In a Word: Plastics
Leave the fine china in the cabinet, because designers are dishing up plenty of snazzy designs in the new material of the moment: melamine. You read right: melamine. No longer merely the stuff of baby’s-first-dish sets, plastic is in play for plates that range from whimsical to, believe it or not, elegant (well, as elegant as melamine can be, anyway). Here are six that serve a delicious dose of good taste, at home or on a picnic blanket. — Jenna Schnuer
1 Pizza by Liberty Garage. $25 for a set of six plates. (562) 594-4595, www.libertygarage.com 2 Russian Nesting Dolls by Thomas Paul. $35 for a set of four plates. (866) 781-9494, www.velocityartanddesign.com
3 Doo the Dishes by Pop Ink. $10 per plate. (269) 683-1100, www.mrfrench.com
4 Barcelona by French Bull. $39 for a set of four dinner plates. (718) 433-2484, www.plumparty.com
5 Square Orange Dinner Plate by Working Class Studio, a division of the Savannah College of Art and Design. $8 per plate. (912) 525-5180, www.shopscadonline.com
6 Diner by Bob’s Your Uncle. $39 for a set of four plates. (866) 757-4463, www.store.shopshine.net
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It’s a Local Thing
Every city’s got a handful of hidden little eateries that the locals don’t necessarily want you to know about. (After all, you might take up a favorite seat.) We’re talking diners, greasy spoons, and dives, and we’ve found them for you. So for once, skip the of-the-moment restaurant in favor of one of these anytime-is-the-right-time spots. — J.S.
Hackensack, New Jersey
White Manna Hamburgers
358 River Street
(201) 342-0914
The place is tiny, and so are the burgers. Pocket change (95 cents) will score you one, but bring along a fiver — you’ll want a stack of these babies.
Anchorage, Alaska
Jackie’s Place
2636 Spenard Road
(907) 274-3211
The building’s so-not-fancy exterior won’t wake you up,
but the breakfast sure will. The chorizo is house-made. And the French toast? It’s made with Hawaiian sweet bread. Simply delish.
Cleveland, Ohio
Big Al’s Diner
12600 Larchmere Boulevard
(216) 791-8550
No matter what tempts you on the menu, make no mistake: The corned beef hash and home fries are a must for
newcomers to Big Al’s.
San Diego, California
Brian’s American Eatery
1451 Washington Street
(619) 296-8268
One local raves: “They’re open late and a godsend at those times after the bars close and you just have to have something greasy.” What else do you need to know?
Nashville, Tennessee
Rotier’s
2413 Ellison Place
(615) 327-9892
Big old burgers on French bread. So bad for your waistline, so good for your smile.
Des Plaines, Illinois
The Choo-Choo
600 Lee Street
(847) 391-9815
Even if the kids in our life didn’t insist on food delivered by model train for their birthday, we’d keep going back for the turkey chili. Really.
New Iberia, Louisiana
Victor’s Cafeteria
109 West Main Street
(337) 369-9924
Grab a tray and slide down
the line. If you see fried chicken, get it first. After that,
grab anything else they serve. Leave room for pie.
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A Weekend in... Honduras
You could easily find yourself on the losing end of Final Jeopardy if you don’t know the capital of Honduras — for most of us, it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. So, if you do find yourself in said precarious position with thousands of dollars on the line, remember this: It’s Tegucigalpa (pronounced tay-goo-si-gal-pa), or Tegus, as the locals call it. This bustling Central American city, 3,198 feet above sea level, doesn’t garner much respect in advance — which is exactly why visitors who stumble upon the colonial relics in its historic downtown and the shops in its upscale commercial district around Plaza Morazán always come away feeling like they got a lot more than they bargained for. Just be aware of what’s above you, as more than 1,000 species of birds call the city home. — Kevin Raub
 SEE Within sight of the entire city, the stunning Gothic Basílica de Suyapa, located on Suyapa hillside, stands sentinel over Tegucigalpa like a stained-glass warrior on 24-hour sanctimonious alert. It’s a nice spot to take in the views after visiting the new Museo para la Identidad Nacional (Calle el Telégrafo and Avenida Miguel Paz Barahona, 011-504-222-2299, www.min.hn), a high-tech museum in an 1882 colonial building that’s located in the barrio Abajo. Check out the virtual exhibition of Copán, home to the country’s most important Mayan ruins and located a few hours north of the capital.
EAT Tegucigalpa offers all the usual suspects, but why not go local? The best spot for authentic comida Hondureña is El Patio, a candlelit, brick-oven-warmed spot along Boulevard Morazán that serves local specialties like pinchos, a sort of Honduran shish kebab (don’t skip the yummy sauces), and anafres, a refried-black-bean-and-cheese fondue fired up in a clay pot. For killer seafood (the country is sandwiched between the Pacific and the Caribbean, after all), locals head straight to Tony’s Mar (Boulevard Juan Pablo Segundo, 011-504-239-9379).
 STAY The charming 23-room Hotel Portal del Angel (from $110, 011-504-239-6538, www.portaldelangel.com) — the country’s only boutique hotel — marries colonial elegance and a hip urban edge. Rooms feature parquet and caoba floors that nicely accentuate the Honduran folk art and hand-carved artesanías that dot the interiors. Its location in the Colonia Palmira barrio is only steps from the city’s best cafés and nightlife, there and around La Zona Viva. A little farther from the city center is the quaint Humuya Inn (from $57, 011-504-239-2206, www.humuyainn.com), a B&B in the Colonia Humuya barrio. Indigenous arts and crafts, vaulted ceilings, and ceramic-tile floors make this former Spanish-style home a cozy and quiet retreat from the hubbub of the city. It has a gorgeous courtyard with a garden, which makes a wonderful breakfast spot.
DO Just outside town is the country’s first (and still one of its best) nature preserves, the lush Parque Nacional La Tigra. You’ll catch glimpses of the real thing in this 93-square-mile park, which is home to some 200 species of birds (look out for the rare quetzal) and a slew of armadillos and rabbit-size rodents called agoutis. The rich habitat makes for one of Central America’s most outstanding day hikes.
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FEELING TAXED?
Let’s survey the casualties of April 15: two dozen pencils (snapped in two), one calculator (smashed against wall), 2,007 hairs (pulled from head), and one bank account (severely depleted). If you’re like most people who filed a 1040, you spent about 30 hours getting your act together. Want to limit the damage come this time next year? Then start getting organized now. Your scalp will thank you, even if your bank account doesn’t. — Tracy Staton
The Eight-Step Program
ID What You Need
1 Don’t stuff your 2006 return into a drawer. Painful to look at? Maybe. Helpful? Definitely. Mark Steber, vice president of tax resources at Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, says it can serve as your checklist for documents you’ll need to gather during the next nine months.
2 Lorie Marrero, chief executive organizer and creator of the Clutter Diet (www.clutterdiet
.com), suggests using H&R Block’s organizing tool at Organizit.HRBlock.com to generate a list of all the documents you’ll need.
Take Up Collecting
3 Set up an accordion file with slots for each category you used this year: 1099s, W-2s, charitable contributions, business expenses, etc.
4 Too complicated? If you use financial-management software like Quicken or Microsoft Money, get a January-through-December accordion file and stash receipts and credit card statements by month, Marrero suggests. Then, when you’re filing your taxes, just search the software for relevant expenses and find the matching receipts by date.
5 Still too complicated? Tack a large manila envelope near your desk, and toss every tax-related document, receipt, and note into it — or use a shoebox. You’ll have to sort it out at year’s end, but at least you’ll have everything in one place. (Steber suggests that you keep that handy-dandy checklist here, too, and mark off items as you get them.)
6 Keep your calendar or day planner, Marrero says, in order to jog your memory about mileage expenses you can claim. If you use an electronic calendar, just print each monthly view.
Time It Right
7 In July, give yourself a tax checkup. Track down any missing info while you’re at it.
8 Meet with your accountant in December (you’re so organized already, so why not?); this way, you can make provisions for any year-end investments, purchases, or giving that could reduce your tax bill. Be sure you spend anything left in pretax benefit accounts — you might even escape the Alternative Minimum Tax.
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The New and Improved You
Okay, all you couch potatoes, this news bulletin is for you: It’s — horror of horrors — swimsuit season. But rather than break out in a cold sweat at the thought of baring your bod, whip yourself into shape with one of these new workouts. And no backing out with some lame excuse about exercise being boring: These fun trends won’t take no for an answer. — Becca Hensley
Be the Ball
Massage marries yoga in a Yamuna Body Rolling class. Participants use a variety of balls in gentle exercises that work specific muscles to attain suppleness and to optimize range of motion. Afterward, most people feel as if they’ve had a massage. Visit www.yamunabodyrolling.com for classes in your area.
Join the Dance Revolution
The brainchild of workout goddess Sarina Jain, Masala Bhangra (masala means spicy in Hindi, and bhangra is the name of a dance) borrows heavily from the folk culture and dance of Punjab, India. It’s taught as an exotic-movement class, and it will make you perspire more than eating a hot curry. Lucky New Yorkers can dance with Jain at different studios around town; others can shake to the video at home. www.masaladance.com
Do the Hula
Remember that pink hula hoop from your childhood? Athletes cherishing the retro — or, more importantly, those looking to whittle the middle — should sway their body like Beyoncé and bounce a cardio hoop around what will soon become a newly hardened six-pack of a belly. Californians can try classes at HoopGirl locations throughout the state; everyone else can purchase a beginner’s DVD. www.hoopgirl.com
Pool Your Resources
From Florida comes Poolates, a powerful workout pairing the resistance of water with the principles of Pilates. Conceived and marketed by Rebecca “Boo” Pfeiffer, a certified Pilates instructor, Poolates strengthens the core and is great for injured workout addicts. Plus, athletes of every level report results. Try Poolates at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, where Pfeiffer teaches; at other locations upon request; or visit www.poolates.com for classes in your area.
Superwalk It Off
All the rage in Europe, Nordic walking evolved from off-season ski training. Better for you than simply walking or running, it requires the use of hiking-stick-like poles that engage all the muscles of the upper body. Great for endurance building, this sport can burn a whopping 500 calories an hour. For more information, visit the American Nordic Walking Association at www.anwa.us.
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