SaraHeartburn's Profile

@violent peas: blending wine is a silly suggestion for a few reasons, number one being that anyone serving a wine that could possibly require such a violent aeration (due most likely to extreme age) is pretty likely to have either the time or the tools (like a wide-bottomed decanter, or a Selection/Soiree pourer) to do it properly. Prolonged aeration is not a common thing with modern wines; the average wine served by the average wine drinker is unlikely to require more than a good pour and a good swirl in your glass to open it up.

Other than that, the reasons not to put your wine in a blender range from not wanting to stir sediment back into the wine (this would be a particular problem if we're talking about an older vintage), to possible contamination of the wine with whatever you last wizzed through your Hamilton Beach (particularly if it was something strong or oily -- garlic-tinged Cabernet anyone?), to being forced to serve glasses of wine with a nice frothy head on top.

I started storing all of my dried goods -- pasta, grains, dry beans & legumes -- in glass after my first experience with mice, which can make quick work of any plastic bag or cardboard box. I have a nice collection of antique mason jars now. The only product I've not found the perfect jar for is long spaghetti/linguini/fetuccini.

A previous poster mentioned Clausthaler, and I heartily endorse their amber NA beer (they have a pale lager-style as well, but it's not nearly as good). It's as close to real beer as I've ever found -- good flavor and enough zing to feel real.

Looks lovely, but I'd hate to be the one who has to clean baked on grease from the grain and decorative edging.

Are the liquid products packaged in plastic bottles? I'm afraid that would be the deal-breaker for me.

I second Trish1980's motion.

I lived in the Miracle Mile for about 10 years (moved back east a year ago), and absolutely loved it -- we were right on Museum Row, a nice ten-minute walk to the Farmer's Market & Grove shopping areas, fairly central to everything. The blocks just south of Wilshire (but north of Pico) are safe, quiet, family-friendly, but still central and close to Hollywood & West Hollywood nightlife, shopping on Fairfax and Melrose, & Beverly Hills, and close to the major surface streets & the 10 freeways so the beach and the parks are a quick drive. While I lived there, I commuted by car at different times to Downtown LA (20 minutes), Burbank (25 minutes) and as far as El Segundo (40 minutes in traffic), and found it all very convenient.

This is really more "freshening" your bed than actually cleaning it. It's still going to be full of dust mites and dirt and whatnot that's not just on the surface.

@ck8g0 -- I've got a memory-foam mattress too, and when I got it years ago was advised against using a traditional mattress pad on it because having any kind of thick or stif fabric on it would detract from the molding ability of the foam (which I guess is why the cover the mattress comes with is thin terry-cloth like material). Do you know if they're making a water/stain resistant pad for use with tempur/memory foam mattresses now?

The idea of on-the-go produce wipes is interesting (although strikes me as wasteful if it means more paper trash), but if you're having to heat meats and poultry properly before consumption anyway, I don't really see the point in buying something special with which to clean them beforehand.

Most public trash collectors won't accept garbage that isn't bagged one way or another. There used to be paper bin-liners available in some old-school hardware stores, but they're getting harder to find. Anyone know of an alternative to plastic bin liners?