PORTLAND, Maine — There's no smoke and mirrors about it — Americans are eating a lot more smoked seafood than they used to.

Barbecue chicken is one of my favorite summertime dishes. I like every part of it — the tomato-based sauce (the spicier the better), the crispy skin, even the bones.

With the onslaught of Oscar contenders that debuted last November, there’s a good chance that a little-seen indie gem, “Starlet,” managed to fall off your radar during its short, theatrical run. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 2011 SXSW film festival, “Starlet” explores the unlikely friendship between a cheerful, aspiring actress (played by the winsome Dree Hemingway) and a cantankerous, elderly widow (the late Besedka Johnson).

HEALDSBURG, Calif. — Sometimes visitors to MacMurray Ranch, the 1,500-acre (600-hectare) spread owned by movie and TV actor Fred MacMurray for a half-century, want to know: Where's the heliport? Where's the screening room?

NAPA, Calif. — Love the lush and lovely Napa Valley but hate how expensive it can be? You're not the first. In the late 19th century, writer Robert Louis Stevenson moved his honeymoon to the rustic but free setting of an abandoned mining camp when the $10-a-week going rate for Calistoga hotels proved too much for his slender purse.

Not so long ago, there was a certain image associated with being vegetarian. It usually involved Birkenstocks, lentil loaf and an agenda.

Starchy, crunchy and flavorful, fried rice is a deeply satisfying dish no matter what you add to it. And you can add just about any vegetable or protein you care to name, fresh or left over.

Mark was on the verge of losing it. A deadline was approaching for an important client and the success of the project was hinging on his teams activities.

After 16 years of producing craft brews, Four Peaks Brewery is celebrating with a beer festival. Food trucks, live music from indie bands Black Carl and Mergence, and more than 25 types of beer will be on hand for the party at the recently opened Wilson Street tasting room in Tempe.

Home-decorating television shows and shelter magazines have many Americans dreaming about inviting an expert interior designer into their homes.

There’s a simple reason why Chandler’s SanTan Brewing Company decided to build a brand new brewing facility – and it’s one that appears to be a good sign for progress of this particular East Valley beverage business.

A big-budget, effects-laden, 3-D retelling of the Jack and the Beanstalk legend may seem like the unlikeliest pairing yet of director Bryan Singer and writer Christopher McQuarrie, but "Jack the Giant Slayer" ends up being smart, thrilling and a whole lot of fun.

Four Peaks Brewing Company has been an East Valley fixture for 16 years. Its variety of beer retails not only across the state, but nationwide and even in other countries.

Four Peaks Brewing Company has been an East Valley fixture for 16 years. Its variety of beer retails not only across the state, but nationwide and even in other countries.

Jeff Bryant and Joe Campbell admit they heard it more than once when they decided to open Desert Eagle Brewery in downtown Mesa last October.

Of all of the awards shows I love to watch (and I love to watch them all), the Oscars is my favorite. And it's a great excuse to throw a party. Many of my friends do the "red carpet" thing for their own parties and ask guests to dress in their black tie best. But I prefer watching in comfy clothes and snacking on simple but satisfying nibbles. After all, it's a very long show!

If you haven’t yet stopped by Four Peaks Brewing Company’s newest location, here’s a good reason to: They’re going to be tapping Pumpkin Porter — in February.

PARKER, Texas (AP) — The white two-story home with stately pillars overlooking a green Texas pasture where longhorns roam is instantly recognizable: This is the power seat of television's famous Ewing family.