Steves: Europe’s authentic, lively second cities
Each European country has its marquee city that attracts the vast majority of travelers — think Rome, Paris, Amsterdam. And all too often, that tourist-pleasing destination is a traveler’s one and only stop.
Ask Angi: What projects should I never DIY?
We all love the occasional DIY project, but did you know some DIY projects can cause more harm than good?
Volcano Watch: Aʻo pu makou: We learn together with PIPES
The Pacific Internship Programs for Exploring Science is celebrating its 30th anniversary of growing the next generation of aloha ‘aina leaders in Hawaii and the Pacific through transformative place-based internships, mentorship, innovative programming, and strategic partnerships.
Tropical Gardening: Color to brighten fall gardening with flowering plants and trees
Temperatures remain warm but things are about to change. Fall will officially arrive Sept. 22 in the northern hemisphere since the sun will move south of the equator. The autumnal equinox for us is spring for those south of the equator. As the earth tips to the north the sun appears to move further from us, days are shorter and plants tend to slow their growth.
5 tomato recipes to take advantage of summer’s ripe red bounty
PITTSBURGH — Sweet corn, which is plentiful at farmers markets and roadside stands in August, is often touted as summer’s best vegetable. We love it because it’s so familiar — we start eating corn on the cob with plenty of butter and salt as kids, then fall in love with it all over again as adults when we discover dishes like Mexican elote salad and corn souffle.
Why do childhood tastes continue into adulthood?
I’m currently reading Quentin Tarantino’s largely enjoyable 2022 paean to the movies of the 1970s, “Cinema Speculation.” While his opinions about the films that filled his formative years are delightfully eccentric, I think the book is more fascinating in what it says about the filmmaker himself.
Let’s Talk Food: Onions
I probably cut onions almost daily. It is such an essential ingredient in my cooking! So when I am thinking about what to write for my column, my inspiration is often something that I have in my hand.
Steves: Amboise’s Loire delights and Leonardo da Vinci sights
As the Loire River glides gently east to west, officially separating northern from southern France, it has come to define one of France’s most popular tourist regions.
Volcano Watch: Kilauea’s 2019–2020 lake: recalling the watery intermission between eruptions
Remember when a little puddle of green water was spotted in Halema‘uma‘u? Time flies, because that was late July 2019 — over five years ago! And because we’ve had multiple eruptions and intrusions since then, the water lake sometimes feels forgotten in the larger history of Kilauea.
Tropical Gardening: When is a weed not a weed?
Is it a weed? A weed may be defined as any plant growing in the wrong place. Some folks even think a plant that is not native is a weed, but with that mind set, even the coconut palm is not native and could be considered a weed. Perhaps an even better definition is “a weed is a plant for which we haven’t found value.”
Don’t settle for a bland apartment. Here are ways to personalize it
With the housing market increasingly competitive, many people are finding themselves stuck in apartment living.
The most disgusting recipe ever for steak is on TikTok. Of course
In a few short years, when super-intelligent cockroaches gather together to analyze the cause of the end of human civilization, I’m pretty sure they will look at each other and say, “Chkkxlk mklkx.”
Let’s Talk Food: Chicken hekka
My friend Amy Aoyagi mentioned that she misses eating chicken hekka but there are no restaurants in town that serve this dish anymore. This dish was created in the 1880s, probably in the sugar plantation camps. Hekka is the Hiroshima dialect for sukiyaki and is great for sharing. Amy’s memories are eating hekka that was cooked over a hibachi.
Steves: Amsterdam’s dance of crass and class
Most of Europe’s major cities are a mix of old and new, elegant and rough-edged, traditional and forward-looking — but the contrasts you encounter in Amsterdam are particularly extreme…and unusually fascinating. Amsterdam is a laboratory of progressive living, bottled inside Europe’s most 17th-century city.
Olympic surfing comes to a ‘poisoned’ paradise
TAHITI, French Polynesia — Fifty years ago this July, as the waters of the South Pacific rushed toward the shores of Teahupo’o in a perfect, powerful curl, as they have always done, another wave visited the tiny hamlet. This time it was an invisible and airborne one: a surge of radiation escaping from a nuclear weapon test conducted by France in this far-flung reach of their republic.
Tropical Gardening: Consider source when using mulch and compost to improve soils
Many folks are now improving new and established gardens with mulch, but be wary of where you get it. It is possible to spread insects like the coconut rhinoceros beetle, sugarcane borer and fire ants as well as some diseases. The best source of mulch is one you make or one that is not made up of green waste containing beetle infected plant materials.
Grow some pain relief in gardens and containers
Ease your way through the busy summer season with the help of some pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory garden produce. Add them to your garden or containers or purchase the produce at your local farmers market.
Volcano Watch: HVO bids farewell to its Uekahuna location
“Time to go”… words that none of us at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) wanted to hear.
Plant of the Month for August 2024: Crepe myrtle
Crepe myrtle shrubs and trees are in full bloom this time of year. I’ve seen some nice specimens in local landscapes as well as at the old airport, in some cemeteries and in Hilo parking lots. The colorful flower clusters are easy to spot. Beyond the flowers, this plant has many qualities that make it a good choice for Kona gardens.
Gretchen’s table: Summery asparagus, pecorino and lemon tagliolini invites you into the ‘Monday Pasta Club’
Pasta is on many cooks’ weekly rotation because it’s often super easy to prepare after a busy day at work or school, is relatively inexpensive and, for those who like to experiment with new ingredients and flavor combinations, offers countless ways to change up your weeknight routine.
