Time for a New Ceiling Fan? Let Me Help You!

After going down the rabbit hole of research into ceiling fans when I needed to replace the one in my kitchen, I thought other shoppers could use some help in figuring out what's important besides style. My editor at The San Diego Union-Tribune agreed. Thanks to Tim Jackson of Urban Lighting, I was able to speak to ceiling fan experts and write a story that provides all the “must knows.” Now you have no excuse to put off a new purchase! Writing about design is fun!

The Mollywood fan from Matthews Fan Company. (Matthews Fan Company)

Keep 'Em Moving

Does your dog or cat suffer from stiffness or joint pain? My latest story, in the September issue of Eating Well magazine, looks at how to determine if your pet is having joint difficulties and why--as well as steps to address these problems.

Clean Eating Renews Passion for Food

What do you do when you develop a rare condition that, among other things, compromises your immune system and not only leaves you extremely fatigued but also unable to enjoy all the foods you used to enjoy? If you're Rachel Riggs, who has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, or EDS, you take your cooking skills and create a repertoire of clean eating recipes--and then focus on turning them into a cookbook. Here's her story, as well as three recipes, in my new San Diego Union-Tribune piece.

Photo by Eduardo Contreras for the San Diego Union-Tribune

Heirloom Home

Ever wish you could redo your parents’ home for yourself once they decided it was time to downsize? This Del Mar couple got their wish—turning a large home that the husband’s father literally helped build into an open, updated space with a mix of sleek materials and natural elements. Read about it in the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Coastal San Diego Homes & Estates magazine.

Research Chemist Pierre Bounaud Fires Up Creative Side with Ceramic Arts

Check out today's San Diego Union-Tribune for my Home & Garden story on potter Pierre Bounaud. He's a scientist, so naturally he's drawn to the chemistry of glazes and the process of creating them. The results are truly creative. I focused on his dinnerware (restaurants should be grabbing these up!), but last fall I bought a few of his vases and love their look.

Taste & Flavour for Those Who Lost Senses of Smell and Taste

Do you know someone who's lost their senses of taste and smell due to Covid? I just wrote a story for the San Diego Union-Tribune about a wonderful (FREE) little downloadable cookbook called Taste & Flavour by two chefs in England who have used science to develop delicious recipes that focus on visual stimulants and umami to stimulate taste buds and receptors. Simple, unique ingredient combos that won me over.