Coquina Daily

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Improv at Grand Central Station

From ImprovEverywhere.com, over 200 people freeze in place on cue in Grand Central Station in New York. This is one of over 70 different missions Improv Everywhere has executed over the past six years in New York City. Visit the website to see tons of photos and video of all of their work, including behind the scenes information on how this video was made.

If you are interested in getting involved in New York you can sign the NY Agents List on the site. If you are interested in getting involved in your own town, join the global agents forum here.

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Mardi Gras - Fat Tuesday

Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana is one of the most famous Carnival celebrations in the world.
The New Orleans Carnival season, with roots in the start of the Catholic season of Lent, starts on Twelfth Night (January 6). The season of parades, balls (some of them masquerade balls), and king cake parties begins on that date. From about two weeks before, through Fat Tuesday, there is at least one major parade each day. The largest and most elaborate parades take place the last five days of the season. In the final week of Carnival many events large and small occur throughout New Orleans and surrounding communities. The parades in New Orleans are organized by Carnival krewes. Krewe float riders toss throws to the crowds; the most common throws are strings, usually made of plastic colorful beads, doubloons (aluminium or wooden dollar-sized coins usually impressed with a krewe logo), decorated plastic throw cups, and small inexpensive toys. To New Orleanians, "Mardi Gras" refers only to the final and most elaborate day of the Carnival Season; visitors tend to refer to the entire Carnival as "Mardi Gras." Some locals have thus started to refer to the final day of Carnival as "Mardi Gras Day" to avoid confusion.

The images here are from old postcards circa 1910.  link

Mardi Gras Parade-Cam

You can see live video of New Orleans Mardi Gras parades from the Nola.com parade-cam starting at 5:15 PM. For other information and photographs about Mardi Gras look here.

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Kotatsu

A kotatsu, used almost exclusively in Japan, is a low, wooden table frame covered by a futon, or heavy blanket, upon which a table top sits. Underneath is a heat source, often built into the table itself.

There are two kinds of kotatsu in use today. The modern style of kotatsu consists of a table with an electric heater attached to the underside of the table. The kotatsu is usually set on a thin futon, like a throw rug. A second futon, this one thicker, like a comforter, is placed over the kotatsu table, with the table top placed on top of that futon. The electric heater attached to the underside of the table heats the space under the comforter, and anyone who happens to be snuggled under it.

The more traditional type is a table placed over a recessed floor. The pit is about 40 centimeters deep that is cut into the floor. A heater (charcoal or electric) is placed somewhere in the pit's floor, walls, or, as in the modern-style kotatsu, attached to the table-frame.

Generally, a blanket is draped over the frame under the table-top. A person then sits on the floor with their legs (or most of their body if napping) under the table with the blanket draped over the lower body. Though this only heats up the lower body, it can keep one quite comfortable even in an unheated/under-heated room. In the summer, the blanket may be removed and the kotatsu can be used as a normal table.

Most Japanese housing is un- or under-insulated, and they rely primarily on space heating. Heat is expensive because of the lack of insulation, and the draftiness of housing. A kotatsu is a relatively inexpensive way to stay warm in the winter, as the futons trap the warm air.

The kotatsu was originally designed for people wearing Japanese style clothes, where the heat would enter through the bottom of the robes and exit around the neck, thus heating the entire body.
link

(I bet such a device would be considered a fire hazard in the U.S.)


Tim Notari

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The National Watermelon Promotion Board

Watermelon is for everyone all year round. It is sweet, juicy, bright and fun! It's not just for summer. It's not just for slicing.  The National Watermelon Promotion Board wants to tell everyone about watermelon's versatility, its health benefits, and its availability year round.

Whatever your mood, there's a watermelon dish to suit it. Search their recipe database for everything from salsa and smoothies to pancakes and sandwiches. Any time of day is the right time of day to enjoy watermelon. Do you know you can carve a watermelon to make a great basket for fruit salad or centerpiece for a party? Try it with our instructions and easy to follow pictures.

Don't be fooled - watermelon is nutritious and delicious! Packed with vitamins and minerals, this Lycopene Leader is a healthy snack that benefits the whole family. Learn all the fun facts, varieties, history, how watermelon grow and production statistics here. Visit a local watermelon festival - Florida has at least five.

 





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Send us your submissions: interesting websites, news, calendars, stories, photos, items for sale – we will publish anything you would like to share with others (well, almost anything).  We have plenty of web space available, so don’t hold back.

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Today's Activities Schedule

7:45 & 8:45 Aqua Aerobics
9:00 Tennis
9:30 Men's Bible Study
10:00 Watercolor; Beginning Tap
12:00 Theater Rehearsal
12:30 Bowling
1:00 Quillers; Rummy; Mah-jongg
2:00 Band Practice
5:00 Ballet, Jazz, Tap Dance
6:30 MARDI-GRAS PARTY
6:30 Ceramics
7:00 Billiards; Needlework

Tomorrow's Activities Schedule

7:45 & 8.45 Aqua Aerobics
9:00 Pickle Ball
1:00 Bridge
2:00 Combo Band Practice
4:00 Pickle Ball
7:00 Mah-jongg; Darts; Euchre

See the complete calendar

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Click once a day to help feed rescue animals.

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Coquina Daily Cat

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Coquina Daily Dog

Blanket Beta by Dan Budiac - link

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Sunset

Després de l'aiguat - Amsterdam by Mor (bcnbits) - link

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The Un-Naturalist

Interesting photos are everywhere, waiting to be discovered. Occasionally I am successful finding them. The Un-Naturalist is a series of photos of unnatural objects found in a natural setting - in other words, litter, trash and all manner of debris. It is easy to ignore litter. But when litter becomes a source of creativity, you search for it. Once found, and the photo has been made, litter is given a proper disposal. Thus with every picture, the landscape gets a bit cleaner. Everyone is invited to participate and submit their photographs.

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