPgmHkBh-z400Pqg89EAg7V4jDQ1KoXiUhO-1dLsnMmN3B1VPZDfUSR7_Tw5GIIePNM3Vws7EyRx9ylb2WOmf-1LSNKCdzA2tvI_MyChFzSzxEalrcqus4vSgzosNOt/s1600/mapplethorpe-patti-smith-norman-seeff-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="768" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6SVLUQH8wlLepWPgmHkBh-z400Pqg89EAg7V4jDQ1KoXiUhO-1dLsnMmN3B1VPZDfUSR7_Tw5GIIePNM3Vws7EyRx9ylb2WOmf-1LSNKCdzA2tvI_MyChFzSzxEalrcqus4vSgzosNOt/s320/mapplethorpe-patti-smith-norman-seeff-.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-DMnY55W1KmaaEz5Mxooy7G65yIpTHGgXGg_mhxix66EuU_vzIRF0EYzpJ1pNFpHnVPkK73YTka1D1aTjAonz9IEDwywhRX-kwHd2v64G7RoXuSbCaz4xti14s0PNvg9iVlAvROll6RYg/s1600/map+and+Patti+insode.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-DMnY55W1KmaaEz5Mxooy7G65yIpTHGgXGg_mhxix66EuU_vzIRF0EYzpJ1pNFpHnVPkK73YTka1D1aTjAonz9IEDwywhRX-kwHd2v64G7RoXuSbCaz4xti14s0PNvg9iVlAvROll6RYg/s320/map+and+Patti+insode.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-43404197805808919922015-01-20T09:42:00.000-05:002018-09-15T15:09:21.278-04:00Suit Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Casual Fridays have killed our culture. The bespoke fitted suits of fine wools that men once wore are now rare endangered species. As conscious, environmentally aware people, we can fight its extinction and start the battle right in our homes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Manly room designs inspired by the men's trouser suits of yore can inspire and thrill, planting the seed that a more refined look is an alluringly more sexy aesthetic than cargo shorts and t-shirts. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJehG8SdDw2dPUAFnYcL3a6Rb_w1oqALijktBA4tHNG8dh3_ILimwgdIbYqQRYFQHWCxhkfi6lHJrYzWHvEABTNkNh2Rb-EbMCnOOfOuHCUUCTU4JGOSRWEFk9DYGqZdREPWg2daJfloxy/s1600/man+grey+brick.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJehG8SdDw2dPUAFnYcL3a6Rb_w1oqALijktBA4tHNG8dh3_ILimwgdIbYqQRYFQHWCxhkfi6lHJrYzWHvEABTNkNh2Rb-EbMCnOOfOuHCUUCTU4JGOSRWEFk9DYGqZdREPWg2daJfloxy/s1600/man+grey+brick.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">An old soft worn black leather couch can bring back memories of your grandfather's old briefcase. Filled with paper and reports rather than hard drives, it meant he was all business. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdAF9Lx5u4_00rTwzK3PjDp-LVAOJPYXvLX6tRs5DVMcQcek1TazZZRV7gjIjidajkRtwyD-NjSirPPcRPpTi-TOwunhozpoov5fwMOtfg7o1nMVoiV3B9L-lMIpQs4agQc0lnkdyTGlC/s1600/man+leather+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="575" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdAF9Lx5u4_00rTwzK3PjDp-LVAOJPYXvLX6tRs5DVMcQcek1TazZZRV7gjIjidajkRtwyD-NjSirPPcRPpTi-TOwunhozpoov5fwMOtfg7o1nMVoiV3B9L-lMIpQs4agQc0lnkdyTGlC/s320/man+leather+.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The grey tones in an exposed brick wall nod to the soft wool suit and fitted trousers of the serious office man. </span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CNgmEhRZl0J-E9IOGHwGCmiASYmZxEB5d2mIf7IBhKN34VLw_D80K35W1KDMVk33zmHdo3WJd6hlrZYI3y2TC8bPacdJFsUok5hn59Lx-KESjEZ0WIooa75JXc8Ej8RFw-sa9mtTQHbM/s1600/man+grey+brick2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="960" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CNgmEhRZl0J-E9IOGHwGCmiASYmZxEB5d2mIf7IBhKN34VLw_D80K35W1KDMVk33zmHdo3WJd6hlrZYI3y2TC8bPacdJFsUok5hn59Lx-KESjEZ0WIooa75JXc8Ej8RFw-sa9mtTQHbM/s320/man+grey+brick2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Brass accents and accessories are just what the working guy needs, like an expensive watch to keep time with.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLaVfEnf0xUJQLpODYuDVOFUBiwlQhVTnEhPL6d_P7NO7qQmv-EeVi-JsEv5GM1aeC5CEKaws9CitaA4VUOhYDzNWaOaLz3YNPk4tIbO-s35k0vAwMPnqmaIE4G2vA7UaM0Z5ksuEXkkmA/s1600/man+brass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="367" data-original-width="236" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLaVfEnf0xUJQLpODYuDVOFUBiwlQhVTnEhPL6d_P7NO7qQmv-EeVi-JsEv5GM1aeC5CEKaws9CitaA4VUOhYDzNWaOaLz3YNPk4tIbO-s35k0vAwMPnqmaIE4G2vA7UaM0Z5ksuEXkkmA/s320/man+brass.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Keeping it classy and simple with design for utilization's sake can bring back the man's sense of design, because, like in any boardroom, there should be equal room for both sexes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-73962169142327303642015-01-19T12:58:00.000-05:002018-09-19T16:58:14.884-04:00In Mint Condition<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXJHPoD9LioZ8kJ4b3XXT6-WnXWNeUyXZ65KLPkp4y5wrSoBaypRYSRnqxsjOAuOSz8OtAiSmU0IBT05m6H9btYD9w7EuoXMELkLHXKcc8jp-70IIrLNkm4KS2YPFHWElWHjHSwFE6ip4-/s1600/coach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXJHPoD9LioZ8kJ4b3XXT6-WnXWNeUyXZ65KLPkp4y5wrSoBaypRYSRnqxsjOAuOSz8OtAiSmU0IBT05m6H9btYD9w7EuoXMELkLHXKcc8jp-70IIrLNkm4KS2YPFHWElWHjHSwFE6ip4-/s200/coach.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Runway trends and home furnishings do make a pretty pair so following fashion's direction into the home has always been a favorite way to spice up the rooms. Designers speared mint into their 2015 runways across the globe. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We got a taste of some from Coach...</span><br />
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<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeNPmPHi7s1dCYK30tq6suL0UdgZAuYde282CTe3_AOfl_hzY4nkdTjLFpdZDFkyEvwPnEy24VtKJkEKwVfU2IWjJ9DLxGmkDHCS0SGDzLi-Nq2o6Yz2U47RivGr7o5qBsxX4PevRaXGd/s200/Calvin+Klein,+Nonoo,+Peter+Pilotto.jpg" width="162" /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">..and sampled some more at Calvin Klein, Nonoo and Peter Pilotto.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mint is bright and sexy and sweet and tasteful-- and looks delectable on you and in your home. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Disguised as a squeaky clean delicate hue, mint also has a provocative bite so a</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">dding a sprig of the cool pastel into your interior can really perk up your home design. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rooms turn from stale to alluring, dry to coy and, when mixed with black accents, can add a bit of fashionable heat to the home. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSiyoH7Vxt_ABF8ktNoAuWrojbT8IuRlbV81SvyPmb8xDCPrkMCQu_k1TXcGpPMQcVHlh2j5scoglYrIJ2se3xyEVWRQufasn9E3VT4gZPkmw6JrynsfbHE68UJDjFNvCiP1akHp-EziBE/s1600/mint+foyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSiyoH7Vxt_ABF8ktNoAuWrojbT8IuRlbV81SvyPmb8xDCPrkMCQu_k1TXcGpPMQcVHlh2j5scoglYrIJ2se3xyEVWRQufasn9E3VT4gZPkmw6JrynsfbHE68UJDjFNvCiP1akHp-EziBE/s320/mint+foyer.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-92163482306305426642015-01-18T22:45:00.001-05:002018-09-19T17:16:31.318-04:00Bite My Jeans... and Room<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://zoo-jeans.com/" target="_blank">Zoo jean</a>s are what the name implies-- Denim designed by dangerous animals. To generate awareness of endangered species, designers throw their fabrics to the wolves... and lions and tigers and bears. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The jean material is wrapped around rubber balls and tires-- toys worthy of the the sharpest-toothed beasts in the kingdom. The animals go hog wild clawing and biting the denim wrapped toys to make them savagely distressed. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Carefully-- oh so gently-- the jeans are then reclaimed from </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 1.6em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">lions/Ussuri brown bears/Bengal tigers -turned </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">designers</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and sewn into jeans in a small factory in Okayama, Japan.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The savagely hip designs will be auctioned off and all profits from sales will be donated to WWF and Kamine Zoo in Japan.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This made me want to redesign a room in my home to remind me to donate more to the protection of these animals. Of course, you can start off timid around these fierce prints and just cover a fabric bench or chairs with some safari style. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERoeBl5Y7HCowAkkrG5R7sWlmPPaTmnyioSbyVh8qQPXF8jGyEH8JZWHLDBCeTEgAjXw-46F5GnZa9j2AJs3UlnHDRzhRIf_N3XfXTA706B8c3ztBGYmVjw314tTog-0L82Q79Q3Kp9xI/s1600/anim+bench.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="520" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERoeBl5Y7HCowAkkrG5R7sWlmPPaTmnyioSbyVh8qQPXF8jGyEH8JZWHLDBCeTEgAjXw-46F5GnZa9j2AJs3UlnHDRzhRIf_N3XfXTA706B8c3ztBGYmVjw314tTog-0L82Q79Q3Kp9xI/s320/anim+bench.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUPwuzSZsg6W5UouXHWsIxLUyDpJ7pFssctaPNAkGn5GoPqYckr1j_xXzQC2ydx1ZgWvjnVbEIwjGhTchtV5n7DVVRxP4UF5wcqyGuAh9kPTQZvuN36eJCwIo4FIaDYdlo_v0TZAXCTux/s1600/anim+chairs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUPwuzSZsg6W5UouXHWsIxLUyDpJ7pFssctaPNAkGn5GoPqYckr1j_xXzQC2ydx1ZgWvjnVbEIwjGhTchtV5n7DVVRxP4UF5wcqyGuAh9kPTQZvuN36eJCwIo4FIaDYdlo_v0TZAXCTux/s320/anim+chairs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then, when you feel more secure around the prints, really throw yourselves to the wolves with ferociously fashionable <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cheetah-Spots-Animal-Print-Stencil/dp/B071D6TC2H" target="_blank">stenciled </a>or wallpaper walls. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ec20bPTNuN3IikaTCgxAyXdkQJBxxdEvj7BTup2k9zKkLtckWRHyeRIdI9sQD2tdyW4fJdDeI1nrJLmI6sitdG5iQup-fw6HYSgU2nhHz4eSoR0pu5h_I1ZaHyTSlQGRkTZyhiLYePpQ/s1600/anim+cheetah+stencil+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ec20bPTNuN3IikaTCgxAyXdkQJBxxdEvj7BTup2k9zKkLtckWRHyeRIdI9sQD2tdyW4fJdDeI1nrJLmI6sitdG5iQup-fw6HYSgU2nhHz4eSoR0pu5h_I1ZaHyTSlQGRkTZyhiLYePpQ/s320/anim+cheetah+stencil+.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDtkXPjq1zVeZpGmfHfFAnhpMlVASX18-NtTOPV_u-33aHwwLVq_fAkknhrf7SzjWavxblWrsSW8IZdUagB_FPoTjetL2vOTw2tJqfHfWfEUi3U43MkUWajSPhqw0P9CjavNSo5Sftjfwe/s1600/anim+wallpaper.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDtkXPjq1zVeZpGmfHfFAnhpMlVASX18-NtTOPV_u-33aHwwLVq_fAkknhrf7SzjWavxblWrsSW8IZdUagB_FPoTjetL2vOTw2tJqfHfWfEUi3U43MkUWajSPhqw0P9CjavNSo5Sftjfwe/s1600/anim+wallpaper.jpeg" /></a></div>
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Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-3041660194373669572015-01-18T22:40:00.000-05:002018-09-12T23:08:22.581-04:00Quickest Draw in the iWestGo ahead, make my call, punk. Every urban cowgirl needs this <a href="http://oopsmark.ca/" target="_blank">holster for her iPhone6</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkKXvL6fPdNuuciRvxebSsbcz33d_YxjQm9Jb5uTmRW41pIJWUru4sGwC8lS4tbZS0M3l1mRYtvawKe0W8nVHPc2yik4bQNav8zFdHsJD0kfq6xpHG4zLyHYkg36il0Q1zKhgAsIAxeJC/s1600/iphone_6_holster_tan_dress_jean_jacket_grande.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkKXvL6fPdNuuciRvxebSsbcz33d_YxjQm9Jb5uTmRW41pIJWUru4sGwC8lS4tbZS0M3l1mRYtvawKe0W8nVHPc2yik4bQNav8zFdHsJD0kfq6xpHG4zLyHYkg36il0Q1zKhgAsIAxeJC/s1600/iphone_6_holster_tan_dress_jean_jacket_grande.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And something just as sleek could be coming home on the range. A <span style="background-color: white; color: #041427;">new </span><a href="https://www.legrand.ca/radiant/products/outlets/rwc826usbwccv2.aspx" style="background-color: white; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-sizing: border-box; color: #000088; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">Radiant wall plate with a Qi-certified wireless charger</a> by Legrand<span style="color: #041427;"><span style="background-color: white;"> is a clean </span></span>wireless way to keep the phone out of the way without cluttering up the aesthetic of your room design. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUVqD-VdKl1-V2J1Ot78N8oqhhorQ2JoJ2cPTcCfslxWr6tc5H5fnkhb9hnJctmpmTA98_3owcztdpk7JuoU93EMa-Ra7ATIpHHJYtKM-1O5LTi8hGQRpcckTUWkyzjzS7f7ebR-ukafO/s1600/iphone+charge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUVqD-VdKl1-V2J1Ot78N8oqhhorQ2JoJ2cPTcCfslxWr6tc5H5fnkhb9hnJctmpmTA98_3owcztdpk7JuoU93EMa-Ra7ATIpHHJYtKM-1O5LTi8hGQRpcckTUWkyzjzS7f7ebR-ukafO/s320/iphone+charge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For those of us who can't cut the cord, we can at least hide the messy wires amongst the herb garden on the kitchen windowsill with this <a href="https://www.freshnessmag.com/2011/11/23/kikkerland-grass-charging-station/" target="_blank">grass charger</a>. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Anything to disguise the ugly side of tech.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQqswtziN6JTTlZgwXr8TYY9TzOTQZQUTjcWP9546YiTF2S-lLXgJ7-2q9ERvE6amtzsisv7sYm10HZ9LYsHmsDC2KOcT0Ywo4T_mry_Isp8Z8JRJxPJGa97896SGqL4FgkdEORIgiVMy/s1600/iphongrass.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="570" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQqswtziN6JTTlZgwXr8TYY9TzOTQZQUTjcWP9546YiTF2S-lLXgJ7-2q9ERvE6amtzsisv7sYm10HZ9LYsHmsDC2KOcT0Ywo4T_mry_Isp8Z8JRJxPJGa97896SGqL4FgkdEORIgiVMy/s320/iphongrass.webp" width="320" /></a></div>
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Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-53316689108702249602015-01-18T22:00:00.001-05:002018-11-04T12:31:11.813-05:00The Modern Werewolves' Guide to Design <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Decor. It’s a word that scares even the most hardened imaginary vicious beasts.</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Werewolves, as all members of the canine family, are extremely conscious of all things related to fur. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jlRQG8XdmaJ7ysBRWTR-ojJ5jv5TORnhfM8P-cIuL1GsyldYOUt8yz0pJyfyGeHH-aOgBTYsPFcAya9Q2WnbHbd-4wh4X1AehmLkSPh5MF2-lLmNJkOZPMSt2YGag05UQ9gyRkhclS1b/s1600/wolf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jlRQG8XdmaJ7ysBRWTR-ojJ5jv5TORnhfM8P-cIuL1GsyldYOUt8yz0pJyfyGeHH-aOgBTYsPFcAya9Q2WnbHbd-4wh4X1AehmLkSPh5MF2-lLmNJkOZPMSt2YGag05UQ9gyRkhclS1b/s1600/wolf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Humans used to disregard the dogs’ love of fur as cruel, but </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">it is an integral part of the canine’s strict design regime and with faux furnishings looking more and more realistic, it's something a creature of the night can really curl up with and remain animal-friendly.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Werewolves, as the most refined members of the canine genus, are among the first to experiment with texture in home design. Their wet noses can smell how this material can take a room from cold to cozy, from staid to luxurious. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ZZTHryTb3-y_vOUx9ze6bJxLAg_FaeMKf8unomSUSJCu2_tY_KqB8mFlFW1NGRzqtMXt0sQ4pH3AamaBgDv0lkqjMBCTO8jblb7n0djP74beyrWmn7poACLzR46SXFpwwFWW1J107FMH/s1600/fur+throw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ZZTHryTb3-y_vOUx9ze6bJxLAg_FaeMKf8unomSUSJCu2_tY_KqB8mFlFW1NGRzqtMXt0sQ4pH3AamaBgDv0lkqjMBCTO8jblb7n0djP74beyrWmn7poACLzR46SXFpwwFWW1J107FMH/s320/fur+throw.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Werewolves' Guide to Designing with Fur includes these tips. </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Don't go loony as a full moon with it. Just toss in one or two items to elevate the room design. A rug or a throw is enough. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Take a look at length-- longer fur looks more realistic. Cheap fake furs. like B-grade horror movies, can look scary bad. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Darker toned fur can be like a heavy winter coat, for something to keep in the room all year round, go for greys, creams and tans. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fur plays well with silks, velvets and heavy wools.</span></li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbZ0erLCFQD1ZvPJkUP9ydSV-2Ig4nJl53JddsJvT40zaRZn0MexU97XngoZRFeks4r___6LP2DmUmRRxnoe7iPiMNdE62SwoeXZyHznJHSPiTqIHsjWkgtoDPBrC4sSW28tJzYiwkoNu/s1600/fur+rug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1136" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbZ0erLCFQD1ZvPJkUP9ydSV-2Ig4nJl53JddsJvT40zaRZn0MexU97XngoZRFeks4r___6LP2DmUmRRxnoe7iPiMNdE62SwoeXZyHznJHSPiTqIHsjWkgtoDPBrC4sSW28tJzYiwkoNu/s320/fur+rug.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Don't let their growls fool you, </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Werewolves are</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> s</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ocially conscious and animal-loving creatures. They too want to amp up the luxury of their dens with the right amount and right type of faux fur pieces. </span><br />
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Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-14019881229857317842015-01-18T21:54:00.002-05:002018-09-19T23:47:47.700-04:00How to Speak Italian Design<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia";"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What we learned from Milan, the Fall 2011 edition and how the runway translates to interior design.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. The snake is out of the bag and closer to the foot. (for Gucci and Prada)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And bring the python look home, to add some bite to your floroing.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHDZzP6rE3hH1FnR1LOLaGSO373j9m6qb4E3bzftwcDo8uXsiFiDsL-jS6hrQ0yt2PjxXYGxTWHrMcys89QfyO528dqbw8q6KWWmmW9BjVgzHAyM1fJbY841bf4PAEknuzflRTrDEBxwR/s1600/ital+snake+rug.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHDZzP6rE3hH1FnR1LOLaGSO373j9m6qb4E3bzftwcDo8uXsiFiDsL-jS6hrQ0yt2PjxXYGxTWHrMcys89QfyO528dqbw8q6KWWmmW9BjVgzHAyM1fJbY841bf4PAEknuzflRTrDEBxwR/s1600/ital+snake+rug.jpeg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. Girls get Back in Black Lace (if it's from Bottega Venetta and Dolce & Gabbana)</span></span><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579556032047589970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fGtZrsa8LLbKU7eevEe62q3-4dbluWvsMBhSSQiwX5IJlVy9RP_NeLY3ny6dz85nKK5HVcBgB-riLe6R8U1K-6PnTVTzk2MtWnc2e3zD__8HuR7iREhGd6cPrVv9CaDt3KKs97lvF71Z/s320/bottegalace.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 214px;" /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Take a peek at the lace look behind the curtains and on the staircase. . </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5xe8Wp0LkyRz3tC5vuML0u1AJ0rEsM3DvRXRO9Nb991bmhVwVfNp263-ZpPLvcm-s7Dn57vPzCjfpwP_FCj2SLVUs6Zvzn5ZZu5G48iEAbrGC9mjjfgfFBq-JUleTey_cZsMhMmJTj8N/s1600/ital+lace+stair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5xe8Wp0LkyRz3tC5vuML0u1AJ0rEsM3DvRXRO9Nb991bmhVwVfNp263-ZpPLvcm-s7Dn57vPzCjfpwP_FCj2SLVUs6Zvzn5ZZu5G48iEAbrGC9mjjfgfFBq-JUleTey_cZsMhMmJTj8N/s320/ital+lace+stair.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. No one's scared of PETA anymore. (esp. not Fendi and Gucci)</span><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579555285268866466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisXnLWpMvVXDlT3R0mwcp4OAG0fhukm7TMWfEhHhT4dcaNF7pdRXQUsXZXwcoGnIMaDEWNpmdSvFCjwZov1leNNfPYYpixSVtWl9FK42Leo3McyUnj-ljrV8-qdxtSINSiL3fyAEX2Gsod/s320/fendifur.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 206px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Interior designers never really were (faux is certainly ok to use.) but pick it up off the floor and onto the sofa. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-A_P0BwSO8dilMlr7XWvCFPbPDOxUOzbAjD0izpvo2pDNOa3hSBKgeNpZxoIQDPriGvOtQIZnq1t2AeQVFGr10B5BO2OxcUub2kcWebr7lSbLupYxucD_wgU4EJrAwxgePEnO3JzDgum2/s1600/ital+fur+sofa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-A_P0BwSO8dilMlr7XWvCFPbPDOxUOzbAjD0izpvo2pDNOa3hSBKgeNpZxoIQDPriGvOtQIZnq1t2AeQVFGr10B5BO2OxcUub2kcWebr7lSbLupYxucD_wgU4EJrAwxgePEnO3JzDgum2/s320/ital+fur+sofa.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. All the Drugs in the world can not make you forget the 60's . Ever. (Missoni and Prada make sure of it).</span><br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579556554863450930" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wDLsJl1VV1kNirQ3yGf6CuZYENBlg1uPyOF-52FJGWzyVaL3KkRXGcHLSOXxpSO3XkHkGsCCDQ641m8cvFEEh9qmCGU_cFq7cFPB6tD_HzrDoVZBeZFOYReCOQTlq7aF6qogD96fs3UW/s320/prada60.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 214px;" /><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">No home is complete without a retro chair. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHMT-alSsr5dZXy5fKwAwSD8PSYp2455N_cUVI4kzWqe1dJIvB2RSWvqRMiZbphAE4o2dEA4M-oM5lK86Fp1ugXSGx1fBqXh1HB8kLIdGGH25Z5KwYZFdppCvXBOPsWHCMv5HT4b2TuNL3/s1600/ital+60s+or.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="850" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHMT-alSsr5dZXy5fKwAwSD8PSYp2455N_cUVI4kzWqe1dJIvB2RSWvqRMiZbphAE4o2dEA4M-oM5lK86Fp1ugXSGx1fBqXh1HB8kLIdGGH25Z5KwYZFdppCvXBOPsWHCMv5HT4b2TuNL3/s320/ital+60s+or.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">5. Color is Blind Side-ing (Jil Sander, Gucci and Alberta Ferretti)</span></div>
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579549079925418450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9kW-RThFFd3ORHDf-JjaYwyC3IlALz1xyaOrVDIhhMuqwma2HXJVTVjtQtlzjsQ7x0R0h1JEpiX2M5xd-4gCTP2SnQrguN_TErcvQes7wM5YvkU5hLsDHdEkwZiB1D4raR0jTtsnntV2/s320/Ferretti+color.jpg" style="display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 214px;" /><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you can take it, then add it to the design. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX8b-3yraF2uUzWTKO9jILBtG9mIMMltRUQt5ji6jodLB4zVfHEBuZJQHXKtHnZrxaKXXgsr1iy0RlbMoKYULfHcyh_xygF11xnU2wyRDYxqJbf8Bom7NO1GZrqJfd6G-4Ii5xo8JxfDuk/s1600/ital.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="581" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX8b-3yraF2uUzWTKO9jILBtG9mIMMltRUQt5ji6jodLB4zVfHEBuZJQHXKtHnZrxaKXXgsr1iy0RlbMoKYULfHcyh_xygF11xnU2wyRDYxqJbf8Bom7NO1GZrqJfd6G-4Ii5xo8JxfDuk/s320/ital.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fashion forecasts how to beautify the inside of the home as well as how we dress up when we hit the streets. Trends and fabrics and colors that inspire designers can inspire a room's decor. </span></div>
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Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-78567774591500390612014-08-27T14:04:00.001-04:002018-09-13T00:36:07.613-04:00Death and Filmmaking<div class="c3" style="text-align: right;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 22px;">What should we do tonight-- Suicide... or a Movie? How about both? </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">A study has found depictions of Suicides has tripled in movies from 1950-2006.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">Without a doubt the topic is one of the most dramatic ways to propel a turning point</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"> in the story. The character can go no lower- all is lost. What better way to show it?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 22px;">Some of the greatest scenes in film history are those that capture this state of mind.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 22px;">Wes Anderson's "The Royal Tenenbaums" depicts a traumatic scene-- using only song and no words- to get into the mind of a man teetering off the edge. A wrist-slicing Richie Tenenbaum cannot deal with his incestual feelings for his stepsister and overall feeling of failure that his father bequeathed to all his children.</span><br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9pyBB7y8fDU/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9pyBB7y8fDU?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">The hanging scene of an ex-con who found the outside world too lonely after his release in "The Shawshank Redemption" was similarly disturbing.A true magnifying glass on how society treats those that have atoned for their crime and how they continue to pay he highest price for their debt to society. </span><br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kotNxb2YApk/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kotNxb2YApk?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 22px;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 22px;">However the subject of Self-death has been brilliantly represented in comedies like</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 22px;"> John Cusack's consistent failure of it in "Better Off Dead", despite numerous attempts after a bad breakup with his first girlfriend.</span></span><br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jJJiQFr7dG8/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jJJiQFr7dG8?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">No movie has done more for the art of slef-harm as "Heathers" Christian Slater and Winona Ryder pulled off some homicidal-cides so artistic and poignant that they made suicide a craze that was too cool for their high school.</span><br />
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Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-58981292722758864742014-08-21T09:14:00.002-04:002018-09-16T02:41:27.098-04:00Cash at Hand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: center;">Some banks have saved public phone booths from street extinction by upcycling them into ATMs. </span>Although this forces Clark Kent to find somewhere else to do a quick change, it<span style="text-align: center;"> will be more helpful when </span>Superman is short of cash and in need of some quick change. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglEDT5LpaS_5LQtDTPo9WSZtelfbmGl_tPhPJeH99WfQ0Z-ta7f4bKRNLFv_Z0rzXAfocbXOyPTRfxK5PxRLR7g4NO1D-dyGJsBKtqDAxu3o4gKmY4v1vFLOfF9whl8ryP-50AzoEEk7jh/s1600/greenpt+red.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglEDT5LpaS_5LQtDTPo9WSZtelfbmGl_tPhPJeH99WfQ0Z-ta7f4bKRNLFv_Z0rzXAfocbXOyPTRfxK5PxRLR7g4NO1D-dyGJsBKtqDAxu3o4gKmY4v1vFLOfF9whl8ryP-50AzoEEk7jh/s1600/greenpt+red.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
Us non superheroes can always keep cash at home if we practice our superpower of saving. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCPCewRujbJ-evrOAuXiGCfqOUagGyhyphenhyphen_F3cEqtd9i5tnSPvSkUChGOm91Wdtrze4vTKWKXxL-BCeUgqsJBDbGybC5hEnnWUDuIEc1GH38Hp30U1jXlSMRkIX4EvFWv5mS3aOYqENIbvK/s1600/cash+lock.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="880" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCPCewRujbJ-evrOAuXiGCfqOUagGyhyphenhyphen_F3cEqtd9i5tnSPvSkUChGOm91Wdtrze4vTKWKXxL-BCeUgqsJBDbGybC5hEnnWUDuIEc1GH38Hp30U1jXlSMRkIX4EvFWv5mS3aOYqENIbvK/s320/cash+lock.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "geneva" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; word-spacing: -1px;">Money may open all doors, and since the only way to open this <a href="http://www.omcdesign.com/?design=839" target="_blank">ceramic lock bank </a>is to break it open, your money will be safe for a while. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmwdhO_7ayI7I3jDYNOWrF4k8u8gyF3Gbj8n1WvSL5M2TyohvYpm9cYcYn8Bd6zQ0wcA1HnBDdh1lJCiQwDlbjpaQagmgOZpe5VrgoC-5I0BBB9c6yqYurBDxTNtZyonxEoNpkCTOmXVSu/s1600/cash+comp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="372" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmwdhO_7ayI7I3jDYNOWrF4k8u8gyF3Gbj8n1WvSL5M2TyohvYpm9cYcYn8Bd6zQ0wcA1HnBDdh1lJCiQwDlbjpaQagmgOZpe5VrgoC-5I0BBB9c6yqYurBDxTNtZyonxEoNpkCTOmXVSu/s320/cash+comp.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Know a techie that got rich quick on a cyber stock investment? Gift her/ him this <a href="http://www.marketing-professionnel.fr/chiffre/combien-coute-cpc-adwords-cout-par-clic-201210.html" target="_blank">computer-geek-chic bank </a>to keep the profits. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7kx5dl46aF_2ZzNy6UIaiKMiS-omT8T2IoubJw3Jj8nSS8Owsiw4GAwuWrskG9X1iQVRzzXpjTufdLhvIRSkweGFM18GH1FGr_pUEn0FvhOooOI5CbikBkcPwn7uwbp8fGz2X4oOZm0bN/s1600/cash+monkey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7kx5dl46aF_2ZzNy6UIaiKMiS-omT8T2IoubJw3Jj8nSS8Owsiw4GAwuWrskG9X1iQVRzzXpjTufdLhvIRSkweGFM18GH1FGr_pUEn0FvhOooOI5CbikBkcPwn7uwbp8fGz2X4oOZm0bN/s320/cash+monkey.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
Cash is old school so keep your bling in an original-styled<a href="https://www.theloftdesign.com/en/money-boxes/1093-money-box-cool-monkey-kare-design.html" target="_blank"> hip hop monkey </a>bank.<br />
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Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-44164093978451841752014-08-20T11:06:00.001-04:002018-09-13T00:15:34.020-04:00Plants vs Pollution: the Showdown for Clean Air<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For those of us who work in a city, we walk amongst a fog of polluted air that our lungs can barely filter. We breathe, we smell, we travel in a sickly environment created by ourselves. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ksYDFU959so6KOI75LtpDxR-lSf5V6cJy202zzaTc76biQQu7KArmjxDYRyvv73v-Ytgw8cMI7OWjvk5ihc4akr3atsRZmOZdL1k515L5e4Bxl0PJHjPJAdhM1iLnUoj_77HvrojJHqh/s1600/pollu+smog.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ksYDFU959so6KOI75LtpDxR-lSf5V6cJy202zzaTc76biQQu7KArmjxDYRyvv73v-Ytgw8cMI7OWjvk5ihc4akr3atsRZmOZdL1k515L5e4Bxl0PJHjPJAdhM1iLnUoj_77HvrojJHqh/s320/pollu+smog.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sure, we stopped smoking, but haven't done enough to clean our air. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We go home, slam the door and feel we are safe. But maybe not as much as we thought. Some parts of our home can be contributing to the pollution problem. To make our homes more eco there are things we can do like, choose paint wisely, make sure there is enough </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ventilation </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">space surrounding large appliances, and create indoor gardens that can improve air quality, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">The best weapons/plants to use in the war against polluted air in your house are as follows. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white;">Aloe Vera. </span></span><span style="color: #444b55;">It can remove volatile compounds like benzene and formaldehyde from the air and acts as a real air quality indicator. If dark spots appear on its leaves, it’s a signal of high indoor air pollution.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_D7TbXx0yVrzP3tuVqMtj_08ng2WGUa6Ck5UUxtqQ9H66MmSV9iUup2LYc9qMCIPV7k-W-c8cDdDfzqBMTFNGOE_kh9kOcCDBG11lNL0wXivXwYSKghnBnj1zWtayoE9dPVx3nlVt8uvA/s1600/pollu+aloe.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_D7TbXx0yVrzP3tuVqMtj_08ng2WGUa6Ck5UUxtqQ9H66MmSV9iUup2LYc9qMCIPV7k-W-c8cDdDfzqBMTFNGOE_kh9kOcCDBG11lNL0wXivXwYSKghnBnj1zWtayoE9dPVx3nlVt8uvA/s320/pollu+aloe.webp" width="264" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #444b55; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Plant a </span><span style="color: #444b55; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">peace lily somewhere too, it has the capability of absorbing mold spores, that it uses as nutrition.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrzC0RD8qCbRD5UVzNXmELphAxxUyezW-ztrg3IMTXCM0Eya1qE5rd8TqlOtiwwbVXj2IYUTJtIBwo9ER4aaQ1kwdwrgg8SF10On4pdaYeI_CfiQmPui7ssUuxmgAtyOJS-d9eQgqaefZ/s1600/pollu+peace.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrzC0RD8qCbRD5UVzNXmELphAxxUyezW-ztrg3IMTXCM0Eya1qE5rd8TqlOtiwwbVXj2IYUTJtIBwo9ER4aaQ1kwdwrgg8SF10On4pdaYeI_CfiQmPui7ssUuxmgAtyOJS-d9eQgqaefZ/s320/pollu+peace.webp" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Keep a snake plant in your bedroom as it </span><span style="color: #444b55; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">releases oxygen at night.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR5QAbCGWTbQ2slkhXPHjT5zKL9F_7ZJ77WxzX6W49g5U4MHaqwU_rWVWaOynPUwd-hnNYcY2R7cjAYZpRcbd4B-B-NC2buBK84L6pSsNkxeZS9hQzDtNiRW2ObVFkJb0ejI-o6TpX7XHN/s1600/pollu+snake+.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR5QAbCGWTbQ2slkhXPHjT5zKL9F_7ZJ77WxzX6W49g5U4MHaqwU_rWVWaOynPUwd-hnNYcY2R7cjAYZpRcbd4B-B-NC2buBK84L6pSsNkxeZS9hQzDtNiRW2ObVFkJb0ejI-o6TpX7XHN/s320/pollu+snake+.webp" width="264" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #444b55;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Got allergies? A spider plant cleans allergens from the air.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4a5K0A5TIy2sN4Prhv7By_CLQttYKuFRbmPe9srNvon32SwC5b5sNf03dVV7FnMqgLbYqWIB80bBiJSYahiGGS5Zb6ZTeVDPaK3Sw9Sltod9c-7pY0McQ0y-nab8JXq8lrLhJvaaFAio/s1600/pollu+spider.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4a5K0A5TIy2sN4Prhv7By_CLQttYKuFRbmPe9srNvon32SwC5b5sNf03dVV7FnMqgLbYqWIB80bBiJSYahiGGS5Zb6ZTeVDPaK3Sw9Sltod9c-7pY0McQ0y-nab8JXq8lrLhJvaaFAio/s320/pollu+spider.webp" width="264" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Whoo! We can breathe a little easier knowing we're doing the tiniest bit to keep our home's air clean... now let's tackle that city pollution. </span><br />
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Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-1686506120271306972014-08-07T11:39:00.000-04:002018-09-19T18:54:47.527-04:00Author of the Goldfinch Crowned as a Fashion SwanSuccessful authors are usually praised for their mastery at storytelling but today one is lauded as a new fashion icon. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir82Gyo09pXSIU6w-MdXdOftAqITBT-L2Dw4etDAbxud30-_arFFZIKbscFFLN8xKXhllIyuWr47D_3KufQqiKPaj_wm5UmsoCNPWhCuBu3cmu9ad4QVLM4XTr28_OvTLYZbwSW-ztR3ma/s1600/donna+tar.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir82Gyo09pXSIU6w-MdXdOftAqITBT-L2Dw4etDAbxud30-_arFFZIKbscFFLN8xKXhllIyuWr47D_3KufQqiKPaj_wm5UmsoCNPWhCuBu3cmu9ad4QVLM4XTr28_OvTLYZbwSW-ztR3ma/s1600/donna+tar.jpg" /></a><br />
Donna Tartt, author of the best seller "The Goldfinch" is now perched among fashion's most influential as she lands gracefully on Vanity Fair's Best Dressed list of 2014 -among style heavyweights Cate Blanchett and Vanessa Getty.<br />
It's refreshing to see a respected wordsmith join the usual suspects of actresses, royalty, models and socialites in the world of Fashion. <br />
See the<a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/style/the-international-best-dressed-list/2014/10"> entire list (men and women) here</a><a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/style/the-international-best-dressed-list"> at Vanity Fair's website</a> but here are few faves of mine.<br />
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2014 BEST DRESSED: WOMEN<br />
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Cate Blanchett:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoMQbuXF9hYoCn4lG435ACH6J8DpYU1ujytGgkb3-w9Hpvt8-YBHacao2Pcd1SATto5BipIj-tQ8ARiH2v-i_fxva-uXiA-MpF6yzeGp-tU0H5avmI4G8bXbndixq4wVkNekdFnNMKk1R/s1600/cate_blachett_full_length.jpg"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoMQbuXF9hYoCn4lG435ACH6J8DpYU1ujytGgkb3-w9Hpvt8-YBHacao2Pcd1SATto5BipIj-tQ8ARiH2v-i_fxva-uXiA-MpF6yzeGp-tU0H5avmI4G8bXbndixq4wVkNekdFnNMKk1R/s320/cate_blachett_full_length.jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
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Lupita Nyong'o:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEeKLZwhTOH14mc2KOON0QJstg3_kRm_UsdY2kTpXX_aSYNXHRp9PVUzFnb8IGFM_3t5J3EcRwLu7lA4owrC36Qe0S8xY35tVZ_kNbY7SvBj9vFcDaxFsjE4gLXV91PAQsQY32lu599Tqx/s1600/lupita-nyong.jpg"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEeKLZwhTOH14mc2KOON0QJstg3_kRm_UsdY2kTpXX_aSYNXHRp9PVUzFnb8IGFM_3t5J3EcRwLu7lA4owrC36Qe0S8xY35tVZ_kNbY7SvBj9vFcDaxFsjE4gLXV91PAQsQY32lu599Tqx/s320/lupita-nyong.jpg" width="274" /></a><br />
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Emma Watson:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYzEMXl3wK4GAy7cZxSF4NVUP7icPzG6VTLvJ-_GaUwbMQTAKsiLL6IMLqgb0ksNyNP2Xx3sNk_qTJ-Lp54SP2-MZMtQh_pcvzqXcdd_6FkR08ZJv6uMXmLhyfLRFAUfA6twvWtF-Pi7f/s1600/emma.jpg"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYzEMXl3wK4GAy7cZxSF4NVUP7icPzG6VTLvJ-_GaUwbMQTAKsiLL6IMLqgb0ksNyNP2Xx3sNk_qTJ-Lp54SP2-MZMtQh_pcvzqXcdd_6FkR08ZJv6uMXmLhyfLRFAUfA6twvWtF-Pi7f/s320/emma.jpg" width="246" /></a><br />
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Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-75794415839689913082014-07-17T12:10:00.000-04:002018-09-16T02:44:37.918-04:00Prison Break Peacock<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jlRQG8XdmaJ7ysBRWTR-ojJ5jv5TORnhfM8P-cIuL1GsyldYOUt8yz0pJyfyGeHH-aOgBTYsPFcAya9Q2WnbHbd-4wh4X1AehmLkSPh5MF2-lLmNJkOZPMSt2YGag05UQ9gyRkhclS1b/s1600/wolf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A Peacock escaped from the Bronx Zoo and is on the loose. It has been spotted on Morris Avenue and at a subway station and all attempts to net it have failed.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2CZug95jb6Fsmm5gDxTAxXe3yXjf-uiSm3AGDTYUzC7ZTsg1t2FSBVkOX-oqLm6Bzw94rU348khmg3mk4ew-uyBww5bDatQHfsvGqcrPXiFESZuRbfO6EnO7Zl0c8FXNM07QpWy15DRx/s1600/alg_peacock_bronx3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605287090560528898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2CZug95jb6Fsmm5gDxTAxXe3yXjf-uiSm3AGDTYUzC7ZTsg1t2FSBVkOX-oqLm6Bzw94rU348khmg3mk4ew-uyBww5bDatQHfsvGqcrPXiFESZuRbfO6EnO7Zl0c8FXNM07QpWy15DRx/s400/alg_peacock_bronx3.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 299px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Apparently, the peacock has found an iPhone and has been leaving Tweets for Zoo Staff. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">@bronxzoopeacock tweeted: Slipped out~ Making my way to Wash Heights.'</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 22px;">One Bronx resident was quoted as saying: "Somebody is going to steal it and keep it as a pet. It's the Bronx, man." And that made me think of stealing that gorgeous plumed color palette and making it an interior design scheme. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 22px;">The peacock blue teal color cheers up the walls of this room... </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyidsm4BhhzctIYBJJYc9pksBgC7zjQXJghuKKUITF1hyNlM8brbZYtE79stmx4un-9DRTj4XuCE8p0d8JU1r7kk9FokZgcQA4WxdFpvpZRn9UIpOvZ8SJMZf7HCPA-LqPQClc3P7cxRAl/s1600/peacock+blue+room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="1302" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyidsm4BhhzctIYBJJYc9pksBgC7zjQXJghuKKUITF1hyNlM8brbZYtE79stmx4un-9DRTj4XuCE8p0d8JU1r7kk9FokZgcQA4WxdFpvpZRn9UIpOvZ8SJMZf7HCPA-LqPQClc3P7cxRAl/s320/peacock+blue+room.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> ...<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and wallpaper makes a royal statement... </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FT60LaSzoRmdYK936-9vkCx8oEviNUb9Uv36fICoLscuYUq7ll6e_XtwtN-k1gjAYA_CT2phPp5OimHnk8WW2XxtX6ZFvBMpnviu1r-XIPQqyusjuDDpLjj9rmvBXyxCcUXyOgkXDIn_/s1600/peacock+wallpaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="650" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FT60LaSzoRmdYK936-9vkCx8oEviNUb9Uv36fICoLscuYUq7ll6e_XtwtN-k1gjAYA_CT2phPp5OimHnk8WW2XxtX6ZFvBMpnviu1r-XIPQqyusjuDDpLjj9rmvBXyxCcUXyOgkXDIn_/s320/peacock+wallpaper.jpg" width="248" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">...<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">while just some plumage-patterned lighting can chirp up some boring beige walls. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglt9aLwyjoRAzSEPAEzsjvSIeUPxK7I3qkVM9ucc7ureYB9DkqktAt3QEKpnTGeoGxRGe2od2wM1HhX7BHz08j7s4BN8pYCgiR-4OotmCTAqwhI9DTtmbqzwcIECTD_XKSl1-K__-O0wR9/s1600/peacock+light.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="441" data-original-width="784" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglt9aLwyjoRAzSEPAEzsjvSIeUPxK7I3qkVM9ucc7ureYB9DkqktAt3QEKpnTGeoGxRGe2od2wM1HhX7BHz08j7s4BN8pYCgiR-4OotmCTAqwhI9DTtmbqzwcIECTD_XKSl1-K__-O0wR9/s320/peacock+light.webp" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Break free from plain block-colored room designs and ruffle up some of that Bronx Zoo Peacock rebellion. The princely pattern and jewel hues are a welcome sight in any city.</span></div>
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Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-75235549878529468042013-12-19T10:19:00.000-05:002018-09-11T22:36:29.859-04:00You'll Shoot Your Eye OutAs the Christmas season snows down around us, some are comforted by warm thoughts of hot cocoa by the fire while others melt with fear that someone might wanna rob them of all the goodies under the tree. Paranoid preppers will need to protect the pretty wrapped parcels (and their family) and what better way than with a shiny new firearm!<br />
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Even if all your gifts are sucky and no one wants to take them, there's always the option of taking down one of Santa's reindeer mid-flight. How fun!<br />
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Anyone that thinks this way would have loved living in decades past when the idea of finding a Gun under the tree was considered yuletide cheer. Let the self-defense companies cash in. <br />
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This ad says it all. A little Holiday Suicide might sound like a good idea after too much eggnog. Happy Holidays! </div>
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<br />Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7136598931817971682.post-46388239828839656692013-12-17T00:13:00.001-05:002013-12-17T00:13:45.550-05:00You Know Dasher...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Living with the Sami" height="215" src="http://dv5lc0nz60nfv.cloudfront.net/contentFiles/image/galleries/2013-12-sami/h-14124040.jpg" width="400" /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reindeer herds and herders In Norway's far north area of Kautokeino</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Captured by American Photographer Erika Larsen who became one of the family's beaga- a woman that cleans and cooks for the family- in order to entrench herself in the culture. </span></div>
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Denise Papas Meechanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00583145502521323465noreply@blogger.com0