#and ideally they’re flower shaped and not just flat circles

[nerdierholler]

I suddenly really want buñuelos because we always got some around the holidays. Unfortunately I’m not sure anyone sells them here. I might call a couple of places tomorrow though.

[bagiyaa]

Why Square Pots Are Perfect for Growing Indoor Plant

Indoor gardening is all about finding the right balance between aesthetics, functionality, and plant health. While round pots have been the traditional choice, square pots are quickly becoming a favorite among indoor gardeners. Offering both practical and decorative advantages, square pots are a versatile solution for growing healthy and beautiful indoor plants. Here’s a detailed look at the benefits of using square pots for your indoor greenery.

1. Efficient Use of Space

Square pots are designed to fit snugly together, making them perfect for maximizing space. Unlike round pots, square pots eliminate gaps when placed side by side, allowing you to group more plants on a shelf, windowsill, or any flat surface. This makes them an excellent choice for small apartments or homes where space is limited.

2. Better Root Development

Square pots often promote better root distribution. The corners of the pot and planters give roots more direction to grow and spread out evenly, reducing the risk of root circling, which is common in round pots. Healthy root systems are essential for plant growth, making square pots a practical choice for long-term plant care.

3. Versatile Design Options

Square pots come in a wide range of styles, colors, and materials, making them an adaptable choice for various interior designs. Whether you prefer sleek, modern designs or rustic terracotta finishes, square pots can complement any decor. Their clean lines add a contemporary touch to your living space, creating a cohesive and polished look.

4. Stability and Functionality

The square base of these pots provides added stability, preventing tipping or wobbling. This is particularly beneficial for taller plants or pots placed on narrow surfaces. Additionally, square pots often have larger soil capacity compared to round pots of similar dimensions, which means your plants can access more nutrients and moisture.

5. Easy Organization

If you’re a plant enthusiast who loves to keep things organized, square pots are ideal. Their uniform shape makes arranging and stacking them easier. Whether you’re grouping plants by species, size, or sunlight needs, square pots create a neat and visually appealing display.

6. Improved Drainage Options

Many square pots are designed with advanced drainage systems to prevent overwatering. With a uniform bottom and adequate drainage holes, these pots help ensure that water flows out evenly, reducing the risk of root rot. Adding a matching saucer underneath further protects your indoor surfaces.

7. Suitable for Various Plant Types

Square pots are incredibly versatile and can accommodate a wide range of indoor plants. Whether you’re growing succulents, herbs, flowering plants, or larger foliage plants, square pots provide the space and support needed for healthy growth.

Conclusion

Square pots are more than just a trendy option—they’re a smart, practical choice for indoor gardening. From saving space and promoting root health to offering stylish designs and improved functionality, they cater to the needs of both plants and plant lovers. Whether you’re starting your indoor garden or looking to upgrade your existing setup, square pots are a fantastic investment.

Give square pots a try and see how they can transform your indoor plant collection into a thriving and aesthetically pleasing oasis!

[carmenpolanco]

Photo Projects You Can Do From Home Or While Traveling

When caught in a creative rut, photo projects can help you polish your abilities, discover new techniques, and even reignite your creativity. Whether you choose to work on these projects at home or on the fly, here are some suggestions for your next photographic adventure:

Capture everyday moments that tell a vital tale—photograph persons who are wise or have a new perspective, for example.

Concentrating on a particular subject might be an excellent method to improve your talents. Find a topic that interests you and work on it to create unique photographs.

A self-portrait is one of the most popular home photography projects. Some people believe it's egocentric, but it's actually an excellent method to enhance your photographic skills and explore your emotions in a secure environment.

A flat lay is another beautiful picture project to tackle at home. This is a photograph that is made up of various items on a surface and is photographed from above. To generate multiple effects, use plastic wrap, tulle, or other household materials. Check the lighting and try to catch a range of angles and views. This will aid in the creation of a sense of movement in your image.

The most innovative photography projects aren't generally those that require you to travel or photograph breathtaking surroundings. They're the ones who make you think differently about everyday items and scenes.

Take shots of feathers, for example, to show off their shape and texture. Alternatively, capture your pets lying about for a nice photo. A dark background can also be used to make a silhouette shot.

Water droplet photography is another excellent idea. While this necessitates a high shutter speed and some specialized equipment, it is simple to accomplish at home. Raise a piece of glass and place an eye-catching backdrop beneath it. Then, fire your drops from various views and angles. The end product can be breathtaking! You can also change the settings every time for a different look.

Foodscaping is a type of landscape design that incorporates plants that are both aesthetically beautiful and tasty. It's a fun alternative to traditional landscaping that's ideal for folks with limited outside space, restrictive HOA rules, or who don't feel like gardening with more typical ornamental plants.

Vegetable photography can be a fun way to experiment with your camera. To make an eye-catching image, experiment with different textures, shapes, and colors. Consider using a beautiful bottle of olive oil to give a splash of color or diluting glycerin in water to mimic the appearance of morning dew (be sure to dump it when you're finished, as it can be harmful).

To produce a balanced composition, try backlighting or positioning your vegetables in the lower part of the frame.

Symmetry is a powerful composition technique that can draw attention to even the most mundane items and environments. This method can be applied to a wide range of photographic topics, including still lifes, portraits, landscapes, and street photography.

Reflections are one of the simplest methods to play with symmetry. This sort of symmetry involves the use of a reflective surface, such as a mirror or lake, to produce an image that is the same on both sides.

You can utilize a lake near your house or look for other reflecting surfaces to photograph, such as a puddle or a structure. Just keep in mind that the symmetrical line should be centered in the frame rather than to the left or right of it.

Bokeh is used in one of the most popular photo projects. Bokeh refers to the hazy rings of light that emerge in images with a narrow depth of field, and it provides a soft, appealing look.

Natural scenes, such as grass and flowers, generally have excellent bokeh because the soft circles contrast with the sharp plant blades. Other natural components, such as water and foggy skies, can look good with bokeh as well.

Artificial objects also provide excellent bokeh subjects. Beautiful bokeh effects can be created by traffic and street lights, Christmas or other holiday lights, or even a simple string of lights. Online, you may also discover artistic bokeh kits with colorful shapes like hearts and stars. These are compatible with any wide-aperture lens.

[desertdollranch]

My goal for Dolloween was to use all of my dolls (minus my non-AG baby dolls and < 14 inch dolls), and I actually did achieve that, even with missing two days. It was fun giving everyone a chance to shine, especially those who don’t show up quite as often on my blog. 

I think my most favorite prop that I made for the photo challenge was Nahji’s runner duck. 

Runner ducks are tall and skinny, and run instead of waddling. I tried to make mine look as silly as the real ones. It’s made from a piece of very soft faux fur that I trimmed shorter to make it look more like feathers. The beak and feet are orange felt, and it’s stuffed with pillow stuffing.

My favorite post to stage and photograph was the pumpkin patch. 

This was a LOT of work to pull together. I spent a few days wondering where would I be able to set it up and shoot, until I realized that my yard would work just fine. There’s a huge part of it that’s just scrubby desert grass and some cactus, and the perimeter fence isn’t visible when I photograph at the right angle. Perfect for a large pumpkin field. 

And then I’ve got the little clump of trees that give a nice shade and just enough open space to bring some lovely golden sunset light into the background. 

But I had only a very short window of time where the light would be ideal to shoot these pictures, so I spent several days photographing a few shots at a time. The pumpkin field pictures had to be photographed between 4:00 and 4:20, when the sunlight was angled enough to illuminate the subject with minimal shadows, but any later than that and my house plus the cottonwood tree would start to cast shadows over the usable area of grass. And the photos I took in the shade, like the one above of the four girls, could only be taken roughly between 5:45 and 6:15. Any later and the sun would be down beneath the horizon. Any earlier and the light wouldn’t shine through enough to make it look glowy, and the shadows would be patchy. I had to exercise some strict self-discipline to get everything done on time, and to have everything set up at least a few minutes before the right time rolled around. 

For several daily themes, I shot several versions of them before making a decision about which to publish. 

For day 24, favorite Halloween treat, I first put Antonia and Sariah in the kitchen to make them. But then I decided I wanted them elsewhere in different posts, and anyway that kitchen was looking a little crowded with two dolls.

I tried it with Rajani because she’s a foodie, but then it occurred to me that Grace Thomas herself should be the one making treats, since that’s her thing. 

It’s also pretty common for me to make rough drafts of certain doll crafts, and tinkering with the results before I publish my blog posts. These popcorn balls were my test run of the final product. I thought they looked a little flat and boring (also like who even makes just six popcorn balls?), so I ended up repainting them and adding six more to the tray. 

Consuelo’s marigolds for her flower crown and ofrenda were probably the most time consuming prop that I made.

They’re tiny circles of tissue paper that I cut individually, strung onto a piece of floral wire, and then carefully fluffed to shape them. It took hours to finish all 16 flowers, but I'm pleased with how they turned out.

Do any of you have your own memorable moments from Dolloween? 

[lost-in-austen-books]

4, 6, 11, 17

4. What flower would you like to be given?

Pink peonies, pink and blue hydrangeas or pink and green carnations - they’re my favourite flowers! 💐

6. Say three nice things about yourself (three physical and three non-physical).

Physical:

1. My hair is really thick and voluminous

2. My skin is super soft - people always compliment me on it haha

3. I like the shape of my lips if that’s not a weird thing to say! They’re just full enough without being too big since my mouth is rather small. I feel like it’s such a weird thing to point out but there you go!

Non-physical:

1. I’m pretty smart and well read. I graduated from high school with the highest grades in my year (in all my exams I was in the top 5% of the entire country!) and I’ve done well in university where I study social studies. I'm applying to do development studies as my major in the spring which is the toughest one to get into but fingers crossed!!

2. I’m extremely loyal to my friends. It might take a while to get to my close circle, but if you do you know I’m prepared to do anything for you. Whenever I ask my friends to describe for something, loyal is always the first one they say and it’s something I value a lot in a person.

3. Alongside my academic and knowledge driven passions I’m also very handy at different things! I knit everything from socks to jumpers, I do cross-stitch, I bake and I do all sorts! I would like to do some of my own clothes in the future, but I don’t have a sowing machine in my flat.

11. What’s your ideal date?

Well, being always so focused on academics and being an introvert, I must admit I’ve never been on a date in my 23 years! Despite being a helpless romantic in a lot of ways, I don’t catch feelings too easily and I feel like I’m too busy to spend time with a stranger I might not get along with, compared to doing something useful or something I’m sure to enjoy (like watching Austen/Downton Abbey for the zillionth time).

However, if I were to go on a date I think I would like to go somewhere where you can talk about things like a museum exhibition or walking around bookshops - not just sitting in silence like in a cinema, and then just chatting in a nice cafe/restaurant about what we’ve seen and done and everything related and un-related to it!

17. Fairy lights or LED lights?

I believe I only own LED lights so I’m going to say those!

Oh my goodness I definitely have a tendency to ramble on when I'm not writing an essay with a word count! But thank you so much for asking! 💕

[livingcorner]

30 Ways to Upcycle Old Tires in your Garden. Useful + Decorative Ideas

They say that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

If you’ve recently changed the tires on your car, you may be wondering what to do with the leftovers. Sure, you could bring them to the landfill – but that’s such a waste. Plus, there are some types of tires (like those from large tractors or other kinds of heavy machinery) that many landfills will not accept.

You're reading: 30 Ways to Upcycle Old Tires in your Garden. Useful + Decorative Ideas

So what are you to do?

Easy.

There are plenty of ways you can use old tires in the garden – here are some of the most creative and innovative ways to do so.

30 Ways You Can Use Old Tires in the Garden

1. Make a Raised Bed

If you like growing vegetables, flowers, and fruits in raised beds, consider using old tires on your next project.

There are several benefits to using tires in this way. Not only do they require less water, but the black rubber, if left unpainted, will absorb heat from the ground.

Even if you do decide to paint the containers, the soil will warm up more quickly when it is above the ground, so you can not only plant sooner, but your plants will grow faster, too.

You’ll be the first one in town to have fresh potatoes for dinner!

2. Use Tires as Hanging Containers

Instead of paying a ton of money to buy hanging baskets of flowers, you may want to consider using old tires instead. They not only look fantastic, but they can be customized to meet any design scheme, too.

3. Tire Chairs

Take a load off – and consider making these tire chairs. They’re comfortable, beautiful – and functional, too!

4. Make a Stacked Tire Planter

There are so many options for versatility with this idea! You can stack any number of tires (choose from three to thirteen!) to make a planter wall that will enable you to showcase various plants. You can make it as colorful as you want by choosing paint and flowering plants that pop.

5. Create a Terrace Garden

You don’t have to have a two-acre garden in order to use tires, either. In fact, you can even make the most of tires in a container garden. Simply place a previously potted plant inside an old tire (ideally, one that’s painted). This will not only add a touch of elegance to your patio, but it will also deter a variety of garden pests, like rabbits and certain insects.

Read more: Why You Need to Start Vertical Gardening Now

6. Scalloped Tire Container

If you want to take your tire planter ideas up a notch, consider cutting the top of the tire. This will create a gorgeous edge that looks scalloped and chic, helping you draw attention to your new decor.

7. Wagon Wheel Planters

Inspire a western feel with this gorgeous recycled tire display.

8. Make Garden Art

There’s so much to be said about artwork in the garden. It helps liven things up even before your plants have started to bloom.

One easy way to brighten up your garden is to incorporate outdoor art with old tires. You can use paint and some creative stacking to create a favorite cartoon or character.

9. Tire Wishing Well

You could even stack your tires to make a tire wishing well! You can make these as functional (or as artistic) as you’d like.

10. Create a Stylish Edge

This tire fence won’t do much to keep out garden pests and invaders, but it sure does look beautiful!

11. Painted Tire Planter

Add a touch of elegance to your garden by painting old tires to look like polka dots, bricks, or anything else that strikes your fancy!

12. Grow a Tire Garden on the Wall

Don’t have a lot of ground space? You can always make a vertical wall garden with your old tires!

13. Create a Succulent Garden

Succulents grow well in tires, especially in dry areas. Since tires heat up quickly, you won’t have any problem keeping these heat-lovers warm.

14. Sushi Roll Tire Garden

This might not be the most functional tire display – but isn’t it creative?

15. Make a Tire Fun House

This idea is a bit more challenging, but if you’re trying to keep your kids entertained while you work in your garden, it’s worth the extra effort. You can easily make a fun house (and make one that doubles as a planter, too!) that will give your kids space to play.

16. Make a Tire Garden Retaining Wall

Stack multiple customized tire planters to create your own retaining wall. It’s not only gorgeous to look at, but it’s easy to maintain. All you have to do is water the top planter and the water will seep down to the rest of the plants.

17. Grow Your Own Fruit

You don’t have to limit yourself to vegetables and lowers in your tire garden. Why not grow some edible fruits?

18. DIY Tire Stools

Whether you want to use these tires as chairs or tables, it’s up to you – but one thing is for sure. You’re going to love how these tires look and how functional they are, too.

19. Save Money on Planting Trees

When you’re planting a small tree, it can get expensive in a hurry. If you just throw the tree directly in the soil, you’re going to have some issues with erosion and nutrient loss.

However, plant your small sapling in a tire, and it will protect the tree’s fragile roots while it is getting established. You can stack a couple of tires to create a deeper pot, and if you want to get rid of the tires after the tree has grown, all you have to do is cut it off from around the trunk.

20. Create a Tire Fence

This forged fence uses tires as flower planters. It’s creative and functional – plus, you can paint your tires whatever color you’d like!

21. Build a Tire Playground

Want to get some exercise while working in your garden? Build this fun exercise playground!

22. Make a Tire Compost Bin

You can even use tires to make a compost bin! Just cut the side walls out of your tires and, as you fill the first tire hoop with your compost ingredients, you can simply place another on top until you have it stacked five or six tires high.

23. Build Garden Stairs

Use tires to build a simple stairway up a hill.  Just dig out a place for each tire, then fill with soil and grass to create a natural looking stairway that has more stability. This is a great use for tires that may have been too flat to air back up or even ones torn apart.  You don’t need the entire tire to create the stairway.

Read more: Garden Line

24. Build Decorative Planters

If you have more creative skills and gardening skills, you can cut tires apart to shape into unique planters.  This is a perfect use for tires that may have bigger holes in them and can be cut apart to create “arms” to twist together and shape into a feature planter for your garden or lawn.

25. Create a Kitchen Garden

Why spend a ton of money on fancy containers for your garden or flowers?  Use old tires you have filled with soil to line up a garden in rows without digging into the ground.  You can easily line the tire bottoms with a trash bag or plastic liner that has had holes punctured through it.  Then pour your soil in and plant seeds or seedlings.  At the end of the season, you can move these out of the way and store for next year.

26. Build a Flowerbed Sculpture

Turn old tires into a fun new critter sculpture for your yard!  I’ve bought large sculptures and garden gnomes, but why not upcycle tires instead?  This is a great little caterpillar or could be called a snake depending upon what you prefer.  Add old soda bottles as accents for ears or eyes and paint whatever color suits you.

27. Create a Cute Teacup Planter

This teacup planter is so unique!  All you need is two tires or rims, some extra rubber from a tire, and a round flat surface like a piece of plywood.  Stack the tires on top of each other with the smaller one on the bottom and then attach the extra rubber in a curve on one side.  Paint whatever color you wish and add accents like circles, butterflies, birds, or dragonflies along the outside.

28. Build a Backyard Swing

There is nothing more classic than an upcycled tire turned into a backyard swing.  This is not only functional but beautiful!  Cut holes in it and tie a heavy duty rope through the holes creating a seat that can be hung from any tree or stand you’ve built in your yard.

29. Build a Frog Planter

Frogs are one of my favorite creatures and you can add them to your garden not as real life animals but as adorable decorations! You just need to stack your old tires so two are on the bottom for the base and one is on top and centered like a pyramid.  Then paint your tires as desired and add some floppy feet and eyes upcycled from another tire or some leftover plastic from detergent bottles or similar.

30. Flower Garden Art

Sunflowers are my favorite flower so of course I want to add them to my garden in all ways possible.  You can easily cut and paint an old tire to form into a beautiful sunflower to “plant” in your garden or lawn!

What to Keep in Mind When Using Old Tires in the Garden

Thinking about using old tires in the garden? You’ll want to make sure you use good potting soil if you intend to plant – and be careful about sharp spots on the tires that can cut your hands. Wear a pair of protective gloves while you work.

Otherwise, these tire garden ideas are sure to inspire the envy of your neighbors! Consider giving one of them (or several of them!) a go today.

Source: https://livingcorner.com.au Category: Garden

source https://livingcorner.com.au/30-ways-to-upcycle-old-tires-in-your-garden-useful-decorative-ideas/

[wallpapernifty]

You Should Experience Penstemon Red Riding Hood At Least Once In Your Lifetime And Here’s Why | Penstemon Red Riding Hood

Planting a array of flowers transforms a bouldered hillside into a wildflower meadow.

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Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images

Rocky hillsides usually accept poor clay with quick drainage. This capacity the flowers to dry conditions, so accept plants with low watering needs or that are aridity tolerance. Planting a bald hillside with flowers stabilizes the soil. Use a bright mix of flowers for a wildflower meadow look, or abstracted the flowers into groups of blush for a added academic look.

Penstemon schmidel “Red Riding Hood” – penstemon red riding hood | penstemon red riding hood

“Delft Dejected Riding Hood” beardtongue (Penstemon “Delft Dejected Riding Hood”) produces dejected tubular-shaped blossoms on 30-inch-long stems so they approach over the leaves throughout the summer. In U.S. Department of Agriculture bulb assurance zones 5 through 8, this abiding annual attracts hummingbirds and collywobbles to the hillside. “May Night” meadow academician (Salvia x sylvestris “May Night”) grows best in USDA zones 5 through 9, basic clumps of blooming leaves. It grows 2 1/2-feet alpine and 1 1/2-feet advanced with aphotic dejected annual spikes all summer. Deadhead this annual to animate the bulb to aftermath added blossoms.

Butterfly edger (Asclepias tuberose), in USDA zones 3 through 9, grows flat-topped clusters of orange flowers from the average of summer through fall, extensive 1 to 3 anxiety alpine and wide. This North American built-in abiding attracts birds, collywobbles and hummingbirds to the area. “Moonbeam” thread-leaved tickseed flowers (Coreopsis verticillata “Moonbeam”) aftermath bristling blooming leaves and star-shaped anemic chicken blossoms from backward bounce through abatement in USDA bulb assurance zones 4 through 9.

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Circle onions (Allium senescens var. glaucum) aftermath silver-blue leaves shaped like blooming onions and annular clusters of baby blush blossoms above16-inch stalks. It flowers from summer until the end of abatement in USDA zones 4 through 10. “Desert Sunrise” hummingbird excellent (Agastache “Desert Sunrise”), in USDA bulb assurance zones 5 through 10, with ample spikes of reddish-pink tubular-shaped annual with orange tints, blooms from summer through aboriginal fall. Both the leaves and flowers of this ambrosial 3-foot bulb allure collywobbles and hummingbirds.

“Fragrant Angel” coneflower (Echinacea purpurea “Fragrant Angel”) grows best in USDA zones 3 through 9. Daisy-like flowers fabricated up of two rows of white petals beleaguer an orange centermost on top of 40-inch-tall stems. This acquiescently ambrosial abiding annual attracts collywobbles all summer. “Moonstone” red hot poker (Kniphofia “Moonstone”) produces cone-shaped annual active fabricated up of white tubular-shaped blossoms on top of bronze-colored stems. This summer-blooming annual forms 30-inch clumps of sword-shaped blooming leaves and spreads 18 inches wide. It is abiding in USDA zones 7 through 9.

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Karen Carter spent three years as a technology specialist in the accessible academy arrangement and her autograph has

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[thedrunkaffogato]

Cooking is Chemistry 3: The slow burn

There's many reasons that thinking of cooking as chemistry might seem initially off the mark. Chemistry is often shown off to children as flashy and immediate to try and keep their attention. Cooking, on the other hand, is often seen as a daily drudgery.

Part of it being seen more often as craft than art has to do with how much time and effort it often requires just to make something you can eat. Trying to hurry it along into an instant reaction, like dropping baking soda in vinegar, usually leads to unfortunately equally explosive results.

This bored view of the kitchen has shaped cooking. It’s part of why culinary knowledge is actually so often in the hands of people that the work was pushed off to - women, people of color, and the working class. People that society views as not having much to contribute have long been expected to devote their time to this supposedly unfulfilling work.

Setting aside the tangled question of what qualifies as craft or art, whether you learn to cook in a diner or a premier culinary school you are absorbing the knowledge distilled by centuries of other people's patience. Any time you cook you are setting aside some of your own time as well, adding to that tally, and hopefully expanding the corpus with that dedication.

I think the omelette, especially given the debates surrounding it in many cooking circles, is the perfect example of where these issues all come together. My favorite type to make and to eat is one that requires continuous effort and rapt attention. When done right however, it honors all the effort before it.

Eggs are arguably the most versatile ingredient in cooking. They come neatly divided into protein-based whites and a yellow bulb of rich fats. You can separate them or use both. Because they cook at comparatively low temperatures but don't burn until fairly high ones, there's a broad range of ways to make and serve them. They are fairly mild when it comes to flavor, so spices, salt, sour acids, bitter sides, and even sweeteners can be used alongside them.

The problem with this flexibility is that there's so much you can do with them that it can be paralyzing. Omelettes are often presented as uniquely complicated, but I think they're actually a very useful place to start because they take a simple approach towards most choices with the eggs. You don't separate the yolks and whites but simply cook the whole without too much agitation, especially at the end. Those easy options are essentially what define an omelette.

Omelettes are a contentious topic in the cooking world because like most other egg dishes they have such porous borders. They originated in medieval Catalonia, France, and what would become Italy, as close cousins to frittatas and quiches - still visible in the making of so-called Spanish "omelettes" to this day.

Unlike those more cake-like constructions, however, the idea of what makes an omelette is right in its name - a long-lost reference to the peasant Latin word “lamella”, a plate. In short, a flat surface of cooked egg. Medieval recipes make it sound as though these early omelettes were pretty extensively cooked before probably being folded over on themselves.

Modern omelettes come in diverse shapes and textures, but are all derived from that same tradition. The popular standard in both American and British cooking schools today calls for agitating the eggs while they're still fluid in the pan. This distributes them as much as possible while they begin to cook without turning them into separate pieces.

The openly admitted goal behind that is to make sure they cook as little as possible, leaving still liquid proteins scattered throughout the omelette, to create an extremely soft texture. One of the other effects of this is that they also usually cook faster - partly because of the technique but partly because of the standards involves for what counts as “cooked”.

Few chefs discuss that, however, this is at odds with the original peasant tradition of slow and thorough cooking. Fewer still admit that the more extensively cooked versions remain popular in less costly restaurants, even though they take more time. Personally, I prefer omelettes slightly more solid than this modern professional style in any case. Perhaps that's just me, but maybe there’s some wisdom in this enduring popular tendency.

That being said, modern culinary schools are interested in avoiding overcooking eggs for a reason. The entire point of an omelette is to create a so-thin-it-folds egg dish, not the thickness of a quiche or frittata. A lot of half-pan omelettes in today’s diners are larger, deliberately to securely hold more and more filler ingredients. Those take still longer and longer to cook all the way through, however.

Maybe you prefer omelettes on either end of the spectrum, but I think the best lie in the middle - solid but still creamy, able to be flavored by the ingredients it holds but not expanded into a quasi-quiche to hold them. So, here's my solution to how to make an ideal omelette, balanced between these extremes.

The first thing I think everyone should do when cooking an omelette in a new kitchen or with a new pan is to do a quick test. Often I will, as in this case, just use one egg to see how it cooks under these conditions.

What seems to virtually always work well is to heat the pan with both butter and oil in on the lowest possible setting while preparing the eggs. The longer time the cooking medium and pan itself are on the heat, the more it evenly distributes through them. Keeping it low keeps the oil and butter from burning or browning however.

Since your goal is to create a thin and evenly cooked sheet of eggs (remember it’s a lamella!), having it only cover some of the pan thinly is better than covering the whole thickly.

With a flexible spatula, I recommend circling the rim the eggs form in the pan. This technique makes sure there's a mixture of oil and butter beneath the eggs (as they will stick to even supposedly non-stick pans). Ideally, it will also distribute some of the hot oils to the top of the eggs, helping them catch up on cooking. Once the eggs are freely unattached in the butter and oil, you can begin rolling them from one side of the pan to the other.

After you have them gathered up in one tight roll, I recommend experimenting with moving them within the pan or pouring the oil and butter over them for a few more seconds. The last bits of them that are still a bit liquid will firm up in this position, making a more secure omelette.

I don't think this is my finest one-egg omelette by far, as I  poured the eggs in the pan a bit oddly. Whatever this one’s flaws, it's often easier with just one egg to perfect the technique and also account for what could be improved. If you think of cooking as a craft or art, this is practicing. If you think of it as chemistry, this is a trial experiment. In either case, it's essential.

However you think of it, what this shows is that one egg is most definitely not enough to create a full "plate" for the filling. The pan I'm using is about 10.5 inches in diameter at its top and tapers down to about 8.5 at its base. In all but the smallest of pans, I would recommend at least two large eggs to have enough of their proteins to create a stable omelette with filling.

When starting to use a filling there's a number of considerations you need to make. Here's what I started with yesterday-

From those broccolini stalks, I trimmed them down somewhat - removing their leaves (which will cook too quickly) and the thicker parts of their stems (which will cook too slowly). Their buds, flowers, and smallest stems will cook fairly evenly, along with some ginger cut to be similarly fine. The rest I’ll save for other dishes this week.

With those prepared, I put them to the side. As before, I heated up the pan on the lowest possible setting with a very liberal amount of oil and butter while mixing the yolks and whites. Then, in they went.

Resist the temptation to raise the temperature - you need the time the lower temperature offers you.

As before, they don't quite fill up the whole of the pan, but that's not a problem. The bigger concern is whether they'll stick to the pan, which will affect the shape and increases risk of burning. Once again, lightly pushing from below allows the butter and oil to go beneath them, making sure they're free floating in it. It also usually disturbs their surface, making sure they're covered in oil and butter from above as well.

It's important not to let too much of that mixture of butter and oil touch the top of the omelette, however, because you don't want it to solidify quite yet.

I added the chopped broccolini and ginger to the top of the omelette before it solidified, allowing these ingredients to sink slightly into the eggs.

Adding them in this way allows them to become incorporated into the omelette without directly touching the heat or appearing on what will become the surface of the omelette. When you mix them in with the raw eggs, it can end quite badly with cheese melting out of or mushrooms discoloring what will become the visible outside of the omelette.

At that point, the omelette had nearly hardened around those fillings. Its base was both already that solid and had been fully detached from the pan. It was ready to roll.

Once again, I let it sit a bit longer to set and solidify a bit more.

Now, after all that, you'll notice most of the oil and butter used in cooking is still in the pan. You want an omelette to be completely immersed in them to cook properly, but that means a lot is left behind. Even if you're quite careful, usually a few stray pieces of filling ingredients and bits of egg will be sitting in it too. That’s a very likely fire hazard if you reuse it.

What I find works best is to add some already cooked rice to catch those pieces and absorb some of the butter and oil. It only takes a small amount, so it's perfect as a side to the omelette. It quickly soaks that up, especially once the heat is turned up so that it can be done before the omelette gets too cold.

The resulting dish is the product of careful work over a not insignificant amount of time. Cooking requires practice with all of your tools at hand - your ingredients, your cookware, your kitchen - to understand how they work. It requires a bit of diligence in this specific lesson too.

To cook an omelette in this manner, you have to work with low heats and carefully interact with a pliable substance. Especially at first, you will likely have some difficulties. I know I did. The hard work pays dividends, however, when you can more and more easily prompt the reactions you want.

With this dish particularly, the quiet commitment never disappears entirely. The moments when you first pour your eggs into hot oil and butter are ones of frantic yet prolonged movement to make sure all goes well. There's always room to improve and new variations to explore. Perfection isn't a result, it's a process. Hopefully you can find the liberation in that, that less than ideal results are momentary frustrations you can learn from if you respond with care and contemplation.

By doing that with ingredients as humble as eggs, you can find a carefully calibrated heir to two omelette traditions. It's one thick enough to easily hold filling and yet pleasantly light, creamy from its lighter cooking yet stable and solid.

It's the product of generations of work, arguably all the way back to the first person to capture a wild chicken. So much of it is unsung.

Yesterday's breakfast was an omelette with broccolini and fresh ginger filling dusted with garam masala, fried rice with sriracha, and cinnamon-infused coffee with milk.

[lindyhunt]

6 Celeb-Inspired Airport Outfits for Every Type of Traveler

It’s vacay season and while holiday travels are super exciting, the actual travelling process can be quite the opposite. We’ve put together six airport looks so you can spend less time worrying about what to wear and more time focusing on your upcoming vacation.

So check out our galleries below for every type of airport look. We’ve included some of our favourite celebs for inspiration. From the traveler who is all about the “athleisure” life, to the sophisticate who wants a comfy look that still appears put-together, there’s something here for just about everyone.

Photography by Ray Tamarra/Getty Images

The Sophisticate

Could we really give this category to anyone else? Victoria Beckham helps make airport style a little posh-er with a fitted blazer and classic black accessories.

1/6

The Sophisticate

Cotton Pocket V-Neck T-Shirt

($30, Banana Republic)

A simple tee might seem basic, but these shirts make a great foundation for a more put-together look.

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2/6

The Sophisticate

Long Loose Fit Blazer

($80, Zara)

This blazer adds the perfect amount of sophistication and the longer length and looser fit, make it ideal for travelling.

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3/6

The Sophisticate

Wearlight Mid Rise True Skinny Ankle Jeans

($90, Gap )

These lightly distressed skinny jeans pair perfectly with a more put-together blazer. And this particular style from Gap is made with a more lightweight denim to keep you comfortable.

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4/6

The Sophisticate

Buckle Belt

($37, Topshop)

This belt adds a little more style to our ripped jeans and t-shirt combo.

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5/6

The Sophisticate

Colt Leather Booties

($215, Kendall + Kylie )

It’s amazing how much a simple ankle boot can elevate your look. This sleek option from Kendall + Kylie looks stylish but is also super comfortable with a chunkier heel.

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6/6

The Sophisticate

EW Leather Tote Bag

($455, Marc Jacobs)

You know what, black is the new black, and when you want to look put-together, a couple of good black pieces can definitely help. This handbag is simple but elegant (and big enough to store all of your in-flight magazines).

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Photography by YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images

The Sportif

Athleisure is great because it lets you be stylish and unbelievably comfy at the same time–and isn’t that the perfect recipe for airport travel? Rihanna often rocks this type of vibe when she’s traveling.

1/4

The Sportif

Gallian Cotton-Blend Sweatshirt

($321, Isabel Marant )

This watermelon-toned sweater by Isabel Marant is really the star of this outfit.

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2/4

The Sportif

Diya Grey Casual Trousers

($44, Pretty Little Thing)

These pants by Pretty Little Thing have a draw-string waist, making them ideal for travel. But with a slight crop and tapered fit on the legs, they’re also a lot more elevated than your regular old sweatpants.

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3/4

The Sportif

Stan Smith Sneakers

($110, Adidas)

Stan Smiths are a classic style and pair really well with the slightly cropped trousers. The green detailing on the heel also compliments the sweatshirt from Isabel Marant.

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4/4

The Sportif

Everyday Fanny Pack

($1,229, Balenciaga)

It’s no secret that fanny packs are back, and really, what better place to show one off than at the airport. They’re the perfect passport holders, after all.

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Photography via Getty

The Bohemian

Diane Kruger looks ready for a vacay in this fun and colourful get-up. Pair basics with more playful pieces for the perfect bohemian getaway look.

1/5

The Bohemian

Anna Felt Panama Hat

($51, Urban Outfitters)

If a wide-brim hat is one of your staple pieces, make sure you wear it on the plane so it doesn’t get ruined!

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2/5

The Bohemian

Wilfred Free Jamie Bodysuit

($35, Aritzia )

This simple bodysuit is a great compliment for fun prints.

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3/5

The Bohemian

Wide-Leg Pants

($60, H&M)

These are the perfect pair of pants to travel in, comfy, unrestrictive and super cute.

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4/5

The Bohemian

Naima Slides

($392, Carrie Forbes)

Does anything say summer more than woven raffia?

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5/5

The Bohemian

Handmade Bamboo Coffer Bag

($130, MANGO)

When it comes to bags, the circle style has been the shape of the summer.

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Photography by Neil P. Mockford/Getty Images for MCM

The Comfort Queen

If you’re settling in for a long haul flight, there’s no shame in showing up to the airport prepared. This outfit is all about comfort, meaning soft fabrics are a must. Suki Waterhouse knows that nothing is better for a gruelling flight, than a super fluffy coat.

1/6

The Comfort Queen

Silk Cashmere Varsity V-Neck Sweater

($63, Banana Republic)

We start off with this, the perfect sweater to lounge around in.

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2/6

The Comfort Queen

Wilfred Free Grete Jacket

($198, Aritzia)

This coat is about to be your new best friend. Trying to sleep on a plane can be rough, but once you’ve cocooned yourself in all this coziness, you’ll be fighting to stay awake for the in-flight entertainment.

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3/6

The Comfort Queen

Senella Solid Scarf

($99, Club Monaco )

A scarf is a great thing to throw around your neck before boarding a long flight. Scrunch it up a bit for a soft make-shift pillow.

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4/6

The Comfort Queen

Jersey Leggings

($15, H&M)

No matter how cute other pants are, when you’re sitting on a plane, leggings are really the best option.

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5/6

The Comfort Queen

Cookie Lace Up Trainers

($40, Topshop)

Add some simple sneakers to this relaxed look.

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6/6

The Comfort Queen

Layered Flower Luggage Bag

($394, Adidas by Stella McCartney)

This holdall bag is perfect for holding everything you need.

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Photography by Pierre Suu/FilmMagic

The Rocker

Kristen Stewart looks effortlessly cool in this airport pic and baggy boyfriend jeans are going to be way more comfortable than tight skinnies.

1/5

The Rocker

Oversized Boxy T-Shirt

($17, Topshop)

The tee is a baggier fit but with a slight crop so that the shape is still flattering.

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2/5

The Rocker

Babaton Jagger Leather Moto

($575, Aritzia)

Toughen up the soft pink tee with a leather jacket.

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3/5

The Rocker

Boyfriend Jeans

($193, Amapô)

Trade in your skinnies for some distressed boyfriend jeans.

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4/5

The Rocker

1460 Smooth Originals

($180, Dr. Martens)

These boots are a rocker staple.

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5/5

The Rocker

Piper Backpack

($516, WANT Les Essentiels)

This neutral backpack will go with anything.

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Photography by Agostino Fabio/Getty Images

The Chill Girl

Wear a chill look… but make it fashion! This is an outfit you can definitely continue to wear after you get off the plane. Kate Hudson pulls the look off effortlessly.

1/5

The Chill Girl

Sweater with Contrasting Scallop Trim

($36, Zara)

This simple tee is made more interesting with scalloped details.

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2/5

The Chill Girl

Jeans Flare Wideleg

($90, MANGO)

These wide-leg jeans are super flattering, and pair really well with a more fitted tee. They make a bit more of a fashion statement then your regular skinny jean or legging.

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3/5

The Chill Girl

Trace Studded Mule

($110, Steve Madden )

Mustard yellows and dark forest greens can be a match made in heaven and these studded flats really help to complete this chic look.

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4/5

The Chill Girl

Cotton Canvas Pom Pom Tote

($99, Banana Republic )

Tote bags are really the perfect addition to any airport outfit, and this one from Banana Republic is made more fun with green pom-pom detailing.

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5/5

The Chill Girl

Meacham White Women's Cat Eye

($16, Aldo )

Make like Kate Hudson and throw on a pair of white sunnies.

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