The Adventures In Travel Expo: Day 2

The second day at The Adventures in Travel Expo proved to be just as entertaining as the first. There seemed to be less attendees than the previous day, but the guest speakers drew some large crowds. In addition to checking out more exhibitors, which included tour operators and tourism boards, I was able to sit in on lectures by Tony Wheeler, Zac Sunderland, and Patricia Schultz.



Tony Wheeler co-founded the Lonely Planet publishing empire with his wife Maureen back in the early 1970's. It's a pretty amazing story documented in their book Unlikely Destinations: The Lonely Planet Story (which he autographed for me...thanks Tony). His lecture was a mix of the Lonely Planet's modest beginnings (their first trip from England to Australia via the silk road), plus additional trips with his family in the nineteen eighties, and what he has been doing more recently. I was pretty amazed to find out that in 1994, Tony and Maureen traveled across the US, and created what was to become one of the first travel blogs. They sent daily emails to Tim O'Reilly, founder of Web 2.0, who then posted them online. Some really cool trips that Tony has done in the last several years include:

• The Plymouth - Banjul Challenge in 2007. Tony and Maureen drove a tiny used Mitsubishi hatchback car from Plymouth, England, all the way to Banjul, Gambia. The event is for charity and all cars who make it to the finish line, are then auctioned off. Their car which was purchased for $700, was sold for over $1000.
• The Soyuz rocket launch from Kazakhstan. This is where Russia launches their spacecraft, and as a spectator, you can get within several hundred yards of the site. Go Russia and your lack of safety regulations! Tony showed a video clip he took and it was pretty amazing. For $30 million USD, six months of cosmonaut training, and some language courses in Russian, you too can fly into outer space for two weeks. This is where I need your help to make Globe Stompers as big as Lonely Planet, so I can do this at some point in the future. Although, Tony did not fly, he just watched the launch.
• The Tour d'Afrique bike race from Cairo to Cape Town. Tony rode with the Lonely Planet team who took four months to complete the course. The riders rotated the roster every two weeks.

What was one of Tony's favorite trips over the years? Visit Russia and spend a day just riding the subway. Only in Moscow can you find stations with beautiful mosaics and chandeliers. It was also interesting to find out that Tony and Maureen are only partially involved with Lonely Planet publishing, but are very active with their charity organization called the Planet Wheeler Foundation, which runs projects in the Mekong Delta, Africa, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan.



You may have heard that on July 16th, 2009, Zac Sunderland at age seventeen, became the youngest person to sail solo around the world. It's amazing to think that Zac, who still has three classes to go before graduating high school, has experienced more in thirteen months than most people do in their entire lives. His trip was one of the most amazing journeys, and I was captivated the whole time he spoke. His tale included dodging pirates, fixing a broken boat multiple times, and weathering massive storms, so to speak. He's currently training for an Mount Everest expedition, and will be base jumping off the Golden Gate bridge in two weeks. I'm getting excited for his upcoming documentary, which is currently being edited down from over six hundred hours of footage taken from multiple cameras on his boat.



Patricia Schultz is the author of the best selling book 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. This book was a staple of ours before Julie and I set off on our around the world trip. I am happy to say that I've been to many of these destinations, although I still have a ton to go before I die. Here are some tips that Patricia shared with the audience:

• Rule of thumb, avoid travel destinations with airports nearby. Go further out and you'll have a more authentic experience with less tourists.
• Home Exchange is a good site where you can swap your apartment/house with someone else in another area or country. Just like the movie The Holiday with Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet.
• One of the top three experiences in life should be an African safari. Travel to Namibia which is a new adventure capital.
• Take the new express train in China, which travels from either Beijing or Shanghai, all the way to Lhasa in Tibet. The compartments even have oxygen to help you breathe at altitude.
• Bhutan and Myanmar are two must see destinations.

There was a lot to see at the expo, and in between the guest lectures I found time to visit with some of the exhibitors. Here is a brief list of some interesting companies and things that are going on:

1. Museyon Guides has come up with a concept that pairs interests with travel. Check out their Music + Travel, and Film + Travel guides.

2. Contiki, a tour company specializing in trips for 18-35 year-olds (I just make the cut on this), has some fun new trips coming up for Summer 2010. I asked Jennifer Dimucci, a sales manager with the company, how one becomes a trip leader? Out of hundreds of applicants, they only choose a couple new leaders each year. It's a mix of luck and previous experience. Do you have what it takes to be a trip leader? Check out their jobs section to apply, cross some fingers and toes, find a four leaf clover, and start building up some karma points.

3. Cactus is an organization that arranges language trips abroad. It's way more fun to learn Italian in Rome, than online or listening to CD's.



4. Travel Daddy is a social networking site where you can find activity buddies while on the road. I tend to meet people in local hostels, but if you had a larger trip planned and wanted to find people ahead of time, this is a good way to do it.

5. If you are an adventurer with a some money saved up, why not take a cruise to the North Pole. Expedition Cruises run two week trips which give you anywhere from twelve to twenty four hours on the North Pole. They do not guarantee that you will find Santa Claus, but you can try.



6. My favorite booth was that of the Jamaican dog sled team. Yes, you read that correctly! The movie Cool Runnings brought us the story of the Jamaican bobsled team, and now Newton Marshall will compete in the 2010 Iditarod trail sled dog race across Alaska. I'm from Canada, and I don't even like the cold. Good luck Newton and team Jamaica.

I really enjoyed my two days at the expo, meeting tour operators, tourism agencies, and listening to stories from guest lecturers. I will definitely attend the event next year when it comes to town, but right now I have my eye set on something bigger. Next week, Quebec will play host to the Adventure Travel World Summit. This looks amazing.

The Adventures In Travel Expo: Day 1

The tag line for the two day Adventures in Travel Expo is "The Show For Real Travelers." What exactly makes a real traveler? Is it number of countries visited, exotic locations, travel style? The aim of the show is to bring together consumers and companies of the travel trade, ranging from trip operators to tourism bureaus. Throw in some celebrity speakers, and it becomes a go to place for anyone who is interested in travel, both domestic and abroad. Armed with a camera and press pass, I decided that it was worth checking out. The show will be at New York City's Javitz Center through October 11th, and will then be moving to Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and Seattle.

The show is a mix of everything to do with the travel industry. The event space is broken down into geographic areas such as Africa, Latin America, Asia/South Pacific, and the Caribbean. There are tourism bureaus from countries such as Thailand, Mexico, Malaysia, and Israel. Then there are the numerous tour operators, airlines, magazines, book publishers, and even a mini rock wall if you feel like getting a bird's eye view of the event.

You could easily spend a full day here. I spent more than six hours speaking to the numerous exhibitors that peaked my interest, and I only covered about half the show. Then again, I'm addicted to travel and everything looks fun to me. I'll be profiling some of the exhibitors in the future, but here are the highlights from day one at the Adventures in Travel Expo:



1. G.A.P Adventures has launched a partnership with the Discovery Channel, and has created Discovery Adventures which are new trips based on featured destinations from the Discovery Channel.



2. Arthur Frommer, founder of Frommer's Travel Guides, shared his tips on budget travel. He spoke about Exploritas and ElderHostel. If you're looking for mature trips that combine grandparent and children travel, this could be a good option. Untours for un-tourists, is where you can book furnished apartments in major cities around the world. Now is a good time to visit China on the cheap with Chinaspree. Ho Chi Minh City is one of the cheapest places to live as an ex-patriot. Iceland, Ireland, and Italy (dubbed the Three I's), are the latest destinations in budget travel. Take advantage of Eurofly for cheap flights to Italy. The Caribbean and Mexico are practically giving away package holidays this time of year. Vacmart is a good place to check for specials. And my favorite special, the U.S. Virgin Islands are promoting twenty five cent per night hotel rooms, in honor of a new commemorative quarter by the U.S. Mint. Go to bookit to take advantage of this. Not only did Arthur give an informative talk, he also signed a copy of his new book for me, conveniently titled Ask Arthur Frommer: And Travel Better, Cheaper, Smarter.



3. Holly Morris, writer, travel show host, and producer, spoke about her work with the Globe Trekker series, Adventure Divas, and her favorite places to visit. Funny enough, one of these locations is the Cascade Range in North America.



4. I took a trip back in time by visiting with the guys from Witch's Rock Surf Camp. Located in Tamarindo, Costa Rica, this is the place where I originally learned how to surf. The camp has expanded and they are now running surf trips to other countries. If you've always wanted to learn how to surf, and have a week's vacation to spare, this is the place to go.

5. AFAR is hands down the coolest travel magazine on the market. I just read their premier issue cover to cover, and I'm hooked. It's a bi-monthly publication that has profiled travel in a new way. The one section that caught my eye is Spin the Globe, whereby they ship a writer off to a new destination unknown to them. It makes for a good story, trust me.

6. The online hostel booking site Hostels Club, is running two specials at the moment. If you are a citizen of either the US, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand, and traveling to Europe, go to www.hostelsclub.com/strongdollar, and you'll only be charged in US dollars for the Euro equivalent. Meaning, a dorm bed that costs fifteen Euros, will only cost you fifteen USD. If you go to www.hostelsclub.com/mytrip, you'll only pay a one time registration fee for life as long as you continue to book with the same email address.

If you can't make it to the Adventures in Travel Expo in New York, or one of the other cities on their tour, you can see a list of the exhibitors online. Check back tomorrow for a report about day two at the show.

A Crazy Travel Deal From JetBlue

For all those travelers coming to the US in September/October, and for those of you who live in North America, JetBlue airways has announced a crazy deal. Get this, for $599 you can purchase an All-You-Can-Jet pass, valid from September 8th to October 8th. This price includes all taxes for US flights (excluding Puerto Rico), but not for International travel. The pass is on sale through August 21st. Sweet deal, right? I dare you to take a flight a day for thirty days.

I am a recent Continental Airlines convert, but my second airline love is JetBlue, and you can't beat this deal. So for all you unemployed people out there with a little savings, take advantage of your free time.

Los Angeles and the Left Coast

It always amazes me that people want to move out to Los Angeles. Okay, so the weather is pretty good, but doesn't anyone ever think about the traffic? My friends that have lived there a long time, all tell me that you get used to driving at least an hour to and from work each day. That's way too much time spent in the car if you ask me, and it's not exactly helping to reduce our carbon footprint. I guess the key is to try and live somewhat close to where you are going to work. But what happens when you want to meet up with friends who live in another area? It doesn't seem uncommon to drive an hour out of your way to hang out with friends at a bar. I'm not saying LA is a bad place, it just takes a certain kind of person to want to live there, and I'm just not that type of person. Sorry LA. I have a hard time living in a place where it seems that everyone either wants to be famous, or hang out with famous people. But this is really Hollywood that we're talking about, so aside from Hollywood, I can manage. I do happen to really like Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice, Redondo and Hermosa beaches, and of course, the jewel that is the city of Long Beach (LBC).

It's actually pretty funny, but if it wasn't for a trip to Southeast Asia in 2005, I probably wouldn't have discovered Long Beach. Strange statement right? I met a group of super cool girls at the entrance to Angkor Wat, and the rest was history. I spent about a week traveling with them in Siem Reap, and the beaches of Southern Thailand. I guess there are just some people who you meet while traveling that simply become family. My friends, or I should say my new extended family in Long Beach are: Erin, Danielle, Nicole, Greg, and Hal. As long as they are living in LBC, I'll always make the trip to visit them, and that's just what I did this past Spring.

I flew from Newark to LAX airport on Continental Airlines, and met up with my friend Jonathan who recently made the move from New York to Los Angeles. He started his own clothing business, and just loves the weather and girls. So he's an example of someone who loves LA. We spent the day driving around downtown LA, visiting some old work colleagues, and taking advantage of some authentic Mexican tacos. Apparently I have an Argentinian accent when I speak Spanish, or at least that is what the woman at the taco restaurant said to me. She thought it was hilarious. I didn't really get the joke. I was just happy that she understood me. After a solid afternoon of touring downtown, I met up with Greg and we drove the forty five minutes south to Long Beach.



Greg and Danielle are two of my favorite people. Greg works at Capitol Records in LA, and Danielle is a real estate agent. If I had to decorate a house, I would hire Danielle. Their place has tons of plants, and art from all over the world. They are always such great hosts, and make it so that I never want to leave. Since we first met in 2005, I think I've gone to visit them about a dozen times. I keep asking them to come visit me so I can return the favor, but I'm still waiting. Hint hint, nudge nudge. But I guess I need to be a permanent residence first!



The next day I spent hanging out with Greg at the iconic Capitol Records building in Hollywood. I visited the studios and got an amazing tour of the building and archives along with my childhood friend Christian (who is also known as the comedic genius behind the blog and NY Times best selling book Stuff White People Like), who recently moved out to LA. The view from the top of the building was stunning, and I was able to see the Hollywood hills, and all the way to high rises of downtown. One highlight was getting to sit in Frank Sinatra's old chair in Studio A where he recorded some of his most famous songs.



That evening I got my first tour of downtown LA at nighttime. I have to say, I was pretty blown away with the diversity of fun bars and places to go. I usually go out in Hollywood, but I'm thinking downtown is the new place to be. We started the evening at the Edison Room, which is probably the largest bar I have ever been to. I'm not even slightly exaggerating. Converted from an old electric plant, you feel like you're entering into the nineteen thirties when you walk down the stairs, and the bar just opens up before you. With massive ceilings, sofas, and old power plant paraphernalia, you feel like you're stuck in a time warp. One of the coolest things about this bar is that they give you a token to buy a thirty-five cent drink at the bar, going back to the depression era prices. They also have a soup kitchen with cheap food on Fridays, and live music on Thursdays. Why can't all bars do this now that we are officially back in a depression? From the Edison room we went to get some food at Wurstkuche. Recommended by Val as the best exotic sausage joint in LA, we drove about ten minutes to a random side street in the historic arts area. Val wasn't lying, the sausages were exotic and damn tasty. I had a grilled rattlesnake and rabbit sausage with jalapenos! I also tried the duck, bacon, and jalapeno sausage, which might have been a little better, but it was too close to call. The place is an artsy hipster style restaurant with a back room filled with modern picnic tables and a huge list of imported Belgian and German beer. It's great for a group of people, and I will definitely go back. After a late night bite, we went to some pirate bar, no joke, with the worst music I have ever heard. It was so bad that I won't even tell you the name or where it is. Actually, I think I blocked it from my memory. From here we decided to go to the Seven Grand whiskey bar, a Scotch lovers dream come true. The decor was amazing with tartan plaid wall paper and rugs, pool tables, and a whole lot of deer heads mounted on the wall. The whiskey menu was long, and we sampled some rare treats. Thanks to Greg for treating. Let's just say the prices were a tad more than in Southeast Asia.





The next two days I chilled with my friend Erin in downtown Long Beach. She is a furniture designer and painter, who is involved in the thriving art scene in LBC. She lives in a converted loft and is involved in a new collective called R U Long Beach, that is doing some amazing and cutting edge work with artists in the city. We spent our days biking along the boardwalk on the beach, and through the downtown area. Most people who visit the LA area will probably never come to Long Beach. I'm guessing that the locals like it this way, but I'll give you a little inside tip. The bar and restaurants are great, there is a great art scene, and it's a little less crowded than the areas immediately surrounding LA. One night we did leave the comfort of LBC, and made the trip to Santa Monica to celebrate my friend Jonathan's birthday at a great bar called Air Conditioned. There are several locations of this bar, Venice Beach being the better spot in my opinion, but we had fun, and seemed to take over the whole place.



In addition to visiting old friends, one of the main reasons I went to the LA area on this trip was to attend the Expo West natural products trade show. Just picture aisles and aisles of every food and beverage company imaginable. The focus is organic, quality foods and products, that you would find in a place like Whole Foods. I spent two days eating and drinking my way to heaven, and also got to check out a free concert by G Love and the Special Sauce, a Philadelphia native who played a mix of blues, soul, and funk music.

If you've never been to LA before, here are my recommendations. For a cool place to stay, check out the Standard Hotel in either downtown LA or Hollywood. It's a boutique hotel where I've stayed many times for work, but you definitely get a sense of the scene that is LA, especially if you attend the pool party on the roof of the downtown location. If you want to stay on the beach, go to the Georgian Hotel in Santa Monica. It's a tiny, cute, art deco hotel built in 1933, and has housed some of the old Hollywood royalty back in the day. One of the rooms is supposedly haunted...boo. This is usually where I stay when I come to LA, and I give it four thumbs up (two from me, and two from the ghost of the Georgian).

I love walking the boardwalk along the beach in Venice and Santa Monica. The Third street promenade in Santa Monica is great with tons of stores and restaurants. Definitely a place to people watch. It reminds me a lot of Lincoln Road in South Beach Miami. I also enjoy walking the Santa Monica pier with its massive Ferris wheel. I would walk down Melrose Avenue and check out the stores if you're into shopping. Fred Segal has the trendiest of the trendy clothing. If you like to surf, Malibu is good, so is Redondo and Hermosa beaches. If you want to drive a little further south to Huntington Beach, there are usually good waves there as well.

For food, my top pic is the Palms Thai restaurant in Thai town on Hollywood Boulevard. I have to thank David and Chris at Original Penguin for taking me there many years ago. The place moved locations several years ago, and although the old location had a better atmosphere, it's still fun to eat a meal while being serenaded by live musicians such as Thai Elvis, who does a great rendition of Love Me Tender. For burgers I would check out Father's Office in Santa Monica. I also really love In-N-Out Burger. I know it's fast food, but it's damn good, and you can only get it on the West coast. The fact that they have a secret menu makes it that much cooler. I always order my burger "animal style." I'll let you find out for yourself if you don't know what that is. Erin and I got some late night burgers after Jon's birthday in Santa Monica, and they were that much better at one in the morning.

I don't think I'll ever move to LA, but I will always come to visit friends. A big thanks to Greg, Danielle, Erin, and Jonathan, for their amazing hospitality on this trip. Hal, you're on my list next time I visit.

To see a little more, here are my photos from Los Angeles.

Atlanta, and a little southern hospitality

Atlanta, home of Coca-Cola, the 1996 Summer Olympics, and some of the hottest weather I've ever experienced in my life. People refer to the city as Hotlanta during the Summer months, due to the ridiculous humidity, but visit in the Winter or Spring and you're good to go. After my trip to Toronto, I decided to visit my uncle, aunt, and cousin who live in Atlanta and, who swear it's the greatest city in the US. I'll tell you this, the city is great, but with their hospitality, it is quite possibly the best place to visit.

I flew in on Continental Airlines for a long weekend, and stayed with my cousin Shawn. It was just my luck that the famous Steamhouse Oyster Festival was going on the same weekend. The Steamhouse bar and restaurant has been putting on the festival for years, originally in the Buckhead neighborhood, and now at their location in Midtown. The streets are blocked off, there's live music, beer, and tons of oysters! The festival was on February 21st and 22nd, and we were out in jeans and a tee shirt. Couldn't beat the winter weather.



If you can believe this, at a bar nearby Oyster Fest, I ran into Chris, who is a guy I met on Ko Phi Phi, in Thailand. I think we were both shocked to see each other. Out of all the cities and places in the world! Chris was great, and even invited us out to his loft for a party later that night. I tried my hand at DJ'ing, and had so much fun.



The rest of the trip was spent doing normal weekend activities. I went running in Piedmont Park, which has beautiful botanical gardens in the heart of Midtown Atlanta. I relaxed, and caught up with family. I also had brunch at the best spot in the city. Next time you visit, make sure you hit up Ria's Bluebird Cafe in Grant Park. Try the cheese grits, and pecan pancakes...yum. Thanks to My friend Meg for this suggestion.




Some other good places to visit in Atlanta include, the trendy/artsy area of Little Five Points, Decatur, the nightlife around Buckhead, and the Highlands. For some good Southern soul food, check out Son's Place restaurant, not far from Little Five Points.



Since my cousin is an Atlanta native, I asked to get his top pics on what do to and where to go. Here are his suggestions:

Food:

- Italian: Soto Soto.

- Mexican Tacos: El Ray Del Taco and La Fonda.

- Steak House: Hals, and Bones.

- Sushi: MF (Magic Fingers) Sushi.

- Southern Food: JCT (Junction) and Sons.

- Barbeque: Fat Matt's and Abdulla's (the owner was Abdulla the butcher, the former WWE wrestler).
- 5 star dining: Aria, Rathbauns, and Bacchanalia.
- Asia or Spanish food: Any place on Buford Highway.

Nightlife:

- Party Areas:

• Midtown (Crescent Ave and surrounding areas)
• Clubs - Opera, Leopard Lounge, and Cosmo/Lava
• Bars - Twisted Taco and Steam House
• Buckhead
  
• Clubs - Tongue and Grove, East Andrews
• Bars - Tin Lizzys, 5 Paces
• East Atlanta
• Bar - Flat Iron

- Happy Hour: Tin Lizzy's (Buckhead)

Other Activities:

- Atlanta Braves baseball day game. Buy a cheap ticket and go to the Budweiser Pavilion.
- Atlanta Falcons football night game. Buy a club ticket and enjoy the game in style.
- UGA Saturday afternoon college football game. Buy any ticket, and sit in the student section.

- Decatur Beer Festival.
- Halloween in Little 5 Points.

Does anyone else have good suggestions on what to do and where to go in Atlanta?

To see a little more, here are some photos from my trip to Atlanta.

My Ultimate New York

New York City, that's where I call home. As with many others, the city put a spell on me when I arrived in the Spring of 2002. By the end of 2007, I decided that I needed to see the world to determine if there was a better city out there to live in while being somewhat young, and to be honest, I still haven't found one.

While traveling, I met many backpackers on a classic around the world trip, that would bring them at some point through New York City. When they found out that I used to live in Manhattan, I was immediately asked a million questions on what to see and do. This is a subject I could talk about for hours, and I was always writing down suggestions on scraps of paper. Most of my suggestions are away from the main tourist areas and are things that I would like to do while living in the city.

Note: This is for people that don't want the Times Square and typical guide book tourist experience.

Without further ado, here are my top things to do, see, eat, and places to go in New York City...and that includes the boroughs too.

Where To Stay:

This is probably one of the most overlooked criteria for having a great New York experience. I get it, NYC lodging is expensive, so you do have to stay where you can find a decent rate, but you could also spend more money on taxi fare late at night if you end up staying far away from the action. My suggestion, stay below 42nd street. The further south the better. If you're looking for a hostel, stay at Jazz On The Town, which is on E. 14th Street at 2nd Avenue. Forget staying on the Upper East or West Sides. All the good action is around Union Square, the East and West Villages, Lower East Side, and the Meat Packing District. All of these areas are from 14th Street and south. Can't afford the $40 hostel bed, try staying on a stranger's couch with Couch Surfing.

Walking Tours:

Downtown Broadway

• Start at Madison Square Park, located at Broadway and 23rd Street. Take in the famous Flatiron Building, and don't forget to try some tasty treats at the Shake Shack, located on the south side of the park.


• Walk down Broadway (street numbers get smaller), through the Flatiron district, until you reach Union Square. You'll pass right by ABC Carpet and Home, which is one of the coolest stores in NYC.


• At Union Square, take a seat on a bench, or on the steps at the south side of the park along 14th Street, and just people watch for at least a half hour. On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, there is the Green Market farmer's market, where you can get the best organic produce from local farms outside of the city. To get a bite to eat, check out the outdoor patio at Coffee Shop on the west side of the square. If you have some time and want to shop, there is also the complex along 14th Street, with the super cheap Filene's Basement, DSW, and Whole Foods.


• Continue South along Broadway until you get to 8th Street. You now have several options that might add some time to your day.


• Option 1: Head east along E. 8th Street, to visit the artsy East Village (and also my favorite neighborhood, and former residence in NYC). You'll pass by Astor Place, and then continue down St. Marks Street to Tompkins Square Park, located at St. Marks and Avenue A. You'll pass by my favorite brunch place called Cafe Orlin, and will finish at my favorite cheap sushi restaurant called Sushi Lounge.


• Option 2: Head west along W. 4th Street, to visit Greenwich Village's Washington Square Park (a must), and then further along to see the trendy West Village. Walking Bleeker Street is a great option as well. If you get hungry for some cupcakes, stop at Magnolia Bakery.


• After your detour, continue south again, down Broadway towards Houston Street (pronounced Howston street, not like the city in Texas). This is where some of my favorite architecture in New York city lies. Take your time and look up. The buildings get even nicer once you cross over Houston and are officially in the neighborhood of SoHo (South of Houston, in case you were wondering).


• Take a side detour and head west along Prince and Spring Streets, to check out the shops and art galleries.


• Back on Broadway, continue south to Canal Street and Chinatown. Hang a left (go east) on Canal Street and check out the shops and fake designer knock-offs for sale. Walk until you get to Mott Street and head right (south) along my favorite street in Chinatown. This is where some great restaurants are located, including Wo Hop at the corner of Mott and Worth Streets. My first apartment in NYC was right on this corner, and coincidentally on the famous Five Points. If you don't know about the Five Points, check out the movie Gangs of New York.


• Head west on Worth Street for one block, and then make a right (go north) at Mulberry Street. You'll pass by my favorite dumpling restaurant, called Tasty Dumpling (go figure), across from the park.


• Take Mulberry several blocks, back up to Canal Street, and once you cross over Canal, you'll be in the heart of Little Italy. Once you get here, relax after a long day, and get a bite to eat, "family style" at Casa Bella Ristorante. If you're around at the end of September, check out the Feast of San Gennaro street festival. One of my favorite things to do each year. Don't forget to try the deep fried Oreos.


• Finally, take a taxi or the subway, and go home. You should be exhausted by this point.
  

The Romantic Walk (date night)

• Take the A or C subway line from Manhattan to the High Street stop just across the East river, in Brooklyn.


• Exit the station and look for (or ask directions to) Old Fulton Street, directly under the Brooklyn Bridge.


• Head to Grimaldi's Pizzeria to share a classic large pizza pie from a coal brick oven.


• After dinner, walk down to the pier to take in the Manhattan skyline at night. Don't forget to get some desert at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, right on the waterfront.


• Then walk back up Old Fulton Street to the pedestrian entrance of the Brooklyn Bridge, and take a stroll along the famous bridge towards City Hall, while gazing at the lights ahead of you.

If you book early enough in advance, you can even get a free tour of New York by a volunteer tour guide. Check out Big Apple Greeter. They'll take you where you want to go, and it's a private guide for free, what a deal. They just want to make sure you have a great time in New York.

Parks:

• Central Park. If it's summer time, bring a blanket, picnic basket, and a frisbee, and hang out in Sheep's Meadow. Check out the dancing rollerbladers/rollerskaters on the east side of Sheep's Meadow near the beach volleyball courts. In the summertime there are free concerts at Summer Stage. The New York Philharmonic also has several summer shows on the Great Lawn.


• Prospect Park. Located next to Park Slope and Prospect Heights in Brooklyn, it's almost as big as Central Park, but not as busy. You can actually relax and bbq if you want to. There are also free shows in the summertime similar to Central Park.

Museums:

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met). Located on 5th Avenue, in Central Park. I think it's the best museum in the world, but that's just my opinion. The good news is that it's pay what you can by suggested donation. Most people don't know this, but you can give $1 if that's what you can afford.


• Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Located on W. 53rd Street, near the 5th Avenue. It's actually free on Fridays after 4 pm.


• PS 1. Located in Long Island City, Queens, in an old public school building (public school #1) that was converted into a modern art gallery, and is run by MoMA. Head there on Saturday afternoons in the summer for the Warm Up parties.


• The Cloisters. Located in the upper northwest corner of Manhattan, The Cloisters is an oasis in the city. It's a medieval museum with outdoor gardens. Go in the summertime and bring a book. It's also run by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, so the entry fee is a suggested donation as well.

Summertime Spots:

• Warm Up at PS 1. Saturday afternoons at the PS 1 art gallery in Long Island City. There are DJs spinning funky house beats in the courtyard entrance to the gallery. All the cool kids are here.


• 79th Street Boat Basin. Located on the Hudson River at W. 79th Street. Eat amazing burgers and drink some cold beers while watching the sunset over the Hudson River and New Jersey.


• Harry's Water Taxi Beach. Also located in Long Island City, this is a man-made beach that overlooks Manhattan from the East River. Another great place to grab some bbq and beer and soak up the sun. It's not far from PS 1, and this becomes the after party from the Warm Up party on Saturday night.


• Summerstage. Free concerts in Central Park.


• Bohemian Hall Beer Garden. European style beer garden at it's finest. Located in a huge outdoor space in Astoria, Queens. It's worth the subway ride.

Restaurants and Good Eats:

Best Brunch (midday meal essential for New Yorkers on the weekends)

• Cafe Orlin - Located on St. Marks Street in the East Village. You have to try their goat cheese and tomato omelet, bagel with lox and cream cheese, and their eggs benedict combinations. It's also great for dinner. Prices around $10-15 a meal. You might even spot a celebrity sitting on the patio, but New Yorkers don't care about this, so don't stare.

Best Burger

• Corner Bistro - Located on W. 4th Street, in the West Village. The place is an institution, and hands down the best burger in Manhattan. It's a laid back bar, so get some beers and undo your belt buckle a notch.

Best Pizza

• Lombardi's - Arguably the best traditional Italian pizza in New York. It's located on Spring Street in Little Italy.

Best Cheap Sushi

• Sushi Lounge - On the corner of St. Marks Street and Avenue A in the East Village. Best value sushi in Manhattan without a doubt. Crazy combination rolls, and an amazing happy hour after 10 pm. You can't argue with $6 pitchers of Kirin beer and $2 Saketinis.

Favorite Dinner spots

• Panna II Indian Restaurant. This place is packed in with all the other cheap Indian restaurants at E. 6th Street and 1st Avenue in the East Village. Just walk the block of E. 6th from 1st to 2nd Aves and you'll see what I mean. There are chili lights, $10 three course meals, and it's B.Y.O.B, so you can't complain about the price. The food is actually really good, but there is a running joke that all the restaurants on this street share the same kitchen. If it's your birthday you get an extra special treat.


• Awash Ethiopian Restaurant. Great Ethiopian food also located among the Indian restaurants on E. 6th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues in the East Village. Eat with your hands and leave stuffed for $20.


• Frank's. Homemade Italian food. Some of the best in the East Village. Also check out Little Frankie's and Supper, all by the same owner, and within walking distance of each other. Somewhat pricey, but not too bad.


• Il Buco. Another amazing Italian restaurant on the cobblestoned Bond Street in NoLita (north of Little Italy). The place is cozy and is filled with antiques. A great place for a romantic dinner or a night out with a group. Pricey but worth it.


• Bond St (6 Bond Street). Located in NoLita/East Village. If you have cash to burn, this is my favorite Sushi place in New York City. For great sushi, I also really like Blue Ribbon, and Nobu. These are all expensive restaurants, but well worth it.


• SEA Thai restaurant and Bistro. Located in Willamsburg, Brooklyn. A huge restaurant with amazing decor, and cheap food. Don't pass this up if you visit Willamsburg, and you should.


• Al Di La. Amazing Northern Italian food on 5th Avenue, in Park Slope. This street has some of the best eats in Brooklyn.

Dive Bars (rock 'n' roll, jukebox, pool table, and cheap booze):

• Blue and Gold Tavern. Located on E. 7th Street in the East Village, and my favorite bar in New York. For $5 you can get a shot of whiskey and a beer. This was the my first local hangout, and an institution for me.


• Cherry Tavern. Located on E. 6th Street in the East Village. Get a Tecate beer and a shot of Tequila for $5 as well.


• 7 B. Located at the corner of E. 7th Street and Avenue B in the East Village. Play a game of Big Buck Hunter while chugging a beer.


• Darkroom Bar. Located on Ludlow Street in the LES (Lower East Side). Best place to dance late night. Ludlow has amazing bars within a two block radius.


• Max Fish. Located on Ludlow Street in the LES, right across from Darkroom Bar.


• Mc Sorley's Old Ale House. Located on E. 7th Street in the East Village, it's the oldest bar in New York City, no joke. The place is a museum, they serve only two beers (their house light or dark), and there is sawdust on the floor to soak up the suds.

Nightlife:

• Turntables on the Hudson. Originally held on a pier and barge on the Hudson River, this party has had a number of venues over the last couple of years. It's still one of my favorite nights in New York.


• Bembe. A tiny Afro-Brazilian bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, that has cheap caiparhinas and a tiny dance floor to shake your booty.


• Sullivan Room. Great house music venue in Greenwich Village, but very small.


• Piano's. A small bar on Ludlow Street in the Lower East Side, with two floors and a music stage to see bands.


• Bowery Ballroom, Irving Plaza, and Mercury Lounge. Three venues to see live music.


• North Six. A great live music venue in Willamsburg, Brooklyn. Willamsburg actually has some of the best nightlife in NYC, check out Free Williamsburg for more info.


• Plan B. A good party bar in the East Village.

If you're after some serious clubs, head over to W. 27th Street near the Hudson. There you'll find venues such as Guest House, Home, and Pink Elephant. Not too far away is the Meat Packing District, which is another great area with cobblestone streets, and some of the best nightlife in NYC.

Shopping:

Depending on what you're looking for, there are numerous places to shop. For vintage clothes, check out the East Village. For designer clothes, go to SoHo, 5th Avenue, and the West Village. For a mix, shop Broadway south of Houston. And for discount clothing, you can't pass up the mecca of Century 21 in the Financial district.

There are plenty of other activities and sights that are cheap or free. Don't waste money on the ferry tour to the Statue of Liberty. Jump on the Staten Island Ferry for free, which goes right past the iconic statue. If you're around during baseball season, take in a Yankees game in the Bronx for about $10+ a ticket.

For the ultimate new york website, check out NewYorkology (credit goes to my friend Jodi from Legal Nomads who turned me onto this site). If you feel like meeting other New Yorkers for some activities, check out Meet Up.

If you're one of the lucky few to visit New York for New Years, and you need some suggestions on events and places to go, check out NOO for recommendations and tickets.

Okay, so this should keep you busy for a couple days, or a couple months. Good luck and enjoy one of the greatest cities in the world.

Traveling as a Canadian/American abroad

Both Julie and I wanted to write this post for a long time, and now that it's the U.S. Presidential elections, I can't think of a better opportunity to share my thoughts about traveling as a Canadian/American.

I should probably elaborate on the whole Canadian/American thing. I was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, and then moved to New York in the spring of 2002. Although I was raised in Canada, my parents are American, I am a citizen of both countries, and all my relatives live in the U.S.

I've always felt proud to be Canadian. I think many Canadians of my generation like to associate themselves with the fact that they aren't American. We're like the younger sibling to our stronger, older brother, the U.S. We need to have pride, and speak up a just a little bit louder. I think this is why Canadians like to travel with obscenely large flags on their backpacks. Most Canadians doing it will tell you that they don't want to be associated with Americans. First off, that says something about the state of the America's foreign policy. I think it is true that Canadians get treated better traveling abroad than Americans. Canada is seen as a peace-keeping nation, level-headed in world affairs and environmentally, fiscally and socially responsible. As opposed to the world view that America is kind of a bully these days. So I understand why Canadians travel with huge flags, and go out of their way to wear Maple Leafs hats (I'm guilty of this), and Roots clothing, which gives a subtle signal to another Canadian that you are part of the clan. While I understand the logic behind these tricks, I am not a fan of the obnoxiously large Canadian flags that scream, hey, I'm not an American. Because, being an American is not bad at all, and I've kind of become a little defensive these days. But it does show that the U.S. needs a public relations makeover, and the Presidential elections are the perfect opportunity.

I am proud to be a quasi-American. I probably wouldn't have felt that way before moving to New York. Manhattan showed me that every nationality under the sun could live together in harmony. Mayor Bloomberg restored faith in me that politicians could be honest and care about social issues. With considerable opposition, he banned smoking and trans fats in restaurants, all for betterment of society. So whenever we traveled and met South Americans, Australians, etc, I was proud to say that I grew up in Canada, but now call the U.S. my home. Even though the Republicans have ruined the economy, shot the deficit through the roof, and have made politics into a religious battle, I have so much faith that the U.S. can correct itself and be a leading example for the world.

Most Americans don't travel abroad, and I think this is a major problem. I have been fortunate enough to travel all over the world, and I've met more people abroad from New Zealand than from America, and New Zealand is tiny island nation of just of over four million people. If Americans only traveled and met people, they would show them that we're not all rednecks with guns and SUV's.

Until I went traveling, I didn't really understand how U.S. politics really affected the rest of the world. I assumed that countries followed the debates because every year it was turned into a huge media spectacle that you couldn't escape. Kind of like it was for me when CNN had 24/7 coverage of the OJ Simpson trial or the Jon Benet Ramsey murder, which I tried so hard to get away from. But I soon realized that the whole world is affected by the U.S. Presidential elections, and that is the reason every American should vote. Look at the state of the world's economy.

I've never really been preachy in my past posts, and I'm not telling you who to vote for, just that you go out and vote. If we are going to fix the country's and the world's economies, end war, and hopefully clean up America's image abroad, it needs to start on November 4th.

Oh yeah, Happy Halloween to all...broo ha ha ha ha ha.

If you need more incentive to do the right thing, check out this link to all the last minute craziness trying to stop registered voters from legitimately casting their ballots.

Back in the U.S.A.

Hello from Fiji! Before Jared and I tell you about our time here in paradise (seriously, Fiji is heaven on earth) let's look back on our quick jaunt to the good old U.S. of A. We spent 10 days seeing people we love and chowing down on all the food we'd been missing.

Jared and I don't plan too far in advance, so when Jared's sister offered us two free tickets to Houston for her graduation, we jumped at the chance to go home for a bit. We took advantage of some buddy passes and frequent flier tickets and mapped a frantic U.S. tour: first Houston, then Florida, New York, and finally Los Angeles.

We touched down in Houston after more than five months in South America. I couldn't help but immediately see the overconsumption that is prevalent in the States. Everywhere we looked we saw big SUVs, big houses, big portions of food. Then again, this was Texas, where everything is big.


We weren't in Houston to sightsee, we were there to see family. Jared's sister Rachel became one of the newest flight attendants in the skies, and we both gained a new respect for flight attendants. (Rachel can evacuate a plane in 90 seconds!) As a bonus, we got to stay with Jared's cousins Cindy, Todd, 3-year-old Jessica, and one-year-old Colin. Last time we saw Jessica she was only one, and this was our first time meeting Colin, who I wanted to take with me.


Our next stop was my hometown, West Palm Beach, Florida. Throughout our last few weeks in South America, I was growing more homesick by the day. Seeing my parents, grandparents, and best friends did more for my spirits than a stay at a five-star hotel. My parents are selling my childhood home, so next time I see them they will be living in Georgia. I gave my grandparents big hugs, because they are 81 and 90, and I can't take them for granted anymore. Jared and I even got to spend time with his grandmother Myra, who lives not far from my parents. Friends are the family you choose, so seeing Jen, Billy, Katie, Bill, Eileen, and Hope was as important as seeing my parents. (I just wish I had taken more pictures of everybody.) Take a look at Jared's photos from Houston and Florida.


Then it was on to New York City, which is still my favorite city in the world. We had 36 hours to see as many of our friends as possible. It was a chilly Tuesday night in the city, but a few friends came to meet us for dinner and karaoke, and even more came out later for drinks. Over salmon and avocado rolls at our old sushi joint, we all sang rousing versions of "Sweet Child O Mine" and "Bohemian Rhapsody". Being serenaded by Feldman was worth the price of admission. Jared and I had missed all our friends more than they know, and seeing them was worth the trip to New York.


The next day in New York, I realized I had lost my wallet. Somewhere between paying for the cab back to Maria's apartment the night before, and walking 10 blocks that morning, my wallet went missing. Both my debit cards and three credit cards were in my wallet, and I know better than to keep all that stuff in one place. As my favorite blogger would say, BE YE NOT SO STUPID. Now that I was back on familiar territory I had let my guard down, and I was paying the price. It's better to have lost my wallet in New York than in a foreign country, but still, this is not how I wanted to spend my one free day in the New York City. I wanted to spend my day getting lemon cupcakes from Buttercup Bake Shop.


Los Angeles was the last stop on our North American leg. We scored a great deal on a flight to New Zealand, via Fiji, at half the price we would have paid from South America. So by coming home, we actually saved $1600. Plus we got to spend time with our good friends Erin, Hal, Hasmik, Kareem, Noah, Greg, Danielle, and Jenni. We grilled on a sidewalk, soaked in a hot tub, and spent time enjoying the hospitality of our new and old friends. Our time in L.A. also coincided with Community Next, a conference founded by our friend Noah. (We were used to seeing Noah in boxers at his Buenos Aires apartment, so it was strange to see him in a suit.) Right before our flight, we even crashed a barbecue where the host, who only met us that day, made us an incredible lunch of root beer marinated pork chops and grilled eggplant. Check out our photos from New York and L.A.


Having seen lots of family and friends and satisfied my cravings for margaritas, buffalo wings, spinach dip, sushi, chocolate chip cookies, salt and vinegar chips, In-N-Out Burger, Ethiopian food, sushi, burritos, The Cheesecake Factory, cookie dough ice cream, and more sushi, Jared and I boarded our flight to Fiji. We left the states feeling happy, exhausted, and ready for another long leg of travel. Thank you to everyone who put us up, transported us to and from airports, fed us and came to see us. We appreciate it more than you know.

Safe travels, J & J.

P.S. GO YANKEES!