Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.gadling.com/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Next Must-Have Adventure Gear? The 'Invisible' Bike Helmet]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/the-next-must-have-adventure-gear-the-invisible-bike-helmet/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/the-next-must-have-adventure-gear-the-invisible-bike-helmet/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/the-next-must-have-adventure-gear-the-invisible-bike-helmet/#commentsFiled under: ,

The Hövding Invisible Bike Helmet
Hate traveling with a bulky, plastic bike helmet? Say hello to the Hövding Bike Helmet, an ingenious invention out of Sweden that takes up only a sliver of space in your luggage and activates only upon impact, much like a car's airbag.

Reminiscent of the zippered collar of an athletic jacket, the scarf-like Hövding contains a folded-up "invisible" nylon hood whose trigger mechanisms are controlled by sensors that pick up on the abnormal movements of the bike rider wearing it. The sensors are charged via USB port.

Continue reading The Next Must-Have Adventure Gear? The 'Invisible' Bike Helmet

The Next Must-Have Adventure Gear? The 'Invisible' Bike Helmet originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 25 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventurebikingdesignfashiongearswedentravel gearTravelGearFri, 25 May 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Iconic Absolut Vodka Ads On Exhibit at New Spiritmuseum in Sweden]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/iconic-absolut-vodka-ads-on-exhibit-at-new-spiritmuseum-in-swede/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/iconic-absolut-vodka-ads-on-exhibit-at-new-spiritmuseum-in-swede/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/iconic-absolut-vodka-ads-on-exhibit-at-new-spiritmuseum-in-swede/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Quick! What's the first thing you think about when you think about Sweden? If it's not IKEA, smorgasbords, or cold winters, then it's probably Absolut, the vodka brand whose bottle inspired 850 works of Pop art from 1986 to 2004. Now, 70 of the best of those works of art are to be featured at the Spiritmuseum.

Continue reading Iconic Absolut Vodka Ads On Exhibit at New Spiritmuseum in Sweden

Iconic Absolut Vodka Ads On Exhibit at New Spiritmuseum in Sweden originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 25 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andy warholAndyWarholartdrinkingkeith haringKeithHaringmuseumsspiritmuseumStockholmswedenvodkaFri, 25 May 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World's Largest Chocolate Sculpture To Go On Display In California]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/24/worlds-largest-chocolate-sculpture-to-go-on-display-in-californ/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/24/worlds-largest-chocolate-sculpture-to-go-on-display-in-californ/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/24/worlds-largest-chocolate-sculpture-to-go-on-display-in-californ/#commentsFiled under: ,

World's Largest Chocolate Sculpture
California dessert and pastry school Qzina has just broken the Guinness World Record for the World's Largest Chocolate Sculpture. Modeled after the Kukulcan Mayan pyramid in Chichen Itza, Mexico, the chocolate pyramid took more than 400 hours to construct and weighs 18,239 pounds.

Qzina's chocolate "architects" built an exact scale model of the Mayan temple to celebrate the school's 30th anniversary and to pay homage to 2012, the supposed end of the world according to some interpreters of the Mayan calendar. Measuring one-thirtieth the size of the original Mayan temple, the solid chocolate replica stands at six feet tall with a symmetrical base of 10 feet by 10 feet. Every last detail, from the number of steps up the sides of the temple to tiny figurines modeled to look like Mayan tribesmen, was created out of chocolate. More amazing photos of the chocolate pyramid are available in this Flickr set.

The chocolate sculpture goes on display on June 4, 2012, in the Qzina product showroom in Irvine, California, and will be destroyed on December 21, 2012, the last date on the Mayan calendar. "The method for destruction is yet to be determined," according to the Qzina website.

By the way, the previous world record for a sculpture made of chocolate was held by Italian chocolatier Mirco Della Vecchia, who built the Duomo of Milan out of 10,736.5 pounds of chocolate.

World's Largest Chocolate Sculpture To Go On Display In California originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 24 May 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>californiachocolatechocolate sculpturesChocolateSculpturesGuinness World RecordsGuinnessWorldRecordsNorth AmericaNorthAmericaunited statesUnitedStatesThu, 24 May 2012 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: Daredevil Russian Teens Film Their Insane Bridge Climb Above Russky Island]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/18/video-daredevil-russian-teens-film-their-insane-bridge-climb-ab/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/18/video-daredevil-russian-teens-film-their-insane-bridge-climb-ab/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/18/video-daredevil-russian-teens-film-their-insane-bridge-climb-ab/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Back in September, Gadling brought you news of Ukrainian teens capturing an insane bridge climb over the Moskovskyi Bridge in Kiev. But Russian teens recently topped this daredevil act with their own ascent of the recently completed Russky Island Bridge, which finally connects the very isolated island in eastern Russia with Vladivostok and the mainland.

Eighteen-year-old Raskalov, one of the Russian teens in the video, has devoted a blog to his extreme, free-climbing endeavors. The mind-blowing photos on his blog are from atop Russia's tallest structures and include gorgeous scenery of famous Moscow squares, glimpses of snowy Siberia and more.

We recommend you watch the following video while on solid ground else you may get vertigo.

Video: Daredevil Russian Teens Film Their Insane Bridge Climb Above Russky Island originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 18 May 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bridge climbingBridgeClimbingdaredevilextreme sportsExtremeSportsrussiarussian+bridge+climbrussianbridgeclimbRussky IslandRusskyIslandvideovladivostokFri, 18 May 2012 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Worst New Hybrid Words In The Travel Lexicon]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/18/the-worst-new-hybrid-words-in-the-travel-lexicon/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/18/the-worst-new-hybrid-words-in-the-travel-lexicon/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/18/the-worst-new-hybrid-words-in-the-travel-lexicon/#commentsFiled under:


This is the age of hybrids. We drive hybrid cars, we consume hybrid vegetables and our favorite love-to-hate celebrity couples have hybrid names.

The travel industry is rife with hybrid words. In every segment of travel, from backpacking to luxury travel, there lurks a new word ready to please with its practicality (voluntourism) or annoy with its clever mash-up of disparate terms (glamping).

We here at Gadling are always on the look out for new travel trends. But just because we report on trends like glamping and flashpacking doesn't mean that we like the way these words sound when they roll off our tongues (not to mention the way they activate the red squiggly lines on our spell-checkers). Following is a list of the Gadling crew's least favorite hybrid travel terms along with definitions:

[Photo: Flickr/Horia Varlan]

Continue reading The Worst New Hybrid Words In The Travel Lexicon

The Worst New Hybrid Words In The Travel Lexicon originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 18 May 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>babymoonbrocationdictionaryfakecationflashpackerFlashPackingglampinggrampingmancationminimoonnew travel termsNewTravelTermsoblicationstaycationvoluntourismFri, 18 May 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Best Island Photos From Instagram]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/14/the-best-island-photos-from-facebooks-instagram/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/14/the-best-island-photos-from-facebooks-instagram/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/14/the-best-island-photos-from-facebooks-instagram/#commentsFiled under: ,

Instagram frequently leaves me with a serious case of travel envy, particularly when my dashboard is filled with photos of islands. There they are: fringed with palms, festooned with colorful fishing fleets and bathed in the gold-pink light of sunset. Then come the rocky, overgrown and uninhabited islands, which poke out of the sea just for a photo op. Do they go back to sleep underwater when no humans are around? Perhaps my favorite island photo porn is the aerial shot so you can see every line, curve and undulation of the isle or isles below.

Following are some of the most awesome photos of islands that have popped up on Instagram recently. For more island inspiration, explore the #islands hashtag within the app or browse searchinstagram.com, which makes use of Instagram's API so that users can browse photos on their computer.


Kauai, Hawaii

Continue reading The Best Island Photos From Instagram

The Best Island Photos From Instagram originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 14 May 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>greeceiphoneographyislandskauaikey westKeyWestmaldivesphotosthailandMon, 14 May 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Museum Month: The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum In Washington, DC]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/12/museum-month-the-national-bonsai-and-penjing-museum-in-washington/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/12/museum-month-the-national-bonsai-and-penjing-museum-in-washington/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/12/museum-month-the-national-bonsai-and-penjing-museum-in-washington/#commentsFiled under: , ,

400-year-old bonsai at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum

Consider for a moment the events of 1625.

Dutch settlers in North America established the city of New Amsterdam, which would become, of course, New York City. Theaters throughout London closed for eight months due to an epidemic of bubonic plague. And somewhere in a studio or garden in Japan, a bonsai artist began training a Japanese White Pine, the very tree that would become the centerpiece of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in Washington, DC.

In 1976, thanks to Japan and its Bicentennial gift to the United States, the Department of Agriculture created the first museum in the world dedicated to the display of Japanese (bonsai) and Chinese (penjing) horticultural art. The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum now contains three pavilions - Chinese, Japanese and North American - with approximately 150 living sculptures interspersed with viewing stones (naturally shaped rocks that are the typical companions of bonsai) and strolling paths.

All manner of trees, from trident maples to California junipers are on view in miniature form in the museum. Highlights include a tree trained into the shape of a dragon; "Goshin," an artistic tree arrangement in the "forest style;" a shrunken, flat-topped Bald Cypress from the swamps of the American South; and the almost 400-year-old bonsai pine that is approximately the size of a front yard shrub. But what makes this museum a treat is its tranquility, a quality that is increasingly hard to find inside the Beltway. If you're looking for a moment of Zen, here's where to find it.

Gallery: The National Bonsai and Penjing Museum

Continue reading Museum Month: The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum In Washington, DC

Museum Month: The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum In Washington, DC originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 12 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bonsaimuseum monthMuseumMonthmuseumsnaturewashington dcWashingtonDcSat, 12 May 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Celebrate The Works Of Maurice Sendak In Philadelphia]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/08/celebrate-the-works-of-maurice-sendak-in-philadelphia/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/08/celebrate-the-works-of-maurice-sendak-in-philadelphia/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/08/celebrate-the-works-of-maurice-sendak-in-philadelphia/#commentsFiled under: ,

If I had to pinpoint my very first pang of wanderlust, my memories would take me all the way back to the age of 5 or 6, when I first learned about Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are." While the main character Max is sequestered in his bedroom without dinner, he conjures up images of a "ceiling hung with vines" and "sailing in and out of weeks" aboard a "private boat" to "where the wild things are." Sendak's prose evoked the exoticism of travel, and no doubt sparked my fantasies about paddling down the Amazon, battling monsters in medieval castles in Europe and waking up among wild things while on safari in South Africa. Even the feeling of being homesick, an affliction that all travelers go through at some point or another, befalls Max. So, he goes back home.

For fans of the writing and illustrations of Maurice Sendak, who died today at the age of 83, "home" is in Philadelphia at the Rosenbach Museum and Library. The artist felt a kinship with museum founder Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach and chose it to house his writings, including manuscripts and first editions of his books, and his distinctive artwork, which he realized in watercolor, pen-and-ink and pencil. In total, the Rosenbach Museum contains more than 10,000 pieces of art and stories ranging from the 1940s to the 21st century in the Maurice Sendak Collection. The Maurice Sendak Gallery on the first floor of the museum regularly displays notable ephemera from the collection.

[Getty Image: Spencer Platt]

Continue reading Celebrate The Works Of Maurice Sendak In Philadelphia

Celebrate The Works Of Maurice Sendak In Philadelphia originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 08 May 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Maurice SendakMauriceSendakmuseumsMuseums and galleriesMuseumsAndGalleriesphiladelphiarosenbach museumRosenbachMuseumWhere the Wild Things AreWhereTheWildThingsAreTue, 08 May 2012 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: Exercising Around The World]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/17/video-exercising-around-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/17/video-exercising-around-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/17/video-exercising-around-the-world/#commentsFiled under:

How do you stay fit while you travel? The hotel gym? Walking around sightseeing? Unless you're an adrenaline junkie, you probably don't put too much thought into exercising while you're on the road. So this video of NerdFitness.com blogger Steve Kamb exercising around the world provides a refreshing and practical look at how you can stay active anywhere.

Check out Steve warming up with jumping jacks in Bangkok; jumping rope in Shanghai; pounding out the push-ups at Machu Picchu; and doing vertical push-ups in front of the Guinness factory in Dublin. Yeah, this guy is good. Onward, we see Steve running in Monte Carlo; doing some jaw-dropping pull-ups in Santa Monica, California; and swimming in Puerto Rico.

In all, Steve traveled to 16 countries over 18 months and shot footage of himself exercising in all of them. While Steve's self-funded, round-the-world trip is impressive, I think the true moral of this story is that there's no reason you can't stay fit - or even get fitter - while on vacation. All you need is your body and some spectacular destinations for inspiration.

Video: Exercising Around The World originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>active travelActiveTravelexerciseexercisingfitnessnerdfitnessround the worldRoundTheWorldvideoTue, 17 Apr 2012 17:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Unique Food And History Tours Available On The Re-Launched Rama App]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/07/unique-food-and-history-tours-available-on-the-re-launched-rama/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/07/unique-food-and-history-tours-available-on-the-re-launched-rama/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/07/unique-food-and-history-tours-available-on-the-re-launched-rama/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Rama App
Going on a guided tour is one of the best ways to get to know a new city. But sometimes we just can't fit it into our itinerary. Perhaps the cost doesn't work within our budget, the timing doesn't fit with our schedule or the tour is already full. For these reasons, guided tour apps have become a favorite tool for traveling smart phone users.

The Rama app, which is known for quirky, focused history tours such as the Guillotine in Paris, America in London and Detroit's Skyscrapers, has re-launched with 31 unique food tours from around the world. A few I'd like to check out include Istanbul in Berlin, which explores the Turkish food scene in the German capital; Newcastle by Breakfast, which scopes out five of the best places in Newcastle for a full English breakfast; Little India Insider, a guide to South Asian eats in Jackson Heights, Queens; Dim Sum Stories, a food tour through Hong Kong; and Free Tapas in Madrid.

Local experts write all of Rama's history and food tours and many include offline maps for easy touring in places without a dependable 3G/4G of Wi-Fi connection. Tours are available as in-app purchases ranging from free to $2.99 and each comes with a useful introduction to let you know what you can expect before purchasing and embarking on the tour. For example, the food tours provide information on how much money you can expect to spend when sampling the local fare while the history tours give a time and distance estimate.

One refreshing aspect of the Rama app - at least for this writer - is that it gives users the opportunity to connect with the tour writers. Each "About the Author" section provides details on the writer's personal blog, background and provides his or her email address and, where applicable, Twitter handle. Imagine being able to contact your tour author with additional questions as you follow his tour! Sure, there's room for abuse here. But I think the personalization is a nice touch.

Rama is free in the iTunes store. Download it here.

Unique Food And History Tours Available On The Re-Launched Rama App originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsfood toursfood+tours+of+the+worldFoodToursfoodtoursoftheworldguided toursGuidedTourshistory toursHistoryToursiphoneramaSat, 07 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Visiting Synagogues Around The World]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/06/visiting-synagogues-around-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/06/visiting-synagogues-around-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/06/visiting-synagogues-around-the-world/#commentsFiled under:

Paradesi Synagogue in Cochin, India

Places of worship have long been points of interest for travelers. Solemn and usually quite ornate, these buildings provide a window onto a community's history and values and often give visitors a much-needed pause while pounding the sightseeing pavement. Cathedrals are typical for this kind of touring. But have you ever thought to pay a visit to a synagogue?

My fascination with exploring synagogues began on a trip to Willemstad, Curaçao, home of Mikvé Israel-Emanuel, the oldest active Jewish congregation in the Americas built in 1651. Several years later, I had the opportunity to visit the Paradesi Synagogue in Cochin, Kerala, India. Constructed in 1568, it is the oldest "active" synagogue in India - "active" because there are fewer than 20 Jews left in Cochin, most having emigrated to Israel. Coincidentally, I learned about the Jews of Cochin from an exhibit at the 6th and I Synagogue, a historic synagogue in Washington, DC, that is now used primarily as a community center and arts space.

The Jewish diaspora is thriving in many parts of the world. Yet in places like Cochin and Mumbai, the local Jewish community is dwindling, giving impetus to visiting some synagogues before they are shuttered or left to become museums. The following are some of the synagogues I have seen or wish to explore on my travels.

Gallery: Historic Synagogues

Neue Synagoge, BerlinBevis Marks Synagogue, LondonSinagoga de Córdoba in SpainSynagogue of CuraçaoInterior of Old Synagogue, Krakow

Visiting Synagogues Around The World originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>berlinbuenos airesBuenosAiresCochincordobacuracaojewishJudaicajudaismkeralaKrakowlondonnewportPassoverphotospraguereligionrhode islandRhodeIslandromeSt. PetersburgSt.PetersburgsynagoguesynagoguesVenicewashingtonwashington dcWashingtonDcFri, 06 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rome Set To Close Off Trevi Fountain, Charge Admission]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/01/rome-set-to-close-off-trevi-fountain-charge-admission/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/01/rome-set-to-close-off-trevi-fountain-charge-admission/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/01/rome-set-to-close-off-trevi-fountain-charge-admission/#comments As part of austerity measures enacted by the Italian Parliament this spring, the city of Rome will soon begin construction of a glass dome that will envelope the Trevi Fountain, one of that city's most iconic attractions. The dome, which will enclose the Palazzo Polli, the Baroque structure that serves as the backdrop of the famous fountain, and close off the cobblestone street Via delle Muratte, will allow the city to collect admission to the landmark.

"The fountain has always been free of charge," explains Gianni Bugiardo, an official with the Rome Tourism Board, "but it is also one of the top 10 things that tourists want to see. So, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to raise funds for the state and create a new tourist experience." This is not the first time that the Eternal City has sought to enclose one of its landmarks. In 2006, city officials re-opened the Ara Pacis, an ancient altar dedicated to Caesar Augustus, in a glassed-in pavilion designed by architect Richard Meier.

The plans to close off the Trevi Fountain have been met with controversy, of course, with many Romans arguing that the new structure will interfere with the ancient cityscape. On the contrary, Maria Dandolovia, who lives a coin's throw from the fountain, is upbeat about the project. "So many tourists come here in the middle of the night and try to re-create that famous scene from La Dolce Vita," Ms. Dandolovia says with a sigh. "Perhaps when they close off la fontana, I can finally get a good night's sleep."

[Image via Wikipedia]

Rome Set To Close Off Trevi Fountain, Charge Admission originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 01 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Sun, 01 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Room Key launches first international sites]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/23/room-key-launches-first-international-sites/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/23/room-key-launches-first-international-sites/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/23/room-key-launches-first-international-sites/#commentsFiled under: ,

Room Key, the hotel booking venture backed by six leading hotel brands, announced on Wednesday that it has expanded to include hotel inventory in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Partner hotels will be searchable on the RoomKey.com website and four new country-specific sites: www.roomkey.co.uk (UK), www.roomkey.ca (Canada), www.roomkey.com.au (Australia) and www.roomkey.co.nz (New Zealand).

When RoomKey.com launched in January 2012, it included only U.S. hotel listings from its six hotelier founders: Choice Hotels International, InterContinental Hotels Group, Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Marriott International and Wyndham Hotel Group. Within two months, Room Key has developed partnerships with Best Western as well as Preferred Hotel Group and Worldhotels, two hotel companies with a roster of hundreds of independently-owned luxury hotels, resorts and residences.

Room Key's super simple hotel search remains the same across all five of its portals. Though users can now view search results in the currency of their choice.

Photo courtesy RoomKey.com

Room Key launches first international sites originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accommodationshotel searchhotelsHotelSearchroom keyroom+key.comRoomKeyroomkey.comsearch enginesSearchEnginesFri, 23 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Andaz Wall Street wants to help you with your taxes]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/22/andaz-wall-street-wants-to-help-you-with-your-taxes/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/22/andaz-wall-street-wants-to-help-you-with-your-taxes/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/22/andaz-wall-street-wants-to-help-you-with-your-taxes/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Get help with your taxes from the Andaz Wall Street Someone on Wall Street wants to help you. No, really. The Andaz Wall Street has announced that it wants to help its guests with their taxes - free of charge.

From April 8 through the 15, Andaz guests, many of whom are time-pressed business travelers, will be able to take advantage of the services of Mr. Marc Albaum, who will live at the New York City hotel as its Accountant in Residence. The certified public accountant with more than 20 years of experience will set up shop for one week in the Buttonwood Suite, the Andaz Wall Street's premier guest room, which features separate areas for working and living quarters, two 42" LCD televisions and nine-foot windows with views of the East River. Andaz Wall Street guests can reserve a free, one-hour consultation with Albaum by sending an email to accountant@andaz.com at least 72 hours prior to the desired appointment time.

While Albaum can't prepare guests' tax forms in full - appointments are only an hour, after all - his goal is "to ensure that his clients do not overlook credits and deductions, and receive the maximum refund they are entitled to." Ideally, Andaz guests who meet with Albaum will aspire to book the Buttonwood Suite on future visits to Wall Street hotel. Let's hope their refunds are equal to or greater than $3,045, the average current rate for a stay in the Buttonwood Suite.

Photo Flickr/Dave Dugdale

Andaz Wall Street wants to help you with your taxes originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accountant in residenceAccountantInResidenceandazandaz wall streetAndazWallStreethotelsnew yorknew york citynew york city hotelsNewYorkNewYorkCityNewYorkCityHotelsNYCtaxeswall streetWallStreetThu, 22 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Travel Smarter 2012: Tips for improving your train travel]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/13/travel-smarter-2012-innovations-in-rail-travel/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/13/travel-smarter-2012-innovations-in-rail-travel/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/13/travel-smarter-2012-innovations-in-rail-travel/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


The railroad is the oldest, commercial mass transport of the modern age, predating the car and the airplane by at least 100 years. So how can train travel be smarter in 2012?

For starters, "the train takes less time total than all the preliminaries of air travel," says Margaret King, who regularly opts to take the train to New York City, DC, and Boston from her home in Philadelphia. "I can take plenty of luggage, with no extra fees; I can easily work aboard the train; [and there are] no security hassles."

From smartphone apps to help you plan and book your travel to a new crop of high-speed trains, train services across the globe have upgraded to appeal to frustrated air travelers and entice would-be drivers from their cars. Let's take a look at all the ways traveling by train is smarter in 2012.

Smartphone Apps
Name any national railway and there's likely an app that helps you find train schedules, get arrival and departure updates, and book seats. If you're traveling to Europe, you can download apps for the particularly country you may be visiting or get the free Rail Europe app. Though far from perfect (e.g., tickets purchased through the app are sent via email as an e-ticket or, given enough lead time, mailed, rather than existing digitally within the app itself), the Rail Europe app gives you information on timetables, stations, and more for 35 European countries. Amtrak has a similar app (also free) that includes a panel for Guest Rewards, a loyalty program that lets regular rail travelers earn points towards free trips. Round-the-world trekkers, particularly those that intend to city-hop, would do well to download AllSubway HD ($0.99), a database of more than 130 city subway maps.

Continue reading Travel Smarter 2012: Tips for improving your train travel

Travel Smarter 2012: Tips for improving your train travel originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Amtrakappsbudget-travelbullet trainBulletTrainfree wifiFreeWifihigh-speed railhigh-speed trainHigh-speedRailHigh-speedTrainhipmunktrain traveltrainsTrainTraveltransitpalTravelsmarter2012VIA RailViaRailwifiTue, 13 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Now open: Francis Ford Coppola's new hotel in Italy]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/07/now-open-francis-ford-coppolas-new-hotel-in-italy/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/07/now-open-francis-ford-coppolas-new-hotel-in-italy/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/07/now-open-francis-ford-coppolas-new-hotel-in-italy/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Francis Ford Coppola's new hotel in Italy

Francis Ford Coppola has been a hotelier for almost 20 years with properties in Belize, Guatemala and New Orleans. Now, the filmmaker and winemaker best known for his Godfather trilogy has finally opened a hotel in Italy. Palazzo Margherita, located in Coppola's ancestral home of Bernalda in the region of Basilicata, opened for business on March 1.

Set in a 19th century palazzo with interiors revamped with chandeliers, frescoes and tilework by Jacques Grange, Palazzo Margherita has just nine rooms, six in the building and three by the gardens in the palazzo's erstwhile stables. Amenities include a secluded pool, free Wi-Fi and a private theater with a library of 300 classic Italian films, Coppola's films excluded. The palazzo also has, according to the Financial Times, "the rights to open its own beach club on an as-yet undeveloped stretch, to which it will run a shuttle."

As one would expect with a Coppola-directed property in Italy, food plays a very important part of the Palazzo Margherita experience. Guests are encouraged to dine in the eat-in kitchen, which is outfitted with a table that seats 12, and to join the chefs in daily hands-on classes as they prepare the evening meal with locally grown ingredients. The hotel's wine list contains selections from Coppola's vineyards, Château Thuerry (Sofia Coppola's in-laws' estate in Provence) and other vintages from Basilicata and Puglia.

Rates at Palazzo Margherita range from pricy to pricier. We saw rates from €880 for two nights in a garden suite to €3,100 for the same time period in a palazzo suite. All rates include in-room beverages, breakfast and cooking lessons.

Now open: Francis Ford Coppola's new hotel in Italy originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>basilicataBernaldabernalda+italybernaldaitalyCoppola Resortscoppola+hotel+italycoppolahotelitalyCoppolaResortsfrancis ford coppolafrancis+ford+copollafrancis+ford+coppola+basilicata+hotelfrancisfordcopollaFrancisFordCoppolafrancisfordcoppolabasilicatahotelhotelsitalypalazzo+margheritapalazzo+margherita+coppolapalazzo+margherita+pricespalazzomargheritapalazzomargheritacoppolapalazzomargheritapricesWed, 07 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Exclusive tour lets you go inside the Russian Space Program]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/07/exclusive-tour-lets-you-go-inside-the-russian-space-program/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/07/exclusive-tour-lets-you-go-inside-the-russian-space-program/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/07/exclusive-tour-lets-you-go-inside-the-russian-space-program/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Exclusive tour lets you go inside the Russian Space Program

If you missed your chance to sign up for Space Camp or just want a closer look at the Russian approach to space exploration, an exclusive tour inside the Russian Space Program this fall may be for you. Operated by the Mir Corporation (no relation to the former Russian Space Station), Inside the Russian Space Program will give you a near-space experience with opportunities to see a manned Soyuz launch and tour a mock-up of the International Space Station (ISS), among other activities that are far beyond the reach of most travelers.

Continue reading Exclusive tour lets you go inside the Russian Space Program

Exclusive tour lets you go inside the Russian Space Program originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>luxuryRoscosmosrussiarussian space programrussian+space+newsrussianspacenewsRussianSpaceProgramspacespace campspace travelspace+programSpaceCampspaceprogramSpaceTravelWed, 07 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Special Saint Patrick's Day beers and where to get them]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/06/special-saint-patricks-day-beers-and-where-to-get-them/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/06/special-saint-patricks-day-beers-and-where-to-get-them/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/06/special-saint-patricks-day-beers-and-where-to-get-them/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Special Saint Patrick's Day beers and where to get them

With St. Patrick's Day quickly approaching, many microbreweries around the United States are starting to release their special Irish-inspired beers. Red ales, cream ales, and chocolate- and coffee-flavored stouts are making their annual debut, going head-to-foamy-head with the traditional St. Paddy's Day libation Guinness. Here is a roundup of some of the nation's St. Patrick's Day beers and where to get them.

Continue reading Special Saint Patrick's Day beers and where to get them

Special Saint Patrick's Day beers and where to get them originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beerbeer+for+st+patricks+daybeerforstpatricksdaybeers+for+st+patricks+daybeersforstpatricksdayholidaysirish+car+bombirishcarbombmicrobreweriesmicrobrewsNorth AmericaNorthAmericasaint+patricks+day+beersaintpatricksdaybeerst+patricks+day+beerst. patricks dayst.+patricks+day+beerSt.PatricksDayst.patricksdaybeerstpatricksdaybeerunited statesUnitedStatesTue, 06 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Vote for your favorite travel photo in Smithsonian Magazine's 9th annual photo contest]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/03/vote-for-your-favorite-travel-photo-in-smithsonian-magazines-9t/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/03/vote-for-your-favorite-travel-photo-in-smithsonian-magazines-9t/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/03/vote-for-your-favorite-travel-photo-in-smithsonian-magazines-9t/#commentsFiled under:

Vote for your favorite travel photo in Smithsonian Magazine's 9th annual photo contest

More than 14,000 photographers from 109 countries entered Smithsonian Magazine's photo contest this year and now the magazine is asking readers to cast their vote for the Readers' Choice favorite. From now until March 31, readers can log on to Smithsonian Magazine and choose the best photographs from five categories: Altered Images, Americana, The Natural World, People, and Travel.

We here at Gadling are loving the diversity of photos in the travel category. They range from pastoral images of fishing boats and young monks in Myanmar to colorful urban sprawl in India, weathered calm in Ethiopia to a moment of whimsy in South Africa. The striking photo pictured above shows Segways on tour in Valencia, Spain.

In all, there are 10 photos to vote on each of the five categories. Readers may vote once per day until the deadline on March 31, 2012. The winners will be published in a summer 2012 issue of Smithsonian Magazine.

Your travel photo didn't get selected as a finalist in the Smithsonian Magazine contest? Why not submit it to the Gadling Flickr pool? Your photo may just be our Photo of the Day.

Image by Marcel van Balken/Smithsonian Magazine

Vote for your favorite travel photo in Smithsonian Magazine's 9th annual photo contest originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 03 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>photo contestPhotoContestSmithsonian MagazineSmithsonian Magazine photo contestSmithsonianMagazineSmithsonianMagazinePhotoContesttravel photosTravelPhotosSat, 03 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[How to row across the ocean]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/21/how-to-row-across-the-ocean/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/21/how-to-row-across-the-ocean/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/21/how-to-row-across-the-ocean/#commentsFiled under: ,

How to row across the ocean

Over the weekend, the New York Times memorialized adventurer John Fairfax in the most awe-inspiring obituary ever written. In it, we learned that Mr. Fairfax had run away to the Amazon jungle at 13, then later worked as a pirate's apprentice out of Panama. But the main narrative of Mr. Fairfax's life was that he had rowed across not one, but two oceans: the Atlantic in 1969 and the Pacific in 1972. In fact, he was "the first lone oarsman in recorded history to traverse any ocean."

While ocean rowing sounds like a near impossible feat, there are still dozens of adventurers in pursuit of this challenge. Earlier this month, Gadling profiled the Pacific Rowing Race, which is set to take place in 2014 following a course from Monterey Bay, California to Honolulu, Hawaii. No doubt, the Ocean Rowing Society, the organization charged with the adjudication of all ocean rowing records and on whose steering committee John Fairfax was a member, will be on hand as rowers set out on their quest.

The Ocean Rowing Society devised a set of guidelines for ocean rowers in a meeting in 2000. The guidelines cover acceptable crossings for the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, definitions of assisted and unassisted rows, and minimum compulsory safety measures and equipment for undertaking an ocean row:
  • It is noted that Christopher Columbus' route from Spain to the Bahamas is the traditional Atlantic crossing route ("Departures from Cape Verde will be recognized as an Atlantic Ocean crossing with the words "shortened crossing" added to official listings.")
  • Auto-steering is optional.
  • Wind generators may be used.
  • Solar panels should be used for generating all electrical power on board the row boat.
  • Canopies are not allowed.
  • Ocean rowing is a drug-free sport.
Head over to the Ocean Rowing Society website to learn more.

Image Flickr/TrueFalseFilmFestival

How to row across the ocean originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventureAtlantic OceanAtlanticOceanIndian OceanIndianOceanJohn FairfaxJohnFairfaxobituary+rower+who+rowed+across+pacific+oceanobituary+rowing+across+atlanticobituaryrowerwhorowedacrosspacificoceanobituaryrowingacrossatlanticocean rowingOceanRowingPacific OceanPacificOceanrowed+across+the+ocean+obituaryrowedacrosstheoceanobituaryrowingrowing+across+atlanticrowingacrossatlanticsportsTue, 21 Feb 2012 14:30:00 EST