Category: Life & Tradition

The Last King of Poland’s Summer Retreat: Royal Lazienki Palace

WARSAW, Poland—In 1764, King Stanislaw August Poniatowski bought a baroque bathhouse pavilion along with a surrounding estate to build his summer retreat, in Warsaw. Dutch architect Tylman van Gamerenhad had designed the original bathhouse. The king had the bathhouse extended to make his neoclassical style summer retreat, the Royal Lazienki Palace, more commonly known as The…


VIDEO: Dog Plays Dead on Busy NYC Streets, Seeking Belly Rubs From Strangers

Out on the streets of New York, there’s a fluffy Pomeranian who just loves to play dead. The cute dog simply throws himself down on the ground and waits for people to notice him. Meet Leo, who loves attention and lots of belly rubs. Owner Jessica Stemple says her 28-pound (12 kg) “throwback Pomeranian” is…


How a Mom With a Picnic Table and a Paintbrush Started a Community-Building Movement

Ten years ago, in central Austin, Texas, Kristin Schell painted a picnic table bright turquoise and placed it near the curb in her front yard. Then, she sat down and waited. She felt a bit crazy, but in her heart, she was hoping that by sitting outside so conspicuously, she might meet a few of…


A Day in the Life: The Medici Academy

The Italian Renaissance was an exemplary period for the free exchange of ideas coupled with the pursuit of excellence. The discovery of classical Greek texts and works of art helped fuel a greater discussion around our purpose and potential as human beings. The Medici Academy was an intellectual and artistic haven in Renaissance Italy. Also…


PHOTOS: Man Turns Cow Shed Into ‘Hobbit House’ That Looks Straight Out of Lord of the Rings

Stuart Grant, 89, did not set out to create a “Hobbit House” to live in, but that’s exactly what he did. Interestingly, it all began in the early 1980s in Scotland. The retired woodcutter had temporarily moved into an old cow shed in his garden while renovating a house. No one knew his makeshift home was about…


Film Review: ‘Facing Nolan’: Baseball’s GOAT Pitcher

TV-14 | 1h 42m | Sports, Documentary | March 12, 2022 The fastest baseball pitch in history was clocked at a mind-boggling 105.1 miles per hour, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. It was hurled in 2010, by Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman in a game against the San Diego Padres. However, the GOAT (Greatest Of…


Understanding the Heart of Chinese Medicine

Modern people typically believe that the brain rules the body. But according to ancient Chinese doctors, the heart is in charge. In traditional Chinese medicine, the heart is considered the emperor of the body. It sets the tone and direction for the rest of the organ systems to follow. What did they see in the…


2023 Cadillac Escalade 4WD Premium Luxury

The Cadillac Escalade competes quite nicely with Lincoln Navigator, Jeep Grand Wagoneer, and Mercedes GLS Class. Having driven each of the aforementioned vehicles, I have the Escalade winning best quality by a nose. Escalade is powered by a 420-horsepower supercharged 6.2L V8 engine coupled to a 10-speed automatic transmission with standard all-wheel drive. Dynamic Fuel…


The Power of Music: ‘Dance of the Comedians,’ Smetana’s Uplifting Legacy

Music conveys emotion and truth, even without words. “Dance of the Comedians,” an instrumental passage from the 1870 opera “The Bartered Bride” composed by Czech composer Bedrich Smetana, is a shining example. Influenced by the Romantic music style, which experimented with new forms and harmonies, Smetana was one of the first composers to use folk-like…


Couple Turn Rocky Hillside Into Mega Food Forest, Provide Home-Grown Food to Community

Two years ago, a California family took up a huge garden project to beat the pandemic blues. Together, they transformed a scrubby hill into a food forest that is now providing plenty of fresh food and fruits to their friends and neighbors. Mom of two Taylor Raine Koutroumbis and her husband, Stelios, worked hand in hand…