Matador Network's Blog, page 901

How to find wilderness areas

In outdoor travel, the word “isolation” is put on a pedestal. “Get away from the crowds,” advertisements say, “and find yourself truly isolated from the chaos of the world.” But then the coronavirus happened, forcing even the hardiest of vagabonds to forget upcoming trips and seclude themselves inside, turning the term into a begrudgingly necessary requirement rather than a goal.

We’re advised not to board planes, congregate with groups of friends, or even enter public spaces unless it’s absolutely necessary. It would be irresponsible to venture far from home and potentially endanger ourselves or the communities we visit en route to far-flung parks until the COVID-19 situation is brought under control. For now, at least, isolation seems a lot more isolating.

But the one place we can — and should — go is outside, near home. On the trail and in the stream are two ways to take back the dignity that social distancing has always provided. These tips will help you safely find and access nearby green spaces near you, no matter where the current state of the world currently has you posted. Load up your day pack. Let’s put isolation back where it belongs.

What to avoid for now

Photo: Rocksweeper/Shutterstock

Your trip into the near outdoors should be conducted in the following manner: “car-trailhead-car-home.” As tough a pill as it may be to swallow, this is the only safe and non-selfish way to access the outdoors while communities, and in some cases entire states, are under lockdown and the country is trying to minimize viral spread.

Sure, being out of school or sent home from work is likely to conjure the idea of a road trip to visit a national park or to knock a backpacking trip off your summer list before the season typically starts. But it’s important to think about the big picture. You might be putting yourself or others at risk by venturing outward, especially in small towns. Either way, it’s simply not worth it right now.

Bring your own food and drink, or fuel up before leaving home. Responsible social distancing means not going out to eat after a hike or bike ride. Avoid public transportation and carpooling with anyone who doesn’t live in your home. And, in general, anyone who doesn’t need to be on the excursion with you shouldn’t be on it.

Tips for finding local areas to adventure

Photo: Dudarev Mikhail/Shutterstock

Outdoor gear shops and outfitters are closed in many parts of the country, eliminating one of the most reliable ways to gather information about wilderness expanses near you. The good news is that for every in-person resource for outdoor trip planning, there’s an almost-equal option on the web.

Should you live in a mountain town or near the coast, odds are high you’re within minutes of an epic adventure. In major cities, a commute is likely necessary but you can still follow the “car-trailhead-car-home” routine in order to minimize risk. Fortunately, even from most metro areas, green spaces free of crowds are totally possible to find (see the apps below for local recommendations). During normal, non-pandemic times, outdoor recreation areas near big cities tend to fill up on sunny weekends and immediately after work hours. This may not be the case right now, and you may not need to drive more than an hour to reach a near-empty trailhead, but it still doesn’t hurt to get up early or visit during off-peak hours. Should a trail appear crowded, the responsible thing to do is to keep on driving or turn back.

A Google search is likely to turn up wilderness areas local to you for specific activities like hiking, bird watching, or fishing. Google Maps is great for getting an idea of green spaces in your vicinity and for driving directions to them, but be wary of the descriptions and reviews posted there about parks, trails, or other wilderness areas as the people posting may have very different priorities or experience levels than yourself. Look instead to online outdoors forums focused on your town or region for tips on where to go. And, there’s always the good old Gazetteer map, should you have one holed up somewhere in the garage.

Apps to help you find the perfect close-to-home place to explore

Photo: Joyseulay/Shutterstock

AllTrails

Best for: casual day hikers and bikers

For general day hikes, AllTrails is a strong option because it allows you to search by region, city, country, or find trails on a wider map. It provides a brief summary of each trail with info on its format (loop or out-and-back), elevation gain, length, and modes of travel allowed. The app also shows current weather, making it great for simple day hikes in spring and fall. Users can leave reviews and add to a “favorites” list. Because of AllTrails’ popularity, it’s also the most accurate as far as anticipating how crowded a trail is likely to be. Does it have tons of reviews? You might want to look elsewhere if solitude is a priority.

MTB Project, Hiking Project, Powder Project

Best for: sport-specific trails and current conditions

Developed by REI, the “Project” apps are the best way to find sport-specific trails and read recent user reviews of conditions, closures, or anything else that might impact your excursion. MTB Project is for mountain bikers, Powder Project is for backcountry skiing and snowboarding, and Hiking Project is for, obviously, the two-foot traversers. What makes these apps unique is that users can interact with the trail listings, posting photos and offering wayfinding tips based on their most recent outing. Closures and trail alterations are typically noted on these apps more quickly than most others due to their more “social” nature.

Gaia GPS

Best for: detailed topographic maps, advanced features for mountaineering and wayfinding, thorough displays of trail systems and beginning/endpoints

Gaia GPS is the most thorough and detailed trail and way-finding app available that is actually easy to learn and use. It’s similar to Google Earth in that it displays maps in topographic format, meaning you can easily see elevation changes and judge a trail by its steepness. It allows you to leave “pins” on specific trails, or locations on a trail should you be worried about getting back, and your GPS location is displayed directly on the map at all times. You can access a compass and have your route marked as you walk or ride it so you’ll know exactly where you’ve been, and store notes and trail markers and share them with others in the premium setting. If you’re in a big city, Gaia GPS notes trails just about anywhere that there is one, from the local park to a downtown riverwalk.


More like this: These elevated green spaces are the future of urban parks

The post How to find remote green spaces near you to get out of the house appeared first on Matador Network.

Brazil first wild tapir birth

Brazil got some much-needed good news this week, with the birth of a wild tapir in Rio de Janeiro’s Atlantic Forest. It’s the first wild tapir birth in more than a century, and scientists say the birth proves that a reintroduction strategy for the threatened animal has been initially successful.

The pig-like calf with prehensile snout was captured by a camera trap in the Guapiaçu Ecological Reserve, and made the rounds on Brazilian media outlets. According to researchers, the calf was born in January, and since then another female tapir appears to be pregnant — a second birth may be on its way.

Maron Galliez, professor of biology at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Rio de Janeiro, said, “The whole team is very happy. We now know the project is moving in the right direction. The birth of a tapir in nature indicates the formation of a population in the state. This is essential to restoring the proper functioning of this ecosystem.”

The tapir reintroduction program hopes to speed up the restoration of a habitat that has been devastated by deforestation.

Although the outlook for wild tapirs is looking up, The Guardian reported that the forest’s prospects are still trending downward due to pressure from agribusiness and land speculation.


More like this: 10 endangered animals to see (and save) before they’re gone

The post Brazil sees first wild tapir birth in over a century appeared first on Matador Network.

Norway kids conference

Erna Solberg, Norway’s prime minister, held a press conference on Monday banning adult journalists. Instead, only children were allowed into the room, with the aim of reassuring the nation’s youth about the coronavirus crisis. Solberg and two other ministers answered dozens of questions from school children around Norway, following the example of Denmark’s prime minister who had done the same thing three days earlier.

Ten-year-old Amalie and eight-year-old Rebekka asked, “Dear prime minister, what are you doing to boost your immune system?” She answered, “I try to sleep enough. It doesn’t mean I sleep as much as teenagers do but I am pretty good at sleeping when I’m free.”

Last Thursday Norway closed its schools for two weeks, so children have been finding themselves in an unfamiliar situation.

Another student asked, “Why am I not allowed to celebrate my birthday?” to which Solberg answered, “If somebody has a birthday in the class, everybody should ring them and sing happy birthday!”

Solberg stressed that it’s okay to be a bit scared, but to make sure to practice healthy sleeping habits, eat a balanced diet, and seek homeschooling.


More like this: Pro tips for working from home, from the Matador staff who do it year-round

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Spring cleaning traditions

The advent of spring means many things: April showers and May flowers, pastel colors and floral prints, critters coming out of hibernation. Regeneration is the season’s theme. Its motto: out with the old, in with the new. In the spirit of new beginnings, various cleansing and decluttering rituals have developed over time and across the globe. Here are five spring cleaning traditions that might inspire you to finally tackle those closets this year.

1. Xiaonian: Little New Year, big undertaking

Though Chinese New Year is now a global phenomenon, many paradegoers miss out on Xiaonian, or Little New Year, which heralds the annual Spring Festival. Xiaonian is held on the 23rd or 24th day of the last month of the lunar calendar. Observers rid their homes of spirits and bad omens by sweeping and dusting top to bottom, scrubbing the exterior, and cleaning up their yards. Once the house is clean, they decorate it with paper-cuts (red paper that’s been clipped into various designs, similar to a paper snowflake) that will be taken down and replaced the following Xiaonian. It’s also customary to prepare your finest dishes and sweets in anticipation of the kitchen god’s yearly visit, after which he’s said to report to the Jade Emperor on everyone’s behavior over the past year.

2. Passover prep: getting rid of chametz

Photo: ChameleonsEye/Shutterstock

In the Jewish tradition, the month leading up to Passover is reserved for a very particular kind of spring cleaning: ridding one’s house of leavened products. According to Exodus 12:14, chametz, or leavened foods made from grain, are not permitted during Passover. The tradition is as old as the holiday itself, which commemorates the Israelites fleeing slavery in Egypt. As the story goes, they left in such a hurry that there was no time for their bread to rise, creating the cracker-like, unleavened bread we know as matzah. This pre-Passover chametz-ridding ritual goes beyond simply clearing out your kitchen cabinets, however. It demands a deep clean of the entire house as even the tiniest chametz crumbs are a no-go during Passover. Many also interpret the custom metaphorically, as a way to let go of the old and make way for the new.

3. Khaneh Tekani: decluttering for the first day of spring

Photo: Youshij Yousefzadeh/Shutterstock

Many credit the Persian New Year, or Nowruz, with planting the seeds for today’s spring cleaning. Held during the vernal equinox to recognize the first day of spring, the festival has roots in a pre-Islamic faith called Zoroastrianism, though it’s celebrated secularly around the world today. There are several traditional ways to observe Nowruz. Families decorate a ceremonial table called haftseen with seven symbolic items, including seer (garlic) for health and serkeh (vinegar) for patience and wisdom. Celebrants feast, hold crafting sessions, and party. People take to the streets to join in songs and rituals like jumping over bonfires.

The weeks leading up to the revelry signal a more somber ritual: spring cleaning. Part of the Nowruz festival, Khanh Tekani is a purifying ritual that literally translates to “shaking down the house.” It involves a deep clean, from washing and hanging Persian rugs out to dry, to clearing out closets and attics, to painting the house and tidying the yard. Pretty much everything is subject to washing during Khaneh Tekani, as the cleaning efforts are believed to ward off evil.

4. Celebrating Songkran: dusting and get drenched

Photo: Suriya99/Shutterstock

Some may recognize Songkran as Thailand’s epic water fight, held every April 13 as part of the Thai New Year festivities. It’s more than just an opportunity to brandish heavy-duty water guns and douse everyone in the vicinity with perfumed water, however. It’s a time to wipe away the buildup of the past year, both mentally and physically, in anticipation for the year to come. Songkran observers traditionally rinse any Buddha statues and images they may have, as well as tidy up their homes, offices, schools, and other spaces. It’s also customary to throw out anything old or used, as hanging on to such items is said to bring bad luck in the new year.

5. Easter season: Clean Monday and Maundy Thursday

The Easter season is associated with cleaning across various Christian faiths. Many Catholics clean their houses three days after Palm Sunday. Spring cleaning has also been linked to Maundy Thursday, which commemorates the Last Supper. On that day, churches strip and clean their altars, and some take it as an opportunity to clean their homes, as well.

Eastern Orthodox Christians observe a holiday known as Clean Monday on the first day of Lent. Though the moniker largely refers to diet as it’s a day of fasting, with meat being prohibited even when the fast is broken, many also incorporate spring cleaning into their Clean Monday rites. This manifests both as physical tidying up and participating in prayer to purify oneself of sin. As part of their spring cleaning efforts, Eastern Orthodox Christians may also donate unwanted food, clothing, and other items once they’ve cleared out their homes.


More like this: 7 minimalist resorts that will allow you to fully decompress

The post 5 ways the world tackles spring cleaning appeared first on Matador Network.

Live music you can enjoy from home

To put it mildly, the spring live music scene is going to be a little lacking. And by lacking, we mean completely non-existent as everything from the corner bar’s karaoke night to South by Southwest have been completely canceled, leaving live music fans, musicians, and workers with a giant, gaping void.

To fill that void, a number of musicians have begun live-streaming “concerts,” some from webcams in their living rooms. Others from empty venues, like a rock and roll version of the Champions League. Of course, unlike empty-stadium soccer it’s sometimes hard to know where, exactly, to catch bands’ stay-at-home shows. So the online rights organization Fight for the Future has put together a calendar to find it all.

Welcome to Stay at Home Fest, an events calendar listing of online musical performances described by Deputy Director Evan Greer as “a local weekly paper, for the whole world.” She and her team have scoured the internet looking for virtual shows and loaded them onto the calendar, listing everything from Dropkick Murphys’ Streaming up from Boston show to the Met’s Lucia di Lammermoor.

It’s not just big acts listed on the calendar either. Greer says the organization’s main goal is to give struggling artists an outlet to promote their shows, and hopefully a source of income.

“I had a show cancel, and I had the same thing happen to a couple of my friends, and we were starting to feel the cabin fever ourselves,” the Boston-area musician says. “We’ve got all these artists sitting at home after their tours had been canceled, and needed a place to find an audience and a way to make money.”

That’s not to say all the shows on Stay at Home Fest’s calendar are pay only. Currently, most of the gigs listed are free to stream, but since bands will be losing live performance revenue, pay streams will be a way to support the artists.

“(Events) could be ticketed, or they could be a pay-what-you-can-at-the-door kinda thing,” Greer says. “Like play for free and throw up your Venmo or whatever.”

The site’s main page has a place where artists can fill out information to list their shows, as well as a calendar for viewers to peruse what’s playing. Right now, the calendar is pretty easy to navigate, but as more artists sign up Greer admits it may get cluttered. She says it will soon have tools to search by genre and other categories, so you can find whatever kind of performance you’re feeling that day.

The site is also planning a major festival in April featuring “bigger name artists,” not only to promote the site but also to help the event workers and musicians who have been affected by closures. The show will be a little like an online Live Aid, with performances from around the world happening simultaneously. No word on who the acts might be, but it may be worth checking out the site to see if that’s updated.

So if you’re sitting at home longing for the ear-ringing and sticky floors of a live show, all is not lost. While you might not get to have the communal experience of a concert, you can at least listen to bands play live in the comfort of your own home. And when those bands hit the road again — hopefully soon — you may even discover some new acts you’d like to go out and see.


More like this: During lockdown, people get creative with workouts, bingo, and dance sessions

The post This calendar shows the live music streaming shows you can watch at home appeared first on Matador Network.

Road trip itinerary for Nova Scotia

Take in Nova Scotia’s best by checking out the province on a road trip. After all, Halifax, the province’s capital, is an easy day’s drive from Bangor, Maine (whether or not you take the Bar Harbor-Yarmouth ferry). If your 2020 travel goals include flying less, eating lots of delicious seafood, being surrounded by coastal views and quaint towns, and tallying up ocean adventures, you’ve found the right trip.

However much time you have is enough time. Grab a few friends, gas up the car, and point your compass northeast — here’s how to do it.

Leg 1: From Halifax to the Bay of Fundy

Tidal bore rafting on Shubenacadie River. Photo: George Simhoni/Tourism Nova Scotia

Start your road trip by heading north out of Halifax. Follow the signs for the town of Truro, ultimately aiming for the Shubenacadie River and the Bay of Fundy. The draw here is all about the water — the Bay of Fundy has the planet’s highest tides at some 45 feet, a result of the 70 billion cubic feet of ocean that flows in and out twice daily.

Thanks to those tides, the Shubenacadie is one of the few places in the world where you can go rafting up river. It’s called tidal bore rafting, and the best spots are only about an hour outside Halifax. A tidal bore is a wave of ocean water that pushes against the flow of a river during the incoming tide, so strong it reverses the river’s flow. When that wave rolls over the Shubie’s sandbars, it creates class IV to V rapids as tall as 20+ feet that can be ridden aboard a Zodiac for rollercoaster-like thrills. No paddling required, as you’ll need to hang on instead. Bring a towel and a change of clothes — this ride is just about as wet as falling in.

For something a little more mellow but equally unique, visit Burntcoat Head Park on the Minas Basin where, for three hours before and after low tide, you can walk on the ocean floor.

Tip: Not sure how to time your visits to coincide with the optimal tides? There’s an app for that.

Leg 2: Up to Cape Breton

Skyline Trail, Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Photo: Tourism Nova Scotia

Next stop: Cape Breton Island. It takes about two hours to drive from the mouth of the Shubenacadie, in Maitland, up to the Canso Causeway. Cape Breton is about the same size as the island of Hawaii and has one of the world’s largest fresh-and-saltwater lakes at its center.

Deciding where to aim the car here is pretty easy — the Cabot Trail, which encircles the northern portion of the island, has been called one of the best road trips in the world. Take it slow to be able to experience all this route has to offer. Proceeding counterclockwise around the 185-mile loop is best — you’ll be in the waterside lane, ideal for your passenger to snap pics out the window and making it easy to pull off to admire the ocean views.

Beyond the Cabot Trail, the ideal Cape Breton visit should include at least one hike (on which you’ll likely glimpse some of the local wildlife) and a boat ride. Overnighting in the French fishing village of Chéticamp is another good choice, as is going inland to the lakeside town of Baddeck. Or, if you like to camp but don’t want to bother with the gear, try Parks Canada’s oTENTik at Ingonish Beach Campground. Ingonish, part of Cape Breton Highlands National Park, also has a lantern-led evening walk for a different way to explore the area.

Leg 3: Surfing the Eastern Shore

Lawrencetown Beach Provincial Park. Photo: Dean Casavechia/Tourism Nova Scotia

Back on the mainland, drive southwest to Sherbrooke and then continue in that direction along the Eastern Shore. Some of the best surfing on the continent’s eastern seaboard is at Lawrencetown Beach Provincial Park, just a half-hour from Halifax. Yes, you’ll need a wetsuit — book lessons or rent equipment from East Coast Surf School.

You can also try kayaking through the archipelago of hundreds of islets that dot the waters just off the coast (though simply admiring them from coastal Highway 7 is an experience in itself). These views define the Eastern Shore, Nova Scotia’s wilderness coast.

Leg 4: South of Halifax to some of Nova Scotia’s most famous sites

Peggy’s Point Lighthouse, Peggy’s Cove. Photo: Patrick Rojo/Tourism Nova Scotia

Less than an hour south of Halifax you’ll find Peggy’s Cove, site of a charming fishing village, a famous lighthouse, and waves dramatically pounding a picturesque peninsula. Get your shots for the ‘gram (this is the most photographed lighthouse in Canada for a reason), but obey the warning signs — rogue waves have snatched sightseers who wandered too close to the water.

When you’re ready, continue south along the coast to Lunenburg, passing through the coastal villages of Chester and Mahone Bay on the way. Especially at sunset, the UNESCO World Heritage Site’s historic waterfront looks like a watercolor painting, the vivid hues of its buildings reflected in the harbor. If you’re lucky, the Bluenose II will be docked and you can take advantage of a free deck tour or sign up for a harbor cruise (advance reservations recommended for the latter).

Leg 5: Down to the South Shore

Capt. Kat’s Lobster Shack, Barrington. Photo: Tourism Nova Scotia

Don’t stop now! To see more of Nova Scotia, follow the Lighthouse Route to Canada’s lobster capital, Barrington, near the province’s southernmost point. It will take a little under two hours from Lunenburg…unless you can’t help but stop and relax at a stretch of sand like Rissers Beach Provincial Park or Summerville Beach Provincial Park along the way.

Barrington is known not only for its lobster but also for being the gateway to Cape Sable Island. Here, you can catch a glimpse of the Drowned Forest, the remains of a 1,500-year-old forest hidden by the waves except at low tide. Or, explore one of several picturesque white-sand beaches — you should have it virtually to yourself.

Leg 6: Up to the Annapolis Valley

Hall’s Harbour. Photo: Tourism Nova Scotia

To complete your circumnavigation of the province, head north out of Barrington towards Yarmouth, then on to Digby with its famous scallops (the scallop festival is in August), and to the historic town of Annapolis Royal. This is one of the oldest regions in North America, home to Fort Anne and Port-Royal National Historic Sites, and full of enough fascinating history to justify an entire trip on its own. The nearby Annapolis Valley, bordered to the north by the Bay of Fundy, is Nova Scotia’s key agricultural area, including being home to the province’s wine region. You can visit a few of the local wineries or simply enjoy the fruits of their labor at area restaurants.

Grab a last look at the huge Bay of Fundy tides in the picturesque fishing community of Hall’s Harbour (which also happens to be a great spot for an authentic lobster dinner). At low tide, fishing boats sit on the ocean floor next to the high walls of the wharf. When the tide reverses, you can watch the water rise an inch per minute, a phenomenon filmed for both IMAX’s The Living Sea and Sesame Street.

From Hall’s Harbour, it’s just an hour and a half back to Halifax. Whether you choose to head home from there or do it all over again is up to you!

The post Road trip itinerary for seeing the best of Nova Scotia appeared first on Matador Network.

Wanderful free memberships 2020

In trying times, nothing is more uplifting than watching communities rally. With self-quarantine precautions and government-mandated lockdowns increasing daily to address the coronavirus pandemic, individuals and institutions around the world have found creative ways to maintain some semblance of normalcy and calm, from personal trainers hosting rooftop workouts to the Metropolitan Opera in NYC live-streaming its performances.

Our friends at Wanderful, a leading network for female travelers, are doing their part as well. In light of the pandemic, Wanderful is offering 600 scholarships to foster community and connection among female travelers who may be homebound or are not in a financial position to join at present. The brand is giving away 500 free one-year memberships to the Wanderful network (typically $69/year), where women travelers can get acquainted, source travel tips, find meetups, and more. It’s also offering 100 free lifetime memberships to the Wanderful Creator Collective (typically $23.99/month or $254.99/year), which supports aspiring influencers, content creators, and entrepreneurs in the travel industry.

In addition to Wanderful’s many resources, members can connect virtually through programs like digital meetups and language exchanges, right from their living rooms. The brand is also looking to offer new ways of socially connecting in the era of social distancing, such as virtual yoga classes. Creator Collective members can look forward to webinars, virtual networking opportunities, and more.

To become one of the 500 lucky winners of a one-year membership, submit your application online by April 1. The deadline to apply for a Creator Collective scholarship is April 15.

Editor’s note: Matador Network was looking forward to being an official sponsor for the Women in Travel Summit in Kansas City this May. Unfortunately, the conference has been postponed, but we can’t wait to reconnect with women travelers and content creators at a later date.

The post Wanderful is giving away 600 memberships for women in travel to connect while social distancing appeared first on Matador Network.

Work from home tips from experts

As the coronavirus forces millions of people to make drastic changes in their daily routine, everyone is starting to adapt to a new way of life. While most of these changes are unwelcome inconveniences, requiring us to distance ourselves from friends and family, it’s not all bad news. For many office workers around the country, working from home has become a new reality. To prevent the virus’s spread in the workplace, thousands of employees across a variety of industries are transitioning to remote work.

For those fortunate enough to work in a field that can be done remotely, this newfound freedom can be seen as one of the pandemic’s only silver linings. But before you get too excited at the idea of staying in bed and watching Netflix all day while you “work,” you should know that remote requires just as much, if not more, focus than an office environment. And for those not familiar with the lifestyle, it can be a tough adjustment.

Thankfully, here at Matador Network, we’re uniquely qualified to offer advice. Since its inception 14 years ago, Matador has always been a fully remote team. And we’re no small group — dozens of full-time staff members are spread across the globe, and a ridiculous amount of time zones, constantly coordinating meetings and production — and staying relatively sane along the way. So to help get you through the foreseeable digital future, we’ve sourced our most helpful tips, tricks, and strategies from the team. And who knows? Maybe this will help convince your company that location-independent jobs are the way of the future.

Stick to your routine, or make a new one

“The bare minimum for not feeling like a gross human being: switch from your night pajamas to your day pajamas, brush your teeth and wash your face.” — Alyssa Derby, Director of Social Media

“If it’s not too cold where you live, have your breakfast outside. Sit on your balcony, your deck, in your yard, etc. and enjoy 20 minutes outside, taking in some fresh air with your cup of tea/coffee. You may not have the time to do that later in the day, and it’s a nice, refreshing way to get started. You can do that with your lunch break, too.” — Morgane Croissant, Executive Producer & Culture Editor

“Prepare food, like your lunches, as if you’re at the office, and continue other routines. All of us work-from-homers have definitely had a couple Skype calls in our pajamas, but getting into some more presentable clothes helps you switch gears.” — Ryan Dury, Designer & Developer

“I like to set up my workstation in an open space with lots of natural light, so as not to feel too cloistered. Whether at home or at an office, I find sitting all day takes its toll. So, I take plenty of stretching breaks. I also go for a walk around the block midday to get some air and sunlight.” — Rob Chursinoff, Video Editor

“Go somewhere else for lunch. Ok, right now you can’t just walk down to the local Korean taco truck, but maybe make lunchtime the time you go sit in your backyard, on your balcony, or get on-the-go with a walk around the block.” — Mattew Meltzer, Senior Staff Writer

Set boundaries, for yourself and others

“Snooze your notifications past a certain regular hour, but understand that just because people are messaging you, doesn’t mean you need to respond straight away or outside of your hours. People may be working in different time zones, or just finding their own balance in their schedule. Snoozing your notifications allows the other person to know you will respond in due time. And don’t you dare hit the button that says ‘send notification anyway.’” — Laura Reilly, Director of Editorial

“Separate your workday from your personal time. I do this by having a hard activity after closing my laptop for the day, like going on a hike, or pouring a cocktail and drinking it outside on the porch. This helps me do a “mental reset” when it’s not possible to have a change in a physical location.” — Tim Wenger, Associate Outdoors Editor

“Set boundaries if your significant other/roommates/friends/whoever are also working from your home. It’s not necessary to talk about every latest push alert or update.” — Nickolaus Hines, Food and Drink Editor

“It may be five o’clock for another member of your team, but seriously, do not start drinking before 5:00 PM, and definitely not until the laptop is completely shut.” — Laura Reilly

“Do not, under any circumstances, view any ‘adult content’ on your computer while you’re working. Treat your working-from-home computer like you would your in-office work computer.” — Matthew Meltzer

Tools for productivity and efficiency

“Try things like the Pomodoro timer if you’re finding yourself getting distracted, or a Chrome extension to limit how much time you get to spend on social websites.” — Ryan Dury

“I’ve found the best method is to work in timed blocks based around Spotify playlists. So, for example, I’ll have a 50-minute playlist of calming music and, when that ends, I’ll take a 10-minute break away from the computer to read a book or magazine, make a snack, or play with my pups. Then repeat.” — Nickolaus Hines

“Install an app like Boomerang on your Gmail account to block emails from coming in for set periods of time so you can focus on bigger projects without constantly getting pulled away.” — Tim Wenger

“For anyone in a managerial role, set clear internal communication guidelines, and stick to them. Whether it’s Slack, G-Chat, or email, don’t be afraid to be the person who steps in and politely asks for people to refrain from replying-all to a full-team email. Keep discussions threaded. Tell people to mute themselves on conference calls. Remind people if they are getting off track from work communication channels. Set up some optional social threads for things like pet photos or TV show recommendations to avoid cluttering the work discussions, and redirect conversations to the right place. Be polite, but be firm. And if your manager isn’t setting these guidelines, privately suggest it to them that you think it would be helpful for the team.” — Laura Reilly

“Tell your team ahead of time if you want a meeting to be a video call instead of audio — to allow them to both mentally and physically prep (see day pajamas above).” — Alyssa Derby

For parents

“Make the most of nap time! Our son is at an age where he may get three or four one- to two- hour naps during our set work hours. We try our best to work in the window of 7:00 AM-5:00 PM, but depending on our diligence and workload, it can spill over into some evenings, and that’s okay — but we try not to make it a habit. Honestly, if you can, start earlier so you can get free time that lets you enjoy the daylight and get outside.” — Jessica Berdeau, Branded Video Editor

Self-care and mental health

“Take a workout break. It stretches out your sitting muscles, gets you breathing more, and keeps your eyes and mind focused on something that has nothing to do with the piling box of emails.” — Matthew Meltzer

“Shower on your lunch break. Especially if you’re not an early riser, there is no better feeling than being able to shower on your lunch break — and that includes napping. And if you must nap, don’t overdo it, and don’t even think about not setting an alarm.” — Laura Reilly

“People think the challenge of working from home is getting distracted, but I’ve found it’s the opposite — getting fully sucked into my work. Without natural social distractions surrounding you, you may find the day flying by and you haven’t moved. Set timers or reminders for small moments to stretch, get the mail or put the dishes away.” — Alyssa Derby

“Accept that you will never be “finished” and walk away — this goes for work tasks and home chores, which can start to mix together throughout the day. There will always be something new to get ahead on or something old to tie up, but at some point, give yourself the permission to veg out on the couch and relish in the feeling of being unproductive. Leave that last email unopened and that last dish in your sink!” — Sarah Nauer, Manager of Studios Production

“When you work from home, you don’t get the same level of daily socialization that you do in an office environment — especially in the era of social distancing. That’s why you should plan your social events in advance to ensure you have something to look forward to when the clock strikes 5:00 PM. Whether it’s going for a short hike with a friend, planning a virtual Netflix party, or having a group wine tasting via Skype, an active social calendar goes a long way toward curing your sense of isolation — even during the era of social distancing.” — Eben Diskin, Staff Writer

“Enjoy it. Working remotely is a 21st-century luxury, and if you’re lucky enough to be able to do so, especially in the current situation, then you should certainly dedicate yourself to being productive and working hard from home — but you should also enjoy the small perks, like working in your most comfortable clothes, having zero commute time or cost, and having a private bathroom.” — Cody Doucette, Director of Studio Operations


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The post Pro tips for working from home, from the Matador staff who do it year-round appeared first on Matador Network.

Fried chicken around the world

Fried chicken holds a special place in the hearts of the American people. In the Southern states, fried chicken is treated with near-religious reverence. Legendary restaurants like Willie Mae’s in New Orleans and Martha Lou’s Kitchen in Charleston are considered national culinary treasures, up there with Michelin-starred restaurants. But America hardly has a monopoly on crispy, crunchy, juicy, spicy fried chicken. From Central America to Japan, fried chicken is a staple protein, and each country puts its own spin on this home-style classic.

Fried chicken is a canvas for the signature ingredients of the country in question. In America, it’s often served with mac and cheese and mashed potatoes, but in Vietnam, fried chicken wings are coated in fish sauce. Meanwhile, in Mexico, fried chicken sandwiches are topped with Oaxacan cheese and chipotle peppers.

Here are 11 fried chicken dishes from Japan to Israel for every fan of the world’s favorite juicy, crunchy, crispy comfort food.

1. Chicken schnitzel

Photo: stockfoto/Shutterstock

This dish originated in Vienna, Austria, where it’s known as wiener schnitzel (the latter meaning thin slice of meat). The geographically protected dish must be made with veal, but when German Jews immigrated to Israel in the 1930s, they transformed schnitzel into a chicken specialty. Fried in vegetable oil instead of butter to make it kosher and served alongside mashed potatoes or french fries, chicken schnitzel is still a beloved dish in Israel, especially among school children.

2. Karaage

Photo: jack_l2y/Shutterstock

Bite-sized Japanese fried chicken is ultra crispy and perfect for snacking. Akin to a deep-fried chicken nugget, karaage likely became popular in Japan during the 1920s. The bite-sized pieces of chicken are typically marinated in rice wine, ginger, and soy sauce to keep the meat juicy, and are then coated in potato starch and flour before being fried in oil. You can find karaage in ramen shops, pubs, and street food stalls, but it’s often made in private homes, too. It’s a massively popular finger food and is sold frozen at the grocery store.

3. Chicken katsu

Photo: EQRoy/Shutterstock

Katsu is another dish from Japan that’s similar to schnitzel. Tonkatsu, made with pork, is the traditional version of katsu, but torikatsu, made from the butterflied thigh of a chicken, is one modern variation. The meat is marinated with salt, pepper, and sweet wine, then dipped in bread crumbs and served on a bed of shredded cabbage. Katsu first appeared in Japanese cuisine in the late 1800s when a restaurant in Tokyo introduced Western-style cutlets of meat to its menu. Since then, it’s become ubiquitous throughout the country and appears in takeout bento boxes and restaurants that specialize in katsu. Another variation is topped with a sweet, mild Japanese curry.

4. Yangnyeom dak

Photo: Portgas D. Add/Shutterstock

South Korea is wild about fried chicken. Typically fried twice, fried chicken from this country tends to be spicier than versions you’ll find in the states. The first modern fried chicken joint opened in the late 1970s after vegetable oil was introduced to the cuisine and chicken farming became much more productive. In 1982, a restaurant called Pelicana Chicken began coating its fried chicken in a now-famous hot and sweet sauce called yangnyeom, or seasoned chicken. Thus what is now the most beloved variety in the country was born. In the late ‘90s, a financial crisis hit the country, and as a result many people lost their jobs and fried chicken delivery surged.

It’s one of the most popular comfort foods in the country with about 50,000 restaurants serving fried chicken. It’s so important to South Korea’s food scene that restaurants that sell beer and fried chicken have their own name: chimaek, a combination of chikin and maekju, meaning beer.

5. Vietnamese fish sauce wings

Photo: Pok Pok/Facebook

Forget barbecue sauce. When Andy Ricker, chef and owner of the Portland-based Pok Pok Restaurants, visited Saigon, he noticed that fried chicken is often coated in savory, spicy, and slightly sweet fish sauce — a common condiment in Vietnamese cuisine. He scribbled what he guessed might be the ingredients onto a napkin and passed the recipe along to Ich “Ike” Truong. Pok Pok didn’t invent fish sauce wings, which were already a popular drinking snack in Saigon, but Truong did recreate the Vietnamese dish at the restaurant. His sticky glaze dotted with bits of garlic is now legendary.

6. Cemita poblana

Photo: Ricard MC/Shutterstock

This breaded chicken torta, also known as a chicken milanesa sandwich, originated in Puebla, Mexico. The breaded and fried chicken is typically topped with Oaxacan cheese or queso blanco, avocado, and chipotle peppers. The name cemita refers to the type of sesame-crusted bread on which it’s served. The fillings are seasoned with pápalo, an herb similar to the cilantro that also sometimes appears in salsa.

7. Taiwanese popcorn chicken

Photo: robbin lee/Shutterstock

Also known as yansu ji (salted crispy chicken), Taiwanese popcorn chicken gets its intense flavor from a marinade of garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and white pepper. Unlike karaage and American chicken nuggets, yansu ji typically isn’t served with any dipping sauces. Popcorn chicken is a popular street food and is served at boba tea cafes in Taiwan. It’s often served with a garnish of basil leaves.

8. Hot chicken

Photo: Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock

Hot chicken might have originated in Nashville, Tennessee, but in recent years its popularity has exploded across the country. Now, fried chicken enthusiasts from Columbus to Los Angeles can get their hands on it. The recipe is simple but satisfying: Nashville hot chicken is marinated in buttermilk, deep-fried, and then coated in spice paste made from lard and cayenne pepper.

According to local legend, a man named Thorton Prince came home drunk to his wife one night. She decided to get revenge by coating his fried chicken dinner in hot sauce, but he loved her invention and decided to poach the recipe. In 1936, he opened the BBQ Chicken Shack, which eventually became Prince’s Hot Chicken — named the best restaurant in Tennessee by the state House of Representatives in 1996. Today, the dish remains one of the most sought after in the city; the Nashville Hot Chicken Festival, established in 2007, celebrates all things spicy and fried.

9. Prawn paste chicken

Photo: Pete Burana/Shutterstock

The Singaporean take on fried chicken is called har cheong gai. What makes har cheong gai different from other forms of fried chicken is that the shrimp paste marinade and batter are combined, and the chicken is left to soak overnight in the mixture before it is deep-fried. Tze char(stir fry) streetside food stalls, which serve affordable dishes meant to imitate a home-cooked meal, typically serve har cheong gai.

10. Chicharron de pollo

Photo: Diana Beato/Shutterstock

This Puerto Rican dish, which is also popular in Cuba and the Dominican Republic, involves marinating bit-size pieces of chicken thigh in a mix of rum, lime juice, garlic, oregano, and peppers (though the marinade may change depending on where you are and who you ask), then frying until crispy. The name of the dish, chicharron, refers to crispy pork rinds, so it’s all about achieving just the right crunch. Chicharron de pollo is often sold at roadside vendors or on the beach (called fonda in the Dominican Republic), and it’s often served with a side of tostones (fried plantain chips).

11. Ayam goreng

Photo: Sarawut Chamsaeng/Shutterstock

This Indonesian and Malaysian dish literally translates to “fried chicken,” but there’s no batter used in ayam goreng. Instead, the chicken is coated in a yellow spice rub called bumbu, consisting of turmeric, shallots, garlic, and chili paste. First, the chicken is marinated in the spices, then it’s deep-fried in coconut or palm oil. A Javanese variety, called ayam penyet, is smashed with a pestle to make it softer and served with sambal and sliced cucumber.


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Kentucky Derby 2020 rescheduled

It’s almost impossible to keep track of all the events that have been canceled due to the coronavirus, especially when it comes to our favorite sporting events around the world. For many, the postponement of the Kentucky Derby might hit the hardest. The United States’ longest-running annual sporting event was supposed to take place in May, but it has officially been rescheduled to September amid coronavirus concerns.

Bill Casrstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs Incorporated, said in a statement, “Throughout the rapid development of the COVID-19 pandemic, our first priority has been how to best protect the safety and health of our guests, team members and community. As the situation evolved, we reached the difficult conclusion that we needed to reschedule. At no point did we ever consider canceling the Kentucky Derby.”

The Kentucky Derby will be likely be rescheduled from May 2, 2020, to September 5, 2020, and the Kentucky Oaks should be rescheduled from May 1, 2020, to September 4, 2020.

The postponement also affects the two-week Kentucky Derby Festival, which features over 70 events in the weeks leading up to the Derby. Now, the festival will take place in August.

Matt Gibson, President and CEO of the Kentucky Derby Festival, said, “The schedule may look a little different with events moving into a new timeframe, but our goal is to have Thunder Over Louisville, the miniMarathon, the Pegasus Parade, Fest-a-Ville and the Chow Wagon, and many other events in between.”

The Kentucky Derby Festival will release the new dates as soon as they are approved and finalized. So, keep your crazy hats handy.


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The post Kentucky Derby postponed until September amid the coronavirus health crisis appeared first on Matador Network.