Posts categorized as Holiday

Oxalis regnellii, better known as the Shamrock Plant is a lovely little one that will bring bright color (and maybe good luck) into your home well past St. Patrick’s Day. The Shamrock Plant reaches a max height of 8 inches tall. The leaves are clover-shaped and in the spring, fall, and winter, small delicate flowers appear. There are over 570 species with a rainbow range of color, from bright and dark greens to the sought-after burnt oranges and dark purple foliage. Exposure to the sun will cause these color nuances in […]

It’s true. I started decorating for Christmas inside the house a week before Thanksgiving. Don’t judge! I like to take my time and enjoy the experience. But alas, Christmas traditions never fail and I traditionally have terrible luck with Christmas lights. This year, my indoor tree lights broke. Only half the string would light up. What made this so frustrating was that I bought two new sets only last year. I thought I’d be all good. How do these things break so easily?! The Grinch in me set in. I […]

After receiving this plant follow my care instruction in this article. Remove it’s decorations after the holiday to reveal a beautiful living tree in need of your attention. Sometime in August I was walking back from the gym when my neighbor Brady called me over. “Hey, you gotta sec?” He runs upstairs and brings down a very sad looking Charlie Brown type tree. “If anyone can save this, it will be you.” I was touched Brady thought of me as a plant healer! On inspection I knew this would be […]

Season two of Mindhunter* was released in August on Netflix and I binge-watched it. The show is centered around the new-at-the-time Behavioral Science Unit of the FBI, formed in the late 1970s. The main characters interview imprisoned serial killers to understand what makes them tick, in the hopes of solving contemporary cases. The show is so good. After I disposed of that series, Netflix recommended Criminal Minds – 10 seasons of brutal serial murder cases. It’s similar to Mindhunter, as it’s about the same Behavioral Science FBI Unit, but based […]

I went to school on Long Island and it was mostly Italian and Irish Catholic kids. There were a few Jewish and Indian children but to be frank, I wasn’t very aware of our differences, in particular with respect to religious beliefs. Of course, we read the Old Testament in CCD, but it didn’t click. I was very aware, though, that we got a bunch of days off from school because of Jewish holidays, Rosh Hashanah being one of them. And they say the school districts on Long Island are […]

  Todd’s Dad’s’ Christmas Cactus Last week I wrote about the iconic poinsettia many give to family and friends over the holidays. This week, I’m discussing the other seasonally appropriate gift-plant: the Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera). Like it’s holiday competitor the poinsettia, you can buy a Christmas Cactus  just about anywhere and since the holidays have passed — they’re on sale now! The plant is called a Christmas cactus because a drop in temperature is needed to produce blooms, therefore it’s most showy in December. It’s a welcome surprise to see […]

How many poinsettias do you have in your living room right now? It’s custom to gift these lovely plants to friends and family during the holidays. You can find poinsettias just about anywhere this time of year – the supermarket, CVS, the hardware store, etc. Most of us throw them out when they start to lose leaves and look leggy. With some effort, you can learn how to care for this plant properly and enjoy it year round! I’ll share some tips and care instructions with you, but first, some […]

Thanksgiving is one of those holidays we all love: it’s all about sharing with one another and remembering all that we are thankful for. And food. If you’re unsure what to make for your vegetarian guests this Thanksgiving or you’re interested in trying something unconventional this year, I have the recipe for you! This autumn-inspired taco is delicious, beautiful in color and you can prepare it in advance. And who doesn’t love a taco station! There are several steps for each component  which I will outline for you. It seems like a lot but […]

I dropped a barrage of obscenities hanging up my outside Christmas lights. Every year I have fuses blow, bulbs that break and bows that blow off my porch, never to be seen again. How come my decorating experience isn’t like the ones I see on the Hallmark Christmas movies that I love and binge-watch? Getting frustrated and cursing at inanimate objects is not what Christmas is about. I took a few minutes (and a glass of wine) to calm myself before I finished the last string of lights. Since then, […]

Rockaway native, Jager James telling Santa his wishes for Christmas! Photo Credit: Beth Perkins Meet Santa and his elves this Saturday through December at the following locations! Bungalow Bar – Saturday Dec 2 – 11:30AM-3:30PM RBCA Tree Lighting in Front 0f the Library – Saturday Dec 9 – 2PM-3PM Rockaway Wish at Belle Harbor Yacht Club – Sunday Dec 10 – 1PM-4PM (There Usually Are Free Fun Things To Do For Kids At This Event) Shots with Santa at Seawolf (Brooklyn) – Saturday Dec. 16 – Time TBD Christmas Pop […]