Big-Batch Puttanesca Sauce

3 28-oz. cans diced tomatoes
1/2 of a 6-oz. can (1/3 cup) tomato paste
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
1/4 cup snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
2 Tbsp. capers, drained
1 Tbsp. anchovy paste
2 tsp. dried basil, crushed
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 lb. fresh or frozen cooked shrimp, thawed, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
Hot cooked pasta or rice
Shaved Parmesan cheese

1. In 4- to 6-quart slow cooker stir together undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, garlic, chopped olives, 1/4 cup snipped parsley, capers, anchovy paste, basil, cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting 8 to 10 hours or high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.

3. Remove half of sauce (about 5-1/2 cups). Set aside for additional meals.

4. If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. Add shrimp and halved olives to sauce in cooker. Cover and cook 5 minutes more or until heated through. Serve over hot cooked pasta or rice. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan cheese. Makes 6 servings plus 5-1/2 cups.

Nutrition facts per serving (sauce only): 33 cal., 0 g fat, 2 mg chol., 355 mg sodium, 7 g carbo., 2 g fiber, 1 g protein. Daily Values: 11% vit. A, 17% vit. C, 2% calcium, 3% iron.

Drive-bys

The driver behind you guns his engine, races up beside you, and pulls out a camera. Is Britney Spears also zooming up the PCH, whilst simultaneously nursing a child and a vente latte? Probably. But if Andrew Bush is the photographer in question, it’s not a celebrity he’s chasing — it’s you.

Like an especially democratic paparazzo, Bush takes remarkable photos of everyday people cruising the freeways in and around Los Angeles. Dating back to the 1990s (when gas was cheap and the living was easy), the pics capture private moments that most of us see only fleetingly: men who really should be watching the road (but are reading maps instead), mothers who really should be watching the road (but are scolding their kids instead), and the requisite blonde-in-a-purple-Corvette (we think!) on her way to or from a local Dr. 90210. Bush jokes aside, this is one motorcade you won’t want to miss.

Roasted Veggie Pitas

1 small zucchini (6 ounces), thinly sliced lengthwise
1 small yellow summer squash (6 ounces), thinly sliced lengthwise
1 medium onion, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 of a red sweet pepper, cut into thin strips (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 large pita bread rounds, halved
4 teaspoons bottled vinaigrette or Italian salad dressing
3/4 cup shredded smoked provolone or mozzarella cheese (3 ounces)

1. Preheat oven to 450F. In a large bowl, place zucchini, summer squash, onion, mushrooms, and sweet pepper. Add oil, salt, and black pepper; toss to coat. Spread vegetable mixture evenly in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Roast, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

2. Divide roasted vegetables among pita bread halves; drizzle with salad dressing. Top with shredded cheese. If desired, place filled pitas on a baking sheet and bake in the 450F oven for 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese melts. Makes 4 sandwiches.

3. Avocado Veggie Sandwiches: Prepare as above, except omit salad dressing. In a small bowl mash 1 avocado, halved, seeded, and peeled, with 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread avocado mixture in pita bread rounds before filling with vegetables.

Step 1: Prepping an Avocado

The first step in preparing an avocado is rinsing the avocado under cool tap water. Use a knife to make a lengthwise cut around the seed, cutting through the fruit and skin.









Step 2: Separate Avocado

After rinsing and slitting the avocado, holding the avocado in your hands, gently twist the two halves in opposite directions to separate them.










Step 3: Quartering Avocado

Remove the seed by whacking the pit with the blade of the knife in a swift, hard motion; twist and pull to remove it. Next, on a cutting surface, cut each half in half again and peel away the skin from each of the quarters using your fingers or a small knife.

The hardly simple Simon Rich: When life hands you lemons, make chicken instead

It’s easy to hate on Simon Rich: The 24-year-old published his first book, Ant Farm: And Other Desperate Situations, while still a senior (at Harvard, of course). It was praised to the skies by The New York Times and Jon Stewart, and Rich, who was also president of The Harvard Lampoon (of course), is now the youngest-ever writer for Saturday Night Live. Oh, and did we mention that his father is the Times columnist — and former “Butcher of Broadway” — Frank Rich?

But like it or not, Rich got to where he is on merit: His brief, situational vignettes are zanier, and funnier, than much of what you’ll read in The New Yorker’s “Shouts & Murmurs” column (which Rich also contributes to, of course). His new collection, Free-Range Chickens, features riffs on Dracula’s Match.com profile, the inner lives of firehouse Dalmatians, and the fears and frustrations of children. Most hit their marks, and even the misses are good for a chuckle or two.

Seattle on the cheap: Urban adventure awaits

Home to Microsoft and Starbucks, grunge rock and a constant rainy drizzle, Seattle is defined by the collision of urban soul and natural beauty. It's also a great destination for the budget-conscious traveler. An abundance of outdoor activities and a pulsing arts community make it the perfect place to visit while holding onto spare change.

Nightlife and dining

For best bets on live shows and music, snag a copy of The Stranger, Seattle's free alternative weekly, to find out who's playing where. If you're looking for a quieter evening, pack dessert and head to Gas Works Park, in Wallingford, or Kerry Park, on Queen Anne Hill, for stunning views of the city skyline.

Few things go together better than penny-pinching and happy hour, so look for deals around the city for fantastic food and cheap cocktails. Foodies will want to check out Brasa (2107 Third Ave.), in Belltown, which rocks 5 p.m.-7 p.m. with specials that include half-off bar menu items like steak frites with cabrales butter for $7 or a lamb burger for $5.50. Don't leave without trying the trademark sundae for $4.

Another classy spot is Barolo (1940 Westlake Ave.), in Westlake, where stellar deals include a $14 bottle of wine, $3 pints and a rotating bar menu that features organic buffalo burgers for $5 and a pound of sauteed mussels for $5.50 from 3 p.m.-6:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. to close. Closer to the water, Elliott's Oyster House, on Pier 56, has a special that kicks off at 3 p.m., with oysters for just 50 cents each, six bucks for a dozen. Prices increase 20 cents every half hour, so get there early to save the most clams.

Other hot spots are easily found at Seattle Happy Hour Guide. The site gives you the lowdown on more than 200 bars in the city.

For cheap eats at all hours of the day, stick to Seattle staples like Dick's Drive In, an old-school burger joint with five locations, or Ezell's, with three locations in Seattle, to gobble up some of Oprah's favorite fried chicken. Salmon lovers should check out Ballard Brothers Seafood and Burgers (5305 Fifteenth Ave., NW), where the house specialty, a Cajun-style blackened salmon sandwich is just $7.

Must-sees

You can't make it to the Emerald City and not visit Pike Place Market, the heart of downtown and one of the nation's original farmers markets. Home to the original Starbucks, world-famous flying fish and a maze of fresh produce, crafts and street performers, it's free and a great way to spend the afternoon.

When you've had your fill, wander up Elliott Avenue to the Olympic Sculpture Park, a nine-acre waterfront site nestled on the shoreline with towering, permanent sculptures by some of contemporary art's hottest artists.

Then, visit Ballard and the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, where boats rise and fall as they move between the sound and the inland waterways and salmon run through a fish ladder.

If you feel like window-shopping, wander through Pioneer Square's locally owned stores, such as Elliott Bay Book Company (101 S. Main St.), a 25,000-square-foot tribute to literacy.

For a little cash and some fancy footwork, you might just forget you're on a budget. Good options include the Pacific Northwest Ballet, where gallery floor seats are just $25, or for the younger crowd, use a college ID to get into the Seattle Symphony for just $10.

For standard fare, you'll want to visit the Experience Music Project, an interactive and historic tribute to rock, the Seattle Aquarium, Woodland Park Zoo and get on a boat tour in the Puget Sound. To see these sights and more, your best bet is to plunk down $44 per adult and $29 per kid and let CityPass hook you up with a nine-day all-access pass.

Urban adventure

Look past the Space Needle to views of the soaring Olympic mountain range and Puget Sound. If you're itching to get out in a boat, look to the Northwest Outdoor Center to put you on a kayak for just $13; the UW Waterfront Activities Center (206-543-9433) for canoes and rowboats, at just $7.50; or the Center for Wooden Boats on Lake Union for sailing at just $15. Keep an eye out for special events: NOC offers sporadic Paddle Seattle kayak tours at sunset and moonrise, and the Center for Wooden Boats has free Sunday afternoon sails.

If the weather cooperates, head to West Seattle, where Alki Beach is the place to be for jogging, rollerbladding, volleyball or a walk along the water. Look to Wheel Fun Rentals, to rent you a tandem bike for $12. In Ballard, Golden Gardens is a great place to watch the sun set over the Olympics and roast marshmallows over a bonfire.

In Green Lake, you'll find windsurfing, swimming and a heavily-used running trail with loads of people out to picnic and play.

Getting around

Buses in Seattle are cheap, just $1.50, or $1.75 during peak hours. If you're looking to see the sights, hop on a ferry down at the docks, where $7.50 will get you a half-hour cruise to Bainbridge Island, where a more laid-back vibe awaits.

Great food bargains in Great Britain

by Rick Steves

In general, I found British portions huge. Rather than getting two appetizers, two main dishes and two desserts with wine for $70 each, a couple can order two appetizers, split a main dish, split a dessert and drink tap water. You'll probably fill up fine, enjoy the same atmosphere, and get out for $30 each. Don't be shy about sharing. I find waiters sympathize with budget travelers these days; they accommodate our cost-cutting measures with a smile.

Great budget values in any town are the cafes in the farmers' market -- where you can get baked beans with your breakfast all day long. Many churches have cafes where volunteers serve up soup and sandwiches for a price that's not particularly cheap -- but you know you're supporting a humble congregation's community work. Hungry sightseers appreciate the handy, moderately priced cafeterias they'll find in larger museums.

Good fish and chips joints are rare. In each town there seems to be one that is evangelical about grease and has won the undying allegiance of a passionate local following. To find them, look for one thing these winning "chippies" seem to have in common -- a guy behind the counter who's as greasy as the fish.

I don't like recommending chains, but some are just too fun to miss. Wagamama, a pan-Asian noodle slurp-a-thon, is everywhere now ... and just as great as the day its first location took Soho by storm. An Italian chain, Ask, nabs the grandest old dining hall in town and fills it with happy eaters enjoying pasta and pizzas at good prices.

English office workers like to get top-quality sandwiches for lunch. Follow their lead, skip the tired chain spots, and find a deli with a line of local professionals at the counter. At one deli, I just lingered on my stool, nibbling on my wonderful sandwich and sipping a glass of tap water, while watching all the yuppies swing by for their takeout meal.

For reasonably priced meals in a nice setting, take advantage of early-bird dinner specials at fancier restaurants, you'll eat well, but early (generally 5:30 to 7 p.m.).

For a splurge, I avoid the big, highly advertised formula places, and seek out quirky little 10-table restaurants that represent the creative vision of their owners. I am always impressed by the passion of the couples -- gay, straight, professional or romantic -- that run these establishments.

How do I find these special haunts? I rely heavily on the advice of B&B hosts, who have no vested interest in anything other than satisfied guests.

Make a small house live large

See how smart use of color and space helps a Key West home feel comfortably open, spacious and breezy.

Open up

Maximize square footage with an open floor plan. Eliminate unnecessary nonstructural walls and let breezes and conversation flow between rooms.

Design smart

Make the most of cozy quarters with custom built-ins. Forgo freestanding furniture and try innovative storage solutions that can be built into walls or bed frames. Opt for wired wall sconces in lieu of table lamps to keep surfaces clutter-free.

Raise the roof

Expose ceiling rafters and take advantage of attic space. Painting ceilings an ocean blue makes them appear higher.

See the light

Abundant windows and glass-paned doors allow sunlight to pour inside. The seamless transition between indoors and out makes the room appear larger. Open up a tight kitchen with floating shelves. While they won’t hide toasters and coffeemakers, they’re a sleek alternative to upper cabinetry, which often overwhelms a tiny space.

Go white

Dress small spaces in white and hang mirrors to lend even a tiny room an airy feel.

Bzzpeek - A cluck-cluck here

Ask any 2-year-old: Cows go “Moo!”; pigs go “Oink!”; sheep go “Baaah!”; and so forth — except, of course, when they don’t. Colombian cows “maa.”

Bzzpeek is a collection of animal sounds made by people from around the globe. Hear what frogs sound like to Hungarians. (Apparently, Hungarian frogs carry submachine guns.) Hear the world’s spookiest owls. (Japanese owls are especially spooky.) Then move on to the vehicles — cop cars, fire trucks, ambulances, and trains.

Jogging through the Incan Ruins of Sacsayhuamán outside Cuzco, Peru

Mark Golan, 47, a Cisco Systems vice president from San Jose, Calif. “I was on a two-week trip with my eldest daughter, Shelby. I told my children that when each of them got to be 16, I’d go somewhere in the world with them. She’s a pretty hard-core distance runner and would go run every day. That day, she chose to run way the heck up the road, probably 10 miles, while I chose to run around the ruins. I remember running through there and stopping to look at the workmanship. It was early morning, and there were plenty of places the light would be coming through doorways or striking at interesting angles that made some amazing patterns. As a parent, it’s fun — this kid is fully capable, more capable than me, to do physical stuff. That run particularly is an example where I think it enhanced our trip — getting your exercise but doing it in a special place and at a time of day that’s really pretty and calm.”

On the Bus from Oslo to Stockholm

Mary Ahlgren, right, a 60-year-old librarian from Sanbornton, N.H., with her daughter, Kerstin, 26, a graduate student at Columbia University. “My daughter and I wanted to see the Swedish countryside, and a bus is a good way to do it. My family spent three weeks in Sweden when I was about 11. I had met a lot of family then, but they were my fat old great-aunts that I was a little scared of. Well, on this trip we visited my second or third cousins, because the fat old great-aunts are no longer around. One cousin took me to where my grandmother had been born, a very small house up in the woods. It was the highlight of the trip. I really got a sense of why the whole family had to leave Sweden in the early 1900s: there was no way to make a living.”

View of the Kremlin from the Sophia Embankment, Moscow

“The supreme moments of travel are born of beauty and strangeness in equal parts: the first panders to the senses, the second to the mind; and it is the rarity of this coincidence which makes the rarity of these moments. Such a moment was mine as I walked up the side of the River Moskva late in the afternoon of my second day in Russia. The Red Capital in winter is a silent place. Like black ghouls on the soundless snow, the Muscovites went their way, hatted in fur, lamb, leather, and velvet, each with a great collar turned up against the wind that sweeps down the river from the east. ... This, at last, was Red Russia; this horde of sable ghosts, the Bolshevists, the cynosure of an agitated world. It was more than Russia, it was the capital of the Union, the very pulse of proletarian dictatorship, the mission-house of Dialectical Materialism. I looked across the river. Before me stood the inmost sanctuary of all: the Kremlin.” Robert Byron, from “First Russia, Then Tibet” (1933)

Eating a Bento Box Lunch at Ueno Metro Staion, Tokyo

Amanda Barden Stradling, 25, right, an Ameri-Corps volunteer from Provo, Utah, with her visiting sister, Katherine Barden. Ms. Barden Stradling was in Tokyo for three months accompanying her husband (not pictured), a diplomatic intern. “We had just gotten back from Ueno Park, where they have all these temples to explore, and we were hungry so we wanted to grab some lunch. We knew we were going to have to wait for the train, so we just broke out these bento boxes. I later found out that it was kind of a faux pas to eat in the Metro. The man in the suit leaned over and said something to me, and I just smiled at him and he smiled back, so he was probably asking me how my lunch was; I had no idea. But that was a cool thing about Tokyo — the people were so nice because they knew I had no idea what was going on.”

Riding near Tasiilaq during the 2007 SIKU Extreme Arctic Challenge, Greenland

Prof. Jacqueline McGlade, 52, executive director of the European Environment Agency in Copenhagen. “Over five days, the race combines 250 kilometers of hiking and climbing up 800-, 900-, 1.000-meter peaks, biking across rough terrain and kayaking about 65 kilometers through the glacier fields and fjords, amongst all the icebergs. You find yourself being guided into parts of Greenland where you wouldn’t go unless you were a very experienced adventurer. It pushes you beyond the limits — but safely. I was truly impressed with how the local community was already adapting to climate change, having to fundamentally change the way they live. This race is part of them deciding not to go for mass tourism, but to go for a very special kind of tourism, not ruining the environment, but bringing people to it in a very open way.”

By Middle Rock Lake in Mount Hood National Forest, Oregon

Steve Herppich, 43, a newspaper photo editor in Olympia, Wash. “I try to get out in the woods on a backpacking trip at least once a year. What I do for a living is totally immersed in humanity: there’s something I really love about covering assignments and meeting all different kinds of people every day. But to get out where, for all you know, there’s nobody within miles is priceless. The whole little mountain lake was surrounded by foothills, and our campsite was right alongside. After dinner, you’ve got a full belly, and scenery all around you. You watch the final rays of the sun cut across the top of the mountain, not a breeze in the air, the water still, like glass. The only ripples in the lake were these little red salamanders. Once in a while they would bump into each other and thrash around. But that was the only disturbance. It was really, really sweet.”

Late afternoon at the Red Sea in Hurghada, Egypt

Kristin Steindorsdottir, 32, a clothing-store owner, originally from Iceland, now living in Copenhagen, on a family vacation with her husband, Adalsteinn Palsson (not pictured), and their children, Rokkvi, 4, Logi, 5, and Birta, 11. “Every day we enjoyed the warm sea and the sun from morning until sunset — this is something we cannot experience where we come from. The kids had just discovered the small fish in the sea, and you can maybe see that they have made a big shark in the sand. When it was dark that night, we went back to the beach to feed the small fish with some bread. It is interesting that this picture was taken in the twilight, because all of our children carry Icelandic names related to the daylight and darkness: Birta means bright, Logi means flame, and Rokkvi means dark. The picture reminds us how full of life our kids are, how much fun it was to play with them on the beach, even though everyone else had left, and the sun almost had set. These are the moments giving you the most out of life.”

Overlooking Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains National Park, Australia

Jolanta Kalnina, 25, from Riga, Latvia. “I work for Air Baltic, and it’s very commonplace for my colleagues to go for vacation to Bangkok, which I consider too crowded. My boyfriend and I decided instead to stay closer to nature. The main difference between Australia and other places I have traveled is the natural harmony — wild nature and people living together. The nature in Australia is its history and culture at the same time. The most unforgettable thing was the Blue Mountains National Park. We got a bit lost that day and found this lookout point almost by accident, following our intuition. I still remember the lovely excitement we had at the end of this sandy road, where we discovered a point that hadn’t been used in a long time, looking over Wentworth Falls and all the might of nature. It was our first stop on our five-day trip through the park, and the sun created a lovely rainbow over the falls. It was an amazing play of colors in the water. I could never get tired of traveling in Australia, I think."

Portobello Burgers

4 portobello mushrooms
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning, crushed
4 slices provolone cheese
4 ciabatta rolls, split
4 to 8 pieces bottled, roasted red sweet pepper
3/4 cup fresh basil leaves

1. Scrape gills from mushroom caps, if desired. Drizzle mushrooms with oil. Sprinkle salt, pepper and crushed Italian seasoning.

2. On charcoal grill, cook mushrooms on rack of uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 6 to 8 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking. Top each mushroom with a cheese slice. Place rolls, split sides down, on grill rack. Grill 2 minutes more, until cheese is melted, mushrooms are tender, and rolls are toasted.

3. Serve mushrooms on rolls. Pass sweet pepper pieces and basil leaves. Makes 4 servings.

Riding a Cable Car, San Francisco

Florian Wahl, a college student from Kempten, Bavaria. “I wanted to improve my English and get away from home. My university in Ulm had partner schools in England and America, but England seemed too close to Germany. Plus, I had always wanted to go to the U.S.. I ended up in Flint, Mich. When the semester ended at Christmastime, I went to New York to see a few friends and then, together with my girlfriend and another couple, flew to Las Vegas for New Year’s. After that the four of us got a big rental car and drove from Las Vegas to San Francisco by way of Death Valley — a proper road trip. But we dropped the car off when we arrived in San Francisco. There were three things we definitely wanted to see there: the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and cable cars. I knew the cable cars from TV shows and movies and definitely wanted to ride on them. We bought unlimited daylong tickets. It was a beautiful day, and it was great just to ride around the streets, hanging on, looking at the city.”

Pita, Cheese & Veggie Grill

1 8-oz. block feta cheese, quartered
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
1 medium red onion, cut in 1/2-inch thick slices
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
4 pita bread rounds
2 medium tomatoes, cut in wedges
1 Tbsp. honey

1. Drizzle cheese, zucchini, and onion slices with half of the salad dressing. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. On rack of charcoal grill place zucchini, onion slices, and a 6-inch cast-iron skillet (to heat for softening the cheese) directly over medium coals. Grill zucchini and onion for 8 minutes or until tender, turning once halfway through cooking time. Remove vegetables. Grill pita bread and tomatoes on grill rack for 2 minutes or until bread is toasted and tomatoes are lightly charred. Place cheese in hot skillet; heat for 1 to 2 minutes to soften.

3. To serve, cut zucchini in chunks. Drizzle cheese, vegetables, pitas, and tomatoes with honey and remaining salad dressing. Makes 4 servings.

Singing Sands Beach, On Lake Huron, Bruce Peninsula Narional Park, Ontario

Lucio Cedillo Guerrero, 63, a retired factory foreman from Madrid. “When my children were little, we used to go to the beach in Spain every summer. The parents decided things. Things changed now that they’re adults: they get a vote. We do what the majority wants. My wife and I went to Canada for two weeks to visit my daughter, who is a photographer living in Canada. We rented a car in Toronto to travel around part of the country. We went to Niagara Falls; the capital, Ottawa, for a couple of days; and Bruce Peninsula, where my daughter took this photo. The lake really caught my attention, because when you’re walking toward it, you can’t see the water. It’s all mist. We walked at least 500 meters along a huge beach until we reached the water, and there the mist disappeared. But when we turned around and looked back at where we had walked, there was still mist, and we couldn’t even see the car we had left behind. That caused quite an impression.”

Barbecued Salmon with Fresh Nectarine Salsa

4 4- to 5-oz. fresh skinless salmon fillets, about 1-inch thick
3 Tbsp. bottled barbecue sauce
2 nectarines, pitted and chopped
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
Lemon wedges

1. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Lightly sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Place 2 tablespoons of the barbecue sauce in small bowl; brush sauce on both sides of the salmon.

2. For charcoal grill, cook salmon on greased grill rack directly over medium coals for 8 to 12 minutes or until salmon flakes when tested with a fork, turning once halfway through grilling. (For gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place salmon on greased grill rack over medium heat. Cover and grill as above.)

3. For nectarine salsa, in medium bowl combine nectarines, blueberries, pecans, and the remaining 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce. Season with salt. Serve salmon with salsa and lemon wedges. Serves 4.

Shrimp and Watermelon Salad

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. peeled, deveined medium shrimp
2 tsp. snipped fresh thyme
4 cups sliced bok choy or napa cabbage
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
2 1-inch slices seedless watermelon, halved
Small limes, halved
Feta cheese (optional)
Fresh thyme sprigs

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes, until shrimp are opaque. Transfer shrimp to bowl; stir in thyme. Add remaining olive oil, bok choy, and tomatoes to skillet; cook and stir 1 minute. Return shrimp to skillet; cook and stir 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Serve shrimp and vegetables with watermelon. Squeeze lime juice on salads; sprinkle feta and thyme sprigs. Serves 4.

Vegetarian Cooking

What Is a Vegetarian?

Broadly speaking, a vegetarian is one who doesn't eat meat, poultry, or fish. However, there are many types of vegetarians (including vegans) who have more specific parameters regarding their diets.

Definitions for today's common categories of vegetarians:

• Vegans eat only foods that are plant-based. This means they consume no meat, poultry, or fish, nor animal products such as milk, cheese, butter, and eggs.


• Lacto-Vegetarians are vegetarians who include dairy products in their diets, but no eggs.


• Lacto-Ovo Vegetarians include both dairy products and eggs in their diets.


• Pollo-Vegetarians include poultry in their diets.


• Pesca-Vegetarians include fish and other seafood in the diet.


• Sometimes-Vegetarians choose mainly a plant-centered diet, with small amounts of animal-derived products consumed less frequently.

Q: What are the health benefits of vegetarian dining?

A: In short, health authorities recommend a low-fat, high-fiber, vitamin-rich diet, and vegetarian-style eating can help you and your family attain these goals.

Q: Are all vegetarian diets healthful?

A: A vegetarian diet does not necessarily ensure a healthy diet. Like everyone else, vegetarians need to keep an eye on fat, calories, and cholesterol (especially if cheese, eggs, and/or dairy products are on the menu). Meal planning requires special attention; vegans in particular need to ensure that their menu provides plenty of calories and a variety of nutrients.

Q: Can I enrich my diet with vitamin supplements?

A: Before taking vitamin supplements, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian (R.D.) for guidelines. Keep in mind that high dosages of some nutrients, including vitamin D, vitamin B12, and zinc, can be dangerous; therefore, you should avoid supplements that exceed your Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of such nutrients per day.

Q: Is it possible to get enough protein in a vegetarian diet?

A: Many plant foods (with the exception of fruit) are rich in protein. So for most vegetarians, getting enough protein isn't an issue. It's important each day to eat a variety of foods that contain protein. The nutrients more likely to be lacking in a vegetarian diet include vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and zinc. Find adequate vegetarian sources of them by choosing foods carefully.

• Vitamin B12: Breakfast cereals, soy-milk products, and vegetarian-burger patties are often fortified with vitamin B12. Getting enough B12 is generally not a concern for vegetarians who eat dairy products or eggs.


• Vitamin D: Milk is naturally high in vitamin D; vegans should look for breakfast cereals and soy beverages fortified with the nutrient.


• Calcium: If you regularly consume milk, cheese, and yogurt, your calcium intake should be adequate. Those avoiding dairy products can opt for green leafy vegetables, calcium-fortified orange juice, and fortified soy milk and soy cheese.


• Iron: Reach for legumes, dark-green leafy vegetables, iron-fortified cereals and bread, whole-grain products, seeds, prune juice, dried fruit, and black-strap molasses. Keep in mind that eating a vitamin C-rich food at every meal will help your body absorb the type of iron that's found in plant sources.


• Zinc: Whole grains, especially germ and bran (note that grains processed into refined flour lose zinc), whole-wheat bread, legumes, tofu, seeds, and nuts are good sources for zinc.

Q: What health issues do parents need to consider if their children are vegetarians?

A: Because vegetarian meals are often low in fat and high in fiber, they might not supply kids with the calories needed to fuel their growing bodies. Offering your child higher-calorie foods, along with foods with more fat such as peanut butter, nuts, and cheese, can help meet these needs. Also, encourage frequent snacks that provide both calories and needed nutrients -- a peanut butter sandwich and milk, for example.

Appetizer: Spicy Tofu Triangles

1 12-ounce package extra-firm, tub-style tofu (fresh bean curd), chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh shiitake or button mushrooms
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup finely chopped canned water chestnuts
2 tablespoons bottled hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons Oriental chili sauce with garlic
1 teaspoon soy sauce
48 wonton wrappers
Nonstick cooking spray
Teriyaki sauce or prepared Chinese-style hot mustard (optional)

For filling, in a large bowl combine tofu, mushrooms, green onions, water chestnuts, hoisin sauce, chili sauce, and soy sauce. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the filling into the center of each wonton wrapper. Brush edges of wrapper with water. Fold one corner of wrapper to opposite corner to form a triangle; press edges to seal.

Lightly coat large baking sheets with cooking spray. Place the wonton triangles on prepared baking sheets. Lightly coat the triangles with cooking spray. Bake in a 400° oven about 10 minutes or until triangles are crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper towels. If desired, serve the hot triangles with teriyaki sauce.

Salad: Deli-Style Pasta Salad

1/2 of a 16-ounce package (about 2 cups) frozen cheese-filled tortellini or one 9-ounce package refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
1 1/2 cups broccoli flowerets
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 medium red or yellow sweet pepper, cut into thin strips

In a large saucepan cook pasta according to package directions, except omit any salt and oil. Add broccoli and carrot the last 3 minutes of cooking; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again.

Meanwhile, for dressing, in a screw-top jar combine the vinegar, oil, Italian seasoning, mustard, black pepper, and garlic powder. Cover and shake well. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the pasta mixture and sweet pepper. Shake dressing. Pour the dressing over pasta mixture; toss gently to coat.

Pasta: Trattoria-Style Fettuccine

1 9-ounce package refrigerated spinach fettuccine
2 tablespoons chopped shallot or green onion
1 medium carrot, coarsely shredded (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup oil-packed dried tomatoes, drained and snipped
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 medium (about 1 1/4 lb.) red and/or yellow tomatoes, coarsely chopped (2 2/3 cups)
1/2 cup crumbled garlic and herb or peppercorn feta cheese (2 ounces)

Using kitchen scissors, cut the stack of fettuccine strands in half crosswise (for easier eating.) Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain. Return pasta to hot pan.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook shallot and carrots in hot oil over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until just tender. Stir in fresh and dried tomatoes; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through. Spoon tomato mixture over cooked pasta; toss gently. Sprinkle individual servings with cheese.

Sandwiches: Sauteed Onion-Tomato Sandwiches

2 medium onions, sliced
1 teaspoon olive oil
8 slices hearty whole grain or rye bread (toasted, if desired)
Honey mustard
3 small red and/or yellow tomatoes, thinly sliced
4 lettuce leaves, shredded
Small fresh basil leaves
4 ounces spreadable Brie cheese or tub-style cream cheese

In a large skillet cook onions in hot oil over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until onions are tender and just starting to brown, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; cool slightly.

To assemble, lightly spread one side of 4 bread slices with honey mustard. Top with the onion slices, tomato slices, shredded lettuce, and basil. Spread one side of the remaining 4 bread slices with Brie cheese. Place the bread slices, cheese sides down, on top of sandwiches.

Angel Hair with Asparagus and Tomatoes

16 stalks fresh asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 medium plum (Roma) tomatoes, seeded and chopped (2-1/4 cups)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter (no substitutes)
1 9-ounce package refrigerated angel hair pasta
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil

1. Trim asparagus and rinse in cold water. Remove the tips; set aside. Bias-slice remaining asparagus stalks into 1- to 1-1/2-inch pieces; set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes; cook and stir about 2 minutes more.

3. Add asparagus pieces, wine, and salt to mixture. Cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Add asparagus tips; cook, uncovered, for 1 minute more. Add butter; stir until melted.

4. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta. Return to pan and toss with asparagus mixture and basil. Makes 3 servings.

A Woman Dreams of Opening a Bookstore, and Defying the Trends

After Jessica Stockton Bagnulo, 29, graduated from New York University with an English degree in 2001, she did what she was supposed to do, which was land a coveted job as an editorial assistant at a major publishing house.

She cried every day.

It wasn’t that Ms. Stockton Bagnulo did not love books enough. She loved them too much. Writing book-jacket copy from a cubicle, sorting files, “I felt so far from the things we were making,” she recalled.

Longing for the part-time job she had in college, at Three Lives, an independent bookstore in the West Village, Ms. Stockton Bagnulo returned to working there on weekends to cheer herself up. At some point she realized that graduate school in creative writing was not the answer (which was good, because she didn’t get in anywhere). “Gradually,” she said, “it dawned on me that the big, important thing I wanted to do was open a bookstore.”

In the age of Amazon and sky-high New York rents, that’s the kind of dream that works if, like Sarah McNally, who opened the McNally Jackson bookstore in SoHo almost four years ago, your family owns a successful bookstore chain in Canada. Ms. Stockton Bagnulo had no such backup. “I have no money, no trust fund, no wealthy relatives,” she said. “I don’t know anyone wealthy.”

Even if she did, her entrepreneurial dream might not look like the best repository for an investment: since 2000, about 75 independent bookstores in and around New York have closed, according to Eileen Dengler, executive director of the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association, a trade group for the tristate area.

Ms. Stockton Bagnulo decided that none of that should stop her. She built up experience at various independent bookstores (including, currently, McNally Jackson, where she is the events coordinator). A resident of Park Slope, she took a class from the Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation. Researching business plans for bookstores at the Brooklyn Public Library, she noticed fliers for a Citibank-sponsored competition for business plans, entered it — along with 200 other dreamers — and won the $15,000 first prize.

Meanwhile, a couple of neighborhoods over, in Fort Greene, a business group did a survey of residents in which 75 percent of respondents named a bookstore as their first choice for an addition to their retail landscape (which is already well-stocked with places where you can buy a $4 latte or a $150 bottle of wine). “We were hoping to find someone who owned a bookstore already,” said John Zeitlin, a member of the Fort Greene Indie Bookstore Initiative, an offshoot of the Fort Greene Retail Association, which conducted the survey. “But most of them weren’t in expansion mode.”

The group met Ms. Stockton Bagnulo after reading about her prize in The Daily News, and this week gave her a party in the lobby of the Harvey Theater at the Brooklyn Academy of Music to introduce her to the neighbors and enlist their help, financial and otherwise.

A tough week for everyone, it has been particularly rough in its own way for literary types, who learned on Sunday that David Foster Wallace had hanged himself, then opened up New York magazine on Monday to find a story about the book publishing industry titled, simply, “The End.” The Fort Greene party, given everything else going on in the world, felt like a pocket of irrational exuberance, even extravagance — a through-the-looking-glass scene in which an independent bookstore, of all things, was the cause for great optimism and celebration.

Sushi donated by a local restaurant owner decked a generous buffet table, and bookish volunteers from around the city — a librarian’s 20-something son, a woman who works for the book publisher John Wiley & Sons — offered the 300 guests wine (also donated by a local merchant). Literary stars from the neighborhood — Colson Whitehead, Jennifer Egan and even Jhumpa Lahiri, the book world’s Garbo — all showed up to offer support.

Halfway through the event, Ms. Stockton Bagnulo announced with glee that she had a business partner — Rebecca Fitting, a 34-year-old sales representative for Random House who decided a few weeks earlier to devote a sizable chunk of her nest egg to the cause of making the store a reality. Now they just needed a space, and enough additional money to give them the leeway to do it right.

A competition, a party, overflowing community support, celebrities of a sort, an energetic young woman prone to saying plucky things like “All I had was my ambition and my passion” — these are the ingredients of a story of someone realizing a remarkable dream, like crossing the Atlantic in a hot air balloon. That opening a humble local bookstore in New York has more in common with that kind of improbable adventure than, say, opening a dry cleaner is, in its own way, a depressing sign of the times.

“Maybe I’m an optimist, but I see the other side of it,” said Ms. Stockton Bagnulo. “Which is that only a bookstore can inspire this kind of passion.”

Rigatoni with Eggplant and Dried Tomato Pesto

1 medium onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound)
6 ounces dried rigatoni or other short pasta (such as penne or fusilli)
1/3 recipe Dried Tomato Pesto (recipe follows)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons crumbled chevre (goat cheese) or feta cheese (optional)
Fresh Italian parsley

1. Cut onion into 8 wedges. Place in a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; brush with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Roast in a 425 degree F oven for 10 minutes.

2. Cut stem end off eggplant; discard. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise. Brush with remaining olive oil. Stir onion; place eggplant in pan, cut sides down. Continue roasting for 15 minutes more or until onion is golden brown and eggplant is just tender.

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain well. Toss the cooked pasta with Dried Tomato Pesto and pepper.

4. Transfer pasta to a serving bowl; keep warm. Transfer eggplant to a cutting board; using a serrated knife, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. (Use a fork to steady eggplant as you slice.) Toss eggplant and onion with pasta; season to taste with salt. Top with cheese and Italian parsley, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 side-dish servings or 4 main-dish servings.

Dried Tomato Pesto: Drain 3/4 cup oil-packed dried tomatoes (about 3/4 of a 7-ounce jar), reserving oil. Add olive oil to equal 1/2 cup; set aside. In a food processor bowl or blender container, combine the drained tomatoes; 8 cloves garlic, chopped; 1/4 cup pine nuts or slivered almonds; 1/4 cup snipped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil, crushed; and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and process or blend until finely chopped. With machine running, gradually add the 1/2 cup oil, processing or blending until almost smooth and stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Divide pesto into thirds. Use a third for Rigatoni with Eggplant and refrigerate the remaining 2 portions up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Makes approximately three 1/3-cup portions.

Caramelized Onion Pizza

1 large red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 6- to 7-inch whole wheat pita bread rounds
1 large tomato, quartered and sliced or 1 cup cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup finely shredded Romano cheese (1 ounce)
1/4 cup small fresh basil leaves or shredded fresh basil

1. In a medium saucepan cook onion slices and garlic in hot olive oil over medium heat, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until onion is very tender, stirring occasionally; set aside.

2. For a charcoal grill, arrange medium-hot coals around the edges of the grill. Test for medium heat in the center of the grill. Toast one side of each bread round directly over the coals for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from grill. Top toasted side of each bread round with onion mixture, sliced tomato, mozzarella cheese, and Romano cheese.

3. Return bread rounds to center of grill (not directly over coals). Cover grill. Grill for 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and toppings are heated through. Remove from grill and top with basil before serving. Makes 4 servings.

Mixed Mushroom Pizza

1 recipe Pizza Dough (see Pizza Margherita recipe)
8 ounces Fontina Valle d'Aosta, fontina, provolone, or mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
2 large sweet onions (such as Vidalia or Walla Walla), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups assorted sliced mushrooms (such as shiitake, oyster, cremini, chanterelle, morel ,and/or button)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons snipped fresh rosemary
Snipped fresh parsley

1. Preheat oven to 375 degree F. Prepare Pizza Dough using the 16x12x1-inch pan. Arrange cheese slices on top of dough in pan.

2. In a large skillet, cook onions, covered, in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat for 13 to 15 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Uncover; cook and stir over medium-high heat for 5 to 8 minutes more or until onions are golden. Remove from pan and set aside.

3. In the same skillet, combine mushrooms, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the garlic, and rosemary. Cook over medium heat until mushrooms are tender; drain well. Spoon mushroom mixture over cheese. Top with onions.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until crust bottom is slightly crisp and brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Cut the pizza into 4-inch squares and serve immediately. Makes 12 servings.

Shopping With Design Bloggers - Fall Picks From Those Who’ve Seen It All

Josh Rubin, the editor of the five-year-old blog Cool Hunting, describes the mission of his site as “an aggressive seeking of stuff.” It’s a phrase that could be applied to innumerable design blogs, which have been breeding like mosquitoes since the beginning of the decade. “We are constantly scouring the Web, magazines and television for fresh new ideas and inspiration,” said Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, who runs the four-year-old Apartment Therapy blog; on top of that, his offices are awash in an endless flood of submissions from designers and manufacturers. (And of fans: “People show up all the time,” he said. “A few weeks ago, an organizer from Germany” — an organizer of the clutter-busting variety — “brought us a bag of madeleines.”)

Stephen Drucker, the editor in chief of House Beautiful magazine, calls the best design bloggers “guerrilla editors, constantly taking the temperature of the design world.” Deborah Needleman, his counterpart at Domino, is publishing a blog guide in her November issue, a primer on the styles and sensibilities of various sites. “There are so many of them that you can find one that matches your style and point of view,” she said. “That’s what you want from a blog: a voice and point of view you want to check in with.”

Because design bloggers are expert sifters and seekers, as well as tireless sorters and linkers, spending more time online than is perhaps ocularly prudent, they make the keenest guides to all that is urgent, odd and delightful in the design world at any given moment.

The eyes behind seven sites shared their favorite new things for fall.

Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, 42, New York City

Soothing, prescriptive and communal, four-year-old Apartment Therapy reflects the personality of the man who co-founded and runs it, Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, a Waldorf school teacher turned design therapist, author, and Internet entrepreneur. It is focused on urban life and is quitely evangelical on topics like slow food, tiny offices, and green homes. It is also huge ― the Apartment Therapy banner waves over four other blogs, like the ecologically minded Re-Nest ― and claims more than 2 million unique visitors monthly. "We believe the home is the most important space any of us have," said Mr. Gillingham-Ryan, who moves among a barn, a yurt and a small Manhattan apartment with his wife, Safa, a food writer, and their daughter, Ursula, age 2. "We support regular folks who want to make it beautiful, organized, and healthy, day in, day out."

$12,500, Jennifer Levin Atocha. "Solves a storage problem and honos the desire to collect."

Tim Yu, 27; Josh Rubin, 34; Ami Kealoha, 30; Evan Orensten, 42; New York

Despite the geekiness of its 90s name, Cool Hunting shows off some pretty cool stuff, like a body-temperature-regulating jacket from Helly Hansen; the faux-naïve paintings of Michael Swaney, a Barcelona-based Canadian; and a "saddle stool" made from an actual saddle by Fernando Akasaka, a Brazilian furniture designer. Josh Rubin, who has been a Web and CD-ROM designer, started the site as a design-source archive for his own use (he used blogging software, he said, because it was well-suited to making an archive). Five years later, Cool Hunting has been redesigned for advertising and, as of Wednesday, has amassed 5,152 entries. Its general theme, said Mr. Rubin, who lives in Chelsea with Mr. Orensten, two dogs and some Jean Prouvé chairs, "is the obsessive-compulsive process." Last month, he added, it had more than 330,000 unique visitors.

$300, Hulger. "Natural materials used for cutting-edge technology."

Grace Bonney, 27, Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Design Sponge is the indie girl band of the design blogosphere. Devoted to crafty, handmade things like felted sculptures, letterpress stationery and hand-drawn wallpapers, it has a girly sensibility with an edge, and a particular interest in the work of independent designers working in its creator's neighborhood. Maintaining the blog is the full-time job of Grace Bonney, who is also a contributing editor at Domino and Craft magazines. There are contests, podcasts, and design guides to cities beyond New York, like Portland, Me., all sweetly laid out on an endless linen runner with a lacy border, giving the site the feeling of a Martha Stewart Living for millennials ― 30,000 of them each day, Ms. Bonney said.

About $16 a yard, Alan the Gallant. "A welcome change from all of the damask."

$1,400, Paul Loebach. "A great way to play around with bright shades without taking a huge risk."

$12 to $52, Up in the Air Somewhere. "Feels beautiful and solid, not thin and precious."

Hollister Hovey, 29, Brooklyn

Ms. Hovey's aesthetic is an eccentric version of decaying WASP-y, Teddy Roosevelt by way of John Derian. (Ms. Hovey's apartment, she said, "may be the least PETA-friendly home in Brooklyn," because she has embellished it with a herd of vintage animal heads ― a sheep, a springbok, an antelope, and more ― and a zebra skin rug.) The blog's mandate, she said, "is to help the classices have a place in the cyber-world filled with ubiquitousmodern design. "Diaristic and appealingly personal, recent posts include photos of old stock certificates, thoughts on the Ralph Lauren fashion show, and a "yard sale" at Chatsworth. The blog receives about 500 visitors a day, Ms. Hovey said, with 84 subscribed to her newsfeed, a number that includes her father. "He seems to think that I'm e-mailing these all to him directly," said Ms. Hovey, "like little missives about my life. He responds accordingly, 'Thanks for the update. Love, Dad.'"

$750, Coleen & Company. "Can't all indoor furniture go outside?"

$1,800, Darr. "Looks like Thomas Edison may have fiddled with it."

Harry Wakefield, 47, Montreal

More like a traditional magazine than a blog, MoCo Loco (MoCo is short for modern and contemporary) is slick and adult, and focused squarely on modern architecture design and art, a Dwell-ish site of pre-fab housing and high-design objects from around the world. Now five years old, it has 28,000 subscribers to its daily news feed, said Harry Wakefield, its editor and creator, and gets up to a million pages views a month. "In 2003 I couldn't find a design blog I wanted to read, so I started one," said Mr. Wakefield, who has worked in magazines and advertising. "I live in a tiny house with my wife and two people I affectionately call 'the destroyers,'" he said, "which is why most of my favorite MoCo objects are on the blog, not at home."

$429, Designfenzider. Focuses the eye on "the mystery and beauty of the flame."

$350, CGF Group Design Italia. "The essence of the cuckoo."

$1,200, Sherwood Forlee. "Functional architecture for our night table."

Jennifer Boles Dwyer, 36, Atlanta

Jennifer Boles Dwyer is an admirer of Charlotte Moss, Sybil Connolly and Parish-Hadley, and a booster for classic English decorating and its effluence: demilune tables, good lighting, books by Bunny Williams, Brunschwig fabrics. Here is a personal blog ― in other words, no advertising ― with about 2,000 daily subscribers, she said, and 1,500 additional "readers." (One of them, Stephen Drucker, the editor of House Beautiful, hired her as a contributing editor.) Ms. Dwyer, who has been helping run the family business (which makes printing presses), turned to the blog as an outlet for her interest in design history. "My goal," she said, "is to encourage people to look to the past while embracing the new and modern. You can find a lot of inspiration in the past. It's how you present it that makes it new."

$1,300, Currey & Company. "The classic waterfall shape and rich parchment finish make this work in contemporary and more traditional homes. And it costs a lot less than an original Jean-Michel Frank."

Stephanie Murg, 28, New York City and Steve Delahoyde, 29, Chicago

According to its founding editor, Jen Bekman, UnBeige was named in honor of the late graphic designer Tibor Kalman, who dismissed off-white and beige as the color choces of those afraid to offend. "By definition," Kalman once said, "when you make something no one hates, no one loves it." Part of the Mediabistro group of blogs, the three-year-old UnBeige is on its fourth and fifth editors, Steve Delahoyde and Stephanie Murg. They were hired, Ms. Murg said, because of their interest in what she described as "imperfections, quirkiness, insanity, unpredictability."

The blog is an arch, pop culture-oriented Web magazine, a Gawker for those who are as comfortable discussing Charles Gwathmey's addition to the Art and Architecture Building at Yale as they are deconstructing Metallica album covers.

$129, CB2. "Shattering reflections into multiple views, for the lazy Cubist."

$9,900, EcoSmart Inc.. "The design world loves a good juxtaposition."

$4,000 to $5,800, Kayiwa. "A Museum of Natural History meets the Container Store aesthetic."