Your traveling partner can make or break your trip, so you should probably choose carefully when planning a joint trip. Here are five traits of traveling companions you should avoid (and I've excluded the obvious, like snorers and kleptomaniacs):

The ditcher: The companion who bails on you at the first whiff of romantic interest, night after night. Besides getting annoyed at being stuck with the romantic-interest's own travel partner or, worse yet, sitting alone at the bar, you might find that you can't budget on splitting the cost of hotel rooms when your friend finds a long-term lover.

The puker: I'm not only talking about a weak stomach -- there are folks out there who can't ride a tricycle without tossing their mother's chocolate-chip cookies. Forget about taking an all-night bus ride as well as sampling local cuisine. And I hope you don't need the bathroom, because they'll be in there all night.

The druggie: Ditch the traveler who just wants to get effed up every night (unless you do, too), is in to buying illegal street drugs, and generally makes you nervous crossing international borders in Asia.They're nothing but trouble, and you could go down with them.

The complainer: I once met a girl when I was traveling from Athens to Rome who wouldn't shut up about how she just wanted McDonald's, how dirty Athens was, how much she missed Michigan, etc. I'm normally a very cheery person, so when she suggested we travel together, I changed my itinerary, stat. A little homesickness is normal, but who wants to hang with someone who's a constant downer?

The money-obsessed: This type can go both ways; either their budget is tighter than a Thai prostitute's tube top, or looser than said prostitute's you-know-what (is that metaphor too tacky to write? Apologies). Moderation may be boring, but it's probably also key to enjoying a longer trip. You could find yourself dining alone while your companion indulges in yet another cup of instant noodles, or dragged along for a trendy, spendy dinner. Make sure your budgets are in agreement before you leave.

The top five worst traveling companions originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Photo of the Day (11.21.09) originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Tahitian truck treats: the finest fare in town

Tahitian truck treats: the finest fare in town originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Denmark - Since the first Music Harvest in 1985, the festival has presented contemporary music from the USA, Russia, Britain, Germany, Hungary, Finland, Poland, Lithuania and the Baltic countries, as well as from Denmark. The event takes place in Odense. It begins Wednesday, October 28 and will continue until November 7.
  
• Cambodia - Coronation Day a major religious holiday all over Cambodia and commemorates King Norodom Sihamoni's Coronation. This event takes place this Thursday, October 29th.
• Ottawa - One World Film Festival is a platform for filmmakers and the public to exchange ideas and information about issues of social justice, human rights and the environment. The event begins Thursday October 29 and continues until October 30.
• Hong Kong - Wine and Dine Festival is part of the a range of food and wine events in Hong Kong. The event begins this Friday, October 30 and continues until November 1.
• Las Vegas - The Professional Bull Riders Finals take place this Friday, October 30 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. The event is followed by the National Rodeo Finals later in the year and will continue until November 8.
  
• Transylvania - Halloween in Transylvania is a special event that will be held this Saturday, October 31,. The festival includes tours, shows and celebrations that follow the footsteps of Bram Stoker's novel character, Count Dracula.

Get out and go: Events around the world (October 28-31) originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Head to the hills for the meteor shower tonight! originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Outside of lebua at State Tower in Bangkok

Skybar: the best rooftop bar in Bangkok originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Last January, my husband and I took a trip to the Rioja region of Spain. We sampled Rioja wines and visited underground cellars by day, and hopped from bar to bar snacking on tapas and drinking Rioja wines by night. We found that there were several Rioja wines that we loved, at that the tapas served there (while not incredibly creative like those offered in the Basque country) were simply delicious. So I was very excited to see that this week, October 18 to 25, is Rioja Restaurant Week both here in Chicago and in New York City.

From now until Sunday, dozens of restaurants in both cities will offer special deals and dishes to celebrate the wine and cuisine of the Rioja area. Some will offer $12 tapas and wine pairings and others will offer $25 or $50 prix fixe menus paired with wine. Other specials offered as part of the promotion include a 15% discount on dinner or a 20% discount on a bottle of Rioja wine. Not a bad deal. This means that at Eivissa, a Catalan tapas restaurant in Chicago (for example), you can either get a multi-course dinner for two for $50, or just nosh on their signature tapas, which are half off weekdays from 4pm-6pm, and enjoy a bottle of Rioja wine for as little as $30.

Over 50 restaurants in NYC are participating, along with nearly 30 in Chicago.

It's Rioja Restaurant Week in NYC and Chicago! originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The travel and hospitality industry has tried so many ways to go green - from trying to wash fewer sheets and towels to using organic products in spas - that you might start to wonder if it's running out of options. Well, if that is a concern, it's probably time to look to the world's oldest profession for some new ideas.

In Berlin, a brothel is ready to make you feel good for doing good. Clients of Maison d'Envie will receive discounts if the roll up to the front door via bike instead of car. There isn't much parking in the neighborhood, laments Thomas Goetz, the bordello's owner. So, he can free up some spaces for other businesses in this corner of what was once East Berlin, do his part to reduce carbon emissions and hopefully keep customers coming in the door despite the financial crisis.

Ride a bike instead of driving a car, and you get €5 (around $7.50) off the service you're looking for. Currently, 45 minutes in a room (not necessarily for conversation, since prostitution is legal in Berlin) €70, but cyclists will see that fall to €65.

Walking, unfortunately, won't get you the same perk. Goetz explains that he doesn't have a way for customers to prove they didn't drive and park nearby.

Can you think of a better way to save the planet?

Berlin brothel to bikers: ride up and save! originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Islamabad - The Hot Air Ballooning Competition in Pakistan begins this Thursday, October 15 and ends on the 18th.
  
• Malawi - Lake of Stars: This special music festival takes place on the shores of Lake Malawi. The festival begins on Thursday, October 15 and lasts through the 18th.
  
• New Zealand - Wanakafest 2009: The Wanakafest, a fun festival that includes urban downhill biking, bike back flips, snowboard rail jam, music, waterfront events, a fashion show, a food and wine fair and a street parade among other things begins this Thursday, October 15 and ends on the 18th.
• Pittsburgh - International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival: Pittsburgh's an annual celebration of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered writers, directors, actors and their work begins this Friday, October 16, and continues until October 25th.
• Delhi - Diwalli, the Festival of Lights, will be held this Saturday, October 17. It is a colorful celebration of the victory of the good within people over evil. Traditionally people give gifts to family, friends and employees, making Delhi a bustling marketplace.
• Shanghai - The 10th Annual China Shanghai International Arts Festival begins this Sunday, October 18 and runs until the 23rd. The performing arts fair, a major sector of the festival, is the largest and most effective performing arts market of its kind in China.
  
• Sao Paolo - Grande Premio do Brasil: Brazil's featured Formula 1 car race will be held this Sunday, October 18 at 2 p.m.
  

Get out and go: Events around the world (October 15-18) originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I was always under the impression that you had to be an invited guest (or a lowly "Tunnel of Love" ride attendant as my husband was for the party in 1999) to attend. That's not the case. A $1000 ticket and a costume (which is mandatory) will get you access to "1,000 of the sexiest girls in the world", plus Hef and some Bunny-loving celebrities.

The party will be held on October 24th and tickets cost $1000-$2000 per person, unless you want to roll in some serious style. Then you'll need to shell out about $10,000 for a table or cabana, table service, Crystal, seating for 8-10 people, and a Kabana girl to attend to your every need.

I wonder if November's cover girl, Marge Simpson, will be there.

[via Jaunted]

Party with Hef at the Playboy Mansion for Halloween originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

What makes a great haunted house? Gothic architecture? Unexpected things that go bump in the night? Chain saws? Thunder and lightening? Screams, shrieks and wails that pierce through fog? Dripping red goo that looks a lot like blood? Cockroaches on walls and mice that scurry across the floor? A hand that comes out of a box to grab you when you pass? How about a severed head surrounded by garnish served up on a platter?

From California to Pennsylvania and states in between, there are 12 haunted hot spots that have been picked by the staff at Digital City as being the best of the haunted house bounty in the United States. From their descriptions, it seems as if these attractions have most of the above and more--much more.

Interestingly, only one of the picks--the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose is an actual house. The rest range from a movie set to prisons. One, the Haunted School House and Lab in Akron, Ohio, is in a former elementary school.

No matter the venue, each haunted attraction is guaranteed to make you shriek. There's a reason why.

Continue reading The best haunted houses and other haunted jaunts

The best haunted houses and other haunted jaunts originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

London Restaurant Festival opens today originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Night Safari for all you nocturnal animals

Night Safari for all you nocturnal animals originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Time lapse: riding on a Parisian canal boat originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Dim Sum Dialogues in Thailand: Full Moon Party

Dim Sum Dialogues in Thailand: Full Moon Party originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This past Sunday's New York Times' article "36 Hours in Cleveland" did the city proud. Writer Brett Sokol captured most of the must-sees of Cleveland's many faces that range from the down home blue collar to the artsy and highbrow. I was particularly pleased to see a nod to Lilly Handmade Chocolates in the Tremont district. The pink-haired owner is a delight and the chocolates exquisite. Think manna from heaven. Please go there because I so want this upbeat business to succeed.

For anyone planning a few days trip to Cleveland, print off Sokol's article as a basic guide but add to the itinerary. The places I'd add to round out the mix are top notch and next to the ones that Sokol highlights. You'll have to add a few hours to fit everything in though, otherwise you'll be racing through Cleveland without enough time to enjoy the view--or savor the food.

Continue reading Cleveland in 36 hours and some

Cleveland in 36 hours and some originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Seventy years ago this year, Judy Garland's Dorothy stepped out of Auntie Em and Uncle Henry's house to find out she killed a wicked old witch when she landed with a mighty thud in the technicolor world of Munchkin-land.

Years after it was released, back before people started owning movies, the only way to see The Wizard of Oz was on television once a year when it was aired on network TV. All across the U.S. people gathered with family and friends in their living rooms at a set time for a viewing by the masses. Those without color TVs found people who had one in order to experience the thrill of the first movie ever shot in color. Kansas might be black and white, but Oz is almost psychedelic.

Tonight, as part of the anniversary celebration, people can experience that shared experience sensation by heading to one of the movie theaters across the U.S. that is showing the new remastered, High-Def version of The Wizard of Oz. This is a one day only event. The screenings are happening at 7 p.m. local time. According to the description of the event, the color has never been better and the movie experience is meant to replicate the experience that audiences first had back in 1939.

Along with the main movie, tonight's audiences will see the film, "To Oz, the Making of a Classic." This film is a documentary that includes interviews, outtakes and behind the scenes footage.

Here are the participating theaters listed by city and state. It's an extensive list. Chances are if you live in a city, or any where near one, you'll find more than one option. If this event is successful, I wonder if there will be a repeat showing around the holidays.

Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Hi-Def, one night only event originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

My good friend who used to live and work in Carmel took me on a stroll through the historic town earlier this month and she found herself nostalgic. I let her relive her days working in the art gallery that has since been taken over by yet another, different gallery, and her evenings full of meeting military men who attended school nearby in Marina. If that wasn't enough, we had coffee at her old haunt, where she nearly broke down into tears remembering the smell of the place.

It seems if you've been in Carmel long enough it sticks with you long after you leave. Here are a few fall events that will make you want to stay in Carmel for longer - or perhaps for life.

Continue reading Early fall events in Carmel

Early fall events in Carmel originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Denmark promotes promiscuity?! Well, that's the accusation that caused the country's tourism agency to yank an ad from YouTube. The country, which has a reputation for being a bit more open than we're used to seeing in the United States, used a three-minute video clip to promote the destination, but featured a blond woman and an infant, claiming the latter came from an encounter with a foreign tourist.

I guess Denmark, if only briefly, became the land of opportunity.

The ad continues with the woman claiming to be looking for the kid's father. She launches into a fairly involved story, claiming how she met this unknown stranger and uses it as a vehicle to talk about the other reason. The best part: she's not looking for anything, implying that there are no strings attached. And, she speaks English, another perk.

Don't get too excited; it's all fiction. Denmark's TV2 has confirmed this.

VisitDenmark scored a quick win with this concept, pulling in more than 800,000 views on YouTube. Though the ad has been pulled, it lives on through other YouTube accounts, so you can still enjoy the stunt.

Now, of course, everyone's backpedalling. VisitDenmark manager Dorte Kiilerich told the Associated Press, "I regret that the film has offended so many people," continuing that it was intended to convey "a nice and sweet story about a grown-up woman who lives in a free society and accepts the consequences of her actions."

Economy Minister Lene Espersen says that the clip offers "a not very well-thought-out picture of the country."

Perhaps the most critical reaction, though, comes from sociologist Karen Sjoerup, who claims that the ad suggests that "you can lure fast, blonde Danish women home without a condom."

Isn't that the point?

Check out the commercial after the jump.

Continue reading Denmark: the land of promiscuity

Denmark: the land of promiscuity originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Undiscovered New York: Rocking the boat

Undiscovered New York: Rocking the boat originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.