The phrase "commuting shoe" is enough to send many professional women over the footwear-edge, haunted by visions of modern day Working Girl troops in laced up New Balances or pedicure-exposing Havaianas.

FORBES: Style

Kitesurfers, tug of war specialists, curlers and figure skaters will all have had to explain what first drove them to their sport of choice, while the rest of the world laced up their football boots or took to the tennis court.

BBC: Everest inspiration

Like a once-quiet neighborhood cut up by an expressway and laced with off ramps, northeastern forests are changing because of the pipelines crisscrossing them amid the region's gas drilling boom, experts say.

WSJ: Northeast drilling boom threatens forest wildlife

With one out in the fifth, Luis Valbuena laced a shot into the right-field corner for what should have been a stand-up double.

NPR: Strasburg Drops To 1-5 As Cubs Beat Nationals 8-2

Wild boar with sweet garlic fries mirrors classic steak frites, macaroni and cheese gets dressed up with truffles and Cuban mojo sauce dresses duck with a side of Alsatian rosti laced with manchego.

FORBES: Love's Dove