Its sorta like spring today

I was out at Union Square market today looking to find some items for a client and was pleasantly surprised by the selection, especially by this new herb grower located right in the middle on the north end of the park. I forgot the name but they're from Pittstown, NJ and had such a wide range of the usual herbs you see locally and also some unique ones like Tea Tree and Chervil. All really gorgeous.

Gowanus Nursery event

The Gowanus Nursery in Red Hook is holding a bulb event with free coffee 3/20-3/23 11am - 4pm. This a really nice small nursery that usually has choice and quality perennials most of the year. The last garden event I went to was a complete disappointment at the BBG that advertised a "Flower Market" during the Chinese New Year. It was like shopping at a corner deli. It's just a hunch but I think this one will be way better. Check the link above for more details.

BBG Bonsai pics

Here are some more nice shots from those old BBG books that I posted about earlier with the garden in SF. I really love these pictures especially the Yeddo Spruce - (the one not flowering and not the one sitting in water.)

another Jim Harrison bit worth mentioning

I can't help myself but I am completely obsessed with Jim Harrison. There's a non-fiction piece of his called Wild Creatures: A Correspondence with Gerard Oberle that consists of letters between Jim and Gerard - Gerard is a french chef and great friends with Jim and Jim is of course the amazing writer. They have a lovely dynamic which is mostly just bragging to eachother about who hunts and eats where and what.. Here's a part that I loved from one of Jim's letters:

"I think I told you that I finished my novella The Beast God Forgot to
Invent. Anyway, I've begun another that deals with the captious and
banal aspects of success called I Forgot to go to Spain. In there my
hero questions if food and cooking are not one of the last vestiges of
true freedom for modern man? A la Foucault, nearly all of us eat zoo
food in the zoo we are confined in by society and culture. In modern
America we are pigs eating a confined diet determined by the economic
powers of our society. True varieties of food become more limited
because they are not as profitable for the grocery industry, what you
yourself refer to as "industrial" food, whereas the true food is what
we bought at the market in Moulin. Fast food is zoo food."

Sprout Status

The sprouts are planted and growing like champs. For this year the selection includes: several basils, dill, fennel, parsely, chives, scallions, hotpepper mix, eggplant mix, several tomatoes, a round yellow cucumber, squash, sweet pea and a pole bean. Looking forward to putting them in the ground.

Hydro Shop Update

Here's another picture update of New York City Hydroponics shop in Hells Kitchen. I was walking by there last night and saw these GIANT Marigolds. They are over 3 feet tall for sure - and very healthy and all grown (and growing) hydroponically.

I HAVE A NEW JOB

I don't like to get too personal journally on this but I wanted to link the website to the new firm I'll be working at starting at the end of March. Holly, Wood and Vine linked above.

Fooled ya!

Yesterday on Brownstoner someone posted a picture of a dead opossum under a deck or house and was desperately seeking "a removal or something" for the dead animal. HAHAHA! the funny part is , is that the post was a fake. Someone posted a copied picture off the web (which a commentor called them out on and posted the original website). The reactions are great. I get very happy when things like this happen...please read:

Old BBG books

I found a collection of little books on the street last year that I took home and had been meaning to scan them in and I finally did. I'll have to put up several posts but in this one there is this house that keeps coming up as a roofdeck feature and it has amazing furniture, views and a pretty awesome planting job. The only information these books provide is that it is (obviously) in the SF bay area. It's a really sweet place that I wish I could spend time in.. (the books were published in 1959.)

a really nice bouquet

The cut flower selection that I saw in Mexico was impressive - like this one. Two of those center flowers are from Yucca and Agave's and they are gorgeous. While driving through the country I saw alot of Agave's on the landscape about to flower and about to flower means a giant phallic spear coming out of the center of the plant. Kinda like this drawing I found:

"Brittany is the new weather"

This has nothing to do with my blog but I had to post something because it is so entertaining. Check out Gawkers post about this month's Atlantic issue with Brittany all over the cover. (Yes, The ATLANTIC)

a special place

You WILL smell like mesquite when you walk out of this place. The place above was in Oaxaca City in a indoor food market and it was thick of bbq smoke from all of the meat being cooked towards the back on the left and the right. There are about 20 stalls each run by a different person and displaying various meats that you can pick and choose to be cooked. You also bring them some onions or other vegetables that you pick out from someone else and then order your drinks and sauces from another group. Everyone gets paid separately. They cook everything up for you and you then sit and throw hot sauce and quacamole on everything. A little chaotic but well worth it.

Some of the amazing fruits of Mexico

We did a whirlwind trip throughout Puebla, Oaxaca and Mexico City last week and besides the impressive landscape, friendly folks and race car driving tactics that Mexico has to offer I will have to say that the quality of food was one of my favorite parts. I'm going to attach three photos : an unidentified fruit that looked so silky and buttery delicious but i only got a picture of it (If anyone knows what this is please do tell)....a group of giant limes on a plate, literally softball sized and delicious...a pile of tomatillos that were a spectrum of color I had never seen before.

I'm back and lazier than ever.

Well, I've been back now for exactly one week and haven't posted anything because I am at the height of my career and study in Laziness. BUT - after the wonderful extra hour of seratonin from day-light savings today, I am feeling inspired. So, I am back to posting and to start as my first, I'd like to mention this poor quality camera-phone shot of the sexiest and most delicious drink I've ever had. I've been meaning to mention this for awhile: Blue Ribbon in Park Slope is a wonderful place to sit at the bar and also order this secret drink NOT on the menu. If you sit closer to the raw bar and become friendly with any of the guys working the raw you can request an Oyster shot. Which is very simply... chilled vodka, 3 secret sauces and a beautiful raw oyster. If you're ever there and feel like spending some time (and money) be prepared to experience one of the best bar drinks ever created. More about Mexico to follow....