Gin was first distilled in Holland in the 16th century, but it obtained its quintessential British link in 1689 when King William III of England (who was also Prince William of Orange) implemented the Act for Encouraging the Consumption of Malted Corn, which resulted in the greatly accelerated production (and consumption) of what has become known as London dry gin. By contrast, American dry gin, sometimes called “soft gin” because of its lower 80 proof, came later. In its basic form, gin is composed…

Banana Island Resort Doha is Anantara’s new fantasy island in the Persian Gulf.

Why Go: An alternative to staying downtown, Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara is convenient to the city but feels worlds away. The man-made island is strategically placed just offshore, with regular ferry service to and from Doha’s Corniche promenade. The tourist destination, geared for Qatari families, features an impressive range of amenities. Some will be familiar to Western travelers and others will be quite novel. The i…

Star-shaped brain cells may help control brain’s focus

A new study from The Johns Hopkins University shows that the brain cells surrounding a mouse’s neurons do much more than fill space. According to the researchers, the cells, called astrocytes because of their star-shaped appearance, can monitor and respond to nearby neural activity, but only after being activated by the fight-or-flight chemical norepinephrine. Because astrocytes can alter the activity of neurons, the findings suggest that astrocytes may…

It’s a potent one-two punch that will send collectors reeling: On February 21 in New York, Heritage Auctions will present both sets of gloves from the second heavyweight championship boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston, in 1965. The gloves will be offered as a single lot, just three months shy of the fight’s 50th anniversary. The unique offer arises from unique circumstances. Usually after a bout, the gloves are returned to the boxers themselves or their trainers. But after Ali threw his controv…

Last year, the New York City–based spin studio Peloton Cycle broke away from the pack of spin boutiques by launching its own high-tech, at-home bike. The Peloton bike ($1,995 plus $40 a month for unlimited classes) is tricked out with an HD touch tablet that streams all of the studio’s classes to the bike, allowing owners around the world to participate in the array of classes from any Wi-Fi-equipped location.

This year, Peloton introduced a series of heart-pumping 20-minute rides that are accessible on the…

Discoveries hail from cataloging human proteins

Striving for the protein equivalent of the Human Genome Project, an international team of researchers has created an initial catalog of the human “proteome,” or all of the proteins in the human body. In total, using 30 different human tissues, the team identified proteins encoded by 17,294 genes, which is about 84 percent of all of the genes in the human genome predicted to encode proteins.

In a summary of the effort, to be published May 29 i…

Every year, dining enthusiasts have hundreds of food and wine festivals around the world to choose from, each touting a lineup of chefs so noteworthy it is often difficult to know which events are the crème de la crème. Gourmetfest, now in its second year, is among the elite. Instead of large crowds, long lines, and small morsels of food, the ambitious four-day festival (March 5 through 8) offers a total of 18 events (two more than last year), with the vast majority being intimate multicourse meals and discuss…

Adding to previously published work about gut flora, and a potential pathway for detecting enhanced cardiovascular risk, Dr. Hazen, Vice Chair of Translational Research for the Lerner Research Institute and Section Head of Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation at Cleveland Clinic, published two studies in the spring about the relationship between the work of gut microbes in the intestines and atherosclerosis. One of the studies was related to choline, a byproduct of lecithin, an abundant component of egg yo…

If you have high cholesterol, then your doctor has surely talked to you about eating right and exercising. You may also be on a statin drug like Lipitor® (atorvastatin), Zocor® (simvastatin) or Crestor® (rosuvastatin).

So what to make of research suggesting that statins may interfere with our ability to get the maximum benefit from heart-healthy exercise? “Statins are among the most widely prescribed drugs in the world, and more and more patients are asking about this study,” says preventive medicine s…

Maral Artinian, a cofounder of the new Manhattan jewelry house Marli, was raised in a family of jewelers who crafted bold, classical jewelry that was often worn only on special occasions. This upbringing inspired her to branch out and create contemporary, wearable pieces suitable for a variety of settings. The rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets from Marli include lively geometric shapes that maintain an air of elegance while making a statement. Adding to their wearability, many Marli designs are equippe…