Travel Blog
Tonight: ‘Bridget’s Sexiest Beaches’ Debuts
by World Hum | 03.12.09 | 4:27 PM ET
This is Bridget Marquardt, formerly one of “The Girls Next Door.”
She’s now a sexy blogger, a sexy Twitterer and star of a new show on the Travel Channel, Bridget’s Sexiest Beaches. Every week, she’ll be immersing herself in beach cultures around the world.
The first season kicks off tonight at 10 p.m. ET. The destination for her first sexy beach: Australia.
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Yahoo! BuzzDark Days: ‘Cheers’ Bartender Gets a Pink Slip
by Eva Holland | 03.12.09 | 3:55 PM ET
Is nothing sacred anymore? Apparently not. Eddie Doyle, the real-life inspiration for Sam Malone and Co., has been laid off from Boston’s famous “Cheers” bar after 35 years. Doyle had stayed on long past the finale of the television series he helped launch, and was a fixture on the Boston tourism circuit.
“At the height of the show’s popularity,” the AP story notes, “3,000 people would pass through the bar daily and 5,000 on weekends.” A friend and fellow bartender called it “the end of an era,” and praised Doyle’s gift for chatting with customers: “If you want to feel good about yourself you go in and see Eddie Doyle, whether you were a total stranger or a longtime friend.” (Via The Remote Island)
Lt. Gov to SNL About Hawaii Skit: That’s Not Funny!
by Pam Mandel | 03.12.09 | 2:29 PM ET
According to Hawaii’s Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona, “Hawaiian Hotel,” a Saturday Night Live skit (video below) in which two grass-skirted, uke-playing, hula-dancing, minimum wage entertainers abuse guests at a hotel restaurant is not funny.
The skit “went too far in its negative depiction of Hawaii’s native people and tourism industry,” Aiona said. He added he wouldn’t let “such distortions go unchecked” when the economy is doing so poorly.
West Virginia: Reversal of Fortune?
by Jenna Schnuer | 03.12.09 | 1:44 PM ET
Oh, West Virginia. We feel for you. It can’t feel good to show up dead last on Forbes’ list of the best states in which to live. Word of your ranking comes on the heels of your governor’s plan to boost the state’s image. Maybe the campaign will also help brighten the spirits of residents and, eventually, lead to a better than 50th out of 50 ranking for both the emotional and physical health of residents. We know somebody has to come in last, but we look forward to seeing you move up the list. You and your people deserve better.
Capt. Sully: Author, Poet
by Rob Verger | 03.12.09 | 12:55 PM ET
The famous Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger is going to be an author. And, reportedly, a poet. The two-book deal with William Morrow is reportedly worth between 2.5 and 3 million dollars, Crain’s reports. A memoir will be first, and the second book will be poetry, The Daily Beast reports.
A “My Turn” column he wrote for Newsweek reportedly was used in lieu of a book proposal.
It’s easy to overdose on Sully-mania, as it is to be cynical about the book deal and think “enough already.” And while half of me is sick of hearing about Sully, the other half thinks: right on. If he wants to write a book, fantastic. Besides, how many pilots out there have inclinations to write, but no outlet? How many people in any profession, for that matter?
In his column in Newsweek, he wrote of himself and his family: “The trajectory of our lives has changed forever. And we’re determined to make good come out of this in every way that we can.” And now it seems that that includes a book, or two.
Headed to Austin for SXSW?
by Eva Holland | 03.12.09 | 11:26 AM ET
Well, consider me envious. The sprawling festival somehow stays right on top of the music, film and new media/tech scenes, and it’s hosted by one of the country’s favorite smaller cities to boot. Just in case you haven’t already got your every minute mapped out, I’ve rounded up some last-minute recommendations and ideas.
The SXSW Insider’s Guide has a hot thread debating the year’s must-see bands (and hey, some of the posters even give helpful rationales/context for their picks), while the Screengrab bloggers offer their picks for must-see documentaries (parts one and two) and narrative feature films.
More Good News for Eco-Roadtrippers: The ‘Green Freeway’
by Joanna Kakissis | 03.12.09 | 11:11 AM ET
The governors of Washington, Oregon and California could start work as early as this summer on installing several alternative fueling stations on a highway stretching along the Pacific Coast, according to news reports.
If local and federal leaders agree to the plan, the states would allow only new businesses that have clean-fuel options and battery swap-out docks to operate as rest stops. These new businesses would not have to pay rent until they start making a profit. The states are hoping to pay for the venture with some of the $15 billion in energy-related stimulus money.
If this all works out, motorists with electric cars will be able to charge or swap out their vehicles’ batteries while those with cars running on biodiesel, ethanol or compressed natural gas can fill up at the pump.
Morning Links: The Zion Curtain, Pynchon and Baedeker, and more
by Michael Yessis | 03.12.09 | 10:00 AM ET
- Utah may tear down the “Zion Curtain” and make it easier to get into bars. Will that boost the state’s tourism?
- See Europe ... in New York City.
- Kurt Andersen in Nicaragua: “[T]he country has become one of those Places on the Verge, discovered by cognoscenti but not yet overrun.”
- Yes, Los Angeles has a bike culture. Matthew Segal immerses himself.
- MetaFilter celebrates Baedeker travel guides—“the de facto travel guide for international men of leisure”—and how they served as a research tool for Thomas Pynchon.
- Man sues US Airways for $1 million after it allegedly lost his Xbox and gave him “an unconscionable runaround.”
- Man jumps into Niagara Falls and survives, only the third person ever to do so.
- Welcome, Big World Magazine.
- Finally, another U.S. Senator, another embarrassing airport incident. If only someone had caught Sen. David Vitter’s alleged outburst on video like Cathay Pacific caught the Airport Auntie.
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From ‘CSI’ to ‘Castle’: Traveling the World, One Crime Show at a Time
by Eva Holland | 03.11.09 | 3:46 PM ET
We’ve written before about crime novels being a prime source for vivid place-based writing. But how about traveling vicariously through the now-ubiquitous crime show? I’d argue that television travel can be just as effective and enjoyable.
Of course, a forty-four minute episode doesn’t allow for the same richness and depth of detail as you’d find in a book, but you can pack a lot of local color—both sights and sounds—into even the briefest street scene. Think of the all-powerful CSI franchise: from the juicy opening shots of the Las Vegas strip or the Manhattan skyline—sorry Miami, I just can’t handle Horatio—to the plot lines often derived from existing local traditions, quirks or trends (think the original CSI’s frequent tributes to Vegas’ wild mob-ruled past), each of the shows is deeply rooted in its host city. And while the main story lines are certainly glitzed up and sensationalized (not to mention acted out by improbably attractive law enforcement officers), you can still pick up a lot of legit local detail from them: I first heard of narcocorridos in a CSI episode about the Mexican community in Las Vegas, and saw handball played for the first time in an episode of CSI: NY—now, walking around Queens during my stay here, I see the game being played daily.
Tough Times for Airlines: Good for Passengers?
by Rob Verger | 03.11.09 | 2:19 PM ET
Airlines are scaling back these days in an effort to stay lean. Among the airlines that have announced cutbacks lately are Delta, United, Southwest and American.
But tough times for airlines can mean there are bargains to be found. Recently, The New York Times, in a good review of TripAdvisor’s new consolidated flight fares and fees search engine (which has been getting other praise, too) put it this way: “Yes, air fares are at bargain levels on many routes, as passenger demand falls faster than the airlines’ frantic moves to reduce capacity.”
So, if you need to travel—better yet, if you want to travel—book now!
Other good news for passengers? Airports in the U.K. will soon be subject to oversight by a consumer watchdog group called Passenger Focus. I like the sound of that. Let’s keep the focus on the passenger.
Las Vegas Hotels for Every Tax Bracket
by Eva Holland | 03.11.09 | 12:52 PM ET
Over at the Los Angeles Times daily deal blog, Jen Leo has a breakdown of Vegas hotel bargains by price—and the low end starts at just $6.25 per night. The list ranges from less than $10 to a little over $100 per night, and there are some surprising deals. The Excalibur for $24 per night? That’s about how much an off-strip hostel bunk will cost you, too. (I know which one I’d choose.)
Where We’re Eating: Tel Aviv, Minneapolis, New York City
by David Farley | 03.11.09 | 1:47 PM ET
Find yourself in Tel Aviv, Minneapolis, or the Big Apple and not sure where to eat? Try these restaurants:
Montefiore, Tel Aviv
Set in a restored 1930s building (on the ground floor of the hip new boutique hotel of the same name), this Tel Aviv eatery infuses Mediterranean ingredients with Vietnamese dishes to mouthwatering success. The consome with silky foie gras ravioli is a must.
A Few Small, Clean Steps to the Next-Gen Airplane
by Joanna Kakissis | 03.11.09 | 11:53 AM ET
Pratt & Whitney has designed an airplane engine that they claim will be about half as noisy, far more fuel-efficient and less polluting than traditional engines, The Economist reports. The PurePower PW100G is a geared turbofan engine that uses a gearbox instead of a shaft between the fan and the turbine, which is what traditional engines use. The engine performed well in an Airbus A340 for more than 75 hours of tests and by 2013 is expected to power two new aircraft being built by Mitsubishi and Bombardier.
Meanwhile, American Airlines is using new wing design that reps say could reduce fuel consumption per airplane by up to 500,000 gallons and reduce carbon emissions by up to 277,000 metric tons, The Dallas Morning News reports. A Boeing 767-300ER passenger jet flew from Dallas/Fort Worth to London’s Heathrow airport with newly-installed 11-foot-tall winglets made by Aviation Partners Boeing.
What Fatwa? Bali’s Yoga Tourists Follow Their Bliss.
by Julia Ross | 03.11.09 | 10:58 AM ET
Hundreds of yoga tourists in Bali have now joined author Salman Rushdie in an exclusive club: those who have defied a fatwa. This week’s International Bali-India Yoga Festival—which drew participants from the U.S., Germany, Sweden and Japan—proceeded as planned despite a recent edict by Indonesia’s Ulema Council banning the practice of yoga for all Indonesian Muslims.
The New York Times reports that festival organizers initially conceived the event to boost spiritual tourism on the island and decided to go forward with it as a public show of force against the fatwa. Bali’s governor, no doubt aware of the island’s growing yoga tourism potential, has said he will not enforce the ruling.
Who knew sun salutations could be this fraught?
Morning Links: The Cuba Travel Showdown, Pirates and More
by Michael Yessis | 03.11.09 | 9:46 AM ET
- The Senate passed a bill to ease travel and trade to Cuba—but the showdown over U.S. policy isn’t over yet.
- A man sued American Airlines for $7 million, saying the carrier “illegally revoked his lifetime pass.”
- Here’s an interesting combination: William Langewiesche, a French luxury cruise ship and pirates.
- Registration for this year’s tours of Washington’s Hanford nuclear site begins March 30.
- Police in China are feeding drivers raw chilli to help them stay awake on the roads in the Chongqing region.
- Goodbye, Travel + Leisure Golf.
- Amina Chaudary says she’s the only Muslim to whom Samuel Huntington gave a formal interview. She writes about “The Clash of Civilizations” author’s legacy at PostGlobal.
- For map geeks: Bloopers from a New York Times map and graphics editor. (via The Morning News)
- Timers on postcards? Isn’t the cancellation stamp enough? (via Coudal)
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