The Lowdown on Tacky Souvenirs and Christian Kitsch - Hautes-Pyrenees France I think it was Goethe who said that the imagination was man’s “deadliest enemy,” but how could that be so when all of us have dreamed up so many fabulous places to visit, celebrity people to admire, and unique pleasures to seek out. Even so, nightmares notwithstanding, we are all vaguely astonished when legend becomes reality and we actually arrive in a place we … [Read more...]
Archives for December 2013
In Search of the Elusive Trinidad Moruga Scorpion
After languidly hanging out on the beaches in and surrounding Maracas I headed across the island of Trinidad. This was no easy feat - I was told to expect treacherous roads and this was certainly a correct assessment. The first sign I reached said 18 km to a small town of Arima (my destination). After navigating this steep, wet, extremely narrow road - which was full of pot holes, some seemingly the size of small golf carts - and branches and … [Read more...]
Santa Barbara International Film Festival
Santa Barbaras Playful Version of Restaurant Week, Film Feast, Pairs Nicely with the Santa Barbara International Film Festival Santa Barbara, CA (December 20, 2013) Santa Barbaras Film Feast is a unique take on Restaurant Week. Coinciding with the 28th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) January 30th February 9th, 2014, Film Feast participants (restaurants, wine tasting rooms and hotels) offer special tasting menus … [Read more...]
Top 10 underrated beauty spots in Europe
Forget the stigma that some of Europe’s beach resorts have picked up over the years (Kevin and Perry, The Inbetweeners, Sun, Sex and Suspicious parents…), even the busiest islands have a diverse range of resorts to suit all tastes and their fair share of culturally significant tourist stops. Make sure you book your 2014 holiday now to get the best deals, and give yourself enough time to scour some European beauty spots. 1) Majorca Majorca is … [Read more...]
Travel Locally – It’s amazing what you can find nearby
I have travelled some in my life, flown to Europe, Central and South America and have driven across the country a few times. Just the formulation of a trip, pinning a picaresque photo on Pinterest even, can make me giddy. So it was with great surprise that I stumbled on a nearby destination, just as fulfilling and foreign as many of my more exotic jaunts: Big Bear Lake, a scant 100 miles from home. When you grow up in a big city, like Los … [Read more...]
Bolzano Christmas Market
Are you rushing around trying to finish your Christmas shopping? Can't find anything in the shops for love or money? Perhaps you are just looking in the wrong place – the High Street might be fine for boring stuff like perfume, socks and ties but for something a bit different, a quick hop over to one of the many European Christmas markets is bound to do the trick. With time now quite short, you will need to make sure you choose the right one and … [Read more...]
The World Sporting Capital – Melbourne
The world sporting capital is a title which may be contested by many cities. Yet when it comes to Australian sports events there is only one city to rule the roost. Melbourne, the self proclaimed world's sporting capital is never short of something to see. As a frequent traveller I often visit Melbourne, in Victoria, Australia. On planning my trip I will try to figure out what is going on and what to see in the world sporting capital. For … [Read more...]
Michelangelo Screenwriting Takes Writers on an Italian Odyssey
Los Angeles, CA—Michelangelo Screenwriting is an experiential travel retreat and writing program where screenwriters expand their creative capabilities against the backdrop of the Italian countryside. Founded in 2008 by UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television professor Paul Chitlik and UCLA alumnus Carlo Cavagna, Michelangelo Screenwriting developed from the idea that many screenwriters need to escape the distractions of their everyday … [Read more...]
Passage to Burma, by Scott Stulberg
Acclaimed Photographer Scott Stulberg has recently released a photography table top book - "Passage to Burma". This is a collection of vivid and often intimate looks into the second largest country in Southeast Asia - a country that the western world often knows little about - especially after it has been "closed" for half a century. This collection is based upon many trips he made to Burma over more than 10 years. It is a tribute and his love … [Read more...]
Puerto Princesa: Recommended Lodging, Eateries, and Sites
With 1,500 people a day arriving to see the sites in and around Puerto Princesa (Philippines), travelers need to know where to stay, what to eat, and where to visit. In the last twelve months, many new accommodation options have opened up including the boutique styled Acacia Tree Garden Hotel and Kamia Bay’s lovely resort. Long time restaurant favorites such as Ka Inato and Kina Buch continue to delight tourists and locals alike with tasty … [Read more...]