WHAT’S NEW IN THE CAT WORLD

WHAT’S NEW IN THE CAT WORLD

The U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook (2007 Edition), a source for pet statistics, announced in 2007 there were nearly 82MM pet cats and 72 MM pet dogs in the US.  In 2006 the average veterinary expenditure per household for all pets was $366.  In 2006 nearly half of pet owners (49.7%) considered their pets to be family members.

A RECENT New York Times article gave examples for cat owners of a new trend to safely bring their cats outdoors, “CATIOS.”  There are photos and stories about folks who build outdoor fenced areas onto their patios and backyards to give their cats room to roam outdoors.  They range from minimal to huge areas, especially when there is more than one cat.  Sometimes owners share the space, eating out among their cats in this environment that is safe from predators.

Cat beds include the Over-the-Door Hanging Cat Bed with Portholes, cat hammocks, Kitt-In Box, and

Contemporary Cat Towers.

Here is a new contemporary design award winning litter box idea   

 or a more formal corner cat litter box .

Cat trees are very popular, including the Little Lotus Cat Tree - or consider the simple alternative above.   

 New and cat-friendly and comfortable hanging bed is the soft pillowed Trapeze Hanging Cat Bed. in an attractive assortment of colors, referred to by the New York Times as “the I-Pod of litter boxes”.

For those of you among the readership who want to invent or design a new product, the cat world is a good place to start as cat owners are a dedicated bunch of folks who are looking for ways to enhance the lives of their “fur-babies.”

VOTE TO HELP !

PLEASE vote and help the 

BENGAL CAT RESCUE GROUP

Get a grant to help them enlarge 

the wonderful work they do
to find a "forever home"

for unfortunate pets 

who have been abandoned

And cannot help themselves.

Bengal Cats have baby Asian Leopards

some generations back

are very tame from F4 (4th generation) on

and fun, faithful, loving and SMART.

Some have spots, some have rosettes on their backs.
They are playful and have wonderful dispositions.

THINK YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SPACE?

Enjoy the wonders of  this creation.

 

Amazing Tiny Apartment...very interesting... 

A Hong-Kong architect designed a 344 sq. ft. apartment that can change into

24 different rooms, all by just sliding panels and walls. This is worth watching.

 

  http://www.wservernews.com/3AQOO8/100503-Tiny-Apartment

HAVE YOU BEEN TO THE PALM BEACH ZOO LATELY?

HAVE YOU BEEN TO THE PALM BEACH ZOO LATELY?

• Oz is a Kaola who loves fresh Eucalyptus and requires six varieties for his diet, which the zoo has acquired.  The Zoo was approached to become a new facility for management and breeding of Queensland koalas, requiring staff training and construction of the new naturalistic habitat for koalas at the zoo costing over $100,000.  More construction is underway to accommodate these animals. 

• A newly constructed habitat for Wallabies allows you to watch for the baby joeys peeking out from mom’s pouch.  You can get wonderfully close views.

• Wings Over Water is an interactive daily show featuring 20 trained majestic and sometimes comical birds – 11 am daily and also 2 pm on weekends.
• There are two new otter pups to ewwww and ahhhh over.
• Howl along with New Guinea Singing Dogs, Mic and Sydney, who star in the Wild Things Show at 1 pm weekdays and 12 pm weekends.

The Zoo offers more than 60 animal enrichment and encounters weekly with additional special events every month on Friday nights, 5:30-8pm during June and August, come over for Safari Nights with live entertainment, nature workshops, children’s games, interactive wildlife shows, up-close animal encounters and complementary carousel rides.  Winter in July brings snow to the zoo July 10-11.

See the Zoo’s state-of-the-art animal care complex.  The Zoo also has green certification and has received Green Nonprofit Certification and is a “Going Green” Sustainability Leader.

Location is Dreher Park in West Palm Beach where there are over 1400 animals within 23 lush tropical acres.  Stop by and have a wonderful day.

WHAT IS BP DOING RE THE OIL SPILL?

Here is a good illustration of the methods being used to stop the flow of oil from the well.  It runs about 13 minutes, well worth watching to understand what is happening right now.

GOOD NEWS ON THE PROPERTY SALE FRONT JUST IN...

"The upswing in April sales was expected because of the tax credit inducement, and no doubt there will be some temporary fallback" ahead,” says National Association of Realtors Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. He further states that  “Not only do consumers have growing confidence in the economy and their own incomes, but home buyers no longer fear further price declines -- and that's a crucial turning point in the cycle.”

THINKING ABOUT SELLING YOUR HOME?

THINKING ABOUT SELLING YOUR HOME?

Have you heard that STAGING can make a difference and may help sell your home?

Learn all about it at Robb & Stucky by attending one of their seminars, “Staging to Sell”.  Robb & Stucky Design Consultant Ron Hammond will tell you how to “prep” your home for a faster sale and make it stand out from other homes on the market.   

Your real estate agent can also be helpful, e.g. convincing you to remove clutter, open up spaces… after all, “it is all about the buyer,” and they are not interested in the sellers collections nor family photos, but rather, how their collections and furniture will fit in your home if they buy it.  It may be hard for sellers to understand that, but can make the difference for a faster sale.

The seminars will be held in the Boca Raton store in Mizner Park on May 27^th and June 24^th at 2 pm.  Reserve by calling 561-862-5597.

5-28-2010 WSJ: LUXURY MARKET BOUNCES BACK

SEE ARTICLE

JUNE HAPPENINGS TO ENJOY

JUNE HAPPENINGS TO ENJOY

Old School Square members have lots of goodies in store.  You and the family can visit 17 museums, attractions and cultural centers free during June 2010. 

This includes the BAMM program which gives free June entry to 20 organizations including the Boca Raton Children’s Museum, Cornell Museum, Cinema Paradiso, Flamingo Gardens, IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame, International Swimming Hall of Fame Museum, and many other interesting facilities.

The Cornell Museum of Art has developed a reciprocal partnership with the Boca Raton Museum of Art, allowing OSS members complimentary admission from June 22 through August 8, 2010 to the Boca Museum of Art 59^th Annual All Florida Juried Exhibition and the Boca Museum Artist’ Guild Exhibition and permanent collection.

Collectors should head over to the Cornell Museum for their STUFF II: The  Joy of Collecting exhibit.  Treasured items have been loaned by local collectors including glass, vintage household items, comic books, antique tools, women’s accessories, photographs, baseball cards, duck decoys and home décor which have wonderful stories accompanying the collections. 

Old School Square Membership starts at $30 for up to 2 adults and children under 18 in same household.

WALL ST JOURNAL RE FAMILY MANAGERS and MANAGEMENT FIRMS

Focusing on Oprah Winfrey’s starting a family office by hiring a Family Manager who is with a full investment organization, recommended by her law firm, for her estimated $2.4BB net worth holdings, the WSJ states that, “Wealthy investors typically hire mangers at banks and brokerage firms to handle their financial affairs.  A family office is considered a step up from such an arrangement, with a team of advisers working exclusively, and directly, for the client.” 

The article also mentions that Michael Dell, with more than $10BB worth of personal assets, has a team of 80 people working on Money Management for him at a Family Management Firm.  WSJ further states that, “the billionaire Bass brothers in Fort Worth TX created an operation that became a model for family-office investment vehicles around the US.”  

ZILLOW CHART SHOWS HIGHLAND BEACH REAL ESTATE PRICES TREND STILL DOWNWARD

The Zillow chart for Highland Beach transactions from 2006 to 3-31-2010 shows a downward trend this past year.  In 2006, index showed a value of about $600,000.  On 3-31-2010 value is about $325,000.  The chart shows a year-over-year decline of 5.7%.

ROBB & STUCKY’S FAUX PAINTING PRESENTATION REVIEW

If you enjoyed finger painting as a child, you will understand why Tim Ellis has such a good time doing the beautiful faux painting work that he does.   Tim showed us samples of fabulous marble, wood, granite, leather, suede, Venetian plaster and fabric finishes that he made. 

His grandfather started the faux painting business in Florence, Italy, and now a 4^th generation is also involved.   He explained that faux painting is an absorbing business and told us about the process. 

He showed us a marble finish he did that had 9 layers… took several days.  Many finishes can be done in one day in one room.  He uses a water base primer that, vs. oil based, is not toxic and does not smell.  Wipe the surface first with primer, sand, apply finish(es) and then glaze.  He suggested using Old Masters glaze and has experimented with most glazes, if not all.  Tim said that glazes seal the paint and give a nice luster, and best of all they can be scrubbed.  He showed us that you can put a strong color in the back ground, striae (stripe) at random over it in white and the background will be there, but not strong.  Tim described various brushes he uses, and he also uses sponging and other methods.

A leather sample he did went up on a coffered ceiling, matching the furniture in the room.  Wood finishes match actual wood pieces and look exactly like them.  Marbles were beautiful colors and he compared using the same colors with darker or lighter results.  The black granite sample, he said, was okay for formica cabinets but not for counter tops. 

I found myself thinking how closely his work resembled faux work done on pillars and in architectural niches in a listing of mine.  The pillars are painted to match the floor and "fade out," and are not intrusive.  When he showed the crushed tissue paper samples, I got very excited, as the listing's master bathroom had it on the walls.  I raised my hand and asked, “Back in about 2002 did you do a builder’s model in Polo Trace?”  He said he did. I said, “I KNEW IT and want to tell everyone here that it looks as good today as when he did it.  The house looks fabulous because of those touches.” 

If you want to reach Tim, call Robb and Stucky Design Consultant Ron Hammond at 561-445-7190.

SOME SAY THINGS ARE LOOKING UP....

SOME SAY THINGS ARE LOOKING UP....

Stockholders gathering in Omaha for Annual Meeting were told by Warren Buffet that the economy is showing “significant” and persistent improvement for the first time since the financial crisis broke in 2008.

Other indications to back this up include new loan applications going up 13% in a week according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, and the FHA and VA share of home purchase applications soared above 50%, highest amount in twenty years.   The PMI Risk index (tracks price decline potentials for two years out) found that out of the 50 largest markets in its latest survey, 42 showed less risk.  Jumbo loans are roaring back with one major lender announcing for credit-worthy applicants, rages are dropping on jumbos to 5.7% for 30 years – the best rate ever.

The current jobs recession might take 2-3 years to change, and then it is predicted there will be shortages in labor markets.  Government analysts expect 14.6 new non-farm payroll jobs by 2018 and 15.3 MM new jobs for self-employeds, family members working in family businesses and farm jobs.   

One field where shortages are expected is health including registered nurses, and home health aides, nursing aides, orderlies and attendants.  Many jobs in the social sector (industries covering health care and social assistance, educational services, nonprofit community and religious organizations, the performing arts, museums, libraries and government) do not require enormous physical exertion, but requiring people with commons sense and experience.  Older workers might “fill the bill.”  Social sector jobs represent 47 percent of total projected nonfarm payroll employment growth, according to the MetLife/Civic Ventures report.

ELEGANT FAUX FINISHES CAN TRANSFORM THE APPEARANCE OF YOUR HOME

Ordinary surfaces can be transformed to look like Venetian plaster, leather, wood, onyx or marble and add drama and new interest to your surroundings, adding a sense of history and artistry.   

Robb & Stucky presents Tim Ellis, faux artisan and painter, speaking on Revisiting Faux Trends on Tuesday, May 8 at 2 pm in the Boca Raton store in Mizner Park.  Faux effects, from faux gold to faux marble, can add fabulous finishing touches to your interiors.   

Come and learn all about it and see beautiful examples.  Reservations requested – call 561-862-5597.  

 You can also request a complimentary design consult.

VOTE FOR THE 2010 COLLECTIBLE CAR OF THE YEAR

The New York Times offers pix of 30 finalists with classics from different eras and countries to vote for.   

Pictures and information on each car are available.  Voting ends May 17, 2010.  Winner to be announced July 24, 2010.  

 Photos also available on the site for previous winners.

BOCA MUSEUM FEATURES PHOTOS OF ELVIS AT AGE 21

href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5COwner%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List">

Going back in time to 1956, struggling photographer Alfred Wertheimer was assigned to take photos of a newly signed young singer from Memphis, TN named Elvis Presley.  

The Boca Museum of Art is featuring these photos which remain among the very best candid images of the young man who became the King of Rock’N Roll.  The traveling Smithsonian exhibit, Elvis at 21, opens Tuesday. 

Wertheimer says that Elvis told him, “I don’t just sing with my voice, I sing with my whole body.”  He also commented that Elvis let him get within 3-4 feet of himself, became totally absorbed in what he was doing, and this enabled Wertheimer to get wonderful candid shots, the only ones that exist today.

LIFE IN WISCONSIN as painted by ROBERT DUNCAN

While this is NOT typical Florida life, I think you will enjoy watching this power point show.  If download does not work, click view.  Sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds.

	RobertDuncan'spaintings.pps 5149K   View   Download

South Florida Business Journal: EXISTING HOME, CONDO SALES RISE-in 2010 homes and condos are unlikely to be as cheap to buy or as cheap to finance.

The latest monthly Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index came in higher last week. Prices were up in 12 of the 20 major markets that Case Shiller monitors.   Home price indexes increased nationwide in August, including in South Florida where an S&P Case-Shiller report released today showed a 1.1 percent step up.  The index does include all single family homes sold, which may account for any difference between it and National Association of Realtor figures released last week that showed a small dip in local median home prices. The NAR looks at MLS listings only.

The Commerce Department released parallel findings last week - that consumers are finally beginning to loosen up on spending, and are making purchases they deferred during the scary months of 2009.   If that rate of expansion in consumption continues, not only will it begin to whittle away at the unemployment rate, but also stimulate the entire US economy, since consumer spending accounts for 70 percent of the national gross domestic product or GDP.  The housing and mortgage sectors could also begin to show some of that confidence and willingness to spend.

Home sales are expected spike upwards in the coming several months as the two federal housing tax credits head for expiration.  Mortgage Bankers Association reported last week that applications for new loans to buy houses - a bellwether indicator - jumped by seven percent and now stand at their highest level in six months.

ROBB & STUCKY SEMINAR IN BOCA RATON ON WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR TREASURED ITEMS

Find out what to do with your treasured items.  They can be the inspiration for your décor!

Discover what pieces to restore, repaint, recover or relinquish.  At 2 pm on Thursday, April 8^th, come to the Mizner Park Robb & Stucky store, and hear from Designer Rick Veller, ASID and Design Consultant, Sandra Welsch, how to incorporate your personal mementos into a look that works for your current lifestyle.

Reservations are requested, as space is limited.  Please call 561-862-5597.

SEA TURTLE DAY AT GUMBO LIMBO IN BOCA RATON

On March 13^th, Gumbo Limbo will celebrate their 5^th Annual Sea Turtle Day from 10 a m to 4 pm.  Included in the celebration will be marine life, our oceans, terrestrial species and habitats along with a fun-filled day of environmental education.  Learn about conservation to help make our world a better, cleaner place, and how all species and habitats are interconnected.  This year’s focus will be on responsible fishing.  Children must be accompanied by an adult. 

CBS Channel 12 will feature on their morning show on February 21^st a live broadcast from Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, from 6-9 am.  CBS recently showed surgical treatments for 35 green sea turtles affected by fibropapilloma, a virus which manifests in fleshy tumors on the turtles skin.  It is contagious among turtles, but does not affect humans.  Currently, only surgery can remove the tumors.  After surgery and a short recovery period, the turtles will be released to the ocean.  There were 5000 “cold-stunned” turtles rescued during 2 weeks of abnormally cold temperatures in Florida. 

Come to Gumbo Limbo and stroll around the butterfly garden, climb the observation tower on the boardwalk through coastal hammock, sit in a hut, see saltwater tanks brimming with marine life and take photos of the 7 giant turtles in the sea turtle garden. 

Wiggy, the Kemp’s Ridley turtle pictured about was captured as an adult in 1971 and is presumed to be born about 1960. 

The turtle pictured here, FeeBee, a Loggerhead, survived pneumonia and was hatched in July 2002 in Spanish River Park in Boca Raton.

Above is Milton, another Loggerhead, hatched in July 2002 south of the South Beach Pavilion in Boca Raton.  97 out of 102 of Milton’s eggs hatched.

You can adopt a sea turtle, including FeeBee or Milton, to help support their care and feeding.

GOING THROUGH END-OF-LIFE ISSUES WITH FAMILY MEMBERS?

Head over to the CARING INFO website.  Find out there about caring for someone, planning ahead, living with an illness.  You can download an advance directive form, fill it out and add it to your google health profile so it will always be easy for a family member to find.  There is hospice info there and a legal guide for the seriously ill.  There is also information on grieving a loss and using community outreach resources.