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🌳 Something Nice: Swedish coffee tradition, travel vision board, best use of PTO, an airport pup, and Yellowstone's lodge

Sunday 5/17 Something Nice: Sponsored by Experience Life

May 17, 2026

Happy Sunday!

Welcome to Something Nice, our Sunday dose of good news. Check out our favorite feel-good stories from this week, brought to you by the team behind The Canopy.

In today’s issue, we’ll take a look at:

On This Day In History…

  • 1792: The New York Stock Exchange is formed.

  • 1875: The inaugural Kentucky Derby is held.

Fika Is More Than a Coffee Break

In Sweden, coffee breaks are treated a little differently. The tradition is called “fika,” and while it usually involves coffee and something sweet, it’s really about slowing down long enough to connect with other people or simply reset for a moment during the day.

Fika can happen almost anywhere: at work, in a cozy café, during a walk, or around a kitchen table with friends. The unspoken rule is that it shouldn’t feel rushed. Phones are put away, conversations stretch a little longer, and the break itself becomes part of the routine instead of something squeezed in between tasks.

Classic fika treats include cinnamon buns, cardamom buns, sticky chocolate cake, and tiny homemade cookies paired with strong coffee. Popular spots for fika culture include cafés throughout Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö, where long coffee breaks are built into everyday life.

Fika feels especially refreshing in a culture that often treats rest like something that has to be earned. In Sweden, taking a real break is simply part of the rhythm of the day, and that mindset alone feels surprisingly comforting.

Meet Cat of the Day, Obi

Meet Obi, Bill’s endlessly energetic and lovable companion.

At 8 years old, Obi still moves like a kitten, with energy that could rival the Energizer Bunny. Whether he’s zooming around or striking a perfectly relaxed pose, he keeps things interesting at all times.

He’s not just active, though. Obi is also incredibly loving and smart, making him the kind of cat who’s always part of the moment and impossible not to adore.

Image courtesy of Daily Purr reader, Bill.

Make the Most of Your PTO This Summer

Put together a travel vision board worth stealing — including glamping setups that don’t sacrifice sleep, solo hikes that don’t require a guide, and hot spring retreats where you can just be.

Looking for ideas? Check out our travel vision board. All of it curated. None of it sponsored.

Experience Life covers the kind of travel that stays with you. Science-backed wellness, real destinations, no filler.

Thank you to Experience Life for sponsoring The Canopy.

JetBlue The Airport Pup Finds His Family

JetBlue’s story started in a place no dog should ever be left behind: tied to a baggage sizer at the JetBlue ticket counter at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. The 2-year-old Goldendoodle/Mini Poodle was rescued after airport staff and police realized what had happened, and he quickly became a dog many people wanted to help.

After a 10-day hold, JetBlue was placed with Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas, where he was neutered, vaccinated, and cared for by a foster family. The rescue received about 300 adoption applications, but one connection stood out. LVMPD Officer Skeeter Black and his family had already been approved through the rescue while hoping to adopt a Goldendoodle.

Now, JetBlue has officially been adopted by Officer Black and his family. It is a sweet full-circle moment for a pup who went from being left at an airport to landing in a home where he was already deeply wanted.

A Yellowstone Lodge Designed Around Nature

Tucked beside Yellowstone’s famous Old Faithful geyser is a hotel that feels almost like part of the landscape itself. Built in 1904 using local lodgepole pine and stone, Old Faithful Inn was designed to celebrate the surrounding wilderness rather than compete with it. Today, it’s considered one of the earliest and most influential examples of “rustic architecture” in America’s national parks.

Stepping inside the massive seven-story lobby feels a bit like entering a giant treehouse. Twisted logs, hand-built staircases, and an 85-foot stone fireplace were all crafted using natural materials gathered nearby. Architects intentionally used unusual wood shapes and rough textures to reflect the forests, geysers, and mountains just outside the doors.

More than a century later, the inn is still welcoming millions of visitors each year. Careful restoration work has helped preserve the historic lodge through earthquakes, fires, and decades of wear. Its lasting appeal is a reminder that buildings can feel grand while still staying deeply connected to the natural world around them.

Reflections:

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