Matador Network's Blog, page 702
February 12, 2021
Skip Valentine's Day dinner
In the list of Valentine’s Day traditions, going to a romantic dinner at a destination-worthy restaurant is right behind roses and a box of chocolates. Research over the past decade shows that people are increasingly spending more money on Valentine’s Day. One data set shows that restaurant reservations can spike by more than 400 percent on the holiday, making it the second busiest day for restaurants after Mother’s Day.
Not this year. 2021 has the potential to be the year that Valentine’s Day dates at destination restaurants finally fade into memory like TV dinners and three martini lunches. And that’s OK.
Valentine’s Day will be different this year for the same reason that everything else in the world is different: We’re living in a global pandemic. Maskless, indoor dining comes with the inherent risk of spreading or catching COVID-19, and in most places it’s strongly discouraged. So take advantage of stay at home orders and dine in with your loved one this Valentine’s Day.
While on a work assignment, I recently ate indoors at an intimate restaurant for the first time since last March. Every light cough from across the room was as jarring as a breaking news alert, as was every time a diner at a table close by mentioned how they had escaped up to Colorado from Arizona. The restaurant is billed as one of the most romantic in Denver, and on a pre-pandemic night this would surely be the case. Yet romance has a way of fizzling out when the unsexy topic of a virus that spreads through the air keeps coming up.
Data on Valentine’s Day plans show I’m not the only one who is having reservations about making a reservation. The National Retail Federation has surveyed American spending habits during the holiday since 2004. While 34 percent of people said they were celebrating with a night out in 2020, only 24 percent said they would do the same in 2021 — the lowest percentage in the 17 years the NRF has collected responses. For comparison, 27 percent of respondents said they plan to buy gifts for their pets.
Photo: Lucky Business/Shutterstock
The global situation that led to this decline is unequivocally bad. Yet it also presents an opportunity for people to reevaluate the whole tradition of destination Valentine’s Day dining.
Valentine’s Day is a commercial-driven holiday that forces people to spend money to prove they’re in love. Sure, humans inherently crave intimacy, acts of devotion, friendship, and love, but on Valentine’s Day execution often falls flat. A table for two that’s a foot away from another table for two isn’t exactly intimate. The ease of eavesdropping on a potentially juicy conversation aside, you’d be hard-pressed to come up with a case that being crammed next to strangers is preferable to a private dining experience.
The food is never very appealing either. On Valentine’s Day, restaurants often prix-fixe menus that are altered to make it easier on the kitchen staff, who have to churn out more food than they do on an average night. Prices, on the other hand, are often jacked up.
The argument for eating at a restaurant on Valentine’s Day isn’t new. The Washington Post went so far as to write a story titled “Why you should never go out to dinner on Valentine’s Day” in 2018. For those who prefer their opinions in bite-sized segments, there’s a tweet for that: “Just a little snippet of advice from a restaurant industry veteran: don’t dine out on Valentine’s Day, your service will suck, you won’t get the table you want, and you’ll be boxed into a prefix menu. Opt for the Monday before or after. Plus, you’re not that basic are you?”
It’s not even all that great a deal for the restaurant owners. A 2018 USA Today report found that local restaurants see an increase of four percent in diners and an 18 percent increase in the average check cost. That came along with negatives like lingering diners who took up a table for too long, higher labor costs, prix-fixe menus with little room for upselling or creativity, higher ingredients costs for key items like lobster and steak, and an expanded budget for extra decor. Additionally, restaurant bookings are typically far slower on the days surrounding Valentine’s Day, which can make the net gain for the week or month negligible.
To be fair, restaurants are hurting right now, with many are on the brink of permanent closure, and supporting the places you love today may help them stay open in the days ahead. Yet individuals alone can’t sustain the entire industry after safety restrictions and regulations have hampered most, and in some cases all, of the ways that restaurants make money. Restaurateurs trying to weather financial hardship need help from a patchwork of landlords who control leases, investors, and the government. Valentine’s Day will not, and never has been able to, provide enough income to save restaurants. If you want to support your favorite restaurant during the pandemic, order take out instead, and tip well.
All over the country, in all aspects of society, people are reevaluating many different parts of modern life during this never-ending pandemic year. Don’t let misguided romantic dinner ideas about Valentine’s Day escape scrutiny. Embrace alternatives to a fancy night out that doesn’t put your sweetheart, or the restaurant staff, at risk. Put those cooking skills that you picked up while locked inside for the better part of a year to use. Do it this year, and in the years following, because it’s well past the time to let Valentine’s Day destination dining fade out. 
The post Destination Valentine’s Day dinners are overrated appeared first on Matador Network.
Positive sustainability news 2021
This is The Climate Win, the most positive sustainability news around the world every week.
US President Joe Biden and other world leaders have proposed mass-scale carbon neutrality by 2050. As it turns out, we may be able to get there far sooner. A new report from a scientific study group called The Global 100% Renewable Energy Strategy Group notes that the world can reach this mark by 2030 in the energy sector and by 2035 across the economy at large. Along the way, millions of jobs will be created.
The reason for all this is consistent with many recent findings on the sustainability front, both scientific and economic. It’s because renewable energy is cheaper to produce and deploy than fossil-fuel energy and will become ever more so, and increased pressure from science, governments, citizens, and industry will continue to move the net-zero point forward.
“The conclusion is clear: A global energy system powered by 100 percent clean renewable energy is not just possible over the next 10-15 years, it can also save money, create jobs and wealth, save lives, and get humanity ahead of the curve to prevent runaway climate change,” said Tony Seba of RethinkX, a technology think tank that participated in the study. “It is economically, socially, geopolitically and environmentally irrational for us to kick the can down the road to 2050.”
This is incredible news for travelers — and for everyone. Air travel is responsible for 2.5 percent of global emissions, with 28.2 percent of total 2018 emissions in the US coming from the transportation sector as a whole, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The hotel industry accounts for one percent, with food production including restaurant service accounting for more than 25 percent. Granted, not all of that is directly tied to travel, but all-told travel leaves a massive footprint on the planet. Let’s break down how we can cut into that number and reduce travel’s emissions.
“With low-cost renewable energy based electricity in place in 2030 a parallel rapid transition and re-design of the national energy systems will be feasible, using a smart energy system approach combining electricity with energy efficient buildings, district heating, electrified transport and industry, as well as energy storage,” said Professor Brian Vad Mathiesen of Aalborg University in Denmark, one of the researchers on the project, in a press release.
This is consistent with reducing the emissions from heating our hotels, restaurants, and other buildings and businesses frequented by travelers. With increased production and deployment of solar and wind power, the spaces where we stay at home and on the road will see their overall emissions drop, without the average traveler needing to change their routine much, if at all.
One development that we really need to show positive progress from this report is a signal from major US oil companies that they’re open to drastically increasing their investment in renewable power. Two top UK oil companies, BP and Total, are doing so, having won bids to develop billions of dollars worth of offshore wind farms, the New York Times reported this week, but major US players have yet to announce they have seen the light.
It’s high time they open their eyes.
Now, for how we get around while traveling. As Matador reported last week, the American auto sector is embracing the future, furthered by an announcement this week from the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, representing 99 percent of vehicles sold in the United States, that its members are committed to spending $250 billion by 2023 on vehicle electrification and in working towards a federal standard for automakers.
“The US auto industry is aligned with the Biden Administration’s goals to achieve net-zero carbon transportation and an accelerated shift to electric-drive vehicles,” the report says.
Even the aviation sector is coming around, embracing biofuels and other technologies that can reduce the emissions of air travel. Add in vast and growing commitments to sustainability from across the travel sector — from to destination and marketing organizations to governments — and the eyes of travelers in the US now shift to the players that fuel it all. Here’s looking at you, ExxonMobil and Chevron.
More climate winsChina added more than 500 species to its wildlife protection list, Reuters reported this week. The move signals a stark shift in China’s approach to protecting wildlife and hints at a possible crackdown on illegal wildlife-harvesting activities. Over 900 threatened animals are now protected in China, and the Chinese government is ramping up enforcement of its policies in this area.
Coca-Cola is now selling its namesake product in recycled plastic bottles in the United States, according to a report from Al Jazeera. The move looks to curb the company’s plastic use by 20 percent. The 13.2-ounce and 20-ounce bottles are now made with recycled plastic, and the company continues to work towards its goal of 100 percent recyclable plastic by 2025.
We close this week with an inspiring story of a company that is reimagining old trucks. Zero Labs Automotive, an LA-based startup, converts old trucks into electric-powered trucks and refurbishes them to be useful while retaining their classic charm. “The future is electric. And now, so is the past,” founder Adam Roe told Mel.
The post The world can reach carbon neutrality by 2035, way before we once thought appeared first on Matador Network.
Ethical chocolate companies
You may think that when it comes to chocolate, there’s no such thing as a bad decision. But the chocolate brand you choose to support with your dollars matters a lot. According to the US Department of Labor, over two million children in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire work in hazardous conditions growing cocoa and make less than $1 per day; some are even considered child slaves and are imprisoned on cocoa farms, according to the BBC. Responsibly consuming chocolate doesn’t just mean stopping when you’re full — it means being aware of which chocolate companies are adhering to ethical labor and sustainability standards and which aren’t.
What is fair-trade chocolateCompanies like Hershey, Nestle, and Mars — which account for 35 percent of the world’s chocolate production, according to Grist — are rife with unethical business practices, including using child slave labor to harvest and produce chocolate and rampant “rainforest demolition,” which contributes to climate change. In places like Indonesia and Malaysia, rainforests are destroyed to make room for palm oil plantations, a practice that “releases tons of greenhouse gases and displaces indigenous peoples.”
The simplest solution to consuming ethical chocolate is to look for brands that label their candy “fair trade” or “organic,” though the latter alone won’t tell you anything about labor practices. You can be sure that fair-trade chocolate, on the other hand, is ethically sourced and produced. The label indicates that workers have been paid a fair wage, that the company in question is investing in the local communities surrounding the cacao farms, and it only engages in fair labor practices.
How to buy ethical chocolate
Photo:
In addition to looking for the Fair Trade label, consumers should also look out for the Rainforest Alliance label, which indicates that the chocolate company is not just producing goods but simultaneously protecting the environment and wildlife while adhering to ethical labor practices.
According to Grist, you should also look for chocolate with a single source because it cuts down on the supply chain between cacao farm, supplier, and consumer. In particular, look for chocolate bars that are labeled “bean to bar.” More expense does sometimes indicate higher quality: A chocolate bar with a hefty price tag (more than $7) “accounts for the labor, shipment, and processing of the beans accounts for the labor, shipment, and processing of the beans.”
Another tool you can use when you’re buying fair trade chocolate is the Green America scorecard, which helps consumers determine which chocolate companies value good working conditions. The card evaluates companies based on their environmental, social justice, and human rights practices, as well as their attention to child labor issues and organic certifications.
As you can see from the card, companies like Alter Eco, Divine, and Theo Chocolate rank highly for their labor certifications, charitable donations, reforestation investments, and worker wages. Companies like Mondelez and Nestle, however, earned far lower scores.
In Ghana and the Ivory Coast, 90 percent of forests have been lost, and this is largely thanks to the cocoa industry. This is why companies’ efforts to reduce deforestation is a major factor in boosting their score.
So this Valentine’s Day, instead of trying to decide between Godiva and Nestle, remember this scorecard reach for another brand.
A version of this article was previously published on October 18, 2019, and was updated on February 12, 2021, with more information.
More like thisSustainabilityHow climate change will alter chocolate as we know itThe post How to tell if your chocolate was made with child labor appeared first on Matador Network.
Name the next northern nights
Giving chocolates as a Valentine’s Day gift is one thing. Naming the northern lights after your loved one is quite another. The Naming Auroras campaign invites people to submit names for different aurora/northern lights storms, each of which is different in character, and over 2,000 people have already submitted suggestions.
The Naming Auroras campaign, which launched in October 2020, was created by the Visit Arctic Europe organization to build awareness for the region during the pandemic and get people excited about traveling there once it’s safe to do so again.
The idea behind the campaign was to name aurora storms the same way other storms, like hurricanes, are named. The lights will be assigned a name when the Space Weather Prediction Center receives data on solar flares, high-speed solarwind, and coronal mass ejections that qualify as a new Aurora storm.
A few names have already been assigned to northern lights storms. The submission for Aurora Ellen, for example — visible January 20-22, 2021 — read, “from the west coast of Ireland, Ellen enjoys sitting in her conservatory observing the stars. She had her 100th birthday in December.”
View this post on InstagramA post shared by It’s in our nature. (@thisisarcticcom)
To submit a name of your own and give the perfect gift this Valentine’s Day, visit the Naming Auroras website, fill in your information, suggest a name, and explain why an Aurora should be named after this person. If you’re lucky, your suggestion will be picked to represent a specific Aurora storm.
The post appeared first on Matador Network.
White bison born in Missouri
Seeing the bison herds at Dogwood Canyon Nature Park in the Ozarks is cool enough, but now there’s an extra special reason to visit this winter. Earlier this year, the herd of 25 welcomed a rare white baby American bison named Takoda, a Sioux word that means “friend to everyone.”
Photo: Dogwood Canyon/Facebook
White bison are highly symbolic in Native American tradition. According to their teachings, a white bison is a sacred animal that “promotes prayerful communication between Indigenous people and the Great Spirit, and [is] also a sign of peace and good fortune,” the park explains.
Bob Ziehmer, Senior Director of Conservation for Bass Pro Shops, which helps operate the park, said in a statement, “Welcoming a remarkable white bison like this to Dogwood Canyon Nature Park allows us to expand on the important message that Native Americans live out an unwavering conservation ethic. Their wisdom and understanding about the vital balance between land and people inspires our core conservation principles, even today.”
If you visit Dogwood Canyon, the best way to see Takoda is by taking a Wildlife Tram Tour — a two-hour guided tour that takes passengers through the canyon and into the ridgetops, home to herds of bison, elk, and deer.
The post A rare white bison just joined the herd at this Ozarks nature park appeared first on Matador Network.
Most popular pizza in every state
Few food items around the world are more contentious than pizza. Whether it’s squabbling over New York vs. New Haven pizza, or the age-old pineapple debate, pizza is the food that could launch a thousand ships, start wars, and divide families.
A local pizza joint isn’t just another food option — it’s a point of community pride fiercely defended by its loyal customers. The question is: What’s the best, most popular pizza place in your area, and is there any semblance of a consensus? Usually, it would seem not, but the truth is easy enough to gather these days. Thanks to a good look at what pizza places people searched for the most on Google Maps in 2020, Google was able to determine the most popular pizza joint in every US state (at least in terms of which spots people were searching for on Maps).
Google also unearthed some additional tidbits about the country’s pizza preferences:
California and New York are the only states where “vegan pizza” was among the top pizza-related searches.The most popular day to order pizza is Saturday, followed by Friday.The most pizza is ordered in the month of October.According to Google Maps searches, these are the top pizza destinations in each US state:
Alabama
Most searched: Pizza Hut
Local favorites: Marco’s Pizza
Alaska
Most searched: Pizza Hut
Local favorites: Great Alaska Pizza Co.
Arizona
Most searched: Pizza Hut
Local favorites: Barro’s Pizza, Oregano’s Pizza, Rosati’s Pizza
Arkansas
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
California
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: Pizza My Heart, Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, Pizza Port
Colorado
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: Blue Pan Pizza, Blackjack Pizza, Sexy Pizza
Connecticut
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: Sally’s Apizza, Modern Apizza, Mystic Pizza
Delaware
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: Grotto Pizza
Florida
Most searched: Pizza Hut
Local favorites: Five Star Pizza, Eddie and Sam’s N.Y.Pizza, Socio’s Pizza & Pasta
Georgia
Most searched: Pizza Hut
Local favorites: Marco’s Pizza, Fellini’s Pizza, Johnny’s New York Style Pizza
Hawaii
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Idaho
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorite: Idaho Pizza Company
Illinois
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: Pequod’s Pizza, Rosati’s Pizza
Indiana
Most searched: Pizza Hut
Local favorites: Pizza King
Iowa
Most searched: Pizza Hut
Local favorites: Pizza Ranch
Kansas
Most searched: Pizza Hut
Local favorites: Minsky’s Pizza, Toppers Pizza
Kentucky
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: Miguels Pizza, Donatos Pizza, Jet’s Pizza
Louisiana
Most searched: Pizza Hut
Local favorites: Johnny’s Pizza House, Pizza Delicious
Maine
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Maryland
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: Ledo pizza, &pizza, Pizza Boli’s
Massachusetts
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: Rehoboth House of Pizza, Prattville Pizza & Grill, Town Spa Pizza
Michigan
Most searched: Jet’s Pizza
Local favorites: Happy’s Pizza, Buddy’s Pizza
Minnesota
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: Pizza Luce, Punch Pizza, Davani’s Pizza & Hot Hoagies
Mississippi
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Missouri
Most searched: Pizza Hut
Local favorites: Imo’s pizza, Minsky’s pizza
Montana
Most searched: Pizza Hut
Nebraska
Most searched: Pizza Hut
Nevada
Most searched: Pizza Hut
New Hampshire
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
New Jersey
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: Joe’s Pizza, Conte’s Pizza, Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza
New Mexico
Most searched: Pizza Hut
Local favorites: Pizza 9, Dion’s Pizza
New York
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: Joe’s Pizza, Uncle Mike’s Hometown Pizza, Scarr’s Pizza
North Carolina
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: Trophy Brewing & Pizza, Hawthorne’s New York Pizza and Bar
North Dakota
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Ohio
Most searched: Papa John’s Pizza
Local favorites: Donatos Pizza, Marco’s Pizza, Jet’s Pizza, Dewey’s Pizza
Oklahoma
Most searched: Pizza Hut
Local favorites: Hideaway Pizza Marco’s Pizza, All American Pizza
Oregon
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: Mod Pizza, Pizzicato Pizza, Apizza Scholls
Pennsylvania
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: Little Sicily Pizza, Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, Beto’s Pizza
Rhode Island
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorite: Kingston Pizza
South Carolina
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: Marco’s Pizza
South Dakota
Most searched: Pizza Hut
Tennessee
Most searched: Pizza Hut
Local favorites: Jet’s Pizza, Marco’s Pizza, Five Points Pizza East
Texas
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: Home Slice Pizza, Pinthouse Pizza, Pizza Patron
Utah
Most searched: Pizza Hut
Local favorites: Marco’s Pizza, Blaze Pizza, Pizza Pie Cafe
Vermont
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Virginia
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: &pizza, Ledo Pizza, Marco’s Pizza
Washington
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: Pagliacci Pizza, Round Table Pizza, Zeeks Pizza
West Virginia
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: &pizza, Ledo Pizza, Marco’s Pizza
Wisconsin
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
Local favorites: Pizza Ranch, Rocky Rococo Pizza, Ian’s Pizza
Wyoming
Most searched: Domino’s Pizza
The post The most popular local pizza restaurants in every state appeared first on Matador Network.
February 11, 2021
Amtrak’s Valentine’s Day BOGO sale
Whether you’re looking to take a trip with your special someone this Valentine’s Day or skip town because you forgot to buy a gift, Amtrak’s Valentine’s Day sale will come in handy. Until February 16, you’ll be able to book a ticket on several trips around the US and get an additional free ticket to give to whomever you choose.
The Amtrak Loves You sale is valid for travel on select lines between February 22 and August 27, so you have plenty of time to take advantage of it.
Doug Duvall, the AVP of Amtrak’s corporate communications, told Travel & Leisure, “Available on many of our most popular routes across the country, the Buy One Get One Free Sale offers loved ones, family and friends the opportunity to plan for a future getaway and experience unabridged views of the North American landscape.”
One-way fares for two passengers run as low as $25. Some of our favorite routes are Chicago to Milwaukee for $25, Oklahoma City to Fort Worth for $31, New York to Philadelphia for $46, and Boston to New York for $58. The sale fare is available on some of Amtrak’s most popular routes, including Auto Train, Acela, Northeast Regional, and California Zephyr.
The post Amtrak is having an epic BOGO Valentine’s Day sale with fares as low as $25 appeared first on Matador Network.
Wanderfest by Wanderful 2022
Though 2021 is still newly upon us, many travelers have already started planning for 2022. For female travelers, something exciting just hit our radars for next March: Wanderfest.
Hosted by the women’s travel network Wanderful, March 12-13, 2022, will see the world’s first outdoor festival for female travelers take over the streets of New Orleans, bringing together leaders in the travel space and a growing sisterhood of women with a mutual love of adventure. Wanderfest attendees will be able to hear live music and inspirational talks, support women-owned businesses through the festival’s global marketplace, and even traipse through the French Quarter in the inaugural Wander Woman Parade, to say nothing of the relationships they’ll form along the way.
The festival could not be coming at a better time. Says Beth Santos, the founder and CEO of Wanderful, “After a year, the one thing we’re all thinking about more than ever is travel — namely how and when we’ll get out there! I’m so thrilled to launch an event as special as Wanderfest at a time we all need it most — to make new connections, build lasting friendships, explore an incredible city, and to do it all while celebrating a deep love of travel with hundreds of other soul sisters. From our inspiring speakers to live music, I expect it to be pure magic.”
To be notified when tickets officially go on sale, subscribe here to get your name on the waitlist. Those interested can also snag a table at the marketplace, host an event, or apply to volunteer. To get even more stoked on the fun that’s to come, check out the preview below.
Matador Network is a proud sponsor of Wanderfest. Use code MATADOR for 15 percent off tickets, on sale March 8.
More like thisFemale Travel14 perfect gifts for women who love to travelThe post The world’s first outdoor festival for female travelers will hit New Orleans in 2022 appeared first on Matador Network.
Best botanical gardens in the US
It might be hard to believe that spring is just around the corner, but hold in there, and longer days and more bearable temperatures are coming. With the rise in temperature, we’ll see signs of life start to blossom in our parks and gardens. The coming of springtime flowers is a simple pleasure, and there’s no better way to experience this on a grand scale than at our nation’s botanical gardens.
Whether you enjoy the formality of perfectly arranged lines of tulips or billowing cherry blossoms, the botanic gardens in the US expertly craft experiences of spring throughout their grounds. Many even hold seasonal events such as flower exhibitions, educational tours, and festivals to really celebrate nature’s transformation from winter. Some are so spectacular it’s even worth checking the garden’s calendar and planning a trip to the city according to their events schedule.
From New York Botanical Garden’s exhibition of orchids to the hundreds of thousands of colorful spring-blooming tulips at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, here are the best botanical gardens in the US to welcome in spring.
Editor’s note: Due to COVID-19 restrictions, many of the garden’s greenhouses and some areas with tight, restricted entrances or spaces will continue to be closed to visitors. All outdoor spaces can be enjoyed, although pre-registration and pre-purchased tickets may be required.
1. United States Botanic Garden, Washington, DC
Photo: United States Botanic Garden
The oldest continuously operating botanic garden in the US, the United States Botanic Garden is situated within the grounds of the US Capitol. Recognized as a living plant museum, the gardens are dedicated to educating visitors on the importance plants have to the wellbeing of the planet. The many outdoor gardens are spectacular during spring with highlights including roses in the Rose Garden and dogwoods in the Regional Garden of native plants. Thousands of blooming bulbs of tulips, daffodils, and crocuses also cover the beds throughout the Terrace Gardens and Bartholdi Park.
2. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables, Florida
Photo: Omer Bezalel/Shutterstock
The Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden gets its name from one of the world’s most famous plant explorers in history, Dr. David Fairchild. The tropical gardens are home to huge collections of rare plants and cover 83 acres of land in the Coral Gables. Although the tropical climate does not see drastic seasonal change, the gardens do have a huge range of springtime events. In April, during spring break the garden will be launching a fun educational program for children called Expedition Discovery, and its popular Dog Dates events invite guests to stroll the grounds with their dogs and enjoy activities such as dog yoga. And if you can’t make it in person, Fairchild’s virtual plant sale invites you to shop for species specially curated and grown by the garden’s botanists and horticulturists.
3. Brookgreen Gardens, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Photo: Brookgreen Gardens
Brookgreen Gardens is a stunning place to visit regardless of the season. The sculpture garden blooms year-round with perineal such as foxgloves, roses, and camellias, but spring is special for enjoying the beds of azaleas that are planted throughout the garden and draw crowds from across the country. Their colors range from crisp white to pink and can typically be enjoyed at the end of March through late April. Other varietals like tulips and daffodils are also celebrated and bring the grounds of the 250-acre botanical garden to life from late February onwards.
4. Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Columbus, OhioPhoto: Franklin Park Conservatory/Facebook
Located in the heart of Columbus, Ohio, the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Garden features over 400 different species of plants. Traditionally in spring, the conservatory runs a Blooms and Butterflies exhibition where one of the garden’s domes houses hundreds of butterflies. The outdoor gardens are also transformed into a rainbow of spring colors with thousands of tulips and other springtime bulbs. The warmer months welcome the educational programming of the Children’s Garden, a two-acre immersive experience that was designed to connect children with nature. Franklin Park’s current exhibition, Bringing Reverence to Nature: An Exploration of Botanicals in Paper, features stunning paper sculptures by Lea Gray and will run throughout the season until May 31.
5. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Missouri
Photo: Rob Neville Photos/Shutterstock
The Missouri Botanical Garden’s most notable attraction is its Climatron, a geometric dome conservatory home to 1,200 species of plants. The architectural feat uses climate-control technology to recreate conditions of a rainforest. Another stunning feature is the 14-acre traditional Japanese Garden, which is the largest of its kind in the US. From March to early April, the garden’s cherry blossoms flower. There are 230 trees, which include ornamental flowering cherries as well as fruit trees such as peaches, nectarines, almonds, plums, and apricots. The most dramatic of the genus is the weeping Higan cherry, which produces stunning rosy flowers. You can also find the native wild black cherry throughout the gardens. Its fragrant white flowers hang in a cluster and are very impressive.
6. Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, Dallas, Texas
Photo: Dallas Arboretum
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden holds an annual Dallas Blooms festival from February 20 to April 11. Being one of the largest flower festivals in the Southwest, the garden comes to life with hundreds of thousands of spring flowers, specifically 500,000 colorful spring-blooming tulips. The six-week celebration also features live music, arts and crafts, lots of children’s activities, and food and drink events. Although springtime is a joy throughout the garden, the 6.5-acre Color Garden features the most dramatic display of sweeping beds of seasonal plants.
7. Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, Illinois
Photo: Chicago Botanic Garden/Facebook
The Chicago Botanic Garden is a triumph. Its beautifully designed and manicured 385 acres, on and around nine islands, attracts a huge amount of visitors each year, especially in spring when Chicagoans are eager to welcome a change of season. There is a huge amount to explore here, but notably, the Bulb Garden, Circle Garden, Sensory Garden, and Lakeside Gardens are all outdoors and really come to life from February onwards. The Lakeside Gardens curve along the Great Basin, and between late April and early May, 300 crabapple trees blossom, producing a stunning reflection on the surface of the water. As for snowdrops, the Waterfall Garden features several varieties and also scilla and tulips.
8. San Francisco Botanical Garden, San Francisco, California
Photo: San Francisco Botanical Garden/Facebook
Another world-famous botanical garden has its home in San Francisco. The San Francisco Botanical Garden’s 55 acres hold over 50,000 plants from all over the world, and boy does it come to life in late February. Again, there is a lot to enjoy here, but the blossoming magnolias found in the Moon Viewing and Temperate Asia areas are particularly special. The garden has 56 species, hybrids, and varieties of magnolias; 216 individual plants; and a thriving conservation project in collaboration with three other botanical gardens in the US. Another spring highlight is the garden’s California poppies, irises, and other wildflowers, which can be viewed from March to May.
9. New York Botanical Garden, New York City, New York
Photo: New York Botanic Gardens
The New York Botanic Garden is yet another of the world’s greats. And although there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy cherry blossoms, cheerful daffodils, and an array of spring flowers, one of the major highlights of the season is the spectacular annual Orchid Show exhibition. From February 20 to April 4, visitors can reserve a ticket to visit select galleries of the conservatory and view some of the rarest orchids. The unusual assortment of orchids from the garden’s renowned collections will be paired with creative floral displays by the garden’s own horticulturists.
10. Allerton and McBryde Gardens Koloa, Kauai, Hawaii
Photo: National Tropical Botanical Garden/Facebook
The Allerton Garden and McBryde Garden sit adjacent to one another in the Lawai Valley on the south shore of Kauai island. In order to visit these gardens, you must check-in at the South Shore Visitors Center. Allerton Garden requires a guided tour which must be booked in advance and usually takes around 2.5 hours. The McBryde Garden can be enjoyed at your own pace on a self-guided visit. They are part of the five spaces that the National Tropical Botanical Garden manages in Hawaii.
The core mission of the group is to protect and preserve plants, specifically native species from disease and extinction. Of course, Hawaii experiences only minor changes in temperature throughout the year, so its spring season is not as varied as other gardens mentioned here, but these two — although being very different — are equally stunning. The gardens cover 350 acres of land, showcase an impressive variety of tropical plants, and would be a great addition to a springtime vacation itinerary in Kauai.
The post The most breathtaking botanical gardens in the US to welcome spring appeared first on Matador Network.
2021 Underwater Photography
Most of our planet is made of water. It makes sense, then, that some of Earth’s most photogenic scenery lies beneath the sea. Since much of the ocean’s depths still remain a mystery, we rely heavily on underwater photography to give us a glimpse into this largely unexplored part of our planet. The Underwater Photographer of the Year Competition is designed to do just that. From a close-up of shipwrecks to strange, glowing marine organisms, these photos give us a window into another world. These are the winners in each category from 2021’s Underwater Photographer of the Year Contest and the photographers’ accounts of their backstories accompanying them.
Category: Wide Angle — “Sharks’ Skylight”
Photo: © Renee Capozzola/UPY2021
“In French Polynesia there is strong legal protection for sharks, allowing them to thrive and balance the marine ecosystem. In August 2020, I visited the island of Moorea, which was not only open to visitors but also happens to be my favorite place to photograph sharks. During this trip, I spent several evenings in the shallows at sunset, hoping to capture something unique. Instead of focusing on split-level images that I am known for, I decided to try something different. I envisioned and aimed to capture the sharks underwater with the sunset seen through Snell’s window. It took many attempts, but on this particular evening the water was calm, the sharks came into a nice composition, and I got lucky with the birds as well. Since many shark species are threatened with extinction, it is my hope that images of these beautiful animals will help promote their conservation.”
Category: Macro — “Pontohi Pygmy Seahorse”
Photo: ©Galice Hoarau/UPY 2021
“Pontohi pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus pontohi) is one of the smallest and most recently discovered seahorses. They usually live on reef walls and can be hard to find. We had found two during the morning dive, so I decided to dedicate the afternoon to getting a backlit photo. We were lucky to find this particular individual hanging out from the wall, allowing the use of a snoot to backlight it with the help of Rando, my dive guide. After setting up the camera and strobe we had to wait for it to get used to us and finally turn toward the camera for a brief moment.”
Category: Wrecks — “BOWLANDER”Photo: ©Tobias Friedrich/UPY2021
“Due to bad weather at Tiger Beach and in Bimini we had to look for shelter near Nassau in the Bahamas and do some regular dives. This wreck was totally new to me and a big surprise when we descended as the bow is hanging almost completely over a sandy overhang.”
Category: Behavior — “A Striped Marlin in a High-Speed Hunt in Mexico”
Photo: ©Karim Iliya/UPY2021
“This is a terrifying scene for the small fish, fleeing for their lives as a striped marlin hunts them. The slightest mistake means life or death. There are often birds hunting from above and sometimes a dozen other marlin and sea lions attacking from all sides. Marlin are one of the fastest fish in the sea, a terrifying predator for a small fish in the great blue desert. I went to Mexico to document these feeding frenzies but was not expecting such a fast-paced hunt, almost too fast for my brain to process. For a brief moment, this scene unfolded before me, and I had to rely on all my instincts and practice underwater to take this photo. I used natural light and stayed on the periphery of the bait-ball so as to try and minimize disturbance. Watching wild animals hunt is one of the greatest spectacles in nature.”
Category: Portrait — “Guardian Deity”
Photo: ©Ryohei Ito/UPY2021
“As the Asian sheepshead wrasse grows older, it changes sex from female to male, and at the same time it develops a large lump on its head. I thought about the lighting and composition so that the image of the bump and the powerful face could be conveyed and challenged many times. He lives in a shrine under the water and looks just like a guardian deity.”
Category: Black and White — “The Cut”
Photo: ©Diana Fernie/UPY2021
“This photograph was taken at Leru Cut in the Solomon Islands. I was lucky enough to have won a 10-day trip on the Solomons PNG Master liveaboard and was very excited to have the opportunity to visit this site again. Having dived these waters on two previous occasions, I knew what to expect. However, I needed an elegant model as an essential element for this composition, and my immediate companions could not be classified in any way as elegant! Fortunately, there was another photographer in my dingy group whose beautiful model wife was the perfect subject. Somewhat cheekily I managed to capture a few shots of her as she posed for her husband!”
Category: Compact — “Doule (Kuhlia Rupestris) Near the Surface”
Photo: ©Jack Berthomier/UPY2021
“I used to go fishing in the river to take some shots a few days after big rains, which make the riverbed go higher and make some big floods. The current is strong but still practicable for freediving with dislodged plants, leaves, and branches. They bring a lot of colors that showcase this plain New Caledonian carp, which are common in our rivers.”
Category: Up and Coming — “Tying In”
Photo: ©SJ Alice Bennett/UPY2021
“As this shot was taken during cave training, we had a pretty intricate plan in place, which is not usually how I run cave shoots. However, the plan failed miserably as the cave student, Max, had multiple equipment failures before even making it past the cavern zone. Plans are important, but when they fail you need to adapt quickly and deal with a new situation. After fixing all the issues on the surface and changing our plan to accommodate our now fairly depleted gas supplies, we descended again. I swam ahead and waited just beyond the beginning of the permanent mainline watching the team swim towards me, followed closely by the lighting assistants creating those beautiful halo effects. Suddenly everything just lined up perfectly, so I pressed the shutter just as Max turned to tie into the mainline.”
Category: British Waters Wide Angle and My Backyard — “While You Sleep”
Photo: ©Mark Kirkland/UPY2021
“Malls Mire — small woodland in Glasgow between a housing estate, supermarket, and factory — is an unlikely haven for wildlife. As winter thaws, for a few nights each year, one of its small muddy ponds comes alive with common frogs. I first photographed them here in 2018, and since that day I’ve had this image in my head. It took another two years before I captured the little wonders that stir in the cold nights while the city sleeps. Using a temperamental remote shutter while combining long-exposure, backlighting, close-focus wide-angle, and split photography meant I had to abandon any frustrations and try (and inevitably fail) for the hundredth time to get it right. This final shot is a culmination of 25 hours over four nights of lying in darkness, covered in mud, waiting on nature’s unpredictable elements to align. Time well spent? Absolutely.”
Category: British Waters Macro — “Portrait of a Variable Blenny”
Photo: ©Malcolm Nimmo/UPY2021
“The variable blenny (Parablennius pilicornis) is a relatively new arrival to UK coastal waters, with its origins from more southerly waters (it has been recorded throughout the Mediterranean Sea). This species may appear in a number of different color forms. The current image is of a male and was taken in Plymouth Sound, July 2020. This particular blenny was standing out proud on a reef ledge, making it an ideal subject. The image was captured using snooted lighting to emphasize only the face of the blenny, with the snooted light being positioned from above the head enhancing the facial features.”
Category: British Waters Living Together — “SS Hispania”
Photo: ©Kristy Andrews/UPY2021
“The UK, in my view, has some of the finest wreck diving in the world, and the SS Hispania in the Sound of Mull is one of my favorites. This wreck truly has become an artificial reef: The wreck attracts the wildlife, and both wreck and wildlife attract the divers. Every inch of metal is covered in anemones, seaweeds or sponges, orange and white. My buddy was investigating the superstructure above a row of portholes, and I moved back, shooting as wide as I could to try to give a sense of scale within this colorful scene.”
Category: British Waters Compact — “Sunrise Mute Swan Feeding Underwater”
Photo: ©Ian Wade/UPY2021
“I had been watching a couple of mute swans at my local lake. They seemed to be following people around looking for food. I decided to attach a small weight to the back of my GoPro and threw it into the lake a short distance from me. The small weight would mean the GoPro always fell on its back, so I could shoot at an almost vertical angle. I have connected the GoPro to my phone so I could remotely fire off images. The GoPro hitting the water had attached the swan’s interest, and they swam over. I waited until one of the swans was in the correct position, with its head underwater, and shot a high-speed burst of images enabling me to capture this picture.”
Category: Marine Conservation — “Aerial View of a Crowded Island in Guna Yala”
Photo: ©Karim Iliya/UPY2021
“A tightly inhabited village off the coast of Panama in the Guna Yala region serves as a microcosmic reminder of how humans across the planet are consuming land and space at a rapid rate. Most of the Guna people live on these densely populated islands, catching fish and farming coconuts on nearby islands. The importance of man’s relationship with nature and the need to protect it becomes very apparent when you look at our species from a bird’s-eye perspective and see how much space we take up. I had come to this region of Panama to photograph the art of making mola, the traditional clothing that the Guna people wear. While waiting on a boat I flew my drone over this island to get this aerial perspective and give more impact to the image than I could have shooting at sea level or from underwater.”
The post The winners of the 2021 Underwater Photographer of the Year Contest will blow your mind appeared first on Matador Network.
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