elkanikkole's Profile

When a tree randomly fell down in our yard an hour before we were having a huge outdoor party, our neighbor came over with his chainsaw and merrily cut up the entire tree, and helped us stack the wood and clean up the yard before our shindig. He was then a hit at the party itself — no surprise, he's a very personable guy. I'll always be grateful for his chainsaw and happy attitude.

I've flown with my kiddo as a lapchild 8 times thus far and plan to again overseas this Fall. Half of these trips have been by myself. It is much easier to fly with a lap child when a co-parent is along and seated next to you, especially i f you have a big and tall kid like we do. We have never brought a carseat onboard, and I wouldn't want to. Our baby always falls asleep on one of us. Bringing a sling or soft carrier is one of the best ways to make sure your limbs don't fall asleep, and we also always gate check the stroller. Even if the kid doesn't want to use it, a sturdy stroller like a Bob is great for schlepping all of your luggage. We've never gotten dirty looks, but we've also been extremely lucky to have a kid that's hardly ever cried on a flight. Other advice? Don't let your baby kick the seat in front of him or her. Don't let the babe reach through the seat to grab at people's hair or arms. Time naps or sleeping times to correspond with flight times (this worked great for us for red eye flights, as we both slept). Bring extra food and water, even if you nurse. We love the Plum Organics pouches because they're pretty much mess-free. Oh, and let your kid crawl or run up and down the airport hallways (watching carefully and keeping the kiddo out of people's way) until you get on the flight. It'll help to ensure that the little one might sleep better

Name: CasaSugar
URL: http://www.casasugar.com

We've had a dedicated whiskey Platypus for years now, for long-haul backpacking trips, and it cannot be used for anything else; Platypuses are plastic, after all, and really retain the scent/flavor of what's been put in them. I wonder if these will do the same, which makes me think that they'd be difficult for wine snobs to use, since prior wine's essence may mingle with next wine . . . I like the tetrapaks, too.

I'm swearing by bon ami as well. We have a white kitchen sink and white counters, and it works great, even on red wine stains that have been sitting on the counter for a while.

I lived in the Emeryville/Berkeley/Oakland area off and on for four years. I will agree with others who say to stay above 40th; when I lived in the low 30s off of MLK, it was really tough. There were drug deals that went on outside my bedroom window every night and I used to get manhandled/called profanities if I walked down the street. There's something about that Ghost Town corridor that's just tough.

That said, the area only about 9 blocks up was welcoming and fun. Yes, there is some crime, but I and my home were never targeted; yes, some dude jumped over the fence into my backyard when I was gardening, but when I told him to leave, he did. (My advice: get a bigger dog if you are a single woman living here; it will make you feel safer, and it will keep potential crooks away due to barking/patrolling.)

No need to deal with the wait, packaging, and fuel miles from an online resource for a string of pearls. There are several nurseries in the SF Bay Area that carry these, including Westbrae in Berkeley, where I got mine. Also, if you get a little string from a friend, you can easily start your own.

Congratulations guys! David, it's been a long road from that group house in Fruitvale, yes? But even there, you brought your amazing style to the table (and floors, and walls, and....). Congrats!

we need some more collapsible reusable bags, oh yes we do...

Sunset, I heart thee.