Drinking Coffee All the Time

  It has been a snowless winter here in northern NJ, so we decided to go to the snow, since it wasn’t coming to us. Had a lovely weekend, at a lovely place, Frost Valley YMCA (a camp/retreat/environmental educational center in the Catskills) where the mugs are sturdy and the coffee is hot and plentiful. This thing happens to me every time I see snow outside. My coffee intake naturally increases. It’s Pavlovian, yes, but also a common response it turns out. On average, drinking a cup of coffee raises your core body temperature by 2.6 degrees. But scientifically, it’s also about the emotional impact of a cup of hot coffee. According to an article published in Science Journal “warmth is the most powerful personality trait in social judgment.” In the study, researchers found that study subjects who were given a cup of hot coffee had a better perception of the person who gave them the coffee. They rated that person as more trustworthy, warmer, and more socially attractive. Add to tha

Remember during the pandemic when suddenly everyone was out walking around, as much as possible, for whatever reason? Then suddenly everyone was going on hikes, every day, sometimes multiple times a day? It was a good time to be a pet dog, for sure. Turns out this trend started well before 2020. For the past 50 years, hiking popularity has exploded, with more people hitting the trails every year. It is now the 4 th most popular outdoor activity in the U.S., after running, biking, and fishing. Guess what? We have lots of hiking spaces here. There are 200,000 miles of trails nationwide, with 3,000 new trails added each year. The Benefits of Hiking Hiking has lots of obvious benefits. With an average hourly 500-calorie burn, vitamin D benefits from the sun, fresh air, immersion in nature’s bounty, and the positive impact of companionship during hiking, this is one wholesome, good-for-you, always interesting activity. Stats from jerseyislandholidays.com show that almost 50 mill

  Every time we go to Busboys & Poets when we’re in Washington, D.C., I feel as if I’m walking into my own personal immersive coffee house experience. You know that super-progressive, wood-paneled café/ full-service restaurant, with a bar and (wait for it), a BOOKSTORE! It exists. It’s as vibey as it was in 2005 when Andy Shalal started it with a mission that still resonates 18 years later. Late December is a great time to go to Busboys & Poets. The holiday décor is festive and chill, and baby it’s warm inside. Just outside, blue-white lights twinkle on a large pristine Christmas tree, against the backdrop of the Romanesque architecture that defines this part of D.C. Inside, the wood paneling is offset by art deco chandeliers and ceilings, with inlaid brick in the large loungey coffee bar section. Stevie Wonder’s You Haven’t Done Nothin’ plays in the background as you ponder whether to buy “Patriarchy Blues”. Did you know by the way, that You Haven’t Done Nothin’ was a