Home & Garden Blog » 2007 » July

Earlier in the month I featured another Hamilton Beach appliance, a chic blender in this exact color. This Drink Mixer from the SeaBreeze line is cute and just in time to be shown off in August. It has a commercial-grade mixing spindle, and the tall and skinny design makes it a worthy counter space item.

Aren’t you just dying to pretend you’re a soda jerk and whip up a milkshake in that metal cup? La, la, luscious.

Hamilton Beach Electrics SeaBreeze Drink Mixer, $89.99 (was $112.49)

Air purifiers have really gained popularity in the last decade or so due to a greater public awareness about pollution, allergies, and their relationship to each other. Lots of people swear by air purifiers, and I’ve been interested in buying one myself. But where to start? There are so many of them on the market that every time I even start to look at them, I get overwhelmed and quit. Making the assumption that some of you might feel the same way, I decided to bite the bullet and get educated. Here are the goods:

There are a few different types of technologies when it comes to air purifiers. I’m going to touch on the two most popular: HEPA filters and Ionizers.

What the heck is a HEPA filter?

Hepa filters, I learned, are the most efficient of the pack. They were originally invented by the Atomic Energy Commission during WWII to remove radio active material from their plants.

Pros:

• Hepa Filters weed out allergy instigators from the air. Things like: pollen, mold spores, and dust mites and other airborne particles. Also good for pet dander.
• they’re 99.97% effective at removing particles (even teeny tiny ones)
• they are good at nixing bacteria
• they don’t throw any solid particles back into the air

Cons:

• the filter makes it so it’s better at capturing air particles that are near by as opposed to across the room
• the Hepa filter is no match for cigarette smoke, gases, and fumes
• it doesn’t do much for germs or viruses

What does an ionizer do?

Ionic air purifiers release charged ions into the air, where they meet up with other particles in the air and create a bigger dust-size masses. This combination causes the dust to fall down, out of the air and away from your airways.

Pros:

• ions land on the floor or other surfaces and can easily be wiped or vacuumed up
• good at eliminating ultra-fine particles like chemical fumes and rhinoviruses

Cons:

• particles can be kicked up and back into circulation, but enough ions are released to pull them back down.
• ionizers often create dirt spots nearby
• they emit ozone, which can irritate lungs, especially for those with asthma and chronic lung problems (however, many people will run their ionizer when nobody is home, airing it out afterwards)

Other system components to consider:

Activated Carbon and Charcoal Filters:

These types of air filters are usually used in unison with other technologies. The activated carbon and charcoal absorb gas and odors, so they’re able to stand up to things like smoke, chemicals and fumes.

Antibacterial and Germicidal Filters:

These do exactly what their name implies–they filter germs and bacterias. They, too, are utilized along with other systems.

As you can see, there are lots of different technologies. To find what’s right for you, it’s important to do more research. Many air purifying systems combine technologies (the HEPA/ionizer combo is popular) in order to knock out a variety of pollutants. The choice is in your hands.

Top to Bottom: Austin Air Health Mate HEPA Air Purifier $450, Hunter HEPAtech 124 Air Purifier $146, Wein Products VI-2500 High Density Negative Ionizer $119 (was $179), Ionic Breeze Silent Air Purifier $249.95

To see more air purifiers click here.

There’s no getting around it, Fiestaware is one of the best things to ever make its way into the kitchen.  I love the endless mixing and matching possibilities of these vibrantly colored pieces and the fact that even after over 60 years in existence, they still look so cutting edge.

Which brings me to this pitcher.  I have it in forest green, and I use it to water plants and as a flower vase. When not in use, my little Fiesta pitcher earns its keep as a decorative kitchen shelf knick knack that gets endless compliments.  Look at the detail and give this thing the admiration it deserves.

Fiestaware Large Disc Pitcher, $29.99 (was $49.99) 

Ooh, this Tequila Sunrise hammock is cute and sturdy with its stripy, fiesta of colors. I like it because it’s wide enough to hold up to 2 people or 265 pounds, and Bliss Hammocks was smart enough to add  a little pillow on top. It’s a good thing because my main complaint about any hammock is the lack of neck support, which can lead to stiffness that is no where near relaxing.  It also comes with a weather-resistant wooden arc stand, so no tree is required.

The whole shebang retails for a $530.77, but Every Hammock has it for $414. They also throw in free shipping, which is always a major plus.

Chapel Hill, North Carolina is about to get green thanks to William McDonough + Partners. The sustainable multi-housing project, dubbed the Greenbridge Development, is the first of it’s kind and will offer 2 floors of retail and offices along with 9 floors of residences. This full-service development includes such perks as a concierge, fitness center, spa, clothing stores and restaurants, 10-foot ceilings, floor to ceiling windows, and a multimedia center. Pretty nice, huh?

The best part about this project, though–at least in my opinion–is that all this luxury comes along with green technologies, including:

• solar panels
• rainwater collections
• green roofs
• indoor air exchange
• energy star appliances

In addition to these progressive technologies, the building process, itself, will include the use of renewable building materials and forward-thinking construction methods.

Even Greenbridge’s location is part of the environmentally-savvy plan. Since it’s located in the center of everything in Chapel Hill, residence are encouraged to make used of their legs rather than their cars to get around town. And if residence do choose to drive, they’ll have the option of hopping in one of the Zip Cars on hand at Greenbridge.

The 1,000 to 2,500 sq. foot units will run from the low $300,000 to over $1 million and will be available Summer 2009.

Let’s hope this starts a trend.

Source.

I know it’s not good to fall in love with inanimate objects, but sometimes it just happens.  Like right now.  Look at this Euro Style Oliana Rattan Swivel Chair ($393.75)! It’s a beauty.

I picture this chair in a sunroom or any room, really, as long as there’s some sunlight streaming in.  I like how the rattan says colonial and the chrome finish says modern.  It beckons me with it’s style.

The quality passes muster since it has a steel frame.  There is some assembly required, but the site promises it’ll only take 15 minutes.  Hmmm…seems worth a shot. It is love after all.

Even if you’re not of the green thumb persuasion, you’ve probably still accumulated a lot of gardening equipment over the years. A weed wacker here, a water hose there–the stuff adds up, and if you’re like me, it usually ends up in your garage or just strewn about your poor little patio. Messy, messy.

Enter the handy Duramax garden shed, and on sale no less. It was $636, but now its $525 at CNS Sheds. I like this one in particular because it’s not too bulky but with a storage volume of 154 cubic feet, there’s enough room to hold garden tools and whatnot.

And best of all, you can actually park your car in the garage again. What a concept.

Get the goods on the Duramax shed by clicking here.

I’ve never been a big fan of the opossum. In fact, I’ve been known to scream and carry on anytime one gets withing a yard of me.   However, thanks to an LA Times article by Lili Singer, I’ve gained a new appreciation for the grubby little marsupials. 

According to the article, opossums are actually great for your garden.  Acting as “nature’s cleanup crew,” these nocturnal  creatures make midnight snacks out of menacing insects like snails, slugs and cockroaches.  They’re also pretty fond of fallen, rotted fruit and lots of other gross things you don’t want to know about. And despite being blamed for it, Singer points out that opossums don’t dig–they leave that to the skunks and raccoons since their own little paws aren’t up to the task.

So, it seems the opossums much hated status is based on one thing: they’re really ugly.  And if they’re hissing and barring teeth, they’re even uglier.  They’re pretty harmless, though, and their weak teeth make it so they can’t really back up this big show.  Sadly, most opossums don’t even make it past their first year of life in the city due to such hazards as the family dog and snail bait.  Hows that for a thank you?

Click here to read original article.

If you read my post about the RugMark Foundation yesterday, you know about the great things the organization is doing to end child labor in South East Asia’s rug factories. Thanks to RugMark’s efforts, many carpet manufacturers have made the pledge to not use children in the production of their goods, and Angela Adams is one of them. She’s also a favorite of mine.

Angela Adams is a maker of fantastically chic rugs, glassware, paper goods, as well as bed and bath wares that have a fun, retro appeal to them. If you read this blog at all, then you know that’s right up my alley. Here are some of her more affordable rugs, but you can find out about her amazing Collection Rugs (like the one seen above) on her website.

Left to Right: Islands Chocolate (wool) $399-1,549, Raindrop Moonstone (cotton) $52-140, Mammy Bradbury 5×8 $63o (there are a few more on sale at Design Public)

Now this is what I call a food processor. Not only does it do all the normal food processing tasks you’d expect–chopping, blending, grinding, pureeing, and mixing–it also has a dough tool, juicing mechanism, and a twin beater. That would make it worth it’s original retail price of $399, but right now iKitchen has it for $299.

DeLonghi is a great brand, and who doesn’t love to save a hundred bucks? This particular model is quieter than the average processor and uses less energy. It also comes complete with a shatter resistant bowl, spatula, recipe book and 10-year warranty.