Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston may both be single now, but theres little chance of the duo rekindling their romance. Aniston laughed right along with her ex-husbands jokes about his dating life when he accepted the Golden Globe for best supporting actor on Jan. 5. But Pitt told Entertainment Tonight that the Friends star is just that a good friend.

Sources told TMZ that although Aniston and Pitt are on good terms, theres nothing romantic between them anymore. The two married in 2000 and divorced in 2005. But if they do decide to get back together, they can move back into the home they shared when they were a couple, which is currently on the market.

When they were married, Pitt and Aniston lived in a sprawling French Normandy Revival-style mansion, noted the website TopTenRealEstateDeals.com. They sold the home after their divorce, but the property recently hit the market again, with a price tag of $44.5 million.

The 5-bedroom, 12-bath estate includes a dining room that can seat up to 20 people, a massive swimming pool, new tennis court, and a guest house. Susan Smith of Hilton & Hyland, Beverly Hills, has the listing.

Aniston and Pitts former abode has a storied Hollywood pedigree. The nearly 12,000-square-foot house, which was designed by Wallace Neff, was built in 1934 for actor Frederic March, who won an Oscar in 1931 for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Later the home was owned by a member of the Vanderbilt family and publisher Walter Annenberg, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Pitt and Aniston bought the house in 2001 for $12.5 million, according to Mansion Global. They sold it in 2006 to a hedge fund manager for $22.5 million.

When they owned the property, Aniston and Pitt made a number of upgrades, including adding a screening room, tennis court pavilion, and guest house.

Among the spacious homes many features are a gourmet kitchen, lower-level bar and sitting area that opens to the pool, and an outdoor living area with a fireplace. Theres also a private exercise room and a light-filled living room with floor-to-ceiling windows. Of course, the home is also ultra-private, with two separate gated entrances.

Over the years, Aniston, 50, has lived in and renovated a number of homes. After breaking up with Pitt, the Horrible Bosses star moved to a beach house in Malibu. Later, she bought a mid-century modern home in Beverly Hills and embarked on a multi-year restoration project.

After getting together with Justin Theroux, the two moved to a home in the Hollywood Hills before buying a different mid-century modern pad in Beverly Hills. That house was featured in Architectural Digest, and Aniston talked to the magazine about her love of design.

If I wasnt an actress, Id want to be a designer. I love the process, she said. Theres something about picking out fabrics and finishes that feeds my soul.

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A Look Inside the Beverly Hills Home Jennifer Aniston Shared with Ex Brad Pitt - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

ALEXANDRIA Egypt unveiled Friday a newly renovated 14th-century synagogue in Alexandria as part of a push to market the countrys rich cultural heritage.

The Eliyahu Hanavi synagogue, boasting green and violet stained glass windows and towering marble columns, was built in its current form in 1850 by an Italian architect on top of the original edifice dating back to 1354; the original building was badly damaged during Napoleon Bonapartes invasion of Egypt in 1798.

With room for approximately 700 worshipers, it is the larger of the two synagogues remaining in the city. Alexandria was once home to an estimated 30,000-40,000 Jews.

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In cooperation with the military, Egypts antiquities ministry oversaw the 64 million pound ($4 million) renovation which lasted over three years after the roof and staircase collapsed in 2016.

Sitting in the back wooden rows, Yolande Mizrahi, a septuagenarian Jew born and raised in Alexandria, was delighted with the conservation.

Guests visit the newly renovated Eliyahu Hanavi synagogue in the northwestern Egyptian city of Alexandria on January 10, 2020, on the day of its inauguration. (Khaled DESOUKI/AFP)

If it wasnt for [President Abdel Fattah] al-Sissi, this would have never been done. A lot of things have changed since hes taken over, she told AFP.

In 2018, Sissi singled out preservation of places of worship for Egyptian Jews and Coptic Christians as a priority for his government.

Egypt is now home to only a handful of Jewish citizens.

Magda Haroun, one of the leaders of the Egyptian Jewish community in the capital Cairo, visits the newly renovated Eliyahu Hanavi synagogue in the northwestern Egyptian city of Alexandria on January 10, 2020, on the day of its inauguration. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

Egypts Jewish community, which dates back millennia, numbered around 80,000 in the 1940s, but today stands at fewer than 20 people. The departure of Egypts Jews was fueled by rising nationalist sentiment after Israels founding in 1948 and during the Arab-Israeli wars, harassment, and some direct expulsions by then-Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser.

Coptic priests leave after visiting the newly renovated Eliyahu Hanavi synagogue in the northwestern Egyptian city of Alexandria on January 10, 2020, on the day of its inauguration. (Khaled DESOUKI/AFP)

Lior Haiat, a spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, said in a phone call on Wednesday that while Israeli diplomats would not be at the synagogue on Friday, they would take part in another event marking its reopening later in 2020.

Egypt and Israel signed a landmark peace treaty in 1979 and have since maintained formal diplomatic relations. But public opinion in Egypt has largely remained hostile to the Jewish state.

For Mizrahi, she fondly recounted how the synagogue which she used to attend as a youngster was a communal gathering space for the Jewish minority in Alexandria.

She hoped Fridays opening of the temple to the public would spur other Jews abroad to visit the temple.

I have relatives who left to France, Italy and Israel and they would like to visit the synagogue now, she added.

Guests visit the newly renovated Eliyahu Hanavi synagogue in the northwestern Egyptian city of Alexandria on January 10, 2020, on the day of its inauguration. (Khaled DESOUKI/AFP)

Egypt has sought to promote its cultural heritage to revive the vital tourism sector, badly hit by political insecurity and attacks.

Magda Haroun, one of the leaders of the dwindling Egyptian Jewish community in Cairo, choked back tears after the ceremony.

People attend the opening of Eliyahu Hanavi synagogue in Alexandria, Egypt, Friday, Jan. 10, 2020, three years after the Egyptian government started the renovations of the synagogue originally built in 1354. (AP Photo/Hamada Elrasam)

This is recognition of Egypts Jews who were neglected for over sixty years, she told AFP.

It is recognition that we have always been here and that we have contributed to a lot of things just like any other Egyptian Haroun said.

The renovations included the structural reinforcement of the synagogue, the restoration of its main facade, decorative walls, and brass and wooden objects, and the development of its security and lighting systems, the Antiquities Ministry said in a statement in December.

Eliyahu Hanavi was once an active and bustling synagogue, but it fell into a precarious state after rainwater started to leak through the roof into the womens section seven to eight years ago, according to Alec Nacamuli, a former resident of Alexandria and a board member of the Nebi Daniel Association, an organization that works to preserve Jewish sites in Egypt.

Guests visit the newly renovated Eliyahu Hanavi synagogue in the northwestern Egyptian city of Alexandria on January 10, 2020, on the day of its inauguration. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

Then, four or five years ago, part of its roof collapsed and it was in urgent need of repair, Nacamuli, who left Alexandria with his family for Europe in 1956 at the age of 13, said in December. The Antiquities Ministry stepped in to take charge of its restoration, he said.

Egypt also sponsored the restoration of the Maimonides synagogue in Cairo in the 2000s. But many Jewish houses of worship in Cairo, as well as a major Jewish cemetery there, have sat in disarray for decades.

Sissi said in November 2018: If we have Jews, we will build [synagogues] for them. In recent years, Sissi, who has led a widespread crackdown on dissent and jailed thousands of critics, has frequently met with Jewish delegations in the US and Cairo.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Read more:
Egypt unveils historic Alexandria synagogue after three-year renovation - The Times of Israel

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As soon as crumbling houses that were sold as fixer tops have returned to the market after mammoth renovation work and are barely recognizable, this proves how powerful a real estate facelift can be.

Many of the homes were sold to renovation companies during the last real estate boom in Sydney 2013-2017, and are even more valuable after hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs.

A Federation-style, two-bedroom bungalow in Rozelle, which was sold in an inanimate condition in 2016, was recently rented and revealed a significantly different interior.

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MORE: Closing the window for buyers to get a better offer

House that is sold in one day

Hidden cost of buying a fixer top

The back of the property was just wooden beams, window frames, and corrugated iron when the house was sold three and a half years ago for $ 1.688 million.

A Rozelle house on Gordon Street that was pictured before renovation.

The Gordon St house after renovation.

Nowadays there is a contemporary house that, according to property records, rents around $ 750 a week.

A Paddington house on Iris Street that was sold without a roof in 2016 has been redesigned even more dramatically.

The house, which sold under the hammer for $ 1.19 million, has been restored through a renovation of nearly $ 600,000.

A one-story terrace on Harris Street in Paddington was sold in a dilapidated condition for $ 1.4 million in 2016. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The Harris St Terrace after renovation.

This Paddington terrace on Iris Street was sold for $ 1.19 million prior to renovation.

The Iris St house after extensive renovation.

The restoration included a small expansion and the installation of skylights. A new kitchen was also installed, along with a back yard deck.

The property on Iris Street was last rented for around $ 950 a week.

Another Paddington terrace, most recently sold with holes in the floor, peeling walls, and a garden clogged with debris and overgrown weeds, has also been extensively renovated.

The Paddington Terrace on Harris Street attracted numerous inquiries despite its condition.

The renovation has almost doubled the value of the house.

The house on Broughton Street has been repainted and the back yard has been repaved to create a large outdoor area.

There are new floors and air conditioners as well as skylights.

A once disassembled terrace on nearby Harris Street was recently sold for another $ 2.35 million after another major renovation the house had previously sold $ 1.4 million in 2016.

BresicWhitney agent Maclay Longhurst in the Harris St home before the 2016 sale.

The main bathroom has new surfaces.

Before the renovation, large pieces of loose wood were used to mend the uneven floors, and a bathroom door rotted. There were also pieces of canvas that blocked gaps in the bathroom walls.

Real estate records showed that after the sale of $ 1.4 million $ 250,000 more than was usual at the time a development request for a $ 275,000 extension was made.

Another dilapidated terrace on Broughton Street in Paddington was sold for $ 1.7 million.

The terrace on Broughton Street received a fundamental facelift.

The expansion seems to have added an extra level, while other renovations have updated the interior with modern fixtures and finishes.

Mortgage broker Rebecca Jarret-Dalton, founder of Red Shoes, said the renovation work is likely to increase in 2020.

The Broughton Street house took a lot of work.

The Broughton St Terrace is now a modern home.

This house in Leichhardt underwent an extensive renovation before it returned to the market.

The Leichhardt renovation has significantly improved the kitchen.

The biggest push for renovation would come from existing homeowners, she said.

With the housing market bottoming out in mid-2019, the desire to sell and upgrade the family home was more of a dream for most, said Jarret-Dalton.

(Enter) renovators. This clever bunch plays the chances of winning. They turn to their lender to get a top-up mortgage so they can unlock some cash and give their house a new face or completely revamp it.

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Original post:
Crumbling houses that could hardly be recognized by millions after major renovations - themediatimes

A synagogue in Alexandria, Egypt, is set to reopen Friday following the completion of multi-million-dollar renovations of the almost two-century-old building, an Egyptian Antiquities Ministry official said.

The Eliyahu Hanavi synagogue is one of two remaining Jewish houses of worship in the city that was once home to a thriving Jewish community.

The heads of the Alexandria and Cairo Jewish communities are expected to attend the opening, according to Egypts Assistant Minister of Antiquities for Engineering Affairs Hisham Samir.

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Egyptian Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani, some 25 diplomats and others are also slated to attend the synagogues reopening, Samir told al-Masry al-Youm, a privately owned Egyptian daily, in an article published on Tuesday.

Lior Haiat, a spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, said in a phone call that while Israeli diplomats would not be at the synagogue on Friday, they would take part in another event marking its reopening later in 2020.

Eliyahu Hanavi was once home to an estimated 30,000-40,000 Jews. Its current structure was erected in the 1850s, after the original building, which dated back to the 1300s, was badly damaged in the late 18th century, during a French invasion of Egypt. With room for approximately 700 worshipers, it is the larger of the two synagogues remaining in the city.

The renovations included the structural reinforcement of the synagogue, the restoration of its main facade, decorative walls, and brass and wooden objects, and the development of its security and lighting systems, the Antiquities Ministry said in a statement in December.

Eliyahu Hanavi was once an active and bustling synagogue, but it fell into a precarious state after rainwater started to leak through the roof into the womens section seven to eight years ago, according to Alec Nacamuli, a former resident of Alexandria and a board member of the Nebi Daniel Association, an organization that works to preserve Jewish sites in Egypt.

The Eliyahu Hanavi synagogue on December 20, 2019. (Egyptian Antiquities Ministry)

Then, four or five years ago, part of its roof collapsed and it was in urgent need of repair, Nacamuli, who left Alexandria with his family for Europe in 1956 at the age of 13, said in December. The Antiquities Ministry stepped in to take charge of its restoration, he said.

The renovations, which were paid for by the Egyptian government, cost 68 million Egyptian pounds ($4.23 million), Samir said.

Egypts Jewish community, which dates back millennia, numbered around 80,000 in the 1940s, but today stands at fewer than 20 people. The departure of Egypts Jews was fueled by rising nationalist sentiment during the Arab-Israeli wars, harassment, and some direct expulsions by then-Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser.

Egypt and Israel signed a landmark peace treaty in 1979 and have since maintained formal diplomatic relations. But public opinion in Egypt has largely remained hostile to the Jewish state.

Only four or five septuagenarian and octogenarian Jews currently reside in Alexandria, Nacamuli said. The city used to house 12 synagogues, but most of them were sold over the years to support the Jewish community there, and its infrastructure and institutions, he said.

Egypt also sponsored the restoration of the Maimonides synagogue in Cairo in the 2000s. But many Jewish houses of worship in Cairo, as well as a major Jewish cemetery there, have sat in disarray for decades.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi said in November 2018: If we have Jews, we will build [synagogues] for them. In recent years, Sissi, who has led a widespread crackdown on dissent and jailed thousands of critics, has frequently met with Jewish delegations in the US and Cairo.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

Read more:
Egypt set to reopen Alexandria synagogue Friday after extensive renovation - The Times of Israel

As the hurly-burly of the annual National Western Stock Show kicks off, the vision of turning the site of one of the countrys premier agricultural events into a year-round education and entertainment attraction is starting to take hold.

The 114th edition of the stock show, horse show and rodeo, which begins its 16-day run Saturday, brings with it the usual excitement of hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the country and the world. For those whove been planning and working on the transformation of the show grounds in north Denver, theres also the excitement of seeing the early stages of what ultimately will be a more than $1 billion development.

During the stock show, the construction will slow down to accommodate the horse shows, livestock auctions, rodeo performances and all the eating, shopping and the business deals that take place outside in the yards.

Its in the yards where people, especially longtime stock show attendees, will see visible signs of the big changes ahead.

Construction really started almost two-and-a-half years ago. It just takes a while for all that infrastructure to get in, said Paul Andrews, CEO and president of the National Western Stock Show.

Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post

Standing on an outside landing a few days before the show started, Andrews pointed toward the yards, where pens after pens of cattle would soon be on display. Some of the older, wooden structures have been replaced by new pens and shifted toward the north. By 2021, Andrews said most of the pens will have been replaced.

By 2022, all the yards will be completely done and shifted to the north by about 200 yards, Andrews added.

The new pens wont be permanent structures like the current ones. Work on the yards is part of the first two phases of construction, which together make up the first major part of the project.

The first portion is expected to be completed by the end of 2024, said Tykus Holloway, executive director of the Mayors Office of the National Western Center. The office is overseeing the planning, design and construction to expand the existing 110-acre site to 250 acres.

Other facilities planned in the first part of construction include a stockyards event center; a livestock center; an equestrian center; the National Western Stock Shows Legacy Building, which will include offices and a heritage center; and three buildings belonging to Colorado State University, a complex dubbed Spur.

Other features will include 6 acres of open space along the South Platte River. Holloway said work has begun on relocating part of the railroad lines that currently bisect the campus. The lines are being moved to the east, which opens up the space along the river.

The next big part of the project will include whats called The Triangle, on the southeast side of the complex. The current exposition hall, horse arena, and the historic Stadium Arena, built in 1909, are in that portion. Holloway said a draft request for proposals has been written for the work, which will include a new exposition hall, restoration of the Stadium Arena and a new, 10,000-seat arena for different kinds of events.

A timeline for completion of that portion of the project hasnt been set.

The major source of the funding for building out the National Western Center campus is revenue from a 2015 voter-approved extension of taxes on rental cars and lodging and a tourism grant. Legislators approved $200 million in state funding for CSUs buildings.

And the National Western Stock Show is contributing its 90 acres of land and another $63 million it raised. The stock show will pay for its new building, estimated at $50 million to $60 million.

Holloways agency, the stock show association and the National Western Center Authority, which will run the site year-round, are following the principles and direction detailed in the National Western Center Master Plan. The 2015 document was put together with input from the surrounding community, city and CSU officials said.

Provided by the Mayor's Office of the National Western Center

Year-round activities, a mix of community uses and visitors. The tourists coming into town to the various activities a mix and a balance of community uses and activities throughout the campus, said Holloway. That master plan is our guide.

Brad Buchanan, the National Western Authority CEO, said the nonprofit is guided by a 13-member board that includes representation from the surrounding neighborhoods of Globeville, Elyria and Swansea.

Since the beginning and the creation of the National Western Center Master Plan, there was a group formed called the citizens advisory committee, Buchanan said. It has been around for five years, and it is a very robust, active group.

There have also been literally hundreds of community meetings, Buchanan added. The National Western Center will be a year-round destination, he said, offering entertainment and education activities in partnership with CSU, the Colorado Museum of Nature and Science and others.

One of the biggest efforts is that the campus will be home to a public market that will be a retail location for Colorado foods and produce and meat, local arts and crafts, all things Colorado, Buchanan said.Well be doing a lot of programs and events in the different facilities, from the stock yard event center to the livestock hall to the new 10,000-seat arena.

The pop-up fresh produce markets, concerts, agriculture symposiums and the TED-talk-like events that Buchanan envisions taking place in the not-too-distant future will likely be among some of the activities hosted by CSU. The university system plans to break ground in April on three buildings dedicated to the following areas: animal and human health; water; food and agriculture.

We hired three different teams of architects to design each of the three buildings. We wanted each one to really stand alone in its uniqueness and really speak to the activities that are happening in the buildings, said Amy Parsons, executive vice chancellor of the CSU System.

The face of the building that will house faculty, students and private partners working on water research and projects is intended to look like the eddy of a river and evoke feelings of water flowing up and around, Parsons said.

Landscaping in the backyard will replicate Colorados watersheds. The building focused on food will feature an agriculture exploratorium in a multi-story, glassed-in area where people can see things growing and watch high-tech agriculture at work.

Students and people of all ages will be able to come in and understand something about where their food comes from and what agriculture means today, Parsons said.

The Denver Dumb Friends League plans to locate a clinic in CSUs animal health building. The clinic will offer reduced rates to people who live in the neighborhood, Parsons said. The building will include housing for CSU students working temporary stints and Future Farmers of America members attending the stock show.

The three CSU buildings will be branded Spur, which has a lot of different meanings, Parsons said.

When you think of spur you might think of Western imagery. You might also think of a rail spur. Were literally on a railroad spur where were building, Parsons said. And the history of rail spurs is an important part of this area of the city.

The railroad was a driver behind the development and growth of the Globeville area, settled in the late 1880s.

The Spur name and logo incorporate one of CSUs original colors, pumpkin, when the college in Fort Collins was primarily an agriculture school. Parsons said the staff is also using the brand to convey innovation and progress, as in spurring action.

Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post

I would say one theme that runs through all the buildings is that they are built for the public. One of the challenges I think that we have being a university is that the public might assume that theyre not welcome in our buildings, Parsons said. Were building this for the purpose of being highly visible and having the general public in.

The university has a long history with the stock show. The school, around for 150 years, has participated in the event since it started in 1906. The stock show was so important to CSU that the school would cancel classes so people could go, Parsons said. College deans would even lend students money so they could take the train to Denver.

A key goal for all involved in the National Western project is to expand the campus in an environmentally sustainable way. All the entities are looking to tap renewable energy sources.

Were working on the solar side to store some of the power so that during natural disasters or major storm events, we could be a refuge for community members as well as for livestock, Holloway said.

The buildings will be constructed with the goal of achieving LEED certification, given for energy efficiency and conservation measures. And the city and authority are close to solidifying plans to tap the thermal energy from two, 6-foot-diameter sewer pipelines along the river to heat and cool a big part of the campus.

It has been done in Europe and Canada, Buchanan said.

But the city and authority arent aware of a similar project of the scale the National Western is contemplating being done in this country.

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Yards, rails and spurs: As the National Western opens, complexs $1B renovation is a step closer to reality - The Denver Post

Over the past few weeks the Australian bushfires have reached catasphrophic levels, causing devastation too much of the country - but one confectioner is doing its bit to help.

Cadbury Australia has pledged to donate proceeds from its animal chocolates to help wildlife affected by the bushfires.

The sweet treats involved in the campaign are Cadburys Caramello Koala, Freddo Frog, and Furry Friends.

On Friday, the confectionery company announced its Freddo and Friends for Bushfire Relief.

The chocolate giant posted a picture on Instagram of Caramello Koala and Freddo Frog holding hands, to kick-start the initiative.

The caption read, To help Freddo and his friends, 100 per cent of our proceeds from Cadbury Freddo, Caramello Koala and Furry Friends products sold over the next seven days will help save wildlife impacted by the devastating bushfires.

Cadburyhas pledged to donate a minimum of $500,000 (264,000) to support wildlife rescue, treatment and habitat restoration projects.

The confectioner has named Zoos Victoria, Taronga Zoo Sydney and Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park as some of the organisations that will receive money.

Its estimated that around a billion animals have been killed in the fires, so far.

Many chocolate lovers were quick to praise the companys initiative on Instagram.

One happy follower commented, Legends, dont need a excuse to buy your chocolate but this gives me another reason to stock up! Great work Cadbury.

Another replied, This is a great reason to eat more chocolate.

While someone else simply said,Bravo Cadbury.

But its not just animals that the company has pledged to help.

Cadbury Australia has said it will be donating food supplies to Foodbank Australia and the emergency services.

In a statement, the company said, Our hearts go out to all that have been affected by the devastating bushfires.

The impact on families, homes and the environment is truly devastating. Like all that have been affected, our precious and much-loved native wildlife has suffered incredibly.

Well done Cadbury hopefully other companies will follow suit.

Read more from the original source:
Cadbury to donate proceeds from animal chocolates to help wildlife in Australia - woman&home

Social media platform Instagram carries a lot of stigma when it comes to its portrayal of real life.

Filtered pictures, celebrities with washboard abs and immaculate postcard scenes are just some of the images its users come across.

Some would say it encourages a false representation of the world we live in.

But for mum-of-two Karen Friend, her life was transformed by the platform when she used it to document the restoration of a newly bought house two years ago in Folkestone.

The young people quitting alcohol for January - and why

Mrs Friend, a businesswoman best known for starting up Emporium Parties back in 1999, said she wanted somewhere to look back on before and after pictures of her home.

With a lack of trust in storing her images on the computer, she thought the social media platform would serve two purposes - to give her instant access and to allow others to follow the progress.

But when Karen's home account exploded with followers, she started to realise just how many people were interested in her journey.

Some people eventually became her friends.

Now the 46-year-old, who helps run BDI Furniture in Park Farm Road with her husband, is an Instagram influencer with up to 50,000 followers.

She now works with big name household brands, whose products she reviews.

These range from Proctor and Gamble, Zoflora, Oak Furniture Land and Dunelm and she is also a brand ambassador for luxury soft furnishing company, Christy.

The companies also take the job seriously and some invite their influencers to London where they hold conferences aimed at educating people about how certain products work.

And she now makes the platform work for her business and has a home accessories page where people such as Mrs Hinch feature her products.

She said she prides herself on "keeping it real" and says she's only just about able to respond to everyone who comments on her content.

Speaking to KentLive, she said: "I don't want to be a large account, I just about able to keep on top of replying to people and posts.

"If someone has taken the time to comment it is only fair to do that back to them."

Instead of merely posting polished images of her nearly-finished six bedroom home, Karen said she tries hard to document the good and the bad.

From moments of her radiator exploding, to speaking about her everyday life - Karen feels this is how she's been able to retain a reputable following, with zero trolls.

"I got to know a lot of people through Instagram, I have two friends that come and stay with me who I met on the platform," she added.

"I have learnt lots about how it works and how it knows whose posts to show.

"I saw people had lots of followers and thought 'I want loads of followers' but I never knew anything about Instagram influencing.

"Then I was approached by a floor cleaning company and they asked if they could gift me a floor cleaner in return for exposure.

"I now work with a number of different businesses."

The biggest item Karen has been gifted was a 1,600 sofa, in return for posts on her account.

Influencing is commonly associated with celebrities who are gifted items to showcase on their accounts.

But now many brands are reaching out to people with a wide following over a range of different areas.

Karen added: "There is a lot of stigma about social media influencing, people think it is just about free items you get given.

"But you end up styling, staging and you can spend hours trying to get the right video or picture for that company.

"Everything I am gifted, if I don't like it I won't promote it. I wouldn't be happy to promote something I wouldn't use myself.

"I'm not just out to get free items - but it is nice to work with other businesses."

For those who would like to try their hand at expanding their account, the mum said it's not as easy as it may seem on the surface.

She said the task of keeping her page fresh and engaging could end up being a full time job in itself.

"My account would be bigger if I didn't work," she added.

"I know some people with home accounts who have got double the amount of followers, but they are on it in the day.

"You'd need to spend the time on it.

"You can post one picture, and that can get you either five or 500 followers - it is so hit and miss.

"I have some that love it, and some that unfollow - I'm lucky as I have lots of rooms to picture."

When asked about how her family feel about her social media following, she said her husband and sons are on board with it.

"They find it quite good, my husband used to say about me being on my phone a lot, but then when he realised I was working for our house, his attitude changed."

Press here follow Karen's account @cherryoakmanor.

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From mum to thriving Instagram influencer - meet the Folkestone businesswoman with 50k followers - Kent Live

New York [Jan. 8, 2020] HGTV is set to take on an ambitious missionand it will be the most impressive and massive renovation evera takeover to makeover an ENTIRE town. Ever since Ben and Erin Napier of the hit series Home Town helped transform Laurel, Mississippi, fans from small towns across America have flooded HGTV with requests to take on the reno of their home town. Now they will get their shot at a life-changing, whole-town overhaul. Through Tuesday, Feb 4, anyone who loves their own home town can log on to HGTVHomeTownTakeover.com to show, tell sell the network on why their small town, with its historic architecture and classic main street, should be the one town featured in the upcoming event series Home Town Takeover. With Ben and Erin leading the charge, the selected town, with a population less than 40,000, will witness the rehab of multiple individual family homes and the revitalization of public spaces, such as parks, local diners and recreation centers. And, the town will be featured in Home Town Takeover (fka Home Town Rescue), a six-episode series slated to premiere on HGTV in 2021.

This is a big one, said Erin. HGTV has never, ever taken on a whole town renovation and restoration project and were so proud and excited to be leading the team that will get it done. Show us those photos and videos. Tell us what makes your town special and how youd like us to help make it better. You may see us in your town soon.

Visitors to HGTVHomeTownTakeover.com will find information on how to nominate their town for consideration. Submissions must include photos of the town, but video is preferred. Videos should spotlight a specific place that needs a makeover, such as a diner, coffee shop, home or playground. Submissions also should feature a tour of the town that highlights the places that need the most help as well as the people that love living there.

Renovating one house at a time is an awesome experience, but the chance to support an entire town, where we can help bring a community back to life and enhance the lives of the people who live and work there, is something weve always wanted to try, said Ben. You wont believe what a small town with a shared renovation vision and the power of HGTV, Erin and me behind them can do. Weve seen those changes in Laurel and we want to help another town do it too.

While they await the premiere of Home Town Takeover, fans of Ben and Erin can watch the duo in the 16-episode season of Home Town which will premiere on Monday, Jan. 20, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. They also can catch up on full episodes from previous seasons on HGTV GO. To learn more about the series, visit HGTV.com/HomeTown for exclusive content, including behind-the-scenes videos and photo galleries. Fans can interact on social media using #HGTVHomeTown.

ABOUT HGTV

HGTV delivers families with relatable stories, superstar real estate and renovation experts and amazing home transformations that inspire a passionate audience. For anyone seeking entertaining and aspirational home and lifestyle content, HGTV is the place to be. HGTV offers: a top 10 cable network that is distributed to more than 88 million U.S. households; a website, HGTV.com, that attracts an average of 9.7 million people each month; a social footprint of 16.8 million; HGTV Magazine, a monthly publication that reaches more than one million readers and exclusive collections of home-oriented products through the HGTV HOME consumer products line. Viewers can become fans of HGTV and interact with other home improvement enthusiasts through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. HGTV is owned by Discovery, Inc., a global leader in real life entertainment spanning 220 countries and territories, whose portfolio also includes Discovery Channel, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.

Original post:
HGTV Launches Massive Nationwide Call to Find, Takeover and Makeover and Entire Town - Multichannel News

Is this Russian Hill home, circa 1908, the restoration deal of the century? You'll need $5M to find out.

Is this Russian Hill home, circa 1908, the restoration deal of the century? You'll need $5M to find out.

Is this Russian Hill home, circa 1908, the restoration deal of the century? You'll need $5M to find out.

Is this Russian Hill home, circa 1908, the restoration deal of the century? You'll need $5M to find out.

Is this $5M fixer the restoration opportunity of a lifetime?

Photos of the interior of 1020 Broadway are hard to come by, but the listing information promises six bedrooms and three and 1/2 bathrooms in a 3,500 square foot home.

What we can see looks to be fairly well preserved, with evidence of the home's original early 1900s bones. There are dark wood floors and wainscotting, a fireplace and built-ins, as well as stunning Russian Hill views from a living room that faces toward the bay.

The history

Property records indicate the home went into pre-foreclosure on a loan valued at $4.6 million sometime early last year, with a delinquent amount of $4,885,002.

ALSO: The craziest overbids of the decade all have one thing in common

Also in 2019, before it sold to its current owner/seller, the assessed property value for the home was $409,735 which meant a property tax of $4,935 for that tax year.

Today

Now the home is listed at $4.990 million in a clear foreclosure flip.

Historically, homes sold as fixers fetch a pretty penny over-asking in San Francisco. In fact, all of the most outrageously over-bid properties of the recently passed decade were listed as fixers.

So is 1020 Broadway the fixer opportunity of this decade? If you bought it, what would you do? How much would it cost you? Or, with views and woodwork like this house has, you could just live in it as is.

See the full listing here.

AnnaMarie Erwert writes from both the renter and new buyer perspective, having (finally) achieved both statuses. She focuses on national real estate trends, specializing in the San Francisco Bay Area and Pacific Northwest.FollowAnnaonTwitter: @AnnaMarieErwert.

Read more:
Is this $5M fixer the restoration opportunity of a lifetime? - SFGate

DAYTON, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Dayton Power and Light Company (DP&L), a subsidiary of The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES), was presented today with the Edison Electric Institutes (EEIs) Emergency Recovery Award for its outstanding power restoration efforts after a series of tornados hit Ohio in May.

The Emergency Recovery Award is given to select EEI member companies to recognize their extraordinary efforts to restore power to customers after service disruptions caused by severe weather conditions or other natural events. The winners are chosen by a panel of judges following an international nomination process. DP&L received the award during EEIs Winter Board and Chief Executives Meeting in Tucson, Arizona.

Beginning late in the evening on Memorial Day, a series of 15 confirmed tornados hit DP&Ls service territory resulting in 101,748 outages. Due to their tireless work, crews restored service to 100 percent of customers within 10 days after the storm, dedicating 80,000 man-hours to the recovery efforts.

On behalf of all of our DP&L people, we are extremely honored to be recognized with EEIs Emergency Recovery Award for our restoration efforts following the Memorial Day Tornados, which ranks as one of the top three storms for DP&L in recent history, said Lisa Krueger, AES US SBU President. We take great pride in serving our customers and thank the crews for their extraordinary dedication during an unprecedented weather event that people will remember for years to come. The extensive damage from the tornados presented challenging conditions with crews working round the clock to safely restore electric service to our customers and neighbors.

DP&Ls work to restore service safely and quickly to customers, often in dangerous conditions, makes them deserving of this award, said EEI President Tom Kuhn. Their efforts exemplify the high standards our industry seeks to uphold, and I applaud their commitment to their customers.

About The Dayton Power and Light Company, and The AES Corporation

The Dayton Power and Light Company is the principal subsidiary of DPL Inc. (DPL), a regional energy provider and an AES company. DPLs primary subsidiaries include The Dayton Power and Light Company, AES Ohio Generation, LLC (AES Ohio Gen), and Miami Valley Insurance Company (MVIC).The Dayton Power and Light Company, a regulated electric utility, provides service to over 525,000 customers in West Central Ohio; AES Ohio Gen co-owns a merchant generation facility; and MVIC, a captive insurance company, provides insurance services to DPL and its subsidiaries. For more information about the company, please visit http://www.dplinc.com. Connect with DP&L at http://www.twitter.com/dpltoday, http://www.linkedin.com/company/dayton-power-and-light, and at http://www.facebook.com/DPLToday.

The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) is a Fortune 200 global power company. We provide affordable, sustainable energy to 14 countries through our diverse portfolio of distribution businesses as well as thermal and renewable generation facilities. Our workforce is committed to operational excellence and meeting the worlds changing power needs. Our 2018 revenues were $11 billion and we own and manage $33 billion in total assets. To learn more, please visit http://www.aes.com. Follow AES on Twitter @TheAESCorp.

About EEI

EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Our members provide electricity for more than 220 million Americans, and operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. As a whole, the electric power industry supports more than 7 million jobs in communities across the United States. In addition to our U.S. members, EEI has more than 65 international electric companies, with operations in more than 90 countries, as International Members, and hundreds of industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate Members.

The rest is here:
Dayton Power & Light Earns EEI Emergency Recovery Award for Efforts to Restore Service in Ohio After a Tornado Outbreak - Business Wire