Introducing Urban Oasis
If urban living is your idea of a dream come true, soon you will have a chance to live the dream in the capitol of the world.
HGTV has teamed with house planner Jack Thomasson and world-renowned designer Vern Yip to create a posh pad located in the heart of New York City. The location? The Residences at W New York-Downtown. The space? A 900-square-foot fully-furnished residence that boasts sweeping views of the city — including the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
Our online virtual tour of this amazing space begins on August 12, 2010. Then, starting on September 1, we invite you to enter once daily on HGTV.com and FrontDoor.com for your chance to win the apartment and a luxury vehicle. Our first on-air tour of the home premieres on Monday, September 6, 2010, at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. Mark your calendar! And make plans to visit this blog regularly for updates, exclusive videos and more.
Are any of you dreamers aware that not one Dream Home winner has actually been able to live in the home they won?
Where is DB Coop? Somewhere here I believe I read you can enter the NYC contest at HGTV and Frontdoor.com. ARE YOU SURE THAT IS TRUE? Or is this just your sense of humor? Coupled with the "multiple personality" thing and the "alter ego" mention, I think you secretly want this double life… Like mine! A real diagnosed "split personality". Once I did enter a art contest under multiple legal names just to hope 1 piece would get in the Science Center and reinforce me I had "some" talent. Read on….
OK "Show Me", This is what happened when I entered my art works under my maiden name, 4 married names, 1 "professional name" and for my "museum". They call. OMG Panic! All 7 got in the show. So who am I? Only 1 person can show up… I picked my maiden name because I liked the "Spirit World" People and Magic Table art the best. My museum had costumed mannequins. For a while I actually thought costume changes during the show might work? But I did enjoy standing behind each piece and listening to comments anonymously. GREAT FEELING! That is "knowingly" being aware of all things. What must God feel like? It was the birth of deception as I was now addicted to entering juried shows this way. Unfortunately, active "splits and multiples" are usually not aware of the chaos they cause. Most contests disqualify multiple entries. It is very hard to pull off more hand writings, names, addresses, telephones, and very different works of art. HGTV lets 1 person enter multiple times; not the other way around!
Sounds great but what would the real estate taxes and fees be? Not to mention the maintenance fee of the house and NYC parking costs. Prepare to ransom your first born.
here am falling in love again…but this time i wont be disapponted
Unbelieveable…what an amazing giveaway!! My husband and I lived in New York for four years, and ever since moving to Chicago a year ago we have been missing it terribly…I would be thrilled just to win a new laptop, and am absolutely drooling over the thought of owning our own NYC apartment, and a vehicle to boot! I work in Public Relations so having a home office in Manhattan where I could step out and meet editors once again would be a dream. My husband works in finance, so to be in the heart of the financial district would be just perfect! Not to mention my best friend lives just blocks from the W. And what a sleek apartment! Vern Yip is a genius and I love HGTV. I cannot WAIT to enter this contest!!!
So much appreciated. No I did not figure it out what happened. But since your reply I know I typed and hit my e-mail reply probably. What I worte never did show up. I have been going to comment trying it before you sent your message. It has worked. However yesterday I lost some stuff because it said "time expired". I was suppose to go and login again- it did not work as far as saving the reply. Anyway nice hearing from you. The blogs are working at a snail pace. Guess it does not seem to real yet. Thanks. I am also trying to figure out how to take a painting, doll, or logo of mine and use it for the avatar. Not sure if the ones I am considering are digital. Wonder if the "tiny" pictures work? Forgot what they call them. See what happens when you spend 5 years rebuilding your house and life, your brain goes dormant for everything else!
Nice hearing from you too
. I don't use Avatar but I would imagine if you take a picture of the painting, doll or logo and save it as jpg on your computer…….. then I would guess that you can browse your computer from Avatar and find the pic that you saved and click on it to upload it. haha did that make any sense? I hope so…. Tiny pictures I think that you may mean thumbnails and you could try that too. Good Luck !!!
Yes! Now I am not saying I have ever done it but I will try. Funny how some words mean something different to me than the computer world meant. Many of my pictures are on jpg. Thumbnails, that's it too! Since I always blow my art up, I never used thumbnails. I am going to do a website and then I will most likely use the reduction. I notice you can have a profile. Do people really care about that stuff? Maybe everyone just wants to win a house and talk about it without any real depth to knowing who's who's. Just blogging I find a lot of info comes out. How do you feel about the W and living in NY? Can you see yourself there? What would I do with all my dogs, and the biggest one, the other artist? Maybe I would use it to "escape" !!!
Hi!!! You should set your profile up however you like. Some people have them and some don't so it's totally up to you!!! I love NY and my brother used to live there and I have a niece in Manhattan also. I would love to have it as a wonderful place to escape but if I won I would probably take the money or sell whatever the rule is. Tthe oasis is absolutely gorgeous and I love all the history in NY especially Ellis Island. The main reason I would probably have to sell is because I have 3 large dogs and they need a yard. You have dogs too but it may work for you and it's very cool that you guys are artists. NY would definitely be a great place for art and that's another reason I love it there. It would be a fun and exciting place to live and would put me closer to my family but ??? who knows. haha. How many dogs do you have? Talk to you soon .
I would love to live there but not full-time. There are 5 dogs here. It is only one problem. My home is full of museum stuff, my doll manufacturing stuff, both artists' hundreds of paintings and framing and paints, mannequins and costumes, printing equipment, computers, sewing machines plus the unimaginable I lease to movies as props…… I doubled the size of my house after Katrina to add a gallery. You know it will be years before the market recovers to recoup property value. So first before I move there is a lot of art to sell. What I do need is a professional location for business and the W appartment would be perfect. The cost of living there would take real planning and marketing of my products to pay for everything. Confortably that is! And that is what a NY location would offer me (a business office where I can also stay). If it could not make sense finanially to do so, I too would sell and take cash.
Also Zoie, Artists need lots of space to "produce". I paint extremely large. NY would be a good place to write my books, or do sketching. That does not take up much space. Sewing creations and putting artwork together needs big areas. If it is used as a business expense, it is a tax writeoff! Of course you need a big income to write off against!!!! Definitely looks like a big office to me.
Do you have a website that people can go to and see your paintings, etc.? If so you could post it on here as a new post for all to see.
I am in the next few weeks going to have a website created. Why I have not done so until now was fear. Originally I opened an art studio/gallery to begin painting. Something happened when I asked my Magic Table to help me find something to support my expensive art "addiction". Presto! I started making these Alien Pop-Folk Art Dolls. Instant success. No need for a website, my piece-workers and I could never keep up. Up until the passing of family members, copyright infrinement, and various disasters I slept but 2 hours a day. My new plan, separate post so I don't get cut off…….
New plan: I am going to make one of each creation in at least 3 doll lines and display or tour them for museum or gallery showing. Not Sales! Also doing a book which will show the character and each has their own story along side. And there will be a book about the "history" of the artist and the dolls which includes the paintings. So the website would include the books, maybe Tshirts-anything I don't have to make myself in the thousands and thousands! And those "thumbnails" of everything would be ok, if the blowup can't be copied. I am very concerned about copyright infringement because it happened with a couple of my dolls. So I really want to sell or license my products to others, or get royalties. And still I want to continue painting. Maybe you can "license" your items off a website? It is very complicated as we age… we are not here forever! I will post this before the "message to long" pops up. You can read my interview on the internet if you want to?
You can go to legalzoom.com and do a copyright of your artwork. It does cost money but I don't know how much. Alot of times sites will have the pictures and the companies name going across it which blocks others from using that picture. If you did copyright your work then legally if you found anyone duplicating your dolls then you can sue them and have solid legal grounds. Also I used to have a site and I did not have thumbnails but decent size pics and if you clicked on them then they would enlarge. Just some thoughts…
Zoie, you mentioned you had a website. What was your's about? How successful was that mode of sales? Everyone I know, could never afford to "advertise" their site. They eventually dropped out. It is really a superhuge gigantic telephone book. That is why I wanted to do a book and go tour with media coverage. That is how I would get my website out. Or is there other ways on-line? Guess you could do U-tube crazy stuff for attention? How did you advertise? Even News Papers are having a time trying to survive and compete with 24 hr TV news….
Unfortunately I am not a good example of a successfuly website. My timing was horrible so by the time the site was up the economy was way way down. You are right that you really do need advertising and therefore your idea to do a book tour with media coverage would be great. My business was developed out of the love of animals particularly my little soulmate Moka who is in Heaven. I engrave picture frames with funny sayings for pets…. like with Moka I always used to tell her she was full figured so one of the sayings for engraving was "I'm not fat, I'm full figured"…then you can put in the picture of your pet…. or I'm not fat, I'm big boned… for a baby I put "I just spent 9 months on the inside". I also made greeting cards, etc. The business I got was because I went to pet places, etc. although it was convenient to have a website in my case it was not worth the $$. I like your tour idea best… more bang for your buck for sure… Since you are an artist your name is known so that will help tremendously even if you do a website too. Good Luck !!!
Don't feel bad. I have not run into one success story in 10 years! That is why I must make a plan first. Also your idea is great- I have 5 big-stuff labs and huskeys- overfed! I even ran into a family who decorated frames and sold them at x-mas shows and festivals. The artist had enough sales but not so much product and profit. Then she uped the bottom line, like me, with chain store sales and put family to work. Me too plus, piece-workers. Then there is profits but your worked to death and pay everybody! 17 years later I have talked to everyone doing all sorts of ways, and overseas mass production is the only competitive positive way and what works. Something is wrong in USA.
Don't know how you did your cards, could do them like a picture frame cheaper. My first showing in NYC, The Stationery Show, was dolls turned into greeting cards. Maybe they have Internet shows now? And I do remember a success: George Rodrique, the Blue Dog painter. He brought his unfinished painting of President Regan to my museum. But when he went "commercial" with the dog "icon" he became famous. Got worldwide with Zerox and Absolute TV commercials. I have been setting up my painting and the other artist's sales on a similar plan. Same with the dolls, but I am doing it simple as I feel like, rather than be working 24 hours a day. You can choose how busy you want to be! Today there is also "Twitter". Maybe when ready you just "Twitter" Hey I'm here with this or that website.
Some other thoughts… Check out this artist :
http://suzytoronto.com/wonderful-wacky-women.html
As you can see she sells books, Tshirts, etc. I have only read the Sacred Sisterhood of Wonderful Wacky Women which was wonderful and I have given it as gifts to many friends. Anyway my point being you could take your dolls, paintings and books and do something similiar. For the dolls you could do T-shirts, calendars, etc. and even with your paintings. That way you would not have to create everything yourself. Also note that she has copyrighted in light white across her pictures or at least the one I am looking at.
. Have a nice day !!!
There is also a site called cafepress.com and I believe you can work out a deal with them to develop your own site to showcase your art and I "think" they may even develop the website for you but you'll have to check. It may be cheaper just to have your own separate site but I am not sure. Anyway, just some ideas
Just saw the lady's site. You are very informative and helpful. Seventeen years ago I should have reverted to shirts, books etc. I came to the conclusion of making them myself because I had no money. Made dolls from everything around and went to market. W.H.Smith (not me) became a distributor and boom! You have have orders everywhere. Very hard to say I Quit. Same with New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, 9 years and quick money. Hard Work! Originally, I had a well known toy company's licensor draw up 2 separate contracts, it went into a long bankruptcy and was bought out by Hasbro. Also a doll company wanted to mass manufacture them overseas and hire me. They too went bankrupt first, after a lifetime here in New Orleans. The 1990's were rough! I have a lot to think about so I make no mistakes. You just never know, maybe I will win one of these HGTV give aways and then money will be no object?No more disasters, I need a calm life and a clear head to produce… I have been very, very, very, lucky. I just need to leave my works to the world before "time" itself escapes me…
Here is my biggest "pet peeve" with the media. They usually pick what photos and what "angle" they want to write about. It leaves out 99% of what you produce when you are very prolific. There is the 2004, Scene 4, an on-line magazine of Theatre, Film, and Media with my interview which tells more than the usual website. Only seven photos! Google search: Hotsit13@bellsouth.net and 'Steve Esquerre Interview with CaSSandra' will pop up. Hit on that site and let me know what you think.
Wow CaSSandra, that was a wonderful interview. It seems that even though you and your family had many challenges the lessons you learned from all the experiences are ones that many of us could not imagine. That makes the challenges all worth it since the outcome of your experiences was positive through your dolls, paintings, books, etc. In my own way I am also Spiritual and my passion is Angels and the significant impact they can have on us if we are open to them. Thanks for sharing your wonderful talents and for giving the readers (me) a view into who you are and how you got to where you are today. Your life is a very fasinating story.
That is very nice of you to say. It is true I make dolls out of every situation, literally and spiritually. Very green dolls. They were all copyrighted and "patent applied for". Very easy. Problem, it is just a piece of paper noting the date of creation. You MUST have at least $300,000 laying around to legally enforce copyrights/patents! Even if you win, they can file bankruptcy or not have the funds in the first place. Overseas is a worse story! So hit the market big and fast so you are rich enough to sue!!!! Artists are a single person not a big corporation. Angels are magical. I have Heart Angels, Crystal Mystic Angels, Spirit of Mardi Gras Angels, and Gloryareola Gift Angel- (Gift is transplants). My Daughter-in-Law passed with Cystic Fibrosis. You will get to see them when I do the site. I will make unfinished inventory periodically and sell. Never wholesale again! I am off to check out the women's website….
Wow another giveaway!!!!
Is this going to be another 50 day entrance? I can't wait to see the premier Sept. 6, good luck everyone. It must be already refurbished and furnished, also a new luxury vehicle!
Talk again soon!
This is the only blog where the top ten list does not show nor your latest posts. I like it much better this way and I wish the other blogs would follow suit. I never liked it on the Green Home blog either but some people do, so it's just my opinion
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I would enter daily for all the sweepstakes. You need to check the rules and I did find on the blog cabin
http://www.diynetwork.com/diy-blog-cabin-2010-swe…
that entrants who have won a prize in any DIY or Scripps Networks, LLC promotion in the ninety (90) days prior to the commencement of the Sweepstakes are ineligible.
I have not won anything before and frankly the odds are winning are so slim that I enter for everything. I don't know if you checked out the blog cabin but it's on five acres and 2 hours from Manhattan. You should check that out too… the best of both worlds if you ask me. Good luck !
I would love to win an apartment like this!!! It's beautiful and I would be right across the street from work. However, I am a little concerned that I won't be able to afford the maintenance and property taxes, which are quite high in New York. Ah well, but I can dream …..
While viewing the floor plan at the end of the hall by the bedroom there is a door that leads to the outside. But when you view the outside pictures there is none for a balcony. Is there a balcony there or are the drawings wrong? Would love to know if I have an eagle eye view from a balcony that would be heaven!!!!
The only door I see at the end of the hall is the entry door. It's not an outside door, it goes to a hall and elevator
The views are spectacular but the decor is very sterile and industrial looking. Grey, silver, grey, grey. One red rug does not a color palette make. Was this decorated for a human or a robot.
Thanks to all the people that wished the contestants luck! I've got my fingers crossed and will be entering everyday!! bye bye Brooklyn..Manhattan here I come!
Can anyone PLEASE tell me where I can get that grey sofa?? I absolutely love it and it's exactly what I need for my tiny living room space.
I think Vern has outdone himself — I've watched his design on HGTV forever and now this outstandingly beautiful apartment in the city of cities — my hope is to own it — perfect location — imagine waking up every morning seeing the Stature of LIberty — can't wait!!! my dream has always to own a home in "The City"
I think Maryjane7 got it right! This is a dream come true. This is a retreat anyone would love. I fell in love with HGTV and Vern Yip when my infant son was dying of cancer. HGTV gave me a chance to escape the drama of my life and to dream and believe in miracles. HGTV gives us hope. There is nothing more anyone could ask for but hope. Thanks to everyone at HGTV and Vern Yip! GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!!!!!
I was planning to move to NYC (Manhattan) in about two years. I could never afford anything like this unless I won the lottery! I am entering on both sites every day with all fingers crossed. This would be a dream come true for me, and unlike some previous dream house winners, I would keep it, enjoy it, and appreciate it every day! Here's hoping!
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there is a beautiful view frm the window especially being able to see the statue of liberty. Te Green Home is where my heart is. /this is really nice. Thanks HGTV!!!!!