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2007 Ford Shelby GT

2007 Saturn Sky Redline

2007 Saturn Sky Redline

The Saturn Sky Redline adds some power to an already attractive package.

A 47 percent power bump and a 57 percent torque boost are just the nudges needed to rev the Saturn Sky to the Red Line. A 2.0-liter version of General Motors' Ecotec four-cylinder roused by a dual-scroll intercooled turbo, direct injection, and variable valve timing delivers a hunky 260 hp. Improved driveline mounting (similar to the Mazda MX-5's scheme), a sport suspension damped by Bilstein, ABS, stability control, and upgraded tires take the already capable chassis up a notch. But instead of tuning this Sky to run wild with BMWs and Porsches, Saturn focused on polishing its rough edges. The turbo engine is a torquer, not a spinner, so the Red Line delivers thrust immediately, without waiting for the tach needle to find a sweet spot. The new third gear in the manual box is a more useful ratio, and the optional five-speed automatic is smart enough to downshift during hard braking into a corner. The turbo engine not only speaks more softly than the normally aspirated four-cylinder, it also delivers better fuel mileage. While a couple of clouds still hang over the Sky--a storage-shy cockpit and a clunky convertible top--the arrival of the Red Line is convincing proof that polishing works.

Photo Gallery: 2007 Saturn Sky Redline - 2007 New Cars - Automobile Magazine

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2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible

2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible

America's best selling convertible, the Chrysler Sebring, has been redesigned for 2008. Among its new features is a retractable steel hard top.

Significance: No, it isn't the cutest convertible on the market, but at least it's got some cool features. But the heated cup holders and a music-holding hard drive pale in comparison to the top options: vinyl, cloth, and steel are all available.

Photo Gallery: 2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible - Latest News, Auto Show Coverage, and Future Cars - Automobile Magazine

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2007 Lexus LF-A Sports Car Concept

2007 Lexus LF-A Sports Car Concept

Lexus isn't done dipping its toes into the deep end of the sports car market. Is this second LF-A concept the real thing?

The first hints that Lexus might sell an exotic sports car came exactly two years ago here at the Detroit auto show with the unveiling of the first LF-A concept. That car's primary goal was to introduce the "L-finesse" design direction to the world, but public excitement pushed the brand to take their toy to the track. But now, just as Nissan did with the GT-R and as Mitsubishi is also doing here with the Prototype X, Lexus is showing a second concept of the same car. Is it just another tease? "The first LF-A was pure concept, but one that we went so far as to conduct engineering analysis on," says Lexus general manager Bob Carter. "This latest concept is much closer to a vehicle that we would bring to market, and one in which we will be gauging consumer interest." In other words yes, it is still a tease. And because it might see production, this swoopier LF-A might be an even bigger tease. Thanks a lot, Lexus.

Photo Gallery: 2007 Lexus LF-A Sports Car Concept - Latest News, Auto Show Coverage, and Future Cars - Automobile Magazine

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2009 Chevrolet Corvette SS ZR1 Blue Devil Spy Shots

2009 Chevrolet Corvette SS ZR1 Blue Devil Spy Shots

Call it what you want -- Corvette SS, ZR1, or Blue Devil -- but we're finally getting a close look at Chevy's forthcoming supercharged Corvette.

Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you the best pictures yet of the forthcoming Corvette SS. What, you've never heard of the Corvette SS? That's because it's also been called the Corvette Blue Devil. And, more recently, the Corvette ZR-1.

Photo Gallery: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette SS ZR1 Blue Devil Spy Shots - Spy Shots and Future Cars - Automobile Magazine

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Favorite Cookbooks: Monica Bhide

A few weeks back I highlighted Monica Bhide's new cookbook, Modern Spice. Remember her Baked Chile Pea Puffs stuffed with peas, paneer cheese, chiles, and garlic? So. Good. Monica and I got to chatting a bit over email, and I asked her if she'd do a favorite cookbooks list for us. For those of you who aren't familiar with Monica's work - phew, it's hard to keep up. She has written for just about every publication you can imagine - The New York Times, Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Salon.com, National Geographic Traveler. And those are just a handful of the domestic titles - she writes internationally as well. She was born in India, now calls D.C. home, and traded in a corporate career to be a full-time food writer and cooking teacher. For those if you interested in that transition, I linked to an interview Monica gave (and a couple other related links) down below.

MONICA'S COOKING STYLE (in her own words):

I think I have a very easy going cooking style. I don't like to cook things that are very complicated and require hours of slaving in the kitchen. I have young kids, a full-time career and this keeps me very busy. My focus is always how to take good ingredients and bring out the best in them without messing with them too much! I don't like to recreate dishes from restaurants in general preferring mostly to create my own creations. I am a voracious reader and love to browse through books to look for ideas on dishes, usage of herbs or spices and love to be in other people's kitchens watching them cook. It really is the best way to learn.

FAVORITE COOKBOOKS (the ones she turns to most often for recipes and inspiration):

- Come for Dinner, Leslie Revsin - The late Leslie Revsin was actually the first woman chef at the Waldorf Astoria. I had always enjoyed reading about her but wondered how simple this amazing chef's recipes would really be. When I got my hands on this book, I was really stunned - simplicity married to intense flavor is really the charm of Leslie Revsin's recipes. Her approachable recipes reflect her innate understanding of ingredients and how gracefully they can come together. This book enables you to easily create classic dishes with Revsin's twists like a roasted tomato gazpacho with cumin.

- Savoring India, Julie Sahni - Julie Sahni is a cooking teacher and leading authority on Indian cuisine and has written this book. It has all the earmarks of a Williams-Sonoma publication-- it is simply divine! It is a gorgeous book with sumptuous recipes and mouth-watering photos. The book spans the Indian spectrum, bringing recipes from the deserts of Rajasthan, the beaches of Goa, and the emerald lagoons of Kerala. I often pick it up when I am homesick! It reminds me of my India.

- Taste Pure and Simple, Michel Nischan - Chef Michel Nischan's recipes showcase the essence of his philosophy: Use pure ingredients and get intense flavors. Chef Nischan, well known for his rich French style of cooking, changed course about ten years ago when he found out that his young son, Chris, had juvenile diabetes. "I got rid of processed sugars, cream, butter, and processed flours. It caused me to totally rethink my entire way of cooking," he says. His younger son Ethan, then 2, was diagnosed with the same disease. The chef made it his life's work to educate people on how to cook more healthfully. "It was hard back then," he says. "It was 1994 and fat was in - 'The flavor is in the fat' and 'No fat, no flavor' were the catchphrases." His first book, Taste Pure and Simple (Chronicle, 2003), became an overnight bestseller, second only to Harry Potter on Amazon! I adore this book for its simple yet flavorful recipes - sounds clichéd I know, but its true.

- Fat, by Jennifer McLagan - I know you only like to focus on vegetarian recipes but this really is one of my all time favorite books. The minute I read it, I knew it would win an award. It is amazingly well done and totally non-apologetic in its praises of fat and why different types of fat are essential to one's health. Fat is clearly controversial--but this book is really worth a read. The book has sections on butter, pork fat, poultry fat and beef and lamb fats and since many of these are not commercially available, McLagan shows readers how to render each fat.

- Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes, Jeanne Kelly - When I first got this book, its gorgeous cover caught my eye and it was the beginning of a beautiful relationship! The recipes are inviting not only because of the gorgeous pictures but also because they offer simple ingredient lists and the instructions are clear and easy to follow. In particular, I love the Hummus with Jalapeno-Cilantro pesto, Black beans with orange and chipotle, and Asparagus and peas with green garlic - YUM. All this and desserts too! You simply will not go wrong with this book.

- How to Cook Everything, Mark Bittman - Mark's books have helped me every time I have struggled with the dilemma of - how exactly does one cook "insert vegetable name." I really like the simplicity and common sense of his approach in his books and one of the best things is that they are not intimidating. I read them and feel smarter and not stupider ( which I do feel when I read chefs books sometimes - I always walk away with the sense of "I could never do that."). Although this book has been parsed into smaller volumes (How to Cook Everything: The Basics; Holiday Cooking, etc.), I recommend buying the original.

- 660 Curries, Raghavan Iyer - I have always enjoyed Raghavan's books so when this one came out, I ordered it right away. It lives up to its promise to be extensive and very intense! This book will make you rethink the word and concept of "curry." Yes, there are traditional dishes like Mangalorean Chicken Curry with tamarind and coconut milk, Slow cooked creamy black lentils with whole spices and Eggplant with roasted chiles and tomatoes. But, ah, there is so much more - Cashew stuffed baby eggplant, Eggplant with apples and fennel, Unripe mango with pigeon peas, Cauliflower and spinach in a black-pepper-coconut milk sauce.. I could go on and on, there are over 600 recipes in this collection (as the title suggests.) Oh and for the lovers of Bend it Like Beckham, there is a lovely recipe for "Bolly Cauli" the cauliflower dish the heroine of the movie is, um, forced to make!

A big thanks to Monica for taking the time to share with us. For those of you interested in more links to her work...

- Monica's weekly spice column on the Washington Post website. (I Spice)
- Interview with her about being a freelance food writer (bizzia.com)
- Monica on Salon.com

Orzo Super Salad

I thought we could chat a bit about orzo salads today. Do you see one at just about every potluck or group picnic you go to? Or is it just me? Whether or not you like orzo salads, you have to respect them to a certain extent. I mean, after surviving the perils of transport, they often assume their position on whatever table beckons, and then endure hours upon hour exposed to the elements. A tough job for any salad. So, inspired by a bag of whole wheat orzo I had on-hand, I decided to take a stab at a new version. One that is less pasta-centric than most, made from ingredients that can handle a ride around town on the back of a ten-speed or scooter. One that can handle some time at the beach or park. I used the whole wheat orzo as the base and then packed in as much super-nutritious goodness as I could - almonds, avocado, cucumbers, sprouts, asparagus, feta and baby broccoli.

And I have to tell you, it turned out great. A little crunch from the almonds, cucumber, and asparagus. A little creaminess from the feta and avocado. A bit of zip from the lemony dressing. And so much green!

I'm sure this isn't the last orzo salad I'll make this year. I'm thinking that the next one will likely be with slow-roasted tomatoes, once the summer crops arrive. But I'm always open to suggestions and ideas.

Giant Black Bean Salad

Let's go find summer. There are many times, particularly this time of year, when I turn to Wayne and say these four words. To find summer might mean taking a short stroll west, just far enough to sneak out from under the fog bank. Other times it requires getting in the car and escaping San Francisco altogether. We often go north to Napa or Point Reyes or Stinson Beach. Other times we head south to Pescadero, a little town set back from the coast a couple of miles - home to Harley Farms Goat Dairy and Phipps Country Store & Farm. The last time I was at Phipps a bin of their huge, glossy, black beans caught my attention. These were beans that looked like large black beetles. I bought a bag, and made this salad - black beans and toasted almonds tossed with a honey-jalapeno-lime dressing served over baby arugula and finished with a bit of crumbled feta.

I think this is an example of how you can introduce an element of surprise and delight simply by playing with one element - in this case size. More specifically, the size of the beans. It has the potential to take the ubiquitous black bean salad into fresh territory. I took a bowl of the cooked beans to a friend's house and at a glance she thought I had a bowl full of black olives -when cooked they are the the size of my thumb, from the knuckle up. Super fun.

I think the beans were some sort of black runner beans (out of stock on their site), but don't let it deter you if you can't find the exact bean. I suspect black valentines would be nice here or midnight black beans - neither nearly as large, but still wonderful heirloom beans. I'm tempted to make this salad again using these Ayocote Negro, which I haven't used before.

Also, it probably goes without saying - it is worth it to cook up a pot of beans from scratch for a salad like this. The thing is, the beans are the star, so you want them to have great texture and flavor. But yes, you can substitute canned black beans and the sky isn't going to fall ;) The salad will still be good, a bit mushier, but still tasty.

Summer Squash Gratin

Someone was asking me in the comments the other day about my food routines. They were curious about how often I shop, my favorite stores here in SF, when I cook - that sort of thing. I'm also curious about your food routines, so I thought I'd share mine in the hope that you would share a bit about yours as well. I should also work a recipe in here, so I decided to highlight a decadent, crunchy-topped summer squash gratin I made last week. It was inspired by a mountain of summer squash I encountered at the farmers' market - yellow squash, green squash, patty pans, globes, and others I couldn't even identify. The gratin recipe features lots it, thinly sliced, with new potatoes, an oregano pesto, and brown-buttered breadcrumbs all baked at high-temperature until the squash is tender and the top is crunchy. I used a mix of yellow and green squash, but you can certainly experiment with whatever you have on hand, or whatever your garden might be producing.

So, the cornerstone of my food routine is a weekly trip to one of the nearby farmers' markets. I stock up on whatever looks good, and typically that means lots of vegetables, a dozen+ farm-fresh eggs, some tofu, seasonal fruit, almond butter, bread, etc. If I end up running low on anything between markets I walk over to Bi-Rite Market and pick it up there. They source ingredients from many of the local farms around here, and even grow some of their own crops now.

Once or twice a month I like to go to Rainbow Grocery or Whole Foods and stock up on pantry staples. I hit the bin section for interesting whole grains, flours, beans, lentils, and that sort of thing. Beyond that, if I'm at the Ferry Building I love to stop in to see what is available at Boulette's Larder - beautiful, rare, artisanal sugars, spice blends, grains, oils, and vinegars. I always come across something special and inspiring there.

As far as beverages go - I love to visit Keri at Biondivino. She carries lots of the small Italian wine producers I like. Or I'll pick up a few bottles after chatting with Josh over at Bi-Rite - I walk there, so that keeps my purchasing in check. Wine can get heavy ;) Wayne is in charge of most beer runs, and lucky for us, one of the best destinations for artisan beers is a short five minute walk - Healthy Spirits. Wayne is also the barista and tea brewer around here - we buy a lot of Blue Bottle beans, and order tea from Sebastian at In Pursuit of Tea.

So, generally speaking, I'm mindful of what I buy, I shop close to home, and (stating the obvious) I cook quite a bit. A few people have asked how much I spend on food. I think I cook on the cheap - kinda. I'd never try to represent myself as a bargain shopper, but because I don't spend money on meat, fish, or poultry, it is easier for me to spend money on great olive oil, eggs, or perfect cherries - and still come out ahead financially. I happily pay $6 - $8/ per dozen eggs, and good cheese is another higher-ticket item for me, but I typically use it as some sort of accent. Most of the organic grains and flours I buy cost between $1 - $2 per pound. Stunning, heirloom beans come in at about $5 per pound. And as anyone who has done it knows - cook a pound of dried beans and you have a whole lot of food on your hands. The organic summer squash I used in this recipe today cost $2 per pound.

I'm sure I'm forgetting things, but if that's the case I'll add as I remember (forgive me!)

Onto the gratin - all you squash growers have got to give this one a go this summer - it is as decadent as I get, plenty of olive oil and butter here, but sooo worth it.

Buttermilk Summer Squash Soup

This is a simple soup I made the other night with the summer squash left over from the gratin we talked about last week. Nothing fancy, just a pureed summer squash soup with a buttermilk twist. I used a hint of red pepper because, quite honestly, I often prefer it over black pepper. I used a bit of rosemary for depth, some potato for body, garlic, shallots - and aside from the buttermilk, nothing too far beyond the usual suspects. And I have to say, while I heartily enjoyed the soup as a main component of our dinner, I enjoyed the leftovers even more the following day.

There was plenty of soup leftover, so when Wayne and I decided to throw our cameras in the car and head toward Pt. Reyes for an impromptu photo excursion, I decided to pack a picnic lunch for us. The leftover soup was poured into a large Mason jar, and it ended up being the ideal companion for a day-old chunk of walnut bread that we brought along as well. We found ourselves a shady picnic table in the heart of the little town of Tomales, and the nice ladies at the Tomales Bakery donated a couple of spoons to our cause.

I have to say, it was a near perfect California lunch - wildflowers in bloom everywhere, clear skies, good food, breezes coming off the ocean a few miles west, a vintage cornflower blue Karmann Ghia parked in the grass on the corner, neighbors chatting as they picked up their mail from the post office. And I think it must be little moments like these that keep me from straying too far from the place I've called home (nearly) my entire life.

4 Questions to Ask Before WWOOFing

Feature photo: www.worldon2wheels.com; Photo: emma.maria

In response to my question about how many hours a day the WWOOFers worked, the host replied, “We expect the WWOFers to enjoy the work enough not to mind how many hours they work.”

A red flag should have begun waving itself madly, but all I could see was the cheese factory on site, the fact they made their own pasta, and the assortment of animals on the farm. I ended up working about 12 hours a day on that farm, but never with the cheese or the pasta.

After having good and bad experiences WWOOFing in four different countries, these are the questions I’ve learned to ask:

1. How many hours do I work each day?

The purpose of this question is to be prepared for the expectations of the farm. The answer also gives you a reference point for addressing concerns if you find a significant discrepancy once you’re at the farm.

Asking about days off is also a good idea. One guy arrived at a farm and thought he had every weekend off. He was unpleasantly surprised to learn this was not the case.

2. What kind of work will I be doing?

Photo: strikeael

I always like to know there is a variety of work to be done. At one farm I never did the same thing twice; I faced new challenges like milking goats and making a basket out of willow.

At another farm I only did two things: herd goats and cut grass. Which one do you think I enjoyed most? This question is important because you can find out if the work will suit you physically and if the tasks offer the experiences and challenges what you want.

3. I only speak English. Does that matter?

In France, I WWOOFed at a host who had moved from England, so language was not a problem. In Italy, however, I encountered a few problems at two farms. The first host did not like speaking in English. Instead, the host spoke to the other WWOOFers who spoke Italian, never directing anything to me.

Photo: strikeael

Their listing had indicated English was spoken, but it was a quiet and unsocial two weeks. At the second farm there was frequent miscommunication because the host spoke little English and was impatient with misunderstandings. Better to be clear from the start!

4. Do you allow WWOOFers to use the internet?

WWOOFers are often travelers who want to stay in touch with family and be able to make further travel arrangements. Yet I was surprised by the number of farms that were unhappy to let me send a quick email or look up a train schedule.

Some people are simply of an earlier generation, don’t use the internet themselves, and don’t see why you should. Others have had bad experiences of WWOOFers using their computers. Either way, if you plan to stay connected, it’s wise to ask about the host’s policy.

Make sure you leave for a host prepared; otherwise, unpleasant surprises might take away from what could be a rewarding experience.

Community Connection:

Read some other practical tips in our First-Timer’s Guide to WWOOFing.

Powerful Pilgrimage: Insight on the Camino de Santiago

Statue of Santiago on top of the Alto de San Roque/ Photo: Fresco Tours

Through advances in science and technology, we have unprecedented access to knowledge. Yet the ‘Information Age’ has left us bereft of wisdom.

We are now entering a dangerous new period — an Age of Ignorance. The worldwide launch this week of the film, The Age of Stupid, suggests we are headed towards a 6th mass extinction, the 5th being the end of the Dinosaurs.

‘Change’ is the new buzzword. It was not only Barack Obama’s platform, but also became the catchphrase of the recent G20 gathering. Individuals in every country know that we have to dramatically shift our modus operandi to achieve a stable and sustainable future. More of the same is a recipe for disaster.

Enter the Camino de Santiago — pilgrimage routes throughout Europe that are a powerful agent for positive change.

Our Past and Our Future

Photo: compostelavirtual

Of course, every age has inspired humanity to grow to meet new challenges, but this time we have reached the limit to growth. The capacity of the earth to meet our incessant demands is reaching the end point.

Virtually every independent scientist (the ones not employed by government or by multinationals in the oil, motor, pharmaceutical, food and finance industries) and forward thinking individual accepts that fundamental change is now urgently needed.

Humanity’s collective greed spreads like a cancer that, if not checked, threatens to kill the host. For example, an increase in global temperature of a mere 4 degrees means humanity becomes history.

Through the exploitation of natural and human resources, we have created enormous environmental and social degradation. The core issue, however, is not about environmentalism or ethics — it is about the crisis of the human spirit.

The World Wisdom Council, and its affiliated Club of Budapest, are made up of some of the most illumined minds of our time. They include world leaders from a broad background of enlightened engagement, such as the Dalai Lama, Mikhail Gorbachev, Muhammad Yunus, and Desmond Tutu.

The Club’s manifesto includes reference to another Nobel Peace Laureate, Albert Einstein, stating:

The fact is, one cannot solve a problem with the same kind of thinking that gave rise to it. When all is said and done, we come to a basic insight: we need a more evolved consciousness. Entering the 21st century with the consciousness that hallmarked the 20th century would be like entering the modern age with the consciousness of the Middle Ages. It would be not only inappropriate, but dangerous.

So what does this have to do with the Camino de Santiago? Put simply, the Camino, with its winding roads and paths, offers respite from the business of modern existence. It provides a unique opportunity to reappraise our direction, and helps to shift us from the Age of Ignorance to the more evolved state noted by the World Wisdom Council.

The Camino allows time away from the familiar and habitual so that new insights can be revealed. A wider perspective opens up, where we begin to realize who we are and what we came here to do.

Our lives are currently lived at such high speeds that we often forget to press the pause button. Many find themselves at the end of life too exhausted to care, while others feel powerless to make any difference.

Making the Shift

It is a given that we need a more evolved consciousness, but how do we make the shift?

Photo: compostelavirtual

Barring divine revelation, such as Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus, we are unlikely to make the leap to an entirely new way of thinking while our noses remain welded to the grindstone.

There are, of course, many different paths that we can follow that may help elevate our lives and our collective consciousness. We can join a yoga class, start a daily meditation practice, go on a retreat, take a mid-career break.

But there are always temptations that come to rob us of our new resolve. How easy is it to miss just one class and then another, to skip the morning meditation because we have a deadline, or to use our timeout to travel to some exotic location where we are tempted to drink too much Tequila or to eat too many Fajitas?

With the Camino, no such temptations arise. Each day is lived in the simplicity of the path where we travel at a more natural pace of just 2 miles an hour. This allows time to witness the rising sun, the sacred landscape that surrounds us with its rich array of fauna and flora.

We proceed slowly towards the welcome that awaits us at the day’s end where the warden of the next pilgrim hostel greets us. Along the Camino, these guardians are called ‘hospitaleros,’ a softer term from which we get the word hospitality.

The Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh has his main ashram adjacent to one of the Caminos in France. Here, he and his community practice ‘mindful walking’ every day.

He explains that mindful walking is one of the most effective forms of meditation for our frenetic western mind. He suggests that sitting meditation is simply too difficult for many of us and that meditation has to form part of an activity to be more generally effective.

The Divinity Within

Walking an overtly pilgrim route, such as the Camino de Santiago, reminds us every day of the divinity within ourselves and within all life.

As we walk through the landscape Temples of France and up over the Pyrenees into Northern Spain and Galicia, we are reminded every moment of that spirituality that connects us all, irrespective of our differing religions and philosophies. We find ourselves in the company of like-minded individuals that form a traveling community unique in the world.

Country cart path along the Camino / Photo: Fresco Tours

There are many pilgrimage routes, such as the way to Fatima, but that is exclusively Roman Catholic in orientation. The Hajj is exclusively Muslim, and the Kumbha Mela is sacred to the Hindus.

Only the Camino de Santiago transcends our differences to unite us in an eclectic bond of openness and shared values.

Only the Camino has been designated Europe’s First Cultural Itinerary, recognized by UNESCO, and given World Heritage status on account of “…the testimony to the power of faith and the 1,800 buildings of great historic interest that lie along its path.”

That power is as potent today as it was over a thousand years ago when the first pilgrims set foot towards Santiago. If you are in need of some spaciousness and change in your life, put on your boots and join a community dedicated to lifting collective consciousness by mindful walking along the Camino, which translates simply as ‘the Way’.

What do you think about the possibilities of the Camino de Santiago? Share your thoughts below.

Community Connection

Interested in other spiritual pilgrimages? Check out an interview with Spirit Quest Tours’ founder in Greg Roach Wants You To Make A Spiritual Pilgrimage, and amazing places to worship throughout the world in The World’s 12 Most Spectacular Houses of Worship.

Portugal Reports Results of Drug Decriminalization Act

Photo: Foxtongue

Five years ago, Portugal decided to do something bold about its drug problems: pass a full-on decriminalization act, making the possession and use of even hard-core illicit drugs–including cocaine and heroin–a public health problem rather than a legal/criminal justice issue.

While drug dealing and trafficking still carried criminal penalties, possession and use resulted in diversion to treatment and intervention, rather than imprisonment, in most circumstances.

Decriminalization is a drug policy tactic that has been considered by other governments, but remains deeply divisive in the United States.

Portuguese officials, however, offer evidence that the legalization strategy might just be the best means of addressing at least three social problems–drug use, prison overcrowding, and poor public health– simultaneously.

In this article, published in Scientific American, a US think-tank analyzed Portuguese public health drug-related data since the decriminalization act was passed and reported the following:

“Five years later, the number of deaths from street drug overdoses dropped from around 400 to 290 annually, and the number of new HIV cases caused by using dirty needles to inject heroin, cocaine and other illegal substances plummeted from nearly 1,400 in 2000 to about 400 in 2006….”

Beyond the benefits to public health, a US criminologist also quoted in the article noted that the decriminalization act did not–as some critics expected– cause Lisbon to become a magnet for drug-seeking tourists.

So is decriminalization a viable policy where you live? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Community Connection:

Read about other decriminalization movements in this article, Latin America Changes War on Drugs Strategy: Legalize!

It’s Always Snowing Somewhere

Photo: geoftheref

I gazed out the bus window last Sunday afternoon to see…well, nothing.

No jagged mountains or endless pampas as I’d imagined. Instead, a solid sheet of white hung like TV static out the slowly progressing bus window. Blizzard-like conditions were slamming Patagonia’s Route 40.

This was the first time I saw it snow during my now six months in South America. And I was just as shocked as I had been back in January, flying out of snowy Boston to arrive in the humid, hazy summer of Lima. How amazing that it’s possible to switch seasons in a day simply by hopping a plane.

Photo: lepiaf.geo

However strange it may feel, I’m ready to take advantage of what Patagonia’s throwing at me.

Over the next month or so that I’ll be here in Esquel, Argentina, volunteering with Asociación MAPU (which just so happens to be a Matador member organization), I should have a couple days free to hit the local ski mountain, La Hoya.

And if I were to venture a bit farther north, I could sample a couple of the 5 Best Southern Hemisphere Ski Resorts that Trips profiled earlier this year.

The other three are in Australia/New Zealand.

What about my fellow Southern Hemisphereans? What are your plans for enjoying the winter of 2009 while our cousins up north steam and sweat? Let me know in the comments.

Community Connection

To connect with other Matador members stationed below the belt, search the community destination pages.

Ten of the World’s Farthest Flung Gay Bars

Photo (and feature photo): Tseandwyer

Frenz Frenzy. Osaka, Japan.

The only gay bar in Osaka run by a foreigner, Frenz Frenzy looks better designed for a Sid & Marty Krofft show than it does for drinking. Dubbed “rainbow heaven”, the venue looks like some kind of twisted first grade glassroom. You’re definitely going to have nightmares after you finish that crantini.

Real. Almaty, Kazakstan

Yes, a gay bar in Kazakstan. Believe it or not, many people say that Christian influence in this part of the world is what’s softening up Muslim attitudes toward gay life. Trip on that for a minute. A website for the area turns up a few bars, including Real, which seems to be the dandy of the scene. Friday nights prove the worldwide ubiquity of the Drag Show.

Beyonce? We think not. Photo: Babasu

Ying Di Jiu Ba. Xian, China

You’ll have to work hard to find this spot, marked only by its telephone number (8762-6676). Once inside “Indy” you’ll find a packed house. Prize night is very popular – simply pay Y$10 to open one of ninety sealed boxes and find out what’s inside. Terrifying.

The Blue Light. Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA

The Blue Light is host to the Mr. and Miss Lakeshore contest, although it would appear from photos that the winner in each category may have a penis.

Linga Bar. Siem Reap, Cambodia

If a day of exploring Angkor Wat has made you long for some dude love then this is the place for you. Linga Bar serves all kinds of fruity cocktails. Featured in the January 2009 Travel & Leisure, we’re wondering if the author was aware that many of the patrons (who are quick to sit on your lap) seem to be interested in a little bit of side work.

The Linga Bartenders. Photo:Asiax89

Flamingos. Hobart, Tasmania

Open on Friday and Saturday nights, Flamingos has been a mainstay in the Greater Hobart Area. They’re currently in the middle of a little facelift and will re-open later this summer. Google alerts, people!

Ko Ko. Yangon, Myanmar

While not listed as a gay venue, this cafe is owned by a renowned hairstylist. That’s code where we come from. Not surprisingly, reports say that the crowd tends to be hip and stylish. It’s a bit hard to find, so go armed with the address: 9 Sayar San Rd (near Mr. Guitar).

Q Bar. Reykjavik, Iceland

The self-proclaimed “hottest gay bar in Iceland” is in Reykjavik. This is one of those multi-faceted bars with a night for everyone, from the kind of (elderly, drunk) folks who like pub quizzes, to the (tweaked, drunk) folks who like to dance to bad house music. June 2nd was Speedo Night and we’re not asking for pictures.

Q Bar in Reykjavic, before doors open. Photo: Wendycrockett

Pegs N Pints. Delhi, India

A blog about this place gives a real sense of how difficult it is to be gay in India. Pegs N Pints seems to be Delhi’s sole outpost and is only open on Tuesday nights. Things change fast for gay establishments in this country, so make sure that it’s still open if you plan to attend.

Acid. Beirut, Lebanon

Acid is renowned as the first gay bar in the Middle East. It’s as weird to type as it is to read. Not surprisingly, very little information is available online about the outlet, however a website makes sure to point out that “Excessive same sex affections and body contacts are not tolerated.”

Editor’s Note: The author has several lesbian friends, knows the drill and wishes to head off many tirades by saying that there is a planned follow-up to this article just for girls. Chill, please.

diy project: anna’s paper pennant garland

even though our wedding is over, i love checking out wedding-related diy projects and imagining ways to incorporate them into my post-wedding-day life. this beautiful craft project comes from anna, the diy guru at once wed. emily from once wed sent it over last night and i totally agreed with her when she said it “would look great at any type of celebration whether it be a wedding or a backyard barbecue”. i don’t have a backyard, but i know some people who do and i am totally going to make some of these for the next summer party we have. maybe they’d be ok with my BYOD (bring your own decorations) theme…

ps: click here to check out abigail’s beautiful post the transitional wallpaper collections of lene toni kjeld (a must see)

CLICK HERE for the full instructions at once wed!

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diy project: kate’s knitted twine dining set

this month i am focusing on another room in the house which is not actually a room, nor is it in the house… it is your backyard! i know this is a sensitive subject, as the majority of us probably have little to no outdoor space. but these projects can fit outdoor areas of various sizes and shapes, and some of them (like this first project) can make your indoor dining area feel like you’re dining outside. i don’t normally knit in the summertime, but i love garden twine and one day i was staring at it and thought, why not? this project is also good for learning the ABCs of knitting, as the shapes are simple and twine is very easy to work with. have fun!! - kate

CLICK HERE for the full project instructions!

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reporting from copenhagen: darling clementine

today i’m thrilled to share a post from our summer correspondent in copenhagen, brittany watson. brittany is a graduate student studying interior design at the corcoran college of art + design and is spending her summer studying textile design in copenhagen. she’ll be checking in with us a few times over the next two months sharing home and studio tours, interviews with and reviews of great local artists and designers.

this morning brittany is sharing a special home tour with us- ingrid of darling clementine! we’ve already visited ingrid’s partner tonje holand’s home, so i’m thrilled to check out brittany’s post about visiting ingrid’s beautiful home (and sharing a delightful norwegian lunch of meats and cheeses).

CLICK HERE for brittany’s full post and ingrid’s home tour!

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diy project: nicole’s modern bunny hutch

[this clever diy project comes to us from nicole of design curiosities. thanks to nicole for sharing and sending such a great write-up!]

my boyfriend and I fell in love with the idea of getting a holland lop the moment we laid eyes on one. we didn’t, however, fall in love with the cages that were available at the local shops. so, we made a decision then and there - before we could get the cuteness, we had to make him a suitable home. it had to be something we could proudly display in our future home - something that would look good sitting next to all the furniture we plan on purchasing when we get married. so we decided that instead of starting from scratch, it would be easier to modify a piece of furniture. we headed to ikea (of course!) for an inexpensive solution. it was a labor of love; looking at our little eames sleeping in his hutch makes it worth all the trouble. -n

CLICK HERE for the full project instructions!

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diy wednesdays: wallpaper wipe off board

we discovered the joys of clear contact paper when we were working on our wallpaper book last year, and used it over and over again to make our paper covered projects waterproof and extra durable. we can’t believe it took us this long to realize that it also makes a great wipe-off surface for dry-erase pens! we used a special custom wallpaper designed by lena corwin to make this simple wipe-off board, which also doubles as a place to clip notes and small pieces of art.

have fun!
derek & lauren

CLICK HERE for the full project instructions!

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10 things we’ve learned from Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian describes herself as an Armenian princess. She’s the well-heeled, erudite star of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, a reality television show on the E! network (which is named after the horrified noise you make once you’ve realized what you’re watching).

Unfortunately, when the credits roll and E! flips to commercials, the groinal flow of Kim’s mind-detritus also ceases. But fear not, mental anguish fans – she’s on Twitter. Here’s some things we’ve learned recently from her craptivity stream:

1. Sometimes you just need a good cry.
2. Botswana is in South Africa.
3. It is possible to get a commercial spray tan at midnight.
4. Spray tan parties exist.
5. Clear duck tape does not exist.
6. One can grow one’s eyebrows out in anticipation of forehead topiary.
7. Kim Kardashian fights “against the drug wars”.
8. You shouldn’t drink bottled water when the heat has melted the bottle down.
9. It’s wise to use numbing cream if you intend to remove your hair with lasers.
10. When people buy DeBeers diamonds, it pays for HIV/AIDS centers for starving children. (As well as some other things.)

Could you be an ENTREPRENEUR?

This is a tough economy. Jobs in some sectors are down 45%, and there’s talk of the downturn being as keenly felt as the Great Depression, a time when some families ate rats and people were forced to use their own hair to fashion makeshift home furnishings.

Luckily, there’s another way – a path that could lead to unimaginable riches. To discover if this new life is for you, answer the following questions:

1. Is nobody willing to hire you?
2. Are your skills unnecessary luxuries at a time when companies need to tighten their belts and focus on their core businesses?
3. Do you have an unnecessary sense of entitlement?
4. Is nobody willing to hire you?

If you answered “yes” to any of these, then son, you could be an ENTREPRENEUR.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Invent something to sell.

Don’t worry, you don’t actually have to be an inventor to invent something. It doesn’t even have to be new at all. Just copy something you like, call it something different, and get rid of the difficult bits that don’t make sense or will be difficult to do. Hooray! You’ve invented something!

For example:

Coca Cola is a multi billion dollar international business. It’s one of the most recognizable brands in the world. You want to have an internationally-recognized global brand! But wait: Coke’s recipe is secret and they have copyrights and patents to cover their product, as well as an international network of bottling plants, distribution mechanisms and partner companies.

Don’t worry. Simply mix some carbonated water with a little sugar and cinnamon, shove it into a recycled glass bottle, and call it Artisan Water. Find a store that’s willing to try selling it, charge $4 a bottle, et voila! Export some to a neighboring country like Wales or Canada, and you have your own multinational drinks business! You’ll be giving diabetes to children and oppressing emerging economies in no time.

2. Behave like an innovative businessperson.

The important thing to remember about ENTREPRENEURS is that they don’t need to follow the same rules as ordinary businesspeople. Please don’t worry about business plans, judicious financial strategy or creating a robust corporate infrastructure. Those things are boring and stop you from INNOVATING and TOUCHING BASE. INNOVATING and TOUCHING BASE are the main activities of the ENTREPRENEUR.

Businesspeople create pitches and strategies based on complex financial projections, which are painstaking, time consuming and ultimately useless, as they present a small subset of the possible outcomes of your activity in your chosen market. Talk about pissing into the wind!

• INNOVATING requires creating new ideas and directions. Try to be as INNOVATIVE as possible. That means creating as many new ideas and directions as you can! The more products and directions you come up with, the more INNOVATIVE your company will be!
• TOUCHING BASE means talking to people in a variety of settings about your business. You need not have any tangible outcomes or quantifiable goals – simply TOUCHING BASE is enough. Try TOUCHING BASE at the pub, over lunch, at sporting events, and at the beach!

Model yourself after: GORDON RAMSAY, ALAN SUGAR or DONALD TRUMP. Reality television is a true reflection of how to run a business. Repeat after me: “you’re fired!”

3. Profit! (From your employees, mostly.)

We both know you’re an unemployable, barely-literate chancer. Don’t worry: you need never reveal your shortcomings or foibles to the outside world. Simply hire some knowledgeable yet gullible employees and take credit for everything they do!

Advantages:

• Your employees feel like they’re being listened to and their input is being acted upon, because essentially you’re repackaging their ideas as your own.
• You appear to be an intelligent, INNOVATIVE ENTREPRENEUR, and people will therefore be more willing to TOUCH BASE with you.

Disadvantages:

• If those employees discover what you’re doing, you’re screwed, unless you can find new, even more gullible employees who will be grateful to be part of such an INNOVATIVE business run by a bona fide genuine ENTREPRENEUR.
• If someone asks you a question without the support of your employees, you will make barely-intelligible sentences that consist of buzzwords and key phrases arbitrarily strung together in a way that you think probably sounds impressive but in reality makes people wonder if you’re a regular ketamine user. [NB: there is a proven method to overcome this issue. Bolster your vocabulary with overcomplicated synonyms for common terms, like ACTUALIZE, LEVERAGE and ACTION, and nobody will suspect you don’t have the faintest clue what you’re talking about.]

Actualize!

Follow these simple steps – sorry, I mean action them - and you’ll be an INNOVATIVE ENTREPRENEUR. Can you make it in this tough economy? Hey, probably not. But at least you’ll have a fun couple of months TOUCHING BASE and feeling awesome about yourself.

Vatican launches Pope On A Soap

The Vatican has confirmed that the Pope's recent bath-time fall was the inspiration behind its latest cosmetic offering, the Pope On A Soap. It hopes the soap will allow Catholics around the world to experience the "vertiginous watery rush of sudden communion with their bathroom floor" and to ponder more deeply the issues surrounding martyrdom.

Recession forces NASA to plan mission to Ma's

NASA says that the current global recession has made it too expensive to launch a mission to Mars in the near future, but it has confirmed that planning is underway for a mission to Ma's instead. According to a spokesman astronauts were already in training for the grueling 4-mile drive to one of the solar system's most hostile environments.

Erin Andrews Peephole Video Found In Samantha Ronson's Backpack

Los Angeles, CA - The lost DVD that supposedly shows Erin Andrews nude through a peephole has been discovered in music pimping, Lindsey Lohan loving woman/boy Samantha Ronson's backpack. The bag was discovered at a local Los Angeles wave pool which S...

Spy pics: Merc SLS to lose roof

Though the Mercedes-Benz SLS coupé is due shortly, a convertible version is to make its appearance too in 2011.

Ferrari Cali rolls into SA

The latest Ferrari drop-top has arrived in SA and six lucky locals have already taken delivery.

New auto for entry-level S40

The Volvo S40 2.0 petrol is now available with Volvo's new Powershift transmission.

Skoda Yeti review

This capable crossover is almost as at home in the wild as it is in urban settings.

Fiat 500C the facts

Red Pesto Ravioli

This one is for Wayne who has a real soft-spot for sun-dried tomatoes. He says to me - they are to tomatoes what espresso is to coffee. No doubt, there are many things to like about sun-dried tomatoes. I too appreciate their intensity of flavor. And I love their pretty-ugliness - all those blackened wrinkles and that rusted-red patina. Every time I cook with these little tongues of flavor I scold myself for not using them more often - this time in particular. I made a walnut-studded red pesto sauce by casting sun-dried tomatoes in the role basil typically plays. I tossed the pesto with goat cheese raviolis and and served them on a bed of baby spinach. I happened to have some left-over oven-roasted tomatoes on hand, and grabbed for those as well. Their sweetness played off the goat cheese, spinach, and pesto so nicely, but you can certainly leave that component out if you're trying to pull things together quickly, and don't want to bother heating the oven.

The key to a recipe like this is sourcing good tomatoes. Not all sun-dried tomatoes are created equally. I regularly come across bags full of dried tomatoes that are more like crisps than anything else. No good - pass on those. Look for slightly plump, pliable, chewy, sun-dried tomatoes. They are far easier to work with and taste better.

You can serve this warm or at room temperature. The spinach ends up wilting a bit under the hot raviolis - just what you want.

Dorm Food Ideas

I was hoping I could tap into the collective wisdom here to help a fellow reader and cook. I received the following email from a young man who will be returning to college in New York in a few weeks. You can probably sense where this is headed, here's the email:

"...I have a favor to ask of you. As a college student, I have five weeks until my summer food-nirvana is abruptly ended by the horrors of dorm food and required meal plans. This morning, when looking through 101CB for a recipe or two, I began to wonder what advice, recipes and tactics you might have for those of us in such a position. I'm convinced that your younger readers, many of whom, like me, are stuck in dorms with infrequent access to a kitchen, would benefit greatly from a blog write-up on simple, fast and easy foods that are manageable, healthy and tasty options for the otherwise stomach-cringing college student. Whadda ya say? With lots of appreciate and goodness from N.Y..."

It has been some time since I lived in the dorms - what is allowed? For example, are toaster ovens, crock pots, or panini grills fair game? My guess is no. I remember having access to a microwave, and the bagel toaster in the cafeteria, but I suppose it must vary from college to college. Are there any great books on the topic?

If you have any ideas or suggestions for our epicurean scholar please share them in the comments. Anyone who can work some creative magic at a salad or sandwich bar, let's hear your tricks and tips. Let's send him back to school with some ideas and inspiration. -h

Almond Soba Noodles

I know many of you enjoy the otsu recipe from Super Natural Cooking - soba noodles, a fiesty dressing, some pan-fried tofu for good measure. Well, I did a riff on it the other day. My family met up at Baker Beach, a stretch of sand with a stunning view of the Marin Headlands. With giant pelicans soaring over-head and the Golden Gate bridge just to our right we spent a few hours lounging in the sand, enjoying lunch. Or, in the case of my little nephew, eating sand. The noodles? I tossed soba noodles with a spicy Thai-curry and almond sauce, and topped them with some sauteed tofu and pea shoots.

This is my sister Heather, holding Jack, who is playing peek-a-boo...with himself. I get to see him again tomorrow when we are having a party to celebrate his first birthday.

I should mention, so you don't get discouraged - if pea shoots are hard for you to find, swap in whatever vegetable you like. I was primarily trying to work some vegetable/greens into the noodles, and pea shoots are what I happened to have on hand. Go for something quick-cooking, so you can make it in the same pan as the tofu.

Carrot, Dill & White Bean Salad

I bought a single bunch of bushy-topped carrots the other day. At first glance it was a good looking cluster - bright orange in color, vibrant greens still attached. But it was on second glance that I noticed the tiny carrots nestled beside their larger brothers and sisters. Some of the smallest carrots were no thicker than a knitting needle, not much longer than my pinky finger. I snacked on those after a quick rinse. The bigger guys I put to work in this dill-flecked white bean skillet salad. Nothing too complicated - warm, coin-shaped slices of golden, pan-fried carrots, white alubia beans and chopped dill tossed with a tangy-sweet lemon shallot dressing. It tastes good the day you make it, even better the day after. And although it's certainly not as pretty, in my opinion, it might have tasted best on day three as the shallots infused the beans and the lemon mellowed.

Look for young carrots with their greens still attached - you can get a good sense of whether the bunch is fresh or not. On the bean front, I cooked the alubias from scratch, but you can use well-drained canned white beans if you want to throw this together on a whim.

Summer Squash Gratin

Someone was asking me in the comments the other day about my food routines. They were curious about how often I shop, my favorite stores here in SF, when I cook - that sort of thing. I'm also curious about your food routines, so I thought I'd share mine in the hope that you would share a bit about yours as well. I should also work a recipe in here, so I decided to highlight a decadent, crunchy-topped summer squash gratin I made last week. It was inspired by a mountain of summer squash I encountered at the farmers' market - yellow squash, green squash, patty pans, globes, and others I couldn't even identify. The gratin recipe features lots it, thinly sliced, with new potatoes, an oregano pesto, and brown-buttered breadcrumbs all baked at high-temperature until the squash is tender and the top is crunchy. I used a mix of yellow and green squash, but you can certainly experiment with whatever you have on hand, or whatever your garden might be producing.

So, the cornerstone of my food routine is a weekly trip to one of the nearby farmers' markets. I stock up on whatever looks good, and typically that means lots of vegetables, a dozen+ farm-fresh eggs, some tofu, seasonal fruit, almond butter, bread, etc. If I end up running low on anything between markets I walk over to Bi-Rite Market and pick it up there. They source ingredients from many of the local farms around here, and even grow some of their own crops now.

Once or twice a month I like to go to Rainbow Grocery or Whole Foods and stock up on pantry staples. I hit the bin section for interesting whole grains, flours, beans, lentils, and that sort of thing. Beyond that, if I'm at the Ferry Building I love to stop in to see what is available at Boulette's Larder - beautiful, rare, artisanal sugars, spice blends, grains, oils, and vinegars. I always come across something special and inspiring there.

As far as beverages go - I love to visit Keri at Biondivino. She carries lots of the small Italian wine producers I like. Or I'll pick up a few bottles after chatting with Josh over at Bi-Rite - I walk there, so that keeps my purchasing in check. Wine can get heavy ;) Wayne is in charge of most beer runs, and lucky for us, one of the best destinations for artisan beers is a short five minute walk - Healthy Spirits. Wayne is also the barista and tea brewer around here - we buy a lot of Blue Bottle beans, and order tea from Sebastian at In Pursuit of Tea.

So, generally speaking, I'm mindful of what I buy, I shop close to home, and (stating the obvious) I cook quite a bit. A few people have asked how much I spend on food. I think I cook on the cheap - kinda. I'd never try to represent myself as a bargain shopper, but because I don't spend money on meat, fish, or poultry, it is easier for me to spend money on great olive oil, eggs, or perfect cherries - and still come out ahead financially. I happily pay $6 - $8/ per dozen eggs, and good cheese is another higher-ticket item for me, but I typically use it as some sort of accent. Most of the organic grains and flours I buy cost between $1 - $2 per pound. Stunning, heirloom beans come in at about $5 per pound. And as anyone who has done it knows - cook a pound of dried beans and you have a whole lot of food on your hands. The organic summer squash I used in this recipe today cost $2 per pound.

I'm sure I'm forgetting things, but if that's the case I'll add as I remember (forgive me!)

Onto the gratin - all you squash growers have got to give this one a go this summer - it is as decadent as I get, plenty of olive oil and butter here, but sooo worth it.

The Minority Perspective

The author and her Nepali host family at home in Kathmandu. All photos courtesy Sarah Vazquez.

Being a minority is one of the most valuable experiences of travel. The sensitivity and awareness we learn from the minority perspective is important to bettering ourselves as global citizens. This is especially true for citizens of the United States.

Our country’s makeup includes many types of people and heritages. To say that there is one, streamlined “American Identity” is simply impossible.

From the earliest days of Manifest Destiny and mass immigration to our current times of hostile neighbor relationships (inside and outside our borders) and unprecedented presidential elections, the story of the American Minority has always been highly relevant.

My digging skills under review.

Foreign Americans

By definition, all Americans are travelers and foreigners.

Connecting with the experience of being a foreigner in a global context is really to relate back to the innate immigrant thread that all Americans share.

Amazingly, our common experience as immigrants does not fracture us into categories, regions and races, but rather weaves through our differences and ties us together as one nation.

Whether or not your (great-great-great-great) grandmother’s house was next to Plymouth Rock, or your family just moved to Queens five years ago, we can all learn what it feels like to be “the only one” in a room by adopting the minority perspective and remembering what the experience of immigration was like for our ancestors.

Maybe you are like many Americans and have ancestry rooted beyond the red, white and blue of our nation, but have simply not yet connected with your heritage. Sadly, many efforts towards assimilation and shared identity have meant losing our own distinctive histories and cultural traditions.

Laughing at me?

Personally, I have experienced much of this internal bi-racial contradiction.

My father is from Mexico, yet for many reasons, I have been raised more or less in a completely “American culture”.

Of course, there is no right or wrong type of heritage, and I’m thankful for the unconditional love and patience my family has given me.

However, in my mind, for better or for worse, “American culture” has sometimes meant a focus on the future at the expense of my heritage.

When I was in Nepal a wave of liberating realizations hit me, subtly and powerfully, over the course of my three months as an oddball foreigner.

I was sometimes, conspicuously, the only female in a room. I was the only one whose skin color didn’t match. I was the only one who couldn’t speak Nepali. I was the only one who couldn’t do the simple task at hand.

In addition, I was often culturally inept. I stepped in the wrong place, I ate the wrong way and I showered poorly.

I was a person I had never been at home in America.

I was a distinct minority.

Celebrating Holi, the Festival of Colors.

I tried to take my failures at cultural assimilation lightly.

I quickly got over being afraid of embarrassment, because embarrassment was simply inevitable.

I learned humility, and many of my pre-conceived notions of “what’s proper” soon disappeared as I watched the everyday tasks accomplished in a new way.

I began to lift my head and look around outside of myself. It occurred to me that the Nepali ways were not foreign. The only thing foreign was myself.

Relating to my Father

Perhaps I could now relate to how my own father, along with many other young immigrants, felt in his first years in America.

My father and I had never connected on this type of level before, because we had always focused on our commonalities, namely our recent past together and the future ahead of us.

Although we still don’t talk much about this now, I feel (and hope) that my new-found sensitivity to the minority perspective has spoken louder than my words ever could.

Just like family.

The Lessons of Being Different

Perhaps one of the most useful things I learned in Nepal was how to treat foreignness as a gift.

I began to take solace in the fact that I was learning what it meant to be “the only one” in the room.

Often times over the course of history, Americans have rejected foreignness in favor of conformity. In Nepal, thousands of miles away from home, I learned that everyone is a foreigner somewhere. We are all foreigners because we are all unique.

We all have differences, and so our position of being different turns into a shared experience.

Most Nepali’s seemed to dismiss the idea that I was “wrong” when I misspoke or made a cultural misstep. They just accepted, with enthusiasm, the fact that I was “different.”

I got laughed at. A lot. By many people.

It took me a while to get used to being in the social spotlight all the time, but the humor of my Nepali hosts was not malicious or antagonistic.

My host-family and their friends laughed simply because my differences amused them. It made me happy to see that I could make people smile simply by being myself and by doing some things my own way.

Working in the wheat field.

I treaded these cultural waters with trepidation at first, expecting to be chastised when I stepped incorrectly. Instead, I was respectfully guided in the more culturally acceptable direction.

Perhaps more amazingly, I was never corrected for the sake of retaliation or enforced conformity. Instead, I was always corrected so that I could become a better Nepali and improve my own experience.

Strength in Difference

I returned to America with a strong belief in the importance of respect and understanding within the global community. We must all be responsible, compassionate global neighbors.

But I also returned with a vision of what it means to be an American today. Our nation’s backbone lies in our shared experience of the minority perspective. Our differences help make us strong.

What do you think about the minority perspective?

Please join the conversation by leaving a comment below.

Book Review: An Irreverent Curiosity

I don’t think I’ve come across any other book, though, that combines those two favorite themes as enjoyably as David Farley’s An Irreverent Curiosity: In Search of the Church’s Strangest Relic in Italy’s Oddest Town.

The book follows Farley, a New York City-based travel writer (and Matador member) as he journeys to an isolated Italian village with his wife, Jessie, and trusty chihuahua, Abraham Lincoln, for an extended stay.

The reason for the expatriation? Calcata, the village in question, is home to a bizarre Christian relic, the foreskin of Jesus Christ. Or rather, Calcata was the relic’s home - until it was stolen.

What follows is an entertaining, endearing and, yes, educational mix of history, conspiracy, humor, and personal travelogue.

There are two main threads running through “An Irreverent Curiosity”.

First, the story of the Holy Foreskin, how it came to be placed in and then stolen from Calcata’s church, and, more broadly, how the Catholic Church came to revere and then downplay a whole array of holy relics over the centuries.

And secondly, how Farley managed to settle in a small village, learn Italian, and gain the trust of the locals in order to pursue his quest.

That first thread could easily have become dry and academic, or oversimplified, but Farley is able to keep the sections on the history of relics approachable and entertaining without ever dumbing them down.

On the other side of things, Calcata’s odd assortment of characters - the hilltop medieval village was re-settled by artists and other “freaks” after a bureaucratic twist pushed all the original residents out - could easily have become cartoons, quirky foils for Farley’s story. Instead, the residents who pop up most frequently feel fleshed-out and real.

David Farley, Author

While it’s still clear that many locals are decidedly unusual, Farley’s humor and self-deprecation means that the reader never feels as though the Calcatans are being mocked or their hospitality abused.

I’ll be honest: I’m a bit of a church history geek. So I suppose it’s possible that not everyone will find the story of the relic itself as absorbing as I did.

Luckily, though, the various elements of the book are woven together so tightly it’s not likely that anyone will have time to get bored, no matter how disinterested they think they are in relics.

Before that happens, Farley will be off on another sneaky research trip to the Vatican Library (where he once introduced himself to a priest as Gary Coleman), or drinking dangerous quantities of wine in a Calcatan cave, or recalling his high school days in the “special ed” class.

Bottom line: “An Irreverent Curiosity” is the story of an unlikely holy relic, true, but it’s also the story of a very unlikely village, and of one man’s (very funny) obsession with both.

Go ahead, snicker and make an off-color joke if you will, but for my money there should be more travel books like the tale of the holy foreskin.

Community Connection

Be sure to check out Matador’s exclusive interview with David Farley about “An Irreverent Curiosity” at The Traveler’s Notebook.

Five for Friday: July 24 Edition

Photo: Seamus Murray

1. Using Urban Space Smartly.

As a city-dweller, I’m always interested in stories about how urban designers, policy makers, politicians, and activists collaborate to think of innovative ways to optimize space, so it’s no surprise that this short piece from The Stimulist about San Francisco turning curbs and other public space into mini farming plots grabbed my attention.

2. Developing Alternative–Real Alternative–Fuel.

In the US, we say we’re committed to developing alternative fuel, but as oil prices soar then drop, soar then drop, our interest in alternative fuel fluctuates accordingly. There are lots of reasons why–not the least being major infrastructural overhauls that would be necessary if we implemented a massive alternative fuel system–but that shouldn’t keep us from continuing research and innovation in this important area.

Over at The Atlantic, correspondent Lisa Margonelli muses about the true economics of conventional fuel (not to mention the environmental economics), and then references a couple articles about the urine-powered fuel cell being developed by researchers at Ohio University. For the quick and dirty lowdown on pee power, check out this article, which explains how a single cow can produce enough pee to supply hot water for 19 houses.

3. Telling “Convenient Truths”: Urban Transportation Reform is Easier Than We Think

I first read about Curitiba, Brazil and its former mayor, the visionary Jaime Lerner, a few years back, so I was excited to receive a screener copy of the documentary, “A Convenient Truth: Urban Solutions from Curitiba, Brazil,” by mother-son team Maria Terezinha Vaz and Giovanni Vaz del Bello.

The filmmakers interviewed Lerner and other Curitiba urban designers and planners, all of whom affirmed that urban redesign is a whole lot easier than most politicians and decision makers claim it is. It’s an inspiring model for the most sustainable design for cities, and though it would be naive to think that Curitiba’s solutions are one-size-fits-all blueprints for the rest of the world, there are lots of lessons to be learned from this Brazilian city:

If you’re interested in seeing the full documentary, purchase information is available here.

4. Rachel Maddow Proves Lots of People Want to Make a Difference… They Just Don’t Always Know How.

Last week, popular political TV talk show host Rachel Maddow did a segment on the Iraqi national baseball team (yup, there is one) and its struggle to get basic gear and uniforms. Within 48 hours, the segment had generated enough attention to result in donations that more than outfitted the team and got them fully geared up. The take-away lesson? Lots of people are ready to pitch in to help others– they just need someone to bring an issue to their attention and provide them with the means to make a meaningful contribution.

5. Matador’s Own Misty Tosh Gets Ready to Expand 4th World Love.

I’m always inspired by Matador members and someone who consistently makes me stand back in amazement is Misty Tosh, founder of the NGO, 4th World Love. If you’ve missed the work she’s doing in Indonesia, check out this article. And then get fired up about her next project: She’s taking 4WL on the road–to Mexico’s Baja California–and she wants you to come along with her! Read up on all the details here.

Interview with David Farley: On the Holy Foreskin, Writing His First Book, and More

So, the holy foreskin, eh? How did you find yourself studying such a bizarre footnote to Christian history?

I sometimes asked myself the same question—especially during the periods of self doubt. But having studied European history in college and grad school it seemed like the perfect subject for me: this unusual relic has been looming about the periphery of various historical periods and movements, from the Middle Ages to the fury that inspired the Reformation to the 19th-century Romantic movement. It was a fun challenge in writing the book to put the relic into a historical context for each period.

Your book actually began life as an article in Slate, right? At what point did you start thinking there was a full-length travel narrative in the making, and how did you make that transition from article to book?

Actually, a book was my original intention. But writing the article was a great first step. Plus, in the back of my mind, I had hoped the article would get enough attention that it would help me sell the book. And, in fact, that’s exactly what happened. The blogosphere went crazy over the article, people were talking about it on the radio, and people from the publishing world were emailing me asking if I’d sold the book yet. I often tell my writing students that the easiest way to sell your book is to write an article on the subject in a high-profile publication.

Was it a tough balancing act over there, between making friends, researching your book, learning Italian, and, I assume, writing for a living as well? Any advice on how writers can balance all their commitments while tackling something like a book project?

It wasn’t so difficult. I had fully absorbed myself into the village and into the history of the relic and the area. It all pervaded me to the degree that nearly everything I did could have been part of the narrative that would become my book.

As for magazine and newspaper assignments, they came much easier than when I’m back in New York. One fast-track way to getting assignments is to move to a country often featured in travel publications—like, say, Italy. You’ll get story ideas and angles much easier, you’ll appear “an insider” to editors because you’re living there, and you’ll come delightfully cheap since no one has to pay for you to fly across an ocean to get there.

The rolling hills of Calcata, home of the Holy Foreskin / Photo: draks

When you were still in Calcata, were you thinking ahead to the writing, and going, “Man, I need a dramatic climax to this story,” or were you too wrapped up in the mystery itself to think that far ahead?

I was hoping to have a conclusion that was less speculative, but I didn’t know what. Until I heard (from a Vatican insider) what happened to the Holy Foreskin, I had no idea how the book was going to end. So, not only I was I jump-up-and-down excited that my efforts had finally produced a conclusion on the relic, but I was also happy I was going to have an ending to the book, too.

There’s some pretty meaty religious history worked into the text. Could you give us an idea of the breakdown between research and writing time? Was it difficult to find a balance between the two?

I was—and still am—so obsessed with the history of the Holy Foreskin that it never felt like work to me. It was great going the Vatican Library and doing research and then spending the next day writing about it.

The most challenging part was actually balancing historical exposition and writing about my present search for the relic in the narrative. The transition between the two, while writing an accessible and comprehensive (and generally chronological) history of the relic, was almost like putting together a huge jigsaw puzzle in my mind.

What’s been the hardest thing about writing and publishing your first book? And the most fun, or satisfying?

The only way into Old Calcata / Photo: paulspace

For most people, the most difficult aspect is getting a publishing house to want to publish your book. As I mentioned above, I didn’t really have that problem. So for me one of the most difficult aspects was being able to shut out distractions while I was writing the book.

I wrote the first two-thirds of the book—60,000 words—in three months in Calcata, where I didn’t have very many modern distractions (like TV and the internet) and I wrote the last one-third of the book—30,000 words—in six months in New York City. If I had tried writing the entire thing in New York, I’d probably still be working on it. Now I understand the importance of writing colonies and retreats.

Finally, the inevitable question: What’s next for David Farley? Another book? Another weird town? Perhaps some well-deserved rest?

Trying to get the word out about An Irreverent Curiosity. Also, I’m just starting on another book project, but it’s in the very early stages, so I don’t want to go into much detail yet. I will say that it’s far from a travel narrative and will have much more consequence than stuff I’ve written in the past.

Community Connection:

US House of Reps Approves Proposal to Consider Puerto Rico’s Status

Photo: Oscalito

The status of Puerto Rico is one of the most complicated, confusing, and fascinating political arrangements in the world.

Puerto Rico, formerly a Spanish colony, was ceded to the United States in 1898 as a consequence of the Spanish American War. For several decades afterward, the status and identity of the island were in limbo as the United States and islanders attempted to arrive at a viable political arrangement that would satisfy the interests of both parties.

The result was a strange compromise in which Puerto Rico became a commonwealth, or “free associated state,” of the US. The status granted some–but not all–of the benefits of US citizenship and left many Puerto Ricans wondering what, exactly, being a commonwealth meant.

It’s an issue that remains the focal point of politics on the island, with referenda being held every few years to determine what islanders want their status to be. There are those who favor statehood, others who favor complete independence, and still others who would be content to let the commonwealth continue as is.

Yesterday, the Associated Press reported that the US House of Representatives approved the island’s proposal to allow Puerto Ricans to hold a new referendum to vote on the island’s political future. Under the proposal, titled the Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009,

“[v]oters would choose between keeping the island’s commonwealth status, adopted in 1952, or to opt for something different. In the latter case, a second plebiscite would let them decide whether they wanted statehood, independence or independence with a loose association to the United States.”

Though no date has been scheduled for a vote, anxiety about the potential referendum is already high. The last referendum was held in 1998.

before & after: chad’s filing cabinet planter

today’s final before & after project comes from d*s reader chad kelly. after seeing a converted file cabinet-planter at a local nursery (with a $600 price tag!), chad decided to try the idea in his own garden on a lower budget. chad found a great filing cabinet on craigslist for $10, put it on its side, made planter boxes for each drawer and then spray painted the entire piece a bright yellow. add succulents and voila! a budget-friendly planter made from an old filing cabinet. great work, chad!

[have a before & after you'd like to share on d*s? just shoot me an email right here with your pictures!]

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Papier Maché

We wanted to thank Grace, once again for including us in her world of design. It truly has been an honour and we’ve really enjoyed our time here, sharing our ideas and passions with you all. We hope that you’ve enjoyed it, too; perhaps, even taken something away from this week. (photo by perfectbound)

For our final post, we decided to revisit papier maché. Typically, the thought of papier maché brings to mind balloons and bowls covered in strips of newspaper. The game has
changed since those elementary school days! We’ve gathered our favourite papier maché pieces for you today. It’s amazing what you can do with a little paper and paste: craft and recycle at the same time.

Peach Fade Vessel by Up in the Air Somewhere

CLICK HERE for the rest of the post after the jump!

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kate’s great eye

in addition to being one heck of a great diy blogger, kate pruitt has a seriously fantastic eye for great design.

i was hanging out on her blog this morning and was positively crazy about these sculptures by uk designer duncan wilson. there’s a person inside- amazing! and the giant wooden bunny by florentijn hofman? i wish i had a yard big enough to install something like that. it reminds me of a cool, artsy version of this rabbit. just not as funny…

ps: click here to check out perfectbound’s post on paper mache at the d*s guest blog!

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sunday suppers + amy atlas

i’m a huge fan of sunday suppers, so i’m always anxiously awaiting their next table to see who, and what, is cooking. this week sunday suppers is featuring a vibrant table by amy atlas, custom designed for their moroccan dinner. i love the rich blues and oranges that amy used and the incredible patterns, backdrop and paper designs from erica bohanon of thoughtful day.

ali kantor of papery and cakery created a traditional moroccan cookie called kaab el ghazal, which served as a favor for the guests to take home in goodie bags designed by erica. and that incredible cake? that’s the work of archana rao of love street cakes. and as if there weren’t enough delicious-looking sweets, aran goyoaga of cannelle et vanille (who is our “in the kitchen with subject today!) created the delicious pastries below. and last but certainly not least, jessie weidinger of rountree created the lovely floral arrangements. oh what i would give to be a guest at that table- it’s as much as feast for the stomach as it is for the eyes. [all photos by karen mordechai via sunday suppers]

p.s. don’t miss amy’s blog here!

CLICK HERE for more images of the amy atlas table after the jump!

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recycle LACMA

yesterday was before & after day but there’s no way i could resist sharing this today. richenda at clementine press twittered (tweeted?) me a link to this incredible project taking place with the los angeles county museum of art (LACMA). here’s the skinny:

“On January 14th, 2009 the Los Angeles County Museum of Art announced that it was deaccessioning more than 100 items from its costumes and textiles collection. Once carefully collected, catalogued, and cared for, these items have now been cast back out in to the world. What will happen to them? Like any other useless item, they will need to be recycled or disposed of. Recycle LACMA is a project of Los Angeles-based artist Robert Fontenot. At three separate auctions he purchased over 50 items deaccessioned by LACMA and is now trying to find new uses for these otherwise unwanted items.”

the result? a phenomenal blog showcasing robert’s incredible transformations. if only every before & after on d*s could look that good. i mean, the trashcan project? gorgeous. and so clever. well done robert and LACMA- and thanks to richenda for the tip!

CLICK HERE to view one more makeover project after the jump!

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Post for Interests

Post for Interests

Post for Interests 1

Post for Interests 1

2007 Ford Shelby GT

2007 Saturn Sky Redline

2007 Saturn Sky Redline

The Saturn Sky Redline adds some power to an already attractive package.

A 47 percent power bump and a 57 percent torque boost are just the nudges needed to rev the Saturn Sky to the Red Line. A 2.0-liter version of General Motors' Ecotec four-cylinder roused by a dual-scroll intercooled turbo, direct injection, and variable valve timing delivers a hunky 260 hp. Improved driveline mounting (similar to the Mazda MX-5's scheme), a sport suspension damped by Bilstein, ABS, stability control, and upgraded tires take the already capable chassis up a notch. But instead of tuning this Sky to run wild with BMWs and Porsches, Saturn focused on polishing its rough edges. The turbo engine is a torquer, not a spinner, so the Red Line delivers thrust immediately, without waiting for the tach needle to find a sweet spot. The new third gear in the manual box is a more useful ratio, and the optional five-speed automatic is smart enough to downshift during hard braking into a corner. The turbo engine not only speaks more softly than the normally aspirated four-cylinder, it also delivers better fuel mileage. While a couple of clouds still hang over the Sky--a storage-shy cockpit and a clunky convertible top--the arrival of the Red Line is convincing proof that polishing works.

Photo Gallery: 2007 Saturn Sky Redline - 2007 New Cars - Automobile Magazine

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2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible

2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible

America's best selling convertible, the Chrysler Sebring, has been redesigned for 2008. Among its new features is a retractable steel hard top.

Significance: No, it isn't the cutest convertible on the market, but at least it's got some cool features. But the heated cup holders and a music-holding hard drive pale in comparison to the top options: vinyl, cloth, and steel are all available.

Photo Gallery: 2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible - Latest News, Auto Show Coverage, and Future Cars - Automobile Magazine

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Women devastated that they didn't have an affair with Steve Hofmeyr

Dozens of women have confessed to feelings of low self-esteem after Steve Hofmeyr admitted to another extra-marital affair on the weekend, saying that being overlooked by Hofmeyr has left them wondering whether they were "chopped liver". Meanwhile the singer has been accused by some of the jilted women of running a "Ponzi love scheme".

Zuma explains he promised 500,000 knobs not jobs

In a rare public statement since taking office, reclusive president Jacob Zuma says he was misquoted on job creation, saying that he never promised half a million jobs by the end of the year but rather half a million knobs. He promised a speedy rollout of the knobs and has reportedly appointed Julius Malema as Chief Knob to oversee the knobbing programme.

Helen Zille's rage to be tapped as clean energy source

As controversy grows around plans to build two more nuclear power stations near Cape Town, energy experts believe that Western Cape premier Helen Zille's rage and indignation could be tapped as potential sources of renewable and clean energy. According to engineers the only "tricky part" would be plugging Zille into the national power grid.

New Twilight Screen Play By Pattinson, Myers In The Works?

The rumor that ran through the crowd at the San Diego Comic Con is beginning to take shape. Although Twilight stars Pattinson, Stewart and Lautner were the screaming highlight for the weekend blow-out, a rumor began going through the audience abou...

SotD - Mr. Mister "Broken Wings"

I was at work, listening to the radio, like you do, and this song came on. I’m a big fan of really earnest, melodramatic singing, so of course I love this song. I’m also a big fan of the video, which features singing while driving, singing while looking out windows, and singing while wearing a duster with the sleeves rolled up. Can you argue with that? No, I think not.