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New York has always been a celluloid city, full of the glitz and glamor of the movie business. From “Miracle on 34th Street” in 1947 to Woody Allen’s “Annie Hall” a full thirty years later, New York has been one of the most powerful backdrops in cinema, a place full of meaning, light, sound, and life. If you’re a film buff dropping into New York for a few days or weeks, be sure to check out these iconic landmarks from these five New York City classics.
1) MIRACLE ON THIRTY-FOURTH STREET, (1947)
If you visit Macy’s department story in Herald Square, on 34th St between 6th and 7th Avenues, during the crowded holiday season, you might well expect to find masses of tourists and crying children queueing up to sit on Santa lap. But in this 1947 classic, the sweet and heartwarming story of the “real” Santa Claus trying to prove himself to a cynical city and a young Natalie Wood, the magic of Christmas is alive and well.
2) AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER (1957) OR KING KONG (1933)
There are many reasons to visit New York’s Empire State Building, once the tallest building in the world. You can marvel at the view from the top, enjoy tourist-based animated “rides” and more. But the Empire State Building is more than just a building for cinema lovers. The site of King Kong, the hapless ape, scaling the building in order to prove his love for the lovely actress played by Fay Wray, as well as the meeting point for lovers Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr, who intend to reunite here in An Affair to Remember, is a place for both action and romance. ›Continue reading Greatest New York Film Moments and Locations
Tucked into an old, rambling adobe compound on Old Santa Fe Trail in historic Barrio de Analco, Rio Chama is a quaint mix of its storied past and sleek modernity. We’d made reservations (always a good idea) for 7:30 p.m. that Tuesday night, but arrived about 45 minutes early to check out the less formal tavern. A large gleaming bar dominates the middle of the room, surrounded by over-sized booths. Large A-frame wooden structures set into the ceiling and two large-screen plasma TVs (tuned to a baseball game) give the space a casual, updated feel. You can order off the restaurant menu or from the basic bar-food menu (heavy on fried options). My husband ordered the Rio Chama Amber Ale, made by Marble Brewery specifically for the restaurant. I asked, but the server was not aware of anywhere the brew was available in bottles.
The restaurant is currently running 25% off bottles of wine (Italian vintages on Monday, French bottles on Tuesday, California Cabernet on Wednesday and weekend brunch discounts on white, rosÈ or sparkling). The wine list is a whopping 29 pages so be prepared to peruse for a while. The server was knowledgeable but willingly asked the manager for advice on a good, modestly-priced (by modest, I mean under $50) French red. Snuggled into the nook with our beverages, we dipped chunks of sourdough, apple and steamed broccoli and cauliflower into a cheese fondue liberally doused with the Rio Chama signature beer. Yum. ›Continue reading Rio Chama Steakhouse in Santa Fe
Having paid a small fortune for a holiday on Chale Island, we crossed by boat from the mainland of Kenya, near Diani, to the exclusive island which is mostly a natural reserve. At low tide a big-wheeled tractor is the mode of transport; at high tide we crossed the 600m by open launch. Imagine my surprise when, after checking in at a deluxe reception area, we were led down the path….to an army tent! Untying the flaps the ‘bellman’ led us inside. It was quite an amazing set up. A huge four-poster bed draped with mosquito nets was surrounded by beautiful carved wooden furnishings. Behind a screen was an open air shower, modestly screened by greenery, and a separate, fully plumbed toilet. I was amazed, surprised, shocked and worried all in the same moment. After all, I don’t do camping!
Stepping outside onto our private terrace there was a swinging hammock and a full day bed under the extended straw roof which neatly disguised the tent. We were yards away from the white sandy beach and could see the reef just offshore. To complete the picture a cheeky Colobus monkey sat on the roof, watching us. Having got over the shock, we quickly settled in and over the coming week enjoyed the retreat-like atmosphere of this unique resort. Meals were served in the open-sided dining room beneath a high thatch roof; the pool and spa were delightful, and we joined the local guide for rambles around the island, spotting tiny antelope, turtles and hermit crabs with huge shells on their backs. We visited the altar at which the local Digo people still leave their sacrifices and requests, and submersed ourselves in the sulphurous slimy grey mud for a DIY mud bath treatment. ›Continue reading Five Star Camping in Kenya
Also known as “Greenwich Village” or simply “The Village,” this neighborhood – bounded by the Hudson River, Broadway, Houston Street, and 14th street, is a historic district known for its off-beat atmosphere, artistic and literary heritage, activism, and gay-friendly attitude. While the avant-garde feel of the place – once known for its 1950’s artsy community and gay rights rallies – has largely given way to a yuppified milieu and students from the nearby New York University, it’s still worth an evening or afternoon visit.
SEE: Visit Washington Square Park, famous for its arch and for the bohemian subculture that still congregates here – despite the gentrification of the surrounding neighborhood. Union Square, nearby, is another Village center, with a great farmer’s market many days of the week that’s not averse to giving out free samples. And listen to some jazz – the VIllage Vanguard on 7th Avenue or the Blue Note on West 3rd street are both great places with consistently good line-ups. ›Continue reading New York City’s West Village and Tips
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It just happened again in Death Valley National Park. This sad story tells of an 11 year old boy that was found dead with his surviving mom and dog. On Saturday August 1, 2009, the mother was on a cell phone stating she was changing a tire. After that, they apparently wandered further into the Owlshead Mountains near the southwest corner of the park. They were on a overnight camping trip in Death Valley and wound up in a very remote section of a very large, inhospitable part of the world. No one heard from the mother again until being found a few days later on Thursday, August 6. A ranger followed tracks down the remote road and found their Jeep Cherokee stuck to it’s axles in sand. No matter the vehicle, there are places like this where you may drive over an underground animal den or cavern and it collapses so you sink and get hopelessly stuck.
 Zabriskie's Point in Death Valley - Photo by Lorissa Longfellow In the summer, Death Valley National Park temperatures routinely go over 120 degrees. The average is about 113 degrees. Even people who bring water and are somewhat prepared can die within hours.
What can we learn
Although a boy died, we can try to look objectively at the story. What are the positives and negatives and what can we learn from it so someone else survives down the line? They weren’t reported missing until Wednesday and that is huge. They didn’t leave a specific enough plan for someone to know when they were in trouble in such a dangerous place. They did bring a case of water (24 16-ounce bottles), some snacks and sandwiches with them. It wasn’t enough for all of them but it’s more prepared than many people are that go into dangerous National Parks thinking it’s Disney World and that facilities are all over the place. Being rather naive in nature can get you rather dead. Living in the desert, I always carried two or three 5 gallon tanks of water ($4-$7 at Kmart) in my vehicle. In addition to drinking water, ice and a Coleman Extreme cooler, these extra tanks provided extra water in emergencies or for the vehicle.
Another positive is that they stayed with the vehicle which allowed the ranger to find them by following the tracks down the remote road. It is also much easier to spot a vehicle from the air than a lone person. The mother could have wandered off, trying to take a short cut over some hills and would have almost certainly gotten into more trouble. I have seen many people die in Arizona buy walking away from their vehicle. The car is found first. The body is found later. I recall a few cases in recent years where one person is found alive at the vehicle and the person who went for help is found dead.
My personal reflections on tragedy in Death Valley National Park
 Myself on the Sand Dunes in Death Valley I have wandered onto roads in Death Valley that in hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have been on even with the truck that I had. A family member that was with me was or near crying much of the time until we got through a particular stretch. It is not a good thing when your truck is sliding backwards as you are driving forward on the edge of a drop off. But I also did it between November and March when the weather wasn’t going to kill me within a couple days. I’d have to do something stupid to do myself in. It wouldn’t be the extreme heat. It is one of my most favorite places in the world and everyone should go there at least once in a lifetime. There are no signs of Star Wars filming here long ago but it may as well be another world. ›Continue reading A Death in Death Valley National Park
The travel business is filled with bad policies, bad customer service and just plain bad business practices. From airlines to hotels to car rental places to big name travel websites, they don’t want you to come back to their company by choice. They act and feel like you have no other choice so they charge fees for everything they can get out of your pocket. Every other major travel website portrays the bright colors and smiles as if everything with every company is positive. Not me and you know it’s not true. You’ve probably flown in the last ten years. You’ve stayed in a lousy hotel. You’ve probably rented a car.
One example of a ridiculous way to run a business is National Car Rental. Their slogan is something like ‘bypass the counter at the airport’ but they left two letters out. They really mean you should bypass THEIR counter at the airport and go somewhere else.
I made a reservation with National Car Rental in Tampa, Florida. It was about a $700 bill because Florida has more expensive car rentals than just about any other state. (Thank Disney and Orlando for that.) A freak situation arose during travel that would prevent the car from being picked up on time. First, you have to find a phone number. Companies love to tell you to print your confirmation out and then it never has their phone number on it.
Here is the summary of the ensuing conversation.
The car is already paid for, can it be picked up in two days instead of tonight? I’ll still pay for the whole time.
Rental Agent: No. If it’s not picked up within a certain amount of time, it’s considered abandoned.
It’s abandoned on your own lot when it’s paid for and not being used? Your making more money and less wear and tear. Not even asking for a refund. ›Continue reading Stupid Travel with National Car Rental
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So now we have bigger and better GPS units, laptops and cell phones with navigation on them. What do you use as you travel? I use them all for different times and reasons. But even with all that, I still find it great, if not necessary, to have a real old fashioned map with me for whatever state I am in. I’m referring to the big book kind, not just a fold out state map. I use and love Benchmark Maps but they are only covering the western United States so far. DeLorme atlases are okay but they have sent me looking for roads that don’t exist a few too many times. One time it was a road that was once planned by the city but never actually made. It was on their map as a real road. Yeah, if I was a bird. So they are my second choice.
Hand held GPS devices are great for hiking. You can load maps with trails, elevation and terrain onto them. But they aren’t very good for driving.
Cell phones are handy but also still a bit small for regular use on frequent travels. It’s also harder on the batteries in them. For any real trip, I’d rather have a device designed to travel in the car.
Large touch screen GPS units, especially the 7 inch Garmin models, are great for real travel like in a RV. The screens are big and clear and although you shouldn’t do it all while in motion, you can actually touch a button or two a bit more safely. (If you have an RV, spend the extra money and get a bigger touch screen. You’ll love the difference.) ›Continue reading Do You Need A Physical Map Anymore?
Some things are worth getting up early for, and Monet’s Garden is certainly just such a place. Staying just outside Rouen, the 70km trip to Giverny took a while and we arrived at opening time (9.30am) to beat the crowds and tour his rambling country home and garden. The plain family house in which impressionist painter Claude Monet lived and worked sat at the end of a quiet pedestrianized French village street. It included his spacious studio. Beyond the simply furnished home, still preserved just as he lived in it for 43 years, the gardens could be seen from the windows as a profusion of color. There were beds galore of iris, tulips, pansies, azaleas, roses and more. The grand Allée and flower garden were beautifully maintained. After drinking our fill of the colorful delights of the gardens and pergolas we took the underpass which goes under the road to the water gardens. Monet bought the extra land and developed a beautiful pond, surrounded by weeping willows and covered in water lilies. Colorful plants lined the banks and wisteria draped over the wooden Japanese bridge which is now immortalized in his paintings. ›Continue reading Monet’s Garden at Giverny, France
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From the wood-paneled bars to the ye-olde-timber to the copious amounts of ale, lagers, and gin and tonics being passed through the bar on an hourly basis, the English pub is a place to go for a “pint!,” a place for older men to wile away hours of their time over drinks, hearty food, and the occasional drunken brawl over heavy oak tables. But a younger generation is coming to these pubs as well, with a fresher outlook and a more diverse appeal. Nearly every pub worth its salt has an Indian dish – Chicken tikka has become as “English” as bangers and mash. And while England isn’t generally known for its cuisine, read on for a guide to pub food and how to get the most out of your english experience.
1) UNDERSTANDING BANGERS AND MASH
Neither the delicious, meaty sausages of Vienna nor the rubbery hot dogs of New York City, Bangers are an English institution of their own. Not necessarily made of meat – vegetarian sausage is becoming an increasing possibility – bangers are an inventive mix of protein and extra flavors (rosemary, sun-dried tomatoes, the list goes on) that need to be pared not with a bread or bun but with mash. Like bangers, mashes are varied – enjoy swedes, turnips, or even rose-flavored mashes in addition to your standard potatoes. And for a little extra something, get the unsavorily named “Toad in the Hole” for bangers and mash nestled inside a Yorkshire pudding, a light savory pastry. ›Continue reading Pub Grub: A Love-Hate Relationship
South Africa is a popular destination for game viewing with numerous National Parks located in various provinces around the country. The most well known is Kruger National Park which is located in Mpumalanga and was the first to be declared a game reserve in the country.
In the last few decades many private reserves were created adjacent to the Kruger National Park, the two main areas being the Sabi Sands and the Timbavati. In recent years the fences between these reserves were dropped allowing the free migration of game between the three areas. This has resulted in a larger overall conservancy area and greater game viewing opportunities for visitors.
The most affordable safari option would be a self drive and self-catered tour in Kruger itself. There are numerous public rest camps that have comfortable bungalows and chalets. This option will allow you the freedom to enjoy game viewing from your vehicle and to choose your own routes and daily activities. However the camps are usually quite booked up so you will need to plan and book your vacation well in advance. ›Continue reading Safari in Kruger National Park
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