Views: 44
Music for the weekend.
Play any song that has something to do with the weekend. It can be about the weekend, have weekend in the song or the title. Also it can be about Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
Since we have a holiday Monday, Mondays included. So, this should be an easy one.
Views: 27
Little League World Series: California’s El Segundo wins title with walk-off home run vs Curaçao.
California’s El Segundo is bringing home the Little League World Series championship title after a 6-5 victory over the team from Willemstad, Curaçao, on Sunday.
The thrilling game ended with a walk-off home run from Louis Lappe, who was given a perfect setup from the booth by ESPN broadcaster Karl Ravech.
With the score tied in the sixth inning, Lappe stepped to the plate.
“Curaçao has not allowed a home run at the World Series,” Ravech said in an announcer jinx for the ages. Almost instantly, Lappe, the series’ home run leader, sent one flying for the win.
California has been in the championship game 24 times and now has its eighth title. The region has the most victories by any U.S. team but hadn’t won since 2011.
The team had some of the best bats in the tournament, including Lappe and Brody Brooks. En route to the U.S. title on Saturday, Lappe had five RBIs, including a three-run homer as California beat Texas 6-1.
But Curaçao didn’t go down without a fight. Having appeared in the LLWS championship four times, the team was hoping for its first win since 2004 — its only title. Last year, the team made it to the championship game and lost to Hawaii 13-3. Five of its players returned from last year’s disappointment, the most in the tournament.
Down 5-1 in the top of the fifth, Nasir El-Ossais showed the grit of a seasoned veteran. With two outs, he tied the game 5-5 on a dramatic grand slam to right field off Max Baker.
“I am sweating right now, and not from the heat,” El-Ossais’ dad said after the play, adding that emotions were at an all-time high.
Curaçao overcame a big deficit thanks to El-Ossais, but California’s pitching strength and defense won it. Brooks, a shortstop and strong pitcher, tied the World Series record by scoring 13 runs. On Sunday, he had a single and finished the tournament with 12 hits and three home runs.
In a tear-filled postgame interview, El Segundo manager Danny Boehle said he told his team “the game’s not over.” He was surprised Curaçao pitched to Lappe, who said he was close with the Curaçao players and offered kind words after hitting the winning home run.
There was plenty of sportsmanship all over the stadium in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. “Great job, keep your head up,” Lappe recalled telling the opposing team.
California also posed for photos with Japan after the victory:
El Segundo’s players will go back to school soon, and they’ll have plenty to share with their classmates. Throughout the tournament, they were sent positive messages from the likes of Los Angeles Lakers’ and multiple Los Angeles Dodgers stars.
On Sept. 10, they will be celebrated in their hometown with a parade.
Views: 47
BIG MAC SALAD (CHEESEBURGER SALAD).
This Big Mac salad recipe (cheeseburger salad) makes an easy, healthy, low carb lunch or dinner in just 20 minutes, with simple ingredients.
The inspiration for a hamburger salad came from my childhood memories of rare stops at McDonald’s after gymnastics practice. We seldom ate out when I was growing up (my parents much preferring home cooked meals), so even though I loved my mom’s food, those unexpected stops for fast food were such a treat. Now I try to avoid all those processed ingredients myself, and with this keto Big Mac salad recipe, I can enjoy the same flavors at home, all the time — and so can you!
Let’s be real — the key to this cheeseburger salad is the Big Mac salad dressing! The sauce at the fast food joint is loaded with sugar, but I sweeten mine with Besti powdered instead. It’s just as sweet and has no aftertaste, but has 0 net carbs, 0 calories, and unlike most sweeteners, dissolves easily for a smooth texture. Try it out and see for yourself!
This section explains how to choose the best Big mac salad ingredients, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
The main ingredients for this salad are very similar to what you’d find in a Big Mac:
The dressing for this hamburger salad is very similar to my sugar-free Thousand Island dressing:
This section shows how to make cheeseburger salad, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
TIP: Need thinner sauce?
If the dressing is thicker than you like, you can thin it out with water or oil and puree again.
Views: 55
Make this fresh 7-Layer Greek Dip recipe for a tasty appetizer everyone will love! This healthy dip recipe features an array of fresh ingredients perfectly layered for an out-of-this-world flavor. Just be sure to make enough for everyone!
In a bowl, combine Greek yogurt, garlic, chopped dill, lemon juice, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
In a 7″ x 8″ or 7″ x 11″ dish, layer hummus.
Layer the yogurt mixture.
Layer onion, cucumber, and tomatoes.
Layer feta cheese and Kalamata olives.
Serve and enjoy!
Views: 79
Let the good times roll. Free for all weekend music. We’re coming to the end of SUMMER SO LET’S GO OUT WITH A BANG.
Play whatever songs make you think about this great opportunity we have to enjoy the great songs that are out there.
So there are a few of my favorite’s. Of course I do have thousands.
Views: 47
Remember those old suckers, Tootsie Roll Pops?
Yeah, those old suckers were a blast. Tasty, and of course, that very old school ad that believe it or not, is still broadcast today!
Any other nostalgic candies from your day that you still know of?
Views: 32
‘All the neighbors know who she is’: How one woman built a flower farm across eight yards.
Rachel Nafis, waist-deep in corncockles, cut the blush-colored flowers growing in her neighbor’s yard as her eyes wandered to the front door.
“I hope Tom comes outside to say hello,” she said as she placed the cut stems in a bucket of water.
Soon, a smile crept across her face as Tom Weaver opened the door and wheeled himself onto the porch.
“It’s so wonderful to see flowers growing outside my window,” he said from his wheelchair. “I love seeing them. They smell so good.”
For three years, Nafis, a one-woman florist, has grown sunflowers, dahlias and corncockles outside Weaver’s home, one of eight neighbors who have donated their yards to Psalter Farm Flowers, a loose collective of cutting gardens that is a draw with San Diego flower shops, event florists and bouquet lovers.
Not surprisingly, the flowers burst out of yards in various states of bloom due to the seasons. Around the corner from her home base, across the street from Webster Elementary School in City Heights, yellow and pink strawflowers and delicate blue scabiosa pincushions grow tall in raised beds.
A quarter mile in the other direction, pink bellflowers and the conclusion of fragrant sweet peas grow in neat rows behind the rental home of Sophie Thompson.
“All of my gardens are in places where people cannot care for their yards the way they would like,” said Nafis, 36. She also cultivated the alley behind her 800-square-foot home. “I feel I’m adding value to their homes and our neighborhood.”
Thompson agreed. “I don’t know much about farming itself, but I’m impressed how Rachel has increased the biodiversity,” she said of the neighborhood, which is among San Diego County’s poorest. “There is less infrastructure and greenery, fewer markets and more liquor stores here. But she’s taught us that all neighborhoods can be beautiful.”
Mindful of trends but not beholden to them, Nafis prefers growing seasonal flowers that speak to her. “I like fragrant flowers like roses, sweet peas and scented geraniums,” she said of the flowers blooming in her front yard and backyard. Right now, the cool season flowers — snapdragons, strawflowers, sweet peas and poppies — are transitioning to ranunculus and anemones and summer annuals like dahlias, zinnias and cosmos. “I try to grow things that don’t ship well,” she said. “Most florists are getting things imported from out of the country. I like to grow things that would get damaged in shipping or not last that long and florists would like to source locally.”
To passersby, the colorful cutting gardens stand out against the lawns, many of which have turned brown after California was asked to cut back on water during the drought.
Conserving water is important to Nafis, who subsidizes many of her neighbors’ water bills. “We have everything on a drip system and timers,” she said. “I also use a lot of mulch, which helps to retain water and take care of my soil.”
Although she likes working alone, Nafis’ quiet presence resonates throughout the neighborhood. Shortly before Weaver’s brother, Don, died in 2021, the family moved his hospital bed next to the window so that he could watch Nafis working in the garden.
“It’s extraordinary to be present and so deeply a part of the neighborhood,” she said of the neighbors, dog walkers and parents who greet her as she walks from house to house with her flower buckets and shears.
“These have been meaningful life relationships. We’ve had two people pass away since I started this,” she said, her voice breaking. “When you open yourself up to relationships, it can be messy, but I think you can also be amazed by the good things that can happen. My business model is very fragile but not as fragile as you might think. I’m not leasing land with a farm with a five-year commitment. I think that would be ideal, but that’s not a possibility. We couldn’t afford it, but we are grateful to own our house and be able to make a living through this creative shared-land model.”
“All the neighbors know who she is,” said Kristen Kellogg, a nurse practitioner who donated her yard. “We have five sisters in the neighborhood who live in three houses, and when their mother passed away, Rachel was able to make arrangements for them. They knew the flowers were from Rachel, which meant a lot to them.”
At a time when many people feel isolated and alone, Nafis dropped a written request in Thompson’s mailbox, asking if she could use her yard. “She has become a good friend,” Thompson said. “I have been in and out of some hard transitions, and I have texted her late at night and even asked her if she could come over and help me move a king-sized mattress.”
Nafis, a mother of three young boys, grew up in western Michigan and worked as an ER nurse for 13 years before leaving the profession during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was tough,” she said of working as an emergency room charge nurse during the pandemic. “My kids were all home and my husband’s workload increased. The hospital was asking me for more hours. I was burned out. We both worked multiple jobs for many years and decided we couldn’t do it anymore. Changing careers was challenging and such an identity shift from nursing to farming. It was like low-wage manual labor at times. But I couldn’t have imagined doing anything else when we were at a breaking point. I enjoy what I’m doing now.”
Given her small-business success — she’s doubled the farm’s annual revenue every year since its inception in 2019 — Nafis notes that she and her husband, Chris, a pastor, failed miserably in their previous attempts at farming a small community-supported agriculture farm on a vacant lot in Lemon Grove in 2012 and a 45-acre ranch in Jamul in 2013.
“Everything was eaten by rodents in Jamul,” she said. “We lived in a trailer and were both working our day jobs. Anything that was a success was eaten. Even though it was difficult, I think it has been a part of my success.”
In 2014, the couple purchased their home in City Heights and, when not working, tended to a vegetable garden and chickens (that were leftovers from the Jamul ranch). When she planted a row of dahlia tubers in her vegetable garden, she fell in love with the gorgeous ball-shaped blooms, which when cut, would last a week in water. Soon, she decided to experiment with traditional farming, turn her backyard into a cutting garden, and use her neighbors’ yards as satellite farms.
“The model I have created is very relational-based,” she said. “Every house is different based on my relationships with my neighbors.”
Walking through the neighborhood, the flowers are a touchstone that connects her to neighbors and elevates her mood. “I often experience euphoria working with beautiful flowers all day,” Nafis said. “I also appreciate that flowers are appropriate to mark every occasion, from grief and loss to heart-bursting celebration, to long difficult days that drag on forever.”
Nafis thinks her business model resonates with her clients because they care about the environment. “I don’t use any chemicals,” she said. She also utilizes a no-till method that conserves water, feeds the soil and creates a natural habitat for birds and beneficial insects. “Sustainability matters to people,” she added.
The other allure of buying locally grown flowers is the exceptional quality of freshly picked flowers. “There is a real vibrancy when flowers are picked 12 to 24 hours before purchase,” Nafis said. To illustrate this, she collected a chocolate-scented geranium and invited a sniff. “That’s what flowers lose in shipping,” she said.
Nafis also can grow flowers her clients can’t easily find anywhere else. “You can only get corncockle at a local farm,” she said. Other rarities include Iceland poppies, garden roses, foxgloves and lisianthus.
In September when the summer season ends, Nafis will take a break and tend to the soil.
“It’s hard for me to manage, even though I get better every year,” she said. “Plants are living things, and so many different variables are involved: losses to insects and rodents, succession planting. The cutting of flowers is labor-intensive because they need to be cut twice a week, and that never ends. Even when I’m not selling, I need to deadhead the flowers so they don’t go to seed.”
The hard work has taught her to create boundaries for herself such as inviting her subscription clients to pick up their bouquets on her front porch instead of driving all over San Diego to deliver them herself. But for her neighbors, the close bonds remain.
“She has made such an impact on the neighborhood,” Kellogg said. Flowers may be transient, but friendships can last a lifetime.
“Yes, she’s a florist,” she said. “But it’s about a lot more than just flowers.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Views: 27
Childhood Dream Powers Opening of Mount Granita Storefront in Little Italy.
Opening a storefront on Murray Hill Road in Little Italy was always in the back of Christopher Giancola’s mind. As a 12-year-old boy, he helped his great-grandparents paint the inside of their apartment building between tenants. He climbed up the ladder and began painting the walls. He lifted one of the tiles and saw a beautiful tin ceiling above.
“That’s when I knew, I’m going to do something with this one day, and here we are,” says Giancola, owner of Mount Granita.
Mount Granita opened its storefront on May 19, 2023, after three years of running the business from a street cart in front of the building. They serve authentic Sicilian granita inspired by Giancola’s family heritage. His great-grandparents immigrated from Sicily in 1955, and he remembers watching his great-grandmother Emilia Pinzone make granita.
“She used to make a granita very simply,” Giancola says. “It was the espresso flavor granita, which is just basically leftover espresso from the stovetop, mixed with some sugar and then put it in the freezer and mix it up after a little while. It was a good way of making something out of basically nothing.
Christopher experimented with many recipes and is dedicated to only using fresh fruit and no syrups. He took his inspiration from the traditional flavors and processes of granita made in Sicily.
All of Mount Granita’s flavors are made with natural ingredients. Step 1 in their process is to find good-quality, reliable, fresh fruit. Step 2 is to mix the perfect ratio of fruit to cane sugar to water. Then the mixture is put in a machine for a spin while it’s freezing, and the end product is a smooth, refreshing, cold and fruity treat.
Because no stabilizers or preservatives are used in the product, they hand blend every flavor each day to get it back to the fluffy smooth consistency before opening.
“Granita is something that reminds me of what my grandma would make, and it’s something that’s traditional to me and holds a very sentimental place in my heart,” he says.
The building has been in his family for more than 60 years when his great-grandfather bought the building after it was converted into an apartment. From 1914 to the early ’60s, the building housed several merchants and businesses.
“Many of the side streets in Little Italy used to have dozens of different niche stores,” Giancola says. “Our building was first a small grocery store. At one point, it was a barber shop, a diner, an ice cream shop, a shoe cobbler and an art studio.”
Before they renovated the building, two drop ceilings covered the original tin ceiling, plaster and drywall was crumbling off the original brick walls and several layers of flooring covered up the original maple floors.
With the help of family and friends, Giancola worked hard to restore and uncover the building to show off the craftsmanship, the building materials and the building quality that existed in the early 1900s.
When remodeling the building, Giancola wanted to keep the building’s traditional look. He wanted it to look like it belonged in the neighborhood, so he chose to install a striped awning reminiscent of storefronts he saw in old photographs of Little Italy.
It was important to Giancola that his storefront had a serving window to emulate the original street cart and to encourage a sidewalk presence, which, he believes, is the best way to meet people and to have a healthy neighborhood.
“Sometimes as you’re walking along the street, you don’t really want to go into a place, you just want to experience a place,” Giancola says. “The sidewalk part of it was important to us. It’s something for everybody, that includes our bubble machine. Even if you’re not coming to our shop, it’s just something that fills the air and brings up the spirit a little bit.”
Views: 77
1 of my best friends on Disqus, has a birthday today!
Happy birthday, Wishy! 🍷🎂
Views: 36
Gather ’round the campfire. Fireside stories connect people across generations, and pass down our diverse cultures.
BEDFORD, Pa. — Sitting around a campfire last weekend with his four great-grandchildren, my father regaled them about the time he was pulling his Thompson Sea Coaster out of Georgian Bay with his truck when disaster struck.
It was 1966 — a time without cell phones or four-wheel drive — and he was cranking the winch when the emergency brake on the truck failed. He watched helplessly as his brand-new yellow Ford submerged under the water — the headlights somehow staying on the whole time.
With that campfire tale, he introduced the children — all of them born 80 years after himself and 120 years after his parents — to a different time, to places and people they had never heard of before: the Grey Bruce Peninsula and Lake Huron, my father’s career designing glass furnaces for PPG and of course the colorful reaction of their immigrant great-great-grandmother, who was on that trip.
I’m pretty sure the enthralled children will pass that dramatic and humorous story down to future generations, introducing some future campfire children to a man they will have never met.
Folklorist Steve Zeitlin said what my father gave my grandchildren was the priceless gift of connectivity across the generations, best described decades ago by American anthropologist Margaret Mead.
“In his storytelling there is something like five generations of living memory that can be carried on,” said Mr. Zeitlin, who is the founder of City Lore, New York’s center for urban folk culture. “In America that is one of our great cultural treasures because of the diversity of our people.”
“There’s just so many threads of immigrant and also native stories — whereas if you grew up in Europe or in France or in most countries in the world, you have one line of stories. But here, there’s so many different groups, and from Jews to African Americans to Native Americans to Italians to Irish,” he said.
All of these groups have had great storytelling traditions that have intermingled, creating unbelievably good storytellers in many different media. “I think that’s why American literature and American storytelling is so rich,” Mr. Zeitlin said.
The tradition of storytelling often fell to the elders in a family or to a tribal leader in a village, and always involved multiple people listening to the stories — often harrowing tales of grit and perseverance from a family’s or a village’s history, explained Dave Isay, the founder of StoryCorps, a nonprofit that preserves Americans’ stories by recording and archiving generational conservations.
All of those family histories are the story of America.
Mr. Isay said he began StoryCorps in 2003 — at a booth in New York’s Grand Central Station — as he watched the digital age start to replace human engagement. Twenty years later, over 700,000 people across the country have volunteered for StoryCorps interviews, in which people ask their loved ones questions about their lives, revealing stories that might otherwise go untold.
Mr. Isay said all of those stories are recorded and placed for generations to come in the Library of Congress. “It is the largest collection of human voices ever assembled,” he said.
StoryCorps travels around the country with Airstream trailers — mobile “campfires,” if you will — to which you can bring your mom, your grandma or anyone you want to honor by listening. The participants simply step inside the Airstream and talk.
At the end of the interview, the participants get a copy of the recording, and another is sent to the Library of Congress — so that their great-great-great-grandkids will be able to hear their voices and learn.
“To be honest, StoryCorps is less about storytelling than about listening, and I think a lot of what’s important about storytelling, in many cases, is the listening. When you sit in a booth with your grandkid, they’re reminding you that you matter and you and your experiences and your part of the fabric of this country won’t be forgotten,” he said.
The project has earned support from across the political spectrum.
Mr. Isay said storytelling transmits the collective wisdom of humanity. “I think that there’s so much to learn from the stories and the poetry and the wisdom that is hiding in plain sight all around us when we take the time to listen — and much more important than the nonsense we’re fed 24 hours a day.”
A story well-told shakes you by the shoulders and reminds you what’s important, and often what’s important is our connections to other people.
“Storytelling around the campfire or in our living rooms has the opposite impact that a lot of social media does on us — and has a possibility for healing some of the fraying fabric of our country that is being ripped apart so quickly because we don’t have proximity to each other,” Mr. Isay said.
In many ways, podcasts have renewed the art of the amateur American folklorist. While most people listen alone to a podcast downloaded from a server onto an iPhone, there is a growing trend of people holding get-togethers — podcast parties — to listen to episodes together, returning to the communal aspect of storytelling.
Outdoorsman, hunter, New York Times bestselling author and host of the long-running television show “MeatEater,” Steve Rinella has a podcast that averages a whopping four million downloads a month. He and his guests spin stories of adventure and history that often have listeners on the edge of their seats.
Mr. Rinella said in an interview from Alaska that good storytelling — whether it be around a campfire, on a fishing boat in the middle of a lake or on a podcast — tends to gain energy from itself, and one story jolts another storyteller in the group to remember something that happened to them or someone they know.
“We’ve had multiple people who’ve been mauled by grizzly bears come on the show, and incredible experiences which led me to seek out good stories from regular people whose experience wasn’t exactly the right format for a podcast but deserved something much more,” Mr. Rinella said. Those stories became his New York Times bestselling “Camp Fire Stories” audiobook of 16 often perilous but inspiring true stories told in the spirit of a gathering ‘round the campfire. The audiobook was so wildly popular it inspired a second edition — and a third that will be coming out in the summer of 2024.
Relaying stories from an experience or a time gone by is a gift we give to our future generations: My grandchildren begged for so many stories last weekend my father eventually lost his voice.
Mr. Rinella says he gets it: “My father served in World War II. He and his friends who were veterans, would tell riveting stories about the war, and they were out outdoorsmen, and they would tell riveting stories about the outdoors.”
“Looking back on it now and looking at who he could have hung out with and who he chose to hang out with, he was attracted to really colorful storytellers, and I now realize that he went out of his way to introduce me to, to expose me to colorful characters who told great stories, and it was appreciated and cherished,” Mr. Rinella said.
Stories he now shares with his three children.
North Side native Salena Zito is a national political reporter for The Washington Examiner, a New York Post columnist and co-author of “The Great Revolt”: zito.salena@gmail.com.
Views: 44
Ordering from an Amish Restaurant / Store. Mary Yoder’s in Middlefield, Ohio. And a few great recipes. One of our favorites. Was just there this past Tuesday.
Mary Yoder’s is a Amish restaurant my wife and I frequent often. Actually going there for dinner Saturday and I’ll be getting several loafs of bread. Also I’m giving you a link to their store if anyone would wish to order from there.
https://www.maryyodersamishkitchen.com/shop-mary-yoders-amish-kitchen/
I’ve had their bread, pies, pastry, plus jelly and jams. For those who don’t live nearby, they have online ordering.
1 tbsp. butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced carrot
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 lb. ground beef
2 cups tomato juice
1 cup diced potatoes
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/3 cup flour
4 cups milk
Melt butter into saucepan, brown meat; add onion and cook until transparent. Stir in remaining ingredients except flour and milk. Cover and cook over low heat until vegetables are tender. Combine flour with one cup of milk. Stir into soup mixture. Boil. Add remaining milk and heat, stirring frequently. Do not boil after adding remaining milk.
This recipe can be adapted to your family’s taste. Celery can be substituted for the green pepper if you wish.
Filling:
1 can crushed pineapple
2/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp. corn starch
Dough:
2/3 cup warm milk
4 tsp. sugar
1 cake yeast
3 beaten egg yolks
3 cups flour
1/2 lb. margarine
Preheat oven to 350o. Combine crushed pineapple, sugar and cornstarch in pan. Cook until thick. Cool. Cut margarine into flour as for pie dough; crumble yeast into milk and add sugar. Let stand until mixture bubbles, add to flour mixture. Mix in beaten egg yolks. Knead dough lightly and divide into two parts. Roll out one half of dough on floured board and fit in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Spread pineapple mixture on top. Roll out second piece of dough and place on top of filling. Let stand for one hour in warm place. Bake in 350o oven for 30 minutes. At once put on thin confectioners sugar frostiing. Other fillings such as blueberry and raspberry may be used instead of pineapple.
1/2 cup lukewarm water
2 pkgs yeast
1 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup flour, plus
1/4 cup shortening
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water. Soak for five minutes. Combine lukewarm milk, 1/4 cup sugar and salt. Add 1 cup flour, shortening and beaten egg. Continue to add flour until you get a soft dough. Let rise for one hour. Punch down and let rise again. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. roll dough into rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon mixture and roll like a jelly roll. Let rise again and bake at 350o for about 30 minutes.
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup sufted flour
Preheat oven to 325o. Mix all ingredients.. Pat into a 9inch square pan. Bake at 325o for 15 minutes.
Filling:
1 cup sugar
2 tablespooons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
juice of one large lemon
2 eggs, slightly beaten
Combine all ingredients. Pour over baked layer. Bake at 325o for 25 minutes. Cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into squares.
1 chicken – preferably a 4 pound hen
1 teaspoon salt
Water to cover
4 medium-sized potatoes, sliced
2 tablespoons parsley
For Dumpling dough:
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2-3 tablespoons water
Cut chicken into serving pieces and cook until tender. Season with salt. When chicken is almost soft, add the potatoes.
To make dumplings, make a well in the flour and add the eggs and salt. Work together into a stiff dough, adding the water or milk if too dry. Roll out the dough as thin as possible (1/8 inch) and cut in 1 inch squares with a knife or pastry wheel. Drop into the boiling broth, which should be sufficient to cover the chicken. Add the chopped parsley. Some flour can be added to the broth to make it like gravy. Serves 6-8.
Views: 53
Tomato Season Is the Best Season. These Recipes Prove It.
Looking for ideas for what to do with those homegrown beefsteaks or the abundance of sungolds you found at the farmers market? From a savory tomato tart to a sweet tomato chutney, make the most of growing season with these summery tomato recipes that perfectly complement your favorite grilled foods.
Image by LauriPatterson/Getty Images
When garden tomatoes are at their juiciest, this classic eat-it-over-the-sink sandwich—with its mayo-gilded drips—is a must.
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Juicy and sweet cherry tomatoes burst open in warm olive oil, creating a luxuriously silky sauce that comes together in minutes.
This simple salad, made with thinly-sliced red onions, fresh herbs, and a drizzle of oil and vinegar, lets juicy summer tomatoes shine.
This light, easy Chinese dish is my ultimate comfort.
I particularly like these gorgeously sweet and tangy, juicy and sticky tomatoes piled on toast with a sprinkling of flaky sea salt on top.
A savory layer of garlic, herb, and Parmesan-seasoned cream cheese makes it a fabulous appetizer or main dish for a light lunch.
Creamy and bursting with flavor, these goat cheese-stuffed tomatoes are juicy and filled to the brim with velvety tangy cheese and the best crunchy breadcrumb topping.
This incredibly simple tomato sauce is Chicago chef Tony Mantuano’s secret weapon in the summer. He marinates peak season tomatoes with olive oil, basil and shallots before spooning the over grilled fish or piling it on grilled bread.
This basic onion tomato chutney is frugal, fresh, and packed with sweet, spicy (optional), tangy flavor with only 7 ingredients and in under an hour. Perfect for serving with snacks, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, and more.
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The best tomatoes are heavy and smelly.
LEARN MORE: What’s the Difference Between All the Types of Tomatoes? via Bon Appétit.
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Views: 31
Does anyone dress up when going to weddings? Lately I’ve noticed that more and more people are not getting dressed up when going to a wedding. About 10 years ago I stopped wearing a suit, but I still will wear a nice polo and dress pants. And if I wear a dress shirt, I will wear a tie. Now this jeans and shorts for men just is too casual.
Some of the women I’ve seen lately, same thing. Shorts, jeans, and dresses you would see on Sunset Blvd. So what happened to going out and dressing up?
And the way the couples dress? They’re getting married not going out for a good time. Call me old fashion, but weddings should be more formal.
Views: 38
Best road trips in all 50 states.
A great road trip is hard to beat. Exploring by car allows you to immerse yourself in the journey rather than hurrying to get to a specific destination. Road trips in the United States are so popular that an estimated 50 million Americans embarked on one in 2019, according to a AAA Travel survey. From cityscapes to untouched wilderness, you can see it all in the country with boundless diverse landscapes. Take a look at the best road trip in each state for some extra travel inspiration.
Take in Alabama’s beautiful white sand beaches on a road trip along the Gulf Coast. Cruise along Alabama State Routes 180 and 182 — which link the state’s borders with Mississippi and Florida. If you need a place to stop and dip your toes in the water, both Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are home to plenty of hotels and restaurants, not to mention sandy spots to lay a towel. Make sure you grab lunch at The Hangout, a beachfront seafood restaurant with live music and epic views. Extend your trip by heading north through Mobile, Alabama’s port city, to Montgomery, the state capital.
Road Trip Highlights: Although the entire drive is scenic, stop at Gulf State Park for biking, paddle boarding, and kayaking. Here you’ll find the Gulf State Fishing and Education Pier, the largest on the Gulf of Mexico.
If you’re looking for a road trip with breathtaking views around every curve, you’ve found it. The stunning Seward Highway starts in Anchorage, which lies just south of the coastal town of Seward, and is an adventurous journey you can’t miss. Pass the dramatic shores of Turnagain Arm, a waterway in the northwestern Gulf of Alaska, before reaching the dramatic Chugach Mountains. Once in Seward, you’ll have the chance to admire Resurrection Bay, a favorite among photographers, and the Kenai Mountains.
Road Trip Highlights: Stop at the Kenai Peninsula, home to Kenai Fjords National Park. The Exit Glacier in Kenai can be reached by road and offers hiking trails with gorgeous overlooks.
No trip to Arizona is complete without witnessing the iconic red rock formations of the American West. Monument Valley Scenic Road is the nickname for Highway 163 that runs for 27.7 miles through the tall, staggering sandstone structures of northern Arizona. The alien terrain is eerily empty, and this scenic drive is sure to take you on a journey unlike any other.
Road Trip Highlights: Add an additional 17 miles to your trip when you stop at Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park to learn about the Navajo people and discover famous red clay buttes. The loop drive features two hiking trails and 11 lookout points. Also be sure to visit Alhambra, a volcanic core on the side of the road and the village of Mexican Hat to see the sombrero-shaped rock formation. Both make for perfect photos.
Start your road trip in the Ouachita Mountains in Hot Springs. Stroll around the historic downtown area and wander through Hot Springs National Park. When you’re done soaking in the natural springs, dry off and hop back in the car to head northwest. There are two different routes you can take. Outdoor enthusiasts should head towards the mountains of Ouachita National Forest to take a hike or even camp for the night. City lovers, on the other hand, should take the route through Little Rock, the state capital that sits on the Arkansas River. Continue north before ending your trip in the Ozark National Forest — an area that spans 1.2 million acres.
Road Trip Highlights: Stop at Mount Magazine to see the best of natural Arkansas. Take the scenic drive to the peak, where a charming stone overlook will greet you.
Take the ultimate California road trip and travel the entirety of State Highway 1 — more famously known as the Pacific Coast Highway. Start at the northern border of California near Oregon in Crescent City. Travel south until you reach Redwood National Park where you should stop to take in the unique scenery. Multiple beach towns and both national and state parks litter this route, and you could spend weeks or months exploring every coastal corner. Keep going and you’ll pass through such cities as Santa Cruz, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Malibu, Los Angeles, and San Diego just to name a few.
Road Trip Highlights: While there are many iconic stops along this route, be sure to stop in Monterey, a quintessential Californian beach community located about 100 miles south of San Fransisco. Here you’ll find attractions like Cyprus Point Lookout, Pebble Beach, and the charming town of Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Winding through the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the Million Dollar Highway is a journey through time and nature. Drive through mountain passes and old mining towns as you journey from Ouray to Silverton. The terrain is challenging, but the views are worth a million bucks — hence the road’s name. Many people drive the Million Dollar Highway to earn bragging rights, but exploring the mountain towns of Ouray and Silverton are worth the trip alone too. Located in a box canyon, Ouray is a charming town with a historic street and nearby ice-climbing park. Meanwhile, Silverton is a little sleepier with charming restaurants and antique shops.
Road Trip Highlights: Rest your weary body in geothermal heated mineral pools at Ouray Hot Springs outside of Ouray.
First established in the 1630s by the Dutch, this coastal region of Connecticut features plenty of unique historic sites for travelers. Take U.S. Route 1 starting in Greenwich, a classic New England town by the sea. Pass sailboats bobbing in the ocean and lighthouses dotting the coast, until you reach New Haven. There, tour the historic grounds of Yale University, visit a museum, or picnic in one of the many expansive parks. Head up the coast until you reach the Rhode Island border, stopping at the small coastal communities along the way.
Road Trip Highlights: Don’t miss your chance to tour the hallowed grounds of Yale, the third-oldest college in the country and one of only nine colonial colleges that were chartered before the American Revolution.
Discover the charming countryside of the Brandywine Valley in northern Delaware on the border of southeastern Pennsylvania. Boasting sprawling estates and beautiful gardens, this area was once home to some of the wealthiest families in America and earned the nickname “Chateau Country” due to heavy European architectural influences. The easiest way to explore Brandywine is by taking Routes 100 and 52, which loop through the quiet countryside. Enjoy a slice of American history as you pass through the wildflower-lined roads and proud estates.
Road Trip Highlights: Visit Nemours Mansion and Gardens, a 300-acre classical French estate that will transport you to Europe in an instant.
Although Florida has seemingly unlimited road trip opportunities, get off the beaten path and head to the panhandle of the Gulf Coast for a relaxing tour of the Emerald Coast. Named for its shimmering turquoise waters, this coastal region is dotted with small beach towns that will tempt you to pull over mile after mile. Start at Fort Walton Beach and drive across Okaloosa Island on State Road 30A. Observe parasailers, kayakers, and boaters enjoying the sun as you drive over this narrow strip of sand — or maybe park the car and join them on a watery adventure.
Road Trip Highlights: Stop at Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach — exclusive resort towns with delicious restaurants and beautiful homes. Once there, leave the car parked and rent a bike to explore instead.
If Georgia is on your mind, head down this rural road trip through the mountains to explore the state’s completely underrated interior landscape. Start in Atlanta and head northeast up I-85 towards the small town of Helen. Along the way, pull over at Lake Lanier, one of the best-kept secrets in northern Georgia which features resorts, live music, bars, and boating. Continue north through the mountains and visit quaint mountain towns before stopping to rent a cabin for the night. Enjoy your morning coffee with views of fog rolling over the rugged landscape as you consider moving here permanently.
Road Trip Highlights: Stop in Helen for a night or two. Known for its Bavarian-style buildings, river tubing, and epic hiking trails through the Chattahoochee National Forest, this town has something for everyone.
If you’re looking for adventure in Hawaii then take a drive on the famous Hana Highway around the island of Maui. Start in the town of Kahului and continue east through Pā’ia, stopping at Ho’okipa Beach to catch a glimpse of native sea turtles. Carefully continue along winding roads that hug cliffs and dangle over the sea. This trip isn’t for the faint of heart due to sharp turns and one-way bridges, so make sure you stay alert. Protected forests and state parks will greet you towards the end of your drive. Wai’ānapanapa State Park is a great place to wrap up your trip. With black lava sand and tidal caves to explore, this quintessential Hawaiian beach doesn’t disappoint.
Road Trip Highlights: Make roadside stops for waterfalls like Twin Falls, an easily accessible, secluded area about 20 minutes from Pā’ia.
See the diverse landscape of Idaho with this road trip through the southern end of the state. Start in the capital, Boise, continuing east on I-84. Leave the jagged mountains and downtown skyline behind you as you head towards the famous Shoshone Falls Park near Twin Falls. Known as the “Niagara of the West,” these falls are breathtaking and measure 45 feet higher than Niagara Falls. Then wrap up your trip in Idaho Falls, which is located on the Snake River.
Road Trip Highlights: Take a short detour north to visit Craters of the Moon National Park. This unique park is known for its vast, dormant lava fields and exciting hiking trails through caves.
See the very best of historic small town U.S.A. on this relaxed road trip through the Midwest. The famous Route 66, also known as the “Main Street of America,” begins in Chicago and ends at the Santa Monica Pier in California. The first chunk of the route stays in Illinois, passing charming small towns with antique shops, landmarks, and historic diners. Begin in Chicago on Lake Michigan and work your way south through Springfield, the hometown of former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln.
Road Trip Highlights: Stop in Litchfield to visit the last operating drive-in theater on the Illinois stretch of Route 66. Step back in time and enjoy a movie at Sky View Drive-In Theater for just $5 per person.
Enjoy traditional midwestern towns as you travel through Indiana from Fort Wayne to Evansville via I-69. Break up charming countryside views with Indianapolis, the largest city in the state. Check out a museum or tour the striking state capitol building. When you hit the road again, take a detour west towards Parke County and Cloverdale, which is known for its scenic covered bridges and historic farms. Continue down the interstate and end in Bloomington, a charming town in southwestern Indiana and home to Indiana University.
Road Trip Highlights: Take this drive during the fall to enjoy colorful foliage and festivals at local farms. The covered bridges and rustic barns in Parke County set the perfect backdrop for an autumn day.
Take a scenic drive on the Great River Road along the eastern border of Iowa to see the countryside from north to south. Enjoy panoramic views of the Mississippi River along your route, pulling over at protected parks and marshes along the way. For accommodations, be sure to stay in one of the many quaint bed and breakfasts. Along the Great River Road, stop at the Effigy Mounds National Monument in Harpers Ferry, the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque, and the George M. Verity Riverboat Museum in Keokuk.
Road Trip Highlights: Stretch your legs at Pine Creek Grist Mill in Wildcat Den State Park. Take a relaxing stroll past waterfalls through the forest or try a hiking trail along the canyons and cliffs.
Travel along I-70, the main stretch of highway that cuts directly through Kansas from west to east, which is also known as the Prairie Trail Scenic Byway. This trip will dispel any notions of Kansas being flat and boring, and introduce you to all the spectacular scenery the state has to offer. One of the first stops through this boundless landscape is Monument Rocks National Natural Landmark. Here you’ll find unique chalk formations where 80-million-year-old fossils have been uncovered. Further east along I-70 is Mushroom Rock State Park, which is aptly named for its oddly-shaped sandstone formations.
Road Trip Highlights: Stop in Canton to take a tour of the 2,800-acre Maxwell Wildlife Refuge to view local elk, bison, birds, and native plants. The tram ride through the prairie gives guests a true taste of wild Kansas.
Take the ultimate Kentucky Bourbon Trail road trip to see the most notable distilleries in the bluegrass region. Even if you aren’t a whiskey drinker, this route also features some of the best attractions of Kentucky. Start in Louisville, Kentucky’s largest city, and home of the Kentucky Derby. Visit favorite distilleries like Angel’s Envy and Rabbit Hole, while sampling and learning the history of the trade. Continue southwest to Owensboro, a small city on the Indiana state border. Just remember, if you plan on sampling the alcohol, designate a sober driver or plan on staying the night in a nearby inn or hotel.
Road Trip Highlights: Take a tour through one of the best-selling bourbon brands in the world at Jim Beam American Stillhouse in Clermont. With a recipe dating back to the 1800s, you’ll learn the history of this successful company and sample some of their best products.
Louisiana is a melting pot of French, African, and American influences due to its creole and cajun cuisine and culture. See this in action with a scenic drive along I-10 from New Orleans to Lake Charles. Spend some time in New Orleans to start your trip with stops at Audubon Park and along Magazine Street. Continue to Lafeyette, the heart of cajun country, for some unforgettable food and local characters. At your final destination, you’ll find Lake Charles to be a lively city home to festivals, casinos, and rhythm and blues music.
Road Trip Highlights: Although each Louisiana city is enchanting, the landscapes are just as scenic. Be sure to stop along the Atchafalaya Basin, the largest marsh and bayou system in the country.
Traverse Maine’s Bold Coast Scenic Byway, a 125-mile route near the border of New Brunswick, Canada. From Milbridge, watch the rugged coastal cliffs pass by as you visit active fishing harbors and historic towns. Parts of the highway stretch inland, where you’ll experience farmland, blueberry fields, marshes, and lakes. Continue northeast until you reach Lubec, the easternmost point in the United States.
Road Trip Highlights: Stop in the charming town of Machias for delicious blueberries and a history lesson. Not only is this town known for its Wild Blueberry Festival every August, but it was also the location of the first naval battle of the American Revolution.
In an area known as “Tidewater Maryland,” you’ll find a remarkable amount of rivers, wetlands, marshes, coves, and beaches and the best way to discover them is by taking the Blue Crab Scenic Byway. Located between the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay, this 210-mile journey links quaint, coastal villages such as Salisbury and Princess Anne for an imperfect loop. Don’t forget to try fresh-caught crab along the way.
Road Trip Highlights: See the 200-year-old neoclassical Teackle Mansion in Princess Anne and be sure to stop in Crisfield, a town famous for the Crab Derby.
Drive along the rocky New England coastline to explore Cape Ann and the charming fishing villages along the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway. Travel from Newburyport to Rockport, where you can explore art galleries, amazing seafood restaurants, and charming shops near the harbor in Rockport Cultural District. Then head south to Salem, taking in the seaside views and lighthouses dotted along the coast. It’s the perfect refreshing road trip for when you need to relax and clear your head.
Road Trip Highlights: Stop in Gloucester for a whale-watching tour to catch sight of humpback and blue whales.
Appreciate the wonder of Lake Michigan, the third largest of the five Great Lakes, from the coast of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Starting in Grand Rapids, take Route 31 for 175 miles towards Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, where you can see massive sand dunes tower 450 feet above the waters of Lake Michigan. Expansive lake views dominate this trip as you travel north to the Straits of Mackinac — the scenic waterway between the Upper and Lower Peninsulas. On the other side of the famed Mackinac bridge are protected parks with abundant hiking, camping, and fishing.
Road Trip Highlights: If you have time, take the ferry to Mackinac Island to experience a picturesque island town completely free of cars and chain businesses.
After enjoying the cultural landmarks of Minneapolis, hop in the car and head north towards Duluth. The latter half of this journey hugs the coast of Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes. Littered with state forests and parks, mountains, and lodges, this quiet drive up holds something new around every turn. Grand Portage is the last U.S. city you’ll reach before the Canadian border.
Road Trip Highlights: Visit Split Rock Lighthouse, precariously perched on a rocky cliff. Take a tour of the historic landmark, dating back to the 1920s, or stay overnight in a cabin overlooking the lake at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park.
Spend some time in Mississippi as you traverse from capital city Jackson all the way to the Gulf Coast beaches. Highlights of Jackson include the Mississippi Freedom Trail, the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, and LeFleur’s Bluff State Park. Head south through the rural countryside and marshes, stopping along at small towns to learn more about the Civil Rights Movement and to try some delicious Southern dishes. Cruise Route 49 until Gulfport, then head over to the resort city of Biloxi on the Mississippi Sound for a little post-road-trip R&R.
Road Trip Highlights: Sometimes called the “Las Vegas of the Gulf Coast,” Biloxi is worth a visit. There, you’ll find nine casinos, along with lots of restaurants and nightlife. Additionally, Biloxi features pristine white sand beaches.
See what makes Missouri great by visiting its three largest cities — Kansas City, Springfield, and St. Louis — all in one trip. Start in Kansas City in western Missouri, which is known for its barbecue, jazz, and beautiful downtown fountains. Springfield, Missouri’s third-largest city, is less than 200 miles south of Kansas City and is a great place to visit museums and city parks. Continue northeast for 200 miles to St. Louis, home to the iconic Gateway Arch on the Mississippi River. Breweries, art museums, blues music, delicious food, and botanical gardens are just a few things to enjoy during your stay.
Road Trip Highlights: Many know of the iconic Gateway Arch in St. Louis, but few know of its detailed history. After taking pictures at the arch, stop at the Gateway Arch National Park Museum to gain a better understanding of what this arch means to St. Louis.
Enjoy the wide-open spaces of Montana and learn why the state is known as “Big Sky Country.” Start in Billings, a town full of western heritage on the Yellowstone River. Travel west on I-90, through winding roads as you transition from the Great Plains to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Once you reach Missoula, take the scenic road and travel north up Route 93 — passing through the Flathead Indian Reservation. Continuing on, you’ll find Kootenai National Forest to your west and Glacier National Park to your east. Both feature fantastic trails, campsites, and sweeping views.
Road Trip Highlights: Glacier National Park is must-see terrain on the Canadian border in Montana. Enjoy historic chalets and untouched wilderness, then travel along the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road for even more photo opportunities.
You’ll feel as if you’ve stepped back in time when exploring the Oregon National Historic Trail. Though the route passes through six states, its Nebraska leg is one of the most iconic and features several protected historic locations including California Hill and Fort Kearny State Historical Park. Explore landmarks that travelers used as they crossed the country like the Courthouse and Jail Rocks — massive clay and sandstone rock formations that jut out from the countryside. Enjoy a sunset over these unique sandstone rock formations as you make your way through the state.
Road Trip Highlights: Scotts Bluff National Monument is a must-see landmark on this road trip. This 3,000-acre park is home to remnants of the historic trail and picturesque rock formations.
Kick off your Nevadan road trip in Las Vegas with all the classics: shows, casinos, world-class resorts, and so much more. Then, leave Sin City behind to travel northwest along Route 95 for about 430 miles through vast desert landscapes. Pull over to stretch your legs and enjoy roadside attractions like the International Car Forest in the tiny ghost town of Goldfield. You’ll eventually reach Carson City, the gateway city to the Nevadan side of Lake Tahoe. Here you’ll end your journey in style, by relaxing along the beach or heading to one of the many area ski resorts.
Road Trip Highlights: Consider stopping at Incline Village and Crystal Bay at the northern end of Lake Tahoe on the Nevada side. Visitors love this spot because of its never-ending list of activities including water and snow sports, shopping, casinos, and restaurants.
You can travel the entirety of New Hampshire from north to south in as little as three hours making this a quick yet enjoyable road trip. Start in Pittsburg near the Canadian border and travel south to the shores of Hampton Beach. On your way down Route 3, stop at state parks to get some fresh air and enjoy the state’s forested peaks. You’ll also pass through Concord, the state capital, and quaint mountain towns on your way to the rocky shores of the Atlantic Ocean.
Road Trip Highlights: Visit White Mountain National Forest and drive along the Kancamagus Scenic Highway, a 35-mile stretch featuring classic New England views. Fall is especially beautiful when foliage decorates the landscape in fiery hues.
A traditional Jersey Shore road trip can be just the ticket for some summertime fun. Start in resort-filled Atlantic City for gambling and nightlife before traveling south to iconic Ocean City, the location that most locals call the true Jersey Shore. Further south you’ll find Sea Isle City and Cape May — both are idyllic seaside retreats. Dip your toes in the water, grab some ice cream, and soak up a little sunshine.
Road Trip Highlights: Stop at the Ocean City Boardwalk for some family-friendly fun. Go for a ferris wheel ride at Gillian’s Wonderland Pier or walk to Playland’s Castaway Cove for more amusement rides.
Plenty of adventures are to be had in this southwestern state, and you can travel along I-25 from Santa Fe in the north to White Sands National Monument in the south to hit all of the essential New Mexican stops. Along the way, admire outstanding Pueblo-style architecture, devour some excellent Mexican food, and marvel at the state’s stunning natural landscapes. Spend some time in Old Town Albuquerque, which was founded back in 1706 as a Spanish colony. Continue south through Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge or Gila National Forest to see New Mexico’s diverse natural terrain, ranging from deserts and prairies to forested mountains and waterfalls.
Road Trip Highlights: White Sands National Monument in the Chihuahuan Desert offers unparalleled beauty in southern New Mexico. The dramatic views of the expansive white gypsum dunes are unforgettable.
The Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York is home to some of the finest lake views in the northeastern United States. This family-friendly region has something for everyone, from amusement parks to winery tours. Cruise along the winding roads from Rochester to Syracuse, bypassing the 11 lakes that make up the area. Each lake has its own unique set of attractions, such as the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail or the Canandaigua Lake Boat Cruise.
Road Trip Highlights: Visit Letchworth State Park for its whitewater rafting and hot air balloon rides.
Immerse yourself in Appalachian beauty as you wind through North Carolina along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Although the entire journey is 469 miles and stretches through neighboring states in the region, the North Carolina leg is especially stunning. This leisurely mountain road is dotted with endless vistas and overlooks that make it one of the best ways to experience what some call “America’s Favorite Drive.”
Road Trip Highlights: Along the parkway, you’ll get to discover some of the world’s oldest mountains including Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in the eastern United States. The Linville Gorge is also located along the Blue Ridge Parkway and is the deepest gorge east of the Grand Canyon.
Take an authentic American road trip through North Dakota — a western state that boasts eclectic roadside attractions and a serene national park at the edge of the Badlands. Start in Fargo and take I-94 directly through the center of North Dakota, before stopping in the capital city of Bismarck. Continue until you reach Theodore Roosevelt National Park on the western border of the state. Throughout your journey, you’ll find unique roadside attractions such as the National Buffalo Museum and the Frontier Village.
Road Trip Highlights: Visit the charming town of Medora, just off of I-94, before entering Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Home to a variety of wildlife to encounter, take the Scenic Loop Drive for easy access to overlooks and trails.
Ohio is full of stunning waterfalls just waiting to be discovered by road trippers. Embark on a journey to chase waterfalls across the state, from Columbus to Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Spot urban waterfalls that are an easy walk and stunning natural springs that require a more extensive hike. Map out your own journey to check waterfalls off you list, or follow this pre-mapped route which takes around 10 hours.
Road Trip Highlights: The 65-foot Brandywine Falls are perhaps the most famous of Ohio’s waterfalls, and can be found in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio’s only national park.
Winding 54 miles along Rich Mountain and Winding Stair Mountain in Ouachita National Forest, the Talimena National Scenic Byway is home to stunning valleys and historic towns worthy of your time and attention. Though Oklahoma is considered a relatively flat state, you’ll find rolling hills and scenic overlooks along this route.
Road Trip Highlights: Stop in Broken Bow and visit nearby Beavers Bend State Park for canoeing, bird-watching, camping, horseback riding, and other outdoor activities.
Adventurous travelers in search of the towering trees that make the Pacific Northwest famous should make their way to Oregon. Start 13 miles east of Portland on I-84 to travel along the Historic Columbia River Highway. This 70-mile highway runs through the Columbia River Gorge, home to the famous Multnomah Falls. The lush, green fir trees and ferns stretch on and on, and while you can see everything from inside the car you’ll want to pull over to breath in that tranquil air for yourself.
Road Trip Highlights: Wahkeena Falls, located just 30 miles east of Portland, is well worth the stop. This 242-foot waterfall is surrounded by hiking trails that extend from the overlook parking lot to Lemmons Viewpoint for a 1.4-mile hike.
While Pennsylvania is often overlooked, it’s home to some fantastic major cities. Visit the four largest cities in the state — starting in the southeastern corner in Philadelphia. An icon of American history, Philadelphia is home to the Liberty Bell, Philadelphia City Hall, and The Philadelphia Museum of Art, which includes the famous “Rocky Steps.” The state capital of Harrisburg is 100 miles west. Stop at the National Civil War Museum, or for chocolate lovers, Hershey Park. Head further west until you reach Pittsburgh, the city of bridges. Boasting nearly 450 bridges, this city is home to lively arts, culture, and food scenes. End your trip by heading north of Pittsburgh to Erie, the fourth largest city in the state. Here, you can enjoy the best sunset you’ve ever seen on the shores of Lake Erie.
Road Trip Highlights: Visit Presque Isle State Park in Erie for coastal fun at Pennsylvania’s only “seashore.” This 3,200-acre protected peninsula is home to a high concentration of the state’s endangered, threatened, and rare species — making it a perfect spot for nature lovers.
Known for its colonial-era towns and Atlantic beaches, Rhode Island is the perfect place for a seaside road trip. From Providence, the historic capital city, take a drive south and stop in coastal communities along the way. Enjoy a peaceful lunch along the beach as sailboats dot the shimmering waters. Soon you’ll reach Newport, which is home to impressive mansions from the Gilded Age. Your journey south will end at Narragansett Bay by the Castle Hill Lighthouse — a granite lighthouse built in the late 1800s.
Road Trip Highlights: Spend some time in Newport exploring stunning mansions from the Gilded Age. As a summer home for the Vanderbilt family, this estate is worth stopping for a tour. Cruise along Bellevue Avenue to see the rest of the mansions in all their glory.
Slow down to take in the sights with a Lowcountry drive along the South Carolinian coast. The region, known for its strong cultural and historical roots, boasts Spanish moss-laden oak trees, exceptional cuisine, and Southern charm to boot. Significant stops on this route include Charleston, the port city with cobblestone streets, and Beaufort, known for its antebellum missions and historic district. Hilton Head Island is often considered the southern cut-off point in the Lowcountry region, so make sure you head in that direction to get the full experience. Enjoy some time at the quiet, expansive beaches in the area, while taking in the cool breeze and sweet smell of seagrass.
Road Trip Highlights: Take a detour 30 minutes north of downtown Charleston to see Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, the most visited plantation in the state.
Take the nearly 400-mile stretch of I-90 through the entirety of southern South Dakota to enjoy the diversity of this underrated state’s landscape. Begin in Deadwood, a classic Wild West city with Gold Rush roots. Rapid City is only a short drive east and is known as the gateway to Mount Rushmore, which lies just 20 miles south. Drive straight through Badlands National Park, admiring more than 244,000 acres of craggy terrain and prairies. Sioux Falls will greet you in the east, where you can end the trip observing the Big Sioux River tumble over the rocks in Falls Park.
Road Trip Highlights: Go back in time and experience the Wild West of the 1800s in the historic town of Deadwood. Located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, this quirky stop boasts gold mine tours, a dinner theater, a casino, and traditional old west saloons.
The bright lights and music of Nashville will send you off on your Tennessee journey in style. After the nightlife and excitement of the big city, slow down with a relaxing retreat to the mountains. From Nashville, head east on I-40 towards Gatlinburg near Great Smoky Mountain National Park. We recommend renting a cabin in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge, the home of Dollywood.
Road Trip Highlights: Before leaving Nashville, stop at The Gulch, a neighborhood between historic Music Row and downtown Nashville. Visit Two Old Hippies for shopping and live music, then head to the rooftop bar at L.A. Jackson for stunning city skyline views.
Although it’s short, the historic, 13-mile scenic drive through Texas Hill Country is the best place to spot Texan wildflowers such as bluebonnets, yellow and white daisies, Mexican poppies, sunflowers, and Indian paintbrush. The narrow road is only two lanes and runs from just outside Fredericksburg toward Llano.
Road Trip Highlights: Stopping to smell the flowers is worth taking the drive, but the charming German town of Fredericksburg is also a great place to pass the time. Despite its proximity to big cities like Austin and San Antonio, Fredericksburg has small town charm. Home to more than 40 wineries and tasting rooms, antique stores, and charming restaurants, this small Texan town is a must-see highlight.
Want to see as many national parks as possible on one giant road trip? Utah might seem a little intimidating if you’re unfamiliar with the desert terrain, but the trip from Moab in the east to Kanab in the south will make sure you don’t miss out on those spectacular landscapes you’ve yet to explore. Red-rock formations galore and riveting red sunsets make this road trip one to remember for the rest of your life. Along the way, make plans to stop in Arches National Park, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Road Trip Highlights: If you find yourself a little dry driving through the arid Utah desert, stop off in Lake Powell. This reservoir on the Colorado River straddles the border between Utah and Arizona, and features plenty of opportunities for boating and jetskiing.
Vermont is home to some of the best road trip views in the country. Take a loop through northern Vermont to stop at two of the most populated cities in the state, Burlington and Montpelier. Start in Burlington, a vibrant city on the shores of Lake Champlain, known for its Church Street Marketplace and freshwater beaches. The small town of Vergennes is a short drive south, where you’ll find Button Bay State Park. Heading east towards Montpelier on Route 17, enjoy a 50-mile stretch of charming countryside. The city of Montpelier is the smallest state capital in the country and is home to just under 8,000 people. Take back roads on your return trip to Burlington and stop at Camel’s Hump State Park, the third tallest mountain peak in Vermont.
Road Trip Highlights: Head to the town of Waterbury for a tour of the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream factory. Then, take a detour 10 minutes north to visit Cold Hollow Cider Mill, a charming spot with a bakery known for cider donuts.
Fun fact: Virginia comes in at number five on the list of the states with the most wineries. Couple this with the scenic Shenandoah Valley on the western side of the state, and you’re in for a picturesque Wine Trail road trip. Enjoy the art of winemaking — a craft that has been around since the colonial era in Virginia. Barboursville Vineyards and Linden Vineyards are two premiere wineries to add to your list of stops. Some wineries are modern while some are more rustic, and many even have lodging, so that you don’t need to worry about finding a safe ride home (you can find the full list of wineries in the region here). Enjoy sunsets over the rolling hills and vineyards as you make your way through the countryside.
Road Trip Highlights: Veritas Vineyard and Winery should be at the top of your list for must-see stops during this tour. They take pride in their “European heritage meets Southern charm” atmosphere, while offering casual and fine dining options as well as charming accommodations at The Farmhouse.
Full of must-see locations, this route should be your first choice if you’ve never been on a road trip through Washington state. Take a journey along the shores of the Puget Sound on I-5 from Washington’s southern border near Portland, Oregon all the way north to Bellingham, near Vancouver, Canada. Along the way, you’ll stop in must-see cities such as Olympia, Tacoma, and Seattle. Take a detour further west to Whidbey Island, a rugged island on the Sound. For outdoor enthusiasts, Olympic National Park is also right next door.
Road Trip Highlights: Make a stop at Whidbey and Fidalgo Islands — both accessible by car via bridge or ferry. Travel across the iconic Deception Pass Bridge that connects the islands while enjoying the misty canyon views.
Home to exciting caverns, picturesque mountains, and rolling valleys, this scenic loop drive will show you the very best that West Virginia has to offer. Trek through the Appalachian Mountains on your drive through West Virginia starting in Morgantown — home of West Virginia University. Continue southeast towards the Monongahela National Forest, a 900,000-acre forested region known for its camping and skiing. Continue your journey west towards Charleston, the capital city of West Virginia with its stunning, gold-domed capitol building. Head northeast up I-79 to complete your loop to Morgantown.
Road Trip Highlights: In Lewisburg, take a detour to the Lost World Caverns, where you can descend 120 feet into the caves.
A fall foliage road trip through southern Wisconsin might not be an obvious choice — New England usually gets all the attention — but you’ll be amazed at the beauty of the backroads in this midwestern state. Take a relaxed drive between the two largest cities in Wisconsin, with small-town stops along the way. Start in Milwaukee on the western shore of Lake Michigan, known for its breweries and Milwaukee Riverwalk District. Head southwest on rural back roads to Lake Geneva before heading northwest towards the capital city of Madison. Stretch your legs on the scenic Capital City State Trail along Lake Monona.
Road Trip Highlights: Stop at Lake Geneva where you’ll find Big Foot Beach State Park, Yerkes Observatory, Black Pointe Estate and Gardens, and Fontana-on-Geneva-Lake, a charming lakeside village.
Wyoming is home to some of the most beautiful wild terrain in the country. Witness this stunning state in all its natural glory by driving Beartooth Highway. This 68-mile journey begins in southwest Montana, but travels through northwest Wyoming to the Northeast Entrance at Yellowstone National Park. Top attractions at this famous park include Mammoth Hot Springs, Steamboat Geyser, Old Faithful, and the Grand Canyon.
Road Trip Highlights: This road trip is the perfect opportunity to enjoy swimming in natural hot springs in the region. Yellowstone National Park has a few areas where you can soak in the springs, including Boiling River, Firehole River, Madison River, and the West Thumb Area. The John D. Rockefeller Parkway Hot Springs are also located just two miles south of Yellowstone.
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15 Recipes for When It’s Too Hot to Cook.
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Image by DronG / Getty Images.
A light and easy recipe for a no-cook tomato and white bean salad. Make it now before the season’s tomatoes disappear!
This green goddess tuna salad sandwich recipe is a revelation, bringing bright herbaceous flavors to an otherwise one-note meal.
These peanut butter bars are so easy to make and are ready to eat in 30 minutes or less.
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A hearty chicken stew with a nice balance of creaminess, warmth and tangy brightness.
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They’re full of chili-spiced brown rice, black beans, corn, and yes, tender bites of shredded chicken.
Cheesecakes are usually time-consuming. This one is much easier than the baked ones, and still delicious!
A 12 minute, no cook, giant couscous salad with sun dried tomato, feta, rocket (arugula), herbs and the nutty tastiness of chickpeas.
This creamy soup makes an indulgent but not too heavy meal on a hot summer day.
Whether it’s packed in sandwiches, eaten on its own or piled on top of nachos, pulled pork is the versatile main dish we can’t get enough of.
Think of this recipe as a base for all future slow-cooked fish recipes. Feel free to switch up the citrus you use, or lose it all together!
The salty, nutty and gloriously savory flavors of gim—the Korean roasted and seasoned seaweed—anchor this easy chickpea salad.
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A refreshing summery salad with a tangy bite.
Bright and herby smashed chickpeas get spooned on garlicky toast that’s been smoothed with harissa yogurt to make the perfect vegetarian tartine.
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12-Year-Old Started Making All-Natural Candles to Help His Mom — Now He Has His Own Shop and Donates to Charity.
For most 12-year-olds, any free time after school is spent hanging out with friends, competing in sports, or playing video games. But budding entrepreneur Alejandro Buxton, from Fairfax County, Virginia, has another pursuit on his agenda each week: making all-natural candles that he sells online and at a local mall.
The idea was inspired by his mother, Patricia Buxton, who had to give up many of the scented candles she’d filled their home with after realizing the chemicals within them were exacerbating her allergies, causing her frequent headaches.
“My mom really loved candles, like really really,” the seventh grader told The Washington Post. “It was hard to see her sad.”
So, in 2019, at just 9 years old, he started experimenting with making his own, mixing ingredients like soy and coconut waxes with essential oils. He dubbed his first iteration “Jurassic Orange,” for its color and fragrance. Though his mother was a big fan, and the scent didn’t cause her head to ache, Buxton wanted to improve upon his work.
Within the next few months, the Post reported, he’d developed a line of six uniquely scented candles. By the following year, in the midst of worldwide lockdowns, he’d created his own Etsy shop. (How’s that for making the most of a pandemic hobby?)
Soon after, Alejandro began selling his products on his own website, “Smell of Love Candles,” where shoppers can find offerings with creative names like “Sage the Day!” and “Alexa, clean the house.” He also lists hand-dipped incense, reed diffusers, and room sprays for sale.
According to the site, his younger sister Valentina serves as assistant of operations (her contributions include “helping pass the bubble wrap during shipping operations [and] keeping everyone laughing”), while his mother assumes the role of assistant to the CEO.
Now, the enterprising youngster is operating his business in a brick-and-mortar location as well. This past September, he opened a stand in D.C.’s Tysons Corner shopping center — making him the youngest leaseholder at the mall.
Speaking to ABC 7 News at the time, his mother held back tears of pride: “I have no words, to be honest. It’s so hard to express.”
Besides inspiring fellow kids with his entrepreneurial spirit and talent, Alejandro is also a positive role model for giving back and making a difference: He donates a portion of his profits to a local charity.
He told ABC, “We can change the world by helping each other.”
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Why Do We Paint Windsor Chairs? And other goodies. Recently someone who follows this website as if it were a religion was worried that by painting Antique Chairs, the value would be next to nothing. Well I think that this article explains it best.
Folks online tend to get in a tizzy when it comes time to paint my Windsor chairs because they want to see me “stain or oil the natural wood.” But here’s why we paint Windsor chairs…
If the chair were a single species of wood, or two species that made for a beautiful contrast (like maple and walnut, for example), I’d be right there with them loving those natural wood tones and being wary of covering them up.
I generally steer clear of stains of any kind though, because call me a purist, but I want the wood I’m using to build to look like the wood I’m using. Pine just can’t passably be made to look like walnut and vise versa. But I digress.
The real reason we paint Windsor chairs is because that’s how they were traditionally finished. That’s in big part because they’re made from three white-ish (in color) species of wood that are too similar in color to contrast well, and yet too dissimilar in texture and pore structure to oil without the chair ending up looking, well, tacky.
The smooth maple used for the legs, rockers, and armposts is used because of its rock-hard nature; it can stand up to the abuse of leaning and tipping that is common in chairs. Maple’s ability to show crisper turning details and take a really nice finish right off the lathe tool with little to no sanding is definitely a plus when it comes to production turning (think of having to turn 56 baluster style chair components for a set of 8 chairs). Maple develops a nice natural polish with oil and tends to stay pretty “white” in color, though it does “yellow” and darken over time.
The seat of a Windsor chair is pine, which grows big enough to make solid seat blanks, is soft enough to carve and it also tends to compress around the harder wood components during the joining process, making for tighter, longer-lasting joints. Pine soaks up a lot of oil initially, giving it a more immediate “yellow” tone with oil.
The spindles and chair backs are traditionally made from white or red oak, which is a really stringy, porous wood. Oak, however, grows really straight and tends to split really well, giving us the opportunity to get really thin, refined-looking spindles that have some “give” as you sit in the chair, but retain the full-grain strength of the tree within their length, so that “give” doesn’t result in “snaps” as you lean back in the chair.
Were we to use maple for the spindles, we’d be forced to leave the spindles much thicker which would make for a much more “top-heavy” looking chair. Red oak gets very red as it ages, and white oak turns more of an amber color when oiled.
Now the several antique and reproduction chairs are made of the 3 different wood. To stain them would just ruin them and the value of the chairs would be cut by 90% if I were to sell them.
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Cherry Tomato Salad Recipe | Classic Tomato Salad.
Make this cherry tomato basil salad for a dish that’s healthy and loaded with flavor! Featuring mouthwatering mozzarella cheese, fresh vegetables, and a basil oil dressing, this salad is great with an entree or by itself!
Ingredients you will need:
First, chop 3 or 4 basil leaves. Place most of the basil in a mixing bowl, saving some for later.
Pour 1/4 cup olive oil into the mixing bowl with the fresh basil.
Squeeze lemon juice into basil mixture.
Stir.
In a separate bowl, toss together 1 pint cherry tomatoes sliced in half, 2/3 cup cubed fresh mozzarella, and the remaining sliced basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Drizzle basil dressing over the salad, saving more for later if you wish.
Add a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Serve and enjoy this wonderful tomato salad!
Views: 47
This Dad Built a Fully Accessible Theme Park for His Daughter With Disabilities.
In San Antonio, a one-of-a-kind theme park has welcomed visitors from all 50 states and across the globe — but the main attraction isn’t a sky-high roller coaster. Instead, people flock to Morgan’s Wonderland because it’s a fully accessible space designed with people who have special needs in mind. And it all began with one dad who wanted to make his daughter happy.
Morgan Hartman, now nearly 30 years old, was born with cognitive and physical disabilities and would eventually be diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome. On a family vacation back in 2006, her father Gordon noticed Morgan being excluded by a group of children she was trying to play with at a hotel swimming pool.
“It almost puts a lump in your throat because it gives you a sad feeling that, all Morgan wanted was to participate,” Gordon said when recounting the moment to CBS News. “She just wanted to play.”
So, like any good father who sees his child being hurt in some way, he set out to fix the problem — and in a big way. A philanthropist and former house builder, he resolved to create a space where everyone felt welcome: those with disabilities and those without. Four years and $35 million later, Morgan’s Wonderland opened to the world. The nonprofit theme park features 25 rides and attractions and offers free admission to anyone with a disability.
Morgan’s Wonderland is “Ultra-Accessible,” meaning all visitors have the same opportunity to participate and be included. Ultra-Accessible standards surpass those put into place by the American With Disabilities Act, the nonprofit notes, and all compliant accommodations must “blend in seamlessly to the surroundings and never attract unnecessary attention to their use or existence.” It’s a model the organization is actively encouraging the wider community to adopt as well.
At the theme park, those above-and-beyond accommodations include sound-absorbing floors and pink noise to reduce disturbances for those with sensory sensitivities; a specially designated outdoor service animal area; and quiet rooms where visitors can seek repose when feeling tired or overstimulated.
“It’s the small things that make the big difference: having fun,” Gordon told CBS. “And for too long, I think, individuals had to watch and say, ‘I wish I could.’ Here at Morgan’s Wonderland and all the different Morgan’s venues, you don’t watch. You participate.”
But the Texas native is clear that Morgan’s Wonderland and its 2017 water park addition, called Morgan’s Inspiration Island, welcome all individuals, encouraging the kind of interactions he saw his daughter denied of so many years ago.
“That’s the beauty of this place is that it’s an opportunity for everyone to truly enjoy playing together. But also, no matter what their condition may be, that’s not a question anymore,” he said.
In addition to rides and games, Morgan’s Wonderland also offers an experience called the Home Lab, where visitors and their families can practice daily activities — like preparing food, getting dressed, housekeeping, and socializing— in a safe, comfortable setting using regular materials and assistive technology.
For out-of-towners who cannot afford the trip to the Lone Star State, the park works with another nonprofit, Project Angel Fares, which was set up specifically to provide children who have special health needs or disabilities the chance to visit Morgan’s Wonderland with their families.
To find out how you can volunteer with or donate to the theme park, click here.
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They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but where does that leave reinvention? The best cover songs don’t simply repackage something familiar – they completely reinterpret the source material, dismantling the song and reassembling its parts into something exciting while keeping the core of what made it great.
Let’s hear it for cover songs. Sometimes the original can never be copied. It’s that good. But there have been many cover songs that were actually been better. I’ll put some tunes and ya all can see what is and is not as good.
Remember this Archies hit?
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