A Visit to the Emerald City

No, I didn’t follow the yellow brick road, but I did take advantage of the long President’s Day weekend to fly out to Seattle to surprise a dear friend for her birthday.  Total success, by the way, complete with shrieking and jumping up and down! 

We spent a wonderful sunny day (no rain the entirety of the trip!) walking about downtown before heading north for the remainder of my stay.  Strolling about under bright blue skies, I spotted clear signs of spring sprouting from the ground that rid me of my New England winter blues. 

I’ve always enjoyed my visits to the Pacific Northwest and have marveled at their commitment to green initiatives.  Sure, the moisture-heavy climate is perfect for plant growth and the landscape is breathtaking, but even the cities are “green.”  Take this building for example.  Overlooking Pike Place Market and Puget Sound, it hosts gardens on every patio level.  I also saw a parking garage with a full-scale rooftop park, complete with lawns and gardens.  Even City Hall sports a green roof.  These are only a few examples of many. 

The Northeast is also, albeit more slowly, shifting focus to more sustainable building projects like green roofs and walls.  If designed correctly, these elements are not harmful to the architecture, are low maintenance, and require minimal water.

Green Roofs:

• reduce storm water runoff
• filter pollutants
• improve air quality
• help offset carbon footprint
• can act as a sound proofing barrier
• protect and increase the lifespan of the roof surface
• insulate and cool buildings (reducing utility costs)
• create habitat for birds and insects
  

Green Walls:

• clean outside air of pollutants and offset carbon footprint
• clean interior air space by removing harmful toxins   
• can act as a sound proofing barrier
• insulate and cool buildings

They are also really pleasing to look at!

There aren’t too many examples of these projects springing up in New England, but if you are ever you can find yourself in Portsmouth, walk by Cava Tapas and Wine Bar on Commercial Alley.  Unveiled this past September, a large, multi-piece garden wall hangs beside their patio seating.

Here’s to thinking green on a dreary day like today!

We’ve got that lovin’ feeling

 

Google Joins the Wedding Biz

 

Google has been improving the organizational skills of the masses for years now and as of yesterday they have cannon-balled into the wedding planning pond as well.  The Google Blog (yes, powered by Blogger) rolled out new services for the frazzled bride: Wedding webpage templates, photo editing & design templates, specialized Google Docs for budgets and such, as well as Picasa web albums.

The design options are not extensive, but the other tools may be handy, especially for all those existing Googlephiles.  So go forth and oogle over Google’s newest venture: www.google.com/weddings.

Wedding Revisited – Trish & Adam

It’s overcast and rainy (or snowy, depending on where you are), so what better way to spend a few minutes this afternoon than to gaze at these beauties from Joanna Puza?  Jo shot some fantastic images for Trish & Adam’s wedding this past October.  You may remember that my original post about these two lovebirds include a peek at the adorable calves on their working farm.  Too cute!

I may be a bit biased, but I was completely in love with Trish’s bouquet!

Loved the shots on the farm

 

Be sure to check out Joanna’s webpage (http://jpuzaphoto.com) for more photos in her wedding gallery.  Also, if you are ever wandering about the downtown Concord, NH area, she’s recently set up shop in 9 Pleasant Street.  Stop in to see the new client lounge and studio space!

Déjà vu

Punxsutawney Phil has made everyone very happy by declaring that our shivering and shoveling days will soon be over.  I decided to watch all the pomp and circumstance around the little guy’s decision (video here) and I’m not sure if the all-knowing rodent is on the up and up.

The poor thing gets tugged out from his artificial stump and plopped into the Inner Circle (their language, not mine) of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club up on Gobbler’s Knob.  People are shouting and waving signs and it looked to me that the furry Seer of Spring was trying to make a break for it, away from the top-hatted groundhog enthusiasts.  The president of the Club then proceeded to converse with Phil in “Groundhogese" to determine our wintery fate.  Personally, I think that Phil mutters something like “Bugger off” and asks to be put back in his borough. Let’s give the poor creature a break.  It’s a lot of pressure to put on a groundhog who didn’t apply for the gig (I bet he didn’t go to meteorology school either). 

Either way it turns out, we know Spring will come at some point, even as storm after storm buries our good spirits under the heavy snow banks.  But as our collective patience wanes thin, take solace in the fact that tulips, much like this one, will begin to push their cheery heads through the slush as the Earth enters its next season.  So, just a bit more patience, my fellow New Englanders, we will be complaining about the unbearable muggy days of Summer in no time.

Build a little love this Valentine’s Day…

Create your own armful of happiness or swing by to pick up a premade bouquet for your sweetie this Valentine’s Day!