Living Green & Healthy in Merrick

Let Nature Cure those Winter Blues

An easy way to bring more green into your home.

Winter may officially be here but doesn't mean you can't enjoy the beauty of nature. Surround yourself with plants and create an indoor garden display. Not only will it bring a smile to your face, but it will help you kick those winter blues and brighten up any room in the house. First off, pick a sunny spot by a window so it's guaranteed your living lovelies will get enough light. Once you do that, decide on what you're going to use and what kind of plants you want. Take a step back and try to imagine what will look cool in the space. Get creative and have fun! While deciding on what plants to choose, pick ones that match your lifestyle. If you're busy and not home much of the day, I would suggest succulents. Cacti are great as well. They…

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Merokeans Honored at Advocates for the Arts Gala

LI Arts Council at Freeport held an awards ceremony at the Bellmore Theater.

The Long Island Arts Council at Freeport kicked off their inaugural 2012 Outstanding Advocates for the Arts event at the Bellmore Movie Theater. According to Tracey Gittere, event chairperson, it’s a way of giving back to those who form the cornerstone of creativity in our community. “This is a new, annual event where we honor individuals making a difference in the betterment of the arts on Long Island,” she said. “The Long Island Arts Council has created this amazing first-time event to honor individuals from all sorts of arts- music, theater, fine arts, TV, film, photography, writing...anything, really.” Along 23 others, Robert Angelillo, a Merrick resident and a member of the law firm of Meyer, Suozzi, English, and Klein of Garden City …

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Ann Parry

12:16 pm on Friday, January 27, 2012

I'm happy the Long Island Arts Council's (LIAC) Outstanding Advocates for the Arts event will be an Annual one, since it's a great way to honor those who contribute to Long Island Arts, to raise money for LIAC, and to have a fun evening. Being an LIAC member and lucky enough to know some of this year's Top 25 Arts Advocates, I know it's a well-deserved honor.   more ›

Holiday Card Garland

Instructions and information for a do-it-yourself design that everyone can handle.

It's that time of year when you get tons of holiday cards in your mailbox. What do you do with them all? Surely, you can set them on a table or tape them to a wall but why not be more creative. My card garland is so easy to put together and it looks adorable when its done. There aren't that many supplies and what you do need you probably have around the house anyway. Materials: clothespins, string or ribbon, scissors and push pins First, take your clothespins and spice them up a bit with some holiday decorations. You can use paint, markers, decorative tape or tie a bow around them with ribbon. Do whatever you want to do. This project is totally customizable. You can even leave them as is. You can find clothespins at Dollar Plus Store on …

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Living Green & Healthy in Merrick

The Green Giving Gift Guide

Tips and ideas for a greener holiday experience in Merrick.

This holiday season, try to be green when giving gifts. There are a bunch of eco-friendly ways to show you care without excluding the Earth. Just be conscious of what you are buying and if you choose to create your own gifts, use materials that would make the planet happy. Here are a few tips and ideas that should help you along the way. When shopping, stay local and try to do most of it in the same day. This way you are driving less and using less gas. This is good for the planet and your wallet. Choose stores that carry eco-friendly items or search vintage shops for the perfect nostalgic gift. Recycling objects and materials is one of the best ways to show the planet you care. I’m sure you can find some recycled cards at Colony Cards and…

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'Tis the Season for Holiday Decor

Instructions and information for a do-it-yourself design that everyone can handle.

The holidays are officially here. Now is a perfect time to get those decorations out and put up the tree. It's always good to get a head start on things.   One thing to remember when decorating for the holidays is to brace yourself. Stand back and take a look around. You want to make sure the style of your home doesn't get buried beneath the winter decor. There is such a thing as too much. Ideally, your holiday decorations should accent the everyday design of your home. This will allow the space to look festive without compromising a modern and fresh feel. Here are a few tips that will help your home look well designed and balanced. 1. A successful cohesive look starts with the color palette. Take notice of the colors of your home and use …

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Lindsay Lohan Sentenced to Prision

The actress from Merrick will serve 30 days in an L.A. county jail.

DIY Design: Thanksgiving Table Settings

Instructions and information for a do it yourself design that everyone can handle.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. If you have the heroic title of host this year, thumbs up to you.  Keep it simple and festive with these cool ideas for table settings. Flowers Purchase a bouquet of flowers that show the beautiful colors of the season. This will automatically bring warmth to the table. There are a few things you can do with these beauties so try them all out and see what looks best for your table. You can purchase flowers at a few places in town. Why not try Merrick Flower Shoppe & Fruiterers on Merrick Avenue or Feldis Florist on Sunrise Highway.  For a very simple tablescape, separate the bouquet into a few little ones and put them in tiny vintage jars or small vases. Then just line them up in the middle of the …

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VIDEO: Merrick Plays Host to Halloween Film Festival

Merrick Cinemas hosts Levittown-based amateur filmmakers and their spooky creations.

The Levittown Bike Club, a group of friends who don't actually ride bikes but are  amateur filmmakers, recently held their first annual Halloween film festival at the Merrick Cinemas to show off their work to friends and family. Patch was on-hand at the LBC's big thereatrical debut, and a good time was had by one and all.

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Whiz Kid: Lisa Marino

Highlighting kids that inspire the community.

This week, Lisa Marino has been named the Merrick Whiz Kid! Name: Lisa Marino School: Calhoun Grade: Senior Key Accomplishment: Marino has been named a Long Island Arts Alliance Scholar-Artist for 2011-12. The Educator’s Committee selected only twenty students from hundreds of nominees to receive this award. Key to Awesomeness: In addition to being named a Scholar-Artist, Marino has also been recognized by the New York State Art Teachers Association Portfolio Project and received the rating of Distinguished. She prefers to use color pencils, graphite and charcoal to depict realism. As a repeat contributor to Calhoun’s Spring Arts Show, she has exhibited her work with still life. Marino has excelled in drawing, painting, and sculpting and …

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Poll: "The Simpsons" In Danger of Cancellation?

The animated show that helped make FOX a network heavyweight may be ending over a money dispute.

The Simpson family and Springfield have faced the potential of annihilation many times before in episodes of the show. Now, they face their biggest challenge of all: cancellation. According to The Daily Beast, FOX executives have issued an ultimatum of sorts on "The Simpsons," a mainstay in FOX's lineup since 1990. If the voice actors do not comply to a significant pay decrease, the network will reportedly pull the plug on TV's longest-running prime-time sitcom, spelling the end for Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie and the rest of Springfield's characters. The publication reports that network executives are demanding that the actors who voice The Simpsons' characters must take a pay cut of 45 percent from the $8 million they earn per …

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