Archive for the ‘Martha Stewart’ Category
Fashion: Sample Sale at The Bridal Garden
Thursday, August 19th, 2010NYC brides, there is an amazing sample sale happening in your area next month! Here are all the juicy details:
THE BRIDAL GARDEN
5/12 – 5/26
Ulla Maija, Junko Yoshioka, Judd Waddell, Rosa Clara, and more at up to 75 percent off
54 West 21st Street, Suite 907
By appointment only: 212.252.0661
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: noon to 8); Saturday and Sunday, 11 to 7
The Bride’s Guide : Martha Stewart Weddings
Love It! Preston and Olivia Toppers
Thursday, July 29th, 2010If you’re in the market for a short, cropped veil, a darling headband, or even a small hat, check out the offerings by Preston and Olivia. Their vintage-inspired collection is peppered with whimsical materials (feather, flowers, and bows, oh, my!) and is truly for the statement-making bride. Or, don one for your bachelorette party for a chic take on the popular bride-to-be crown and veil combo.
Personally, I’d love to pop one on for the wedding rehearsal. It’d make a sweet makeshift veil for the practice walk down the aisle, then turn into a fab hair accessory for the rehearsal dinner.
These are my favorite picks from its lovely litter:
For more modern veils, click here.
The Bride’s Guide : Martha Stewart Weddings
The Royal Wedding: Watching from the Plaza Hotel
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010Every now and then, there’s an event that becomes a touchstone. Some people still remember getting up early to watch the wedding of Diana Spencer and Prince Charles.
Kate and William’s wedding will be that for a new generation of people–where were you?
The Weddings edit team will remember that we were here:
In the regal Plaza Hotel, an appropriate place to watch the coverage. Designated a National Historic Landmark, the hotel felt as iconic and grand–and as luxurious and welcoming–as Buckingham Palace.
What a great place to have a wedding gathering! Try the Grand Ballroom or the Terrace Room, for the reception or even the ceremony; gather your groomsmen in the Oak Bar for thank-you cocktails; treat your moms to luncheon at the Rose Club or Palm Court; and pamper your ladies at the Caualie Vinotherpaie Spa.
At the very least, consider treating yourselves like a duke and his duchess, and spend your honeymoon night in the Royal Plaza Suite.
Here’s a peek of where spent the morning–send us any pics you’ve got of your Wedding Watching Party.
1 Want a grand opening to the night? The Plaza Hotel’s majestic presence will set the tone.
2
3 Whether it’s the night before, or the night after, the Royal Plaza Suite makes a luxurious place to spend the evening–and the night.
4 The Royal Plaza Suite has a dining room–and a kitchen–so you can invite people to visit you.
5 Serene amid the suite’s opulence, this may be the most comfortable bed you’ve ever slept in.
6
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8 Here we are–watching one of the many televisions in the suite. (We split up to see the difference in the coverage–Darcy watched from the den, and I watched in the exercise room!)
The Bride’s Guide : Martha Stewart Weddings
Pet First Aid Part 3
Monday, July 19th, 2010In the past two weeks we Daily Waggers have gotten some great first aid tips from expert Denise Fleck (Part 1, Part 2)! In today’s final visit with Denise, we will learn some of the basic guidelines for companion animal CPR. Please note that this advice is in no way a substitute for getting actual hands on training in a pet CPR class — something I highly recommend for everyone!
1 Step 1 Look, listen and feel to determine if your pet is breathing/has a pulse. If not..
2 Open airway by pulling back on the chin
3 Step 2: Place pet on his right side (legs away from you)…
4 …and give 2 breaths into his snout (just enough to make his chest rise) keeping his mouth closed with your hands.
5 See above for positioning to give breaths to a cat.
6 Step 3 (Dog): Check pulse at femoral artery (where hind leg meets torso), If no pulse…
7 Step 3 (Cat): Check pulse at femoral artery (where hind leg meets torso), if no pulse…
8 Step 4 Gently take animal’s left front leg and bend it at the elbow, rotating it at the shoulder. Where his elbow touches his body is where you place your left hand for compressions.
9 Compressions for medium to large dogs: With you left hand, push on the chest 10-15 times (approximately 3 compressions every 2 seconds) and then deliver 2 more breaths. Repeat. Every 4 cycles, check for a pulse.
10 Compressions for small cats and dogs: Use fingertips to compress heart in place of your left hand or place 4
fingers of your left hand under the animal’s chest and compress on the top with left thumb: 5 compressions/1 breath and check for a pulse every 8-10 cycles.
11 If there are two people, one breathes and the others compresses at the rate of one breath for every 2-3 compressions.
12 If you feel you are rolling off the dog’s chest and not compressing straight down, try this alternate method where you stabilize the dog with one arm by compressing with the other hand.
13 Take care not to over inflate the lungs, observe that you ventilate with a normal rise and fall to the chest, and…
14 Important! Never breathe or compress on an animal that is breathing or has a pulse.
15 When doing compressions, realize you must compress 1/4 to 1/3 the width of the chest. You must flex the ribs, press the lungs in order to squeeze the blood out of the heart and release so that it can flow around and back into the other chamber.
16 For barrel-chested breeds (like Fala and Winnie above) you may position dog on his back and compress chest human-style (hand on top of hand over chest): 15 compressions/2 breaths checking for a pulse every 4 cycles.
17 Barrel chested breeds include, but are not limited to, Great Danes, Boxers, Dobermans, Bulldogs, Pugs, etc.
Ms. Bix Biz here is a super sweet 5 mo. old pure Boxer in need of a home near Peoria, Il. (see link at end of blog)
18 Don’t worry, animals’ ribs are more flexible than human ones. It is always possible to crack a rib but you aren’t swinging with momentum, the heel of your hand is in place (see earlier photo) and you are just compressing 
19 Step 5: Quickly transport pet to the nearest Animal Emergency Center.
20 Realize that you may not get animal to breathe or resume a heart beat on his own and may need to continue CPR while someone else drives.
21 Emergencies occur suddenly and without warning.
22 Statistics show that preventable accidents are the leading cause of death among companion animals.
23 According to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), one out of four additional pets could be saved if just one first-aid technique was applied prior to getting veterinary assistance.
24 Knowing what to do during those first few moments can save your pet’s life.
Pet CPR Saves Lives
By Denise Fleck
Emergencies occur without warning. Knowing what to do during those first few moments can save your pet’s life. What you should remember when performing CPR is that it is not a cure! It is a means to keep life-giving blood and oxygen flowing through the tissues and organs of your pet’s body so that when you do arrive at veterinary assistance, the animal can be helped. There the vet can provide the antidote for poison swallowed, perform surgery, cure a disease, but without you keeping the animal alive, your vet — no matter how competent — cannot bring your dog or cat back, so you really CAN save a life by performing this technique en route to your emergency hospital.
As in humans, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency technique used only when an animal has stopped breathing and has no heartbeat. It involves rescue breathing (mouth-to-snout resuscitation) and chest compressions. Although you may have taken a human CPR course, dogs and cats don’t share our anatomy. The concept is the same, but the technique is different, making pet-specific training essential.
When an emergency happens, don’t regret not learning Pet CPR.
A big thanks to Denise for this great information. Denise has graciously offered to provide help in finding a local CPR training course for anyone who is interested.
In kinship,
Dr. Pia Salk
Review:
Step 1 Look, Listen & Feel for breathing, if none…
Step 2 Place pet on his right side (legs away from you) and give 2 breaths into his snout (just enough to make his chest rise) keeping his mouth closed with your hands.
Step 3 Check pulse at femoral artery (where hind leg meets torso), if no pulse…
Step 4 Gently take animal’s left front leg and bend it at the elbow, rotating it at the shoulder. Where his elbow touches his body is where you place your left hand for compressions. Take your right hand across his chest and place it on the ground underneath him, stabilizing his body and preventing him from rolling as you compress. With you left hand, push on the chest 10-15 times for a medium to large dog (approximately 3 compressions every 2 seconds) and then deliver 2 more breaths. Repeat. Every 4 cycles, check for a pulse. If there are two people, one breathes and the others compresses at the rate of one breath for every 2-3 compressions.
NOTE: Never breathe or compress on an animal that is breathing or has a pulse.
Step 5 Quickly transport pet to the nearest animal emergency center. Realize that you may not get animal to breathe or resume a heartbeat on his own and may need to continue CPR while someone else drives.
The Daily Wag – Pets – MarthaStewart.com
The Royal Wedding: Formal Morning Attire
Saturday, July 17th, 2010Did you notice all the cutaway coats on the gentlemen? A morning coat and gray striped trousers are the proper formal attire for any time before 6pm. The tux is actually not correct until evening.
Me, I prefer the cutaway to the tux, actually!
What time of day is your wedding, and what will the gentlemen be wearing?
The Bride’s Guide : Martha Stewart Weddings
AKC tips on getting your dog ready for spring
Thursday, July 15th, 2010Spring is finally here! It’s time to get outside and take advantage of all the season has to offer and do things that the cold winter may have prevented you from doing. To help you and your dog get ready for spring, American Kennel Club (AKC®) Canine Partners offers the following Fido fun tips.
- Get a clean bill of health. It’s good to take your dog for a check up after being cooped up in the house for the winter. This will ensure he is healthy and ready to start springtime activities.
- Drop the winter weight. Many of us pack on a few pounds during the cold winter months, and chances are our dogs have too. If your dog is looking a little fuller these days it’s time to talk to your veterinarian about a safe weight loss regimen for Fido. Try cutting back on treats that add calories to your dog’s diet. Instead, try giving him baby carrots.
- Play outside. Now that the weather is warming up, take the opportunity to get outside with your dog. Start slowly if your dog hasn’t exercised much over the winter. Try taking a walk to the local dog park, or playing fetch in your yard. You can even begin training for agility by teaching your dog navigate through weave poles, run through tunnels and over jumps!
- Beware of the grass. Your dog will finally be able to run and play on the grass, but be careful where you let Fido go. The chemicals used on lawns don’t belong on your dog’s paws. Make sure you clean his pads after playing on grass.
- Groom the coat. Shedding increases in the springtime as dogs lose their winter coats. Make sure to brush your dog regularly. This will help keep the shedding under control, as brushing loosens and removes dead hair and dandruff from Fido’s coat.
For more information on how to have fun with your dog, visit the AKC Canine Partners website at www.moredogfun.com.
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Cindy Bear the dog needs a forever home: please share
Thursday, July 15th, 2010Cindy Bear was found with her brother Yogi in Lancaster CA and a kind stranger let them live in his yard while trying to find their owners or a new home for them. No owners where every found and that is when their guardian angel contacted Camp Cocker. Of course as soon as we saw them, we could not resist their cute little faces. Yogi found a home but Cindy is still waiting for her forever home. She is in a foster home and she is a very happy, friendly girl. Her front legs are deformed, we think she was born this way, but the vet says she is in no pain and she gets along just fine the way she is! We think any adopter will fall head over heels for this special girl.
If you are interested in meeting Cindy Bear, please begin with the online application and read about our adoption process and adoption fees here. Thank you so much for supporting animal rescue!
Whoever adopts Cindy Bear will receive a one-year subscription to FIDO Friendly magazine to make sure they start their new relationship on the right foot, er paw.
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So you think you know a pit bull person?
Sunday, July 11th, 2010by Michael Mountain
Founder, Best Friends Animal Society and The Stubby Dog Project
People are watching as the gang approaches from down the street. There are about 10 of them, each tethered to a Pit Bull, all in uniform and on a mission.
The location is downtown San Diego. The “gang” is a group of young Southern California women who call themselves “Pretties with Pitties.” And their uniform is a hot pink T-shirt. The dogs are shelter pets sporting vests that say “Adopt me, I love to cuddle.”
“A lot of people have the perception that Pit Bulls are really for masculine guys and tough guys,” said Kerri Ewing, co-founder of Pretties with Pitties. “We wanted to show people that that’s not the case. They are great dogs for anybody.”
Pit Bulls are warm, friendly, family dogs and not at all like the caricatures that have been portrayed as in recent years. Ewing, a graphic designer and social media consultant, is about as far from the stereotype of a Pit Bull person as you can get.
Ewing, a foster mom to rescued Pit Bulls, has just placed Harry Potter in a great new home. Harry was found abandoned and starving near the Mexico border.
“He refused to believe he was anything but a lap dog,” she said.
In fact, Pit Bulls are as much an “everyone dog” today as they were 50 years ago when they were known as “America’s family pet” and, in the UK, as nanny dogs. And while Labradors and Goldens have been claiming that particular title more in recent years, Pit Bull people span the social spectrum, too. Here are some examples of that.
Won over by Pit Bull puppy
At her Hudson Valley estate outside of New York City, Marilyn Cohen is checking on lunch. That would be lunch for China, her 11-year-old Pit Bull who has cancer and is on a special diet prepared by the chef. Cohen, after all, is in the business of good food – she owns two top-rated restaurants in Manhattan. So only the best is good enough for China.
China is Cohen’s second Pit Bull.
“My twin sons were teenagers on vacation in Florida 11 years ago when they saw this Pit Bull puppy on the beach,” she said. “One of them decided they had to bring the pup home, and he paid his brother to drive her back to New York. That way, he could come home a day later and wouldn’t have to have me yelling at him. Of course, I fell in love with the puppy on the spot. We called him Morgan.”
When Morgan came down with lymphoma some years later, Cohen became obsessed with finding a cure – anything that would save Morgan or even just give him a little more time. “I almost gave up my businesses taking him from one vet to another. My dentist told me ‘You’re crazy; you could have bought a condo for the amount you’ve spent on that dog.’ But not long after that he got a dog himself and admitted that ‘I would have spent any amount on that dog. They’re family.’ ”
Cohen’s husband, Dan, is an Israeli film director, who’s worked mainly in Germany and is best known in the United States for his 1978 movie Madman, starring Sigourney Weaver. Today, he’s at work on a novel that tells a fictionalized version of the family’s Pit Bulls, which he’s also planning on making into a movie.
Does your State Senator have a Pit Bull? Connecticut’s does.
Equally passionate, and a staunch member of the unofficial community of Pit Bull people all across the country is State Senator Bob Duff of Connecticut. “My family and I have adopted two abandoned Pit Bulls, welcoming them into a home with two small children without fear. We’re proud and lucky to have them in our lives,” he said.
Don’t judge a book by its cover!
Christine Craig grew up in Miami where her parents had emigrated from Haiti in the 1960s. She recently received her MBA, and has been in marketing for several years.
“I couldn’t have told you what a Pit Bull was,” she said. But she adopted one of the puppies after her ex-boyfriend’s Pit Bull had gotten together with the Rottweiler across the street.
“I’ve had Diva nine years. I don’t think of her as being a big dog like a Rottie or a German Shepherd,” Craig said. “But people still seem surprised that I have a Pit Bull. I think they see me as a rather demure person who should have a dog who fits in my purse!”
Craig thinks that most people assume that Pit Bulls are a man’s dog. “Their perception of the dog doesn’t match their perception of my personality. But that just means they don’t know Pits!” she said.
In the city of sin
Across the country in Las Vegas, Tino Sanchez believes that most people in his part of the country really do understand Pit Bulls. He says they know that most of the fear of Pit Bulls is fostered almost entirely by the media’s negative portrayals.
Sanchez, a disc jockey, is a regular volunteer at the city animal shelter, and helps get the dogs ready for new homes. Right now he has five Pit Bulls at home, two of whom are certified therapy dogs.
“Yes, I get weird looks sometimes when I take them all out for a walk,” he said, “but nothing like as much as I get positive reactions. People are always coming up to me asking ‘Why do these dogs have such a bad rap when they’re such good dogs?’”
Rags and Riches
At either end of the economic spectrum you’ll find Gary Michelson, a California, Forbes 400 billionaire and the spinal surgeon who invented spinal implants, and David Love, a homeless man in Brookings, a small town on the Oregon coast.
As a dog lover and, especially, a Pit Bull lover, Michelson is using much of his wealth to help animals, offering million to the first inventor of a safe and effective injectable sterilant for cats and dogs, and another million to support the research and development of the product. His goal is to replace spay/neuter surgery, which is comparatively expensive and time-consuming, and so to reduce the numbers of unwanted, homeless dogs and cats coming into shelters.
In a different way, Love also strives to do the right thing for the world around him. On any given day, he can be found checking on his friend, Buddy, another homeless man, who, like him, gets around in a wheelchair.
Buddy lives more than two miles away. But it’s an easy ride for Love.
“Kitty is my motor,” he said with a grin, referring to the Pit Bull he adopted and who has become not only his best friend but also his official chauffeur and unofficial service and therapy dog. “I’d always been told they were bad dogs, but it’s all in how you teach them. She’s a very gentle dog and she’s great with kids.”
Love has several medical problems, and Kitty has become his lifeline, who enjoys her daily exercise pulling the wheelchair around town.
“She seems to know I’m going to have a seizure before I do,” Love said. When that happens, Kitty takes over, putting her head on his legs and looking at him. “She blocks me from going anywhere!”
Obama’s classmate at Harvard
During the week, David Isaacs is a media entrepreneur, but he often takes time out over the weekend to help find homes for homeless pets. One Saturday morning, he was volunteering for a local rescue group at a table outside a pet supply store on the Upper West Side of New York City. One of the dogs the group was hoping to find a home for was a sad-looking Pit Bull.
“Molly was cowering under a table, so I offered to take her for a walk,” Isaacs said. “I took her for a stroll in NYC’s Central Park. She had a long scar along her back, and she was just terrified, grazing against the wall next to the footpath. I sat down with her, hoping to calm her down a bit. Moments later, she crawled into my lap, curled up and went to sleep.” Isaacs took her home and she’s been part of the family ever since.
Isaacs studied law at Harvard and then at the Harvard Law School, where he was in the same class as Barack Obama. Today he lives with his wife and young daughter in Santa Monica, Calif.
“When we had our baby, a number of people in my wife’s family were concerned,” Isaacs said. “I told them about how in England Pit Bulls used to be known as nanny dogs. But it was soon clear that my daughter could poke Molly, pull her, even ride on her, and Molly just loved her.”
Isaacs said Molly is also the single greatest lover of cats. “The only risk to the cat is that Molly will suck her in through her nostrils when she gets up close to sniff them!”
So who’s a Pit Bull person?
From presidents (Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson) to pop stars (Pink, Madonna and Usher); TV personalities (Jon Stewart, Cesar Millan, Rachel Ray and Dr. Phil) to athletes (Shaquille O’Neal, Serena Williams, Anthony Kim and Amare Stoudemir); and actors (Jessica Biel, Michael J. Fox, Jamie Foxx and Brad Pitt) to legends (Helen Keller, Thomas Edison and Humphrey Bogart), Pit Bulls are the beloved pets of people of every kind.
So, you think you know a Pit Bull person? It’s easy; they’re really no different from anyone else!
Michael Mountain is one of the founders of Best Friends Animal Society, the nation’s largest animal sanctuary and one of the pioneers of the no-kill movement for homeless pets. As president of Best Friends and editor of Best Friends magazine, he helped to build grassroots adoption and spay/neuter programs all over the country before stepping down in 2008. He currently is the editor and co-founder of Zoe — a new online magazine for people who care about animals, nature and the environment — and the co-founder of StubbyDog, which is working to change public perceptions of Pit Bulls.
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Used with permission by Dogtime.
The Royal Wedding: Kate’s DIY Makeup
Saturday, July 3rd, 2010Catherine Middleton is a girl after my own heart. Instead of opting for a makeup artist this morning, Kate did her very own.
After meeting several times with makeup artist Arabella Preston to get the look down pat, the princess-to-be applied her own with what I would say was a very steady hand — no nerves or jitters there!
Ladies, are you hiring a makeup artist the day of, taking lessons before the big day like Kate did, or just winging it?
I think Kate did a pretty fantastic job. What do you think?
Image courtesy of AP Photo/Martin Meissner
The Bride’s Guide : Martha Stewart Weddings
New Evidence of a Rodent
Thursday, June 24th, 2010Franny and I were in our blog studio, editing some recent photos, when I got up to stretch and look outside. I was very interested to notice that after we entered the studio, something had made some changes to the door stoop outside. This is a farm, after all, and there are critters galore!
1 Here I am in the blog studio looking at a new bit of a mess on one side of the stoop.
2 Look at that! It’s a pile of sunflower seed hulls. The seeds were no doubt pilfered from the bird feeding area!
3 And look at this on the other side of the stoop! Yuck! Small animal droppings! I smell a rat, or perhaps another type of rodent.
4 Well, looky, looky here! The guilty party is a chipmunk. I would so like to pounce, but I’m in here and its out there.
5 I wonder why its just sitting there? Maybe chipmunks like to bask in the sun, too.
6 Whoa! I suppose that now little Chippy knows I’m watching! Chipmunks are shrewd little creatures and they’re faster than squirrels.
7 And just like that, he’s gone.
8 I suppose he escaped to his little burrow under the stoop. Martha’s not so happy that they live under there, but there’s not much that anyone can do. Bad tenants are difficult to deal with.
9 Especially whey you’re stuck indoors with a heavy glass storm door in your way!
The Daily Wag – Pets – MarthaStewart.com