Hellobeautiful Featured Video

CLOSE

Introducing Clarence Claus a.k.a Black Santa. Jacquelyn Rodgers had the vision for Greentop Gifts when she was just a young impressionable mind watching her mother paint holiday figurines to look like her family for the holidays. Rodgers wanted her son to feel the same representation when he looked at the jolly figure. So she decided to make her own!

Like thousands of other business, this year, Greentop Gifts suffered sluggish sales during the onset of the COVID 19 pandemic. But Rodgers was able to secure a grant from Visa & iFundwomen and Beyonces BEYGOOD foundation that allowed her to keep the family business going during their busiest time of year.

We caught up with Rodgers as she rolls out (get it) new Black angel wrapping paper and pajamas for the whole family.

HelloBeautiful: What inspired you to create GreentopGiftsand theBlack Santa Claus wrapping paper collection?

Jacquelyn Rodgers: Growing up I remember my mother putting Christmas trees in every corner of our house, painting angels and Santa figurines to look like our family for the holidays. We created memories from those moments and those memories are part of the inspiration behind GreentopGifts. I wanted my son to see images that looked like him. When I couldnt find wrapping paper in the stores I just decided to make my own and it turned it something so much bigger than just something I wanted for my son.

HB: Tell me how receiving the Visa & IFundwomen Grant Program for Black Women-Owned businesses kept your business afloat during the pandemic.

JR: We were able to use the Visa & iFundwomen and Beyonces BEYGOOD grants to continue to pay and work with contractors that help keep GreentopGifts going in our busiest season. We are super grateful for these programs that allowed us to keep our business running in the midst of the pandemic.

HB: How has your Black Santa Claus character Clarence Claus helped young children find themselves in the character?

JR: Its so important for children to see images that look like them. In the shows they watch, the books they read and even in celebrations! We hear stories from parents saying their children were starting to question why Santa didnt look like them and our items helped to fill that void. Its so important for all children to see diverse images, not just black and brown children.

HB: What other products do you offer that promote diversity?

JR: We recently released our newest collection with a Black Angel wrapping paper.We are also working on items for other celebrations that will be released in early 2021!

HB: When did you first feel represented by products like this in the marketplace and how did a lack of representation affect your outlook on the holidays?

JR: Growing up I remember my mom buying wrapping paper with Black Santas. But over the years they became harder and harder to find. Its annoying to see rows and rows of merchandise during the holiday season with very limited diversity. Our spending power is so large and to think we are underrepresented continuously is disappointing.

HB: Favorite holiday tradition?

JR: Our favorite holiday tradition is going to taking our kids to see the Black Santa Claus in our hometown every year. We love seeing how much our kids have grown each year.

Shop Greentop Gifts, here.

RELATED STORIES:

Kyla Pratt Is Keeping It Comfy And Cozy This Christmas, Talks New Lifetime Movie

Santa Baby: Sevyn Streeter Wants Genuine A** Love This Year

Also On HelloBeautiful:

Read the original here:
This Black-Owned Shop Has Black Santa Pajamas (And More) For The Whole Family - HelloBeautiful

Contractors: Paint from Sherwin-Williams Message DialogDisplay Update Message

Explore our 2021 Colormix Forecast color collections tailored for professionals to inspire beautiful spaces across commerical, hospitality, new residential, healthcare, education and multi-family settings.

Sherwin-Williams presents the 2021 Color of the Year Urbane Bronze SW 7048 (245-C7). Tap into nature with a hue whose down-to-earth-simplicity turns any space into a sanctuary.

#1 in Customer Satisfaction with Interior and Exterior Paints, Exterior Stains and with Paint Retailers

Hot trends in paint color, expert tips for perfect surface pre, a step-by-step guide to cabinet refinishing and much more!

The Spring/Summer 2020 Color Palettes perfectly coordinate with Pottery Barn's latest collections.

Taking the lead in building painting's future workforce.

Canada

Mexico

General Information

Our products are available throughout South America, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Argentina

Our products are available throughout South America, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Brazil

Our products are available throughout South America, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Chile

Our products are available throughout South America, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Colombia

Our products are available throughout South America, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Ecuador

Our products are available throughout South America, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Uruguay

Our products are available throughout South America, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

General Information

Our products are available throughout Central America, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Costa Rica

Our products are available throughout Central America, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

El Salvador

Our products are available throughout Central America, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Guatemala

Our products are available throughout Central America, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Honduras

Our products are available throughout Central America, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Mexico

Our products are available throughout Central America, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Nicaragua

Our products are available throughout Central America, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Panama

Our products are available throughout Central America, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

General Information

Our products are available throughout Caribbean, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Bahamas

Our products are available throughout Caribbean, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Bermuda

Our products are available throughout Caribbean, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

Our products are available throughout Caribbean, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Cayman Islands

Our products are available throughout Caribbean, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Dominican Republic

Our products are available throughout Caribbean, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Haiti

Our products are available throughout Caribbean, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Jamaica

Our products are available throughout Caribbean, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Puerto Rico

Our products are available throughout Caribbean, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Our products are available throughout Caribbean, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Turks and Caicos Islands

Our products are available throughout Caribbean, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Virgin Islands (British)

Our products are available throughout Caribbean, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Other Caribbean Island Countries

Our products are available throughout Caribbean, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

General Information

Our products are available throughout Asia/ Pacific, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

China

Our products are available throughout Asia/ Pacific, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Indonesia

Our products are available throughout Asia/ Pacific, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Japan

Our products are available throughout Asia/ Pacific, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Malaysia

Our products are available throughout Asia/ Pacific, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Singapore

Our products are available throughout Asia/ Pacific, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

South Korea

Our products are available throughout Asia/ Pacific, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Thailand

Our products are available throughout Asia/ Pacific, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Vietnam

Our products are available throughout Asia/ Pacific, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

General Information

Our products are available throughout Europe, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Croatia

Our products are available throughout Europe, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Cyprus

Our products are available throughout Europe, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Czech Republic

Our products are available throughout Europe, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Denmark

Our products are available throughout Europe, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Danske

Danske

English

Danske

Finland

Our products are available throughout Europe, see locations below or contact us at globalsales@sherwin.com.

Suomi

Read the rest here:
Contractors: Paint from Sherwin-Williams

NEWBURYPORT A second James Steam Mill resident tested positive for COVID-19 last week, prompting the management company to suspend construction there and issue a warning to tenants.

There are 99federal subsidizedunits at the Charles Street complex, which houses people62 years old and up and peoplewith disabilities.The former mill building is overseen by SHP Management Corp., a private company, and not the Newburyport Housing Authority.

The announcement of a second resident testing positive comes less than two months after SHP said a second employee tested positive for the potentially fatal virus.

Company President Matt Brucker said no other residents have tested positive since the announcement.

"As far as I know, it's only one. We are confident all residents make us aware when there's a positive test," Brucker said.

In response to the positive test,SHP distributed a flyer asking residents to adhere to allCenters for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and practice good hygiene.

"Behave as if everyone is positive because we just don't know who may be positive," Brucker said.

At the time of the positive test, contractors weremaking electrical upgrades, installing new kitchen cabinets, and making general repairsto theconverted brick mill building. Brucker said those projectswould resume in about a week.

But James Steam Mill resident Clive Lee called for all nonessential work to cease until residentsare vaccinated.

"Its simple, it has always been simple. Why paint doors that dont need painting? The carpet is serviceable and presentable it can wait to be replaced. The kitchens are serviceable no need to upgrade them now," Lee said in an email. "We have a pandemic raging and they carry on regardless."

The first James Steam Mill resident tested positive in late May or early June while in the hospital. A similar flyer was distributed to residents but repairs to an inoperative elevator continued on schedule. Brucker said Thursday the project was completed "a couple months ago."

Word of the facility's first COVID-19 case comes as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve the firstvaccinenext week. Earlier this week, CDC officials voted to distribute the first batch of vaccines to nursing home residents, others in residential care facilities and health care workers.

Since the pandemic hit the U.S. in late February, those living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities have been among the hardest hit groups in the nation with tens of thousands of deaths recorded. To date, more than 270,000 people have died from the virus in the U.S.

Brucker said he has yet to hear fromU.S.Department of Housing and Urban Development officials as to whether James Steam Mill residentswould be among the first in line to receive vaccinations.

"We basically know what you know by watching the news," Bruckertold a Daily News reporter.

Staff writer Dave Rogers can be reached at drogers@newburyportnews.com. Follow him on Twitter@drogers41008.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

Originally posted here:
Second James Steam Mill resident tests positive for COVID - The Daily News of Newburyport

Market Expertz latest study, titled Global Drywall Contractor Market, sheds light on the crucial aspects of the global Drywall Contractor market. The report aims to help readers accurately estimate the global market growth rate over the forecast period (2020-2027). Our market research team has meticulously performed quantitative and qualitative assessments of the Drywall Contractor market dynamics, considering a slew of factors, including market penetration, product portfolios, end-user industries, pricing structure, and the key drivers, constraints, opportunities, and challenges predominantly affecting market growth.

The latest market study broadly segments the industry based on the product type range, application gamut, end-use industry, key regions, and the competitive background. One of the central components of the report is a detailed explanation of the gross profits, revenue shares, sales volume, manufacturing costs, individual growth rate, and the financial standing of the leading market players. The developmental scope of the Drywall Contractor markets new entrants and established companies has also been emphasized in the report.

Request a sample copy of the report to understand the structure of the complete [emailprotected] https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/98285

Competitive Terrain:

The global Drywall Contractor market is highly consolidated due to the presence of numerous companies operating across this industry. The report depicts the current market standing of these companies, their past performances, demand and supply graphs, production and consumption patterns, sales network, distribution channels, and growth opportunities in the market. The leading market contenders listed in the report are:

Market segments by Top Manufacturers:

Gottstein Corp.CRM Construction, Inc.MDB ConstructionContemporary Wall Systems, Inc.Contract Applicators, Inc.Eagle PaintingCanin Coatings Inc.EJN General ContractorAdept Construction Services Inc.AAP Construction Group Corp.Henderson-Johnson Co. IncFlagler County PaintersAsher Contractors LLCMcCahill Painting Co.Jays and Fancy Interiors

The latest report is inclusive of an extensive coverage of the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Drywall Contractor business sector. The coronavirus outbreak has drastically impacted the global economic landscape, and consequently, this particular business vertical. Therefore, the report provides the reader with a clear concept of the current scenario of this business vertical, estimating its COVID-19 aftereffects.

Get Your Copy at Discounted [emailprotected] https://www.marketexpertz.com/discount-enquiry-form/98285

Product Type SegmentationNorth America StandardEuropean StandardAustralian Standard

Industry SegmentationConstruction & DecorationFurniture Manufacturing

Geographical Scenario:

In this section of the report, market analysts have provided valuable insights into the geographical segmentation of the Drywall Contractor market. They have further estimated the current and future market valuations on the basis of the demand-supply dynamics and pricing structure of the leading regional segments. Moreover, the growth prospects of each regional segment have been meticulously extensively discussed in the report.

The global Drywall Contractor market is classified into the following regions:

Browse the full report description, along with the ToCs and List of Facts and Figures @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/global-2020-drywall-contractor-market

Highlights of the Table of Contents:

1.1 Research Scope

1.2 Key Drywall Contractor market segments

1.3 Target players

1.4 Market analysis by type

1.5 Market analysis by application

1.6 Key learning objectives

1.7 Report timeline

2.1 Global Drywall Contractor market size

2.2 Latest trends of the Drywall Contractor market by region

2.3 Key corporate trends

3.1 Global Drywall Contractor size by manufacturers

3.2 Global Drywall Contractor market key players

3.3 Products/solutions/services of major players

3.4 New entrants in the Drywall Contractor market

3.5 Mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and expansion plans

4.1 Global Drywall Contractor Sales by Product

4.2 Global Drywall Contractor by Product Revenue

Buy your copy [emailprotected] https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/98285

Thank you for reading our report. To find out more details on the report or to inquire about its customization, please contact us. We will offer you a report well-suited to your requirements.

See the original post:
Drywall Contractor Market Recent Industry Trends and Projected Industry Growth by 2027 - Cheshire Media

As a graduate of ABC's FLiC and a frequent speaker at industry events highlighting leadership and problem solving, Vera is well known and respected for her commitment as well as her vast skill set. She will be working closely with Alpine Environmental leadership to hone operational proficiencies and incorporate processes to accommodate growth in the commercial and government space.

Founded almost 30 years ago in 1991, Alpine Environmental is a forerunner in the Environmental Specialty Contracting field. Located in Chelmsford, Mass, Alpine emphasizes customized services for each individual client. With services that cover Abatement and Remediation to period restoration and painting, Alpine serves the public and private sectors through general contractors, government agencies, schools, churches, homeowners, and landlords throughout the New England region.

To learn more about Alpine, visit alpine-environmental.com.

Alpine Environmental Contact:Kristen Peik | Marketing ManagerO: 877-527-4040 E: [emailprotected]

SOURCE Alpine Environmental, Inc.

Home

Continue reading here:
Alpine Environmental focuses on Growth and Operation Strategy with the On-board of Vera Quick - PRNewswire

Every home buyer wants to add their personal touch to their property and turn their new house into a home. A great way to do this at a reasonably low cost is by giving the property a fresh coat of paint.

But to make their lives easier, experts recommend buyers paint the home before moving in.

A new coat of paint will make the home seem cleaner, updated and more your own. However, to save yourself some hassle, paint the home a few days before you move all your furniture and boxes into the home. Not only will this save you from inhaling paint fumes, but it will also cut down the amount of labour and time required to get the job done, said regional director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa Adrian Goslett.

Below, RE/MAX of Southern Africa describes four reasons to paint before you move in:

You dont need to play tetris with the boxes

It is far less physically challenging and less stressful to paint the interior of a home if there is nothing in it. If furniture and boxes have already been moved in, it makes the entire process far more cumbersome, involving heavy maneuvering to get to certain places in the home. If the room is empty, it will be easier to move around and place the step ladder in the right spot to reach those out-of-the-way sections.

Why move twice when you can move once?

If homeowners have already moved in, they will have to move the furniture away from the walls before they can start painting. Moving the furniture around and covering it takes the time that could be spent on the actual painting.

If homeowners decide to make use of professional painting contractors, it can save them in costs. With no furniture in the home, the painters will be able to move from one room to the next much faster, which will cut down on time spent on the job. Less time spent on the job will mean lower labour costs.

Avoid creating Jackson Pollock furniture

If there is no furniture in the home, it cant get ruined. Even if the new homeowner or a painting contractor is meticulous in ensuring all furniture is covered, there is still the chance that paint could spill or paint flecks could find their way onto the furniture.

Figure out a colour palette

Homeowners who are undecided about their colour palette should test several shades of the colour selections on a wall in the room they are going to be painting. The painted area should be allowed to dry for 24 hours before viewing it, as paint often looks different after it has dried.

View the colour swatches in the morning, noon and evening, as the colours will also appear slightly different depending on the time of day.

This will give the homeowner the chance to compare the shades to see which one is best for space. If the homeowner has not yet bought any of their dcor items for their new home, painting the home will give them a specific colour palette from which to work which could make the process of decorating far easier.

Painting a home is an excellent way to transform it and reflect the new owners individual style. However, neutral shades will always have the broadest appeal if the homeowner ever decides to sell.

When a homeowner reaches that point, it is best to consult with a local real estate advisor who can provide objective advice on how the home should be updated to give it the best chance of selling, Goslett concluded.

Continued here:
Four reasons to paint before you move in - Southern Courier

TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox.

About an hour ago

An Oakmont pedestrian safety project, inspired by a traffic study and a borough Girl Scout, is planned for next year.

Borough officials earmarked $40,000 in the 2021 budget for line painting for crosswalks along Allegheny River Boulevard and Allegheny Avenue.

It is unclear how much painting could be done with that amount of money.

The decision to improve the crosswalks was done after reviewing a traffic study by Wooster and Associates of Pittsburgh and a report from resident Audrey Myers, a ninth-grader at Riverview High School.

I think she inspired us to move forward on it, and she has given us a wonderful tool to work with, Councilwoman Nancy Ride said. Were able to use it rather than doing our research with our own staff, and we thank her.

Audrey examined about 120 intersections this past spring and noted the quality of the crosswalks and whether there were sidewalk ramps. Audrey also took photos of all of the intersections.

She submitted her data to the borough in March. Officials put that data into an interactive dashboard for Oakmonts geographic information systems a few months later.

According to Audreys report, 53 of the intersections examined had crosswalks while 61 only had sidewalk ramps.

Out of those crosswalks, seven were listed in good condition, 20 in fair condition, 21 were poor and three earned mixed reviews.

Myers is a member of Girl Scout Troop 52359 in Oakmont and Boy Scout Troop 9143 in Monroeville.

Her efforts will go toward her Girl Scouts Silver Award.

The traffic study was released a few months ago. It included an analysis of traffic along Allegheny Avenue, Third Street and Cedar Way from Hulton Road to College Avenue.

The study showed several intersections were dangerous for walkers.

We have a vehicle/pedestrian conflict in a lot of places, borough manager Scot Fodi said. If we did some improvements on signage and paint on the streets wed have a better chance of lessening the conflicts.

Fodi said there were a lot of near misses this year and previous years, but no one was actually struck.

Theres been no pedestrian incidents, he said. The accidents we are seeing at intersections happen to be driver incidents when they make bad judgments. If theres an accident along Third Street and Hulton Road, typically its a driver trying to push the envelope and try to cross when they shouldnt have.

Wooster and Associates officials said most of the study data, such as how many cars travel throughout the borough, would likely be different now due to the covid-19 pandemic.

The crosswalks are expected to eventually look like piano keys and be uniform on the main streets and mid-block intersections.

Fodi said he plans to work with local contractors to find the best paint price. Bids could go out sometime in February.

Michael DiVittorio is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Michael at 412-871-2367, mdivittorio@triblive.com or via Twitter .

Categories:Local

TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox.

Link:
Line painting planned for next year as part of Oakmont's pedestrian safety improvements - TribLIVE

The day has finally come, quips Natasha Kwan, co-owner of Diegos Mexican restaurant which opens tomorrow, It only took 22 months.

Planning a restaurant, especially retrofitting an exciting one, is never easy because of the unknowns, and there were a lot of them, says Kwan regarding the former Momos Ouzaria Taverna. Our plan was to keep the walk-in and the hood, move the bar, do a little painting, and open the doors. Little did we know there was a disaster behind every wall. Contractors told us it was the top two of the worst projects theyd ever seen. Then in the middle of the prolongation, along came COVID-19.

Opening a restaurant in the middle of the pandemic is risky, to be sure, but Kwan and Roloff were fortunate to be able to open utilizing 50 percent of the seating rather than 25. The look and layout of Diego's will evolve due to furniture and artwork delays, Kwan says, and patio seating and to-go service will become increasingly important. Regardless, she says, the response from pre-opening guests has been more than positive, with echoes of well worth the wait.

Kwan and Roloff own a handful of several businesses in a (west-of-the-Loop) pocket of U City that includes Fridas, a vegetarian caf named after Kwans cat and as an homage to painter Frida Kahlo. She married a fellow painter, Diego Rivera, in 1927, and the name and culinary theme was a natural, says Kwan.

A bright blue, orange, and green color palate matches the one at Museo Frida Kahlo (a.k.a. La Casa Azul), the artists childhood home. Homages to Frida and Diego are both obvious (prints on the wall) and hidden (check the mosaic tile in the window seats and the art on the patio walls). The script in the logo was built off of Diegos signature.

The back bar is festooned with Mexican masks, the bar top has moveable dividers, and the bar face boasts a sea of Day of the Dead-themed tile. Liquor cubbies (where tequila and mezcal are both featured) are splashed with colorful ceramic tile, a theme repeated throughout the three-room cantina.

Espolon is the house tequila and Montelobos supplies the mezcal (we want people to understand and recognize the difference, says Kwan). The former is base for an unconventional margarita, served in a pint glass and made with fresh lime juice, a touch of agave, and splash of orange juiceno Triple Sec or orange liqueur of any kind. The resulting quaff is brighter and thankfully, not cloyingly sweet.

The cocktail list includes a selection of two margaritas on tap, $10 house and classic cocktails, and a flight of tequilas. Except for a $75 top, top shelf margarita, topped with Grand Marnier Cuvee du Centenaire (a blend of XO Cognacs aged up to 25 years combined with the essence of wild tropical oranges), there are no overwrought preparations. No 10-minute cocktails and no two-foot mixing spoons, says Kwan. I would rather my bartenders establish a rapport with the customer than spend that time crafting a cocktail with an egg white that took forever to froth. To me, tending bar is about knowing the customer and getting them a cocktail, fast.

Those speedy cocktails are paired with street food-themed, small plates, featuring seafood and poultry, but no beef or pork. Its more about the seasoning and the sauce, rather than the choice of meat, says Kwan. Favorites are the tacos with grilled barramundi, chicken carnitas (pictured above), and grilled shrimp, served in a flavorful and just-thick-enough single corn shell.

Recommended are the costras, traditionally a cooked disc of cheese that doubles as a surrogate taco tortilla. Here, the cheese is cooked onto the tortilla, and the result, served two ways, is memorable.

Other options include tlayudas (like a thin masa pizza); sheet pan nachos, thoughtfully constructed in a single layer (not a heap); and the attention-grabbing queso flameado (think: Mexican saganaki), an homage to Chuck Paner, the late owner of the former Momos.

Theres a dessert showstopper, too: grilled bananas with strawberries and caramel, dusted with cinnamon and a smidge of cayenne, an adaptation of a dish that intrigued Kwan.

Knowing that tables at Mexican restaurants often get cluttered (chips, salsa water glasses, margaritas, plates, etc.), Kwan opted for more real estate at Diegos, which is all the more dramatic since theyre all made of different, hand-selected stonepink, gray, yellow, and quartzite (Rick and I share a mutual dislike for wooden tabletops, Kwan says).

There are hanging gardens, a copper Mayan calendar, Mexican fishing baskets doubling as pendant lights, and kitschy coconut palm trees. Mexican tiles sweeping the archways cause guests to linger, just for a moment. Arriving soon are works from local artist Kevin Glazer and a print from Espolon, to be set in an 8-by-6 foot frame.

In a nod to the times, Kwan and Roloff have pulled out all the stopsdividers, partitions, air scrubbers, stanchions, single use tableware, table carafes, and bags for masksto keep staffers and diners safe. Despite the current climate, we plan on being here a while and we have other things in the works," Kwan says. "A pandemic wont stop us building the community we have created in U City."

Read the original post:
Diego's, a husband restaurant to Frida's, opens tomorrow in University City - St. Louis Magazine

Construction work can be brutal at times. Shake hands with a contractor if you ever need proof of that, but prepare for the possibility of damaged fingers. Tough work produces tough people, and its easy to tell when a person has worked a lifetime of hard work by the force of their grip. But out of all the different types of occupations in construction, which ones stand out as the hardest contractor jobs?

Not all construction jobs are equal in terms of the effort they require, that much is for sure. Some are much, much harder than others. We took a look at several data sources to pin down some third-party perspectives about which jobs stand out among the hardest.

In this review, were not necessarily looking at the riskiest jobs or ones most likely to encounter an injury, but rather which ones are the most physically demanding on employees every day. With that in mind, the following are several examples of what experts consider to be the hardest construction jobs out there.

Sweat Index

Its tricky to find any actual metrics regarding how difficult a particular job can be, because levels of difficulty are often subjective. But earlier this year, editors with Business Insider put together a pretty cool resource using data from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), which is a database of occupational information developed for the public and for the U.S. Department of Labor.

O*NET provides a lot of data on physical activities and strength requirements that people need in certain occupations, such as dynamic strength, explosive strength, time spent walking or running, stamina, and trunk strength. These are given a score between 1 (low) and 100 and those numbers were then averaged into an overall activeness score.

Jobs mentioned in the report came from an array of industries, most of which were construction-related but several were not. For example, the most physically demanding job out of any category was dancers, which were ranked as requiring the greatest amounts of stamina, flexibility, and coordination. Athletes/Sports Competitors and Fitness Trainers/Aerobics Instructors came in at numbers two and three, respectively.

Most of the list pertained directly to construction and maintenance jobs. The following were among the most physically demanding and are listed with their overall activeness scores:

Perceptions Vs. Reality

In another report from late last year, an interesting survey was published by an online construction industry lead-generation resource called CraftJack. The organization reached out to more than 1,600 contractors and more than 650 consumers to gain their perspectives on what they felt were the hardest jobs in construction. There was a bit over overlap between the two points of view, and some big differences.

According to the survey results, Consumers and contractors agreed roofing and demolition are the most physically demanding trades. And while contractors voted carpentry as the third-most physically demanding trade, it barely cracked the top ten for consumers.

This indicates there is a lot more exertion happening in construction than most consumers realize, which is likely attributable to average people having limited knowledge of what actually takes place on jobsites.

As far as an informed audience goes, contractors themselves ranked the most physically demanding jobs as:

Its worth noting that construction professionals had varying views of difficulty regarding jobs beyond their own specialties, but they share a mutual respect for some roles. For example, the authors pointed out that Contractors dont believe [jobs like] painting, carpet cleaning, and electrical work to be very physically demanding unless its their specialty. On the other hand, carpentry was equally saluted by both carpenters and non-carpenters.

The survey also included some details about which construction jobs were the most difficult to master, when it comes to skill levels and training. In this subject area, the surveys responders had a much tighter consensus. They ranked Electrical, Carpentry, HVAC, and cabinets and countertops as the jobs that were the most difficult to master, generally uniformly across respondents.

Sore Workers are Vital Workers

It probably goes without saying that although many of the jobs listed in this article are really hard jobs, theyre also vital to our economy. After all, construction is an investment-driven industry. And as such, it contributes greatly to the overall growth of the country. If it werent for the tough men and women who were willing to endure difficult physical jobs, its likely that our whole way of life would be totally different.

Although this article likely wont settle the debate among professionals about who works the hardest, it does provide a few baselines of comparison. At the very least, we hope it will add to the mutual respect shared by members of various trades, because they all work so incredibly hard.

Go here to see the original:
Examining the Hardest Contractor JobsExamining the Hardest Contractor Jobs - Building Indiana

Datacolor, a global leader in colour management solutions, announces the launch of ColorReader EZ, the latest addition to the companys ColorReader family of products that includes ColorReader and ColorReader Pro for professional markets. The recommended retail price is 65 including VAT.

The affordable new device incorporates the companys advanced colour technology in an easy-to-use tool designed for the consumer audience of home decor DIY enthusiasts. It simplifies the often challenging and time-consuming process of paint colour selection, such as finding wall and trim colours that coordinate, as well as selecting wall paint colours that complement existing dcor elements, tying the look of a room together.

The portable, Bluetooth connected ColorReader EZ device works in conjunction with the ColorReader mobile app (available for both iPhone and Android). The ColorReader app displays the exact measurement data in CIELAB, Hex and RGB as well as the three closest paint colour matches from the most popular paint brands.

In addition to the RAL and NCS colour standards, the app includes paint colour fan decks from Farrow & Ball or Sikkens and more for convenient access to up to 20,000 colours. ColorReader EZ also provides coordinating colours and suggested colour schemes, answering the question of What colour goes with this? immediately.

Along with their matched colours, users can create colour palettes and effortlessly share these with paint retailers that offer online ordering and curbside pickup, as well as with paint contractors, architects, interior designers, family and friends. The greater level of colour confidence afforded by ColorReader EZ saves consumers time and money on reworks for colour errors. Whether its quickly finding a paint colour for a room refresh or finding the right shade to repaint an old dresser to match a childs room dcor, ColorReader EZ is a must-have tool for every project that includes colour decisions.

The paint colour selection process can be a challenge for all of us, since so many factors can affect how we view colour. We wanted to bring a level of ease and colour-confidence to consumers with an affordable product that they would use whenever they needed to make a decision about colour. ColorReader EZ takes the guesswork out of selecting and coordinating paint colours. It lets you capture colour inspiration where you find it, with an accuracy you cant get from a smartphone image. Its easy to then bring that colour inspiration into your home dcor whether thats painting a wall or room to match your favourite sports teams jersey or finding which shades complement your prized plant collection, said Stefan Zrenner, Director of Sales & Marketing, Consumer Solutions, for Datacolor.

To learn more about ColorReader EZ, visit ColorReader.Datacolor.com

Disclaimer: The use of third-party trademarks is for identification purposes only and does not connote any affiliation with, or sponsorship or endorsement by, the respective trademark holders.

Continued here:
New! Datacolor ColorReader EZ The Portable Tool that Simplifies Matching, Selecting and Coordinating Colours - Property Community