Author: JohnValbyNation

Some California ski resorts in Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Lakes received their first dusting of snow in September, before summer officially ended. Now resorts have set their opening dates for the coming winter season, provided more snow arrives in time. Early predictions say California may be in for typical, non-drought conditions, according to AccuWeather’s winter…

Now that the Dodgers have broken your heart, perhaps you’re ready for games that are played with a ball that might divert your attention, including pickleball and jai alai. Here are five sports and where you’re likely to find them. Pickleball Pickleball — a hybrid of tennis, badminton and table tennis — is played on…

Imagine you and a traveling companion are on Hawaii Island for a week and you want to find the best of the local cuisine that’s also budget friendly. Your quest takes you to three or four restaurants a day where you order, oh, say, two or three entrees. By Day 7, you just want to…

BEIJING —  China’s economic growth slowed more than expected in the third quarter, with lackluster domestic demand and the ongoing downturn in global trade weighing on output. Gross domestic product rose 6% in the July-to-September period from a year earlier, the slowest pace since the early 1990s and weaker than the consensus forecast of 6.1%. Factory…

Click:applications of nano satellites 1/6 The home’s front entrance is flanked by regal lanterns bought in Copenhagen and the yard’s two 160-year-old olive trees.  (Tim Street-Porter) 2/6 Long Beach boasts 22 Killingsworth-designed homes; after 1970, the architect’s focus shifted to designing luxury hotels and resorts.   (Tim Street-Porter) 3/6 A 60-foot pool stretches from the…

The clearest sign yet that America’s Coal Country is headed for widespread job cuts: The amount of coal being produced per U.S. miner is at the lowest level in eight years. Productivity has slid 11% this year alone. The last time it was this low was in 2011, when coal companies ended up cutting almost…

1/6 The 24,000-square-foot mansion on Angelo Drive features five kitchens, two wine rooms and eight bedrooms.   (Simon Berlyn) 2/6 The house sits on a lot where late poet-songwriter Rod McKuen’s longtime residence once stood.  (Simon Berlyn) 3/6 Outdoor amenities include a swimming pool, a bocce ball court and an outdoor theater.  (Simon Berlyn) 4/6…

It has been 104 years since eyewear brand Moscot first opened its doors in New York, and it seems to have taken that long for the Moscot family to find the perfect spot out West to call their own. Although real-estate opportunities beckoned the popular optical label to far-flung cities such as Tokyo, Seoul, London…

The leaves are changing. The wind comes with a faint chill. The back-to-school sale racks have been replaced by the Halloween spread. This can only mean one thing: Another cold and flu season is upon us. And with it, an onslaught of dubious claims about products that allegedly cut your risk of coming down with…

I am in the finished basement of our family home, about to do my first workout with a new trainer. God knows I need it: For more than a decade, I have been losing my battle with physical fitness and, at age 57, have decided to finally get serious and fight back. My plan is…