Urban Gardens

The festivities begin as soon as I step into the streetcar.

I sit next to a woman wearing a large hat adorned with flowers and illuminated by tiny, white lights. This might seem a bit odd anywhere else, but … Read More...

Bench spotted on Magazine Street. Photo by Robin Plaskoff Horton.

When someone mentions “The Storm” in New Orleans, everyone knows they are speaking of Katrina. Now, in the same way they speak of the hurricane that devastated their city, residents … Read More...

Photo: Robin Plaskoff Horton

I’ve not been taking it easy in the Big Easy the past few days helping my daughter move into her apartment and trying to furnish it on a dime (a challenge but doable.) In between, I’ve … Read More...

Palo Alto, California manhole cover

When I come across a beautiful sewer drain cover, I feel a little flicker of joy seeing an object covering a not-so-pleasant space bringing a bit of beauty to the environment.

Matsimoto, Japan

In Japan … Read More...

Photo: Robin Plaskoff Horton

Four years after Hurricane Katrina, there are approximately 700,000 vacant lots in New Orleans. Enter groups like The New Orleans Farm and Food Network who help residents transform neighborhood abandoned or underused green space into urban … Read More...