Astoria Or

One of the first travel writers to see the area said, "Ocian in view! O! the joy." Within a few weeks, however, he was complaining about the rain: "O! how disagreeable is our Situation dureing this dreadfull weather." Of course, in 1805 William Clark (with his partner, Meriwether Lewis) didn't have the advantages available to modern travel writers in Astoria: no excellent seafood restaurants, no comfy B&Bs and, apparently, no spell-checker.

Astoria, Ore. Feb. 23-25: It started as an idea tossed around among fishermen over beers at Astoria's Wet Dog Cafe: Let's create an event where people who work on the water -- and their families and friends -- can gather to share experiences. Doreen Broderick, wife of Fisher Poets Gathering founder Jon Broderick, says the event, which turns 10 this year, has grown from stories and poetry to include photography, paintings, songs and more.

Astoria, Ore. Feb. 23-25: It started as an idea tossed around among fishermen over beers at Astoria's Wet Dog Cafe: Let's create an event where people who work on the water -- and their families and friends -- can gather to share experiences. Doreen Broderick, wife of Fisher Poets Gathering founder Jon Broderick, says the event, which turns 10 this year, has grown from stories and poetry to include photography, paintings, songs and more.

One of the first travel writers to see the area said, "Ocian in view! O! the joy." Within a few weeks, however, he was complaining about the rain: "O! how disagreeable is our Situation dureing this dreadfull weather." Of course, in 1805 William Clark (with his partner, Meriwether Lewis) didn't have the advantages available to modern travel writers in Astoria: no excellent seafood restaurants, no comfy B&Bs and, apparently, no spell-checker.

In our latest Master Class, Michael Cimarusti shares the basics of great clam chowder: "While testing recipes a few weeks ago, something strange happened. A deep whiff of the Manhattan-style clam chowder I had just made transported me for a brief moment to my grandmother Josephine Cimarusti's kitchen in Lindenhurst, Long Island . A white-and-green striped sugar bowl with a stainless, hinged, flip-top lid sat on the kitchen table; the scent of clam cakes and chowder filled the air. Perhaps you can relate.

Plan next year's weekend getaways now with a sale on thousands of hotels worldwide in the Hilton Hotels' portfolio, which includes Hilton, Doubletree, Waldorf Astoria, Hampton Inn, Embassy Suites and more. The deal: The Any Weekend, Anywhere Sale takes 20% to 50% off weekend room rates throughout 2011 at roughly 3,600 Hilton properties worldwide. That’s why I like this deal: You can opt for a high-end retreat at a Waldorf Astoria or stick to a budget stay at Homewood Suites.

While testing recipes a few weeks ago, something strange happened. A deep whiff of the Manhattan-style clam chowder I had just made transported me for a brief moment to my grandmother Josephine Cimarusti's kitchen in Lindenhurst, Long Island. A white-and-green striped sugar bowl with a stainless, hinged, flip-top lid sat on the kitchen table; the scent of clam cakes and chowder filled the air. Perhaps you can relate. We all have foods that we 're nostalgic about. For me, chowder is one of them.

The $25-million skeleton of Platform Gail will be temporarily docked somewhere on the Pacific Coast while Chevron Inc. appeals the California Coastal Commission's refusal to allow the giant oil rig to be located in the Santa Barbara Channel.

System of a Down lead singer Serj Tankian and drummer John Dolmayan sit on a black leather couch, signing autographs, chatting about their favorite local venues and waiting to take the stage. But this isn't their ordinary tour -- it's no Roxy, Astoria or House of Blues. Their fans here are congressional staffers, who ask the rockers to autograph copies of a political magazine while waiting for a congressman to arrive for a political strategy meeting. The L.A.

How would you like to be known as a fighter who could take it? Well, neither would Michael Nunn. He had no desire to be "a good, game guy" with all that implied. He didn't want to look like Jake LaMotta, a walking blood clot with scar tissue for a face and ears with no holes in them. He didn't want to sound like a guy being strangled when he talked. He adhered to Gen. George Patton's principle that the art of war was not to die for your country but to get some other poor s.o.b. to die for his.

As I looked across the room at Michael Spinks, I couldn't help thinking that, the last time I saw him, he was supine on a ring floor, left leg twitching, eyes crossed, struggling to sit up and remember where and who he was. It's human nature. In fact, Michael himself is surprised he doesn't get more reaction like that.

Take the soap, for example. (And many guests will.) The well-known sliver has melted into hotel history, and now two plump beige ovals of French milled soap sit pristine on a small rattan tray. Sharing the tray are trial-size bottles of shampoo and bath gel, a bottle of Givenchy for Gentlemen and that traditional hotel amenity--the plastic shower cap. Take the beige terry robes, trimmed in brown, folded on the long marble dressing table.