The Newseum, an interactive museum in Washington, D.C., is dedicated to the role of journalism in history. Sound dull and preachy? Not at all. In fact, it was declared the “best museum ever” by my three under-10 companions this past weekend.
Where else can you peer inside Unabomber Ted Kaczynski’s stark cabin? Or stand in front of a real television camera and give your own fast-paced sports report? Or feel the breeze on your face as you ride the ferry to the Women’s Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell’s Island alongside investigative reporter Nelly Bly?
Baechtold’s Best: Afghanistan visually explores a stunning variety of Afghan experiences. Each 2-page spread in this short book is dedicated to a simple theme like Taxi, Burka, Meal, or Poppy. The left-hand page offers sixteen thumbnail photos on the theme and a graphic map indicating where each was taken. The right-hand page has a large image chosen by the editors as the best example—Baechtold’s Best—with the briefest of identifying captions.
Wouldn’t you feel better if you carried your valuables in
the same waterproof storage bags that Navy divers use instead of plastic bags
engineered to transport a soft sandwich? aLOKSAK, may look like a Ziploc bag, but these heavy-duty,
puncture-resistant containers have a heat tolerance of 170 degrees and are
certified dry at 60 meters, even after two weeks underwater. Plus, it’ll keep sand and
saltwater out of your cellphone or Kindle while you use them.
Available in eleven sizes (from 5” x 4” to 32” x 16”) and in
multi-packs from $4.99 at REI and Amazon.com. (Photo courtesy of LOKSAK)
Ann Shields is Online Senior Editor at
TravelandLeisure.com.
If you’re stuck in the Windy City on account of the predicted 18” of snow (or if you’re avoiding being stuck somewhere not as cozy as a hotel), the Chicago-area Kimpton properties, the Hotel Allegro, Hotel Burnham, Hotel Monaco, and Hotel Palomar just announced a $99 “Stranded in the City” rate that is in effect from Tuesday through Friday. Just use the booking code 'COLD' when you’re booking a room online or over the phone.
Hotels realize that there is no single recipe for romance (though you might conclude that if there were one, chocolate-dipped strawberries and Champagne would be at the top of the ingredient list). While some guests may swoon at the sight of a petal-strewn bed, others may dismiss it as hackneyed.
Here’s a selection of ten Valentine’s Day packages that may strike your fancy: from no-holds-barred extravaganzas to simpler intimate breaks. Find the recipe that works for you.
Foursquare, a social media tool that encourages users to “check-in” at venues, realized a phenomenal 3,400% growth last year, with 381 million check-ins worldwide. The company just released a fun infographic that reveals the most popular places in 2010, according to its members’ updates.
You can have your lunar eclipse. For my money, the celestial event worth staying up late for is the Aurora Borealis. Throw in an up-close and personal Iditarod experience and you’d have the hottest ticket in Alaska. AdventureSmith Explorations, a California-based outfitter, has created a mid-winter soft adventure trip that’ll rouse you from your long winter’s nap.
Michelin Food & Travel, a collaboration of Michelin and Roadtrips, create mouthwatering trips that are the stuff food lover’s dreams are made of: customizable itineraries that include private visits to olive oil producers, small-batch chocolatiers, winemakers, truffle experts, and behind-the-scene experiences at Michelin-starred restaurants throughout France and Italy.
In a departure from their more flexible European itineraries, Michelin Food & Travel has announced what they’re calling an ‘event’: a long, calorie-laden weekend in New York (April 7-10) with exclusive and impressive access to chefs, restaurants, and shops. Here's what's on the menu:
Taking that long drive down I-95 over the holidays? If you have kids in the car and you’re passing Baltimore, consider a detour to the Walters Art Museum to see the Walter Wick: Games, Gizmos and Toys in the Attic show before it closes January 2.
Choosing to ignore the negative images of hillbilly moonshiners, small-batch liquor distilleries have been cropping up faster than ticks on a coonhound. The locavore movement has clearly hit the bottle.
Want to run a still without rigging one in the woods behind your house? Take the high road to Scotland and learn from master whisky makers at Glenrothes.
