Today’s Pioneers Giving Up Rustic, Moving To Big Cities
Suburban flight? Well, that might be putting it a bit strongly. But after four decades of decline, American cities are experiencing a surge of reverse migration, the Christian Science Monitor reports. Most of the new urban pioneers are single professionals and empty-nesters trading a lawn for a loft.
Settle in for the winter
Here’s one to sleep on. It’s the new Colors by Aero Vacation Bed that can be used indoors or out. Made of puncture-resistant, mildew-proof, nonallergenic nylon/PVC vinyl (which wipes down for easy cleaning), the inflatable bed has a built-in 9-inch pillow and comes with a matching duffel bag and Aero’s patented rechargeable pump.
Use it at home, in dorm rooms and second homes, at the pool or beach, camping, on bike trips, on boats, in motor homes. It inflates in 60 seconds.
The Vacation Bed is available in an array of colors including cobalt blue, apple green, sunny yellow and red. Silver and orange will be available later.
Suggested retail: $99.99 (twin); $129.99 (full). Available through the J.C. Penney catalog and through Cybershop at www.cybershop.com.
Fan recall
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and 10 retailers are recalling about 780,000 Chinese-made electric fans deemed to be hazards. The fans, which vary in height from 8 to 18 inches, were imported by Envirotech Electric Inc. of Cerritos, Calif., and were sold from January to June for $15 and $35. Call (800) 638-2772 to contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Spotlight on crime
Call it a thief-unfriendly environment. Four California cities have adopted a strategy called Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design to create residential and business areas that deter criminals. The technique uses landscaping, fencing and lighting to deter crime, and is based primarily on the idea that criminals don’t want to be seen, the Orange County Register reports.
A model home
You may not be able to afford an Armani dress, but how about an Armani dish towel? The Italian fashion designer says he will launch a home-furnishings line in 1999. “It won’t be just sheets and dishware, but will include furniture, too,” he says. “It’s a very big project, and a very difficult market.”
Get busy
Before any serious winter weather hits, it’s time to make a house call at your own house.
One of the areas homeowners frequently miss in their inspection is siding. Regardless of the type of siding, the most important aspect of it is its ability to repel water.
For loose or missing caulk, remove the old, clean thoroughly and recaulk.
For loose nails, drive in if possible and use a caulk/sealer over them.
These old houses
Most of us in the West don’t live in 200-year-old houses so browsing a new book called “Country Wisdom” is more about admiring pretty pictures than garnering a sense of place.
That said, “Country Wisdom” ($35, hardcover) is worth looking over while you’re sitting in front of a fire on an autumn eve intending to dream a little. Most of the photos are of aged but well-preserved/restored farmhouses in the Northeast. The wisdom, well, relates to those farmhouses. And that’s where it diverges from our reality in terms of living in the country.
There is a short, amusing chapter on weather, another on grave humor (as in graveyards), and a couple on barns. As a coffeetable book, “Country Wisdom” (ISBN 0-395-77189-7) will do the job; as a source of useful advice (i.e. wisdom), look elsewhere.