City Ann, Country Ann 

3 tags

Watch

If you have ten minutes to spare, and love short films, cryptography and animation, you can do worse than spending that time watching this fascinating little film, The Thomas Beale Cipher, made by Andrew Allen. I’m not entirely sure I get it, but I do know that I really like it.

Mar 28th

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Mar 28th

6,468 notes

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Mar 27th

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Turnip sauerkraut -- turning the humble into the... →

There are several areas within my garden that make me feel gardeningly deficient. One: I cannot grow chard. Two: I never seem to be able to grow enough beans. Three: I seem incapable of protecting my eggplants from cutworms. However, there has always been one area where I have never gardening challenged, and that’s in growing turnips. But, this in its own way makes me feel gardeningly...

Mar 27th

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Mar 26th

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Mar 26th

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“If you work in the Haribo factory in Pontefract, Yorkshire, you are allowed to...”

–  The Telegraph U.K. ~ Inside the Haribo Sweet Factory

Mar 25th

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Mar 25th

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Mar 24th

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Henry James and the Joys of Binge Reading →

The only Henry James novel I’ve ever read is Washington Square. After reading this essay, I obviously need to go on a Henry James binge. 

Mar 23rd

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Mar 23rd

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Welsh Rabbit As Harmless And Wholesome As Meat →

Thank you Sunday Magazine for ferreting out this cheesy little treasure from the New York Times of 100 years ago!

Mar 22nd

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Mar 22nd

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Two Things I Am Very Sorry I Missed on Etsy

This lemon pitcher from Autumnal Ways. This towel rack from Hindsvik.

Mar 22nd

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DOWNTOWN L.A. →

I had a dream about moving to Los Angeles last night. I haven’t been to L.A. in more than two decades (other than the airport last June), but in my dream it looked just like this. Spooky.

Mar 21st

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Office: DBA Biodegradable Pen →

Will this pen disappear as I chew on it while mulling over tough problems at work?

Mar 21st

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Mar 21st

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Manhattan’s Rectangular Street Grid Turns 200 →

The happiest of happy birthdays to New York City’s most excellent and quirky attribute!

Mar 21st

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Mar 18th

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Mar 17th

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Mar 16th

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Nigel Slater's "Tender"

Why on earth would Nigel Slater’s publisher use this image for a book cover: when they’ve got this one already? I mean, I know as a general rule Americans aren’t supposed to like kale and the like … But to replace them with fava beans—a vegetable few Americans have probably ever even heard of (even my spell check doesn’t know what they are)—is...

Mar 16th

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Have It Your Way? Purist Chefs Won’t Have It →

I used to go to Murray’s for a bagel several times a week when I worked at Forbes, and I was always mystified by the people who are made grumpy by Murray’s refusal to toast bagels in the morning. Especially if you’re ordering a popular bagel, they are nearly always warm, straight from the oven, which is one of the closest things to manna I can think of. New Yorkers are strange.

Mar 14th

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Mar 9th

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Andrew Haswell Green →

MUG takes a look at the anti-Robert Moses, Andrew Haswell Green, the man who began greening our fair city way back in the 19th century.

Mar 7th

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Mar 6th

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Mar 6th

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Mar 5th

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Mar 5th

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“The water in the rainbarrel has overflowed and made a small swamp I think the...”

– Matthea Harvey ~ In Defense of Our Overgrown Garden

Mar 4th

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Fact I Never Knew

There was once a part of Staten Island known as Linoleumvile, because Linoleum was invented there. New York City, you never cease to fascinate me!

Mar 3rd

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Watch

As if I needed any additional reasons for loving Cornwall, apparently it was once the seat of the flower industry in England. There was even an express train that ran from Penzance to Paddington that took the flowers to market in London. Sadly the industry is dying. Artist Jyll Bradley talks about her fascination with the dying industry. Via The Guardian.

Mar 3rd

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Seeds Straight From Your Fridge →

I’ve done this the past few gardening season, grabbing seeds from the spice shelf and planting them. I’m always surprised when it works.

Mar 2nd

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Mar 2nd

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I’ve never been one to condone hunting, but owning a home that seems to attract problem animals combined with being a gardener has shifted my view somewhat. That said, I do not own a rifle. Regardless, I think these vintage targets featuring a woodchuck are kind of amazing. Though I’m mystified by the crows. Perhaps that’s because I don’t grow corn.

Mar 1st