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Midday Muse: The True Meaning of Thanksgiving

casasugar — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 10:30:43 -0800

This year, some friends are volunteering on Thanksgiving Day to cook dinner for the parents of children staying at a Ronald McDonald House. Last year other friends spent time filling boxes at a food bank the day before Thanksgiving for families in need. One of my family members also makes it a point to volunteer during holiday weekends at animal shelters, since the dogs and cats get fewer visitors over those days. While I have yet to volunteer on the day of Thanksgiving, it's something that I am considering more and more. Perhaps next year I'll take time out from entertaining friends and family to volunteer at a shelter, church, or food bank.

Do you volunteer during the Thanksgiving holidays? Does anyone you know? If you have any great stories about giving friends, family members, or acquaintances, please share them below!
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Vern Yip's Transformation in the Tenderloin

casasugar — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:00:31 -0800

Vern Yip and Bank of America recently teamed up to transform a worn community center at an affordable housing complex into something much more vibrant. You can see the before shot here. To see how the space was transformed, check out the slideshow.

Before and After: Tenderloin Family Apartments, Transformed

casasugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:00:19 -0800

Remember when I told you about how Vern Yip was teaming up with Bank of America to transform two Bay Area nonprofits? Well, this morning, I was fortunate enough to attend the unveiling for the Tenderloin Family Apartments. Managed by the Chinatown Community Development Center, it's a safe, high-quality affordable housing property in the heart of the Tenderloin district, one of San Francisco’s lower income neighborhoods challenged by issues such as homelessness, safety, and drug use.

Renovations of the community room were just completed, with the reveal and ribbon-cutting ceremony taking place this morning.

Here's how it looked before Vern worked his magic:

To get a sneak peek of the transformation,

Midday Muse: CARE For a Garden

casasugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:00:10 -0800

This plate of figs, which is held by Palestinian Nadiya Zaqzuk, represents just a little of the bounty that her garden offers. Zaqzuk, a widow who needed a way to support her six children, can now grow vegetables and fruit in a greenhouse that the organization CARE provided for her. CARE's mission is to "tackle underlying causes of poverty so that people can become self-sufficient. Recognizing that women and children suffer disproportionately from poverty, CARE places special emphasis on working with women to create permanent social change."

The new US administration's electoral mission statement was "Yes We Can," and "Change." Now that the election is over, I've been looking for ways to carry out this mission. Do you support or volunteer with any organizations in your community that provide similar services to CARE?
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Would You Want These Sculptures in Your City?

casasugar — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 06:15:09 -0800

I'm a big fan of public art in general, and I'm digging the childlike whimsy contained in these aluminum sculptures, entitled "Moonrise Sculptures: March, October, and December." Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone, who often adapts pop culture phrases into unique art pieces, is responsible for these cartoon-like busts, which sit outside a plaza in downtown San Francisco. Would you want similar sculptures in your city or town? Source

Would You Want These Sculptures in Your City?

Definitely! My city could pull it off.

I live in a small town, so this would be a little odd, considering that fact. Still, they're cool!

No way, they're ugly and weird.

Other, I'll tell you in the comments.

How Much Do Your Online Relationships Matter to You?

DearSugar — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 08:00:00 -0700

As reported in the The New York Times, a new study reveals that men are just as attached to their online communities as they are to their real world relationships. Women, on the other hand, reported having a deeper connection to their real life encounters. The article didn't offer explanation for these varying viewpoints, but I'm sure there are many reasons why men and women are different in this respect.

There is something important about a physical relationship — a lot is said through someone's tone and body language — but I have to assume that even if it seems strange to some, online friendships and communities can be just as significant to a woman as her real world ones. But surely it depends on the woman, so since I know you're all active online, I'll ask you: Do you have any online relationships that you value just as much as those in your real life? Or do the connections you create online always come second?

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Casa Interview: Vern Yip

casasugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:30:47 -0700

Designer Vern Yip is a household name for many Casa readers, thanks to his judging on Design Star as well as his hosting and creativity on his tear-inducing show Deserving Design. Vern is currently contributing his design expertise to two very worthy community organizations, the Tenderloin Family Apartments, which are home to 4,000 low-income San Francisco families, and the West Oakland Boys and Girls Club, which has been serving youth in this neighborhood for over sixty years. I was thrilled to talk to Vern about his design renovations for these two community spaces.

CasaSugar: I’ve been out to both the Tenderloin Family Apartments and the West Oakland Boys and Girls Club, and they’re very excited about their renovations.

Vern Yip: This is such a wonderful and amazing opportunity for me. The renovations are being funded by Bank of America. This is part of their celebration of renovating their 118 Bay Area banking centers, so as part of the celebration they’re renovating two spaces for two Bay Area non-profits. Having been there, I’m sure you can tell that these are two organizations that are really deserving and could really benefit from a facelift.

To read more of the interview,

Midday Muse: Art Imitating Nature

casasugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:00:54 -0700

This sculpture, "Urchins," by Kelly Ann Lees, is part of the 2008 Sculpture by the Sea in Sydney, Australia. This public art festival, which is in its twelfth year, features over 100 sculptures placed along the Bondi to Bronte coastal path. I wish I had an Australia trip planned for the near future, so I could check out this artwork in person. I love public artwork: it beautifies spaces, fosters a sense of community, and encourages people to spend more time in public spaces.
Is there any great public art in your town or city?

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Cool Idea: Deserving Designs For Families in Need

casasugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:15:33 -0700

Remember when I told you about the Boys and Girls Club in West Oakland that Vern Yip, host and designer of HGTV's Deserving Design is renovating? I've been so curious as to what Vern might do to improve the space.

In one episode, Vern makes over a garage into a game room for a military family's children. He cleans up the space and stocks it with interactive games, spaces for gathering, and lots of kid-friendly storage space. I think that this design might be a good indication of what the deserving kids in West Oakland might get.

To see the video,

Before: A Community Center in Need of Renovation

casasugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 07:00:50 -0700

Years ago, I lived in the same neighborhood where this Boys and Girls Club is located. Community resources are few and far between in West Oakland, and the Boys and Girls Club is a welcome refuge for kids who need a place to hang out after school. The center, though, is in need of some renovation. Luckily, a very cool designer is soon going to transform the center. To find out who's going to renovate the center, check out the slideshow!