The Absolute Best Chocolate Chip Cookie . . . EVER!

If you live near a DoubleTree Hotel, it's worth the trip to swing by and purchase a tin of these delicious cookies.  They're available at the coffee shop.

If there isn't a DoubleTree in your neck of the woods, get the cookies from the source - Christie Cookies at www.christiecookie.com.

You're welcome.

~~~~~~~~~~

From Slate - 

A Warm, Gooey Welcome

When did fresh cookies become part of the hotel front desk?

By Laura Bradley

Have a cookie.

iStock

Nothing beats free food. Especially when you’ve traveled a long way and have just arrived at your destination. Whether they’re sitting in a jar, on display in a plastic case, or nestled in a warming drawer, it’s hard to think of anything sweeter for a hotel to offer than a free welcome cookie. But when did these saccharine amenities become a thing—and who did it first?

The DoubleTree hotel chain. While there’s no industry-wide consensus on precisely when select hotels began offering cookies, DoubleTree was the first to turn free cookies into a major part of its public image when, in 1986, it chose one recipe to use across all its hotels. The cookie gambit was a branding decision to help them stand out, as the hotel chain was still small back then, with fewer than 25 locations in Arizona and California.

The DoubleTree cookie recipe is a chocolate chip cookie—the brainchild of a few DoubleTree chefs working with hotel management. Now the cookies are baked fresh onsite daily from frozen dough using the original recipe. Originally, guests received two cookies in a box in their room, but now they get one bigger cookie at check-in. Every DoubleTree is required to have a warming drawer at the front desk for when guests arrive. But it’s not uncommon for some guests, especially the younger ones, to come back down from the rooms and ask for another.

Of course, DoubleTree isn’t the only hotel offering a sugary pick-me-up to weary travelers. Country Inn & Suites by Carlson began offering free cookies in 1987. (Theirs are also made from frozen dough, sourced from Otis Spunkmeyer and baked onsite.) If you stay at certain Holiday Inn or Holiday Inn Express locations, you could be greeted with cookies during peak check-in hours. Their hotels have a little more leeway to choose their own brand, as long as it’s nationally recognized like Mrs. Fields or Otis Spunkmeyer—but like all the others, the cookies are baked fresh onsite and always complimentary. And at some Kimpton hotels, guests can enjoy small treats, such as shortbread biscuits, along with a small pour of a nighttime libation, before they head up to their room.

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/travel_explainer/2015/08/free_hotel_cookies_when_did_this_amenity_get_started.html

Rudy, For Real!

Loving Herself

http://www.upworthy.com/she-was-teased-because-of-her-skin-now-her-skins-made-her-a-star?c=upw1&u=6861cbea6edfdfe5a709ee39ad3c14b64135e61f

Touching

From The Root - 

Stanford-bound Teen, Who Planned on Using College Savings to Bury His Mom, Gets Outpouring of Support

Dellarontay Readus planned on supporting his mother once he finished college. He worked super hard to earn a full ride to Stanford but sadly his mother passed away before he could accomplish his dream.

BY: STEPHEN A. CROCKETT JR.

Posted: Aug. 14 2015 8:00 AM

 

Dellarontay Readus and his mother Lynn K. Readus.  GOFUNDME SCREENOT

Dellarontay Readus spent his high school years working to making his mother proud. He earned over a 4.0 GPA at Melrose High School in Memphis, Tenn. And was the valedictorian of his graduating class. InApril, The Root reported on Readus' acceptance to all 8 Ivy league schools.

Just one month before Readus was to attend Stanford University of a full scholarship, the 18-year-old lost his mother, who battled with heart and stomach issues for years, according to WREG.

"It's just that it hurts so much, I can’t do anything else but cry," Readus told the news station. "It feels terrible, man, because my momma was honestly my reason for everything I’ve ever done."

Two days ago, Readus' older brother Eugene Hampton created a GoFundMe page just to get enough money to bury their mother. The family only asked for $2,000.

"The total cost is around 5k," he wrote on the site page. "However we can raise the rest on our own if we can get help with this amount."

Readus' told the news site that he is willing to use some money he saved up for college to help offset the cost.

"Basically it all comes down to the fact that we’re poor, and we don’t have anything," Readus told the news site. "We didn’t have anything our whole lives, and we still don’t have anything right now."

In two days, since the crowd-funding page went live, the family has raised over $25,000. They've vowed to use the extra money towards a headstone and want to include the phrase "loved and supported by many" as a nod to all those who contributed.

"I was planning on taking care of my momma. I was planning on getting an education, taking care of her, making sure she’s straight," Readus told the news site.

Readus added through his tears: "I hope she's looking down on me, and she's able to see everything I’m doing. I hope she’s able to see all the good work I'm going to put in this world."

http://www.theroot.com/articles/news/2015/08/stanford_bound_teen_who_planned_on_using_college_savings_to_bury_his_mom.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26

Great Story. Great Message.

From The Root - 

Iowa Barber Gave Free Back-to-School Haircuts to Kids as Long as They Read to Him

Courtney Holmes even helped the children who sat in his barber chair sound out words they didn’t know.

BY: STEPHEN A. CROCKETT JR.

Posted: Aug. 13 2015 8:17 AM

 

Generic image THINKSTOCK

A Dubuque, Iowa, barber figured he would do his part to help the community get ready for the upcoming school year, so on Saturday, he offered children haircuts with the only payment being that they had to read a book to the barber.

"I just want to support kids reading," barber Courtney Holmes, who set up shop at the second annual Back-to-School Bash in Comiskey Park, told the Telegraph Herald.

St. Mark Youth Enrichment was at the event giving away books, some of which were used to read to Holmes. Holmes helped children sound out words they'd never read before.

Nine-year-old Tayshawn Kirby read from Fats, Oils and Sweets, by Carol Parenzan Smalley. Both barber and student were shocked to learn from the book that the average person eats "150 pounds of sugar each year."

"It's great. All the kids, they want to have a good haircut to go back to school," Caitlin Daniels, the grade-level reading coordinator who also jumped in to help struggling readers sound out words, told the Herald. "They're paying through reading."

Holmes isn't the first barber in the country to promote reading while getting a fresh shape-up.

Last year, barber Reggie Ross took the TV and Internet out of his Royal Touch Barbershop in West Palm Beach, Fla., and replaced them with books.

"The barbershop is based on men coming together, grooming each other to become better men, and I think books and education is a fundamental part of that," Ross told WPTV.

Ross told the news station that he wants to be a part of bettering his community, which last year boasted a 50 percent graduation rate for black boys.

"I think it helps them with their literacy, the speed of reading and comprehension," Ross told WPTV. "I would love to see more graduation and education to reduce the violence and increase the economics of the community."

http://www.theroot.com/articles/news/2015/08/one_iowa_barber_gave_free_back_to_school_haircuts_to_kids_as_long_as_they.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26

Yes, Please!

Origin of Most Immigrants

This is really interesting.  I hope that you're able to enlarge the map.  If not, I've included the link below.

~~~~~~~~~~

From Headlines - 

Here's the country other than Mexico that sends the most immigrants to each US state

Bank of America Merrill Lynch recently circulated a "Transforming World Atlas" that investigates some of the big demographic and economic trends that define the world.

One of the many charts and maps in the note was this map, based on data from the Department of Homeland Security, showing the country, other than Mexico, that is the most common country of origin for immigrants living in each state. Asian countries, like Burma, China, India, and the Phillippines, are common birth countries:

https://www.readfulapp.com/site/Headlines?item=55cbd8400704bbba6b236a63

Mixed Expectations in Havana Ahead of U.S. Flag Ceremony

From Reuters -

https://youtu.be/6tVvQGC9p3s

Urban Farming With a Twist

From The Huffington Post - 

This Jail's Urban Farming Project Benefits Inmates, Local Charities

The unique program has been called a "win" for all involved.

Joseph ErbentrautChicago Editor, The Huffington Post

Posted: 08/12/2015 10:18 AM EDT

The next time flowers are delivered to your door in Chicago, the bouquet just might be made up of blooms nurtured by an inmate at Cook County Jail.

Chicago-based startup Flowers for Dreams, last week, announced the start of a partnership with the jail’s urban farming initiative, which offers nonviolent inmates an opportunity to learn job readiness and teamwork skills while learning about horticulture and tending to the jail’s urban farm.

The initiative expanded last year to include a one-acre flower garden where zinnias, dahlias, sunflowers and other blooms grow, and caught the attention of Flowers for Dreams CEO Steven Dyme after the initiative’s deputy director Kerry White, a fan of the flower startup, contacted him.

The two met a number of times before Dyme came to the jail to speak with a classroom of inmates who tend to the farm, and toured the flower garden. He was impressed by what he saw and signed onto the initiative.

“The flowers looked good, which is the key thing, but I was really happy to support their effort,” Dyme told The Huffington Post. “It’s a great way for us to buy local flowers, a huge priority for our business, and to support this innovative rehabilitation program simultaneously was a win-win.”

Funds received from the partnership go back to the jail’s inmate welfare fund, which supports rehabilitative programming, including the urban farming initiative, culinary classes and other vocational programs.

A significant portion -- 25 percent -- of profits made by Flowers for Dreams are donated to Chicago-area nonprofit groups, such as, this year, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, the Boys and Girls Clubs, RefugeeOne and One Tail at a Time Dog Rescue.

Dyme said, later this month, the company will reach a total of $100,000 in donations to charity groups since launching in 2012 -- a milestone he calls “probably our most important accomplishment.”

By the year’s end, he expects to hit $120,000 in donations as business is growing. According to a Chicago Tribune story, sales have tripled since 2014 to about $1.5 million through this spring.

Flowers from the garden and other products of the farming initiative -- including fresh produce, eggs from the farm’s chicken coop and honey from its beehives -- are also sold to local restaurant partners like Yusho, A10 and Billy Sunday, as well as at the popular weekly farmers’ markets at Daley Plaza, DNAinfo Chicago reported this summer, generating revenue that allows the programs to continue.

The initiative has also led to employment opportunities for some participating inmates. According to the jail, eight have gone on to work at restaurants or landscaping companies upon their release.

Education and vocational programs like Cook County Jail’s urban farm initiative not only improve inmates’ chances of finding a job after their sentence are up, but also, according to a 2013 report from the RAND Corporation, significantly reduce their chances of becoming incarcerated again.  

In addition, the same analysis found that such programs are cost-effective, though more research is needed to determine the types of correctional education that produce the best results.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cook-county-jail-flower-garden_55c917cbe4b0f73b20ba69c4?kvcommref=mostpopular

Quote

http://60secondmotivators.com/blog/motivational-quote-true/

Yummy!

From - http://cincyshopper.com/caramel-apple-pie-cookies/

Step-by-step instructions are on the website.

Caramel Apple Pie Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 package Refrigerated Pie Crust (2 crusts)
• 5 oz Caramel Topping
• 10 oz Apple Pie Filling
• 1 Egg
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
• 1/4 cup Sugar

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Spray cookie sheet with non stick spray and set aside.
• Allow crusts to warm slightly to make them easier to work with.
• Dust work area with flour and slightly roll out crusts.
• Spread a thin layer of caramel on one of the crusts.
• Use a knife to chop pie filling into smaller pieces and spread over top of caramel.
• Cut other crust into 1/2" strips.
• use strips to create a lattice top over pie covered crust.
• Cut out circles and transfer to prepared baking sheet.
• Beat egg in bowl until well blended.
• Mix together sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Brush lattice tops with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar mixture.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Best Sports Movies?

Rolling Stone ranks the 30 best sports movies of all time.

Agree?

http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/lists/30-best-sports-movies-of-all-time-20150810

A History Lesson on the Civil War

Five minutes of truth.

Share this with those who think the war was about something other than slavery.

A Reimagined Home

From The Huffington Post - 

Swanky Shipping Container Home Is The Brilliant Result Of Up-Cycling

Try and "contain" your excitement.

Suzy StrutnerAssociate Lifestyle Editor, The Huffington Post

Posted: 08/10/2015 01:04 PM EDT | Edited: 08/10/2015 01:19 PM EDT

Is this a shipping container, or a penthouse?

Well technically, it's neither. It's a 2,192-square-foot shipping container house, and it's further proof that we're all doing life just plain wrong. 

The house is in Denver, and it's made from seven shipping containers, like the kind you'd find hauling cars on a cargo ship. But instead of looking like a pile of abandoned steel inside, this home is impossibly luxurious within. It's a brilliant result of up-cycling, aka the process of turning discarded materials into something of higher value. In this case, it's much higher value. Check out the photos below.

• This home features a massive open-concept dining and living space, with high-tech heating and cooling systems. Natural light washes over crisp white walls, polished wood and stainless steel accents.
  
• In the kitchen, a built-in countertop stove and sleek hardwood floors make you forget you're standing in a shipping container.
  
• Three bedrooms make an amazing use of sunlight. From the master bedroom, a spiral staircase leads to a rooftop with views of the Rocky Mountains and the Denver skyline.
  
• Did we mention that all this is in a shipping container?!
  
• The home's floor plan also reveals an office, 2.5 bathrooms, a two-car garage and a backyard. It's a slice of recycled paradise.
  
• 

The LoHi Container house (aka 3538 Pecos Street) is listed through Proform Real Estate, a Denver-based management company, for $749,000. No offers have been made, but agents and potential buyers have shown interest in the property, spokesperson Aaron Weinzapfel told The Huffington Post. In other words, it's still wide open for us to place a bid.

We can hardly contain our excitement.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/shipping-container-house_55c4d6aae4b0d9b743dbe926?kvcommref=mostpopular

Where I Live

Just above the red dotted line on the left is where I live.  It is spelled "As Sila" here, but it should be "Al Sila."  You see that I'm very close (9 miles) to Saudi Arabia.  The latest census has the population of Al Sila at 7900.  That's more than seven times the size of China, Texas (population 1100), where I was born and raised.  I believe this is why I've adjust so well to being here.  I don't mind the isolation and I absolutely love the peace and quiet.  And added bonus - there's never any traffic or lines.

If you follow the coast going east (right), you come to Abu Dhabi, three hours away from Al Sila.  Keeping going for another hour, and you're in Dubai.

The little cities east (right) of Dubai are the other five emirates - Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al Quiwain, RAS Khaimah and Al Fljairah.  Abu Dhabi is the largest emirate by far, followed by Dubai.  The emirates are city/states.

Southeast of Dubai is "Al Ayn," commonly spelled as "Al Ain."  This is where I lived for two years.  It's about an hour and a half from both Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

This is a map of the Middle East.  The UAE is just south of the Persian Gulf.

I hope this helps to when someone asks, "Where in the world is she?"

Cuba . . . One More Time

This really was one of the best trips I've had.  I encourage you to add it to your bucket list.

I've included some tips to getting around.  Forgive me if I've repeated something from a previous post.

Below is a business card of a guy in Cancun who helped us tremendously navigating to Havana.  He said flights and hotel rooms could be booked ahead of time thru him. This would definitely reduce the anxiety that we experienced with so many unknowns.

There was no problem using ATMs in Cancun.

A currency converter would be helpful.  I have one on my phone that is a lifesaver. It's linked below.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/converter-plus-units-currencies/id370146222?mt=8

We had to secure Mexican pesos in cash to purchase the plane tickets to Havana.

We also needed to purchase a visa to enter Cuba.  They were $25 each.  We paid for these with US dollars.  I'm not sure if this was a requirement or not.  Assume that it is though.  Interestingly, in my experience, most visas require US currency.

Remember to bring US cash into Cuba, and convert it at the airport.  With rare exception, you'll need to pay for everything with cash.  Remember also, US credit/debit cards are currently not accepted.  Hopefully this will change soon.

We didn't even try to bring cigars back, for fear the customs agents at the gate would be smoking them instead.  In hindsight, it looks like we may have been able to. Maybe.

Check out the link below for more info.

http://qz.com/315114/americans-can-now-legally-import-cuban-cigars/

OK.

I promise.

This is the last post on Cuba . . . today.

Final thought -

Below is the airport tower in Cancun.  I love this and tried to get a photo but it was a dud.  This is one I found online.

Mac & Cheese in a Cup

Instant Mac & Cheese in a Mug

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

• 1/3 cup small macaroni elbow noodles (uncooked)
• a scant 1/2 cup water
• a scant 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup pre-packaged finely shredded cheese (we like a cheddar/jack blend)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put the macaroni and the water into a mug. Microwave on full power for 2 minutes. Stir. (Note: the water will boil over just a bit, that is fine)
2. Microwave for another minute. Stir. 
3. Microwave for a fourth minute, and then check to see that all the water has been absorbed. If not, microwave a bit more, until it is gone.
4. Stir in the milk and shredded cheese and microwave for a final 30-60 seconds. Stir well, and enjoy.

NOTES

If you are grating your own cheese, try adding a pinch (1/8 tsp) of cornstarch to the milk.

http://theviewfromgreatisland.com/instant-microwave-macaroni-and-cheese-in-a-mug/

Back Home

After an amazing month or so in the US, I'm back home in the UAE.

Thankfully the 15 hour flight from Houston to Dubai was great, with a seat with lots of legroom, close to the restroom, essentials for a long flight.

I've got a couple of weeks before I start work again, plenty of time to rest from my travels.

Thanks to all of you who helped to make my time in the US wonderful, especially my guys and their families.

Alternatives to Hotels

The previous post got me thinking about AirBnB, a great alternative to hotels.

Essentially it is a service where people rent rooms, apartments, or homes directly via this website.  Once you have a location, go to the website, plug that in and see what's available in the area you'll be visiting.

After you've made your selection, you indicate when you'll need it and then you'll be contacted by the owner.

I've used AirBnB twice.  Once in New York City, and again in Cape Town, South Africa.

Both were apartments and both times were great!

I've included a link to the places where I stayed.

Check them out for yourself.  This is a service worth considering.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/200211

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/38707

Homes for Rent

This was kinda fun scrolling through these fabulous homes all over the US that are available for rent for large group get togethers.  Check out the insane prices for some of these places.

http://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/travel/destinations/2015/08/04/50-great-houses-to-rent-across-the-usa/31118487/