The global Covid-19 pandemic has been altering our lives in profound ways, from the way children are learning to how people are shopping. One such change has been a rise in alcohol sales in…
Many of the foods we eat are named after various cities or countries around the world — English muffins, French toast, crab Rangoon, pad Thai, Polish sausage, Peking duck, and so on. Scholars call…
Owning a second home, whether as an investment or a vacation getaway, may seem like a luxury to most of us, but a surprising number of American households — almost eight million of them…
Pizza may have been invented in Italy, but we’ve made it our own. It’s been computed that U.S. residents consume about three billion pies per year. There probably isn’t a town of more than…
It’s easy enough to fall in love with a popular automobile. But for most Americans the love affair ends after about six years, according to research by automotive industry consultancy firm R.L. Polk. But…
More than a year after the United States declared a public health emergency due to the global COVID-19 virus outbreak, Americans have curbed many of their travel habits. Public transit use is down 54%…
It’s no secret that the restaurant business has been particularly hard hit by the pandemic. Restaurants thrive on social interaction and dining room capacity limits and the on-again-off-again bans on indoor service have shrunk…
The average American keeps a new vehicle for about six years, according to research by automotive industry consultancy firm R.L. Polk. But chances are you’re seeing many cars, SUVs and pickups on the road…
There are about 90 million dogs in U.S. households, with a multi-billion dollar industry to support them. Still, nearly a quarter of shelter dogs are euthanized each year. These numbers have been declining, however,…
“Sa-a-a-d movies always make me cry,” sang Sue Thompson back in 1961. Okay, but what do bad movies do? They make us cringe, nod off, guffaw (when we’re not supposed to), and sometimes just…
Psoriasis and eczema are both common skin conditions. Eczema affects about 31.6 million people in the United States, while as many as 7.5 million suffer from psoriasis. Both cause red, itchy skin, and they…
Spring is still almost two months away and the country is still in the midst of the long-predicted winter surge in COVID-19 infections. The severity of restrictions imposed on businesses — including eating places…
COVID-19 has probably wreaked havoc on most people’s traveling plans. As cases continue to surge across the country and states are reimposing travel restrictions, taking that long-awaited vacation seems highly unlikely. But traveling does…
When it comes to beer, there’s nothing wrong with everyday thirst-quenching lager, readily available, easy to quaff, and usually inexpensive. Lovers of craft beer, though, look for something more than just a cooling tipple,…
Among the things that sets America apart from other countries are its individual states. Each state has its own distinct history and characteristics and famous songwriters from every state have often captured that unique…
Staying at home in the face of the novel coronavirus pandemic, whether we’re under quarantine or simply because we’re sheltering in place, we have plenty to worry about — avoiding the coronavirus, most of…
Audiences love Christmas movies. Each of the top 10 grossing holiday films since 1980 has pulled in over $100 million at the domestic box office. “Home Alone” grossed over $285 million – no small…
What will restaurants be like in the years to come? How will the often devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic (among other factors) alter the way we dine out? What can we expect from…
Cookies are irresistible. They’re easy to bake, relatively inexpensive to buy, and all too easy to eat. They’re small (usually), sweet, either crisp and crunchy or luxuriously tender and soft, and just indulgent enough.…
Many thousands of restaurants around the country close every year, from fast-food outlets to acclaimed fine-dining venues. It’s the nature of the business. Rising rents, legal struggles of various kinds, and changing tastes all…
