Columbus Day Video: Visit to a Fishing Village on the Italian Riviera

Irwin Weiner ASID - As a South African, and essentially a long-term guest in the United States, it's fascinating to me that we celebrate Columbus Day throughout most of the country. Of course Christopher Columbus didn't "discover" America - it was always here, native americans were here first, other explorers may have traveled here long before, and so on. But the holiday has morphed into more of a celebration of Italian American heritage, focusing on the Genovan Cristoforo Colombo, and it's in that spirit that we feature today's design video on the architecture and street scenes of the small Italian fishing village of Camogli, not too far from Genova (near Portofino, on the Italian Riviera). The video is beautifully photographed by noted nautical and sailing photographer Onne van der Wal (Dutch born, he grew up in South Africa, and now lives in Rhode Island).

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Young House Love Celebrates the DIY Life (and Halloween)

Irwin Weiner ASID - It's really wonderful to see the variety of interior design and decorating blogs online! You can find snarky, funny takes on design, inspirational posts from top designers, and amateur "I love to decorate!" folks who blog about the evolution of their home building or remodeling or decorating. Young House Love is a great blog, and if you haven't seen it, click on the link and experience it now. Sherry and John Petersik share their DIY adventures in Richmond, VA, turning a ranch home from bland to hip, fab, West Elm-y cool.

They shop at Michaels and Target and other stores, and they get inspiration from home decor gurus like Martha Stewart (just like the rest of us). And they put out some fun videos, like today's featured duo of vids where they share some original Halloween decorating ideas, tricking out their home in black and white, and then paint pumpkins in a very artistic and creepy-crawlie way. Click here to learn more about their new book, too: Young House Love book.

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Halloween Recipe Fun: 2 Variations on "Dirt and Worms"

Irwin Weiner ASID - It's not too terribly early to begin thinking of fun things to make in order to turn your kitchen into a ghoulish Halloween laboratory for young children! It's fun to make your fall holiday decorations, decor, and treats at home, and we'll start bringing you some Halloween DIY ideas to get you in the festive party spirit. Today's featured video is from Modernist Cuisine, and it's a simple way to make dirt and olive oil gummy earthworms - gross fun for young and old alike. Click here for the complete recipe and preparation tips.

Bonus

For a completely different take on Worms in Dirt, click on the top photo for Martha Stewart's creation using, of all things, hotdogs and black beans.

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Video: Triathlete Helps Us Plan Ahead with Fall Garden Design

Irwin Weiner ASID - I admit that I'm an interiors kind of guy, but I love a beautiful garden. It's more than curb appeal - those lush outdoor rooms add so much charm and extended living and entertaining space to a home. Now that autumn is officially here, it's time to start planning your fall garden design process, using these optimum weeks to plant new specimens, flesh out beds, and make those key transplants. My gardening goals are always to have a "swath" of color and texture and to try to have plants that add color and interest throughout the growing season - not just a burst of springtime hues and then washed-out greens throughout the rest of the summer and early fall. This video features an interview with Tracy DiSabato-Aust, triathlete/gardener and author of the book The Well-Designed Mixed Garden, and her tips for how to best plan your garden around this time of year.

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