Serge the Concierge

Message to Noisy Neighbors: Blast your Music Inside, Don't Ruin our Summer

You are getting ready to relax with a book, sip a cold drink or go out to the backyard and lay in the hammock to take a nap then the noise starts.
You got stuck with Neighbors from Hell who think nothing of blasting their stereo not in the house mind you but in their backyard so they can annoy the whole neighborhood.
They don't seem to think that some people nearby might be sick, have a small baby or just need to rest because it is past midnight and they happen to work during the day.
Imagine 10 neighbors each taking their sound system outside, playing different types of music and pumping up the volume.
Can you picture the cacophony that would ensue?
No wonder many companies are coming up with noise reduction and noise deflector products.
Noise annoys!
For some of us, prevention and relief might be found at Rotten Neighbor.

Be considerate and enjoy your summer.

Related: Noise Annoys...Loud Restaurants & Stores...How about a quiet time! and Music as a Weapon to Deal with Lingering Guests

200 Inner City Kids need a Vacation Home in August: Give the Fresh Air Fund a Hand

As time goes by, I get requests of all kind.

When Sara Wilson sent me not one but 2 e-mails requesting my assistance in helping the Fresh Air Fund find Vacation Homes for 200 Inner City Kids, I detected a sense of urgency.

So here's where and when they need help:

There are trip dates set for August 2008 for over 200 children and they need host families to volunteer to host these inner-city children. The dates and locations are as follows:

8/11-8/21

New Jersey:
Warren County, Bergen County, Union County, Somerset County, Morris County, Hunterdon County Pennsylvania:
Lancaster, Akron, Christiana, Denver, Donegal, East Earl, ElversonLititz, Manheim, New Holland, Quarryville
New York:
St. Massena, Ogdensburg, Potsdam

8/12-8/22
Harrisburg, Pa

8/15-8/22
Central Massachusetts:
Acton, Hopkinton, Lexington, Marlboro, Wayland

8/15-8/25

New York:
Western Fingerlakes: Canandaigua, Canal Towns, Dansville
Central New York: Fulton, Marcellus and Oswego

Massachusetts:
Cape Cod

Pennsylvania:
Doylestown, Upper Bucks, Lower Bucks, Chalfont

8/25-9/1

New York:
Columbia County
Red Hook/Rhinebeck (Dutchess County)
Albany County

• Unless all prospective host families are screened and vetted by the end of July these 200 children may miss out on an invaluable experience                              
                             
• Please host a child or help the Fresh Air Fund get the word out that they need folks who can welcome a child from the city into their homes next month                              
                             
• One last thing that is actually very important. The Fresh Air Fund is looking for families who want to extend an invitation to a 9-12 year old. We really need more families who want older children and boys                           
                             
• Please Email Angie, angie@freshair.org, immediately and she'll speed you through the process                                                
• Or, you can call the Fresh Air Fund at 1-800-367-0003 (212.897.8900) -- ask for Angie

Time is of the essence!

Thanks in advance to all those of you who can give a helping hand.

Car becomes Burden of Suburbia, Will America call Car Pooling to the Rescue?

Paul Harris in America's love affair fades as the car becomes burden of suburbia (Observer, Guardian UK, July 6th) paints a rather bleak picture of the future of America's landscape as it is now.
He reports from the Inland Empire once farmland, now home to subdivision after subdivision.

He states that "as Americans enjoyed the 4 July holiday weekend, increasing numbers of them were staying at home rather than hitting the road. Newspapers were full of tips for staycations, not weekend breaks away. Customs once scorned, such as car pooling and cutting out trips to the mall, are now commonplace. The fact is, the vast majority of Americans cannot give up their cars altogether. Too many cities lack any reliable public transport".

By the way, Time Out New York gave its Guide to Staycations: Exciting weekends for two, starting at $105! in its July 6, 2006 Issue.

Amongst the gloomy assessments in the article are those by Chris Fauchere, a Denver-based film-maker who feels that 'Suburbia has been unsustainable since its creation'... He is producing a new documentary on the issue called The Great Squeeze.

Also quoted is Professor Bill McKibben, whose most recent book is Deep Economy,The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future (cover above  is my illustration).

He thinks that "Distance is now an enemy...There's no question that the days of thoughtless driving are done".

One of the best short term solutions might be car pooling.

The end of Driving Alone for Green Day #34

Previously: Travel, Don't Tour and Please, Slow Down: Eco Friendly Vacation Tips

Food Fad of the Week: Watermelon is the New Viagra after Red Wine as Heart Medicine

Way back then there was a drumbeat of reports on the health benefits of drinking red wine, now comes Watermelon as the new Viagra.

Tim Dowling offers his take on Watermelons and Male Plumbing in The Guardian.

It all started he says with a report by Dr Bhimu Patil, director of Texas A&M University's Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center stating that watermelon contains a phyto-nutrient called citrulline.

Science Daily gives us all the details in Watermelon May Have Viagra-effect (July 1st).

If you don't believe the hype yet don't like to waste food, make a delicious watermelon rind chutney with balsamic vinegar and brown sugar, perfect with roasted garlic (if you want to keep the vampires away).

As for the health benefits of wine, Drink red wine for a better life – but not a longer one reports Steve Connor, Science Editor for The Independent UK (July 4th) based on a study from Rafael de Cabo (and others) at the US National Institute of Ageing titled Resveratrol Delays Age-Related Deterioration and Mimics Transcriptional Aspects of Dietary Restriction without Extending Life Span..published by Cell Metabolism, (yes there is such a magazine) in June 2006.

I hope I did not give you an indigestion of Science.

What would the food or drink remedy for that be? I don't know.

Any suggestions!

On Food and Health: Is Raw Veganism Dangerous for your Kids?

Is 4th of July (Independence Day) All About Shopping and Bargains at the Mall?

On the Eve of my first 4th of July as a U.S citizen, I had to say it loud.
Is Shopping and Bargains at the Mall all that Independence Day, the national holiday stands for?
Could it be if nothing else a chance for a day of rest and time spent with family and friends?

A short July 3rd musing in the Consumed to Thrifty mindset.

Summer Reunion Concerts: The Feelies or Return to Forever?

I know I show my age here.
I had the pleasure to see Al Dimeola, the ever friendly guitar player (not sure he got a seat on guitar hero) a day before he left for the European leg of the Return to Forevever reunion tour.
He had a couple pictures he took recently om his I Phone. I was surprised to see how changed (heavier?) Chick Corea was.
Al invited me to attend one of their local US shows later this year.
In the back in time music capsule in a different zone, I read today that The Feelies will be Reborn for the Fourth of July with concerts in Hoboken and in New York with Sonic Youth.
I would have liked to see if their guitars can still sing.
Unfortunately, all the tickets are gone.

So what groove has got you going?

Travel, Don't Tour and Please, Slow Down: Eco Friendly Vacation Tips

While picking up a few things at Whole Foods, I noticed a new magazine on the racks, Green Guide.
I did not buy a copy.
I did like the cover story, 'Green on a Budget' (with matches my Consumed to Thrifty thread) so I checked Green Guide online and realized that it was published by National Geographic.

They have a very timely story in the second issue Going for Green: Eco-Friendly Family Vacations   by Kathy Shorr.
Her most sensible tip is Travel, don't tour as she reminds us "Vacations give us a chance to do something our daily lives don't: slow down. By choosing one spot and staying there for your whole vacation, you can become absorbed in the experience".
Second is Get on The Train, the least polluting transportation and besides that you can see the scenery in between places. I also like the rhythm of the train on the tracks.
Third Propel yourself "Instead of driving a hundred miles a day, why not try walking 5, or biking 15, or paddling even just 1? " Helps you clear your head as well as the toxins in your body.

A short Green Day #33

Related: In Europe, Drop Plane for Train with 'The Man in Seat 61'.
and Greek and Green: the Levendis Estate on a Ionian Island

 

Picnic and Party Plates that Don't Trash Nature thanks to 'VerTerra'

How much garbage all our summer parties and picnics generate, god only knows?
A little company that could, VerTerra (from New York) has come up with a solution inspired by India.

They offer a line of plates, bowls, cups, and platters that they describe as "100% renewable and compostable plant matter and water. No chemicals, waxes or dyes, like those found in disposable paper and plastic options". They suggest that theses single-use products can be used "to reheat in the microwave, bake in the oven, or cool in the fridge".

Made in South Asia from fallen leaves, after collecting these leaves they "apply steam, heat and pressure to transform the leaves into durable products that will naturally biodegrade in 2 months".

At about $1 a piece, responsibility you can afford.

Kudos!

First read about VerTerra on Springwise.

Want to discover other earth friendly products, the California Waste Management Board offers a list of Compostable Products.

Related: Wanna Compost? 'The Daily Dump' can help

Rosé Number 2: Cotes du Ventoux « Cuvée Juliette » 2007

Cote du Ventoux might bring to mind the Tour de France and the climb up Mont Ventoux.
Today we pay attention instead to a Rosé from the area « Cuvée Juliette » 2007 from La Ferme Saint-Pierre.

If I got my facts right it is made of 2 thirds Grenache, one third Carignane and takes a walk on the dry side.
The small domaine of La Ferme Saint Pierre in the small village of Flassan is run by Paul Vendran (pictured below) and his family since 1990  with minimal use of chemicals and great detail.

Hammock Wines in the UK suggests it is perfect as an aperitif or a great companion for salads, spicy food, white meats and strawberries.

Retails for around $15 in the US.

A great Rosé number 2

Previously: Don't Blush! A Real Rosé from Chinon, Domaine Fabrice Gasnier

Making a Wish for Father's Day: Plane Tickets to Europe to Visit my Grandson

My gift this morning was my 10 year old getting up, finding a way to surprise me (bright and early) with a fresh espresso and breakfast.

On holidays like today, there is often an exchange of gifts.
If there is one thing that I would be grateful or should I say thrilled to get as a present on this occasion, it would be 2 or 3 plane tickets to France so I can visit with my wife and kids and finally meet my grandson.

This is my first grandchild so this Father's Day 2008 is special.
My grandson will be 6 months old at the end of this month so I hope not to have to wait too long for a visit to take place.
I could not have gone in the past month or so as I was a newly minted American citizen but now that I have gotten my U.S passport this hurdle is cleared.
I look forward to seeing my mother as well.

Happy Father's Day 2008 to all my readers who are Fathers!

What is your Father's Day wish?

A little sentimental

Related: 'Give the guy who pays a chance to play' on Father's Day
and It's 'Sheddar' Lobster Time, Buy Dad a Lobster Trap for Father's Day?