Matador Network's Blog, page 622
July 7, 2021
No St. Louis trip is complete without tasting the city’s signature gooey butter cake
St. Louis is the home of storied culinary novelties such as toasted ravioli and cracker-thin pizza crusts, but more than any other food from the city (or the state of Missouri), gooey butter cake is arguably the most iconic. And in this town, seemingly everyone has opinions about it: where to find it, how to make it, and when to eat it.
“People are opinionated about gooey butter because it’s such an adaptable cake,” says Molly Killeen, a St. Louis native whose gooey butter cake recipe was featured in the New York Times. “The simplicity of the original ingredients opens the door to whatever variations people can dream up, and the combination of a sweet topping with a more bready crust makes the cake appropriate for anything: breakfast, teatime, birthdays, office parties.”
It’s believed that this thin, sticky dessert first appeared in the 1940s, though its inventor’s name is disputed. However, most agree that it’s likely product of a German baker who made an error and switched the proportions of butter and flour. The result? A no-frills cake no more than 1-inch thick with a sweet dough base topped with the gooey: a jiggly, buttery layer that verges on custard and is often dusted with confectioners sugar.
“Afternoon coffee or tea is a perfect time for it,” says Tim Brennan, a two-time James Beard Award winner and owner of Cravings Gourmet Desserts who enjoys the cake for breakfast, which is when his mother served it. “It’s not a sophisticated dessert. It’s rustic and simple.”
Two versions of gooey butter cake are the most common throughout St. Louis. There’s the yeast-risen, sweet dough original, and then there’s the one popularized by home cooks that typically is made with cream cheese and store-bought cake mix. Both are served warm or at room-temperature in brownie-like squares. When I first moved to Missouri, I was welcomed to my new home with a pan of the latter. It is an unapologetically rich dessert, tiptoeing toward the wincing sweetness of children’s candy. I devoured every sticky crumb.
Killeen’s recipe adheres to the traditional yeast base, while Brennan plays with a few different renditions of his own that have come about from his 35 years on the local gooey butter cake scene. “It’s a vehicle that I think translates into all sorts of applications,” Brennan says. “Plain vanilla? Not my choice, because it’s too sweet. Nostalgia can only carry you so far.”
Brennan raises a good argument, proven by the abundance in gooey butter cake flavor varieties in town. But perhaps nostalgia itself is ultimately what powers this dessert’s enduring legacy.
“If gooey butter cake was truly born of an error, as the tale is told, it seems to me that it lived on because there is a spaciousness to life in Missouri,” Killeen says. “There is no need to quickly toss things out and move on to the next. There is room. There is time. St. Louisans are proud of what they know is true, and this cake, made up of the most simple baking ingredients, is greater than the sum of its parts.”
With that in mind, perhaps there’s no singular best gooey butter cake. And in a place where this humble delicacy is everywhere from neighborhood groceries to chic coffee shops, knowing where to start is tough.
Here’s where to try the city’s most noteworthy takes on this dessert, then come to your own conclusions about which is your favorite.
Where to try the best gooey butter cake in St. Louis, Missouri
Photo: Park Avenue Coffee/Facebook
Park Avenue Coffee: This shop offers more than 70 varieties of gooey butter cakes, from summery peach or lemon varieties to more unexpected versions like bacon. But the top seller is the original “Mom’s Traditional,” which won a distinction from Food Network as the best in town. Choose from three locations, but the original in Lafayette Park is the most charming.
Where: 1919 Park Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63104
Federhofer’s Bakery: The Federhofer name is famous in St. Louis for its decades-long reputation as one of the best bakeries in the metropolitan area. Sticklers for tradition, the bakery avoids both cream cheese and powdered sugar in its take on gooey butter cake. This mom-and-pop bakery serves up gooey butter cake in five different flavors, slinging out more than 60 pans a week.
Where: 9005 Gravois Road, St. Louis, MO 63123
Russell’s on Macklind: This sweet neighborhood spot offers a bar cookie version composed of three layers: a thick, buttery shortbread base, a layer of creamy goo in the middle, and a crisp, merengue-like topping that shatters at first bite. The original and chocolate won’t disappoint, but the surprising tartness of its seasonal fruit varieties cuts through the sweetness for a more sophisticated bite.
Where: 5400 Murdoch Ave., St. Louis, MO 63109
Missouri Baking Company: Gooey butter cake likely originated with a German baker, but the family owned, Italian-American Gambaro spot has proved to be just as adept at creating delicious gooey butter cake for nearly a hundred years at the historic location in The Hill. Their version of gooey butter cake is an actual cake (as in, more dense and less pudding-like texture) made with sweet dough and almond paste. Flavors reflect the changing seasons — brown sugar pecan in the fall, triple berry in the spring and summer.
Where: 2027 Edwards St., St. Louis, MO 63110
Cravings Gourmet Desserts: Tim Brennan’s bakery is known for more than just gooey butter cakes, so nothing offered will disappoint. To this James Beard Award-winning dessert chef, the ideal gooey butter cake has crunch and cream, acid and sugar. Here, expect to find individual gooey butter cakes baked in generous 4” x 4” pans, that deliver a perfect ratio of chewy edges and gooey centers.
Where: 8149 Big Bend Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63119
Gooey Louie: No St. Louis gooey butter cake tour would be complete without a taste of Gooey Louie, a Chesterfield bakery that has been consistently credited with the best gooey butter cake in the city. This family-owned business doesn’t just make full-size and individual portions, but gooey butter cake cookies and gooey butter ice cream, too. Find them at shared kitchen bakeries like The Bakers Hub in Chesterfield.
Where: 67 Forum Shopping Center, Chesterfield, MO 63107 
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Watch: This insane fireball just exploded over Idaho
Fireworks weren’t the only thing lighting up the sky this past weekend.
A video posted to the Idaho Weather Watchers Facebook page on July 4 by member Jordan Ragsdale captured a massive fireball blazing across the sky over Eagle, Idaho, in the Boise Foothills the previous evening around 10:52 PM MDT. Eyewitness reports submitted to the American Meteor Society indicate that the epic fireball was also visible in parts of Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
In the video, which was originally posted to Ragsdale’s Instagram, the meteor is seen plummeting toward the earth before exploding in the atmosphere, creating what’s known as a bolide. The footage is both eerie and extraordinary as the bolide stains the cloudy night sky a glowing green-blue, then creates a blinding white flash, bursts into a fiery ball for a split second, and finally extinguishes as the meteor continues to fall.
Meteors burning up in Earth’s atmosphere is not uncommon. In fact, it’s a daily occurrence. Visible fireballs like the one seen this past weekend only occur roughly once per year, on the other hand, with the largest among them only occurring once every two to three years.
If you missed this one, check out the video below to witness the epic phenomenon.
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What's your adventure travel style?
Some adventure travelers chase wild waves across Earth’s farthest-flung coasts. Some aim vertically, pursuing hair-raising pitches on their bucket lists of rock-climbing routes. Some trust their adrenaline rushes to the wind and water — others create their own momentum, flying down slopes and trails.
No matter the sport, these adventure travelers have one thing in common: They don’t just chase stoke, they pass it on. And few things spread stoke like sharing ice-cold brews and travel stories in the great outdoors. Even better is when those brews don’t compromise your adventures. Enter the non-alcoholic, low-calorie, and hangover-free beers from Athletic Brewing Company, a craft brewery built by outdoor adventurers, for outdoor adventurers.
So if you’re hungry with wanderlust and craving a cold one — ideally shared on the beach or atop that summit — look no further. The perfect non-alcoholic craft beer exists for every kind of stoke-chasing. But first: What kind of adventure traveler are you?
Explore the full Athletic Brewing beer collectionAre you a globetrotting marathoner?
Photo: lzf/Shutterstock
Sure, you could turkey-trot or catch a marathon close to home, but it’s not just miles you’re after. As a globetrotting marathoner, you crave races with a side of rad. And why wouldn’t you? With 26.2s winding along China’s Great Wall or Big Sur’s jagged coasts, this world’s packed with epic marathons.
Do jaw-dropping vistas and world wonders make those miles easier? Hardly. But easy’s not your goal — you’re all about adventure, and the best way to celebrate those long-distance finishes is your signature Athletic beer: the non-alcoholic Run Wild IPA, a refreshing session brew with a blend of five Northwest hops that can actually refuel you for the next destination race on your roster.
Your beer: Run WildAre you a coast-scouting kitesurfer?
Photo: Wallenrock/Shutterstock
When wind calls, kitesurfers answer — and for those with an incurable case of wanderlust, nothing beats big air off a shoreline thousands of miles from home. You daydream about downwinders along the white-sand coasts of Brazil and Morocco, although, let’s be real: Tropical destinations aren’t the only spots on your radar. You’re just as happy launching in Hawaii as you are in frigid Alaska, where the mountain-flanked Harding Icefield pairs kite power with fresh powder.
No matter the backdrop, the light-bodied non-alcoholic Downwinder Gose, with hints of sea salt, coriander, and lime leaf, is the best way to end a windy day on the water.
Your beer: DownwinderAre you a boundary-pushing rock climber?
Photo: Photobac/Shutterstock
Rock climbing at the local gym may be fun, but for you, colorful holds are just a holdover until you can get back on the road. As a boundary-pushing rock climber, you’re constantly plotting trips to the world’s best pitches, from Yosemite and Italy’s Dolomites to Rocklands, South Africa, and Kentucky’s Red River Gorge (or, as you and the climbing community better know it, “The Red”).
You take that boundary pushing seriously, with an appetite that’s just as satisfied by ice climbing and bouldering as it is deep-water soloing and free climbing. And trust us, nothing calms those sore, chalky hands like an ice-cold Upside Dawn, a non-alcoholic golden ale brewed with Vienna malt and English and traditional American hops, expertly crafted to remove gluten.
Your beer: Upside DawnAre you a summer-chasing surfer?
Photo: Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock
For the summer-chasing surfer, there is no surf season — it’s a year, 365 days, and it’s all about where you look. Of course, you know that already. That’s why your windfinder app’s packed with coasts you’ve yet to tackle. But you will, that’s a given — and you’re slowly cranking through a break bucket list that’s now on its third page.
While you love the summer waves of Mexico and Tahiti, you’re equally up for surfing chilly extremes, whether it’s under the auroras in Iceland or across the unexpected swells of North America’s Great Lakes. Few things stir the stoke like Athletic Brewing’s non-alcoholic Cerveza Atletica, a blend of Vienna and Munich malts with light spicy and floral notes from German Hersbrucker hops.
Your beer: Cerveza AtleticaAre you a black-diamond-hunting snowboarder?
Photo: muroPhotographer/Shutterstock
If your list of bucket-list first tracks spans slopes on every continent — and yes, that includes Antarctica — then you’re definitely a black-diamond-hunting snowboarder. You’re always searching for fresh powder and new terrain, be it crushing the Swiss Alps or hitting hidden peaks in the backcountry of Hokkaido and Honshu, Japan. Come dawn patrol, you’re up and out with the best of ‘em. By dusk, you’ve yet to leave the slopes.
And, while après ski doesn’t always nab a spot on your snowboarding itinerary, the award-winning All Out Stout, a non-alcoholic and full-bodied brew with a roasted finish, absolutely should.
Your beer: All OutAre you a century-crushing cyclist?
Photo: Maxim Petrichuk/Shutterstock
A 100-mile century ride is the bike world’s ultimate endurance test, and as a century-crushing cyclist, you likely have some ambitious ones under your belt. But you’re just getting started. Where an average traveler sees an Instagram-worthy road trip, you see a string of 100 scenic bike miles, with everything from the dense Denali wilderness to the seas, mountains, and volcanoes of New Zealand as a tantalizing backdrop.
Does a century take time and training? Obviously. It’s hard work preparing for seven straight hours in the saddle. But that doesn’t bother you. You know tough training is worth the reward — like the non-alcoholic Free Wave Hazy IPA, a mouthwatering blend of Amarillo, Citra, and Mosaic hops. Which also, incidentally, doubles as a pint of ice-cold incentive. Throw one back, and it’s full steam forward, without compromise.
The post What kind of adventure traveler are you? appeared first on Matador Network.
July 6, 2021
Everything you need in your pack to travel to Southeast Asia
We hope you love the travel gear for Southeast Asia we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you make a purchase. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.
Southeast Asia’s beaches, lush landscapes, dynamic cities, and delicious food make the region a must-see for many international travelers. Before you embark on the journey of your lifetime, you’re going to need a few essentials, and perhaps the odd luxury. We’ve compiled what you need as far as travel gear for Southeast Asia in 2021. Let’s get down to it.
1. Osprey Farpoint 55 Travel BackpackLet’s start at the beginning. You’re going to need a bag. Countless travelers swear by the Osprey Farpoint 55 Travel Backpack. Accommodating 55 liters of clothes, gear, and memories, this lockable U-zip backpack is the optimal size for travelers working their way around Southeast Asia. The detachable daypack is perfect for tours, and the stowaway back panel provides easy access to everything in the pack. Oh, and you’ll also look fully legit.
Price: $102.14 — $179.95
2. Durable PonchoLove it or hate it, monsoon season is a fact of life in Southeast Asia, and it usually hits between June and October. This durable polyurethane-coated polyester taffeta poncho is one of the most important pieces of travel gear for Southeast Asia and comes outfitted with rust-resistant snaps and a taped seam to keep out even the most overachieving of raindrops. Weighing in at nine ounces, this raincoat is not only lightweight but comes with a full-cut integral hood that adjusts with a drawcord.
Price: $15
3. Merino wool shirtsMuch of Southeast Asia is hot and humid. Nothing ruins a day of exploring faster than being covered in sweat 10 minutes after you head out. To prevent this, merino wool is an absolute necessity. These merino wool shirts come in a variety of colors and can be worn multiple times between washings, so you can load up a few and eliminate the daily decision of which shirt to choose. There are options for men and women, and the women’s option comes with a free pair of merino wool socks for each shirt purchased. This tank-top option for women is functional and durable, as well.
Price: $44.99
4. Hat and sun protectionProper sun protection including a hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses are key for those hot, humid, and sunny days. We recommend our favorites below, including reef-safe SPF 50 sunscreen and functional hats.
Price: Varies
5. Travel toiletry kitToiletries are a must, no matter where you go or how you get there. The women’s option, from BAGSMART, unfolds to display your cosmetics and necessities, then packs back up into a TSA-approved, easily packable size. Elviro’s men’s kits are perfect for backpacking because they’re small but still hold everything you need, from toothpaste to a shave kit and everything else.
Price: About $30
6. GoPro HERO9 Black Camera with travel kitThe GoPro, once synonymous with bros chucking themselves from mountain tops and chest-bumping after the descent, has improved by leaps and bounds in recent years. The GoPro Hero9 comes with up to 5K visual capacity and also scales down to 4K, 2.7K, 1440p, and 1080p. Fully waterproof down to 196 feet, it’s the classic companion for when you’re diving in any of Southeast Asia’s crystalline coastlines. The travel setup comes with a 128GB microSD card, dual power charger, cleaning kit, and extra batteries.
Price: $499
7. Logitech Ultimate Ears UE WONDERBOOM 2 Bluetooth SpeakerUE WONDERBOOM 2 is the new mainstay of UE’s ultra-portable speaker line. The squat, beer can design is not only waterproof, but floats too. We’ll let you imagine for yourself the pool party options available here.
Price: $83.29
8. Saalt Menstrual Cup Duo PackReusable, travel-safe menstrual cups can come in pretty handy if you’re up a mountain, miles from a store, or on a secluded island. Composed of medical-grade silicone, this mooncup will save a life and space. When your menstrual cycle hits, Saalt has got your back with this outstanding product of the highest quality.
Price: $48
9. First Aid Kit — 100 PieceA Southeast Asian hospital visit is not on travelers’ bucket lists, and this is one reason why this 100-piece first-aid kit is among the most important pieces of travel gear for Southeast Asia. Both durable and compact, this paramedic-in-a-bag includes a CPR Mask, blanket, tourniquet, and all the basics. Oh, and if you’re suffering from a UBI (the professional medical term for Unexplained Beer Injury), the bandaids will also come in useful.
Price: $13.75
10. Anker PowerCore Speed 20000 Power BankWith over 20 million users of Anker products in the US alone, there’s a reason why this portable charger for travel utilizing Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 (24W) tech is so popular. With enough power to fill an iPhone 7 over six times, the charger provides around seven days of power. Taking six hours to fully charge the Anker PowerCore Speed 20000, this product charges overnight in your accommodation so you’re ready for long days of exploration. Coming with a travel pouch and 23.6-inch micro USB cable, this product will keep your devices fully juiced during your great Southeast Asian vacation.
Price: $49.99
11. Tiger Balm Extra StrengthThe most famous Thai export, Tiger Balm is used for a number of ailments including muscle pain, congestion, and coughs. It’s also great for keeping mosquitoes away. Made from camphor, menthol, cajuput oil, and clove oil, this jar of Tiger Balm Red is an essential item to keep to hand while trekking through the jungles of Borneo or scaling the limestone rock faces of Cantabaco in the Philippines.
Price: $13
12. Nintendo Switch LiteIdeal for airport departure lounges or when you’re stuck inside your guesthouse during the rainy season, the Nintendo Switch Lite can bring you into the world of the Legend of Zelda, Pokemon, Super Mario Bros, or Animal Crossing. With a 1,280 x 720 LCD screen, this compact cousin of the Nintendo Switch is a perfect example of the adage that the best things come in small packages.
Price: $199
13. AeroPress Go Portable Travel Coffee PressNo self-respecting, coffee-loving traveler should be caught without an AeroPress Go, which offers a coffee a-sip-above-the-rest. Using an air pocket, hot water is pushed through the grounds and a filter, resulting in a satisfying brew. Throw in a mug and the AeroPress Go is not only an essential companion but will arguably give you better coffee than with traditional brewing methods. Pretentious barista mustache optional.
Price: $31.95
More like thisTrip PlanningThe 7 most overlooked destinations in Southeast Asia you need to visitThe post Everything you need in your pack to travel to Southeast Asia appeared first on Matador Network.
These popular US destinations are about to get much warmer
As the planet warms due to human-caused climate change, cities around the world face the threat of hotter days and increased extreme weather events like storms, heavy rainfalls, and droughts. Many of the most vulnerable cities both in the US and worldwide are located on or near a coast, which also makes them prone to sea-level rise and flooding. These are the US cities facing the greatest threat of rising temperatures, according to data compiled by Nestpick.
9. Seattle, WAThis summer’s heat dome above the Pacific Northwest could be a glimpse into the future for the region. Known for its mild temperatures, Seattle is expected to see a 4.6-degree rise in average temperature by 2050, along with a change in climate type from Temperate Dry Hot Summer to Temperate Dry Cold Summer. Sea levels are projected to rise an additional 10 inches by 2050.
8. Boston, MAOn the other side of the country, the studies show that Boston could see a 4.7-degree rise in average temperature by 2050. The city’s climate is expected to become less continental and more temperate while remaining humid and warm. Boston could feel the effects of sea-level rise even sooner, according to The Washington Post, as sea levels are expected to rise eight inches by 2030.
7. New York City, NYFacing a projected 5.3-degree rise in average temperature, summers in New York City could get even hotter and muggier. The New York City Panel on Climate Change expects two and a half feet of sea-level rise by then, according to Curbed, and is preparing by retrofitting its coastal areas to withstand higher water levels.
6. Washington, DCThe US capital faces the potential for 5.4-degree warming by 2050. While not directly on the Atlantic coast, Washington, DC is adjacent to the surging Potomac River, susceptible to rising sea levels from the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. According to the Center for American Progress, the city could face the impacts of two feet of sea-level rise by 2050 and four feet by 2100.
5. Chicago, ILChicago is under threat of a climactic shift from a Continental Humid Warm Summer to a Temperate Humid Warm Summer, which could raise temperatures 5.6 degrees. Extreme weather patterns, including long dry spells and periods of pounding rainfall, could follow. Of the US cities facing the greatest threat of rising temperatures, Chicago is the only one located in the Great Lakes region.
4. Nashville, TNMusic City, USA, could see 5.6- to 5.7-degree warming by 2050. What’s striking about Nashville’s inclusion is that it is among the few US cities facing the threat of extreme climate change that is nowhere near a major body of water. Nashville is subject to heavy rainfall and flooding, however, and already has a long, hot summer season.
3. Philadelphia, PAPhiladelphia faces the potential for 5.8-degree warming by 2050 and, according to the report, a higher risk of damage from sea-level rise than New York City, Boston, or Seattle — despite not being directly on the coast. As rainfall increases in summer and snow increases in winter, the risk of flooding including from the Delaware River increases, making the city’s airport and central areas vulnerable to disaster.
2. Baltimore, MDFacing the highest potential temperature increase along the northeast corridor is Baltimore, Maryland. The city could see a full six-degree increase in average temperature by 2050. Flooding from tidal shifts and increased rainfall could become 10 times more common, as well, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.
1. Cincinnati, OHCincinnati leads all US cities facing the greatest threat of rising temperatures, Average temperatures could be 6.1-degrees warmer here come 2050, and the Cincinnati Enquirer reported that the city could also face increased drought and flooding along with the heat.
The post These popular US destinations are about to get much warmer appeared first on Matador Network.
Catch a flight to Iceland this summer for as low as $340 round trip
Many of us haven’t taken a real vacation in quite some time. Europe is slowly reopening to US travelers, but there’s one destination that’s both closer, cheaper to reach, and has already been open for a while: Iceland. If you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to book that first major trip since 2019, that time is now. On Google Flights and Scott’s Cheap Flights right now, you’ll find incredibly low prices for travel this summer and fall with airlines like Icelandair, Delta, and United.
In major cities across the US, you can find flights to Reykjavik, Iceland, for as little as $340 round trip. Although the prices aren’t attached to a particular sale, they seem to be lower than the seasonal average for travel between July and October. Some cities even have low prices extending through December, or into 2022.
Here are some of the cheapest cities for a round-trip flight to Iceland
New York: $340Washington, DC: $404Boston: $424Chicago: $452Minneapolis: $479Seattle: $576Los Angeles: $649San Diego: $649San Francisco: $649To browse on your own, simply go to Google Flights and choose your preferred city, then tinker with the dates until you find the lowest price. Keep in mind that the prices listed above are subject to change.
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‘Black Widow’ showcases one of Europe’s most underrated, cinematic capitals
Budapest was made for the big screen. It’s a city divided, with the Danube River drawing a wide, snaking line between medieval Buda and modern Pest. Architectural landmarks buttress both sides, from Buda’s Baroque castle and fairytale Fisherman’s Bastion to Pest’s Gothic Revival parliament and stately Heroes’ Square. The palatial baths for which the city has long been famous sit on either side of the Danube while the tumbledown-chic ruin bars that today’s travelers frequent sit snugly in Pest. At night, the river runs gold in the ambient glow of the Széchenyi Chain Bridge that stitches the city together. It is, in a word, cinematic.
For Marvel fans, the city’s aesthetic thrust is not what earns it that descriptor. Ever since a throwaway line in The Avengers (2012) alluded to a mission Black Widow and Hawkeye shared in Budapest, the city has been a running gag in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, leaving fans to speculate what actually went down in the Hungarian capital. Now, with the long-awaited release of the standalone Black Widow film, it seems some of those details may finally be divulged.
Photo: ZGPhotography/Shutterstock
In a press kit released last month, actress Scarlett Johansson, who portrays Natasha Romanoff, otherwise known as Black Widow, commented on the decision to use the city as a backdrop for her character’s solo film. “When we first started talking about locations — back when everything was possible — we agreed that we had to find out what happened in Budapest,” she said. “The film is not about what happened in Budapest … [but] it gave us a great jumping-off point for a lot that goes on in the film.”
It remains to be seen how much of Black Widow takes place in Budapest; however, promotional footage confirms that it will be a significant setting. The trailer opens with a wide shot of the city, featuring glimpses of landmarks like the Citadella crowning Gellért Hill, the green dome of St. Stephen’s Basilica, and the Budapest Eye Ferris wheel. Subsequent clips showcase more of the city. Eagle-eyed viewers might recognize the Hungarian Parliament Building, Eastern Railway Station, or Széchenyi and Alkotmány streets amid action-packed sequences like motorcycle chases and tank battles. Even one of Budapest’s signature yellow trams, which belong to a vital transit system that traces back more than 120 years, makes a cameo in the trailer.
These snapshots provide little clarity on what details of Black Widow and Hawkeye’s cryptic mission will actually be revealed on screen. They do, however, attest to what travelers who’ve had the privilege of visiting the Hungarian capital already know: As a character in its own right, Budapest has a lot to offer any film — or itinerary for that matter.
In fairness, Black Widow is not the first blockbuster to be shot in Budapest. Over the past decade, the city and surrounding countryside have appeared in movies such as Midsommar (2019), The Martian (2015), World War Z (2013), Atomic Blonde (2017), and Blade Runner 2049 (2017). Yet none of these films are actually set in Hungary. Instead, the capital city serves as a stand-in for destinations like Sweden, Beijing, and Moscow, as well as East and West Berlin circa 1989 and even post-apocalyptic LA.
Fewer movies and TV shows have acknowledged the city’s filming locations as their rightful setting. Both the 2018 spy thriller Red Sparrow and the 2019 Bourne spinoff series Treadstone were shot and set in Budapest, for example, though they also used the city as a double for other European capitals such as Moscow, Paris, London, and Bucharest in Romania.
Photo: ZGPhotography/Shutterstock
Budapest’s high-quality, low-cost production studios and favorable tax breaks explain some of its appeal in the eyes of Hollywood directors. But it’s the city itself that keeps them coming back. Flaunting a mishmash of architectural styles influenced by Celtic, Roman, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, German, and Soviet reigns, the grand, romantic, and multifaceted city is uniquely suited to represent various, primarily European, destinations.
No one can blame movie buffs for not recognizing Budapest post Hollywood magic. But it’s not just cinephiles who’ve been unwittingly overlooking the Hungarian capital. If London, Paris, and Amsterdam — Europe’s most visited cities — have the equivalent pull of the top-grossing Marvel movies — Endgame (2019), Infinity War (2018), and The Avengers — then Budapest falls somewhere in line with Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014). Neither has been neglected by fans, attracting some 30 million tourists annually and grossing over $700 million worldwide, respectively. Yet, to some, either one could qualify as criminally underrated.
I, for one, am not a Marvel fan, if only because I’m at least a dozen films short of following the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I am a massive Budapest fan, however. And if watching Black Widow means getting to travel vicariously through one of Europe’s most dynamic, cinematic capitals once again, well, it’s one Marvel movie I might actually make a point to see.
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These 7 properties from ‘The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals’ are available on Airbnb
We hope you love the spaces and stays we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.
The Netflix show World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals highlights collections of amazing and unique properties around the world, from lighthouses to treehouses to snake-like homes. Some are over-the-top for the everyday traveler, but many are places you can actually stay on during a trip. These seven properties, all featured on the show, are available for rent on Airbnb.
1. The Sitka Lighthouse — Sitka, Alaska
Photo: Airbnb
Alaska’s Sitka Lighthouse is a former working lighthouse overlooking Sitka Bay. Though currently retired from its marine navigation duties, the lighthouse has found a new purpose as the home for everything your crew could possibly want on a coastal Alaskan getaway. It has a full kitchen, two bathrooms, and sleeps up to six guests comfortably. There are bunk beds in one bedroom and an additional private bedroom, and before you even ask, the answer is yes — you can go up to the top of the lighthouse. Just don’t expect much response from passing vessels.
Six guests, two bedrooms
Price: $949 per night
Photo: Airbnb
As surprising as it may sound, Atlanta has a bamboo forest that you can fully experience in this treehouse. You’ll even see rescued llamas and roosters roaming the property. This property is among Airbnb’s most wish-listed stays and in addition to being featured on The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals, it was also seen on the show Love Is Blind.
Two guests, one bedroom
$395 per night
Photo: Airbnb
Who hasn’t dreamt of a private island? Just off Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, is this gorgeous stretch of tiny islands known as Old House Cay. They’re yours for the night through this listing, with access from Hilton Head courtesy of the owner’s private boat. Adding to the isolated allure of the private islands is the off-grid home you’ll stay in. Remember, this is The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals — not Castaway.
Six guests, three bedrooms
Price: $395 per night
Photo: Airbnb
This Florida treehouse looks like what you’d find if you somehow stumbled into “The Jetsons meet The Flintstones.” The home has a tree trunk elevator, probably the only chance you’ll ever get to ride in one, leading to a 18-foot yurt on stilts with a functioning bathroom and accent lighting. No children or pets are allowed, so you can rest on your perch and sip a glass of wine free from distractions.
Two guests, one bedroom
Price: $230 per night
Photo: Airbnb
You’ve heard of ice hotels, but odds are that you’ve never slept in an actual igloo. This one, in Finland’s northern Lapland region, sleeps up to six — in actual, non-frozen beds — and comes with sleeping bags and lighting. Dress warm, bring a thermos of your favorite hot beverage, and prepare for an unforgettable night under the stars.
Six guests, one bedroom
Price: $131 per night
Photo: Airbnb
A bamboo house fits right in with the architecture of Bali, known by visitors for its peaceful retreats and meditative ambience. This bamboo paradise is surrounded by rice terraces far from the urban bustle of Denpasar, an ideal place to return to after hiking the amount Batur volcano or catching a morning surf.
Four guests, one bedroom
Price: $169 per night
Photo: Airbnb
This snake-shaped Airbnb property on the outskirts of Mexico City has gained much notoriety lately. You and nine guests can crash inside one of the most bizarre lodging properties on the planet, a luxurious estate that is the adult version of the crawling tubes at Chuck E. Cheese. The property is surrounded by botanical gardens, lakes, and a proclaimed cave of minerals, making the stay just as unique outdoors as it is inside.
Six guests, five bedrooms
Price: $318 per night
The post These 7 properties from ‘The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals’ are available on Airbnb appeared first on Matador Network.
Your next big trip should be back in time to humanity’s first city
Urban travel often involves contemporary niceties like hip cafes or trendy boutiques. In such cities, the only way to look backward is to visit a museum or take a historical walking tour. But how about challenging yourself to think outside the confines of modern-day cities and planning a trip to the archaeological site of Çatalhöyük, in southern Turkey — to what is considered humanity’s first city. It won’t just make for cool photos. It’ll open your eyes to how our modern urban centers evolved. Here’s how to visit Çatalhöyük and what to expect.
What is Çatalhöyük?Çatalhöyük presents a vastly different historical experience than you’d find in Istanbul or Ankara. It’s located about 35 miles from the Turkish city of Konya in a region that has been inhabited by humans for over 9,000 years. In its heyday several millennia ago, Çatalhöyük was the world’s first established settlement, bridging the gap between the nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle and the more settled way of life brought forth by the evolution of agriculture.
First settled in 6250 BCE and inhabited by nearly 8,000 people, Çatalhöyük essentially was the world’s first prototype of a city. If you consider yourself to be any type of urbanist, historian, or simply someone who appreciates the incredible ability of humankind to adapt and seek progress, the remains of Çatalhöyük are a must-see.
Today Çatalhöyük is an archaeological site, brimming with diggers and researchers. According to the official archaeological records of the settlement, the ruins were first discovered by British archaeologists David French, Alan Hall, and James Mellaart in 1958. The first excavation began three years later in 1961, with various teams leading digs over the ensuing half-century.
Much of Çatalhöyük and other ancient settlements nearby are unrecognizable today, worn away by time. Sedimentation has buried much of the remains several feet under the surface. But what has been preserved can be viewed in its post-excavation state, with a brochure available at the visitors’ center to guide you through the site.
How Çatalhöyük paved the way for today’s cities
Photo: Uysal Levent/Shutterstock
Çatalhöyük contained much of what we still have in cities today, such as houses, common areas, and waste disposal spots. The main thing missing was roads. The houses of Çatalhöyük, each about 80 square feet, were built directly adjacent to one another, separated by walls made primarily of mud. Each had a mudbrick flat roof with a smoke hole, which also served as the entrance and exit for residents who climbed up and down on a ladder. Scientists believe that the city was the center of many religious festivities, as evidenced by wall paintings depicting ritualistic practices. These images include images of people portrayed as bears and other “tough” animals out on the hunt.
Within the settlement, you can visit three sections. The first is an archaeologist-built model of a typical home in Çatalhöyük. You can see the mudbrick walls used to form the exterior of each home, along with recreations of where residents likely slept, cooked, and performed family tasks. Adjacent to the home is a museum containing finds from the various excavations. Here you’ll also find historical information that puts what you’re looking at into context.
Photo: Uysal Levent/Shutterstock
Finally, you’ll make your way to an actual excavation site protected by an unenclosed dome roof. This “settlement mound,” as it’s known, is called the North Shelter and is the most well-preserved ruin at Çatalhöyük. You can see the remains of original housing in its single-layer block formation. The South Shelter, a short walk from the North Shelter, is where archaeologists uncovered handicraft works that now sit in museums here and in Turkey’s capital of Ankara. All visits to the ruins themselves, as well as to the replica home, are led by a guide.
How to visit ÇatalhöyükPhoto: NiglayNik/Shutterstock
Getting to Çatalhöyük takes about an hour from Konya by car via highway 715. If you don’t have a car, you can travel via taxi from Konya for about $36 round trip, including an hour’s wait time while you tour the site. If you travel by taxi or personal car, allow three to four hours round trip, including transit and time to experience the site. You can also travel by bus from Konya’s Eski Garaj minibus station to Cumra, and take a taxi the rest of the way, to save about $10. If you don’t make it down to Çatalhöyük, or want more context on what you’re seeing, some archaeological finds have been moved to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara.
The post Your next big trip should be back in time to humanity’s first city appeared first on Matador Network.
5 culinary experiences in Vermont
From White Christmas to New Girl, pop culture has been enchanted by the Vermont getaway for decades. The state has become synonymous with the “country escape,” what with its gorgeous fall foliage, picturesque small towns, and cozy farmhouses and inns.
But pop culture tends to leave out what you can’t experience through a screen: Vermont’s rich soil, agricultural know-how, and the fierce loyalty of Vermonters to all things local combine to make the state a unique destination for food lovers. As visionary chef and food activist Alice Waters said, “When you have the best and tastiest ingredients, you can cook very simply and the food will be extraordinary because it tastes like what it is.”
Vermont food is indeed extraordinary, and there are some culinary experiences that you really can only have in Vermont. Here are a few of our favorites.
Experience #1: A farm stay and cheesemaking workshop at Fat Sheep Farm
Photo: Fat Sheep Farm & Cabins
Where: Hartland, Vermont
Todd and Suzy of Fat Sheep Farm had their meet-cute online, specifically on Match.com. Suzy was an elementary school teacher and former zookeeper who dreamt of living on a farm; Todd was a former lawyer working on various Vermont farms to try to learn the ropes. Todd wooed Suzy with fresh produce, and she wooed him right back by turning said produce into lovely meals.
Several years later, Fat Sheep Farm & Cabins was born, offering farm stays and incredible dining and culinary experiences. Play with the farm animals, help with farm chores (if you’d like), shop the farm stand, go for walks in the forest, and even take a workshop on cheesemaking or sourdough bread-baking. We can’t all buy a farm in Vermont, but you can pretend that you did when you’re at Fat Sheep.
Note: Cheesemaking workshops are set to resume in late 2021.
Experience #2: Goodrich’s Maple Farm sugarhouse tour
Photo: vermontalm/Shutterstock
Where: Cabot, Vermont
There are few things more quintessentially Vermont than real maple syrup. Goodrich’s Maple Farm, a sugarhouse in Cabot, offers free tours that showcase the full process, from maple tree to maple syrup. It’s a doozy: It takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of the good stuff. And in Vermont, it’s the best stuff.
You’ll learn the history of sugaring at Goodrich’s, see one of the world’s largest maple sap evaporators, and taste your way through their lineup of maple products. After the tour, you can head over to the Cabot Farmers’ Village Store or local restaurants, just minutes away in town. After all, eating is part of the learning experience, too.
Experience #3: Farm to Ballet
Photo: Brandon Parrish/Ballet Vermont
Where: Several locations
Farm to Ballet is a project of Ballet Vermont created by veteran ballet dancer and native Vermonter Chatch Pregger. Farm to Ballet, the website explains, “explores the relationship between farmers and land, natural food cycles, and the human role in ecosystems.” Classic ballets, such as Swan Lake, are reimagined to tell the story of farm life with characters like kohlrabi, cows, and bees.
The ballet is performed at farms around the state and ticket sales are shared with the farms in order to support Vermont’s rural communities. And of course, while you’re there, you’ll have the opportunity to pick up a bit of whatever the farm specializes in, from fresh peaches to alpaca wool.
Experience #4: Philo Ridge farm dinners
Photo: Philo Ridge Farm
Where: Charlotte, Vermont
Philo Ridge Farm is a 400-acre regenerative agriculture farm in the tiny town of Charlotte, a half hour south of Burlington. Quick explainer: Regenerative agriculture is an old style of farming that utilizes a specific ecosystem of plants and animals to draw carbon back into the soil and make it more fertile.
Along with raising heritage livestock breeds, which graze on lush pasture, Philo Ridge grows certified organic fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Some of that is sold at their onsite market, and some is used for their famed farm dinners. Past dishes have included heritage chicken-leg roulade with mushrooms and Hakurei turnips, red Burgundy lettuce salad, beef carpaccio with ramp aioli, and homemade buttermilk ice cream. Exceptional raw ingredients meet serious back-of-house finesse here for a meal you may never forget.
Experience #5: Adventure Dinner
Photo: Bob Handelman/Adventure Dinner
Where: Several locations
Adventure Dinner founder Sas Stewart has been known around Vermont’s food and beverage scene for years. When she closed her Burlington bar Highball Social and sold her distillery Stonecutter Spirits, the community was ready and waiting for her next project.
Adventure Dinner, which has been written up in publications like Food & Wine, “showcase[s] Vermont chefs, makers and producers to paint a dynamic picture of what it is like to live in the Green Mountain State.” And, as the name promises, each dinner is an adventure. You may be dining in an orchard, on a boat, or in a forest, with notice of the location only coming 24 hours before mealtime. Menus for each multi-course feast are planned around seasonal produce and cocktails crafted by Stewart herself. Events are, as the website perkily puts it, “rain or shine, and a ton of fun either way.” Which could pretty much be the motto of any culinary experience you seek out in Vermont.
The post 5 culinary experiences you can only have in Vermont appeared first on Matador Network.
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