If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
With winter upon us in the northern hemisphere, it's time to warm up with some of our favorite hotel hearths. Because whether you're high in the Alps or at the heart of a city, there's nothing quite like sitting by the fire.
In retrospect, the officer's silence was a way of acknowledging that a young man had demonstrated a commitment to upholding his word. Perhaps the universe shined favorably upon me, too, for helping a fellow denizen of the planet.
My friends are starting to ask me about the marks, the red nose and ears, the dry, red frostbitten hands. They're beginning to suspect something; that perhaps you're not the wintery wonderland you started out as.
While there are more terrible books being published than ever, some writers continue to offer us novels reminding us why the written word -- when used with grace, wit, wisdom, and fierce intelligence -- matters.
I grew up in the Midwest, born in Chicago, raised on the Southwest Side. We have four seasons. That's true for a lot of people, from a lot of places. Any generation, from any region accustomed to cold and snow in winter, has their own legendary storms.
Horse riding might seem like an activity best suited to grassy ranchlands and deserted beaches, but Norway's native fjord horses are well equipped to deal with the cold.
The best thing about staying in a self-catered condo or lodge on the slopes is that you can accommodate your own appetites and bio-rhythms.
Any time we're in the kitchen, we're usually chopping onions for something: as the base for a soup, to perk up a salad, to darken for a braise, to melt into a stew.
I recently remembered how much I liked winter when I was a kid. Although I first recalled the clothes, it wasn't about fashion. Everyone played outside. All you needed was warm, durable clothing that allowed relatively free movement. If you stayed active, you stayed warm.
I'm happy President Obama came through during his inaugural address, saying "we will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations." But let's make sure President Obama keeps his promise.
It's January, and so far in Chicago we've had a relatively mild winter. There has been almost no snow. Yet I have grown to hate winter as the years go by, and I still can't wait for it to be over.
I hate winter, and not just because it's cold. I hate it because there are limited things to do with my daughter -- and they tend to be expensive. Luckily, in my search for cheaper options, I've unearthed a ton of ideas that cost nothing at all!
There are few things as lovable -- as comforting, as forgiving, as deeply soul- and body-satisfying -- as chili in the winter.
