Butcher block countertop available

It's just not that well thought out an idea. The question of what happens in the winter is valid. There are plenty of attractive, evergreen, low maintenance plants that could be used that would enhance the area year-round. Corn is not that attractive (sorry, just because it's green doesn't make it pretty) and it's not hardy. It also needs to be grown in much larger masses to pollinate properly and get a decent number of ears on it. Not that you'd eat it due to the toxins. Also needs a fair bit of water- and tree pits tend to dry out without a little bit of help.

I have a theory that the choice of corn is part of the "artistic statement" of juxtaposing something rural with city streets but it's really a one trick pony and not going to be an enhancement at all times and really ugly if no one bothers with watering.

Posted by: kensington gal at October 8, 2009 11:38 AM in response to Corn Porn in BoCoCa

We have similar problem and were told sistering the joists in our case would be OK. But, I'm sure OP would still love a name to do that actual work because I know I would. Thanks!

Posted by: kensington gal at October 1, 2009 3:48 PM in response to Basement Structural Work

I second that. I live next to an intermediate school and I would never buy a house this close to a school again. henrycurtis is right - Picking up the garbage, soda bottles and snack food bags is a full time job and all the neighbors here have found kids up on their porch at least once. We've has stuff thrown at the house and kids climbing all over our fence to access the roof terraces of the apartment building next door and our backyard shed broken into shortly after dismissal time.

On a positive note, the principal here is not the same as the one that was in place when we first moved in 6 years ago and things have definitely improved as far as getting the kids out of here at dismissal time. He deserves props for that. But I'd still never buy here again because of the garbage alone. It's a real PITA.

Posted by: kensington gal at September 22, 2009 1:41 PM in response to Living Across from High School

It's actually a Callery Pear, not Calgary. That species of tree is not supposed to be hardy enough to survive Calgary let alone be named in reference to it.

Posted by: kensington gal at September 15, 2009 3:41 PM in response to House of the Day: 434 4th Street

I second what tyburg says. The point of digging down the 10 inches as Juno suggests is to create a stable base for the bricks with the aggregate (stones) and sand. If your existing concrete is fairly even, it already creates that base but you will need the sand to sweep in the joints of the brick or pavers. The layer of sand between depends on your concrete's condition. If it's in great shape, you may not need it. You can see a job of pavers being laid over concrete on the Greenwood Heights reno on the Brownstoner site in the entry titled:

Stone and gravel galore: days five and six.

Laying pavers is really easy- it's just heavy work. Wear gloves- it really roughs up the hands. My husband and I have done it a few times. Having the concrete base will make the job go way faster than dealing with the stone base. The one drawback is that it's not permeable and the stone base is much more so. It does help with runoff. As far as getting rid of some of the concrete for planting areas, you can rent a concrete saw to cut the shape for the beds and a jackhammer to break up the concrete you don't want. Just know that cutting curves with a concrete saw is difficult.

Diana
Fun City Design

Posted by: kensington gal at September 8, 2009 3:51 PM in response to How to Brick a Patio?

There's a couple coop buildings closer to Cortelyou around e7th and e8th that I'd consider before this one for no other reason than to be almost the same distance from the F and the Q, just for the choice. The Q has been the better of the 2 trains, in my experience, and the walk home from the Q train along Cortelyou. And you would be stumbling distance from Sycamore...

Posted by: kensington gal at August 19, 2009 3:02 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 414 Albemarle Road, #6D

It really is NOT a myth that cats hold their territory. I think it depends on the cat (s) but I have one core feral in the backyard that the neighbors had TNR'd well over a year ago. He allows one other TNR cat in the yard that was part of the neighbor's original trapping effort and that's it. This is down from numerous cats in the yard and kittens born under our shed 1-2x per year. He really does chase the others out. Seen him do it many times and he's quite aggressive about it. We've also received numerous dead mouse 'presents' on the stoop so I know he's hard at work. He's friendly enough to put flea stuff on him and he likes our dogs, so I can honestly recommend the whole TNR thing.

Posted by: kensington gal at July 7, 2009 12:01 PM in response to Feral Cats—Help!

Thanks for the kind words, Denton.

I am Diana at Fun City Design. Just to clarify, I base my pricing on an hourly rate and do my proposals based on what the individual job requires. The <$500 that Denton quoted is a little bit misleading only because he uses the word 'plans'. These were not fully articulated CAD plans with accurate measurements and dimensions indicated or full planting plans. What we worked on together was really just the very initial phase of a full project, just the rough, hand done concept sketches with verbal suggestions for materials, etc. to explore ideas because he is not ready to start his project in full. And pricing will always depend on what each client needs for their particular project so it's really hard to ballpark without knowing the details. I am always happy to discuss anyone's needs and answer any questions to that effect.

funcitydesign.com

Posted by: kensington gal at June 16, 2009 2:39 PM in response to Backyard designer

The guy in the article lives in Kensington, so not necessarily in an area known to have problems. But high levels could be due to coal ash which would be common everywhere that used coal for heat. I am not as wigged out about lead as others may be since I've probably been exposed to a lot of things I'm unaware of and I'm pretty darn healthy. The great gardening reality is that the areas around all of our houses used fill on site which has a great deal of clay in it. Clay is not that great for growing the vegees (and a lot of other things) anyway and top soil and compost would improve the vigor of anything you chose to grow. Raised beds would solve the need for good drainage that is a problem in clay soil. So, for the sake of getting the best vegetables in the smallest space, raised beds are the way to go no matter what your worries about soil may be.

Posted by: kensington gal at May 14, 2009 3:55 PM in response to Brooklyn Ground Zero for Lead Soil Problems

rob, bxgrl-

I'm looking for a vet, too. We use Cobble Hill but the original vet, Dr. Maddox, sold the business and I'm not sure I'm loving the new guy that bought it. Let's just say the bedside manner could use a bit of work. Dr. Maddox used to take his time to explain things and really make recommendations that made sense for everyone. He was of the mindset that there was no sense paying for an expensive procedure if the dog didn't have long to live and was honest in helping you gauge things like that. The new Doc tells you a list of all the things you can do and doesn't make strong recommendations about the truly best course of action would be in his opinion. We have to ask a lot more questions to get any answers.

Just figured I'd let you know before Rob checked him out or bxgrl decided to take pets back to him.

Posted by: kensington gal at May 12, 2009 11:48 AM in response to Open Thread

I've done the tour 3 times and the bulk of the houses were not for sale. There was 2-3 out of 15 or so houses on the market each year, but definitely not the majority.

Posted by: kensington gal at April 30, 2009 12:39 PM in response to Victorian Flatbush House Tour in Jeopardy!

oblinax: There is a 6' height limit on fencing in 1-2 family residential areas. Anything else would require a permit. I don't know the exact reason but that may be due to the fact that it would harder to escape your backyard in case of fire. And anything higher would infringe on the neighbor's light and air.

Running Bamboo can be contained in root barriers but must be maintained as it gets full and new shoots removed to prevent the jump over the barrier. The reason why it's more rampant in the south is that it likes the conditions much better-winter's less harsh and so it has more rapid growth and very little die back. Clumping bamboo varieties don't spread as much, but aren't as hardy and don't get as tall.

IMBY- I would seriously give some thought on the light and air flow issues involved with erecting a 20' "wall of vines", as others pointed out. You might end up with something unsightly, brownish and sparse in winter while blocking light and breezes of your non developer neighbors.

Most evergreens are notoriously slow growers and need full sun. With the nearby large building, do you have sun enough for that?

Diana
Fun City Design

Posted by: kensington gal at April 23, 2009 4:55 PM in response to twenty foot tall fence?

Petunia and vinca are right- sometimes plants don't make it and the variables are great. What is under watering to some plants is too much for others. The fact that this winter was harsher and colder than most also makes it tougher for plants in containers. They are at much higher risk of just not making it. I gardened on a roof for 14 years and I lost some things that I had had for many years after a particularly tough winter. Could also depend when you planted them- woody shrubs planted later in the season have less established roots.

You really do have to water a transplant more than an established plant but none of us here can know whether your pot was draining right. The plant could look perfectly fine all season with the water it got, but never had enough water to get a great root system or so much that the roots were starting to rot a bit but not that apparent in the growth of the plant. Rhodies like an acidic soil and don't like their roots too deeply covered. Some are a bit less hardy than others in this area, would do reliably well in the ground but might be a bit touchy their first winter in a pot where the conditions are harsher than in regular the ground.

I know some landscapers that will guarantee their plants, but not if they're not the ones installing it. Some garden places will guarantee but will definitely grill you a bit on the return. The box stores kill so much of their own stock through lack of watering that they better offer a guarantee because half the time the stuff there is already a bit stressed when you buy it. Mail order usually guarantees because they sell much smaller plants and know that because they ship, there is the higher risk that bad things happen.

I've got a really good track record but plants have died on me from all sources when I've done everything the plant is supposed to require. I've been gardening for 20 years and have studied at the NYBG- sometimes things happen. Liberty should try to offer you something for customer service sake but not necessarily a replacement if that's not their policy.

Diana
Fun City Design

Posted by: kensington gal at April 10, 2009 1:20 PM in response to My Plants Are Dead

I've actually gone to the DOB during one of those Open House nights and asked this question before we put our fence in. We were told: The fence can be no higher than 6 feet, doesn't require a permit and belongs to and is the responsibility of the person whose lot it sits on. If it straddles the line, both parties share responsibility. I would assume especially in the cases where the fence is old and no one remembers who put it in. If a neighbor did put one on your property, then that's a whole other kettle of fish. Your title may tell you where the fence sits- ours did. In reality, if we all were so dependent on our neighbors choice to right or left, no one would be able to have a uniform fence. That may have been custom, but is not code.

The fence/retaining wall code in vinca's post may refer to instances where the retaining wall would make the grade change high enough to warrant a fence for safety according to code. Something like the reasoning for a deck railing even if the deck is only a few feet high. I believe this is why in the title of the article in the code the fence is referred to as a "protection fence" and only later refers to it as a partition fence, which it still is. You can see numerous examples of protection fences on retaining walls in her link to retaining walls.

However, the code that vinca links to about protection fences has been revised as of 7/08. If you go to that link, all the text has a strikethrough and tells you to refer to the revised code. Not sure what the new code is on that, but the DOB guy told us you are responsible for anything on your lot. Not that they've always been right.

Posted by: kensington gal at April 10, 2009 12:13 PM in response to Backyard Fence Question

You would be wise to wait until at least April 15, which is the frost date in this area. Planting small plants before that date may result in transplant shock as the nights are still too chilly for plants that were probably grown in a greenhouse or down south. Nurseries at this point really don't have a lot of stock in yet to choose from, either.

I agree with eman and vinca- those nurseries are nice. If you have a car or a friend with one, check out these:

Tony's in Westchester (Scarsdale, I think). Large selection, plants in good shape.

Sprainbrook: http://www.sprainbrook.com/ Large selection. Plant stock kept in excellent shape. Some unusual and difficult to find things.

Martin Viette : http://www.martinviette.com/ Some real specialty items here. Helpful staff. Not cheap but they often have things I don't see elsewhere.

As far as the ground cover as lawn, you can do it but you really can't have kids or dogs running back and forth on it often or before it's really established. It does tend to work out better if you have stepping stones or a clear path to take the bulk of the foot traffic. Most of the "stepable" ground covers will not hold up as well as grass because they don't have roots that form that tenacious mat like grass does so having kids running on it and serious back and forth foot traffic would have to be a relatively occasional thing.

Posted by: kensington gal at March 23, 2009 8:13 PM in response to Ground cover for shady backyard

I am the garden designer featured in the Greenwood Heights garden reno featured on Brownstoner that Action Jackson gives a link for. I don't install but rather provide plans for the home owner to follow with whatever contractor they choose. Having a plan lets you do the garden over a few years, if necessary and as money permits. I happily consult about nurseries, plant selection and how to plant with those who wish to do some or all of the work themselves.

As a rough guide, last year one of the contractors I've used quoted $16/sq ft for pavers laid out on a concrete base. (You can find someone to do that for less if not with a concrete base) Obviously, if you do the work, rent any equipment, and handle getting all the materials, you can save money but it is a job- a heavy, sweaty one.

You can view my website and get contact info at www.funcitydesign.com

Diana

Posted by: kensington gal at March 23, 2009 2:51 PM in response to How Much to Create a Garden?

I wasn't suggesting the OP put something up to tick off the neighbors. Sounds like OP's neighbors are tired of looking at a busted down fence. Vinca, I'm not you-I want to look at what I want in my backyard and one of those things is not the neighbors rusty chain link, arbor or not. That also includes the piles of plastic kid stuff and the giant pit bulls. I'm not into telling them how to live-they're free to do as they wish and I'm happy for them. Since many people today don't consider what they neighbors have to look at in their yard, I chose not to look at it. For some a garden is a sanctuary and it's a way to have your own small space. And my garden's doing plenty fine with our privacy fence. It's been garden of the day. It'll be more impacted by the giant building just erected next door, not a fence that conforms to DOB code. As much as a little more air flow might be nice, it's nicer not staring at the cars that will be parked next to my lot. There is no one "best solution".

My neighbors in back thanked us for the privacy fence we put in to replace the broken down one we inherited because it was a nice quality cedar and they got the benefits of something more attractive without paying for it. All I'm saying is if the OP's neighbors are insisting that the fence be fixed but won't pay for it, then OP gets to be the one to decide what he wants as a fence. Their attitude doesn't sound like they are interested in meeting in the middle.

Posted by: kensington gal at March 19, 2009 4:39 PM in response to Is this my fence???

I think that if you do put a new fence in, the goal would be to pick out what you really want to look at for the next bunch of years. That and I would question whether you'll want to see your neighbors pit bulls through chain-link, barking and drooling while you grill out on the patio.

If you are paying for it, it would be better for you to make sure that it is on your side of the property line, esp if you get something nice looking. If it straddles the line, your neighbors can complain about your choices and if you end up getting something nice, paint their side some god awful color if they wish. That doesn't sound like a big deal but the easiest way to maintain a fence without having to spend time in the neighbor's yard is to re-stain your side and then remove the panel, flop it, rehang and re-stain the second side. You won't want to deal with their paint job if all you wanted was a stained fence. Just a thought...

Posted by: kensington gal at March 19, 2009 1:56 PM in response to Is this my fence???

Simple park for humans? Humans play volleyball. Lots of them and in a city with a real lack of places to play.

I'm looking forward to the volleyball courts. There is a seriously large and dedicated group of volleyball enthusiasts in the city, with at least 2 separate well attended indoor leagues with thousands of participants. Many of those also travel great distances to play outdoors. Many players used their hard earned cash to rent court time on the Pier in Manhattan near the mini golf when that was open because of the lack of available free facilities. Those are now gone. If the park chose to allow a group to rent the courts for a day tournament or party on occasion, the courts could pay for themselves.

There are very few places the Parks Dept will let you set up a net and generally speaking those areas in Central Park are devoid of grass and dangerous to play on. Plus, permits are technically required whether or not the rangers bust you on it. And they will if you've got too many nets or a large enough group playing. Softball and baseball dominate CP and PP, and the courts in CP have hours of wait time to play. So, there's a need. A few courts won't hurt the park and I think you'll be surprised at how high the level of usage will be.

Posted by: kensington gal at March 18, 2009 1:03 PM in response to Wednesday Links

Oh, besides getting the insurance and indemity, it may also be in your best interest to make sure any scaffolding or catch platforms have the proper plans/permits. I know the catch platforms used in our case didn't the proper plans filed and they collapsed on our house. I had even had the DOB out to check on that but the guy never checked to see if the plans were on file or that what they were doing was legal. DOB said they looked "safe enough" but the platforms filled with hundreds of pounds of mortar collapsed 2 weeks later. Cover your a** is all I can say.

Posted by: kensington gal at February 19, 2009 2:00 PM in response to Help with developer's scaffold

Nesdus and jfss are right. They need to ask permission and you should work out some terms for you and your property's protection ahead of time.

What some here seem to think is that this is something between neighbors while the OP clearly stated it was a developer doing the work. I can definitely tell you that a developer is NOT a neighbor and that there's nothing neighborly about them. They do not work with the best interests of their building sites neighbors or the communities at all. They don't tend to live in your neighborhood and know they'll never see you again when the job is done so they have a lot less reason to be considerate. Their only concern is to get their job done at the cheapest cost and leave their, in some cases poorly built, creation as quickly as possible. If that's at the expense of the neighbors in terms of damages incurred, so be it. They'll make you spend your money to recoup damages unless you spend the time now to set up terms about all that upfront. That and you may have the DOB giving you a summons for "failure to maintain" once your property is damaged.

I had over 20K worth of damages incurred by the developer next door so I do have a pretty good idea of how it works. We wish we had been way more clear with them in the beginning and set terms up establishing even better protection for our property. Our neighbors to the other side chose not to deal with the developer but rather the project owner and they are still fighting over damages.

Posted by: kensington gal at February 19, 2009 1:53 PM in response to Help with developer's scaffold

There are pics. If you click the link that says "6 floorplans available" it takes you to a page of floorplans with links for each unit that have pics. But, yeah, finishes are cheap, fugly and odd because of the mix of style. They are pretty anemic looking.

Posted by: kensington gal at January 14, 2009 11:37 AM in response to 228 16th Street Hits the Market

To anyone interested, we just sold it. Thanks to the Brownstoner forum folks.

Posted by: kensington gal at December 30, 2008 9:38 PM in response to Butcher block countertop available

311 can only help you if the tree is a street tree. If the tree is in your yard, you and the neighbor need to contact an arborist. I would obviously make sure it is indeed the tree causing the foundation problems so you'll have to work out whom to call with your neighbor. An engineer may be necessary to determine that kind of damage. An arborist can tell you if your tree species is the type to cause problems. If it is causing problems then you probably are responsible for the cost and some trees can definitely cause those kind of serious problems. I've seen bowed foundation walls and roots in the basement, so it is possible.

I have said this on the forum before and I'll say it again: Many trees that were planted all those years ago, though beautiful, were NOT good choices to plant. I've had arborists tell me that there are common street trees varieties that never should have been widely used and are a constant source of trouble and damage. There were less varieties back then and a lot less thought as to what the tree would become. They were often planted too close to homes, are notoriously weak limbed, disease prone or were varieties with an aggressive root system. Some can be root pruned periodically and some don't tolerate that well at all. Unfortunately, not every tree is appropriate for the site it is in and you can't expect your neighbor to have his foundation compromised to save the tree if root pruning won't work in this case.

Trees are fairly tolerant. You'll probably come to a good solution, but if proper action to prevent damage to the foundation will badly compromise the tree you will have to talk to the arborist about more suitable replacements. I am in favor of doing what you reasonably can to save the tree and you need to explore all the options with an expert. But you may need to accept that the tree may actually be inappropriately sited.

Posted by: kensington gal at December 1, 2008 11:43 AM in response to Tree roots crossing boundaries

I had plenty of acorns from the neighbor's tree. Couldn't tell you if there were less than last year but probably since I thought last year was a bumper crop. Don't worry about the squirrels. There's enough garbage in NYC to keep them going. They are pretty resourceful.

Posted by: kensington gal at December 1, 2008 11:11 AM in response to Have you seen any acorns?

Raccoons are not any more dangerous than any other wild animal, cute as they are. For the most part, they'll amble off when they see you. Raccoons, while not exactly shy, will usually walk away or climb a tree unless they've been fed by some well-meaning idiot and associate humans with food. The park is loaded with them, as is GreenWood due to ample places to nest and a great food supply.

The ones to be concerned about are ones that act aggressive, confused, unsteady or way too interested in approaching you or other danger. That could be an indicator of rabies. They also can carry canine distemper and roundworm. Their poop can spread roundworm eggs in the soil so if you've seen them around, wear gloves while gardening (probably a good idea, anyway.) Keep pets away from them because they can get pissy with other animals.

They like to nest in chimneys and under porches and are hard to remove when they've got a nest started- a job for a professional only. Those claws are long and the rabies factor should dissuade you from live trapping them on your own and releasing them elsewhere. They are also not kind to gardens. They'll dig up stuff-bulbs, your lawn looking for grubs and they'll also steal any vegetables you grow. Don't leave your garbage open or leave pet food out after dark. this encourages them. It's not legal to just lay out poison (poisoning wildlife in NY is illegal) so a live and let live policy( with some steps of discouragement) is best.

Posted by: kensington gal at November 14, 2008 11:35 AM in response to Raccoons Take Clinton Hill

It depends on the company you go with. The more reputable ones like Wayside and White Flower Farm ship quality stuff but aren't the cheapest way to go. Great stuff and, often not seen at nurseries. I've had good luck with those two and Bluestone perennials. The cheap guys online often have small or poor quality merchandise. You can see reviews of online sellers at http://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/.

I go outside the city for my shopping: Try Sprainbrook and Tony's in Westchester and Hicks, Atlantic, and if you really want specialty (but not cheap) try Martin Viette on Long Island. The online stuff seems cheap but when you throw in the shipping on your various items, sometimes it's comparable to just making one trip to a really good place. You will get smaller plants online that need a bit more TLC so it depends on whether you are willing to baby things.

Posted by: kensington gal at September 30, 2008 2:49 PM in response to Buying Outdoor Plants Online

bmfesq,
Having been through the experience of a giant condo going up next to my small frame house and dealing with developer promises, I can tell you it's not the same as a neighbor patching their roof. Despite clear instructions to stay the hell off my property and promises that they would not need to be on our lot at all, I've found workers there stealing water from my tap, jackhammering into my cement walkway, tossing their lunch garbage into my yard, working after hours, doing illegal asbestos abatement and demo. All of this for the last 2 years- 2 summers of not being able to enjoy the yard that we bought the house for. All that in addition to the bigger issue of shoddy construction practices that led to damage to our roof, siding and entire patio. Then came the scaffolding in my yard for months rather than the 3 weeks as promised.

When it was all happening, all we heard was "we'll pay for it, no problem" but when the time came to fork over the money there was great discussion as to what would actually be paid for. And yeah, after all that BS, why would I rip up my entire patio and half my siding to replace it with something I wasn't keen on just because that was there before. Those are the kind of jobs you only want to do once, so if the yard was going to be ripped up, I better like what's going back in. In the case of the siding, they couldn't have patched it if they wanted to and been able to match the color.

He paid for replacement, and like tikihouse, we paid for some upgrades but you have to consider the fact that it didn't need to be done originally and it was money we wouldn't have spent just then. These were not priority items before they became damaged. Not to mention time taken from work to interview and oversee numerous contractors and time spent having to do demo to cover costs not paid for in settlement. In all, we wound up on the short end by 4K and had to do some things ourselves which is not the way most people choose to spend their hard earned vacation time. I'm not getting compensated for that. The money it would have cost me in lawyer fees to draft an agreement with the developer or fight him in court would have been more than the difference in what we wanted and what we got so that line of attack would have been pointless.

It's not a fun thing to have your property damaged. A little more care while working and less haggling over the money would've been just good business practice but many of these guys operate on the principle that they can do whatever they want and wear you down in haggling later. At the end of all of it, you do walk away with the feeling you should be getting a little something out of this because of the endless hassle.

Posted by: kensington gal at September 18, 2008 10:49 AM in response to Messing with the bull, get ready for the horns!

I live a block away and I would say that block definitely has a lot of kids but is pretty quiet at night. Don't know anything about shady folks- not sure how you are defining that but I've never had any problems walking that block. I know what you mean by the housing but that's Kensington in general. All the blocks are either hit or miss, some tidy some not. Definitely makes a difference owners vs renters as renters do not tidy up and small rental properties are not cared for as well as owner occupied. But that's kind of the way it is all over.

Neighborhood has definitely gotten better in last 5 years and that end of Kensington has proven to be a bit more convenient for us with proximity to the amenities across CIA, the Q train and express bus. Not having to rely only on the F is a good thing.

Posted by: kensington gal at September 9, 2008 11:00 AM in response to East 9th b/w Ave C and Cortelyou Rd?

No offense taken, I haz TWO toilets. I hear you- Kensington for us was the place we could stay in the city and get the house we always wanted while trying to keep the commute time down to under 40 minutes (express bus). We figured on having so little left over after buying the house that we wouldn't be eating out much anyway, which has come to pass. It has it's own charms and pluses but as for the amenities, there are days I think I might as well be in Buffalo. But I do have to say it has gotten a little more lively here. I'm fortunate to live on the east side of K, closer to the Q train and the restaurants and stuff on Cortelyou so I get to glom off another neighborhood's niceties.

Posted by: kensington gal at August 27, 2008 12:27 PM in response to Can't Cut It In Brooklyn? Try Buffalo.

I know two teachers that just moved to Buffalo and got a huge house in the best section of the city for less than $300K- loaded with details, recent upgrades, etc. Some of the houses in Parkside are truly amazing. I grew up outside of Buffalo and I miss some parts of it but not others. My bro moved to the above mentioned East Aurora a couple years ago and he would've had to get an advocate or a lawyer to get the same level of education in the NYC school system for his autistic son that was readily available for free there. It was such a fight with bureaucracy here but very easy there.

It all depends on what you are looking for- if you follow the advice of others here it's better to stay in NYC but move farther out. Well, you don't necessarily get the restaurants and amenities there either. Since I left the Buffalo area, I've seen a ton of changes for the better but I don't think it will ever be what we consider a world class city. A lot of people would trade world class for a life with less struggle if you can get a job you like well enough. The thought of dealing with a lot less BS just to get to work in the morning is sometimes appealing.

By the way, Buffalo has a lot less snow than it ever did when I was a kid and it rarely shuts the place down. And 11214, the BarBill is the best for the Beef on Weck, which I miss most. I get some every time I'm home.

Posted by: kensington gal at August 26, 2008 4:39 PM in response to Can't Cut It In Brooklyn? Try Buffalo.

There is also the Old Brick Cafe- a place run by folks from Montenegro (former Yugoslavia). The food is good and the people are nice. Some really good stew- type dishes. It's on E. 5th and Church. That stretch of Church is a little lacking. I live closer to CIA and Ditmas so we eat at the Cortelyou road places and some of the Pakistani places on CIA. Medina has good food.

Posted by: kensington gal at August 25, 2008 10:42 AM in response to Kensington

Our neighbor used Family Tree Service to cut down a very large tree. Since it was partially on our property, we had to deal with them as well. They were courteous and professional and did a good job of getting it out and cleaning up. They were charging $2500, I think, plus whatever for stump removal. Not sure about $$ because I wasn't the one hiring them.

As to the folks calling the OP an "idiot", unless you know the circumstances for wanting the tree removal, you really don't need to comment on the validity of it. I spoke to the tree guy the neighbors used (and I've completed the landscape design program at NYBG so I'm a little knowledgable) and he told us that a great number of trees in Brooklyn were nearing the end of their life span, hastened by years of owner neglect. They were also planted at a time when little thought was given to the size the mature tree would be. Back in those days tree species were planted that would never be recommended now due to size, tendency for weak limbs, invasive roots, etc. Getting rid of a tree that endangers your house or sewer or cannot be anything other than ratty looking due to years of neglect and disease is not a crime. And evergreens can look very misshapen and sparse if not cared for over the years. They don't regenerate growth like some deciduous trees. Their needles really require constant cleaning out of gutters. He could be surrounded by neighbors with trees, that when added to his own, completely block all light. For all we know, the OP could be planning to plant a more size appropriate tree that will be safer for his property, more attractive and give them more of the light he wants to enjoy HIS backyard. His right and depending on circumstances, could be the smartest thing to do.

I hope OP talks to whatever arborist he chooses and gets a recommendation for a new, more appropriate tree as a replacement. It would a greener, more neighborhood friendly thing to do and add value to his property, but it is HIS choice. I wouldn't be all that keen on a backyard completely in shade because some well meaning but unknowing person 50 years ago made a really stupid choice in tree species. Calling the OP names is rude.

Posted by: kensington gal at August 5, 2008 10:23 AM in response to Tree removal

The sprinkler is called a Water Scarecrow and it does work, on both squirrels and cats. We used to have 5-10 cats roaming through the yard on a regular basis. We put ours in a pot and move it around the yard. It does have a range and if you move it, the animals will never know where they will get sprayed. Of course that means you'll forget where you put and will get nailed, too.

On the other hand, our neighbors trapped 7 cats and had them neutered. One seemed to pick our yard as home and seemed amenable to the idea of being tamed. We provide some food, he "hold his territory" and keeps other cats out. We have had so few squirrels this year digging in the yard we have not used the water thing. He has left us presents in the form of mice and birds and seems always ready to stalk something. I put Repel down around areas I really don't want him to dig in. So, no pests, only 1 cat and a lot less yowling at night. Not a bad trade off.

Posted by: kensington gal at July 21, 2008 3:37 PM in response to Wood fence

Here's a link to a review of that nursery on the Dave's Garden website.
http://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/c/1707/

Dave's Garden is a great site-reviews thousands of mail order plant places. What I can't figure out from the Greenwood site is whether they ship bareroot trees or container. I'd wait until spring to plant bareroot.

Also check out Sprainbrook Nursery in Westchester. Great selection of trees, better prices than Chelsea. We bought a flowering plum there and it is doing very well. Also consider getting a "treegator"- one of those green plastic bags you see around some newly planted street trees. You fill it once or twice a week for recent transplants and it really ensures adequate water. Easier than standing and watering and it lets the water out very slowly so the ground can absorb it all. That's something that's hard and time consuming to do with a hose. New trees really must be watered regularly if you want them to do well.

Posted by: kensington gal at July 17, 2008 10:23 AM in response to Brooklyn tree nursery

Answers to questions:
- Ground cover is creeping phlox "Emerald Blue" and "Candy Stripe" and the white is Candytuft (Iberis).

-Not sure what rose you are referring to since the pics here only have a shrub rose but the flicker pics have a far away shot of a hybrid rose and a climber that's not in bloom. The pink shrub rose is "Baby Blanket", the climber on Flickr is "New Dawn" and the hybrid rose is a mystery. The previous owner of the house said she bought it at the supermarket. We also have a "Coral Dawn" climber in the front that can't be seen. I know that there are more disease free roses than what we have as these are older varietals, but we chose these because they DIDN'T have their thorns diminished through breeding. We were looking for a deterrent for kids climbing on our fence and these act as nature's razor wire.

Posted by: kensington gal at July 8, 2008 11:15 AM in response to Garden of the Day: Kensington DIY, Four Years On

Thanks for the kind words. The pergola is our fave thing and was also pretty much one of our 'vacations'. Instead of a slide show, we just walk people around the yard.

11:40- it is wider than 20'. We have a detached house on a 30' lot so definitely get a little extra room that way. We have a 100' lot and the house is around 35' so the depth is whatever is left, minus the front yard. The little blue flowers are lobelia that we planted that year to fill in a little as the daylillies grew in better.

Action- we definitely wanted to break up the space to create a more private area and keep the area by the house for dining because it's pretty shady and cool there at lunch and dinner. We did it for visual interest as well- I like not being able to see the whole yard at once and giving a visual reason to walk through the whole space.

Posted by: kensington gal at July 3, 2008 1:26 PM in response to Garden of the Day: Kensington DIY, Four Years On

Actually just signed up on the other board. Been a part of this one for awhile. Forgive the copy/paste.

Posted by: kensington gal at June 30, 2008 8:41 PM in response to WANTED: Backyard landscape design on a budget

Hi- I'm a graphic designer too but I've taken enough classes to have certification at NYBG in landscape design. Not currently practicing in that field but would love to build my portfolio so I can someday. Maybe I can help you out in some capacity- advice, whatever. Could work into a mutually beneficial kind of thing. I'm kind of near your 'hood. Just signed up here and am waiting for my confirmation info from this message board. I'll PM you when I get the ok to sign in if you want.

Pics of my own garden are up on my husband's Flickr account if you want to look in the meantime. Similar story as you- lots of concrete, some plants of the hosta persuasion, garden shed, etc. We did it all ourselves and it's a work in progress (the concrete will be replaced this summer) so it is possible :) The link should take you to our best of with some before and after thrown in.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/finsterbaby/sets/72157605911035291/

Posted by: kensington gal at June 30, 2008 8:33 PM in response to WANTED: Backyard landscape design on a budget

Sorry, no sympathy. I have construction next door to me and the little things can end up being huge. Case in point: Developer next door had installed catch platforms at each story to the side of the building to catch debris and mortar instead of installing scaffolding, which he never offered to do despite mortar splatter all over my house and property. I had to call the DOB after numerous calls to the developer about some bricks and a lot of mortar continuing to rain into my yard and the platforms starting to bow quite a bit. Back when the DOB seemed to let the little things go, the inspector came out and pronounced that the platforms were fine, falling bricks and debris was to be expected. Also said that though he didn't measure, he "didn't think the area between my house and the site was wide enough for scaffolding" or that he could do anything about the builder jackhammering huge holes into my walkway cement on my property.

Guess what? A few weeks later, the catch platforms at the top collapsed, taking each platform at all floors down with it. Hundreds of pounds of mortar and 4x8 sheets of plywood on my house, damaging siding, walkway, roof, gutters etc not to mention that someone could have been KILLED.

The kicker: Developer never had required permits for those catch platforms and they were improperly built. If the DOB was being a little more stringent about the "small things" that would've been caught and accident prevented. Scaffolding in the "too narrow" area miraculously was able to be was erected but I'm still waiting for the money to pay for damages. Just follow the rules and you'll be just fine and you won't be getting a phone call about some kid entering the back of your site and somehow hurting himself.

Posted by: kensington gal at June 5, 2008 3:09 PM in response to Inside Third & Bond: Week 40

I think some areas are definitely noisier than others. Areas close to Church seem so. Frankly, I always think that's a block to block thing anyway- the same could be said of my old neighborhood of Boerum Hill (or any neighborhood) when we started living there in 1990. Our block was horribly noisy because it had 5 apartment buildings and lots of folks hanging out in front at night. The rest of the area was blissfully quiet. We live near a jr high here and that can be a real pain in terms of noise and the destructive nature of kids that age but it's not like I didn't know that before we bought. I've never been harassed walking home or around CIA late and have on Cortelyou in Ditmas but I'd say that depends on what jerk is hanging on the street that day. The littering and the people who leave dog do around are the things that bug me. Way worse than the old neighborhood.

It depends on where you are in the neighborhood and what you deem amenities. We're within 3 blocks of Ditmas and Cortelyou Rd, so it doesn't matter that to us that Kensington is a little lacking in that department but I can definitely see that there's little to do to the west of us. It is what it is- a changing area. If you are close enough to Ditmas you have a few nice restaurants and business that you can frequent while you wait and see if the rest of the area gets some without paying 1.1M for a house. But if you live in the other parts, the area may seem totally too lacking. That's the risk you take for buying in a relatively affordable place. There's usually something (transportation, no restaurants, more crime, whatever) that makes it cheaper.

Posted by: kensington gal at May 27, 2008 3:19 PM in response to Times Tackles Kensington, Sees Affordable Melting Pot

Depending on where you live in Kensington, you are not limited to the F. Because we live on the east side of the neighborhood, we are an equal distance to F and Q and also have the express bus option on Stratford/Cortelyou Road which gets my husband to 23 and Park in 30 minutes on most days. Folks who live near Church and East 7th have that same option. I commute by Q (40-45 min to Union Square) and am fortunate for having 2 other commuting options for when the Q is down.

I feel totally safe at night here. We weren't sure what to expect when we moved here since the area is very quiet at night. Didn't know if the lack of activity was ominous or not. Turns out it's just quiet and I've never had any problems coming home late and walking from the train. There has been a lot more younger folks moving in and that's increased foot traffic from the train later at night so it's not as scary quiet as it was 5 years ago.

The houses tend to be smaller than Ditmas Park and less detailed but for us the size is better on the heating costs and just the manageability of owning an old house. The biggest issue the neighborhood faces is the rise of some seriously ugly architecture of the Feddars type jammed on small lots. Having the melting pot is great in terms of richness of culture but it means there is a less unified voice as to community issues since what's good for one group is often not for another. Also seems that makes for a lack of a preservationist sense, since I don't think that ideal is important to all groups equally, which I can totally understand. There is a real hodge podge of exterior styles that really look odd slapped on wood frame housing, unfortunately, that I'm sure were picked as easier to maintain.

Posted by: kensington gal at May 27, 2008 12:24 PM in response to Times Tackles Kensington, Sees Affordable Melting Pot

The article sounds about right. I think from what I've heard from longtime residents that times were hard in Kensington in the 60's/70's and folks who struggled to maintained homes turned to the asphalt shingles and aluminum siding so in some cases Archie Bunkerish. I didn't even want to go into the open house for our home, but the inside was a pleasant surprise. I've seen a few neighbor's homes and that's been the case- some nice woodwork, stained glass windows, etc but our exteriors are not what we'd like them to be- yet.

Living close to the eastern edge of Kensington gives us access to all the services of Ditmas Park so we have a few more options for restaurants than folks on the west side. We've enjoyed living here since 2003 and having a big backyard has been worth it.

Posted by: kensington gal at May 27, 2008 11:23 AM in response to Times Tackles Kensington, Sees Affordable Melting Pot

Don't know how long you've had the condo/terrace but as a former roof gardener of 15 years, the pests will eventually find you. Had tomato horn worms in my roof garden one year! Plus the usual cadre of aphids, etc. If you plant it, they will come. Blasting them with a hose and use of soapy water can keep a small problem at bay.

The other person's comment about scale is dead on, not to mention that bigger pots retain water/moisture longer in the sun and wind than small ones. Terra cotta, though attractive, dries out the fastest (it's very porous) and heavier than some other materials. You can reduce some weight load and increase drainage by adding a layer of some styrofoam packing peanuts to the bottom of large pots, covering with landscape fabric before you add dirt.

Another tip-set up a small drip system on a timer if you have a spigot up there. Those small pots will absolutely dry out over a long weekend if you are away. At the very least, add some of those moisture crystals to your soil in the pots with the most water hungry plants. Drip systems and crystals will definitely be better for water conservation.

Happy Gardening!

Posted by: kensington gal at May 16, 2008 12:09 PM in response to Garden of the Day: Cemetery Views

We paid Boro $500 (718) 624-5500 for a lot line stake out last fall. They were great, gave us a very clear and concise survey. They were there to do just one property line between our house and construction next door.

Posted by: kensington gal at April 29, 2008 10:34 AM in response to land survey

Speaking as a graphic designer, the rest of the logo type treatment suggests a nod to a different era but the illustration does not. It doesn't feel to me that the juxtaposition works all that well together. He seems a bit too gestural/modern/simple for the type style.

But hey, it's just my opinion, though I do branding and logos for a living. Obviously, if you love it go for it but I'm feeling that if you did love it that you wouldn't really be here soliciting opinion. That's usually a sign of the little feeling that something's not quite right but you don't know what it is.

My suggestion if the goal is to continue to use a flea of some sort would be may be play off more of a flea circus idea in a wood cut or rough texture illustration style. Or a more detailed illus. of a flea in a cartoonish style. Just a thought.

Posted by: kensington gal at March 27, 2008 1:35 PM in response to Flea Circus

This now looks like a done deal but I can tell you that if the Michael Lichtenstein (developer mentioned in the OP's post) is the same as the one doing a development next door to me, you should be thankful that rezoning went through. He wouldn't have followed through on any of those promises he was giving you. We were told by him directly that the building next door would be 3-4 stories (it's six) and that they would do everything to safeguard our property. What followed was illegal asbestos abatement, illegal mechanical demo, damage to the neighbor's foundation and to our house, plans not submitted resulting in four rows of poorly built protective catch platforms filled with many pounds of mortar falling onto and damaging our properties, lies about what was planned for the foundation (plans on file at DOB don't match actual site) and a whole host of other things. To top it off, the building is the equivalent of a Fedders special.

Be glad that you are not sitting there in 2 years with a 14 story building after those promised plans to limit it never actually were made good on. You'll only have 6 stories of ugly instead of 14.

Posted by: kensington gal at March 27, 2008 10:45 AM in response to Williamsburg Rezoning - Property Owners to Lose 25% of Property Value

I'd wait for the frost free date for new plantings. Bulbs and some perennials sprouting now are NOT an indicator of when to plant. You will see some things sprouting before 4/17 if you already have things in your garden, but they have well established root systems and can probably withstand a late frost and still generate enough growth to do well enough. New transplants always suffer a bit from transplant shock and don't have the root system to help them weather a late frost. Much of plant stock at local nurseries comes from places in the south and is used to warmer weather. That stock would benefit from a period of acclimation to our cooler weather by the hardening off that an above poster mentions.

Starting planning what you want layout-wise instead, and get a good idea of the kind of garden you'd like. One place for specialty stuff is Martin Viette on Long Island- not cheap but a really good source for harder to find shade perennials. Good Luck!

Posted by: kensington gal at March 7, 2008 4:53 PM in response to When To Start Planting?

i can help if you if you like, im looking for small projects to keep busy.
http://gardentypestudio.blogspot.com/

Posted by: the jibb at October 9, 2009 1:39 AM in response to How to Brick a Patio?

To afroskully

Terminate Terminex. They simply don't provide the service contracted for; I wrote to the regional office manager and had my money refunded.

They are old school con-artists, the kind you still run into in NYC, completely trying to get over on their clients. (some oil companies fall into this group)
We were definitely sold something we didn't need and encouraged to lie about having termites (we had mice).

Then the "scheduled" visits don't take place; they cancel them and don't tell you as you wait for someone to show up on the appointed date-this happenned twice. Then they offer to make it up to you with a credit they never post to your account.

If you want minimal or no stress from a pest control provider don't continue with this outfit.
Bad bad news.

Posted by: argentina at October 10, 2009 9:44 PM in response to Basement Structural Work

Our guy from Bushwick is coming Wed. His rates appear to be very reasonable. If he does good work, I will post his name here when we are done.

Posted by: mopar at October 11, 2009 12:02 PM in response to Basement Structural Work