text:
Budget Travel › Explore › INSPIRATION
Celebrate the 4th of July in One of the Coolest Small Towns in America
By Robert Firpo-Cappiello
The Asbury Park Boardwalk
Whether you want to see fireworks on the beach, soak up some Southwestern art and history, or explore a cool Gold Rush town in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, our top Coolest Small Towns in America 2017 all make unique Independence Day getaways.
#1 ASBURY PARK, NEW JERSEY
Fireworks over the beach and boardwalk.
If you want to witness the fireworks "hailin' over Little Eden," that Bruce Springsteen commemorated in his classic song "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)," book your spot at the historic Paramount Theater's fireworks viewing party overlooking the beach. Asbury Park is an easy road trip from New York or Philadelphia, and we named the Jersey Shore town the "Coolest" in America 2017 for its revitalized Boardwalk; great shopping, dining, contemporary art, and views of one of the East Coast's most beautiful beaches; and its welcoming, diverse vibe and LGBTQ-friendly legacy.
#2 BISBEE, ARIZONA
Southwestern art, history, and quirkiness.
Two words: coaster races. Bisbee celebrates American Independence with its own quirky tradition, with mini-race-cars coasting down its main drag. After that, the town gets more traditional with an old-timey parade and fireworks display. Bisbee is a cool road trip from Tucson. It's an awesome cross between a 19th-century copper-mining town and a hip artist colony. Bisbee's narrow streets evoke the Old West, with some of the best vintage architecture in the U.S., but the town's vibe is decidedly contemporary, with galleries, craft beer, art walks, funky boutiques, and an aesthetic that happily embraces the word "weird."
#3 NEVADA CITY, CALIFORNIA
County-wide celebrations, including an all-day fair.
An all-day fair, a parade featuring vintage cars, and evening fireworks are on tap all around Nevada City, a cool road trip from San Francisco Bay Area or Sacramento. Nevada City may be a little off the beaten path (60 miles northeast of Sacramento, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains), but residents value the Gold Country town for its music and art scene, food, and proximity to some of California's amazing rivers, lakes, and the Sierras. For live music, locals swear by the Miners Foundry. For a Sundance feel without the hordes, savor the Wild and Scenic Film Festival. And if you're hankering for a pro cycling race and don't plan on dropping in on the Tour de France anytime soon, hightail it to the Nevada City Classic.
USA · Arizona
USA · New Jersey
USA · California
USA · Nevada
State of Nevada
USA · Missouri
USA · Pennsylvania
USA · Texas
1 rooms, 1 guests
−1+
+Add child
Win an Arctic Vacation in Sweden to Chase the Northern Lights
Peak Winter Puerto Vallarta Stay w/ Breakfast - $565 - $665
Locals Know Best: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Jim Fricke moved to Milwaukee from his native Seattle in 2004, four years before the opening of the Harley-Davidson Museum, where he's the Curatorial Director. He had to learn the city quickly, not least because part and parcel of helping to develop the museum was entertaining architects and designers from NYC and Baltimore and elsewhere. "I just kept trying to figure out: where do I take them to give them a sense of what feels uniquely Milwaukee?" he recalls. "Coming from the west coast, if something goes back to the Depression, it's really old. What's fascinating here is the number of old buildings, businesses that have been continuously operating since early 20th century. I think being from the Pacific Northwest made me appreciate some of the Midwestern aspects of the city and the lifestyle here." A lot of that lifestyle has its roots in the 19th and 20th centuries history of the city. In the 1800s, quite a few breweries and tanneries were built along the Milwaukee River. But by the 1960s, with industry declining and the flight to the suburbs in full force, the long bustling downtown fell into disrepair. Flash forward to now and Milwaukee, like so many other once-industrial American cities (see: Detroit, Pittsburgh) is in the throes of a renaissance. But even as young entrepreneurs refurbish old buildings and new construction extends the European-style cafe-lined public walkway along the river, it's hard to overlook the city's rich legacy of lively immigrant communities and, of course, brewing. Add to that the ease of access—Jim says the airport is the perfect size and hassle-free in terms of parking and security—and the accessibility of city bike rentals, and it's hard to resist adding Milwaukee to the top of your bucket list. WHERE OLD AND NEW MEET Perhaps the best place to witness the fusion of classic and contemporary Milwaukee is a stroll down Brady Street, which runs between Lake Michigan and the Milwaukee River. Jim is particularly fond of Glorioso's, a family grocer specializing in Italian provisions since 1946. The first time he walked in, he said, "I thought I walked into Italian grocery in Italy. I swear I was in Italy." Today, he's one of the many locals who patiently stand in line for one of the standout sandwiches. He recommends grabbing lunch from there not just because the food is so superior, but because it's also an experience to watch the generations work together. One of his favorite ways to spend an afternoon is to take the sandwich across to Regano's Romain Coin, a tavern located in the old Pabst Blue Ribbon brewery. It's the kind of place designed for a relaxing afternoon with a pint or two. Then Jim will wander around the corner to Sciortino's, an Italian bakery that's as transporting as Glorioso's. "There's just the smell. And there's a grandma sitting with the cash register by the door," he says. If you've got more time to walk off lunch, continue up Brady Street, meander through the locally owned shops and eateries, and carry on to the scenic bluff where you can walk down to Lake Michigan. PASSING THE BARS While the Blatt and Schlitz breweries have been turned into trendy condos and restaurants, the Miller Brewery is still operating and open for tours if you'd like to get a sense of old-world Milwaukee flavor. The unique thing about this town, though, is that back when the breweries were in full swing, many brewers also built and ran bars. That vintage flavor is kept alive at a number of joints that have a laid-back neighborhood vibe. And bowling! Jim calls out Koz's, a classic bar with a killer jukebox and plenty of taxidermy. Plus it's one of the few left that has a sizable space devoted to duckpin bowling, which is apparently a Wisconsin thing involving wood balls. The chill landmark Holler House, meantime, has the oldest certified bowling alley in the USA. CHOW DOWN Given the city's history of immigrants who arrived and started what are now America's iconic breweries, it's little surprise that Milwaukee is dotted with low-key ethnic eateries, particularly of the Eastern European variety (see: German). Within the city limits there are three Serbian eateries, which offer fare that's similar to Hungarian. Jim is partial to Three Brothers Restaurant, which has been dishing out wiener schnitzel and burek since it opened in the 1954. A local culinary tradition that those restaurants preserve is the festive fish fry—complete with communal tables and polka bands. While several restaurants do their own, Jim says the ones that take place at the lakefront are the most popular, so much so that people will come down from Chicago for the day to indulge. "The fish fry in Milwaukee is a big enough thing that even the most elite restaurants have to have one," he says. But not to worry, there's plenty more to explore beyond the oom-pa-pa. The flagship of a top-notch regional Mexican grocery chain, El Rey, is here in Milwaukee and there's a strong enough Mexican community that the restaurants are worth checking out. Jim recommends the tacos and street food at Bel Air Cantina, which has its original location on the river and now has several outposts across the state. It's so popular, in fact, that the owners had to buy the bar across the street to hold people while they waited. Another favorite is Café Corozon in the nearby River West neighborhood, which is also home to neat restaurants like Centro Café, a go-to for gluten-free Italian food, and several microbreweries, reminding Jim of his native Seattle. A MUSEUM TO GET REVVED UP FOR Jim's workplace is more than a shrine to motorcycles. The Harley-Davidson Museum is a tribute to America—to industry, to pop culture, to the spirit of entrepreneurship, to design—as seen through the eyes of one enduring company. "We wanted to build a museum that has plenty to offer non-motorcyclist," said Jim, whose resume includes stints at Seattle's Museum of Popular Culture and a science fiction museum. "As I got into this, I started thinking that people do understand things in many ways that the Harley-Davidson story is a great American business story, starting in 1903 when three brothers and their friend started a company at local shops and foundries. A trip through the museum is a trip through US industrial history, social history, war time, post-war, the Depression, and industrial design." For more information on Milwaukee visit their site.
Locals Know Best: Charleston, South Carolina
Ten years ago, when Yuriy Bekker moved to Charleston from Brooklyn, he was hit by a bolt of culture shock. But it didn't take too long for the violinist and principal pops conductor of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra (not to mention artistic director of various music festivals and groups and globe-trotting performer), to realize that although there was more sunshine and tranquility and fewer bagel shops as well as Ukranian restaurants like the ones he grew up frequenting as the son of immigrants from Minsk, Belarus, he could feel quite at home in this jewel of a city, where cosmopolitan energy fuses with a laid-back southern attitude and European charm. FEED YOUR BODY, FEED YOUR SOUL The Charleston Symphony Orchestra's concert hall, Gaillard Center, recently underwent a $140 million renovation. Performances typically start around 7.30PM and he's usually well on his way home around 9PM. That's pretty much dinner time, as any New Yorker will tell you. Yuriy prefers not to eat before a performance (even veterans have nerves), so afterwards he heads to 39 Rue de Jean, located just two blocks from the performance hall and known for serving food late-night. The mussels, which are flown in daily from PEI, and French onion soup are his no-fail choices. Charleston is widely known as a walkable city, so it's easy to spot new joints that frequently pop up. Mercantile and Mash, a relative newcomer that opened in an old cigar factory, quickly became a regular hangout for him and his wife. The artisanal food market, which includes a saloon-style whiskey and beer bar, is a go-to for the house-smoked meats and a top-notch weekend brunch that's still undiscovered by the masses. It's located in an area of the peninsula where there's a bustlng farmers market known for selling local crafts alongside the produce and other food. It's every Saturday from April through November, One of Yuriy's habitual stops is Roti Rolls, a food truck that serves Indian-style rotis with local ingredients and clever names. (See: the "Mother Clucker") Of course, having been in town for a decade now, he's well versed in the old-school eateries that make Charleston a legendary foodie destination. When it comes to getting his fix of the classic flavor of the South, he hits High Cotton for what he deems the best shrimp and grits in town, though he also sings the praises of Hominy Grill, a much better known tourist draw. There's often a wait, but it's worth it, he assures. A MECCA FOR MUSIC Visitors to Charleston who love classical music are in for a treat. The symphony has two different programs—a pop series of four annual concerts, each of which delivers orchestral versions of familiar tunes, and Masterworks, which features some of the most iconic pieces of classical music, or as Yuriy explains them, "the true reason for the art form." The CSO makes it easy for everyone to access this exquisite beauty with the launch of CSOgo, a rather revolutionary and budget-friendly way to see performances. A monthly membership is $35, and it allows you to attend any performance with best day-of seats as well as chances to attend social events, making it an exciting option for wallet-watching travelers who don't want to commit to buying tickets in advance. That means if you're in town for a few days, you can go to several performances for less than the cost of a week of lattes. When Yuriy isn't performing in grand concert halls, you might spot him playing music elsewhere around the city. In a clever partnership with the world-class Gibbes Museum of Art, there's an ongoing series, Rush Hour Concerts, in which a string quartet from CSO plays music somehow related to the art in a featured show. Culture buffs would be well served to coordinate their visit to the museum with one of these chamber music performances. Of course, when a musician isn't performing, there's a good chance you'll find him out listening to others perform. He likes to take in the local jazz scene at Charleston Grill, which also happens to be one of the best restaurants in town with a fun bar to go with it. Speaking of bars, the Rooftop Pavilion Bar in the Market Pavilion Hotel is probably one of the best spots for a late-night outing. From several stories above the street, you can gaze out at the water and city landmarks, even in the winter, when heat lamps keep it cozy and classy. Across the street, is The Watch: Rooftop Kitchen and Spirits, an ultra-hip and more lively and rambuctious rooftop hangout, at The Restoration, a boutique hotel. MAKE A NIGHT OF IT Charleston has become an increasingly popular destination over the last few years and as a result, the downtown has a serious hustle and bustle vibe and a parking situation that's increasingly reminding Yuriy of New York City. John's Island is a growing community with a great deal of development that makes a fine alternative for a night out, but James Island, located next to it and just seven minutes from downtown Charleston, is where Yuriy and his wife go when they've got time to relax. They'll catch a movie at Terrace Theater, which sells wine and ice cream, before grabbing dinner nearby, either tacos and tortas at Zia or craft beer and modern pub grub (lamb burger, anyone?) at Maybank Public House. DAY TRIPPER Charleston is as much of destination for nature lovers as it is to city slickers. When he has time to escape for the day, he'll set off to gorgeous Kiawah Island, a small island with landscapes that vary from woodlands to beaches. Yuriy speaks from experience when he says it's easy to lose the day here amid the tangle of bike trails. There's also a multitude of waterways, which is "a world in its own," he says, so you could rent a kayak and explore for hours. This island has a place of distinction in the annals of American musicals: George Gershwin spent summers and it's known to be his inspiration for "Porgy and Bess." WANDER So much of Charleston's exquisiteness lies in the detail, and the best way to take it all in is on foot. "There's 18th century architecture but there's also palm trees. It has a European charm, but you can't compare it to anyplace else. Maybe the South of France? But it really has its own identity," Yuriy says, noting the iconic sloped porches with ceilings traditionally painted blue. He has a route he regularly strolls, one that gives a sweeping, comprehensive lay of the land. It starts at Marion Square, where the giant farmers market takes place. When it's in season, he has his "eye-opener" roti from Roti Rolls, the aforementioned food truck, and coffee from Charleston Coffee Roasters, a local outfit that sells its brew both in super markets and at a nearby stand, then stroll north to John Street (off King Street) to Macaroon Boutique, which sells what Yuriy declares the best croissants—homemade, of course. From there, he strolls south down King Street, a boulevard lined with boutique stores, and hang a left on Market Street, an historic strip that's been the site of a market since the early 1800s. Today Charleston City Market is all slow old-world charm (see: people stationed outside making sweetgrass baskets) with a thoroughly hip vibe. Then it's a right on East Bay, a strip that runs along the water and is home to the sleek Market Pavilion Hotel and the Old Exchange Building as well as historic Rainbow Row, a series of quaint colorful Georgian row houses where fishermen lived in the early 20th century. At the end of East Bay, you end up at the tip of the city's peninsula where the pretty White Point Garden with views that invite lingering: From the water's edge you can spot James Island, Mount Pleasant and the historic Fort Sumter, where the Civil War started, in between. That course lets you see lots of the city's greatest architectural hits, including many historic churches, but Charleston is a city where there are tons of surprises around every corner. "Wander off on a small cobblestone streets and take a moment to get lost. They're cobblestone streets and they're lined with old homes. Just wander around, look, and enjoy. Eventually you'll hit a main street, so you won't be lost for long."
Locals Know Best: Healdsburg, California
Before it was one of California's premier tourism destinations, Sonoma County was just home to Dustin Valette. The young chef, who was born 1980, has been working in kitchens since the week after his 13th birthday and he cooked around the world—from Italy to Hawaii to New York to France—before moving to Healdsburg, less than ten minutes from quaint Geyserville, where he grew up, in 2008. After working Charlie Palmer's Dry Creek Kitchen for several years, he and his brother Aaron Garzini opened Valette on the site where their great grandfather's bakery once stood, in 2015. The rustic yet elegant restaurant quickly garnered attention for its focus on Sonoma County purveyors. To this day, lots of locals, particularly noted winemakers, are among its habitues. We checked in with Dustin for some guidance on what to do, see, and eat around his glorious hometown. His answers had us working really hard to hold back on an impulse to book a flight to California. "You look at a place like Lyon, France. Lyon screams food and wine," says Dustin. "But in Sonoma County you get the vibes of food, wine, agriculture and family. It feels wholesome, authentic, and real. That's what Sonoma County is to me: home." EAT YOUR HEART OUT There's no better source for dining direction than a local chef and indeed, Dustin has lots to recommend. First up, Diavola in Geyserville, which specializes in pizzas from a wood-burning stove. The menu is impressive enough, but Dustin's go-to is an off-menu selection: the Bambino. It's chef Dino's twist on Chicago-style pizza. "It's deeper dish than Chicago, though, and it has this amazing homemade sausage. It's roasted longer, so the dough gets caramelized on the outside," he describes. Hungry yet? In Healdsburg, the place to go is Bravas, a Spanish tapas restaurant, which he loves because you can go for an elegant splurge or you could just hang out on the terrace and order wine and exquisite Spanish snacks. One of the fun things about a hard-core culinary destination like Sonoma County is that there are incredible dining experiences to be had beyond the restaurants. You can thank local shop-owners for that. Dustin is a fan of Jimtown Store. Styled like an old-timey country store, it's about eight minutes outside of Healdsburg on the way to the wineries in Knight's Valley. Pick up a few of their excellent sandwiches and sundry gourmet eats—charcuterie, cheese, creative salads—and you have yourself the making of a divine picnic. Alternatively (or additionally!) the Dry Creek General Store is about ten minutes northwest of Healdsburg on the way to the world-class Rafanelli Winery. their provisions, which include everything from classic breakfast fare to hearty salads to baked goods, are made in-house. Dry Creek is also a must for anyone with shopping in mind. Their wine-country-related home décor and knickknacks are made with barrel staves and other objects from the wineries. And, of course, you can't go wrong at Dustin's restaurant. Like Bravas, it's an excellent option for a splurge, but it's also perfectly encouraged to grab a seat at the bar (there are only 13 seats, so be patient) and indulge. A TOAST FOR ALL TIMES There are more than 200 tasting rooms in the area and over 500 wineries and the drive to each one is even more scenic than the last. Many tasting rooms, in fact, don't charge for the sampling. Sometimes, though, even in Wine Country you might crave a change of pace. Dustin frequents Duke's, a cocktail bar on Healdsburg's main square, for its fantastic negroni and plenty of other meticulously crafted cocktails. One of the owners, Tara Heffernon, loves to make up custom drinks on the fly. "You just tell her the ingredients you like and she'll create a drink right then and there for you." Dustin explains. If you need further break from vino, Bear Republic Brewing is in the heart of town. It's the original brewery/restaurant in the area—opened in 1994, and I think they led the way for microbrewery scene in the area. Red Rocket, one of their standby brews, is his go-to. GET OUT OF TOWN Thanks to all the twisting and turning roads, Healdsburg has a reputation for being one of the best bicycling areas in the USA. The biking is such a draw that there are three bike rental operations in the small town. "People literally come from everywhere to bike here," Dustin marvels. "You can go through the majestic Redwoods and the coast is only about 15 miles away. It's just such majestic and beautiful scenery. It's also one of those bucket-list towns for runners. Dustin urges any and all roadrunners to pop into Healdsburg Running Company not just for attire and sporty paraphernalia, but to visit with Skip, who he calls the "running guru," what with his unparalleled insight and direction on the myriad running paths throughout the area. Or, of course, you could just see the scenery from the car. Healdsburg is a 25 minute drive to the ocean. Dustin recommends heading out on Westside Road, along which you'll pass several of Healdsburg's finest wineries, like Williams Selyem and Arista and Thomas George Estates. You can even hit the renowned Korbel en route to the sea. There are several cute hotels and restaurants along the coast. Hog Island Oyster Co. is among the chef's favorites for indulging in bivalves that are "literally harvested fresh out of the water," he marvels. KIDDING AROUND With so much talk about NorCal's countless wineries and high-end restaurants, it's easy to forget that it's an excellent family destination, and Dustin is the perfect one to reassure that, as he has two daughters, each under two years. Santa Rosa, just 15 minutes south of Healdsburg, is where Charles Shulz of Peanuts fame is from. There's an ice skating rink that Dustin likes to go to with his young daughters. Make a day of it and visit the nearby Children's Museum of Sonoma County or the Charles M. Shulz Museum, a shrine to all things Linus/Lucy/Charlie Brown/Snoopy, or head back to town for a bike ride with the kids. "Wine Country really is a beautiful place to bring kids to. They can enjoy the views and there's not a lot of trouble they can get into, like running into the ocean or something. There's no crazy or extreme place here. Wine country isn't like Vegas or Chicago, it's really more like a holistic family place. Plus a lot of wineries are family-friendly."
Locals Know Best: Baltimore
John Waters, arguably Baltimore's most famous native son since Babe Ruth, said of his hometown: "You can look far and wide, but you'll never discover a stranger city with such extreme style. It's as if every eccentric in the South decided to move north, ran out of gas in Baltimore, and decided to stay." Indeed, between its creative eateries, vibrant public spaces, a multitude of free city-wide events, not to mention the historic sites, Baltimore has a character that's very much its own. We connected to with Kathy Horning, who directs Artscape, the largest free art festival in the US, the Baltimore Book Festival, and more to learn more about the extravaganzas she oversees and get her guidance on where to eat, drink, explore, and just hang out in the city she calls home. CULTURE! GET YOUR CULTURE HERE! As Festivals Director for the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, Kathy knows a thing or two about making sure people get the most out of her hometown. A giant outdoor arts festival is as good a way as any to take in an all-embracing, all-at-once understanding of a city and its people. Artscape, which takes place every third weekend in July, is a three-day extravaganza that lays claim to being the largest free arts festival in the US. Over a 16-block stretch, there are visual art displays as well as dance shows, films, and even concerts with national headline performers. Best of all: everything is free. Same goes with the Baltimore Book Festival, which started in 1996 on the heels of Kurt Schmoke, the mayor of Baltimore in the eary 1990s, declaring Baltimore the City That Reads. These are all well and good and exciting for anyone who loves the sunshine, but take heart, night owls, you get a festival all to yourself. Light City Baltimore, America's first and largest international light festival, debuted in 2016 on the 200th anniversary of Baltimore becoming the first US city to illuminate its streets with gas lanterns. The event features 22 giant light art installations, 50 concerts and 150 performances, including plenty for kids. But there's plenty to do year-round too. Kathy says the American Visionary Art Museum, is not to be missed. One of those institutions that uniquely Baltimorean, it spotlights artwork created entirely by self-taught visionaries. Paintings and anything with a classical flavor don't distract from the creative innovation on display in the exhibit spaces as well as in Sideshow the funky, off-beat gift shop. And if you're there in the summer, join the hundreds of locals who gather outside on Thursday nights for Flicks from the Hill, free movies projected on a giant screen outside the museum. BEYOND CRABCAKES Food halls, those hip, sprawling spaces with food options galore, are popping up in all kinds of once-industrial spacious in American cities of all sizes, but Baltimore lays claim to the first. And Lexington Market, in the heart of the city, dates all the way back to the 1780s. The 101 vendors dish out everything from the classic crabcakes, peeled shrimp, and plenty of BBQ options, but there's also Malaysian food, Cajun eats, and craft beer served in. "I'm a history geek and I love the juxtaposition of historical aspects with new contemporary things," Kathy says. The hipster-meets-history vibe is unmissable. Kathy describes R. House as a food hall for millennials, what with its strong focus on artisanal. Located in a former body shop in Remington, an artsy district, ten chefs occupy the vast space and it serves as an incubator before they go on to open their own restaurants. The craft cocktail bar in the center of the 350-seat marketspace is a lively and popular nighttime hangout. PARK IT Patterson Park is Baltimore's answer to Central Park. The sprawling landscape in East Baltimore has views of the harbor and a history that spans 300 years. Head over in the warm weather and space is a constellation of people picnicking and laying out on blankets. There's an Asian-style pagoda constructed in the Victorian era and in the summer it's the site of a free concert series and family activities. Kathy also notes that there's a large Latino population in East Baltimore and many families have homey mom'n'pop eateries in the area. "They don't really have formal names," she warns. "They're just spots on the corner and I love their authenticity." Getting to the park—or anywhere in the city for that matter—is a breeze. Yes, Baltimore is very walkable, but there's also the Charm City Circulator, a free public bus that gets you all around the city. Also, over the past year, the there's been a big step up around town when it comes to bike infrastructure with the addition of central bike lanes in the business district and up by the college and university. Even out-of-towners can see easily the city on two wheels, what with Baltimore Bike Share, which was established in October 2016. But if you want another scenic route to the park, Kathy suggests the water taxi to the Fell's Point neighborhood. The main boulevard, Thames Street, is a cobblestone gaslight district that runs parallel to the water. It's home to about 50 bars and restaurants. It's hard to choose, but Kathy recommends Barcocina, a nouveau Mexican spot with outdoor seating overlooking the water. And brewhounds, take note: Fell's Point's Max's Taphouse, which has over 100 taps and nearly 1000 beers in bottles, is regularly rated one of the top beer bars in the world. The neighborhood's streets are lined with funky indie shops, like The Sound Garden, a store with new and used CDs and vinyl, and Hats in the Belfry, a fancy milliner shop for hats of all styles. Other storefronts house antique stores, book stores, coffee shops. THE REST IS HISTORY Virginia, DC, and Massachusetts get lots of love from history buffs, but Maryland has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to sites imbued with historical and even literary significance. Edgar Allan Poe was famously born in Massachusetts, but he died at the young age of 40 in Baltimore and he's buried at Westminster Cemetery, which is open daily. (Tours are offered.). His life is memorialized at the Edgar Allan Poe House, his home and workspace for about four years. It recently reopened after being shuttered many years, it gives you a close-up snapshot of the legendary writer. "The entire width of the house is maybe six feet across. You really get the sense of how miserable and cramped his living conditions were and insight as to why he created such macabre work. You can really put yourself in his shoes." A bit better known, perhaps, is Fort McHenry, where Francis Scott Key penned the Star Spangled Banner as he watched the British bombard the city during the Battle of Baltimore in 1814. To get there today you pass through the bucolic Locust Point, a peninsular neighborhood that's been home to various immigrant communities over the past century and a half. But it was once the site of much more mayhem. "Citizens branded together to stop the British navy. Had they succeeded, it's regarded that they would have gone on to New York and the experiment of 13 colonies having democracy would have been crushed. It incredible—the citizens made bombs, tricked the British," she marvels. "It's not something the city is particularly well known for, but it should be. I like to say 'We've been stopping bullies since 1812.'"


text:
how Thursday went
Each morning and every evening, the bird clan does recon on travel arrangements.
With one car and one scooter between us (Oldest has his own car and a completely different schedule) the commute is carefully choreographed on a moment-to-moment basis.
Want a ride to the train - you'd better be ready at 7:15am.
Leaving town between 5:00 and 6:00pm? You ought to know which family member is on what train and if they have the car at the station.
It can be complicated and has been further complicated since the storm as where we once had five trains an hour to choose from, we now have one or two.
Here's how Thursday went.
K, bb and Youngest leave for town in the morning. Middle had spent the night in town with friends.
K asks bb if she has car keys (for the return trip) and she mumbles yes.
On the train, Youngest discovers he has forgotten his college ID (worn around the neck to attain access to all university buildings). He devises a plan for temporary ID.
bb takes the subway downtown, K takes the subway uptown, Youngest walks to school.
With post-hurricane train service still only working at 1/4 of the norm, people start coordinating earlier. The station is often shut down to deal with too many passengers and not enough trains.
That evening, Middle takes a position in a bar at the station (he's not stupid) and texts that he'll await bb and Youngest for departure at 5ish.
bb and Youngest make it into the station before closure (bb must leave work a little early). They rejoice at their luck. The 5:19 is in sight. But where is Middle? He's not answering texts. Has he gone ahead on the 4:48? No. He arrives. Sadly, though, he has lost his train ticket. As he is wearing one of his many jackets with many many pockets, bb and Youngest spend time patting him down. No ticket.
They board the train. Due to the enormous crowds and no space to walk in the trains, conductors have not been checking tickets. They've also done away with Peak Fares and Step Up Fares (for when you should have bought your ticket IN the station). They are hopeful. The ride home is uneventful save for the fact that a pen had exploded at the bar where Middle signed for his drinks and he, clearly, left his ticket somewhere. He is never asked for the missing ticket.
Upon reaching the Tuvalu station, bb fishes around in her bag for the keys to the Jeep. She doesn not have them. The children are kind. Obviously, she is an ass. They do not humiliate her further and the three of them walk home (without headphones! a triumph).
K is lucky enough to not only access the station but board the 5:48. He has his car keys. He'll be able to drive home instead of walking in the cold, snowy, dark.
His ticket? In his pocket...until it's time to show it to the conductor. But he's busy reading his book (Les Miserables) and puts the ticket on the small clip on the back of the seat in front of him.
And THAT is where it remains. Unpunched. K hops into the Jeep leaving the ticket on the train.
Two tickets, one ID, one set of car keys misplaced in 12 hours.
Check the planets. Something must be in retrograde.
Here's a little commuting video courtesy of Oldest.
Amy A. said…
Reading this gave me a stomache ache. I don't know why lost things bother me so much. Glad you are all home safe and sound.
I fret so much over PLANE tickets that I can't imagine making a daily event out of TRAIN tickets. But to have someone else trek me around, that is a fantasy. I wish I lived where I could bike/walk/subway to my every destination. I'd hang up the Momvan keys forever without any regret.
It seems sort of antiquated to have tickets. Actual paper tickets. Here we have this card that you beep against this scanner thing. It's pretty cool....if you have it with you that is. : )
jbhat
marian said…
http://www.ismercuryinretrograde.com/
blackbird said…
Oh, Marian, that IS PERFECT.
Scot said…
I just walked home from the hospital(I had to get an xray for a Dr's appointment on Monday) It was a nice enough walk. There's a Starbucks INSIDE the hospital so I had a nice $5 cup of coffee with me. The only problem was that in the 15/20 minute walk the temp dropped 6 degrees! Snow tonight and tomorrow! On the way home I stopped at the store for some bell peppers and lottery tickets. I always walk to work, its only 3 blocks away and several stores are close also. The thought of your daily commute gives me the heebie-jeebies.
Little Miss Sunshine State said…
Mercury! retrograde! That's it!
I went shopping today with NO cash and NO bank card. Then the apartment management said my car isn't registered at the office BUT I have a parking sticker right on my windshield!
Only 15 more days of retrograde.
A couple of weeks ago I joined Fabio who had a trail up north in an aread I had never visited. Long story short, we stopped for gas and he thought to put the Euro 50 where the CD goes.
Buh-bye Euro 50

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
<?php
/**
 * OrderPromotionCoupon.php
 *
 * @since 19/08/16
 * @author gseidel
 */

namespace Enhavo\Bundle\ShopBundle\Form\Type;

use Symfony\Component\Form\AbstractType;
use Symfony\Component\Form\FormBuilderInterface;
use Symfony\Component\OptionsResolver\OptionsResolver;
use Symfony\Component\Validator\Constraints\NotNull;

class OrderPromotionCouponType extends AbstractType
{
    /**
     * @var string
     */
    private $dataClass;

    public function __construct($dataClass)
    {
        $this->dataClass = $dataClass;
    }

    public function buildForm(FormBuilderInterface $builder, array $options)
    {
        $builder->add('promotionCoupon', 'sylius_promotion_coupon_to_code', [
            'label' => 'promotion.coupon.form.label.code',
            'translation_domain' => 'EnhavoShopBundle',
            'required' => $options['required']
        ]);
    }

    public function configureOptions(OptionsResolver $resolver)
    {
        $resolver->setDefaults(array(
            'data_class' => $this->dataClass,
            'validation_groups' => ['redeem'],
            'required' => true
        ));
    }

    public function getBlockPrefix()
    {
        return 'enhavo_shop_order_promotion_coupon';
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


There's a debate raging in the world of marketing. How many times must a consumer be exposed to an advertisement before it changes his behaviour?
John Hall investigates for Forbes.
Journalists love experts. Our trade is not to know a lot of stuff, but to know who the experts are. A journalist's contact book is her best friend.


text:
rebel satori
Interview with Thomas Moore
by Michael Browne on May 24, 2017
Thomas Moore is a UK based writer whose most recent novel In Their Arms (Rebel Satori Press), follows the spiraling life of a queer art critic as he numbly navigates a life of cruising apps and locales. In Their Arms dabbles wholeheartedly in the kind of erotic and depraved narratives that feature despairing males, made notorious by writers like Dennis Cooper. In Their Arms evokes a vague horror and routinely works to dull the reader's senses. Stylistically, the book also features a detritus of pop music and cultural allusions. In our next installment of writers talking about the music that has played a part in their creative lives, we talked to Moore about the role music plays in his writing and the importance of tone and style over narrative.
Angel City Review: Your most recent novel In Their Arms features several references to music pop culture – from Alice Glass of Crystal Castles to Wu-Tang Clan – juxtaposed next to images of violence and other pop culture artifacts. How big of a role does music play in your life and the art you create?
Thomas Moore: Music is a huge part of my life and has been for as long as I can remember. I listen to a lot of stuff and try to keep up with things as best as I can. In terms of the references in In Their Arms, a lot of those were more linked to the idea of popular culture now, and the mish-mash of things that the Internet throws up, and what different things signify and how they link together nowadays.
ACR: What came first, your love for literature or music?
TM: I honestly can't remember, but I suppose I probably heard music before I learned to read…so maybe it was music first? Sat in the back of my parents' car, listening to their ABBA cassettes and my dad's Glen Campbell tapes. Although honestly, I tend to try and not really separate things too much – I like the idea of seeing literature, music, film, visual art as kind of the same thing because I like the idea of all of those things being treated with the same amount of respect as each other. In my head I like to think of a new book and a new record having the same kind of weight and importance as each other.
ACR: I've read in a previous interview that you are really interested in mood and tone regardless of the medium. Is there a musical artist out there that you feel captures the tone of your works?
TM: Yeah, mood is really important to me and tends to be the thing I respond to the most in art. It's about the feeling that something invokes. There are lots of musicians who I feel a kinship with in one way or another. When it comes to artists who share the same tone as my stuff, I suppose it changes a lot depending on what I'm working on at any given time. When I was starting my first novel, I really felt that the first Crystal Castles album, and the Deerhunter record at the time, and Stars of The Lid had tones that I felt were similar to things that I was trying to work with. Then when I wrote my novella, GRAVES, in 2010/2011, Salem and some of the related Witch Haus thing seemed to reflect the tone that I was aiming for. With my most recent novel, Angel Guts: Red Classroom by Xiu Xiu felt like it had some similarities in tone and mood.
ACR: Would you say that mood, tone, and style are more important than a formal plot in your writing?
TM: Yes, absolutely. Books that are mainly led by formal plot and character development don't really do it for me. Which isn't a criticism of people who do that kind of thing – it's just a personal preference. It's the same with films – I respond way more to a David Lynch film than something with a more clearly defined plot-driven narrative thing. I like it when things make emotional sense rather than narrative sense. I also think confusion is really important and shouldn't be dismissed or used as a pejorative. Things don't have to make sense. There doesn't have to be a reason for everything in art.
ACR: Is there anything to be said for listening to music while writing? Do you find any inspiration directly within music that translates to your writing?
TM: I often listen to music when I write – depending on what I'm working on. Sometimes a project has required silence, and other things have required super loud black metal records in the background. Yeah – going back to mood and tone – I think there are often feelings or atmospheres that I hear in music that I respond to, and I like to try and experiment and try to find how writing can correspond to that. I have sometimes tried to play around with text until I feel like it matches a certain tone that I've heard in a piece of music. It's something that I've tried to do a lot.
ACR: There's a line from In Their Arms where the narrator says that "there's no music vague enough to fit the mood I wake up in." This really resonated with me. Do you believe there are feelings that music cannot accurately convey, and can perhaps only be conveyed though literature / language, or vice versa?
TM: Oh I don't know. I don't think that I'd like to give a definite answer on something like that. I guess it depends on the person who has made the art and the person who is listening/reading/watching/looking at the art. I think it would depend on interpretation, you know? I like the fact that one person may go away from a record or a book feeling a totally different way to someone else. Who knows what someone else is going to feel?
ACR: You've recently had one of your works anthologized by KiddiePunk (Collected 2011-2015). In addition to publishing Dennis Cooper's GIF novels, KiddiePunk also has some esoteric forays into music (including a reverb edition of Hanson's "Middle of Nowhere" album). How did you originally connect with KP?
TM: Yeah, two of my works were included in that book – my 2011 novella, GRAVES, and my 2013 book of poems, The Night Is An Empire. I first got in touch with Michael Salerno, the filmmaker and artist who runs Kiddiepunk in 2007, mainly just because I saw his stuff and realized he was a complete genius and because his work blew my head off. I think we first hung out in person in 2008 in Paris and we've been friends ever since. He's been really generous and cool in releasing my stuff and I think of him as a very important friend and person in my life. But aside from all of that, his work is like no one else on earth. Complete genius and inspiration. Yeah, Kiddiepunk has done some musical releases. A personal favorite is the Milk Teeth album, which you should check out. I'm extremely proud of my association with Kiddiepunk, because I think that Michael has and continues to do so many amazing things with it.
ACR: What are you currently working on?
TM: I'm in the editing stages of a new book, which I've almost finished – it's shorter texts – some poems and some strange prose bits and I'm just trying to get everything to click into place. And then I'm in the very early stages of working on my third novel, which I'm feeling very excited about. An idea just kind of came out of nowhere, and I've begun obsessing about it and thinking about it all the time, so I'll see where it takes me.
ACR: Top 5 favorite albums of all time?
TM: I feel like I need to put a disclaimer in and say that this is just what I've come up with at the time of writing this answer. If you ask me another day then I think you'd get totally different answers … OK, so I'd have to have something by Morrissey, so I'm going to say The Smiths by The Smiths mainly because it starts with the song "Reel Around The Fountain," which is one of the most beautiful things ever recorded. But really, I could probably just fill this list with Smiths and Morrissey Solo albums (like Vauxhall and I which contains the best Morrissey song ever – "Speedway.") But yeah, I'll go with the first Smiths record. Then I'd probably pick Angel Guts: Red Classroom by Xiu Xiu, which just feels like such a complete and self-contained piece of work – totally beautiful and fucked up in equal measures. But again, I'm obsessed with Xiu Xiu so I could have picked any of their records. Then maybe I'd pick the second Le Tigre album, Feminist Sweepstakes. Everything Kathleen Hanna is involved with is awesome and I saw Le Tigre play a bunch of times around the time of that album and they were completely stunning, and played some of the best shows I've ever seen – I came out buzzing. I'd probably pick a Hole album, so I'm going to say Live Through This. And then I'd want to pick something kind of experimental so I'd go for Happy Days by Jim O'Rourke, which as a writer I feel like I took a lot from, in terms of how the record is composed and repetition and drone and loads of stuff like that.
The Smiths by The Smiths
Angel Guts: Red Classroom by Xiu Xiu
Feminist Sweepstakes by Le Tigre
Live Through This by Hole
Happy Days by Jim O'Rourke
ACR: Any favorites or influences from 2017 thus far?
TM:
Pharmakon – Contact
Divide and Disolve – Basic
Arca – Arca
Xiu Xiu – Forget
Xiu XIu – Gone Gone Gone
The Magnetic Fields – 50 Song Memoir
William Basinski – A Shadow In Time
Anohni – Paradise EP
Brian Eno – Reflection
Blanck Mass – World Eater
The Mountain Goats – Goths
Antony Braxton/Miya Masaoka – Duo (DCWM) 2013
Jarvis Cocker Chilly Gonzalez – Room 29
Diamanda Galas – All The Way and At Saint Thomas the Apostle Harlem
Slowdive – Slowdive
Perfume Genius – No Shape
Gas – Narkopop
Sleaford Mods – English Tapas
Oxbow – Thin Black Duke
Teengirl Fantasy – 8am
Run The Jewels – RTJ3
Priests – Nothing Feels Natural
Wolf Eyes – Undertow
Lawrence English – Cruel Optimism
The Necks – Unfold
Follow Thomas on Twitter: @thomasmoronic


text:
Q: Running a Java configured Spring MVC Application fails to load ApplicationContext, raises java.lang.reflect.InaccessibleObjectException Environment

*

*Eclipse IDE for Enterprise Web applications

*Tomcat 9 Server

Code
I started learning spring, following a Udemy course (by Chad Darby). In it, a spring mvc app is configured in java. Relevant files are given below:
DemoAppConfig.java
package com.luv2code.springsecurity.demo.config;

import org.springframework.context.annotation.Bean;
import org.springframework.context.annotation.ComponentScan;
import org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration;
import org.springframework.web.servlet.ViewResolver;
import org.springframework.web.servlet.config.annotation.EnableWebMvc;
import org.springframework.web.servlet.view.InternalResourceViewResolver;

@Configuration
@EnableWebMvc
@ComponentScan(basePackages="com.luv2code.springsecurity.demo")
public class DemoAppConfig {

    // define a bean for ViewResolver

    @Bean
    public ViewResolver viewResolver() {

        InternalResourceViewResolver viewResolver = new InternalResourceViewResolver();

        viewResolver.setPrefix("/WEB-INF/view/");
        viewResolver.setSuffix(".jsp");

        return viewResolver;
    }

}

MySpringMvcDispatcherServletInitializer.java
package com.luv2code.springsecurity.demo.config;

import org.springframework.web.servlet.support.AbstractAnnotationConfigDispatcherServletInitializer;

public class MySpringMvcDispatcherServletInitializer extends AbstractAnnotationConfigDispatcherServletInitializer {

    @Override
    protected Class<?>[] getRootConfigClasses() {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
        return null;
    }

    @Override
    protected Class<?>[] getServletConfigClasses() {
        return new Class[] { DemoAppConfig.class };
    }

    @Override
    protected String[] getServletMappings() {
        return new String[] { "/" };
    }

}

pom.xml
<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
    xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
    <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>

    <groupId>com.luv2code</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-security-demo</artifactId>
    <version>1.0</version>
    <packaging>war</packaging>

    <name>spring-security-demo</name>

    <properties>
        <springframework.version>5.0.2.RELEASE</springframework.version>

        <maven.compiler.source>1.8</maven.compiler.source>
        <maven.compiler.target>1.8</maven.compiler.target>
    </properties>

    <dependencies>

        <!-- Spring MVC support -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
            <artifactId>spring-webmvc</artifactId>
            <version>${springframework.version}</version>
        </dependency>

        <!-- Servlet, JSP and JSTL support -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>javax.servlet</groupId>
            <artifactId>javax.servlet-api</artifactId>
            <version>3.1.0</version>
        </dependency>

        <dependency>
            <groupId>javax.servlet.jsp</groupId>
            <artifactId>javax.servlet.jsp-api</artifactId>
            <version>2.3.1</version>
        </dependency>

        <dependency>
            <groupId>javax.servlet</groupId>
            <artifactId>jstl</artifactId>
            <version>1.2</version>
        </dependency>

        <dependency>
            <groupId>junit</groupId>
            <artifactId>junit</artifactId>
            <version>3.8.1</version>
            <scope>test</scope>
        </dependency>

    </dependencies>

    <!-- TO DO: Add support for Maven WAR Plugin -->

    <build>
        <finalName>spring-security-demo</finalName>

        <pluginManagement>
            <plugins>
                <plugin>
                    <!-- Add Maven coordinates (GAV) for: maven-war-plugin -->
                    <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                    <artifactId>maven-war-plugin</artifactId>
                    <version>3.2.0</version>
                </plugin>
            </plugins>
        </pluginManagement>
    </build>

</project>

Error
While running the web app on tomcat 9 server from eclipse, the following exception is raised:
java.lang.IllegalStateException: Cannot load configuration class: com.luv2code.springsecurity.demo.config.DemoAppConfig
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.enhanceConfigurationClasses(ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.java:416)
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.postProcessBeanFactory(ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.java:254)
    at org.springframework.context.support.PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.invokeBeanFactoryPostProcessors(PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.java:284)
    at org.springframework.context.support.PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.invokeBeanFactoryPostProcessors(PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.java:128)
    at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.invokeBeanFactoryPostProcessors(AbstractApplicationContext.java:693)
    at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:531)
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.configureAndRefreshWebApplicationContext(FrameworkServlet.java:676)
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.initWebApplicationContext(FrameworkServlet.java:545)
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.initServletBean(FrameworkServlet.java:499)
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.HttpServletBean.init(HttpServletBean.java:172)
    at javax.servlet.GenericServlet.init(GenericServlet.java:158)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapper.initServlet(StandardWrapper.java:1143)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapper.load(StandardWrapper.java:992)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.loadOnStartup(StandardContext.java:4957)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.startInternal(StandardContext.java:5264)
    at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:183)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1398)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1388)
    at java.base/java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:264)
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.InlineExecutorService.execute(InlineExecutorService.java:75)
    at java.base/java.util.concurrent.AbstractExecutorService.submit(AbstractExecutorService.java:145)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.startInternal(ContainerBase.java:921)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHost.startInternal(StandardHost.java:835)
    at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:183)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1398)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1388)
    at java.base/java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:264)
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.InlineExecutorService.execute(InlineExecutorService.java:75)
    at java.base/java.util.concurrent.AbstractExecutorService.submit(AbstractExecutorService.java:145)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.startInternal(ContainerBase.java:921)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngine.startInternal(StandardEngine.java:263)
    at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:183)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardService.startInternal(StandardService.java:437)
    at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:183)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardServer.startInternal(StandardServer.java:934)
    at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:183)
    at org.apache.catalina.startup.Catalina.start(Catalina.java:772)
    at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:78)
    at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:567)
    at org.apache.catalina.startup.Bootstrap.start(Bootstrap.java:345)
    at org.apache.catalina.startup.Bootstrap.main(Bootstrap.java:476)

# .... Followed by several "Caused by" blocks until the following exception ....

Jul 01, 2021 7:15:32 PM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext loadOnStartup
SEVERE: Servlet [dispatcher] in web application [/spring-security-demo] threw load() exception
java.lang.reflect.InaccessibleObjectException: Unable to make protected final java.lang.Class java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass(java.lang.String,byte[],int,int,java.security.ProtectionDomain) throws java.lang.ClassFormatError accessible: module java.base does not "opens java.lang" to unnamed module @682e445e
    at java.base/java.lang.reflect.AccessibleObject.checkCanSetAccessible(AccessibleObject.java:357)
    at java.base/java.lang.reflect.AccessibleObject.checkCanSetAccessible(AccessibleObject.java:297)
    at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.checkCanSetAccessible(Method.java:199)
    at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.setAccessible(Method.java:193)
    at org.springframework.cglib.core.ReflectUtils$1.run(ReflectUtils.java:61)
    at java.base/java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(AccessController.java:554)
    at org.springframework.cglib.core.ReflectUtils.<clinit>(ReflectUtils.java:52)
    at org.springframework.cglib.core.KeyFactory$Generator.generateClass(KeyFactory.java:243)
    at org.springframework.cglib.core.DefaultGeneratorStrategy.generate(DefaultGeneratorStrategy.java:25)
    at org.springframework.cglib.core.AbstractClassGenerator.generate(AbstractClassGenerator.java:329)
    at org.springframework.cglib.core.AbstractClassGenerator$ClassLoaderData$3.apply(AbstractClassGenerator.java:93)
    at org.springframework.cglib.core.AbstractClassGenerator$ClassLoaderData$3.apply(AbstractClassGenerator.java:91)
    at org.springframework.cglib.core.internal.LoadingCache$2.call(LoadingCache.java:54)
    at java.base/java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:264)
    at org.springframework.cglib.core.internal.LoadingCache.createEntry(LoadingCache.java:61)
    at org.springframework.cglib.core.internal.LoadingCache.get(LoadingCache.java:34)
    at org.springframework.cglib.core.AbstractClassGenerator$ClassLoaderData.get(AbstractClassGenerator.java:116)
    at org.springframework.cglib.core.AbstractClassGenerator.create(AbstractClassGenerator.java:291)
    at org.springframework.cglib.core.KeyFactory$Generator.create(KeyFactory.java:221)
    at org.springframework.cglib.core.KeyFactory.create(KeyFactory.java:174)
    at org.springframework.cglib.core.KeyFactory.create(KeyFactory.java:153)
    at org.springframework.cglib.proxy.Enhancer.<clinit>(Enhancer.java:73)
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassEnhancer.newEnhancer(ConfigurationClassEnhancer.java:122)
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassEnhancer.enhance(ConfigurationClassEnhancer.java:110)
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.enhanceConfigurationClasses(ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.java:405)
    at org.springframework.context.annotation.ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.postProcessBeanFactory(ConfigurationClassPostProcessor.java:254)
    at org.springframework.context.support.PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.invokeBeanFactoryPostProcessors(PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.java:284)
    at org.springframework.context.support.PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.invokeBeanFactoryPostProcessors(PostProcessorRegistrationDelegate.java:128)
    at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.invokeBeanFactoryPostProcessors(AbstractApplicationContext.java:693)
    at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:531)
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.configureAndRefreshWebApplicationContext(FrameworkServlet.java:676)
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.initWebApplicationContext(FrameworkServlet.java:545)
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.initServletBean(FrameworkServlet.java:499)
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.HttpServletBean.init(HttpServletBean.java:172)
    at javax.servlet.GenericServlet.init(GenericServlet.java:158)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapper.initServlet(StandardWrapper.java:1143)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapper.load(StandardWrapper.java:992)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.loadOnStartup(StandardContext.java:4957)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.startInternal(StandardContext.java:5264)
    at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:183)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1398)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1388)
    at java.base/java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:264)
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.InlineExecutorService.execute(InlineExecutorService.java:75)
    at java.base/java.util.concurrent.AbstractExecutorService.submit(AbstractExecutorService.java:145)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.startInternal(ContainerBase.java:921)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHost.startInternal(StandardHost.java:835)
    at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:183)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1398)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1388)
    at java.base/java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:264)
    at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.InlineExecutorService.execute(InlineExecutorService.java:75)
    at java.base/java.util.concurrent.AbstractExecutorService.submit(AbstractExecutorService.java:145)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.startInternal(ContainerBase.java:921)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngine.startInternal(StandardEngine.java:263)
    at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:183)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardService.startInternal(StandardService.java:437)
    at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:183)
    at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardServer.startInternal(StandardServer.java:934)
    at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:183)
    at org.apache.catalina.startup.Catalina.start(Catalina.java:772)
    at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:78)
    at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:567)
    at org.apache.catalina.startup.Bootstrap.start(Bootstrap.java:345)
    at org.apache.catalina.startup.Bootstrap.main(Bootstrap.java:476)

Why is it happening?
Note
Despite the error, the web app loaded, and I can access a get endpoint specified in one mvc controller. Here is the logs after the exception.
Jul 01, 2021 7:15:32 PM org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol start
INFO: Starting ProtocolHandler ["http-nio-8080"]
Jul 01, 2021 7:15:32 PM org.apache.catalina.startup.Catalina start
INFO: Server startup in [2162] milliseconds
Jul 01, 2021 7:15:32 PM org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationContext log
INFO: Initializing Spring FrameworkServlet 'dispatcher'
Jul 01, 2021 7:15:32 PM org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet initServletBean
INFO: FrameworkServlet 'dispatcher': initialization started
Jul 01, 2021 7:15:33 PM org.springframework.web.servlet.handler.AbstractHandlerMethodMapping$MappingRegistry register
INFO: Mapped "{[/],methods=[GET]}" onto public java.lang.String com.luv2code.springsecurity.demo.controller.DemoController.showHome()
Jul 01, 2021 7:15:33 PM org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter initControllerAdviceCache
INFO: Looking for @ControllerAdvice: WebApplicationContext for namespace 'dispatcher-servlet': startup date [Thu Jul 01 19:15:31 IST 2021]; root of context hierarchy
Jul 01, 2021 7:15:33 PM org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet initServletBean
INFO: FrameworkServlet 'dispatcher': initialization completed in 441 ms

A: Make sure you change your java in the compiler, build path and project facets to JDK8 since this exception is related to JDK9, therefore your JDK versions are not synced.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Cancan not able to edit or delete While using Cancan, I'm not able to edit or delete Comments - Comments are related to Jobs.
Cancan is working fine for Jobs but for Comments the edit and delete are not shown. Is this because the Comments are shown in Jobs?

class Comment < ActiveRecord::Base
  belongs_to :job
  belongs_to :user
end

class Job < ActiveRecord::Base
 belongs_to :jobcategory
 has_many :comments, dependent: :destroy
end

ActiveRecord::Schema.define(version: 20150522132410) do

  # These are extensions that must be enabled in order to support this database
  enable_extension "plpgsql"

  create_table "comments", force: true do |t|
    t.text     "content"
    t.integer  "job_id"
    t.integer  "user_id"
    t.datetime "created_at"
    t.datetime "updated_at"
  end

  add_index "comments", ["job_id"], name: "index_comments_on_job_id", using: :btree
  add_index "comments", ["user_id"], name: "index_comments_on_user_id", using: :btree

user ||= User.new # guest user (not logged in)
        if user.admin?
            can :access, :rails_admin       # only allow admin users to access Rails Admin
            can :dashboard
            can :manage, :all
        else
            can :read, :all
            can [ :edit, :update, :destroy ], Comment do |comment|
                comment.try(:user_id) == user.id
            end

            can [ :edit, :update, :destroy ], Job do |job|
                job.user_id == user.id
            end
        can :create , Comment
        can :create , Job
        end

- if can? :update, @comment
 = link_to "Edit", edit_job_comment_path(comment.job, comment)

- if can? :destroy, @comment
 = link_to "Delete", [comment.job, comment], method: :delete, data: { confirm: "Are you sure?" }

class JobsController < ApplicationController
 before_action :find_job, only: [:show, :edit, :update, :destroy]
 before_action :authenticate_user!,except:[:index]

 def show
  @comments =Comment.where(job_id: @job)
 end

UPDATED:

class CommentsController < ApplicationController
 before_action :authenticate_user!

 def show
 end

 def create
  @job = Job.find(params[:job_id])
  @comment = @job.comments.create(params[:comment].permit(:content))
  @comment.user_id = current_user.id if current_user
  @comment.save

  if @comment.save
   redirect_to job_path(@job)
  else
   render 'new'
  end
 end

 def edit
  @job = Job.find(params[:job_id])
  @comment = Comment.find(params[:id])
  authorize! :update, @comment
 end

 def update
  @job = Job.find(params[:job_id])
  @comment = @job.comments.find(params[:id])

  if @comment.update(params[:comment].permit(:comment))
   redirect_to job_path(@job)
  else
   render 'edit'
  end
  authorize! :update, @comment
 end

 def destroy
  @job = Job.find(params[:job_id])
  @comment = @job.comments.find(params[:id])
  @comment.destroy
  redirect_to job_path(@job)
  authorize! :destroy, @comment
 end
end

A: It seems to be your object is comment but you used @comment


text:
Q: Why do we use html_safe? Unable to understand as to why we use html_safe than the conventional html to be rendered.
def group(content)
  html = "".html_safe
  html << "
".html_safe
  html << content
  html << "
".html_safe
  html
end

A: I agree html_safe doesn't make much sense in this example because content_tag would be much shorter, easier to read and would automatically escape the user input:
def group(content)
  content_tag(:div, content, class: 'group')
end

A: In Rails HTML ERB templates, strings passed into it are HTML escaped (to prevent Cross Site Scripting, which is injecting HTML code into your string so that attackers can execute JavaScript on visitors of your site). However, sometimes we know that our string is safe for HTML and don't want it to be escaped so that the HTML can actually be rendered. We do this by calling .html_safe on a string to mark it as being safe for HTML rendering. You generally want to avoid using this as much as possible since it makes it easier to make a mistake and cause XSS to be a possible attack on your site.


Exfoliation is key to Sweet Skin!
And so on, slowing down by a few days for every decade. "So, assuming that you exfoliate on the first day of the month and you are in your 30s, then there is a fresh layer of skin on the surface that won't turn over completely for around 30 days," Sheedy says. There is no benefit to exfoliating the next day or even the next week. Actually, if you do so, you will only damage the already exfoliated new skin. "It is plenty to exfoliate healthy skin once per month — more often if you are in the early stages of correcting a skin condition," Sheedy says. What should you use? "In my opinion, the only safe home exfoliator is an enzyme-based product," says Sheedy. These work by triggering the cells' own process of breaking down in the right conditions and therefore won't harm the "cement" between cells that are still healthy. Never use grainy scrubs; they'll scratch. For acid peels, microdermabrasion or other peels, Sheedy recommends having them performed by a skin care professional trained in the procedure. Microdermabrasion is a popular form of deep exfoliation available from salons. Avoid their overuse. Two or three times a year is enough to boost a home routine. "A Clarisonic is a good way to exfoliate with sonic technology. It has different brush heads for different skin types," says Dr. Debra Jaliman, assistant professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. "You can also exfoliate with a washcloth, which you need to change daily, or even with cotton pads. Another one of my favorites is rice-based enzyme powder." Jojoba beads are a good way to exfoliate mildly, says Cindy Jones, Ph.D. at Sagescript Institute and Colorado Aromatics. There are also many homemade scrub recipes to try.
Honey. Honey helps to speed up the natural exfoliation process and has humectant qualities, which help attract moisture, making it great as a hydrating facial scrub. Squirt a nice sized dollop into clean hands and scrub face gently, washing with warm water.
Yogurt. Yogurt contains lactic acid, the same alpha hydroxy acid found in skin care treatments, only milder. It soothes, smoothes and evens skin tone. Apply plain yogurt to face and let sit 20 minutes, then rinse.
Sugar. Sugar cane is a natural source of glycolic acid, another alpha hydroxy that can boost new skin cell production as well as smooth and soften the skin. Mix a half-cup white or brown sugar with enough olive or grapeseed oil to make a paste and apply to face in circular motion. Let sit for 10 minutes and wash away with warm water.
Lemon juice. Lemon juice is another natural alpha hydroxy acid that removes dead skin cells. Mix one-quarter-cup each of lemon juice, apple juice, grape juice and cane sugar until sugar dissolves. Then apply the mixture to your face with a cotton pad, and leave it on for 10 minutes before rinsing off.
Papaya. Papaya contains the enzyme papain, which dissolves dead skin cells. Papain may also heal skin and cause fine lines and age spots to lighten. Papain is most potent in young fruit, so select green papayas. Mash the fruit into a smooth paste and apply to face, leaving on for 15 minutes before rinsing with warm water. Follow exfoliation with a good moisturizer for best results.
Did you notice? TWO of the Three ingredients in our Sugar Paste are listed here? Both with Natural lactic and alpha hydroxy acid to firm and remove dead skin cells. Sweet!