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Get Out of the Cubicle
You can’t buy Urban Escapes editorial love. All of the content here is merely our opinion, and while we love free stuff, we don’t pimp ourselves out for good reviews. If we say we like something, it means we really like it.
Trends come and go. Some peak quickly and then disappear without so much as a whisper, while others experience a slow and steady rise before plateauing and then slowly fading away into an E! Remember the 90’s TV special. Social science has been plotting the popularity of these trends ever since Renes Descartes “discovered” the Cartesian plain using two sticks and a bucket of sand. While popularity can be measured in a number of ways (consumer sales, Facebook ads, and water-cooler conversation), the litmus test of true popularity is time. Pog sales grossed over a million dollars, and yet today they are useless bits of cardboard. Tickle-Me-Elmo dominated water cooler conversation for a period in 1996 before fading into irrelevancy. Whereas time, well, that’s just about as consistent as my dog’s red-rocket.
Yes my friends, time is the only true barometer of popularity. Anything can be “cool” for a week (just look at Bros Icing Bros). Pure, wholesome popularity is only achieved over time. Which brings me to the death of one of the most popular trends of the modern era: the one-piece bathing suit. Early photographs and etch-a-sketch renditions place the first one-piece bathing suit circa 1920, yet Egyptian hieroglyphics show evidence of the one-piece emerging far earlier. For the purposes of staying within my word limit we won’t split hairs over this, because let’s be honest, what’s the difference between a couple of thousand years?
The argument can be made that the one-piece bathing suit has been the most enduring symbol of social popularity ever since English Monks discovered barley wine in the 19th century. It has survived through two world wars, a plethora of political sex scandals, and such unspeakable trends like the mullet. For the past hundred years, the one-piece bathing suit has been a staple of global beaches, sharing the podium with the likes of sand and fat hairy men.
From an historical standpoint, the death of the one-piece bathing suit is both tragic and unfortunate. Over the last decade, it has been systematically replaced with bikinis, tankinis, and the eye-catching monokini. I suppose what they said was true, Generation X would be responsible for bankrupting our social security system and Generation Y would be responsible for bankrupting our social morals. Yet somehow from a fashion standpoint, the eradication of this trend has made less of a fuss than when Greenacres was taken off the air. Losing the one-piece would be like having all the world’s mosquitoes die off; we’d all take notice but none of us would really care. Not to mention we’d all be far more comfortable outside.
And so I am left with this quandary on my hands. A long-running trend meets its demise. The fashion world rejoices, and somewhere a group of old ladies hang up their trunks for the last time. I for one salute you, one-piece bathing suit. You had a good run.
Posted by Dan Josebachvili on Jul 28, 2010 – 5:07 AM ·
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You know when you discover a new band and can’t stop playing their music on replay, again, and again, and again? Well, here in the office, we’ve got Darlingside fever.
Hailing from Northampton, MA, the rock-string quintet has been tearing up venues from Vermont to NYC. Their complex arrangements lend to some pretty smooth and dynamic songs. And with the help of a mandolin, violin, and electric cello, Darlingside is creatively bridging the gap between classical folk music and rock. These guys are smart (all Williams college grads), self managed, and extremely talented. I predict they will be VERY successful in a few years time.
Take a break from work and check out a sample here. And if you like it, you can find more songs on their MySpace page.
If you’re like us, and quickly become obsessed with the music, check out their website for upcoming shows. Chances are, they’ll be in your area sometime this summer.
Posted by Adam Platz on Jul 15, 2010 – 5:28 AM ·
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If you haven’t seen this yet, please take the next 3 1/2 minutes and indulge yourself. If only our Urban Escapes could be this awe-inspiring. Our response video is coming shortly.
Posted by Maia Josebachvili on Jul 12, 2010 – 7:18 AM ·
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Shootin’ & Drinkin’™, one of my favorite trips that we offer, was just featured in UrbanDaddy as ‘the thing to do’ this Summer. If you haven’t checked it out, let me just say that when you combine shotguns, golf carts, and whiskey, you’re guaranteed to have a good time.
Posted by Maia Josebachvili on Jun 15, 2010 – 10:11 AM ·
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Tomorrow arguably marks the biggest moment ever in the history of United States soccer. At 2:30PM EST, the US squad will kick off against England in the group round of the 19th FIFA World Cup. Soccer fans across the country are uniting in preparation for the landmark event. As such, here in the Urban Escapes office we saw it fitting to prepare for the match in our own way: a video game preview…
England vs. USA - FIFA 2010 - XBOX 360
On paper, the differences in favor of England are obvious: a clear advantage in speed, depth, skill, and power. For any real chance of advancing out of the group stage, the US must at least secure a draw. Anything less would be a disappointment.
First Half: The game began as expected, with England coming out hard and making a strong argument for their dominance on the world stage. With the possession arrow heavily favoring England in the first ten minutes, USA had just one shot on goal: an attempt at a free kick from just outside the 18. With their best player, Landon Donovan at the helm, hopes were high… alas, drilled just wide. The score remains 0-0. Just under 10 minutes later, England took control of the ball and scored off a set piece (17:41). Steven Gerrard made no attempt to quell his celebration as he flaunted his jubilation in front of the USA goalkeeper. In the next 30 minutes, the US was able to establish control on the field, but not able to even up the score. The teams went in to the lockers at halftime Eng 1 - USA 0
Second Half: England came out of the gates with fire in their eyes and within minutes, Emile Hesky, under heavy attack from the US defenders, blasted a bullet into the far left side of the net putting England up 2 - 0. The match outlook looked grim for the US at this point. They certainly needed to regroup and focus. The next ten minutes was played out in the center of the field as the US continued to dominate the possession game, but could not for the life of them score. That is, until Clint Dempsey squared up in the 62nd minute and landed an off balance goal into the top right corner. Just one minute later, Michael Bradley received a key through ball from Donovan and scored the equalizer making it 2 - 2.
With the unlikely upset in their sites, the US put all their hope on their star player, Landon Donovan. In the 81st minute, Donovan sliced through the line of English defenders and finessed a shot past the British goaltender to take the lead. The US squad held off England for the next 9 minutes and secured the victory. Coming back from 2-0 at one point, USA rallied and won 3-2.
An amazing upset that will go down in FIFA history as one of the greatest matches ever.
Posted by Adam Platz on Jun 11, 2010 – 10:18 AM ·
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A few short days ago history was made. No, I’m not talking about the season finale of ABC’s Lost (though I’m still struggling with that myself). On May 22nd, Jordan Romero became the youngest person ever to summit Mount Everest. A 13-year-old-boy hailing from Big Bear Lake, California, Romero defied the odds (and puberty) to reach the mountain’s summit with his father, stepmother, and team of three experienced Nepalese Sherpas. If that’s not the definition of awesome then I’m going to return the shirt I bought with this kids face on it.
Unfortunately for Jordan, not everyone shares my sentiments. His accomplishment has sparked the heated debate over the dangers of over-achieving at a young age. While some are quick to defend his dream of summitting the highest mountains on all seven continents, others criticize him and his parents for endorsing such a lofty endeavor at such a young age. This of course begs the question, just how young is too young? Well in the great state of Georgia that would be 16, but I imagine the true answer in this case lies somewhere beyond the local legislature.
Using complex algorithms and long division, I have devised a formula to track Jordan’s accomplishments against my own in order to determine if Jordan was in fact “too young” to summit Everest. What I found may astonish and amaze you. Events occur in real time.
*** Age 6:
Jordan goes hiking for the first time with his father and stepmother. Whining and blisters ensue. By the end of the trail, Jordan wants to do it again.
I discover sugary cereals for the first time. Sugar rush and mass destruction ensue. I fall asleep with my hand inside an empty bucket of paint.
Age 9:
Team Jordan completes successful summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (19,340 feet). This is the first of his 7 summits.
I don’t get picked last for kickball at recess. I celebrate by missing the force-out at home twice…in the same inning. I never play kickball again.
Age 10:
Jordan and Co. quadruple their peaks by summiting Elbrus in Russia (18,510 feet), Kosciusko in Australia (7,310 feet), and Aconcagua in Argentina (22,841 feet) for a combined elevation of 44,661 feet!
I get my first girlfriend. In an act of jubilation, I organize a dinner for our parents to meet. She dumps me right before dessert. I spend the next 13 years of my life wondering what went wrong.
Age 11:
Jordan completes his ascent of Mt. Denali in Alaska (20,320 feet), widely considered the coldest mountain in the world.
I break my wrist snowboarding in Vermont and convince myself that I’m brave for attempting the half pipe on my first day on a board.
Age 13:
Jordan does the unthinkable and becomes the youngest person ever to conquer Everest (29,029 feet). At only 13 years old, he demolished the previous record held by Temba Tsheri who reached the summit when he was 16 years old.
I dissect a frog in science class. Halfway through, I vomit on my lab partner because I can’t stand the smell of formaldehyde. ***
After carefully comparing our life trajectories using a 4-dimensional time analysis (and after one too many espresso shots), the results practically jumped off the page at me. Though my accomplishments are vast and impressive in their own right, they are dwarfed by what Jordan Romero has done in the same time-span. To think that a 13-year-old boy has the physical endurance and mental stamina to complete the Seven Summits is completely mind-boggling. So what if over-achieving at such a young age will lead to years of therapy and thousands of dollars in prescription drugs? Aren’t we all destined for synthetic happiness anyway? So Jordan, if you’re reading this, I say ignore the critics and don’t mind the Dos Equis Man. Today, you are the Most Interesting Man in the World.
Posted by Dan Josebachvili on May 26, 2010 – 10:06 AM ·
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Time Out New York featured our Urban Escapes Summer Camp and now it’s named the Best Weekend Getaways! If you haven’t heard about it yet, check out our Summer Camp to see what everyone is talking about. We have 500 acres to ourselves and it’ll be three full days of bonfire parties, zip-lines, lakeside beaches, capture the flag, and more.
Posted by Maia Josebachvili on May 25, 2010 – 11:07 AM ·
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UE Boston recently threw down another North Face sponsored happy hour. In addition to all of the standard raffles, give aways, great booze and good times, this time we incorporated a tent pitching competition to the night. Yes, that’s right. A full three-season two person tent. Check out the vid!
Posted by Luke Antal on May 21, 2010 – 9:13 AM ·
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If you’ve been following the growth of Urban Escapes over the last 2 years, you’ve noticed that we have a soft spot for local craft beers and have always done our best to promote our neighborhood brewers. That in mind, we always keep an ear to the ground for the next one making headlines on the east coast. We travel far and wide to quench our thirst for hops. This time, we’ve made it all the way up into Maine and discovered a real gem.
Enter Baxter Brewing Company. This recent startup is paving the way with a new type of craft beer…canned craft beer. They’re daring to go where only few have gone before them, and meanwhile dispel the commonly misguided notion that bottles are better than cans. Located in Lewiston, ME, Baxter Brewing will be the first brewery north of CT to produce their quiver of lagers, ales, IPA’s, solely in cans. A brief visit to their website, and you’ll discover that “cans are better for the environment…cans are better for the beer… [and] cans can go where glass cannot” http://www.baxterbrewing.com). And if that isn’t enough to convince you that canned craft beer is the way to be…well, just try their beer. It speaks for itself.
Full scale distribution in Maine will start in Fall 2010, and throughout greater New England by 2012, but next time you find yourself driving by exit 80 on the Maine Turnpike (I-95), hop off in Lewiston, Maine and take a sneak peak at Baxter Brewing. Founder Luke Livingston will be more than happy to show you around and let you know exactly why cans are the new bottle.
Posted by Adam Platz on May 19, 2010 – 7:59 AM ·
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Americans have been called many things in their day, but unfortunately “cultured” is not one of them. In Europe we are accused of being ill tempered and belligerent. In Latin America we are imperialists. Even in the Middle East some go as far as to call us The Great Satan. Well I say that is ridiculous. I don’t even own a pitchfork!
Despite what our European and Latin American counterparts may say, the fact of the matter is that Americans are amongst the most cultured, socially aware people in the world. In addition to celebrating our own national holidays, we Americans are so culturally sensitive that we also observe the national holidays of other countries! Don’t believe me? Take a look at the five most celebrated non-American holidays observed nation-wide.
1) St. Patrick’s Day – Held in honor of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, every year on March 17th school children wear green and a sober adult is hard to find. From Boston’s parade to Hoboken’s field day, March 17th has become synonymous with being Irish. It also serves as a keen reminder to all observers that maybe leprechauns do exist. Either that or Jameson is one hell of a drink.
2) Mardi Gras – Literally meaning “Fat Tuesday,” Mardi Gras has become a staple of Carnival Season in New Orleans. Though originally a religious celebration held just before the penitential season of Lent, today Mardi Gras is more renowned for its lavish costumes and multicolor beads than anything else. And where better to celebrate Mardi Gras than the most famous Carnival Party of all – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Ok, so it’s a bit of a stretch to call Mardi Gras a Brazilian holiday, but for the purposes of my argument agree to disagree.
3) 4/20 – Jamaican Heritage Day. Bob Marley permeates the airwaves and college students nationwide pretend to be Rastafarian for the day. Especially in Boulder, Colorado.
4) Greek Independence Day – Though observed by comparatively few, March 25th is to Greeks what 4th of July, Christmas, My Birthday, and New Years Eve is to Americans. It’s a day celebrated with Ouzo, Gyros, and photos of that actress from the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It’s been said that you’ve never really lived until you spend a March 25th in Astoria, Queens.
5) Cinco de Mayo – Alas we come to the day that inspired this post. Cinco de Mayo (or May 5th, for those of you too lazy to take out the pocket dictionary) is a holiday that commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Crazy enough, it is also the day that Corona was first marketed and sold as a light Mexican beer. Coincidence? I think not. On this day, Americans nationwide crack a six-pack at the office and eat at Chipotle to honor the Mexican army’s courageous victory some 140 years ago.
As you can see, there are two conclusions one can draw from this. First off, we as Americans are more cultured than we are given credit for. Second, we never miss an opportunity to day-drink. So the next time some yuppie Euro tries to tell you that Americans lack cultural awareness, remind them that we are a nation of immigrants and we are proud of collective heritage! So America, relax, kick back, and salud! Happy Cinco de Mayo.
Posted by Dan Josebachvili on May 5, 2010 – 9:19 AM ·
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I guess I’m not that surprised.1,500 calories of donuts, beefy patties, bacon and cheese, all thanks to our friends at Krispy Kreme. Want to know the worst part? I kind of want to try it…
Here at Urban Escapes there are a few things that we take very seriously:
peanut allergies, Armageddon prophecies, and business trips. It has been our experience that with a little foresight and a lot of planning, most dangers associated with these things can be avoided. After all, it’s like my Mom used to always say, “A failure to prepare is preparing to fail!” Thanks, Mom. With that in mind, the DC office took it upon themselves to prepare for the arrival of Adam Platz, Boston Director. Check out what happens when a little preparation takes you a long, long way. I really love my job.
Posted by Dan Josebachvili on Apr 26, 2010 – 5:32 AM ·
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After an exciting weekend down in Newport, RI, I’m back to where I often find myself on Sunday afternoons, on the couch watching TV with my roommates, resting up for the hectic week ahead. Our weekly programming selection is usually a sampling of whatever cheesy shows and movies we can find on cable or OnDemand. Last week, “Iron Eagle,” the weekend before, “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.” But today, we stumbled upon a true gem. I’m partially embarrassed to reveal the name of the show (with which I was so entranced), but what the hell, I’ve already told you that I watched “Ghosts of Girlfriend’s Past”...
Today’s selection: New Kids on the Block: Live in Concert
Just when we though Donnie Wahlberg and the rest of the gang were no more, they make a triumphant return to stardom with their recent 2008 launch of a new album and subsequent national tour. I am reluctant to label their reunion efforts a wild success. However, just in case any of the band members stumble upon our blog, I’m also hesitant to take too many shots at their pride. I’ll let you all come to your own conclusions. But just to give you a starting point, picture grown 40 year-old men performing their boy band hits of yore to mobs middle aged women and tweens.
And if that image isn’t enough, check out this screen shot from my TV. It is truly worth 1,000 words.
Posted by Adam Platz on Apr 16, 2010 – 12:00 PM ·
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When a friend asked if I wanted to go camping with Urban Escapes for the weekend, I said yes before I realized that this was “real” camping—those big backpacker packs,…
A totally kickin trip and amazing leaders. The trip self-selects for young, active, energetic, outgoing people and you just can’t beat that. I expect to be on more Urban Escapes…
