Month: October 2021

“What about that new National Park?”

“It’s in West Virginia, right?

“Is it worth going?”

Those are just some of the questions I’ve received since last December, when New River Gorge officially became the United States’ newest designated National Park. If my friends and followers (or Google trends) offer any indication, there’s clearly a lot of interest in this park. But due to the changing travel landscape, there still doesn’t seem to be much information around how to actually visit it.

First a little context — at the present, there are over 400 National Park sites, including seashores, historic sites, rivers, and battlefields. But only 63 are officially designated as “National Park.” New River Gorge is the most recent among these, but the area surrounding the New River Gorge in Southern West Virginia has always been a place for adventure seekers. It’s long been known for whitewater rafting, rock climbing, and hiking. Still, the name change from National River to National Park has brought the somewhat secret enclave into the public eye.

I’ve already visited New River Gorge twice since its status change, once in the summer and once in fall and I recommend it to everyone. Here’s an insider’s guide.

How to get there:

New River Gorge National Park is an anomaly in several ways — the first being the ease and also the difficulty of visiting. One of the facts that get repeated frequently in this area is that ⅔ of the entire US population lives within a day’s drive of the area. And that truly is a great selling point. But for that other third of people, it can be a bit challenging.

The nearest airport is Charleston Yeager in West Virginia — a small airport without a ton of flight options. From there you absolutely must rent a car. The New River Gorge is another hour’s drive from the airport.

The first time I visited it was part of a several weeks-long summer road trip. If you have the time, I recommend it as a road trip destination. If you’re visiting just to see the park, your options are somewhat limited. I had to tack on about a day’s worth of air travel each way — taking into account the limited flight schedules, connections, and possible delays.

Where to stay:

The center point of the park is the 3,030 ft long and 876 ft high New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville. There are many options for lodging in the area, but they are booking up much faster now with the new designation.

On my last trip, I stayed in a bungalow at River Expeditions, an adventure resort (there are a few in the area) that specializes in world-class rafting trips, but also offers tons of other outdoor activities. There are luxury cabins, dry cabins, camping, bungalows, and RV sites on the sprawling property. After rafting, you can dip in the pool and hot tub, grab a drink at the on-site bar, zip through the trees on a zip line course, or even get a massage on property.

The property is family-owned and operated and felt like an adult adventure summer camp.

I’ve also stayed in nearby Hinton, the southern gateway to the park. It has the quieter charming small mountain town vibe I was looking for and a surprising array of lodging options. I was lucky to stay in a cabin on a private island in the river (yes really) and also at the quaint and luxurious Guest House bed and breakfast downtown.

In the park:

Since the park surrounds a river, the boundaries can be a little tough to navigate. Of course, you’ll be ensconced in the same West Virginian beauty everywhere you go, but there are definitely some highlights from within the park itself.

There are over 50 miles of hiking trails in park boundaries. I hiked the Long Point Trail on a late afternoon in October and only passed around 10 people on the easy 3.2 mile out and back. With views like the one above, I would have happily hiked much further.

Other popular and accessible trails are Grandview Rim to Turkey Spur (make sure to stop at the breathtaking Grandview Overlook) and Endless Wall.

The New River Gorge Bridge is a destination itself. From the viewpoint at the visitor center to the Bridge Walk or a drive underneath on the winding Fayette Station Road — you can’t go wrong.

If you visit the gorge between April and October there is one thing you absolutely have to do: whitewater rafting. The New River has options for beginner, intermediate and advanced rafting (through serious Class 5 rapids), and tons of outfitters ready to take you on an adventure. It is exhilarating and truly a bucket list experience.

The park is also home to over 1,400 established rock climbing routes and is a popular fishing destination.

Whatever you decide to do in the park — just know you are in for excitement. And views.

Around the park:

Think of a trip to New River Gorge National Park more as a trip to Southern West Virginia. There is so much outdoor recreation all over the area, the park itself is just a part.

The Gauley River National Recreation Area is a great choice for all kinds of recreation — specifically, no surprise here, rafting its world-class rapids. I went on a guided rafting trip on the Lower Gauley over Class 4 and 5 rapids and it was probably the most fun I have ever had.

There are tons of gorgeous state parks around the area as well. I love the fall vibes and old mill in Babcock State Park, enjoyed a horseback ride in Pipestem Resort State Park, and marveled at the view in Hawks Nest State Park.

Where to eat and drink:

I was surprised by how many great food and drink options there are in the small mountain towns of Southern West Virginia. Every day I found a new, eclectic restaurant.

Arrowhead Bike Farm is a standout from all my time spent in the area. It is nearly directly across from the Long Point Trail parking area and the atmosphere (and fish tacos!) can’t be beaten. Part bike shop, campground, and bar/restaurant — it had the local vibe I was craving (and goats!).

Pies and Pints is a local favorite in Fayetteville (the place to see and be seen for sure). They’re known for, obviously, their pizza and beer. I tried some of both and was definitely impressed. Their sriracha shrimp pizza just might be my new favorite food.

For brunch, the Cathedral Cafe and Bookstore is the spot. In an old converted church building, the croissant french toast was unlike anything I’ve ever tried, and the Almond Joy latte was as interesting as the atmosphere.

For sunset, The Burrito Bar at Breeze Hill is my favorite option. Perched high above the gorge, The Burrito Bar has live music, along with great food and drink. The Sweet’s Falls Burrito was one of the best I’ve ever had — with sweet potato fries, black beans, rice, cheese, and a tangy chili sauce.

The rise of Tems in 2021 is real. The Nigerian-born singer has had a sensational year so far, being featured on “Fountains” off of Drake’s Certified Lover Boy and on fellow Nigerian Wizkid’s “Essence,” which also got a remix treatment later on that featured Justin Bieber, and then totally slayed her performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! earlier this month. Go ahead and file those as surefire ways to raise your profile and then add in her own excellent EP, If Orange Was A Place, which dropped last month, and she’s cooking.

Today, the video for the opening track off of If Orange Was A Place is out and it shows Tems moving through the streets of her native Lagos like an absolute boss. She weaves around the lives of locals going through the ups and downs of life with the confidence of someone who’s rising above the mess, as she delivers the stoic hook over an African drum-studded beat: “Crazy things are happening / Crazy things are happening / If you need somebody craze / You fit chop somebody’s craze.”

Her delivery is silky smooth, but it’s Tems’ unique appeal across styles that flows naturally from her tongue. She told The Guardian in September that she grew up loving artists like Kate Nash, Lauryn Hill, Lil Kim, Paramore, Outkast, and Green Day, and it’s that eclectic palette that inspired her sublime singular output.

Watch the video for “Crazy Tings” above.

If Orange Was A Place is out now via Since ‘93/RCA Records.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Ben Simmons showed up to the Philadelphia 76ers’ practice facility on Thursday, where he was expected to go through an individual workout. But in a twist that probably isn’t a particularly big surprise, that did not happen — Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that Simmons popped into the facility and then left without doing said workout.

It did not take long to figure out what, exactly, was going on. According to Wojnarowski, Simmons showed up and told the Sixers’ training staff that he is dealing with back tightness, for which he received treatment.

The team’s medical staff, after treating him, gave Simmons the all clear to go ahead and do whatever the coaching staff wanted him to do. Despite this, he went home.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that Simmons doesn’t believe he is in a place where he can suit up for the team amid a tumultuous offseason where he’s made clear his desire for a trade. As a result, Charania says, there is no expectation that Simmons will take the floor any time soon.

The news comes on the heels of the Sixers winning their season opener on Wednesday night against the New Orleans Pelicans, 117-97. The game on Friday against Brooklyn will be their home opener.

Since Nielsen began tracking the most-watched streaming shows, Netflix has dominated the top 10 of acquired series (i.e. shows that didn’t originally air on Netflix, Disney+, or the streamer of your choice). In fact, no non-Netflix title has landed a spot on the list since Nielsen debuted the weekly streaming rankings more than a year ago — until now.

Have a look at Nielsen’s top streaming series for September 20-26:

1. Cocomelon (Netflix), 675 million minutes
2. Criminal Minds (Netflix), 651 million
3. NCIS (Netflix), 546 million
4. Grey’s Anatomy (Netflix), 462 million
5. Manifest (Netflix), 430 million
6. Heartland (Netflix), 399 million
7. Supernatural (Netflix), 361 million
8. Downton Abbey (Netflix), 277 million
9. The Simpsons (Disney+), 272 million
10. Gilmore Girls (Netflix), 257 million

That’s nine shows that are available on Netflix, including fall comfort series Gilmore Girls and the unstoppable force/every parent’s nightmare that is Cocomelon, and The Simpsons on Disney+. Why did The Simpsons break into the top-10 now, even though it’s been available on Disney’s streaming service since 2019? I assume it’s because Halloween is approaching, and spooky season is not complete without a Treehouse of Horror marathon. (I suggest starting with the best of the bunch, “Treehouse of Horror V.”)

As for the original series ranking, well, it’s no surprise what’s at the top:

1. Squid Game (Netflix), 1.91 billion minutes viewed
2. Lucifer (Netflix), 860 million
3. Sex Education (Netflix), 856 million
4. Midnight Mass (Netflix), 566 million
5. Ted Lasso (Apple TV+), 509 million
6. The Circle (Netflix), 436 million
7. Clickbait (Netflix), 409 million
8. The Great British Baking Show (Netflix), 381 million
9. Only Murders in the Building (Hulu), 299 million
10. Monsters Inside: The 24 Faces of Billy Milligan (Netflix), 251 million

Congratulations to Only Murders in the Building, a very good show. Also, get ready for the inevitable Squid Game parody on The Simpsons, coming in 2023.

(Via the Hollywood Reporter)

Earlier this week, Republican Senator Ted Cruz introduced a new bill that would essentially send migrants to liberal cities in what essentially amounts to payback for President Joe Biden loosening immigration restrictions at the border. Titled the “Stop the SURGE Act,” Cruz’s bill specifically targets locations frequented by Bernie Sanders, Barack Obama, and other “Democrat elites.” Here’s a passage from the bill via Cruz’s campaign website:

For the past ten months, President Biden and his administration have willingly surrendered the United States’ southern border to dangerous criminal cartels, with no thought given to the South Texas border communities like McAllen and Del Rio, which are running low on resources from dealing with this massive influx of illegal immigrants. That’s why today I am introducing this crucial legislation to alleviate the massive overload at the southern border by establishing new ports of entry in Democrat-led communities such as North Hero, Vermont, where Bernie Sanders spends his summers, and Martha’s Vineyard, where Democrat elites host their cocktail parties.

Naturally, Cruz promoted the bill on Fox News where he performed some kind of weird British accent in an effort to mock… New Englanders? It was all very strange.

As is often the case whenever Cruz speaks, the Texas senator is getting roasted alive on Twitter where people are bringing up his infamous Cancun trip as well as his Ivy League education from the same liberal areas he condemns:

More reactions noted that Cruz’s plan is actually a great idea, and that the liberal areas would gladly welcome the influx of new workers as many industries are currently plagued by labor shortages:

And others just got straight to the point:

(Via Ted Cruz, The Recount on Twitter)

Back in 2019, Tekashi 69 was sentenced to two years in prison for his involvement in a federal racketeering case. The rapper was eventually released early due to a COVID outbreak in his detention facility, but the same can’t be said for Tekashi’s former manager Shotti, aka Kifano Jordan. Shotti was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2019 following two firearm charges. Now, he’s reportedly requesting new legal counsel. The reason? He can’t afford a lawyer.

According to a report from Complex, Shotti put forth a motion with the US Court of Appeals earlier this week, asking to be appointed an attorney to “aid in presenting issues” with his case to the court. Shotti’s motion claims he’s too low on cash to hire a lawyer, stating he has just $1,200 in “cash on hand or money in savings or checking accounts.” If Shotti’s motion is approved, he’ll be appointed Federal Public Defender or a private attorney compensated under the Criminal Justice Act.

Shotti’s legal documents state he’s been held in isolation under pandemic restrictions, which he says prohibits him from being able to research his appeal efforts. “[Shotti’s] case is complex and beyond any understanding he has of the law and its procedures,” his filing states. “The petitioner desperately needs the help of legal counsel to properly prepare the issues and supporting facts and laws to support each issue that will be presented before this honorable court.”

Read Complex’s full report on Shotti’s recent legal documents here.

With Halloween right around the corner, it’s the perfect time for the spooky Seattle grunge rapper Ghoulavelii to stop by the Sessions set to let listeners know he’s “WTFS” — that’s “with the f*ck sh*t” for those not-well-versed in Gen-Z-speak.

The punky, grungey trap rapper has been active for a few years, garnering attention as more of a rock adherent throughout high school. However, as the walls between those darker, more underground scenes and the super popular trap rap scene eroded due to the explosion of SoundCloud rap in 2015 — you know, the Lil Uzi Verts, Trippie Redds, and Playboi Cartis that currently run a sizable chunk of hip-hop — Ghoul also made the switch, seeing his buzz grow to the point of a record deal with Alamo Records.

His most recent body of work was 2020’s #ariesrevenge, released independently and distributed by Create Music Group (best known for publishing Tekashi 69’s debut album Dummy Boy in 2018).

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

Anthony Edwards is fun. He tries to dunk all over opposing teams (and often succeeds) and is a highlight waiting to happen. He’s also a fun quote, talking about everything from his love of Irish accents to why he wasn’t able to buy lions as pets.

Edwards kicked off his second year in the league on a high note on Thursday night, scoring 29 points in the Timberwolves’ season-opening 124-106 win over the Rockets. At one point in the first half, he hit back-to-back three-pointers as part of him making six on the night.

After hitting those back-to-back buckets, it looked like Edwards was signaling for a timeout. While he was, he stressed after the game that he did not want Minnesota’s coaches to call one. Instead, he was giving a piece of advice to the coaches on Houston’s bench.

“Yeah I was tellin’ the coach to call a damn timeout,” Edwards said, per NBA reporter Dane Moore. “You need a timeout. I’m hot.”

The three-pointers showcase so much of what makes Edwards such a fun player. The first he hit was over Rockets center Christian Wood, scoring in isolation after creating space to get the shot off with his dribble. Then, after a steal, he hit a three-pointer in transition to put Minnesota up, 72-43.

Edwards, when he’s scoring like this, is fun and one of the best reasons to watch the Wolves. And no matter what, he will always put on a show.

This article originally appeared on 05.26.16

You’d be hard-pressed to find a place on Earth with more wall-based symbolism than Berlin, Germany.

But there, in the heart of Germany’s capital city, strangers sat across from one another, staring into each other’s eyes. To the uninitiated, it may look as though you’ve witnessed some sort of icy standoff. The truth, however, couldn’t be more different.

This was about tearing down walls between people.

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Image from Amnesty Poland.

Amnesty International recently released a video in which they show strangers breaking down barriers with the help of eye contact.

The refugee crisis is a contentious issue worldwide. Reasonable people can disagree about the right path forward in finding homes for people displaced by conflict or economic crisis. What’s sometimes missing from this conversation, it seems, is empathy.

But what if we could inject some empathy into that debate? And what if it was as easy as making eye contact?

Refugees sat across from Europeans. In many cases, the two parties didn’t even share a language; all they had was eye contact. The organization’s theory? That it should be enough.

Image from Amnesty Poland.

The video’s a powerful look at what it means to share in our common humanity. The eye contact bit? That comes from psychologist Arthur Aron.

Aron’s 1997 study, “The Experimental Generation of Interpersonal Closeness,” put forth the idea that a bond between two strangers can be created quickly through physical proximity and an exchange of specific personal information. In additional studies, Aron found that closeness and bonding can sometimes develop even more strongly through sustained eye contact.

In the nearly 20 years since publishing, Aron’s work — which has often been presented in a sort of “here’s how to fall in love in less than an hour” type of way — has seen a bit of an online resurgence and for good reason: It seems to work. Pretty neat, right?

Image from Amnesty Poland.

Refugees and borders aside, there are some related studies that have concluded roughly the same thing: Simply existing and interacting with other people can help you empathize with them.

For example, a 1997 study by Gregory Herek of the University of California at Davis suggests that straight people who personally know gay people are more likely to be accepting of gay and lesbian men and women. Further, the more gay people they know, the more likely they are to be cool about everything.

Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images.

Basically, these studies confirm the old adage: It’s hard to hate what you know.

If you personally know someone from a misunderstood group of people — whether that’s based on refugee status, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or other often generalized factors — it’s a whole lot harder to make sweeping statements about that group.

We’ve all got walls of our own that we wrestle with every day. What’s important is that we’re always working to tear them down.

So while you and I may not have been in that room in Berlin, there are almost certainly situations in which we, as a society, can benefit from making use of these same tactics in our own lives.

You can watch Amnesty International’s video, “Look Beyond Borders,” below.

Clarification 11/02/2017: This post was updated to clarify that Aron’s 1997 publication did not explicitly discuss his research into eye contact.

While it might not be too surprising to hear the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s boldest movie ran into a few troubles on its way to being made, a recently shared story about how director Taika Waititi almost missed out on making Thor: Ragnarok entirely is somehow both shocking and hilariously mundane. In the new book The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, authors Tara Bennett and Paul Terry shared the never-before-heard story about the day Waititi met with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige — and how close that meeting was to being canceled.

According to Bennett and Terry (via SlashFilm), Waititi was part of a small group of directors competing for a shot at directing the third entry in the Thor series back sometime in the mid-2010s. While the film’s producer, Brad Winderbaum, was set on getting Waititi on board to direct, the filmmaker still had to attend a meeting with Feige to go over his pitch ideas and essentially seal the deal. However, the New Zealand native — who was celebrating his birthday in Hawaii the day prior to the meeting — ran into a major problem when trying to leave the island: he didn’t have his passport.

Turns out, Waititi had accidentally mailed his passport back to New Zealand when sending some of his excess luggage home prior to heading out to Los Angeles. The director was then told by Marvel this meeting was the only available time Feige had to meet, meaning they would unfortunately have to pass on him if he couldn’t make it. While digging through his bags trying to find any piece of identification he could procure, Waititi ultimately found a single scrap of evidence: a letter from The Walt Disney Company thanking him for the writing work he did on Moana. While not the most compelling form of identification around, Waititi showed the TSA agents at the gate the letter, explained the situation, and — being such big Moana fans and now able to somewhat corroborate Waititi’s identity — the agents let him on the plane.

While we’ve all forgotten passports or important documents on the days we really needed to not forget them, I can’t personally say I’ve ever had luck this good when it comes to navigating the situation. However, Waititi did have such luck, and ultimately we lucked out too because Thor: Rangarok? That movie slaps, let’s be honest. Bennett and Terry also explained what the pitch Waititi presented to Feige looked like: a series of cut-together scenes from Big Trouble in Little China, Superman: The Movie, Sixteen Candles, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles all set to Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song.” Odd as it sounds, it all makes complete sense, and we’re glad that chaos came together in a really interesting way and forever changed the Thor universe.