EPISODE #8 -
SATURDAY MAY 23, 2009
Spring is a time when a lot of people gain a burst of energy. We
tackle spring cleaning. We start grilling outdoors again. We
relish the bright colors and fresh fragrances. We also want to
give our homes a new start as well. We have noticed that some of
you enjoy the show for that very reason. We try to bring you a
good mix of stories that will make your home, your cooking and
your life a little better.
A reminder that we
can now be seen at our new
time on KOIN-6 in Portland, 8:00am, right before our
sister show "Garden Time," at 8:30am on KPTV-12.
Picture Perfect
Frames HD Connecting
Cables If you are buying or have bought a new
High Definition TV you may not be getting the best picture
possible. Using the right cables to connect to your set may make
all the difference in the world. Owen from
Standard TV and Appliance (503-619-0500) showed us the new
HDMI cable which will keep your HD signal strong among all your
different video sources. That includes your game players, DVD
machines, cable, and satellite boxes. Owen also recommends a
good surge protector. This will keep a surge in your house power
from destroying your new sensitive electronic equipment.
Pea Soup I Wine Glasses To really enjoy wine you have to know the ins and outs of
wine glasses. The flavor and taste of wine can change
dramatically if you use the right glass. The correct stemware
will allow a wine the right amount of air, will allow you to see
the color and will help focus the flavors. Rudyard Coltman from
Vinotopia (located in Cinetopia in Vancouver) (360-213-2811,
toll free 877-608-2800) walked us through the four main types of
glasses. First was the champagne flute. Its small size is
perfect for focusing the bubbles and aroma of the champagne for
the drinker to enjoy. Next was the basic white wine glass. This
one is perfect for the pinot gris and chardonnay’s. The bowl is
a little bigger and a bigger bowl helps to aerate your wine.
That releases the different flavors of the different grapes.
Next was the Bordeaux glass, which is generally used for red
wines. Finally the biggest of the glasses was the burgundy
glass. This one has the biggest bowl which is great for
releasing the complex flavors of the heavier wines. Finally we
talked about temperature, which is critical for enjoying wines.
White wines should be served between 50-60 degrees and reds
should be between 60-68 degrees. For that reason you should
never hold on to the bowl of the glass. That will raise the
temperature of the wine and may ruin the flavor. You should
always hold on to the stem of the glass to avoid this. Rudyard
also told us that experts have found that crystal is the best
glass for drinking wine. We finished with the 5 S’s of wine
drinking. Number 1, the seeing of the wine. How does it look?
Number 2, the swirling of the wine, which releases the aroma.
Number 3, the smell. Your sense of smell is much better than
your sense of taste and so you can enjoy the ‘flavor more if you
smell a wine. Number 4, you want to sip. Roll the wine around
your mouth and get a sense of the wine on your tongue. Finally,
number 5, savor the wine. This is where you let the flavors of
the wine linger in your month. Did you enjoy the wine? What
other flavors did you find? If all of this sounds interesting to
you, you can find out more at the Wine 101 classes they have at
Vinotopia. Check them out on your next trip to Vancouver.
Recycling Containers Recycling is hot! We all want to do our part for the
environment. But some of us are confused about what to save and
how to separate it. Half the battle is finding the right
container to store your items until recycle day. We stopped by
the
Container Store at Bridgeport Village (503-620-5700) to see
what Dan Lerma had pulled together. The first thing he
recommended was to decide where you wanted your recycling
containers to go. The reason for that is that you want it to
look nice if you are going to have it visible. The first item we
saw was a nice metal stacked container that featured pull out
bins. The container next to it had 2 bins side-by-side with an
easy to control lid so you can access it with out smashing your
fingers. Plus, like the first model, it had a nice metal
exterior. If you have your recycling in the garage or an area
that doesn’t require a decorative container, the Container Store
had a whole bunch of other storage ideas. Dan showed us some
stackable storage containers that were labeled for quick
identification. He also recommended that you thoroughly wash out
your bottles and cans so you don’t attract critters to your
garage. For more ideas about organizing your recyclables stop by
your local Container Store. Winterize Your Plumbing It is time to winterize your plumbing… wait a minute, isn’t
it almost summer? It seems like we are too late to be worrying
about that… Not according to Dave from
George
Morlan Plumbing (503-224-7000). Now is the perfect time to
get that job done. Better now than when it is 20 degrees out!
First we looked at insulation. Just a little water frozen in
your pipes can do a lot of damage. The key is to keep the
temperature above freezing. The insulation allows the water to
cool down slowly and helps avoid freezing. There are insulation
wraps and foam tubes that can cover your pipes. To really help
prevent freezing you will want to use a heating cable. The one
we saw was from Frostex and you can cut this to the right length
and it will keep your pipes warm in the coldest of weather. It
also is self-regulating and only turns on when it gets down to
35 degrees. You can also pick up faucet covers that you can use
outdoors in the fall once you are done watering to protect your
outdoor faucets from breaking. Power Washers It is spring and that means spring cleaning, inside and out.
To help with the outside cleaning you may need a power washer.
The right power washer can help make a tough job easy. Ryan from
Stark
Street Lawn and Garden (503-625-2967) showed us a couple of
power washers and how you can use them. The larger models have a
lot of pounds per square inch and a lot of water volume. The
home owner may not need something that big. For most homeowners
a machine that has a PSI of 2000 or less should do the job. If
you have a higher PSI you could do some real damage to your deck
or the side of your house. Look for a model that has
interchangeable nozzles that will help you adjust the pressure
to meet your needs. If you are looking for a machine to make
your outdoor chores easier, check out the different machines at
Start Street. |
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