The Arnold Arboretum is a fantastic place to visit any time of the year (Spring, Fall, Winter). However, if we could only go once a year, then Spring would be it. While the colors of Fall at the Arboretum are spectacular, somehow we would still prefer the blooms of Spring.

We stopped by today to see how things were going and got quite a surprise. We knew the plants at the RainyDayGarden were a few weeks early this year, but the effect was entirely different at the Arnold Arboretum. Plants currently flowering are the magnolias, cherries, forsythia, early azaleas, redbud, Japanese andromeda, and many more. Go here for an interactive map of… [more] - Spring At The Arboretum

One thing is certain, oil is a finite resource and one day it will be gone. With $10/gallon gas possibly in our future, electric-powered vehicle’s time may come sooner rather than later. Car makers have been demo-ing pure electric-powered vehicles (PEVs) at NYIAS for many years and show goers have been teased with futuristic concept cars and prototypes, but none of them were available to the consumers. Last year, a few (Nissan LEAF, Chevy Volt) companies finally began selling models which can actually purchased.

While each generation of e-car has seen significant improvements in battery life and driving range, there are still many issues (cost, refueling time, etc) to be addressed. As the majority of commuters drive less than 50 miles total each day, electric cars builder such as Ford have made the 100-mile range their… [more] -NYIAS 201: Electric Vehicles

The Boxster (Type:986) was introduced to the world in 1997. Even though the Boxster is an entry-level Porsche, it was a chance for Porsche engineers to start with a clean slate. What emerged was a two-seater sports car suitable for year-round driving, even in New England. In the intervening fifteen years, this affordable Porsche has developed a large and devoted following. There are car clubs and online forums (986, PedrosBoard) dedicated to the mid-engine roadster. The appeal is understandable. The Boxster is great looking, well-engineered, and incredibly fun to drive. We have had ours for over 10 years and can’t imagine driving anything else.

The Boxster has seen a couple of significant updates since its introduction. The first (Type: 987) was back in 2005. With a bigger engine and some cosmetic and mechanical refinements, the 987 addressed some of the requests and lessons learned from the 986. A more powerful engine gave the car more snap off the line and agility when maneuvering. At the start of 2012, Porsche unveiled the next generation of Boxster (Type: 981). This time around, Porsche went… [more] -NYIAS 201: Electric Vehicles

The RainyDayGarage folks make the trek to NYC every year for the New York International Auto Show (NYIAC). While the show does not open to the public until Friday, they drove down on Tuesday to catch the two-day press-only event.

Attending Press Day is a much more enjoyable way to see the show for a couple of reasons. First, as the show hasn’t officially opened, there is no wait to get inside, and once you do, the floor traffic is very light. Second, the vendors are… [more] -NYIAS 2012

The CraftBoston show was at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston this weekend. Similar to the Paradise City Art Festive, it is a venue for artists and artisans of contemporary arts and crafts to showcase their work. We have heard about this show, but have never been to it. We were glad we had a chance to stop by and check it out.

This is CraftBoston’s 11th year. The show had over 200 artists from across the country. Some of them have exhibited before, but many of them were new to the show. Besides the exhibits, there were… [more] -CraftBoston 2012