Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

On November 20, multinational technology company Apple announced that it had broken ground on its new 133-acre office park in Austin, Texas, that will cost an estimated $1 billion to construct, and released a first look at the project. The campus, which will contain over three million square feet of usable interior space across 10 buildings once complete, will initially house 5,000 employees, with plans to eventually make room for over 15,000.

Apple currently employs around 7,000 people throughout Austin, more than twice as many as it had just five years ago, and the company shows little signs of slowing down growth in the area. A production facility near the city has recently taken on the important task of building the latest fleet of Mac Pros and shipping them out to customers in December. With the construction of our new campus in Austin now underway, said Apple CEO Tim Cook in a press release, Apple is deepening our close bond with the city and the talented and diverse workforce that calls it home. Responsible for 2.4 million American jobs and counting, Apple is eager to write our next chapter here and to keep contributing to Americas innovation story.

The company has partnered with Bartlett Tree Experts, an Austin-based tree and shrub care company, to ensure that the diversity of native trees on the property are responsibly preserved while increasing their numbers to stock the 50-acre nature and wildlife preserve planned for the site. In addition, the new campus will run entirely on renewable energy from locally-sourced solar power. The construction of the new campus reflects the companys commitment to contributing $350 billion to the US economy between 2018 and 2023, during which time it also plans to create 20,000 jobs.

Like other buildings in Apples portfolio, the new campus will be awash in crisp white surfaces contrasted against floor-to-ceiling glass to reflect the companys minimalist identity. The new Apple campus is expected to be completed by 2022. While Apples UFO-like headquarters building in Cupertino, California, was designed by Foster + Partners, the company has not as of yet released information on who designed their Austin offshoot.

The rest is here:
Apple breaks ground on its new 133-acre campus in Austin, Texas - The Architect's Newspaper

After recent cold and snow, the fire of fall has mostly dimmed from the landscape. Gone or fading are the brilliant reds and pinks of burning bush, a popular ornamental shrub that lights up local yards each autumn.

Pretty as it is, the shrub is considered invasive by most experts.

Its not on the same scale as honeysuckle, its more a slow-moving thing, local landscaper and horticulturalist Bob Moore said in a recent interview.

Still, Moore avoids using burning bush in his landscaping practice, opting instead for native bushes and small trees.

Burning bush is one of a trio of invasive woody shrubs the News is highlighting this month. Rounding out the triple threat is common privet, often used as a privacy hedge, and Amur honeysuckle, the most widely known, and widely reviled, invasive plant species in our area. November is a good time to identify these species and remove them from your yard.

The present article is the last in this seasons invasive of the month series, which began with a two-part article on the local impact of non-native invasive plants last spring, and continued with monthly features focused on specific invasives of local concern. The series was undertaken in consultation with Glen Helen.

We plan to return with more of our local least wanted flora in the spring.

How to identify

Burning bush, Euonymus alatus, is the easiest to identify. It grows up to 10 feet tall, depending on the variety, with leaves that turn pink-red in the fall. Harder to spot are its tiny, dangling red berries. The shrubs autumn color and general hardiness account for its widespread planting, according to Moore.

It was planted at every new house in our area for the last 30 years, he said.

Common privet, Ligustrum vulgare, is a large shrub reaching up to 16 feet. Its dense branching structure makes it a popular privacy hedge. It has small leaves, which turn yellow or coppery in the fall, and clusters of blue-black fruits that persist into winter.

Both burning bush and common privet are prevalent in yards throughout Yellow Springs, as well as in alleyways, weedy margins and local woods.

Amur honeysuckle, Lonicera maackii, bedevils the landscape across our region. Though deciduous, this species of bush honeysuckle hangs onto its leaves into winter, and is one of the earliest plants to leaf out in the spring. Honeysuckles tenacity gives it a competitive edge over native plants and makes it easy to identify.

See something green in the November woods, and chances are its honeysuckle.

The plant produces clusters of bright red berries in late summer that remain through the fall, another identifying feature.

Impact on local landscape

All three species are widely considered invasive, but honeysuckle is in a class by itself. One of 38 non-native invasive plants banned for sale in Ohio, Amur honeysuckle has profoundly altered parts of the local landscape over the past 30 years. Where it moves in, native plants are crowded out and die off, leading some to dub Amur honeysuckle a green death.

Honeysuckle has been especially destructive in local woods, where it takes the place of a rich understory layer. Honeysuckle-laden forests are less healthy and resilient, experts say.

Honeysuckle is by far the most pervasive of the woody shrubs; it occupies ecological niches year-round, displacing many native species, Glen Helens land manager, Ben Silliman, wrote in a recent email.

The Glen has cleared about 325 acres of honeysuckle to date, with a focus on higher-quality areas away from trails and roads, he added. The preserve occupies about 1,000 acres in total.

Burning bush and common privet are less harmful than honeysuckle. Neither is currently on the states invasives list, but area experts still consider these species a threat.

Burning bush is presently being assessed by the Ohio Invasive Plants Council, or OIPC, while several privet varieties are also under review. A fact sheet from the Ohio State University pinpoints the potential impact of common privet.

Dense thickets of privet can form and crowd out desirable native woodland species, the fact sheet states.

The fact sheet also notes that common privet thrives in sunlight but tolerates heavy shade, and leafs out early and holds leaves late all sources of competitive advantage over native plants.

A recent post to the website of the Appalachian Ohio Weed Control Partnership warns of the negative impacts of burning bush.

It thrives in the shade, where it displaces spring wildflowers and other natives. It is a very adaptable plant and can thrive in a variety of sites, wreaking havoc on a variety of native ecosystems, the post states.

Locally, burning bush and common privet have moved into the Glen. Burning bush usually pops up as individual specimens that are pretty easily eradicated, according to Silliman. Common privet grows in riparian corridors, along the Yellow Springs Creek and the Little Miami River.

Both species are spread by birds and other wildlife, which carry their seeds beyond landscaped areas into the woods. Seeds also get washed by rain and local waterways into the Glen. Such dispersal is the reason for avoiding planting these species in your yard or considering removing existing plants.

How to manage

Experts agree that honeysuckle should be removed. Period. But thats easier said than done.

According to a fact sheet from the OIPC, the most effective way to control honeysuckle is through a combination of cutting and the selective use of an herbicide such as glyphosate.

Well-established stands of bush honeysuckles are best managed by cutting the stems to ground level and painting or spraying the stumps, the fact sheet states.

This is the method the Glen uses.

Smaller stands, especially in shady areas where the plant is less resilient, may be eliminated by repeated cutting, provided plants are cut to the ground regularly over a period of years, according to the OIPC fact sheet. Consistency is key, because honeysuckle sprouts vigorously when cut.

Regarding burning bush and common privet, smaller specimens can be cut down and dug out of the ground, with care taken to remove their root systems. For both plants, cutting and digging is best done when the ground is moist.

Larger specimens of these species often require a combination of cutting and selective herbicide application, in the opinion of some area experts.

The Appalachian Ohio Weed Control Partnership recommends painting the stump of burning bush with an herbicide after cutting. A similar treatment is described as one option for common privet, according to the Ohio State University fact sheet.

Simply cutting the shrub off at the base will cause prolific sprouting and increase the number of stems, the fact sheet on privet states. Herbicide applied to the plants stump will kill its roots, the fact sheet continues.

A word of caution when cutting privet: the Glens Silliman notes that mature privet has multiple hard but brittle stems that can throw the chain off a chain saw.

Native alternatives

The good, indeed beautiful, news? There are many attractive and ecologically useful native alternatives to invasive woody shrubs, according to Moore.

In his experience, local residents want to plant natives, but hesitate to lose the privacy and sense of sanctuary that mature privet or honeysuckle provides.

People know honeysuckle is really invasive, but they dont want to lose that sense of enclosure, he said.

He works gradually with some local clients to replace invasives with a few native plantings a year, phasing out the non-native plants and allowing the new plantings to establish themselves and grow to greater size.

Native bushes that could replace invasive woody shrubs include bottlebrush buckeye, sweetspire and some viburnums Moore favors viburnum juddii. Some varieties of hydrangea are also good options; oakleaf hydrangea, which is non-native but non-invasive, is especially lovely in the fall.

Small native trees to consider include pawpaw, white fringe tree, redbud, American hornbeam, blackhaw, wahoo (a native member of the euonymus family, with bright pink berries in the fall) and dogwood varieties such as red twig and gray dogwood.

There are really great natives to fill the honeysuckle void, Moore observed.

Best of all, by replacing invasives with natives, homeowners can create a landscape that nourishes the soul, and the health, of local ecosystems.

Youre developing a true sanctuary not just for you, Moore said.

See more here:
Invasive of the month Impact of ornamentals not pretty - Yellow Springs News

If you haven't considered the answer to "What do you want from Sephora if money were no object?," now is the time and here is the list to get you started. A $270 set of fake lashes, a $460 face cream, an $860 fragrance these are all included in this luxe roundup of Sephora gifts.

Some of the best presents still come in small sizes or with petite prices, but that doesn't mean there's no room for a posh product or two on the gift list of your dreams, like those La Mer, Dyson, and Dior products you've been longingly eyeing. There are also some high-tech gifts that you may have never seen before like at-home self-tanning machines, microneedling devices, and rollers to smooth your body. All products you could easily and gladly work into your regular beauty regimen.

These are the most luxe Sephora items that will have you thinking they really shouldn't have . . . but still be very, very happy that they did.

Check them out ahead. (Santa, are you listening?)

See the article here:
Did You Leave Any of These Luxe Gifts Off the Sephora Wish List of Your Dreams? - POPSUGAR

Wooden flooring adds a beautiful, warm and welcoming feel to the home. However, it isnt exactly known for its stability.When exposed to changes in temperature and moisture, wooden floors are known to expand and shrink. This can lead to permanent damage to the floor if it is consistently exposed to high levels of moisture for example. This typically means you cant install it in areas such as the kitchen or bathroom.

However, the good news is, there are ways to bring wooden flooring into moisture-prone and fluctuating temperature areas. Advancements in technology have meant flooring can now be developed with a number of impressive features. Here, youll discover how to add wooden flooring to the kitchen or bathroom without worrying about water damage.

Consider using luxury vinyl flooring

Did you know its possible to add a wooden effect into the kitchen and bathroom without actually installing a wooden floor? Luxury vinyl flooring has come a long way in recent years, with manufacturers focusing on creating authentic wood and stone effects.

If you take a look at the luxury vinyl flooring selection at Lifestyle Flooring UK for example, youll see there are hundreds of realistic wooden effect floors available. Some of them make it extremely tough to tell that they arent really made from wood. Youll find every type of shade available from light oak to maple. They also feature different types of finish effects to enhance their authentic designs.

On top of the visual benefits, youll also receive a lot of practical benefits when you choose luxury vinyl over real wood. They are much cheaper, which is a huge benefit in itself. However, they are also a lot easier to maintain too. So, you wont need to spend hours keeping up with the maintenance of these floors.

Its worth noting here that were talking about luxury vinyl, rather than traditional vinyl flooring. The luxury vinyl floors are constructed from layers, giving them both the look and feel of wooden and stone flooring.

The benefits of engineered wood

If youre impressed by the luxury vinyl wooden floor effects but youre still determined to install actual wood, engineered products may be ideal. Youll find engineered wooden floors are much less likely to change due to difference sin temperatures and moisture.

While you still take caution installing an engineered wood floor in the bathroom, it could be a great option for the kitchen. An expansion gap will still need to be left around the room, but you should find it doesnt contract nearly as much as solid wood flooring.

As an additional benefit, engineered wood flooring also comes with a long life. This means youll be presented with great warranties included. However, you will need to check that the floor is marked as being suitable for use in the kitchen or bathroom, otherwise the warranty could become void. If youre in doubt, its always best to ask the manufacturer or the company selling the flooring.

Waterproof laminate

Did you know its possible to invest in waterproof wooden flooring? Youll find a lot of laminate products today offer great waterproof features.

Balterio flooring is a particular leader when it comes to creating waterproof laminate floors. The brand ensures each plank is individually waterproofed to provide maximum protection. These floors come in a variety of designs such as wood and stone. They work because they are made up of resin composition which is effective at resisting moisture.

By selecting a floor thats advertised as being waterproof, you know you can safely install it in the kitchen or bathroom.

Make sure youre choosing the right finish

No matter which type of flooring you choose to invest in, the finish can make a big difference to how waterproof it is. If youre buying engineered wood flooring for example, make sure it has an oiled finish.

Youll find floors with an oiled finish tend to offer more thorough protection than lacquered flooring. This is because the oil seeps into the wood, providing protection throughout rather than just on its surface.

Youll also find parquet style finishes tend to provide the most luxurious look. This style of flooring goes particularly well in the bathroom. Youll find laminate, luxury vinyl and engineered wooden floors which feature the high-end parquet designs. The only type of wood you cant use in the bathroom or kitchen is solid wood. This would become damaged quite quickly if exposed to extreme levels of moisture and heat.

As you can see, there are ways to add a wooden floor into the kitchen and bathroom. You can also invest in alternative flooring products which provide a remarkable wooden effect. You are literally spoilt for choice when it comes to water-resistant flooring. So, take your time to compare the different options available before choosing the best one to suit your home.

Read more here:
How To Add Wooden Flooring To The Kitchen Or Bathroom - GirlTalkHQ

An Israeli installation titled Goren won first prize the Big Emotions Award as part of the Jerusalem Design Week delegation at Design Art Tokyo 2019 in October.

By Abigail Klein Leichman, Israel21c

Who would have thought an exhibit about wheat could be so emotional?

An Israeli installation titled Goren won first prize the Big Emotions Award as part of the Jerusalem Design Week delegation at Design Art Tokyo 2019 in October.

Visitors to the show at Japans Spiral Arts Center, held in cooperation with the Israeli Embassy of Japan, were mesmerized by the cloud of chaff designed from actual wheat and 2,500 meters of brass wire appearing to float up from the threshing floor (goren in Hebrew).

Goren displayed at Japans Spiral Arts Center, 2019. (courtesy of Hansen House Jerusalem via Israel21c)

The ethereal chandelier of wheat was the brainchild of New York-based Israeli architect Nati Tunkelrot and Israeli designer Guy Mishaly, graduates of the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem.

The Middle East, for the last 12,000 years, has been home to thousands of genetically diverse varieties of wheat, Tunkelrot explains.

Visitors to Design Art Tokyo examining specimens of wheat. (courtesy of Hansen House Jerusalem via Israel21c)

Sadly, over the last hundred years this important building block of humanitys history has been driven to the brink of extinction being replaced by a handful of high-yielding and uniform strains. We wanted to give voice to this topic and spark a dialogue.

Goren originally was created for Jerusalem Design Week in 2018, which explored the role of design in conservation.

All wheat started in the Middle East region, between Egypt and Turkey, Mishaly explains.

The wheat genome is six times more complicated than the human genome. But all this biodiversity doesnt exist anymore. In the 1950s, a new wheat was developed by a U.S. scientist, that was easier to grow with higher yield, and the other species went extinct.

Goren in the courtyard of Hansen House, Jerusalem. (Ido Adan via Israel21c)

Through their research, the two artists discovered that the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Volcani Center-Agricultural Research Organization are working to gather, examine and conserve wheat strains indigenous to the Israeli region.

The Weizmann Institute and the Israel Plant Gene Bank [at the Volcani Center] have collected seeds of 890 species out of about 4,000 that once existed. They are growing them to find new and better types of wheat, researching and analyzing the valuable genome they hold inside, Tunkelrot tells ISRAEL21c.

We were amazed by the tremendous scientific research that has been done for so many years, and decided to create a visual outcome to that story and reveal it to the public.

Chaff rises in a cloud when wheat is threshed. (courtesy/Israel21c)

Cereal crops including wheat contain edible grain kernels covered by an inedible hull (chaff). When the chaff is separated from the grain on the threshing floor, the chaff rises.

Our vision was to let the visitor walk inside that experience, says Tunkelrot. We wanted to capture the wheat chaff floating in the air, uniting ancient wheat varieties with new types so you can see the differences.

The installation changes its form to fit the architectural space. In the courtyard of Jerusalems Hansen House Center of Design, Media and Technology, the wheat chandelier nearly touched the ground.

People were standing in it, walking through it, and sitting in it, Mishaly says. When the wind picked up, the whole exhibit shifted form and even the birds came to visit throughout the day.

Visitors walking through the wheat at Hansen House, Jerusalem. (Dor Kedmi via israel21c)

In Tokyo, the installation was indoors in a round gallery. Tunkelrot says its form seemed to change as you went up the ramp inside the Spiral Arts Center.

Goren on display at DesignArt Tokyo 2019. (Tal Erez)

The whole piece sparkled like a talisman of golden jewelry.

Some viewers chose to lie down on a podium at the base of the spiral to get a different perspective of the installation.

Guests asked a lot of questions about wheat, an issue that had never crossed their mind. They were intrigued by the investment Israeli scientists are making in trying to preserve the most important agricultural crop for the Western world, and they were genuinely curious about what they could do to assist these efforts, says Tunkelrot.

Even before leaving Tokyo, Mishaly and Tunkelrot had a few offers for their next exhibition location.

It is precisely due to these interactions with visitors to Goren that provide us with great motivation to continue presenting Goren in many diverse metropolises around the world, so that we might spread the story of wheat and the loss of biodiversity.

Israel-Japan relationsJapan

Originally posted here:
Israeli wheat exhibit stirs up big emotions in Tokyo - World Israel News

Creating a new kitchen is like assembling the ingredient list of a delicious recipe. You have to imagine how your finished masterpiece will taste and look, whilst serving it up with proud conviction

At Long Beach, a contemporary cabin reno on which were currently working, we dreamed of a food prep zone that would be at once beautiful and practical, whilst complimentary to the rest of the newly open concept space.

This in mind, heres our carefully planned ingredient list: studied carefully, we hope itll inspire your own next kitchen masterpiece

Cabinetry

Whilst we shant pander to stereotypes, well admit that these two Scots are incredibly canny. Consequently, when it came to cabinetry, we knew there was a better way than complete demolition. So we contacted Trevor at Chaulk Design Studio (www.chaulkwoodworking.com) in Haliburton. Hey, we enjoy shopping local, so working with his team to rebrand our space was a no brainer.

Being that the existing cupboards were in excellent condition, we elected to keep them, replace the doors and drawer fronts, and add a new cupboard above the fridge freezer. Note, however, the way in which the eye level elevation heightened: Trevor did this by topping the existing cabinets (creating further storage therein) and building Shaker fronted doors to accommodate the extra height.

Counters

Having saved on cabinetry, we indulged our scheme with beautiful quartz counters by Hanstone (www.hanstone.ca) a London, Ontario manufacturer who produce a range of options that mimic stone, marble and granite.

Like many other specifiers, weve shied away from real stone, lately, finding it less serviceable and eminently more damageable. Quartz, on the other hand, is scratch, stain and heat resistant, and provides the look we love in a surprisingly accurate representation of the real thing.

Fabrication

Counters were measured, fabricated and installed by Mike Mastrogiuseppe (at http://www.thehouseofgranite.com) whose site visit and cutting service created exacting standards, not to mention a beautiful waterfall edge that wraps the peninsula elevation at one end. Take a tip DONT try and tackle a job like this yourself. Always call in the pros

Faucet and sink

Further detailing comes via inexpensive graphite grouted subway tile, and from the Silgranit sink and faucet (both by http://www.blanco.ca) The former lends a big, deep volume area for clean up, whilst the slick lines of the latter serve as highly functional kitchen jewelry.

Appliances

Weve renovated enough cottages to know that kitchen detailing is critically important. End users, more than ever, expect quality inclusions to make their time at the cottage as stress free and convenient as possible.

Appliances are by Fisher Paykel (visit http://www.fisherpaykel.ca or find them in premium appliance retailers across Canada) whose double oven has multi functions including roast and aero pastry, non-tip shelves and 8.2 cubic feet across independently operable ovens.

We love the steel finish, large windows and chunky dials that glow white when the ovens heating up, orange when desired temps have been reached and red to announce self cleaning.

The induction cooktop boils liquid in less than a minute, remaining cool to touch until pans are placed, whilst the pyramid chimney hood extracts steam and cooking odours and can either vent outside or be fitted with a charcoal filter to recirculate air.

The 32 French door, large capacity fridge freezer enjoys active smart temperature control to keep food fresh, and proved the ideal depth to avoid the clunky look that can happen when bulkier machinery protrudes beyond cabinetry lines.

Finally, an easy open/close two-drawer dishwasher allows glasses or crystal to be consigned to one level and soiled pots and dishwares to another, making each drawer a true half load for guilt free small washes.

Ceiling

With slick counters and state of the art appliances, we elected to add rustic balance with a fine line cedar strip ceiling whose knotty finish is gently soothing. Were big fans of this wood genus, finding it durable, easy to work with, and maintenance free. Contact http://www.nuforest.com for further info.

Floor

The damaged laminate was promptly removed and, in its place, oak engineered boards by Bruce Flooring (www.bruce.com) were installed to streamline proceedings. Were thrilled with the quality, and even our floor fitters commented that the product is of an excellent standard. Head in to Home Depot, as we did, to moderate spend. Every little helps, right?

Barnboard

Finding a C+J project where heritage wood doesnt feature, at least somewhere, is well nigh impossible. Did someone say omnipresent? Here, below the breakfast bar, it suffuses a little texture and serves as contrast to the simple metal framed, wooden topped bar stools.

All things considered, our room recipe is complete. Served up straight, ingredient-by-ingredient, it delivers or so we certainly hope a tasty insight into the way we plan our projects. More from us next week!

More here:
Colin and Justin: The perfect kitchen recipe - Toronto Sun

As it does each year following its big Black Friday and Cyber Monday blowouts, Amazon on Tuesday announced its best-selling products over both sales events. The Echo Dot took the #1 spot since it was down to its lowest price ever at just $22, and that deal is still available right now on Amazon. The Fire TV Stick 4K was also a top-seller, and refurbs are available on Amazon right now with a deep discount. Where products from companies other than Amazon are concerned, the first top-seller mentioned in Amazons announcement was the iRobot Roomba 675 Robot Vacuum, which normally sells for $300 but was on sale for $199.99 during Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2019. Wait, did we say it was on sale? Its actually still available on Amazon right now at its Cyber Monday price, but only if you hurry!

Heres more info from the product page:

Follow @BGRDeals on Twitter to keep up with the latest and greatest deals we find around the web. Prices subject to change without notice. BGR may receive a commission on orders placed through this article.

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The Roomba 675 was Amazons best-selling robot vacuum on Cyber Monday, and its still down to $199 - BGR

Le Crocodile

The unassuming elegance of the dining room in one of Williamsburgs first hotels, brick walls and all, has been largely retained in the hands of the restaurateur Jon Neidich, best known for the Acme in Manhattan, and his partners, Jake Leiber and Aidan ONeal, the chefs and owners of Chez Ma Tante in Greenpoint. Here, the chefs are moving from the bistro fare with English and global touches theyre known for, to a lengthy brasserie-style menu, more strictly French. Rabbit and duck rillettes, onion soup with lardons tucked inside, classic escargots, steak frites, boudin blanc, halibut with beurre blanc, and profiteroles speak the language of a room done with red leather banquettes and mirrors. (Opens Wednesday)

Wythe Hotel, 80 Wythe Avenue (North 11th Street), Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 718-460-8004, lecrocodile.com.

The smorgasbord that is the career of the chef and restaurateur David Burke now includes this French restaurant and lounge, which will feature burlesque and other performances a few nights a week. Hes working with four owners of Redefine Hospitality, in the space that housed the short-lived restaurant Rebelle. The executive chef is Guillaume Thivet, and with Mr. Burke he is serving oysters Rockefeller, skate meunire, roast chicken, filet of beef and fries.

218 Bowery (Prince Street), 646-649-4805, misterfrenchnyc.com.

You can easily take your food allergies, sensitivities and the like to this new restaurant in a club, the Well, which is devoted to wellness with features like a meditation dome and a reflexology lounge. The restaurant is open to the public, not just club members. The restaurants executive chef, Sherry Cardoso, worked at Cafe Cluny, Per Se and Brooklyn Fare. Her menu, devised in consultation with a team of partners in this enterprise, features just what youd expect: organic, seasonal, local ingredients in dishes like a sprouted quinoa and bean burger, and a bowl of chickpeas, vegetables and greens at lunch; and at dinner, sashimi, house-made burrata, wild halibut with savoy cabbage, and also the quinoa and bean burger. There is also a daily market table from which diners can select ingredients like roasted vegetables.

2 East 15th Street, 646-560-8088, the-well.com.

Wylie Dufresne has opened a holiday pop-up of his Williamsburg, Brooklyn, doughnut shop. The pop-up, near Union Square, will be open daily through Dec. 29 (except Dec. 24 and 25). Orders can be placed online for pickup from noon to 5 p.m.

31 East 17th Street (Broadway), dusdonuts.com.

Food will be a major focus at what is being billed at Manhattans first night market, to begin this weekend. It will occupy the renovated areas of the historic East Harlem market, La Marqueta, with a savory food court occupied by vendors like Harlem Shake, Eggroll Queen, and Sisters Cuisine; a sweet food court with Harlem Pie Man and others; and a garden area serving beer and coquito. Handmade wares like beads will also be featured; there will be music and, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., a selfie-ready Santa. The market is a collaboration among NYC Public Markets, Uptown Grand Central, TBO Harlem and Buy Local East Harlem. (Dec. 7, 14 and 21, 4 to 10 p.m.)

La Placita at La Marqueta, 1590 Park Avenue (116th Street).

Read the rest here:
A Tour of the Japanese Table at Chikarashi Isso in the Financial District - The New York Times

The right tile can make a world of difference to your home. (Rawpixel pic)

When you step into your home, or your bedroom, whats the first thing you feel? The floor, of course! And different floors have a different impact on each room.

With many different types of flooring options available in Malaysia, it can be daunting trying to choose the right one for your home.

This guide will enable you to get a better idea of the options and prices of flooring available and find what suits you best.

Ceramic tiles

Ceramic tiles are composed of natural clay, sand and water. These ingredients are moulded to form square or rectangular tiles before being baked in a kiln to remove moisture.

Ceramic tiles are mainly used in the living room and bedroom. Designed to be used indoors, ceramic tiles are also suitable as wall tiles due to their light-weight characteristics.

Available in both gloss and matte finishing, they are also considered the most basic tiles and the cheapest.

The most important reason for choosing tiles is owed to the variety of designs available. Whichever look youre going for, theres a tile design that will suit your needs.

Best suited: Bedroom, guest bathroom

Price: RM8RM12 per sq ft for labour. Tiles start from RM2 per sq ft.

Porcelain tiles

Porcelain tiles are baked at a very high temperature for a long period of time to evaporate moisture. These tiles are available in a wide variety of colours and designs, and come with either gloss or matte surfaces.

Porcelain tiles are very versatile as they can withstand heavy foot traffic and resistance against wear and tear. This makes them suited for indoor-outdoor use as well as light- or medium-duty commercial applications.

Best suited: Bathroom, kitchen, porch, balcony

Price: RM8RM12 per sq ft for labour. Tiles start from RM5 per sq ft

Solid hardwood

Solid hardwood flooring is, as its name suggests, made of 100% solid wood pieces.

The wood can come from balau, nyatoh, merbau, kempas, chengal, Burmese teak and belian, as well as imported ash, beech, white oak, Tasmanian oak, Russian pine and walnut.

Some of these species, such as merbau, Burmese teak, and belian are well known for being termite-resistant, which makes them highly valuable.

Best suited: All rooms except bathrooms

Price: From RM22 per sq ft for supply and installation. This may vary depending on the type of wood used.

Laminate

Laminate flooring is made of compressed wood fibres and a resin to form the core.

The top layer is the design layer, and is made of a printed image, covered with a clear layer to protect it. The printed image is carefully chosen to look like wood, marble, or stone; anything you like.

Homeowners can choose from a myriad of designs ranging from natural hardwood appearances to natural stones and ceramics.

Best suited: living room bedroom, dining, bathroom, kitchen, laundry

Price: From RM6.50 per sq ft for supply and installation depending on the design.

Carpet

Generally, there are two types of carpet flooring roll carpets and carpet tiles.

Roll carpets normally come in a width of 3.5 metres and can be rolled out to cover the entire length of a room. However, they require professional installation and the process can be very time-consuming.

On the other hand, carpet tiles are available in squares of approximately 45 cm, 60 cm or 91 cm, which can fit perfectly on most floor spaces.

Best suited: Office, bedroom

Price: From RM4 per sq ft for supply and installation for carpet tiles. From RM3 per sq ft for roll carpet.

Marble

Quarried from mountains around the world, marble is considered a soft rock that is easily scratched, scraped and chipped.

Since it is a natural product, each piece of marble is unique. It is available in multiple colours or even in a mix of different colours and can be cut into rectangular or triangular shapes of different dimensions.

Best suited: Living room and bedrooms.

Price: From RM15 per sq ft plus RM1015 per sq ft for labour.

This article originally appeared on Recommend.my Malaysias #1 Home Improvement Services Platform. Recommend.my offers a safer and more convenient way to hire the best home improvement and home maintenance professionals. From flooring to interior design to air-conditioner servicing, get access to thousands of the best local contractors and professionals at your fingertips.

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Choosing the right flooring for every room in your home - Free Malaysia Today

Massive new lock gates are to be installed at Albert Lock, Jamestown, by Waterways Ireland 171 years on from its opening.

In a lifetime you will probably never see a lock drained to ponder the quality of the masons, carpenters and ironmongers workmanship involved.

The Shannon apparently flows North in only one place on its long journey to the sea: thats between Jamestown and Drumsna, the unnavigable, shallow, rocky loop the canal was built to get around.

The lock was built of magnificent cut stone by skilled masons in 1848 and its engineering with internal sluices is a marvel. The barrel-vaulted floor and the step the gates swing on is an engineering wonder.

All these works on the upper Shannon were done in Famine times. They opened up proper navigation to Carrick, including through its then new bridge, and on to Cootehall, Knockvicar, Drumshanbo and beyond.

A multitude of forgotten poor labouring souls were also involved in taming the mighty Shannon to mans purpose. The access road is widened, the huge new gates are on site, and the works are scheduled to finish in February in time for the new cruising season

PICTURE: GERRY FAUGHNAN

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New lock gates to be installed at Albert Lock - Leitrim Observer