CasaSugar

This Just In: Sienna Miller's House Vandalized

CasaSugar — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:30:36 -0700

The London house of Sienna Miller - who has recently been getting slack for dating married actor Balthazar Getty and appearing topless in photos with him - has been vandalized, spray-painted with the word "SLUT" and a pseudo-Satanic circular symbol, according to the Sun. The vandalism apparently occurred despite a burglar alarm system and security lights at the house. We all can think what we want about the couple's relationship, but I think it's pretty terrible that this should happen at Miller's own home. It would certainly make me feel unsafe.

Has your home ever been vandalized? Your neighbors' homes? What security measures do you have installed to prevent and protect yourself from this sort of thing?
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Link Time!

CasaSugar — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:00:45 -0700

Tour a solar-powered UK beach shack.- AT:NY
Amy Butler bedding is now available at Bed Bath & Beyond.- Decor8
Kim has made some chic, cat-friendly updates to her home.- Desire to Inspire
Shepard Fairey pleads guilty to vandalism.- UnBeige
ScotchBrite has a new green cleaning line.- Happy Mundane
The wooden lasercut keyboard on this desk has me sold.- MoCo Loco
I'm loving these vintage-style animal posters.- Shelterrific
Is printable stationery the next best thing?- Simply Stated

Cool Idea: Stoneage Lighting

CasaSugar — Fri, 01 May 2009 05:30:01 -0700

Once you've decked out your patio or deck with an outdoor dining table and other furniture, it's time to make sure the space is well-lit. You could go the route of candles or standard light fixtures, OR you could go the route of earth-friendly LED lights . . . in your patio's stonework. Denmark-based company Stoneage Lighting ($100 and up) makes paving stones (cobblestones, flagstones, etc.) with built-in lights which are embedded with LED lights, 100 percent waterproof, "vandal-proof," "road-worthy," and energy-saving. The lights will be set directly into your driveway, walkway, or patio, so you can light up your living space from underneath. Since LEDs have a very long life and require little energy, there'll be no more changing bulbs or pricey electricity bills. And, you don't have to worry about hitting your streetlight when you're backing out the driveway - always a plus.

Before and After: Banksy v. the Gray Ghost

CasaSugar — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:30:01 -0700

If you read my roundup of alternative graffiti, you know about satiric, prolific, and pseudo-anonymous British graffiti artist Banksy, and also about Fred Radtke, the Gray Ghost, who has been painting over graffiti throughout New Orleans with gray paint since 1997. Although I lumped them both into one category of "alternative graffiti," the motivation behind it for the two is not the same. For Bansky, the medium is a venue for making political, cultural, and ethical statements, while Radtke considers his graywashing more of a public service, referred to as "Operation Clean Sweep." Not only do they differ in the end to their means, but Banksy actually recently took it upon himself to battle the Gray Ghost on his home turf. Above is an image of a wall in New Orleans, which was painted over in gray by Radtke, as it had been marked with graffiti. Banksy's caption reads:

I came to New Orleans to do battle with the Gray Ghost, a notorious vigilante who's been systematically painting over any graffiti he can find with the same shade of grey paint since 1997. Consequently he's done more damage to the culture of the city than any section five hurricane could ever hope to achieve.

To see Banksy's response to the Gray Ghost, stenciled on the same brick wall, read more.

I must say, I agree with Banksy. If you consider graffiti an art form or a statement, isn't Radtke wiping out something of cultural and communicational value? If you consider it vandalism, isn't he eliminating a measure of the city's state of being and health? How can the issues related to vandalism be solved without evidence of the vandalism itself? If a home's exterior is white and it is splotched with gray, doesn't it still look tarnished? Tell me your thoughts!
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On the Market: A House in Sicily For Just One Euro

CasaSugar — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 07:00:34 -0700

Ever heard of an offer you can't refuse? Sicilian mayor Vittorio Sgarbi has. The creative politician has decided to give the historic town center of Salemi in southwest Sicily a boost by selling properties in dire shape for just a single Euro (that's $1.39), according to the Daily Mail. The catch is that it'll cost you about $140k to repair the homes, and you'll have to do so within two years, keeping with its original character, and using local artisans, masons, builders, and architects in order to revitalize the area's weak economy. The area was damaged by a 1968 earthquake, and many houses have since been abandoned and are on their last legs. "We want to try and attract people back to the town or at least make some form of donation to try and help save an architectural environment that we are rapidly losing," says Sgarbi. Salemi, which has a population of 11,436, is also important historically: it is "known for having been the place where Giuseppe Garibaldi announced the annexation of Sicily in May 1860 as part of the expedition of the Thousand," and "has been ruled by the Romans, Vandals and Goths and then the Arabs." If you ever dreamed of living your own version of Under the Tuscan Sun, perhaps now is the time!
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Roundup: Alternative Graffiti

CasaSugar — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:00:43 -0700

Graffiti, the process of scratching, scrawling, painting, or marking images or letters in any manner on property, has existed since the Roman Empire, and has evolved into much more than simple scratch marks. Some people think of it as vandalism (defacing property), others as art, and for others it's a movement of its own. You can see from a recent CitizenSugar poll about British graffiti artist Banksy, the consensus is largely divided. If you have the chance to check out the film Beautiful Losers, which is in theaters now, you'll see that for some, graffiti is truly an art medium. While some graffiti is often reviled by authorities, other work is heralded for encouraging creativity and for the sense of community it builds. To see a few examples of these, check out this slideshow. Source

View Slideshow ›

Nicolas Cage Owns a Haunted House

CasaSugar — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 06:00:12 -0800

Now that we've "fallen back" into the dark, I thought I'd share some grim celebrity trivia with you. While flipping through a photo gallery of haunted "murder" houses at This Old House, I learned that Nicolas Cage is the proud owner of the most haunted house in New Orleans' French Quarter, which he bought for nearly $3.5 million. The house was built in 1832 for Dr. Louis Lalaurie and his sadistic wife, Delphine, who legend has it, violently tortured and murdered hundreds of slaves within the house.

As for the hauntings, there were many reports of paranormal experiences between 1837 and 1932 in the house. In 1920, one resident reported: "There were no other families living here and one night, on the third floor, I saw a man walking carrying his head on his arm." In 1932, the house was being used as a furniture store, and it was reported that the owner "first suspected vandals when all of his merchandise was ruined several times, covered with a foul liquid filth. The owner waited one night with a shotgun, hoping to catch the vandals in the act. When dawn came, the furniture was once again ruined. He closed the place down shortly thereafter."

If you're not easily spooked, read more

While this history alone would prevent me from looking into this real estate, I think that this next fact would deter nearly everyone from buying the property: According to This Old House, "More recently, human remains dating back to the 19th century have been found in the home's floorboards." Maybe that explains Cage's permanently sullen expression.

Actually, Cage has made a habit of purchasing historical homes throughout the country and added this one to his stable in April. He reportedly has many real estate holdings, which he purchases through his trust, Hancock Park Real Estate Company L.L.C., to avoid media attention. His other addresses include a house in New Orleans' Garden District, a historical mansion in San Francisco's Russian Hill, two houses in Las Vegas, multiple properties in LA, and at least one place in NY. Ahhh to be a Coppola...

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Link Time!

CasaSugar — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:00:06 -0800

Door Sixteen gives us a sneak peek into rock-star book-jacket designer Chip Kidd's fab living room.
I've fallen in love with Poppytalk's Valentine's Day card picks.
AT:LA illuminates me about another kind of vandalism, guerrilla gardening.
Happy Mundane is mad about Ikea.
Sfgirlbybay introduces me to mooks.
An astoundingly packed home redefines the word "clutter."
A Design*Sponge reader gives new purpose to driftwood.

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