Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 26 May 2000 — Page 26

FRIDAY, MAY 26,2000 ■ PAGE C8

Budget Decorating By Doris J.Dobner Interior Designer

The family that eats together - benefits (NAPSA) —Mark Twain once quipped that the reports of his death had been “greatly exaggerated,” and the same might also be said about the

family meal.

Just 10 years ago, the

Washington Post declared that the family meal was dead. But statistics show two-thirds of American families with children still eat dinner together at least five times a week and that the ritual of breaking bread around the dinner table is being viewed with renewed impor-

tance.

Eating dinner together is

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ances have helped the modernday family to re-establish this age-old ritual. According to consumer trends analyst Cindy Abbott, “With the hectic pace of life today, the dinner hour is becoming more like the dinner half hqqr. But the important thing is that families are taking

the time to reconnect.”

With more working mothers and more extracurricular activities for children, the family meal has fewer items, is more likely to be microwaved or carried home in a bucket and

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is eaten more quickly. Other trends include: • Microwaves. Nearly every home has one. A model coming out soon will let you download recipes from the Internet. • New innovative plastic food packaging lets you use your microwave for more than just heating water. Homestyle pot roasts, beef stew like mom used to make and other delicious beef endues are found in supermarket fresh meat cases and need only 10 minutes in a microwave. • More grocery stores offer ready-to-eat meals, such as rotisserie chickens. Many come packaged in rigid plastic containers that are microwavesafe, so you can warm them up when you get home. Read the label to make sure the packaging is microwaveable. • New plastic food packaging can be safely heated in either a conventional or microwave oven, allowing cooks more flexibility when it comes to preparation. The label will clearly state whether the tray is dual-ovenable. • Many families cook several meals on a Sunday afternoon and freeze them in plastic containers that can go from freezer to microwave. “Taking advantage of these trends enables families to spend less time on preparation and more time on conversation,” said Abbott.

Zoo to feature huge exhibit of beautiful and venomous snakes Special to The Recorder The newest permanent exhibit at the Indianapolis Zoo will open to the public on June 3. “Drop Dead Gorgeous — Snakes at the Indianapolis Zoo” features some of the most beautiful and venomous snakes from around the world in a specially designed exhibit inside the zoo’s Deserts Dome. The grand opening on June 3 is from 10 a.m. to noon and the first 1,000 visitors will receive a special snake memento to mark the occasion. There also will be entertainment and special “up close and personal" interactions with some of the exhibit’s non-venom-ous snakes. “Drop Dead Gorgeous — Snakes at the Indianapolis Zoo” is free with regular

zoo admission.

Snakes do not generally elicit neutral reactions from zoo visitors. People usually either appreciate their uniqueness and beauty — or, they are just plain scared to death of them. The mission of the zoo is to try to bring more peqple over to the appreciation side of that equation. With the help of about 35 species of live snakes, graphics^ models and other activities, the zoo hopes to give visitors a better overall understanding of these ancient and fascinating creatures. Whatever your view of snakes, there is something for everyone to see and team in the new exhibit. In the “Snakes as Art” gallery, 13 of the most beautiful snakes in the world will be exhibited. Specimens will be highlighted with pinpoint fiber optics as they rest in

“jewel box” cases. Visitors will marvel at the bright yellow coloration of the highly venomous Eyelash viper and the brilliant red of the Blood python of Southeast Asia, which contrasts with the vivid green of the Emerald tree boa. Amazing patterns also will be apparent in the perfect diamonds on the Eastern diamondback rattlesnake, the pink and black bands of the Shield-nosed cobra, the black and yellow woven-like texture of the Jungle carpet python and the blue and white bands on the Striking green temple viper. After viewing these treasures, visitors will enter a second gallery highlighted by a curving “habitat wall” — a collage of spectacular images showing the many different kinds of snakes and the myriad of environments in which they can be found. Along the front of this wall, visitors will sit on a full-size model of the world’s largest snake, a 33-foot long version of a reticulated python with a body fully 16 inches in diameter. Next door will be a model of the world's smallest snake, the 3-inch long thread snake. In the “What a Snake Is” gallery, the unique adaptations, behaviors and biology of snakes will be explored, with activities and videos to help illustrate what makes a snake a snake. With a combination of models and live specimens, visitors will be able to feel the texture of snake skin, learn about the snake's unique “sense” of smell, and see the surprising shapes of a snake's skeletal structure. In the “What a Snake Does” gallery, visitors will learn how a snake moves on the ground, in the water, and above the ground in trees. How they kill their prey (and avoid becoming prey themselves) is another key topic, along with how they regulate their body temperature and their various reproductive strategies. The “Snakes and People” gallery is one of the most important parts of the exhibit where

the many myths that surround these often-misunderstood creatures are exploded. The focus is on how snakes are cared for in the zoo and on some of the key research and conservation programs in which zoos throughout the world are engaged, as well as many of the snakes that are found right here In Indiana. As humankind comes more and more into contact with snakes, it’s more important than ever to understand that the relationships between snakes and people can be mutually respectful, and even entertaining. Here are the species represented in the new exhibit: Snakes as Art: Rhinoceros viper, Ceylonese tree viper. Eastern diamondback rattlesnake. Eyelash viper, Gaboon viper. Red spitting cobra, Mangrove snake, Brazilian rainbow boa. Black-headed python. Tiger ratsnake. Jungle carpet python. Blood python. Habitat Wall: Green tree python. Aquatic tentacled snake. Prairie rattlesnake. Cape coral cobra, Sahara sand viper. Bamboo ratsnake. New World burrowing python. Arboreal bush viper. Snakes in Our World: Northern copperhead. Western cottonmouth. Timber rattlesnake, Eastern massassagua rattlesnake, Kirtland’s snake. Black rat snake. Located in White River State Park downtown, the Indianapolis Zoo is accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association and the American Association of Museums as a zoo, aquarium and botanical garden. The Indianapoli* Zoo is dedicated to providing lifelong recreational learning experiences for its visitors and instilling in them a sense of stewardship for the Earth's plants and animals. The Indianapolis Zoo connects animals, plants and people through education, exhibition, conservation and research.

Spring has sprung; perk up your window treatments It’s time to wash your windows and perk up the window treatments. Windows are your eyes to the outside world! The rooms in most homes need some degree of privacy. If your house sits on a large lot or in a wooded area, you don’t require as much window cover. Most people’s eyes glaze over when consulting with them on window treatment. First, I will list the names of blinds and shades with a quick review of product availability. • Mini blinds are not all Levalors (just a product name). Mini blinds can be metal, vinyl or fabric. The sizes of slats varies from 1/2" to 2". The wooden horizontal blinds come in the same sizes and. are stained or painted. • Soft pleated shades look like an accordion and can be sheer, shadowed or complete privacy. They are made from man-made fibers and are washable and durable. rif. nmor. • Shutters are special painted or stained. They can be purchased in their natural wood, but shutters are difficult to paint or stain. Nanik and Lafayette Blinds make a beautiful shutter with a finish like fine furniture. • Silhouettes are unique and beautiful. They are sheer, wide, horizontal blinds with sheer fabric between each slat. • Vignettes have a large vinyl head rail with a fabric shade similar to a Roman Shade. • Verticals can be metal, vinyl or fabric (man made). The verticals open and close like drapery and are conducive to large windows and patio doors. • Balloon shades are puffy when lowered or raised and are made from a variety of fabrics. They add soft lines to windows and your room. • Roman shades are more tailored than balloons and can be pleated or flat. Long narrow windows benefit when dressed with shades or blinds. • Drapery: Standard drapery is pinch pleated on a traverse rod, but can be box pleated, inverted pleats or gathered onto a rod. • Valances come in so many styles and can be used to enhance blinds, shades or drapery. There are swag valances and jabots. Valances can match period furniture or wallpapers. They can be colonial, modem, traditional or transitional. Valances can be a top treatment that frames a window upholstered or secured on double rods. The best advice that I can give you as a consumer is to hire an expert. Your other choice is to shop, shop and shop some more. Your windows are a very important design feature of your home. The right dressing on windows can enhance a design theme or subtract from the beauty of a room. Hopefully, I have gotten your creative juices flowing. If you are talented with a needle, most fabric stores have great pattern books for creating window treatments. Questions: Call or FAX 2971745