John Cox

Blogs · @wyome · Now · Shelf

Interesting

www.explore.com

What You May Not Know About The Secret Tunnels Under Disney's Magic Kingdom

Disney World's Magic Kingdom sits atop a nine-acre underground tunnel system called the Utilidor, which allows costumed characters and supplies to move through the park unseen and even features an automated vacuum system for trash disposal, all designed to preserve the above-ground fantasy for guests. The Keys to the Kingdom Tour offers the only official public glimpse of these tunnels for $129-$149 (plus a separate park ticket), departing every half hour in the early morning and also including lunch and VIP ride access. While the tour reveals lesser-known operational details and hidden design features, some visitors find the reality of the industrial underground disappointing compared to the magical park they imagine.

Permalink architecturetraveldisneytourism

www.esquire.com

A Complete Guide to Beach Wedding Attire: How to Be the Best-Dressed Guest

Beach weddings call for lightweight, breathable fabrics in neutral or pastel colors, with the specific formality level depending on the venue's tone and the event's timing—evening affairs warrant dressier options while daytime celebrations allow for more relaxed wear. The guide emphasizes always checking the invitation for specific dress code details and researching the venue, while firmly advising against wearing shorts unless explicitly requested by the couple. Recommended pieces include linen suits or blazers for formal occasions, camp shirts or knit polos for casual affairs, lightweight pants in cotton or linen rather than shorts, and shoes like loafers or espadrilles that work both on sand and dance floors.

Permalink clothingfashionshoessuits

www.esquire.com

12 Best Brands for Menswear Basics, According to a Style Editor

An Esquire style editor recommends twelve menswear brands that reliably deliver high-quality basics—from J.Crew and Uniqlo to Levi's and Polo Ralph Lauren—designed to form the foundation of a versatile wardrobe. The selections emphasize pieces that balance casual and sophisticated aesthetics, offer good value, and can be mixed and matched across different occasions and seasons. Each brand recommendation includes specific product examples to illustrate the types of reliable basics shoppers should seek out.

Permalink recommendationsfashionshoppingbasics

www.esquire.com

Does Fasting Work? The Strange Results of Living on Soup and Water for a Week

The author, a wine-drinking, indulgent writer, undergoes a week-long fast at the Buchinger Wilhelmi clinic in Spain, consuming fewer than 250 calories daily in broth, juice, and honey while receiving massages and spa treatments in a luxurious resort setting. Initially skeptical and preoccupied with fantasies of food, he adapts by day five as ketosis sets in, loses fourteen pounds, and experiences a psychological shift—not a temporary hunger fix but a genuine recalibration of his relationship with appetite and self-discipline that makes him question whether constant indulgence actually equals living well.

Permalink healthweight losswellnesslifestyle

www.esquire.com

Where to Drink in Asheville

Asheville, North Carolina has emerged as a premier drinking destination in the Blue Ridge Mountains, with venues ranging from craft cocktail bars to breweries to music venues. The article profiles specific establishments across the city—including Little Jumbo (famous for its old-fashioned), The Golden Pineapple (tiki-inspired cocktails and food), The Odd (dive bar and cultural hub), and several others—each offering distinct atmospheres and specialties. The piece is designed as a practical guide for visitors planning a trip during events like the Asheville Herb Festival or the city's year-round Friday evening gatherings.

Permalink cocktailsnorth carolinalifestylebars

www.esquire.com

The Truth About the Martini

The martini has experienced a remarkable cultural resurgence in recent years, partly due to social media appeal and meme culture, but more fundamentally because it remains the perfect antidote to modern life—a serious drinker's reward that doesn't mask its alcohol but instead delivers it cold and bracing to calm the mind after a difficult day. Ruck traces the drink's history through Esquire's archives, noting that it was deeply unfashionable in the 1970s and '80s when young people rejected it as a symbol of bourgeois decadence, before its gradual rehabilitation into a drink of timeless sophistication. The piece combines personal anecdotes about martinis consumed around the world with practical guidance on preparation (ice cold, straight up, gin or vodka) to argue that the cocktail's enduring appeal lies in its uncompromising nature and its essential role in the lives of serious, busy people.

Permalink culturecocktailsdrinkstiktok

www.wanderluststorytellers.com

The 20 Most Beautiful Places in America You Need to Visit Before You Die

I've only been to 9 out of 20 :(

This is a listicle showcasing 20 of the most visually striking natural destinations across the United States, including national parks like Yellowstone and Yosemite, as well as distinctive geological formations like Antelope Canyon and Monument Valley. Each entry briefly describes the key features that make the location appealing—dramatic landscapes, wildlife viewing opportunities, hiking trails, or photographic potential—along with affiliated booking links for tours and accommodations. The piece is primarily a travel planning resource designed to inspire visitors and direct them toward booking travel services.

Permalink travelnational parksunited statestourism

geekdad.com

Wireless Vinyl: How I Got a Record Player Connected to Our AirPlay Music System [Updated]

The author describes a DIY solution for playing vinyl records wirelessly throughout a home using modern AirPlay-compatible speaker systems, since no manufacturers offer AirPlay-ready turntables. By combining a standard turntable with a built-in preamp, a Bluetooth audio transmitter, a Bluetooth receiver, and Mac software utilities (Line-In and AirFoil), he created a system that routes vinyl audio from a game room turntable to speakers in multiple rooms across the house. While admittedly a workaround, the setup successfully enables the nostalgic experience of playing physical records on demand anywhere in the home.

Permalink audiodiysmart homevinyl

www.independent.co.uk

12 state parks that are just as beautiful as national parks — and they’re free

State parks across the US offer spectacular geological features and outdoor recreation at little or no cost, often with far fewer crowds than national parks. This guide highlights 12 free-to-enter state parks featuring dramatic waterfalls, natural bridges, canyons, and river landscapes across regions from Ohio to Missouri, including Ohio's Hocking Hills gorge system, Pennsylvania's Ricketts Glen with 22 waterfalls, and Arkansas's Mount Magazine perched atop the state's highest peak. Most parks offer affordable camping and cabin accommodations for overnight stays.

Permalink hikingcampingwildlifetravel

www.bhg.com

37 Cheap, Healthy Meals That Cost Less Than $3 Per Serving

[[Better Homes & Gardens]] article presents affordable, heart-healthy dinner ideas that make it easy to eat well without overspending, focusing on budget-friendly proteins, whole grains, legumes, and vegetables; it offers simple recipes, swaps and meal-planning tips to reduce saturated fat, sodium and added sugars while boosting fiber and healthy fats. Recipes feature pantry staples and versatile ingredients like [[salmon]], [[beans]], [[lentils]], [[quinoa]] and [[sweet potatoes]] alongside vegetables and whole-grain pasta, with suggestions for batch cooking, one-pan preparations and slow-cooker meals to save time and money. The piece emphasizes portion control, flavoring with herbs and spices instead of salt, and adaptable formulas so cooks can use what they have on hand; it aims to help readers make sustainable heart-healthy choices that suit varied tastes and tight budgets for everyday eating.

Permalink recipescookingbudgetmeal planning

www.esquire.com

Esquire’s Best Martinis in America: 2025 Edition

Esquire's guide celebrates martinis being creatively reimagined by bartenders across America rather than treated as a sacred, untouchable classic. The piece showcases over twenty exceptional martinis from restaurants nationwide—ranging from faithful traditional versions to inventive variations featuring ingredients like za'atar, pineapple amaro, pickled okra, matcha, and even anchovy-fat-washed vodka. Rather than prescribing one correct way to make a martini, the collection demonstrates that the drink's enduring appeal lies in its flexibility as a canvas for seasonal ingredients, local flavors, and bartender creativity.

Permalink foodcocktailsrestaurantstravel

www.eatingbirdfood.com

Air Fryer Tofu

This recipe provides a method for cooking crispy air fryer tofu in 10 minutes by pressing the tofu thoroughly, coating it in oil and arrowroot powder with simple seasonings, then air frying at 400°F while flipping halfway through. The post emphasizes not overcrowding the basket to achieve optimal crispiness and includes storage instructions for meal prep (4-5 days refrigerated), plus several flavor variation suggestions and serving options.

Permalink veganrecipescookingprotein

www.eatingbirdfood.com

Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

This air fryer buffalo cauliflower recipe produces crispy-coated florets by first baking them plain in the air fryer, then tossing them in buffalo sauce for a second brief cook, all finished in under 20 minutes. The post includes multiple serving suggestions (as a game-day appetizer with ranch dip, in tacos or wraps, or on salads), troubleshooting tips for achieving crispness, and flavor variations like honey garlic or lemon pepper.

Permalink veganrecipesfryingvegetable

www.eater.com

The Way You’re Making Fresh Pasta Is Needlessly Fussy

The article argues that the traditional "well method" for making fresh pasta—creating a flour mound with an egg-filled center—persists largely because it looks photogenic and romantic rather than because it's actually the best technique for home cooks. While pasta authorities like Marcella Hazan defend the method for its ability to control flour absorption, the author points out that many professional chefs now acknowledge bowl-mixing works just as well, especially for smaller home batches, and that the well method's association with Italian tradition has been partly invented to serve nationalist identity-building rather than culinary necessity. The piece suggests a practical compromise: mixing eggs and some flour in a bowl first, then transferring to a floured counter to knead, which gives you control without the yolk-explosion disasters most home cooks experience.

Permalink social mediafoodrecipescooking

www.eamesinstitute.org

Toys & Eames Design Philosophy | Eames Institute

The Eameses collected and studied toys not as frivolous objects but as windows into design principles and universal human truths—toys exemplified "good design" through anonymous authorship and perfect execution of their essential purpose, whether a kite's ability to fly or a top's "spin-ness." They systematically analyzed toys across cultures and time periods both as functional objects to be played with and as intellectual artifacts, using this understanding to inform their groundbreaking work in everything from furniture to educational films, ultimately recognizing that toys served as the most effective medium for communicating complex ideas to audiences of all ages.

Permalink designphilosophyfilmeducation

www.dwr.com

Design Within Reach | The Best in Modern Furniture + Design

This is a product catalog page from Design Within Reach featuring furniture and home goods on sale, including a Story Bookcase with rotating shelves, office furniture from Geiger and Herman Miller, and lighting and rugs from premium brands, all marked 15-25% off. The page emphasizes design quality and craftsmanship, particularly highlighting Geiger's commitment to hand-finished joinery and manual veneer inspection in their East Coast factories.

Permalink designfurnitureaccessorieslighting

www.dwell.com

3 Years and Over $2 Million: What It Costs to Restore a Frank Lloyd Wright Home

Frank Lloyd Wright's homes are beloved by admirers but notoriously difficult and expensive to maintain, with owners facing structural issues like weak foundations, leaky roofs, and deteriorating materials that require substantial investment to address. The article documents several case studies of Wright home restorations, from the Ditmer family spending roughly $300,000 in the first year on a 2,900-square-foot Wisconsin home to the $2 million renovation of Indiana's Samara between 2019 and 2022, showing that costs vary widely depending on the home's condition, intended use, and the meticulous standards owners choose to maintain. These restorations reveal that while preserving Wright's original design vision is possible, it demands significant financial resources, specialized craftspeople, and long-term commitment from owners who are often underestimating the true costs of stewardship.

Permalink historyarchitecturerestorationhome

www.duckhead.com

www.digitalocean.com

How To Set Up Apache Virtual Hosts on Ubuntu 16.04

This tutorial by [[Brennen Bearnes]] explains how to configure name-based virtual hosting with the [[Apache]] web server on [[Ubuntu 16.04]], enabling a single server to serve multiple domains such as [[example.com]] and [[test.com]]. It walks through creating site directory structures under [[/var/www]], setting ownership and permissions, adding simple demo index.html pages, and creating per-site configuration files by copying and customizing [[000-default.conf]] in [[/etc/apache2/sites-available]]. The guide covers enabling sites with [[a2ensite]] and disabling the default host, restarting [[apache2]], and optionally editing the local [[/etc/hosts]] file to test domains locally. Also included are troubleshooting tips and explanations of ServerName, ServerAlias, DocumentRoot, and log directives so administrators can expand the setup to host additional domains on one VPS. It emphasizes proper permissions, ownership, and testing, and recommends registering real domains and configuring DNS when moving to production.

Permalink tutorialdns

www.devolkitchens.com