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Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Food and music festivals in one
You no longer need to choose between a food or music festival. This summer both mainstream and specialist events are putting chefs and pop-up restaurants on the line-up with the bandsLong gone are the days when nosh at music festivals meant soggy chips and floppy frankfurters in plastic baps. Mainstream festivals have been offering a wide choice of good grub for some time now, with specialist stalls selling everything from proper paella to posh, wood-fired pizzas. This year, there's a discernible trend towards niche, even gourmet, edible offers at live events, making them so much more than your bog standard music fests.As Johnny Davis rightly remarked in last weekend's Observer New Review, the sheer number of music festivals in the UK (from small and local to monsters like Glastonbury) has reached saturation point, with the "season" now running from March to December. During the peak period, between June and September, there isn't a single festival-free weekend. Set in this context, how can event organisers work to make their festivals stand apart? A strong line-up is obviously one way, but as festivals become more homogeneous (to borrow Davis's example, Hot Chip performed at 46 festivals across Europe in 2010) that can no longer be relied upon. Even the biggest acts may not cut it to create really unique selling points. And that's where food can come in.The movement towards fusing live music with great food has already spoilt Londoners this summer. Jamie Oliver's The Big Feastival on Clapham Common offered punters an array of fare from Britain's omnipresent foodie brand as well as acts such as Soul II Soul, the Mystery Jets and Athlete. Yes, this was a music festival, but with food elevated to equal status as the bands. In addition to the presence of Oliver's own Fifteen and Barbecoa, there was Locanda Locatelli, Marylebone High Street's The Providores and East Dulwich's bastion of seasonal and organic grub, Franklins. Given the interchangeable line-ups of many festivals, Feastival was a refreshing change, and calls into question the need for those that cater solely for either foodies (such as Taste of London) or musos (take your pick).Last weekend's Field Day, which took place in north London, included a more dazzling selection of food than ever before, with Clapham's monthly Venn Street market rustling up artisan snacks such as risotto balls and Holy Cow free-range burgers. Leather Lane's favourite food truck, Daddy Donkey's Kick-Ass Mexican Grill also showed up, and the following day at Field Day's sister festival, Apple Cart, the current talk of the town, the Meateasy burger truck, joined the party too.The family-friendly Camp Bestival in Dorset offers a wide choice of yummy food for the army of yummy mummies in attendance. For the last three years, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has pitched a marquee almost as big as his nearby River Cottage HQ, to offer foodie workshops as well as food. Next door, a local farmers' market occupied a smaller marquee offering a wide range of delicious snacks at surprisingly uninflated prices. There was also a bespoke cocktail bar in the shape of the Monkey Shoulder treehouse. Outside, the Scotch whisky makers mix cocktails for �5 a go (only a pound or so more than the mediocre festival lager on offer) while a DJ played old-school soul; inside the intimate treehouse bar, two mixologists created cocktails to order from hundreds of weird and wonderful ingredients in the jars around the walls ? such as Cointreau dust, lemon salt, candied ginger and liquorice sugar. Sipping cocktails in the cool, dimly lit bar made a great half-hour escape from the festival crowds/kids/sun/rain.With supper clubs, pop-up restaurants and street food all in vogue, music festivals are well-placed to jump on the bandwagon, as their temporary nature mirrors the trendy pop-up model.This coming weekend initially posed a dilemma for me ? a choice between Hertfordshire's Standon Calling and Wilderness festival in Oxfordshire (both 12-14 August). It was a close call. Standon has Lamb, John Cooper Clarke and Feast of the Gods, a pop-up from The Rebel Dining Society on the cards, but Wilderness promises even more. Laura Marling and Antony and the Johnsons are just two of the big names who'll be providing the soundtrack to meals by Moro and the newly Michelin-starred Petersham Nurseries. It was the food that, quite literally, took the biscuit. I'll be Oxford-bound on Friday.Less smart than the likes of Wilderness, but no less lovely, is Crayke near York, host to the Galtres festival (26-28 August), which will be garnishing headliners British Sea Power and The Charlatans with hearty grub sourced mainly in Yorkshire. Galtres caters especially well for the sweet-toothed, with gorgeous displays from Wham Bam Meringue, spreads from Glorious Tea Parties (Yorkshire brew and scone anyone?) and Swirlz Yorvale ice-cream.The food at Pulse festival (3 September) promises to be as unusual as the acts on stage (Kissmet and Subgiant to name just two). The festival is held at Sunnyfields Farm near Southampton, which will be promoting its "from field to plate" ethos. Sunnyfields pioneered the Food and More Project, which aims to provide local, organic food to people "as directly as possible", and at reasonable prices (the website will put up details of the fare available nearer the time).Once a boutique autumnal fling, Bestival (8-11 September) has grown into a festival Goliath over the last five years. This year the Isle of Wight festival expects close to 55,000 guests, and, like its little brother Camp Bestival, will have ample food with which to welcome them. The edibles will rival the luminary line-up of The Cure, Bjork and PJ Harvey, with an appearance from HFW's River Cottage, snazzy Moorish food at The Shisha Lounge (think luxury Moroccan yurts), and a whole catalogue of hog roasts ? including Gordon Ramsay's favourite, The Whole Hog.FestivalsFood festivalsFood & drinkFestivalsUnited KingdomMina Hollandguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Tropical Drink Recipe: The Hurricane Cocktail
SERVES 1
? 1 oz. vodka? 1 oz. gin? 1 oz. light rum? 1 oz. amaretto almond liqueur? 1 oz. triple sec ? 1/2-oz. Bacardi 151 rum? 1/4-oz. grenadine syrup? grapefruit juice? pineapple juice
Pour all ingredients but the juices into a hurricane glass filled (halfway to three-quarters) with ice. Add equal amounts of each juice to fill, then serve. Cheers!
? 1 oz. vodka? 1 oz. gin? 1 oz. light rum? 1 oz. amaretto almond liqueur? 1 oz. triple sec ? 1/2-oz. Bacardi 151 rum? 1/4-oz. grenadine syrup? grapefruit juice? pineapple juice
Pour all ingredients but the juices into a hurricane glass filled (halfway to three-quarters) with ice. Add equal amounts of each juice to fill, then serve. Cheers!
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Mancuso Rocks Whiteface GS for 11th Career Title
.....Lake Placid, NY (Ski Press)-Three-time Olympic medalist Julia Mancuso captured the 11th U.S. title of her career with a victory in the women's giant slalom to close the 2010 Visa U.S. Alpine Championships at Whiteface Mountain Tuesday."I actually haven't skied giant slalom since the Olympics, so it was nice to get back on my GS skis," Mancuso said.Mancuso was also the giant slalom champion in '09, '05, and '03. With 11 titles, she now moves past U.S. great Andrea Mead Lawrence for the most titles of any American male or female, breaking a record that has stood for 55 years.The weekend brought some closure to a season�in�which�Mancuso had long worked hard ."Coming back from a back injury I always had the goal of getting ready for the Olympics. Even going into last season it hurt. I wanted to keep trying. Just being able to see the reward of the plan paying off was really amazing," Mancuso said.Second place for the day went to Laurenne Ross (Klamath Falls, OR) who produced the fastest second run. Ross was also third in the super G and second in the combined at Whiteface.Malin Hemmingson of Sweden was third followed by U.S. downhill champion Leanne Smith (Conway, NH).The top U.S. junior was Julia Ford (Plymouth, NH) out of U.S. Development Team, though the fastest junior was Erin Mielzynski of Canada. J-2 Foreste Peterson (Berkeley, CA) of the Squaw Valley Ski Team was the next fastest U.S. junior followed by Abby Ghent (Edwards, CO) of Ski and Snowboard Club Vail.The USSA Western Region took the 2010Tom Garner Regions Cup with 2,903 points, followed by the East with1,869 and Rocky/Central with 986.Tuesday also marked the final race for Kaylin Richardson (Edina, MN), a two-time Olympian and seven-year member of the U.S. Ski Team. She ran both runs of giant slalom in a puffy red one piece ski suit circa 1980, with her parents making the trip from Minnesota just to see their daughter's last event.Numerous athletes, including Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) now move directly to Cochran's Ski Area in Richmond, VT for the annual charity slalom hosted by two-time Olympian Jimmy Cochran tomorrow.OFFICIAL RESULTS2010 Visa U.S. Alpine ChampionshipsLake Placid, NY - March 22, 2010Women?s Giant Slalom1. Julia Mancuso, Olympic Valley, CA, 2:07.522. Laurenne Ross, Klamath Falls, OR, 2:08.113. Malin Hemmingsson, Sweden, 2:08.254. Leanne Smith, Conway, NH, 2:08.985. Megan McJames, Park City, UT, 2:09.17
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10 days out for kids this summer
Pirates and Vikings, mini beasts and gothic horrors ? plus the chance to paint a horse (yes, really). Here is our latest pick of exciting kids' activities for the summer holidaysWillows Summer Spectacular, Hertfordshire If you are looking to tire out the little ones, look no further than a fun-packed day at Willows Farm Village. Back by popular demand is the farm's A-maize-ing Maze, open all day for the whole family to get lost in. New activities this summer include the JCB Young Drivers Zone for Bob the Builder wannabes, with mini-JCB diggers and tractors available for children to ride around a miniature track. There are also nine different shows daily and sports day races as well as unlimited access to bouncy haystacks, funfair rides, and an agility play trail.? Adult �12.50, child �13.50, under-twos free. Coursers Road, London Colney, 0870 129 9718, willowsfarmvillage.com. Until 4 SeptemberSummer wild camping, Carmarthenshire Glamping fans, steer clear of this one! If you fancy a spot of more traditional camping, put your family and yourself to the test by wild camping next Saturday night (20 August) in Dinefwr Park and Castle near Llandeilo. Explore the magical park and its grounds by day and by night watch the badgers, bats and other fantastic wildlife. If the sky is clear enough, you could do a bit of star-gazing. If you're lucky enough to survive the night, finish off your experience by cooking breakfast on a campfire.? Adult �13, child �6, family �30 (booking essential). nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-dinefwrparkWild Life Safari, Bedgebury, Kent Not for those afraid of creepy crawlies, mini-beast hunts this Tuesday and next (16 and 23 August) will certainly prove satisfying for bug-curious youngsters. A safari searching for beasts of the miniature kind provides a fun introduction to some of the smaller denizens of the Walled Garden area in Bedgebury's pinetum and forest. Evidence of larger creatures will also be examined and the morning is completed with the opportunity to make a dragonfly to take home. Booking is essential as places are limited, and children must be accompanied by an adult.? �6 per child (over-fives only). Bedgebury Road, Goudhurst, near Cranbrook, 01580 879842, bedgeburypinetum.org.uk. 10am-noon, 16 and 23 AugustBournemouth Air Festival, HampshireMore than 2.7 million people have visited the Bournemouth Air Festival since 2008, and this year looks set to be even more popular. The four-day event will feature displays from the Red Arrows, the battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Hawk Jet, Tuicano and Tutor. And it doesn't end when darkness falls: from 10pm from Thursday to Saturday there will be a dusk air display, live music, fireworks and film screenings.? Free. bournemouthair.co.uk. 18-21 AugustWild Adventures, Livingston, West LothianKids can go wild with a summer-long programme of activities recreating the lives of our prehistoric ancestors. Help your little ones build a prehistoric encampment and learn essential skills for stone age living. This fun and educational activity requires a shelter and fences to be built, crops to be planted, and livestock tended. There will also be a fire to be made, food to be prepared, clothing and bedding to me made and hunting to be done. Phew!? Adult �5.50, under-17s �4, family ticket �17. Almond Valley Heritage Trust, Millfield, 01506 414957, almondvalley.co.uk. 10am-5pm, until 21 AugustHerne Bay Festival, KentThis is a nine-day long celebration of fun and free events: kite flying, a Bollywood parade, a motor show, coastal walks, a giant sandcastle and a monster crab catching competition to name a few. There will also be dance, circus skills and boat-making workshops. If you're musically inclined and your family fancy yourselves as the next von Trapps, enter the Herne Bay's Got Talent competition.? Free. hernebayfestival.com. 20-28 AugustHorse body painting, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire This new activity is perfect for horse-mad kids or just for animal lovers. It's an educational and interactive activity by the Horse Trust aimed at teaching people about horse anatomy. Participants are given a printed sheet showing the animal's muscles, bones and major organs. They then have to remember where the anatomical structures are located and unleash their artistic flair by painting them on the side of the horse. The sessions cost �10, which includes the cost of non-irritant body paints and a small donation to the charity.? �10 per session (under-14s must be accompanies by an adult). Slad Lane, Speen, 01494 488464, horsetrust.org.uk. 2-3pm every Friday until 7 SeptemberViking Raiders, NorthumberlandThe island of Lindisfarne, off the north-east coast of England was first attacked by Vikings in 793AD as they spread their wave of terror across England. Beware, they're making another appearance next weekend (20-21 August). Visitors can explore their encampment to discover the rigours and entertainments of Viking campaigning, and watch grisly displays of combat culminating in a full-scale, deadly battle.? Adult �4.80, child �2.90. english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/lindisfarne-priory. 20-21 AugustGruesome Weekend and Time Travellers Go Gruesome, Whitby, North Yorkshire Discover the gruesome antics of King Henry VIII with a light-hearted performance of "Top of the Chops!" ? an play which gives audiences the chance to write their own version of history by deciding the fates of Henry VIII's many victims. Children can also take a closer look at the gorier side of history with hands-on activities and take part in crime and punishment trials, following a Gruesome Trail around the abbey.? Adult �6, child �3.60, family ticket �15.60. Whitby Abbey, Abbey Lane, english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/events. 11am-5pm, Gruesome Weekend 13-14 August, Time Travellers Go Gruesome until 29 AugustThe Captain's Tales, Penwith, CornwallAhoy mateys! Master storyteller Mark Harandon will bring alive stories from Cornwall and further afield this Tuesday and next (16 and 23 August). His dramatic, funny and magical tales of mermaids, smugglers, giants and more will delight and engross any would-be Captain Jack Sparrows.? Adult �5, child �3 (booking essential). The Count House, Botallack, 01736 788588, nationaltrust.org.uk. 7.30-8.30pm, 16 and 23 AugustFamily holidaysDay tripsUnited KingdomBournemouthKentWildlife holidaysAdventure travelWalesCampingSummer holidaysTop 10sguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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Skiinfo: Return of the Big Snowfalls
..... Global Snow (Ski Press)-Skiinfo.co.uk reports that there has been fresh snow across much of Europe and North America in the past few days with many resorts in the Alps and the Pyrenees reporting at least 30cm (a foot) of new snow.The snowfall is continuing today with more fresh snow across both continents. Italy has seen some of the most snow in the past few days, especially in the north of the country. Two thirds of powder alarms issued today for snowfall of more than 20m in 24 hours have been issued for the country, with Limone reporting 60cm (two feet). Temperatures have dropped dramatically from up to 20 degrees last week to sub-zero temperatures by the weekend and more snow is forecast for the rest of the week. Arabba Marmolada has the deepest snow with a five metre (nearly 17 feet) of snow with the Pragelato glacier having 430cm (14.3 feet) and Courmayeur 330cm (11 feet) of snow. Germany had a snowy weekend with more than 30 powder alarms. Most of them were issued in the central and southern uplands (Sauerland, Harz and Black Forest). Gaby Baur of the Black Forest Tourism Board told the regional broadcasting corporation (SWR), ?The current winter season is one of the best we ever had.? The Allg�u saw some remarkable snowfalls, too. On Sunday Grasgehren there even reported the weekend?s biggest snowfall in Germany with 50cm (20 inches) of fresh powder within 24 hours. The Zugspitze had 20cm the same day. Oberstdorf had already reported 30cm (a foot) of powder on Saturday. Today (Wednesday) Austrian ski resorts like Gro�glockner, Katschberg and Ankogel reported another 10-15cm (4-6 inches) of new snow. S�lden got 9cm. The M�lltal glacier issued a powder alarm because of 20cm (eight inches) of fresh powder. Ski resorts in Switzerland were also busy issuing powder alarms on Sunday. Andermatt-Gotthard did so because of 20cm of freshly fallen snow. Peter Heinzer, director of Andermatt Gotthard Sportbahnen, told Skiinfo, ?It?s hardly possible to describe the snow conditions here without using many superlatives,? and so he described the ?finest powder snow? and ?unique skiing conditions.? France turned very cold on Sunday and the south of the country received some significant snowfalls, especially for March.� For example, in the Gard department (Southern France),�40cm of powder in the valleys, which at this time of year and in such volume has not happened since 1974. The Winter X Games Europe kick off in Tignes today for the very first time. Tignes was chosen to host this key event in freestyle ski and snowboard until March 12th.� Chamonix still has the deepest snow in the country with 407cm (13.5 feet), La Grave la Meije has 330cm (11 feet) and La Rosi�re 1850 290cm (nearly 10 feet). There have been big snowfalls in Pyrenees, and the nearby city of Barcelona ground to a standstill due to the weekend snowstorm.� Sierra Nevada continues to have the greatest snow depth in Europe with five metres on their upper slopes. This week this most southern resort in Europe will host the European Freestyle Championship gathering the best freestyle riders (ski and snowboard) in the disciplines of moguls and skicross. The Pyrenees are still looking very nice with more than 2mof snow on the top of the slopes with Boi Taull having the most with three metres.� Formigal has the most terrain open in the region with 240cm (eight feet) on upper slopes and 136km of trails open.� In Canada Banff-Lake Louise has just been named Top North American Spot for Spring Skiing by The New York Times (February 28, 2010) and received another dump of 25cm (10 inches) of fresh powder overnight.
Museums for the summer holidays
New museums and galleries in Glasgow, Cardiff, Cumbria, Liverpool and Margate
10 days out for kids this summer
Pirates and Vikings, mini beasts and gothic horrors ? plus the chance to paint a horse (yes, really). Here is our latest pick of exciting kids' activities for the summer holidaysWillows Summer Spectacular, Hertfordshire If you are looking to tire out the little ones, look no further than a fun-packed day at Willows Farm Village. Back by popular demand is the farm's A-maize-ing Maze, open all day for the whole family to get lost in. New activities this summer include the JCB Young Drivers Zone for Bob the Builder wannabes, with mini-JCB diggers and tractors available for children to ride around a miniature track. There are also nine different shows daily and sports day races as well as unlimited access to bouncy haystacks, funfair rides, and an agility play trail.? Adult �12.50, child �13.50, under-twos free. Coursers Road, London Colney, 0870 129 9718, willowsfarmvillage.com. Until 4 SeptemberSummer wild camping, Carmarthenshire Glamping fans, steer clear of this one! If you fancy a spot of more traditional camping, put your family and yourself to the test by wild camping next Saturday night (20 August) in Dinefwr Park and Castle near Llandeilo. Explore the magical park and its grounds by day and by night watch the badgers, bats and other fantastic wildlife. If the sky is clear enough, you could do a bit of star-gazing. If you're lucky enough to survive the night, finish off your experience by cooking breakfast on a campfire.? Adult �13, child �6, family �30 (booking essential). nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-dinefwrparkWild Life Safari, Bedgebury, Kent Not for those afraid of creepy crawlies, mini-beast hunts this Tuesday and next (16 and 23 August) will certainly prove satisfying for bug-curious youngsters. A safari searching for beasts of the miniature kind provides a fun introduction to some of the smaller denizens of the Walled Garden area in Bedgebury's pinetum and forest. Evidence of larger creatures will also be examined and the morning is completed with the opportunity to make a dragonfly to take home. Booking is essential as places are limited, and children must be accompanied by an adult.? �6 per child (over-fives only). Bedgebury Road, Goudhurst, near Cranbrook, 01580 879842, bedgeburypinetum.org.uk. 10am-noon, 16 and 23 AugustBournemouth Air Festival, HampshireMore than 2.7 million people have visited the Bournemouth Air Festival since 2008, and this year looks set to be even more popular. The four-day event will feature displays from the Red Arrows, the battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Hawk Jet, Tuicano and Tutor. And it doesn't end when darkness falls: from 10pm from Thursday to Saturday there will be a dusk air display, live music, fireworks and film screenings.? Free. bournemouthair.co.uk. 18-21 AugustWild Adventures, Livingston, West LothianKids can go wild with a summer-long programme of activities recreating the lives of our prehistoric ancestors. Help your little ones build a prehistoric encampment and learn essential skills for stone age living. This fun and educational activity requires a shelter and fences to be built, crops to be planted, and livestock tended. There will also be a fire to be made, food to be prepared, clothing and bedding to me made and hunting to be done. Phew!? Adult �5.50, under-17s �4, family ticket �17. Almond Valley Heritage Trust, Millfield, 01506 414957, almondvalley.co.uk. 10am-5pm, until 21 AugustHerne Bay Festival, KentThis is a nine-day long celebration of fun and free events: kite flying, a Bollywood parade, a motor show, coastal walks, a giant sandcastle and a monster crab catching competition to name a few. There will also be dance, circus skills and boat-making workshops. If you're musically inclined and your family fancy yourselves as the next von Trapps, enter the Herne Bay's Got Talent competition.? Free. hernebayfestival.com. 20-28 AugustHorse body painting, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire This new activity is perfect for horse-mad kids or just for animal lovers. It's an educational and interactive activity by the Horse Trust aimed at teaching people about horse anatomy. Participants are given a printed sheet showing the animal's muscles, bones and major organs. They then have to remember where the anatomical structures are located and unleash their artistic flair by painting them on the side of the horse. The sessions cost �10, which includes the cost of non-irritant body paints and a small donation to the charity.? �10 per session (under-14s must be accompanies by an adult). Slad Lane, Speen, 01494 488464, horsetrust.org.uk. 2-3pm every Friday until 7 SeptemberViking Raiders, NorthumberlandThe island of Lindisfarne, off the north-east coast of England was first attacked by Vikings in 793AD as they spread their wave of terror across England. Beware, they're making another appearance next weekend (20-21 August). Visitors can explore their encampment to discover the rigours and entertainments of Viking campaigning, and watch grisly displays of combat culminating in a full-scale, deadly battle.? Adult �4.80, child �2.90. english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/lindisfarne-priory. 20-21 AugustGruesome Weekend and Time Travellers Go Gruesome, Whitby, North Yorkshire Discover the gruesome antics of King Henry VIII with a light-hearted performance of "Top of the Chops!" ? an play which gives audiences the chance to write their own version of history by deciding the fates of Henry VIII's many victims. Children can also take a closer look at the gorier side of history with hands-on activities and take part in crime and punishment trials, following a Gruesome Trail around the abbey.? Adult �6, child �3.60, family ticket �15.60. Whitby Abbey, Abbey Lane, english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/events. 11am-5pm, Gruesome Weekend 13-14 August, Time Travellers Go Gruesome until 29 AugustThe Captain's Tales, Penwith, CornwallAhoy mateys! Master storyteller Mark Harandon will bring alive stories from Cornwall and further afield this Tuesday and next (16 and 23 August). His dramatic, funny and magical tales of mermaids, smugglers, giants and more will delight and engross any would-be Captain Jack Sparrows.? Adult �5, child �3 (booking essential). The Count House, Botallack, 01736 788588, nationaltrust.org.uk. 7.30-8.30pm, 16 and 23 AugustFamily holidaysDay tripsUnited KingdomBournemouthKentWildlife holidaysAdventure travelWalesCampingSummer holidaysTop 10sguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Puerto Rico
Escape to Puerto Rico and delight in Sun and Savings with this exclusive package at Starwood Resorts in Puerto Rico. Book now for stays through December 31, 2011, and enjoy the following:
Complimentary night of your choice
Food & beverage credit for your stay
Complimentary upgrade based upon availability at check-in
Free night is applied at check-out. Go to www.starwoodcaribbean.com/puertorico and book your stay at one of the following locations: The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico W Retreat & Spa - Vieques Island Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino
Terms & Conditions:
Offer valid at participating Starwood Hotels & Resorts only.
Offer is valid for stays booked and completed by December 31, 2011.
Free night is applied at check-out, visit www.starwoodcaribbean.com/puertorico to view offer specifics.
All package amenities associated with this promotion are per room, per eligible stay and include: room upgrade, subject to availability and a food & beverage credit.
Services offered in the package are non exchangeable and non refundable and may be replaced with a similar item without notice, based on availability.
Guest forfeits any of the credit not used during eligible stay. The credit has no cash value.
An eligible stay is defined as three or more consecutive nights paying a qualifying rate in the same hotel regardless of the number of check-in or check-outs that occur.
Rates are per room, per night, based on single/double occupancy and availability at time of reservation and do not include additional per room, per night charges that may be imposed or state/local taxes.
A limited number of rooms may be available at these rates.
Blackout dates and other restrictions may apply.
Offer not applicable to groups.
Not to be combined with other offers or promotions and subject to change.
Not responsible for omissions or typographical errors.
Void where prohibited by law.
Starwood reserves the right to discontinue this offer at any time.
Starpoints, SPG, Starwood Preferred Guest, Sheraton, Four Points, W, Aloft, Le Meridien, The Luxury Collection, Element, Westin, St. Regis and their respective logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates.
Complimentary night of your choice
Food & beverage credit for your stay
Complimentary upgrade based upon availability at check-in
Free night is applied at check-out. Go to www.starwoodcaribbean.com/puertorico and book your stay at one of the following locations: The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico W Retreat & Spa - Vieques Island Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino
Terms & Conditions:
Offer valid at participating Starwood Hotels & Resorts only.
Offer is valid for stays booked and completed by December 31, 2011.
Free night is applied at check-out, visit www.starwoodcaribbean.com/puertorico to view offer specifics.
All package amenities associated with this promotion are per room, per eligible stay and include: room upgrade, subject to availability and a food & beverage credit.
Services offered in the package are non exchangeable and non refundable and may be replaced with a similar item without notice, based on availability.
Guest forfeits any of the credit not used during eligible stay. The credit has no cash value.
An eligible stay is defined as three or more consecutive nights paying a qualifying rate in the same hotel regardless of the number of check-in or check-outs that occur.
Rates are per room, per night, based on single/double occupancy and availability at time of reservation and do not include additional per room, per night charges that may be imposed or state/local taxes.
A limited number of rooms may be available at these rates.
Blackout dates and other restrictions may apply.
Offer not applicable to groups.
Not to be combined with other offers or promotions and subject to change.
Not responsible for omissions or typographical errors.
Void where prohibited by law.
Starwood reserves the right to discontinue this offer at any time.
Starpoints, SPG, Starwood Preferred Guest, Sheraton, Four Points, W, Aloft, Le Meridien, The Luxury Collection, Element, Westin, St. Regis and their respective logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates.
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Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Last minute tropical Labor Day getaways
Filed under: Mexico, CaribbeanReady, set, book. The East Coast was largely spared the wrath of Hurricane Irene and no other pending tropical storms are threatening to ruin your upcoming three-day weekend. Why not jet away for a quick tropical vacation? From the East Coast, many Caribbean islands are a nonstop flight away, and from the west and Texas, Mexico is an easy jaunt.
Consider the following great last-minute Labor Day packages and head out on an impromptu trip:
Puerto Rico & The Virgin Islands
CheapCaribbean.com is offering package deals starting at $359 with departures on September 4th and 5th. The four-star Grand Melia golf resort in Puerto Rico is discounted from its normal price of $799 for a four-night stay, and the three-star Chenay Beach is just $399.
Cruise Crazy
Cruise.com is having a massive Labor Day sale. The Norwegian Spirit sails Sept. 4 from New Orleans to Costa Maya, Roatan, Belize City and Cozumel for $499. Upgrade to an ocean view cabin for just $100 more. Other Labor Day deals include:
6 nights to the Western Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale on the Carnival Freedom for $399
7 nights to the Western Caribbean from Port Canaveral on the Carnival Dream for $479
7 nights to the Bahamas from New York City on the Norwegian Jewel for $649
7 nights to the Western Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale on the Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas for $745
Airfare to the Bahamas, San Juan, San Jose and Cancun
Forget the two-week rule, you can still snag decently-priced round trip tickets. We used Fly.com and found rates as low as $201 for flights departing between August 30th and September 3rd, returning September 4th through September 7th. Fly Boston to Nassau for $336 round trip, Atlanta to Cancun for $306 roundtrip and Orlando to San Juan for $201 round trip, plus many more.
Cabo
West Coasters love the ease of access and upscale luxury to be found in Cabo San Lucas. Time2Cabo.com has a number of packages, including a three-night all-inclusive options at Solmar Beach Resort for $822, a three-night fishing package at Marina Fiesta Resort & Spa for $349 per night and daily breakfast and a fourth night free in the "Suite Romance" package at Esperanza for $5,630.
Riviera Maya
The luxurious Ceiba del Mar in the Riviera Maya is offering special savings for Labor Day weekend, with rates from $129 per night and include European Plans with daily breakfast or Luxury Gourmet Plans with a-la-carte meals at the resort's restaurants, as well as snacks and premium beverages such as wine by the glass and top-shelf liquors.
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Last minute tropical Labor Day getaways originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Consider the following great last-minute Labor Day packages and head out on an impromptu trip:
Puerto Rico & The Virgin Islands
CheapCaribbean.com is offering package deals starting at $359 with departures on September 4th and 5th. The four-star Grand Melia golf resort in Puerto Rico is discounted from its normal price of $799 for a four-night stay, and the three-star Chenay Beach is just $399.
Cruise Crazy
Cruise.com is having a massive Labor Day sale. The Norwegian Spirit sails Sept. 4 from New Orleans to Costa Maya, Roatan, Belize City and Cozumel for $499. Upgrade to an ocean view cabin for just $100 more. Other Labor Day deals include:
6 nights to the Western Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale on the Carnival Freedom for $399
7 nights to the Western Caribbean from Port Canaveral on the Carnival Dream for $479
7 nights to the Bahamas from New York City on the Norwegian Jewel for $649
7 nights to the Western Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale on the Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas for $745
Airfare to the Bahamas, San Juan, San Jose and Cancun
Forget the two-week rule, you can still snag decently-priced round trip tickets. We used Fly.com and found rates as low as $201 for flights departing between August 30th and September 3rd, returning September 4th through September 7th. Fly Boston to Nassau for $336 round trip, Atlanta to Cancun for $306 roundtrip and Orlando to San Juan for $201 round trip, plus many more.
Cabo
West Coasters love the ease of access and upscale luxury to be found in Cabo San Lucas. Time2Cabo.com has a number of packages, including a three-night all-inclusive options at Solmar Beach Resort for $822, a three-night fishing package at Marina Fiesta Resort & Spa for $349 per night and daily breakfast and a fourth night free in the "Suite Romance" package at Esperanza for $5,630.
Riviera Maya
The luxurious Ceiba del Mar in the Riviera Maya is offering special savings for Labor Day weekend, with rates from $129 per night and include European Plans with daily breakfast or Luxury Gourmet Plans with a-la-carte meals at the resort's restaurants, as well as snacks and premium beverages such as wine by the glass and top-shelf liquors.
Image courtesy of the
Last minute tropical Labor Day getaways originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Great Fun English Holidays
Individuals living in the UK who are ready to take a few UK vacations can do so without having to travel far from home Taking a few trips in the UK won't be as expensive as vacationing in some distant land You'll be able to enjoy a nice holiday right here, while getting away from your problems at home
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Alpaca your bags, it's time for a trek ... through Norfolk
I've fancied an alpaca trek for years. The one I managed to find outside Wells-Next-the-Sea takes in a lovely stretch of the A149In his poem The Naming of Cats, TS Eliot wrote that a cat must have three names. He defined these as "an everyday name, a name that was more "peculiar ? particular ? dignified", and the name the cat thinks up for himself, his "deep and inscrutable singular name". As an owner of felines, I can definitely see what he's getting at, but I wonder if he underestimated slightly by forgetting another name: the one given to your cat by a stranger who hasn't been formally introduced to it.I'd also extend this rule to include not just cats but the wider animal kingdom. Without setting off with any real intention to do so, on my travels in the Norfolk and Suffolk countryside I find myself naming all sorts of animals whose owners I've never met; it's as irresistible a pursuit as saying "Hello!" to a particularly proud-looking dog in a fake upper-class voice, and something my empirical research tells me happens more often than we might think. Unbeknownst to me, my neighbours have probably concocted at least a dozen names for my cats, each of which they have put their own kind of faith in. I empathise, because I'd probably be crushed if I found out that the fluffy black poodle-chihuahua cross I often see getting walked in my local park was actually called, for example, Bennie, and not The Janetdog: the name I gave it due to its resemblance to my late cat Janet. I know it would also hit my friend Jecca hard were she to find out that the nervous moggy on her street she has named Crybaby Hedgecat turned out to be called, say, F Cat Fitzgerald or Boss Man Willy.Had I met the alpaca I took out for a walk last week on the street without a proper introduction, I'm pretty sure I would have wanted to call it Peggy, or perhaps Jean. I could actually have met it on the street, since for a short spell the alpaca treks that its owner, Ian, hosts take in a stretch of the A149 just outside Wells-Next-the-Sea in Norfolk. The alpaca's real, "everyday" name is Machu, and he is a boy, though a bit of a drama queen, known to get in a bit of a flap around dogs and swift-limbed humans, and ? atypically for an alpaca ? a bit unsure of himself on slopes. "He once fell down a steep grassy bank," said Ian. "And early on, when I started walking him, he would often lie down halfway through the trek and refuse to move."Despite this, Machu is the organically nominated "leader" of the half-dozen Peruvian and Chilean alpacas Ian owns ? which is not to say Machu's companions are even more highly-strung, but is a measure of the intriguingly backward way alpacas sort out their power struggles. Were human hierarchies to work in a similar way, the comedian Alan Carr would probably be best known for hiring and firing hopefuls on The Apprentice.I'd been fancying alpaca or llama trekking for a few years, and not just because I felt it was the closest I might ever get to recreating Han Solo's early scenes in The Empire Strikes Back. After an unsuccessful call to a local llama sanctuary, whose denizens were sadly suffering from the viral ruminant disease bluetongue ? an affliction I've recently mistakenly referred to as both "bluetooth" and "camel toe" ? my search led me to Ian, who booked me, my friend Mary and her boyfriend Will (who Mary has called "an alpaca in human form") in for a two-hour trek. It turned out to be something very close to what Will referred to repeatedly as "The best day ever!" but then I'd known it could hardly be anything else right from the moment when Ian answered my opening question, "Is now a good time to talk?" with the statement, "Well, I have hold of six alpacas and a cheese sandwich, but, yes, it's fine."Alpacas come from South America and are part of the same camelid family that includes camels, llamas ? the creature, with the possible exception of Will, they most closely resemble ? and guanacos. Their difference to llamas is that they're smaller, more sheep-like, and bred primarily for their wool. They're quite common in Britain now, yet when I announced my intention to interact with them a couple of friends asked, "What's an alpaca?" ? to both of whom I patiently explained that it was a character from In the Night Garden that escaped and now lives wild, surviving on its wits alone. My mum was surprised when I told her that "alpaca trekking" meant "alpaca walking" and not "alpaca riding" but even a seven-year-old child passenger would probably prove too weighty for Machu and his companions Pichu, Pedro, Costello, Pablo and Pepe, all of whom are much daintier once you get close up to them and realise just how much of their bulk is made up of fur."These are runt alpacas ? the ones that none of the breeders want," explained Ian, a sleepily cheerful Norfolk man in late middle-age with a sun-blasted face that spoke of the happiest kind of north Norfolk life. Ian has now been conducting his tours for three years. Being of no use to breeders, his alpacas cost him only a few hundred pounds each to buy and are "very cheap to run", surviving mainly on grass and chopped apples. One thing they don't like ? as he explained just after I'd looked directly into Machu's eyes ? is being looked directly in the eyes. They fart a considerable amount, and in this sense I drew the long straw by leading our party with Machu, leaving it to Mary to bear the brunt of his pungent refried hay smells.As a treat, towards the end of the trek, the alpacas are led to a sandy bit of track near the road, where they can enjoy a dust bath before being fed the chopped apples we have been instructed to bring them. I could tell Machu was looking forward to at least one of these events, because from the halfway stage of our walk he began making a nervous quivering sound in the back of his throat. As someone whose favourite Muppet is Beaker, I didn't mind being with a creature of such comically jumpy disposition, but I did look across enviously from time to time at Mary and Will's alpacas ? particularly Will's, Pedro, whose impressive fringe I would later find myself trying to mimic in the rear-view mirror of my car during an introspective moment at some traffic lights.Perhaps in retaliation for my earlier staring Machu, having wolfed down the apples, chose to shower some of them back over my face. I'm told such an enthusiastic flob is a "gesture of affection" in alpaca-world, and it was not entirely unpleasant, even though I was still finding bits of congealed Granny-Smith-flavoured saliva in my beard and hair an hour later. The following day, I related all this to one of my neighbours and we got onto the subject of a notoriously belligerent llama we'd both taken note of, without being formally introduced to, who lives in a field about four miles south of our Norfolk town. "Yep, Big John's a character all right," she said. "Big John?" I thought. "What kind of nonsense it that? She quite clearly means Crazy Richard." But it was hot ? the kind of weather a person can easily get mixed up in ? so I nodded in agreement and let it go.Follow Tom Cox on Twitter or at tom-cox.com. His latest book, Talk to the Tail: Adventures in Cat Ownership and Beyond, is published by Simon & Schuster.To book an alpaca trek at Wells-Next-the-Sea, go to alpacatrekking.co.uk/.AnimalsNorfolkWalking holidaysUnited KingdomEuropeTom Coxguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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SkyMall Monday: Top 5 products for hurricane season
Filed under: Skymall MondayHere on the East Coast, Hurricane Irene made for quite the weekend. First, we braved the hordes of crazy people in the supermarket (no one needs that much peanut butter), then the torrential rains and, more than anything, the constant barrage of media hype. Thankfully, we're all safe and accounted for here at SkyMall Monday headquarters. However, we're now well aware that hurricane season is underway and still has weeks to go. That's why it's time to make sure that you're prepared. By now, you should have flashlights and batteries (and to the people who needed to buy them this weekend, why didn't you own them already?), but there are plenty of other items that you should own to ensure that you're prepared for the next month or so of tropical weather. Here are the top five SkyMall products you need for hurricane season.Continue reading SkyMall Monday: Top 5 products for hurricane seasonSkyMall Monday: Top 5 products for hurricane season originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
National Parks Conservation Association rallies public support for park funding
Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, Hiking, North America, United States, Camping, NewsThe National Parks Conservation Association wants the U.S. government to stop cutting critical funding to national parks - and apparently many Americans agree. Earlier this week, the NPCA announced that it had garnered more than 105,000 signatures from its supporters asking Congress to put an end to budget cuts to the National Park Service, asserting that those cuts that are endangering the future of parks.
Back in May, the NPCA kicked off its National Parks Protection Project which was designed to educate members of Congress and the American public about the importance of proper funding for the national parks. When that initiative got underway, an online petition was also included, with the goal of attaining 100,000 signatures asking the government to stop slashing funding to the parks. After all, the NPCA points out, the Park Service's budget is just one-thirteenth of one percent of the total federal budget.
For that relatively small amount of money, the national parks generate quite a return on the investment. Not only does that funding go toward protecting and promoting the most amazing park system in the world, it also has an important impact on the communities that surround those parks. It is estimated that the national parks are responsible for contributing more than $13 billion to local economies each year while also creating nearly 270,000 private-sector jobs.
Now, just over three months after the petition went online, the NPCA has not only met its goal, but exceeded it. In fact, the organization's president, Tom Kiernan, has said "This is by far the most successful petition drive we've ever had - in nearly 100 years of operations - and it's time for Congress to take notice of how many people have joined this effort."
I tend to agree with Kiernan. The national parks are a fantastic resource and one that we need to protect for future generations to enjoy as well. Unfortunately, budget cuts have made those efforts incredibly challenging. But considering what the parks give back to us, both tangibly and intangibly, perhaps it is time to stop looking solely at the bottom line.National Parks Conservation Association rallies public support for park funding originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Back in May, the NPCA kicked off its National Parks Protection Project which was designed to educate members of Congress and the American public about the importance of proper funding for the national parks. When that initiative got underway, an online petition was also included, with the goal of attaining 100,000 signatures asking the government to stop slashing funding to the parks. After all, the NPCA points out, the Park Service's budget is just one-thirteenth of one percent of the total federal budget.
For that relatively small amount of money, the national parks generate quite a return on the investment. Not only does that funding go toward protecting and promoting the most amazing park system in the world, it also has an important impact on the communities that surround those parks. It is estimated that the national parks are responsible for contributing more than $13 billion to local economies each year while also creating nearly 270,000 private-sector jobs.
Now, just over three months after the petition went online, the NPCA has not only met its goal, but exceeded it. In fact, the organization's president, Tom Kiernan, has said "This is by far the most successful petition drive we've ever had - in nearly 100 years of operations - and it's time for Congress to take notice of how many people have joined this effort."
I tend to agree with Kiernan. The national parks are a fantastic resource and one that we need to protect for future generations to enjoy as well. Unfortunately, budget cuts have made those efforts incredibly challenging. But considering what the parks give back to us, both tangibly and intangibly, perhaps it is time to stop looking solely at the bottom line.National Parks Conservation Association rallies public support for park funding originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Polar bear kills British tourist in Norway
Horatio Chapple, 17, died and four others were injured on expedition at Von Postbreen glacier on Spitsbergen islandA British teenager has been mauled to death and four others injured by a polar bear that came into the youths' tent as they camped on a remote Norwegian island in the Arctic circle.Horatio Chapple, who was 17, died on Friday morning after the bear attacked on the Von Postbreen glacier on the island of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago.The bear was shot dead by one of the leaders of the party of 13, who were with a group of 80 taking part in a five-week Arctic expedition run by the BSES Expeditions, a youth development charity based at the Royal Geographical Society in London.The injured were helicoptered to a hospital 25 miles away in Spitsbergen's capital, Longyearbyen, after the group raised the alarm by satellite phone at 7.30am.They were later flown to University hospital in Tromso, northern Norway. Two are understood to be severely injured.The BSES said the injured were trip leaders Michael Reid, 29, and Andrew Ruck, 27, of Aberdeen plus Patrick Flinders, 16, of Jersey, and Scott Smith, 17, of Cornwall.The first account of the attack came from Flinders' father, Terry. "The bear got into the tent where Patrick was with two friends, and he just, for some reason, grabbed hold of the other boy and just killed him," he told ITV Channel Television. "There were three of them in a tent and I don't really know too much, why he chose the other boy ? perhaps he was the closest one. If he looked at Patrick, he was the chubbiest one, he probably had more meat on him, bless him."Patrick, I think, was probably in the middle, because he grabbed hold of his head next, and then his arm, and I don't know how Patrick got out to be honest."Unless it was when the guy came in and shot the bear and maybe that's how Patrick got away with it, because they actually shot the polar bear, but the young lad was already dead."Flinders said a warning tripwire system ? used to scare off polar bears by triggering a flare ? had failed to activate."This time it didn't happen apparently, and one of the other chaps came out with a rifle and tried to kill the polar bear and didn't do it," he said. "And then the leader tried to kill the polar bear, but just before he killed him apparently, the bear mauled him and he's really, really bad."Edward Watson, chairman of the BSES, said: "Horatio was a fine young man who wanted to go on to read medicine after school. By all accounts he would have made an excellent doctor. We and the Norwegian authorities are currently establishing the full circumstances of his tragic death and will not be releasing this until we have discussed this fully with the family."Chapple's family, who live near Salisbury in Wiltshire, were too upset to speak. The tour was aimed at introducing youngsters to "remote, wild environments to develop their confidence" and included climate change science projects. One expedition member, Marcus Wright, had described the group's excitement at seeing polar bears."I think we must have all dreamed of polar bears because the next day we were eagerly waiting for the ice floes to break up so we could move on to base camp," he wrote on the BSES website. "There was a P. bear sighting across the fjord about a mile away. We encountered another P. bear floating on the ice. This time we were lucky enough to borrow a kind Norwegian guide's telescope to see it properly. After that experience, I can say for sure that everyone dreamed of P. bears that night."The Arctic Adventure expedition 2011 began on 23 July and was scheduled to run until 28 August, with students told they would "venture into the untouched beauty and wilderness of Svalbard".Earlier this year the Svalbard governor issued a warning after several polar bears were seen close to Longyearbyen.Dwindling sea ice in recent years has led the bears, which usually hunt seals, to look inland for food ? including from the eggs of barnacle geese on the island.According to one Longyearbyen resident, a man sleeping in a cabin near the shore was attacked a few years ago by a bear which smashed its way in and grabbed his sleeping bag. He eventually managed to fight the animal off with an axe.Liv Rose Flygel, 55, an artist and airport worker who lives near the hospital in Longyearbyen, said there had been a number of bear attacks in recent years. "Last summer a man was attacked by a polar bear and there have also been attacks on a man from Austria and a girl," she said. "[The man] was taken in the mouth of the bear and his friend ran after it and shot it. The problem is when the ice goes, the bears lose their way and cannot catch food. People don't really know how dangerous they are ? one came down to the sea recently and people were running down to take pictures. They had no idea their lives could be in danger."The Norwegian authorities have directed people worried about their relatives to call 0047 7902 4305 or 0047 7902 4302.Where humans and bears meetVisitors to Svalbard ? the Norwegian archipelago within the Arctic circle ? are told clearly as they arrive: if you move outside of the centre of Longyearbyen, you must have a loaded rifle and someone who knows how to use it.Polar bears are a constant danger on the archipelago, as the death of a British adventurer has again proved. This has always been the case, from the 17th and 18th centuries when the islands were used as a whaling base, until more recently when Svalbard and Spitsbergen ? the biggest island ? have been a centre for coal mining and, now, tourism.The threat that the bears pose to humans may have been growing, as an increasing number of visitors encroach on the animals' domains and the bigger towns on the islands offer the temptations of easy food.Another factor is that the prey the bears normally rely on ? seals ? has been harder to reach as the ice around the islands has shrunk in recent years. Spitsbergen harbour used to be icebound for most of the year; but recently the ice has been breaking up sooner and is thinner. Polar bears that can find no seals on the ice are tempted further in search of food, and in recent years some have been found malnourished as they now need to swim longer distances to catch seals.Fiona HarveyNorwayAnimalsArcticPolar regionsSam JonesSteven Morrisguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
The lost art of postcard writing
Sending postcards ? and choosing the perfect image to send home ? is in decline, yet receiving one is still a thing of delightHere it is already August and I have received only one postcard this summer. It was sent to me by a European friend who was travelling in Mongolia (as far as I could deduce from the postage stamp) and who simply sent me his greetings and signed his name. The picture in colour on the other side was of a desert broken up by some parched hills without any hint of vegetation or sign of life, the name of the place in characters I could not read. Even receiving such an enigmatic card pleased me immensely. This piece of snail mail, I thought, left at the reception desk of a hotel, dropped in a mailbox, or taken to the local post office, made its unknown and most likely arduous journey by truck, train, camel, donkey ? or whatever it was ? and finally by plane to where I live.Until a few years ago, hardly a day would go by in the summer without the mailman bringing a postcard from a vacationing friend or acquaintance. Nowadays, you're bound to get an email enclosing a photograph, or, if your grandchildren are the ones doing the travelling, a brief message telling you that their flight has been delayed or that they have arrived. The terrific thing about postcards was their immense variety. It wasn't just the Eiffel Tower or the Taj Mahal or some other famous tourist attraction you were likely to receive in the mail, but also a card with a picture of a roadside diner in Iowa, the biggest hog at some state fair in the south, or even a funeral parlour touting the professional excellence that their customers have come to expect over a hundred years. Almost every business in this country, from a dog photographer to a fancy resort and spa, had a card. In my experience, people in the habit of sending cards could be divided into those who go for the conventional images of famous places and those who delight in sending images whose bad taste guarantees a shock or a laugh.I understand that impulse. When you're in Rome, everyone back home expects a postcard of the Coliseum or the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel: send them instead one of a neighbourhood pizzeria with five small tables, three potted plants and the elderly owner and his wife wiping their hands on their aprons and smiling broadly. Fans of quaint and kitschy postcards spend their entire vacations on the lookout for some especially outrageous example to amuse their friends back home, while their spouses consult serious guidebooks and stroll for hours with moist eyes past great paintings and sculptures in some museum.Once they find the right card, they are faced with the problem of what to write on the other side. A conventional greeting won't do. A few details about the trip and an opinion or two about the country they are visiting are OK, but even better is to come up with something clever, since every postcard is written with a particular person in mind. No doubt, one writes differently to one's friends than to one's parents, who always fear the worst when one is away. Thus it's tempting, when one sits down to send news home, to do the unconventional and use the small space allotted for writing to have a little fun:"Dear Mom and Dad, We lost our last penny and maxed our credit cards in Las Vegas and have been hitchhiking ever since, spending a night in jail at times so we could avail ourselves of whatever local cuisine the law enforcement provides in Texas. A priest arrested for drunken driving who shared our cell recently told us that we look like a couple of early Christian martyrs, you'll be happy to hear.The Newlyweds" Unlike letter writing, there never has been, and there never could be, an anthology of the best of postcard writing, because when people collect postcards, it's usually for reasons other than their literary qualities. If there was such a book, I'm sure it would contain hundreds of anonymous masterpieces of this minimalist art, since, unlike letters, cards require a verbal concision that can rise to high levels of eloquence: brief and heartbreaking glimpses into someone's existence, in addition to countless amusing and well-told anecdotes. Now and then one encounters in antique shops and used book stores boxes full of old postcards valued for their antiquity, their images and their stamps. The writing found on them most often tends to be in faded ink and hard to read. To anyone with plenty of time on their hands, I recommend reading a bunch of them. Postcards continued to be used by people of modest means to convey important family news long after telephones ceased to be a novelty. I once came across one that said:"Francis Brown died last night, funeral on Tuesday."That was all there was. The image on the other side of the card was of a famous racehorse from the 1920s, so I immediately pictured Mr Brown with a straw hat, a cane in his gloved hand and carnation in his lapel, stopping for a beer in a saloon before catching the streetcar to go to the track in Boston or San Francisco.So, dear reader, if you happen, on your daily rounds, to come across in a coffee shop or a restaurant some poor soul sitting alone over a postcard and visibly struggling with what to write, take pity on him or her. They are the last of a species, and are almost certainly middle-aged or elderly, already nervous and worried about all the problems older people face in this country. But this may be a moment of respite for them, as they sit there, happily licking a 29 cent stamp and looking out to see if they can spot a mailbox in the street, to send what may turn out be the last card they will ever write, this one with a picture of your beautiful town or city, with a message that might be interesting or downright embarrassing to read, but most assuredly will be welcomed by its unknown recipient, either in the next state or across many time zones on some other continent and place you and I can't even begin to imagine.Charles Simicguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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10 days out for kids this summer
Pirates and Vikings, mini beasts and gothic horrors ? plus the chance to paint a horse (yes, really). Here is our latest pick of exciting kids' activities for the summer holidaysWillows Summer Spectacular, Hertfordshire If you are looking to tire out the little ones, look no further than a fun-packed day at Willows Farm Village. Back by popular demand is the farm's A-maize-ing Maze, open all day for the whole family to get lost in. New activities this summer include the JCB Young Drivers Zone for Bob the Builder wannabes, with mini-JCB diggers and tractors available for children to ride around a miniature track. There are also nine different shows daily and sports day races as well as unlimited access to bouncy haystacks, funfair rides, and an agility play trail.? Adult �12.50, child �13.50, under-twos free. Coursers Road, London Colney, 0870 129 9718, willowsfarmvillage.com. Until 4 SeptemberSummer wild camping, Carmarthenshire Glamping fans, steer clear of this one! If you fancy a spot of more traditional camping, put your family and yourself to the test by wild camping next Saturday night (20 August) in Dinefwr Park and Castle near Llandeilo. Explore the magical park and its grounds by day and by night watch the badgers, bats and other fantastic wildlife. If the sky is clear enough, you could do a bit of star-gazing. If you're lucky enough to survive the night, finish off your experience by cooking breakfast on a campfire.? Adult �13, child �6, family �30 (booking essential). nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-dinefwrparkWild Life Safari, Bedgebury, Kent Not for those afraid of creepy crawlies, mini-beast hunts this Tuesday and next (16 and 23 August) will certainly prove satisfying for bug-curious youngsters. A safari searching for beasts of the miniature kind provides a fun introduction to some of the smaller denizens of the Walled Garden area in Bedgebury's pinetum and forest. Evidence of larger creatures will also be examined and the morning is completed with the opportunity to make a dragonfly to take home. Booking is essential as places are limited, and children must be accompanied by an adult.? �6 per child (over-fives only). Bedgebury Road, Goudhurst, near Cranbrook, 01580 879842, bedgeburypinetum.org.uk. 10am-noon, 16 and 23 AugustBournemouth Air Festival, HampshireMore than 2.7 million people have visited the Bournemouth Air Festival since 2008, and this year looks set to be even more popular. The four-day event will feature displays from the Red Arrows, the battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Hawk Jet, Tuicano and Tutor. And it doesn't end when darkness falls: from 10pm from Thursday to Saturday there will be a dusk air display, live music, fireworks and film screenings.? Free. bournemouthair.co.uk. 18-21 AugustWild Adventures, Livingston, West LothianKids can go wild with a summer-long programme of activities recreating the lives of our prehistoric ancestors. Help your little ones build a prehistoric encampment and learn essential skills for stone age living. This fun and educational activity requires a shelter and fences to be built, crops to be planted, and livestock tended. There will also be a fire to be made, food to be prepared, clothing and bedding to me made and hunting to be done. Phew!? Adult �5.50, under-17s �4, family ticket �17. Almond Valley Heritage Trust, Millfield, 01506 414957, almondvalley.co.uk. 10am-5pm, until 21 AugustHerne Bay Festival, KentThis is a nine-day long celebration of fun and free events: kite flying, a Bollywood parade, a motor show, coastal walks, a giant sandcastle and a monster crab catching competition to name a few. There will also be dance, circus skills and boat-making workshops. If you're musically inclined and your family fancy yourselves as the next von Trapps, enter the Herne Bay's Got Talent competition.? Free. hernebayfestival.com. 20-28 AugustHorse body painting, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire This new activity is perfect for horse-mad kids or just for animal lovers. It's an educational and interactive activity by the Horse Trust aimed at teaching people about horse anatomy. Participants are given a printed sheet showing the animal's muscles, bones and major organs. They then have to remember where the anatomical structures are located and unleash their artistic flair by painting them on the side of the horse. The sessions cost �10, which includes the cost of non-irritant body paints and a small donation to the charity.? �10 per session (under-14s must be accompanies by an adult). Slad Lane, Speen, 01494 488464, horsetrust.org.uk. 2-3pm every Friday until 7 SeptemberViking Raiders, NorthumberlandThe island of Lindisfarne, off the north-east coast of England was first attacked by Vikings in 793AD as they spread their wave of terror across England. Beware, they're making another appearance next weekend (20-21 August). Visitors can explore their encampment to discover the rigours and entertainments of Viking campaigning, and watch grisly displays of combat culminating in a full-scale, deadly battle.? Adult �4.80, child �2.90. english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/lindisfarne-priory. 20-21 AugustGruesome Weekend and Time Travellers Go Gruesome, Whitby, North Yorkshire Discover the gruesome antics of King Henry VIII with a light-hearted performance of "Top of the Chops!" ? an play which gives audiences the chance to write their own version of history by deciding the fates of Henry VIII's many victims. Children can also take a closer look at the gorier side of history with hands-on activities and take part in crime and punishment trials, following a Gruesome Trail around the abbey.? Adult �6, child �3.60, family ticket �15.60. Whitby Abbey, Abbey Lane, english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/events. 11am-5pm, Gruesome Weekend 13-14 August, Time Travellers Go Gruesome until 29 AugustThe Captain's Tales, Penwith, CornwallAhoy mateys! Master storyteller Mark Harandon will bring alive stories from Cornwall and further afield this Tuesday and next (16 and 23 August). His dramatic, funny and magical tales of mermaids, smugglers, giants and more will delight and engross any would-be Captain Jack Sparrows.? Adult �5, child �3 (booking essential). The Count House, Botallack, 01736 788588, nationaltrust.org.uk. 7.30-8.30pm, 16 and 23 AugustFamily holidaysDay tripsUnited KingdomBournemouthKentWildlife holidaysAdventure travelWalesCampingSummer holidaysTop 10sguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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Monday, August 29, 2011
A Short Break From The Road In Oklahoma City
Filed under: North America, United States, Traveling the American Road
Seeing the recovery underway in Joplin, Missouri was an end point to a chapter of my trip. I'd done the Great Lakes, the East Coast, the South and, now, the Midwest. As I drove out of Missouri, the great expanse of the West loomed, a monstrous stretch of America to cover in the less than two weeks that remained in my trip.
I wasn't looking forward to it. After eight weeks in the car, on the road, sleeping on floors, in tents, in anonymous hotel rooms and cozy bed and breakfasts, I could feel the end of the trip creeping closer, my end goal of Los Angeles in sight, if more than 2,000 miles away by the sinuous route I'd plotted. But first, I'd spend the night in Oklahoma City.Continue reading A Short Break From The Road In Oklahoma CityA Short Break From The Road In Oklahoma City originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Seeing the recovery underway in Joplin, Missouri was an end point to a chapter of my trip. I'd done the Great Lakes, the East Coast, the South and, now, the Midwest. As I drove out of Missouri, the great expanse of the West loomed, a monstrous stretch of America to cover in the less than two weeks that remained in my trip.
I wasn't looking forward to it. After eight weeks in the car, on the road, sleeping on floors, in tents, in anonymous hotel rooms and cozy bed and breakfasts, I could feel the end of the trip creeping closer, my end goal of Los Angeles in sight, if more than 2,000 miles away by the sinuous route I'd plotted. But first, I'd spend the night in Oklahoma City.Continue reading A Short Break From The Road In Oklahoma CityA Short Break From The Road In Oklahoma City originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Americans Christensen, Logan Take New Zealand Winter Games Freeski Big Air
Lake Wanaka, New Zealand - The eighth day of 100% Pure New Zealand Winter Games on Saturday saw the freeski athletes flying high in the Air New Zealand Big Air at Cardrona Alpine Resort with American?s Joss Christensen and Devin Logan taking the top spots.
The day began under glorious blue skies with a field of 20 men competing in two qualifying heats of 10 for the top eight spots.� With three runs per round, the best two different jumps were combined for a final score in the qualifications.� The heavily stacked women?s field of seven went straight to a four run final.
Park City, Utah's Joss Christensen competes in Saturday's Freeski Big Air Mens Final at the Winter Games NZ at Cardrona Alpine Resort in Wanaka, New Zealand. (photo: Camilla Stoddart/Getty Images)
Competition amongst the world?s top freeskiers was heated with double cork 10?s and 12?s being the call of the day.� The first heat saw Gus Kenworthy, of Telluride, Colo., throwing a double 14 to once again take the lead in his quest to win his third event of the week.� The standout in heat two was Christensen?s switch double cork 1080 tail to shift, which scored him 95 points.
The men?s finals read like a who?s who from freeskiing with a field heavily dominated by Americans including Christensen, Kenworthy, David Wise, Nicholas Goepper, and Christopher Laker.� New Zealand?s Jossi Wells landed his spot in the finals and the final two were Norway?s Pc Fosse and Switzerland?s Kai Mahler, the youngest in the field at only 15.
The men went head to head in a knockout format with three runs per round and a final score based on the best two different jumps. Christensen, of Park City, Utah, was the man of the day, pulling off the first ever double misty 12 in competition and consistently landing his tricks.
At the finish line Christensen said he was surprised to have even made it through to the finals. ?My adrenaline?s pumping.� I?m stoked.� I was feeling a bit beat up after the slopestyle so today?s win is a total surprise,? he said. ?I?m happy to have landed all my tricks.� If I hadn?t Kai would have definitely been on top of the podium today.?
This is Christensen?s first visit to New Zealand.� ?I?m stoked to be here and loving it so far.� It?s great to be visiting the land of the Lord of the Rings.?
Ending the day in second was 15-year-old Mahler, who was the leader going into the final round with the best trick of the day, a switch double misty 14.� He failed to land his jumps in the final round of competition, costing him the gold.
Hometown boy Wells once again graced the podium after taking silver in both slopestyle and halfpipe, his fluidity and control earning him the third place finish.
Commenting earlier in the day about how fourth place was the worst place to end a competition, Wells promised he would go big in the final round and he did.� ?It?s always a good day when you?re on the podium,? he said.� ?I?m a bit shattered, we?ve been skiing since 8:30 this morning.� It was great to watch Kai; he?s insane. Also great to see my homey, Joss Christensen, from back in the day at Park City win. The Winter Games rules.?
In the women?s field AFP Overall World Champion Devin Logan, of West Dover, Vt., scored a trifecta becoming the winner of all three freeski events, halfpipe, slopestyle and big air.
?Logan took the women?s field by 20 points,? said head judge Rafael Regazzoni.� ?She?s been super consistent throughout the week, landing all her tricks and mixing it up with different tricks.� Her best tricks today were her rodeo 5 and 7 tailgrab.?
An excited Logan commented, ?I got the Turkey (as they would say in bowling).� Now if only more women would come over and compete.?
This was Logan?s first Winter Games and second visit to New Zealand having competed last year at the Junior World Championships where she podiumed in third place in slopestyle and halfpipe.� ?I?ll definitely be back,? she assured.
Salt Lake City, Utah?s Jen Hudak, who crashed pretty hard on her second and third run, came back in her fourth run to take second. Up and coming New Zealander Rose Battersby saw her first podium at an international event placing third Saturday.
?It?s great to see a kiwi girl coming through and showing huge potential for a spot in Sochi,? said judge Victoria Beattie.
This was Battersby?s first big air competition.� ?I?m so stoked to end in third place, and to have landed my 7?s and 3?s,? she said.� ?I wasn?t aiming to win it?s just great to be here. �It?s awesome to have a competition of this level here in New Zealand and to get to compete against all the top level girls.?
Related stories:Americans Win Ski Halfpipe at New Zealand Winter Games
Schlopy Takes X Games Skiing Big Air
Winter Games New Zealand Slopestyle Takes On New Dimension
Wise, Logan Take U.S. Halfpipe Skiing Crowns
Alexis Godbout and Ashley Battersby Win Winter Dew Tour Freeski Slopestyle Finals
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The day began under glorious blue skies with a field of 20 men competing in two qualifying heats of 10 for the top eight spots.� With three runs per round, the best two different jumps were combined for a final score in the qualifications.� The heavily stacked women?s field of seven went straight to a four run final.
Park City, Utah's Joss Christensen competes in Saturday's Freeski Big Air Mens Final at the Winter Games NZ at Cardrona Alpine Resort in Wanaka, New Zealand. (photo: Camilla Stoddart/Getty Images)
Competition amongst the world?s top freeskiers was heated with double cork 10?s and 12?s being the call of the day.� The first heat saw Gus Kenworthy, of Telluride, Colo., throwing a double 14 to once again take the lead in his quest to win his third event of the week.� The standout in heat two was Christensen?s switch double cork 1080 tail to shift, which scored him 95 points.
The men?s finals read like a who?s who from freeskiing with a field heavily dominated by Americans including Christensen, Kenworthy, David Wise, Nicholas Goepper, and Christopher Laker.� New Zealand?s Jossi Wells landed his spot in the finals and the final two were Norway?s Pc Fosse and Switzerland?s Kai Mahler, the youngest in the field at only 15.
The men went head to head in a knockout format with three runs per round and a final score based on the best two different jumps. Christensen, of Park City, Utah, was the man of the day, pulling off the first ever double misty 12 in competition and consistently landing his tricks.
At the finish line Christensen said he was surprised to have even made it through to the finals. ?My adrenaline?s pumping.� I?m stoked.� I was feeling a bit beat up after the slopestyle so today?s win is a total surprise,? he said. ?I?m happy to have landed all my tricks.� If I hadn?t Kai would have definitely been on top of the podium today.?
This is Christensen?s first visit to New Zealand.� ?I?m stoked to be here and loving it so far.� It?s great to be visiting the land of the Lord of the Rings.?
Ending the day in second was 15-year-old Mahler, who was the leader going into the final round with the best trick of the day, a switch double misty 14.� He failed to land his jumps in the final round of competition, costing him the gold.
Hometown boy Wells once again graced the podium after taking silver in both slopestyle and halfpipe, his fluidity and control earning him the third place finish.
Commenting earlier in the day about how fourth place was the worst place to end a competition, Wells promised he would go big in the final round and he did.� ?It?s always a good day when you?re on the podium,? he said.� ?I?m a bit shattered, we?ve been skiing since 8:30 this morning.� It was great to watch Kai; he?s insane. Also great to see my homey, Joss Christensen, from back in the day at Park City win. The Winter Games rules.?
In the women?s field AFP Overall World Champion Devin Logan, of West Dover, Vt., scored a trifecta becoming the winner of all three freeski events, halfpipe, slopestyle and big air.
?Logan took the women?s field by 20 points,? said head judge Rafael Regazzoni.� ?She?s been super consistent throughout the week, landing all her tricks and mixing it up with different tricks.� Her best tricks today were her rodeo 5 and 7 tailgrab.?
An excited Logan commented, ?I got the Turkey (as they would say in bowling).� Now if only more women would come over and compete.?
This was Logan?s first Winter Games and second visit to New Zealand having competed last year at the Junior World Championships where she podiumed in third place in slopestyle and halfpipe.� ?I?ll definitely be back,? she assured.
Salt Lake City, Utah?s Jen Hudak, who crashed pretty hard on her second and third run, came back in her fourth run to take second. Up and coming New Zealander Rose Battersby saw her first podium at an international event placing third Saturday.
?It?s great to see a kiwi girl coming through and showing huge potential for a spot in Sochi,? said judge Victoria Beattie.
This was Battersby?s first big air competition.� ?I?m so stoked to end in third place, and to have landed my 7?s and 3?s,? she said.� ?I wasn?t aiming to win it?s just great to be here. �It?s awesome to have a competition of this level here in New Zealand and to get to compete against all the top level girls.?
Related stories:Americans Win Ski Halfpipe at New Zealand Winter Games
Schlopy Takes X Games Skiing Big Air
Winter Games New Zealand Slopestyle Takes On New Dimension
Wise, Logan Take U.S. Halfpipe Skiing Crowns
Alexis Godbout and Ashley Battersby Win Winter Dew Tour Freeski Slopestyle Finals
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Underground river discovered beneath the Amazon
Filed under: Learning, South America, Brazil, NewsA massive underground river has been discovered beneath the Amazon Rainforest that is actually larger than the famous waterway that meanders through the jungle above. Researchers say that the new river -dubbed Rio Hamza after the leader of the team that found it- is located 2.5 miles beneath the surface and is many times wider than the Amazon River itself.
Both the Amazon and Hamza can trace their origins back to the Andes Mountains, flowing west-to-east from there. Each is also more than 3700 miles length and both eventually empty into the Atlantic Ocean along the coast of Brazil. But while the Amazon can reach an impressive 60 miles across at its widest point, the Hamza ranges from 125 to nearly 250 miles in width, making it far more massive than its cousin on the surface. The Amazon bests it in speed however, moving at a rate of up to five meters per second, while the Hamza creeps along at less than one millimeter per hour.
The discovery was made by a group of Brazilian scientists who studied 241 deep wells that were drilled, and later abandoned, by an oil company. The team recorded changes in temperature at various depths of those wells to help locate and measure the massive river. Their findings were first revealed at a meeting of the Brazilian Geophysical Society last week.
The team now hopes to continue their studies of the Hamza and hope to have a better understanding of its size and scope in the next few years.Underground river discovered beneath the Amazon originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Both the Amazon and Hamza can trace their origins back to the Andes Mountains, flowing west-to-east from there. Each is also more than 3700 miles length and both eventually empty into the Atlantic Ocean along the coast of Brazil. But while the Amazon can reach an impressive 60 miles across at its widest point, the Hamza ranges from 125 to nearly 250 miles in width, making it far more massive than its cousin on the surface. The Amazon bests it in speed however, moving at a rate of up to five meters per second, while the Hamza creeps along at less than one millimeter per hour.
The discovery was made by a group of Brazilian scientists who studied 241 deep wells that were drilled, and later abandoned, by an oil company. The team recorded changes in temperature at various depths of those wells to help locate and measure the massive river. Their findings were first revealed at a meeting of the Brazilian Geophysical Society last week.
The team now hopes to continue their studies of the Hamza and hope to have a better understanding of its size and scope in the next few years.Underground river discovered beneath the Amazon originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
National Parks Conservation Association rallies public support for park funding
Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, Hiking, North America, United States, Camping, NewsThe National Parks Conservation Association wants the U.S. government to stop cutting critical funding to national parks - and apparently many Americans agree. Earlier this week, the NPCA announced that it had garnered more than 105,000 signatures from its supporters asking Congress to put an end to budget cuts to the National Park Service, asserting that those cuts that are endangering the future of parks.
Back in May, the NPCA kicked off its National Parks Protection Project which was designed to educate members of Congress and the American public about the importance of proper funding for the national parks. When that initiative got underway, an online petition was also included, with the goal of attaining 100,000 signatures asking the government to stop slashing funding to the parks. After all, the NPCA points out, the Park Service's budget is just one-thirteenth of one percent of the total federal budget.
For that relatively small amount of money, the national parks generate quite a return on the investment. Not only does that funding go toward protecting and promoting the most amazing park system in the world, it also has an important impact on the communities that surround those parks. It is estimated that the national parks are responsible for contributing more than $13 billion to local economies each year while also creating nearly 270,000 private-sector jobs.
Now, just over three months after the petition went online, the NPCA has not only met its goal, but exceeded it. In fact, the organization's president, Tom Kiernan, has said "This is by far the most successful petition drive we've ever had - in nearly 100 years of operations - and it's time for Congress to take notice of how many people have joined this effort."
I tend to agree with Kiernan. The national parks are a fantastic resource and one that we need to protect for future generations to enjoy as well. Unfortunately, budget cuts have made those efforts incredibly challenging. But considering what the parks give back to us, both tangibly and intangibly, perhaps it is time to stop looking solely at the bottom line.National Parks Conservation Association rallies public support for park funding originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Back in May, the NPCA kicked off its National Parks Protection Project which was designed to educate members of Congress and the American public about the importance of proper funding for the national parks. When that initiative got underway, an online petition was also included, with the goal of attaining 100,000 signatures asking the government to stop slashing funding to the parks. After all, the NPCA points out, the Park Service's budget is just one-thirteenth of one percent of the total federal budget.
For that relatively small amount of money, the national parks generate quite a return on the investment. Not only does that funding go toward protecting and promoting the most amazing park system in the world, it also has an important impact on the communities that surround those parks. It is estimated that the national parks are responsible for contributing more than $13 billion to local economies each year while also creating nearly 270,000 private-sector jobs.
Now, just over three months after the petition went online, the NPCA has not only met its goal, but exceeded it. In fact, the organization's president, Tom Kiernan, has said "This is by far the most successful petition drive we've ever had - in nearly 100 years of operations - and it's time for Congress to take notice of how many people have joined this effort."
I tend to agree with Kiernan. The national parks are a fantastic resource and one that we need to protect for future generations to enjoy as well. Unfortunately, budget cuts have made those efforts incredibly challenging. But considering what the parks give back to us, both tangibly and intangibly, perhaps it is time to stop looking solely at the bottom line.National Parks Conservation Association rallies public support for park funding originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Calling All Bartenders
Love our island drink recipes but think you can mix up something even better? This month, it pays to be a rum connoisseur ? literally. Tommy Bahama, purveyor of all things tropical, has announced a nationwide search to crown the brand's first Rumologist, and one lucky rum expert will take home a $50,000 grand prize, plus the title of chief rum ambassador for the popular restaurant and bar chain. Of course, there are travel perks in store for the winner, too, with planned excursions to Hawaii, New York City and more. Here's how to enter:
? Prepare a short video (under 60 seconds) explaining why you should be the Tommy Bahama Rumologist? Submit your video on the official Facebook page by Sunday, August 28, 2011: facebook.com/tommybahama? Judges will announce their Top 20 on August 30, 2011, and the finalist videos will be posted for public voting through September 8, 2011? The winner will be announced the week of October 6, 2011
So whether you're an amateur bartender or professional mixologist, break out those video cameras and get creative. Want our vote? Don't forget to share links to your videos on ISLANDS' own Facebook page! Cheers!
? Prepare a short video (under 60 seconds) explaining why you should be the Tommy Bahama Rumologist? Submit your video on the official Facebook page by Sunday, August 28, 2011: facebook.com/tommybahama? Judges will announce their Top 20 on August 30, 2011, and the finalist videos will be posted for public voting through September 8, 2011? The winner will be announced the week of October 6, 2011
So whether you're an amateur bartender or professional mixologist, break out those video cameras and get creative. Want our vote? Don't forget to share links to your videos on ISLANDS' own Facebook page! Cheers!
National Parks Conservation Association rallies public support for park funding
Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, Hiking, North America, United States, Camping, NewsThe National Parks Conservation Association wants the U.S. government to stop cutting critical funding to national parks - and apparently many Americans agree. Earlier this week, the NPCA announced that it had garnered more than 105,000 signatures from its supporters asking Congress to put an end to budget cuts to the National Park Service, asserting that those cuts that are endangering the future of parks.
Back in May, the NPCA kicked off its National Parks Protection Project which was designed to educate members of Congress and the American public about the importance of proper funding for the national parks. When that initiative got underway, an online petition was also included, with the goal of attaining 100,000 signatures asking the government to stop slashing funding to the parks. After all, the NPCA points out, the Park Service's budget is just one-thirteenth of one percent of the total federal budget.
For that relatively small amount of money, the national parks generate quite a return on the investment. Not only does that funding go toward protecting and promoting the most amazing park system in the world, it also has an important impact on the communities that surround those parks. It is estimated that the national parks are responsible for contributing more than $13 billion to local economies each year while also creating nearly 270,000 private-sector jobs.
Now, just over three months after the petition went online, the NPCA has not only met its goal, but exceeded it. In fact, the organization's president, Tom Kiernan, has said "This is by far the most successful petition drive we've ever had - in nearly 100 years of operations - and it's time for Congress to take notice of how many people have joined this effort."
I tend to agree with Kiernan. The national parks are a fantastic resource and one that we need to protect for future generations to enjoy as well. Unfortunately, budget cuts have made those efforts incredibly challenging. But considering what the parks give back to us, both tangibly and intangibly, perhaps it is time to stop looking solely at the bottom line.National Parks Conservation Association rallies public support for park funding originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Back in May, the NPCA kicked off its National Parks Protection Project which was designed to educate members of Congress and the American public about the importance of proper funding for the national parks. When that initiative got underway, an online petition was also included, with the goal of attaining 100,000 signatures asking the government to stop slashing funding to the parks. After all, the NPCA points out, the Park Service's budget is just one-thirteenth of one percent of the total federal budget.
For that relatively small amount of money, the national parks generate quite a return on the investment. Not only does that funding go toward protecting and promoting the most amazing park system in the world, it also has an important impact on the communities that surround those parks. It is estimated that the national parks are responsible for contributing more than $13 billion to local economies each year while also creating nearly 270,000 private-sector jobs.
Now, just over three months after the petition went online, the NPCA has not only met its goal, but exceeded it. In fact, the organization's president, Tom Kiernan, has said "This is by far the most successful petition drive we've ever had - in nearly 100 years of operations - and it's time for Congress to take notice of how many people have joined this effort."
I tend to agree with Kiernan. The national parks are a fantastic resource and one that we need to protect for future generations to enjoy as well. Unfortunately, budget cuts have made those efforts incredibly challenging. But considering what the parks give back to us, both tangibly and intangibly, perhaps it is time to stop looking solely at the bottom line.National Parks Conservation Association rallies public support for park funding originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Starting Over in New Zealand
Larry Prosor, age 54: Let?s start at the end of our story. It?s the best part. It?s now. As I write this, I?m looking out a window at our beach, a few miles up the coast from the town of Gisborne. I see our pond, green hills, enticing surf. It?s been almost eight years since Cindy and I sold our stuff, including a nice home near Lake Tahoe, California, and moved. At this moment I still feel like a 19-year-old kid who?s left home for the first time. Time has slowed down. I?m exploring new land. Meeting new friends.
But then there?s the beginning of our story. The ?starting over? part. It was wobbly and awkward. And it took a few expat friends to get us where we are now.
Cindy Prosor, age 56: We boarded a plane bound for the bottom edge of the planet the day after my 50th birthday. New Zealand?s beauty had mesmerized me on previous trips, but this time I felt like I?d jumped off a cliff. When we landed, I already missed our well-worn home. Our daughter was a million miles away. The phone didn?t ring for days. The calendar was empty, and so was the mailbox. Riding bikes to the beach, morning tea in hand, was idyllic. But I had nothing to distract me from me.
And then we started meeting people who?d made the same leap. People who needed connections, not total isolation, to make this island come alive. To make it home.
New Zealand Travel Guide
Rich Davis, age 57: When we moved last year into the Gisborne area, not far from the Prosors but a moonshot from our nice house and close friends in Mosier, Oregon, a strange feeling soon came over me: I?m a foreigner. Every time I exchange hellos with someone, I have to remind myself that now I?m the one with an accent. I also have to be careful not to be too disappointed about missing my morning latte and my dill pickles. We can?t get them here. But we made this move to add some excitement and adventure to our routine, so now we make our own pickles with home-grown horseradish root. I take my surfboard out at dawn and pick up giant lobsters instead of tall lattes.
There?s no escaping that we?re on the other side of the world, or this sense that we?re rolling the dice. But we?re in good expat company. It?s made the transition to New Zealand much easier. And seriously, you should see the view I?m looking at right now.
Mary Davis, age 48: We had a busy social life in Oregon, so the most uncomfortable part of starting over here was feeling like an outsider. I didn?t expect that. I even missed our cat, which we had to leave back in the States because of the rigid quarantine process. But those moments of loneliness forced me to get closer to this beautiful place and its people. I tried surfing and waka ama (outrigger canoe), activities we didn?t experience in America. So now I get up at 5:30 in the morning and paddle with my new friends at the local waka ama club ? sometimes a dolphin we call Moko joins us. This is why we moved to New Zealand, for the simpler life and laid-back approach. Now, if we could just find some pubs with beer that tastes like the microbrews crafted in the Pacific Northwest.
New Zealand Travel Guide
But then there?s the beginning of our story. The ?starting over? part. It was wobbly and awkward. And it took a few expat friends to get us where we are now.
Cindy Prosor, age 56: We boarded a plane bound for the bottom edge of the planet the day after my 50th birthday. New Zealand?s beauty had mesmerized me on previous trips, but this time I felt like I?d jumped off a cliff. When we landed, I already missed our well-worn home. Our daughter was a million miles away. The phone didn?t ring for days. The calendar was empty, and so was the mailbox. Riding bikes to the beach, morning tea in hand, was idyllic. But I had nothing to distract me from me.
And then we started meeting people who?d made the same leap. People who needed connections, not total isolation, to make this island come alive. To make it home.
New Zealand Travel Guide
Rich Davis, age 57: When we moved last year into the Gisborne area, not far from the Prosors but a moonshot from our nice house and close friends in Mosier, Oregon, a strange feeling soon came over me: I?m a foreigner. Every time I exchange hellos with someone, I have to remind myself that now I?m the one with an accent. I also have to be careful not to be too disappointed about missing my morning latte and my dill pickles. We can?t get them here. But we made this move to add some excitement and adventure to our routine, so now we make our own pickles with home-grown horseradish root. I take my surfboard out at dawn and pick up giant lobsters instead of tall lattes.
There?s no escaping that we?re on the other side of the world, or this sense that we?re rolling the dice. But we?re in good expat company. It?s made the transition to New Zealand much easier. And seriously, you should see the view I?m looking at right now.
Mary Davis, age 48: We had a busy social life in Oregon, so the most uncomfortable part of starting over here was feeling like an outsider. I didn?t expect that. I even missed our cat, which we had to leave back in the States because of the rigid quarantine process. But those moments of loneliness forced me to get closer to this beautiful place and its people. I tried surfing and waka ama (outrigger canoe), activities we didn?t experience in America. So now I get up at 5:30 in the morning and paddle with my new friends at the local waka ama club ? sometimes a dolphin we call Moko joins us. This is why we moved to New Zealand, for the simpler life and laid-back approach. Now, if we could just find some pubs with beer that tastes like the microbrews crafted in the Pacific Northwest.
New Zealand Travel Guide
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Readers' tips: best motorway stop-offs
Stretch your legs among sculptures near the M1 or lunch with the llamas in Cumbria ? Been there readers guide you to the best places to break your motorway journeyClick here to add a tip, and you could win a digital cameraWINNING TIP Llama Karma Kafe, CumbriaAn oasis of karm (sorry!) a mile from junction 40 off the M6 near Penrith. It offers tasty home-cooked food and great coffee in the airy bistro. They run excellent 'walking with llamas' treks through the beautiful surrounding countryside. We stopped for a mid-trek picnic near a pretty church with our new-found friends. Don't forget your panpipes from the gift shop on your way out! 01768 866776, llamakarmakafe.co.uk, half-day picnic trek, adults �50, kids �30 PennygadgetCumbriaTebay Services, M6 (between J38 & 39) This is a new concept for roadside services and has won many awards. The local, family-run company hold barbecues outside on hot days and have an adjoining farm on the southbound side that supplies a farm shop and butchers' counter. There's a delicious cafe, children's play area and duck pond. Views across the Cumbria landscape are amazing and it's great as a break on a long journey. westmorland.com jumper123Penrith leisure centre, M6 (J40) This is a great break point if you're driving from Bristol to Scotland. After you've passed the wonders of Manchester, get out, throw the children and yourself in the pool, and return refreshed to the road. Southend Rd, 01768 863450, leisurecentre.com/centres/45/home/Penrith-Leisure-Centre.aspx, adults �3.15, children �1.95 hamletsghostWest YorkshireYorkshire Sculpture Park, M1 (J38 or 39), Wakefield Feast your eyes on monumental Moores, Hepworths and Paolozzis, at the same time filling your belly with interesting grub, perched above it all on a glass and steel balcony. Stroll through 500 acres of carefully kept parkland, bumping into Gormleys and Goldsworthys before settling in the impressively modernist cafe, located above the posh shop selling Jaume Plensa fridge magnets and James Turrell torches (I might have made the last one up). The cakes are the thing ? scones the size of elephants' feet, fat slabs of bakewell tart or a nicely dusted lemon pie hit the spot, particularly since the coffee is so good. 01924 832631, ysp.co.uk MrsfiftiesNorthumberlandManor House Inn, A1M (J62), Carterway Heads The food is lovely ? local, seasonal produce at reasonable prices ? and the views are amazing. It's a perfect stop-off for us, driving from Scotland to Lincolnshire. Last year visiting here possibly saved our lives ? after our annual trip to T in the Park near Kinross, we stopped for lunch on our way home and a "regular" pointed out a bald tyre on our car. We visited a local garage who advised us the tyre would have blown at any time. +44(0)1207 255 268, themanorhouseinn.com, mains �7.95-�19.95 MaltababyWiltshireLydiard Park, M4 (J16), Swindon This is a 260-acre historic park, the ancestral home of the Viscounts Bolingbroke, has a Palladian house and church, extensive grounds, lake, children's play area, cafe and tea rooms, and a free family quiz trail. It's only a few minutes' off the M4. 01793 770401, lydiardpark.org.uk, free entry to park and grounds hampsteadLancashireBrockholes Nature Reserve, M6 (J31), Preston Brockholes is brilliant! It's a 107-hectare wetland and woodland reserve, on the site of an old quarry. The visitors' centre floats on a 4,000-tonne pontoon in one of the lakes. It houses a really good cafe, a farm shop and information centre. You have to pay for parking (from �1 for an hour), but it is for a good cause, and worth it for the views from the restaurant alone. But if you have time, take a walk (guided or otherwise) by the river Ribble, or do a bit of bird-spotting from the purpose-built hides. 01772 872000, brockholes.org ZumbidoMorecambe, M6 (J34) Morecambe is a wonderful place for a stop-off. Park anywhere along Marine Road and take a bracing, and hopefully sunny, walk along the sea front. If you're there late afternoon, the light can be glorious ? take fantastic photos of the sands and the boats with the Cumbrian hills over the bay. Finish with tea and a scone at Eric's Cafe on Marine Road, just behind the famous statue of Eric himself. Eric's Cafe, 01524 412051 PixcelNottinghamshireClumber Park, M1 (J30), Worksop There are many National Trust properties close to motorways or major routes, and they're great as midday stop-offs on long journeys. Clumber Park offers a very civilised break: lovely landscaped parklands and lake, a restaurant that uses food grown in the walled garden ? even an opportunity to hire bicycles (if you really want to blow away the cobwebs). There is also the chance of a surprise ? we once arrived on a Saturday to find a Georgian re-enactment in full swing. 01909 544917, nationaltrust.org.uk, �4.80 per vehicle Gdeanouk Dumfries and GallowayCafe Ariete, Moffat, A74M (J15) This is a slice of Scottish-Italiano in the charming little town of Moffat. My current favourite choice for my second breakfast of the day is a scrambled egg roll with crispy onions and a glass of hot Vimto, garnished with a slice of fruit, but you may prefer the excellent coffees. If walking around the pretty, bustling square isn't enough for you, then there is a pleasant 2km circular route along the river Annan to walk off the second breakfast. 10 High St, 01683 220313, visitmoffat.co.uk happyyetpoorAnnandale Water services, A74M (J16), Dumfries and Galloway If you usually avoid motorway service stations, you would probably drive past this one. Don't! It doesn't look much but appearances are deceptive. Pop in, grab a cuppa and head out to the terrace. Soft, rolling hills and a beautiful lake bathe your road-sore eyes. You can sit on the deck and just take it all in, or go for a walk around the lake and have a picnic. LatriggRoad tripsLancashireDay tripsUnited Kingdomguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Photo of the day - Mediterranean minimalism
Filed under: Europe, France, Photo of the Day
What simple beauty there is in today's Photo of the Day! It was taken by Genoa-based Flickr user Giovanni Fusco in Provence. The nearly monochromatic paint job, the light, and the battered shutters all create a classic sort of image, something out of a 1960s French film. The aesthetic here is plain and workaday, a kind of Mediterranean minimalism; as such, Fusco's image depicts a less obviously charming side of Provence.
Looking to share your work with a wider audience? Upload some images to the Flickr Gadling Group pool and one of your photos might end as a future Photo of the Day.Photo of the day - Mediterranean minimalism originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 27 Aug 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
What simple beauty there is in today's Photo of the Day! It was taken by Genoa-based Flickr user Giovanni Fusco in Provence. The nearly monochromatic paint job, the light, and the battered shutters all create a classic sort of image, something out of a 1960s French film. The aesthetic here is plain and workaday, a kind of Mediterranean minimalism; as such, Fusco's image depicts a less obviously charming side of Provence.
Looking to share your work with a wider audience? Upload some images to the Flickr Gadling Group pool and one of your photos might end as a future Photo of the Day.Photo of the day - Mediterranean minimalism originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 27 Aug 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Statue of Liberty to close for a year
Access to Liberty Island and views will not be affected while work is carried out on interior of New York landmark to make it saferThe Statue of Liberty will close for a year at the end of October as it undergoes a $27.25m (�16.8m) renovation that will make the interior safer and more accessible, US interior secretary Ken Salazar said.The renovations are limited to the monument, and Liberty Island will remain open and the statue itself will be mostly unobstructed from view, officials said.Tegan Firth, a spokeswoman for Statue Cruises, which on an average Saturday during the summer ferries about 18,000 people to Liberty Island, said the renovation will not have a significant impact on visit numbers."The entire experience of visiting these national landmarks of the United States remains absolutely the same," she said.The National Parks Service, which manages the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island, said it will close the monument on 28 October after the 125th anniversary of its dedication.It will be closed the following day, and workers from Joseph Construction, a New Jersey company, will install improved stairways and upgrade electrical and fire suppression systems, elevators and bathrooms.The National Parks Service said in August 2010 that it would close the statue's crown to upgrade the stairwells and improve safety at Lady Liberty. One reason for it was that the newest fire codes mandate escape routes that would allow the statue to be evacuated within two hours, not possible on the current staircases on either side of the pedestal.The statue was closed after the 11 September terror attacks for security precautions, but the base reopened in 2004 after a $20m security upgrade. The observation deck at the top of the crown was reopened on 4 July 2009.The National Parks Service controls the number of visitors to the crown, saying around 240 people visit each day. About 3.5 million people visit the monument every year.The statue was built in the 1880s, and was a gift from France.New YorkUnited StatesNew Yorkguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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Team Discrete Wins Eye of the Condor Reader's PollTeam Discrete Wins Eye of the Condor Reader's PollTeam Discrete Shot TwoTeam Discrete Shot ThreeTeam Discrete Shot FourTeam Discrete Shot Five
Team Discrete?Julian Carr, Rachael Burks, Parker Cook, Ben Wheeler, Chris Bezamat, and John Roderick?wins the Eye of the Condor Reader's Poll.
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The Jurassic coastline
Guardian photographer Graeme Robertson in Lyme Regis, DorsetGraeme Robertson
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Biesemeyer on New Zealand GS Podium
Queenstown, New Zealand ? Tommy Biesemeyer, of Keene, N.Y., kept the U.S. Ski Team podium streak rolling Friday with a giant slalom second during the third day of FIS Southern Cup alpine racing at Coronet Peak.
Tommy Biesemeyer (photo: Jonathan Selkowitz)
?Beisy [Biesemeyer] has been skiing solid giant slalom all camp and it showed today,? said Mike Day, U.S. Ski Team Men?s Technical Head Coach. ?We build our camp plans to include these races as part of our progression.?
Swedish freeskier Jon Olsson, who has refocused on alpine in hopes of qualifying for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, won the race with Canadian David Donaldson in third.
?The hill was a bit soft today, but the crew did a good job to get off a successful race,? Day said of Friday?s course conditions.
Crested Butte, Colo.?s David Chodounsky was .03 off the podium in fourth as Ryan Cochran-Siegle, of Starksboro, Vt., and Holladay, Utah?s Jared Goldberg also placed in the top 10.
OFFICIAL RESULTSFIS Southern CupCoronet Peak, New Zealand ? Aug. 19, 2011
Men?s Giant Slalom
1. Jon Olsson, Sweden, 1:42.41
2. Tommy Biesemeyer, Keene, NY, 1:43.03
2. David Donaldson, Canada, 1:43.11
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4. David Chodounsky, Crested Butte, CO, 1:43.14
7. Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Starksboro, VT, 1:43.39
9. Jared Goldberg, Holladay, UT, 1:44.02
Women?s Giant Slalom
1. Annie Winquist, Norway, 1:44.30
2. Ragnhild Mowinckel, Norway, 1:44.73
3. Kristine Gjelsten Haugen, Norway, 1:45.10
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6. Avril Dunleavy, Salt Lake City, 1:48.00
8. Ryann Daley, Sudbury, MA , 1:51.60
9. Devon Engle, Bend, OR , 1:52.22
Related stories:Griffin and Jarvis Crowned New Zealand National GS Champs
Brandenburg On the Podium Again in New Zealand
Nickerson and Zuzulova Take Top Spots in Australia New Zealand Cup Giant Slalom
Brandenburg on Podium to Open 2012 FIS Alpine Ski Season
New Zealand Alpine National Ski Championships Slalom Titles Decided
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Tommy Biesemeyer (photo: Jonathan Selkowitz)
?Beisy [Biesemeyer] has been skiing solid giant slalom all camp and it showed today,? said Mike Day, U.S. Ski Team Men?s Technical Head Coach. ?We build our camp plans to include these races as part of our progression.?
Swedish freeskier Jon Olsson, who has refocused on alpine in hopes of qualifying for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, won the race with Canadian David Donaldson in third.
?The hill was a bit soft today, but the crew did a good job to get off a successful race,? Day said of Friday?s course conditions.
Crested Butte, Colo.?s David Chodounsky was .03 off the podium in fourth as Ryan Cochran-Siegle, of Starksboro, Vt., and Holladay, Utah?s Jared Goldberg also placed in the top 10.
OFFICIAL RESULTSFIS Southern CupCoronet Peak, New Zealand ? Aug. 19, 2011
Men?s Giant Slalom
1. Jon Olsson, Sweden, 1:42.41
2. Tommy Biesemeyer, Keene, NY, 1:43.03
2. David Donaldson, Canada, 1:43.11
-
4. David Chodounsky, Crested Butte, CO, 1:43.14
7. Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Starksboro, VT, 1:43.39
9. Jared Goldberg, Holladay, UT, 1:44.02
Women?s Giant Slalom
1. Annie Winquist, Norway, 1:44.30
2. Ragnhild Mowinckel, Norway, 1:44.73
3. Kristine Gjelsten Haugen, Norway, 1:45.10
-
6. Avril Dunleavy, Salt Lake City, 1:48.00
8. Ryann Daley, Sudbury, MA , 1:51.60
9. Devon Engle, Bend, OR , 1:52.22
Related stories:Griffin and Jarvis Crowned New Zealand National GS Champs
Brandenburg On the Podium Again in New Zealand
Nickerson and Zuzulova Take Top Spots in Australia New Zealand Cup Giant Slalom
Brandenburg on Podium to Open 2012 FIS Alpine Ski Season
New Zealand Alpine National Ski Championships Slalom Titles Decided
Powered By WizardRSS.com | Full Text RSS Feed | Amazon Plugin | Settlement Statement | WordPress Tutorials
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Seaside foraging? It's a shore thing
From mussels to majestic brown crabs, there are rich culinary pickings on the beachRemember those seaside holidays when you spent every spare minute squinting, net poised, into the mysterious depths of a rock pool? You'd lever up a stone. Look, shrimps! And a green shore crab, scuttling under that clump of seaweed. And what's the little fish over there? A blenny? Or is it a goby? Whatever, into the bucket it goes with the rest of the live treasure.Ah, happy days. But the thing is, I'm 47, and that's pretty much how I still spend school holidays. Having two children has little to do with it, other than providing an excuse. These days, I'm looking for dinner rather than revelling in nature, yet the basic kit is still the same: hands, net, bucket.Mussels, cockles and clams are the easiest catch: you just bend down and pick them up. Mussels attach themselves to just about anything they can get hold of along the tideline, from rocks and gravel beds to seaweed and jetties; delicious seafood just waiting to be nabbed. Cockles and clams are harder work, but not much: they bury themselves when the tide goes out, but when it starts coming back, telltale nipples of sand appear along the shore as they prepare to greet the returning waters. We often end up with a kilo or two of venus or surf clams (they retail at up to �11/kg ? see where I'm coming from now?) and, if we're lucky, palourdes (they're the ones with a neat criss-cross pattern on their shell), the sweetest of the lot.As with all molluscs, discard live ones with broken or open shells, and don't eat those that don't open after cooking. Also, most sea creatures are subject to minimum landing sizes, closed seasons and the rest. For a full lowdown, I recommend John Wright's brilliant book, Edible Seashore.Other molluscs that find their way into our bucket include whelks and winkles, both sea snails that are as easy to collect as clams and mussels.Brown shrimps are also a piece of cake, hanging round in big, dumb gangs against sea walls and in larger rock pools. Just scoop them up in the net ? few summer meals beat peeling and eating your way through a bowl of just-boiled shrimps. The bigger prawns, meanwhile, are mostly nocturnal and lurk in the shadows, under overhanging rocks and seaweed.It's not just these usual suspects you'll find, though. From the same south Devon beach (no, I won't let on where) we also collect razor clams, dabs, the occasional squid and last year a rather confused adult skate stranded in a rock pool (we took it back to the sea).Above all, though, we're after crabs, be they velvet swimmers, spiders or brown. Velvets (which, along with spider crabs, can be found in rock pools) are evil little buggers with furry backs, scary red eyes and snap-happy, lightning-fast claws; no wonder they're also called devil crabs. But they don't half make fantastic soup. Unless you're squeamish, don't even bother with the usual fiddly crab prep ? just cook them whole in a court bouillon or shellfish stock, and blend.Then there's the king of our native seafood, the brown crab which, taste-wise, knocks the socks off any fancy-pants lobster. They retreat into crevices and holes in the rocks as the tide recedes, so you just have to find their hideout. Some people use a crab hook ? essentially, a pole with a coat hanger on the end ? to drag them out, but we prefer a more primitive approach: stick an arm down the hole, grab a claw and pull. But take care ? a decent sized specimen can break an adult's finger, let alone a child's. I've got the bent digits to prove it.Once you get the hang of it, though, you'll be hooked (sorry). My son Freddie has been catching them since he was five and is now a more accomplished crabber than I am. But then he's got an unfair advantage: his little arms fit down holes my big mitts don't stand a chance of getting into.Food & drinkFishBob Granleeseguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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