Encinitas Nonprofit Tool Library Lends Gardeners the Tools They Need

If you’re a San Diego gardener—or about to become one—and find some tools are too pricey or will rarely be used, instead of buying them, why not check them out from the Solana Center for Environmental Innovation’s tool library? You can read my new piece about the organization in my newest story for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Home & Garden section. I’ve got everything you need to know, including a link to their inventory list, to help you get over there and pick up what you need—or even test out what you might want to plunk down money for.

More Helpful Food-Related Tips for Those with Diabetes

The American Diabetes Association, for whom I write two blog posts a month, just published two more pieces. The first offers a variety of tools, such as scales and apps, to help people stay on track with portion control. The second addresses noodles. Can people with diabetes actually eat noodles and still manage their blood glucose? The answer is yes, but using alternatives to conventional white flour pastas. Here are several suggestions.

Noodling Around with Noodles

Revamped Ranch in Encinitas

The 1950s were a prolific time for building ranch-style homes. San Diego architect Clifford May, considered the father of ranch houses, once said that the ranch house was “…everything a California house should be — it had cross-ventilation, the floor was level with the ground, and with its courtyard and the exterior corridor, it was about sunshine and informal outdoor living.” But the 1951 one-story home owned by a couple in Encinitas lacked the wide-open spaces characteristic of how people think of ranch homes today. Interior designer Megan Siason of M Studio Interior Design expanded and opened up the house to make it easy to live in and entertain family and friends. Check out how she did it in my new story for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s magazine Hot Property Estates!

Are You Ready to Commit to a Home Office?

Is remote work the future for office workers? Maybe not for everyone, but now that people have had a taste of it, many want to work from home permanently. For those workers, that ad hoc workspace on the dining room table may no longer be sufficient. And that means it’s time to create a space that meets their long-term professional needs. The question is, how do you get started? I spoke with a couple of designers to learn what people should consider as they make choices on everything from what space to use to desks, seating, and even Zoom equipment. You can find this in my new story for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Home & Garden section.

Fundamentally French Classics for Home Cooks

San Diego chef and culinary instructor Bruno Albouze, born and trained in France, believes French cuisine is not just something to be enjoyed in restaurants but to be made by home cooks. To that end, he operates a YouTube channel and website (brunoalbouze.com) filled with recipes and cooking videos. I spent a day with him to learn how to prepare two classics, Duck Confit with Potato-Mushroom Sarladaise and Madeleines. My story for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s food section this week takes a deep dive into the methods and tips necessary to successfully make these two dishes. Bon appetit!

Essential Tools for Garden Novices

If you’ve ever bought or rented a house, you remember the first one, especially if you were acquiring your first garden as an adult. If the garden is already established and you love it, what do you need to maintain it? If there’s just the space but garden potential, what do you need to get started? I got two great garden experts, Sam Tall of City Farmers Nursery and Trish Watlington of Two Forks Farm, to offer their advice. And it’s all great advice! You’ll find it in my new story in The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Home & Garden Section. Better head over to your local nursery today!