Posts tagged: Arana Craftsman Painters

The cultural tapestry of the Bay Area is rich and varied and contains cross-sections of the many peoples and cultures that make up our America. Living here, we are privileged to have immediate access to a myriad of perspectives on the holidays we celebrate. Thanksgiving is one of those holidays; it has a multidimensional story that is complex — and important to weave into our general understanding of our world and each other.

Thanksgiving has it all: family, friends, food, and of course… football. But, I struggle with it. Its literal history is linked to the beginnings of this country when the original peoples of “Turtle Island” were not really thanked and a meal was not actually shared. During the modern celebration, I hold a space of gratitude for and pay homage to those peoples who came before us and cared for this land.

One tradition unique to San Francisco and one that gives us the opportunity to pay homage in community is the Indigenous People Sunrise Ceremony at Alcatraz. This one-day event commemorates the 1969-71 occupation of Alcatraz by the “Indians of All Tribes.” To give you an idea of how early the ceremony starts, ferry tickets go on sale starting at 3:00 a.m. and run until 6:00 a.m.*

I’ll be honest with you, this is just too darn early for me. But, I go, in spirit.

Several thousand First Nation peoples and spectators attend the gathering each year. The dances before sunrise honor the ancestors as well as represent the various cultures present. Speakers cover the sovereign rights of Indigenous Americans. The ceremony is meant to counter the mainstream story of Thanksgiving by retelling the experiences of colonization and how First Nations everywhere have defended and continue to assert their cultural rights.

At a more reasonable hour, but still early in the day, Ernesto, the kids, and I love to sneak into San Francisco where it is so deserted, you can hear a pin drop. We enjoy feeling like we have the City all to ourselves. We go to Land’s End and take in the view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Often the weather is actually warm, the last gentle sighs of “Indian Summer,” which makes sitting at Ocean Beach a rare pleasure.

We end our day at a Perez-Arana family gathering where each of us brings a dish to share — our communally-prepared meal. This year, it’s our job to bring the ham!

Whatever your feelings are this holiday season, and however you choose to celebrate, I wish you love, light, good food, family connections, and community!

*Sunrise Ceremony on Alcatraz is open to the public. Details: www.alcatrazcruises.com.

Creating the Setting for Thanksgiving
By Laura Martin Bovard, lmbinteriors.com

As we prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. There’s so much pressure to produce all of this food; plus, the worry over who’s coming; who will sit next to whom or who won’t; how the house will look, etc. While all of the details need attention, we can also take a wider view and ask: How do we create the memory of what we want this experience of Thanksgiving to be, for our family, our friends, ourselves?

Here Are My 5 Tips to Help Make Your Thanksgiving Amazing — for You and Your Community

1. Set the table first thing in the morning.
   I always set my table first, even before I start cooking the food. Doing this allows me to linger on the process and expand my enjoyment in creating the setting for our dining experience. Also, allowing the house to be beautiful long before my guests arrive nourishes me as I work on putting the other elements together over the course of the day.
   
2. Bring the outside, in.
   When setting the table, using elements from the outdoors for centerpieces is always a great strategy; place a tree branch, with fruit or seed pods, or dried leaves, as a centerpiece.
   
3. Try Tradish with a Modern twist.
   When a table is set beautifully, it makes people feel special. Here’s a fun, easy way to play with the traditional tablescape that gives your dinner a Modern chic vibe: Start with a white tablecloth. Get a roll of black paper to place down the center as your runner. Decorate with white pumpkins, bleached deer antlers, and turkey feathers.
   
4. Set an extra seat for a mystery guest.
   Setting an extra seat is like welcoming a surprise, telling the Universe you are open and flexible, allowing for spontaneity. Or, fill that seat! Is there someone new you could invite? Or someone on your guest list whom you could encourage to bring a friend?
   
5. Ask a question.
   Creating community through beauty is one of my favorite acts, connecting through thoughtful questions over a beautiful meal is another. Thanksgiving is the perfect time, of course, to ask your guests what they are thankful for. Try this: Put out rustic carved-wood pencils that look like twigs, with beautiful cards for writing answers. Collect the cards in a large glass bowl or vase before the meal begins — and then take turns passing the vase, picking and reading cards out loud, during dessert.

Bonus Tip: Break your own rules — or mine.
I used to think I had to make every single thing, to set every flower with my own hands. Today, I don’t exert as much control, and I like it that way. I let it be what it’s going to be. Whatever you do, what your guests will remember is the love you put into welcoming them into your home.

Holiday Recipes From Local Chef Hugh Groman
Featured on: http://www.ktvu.com/

Smoked salmon wrapped around fresh goat cheese

6 oz fresh goat cheese

1/2 lb. smoked salmon, thinly sliced

1 bunch fresh chives, sliced thin

1/2 bunch fresh tarragon

black pepper to taste

(serves 12)

Slice salmon into 1/2-inch strips. Scoop 1-1/2 teaspoon-sized balls of goat cheese. Wrap with strips of smoked salmon. Coat both exposed ends with sliced chives. Top with ground pepper and 1 leaf of fresh tarragon. May be made one day ahead.

Frittata of yams and aged cheddar with brown butter and sage

10 large eggs

3/8 cup heavy cream

2 oz unsalted butter, heated until starting to brown. Add sage and saute until just leaves just start to crisp (better to undercook than overcook)

1/3 bunch sage leaves, chopped into large pieces

1 lb yams, peeled, sliced, and roasted at 400 degrees with olive oil, salt, and pepper until cooked through

1 large red onion, diced, and roasted at 400 degrees with olive oil, salt, and pepper until cooked through and lightly caramelized

5 oz aged white cheddar, grated

1 oz grated parmesan cheese

1 stem rosemary, picked and chopped (optional)

3 stems fresh thyme, picked and chopped (optional)

1/4 bunch of chives, sliced thin

1/2 teaspoon salt (for eggs)

black pepper to taste (for eggs)

pinch of cayenne pepper

Crack eggs and mix with cream, brown butter, sage, salt, pepper and cayenne. Use a 13” by 9” (size approximate) baking dish. Sprinkle grated cheddar on the bottom. Layer in roasted yams and roasted onions. Sprinkle herbs over top and pour egg mixture over all. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake in 375-degree oven about 20 minutes or until eggs are set. Let cool and cut into bite sized pieces to serve. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Crab salad with parmesan and thyme on baguette crisps

8 oz fresh crab meat picked over to remove any shells

1/4 cup mayonnaise, or to taste

2 sprigs fresh thyme, picked and chopped

1/3 bunch fresh chives, sliced fine

1 oz grated parmesan, or to taste

Salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, to taste.

1 baguette sliced thin (1/4” thick), toasted with generous amount of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in 325-degree oven until just starting to turn golden (about 15 minutes)

Combine crab, mayonnaise, thyme, chives, parmesan, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Add more salt if needed. Put a dollop of crab salad on each baguette toast and serve. Assemble crab toasts no more than 1 hour before guests arrive (and better right before they arrive) to keep baguette toasts crisp.

Even though I am not a Bay Area native, I may as well be. I visited from the East Coast in 1984 and never looked back. The Oakland/East Bay hills, San Francisco and Alameda are a Painter’s paradise, and it is here that I found the ability to work year-round doing what I love. And hey, how about the Warriors after all these years!

I got my start at 14 years old with a friend’s Dad painting houses over the summer. In New Jersey, you can only paint about 5 months out of the year, so I hopped on crews, earned some summer money and stayed out of trouble. I didn’t know it then, but that was the moment that sparked a lifelong love of the trade.

I moved to Florida and worked for larger companies painting 10 to 25-story high rise hotels and condos on the water. We battled the heat and the tropical rain as we hung from our swing stages. This is where I picked up the much-needed skill of “amateur Meteorologist.” As a painter I had to predict how weather was going to impact my projects.

I love what I do. I love the trade of painting. I love managing my painters and I love a quality outcome. I have been in the field for 45 years and I have seen a lot of technical problems in that time. I can solve almost any technical problem we face, and I love doing that. I especially love preventing problems.

For the first 15 years of my career in the Bay Area I worked in the field for a large Bay Area Contractor. After that I went out with my own crew for 13 years, and I have been with Arana for the last 6. In fact, Ernesto was a painter on one of my crews. I taught him some things back then, and then joined his team in 2012 as Production Manager.

It’s fair to say that I live and breathe my work, but I also spend lots of time with my daughters who were raised in Walnut Creek. We go to concerts, 49ers, Warriors and Giants games, and we enjoy eating our way through Oakland. For me, there is nothing more satisfying than a job well done. And here where the Bay Area is my office, there are so many jobs to do. I look forward to the next one with you!

Adapted from: Easy Self-Care Strategies That Counteract Seasonal Depression
By Harriet Randall

Seasonal Affective Disorder is not much fun and certainly isn’t very festive. There are plenty of things you can do to help yourself feel less affected by the “winter blues” this year. Here are five of the best ways to take care of yourself during winter. Try them out, see which ones work for you, and don’t be discouraged by the way you’re feeling—you are not alone!

1) Light Therapy
Light therapy is currently considered one of the best forms of treatment for SAD and the one I personally find most helpful. It is thought that exposure to special fluorescent light can help regulate serotonin activity in the brain because it encourages the production of vitamin D.

2) Exercise
Regular exercise is considered an excellent form of natural medication for all types of depression, including SAD, as it improves mood and lowers stress levels.

3) Have Fun
It’s important to find fun activities that you can enjoy and that make you feel more positive about winter. Engage in activities that get you out of the comfort of your own home and have fun with other people.

4) Sleep
Poor sleep contributes to symptoms of depression and depression contributes to poor sleep. Here are some tips for better sleep:

Keep a regular schedule
Follow a sleep routine
Make sure your bedroom is prepped for sleeping
Avoid sleeping with your phone/tablet/laptop in your room and definitely don’t use them just before bed

5) Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy works by triggering receptors in the brain and in fact, a 2007 study showed that lavender oil significantly reduced levels of cortisol (the major stress hormone) in patients suffering from depression. Many holistic health practitioners believe the best scents for alleviating symptoms of depression are lavender, roman chamomile, ylang-ylang and bergamot.

Source: https://www.mindbodygreen.com

Adapted from: 5 Awesome color resolutions for your home
By Diana Hathaway Timmons

Here’s to a new year of color! At the beginning of a new year, you may feel compelled to make resolutions and plans to do things a little (or a lot) differently in the coming year. The new year is a wonderful time to reassess your space, and plan changes and projects for the upcoming spring.

With the gorgeous color trends announced at the end of each year, there is never be a better time to to live a little more colorfully!

Lose any Color That Does Not Make You Happy
Yes, you got a bargain on that paint, and spent a lot of time putting it on the wall, but it’s never really been the right color. This is the year to finally stop regretting that color mistake, and make it right. You should surround yourself with colors that make you happy, every single day.

Take Chances With Color
Have you noticed that the best decorating decisions you’ve ever made were made without a ton of deliberation and doubt? Sure, you can carefully choose color to get just the right shade, but those other times when you found something that really speaks to you, it was more heart and less brain carrying it out of the store. Take the time you need to find the best colors for your home, but be open this year to accent colors and decor that you would have never considered before.

Learn More About Color
You don’t need to go to school to study color theory, but if you love to decorate your own home, learning a few basics like why undertones matter and how to create a color scheme, will make your decorating less stressful and more fun.

Check out the Color Trends
While you may not consider yourself the trendy type, seeing the annual color trends can spark inspiration in your decorating, and give you new ideas for making over your decor.

Paint and decor trends and forecasts are more valuable for learning new ways to pair colors, and find new color palettes you love.

Bring out the Best in Your Home With Color
The right colors can create a calm retreat in any room, or they can spur energy and creativity. When you choose colors with intention, they can transform any space. The colors in your foyer will let your guests know what your home is all about. For a guest room, creating a serene color palette can communicate to your guests that you’re happy they’re here.

For the rooms you use every day, bringing out the best can mean updating accessories, rearranging furniture, or creating an accent wall.

The beginning of a new year works beautifully for making changes at home, because often our main rooms look quite stark after the holiday decorations are put away.

This is the best time to assess what works, and what doesn’t, and formulate a plan to make your color resolutions a reality this year.

Source: https://www.thespruce.com/awesome-color-resolutions-for-your-home-797853

Our youngest child Alexi went away to sleep away camp for the first time last week. What a milestone!

Through the San Leandro School District, he and his classmates went to Camp Arroyo located within the East Bay Regional Park District and just 45 minutes south of Oakland. “Camp Arroyo,” says the Camp’s website, “is a beautiful residential camp serving children year-round as a place to explore, learn and grow in an ideal outdoor setting.”

The camp in fact is not just for children, it provides excellent programs for families and adults as well. “Nestled in the hills surrounding the 138-acre Del Valle Regional Wilderness in Livermore, California, the camp was formally opened in 2001 and serves thousands each year.”

Washington Elementary fourth and fifth grade teachers and students, parent chaperones and counselors embarked on a 4-day adventure at the Camp where the kids got a chance to unplug and spend time with their peers and teachers in a natural setting.

On their first day after a bus ride from campus, they found their cabin, dining tables and got their adventure group assignments for the next four days.

The most notable activates were the hikes and the wildlife. On day 2 the children hiked the Creek trail and after lunch they hiked the Cresta Blanca trail – a 3 miles round trip hike – where they spotted a bobcat and deer.

The camp offers an all-inclusive type set up where 3 meals a day are provided. During the Camp, they conducted team building activities, campfires and improv skits with props and all. During a night hike they got to experience the senses of sight, smell and hearing in the darkness away from city lights and sounds.

Connecting with nature is an important part of our daily life and one that keeps us grounded in community. The Del Valle Regional Wilderness is a special place that the East Bay Regional park has worked hard to preserve. To find out more about the camp, go to:

http://www.ebparks.org/activities/daycamps/parks_camp_arroyo

Trend Forecast for 2018

By Maria Killman

Yellow
The color for 2018 is yellow. The last time yellow was popular was in the 90s so it’s coming back. Strong color is here to stay, especially with black appearing on the horizon as the new grey (or trendy neutral of the moment). It’s taken time for it to come back around but I think it’s coming.

Warmer Colors
Warmer palettes are coming back too. But what makes warmer colors look fresh and current? Lots of white (or cream) of course. In recent years, cool accent colors in the green and blue range have really dominated, and it’s not surprising because blue and cool colors are statistically favored, and aren’t going anywhere, but I think we will see warm oranges, strong yellows and clear reds come back as accent colors this year.

Brass and Blush
And naturally, year to year, there are some continuous trends. A trend cycle doesn’t flip with the calendar year. In 2018, deep blues, jewel tone greens, brass/gold and blush pink will all continue to go strong.

Black Plumbing Fixtures
This is where you should definitely mix metals. If you do a search for black hardware and plumbing fixtures on-line you will see that all-black fixtures demand too much attention. The eye bounces around from one fixture to the next and makes it look too busy.

Adapted from: http://www.mariakillam.com/maria-killam-trend-forecast-2018/

7 Easy Decorating Ideas That Will Make You Love Your Home Again

By Jen Wallace

Ready to fall in love with your home again? Here are some decorating ideas that will rev up your imagination!

1. Rearrange the Furniture
   Nothing makes me feel like my space is brand new than rearranging the furniture. I do this twice a year and I plan it around my spring and fall cleaning.
   
2. Plant a Garden
   Whether you plant a decorative or functional garden, the act of creating it and enjoying it is extending the living space of your home.
   
3. Entertain
   I often find when I am down on my house that having people over can be the surest way to improve my outlook. Inevitably someone comments on how great my home is and it helps me see it through fresh eyes.
   
4. Tackle a Project
   Cleaning out a much neglected closet or repurposing a corner for a new hobby might seem more like chores than decorating ideas, but both can work wonders to reinvigorate your mood towards your home. What simple projects or tasks could you tackle that would make you feel better about your space?
   
5. Lighting
   Brightening things up can really make a huge difference. Try to take as much advantage of the natural light as you can, but don’t be hesitant to add some new lamps or fixtures to improve your home’s appeal.
   
6. Changeable Art
   I have a big print collection and to freshen things up, I swap prints in and out of use and even move them around the house. You will honestly be amazed at how adding a different piece of framed art to a dark corner can liven it up!
   
7. Candles and Flowers
   When all else fails, or you want the quickest decorating ideas, just had more aromatherapy candles and fresh flowers to your home. Doing that never fails to help me forget about those dust bunnies in the corner or those scuffs on the wall behind the couch.
   
   Adapted from: http://www.organicauthority.com/sanctuary/7-easy-decorating-ideas-love-your-home-again.html

When is it time to paint or recoat the exterior of my home?

Wood elements like siding or hood trim should be recoated every 5 years. Stucco can be painted less frequently if the surface does not show extensive or widespread cracking. Stained siding or shingles should be done every 3 years to keep the wood sealed and to prevent graying. If any surface is showing widespread failure (meaning peeling or cracked in the paint film) or if the wood or stucco substrate itself is cracking then it is time to paint.

Do I have Lead Paint on my house?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assumes that any home built be 1978 contains some manner of lead based paint. Per the EPA in California, RRP Certification requires that painting contractors proceed with practices that handle a home as if it lead-based paint is present. We are a Certified Lead Renovator through the EPA.

What kind of preparation process do you use?

We divide the process into 3 phases to paint a house:

Phase 1 – Scrape, Sand and Wash – During this phase we remove all loose and failing paint. We do this before washing the house to contain all loose paint chips. We thoroughly sand the areas exposed after paint removal to feather out the edges and integrate them into the substrate of the home. For the final step we wash the house in order to remove any underlying dirt and grime and to give the surface a fresh start.

Phase 2 – Prime and Seal – This phase of the process is where we lay down the initial layer of protection for the home. We mask off the windows, fixtures and other elements that need to be protected and spray the prime coat on all of the surfaces scheduled for paint. Once primer is applied we began the patching, caulking and sealing process. We typically apply these materials after the primer so that they have a sound, clean and coat surface to bond to. Our main goal is to not only seal areas of the home where water can enter, but we also want to achieve a beautiful, renewed surface to apply paint to.

Phase 3 – Finish Coat – This is of course where the fun is! We get to put color on the home. We use a variety of methods depending on the color placement scheme and what surfaces are being painted. Our main method of paint application is using an Airless Spraying. We use brush and roll when we need to do finer work and when it the time to spend masking outweighs the time it takes to brush and roll. Spray application provides a smooth even surface and lays paint on the surface at the volume that is equivalent to 2 separate applications of a brush and roll process.

What kind of materials are used in an exterior paint job?

Phase 1 – Heavy plastic, Duct tape, scraper blades and sanding discs

Phase 2 – Sherwin Williams Pro Block Primer or Kelly Moore Kel Bond Primer, Premium grade caulking, Smith’s Epoxy, Bondo or stucco patch depending on the needs of the surface

Phase 3 – We have found good success with the Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore and Kelly Moore Brands. All 3 provide a similar level of quality for what a typical homeowner needs. Each have different color stories and that is was often leads a homeowner to choose one over the other.

Stained elements on the house – Clean thoroughly by either washing if practical or sanding and brushing down wood. We apply stain with a sprayer and brush and wipe application depending on the needs of the surface.

What sheen of paint should I use?

There are 3 main sheens available for Exterior surface: Flat, Low Lustre, and SemiGloss.

The surface determines the best level of sheen. Stucco is best in a flat sheen. Wood siding can look great in a Low Lustre if it is in good shape with minimal cosmetic blemishes. Trim elements should almost always be coated in a SemiGloss sheen. Unless you deeply dislike shine on anything, SemiGloss provides the best amount of protection for the life of the product. It resists dirt and can take a beating from sun and rain.

How will my landscape be protected?

Plants should be covered with lightweight materials and uncovered at the end of the day. Some can be pulled back from the home gently landscaping should be trimmed back before the job begins to provide clearance.

Do you have to wash the house, especially while we are in a drought?

It is a very important step that can undermine the quality of the job if not done, depending on the surface. The washing removes embedded grime and mildew and provides a clean surface for the primer.

Are there any rules for choosing colors?

There are a few basic rules:

1. Take into account the existing elements of the home, ie roofing material, hardscape like brick or slate walkways, patios, wood features like deck, patio or trellis
   
2. Neighboring homes or structures
   
3. Landscape
   
4. Architectural features of the home
   
5. If you get stuck and just can’t decide, our service includes a 1-hr consultation with a professional Color Consultant. We will also apply paint in a small 2’x 2’brush out on the wall and on trim.

How long does it take to paint a whole home from start to finish?

Depending on size, building materials, amount of paint failure, a typical 1000 square foot home with a moderate amount of paint failure and simple color scheme could take 2 weeks with a 2 man crew.

How long can I expect my paint job to last?

On exterior projects, we recommend that wood elements be painted every 5 years, stained elements recoated every 3 years and stucco elements every 10 years unless widespread cracking is taking place.

How much will it cost?

Cost is dependent on the scope of the work, what the surface conditions are, what the desired color scheme is and how much materials will be needed. The best way to understand cost is to schedule a consultation where we get a complete understanding of what your goals are and what will be required to complete the project.

What is the first step in the process?

Getting a professional, on-site consultation! Each home is unique and can pose a number of challenges depending on condition of the surface of the building materials, the number and detail of architectural elements, the proximity of neighboring homes or structures and size of the home. Give us a call now!

I have always loved new beginnings just as much as I love consistency and tradition. This year marks 14 years as a Company and 14 years of assisting Bay Area homeowners in their greatest effort. Each year our team grows a little bigger and a lot stronger and we get to be even better at the level of service we provide.

Some of our biggest victories have been:

• Expanding our Consultative Estimating and Sales team and filling out our Administrative staff to a full-time position. It takes a very strong Administrative back bone to deploy 20 painters and cover the level of detail that we do.
  
• Expanding the Painting Team. Demand for skilled labor in the Bay Area is at an all time high so it is a major victory when we can find good painters to join our team. And once they are here, they stay with us.
  
• We’ve been able to increase staff benefits across the board for all of our team. We love being a local business that provides jobs for 24 families right here in San Leandro-Oakland-Alameda-San Francisco.

2018 Promises to be even better because:

• Retrain – This year we are ramping up Company-wide trainings that will focus on Technical Skills, Product knowledge, General Education and Staff Development
  
• Retool – We will be investing in new equipment that will help us deliver our product safely, more effectively and efficiently
  
• Office Expansion – We have built on another 450 square feet to our office space!
  
• Staff Expansion – We will be hiring a Production Coordinator in March 2018 – If you know someone who is great with Client Service, Dispatch and Trouble Shooting please send them our way!

As we enter a new year, we look renew our commitment and create new beginnings and better methods in the old tried and true craft of serving all of you who have become an extension of our family.

We wish you all Happy Holidays and a Prosperous 2018!
Keep Your Family Healthy This Holiday Season!

Getting rid of household germs can help you avoid colds.

You can give yourself a good chance to stay healthy this winter by thoroughly washing your hands and attacking germs where they hide.

In the kitchen: Sink handles, sinks, and counters are the biggest offenders. Clean sinks, sink drains, and counters with antibacterial soap at least once a day. Wash your sponge in the dishwasher to kill germs.

Fresh vegetables and fruits: They may carry salmonella, campylobacter, or E. coli, say microbiologists at New York University. Rinse them thoroughly.

In the laundry: Add bleach to a load of white clothes that includes underwear. It kills virtually all of the germs on underwear so they don’t spread. Move the load immediately to the dryer and dry at a high temperature.

In the bathroom: Use a disinfecting cleaner on the bathtub weekly. If someone with a skin infection uses the tub, wash it with bleach right away so you don’t pick up the germs.

Shared devices: Use antibacterial cleaner frequently on telephones, TV remotes, door handles, and shared keyboards, especially if someone in the household has an illness.

Why replace when you can paint?

Are you tired of the look of your cabinets, but you don’t want to go to the expense of replacing them? Don’t worry, you still have good options. We recently completed a project in San Francisco, refinishing old existing cabinets to have a beautiful and modern aesthetic.

Instead of applying oil-based paint — which is traditionally used on painted cabinets, but is being phased out to comply with California air quality standards — we used Benjamin Moore’s ADVANCE Waterborne Alkyd in a semigloss finish. Painting the cabinets gave the room a more spacious and cohesive feel while beautifully complementing the view of San Francisco Bay.

Repainting existing cabinets is an affordable way to get a great new look in your kitchen. However, keep in mind that painting requires a bit more maintenance over time compared with stained or paint factory-finished cabinets.

After carefully removing all the cabinet doors and drawers, every surface was thoroughly sanded and cosmetic repairs were made to the underlying wood. We used a stain-blocking primer to prevent the color of the original wood from bleeding through the layers of new paint.

Our client’s color choice was 50% of the formula of Benjamin Moore’s HC-95 – Sag Harbor Gray. The resulting neutral color was a perfect compliment to the overall color palette of the space and a great way to refresh and update the kitchen.

Many thanks to Sally Powers Interiors for referring us this project.

August is such a special time of year; summer is in full swing, there are countless events and festivals taking place, and it also marks the 6th birthday for my dog, and Arana’s unofficial mascot, a French Bulldog named Buddy.

After traveling for the better part of a year, working remotely, and being away from my furry, life co-pilot, I am so glad to be home in the Bay Area and re-united with my 4-legged best friend. I’m also excited to be surrounded by family and friends once again, and look forward to planting my roots and creating a cozy environment to call home.

I hadn’t planned to be away from Buddy for so long, and it was very difficult to be without him for an extended period; I even missed his 5th birthday! What started as a two-month trip evolved to six months, and later turned into nearly a year away. Solo travel is such an enriching experience and I appreciate how it offers me a chance to get to know myself, and what I’m made of, in many ways. Not to mention, working remotely calls forth a lot discipline with time management and it is not as easy as one may think.

While I am grateful for the opportunity to have traveled for an extended period, I don’t think I could ever leave Buddy behind again. I am happy to report that Buddy and I are now back to our joyous routine of morning cuddles, evening walks, and play dates with our furry (and non-furry) friends. And WOW, the convenience of technology in the Bay Area is something else! I found an app called Wag! that lets you schedule a dog walk at your convenience right from your phone, which is really helpful on busy days.

Forget diamonds, dogs are a girl’s best friend, and there truly is no place like home!
– Araceli Espinoza, Service Manager

Heat and Humidity Add Up To Danger!

Emergency rooms see an increase in cases of heat stroke and dehydration in July and August. The American College of Emergency Physicians gives this advice on how to stay safe in hot weather:

• Check the heat index before going out to work, play or practice and plan accordingly.
• Avoid direct sunlight in the middle of the day. Schedule activities for the early morning or early evening hours.
• Wear loose, light-colored clothes and hats. Dark colors absorb more heat.
• Drink lots of water or sports drinks.
• Take frequent breaks in the shade or in air-conditioning to cool off.
• At 90 degrees and 50 percent humidity, it feels like 96. At 70 percent humidity, it feels like 106 degrees. Heat exhaustion is likely, so take it easy.

Heat exhaustion can include cramps, heavy sweating, nausea, heart-rate changes and dizziness. Get the victim out of the sun, remove excess clothing and place cool towels on extremities. Fan and give small sips of water.

Heatstroke is a medical emergency. Symptoms include confusion, an altered mental state, unconsciousness and hot, dry skin. Call 911. Do not give fluids, which can cause seizures.

The Great American Eclipse Cometh!

From Oregon to South Carolina, Americans will see the sight that has left mankind trembling and astonished as long as humans have walked the earth.

The Great American Total Eclipse will be one for the record books as totality junkies from across the globe hurry to the best viewing destinations.

On August 21, 2017, for the first time in 99 years, the earth, moon, and stars will line up perfectly in a total eclipse that can be viewed in 14 states. Best viewing is predicted to be in Oregon where sunshine is predicted, especially near Madras. Local time will be 10:21 a.m. PDT and totality will last for about 2 minutes and 7 to 8 seconds, depending on where the viewer stands.

On the East Coast, the eclipse will start a little after 1 p.m. and reach totality just before 3 p.m.

Further inland, viewers in Illinois and Kentucky will experience 40 seconds more totality.

“A solar eclipse can only take place at the phase of new moon, when the moon passes directly between the sun and Earth and its shadow falls upon Earth’s surface,” according to space.com.

The eclipse will be actively pursued by a sub-culture of totality followers who travel to various parts of the world to experience the out-of-this world phenomena many times during the year. Scientists will also be watching the display and the shadow allows them to see solar flares.

For ideas on how to view, go to www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/how-to-view-eclipse.