Ask MetaFilter posts by darsh

how do i remove plastic coating from chairs

darsh — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 11:29:36 -0800

Help me figure out how to get plastic coating off metal chairs! I recently recieved a set of wire outdoor chairs through freecycle which were advertised as 'rusty, but can be touched up'. Upon seeing them, I realized they were metal, but dipped in colored plastic, and the plastic had started to peel off (causing the metal underneath to rust. they look similar to this, but with thinner wire.
My intention had been to strip off paint and rust, and re-finish them. However, I cant figure out how to get the plastic off. Someone suggested melting off with a blow torch, but I'm not sure I want to do that. So, hive mind - help me figure out how to rescue these chairs!

Silicone cupcake liners arent nonstick

darsh — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 08:49:00 -0800

I just recieved a set of silicone cupcake liners, v silimar to these , and tried them out yesterday. However, the cupcakes wouldn't come out in one piece - every single one broke and crumbled when I tried to release it. Does anyone know how to prevent baked goods from sticking to these things?

How to prevent mosquitos from breeding in my rainwater barrel

darsh — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 07:08:35 -0800

We have a rainwater barrel in the back yard, for the purpose of collecting water to then water the plants with. This has worked well through the summer, but we're now finding that the mosquito population on our deck has exploded. How do I prevent the larvae from growing in our barrel, or otherwise kill them before they bite me? Whatever way we treat the water has to be safe for plants and pets - I dont want to end up poisoning the neighbours dog, or indeed the tomato plants that the rainwater is intended for.

I did read previous threads about mosquito control, and am thinking about trying the suggestions in this one, but was wondering whether the mosquito dunks will keep the water safe for watering plants? What other non-chemical ways are there to solve this?

Diwali music

darsh — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 12:23:10 -0800

Can Mefites point me to Diwali related music? Names of songs , particular artists to look for, would all be appreciated. Places (online or in the Boston, MA) area where I can buy said music would be greatly appreciated.

Experience with 'open toasts' at a wedding?

darsh — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 08:42:02 -0800

Has anyone attended weddings where there has been an 'open toast' in addition to (or instead of) a regular speech/toast? If so, could you tell me what you thought of it, whether you would recommend that format, and how it was initiated? We're having a dinner in a nice restaurant, instead of a traditional wedding reception - 33 people, no band or DJ. I hadn't thought about a toast , but heard about the concept of an 'open toast' from someone. I guess the idea is that basically everyone has the chance to say something short about the couple? I like the concept, but am unsure about the practicality of it.

For example, how does it get started off? There's no DJ to make announcements, so do we nominate someone to stand up first and say something? and then invite others to do so? Will it make guests feel uncomfortable? How to make sure people don't go on for too long? How to end it gracefully? If you've seen this done at events you attended, did you like the idea?

Where to host a large BBQ around Boston?

darsh — Tue, 30 May 2006 13:55:03 -0800

Where in the Boston area can one host a large barbeque? (we may or may not be doing the actual grilling ourselves) For various reasons, my fiance and I will not be inviting our friends to our upcoming wedding. Therefore, we want to hold a large engagement or pre-wedding party for all our friends - something more celebratory and 'special' than just having everyone over to our (smallish) backyard.
It's looking like between 30-40 people, plus a couple of toddlers.
We would like to serve alcohol (wine and beer) and have music (an iPod or laptop with a friend being the DJ, nothing spectacular)
My fiance wants to do the grilling himself if this is feasible, or we can get it catered (ideas for BBQ caterers in the Boston area would be appreciated).
other requirements: nothing too expensive - I'd like a nice place, but want to spend the bulk of the budget on the food and drink.
A place which is accessible by public transportation would be a huge bonus to avoid trying to organise carpooling for some car-less friends.

Things to do in Marrakech

darsh — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 11:28:24 -0800

Heading to Marrakech for a week, starting Sunday. Do any Mefites have tips, must-see places, restaurant recommendations (or places to avoid)? It's a family holiday, although we're all adults (30+), so I'm not worried about places being child-friendly etc. We're staying in a lovely-looking Riad in the old part of town (Medina ?), and I've searched for tips on Virtual Tourist etc. But perhaps someone here found a hidden gem or knows of a new place which they'd like to share.

A couple of things - 2 in the group are vegetarian, so we are looking for restaurants which would provide them with some options. Also, we're looking for day trips outside the city, but we're not going to be able to do overnighters.

Where can I find exotic meat in the Boston area?

darsh — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 08:53:40 -0800

Where to find rabbit meat and quail in Boston? We've decided to serve quail as a first course and rabbit as a subsequent course for lunch on the 25th. Now we have to buy the meat (killing our own isn't an option). Does anyone in the AskMe universe know of any buthers/supermarkets where I can buy either or both of these types of dead animal?

4 days in Las Vegas and Grand Canyon

darsh — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 06:54:02 -0800

We're spending 4 days in Las Vegas after thanksgiving, and would like to drive to the Grand Canyon. Need advice on how long to spend in each place. I know it's a 5-6 hour drive from Vegas to the South Rim, and we're planning on staying at the Canyon. However, is it worth staying for 2 nights? We can't do a long hike down into the canyon, but we're definitely up for longish walk, horseback rides etc. We're vacillating between 2 nights in Vegas and 2 at the Grand Canyon, or 3 nights in Vegas and one at the Canyon.
additional info in case it's relevant - arriving on a monday evening, leaving on a friday night.

Wireless Internet in Ottawa

darsh — Tue, 14 Jun 2005 06:37:23 -0800

Leaving for Ottawa in 3 hours, and I just realised the place I'm staying has dial-up access only. Does anyone know of places in the vicinity of the US Consulate (or anywhere else downtown, really) where I can get wireless internet access (free would be great, but not necessary)? As a follow on, what can I do to kill a few hours in the area? I'll pick up a tourist guide, and don't mind walking. Anything I should definitely not miss? Any Ottawa residents know of hidden gems?