If your schedule is as busy as mine, your car is probably your home away from home. I spend a lot of time in my car, so it's very important that it be comfortable, roomy, economical, and environmentally appropriate. Not long ago, I got my second electric car - the new Mercedes-Benz EQS 580, a battery electric full-size luxury lift back sedan, and it's great.
Electric vehicles offer so many advantages - among them, excellent performance and handling, less maintenance, and of course less pollution. Plus, charging can be done right at home. My Mercedes EQS plugs into my ChargePoint Home Flex station and it's ready to go in 20 to 40 minutes. If you're looking for a new car, consider going electric - you'll be glad you did.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
This is my Mercedes-Benz EQS 580+ sedan in obsidian black. My drivers and I love its maneuverability and comfort. Here I am with Andres. We’re leaving the farm for a long, busy day of meetings at our New York City offices.
This electric car performs so well when it comes to torque and acceleration. It’s also quiet and fast. It can go from zero to 60-miles-per-hour in less than six seconds.
This Mercedes is equipped with excellent 20-inch tires and 4MATIC all-wheel drive, so it’s good in all kinds of weather.
In the front, full-LED and digital LED state-of-the-art headlights for safety.
And inside, it has an all-engaging dashboard with dual touch-screen capabilities.
The front seats feature adjustable lumbar supports, side bolsters, and shoulder supports -all great for those long rides. And, guess what? It also has a built-in massager.
The heated seat and window controls are easily accessible from the door panel.
Andres places a towel on the floor of both the driver’s side and the front passenger side seats – with the ends tucked under the car’s floor mats. Towels keep the area clean and are easy to pick up and throw in the wash at the end of the day.
I like to keep a supply of bar towels in the car as well – the under-console space is perfect for these 12-inch terrycloth squares. I often place one on my lap while reading the paper, so the ink doesn’t get on my clothes, but they’re also good for wiping up accidental spills or wiping anything that gets wet in the rain.
The back is also very roomy, with wireless charging areas for phones. On the back seat, I like to have a couple of pillows and a good car blanket – just in case…
Fortunately, I can get a lot of reading done in the car – papers, documents, and all those emails. It is important to have the best light. This Mercedes-Benz EQS has ample interior lights in the front and in the back.
And look at the storage space in the car’s trunk.
ChargePoint Home Flex works with any electric vehicle model and is a fast flexible Level 2 home charger, meaning it uses a 240-volt circuit. We called in our electrician to install the station just outside my Winter House.
The entire installation process takes less than an hour to complete. The first step is to select a location – this wall next to my carport is perfect because it is convenient to reach and close to the entrance of my home.
Next, the ChargePoint Home Flex is hardwired and connected to a proper socket.
The outlet socket is then screwed into the box along with the weather protective cover. The ChargePoint is designed and tested to be safe, efficient, and reliable.
Finally, the ChargePoint station and cable are hung up on the wall right to the electric outlet box. The ChargePoint Home Flex is nine-times faster than a wall outlet and can deliver up to 50 amps of power. It can also be installed inside a garage or outdoors like this one.
The charging inlet on my Mercedes-Benz EQS is where one would typically find the opening to the gas tank. This one is on the right side of the vehicle.
And the ChargePoint connector just plugs in, quick and easy – then I’m able to leave home with a full charge. Visit ChargePoint‘s web site for more information.
The Mercedes-Benz is reliable, elegant, fast, and now fully-electric. Please go to the Mercedes-Benz web site to learn more about their cars.
My peacocks and peahens are now back in their enclosure, safe from any wild predators.
Over the last few weeks, we've been working hard to improve the security surrounding the peafowl pen. We moved the coop 25-feet toward the center, installed steel posts around the perimeter, and then unrolled and fastened durable fencing fabric across the entire top of the yard. In the wild, all birds also need a safe place to roost - they like to be up high to see what is around them and to escape from predators if needed. Yesterday, we added two new perches inside their coop, where they could roost up high at night. These add to the various perches provided outside - all made from felled or damaged trees here at the farm.
Enjoy these photos and the short video of the peafowl - back home.
If you follow this blog regularly, you may have seen the post showing the installation of this new fencing fabric over the peafowl coop and the yard. It will now prevent dangerous predators from entering the enclosure.
Once the peacocks and peahens were back in their pen, they were eager to walk around and explore. They are very curious animals – and what’s old is new again.
They all walked as a group, or an ostentation, to see what had changed.
I think they all approve. My peafowl are all very healthy. Full grown, peafowl can weigh up to 13-pounds. All the peacocks and peahens get lots of fresh, organic treats from my gardens.
Inside their coop, we also made a couple of changes.
We already secured two trees inside, where they could roost, but we also added perches up above.
Here’s Fernando securing a new perch beam that runs from the front to the back of the house. We had two extra cedar posts from another fencing project with smaller diameters that were perfect for the peafowl.
The two were secured with simple wooden brackets made in our shop right here at the farm.
These two found the perches pretty quickly – I think they like them.
Peacocks and peahens love to roost up high, where they can view all the goings-on from above.
Back outside, this peahen perches on one of the steps of a handmade ladder, secured to the side of the coop. It’s also in the shade – perfect for warm, summer afternoons.
This peahen is looking for a spot on the same ladder. On its head, both male and female peafowl have the fancy crest called a corona.
We also have trees “planted” in this yard, so the peafowl can roost on the branches.
And on both sides of the coop, we have horizontal perches – also built from felled trees here on the farm.
This one appears to be a popular resting place. And do you know… the term “peacock” is commonly used to refer to birds of both sexes. However, technically only males are peacocks. Females are peahens, and together, they are called peafowl.
Peafowl are beautiful birds, but do not underestimate their power – they are extremely strong with very sharp spurs. And they will perch on anything above ground to get a better view.
Peafowl are happiest when living in small groups. They often walk around following each other and then stop to forage together. They are ground feeders. They do most of their foraging in the early morning and evening. As omnivores, they eat insects, plants, grains and sometimes small creatures. This peafowl pen is adjacent to the goose enclosure – they all like being near each other.
Peacocks are so photogenic with their iridescent blue necks. The males have already dropped their long tail feathers, but they will start to regrow again in the fall in preparation for mating season, which starts up again in February.
Peafowl are very smart, docile and adaptable birds. They are quite clever and will come close to all who visit. And peafowl have acute hearing, but can be poor at discerning from what direction certain sounds originate.
For now, they are safe, content, and comfortable. See you soon my dear peafowl.
With its stunning water views and gentle bay breezes, Shelter Island, nestled between the North and South Forks of Long Island, New York is a wonderful place to visit.
Last week, I was invited to a summer soirée at the historic Pridwin Hotel & Cottages in Shelter Island Heights overlooking the breathtaking Peconic Bay. My friends, Susan Magrino, Kevin Sharkey, and Terre Blair joined me for a lovely evening of great food and cocktails hosted by fashion designer Dennis Basso and his husband, Michael. The Pridwin, part of Cape Resorts, celebrates its 95th anniversary this year following a complete renovation of its 33 rooms and 16 private cottages - all designed in a timeless and casual palette of bright, playful colors.
Here are some photos from our visit to The Pridwin, enjoy.
It was a perfect evening for a late summer dinner. Here I am with our host, Dennis Basso, and Curtis Bashaw, managing partner of Cape Resorts, which oversaw The Pridwin’s extensive two-year renovation.
Here is Dennis standing by the beautiful table set for 30 out on the deck with gorgeous views of the Peconic Bay.
My seat looked out onto the water. Our dinner included a tomatoes and burrata salad, roasted chicken panzanella with artichokes, baby tomatoes and a bacon vinaigrette, and for dessert – Pridwin’s classic ice cream cookie sandwich.
Here I am with Curtis and Will Riccio. I’m holding a charming Pridwin tote bag – every guest went home with one.
The next day, Kevin took photos of the resort and its breathtaking waterfront views. The Pridwin sits on more than seven-acres overlooking Shelter Island’s pristine Crescent Beach.
Here is the entrance with its bright and inviting yellow glass front door.
Just inside behind the reception desk is a wall of keys – one to each of the 49 rooms and cottages.
This welcoming fireplace is located in the general living room of The Pridwin with the original hotel shield hanging overhead.
Not far is the Pridwin’s Crescent Bar with its whimsical red, white and pink cabana stripe awning and bar stools upholstered in a warm pink fabric. The renovation project’s design was under the direction of Colleen Bashaw, Curtis’ sister and VP of design for Cape Resorts. She says “The Pridwin was based upon the hotel’s image of classic Adirondack summer camps and cottages” – a playful mix of old and new. (Photo courtesy of Cape Resorts)
Outside is The Pridwin’s expansive pool – also with views to the bay. (Photo courtesy of Cape Resorts)
This is The Pridwin Hotel Maintenance Shed which is kept in immaculate condition. Kevin loved all the organization, but who wouldn’t?
Every cord is coiled perfectly and hung on the wall.
Here, Curtis poses with Edgardo Munoz, one of two who run the shed – it’s very impressive.
In this photo, Curtis is joined by Paul Gorra, who is also responsible for this workshop.
Many of the key elements of the original structure remain, including the exterior crisp white paint with the signature hunter green window casements.
The Pridwin was named after Pridwen from the legends of King Arthur, the name of Arthur’s shield, which translates to ‘pride in winning’.
Looking out from this lawn is another view of the Peconic Bay – the parent name for two bays between the North Fork and South Fork of New York’s Long Island. It is separated from Gardiners Bay by Shelter Island and is divided by Robins Island into the Great Peconic Bay on the west and Little Peconic Bay on the east.
Here is one of the docks off Crescent Beach. Located on the North side of the island, Crescent Beach spans more than half a mile long.
Kevin also captured this stunning image of another dock – one never tires of these gorgeous views. See lots of Kevin’s photos on his Instagram page @seenbysharkey.
And here is a view heading back home aboard the North Ferry. What a lovely time spent on Shelter Island. If you’re ever in the area and want to treat yourself and your family to a special beachfront getaway, check out The Pridwin.
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