Calling all night owls! Friends of Blue Heron Park will be hosting a series of evening walks to try to spot an owl or two. 

Cliff Hagen, experienced bird-watcher and intermediate school teacher, will be leading the walks through Blue Heron Park, beginning Sunday, January 25th. The trips are planned for 6:30pm-8pm, so as not to interfere with next-morning plans, yet late enough for the sun to have fallen. Hagen will be calling Eastern screech-owls in hopes that, whether territorial or just curious, he'll get an answer.

This should be a unique experience for bird-watchers and lovers of the outdoors. Taking a night walk forces your other four senses to become sharper when sight is limited. 

The walks are scheduled for February 8th and 22nd, and…

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Today in our Market Updates series, we would like to present why 2015 is the perfect year to sell your home. We have some very interesting infographics to present to you, courtesy of KCM (KeepingCurrentMatters.com). Recent predictions show that the number of homes to be sold this year will dramatically increase!

Here we see the existing home sales of three major industry leaders for 2014 and their projections for the coming year. NAR is projecting an increase of almost half a million home sales for 2015, with Freddie Mac and MBA projecting increases of about 300,000. This means that there is no better time than now to contact us and let us get started on selling your home!

This graphic shows home appreciation projections for this year and…

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Today in our Market Updates series, we would like to tell you about mortgage rates. Our friends at KCM (Keeping Current Matters) have provided us with some amazing infographics that we are pleased to share with you. We cannot stress enough that NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY!

Here we see the mortgage rates offered by Freddie Mac for the past year of 2014. There has been a steady decline over 11 months from 4.5% to right around 4% at the year's end. Half of a percent may not seem like a large drop, but remember that every dollar counts when you are locked in for 30 years of payments.

The above graphic shows mortgage rate projections for the four leading firms in the country. As you can see, mortgage rates for all four of these firms are projected to…

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Hang onto your tree just a little bit longer if you can! The "holidays" are officially over, but there's no rush in taking down your tree just yet.

Wait until sometime between Monday, January 5th and Friday, January 16th. That is the Department of Sanitation's special collection period for discarded Christmas trees. Be sure to remove all tree stands, ornaments, lights, and other decorations, and place the tree curbside. All of the collected trees will be chipped into mulch, which will be distributed to parks, playgrounds, and gardens throughout the city.

For a more hands-on approach to recycling your tree, bring it to the NYC Parks & Recreation Mulchfest! The same concept applies, remove all decorations first, and watch your tree be chipped into…

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You loved your tree when you brought it home. It was gorgeous and full of life, and you decked it out with beautiful decorations and admired it greatly for the last two weeks or so. But now Christmas is over and your tree is dying. This year, instead of stripping your tree of it's last remaining dignity and tossing it to the curb, why not try a few fun ways to make it last even longer? These DIY's are simple and creative ways to preserve that $20-$40 you spent.

Tree Stump Coasters - Remove any low-hanging branches and twigs, and cut the stump of the tree into half-inch slices. (This could be tricky, and may take some strength, sharp cutlery, or a power tool.) Once you have your slices, use sandpaper on the flat surfaces on both sides. Then, coat the…

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Anyone who is reliant on public transportation will tell you, there's always room for improvement when it comes to the MTA. Thankfully, Senator Diane Savino announced this past week that she has secured $350,000 in funding for the installation of digital bus stop signs.

In total, 18 new signs are to be installed on Staten Island's North Shore and some areas of Brooklyn. These signs will feature LED screens displaying in real-time how many stops the next bus has before arriving. There are already two pilot digital signs on the island- one at Hylan Blvd and Reno Ave, the other at Bay Street and Prospect Street, and both signs have been well-received by residents. Exact locations of the new signs are to be decided in the coming months.

The MTA has…

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'Tis the season to decorate! Once again, we've compiled a fun, new Pinterest board, chock full o' unique home decorating ideas for the upcoming holidays. Check out the full board here!

Some of our favorite ideas:

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire? Almost. Fill your glass candle holders with chestnuts, walnuts, and any other nut you please. The nuts will add a decorative touch and the heat from the candle should give off a light aroma of toasted nuts throughout your home. *Just make sure you use an unscented candle, in case the candle scent doesn't mix with the smell of nuts.

 

Ice skates are a great reminder of the season any particular religious connotation. Dig out that old pair out from the attic and stuff them with your favorite…

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Open your hearts and your wallets this season by donating warm, winter clothing items to Project Hospitality for their Winter Clothing Drive.

The organization has helped more than 35,000 Staten Islanders in need this year, and plans on continuing their efforts through the new year. Residents are asked to donate new items (with tags on) such as hats, gloves, scarves, socks, sweatshirts, and more. The clothing will be given to the homeless and the less fortunate. 

Donations will be accepted at 100 Park Ave, in Port Richmond, Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm, now through January 6th. For more information, contact Project hospitality at (718) 448-1544.

[Photo source: google.com]

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Staten Island, once known for it's farmland, is returning to it's "roots" with a new agriculture development in Bloomfield on the West Shore.

A vertical farm was planted back in October on the underutilized lands of the West Shore Green Zone on Bloomfield Avenue. The project came to life through a joint effort by the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation (SIEDC) and Living Restoration, a start-up focused on integrating nature into already developed areas. With the help of Nanoponics, a Bloomfield-based company, a special soil blend was developed, containing slow-release nutrients which makes it last longer. A system of delivering water to the plants also needed to be devised, considering there was no usable water at the site.

The short…

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A new video has been released, featuring a virtual tour of the highly anticipated Empire Outlets planned for St. George.


[Video source: empireoutletsnyc.com]

The animated video begins by providing statistics about New York City, including number of residents, tourists, and their shopping habits, while simultaneously taking the viewer on a virtual tour of the Empire Outlets shopping complex design. The video boasts over 100 retail shops are planned, as well as a 190-room boutique hotel offering waterfront dining and "unparalleled" views of the city skyline.

Early stages of construction have begun and the project is expected to be completed in 2016, making it the only outlet mall in New York City. The 630-foot tall New York Wheel will be the…

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