Seasonal & Hobby

There is an irony about outdoor gear like backpacks, skis and hiking supplies. Even though they have helped you to experience real adventure and have survived rainy nights and raging campfires, improper storage during the off-season could cause them a lot of harm.

With summer in tow, we’re all looking to lead a more active lifestyle. If this is the year when you’re considering taking up a water paddling sport, you have a choice of kayaking, canoeing and, more recently, paddleboarding. If you haven’t tried any of these, you might be wondering: What’s the difference between them? All three use paddles, but there are differences among them. To help you decide which is best for you, we put together a list of ways in which canoes, kayaks and paddleboards are different:

There is so much more to Washington, DC, than government buildings, museums and history. Most people regard the District as an important cultural center of the U.S., a representative of our nation’s history and values. But did you know that the city has one of the only Spy Museums in the world? Did you know that DC gets more rain than Seattle or that it has the oldest fish market in the country?

The DIY bandwagon has been more crowded than the NYC subway at rush hour, especially since the pandemic started and a lot of people took on new hobbies with newfound time on their hands. It started out as a potentially therapeutic pastime, but with newly acquired skills, you could find yourself emboldened to tackle more complex projects that are not only a hobby but are also practical and add value to your life. As you might have taken up more than one type of home improvement project, you also might have noticed the surplus of supplies that crept their way into the living room, dining room and practically everywhere.

Experiences might be the new cool thing to gift and collect. But still — what’s wrong with gathering a few items that have a special value for you? Collectibles are a huge part of our lives and for good reason. We hold onto old family rings, our grandpa’s antique clock or vinyl records, for example. The same cam be said for coins, stamps, trading cards, comic books, sports memorabilia and even classic cars. Whether family heirlooms or unique antique finds, collectibles trigger nostalgia and positive feelings we need more of in our lives.