summer

Stories 41 - 60 | << Prev   Next >>

Obamas to Hit Vineyard for August Vacation

(Newser) - The president's first summer vacation is to a classified destination, but on the streets and beaches of Martha's Vineyard, it's no secret that Barack, Michelle, and their daughters are spending August on the island. The first family is expected to stay in Oak Bluffs, a longtime vacation spot for the...

Good Wines That Come in a Jug
 Good Wines That 
 Come in a Jug 
OPINION

Good Wines That Come in a Jug

This summer, head to the picnic with wine that tastes good and costs little

(Newser) - Jug wine has a bad reputation, with many considering it cheap and low-quality—but it doesn’t have to be that way. Bring along a jug o’ wine to your Fourth of July picnic, and it’ll be gone before you know it. To help you accomplish that, the Wall ...

Weird Facts About Best-Selling Authors

Dan Brown, pop musician? And more.

(Newser) - Summer's here, and that means it's time for beach reading. Mental Floss compiles some surprising facts about the authors most commonly toted along to the shore:
  1. Dan Brown hasn’t spent his whole life pondering Vatican conspiracies: he was also a musician and pop singer. The name of his second
...

Secrets for Summertime Bartending

(Newser) - Hoping to do some bartending this summer—or just to bring some class to your home boozing? Pete Wells, in the New York Times, has an encyclopedia of tips for you. Highlights:
  • Chilies: Small amounts of hot peppers can actually lower your body temperature.
  • Cola: Some new colas are using
...

To Beat Heat, Go 'Swizzled,' Not Stirred

West Indies drinks hit it big in New York

(Newser) - Shaken, stirred—or swizzled? This summer, many bartenders are urging patrons to choose the last. An authentic “Swizzle”—as the trendy drinks are called—doesn’t use a plastic stick; rather, a real stick from a Caribbean tree, with prongs that make it nature’s own Mixmaster, reports...

In NYC, Murders Mirror Mercury
 In NYC, Murders Mirror Mercury 
ANALYSIS

In NYC, Murders Mirror Mercury

(Newser) - Summer heat brings people onto the streets—and the murder rate up, the New York Times reports. In the city, September is historically the worst month for homicide, according to an analysis of police data. August is a close second. And the deadliest time? 10pm on a September Saturday. “...

Summer Tours: S'Mores, Sweat, Sounds

(Newser) - Musical acts from youngster Taylor Swift to veteran Dave Matthews are hitting the road this summer, and some artists took time to fill the Wall Street Journal in on their on- and off-stage plans. A sampling:
  • Swift: Her first headlining tour includes a gig at Madison Square Garden, but her
...

Cheap Deals Bring Back the Vacation
 Cheap Deals 
 Bring Back 
 the Vacation 

TRAVEL

Cheap Deals Bring Back the Vacation

Flights, hotels drop prices in economic slump

(Newser) - When it comes to vacationing this summer, “the power is with the consumer,” says a consultant: The troubled economy has airlines, hotels, and cruises dropping prices dramatically. International airfares are down 14%, domestic fares 17%, Travelocity says; and for the first time since 2005, AAA predicts an uptick...

Birth Defects May Be Tied to Pesticide Levels

(Newser) - Babies conceived between April and July—the period when surface-water concentrations of pesticides are at their highest—run an increased risk of having a birth defect, Reuters reports. “Our study didn't prove a cause and effect link,” the lead researcher said, but “the fact that birth defects...

7 Songs That Scream Summer
 7 Songs That Scream Summer

7 Songs That Scream Summer

It's not too late to add these tunes to your playlist

(Newser) - Salon’s critics pick the songs that sizzle in summer 2008—from Estelle and Kanye West's sartorial lust to Tilly and the Wall's bubble gum New Wave:
  1. Estelle with Kanye West, “American Boy”: Elegant English beats blend with in-your-face American lyrics.
  2. Jonas Brothers, “Burning Up”: Saccharine silliness that
...

Keeping Cool Gets Thriftier
 Keeping Cool Gets Thriftier 

Keeping Cool Gets Thriftier

Facing big bills, Americans cut back on A/C, look for other heat-beating solutions

(Newser) - As fuel costs, and eco-guilt, creep upward, Americans are leaving the thermostat high or kicking air conditioning altogether this summer, the Wall Street Journal reports. Some two-thirds of families are reducing air-conditioning use, a poll finds, as power plants raise prices as much 30% to keep up with natural-gas hikes....

Top 5 Songs of Summer
 Top 5
 Songs of
 Summer 

Top 5 Songs of Summer

New York magazine projects the big hits of 2008

(Newser) - Roll down the windows and crank up the stereo. Using a “Summerability” scale that measures things like airplay, iTunes sales, and potential similarity to Rhianna’s 2007 hit "Umbrella," New York magazine picks the Top Five Songs of the Summer.
  1. "American Boy" by Estelle featuring Kanye
...

101 Cool Summer Dishes
 101 Cool
 Summer Dishes 

101 Cool Summer Dishes

Be the star of the 4th of July picnic in 20 minutes or less

(Newser) - With the summer picnic season heating up, Mark "The Minimalist" Bittman of the New York Times checks in with his semiannual list of quick, easy dishes. He calls for fewer tomatoes than you might expect, and many, many lemons. Some high points:
  • "Take cold pizza and lemon. Squeeze
...

How to Work Museums Into Kids' Summers

Teach your cubs something—and make sure they, and you, actually enjoy it

(Newser) - For kids, summer means endless hours at the pool—but parents don't want them to grow up culturally underfed cretins, either. Emily Bazelon offers Slate readers a few suggestions for turning a summer museum trip into an outing the young'uns (and you) will actually enjoy:
  • Keep it simple. Kids have
...

Summer's Best Craft Beers
 Summer's Best Craft Beers 
OPINION

Summer's Best Craft Beers

Forget about Bud et al—look to Alaska, Hawaii, Europe for sunny suds samples

(Newser) - Sick of the bland beer everyone else is drinking? As summer officially kicks off, William Brand pours a frosty glass of small-but-mighty suds suggestions in the San Jose Mercury News:
  • Alaskan Summer Ale (Alaskan Brewing): This gold-medal-winning Juneau native makes an excellent thirst-quencher, in the Kolsch style you might've savored
...

Summer Tips for Greener Kids
 Summer Tips
 for Greener Kids 

Summer Tips for Greener Kids

Going outside would be a good first step

(Newser) - Summer is the perfect season to turn your rugrats into ecomaniacs, as warm weather and school vacations collide. Grist lists some basic steps to green up your family’s summer:
  1. Get outside: The best way to commune with nature is to experience it first-hand, but the time kids spend outdoors
...

3 Steps to a Perfect Steak
 3 Steps to a
 Perfect Steak 

3 Steps to a Perfect Steak

Pick good charcoal, time carefully, and jab with your thumb

(Newser) - Just in time for grilling season, Esquire serves up tips on making the perfect steak.
  1. Choose charcoal wisely: Hardwood charcoal burns hotter, which is great for the grill. You want to sear the meat, so wait until the flames have calmed before tossing in steaks.
 

Top 10 Summer Cookbooks
 Top 10 Summer Cookbooks 
BOOK REVIEWS

Top 10 Summer Cookbooks

Step outside to find the best seasonal ingredients

(Newser) - Summer cooking should combine those elements we love most about the season: fresh fruits and vegetables, bright colors, arresting aromas, and the great outdoors. So NPR selected the 10 best cookbooks for jumping out of the frying pan and into the garden:
  1. Simply Organic: A Cookbook for Sustainable, Seasonal, and
...

Sex Backlash Is Mostly Sexist
 Sex Backlash Is Mostly Sexist 
Opinion

Sex Backlash Is Mostly Sexist

Men, male critics just resent girls mucking up summer action flicks

(Newser) - The masses have spoken: Sex and the City is a success, a tentpole, and with a $56 million opening weekend, a blockbuster even. But if you hear men talk about it, you’d think it was the most horrible thing to ever happen to cineplexes, writes Ramin Setoodeh. They grow...

Superheroes: Ruining the Day
 Superheroes: Ruining the Day 
OPINION

Superheroes: Ruining the Day

Summer's been hijacked by the spandex crowd, complains one curmudgeon

(Newser) - Once upon a time, summer movies appealed to everyone, not just 14-year-old nerds. They especially appealed to Chris Nashawaty, who outlines his love of big dumb action flicks in Entertainment Weekly. But now, our summers have been hijacked by an endless stream of lousy spandex-wearers, and Nashawaty is willing to...

Stories 41 - 60 | << Prev   Next >>