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Best Travel Guides On The Market

April 24, 2012 By

If you’re getting ready to take a trip, it’s wise to do a little research beforehand. The bookstore is overflowing with travel guides, though, so how do you know which one is best for you? This article will run down the most informative travel guides for all kinds of jet-setters.

The Lonely Planet travel guides are best for people looking to get close to the ground on their trips. These guidebooks are excellent for less-developed countries, including Southeast Asia. If you’re not looking to spend a lot of money on your trip, start here.

Younger travelers rave about the Let’s Go guides. The company was started by a group of Harvard students and has grown rapidly. These guides are great for nightlife recommendations in foreign cities, including bars and nightclubs.

The Frommer’s guides are reasonably popular, especially for Americans visiting Europe with not a lot of time to spare. They are clear and concise, but some complain that they miss out on more obscure attractions.

Footprint Handbooks are some of the best travel guides out there. Starting from their encyclopedic South American volume, the company has spun out nearly 80 other guides, all of which are well-written and beautifully illustrated.

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Unique and Fun Afterschool Activities for Kids

February 28, 2012 By

When the little ones return from school, they're sure to have pent-up energy. Here are some fun and fabulous afterschool activities your kids are sure to love:

Cooking
Instead of preparing a snack for when school's out, have your kids help make it. In giving their own input and assistance, they will be developing a very practical skill while also building confidence.

Make Decorations
There's almost always a holiday right around the corner, and home made decorations are a great way to spark a child's creativity. Whether they're made with paint, construction paper, or macaroni, these decorations are an easy and fun activity all year long.

Write a Story
Writing a story after school will boost children's imaginations. Provide a theme, ask them to write about their day, or let them write about whatever they want. You can even keep these stories in binders, letting their stories turn into books that they can feel a real sense of accomplishment over.

Scavenger Hunts
Send the kids outside with a list of objects to find. Have them find as many different kinds of rocks or leaves as they can, for example. Another great option is to have them find as many objects as they can from whatever season it happens to be at the time.

Gardening
Having a little garden for your kids to tend is a wonderful way to get them outside and provide lessons about the natural world and personal responsibility. Whether it's different kinds of vegetables in a garden or a few scattered flowerpots, a little garden is a great activity to engage kids.


 

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

February 14, 2012 By

Best wishes for happiness on Valentine's Day and every day.

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Crafting In A Day: Five Simple But Cool Crafts

January 31, 2012 By

Whether you need a last minute gift or an activity for yourself or the kids, these quick and easy crafts will produce great results in just a couple of hours:

  1. Cut and sew small fabric scraps and stuff to make a simple pincushion. Mix some catnip into the stuffing and you’ll have an irresistible cat toy, or stuff with lavender or potpourri for a fragrant sachet.
  2. Place colorful paper in a picture frame and let it serve as a backdrop for a favorite photo or a photo collage. Just a little time and effort will net you a keepsake photo you will treasure.
  3. Pick up some decoupage medium and cover a vase with any kind of paper you have – origami paper, wrapping paper, even the comics page.
  4. Make a cool custom t-shirt by cutting out a cardboard stencil, putting it on a dark-colored t-shirt, and spraying the shirt with a 50/50 bleach/water mix. Be sure to have a tub of water ready to dunk the shirt into as soon as the color is where you want it, and always wear safety goggles and gloves when using bleach.
  5. Make a sweet stand for cakes and snacks by using a dishwasher-safe glue to stick a saucer or small plate on top of a teacup.

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Four Fun Facts About the Oscars

January 18, 2012 By
You’ve been watching the Oscars for years so you know all about the exciting customs of Hollywood’s most glamorous night: the red carpet, the glittering gowns, the little white envelopes, and the golden statuettes. But why not gain some greater in-depth knowledge of Oscar history, tradition, and lore to make your viewing experience more fun this year than ever before? Read on to learn four fascinating Academy Awards facts:
 
Uncle Oscar
Though there are many tales of the origin of Oscar’s name, one of the most widely agreed-upon stories is this: the iconic golden statuette was christened when an Academy librarian named Margaret Herrick observed that it resembled her “Uncle Oscar.” Before that, it had been called a variety of other monikers like “the golden trophy,” “the iron man,” and the “statue of merit.” 
 
Saying No To Oscar 
In the history of the Oscars, three people have refused to accept the award. The first was writer Dudley Nichols who turned down the award in 1935 because the Writers Guild was on protest against the movie studios. George C. Scott, who won in 1971 for playing General Patton, shunned the honor for political reasons. A year later, Marlon Brando shirked the award for his role in The Godfather, an act of protest against Hollywood’s portrayal of Native Americans. 
 
Stolen Oscars
Since the advent of the Academy Awards, several Oscar winners have had their golden statuettes stolen: Orson Welles, Whoopi Goldberg, William Hurt, and Margaret O’Brien, for example. Another strange missing Oscar occurrence: Hattie McDaniel’s Oscar for playing Mammy in Gone With the Wind, which was on display at Howard University, famously disappeared during campus racial unrest in the 1960’s. 
 
Not For Sale
In 1950, the golden statuettes became “legally encumbered,” which means that neither winners nor their heirs may sell the statuettes without first offering to sell them back to the Academy for $1.00. Any winners that refuse this agreement are required to give their statuettes back to the Academy after receiving the award.
 
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Golden State Warriors: A Fresh New Era

December 28, 2011 By

A lot of new talent has come into the Golden State Warriors lineup in the last couple of years, and the team is ready to shine going into the 2011-2012 season. Among those talents is coach Mark Jackson, a former star point guard who brings to the table a lot of experience from an already illustrious NBA career. He has some skilled players at his command, too. Stephen Curry is a dynamic point guard who has been a standout since his rookie season. David Lee continues to anchor the team's frontcourt game, along with the recently signed and much improved Kwame Brown. Of course, Monta Ellis's speed and incredible scoring potential will continue to be a huge asset, as well. The Warriors may have failed to make the playoffs last season, but they've got the potential for a very exciting season on their hands this year. They're ready to shine, and have the talent and drive to make this season a golden one.

Please visit http://www.nba.com/warriors for Warriors schedules, merchandise, ticketing, and more!

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Not Your Average Joe: Five Spices to Add to Coffee

December 13, 2011 By

If you’re getting a little burned out by the taste of your morning cup of java, here’s a little treat for you – you can actually mix spices into your coffee grounds to change the flavor of your brew. These subtle additions can make a big difference, and once you try spicing your coffee you might never want to go back to plain.

  • Cinnamon is a popular spice for coffee, especially in Latin American countries. Just a tiny pinch will add a bounty of flavor to your cup, and it blends well with espresso drinks such as mochas.
  • Cardamom is an Indian herb that adds a licorice taste to your coffee. It’s also very potent, so you only want to use a little bit, but it’s great for getting rid of a little of the natural bitterness of the coffee bean and replacing it with a more inviting flavor.
  • Dried orange rind is an unusual addition to a coffee cup, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. The acidity of the citrus blends well with the acidity of the coffee, making for a richer and more complex flavor profile.
  • Allspice is an uncommon addition to a cup of coffee, but actually works remarkably well. The tart, complex flavor is great for adding a little touch of winter warmth to a morning cup of java.
  • Finally, consider sweetening your cup of coffee with honey instead of sugar in the morning. The more complex, flowery flavors of artisanal honey are a great companion to coffee with milk.

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Four Ways Benjamin Franklin Changed Your Life

November 22, 2011 By

We all know Ben Franklin. He flew a kite in a thunderstorm and his face is on the 100 dollar bill. He signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

There’s a bit more to him than that.

Franklin was a pioneering scientist, inventor, journalist, printer, humorist, philosopher, diplomat, politician and philanthropist. Perhaps more than any other Founding Father, his work shapes our daily lives. Here are just a few examples:

1. He won the Revolutionary War.

Aged 70, Franklin went to France in 1776 to secure their support for the Revolutionary cause. His diplomacy was a great success, with France’s military and financial backing a critical factor in the war. Franklin also negotiated the Treaty of Paris (1783), which finally gave America its freedom from Britain.

2. He gave you books.

As a young man, Franklin couldn’t afford books. So he founded America’s first free lending library, sparking a trend that continues to educate the country.

3. When it rains, he saves your life.

When the weatherman tells you to stay indoors during a storm, thank Franklin’s kite. His famous experiment with a kite and key confirmed that metal conducts electricity, leading him to invent the lighting rod. More than 300 years later they operate much as Franklin intended, saving untold amounts of lives and property.

4. He lived the original American story.

Franklin was educated to age eight, after which he was apprenticed to his brother James, a printer. He ran away to Philadelphia aged 17 and arrived penniless, owning nothing but the clothes on his back and two loaves of bread. He became one of the great renaissance men, arguably the most important American ever.

Franklin’s Autobiography (1790) tells a story of hard work, smart spending, and relentless curiosity. He knew how to laugh at himself. He respected authority, but was skeptical of it. And he believed that with sweat and faith, anything is possible. Over two hundred years after his death, these are universal American values. We see ourselves in Franklin’s image. He looks over your shoulder every day.

For more on Franklin, check out this book.

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Shop Smart: Five Places To Get Unique Gifts

November 8, 2011 By

The holiday shopping season is upon us, and it’s getting harder and harder to find presents that are off the beaten path. Thankfully, a number of online retailers have sprung up that source awesome things from all over the world. Here are five of the best places to get gifts that you won’t see anywhere else:

-          Fab.com – This design-oriented store offers a daily deal on cool, artsy products from all over the place. With savings of up to 70% on some items, this is an incredible way to get in on the ground floor of future trends. Unfortunately, you need to be a site member to get the deal, and it’s currently invitation only.

-          Woot.com – Targeted at techies and gearheads, woot.com is another daily deal site. Every midnight, they put up a new product available in limited quantities, and when it’s gone, it’s gone. These can be deeply discounted items, some of which are very cool.

-          ArchieMcPhee.com – This Seattle institution has been selling novelty items for decades, and their selection is absolutely unbelievable. From practical jokes to bizarre costumes, there’s a little bit of everything here.

-          SiteNYC.com – Based in the trendy Astoria neighborhood, Site offers a great selection of cool stuff for adults and kids alike. Local artisans sell their limited edition wares there, and they also stock some of the hippest national designers.

-          UncommonGoods.com – This national firm offers a great collection of environmentally conscious, intelligent gifts for a variety of audiences. Their prices are reasonable and their stuff is very well-designed.

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Venture Beyond the Bay: Trips in Northern California

October 25, 2011 By

If you've got the itch to travel, take a day or two to explore the rich offerings available right in Northern California. These attractions make a short drive feel like a trip to another world.

Winchester Mystery House: After the tragic deaths of her husband and child, Winchester Rifle heir Sarah Winchester spent 38 years building a labyrinthine house to confuse the spirits she felt were haunting her family. Touring this chilling monument to one woman’s madness is nothing short of fascinating.

Mendocino: Take a scenic drive up the PCH to the charming coastal village of Mendocino. Bike or walk on the Headlands bluffs, spend some time at the beach, and go shopping and sightseeing in town.

Fort Bragg: Just a bit further up the coast from Mendocino is Fort Bragg. You could easily make a weekend trip to both towns. Fort Bragg’s most popular attraction is the Skunk Train, a scenic railway that makes its way through an ancient redwood forest.

Sacramento: California’s capital is a much slower-paced place than the Bay Area, and makes a relaxing and educational destination for a short trip. Be sure to visit Old Sacramento for a look at California’s pioneer roots.

Napa Valley: America’s wine country, Napa Valley is one of the nation’s most popular tourist destinations. Pamper yourself with a spa weekend (or spa afternoon!) and sample some of the finest cuisine available in the world.

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