Issue Date: June 1, 2008
Vacation in a lighthouse
For many, there's something romantic and exotic about a lighthouse, with its unimpeded sea views and rich maritime history. The good news is that a handful of lighthouses around the country offer guest accommodations in their former keepers' quarters.
The most dramatically situated lighthouse B&B may be the Heceta Head Lighthouse and Light Keeper's house, built in 1894 and now on the National Register of Historic Places. This working lighthouse in Yachats, Ore., is set on a cliff with a great view of the Pacific Ocean. The only thing that rivals the view is the legendary seven-course breakfast. The six rooms available start at $133.
The Wings Neck Lighthouse was built in 1849 in Pocasset, Mass., on Cape Cod. This former U.S. Coast Guard Lighthouse isn't active, but you can rent the three-bedroom keepers' home and enjoy endless views of the Atlantic Ocean. Weekly rates are from $2,500.
About 50 miles south of San Francisco, in Pescadero, Calif., you can spend just $20 per person for a shared dorm room at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel. The 115-foot Pigeon Point Lighthouse has been guiding mariners since 1872. Guests can take advantage of a hot tub with a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. There are also double rooms from $65.
In Bristol, Maine, you can rent the second-floor apartment in the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse Keeper's House, which has one bedroom. The tower was first lit in 1835; the light was automated in 1934. Weekly rentals are $1,050.
Travel writer Everett Potter's website is everettpotter.com.
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Loan out your car? Prevent "surprises"
Do you occasionally lend your car to a relative or a friend? If he gets into an accident, your auto insurance may not cover it. Some tips:
Family policies offer broader coverage. Any relative in your household and any other person who has your permission to drive your vehicle is covered.
Named insured-only policies are more restrictive, but they are often 10% to 15% cheaper than family coverage policies. As their name implies, they cover only the driver named in the policy. If you lend your car to a friend, your child or even your spouse and there's an accident, the policy will not pay out.
Not sure what type of policy you have? Ask your insurer. If it's a named insured-only policy, never let anyone else drive your car. Or, if others do share the car, consider converting to a family policy. The extra premium cost may be well worth it.
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Swap till you drop and reuse others' stuff
Trading your old stuff for someone else's is one of the greenest things you can do. Some online ways you can reuse:
Neighborrow.com. Here, trade or borrow items you use infrequently enough that you don't want to pay to buy or rent them (such as books, CDs or DVDs). If you want to get rid of something and don't want to trade with someone else, you can exchange your item for "neighborrow-bucks." These can be used for anything on the site that someone else doesn't want.
Freecycle.org. This site is a phenomenon in more than 4,000 cities worldwide. People "gift" each other with stuff they no longer want, and the result is an estimated 400 tons of trash diverted from landfills every day.
Craigslist.org. A "free" section lets you give and receive things such as baby formula and furniture. And it offers listings for 567 cities around the world.
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Vinegar nightcap
Try this bedtime tonic: two tablespoons of vinegar with a late-night snack. Doing that may help reduce fasting blood glucose levels the following morning, notably in people with type 2 diabetes, says research at Arizona State University.
This study used apple cider vinegar, but expert Jennie Brand-Miller at the University of Sydney says it works with any vinegar (balsamic, red wine, white wine, even lemon or lime juice) and in non-diabetics. Acidity, she says, seems to "put the brakes on stomach emptying," slowing the digestion of carbs. Perhaps this explains why vinegar may dampen appetite, she adds.
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