Last week, newspapers reported that the National Park Service wasn’t doing away with summer staples such as hot dogs and ice cream, but was adding healthier options, such as lentil soup and fish tacos, apparently because Americans love having multiple choices to satisfy their individuality. The news sounded doused with corn syrup and wrapped in…
Category: Outdoors
Bean and Beyond in Chicago
Long before the charismatic Rahm Emanuel ran the Windy City, Mayor Michael Bilandic, sometimes referred to “Mayor Bland,” supported passage of an ordinance that would change the face of Chicago. Called the Percent for Art Ordinance, it stipulates any city buildings and spaces undergoing renovation or new construction devote 1.33 percent of the cost to…
Biting the Big Apple
If you’re thinking about visiting the Big Apple, your timing couldn’t be better when it comes to relatively inexpensive outdoor dining options. I use the term “dining” loosely here, for I am talking about the growing New York City food truck scene. Spring and summer are fantastic times to walk New York City’s neighborhoods and…
We’re Just Tenants Here
The Earth’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest, is located along the Nepal/Tibet/China border, stands an astounding 29,035 feet, and grows a quarter inch every year. Garbage grows with the mountain; Mount Everest has become such a popular place that several decades worth of trash have accumulated. An estimated 50 tons of garbage, including a rusting helicopter,…
Ode to the Swimming Pool
For years, I’ve based my hotel choices not on price or location but on the quality of the pool. Indoor, outdoor, it didn’t matter, but there had to be a well-maintained pool, one that the hotel was proud to showcase, not something hidden on the sixth floor at the end of some abandoned hallway. I…