Green Can be Luxury: The Palazzo in Las Vegas is both LEED Silver and Luxury

February 6th, 2010

Mumbly, mumbly years ago if you wanted organic vegetables it was more an act of support and conscience than an attempt to get fresh delicious produce. Now, we find organic fruits, vegetables, milk, meat, poultry, and more in our supermarkets. Organic has come a long way.

Not too many years ago if you wanted truly green, eco-friendly, planet-responsible lodging you didn’t expect 5 star luxury.

Now, it’s possible to have both. The U S Green Building Council has set up rigorous standards for being eco-friendly, planet-saving green, and hotels and resorts are starting to meet those guidelines. As a result, we now can find fine hotels that reduce waste, water use, electrical power, and more… and still provide the amenities.

I’m truly excited about this. And, so OffbeatTravel.com has started a new series on Luxury LEED green hotels. Our first is The Palazzo. Read Palazzo in Las Vegas: LEED Green and Luxury and learn how they became green.

There’s lots of places we can stay when we travel – why not make them green? And, then you won’t have to worry so much about those darn carbon offsets everyone is telling you to buy.

Three Medieval Towns in Bavaria Germany: Bamberg, Regensburg, Bayreuth

February 4th, 2010

I’ve just published this trilogy on OffbeatTravel.com and it’s part of the reason I have the website and spend so much time on it. I promise, it isn’t the money.

But there is something very special about being able to let folks know about unusual places that they might never know on their own, or to encourage travel to a place they know, but are so unfamiliar with that travel there becomes daunting.

So, I thought I’d let y’all know about some of these and hope you’ll learn more about them.

Bamberg
Arched stone bridges, road bridges and wooden bridges weave back and forth across the River Regnitz, transporting you to the artificial island and medieval town of Bamberg. If you enter the old city via the Alte Rathaus, make sure you examine the building closely. You’ll discover the Old Town Hall, built in the middle of the River Renitz in 1386, delicately straddles the Obere and Untere Bridges. On one side sits the oldest part of Rathaus, a 15th century half-timbered building that juts out and over the bridge, almost touching the water. Colorful frescoes decorate the sides of the newer part of the town hall, an 18th century Baroque-styled building. Read more at Unforgettable Bamberg

Bayreuth: Richard Wagner and more
Bayreuth, the largest city in Upper Franconia, is best known for its ties to composer Richard Wagner. Wagner was attracted to Bayreuth because of the immense depth (27 meters) of the stage at the Markgräfliches Opernhaus (Margrave’s Opera House or Margravial Opera House). This Baroque Opera House (located at Opernstraße 14), was built between 1744 and 1748 and restored a number of times. It is one of Europe’s few surviving theatres of the period. Read more at Explore Bayreuth

Regensburg: 16 Enormous Pillars Hold Up a Bridge
Regensburg, located in southeast Germany where the River Danube and Regen River meet, is one of the country’s oldest towns. The Steinerne Brücke (Stone Bridge) is a great place to begin your visit. Built in the 12th century, Steinerne Brücke sits on 16 immense pillars, reaching more than 1,000 feet across the Danube River.

Linger on the Steinerne Brücke and enjoy a stunning view of the Old Town. This 2,000 year old town is filled with ancient Roman, Romanesque and Gothic buildings and 11th to 13th century architecture. Fall in love with Regensburg

Question: Why are Freelance Travel Journalists Working Harder and Earning Less?

January 29th, 2010

Answer: More magazine articles are written in-house, and that means fewer assignments for freelancers

I’m not even going to talk about how the payment per word, on average, has gone down. The publications which pay $1/word are still doing so (if they’re still publishing), but more and more new magazines are coming in and paying way less. And then, there are the ones that never paid well and still aren’t.

But separate from that is the trend to publish shorter pieces, more in-house roundups, and simply requiring editors to write more features each month.

Take the case of Spirit Magazine, published for Southwest Airways. I don’t write for them, and never have. Instead I’ve managed to write for in-flight magazines that have gone under. But that’s a whole ‘nother issue.

On a recent trip, I opened the January, 2010 issue of the magazine and took a close look at the byline and associations of the authors. What’s going on in Spirit Magazine is one indication of why freelancers are selling fewer articles to publications.

There are a few interesting articles. The first I read is Your Adventure in Birmingham. It’s a clever concept with a quiz to see what kinds of activities you’d enjoy in Birmingham — whether you’re primarily interested in golf or fine dining or other potential areas — and then the article tells you the places you can go that match your interest.

It’s written by Mike Darling. I go to the masthead, read down editorial staff and find associate Editor Mike Darling.

I got it, cost cutting.

We move on to Food that Moves You. Plot your course (culinary and travel) with Sarah Murphy to America’s top foodie meccas. I certainly enjoy food and travel. I read on. Afterward I go back to that editorial staff list and … there she is – Field Editor.

Another article was Prize Glider – Johnny Weir. It’s a Q&A with Spirit poses the questions and Weir answers. Another unpaid piece.

Finally, I come across a really interesting article, The Happiest Man on Earth. Peter Heller meets a mountain man who pursues the ideal life. It was a delightful, and (of course, given the author) exceeding well-written. Was he paid? He’s certainly a top writer, but he’s also writing a memoir. Is this part of it? I don’t know. But if he was paid, he was certainly the only one I found in the magazine.

And that took care of the features for Spirit Magazine. Four in total, three definitely written in-house. One perhaps paid writer.

Like I said – I got it. Cost-cutting. Anyone got ideas for under-employed freelance journalists? There’s a whole lot out here.

Scott Roeder is a murderer. Period. End of discussion

January 29th, 2010

I’ll say straight out – fundamentalists of every kind terrify me. They are all so certain that they know God’s will. God is always on their side, and their side always seems to be murdering people.

A growing sense of his own faith? I’m quite certain one of the 10 commandments is Thou Shalt Not Kill. What kind of faith can he have when he carelessly disregards one of the rules of his own religion? Does he think God was kidding about that?

If I was God I’ll be really pissed.

Crusades, Spanish Inquisition, holy wars of all kind are not holy.

Scott Roeder murdered a man. Whatever you think of abortion is quite frankly irrelevant. This is about one man killing another man, premeditated in cold blood, and then thinking he can escape the consequences of his murderous action. Or, perhaps he’s ready to be a martyr – they terrify me even more. They can’t even understand the joys of living and the importance of life.

There is only one verdict possible in this case. Scott Roeder is guilty of murder. I don’t believe in capital punishment. But I do believe in life without the possibility of parole. I think he should be placed behind bars for the rest of his life. Who else will he decide should be put to death? Who else will he stalk, plan, and kill. In a church of all places. A place of God, at least that’s the idea behind places of worship, isn’t it?

Shame on you Scott Roeder. You will face the consequences of your action here, and in the next place. And you will be judged. And I believe that judgment will be guilty.

As they say, payback is a bitch. Karma ain’t too kind either.

How can Associated Press own Obama’s face: Shepard Fairey faces a criminal investigation

January 28th, 2010

I don’t get it. I can’t own an idea, or a concept. It’s the execution that is protected by copyright law. Software code is protected and sometimes the look and feel of the interface but it’s an area of contention.

So, tell me why Shepard Fairey is in deep doo-doo for using Obama’s face as a basis for his famous Hope image? If anyone owns it, isn’t it Barak Obama? It’s his face. Some dude just came along a snapped a photo. And it isn’t even the photographer who is claiming ownership.

It’s a very squishy issue – owning a view, a particular fleeting combination of light and shadow and substance.

Fairey is no angel, apparently he realized this was a slippery slope and lied. That was stupid.

In reality artists are always using what is called source material. They don’t make their art up out of pure imagination. Just watch any documentary about artists and you’ll find they have created a scene to paint, or are frantically trying to capture the shifting light on a landscape.

Fairey apparently like the particular angle of Obama’s head, the slight uplift, the almost but not quite full face.

AP can’t own that. Perhaps Obama can but not a news-gathering agency. Associated Press, get real and stop being ridiculous.

Exploring Jewish history through travel: Unexpected places – like Shanghai

January 16th, 2010

It always fascinates me to discover Jewish communities in other countries. I expect to find remnants in Eastern Europe, but I had no idea about early communities China. Or the role played by Dr. Feng Shan Ho in rescuing Jews from Hitler’s death camps.

With a couple of days of free time in Shanghai (one of the cities everyone should visit!) I wanted to visit the Ohel Moshe synagogue which has found new life as the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum. What I didn’t realize was the early history of Jewish families in Shanghai going back to the opening of the port of Shanghai.

Those early residents are long dispersed – to Israel, the United States, and other countries – but their story is fascinating and travelers can still see bits and pieces of their lives in Shanghai today. Read more at OffbeatTravel – Jews of Shanghai

Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas: Substandard and overpriced

January 9th, 2010

I’m sitting in the coffee shop looking at an image of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Jerry Lewis, and wondering if there is anything left of the legendary Sahara Hotel.

Certainly, the only things I have seen are stained carpet, dingy atmosphere, and missing wallpaper. The outside of the hotel glittered with hundreds of electric bulbs. The lights are quite lovely, in contrast with the sad lobby and casino. And, we oddly enough the bed and linens in our room were actually quite adequate.

As for the rest, the furniture was old and scratched. Lights didn’t work. And there was a sign over the thermostat basically saying that you can play with it all you want, but you won’t be able to get any heat or air conditioning. That’s handled centrally based on outside temperatures. The black out curtains had holes, and the plumbing was substandard.

The first room had a toilet that refused to stop flushing. The next room had a tub clogged so badly that our feet ended up taking a bath in backed up water every time we showered. A grab bar had been added to the shower by ripping out the old fixture. The ancient glue was still there. The sink wasn’t much better.

And this sad room in this frayed hotel didn’t come cheap. We needed a room for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and had no idea what we were about to check into. The staff was as helpful as they could be under the current conditions. They can’t make a decent room appear when there aren’t any. But the other guests we talked to felt the same way we did. The hotel unacceptable, with jacked up rates for the convention. No one is coming back. Ever.

According to an article published in LasVegasLogue.com in March, 2007 the Sahara was sold to Los Angeles-based SBE Entertainment. SBE owner Sam Nazarian was quoted at the time saying: “The Sahara is one of the last remaining original properties on the Las Vegas strip, and we are thrilled with the possibilities that it presents. Our plan is to reposition this legendary property for a new generation of travelers, while preserving its existing scale. We look forward to making the Sahara the most important property on the North end of the Strip.

Yeah, me, too. Until then, please send me back my money.

Ankit Earphones: Cool stuff at Consumer Electronics Show (CES)

January 8th, 2010

Most earphones are not cool. They have no style, no pizzazz. They are, in fact, boring. Enter the new line by Ankit. Earphones with attitude, the reflection of the founder’s sensibilities. He wanted cool stuff and then created it.

Their slogan is making the earth cooler, one earphone at a time.

I haven’t tried them yet, but I am looking forward to it. They gave out free Teddy Bear earphones entitled Naughty Naughty. Poor little guy is strapped into a chair. Apparently he has indeed been a bad little bear. The snake looked cooler, but they were snapped up before I got there.

The earphones have been ergonomically designed to be more comfortable than the usual stick a hard round pea in your ear earphone. And each kit comes with three sizes of ear piece.

The company is also very pleased about the audio quality which covers the range of frequency with better sound quality.

But what they really tout is their designs. A teddy bear, a skull, a butterfly, and a snake. These are metallic pieces attached during manufacturing rather than a piece of plastic glued at the end. And even the packaging is cool. Think tattoo art for the package.

It seems to be more than just an earphone – it’s a statement. And it is very cool. I’ll let you know about the sound quality and the comfort later when I have a chance to try it out.

Digital Photo Albums: Cute stuff at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas

January 7th, 2010

I was going to walk right by this – and then I heard my friend’s words in my head – Why can’t we have a way to show our photos to people the way we used to with photo albums. Bingo. There I was in front of the booth that makes … digital photo albums. Load your images (JPGs) onto SD cards (or any of the other supported media) or your video (AVI) and audio (MP3 and MP4) and you’ve created a photo album. It comes in leatherette, with a 7″, 8″, or dual 8″ screens (so you can show images on the left and right side of the album).

Store the media cards right inside the album, and label them so you can create the new home, new baby, our trip to Canada, or whatever photo album.

Put one image on a page, or four (just like those old photo albums), but this album will also play your movies and sound files. Remote control available.

If you take the photos with your digital camera, the SD card can go directly from camera to album. Visit their TruViewDigital.com website

Cute stuff at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas: Road Mice (wireless mouse)

January 7th, 2010

It’s true that I’m covering travel-related products, but honestly, there are some things that are so cute I just need to tell y’all about them.

So, when I told the guy at the booth that I really focus on travel gear, he picked up the tiny Mustang and tucked in into a velvet travel bag. Done. It’s now a travel product. Kinda sorta.

That mouse-sized Ford Mustang replica is one of several car mice. It’s got right and left click buttons (hood panels), and a scroll bar (let’s call it a hood ornament?). It has a tiny gizmo that perhaps techies would call a transceiver that plugs into one of the computer’s USB ports to chat with the car/mouse. And presto, the red Dodge Viper, or black Chevy Camaro is a mouse. Visit their RoadMice.com website