One side effect of having a partner who is training for the New York City Marathon (Go, Bob, go!) is that it has upped my own mileage as well. I tell myself, if he is out on an 18-miler, I can certainly pound out eight. This increase in my own distance has had another unexpected and pleasant side effect: On my last trip to London, wanting to keep up my running schedule, I found myself out running around in new areas of the city I’d never seen—I was sightseeing by accident.
Stride-by-stride is such an enjoyable way to take in a new city. I suddenly wanted to run everywhere! Wouldn’t it be great to run over the Golden Gate Bridge, or through tulip fields, or by the Pyramids? During sunset on the Côte d’Azur, in cherry-blossom season in Japan, along the coast in Perth?
Which U.S. city is the cleanest? The most affordable? Best for hotels? T+L Features Director Nilou Motamed shares the results from our popular annual survey—America's Favorite Cities. For complete results—in 50 categories, go here.
The
first time I took globetrotting fitness guru Kristin McGee’s Pilates class at the SoHo Equinox, I was
instantly a fan. Then I found out she was the instructor in Bethenny
Frankel’s first yoga DVD, Body by Bethenny. She is highly sought
after in New York City, with clients like Steve Martin, Tina Fey, Ben Stiller,
and his wife Christine Taylor. Kristin has made numerous TV and magazine
appearances, blogs daily on her own site, and has led fitness retreats in
Sicily, Cartagena, Marrakesh and St. Petersburg. No wonder she wakes up
at 5 a.m. to fit it all in!
We met for a glass of wine, talked great hotels and healthy food choices on
the road, and planned a double date with our significant others.
BBC Travel's Passport Blog | As controversy simmers surrounding the levels of radiation used in full body scanners, a small company based in the United Kingdom has developed a machine that emits no radiation at all.
While both companies and the TSA say the radiation emitted by these machines is at safe levels, the scientific community has not reached a strong consensus either way....
Associated Press | A prolonged heat wave in the central U.S. has fostered the growth of a dangerous form of algae in lakes and ponds, threatening swimmers and livestock and scaring away tourists during the busy summer season.
Blue-green algae are actually bacteria that produce toxins harmful to humans and livestock. It flourishes in warm, stagnant, sunlit water, and this year's heat wave combined with Oklahoma's worst drought since the Dust Bowl have created what one water official called a "perfect storm" for its growth.
Officials have issued a series of warnings, telling boaters and swimmers at lakes in northeast Oklahoma, southern Kansas and Nebraska to avoid contact with the toxic gunk. The issue attracted national attention earlier this month when Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe blamed a respiratory illness on a swim in Grand Lake in Ketchum Hollow.
Roll It: On your face, lips, or body, that is. Using natural antioxidants and a clear form of zinc oxide, the Own Active Block ball($15; ownproducts.com) gives you all-around SPF 30 coverage without any surfer streaks. Plus, it’s fun to toss—and easy to find—in your beach bag.
Sweep It: A translucent mineral powder that flows through a portable, refillable brush, Chantecaille Protection Naturelle SPF 46($65; chantecaille.com) prevents both shining and burning, and gives you a healthy glow to boot.
Swipe It: Combining water-resistant UV protection with soothing green tea and vitamin E, these fragrance-free, SPF 30 Supergoop Sunscreen Swipes($34 per box of 21; nordstrom.com) are great for sensitive skin. Individually wrapped, they’re also perfect for travel.
Wear It: The cotton-poplin Mott 50 tunic($119; mott50.com) proves that sun-protective clothing can also be stylish. The brand’s easy, UPF 50 dresses and tops get the Skin Cancer Foundation’s stamp of approval—and T+L’s, too.
It's time again for what easily ranks as one of TripAdvisor.com's most talked-about annual lists: Dirty Hotels. Who doesn't want the dirt on where stay in Europe—and where to avoid?
eTurbo News | The list of Europe's ten dirtiest hotels was released today.
The list of shame is dominated by just three destinations, with London, Amsterdam and Turkey's Aegean coast collectively responsible for Europe's ten dirtiest hotels. The two Turkish hotels top the list, followed by four properties each in London and Amsterdam.
"Despite the average overall rating for a property on TripAdvisor rising to four out of five, it is clear that a minority of hotels are still not delivering the minimum standard of experience travellers deserve, especially in relation to cleanliness" comments Emma O'Boyle, TripAdvisor spokesperson. (Photo by iStock)
When you check into a hotel, you naturally want a clean room. But if you want a science-fiction-scary clean room, look to Hyatt. The hotel chain recently introduced its Respire rooms, which are sterilized, sanitized, antisepticized, and deodorized to the extreme. They're so clean you're unlikely to find so much as dust mite feces under the decorative pillow shams.
"We basically kill all living organisms in the room," said Brian Brault, chief executive officer of Pure Solutions, the company behind the purified rooms. Presumably he was referring to mold, fungi, bacteria, and viruses -- not hotel guests.
As both an active runner and someone who enjoys travel, I speak from experience when I say: it can be really hard to stay true to my routine when I'm away from home. (To date, I have only successfully maintained a semi-normal running schedule once while traveling. Don't judge me.) Between late nights, full days, and the desire to take in as much as possible in a short period of time, sometimes it's just not possible. (And fine, I admit: sometime I'd just rather sleep a little later than get up for a run. There, I said it.)
That being said, I was intrigued when a colleague passed along information about a different type of tour now being offered in the great City of Light: a running tour.
That's right. A running tour. This is some serious travel time management, and I love it. (Not to mention, anyone who knows me knows that when I travel, I'm very much a "do as the locals do" type. So what better way to tour a city than as a resident jogger would?)
