The poet had a way with words, and a killer green thumb. In honor of her passion for plants and poetry, the New York Botanical Garden just opened a new exhibit. Watch the video.

During author Salman Rushdie's visit to The Leonard Lopate Show to talk up the PEN World Voices Festival, we asked him a couple of questions. Here's what he told us:

Writer Kathryn Harrison keeps some of her most prized possessions on her bookcase. Aside from novels, one can find miscellaneous trinkets from family members to a fetal pig in a glass jar. (Um, one man's bookend is another man's fetal pig?)

WNYC's Janaya Williams shines her highly arbitrary spotlight on some of the city's happenings. From the Civil Rights Movement, to new leadership at the Cooper-Hewitt, to getting ready for Passover.

This writer is not afraid to admit many books on display at his home were chosen simply because they look good. Watch the video.

The founder of the Sullivan St Bakery created the easy "no knead" technique to make bread at home. Watch the video for the recipe.

Novelist and blogger Ken Wheaton takes a "whatever fits" approach to his literary collection. "If there's a spot, cram it in there," he says. His shelves are a lot like his treasured recipe for gumbo: a little traditional, a lot spicy and all about the mix. Watch the video.

"Genteel" is not a word generally associated with the artistic output of Andre Williams, a 1950s hero for the gutter-minded.

The worst-kept secret in geekdom was actually the focus of a 2007 Mad TV skit. Watch the video.

Writer Joshua Ferris rails against metaphor, allegory and reading like an 11th grader. Watch the video.

Tips on how to salvage a horribly boring conversation. Watch the video.

The author shows off his book collection to Stacked.TV. Watch the video!

Alan Alda has straddled art and science through his work as an actor and as host of science programs over the years. He's says the worlds aren't so far apart. Watch the video for more.

Check out this revolving door of cultural luminaries; it's a chance to remember some of the highlights of 2009's best theater, film and books. 

A studio visit with composer Marvin Hamlisch.  A retirement home for former entertainers. A debate about race in the theater. Those were some of the top stories from Kurt Andersen, and Studio 360, this year.

The Disneyland of spa resorts is right in our own backyard. From the outside, Spa Castle looks more like a suburban mall than a place to unwind. Once you enter the building in College Point, Queens, it's pure sensory explosion.

Year-end lists are not just about remembering the best. Where there's the good, there's always the bad. Here are some "worst of the worst" lists that remind us of what we loved to hate in 2009.

Best-of lists for 2009 and all of the "aughts" have been coming in for weeks. To make things a little easier, we've decided to make a list of the lists. Our criteria:  quirky. We surely haven't found them all...so chime in with yours!

The writer Amanda Stern is a self-proclaimed recovering comic. But she let the self-deprecating humor fly during her episode of Stacked Up.

A selection of events for the weekend of Dec. 18 to 20.