Our common nature is a musical journey with Yo-Yo Ma and me, Ana Gonzalez, through this complicated country.

We go into caves, onto boats, and up mountain trails to meet people, hear their stories, their poetry, and of course, play some music, all to reconnect to nature and get closer to the things we're missing.

Listen to Our Common Nature from WNYC, wherever you get podcasts.

It's Lynn Rosetta Kasperser with the splendid table. Today we go to New Orleans, a fabled place cloaked in a sense of opulence in exile.

You half expect to round a corner and bump into a Caribbean pirate or Blanche Dubois.

And the best places to really step into this New Orleans life are its bars.

Our guide to New Orleans history through its drinking places is Carrie McAfrity, author of Obituary Cocktail.

Jane and Michael Stern have found some unique Memphis barbecue. Fruit Maven David

Karp talks quince. We have a tale called etiquette soup. We have naked chefs. And we have

open lines for your calls. All this coming up on the splendid table. But first, this.

It's Lynn Rosetta Casper with Kitchen Chronicles, where knowledge is power and cooking is pleasure,

a practical guide to nourishing ourselves and the people we care about.

Today, let's talk about new ways of creating great-looking tables.

A little imagination goes a long way, whether it's for a weeknight dinner, a dress-up

supper party, or a casual buffet.

Anybody can go out and spend a fortune on brand new table stuff and end up with something

that looks good, but it's a lot more fun and a lot cheaper to use what you've got, or what

you can pick up at garage sales and secondhand stores.

Start by taking a new look at what you have around the house.

For instance, bed spreads, shawls, or pieces of fabric can be great-looking table covers.

Try layering them, pattern upon pattern.

Think about whether an art pottery or glass collection might lend itself to being serving dishes.

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