Starting this Labor Day Weekend, there’s a whole slew of activities at theEygptian Motor Hotel‘s slew of free, upbeat events in the pipeline—
Kick off the three-day Labor Day weekend by channeling your inner Barbie with a Life is Plastic Pool Party at the Egyptian Motor Hotel on Friday, September 1 from 7-11pm.
This historic motor hotel, located in the heart of Phoenix’s historic Grand Avenue, combines the best of the past and the creative, innovative present. General admission for Friday’s event is $40, a price that includes two free drinks from glittery cocktail bar, a DJ spinning tunes, Go-Go dancers, and a swimwear auction. And remember, don’t forget to dress in Barbie theme outfit.
Also, the Egyptian is bringing movies to its outdoor cocktail bar & pool scene with free Film Fridays the second Friday of each month! Experience the perfect blend of entertainment at Film Fridays; a free movie night hosted at the electrically enchanting outdoor cocktail bar, Egyptian LIVE in downtown Phoenix.
As the sun sets over the city, slip away to an evening of cinematic delight airing next to the hotel’s splash pool, so bathing suits are encouraged! Chilte, the famous local food truck and now brick-and-mortar at the Egyptian, is now serving Chilte To-Go, serving spiced popcorn, chips & guac, a green chili burger, and more for guests to enjoy during the film. Whether you’re seeking a cheeky movie date or a fun outing with the gang, the eclectic ambiance of Egyptian LIVE is sure to be a highlight you look forward to every month.
The upcoming lineup is ‘Polyester’ September 9, ‘Beetlejuice’ October 13, ‘Mambo Italiano’ November 10, and ‘Rent’ December 8.
Egyptian Motor Hotel is located at 765 Grand Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85007. As always, we’d love to host you in-person to experience what makes the Egyptian such a standout hotel and stylish watering hole. Feel free to let us know if you’d be interested!
With Lima’s Central winning the coveted Best Restaurant in the World Award for 2023, the culinary spotlight is shining brighter than ever on Peru. But the Peruvian capital isn’t the only city to boast extraordinary dining.
Cusco and Arequipa also offer standout opportunities to savor Peru’s unique and distinctive gastronomy. It features traditional Peruvian dishes; chifa and Nikkei cooking influenced by a 19th-century influx of Chinese and Japanese immigrants, respectively; and Peruvian cooks who trained and apprenticed abroad before coming home to Peru as seasoned chefs ready to succeed at running their own kitchens.
Here’s a guide to where to sample the best of Peruvian cuisine in Lima, Cusco, and Arequipa.
Lima
Since first opening in the Miraflores district in 2012, Central has been a hotspot, making the Fifty Best Restaurants list every year since 2013. Virgilio Martínez has long been known for his impressive tasting menus but also for constantly experimenting, researching native ingredients, and raising the bar with his partner and co-chef Pía León, who happens to be his wife.
With their 2018 move to a culinary complex they built in Barranco to house Central, León’s first solo restaurant Kjolle upstairs, and their research lab Mater Iniciativa, the couple unveiled a new concept that altitude dictates the way an ingredient should be used. Central’s 17-course tasting menu whose dishes each feature ingredients that are all grown at the same elevation — from sea level at the Pacific coast to the Amazon rainforest and higher elevations in the Andes. It’s about more than exceptional food.
Relying on ingredients sourced only from Peru — such as tubers including yucca, olluco, and local potatoes — Kjolle has also racked up accolades. This year León’s restaurant made the Fifty Best Restaurants in the World list at No. 28 after earning the No. 1 spot on the Fifty Best Restaurants in Latin America in 2019, and León being named best female chef in Latin America in 2021.
Two additional Lima restaurants made the Fifty Best list this year, Maido at No. 6 and . Lima-born Japanese chef Mitsuhara Tsumara studied culinary arts in the U.S. before moving to Japan to train in sushi-making and izakaya (Japanese tapas) in kitchens all over the country. In 2009, he came home to Lima and opened Maido to showcase a fusion of Peruvian ingredients prepared with Japanese techniques. That’s how Tsumara became Peru’s Nikkei master chef.
Another Peruvian chef among the best, Jaime Pesaque apprenticed in Michelin-star kitchens in Italy and Spain before opening his contemporary Peruvian restaurant and pisco bar Mayta that relies on produce grown at his family’s pisco vineyard two hours south of Lima.
Le Cordon Bleu-trained Rafael Osterling chose an old Art Deco townhouse in Miraflores for his first restaurant, Rafael, opened in 2000. Elegant meals ranging from pasta and pizza to ceviche, sashimi, and carpaccio served in intimate art-filled dining rooms have made Osterling a favorite. It’s the kind of place that calls for savoring every bite and lingering.
Dining choices in Lima would have a big hole without Gastón Acurio. The influential chef led the way for the next culinary generation by rejecting law school in Spain for training at the Cordon Bleu in Paris and returning to his homeland with his German pastry chef wife Astrid. Once in Lima, the couple focused their elegant menu at their flagship restaurant Astrid y Gastón on the beloved traditional Peruvian dishes Acurio grew up on, honed to perfection with his refined training and French cooking techniques.
Located in a restored 17th-century mansion in the San Isidro neighborhood, Astrid y Gastón serves an ambitious 45-course tasting menu. Acurio has received a score of honors and worldwide credit as an ambassador who popularized Peruvian cuisine abroad. He also created a handful of other restaurant brands including Tanta and La Mar, his Miraflores cevichería (an eatery that specializes in ceviche). In a historical home on a corner near the plaza in Barranco, José del Castillo found the perfect spot for his restaurant named after his mother, Isolina, whose Lima cevichería La Red was an early training ground for him. There always seems to be a line for Peruvian comfort food at Isolina with a menu designed for sharing generously sized stews, saltados, and other traditional dishes.
Arequipa
Due to roadless isolation from the rest of the country during its first few centuries, Arequipa developed an independent character and unique spicy cuisine. Known for a wide selection of original dishes such as rocoto relleno, a spicy rocoto pepper stuffed with minced meat, cheese, eggs, raisins, peas, and carrots typically served with pastel de papa, layers of thin-sliced potatoes with eggs and cheese; and adobo, a pork chop stew cooked in a clay pot on an open fire. Arequipa is a happy place for those who enjoy spicy food and rich flavors.
With a barrel-vaulted stone ceiling and circular iron staircase said to be designed by Gustav Eiffel, Zig Zag rates as a cool place for Swiss and Peruvian fusion — small plates, fondue, plus fish, alpaca, ostrich, and beef cooked and served on a sizzling volcanic slab.
Near Mirador de Carmen with an impressive view of three towering volcanoes (Chachani, Misti, and Pichu Pichu), Salamanto serves contemporary Peruvian food cooked with modern techniques, imaginative style, and ingredients sourced from the Arequipa region, such as octopus slow-cooked in olive oil with native potatoes. Integrated into the massive Santa Catalina Monastery, La Trattoria del Monasterio has three dining rooms with views into the interior of Arequipa’s oldest cloister. The menu offers a mix of traditional Italian and Arequipa cuisine: pastas, lasagna, pizza, risottos, and Arequipa-style soups and stews; Old World wines from Italy and Spain; and New World wines from Peru, Chile, and Argentina.
Another restaurant with a mix of Italian and Peruvian specialties and fine wines, upscale Sambambaias has been a favorite in Arequipa for 30 years with live music in the garden on weekends. Off the courtyard of an old mansion, Chicha puts an inventive spin on regional cuisine by star chef Gastón Acurio, whose menu here focuses on regional dishes, seasonal products, and corn-based breads.
For hearty home-style cooking and the most authentic local specialties, dine at picanterías, which are typically open only for lunch, especially in the countryside and Arequipa’s Yanahuara district. Here are three standouts: For regional dishes such as grilled alpaca, shrimp soup, and stuffed ricoto, try La Nueva Picantería. Named for the owner’s mother, Laurita Cau Cau serves family recipes handed down for 50 years. In the cloisters of the Church of La Compañia, La Benita de Characato has been passed down from mother to daughter for eight generations of picanteros.
Cusco
There are two reasons for great dining in Cusco: a wide variety of cuisine you wouldn’t expect to find here, such as chifa (Peruvian/Chinese fusion), Indian, Israeli, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, and vegetarian, and restaurants close enough to organic farms in the Sacred Valley to receive just-picked produce every morning. Almost any ingredient chefs want is grown or raised in the area. Several Cusco restaurants even operate their own farms. Anywhere you eat you’ll probably notice that produce has so much more flavor than it does at home.
One of the best restaurants in town, Cicciolina is a fine-dining spot near Plaza Nazarenas and the Plaza de Armas. It’s a swanky tapas and wine bar that serves Italian-style dishes and Peruvian favorites. The chef is a biochemist who understands the science behind adapting recipes that are cooked at high elevation, such as different methods for making light croissants, al dente pasta, and crisp baguettes than at sea level. Cicciolina Café, two blocks downhill, is a wonderful casual spot for breakfast, lunch, and delicious baked goods.
On the West side of the Plaza de Armas, dine on the balcony at Calle Del Medio and be mesmerized by the magical lights around the cathedral and the hillside San Blas neighborhood while savoring classic Peruvian dishes or international fare. Two favorites are the 24-hour lamb shank and pumpkin risotto.
On the north side of Plaza de Armas, Inka Grill serves flavorful modern versions of Peruvian dishes inspired by the Inkas with a vibe to match — high ceilings, large windows, stone walls, and spicy scents wafting from an open kitchen. Also on the north side of the square, Morena sticks to classic Peruvian fare but also offers vegetarian options that include some pastas and risottos and excels at appetizers and sauces such as uchucuta, a creamy spicy sauce made from hot rocoto peppers served on sauteed pork belly, and creamy huancaina sauce made from mild yellow chiles.
In San Blas near the church, Pachapapa occupies an old colonial house with small dining rooms and courtyard tables. Expect classic Peruvian dishes such as lomo saltado and rocoto relleno, plus pizzas, calzones, and dinner rolls cooked in a wood-burning oven on the terrace.
Just below Plaza Nazarenas, Uchu Peruvian Steakhouse may specialize in steak but it’s not a classic chophouse. Uchu’s sophisticated, whimsical design sets the mood for enjoying alpaca, beef, chicken, fish, and shrimp that are still cooking/sizzling on a volcanic stone when brought to the table.
Gastón Acurio has two restaurants in town, Chicha for a modern twist on Peruvian classics, and Papacho’s, which specializes in huge, juicy burgers.
Yearning for Chinese? Go to Kion for chifa cuisine (a fusion of Cantonese techniques and Peruvian ingredients) whose colorful Chinese décor sets the mood for ordering off a menu with 43 dishes.
A NEW PROGRAM WITH A FLOATING LODGE BRINGS YOU CLOSER TO NATURE IN ARCTIC SWEDEN
Designed for an off-the-grid immersion in the beautiful nature of Arctic Sweden, a new holiday program offered by Off the Map Travel invites guests to spend two nights on a floating lodge on Lake Degerselet combined with one night in a land safari camp 10 minutes away. Just south of the Arctic Circle, the Floating Safari Camp and the Aurora Safari Camp are designed for relaxation in complete seclusion.
Offered through September, the three-night program offers a unique opportunity to experience two “off-the-grid” sites, each surrounded by the brilliance of the changing foliage of the Swedish forest. Beginning late August, guests can witness the return of the Northern Lights with long sunny days and dark nights.
While on the lake, up to six guests will stay in the Floating Safari Camp with two safari-style tents with double beds and one double room furnished in Scandi style with night tables and a seating area with views across the lake.
The camp also includes toilet and shower facilities plus a traditional wood-fired sauna. Possible Floating Safari Camp activities include lake swimming, fishing, canoeing, paddle-boarding, with all sports equipment provided on site.
Despite its Arctic location, lake temperatures reach a comfortable 64-77 degrees Fahrenheit. For true relaxation, guests are encouraged to kick back and soak up the beauty and sounds of the lake and surrounding wilderness or relax in the sauna.
An Off the Map Travel exclusive, a sunset BBQ on a private island is a highlight of the program. Meals, including the sunset BBQ and an “under-the-stars” dinner on the Råne River, are provided by a private chef who also serves as the personal tour guide for the stay. Images can be found here.
“With the hustle and bustle of modern life, it’s a rarity that we get to completely switch off and immerse ourselves in nature and this program gives us that opportunity,” says Alex Minnis, COO, Off the Map Travel.
The four-day, three-night Floating Safari Camp itinerary is priced at $2825 USD* (£2199), per person, based on double occupancy, and includes all meals, two nights at the Floating Safari Camp and one night in the Aurora Safari Camp, boat and canoe transfers, and activities. Flights are not included. Additional activities such as forest cycling, foraging and a guided canoe trip can be arranged.
A reduced-rate self-catering option is also possible for those who wish to cook themselves. *at the time of this writing As with any itinerary from Off the Map Travel, the Floating Safari Camp program can be tailor-made to fit the wishes and requirements of the guests.
Detailed itinerary: Day 1 Upon arrival at Luleå Airport, you will be greeted by your private guide who will accompany you on a transfer to the Floating Safari Camp reception. From there, a boat transfer will take you to the captivating Floating Safari Camp itself.
Before dinner, indulge in a rejuvenating sauna session to unwind and relax. As the day winds down, a four-course dinner awaits, prepared by a private chef who doubles as a host and guide, for a personalized and memorable dining experience.
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The night is spent in the Floating Safari Camp, where the tranquility of the surrounding waters creates a soothing ambience for a comfortable and restful overnight stay.
Day 2
Breakfast and lunch will be prepared by your private guide. After that, there are a variety of options for activities to immerse yourself in the beautiful Swedish surroundings: canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding, swimming, and fishing. For an additional fee, guided canoeing, foraging and forest cycling tour can be arranged through Off the Map Travel. In the early evening, you can enjoy a sauna session before your evening boat trip to a private island for a BBQ dinner, an exclusive experience from Off the Map Travel.
Day 3
In the morning your guide will prepare breakfast for you before a canoe transfer from the Floating Safari Camp to the Aurora Safari Camp where you will have lunch with a glass of bubbly. The rest of the afternoon is yours to relax or enjoy a forest sauna session before a four-course dinner.
Day 4
After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport via a guided forest tour. You can opt to extend your stay here or in another location such as Stockholm or the forests of Swedish Lapland – all can be arranged with the Off the Map Travel adventure specialists.
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OFF THE MAP TRAVEL
The team at Off the Map Travel works with experiences and destinations that allow people to explore hidden wonders of our planet. Specializing in the Nordic region, OTMT creates tailor-made itineraries offering authentic experiences not offered by many larger travel companies. For more information on Off the Map Travel holidays visit www.offthemap.travel; call 1-646-701-0041; email info@offthemap.travel or join in the conversation on Facebook or Instagram.
For more information visit www.offthemap.travel, call 1-646-701-0041 or email info@offthemap.travel
The email popped up in my inbox three days before we were going to continue our trip in Arizona, traveling through the mountain towns lining the eastern edge of the state up through the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park. We would continue along the original Route 66 and into Navajo land where the towns had names like Mexican Water (population 730) and Mexican Hat (population 34) and every menu had a variation of fry bread tacos.
My biggest regret of the trip was not buying a baseball-style cap inscribed with Mexican Hat, Utah.
The email was an invitation to meet Mark Wahlberg at Bottled Blonde in Scottsdale where he and his business partner, Aron Marquez, would be pouring their Flecha Azul Tequila. I must be on their “D” list, as the event was the night after next, the night before we were leaving.
As one of the only new world tequila brands with authentic Mexican roots, Flecha Azul was founded by Mexican-born Marquez and first-generation Mexican-American pro-golfer Abraham Ancer.
Shared core passions and friendship brought Mark Wahlberg to join the team in 2022, building upon their efforts and desire to share additive-free Flecha Azul Tequila with friends around the world.
But still, how often do you get to have Mark Wahlberg pour you drinks? When I told my husband we were invited to meet Mark Wahlberg and taste his various tequilas, he said didn’t know who Mark Wahlberg was. So I started naming movies. Wahlberg starred with Will Ferrell in “The Other Guys,” “Daddy’s Home,” and “Daddy’s Home 2.” He also was in “The Departed” with Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson and Matt Damon that won not only an Academy Award for Best Picture but also best director (Martin Scorsese). And then there is “Ted,” the rather naughty but very funny movie about Mark and a toy bear. There’s even a casino slot game named after the movie plus a “Ted 2.”
No, my husband said he didn’t know those movies.
Well, I said, if you Google “Mark Wahlberg movies” you’ll get a list of 45 or so films he’s been in.
“What about “Entourage?” I asked about the award-winning television series that ran from 2004 to 2011 based upon Wahlberg’s life after he moved to Hollywood with his three hometown friends and hit the big time. Wahlberg didn’t star in the series, but he was an executive producer.
No, John hadn’t heard of “Entourage,” but he did know about Wahlburgers, the hamburger chain that Mark and his brothers had started.
And he did like the 1965 Lincoln Continental convertible that was parked in front of Bottled Blonde. I explained it was the car the guys from “Entourage” tooled around in L.A.
Though we arrived early, the bar was already crowded and people were lined up to get their photos taken with Wahlberg.After photos, he went behind the large oval-shaped bar and started pouring Flecha Azul Tequila.
Then he and his friends headed toward the door, stopping to shake hands with those who were close by and saying thanks for coming. When it was my turn, I put my glass of tequila down so I could shake hands and before I could reclaim it, someone had whisked it away. What I tasted, though, was very smooth and good.
Flecha Azul Tequila offers a wide variety of tequilas. Their Blanco is rested for two months in stainless steel so it mellows; Reposado is aged six months in ex-bourbon American oak barrels giving it hints of praline, vanilla, sandalwood and a subtle baking spice; Anejo ages for 18 months in ex-Bourbon barrels – six months longer than the industry standard for Anejo – and has rich maple and caramel characteristics along with pineapple cream soda, and black pepper.
Then there’s the extra Anejo with its notes of almonds and vanilla. It ages for 36 months in ex-bourbon American oak barrels, and Cristalino rests for 18 months in ex-Bourbon barrels, a process that imparts vanilla, coconut and subtle baking spice.
The goal of Fletcha Azul Tequila is to produce a premium drink that’s much smoother and complex than the types of tequilas college kids down as shots. Tequila is made from the hearts of the agave plants that grow in the Mexico state of Jalisco.
If it isn’t made there, it can’t be called tequila. I’ve been to the blue agave fields outside of Santiago de Tequila, the heart of the tequila industry. It’s where many tequila producers – both big and small – have their headquarters.
On a tour, I watched the jimadors (workers) dig up the large blue agaves and, using a coa, a long, machete-like blade on a long wooden handle, remove the heart or pinas which are then loaded onto a truck. From the fields the pinas are taken into Santiago de Tequila where they are placed in hornos, which are ovens built of either clay or brick.
Baking pinas releases the sugars necessary for fermentation. All tequila is aged between 14 to 21 days. Silver or blanco tequila is typically aged for the minimum time. For aged tequilas, reposado is rested or aged for two months to one year, anejo is aged for one to three years, and extra anejo is aged for more than three years.
Aging tequila in used oak barrels that were used for resting bourbon gives the drink a golden color.But back to the Wahlberg and the Bottled Blonde. Out on the street, Wahlberg and his friends climbed into the Lincoln Continental, posing as if they were going to drive away, but that was just for the press and fans and photos.
When all the photos were taken, the group headed across the street where their real rides – two large black SUVs – were waiting. But before they got there, Wahlberg was waylaid by a man who wanted him to sign the front hood of his car. Now this wasn’t like the Camry I drive. It was an Audi R8 with a starting price of over $200,000.
Yes, starting price.
So Wahlberg took the black marker the guy handed him and wrote on the hood of the car.
“I’m never going to wash it,” the car’s owner said to me.
“What are you going to do if it rains?” I asked him.
“It’s a permanent marker,” was his reply.I wondered if having Mark Wahlberg sign your car added to its value or not.
The following recipes are courtesy of Flecha Azul Tequila.
Cherry Filthy Flecharita
1 1⁄2 ounces Flecha Azul Blanco Tequila
1⁄2 ounce fresh lime juice
1⁄2 ounce Filthy Black Cherry Syrup
1 ounce sparkling water
Garnish with 3 Filthy cherries
Fill a shaker with ice and combine tequila, fresh lime juice and black cherry syrup.Shake vigorously and strain into a coupe glass. Top off with sparkling water and garnish with Filthy Black Cherry.
Paloma
2 ounces Flecha Azul Tequila Blanco
1 ounces fresh grapefruit juice
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce cane syrup
Soda
Mix and then top off with a splash of soda
Spicy Pineapple Margarita
2 1/4 ounces Flecha Azul Reposado Tequila
1 1/2 ounces pineapple juice
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce cane syrup
3 jalapeno slices
Muddle jalapeno slices in a cocktail shaker, add ice and all remaining ingredients. Shake vigorously. Strain into a rocks glass with ice.
Green with Envy
2 ounces Flecha Azul Blanco Tequila
2 ounces fresh green juice
To prepare green juice, combine the below ingredients into a juicer:
1 apple
Bunch of kale
1/2 cup of fresh pineapple
Juice of 1 lemon
5 coins of fresh ginger (peeled and cut into circles)
Combine all ingredients into a shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a highball glass and add fresh crushed ice.
The Ancer
2 ounces Flecha Azul Blanco Tequila
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
Mix ingredients together and then to off with Topo Chico, a sparkling mineral water sourced from Monterrey, Mexico. Or go with another brand of sparkling mineral water if unable to find Topo Chico.
Sailing vacation packages that make charters easy and accessible for non-sailors are now available in the British Virgin Islands, Martinique, Tahiti and the Seychelles.
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Dream Yacht Worldwide, the world’s leading yacht charter company, is bringing its successful crewed yacht product “Easy Crewed” to 4 new destinations this summer. The concept that was specifically designed for those new to chartering launched last year in Greece and Croatia and is offering easy-to-book, flexible, and price-competitive sailing vacation packages.
The “Easy Crewed” charter program builds upon the company’s highly successful “Cabin Cruise” vacations for singles and couples, currently offered in more than 15 idyllic destinations worldwide.
The Cabin Cruise concept was pioneered and developed by Dream Yacht Worldwide in the effort to make sailing vacations accessible to travelers unfamiliar with yacht charters. The Easy Crewed offering is a natural evolution in this endeavor, extending the concept to feature private yachts for groups of family and friends up to ten.
The addition of the British Virgin Islands, Martinique, Tahiti, and the Seychelles as Easy Crewed charter destinations offers guests even more flexibility regarding their preferred vacation destination and together with Greece and Croatia creates a unique blend of Mediterranean, Caribbean and exotic locations available to choose from.
A one-week charter trip will let guests explore breathtaking coastlines, ancient ruins, crystalline waters, amazing local cuisine with fresh ingredients, and countless dazzling islands that can only be reached by boat.
Those planning their yacht charter vacation need only choose a destination and boat type based on their preferences and number of people in their travel group. Monohulls and sailing catamarans from 38’ to 54’ are among the yacht choices, all with comfortable private guest cabins with ensuite or shared baths. Easy Crewed Charters come complete with an experienced local skipper and watersports equipment including a standup paddle board and snorkeling gear. The skipper works with the guests to plan a custom itinerary that accommodates desired activities, day stops and night anchorages.
For additional comfort guests can choose to add a hostess/cook, air conditioning, and meal packages to include all breakfasts and lunches or even all meals in more remote cruising grounds. These meal plans cater to the guest’s specific preferences.
Easy Crewed Charters are currently available to book for Summer 2023 and beyond. As an example, the one-week package prices start as low as $630 per person for 10 guests aboard a 47- to 56-foot monohull in Croatia and $1023 per person for 10 guests aboard a 43- to 47-foot monohull in the British Virgin Islands.
About Dream Yacht Worldwide – The World’s Leading Ocean Tourism Company
Part of the Dream Yacht Group, we were founded by Loic Bonnet in 2000. We set out from the start to revolutionize the industry by making sailing accessible to all. Originally launched in the Seychelles with just six boats, Dream Yacht Worldwide now has one of the largest charter fleets, and more than 50 exciting destinations worldwide, including the Caribbean, Bahamas, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Asia, Americas and Europe.
It’s time to get ready for National Burger Day coming up on August 25th. So, to get ready here are some burger and other food stats:
America loves its burgers, but there is a debate over how we like them and where we should put our cheese. RTA Outdoor Living (RTAOutdoorLiving.com), the leader in custom prefabricated outdoor kitchens and cooking appliances, has released the results of a study that reveal what Americans really feel about burgers, hot dogs, BBQing, pizza and more.
The survey of over 1,000 people from coast to coast revealed the best level of “doneness” for a burger is medium, with 40% of respondents agreeing. More men (43.1%) than women (36.8%) were into medium doneness while more women (23.2%) than men (11.6%) wanted well-done burgers. In a cheeseburger, 15% of respondents feel the cheese should go UNDER the burger! Really?! Almost 19% of men want the cheese under the burger
– In a cheeseburger, 15% of respondents feel the cheese should go UNDER the burger! Really?! o Almost 19% of men want the cheese under the burger
– The best level of “doneness” for a burger is medium, with 40% of respondents agreeing o More men (43.1%) than women (36.8%) were into medium doneness while more women (23.2%) than men (11.6%) wanted well-done burgers
– “Drumsticks” are the clear favorite amongst wing eaters, far ahead of “flats” o Drumsticks are the winner with 2 in 3 respondents preferring them
– Boneless wings are more popular than bone-in wings o Despite a clear love for drumsticks, 63.4% of respondents chose boneless over bone-in wings
– 57% of respondents say hot dogs are sandwiches o A higher number of boomers (63.5%) say so than Gen Z (50%) o 60% of men think a hot dog is a sandwich, while 52% of women agree
– 56.7% of respondents say grilling is the best method to prepare a hot dog o Surprisingly, 12.6% think it is microwaving is the best way o Grilling is 10% more popular with females (62.5%) than males (52.2%) o 27% of those ages 18-23 feel that boiling is the best method
– 10% of Americans think that squares are the best way to cut a pizza o While 90% agree that the traditional triangle is the best way to get a slice, 10% do like the squares
– 47.5% of respondents put pineapple on their pizza, meaning just 52.5% of pizzas are safe from certain doom o 60% of those 18-23 will not put pineapple on their pizza
– 18% of Americans eat pizza with a fork and knife
– 3 in 4 prefer the crispiness of edge brownies while 24% want 100% gooiness of the center brownies. Good thing there are 4 edges and 1 center per tray
W Scottsdale, the electric destination in the heart of the city’s booming downtown, I’m excited to announce a host of special rates and offerings for splashy summer scenes (just in time for planning a Labor Day weekend getaway), and kick-off to Scottsdale’s Secret Season. With rates starting at $199, W Scottsdale is a top travel destination for fun in the sun.
Available to book now through August 31, 2023, the hotel’s Sips + Sunshine package offers guests an extra 25% off room rates and plenty of perks, including a cocktail kit welcome amenity completed with guests’ favorite liquor and mixers, 30% off at AWAY Spa, breakfast in bed for 2 guests, and early check-in and late checkout for guests make the most of their getaway. Guests can book via this link.
Additionally, the property’s onsite AWAY Spa is offering spectacular summer treatments available now through the end of September:·
Show Your Glow Facial ($159) – This 50-minute treatment is designed to restore deep hydration and total radiance. Guests will discover the power of prickly pear extract and hyaluronic acid. The treatment also includes ice globe facial massage.·
Desert Destress Massage ($159) – This 50-minute massage revives tired muscles and reduces brain fog with head-clearing oils, moderate pressure and tension-releasing techniques.·
Summer Sole Pedicure ($75) – This 50-minute all-encompassing pedicure is perfect for getting pool ready. It includes a hydrating foot soak, cuticle work, nail shape and polish.
This Secret Season, November through January, W Scottsdale is turning up the heat! Scottsdale offers idyllic weather with moderate temperatures (with highs being in the 70s and 80s) that transform the vibrant city into a serene desert oasis fit for a restorative getaway. During this time, the property also offers extremely desirable rates and a more relaxed setting with a lessened capacity.
Although the pool closes in November, the hotel still serves as the ultimate party destination with lively scenes at the WET Deck where guests can experience Vegas-style bottle service, Cottontail Lounge where guests can savor in elevated drinks and bites and Living Room where live music fills the room when the lights go down as guests mingle with Scottsdale natives.
For guests seeking to build on their itineraries outside of the hotel and its many amenities, they can visit Fashion Square, America’s #1 mall located just steps away from the property. Also steps away is the Entertainment District featuring more than 80 top attractions like fine-dining, shopping, nightclubs, premier golf and spa for a fun night on the town.
Additionally, guests can embark on a quick golf cart ride to the quaint, historic Old Town to enjoy a day of shopping, arts and culture.
“Since its debut, W Scottsdale has been a leading hotel for groups attracting guests with its expansive accommodations, lively WET Deck scene, tranquil AWAY Spa, and its central location in the heart of the city’s premier nightlife experiences and outdoor adventures,” saysTodd Iacono, general manager, W Scottsdale. “Our Suite Dreams & Splashy Scenes and Scottsdale in Style packages feature the best of the best offerings from hotel amenities to regional access, providing guests epic experiences to share with friends and family.”
Suite Dreams & Splashy Scenes
The ultimate package for groups seeking to “go big” during their Scottsdale getaway. Starting at $15,000 for a minimum two-night stay for groups up to six guests, the package includes the following:·
2 or more nights in a WOW Suite any day of the week· A private limo transportation from lift off to landing· An hour-long in-suite experience featuring a signature cocktail bar and private bartender to create the group’s favorite libations· A reserved cabana at the WET Deck· An outdoor adventure featuring ATVs· VIP access to a selection of the Entertainment District’s hottest bars and night clubs, including Maya, Cake, Riot House, and more· A private Spa After Dark experience including the following:o
Unlimited glasses of bubbly or choice of cocktailso Choice of lite biteso 25% off select spa productso Choice of one of the following services:§ Beauty boost with glow peel (45 min)§ Beachy waves with hair mask (45 min)§ Manicure with gel add-on & hand mask (45 min)§ Full glam make-up application (45 min) For guests seeking to capture their group getaway in true Scottsdale fashion, S
Scottsdale in Style
The quintessential offering, Scottsdale in Style starts at $6,000, this AWAY Spa package includes the following:·
A private glam party at AWAY Spa to spoil the group with the quintessential beauty boosting experience·
A photoshoot session with a professional photographer on the WET Deck – perfect for enhancing guests’ social media presence, wedding websites, dating apps, etc.·
A WET Deck swag bag, including sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, and branded water bottles·
A reserved cabana at the WET Deck
The debut of these compelling offerings comes on the heels of unveiling the property’s new collection of 12 penthouse suites to add to the 17 suites and a total of 241 rooms property wide. The custom suites feature multiple layouts including a one-bedroom Fantastic Suite, and two Extreme WOW Suites and two WOW Suites, each featuring two-bedrooms.
These new suites are the epitome of exclusivity, only accessible via a private elevator, guaranteeing privacy for guests. Appealing to all groups from bachelorette parties to lively reunions, the new penthouse suites at W Scottsdale range in size from 1,000 to 2,700 square feet. Each suite boasts a lavish master bedroom, floor-to-ceiling windows, private balconies, full kitchens with stainless steel appliances, hardwood flooring, and en-suite laundry.
Additional suite amenities include separate living and dining spaces, a walk-in closet, 24/7 access to room service, a full bar, and high-speed WIFI. For more information on W Scottsdale and for bookings, please visit www.WScottsdaleHotel.com.
From Hoosier History Live the Award Winning Show by Nelson Price; Produced by Molly Head.
“I love that there are still inns where Lincoln stayed,” says travel writer Jane Ammeson, who has been a popular Roadtrip correspondent on Hoosier History Live for several years.Although her radio reports, magazine articles and books cover a range of historic topics, Jane has narrowed her focus in her newest book,Lincoln Road Trip: The Back-Roads Guide to America’s Favorite President (Red Lightning Books).As most Hoosiers know, Abraham Lincoln grew up in southern Indiana. As a 7-year-old, he and his family moved from Kentucky to the wilderness area that became Spencer County; the Lincolns arrived in 1816, the same year Indiana achieved statehood.We will reach beyond the boundaries of Indiana when Jane joins Nelson as a studio guest to explore some of the inns, homes, mills and recreated historic sites with a connection to Lincoln (1809-1865), his extended family and the historical events associated with his life.
Our itinerary for the show will include traveling to Kentucky to explore the Old Talbott Tavern in Bardstown, which opened as an inn in 1779. Abe Lincoln was about five when he stayed at the inn; according to Lincoln Road Trip, it is considered “one of the oldest taverns in continuous operation in the United States and the oldest stagecoach stop west of the Allegheny Mountains.”
Guests at an inn in Corydon, Indiana’s first state capital, included Josiah Lincoln, Abe’s uncle. Josiah (the brother of Thomas Lincoln, father of the future president) visited the Kintner Tavern after he moved to Harrison County to establish a 160-acre farm near Corydon in the early 1800s, according to Lincoln Road Trip. Although the original tavern was destroyed by a fire, its owner, Jacob Kintner, later opened the Kintner House Inn, which still stands. And here’s another Lincoln-connected bit of trivia about Harrison County: Because there are no direct descendants remaining of Abraham Lincoln – the last, his great-grandson Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith, died in 1985 – descendants of Josiah Lincoln are considered, as Jane puts it, “among the closest living kin of the greatest American president.”
Many of Josiah Lincoln’s descendants continue to live in Harrison County or nearby.Thousands of visitors from across the country have seen the burial sites of Abraham Lincoln’s mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, and his older sister, Sarah Lincoln Grigsby, at the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial in Spencer County. The site includes a recreation of the log cabin the Lincolns built when they moved to the Little Pigeon Creek settlement in the wilderness. “It was a region with many bears and other wild animals still in the woods,” Lincoln recalled later in life. “There I grew up.”Our guest Jane Ammeson notes that the Lincoln family was related through marriage to the extended family of frontier explorer Daniel Boone. So Lincoln Road Trip highlights historic sites associated with the Boones, which we also will explore during our show.
These sites include Squire Boone Caverns in Harrison County, which Jane describes as a “magical and mystical” cave system with an underground waterfall. Squire Boone, Daniel’s younger brother, lived near the caverns in southeastern Indiana for the final 11 years of his life. When he died in 1815 at age 71, Squire Boone asked his children to bury him in one of the passageways of the cave system.
Today, Squire Boone Caverns is a popular tourist attraction, and visitors often stop in the area that includes his casket.Also during our show, we will explore the Colonel William Jones State Historic Site near the town of Gentryville in southwestern Indiana. Jones ran a general store during Abe Lincoln’s teenage years, employing him as a clerk and discussing political issues with him. After the Lincoln family moved to Illinois, Abe Lincoln spent the night at Jones’ house during a return visit to Indiana.During the Civil War, Jones was killed at the Battle of Atlanta in 1864, his former clerk serving as commander-in-chief. The house in Gentryville, which Jones designed in the Federal style, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
A special post from guest blogger and cruise specialist Kathy Witt takes us aboard for a most unique cruise experience.
An embalmer’s technical reference handbook—and the machine that accompanies it. The exquisitely sculpted ballerina from “Black Swan” standing en pointe. And a mythical harbinger of doom that evolved into the centerpiece of an annual festival attended by 20,000 people from around the world.
One of the biggest draws of a river excursion with American Queen Voyages (besides the luxury-level experience, genuinely friendly crew and outstanding cuisine) are all the unexpected surprises on the itinerary. As the vessel calls at one charming river town after another, a mix of highlights—museums, bustling markets, scenic parks, historic homes, Main Street shopping—offer variety and allure. The specific attractions of a given destination are detailed during a daily port review, and all are included as part of the line’s guided hop-on hop-off tours.
Especially intriguing are discoveries aboard the American Countess’ Ohio River voyage between Louisville, KY, and Pittsburg, PA, that include a taboo topic, a creature from the paranormal realm and one of the world’s finest collections of miniatures.
IT’S A SMALL WORLD
No matter your age, your inner child will be hooked upon seeing the world-class fine art collection, numbering more than 15,000 pieces and in 1/12-scale, in Maysville, KY, a picture-postcard river town whose downtown is lined with yesteryear architecture punctuated by church steeples. The Kathleen Savage Browning Miniatures Collection at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center is an extraordinary sight to behold.
Wander through the Palladian-style gallery filled with miniature houses, room boxes and vignettes—each showcasing exquisite and historically accurate re-creations right down to the tiny accessories, like a pair of vintage roller skates and a key to tighten them; building materials such as bricks on the Russell Theater’s exterior; and authentic carpets made on real looms.
In the “Lincoln Herndon Law Office,” the artisan room box replicates the office Abraham Lincoln shared with his partner, right down to the miniscule handwritten documents scattered across the desktop. The necklaces, bracelets and baubles in the “Savage & Sons Jewelers” room box are made with authentic gold, gems and crystals. Tiny copper pots and pans hang from the wall in the kitchen of “Le Plaisir De Venice” and itty-bitty puppets dance at the end of strings held by the toymaker in “McTavish Toys & Fairy Garden.”
The collection’s pièce de résistance is the re-creation of Spencer House, the magnificent eighteenth-century aristocratic palace and ancestral home of Princess Diana. Three floors showcase the fine furnishings and decorative arts objects that are true to the mid-1700s era and the exterior replicates the home’s neo-classical architecture.
RUN, DON’T WALK: IT’S MOTHMAN!
“What stands six feet tall, has wings, two big red eyes six inches apart and glides along behind an auto at 100 miles an hour?” asked reporter Mary Hyre in a November 1966 newspaper article. Hyre was covering the spectral sighting of a creature that became known as the Mothman, first seen hovering over an abandoned government WWII ammunition manufacturing facility—dubbed the TNT area—north of Point Pleasant, WVA, and later dubbed a harbinger of doom.
Coverage of Mothman sightings held the nation in its grip for more than a year. Every time the winged creature was spotted, tragedy seemed to follow in its wake, including the Silver Bridge collapse 10 days before Christmas in 1967, which resulted in the deaths of 46 people. The sightings spawned dozens of newspaper articles; a New York Times bestselling book, The Mothman Prophecies, written by journalist and UFOlogist John A. Keel; the 2002 movie of the same name, starring Richard Gere and Laura Linney; and a 2017 documentary, “The Mothman of Point Pleasant.”
The legend of the Mothman is recounted at the world’s only Mothman Museum. Memorabilia includes a recreation of Harris Steakhouse—considered a time capsule of 1960s Point Pleasant—which would eventually become known as the Mothman Diner. The museum’s small theater runs the documentary on a loop.
Outside, a 12-foot-tall, polished steel sculpture of Mothman standing atop a landscaped pedestal shows off his claws and glowing red eyes. And every third week in September, 20,000-plus visitors from around the world converge on Point Pleasant for the Mothman Festival (www.mothmanfestival.com).
‘KEEP EXERCISING. WE CAN WAIT.’
A little gallows humor framed and hanging on the wall of the garage greets those arriving at the Peoples Mortuary Museum. Tucked in a residential neighborhood in Marietta, Ohio, it was one of the most unexpected stops on American Countess’ itinerary—and a real eye-opener for those who braved a visit.
The museum began as a place for William Peoples, current owner of and a funeral director at Cawley & Peoples Funeral Home, to store his antique car collection. Peoples had a particular interest in hearses and several of them are parked in the museum among the caskets, funeral equipment and clothing, mourning jewelry and other artifacts.
The collection dates back to the late 1800s, when funerals were typically held in private homes and the collection’s ice box coffin would have been the casket of choice. (Embalming wasn’t yet the customary practice.) An infant’s coffin illustrates the design—narrow at the feet and wider at the shoulders—that got it dubbed the “toe pincher.” It is fitted with a small removable cover for viewing and fancy hardware, including ornamental screws and handles, to allow a more personal touch to the coffin.
Also in the collection are a Sayers & Scovill Horse-Drawn Hearse from 1895, a 1934 Studebaker Presidential Hearse and a 1927 Henney Hearse called “Miss Henney” that has appeared in several Hollywood movies, including Woody Allen’s “Radio Days,” Neil Simon’s “Brighton Beach Memoirs” and “Get Low,” a 2009 movie with Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek and Bill Murray.
SEE THE TREASURES OF SMALL-TOWN AMERICA
American Queen Voyages’ 245-passenger American Countess is a paddlewheel boat with contemporary design. Photo: Karan Kiser
Book an American Queen Voyage (AQV) to find the unexpected in America’s river towns. Besides including unlimited guided tours/shore excursions, AQV cruise fares include unlimited beverages, including wine, spirits, local craft beers and specialty coffees; open bars and lounges, including a morning juice bar; locally sourced and regionally inspired cuisine; and live, daily onboard entertainment—which is among the very best on any body of water anywhere—plus enrichment programming
AQV also now includes pre-paid gratuities and port taxes and fees in its fares. Additionally, a one-night pre-cruise hotel stay with free transfers between hotel and vessel is part of the cruise package.
Voyages are on authentic paddlewheel riverboats, boutique exploration vessels and expedition ships on America’s inland waterways and Great Lakes and shores from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to the Yucatán Peninsula and Alaska.
Award-winning writer Kathy Witt is a monthly cruise, travel columnist and the author of several books, including Cincinnati Scavenger: The Ultimate Guide to Cincinnati’s Hidden Treasures and Secret Cincinnati: Guide to the Weird, Wonderful and Obscure.
Broadway In Chicago is proud to produce the following shows as part of its summer roster:
Haestown (playing June 20 – 25, 2023, at the CIBC Theatre), winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best New Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album, is an acclaimed new show from celebrated singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and innovative director Rachel Chavkin. Following two intertwining love stories — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — HADESTOWN invites audiences on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love.
MJ (playing August 1 – September 2, 2023, at the James M. Nederlander Theatre), is the multi Tony Award®-winning new musical centered around the making of Michael Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous World Tour. Created by Tony Award®-winning Director/Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, MJ goes beyond the singular moves and signature sound of the star, offering a rare look at the creative mind and collaborative spirit that catapulted Michael Jackson into legendary status.
To Kill A Mockingbird (playing August 8 – 13, 2023, at the CIBC Theatre), Academy Award® winner Aaron Sorkin’s new play directed by Tony Award® winner Bartlett Sher and based on Harper Lee’s classic novel, will come back to Chicago as part of a multi-year national tour across North America. Set in Alabama in 1934, Harper Lee’s enduring story of racial injustice and childhood innocence centers on one of the most venerated characters in American literature, small-town lawyer Atticus Finch.
Chicago Shakespeare Theater will present Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (July 13 – August 20, 2023) at the Courtyard Theater this summer, based on the Academy Award® -winning Disney film and featuring such dazzling production numbers as the beloved title song and “Be Our Guest.”
Concert for Chicago (June 27, 2023) – Celebrate Zell Music Director Riccardo Muti’s remarkable tenure with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at this free concert in Millennium Park. Enjoy performances of the heartfelt Andante moderato, written by longtime Chicago resident Florence Price, and Tchaikovsky’s exhilarating Fifth Symphony as the CSO closes the 2022/23 Season in style.
The Who’s Tommy (June 13 – July 23, 2023): Myth and spectacle combine in a fresh reinvention of The Who’s exhilarating 1969 rock concept album, Tommy—including the unforgettable anthems “I’m Free,” “See Me, Feel Me,” “Sensation,” and “Pinball Wizard.” After witnessing his father shoot his rival, the young Tommy Walker is lost in the universe, endlessly and obsessively staring into the mirror. An innate knack for pinball catapults him from reticent adolescent to celebrity savior. Tony Award-winning composer Pete Townshend and Tony Award-winning original director Des McAnuff find powerful resonance reexamining this classic story for today.
The Joffrey Ballet is pleased to announce an evening of free public performances on June 25, 2023, in the heart of downtown Chicago at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. Created as a gift to all Chicagoans, and the first event of its kind, The Joffrey Ballet’s “Joffrey for All Celebration” will feature dance workshops in the lawn and performances by Joffrey Company Artists, the Joffrey Academy of Dance, and students from the Joffrey Community Engagement programs.
Lookingglass Theatre welcomes Lucy and Charlie’s Honeymoon (May 24 – July 16, 2023), which tracks a young couple as they rev it down quintessentially American highways and across stereotypic borders, fleeing expectation and trawling up trouble along the way. Fresh from his Broadway debut in “Almost Famous The Musical”, Artistic Associate Matthew C. Yee’s world premiere musical romp gives a nod to America’s past, takes tally of its present, and blows its future wide open.
Another Marriage (June 15 – July 23, 2023): Another Marriage is an intimate and beautifully rendered portrait of an ever-evolving relationship that may never be quite finished. Ensemble member Kate Arrington’s playwriting debut upends time and the typical romantic comedy to explore the liabilities of falling in and out of love.
No Man’s Land (July 13 – August 20, 2023): In the drawing room of his stately Hampstead mansion, the wealthy, aging Hirst hosts his newfound acquaintance, the enigmatic Spooner, for an evening of endless beer, scotch, and vodka. The night winds on, the drinks keep pouring, and the ground keeps shifting—until two sinister younger men arrive and interrupt the bacchanal. Steppenwolf returns to Harold Pinter’s modern masterpiece: a generational power struggle, a tug of war between expert wordsmiths, a maze of murky meaning. Or perhaps it’s just two old English sots waxing nostalgic and waiting for the sun to rise. In No Man’s Land, you can never be certain, and nothing is as it seems.
Although her radio reports, magazine articles and books cover a range of historic topics, Jane has narrowed her focus in her newest book, 
“It was a region with many bears and other wild animals still in the woods,” Lincoln recalled later in life. “There I grew up.”Our guest Jane Ammeson notes that the Lincoln family was related through marriage to the extended family of frontier explorer 
