sciencegeek's Profile

I was thinking that this would be kind of awesome above outdoor seating for a restaurant or cafe. I wonder if sunlight shining through it casts colored shadows like stained glass?

The Euphorbia marginata is quite nice. I've tried to warm to that Brunnera cultivar, but just can't persuade myself that I want variegated foliage on it. The regular old brunnera is a fine, scrappy little guy which will pop up with its lovely blue flowers and then recede into the background for the rest of the year.

An additional suggestion, variegated Solomon's Seal, Polygonatum falcatum 'variegatum' is quite lovely - the white stripes somehow highlight the curve of the stem. After a year or so of growing, it will start to spread and give you a nice patch of the stuff.

Matzoh ball soup, brisket, charoset, Moroccan carrot salad (made by me), roasted sweet potatoes/onions with old bay and smoked paprika (made by my boyfriend), macaroons, fresh strawberries, all in the company of family.

I've got another Seder to go to in a few days and I'll be bringing (Kosher for Passover only if you're Sephardic) lemony chickpea salad, and (KforP for everyone) flourless chocolate cake. I think there will be lamb and more matzoh ball soup as well. There's always the possibility of a good quinoa salad...

and if you feel like exploring the fun world of banana ripening:
http://www.ediblegeography.com/spaces-of-banana-control/
A great article on a banana ripening facility in the Bronx, NY.

Grilled cheese party is still the winner for me. We did this with a couple of "sandwich makers", a couple of frying pans and lots and lots of cheese/bread/other options. Deliciousness ensued.

My cat likes to knock things off of my side table. I have been slowly adjusting to this.

My grandparents were big fans of what people are calling mid century modern. The Noguchi coffee table was in their living room along with the Herman Miller lounge chair and a few others. I found it pretty funny when MCM came back into style - it was something I'd always enjoyed in my grandparents' home.

If you live in NYC, check HPD online before you sign a lease.
It is the last link on the page.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/hpd/html/pr/violation.shtml
Familiarize yourself with the complaints and violations in your building before you move in. Note how many times your landlord has been taken to court. Note how long it takes before violations are resolved. Note that if people are calling 311 to try to resolve issues it means that the porter/super/landlord isn't doing his/her job.

(says she who lives in a building with 67 class C violations - yes, those are the ones that are supposed to be resolved in 24 hours)

I've been telling this to all my NYC friends for a while now and I hope it will help everyone who is looking for a new place.

When I'm feeling uninspired/tired/lazy, I find that having a few packs of frozen veggies in the freezer lets me easily add them to whatever I'm cooking. Spinach or peas are the easiest for me for this. Trader Joe's seems to have good frozen veggies for this sort of thing.

I'd suggest a look through the AM Leonard catalog. They've also got hori horis (aka soil knives). In addition a good pair of Felco's and a nice folding saw will be useful to any gardener.

In addition to purely functional gifts, a subscription to Gardens Illustrated, full of great ideas, plants and not overwhelmed with products, would be nice.

Then there's always gift certificates for seeds and plants. Something to dream away the winter with for those of us in cold climes without greenhouses.