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 A Supersized Family Vacation Credit the digital workplace and our 24/7 work ethic with more than just answering e-mails at five a.m. and taking calls during the dinner hour. That go-go-go gusto informs our leisure activities too. “The majority of travelers unwind in less than a day on vacation,” says Michele Perry, a travel expert at TripAdvisor, an online travel community with nearly 25 million visitors a month. “And because people unwind quickly, they want to get busy and exercise their bodies and their minds on vacation.” To pack extra-large experiences into your family’s standard-size vacation, consider these destinations. -- Melissa Chessher
 Camping is the top outdoor-vacation choice in America. One-third of adults in the United States say they have gone on a camping trip in the past five years. (Source: Adventure Travel Report)
The WaterColor Inn & Resort, a 499-acre resort on Santa Rosa Beach in Florida, features an inn, rental cottages, several restaurants, and more activities than a blockbuster theme park. It forces you to redefine your idea of leisure with activities like outdoor movies in the resort’s park, family karaoke night, trivia night, a top-notch kids’ program called Camp WaterColor, and fine dining for the folks at Fish out of Water (signature dishes include Kobe beef short ribs with black-truffle grits). One-bedroom hotel rooms start at $360; a two-bedroom cottage rents for $3,605 per week. (850) 534-5000, www.watercolorresort.com
Ever since Billy Crystal donned chaps in City Slickers, families have taken a shine to the notion of cowboying it up while on vacation. For the best dude experience, consider Hidden Meadow Ranch in Greer, Arizona (about 200 miles west of Phoenix). Activities include Apache dances and storytelling; classes on stargazing, constellations, and photography; arts and crafts for the little ones; and more traditional fare like horseback riding, fly-fishing, and more than 975 miles of trails. Packages that include activities, double occupancy in a log cabin, and three gourmet meals a day start at $625 per night. (866) 333- 4080, www.hiddenmeadow.com
Camping may be the number one outdoor activity, but not everyone possesses tent-pitching skills. Enter El Capitan Canyon, located on the outskirts of the Los Padres National Forest near Santa Barbara, California. Guests stay in roomy tents with wood floors (or upgrade to cabins with bathrooms and kitchens), and activity options abound: horseback riding, beach-cruiser biking, hiking, swimming in the pool or the ocean, and kayaking. You can also kick back and enjoy the free live concerts in May or charter a boat to go whale watching. Tents from $145, cabins from $225. (866) 352-2729, www.elcapitancanyon.com
Consider spending your trip on a Shasta Marina Resort houseboat cruising Shasta Lake on Northern California’s largest reservoir, which offers 370 miles of shoreline, countless hiking trails, and loads of fishing. The luxurious 16-sleeper Thoroughbred Houseboat features private staterooms, full bathrooms, an equipped kitchen, a hot tub, a fireplace, central heat and air, and, most important, water slides. Rentals range from three nights on the 14-sleeper Mirage at $3,600 to seven nights on the Thoroughbred for $8,400. (800) 959-3359, www.shastalake.net
The Mohonk Mountain House is an idyllic castle, which overlooks a scenic lake and is set on 2,200 acres of wilderness with 85 miles of hiking trails. The resort is known for family-style meals and a smorgasbord of activities that appeal to junior and the ’rents: hiking, a Victorian maze, boating, canoeing, fishing, swimming, horseback riding, award-winning gardens, a 30,000-square-foot spa, rock climbing, golf, and kids’ and themed programs (spring notable events include blues and astronomy weekends). From $275. (800) 772-6646, www.mohonk.com
Eighty percent of adult travelers (more than 118 million people) have included a historic or cultural activity while traveling. That number is roughly equal to the population of the United Kingdom and Italy combined. (Source: Travel Industry Association)
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Fashion
The Bold & the Beautiful
Pack away those somber grays and stick-in-the-mud neutrals. This summer, optimism abounds in the form of brightly colored accessories. But be warned: Stick to one eye-popping item per ensemble or you risk Cyndi Lauper syndrome. And don’t forget: Mother’s Day is right around the corner! -- Amy Tara Koch
1 Coach Loiss Ballet Flats, $168, www.coach.com
2 Big Buddha Olivia Bag, $65, www.fredala.com
3 Stella & Dot Dot Bib Necklace, $58, www.stelladot.com
4 Subversive Bangles, $15 each, www.target.com
5 J. Crew Patent-Leather Peep-Toe Mary Janes, $198, www.jcrew.com
6 Stella & Dot Candy-Colored Enamel Bangle, $38, and Color Burst Enamel Bangle, $128, www.stelladot.com
7 Havaianas Flip-Flops, $22, www.havaianasus.com
8 Fossil Geneva Clutch, $88, www.fossil.com
9 Fossil Skinny Popstitch Belt, $28, www.fossil.com
10 Nine West Heathers Peep-Toe Heel, $89, www.ninewest.com
11 Stella & Dot Ellipses Necklace, $48, www.stelladot.com
12 Pocket In Fold Over Tote, $69, www.ninewest.com
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Bars
Another Round, Please
CONSIDER THE TYPICAL shotgun-style bar: It’s like lining up in front of a firing squad. Sit down. Face forward. Get shots. Fall down. Next victim, please. But drinking at a round bar is different. First, let us define our terms. By “round bar,” we mean a raised platform that forms a complete loop. Bartenders work in the center. Drinkers moisten their mouths on the outside. We do not mean curved or semicircular. The ends must meet. The meeting is the thing. That’s what distinguishes a round bar, what makes it akin to gathering before a communal fire -- albeit one lit by liquid libations. (Not literally. That would almost certainly violate some kind of safety code.) Partaking of adult beverages at a round bar makes you part of a tribal circle, where conversation flows easily. Or, it makes you a knight at the round table. Whichever. Either way, you’re never alone. And that’s why we like them. Especially these six. -- Joseph Guinto
 THE BAR: PJ Carney’s (West Side), New York
THE SCENE: A vaguely Irish watering hole with a mix of regulars, tourists, and solo business types who always seem happy and chatty. It probably also helps that even after two a.m. you can still get a drink and a burger. (212) 664-0056
THE BAR: Round Robin Bar, Washington, D.C.
THE SCENE: Located just off the grand lobby of the Willard InterContinental Washington hotel, the Round Robin is small and elegant, and the circular mahogany bar may be the prettiest round bar in the country. Election nights here are much like Super Bowl Sunday in a sports bar. (202) 628-9100
THE BAR: Touch Restaurant and Lounge, Miami
THE SCENE: It’s like a South Beach dance club but without the attitude and the dance floor. The round bar in this swanky eatery sits surrounded by dining tables and a performance stage. The best touch -- pardon the pun -- is the booze shelves built into petrified palm trees. (305) 532-8003
THE BAR: Artis’ Lounge, Chicago
THE SCENE: A laid-back blues and soul-music club on Chicago’s South Side, with the main attraction offstage being the round bar in the center of the space. The crowd is casual and local. The drinks are strong. The music is excellent. And the space is anti-swanky. (773) 734-0491
THE BAR: Carousel Piano Bar and Lounge, New Orleans
THE SCENE: Bars like this one used to exist all over the country, and most went by the name Merry-Go-Round because they were fashioned from dismantled carousel rides. This surviving example is in the Monteleone Hotel. And, yes, it revolves. A full rotation takes 15 minutes. Try to wait longer to finish your drink. (504) 523-3341
THE BAR: Broadway Bar, L.A.
THE SCENE: Lindsay Lohan? No. The ghost of Cary Grant and more than a few living Angelenos? You bet. Located in a downtown Gothic revival building adjoining the Orpheum Theatre, the space, dominated by the 50-foot-wide circular bar and its art-deco-inspired, flower-print bar stools, screams Old Hollywood. (213) 614-9909
16 OTHER ROUND THINGS WE LOVE > Pie Charts | Pie | Melons | Charlie Brown’s melon head Polka dots | The moon | The “O” in Oprah | Philadelphian Ben Franklin’s spectacles | Charles Barkley’s nickname when he played in Philadelphia -- “the round mound of rebound” | The wheel | Wheels of cheese | Cheese balls | Cue balls | Boxing rings (the “squared circle”) | Santa’s belly | A bowl full of jelly
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Food
Be a Grainiac ...
Amp up your health (and your taste buds) with some whole-grain goodness.
We know, we know -- these days there’s always somebody who is all atwitter about the health benefits of this or that superfruit or nut (someday it’ll be the french fry…). And the touting of whole grains is no exception, especially when it comes to packaged- food manufacturers (just try and find a cereal box that doesn’t have the words whole-grain goodness emblazoned across the front). But there really is a lot more to whole grains than just a marketing hook. Studies have shown that they help reduce the risks of stroke, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, asthma, certain cancers, and even gum disease and tooth loss. Oh, and they’re darned tasty. Just ask Judith Finlayson, the author of The Complete Whole Grains Cookbook: 150 Recipes for Healthy Living (Robert Rose, $25). She cleared up all of our questions.
 What are whole grains? Whole grains contain all three parts of the grain -- the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. “When grains are refined,” says Finlayson, “which are the kinds of grains we’ve been eating for decades, most of the bran and germ is milled off and we’re left with the endosperm, which is the least nutritious and most caloric part of the grain. It’s really a lose-lose.”
How do you find them? Look for the Whole Grains Council’s yellow stamp (www.wholegrainscouncil.org) or make sure the label says “100 percent whole grain/excellent source.”
What do they taste like? Most whole grains have a bit of a nutty flavor to them (yum!). The biggest differences are in the texture. Quinoa and millet kind of pop in your mouth. Larger grains, like wheat berries, are chewy, almost meaty. Bulgur and whole-grain couscous “are kind of exotic and work well with lighter flavors,” says Finlayson. Want comfort? Try short-grained rices, which are sweeter. -- Jenna Schnuer
FIVE TO TRY
Quinoa The grain of the moment, quinoa comes in yellow, red, and, increasingly, black. Use it in place of rice, pasta, or potatoes.
Wehani Rice One of Finlayson’s favorites, this American-grown rice “has fabulous flavor.”
Millet Serves as a body double for quinoa. To add flavor, toast the grains in a pan before cooking. An easily digestible grain, it’s good for baby cereals.
Wheat Berries That flour in the cabinet? It started out as wheat berries, the whole kernel of the wheat plant. Add them to salads, soups, and stews.
Oats After eating steel-cut oats, you’ll never look at a packet of instant oatmeal again. These have a heartier texture and flavor than other oats.
Southwestern Bean and Barley Salad with Roasted Peppers
from The Complete Whole Grains Cookbook: 150 Recipes for Healthy Living
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ clove garlic, finely grated or put through a press
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups cooked whole (hulled) barley, cooled
2 cups cooked red kidney beans or one 14- to 19-ounce can, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked corn kernels
2 roasted poblano or roasted red bell peppers, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 whole sun-dried tomatoes, packed in olive oil, finely chopped
1 small red onion, diced
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
Dressing: In a small bowl, combine vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste, stirring until salt dissolves. Stir in garlic. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Set aside.
In a serving bowl, combine barley, kidney beans, corn, roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and onion. Add dressing and toss well. Garnish with parsley. Chill until ready to serve.
Variations: Substitute an equal quantity of cooked wheat, spelt, Kamut berries, or farro for the barley.
SCOOP THEM UP Don’t let the search for Wehani wig you out. If your local store doesn’t stock the grains you desire, just stock up in the ever-expanding world of online specialty-food shops. Here are some great grain sources: Homegrown Harvest, www.homegrownharvest.com // Bob’s Red Mill, www.bobsredmill.com // Anson Mills, www.ansonmills.com/products.htm // Rancho Gordo, www.ranchogordo.com // Indian Harvest, www.indianharvest.com // Kalustyan’s, www.kalustyans.com
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Gadgets
Geek Chic
Tune in. Turn on. And watch the technologically deprived stare with envy. -- Scott Steinberg
 1 Wing, available late 2008
Forget laptops; ultramobile PCs (fully functional systems so small that they fit in your pocket) are the latest rage. Convince yourself to take the plunge with this 4 GB clamshell model, packing a four-inch LCD screen perfect for watching videos and an ergonomically designed keyboard for web surfing, e-mail construction, and the rare bout of actual productivity. www.iriver.com
2 Samsung Armani P520, $579
Gucci shades? So passé. If you really want to floss like a celebrity, whip out this 2.6-inch touch-screen-equipped aesthetic marvel and watch haters drool. Yes, the device makes calls, but with an integrated 3.2 MP camera, e-mail functionality, and web-browsing and music- and game-playing abilities, it’s more than just a phone; it’s a fashion statement. www.dynamism.com
3 Ana-Digi Watch, $250
Phosphor’s snazzy leather- or polyurethane-banded timepiece swaps between a white or black face and analog or digital displays on demand. A whopping 14 options are available at the press of a button; sharp color contrast ensures you’ll catch onlookers’ attention. www.phosphorwatches.com
4 Vudu XL, $999
Plop this mysterious black box atop a TV and use its terabyte hard drive to stream standard or high-definition films and TV shows from the Internet straight to your set. Even better: Prices start at just 99 cents, units store 500 flicks, and no special software (or PC) is needed. www.vudu.com
5 JX20 Pura, $179
Step up your Bluetooth connection (and your game) with Jabra’s brushed anodized titanium headset with glossy black trim. An ergonomic gel earbud completes the crave-inspiring package, which weighs less than half an ounce and offers six hours of talk time. www.jabra.com
6 BlackArmor, $150
Not only does Maxtor’s 160 GB portable hard drive eliminate mobile data security issues (thanks to government-grade encryption), but it also goes well with a black suit, tie, and shades when transporting sensitive files across the country. www.maxtor.com
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