speechless Sunday: Still before the Storm by LI Feng Shui consultant Laura Cerrano Feng Shui Long Island NYC consultant Laura Cerrano was taking a walk around the Norman J. Levy Park in Merrick NY the other day and witnesses an amazing scene.  Capturing the clouds before they opened up, you can call Laura a bit of a storm chaser :) The color of these clouds against the green is so beautiful with the off white shelled pathway.   Just beautiful :) View Larger Map   Feng Shui Long Island NY in New York Feng Shui Long Island Fan Page on Facebook *Carole Provenzale has been a Certified Feng Shui Consultant since graduating from the Country's very first School for Feng Shui Studies that was licensed and accredited in 1997. Carole provides on site Feng Shui Consultations Long Island NY, Queens... 10/02/2011

THE SILVER LINING CHRONICLES - WEIGHT LOSS NOT HARMFUL TO ELDERLY There is a common perception among those in the field of Geriatrics that weight loss occurring in the elderly is a bad idea. In the past, doctors were hesitant to ask overweight adults to lose weight fearing it might not be wise. This is because an underlying illness has often been behind the unintentional weight loss. Previous studies had shown that a higher death rate might be linked to this weight loss. A recent study, however,  published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that losing a few pounds on purpose does not seem to cause any harm.  Author, Stephen Kritchevsky and his colleagues at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. looked at data from a past study of overweight and obe... 09/01/2011

HURRICANE IRENE CLEAN-UP   Thankfully, Hurricane Irene did not hit as hard as was expected and most neighborhoods made out okay. There was flooding across the five boroughs and parts of Long Island, massive trees that came down and power that went out for millions, However, we all know that it could have been much worse and are now prepared to deal with the aftermath: minor transportation inconveniences, clean-up and cost of putting things back together the way they were before the storm. Today was a much-welcomed beautiful, clear and sunny day with mild temperatures.  Here are some photos from my own backyard and around town:   08/29/2011

Sending your Garden Positive Vibes by Feng Shui NY Long Island consultant Laura Cerrano When stepping onto your land, now does it feel? How does it look? Is it filled with lush pants and flowers? Is your Garden producing an abundance of fresh vegetables? Is the grass green? Do you see animals traveling throughout?  Answering these questions are ways of indicating the amount of positive energy within on the land. Another way to enhance the Energy of your land is with objects and sound. Remember objects carry energy, and if made for a specific reason, that energy field is even stronger. Sound is known to enhance the vibrations living creatures too.  This includes humans, animals and plants.   Laura Cerrano Feng Shui New York Consultant placed a Buddha statue by her flower garden during mi... 08/26/2011

NORMAN J. LEVY PARK AND PRESERVE, MERRICK, NY Hour of Operation June, July and August: 7 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. September - May: 7 a.m. - dusk for holiday schedule and more info call 516.804.2000   Locally known as Merrick Mountain, this park and sanctuary boasts abundant plant and wildlife, numerous fitness stations along the 3 miles of nature trails, a fishing pier, kayaks, a functioning windmill and 2 fresh water ponds. Rain or Shine, 8-passenger jitneys are available for guided tours. Open for about a decade, the site was originally the Merrick landfill which operated from 1950-1984, according to the Park's brochure. It received about 4,000,000 cubic yards of garbage, demolition debris, street sweepings and landscape waste but never hazardous/toxic material. The Department of Environmenta... 08/24/2011

Good Times at the Merrick GablesThursday, August 4th, 2011 @ 2:00 p.m.A PICTORIALoffered as a tribute to all who can benefit physically and psychologically from staying active and connecting with others while enjoying and acknowledging our beautiful communites with interesting and historical pasts. The lovely Gables, recently used in the Mildred Pierce miniseries, were the main attraction of our day trip.      Merrick Patch Online Newspaper Story and Pictures by Chris BoyleSincere appreciation to Merrick Patch Editor, Chris Boyle for covering this event and showing an inordinate amount of patience while traveling behind our bus at speeds reaching a high of 5-10 m.p.h. Special thanks to Rabbi and Mrs. Ira Ebbin for their grace and hospitality A shout-out to Nathan Schafroth, Atria Recrea... 08/08/2011

9/11 Tenth Anniversary On the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks,  steel beams that were rescued from the World Trade Center site will be dedicated and placed in their new home in Merrick. Here in the picture, the Merrick Fire Department is shown saluting the flag-draped beams before they left Kennedy Airport's Hangar 17 yesterday. We are honored to have them. In all, there were 15 Merokeans that were killed on 9/11 ten years ago. Two of them were Merrick volunteer firefighters - Ronnie Gies and Brian Sweeney. According to the Merrick Herald News, the two beams will serve as the main attraction in two WTC memorials. One will be in downtown Merrick, off Sunrise Highway, and the other will be at the Friendship Engine and Hose Company, off Meadowbrook Road, where Gies once served as Merr... 07/27/2011

that's me in the middle...   Yesterday was my daughter's bridal shower. As anyone who has planned a wedding recently can attest, it is a long and stressful year. But now, it feels like all the difficult decisions are finally over - let the party begin! Yesterday, the weather cooperated, the food was plentiful and a great time was had by all. As any bride-to-be will tell you, essential to a really successful shower are some ubiquitous party games. My younger daughter researched the subject and picked out three she felt everyone would enjoy. Naturally, it was the toilet paper wedding dress that stole the show. The group was divided into 3 teams. Team Sackler boasted a member with true dressmaking experience thereby giving them an advantage. My daughter, the bride (not pictured), acted as ... 06/27/2011

THE SILVER LINING CHRONICLES - SHOCK OF GRAY In SHOCK OF GRAY by Ted C. Fishman, NYT bestselling author, the writer closely examines the not-so-distant future for a time when the world's population over the age of 65 is expected to reach 1 billion and discusses the ramifications of such a change in demographics. It's a very compelling look into what it will mean for families, the workplace and even the nation, The million dollar question becomes "Who will take care of them?"      or what could, more accurately, be reframed as "Who will take care of us?" as many join the ranks of the elderly in another 20 years.  I was particularly fascinated by a state in Germany that has a novel solution to the existing problem of thousands of unfilled caregiver jobs, despite the high rate of unemploym... 06/24/2011

Briarcliff is a much loved area of Merrick, having been developed in the mid 20th century.  It sits south of the Southern State parkway (exit 24S) and just west of Merrick Avenue.  A convenient location, close to shopping, schools and highways, this bedroom community is within easy commuting distance of New York City.  Hop on the Southern State Parkway and you have easy access to the north shore, Jones beach to the south, and eastern Long Island. For one lucky colonial buyer, and brand new to the market, is a spacious 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home with gleaming hardwood floors, oversized rooms, a 2 car garage and basement, all on oversized property.   We're having an Open House this Saturday and Sunday:Where:  1543 Wellington Road, MerrickWhen:  Saturday 2:30-4:30 p.m.Sunday 1-3 p.m. Asking ... 06/09/2011

When considering buying or selling real estate in Merrick on Long Island, you'd be wise to take a look at the statistics and see what they're telling us.  Understand, however, when you do your research, you can only see data of homes sold during a finite time period, in this case, May 1 - 31, 2011.  It may not include the style and/or location of a property that is of interest to you, so the numbers could be skewed.  While statistics can certainly give us some indication of what current real estate market conditions are in Merrick, they are just one of many reference points that can help us in a search for a home or a proper pricing strategy for selling your home. The first chart shows you the statistics for May, 2011 for closed sales in all the Merricks (North Merrick, Merrick and Sou... 06/04/2011

After weeks and weeks of preparation by family and the experts we hired, we're at the end of a very long road.  For everyone involved there is much satisfaction.  This is indeed a job well done.  In all fairness, the four siblings did the lion's share of the work even before I came on the scene.  It seems to me, we can make the job so much easier for our own children if we stop cluttering our homes and lives and start to get rid of stuff before it becomes someone else's job. 05/30/2011

FRIENDS OF THE MERRICK LIBRARY 2369 Merrick Avenue, Merrick 516.377.6112 Every Wednesday afternoon from 1:30 - 5:00 p.m., the Friends of the Merrick Library hold a book sale at what is now known as the Library annex. There is a large assortment of neatly-categorized, older and more current works of adult fiction, nonfiction, children's authors, etc. at bargain prices. This Sunday, June 5th, 2011 from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m., the book sale will take place with just a few enhancements. Patrons will be able to browse the shelves and also relax with a cup of coffee and a bite to eat while they listen to jazz music and poetry readings. A coffeehouse ambience is what the library is going for and it promises to be a tranquil and entertaining afternoon for all. If you're in the neighborhood, come chec... 05/29/2011

The View - Suze Orman When I find myself working from home, during the middle of the day, I frequently turn on "The View." I've been watching it for many years and always enjoy the guests and the show co-hosts who have varied political leanings, experiences and opinions. Today's guest was Suze Orman, the financial advisor. I'm a big fan and generally like her conservative opinions on saving, spending and investing money. However, in today's topic about real estate, I thought the news she delivered was a bit depressing and I can't help wondering about its accuracy. Suze Orman said that she felt the housing market would not fully recover until 2025. She says the sobering statistics show that at least 1 out of every 5 people has an upside down mortgage and that the homeowner would do just ... 05/16/2011

Exploring Long Island NY: Norman J Levey Preserve in Merrick NY with Laura Cerrano Entrance to the Norman J levey preserve in Merrick Long Island New York Yesterday Laura Cerrano Feng Shui NYC consultant headed out with Carole Provenzale's friends on a lovely Mother's Day hike at the Norman J Levey Park and Preserve in Merrick NY.  The whether was absolutely perfect, they could not have asked for a better day :) New York Feng Shui Consultant Laura Cerrano with Patti, Carole's very good and long time friend :) At the beginning of the hike, they were greeted by "wild" animals What are these called again? anyone? :) Baby Goats taking in the sun Bridge leading out to the Bay on Long Island NY up top the park and preserve, excellent views View at the top of the preserve looking in the direct... 05/09/2011

Super rendition of "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word."You made us proud, Robbie. Keep reaching for the stars! As if Merrick didn't already have enough to offer, along comes Robbie Rosen - after tonight, not one of the Top 13 American Idol contestants!  Robbie is a well-liked young man with an abundance of talent and friends. With one music teacher for Classical and a different one for Pop, he's constantly busy with voice and piano lessons. When he's not singing, you might catch him pursuing his other passion: varsity baseball. He is a Junior at Sanford H. Calhoun High School, which, happily, also happens to be the school that my daughter attends. One of 3 high schools in the community, Calhoun is famous for their superior Performing Arts department. Robbie is also a member of Concert ... 02/17/2011

While I was researching Merrick's history, I came across a most enjoyable true story of a yellow mongrel who went on to become the official mascot for the Long Island Railroad.  He lived about 100 years ago and is buried at the Merrick train station.  Just last year, Heather Worthington, a children's author, published the heartwarming book, Miles of Smiles, sure to appeal to dog lovers of all ages. The story goes that one day in 1901, a stray dog, frightened during a thunderstorm, showed up at the Garden City train station. The station master let the dog in and waited for someone to claim him, When no one did, the kind-hearted railroad employee decided to adopt the dog and named him, Roxey, after one of his own beloved pets. He thought Roxey would make a wonderful addition to the statio... 02/09/2011

Merrick is a suburban, residential community on the south shore of Long Island, about 30 miles from New York City. A little history... It is named after the Meroke Indian tribe, the earliest residents of this region. The name is said to mean "peaceful." In the mid-1600's, settlers came from England looking for a better way of life and of course, freedom of religion. Agriculture was their chief occupation. The first railroad came through in 1867 and, naturally, impacted the population growth and business. Up until that point, there were about 1,000 year-round residents. It wasn't until after World War I, that Merrick's development began to grow in leaps and bounds. The first large scale real estate development in Merrick were the "Gables" built south of Sunrise Highway. They were built b... 02/01/2011

If you're considering buying a home in Merrick or selling your current Merrick property, knowing what the market conditions are, will be helpful in determining just where you fit in.  The sold homes data below is historic, representing the 244 homes that closed through the Multiple Listing Service in 2010.  The first chart tells you about original pricing of the properties, the list price at the time of sale and the actual selling price.  It also gives you an average of the taxes on the low end, the high end and the average for the homes sold.   The second chart shows you a breakdown of where those homes sold and the styles of homes that closed in 2010.  Use all of this data as a guideline, but to truly understand the market whenever you venture into it, you'll want to rely on the exper... 01/25/2011

Whether you're considering buying a home in Merrick or selling your current Merrick real estate, knowing what the statistics are telling us about market conditions can be helpful in making your decision.  For the month of December, 2010, 23 homes sold in Merrick, 4 of them in North Merrick, 15 in Merrick and 4 in South Merrick.  Of those 2 were expanded capes, 1 expanded ranch, 3 hi ranches, 8 colonials, 5 ranches, 3 splits and 1 splanch. Selling prices, on the low end - $290,000 On the high end - $695,000 How does this compare with sales of residential real estate in Merrick one year ago?  Let's take a look at the numbers.  From December 1 - 31, 2009, 31 homes sold, 9 in Merrick, 6 in North Merrick and 5 in South Merrick.  Selling prices, on the low end - $315,000 On the high end - $6... 01/13/2011