Pictures from United States

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Some of America's best hole-in-the-wall restaurants

Caracas Arepa Bar (New York, New York)
Caracas Arepa Bar is perhaps the best spot in New York for Venezuelan food, specifically arepas, thick griddled corn-based patties split and loaded with meats and other fillings (try the classic pabellon, with shredded beef, black beans, cotija cheese and fried sweet plantains). The teeny-tiny original location opened in 2003 (there’s a larger one in Brooklyn now), and crowds line up nightly for one of the handful of seats.

Danny’s Drive-In (Stratford, Connecticut)

Located off of I-95 in Stratford, Connecticut, the squat brick Danny’s has been serving its deep-fried hot dogs for 83 years, starting its 9-inch Hummel Bros. franks on the griddle and then crisping them up with a trip to the hot oil. The buns are nicely toasted, and the house specialty is the Bull Dog, topped with fried onions and a locally renowned super-spicy sauce called Kuhn’s Chili. If you can’t get a seat inside the tiny restaurant, you can sit at one of the new picnic tables outside.

Dan Sung Sa (Los Angeles, California)
One of the most legendary Korean restaurants in a city that’s chock-full of them, Los Angeles’ Dan Sung Sa is small and windowless, with lots of cozy nooks and a big kitchen right in the middle of the dining room. A visit here is truly an experience, and that’s before you sample the extraordinary sweet-and-spicy chicken wings, corn cheese (corn niblets covered with melted cheese and mayo), grilled skewers (of everything from prime beef and Korean rice cakes to whole garlic, chicken gizzards and pork belly), broiled eel, bulgogi and fried dumplings.

Mamoun’s Falafel (New York, New York)
If you went to NYU, or have spent any time carousing Greenwich Village’s MacDougal Street in the past 40-odd years, then the odds are pretty high that you’ve been to Mamoun’s Falafel. New York’s first falafel shop (opened in 1971) is still one of its best, and a big part of its charm is that it’s absolutely miniscule: a narrow nook with a few booths along one wall and just enough space for everyone else to line up for their turn to order from the counter along the other.

Paseo (Seattle, Washington)
In Seattle, Washington, Paseo has been a household name for more than 20 years thanks to its Caribbean-inspired sandwiches. Just about everything on the menu is ridiculously delicious (seriously, repeated visits are necessary), but if it’s your first time, you might be surprised just how tiny this place is: It’s just a little red building with a counter and a handful of seats and perpetual lines out the front door.

 

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Times Square New York City

Originally known as Long Acre (also Longacre) Square after London’s carriage district, Times Square served as the early site for William H. Vanderbilt’s American Horse Exchange. In the late 1880s, Long Acre Square consisted of a large open space surrounded by drab apartments. Soon, however, the neighborhood began to change. Electricity, in the form of theater advertisements and street lights, transformed public space into a safer, more inviting environment. Likewise, the construction of New York’s first rapid transit system, the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT), gave New Yorkers unprecedented mobility in the city.

Byron Company. Longacre Square (Now Times Square), Broadway and 42nd Street, 1900. Museum of the City of New York.

The announcement of the IRT spurred real estate speculation by shrewd businessmen who believed that increased foot traffic in the area would generate profits. Adolph S. Ochs, owner and publisher of The New York Times from 1896 to 1935, saw an opportunity and selected a highly visible location to build the Times Tower, which was the second tallest building in the city at the time. In January 1905, the Times finally moved into their new headquarters, built between Broadway and Seventh Avenue and 42nd and 43rd Streets. The previous spring, Mayor George B. McClellan signed a resolution that renamed the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenue from Long Acre Square to Times Square.

Andreas Feininger (1906-1999). 1595 Broadway, 1983. Museum of the City of New York.

Times Square is transfor....

 

[Aramagedon]

Occupied by British emigrants.

 

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Some of the richest towns in the US

Home to just 4% of the world's population and nearly 25% of global economic activity, the United States is one of the richest countries in the world.

Illinois: Winnetka
> Median household income: $216,875 (state: $61,229)
> Poverty rate: 3.2% (state: 13.5%)
> Median home value: $1,019,800 (state: $179,700)
> Population: 12,504

Connecticut: Darien
> Median household income: $208,848 (state: $73,781)
> Poverty rate: 3.7% (state: 10.1%)
> Median home value: $1,398,600 (state: $270,100)
> Population: 21,742

California: Los Altos Hills
> Median household income: $248,218 (state: $67,169)
> Poverty rate: 4.2% (state: 15.1%)
> Median home value: $2,000,000+ (state: $443,400)
> Population: 8,490

New York: East Hills
> Median household income: $199,000 (state: $62,765)
> Poverty rate: 1.4% (state: 15.1%)
> Median home value: $970,100 (state: $293,000)
> Population: 7,114

Texas: University Park
> Median household income: $211,741 (state: $57,051)
> Poverty rate: 3.9% (state: 16.0%)
> Median home value: $1,193,800 (state: $151,500)
> Population: 24,692

Virginia: Great Falls
> Median household income: $230,450 (state: $68,766)
> Poverty rate: 3.1% (state: 11.2%)
> Median home value: $1,130,400 (state: $255,800)
> Population: 15,589

 

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Bow Bridge in Central Park, New York City

Bow Bridge in New York’s Central Park is the site of many a romantic moment–both on screen and off. The cast iron bridge served as a filming location in such movie classics as ‘The Way We Were’ and ‘Manhattan.’ One of 36 bridges and arches here at Central Park, it was designed in 1862, in part by Calvert Vaux, who is famous for co-designing Central Park along with Frederick Law Olmsted. Years later it’s still inspiring romance.


Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio

Just an hour’s drive from Columbus, Hocking Hills State Park features 10,000 acres of oak, hickory, hemlock, maple and sassafras that light up the landscape with a stunning array of colors. Dotted throughout the jaw-dropping rock formations carved millenia ago by waterfalls spilling over the crags and cliffs, and glaciers, the scenery is hard to beat. Enjoy hiking trails that wind past the brilliant hues at Old Man’s Cave and Ash Cave, and take part in all sorts of other activities too, including climbing and rappelling, zipline rides and kayaking.


Bahia Beach Resort and Golf Club - Rio Grande, Puerto Rico

Set on a former coconut plantation in the Carabali Rainforest Park, Bahia Beach Resort and Golf Club offers an especially luxury all-inclusive stay here, complete with sumptuous rentals, chef-created food, butler service and an outstanding golf course. This resort is just one of the few resorts that have managed to earn the title of certified Gold Audubon International Signature Sanctuary, thanks to its efforts to protect the environment and wildlife, while also delivering a magnificent atmosphere.


Crystal River and Citrus County, Florida

Looking for some old Florida fun? Crystal River and Citrus County are hidden gems on the Sunshine State’s Gulf Coast teeming with crystal clear springs, friendly manatees, charming historic districts and epic fishing adventures. Skip the beach vacation or mouse ears, and opt for an encounter with the bona fide side of Florida in Citrus County. Immerse yourself in an authentic Florida adventure.


Bald eagle battles fox for rabbit in skies above San Juan Island.

Bald Eagle, US National Emblem. The bald eagle was chosen June 20, 1782 as the emblem of the United States of America, because of its long life, great strength and majestic looks, and also because it was then believed to exist only on this continent.