Videos
Podcasts
Blogs
Quizzes
GamesPosts Tagged: ‘travel’
The delightful strips of deep-fried dough pictured at the right are called chiacchiere, and they’re served during Carnival in Venice (happening right now!).
In Italian, chiacchiere means “gossip,” which is, like, the perfect word for deep-fried dough — ’cause we all know how deep-fried dough goes down (deliciously), particularly when it’s dusted with powdered sugar (a sprinkle of guilt).
During Carnival, you’ll find various versions of deep-fried dough treats around, and you might as well eat ‘em while you can, particularly if it’s Fat Thursday, which the Florentines once called Berlingaccio — another Italian word that has to do with running your mouth.
I was reading up on city parks yesterday and came across a BMW Guggenheim Lab Q&A with landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh, who designed Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York. Apparently, 13 years ago, when the park was just a proposal, it was fairly controversial, and not everyone was in support of the concept. But at the first meeting about the park, a woman about 80 years old got up, shuffled to the microphone and said something like this:
Vacation Deprivation: Who’s got it?
by Amanda Arnold | January 27, 2012
Well, you might say it’s the folks who live in these six countries: United States, Canada, Mexico, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, which are colored an alarming red on Expedia.com’s map of vacation deprivation.
According to Expedia’s study, in 2011, workplaces in the United States, South Korea and Japan gave out the fewest vacation days per year to employees.
Hey Coolest Stuff fans. Sarah here. I’m so excited to be taking over the reins for Rachel, whose final podcast aired last week. We’ll miss Rachel’s enthusiasm around here, but who knows, maybe we’ll have her sit in from time to time — perhaps to dish about a delicious food destination! We definitely share a [...]
Yes, you can do this! A newish Web site called Campinmygarden.com enables you to connect with folks who’ll let you pitch a tent in their yards for a small fee.
It’s the same online community concept established by sites like Airbnb.com and Couchsurfing.org — only you’ll sleep outside the house, rather than inside.
The Painted Beauties of Bucovina
by Kathryn Whitbourne | January 20, 2012
This is a group of 48 monasteries whose walls are painted with biblical themes in very vivid colors. The most famous is the Voronet, which is referred to as the Sistine Chapel of the East. But unlike that religious edifice in Italy, this one has maintained its brilliant colors throughout the years.
William Gillette set up his castle to play tricks on people. He installed a mirror system, so he could spy on guests from his bedroom — that way he could burst onto his living room “stage” at the most magnificent moment. At dinner, he and his guests were seated on a cushioned bench along the wall; the dining table was on a track, and he pulled it toward the group and locked it into place. “HA HA HA” Gillette probably snickered inwardly. “I own the most clever table-on-a-track in the universe.”
Of Tigers and Devils in Tasmania
by Kathryn Whitbourne | January 13, 2012
I’ll confess that the first thing I thought of when we started researching our Tasmania episode was the Tasmanian devil — and I mean the one in the Bugs Bunny cartoons. The cartoon creator based this “dimwitted carnivore with the notoriously short temper” on the real Tasmanian devil, insofar as its voracious appetite and hostile demeanor.
Five years ago Brent Christensen thought it might be fun to build his kids an ice fort on his front lawn. Building such a fort wasn’t exactly a cinch, however, and he spent several winters perfecting the process for constructing what his kids came to call “the ice castle.”
Soon, locals were cruising by his house to gawk the icy mass …
Walking on the Craters of Moon, Idaho
by Kathryn Whitbourne | January 6, 2012
It’s the 1800s and you’re a pioneer on the Oregon Trail heading west from Missouri to Oregon. There’s shortcut from Arco to Fort Boise, Idaho that takes you away from attacking Indians and shortens the journey. But here’s what you see:
Recent Postings by Category
BrainStuff
- Thank You and Best Wishes to Marshall Brain
- Contest – Design a $300 house and win $25,000
- How the Philtrum works – the place under your nose where your face comes together
The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
Keep Asking
- Why can a 5 foot 8 inch man dunk a basketball on a 10 foot rim while some people of taller stature can’t?
- What happens to our sun once it runs out of fuel?
- How do we know the age of the universe?
Stuff Mom Never Told You
- Who invented the Christmas card?
- How the Kinsey Report Fueled Whiskey Sales
- How to Get Your Wedding Announcement into The New York Times
Stuff to Blow Your Mind
- Blow Your Mind: In the Lair of the Rat King
- Mandala: Memory Palace, Inception and Simulated Worlds
- Virgin Galactic: $200,000 Ticket to Ride
Stuff You Should Know
- The Southern Death Cult, the Maya and Georgia
- Deformed Baby Spider Brains
- Amazing Medical Conditions: Maple Syrup Urine Disorder
The Stuff of Genius
CarStuff
- Was Chrysler’s “It’s Halftime in America” Super Bowl commercial a little too political?
- Why is NASA studying car safety?
- Tips for in-car Navigation Systems
How-to Stuff
- How to Make the Most of a Gallery Crawl (When You’re on a Shoestring Budget)
- How to Swim with Dolphins (When Deep Water Terrifies You)
- How to Cure a Homemade Cookie Craving Without Turning on the Oven
PopStuff
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 40: Did movies ruin love?
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 39: Urban Legends
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 38: Defending Disney Princesses?
Stuff They Don't Want You To Know
Stuff to Change the World
- Who will own the Arctic?
- Obesity: The New Global Crisis
- Bill Gates Makes For A Pretty Decent Cartoon
Stuff You Missed in History Class
- Butch Cassidy: Should we read between the lines?
- Are we rooting for D.B. Cooper?
- Party Time: A Look at Unconventional Politics
