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Archive for the ‘Charities’ Category

Cultivating Compassion

Friday, March 12th, 2010

Compassion is part of our biology, doing good is the key to feeling good.  Neuroscientists are actually discovering that feeling compassion is associated with the release of oxytocin, a hormone that helps calm stress and boosts immune function.  Acts of loving, kindness, meditation and dwelling on positive thoughts for other people are free, easy to do and ultimately help improve your mood and health.  One of my favorite charities is the Smile Train.  What I love so much about this organization is that for the price of a cute shirt or a nice dinner $250, I can show  compassion and literally change a child’s life. They are one of the best run organizations I’ve come across, traveling the world and teaming up with local doctors to repair cleft palates around the planet.  In poor, underdeveloped regions of the world having a cleft palate is considered as a bad omen for a family or a village.  So in addition to not being able to eat or speak properly, these children are shunned by society and sometimes even their own families. Countless children are ridiculed and beaten by other children, preventing them from going to school. Unknown numbers of infants with cleft palates are simply abandoned. It doesn’t have to be this way because the Smile Train has never turned away one person who arrives for a surgery- which takes just under an hour to completely repair a cleft palate. Some people walk for days with only the hope that this blessing really exists.   I invite you to watch the video below.  If you’re feeling compassionate after, the organization takes donations as little as $25 and think about how you will smile knowing you helped a child being able to do the same.   Click here to see video Smile Train Visits Somalia 

Tags: cleft palate, Smile Train
Posted in Charities, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Cherokee Studios Rock N Platinum Showcase

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

Alcie Cooper Lyrics

Platinum records for the Platinum loft

 Thursday night, across the street from Genghis Cohen and behind a secretive, black curtain Rethink Development unveiled the rock n’ roll lofts at the Cherokee Recording Studios LEED Platinum Lofts Showcase benefitting Habitat for Humanity.  We (Lori Dennis and Brook Casey of the Dennis Design Group)  were in charge of the Alice Cooper pad and took our assignment very seriously, literally dressing the part.

Dennis Design Group gettin' down in bed?

Our shock rock loft never could have been possible without the generous donations of our many vendors and time from our interns, Sara, Rob and Natasha. Plus it’s not really a party if Tony of Francois and Roy from the SoCal Contractor aren’t in tow.  In the bedroom Heritage Draperies fabricated and installed our padded, chained window treatment and Mike Ragan of Rags put together this amazing patchwork, padded wall with fabric from Jason Asch of  Diamond Foam.  The stars were out in LA on Thursday night and two showed up at our event: Jodie Sweetin , who we all know and love as the old Stephanie Tanner from Full House and Calico Cooper, Alice’s daughter and former co-star of his stage show.

Calico Cooper representin' for Papa

Lori and Brook Nailing

Still nailing...

and finally it was done.

 I was afraid Brook was going to hang himself. But he stuck it out and we even finished the lyrics on the bathroom wall so Tony from Francois could learn them and sing along. 

Don't do it Brook!!

 

When the doors opened at 7PM we all took a shot of Skull Vodka and welcomed our guests to Alice’s Lair.   Francois provided the Gothic mantel in the living room, serving as the perfect backdrop to the snake skin bench from Bausman and Co. and upholstered chairs from Cisco Brothers.  All the kitchy 60s, 70s and 80s accessories from Retropia and the original props from Alice Cooper’s show gave our loft an authenticity rarely seen in staged showcase homes.  Big Red Sun even landscaped our balcony in a true, desert decor representative of the golf courses in Phoenix that Alice so dearly loves.

Alice's Lair

You'll never guess what these balls are for!

Cooper Gang in the Loft

Green bondage-stay in and save gas!

Tags: Alice Cooper, Bausman and Co., Big Red Sun, Calico Cooper, Cherokee Recording Studios LEED Platinum Lofts, Cisco Brothers, Dennis Design Group, Diamond Fabric, eco-friendly, energy saving, Francois and Co., Green Events, green materials, Green Retailers, green roofs, Habitat For Humanity, interior design, Jason Asch, Jodie Sweetin, LEED, LEED Platinum, Lori Dennis, Mike Ragan Rags, Pleasure Chest, Retropia, SoCal Contractor
Posted in Charities, Events, Furniture, Green Building, Green Living, Materials, Parties, Press, Retailers | No Comments »