BUY

▪ Darn Tough Vermont Sock

Those flinty Vermonters take pride in being darn tough, so it’s no surprise that this (mostly) merino wool hiking sock is cushy to the max for winter use but breathable enough for summer. There’s just enough Lycra in there to keep them from bunching up – a personal pet peeve with some wool socks I’ve tried.

BUY

▪ “Birdology: 30 Activities and Observations for Exploring the World of Birds,” by Monica Russo

Did you know that birding is one of the fastest-growing outdoor activities? If you want to educate your budding-birder child or, heck, need to learn the basics yourself, a new book by Monica Russo covers everything from beaks to talons and gives a rudimentary glossary of terms and scientific names. But the best thing for kids are the “activities,” including how to make a bird feeder out of a juice carton, which flowers to plant that will attract hummingbirds and the best seeds to attract birds into your backyard.

ATTEND

▪ Yosemite Violin Performance on April 25

What’s better than visiting Yosemite Valley in the spring? Visiting when you can attend a violin concert in the historic chapel by Martin Chalifour, concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. We know the concert is two months away, but advance purchase is highly recommended. A sellout is expected. Stay at the Yosemite Lodge while you’re there and don’t forget to take a stroll by the falls before the concert.

THE LIST

▪ Conde Nast Traveler’s “12 Stunning Asian Stupas”

View the slide show and plan a trip.

1. Ruwanwelisaya, Sri Lanka

2. The Great Stupa at Sanchi, India

3. Swayambunath Stupa, Nepal

4. Chorten Kora, Bhutan

5. Shwedagon Pagoda, Burma

6. Tháp Rùa, Vietnam

7. Wat Phnom, Cambodia

8. Phra Pathom Chedi, Thailand

9. Sairira Stupa, Singapore

10. Brahma Vihara Arama, Bali

11. Pagoda Forest, China

12. Gotemba Stupa, Japan

THE QUOTE

“Everybody loves to brag about their city.” – University of Chicago professor Nicholas Epley, in a New York Times article about how solo travelers can meet people.

Compiled by Sam McManis, smcmanis@sacbee.com