Matador Network's Blog, page 742

Museum gift shop holiday gifts

Many of the world’s most admired museums have been off-limits to travelers this year, and to help art and culture enthusiasts access their collections, some have offered virtual tours. Unsurprisingly, looking at the Louvre’s great artwork on a laptop is not as satisfying as walking its superb galleries. To appease the disappointment of those whose plans to travel to Paris, New York City, or London got squashed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and who don’t find relief in a virtual visit, check out the online shops of some of the world’s best museums. Museum gift shops cater to every taste, age, and wallet, from fun and tacky key chains to gorgeous art books and games. And you’re sure to create the surprise with thoughtful and unique gifts that will hit the spot for your art- and travel-deprived loved ones.

1. Le Louvre, Paris

Photo: Boutiques de Musees

The Louvre has a Christmas selection in its online gift shop that will make it easy to find your Secret Santa’s perfect present. Our personal favorite is a reproduction of one of the museum’s most loved pieces: “Hippopotamus.” On display in the Egyptian Antiquities department of the Louvre, the bright blue figurine is extremely popular with both adults and children, not only because of its adorable look but also thanks to its fascinating story as a funerary statuette found in the tomb of Tutankhamen. There are small ($18) and large ($54) ceramic reproductions of the object, and one make-your-own blue hippo kit ($23) that will keep kids and parents entertained for a bit while getting a fun Egyptology lesson.

There’s currently a 20 percent discount for all the items on the Boutique des Musées website where you’ll find the Louvre’s hippopotamus, as well as items from other Paris cultural institutions’ gift shops, such as the Picasso Museum, the Palace of Versailles, or the Musée d’Orsay. Use the code XMAS20 to get the discount.

2. The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET), NYC

Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Like the Louvre, the MET has a 2020 holiday gift catalog that will help you pick out a great present. There are plenty of beautiful fashion-oriented items available, such as Tiffany-inspired jewelry pieces, scarves, and clutches, as well as a stunning coffee-table book, “Vogue & The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute” ($65), that will captivate lovers of haute couture. For those who want to enjoy a piece of the MET’s collection at home while keeping busy during this very special year, we recommend buying a puzzle reproduction of the famous “The Unicorn Rests in a Garden” ($19.95) from the Unicorn Tapestries on display at the museum, or the 500-piece “Inside the Museum” ($19.95) puzzle, a fun illustration of some of the treasures to be found at the MET. The museum’s puzzles are suitable for children of 12 and up.

3. The British Museum, London

Photo: British Museum

The British Museum is filled with iconic pieces celebrated throughout the world for their cultural, historical, and artistic values, and the museum’s shop reflects perfectly this impressive collection. One of the flagship exhibits in the museum is the Lewis Chessmen, i.e. 82 intricate chess pieces carved into walrus ivory and whale’s teeth in Norway between 1150 and 1200 AD. Discovered in the 19th century on the island of Lewis in Scotland, they have inspired the pieces used in wizards chess in the movie Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. For fans of mysterious archeological discoveries, Harry Potter, chess, or all three, small ($60) and medium ($265) chess sets featuring replicas of the Lewis chessmen pieces can be purchased. Single replicas ($15) of some of the iconic pieces are also available.

4. The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Photo: Rijks Museum Shop

If you want to get your children interested in art, check out Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum’s Playmobil collection. There are Playmobil versions of Van Gogh and Rembrandt painting their self-portraits ($7), as well as great sets representing Vermeer’s “The Milkmaid” ($7) and Rembrandt’s “The Night Watch” ($8,25), probably the two most famous art pieces in the Rijksmuseum. For adults, the museum offers prints of its iconic pieces in a unique format. Instead of the usual poster reproductions, you can purchase block-effect prints (from $94 to $474 depending on the size chosen) that you put together yourself thanks to thick connecting cards. It’s much more modern and original than a paper poster, and the pieces are moisture-resistant, UV-resistant, and can even be washed, so you can display them in your kitchen, bathroom, or anywhere you like.

5. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMa), NYC

Photo: MoMA

Being a museum of modern art, MoMa has some of the edgiest gift ideas of all the art museums on this list, from beautifully designed homeware like clocks, teapots, furniture, etc. to trendy decorative pieces and clothing. For a truly original present, check out the Only at MoMa section of the online shop. Our favorite items include the Cube Kettle ($55), a flat, cubic, stainless steel kettle made in Japan that will make breakfast and tea time a pleasure; the amazing Kit Cat Clock ($40) that will entertain the kids as much as the adults with its humorous and retro design; and the colorful slip-on sneakers from the MoMa Vans collection ($85) that teenagers will love to wear.

6. The Victoria & Albert Museum, London

Photo: V&A Shop

As expected, the world’s leading museum of art and design, the Victoria & Albert Museum, has a lot to offer to art lovers in search of a beautiful gift. The jewelry collection has a lot of great options, whether you’re looking for a classic, trendy, retro, or just exceptionally original item. The fabric flower hook earrings ($64) created by textile artist Sachi Manabe are made in Japan and a sure way to please someone looking for a beautiful and unusual piece. For those who want to give a truly British present, the “Strawberry Thief” William Morris cross stitch kit ($47) is perfect for both adults and teenagers eager to learn a new skill and make something beautiful. The V&A also has some of the quirkiest — and designed in London — Christmas decorations found in museums, like a Queen Victoria coronation ornament ($20), or even a red Mini Christmas decoration ($11).

7. Zeitz MOCAA – Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, Cape Town

Photo: Zeitz Mocaa

The Museum of Contemporary Art Africa opened in 2017 in Cape Town and celebrates contemporary African artists in its galleries and in its shop. For the fashion-obsessed, there are bags, adult and children’s clothing, accessories, and jewelry created by designers, artisans, and craftspeople in South Africa. The ($162) manufactured in Muizenberg Village on the Southern Coast of Cape Town and the Woodstock Laundry tribal shorts ($34) will please the fashionable crowd. Decorative homewares like colorful ceramic bowls ($19) and bowls made of upcycled telephone wires ($80) are also the work of local potters and craft producers.

More like thisMuseums10 museums that are just as cool on the outside as they are on the inside

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Christmas house for rent on Vrbo

Everyone loves Christmas decorations, but not everyone loves setting them up, and getting your house to look like the Griswold’s from Christmas Vacation is easier said than done. That’s why Vrbo and Lifetime are partnering to offer a holiday home for rent that’s absolutely exploding with already set-up Christmas spirit.

Photo: Vrbo

Inspired by Lifetime’s 2020 holiday movie lineup, the “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” Holiday House in Greenwich, Connecticut, was created with the help of master holiday decorator and star of the holiday movie “The Christmas Edition” Carly Hughes.

The Vrbo team wanted the house to “resemble a house made of gingerbread and be a small-town escape, preferably within walking distance of a bakery or coffee shop. Every room of the house has to be covered in Santa’s workshop amounts of holiday decorations — no fewer than five Christmas trees, 10 wreaths, and two larger-than-life nutcrackers to stand guard.”

Photo: Vrbo

Of course, to make your stay as magical as possible, there’s also a cozy fireplace, tons of Christmas sweaters, ingredients for making holiday food, Christmas trees, holiday wreaths, a do-it-yourself gingerbread house and 30 Lifetime holiday movies.

Photo: Vrbo

The home will be available to book on Vrbo starting at 1 PM EST on November 23, for three-night minimum stays through December 27. Since it starts at just $100 per night (all the money from rental goes to charity), you’ll still have plenty of money left over for Christmas presents.

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Drake Hotel Diana package

If you binge-watched the new season of The Crown and are craving another Princess Diana fix, this Chicago hotel package inspired by the late princess is right up your alley. According to Forbes, the Drake Hotel in Chicago is offering a Princess Diana package, allowing people to stay in the suite where she stayed while visiting the city in June 1996.

The “Crowning a Lady” package gives guests the royal treatment, recreating the hotel experience Princess Diana would have enjoyed when she visited Chicago back in 1996. The package includes a stay in the Princess Diana Suite, as well as items she requested during her stay, including a stationary bike, mineral water, forget-me-nots (her favorite flower), the official photo book of Abba (her favorite band), and a bottle of the perfume Quelques Fleurs by Houbigant Paris.

Photo: The Drake Hotel

To add a touch of drama to the experience, the hotel has set up the suite with everything needed for guests to watch The Crown in their suite.

Photo: The Drake Hotel

Guests will also be able to enjoy afternoon tea at the Palm Court and drink Rose Pouchong (Diana’s favorite tea), followed by a cocktail and a three-course dinner including a fresh salad, king salmon, and a cinnamon biscotti soufflé — all of which were enjoyed by Diana during her visit.

Photo: The Drake Hotel

The package will be available through December 15, with the two-night minimum rate starting at $32,000. It’s certainly a price fit for a princess.

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When to see the Frosty Moon eclipse

2020 might end on a decent note after all. The year’s fourth and final penumbral lunar eclipse is happening next week. Early on Monday, November 30, the full Frosty Moon will be eclipsed by the Earth’s outer shadow.

When the sun, Earth, and moon line up it’s called a syzygy by astronomers. A penumbral lunar eclipse is when the syzygy is so perfect that the moon moves into the Earth’s shadow. The Earth’s outer shadow is called its penumbra, and the visual effect is that of a gradual darkening. On November 30, 2020, 83 percent of the full moon will be eclipsed by our planet’s shadow.

Three penumbral eclipses have already occurred in 2020, though each looks slightly different depending on how much of the moon is covered by the Earth’s shadow. During July Fourth’s penumbral eclipse, only 35 percent of the moon was covered by Earth, making this month’s event much more striking.

The Frost Moon’s moonrise will happen on November 29, with the eclipse to follow. The peak of the eclipse will happen at 4:42 AM ET on November 30.

And if you miss it, you can still look up and enjoy the Frosty Moon, which is the name of this month’s full moon. Yeah, it looks exactly the same as every other month’s full moon, but in 2020 beggars can’t be choosers when it comes to entertainment.

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The post A Frosty Moon eclipse will be visible in the US next week appeared first on Matador Network.

Best, easiest wildlife to see winter

While bears hibernate and several bird species head south of the border in winter, many other animals remain visible during the colder months here in the United States. With a keen eye, you can spot one or two — so long as you place yourself well and remain patient. Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean we can’t do some serious wildlife spotting. Here’s your guide to some cuddly-looking and some not so cuddly — but all warmly furred or feathered — animals to spot this winter. Just remember that wild animals are just that: wild. So please give even the cutest of them their space.

Foxes

Photo: Sata Production/Shutterstock

Red foxes are sly, but their bright vermillion-hued coats are much easier to spot when contrasted by an open field of snow. Because they spend much of winter foraging — and can often be seen sleeping curled right on top of the snow out in the open, rather than in a den — foxes are a regular sight in open plains of the Midwest, across the valleys of the Rockies, and even in drier climates like Utah’s canyon country. Of all the furry species on this list, foxes are among the few found in nearly all parts of the country.

Lynx

Photo: Aleksandr Denisyuk/Shutterstock

The tuft of black hair that distinguishes a lynx from other mountain cats stands out in stark contrast to the winter snow in the Rockies. As such, the lynx can actually be easier to spot in winter than in summer, particularly in Colorado, where a reintroduction program in the 1990s brought more of these furry felines to the state’s high country. They’ve been most noticeable in Eagle County, home to Vail, where you can embark on a free snowshoe tour in hopes of spotting one. This may sound like a foolish errand, but lynx aren’t actually into attacking humans — though you should leave your dog at the hotel. You can also spot lynx in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and near the coasts in Washington state and Maine.

Pikas

Photo: Eivor Kuchta/Shutterstock

Not to appreciate the sight of a mountain pika is not to appreciate being in the mountains at all. Pikas are a staple of the high country, and even the most lightly colored among them possess a ripple of darker fur that stands out in winter. If you head on a ski vacation to Montana’s Big Sky, Wyoming’s Jackson, or the resorts of Colorado’s Summit County, keep an eye out for pika while making turns above the treeline — that might not be sluff running alongside you.

Sandhill cranes

Photo: kojihirano/Shutterstock

Residents of the Midwest and South are in luck when it comes to spotting sandhill cranes. Very common in northern Midwest states, these birds migrate south to Florida for winter and then back again in early spring. You’ll see them flying overhead, spreading their wings sometimes more than 7.5 feet in length, or nesting in prairies, marshes, and tundra. Head to the Great Plains during the migratory seasons and you’re bound to see flocks of sandhill cranes flying and feeding. They can be quite loud, so listen for their call when you’re trying to locate them.

Bighorn sheep

Photo: sumikophoto/Shutterstock

Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park is a prime spot to see bighorn sheep, where they tend to move across south-facing slopes with less snow and more sun. Bighorns move all about the Rockies, though, so you might see them traversing the high country from New Mexico north through Montana and into Canada. On the Qest Coast, California bighorn sheep roam the higher altitude open plains of Oregon and California, as far south as Anza-Borrego Desert State Park east of San Diego. Spottings are frequently reported at Cleman Mountain in central Washington state, as well.

Snow geese

Photo: DRidgway/Shutterstock

Snow geese live off of a diet of grasses and grains, meaning that in winter you’re most likely to find them in the southern states with wide-open wet grasslands and marshes. They like shallow pools of water and spend the non-breeding months of winter in eastern Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, and across Missouri, Louisiana, Arkansas, and southern Iowa. You can spot them migrating north toward the Arctic at the end of winter just about anywhere in the central part of the country, from the high plains east of the Rockies all the way to New England.

Bald eagles

Photo: FloridaStock/Shutterstock

Bald eagles call every US state home in winter save for Hawaii. Thing is, you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled to the sky to spot one. They aren’t found low to the ground. For the best odds, head to open rangeland with plenty of water and old-growth trees, where the eagles prefer to nest. They’re also commonly spotted in rangeland with high numbers of carcasses for them to feed on. To confirm it’s a bald eagle, look for white heads on top of dark brown bodies and their famed expansive wingspan — which can reach eight feet.

Wolves

Photo: Geoffrey Kuchera/Shutterstock

Northern Yellowstone National Park is home to 10 packs of roaming wolves, which stand dominantly against the whitened ground of the park in winter. This makes Yellowstone the best spot to see wolves in winter, as there are many pull-off spots and traffic tends to slow when animal sightings take place. Elsewhere, you may see wolves in Alaska’s Katmai and Denali national parks and mountainous national forests of Arizona, New Mexico, and, on rare occasions, Wyoming. Other places to seek them out are at the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and Isle Royale National Park in Michigan.

Bison

Photo: BlazingBighornStudios/Shutterstock

Before the arrival of Europeans, buffalo dominated the open plains of the central and western US. Today there are as little as 15,000 left in the entire world. You can still see them in places like Yellowstone National Park, where they migrate to lower elevations in winter, and along the I-70 corridor in Colorado — where a bison viewing pull-off just west of Denver offers your best chance. In Montana, catch bison roaming the Fort Peck Reservation, home to the Assiniboine and Sioux, and in the Henry Mountains of Utah. If you happen to make it to Alaska this winter, bison are known to roam around Delta Junction.

Snowshoe hares

Photo: FotoRequest/Shutterstock

What with its winter white fur and a genetic evolutionary pattern designed to optimize its ability to camouflage, a snowshoe hare isn’t always easy to glimpse — but if you find yourself in New England, the Upper Midwest, the Rocky Mountains, Appalachians, or Pacific Northwest this winter, keep an eye out for these furry hoppers around dawn and dusk. Because they are nocturnal, your best bet to spot one is during the golden hour on both sides of the day.

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The post These furry and feathered animals are actually easier to spot in winter appeared first on Matador Network.

England create more national parks

As part of the British government’s 25-year Environment Plan, more of England’s natural landscapes will be turned into national parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a recent UK government press release explained.

Currently the country has 10 national parks (Broads, Dartmoor, Exmoor, Lake District, New Forest, Northumberland, North York Moors, Peak District, South Downs, Yorkshire Dales) and 34 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. By creating more national parks and AONBs, the government is inching closer to its ultimate goal to protect 30 percent of all UK land by 2030.

The point of the Environment Plan is to make nature more accessible for local communities and protect wildlife and biodiversity. Thanks to this initiative, a range of projects are also slated to receive funding to improve natural environments across the country, and create thousands of jobs in the process related to habitat restoration, habitat clean-up, and woodland creation.

Over the next four years, 10 Landscape Recovery Projects will be launched across England to restore damaged habitats such as peatlands and wetlands. Ultimately, these projects will restore over 30,000 soccer fields worth of wildlife habitat.

More like thisParks + WildernessAll the natural wonders of Wales you’ll miss if you only see Cardiff

The post England to create more national parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty appeared first on Matador Network.

US, UK, and Germany COVID vaccines

After months of lockdowns and travel restrictions, there might finally be a light at the end of the tunnel. Earlier this month, two COVID-19 vaccines — one developed by Pfizer and the other by Moderna — showed an efficacy over 94 percent in clinical trials. Although vaccinations will take time, and there won’t be enough doses for everyone right away, the US, Germany, and UK are aiming to begin vaccinating their populations as soon as December, while Spain will begin its vaccination program in January.

The UK could give regulatory approval to the Pfizer vaccine as early as this week, and the National Health Service has been told to be prepared to begin administering the vaccine starting December 1, The Telegraph reported. The UK expects to have enough doses to vaccinate five million people by the end of 2020, pending regulatory approval. The US and Europe are expected to see emergency authorization of the two vaccines early next month.

According to Moncef Slaoui, head of the US vaccine program, “Our plan is to be able to ship vaccines to the immunization sites within 24 hours from the approval, so I expect maybe on day two after approval on the 11th or the 12th of December.”

Similarly, Jens Spahn, Germany’s health minister, said, “There is reason to be optimistic that there will be approval for a vaccine in Europe this year. And then we can start right away.”

According to The Guardian, Germany has secured more than 300 million vaccine doses.

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The post The US, UK, and Germany could begin COVID-19 vaccinations next month appeared first on Matador Network.

Southwest Florida: Family adventures

Bring the kids: Outdoor adventure for the whole family on The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel

By: Jacqueline Kehoe

Photo: Matador Network

We all have different feelings about traveling right now. When you’re ready, we hope you feel safe, inspired, and excited to explore The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel.

Most of us associate Southwest Florida with warm sand and even warmer sunshine. It’s not a bad reputation to have — but it’s also not the whole picture. The region’s habitats vary widely from open Gulf waters to thick mangrove mazes and cypress sloughs, from remote barrier islands to wild, densely canopied rivers. For a memorable dive into nature, it’s hard to beat this part of the Sunshine State. But where do you go for COVID-friendly adventure for the whole family?

You’ll find the answer somewhere on The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel. Here, outdoor adventure means slipping your kayak into gentle, back bay waters. It means staying very, very quiet while you count roseate spoonbills or gasp silently at playful manatees. It means jumping for joy when you find a rare conch shell or nail your first flyboarding spin.

If this sounds like your speed, pack up the Airstream and pack up the kids — they won’t want to miss out on anything you find in Fort Myers & Sanibel.

This guide is proudly produced in partnership with The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel.

Note: Some of the sites and businesses listed below may not currently be operating as described due to safety guidelines. Please contact all locations prior to visiting.

Flying across the Gulf

















Photo: Matador Network






Photo: The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel

There are times when getting out on the water means a quiet sail toward the sunset; there are other times when “on the water” means zooming across, flying along, or flipping above. A beach vacation doesn’t have to be low-adrenaline, especially not here in Southwest Florida — tell the kids to get ready to try flyboarding, jet skiing, and parasailing. Just to name a few.

Outfitters across the region will get you zooming, jumping, flying, and surfing — even first-timers. YOLO Watersports can hook you and the fam up on Captiva Island, while All Water Excursions is waiting for you in Bonita Springs. Ace Performer is based out of Fort Myers, and FMB FlyBoard can be found right on Hurricane Pass.

Tip: For something totally different, you can wakeboard, kneeboard, ski, or wakeskate — at up to 19mph — on one of Revolution Cable Park’s five cable-lined towers and runs, located in North Fort Myers.

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Paddling the Great Calusa Blueway

















Photo: The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel






Photo: The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel

There’s no reason your family explorations have to be confined to land. Enter the Great Calusa Blueway, 190 miles of marked kayak, stand-up paddleboard, and canoe trails along three rivers (and their tributaries), through Estero Bay, Pine Island Sound, and around countless coastal islands. But don’t think of it like a hiking trail — it’s more of a choose-your-own-adventure maze through Florida’s best Gulf, river, and back bay waters.

And you don’t even have to haul your own gear: Plenty of local outfitters, like Gulf Coast Kayak in Matlacha and Adventure Sea Kayak on Captiva Island, deliver to local vacation rentals or the nearest boat ramp or beach. Tackle a section and SUP the canals of Cape Coral, paddle to Buck Key from Captiva Island, or uncover the namesake of this waterway by exploring the waters around Mound Key Archaeological State Park, once home to the Indigenous Calusa. Be prepared, wherever you are, to spot dolphins, manatees, eagles, roseate spoonbills, herons, osprey, ibis, and egrets.

Note: The waterway averages four feet in depth. If you or the kids are new to paddling, this is a great place to start.

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Discovering nature’s souvenirs

















Photo: Matador Network






Photo: The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel

Searching for seashells (“shelling”) is an art, a sport, and a local tradition in this part of the world. The devoted rise early and master the “Sanibel Stoop” or the “Captiva Crouch” as they bend down to investigate, monitor the weather (storms churn up fresh finds), and book private charters to remote locations. But even the casual sheller — with eyes peeled — will run across the most beautiful shells they’ve ever seen, from lightning whelks to lettered olives, coquinas, and fighting conchs. If you’re looking for the proverbial jackpot, though, that’s the brown-speckled Junonia, the rarest of them all.

Almost any coastal spot in Fort Myers & Sanibel is a good one, though some will keep you stooping longer than others. For a shortlist of destinations to scope out, consider Bowman’s Beach, Blind Pass, Little Hickory Island Park, or — though it’s only accessible by boat — the remote Cayo Costa State Park.

Tip: On rainy days, head to the newly expanded Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum, the country’s best, for a deep dive into the importance of shells. Expect engaging edutainment, art, and family-friendly activities.

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Angling off the beaches and bays

















Photo: Matador Network






Photo: The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel

Thousands of years ago, the Calusa fished these Gulf and bay waters as a primary source of sustenance. Hundreds of years ago, Cuban fishermen set up ranchos, little seasonal fishing villages, along the coast. In the 1950s, “pink gold” — the most delectable shrimp — began to be harvested just offshore. Southwest Florida’s fishing history is long, complex, and still being written today.

To take part in this longstanding tradition, simply toss in a line from the Fort Myers Beach or Bokeelia fishing piers. For something with a stronger sense of adventure, grab the fam and get out on a charter from Matlacha — the Matlacha Bridge is known as the “Fishingest Bridge in the World” — and explore the back bay and mangrove estuaries for snook, redfish, and spotted seatrout.

But when you catch something, do you just toss ‘er back in? Not necessarily — depending on what you’ve landed, restaurants like Lazy Flamingo and Pinchers will fillet and cook up your haul for you. (They can also simply bring you their catch and let you focus on the feasting.)

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Watching for wildlife

















Photo: The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel






Photo: The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel

Thousand-pound manatees. Elegant roseate spoonbills (not, as you might think at first sight, flamingos). Atlantic and coastal bottlenose dolphins. Pelicans, cormorants, egrets, and herons. Gopher tortoises, loggerhead turtles, eastern indigo snakes, mangrove fox squirrels, and bobcats. Southwest Florida only gets wilder the more you explore.

The best-known wildlife spot around is perhaps the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, a 6,400-acre tract of footpaths, water-based trails, and a four-mile scenic drive that ventures along the northeast side of Sanibel Island through mangrove swamps and fields of palm. The wildlife you’re likely coming for — most of the above list — will be most active closest to sunrise, sunset, and at low tide, so plan accordingly.

The mile-long boardwalk at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve is a great family-friendly option for total immersion into nature. There’s also Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, the largest virgin bald cypress forest in the country, replete with thousands of wading and migratory birds — it’s owned and operated by the National Audubon Society.

Note: For surefire dolphin sightings, go on an Estero Bay eco-tour with Fish Tale Marina; for likely manatee sightings, pay a visit to Manatee Park during the cooler winter months.

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Camping under the stars

















Photo: Matador Network






Photo: Matador Network

Camping has made a serious comeback in 2020, and it may be here to stay. After all, once you experience campfires on the shore or sleeping underneath a canopy of palm trees, gazing at the stars between the fronds, why would you want to do anything else?

There are numerous spots across Southwest Florida that serve as fuel for any growing camping addiction. Cayo Costa State Park, for example, is one of the largest, most remote barrier islands in the state: Its nine miles of beaches are only accessible by boat or kayak. Book a cabin or campsite to experience Florida at its wildest come nightfall — a starry experience unlike any on the mainland, no telescope required.

Koreshan State Park is another great camping option, where you’ll unpack the Airstream on the historic site of a bygone religious community along the verdant banks of the Estero River. Caloosahatchee Regional Park offers a similar experience along the wild uplands and banks of its namesake waterway. And Red Coconut RV Park is set right next to the sand of Fort Myers Beach, providing the sounds of actual crashing waves to sleep to, no sound machine required.

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Feasting from the farm

















Photo: The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel






Photo: The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel

You could, if you wanted, vacation in Fort Myers & Sanibel, never cook a meal, and yet never go to a typical restaurant — Southwest Florida abounds in local farms and farm-to-table experiences.

Buckingham Farms’ 85-acre hydroponic operation supplies all the freshest ingredients used in their adjacent restaurant for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Southern Fresh Farms has an onsite produce market, a Friday-night food truck and brewery, and even barnyard animals for the little ones to meet. ECHO Global Farm, meanwhile, invites visitors to volunteer on a local farm dedicated to fighting hunger, or you can simply take a tour — both are incredible educational opportunities for you and the kids (note: ECHO doesn’t offer dining service).

The farmers markets on Sanibel Island and in downtown Fort Myers are also worth a mention here, offering everything from the standard garden produce and fresh-cut flowers to French pastries, Mediterranean goodies, Argentinian empanadas, and German brats. Come early — close to 8AM — for the freshest fare.

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This guide is proudly produced in partnership with The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel.

The post Bring the kids: Outdoor adventure for the whole family on The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel appeared first on Matador Network.

Classic Indonesian dishes

Lara Lee, author of the new Indonesian cookbook Coconut and Sambal, remembers the noise — a “cacophony” she calls it. The rickety ceiling fan spinning overhead, the squeak of the laminate tables and the mismatched condiment bottles and bowls, and the overlapping early morning conversations in between slurps of noodle soup. This is breakfast in Indonesia — a joyful, colorful, loud welcome to the day.

“What I love about Indonesia is the passion for food, it is full throttle,” Lee tells me. “I began to realize that Indonesians are always eating. So I would go to someone’s house, to learn to cook or to interview them, and there would be a platter of, you know, Indonesian sweets on the table or banana fritters. I really fell in love with that way of being — you know, always eating.”

Lee grew up in a mixed-race, working-class family in Sydney, Australia; her mother is Australian, and her father is Chinese-Indonesian. Traveling to Indonesia wasn’t an option, but her home growing up was filled with touches of Indonesian culture. Her father played Indonesian folk music, and her mother dressed her and her sister in batik for special occasions — but it was the food that really solidified her connection to a country she had never set foot in.

“I think there are probably a lot of second-generation immigrants, the children of immigrants, who live far away from their ancestral heritage, but they feel that just because you haven’t set foot in a place doesn’t mean you don’t feel like you belong there because they’ve been introduced to that culture through certain mediums,” Lee says. “And for me, that medium was food.”

Photo: Louise Hagger

When she was five, her paternal grandmother, whom she called Popo, left Timor and moved in with her son’s family. Lee, fascinated, watched her whittle carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes into the shape of flowers and grind ingredients together for the peanut sauce dressing for the gado-gado salad. Popo passed away before Lee was able to learn to cook from her, a loss that she says she’s still grieving.

In 2016, Lee quit her corporate job and became a professional chef. Around the same time, she made another big decision: to return to her ancestral homeland, where she would research the cookbook that became Coconut and Sambal, in order to “reconnect with my heritage through my grandmother’s recipes.”

Lee embarked on a journey from Bali, to Sumatra, to Timor — where her family is from. She recovered her grandmother’s old recipe books from her home in Timor and emailed her aunties, who shared their own recipes and gifted her old photo albums. During her travels, Indonesian people — often strangers, like her cab driver or a vendor at a food market — invited her into their homes to teach her their traditional cooking techniques and pass down generational recipes.

Photo: Louise Hagger

“When I traveled around. I was met with such warm hospitality,” she says. “That act of giving, of giving time, of giving their family recipes, I encountered that everywhere I went. When they found out I was writing a cookbook, there was such pride. So many Indonesians that I met said, ‘This really is such an honor for us to teach you our recipes.’”

The cookbook borne out of that journey is a loving, nostalgic, and celebratory homage to the zesty, tangy, and pungent cuisine of the Indonesian archipelago. Lee’s personal connection to the food allows her to offer more than just a recitation of cooking techniques and ingredients. She reveals Indonesia’s culture of hospitality, its reliance on bustling outdoor markets for beloved fresh vegetables, and its near-universal obsession with snacking and breakfast, as well many other cultural landmarks that make a complex, layered country that is still mostly mysterious to many Westerners.

“I feel that Indonesian food hasn’t had its time in the mainstream yet,” Lee says. “What I wanted to do was to ensure that people didn’t feel afraid to cook Indonesian food. I do want it to become something that becomes more popular.”

As an introduction to Indonesia’s cuisine, here are eight classic dishes to know. Five are Indonesia’s national dishes — soto ayam, rendang, satay, nasi goreng, and gado-gado — while the others will welcome you to the fragrant spices and addictive heat of Indonesian cooking.

1. Sambal

Photo: Louise Hagger

Sambal is a sauce that’s at the centerpiece of the Indonesian dinner table. It accompanies every meal. Lee writes that “growing up in Timor, my father could not remember a meal that didn’t feature sambal.” To truly embrace Indonesian food, you need to learn to love sambal. At its core “are the fiery flames of chili peppers, seasoned with a mix of ingredients that includes tomatoes, shallots, garlic, ginger, tamarind, and terasi (fermented shrimp paste),” Lee writes. Indonesians like heat with their food (she praises the chili paste’s “addictive burn”) and rarely de-seed chilis, but that’s not always the case — there are milder versions of sambal, like Balinese sambal matah, which is infused with lemongrass and ginger, and also the tomato-based sambal called tomat.

“Sambal exists to complement rather than overpower the flavors in the dishes it is served with,” Lee continues, “so is eaten only a little at a time, often with every bite of food.”

2. Babi kecap

Photo: Albert Kho/Shutterstock

This dish of diced pork braised in Indonesian sweet soy sauce, or kecap manis, gets layers of rich pungent flavors from ginger, shallots, chilis, and garlic. Popular among Dutch and Chinese Indonesians, the aromatic herbs and spices are first cooked in a pan like a wok. The meat is browned and covered in thick, molasses-like kecap manis, and slow cooked for at least an hour. Pork belly is the preferred cut, and, as Lee writes, the resulting dish should be “fragrant and sweet,” and the pork cubes caramelized from cooking in the kecap manis.

3. Gado-gado

Photo: Louise Hagger

Likely the most famous Indonesian dish, gado-gado (which means mix-mix) is also the perfect introduction to the warmth and spice of Indonesian peanut sauce. Used as a dipping sauce or a dressing, peanut sauce is a simple concoction of red chilies, garlic, brown sugar, coconut milk, and, of course, peanuts or peanut butter. The gado-gado itself is a cooked vegetable salad, usually featuring slices of cucumber, boiled eggs, bean sprouts, carrots, lettuce, and tomato — but it’s easy to customize with your favorite vegetables. The key is to serve it topped with crunchy kerupuk, which are deep-fried Indonesian crackers that come in flavors like garlic, shrimp, or prawns.

4. Soto ayam

Photo: Rheza Afrian Pratama/Shutterstock

The Indonesian take on chicken soup is a complex mix of bean sprouts and other bright vegetables, vermicelli noodles, and shredded chicken. Seasoned with turmeric, garlic, shallot, and coriander, soto ayam is typically topped with a boiled egg and lime wedges and is served with a side of kerupuk.

Soto ayam is a favorite for breakfast. Indonesians from all over the archipelago, from Surabaya on Java to Sumatra, prefer a heavy bowl of hearty soup as their first meal of the day. During her travels, Lee watched as they lined up outside street food stalls for their bowls of noodle soup.

“All these commuters on their way to work, they want this heavy noodle dish before they head to the office,” Lee tells me. “In Indonesia, a heavy breakfast is not unusual. It’s really celebrated. Breakfast culture is a big thing.”

5. Satay ayam madura

Photo: Maharani afifah/Shutterstock

In Bali, satay is sometimes prepared as an offering to the Hindu gods, but many people are familiar with this simple grilled chicken appetizer because it appears on the menu at many Thai restaurants. In Indonesia, chicken satay is one of the most popular and ubiquitous street foods in the country, and it’s served on banana leaf with rice. Two sides add depth, spice, and tang: peanut sauce for dipping and a handful of pickled cucumbers.

6. Nasi goreng

Photo: Louise Hagger

Of nasi goreng — the Indonesian spin on fried rice — Lee writes, “You would be hard-pressed to visit Indonesia and not find a variation of [this] nationally loved fried rice dish on restaurant menus.” Served any time of day, many Indonesians consider nasi goreng “the greatest of comfort foods.” It’s usually made by combining stori fried rice with a spice paste and kecap manis with vegetables, tofu, or a meat like chicken. It’s topped with a fried egg and served with a side of kerupuk.

7. Ikan bakar

Photo: Ariyani Tedjo/Shutterstock

The upside to Indonesia’s proximity to the ocean is that fish is abundant throughout the country, and it’s often cheaper and easier to access than red meat. Ikan bakar is one of the simplest seafood dishes in the country: A whole fish is seasoned with lime juice, then wrapped in banana leaves and cooked over charcoal. Like most dishes in Indonesia, ikan bakar is served alongside a dish of sambal; Lee prefers a mild but zesty tomato sambal or Balinese sambal matah to accentuate the tangy citrus flavors.

8. Rendang

Photo: senengmotret/Shutterstock

In her caption on the many beef dishes of Indonesian cuisine, Lee writes, “Take note that the Indonesian way of cooking meat will require you to throw all your culinary techniques out the window. Meat is rarely browned in a pan before being thrown into a stew, and Indonesians don’t typically marinate meat overnight.” Lee speculates that these cooking methods are functional, one offshoot of the fact that many households didn’t — or still don’t — have refrigeration until recently.

Rendang, a “caramelized dry coconut curry” of cubed beef or buffalo, exemplifies traditional Indonesian cooking techniques. The dish originated in Padang, West Sumatra, home of the Minangkabau people. In this matriarchal society, mothers cook batches of rendang for as many eight hours (far longer than the typical rendang dish you’d make at home) until the texture gets close to that of beef jerky. Sons are sent on far-flung journeys to find their fortune, as Lee puts it, toting their rendang around in a biscuit tin as a reminder of home.

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The post Why you should be eating more zesty, spicy, delicious Indonesian food appeared first on Matador Network.

Rocky Mountain backcountry skiing

Rocky Mountain National Park offers more than 265,000 acres of mountainous, snow-covered backcountry terrain. While much of this is skiable in winter, there’s just one problem: There aren’t any lifts. That means that if you want to ski inside the park, you must “earn your turns.” In other words, you gotta get up to get down. Backcountry skiing and snowboarding are very popular inside the park, offering both great exercise and incredible views of peaks that most only ever see in the summer. Plan properly, get equipped, and be ready for a workout. Climbing a mountain is even more fun in the snow.

Preparing for a day in the backcountry

Photo: Lilkin/Shutterstock

Before ever heading into the backcountry it’s important to properly train and equip yourself in the case of an avalanche, injury, or another unexpected incident. Always have an avalanche beacon, shovel, and probe on you, as well as a winter-specific backpack that can carry this gear. You’ll also need plenty of water, food, and appropriate ski or snowboard gear. And, critically, you must have a buddy with all of the same equipment. Never ski or snowboard in the backcountry alone.

Check with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center the day before and the morning of your expedition to ensure conditions are safe. In general, slopes greater than 30 degrees are at a heightened risk of slides, and this is amplified after fresh snow or rapidly changing weather conditions. See Matador’s guide to planning a backcountry ski or snowboard trip for more info.

Hidden Valley

Photo: Martina Sliger/Shutterstock

Rocky’s primary backcountry ski area didn’t use to be backcountry at all. Until 1991, the Hidden Valley ski area operated within the park’s boundaries with a full-functioning operation that included lifts. Since its closure, backcountry skiers and split-boarders have used the easy access to the area for fun powder laps that don’t require a massive uphill climb.

Hidden Valley is great for beginner backcountry skiers and families. The terrain is wide open, and parking is available just off Trail Ridge Road. Strap on the skins and follow the well-established tracks up as far as you’d like, stopping occasionally to turn around and take in the view of seemingly endless snow-covered peaks. A road switches back and crosses above the ski area, marking the top of a relatively easy climb that takes less than an hour. For a more challenging ascent and a longer descent, cross the road and continue uphill.

Flat Top Mountain

Photo: Jeremy Janus/Shutterstock

Powder enthusiasts from Colorado’s front range head to Flat Top Mountain to ski the Banana Bowls after a fresh storm. Because the slope faces east and much of the rideable terrain is at a slope angle of fewer than 30 degrees, the terrain is generally safe even when new snow falls overnight. (Even so, always check current avalanche conditions.) You’ll ascend Flat Top Mountain from Bear Lake on both the Bear Lake and Fern Lake trails in an ascent that can be done in a morning if you’re on the trail by 9 AM. Despite their low-angled terrain, the Banana Bowls offer more challenge than Hidden Valley and the thrill of strapping in on the summit of a mountain.

A steeper ride beckons on a day with safe conditions, and Corral Couloir is there to answer the call. Also dropping from Flat Top Mountain, this steep and fast run is among the more challenging of the easily accessible ski runs inside the park. You could also take it a bit easier on North Bowl or head over to Ptarmigan Glacier for a mellower ride.

Riding with a guide

Photo: Lilkin/Shutterstock

Backcountry conditions can be hazardous, and wayfinding isn’t always easy, especially if there’s inclement weather involved. Multiple tour outfitters including Colorado Wilderness Rides & Guides and Colorado Mountain School offer full-day guided ski tours in Rocky Mountain National Park. On a guided excursion, expect to receive plenty of insider knowledge on identifying safe slopes to ride and what hazards to look out for — though a guided tour is no substitute for proper avalanche training. Skiing or riding with a guide service also ensures you’ll be taken to the good stuff while avoiding anything that isn’t safe.

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The post The best backcountry ski lines in Rocky Mountain National Park appeared first on Matador Network.