In Search of the Quetzal

The quetzal may be small and pigeon like but it makes up for its stature with audacious plumage: vivid, shimmering green comes alive in the abundant sunlight of Central America flashing emerald to gold back to spectacular green.

While everyone spoke of its beauty, the bird was so elusive that early European naturalists believed the quetzal was just a myth of the Central American natives. Which makes sense since early Mayans and Aztecs worshiped a god called Quetzalcoatl, the Plumed Serpent, and depicted him with a headdress of quetzal feathers. In fact, the bird’s name is derived from quetzalli, an Aztec word meaning “precious” or “beautiful.”

One English naturalist, Osbert Salvin, wrote he was “determined, rain or no rain, to be off to the mountain forests in search of quetzals,to see and shoot which has been a daydream for me ever since I set foot in Central America.” Salvin, the first European ever to record an observation of the bird, noted it was “unequaled for splendour among the birds of the New World,” then he promptly shot it. During the next few decades, thousands of quetzal plumes crossed the Atlantic to adorn fashionable hats of the elite in Paris, Amsterdam, and London.

The Mayans considered killing the bird to be a capital crime, but they too revered its feathers. They were worth more than gold in the Mayan society. Guatemalans were so taken by the bird they named their currency after it. The bird also graces the national shield, flag, postage stamps, along with their money.

Although the Costa Ricans don’t worship the bird with quite as much fervor, the bird is more easily seen in Costa Rica. Especially during breeding season (March-June) when the narcissistic males show off their beautiful tail plumes and scarlet red breast in spiraling skyward flights and dizzing dives causing their tail feathers to ripple behind in part of the courtship ritual. If you can’t make it out for their mating season, try to time your visit during the bird’s meticulous feeding hours, which you can almost set your watch by. They eat insects, small frogs, lizards, and the fruit of the broad-leafed aguacatillo.

Costa Rica: The Honeymoon You've Been Searching For

If you’re looking for more than just basking on the beach for your honeymoon, try Costa Rica. Costa Rica offers a truly unique experience. Most honeymoon spots have a triangular tradeoff: there’s exotic, romantic, and excitement; you can choose two out of three but you can’t have them all. That isn’t true with Costa Rica.

Costa Rica, which literally translates as “Rich Coast,” is located in
Central America between Nicaragua and Panama. It has a rich variety
of plants and animals. While the country has only about 0.1% of the
world’s landmass, it contains 5% of the world’s biodiversity.

We suggest heading to the Corcovado National Park, the park is internationally renowned among ecologists for its biodiversity. You can see everything from big cats to tapirs. Corcovado is also the one park where you can see all four Costa Rican monkey species.

These include the White-headed Capuchin, the Mantled Howler, the Central American Squirrel Monkey (which is only found on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and a small part of Panama), and the endangered Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey.






There’s also the Tortuguero National Park which, as the name suggests,is full of turtles. It is recognized as the annual nesting place of the endangered green turtle but giant leatherbacks, hawksbills, and loggerhead turtles also nest there.

The lush rainforests are definitely exotic, but you may not find the
mating calls of the howler monkeys to be particularly romantic. In the
middle of paradise, there is room for romance. The beautiful white
sandy beaches are perfect for long strolls in the sunset. Or try a
midnight swim under the stars.

If you’re not one who can still sit long enough to enjoy one of the many relaxing spa treatments available in your resort. There are many activities for thrill-seekers. Try one of the world famous Costa Rica canopy tours. You’re strapped into a harness and glide from tree to tree across a cable just like a flying squirrel. There’s also bungee jumping, hiking fiery craters, scuba diving with sharks, and kayaking through fierce currents.

Costa Rica has something for all.

Great Resorts in Costa Rica

Exotic, romantic, gorgeous. The Hilton Papagayo is the perfect place for your tropical wedding. Imagine exchange your vows under a captivating sunset on the exclusive volcanic sand beach, then dancing at the reception under the twinkling starry blanket provided by the Guanacaste sky. It can happen at the Hilton. The resort is the perfect place to mark an unforgettable chapter in your love story.





There’s something for everyone. Enjoy the diversity of local flora and fauana around the resort. Experience the outdoors with world-class fishing or play some golf at one of the 18 hole courses. After a long day outside, relax at the resort’s Spa Vida that has 13 treatment rooms, a beauty parlor, whirlpool and sauna.

Right now, Ask About Honeymoons has a special package valid through September 30, 2009 for the Hilton Papagayo. $1159 for 8 days/7 nights will get you round trip airfare on American Airlines, 7 day car rental Bego 4WD or similar, 3 nights at Arenal Nayara, 4 nights at Hilton Papagayo, and daily breakfast. Click here for details.

Now, I know you’re wondering if the Arenal Nayara is as fantastic as the Hilton. Don’t worry, you’ll have an amazing experience at this hotel. It’s located on the outskirts of one of the world’s most amazing volcanoes. The hotel wants you to experience the best of Costa Rica. They offer activities and tours for both thrill-seekers and those looking to unwind. Including whitewater rafting, horseback riding, hot springs, visiting farms, bird watching, fishing, windsurfing, canopy tours, and crossing suspended bridges over the forest canopy.

It's Time to Build!

I attended an online seminar ("Stimulus and the Housing Market") yesterday put on by Professional Builder Publications. Here are a few interesting tidbits.

1. First time home buyers can still get an $8,000.00 tax credit if you purchase the home by December 1 of 2009. There is speculation that this credit may be extended or even expanded to non-first time buyers. Let's hope.
2. For those thinking of remodeling tax credits are available for window and door replacements and / or other energy improving strategies. You can get more information on this at www.energystar.gov/taxcredits
3. The Home Affordability Index is at a record high. This means that construction costs are low and financing is still relatively cheap. If you are in a position to build or buy, this is truly the time to do it.
4. Consumer confidence is just beginning to improve.
5. Single Family housing is expected to begin modest recovery soon. Multi-Family is expected to lag for a while.
6. Existing home inventory is still high, but it is going down. This is a good sign.
7. U.S. construction spending is expected to start increasing by end of 09' or early 10'.

So what is the point? Now is really a good time to buy, build or remodel. Low consumer confidence and low demand are keeping construction costs down while financing costs are still relatively low. This is a good combination if you are in a position to take action. Once recovery starts to happen you know where construction costs are going to go.

Bathroom Remodel by Larson Brenner Architects

Simple,Unique, Creative and Green House Plans

NYC Apartment Architecture for Him and Her

Image from Fred Conrad/ NYT

We love this quote from an article in today's New York Times Home & Garden section:

“Architecture is a negotiation between a husband and wife,” said Makram el Kadi, who designed the loft.

The story is about a couple, the Greene's, who both have very different aesthetics (She's Zen, he's Victorian) but were able to design the perfect living situation by being creative with rolling walls, cabinetry and closets. Despite the fact that Jeffrey Greene has a collection of about 200 musical instruments, they were able to work with a New York designers to create a perfect living space that accommodates both of their tastes and sensibilities in the SoHo loft they live in.

One design decision reflects a compromise of sorts: the music room can be enlarged or compressed as needed. The rear wall of the room is hung on a track system and can roll farther back in the bedroom to open up the loft for a party of 100, or, if Mr. Greene wants, an area for performances.

The full article is worth checking out, especially if you and a spouse or roomate are sharing a space in New York but not necessarily the same taste in decor.

Also, don't miss the attached slide show, with 12 great photos of the space by Fred Conrad.

Closeting the Arguments (NYT)

Greene's Loft Slide Show

Small but Unique, Cheap but Nice House Plans

I was discussing home design trends with a builder friend of mine the other day. He said to me that "small is the new big". This is true because people are demanding much more value in their purchases now. But they also still want quality. So how can designers and builders deliver on this? Here are a few of my thoughts:

• Build it small - but liveable. A floor plan needs to be smart in order to be functional while remaining compact. Every space should be analyzed for efficiency. Better hire a pro.
• Keep it simple. Roof form and wall massing should be as simple as possible. This reduces labor costs and additional materials.
• Keep it square. A square plan has much less surface area than more complicated plan shapes. That means less roofing, wall and foundation materials.
• Keep it square 2. Square plans have less jogs. And jogs are transitions that cost money. Think about it. It is faster to build one long wall than 3 or 4 separate walls that total the same overall length.
• 1 for 2 special. One big window is less expensive than 2 small ones. Labor and materials included.
• Get rid of the ginger bread. A quality design does not need ornamentation but a bad design does. We call it "putting earrings on a pig".
• Eliminate redundancy. Most folks don't really need 3 places to eat (kitchen island, kitchen nook and formal dining room). Most folks don't use a formal living room if they have a main floor family room. It's not the 1950's anymore Beaver.
• Use the basement. You have to build that foundation anyway (up north anyway), so you might as well incorporate it into your plan.
• Use the garage. Many times we will use the space above the garage as a master suite or family room space.
• Question everything. Look at every building system and every component critically. Ask yourself if there is a better choice to be made. Make sure it's functional as well as beautiful and economical. If it's functional but ugly - I don't call that value.
• Plan ahead. Get your plan completely right before you build. Work with a pro. If you get the plan right then you can build without changes. Changes during construction always cost time and money.
• 
  Afton Cottage House Plan
  
  
  Ok, I'll stop. There are a million other great ideas. I'd like to hear some of yours. Please comment.

Simple,Unique, Creative and Green House Plans

SEHD and Southern Living House Plans

Simply Elegant Home Designs is announcing a new relationship with Southern Living House Plans. Southern Living will be marketing two plans as seen below.

The "Marine Farmhouse"

The "Stillwater Craftsman"

Ron Brenner, President of Simply Elegant Home Designs had this to say -

" We are so excited about the opportunity to work with Southern Living House Plans. What we are trying to do here at Simply Elegant is to make truly good home design more economically achievable for the general public, and we see this new relationship with Southern Living as a great way to do that. We think our designs are special, and we want to get them out there for as many people to see as possible. The additional exposure we receive through SL will be more valuable than many press releases."

The Marine Farmhouse is being featured this week (week of June 22nd) on the Southern Living Custom Builder program at http://www.southernlivingcustombuilder.com/

Paper Architecture

"Paper Architecture" is a term in our industry that has traditionally referred to buildings that we design that never get built. It seems in this current economic situation there is an awful lot of paper architecture going on.

Over the weekend I ran across this more literal example of "Paper Architecture" - that being the art of creating an object out of a single piece of paper. A single sheet of paper is cut and folded into an intricate miniature structure. Here are a couple of examples:

Before the final design is finished, something like 20 to 30 (sometimes even more) prototypes are made by Ingrid Siliakus. Drawing paper architecture designs to Ingrid is as building: first one layer, with a single shape, will be drawn and than layer after layer are added. Read More:

New Modern Cottage House Plan

Simply Elegant Home Designs is offering a new house plan called the "Scandia Modern Cottage". The Scandia Modern Cottage was inspired by a recent visit to an infamous Scandinavean furniture store. On that visit this designer was struck by how small spaces could be made to be very efficient and liveable and in fact feel spacious. So I decided to set out to create a design with those same qualities.

The resulting design exhibits it's Scandinavean influences both inside and out. The exterior is characterized by simple gable and shed forms, strong and simple detailing and modern window styles / patterns. The design offers an open main floor with connected spaces. The two bedrooms and a shared bath fit under the gable roof lines on the second floor. At 1178 square feet this is the smallest plan that Simply Elegant now offers. The images below depict the design.

scandia modern cottage - front elevation

scandia modern cottage - view from back yard

You can obtain more information on this plan and others at Simply Elegant Home Designs.

Crate & Barrel Giving it Away

Sales abound as we head into the summer, and picking up small touches for decoration can certainly make life easier on your wallet. The big chain stores are giving it away right now, here are a few quick examples:

Pottery Barn needs to move outdoor and patio furniture and they need to move it now. Check out their 20% sale here: Pottery Barn Sale

Is there anything better than a 50% off sale? Crate & Barrel has tons of select items right now that are half off, check it our here: Crate & Barrel Sale

And if you're a Crate & Barrel fan but your taste skews more toward modern design, check out their sister store, CB2, which is also running a 50% select items sale. We like the Warehouse Sconces (above), currently selling for $49.95, down from about $70. See all sale items here: CB2 Sale

The New York CB2 Store is located in SoHo at:

451 broadway
(between canal and grand)
new york, NY 10013
212.219.1454

Happy Shopping!

Romantic Destination Wedding in Half Moon Bay, CA

Planning a destination wedding? Want to go big or small? Inside or out? Have your own wedding planner, or don’t know where to begin and taking all the help you can get? Need a photographer? Want a gorgeous wedding? Why not go to Half Moon Bay, Ca?

It’s a few miles south of San Francisco, and teh amazing 101 drive along the beach, but this intimate bay is nothing like the bustling city.

Here you feel a million miles away in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. There is a gorgeous bay, fantastic golf course, trails, mountains, famous sunsets, singing wild life, and the list goes on.


At The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, your friends and family will certainly be WOW-ed by this wedding. Everyone works with you; you can give away all the responsibility, or be involved every step of the way. You are provided with everything and everyone, top of the line if you’d like, or they even allow you to bring in someone of your personal choice. You honestly can’t go wrong planning a wedding here.

There are two outside ceremony locations, one for a large production and one for a more intimate wedding. There are also multiple inside locations if you wish to be cool in air conditioning. The women can enjoy amazing spa treatments before the nuptials. The wedding party and guests can be up in the gym working on their fitness early mornings; you may even want to try one of the yoga classes! The men can spend a relaxing day golfing the day before, the parents can take relaxing walks by the pond before their baby girl or baby boy say “I Do.” Send the little rascals to the care service for games, arts and crafts, and outdoor activities. The possibilities are literally all yours. (You have to see the salon the bridal party will be using!)

If you want a beautiful view no mater which direction you are facing, activities of every assortment, and delightful rooms. Choose from balconies or fire pits, golf course view, bay view, mountain view, or a combination. Even ask about the romantic honeymoon turn down service! I'm getting excited just telling you about it. I personally suggest the Fire Pit Rooms because S’mores are the perfect end to a long day!

If you have any questions about this package or booking your wedding or honeymoon please contact AskAboutHoneymoons by phone at: 1.800.571.4510
Sunni Oza the Ritz-Carlton Wedding Specialists at (650) 712-7693
Or Visit the Ritz-Carlton site

Suggestions for an American Honeymoon

Whether you want to take a camping trip with the family or a romantic get away, vacationing is hard to plan for in the current economy. But just because it’s hard doesn’t mean it isn’t worth it. Studies show that a quick get away keeps the mind alive and rejuvenates the mind, body, and spirit. Researchers suggest getting away from the desk and going for a walk outside, or even out of the office doors to get some coffee if you’re really busy. When in control and not over done, breaks actually improve productivity. What does this mean for you? It means, yes, you SHOULD be planning a trip. Since you’re reading this newsletter and on this blog, you or someone you know is getting married and planning a honeymoon. These traditional first vacations as married couples are perfect for getting away from the stress on the job. This means, don’t go just any where, but go somewhere outrageous, go somewhere fun, go somewhere where you can connect and live in each other, completely disconnected from the world you left behind.

If you are thinking about staying state bound, we suggest doing some research. However here are just a few ideas we came up with:

National parks: National parks are beautiful, and they range from roughing it to a swanky hotel near by. Choose to go up in the mountains, by the sea, even in the plains or desert. Wherever you choose will be full of beautiful sites that you miss in the city. See what America has to offer. People come from all over the world to see our great nation, it’s about time our own citizens see what’s all the rage.

Try a visit to San Diego if you want to stretch your dollar. There are beaches, mountains, deserts, parks, art exibits, museums, the list of free to cheap things to do seems to be never ending. Mexico is only a few miles south, take a day trip to taste and experience a new Culture! If you want to find out just how thrifty you can be visit our SD site and choose all activities $20 or less and watch how much you can pack into your vacation!

Historic Landmarks: Now I understand that not everyone is a history buff, but how amazing would it be to learn about our great nation together. You can laugh at the funny outfits, try some delicious 200 year old recipes, see monuments. Everything you do on this trip will not only bring you closer, but when you return to your mundane busy lives and you see something from your trip, that little spark will ignite and you will get that warm and fuzzy honeymoon feeling. (Trust us, you will have more things pop up in your life that remind you of an American honeymoon, more than any other place you travel.) Plus, it might be a bit easier to revisit Virginia, Hawaii, or Washington DC each year than the Pocono’s, or Egypt.

Alaska or Hawaii: Yes these two states are quit different, but how often do you travel state to state? Now how often do you get off the main land to travel to these two states? You will be guaranteed beautiful scenery, active wild life, and America like you’ve never seen before. You will still get your airplane ride, maybe even a bloody mary in first class, and you will still get the feeling of being somewhere exotic. However, you will be supporting the American dollar, and the American economy. These states have exciting histories and plenty of things for you and your partner to enjoy (or if you prefer to enjoy your view from your honeymoon suit all week, I'm sure that would be just as exciting!)

Now that you have a few suggestions, get planning! Call for your personal local travel agent, or visit our honeymoons and travel sites to do a little research of your own!

New Tube House Lands from Outer Space!

I ran across this posting the other day at the following link:

http://www.greenbuildingsnyc.com/2009/06/02/konyk-hydra-house/

The home was designed by Craig Konyk of Brooklyn-based Konyk Architecture. Konyk’s submission contemplates a single-room structure with bold red neoprene rubber walls that would serve as a retirement home for the senior citizen that frequents Atlantic City’s casinos and other attractions.

exterior axonometric view

you have to love the contextual design

be careful not to fall in that hole on your way to the front door

I am really struggling with what to say about this house, so I won't bother. I guess a picture is better than a thousand words.

Simple,Unique, Creative and Green House Plans

New House Plan from Simply Elegant Home Designs

Simply Elegant Home Designs is offering a new house plan called the "Hudson Farmhouse". The Hudson Cottage offers an open main level floor plan with connected spaces that are perfect family gatherings. The master suite and a home office sit "around the corner" from the main floor public spaces. Two additional bedrooms and a shared bath occupy the second floor. At almost 2700 square feet this is the largest plan that Simply Elegant now offers, yet it still retains the modest massing and scale of a traditional farmhouse design. This was achieved through careful 3 dimensional computer modeling and study. The images below depict the design.

You can obtain more information on this plan and others at Simply Elegant Home Designs.

Making quick work of a reroofing project

I just ran across this interesting You Tube video.  This illustrates a nifty new way of removing shingles from a roof.  Aside from this being absolutely crazy, one has to marvel at the skill of the bucket operator.

PS - don't try this at home!