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BC-FEA--Lifestyles Digest, FEA

The Lifestyles Digest for the week of June 20
/ Source: The Associated Press

The Lifestyles Digest for the week of June 20

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Supervising editor Beth Harpaz, bharpaz(at)ap.org or 212-621-1832. For copy reruns, call Customer Support, customersupport(at)ap.org, 877-836-9477. For photo reruns, go to the photo archive http://apimages.ap.org/ or call 212-621-1930.

NEW FOR FRIDAY, JUNE 24:

CHEERIOS

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Here's a little quiz for the breakfast table: What is the most popular cereal brand in American grocery stores? Hint: It's been General Mills' top name since 1951. Another hint: If you're a parent, you've vacuumed it from the minivan and under the high-chair cushion by the cupful. The answer, of course, is Cheerios. The iconic cereal is 70 years old this year. And because the aroma of freshly baking Cheerios has for those seven decades cloaked this Lake Erie city like perfume, Buffalo is recognizing it the most fitting way it could: With a free Cheerios brunch in plain view (and smell) of the waterfront General Mills plant where they're made. By Carolyn Thompson

AP Photos

Eds: Story sent Friday, June 24

BUS RATINGS

NEW YORK — U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer is asking the federal government to post letter grades for discount tour bus companies so consumers can easily judge their safety records. There's already an online database of government information that anyone can look at to see how bus companies rank in terms of safety, but it's a little tricky to navigate. Here's a guide to using it. By AP Travel Editor Beth J. Harpaz

AP Photo

Eds: Story expected Friday, June 24. (Postponed from Wednesday)

FOOD-DEADLINE-GRILLED BAKED POTATO

Nobody is going to bother baking potatoes for Fourth of July celebrations. Which is too bad, because a baked potato topped with a plethora of barbecue friendly toppings — think grated cheeses, chili, barbecue pulled chicken or pork, maybe some avocado and crumbled tortillas — practically screams outdoor summer fun. Especially since most of those items can be prepped well in advance. Which got me thinking... While you might not crank up the oven to bake potatoes, chances are you'll have the grill going. Why not do grilled baked potatoes? By AP Food Editor J.M. Hirsch.

AP Photos

Recipe for grill-baked potatoes with topping bar

Eds: Story expected Friday, June 24.

FOOD-HEALTHY-TABBOULEH

When in doubt, add whole grains. Or even better, start with them. When you're assembling your salads for this year's July Fourth celebration, consider this trio of naturally healthy tabboulehs. Tabbouleh is a Middle Eastern salad of bulgur wheat, parsley and tomatoes flavored with mint, scallions, lemon juice and olive oil. Composed primarily of whole grains and vegetables, this dish is low in calories and high in fiber and protein. By Alison Ladman.

AP Photos

Recipes for tropical tabbouleh, Mediterranean tabbouleh and California tabbouleh

Eds: Story expected Friday, June 24.

Also this week:

PETS-ESTATE PLANNING

You don't have to be Leona Helmsley to want the best for your pet after you die. Helmsley's dog, Trouble, died in December; she'd left him $12 million when she passed away in 2007. Pet estate planning has evolved considerably since then, with retirement homes for pets all across the country, attorneys who specialize in pet trusts, and how-to books and websites. By Sue Manning.

AP Photo

Eds: Story sent Tuesday, June 21

PARENTING-PUSH PRESENTS

NEW YORK — Rachel Zoe gave birth and her husband gave her a 10-carat, $250,000 diamond ring. Mariah Carey's hubby, Nick Cannon, gave her a $12,000 pink diamond and sapphire necklace with the names of their twins, Moroccan and Monroe. Peggy Tanous of "The Real Housewives of Orange County" turned her "push present," as these gifts for giving birth are called, into a tagline: "Soccer moms drive a minivan, but this girl drives a Bentley." Back here on earth, where the rest of us live and spend, can new dads get away with a simple bouquet of flowers, a token bauble with the new arrival's birthstone or — as one suggested — a kiss and a smile? And, ultimately, do push presents deserve a feminist take? By Leanne Italie.

AP Photos

Eds: Story sent Monday, June 20

FITNESS-DRUMSTICK SMASHING

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Move over, pole-dancing, kettlebells and Zumba. Drumstick-smashing is the latest rage to hit the Hollywood exercise circuit, offering a workout similar to Pilates or boot camp, but without the serenity of a yoga studio or the bark of a drill instructor. The high-volume group fitness class, called Pound, was devised by Cristina Peerenboom, 25, and Kirsten Potenza, 26, who tout it as a fun and energetic alternative to the usual sweat-inducing routines. By Shaya Tayefe Mohajer

AP Photos

AP Video

Eds: Story sent Wednesday June 22

FASHION-SUMMER PARTIES

The invitation to a summer party likely includes the time, place and date, but you might have to read between the lines to see the dress code. Depending on where you are — and the wardrobe of your friends and neighbors — the look of a summer barbecue can be very different. Badgley Mischka, Monique Lhuillier and Tommy Hilfiger advise on party clothes in their playgrounds of Lexington, Ky., Malibu, Calif., and Nantucket, Mass. By Samantha Critchell.

AP Photos

Eds: Story sent Thursday, June 23

FASHION

CUBA-SHIRTMAKER TO THE STARS

HAVANA — Under fluorescent lights and a whirling ceiling fan that is no match for the Havana summer morning heat, Emiliano Nelson Guerra traced a pattern onto a bolt of pink cotton cloth and carefully scissored the edges while pulling on a fat cigar. He was making a "guayabera," the roomy, collared, four-pocketed dress shirts that Cubans wear to look spiffy on this tropical island where neckties are practically extinct. His hand-crafted shirts have been worn by celebrities from movie star Danny Glover to Prince Albert of Monaco. By Peter Orsi.

AP Photos

AP Video

Eds: Story sent Monday June 20

FRANCE-FASHION

Coverage of menswear previews of spring collections from Paris.

HOMES

HOMES-RIGHT-BEACH THEME

If you've ever carted home some unfortunate monstrosity from a beach vacation and rued it, take heart. That's not the kind of beach decor we're talking about here. This summer, retailers are offering decor that evokes the sand and surf, but with a sophistication that makes it work as a seasonal accent to most rooms no matter what your decorating style. By Kim Cook.

AP Photos

Eds: Story sent Wednesday, June 22.

HOMES-FALLOUT SHELTERS

A new book about the fallout shelters of the 1950s and '60s shows many to have been stylish and surrealistically optimistic. They went from being temporary, rough-hewn bunkers to subterranean versions of Shangri-La in just a few years, according to Susan Roy's "Bomboozled" (Pointed Leaf Press). By Kim Cook.

AP Photos

Eds: Story sent Wednesday, June 22.

FOOD

FOOD-JULY FOURTH-HAND PIES

Hand pies with apple filling offer the all-American comfort of apple pie, minus the need for fork and plate. While not a new concept, hand pies turn apple pie into a convenient, easy and mess-free treat for Fourth of July celebrations. They're like tarts, but with a top crust. If apple isn't your favorite, you can make a filling from fresh berries instead. By Alison Ladman.

AP Photos

Recipe for apple hand pies

Eds: Story sent Monday, June 20.

FOOD-GRILLED PIZZA

Summer grilling season is a great excuse to give the pizza delivery guy a break. Grilling infuses pizza with a wonderful smoky flavor and a crisp, chewy crust. But you need to know a few basics. First, your toppings need to be precooked because the pizza won't be on the grill long enough to cook them there. Second, it's important to start with clean, well-oiled grates. The dough will stick to any charred bits of food left on the grates. By Alison Ladman.

AP Photos

Recipe for grilled sweet potato and sausage pizza

Eds: Story sent Monday, June 20.

FOOD-GRASSROOTS FARMING

ROMULUS, N.Y. — Peter McDonald is happy being a small-time farmer who specializes in free-range, grass-fed cattle. He's just not so happy with how so many other farmers who make the same claims treat their animals. "Feeding ruminant animals anything but grass is biologically, nutritionally wrong," says McDonald, his pale blue eyes gleaming. "But if you're giving them grain, you should tell everybody you're doing it." By Ben Dobbin.

AP Photos

Eds: Story sent Wednesday, June 22.

FOOD-20 SUMMER SALADS-PETE EVANS

It may sound a bit obvious, but for Pete Evans the key to a great potato salad is using the right potatoes. "I love to use a small waxy variety for salad," says Evans, an Australian chef, restaurateur and cookbook author. "Baby new potatoes in red or white, or fingerlings will work great, too. You do need to choose the right potato for the job." By AP Food Editor J.M. Hirsch.

AP Photos

Recipe from Pete Evans for potato salad with smoked trout and watercress

Eds: Story sent Thursday, June 23.

HOMES & GARDEN

GARDENING-BAMBOO

Gardeners are often bamboozled by bamboo, particularly the running kinds that are notorious spreaders. Most of the clumping varieties can be contained, however, growing quickly into attractive specimen plants and screens. It's important to know the difference before you buy. By Dean Fosdick.

AP Photos

Eds: Story sent Tuesday, June 21.

HOMES-HOUSE OF THE WEEK-HMAFAPW01009

Getaway Chalet

For use June 26 and thereafter.

AP Photos. AP Graphics.

Eds: Story sent Tuesday, June 21.

TRAVEL

DOLOMITES

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy — Raniero Campigotto, the owner of a mountain hut nearly 7,000 feet up in the Dolomites range, has resigned himself to the impossibility of serving dinner without having his guests jump up mid-fork through the polenta and grilled sausage and run outside. They are trying to catch "enrosadira," which refers to the stunning moment when the setting sun makes gray spires glow iridescent pink in this mountain range in northeastern Italy. It's one of many stunning sights along the Grande Strada delle Dolomiti, the Dolomites Great Road. By Giovanna Dell'Orta.

AP Photos

Eds: Story sent Thursday, June 23

ISRAEL-CRUSADER CITY

ACRE, Israel — Off the track beaten by most Holy Land tourists lies one of the richest archaeological sites in a country full of them: the walled port of Acre, where the busy alleys of an Ottoman-era town cover a uniquely intact Crusader city now being rediscovered. By Matti Friedman.

AP Photos. AP Video.

Eds: Story sent Wednesday, June 22

VATICAN-PILGRIMS

ROME — The Vatican is betting an iPod beats "Shush!" in lowering the tour guide noise level in basilicas. It will even lend you one for free to try to prove its point. By Frances D'Emilio.

AP Photos

Eds: Story sent Wednesday, June 22

NH WHEELCHAIR HIKING

GREENFIELD, N.H. — Chelsea Fernandes steered her wheelchair up and down the forest trail, passing a maple grove, zigzagging over water along a narrow boardwalk, and stopping to look at a beaver-built wetland — a view she never thought she'd experience from her wheelchair. Considered unique by the U.S. Forest Service for offering the disabled unparalleled access to mountain wilderness, the 2 1/2 miles of trails at Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center in southern New Hampshire will open to the public Friday. By Kathy McCormack

AP Photos

Eds: Story sent Tuesday, June 21, on travel and national lines

QUAINT DELFT

DELFT, Netherlands — Spend a little time in Delft and you start to see what inspired Johannes Vermeer. Meandering up and down countless bridges that stretch over canals, and past storefronts and slender houses, the quaint Dutch life sets in. It's this life — with its scenes of domesticity, milkmaids, and yes, that girl with the pearl earring — that the famed Dutch master so cherished during his lifetime in the city. And it's one that comes alive for anyone who visits this town of about 100,000 people even centuries after Vermeer's time. From the famed blue-and-white Royal Delft porcelain factory, to old Gothic churches, to streets bordered by canals and miles of bicycle paths, Delft is an ideal stop in the Netherlands. By Emily Fredrix.

AP Photos

Eds: Story sent Tuesday, June 21

ROBOT HOTEL (note slug change from YOTEL)

NEW YORK — Forget the bellhop and meet the luggage robot. It's the first of several high-tech, sleek amenities guests encounter at the Yotel, a new hotel near New York's Times Square that aims to provide a trendy stay at an affordable price. The hotel, the largest to open in New York 2002, offers guests the chance to store bags via the 20-foot-tall robot. AP Business Writer SCOTT MAYEROWITZ

AP Photos

Eds: Story sent Wednesday, June 22.

FLIGHT PLAN-SCHEDULE CHANGES

Booking early doesn't mean an airline won't change your flight schedule. Tips on what to do if your flight plans get changed.

Eds: Story sent Wednesday, June 22.

AP VIDEO:

Cuba-Shirtmaker to the Stars

Fitness-Drumstick Smashing

Israel-Crusader City video expected later this week

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT (noteworthy Lifestyles stories from week of June 13):

THE ART OF ROUGHHOUSING

FOOD-VONGERICHTEN GOES KOREAN

FASHION-RESORT

WINE COUNTRY 101

PIONEER LEAGUE

CRAFTS-MEN

UPCOMING LIFESTYLES EDITORIAL CALENDAR:

Here are dates for some key Lifestyles packages planned for 2011, listed by week. Please note all dates are approximate and subject to changes. Stories on a specific topic will not be confined to these dates, but the bulk of each group is expected to move during the listed week.

Watch regularly moving Lifestyles digests for themes and stories not listed here, with specifics as each date approaches.

July 11: Back to School

July 18: Back to School

July 25: Ramadan

Aug. 8: Sept. 11 10-year anniversary

Aug. 15: Fall Fashion

Aug. 22: Labor Day

Sept. 8: New York Fashion Week (continues through Sept. 15)

UPCOMING SPECIAL EDITIONS PACKAGES:

July 12 — Back to School

Aug. 2 — Fall Homes

Sept. 13 — Cars

Oct. 4 — Winter Weddings

Nov. 8 — Holidays

Dec. 6 — Retirement

Special Editions supervising editor Julia Rubin at jrubin(at)ap.org, or 212-621-7199. Call the service desk for Special Editions reruns.

The AP