- mondayThis is a bright yet filling pasta dish that will get you out of the kitchen in the time it take you to boil the pasta.
Read More » - Tuesday
Baked chicken wrapped in breadcrumbs immediately conjures up memories of the dry, bland versions I used to endure as a kid. This recipe is anything but dry or bland.
Read More » - wednesdayWe've turned to some of our favorite restaurant trends to give standbys like meatloaf and mac and cheese a cool new dose of flavor.
Read More » - Thursday
Whip up one of these recipes tonight and enjoy a delicious meal free of mystery ingredients.
Read More » - friday
Conjure up a leather booth, mix a martini or a Manhattan, and tuck into this classic steakhouse menu: iceberg wedges with creamy blue cheese, crisp home fries, creamed spinach, and a perfectly-seared steak topped with a velvety horseradish sauce.
Read More » - Saturday
Fish tacos are popular in many of Mexico's coastal regions. This tasty tostada variation will show you why. Fresh, affordable tilapia fillets are seasoned with chili powder, before being broiled, then mounded atop tostada shells, along with avocado, tomato, and shredded cabbage. A chili, garlic, and lime flavored sour cream is drizzed atop the tostada, pulling all the flavors together. Serve these as part of a Mexican buffet, or as a light, healthy dinner entree.
Read More »
Monday, April 30, 2012
Dinner For The Week
Monday, April 23, 2012
Most Expensive Homes In USA
America's most expensive homes for sale, 2012
April 20, 2012
Provided by:
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| Fleur de Lys Mansion in Los Angeles is America's most expensive residential listing at $125 million. Photo: Forbes.com |
It’s difficult to decide where to look first when stepping out of the private elevator that leads into shoe heiress-turned-songwriter Denise Rich’s New York City penthouse apartment. A multimillion dollar art collection that includes an Andy Warhol painting of Marilyn Monroe and a Roy Lichtenstein sculpture grace the grand parlor, while the floor-to-ceiling windows offer surreal views of Central Park below.
Occupying the top two floors of Fifth Avenue’s white-glove Parc Cinq cooperative, the 12,000-square foot penthouse boasts seven bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, three kitchens, a wood-paneled library with wet bar and staff quarters. The master bedroom suite has a movie projector, a fireplace, and his-and-hers bathroom suites. The huge “hers” closet has jewelry safes tucked behind mirrors and a wall equipped for shoes that opens to expose a second hidden space storing more Manolo Blahniks. On the lower level lies an air-conditioned recording studio bedecked with platinum albums and pictures of Jessica Simpson and Mary J. Blige. There’s a private rooftop garden and once for a party, the wraparound terraces were iced over for skating.
To compile our list of the most expensive homes on the market in America right now, we sorted through listings on Realtor.com, Sotheby’s International Realty, the Corcoran Group, Christie’s International Real Estate (and its affiliates), Coldwell Banker Previews International and others. By sticking to MLS listings we may be missing out on some mega-mansions: Some ultra-expensive homes never officially hit the market — their owners choose to shop quietly for wealthy buyers through well-connected brokers.
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| The One57 Penthouses list for $115 million and $105 million with views of Central Park. Photo: One57 |
While the $65 million Denise Rich is asking for her pad may seem steep, compared to luxury condos in the Big Apple, which lack restrictions notoriously associated with co-ops, it’s somewhat of a deal. Nearby on the south side of Central Park, a grand ballroom-turned-penthouse condo at the Ritz Carlton is listed for $77.5 million. The 10,882-square-foot apartment includes four bedrooms, a library, a media room, a museum-quality display room and terraces overlooking the park. It’s the personal residence of Christopher Jeffries of Millennium Partners, the real estate developer who converted part of the Ritz to condos.
Both apartments came to market shortly after former Citigroup chairman Sanford Weill’s 15 Central Park West penthouse sold to Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev for $88 million, a record for a condo, raising the confidence of high-end home sellers and developers.
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| The former Beverly Hills estate of William Randolph Hearst is listed for $95 million. Photo: Hilton & Hyland | L.M. Ross |
“That has had an immediate effect on the value of other very high-end condos in the area,” says Hall Willkie, president of Brown Harris Stevens. His firm represented the Weills in that deal and currently represents Jeffries’ apartment as well as the $90 million Woolworth Mansion on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. He says several trophy apartments listed by the firm are enjoying bidding wars right now.
Luxury real estate agents in Palm Beach, Fla., are hoping that the upturn in New York means better times are on the way for them. “It’s just a matter of time until New York’s robust home buying trickles into Palm Beach since this is the secondary market for those buyers,” asserts Kathleen Coumou, a senior vice president at Christie’s International Real Estate.
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| The Woolworth Mansion in NYC lists for $90 million and includes 20,000-square-feet of space. Photo: Brown Harris Stevens |
In Los Angeles, uber-expensive mansions abound. And opulence atop more than an acre of land will really cost you. Take Fleur de Lys, the 4-acre, 35,000-square foot faux French chateaux down the street in Holmby Hills from the Manor (the home formerly known as America’s most expensive for sale) is the most expensive on the West Coast, with an asking price of $125 million. Owned by Suzanne Saperstein, the ex-wife of former billionaire David Saperstein, the extravagant palace boasts 12 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, a ballroom that fits 200 guests, two kitchens, a 50-seat theater, a 9-car garage – even a three-quarter-mile jogging track.
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| Rancho Dos Pueblos in Santa Barbara, CA lists for $84 million and includes 2,175 acres of property. Photo: Realtor.com |
But is it worth $125 million? With the exception of the Beverly House, the bankruptcy-addled William Randolph Hearst estate that’s listed for $95 million, it certainly out-prices its local competition, which includes four Los Angeles County spreads priced between $50 million and $65 million.
Many pricey properties on our list used to have higher price tags. Versailles, a humongous 90,000-square foot, unfinished Windermere, Fla., estate fashioned after the palace of Versailles, was listed for $100 million upon completion, but it now can be had for $65 million as is, or two-thirds complete, or $90 million finished. In some cases, pricey properties of years past have simply vanished from the sale block, with their owners perhaps waiting for a more opportune time to sell.
Click here to see more pictures of America's Most Expensive Homes
Best Doughnuts
America's Best Doughnuts
By Food & Wine Staff | Food & Wine (New) – Fri, Apr 13, 2012 5:57 PM EDTMORE AT FOODANDWINE.COM
The Doughnut Vault (Photo: Triphena Wong)The Doughnut Vault; Chicago, ILGilt Bar owner Brendan Sodikoff started selling big, fresh doughnuts out of a brick storefront in the spring of 2011, and lines continue from early morning until the handful of flavors sell out. Outside, there’s a communal table for enjoying old-fashioned, chocolate-glazed and sometimes pistachio-covered rings, with $1 cups of coffee.
Betty Ann Food Shop (Photo: Darren Gersh)Betty Ann Food Shop; Boston, MAThis East Boston bakery, which has been around since 1931, specializes in classic sugar-rolled doughnuts, including a hefty cake option and rustic jelly-filled balls of fried dough. 565 Bennington Street.
Doughnut Plant (Photo: Sarah Lemoncelli)Doughnut Plant; New York, NYAt his new Chelsea location, Lower East Side doughnut pioneer Mark Israel masterminded a glazed oatmeal cake doughnut, sprinkled with the usual granola suspects like dried fruit bits, oats and seeds. doughnutplant.com.
Dynamo Donuts (Photo: Dynamo Donuts)Dynamo Donuts; San Francisco, CAOwner Sara Spearin’s menu changes all the time, with inspired flavors like lemon-pistachio and “banana de leche,” filled with caramel-coated fruit. The bacon-maple doughnut, with smoky sautéed apples, is now available every day. dynamodonut.com.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Apocalypse Now
Apocalypse now (or later)
By Kelly O'Mara | Yahoo! Travel – Wed, Apr 18, 2012 7:18 PM EDT
Where will you be during the end of the world? If you happen to believe that the Mayans got it right and the end is coming soon – on Dec. 21, 2012, to be exact – then visiting ancient Mayan sites probably seems like a great (and appropriate) way to spend your last days. And, if you don’t think Dec. 21 is going to be the big day, then Central America is still a pretty nice vacation spot, with the bonus of sticking around to see Dec. 22.
Tourists camp overnight at Caracol for the Spring Equinox. (Photo: Courtesty of Caracol 2012 Belize)At least that’s the theory behind Mundo Maya 2012 – a joint effort of Mexico, Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to boost tourism by capitalizing on doomsday predictions. When the effort kicked off at the end of 2011, Mexico’s Secretary of Tourism predicted that the country would see 52 million visitors during this “Year of the Maya.”
While the focus of Mundo Maya 2012 is the cultural significance of the Mayan region, that hasn’t stopped the group from using the sly tagline: “The countdown has begun.”
Belize, itself, opted for the more upbeat: “Where will you be when the world begins anew?”
Because, according to scholars, not even the Mayans really thought the world would end on Dec. 21, 2012. It simply begins again.
The winter solstice on Dec. 21, 2012 marks the end of the 13th Bak’tun, or cycle, in the Mayan calendar. A bak’tun runs about 400 years, but the 13th one is particularly special as it marks the last cycle in the “long-count” calendar after 5,123 years. All that means, say experts, is that a new long-count calendar starts over at year one.
Tulum ruin in the state of Quintana Roo in southern Mexico (Photo: Courtesy of Mundo Maya 2012)“Just as the calendar you have on your kitchen wall does not cease to exist after Dec. 31, the Mayan calendar does not cease to exist on Dec. 21, 2012,” says the NASA website on frequently asked questions.
NASA even goes so far as to promise, “Nothing bad will happen to the Earth in 2012.”
The Mundo Maya (The Mayan World) is certainly hoping nothing bad happens – or it’ll ruin all the big plans they have in celebration of the year. Enticements for tourists range from a mass wedding on Dec. 12 (12-12-12) at the Cahal Pech Mayan site in Belize to a newly-built Palace of Mayan Civilization at the Chichen Itza site on the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico.
Travel companies and hotels are cashing in on the frenzy by offering trips like the Maya End of World package at Hamanasi Adventure and Dive resort. For $1,850, the Maya End of the World package gets you seven nights, a dinner with a genuine Mayan family, a trip to a secret Mayan waterfall site, and a “special Mayan gift!”
Although some of the doomsday tourism may seem misguided, government officials, Mayan scholars, and archeologists think that the increased interest offers a chance to show off their culture and country
“It does bring more attention to the sites and to the ancient Maya culture as a whole,” said Toni Beardall, a research assistant at the Belize Institute of Archeology.
The institute is spearheading four first-of-their-kind overnight trips at the largest Mayan site, Caracol. Caracol at one point (around 640 A.D.) housed 140,000 people and is larger than modern-day Belize City.
On the seasonal equinoxes and solstices, June 20-21, Sept. 20-21, and Dec. 20-21, 100 visitors can camp out at Caracol, participate in a fire ceremony performed by Mayan shamans to welcome the rising sun, and get a tour of the massive Mayan site with prominent Belize archaeologist, Dr. Jaime Awe – all for just $150 USD.
Now, that’s a deal for the end of the world.
Tourists camp overnight at Caracol for the Spring Equinox. (Photo: Courtesty of Caracol 2012 Belize)At least that’s the theory behind Mundo Maya 2012 – a joint effort of Mexico, Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to boost tourism by capitalizing on doomsday predictions. When the effort kicked off at the end of 2011, Mexico’s Secretary of Tourism predicted that the country would see 52 million visitors during this “Year of the Maya.”While the focus of Mundo Maya 2012 is the cultural significance of the Mayan region, that hasn’t stopped the group from using the sly tagline: “The countdown has begun.”
Belize, itself, opted for the more upbeat: “Where will you be when the world begins anew?”
Because, according to scholars, not even the Mayans really thought the world would end on Dec. 21, 2012. It simply begins again.
The winter solstice on Dec. 21, 2012 marks the end of the 13th Bak’tun, or cycle, in the Mayan calendar. A bak’tun runs about 400 years, but the 13th one is particularly special as it marks the last cycle in the “long-count” calendar after 5,123 years. All that means, say experts, is that a new long-count calendar starts over at year one.
Tulum ruin in the state of Quintana Roo in southern Mexico (Photo: Courtesy of Mundo Maya 2012)“Just as the calendar you have on your kitchen wall does not cease to exist after Dec. 31, the Mayan calendar does not cease to exist on Dec. 21, 2012,” says the NASA website on frequently asked questions.NASA even goes so far as to promise, “Nothing bad will happen to the Earth in 2012.”
The Mundo Maya (The Mayan World) is certainly hoping nothing bad happens – or it’ll ruin all the big plans they have in celebration of the year. Enticements for tourists range from a mass wedding on Dec. 12 (12-12-12) at the Cahal Pech Mayan site in Belize to a newly-built Palace of Mayan Civilization at the Chichen Itza site on the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico.
Travel companies and hotels are cashing in on the frenzy by offering trips like the Maya End of World package at Hamanasi Adventure and Dive resort. For $1,850, the Maya End of the World package gets you seven nights, a dinner with a genuine Mayan family, a trip to a secret Mayan waterfall site, and a “special Mayan gift!”
Although some of the doomsday tourism may seem misguided, government officials, Mayan scholars, and archeologists think that the increased interest offers a chance to show off their culture and country
“It does bring more attention to the sites and to the ancient Maya culture as a whole,” said Toni Beardall, a research assistant at the Belize Institute of Archeology.
The institute is spearheading four first-of-their-kind overnight trips at the largest Mayan site, Caracol. Caracol at one point (around 640 A.D.) housed 140,000 people and is larger than modern-day Belize City.
On the seasonal equinoxes and solstices, June 20-21, Sept. 20-21, and Dec. 20-21, 100 visitors can camp out at Caracol, participate in a fire ceremony performed by Mayan shamans to welcome the rising sun, and get a tour of the massive Mayan site with prominent Belize archaeologist, Dr. Jaime Awe – all for just $150 USD.
Now, that’s a deal for the end of the world.
(Photo: Courtesy of Mundo Maya 2012)Thursday, April 19, 2012
Best Restaurant Designs
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Best new restaurant designs
By Andrew Sessa | Architectural Digest – Tue, Apr 17, 2012 2:09 PM EDT
Twenty Five Lusk (Photo: Courtesy of Twenty Five Lusk)MORE FROM ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST
The past year and a half has seen an impressive new crop of high-design restaurants that demonstrate as much innovation and flair in their architecture and decor as they do in their cuisine. From a sushi mecca in Mexico City that’s wrapped in a laser-cut-steel pavilion to a Michelin-starred monochromatic tour de force at Paris’ Mandarin Oriental hotel to a healthful restaurant in Tokyo’s Ginza whose rustic-mod interiors pay homage to a remote Chinese village, Architectural Digest selected a dozen notable newcomers. All of these spots are, in very distinctive ways, elevating the experience of dining out—in some cases, way out.
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Twenty Five Lusk, San Francisco
The Look: Located in a 1917 smokehouse in the city’s South of Market district, this expansive two-story spot was designed by local architect Cass Calder Smith. Retaining the original structure’s timber beams and exposed brick walls, Smith introduced contemporary elements such as oblong-shaped, stainless-steel “fire orbs” that are suspended from the 20-foot ceilings and sleek, cantilevered Macassar ebony tables.
The Food: Chef Matthew Dolan’s New American menus exploit Bay Area bounty in dishes like grilled Louisiana prawns with Japanese-pepper grits and yellowtail sashimi with salmon caviar and horseradish sorbet.
Click here for more of the best new restaurant designs.
Booking Cheap Airfare
8 Insider Secrets to Booking Cheap Airfare
By Daniel Bortz | U.S. News – 58 minutes ago
(Photo: Getty Images)Travel plans are calling for more belt-tightening than usual these days, making budget vacations extremely desirable. But such trips aren't possible if you pay too much for airfare. And unless you know where to look, finding affordable flights can be a huge hassle. "For the airlines, it's about getting you to pay the most you're willing to pay, which is the opposite of what the consumer wants," says Joe Brancatelli, publisher of the travel website JoeSentMe.com. On a single flight, he adds, there can be more than a dozen pricing categories. "On a 150-seat plane, there could be 50 different prices," he says.With summer right around the corner, U.S. News spoke to Brancatelli and other travel industry experts about the best ways to stretch your travel budget. Here are eight insider secrets to booking cheap airfare:
Book six weeks in advance. Passengers pay the lowest price, nearly 6 percent below the average fare, if they buy six weeks before their flight, according to a study by the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC). After compiling data from every U.S. travel agency over the last four years, it determined that most people booked the cheapest airline tickets 42 days in advance. But the six-week rule isn't necessarily a surefire strategy for snagging the cheapest fare. "This is just a trend," explains Chuck Thackston, ARC's managing director of data and analytics. "Airlines will make valuable deals available all the time. But, on average, we see this 42-day approach works."
Scan for morning deals. Airlines only post a limited number of seats at a reduced fare at night, so Thackston advises snagging seats early. "Those tickets may sell out later in the day," he says. The early morning is the time you'll see most of these deals available, although a few airlines release discounted tickets throughout the day.
Best time to buy: Tuesdays at 3 p.m. Eastern. If you don't find the discounts you're looking for in the early morning, a study by Farecompare.com says the best time to buy airline tickets and shop for travel (domestically) is on Tuesday at 3 p.m. Eastern. However, George Hobia, founder of AirfareWatchdog.com, argues that the best deals vary frequently, so there's not one specific day or time of the week to buy.
Cheapest day to fly: Wednesday. According to a recent Farecompare.com study, the cheapest day to fly is Wednesday for domestic travel. "The day with the most seats is likely to have better supply, and thus ... more empty seats that require discounting to fill the plane—meaning they have to release more seats at their cheapest price point," according to the website. Other low-cost days to fly are Tuesday and Saturday, says Farecompare (Friday and Sunday are the most expensive days to travel).
Fly out early. The cheapest flight is typically the first flight of the morning. "Yes, that means you have to get up at 4 a.m.," says Rick Seaney, chief executive of Farecompare.com. The next-cheapest flight times are during or after lunch or at the dinner hour. "Of course, the absolute cheapest time to fly is on those limited routes with red-eyes," he says.
Check low-cost airlines individually. Comparison sites like kayak.com don't necessarily do all the work for you. Some low-cost airlines, like Southwest in the United States and Ryanair in Europe, don't allow their tickets to be quoted on popular comparison websites, says Seaney. So be sure to check them separately. And do your homework to make sure the so-called "low cost" airline doesn't tack on extra fees that drive up the cost, like a bloated baggage-check charge, which Seaney says is a tactic employed by some of the budget airlines.
Sign up for free alerts on AirfareWatchdog.com. Almost every major online booking site offers airfare alerts that ping you when fare prices fall. AirfareWatchdog.com stands out from the pack by using people to vet deals rather than computer systems. "We only send updates when we think we've found a good deal, whereas other sites might update you when a flight drops $2," says founder George Hobia.
Build a relationship. "The question isn't how much is it to fly from here to there, the question is, 'Who's asking?'" Brancatelli says. If you're an elite member of the airline's frequent-flyer program or if you have a credit card that's tied to the airline, you automatically have a leg-up on other travelers. "The more the airline knows you, the more it tailors its pricing to you," Brancatelli explains. Credit cards tied to the airlines now offer perks that were once standard, such as free checked bags, priority boarding, and seat selection, so they may be worth signing up for if you fly frequently on one airline.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Cities For Hipsters
America's best cities for hipsters
By Katrina Brown Hunt | Travel+Leisure – Wed, Apr 11, 2012 3:59 PM EDT
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MORE FROM TRAVEL + LEISURE
Seattle got some serious competition from the craft-beer-loving, food-truck-dining, and notoriously mustachioed Portland, Ore. But the Pacific Northwest isn’t the only haven for hipsters. Read on for more.
No. 1 Seattle
These northwesterners prove that a key to hipsterness is being ahead of the curve: they won the survey for their smarts, tech savvy, and high-octane coffee. As a result, the geek chic may be a little more buttoned-down here than in other cities. Look for representatives in the up-and-coming South Lake Union area, near downtown, or in former Scandinavian neighborhood Ballard, site of some of the city’s hottest restaurants, such as oyster bar The Walrus and the Carpenter.
No. 2 Portland, Ore.
Portland, Ore. (Photo: iStock)They’re audaciously quirky, and they boast great beer, creative street food, and bicycle enthusiasts to back it up. In the North Williams area, you can experience several levels of Portland’s unique hipster zeitgeist: buying vintage clothing inside a double-decker bus at Lodekka; playing shuffleboard in the unmarked bar Vendetta; or pedaling on the stationary bikes that actually generate electricity for organic micropub Hopworks BikeBar.
No. 3 San Francisco
San Francisco (Photo: iStock)Hippies, part of another subculture movement, blossomed here during the flower power years of the 1960s. The tech age has certainly morphed the city’s hip denizens, who exist in pockets all over the Bay Area, such as the Mission District and South of Market, known as SOMA. San Francisco also ranked near the top of the survey for its fine dining and its diverse population—and for being easy to explore without a car.
No. 4 New Orleans
New Orleans (Photo: iStock)The Crescent City has a legendary café culture and a rich music and arts scene. The newest version of hipster bohemians are found in the Marigny area, a historic neighborhood with colorful architecture and good spots to sample the city’s top-ranking bar scene, such as the Hi-Ho Lounge and Mimi’s in the Marigny. To dress the part—and see why the city ranked near the top for both indie boutiques and flea markets—check out the local vintage shops, such as the Revival Outpost on Magazine Street.
No. 5 Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine (Photo: iStock)These Maine folks have great palates for both food and beverages, winning fifth place for their coffee and the bronze medal for microbrews—like those found at Shipyard, Allagash, and Gritty’s. For caffeinated hipster-watching, go to Coffee by Design, which first opened on the once-seedy, and now thriving, Congress Street, where you can sip the same java made for local foodie magnet Fore Street restaurant.
No. 6 Providence, R.I.
Providence, R.I. (Photo: iStock)This academia-rich New England city has a concentrated mix of artists and nerds, scoring high in the survey for its performance art and cafés. The artsy nerve center these days may be the downtown, multiuse space AS220, which boasts of stimulating Rhode Island’s “cultural mulch” through shows, a restaurant, a coffee bar, and a meeting space for the tech group Providence Geeks.
No. 7 Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas (Photo: iStock)The Texas capital has long been a hotbed for live music as well as offbeat types, but the trendsetting locals also scored big points for being tech fluent. The most cutting-edge part of town these days is East Austin, which is bustling with art galleries such as Okay Mountain and bars such as The Liberty, which offers both a beer garden and one of the city’s most lauded food trucks, the Asian-fusion-style East Side King.
No. 8 San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico (Photo: iStock)The balmy island city may not be the first to conjure images of skinny-jeaned hipsters, but it does have the hottest dining scene in the Caribbean, and its locals rank in the top 10 for being tech savvy. Perhaps ironically, the trendiest scene is found in Old Town (particularly in the area south of Calle Fortaleza, known as SoFo), where you can taste how the city ranked so well for ethnic cuisine, cafés, and street food. The city also scores highly for one key element of hip living: cool flea markets.
No. 9 Philadelphia
Philadelphia (Photo: iStock)Fishtown, just north of Center City, is one hipster magnet, drawing folks to quirky venues like the combined bar-and-art-gallery Kung Fu Necktie. For the best of the city’s microbrews and java, check out Ultimo Coffee in Point Breeze, which operates in conjunction with “beer boutique” Brew. Hipsters in Philadelphia still have a deep appreciation for old-fashioned diversions: the city ranks highly for its theater and classical music.
No. 10 Denver
Denver (Photo: iStock)When they’re not mountain biking, hiking, or otherwise living up to their outdoorsy, athletic reputation, these trendy Coloradans gather in the Highlands neighborhood, just west of downtown—perhaps browsing the Urbanistic Tea and Bike shop, or Wild Yarns, which caters to a new breed of knitters. Denver’s biggest claim to hipdom, however, may be its No. 1 ranking for cool microbrews, found at spots such as Wynkoop Brewing Company. If you want a retro cocktail instead, check out the Lower Highlands’ 1920s speakeasy-style Williams & Graham, which serves the hard stuff over hand-cut ice cubes.
See more of America’s Best Cities for Hipsters
Retire Overseas
The Best Place to Retire Overseas on a Budget
By Kathleen Peddicord | U.S.News & World Report LP – 23 hours ago
Cuenca is a beautiful colonial city in an interesting and diverse country. The health care is high quality, honest, and inexpensive. The climate is spring-like and pleasant 12 months of the year. And Cuenca's large and growing expat community is one of Latin America's most diverse and well-blended.
There are other colonial cities in Ecuador, but Cuenca is the cultural heart of the country. In this center of art and literature, you can attend the orchestra, a play, a tango show, or an art opening, and these activities are usually free.
Cuenca is also a popular destination for international tourists and language students, offering many super-affordable options to study Spanish. The tourists and students bring vitality to the city and help support Cuenca's developed infrastructure for amenities and services.
However, perhaps the biggest draw to Cuenca is its cost of living, which is extremely low, especially considering the quality of life that you find here. The falling dollar has caused prices to go up sharply for overseas retirees whose retirement incomes are denominated in U.S. dollars, but who are living in places where goods are priced in the local currency. But this exchange-rate concern does not exist in Cuenca, because Ecuador uses the U.S. dollar.
The $1 fixed-price lunch is still alive and well in Cuenca (although $2.50 is more common), and the city is awash with fresh tropical fruits and vegetables for pennies on the dollar. Fresh fish and shrimp arrive daily from the coast, and much of the local poultry is free-range. A bus trip through the city is a quarter, taxis start at about $1.50, and gas is only $1.48 per gallon.
You could rent a furnished apartment for as little as $400 per month, an unfurnished apartment from $300 per month, or buy a small condo outright for less than $40,000. Thanks to the comfortable year-round climate in Cuenca, you won't have to worry about heat or air conditioning, which is another important reason why retirement in this city is as affordable as it is.
Cuenca is very walkable and boasts an excellent public transit system, as does all of Ecuador. You could live easily without a car, which shaves even more costs from your monthly budget.
All that said, Cuenca is not the most affordable place to live in Ecuador. In small towns like Cotacachi or Vilcabamba, you could retire on an even more modest budget of as little as $650 or $700 a month. But the cost of living isn't the only factor you should consider when choosing a retirement spot. You want to balance the cost of your retirement against the quality of retirement life you'll be able to enjoy. Part of the reason the overall cost of living in places like Cotacachi is so low is because there's simply not much to do, meaning there's not much to spend money on. You could live quite frugally in Cotacachi, but also very simply.
Cuenca, on the other hand, is a fully developed city, where you could enjoy a rich and full life. To be able to enjoy all that the city has to offer, plan on a budget of $1,500 a month per couple if you're renting and $1,100 per month if you own your home. You could certainly live here for less, but these estimates will allow you to make the most of your new life in Cuenca.
Kathleen Peddicord is the founder of the Live and Invest Overseas publishing group. With more than 25 years experience covering this beat, Kathleen reports daily on current opportunities for living, retiring, and investing overseas in her free e-letter. Her book, How To Retire Overseas--Everything You Need To Know To Live Well Abroad For Less, was recently released by Penguin Books.
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Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Why We Hate Flying
10 Most Frustrating Air Travel Rules & Regulations
By Jennifer Paull | Inc – Wed, Apr 11, 2012 11:00 AM EDT
Some air travel rules come across as confusing, frustrating, or even worthy of a Liz Lemon-style meltdown. Here are ten edicts that raise eyebrows and blood pressures.
In January 2012, the Department of Transportation launched several airline regulations with a strong consumer-protection bent. Passengers heaved a sigh of relief, as the new parameters require airlines to limit tarmac delays and to quickly notify travelers of schedule changes or flight cancellations. Still, some air travel rules come across as confusing, frustrating, or even worthy of a Liz Lemon–style meltdown. Here are ten edicts that raise eyebrows and blood pressures.1. The Federal Aviation Administration still bans the use of electronic devices, including e-readers and smartphones, during takeoff and landing. Switching iPads or smartphones to "airplane mode" doesn’t fly, even though their frequencies don’t interfere with a plane's signals. Crews want them stowed; Beth Blair, a writer and flight attendant, explains, “little devices can turn into projectiles if something goes wrong.” But wouldn’t you rather be hit by a Kindle than, say, a Freedom hardcover? There’s a glimmer of hope that this rule may change, though. In March, the FAA indicated that it plans safety tests for some personal electronic devices, including e-readers and tablets but not cell phones or smartphones."
2. Despite tantalizing rumors that travelers would soon be able to keep their shoes on at security checkpoints, you still have to shuck off your footwear for scanning. Unless, that is, you've hit your 75th birthday or are eligible for PreCheck. In March, the Transportation Security Administration started testing modified security checks for people age 75 and up, letting them keep on shoes and lightweight jackets and sweaters. Other fliers, meanwhile, can sail through security with their shoes on and laptops and liquids in their bags, if they've been accepted to the PreCheck program either as an elite mileage member or by shelling out for government-approved enrollment.
3. The TSA’s 3-1-1 rule dictates that not only must liquids, gels, and aerosols measure 3.4 ounces (100ml) or less to pass security, their containers must also fit those petite dimensions. If you have a larger container with just an ounce of liquid inside, it can get discarded. Snacks often fall prey to this policy; even cupcakes have been jettisoned for questionable amounts of frosting.
4. Gel shoe inserts are not allowed through security—but you can wear a gel-filled bra through the scanner. According to Daniel Feldman of Profoot, most shoe inserts include 200 grams total of resin or polyurethane gel. By comparison, some bras plump up with similar amounts of silicone. So while you might make like Charlize Theron and strap nearly half a pound of silicone to your chest, you’ll need foam, not gel, for your feet.
5. With the DOT’s new rules in place, domestic flights have a three-hour tarmac delay limit. If you’re stuck on the ground, the crew must legally provide water, food, and bathroom and medical-care access. But whether you can actually get out of your seat remains up to the captains. They decide whether it’s safe enough to move around the cabin, so you might still find yourself buckled in for the duration.
6. The TSA’s Secure Flight requirements crack down on any discrepancy between the name on your boarding pass and on your government-issued ID. If a boarding pass skips your middle name, for instance, or abbreviates your first name, airline or TSA staff may pull you aside to fill out certification of identity forms and go through extra security screenings. Debuting a newlywed family name? Better have a copy of your marriage license handy.
7. Airlines are enforcing carry-on weight limits, even if bags are within the required size. Each airline sets its own limit; some are as low as 15 pounds. George Hobica of Airfarewatchdog.com sees agents using luggage scales at boarding gates. Heavy bags will be checked, so passengers risk being separated from valuables and necessary personal items. "It can be very fraught," Hobica says, "you really have to check."
8. If you’re bringing back a snow globe for Great-Aunt Zelda or Nephew Charlie, be sure to pack it in your checked luggage. No matter how small, those innocent-looking souvenirs are still on the TSA’s list of potentially dangerous carry-on items. Even if the snow globe is in its original packaging with documentation, it will get confiscated.
9. Sports equipment protocol is a bit of a riddle wrapped in an enigma inside a golf bag. Ski poles, golf clubs, pool cues, and lacrosse sticks must be checked. On the other hand, you are allowed to carry on hand weights and ice skates…despite the skates’ blades. Golfers should be especially careful to clean their equipment, since a bomb-sniffing dog might pick up fertilizer traces from a green.
10. Reward mileage programs are notoriously shifting sands, but Delta’s SkyMiles set a stringent new penalty standard. As of August 2011, SkyMiles members who change or cancel an awards flight within 72 hours or less of departure forfeit that award. The ticket is nonrefundable and nontransferable in that last-minute timeframe.
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