Good news for outdoor enthusiasts: the county is working to acquire the McKay Tract, a large forest behind Eureka. It's not a done deal, but things are looking good. If successful, it could double the size of land managed by the Humboldt County Public Works Department, and create a tremendous new destination for recreation and outdoor activities in Eureka’s backyard. 

The county says it will be solicit public input in April. How can the McKay park learn from the mistakes and successes of the Arcata Community Forest?

Proposed ideas:

• A timber-harvest element that would pay for the management [think Arcata Community Forest] 
• Hiking, biking, and equestrian trails
• Carbon [sequestration] markets
• Conservation easement

[More details, photos, and maps below the jump]

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The next (final?) season of AMC's Mad Men will premier with a 2-hour episode on April 7. I like many things about the show; the plot, the characters, but most of all the style. I love the fashion, the home decor and the detailed vintage locations, in particular the bars and restaurants. You don't go just anywhere for your liquid lunch. Searching around for a way to bring some of that style to my viewing party, I stumbled upon this, the Unoffical (don't sue us, AMC) Mad Men Cookbook blog.  Replete with recipes, information about the locations used in the show and style tips, the UMMC blog is a treasure trove for the serious Mad Men fan.

Find it here.

This Sunday we Celebrate Chinese New Year with the Year of the Snake. Traditionally families gather for a great feast and a reunion.

Tonight between 6 and midnight we will talk about this ancient festival of spring and share some of the foods and practices.

Gung Hey Fat Choi everybody!

 

 

Tonight on The Cocktail Hour (6pm-7pm), we'll be sipping the delightful Sherry Cocktail. A variation on the brandy sour, the Sherry Cocktail is a refreshing and pretty drink

 

Ice
1 ounce palo cortado or amontillado sherry
1 ounce brandy, preferably Spanish
1/2 ounce grenadine, preferably homemade
1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/4 ounce Cherry Heering or other cherry liqueur
1 orange twist, flamed
1 brandied cherry

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the sherry, brandy, grenadine, lemon juice and Cherry Heering and shake well. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish the drink with the flamed twist and the cherry.

 

Today we celebrate one of the most accomplished and innovative people in history. He was the original rock star of his day, and today we celebrate his 307th birthday. Tonight we will share a few of his inventions and how they changed the world as well as some of his wisdom; Benjamin Franklin is one of the most quoted historical figures. Many of his sayings have become a part of our daily speech.