Boston Brick & Stone - August 2019

Boston Brick & Stone - August 2019

THE MASONRY MONTHLY

2005 Lincoln Ave., Pasadena, CA 91103 | 626-296-7700 | www.bostonbrick.com | August 2019

STAYING ‘COOL’ WITH YOUR CANINE

Enjoy the Weather While Keeping Your Pup Comfortable With all this late-summer sunshine, it’s the perfect time to take your dog out for some fun. And while spending time basking in nature’s beauty can be a great source of fun and exercise for you and your pets, it’s important to keep a careful watch on your dog’s core temperature and pressure-activated cooling pads are just a few of the gizmos you can purchase to stave off those scorching temps. The Dog People, a website powered by Rover.com, also recommends making frozen “pupsicles,” a yogurt-based frozen treat that can satisfy doggy cravings while keeping them cool. Time Is of the Essence

to prevent heat exhaustion. There are several detectable signs of heat exhaustion that you can watch for, including abnormal lethargy, vomiting, or a brightly colored blue or red tongue. Here are some tips to keep your canine cool this summer. Water in All Its Forms While certain dog breeds thrive in hotter climates, all pups need a little extra care when it comes to staying hydrated during the summer. For starters, always make sure they have ready access to drinkable water. If you are going on an adventure, consider bringing a collapsible water bowl. If you are doing some backyard chilling, consider filling up a small wading pool with water for your pooch to splash or lounge in. Some Invaluable Inventions There are many contraptions to help you keep your canine cool in the summer heat. Booties to insulate their toes and protect their paw pads from the hot asphalt, cooling vests that reflect sunlight off darker fur,

While fun water toys and helpful cooling inventions are great, the best thing you can do to keep your dog cool is be careful about when you decide to go outside. Taking your pup out in the early morning or later in the evening, when the sun isn’t at its highest point in the sky, will help keep them cooler in the long run. Additionally, keep in mind that some breeds deal with the heat better than others. If you’re unsure, do a little research to determine your dog’s susceptibility to heat exhaustion. Just because the heat is sizzling doesn’t mean your dog should be! Keep these tips in mind before taking your canine out in the summer sun. They will thank you for it!

-Dave Laverdiere

www.bostonbrick.com |

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3 Ways to Prepare Your Garden for the Changing Season A Summer Send-Off for Your Garden

Late summer is the perfect time to clean up your garden and prepare it for the coming winter. In the next couple of months, the temperature will start to drop, but by putting in work now, you can ensure your garden is healthy and ready to flourish next spring. You can even turn garden cleanup into a fun activity for the whole family. Here are three ways to get your garden ready for the next season, while sharing some valuable outdoor time with your loved ones.

wear long pants and socks, and use caution around thorns or plants that can cause irritation.

For daffodils, tulips, crocuses, and any other bulbs that sprang up in the spring, you can now pull them up (if you haven’t already) and divide any bulblets you find into separate plants. This will help cut down on crowding even more come spring.

More Mulch, Please

Take Cover

While most gardeners know the benefits of summer mulching, winter mulching can help lessen water loss, keep weeds out, and regulate soil temperatures during the colder months. It offers an added layer of protection for your plants’ roots, which can be sensitive to continuous freezing and thawing, by keeping the soil temperature more consistent.

Cover crops are plants that improve soil health, reduce erosion, and keep your garden healthy, and now is a great time to plant them! Hardy legumes, field peas, certain types of clovers, and warm-season grasses can all work as cover crops, so talk to your landscaper or local nursery to pick out the best choices for your region. While you may not see the fruits of your labors until spring, you can still enjoy preparing your garden for a successful upcoming year and cherish the time you spend with your family outside.

Out With the Old

If any of your plants didn’t fare so well, take some time to remove them and clear space for future plants. This removal should include any invasive plants or weeds that found their way into the soil. Remember to use gloves,

Rock-Solid Review

CHIMNEY

•Inspection •Restoration and repair •Construction •Sweeping

FIREPLACE

•Inspection, restoration, or repair of an existing structure •Installation or reconstruction of new structures

"Boston Brick rebuilt the fire box in our fireplace and made some repairs to the chimney. During the job, they took care to minimize the mess they created. They cleaned up carefully afterward. All their dealings with us were polite and professional. The work itself looks solid. I would use them again." -D.H.B "My wife and I were referred to this company by our Realtor, Mr. Steve Goldbaum. Boston Brick & Stone has just finished the work on our chimney, and we are very, very pleased. It is rare these days that a company will do what they say they will do, return calls, and do quality work at a fair price! The people that did the work at our home were neat, clean, and organized, and we did not experience any inconvenience due to the work. Again, we are very happy with the work they did at our home. Thanks." -A.A & L.A.

HARDSCAPE

•Backyard patios •Outdoor kitchens and barbecues •Outdoor steps, walkways, and paths •Retaining walls •Outdoor fireplaces •Driveways

HISTORICAL RESTORATION Our previous restoration work includes the following:

•Restoration of the main lobby chimney system of the El Tovar Hotel on the Grand Canyon’s South Rim •Repair and restoration of chimneys in 56 original historic cabins on the Grand Canyon’s North Rim •Historical chimney restoration for the lodge in Bryce Canyon National Park •Faithful restoration of the chimneys on the Nottingham and Arden properties in Beverly Hills

BRICK RESTORATION AND CONSTRUCTION DRIVEWAY CONSTRUCTION

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School’s Back!

Tap Into the Back-to-School Season

As you load up the family for some final summertime adventures, preparing for the upcoming school year is likely one of the last things on your

For example, if you sell and service computers, you must do more than offer 10% off all technology services for the back-to-school season. Provide a sale on installing and updating programs for students

mind. Instead of shopping for school supplies, your main focus might be finding the best place to position your lawn chair around the campfire for optimal marshmallow roasting! But the back-to-school season is coming up, and families need to begin the expensive task of purchasing items for school. According to the National Retail Foundation, back-to-school shopping contributes to 17% of total annual sales. That’s a nearly $76 billion industry that your business could be cashing in on.

or provide a gift with the purchase of a laptop for college students on the go. This makes your offer more appealing to your customer base, which will guarantee you happy and returning customers. There’s also a key demographic in the back-to- school market that often gets forgotten: teachers. Thousands of dedicated teachers across the U.S. have a classroom budget, and some must dip into their bank accounts to keep their classrooms stocked. Offering “thank-you” discounts and sales for teachers will bring more business through your door and help you support your community.

Teachers can also serve as a direct marketing tool for your business. Whether it’s via mailers or in-person during open house nights, August is full of teacher-to-parent communication that could include coupons or recommendations to your business. The back-to-school season isn’t just for the big-box stores or retail providers. You can tap into this powerful market and make this last summer stretch a lucrative business season.

However, when you only offer a special or sale because of a particular season, you are not tapping into the full capacity of the market. You need to make the offer something people actually want or need, be it chiropractic adjustments for kids carrying too many books or discounts on vehicle services for carpooling families.

MEME CORNER

Adapted from a recipe by famed Southern chef Sean Brock, these skewers are seasoned in a Senegalese style and served alongside mustard-flavored onions. Senegalese Lamb Skewers

Ingredients

• 1/2 tbsp agave nectar • 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced • Salt and white pepper, to taste Equipment • Bamboo skewers

For the lamb: • 2 lbs. trimmed leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes • 1 tbsp peanut oil, plus more for grilling • Salt and black pepper, to taste For the onions: • 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar • 1/2 cup Dijon mustard

Directions

1. In a bowl, coat lamb with 1 tbsp oil and generously season with salt and pepper. 2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, and agave nectar. Toss in onions and season with salt and pepper.

3. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium and oil the grates. 4. Thread lamb on skewers and grill for 6–8 minutes. 5. Serve alongside onions.

Inspired by Food & Wine magazine

3 www.bostonbrick.com |

SERVING THE GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

2005 Lincoln Ave., Pasadena, CA 91103 | 626-296-7700 | www.bostonbrick.com

Staying ‘Cool’ With Your Canine This Summer INSIDE page 1

page 2

A Summer Send-Off for Your Garden

page 2

Rock-Solid Review

page 3

Get the Most out of BTS Season

page 3

Senegalese Lamb Skewers

page 4

Not Your Average Vacation Lodgings

A merica ’ s W eirdest A irbnbs This Ain’t Motel 6!

When Airbnb was founded a little over a decade ago, the developers hoped to provide an alternative to traditional travel accommodations. Today, with annual revenue in the billions, the service is an industry unto itself. While most people use Airbnb to “live like a local” while traveling, you can find some truly wacky lodging options if you spend some time searching the platform. Here are just a few of the many contenders for the title of “Weirdest Airbnb in the U.S.” For ease of searching, the listings here have the same titles as they do on Airbnb.

ManCave Apartment/Airplane Hangar - Geneva, Florida Airbnb super hosts Dan and Deborah have no shortage of quirky properties

for rent — including yurts and treehouses — but their apartment fashioned out of an airplane

hangar surely takes the cake. You’d be forgiven for thinking it was a theme restaurant featuring eclectic aviation. Memorabilia lines the walls with a bar front and center, and the bed is in a loft high above the ground. Dog Bark Park Inn B&B - Cottonwood, Idaho As you approach the Dog Bark Park Inn, you won’t have to guess if you’re in the right place. After all, how many buildings are shaped like beagles? When describing the space on Airbnb, the hosts make no bones about who this rental is aimed for. “Stay in a giant dog!”

Brand New Studio Earthship - Taos, New Mexico Earthships, houses run by clean energy and featuring reused materials, are a fixture of the Taos area. This one, which looks almost like a crashing wave with a living space in its

undertow, combines the rustic charm of truly getting away from it all with modern amenities like Wi-Fi and in-home laundry. It’s a truly unique living space surrounded by pristine nature and not far from the historic Taos Pueblo.

they say. In addition to being inside a massive wooden dog, you’ll find canine-themed games, books, and more. Talk about ruffing it.

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