ek76's Profile

Display Name: ek76
Member Since: 9/10/09

Latest Comments...

Oh, to have a coat closet!


Small Space Solutions: Make the Most of the Warm-Weather Coat Closet
5/22/13 2:50 PM

I'm with ATS1980, if you are unwilling to buy a gift, maybe skip the wedding. I certainly think cash or a gift card is better than no gift.
I find registries extremely helpful. I frequently only know either the bride or the groom well. And, especially for my male friends, I may never have been to their home and have no idea what their taste is or what they need. Even if all the remaining gifts are $300, taking a peek at the registry can give you a sense of the couple's tastes and interests (so, I might not buy the stand mixer on the registry, but I may go rogue and buy a cake stand assuming the couple likes to bake.)


Why I Love Wedding Registries (But Still Sometimes Go Rogue)
5/22/13 1:44 PM

Certainly! Although I'm not sure why anyone would try to train themselves to like mayo. I'm glad I don't like mayo! I've learned to like watermellon, cantelope, beets, and alcohol. To those who say beans, I asked for help on thekitchn to learn to like those and got lots of great suggestions. But, for me, it was a preparation thing- I still can't do canned beans.

BTW, although I did not actively try to make myslef un-like certain foods, there are some childhood favorites that I no longer enjoy, like chicken nuggests, strawberry quick, Wonder bread, and Froot Loops. Tastes evolve.


Can You Learn to Love the Foods You Used to Hate?
5/21/13 4:54 PM

I just came back to read the comments and wanted to add (1) I would never tell someone not to try breastfeeding and (2) for those who can't breastfeed, there is absolutely no reason to use sterilized bottles or heat the water used to mix formula. So, if one is formula feeding, one can line up bottles of premeasured water for the nightime feeding (I used room-temperature) and add powder at time of feeding. Probably not as easy as breastfeeding, but not so bad.

Also, MelTown is absolutely right- wait to buy stuff other than the basics. You never know what your baby will need.


New Parenthood: Learning Along The Way Adventures of a New Parent
5/20/13 3:48 PM

I am past reading up on the research on breast feeding- I advise mothers to follow their doctor's advice if they can. I will say that my two formula-fed kids are not sickly, do not get ear infections, are not overweight, and are not stupid. Oh, and my children and I are very well bonded. My only regret in feeding my kids formula is that I did not start it with my oldest earlier. I wasted so much time despearately trying to breastfeed my older child, and beating myslef up for my failure, when I should have been enjoying my beautiful baby. So, the first bit of wisdom I wish to impart is enjoy being a mom. It is glorious thing to have this new little creature in your life- don't waste time worrying about your perceived imperfections.

My second bit of wisdom is give your kid a second to figure things out. Bringing Up Bebe has gotten a lot of kudos in this post. That book made me realize that my sleep-training technique was apparently French. I also advise new parents not to go running into the baby's room right away when they cry at night- give them a minute to try to sort it out. This is not to say allow an infant to "cry it out," just wait a minute. And when they get older and fall down, give them a couple seconds to figure out if they are really hurt, rather than swooping in. Kids are really resilient, and they are almost always ok if no one makes a dramatic fuss.


New Parenthood: Learning Along The Way Adventures of a New Parent
5/20/13 12:15 PM

I would just reiterate a version of tip 1. Just pack light- especially if only adults are traveling, just pack backpacks. You can always buy inexpensive bags to bring home your finds. Our biggest hall was from Turkey- my husband and I brought home a rug, 3 serving platters, a backgammon set, and a wooden window- all packed into a couple of totes we purchased at the bazaar and brought on the plane as carry-ons. Alas, now we don't travel anywhere nearly so interesting and we bring carry-ons full of coloring books, snacks, and diapers.


How to Get Purchases Home from Vacation
5/17/13 10:35 AM

This sounds fabulous. Sara, when you return, please do a post about how to choose international cooking schools!


Notes from a Little Greek Island
5/16/13 2:09 PM

The original study indicates one should repeat this set 2-3 times (and warns that this is not for obese or untrained people). I read the NYT article and the original study but can't find any mention of how may calories this burns. It's hard to believe that doing 7 minutes of anything would produce results.


Exercise at Home: A Compact
7 Minute Workout
New York Times

5/16/13 12:05 PM

I agree that the first thing you need is a chef's knife. There have been several posts on which ones to get on theKitchn. I would also get a Dutch oven, a big pot where you can boil water, and a non-stick lidded pan (as big as you can get). As for cookbooks, I think Martha's Stewart's Everyday Food cookbooks are really easy. Finally, and I might get yelled at for this, I suggest watching a few episodes of Rachel Ray on Food Network. She's very easy to follow and her recipes are simple but tasty. I think soups, stews, and something like tomato sauce is very forgiving.
Remember, unlike baking, you can adjust as you go along with cooking. If something tastes bland, you can add a little salt, hot sauce, or vinegar. If you only add a little at a time, you won't over season. The only thing you can do to really screw it up is undercooking meat (which may result in illness) or burning things. If you focus on what you are doing, you'll be fine.


I Want to Start Cooking. Where Do I Start? Good Questions
5/16/13 10:06 AM

My kids will always eat yogurt, peanut butter, granola bars, and meat of any kind in any form. Weirdly, neither of them like bread and pasta or rice have to be smothered in sauce and/or mixed with meat. On the whole, we are lucky that our kids will almost always eat whatever we are eating.


7 Things My Toddlers Would (Almost) Always Eat
5/15/13 3:54 PM

Our kids are told time and time again that we can only draw on paper (and occasionally they may be allowed to draw on other materials- only with explicit permission). We also tell them they can put stickers on paper or themsleves. Guess what? On occassion, I've had to remove pencil and crayon from the walls and stickers from the hardwood floors. When this happens, I make them help me clean it and reiterate our "we draw on paper" mantra, but I know it will happen again. Sometimes kids make bad choices. And, having a 3 and 6 year old, I learned not to say (or think) "my kid would never do that" a long time ago. Oh, and if you have kids, invest in a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.


Tips for Avoiding Drawn-On Furniture
5/14/13 11:22 AM

Fun, but I would argue, impractical! It's hard to get those snacks out and once you removed your lunch, do you thrown away the jacket? Or are you expected to wash the compartments out to store another sandwich on another day? I realize this is purely conceptual and fun, but just pointing out that design flaw.


It's Friday. Time to Bring on the Crazy.
The Ziploc Bag Jacket

5/10/13 10:53 AM

They might be the coolest named couple I have ever heard of. Nice pad too.


Justice & Ronan's Cozy Eclectic Abode House Tour
5/10/13 10:46 AM

I can't believe there are people who don't do this and just let all that mango go to waste!


Why I Secretly Suck on Mango Pits in the Kitchen (And So Should You)
5/9/13 10:29 AM

Thanks for the blueberry story, Heather! I confess that I always thought the blueberry haze was a preservative (man-made, that is) like wax on apples. And I'm a pretty educated consumer, especially about food. I don't consumers are being stubborn about this- farmers need to do a better job in spreading the word.


Whatever Happened to Red Pistachios?
5/8/13 12:53 PM

For those asking for suggestions about how to get something like this started, why not a bookclub? Our neighborhood bookclub was founded when one neighbor posted on our neighborhood listserve, and it's been going strong for years. I can't say we don't consume anything (there is wine and snacks), but the point is really to discuss a book and make some neighborly conversation.


A Small, Quiet, Radical Gathering, with Tea Weekend Meditation
5/6/13 11:07 AM

So great! Ashni had a terrific idea- what a cool kid. And it helps that we are huge Janelle Monae fans at our house (you should see my 5 and 3 year olds dance like her!)


Best Kids Parties: Janelle Monae My Party
5/2/13 4:32 PM

I had no idea that there was plain "shrink plastic" or that you could put it through the printer. So cool!
Yes, a binder clip would do. But you could say that about any functional object that also happens to be decorative. Why an attractive soap holder or a pretty lamp shade? Because people like to make and look at pretty things.


Quick Project: Mini Art Clips Apartment Therapy Tutorial
5/1/13 1:48 PM

Buy it. We did exactly that. Everything we read and were told by our inspector made us comfortable- the siding was in good shape and we were not going to be breaking it up and breathing it. As others have said, asbestos actually has some benefits in that it is very fire-resistant and holds paint very well. By the way, you can always ask, but if I were selling my house I would not reduce the price by $5K to remove the siding since I think it's fine. If your neighborhood is really great, I would not expect the sellers to do so either. In contrast, we did the sellers of our house to reduce the price slightly to remove crumbling asbestos tiles in the basement.
The one issue is if you do an addition, your contractor will have to do a little extra work (and charge a little more) when dealing with your siding. But, we recently did that and had no trouble finding matching non-asbestos siding for our addition.
Buy the house and enjoy your wonderful neighborhood!


Should I Buy a House That Has Asbestos Siding? Good Questions
5/1/13 1:41 PM

This is just my two cents, but I would very much prefer to read a review of a cookbook by someone who has cooked some of the recipes.


Relish by Daphne Oz New Cookbook
4/29/13 1:11 PM