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Style Blueprint
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Style Blueprint
Unique Places to Eat in Texas: 12 Dining Experiences for Your Bucket List
Share with your friends! Pinterest LinkedIn Email Flipboard Reddit No time for a full-on vacation, but craving adventure? Consider these unique places to eat in Texas that boast immersive experiences and inventive cuisine. We focused on the larger cities of Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, but there's one spot in the small town of Kemah that is not to be missed. Check out these spots where multi-sensory, interactive dining is leading the way. Austin Dipdipdip Tatsu-Ya More Info: Japanese hot pot goes new school at this interactive playground, where diners explore varieties of nabemono and shabu shabu tabletop cooking. Fantastic bubbly broths await your choice of meats for dipping, along with sauces and exotic condiments galore. Tatsu-Ya was awarded as an Austin Recommended Restaurant in the 2024 Michelin Guide. Pin Gangnam Korean BBQ More Info: Neon-lit Gangnam in South Austin sports generous booths and huge tables for searing prime sliced meats on your tabletop. Spicy marinated pork belly, beef short ribs, and ribeye — it's all here, along with myriad bowls of banchan (side dishes) for you to doctor up your meal. Don't pass up a signature cocktail like the Guava Melon to snap you into vacation mode. Pin Hestia More Info: With stellar Downtown views from its patio, this Michelin-starred stunner focuses on live-fire dishes. Every dish (right down to dessert) is perfectly cooked on a 20-foot-long open hearth in the gleaming open kitchen. Bold flavors centered on smoke, ash, and char create a unique fine-dining experience, with dishes like dazzling hearth-dried beets, tuna tostada, smoked mushroom, and Texas wagyu ribeye with fermented green peaches. Chefs leap from the kitchen to deliver plates to each guest and chat about the ingredients, which kicks it up a notch. Pin Dallas Domodomo Ko More Info: From the owners of New York City's Domodomo comes Domodomo Ko in The Quad. Dallas Chef Brian Kim introduced an immersive seven-course seasonal omakase menu with Korean influences. Of the many fascinating dishes, Hwe Dupbap comes with seven kinds of fish and a side of rice mixed with shiso, trout roe, and gochujang. You're given a few pieces of nori to create your own little hand rolls. It's fun and interactive. Pin Houston Bari Ristorante More Info: Old-school tableside service is back in a big way. It adds a touch of theater and allows guest to view their food as it's prepared while also gleaning culinary tips. At Italian favorite Bari, order the truffle pasta tossed in a gigantic hollowed-out Parmesan wheel from a cart rolled to the table. The same goes for the carved-to-order chateaubriand and beautiful whole branzino al sale (fish baked in salt) filleted and served tableside. Don't forget dessert! Bananas Foster is prepared at your table in grand style, along with flaming Cherries Jubilee made with fresh seasonal cherries. Pin MARCH More Info: This beautiful and modern special-occasion restaurant features an extravagant tasting menu that spotlights different regions of the Mediterranean. Your evening starts in the sun-soaked lounge with intricate bites (think truffle scarlet crab) and cocktails. Right now, guests receive a dissertation on The Republic of Venice with a menu by exec-chef Felipe Riccio that has been tirelessly researched and painstakingly practiced for months. MARCH holds your attention and never lets up, with creations like frutti di mare, Prosecco and bay leaf, and A5 wagyu with wild Madagascar peppers — all served on stunning vintage tableware. From the first course to the last, Michelin-starred MARCH is Texas's most sophisticated culinary escape. Pin Musaafer More Info: This Michelin-starred destination, which channels an Indian palace, feels worlds away. There are jaw-dropping rooms lined with hundreds of Indian mirrors, royal blue and green velveteen banquettes, and a dreamy terrace with fabric-draped cabanas. The regional menu traverses 29 states in India with authentic dishes like Mithus Coriander Shrimp with coconut and turmeric. Don't miss the enchanting, artful desserts, such as the Mishti Doi with faux yogurt mushrooms 'growing' on almond cake. Pin Toca Madera More Info: Smoking hot West Hollywood import Toca Madera transports diners to the heart of Mexico City. The action in the stylish, dark dining room never stops, with live entertainment that includes fire dancers and musical performers. Cocktails like the Ghost Rider arrive flaming; steak is delivered in flames as it cooks. But it's not all fun and games. There's serious cooking going on with fresh seafood (try the Mayan prawns) and shareable appetizers like tableside-prepped guacamole, queso fundido with warm tortillas, and A5 wagyu and wasabi nestled in crispy wonton tacos. Settle into the plush, oversized banquettes and order another margarita. Pin San Antonio Hot Joy More Info: When you enter Hot Joy, you've suddenly left San Antonio for a fantastical Chinese gathering space with red dangling ceiling lanterns, striking animal murals, and tiki drinks rivaling the South Pacific. Of the creative menu choices, we recommend Hong Kong cornbread with orange honey, chili oil noodles with cucumber, and the Shitake Chow Fun. Come back on a Sunday for dim sum featuring rolling carts that let you look and then choose. Pin Mixtli Progressive Mexican Culinaria More Info: Michelin-starred Mixtli is named for the Aztec word for 'cloud.' Like clouds, the tasting menu travels the vast regions of Mexico. The current menu spotlights Veracruz, Mexico's top producer of cattle, citrus, and seafood. Expect at least 10 courses that might include smoked coconut (smoked fish and fermented pico de gallo), Rohan duck with vanilla, and ribeye-stuffed plantain molote. The cooking is cerebral and delicious, with artfully plated dishes that tell a story. Pin Nicōsi Dessert Bar More Info: With the slogan 'where dessert is theater,' you know you're in for a treat at Nicōsi. Get submersed in an inventive, multi-course tasting menu that embraces acidity, sweetness, bitterness, and savory flavors. The intimate 20-seat venue features show-and-tell style seating that fosters dialogue with the talented chefs over an eight-course pre-set menu. You can anticipate wild creations like passion fruit ceviche, and pecan milk and vegan caviar. Pin Kemah Ishtia Restaurant More Info: In the tiny Texas coastal town of Kemah, ultra-adventurous diners splurge on a tasting menu of twenty-something courses showcasing Choctaw cuisine by Native American chef David Skinner. The menu, featuring live fire, smoke, and other novel techniques, is spellbinding. You can look forward to dishes like Tanchi nihi Champuli (corn and chocolate) and Bula Okichi (bison and black tepary beans). Guests will be immersed in the entire two-hour experience, from the unique setting to chef lectures about the origins of the dishes and the artistry on the plate. Pin Bon appétit! ********** Give your inbox the Southern makeover it deserves — subscribe to StyleBlueprint's FREE daily emails! About the Author Robin Barr Sussman Native Houstonian Robin Barr Sussman is a veteran culinary, wine and travel writer who studied at The Culinary Institute of America, Greystone, Calif. Before her writing career, as a chef for California wineries, her specialty was food and wine pairing. When she's not checking out the lastest restaurant openings in Texas, she's scouring a farmers market or planting herbs in her garden.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gold Reserve Provides Update on CITGO Sale Process Schedule
PEMBROKE, Bermuda, June 05, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gold Reserve Ltd. (TSX.V: GRZ) (OTCQX: GDRZF) ("Gold Reserve" or the "Company") announces that today it submitted a response to the request made by the Venezuela Parties to adjourn the date of the Sale Hearing from July 22, 2025 to the week commencing September 2, 2025. In its response, the Company stated that while it agreed a short extension of the Sale Hearing date was justified, a three-week extension, to the week commencing August 11, 2025, was sufficient, rather than the six-week extension requested by the Venezuela Parties. The Company's response was joined by Koch Minerals Sarl and Koch Nitrogen International Sarl. At the Sale Hearing, the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware (the "Court") will consider the Final Recommended Bid for the purchase of the shares of PDV Holding, Inc. ("PDVH"), the indirect parent company of CITGO Petroleum Corp., and any objections thereto. The Company's Delaware subsidiary, Dalinar Energy Corporation ("Dalinar Energy"), submitted a topping bid to be selected as final bidder on June 3, 2025, as previously announced here. The deadline for submission of topping bids is June 18, 2025, and the Special Master appointed by the Court to oversee the sale process is scheduled to make his Final Recommendation by June 27, 2025. A complete description of the Delaware sale proceedings can be found on the Public Access to Court Electronic Records system in Crystallex International Corporation v. Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, 1:17-mc-00151-LPS (D. Del.) and its related proceedings. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking statements This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable U.S. federal securities laws and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian provincial and territorial securities laws and state Gold Reserve's and its management's intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations or predictions for the future. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. They are frequently characterized by words such as "anticipates", "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed", "positioned" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements relating to any bid submitted by the Company for the purchase of the PDVH shares (the "Bid"). We caution that such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other risks that may cause the actual events, outcomes or results of Gold Reserve to be materially different from our estimated outcomes, results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: the discretion of the Special Master to consider the Bid, to enter into any discussions or negotiation with respect thereto and that the Special Master may reject the Bid at any time; the Special Master may choose not to recommend a Base Bid or Final Bid to the Court; the failure of the Company to negotiate the Bid, including as a result of failing to obtain sufficient equity and/or debt financing; that Bid submitted by the Company will not be selected as the "Base Bid" or the "Final Recommend Bid" under the Bidding Procedures, and if selected may not close due to the Sale Process not being completed, including as a result of not obtaining necessary regulatory approval to close on the purchase of the PDVH shares, including but not limited to any necessary approvals from the U.S. Office of Foreign Asset Control ("OFAC"), the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission or the TSX Venture Exchange; failure of the Company or any other party to obtain any required shareholders approvals for, or satisfy other conditions to effect, any transaction resulting from the Bid; that the Company forfeit any cash amount deposit made due to failing to complete the Bid or otherwise; that the making of the Bid or any transaction resulting therefrom may involve unexpected costs, liabilities or delays; that, prior to or as a result of the completion of any transaction contemplated by the Bid, the business of the Company may experience significant disruptions due to transaction related uncertainty, industry conditions, tariff wars or other factors; the ability to enforce the writ of attachment granted to the Company; the timing set for various reports and/or other matters with respect to the Sale Process may not be met; the ability of the Company to otherwise participate in the Sale Process (and related costs associated therewith); the amount, if any, of proceeds associated with the Sale Process; the competing claims of other creditors of Venezuela, PDVSA and the Company, including any interest on such creditors' judgements and any priority afforded thereto; uncertainties with respect to possible settlements between Venezuela and other creditors and the impact of any such settlements on the amount of funds that may be available under the Sale Process; and the proceeds from the Sale Process may not be sufficient to satisfy the amounts outstanding under the Company's September 2014 arbitral award and/or corresponding November 15, 2015 U.S. judgement in full; and the ramifications of bankruptcy with respect to the Sale Process and/or the Company's claims, including as a result of the priority of other claims. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of the risk factors affecting the Company's business, see the Company's Management's Discussion & Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2024 and other reports that have been filed on SEDAR+ and are available under the Company's profile at Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to Gold Reserve or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Gold Reserve disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of assumptions or factors, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, subject to its disclosure obligations under applicable rules promulgated by applicable Canadian provincial and territorial securities laws. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. View source version on Contacts For further information regarding Dalinar Energy, visit: For further information regarding Gold Reserve Ltd., visit or contact:Kathryn Houlden(441) 295-4653A.S. Cooper Building, 7th Floor, Hamilton, HM 11, Bermudainvestorrelations@
Business Wire
05-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Gold Reserve Provides Update on CITGO Sale Process Schedule
PEMBROKE, Bermuda--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gold Reserve Ltd. (TSX.V: GRZ) (OTCQX: GDRZF) (' Gold Reserve ' or the ' Company ') announces that today it submitted a response to the request made by the Venezuela Parties to adjourn the date of the Sale Hearing from July 22, 2025 to the week commencing September 2, 2025. In its response, the Company stated that while it agreed a short extension of the Sale Hearing date was justified, a three-week extension, to the week commencing August 11, 2025, was sufficient, rather than the six-week extension requested by the Venezuela Parties. The Company's response was joined by Koch Minerals Sarl and Koch Nitrogen International Sarl. At the Sale Hearing, the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware (the ' Court ') will consider the Final Recommended Bid for the purchase of the shares of PDV Holding, Inc. (' PDVH '), the indirect parent company of CITGO Petroleum Corp., and any objections thereto. The Company's Delaware subsidiary, Dalinar Energy Corporation (' Dalinar Energy '), submitted a topping bid to be selected as final bidder on June 3, 2025, as previously announced here. The deadline for submission of topping bids is June 18, 2025, and the Special Master appointed by the Court to oversee the sale process is scheduled to make his Final Recommendation by June 27, 2025. A complete description of the Delaware sale proceedings can be found on the Public Access to Court Electronic Records system in Crystallex International Corporation v. Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, 1:17-mc-00151-LPS (D. Del.) and its related proceedings. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking statements This release contains 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of applicable U.S. federal securities laws and 'forward-looking information' within the meaning of applicable Canadian provincial and territorial securities laws and state Gold Reserve's and its management's intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations or predictions for the future. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. They are frequently characterized by words such as "anticipates", "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed", "positioned" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements relating to any bid submitted by the Company for the purchase of the PDVH shares (the 'Bid'). We caution that such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other risks that may cause the actual events, outcomes or results of Gold Reserve to be materially different from our estimated outcomes, results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: the discretion of the Special Master to consider the Bid, to enter into any discussions or negotiation with respect thereto and that the Special Master may reject the Bid at any time; the Special Master may choose not to recommend a Base Bid or Final Bid to the Court; the failure of the Company to negotiate the Bid, including as a result of failing to obtain sufficient equity and/or debt financing; that Bid submitted by the Company will not be selected as the 'Base Bid' or the 'Final Recommend Bid' under the Bidding Procedures, and if selected may not close due to the Sale Process not being completed, including as a result of not obtaining necessary regulatory approval to close on the purchase of the PDVH shares, including but not limited to any necessary approvals from the U.S. Office of Foreign Asset Control ('OFAC'), the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission or the TSX Venture Exchange; failure of the Company or any other party to obtain any required shareholders approvals for, or satisfy other conditions to effect, any transaction resulting from the Bid; that the Company forfeit any cash amount deposit made due to failing to complete the Bid or otherwise; that the making of the Bid or any transaction resulting therefrom may involve unexpected costs, liabilities or delays; that, prior to or as a result of the completion of any transaction contemplated by the Bid, the business of the Company may experience significant disruptions due to transaction related uncertainty, industry conditions, tariff wars or other factors; the ability to enforce the writ of attachment granted to the Company; the timing set for various reports and/or other matters with respect to the Sale Process may not be met; the ability of the Company to otherwise participate in the Sale Process (and related costs associated therewith); the amount, if any, of proceeds associated with the Sale Process; the competing claims of other creditors of Venezuela, PDVSA and the Company, including any interest on such creditors' judgements and any priority afforded thereto; uncertainties with respect to possible settlements between Venezuela and other creditors and the impact of any such settlements on the amount of funds that may be available under the Sale Process; and the proceeds from the Sale Process may not be sufficient to satisfy the amounts outstanding under the Company's September 2014 arbitral award and/or corresponding November 15, 2015 U.S. judgement in full; and the ramifications of bankruptcy with respect to the Sale Process and/or the Company's claims, including as a result of the priority of other claims. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of the risk factors affecting the Company's business, see the Company's Management's Discussion & Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2024 and other reports that have been filed on SEDAR+ and are available under the Company's profile at Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to Gold Reserve or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Gold Reserve disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of assumptions or factors, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, subject to its disclosure obligations under applicable rules promulgated by applicable Canadian provincial and territorial securities laws.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
American dreams on a street corner in St. Bernard
Highly Recommended is a weekly spotlight on some of food writer Keith Pandolfi's favorite finds as he eats his way across Greater Cincinnati. Come back every Tuesday for more. You walk into a restaurant and have no idea what the story is behind it. You eat the food and pay the check and seldom wonder who taught the chef how to cook or why the restaurant exists at all. In the case of Five Stars Mediterranean, in St. Bernard, it's because of an ongoing conflict thousands of miles away, a son's memory of his mother's cooking and the restaurant's ability to serve as a coping mechanism for trying times. I am oblivious to all of this as I bite into my shish tawook – the chicken, marinated in tomato sauce, yogurt and spices – is so juicy it makes the home cook in me jealous. It's mixed with pickles and organic tomatoes, slathered in garlic sauce and rolled into a pita wrapped in foil. Starving, I prematurely remove the foil as I make my way toward the end. All of the ingredients fall out from the bottom. Slow down, I tell myself. Enjoy this. Ahmed Jheir and his wife, Miasan, are owners of Five-Stars Mediterranean, in St. Bernard. Keith Pandolfi/The Enquirer Later, I'm joined by Five Stars owner Ahmed Jheir. He points to a photograph of his homeland, the ancient city of Tyre, hanging on the wall. So much of Tyre is gone now, he tells me. Lost in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. He lost his father to that conflict in October. He's lost cousins and other family members, too. His wife, Miasan, and their two children, Hassam and Reima, came to join Jheir last October. They wanted their children to be educated in Lebanon so they could know and love the culture. But it's too dangerous there now. Jheir is an American citizen. His wife and children are, too. They weep for Lebanon, but it's better here right now. He loves St. Bernard. He opened Five Stars just before COVID and said he received overwhelming support. "From the Lebanese community?" I ask him. "No," he says. "From the Americans." He's developed a loyal following since then. Some of his customers come from other counties and other cities. He's also made a name for himself as a caterer, providing everything from Middle Eastern cuisine to French cuisine. He misses his mother's cooking. He talks to her every day to make sure she's OK. She taught him almost everything he knows about cooking. Everything else, he learned from his cousin in Columbus, who hired Jheir after he moved to Ohio in 2017. Before that, he worked as a Civil Engineer in Dubai, Ghana and Congo. The kibbeh at Five Stars Mediterranean, in St. Bernard. I take a bite of the kibbeh, served on a bed of lettuce and garnished with lemon. Kibbeh was my gateway into Lebanese cuisine when I first tried it at a New Orleans restaurant decades ago. I only recently learned that it's the national dish of both Lebanon and Syria. There are many variations, but most remind me of Cincinnati chili and cider doughnuts. "Why does it remind me of cider doughnuts?" I ask Jheir. He's not familiar with cider doughnuts, but he guesses it's the pomegranate molasses. Before I leave, I ask Jheir if I can get a photograph of him and Miasan. She is shy and asks for several takes before she is pleased with the results. The three of us look at the photo that passes muster. It shows a young couple making it in America. A young couple both heartbroken and hopeful. Outside the restaurant, it's pouring. I watch as about 50 school kids seek shelter beneath the awning of a Dairy Queen across the street. I dash past them toward my car. But before I get in, I look back to take a mental picture for myself, because what I'm seeing is something extraordinary. The little Lebanese restaurant on one corner, the DQ on the other. It feels reassuring. It feels American. Slow down, I tell myself again. Enjoy this. 4501 Vine St., St. Bernard, 513-538-5003, Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sunday. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Five Stars Mediterranean is an American dream in St. Bernard
WIRED
05-03-2025
- Automotive
- WIRED
Want to Go Car-Free? Test the Waters by Renting a Cargo Bike
Mar 5, 2025 5:30 AM For around $150 per month, you can see how a cargo bike fits into your life. If you find you prefer two wheels to four, you can even buy your rental at a discount. I love my bicycle. If I could, I'd ride it everywhere for fun and even run errands on it. I also have an old car that I do my best to take care of and use for big trips, extensive errand running, or if it's just really gross outside. I've always wanted to put a dent in the car usage and get greener about getting around, but that's been a tough nut to crack. The most logical place to make the switch seemed to be on the grocery side of things. We've got a walkable but expensive grocery store down our street in Seattle, and I wanted to be able to do bulk runs to Costco and support my favorite local produce stand, MacPherson's, for our household of two. MacPherson's is a mile away, up at the top of Beacon Hill, and Costco is two miles away, clear on the other side of the hill. Heavy loads and big hills made me think an electric cargo bike could do the trick, but there was a bigger obstacle than the hill: money. A good electric cargo bike can easily cost over $2,000 and as much as $8,500, which is a lot of money to try something out just to see if it works. Enter the Australian company, Wombi—they say 'short for wombat' and I say 'that's not what I found on Urban Dictionary'—which landed in the United States with a branch in Los Angeles in 2023 and followed with one in Seattle in mid-2024. It leases three different WIRED Recommended Tern electric cargo bikes for $135 to $175 per month, plus additional fees for renting accessories like cargo racks and child seats. The company may expand its United States footprint in 2025. I couldn't risk a couple grand trying out a bike, but I could swing a pretty reasonable monthly charge to see how these bikes suited me. I set up the use of a loaner bike with Wombi for a three-month trial, got on the bus, and headed up to Seattle's Greenwood neighborhood to pick it up. Seattle shop's general manager, David Giugliano, aka Seattle bicycle legend Davey Oil, took me on a test ride and gave me a run-through. I learned Wombi would pick up and drop off the bike at the beginning and end of my lease at my home as long as I live within a nine-mile radius of the University of Washington. The subscription also includes maintenance and repairs and a "rider rescue" service that allows me to lock up the bike and leave it to be picked up and fixed while I take a rideshare home at Wombi's expense. The company lets renters swap bikes to another model if they need to. Insurance against damage is part of the lease. All bikes are equipped with sturdy fenders, welcome news for the good people of the Pacific Northwest. According to a company rep, Wombi has 1,800 subscriptions across three cities in Australia and an additional 1,000 customers who chose to buy their bikes after a year. So far in Los Angeles and Seattle, there are more than 475 riders on the road, and while Wombi is selective on what it shares about its users, I gleaned that most people opt for accessories that allow them to carry extra passengers—kids, other adults, or pets—and that there are slightly more men riding than women. The HSD is one of three Tern bikes Wombi leases. Accessories like racks, bags, and child seats can be affixed to the bike depending on the rider's needs. Photograph: Tern Bicycles The Tern HSD I chose is the midsize model in Wombi's offerings, with a 400-pound total capacity (rider and cargo), a smooth belt drive (instead of a chain), and plenty of options for different rack, seat, and bag configurations. I chose a big rack for the front and a large basket-like setup for the back. I would have added panniers (bike bags), but the shop was out of them when I picked up the bike. Wombi offers two other bikes. The speedy and nimble Quick Haul is what you might call a light-haul commuter that carries a total of 330 pounds. The other one is the GSD, which can take 440 pounds, is more luxurious, has a longer range, and has a huge rear rack and double battery option. Wombi refers to the GSD as the one to 'replace the family van.' Unsurprisingly, Tern and Wombi are in a partnership, the terms of which the companies are unwilling to divulge. I rode off on the HSD and was instantly happy. As a lifelong cyclist and bike commuter, the learning curve proved to be pretty easy. The Tern uses a lovely mid-mounted Bosch drive, which only assists you when you're pedaling—no throttle here, sorry lazy riders!—and the five assist levels range from minimal to what the Wombi people call 'turbo all the time, baby.' In my 10-mile ride home, I got used to all of the speed variables. It felt comfortable and peppy when I needed it to be, especially since it's big and heavy compared to a regular (non-electric) bike. It's also fairly agile, and I liked being nice and upright, European bike style, making me visible and giving me a high perch to navigate from. I also noticed pretty immediately that I was booted out of my old bike club and into a new one. If I waved at the cool kids on their fancy bikes, I didn't always get a wave back, or I just got the thousand-yard stare. I wasn't riding a cool bike anymore, I was riding a motor-assisted grocery-getter. 'Whatever, cool kids,' I thought, 'I'm going to Costco.' I swung into the Costco parking lot, wiggled past all the cars, and locked the Wombi to the rack right next to the entrance. How's that for perfect parking? I took a mental image of the bike's cargo rack setup to keep from overdoing it and got shopping. At Costco, I got a case of beer, some whiskey and wine, some cheese, some more cheese, a two-pack of 32-ounce yogurts, and a fair amount of other stuff, but it all fit neatly into the racks. On a run the following week, I was able to get one of those giant packs of toilet paper on the back rack and still have room for other supplies. And this was the part where I was reminded what a pain in the ass it can be to go north or south on a bicycle in the south half of Seattle. It's as though city planners think that all of its cyclists are pleasure seekers, unbound by the commuter-y needs to easily and safely get to places like downtown. Yes, there are some bike lanes here and there, and good for you if you're live right near one that goes where you want to go, but for the most part, it's tricky to get where you want to go safely without riding way out of your way. Costco is on Fourth Avenue and, like most north-south avenues in the SoDo neighborhood, is not at all bike-friendly. The road is too much like a highway, and I rode south on an impressively crappy stretch of sidewalk for several long blocks, passed over a bridge with a too-low outside guardrail, and took my first possible left turn to get off of it. Not fun! It's hard to imagine a newbie safely navigating this. At least the bike and the tires didn't seem to mind the broken sidewalk and sprinklings of glass. Despite this, I began to appreciate the smooth-riding capabilities of the bike, many of which revolved around feeling safe and comfortable on it while lugging stuff around. (For a ride like this, that's really the whole enchilada.) The frame is smooth and solid, and it only started to flex under load. Every once in a while, I'd really load it up, which could create undesirable but not insurmountable wobble. Big, fat tires absorb the bumps with help from a front shock absorber. Shifting with the grip shifter is easy. Cargo capacities aside, it's a surprisingly enjoyable bike to ride. Getting a hang of the power-assist was easy, and I thought it was funny that I turned out to be a 'turbo all the time' person. I particularly liked being able to get up to speed quickly and being better able to match car speeds, as this not only made the rides more fun but made me feel safer on busy streets. Above all, I loved the brakes: big, smooth, and sumptuous suckers that create a sense of control, especially when you're all loaded up. The Terns also have a sturdy kickstands, which is wonderful when you get off the bike with a load full of groceries. I also loved going green. Sure, I occasionally felt smug about it, but mostly it just felt like the right thing to do, especially considering that Washington state where I live is majority hydroelectric. I kept up my usage, doing my regular Costco and MacPherson's runs, noticing a few things as I went. Most notable was how I almost completely stopped using my car. I got into the driver's seat at one point and realized it was my first time behind the wheel in about a month. I hadn't filled the car up with gas, hadn't washed it either. One good and funny thing was how the cargo bike kept me from overdoing it at Costco. Once, I bought too much and was unable to Tetris everything into the racks, forcing me to return something before even leaving the store, which was enough of a pain that it kept me from doing it again. Closer to home, I got in a discussion with my butcher about his ebike. 'It's like a cheat code for getting around in the city,' he said. That rang true for me. Seattle tries to present itself as transportation forward, but the city has only a single subway-esque light-rail line, and the buses often feel sketchy. Cars are king here. Leasing a bike for me was a way break through that a bit. The lease-(or subscribe)-to-own model is intriguing, and while final pricing if you choose to buy the bike depends on usage and overall time leased, the Wombi representative shared an example. The $135-per-month Quick Haul has a retail price of $2,900. Tax and accessories aside, after a year you'll have paid $1,620 for the subscription and have the option to buy for a little over $2,200, making lease-to-own a bit more than $3,600. (It's a bit more complicated than that, but these are decent ballpark numbers.) So you're paying a few hundred extra bucks to be able to try it out and getting a lot of subscription benefits during that year. It's hard to quantify, but that feels like decent math. A setup like this would make for an wonderful corporate perk. It wasn't all perfect. Wombi's bikes have alarms that, as a condition of your lease, you are required to use outside of your home. Mine immediately started going off at random times, and Wombi had to come out and replace it. There is a leash lock that's stowed in a bag that needs relocating as it's mounted right where you want to pass your foot through to get on the bike. Something that bugged me a bit was the cost of the accessory racks, panniers, and kid seats, which add to the monthly price. Most people opt for two accessories, and having those built into the price, even if that makes the base fee a little more expensive, makes more sense in my head. However, if you lease for a year, you can buy the accessories for half off. If you lease for two years, they're yours. It would also be good to see Wombi offer more options for hauling stuff around in wet weather. Tern sells a dry bag that would be perfect, but it's not among Wombi's accessory offerings. Maybe it'll just take Wombi's first Seattle winter to figure out that people need that stuff. I also think that at 6 feet, I was a little too tall for the bike. You can adjust the handlebar height and angle along with the seat height, but for as much fussing as I did, it still felt like I was always trying to correct my posture out of a bike-induced hunch. All that said, Wombi's subscription model helped me break the ebike barrier, allowing me to do things I couldn't do on my regular bicycle and would prefer not to do in my car. Leasing and its perks allowed me to give it a full tryout for three months. Buying the bike outright still feels like too high a barrier, too much financial risk. A subscription gave me more information with less risk and could help me make the leap.
