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I’m not going to pretend that I know the intricacies of beer brewing and tasting, but I can say that I concur with RateBeer and BeerAdvocate in that the best beer in the world is Trappist Westvleteren 12, which is brewed by the monks of the Trappist Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren in Belgium. The beer itself is very hard to come by (only available for pickup by appointment), and that fact alone probably accounts for much of well-deserved the hype.

Go Rick Steves:

Travel broadens our perspective, enabling us to rise above the 6 p.m. news — and see things as citizens of the world. By plugging directly into the present and getting the world’s take on things, a traveler goes beyond traditional sightseeing.

When we travel today we have the opportunity to see history as it’s unfolding. With knowledge of the past, we can better appreciate the significance of what’s happening today. And that’s something a lot of travelers don’t give themselves an opportunity to do.

Last weekend was a fine weekend for camping and hiking at Joshua Tree, and fortunately John, Rachel, and Jess flew out from the midwest for just that. Together, the midwesterners and the Angelenos (Jimmy, Hang, Frank, and myself) braved 100°F heat and a great variety of desert wildlife to hike to the Lost Palms Oasis, camp at Indian Cove, and hike to the top of Ryan Mountain. It was a great time and a welcome diversion from the city – not to mention the beginning of what promises to be an exciting summer of adventures!