Tag: Lifestyle

Wide Open Spaces

Located less than an hour’s drive from downtown Houston, this sprawling, 1,408-acre ranch property is a great place to raise a large family and entertain. The property features an 11,347-square-foot, four-bedroom, 11-bathroom (five full, six half) main residence with a two-car garage; a three-bedroom, three-bathroom guest house; an eight-acre lake; several outbuildings; 3 1/2 miles…


Climbing El Capitan? Yosemite’s Divisive Permits for Overnight Climbers Here to Stay

By Grace Toohey From Los Angeles Times Yosemite National Park has made permanent a divisive overnight rock climbing permitting system aimed at protecting wilderness and monitoring visitors as the sport has grown rapidly in popularity. Following a two-year pilot period, the permits are now officially required for those attempting “big wall” climbs like El Capitan…


Travel Tips and Hacks

Just about every aspect of travel, whether for business or personal reasons, is expensive. However, there are several ways to reduce costs without having to compromise on comfort or enjoyment. In fact, many of the following tips can also improve the travel experience. With a bit of planning, it’s easy to cut the cost of…


With a Shared Love of Entertaining and Recipes, Two Lifelong Friends Have Turned a Party Hit Into a Growing Business

By Nicole Hvidsten From Star Tribune Minneapolis—It takes a certain amount of pluck to start a business, and Sara Doherty and Britt Jungerberg have it. Best friends since high school, the two have always enjoyed hosting parties and experimenting with recipes together. Their pickle dip—a mix of white beans, cream cheese, herbs, spices and pickles—was…


Good News for Shoppers: Prices Dropping on These 13 Grocery Items

You don’t need me to tell you about skyrocketing food costs. Over the past couple of years, a trip to the grocery store to pick up eggs, milk, or butter has been breathtaking. The financial strain on consumers has become nearly unbearable. But now the price of some food items is starting to recede. The…


How to Repair Plaster Wall Cracks

Dear James: I have an old house with plaster walls and many cracks that need to be repaired. How can I fix these so they stay fixed and are invisible?—Julianne T. Dear Julianne: Many older houses were built before drywall panels existed, so plaster was one of the few interior wall options. Since your house…


Taking the Kids: A Little History Along With Summer Fun

Theme parks and swimming pools; camping trips, city sights, and a history lesson! Don’t groan. Depending on where you are going this summer, you can effortlessly inject a little American history with the fun, even if the Independence Day celebrations are over. AAA projects “50.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home…


Keep Laundry Pods Away From Pets and Children

Q: My cat Milo is a “dog cat”: He comes when I call, fetches small balls, and loves to play with toys. Last week, I caught him batting around a laundry detergent pod. Should I let him play with those things, or are they toxic? A: Laundry detergent pods are so dangerous to pets that…


Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa

Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa I’ve been waiting a long time to share this awesome-amazing-delicious Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa recipe with you all.  I love pretty much everything about this barbacoa recipe. You’d be hard pressed not to. It’s one of those recipes that will easily capture everyone’s taste buds [and therefore their hearts.] And you’ll probably be…


Hooray for Menopause!

Menopause is almost unique to human beings. With the exception of dolphins and some species of whales, very few species in the animal world go through a long period of infertility in the later stages of life. As pointed out by Natalie Angier in her book, “Women: An Intimate Geography,” menopause frees women from the role of child-bearer…