CasaSugar

This Just In: Sting Settles on Central Park West

CasaSugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:15:17 -0700

According to Big Time, Sting has purchased a 5,500-square-foot condo unit on the 16^th floor of a Central Park West building for $26.5 million. Apparently, according to records, Sting actually signed a contract to purchase the unit on May 26, 2006, but the deal didn't formally close until March 11, 2008. So, this purchase has been almost two years in the making! The CPW building is truly magnificent, boasting an elegant motor courtyard, a 35-x-45-foot limestone and marble lobby with two fireplaces and custom English oak paneling, an unprecedented view of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline, a 75-foot sky-lit lap pool, a private theater screening room, a private library, and 30 climate-controlled wine rooms. Sting also owns an 18-room duplex co-op elsewhere on Central Park West, which was at one point on the market for $24 million, meaning he and his wife now own more than $50 million worth of real estate on Central Park West! Ohhh, to be a pop rocker . . . Check out images of Sting's new building below.

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Casa Quickie: Keeping Bees Away From Your Pool

CasaSugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:00:02 -0700

It's hard to enjoy your endless Summer if bee stings come hand in hand with taking a dip in your pool. But bees have many uses for water, including drinking and using as material to build hives. So, unless there's another source of water nearby, you can bet your bottom dollar that they'll be making a poolside visit. According to the USDA, bees will forage any open water source, so the only way to detract them is by making the water unpalatable. You can do so by filling a spray bottle with a mix of 1/4 cup of dish soap or vinegar and a quart of water, and spraying bees that are at your pool. This will eliminate bees as they forage on water, and prevent others in the colony from learning about your pool's location.
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How-To: Say Welcome Home to Honeybees

CasaSugar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:15:27 -0700

Are you worried about the frightening and mysterious rate of death in honeybees? If so, you're not alone. In the past two years, almost a third of the United States' beehives have disappeared or been destroyed, and no one knows quite why. But you don't have wait until all the data is in to do something about it. By planting trees, flowers, and plants that naturally attract bees, you can make your deck, patio, garden, or backyard a haven for honeybees.

Here are some things to remember: If you plant a variety of flowers and plants, you will have a greater chance of attracting honeybees. Also, by choosing native plants, you will be using plants that are naturally adapted to your home's region and weather conditions. If you're worried about getting stung, I can reassure you that honeybees will not try to sting you unless you slap at them. My dad's a beekeeper, and even when I've helped him move hives or sat within five feet of a buzzing, busy hive, I've rarely been stung. (By the way, to take the above photo, I was within four inches of this busy little fella, and he never wavered from the job at hand.)

For a list of plants that can help you make your home bee-friendly, read more.

This list, from The Daily Green is more than enough to get you started!

Annual Plants and Flowers Asters, Calliopsis, Clover, Marigolds, Poppies, Sunflowers, Zinnias
Perennial Plants and Flowers Buttercups, Clematis, Cosmos, Crocuses, Dahlias, Echinacea (Purple Cone Flower), English Ivy, Foxglove, Geraniums, Germander, Globe Thistle, Hollyhocks, Hyacinth, Rock Cress, Roses, Sedum, Snowdrops, Squills, Tansy, Yellow Hyssop
Garden Plants Blackberries, Cantaloupe, Cucumbers, Gourds, Peppers, Pumpkins, Raspberries, Squash, Strawberries, Watermelons, Wild Garlic
Herbs Bee Balm, Borage, Catnip, Coriander/Cilantro, Fennel, Lavender, Mints, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme
Shrubs Blueberry, Butterfly Bush, Button Bush, Honeysuckle, Indigo, Privet
Trees Alder, American, Holly, Basswood, Black Gum, Black Locust, Buckeyes, Catalpa, Eastern Redbud, Fruit Trees (especially Crabapples), Golden Rain Tree, Hawthorns, Hazels, Linden, Magnolia, Maples, Mountain Ash, Sycamore, Poplar, Willows

Steal of the Day: The Company Store Honeycomb Rug

CasaSugar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:00:13 -0800

I may be biased because I grew up with a beekeeper father who wore a full-body bee suit and churned out bear-shaped jars of honey, but I'm sweet on the hexagonal pattern of honeycomb. If you had chicken-coop wire window and picked up this Company Store Honeycomb Rug ($58.99 - $256.99), I might just have to sting you out of jealousy. I'd caution against purchasing the 8-x-10 size though, the bold pattern and colors might overpower your room, giving you a buzzing headache.