New digs, same belongings, different take. I brought so much stuff up here, says interior decorator Bunny Williamsfirst named to the AD100 in 1995 and elevated to its Hall of Fame three years agoof the Manhattan apartment that she shares with her husband, John Rosselli, the legendary antiques dealer and home-furnishings maestro. It was just fun to rehang all the pictures, add some new things, and change it up, she adds. I can spend hours playing house.

Located on an upper floor of the palatial 1920s French Gothic Revival pile that Williams has called home for decades, the two-bedroom flat fell into her expert hands in 2018, right at the time she and Rosselli began craving something different. We wanted a little bit more space, and I wanted more light, she explains. Rosselli, stepping into the library to join the chat, chimes in, At ten minutes after nine, the sun starts to turn, and this whole section of the building just brightens up.

Solar desires answered, a swift, smart, inspiring renovation followed. Moldings now ennoble the formerly detail-free walls, an aristocratic marble mantel went into the living room, down went eye-catching carpets old and new (I didnt want to do sisal again, the decorator says), and up went the art, from 19th-century Orientalist paintings (Rossellis passion since boyhood) to colorful canvases that only look important. People say, Oh, your art is so wonderful, Williams explains with a delicious laugh. And Im like, I think I paid $200 for that in a junk shop. You dont have to have a lot of money to have a very chic house.

Link:
Inside the New Manhattan Apartment of Decorating Legend Bunny Williams - Architectural Digest

The holidays represent many things to many people. For some, it is a joyous time of year with festive gatherings and the warmth of loved ones. For others, it's a time for reflection. But, then there are those who crave the trappings: the shopping, the controversial Starbuck's coffee cups (with they have Satan on them this year?), the tear-jerking and sometimes really freaking creepy TV commercials. Those folks fill their stockings with glitter and and candy canes and so much merry, it makes you want to barf egg nog (and not after drinking it all night like the rest of us).

They also want something else. They want holiday movies. And not just ANY films. They want the annual oh-my-God-everything-is-perfect films that only Hallmark can create. Yes, that's right, the Hallmark Holiday extravaganza is back with 24 movies that will make you sing Joy to the World until your eyes bleed.

And we are reviewing each and every one of them...without watching a single second. Nothing against them, but, yeah, no. We've already had enough sugar plum-covered happiness to last us 12 Christmases and we're not even out of the first week of December.

So, buckle into that sleigh, holiday freaks, it's time to get jolly AF.

Christmas Wishes & Mistletoe Kisses

"...andsnowflakes and moonbeams and whiskers on kittens..."That line is from the Ghost of Christmas Past in Scrooged played brilliantly by Carol Kane right before she punches Bill Murray's character in the face. It also feels like the run-on sentence version of this title which could easily stretch into William Faulkner-esque paragraphs-long prose if the folks at Hallmark weren't so stingy with words in the title. Anyway, single mom turned interior designer (there are LOTS of designers in these flicks) hired by business big wig for Christmas decorating...blah, blah...love ensues. Donna Mills, Soap Opera Digest Award winner for Outstanding Villainess three times, plays the mother-in-law, which, now long past her Knots Landing days, feels a bit like typecasting, but whatevs.

Merry & Bright

Let's get this out there now: There are a lot of ridiculous job titles in these movies. None are as batshit nuts, however, as this one where Jodie Sweeten (the first, but absolutely not the last, appearance of a Full House alum this year) is the CEO of Merry & Bright Candy Cane Company. Her potential beau is from Empire Corporate Recovery and wants to take a close look at Sweeten's books...if you know what we mean. Seriously though, does a candy cane company need a CEO? And who would hire a company to look into said candy cane company's books and for what nefarious reasons? You'll just have to tune in to find out.

Christmas Scavenger Hunt

Combining those two hallmarks of a Hallmark holiday blockbuster, exes and small town traditions, Belinda and Dustin are "forced" to team up in the town's annual Christmas scavenger hunt. If you think that includes a selfie with Santa, oh, you'd be on point there, Kris Kringle. Our question is simple: forced? Is this some sort of Hunger Games scenario where the victors dine on the flesh of the vanquished? Or is Santa some kind of perv that forces the two former lovers into his red room of torture and pleasure? Then again, it might just be an overzealous copywriter trying to gin up the description using grandiose verbosity without actual unmitigated prevarication. Ahem.

Picture a Perfect ChristmasA quote-extreme-sports-photographer-unquote comes home to tend to granny, but a neighbor with nephew troubles is also in need. First, what exactly is an extreme sports photographer? Does she (yes, she...you thought it wasn't a man, didn't you, sexist?) photograph extreme sports or does she take pictures while doing crazy skateboard tricks? We may never know. Second, neighbor with a nephew that needs help? What kind of bizarre meet cute is this? The whole damn thing sounds confusing as hell.

The Mistletoe SecretKelly Pickler in our first country singer-tinged acting performance is a woman hoping to revitalize her little town with a write up from a travel writer. But the travel ghost writer gasp! is a stone cold hottie. At least we hope that she isn't torn (as it says in the description) betweenPatrick Duffy (yes, from Dallas, Patrick Duffy)and the ghost writer. Look, Bobby was a hot stud muffin in the Dallas days when he spun around in that shower a full season after he died on the show because fans complained so much the writers had to turn that season into Pam's dream sequence (yes, that really happened), but he's got to be like 90 or something by now. Gross.

Christmas Under the StarsThis one has EVERYTHING (insert Stephon voice): a fired investment banker, a plucky small town astronomy teacher (astronomy?), a Christmas tree lot on the verge of bankruptcy, Desperate Housewives hunk Jesse Metcalfe. Heis on the scene as the self-centered big city jerk who gets his comeuppance and a slice of homespun wisdom while working at a widower's tree lot. The widower is played by Clarke Peters, aka Lester Freamon from The Wire. We're not even sure he and McNulty could save this disaster.

Write Before ChristmasThe premise seems sweet, but we worry about the execution. Woman (single woman, of course), wanting to intensify her Christmas spirit (or something), sends letters to the people that influenced her life including her aunt (wide and old, we assume, though it is Lolita Davidovich from Blaze, so what do we know?), some pop star who must be down on his luck and the letter rescues him from his depression otherwise why would he be in this? a music teacher, her brother in the military, and the always honest best friend (she calls her on her shit!). That's a lot of letters. We have trouble getting our Christmas cards out on time with that generic letter about how great your year was. We have no idea where the love happens here. We really have no idea about anything except the letter and the stupid pop star trope because, come on.

Christmas at Graceland: Home for the HolidaysWe were really hoping this would a Bachelorette-like theme but at Graceland and all the all the would-be suitors are Elvis impersonators, but no such luck. Instead, this Memphis-set romance includes a wealthy widower (there are a lot of these in Hallmark land) and a nanny trying to break Scrooge out of his business-first selfishness. We've seen this theme many times, the best of which included Jackie Gleason as the grumpy (vaguely racist) old man and Richard Pryor as the nanny to a spoiled brat. (Insert Master Bates jokes here.) Our hopes would be higher if it was the Elvis thing.

Cherished Memories: A Gift to Remember 2"A year after Darcy ran over Aiden, his amnesia is gone but not their love." This is an actual quote from the description. Part one apparently happened in 2017. Darcy put Aiden (those names!) in a coma when she hit him on her bicycle. Really?We honestly can't adequately describe how cringeworthy this movie sounds. Let's just set the premise. She bought Aiden a copy of the book Found in the Street because she FOUND HIM IN THE STREET. Yes. He is hand carving a replica of her home town (her father did the same for her mother, which makes us wonder why they need two of these things), but the rec center Darcy loves (also in the crazy carved wood lunacy) is in danger of closing. It's as if the writers of this were like, "Let's take every really bad Hallmark movie theme and cram them into a greatest hits of schmaltz!"

A Christmas DuetHallmark, like Salt Lake City, is mostly populated by Caucasians. Sure, there are smaller roles for actors of color but there are a few movies each year where they attempt to inject some real diversity into the mix. This year's offering (yes, just one this year) is A Christmas Duet, with a pair of black co-stars, formerly a singing duo. One, Averie, has retired to the woods to become a philanthropist. Wait, sorry, that's the game Life. But, she did go to Vermont and open a lodge, so same diff. Jesse, on the other hand, continues to live the dream of a singer, but it's tough sledding without his chanteuse. Could they rekindle their love (and love of music) at the annual Yuletide Festival in time for the travel writer visiting the lodgeto see them belt one out like Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack?

Check Inn to ChristmasA pair of rival inns in a small Rocky Mountain town is the setting for this Hatfields versus McCoys romp. Julia, a city slicker attorney, comes home only to find love in Ryan, a member of the family that owns the other inn in town. The Cinemax version might find them consummating their illicit affair in the dining room before guests come down for breakfast. On Hallmark, the closest they'll come to hooking up is touching hands by accident when they both reach for the cute little snowman figurine at the quaint old antique store. Perhaps we can hope for gunplay between the rival families. Fingers crossed.

The Christmas ClubBrought together by the power of forensic accounting, Olivia and Edward (total strangers) assist a sweet old lady in recovering her Christmas savings. We don't know for sure if they used banking magic or just dug around in the woman's attic until they gave up and decided to hand her a wad of cash and tell her it was a Christmas miracle, but in the end, does it really matter?

Christmas at the PlazaNow, here's something special. It's a Hallmark holiday film set in, wait for it, the Plaza Hotel in New York City. No snowy village or quaint hamlet. No adorable bed and breakfast or cozy lodge. This is the goddamn Plaza in the freaking Big Apple. And, surprise surprise, this has some realistic rom-com themes: She a historian hired to set up a historical display for the holidays; and he a decorator doing the Christmas decor. She's even in a loveless relationship. We're left to wonder why this wasn't pitched to a Hollywood studio with Ann Hathaway and Ryan Reynolds as leads.

Christmas in Evergreen: Tidings of JoyWe're back in Evergreen, you guys! Last year, the whole plot revolved around a 25-year-old Christmas letter. This time, it's the fevered hunt for a time capsule that may or may not exist. It's like Scooby and the Mystery Machine show up in Evergreen every year around Christmas solving mysteries and looking for g-g-g-ghosts. (Hint: the old man running the abandoned theme park did it). To add to the intrigue, a skeptical writer shows up to find out if the town's reputation for Christmas spirit is real or #FakeNews.

Christmas in RomeHoly crap, y'all! Can you say on location in Rome? This budget buster features Lacey Chabert as a recently fired American tour guide who lands a gig shuttling around a rich American executive trying to buy a ceramics company. What, you thought she'd find love with some swarthy Italian lothario who teaches her how to extrude pasta and savor the sauce of life? Forget it, man. This is a wealthy American getting his eat, pray, love on while making boatloads of cash and finding love in the offing. Ho ho holiday capitalism, baby.

Christmas TownCandace Cameron Bure (another former Full House-r) and some dude who looks like one of the Property Brothers after joining a boy band star in this tale of love and fate. Bure is looking for a new life and career when she finds a picture of her father on the wall of a cafe in a small town. Pretty soon, she has a new family of her own. And in an unexpected twist, the guy is actually in a boy band and he and Bure tour the world in a coke and heroin-fueled dystopian nightmare of depravity until they both wind up dead in their own filth. We're joking, of course, but we bet it would be more fun than whatever this is.

A Christmas Love StoryIn an annual tradition, Hallmark pulls out the big guns (well, medium sized guns anyway) for one Hallmark Hall of Fame film that features, let's call them, B-list celebs instead of their usual fare of D, M and Y-listers. In this case, it's Kristin Chenoweth (girl, the money better have been good) and Scott Wolf (like Chabert, a former Party of Five cast member) in some Glee-centric plot nonsense. Wolf, a widower (natch), finds out his son can really croon when he joins Chenoweth's youth choir when she is trying to write a magical number for the Christmas show. And then they sing...the end.

Christmas at DollywoodListen, we aren't saying a single sarcastic word about Ms. Parton. This will be the best Christmas movie ever. End of story.

Holiday DateOk, so here's a real unique spin on the "I hired a guy to pretend to be my boyfriend and, oops, we fell in love" romantic comedy narrative. In this case, Brooke takes an actor home as the boyfriend she has described as Mr. Christmas. Oh, boy, though, Joel it seems is Jewish. The pair plays along until Joel is discovered. And in yet another completely unrealistic twist, the family accepts him and even adopts some of his religious holiday traditions. Yeah, because in 2019, your racist grandfather isn't going to call your boyfriend a hippie for wearing an earring. Instead, he'll accept it and they'll get matching Santa tattoos.

A Cheerful ChristmasBefore we dig in, we'd like to point out that if this is the best they could do for a promo photo two women smelling their respective index fingers we are very concerned for what is to come. With that out of the way, these two women start a company as Christmas coaches, teaching people how to be jolly or something. We love how people always seem to choose careers that are good for like three months out of the year and pay, at most, $20 per hour. Anyway, a royal family moves into town with, you guessed it, an actual prince. Need we say anything else?

Double HolidayAnd just like that, we have our second Jewish-themed premise. This time, Rebecca, an ambitious woman has her Hanukah plans nearly thwarted by her boss. Asked to plan the company Christmas party with her annoying co-worker, Chris, she does it because, well, she's a damn career woman and that's what ladies do to climb the corporate ladder insert eye roll. Anyhoo, the lively competitiveness between Rebecca and Chris only fuel their passion for one another or whatever. Mazel tov you crazy kids.

Its Beginning to Look a Lot Like ChristmasAll we can think about when we read this description is it stars Daniel(Eric Mabius)from Ugly Betty and Cylon Number Six (Tricia Helfer) in the Battlestar Galactica reboot. After that, the whole thing is a blur. The two play mayors at rival towns and there's a decorating contest and the Cylons invade, but Daniel doesn't see it because he's too superficial even though we know, deep down, he isn't. It's all very confusing.

When Calls the Heart: Home for ChristmasWe honestly don't know much about the plot for this year's Christmas episode of the beloved Hallmark period series, but we do know one thing. Lori Laughlin ain't in it.

A New Years Resolution And finally, the traditional New Year's film, this time starring Aimee Teegarden (known first as Julie Taylor in NBC's Friday Night Lights). Teegarden is a morning show producer a la Rachel McAdams in Morning Glory, only Teegarden doesn't get Dianne Keaton and Harrison Ford to bounce things off of. She wants to say yes more often and she meets a classic yes man. That's literally the plot. We could make a digital short film about that and carve out the whole narrative in approximately three minutes. Hallmark gets two hours. But, hey, Happy New Year!

Jeff Balke is a writer, editor, photographer, tech expert and native Houstonian. He has written for a wide range of publications and co-authored the official 50th anniversary book for the Houston Rockets.

Read more:
Reviewing the 2019 Hallmark Holiday Movies: No Watching Necessary - Houston Press

Owners: Rich and Mary Michealsen

Products: One-of-a-kind birdhouses and home and garden dcor

Price: The birdhouses range from $69 to $199, and home and garden dcor from $22 to $300

Whats in a name: Our children came up with the name Geppetto just because [Rich] has always been a carpenter and has the ability to make anything out of wood. Our daughter Kristen added the Primitive Workshop because we like to make everything with a primitive style and use mostly reclaimed materials.

The tagline for Geppettoz Primitive Workshop, the business run by Rich and Mary Michealsen, is OLD is the new NEW, a nod to the couples knack for turning reclaimed materials into one-of-a-kind pieces.

The Bedford couple specializes in birdhouses, as well as home and garden dcor. They prefer vintage materials to new ones, they say, because [it lets] you imagine the history or memories attached to each item.

The birdhouses come in several shapes and sizes and often are embellished with old sink faucets, shutters or dresser knobs and legs.

They gather their supplies at yard sales, estate sales and auctions, then collaborate on the designs together. Rich, who has a background in the building industry, handles the carpentry and assembly, while Mary, an interior decorator, takes care of the old hardware, handles, knobs and other finishing touches, as well as the paint or stain.

In the past, theyve used barn siding, oak and pine flooring and tin ceilings in their creations; theyve also turned old chicken coops into coffee tables and vintage window sashes into curio cabinets.

Geppettoz isnt the couples first time working together so closely. Originally from Northport, New York, they ran a construction business there for more than 20 years, building custom homes and renovating existing ones.

In 1989, the Michealsens moved to Smith Mountain Lake, bringing their business with them. It was there that their interest in older homes was piqued.

It wasnt long before [our] hobby became restoring furniture and creating gifts out of barn siding and other reclaimed materials, they wrote in an email Q&A, listing off some of their materials: metal roofs, vintage window sashes and cabinet doors.

They relocated to Bedford in 2015, moving in next door to their daughter Kristen, whose barn became the home for Geppettoz.

We have always made gifts for friends and family, its just part of who we are, they wrote. When those homemade items were admired, it wasnt long before people were placing orders for custom items. It slowly evolved, and our clients through the years got excited when we retired and could dedicate more time to creating one-of-a-kind items. We love working together and seeing customers love what we do.

View post:
Gift Guide 2019: Geppettoz Primitive Workshop - Lynchburg News and Advance

Meet the set designers who are the real stars of some of the biggest TV dramas

One of the biggest challenges for Michael Shaw, the production designer of the hit TV show Billions, was how to convey the lives of the ultra-rich: the rarefied world of the 1 per cent of the 1 per cent. Everyone has a sense of what rich looks like, but a TV show called Billions it needed to go beyond that. It had to contain elements which were extreme: landing a helicopter on your front lawn or impulsively purchasing a $70 million beach home.

The result is a voyeuristic romp through the high-powered life of Bobby Axelrod, or Axe, the Manhattan hedge-fund phenomenon played by Damian Lewis. It is a world that exudes the bleached monotone of wealth, visible in the monastic feel of Axes

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Subscribe now and get unlimited digital access on web and our smartphone and tablet apps, free for your first month.

Read the original here:
Secrets of set design for Succession, Billions and Big Little Lies - The Times

whats-on, music-theatre-arts, The Addams Family, film review

The Addams Family (PG) 3 stars For 80 years, The Addams Family have been a pop culture phenomenon, beginning with cartoonist Charles Addams' single-panel comics in The New Yorker magazine in 1938, inspiring the iconic television series from 1964, and then a number of cartoon and feature film reimaginings. This is both a cartoon and a feature film, a new animated feature that owes more to the original comic panels and with some major talent providing the voices. The Addams Family must have been brilliantly anti-establishment in the middle of the last century, however, it is something of a victim of its own success. The family members from the cartoons are delightfully dark, with the boys in the family playing with dynamite for fun, walking their pet octopus, enjoying a charging in the family electric chair. The family butler may or may not be the monster from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Mother Morticia dead-heads roses for the aesthetic pleasure and in one panel reveals a mane of Medusa-like snakes at the hair salon, while children Pugsley and Wednesday send their dolls to an adorable nursery guillotine. Which is to say this is dark, macabre humour. However, from the 1960s TV series onwards, this family has helped slowly warp much contemporary humour and society in its image. Every wannabe Goth, every teen angst over-application of eyeliner owes a debt to Wednesday Addams, from Winona Ryder's Beetlejuice character, to Aubrey Plaza's April Ludgate in Parks and Recreation, to whatever lippy thing your own children said to you last week. Whether they knew it or not, that sneer needs to tip its hat to the Addams Family. I'm getting to a point and it is this - The Addams Family have changed our culture to such a point that being true to its source material, as the new feature by Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon is, feels slim and insufficient. They've helped take contemporary comedy to a much darker place, so that this new film version feels adorably twee. Perfectly fine for a pre-teen discovering the material for the first time, not so much for the grown-up driving them to the movies to see it. Something of an origin story, the film meets Gomez (Oscar Isaac) and Morticia (Charlize Theron) before they first arrive in the US. Back in "The old country," they are chased from their wedding ceremony by a posse of angry villagers with lit torches. They flee to the safety of suburban New Jersey, to a former insane asylum with walls that drip blood. Some years later, their son Pugsley (Finn Wolfard from Stranger Things) is studying for a macabre family coming-of-age ceremony. Meanwhile, daughter Wednesday (Chloe Grace Moretz) questions their isolation from the surrounding community. The family might be living in secure suburban America, but the neighbours still have their lit torches. Here it is self-serving reality TV star and interior decorator Margaux (Allison Janney) and her campaign against the Addams' resistance to a real estate property values-driven neighbourhood beautification program. Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon made the oddly unfunny gross-out adult animation Sausage Party and they do a fine if uninspired job here crafting a cutesy family film. Everybody feels a little isolated, wondering at their difference from those around them, which makes us all side with the Addams Family against normalcy, against the drivel of everyday life. So every attempt to inject a little Addams in our lives should be rewarded.

https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/fdcx/doc788n4salg8jzxcxwbkd.jpg/r152_0_4347_2370_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg

REVIEW

December 7 2019 - 5:00AM

For 80 years, The Addams Family have been a pop culture phenomenon, beginning with cartoonist Charles Addams' single-panel comics in The New Yorker magazine in 1938, inspiring the iconic television series from 1964, and then a number of cartoon and feature film reimaginings.

From left, Charlize Theron voices Morticia Addams, Chlo Grace Moretz voices Wednesday Addams, Oscar Isaac voices Gomez Addams, Finn Wolfhard voices Pugsley, and Nick Kroll voices Uncle Fester. Picture: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc.

This is both a cartoon and a feature film, a new animated feature that owes more to the original comic panels and with some major talent providing the voices.

The Addams Family must have been brilliantly anti-establishment in the middle of the last century, however, it is something of a victim of its own success.

The family members from the cartoons are delightfully dark, with the boys in the family playing with dynamite for fun, walking their pet octopus, enjoying a charging in the family electric chair.

The family butler may or may not be the monster from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

Mother Morticia dead-heads roses for the aesthetic pleasure and in one panel reveals a mane of Medusa-like snakes at the hair salon, while children Pugsley and Wednesday send their dolls to an adorable nursery guillotine. Which is to say this is dark, macabre humour.

However, from the 1960s TV series onwards, this family has helped slowly warp much contemporary humour and society in its image. Every wannabe Goth, every teen angst over-application of eyeliner owes a debt to Wednesday Addams, from Winona Ryder's Beetlejuice character, to Aubrey Plaza's April Ludgate in Parks and Recreation, to whatever lippy thing your own children said to you last week. Whether they knew it or not, that sneer needs to tip its hat to the Addams Family.

I'm getting to a point and it is this - The Addams Family have changed our culture to such a point that being true to its source material, as the new feature by Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon is, feels slim and insufficient.

They've helped take contemporary comedy to a much darker place, so that this new film version feels adorably twee. Perfectly fine for a pre-teen discovering the material for the first time, not so much for the grown-up driving them to the movies to see it.

From left, Morticia Addams (voiced by Charlize Theron), Oscar Isaac ( Gomez Addams) and Allison Janney (Margaux Needler) in The Addams Family. Picture: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc.

Something of an origin story, the film meets Gomez (Oscar Isaac) and Morticia (Charlize Theron) before they first arrive in the US.

Back in "The old country," they are chased from their wedding ceremony by a posse of angry villagers with lit torches.

They flee to the safety of suburban New Jersey, to a former insane asylum with walls that drip blood.

Some years later, their son Pugsley (Finn Wolfard from Stranger Things) is studying for a macabre family coming-of-age ceremony.

Meanwhile, daughter Wednesday (Chloe Grace Moretz) questions their isolation from the surrounding community.

The family might be living in secure suburban America, but the neighbours still have their lit torches.

Here it is self-serving reality TV star and interior decorator Margaux (Allison Janney) and her campaign against the Addams' resistance to a real estate property values-driven neighbourhood beautification program.

Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon made the oddly unfunny gross-out adult animation Sausage Party and they do a fine if uninspired job here crafting a cutesy family film.

Everybody feels a little isolated, wondering at their difference from those around them, which makes us all side with the Addams Family against normalcy, against the drivel of everyday life.

So every attempt to inject a little Addams in our lives should be rewarded.

Read more from the original source:
The Addams Family with Oscar Isaac voicing Gomez is adorably twee, not spooky - The Canberra Times

US Countertop Workers Falling Sick from Silica Dust

More and more cases of countertop workers getting sick indicates the hazards are cutting Silestone, a material made of quartz that releases dangerous silica.

United States physicians have identified at least 18 countertop workers with silicosis thus far, and the data shows it might be increasing. Officials worry more cases are out there, given that the countertop fabrication industry in the U.S. has around 100,000 workers.

One case demonstrates the severity of the situation at hand. Ulbester Rodriguez is from Mexico, and he came the United States at age 14. He spoke no English, did not receive a formal education, and worked in restaurant kitchens until changing jobs and working with countertop cutting.

Since 2000, Rodriguez has worked on cutting and polishing slabs of an artificial stone to make kitchen and bathroom countertops. He said the stuff looked a lot like natural granite, but in reality, it was made in a factory from bits of quartz bound together by a resin.

According to NPR, this kind of engineered stone marketed as quartz is now one of the most popular options for kitchen and bathrooms in the United States.

However, this stuff has proven to be a serious hazard, especially when its dust is inhaled. Many workers have gotten sick and even died after cutting this engineered stone and breathing its dust, say public health issues. Some groups are even calling for a ban on selling engineered quartz for countertops.

View post:
US Countertop Workers Falling Sick from Silica Dust - Occupational Health and Safety

Curious just how far your dollar goes in Orlando?

We've rounded up the latest places for rent via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide to get a sense of what to expect when it comes to locating apartment rentals in Orlando if you've got a budget of up to $2,500/month.

Take a look at the listings, below. (Note: Prices and availability are subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Listed at $2,469/month, this 1,208-square-foot two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment is located at 1711 Jake St.

In the unit, you can anticipate a dishwasher and hardwood flooring. The building features secured entry and garage parking. Good news for animal lovers: The property is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly.

Walk Score indicates that the area around this address is very walkable, is quite bikeable and has a few nearby public transportation options.

(Check out the complete listing here.)

Next, there's this three-bedroom, two-bathroom abode located at 833 Altaloma Ave. It's listed for $2,475/month for its 1,900 square feet.

The building boasts outdoor space. The listing also promises hardwood flooring, stainless steel appliances, high ceilings and granite countertops in the residence. Pets are not welcome. There's no leasing fee required for this rental.

According to Walk Score's assessment, the area around this address is friendly for those on foot, is convenient for biking and has a few nearby public transportation options.

(Take a gander at the complete listing here.)

Here's a 1,191-square-foot two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment at 646 W. Smith St. that's going for $2,485/month.

In the unit, you'll find in-unit laundry, a dishwasher and hardwood flooring. The building offers secured entry and garage parking. Pet owners, take heed: The property is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. Look out for a $300 pet fee.

According to Walk Score's assessment, the area around this address is a "walker's paradise," is convenient for biking and has a few nearby public transportation options.

(Take a look at the full listing here.)

Next, check out this 1,696-square-foot two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom spot that's located at 460 E. Jackson St. It's listed for $2,495/month.

The building offers garage parking. The residence also has hardwood flooring, a balcony, granite countertops, high ceilings and stainless steel appliances. Cats and dogs are not allowed. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee.

According to Walk Score's assessment, the area around this address is very walkable, is convenient for biking and has good transit options.

(Check out the complete listing here.)

Located at 5412 Florida'S Tpke North, here's a two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom condo that's listed for $2,500/month.

In the condo, which comes furnished, expect to see a dishwasher and hardwood flooring. The building boasts a swimming pool. Good news for pet lovers: The rental is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental.

According to Walk Score, the area around this address is car-dependent, is quite bikeable and has a few nearby public transportation options.

(Take a gander at the complete listing here.)

Working with a tight budget? Here are the cheapest rentals recently listed in Orlando.

This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Additionally, read on for five marketing tips for real estate agents to showcase local market expertise.

Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.

Read more here:
Apartments for rent in Orlando: What will $2,500 get you? - WKMG News 6 & ClickOrlando

Its officially cold and flu season, and not even the East family is immune to getting sick. Shawn Johnson East says shes terrified her baby daughter Drew will get sick after both she and husband Andrew developed colds.

"We are all comingdown with colds and I'm absolutely terrified that I'm going to give it to Drew," Johnson East said in a new Instagram story video. "My hands are literally bleeding, I'm washing them so much." Johnson East also asked fans for advice on how to keep her baby daughter safe.

Unfortunately, this is a common problem during cold and flu season.You dont want to give it to your baby and yet this is what happens in families, says Danelle Fisher, M.D., F.A.A.P., a pediatrician and vice chair of pediatrics at Providence Saint Johns Health Center.

But, if a cold strikes your house, there are a few things you can do to try to keep your baby safe.

The most important thing is hand washing. I encourage people to wash their hands frequently with soap and water for at least two minutes, says Patricia Garcia, M.D., a pediatrician at Connecticut Childrens.

She also recommends sanitizing areas of your home that get a lot of traffic, like kitchen countertops or the bathroom sink. And, even though its tough, try to keep kissing your baby to a minimum if you're under the weather to avoid spreading germs, Dr. Fisher says.

Covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze (in the crook of your arm to keep germs off your hands) can also help, says infectious disease expertAmeshA.Adalja, M.D.,senior scholarat the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. (To protect against the flu, babies who are six months or older should receive theflu vaccine.)

If your baby was premature, it's particularly important to take preventive steps because colds can hit preemies harder, says Dr. Garcia.

You might even consider wearing a face mask around your little one, adds Dr. Adalja, but it can be logistically hard to do you have to keep it on all the time and not touch your face underneath the mask.

If youre breastfeeding, its important to keep on nursing your baby.You spread antibodies to the baby through your breast milk, Dr. Fisher says. Its really protective.

Even if you follow every precaution possible, theres still a chance your baby might get sick.The viruses that cause the common cold are very contagious, and you can be contagious before you even realize you have a cold, Dr. Adalja says.

If your baby does end up catching the cold, she should be okay.Most babies handle it well, Dr. Adalja says. They can be uncomfortable for a couple of days but not something you should worry about too much.

Still, a babys reaction to colds can vary, Dr. Garcia says, which is why its important to talk to your pediatrician if your little one does happen to get sick. It's especially important to get checked if she seems lethargic or is having any difficulty breathing.

In most cases, your baby will do just fine with supportive care, like using asnot sucker to get rid of nasal mucus, using a humidifier and trying to keep her head elevated as much as possible, Dr. Fisher says.

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Shawn Johnson East Is 'Absolutely Terrified' That She's Going to Get Her Baby Sick - What To Expect When You're Expecting

Vincent Moreau, Cincinnatis Branch Leader for MSI, said, Builders, retailers, fabricators, contractors, and interior designers, will have an immersive, customer-focused experience with the full line of MSI products."

ORANGE, Calif. (PRWEB) December 09, 2019

MSI, North Americas Leading Supplier of premium quartz, natural stone, porcelain, ceramic, luxury vinyl tile, and glass surfaces, launched a new showroom and distribution Center in Cincinnati with a full offering of the companys flooring, countertop, decorative mosaic, wall tile, and hardscape products.The showroom is located at 8556 Trade Center Dr. Suite 300 West Chester, OH. The brand new 58,000 square-foot space will also serve residential and commercial markets in Dayton, Cincinnati, Louisville and Lexington area.

Vincent Moreau, Cincinnatis Branch Leader for MSI, said, Builders, retailers, fabricators, contractors, and interior designers, will have an immersive, customer-focused experience with the full line of MSI products. Access to a fully stocked inventory means they will be able to source and select the best surfaces for their projects all under one roof. Dedicated well-lit and climate controlled areas, encourage trade professionals and consumers to make the best product and design decisions.

MSIs Cincinnatis showroom features products for a diverse customer base thats developed around lifestyles, trends, and budgets complete with a state-of-the-art indoor slab area featuring natural stone and Q Premium Natural Quartz; and bestselling products like Everlife LVT and Arterra Porcelain Pavers.

The slab viewing area will include over 130 colors of granite, marble, and other natural stone slabs. A designated quartz gallery houses the industry-leading Q-Premium Natural Quartz collection. The lineup features over ninety colors in an array of sought-after finishes like matte, concrete, and polished.

Due to the breadth of MSI products, the space is built as a trade resource across various business channels: residential remodeling, new home construction, multifamily, and commercial. Vignettes display bestselling products in a real-life setting so that visitors can see the latest innovations in everything from hardscaping to porcelain and ceramic tile to mosaic backsplash tile, said Mr. Moreau.

Rup Shah, President of MSI, said "With our new showroom and distribution center, we have dramatically enhanced our ability to service our customers across Ohio. With a dedicated team of local professionals, local inventory, and a state-of-the-art showroom, we believe we can offer both the broadest selection of hard surfacing products, unparalleled customer service and the strongest distribution capabilities across the region."

The Cincinnati showroom is open six days a week, 8:00am to 5:00pm- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 8:00am to 6:00pm on Tuesday, and between 9:00am and 12:00pm on Saturday: walk-ins from both consumers and trade professionals are welcome.

About MSI Surfaces Founded in 1975, MSI is the leading supplier of premium surfaces in the U.S. - including flooring, countertops, decorative mosaics, and wall tile, and hardscape products. The company offers an extensive selection of quartz, natural stone, porcelain, ceramic, luxury vinyl tile, and glass, among other materials. Headquartered in Orange, California, MSI has distribution centers across the United States and Canada and maintains over 150 million square feet of inventory, imported from over 36 different countries on six continents. For more information, visitmsisurfaces.com.

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MSI Surfaces Celebrates the Opening of its Cincinnati Showroom - PR Web

Situated in Vaughn Estates, a lovely family-friendly neighborhood in Carver, this multi-level home has been updated to offer hardwood floors, granite countertops and custom tiled showers. In addition to a nice array of interior spaces, an in-ground pool in the backyard provides family fun during the hot summer months.

At a Glance

Address: 37 Bow St., Carver

Company: RE/MAX Spectrum

Website: kimouellette.realtor

Listing agent: Kim Ouellette

Email: kouellette@remaxspectrum.com

Telephone: 508-728-1700

Price: $454,000

Style: Multi-level

Rooms: Eight

Bedrooms: Four

Bathrooms: Three full

Living space: 2,387 square feet

Lot size: .96 acres

Garage: Two-car, attached

Highlights: Situated in Vaughn Estates, a peaceful family-friendly neighborhood in Carver, this four-bedroom, three-bathroom home has been updated to offer hardwood floors, granite countertops and custom tiled showers. In addition to a nice array of interior spaces, an in-ground pool in the backyard provides family fun during the hot summer months. Multi-level construction, offering six different levels separated by half-flights of stairs, results in both large gathering spaces and private areas that make the home perfect for family living. A huge front-to-back family room offers year-round attraction with a brick wood-burning fireplace that will beckon in the cooler months and a slider out to the fenced backyard and in-ground pool that will entice family members during the summer. Up one level, a spacious dining room with gleaming hardwood oak flooring opens to a cathedral-ceilinged den, which, in turn, connects to a spacious kitchen with granite counters and a slider that opens to a deck overlooking the backyard. Three bedrooms and a full bath are located on an upper level, and the master suite, with a sitting room and updated bathroom, are situated up one level from there, offering a welcome measure of privacy. The uppermost level contains two spacious closets as well as a small room with a single window at the gable end of the home that would be perfect for a home office, a hobby room or a reading retreat.

Taxes: $6,409

For more information about this home, and additional real estate news including this weekends open houses, read the Cranberry Coast Homes section in this weeks newspaper.

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Cranberry Coast Home of the Week: Updated and spacious Carver home is family-friendly - Wicked Local Pembroke