Jorge Blanco sets the timer, grabs his bucket and begins to run.He sprints across the room to the faucet. He swiftly snaps a robe hook and a towel ring onto their respective wall mounts, and then, in a effortless move, pulls off the faucet handle and swaps out its ceramic cartridge for a new one. […]

Certain herbs seem to belong in certain dishes: Sage defines poultry stuffing. Tarragon dazzles in sauce béarnaise and, as it happens, lavender is killer in pork fried rice.Oh, wait. You don’t put it in your fried rice? Well, you’re missing out.Those who sample my lavender-enhanced version often comment on its tempting herbal element, but they […]

The blue sedan slows to a halt alongside us and the driver’s side window slides down. We see a male 20-something, I’m guessing, head drooped over a phone in his lap. Pretending to notice us for the first time, he looks across the street.  “What faction do you belong to?” My roommates — let’s call […]

If you’re a parent, you might want to think twice about shooing a thumb from your child’s mouth. Researchers in New Zealand have found that children who suck their thumbs or bite their nails are less likely to develop allergies later in their lives. The research comes from a long-term project known as the Dunedin […]

“I’m from …um …New England,” my 12-year-old son (a proud Patriots fan) spoke into the microphone, introducing himself before his turn navigating a boat around Boston’s waterfront, as children on duck boat tours are often invited to do.“What?!?” the duck boat operator said disdainfully. “No one is FROM New England! Where do you live, son?”My […]

“This Saturday, jewelry-making course,” my friend Janine says. It’s not a question or a demand. More like a strong suggestion. Saturday is my wedding anniversary. I am newly separated; for the first time in six years, I have no plans. Janine does not know the significance of the date, but she always seems to know […]

As the Washington Post reported last week,  a large, dark and very hairy beast was seen walking on its hind legs through New Jersey neighborhoods for the third summer in a row. It’s clear that this being is no human. What could it be?In this case, video captured by locals has shown that this particular […]

The word “wicker” might bring on flashbacks of the dusty rattan seating sets of the ’70s and ’80s or the last wicker crush in the ’90s, but today’s wicker – the technique of weaving reeds and other natural fibers into furniture and accessories – is worth reconsidering. Wicker is older than any fad, after all. […]