Serve up a Romantic Feast of Aphrodisiacs Most of us know the libidinous reputation of the oyster, but there are five aphrodisiacs waiting on your supermarket shelves. Create your own Valentine’s Day or romantic feast with these titillating treats. What Makes Something an Aphrodisiac? Aphrodisiacs come from Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of love and sex. …

Young Adult (YA) Nonfiction and teacher resources, like Retro Report, make learning Cold War history painless. Why spend time learning about the Cold War? The headlines give us reason enough. Russia masses troops and threatens Ukraine. Russian troops put down protests in Kazakhstan. The threat of nuclear weapons has all but disappeared from the news, but not from world arsenals. …

Palm Springs and Idyllwild Geography Named After an Evil Shaman In Palm Springs, hikers can explore Tahquitz Canyon on a two mile loop trail that leads to a waterfall. In Idyllwild, rock climbers can challenge themselves on Tahquitz Rock, which is also called Lily Rock. The names of both geographical features are explained in the legend of Tahquitz, the evil…

Thanksgiving with the Three Sisters: Corn, Beans and Squash This Thanksgiving, weave Native American stories, recipes and crafts about the Three Sisters into the festivities. The Three Sisters are the crops of corn, squash and beans traditionally grown together in mounds by North American indigenous people. “The plants were thought to be watched over by the three sister spirits…

Stingy Jack and the Devil Create the First Jack-o-Lantern The devil lay in bed watching the flickering flames of Hell. His toady, Lickspittle, hopped up. “Sir…Master?” The devil slid a languid glance his way and flicked a piece of ash off his finger. “Stingy Jack is bragging again, Sir.” “What?” the devil sat up, his cloven hooves sparked as…

The Hollywood Forever Cemetery is an oasis of green in the center of a seamy city. The symbolism needs no explanation. — Tombstones and mausoleums fight for attention. Celebrities even in death. Statues of rockets, giant Bibles, and Johnny Ramone playing his guitar. Palm trees, junipers and fig trees throw shade.

Max Factor Makeup and the Hollywood Museum Visit the Hollywood Museum and immerse yourself in the glamour of the movies and the rich history of the film industry. Photos, posters, costumes and memorabilia from every film genre are on display. Hollywood Museum in the Max Factor Makeup Factory The Hollywood Museum is located at 1660 North Highland at Hollywood Blvd in the original Max Factor…

Not Just for Country Fans–Music City is for Everyone — Nashville bills itself as Music City and it lives up to its name. I went in the summer and fell in love with Nashville–the architecture, the history and the music. There are many music-themed things to do in Nashville, Tennessee. If you love live music, Nashville outplays New Orleans, Las…

Frist Art Museum and the Davidson County Courthouse — You might be in Nashville for the music, but take time to walk around and appreciate the architecture. The interiors of both the Frist Art Museum and the Davidson County Court House are decorated in Art Deco. The exterior architecture is called WPA moderne. …