Here’s an article about a family-run Franconian brewery. Exciting, right? Oh how I love Franconian beer, and I’m thrilled to see a new generation of brewery owners stretching the boundaries of traditional brewing. The region needs more breweries like these. But there are many problems with this article, and that’s what I want to talk…
Month: May 2014
Is it Possible to Outgrow Our Literary Heroes?
In the space of a week, Maya Angelou died and Tom Robbins published his memoir, signaling the end of his career. Let’s reflect on our heroes. First have a look at this video of Angelou talking about Malcolm X, Dr. King, and W.E.B. DuBois, urging us to stop believing our heroes are “larger than life.” Her premise is that…
Traveling Without Kids
Much has been said about the logistics of traveling with children. Very little–perhaps nothing–has been said about what it’s like to travel as a child-free individual or couple. I’d like to open this discussion. Having children in tow presents some constraints over things like where you choose to spend the night, the activities you plan, where…
5 “Beertastic” Off the Beaten Path Day Trips from Vancouver
Summer’s pretty much here. It’s time to play! For us, that means following fresh air and exercise with a pint of something tasty. There are few places you can combine outdoors activities with a local brewpub as easily as Vancouver. The variety of things you can do outside the city–even using public transport–is astounding. Everyone knows…
The Best Way to Overcome Writer’s Block? Stop Believing In It.
The other day, I heard a guy complaining that he had writer’s block, and I wanted to tell him, “That’s impossible! Writer’s block isn’t real.” Then I realized, it would be like breaking the news about Santa Claus to someone else’s kid. Who am I to mess with the religious convictions of strangers? So I’m going to let…
Makan Malay Part I: Tempeh
Unless you’re Indonesian or Malay, you might think only vegans and health nuts eat tempeh. That would be sad. Tempeh is not supposed to be some overpriced block of hippie meat. It’s a traditional and tasty ingredient used in Malay and Indonesian cooking. Tempeh and tofu are both fermented soybean products but they differ in significant ways: Tofu is made from…
The Secret to Traveling the World (It’s Not What You Think)
When I first considered living nomadically, my vision was to stay in each place for six months or a year. But it just never worked out like that for Josh and me. Visas always seem to come in the way of staying a long time, especially in the Schengen zone. Sometimes we end up not liking…
Travel Bug is Genetic: A Case Study [Happy Mother’s Day!]
This post was inspired in part by this blog post about traveling with mom. My mom has a serious case of travel bug, and she passed on the affliction to her daughter. I believe it was fate. My mom has two brothers and one sister. They all have Parsi names: Piloo, Adi, and Soli. They all…
12 Rules to Live By: My Desiderata
(All rules subject to change without notice) Be Mindful – Pay attention to the air coming in and out of your nostrils. Smile–now! Take responsibility for your thoughts, which create emotions. Learn to control your mind, and you will have a lot more control over other things in your life. Enjoy Your Body – You…
Love and Barley 