Tag: American Essence

Family’s Immigrant Story Inspires Cuban-American’s Patriotism

America is Freedom. Freedom is America. Freedom has been America’s guiding light for those who have come before us. Now, it must shine brighter than ever for those who are yet to come. Freedom requires strength. It requires boldness. Freedom requires sacrifice and it requires grace, because it is often in grace that we find…


Chef Andre Rush Is Committed to Serving Others—Whether Presidents, Fellow Veterans, or Underprivileged Kids

Standing at 5 feet, 10 inches and some 270 pounds with his famous 24-inch biceps, chef Andre Rush is used to drawing looks. But these days, they’re usually from excited 10-year-olds wanting a hug and photo with their “superhero,” he says. Rush, a retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant, was a White House chef through four…


Chef Rush’s Angry Chicken

Chef Andre Rush’s favorite thing to cook for himself is chicken, he says, because “I can literally do it 101 ways.” Here’s one of them: spatchcocked, or butterflied, and grilled. The method calls for flattening the whole bird, which cuts the cooking time in half, helps the white and dark meat cook evenly, and ensures…


Paul Bunyan or Poseidon? The Absence of American Mythology

Are there parallels between Paul Bunyan and Poseidon? First, and most importantly, they both sport impressive beard growth. They are both normally depicted with chiseled physiques. Both have blue animals associated with them (an ox and a dolphin, respectively). Both carry sharp implements (axe, trident). And both, of course, come striding to us out of…


6 Best Luxury Wellness Resorts in America

In our fast-paced lives, stress has become the norm, taking its toll on even the strongest of us. Here are six rejuvenating retreats for a much-needed reset. Love Letter to Provence Surrounded by vineyards and lavender fields, the Provence-inspired Cal-a-Vie Health Spa in Vista, California is filled with historical pieces, including a genuine chapel and…


President Grant’s Last Battle: Writing His Autobiography Before Succumbing to Cancer

The summer of 1885 was a scorcher, but that wasn’t the hot topic in America that year. On June 16, a national hero battling terminal cancer retreated to a small cottage in the cooler mountains of upstate New York in a valiant effort to finish his long awaited memoirs. The famous Civil War general had…


Nathanael Greene: Washington’s Friend and Trusted General

From a young age he walked with a limp, but that would not stop Nathanael Greene from achieving a distinguished military career during the War for Independence. In fact, after George Washington, Greene has been called by historians the “second best” American general in the Revolutionary War. In his article, “The Most Underrated General in American…


Football Star Jared Allen on Our Duty to Honor Veterans

After 12 seasons in the NFL as a defensive end, Jared Allen took part in a United Service Organizations tour to Iraq in 2009 and discovered a new passion: helping veterans. He returned home and founded Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors (JAH4WW), a nonprofit organization that raises money to build and remodel homes for…


Long Live the Soda Fountain

“Take your medicine, Eric.” My mother’s command from years ago rings in my ears as Jill Smith, co-owner of Colorado’s Salida Pharmacy and Fountain, explains why flavored sodas were invented in the 19th century—and why most soda fountains were found in pharmacies. An egg cream, an iconic New York drink, from Brooklyn Farmacy and Soda…


Anxiety Can Help Us—Here’s How to Make It Work for You

Successful people at the pinnacle of their careers often find themselves juggling more things at home and at work and struggling with stress. But what if anxiety could be transformed into an asset? Dr. Chloe Carmichael, the author of the self-help book “Nervous Energy,” said there are ways and tools to redirect anxiety into productive…