CR MUSEUM OF ART – MARTINI (trivia) MADNESS

 Two weeks and counting! Martini Madness is coming to Phelan’s Interiors, so I thought it might behoove my readers to know a little martini trivia! Check it out. 

• Martini, Allesandro (1812-1905) Italian businessman and founder of Martini and Rossi distillery

            

            Martini (vermouth), a brand of vermouth

• Martini (cocktail), a popular cocktail
• Martini Racing, motor racing teams sponsored by the Martini vermouth producer
• Martini (automobile company), Swiss automobile company
• Martini (racing), a French manufacturer of lower-formula racing cars
• Martini (festival), a festival formerly celebrated in Latvia
• Martini Shot, a term used during film production for the last shot of the day
• Martini-Henry, a rifle used by 19th century British empire soldiers
• Martini-Enfield, a .303 calibre version of the Martini-Henry introduced in 1895  

 

Inside scoop: Phelan’s has come up with a remarkable martini

recipe and name,

which will be served at the event. Details coming!

Teaser: Look at our logo and guess what color our martini will be.

**Martini Madness, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art

Fundraising event**

I hope there is lots of support for our local museum! 

 

Dianne Ross

Interior Designer /Phelan’s Interiors

363-9634

Martini Madness FUNDRAISER in Cedar Rapids!

 

I realize it’s THREE weeks out, but as this year’s host, we are honored and very excited!

No, Cedar Rapids is NOT raising money for martinis.

No, Cedar Rapids is NOT raising money for madness, either.

(although I know some people out there would probably be in favor of either one or the other!)

 

MARTINI MADNESS ON THE MOVE . . .

the madness moves to a new location each year.

this year follow the madness to:

Phelan’s Interiors                  728 Third Avenue SE

May 8, 2009

The event is sponsored by The Cedar Rapids Musuem of Art!

 

 

Dianne Ross

Interior Designer / Phelan’s Interiors

363-9634

PS More details next week along with Martini trivia!

What does the Price of Tulips in Iowa have to do with an Eco-friendly house?

 

Eco-friendly home products are being marketed like there’s no tomorrow!

 Clever, indeed.

  But that doesn’t alter the fact that more and more rational people are interested in doing their part. Little tiny baby (carbon) footprints are quite desirable. Awwww!

If you find yourself wanting more information and less smoke and mirrors, tune into HGTV’s Green Home 2009 Special. It premiers Sunday, April 19 at 8 o’clock and looks to be informative, fun, and very down to earth.

If incentives sound attractive, don’t overlook the fact that the government is at the ready with rewards! Many green home improvements come with tax breaks. That puts more green in your pocket! Check out all the possibilities!

This magnificent tulip variety is called angelique.

Naturally,  my personal favorite green home, eco-friendly, make your neighbors green with envy, green idea is older than the hills.

Simply stated: Plant a garden.

Flowers are cheap. Mother Nature is generous. If perennials are selected you get the added bonus of blooms (for free!) year after year after year.

If you haven’t started some type of garden you are missing one of life’s deepest blessings! It’s eco friendly, leaves a lovely oxygen footprint, and gives you bragging rights about having a green thumb.

 

Dianne Ross

Interior Designer / Phelans Interiors

363-9634

PS For your reading pleasure, all cliches have been italicized.

More on GREEN (smoke and mirrors)

 

 GREEN SMOKE

                                                                                 Gage Photography 

 

 VOCABULARY WORDS – 2009

  Sustainable:   Wikipedia says:  Sustainable product development and design is concerned with balancing economic, environmental, and social aspects in the creation of products and services.

I say: Many products have a fabulous, common sense story to tell which is not a new idea. For example, wood floors have a longevity that outlasts nearly every other floor product. And, most suppliers know they must replenish the trees as they harvest. Like I said, it’s not a new idea for wood producers. Because they are as proud of their forests as they are of their products, most wood flooring companies love to educate the consumer about what they have been doing for the environment.

Recycled:According to Wikipedia: Recycling involves processing used materials into new products in order to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from landfilling) by reducing the need for “conventional” waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to virgin production. 

I say: Some of this stuff gets boring. How about spray painting(!) an old end table? Does that count?

 Wonder if I spray it lime green?

Environmentally friendly: One more time from Wikipedia:(eco-friendly and nature friendly) are synonyms used to refer to goods and services considered to inflict minimal or no harm on the environment.^[1] To make consumers aware, environmentally friendly goods and services often are marked with eco-labels. But because there is no single international standard for this concept, the International Organization for Standardization considers such labels too vague to be meaningful.^[2]

I say: I concur. Keep your eyes and ears open. Look at yourself in the mirror. Refuse to smoke sardines.  Ask questions. Research.

Rotting, smelly garbage is called eco-friendly when one is discussing a compost pile!

Ever Upward photo 

Buyer beware of green smoke and mirrors!

 

Dianne Ross

Interior Designer / Phelan’s Interiors

363-9634