CasaSugar

The New Orleans 100: A Look at the Good That's Happened Since Katrina

CasaSugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 10:00:33 -0700

The New Orleans 100 is a worldwide initiative to "highlight and encourage discussion among millions about 100 of the most innovative and world-changing ideas to take root in the city since Katrina." Creative maverick think tank All Day Buffet wanted to combat the negative press New Orleans receives in mainstream media by spotlighting the best things happening in the city, and let me tell you, it wasn't hard. There's a wealth of inspiring projects going on these days in the Crescent City in the worlds of art and architecture, culture, music, entrepreneurship, education, non-profit, and social innovation. We've actually talked about some of these art and architecture projects in the past during my New Orleans coverage, so don't be surprised if you hear bells ringing! Source

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NOLA Musicians' Village Makes Progress

CasaSugar — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 08:45:46 -0800

In December 2005, three months after Hurricane Katrina, Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis, both musical forces in New Orleans, along with Habitat for Humanity, announced plans to build Musicians' Village, a neighborhood of the Upper Ninth Ward centered around the Ellis Marsalis Center For Music for displaced local musicians and other qualifying homeowner families.

Musicians' Village is intended to both preserve the city's musical culture, and foster the education of its residents. Now, two years later, 70 single-family homes are either under construction, or have been built on 8.1 vacant acres, which the New Orleans Area Habitat For Humanity purchased in early 2006. Habitat For Humanity has plans to build 300 additional homes in the surrounding Ninth Ward area on other lots which they own. A portion of the proceeds from Connick's new CD Oh, My NOLA will benefit the Musicians' Village. I like that Connick is sporting the Saints hat, too. Who Dat?

Check out our gallery to see photos of the progress.

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Before and After: Matt's Hurricane Katrina Makeover

CasaSugar — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:00:25 -0700

Yesterday, I asked who you thought should win Design Star. You can still vote online through Wednesday. To make the most informed decision, I figured I'd show you some photos from each designer's makeover (check out Jen's makeover here). Both designers worked with a New Orleans family whose home had been destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Matt's family, the Oleagas, wanted a comfortable, minimal, and modern space.

To see what the home looked like after Matt redesigned the space, read more.
Are you a fan of Matt's renovation?

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Before and After: Jennifer's Hurricane Katrina Makeover

CasaSugar — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:00:55 -0700

Yesterday, I asked you who you thought should win Design Star. You can still vote online through Wednesday. To make the most informed decision, I figured I'd show you some photos from each designer's makeover. Both designers worked with a New Orleans family whose home had been destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Jen's family, the Gowlands, needed a space that accommodated both their love of cooking and their big family.

Before Jen showed up, the family had very limited furniture and a raw, unfinished space, as they concentrated on rebuilding their home.

To see what the home looked like after Jen flexed her design muscles, read more.

Are you a fan of Jen's renovation?

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Love It or Hate It? Ravaged Katrina Homes Become Art

CasaSugar — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 07:00:04 -0800

KK Projects, founded by Kirsha Kaechele, reimagines New Orleans buildings as site-specific artworks. While I'm an enthusiastic supporter of the arts, I'm not necessarily a fan of this project. The last thing that ravaged New Orleans neighborhoods need, in my opinion, is somebody turning building sites and homes into art projects, when these lots could be turned into homes for families. Do you agree? What's your take?

Casa Capsule: The Week That Was

CasaSugar — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 10:30:56 -0800

Post-Valentine's Day, how do you feel about hearts in the house?
Have you purchased anything you spotted in Domino?
See what I thought about Clorox Green Works Wipes.
What do you think about turning Katrina homes into art installations?
I love this Conran Shop Napoleone Cabinet.
I showed you where to find affordable printed curtains.
See what I found from the set of The City.

Casa Verde: Cameron and Cameron Talk (and Walk) Green

CasaSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:00:31 -0800

I have yet to catch an episode of Sundance's Iconoclasts series, which pairs celebrities or leading innovators from two different industries to chat about their passions and creative processes. But, after seeing some clips of season four, which couples long-time environmental advocate Cameron Diaz and Architecture for Humanity cofounder Cameron
Sinclair, I think I've been wooed. This season, the series follows the two to New Orleans and Biloxi, MS, to take in the environmental impact of Hurricane Katrina. While Diaz may be an eco-conscious gal, she's not exactly an expert, so Sinclair, whose global organization works to find sustainable architectural solutions to humanitarian crises, is really the force in this pairing. It's refreshing to see him getting some face time and interesting to hear his perspective on an environment which has been so monumentally devastated.

To see a clip of this show, read more.

I'm curious now if anyone over at Sundance has a personal connection to New Orleans and a strong interest in architecture. If you remember, the network also has a series called Architecture School, which follows a group of students from Tulane University's prestigious School of Architecture as they compete for the chance to design an affordable home in Katrina-devastated New Orleans. Regardless, I'm happy to see that both Sinclair and the city of New Orleans are receiving some attention.

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How-To: Make Thrifty Home Heating Decisions

CasaSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:45:03 -0700

Worried about how you'll pay your heating bill this Winter? Since I know that this is a concern for many families, I decided to ask heating expert Chris Cooper for some advice on the subject. He took my queries to heart, and then sent me some ideas about lowering heating bills.

According to Chris, this Winter, the cost of heating a home is going to leave many people feeling anything but warm and cozy. In fact, those living in the coldest areas of the United States may well find themselves facing a home-heating crisis when trying to pay their bills. "We have a serious problem," said Dale McCormick, director of Maine's state housing agency. "This Winter is going to be our (Hurricane) Katrina."

To find out the first steps in keeping your heating costs under control, read more.

However, there are some ways to keep your bills lower. Chris says that keeping a house in good repair and well insulated is as important as properly servicing your furnace and water heater. Consider negotiating for annual maintenance as part of any new furnace purchase and ask the contractor for conservation and saving tips specific to your house. Homeowners with oil furnaces might also consider joining a fuel co-op to reduce oil costs.

Need more advice? Check back tomorrow for a list of specific changes you can make in your home to reduce your home heating bill. Thanks Chris!

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Have You Been Through a Hurricane?

CasaSugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:00:36 -0700

As Tropical Storm Gustav makes its way toward the Gulf Coast, practically three years to the day after Hurricane Katrina hit (which I myself experienced firsthand), I'm feeling pretty uneasy. The storm has already killed 11 people in the Caribbean and is projected to hit Louisiana and the Gulf Coast on Monday. Yikes. I'm sure plenty of you have been through one hurricane, if not several. Have you? How do you prepare your home for an impending storm? Do you pack up and leave, or do you stick it out? Has anyone been affected by a storm this year?
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This Just In: Sundance's Architecture School Premieres Tonight

CasaSugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:00:56 -0700

Tonight at 8 p.m. (CDT), the Sundance channel will premiere an original six-part documentary series, Architecture School, which follows a group of students from Tulane University's prestigious School of Architecture as they compete for the chance to design an affordable home in Katrina-devastated New Orleans. The winning model will be built during the school year and put on the market, giving one recent grad one whopping résume bullet point at the start of his career. Stiff competition! The home will be built as part of Tulane University's URBANbuild program, which was founded in 2005 to restore urban neighborhoods as a response to the storm. Executive Producer Michael Selditch was so inspired by Tulane University's URBANbuild program that he designed and built the show specifically around the 3-year-old program. Tune in tonight to see for yourself!
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