Annabel Lee

We love dogs, but barking dogs in close quarters are a whole different matter--one that made the pages of the New York Times twice this past weekend. 

Saturday's "Shortcuts" column on annoying neighbors declared that in the suburbs, barking dogs top the list of Most Likely to Make You Miserable.

Relationship expert Andrea Syrtash--author of He's Just Not Your Type (And That's a Good Thing) and the forthcoming Cheat on Your Husband (with Your Husband): How to Date Your Spouse--bought a one-bedroom co-op in Bro

I rented my small one-bedroom on the Upper West Side in 1994, shortly before the weakening of rent regulations. My stabilized rent started out at $1,100 a month.

The former tenant, a physical therapist, was breaking the lease to take a job in the Pacific Northwest. The agent told me the apartment would go to the first person who saw it. I was the lucky one.

The Product:

The Throver, a throw-blanket (pictured) made from moisture-proof Crypton fabric, aims to provide a fashion-friendly tarp-like barrier between your furniture and your pets, Kung Pao chicken, toddler, etc. It’s especially apropos in smaller homes, where furniture is subject to heavy use and ottomans frequently double as kitchen tables.