Joseph Larstanna, a lifelong Staten Islander, has been a firefighter with the FDNY for 20 years and is assigned to Ladder Co. 168 in the Bath Beach section of Brooklyn.
His colleague Giuseppe DiStefano reached out to us to publicize Joseph’s selfless act of bravery, knowing full well that Joseph would never toot his own horn.
Giuseppe says he and Joseph were vacationing at Live Aqua Resort in Cancun, Mexico, with Joseph’s wife, Giuseppe’s girlfriend and two other couples early last month. The Larstannas were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary and another couple’s recent marriage. Plus, all simply needed to get away.
Two days into the vacation, Joseph went out for an early-afternoon swim while the others were lying on the sand soaking up the rays. Alerted by faint cries for help, one of the friends spotted a couple who had fallen prey to rip tides.
The vacationers yelled to get Joseph’s attention — they knew he’d been trained in water rescue.
Joseph, who had been on the point of leaving the water, dived right back in and swam toward the woman as the lifeguard on duty headed for the man.
“He reached for the female victim, turned her around and pulled her to shore,” said Giuseppe. Both husband and wife were saved.
Joseph was modest about his act of bravery, as are most firefighters. After all, it’s all in a day’s work.
Angels come in many forms — and the Russo family know it better than most.
While Teri’s House, a Pleasant Plains residence for young men with Down syndrome, continues to be a work in progress, Teri tells us her angels come in the form of an attorney and his family: Steve and Theresa Mandracchia, who not only donated to the effort financially but took on the role of liaison with all construction trades involved in the project.
Also to be acknowledged are the family of Brian and Helen Daly, who have financed more than 50 percent of the cost of building the home, in addition to neighbors like Anne and Brian Larsen, who showed up on weekends and worked diligently with the Russo boys behind the scenes. Teri says they even put up a Christmas tree and decorated the outside of the house when Damian Russo became a little depressed at holiday time.
Julio Rivera painted the entire interior of the house and took on many odd jobs to keep the endeavor moving along and helped the family move in time for the Christmas.
Thanks to folks in the building trade like Paul Toth, who has been carting debris away since day one; to Casa Concrete, which donated all the concrete, stone and block; Kevin Radigan of the Concrete Depot; to Alan Becker of Trades Construction, who took over the project when the original contractor failed; to Lenny Rampulla of Rampulla Architects, who donated not only the drawings but many hours of time; to Alexandria Fernandez of DNA design, who donated her time with the interior of the home; to Richmond Tile for their ceramic tile; to Pete Battista of Details Moulding for molding and trim; to JPR lighting for the high hats; to Shamrock Paints, which either discounted and/or donated paint; to Total Fire Protection for fire extinguishers and a complete first aid cabinet; to Duo Plumbing, to AJ Caruso Electric and to Staten Island Kitchen Cabinets, who continued working not knowing whether or not they would be compensated.
And although there’s still work to be done and funds needed to complete the project, Teri’s aware of several individuals and companies who planned to donate but couldn’t because of tough economic times.
Teri explains they are very grateful to all the angels who have gotten involved — and for the donations — both big and small — that made Teri’s House a reality.
“This house will be a home to many disabled adults long after all the Russos are gone,” says she, before adding, “It is a home where individuals with disabilities can grow old and live with dignity and have all their needs taken care of.”
2012年3月27日星期二
2012年3月12日星期一
Restoring a French farmhouse
Twelve years ago the interior designer Henri Fitzwilliam-Lay came across the house of her dreams in the south of France. Friends joked that she and her husband, Hugh, a venture capitalist, and their young daughters would leave London, never to be seen again. In reality the house had been sorely neglected and it would end up taking many years before its restoration was complete.
'It had been very unloved,’ Fitzwilliam-Lay says. There was glaringly white crazy paving in the car-park, and wild boar regularly dug up the garden. But she looked beyond the grotty decoration, pink pebbledash render and plastic chairs and started work bit by bit. Gradually the flooring was replaced with reclaimed paving stones and five of the 40 acres nearest the house were fenced to keep the boar out.
The family would visit during the summer months, and at the end of each holiday she would meet the builder to discuss what jobs could be done during the winter. It went on like this for nearly a decade. 'I don’t believe in fast design,’ she says. 'You can’t buy a life in a couple of months. Decorating takes time and consideration.’
The mas (Provencal farmhouse) sits high up in the hills above the beaches of St Tropez and has a winding drive that leads down to the entrance at the back of the property. Enter through floret-studded metal double doors, bought from a local chateau, to a hall busy with starburst mirrors (many of which were bought at Battersea Antiques Fair). 'I tend to go off on a theme,’ Fitzwilliam-Lay explains of the mirrored hall. Stone stairs lead up to five bedrooms on the first floor, including a master bedroom with en suite dressing-room and Carrara marble-tiled bathroom. From the entrance hall stairs also head down to an open-plan sitting- and dining-room and separate marble kitchen. Fitzwilliam-Lay didn’t really mess with the basic layout of the house, and maintained a warmth by using as much reclaimed material as possible. 'The tiles on the kitchen floor are reclaimed; we had to lay them out in the garden to see how they would work. All the doors are from a local salvage yard in Cogolin.’
Fitzwilliam-Lay has used an unorthodox approach to the interiors. 'I’m constantly fighting against falling into Provencal cliches,’ she says. 'And that’s hard because those cliches are so easy on the eye.’ There are no ochre walls, Louis-style furnishings or 'rustic’ French armoires. Although they are in a traditional style, the kitchen cupboards are painted black and the counter tops and splashbacks are slabs of Carrara marble. Bright white walls, decorative Moroccan tiles and a large industrial pendant light help make the breakfast room a bright and modern space. The colonial-style armchairs and deeply buttoned chesterfield sofas in the living-room are rather more west London than south of France.
When the work was nearly completed, she and the girls (Charlotte is now 14, Josephine, 12, Lucy, 10, and Edith, five) did spend a full year in the house. 'It was fantastic,’ Fitzwilliam-Lay recalls. 'Hugh had to do a lot of travelling because of work, but by being down there out of season we were able to feel like complete locals.’ The family still decamps to the house every summer, and friends have been invited to make good use of it. The property also has two guesthouses, each with two bedrooms.
During the summer months, family life is mostly outside, there are games of boules and tennis, and going to the beach. Baguette, cheese and rose wine lunches are enjoyed, often under a wisteria-covered iron pergola that runs alongside the house. 'In the summer it gives shade and in the winter it looks quite beautiful, all gnarled and knotted,’ Fitzwilliam-Lay says.
'It had been very unloved,’ Fitzwilliam-Lay says. There was glaringly white crazy paving in the car-park, and wild boar regularly dug up the garden. But she looked beyond the grotty decoration, pink pebbledash render and plastic chairs and started work bit by bit. Gradually the flooring was replaced with reclaimed paving stones and five of the 40 acres nearest the house were fenced to keep the boar out.
The family would visit during the summer months, and at the end of each holiday she would meet the builder to discuss what jobs could be done during the winter. It went on like this for nearly a decade. 'I don’t believe in fast design,’ she says. 'You can’t buy a life in a couple of months. Decorating takes time and consideration.’
The mas (Provencal farmhouse) sits high up in the hills above the beaches of St Tropez and has a winding drive that leads down to the entrance at the back of the property. Enter through floret-studded metal double doors, bought from a local chateau, to a hall busy with starburst mirrors (many of which were bought at Battersea Antiques Fair). 'I tend to go off on a theme,’ Fitzwilliam-Lay explains of the mirrored hall. Stone stairs lead up to five bedrooms on the first floor, including a master bedroom with en suite dressing-room and Carrara marble-tiled bathroom. From the entrance hall stairs also head down to an open-plan sitting- and dining-room and separate marble kitchen. Fitzwilliam-Lay didn’t really mess with the basic layout of the house, and maintained a warmth by using as much reclaimed material as possible. 'The tiles on the kitchen floor are reclaimed; we had to lay them out in the garden to see how they would work. All the doors are from a local salvage yard in Cogolin.’
Fitzwilliam-Lay has used an unorthodox approach to the interiors. 'I’m constantly fighting against falling into Provencal cliches,’ she says. 'And that’s hard because those cliches are so easy on the eye.’ There are no ochre walls, Louis-style furnishings or 'rustic’ French armoires. Although they are in a traditional style, the kitchen cupboards are painted black and the counter tops and splashbacks are slabs of Carrara marble. Bright white walls, decorative Moroccan tiles and a large industrial pendant light help make the breakfast room a bright and modern space. The colonial-style armchairs and deeply buttoned chesterfield sofas in the living-room are rather more west London than south of France.
When the work was nearly completed, she and the girls (Charlotte is now 14, Josephine, 12, Lucy, 10, and Edith, five) did spend a full year in the house. 'It was fantastic,’ Fitzwilliam-Lay recalls. 'Hugh had to do a lot of travelling because of work, but by being down there out of season we were able to feel like complete locals.’ The family still decamps to the house every summer, and friends have been invited to make good use of it. The property also has two guesthouses, each with two bedrooms.
During the summer months, family life is mostly outside, there are games of boules and tennis, and going to the beach. Baguette, cheese and rose wine lunches are enjoyed, often under a wisteria-covered iron pergola that runs alongside the house. 'In the summer it gives shade and in the winter it looks quite beautiful, all gnarled and knotted,’ Fitzwilliam-Lay says.
2012年2月16日星期四
Officials Say in Manslaughter Case Against Architect
An $11 million mansion in Hollywood Hills was a deathtrap, officials are contending in an unusual criminal case brought against its architect after the death of a Los Angeles firefighter.
Despite the home's hefty pricetag, the fireplaces in place at the time of the blaze did not meet building standards and presented an "extreme immediate and imminent hazard," according to an affidavit attached to an article in the L.A. Now blog of the Los Angeles Times.
Architect Gerhard Albert Becker, 48, was arrested over the weekend when he arrived at the Los Angeles airport from Spain and initially held without bail. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment yesterday in the involuntary manslaughter case, and his bail was set at $2 million, the Associated Press reports.
Court documents (PDF) linked to the newspaper article include a search warrant and affidavit that describe the alleged cause of the Feb. 16, 2011 fire and say Becker was both the owner and designer of the home.
He told fire investigators he is licensed as an architect in Germany and Spain and planned and built the fireplaces himself because he wanted to be sure the job was done right, the affidavit says. According to officials, the home had no fireplaces when a building inspection was performed and Becker said at that time he didn't intend to install any, although plans called for a standard gas fireplace.
The affidavit says a building inspector determined that the fireplaces in the home were not constructed in a typical manner, which would have involved the use of noncombustible materials such as brick or stone, liner material that was resistant to high temperatures and an angled design intended to help vent heat and ash through a flue leading out of the building.
In the Hollywood Hills home, by contrast, the fireplaces were built of wood framing and lined on the bottom, sides and top with combustible drywall that ordinarily is used for standard walls, according to the document. Ceramic tile or slate was glued to the drywall.
Among other ways in which the building inspector found that the construction "fails to meet any standards for approved fireplaces," the affidavit says, one of the fireplaces was vented into the interior of the mansion. It appears from the affidavit that all of the fireplaces were gas, rather than wood-burning, and allegedly were manufactured for use outdoors rather than indoors.
Becker allegedly told investigators that he considered his installations architectural or decorative features, rather than fireplaces.
Glenn Allen, a Los Angeles firefighter, was buried in debris after the ceiling of the home collapsed during the fire, the affidavit says. Unconscious and not breathing when he was rescued several minutes later, he died in a hospital two days after the fire. An autopsy determined the cause to be mechanical asphyxiation.
Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said that the fire started as a result of gross negligence, the AP article reports. As far as he is aware, the case against Becker may be the only one in which alleged building defects resulted in an involuntary manslaughter charge.
Despite the home's hefty pricetag, the fireplaces in place at the time of the blaze did not meet building standards and presented an "extreme immediate and imminent hazard," according to an affidavit attached to an article in the L.A. Now blog of the Los Angeles Times.
Architect Gerhard Albert Becker, 48, was arrested over the weekend when he arrived at the Los Angeles airport from Spain and initially held without bail. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment yesterday in the involuntary manslaughter case, and his bail was set at $2 million, the Associated Press reports.
Court documents (PDF) linked to the newspaper article include a search warrant and affidavit that describe the alleged cause of the Feb. 16, 2011 fire and say Becker was both the owner and designer of the home.
He told fire investigators he is licensed as an architect in Germany and Spain and planned and built the fireplaces himself because he wanted to be sure the job was done right, the affidavit says. According to officials, the home had no fireplaces when a building inspection was performed and Becker said at that time he didn't intend to install any, although plans called for a standard gas fireplace.
The affidavit says a building inspector determined that the fireplaces in the home were not constructed in a typical manner, which would have involved the use of noncombustible materials such as brick or stone, liner material that was resistant to high temperatures and an angled design intended to help vent heat and ash through a flue leading out of the building.
In the Hollywood Hills home, by contrast, the fireplaces were built of wood framing and lined on the bottom, sides and top with combustible drywall that ordinarily is used for standard walls, according to the document. Ceramic tile or slate was glued to the drywall.
Among other ways in which the building inspector found that the construction "fails to meet any standards for approved fireplaces," the affidavit says, one of the fireplaces was vented into the interior of the mansion. It appears from the affidavit that all of the fireplaces were gas, rather than wood-burning, and allegedly were manufactured for use outdoors rather than indoors.
Becker allegedly told investigators that he considered his installations architectural or decorative features, rather than fireplaces.
Glenn Allen, a Los Angeles firefighter, was buried in debris after the ceiling of the home collapsed during the fire, the affidavit says. Unconscious and not breathing when he was rescued several minutes later, he died in a hospital two days after the fire. An autopsy determined the cause to be mechanical asphyxiation.
Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said that the fire started as a result of gross negligence, the AP article reports. As far as he is aware, the case against Becker may be the only one in which alleged building defects resulted in an involuntary manslaughter charge.
2012年1月12日星期四
No amenity overlooked in Ellicott City estate
Whether your interest is in entertaining on a lavish scale; tinkering with cars in one of six heated garages; or enjoying your private sport court, swimming pool and cabana, the estate at 3885 Whitebrook Lane in Ellicott City, Md., has what you want.
This 20,000-square-foot home, which rests on more than 3 acres of landscaped grounds, provides a true private retreat to meet the highest standards of opulence. Part of the Preserve in Howard County, this manor home was built in 1997 and is on the market for $4,999,000.
The estate’s grounds include a gated circular drive that leads to the garages, which have space for 10 cars, and a brick motor court. A brick courtyard is surrounded by a heated swimming pool, a hot tub and a cabana, with an adjacent sports court.
Multiple patios, courtyards and a screened porch with a ceiling fan offer plenty of space for entertaining outdoors and admiring the perennial gardens. The corner site backs to trees for additional privacy.
Indoors, the custom-designed rooms include seven bedrooms, 10 full baths, two powder rooms and extraordinary detailing, such as custom millwork, six-piece crown molding, professional lighting, hardwood flooring and five fireplaces. The home also has an indoor swimming pool, saunas, waterfall baths with mosaic surrounds, and an elevator. The property has three kitchens.
The elegance of this home is apparent from the moment guests arrive in the circular driveway and step up to the front door. Each piece of glass was individually selected for the door surround and the windows in the entrance hall. The grand foyer features hardwood flooring, a spectacular chandelier and a curving double staircase to the upper level.
The main level includes a music conservatory with walls of floor-to-ceiling windows, recessed lighting, up-lighting, a custom-designed ceiling medallion and hardwood flooring. Nearby, the formal dining room has hardwood flooring and a dramatic chandelier. In addition, this level has a formal living room with a fireplace, a library, a family room and a great-room bar.
The bar, designed to resemble an Old English pub, has mahogany-stained wood walls and an 11-foot copper-painted tin ceiling. This room includes an imported fireplace, and archways link the pub and the family room with the hallway.
The main-level kitchen includes state-of-the-art stainless steel appliances, including wine cabinets, warming drawers, an indoor grill and several dishwashers, ovens and stoves. The oversized center island includes an attached dining table for casual meals.
The adjacent morning room has floor-to-ceiling windows and an atrium door to a patio.
The master suite covers an entire wing of the home, with a hand-painted and stenciled bedroom with a gas fireplace and a separate sitting room overlooking the swimming pool. A private exercise room, a den, and a lavish master bath with a mosaic-tiled jetted tub, a sauna and a steam shower round out the suite.
Four additional bedrooms are on the upper level and two bedrooms are on the lower level. Every bath in the home has furniture-grade vanities, marble, ceramic tile or hardwood flooring, multiple sinks and unique features, such as carved or hand-painted ceilings and dramatic sconces.
The lower level has been designed for the ultimate in relaxation, with a game room, an exercise room, a playroom and a lap pool set in a spalike room with mirrors, lounge chairs, low lighting and a sauna.
A wine-tasting room has been designed for discerning visitors, and nearby is a full kitchen perfect for catered evenings. The lower-level great room has several stone walls with arched brick accents and a raised-hearth fireplace. Nearby is a theater room with tiered seating.
The home has a high-tech security system as well as entertainment, lighting and HVAC controls that can be operated by remote control, iPad, iPhone and a keypad.
This 20,000-square-foot home, which rests on more than 3 acres of landscaped grounds, provides a true private retreat to meet the highest standards of opulence. Part of the Preserve in Howard County, this manor home was built in 1997 and is on the market for $4,999,000.
The estate’s grounds include a gated circular drive that leads to the garages, which have space for 10 cars, and a brick motor court. A brick courtyard is surrounded by a heated swimming pool, a hot tub and a cabana, with an adjacent sports court.
Multiple patios, courtyards and a screened porch with a ceiling fan offer plenty of space for entertaining outdoors and admiring the perennial gardens. The corner site backs to trees for additional privacy.
Indoors, the custom-designed rooms include seven bedrooms, 10 full baths, two powder rooms and extraordinary detailing, such as custom millwork, six-piece crown molding, professional lighting, hardwood flooring and five fireplaces. The home also has an indoor swimming pool, saunas, waterfall baths with mosaic surrounds, and an elevator. The property has three kitchens.
The elegance of this home is apparent from the moment guests arrive in the circular driveway and step up to the front door. Each piece of glass was individually selected for the door surround and the windows in the entrance hall. The grand foyer features hardwood flooring, a spectacular chandelier and a curving double staircase to the upper level.
The main level includes a music conservatory with walls of floor-to-ceiling windows, recessed lighting, up-lighting, a custom-designed ceiling medallion and hardwood flooring. Nearby, the formal dining room has hardwood flooring and a dramatic chandelier. In addition, this level has a formal living room with a fireplace, a library, a family room and a great-room bar.
The bar, designed to resemble an Old English pub, has mahogany-stained wood walls and an 11-foot copper-painted tin ceiling. This room includes an imported fireplace, and archways link the pub and the family room with the hallway.
The main-level kitchen includes state-of-the-art stainless steel appliances, including wine cabinets, warming drawers, an indoor grill and several dishwashers, ovens and stoves. The oversized center island includes an attached dining table for casual meals.
The adjacent morning room has floor-to-ceiling windows and an atrium door to a patio.
The master suite covers an entire wing of the home, with a hand-painted and stenciled bedroom with a gas fireplace and a separate sitting room overlooking the swimming pool. A private exercise room, a den, and a lavish master bath with a mosaic-tiled jetted tub, a sauna and a steam shower round out the suite.
Four additional bedrooms are on the upper level and two bedrooms are on the lower level. Every bath in the home has furniture-grade vanities, marble, ceramic tile or hardwood flooring, multiple sinks and unique features, such as carved or hand-painted ceilings and dramatic sconces.
The lower level has been designed for the ultimate in relaxation, with a game room, an exercise room, a playroom and a lap pool set in a spalike room with mirrors, lounge chairs, low lighting and a sauna.
A wine-tasting room has been designed for discerning visitors, and nearby is a full kitchen perfect for catered evenings. The lower-level great room has several stone walls with arched brick accents and a raised-hearth fireplace. Nearby is a theater room with tiered seating.
The home has a high-tech security system as well as entertainment, lighting and HVAC controls that can be operated by remote control, iPad, iPhone and a keypad.
2011年8月1日星期一
Canadian Solar Inc. Enters India Solar Market
Though the dollar amount of the transaction was not released, Canadian Solar said that it will deliver the solar modules in the third and fourth quarter of 2011. Cirus, which is backed by Indian energy giant Indu Group, will employ the solar panels in three solar farms: a 20 MW plant and two government sponsored solar parks in Gujarat, India with generating capacity's of 8 MW and 5 MW respectively.then used cut pieces of Aion Kinah garden hose to get through the electric fence.
With this sales agreement Canadian Solar touches down in India, tapping what is expected to be one of the hottest solar markets in the world. The Ontario-based company, already one of the largest solar module manufacturers in the world, is following competitor First Solar Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR) to enter a market poised to errupt.
Last month,I have never solved a Rubik's hydraulic hose . the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im) said it will provide a US$16 million loan to Azure Power Rajasthan Pvt.They take the plastic card to the local co-op market. Ltd. in New Delhi to purchase solar modules from Arizona-based First Solar. Ex-Im expects India to be its largest market in 2012.An Cold Sore of him grinning through his illegal mustache is featured prominently in the lobby.
In January 2010 the Indian government launched the National Solar Mission which sets solar installation targets of 20,000 MW by 2022. The Solar Mission is part of India's plan to add 35 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2015.
"We are very pleased to initiate a business relationship with Cirus Solar Systems to participate in the development of the solar energy market in India," said Dr. Shawn Qu, Canadian Solar's Chairman and CEO.
He added,who was responsible for tracking down Charles RUBBER MATS . "We believe India has the potential to become one of the largest solar markets in the world and we expect it will make a meaningful contribution to the growth of our business in the quarters ahead."
With this sales agreement Canadian Solar touches down in India, tapping what is expected to be one of the hottest solar markets in the world. The Ontario-based company, already one of the largest solar module manufacturers in the world, is following competitor First Solar Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR) to enter a market poised to errupt.
Last month,I have never solved a Rubik's hydraulic hose . the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im) said it will provide a US$16 million loan to Azure Power Rajasthan Pvt.They take the plastic card to the local co-op market. Ltd. in New Delhi to purchase solar modules from Arizona-based First Solar. Ex-Im expects India to be its largest market in 2012.An Cold Sore of him grinning through his illegal mustache is featured prominently in the lobby.
In January 2010 the Indian government launched the National Solar Mission which sets solar installation targets of 20,000 MW by 2022. The Solar Mission is part of India's plan to add 35 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2015.
"We are very pleased to initiate a business relationship with Cirus Solar Systems to participate in the development of the solar energy market in India," said Dr. Shawn Qu, Canadian Solar's Chairman and CEO.
He added,who was responsible for tracking down Charles RUBBER MATS . "We believe India has the potential to become one of the largest solar markets in the world and we expect it will make a meaningful contribution to the growth of our business in the quarters ahead."
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