From the Editor
Sometimes the media are so focused on capturing the drama of hurricanes and other natural disasters that the positive backstories get overshadowed. Take Hurricane Ike, which blew across the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico in September, wreaking havoc on Cuba, Galveston, and then Houston. Not to minimize the extent of the suffering and damages, but the results could have been far worse in Houston — the city showed everyone how effective preparations and strong leadership make a difference. Read how Mayor Bill White, Judge Ed Emmett, and some of Houston’s most notable companies, including Continental, put their emergency plans into place long before Ike struck, and got the city back online quickly (“In Control”).
Holidays are always an appropriate time to reflect on all we have to feel thankful for, sharing gratitude as well as hopes and dreams with loved ones. In our story “Save-the-Planet Holidays,” we explore how you can honor year-end traditions — whatever they may be — and yet reduce the impact on the environment through small actions like sending recycled cards, stringing the tree with LED lights, or lighting soy-based candles on the menorah.
December is also a time when high school seniors are anxiously working on their college applications, and this new generation of applicants is looking at more than academic ratings — they want a school that’s committed to improving the environment. Read “The Green Standard,” and learn how colleges and universities are working toward sustainability and carbon neutrality, as well as facilitating research and development projects that are already improving the planet.
Happy travels, and best wishes for a brighter new year.
Gail Harrington, Editor
Contributor
Buenos Aires–born Pablo Abuliak did not need any convincing when we asked him to photograph our story about the city (“Capital Gains”). “The most fascinating part of shooting this piece was decidedly Casa Felix,” he says. “Diego, the owner and chef, was artful and passionate. His culinary investigations and use of lost indigenous herbs and ingredients were especially interesting — and delicious!” Abuliak has also lived in New York and has photographed cities all over the world.
Similarly, writer Ian Mount says he was eager to show off the city he now calls home, especially in light of Buenos Aires’ comeback from financial crisis. “What’s amazed me is how a city with such a long history can change so much, so fast, and make something beautiful and new out of what must have felt like ruins,” he says. Mount’s byline has also appeared in the New York Times, Food & Wine, Monocle, and Wired.
We welcome letters from our readers: Letters about this magazine should be sent to the Editor, Continental magazine, 99 Bedford Street, Floor 5, Boston, MA 02111, or e-mailed to continental@pohlyco.com. Letters must be signed and include the writer’s address, daytime telephone number, and e-mail address, when possible. We reserve the right to edit letters for space and clarity.
