Did you know that the law protecting NYC’s community gardens from being taken over by developers is about to expire?
City officials are working on new rules to protect the gardens, but unless we speak up, those rules may not be strong enough.
I just signed this petition calling on Mayor Bloomberg and City officials to make sure that the new rules PERMANENTLY PROTECT our community gardens from development. Can you take a moment to sign, too?

SIGN HERE

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on September 03, 2010

Fort Tilden beach is located in Fort Tilden Natural Area (Far Rockaway, Long Island) that surrounded by dunes, rosehip bushes, wild grapevines and maritime forest.

“Wide-open and pristine sands, a fresh sea and a rugged beachscape of barnacled bulkheads and sea-softened pilings jutting up out of the sand.  Regulars at Fort Tilden smile to one another as if sharing a great little secret” - New York Times.

“Fort Tilden State Park feels like the city’s best-kept secret—an unspoiled island oasis, tantalizingly close to Manhattan. Even on a weekend at the height of summer, you’ll get a 50-yard stretch of beach to yourself. On weekdays, it’s practically all yours. On a busy day, you might see several families (mostly Russian) picnicking and grilling.  How can this be? Simple: Fort Tilden is so difficult to access that only the most intrepid Robinson Crusoe types dare venture there” - NYMag.

Note: Unless you own a bike!!!!

Directions: Bedford Avenue bike lane ends in Sheepshead Bay where you have to deal with car traffic until the Marine Park bike path begins.  Over the Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge and you’re there.

It can turn into a fun and sustainable weekend.

Opportunities to chain up a bike end early but no problem you can always take your bike with you on the shore:

The sunset viewgasm from Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge on the way back, makes this a perfect bike ride experience. 

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on August 31, 2010

From the book:

Who has seen the wind?
Neither I or you:
But when the leaves hang trembling
The wind it passing thro’.

Who has seen the wind?
Neither you nor I:
But when the trees bow down their heads
The wind is passing by.

Christina G. Rossetti

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on July 26, 2010

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on July 03, 2010

“Red List protects nature” - The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, founded in 1948, is the world’s most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species.

“Protect birds - they are doctors of the forest”

“Cut down one - plant ten”

“Welcome, my feathered friends!”

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on June 25, 2010

Located on the Rockaway Peninsula Brooklyn, NY, Fort Tilden is mostly a natual area that was a former United States Army installation.  Fort Tilden today is largely a natural area of beach, dunes and maritime forest. Most of the old military installations are abandoned, though some buildings have been renovated and are used by local arts groups. Atop one of the old batteries, Battery Harris East, is a viewing platform offering 360-degree views.  Fort Tilden includes some of the most secluded beaches in New York.

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on April 19, 2010

Brooklyn Bridge Park is an 85-acre park currently under construction on the Brooklyn waterfront in the vicinity of the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges. As of March 22, 2010 the first newly built section of the park, Pier 1, has been open to the public. !!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on March 30, 2010

First snow on Rugby Road, Ditmas Park, Brooklyn.

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on December 20, 2009

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on July 01, 2009

This is a Folk Architecture Monument by Tomas Dzadon, Chezh Republic. Tomas writes: “The mistake is made. The socialist urban projects destroyed the marvellous countryside. I grew up in such an utopic project. I was lucky to be able to watch the Tatra mountains from my window. Finally that blocks were not so bad. The proportion changed. From family houses to 13-floor blocks. From houses built by their owners to flats built by the regime”. 

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on May 03, 2009

Projekt Mobilivre - Bookmobile Project is primarily based in Montreal and Philadelphia. It is a trailer converted into a small mobile gallery and library that showcases handmade books and zines from all over the world.  Traveling through Canada and US, this bookmobile visits community centers, schools, colleges, libraries, festivals and artist-run centers.  I happened to run into Mobilivre-Bookmobile while I was studying at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art and was stunned by the idea of a traveling gallery/library. 






Bookmobile is a vehicle designed as a traveling library.  Slumgullion,  is a collaboration project that strives to create community, empower young voices, and promote literacy and the humanities through the book arts and zines. It is based in Missoula, Montana.  Slumgullion’s bookmobile exhibits handmade books, art zines and is just like a regular bookmobile only it is bike powered!

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on May 02, 2009

I am happy to show some of my watercolors at the Eponymy gallery and store.  It is owned by Andrea Miller and located in Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York. The store is a mix of vintage and designer clothes, antique mirrors as well as tightly curated modern photography from emerging artists of Humble Arts Foundation.

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on February 19, 2009

Matthias Merkel Hess made these 28 terra cotta self-portrait flower pots for his 28th birthday. Each pot was planted with a nativis updated regularly e California trees chosen specifically for a friend or family member and then given away.  Matthias Merkel Hess is currently receiving MFA at the University of California . He also the founder of the Eco Art Blog (one of my favorite eco blogs) with a focus on visual arts and the environment.

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on February 17, 2009

I always liked how New York City tap water tastes like.Tap’dNY is a new bottled water company based out of New York that sells…....New York City tap water!. actually, New York City water is not that bad since it travels to the city from Adirondack mountains and beautiful pure lakes upstate.  TAP’DNY get water from NYC’s public water system, purifies it through reverse osmosis and bottles it locally. This saves miles of ridiculous transportation.
New York City also had a campaign not long ago called Get Your Fill encouraging New Yorkers try to drink tap water all around the city and they even gave out NYC reusable tap water bottles!


You can read NYC drinking water supply and quality report here: Drinking NYC Water Supply and Quality Report

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on January 28, 2009

NYC have lately been building more bike lanes that are bigger and brighter in color.  This adds a completely new aesthetic to the city, which is becoming more sustainable.  Recent studies show that more people are riding bicycles in NYC now than in the past 23 years. Biking popularity is steadily increasing every year. It is estimated that nearly 4,000 cyclists commute from the outer boroughs into Manhattan making up part of the 100,000 bikes that are on the street everyday.

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on January 08, 2009

Reform School is a store, web shop and collective based in Los Angeles, CA. 
Billie and Tootie write about their store:  “We definitely wanted to talk about how sustainable design is a huge focus for us, and that green living is important to us, not only in business but in our personal lives as well. We wanted to be eco-friendly without being too in-your-face about it. The last thing we wanted was to be another shop selling all things hemp & bamboo ( not that we don’t love hemp & bamboo)”
To visit: Reform School.

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on December 30, 2008

Above: Monk Parakeets in the Snow

Brooklyn parrots are wild Monk Parakeets (or Quaker Parrots) native to the temperate to subtropical areas of Argentina and the surrounding countries.  The Monk Parakeet is globally very common as a pet.
There are many theories about why these parrots live in Brooklyn - from sinking ships, overturned trucks;  Hurricane Gloria in the mid-1980s.  The theory with the greatest credence among ornithologists is that a shipment of parrots destined for sale at New York area pet shops was accidentally released at Kennedy Airport in the late 1960’s . Anyway, there are lots of Quaker Parrots living in Brooklyn and for some strange reason they love it here. Maybe because the pizza crumbs are so good.  Or the art scene.  Actually, the reason these tropical parrots can survive cold winters in New York City is because they build giant commune nests in which about 10 - 15 parrots can fit in and warm each other during these winter months. 
There is a blog dedicated to Brooklyn Parrots: brooklynparrots.com illustrating parrot life. You can even take a free Wild Brooklyn Parrot Safari in Brooklyn College.
Steve, the founder of Brooklyn Parrots website and blog, believes that Brooklyn parrots are not an evil “invasive species” but a welcome replacement for the Carolina Parakeet, hunted to extinction almost a century ago.  ” The last wild specimen of Carolina Parakeet was killed in Okeechobee County in Florida in 1904, and the last captive bird died at the Cincinnati Zoo on February 21, 1918” -wiki. I agree with him Steve .

* Above: extinct Carolina Parakeet

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on December 17, 2008

Russian amateur folk artist Vladimir Ovchinnikov have been painting his town Borovsk, population of 12,000, a place of cottages slouching on grassy slopes, with murals. { Five years ago he was possessed by a vision that the town should become one giant artist canvas. The mayor of the city thought it was a splendid idea. So the tireless pensioner splashed images of churches, historical figures and still lifes on public buildings, private homes and walls, 100 works in all. - Washington Post}  I think this is a great idea to use city walls instead of canvas. I would rather see folk art on buildings than bare brick walls.

*above: Vladimir Ovchinnikov incorporates poems of Russian writers into his murals as well as famous folk sayings

*above: Vladimir Ovchinnikov uses Russian folk saying “Good (towards boy or girl) just like a cucumber!”

*note: the cat inside the window and the church reflection on the two images above are painted

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on December 10, 2008

Do not place unsolicited advertizing materials on this property sign can be placed in front of your door in New York state to prevent useless advertizing materials such as flyers, product catalogs and fake postcards saying that you won a trip to Florida from coming into your house.

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on December 06, 2008

The “vertical planter” is a re-designed drain system where rainwater gets captured in the upturned branches. All kinds of moss and grass seeds will eventually sprout in the upturned branches - planters and make the city even more green.  In Seattle, where it rains a lot, this idea is very compelling.

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on November 20, 2008

How hard is it to organize a community garden, promote energy efficiency and make a city to place benches alongside your main neighborhood street?  Really hard.  SUSTAINABLE FLATBUSH is an organization based in Flatbush area of Brooklyn that emerged from neighbors desiring changes.  It has been responsible for such projects as a Parking Day, Flatbush Community Garden and Flatbush Electronics Recycling. 

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on November 10, 2008

*above: Houses in Victorian Ditmas Park




*above:  Russian village style houses

Ditmas Park is a very old Victorian neighborhood located in Brooklyn, New York.  Sometimes it is called Victorian Flatbush or West Midwood.  It is filled with old Sycamore trees and vines and consists of many smaller ~2 ~3 block neighborhoods such as Caton Park, Ditmas Park West, Prospect Park South, Albermarle-Kenmore Terrace, West Midwood, Fiske Terrace and e.t.c .  Walking in Ditmas Park makes me feel like I am not in New York City but somewhere in the country side or a small village in Russia.
New York Magazine has an article about Ditmas Park called “Because Ditmas Park Is the New San Francisco”. (!!!!!)  Indeed, one can find similarities of Ditmas Park houses, Painted Ladies of San Francisco and Russian style village houses.



*above: Painted Ladies in San Francisco
*to read a full New York Magazine article on Ditmas Park :

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on July 08, 2008

Beautiful laundry arrangement drying in the sun in Brooklyn near Cortelyou Rd station, Q line.

Posted by DESIGN SQUISH on November 01, 2007