United States
Andrew Thomas is a writer, reporter, and voice over producer. He has written for publications such as The Austin Chronicle, Best of Austin, The Epoch Times, and VinePair. He also continues to develop a portfolio of short fiction and non-fiction. He currently resides in New York City.
Russian Black Sea Fleet is cutting off Ukrainian seaports. With boats unable to leave and shipping ground to a halt-the blockade is crippling the country's essential goods exports, including grain and oils.
On the border between China and Pakistan exists the world's second-highest peak: K2. While Mt. Everest is higher, K2 is a far more deadly mountain. One in four people who attempt to summit K2 perish. One man attempted to summit the mountain twice, and found himself on a journey of adventure and self-discovery.
Capital punishment continues to be a controversial topic in the United States. The ultimate fear is that the state could potentially execute an innocent man or woman. One young musician was arrested for a murder he didn't commit, and spent 25 years on death row.
Ephraim Mattos, a former Navy SEAL, went to Iraq in 2017 after joining the Free Burma Rangers (FBR), a humanitarian organization that operates in war zones. He was very aware that ISIS was wreaking havoc in Iraq and Syria, but above all, he wanted to help the civilians stuck in the middle of the fighting.
Almost everyone has heard of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, but many are unaware of the man behind the mission. Moreover, almost nobody has heard of his arduous life journey. The Epoch Times had an opportunity to speak with the man who has dedicated his life to helping severely ill children make their wish come true.
Our nation's veterans often return from war with both physical and emotional scars, and it can be difficult to talk about them with people who just don't understand. One veteran endured his own struggles, and now he's helping others cope with their own, soldier to soldier.
For many of our military veterans, it's difficult to go to war and return home as the same person. Our service members often experience traumatic, life-changing events during their deployments, and the scars from those experiences can manifest as post-traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD).
For young people on the autism spectrum, it can be incredibly difficult to find gainful employment. Furthermore, the negative stigma associated with the condition only exacerbates the issue. However, one young man and his parents are helping to address the problem through their non-profit granola company, Luv Michael.
NEW YORK-At a glance, this city is a loud, concrete jungle. However, take a closer look and one will discover the lush greenery and colorful flowers that are intrinsic to institutions like Gracie Mansion and the New York Public Library. The woman to thank for the beauty among so much chaos is the unsung horticulturalist of New York, Maureen Hackett.
NEW YORK-Many of our nation's military veterans return home and experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and struggle to contend with the condition. They are our neighbors, coworkers, family, and friends. Artist Susan J. Barron recently undertook a project to raise awareness about PTSD, and to try to help those who battle the condition.
NEW YORK-If you're one of the millions of New Yorkers who commute on the subway, you've probably encountered her. As you've jostled your way through Times Square or Union Square station, you may have noticed a woman playing a handsaw with a violin bow. Meet Natalia Paruz, aka The Saw Lady.
One bad choice can often lead to a series of bad decisions, and can take a young person down the wrong path. That path often ends in prison. One ex-con learned this lesson the hard way, and has dedicated his life and career to keeping young people out of the criminal justice system.
No matter who you are or what you do, stress is bound to catch you from time to time. Sometimes, it's a part of everyday life. The health consequences of that stress can be severe, which makes blowing off some steam a legitimate way to maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
The Vietnam War continues to be a highly debated topic to this day, and was a period of time that left an indelible mark on American history. Many of us have heard about the atrocities that took place during the war, but few of us have heard of the acts of kindness and unlikely relationships that were formed.
NEW YORK-It was 1998, and Gene Bowen had maintained six years of sobriety. He had enjoyed being a tour manager for some of rock 'n' roll's greatest legends like Gregg Allman and Soundgarden, but after his last tour managing Jeff Buckley, he was ready to pack it in.
NEW YORK-Leah Cohen wasn't always the owner and executive chef of Pig and Khao on Manhattan's Lower East Side and Piggyback Bar in Jersey City, New Jersey. She's had a long journey to get to where she is today, which started when she was 8 years old.
For most convicted felons, the future doesn't look bright. And if you're looking at a long prison sentence, it's easy to feel a sense of hopelessness. In 1997 and 1998 Shon Hopwood of David City, Nebraska and some friends robbed five banks with guns in rural Nebraska.
As 48-year-old Christian Griffith ran through a relentless blizzard in Ohio, the sweltering heat of Iowa, and the perilous roads of California, he thought about why he was enduring all that when he could have been with his girlfriend and newborn baby at home in Jacksonville, Florida.
NEW YORK-In Greenwich Village, wedged between a custom flooring store and an Asian tapas restaurant, the red brick and glass facade of Carmine Street Guitars features a subtle neon guitar-shaped light in the window and Kelly in gold lettering on the bottom left corner of the glass.
Having the presence of mind to make a split-second decision during a chaotic event is no small feat. This man's ability to maintain focus amidst the bedlam of a school shooting likely saved a young woman's life. Lieutenant Lazaro Ojeda of the Coral Springs Fire Department in Florida is both a firefighter and a paramedic.
The last time Coss Marte was locked up, he knew he never wanted to go back to prison. Now, he's back in his old neighborhood with a good kind of hustle: a no-equipment, high-intensity workout program. Marte, 34, was born and raised on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City.
While the Allies defeated Nazi Germany on May 7, 1945, it would take another three months of intense combat in the Pacific theater to bring an end to World War II. In June of that same year, Allied forces arrived on the island of Saipan, which was long considered to be the last line of defense for Imperial Japan-putting mainland within striking distance of U.S.
Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is a wound that is difficult to comprehend and impossible to see from the outside, and affects a more diverse set of individuals than one might think. Active-duty military and veterans are the most obvious population to endure TBI.
Michael Hingson has been blind his entire life but is a prime example of someone who isn't defined or hindered by his inability to see. His confidence and the lessons he learned from his first guide dog would help him excel professionally-and even survive a terrorist attack on 9/11.
Every Memorial Day, fitness enthusiasts and newcomers around the country and across the globe prepare to honor fallen Navy SEAL Michael P. Murphy and many others who have made the ultimate sacrifice by completing "The Murph Challenge." The grueling workout consists of a one-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats, and another one-mile run.
War scars in more ways than one, and when our veterans come home, it's not always easy to see at first glance. The stigma surrounding mental health and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) makes it even more difficult to address the trauma our men and women in uniform experience.
A few months ago BrewDog sent a case of Make Earth Great Again beer to the White House to object to President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord and now it seems they're not the only ones making protest beers. This month Stone Brewing Co.
The emergence of ride-sharing companies such as Uber and Lyft has made it easier than ever to not get behind the wheel after a night of drinking. Particularly in cities like Los Angeles where public transportation is limited, the availability of ride-sharing companies has significantly lowered the amount of drunk drivers on the road.
There were a lot of high profile booze heists in 2017, such as the Paris Catacombs wine burglary and the $800,000 La Maison du Whisky score but we're only a couple of days into 2018, and one Danish thief is already upping the ante.
When the Boston Red Sox dropped Budweiser and made Samuel Adams the team's official beer, it seemed fitting that a local beer company became a local baseball team's sponsor. Now, a whole sports organization is saying goodbye to Bud Light. The Ultimate Fighting Championship is adopting Modelo Especial as the new official beer of the UFC.
Drinking and driving is an avoidable, dangerous decision. Fortunately, with the wide availability of ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft, making the right call has become easier than ever. Ride-sharing services and breweries have been teaming up to promote responsible, safe drinking with discounted rides.
It's 2 a.m. and you're craving a chalupa, but you want to keep the night going. You've snuck a flask into Taco Bell before, but you've learned that's generally not advisable. Soon, you can ditch the flask entirely because Taco Bell is opening 300 to 350 new locations that serve alcohol.
Any $1 menu item grabs people's attention. Whether it's a dollar pizza slice or a dollar beer, the novelty is always exciting. Now Applebee's is offering $1 margaritas for the entire month of October. Cleverly named "Dollaritas" are served on the rocks, but it's unclear what kind of tequila Applebee's is using.
October is finally upon us, meaning Halloween is approaching quickly. Prepare yourself for trick or treating, haunted houses, and costume parties. However, in Washington D.C. you won't have to wait until the 31st to begin the spooky festivities. A Halloween pop-up bar in our nation's capitol called Pub Dread will feature a spooky Halloween theme for the entire month of October.
There's nothing better than a beer and bratwurst while watching baseball, America's great pastime. And while the major macro brewers out there tout being "America's beer," some stadiums are also great locations to enjoy America's true beer: craft beer. Review Trackers took on the challenge and analyzed 130,000 stadium reviews to find the best ballpark for craft beer.
There are many great bromances, but none quite as great as the one between LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. To culminate Wade signing a one-year, $2.3 million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers yesterday, the former Miami Heat teammates poured some red and clinked glasses to celebrate their reunion.
Attention politically and civically conscious listeners of NPR: Prepare for breaking news. After your long commute home from work listening to your favorite public radio station, you'll be able to pop a bottle of wine specially selected by NPR when you amble through your front door.
Drinking quality craft beer is fun. We love to talk about the history, the styles, and the breweries, but often we overlook the economic impact of craft beer. Not only do many craft breweries make charities a priority as the industry contributed $73.4 million to charitable causes in 2016, but the amount of money they contribute to the U.S.
If you love wine and you miss playing The Sims, today is your lucky day. General Interactive Co., based in Singapore and the U.K., released a game called Terroir: A Wine Making Tycoon Game today. Now anyone can build her own virtual vineyard and wine estate without any of the capital or manual labor required in the real world.
As children, many of us remember the excitement of the Advent calendar. Each day during the 24 days leading up to Christmas, we would wait in anticipation for that small, heartwarming bit of chocolate. And even though we're adults now, the Advent calendar makes many of us nostalgic.
The Adirondack Mountains offer breath-taking views of upstate New York, which can be a welcome escape for urbanites looking for a break. But wouldn't those breath-taking views be even better with some breath-taking wine and beer? Yes. The answer is yes.
Nordstrom has long been an outlet for shoppers looking for new clothes and shoes. Now the large department store is experimenting with a smaller location that offers something a little different: beer and wine instead of the typical Burberry and Johnston & Murphy.
It's hurricane season, and there hasn't been much time to pause after hurricane Harvey. Hurricane Irma is now a Category 5 storm barreling through the Caribbean toward Florida. Residents in the storm's path have prepared by boarding up windows, taking shelter or evacuating.
People seem to document everything on social media these days - particularly during the holidays, when Instagram and Facebook is flooded with photos of frosty pint glasses, icy Margaritas, and countless bottles of rosé. That collective obsession led an alcohol awareness group to conduct a study of which vacation spots people drink the most at.
Eataly has become a popular destination for fanatics of Italian culture and cuisine since it was founded in 2004. The large Italian marketplace is known to be much more than an Italian grocery. The locations in New York City, Boston, and Chicago are restaurant hubs, cooking class locations, wine stores - you name it.
North Carolina is known for its breathtaking views of the Smoky Mountains and its lush pine tree forests. Drinking a glass of wine almost seems like a prerequisite for taking in the idyllic scenery. Fortunately, the Uncorked line on the Smoky Mountain railroad is offering a train ride that combines scenery with wine.
As if there wasn't enough variety among red and white wine, the Spanish company Gik is now selling blue wine in the U.S. The product has been available in Europe since last year (which made the internet collectively freak out), but regulatory issues in Spain suspended its American debut, according to .
For those of us shaking in anticipation for season two of Netflix's Stranger Things, a new pop-up bar in Chicago's Logan Square is sure to take the edge off. Emporium Popups, an offshoot of Emporium Arcade Bar, specializes in themed pop-up bars throughout the year, and the Upside Down Bar is Emporium's latest addition to the series.
Whisky drinkers can be awfully protective of their hooch, particularly when it comes to the issue of water dilution. Proponents of the purist approach often argue that ice or even a couple of drops of water can ruin the integrity of your favorite Bourbon, Rye or Scotch.
When many people think beer, they think of a low alcohol content, refreshing beverage that can be consumed in volume at barbecues or tailgates. Which makes sense: Most beer hovers between 5 and 10 percent alcohol by volume. But the brewers at Brewmeister went the complete other way with what they allege is the strongest beer in the world.
Last Tuesday marked the grand opening of Shake Shack on South Lamar. After expanding outside the East Coast to Chicago and Las Vegas, the famous New York chain has finally opened a location in Texas. As the culinary capital of Texas, it was only natural that Austin would get the honor.
With each passing month, Austin's feast becomes a little less mobile. Chi'Lantro is the latest food truck to trade wheels for a foundation, opening a storefront earlier this month. Their first restaurant allows for an expanded menu, beer, and, perhaps most importantly, air conditioning.
If porters aren't that popular in America, heaviness is partially to blame. While the milkshake creaminess of stouts has found a niche, porters remain misunderstood. But Hops and Grain's new Porter Culture is likely to change some minds. The notes of roast coffee and dark chocolate give the beer a light-smoky, bittersweet character.
Brandon Testa has been fascinated with barcraft ever since moving to Austin for college. Eventually, that led to his own place. Finding the right location wasn't easy, but he has now forged his first creation: Craftsman. The baby blue bungalow features a prominent wraparound porch outfitted with Testa's grandpa's patio furniture.
Hops and Grain Brewery might be on a roll. Hot on the heels of the release of Porter Culture last fall, H & G will be offering its first year-round draft beer - A Pale Mosaic. Thanks to some brewery upgrades and long-term contracts to purchase Mosaic hops, the previously limited-edition release is poised to be your go-to.
The most distinguishing feature of new bar the Wheel may be the darkness. Dimly lit red candles barely illuminate the lacquered wooden tables and I can hear peoples' conversations better than I can see their faces. I know I've stumbled into a good spot.
It's the holidays, and you want to relax. Rest assured, your family and friends don't care. They just want to party, and they're looking at you like you are a member of the Donner Party. Never fear - just because you're lazy doesn't mean you can't pull off a holiday meal.
Royal Jelly is the latest entry to the evolving North Lamar nightlife scene, melding the food and drinks of an upscale gastropub with the relaxed feel of a neighborhood bar. The multicolored bungalow jumps out at you as you make a short turn off Lamar.
Sa-Tén can be a little difficult to find. We passed it twice before we noticed a small, collapsible sign. Finding the cafe tucked into a corner of the Canopy's gallery space was like being let in on a secret. With the East Austin Studio Tour heading into the second weekend, it's one we expect won't be kept long.