In honor of this week’s travel theme, here a shot taken from a boat off the coast of Mumbai in February of last year. Where it was really hot. Unlike how it is right now in San Francisco…

The most beautiful travel backgammon set you will ever lay eyes on.

Cats and dogs mark new territory by spraying. I prefer a different sort of aromatherapy to make myself feel at home in a new place.

If only this jacket had been available before we took off to San Francisco, I would have owned it, and been comfortable (instead of slightly chilly, which has been my constant state for the past 5 weeks)

Why stay in a hotel when you can sleep in a treehouse?

This is my favorite travel blog. I want to do everything they do.

The internet where I’m staying right now is horrible, but after I read about Hasan Elahi’s TED talk on what he did after being accidentally put on an FBI watch list, I patiently endured the 30 minute download time in order to watch it. And it was worth every second.

Commuters are travelers, too. Now more than ever, Americans are driving solo to work. And NPR has the graphs to prove it. Evidently we didn’t get the memo on climate change.

My regularly scheduled Monday post full of links to various places of interest on the web is going to be a bit late in coming today. So in the meantime, enjoy this masterful performance of the Modern Major General’s song by the inimitable George Rose. (with cameos by Linda Ronstadt and Kevin Kline)

Links are on their way…

Man did I want to be Mrs Peel when I was a kid. Actually, I still do.

My daughter hates anything spicy, and by that she means that if she can detect even the slightest hint of pepper, it’s a no go. She does, however, love paprika, so I’m always on the lookout for recipes with that delicious flavor so tht dinner doesn’t always end up tasting like bland mac + cheese. This purple cauliflower dish fits the bill and looks beautiful to boot– we’ll be trying it this week for sure.

Here’s an interesting look at 10 surprising things about parenting in Japan.

A letter from F Scott Fitzgerald to his 11 year old daughter about what one should and should not worry about.

Just relax and let Kim France tell you where you go shopping for the home in NYC these days by bookmarking her list of 10 current faves. She makes these lists for a living.

Maybe if I had this cookbook, I’d finally become one of those people I’ve always admired who can cook on the fly.

The most beautiful beach tennis game I’ve ever seen.

Just a little chart to get your reading ideas flowing. Courtesy of the good folks at Flavorwire, my favorite listmakers.

Reading is fundamental, and there’s no better time than the summer to catch up on a book or two. (Or so they say… my summer has felt busier than the rest of the year, but I digress) Herewith, a few links related to this most elemental of activities.

First off, Annie Murphy Paul asks: Are readers an endangered species?

Here’s the Flavorwire summer reading flowchart in it’s entirety, with the accompanying article. Sure, it’s from last summer, but books never expire.

Check out A Cup Of Jo’s Joanna Goddard’s favorite bedtime stories for her kids (cause now she has two!)

Chip Kidd is one of the world’s premiere book designers. He’s also hilarious. Here’s his TED talk about why designing books is no laughing matter. Oh no wait…

Can’t go wrong with a critics’ favorites book list from NPR.

Anorak is my favorite kids magazine.

My daughter and I participated in The Brooklyn Art Library’s Sketchbook Project (feel free to read my earlier post for details) and the tour is on. Check their site to see when the books are going to show up in your town. And then go see them! (you can see my sketchbook online via the digital library, too… but it’s less rewarding)

Sometimes summer is about unlocking mysteries like The Institute. A bit more about this documentary below. Photo courtesy of Nonchalance.

Daily Candy does it again with a list of 24 outdoor toys that are as pleasurable to look at as they are fun for the kids to use.

Be a true summertime hero and make your own popsicles. Here are a couple of my favorite posts on the subject, with recipes, ideas for molds, etc. I wrote this one, and the inimitable Jessica Blackman wrote this one. Both on Krrb. Both awesome.

Three inventive, beautiful and most importantly, easy ideas for growing an herb garden this summer.

Steve Baskin tells us why unplugging and sending our kids to summer camp might just be the best way to set them up to excel in this crazy digital world.

Your “journey into a secret underground organization teeming just beneath the surface of every day life begins here.

Man, if I make even just two of these summer pies (there are 20 on the list) I will consider myself a champion.

It’s summer sale time! And who doesn’t want this multi stripe drape back top from Bird?