Blogs

Recently I came across a slightly dated item about master chef Paul Bocuse; seems this past spring, the Culinary Institute of America declared the Lion of Lyon "Chef of the Century" as part of its annual Augie Awards. No argument from me -- and it got me to reminiscing fondly about my visit three years ago to Monsieur Paul's flagship outside Lyon, L'Auberge du Pont de Collonges.

It was a sunny spring day, and after a lovely, leafy taxi ride up the Saône River, my lyonnaise companion Guillemette

Vuelvo a escribir de Britto y no es que nos hayamos hecho amigos luego de que conociera al famoso artista Pop brasileño en Finlandia, en el 2010. En esa ocasión el nombre ni siquiera me era familiar, y que me perdonen los millones de fans que tiene alrededor del mundo.

Pero Romero Britto fue la estrella invitada para compartir con el grupo de periodistas que viajamos hasta ese país para ver el Allure of the Seas de Royal Caribbean. Ese, que es el barco más grande del mundo, es gemelo del Oasis of

Wolves aren’t native to New Jersey, USA but if you know where to look, you are guaranteed a glimpse into their behaviour.

Best seen in the winter, when their coats are thick and full, the wolves present themselves as king of the canines. To observe these animals close-up, you’ll have to follow a winding mountain road up a short distance from I-94.

Look for the camp ground and a burly man with a big bushy white beard, looking much like a wild wolf himself. You can tell he has spent countless yea

This will be a short post because we briefly passed through Danang on our way to Hoi An. Hoi An will be a very long post, because we spent 4 days there enjoying a marvelous little tourist trap.

We were driven from Hue to Hoi An over some mountainous roads,but mostly along the beaches. Danang  just happens to be along the way.

We made a couple of stops before Danang. This was a view of a major oyster farm. Cultured pearls are sold everywhere in Vietnam. They of course come in various qualities. The

I got behind on posting about some great places I've been, and one that my friend Cara Bertoia went to. I asked her to write about it on my blog back in July. So now, I'm going to post about those three wonderful spots here. One is a an Italian joint in NYC, another is a great seafood restaurant in Houston, and Cara's is about the town of San Pedro in California. Enjoy! (Or go to SearchingForSincerity.com)

Napoli Pizza and Pasta, Queens, NY

My friend and guest writer on this blog, Teresa Barile,

There are so many wonderful experiences in Vietnam as a tourist these days that one could spend weeks there and never visit a war site. But I am a bit of a history buff so among many others, I was determined to visit the Citadel.

In January of 1966, President Johnson met with General Westmoreland, commander of American forces in Vietnam. Johnson asked “Wastemoreland” what the North Vietnamese would do if the wanted to truly win in South Vietnam. Westmoreland said quickly and simply “take Hue”. Th

Traffic Alert: President Obama will visit San Diego as part of his swing through Southern California. In fact, he'll  be having lunch in La Jolla on September 26. That'sbound to cause a few delays - maybe even a road closure or two. If you'll be in town that day, you might want to avoid Mt. Soledad.

This peak provides a great panorama, but on that day, the cars carrying those guys who wear dark glasses and talk into their lapels might clog up the access.

The event - no, I wasn't invited either -

TURKEY BURGERS TOPPED THE LIST

Give the best ingredients to Yassir Raouli, founder of the Bistro Truck, and he’ll create a masterpiece . . . or, as was the case early in August, five of them.

Raouli left its usual spot in the city one summer afternoon for an uptown corner in New York City to serve his creations to foodies, who thrive on street fare.  “This is what I do. This is my art,” said Moroccan-born Raouli, who swapped his usual Moroccan-Mediterranean menu and used Jennie-O all natural turke

I am one lucky Wine Chix.  I received an invitation from the Czech Tourism Department to explore the wine, food and activities of the trending Czech Republic via Prague and South Moravia.  It was a short trip – just 5 days, but oh what a great 5 days it was.  I had the opportunity of a lifetime not just to explore, but to discover the soul of this sensual country. 

No one should need an invitation to visit Prague and the wine districts of the Czech Republic.  You should go just because it’s an am

 "Flight Search" is a new feature of Google's search engine.

It's slick.

This new feature built into Google's powerful search engine makes booking a flight a breeze. 

If you don't see it in your Google menu bar, just visit the link:

www.google.com/flights/

When fully implemented you will be able to type "flights from Chicago to Denver" directly into Google's search box.

You will be transported immediately to the Flights screen.

Choose your origin (neatly populated by your current location) and a

I am old enough to have sworn I would become a Toronto Blue Jays fan before I ever went to Vietnam.

Time tends to heal most wounds, Vietnam is an example of that. The country is now a Socialist Republic with a strong capitalist strain running through it like veins of gold in crystal. Before I go any further, I must tell you that not once did anyone show me any disrespect let alone hatred for being an American. I did get asked if I were a vet more than once, but politely. Many American vets have r

Whether you're traveling on business or pleasure, you can spend your luxury holidays at the top luxury boutique hotels in the world. The following are some of the top luxury boutique hotels.

Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa, Miami

This is an award-winning hotel and spa located in the beautiful Miami, Florida.  This modern-chic hotel has an assortment of amenities ranging from wellness spa to fine dining.  The hotel accommodations are phenomenal, to say the least.  Amenities include HDTV systems with i

Bistro de Leon

Tucked away on Cathedral Place across from the Plaza in St. Augustine's historic district, Jean Stephane Poinard serves up la cuisine de meres “French home cuisine”. To your left upon entering Bistro de Leon is a tantalizing display case filled with tarts and other fresh baked desserts. To your right and further into the dining area's interior, intimate yet unpretentious tables await.

Both Chef Poinard and his wife Valerie stand ready to serve either a quiet candlelit table for two

On the lovely morning of September 11, 2001, I was working as usual in my 7th Avenue Manhattan office as executive editor of Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, when thanks to somebody over on the publishing side with a dinky in-office TV came word that a plane had hit the north tower of the World Trade Center. As we sat there increasingly nervous yet numbed, trying to continue to work with one eye on the news, one editorial assistant admitted to me at one point, "people here are scared, they don't

Start by driving up the NY thruway to Exit 18 – New Paltz, stop for breakfast in this quaint college town, pack a picnic lunch and head up to the Mohonk Preserve. 

You can’t miss it…aim for the tower set atop the alabaster cliffs of limestone.

The preserve is a world-renowned Mecca for rock climbers.  As you make your way up the winding Route 55, keep your eyes on the road.  It is hard to resist the temptation to watch the colorful climbers on their precarious routes.  Park at the Wes

It appears that my last post Professional Photo Tips for Travelers started some discussion on the use and types of
tripods. So for those unfamiliar with this three-legged companion I offer the following:

Tripods are used to steady a camera for a variety of reasons:

1)  Allowing for slower shutter speeds without blurring stationary objects

1. Low light
2. Night shots
3. Eliminating people from a shot. They don’t stay
   in frame long enough to leave a substantial image. Although phantom blurs may be evident.

2)  Pe