Protect Your Phone: The Quirkiest iPhone Cases

Once you’ve invested your money in a brand new iPhone, you need to keep it safe and stylish with a case. Amidst the wide variety of iPhone cases and accessories on the market, these are five of the most unique. Some look cool, some have unique functionality, but they’ll all change your iPhone experience.

PhotoJojo manufactures an incredible case that doubles as an SLR lens mount. You can now affix any professional SLR camera lens to your iPhone’s built in camera for exceptional shooting. Shutterbugs love it.

If you’re looking to make your iPhone useful at bars and barbecues, the Opena iPhone case is a great buy. Made of sturdy plastic, it boasts a slide-out bottle opener! It’s sturdy enough to open just about any kind of beer or soda.

There are many cool designs available for iPhone cases, but one of the most popular is designed to look like a vintage audio cassette, complete with label. Since the iPhone and iPod have basically replaced the Walkman as the portable music player of choice, this is a fun way to pay tribute to the retro look.

Urban Outfitters makes a hilariously charming cell phone case designed to mimic the form factor of 80s cell phones. These gigantic, blocky devices were often carried around in a briefcase, but these cases are significantly lighter.

If you’re the gaming type, one popular iPhone case is modeled after the classic gray Nintendo Game Boy. This staple of many 90s childhoods will have people complimenting your geek cred when you show it off.

Fun Spring Break Destinations for Families

Five Great Visual Artists You Should Know

Have you ever found yourself fascinated by a painting, drawing, or sculpture, eager to learn more about visual art but uncertain of where to start? A great way to get your feet wet is to become acquainted with the work of these five celebrated artists:

Salvador Dali
This Catalan artist (1904 – 1989) was a major figure in the movement of surrealist art, and his work continues to have a far-reaching influence in the contemporary art world. Dali’s paintings are known for their highly innovative content, vibrant colors, and use of visual symbolism. Learn more about him here.

Pablo Picasso
It would be impossible to talk about modern art without mentioning Spanish-born artist Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973) prominently in the discussion. Known as one of the most influential and innovative artists of the 20th Century, he is famous for having set in motion the Cubist movement. Click here to learn more about Picasso.

Vincent Van Gogh
Van Gogh (1853 – 1890) was a post-Impressionist Dutch artist known for the emotional charge, visionary originality, and roaring color palette of his paintings. He is considered one of the main forerunners of the Abstract Expressionist movement. Though he died at age 37, he left behind a huge body of work that has influenced generations of artists. Click here to learn more about Van Gogh.

Claude Monet
This French painter (1840 – 1926) is known as the father of the Impressionist movement in modern art. His paintings are famous for their emphasis on capturing movement, adapting unusual visual angles, and showing how light changes over the passage of time. Learn more about Monet by clicking here.

Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci (1452 – 1519) was an Italian Renaissance artist gifted with genius in many areas, including painting, sculpting, engineering, architecture, and invention. His primary area of accomplishment was in the realm of painting, where he produced work that is widely considered some of the greatest visual art of all time. Click here for more about da Vinci.

Notable Cultural Happenings of 2011

2011 was a tumultuous and headline-making year. Here are four notable events we'll all probably remember in years to come:

The Royal Wedding

All eyes were on Prince William and Kate Middleton as they walked down the aisle… and also as they planned, schmoozed with diplomats, and became new royals! The royal wedding captured our hearts because of our romantic pinings for handsome princes, extravagant dresses, and a hopeful future.

The Republican Presidential Primary

Boasting a seemingly endless procession of candidates, appearances, and debates, the lead-up to the 2012 Republican Presidential Primary race was headline news for much of 2011. Over the past year, candidates like Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich, and Mitt Romney have all seen many ups-and-downs. Soon voters themselves will finally choose their preferred candidate at the polls.

Steve Jobs’ Death

The Apple co-founder and incredible entrepreneur passed away at the age of 56 from pancreatic cancer. The enigmatic genius’s death shook everyone, fueling thousands of articles and a best-selling biography. Meanwhile, the iPhone 4S (one of the products Jobs helped launch) became one of the hottest selling smartphones in the world.

Final Harry Potter Movie

2011 wished the multi-million dollar franchise Harry Potter good-bye with the final installment of The Deathly Hollows movie. Without question, the book and movie series, which has fans of all ages and backgrounds, will continue a long and successful legacy of inspiring magic.

Trip Idea: Skiing in the Northeast

If you live in the northeast, there’s no need to spend money on plane tickets; there’s world-class skiing in your back yard. And if you live in the west, why not leave the crowds in Taos and Sun Valley behind and check out these gorgeous, challenging slopes?

Bretton Woods, NH. Now affiliated with the historic Mt. Washington Hotel, Bretton Woods specializes in keeping families happy.  After recent expansions, it has become the largest ski area in New Hampshire with over 430 acres of skiable terrain. Included in the expansions are nine lifts, snowmaking abilities, and additional base and mid-mountain lodges. There is also seemingly endless cross-country skiing.

Elk Mountain, Uniondale, PA. Situated north of Scranton, Elk boasts Vermont-style skiing, and the trail system lives up to the name.  This is a place for the serious skier. No resort amenities are to be found nearby, but if you come here to simply ride or ski—and maybe have dinner in the excellent base lodge restaurant—where you will be amply rewarded.

Lake Placid/Whiteface, NY. Twice the site of the Winter Olympics, Lake Placid offers a quirky combination of small town Americana and international ski mecca. Whiteface boasts the East's largest vertical drop, but also harbors a reputation for being cold and icy. It can be that, but there's something magical about whirling down the same slopes as Olympic racers and World Cup freestylists.

Stratton, VT. Snowboarding was born here, and the resort remains a favorite among riders. The sport's roots are honored each March with the annual staging of the U.S. Open competitions. Stratton was also one of the first mountains to install a six-passenger, high-speed chairlift. The downhill boarding is pretty much a wide-open affair—with spacious runs and plenty of intermediate-friendly pitches.

Snowshoe, WV. Perhaps the best-kept secret in the east, Snowshoe is a cozy gem in the Alleghenies. It’s a reverse resort, meaning that the main facilities, rental stores, and lodging are located at the summit of the 4,848-foot mountain, offering easy slope access and a stunning king-of-the-hill perspective on the mountains.

Four Ways Benjamin Franklin Changed Your Life

We all know Ben Franklin. He flew a kite in a thunderstorm and his face is on the 100 dollar bill. He signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

There’s a bit more to him than that.

Franklin was a pioneering scientist, inventor, journalist, printer, humorist, philosopher, diplomat, politician and philanthropist. Perhaps more than any other Founding Father, his work shapes our daily lives. Here are just a few examples:

1. He won the Revolutionary War.

Aged 70, Franklin went to France in 1776 to secure their support for the Revolutionary cause. His diplomacy was a great success, with France’s military and financial backing a critical factor in the war. Franklin also negotiated the Treaty of Paris (1783), which finally gave America its freedom from Britain.

2. He gave you books.

As a young man, Franklin couldn’t afford books. So he founded America’s first free lending library, sparking a trend that continues to educate the country.

3. When it rains, he saves your life.

When the weatherman tells you to stay indoors during a storm, thank Franklin’s kite. His famous experiment with a kite and key confirmed that metal conducts electricity, leading him to invent the lighting rod. More than 300 years later they operate much as Franklin intended, saving untold amounts of lives and property.

4. He lived the original American story.

Franklin was educated to age eight, after which he was apprenticed to his brother James, a printer. He ran away to Philadelphia aged 17 and arrived penniless, owning nothing but the clothes on his back and two loaves of bread. He became one of the great renaissance men, arguably the most important American ever.

Franklin’s Autobiography (1790) tells a story of hard work, smart spending, and relentless curiosity. He knew how to laugh at himself. He respected authority, but was skeptical of it. And he believed that with sweat and faith, anything is possible. Over two hundred years after his death, these are universal American values. We see ourselves in Franklin’s image. He looks over your shoulder every day.

For more on Franklin, check out this book.

Sweet Earth: Great Beet Recipes

Beets are some of the best autumn vegetables – they’re full of great nutrients, naturally sweet, and can be cooked in a wide variety of ways. Here are some of the best things to do with beets in your home kitchen.

-          Roasting is a great way to get all of the flavor out of beets. Slice them, toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast at 375 degrees until they’re fork-tender. Let them cool and then toss in a salad with mache greens, horseradish crème, and seared steak slices.

-          Slice them incredibly thin, toss with olive oil and salt, and roast them at 425 until they get crispy – these beet chips make a delicious snack.

-          One of the most traditional ways to prepare beets is in the Russian soup known as borscht. This delicious, earthy soup has a bounty of flavors and is best topped with a dollop of sour cream.

-          Beets are also great for pickling. Simmer beets in a mixture of white vinegar, sugar, and spices until they are tender, and then pack them tightly in sterilized jars, filling up the extra space with the liquid. They'll keep for quite some time and can add new flavors to many dishes.

-          Beets are also great for baking. Shred them finely and use them like you would use zucchini in breads or muffins. They add a great purple color and unexpected sweetness.

Perfect Pepitas: How to Toast Pumpkin Seeds

When you’re scooping out the guts from the middle of your Jack O’Lantern this Halloween, don’t toss out the seeds. With a little work, they can turn into a great – and healthy – snack.

First off, separate the pulp and the seeds from the rest of the pumpkin. Put them in a strainer and rinse under cold water. This should get rid of most of the pulp, but you might have to pick some out with your hands. The stuff feels gross, so wear gloves.

Second, oil a baking sheet with olive oil or canola oil. You can also use non-stick cooking spray if you like. Make sure to cover it evenly, but don’t use too much oil – you don’t want to fry the seeds. 

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Arrange the seeds on the baking sheet in a single layer, making sure they don’t overlap too much. Sprinkle them with salt and bake them until they’re toasted. It should take about 25 minutes to finish them, but you’ll want to stir them every 10 minutes or so to make sure they toast evenly.

These are great right out of the oven – wait a few minutes for them to cool down a little – but they should be stored cool in an airtight container. For different flavors, try adding a little lemon zest to the salt before you dust the seeds.

Games with Friends: 5 Exciting Facebook Games

While you’re waiting for your next turn Farmville, here are some lesser-known Facebook games that will keep you occupied. Who knows: one of them might even turn into your new favorite!

Zombie Lane – You and your friends can rebuild your suburban neighborhoods and stave off the living dead in this wickedly funny game. The zombie and weapon types will have you cracking up and always wanting to collect more.

Epic Goal – Unlike many sports games on Facebook, Epic Goal actually lets you control gameplay as well as manage the behind the scenes workings of your team. A cute, cartoony style rounds out this soccer sim.

Bejeweled Blitz – Bejeweled Blitz is a simple match-3 puzzle game; shift jewels around to get 3 in a row of the same color, they disappear, repeat. This kind of game can get addictive, as you use strategy and power-ups to rack up ever-higher scores.

Tower Bloxx – Stack building pieces to make swaying towers in this nail-biting physics game. Watching the towers fall is almost as fun as building them as high as they can go.

Typing Maniac – Speed typing becomes surprisingly fun as you try to perfectly replicate words as they fall from the sky. Power-ups shake things up and the game becomes extremely challenging at higher levels.

Delicious Homemade Pizza Crust

The next time you want pizza, forget about calling for delivery or heating up a frozen pie. Instead, treat yourself and those around you to a pie made with homemade crust. This recipe yields one large crust that will serve fifteen hungry pizza lovers. Add your favorite toppings for a perfect pizza night with family and friends!

Ingredients

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water. Let sit for 10 minutes.

2. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.

3. Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. Use for your favorite pizza recipe.

4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.

5. Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com

Next Page »