If just reading about this treat makes you hungry for some, here we have an easy recipe for a delicious coffee cupcake.
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Wednesday 31 August 2022
The Best NFL Games to Watch in 2022
There will be 272 regular season NFL games in 2022, the second year of a scheduling format that boasts 17 games per team. That’s a lot of football, but some of these contests will be better than others.
Your preferred sort of NFL game is a personal decision. Maybe you like watching the Jacksonville Jaguars play the Detroit Lions in a cavernous Ford Field on the first Sunday in December. Or you might enjoy the Washington Commanders playing the New York Giants two times in three weeks in the last month of the season. Everyone is into something, and any NFL game can be fun in its own way.
But if you’re wondering what’s really worth watching this season (aside from your favorite team), the list below will help. Here are seven NFL games that should appeal to a wide football audience, either because they’re heavyweight bouts or they will showcase some other good storyline. These might not all be Game of the Year contenders, but they look juicy on paper as the league revs up for 2022. TV schedules are still being sorted out, but you can check times here once they’re released.
The Best NFL Games to Watch in 2022
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Best BBQ Sauces to Elevate Your Grilling
If you ask us, grilling shouldn’t be relegated to the spring and summer. Grill all year round. Come winter, pull on the parka and get that brisket on the barbie. Just make sure you’re stocked and ready with the best BBQ sauces in the game. While the quality of the meat should be a top priority, there’s no denying a tasty sauce steals the show when whipping up ribs, pulled pork, or drumsticks. Sauce is sacred.
That’s why you should explore the wild world of craft BBQ sauces outside your local grocery store. Load up on any of these 10 epic BBQ sauces and pull off a feast folks will be talking about for many cookouts to come. Whether you like a bit of heat or prefer your meats with something sweet and smoky, we’ve got the perfect sauce for you.
Tastiest BBQ Sauces to Elevate Your Grilling
1. Elda’s Kitchen
Do yourself a favor and pick up a bottle, three-pack ($24), or sixer ($36) of these small-batch sauces based on 1950’s kitchen culture, which are currently made in 12 flavors. Our vote is creating a build-your-own three-pack with Kentucky Bourbon, Jamaican Jerk, and Black Cherry BBQ—but the world is your oyster.
[from $6 per bottle; eldaskitchen.com]
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2. Runamok Merquén Smoked Chili Pepper Infused Maple Syrup
Late summer grilling is a match made in Merquén Smoked Chili Pepper Infused Maple Syrup heaven. A medley of sweet and spicy flavor profiles, Merquén is a chili blend from the Mapuche region of Chile. When coupled with maple syrup, it creates the perfect balance of heat, smoke, and caramel. Happy hour imbibers, be sure to double up on Runamok Maple Organic Smoked Maple Old Fashioned Cocktail Syrup.
[$18; runamokmaple.com]
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3. Ponti BBQ Sauce With Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, IGP
This versatile condiment works well on meat, fish, and veggies, thanks to a combination of sweet and sour notes with moderate acidity. Balsamic vinegar of Modena is an IGP (Indication of Geographic Protection)-certified Italian condiment, so you can rest assured that it’s a high-quality product from this nine-generation, family-owned-and-operated company. Another brilliant choice: Ponti BBQ Sauce with Italian Apple Cider Vinegar.
[$5 per bottle; yummybazaar.com]
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Pushing Deep Into Coastal British Columbia Aboard a Converted Tugboat
Like almost any small commercial marina, the one in Kitamat in British Columbia, Canada, offers a vista of bobbing prawn boats, orphaned trailers and jumbles of rusting mystery equipment. Sprawled on the opposite shore is a multinational-owned aluminum smelting plant. As my conveyance and home for the next week, the touring tug Swell, chugs away from the dock under a chilly rain, I assume more such sights lie ahead.
But when the smokestacks dwindle in our wake, a gaze off the bow reveals miles of deep, choppy channel flanked by steep forests and exposed peaks blanketed in melting snow that produces waterfalls gushing through the evergreens down to the craggy shoreline. From high perches, eagles pause their hunting to sternly eye our progress.
This swift, full dose of coastal British Columbia will define a journey intended to transport us via increasingly remote waterways north of Vancouver through the Great Bear Rainforest on the way to isolated Kitlope Lake, if weather and water levels cooperate. There will be shore-tromping excursions, and we’ve all but been promised up-close sightings of a variety of local wildlife.
Some of my fellow passengers are card-carrying, telephoto-toting birders, but frankly, unless a feathered creature is the size of a pterodactyl, I can’t be bothered. I’m intent on an encounter of the megafauna kind, as this region boasts more brown and black bears than you can shake a stick at—not that I hope to find myself shaking a stick at either.
Technically a cruise, this already doesn’t feel anything like the stereotype of floating cities with lido decks and day spas. The 88-foot Swell has only six guest cabins, and even the communal dining and lounge spaces are decidedly cozy. An aft stairwell and fore ladder connect lower and upper decks, and while treading the narrow, sloped port and starboard walkways it’s best to keep your wits to avoid klutzing over rope cleats or the heavy-duty winch that cranks a 600-pound anchor.
My cabin is handsomely unfussy, accented with pinewood and portholes. The head offers precious little knee room between toilet and sink, but I’ve seen worse in Manhattan studio apartments. Thoughtfully, the walls are studded with plenty of hooks, the better to air out damp adventure clothes.
After hastily squaring away my gear, I’m back on deck, drizzle be damned, not yet willing to miss much of the unfolding waterscape. As we didn’t get underway until late afternoon, not many more nautical miles are clocked before finding a calm anchorage in Eagle Bay, where captain Rob Taylor descends from the bridge to further the obligatory safety briefing. Sporting a messy topknot and a nautical-themed, full-sleeve tattoo depicting a pirate, Taylor is also somewhat of a Swell newcomer, having recently relocated across the breadth of Canada from Newfoundland and a marine career that includes towing massive oil rigs. Distracted by unfamiliar surroundings and shipmates, and the smell of roasted salmon wafting from the galley, I perhaps don’t absorb the briefing’s finer points—is six bells the signal to abandon ship, or seven? And is it bells or horn blasts? Wait, why would we need to abandon ship? Oh well, dinner and a nice pinot grigio are being served. I’m sure that if we capsize in the middle of the night, someone will mention it to me.
Brewing the first pot of predawn coffee is probably not among a captain’s duties, but thank the gods Taylor does so, as I’m running on an internal clock still set several time zones ahead. “Everyone drinks a lot of coffee on this trip,” he says. He’s right; whether owing to brisk mornings or the robustness of the locally roasted joe, my consumption at least doubles. Harbor seals splash noisily nearby, and as the tug motors into Devastation Channel (not as ominous as it sounds), I spot a trio of porpoise glide through our wake. On the lookout for additional wildlife, crew naturalist Ethan Browne folds his tall frame into a patient squat directly beneath the bridge, high-powered binoculars deployed. Overcast skies still threaten, so the plan is to use today to push the diesel engine near the top cruising speed of 10 knots and cover 65 nautical miles to Kitlope by evening.
Being aboard Swell is also a trip into the past. She’s a working girl, built in 1912 to haul loads of lumber, coal and steel to booming coastal communities from Seattle to Alaska. Her tug duties spanned 92 years until a sport-fishing service performed a $3.5 million refit, leading to her acquisition in 2014 by boutique cruise operator Maple Leaf Adventures. If you like traveling by water, she’ll get you where you’re going. But if you have an affinity for old boats, in particular tugboats, then you love Swell, her fat aft low in the water and curved gunwales rising to a proud, high bow.
When she reaches a wide fork to Gardner Canal, British Columbia coast’s longest fjord, guests and crew assemble afore. This is the traditional boundary between the indigenous Haisla and Henaaksiala peoples, and we mark the crossing as they did, maneuvering Swell in a circle while dropping pinches of tobacco (in our case, loose tea) into the water. I admit that such re-created rituals don’t really reach me; I’m more struck that there’s not another boat in sight. Indeed, we won’t share our passage with more vessels than I can count on my fingers for the remainder of the trip.
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Read articleDramatic views grow more so, the shorelines tighter and snowier peaks climbing into cloud cover. Apparently, we make excellent time, as an afternoon announcement instructs us to load into the two inflatable “tender” boats. We pull them up to a natural hot spring consisting of a wooden changing platform that shelters a pair of hot tub–size pools. The captain himself goads us to alternate between the 104-degree spring and cold plunges into the glacial channel waters.
The next morning, bright and clear, again finds us in the tenders, attempting a long sortie up a brackish stream too narrow and see-the-bottom shallow for Swell. A group the previous week foundered before reaching the goal of Kitlope Lake, but we’re counting on fresh snow melt to boost our odds. Frequent storms rage here; every bend reveals goalpost-tall tangles of downed, scoured tree trunks—fir, cedar, spruce—jammed against the edges like a giant’s Jenga game.
Our guides, Carmen Pendleton and Carrie Poborsa-Cox, deftly steer us through swift tidal currents until the stream finally opens up to a wide, long lake framed by postcard mountains and waterfalls. Its forested shores were once home to several Henaaksiala villages, with a population in the thousands. Now it’s completely depopulated, a process that began centuries ago with the arrival of white men’s diseases down through the government’s forced relocation of indigenous children to infamous “residential schools” until the 1950s. Though thoroughly wild, this place emanates the composed aesthetic of a cathedral, and whether it’s that ambience or a reflection on broken history, whatever stirring I didn’t feel from the boat-circling ceremony, I certainly feel here.
On the way back downstream, Browne pulls us over to get a closer look at bear tracks he spotted earlier in a strip of sand, but the rising tide has washed them away. We drift maybe 30 seconds more before chatter in the lead tender goes silent, replaced by a charge in the air. Then we’re face-to-face with the stoutest grizzly I’ve ever seen—until an even stouter grizzly rises from behind. Mama and her nearly grown cub are grazing on sedge grass at water’s edge maybe 25 yards away from our tenders, which suddenly feel dinky and vulnerable. Mama, more wary, shuffles into partial tree cover, while the cub keeps munching—and takes a sizable dump while staring straight at us. Energized and back aboard Swell, we uncap a bottle of good single malt. Browne terms the cub’s reaction to our presence a “stress poop,” but I object—more likely he was just demonstrating that he didn’t give a literal shit.
It rains 300 days a year here, so another sunny dawn seems like we’re cheating somehow, even if it makes for excellent sightseeing. The slopes along the first legs of the trip had been thick with trees, but it wasn’t until we reached the Kitlope area of British Columbia that I walked into true old growth forest. The understory, carpeted with ferns or impenetrable with brush, smells loamy. Sunlight ebbs beneath a variety of centuries- old trees—I’m drawn to a Sitka spruce with limbs cocooned in moss and a trunk so prodigious that three of us can’t link arms around it. Only recently did a conservation campaign formally protect the surrounding 320,000 hectares, establishing the largest unlogged temperate rain forest in the world.
IF YOU HAVE AN AFFINITY FOR OLD TUGBOATS, THEN YOU’ll LOVE SWELL.
Traveling back down Gardner Canal, my newly trained eyes can better spot expansive swaths of former clear-cut. Logging companies, a major economic force in British Columbia, are now required to reforest, but they mostly plant commercially advantageous Douglas fir, fostering the uniform green of a near-monoculture. I’m told that beyond the ridges lie clearcuts that stretch for miles.
Anchorage in Chief Matthews Bay brings the chance to use Swell’s kayaks. I paddle near a waterfall so pounding it generates its own buffeting breeze that nearly flips me, then cross the wide bay to a mini-glacier until shrieking gulls chase me away from a hidden nest.
The next couple of days pass not so much in a blur as in a state of boat travel-induced zen. I sleep soundly, rise early and eat heartily on can’t-believe-this-is-tug-fare meals whipped up by always-busy, always-smiling galley chef Lila Ruzicka. (Special shout-out to the lamb chops.) I haven’t looked at a screen or talked on a phone for nearly a week—there is no connectivity for such modernities out here.
Cruising in the tenders, we witness a big black bear being totally and hilariously horny for a plank of driftwood lumber. (Canadian bears are freaks!) On another shore excursion, we stride across tide-exposed rocks smothered in rockweed, a seaweed with plump, greenish tips. Told they’re edible, I pop a few in my mouth. Not repulsed by the briny if slightly slimy taste, I dub them “gherkin of the sea.” Farther up the tidal zone, even odder finds include a barnacle the size of a volleyball and a mussel the length of a man’s forearm. By the time we notice that the wet sand is embedded with hundreds of pulsing, multicolored sea anemones, I wonder if rockweed might be a hallucinogen, until a non-partaker blurts out, “Where have we landed, fucking Skull Island?” Detox-at-sea avoided.
As the final hours of our British Columbia journey flow into Swell’s wake, nautical reverie is surpassed by a desire to check another of God’s creatures off the must-see wildlife list. We’ve become a boat of harpoonless Ahabs, obsessing over whales. Passing through promisingly named Whale Channel, someone spots a humpback’s telltale spout in the distance, but my binoculars can’t find it. Soon after, an irregular motion breaks the chop to starboard. A black fin slides into view, then several, then we’re upon a pod of seven sleek orcas, including a big male with a dorsal fin the height of a surfboard. (OK, orcas are technically members of the dolphin family, but we’re not splitting cetacean hairs.) The pod swims fast and in unison, neatly slicing the waves like the beautiful marine serial killers that they are.
A few hours later, a voyage totaling 235 nautical miles ends back where it started. The modest Kitamat marina, still bordered by beached hulls and rusting debris, now appears beautiful. Not because it’s the most civilization I’ve seen in a week, but because this is where I first beheld Swell. Too bad there are no postcards for sale.
A Rare Bear in British Columbia
IF YOU’RE TOURING coastal British Columbia and spot the beast in the above photo, you might think a polar bear wandered too far south. Don’t be silly—it’s a black bear. OK, more specifically, it’s a subspecies of black bear known as a spirit bear. And no, it’s not an albino, as the nose and eyes are of normal color. Instead, it’s the result of a double recessive gene that can produce white-furred offspring in a select population of black bears. Spirit bears exist only along BC’s north coast, especially on islands within the Great Bear Rainforest, and with a population less than 500, are one of the world’s rarest bears.
A legend of the indigenous Tsimshian people holds that the white bear was created to remind us of the Ice Age. A recent university study suggests that evolution played a part—white-furred bears have an advantage when hunting salmon over black-furred bears that stand out more starkly against the light sky. Spirit bears aren’t especially secretive, but giving their rarity, spotting one isn’t a sure thing. To boost your odds, visit the region after autumn rains, when bears gather at upland streams to feast on running salmon. And yes, they’re adorable, but no petting.
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The Top 6 Young NFL Quarterbacks to Watch in 2022
The same handful of NFL quarterbacks have dominated the league for the past two decades. They are mostly retired now—Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Ben Roethlisberger among the most notable examples—and a fresh generation of signal-callers has risen to power. That said, a few old guys are still slinging it. Aaron Rodgers never exactly faded, but he has become better than ever in his mid-to-late 30s and has pulled off two MVP wins in a row. Tom Brady is 45 and increasingly introspective about being an old man, but he’s still throwing darts for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Despite those outliers, it’s a young man’s position for the most part. Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson are the last two non-Rodgers MVP winners. Justin Herbert and Josh Allen are bona-fide stars. Kyler Murray has cemented himself as one of the better QBs in the league, even though his contract extension with the Arizona Cardinals became a bizarre circus. And a handful of other quarterbacks have a chance to make their own leaps into the upper echelons in 2022.
Here are six of those QBs, ranked subjectively by their chances of mounting a big breakout season. This list is a mix of rookies and other young passers. Anyone who’s already made a Pro Bowl roster isn’t eligible for “breakout” consideration. Such are the rules!
The Top 6 Young NFL Quarterbacks to Watch in 2022
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Trust This Black Chana Chaat Recipe To Be Your Saviour While Craving Snacks
Allow this epic chaat recipe by chef Ranveer Brar to be your go-to option for snacking on any day.
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Savour Authentic Indian Food From Different Regions By Zamaana In Delhi-NCR
Zamaana is a new food delivery outlet serving Delhi-NCR, which brings together some famous foods from different regions of country
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Brujin Launches A Special Campaign That Brings Back 'Sweet' Memories
The dessert of the season brings back sweet memories from the amalgamation of two distinct yet familiar cultures. Take a look.
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Tuesday 30 August 2022
Ganesh Chaturthi 2022: How To Make Mawa Modak (Recipe Video Inside)
Ganesh Chaturthi 2022: Mawa Modak is a delightful recipe that we can make at home for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations.
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Suji Kachori Recipe: This Quick And Delicious Recipe Is Perfect For Mid-Week Treat
Suji Kachori is a delightful recipe that makes for an ideal mid-week indulgence. Take a look at the full recipe here.
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Best New Backpacking Tents That Are Easy to Carry and Set Up
The modern backpacking tent has evolved greatly over the decades. Back then, the simple A-frames and sturdy domes that dominated the scene were universally bulky and leaky, with heavy fiberglass poles, not-very-waterproof tarps, and untaped seams. But now, the best backpacking tents are available in a variety of strong yet lightweight designs. They’re stormproof, breathable, and available in a wide range of price points, sizes, and uses.
Not only are the best new backpacking tents easy to carry, simple to set up, and full of clever features, they’re also being built with sustainable, recycled materials and eco-conscious practices (i.e. dyeing fabrics with processes that use less water and energy). Another great thing about new backpacking tents is you can size up if you’re looking for more room to house a significant other or a few trail dogs, because springing for a three- or four-person tent doesn’t get you that much of a weight penalty, but you gain a lot of comfort.
Best Backpacking Tents That Are Easy to Carry and Set Up
1. Gossamer Gear The One
For those seeking something exceptionally lightweight, a tent (or technically a shelter as it has no poles) like this is a dream. The One clocks in at an astonishing 17.7 ounces—half the weight of a liter of water—but still boasts lots of features you’d find in actual tents, like fully taped seams and a bathtub floor; reflective guy lines; side wall tie outs; roomy interior head room; internal mesh pockets; a clothes line; and a large vestibule that covers 10 square feet. The One only needs six stakes to set up, and can be supported with either trekking poles or an optional aluminum pole set.
[$299.25; gossamergear.com]
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What Is Shilpa Shetty's Comfort Food- Find Out Here
While you all know Shilpa Shetty as a fitness icon and yoga enthusiast, let us tell you that she is also a foodie!
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Ganesh Chaturthi Special: Make This Super Yummy Kesar Mawa Modak
Ganesh Chaturthi: Let this kesar mawa modak be your choice of sweet this festival.
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Ganesh Chaturthi 2022: Make Maharashtra-Special Satori (Rava Laddoo) With This Easy Recipe
Ganesh Chaturthi: Also called Sanjori, Sheerachi Poli and Rava Laddoo, satori can be prepared in different ways, but the essence remains the same.
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Monday 29 August 2022
How To Make Vegetable Puff: A Yummy Flaky Snack For Tea-Time
Vegetable Puff is a flaky and delicious snack that will go perfectly with your tea time! Take a look at the full recipe here.
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Knees Over Toes Exercises: The 10 Commandments of Healthy Joints
Whether squatting or lunging, athletes are told ad nauseam never to let their knees go over toes under the assumption it added undue pressure to the joints. But as Ben Patrick, founder of Athletic Truth Group, came to find, that very pressure bolsters the knees, increasing strength for protection and longevity. Training that emphasizes this range of motion saved Patrick from surgeries and reliance on painkillers, and he’s since taken to Instagram to share his breadth of knowledge.
“Knees over toes was a broadly misunderstood subject and my dedication to making it safe and simple has arguably resulted in the most knee success stories—ever,” Patrick says, with the likes of Henry Cavill and Sam Heughan among his staunch supporters.
“Understanding knees over toes training rescued me from painkiller addiction and surgeries,” he adds. “These exercises allow your body to handle pressure at your own level, thereby increasing strength for protection as well as nutrient delivery to make your knees last longer.”
Here’s your plan for pain-free knees for years to come.
Knees Over Toes Exercises: The 10 Commandments of Healthy Joints
Directions
These 10 exercises can be scaled to all abilities. Do each at least once per week, adding to body part-specific or full-body routines for a balanced program—and pain-free knees.
1. Backward Sled Pull
Load a sled with moderate-to-heavy resistance. Attach upper-body straps and pull them taut with arms straight. Walk backwards, “reaching” lead foot back, planting the ball of foot, then driving through to propel each step. Start slowly, then gradually increase speed so you’re maximally exerting yourself by the end. 1 x 10 min.
2. Forward Sled Push
Going forward with the sled puts your knees even farther over toes, strengthening your feet and lower legs to a greater degree. Place hands on high poles, hips hinged forward slightly. With back straight and core engaged, drive through balls of feet and push sled with small, slow steps at first—then gradually get faster. 1 x 5 min.
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3. Poliquin Stepup
Place a wedge on top of a step or weight plate 4 to 6 inches off ground. Beginners, start out assisted, holding ledge; intermediate, go unassisted with bodyweight; advanced, hold dumbbells. Place right foot on wedge with left leg hanging off platform, foot flexed (shown). Bend right knee to lower left leg, tapping heel to ground, then drive up to start. 3 to 6 sets x 15 to 25 reps per side
4. ATG Split Squat
Place left foot on wedge atop weight plate and step right foot far back into exaggerated split-squat position, heel lifted. Keep chest tall and back straight as you bend left knee to lower into a deep split squat. The goal: get back of hamstring to touch calf for full range of motion (shown). Switch sides on each set. 4 to 8 sets x 6 to 8 reps per side
5. Dumbbell VMO Squat
Stand slightly wider than hips with feet on wedges or plates to elevate heels. Slowly lower, knees generating outward force until in a deep squat, hamstrings touching calves (shown). Pause at the bottom, then drive up. You’ll feel this in inner thighs and VMO (teardrop shaped quad muscle). Add weight to progress. 3 to 6 sets x 15 to 20 reps
6. Tibialis Raise
The first line of defense against knee pain is the tibialis anterior. It runs under the knee and acts as the lower body’s decelerator. Sit on a flat bench with ankles over edge in a tib bar (or set up in a tibia dorsi calf machine). Hold onto the sides of the bench and flex feet toward ceiling to raise, then extend toes back to start (shown). 3 to 4 sets x 15 to 20 reps
7. Nordic Hamstring Curl
Start on knees with a pad underneath for cushion and have someone hold your ankles to the floor (or anchor with fixed equipment). Tuck chin and pelvis, maintaining straight line from head to knees as you fire up core, glutes and hamstrings, then slowly lower to the ground like a lever—trying not to break form. Use your hands to catch yourself when your hamstrings can’t hold any longer (shown). Engage glutes and hamstrings (and push off ground) to return. 3 to 4 sets x 5 to 10 reps
8. Hip Flexor Lift
Attach a light dumbbell to a ratchet-based shoe attachment, then fix to your right foot while left is on a weight plate. Flex right foot, then drive knee up until parallel to hips (shown). Use hands to counterbalance (opposite arm swings, like a sprinter), then slowly lower to start. 3 to 4 sets x 20 reps per side
10 Ways to Protect Your Joints
Armor-plate your shoulders, hips, knees, ankles, and elbows with these 10 expert training tips.
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9. Rear-Foot-Elevated Hip Flexor Stretch
Place a pad parallel to a flat bench. Stand in front of pad and bend left knee, placing top of foot on bench. (You can also do on couch at home.) Lower knee to pad, then contract quad and glute muscles to exert strength in static position. Tack on at the end of leg days. 1 x 1 min. per side
10. Incline Pigeon Pose
Set a bench to a 45-degree incline. Place bottom of left foot on the “seat” of the bench, where it hinges, with your shin and knee resting on the “back” of the bench. Hold on for support as you step right foot back, then remove hands and lean into the bench until you feel a stretch through glutes, hips and IT band. Keep knee against bench and foot flexed. 1 x 1 min. per side
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Off the Beaten Path: Exploring Iceland’s Hidden Trails With 57hours
Famous for its rugged landscapes, volcanoes, waterfalls, and impressive Northern Lights displays, Iceland is an ideal destination for outdoor lovers, and the country has been at the top of my bucket list for years. When I started planning my first trip to the remote island nation, I didn’t have any particular destinations in mind—I just knew I wanted to spend most of my time outdoors, soaking up the scenery and experiencing all the beauty the country has to offer. Fortunately, I stumbled on 57hours early in the planning process.
Founded in 2021, 57hours is a platform for booking guided adventure experiences all across the globe. The company’s mission is to help people get outdoors, appreciate our planet, and learn more about the people who live in the places they’re adventuring in. To that end, 57hours partners with certified guides who live and work in these communities.
“We love partnering with local guides because of the passion and knowledge of the local areas they guide in,” co-founder Perica Levatic tells Men’s Journal. “Local guides know the area best, they are passionate about promoting sustainable tourism in their local areas, and they know all the best trails or hidden spots.”
When I typed “Iceland” into the 57hours search bar, several enticing trips popped up, but one in particular caught my attention: The Hidden Trails of Iceland. For the trip, 57hours partners with local guides Albert Ojembarrena and Mónica Funtes. Both Ojembarrena and Funtes grew up in South America, where they loved to hike, but as adults they were drawn to the rugged beauty of Iceland. With thousands of hours of guiding experience under their collective belts, the couple decided to join forces in 2017 and open their own guiding company, Amarok Adventures.
“We wanted to lead trips we like to do ourselves and share those adventures with everyone else,” says Ojembarrena. “Iceland is not that difficult to get to, but if you try to, you can get to some very isolated and remote places with very wild nature.”
I booked the trip and in July, I was on a plane to Europe with the promise of an adventure of a lifetime. I touched down in Reykjavík, Iceland’s capital, and spent a couple days exploring the city before connecting with the rest of my 57hours group. The plan was to spend the next 12 days exploring the Highlands of Iceland. After introductions and a group meal in a local hostel, we set out to our first destination: Landmannalaugar. Known as the “People’s Pools,” Landmannalaugar is located in the southern Highlands and is renowned for its geothermal hot springs and incredible scenery.
Landmannalaugar
After driving to and dropping our gear at the backcountry hut where we planned to spend the night, we immediately set out on our first hike. When most people go backpacking in Iceland, they hit the Laugavegur trail. The trail travels 34 miles from Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk, and it’s often crowded due to its popularity. Instead of hiking it all the way through, we decided to experience it as a day hike and tie in lesser-known trails for our thru-hike.
Just minutes into our trek, Iceland was already making quite the first impression. For summertime, it was incredibly cold: Snow sprinkled the hillsides and the wind was biting. But the landscape was unlike anything I had ever seen. It felt like we had been dropped on an alien planet. We were surrounded by lava rock, with steam snaking its way upward from hidden crevices. The moss-covered mountains served as a stunning backdrop, and blankets of snow brilliantly contrasted against the bright green. It truly was the land of fire and ice.
We spent the next two days at Landmannalaugar before motoring to a new hut and leaving the crowds behind. From there, the rest of the journey would be spent on foot. We planned to explore the country’s less popular trails and venture to a new backcountry hut each night.
The Fögrufjöll Mountains
We soon arrived at our next hut, which was much smaller and more homey than the previous one. But we didn’t stay long: We set out on an evening hike that offered amazing views of the surrounding peaks and a dry riverbed. We basked in the scenery without another soul (besides our group) in sight. Then we returned to our hut for the night.
When we woke the following morning, we packed up our things and spent the day hiking eight miles through the Fögrufjöll Mountains, located in the southern Highlands. As we moved along our route, we were treated to stunning views of the Langisjór Lake and the massive Vatnajökull glacier on the horizon. The following day, we set off for Skælingar, an area near the Skaftá River that was once a farm, but after a volcanic eruption, it’s now a remote lava field. Skælingar looked like something out of a movie, with funky rock structures and vibrant moss lining the river. The only audible sounds were those of the wind and the babbling creek. That made the night in the hut a restful one.
The Fire Canyon
On the morning of day six, we set off to trek through Eldgjá, a.k.a. the Fire Canyon. The area earned its name due to its rich volcanic history: It was the site of a massive eruption in 939 that unleashed a huge volume of lava. Today, the canyon stretches nearly 25 miles and is about 885 feet deep at its deepest point.
While hiking into this massive gorge, we marveled at the dramatic cliffs, ancient rocks, and resident goats before reaching the Ófaerufoss waterfall, where we broke for lunch. After eleven long but beautiful miles, we reached Hólaskjól, a compound of huts and cabins in that would serve as our home for the night.
After a few days traveling through remote terrain, Hólaskjól felt like a mini village, and there were lots of travelers coming and going. We spent a restless night in Hólaskjól before following the Syðri Ófæra River a few short miles to Álftavötn, a peaceful, remote hut. Once there, we spent a relaxing afternoon playing cards and resting—the next day, we’d embark on our longest hike yet.
Geothermal Springs
On day eight, we hiked 14 miles from Álftavötn to Strutor. Although the hike was mountainous and challenging, the views provided good motivation: The black sand contracting against the bright green moss made for an incredible sight. Near the end of the hike, and after two frigid river crossings, we were rewarded with a soak in a geothermal spring. After a long day on the trail, soaking in the hot water felt amazing. As I sat in a natural hot spring surrounded by newfound friends, breathtaking views, and fresh mountain air, I realized I was having one of the most amazing experiences of my life.
The Black Desert
The following morning, on tired legs, we linked back up with the Laugavegur Trail and were treated to stunning views of Álftavatn Lake. The following day, we left the mountains behind and set off through the black desert—a vast, otherworldly landscape formed by volcanic ash. In the distance, the hulking Myrdalsjökull glacier served as a backdrop; the glacier sits atop Katla volcano and covers nearly 373 square miles. After approximately 10 miles of hiking, we descended into Emstrur canyon and arrived at our next hut.
Emstrur Canyon
On our final day of hiking, we saw trees for the first time since leaving home—Iceland was once covered in forests, but most of its trees were cut down in the Middle Ages to make room for farms and pasture. (Thanks to reforestation efforts, those woodlands are slowly making a comeback.)
We began the day hiking through the volcanic terrain of Emstrur Canyon before reaching a river crossing and an oasis of dwarf birch trees and willow forests below hanging glaciers. From there, we rejoined the crowds to hike through Thórsmörk, the valley of the God of Thunder, before arriving at our last and final hut. Once there, we celebrated with a delicious barbecue of lamb and veggies prepared by our guides.
The 57hours Approach to Iceland
Over the course of the journey, we logged nearly 100 miles of hiking. Every day brought new sights, each equally as impressive as the day before. In the evenings, we ate huge, delicious meals prepared by our guides and played games before dozing off to sleep in preparation for the next day’s adventure. While it may be possible to do this trip on your own, the guides really made the excursion worthwhile. Not only did they know the trails—including less popular routes—like the back of their hands, they were able to teach us about the history and geography of the landscape along the way. They helped make the journey way more enriching and informative than if I had gone on my own.
If you’re looking for a luxury vacation, this isn’t the trip for you. Accommodations are rugged and the weather is challenging, making the trip unfit for the faint of heart. But for those who don’t mind the cold and putting in some work, Iceland delivers one of the most beautifully unique landscapes I have ever come across. And 57hours is an ideal way to experience it.
My time in Iceland was twelve full days of challenging, rewarding type-two adventure—not bad for a guided tour.
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Weight Loss: 5 Delicious Low Fat Salads With No Cream And No Cheese
We have listed some delicious low-fat salads you can enjoy as a quick snack or have as a healthy meal.
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Genelia D'Souza's Vegan Indulgence Will Make You Crave These Spicy Foods
Genelia is an advocate of veganism. And as a result, the majority of the food she enjoys is vegan.
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5 Hyderabadi Snacks To Make Your Tea-Time A Delicious Affair
Here we bring you 5 snacks from Hyderabadi cuisine. These snacks can be the perfect option to pair with your evening cuppa.
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Sunday 28 August 2022
This Yummy Rava Appe Recipe Is Perfect For A Quick Weekday Breakfast
Rava Appe is a great way to begin the day on a tasty and fulfilling note. Take a look at the full recipe by chef Pankaj Bhadouria here!
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Ganesh Chaturthi 2022 Special: How To Make Rajasthani Choorma Laddoo For Bhog
One popular laddoo variety prepared during Ganesh Chaturthi is choorma laddoo.
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How To Make Aloo Cheela: A Quick, Easy And Yummy Breakfast Recipe Ready In 15 Mins
Aloo Cheela is a recipe that not just makes for a fulfilling breakfast but is also quick and easy to prepare.
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Kolkata's Popular Restaurant- Chowman Now Serving Authentic Chinese Food in Delhi-NCR
Chowman has now stepped its foot in Delhi with its first two outlets in East of Kailash & Noida.
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Weekend Special: This Pan-Grilled Chicken With Homemade Barbecue Sauce Spells Indulgence
Your weekend menu needs this yummy pan-fried grilled chicken recipe. Take a look.
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How To Make Instant Tomato Chutney That Can Be Stored For 2 Months
Instant tomato chutney: This chutney can be easily prepared at home and stored for up to two months.
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Australian Woman Tries Indian Snacks For The First Time; Reaction Goes Viral
Alu Sev, Soan Papdi and Chai Puri were some of the snacks that she tried in the video. Read on to know more.
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Karisma Kapoor's "Post-Shoot" Drink Defines Comfort - See Post
Karisma Kapoor shared a glimpse of her post-shoot indulgence. And we could totally relate to it.
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Watch: How To Make The Classic Mediterranean Pita Bread At Home
Chef Anahita Dhondy shared a video showcasing the recipe for pita bread. Read on to know more.
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Saturday 27 August 2022
Watch: Desi Mother Teaches "Different South Indian Breakfasts" To Dutch Daughter-In-Law
We could see the mother and her Dutch daughter-in-law preparing some popular South Indian delicacies. Check out what they prepared.
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Shilpa Shetty's Weekend Meal Features A Healthy And Colourful Dish - See Pic
Shilpa Shetty inspired us to include healthy meals in our diets. Find what she devoured recently.
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Chef-Special: 3 Easy Tips To Remember While Boiling Eggs
Chef Pankaj Bhadouria has shared pointers that will help you get perfectly boiled eggs.
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Apple Or Cake? Texas Baker's Food Creation Leaves Internet Amused
The video features three red apples. Of course, we have to guess which of the three is a cake.
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Weekend Binge: Athiya Shetty Gorges On This Popular Street Food From Mumbai
The actress recently tried a popular street food item and shared a snap of the same on Instagram
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Weekend Special: Chef-Special Jhalfrezi Recipe Will Make Boring Veggies Taste Delicious
Veg Jhalfrezi recipe: Sharing a recipe from his cookbook, the star chef has put the vegetables to good use. Find the recipe inside.
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Friday 26 August 2022
First Look: 2023 Lamborghini Urus Performante
In motorsport, 17 seconds is an eternity. But that was the margin by which the new Lamborghini Urus Performante shattered the previous gas-powered production car record for a Pikes Peak climb—more than a full second per mile of the 12.42-mile route to the top.
The new record was a laurel that Stephan Winkleman, chairman and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini, was clearly thrilled to tout before he unveiled the Urus Performante to a multitude of fans at The Quail Motorsports Gathering during Monterey Car Week. After the crowd cleared a bit, we were able to nab an up-close look at the new SUV. While it’s not radically different from the standard Urus, there are some substantial changes both aesthetically and in performance.
Lamborghini has taken the same four-liter, twin-turbo V-8 from the regular old Urus and tuned it up a bit, giving the Performante 16 more horsepower for a total of 657 and 627 lb-ft of torque, which is unchanged, as is the eight-speed automatic transmission. Similarly, Lamborghini managed to shave off a scant 100 pounds of weight—most of that from eliminating the air suspension in favor of steel springs, which should sharpen handling.
Lambo claims the Urus Performante has the most carbon fiber parts of any other vehicle in its segment, including the hood and rear spoiler. This increases rear downforce of the Urus Performante by 38 percent—thanks to a new design that features carbon-fiber fins inspired by the Aventador SVJ. Changes to the shape of the hood and bumper make the large SUV a little more slippery through the air. The brand also lowered the Urus’s stance eight tenths of an inch and increased the overall length 0.98 inches.
As it has for several previous models, Lamborghini teamed up with Pirelli to create custom tires for the Urus Performante. The P Zero Trofeo R are semi-slick and designed specifically to perform across wet and dry conditions as well as high and low temperatures.
Updated front air intakes, which are now black, increase flow to the engine for added cooling. Plus, both carbon-ceramic brakes and a lightweight titanium Akrapovič sports exhaust now come as standard equipment. While we haven’t had a chance to drive the Performante yet, Lamborghini says a new steering setup gives the driver more direct feedback, while the rear-wheel steering kicks in faster for added turn-in agility.
The Urus Performante gets Lamborghini’s usual trio of driving modes. “Strada” softens the suspension and dulls the engine sound, making the Urus as comfortable as it can be for daily driving. “Sport” mode sharpens throttle response, adds a bit of oversteer, and amplifies feedback for more fun on the road. In Corsa,” active anti-roll bars and maximum damping keeps cornering flat at high speeds on the circuit. For this model, Lamborghini added a new ‘Rally’ selection for dirt tracks. The brand says pumped up oversteer coupled with anti-roll and dampening systems optimized for steel springs should crank up the vehicle’s capabilities for drivers keen on ripping up a rally course.
All in all, this litany of refinements should add up to a Urus that’s faster, louder, and more fun to drive. As soon as we get the chance to get behind the wheel, we’ll report back.
[$260,676; lamborghini.com]
Learn More
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Divyanka Tripathi's Thai Indulgence Will Make You Drool; See Pic
Divyanka was seen having a yummy raw papaya salad, and it looks so delicious that it will make you hungry for some of that goodness.
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5 Lip-Smacking Tandoori Aloo Recipes Every Vegetarian Must Try
If you are a vegetarian and want to indulge in tandoori recipes, here we bring you 5 tandoori aloo recipes that can be a magical treat for the taste buds.
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Weekend Special: 5 Veg Indo-Chinese Curry Recipes To Pair With Noodles
We have shortlisted the recipes for some delicious Indo-Chinese curries that are vegetarian.
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Papad, Kachori And More: 5 Tasty Snacks You Can Make From Urad Dal
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7 Health Benefits Of Eating Raw Green Almonds - Expert Suggests
Raw almonds have a greenish tone and velvety texture and is gelatinous from within.
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Thursday 25 August 2022
How To Make Eggless Pav In Under 30 Mins
If you crave that hot and refreshing taste of baked bread, then how about making some pavs at your home!?
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Wednesday 24 August 2022
How Bad Are Processed Foods - Expert Reveals Side Effects
Nutritionist throws light on the various side effects of having too much processed foods.
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Ganesh Chaturthi 2022: How To Make Spicy Maharashtrian Nivagrya To Pair With Sweet Modak
Ganesh Chaturthi 2022 Special: A disc-shaped spicy dish, nivagrya is usually prepared with leftover rice flour (used for modak). Find the detailed recipe here.
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Watch: How To Make Spicy Aloo Masala Sandwich For Snacking
Spicy aloo masala sandwich is spicy, flavourful and needs no fuss of grilling. And the best part is, you can make it in less than 15 minutes.
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How to Ski Year-Round Without Leaving The U.S.
In the Northern Hemisphere, fall starts in September and ends on the winter equinox. Then it’s winter until March, spring until June, and summer until the whole cycle begins all over again. But while those seasons come and go, ski season in North America never truly ends (or at least it doesn’t have to). If you don’t want to put away your skis come spring, no problem: Just try summer skiing.
I’m not the first snow junkie to have the summer skiing epiphany, but this realization changed my life. Now, I fill my summers up with all the warm runs and slushy turns my heart desires. Across the country (and around the world) there are fanatics who chase snow all year and link the end of one “ski season,” straight into the beginning of the next. Sure, some of them can afford to travel into the Southern Hemisphere and pay for all the necessary plane tickets, hotel rooms, and gear rentals. But a massive budget isn’t a requirement to make it happen. Nor do you even need to leave the U.S.
If you want to ski year-round, America’s mountains are littered with high-country glaciers and snow fields that offer opportunities to earn turns every day of the year. Here’s how to ski year-round without leaving the lower 48.
Summer Skiing: How’s It Possible?
The short answer: Glaciers. These massive sheets of ice (along with high-altitude snow fields) offer year-round snow, especially on shaded slopes and within mountain trenches. The looming threat of climate change is causing glaciers all over the world to melt and disappear, but for now, skiing them is absolutely possible.
One other caveat: All-season skiing requires hiking. There’s no way around it. Be prepared to boot-pack your boards in, sometimes for miles, before you get to the snow. You’ll also need the right equipment (more on that below) but more importantly, you’ll need strategy. Some areas that are great for skiing in spring and early summer are not viable options come late summer and fall. Conversely, certain places that still have snow in the late summer and fall are incredibly dangerous and susceptible to avalanches in the late spring, when they’re heavily laden with powder.
That means you have to put real effort into planning your ski days. Otherwise, you might find yourself hiking miles to a snowless scree field, or worse, caught in a deadly snow slide.
What to Expect
In the U.S., at least, there will be no rad powder days, mashed potatoes, or even soft corn between June and November. The snow on glaciers and year-round snow fields is old, and it’s often packed down, melted out, crunchy, and dirty. There will be rocks lurking just below the surface, and here and there, you may have to unclip from your skis or board to traverse a section where the snow has melted away completely.
No one gets into off-season skiing for the killer snow conditions. You get into it because you’re hungry for some turns and don’t want to wait for winter’s first snowfall. You get into it because you want to know what it feels like to rip lines down a mountainside in shorts and a T-shirt. You get into it for the thrill, the challenge, and of course, for the gnar points.
Sound fun? Read on for the gear you need, and where to go.
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Read articleThe Gear You’ll Need
If you backcountry ski already, you probably already have all the equipment you’ll need for summer skiing. But just in case, here’s a quick-hit list of the essentials:
- Safety first: Any time you’re venturing into the backcountry to ski, you should bring your beacon, shovel, and probe. The beacon is for sending or receiving a signal so someone can find you if you get buried or lost; the probe is for pinpointing you (or your skiing partner) under the snow once you’ve been located; and the shovel is for digging yourself out. You should know how to use all three.
- Alpine touring skis or splitboard: AT skis and splitboards are a must-have for these adventures. They’re lighter, they’re easier to strap to a pack, and they’re compatible with skins, so you can ski up the snow as well as down it.
- Skins: These are long strips that stick to the bottom of your skis or splitboard and only slide in one direction; they help you move uphill. You may not use them when you hike to a glacier, but having the option is important and you should always bring a pair with you.
- Poles: Poles provide added support and balance when you’re hiking up and stability and control when you’re skiing down. A lot of people ski all-season without their poles, but I wouldn’t recommend it. They’re useful for every leg of a spring or summer skiing adventure.
- Boots: Obviously you’ll need your AT ski or snowboard boots, but hiking boots are often essential gear, too. Hiking boots are far more comfortable to wear for the walk up, and that way you won’t add the extra wear-and-tear to your ski/board boots. Typically, I’ll either clip my ski boots into my bindings or sling them over my pack for the hike.
- Crampons: If you’re hiking to your destination in hiking boots, a little extra grip will make a huge difference. (Nothing will burn your energy faster than sliding a half-step backwards for every step forwards as you slog up a slope.) Crampons will give you much more solid footing, and they’re easily packable.
- Pack: Your backpack doesn’t have to be a skiing-specific pack, but it does need to have straps on each side to secure your boards to. The easiest way to carry your skis or splitboard on a pack is by fixing one board to each side to create an “A-frame.”
- Ski straps: Ski straps are perfect for fastening together the tips of your skis to create your A-frame. They can also be used to hold broken poles together, to splint a broken limb in an emergency, to keep loose items bound together, or to fix a snapped tent pole. Keep a few handy.
- Glacier goggles: The bright summer sunshine reflecting off a glacier can easily give you snow blindness. Keep your eyes safe with glacier goggles—sunglasses with side-shields that protect your eyes from peripheral and refracted light.
Where to Ski
Blowing the lid off these summer ski locations might not endear us to the locals who frequent them, but it’s for the greater good. Below, I’ve rounded up some favorite year-round skiing locations. It isn’t a comprehensive list by any means, but these are some of the best you’ll find anywhere in the lower 48.
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Dispatches From 2022 Monterey Car Week
Monterey Car Week just wrapped after the annual weeklong fête featuring rare collectible auctions, new supercar and hypercar unveils, and historic racing at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca. In addition to the points-based judging at Sunday’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Monterey now spans an entire week, boasting cruises, track time, cocktail parties, and automotive activations as brands hope to engage spectators more effectively than park-and-show events of yesteryear.
No single human can catch everything Car Week has to offer, though borrowing a Ducati helped me navigate Monterey’s overwhelmed infrastructure in the hopes of earning an automotive journalist’s entry into the more exclusive happenings throughout the peninsula. Here are some highlights from six days of packed scheduling.
Tuesday Evening at the Track
I drove straight from Los Angeles to Laguna Seca on Tuesday to catch a few laps around the track, courtesy of Hagerty and the revived British coachbuilder Radford Motors. Radford’s hot shoe, Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button, spent the evening hucking passengers up Laguna Seca’s famous climbs and down the tight Corkscrew in the retro-styled Type 62-2. Meanwhile, co-re-founder Ant Antstead played host to the swelling crowd—not to mention occasional mechanic when the 62-2 came back into the pits needing another cool-down lap or two. Having followed Radford’s development for the past year-plus, I thoroughly enjoyed a chance to witness the Lotus Exige relative’s significant power and handling upgrades, as well as the driving skills of an F1 champ pushing the car.
Further down the pitwall, former Porsche factory driver Patrick Long offered rides in an air-cooled 911 and Radford Racing School (formerly the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving) managed a fleet of Lotus Evora GT and Dodge Hellcat track toys. For those not tasked with taking the wheel, of course, trackside finger food and cocktails abounded.
Back to the Track, Then Motorlux (née McCall’s)
Early the following morning I sprinted back to Laguna Seca for another track ridealong, though in this case with a decidedly different spin: Lucid Motors invited me to hop in the passenger seat as Ben Collins, aka the original Top Gear’s helmeted Stig, silently pushed the 5,200-pound electric sedan around the circuit. To clarify, Collins himself chatted the whole time but the car’s blistering, almost brutal low-end torque snapped my head back onto premium leather without making much more than a whistle. In the tighter corners, though, the eco-friendly Pirellis that help the Lucid achieve its long range definitely began to squeal as they put up with the day’s torture testing.
After the quick session with Collins, I rejoined the general public to wander the paddocks among a century’s worth of Le Mans race cars running the gamut from “Le Monstre” to modern Ford GTs. The modern theme continued that night at Motorlux, a rebranded version of the former McCall’s Motorworks Revival held each year at the Monterey Jet Center. Combining private planes and seven-figure car culture in one place resulted in a unique vibe unlike any of Car Week’s other events—somewhat akin to Miami just showing up (via PJ, no doubt) in Monterey.
Vintage Racing Meets Futuristic Concepts
On Thursday, the Rolex Motorsports Reunion kicked off 100 years of Le Mans celebrations. Le Monstre, classic Porsches, tiny Birdcage Maseratis, and four-rotor Mazdas all screamed around the track—albeit at radically different paces. Rolex decided to move the historics up a day this year, in the hopes that more drivers might not need to choose between Sunday’s Pebble Beach Concours and the final day of competition, with the result being that more spectators also showed up earlier to catch the unbelievable action.
The old journalist calendar conundrums popped up for the first time that evening, when I weighed attending the swanky debut of Czinger’s futuristic new 21C V Max or a new electric concept car from Lincoln. Given Czinger’s goals of revolutionizing the entire automotive industry with AI-enhanced engineering and 3D-printed components, and compared to the likelihood that a designer’s concept car shown in person for the first time might actually evolve into reality, I chose the machines.
At the Sunset Center in Carmel, co-founding father and son Kevin and Lukas Czinger gave a peppy preamble to the svelte 1+1’s curtain pull, accompanied fittingly by dramatic violins, smoke machines, and strobe lights. Undeniably purpose-built, the 21C V Max hopes to shatter every performance record currently held by any other hypercar, though whether the unique design will attract enough buyers to the nascent American company remains a question that only the fruits of Monterey Car Week can answer.
The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering
Friday’s schedule of events looked a bit less crowded, requiring only that I attend The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering for a second consecutive year. Full of EV concept cars, much like 2021, The Quail nonetheless felt more like a celebration of the end of the internal combustion era this time around. Koenigsegg debuted the CC850, an homage to the Swedish firm’s original record-setting CC8S that comes equipped with a magical transmission allowing for true manual shifting with a clutch pedal, in addition to automatic shifting and adjustable gear ratios (No, nobody at The Quail managed to satisfactorily explain such wizardry.)
Bugatti also heralded the end of an era with the final application of a quad-turbo W16 engine in the Mistral, a roadster version of the world-conquering Chiron. To my eye, smoothed lines and cleaner styling on the Mistral matched a toned-down theme from most manufacturers at The Quail this year, including Maserati’s svelte MC20 in open-topped Cielo form, plus a few restomods from the likes of Cyan Racing and Kimera Automobili that blend classy style with modern performance. That older aesthetic certainly arrived in spades, too, with an entire field of vintage Ferraris, Jaguars, Lamborghinis, and more—not to mention the hilarious Car Park Concours d’Quailegance award handed out to the best car spotted in the event’s parking lots, which went to Oilstainlab’s harebrained Half11 project.
The Crowds Arrive on Saturday
On Saturday morning, I pulled out my judge’s wig for some fun at the Concours d’Lemons, an annual break from Car Week’s finest and fanciest to instead celebrate the best of the worst junkers, clunkers, hoopties, and rustbuckets. The beginning of the true weekend ushered in the first real sign of Monterey crowds overwhelming the local streets and clogging up any hope of cell phone reception. Split between popular gatherings like Concorso Italiano, Exotics on Broadway, and the Concours d’Lemons, plenty of attendees chose to inspect the beat-up babies of proud owners hoping to take home a dubious distinction—I cast my quick vote for a swiss-cheesed 1969 Toyota Corolla two-door wagon then headed back to the track for a bit more time watching vintage Le Mans racers.
After another hour or so, during which a McLaren F1 GTR’s BMW V12 and a quad-rotor Mazda 767 shattered my eardrums, I hopped back on the Ducati and blasted down to Pebble Beach for a sneak peek at the next day’s Concours. Early entrants on the concept lawn began gathering. Polestar showed off the O2 Roadster it recently confirmed for production, and the embattled EV manufacturer Faraday Future offered rides in the FF91. That night, I sweet-talked my way into a Gunther Werks soiree at a house rented in Carmel Valley to get a better look at the Porsche 911-based Project Tornado unveiled the day before at The Quail.
Pebble Beach on Sunday
Writing duties woke me early on Sunday morning—Monterey counts as work for this author, remember—so I missed the annual Dawn Patrol, which gathers to watch the sunrise as entrants into the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance burble out onto one of the most iconic 18th fairways on the planet. Both expensive and exclusive, Pebble proper at the very least maintains the requirement that all cars entered for judging must drive onto the field under their own power.
On the filled-out concept lawn, even more futuristic visions from the likes of DeLorean (quite a letdown), Genesis (easily mistaken for an Aston Martin), and Bentley drew sizable crowds. Ferrari’s own gathering on the first hole also attracted attention but nothing compares to the sheer breadth of pristine perfection on display overlooking Carmel Bay’s cold, grey waters. Even as everyone commiserated about the most frigid Pebble yet, stunning Art Deco-era classics and former race winners helped to keep spirits high. To nobody’s great surprise, as the Champagne flowed throughout the day, another pre-war European took home top honors, this year a stunning 1932 Duesenberg J Figoni Sports Torpedo.
All told, as the marathon week wound down and Dawn Patrol’s slightly sloppier sibling, Dusk Patrol, rolled out, I began to formulate some sort of foggy comprehension of everything I witnessed over six full days at Monterey. My journalist duties included meeting brand reps, glad-handing with executives, and interviewing industry luminaries intent on shifting the world’s perception of mobility. But as an excited fan, finessing my way between exclusive house parties, boozy brunches, and panoramic deck receptions, the sheer volume of showstoppers that I got to touch, sit in, ride in, or watch racing still boggles the mind.
Even without my somewhat specialized access, the joy of sitting on the side of the road and watching the world’s best cars cruise by—or visiting free meetups like the Concours d’Lemons—still makes Monterey Car Week a must for any automotive enthusiast, at least once in a lifetime. Just start planning for next year now, because catching a Ferrari F50, Bugatti Chiron, McLaren F1 or even a steam-powered Duesenberg on the road requires serious logistical planning, even for the most experienced Monterey denizens with years of Car Weeks under their belts.
from Men's Journal https://ift.tt/5I6wJPb
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