What is it about traveling that causes people, even those with good taste, to submit to their tacky side and buy the ugliest, oddest trinkets from some unabashed tourist trap, like a shot glass made from a cow's hoof found in Colombia? Colombia's not the only guilty party. Traveling through Italy? Be sure to pick up a key chain with a small bust of… Read More >>

My friend Phoebe took off this summer to film some sort of road trip reality show—all she knew when she showed up in L.A. was that it would involve food. It turned out she'd be competing on a new show called Chef Race. She and a team of American chefs faced off against a team of British chefs, making their way across the country with no credit cards, no cars, no… Read More >>

Last week I ate the most delicious breakfast in recent memory, and get this: It came from a truck. The food cart scene has blown up all over the country, from Austin, Texas to Kansas City, Missouri, from Boston to Los Angeles, spurring Twitter followers to stalk their favorite trucks and inspiring more than a few reality shows. For a sampling of the best meals on… Read More >>

October is always an exciting time for us avid Supreme Court watchers as we look ahead to months of intense legal arguments and, ultimately, hugely important decisions. Less than two weeks into its new session, the court is taking on affirmative actionin a case that could profoundly alter the way college admissions work in the U.S. It is hearing arguments today in Fisher… Read More >>

If artist Jacqueline Lou Skaggs’ goals were to save money and paint more often, she successfully achieved both: Her new collection features twelve images painted on found pennies—proving that you don't need pricey canvases when you can find painting materials in between the couch cushions. Skaggs uses oil paint to create images of butterflies, fruit bowls… Read More >>

Does your furry friend need a diet? Chances are, yes: More than half of dogs and cats are overweight and 20 percent are obese, according to this Atlantic article. But the good news is that six months of healthy eating and exercise for your pooch or kitty can make a big difference: Just look at these before-and-after photosfrom the Pet Fit Club, a program run by the PDSA, a British vet charity… Read More >>

Meet Linus, federal agent. He's also a 6-year-old beagle. Last night's NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams ran a special report on Beagle Brigades, adorable teams of rescue beagles that assist the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol by sniffing out illegal plants and fruits at airports. The segment follows Linus, who patrols Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta… Read More >>

Not long ago, we were alerted to the growing zombie problem by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's  Zombie Preparedness website. This is good for those of us who live in fear of the impending zombie apocalypse—and, let's face it, who doesn't?—but what about the poor zombies themselves? Who's thinking of their needs in these trying times? Well, Canada's  Heart &…has them covered… Read More >>

By now, many have heard about and debated New York City's Soda Ban. Regardless of how you feel about that decision, here's a move that I think is worth toasting: The American Beverage Association (representing Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc. and Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc, among others) has announcedthat starting in 2013, it will begin posting calorie counts on the buttons of vending machines… Read More >>

With Halloween season well underway, it's time to give some props to good old-fashioned ghosts, who've been sorely neglected amid all the vampires and zombies devouring the popular imagination. Yes, AMC's zombielicious  series The Walking Dead returns  on Sunday, and I've already DVR'd it, but I don't think you can top a classic haunting courtesy of O. Henry, Mark…

The Big Book of Ghost Stories, a doorstopper edited by Otto Penzler, brings together all those authors—and many more—for a total of 75 supernatural tales. Haunted mansions?  Check. Lovers from beyond the grave? Check. Playful poltergeists?  Check, check, check, complete with delightful illustrations. My favorite opener is by the late mystery writer Donald E. Westlake: "It's hard…

So let the kids get giddy on candy corn and Snickers minis: This is a treat for adults. (And if you consume it with a pound of corn-syrup-sugar -bombs, we won't tell a soul.)