Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

ITS like a buffet of must-see spots that can be enjoyed in single stop. Although this is not uncommon in an ancient city such as Rome where just at every street corner a cornucopia of surprises unfold. But consider this "buffet" something special -- the offerings are lip-smacking, so to speak.

It's one of the seven hills in the city -- the Capitoline Hill, a citadel (like the forum to the Greeks), where, once, one of the largest and the most beautiful temples of early Rome sat on. What sits on the hill today is a piazza with Medieval and Renaissance palaces converted into museums, an ancient church and a controversial monument.

The Piazza del Campidoglio.

Commissioned by Pope Paul III "to build a symbol to reestablish the grandeur of Rome," Michaelangelo designed the Piazza del Campidoglio and redesigned the surrounding palazzi, plan that was executed over a period of more than 400 years. It can be approached via the cordonata, a sloping road composed of transversal stripes, from the Via del Teatro di Marcello.

Enclosing Michaelangelo's trapezoidal piazza were once two official buildings of Rome's civic government-the Palazzo dei Conservatori (built in the Middle Ages for the local magistrate on top of "Maximus Capitolinus," a 6 BC temple dedicated to Jupiter. Annexing it is the Palazzo Caffarelli Clementino where short-term exhibitions are held) and the Senatorio (a 13-14th century palace that housed the archives of ancient Rome and now the Roman city hall) - and the Palazzo Nuovo (built in the 16th century). At the center of the piazza is a replica of the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius in bronze (the original is in the Palazzo dei Conservatori).

Santa Maria in Aracoeli

The monumental flight of stairs left of the cordonata leads to the highest summit of the Campidoglio where the Basilica di Santa Maria in Aracoeli al Campidoglio or the Basilica of St. Mary of the Altar of Heaven is situated. The church was famous in Rome for the Santo Bambino, a 15th century wooden statue of Jesus Christ of olive wood from the Garden of Gethsemane, which was stolen in 1994 and never recovered. A jewel-encrusted copy can be seen in the church.

The relics of Constantine the Great's mother, Saint Helena, and the remains of St Juniper, one of the original followers of St. Francis of Assisi, are in this church.

The Altaredella Patria (The Altar of the Fatherland)

Also known as the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II (National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II) or "Il Vittoriano," the monument erected to honor the first king of unified Italy, is the controversial addition to the Capitoline Hill. Why? Because to create this, the largest monument in white Botticini marble ever built, a large area of the historic hill, a Medieval neighborhood included, had to be "chopped off" or "destroyed." The boxy structure (the Romans commonly call it "the typewriter") was perceived as "pompous and too large," and glaringly white against the predominantly brownish hue architectural landscape.

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Up & down a Roman hill

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St. Andrews rising senior guard Marcus Adkison is expected to be one of the top players in the county.

The Montgomery County boys basketball landscape will have a different look this summer, thanks to a new league launched by St. Andrews Episcopal School.

The St. Andrews League will include 16 teams with many, like St. Andrews, that played in the Montgomery County Summer League in previous summers.

Lions boys coach Kevin Jones, who helped launch the league, said he hopes it will help the players gain additional exposure to college coaches. The league is in the process of adding a website that includes schedules, standings, rosters and statistics, Jones said.

We just thought it would be a good opportunity to run a league the way that we wanted, Jones said.

Walt Whitman, the Class 4A state finalists, is one of the 12 Montgomery County public school teams participating in the league, hosted at the Potomac private school.

[We wanted] to do something different, Vikings coach Chris Lun said. ... For us, its right in Potomac. Its close for a lot of our kids.

Other participants include Clarksburg, Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, Gaithersburg, The Heights, Landon, Col. Zadok Magruder, River Hill (Howard), Rockville, Richard Montgomery, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Watkins Mill and Thomas S. Wootton.

The Lions return three starters, including rising senior Marcus Adkison, from last seasons 18-7 team.

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St. Andrew

Madonna has remembered her late interior designer friend David Collins by writing an emotional tribute as the introduction to an upcoming book of his work.

The Material Girl star mourned the loss of Collins last summer (Jul13), when he died just weeks after he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of skin cancer.

Madonna cleared her schedule to pay her respects at his funeral in Ireland and now she has written a foreword for David Collins Studio, a new book featuring his design work, which is due for release next month (Jun14).

She writes, "Yes, David helped me decorate my homes in New York and London... When I think of David, I think of blue. Then again, when I think of David, I feel blue - because I miss him! When I look around my houses in New York or London, I am struck by what an influence he has had on me. He has left his souvenirs everywhere: his touch, his taste, his flair and his blue. He has influenced the way my homes look, of course, but he's had a much bigger impact on my life.

"He showed up when I was feeling lonely and working in London for a long period of time without a single friend to drink with, gossip with or cry on the shoulder of."

She continues, "After I gave birth to my son Rocco, I was feeling fat and unattractive and convinced that I resembled a milk truck. David took me shopping, bought me slimming clothes... He threw a corset at me and insisted we go dancing to sweat off those extra pounds of baby fat - such a sensible man!... In my darkest hours (and there were plenty of those) he always managed to say something that made me laugh and stop feeling sorry for myself...

"When he found out he was sick, he underplayed it. And because of this, I was not able to be there for him in the final weeks of his life and I never got a chance to say goodbye. So David, wherever you are, I hope you are reading this. I miss you."

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Madonna Writes Heartfelt Tribute To Late Designer Friend

There is some major drama brewing in Beverly Hills. According to Us Weekly, both pageant queen Joyce Giraud and outspoken Wiccan Cartlon Gebbia have been fired from the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" and won't return for Season 5.

According to the report, multiple sources have confirmed the two ladies have been informed they won't be coming back to the hit Bravo series after being on for only one season each.

Gebbia, a British interior decorator and mother of three, was definitely one of the most unconventional housewives the series has seen, causing a stir with strippers at dinner parties and not being shy about describing her sexual fantasies.

She also famously clashed the most with original "RHOBH" Kyle Richards, who thought Cartlon put a curse on her family and later engaged in a battle of words accusing the Wiccan of being an anti-Semite.

Giraud herself was no stranger to controversy. The actress and former beauty queen constantly butted heads with Beverly Hills vets Brandi Glanville, Yolanda Foster and Lisa Vanderpump and just never really hit her stride with the group.

Carlton and Joyce may not be the only RHOBH saying goodbye. Reports have been swirling powerhouse Lisa Vanderpump wants out too. Say it isn't so!

So far no official word on who will replace the exited ladies but hoping to see all the original ladies of Beverly Hills back for the upcoming season.

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Carlton Gebbia and Joyce Giraud fired from 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'

It took Sicily Kolbeck, of Georgia, a year and a half of labor and $10,000 to build the 128-square-foot bungalow with a bedroom, kitchen and bathroom Sicily lost her father, Dane Kolbeck, in a car accident a month after construction began She plans to take her tiny dwelling to Baltimore when the family move there in the summer

By Snejana Farberov

Published: 13:42 EST, 27 May 2014 | Updated: 05:36 EST, 28 May 2014

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Building a house from scratch, even a tiny one, is not for the faint of heart, but 14-year-old Sicily Kolbeck has proven she has what it takes to see her passion project through against overwhelming odds.

Kolbeck, from Marietta, Georgia, started work on her diminutive dwelling, lovingly dubbed La Petite Maison, when she was 12.

At the time, the girl was searching for an outside-the-box idea for a school project when she stumbled upon a sizable online community of DIY builders specializing in downsized homes.

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Home sweet home! Girl, 14, builds herself a tiny $10,000 house as tribute to her late father

By James Coney

Published: 19:02 EST, 27 May 2014 | Updated: 03:18 EST, 28 May 2014

No one who bought a Victorian home would expect it to be totally perfect.

The property has, after all, been lived in. The wiring may be shot, the paintwork peeling, brickwork crumbling and windows draughty.

But if you buy a newly built home you would reasonably expect it to be in pristine condition particularly if youve just splashed out a quarter of a million quid on it.

Problems: If you buy a newly built home at Oxley Woods (pictured) you would reasonably expect it to be in pristine condition

So to find that nails are sticking through the floor, timbers are damp, the garden is a bog and windows leak is understandably devastating.

Even doors that jam and plug sockets that dont work can be a genuine annoyance.

There is a house-building boom in Britain just now, boosted by government schemes such as Help to Buy. Its much needed because we have a chronic shortage of properties.

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JAMES CONEY: Newly built homes should be in pristine condition

SOUTH GLENS FALLS, N.Y. -- One of the two boys injured in a freak bounce house accident has left the hospital and is home continuing to recuperate from multiple broken bones.

The boys, ages 5 and 6, were hurt when they fell about 20 feet from the lightweight inflatable structure that was lifted into the air by a strong gust of wind.

The 5-year-old who landed on a parked car suffered serious head injuries, while the 6-year-old fell on pavement and two broken arms and a broken jaw. Both boys were airlifted to Albany Medical Center Hospital.

"Having kids of your own, its tough to see things like that," said Ross Loffler, a South Glens Falls firefighter who responded to the scene on the afternoon of May 12.

At their families request, the boys names havent been released.

However, the 6-year-old came home late last week and the 5-year-old is no longer in a coma, Harrison Avenue Elementary School Principal Joseph Palmer said Tuesday. The boys are in kindergarten at the school.

Both of the 6-year-olds arms are in a cast and his mouth has been wired because of the broken jaw. The wiring is expected to come off soon, Palmer said.

"Hes able to eat and talk," the principal said. "Hes a terrific little boy."

Palmer said it would be up to the boys family to decide if the 6-year-old returns to school before summer vacation begins next month.

A benefit car wash for both boys will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at South Glens Falls Fire Department Station 2 on Route 197. Another fundraiser is planned for Mr. Bills Restaurant on Route 9 on June 22. This event will include raffles and live music and a portion of restaurant proceeds will go to the families.

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Boy hurt in bounce house mishap now home

Home Security - SABRE Home Series Intro
SABRE, a leading brand in personal, professional and home security and safety products, is proud to introduce the SABRE Home Series. Consisting of three safe...

By: Sabre Red

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Home Security - SABRE Home Series Intro - Video

Home Security - SABRE Home Series - Wireless Alarm Kit
SABRE, a leading brand in personal, professional and home security and safety products, is proud to introduce the SABRE Home Series. Consisting of three safe...

By: Sabre Red

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Home Security - SABRE Home Series - Wireless Alarm Kit - Video

Home Security Tips by Jerry Darrell of Coldwell Banker Fremont
Take a look at my video on Home Security Tips. If you would like more information please go to http://jerry.ncalrealestate.com/ Contact and find my contact information.

By: Jerry Darrell Realtor@

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Home Security Tips by Jerry Darrell of Coldwell Banker Fremont - Video