How to Grow Crops Inside

•April 2, 2013 • 1 Comment

Hydro1

Quality grow lights are crucial to the hydroponics process, as well as making sure they are the right type of LED grow lights for your planting needs. If you are unsure as to where the best are located, http://www.thelashop.com has some quality products. There are tons of different nutrient additives that you can add to your hydroponics set-up to make your plants successful.

Happy plants are healthy plants and you can be sure that with the right nutrients, you will be growing a fantastic indoor garden. With the right supplies and the right amount of knowledge, anyone can turn into a super hydroponics grower! If you want plants that will be grown in stable environment as opposed to outdoors where weather can harm them, try hydroponics! You don’t have to wait for a certain season, you can start growing tonight if you wanted. There is lots of information available online for people to learn about indoor plant growing, and it is continuing to be a growing trend in many communities.

This is very helpful to those cities that dwell in colder areas since crops are harder to grow outdoors. Hydroponics is the answer to most of outside gardenings problems! Having a hydroponics garden is extremely smart if you want to start growing food for your family all year round to save on groceries, as well as for hobby growing! No matter what the plant, with the right grow lights and nutrients you will have a wonderful garden and collection. Hydroponics doesn’t have to be difficult, so don’t make it that way!

The Big British Invite

•March 27, 2013 • Leave a Comment

This past weekend, Dr. Awesome and I went to a cool event that was hosted by British Airways and VisitBritain called The Big British Invite. Now, those of you who know me, I’m a huge Anglophile and having lived in Canterbury and London, this was right up my alley. (I am watching About A Boy as I am typing this. Perfect.) It was held in SoHo at a great space.

We started off in the departures lounge where we picked up our “boarding passes” and waited to “board”. Whilst waiting, we were offered prosecco and dumplings. A great way to start our way to Britain.

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We then made our way to our Gate and went through to see this great candy sculpture of London.

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After, we got a tea sandwich and dessert which was set up like the Mad Hatter’s tea party. They also had some interesting tea flavors like Strawberries and Cream and Chocolate Mint.

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Around the corner was a cool cocktail bar that made two different drinks. We chose the one that made use of the smoker. I mean, how could we not? I love gin, but this was epic.

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Our “The Bribes”

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Wah Nails. I wish I had been patient and waited to get cool nail art done!

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We then got into the arrivals lounge and had ANOTHER cocktail. I had The Master Cocktail and Dr. Awesome had the Basil one. I should’ve had what Dr. Awesome had because the cayenne KILLED me. I couldn’t even finish it! His was very refreshing.

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Since we were in Britain now, we had to go to a rave party. Check out our dance moves!

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After we finished dancing, we got to sample some Welsh cheeses.

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They were delicious. Especially the one I had: a cheddar with chives in it. So good.

Next was the Highlands NYC booth. Dr. Awesome had taken me to that restaurant 2 years ago when he did my Anglophile-themed birthday. Really great food and whiskey selection. We’re going to go back there soon, but I’m glad we got to have some sample goodies!

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Haggis and sausage roll. It was really good. There was also a seafood chowder and shortbread with a whiskey ganache (I believe). Really interesting and really satisfying.

Unfortunately, there was no more food and drink beyond this point, but we got to see some cool London punk outfits. I wish I took more photos of everything!

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Going to this sort of thing really makes me miss Britain. I had spent the best years of my life there and made some unbelievable friends and connections all over the world. Dr. Awesome and I went there for our honeymoon this past October, but I still get the urge to just get up and go! Thanks British Airways and VisitBritain for giving me a little piece of Britain in NYC!

Off to the Land Down Under

•February 25, 2013 • 2 Comments

I’ve been bad at updating and I apologize! I’m gearing up to head to Perth, Australia tomorrow! It’s going to be a crazy 40-hour trip there, but it’s going to be great! I’m going to be taking lots of photos and I plan on eating a lot of fresh seafood and drinking a lot of great wine. Dr. Awesome’s dad brought back a Merlot from Perth and it was AMAZING. If that’s any indication of Perth’s wines, I’m excited.

I’m going to try and update this every-so-often while there.

And now, I leave you with a great song that’s very appropriate for the trip ahead.

G’day mates!

Christina Tosi’s Holiday Cookie Party & NYFW “Kookie” Truck

•February 11, 2013 • Leave a Comment

Back in December, after I came back from California, I was invited to a really cool event sponsored by American Express. It was a holiday cookie party, which featured Christina Tosi from Momofuku Milk Bar. Geared for people who had young children, Christina and her mom talked about how she got involved with baking and it all started from when she was a kid. It was really cool to see them together and to share their love for each other and Christina’s craft with these children.

The kids got to make some cookies and I got to snack on some, plus try the famous cereal milk!

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To get into the spirit of things, I was given an apron to match everyone that was there. It was fun and really made me feel included in the event, which was held at the International Culinary Center on Crosby Street.

All the ingredients were set up to make some candy cane, chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies (which were done in this amazing toaster oven that we all received as a gift for coming!)

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Stations to decorate your own cookies.

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Christina and her mom.

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Yup. Those were the main event. And they were decadent!

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The kids starting to make their own cookies in the kitchen. Christina and her mom were running around talking to each kid they could and showed them what they needed to do.

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It was a really great and festive time! I even learned some baking tips! There’s a Momofuku Milk Bar not far from where I live and I’m ashamed to say that I have never been in it and this was the first time I was trying these really unique cookies. In my goodie bag, I was give a copy of her cookbook, a cookie cutter, 7 different cookies and a mix to make corn cookies! (I was so happy to get that mix cause it was my favorite one!)

I was also just informed today that Christina is partnering with her long-time friend who’s a model (Karlie Kloss) and are celebrating New York Fashion Week with their own American Express-sponsored “Kookie” Truck. They’ll be at Lincoln Center and around Manhattan to personally hand out cookies from their line of “Karlie’s Kookies!” This takes place on Wednesday, February 13.

What’s great is that the sale of each kookie provides 10 school meals to children through FEED and its partner, the United Nations World Food Program!

They’ll be tweeting throughout the day using the hashtag #AmexMakeMyDay.

Here’s the truck schedule for those interested:

Lincoln Center – West 63rd Street and Columbus Ave – 11:00-11:45am
Milk Studios – West 15th Street btwn 9th and 10th Ave – 12:00-12:45pm
Lincoln Center – 1:00-2:00pm
The Standard Hotel – West 13th Street and Washington Street – 2:15-3:00pm

Hope everyone enjoys! They’ll be sporting some 80s clothing to get everyone in the fashion week mood. See this video!

The Tonga Room and Haight-Ashbury Adventures!

•January 28, 2013 • 2 Comments

Hello all! It’s been a while, eh? I hope everyone had a great holiday and a happy and healthy new year! Things have been moving along in the land of I YUM. Dr. Awesome and I are renovating our apartment, so that’s been taking up a lot of mental energy and time. I have yet to post about our adventures in England and France. That’ll come soon after my California posts.

I joined Dr. Awesome and Co. out in San Fran again this year for 3 days and then went to LA to visit our friends Josh and Jena after. But I get ahead of myself. My first day back in the Bay Area, I met up with my friend Jason to roam around Haight-Ashbury. I hadn’t gone to this area the last time I was there, so it was great to go with someone who knew the ‘hood. Our mission was to get to Amoeba Music. Jason had been there many times before, but I was a newb.

Unfortunately, there were no crusty hippies hanging around. That was a bit disappointing. But the scenery, otherwise, did not.

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An awesome hat shop.

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Pork!!

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Jason trying on stuff at a thrift store. Cue this song.

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And finally, Amoeba records!

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It’s huge.

I have to say, it’s been a while since I’ve been able to roam around a record store for hours on end, searching through rows upon rows of CDs. It was really liberating. I truly miss doing that and the whole record store vibe. I think Jason and I were in there for 2.5 hours or so. And it’s amazing that CDs I used to spend between $18-$20 on were only $1. *sigh* Got some great stuff though!

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I knew holding off from buying the Wallflowers album back in the day would pay off. (Mainly cause I wasn’t a fan.)

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Yup. But neither of us purchased it.

On the way back to the hotel, we got photo bombed.

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It was pretty epic. I didn’t realize it until I started going through the photos on the camera and came across that. I still laugh every time I look at it.

All that shopping made us thirsty (but we’re always thirsty for cocktails). Luckily, Dr. Awesome and I saw an episode of the Layover (or No Reservations) where Anthony Bourdain went to this tiki bar in San Fran and got wasted. We were like, “yeah, we need to go there.”

That’s how we all found ourselves with a reservation at the Tonga Room at the Fairmont Hotel. It’s one of the first tiki bars in the US. I had video because every 15 minutes, there was a rainstorm at the pool. I think that video is gone forever. I’m very sad.

The drinks didn’t lack any alcohol. Next year, we’re going to eat there for dinner.

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The Mai Tai’s are their specialty. And boy are they.

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It was a great first night. I’m excited to go back there and try some other cocktails. The key is to go during happy hour. Always a good deal!