This is the definitive book on the style, architecture, design, and natural beauty of the Adirondack Great Camps. The Adirondack Great Camps as well as their furnishings are some of the most iconic of American architecture and design. Harkening back to nineteenth-century tycoons and continuing today, this style is driven by the call to a simpler life in harmony with these mountains. Approximately forty of these camps both historic and contemporary and their glorious environments represent this celebration of one of America's true regional treasures. An afterword by a curator of The Adirondack Museum highlights the craft tradition of the Great Camps. The wild beauty and serenity of the Adirondacks have always attracted those who sought a simpler life and a connection to nature. This is a land of spectacular beauty, with iconic elements such as the sugar maple and white birch; bobcat, beaver, and moose; majestic loon and great blue heron. It should come as no surprise then, that the robber barons and business tycoons of the 1800s turned to this leafy haven to escape the urban jungle. They constructed compounds in and around Raquette Lake as rustic getaways, and these grand structures became known as the Great Camps of the Adirondacks. Each Great Camp was more beautiful than the next. The rough-hewn, timber exteriors contrasted the elegant interiors, which included complex stonework and hand-carved furniture. Natural elements such as tree roots, fungi, twigs, and bark, often played an integral part in the décor--the simple yet elegant Adirondack chair has become an international symbol of leisure. Today, approximately 40 Great Camps have survived, including 10 that are National Historic Landmarks. Some are open to the public as landmarks and lodges, while others remain in private hands. These structures echo the greatness of their past and enhance the natural beauty of the region, while providing us with a link to our nation's rich history of environmental preservation balanced with economic growth. Just the list of camp names reads like a history of the Adirondacks: Sagamore, Hedges, Pine Knot, Waldheim, The Point, Santanoni, Top Ridge, White Pine, Clear Lake, Prospect Point, Northbrook, Whiteface Lodge, Carolina, Regis/Applejack, Gull Rock, Huntington, Pritz, Three Star, Wononah, Wellscroft, Birch Point, Pinebrook, Hemlock Ledge, North Point, Bluff Point at Raquette Lake, Lake Placid Lodge, Moss Ledge, Wildair, Winnetaska, Boulder Isle, Sekon, Kildare, Uplands, Minnowbrook, Uncas, Covewood, Big Moose Chapel, Potluck, Albedor, and Paownyc.

Los Angeles is a local’s city—more than any other major cultural metropolis, it is a city for those in the know. A guide like no other, this is the first book to go beyond locations and events to tap into the variety of things only a local could know. The Best Things to Do in Los Angeles explores every aspect of Los Angeles life. Find the best spots to view the Hollywood sign or the quietest spots on Santa Monica beach. Track down the best eateries in every ethnic enclave, and engage in L.A.’s legendary food wars, from hot dogs to French dips. Follow the most beautiful routes up and down the Pacific coast, take your own unique architectural tour of the Hollywood hills, or find out where the city’s best bookstores are and read up on it all instead. Organized by theme-from destinations to views and sights, food and drink, and of course the Hollywood trail of superstar haunts and scene locations—and with contributions from celebrated knowledgeable Angelenos and helpful indexes that tell you where and how to find whatever you are looking for in the city, this is simply the most fun and comprehensive guidebook there is to the City of Angels.

Two New Yorkers present the very best things to do in the greatest city in the world, now completely revised and updated in a second edition. Organized by theme–including Eating and Drinking, 24-hour New York, Shopping and Spending, Arts and Culture, Views and Sites, the Great Outdoors, and Classic New York–and packed with detailed, helpful indexes organized by neighborhood and by category, this is simply the most fun and comprehensive guidebook to New York City ever. The Best Things to Do in New York crosses genres and boroughs to explore every aspect of the most diverse and exciting city in the world. Written from experience by two people who love the city, and featuring priceless tips from expert contributors–from authors on their favorite bookstores to architects on the city's best buildings–The Best Things to Do in New York is much more than just a guide.

This exceptionally produced art book with die-cut windows, overlays, and blueprints identifies, decodes, and explains the world's architectural masterpieces. Based on the successful format of Discovering the Great Masters, this is an accessible reference for anyone interested in great spaces and spectacular buildings and for anyone keen to know more about architecture. Each of the architectural works features clever overlays and die-cut windows that allow the reader to identify and focus on specific design elements. Each featured window includes a thoughtful caption explaining the significance of the highlighted area: building materials, historical context, and insights into the planning and architectural influences. Including such works as the Tower of London, Notre-Dame de Paris, and the Taj Mahal in India, the book is organized chronologically and presents buildings from all genres, covering more than two millennia of architectural history. In addition to the clever die-cut captions, each building is featured in an essay filled with essential information on the construction, as well as the social, political, cultural, and geographical considerations of the architect. Stunning photographs allow the reader to appreciate the technical feats and aesthetic brilliance of both the buildings and architects past and present.

An illustrated guide to the best ways to rid society of the undead, this book takes a pop-culture bite out of the trend that just won't die. It doesn't take a lot of braaaaaaaiiiinnnns to recognize that society is feasting on zombie culture. This accessible, affordable, and Gorey-like (and gory) book showcases inventive methods to off everyone's favorite lovable, decaying undead. More sidesplitting than an evisceration, 101 Ways to Kill a Zombie will keep readers laughing throughout the upcoming apocalypse.

Combining Japanese skill in the management of space with the art of garden design has produced a very particular kind of miniature garden. A part of the Japanese architectural canon for at least a thousand years, it is called tsubo-niwa after a unit of measurement that is two person-sized tatami mats placed side by side. It can be as small as 40 square feet, and can be interior, exterior, or occupy that peculiarly Japanese intermediate, transitional space between the two. Recently, the pocket garden has taken on a new life. Swept up in the design overhaul that has taken place in Japan in the last decade and a half, a new generation of architects and designers is experimenting with the concept in imaginative ways, using a broad array of materials-from andesite and plastic to cast glass and bronze-to create contemplative, reflective, and inspiring designs. Whether as an urban solution to importing nature into the home or as an individual theme set within a larger garden space, the modern pocket garden follows a distinct yet global aesthetic.

Small is in as proven by this international survey of the latest in residential architecture and interior design. Over 51 apartments and lofts all designed by leading international architects are profiled both inside and out. Each project includes a case history describing the design challenges faced at the site and how the designer overcame them along with a detailed blueprint for each apartment. Almost all of the living spaces featured prove that efficiency as well as beautiful thoughtful design can be had in a tiny setting — in many cases, also benefiting the environment. This book will be an inspiration to anyone in the interior design or residential architecture field as well. Cristina Paredes has a degree in Fine Arts by the University of Barcelona and has collaborated with several magazines specializing in interior design. She is also an agent representing some of Spain's top lifestyle and design photographers. She is based in Barcelona.