
It's said that you can't put a price on protecting the environment, and on the face of it, we agree. But when we're always hearing about the economic benefits of industrial activity, it would be nice to know what conservation is actually worth, in dollar terms. Now, thanks to a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation study, we do. The analysis considered the jobs, tax revenue and other economic......read more
"The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way." - William Blake Two hundred years later, Blake's words ring truer than ever. In Santa Monica, city officials are moving forward with a plan to remove 54 mature fig trees as part of a new urban design project. Artist Gillian Ware, who divides her time between the UK and Los......read more
Along with New York City and Paris, the Italian city of Venice is probably one of the most photographed cities in the world. There is no corner of the City of Water than hasn't been caught on camera and put on the internet. But with this series, Berlin-based photographer Jessica Backhaus has managed to depict the city in a totally non-cliché -- not to mention beautiful -- way. To do so,......read more
Bum. Bum. Bum. Bum. Bumpabum bum bum.Jam on it. (Yeah yeah, we know, we know) - Newcleus Like many of you, my first encounter with figs was of the packaged elf-made snack food variety. And like some (and I’m guessing fewer) of you, my first encounter with JAM was the aforementioned 1983 NYC electrofunk classic. See, in Louisiana we were always about JELLY. I jest. About the jam, I mean. But......read more
Marissa Textor's graphite-on-paper drawings capture epic nature moments in a hyper realistic manner. In an art scene dominated by loose, gestural work, Textor's precision penciling stands out among the crowd. On her choice of subject matter, the Los Angeles-based artist says, "It's exciting to me. In an over-stimulated world this is the stuff the holds my attention and......read more
Taking a slight left turn at Albuquerque now, folks, so please remember to keep all arms, legs, and capes inside the vehicle. Today we’re going to change it up a little and forgo the usual cooking and talk a little about growing things that will be cooked at a future date uncertain. As you may have learned from previous posts on this very Web log, I have the amazing fortune to be......read more
It’s a fairly unassailable assertion that you’ve heard a bazillion times (possibly from a Brazilian?) – food cooked outside tastes better. I know. Duh, right? And there are many who would go further and argue that food cooked over charcoal is far superior to food cooked on a gas grill. I count myself among them. Then there is another smaller circle in the Fuel Preferences of......read more
If you happen to be making a list of (or song about, coffee table book on…) the world’s filthiest and/or ugliest vegetables, please make sure to include salsify on your list. Would you just look at how ugly these things are?!? But, through the miracle of Photoshop, look how purty I made them. I jest. No Photoshop trickery here, just some peeling, boiling, mashing, mixing,......read more
Farmbox Ingredients: * Beets * Mixed color carrots * Hardneck garlic * Pea shoots Listening to: * Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion * Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run * Mission of Burma – Signals, Calls and Marches All these root vegetables and nowhere to go but to the braised shortribs. Mario Batali’s shortribs from his Babbo cookbook......read more
A few weeks ago, I was kicking around in Adams Morgan on a Saturday morning. The residue from Snowpocalypse 2010 had finally melted, the sun was shining, and I was feeling fine. I turned the corner onto Columbia Road, and saw a big white delivery truck where a smiling, bearded man was handing happy people boxes of gorgeous produce. “What’s this?” I thought. I meandered over to investigate.......read more