It may come as a surprise to some that not every motel in the world looks like Motel 6 or Holiday Inn.  My childhood was filled with stays at Best Western, Ramada Inn, and similar establishments, and if a place had an indoor pool, that was exotic and special to me.  I realize now that I had no idea what "exotic" meant.  In Bed in a Tree: And Other Amazing Hotels Around the World I have learned that it is possible to make reservations at an ice hotel, a cave, a prison, an underwater resort, a tree house, and a wine barrel. 

Caves and anything under water are definitely out for me (bats and sharks...need I say more?), but spending the night in an airplane, or the world's biggest beagle (located in Idaho, and don't worry - it's not a real beagle) might be interesting options for the Howard Johnson crowd.

Web design - online or on the wall?

Have you ever wanted or needed to create a website?  If so, here's a reminder that the library has many good books on web development.  Here are a couple of recent titles:

* Build Your Own Website the Right Way Using HTML & CSS 

* Creating a Website: The Book That Should Have Been in the Box (from the Missing Manual series) 

If, instead, you're looking for ways to get rid of webs in your house, a feather duster is a good bet. 

Cute alert!!

Hold onto your skivvies because you're about to be hit by a tidal wave of cuteness!  If you haven't heard of Boo and Maru yet, let me introduce you to two of the sweetest and fuzziest Internet sensations around.  Boo is a pomeranian who looks just like the softest teddy bear ever, and he has over one million Facebook fans.  Why?  Because he's the WORLD'S CUTEST DOG!  Don't believe me?  Check out Boo: The Life of the World's Cutest Dog to find out for yourself.  Can something that cute be for real, you wonder?  Oh, yes!

Then there's Maru, a tubby Scottish Fold who absolutely adores jumping into boxes, drawers, and pretty much everything else.  It doesn't matter if the object is too small - he thinks he can fit!  His hilarious videos are everywhere on YouTube, and now there's a book that will make you positively squee with delight: I Am Maru. 

Boo and Maru are plum full of cotton candy adorableness!