Hot Basket

One of the best purchases I've made--at least, if we define best as "gotten the most use out of for the price"--only cost me $5.99, and it can fit in my pocket. It's a little card game called Canasta Caliente.

I know, I know--isn't that a game for old people? That's what I thought, too. I thought it belonged to the category of old people card games, along with Bridge and Pinochle. And perhaps it does. But I do love Pinochle...

Board Games for Two

Recently I've renewed my interest in board games, specifically strategy (and mostly Euro) board games. There are several reasons for this. One is my colleagues' seemingly inexhaustible enthusiasm for Cosmic Encounter (an enthusiasm I moderately share). Another is that my sister and brother-in-law got me Ticket to Ride Europe for my birthday, which is excellent fun (and which I prefer to the game's American counterpart, in part because of the enhanced rules, but mostly because I get to feel classier traveling around Europe instead of the U.S. It feels more exotic, and since I'm not likely to be able to visit Europe anytime soon, the game lets me pretend). And finally, sometimes I just need to escape. Life is hard sometimes, and a good game with good friends is good medicine.