Blind Melon - Three is a Magic Number (Schoolhouse Rock!)
Not to pick favorites or anything.
Some CT Home Photos
I'm a huge fan of New England. When I go to California, they don't get it. "Why don't you live here, it's so cold on the east coast," but most of the people that say that have spent limited time in these parts. Last time I was home in Connecticut, I went for a drive to Lake Waramaug and back home, taking photos. Here they are!
Rockets, as easy as One, Two, Drei.
In the 1950s, Walt Disney wanted to build Disneyland. His brother and business partner Roy, wasn’t into the idea. From what I gather, Disney approached ABC for money. In exchange for funding for Disneyland, Walt Disney created a weekly show to air on ABC. He called it Disneyland.
von Braun, Ley, Disney and Haber
I came across this one called Mars and Beyond. It was super cool. I actually scheduled it to be posted. But I did some digging and found out it was actually the 3rd episode of a three part series!
Presented here is the first episode in 1955, “Man in Space.” I started watching this, and I first thought, you couldn’t make this today. And then it got better. All of a sudden, they bring out Willy Ley, a german rocket scientist. I’m thinking ok, 1955, and I’m listening to an older German rocket scientist. This dude must’ve been paperclipped. Turns out he wasn’t! At least, as far as I can tell. Looks like he moved to England earlier and then the US.
1959 Randolph Air Force Base, Texas- Dr. Fritz Haber, Konard Buettner, Strughold, and Dr. Heinz Haber
The next scientist they bring on screen is Dr. Heinz Haber. He’s a physicist, but his expertise for this show is Space Medicine. Space Medicine was a term coined by another Paperclip scientist Hubertus Strughold. Dr. Heinz Haber served in the Luftwaffe and later at Dachau. It’s rumored that Dr. Heinz Haber was the inspiration for the Disney character, Ludwig von Drake.
Then for the finale, they ask Dr. Wernher Von Braun to show us how rockets really work. You can’t make this stuff up! At the time, he probably was one of the most knowledgable people on the subject. But you don’t think of “learning” with Nazis on Disney. I can’t help but think this is a slightly propagandist, as they seriously push nuclear energy throughout the series.
Disney and von Braun
I think this video is totally worth a watch. It's slightly less than an hour. And it is pretty informative. It really gives you a simple break down of how rockets work. I think most people probably don't know. Good luck not getting a Tai Lopez ad.
Love from Land Rover
“This is a remarkable story. Adventure is a core part of the Land Rover brand, so the opportunity to breathe new life into a Series I Land Rover to help these four spirited friends to keep exploring was something that we couldn’t turn down.”
I just heard about this story, and it's heartwarming. Land Rover came across a decrepit l series 1 for sale, and they bought it, restored it, and gave it back to the owners. I've never heard of any company doing anything like that. And on top of that, it wasn't a big deal. It wasn't done for the publicity. It was done because those at Land Rover really understand the brand and their values. I first came across this youtube video, which led me to the Land Rover site. Read more here. And it's from 2015! So Range Rover Reborn isn't really a new thing, I guess.
Mesa Verde: A Review
During my last trip to Los Angeles, my friend Sima (founder House of Citrine) and I drove to Santa Barbara! The original plan was to go to the Raw Food World’s warehouse in Ojai for some deals and go to this restaurant Sima had been raving about. Well, I called the Raw Food World several times, no one answered. We stopped for a quick charge in Burbank, at which point I looked up the restaurant we were heading to. They were closed!
So we thought, “fuck it, let’s go to Santa Barbara.” There was no question. We were going to lunch at Mesa Verde. I don’t know the details, but I know my friend Chef Greg Arnold is involved. If I were to guess, he develops the recipes and menu and plating. It all looks and tastes like his style. And I know he used to work in the kitchen there. But I didn’t meet him really until after that. Greg, if you’re reading this, break it down for us in the comments.
I ordered:
Polenta Fries. Caramelized Onion. Smoked Summer Squash. Black Olive. Basil. Piquillo. Tomato. White Bean. Herbs.
And it was amazing. The fries were crunchy, the beans were soft. There was a great variety of textures and flavors in this dish. There was nothing I’d add or takeaway. I ate it with my hands. I also got this beer pictured. It was good, but pretty sweet. I would definitely call it a dessert beer.
The experience outside of the food was great too. The restaurant was quiet, our waiter couldn't have been nicer. We weren't waiting there for hours. Dessert looked so good but were were stuffed! I should note that Mesa Verde is vegan. But don't let that scare you away! It's worth it.
Sima got the Patatas Bravas Tacos. I think she made some kind of modification. I don’t remember what it was. I’m guessing something related to grain-free, so maybe the shell? I should ask. Sima, if you read this and I haven’t corrected it, comment!
All in all, it was a great experience, as usual. It's the only restaurant I can really recommend in Santa Barbara! Except AH Juice, but it's a different atmosphere. It's Nitsa's dad, Alfred's cafe! I got to meet him briefly, which was great. I don't have enough info or pictures for a full review on his cafe. We got there as they were closing up. I did get a turmeric drink that was ah-mazing. Also had a chocolate made from juice pulp that was way better than it sounds. And a peanut butter chocolate bar. Also very good. I'd have gotten more, but it was the end of the day and they ran out!
Ok, now I can say all in all and mean it. If you're going to Santa Barbara, check these two places out.
“A bargain ain’t a bargain unless it’s something you need.”
2 Minutes Will Save You Thousands on Your Wardrobe
Today, I’m sharing with you something that I just heard about from youtuber Drew Scott. That’s a link to his video, from where I heard about this. And it could potentially save you thousands of dollars. It’s called, Shoptagr. It’s a free service that notifies you when items you’ve tagged, go on sale. I think it also notifies you when items come back in stock, or low stock. But I haven’t gotten that far yet. It only works with specific stores, but don’t worry it is a pretty extensive list. The only ones that I noticed were missing were Mr. Porter and Neiman Marcus/Bergdorf Goodman. But it works on Barneys, Saint Laurent, Shopbop et al.
It's the one in the middle.
The way it works is, you create an account. You’ll be given a link to download the app for safari or whatever you’re using. It’s just a plug in that shows up on the toolbar. Now that you’ve got the plug in, you want to know where you can use it. Look through Shoptagr’s list of cooperative vendors, and pick your favorites. When you’ve found something you’re interested in, but not at full price, click the button on the toolbar. Do this when you're on the page of the item you want. You select the color, if there are any variations, the size, and what you want to be notified for. You can also create lists. I did, but I don’t think it’s required.
JingSlinger Inspired Hash Browns
This was more of an attempt at a recipe than a recipe. I blame myself, not the instructions. The hash browns were still great and I ate them and wished I had more of them, but they were not optimal. For a first attempt, I’ll take it.
The original recipe is from the cook book Food with Benefits by Joy Coelho and Jay Denman. I switched a few things up. As far as the book goes, it’s amazing. I’ve made several things, mostly desserts, and they’ve all been great. I might have posted a recipe or two before. If anything, their frosting. I've made it several times. 2 words: Ghee+Honey. Among other things.
As I’ve said before, it’s nice when things are easy. I love hash browns; the shredded kind like from ihop. But I find the shredding part can be annoying, so when I saw this recipe a bell went off in my head. No shredding. The squash shreds itself. And I think it has a better nutrient profile than a white potato.
What went wrong for me, was the lack of crunchiness. But again, I think that’s my own fault. I think maybe I didn’t have the heat turned up high enough, but I don’t want to have carcinogen hash browns. The picture looks amazing, so I know it’s possible.
Here’s what you’ll need:
1 spaghetti squash, scooped
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 Tbsp ghee
black pepper
What you’ll need to do:
Preheat oven to 350F
Cut the squash in half, scoop out seeds. Save them, or don’t. Season a little.
Bake face down for 35-40 minutes
Heat frying pan with ghee, add onions and garlic and more spices
Scoop out the shreds into the frying pan
I tried to organize like little latkes, but I’m not sure if it worked. I fried for a little, rotated and rotated and rotated and finally ate. There were crispy spots, kind of.
Pergola Home
I came home to see my parents this weekend and, as per usual, went for a drive. I love driving around here. The roads are long and windy and the scenery is great. It's like driving down memory lane. Today I headed towards Washington, and stopped into see my former employers David and Peter at Pergola Home!
Dark Tibetan Quartz and Hematite Treasure Box by Nate Ricketts
There's nothing like Pergola. Nestled on East Shore Rd in New Preston, Pergola is a unique intermingling of refinement and nature. They have a beautiful and carefully crafted assortment of goods from books, to gardening supplies, to artwork and furniture. Peter and David have great taste and travel the world finding the coolest pieces, shipping them back to the shop.
When I worked there, the space was small but filled with the most interesting things. Now it's the same, but bigger. So they can fit even more cool stuff. Here is a sampling of what they have to offer. This isn't even the tip of the iceberg!
Banded Onyx Bowl
If you find yourself in the area, Pergola is definitely worth checking out. And if you're not, at least check out their website!
Embroidered Feathers, forgot the maker.
Kikumon Seki, Chrysanthemum Patter Stones
Ben Wolff Pottery
The Complete History of the Comm Ave Sisters
If you live in the Back Bay, you probably know The Sisters. You might not know that that’s what they’re called though. 128 and 130 Commonwealth Ave are 2 iconic Back Bay single family homes. They don’t fit in. They’re not brick, they’re not brownstone. They’re not mid/late 19th century revivals or Victorian. They’re Beaux-arts styled white limestone.
I originally was just going to have a light little post with a few pictures, but the more I dug the more interesting the stories got. A huge shout out to www.backbayhouses.org. It's an amazing resource and if you're into the Back Bay, I highly recommend you check it out.
Here’s what my light research has told me. It's going to be a little confusing, but I chose to go in chronological order as opposed to separating each building's story. 128 Commonwealth Avenue and 130 Commonwealth Avenue were designed by Samuel Kelley and built by Antoine Xavier in 1882. 128 Comm was for Samuel Shapleigh while 130 Comm was for William Seavy Rand. Both of whom, were contractors.
In 1883, Shapleigh sold 128 to Col. Jonas French and Rand sold 130 to Edmund and Sally Bennet.
Jonas Harrod French served as Lieutenant Colonel in the Union army, and was mayor of New Orleans for 18 days in 1862. He was also president of the Cape Anne Granite Company, and director of the Maverick National Bank in Eastie. In 1891, he got found out for embezzling and was arrested at the home. He was required to sell the home to pay restitution.
Edmund Hatch Bennet was a State Attorney of Vermont and later judge of the Vermont Supreme Court. After moving to Massachusetts, he served as Taunton’s first mayor and while residing in 130 was the Dean of Boston University Law School. And to bring it on home, he received his education from the Litchfield Law School in Litchfield, CT.
Bennet sold 130 Comm to George and Sarah Brooks in 1890. Brooks was a local real estate investor who previously lived in his development at 295-297 Beacon. They also had a summer home in Swampscott.
In 1894, Charles Bond(with whom I share a birthday), president of Waitt & Bond cigar manufacturer and real estate tycoon, purchased 128 Comm. He occupied the home until his death, 14 years later.
Dr. Dwight Moses Clapp purchased 130 Comm from Sarah Brooks in 1898. He was a dentist who ran his practice out of the home. Dwight died in 1906, leaving 130 to his wife, Clara Clapp. This is where it gets good! Clara sold the property to Charles Bond in 1908. The same Charles Bond that owned 128 Comm.
Now, at this time they were both brownstones. Bond combined the two addresses into one home, and had the white limestone façades built. It wasn’t something Bond could really afford, and was the beginning of the end. Allegedly, he killed himself at his summer home, Peachhaven, in Swampscott later that same year.
Architectural rendering of remodeled front façade of 128 Commonwealth (1909) by James T. Kelley and Harold S. Graves, architects; courtesy of the Boston Public Library Arts Department
In 1909 Isabella Bond, wife of Charles, separated the buildings and sold 130 to Frances Thorley Goodwin. She lived in 128 until her death. Her family maintained ownership, selling it in 1945 to Matthew and Ione Malloy. They never even lived there!
Goodwin sold 130 to Alden Augustus Thorndike and Helen Grace Hackett Thorndike. Those names! Alden died in 1925. Grace remarried to an architect named Walter Atherton. Grace must’ve done something right, because she outlived this guy too. She sold the house to the Chamberlyne Junior College and moved to California in 1948. And in 1951 the Chamberlayne School purchased 128 Comm Ave from the Malloys. The buildings were reunited and reconnected again! Like several of its previous owners, the school filed for bankruptcy at which point the buildings were held in trust.
128 Commonwealth and 130 Commonwealth (ca. 1942), photograph by Bainbridge Bunting, courtesy of the Boston Athenaeum
They were then sold again in 1989 to George Demeter, one time owner of A.F. Doyle. Back then, they were in Beacon Hill apparently. Today they’re on Newbury. (Shout out to my friend and fellow agent Bob Joaquim.) Demeter separated the buildings, selling off 130 and dividing 128 into three condominiums. Peter and Leah Roy purchased and occupied all 3 units. Weird, right? Herb Chambers picked up 128 Comm in 2004 and restored it into a proper single family. He also had a two car underground garage put in. (I want this even more now). And it’s got a pretty sweet roof deck, I hear. He then sold it off to the current owners. Everyone knows he traded it in for a pad at the Mandarin Oriental.
130 was sold to Deepak Kulkarni, an investor, who restored it to its original grandeur, considering it a piece of art. He went as far as buying the top two units at 132 Comm Ave, extending the roof deck of 130. A double-wide roof deck. He also sold it off to the current occupants who maintain it as a single family.
Long story short, I think they’re beautiful! I wouldn’t mind living in either one. I’ve always liked 130 just a little bit more.
They always dress it up good for holidays.
Sources:
https://backbayhouses.org
Keller Williams & The String Cheese Incident - Best Feeling
Monday Morning Pick Me Up:
Discreetly Armoured Range Rover
Now maybe this is my own paranoia, but I want an armored car. And a Range Rover. So why not both? Because I like old Range Rovers, and they're less hackable, I’d be in favor of the Discreetly Armoured Range Rover by MacNeillie. It’s fitted with 5mm armor around and a bomb suppression system. The windows are 35mm glass and polycarbonate laminate.
Overhead oxygen masks. I'd opt-out of that divider. It's not even bulletproof.
There’s a spare gas tank that holds 2 extra liters in case the main fuel system is busted. But seriously, how far is 2L going to get this thing? I bet this weighs tons. It’s got an intercom system to talk to people outside the car. All the panels overlap to create a tight seal, but just in case, there are oxygen masks and tanks with easy access. I think this is funny. There’s a tamper sensing device that comes with a remote. It lets you know if anyone touched or got underneath the car, while you’re not there.
Here's the remote to monitor your Range.
I think this is a great option, because it's pretty simple, effective and not over the top. It'll probably also protect you from Michael Hastings Disease. Better safe than sorry!
Intercom system
byeeeeeee.
An Argument for a Plane
In case you didn’t know, I want my own plane. It’s one way we can buy time, which is priceless. The general consensus is, it makes sense to own if you spend over 300 hours a year in flight. And if I’m going to get a plane, the first thing to do is pick one out. I think I’ve decided on and Bombardier Global 6000. It’s the most recent variant of the Global Express. As far as private planes go, this one is a classic. The only thing it's missing is a washer and dryer. It’s NetJet’s flagship aircraft. It took its first flight in 1996. Although, the version known as the Global 6000 wasn’t announced until 2003. Now let me break it down to you why I’ve gone with this option:
If it's mine, I don't see why I couldn't fill the tanks with Pristine Hydro water.
It holds 13 passengers. That’s quite a few. I don’t think of myself as traveling with more than 9 or so people. I’d put the vacant seats up for sale. I mean it’s big, but it’s not too big. Understated.
The cabin has 6’2” of clearance, which is pretty good for a small plane. I don’t know about the 6000, but I know the 7000, which is coming out next year, can have a full size stand up shower.
It’s got 2 Rolls Royce turbofans, which is very cool. Jet engines are neat. Those engines bring it to cruising speed over 3/4 the speed of sound.
And it can travel 7000 miles on a tank of gas. That’s amazing! I’m lucky if I break 200 miles on 1 tank in my Defender. This is a major selling point for me. Non stop BOS-LAX and back. That's like 14 hours non stop. You never know when you’re going to need to get away. Being in the air could be a good hiding place.
At $45,000,000 new, it’s a good value. You’d be insane to buy a new one anyway! This one for $28,500,000 is gorgeous. Plus, planes depreciate in value pretty quickly. IE you can claim it as a loss. "Fuck, my plane dropped $600,000 last year, it's a loss!" Maybe to the IRS, not to me! Keep in mind, the people that write the tax code fly on private planes. How many people are going to know about "accelerated depreciation?" I don't think anyone that has a plane would complain. If you're smart, you can get in you're own aircraft for $10,000/mo. So I'm told.
Plastic water bottle. Can you believe that?
Now here’s why I want a plane, and I’m assuming the same reasons everyone wants a plane. And I know, it doesn't make sense for everyone to have their own. There’s a reason NetJets and JetSmarter and things like that are taking off. Pun INTENDED. We’re not like the Jetson’s yet where the cars fly.
I hope it's a low VOC interior.
You are on your own schedule. You fly when you want to fly, and if you’re running 15 minutes late, it’s no big deal. And there are no delays, no missed connections.
You can always fly at night. Flying at night is much better for your body. Don’t you feel strung out when you fly? I do. And I blame solar radiation. That, and not being grounded in general.
You can bring whatever snacks and drinks you want.
If you lose a bag, it can only be your fault.
The seats are bigger. And there’s probably a divan.
None of that TSA psyop bullshit.
Parking is free. Just leave your car where the plane was.
Oh the smörgåsbord I'd have.
Very Restoration Hardware-esqu
After writing this, I think NetJets or JetSmarter should sponsor me. Send me your bids here. Or maybe I should get my pilot’s license. Or both! Environmentalists please comment below.
Here is pretty much a documentary on how to choose your plane, and make it more affordable.
Kippy's!: A Review
Whenever I go to LA, one of the first stops I make is to Kippy’s!. It's exactly what I want and need after a long flight. I used to work at Kippy's!, so I know the inner workings. And I still love Kippy's! They're ice cream is unparalleled. It's so simple. Coconut meat, coconut water and honey. All raw and processed in-house. Email me and I'll sell you the ratios. Just kidding Kippy and Max, I wouldn't do that!
It is definitely, without question, a matter of fact, the healthiest ice cream. I think it's so funny they do an ice cream cleanse because it sounds like such an advertising sham, but it's probably one of the best cleanses around. I can't say there was a time I exclusively ate ice cream, but working at Kippy's! 40 hours a week with free ice cream wasn't bad. It was free, right? The chocolate hard shell is amazing. I don't usually order it on top, because it's in the chocolate chip. Salted caramel on the other hand, is a must. Where am I going with this?
This last time I was there, I was so happy to see a golden milk flavor! I wanted to do that when I was there! Max and I argued over black pepper. I said, "you need to have black peppercorn in the golden milk!" And he said "black peppercorn is irritating to the digestive tract, no!" I did not pick up any black pepper in this edition. I should've thought to bring my own when I went back for more.
Everything about Kippy's! is great! The ice cream, the people, the toppings. I love going there. I love eating the ice cream. If anybody on the East Coast wants to open up a Kippy's, I think they'll match us at $150k. Does that still stand?
Cinnamon Date on the bottom, Chocolate Chip, Golden Milk and I don't know, maybe that's the Cinnamon on top and there's chocolate on the bottom. Something like that, with Caramel Sauce on top.
Deep Discount at Per Se
Last night my friend Lauren texted me and said that Per Se is offering a discounted dinner. They're calling it "30 for 30." 30 tables for patrons under 30 years of age. $175 for 7 courses, versus the usual $325 for 9. Another $50 gets you a wine pairing. Apparently this is the second dinner of its kind. Per Se is trying to appeal to a younger audience. Dinner to be held March 30th. I don't know yet if I'm going. I would like to, but we'll see what happens. Reservations apirisi@perseyny.com or 212 823 9325.
Look like new, right?
A Case for the Cobbler: Just Fix It
“How do you know you need something? You already have it.”
Most of my stuff is old. I like old stuff. Things that acquire stories and character. But just because something is old, doesn’t mean it’s in bad shape. With proper maintenance and care, you can really add significant lifespan to anything. Look at Land Rovers as an example. And I don’t think enough people do this. Their shoes get worn out, so they throw them out and buy a new pair. A sweater gets a hole and it’s given to good will. When people do stuff like that, it makes me think they didn’t make the right purchase. Either it was really cheap quality and they don’t care, or they don’t really like it and don’t care.
Taking your clothes to be repaired, especially locally, does good things. In doing so, you'll be:
- Generating less waste
- Consuming less
- Saving money
- Keeping money local
Let me break it down for you.
So let’s say my loafers were $700. They’re the Gucci 1953 Horsebit. They've got miles. I've walked to Harvard Sq. and back several times. Brighton and back more than once. They've been very good to me. They always look good. And I spend $65 every 2.5 years on maintenance. A new sole and intermittent polishings. As long as I take care of them, I assume they’ll last 30 years. So at the end of the 30 years, I spent $700 on shoes and $780 on maintenance, for a total of $1480.00. That averages out to less than $50 a year. Not bad right? As opposed to buying a new pair of $250 loafers every 2.5 years for 30 years, which will run you more than twice as much, $3,000.
I take my shoes to Newbury Shoe Repair, odd side between E and F. They give you the option of leather or rubber sole. I made the mistake of not specifying. I assumed that because I brought my shoes in with leather soles, they’d come out with leather soles. Now I know. I had him put rubber on a pair of velvet slippers, and he used Good Year rubber. Not here.
Heritage on the Garden
One of my favorite buildings in the neighborhood is Heritage on the Garden. It’s so prominent, and classic looking. I’m always changing my mind about what I want in my next home. Should I scoop something bigger up in the Back Bay? Buy a house in Cambridge? Keep my apartment (it’s actually a condo but I hate the word condo) and buy a house in New Hampshire? All of the above? Although, I know I wouldn't mind moving into this place at all. It’s off the market. I don’t even think it was on the market for a week! It was listed for $1,250,000 by Tracy Campion. It’s a two-story one bed, one and a half bath with outdoor space on both levels. Enough of my words, here it is!
You walk into a little hallway with the staircase and a hidden half bath that leads to the living room. See outdoor space? Kitchen to the right.
It's not great, but it's nice enough. Dishwasher is a huge plus.
I'd ditch the mural.
Nice big staircase for a Back Bay 1 bed.
In-unit laundry.
Did someone say built-ins?
More storage AND outdoor space off the bedroom.
Master bathroom isn't bad.
So you see why I like this place so much?
Untraditional Simple Guac
Just like everybody else, I love avocados. The most frequent way I prepare them is guacamole. I like to keep things simple. Easy to make, easy to clean up. This dip took under 3 minutes and is great for quick snacking. I was going out to an event and figured the food might be suspect, and wanted to eat a little something before I left so I whipped this up, and thought I’d share it with you! Great source of fat, got some ferments in there and it tastes great. I paired it with blue corn chips with sprouted chia seeds.
And enjoy!
Ryan Adams as Taylor Swift- And it's good!
Huge Ryan Adams fan. He's my favorite way to listen to Taylor Swift. Nothing against TSwift.
And a follow up:
Maple Sap
Tis the season for tapping! Maple syrup and honey are two of my favorite sweeteners. Really, the only ones I use. I don’t like fake sweeteners. I haven’t done this in a few years, but there’s no reason I shouldn’t. Tapping maple trees is very easy, and the product is so nutrient dense and versatile. Getting your own maple sap is free, aside from buying the spigot. The last time I did it, we tapped 2 trees. One produced gallons a day. it was unbelievable. We couldn’t keep up with the collection, but it froze well.
Like I said, it’s versatile. Maple sap is pretty much maple syrup, watered down 40 times. Actually, maple syrup is maple sap boiled down 40:1. Maybe you’ve gotten sap at whole foods. Well, if you think that’s good, you’re in for a treat! If you tap a tree that is.
I like to use it for brewing tea and coffee. I did boil some down with a lot of vanilla and then some chaga, cat’s claw and pau d’arco. It was a very palatable way to use those herbs, but it wasn’t a syrup. It's nutrient packed on its own. Not too sweet and pretty mineral dense. It can be a good source of manganese. It's really simple and easy to collect. It's like New England's coconut water.
You'll want to do this like, now. The sap flows the most when the temperature fluctuates the most. When it's above freezing during the day, and below freezing at night is prime time. Read more here.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Sugar Maple works best, but tap whatever you want. They’re easy to identify.
drill
hammer
plastic gallon jug
sharp knife
sieve
containers for storage
You’ll need to:
Identify a Sugar Maple. The bigger the tree, the more taps you can put in. Don’t be greedy.
Using a 3/8” or so drill bit, drill a hole about 2 inches into the tree. Angle it so the sap can drip out. Hammer the spigot in.
Take a gallon jug, and cut a hole in it for the spigot. Using a hole punch, punch a hole for the spigot’s hook.
Hang the jug by the hook
Check every hour or so at first so you get sense of how often you should empty the jug. Debris will accumulate, so the sieve will take the crunch out of your sap.
“To truly know the world, look deeply within your own being; to truly know yourself, take real interest in the world.”
My Favorite Rudolf Steiner Meditation
This is an easy practice that anyone can do and doesn’t require learning anything new. All that is required is remembering to do the exercise! It’s as simple as going over your day in reverse order, at the end of the day. It’s a Rudolf Steiner practice. I read it forever ago, and can’t remember what he says about it. I don’t even remember which book! I’m guessing either Knowledge of the Higher Worlds or How to Know Higher Worlds. Maybe Anthroposophy in Everyday Life, but I don’t think so.
This is something that I go through phases of doing. When I do do it, I wait until I’m in bed, relaxed. And then I run through my day, in reverse. I just visualize what I recall doing, but backwards, going for as much detail as I can. Sounds weird I know, but I find it’s quite an eye-opening experience.
I find that most of the time, I end up feeling much better about how my day went. You’ll notice a lot more happened that day when you stop and really think! Usually connections and coincidences are picked up, that just slipped by the first time around. It gives a fresh appreciation for the day, and I find going to bed on that positive note is helpful for the next day as well. I think it’s also good to get in the habit of recalling memories.
So maybe you want to try it! At the end of the day, just relax and run through your mind, your day backwards. See what happens! Watching your own Instagram story backwards does not count.