Urban Living

slum tourism

slum tourism: the practice of local or visiting sightseers who pay for tours of sections of urban areas where there is extreme poverty, especially in cities in the developing world.  *** TROVELOG *** Manila is starkly representative of a global problem. According to the United Nations, about a quarter of the world’s urban population lives in slums—and this [...]

active commuting

active commuting: cycling, walking, or running to and from work; such a daily routine provides a worker with the health benefits of physical exercise and lower transportation costs while benefiting the environment. *** TROVELOG *** Barely 3 percent of the American work force bikes or walks to work with any frequency, despite the obvious virtues: decreased risks [...]

third places

third places: neutral, convenient, and comfortable public venues (e.g., coffee shops, bars, hair salons, bookstores, parks) where people regularly gather for conversation and companionship (i.e., "first place" is home; "second place" is work). The term was coined by urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg in his book, The Great Good Place. *** TROVELOG *** At issue, in essence, is whether [...]

range anxiety

range anxiety: the concern that the limited cruising distance of current electric cars -- and the lack of a charging infrastructure -- leaves drivers and passengers at risk of being stranded.  *** TROVELOG *** The Bolt can travel nearly 240 miles on a single charge, according to General Motors. The company claims some drivers have traveled 300 [...]

accessory dwelling unit (ADU)/ granny flat

accessory dwelling unit (ADU)/ granny flat: small manufactured or custom-built residential structures located on the lot of a larger home. Used for family member residence or rental income. #accessorydwellingunit #ADU #grannyflat @pat_clark @Nbuhayar @nate_berg *** TROVELOG *** Alexis Rivas opens his Mac laptop and zooms in on a 3D rendering of a house in Echo Park, a [...]

dockless bikes

dockless bikes: on-demand, shared bicycles accessed via an app and then unlocked with a code, allowing rides for an hourly fee. The locked bicycle is left anywhere in a public place. *** TROVELOG *** The Metropolitan Area Planning Council on Friday announced a new regional bike-share system, separate from the Hubway rental network, that will bring thousands [...]

Portland/ retire

  In the music video that kicks off “Portlandia,” a new comedy series making its debut Jan. 21 on IFC, Fred Armisen walks the streets of Portland, Ore., singing to a flat, synthesized soundtrack and praising [Portland] as a flannel-clad slacker’s paradise where “young people go to retire."      [Italics added.] See article at: New York [...]

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