Life Style & Travel

UNITED STATES—I’m keeping my eyes on my clothes tumbling in the laundromat dryer. What do you think about separating clothes? I really don’t believe in segregation for fabrics unless there’s one T-shirt that’s bleeding all over the place and will make your whites look like they were marinated in iodine. What’s with that, China? Me, Giselle, would like to...

UNITED STATES—Plants are quite ingenious with their technology of exploitation of animals and people. Many get insects, birds, bats, spiders and anyone who is animated within their environment to disperse the plants' pollen for them. Plants who prefer to not rely on wind, water or gravity to disperse their seed exploit a different range of animals to do so....

UNITED STATES—I wouldn’t make a very good politician. I leave shambles, wars and broken hearts wherever I go. It must be my big mouth. Anyhow, nothing bugs me as much as people who are time vampires. There may be somebody I really like but if they get off track on the phone and tell me about the wart on their...

UNITED STATES—Something great has transpired in the world of video games in the past 2 years. First, Nintendo released the NES Classic, which flew off the store shelves quicker than you can count to three. The success of that system led to Nintendo unleashing the SNES Classic in September 2017 to major success. If you’re a kid of the...

UNITED STATES—The gardens with the most flowers need the most deadheading. This involves the removal of deteriorating flowers and any developing fruiting structures and seed associated with them so that they do not divert resources from subsequent bloom or vegetative growth. Old flowers that do not produce seed because they are sterile or lack pollinators might get deadheaded too...

PASADENA—Summer means hot dogs, sweltering  heat, pools and Rockin' music festivals across the USA. The new fest on the block is the Arroyo Seco Festival, in its sophomore year, the Brookside golf club, mere steps from the iconic Rose Bowl. On the weekend of June 23 and June 24, the lush and spacious greens welcomed luminaries Jack White, The...

UNITED STATES—Summer is upon us and the one thing I hate more than anything is crafting a dish in the kitchen. I’m certain I’m not the only person who thinks that. The kitchen is a hell hole when you tax on the summer heat and the heat generated from the oven or the stove. This is a difficult time...

UNITED STATES—I am in the Goldwyn Branch of the public library and I am missing something: my first national appearance on TV. In six minutes there is going to air an awards show, using the arrival of a famous emcee, facing a series of obstacles before reaching the stage, a paparazzi, an autograph hound, and me, a mop-wielding janitor. Handling...

UNITED STATES—Environment is what determines what plants grow where. It may sound simple enough, but environment is a combination of many different factors, including but not limited to climate, soil quality and exposure. Each of these factors is a complicated combination of other factors. For example, climate includes temperature, humidity, rainfall, frost dates, winter chill duration, wind and so...

UNITED STATES—Lovely event at the library in Echo Park last Friday. The poet Patricio Maya gave the first of three Friday talks devoted to his poetic influences. The endearing Borges, the Whitmanesque Pablo Neruda were featured, and I got to read a couple translations, as well. So we left the event walking on a cloud, taking some pictures with the...