>I think sometimes the best way to travel is to make few plans and have even fewer expectations. Such was our impromptu trip to Monterey this January. We were amazingly fortunate with the weather, warm blue skies and a three day holiday. So last minute, we piled up the buggy and headed north. The only things on the agenda – a stop for lunch and quick hug for my daughter in San Luis Obispo, and a visit to the world famous Monterey … [Read more...]
In a strip 4 x 8, they pile the dirt. And in the dirt they dig a hole. And in the hole they put a tree. It is a young tree, delicate limbs, thin bark, roots just beginning to spread. The box is split, the tree hauled out, and it is plopped in the ground with little care and less grace. A tablet is tossed in, a splash of water, and the dirt is piled back around it. On either side two stakes are pounded in, and wires trap it tightly in … [Read more...]
What is it that was so special about that day—we were three generations gardening: sowing seeds, getting dirty, eating, drinking and laughing. We were mother, daughter, and granddaughter. Not just 3 generations, but three generations of women, and like life itself, we were represented in all our aspects: willowy young tree, just starting to form, with roots easing into the warm soil, head facing to the sun. The mature tree, trunk thick and … [Read more...]
I was standing at my sink the other morning, when I saw it: this beautiful little bird, with black and white markings and a stunning yellow throat. Now, I don’t know what kind of bird it was, but I do know that seeing that bird absolutely delighted me. In some ways, it’s just common sense. Like every other creature, birds need three things: food, water, and shelter. If you can provide those things they will visit. All we need to do … [Read more...]
Feng Shui is the 3,000-year-old Chinese practice of arranging your environment to enhance your life. At first glance, Feng Shui may seem complex. However, Feng Shui philosophy is filled with common sense practices and simple techniques for creating a more prosperous, healthy and happy life. In fact, you will most likely find you are already intuitively practicing Feng Shui. Fundamentally, Feng Shui is about making a home that feels good – a … [Read more...]
Five “Bad” Things That Are Actually Good for Your Skin By Rose Cole *Chocolate (yeah!): Women in a German study who downed a cocoa-rich drink daily – the equivalent of 3.5 ounces of dark chocolate – for 12 weeks experienced less dryness. Their skin also had better blood flow, which pinks your cheeks, and was more resistant to sun damage, thanks to all the antioxidants.. *Juicing: It gets a bad rap for the sugar, but the fresh … [Read more...]
Sustainability. Organic. Green. We hear those terms a lot these days. Unfortunately, those terms are now often used for marketing materials and sales tools, and so are losing some of their impact. The term sustainable can be defined as ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ So, how does that apply to our own little corners of the earth? As I … [Read more...]
It’s Spring! It’s Spring! Or at least it feels like Spring here in Southern California. We’ve had winter rains and the weather is so deliciously warm that everywhere things are already starting to bud. And I could feel that pull, almost primal in its urge, to start planting. So I treated myself to a field trip to a new Native nursery, here in the heart of Los Angeles, ‘Grow Native,’ and went to town. (Though he doesn’t … [Read more...]
If you were to take one teaspoon of dirt from your garden and dump it on a piece of paper to see what it was about, what might you see: Sand, clay, a bit of root, the corner of a leaf. Perhaps even an ant or pill bug might come crawling out. But what you would not see are billions of bacteria, yards of fungus, thousands of protozoa and dozens of nematodes! “Egads!” You might shriek, as you whipped that dirt away from you and vowed … [Read more...]
This delicious and beautifully simple recipe was introduce to me by LAFW's head chef, Rachael Narins. It is based on an Alice Waters recipe from her Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook. Make a visit to a farmer's market and look for the freshest and sweetest carrots you can...it makes such a difference! Serving Size: 8 4 tablespoons butter 1 onion -- sliced 2 fennel bulbs -- sliced 2 1/2 pounds carrots -- peeled and sliced, about 6 cups salt … [Read more...]
