ABSOLUTELY!! Pets bring both Yin (gentle) and Yang (lively) energy into your home and office. Another noted benefit is our pets can be some of our greatest teachers in learning patience, compassion, acceptance, and unconditional love.  "A large review of studies by the British Psychological Society found that dogs especially promote therapeutic and psychological wellbeing, particularly lowering stress levels and boosting self-esteem, as well as feelings of autonomy and competence. "The calming presence and the social bond that pets bring can be very powerful," says Dr. Christenson."Source: Time.com  What about Nemo and Thumper? Yes, even your pet fish and bunny are great energetic additions for your home and life. Feel free to share a photo or two of your furry, scaly, or feathery frien... 09/01/2017

1. The buzzing sound of “Declutter” will continue to be the #1 starting Feng Shui suggestion during these current times because our society has adopted somewhat of a clutter-bug lifestyle. As the saying goes, less is more. This is essential for everyone to practice. A team of UCLA researchers in 2012 32 Los Angeles families and found that all of the mothers' stress hormones spiked during the time they spent dealing with their belongings.” Belongings included material goods, paperwork, and even their children’s toys. For the dad or father figure that lives in the home and children, please help out with keeping things tidy. This lifestyle change requires a team effort. To the best of your ability, make it a priority to establish the healthy habit of balancing routine and structure; verbal... 08/31/2017

Before providing a Feng Shui consultation in New York City I took a stroll along the south side of Central Park. It was a beautiful day to simply walk and observe the local happenings. Here are a couple of photos I snapped before meeting with my client. For those of you who have visited Central Park, please feel free to share your discoveries.   07/25/2017

Question:"Dear Laura,I've been fascinated with the topic of Feng Shui for several years know and I have become really confused with certain things. For example, I've read in books and articles that my bathroom is considered a huge drain on my energy. Is this true?Thank you,Kathryn Walsh"Answer:Dear Kathryn, Thank you for emailing me and what a great question! I have been teaching Feng Shui to public and private clients for 20 years. During this time I have found Feng Shui to be very subjective in  how each consultant is trained and how they choose to perceive the principles and their life experiences with the Feng Shui changes for themselves and with their clients. Another important observation is to understand Feng Shui speaks in the language of metaphors and symbolism, as that is how ... 07/10/2017

I am happy to share I was interviewed by Realtor.com in regard to providing insight into the world of Feng Shui. Throughout the article you will also read great tips from fellow Feng Shui Experts on what to avoid when Feng Shui-ing your home. Enjoy and happy Feng Shui-ing!To read the full article, click on: "7 Feng Shui Mistakes That Can Give You Bad Vibes"    Photo by Jarmoluk 06/25/2017

The Feng Shui Bagua map (also called ba-gua or pakua) is one of the main tools utilized in Feng Shui to analyze the energy of any given space. For this particular post, I am focusing on the BTB [Black Hat] bagua map of Feng Shui.  Translated from Chinese, bagua literally means "8 areas.” You could perceive the bagua map as an energy map or life station map, that is superimposed over an entire floor plan, single room or yard to show where the eight corresponding energy meridians are located.  What are the eight Ba-gua Map life sections?  Health & Family [Ancestors] Wealth & Abundance Fame & Reputation Marriage & Relationships Creativity & Children Helpful People & Travel Career & Life Journey  Spirituality, Knowledge & Wisdom  Learn how to place the bagua map over your home in 4 easy ste... 06/22/2017

Manhattan Monthly Market Report  Marketwide SnapshotMay was an improved month for condo and co-op sales in Manhattan, as contracts signed of both reached their second highest point in the last year. Inventory remained virtually unchanged versus last year, with just a 1% rise overall. Inventory grew in the condo market, but fell for co-ops. Every price metric for both condos and co-ops saw annual increases with some significant gains. Listings spent more time on the market for both the condos and co-ops, as days on market rose by 10% and 28%, respectively. Negotiability was still present market wide as the average sale was made slightly below ask.Condominium Market Snapshot After April’s double digit decline in contracts signed, May experienced a slight increase in condo contract activi... 06/17/2017

Full Floor One Bedroom Homes in Hell's Kitchen Overview Maps Photos Features Description Neighborhood $630,000 Multi Family Main Features 1 Bedroom1 Full Bathroom4 UnitsInterior: 800 sqftYear Built: 1919MLS #: 3700819 Location 456 West 50th Street4th floorNew York, NY 10019USA Mitchell J Hall The Corcoran Group(917) 312-0924[email protected]// http://corcoran.com/mhall          Listed by: Mitchell Hall Our recent listings  Subscribe to our listing feed Nearby properties for sale // -1&&m>28){j=28+s;s='';if(j/g,'>');l[i].href='mailto:'+t.value}}catch(e){}}}catch(e){}})(document);// ]]> 06/17/2017

 Last week I had the pleasure of teaming up with fellow New York Feng Shui Consultant Judith Wendell of Sacred Currents. We were invited by Douglas and Elliman Real Estate Alexander Team to conduct a co-panel discussion at 230 Central Park South in New York City offering an rich overview of the benefits to knowing Feng Shui in real estate.     05/29/2017

The March for Science stands up to support and safeguard the scientific community. Recent policy changes have caused heightened worry among scientists. The incredible and immediate outpouring of support has made clear that these concerns are also shared by the support of hundreds of thousands of people around the world.Knowledge is power and science is one of many avenues to peacefully empower people to help positivity transform the world collectively. It is time for people who support scientific research and evidence-based policies to take a public stand and be counted."We are people who value science and recognize how science serves. We come from all races, all religions, all gender identities, all sexual orientations, all abilities, all socioeconomic backgrounds, all political perspe... 04/20/2017

The March for Science and stands up to support and safeguard the scientific community. Recent policy changes have caused heightened worry among scientists. The incredible and immediate outpouring of support has made clear that these concerns are also shared by the support of hundreds of thousands of people around the world.Knowledge is power and science is one of many avenues to peacefully empower people to help positivity transform the world collectively. It is time for people who support scientific research and evidence-based policies to take a public stand and be counted."We are people who value science and recognize how science serves. We come from all races, all religions, all gender identities, all sexual orientations, all abilities, all socioeconomic backgrounds, all political pe... 04/02/2017

New York City downtown's newest architectural landmark designed by architect Santiago Calatrava. Some will refer to him as a 'visionary theorist, philosopher and a true artist in the craft of engineering and architectonic expressionism" - source architect.com What was Calatrava's inspiration? His family and him moved to New York City after the events of September 11. Due to that, much of his inspiration was rooted in the permeation though the street of New York during that tragic moment in history, 9-11. This generated the deepest desire in Calatrava to build something exceptional, something that had the calming sense of peace and hope for future generations who walk though the space. He also wanted to make sure navigation though the World Trade Center PATH station was easy and comforta... 03/09/2017

It's been a while since allowing myself time to just explore New York city vs only arriving for Feng Shui consultations and being stuck in that go-go-go mentality. After meeting up with my client, I took the time to simply just walk around the downtown financial district and take in the views. Enjoy! 03/05/2017

The awesome Cathedral of Saint John the Divine and Morningside Heights has been designated a Historic District by The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday.  Feast of St FrancisCatherdal of St John the Divine is located at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue New York, NY 10025 in Manhattan's Morningside Heights neighborhood. The cathedral is claimed to be the largest cathedral and Anglican church and third largest Christian church in the world.The historic district consists of approximately 115 buildings in an area stretching from West 109th Street to West 119th Street, Riverside drive to Amsterdam Avenue.The Morningside Heights Historic District Committee has been fighting for the past 20 years to create this district. iPhone photos courtesy of:Mitchell Hall, Associate Broker, The Corcoran Gr... 02/23/2017

 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a vital figure of the modern era and a pivotal figure in the Civil Rights Movement. His lectures and dialogues stirred the concern and sparked the conscience of a generation. His charismatic leadership inspired men and women, young and old, in this nation and around the world.  In 1954, upon completion of graduate studies at Boston University, he accepted a call to serve at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. While there, he was an instrumental leader in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, made famous by the nonviolent resistance and arrest of Rosa Parks.  Dr. King was arrested 30 times for his participation in civil rights activities. While Dr. King preached about justice, empowerment, love and peace, in the final months of his life, h... 01/16/2017

Ironically, Feng Shui promotes death on a constant basis though the use of positive language. "Create new beginnings," let go of the past," "change your environment," "transform who you are," etc.  In order to welcome in new opportunities and energy, there must be an ending or in other words, a death. Discussing death from a Feng Shui perspective views certain stages throughout your life as having opportunities to change patterns of behaviors and thoughts that no longer serve your best and highest interest. How death is metaphorically and/or spiritually translated will vary from person to person. In the world of Feng Shui, with each "death" in your life, change will come to birth new beginnings. Keep this in mind, if you choose to hold onto the past (that moment of death (s) you experie... 01/04/2017

Dreams are not easy. In fact they are very challenging and difficult and that could be why a large majority of our population ignore investing into their dreams (what ever that may be).I personally believe anything is possible. For dreamers to succeed, you need to be focused and have targets. You need to be self-disciplined, you need to experiment, commit to your dreams, be willing to fail and learn from those experiments. You need to raise your standards of self and set the bar so high it goes beyond your reach. Be mindful of who you surround yourself with, beware of the "dream killers." Take their doubts and transform that into your fuel of, "Yes I can." This may sound crazy, yet the formula has been proven time and time again. If you are not happy with your life, get to work and make... 01/03/2017

Hello! If you are interested in increasing your knowledge base of the NYC Real Estate Market, please click on the link, as this is a really great read!  http://amzn.to/2ij86EG.   Read the Excerpt below: "Sylvia Shapiro, a lawyer and board president of a major Manhattan apartment building, has written what will become required reading for anyone buying or selling an apartment, or curious about entering the fray of the co-op and condo market. Shapiro answers all the questions apartment dwellers are afraid of asking the board, broker, lawyer, or accountant-and she does so without talking down or a steep hourly fee. Included are such topics as: Is the building right for you? How can you make the approval process go as smoothly as possible? What should you do if the board rejects you? And wh... 01/03/2017

Today, there is no shortage of glitz and glam when incorporating recycled materials into a major renovation project. No avocado green or mustard yellow for this client - but renovating with a conscience was definitely a top priority! And today, incorporating recycled products can both lower the cost and lower the carbon footprint of an expensive renovation project.Located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, my client was clear that it was time to renovate her apartment to raise the value, commensurate with the neighborhood.  The long awaited Second Avenue Subway was about to open and my client felt strongly that she would be living in this one bedroom apartment for a long time to come.The apartment was completely gutted and I found an amazing kitchen cabinet refinisher, who incorporate... 01/01/2017

TO STAY WARM, DRESS LIKE A TEN-YEAR-OLD  Ten-year-old Little Olga, that is, when she lived in Western Siberia…A few days ago, I almost felt like cancelling a trip to my beloved New York City just because it was 18 degrees outside and windy. A friend and I were to take in some exhibits at the Museum of Modern Art, then meet up for lunch with yet another former colleague. When I take the train in to the City from Connecticut, I typically walk from Grand Central Station to most of my Manhattan destinations. Today, walking in sub freezing temperatures did not seem too appealing... hence the near cancellation. Then I thought, what is the big deal for a Siberian girl like me? I had to remind myself of the one time I recalled from my childhood when schools were closed up to fourth grade as tem... 12/22/2016