David Dorward was a young boy when he first visited the Floral Clock, a combination of horology and horticulture initially installed in 1903 on a south-facing slope of the West Princes Street Garden in Edinburgh’s New Town area. “I remember when I was a child,” he said, “my mum and dad would bring me down…
When Christie’s executives decided on the evening of the auction house’s contemporary art sales to withdraw its most expensive offering of the week, a squiggly-wiggly painting by the artist Brice Marden estimated to sell for $30 million to $50 million, it was evidence of apprehension in the market. “The choice to withdraw the Marden was…
I confess: I refuse to blanch, peel and seed a tomato, even if the recipe says to. Every cook has a fussiness threshold, and that exceeds mine. So when the whole blanch-peel-seed thing comes up in dishes as delightful as Pierre Franey’s sautéed salmon with leeks and tomatoes, I simply cheat and throw unblanched, unpeeled,…
Good morning. The birds are back in town, chirping at dawn, flitting to and from the feeders set up out back, firing up the cat at the window. There’s no languorous idyll in bed before breakfast these days; there’s much to be done. Daylight’s burning. Time for spring cleaning. Start with your fridge and your…
The tips of deciduous trees are showing the barest tinge of green, and flowering fruit trees are in full bloom. A neighbor’s forsythia has come to life, bulbs are busily doing their thing. Spring has arrived. At farmers’ markets on the West Coast, where I reside, peas and fava beans are showing up, and just…
After the quiet winter months, spring heralds the return of longer days and gathering over leisurely meals. The best dishes for those get-togethers are the ones that feel celebratory enough to serve to guests, but are simple enough to ensure you’re not spending all day in the kitchen. These three cheery mains — a salad…
Spring is here — and if you’re among the estimated one in four adults in the United States who suffer from seasonal allergies, your sneezing and scratching may have already started. With climate change affecting temperatures and plant growth, you may need to be on the lookout earlier than ever before. It can be hard…
Don’t wander off the resort after dark. Keep the flashy clothing and jewelry to a minimum. Stay aware of your surroundings. Those are some of the travel rules that Ginger Moore, a retired logistics analyst from Panama City, Fla., adheres to on her solo trips throughout the Caribbean. Ms. Moore, 75, has always felt safe…
During a trip to the grocery store this week, I was stopped in my tracks by my one true harbinger of warmer days to come: the arrival of ranunculus, a darling of spring and my favorite blooms, in the floral section. It is also, coincidentally, “false spring” here in New York, with temperatures tipping into…
