Beautiful, one-of-a-kind, and re-purposed are just a few of the words describing Attic Journals, our newest line of journal.  Locally handmade from the outer cover and first few pages of harcover library books from the 50s and 60s, each is unique in shape and size. These journals are as individual as the content within them will soon be ($15.99).

Made of ecologically conscious materials, our new Eco-Silk Drawstring Bags are great for organizing and color-coding the items in your suitcase.  They’re also tough enough to be used as a shopping bag in any market around the world.  Available in 3 sizes and a wide array of brilliant colors, there’s no limit to their uses: the smallest can organize and separate your jewelry, while the largest can help keep your clothes sorted.  ($2.50, $3.99, and $4.99).

1. Amongst geologists, it is generally agreed that the Grand Canyon is approximately how old?

2. On an average day, how many vehicles cross the Brooklyn Bridge?

1. 75,000
2. 100,000
3. 140,000
4. 200,000

3. World Capitals: Match the country with its capital:

4. The Tatras mountains are part of what larger mountain range?

1. Alps
2. Pyrenees
3. Carpathians
4. Urals

5. Since the 16th century Cochin Jews, also called Malabar Jews, have lived in which Asian country?

6. In what century were official Franco-Japanese relations started by a Samuri (Hasekura Tsunenaga who was also among the first Japanese to visit North America) visiting Saint-Tropez?

1. 15th
2. 16th
3. 17th
4. 18th

7.The “General Council of the Valleys” is the name of what European Micro nation’s 28 member parliament?

8. What is the most common street name in the USA?

9. Which city has the most taxis? Bonus point - how many?

10. What is the most common surname in the world?

11. In what time zone are the north and south poles?

12. Which place in South America is part of the EU and uses the Euro?

Planning to take advantage of the improved exchange rates with a trip to France this summer? Eiffel’s Tower by Jill Jonnes offers not only the back story on the construction of Paris’ iconic landmark but a social history of the era that produced it. Built as the centerpiece of the 1889 World’s Fair, the tower was an engineering marvel, the tallest structure in the world although the design was immediately reviled by a society on the brink of the modernist revolution. The fair was a showcase of all that was new with art represented by still controversial impressionists like Gaugin and Whistler and technology on display with Thomas Edison’s phonograph as well as Otis’ elevators in the tower itself. Jonnet’s prose is full of the same vibrant energy that typified the fair and the time. This is a wonderful way to learn about the Belle Epoque France that still so influences French identity. ($27.95)

If your European travels will take you further south, take a ride with Matthew Fort in Sweet Honey, Bitter Lemons: Travels in Sicily on a Vespa. These days a well-known food writer for Britain’s The Guardian, Fort originally traveled through Sicily with his brother in 1973. Considerably older now and hopefully wiser, he decided to retrace some of his steps and take some new ones, seeing the changes thirty odd years makes in a place we often think of as unchanging. The glorious food of the island was a central theme of both journeys, and we are treated to entertaining explorations into the relative merits of the sausages of rival villages and the million varieties of honey-sweetened pastries. Fortunately, he also includes recipes. As in his previous book, Eating up Italy, Fort captures our Italian fantasy trip with sunshine, history, a hip little Vespa scooter and fantastic food. ($24.95)

Hungary doesn’t seem the obvious choice for a first novel setting by a Brooklyn-born, Atlanta resident but Marc Fitten’s move to Eastern Europe as a twenty-something student has given him wonderful material for Valeria’s Last Stand. Set in a small village so far off the beaten path that World War II passed it by unnoticed, the novel centers on the late life romance between the spinster Valeria, a feisty character who thrives on her neighbor’s scorn while growing the area’s most perfect vegetables, and the widowed potter. As one would expect in a small town, the intimate relations of long-time neighbors add complications to the romance but love wins over all. Fitten uses the ancient traditions of the folk tale to tell his story, giving it a ring of authenticity, bringing in the iconic characters one would expect to meet in such a village. This is a sweet, funny, earthy look at a culture that deserves the attention. ($24.00)

Anyone traveling to Turkey or the Middle East or Central Asia or even Indonesia should consider reading Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World through Islamic Eyes by Tamim Ansary. Most of us raised in the Western educational system got only the most glancing view of the history of the great Islamic empires, often in a slightly disparaging way. Ansary’s book begins with Mohammed and his immediate successors, moves on to the concept of caliphates (quick, define caliphate for me) and then tells of the Moguls, the Selcuks, and other great Islamic civilizations that many Americans know very little about. He also explains how little most of those societies knew or cared about European history and how that has lead to much of our current situation of mutual misunderstanding and disrespect. Written in simple, readable language, this quick overview of Islamic history gives us a fuller understanding of our world. ($26.95)

For those of you who would prefer not to be tied to any particular spot on the planet, there’s another eat your way around the world book on the Front Table this month. What makes this one worth reading? Well, Simon Majumdar is part of that new phenomenon, the blogger turned published author. His new book, Eat My Globe, grew out of the blog he and his brother write that mostly reviews London restaurants. As Majumdar explains in the prologue, his entire family are foodies of the most extreme kind and his personal mantra is “go everywhere, eat everything.” Sounds good to me. With support from the bloggo-verse, the author did just that, he went everywhere he could think of and ate whatever was most typical, most highly recommended or just plain weird enough to be interesting. Chapters are short, breezy, funny, and completely food centered. I admit, I’ve already made notes of the restaurants he visited in Buenos Aires. ($26.00)

And finally, my favorite of the bunch, the cross country road trip as whimsically presented in another first novel, The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet by Reif Larsen. Tecumseh Sparrow Spivet (I’m already sold just from the name) is a precocious twelve-year-old living on a ranch in Montana with his scientist mother and cowboy father. He obsessively chronicles everything in his life in “maps,” drawings that depict everything from the layout of his bedroom to the path of a working dung beetle, many of which are presented in the margins with T.S.’s explanatory notes. Awarded a prize by the Smithsonian, he hops a freight train and heads to Washington D.C.to collect it, a trip that inspires deep philosophizing on the nature of man, travel, destiny and the world. This is an inventive and entertaining novel with a charming main character. I’d take this one over a new Dan Brown any time. ($27.95)

Enjoy the start of the sunny months!

It’s bloom-time at the Hillside Desert Botanical Gardens in Yakima, Washington. This hobby turned into a business offers garden tours noting that the best tour-time is now through June.

Community Tribute to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, is at Town Hall the evening of June 3rd. David Horsey, Art Thiel and others are appearing and, while the event is free, reservations are required through seattlepitribute@gmail.com.

Mountains to Sound Greenway invites all to participate in National Trails Day, June 6th. Meet fellow hikers while maintaining one of your favorite hiking trails.

The 28th Annual Northwest Garlic Festival in Ocean Park, WA. Garlic food galore, crafts, and games are all part of the fun June 20-21.

Seafair kicks off with its Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon June 27th. You know Seattle’s summer has officially arrived when Seafair events start happening.

Coming soon to a city near you: A map that shows the carbon footprint of each neighborhood. Check out San Francisco’s here.

Economical & Ecological travel tips!

Maps not only help us navigate through physical space, but also through difficult questions.
http://opinion.berkeley.edu/

Wednesday, June 10th, 7pm
Travels with Willie: Adventure Cyclist with author Willie Weir
Local Seattle guy, world traveler, frequent KUOW contributor and avid recycler Willie Weir joins us to celebrate his latest book, Travels with Willie. It is a book is about finding adventure & facing fear, embarrassing blunders & language barriers, ice cream & kindness, the world’s steepest street & the world’s cheapest engagement ring, catching a thief & losing a zebra, a father’s touch & a farmer’s embrace, buying time & spending another night. And, of course, it’s about bicycles. Please join us tonight when we listen, learn, and laugh with the energetic and entertaining Willie Weir as he performs his stories from the road.

Saturday, June 20th, 9-10am
Gutsy Women
Back by popular demand for the month of June, we are hosting our informal gathering for women to meet and learn from each other’s travel experiences and share wisdom learned from the road. Bring your coffee and your questions!