I first had labneh at a Lebanese restaurant in Tampa, Fla., and I became instantly enthralled. It had the tang of yogurt and the richness of cream cheese, and it caused me to put away pita in a way hummus never could. I then spent many years purchasing it in fancy grocery stores before I […]

Ice has become a given in cocktail culture, but there are good reasons to do without. You avoid overly diluting your drink, it’s friendlier on the environment, and you could be a forerunner in the scaffa (room-temp drink)trend. Or maybe you’re here because you simply ran out of ice. It happens. Luckily, you don’t need… […]

The true measure of any home gardener is their first tomato. Not just any tomato, but one of those giant heirloom slicers, which they will display with smug self satisfaction over social media. The earlier in the summer, the better, which leads gardeners to do all kinds of wacky things to get bigger plants in […]

When my cheap Amazon spin bike broke, I felt like I should upgrade to something better. But even though I was already following along with Peloton videos (on their app), I thought that getting an actual Peloton was out of reach. But good spin bikes start in the high triple digits, and it turns out […]

When you hear the word “commune” or the term “communal living,” you might immediately think of 1960s counter-culture radicals living on a farm somewhere, or of a cult that ended in dramatically violent fashion back in the 1970s. But the concept is getting a fresh look in the modern age. Read more…

One of the pains of gardening is that with annual vegetables, you have to start over each year. Sure, you move forward with the accumulated knowledge of gardening years past, but you still have to grow a seed from scratch and nurse it along until it’s mature enough to produce vegetables. For peppers, this can […]

Swirl Wines is offering 15 bottles of mixed wines for $64 right now (reg. $225). The price doesn’t include taxes or shipping, but still, each bottle winds up costing less than $10 each to have wine delivered to your doorstep. Read more…

Not only is handheld PC gaming now a reality, you actually have quite a few great options to choose from. One of the most notable, of course, is Valve’s Steam Deck, beloved for its easy-to-navigate menus and excellent emulation. However, the new Lenovo Legion Go is also an enticing device, albeit a bit more expensive… […]

For years, I’ve shied away from making popsicles. They tend to come out just a little too icy. Yet, of all things–not cream, not yogurt, not anything dairy-based–tofu saved the day. Tofu is a sweet and savory sensation in more ways than I can count, so I suppose it comes as no surprise that she’s […]

When you think of fiction podcasts, you probably think of serious, speculative, and/or dystopian fare like The Bright Sessions or Limetown. But podcasting is a medium, not a genre, and there are fiction shows of all kinds—including a ton of hilarious, offbeat comedies. My favorite funny fiction podcasts take you to… Read more…

Fall in the garden is often thought of as a time for harvesting and putting it to bed for winter. In areas where temperatures during the winter get below freezing, you might think you can’t grow anything in the winter months. This is only partly true—you won’t be able to harvest anything in the coldest […]

This refurbished 2019 Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is on sale for $399.99 right now (reg. $899). It has a 7th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, an 8MP rear camera, a 1.2MP front camera, and up to 10.5 hours of battery life. It’s been cleaned, professionally tested, and certified […]

If you’re looking for the Connections answer for Tuesday, September 5, 2023, read on—I’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solutions to all four categories. Beware, there are spoilers below for September 5, NYT Connections #86! Scroll to the end if you want some hints (and then the answer) to… Read more…