Food, Entertainment, and Arts
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
101 Things I Love about Portland Maine
Sunday, November 27, 2011
101 Things I Love about Portland Maine
Delicious pizzas with choice of whole wheat crust and lots of toppings in large attractive setting.
http://www.sianosbrickoven.com/
101 Things I Love about Portland Maine
202. Skillins Greenhouse in Cumberland
Get all your Christmas greens and decorations at one of their locations.
They have Amaryllis, Paperwhites, and Hyacinth bulbs, too.
7 Ways to Have an Eco-Friendly Christmas
Published: December 10, 2010 By: G. M. Filisko
With a few conscious choices, your merry Christmas can also be an eco-friendly Christmas
Create some inexpensive decorations by stringing popcorn and cranberries together. It's a fun project for the kids, too. Image: Andersen Ross/Blend Images/Getty Images
‘Tis the season to consume and decorate, which can leave your bank statement and the planet a little beat up. Celebrate an eco-friendly Christmas and nip your seasonal costs in the bud:
1. Light up with LEDs. LED lights use at least 75% less energy than conventional holiday decorations, according to Energy Star. That saves the average family about $50 on energy bills during the holiday, says Avital Binshtock of the Sierra Club in San Francisco. Or douse the lights and use soy-based or beeswax candles; their emissions are cleaner than those from paraffin candles.
2. Make your own decorations. Save money and keep your kids busy by hand-crafting eco-friendly decor—strings of popcorn or pine cones—instead of buying mass-produced holiday flare.
3. Wrap with stuff you already have. Get creative with reusable shopping bags, magazines, and newspapers instead of using wrapping paper. Even gift bags that recipients can pass on make for a more eco-friendly Christmas, says Brian Clark Howard of The Daily Green.
4. Buy a real tree. Real Christmas trees, wreaths, and garlands are renewable and recyclable, Binshtock says. Real trees mean an annual cost, but that may be a wash if you tend to buy a faux tree several times a decade.
5. Say “no” to glossy paper decorations and wrapping. Shininess and color come from chemicals not easily recycled. Alternative: Decorations or wrapping papers that use soy inks or natural dyes.
6. Package it in cardboard. Plain, corrugated cardboard is good for packaging because it’s easy to recycle. If plastic factors into your holiday plans, look for No. 1 and No. 2 plastics, the easiest to recycle, says Ben Champion, director of sustainability for Kansas State University.
7. Create precious moments that don’t leave a trail of debris.
Do something experiential like taking the family to a museum.
Give a gift certificate or donation to an organization meaningful to the recipient in the receiver’s name. Happy holidays to you: No sales tax.
Buy fair-trade, organic, or locally made products, which are often one-of-a-kind and may not need as much packaging and shipping, Champion says.
Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/green-living/eco-friendly-christmas/#ixzz1estO10EG
With a few conscious choices, your merry Christmas can also be an eco-friendly Christmas
Create some inexpensive decorations by stringing popcorn and cranberries together. It's a fun project for the kids, too. Image: Andersen Ross/Blend Images/Getty Images
‘Tis the season to consume and decorate, which can leave your bank statement and the planet a little beat up. Celebrate an eco-friendly Christmas and nip your seasonal costs in the bud:
1. Light up with LEDs. LED lights use at least 75% less energy than conventional holiday decorations, according to Energy Star. That saves the average family about $50 on energy bills during the holiday, says Avital Binshtock of the Sierra Club in San Francisco. Or douse the lights and use soy-based or beeswax candles; their emissions are cleaner than those from paraffin candles.
2. Make your own decorations. Save money and keep your kids busy by hand-crafting eco-friendly decor—strings of popcorn or pine cones—instead of buying mass-produced holiday flare.
3. Wrap with stuff you already have. Get creative with reusable shopping bags, magazines, and newspapers instead of using wrapping paper. Even gift bags that recipients can pass on make for a more eco-friendly Christmas, says Brian Clark Howard of The Daily Green.
4. Buy a real tree. Real Christmas trees, wreaths, and garlands are renewable and recyclable, Binshtock says. Real trees mean an annual cost, but that may be a wash if you tend to buy a faux tree several times a decade.
5. Say “no” to glossy paper decorations and wrapping. Shininess and color come from chemicals not easily recycled. Alternative: Decorations or wrapping papers that use soy inks or natural dyes.
6. Package it in cardboard. Plain, corrugated cardboard is good for packaging because it’s easy to recycle. If plastic factors into your holiday plans, look for No. 1 and No. 2 plastics, the easiest to recycle, says Ben Champion, director of sustainability for Kansas State University.
7. Create precious moments that don’t leave a trail of debris.
Give a gift certificate or donation to an organization meaningful to the recipient in the receiver’s name. Happy holidays to you: No sales tax.
Buy fair-trade, organic, or locally made products, which are often one-of-a-kind and may not need as much packaging and shipping, Champion says.
Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/green-living/eco-friendly-christmas/#ixzz1estO10EG
Monday, November 21, 2011
101 Things I Love about Portland Maine
Sunday, November 20, 2011
101 Things I Love about Portland Maine
200. Simply Divine Brownies in Freeport: All flavors imaginable of rich decadent fudgy brownies! Nuff said....
http://www.simplydivinebrownies.com/
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Portland on Another Best of List: Deering Center Neighborhood
I have always lived in Portland and love the older Victorian homes in Deering Highlands and Center.
Call for more information or to find out what homes are selling for in this area.
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20466773_20916750,00.html
Call for more information or to find out what homes are selling for in this area.
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20466773_20916750,00.html
Friday, November 11, 2011
Energy-Efficient Fireplace Options
Published: September 21, 2010 By: Rich Binsacca
Fireplaces & Chimneys
Energy-efficient fireplaces, both wood-burning and gas, let you enjoy the glow of a fire without letting your home heating energy go up in smoke.Effort: Low 3-4 hours (pro install)
Investment: Low $300-$500 (glass doors installed)
EPA-qualified wood-burning fireplaces regulate how much air is used for combustion, reducing energy use and emissions. Image: Industrial Chimney Company
A traditional wood-burning fireplace adds warmth and romantic ambience to a home’s interior. But most are energy hogs, converting only 15% of wood’s energy into useful heat. Fortunately, new energy-efficient fireplace designs are helping wood-burning fireplaces achieve efficiency ratings of 75% or more. Fireplace inserts and gas fireplaces are even more efficient.
Energy-efficient wood-burning fireplaces
If you’re adding a wood-burning fireplace, avoid the standard design, which sends too much of your home’s heated air up the chimney. Consider these energy-efficient wood-burning fireplaces:
Rumford fireplaces feature a shallow box design that reflects more heat into the room.
EPA-rated fireplaces have good performance and high energy-efficiency ratings. They are designed to pull in outdoor air for combustion, and circulate room air around the firebox to extract as much useable heat as possible. In addition, EPA-approved wood-burning fireplaces produce much less air pollution than standard fireplaces.
Fireplace inserts are sealed metal boxes designed to fit inside masonry fireplace openings. They use outside air for combustion, and are designed to circulate and warm inside air. Inserts burn a variety of biomass fuels, including wood and pellets. Some units are rated at 80% efficiency.
If you already own a standard wood-burning fireplace, make it more energy efficient by installing glass doors. Glass doors limit the amount of room air that is sucked into the fireplace during combustion.
Glass doors work particularly well when a fire is burning down for the night and you must leave the damper open. Otherwise, glass doors block radiant heat; keep them open when your fire is blazing. Expect to pay $300 to $500 for glass doors, installed.
Energy-efficient gas fireplaces
If you want the convenience and low maintenance of a energy-efficient gas fireplace, you have two good options:
Direct-vent gas fireplaces, which use two-way vents that supply outside air for combustion, have energy-efficiency ratings as high as 77%. That’s better than the top gas fireplaces connected to a chimney.
Vent-free gas fireplaces are even more energy-efficient because they don’t send exhaust outside. But they release a lot of moisture into inside indoor air.
Tax credits for fireplaces
Some types of fireplaces qualify for a federal tax credit of up to $300 until the end of 2011. In addition, certain states may provide tax credits for various types of energy-efficiency improvements, including fireplaces.
Rich Binsacca has been writing about housing and home improvement since 1987. He is the author of 12 books on various home-related topics, is currently a contributing editor for Builder and EcoHome magazines, and has written articles to such magazines as Remodeling, Home, and Architectural Record, among several others. He intermittently uses the wood-burning fireplace and the gas-fueled freestanding stove that came with his current home.
Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/fireplaces-chimneys/energy-efficient-fireplaces-wood-burning-gas-burning/#ixzz1dQHHefl0
Fireplaces & Chimneys
Energy-efficient fireplaces, both wood-burning and gas, let you enjoy the glow of a fire without letting your home heating energy go up in smoke.Effort: Low 3-4 hours (pro install)
Investment: Low $300-$500 (glass doors installed)
EPA-qualified wood-burning fireplaces regulate how much air is used for combustion, reducing energy use and emissions. Image: Industrial Chimney Company
A traditional wood-burning fireplace adds warmth and romantic ambience to a home’s interior. But most are energy hogs, converting only 15% of wood’s energy into useful heat. Fortunately, new energy-efficient fireplace designs are helping wood-burning fireplaces achieve efficiency ratings of 75% or more. Fireplace inserts and gas fireplaces are even more efficient.
Energy-efficient wood-burning fireplaces
If you’re adding a wood-burning fireplace, avoid the standard design, which sends too much of your home’s heated air up the chimney. Consider these energy-efficient wood-burning fireplaces:
Rumford fireplaces feature a shallow box design that reflects more heat into the room.
EPA-rated fireplaces have good performance and high energy-efficiency ratings. They are designed to pull in outdoor air for combustion, and circulate room air around the firebox to extract as much useable heat as possible. In addition, EPA-approved wood-burning fireplaces produce much less air pollution than standard fireplaces.
Fireplace inserts are sealed metal boxes designed to fit inside masonry fireplace openings. They use outside air for combustion, and are designed to circulate and warm inside air. Inserts burn a variety of biomass fuels, including wood and pellets. Some units are rated at 80% efficiency.
If you already own a standard wood-burning fireplace, make it more energy efficient by installing glass doors. Glass doors limit the amount of room air that is sucked into the fireplace during combustion.
Glass doors work particularly well when a fire is burning down for the night and you must leave the damper open. Otherwise, glass doors block radiant heat; keep them open when your fire is blazing. Expect to pay $300 to $500 for glass doors, installed.
Energy-efficient gas fireplaces
If you want the convenience and low maintenance of a energy-efficient gas fireplace, you have two good options:
Direct-vent gas fireplaces, which use two-way vents that supply outside air for combustion, have energy-efficiency ratings as high as 77%. That’s better than the top gas fireplaces connected to a chimney.
Vent-free gas fireplaces are even more energy-efficient because they don’t send exhaust outside. But they release a lot of moisture into inside indoor air.
Tax credits for fireplaces
Some types of fireplaces qualify for a federal tax credit of up to $300 until the end of 2011. In addition, certain states may provide tax credits for various types of energy-efficiency improvements, including fireplaces.
Rich Binsacca has been writing about housing and home improvement since 1987. He is the author of 12 books on various home-related topics, is currently a contributing editor for Builder and EcoHome magazines, and has written articles to such magazines as Remodeling, Home, and Architectural Record, among several others. He intermittently uses the wood-burning fireplace and the gas-fueled freestanding stove that came with his current home.
Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/fireplaces-chimneys/energy-efficient-fireplaces-wood-burning-gas-burning/#ixzz1dQHHefl0
Thursday, November 10, 2011
101 Things I Love about Portland Maine
Valet parking, excellent servers, and delicious menu choices. Pricey but worth it!
http://www.clayhillfarm.com/
Monday, November 7, 2011
Wine Happy Hour at The Front Room~~Portland
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Set Clocks Back This Weekend 11/6
This is also a good time to change batteries in alarms and smoke detectors.
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