Filed under: Africa, Liberia, Video
**WARNING: THIS VIDEO MAY MAKE SOME VIEWERS UNCOMFORTABLE. Watch with discretion.**
Charles Taylor was all over the news today. The former president of Liberia has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for supporting and arming homicidal rebels in Sierra Leone in return for "blood diamonds." From an article in the New York Times today:
After more than a year of deliberations, the Special Court for Sierra Leone found Mr. Taylor guilty in late April of crimes against humanity and war crimes for his part in fomenting mass brutality that included murder, rape, the use of child soldiers, the mutilation of thousands of civilians and the mining of diamonds to pay for guns and ammunition. Prosecutors have said that Mr. Taylor was motivated in these gruesome actions not by any ideology but rather by "pure avarice" and a thirst for power.
Appalling as that may sound, atrocious acts aren't as uncommon in Liberia as they are in other places. In this video, VICE documents the destitute state of Liberia, cannibalism and other desperate measures taken by citizens of the country.Continue reading Video Of The Day: Liberia And Cannibal GeneralsVideo Of The Day: Liberia And Cannibal Generals originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 30 May 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Video: Maori Creation Story Told In Sand Art
Filed under: Arts and Culture, Stories, Oceania, New Zealand, Video
One of the great things about exploring other cultures is hearing their stories. The world is filled with myths, legends, fables, anecdotes, histories, jokes and all sorts of other oral traditions. Some traditional storytellers keep to the old ways, while others, like this sand artist, have taken on new methods to tell age-old tales.
Marcus Winter is a Maori artist who opened up the 2010 Original Art Sale in New Zealand by retelling a traditional Maori creation story. Through his work we see the world being formed when the children of Ranginui, the Sky Father, and Papatuanuku, the Earth Mother, separate their parents and set off a chain reaction that creates the world and, of course, New Zealand.
Stories are living things. They take on new forms to adapt to the times and perpetuate themselves through the ages. I'm glad that artists like Winter are taking their ancient tales and giving them a modern twist.Video: Maori Creation Story Told In Sand Art originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 30 May 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
One of the great things about exploring other cultures is hearing their stories. The world is filled with myths, legends, fables, anecdotes, histories, jokes and all sorts of other oral traditions. Some traditional storytellers keep to the old ways, while others, like this sand artist, have taken on new methods to tell age-old tales.
Marcus Winter is a Maori artist who opened up the 2010 Original Art Sale in New Zealand by retelling a traditional Maori creation story. Through his work we see the world being formed when the children of Ranginui, the Sky Father, and Papatuanuku, the Earth Mother, separate their parents and set off a chain reaction that creates the world and, of course, New Zealand.
Stories are living things. They take on new forms to adapt to the times and perpetuate themselves through the ages. I'm glad that artists like Winter are taking their ancient tales and giving them a modern twist.Video: Maori Creation Story Told In Sand Art originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 30 May 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Climber's guide to Skaha Bluffs
The park has 586 routes on 63 crags with grades ranging from Class 3 to 5.14a.
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Villa holydays are the opportunity for a relaxing and liberating holiday
If you are looking for a quiet and relaxing holiday, in which you can escape from everyday life and you can let behind any stressful problem, villa holidays are the answer to your search due to the fact that they offer each tourist the flexibility and the freedom to spend the holiday as he wants, without preset itineraries or rigorous schedule of meals
The Secret Freedoms of Train Hoppin?
?No.? I'm confused. Two days earlier, I had met filmmaker Brian Paul in New Orleans while he was promoting his documentary, Cure For the Crash, a fascinating look inside the minds of ?train hoppers.? I told him I wanted to learn about the ?art? of hopping, and he agreed to meet me across the river.
?What do you mean ?No?,'? I ask, not even trying to hide my annoyance.
?What do you mean ?No?,'? I ask, not even trying to hide my annoyance.
Car-free guide to UK's national parks
A host of new schemes ? from bike buses to e-bikes for hire ? means it is now easier than ever to explore Britain's national parks using public transportThe Lake DistrictThe Lake District (golakestravel.co.uk) is currently splashing out �6.9m to help you across Beatrix Potter country without mowing down Peter Rabbit's relatives. The programme includes new and improved cycle paths, e-bikes, electric cars, improved signage and a new dedicated bike bus, plus bike space on regular buses in the Central Lakes. You can take the new number 800 bike bus from Windermere rail station north to Whinlatter Forest for mountain bike trails (via Ambleside, Grasmere, Rydal, Keswick and Braithwaite), or to Thirlspot for family-friendly routes around Thirlmere (councilportal.cumbria.gov.uk). The bus runs from May to September (weekends only) with daily buses from 16 July to 31 August. The charge for bikes is the normal single fare plus �1.50.Alternatively, hire one of Lakeland's new e-bikes, launched in February, from nearby Bowness for �15-�25 a day. Take the Windermere ferry for a battery-powered climb to Beatrix Potter's Hill Top (nationaltrust.org.uk/hilltop), or explore the newly restored cycle path along the shore to High Wray and Hawkshead.Peak DistrictIf you like your bike rides and rambles flat, the Monsal Trail (peakdistrict.gov.uk/visiting/cycle/monsaltrail) in the Peak District is an 8.5-mile scenic saunter along an old railway line between Bakewell and Blackwell Mill, part of 65 miles of traffic-free cycle routes in the Peaks.Ride and Ramble (download for �4.95, nationalparks.gov.uk) gives 20 linear Peaks walks linked with public transport, while bus tickets get users discounts on local attractions, including two for one on the narrow gauge Peak Rail (normal price adults �7.50, children 6-15 years �4, children 3-5 years �2) and discounts to historic buildings, including Haddon Hall (haddonhall.co.uk) (eight minutes by bus from Rowsley).Loch Lomond Combine cycling with a cruise in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. A 30-minute train from Glasgow takes you to Balloch, at the southernmost end of the loch, where you can hire bikes (adults �17 per day, four days �54.50) and ride the largely traffic-free West Loch Lomond Cycle Path (lochlomond-trossachs.org) nine miles to Luss, with its pretty stone cottages and views of Ben Lomond. Hop on a water bus to Balmaha on the eastern shore and rest up before cycling south via Drymen to Balloch along part of National Cycle Network Route 7, or head north for more challenging routes in the Trossachs (incallander.co.uk/trossachscycling.htm).Alternatively, Explorer cruises (cruiselochlomond.co.uk) from Luss and Balmaha, running 31 March to 31 October, offer a relaxing way to take in the scenery (adults �10.50, family of four �26.50).ExmoorCycling across Exmoor is no longer the preserve of the super keen or super fit ? the national park's new electric bikes ? e-bikes ? make it quite possible to have a full day out on the moor and still have the energy left to enjoy a night out in a local pub in the evening (0844 870 7502, exmoorunplugged.co.uk). The scheme was launched in April, and you can pick one up from six points across Exmoor and head out into the wild (from �15 for a half-day to �100 for a week, over-14s only). A fully charged battery will last about 20 miles, with around 20 charging points in local pubs and cafes, including the White Horse Inn, Exford, where you can also sample some local beer knowing you'll have some battery power to see you home. The Moor Rover minibus (exploremoor.co.uk) picks up visitors and bikes, and can be booked all year round from anywhere on Exmoor and has a flat rate single fare of �6 for adults, �2 children ? call 01643 709701 or email moorrover@aol.com to book at least 24 hours in advance. Yorkshire DalesFor those with young families, the Malham Tarn shuttle bus (dalesbus.org/malham.html) allows visitors to explore the glorious Dales without having to tramp up hillsides. It runs from Skipton (gateway to the Dales) rail station to the popular village of Malham with the towering limestone cliff of Malham Cove, and up to England's highest lake, Malham Tarn, and some great walks (malhamdale.com/walking.htm).Week-long parking tickets, costing �14, are available in car parks across the Dales, so you can leave the car behind. Moors Rover tickets offer unlimited travel on Dales buses on Sundays and bank holidays (�8-�10).From Settle, guided walks (free to public transport users) are organised around public transport by Friends of the Settle-Carlisle line and Dales bus ramblers (dalesbusramblers.org.uk, walks free to bus users) and (foscl.org.uk/guided-walks). Or choose your own walk from the yorkshiredales.org.uk site.Brecon BeaconsThe longstanding Beacons Buses arrive in Brecon town from Cardiff, Swansea, Carmarthen and Hereford by 11am on Sundays and bank holidays from 3 June to 30 September. From Brecon, catch the Geopark Circular bus (travelbreconbeacons.info/beacons-bus/beacons-bus-timetable-2012) ? one of many bus tours starting around 11am ? which takes visitors on a circular route around Fforest Fawr Geopark (fforestfawrgeopark.org.uk), the western half of the Brecon Beacons, stopping at Pontneddfechan Waterfalls (breconbeacons.org), Dan-yr-Ogof caves and Penderyn Distillery (single malt "wysgi" ? for research purposes). Hop on and off, until the last return bus leaves the waterfalls at 4pm.A local company, Drover Holidays, provides all-inclusive trips on e-bikes in Brecon and Hay-on-Wye. Self-guided and weekend tours start from �215pp, including B&B accommodation, luggage transfer, bike hire and route maps. Or hire a bike (adults from �27.50 a day) and stay in an eco-friendly home near Brecon (uppermiddleroad.co.uk) ? B&B doubles from �60.Snowdonia For a vintage break, head to Porthmadog, Snowdonia (porthmadog.co.uk), with its beautiful harbour. Pack cucumber sandwiches, tea and cake and take the heritage Ffestiniog and Welsh Highlands railways (festrail.co.uk), with vintage carriages added in busier months. Travel to Blaenau Ffesteinog in the mountains and Caernarfon on the coast (�19.60 and �33 return, respectively; one child travels free with one paying adult, additional children pay half adult fare).For a more active break, the Snowdon Sherpa buses (gwynedd.gov.uk) carry people and bikes on circular routes around Snowdonia from Porthmadog eight times daily on weekdays, or four times on Sundays, and hourly from Caernarfon to Pen-y-Pass for the Snowdon ascent (many single fares �1).Visit the central national parks website for more information about getting to each of the parks: nationalparks.gov.uk/gettingtonationalparks Green travelCycling holidaysShort breaksUnited KingdomLaura Lakerguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. 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Berkeley's Edible Cities Guide Leads Urban Foragers To Free Good Eats
Filed under: Arts and Culture, Learning, Food and Drink, Europe, North America, Romania, Ecotourism, Budget TravelAnyone who's ever snagged fruit off of their neighbor's trees or bushes (oh, don't look at me like that) will appreciate the new online Edible Cities guide from Berkeleyite Cristian Ionescu-Zanetti.
Berkeley is ground zero for the localized food movement, and "urban foraging" has been growing in popularity amongst local chefs as well as home cooks.
As a former resident and recent subletter, I can attest to just how many tasty treats grow in this region, which is composed of many microclimates. All manner of citrus - most notably Meyer lemons - heirloom varieties of plums, cherries, loquats, avocado, raspberries, blackberries, pomegranates, persimmons, rosemary, wild fennel, miner's lettuce, wild watercress, mustard plants...they all flourish here, sometimes in backyards, but often in public spaces.
Hence, Edible Cities, which uses a Google Maps interface that denotes where specific species are free for the picking. In a recent interview in Berkeleyside, Inoescu-Zanetti, who is originally from Romania, stated that urban foraging's "most important aspect is education: Kids need to learn where food comes from, and adults need a refresher, as well." Here, here!
According to its mission statement, Edible Cities' goal is to promote local food security by "mapping publicly available food sources" and "enable a more sustainable mode of food production that lessens our environmental impact." In plain English, you can have free fruit and preserves year-round, instead of buying tasteless, imported crap sprayed with God knows what.
Oakland has a similar program, Forage Oakland, which began in 2008. Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle and Tampa also have fruit gleaning projects, which are variously used for residents and to provide fresh food for those in need.
[Photo credit: Flickr user OliBac]
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-268639{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-268639, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-268639{width:580px;height:525px;display:block;}
try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-268639").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Berkeley's Edible Cities Guide Leads Urban Foragers To Free Good Eats originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 29 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Berkeley is ground zero for the localized food movement, and "urban foraging" has been growing in popularity amongst local chefs as well as home cooks.
As a former resident and recent subletter, I can attest to just how many tasty treats grow in this region, which is composed of many microclimates. All manner of citrus - most notably Meyer lemons - heirloom varieties of plums, cherries, loquats, avocado, raspberries, blackberries, pomegranates, persimmons, rosemary, wild fennel, miner's lettuce, wild watercress, mustard plants...they all flourish here, sometimes in backyards, but often in public spaces.
Hence, Edible Cities, which uses a Google Maps interface that denotes where specific species are free for the picking. In a recent interview in Berkeleyside, Inoescu-Zanetti, who is originally from Romania, stated that urban foraging's "most important aspect is education: Kids need to learn where food comes from, and adults need a refresher, as well." Here, here!
According to its mission statement, Edible Cities' goal is to promote local food security by "mapping publicly available food sources" and "enable a more sustainable mode of food production that lessens our environmental impact." In plain English, you can have free fruit and preserves year-round, instead of buying tasteless, imported crap sprayed with God knows what.
Oakland has a similar program, Forage Oakland, which began in 2008. Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle and Tampa also have fruit gleaning projects, which are variously used for residents and to provide fresh food for those in need.
[Photo credit: Flickr user OliBac]
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-268639{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-268639, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-268639{width:580px;height:525px;display:block;}
try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-268639").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Berkeley's Edible Cities Guide Leads Urban Foragers To Free Good Eats originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 29 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Wednesday, May 30, 2012
A holiday guide to Devon
Interactive: Browse more than 100 tips to help you plan the perfect trip. Whether you want to surf the waves, stroll the moors, enjoy a pint in a village local or just hit the beachIsabel ChoatGavin McOwanGeorgia Brown
Smart Poles
For better or worse, the cell phone is now an integral item in most skiers? equipment. Integrated GPS, live snow reports, and easy communication make smartphones useful on the slopes. The problem comes when skiers actually have to use them?frozen fingers and dropped phones top a long list of potential problems. But a new solution may soon be in your hands?literally. Anthony Griesel, an IT manager and backcountry enthusiast from Salt Lake City, Utah, has developed skiing?s first ?smart? pole under the name Neva. What makes Neva so smart? Housed inside the grip is a display, two-optical sensors, and a Bluetooth receiver that syncs with most smartphones.?The app that will ship with Neva will let you toggle individual features like caller ID, text messages, time, temperature, elevation, slope aspect, and slope angle.? Says Griesel. ?The app also has breadcrumb (tracking) so you can see where you have been, and share it in Google Earth?s KML format. Cumulative elevation change and total distance covered can be tracked.?The display, electronics and battery only add a scant 63-grams to total pole weight, and can run up to three days on a single charge. Neva?s optical sensors aren?t as sensitive as a touch screen, but there?s no need to remove gloves to use the poles functions?so say goodbye to cold hands.Griesel is currently attempting to put Neva poles into production this fall by using Kickstarter. ?The reason I use Kickstarter is that it would allow me to go into production without having to take on venture capital. This lets me have a say where the poles are made, who assembles them, and what they get paid. I feel strongly about keeping all development and manufacturing in Salt Lake City. Investors will be motivated by profits and would ship the manufacturing offshore for higher margins.?Find more info at slopescience.com.
Wales' Michelin stars will rise
Wales has all of the ingredients for a vibrant, top-class restaurant scene. It just hasn't happened yet, says Laura RoweAnyone watching last week's Great British Menu could be forgiven for thinking that Wales is leading the way in creative cookery. Well, in many ways it is, but when it comes to eating out the accolades just aren't coming. For the past two years we have held a measly four Michelin stars (compared with 55 in London). In the Welsh capital you'll be lucky to get even a few AA rosettes.Of course, a lack of Michelin stars doesn't necessarily mean a lack of good food, but it does mean that finding a decent restaurant here is harder. Curry houses are aplenty and there are a few good Italian eateries, but if you're after a vegetarian meal, say, or a contemporary restaurant that pushes the boundaries, it's a struggle.It's not like there isn't a culinary heritage here. Make all the jokes you want about the Welsh penchant for posh cheese on toast, we have some serious recipes and produce under our apron strings: think cawl (a delicious stew), Welsh cakes (flat, sugary, currant scones), laverbread, cockles, salt-marsh lamb, and some of the best cheeses in the world (Caerphilly, anyone?). The British Cheese Awards and festival are held in Cardiff, for goodness sake.So, if it's not down to the ingredients themselves, does the lack of Michelin recognition reflect a lack of homegrown talent? Well, to look at the contestants and judges on the GBM's Welsh round, you might think so. Stephen Terry, while admittedly chef patron of one of Wales' most popular (if not Michelin-accredited) restaurants, is originally from London (even if he does have an Abergavenny twang). Judge Angela Hartnett, one of Britain's leading chefs, is based in London and is only "Welsh" by descent. And although Richard Davies hails from Bridgend, he earned his Michelin star at a manor house in Wiltshire. It is only James Sommerin in the competition, a "Welsh man through and through", who has kept to his roots. He has maintained his Michelin star at Monmouthshire restaurant The Crown at Whitebrook for the past six years. That's no mean feat. He thinks very few great chefs are drawn to Wales: "The majority head towards places like London, where they have the opportunity to earn more money". One of Wales' best-known chefs did just that. Bryn Williams trained at Le Gavroche and in France before taking over as head chef, then chef patron, at Odette's, his acclaimed restaurant in Primrose Hill.But it's unlikely to be about money alone. Perhaps chefs head elsewhere because they don't have the same opportunity here in Wales to be creative, where cheap and cheerful is often favoured over adventurous gastronomy. Rustic, affordably-priced eateries such as Matt Tebbutt's gastropub The Foxhunter in the Usk valley and Cardiff's The Potted Pig exist but are rare gems, as are excellent cheaper eateries such such as the Bangkok Cafe in Swansea.Even the double Michelin-starred Martin Blunos couldn't make his take on fine dining work at the now defunct Crown Social in Cardiff city centre. And time will only tell if Ceredigion-born chef Roger Jones will fare any better in his new role to raise the standard of Cardiff's restaurant scene at The Park House.Still, without the support of Michelin, Wales is listed among the top three destinations for gastro tourism in the UK. The annual Abergavenny Food Festival in September is renowned as one of the best food and drink events in the UK. Even the Welsh government is doing its bit with a Food Tourism Action Plan (pdf) and its annual True Taste of Wales Awards. All of the ingredients for a vibrant restaurant scene are here.So, is Wales a victim of Michelin snobbery, is London pinching all the best chefs, or is this fiercely proud country simply taking its time to be the best it can be? I favour the latter: the foundations are laid, and now we just need the public's support to take Welsh restaurants to the next level.RestaurantsBritish food and drinkFood & drinkWalesLaura Roweguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Smart Poles
For better or worse, the cell phone is now an integral item in most skiers? equipment. Integrated GPS, live snow reports, and easy communication make smartphones useful on the slopes. The problem comes when skiers actually have to use them?frozen fingers and dropped phones top a long list of potential problems. But a new solution may soon be in your hands?literally. Anthony Griesel, an IT manager and backcountry enthusiast from Salt Lake City, Utah, has developed skiing?s first ?smart? pole under the name Neva. What makes Neva so smart? Housed inside the grip is a display, two-optical sensors, and a Bluetooth receiver that syncs with most smartphones.?The app that will ship with Neva will let you toggle individual features like caller ID, text messages, time, temperature, elevation, slope aspect, and slope angle.? Says Griesel. ?The app also has breadcrumb (tracking) so you can see where you have been, and share it in Google Earth?s KML format. Cumulative elevation change and total distance covered can be tracked.?The display, electronics and battery only add a scant 63-grams to total pole weight, and can run up to three days on a single charge. Neva?s optical sensors aren?t as sensitive as a touch screen, but there?s no need to remove gloves to use the poles functions?so say goodbye to cold hands.Griesel is currently attempting to put Neva poles into production this fall by using Kickstarter. ?The reason I use Kickstarter is that it would allow me to go into production without having to take on venture capital. This lets me have a say where the poles are made, who assembles them, and what they get paid. I feel strongly about keeping all development and manufacturing in Salt Lake City. Investors will be motivated by profits and would ship the manufacturing offshore for higher margins.?Find more info at slopescience.com.
Where Can You Find Cheap Luxury Holidays
Due to the bad economy that most countries experience today, the number of people that are cutting their budgets is increasing
El Conquistador Resort
20% Off Best Available Rate, 2 Welcome Rum Drinks (Or 2 Non Alcoholic Drinks Available), $25 Casino Match Bet Coupon, Restaurant and Spa Savings (Details Provided at Hotel).
Terms & Conditions:Offer valid for stays booked between April 9, 2012 and December 20, 2012 and completed between May 1, 2012 and December 20, 2012 at participating hotels and resorts within Puerto Rico. Offer is subject to availability and requires a minimum stay of three (3) consecutive nights for stays and maximum stay of nine (9) nights . Blackout dates, deposit and cancellation restrictions may apply and vary by hotel. Offer does not apply to existing reservations or group bookings, and may not be combined with other promotions, negotiated/qualified rate plans, discounts, or offers. For specific restrictions please contact the participating property or visit their website. To book online at participating hotels, please request Plan Code "P2". To book by phone, please call +1-888-564-1307 or view a global list of Hilton Worldwide Reservation centers. If you are making this reservation by phone, please request Plan Code "P2" or the "Puerto Rico Getaway" package.
Terms & Conditions:Offer valid for stays booked between April 9, 2012 and December 20, 2012 and completed between May 1, 2012 and December 20, 2012 at participating hotels and resorts within Puerto Rico. Offer is subject to availability and requires a minimum stay of three (3) consecutive nights for stays and maximum stay of nine (9) nights . Blackout dates, deposit and cancellation restrictions may apply and vary by hotel. Offer does not apply to existing reservations or group bookings, and may not be combined with other promotions, negotiated/qualified rate plans, discounts, or offers. For specific restrictions please contact the participating property or visit their website. To book online at participating hotels, please request Plan Code "P2". To book by phone, please call +1-888-564-1307 or view a global list of Hilton Worldwide Reservation centers. If you are making this reservation by phone, please request Plan Code "P2" or the "Puerto Rico Getaway" package.
Cycling in London: hoover factories and red lights
In the 1930s some Londoners traveled many miles to work by bicycle - and, unlike the present mayor, appear to have obeyed every traffic signal along the wayAt last Wednesday's mayor's question time Boris Johnson said he thought he'd seen a figure that 62% of cyclists killed or seriously injured (KSI) had been, "associated with some infraction by the cyclists themselves of the rules of the road." As Peter Walker reported on Friday, this surprising, passing claim is strongly contradicted by the most authoritative source on blame in bike accidents. Peter added that City Hall was unable to source the mayor's statistic beyond saying that he'd been "told it by a member of the public," at a recent hustings." He was assured that the mayor, "has asked his team to look into whether that statistic can be confirmed."Still no joy so far. Ah well, we can wait. To pass the time, here's an account of cycling in the capital from the mid-1930s by Londoner Les White: I used to live in Bow, and I worked at Hoover's in Perivale, which is some 17 miles away, and this journey I used to do by cycle. I started work at seven o'clock in the morning, which meant I had to leave home at about a quarter past five. When I got to Aldgate I used to meet my friend from west ham and we'd cycle together most mornings, side by side, chatting about all sorts of things, the weather, football, family - it helped pass the time.We had a few dodges as well, to get to work more quickly, because if you were late at Hoover's, they locked you out. Oxford Street was full of traffic lights and we used to get to know these lights quite well travelling morning after morning, and being early morning there was little traffic about, so you could see almost the whole length of Oxford Street, all the traffic lights from one end to the other.So we worked it out that, if you caught one light, if you pedalled like mad, you'd be able to catch the next seven lights without stopping - they'd all be green. We got expert at that.That's an impressive pedal-powered commute, but I'm equally struck by the deference Les and his friend showed to traffic signals. Though a strong advocate of a far more cycle-friendly London, I also favour cyclists stopping at red lights. No, this is not an oblique defence of mayoral disinformation. It is an unrelated observation that too often I or other members of my family have had almost literal brushes with death or injury when crossing roads thanks to cyclists hurtling onwards when cars, vans and buses have come to a halt. There may not be many who are as reckless as that, but the pro-cyclist case would be easier to make if there were fewer. And, of course, the mayor himself has form for taking red light liberties. Speech over. Les White's story can be found in Gavin Weightman and Steve Humphries's marvelous The Making of Modern London. The Hoover building in Perivale, now a supermarket, has been immortalised in song by Elvis Costello.Cycling holidaysElvis CostelloTransportTransport policyBoris JohnsonLondon politicsLondonDave Hillguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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Conrad San Juan Condado Plaza
20% Off Best Available Rate, 2 Welcome Rum Drinks (Or 2 Non Alcoholic Drinks Available), $25 Casino Match Bet Coupon, Restaurant and Spa Savings (Details Provided at Hotel).
Terms & Conditions:*Offer valid for stays booked between April 9, 2012 and December 20, 2012 and completed between May 1, 2012 and December 20, 2012 at participating hotels and resorts within Puerto Rico. Offer is subject to availability and requires a minimum stay of three (3) consecutive nights for stays and maximum stay of nine (9) nights . Blackout dates, deposit and cancellation restrictions may apply and vary by hotel. Offer does not apply to existing reservations or group bookings, and may not be combined with other promotions, negotiated/qualified rate plans, discounts, or offers. For specific restrictions please contact the participating property or visit their website. To book online at participating hotels, please request Plan Code "P2". To book by phone, please call +1-888-564-1307 or view a global list of Hilton Worldwide Reservation centers. If you are making this reservation by phone, please request Plan Code "P2" or the "Puerto Rico Getaway" package.
Terms & Conditions:*Offer valid for stays booked between April 9, 2012 and December 20, 2012 and completed between May 1, 2012 and December 20, 2012 at participating hotels and resorts within Puerto Rico. Offer is subject to availability and requires a minimum stay of three (3) consecutive nights for stays and maximum stay of nine (9) nights . Blackout dates, deposit and cancellation restrictions may apply and vary by hotel. Offer does not apply to existing reservations or group bookings, and may not be combined with other promotions, negotiated/qualified rate plans, discounts, or offers. For specific restrictions please contact the participating property or visit their website. To book online at participating hotels, please request Plan Code "P2". To book by phone, please call +1-888-564-1307 or view a global list of Hilton Worldwide Reservation centers. If you are making this reservation by phone, please request Plan Code "P2" or the "Puerto Rico Getaway" package.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Legends And Myths In The World's Highest Forest
Filed under: Hiking, History, Learning, Stories, South America, Ecuador, Ecotourism"Ladies, be careful," warns Juan, our guide for Cajas National Park in Ecuador. "This forest is known to have evil elves."
We are currently in the Quinoa Forest, which we are told, at 13,124 feet high, is the highest forest in the world. Because I'm from New York and don't believe in elves, the warning does not scare me. However, there are various legends revolving around the forest that stem from Incan beliefs.
For one, elves, or chuzalungu in Cachua, the native Inca language, live in the forest and kidnap women and children. In my opinion, this may have stemmed from the highlanders being short, and if anything bad happened to a woman or child, the wrongdoer may have been mistaken as being an elf.
It's not surprising so many mystical legends exist here. Walking through the Quinoa Forest, you'll feel like you're hiking through some kind of bizarre fairy tale, as you climb over twisted trees and tangled roots. In reality, the jungle gym-like terrain is due to the three feet of soil.Continue reading Legends And Myths In The World's Highest ForestLegends And Myths In The World's Highest Forest originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 27 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
We are currently in the Quinoa Forest, which we are told, at 13,124 feet high, is the highest forest in the world. Because I'm from New York and don't believe in elves, the warning does not scare me. However, there are various legends revolving around the forest that stem from Incan beliefs.
For one, elves, or chuzalungu in Cachua, the native Inca language, live in the forest and kidnap women and children. In my opinion, this may have stemmed from the highlanders being short, and if anything bad happened to a woman or child, the wrongdoer may have been mistaken as being an elf.
It's not surprising so many mystical legends exist here. Walking through the Quinoa Forest, you'll feel like you're hiking through some kind of bizarre fairy tale, as you climb over twisted trees and tangled roots. In reality, the jungle gym-like terrain is due to the three feet of soil.Continue reading Legends And Myths In The World's Highest ForestLegends And Myths In The World's Highest Forest originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 27 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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The Pit Bull ?Problem?
Dr. Seuss had one. Helen Keller claims they?re one of the best therapy dogs. Jon Stewart has two ? and they watch over his young children. But these aren?t the stories you hear when you hear about pit bulls.
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Tafraoute: Morocco's Berber heartland
Escape Morocco's big cities for the oasis of Tafraoute, where you'll find ancient traditions, genuinely friendly people and a restaurant that shows how good home cooking can beDuring the eight years that I've lived in Casablanca, I have searched for a secluded scrap of paradise to escape the wild rumpus of the city. The other day I finally found it.Drive south-east from Agadir, through fields planted with veg destined for Tesco stores half a world away, and you eventually spy a little track on the right. Blink and you'd miss it. To take it is to ride the grand slalom of Morocco's south, a piste so windy that you wonder if it's a secret vehicle test track. Veering left, then right, the route doubles back on itself and narrows alarmingly, with boulders the size of mansions looming down either side.There are no road signs, and the only people are shepherds, cloaked in chill shadows between the rocks. Their goats don't bother scrounging for scrub and grass. They're up in the trees, feasting on argan nuts instead.A moment before you throw it all in, swing a U-turn and head for home, you catch a first glimpse of it ? Tafraoute. Cupped in a shallow bowl between rocky outcrops, it has something serene about it, a perfect balance uniting nature and man. A cluster of slender minarets and low pink homes, there's a sense that it has just that moment been conjured by a good jinni, like something from the pages of One Thousand and One Nights.This is Morocco's Berber heartland, where proud tribes, traditions and folklore pre-date the Arab conquest by centuries, a realm set quite apart from the hubbub of the kingdom's big cities and ubiquitous urban sprawl.An ancient oasis, Tafraoute was first discovered in the 60s by the flower power generation, when droves of tie-dyed hippies trundled south in their combi vans.These days, it's patronised by the world's leading rock climbers, lured by the sleek, wind-sculpted faces of sheer granite, set against a backdrop of utter tranquillity.I stayed at Hotel Salama on the edge of the main square. Nestled all around are little shops and stalls. At one, I found lumps of rock crystal, and sulphur, dried chameleons, cactus roots and myrrh, for use in spells. Another stall, opposite, was touting a selection of antique angular iron keys, once used in the region's famous wooden locks.But, best of all, was the shop selling ordinary objects made from old paint cans, glass jars and discarded plastic. I bought some lanterns there, a paint can bucket, and a shopping basket made from crocheted plastic bags.The most wonderful thing about Tafraoute is the way people are genuinely pleased to see a visitor and, equally, how they don't hassle you as they do elsewhere.Having fallen in love with a little Berber chest, I had to beg the shopkeeper to sell it to me. He insisted I could get a better one round the corner for half the price.The greatest treasure of all lies on a little lane in the backstreets of Tafraoute. It's called Chez Sabir, and it is the ancestral home of Abdel-Latif Bakrim, a culinary genius and a man so gentle that you wonder how he manages to run a business at all. There are just three tables, laid out in the family's sitting room, with a small kitchen behind.As anyone who lives in Morocco well knows, the national cuisine is at its best not in a restaurant, but in the home. And Chez Sabir is a home.Comprising of thick harira soup, Moroccan salads, and lamb cooked with prunes, the meal surpassed my wildest expectations. Before leaving, I asked Abdel-Latif for his secret. Smiling very broadly, he narrowed his eyes, and said: "Good food is made all the more delicious by the arrival of a guest."? Hotel Salama (+212 28 800026 hotelsalama.com) has doubles from around ?25, breakfast ?2. Chez Sabir, 41 Route Ammeln, +212 6 66 419968Tahir Shah's new novel, Timbuctoo, will be published in June by Secretum Mundi Publishing at �29.99MoroccoAfricaCultural tripsRestaurantsguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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Caribe Hilton San Juan Resort
20% Off Best Available Rate, 2 Welcome Rum Drinks (Or 2 Non Alcoholic Drinks Available), $25 Casino Match Bet Coupon, Restaurant and Spa Savings (Details Provided at Hotel).
Terms & Conditions:Offer valid for stays booked between April 9, 2012 and December 20, 2012 and completed between May 1, 2012 and December 20, 2012 at participating hotels and resorts within Puerto Rico. Offer is subject to availability and requires a minimum stay of three (3) consecutive nights for stays and maximum stay of nine (9) nights . Blackout dates, deposit and cancellation restrictions may apply and vary by hotel. Offer does not apply to existing reservations or group bookings, and may not be combined with other promotions, negotiated/qualified rate plans, discounts, or offers. For specific restrictions please contact the participating property or visit their website. To book online at participating hotels, please request Plan Code "P2". To book by phone, please call +1-888-564-1307 or view a global list of Hilton Worldwide Reservation centers. If you are making this reservation by phone, please request Plan Code "P2" or the "Puerto Rico Getaway" package.
Terms & Conditions:Offer valid for stays booked between April 9, 2012 and December 20, 2012 and completed between May 1, 2012 and December 20, 2012 at participating hotels and resorts within Puerto Rico. Offer is subject to availability and requires a minimum stay of three (3) consecutive nights for stays and maximum stay of nine (9) nights . Blackout dates, deposit and cancellation restrictions may apply and vary by hotel. Offer does not apply to existing reservations or group bookings, and may not be combined with other promotions, negotiated/qualified rate plans, discounts, or offers. For specific restrictions please contact the participating property or visit their website. To book online at participating hotels, please request Plan Code "P2". To book by phone, please call +1-888-564-1307 or view a global list of Hilton Worldwide Reservation centers. If you are making this reservation by phone, please request Plan Code "P2" or the "Puerto Rico Getaway" package.
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Outrigger Royal Kahana
Enjoy this oceanfront vacation condominium in beautiful Maui from just $155 a night. You'll have the convenience of a full kitchen, free parking, swimming pool, fitness area, game room and a complimentary Island Explorer Kit for all children ages 5 to 10 years old. Best of all, NO RESORT FEES!
Terms & Conditions:Nightly rate valid through December 21, 2012. Based on availability. Other restrictions may apply.
Terms & Conditions:Nightly rate valid through December 21, 2012. Based on availability. Other restrictions may apply.
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Risking their lives for music
"Our concept is to create a waayaha cusub, which means 'new era,' for all Somalis."
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Sunday, May 27, 2012
Hotel Review: Tiara Yaksta, Théoule-sur-Mer, Cannes, France
When love is in the air and a get-away in on the cards, it's only natural that you want�a hideaway in which to immerse totally in the joys that such amour may�bring.�And so we headed for Tiara Yaksta boutique hotel.The ride from Nice Airport was a pleasant tootle along the twisty N8 coastal road.�We were heading for the tiny town of Th�oule-sur-Mer, an area with lovely red rock inlets and where they say, the water quality around its cliffs is the best in Europe. We�had chosen the hotel for its discreet location and found it was so hidden that I passed it at least three times. But no matter, the iconic views over the yacht-dotted seas and hilly C�te d'Azur backdrop made the detour well worth while.We eventually spotted the small turning that leads the way to this stone, terracotta-hued property. Part of the charm is that it's built into the hillside and that it�overlooks the azure waters of the Mediterranean sea. The website says it has the accolade of being the most romantic in Europe - and those views certainly help. We were warmly greeted as we�walked into�the small but beautifully scented reception and led to a gloriously located terrace with - it has to be said - those views, for a welcome glass of champagne. It was a lovely touch.There are just 21 rooms over three levels and the d�cor throughout has more than a dab of eastern promise ? tiled floors, richly coloured walls, exotic artworks, opulent dark wood furniture, and enrobed beds - all add to a sense of romantic occasion. Our�room had en suite with a bath, all the mod cons, a set of music cds and a cd player. Its small balcony with a table that looks out onto the ocean was a great space for an early evening aperitif.Not much goes on in the area other than a sprinkling of shops and bars, but the hotel's heated infinity pool and luxurious day beds set in the hotel gardens is a restful way to while away the time. Their sister hotel down the road, the Miramar, has a beach for guest use. There are no major monuments or sights to visit except for the surrounding landscape where a hike into the hills and forests behind the town would no doubt, be�great way to�feel at one with nature.For us though, that was a tad too much excetion and in any case for a little action the pull of St Tropez was compelling.��So�we caught the ferry at Saint-Raphael (around 20 minutes drive away) for a day out in this chic Riviera town. We�later returned grateful to experience some peace and quiet once again and enjoy some fine dining at their L'Or Bleu restaurant and a final night-cap overlooking the the Med.�on their terrace.RATES: From 200 euros plus 29 euros for breakfast. Check prices and availability here.How to get there?Get a flight to Nice, then rent a car at Nice Airport. Tiara Yaktsa is about 40 minutes drive from the airport.Cheap Flights with Budget Airlines18 May 2012
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Viewfinder competition: win a �150 hotel voucher
Name the place and win a �150 voucher from Hotels.com, letting you stay at thousands of hotels worldwideObserver
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Rooting For The US Dollar
Filed under: Europe, North AmericaI'm a huge sports fan and no matter where I am in the world, my morning routine always involves combing through box scores, standings and tournament draws. But as soon as I get my sports fix, I turn my attention to the fate of the U.S. dollar. Nearly every weekday, I check to see how our currency is faring against the Euro, and other currencies of countries I might be heading to.
I'm currently in the middle of a three-month trip to Italy and Greece, two of the sickest economies in Europe, so Wednesday's news that the Euro had sunk to just a 25 percent advantage over the U.S. dollar, a two-year low, had me in a celebratory mood. Yes, I do feel bad for people suffering from the economic crisis that has paralyzed Greece and threatens to do the same to Spain, Italy and perhaps other European countries, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I was rooting for the Euro to crash just as vigorously as I root for the Bills, Sabres and all my other favorite sports teams.
I still remember the good old days when the U.S. dollar traded higher than the Euro, and as someone who has lived in and spent quite a bit of time on the continent over the last decade, I've been frustrated by the U.S. dollar's slow downward spiral in recent years. When the Euro dipped below 30 percent recently, I assumed it would creep right back up, as this has been the usual pattern over the last year, but it keeps going down and I couldn't be more pleased.
Yes, I know that a strong dollar is bad for U.S. exports and for our economy more broadly. But I'm still rooting for our currency. Am I selfish? Absolutely, but here's hoping the dollar continues its comeback.
(Image via Eric Caballero on Flickr)Rooting For The US Dollar originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 26 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
I'm currently in the middle of a three-month trip to Italy and Greece, two of the sickest economies in Europe, so Wednesday's news that the Euro had sunk to just a 25 percent advantage over the U.S. dollar, a two-year low, had me in a celebratory mood. Yes, I do feel bad for people suffering from the economic crisis that has paralyzed Greece and threatens to do the same to Spain, Italy and perhaps other European countries, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I was rooting for the Euro to crash just as vigorously as I root for the Bills, Sabres and all my other favorite sports teams.
I still remember the good old days when the U.S. dollar traded higher than the Euro, and as someone who has lived in and spent quite a bit of time on the continent over the last decade, I've been frustrated by the U.S. dollar's slow downward spiral in recent years. When the Euro dipped below 30 percent recently, I assumed it would creep right back up, as this has been the usual pattern over the last year, but it keeps going down and I couldn't be more pleased.
Yes, I know that a strong dollar is bad for U.S. exports and for our economy more broadly. But I'm still rooting for our currency. Am I selfish? Absolutely, but here's hoping the dollar continues its comeback.
(Image via Eric Caballero on Flickr)Rooting For The US Dollar originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 26 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Vantastic: Mexican street food in LA
Thomasina Miers, the chef behind Wahaca, heads to Los Angeles to find inspiration in the city's vibrant street-food scene ? scroll to the end of the article for her pork belly recipeThomasina Miers stands on a sunny petrol station forecourt in Highland Park, a neighbourhood to the northeast of Los Angeles, enthusiastically eating a marinated beef-tongue taco. "It's so delicious," she says through a mouthful of corn tortilla, coriander and tomatillo salsa.This low-rise residential area, an hour and a world away from the Walk of Fame, bristles with signs for cheap loans and fast food. It is not on any tourist map. Star-tour buses don't pull up round here. But rather than celebrities, we're looking for Mexican street-food trucks, picking out their vivid orange, blue and pink awnings or distinctive fin-shaped roof vents from among the stucco-covered houses, corner shops and drive-throughs. At the La Estrella and El Pique trucks, we found what we crave. We order more tacos, a beef torta (sandwich) and a buttery hot quesadilla and wolf them as the traffic whizzes past, juices running down our chins.Miers, former MasterChef winner and co-founder of the Mexican restaurant chain Wahaca, is researching her next venture ? a two-year pop-up restaurant opening next month on London's South Bank with a street-food menu. She's here because there are 11 million Mexican-Americans living in California, making up 30% of the population."LA has such a huge Mexican population," she says. "In terms of food trends, America, and particularly California, is often five to 10 years ahead of the UK, so it is interesting to see where they're at, particularly with Mexican, which you can find here as easily as getting a hamburger."Angelenos also have more than 100 years of Mexican street-food history ? the arrival and popularity of horse-drawn tamale carts caused the same kind of bureaucratic angst in the 1880s as the influx of taco trucks has done in the past couple of years ? so residents have exacting standards. They want rich, slow-cooked sauces, chillies of every hue and heat, soft corn or wheat tortillas piled with meaty fillings, and they want them day and night. There are hundreds of hole-in-the-wall taco stands and trucks to keep them happy.As we work our way round the best of them, Miers grins from ear to ear. Her interest in Mexican food was piqued when she was in her early 20s and ran a bar in Mexico City. She came home to find she couldn't get authentic Mexican anywhere in the UK and so resolved to open her own casual restaurant. Six years and five Wahacas later, the hunch she and her business partner Mark Selby had about the gap in the market has been proved right and her obsession with Mexico's food has only grown. Yuca's is one of LA's oldest street-food joints ? a small shed and plastic awning next to a car park ? and she can't help but order almost every dish, while Selby tries to keep things in control."I'm on belt hook three at the moment," he says ruefully, "and I'd like to stay that way." Ignoring him, Miers adds a plate of carne asada tacos (grilled beef) to a conchinita pibil (Yucatan-style pork) and machaca (shredded beef) tacos, pickled jalape�o peppers, and a chile verde bean and cheese burrito. This is their first lunch of six today.Our tour continues to take us to corners of Los Angeles most tourists would miss. We visit Olvera Street in Downtown and eat $3 rolled-up beef taquitos with warm avocado sauce from Cielito Lindo. We hit Las Glorias del Buen Comer in Silver Lake ? home to an impressive collection of plastic floristry ? for creamy shrimp enchiladas in a green coriander sauce; chilaquiles made with fried stale tortillas, salsa and scrambled egg; and huge poblano chillies stuffed with soft white cheese.At Grand Central Market we watch tripe being packed into split gorditas, deep-fried maize-dough pockets, and are given carnitas (pork tacos) to try by a group of men leaning on a red Formica lunch counter, swigging coke out of huge old glass bottles. The sawdust-covered walkways lead to stalls selling jar after jar of dried chillies and piles of tomatillos (a fruit resembling a green tomato) and jicama, which look like turnips and taste like water chestnut.The best dishes of the day are served in Guisado's, a small, plain shop in Boyle Heights, a Latino neighbourhood east of Downtown. After we order most of his menu, owner Armando de la Torre takes us to the grocery shop next door where, incongruously, he gets his corn cooked, skinned, hoppered and ground, and then hand-makes it into tortillas or adds lard to make masa for tamales (stuffed steamed breads) or conchas (sweet pastries).His daughter Natalie loads our table with cardboard plates of tacos topped with tinga de pollo (spiced shredded chicken), skirt steak simmered in pimento sauce, fiery grilled fish with chilli diablo, and a chicken mole (a traditional sauce that takes at least a day to make properly). We try chicharron, made with black beans and slow-cooked pork scratchings. It's much more appetising than it sounds: the fatty pork rinds render down and what's left is melt-in-the-mouth pigginess.Only one dish defeats us: a chilli taco with habanero ketchup so spicy that it leaves anyone who tastes it red-faced and gasping. Legend has it one visitor managed four in one go. "Eat one, get another free!" says Armando cheerfully as he pours us a shot each of smooth tequila royale reposado to sip. We are, finally, sated.Next day, the main aim is to find a Kogi truck. Kogi shot to local and then national fame in 2008 when the first of a fleet of five vans popped up selling a surprisingly successful blend of Korean and Mexican food ? a signature dish is soy-marinated short rib tacos with coriander and cabbage ? and has since spawned dozens of imitators. Its trucks change location up to three times daily and can only be located via Twitter, where Kogi has 96,000 followers; in 2010 its head chef, Roy Choi, was named best new chef in the US by Food & Wine magazine ? quite an accolade for a kitchen the size of a caravan.We find the truck (and its lengthy queue) outside an office block next to the Fox studios in Century City and feast on kimchi quesadillas, which are sweet, gingery cheese and pickled cabbage tortilla sandwiches, and Kogi sliders: miniature brioche buns with Korean bulgogi-marinated short-rib burgers. We finish the meal with an entirely unnecessary and ridiculously moreish home-made chocolate bar with squidgy chilli salt caramel and peanuts."Coming here, you can see authentic Mexican cooking and lots of its famous street food, but you can also see where else this food can go," says Miers. "This is some of the most exciting, innovative food we've tried. This trip is giving me masses of ideas to work with!"Half an hour later we pull up at Komodo, another Korean-Mexican-Asian-Californian truck, where somehow find room in our stomachs to try delicate fish and grape tacos with pickled cucumber and sesame oil and pork meatballs that are charred and crisp on the outside and pink and lightly spiced inside. Although they're incredibly tasty, even Miers agrees that ordering two portions of truffled potato fries was a mistake; we attempt to cleanse our palates with lychee juice.Our final stop of the day is Mariscos Chente, a seafood restaurant where we sample drunken shrimp and chipotle prawns and drink vast micheladas ? beer mixed with Clamato (clam and tomato) juice and lime, served in a chilli-salt rimmed glass. Then it's back to the hotel, where we swim lengths of the pool in a bid to make room for dinner.Oddly, Los Angeles's very high-end Mexican restaurants don't seem to deliver food that's as exciting as the city's street food. In the evenings we try two of the best: Border Grill, founded by Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, and Red O, which belongs to Rick Bayless. These three chefs have done more than anyone to popularise and legitimise Mexican food in America. But although the meals were fine, it was as though the punchy mouthfuls of flavour we'd been ploughing through all day didn't taste the same inside, off pieces of fine china and eaten with cutlery; they didn't give us the same intense sense of the place and its inhabitants as the foods they cook and eat every day could. However good a posh restaurant's heirloom tomato tostadito or yellowtail ceviche might be, they couldn't beat those tongue tacos eaten in the roar of the traffic.? Thomasina Miers' new recipe book Wahaca ? Mexican Food at Home is out next monthEssentialsRebecca Seal's accommodation was provided by the W Hotel Hollywood (whotels.starwoodhotels.com) and she flew to LA with British Airways (ba.com)Food stopsLa Estrella and El PiqueCorner of York and Avenue 54, Highland Park, CA 90042 Yuca's2056 Hillhurst Avenue, Los Feliz, CA 90027 (001 323 662 1214)Cielito LindoE-23 Olvera Street, CA 90012 (001 213 687 4391; cielitolindo.org)Las Glorias del Buen Comer 620 Silver Lake Boulevard, Silver Lake, CA�90026 (001 213 484 9090)Grand Central Market317 South Broadway, Downtown, CA 90013 (grandcentral square.com)Guisado's2100 East Cesar Chavez Avenue, Boyle Heights, CA�90033KogiCheck @KOGIBBQ for daily locationsKomodo Komodofood.com for daily locationsMariscos Chente4532 South Centinela Avenue, Culver City, CA�90066 (001 310 390 9241)Border Grill445 South Figueroa Street, Downtown, CA 90071 (001 213 486 5171)Red O8155 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, CA 90046 (001 323 655 5009; redorestaurant.com)Thomasina Miers's pork belly carnitasCarnitas is one of the most mouth-watering dishes in the Mexican repertoire: succulent chunks of pork that are slowly braised in their own fat, just like duck confit Serves 6?8 pork belly bonedlard 500g bay leaves 2garlic 5 cloves, bashedoranges 2, slicedpeppercorns 1 tsp cola drink 500mlthyme a handful of sprigssea saltHow to do itPreheat the oven to 130C/gas mark 1. Cut the pork belly into six roughly equal pieces. Rub with salt and leave to sit for 1 hour. Put�the pork chunks into a large casserole pan with the rest of the ingredients and bring to simmering point. Cover well with a�tight-fitting lid or foil and cook in the oven�for 2-3 hours until the pork is so soft it can be cut with a spoon.Scoop out the pieces with a slotted spoon and arrange them on a baking sheet. Turn the oven up to 190C/gas mark 5. Roast the pork for about 30 minutes, until the pieces are crispy, golden and caramelised. Roughly chop the meat and serve on a wooden board or heated plate with bowls of coriander, white onion or shallot, wedges of lime, a salsa, and warm tortillas for making your own tacos.Los AngelesUnited StatesThomasina MiersMexican food and drinkChefsNorth and Central AmericaFood and drinkMasterChefFood TVRestaurantsFood & drinkRebecca Sealguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. 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Stalking Otis Redding?Again.
Her name is Karla, and her dad was Otis. Otis Redding. I'm praying she won't recognize me -- my hair was longer then; a few more grays in my beard. The whole "me camping outside their house thing" happened years ago. Surely they'd forgotten, right? I couldn't have been the only slightly deranged fan to show up on their doorstep.
I Heart My Lake Escape
Summer's almost here, so we thought we'd take a break from our I Heart My City series and focus on the concept of getting away from it all. Taking a dive off the dock, toasting marshmallows around a camp fire at dusk, spooling out fishing line and pitching back to cast off, watching fire flies light up the night's sky. What's your favorite lake escape? Tell us in the comments section below for a chance to appear in the next issue of Traveler magazine.
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Skiing Magazine Hires New Digital Editor
BOULDER, CO - Skiing Magazine, the world?s friendliest and most sexually attractive ski magazine?, is pleased to announce the hiring of Gavin Gibson as digital editor. Gibson, a Michigan native, most recently worked as a custodian at St. Robert?s Memorial Children?s Hospital in Conway, Arkansas. He was dismissed from St. Robert?s in March for poor performance. ?Gavin is a nice young man,? says Ron Stewsbury, custodial staff supervisor at St. Roberts. ?But the floors were always dirty. We?d often find him leaning against the wall, texting and whatnot.? Stewsbury said he noticed that Gibson had developed muscular thumbs from constantly using digital devices. After discussing Gibson?s case with hospital administrators, he decided to release Gibson to pursue, among other things, a future in digital media. ?It was an easy decision.? ?St. Robert?s loss is Skiing?s gain,? says Skiing?s editor-in-chief, Sam Bass. ?We?re thrilled to have Gavin aboard and look forward to a bright future with him. Sure, we need to iron out a few wrinkles, like excessive capitalization and exclamation-point usage, but it?s all there.? Otherwise, staff reactions are mixed. ?We don?t have walls between our cubicles,? says video editor Tucker Neary, ?so at least he decided to position his computer so that I don?t have to constantly make awkward eye contact with him.? Associate editor Kevin Luby also seems lukewarm about the prospect of working alongside Gibson. ?He uses the word ?stoke? a little too often for my tastes and he?s a bit twitchy. Caffeine, maybe? But he doesn?t smell, so I?m going to give him the benefit of the doubt.? I.T. Director Tony Pene is downright annoyed. ?Just what I needed: another whiny-ass editor expecting me to ask ?how high?? every time he says ?jump.?? Gibson, for his part, couldn?t be happier. ?I?ve been reading Skiing my entire life. In fact, I have a 25-piece ceramic sea-animal collection and each animal is named after a different Skiing staffer from mastheads of old. This job is my destiny.? Gibson can be reached at gavin@skiingmag.com. About SkiingBased in Boulder, Colorado, Skiing is the magazine for serious-but-fun-loving-and-unpretentious skiers. Using funding grants from the White House?s Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, Skiing publishes four print issues, 167 theoretical tablet editions, and an extremely futuristic website. Its readers may or may not furrow their brows when dropping into committing lines.
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Smart Poles
For better or worse, the cell phone is now an integral item in most skiers? equipment. Integrated GPS, live snow reports, and easy communication make smartphones useful on the slopes. The problem comes when skiers actually have to use them?frozen fingers and dropped phones top a long list of potential problems. But a new solution may soon be in your hands?literally. Anthony Griesel, an IT manager and backcountry enthusiast from Salt Lake City, Utah, has developed skiing?s first ?smart? pole under the name Neva. What makes Neva so smart? Housed inside the grip is a display, two-optical sensors, and a Bluetooth receiver that syncs with most smartphones.?The app that will ship with Neva will let you toggle individual features like caller ID, text messages, time, temperature, elevation, slope aspect, and slope angle.? Says Griesel. ?The app also has breadcrumb (tracking) so you can see where you have been, and share it in Google Earth?s KML format. Cumulative elevation change and total distance covered can be tracked.?The display, electronics and battery only add a scant 63-grams to total pole weight, and can run up to three days on a single charge. Neva?s optical sensors aren?t as sensitive as a touch screen, but there?s no need to remove gloves to use the poles functions?so say goodbye to cold hands.Griesel is currently attempting to put Neva poles into production this fall by using Kickstarter. ?The reason I use Kickstarter is that it would allow me to go into production without having to take on venture capital. This lets me have a say where the poles are made, who assembles them, and what they get paid. I feel strongly about keeping all development and manufacturing in Salt Lake City. Investors will be motivated by profits and would ship the manufacturing offshore for higher margins.?Find more info at slopescience.com.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Tafraoute: Morocco's Berber heartland
Escape Morocco's big cities for the oasis of Tafraoute, where you'll find ancient traditions, genuinely friendly people and a restaurant that shows how good home cooking can beDuring the eight years that I've lived in Casablanca, I have searched for a secluded scrap of paradise to escape the wild rumpus of the city. The other day I finally found it.Drive south-east from Agadir, through fields planted with veg destined for Tesco stores half a world away, and you eventually spy a little track on the right. Blink and you'd miss it. To take it is to ride the grand slalom of Morocco's south, a piste so windy that you wonder if it's a secret vehicle test track. Veering left, then right, the route doubles back on itself and narrows alarmingly, with boulders the size of mansions looming down either side.There are no road signs, and the only people are shepherds, cloaked in chill shadows between the rocks. Their goats don't bother scrounging for scrub and grass. They're up in the trees, feasting on argan nuts instead.A moment before you throw it all in, swing a U-turn and head for home, you catch a first glimpse of it ? Tafraoute. Cupped in a shallow bowl between rocky outcrops, it has something serene about it, a perfect balance uniting nature and man. A cluster of slender minarets and low pink homes, there's a sense that it has just that moment been conjured by a good jinni, like something from the pages of One Thousand and One Nights.This is Morocco's Berber heartland, where proud tribes, traditions and folklore pre-date the Arab conquest by centuries, a realm set quite apart from the hubbub of the kingdom's big cities and ubiquitous urban sprawl.An ancient oasis, Tafraoute was first discovered in the 60s by the flower power generation, when droves of tie-dyed hippies trundled south in their combi vans.These days, it's patronised by the world's leading rock climbers, lured by the sleek, wind-sculpted faces of sheer granite, set against a backdrop of utter tranquillity.I stayed at Hotel Salama on the edge of the main square. Nestled all around are little shops and stalls. At one, I found lumps of rock crystal, and sulphur, dried chameleons, cactus roots and myrrh, for use in spells. Another stall, opposite, was touting a selection of antique angular iron keys, once used in the region's famous wooden locks.But, best of all, was the shop selling ordinary objects made from old paint cans, glass jars and discarded plastic. I bought some lanterns there, a paint can bucket, and a shopping basket made from crocheted plastic bags.The most wonderful thing about Tafraoute is the way people are genuinely pleased to see a visitor and, equally, how they don't hassle you as they do elsewhere.Having fallen in love with a little Berber chest, I had to beg the shopkeeper to sell it to me. He insisted I could get a better one round the corner for half the price.The greatest treasure of all lies on a little lane in the backstreets of Tafraoute. It's called Chez Sabir, and it is the ancestral home of Abdel-Latif Bakrim, a culinary genius and a man so gentle that you wonder how he manages to run a business at all. There are just three tables, laid out in the family's sitting room, with a small kitchen behind.As anyone who lives in Morocco well knows, the national cuisine is at its best not in a restaurant, but in the home. And Chez Sabir is a home.Comprising of thick harira soup, Moroccan salads, and lamb cooked with prunes, the meal surpassed my wildest expectations. Before leaving, I asked Abdel-Latif for his secret. Smiling very broadly, he narrowed his eyes, and said: "Good food is made all the more delicious by the arrival of a guest."? Hotel Salama (+212 28 800026 hotelsalama.com) has doubles from around ?25, breakfast ?2. Chez Sabir, 41 Route Ammeln, +212 6 66 419968Tahir Shah's new novel, Timbuctoo, will be published in June by Secretum Mundi Publishing at �29.99MoroccoAfricaCultural tripsRestaurantsguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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El San Juan Resort & Casino
20% Off Best Available Rate, 2 Welcome Rum Drinks (Or 2 Non Alcoholic Drinks Available), $25 Casino Match Bet Coupon, Restaurant and Spa Savings (Details Provided at Hotel).
Terms & Conditions:*Offer valid for stays booked between April 9, 2012 and December 20, 2012 and completed between May 1, 2012 and December 20, 2012 at participating hotels and resorts within Puerto Rico. Offer is subject to availability and requires a minimum stay of three (3) consecutive nights for stays and maximum stay of nine (9) nights . Blackout dates, deposit and cancellation restrictions may apply and vary by hotel. Offer does not apply to existing reservations or group bookings, and may not be combined with other promotions, negotiated/qualified rate plans, discounts, or offers. For specific restrictions please contact the participating property or visit their website. To book online at participating hotels, please request Plan Code "P2". To book by phone, please call +1-888-564-1307 or view a global list of Hilton Worldwide Reservation centers. If you are making this reservation by phone, please request Plan Code "P2" or the "Puerto Rico Getaway" package.
Terms & Conditions:*Offer valid for stays booked between April 9, 2012 and December 20, 2012 and completed between May 1, 2012 and December 20, 2012 at participating hotels and resorts within Puerto Rico. Offer is subject to availability and requires a minimum stay of three (3) consecutive nights for stays and maximum stay of nine (9) nights . Blackout dates, deposit and cancellation restrictions may apply and vary by hotel. Offer does not apply to existing reservations or group bookings, and may not be combined with other promotions, negotiated/qualified rate plans, discounts, or offers. For specific restrictions please contact the participating property or visit their website. To book online at participating hotels, please request Plan Code "P2". To book by phone, please call +1-888-564-1307 or view a global list of Hilton Worldwide Reservation centers. If you are making this reservation by phone, please request Plan Code "P2" or the "Puerto Rico Getaway" package.
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Outrigger Royal Kahana
Enjoy this oceanfront vacation condominium in beautiful Maui from just $155 a night. You'll have the convenience of a full kitchen, free parking, swimming pool, fitness area, game room and a complimentary Island Explorer Kit for all children ages 5 to 10 years old. Best of all, NO RESORT FEES!
Terms & Conditions:Nightly rate valid through December 21, 2012. Based on availability. Other restrictions may apply.
Terms & Conditions:Nightly rate valid through December 21, 2012. Based on availability. Other restrictions may apply.
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Olympics 'transport chaos' could do London good
Wednesday's problems with the Jubilee line don't mean the capital can't benefit from having to re-think its travel habits during "games time"It turns out that Darryl Chamberlain and I were thwarted in our attempts to join the Jubilee Line at Stratford at almost exactly the same time on Wednesday evening. "Police had shut the platform entrances, yet the departure boards appeared to show business as usual," Darryl writes. I'd arrived from Hackney Central with my ten year-old daughter just a little earlier, seeking a Tube connection to Canary Wharf. An announcement declared that the Jubilee was out of action only between London Bridge and Finchley Road, but then we ran into that thin blue barrier. The latest "transport chaos" headlines were about to be written - and with the Olympics only nine weeks away.My daughter and I were among the lucky ones: as the DLR carried us to our destination instead, hundreds of Jubilee Line passengers were being walked down tunnels from a train stranded between Baker Street and St Johns Wood after being stuck in it for hours. What's followed has had a familiar ring, almost a ritual quality: TfL and LU top brass have apologised while pointing out that the general performance trend is good; the RMT has blamed "the cuts"; Mayor Johnson has got his name in the paper for demanding a "full report." Even so, Wednesday's problems were severe and not confined to one Underground line. The DLR ground to a (mercifully brief) halt on our convoluted return journey to Clapton due to an unspecified problem at Bank, and we made our escape at Shadwell onto the East London Line overground before catching a bus from Dalston Junction (It was a "Boris Bus" on route 38, giving my daughter her first experience of boarding a bus via an open platform. She thought this brilliant, then proceeded to enthuse about the Thomas Heatherwick interior design. The mayor would have been delighted. If he's lucky, maybe he'll meet her some day).Should Londoners be consumed with foreboding about the coming Olympian visitor influx with all the demands on the transport system - not only the Underground - this will bring? Yes, up to a point. There's little doubt that lots of us will feel the strain of exceptional busy-ness. Yet I'm inclined towards a cautious "no". True, a big problems like Wednesday's would be very bad news, as would a further week of smaller glitches. But the statistics suggest that such horrors are unlikely to occur in the heart of "games time.". As for the wider transport picture, encompassing the roads, we're all in the realm of conjecture. Who can predict what will happen when many Londoners and commuters from elsewhere probably haven't even thought about if and how their usual travel habits are going to change.In keeping with my stance as a determined Olympics optimist, I'm hoping we'll emerge from the "transport chaos" that is sure to occur to some degree with a new appreciation of alternative ways of getting from A to B, and even a recognition that simply staying at A a bit more often is no bad thing. Inspire. Believe. And so on...TransportLondonTransport policyLondonDave Hillguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Nubian culture and music
Nubian music traditionally drew inspiration from the Nubian landscape.
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Golden Gate bridge celebrates 75th anniversary
San Francisco's Golden Gate bridge marks its 75th birthday this weekend with new night tours and a visitor centre that opened this month, plus a host of festive eventsIn pictures: The Golden Gate bridge past and presentThe Golden Gate Bridge may not look her age ? thanks to a round-the-clock maintenance regime ? but San Francisco's iconic landmark will be 75 years old on this Sunday.As well as music and fireworks on the actual day, the milestone has been marked by a more permanent venture ? a brand-new 3,500 sq ft visitors center, painted the same iconic "International Orange" as the bridge, which opened on 8 May.Some have criticised the location of the center, complaining that it obstructs the view down to Crissy Field, the park directly beneath the bridge, but the new facilities have space for a permanent exhibition telling the bridge's history. Artefacts on display include a 12.5ft model bridge tower built as a "test tower" in 1933. There's also a revamped store where you can buy "birthday presents" from posters ($10 (�6.40)) to coffee mugs ($20) to the inevitable baseball caps ($15.95).For the 50th anniversary, the authorities closed the bridge to traffic, attracting around 300,000 pedestrians whose weight actually flattened the curved central span, something the authorities will, understandably, not be repeating. Instead, the 75th birthday party will take place mainly in Crissy Field with a free music and arts festival ending with a fireworks display on Sunday 27 May (11am-11pm, no alcohol allowed). Some 74 smaller events taking place around the city this summer range from YMCA biking trips across the bridge to an exhibition of historic postcards of the Golden Gate.Walking or cycling across the bridge remains the best way to experience it. As part of the anniversary, the former gift shop, an old art deco building known as the Roundhouse, has been renovated into a base for guided tours featuring another first ? night tours of the bridge.The bridge tours are expensive ($12.95 by day; $21.95 at night) and only operate May-October. An excellent alternative (so long as you're not set on going at night) is SF City Guides, 200 trained volunteers sponsored by the San Francisco Library since 1978 who turn out in all weathers, and all seasons to lead twice-weekly walks around San Francisco, including the bridge. Their tours are free though it's good form to contribute $5 or $10.My guide David had grown up right beside the bridge and knew every detail. He took us to the middle of the � mile-long span and back, while he explained there are 23 miles of ladders and walkways inside the structure and the permanent crew of ironworkers and painters need a 26-page manual so they don't get lost. As we walked, we weaved in and out of the joggers, family groups, cyclists and sightseers on the narrow walkway. Not only tourists visit the Golden Gate: San Franciscans themselves throng here every weekend for the views and the fresh air.And the air is certainly fresh. Even on bright days, when the fog holds off, conditions on the bridge approximate a howling gale. The conditions plus the fact that the guard rail between bridge and water 250ft below is only four-feet high can be a challenge for anyone who does not have a head for heights, but now vertigo-sufferers can confine themselves to the Roundhouse's new Photo Experience, where they can have a "virtual" photo taken that shows them "climbing" the cables or "perching" on one of the two 746ft-tall towers.? Visit goldengatebridge75.org for a free app and to book bridge tours. Bikeandroll.com is one of several companies offering bike rentals keyed to the bridge ? or bike the bridge and take the ferry backFive birthday events Before the Bridge - Sight and sound at the Golden Gate Historic photographs, maps, charts and paintings plus sounds of the sea and fog horns paint a picture of life before the bridge was built. (Montgomery Street Barracks, 23 May - 28 October)Bridge on the Big Screen The Golden Gate goes Hollywood and vice versa. Five-month film series. (26 May ? 15 September)Bridge Art Local artists interpret the bridge at San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art. (26 May 26 ? 30 June)Musical Bridges Concerts of specially commissioned choral works. (June 22 ? 23)Run the Bridge San Francisco marathon and other races across the bridge. (July 29)? For full details of these and other birthday events see goldengatebridge75.org Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, USSan FranciscoUnited StatesUnited StatesNorth and Central Americaguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Friday, May 25, 2012
Hotel Review: Tiara Yaksta, Théoule-sur-Mer, Cannes, France
When love is in the air and a get-away in on the cards, it's only natural that you want�a hideaway in which to immerse totally in the joys that such amour may�bring.�And so we headed for Tiara Yaksta boutique hotel.The ride from Nice Airport was a pleasant tootle along the twisty N8 coastal road.�We were heading for the tiny town of Th�oule-sur-Mer, an area with lovely red rock inlets and where they say, the water quality around its cliffs is the best in Europe. We�had chosen the hotel for its discreet location and found it was so hidden that I passed it at least three times. But no matter, the iconic views over the yacht-dotted seas and hilly C�te d'Azur backdrop made the detour well worth while.We eventually spotted the small turning that leads the way to this stone, terracotta-hued property. Part of the charm is that it's built into the hillside and that it�overlooks the azure waters of the Mediterranean sea. The website says it has the accolade of being the most romantic in Europe - and those views certainly help. We were warmly greeted as we�walked into�the small but beautifully scented reception and led to a gloriously located terrace with - it has to be said - those views, for a welcome glass of champagne. It was a lovely touch.There are just 21 rooms over three levels and the d�cor throughout has more than a dab of eastern promise ? tiled floors, richly coloured walls, exotic artworks, opulent dark wood furniture, and enrobed beds - all add to a sense of romantic occasion. Our�room had en suite with a bath, all the mod cons, a set of music cds and a cd player. Its small balcony with a table that looks out onto the ocean was a great space for an early evening aperitif.Not much goes on in the area other than a sprinkling of shops and bars, but the hotel's heated infinity pool and luxurious day beds set in the hotel gardens is a restful way to while away the time. Their sister hotel down the road, the Miramar, has a beach for guest use. There are no major monuments or sights to visit except for the surrounding landscape where a hike into the hills and forests behind the town would no doubt, be�great way to�feel at one with nature.For us though, that was a tad too much excetion and in any case for a little action the pull of St Tropez was compelling.��So�we caught the ferry at Saint-Raphael (around 20 minutes drive away) for a day out in this chic Riviera town. We�later returned grateful to experience some peace and quiet once again and enjoy some fine dining at their L'Or Bleu restaurant and a final night-cap overlooking the the Med.�on their terrace.RATES: From 200 euros plus 29 euros for breakfast. Check prices and availability here.How to get there?Get a flight to Nice, then rent a car at Nice Airport. Tiara Yaktsa is about 40 minutes drive from the airport.Cheap Flights with Budget Airlines18 May 2012
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Planning a road trip across America? Considered cycling? Major US cycle routes mapped
Presenting the United Bike Lanes of America, a collaborative attempt to increase awareness of the options available to cyclists in the US and get people on their bikes? Who made this graphic? GOOD.is and Gregory Hubacek, in partnership with CLIF Bar? Where can I find it? The United Bike Lanes of America? More data journalism and data visualisations from the GuardianA collaboration between Los Angeles media outfit GOOD, designer Gregory Hubacek and organic sports nutrition company CLIF Bar aims to open Americans' eyes to the travel options provided by cycling.Their map, shown above, includes both urban and rural routes as well as details such as the total length of cycle lanes in major US cities.Much as the railroads once did - and in fact several stretches of the cycle routes follow disused railway lines - the networks stretch from coast to coast, offering the chance to pedal all the way from New York to San Francisco, for example, on dedicated cycle paths.Three routes - the Northern and Southern Tiers and the Transamerica Trail - reach all the way from coast to coast, with dozens of regional links branching off along the way.At 4262 miles in length the Northern Tier is the longest single route, edging the Transamerica Trail into second by a mere 20 miles. Paths such as the Great Divide and Great Parks North cross the border into Canada.As far as urban networks are concerned, new York has the longest offering - its routes stretch for a total of 620 miles - while L.A. comes in second with 481 miles.More dataMore data journalism and data visualisations from the GuardianWorld government data? Search the world's government data with our gatewayDevelopment and aid data? Search the world's global development data with our gatewayCan you do something with this data?? Flickr Please post your visualisations and mash-ups on our Flickr group? Contact us at data@guardian.co.uk? Get the A-Z of data? More at the Datastore directory? Follow us on Twitter? Like us on FacebookCyclingCycling holidaysLos AngelesNew YorkJohn Burn-Murdochguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Scotland's best classical music festivals
Spectacular remote settings, world-class performers ? we round up Scotland's best summer classical music festivalsSt Magnus, Orkney, 21-30 JuneThe festival Mostly takes place around Kirkwall, on Orkney's "mainland", including St Magnus Cathedral and the Auction Mart. St Magnus has been the stage for many newly commissioned works, most notably by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, master of the Queen's music. He will be leading sessions at a composers' course, and there are also courses for conductors and writers.The setting It's quite a hike, but worth the trip: sweeping beaches, rich history with Neolithic remains, rolling greenery and shifting light, refracting the swift weather changes. The Orkney Islands ? there are 70 of them ? are a low-lying cluster just off the north-east tip of Caithness, accessible by ferry from Thurso or Aberdeen, or by air from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness.Highlights Celebrity recitals, including Catherine Wyn-Roberts, mezzo-soprano, 23 June (�9/�17); Aronovitz Ensemble, 24 June (�9/�17); Gwyneth-Ann Jeffers, soprano, sings Wagner, Ravel and Verdi, 26 June (�7/�11).? 01856 871445, stmagnusfestival.com, visitorkney.comEast Neuk, Fife, 27 June-1 JulyThe festival Most of the concerts staged here are held in village churches. But there have been some unusual venues: Scotland's secret nuclear bunker in Anstruther, built in 1951, a potato barn, a scout hut in darkness and a cave. East Neuk is a firm favourite with Radio 3, and a venue to which performers like to return. There's also a programme of "ideas and writing" featuring authors, such as Sara Maitland, and Richard Holloway.The setting East Neuk pokes out into the North Sea and comprises an unspoiled cluster of charming fishing villages near St Andrews ? Pittenweem, Elie, Crail, Kilconquhar, Anstruther and St Monans. Merchants' houses and quaint old cottages huddle around harbours boasting good restaurants and pubs. This is a playground for Scotland's moneyed classes, surprisingly little known south of the border.Highlights Hagen Quartet plays Beethoven, 27 June (�12-�25); Leipzig Quartet performs Shostakovich, 29 June (�12/�17); Scottish Chamber Orchestra Winds performs Haydn, Stravinsky and Mozart, 1 July (�7/�12/�15).? 0131-473 2000, eastneukfestival.com, visitscotland.com Mendelssohn, Mull, 1-7 JulyThe festival It's different in a couple of respects. It's free and is performed by talented youngsters handpicked by Levon Chilingirian, founder of the eponymous quartet and artistic director. It's a bit of a chamber fest, with chosen stars of the future performing alongside him and his quartet colleagues at Glengorm Castle, Dervaig village hall, Tobermory church and other landmarks scattered around the island. Iona Abbey, a short ferry-hop away, is also playing a part. This is a great opportunity to hear musical performances curated by one of the greatest exponents of the age.The setting Mull has a dramatic 300-mile coastline of ash blond sand dominated by black basalt cliffs. Little wonder that Mendelssohn himself, on a trip to Mull, Iona and Staffa, was inspired to write the Hebrides Overture. Mull is accessible by ferry from Oban, Lochaline and Kilchoan (calmac.co.uk). Tobermory is an increasingly lively tourist attraction and has several decent restaurants and pubs.Highlights It's all free. It culminates in a performance of Mendelssohn's String Symphony, when all groups come together on the Friday and Saturday.? mullfest.org.uk, holidaymull.co.uk Paxton House, near Berwick upon Tweed, 13?22 JulyThe festival The programme includes well-known works by Schubert, Beethoven, Haydn and Bartok, but there's also a world premiere by young Scottish composer Alasdair Spratt.The setting The house and grounds were built by the Adams brothers in the mid-18th century and the rolling landscape of the Borders provides a scenic backdrop.Highlights Scottish Ensemble and pianist Alasdair Beatson premiere Alasdair Spratt's Bite alongside Schubert's Trout Quintet 13 July, (�20); the Carducci Quartet plays Haydn, Debussy and Mendelssohn, 14 July (�20); harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani, BBC New Generation Artist, plays Bach and Couperin, 19 July, (�20); Ibragimova and Tiberghien play an all-Schubert programme on the final night, 22 July, (�22).? 0131-473 2000, musicatpaxton.co.uk, scot-borders.co.uk Edinburgh International Festival, 9 August?2 SeptemberThe festival No guide would be complete without a passing mention of the biggest festival of them all, which of course also features theatre: 3,000 artists from 47 nations will gather. The Usher Hall plays host to Valery Gergiev with the London Symphony Orchestra, performing the complete Szymanowski and Brahms symphonies. Visiting international orchestras include the Cleveland, Les Arts Florissants, Australian Chamber Orchestra and the Budapest Festival Orchestra. The European Union Youth Orchestra and the Gustav Mahler Jugend orchestra contribute to a festival focus on celebrating the world-class emerging artistic elites.The setting The heart of Auld Reekie pulsates as the city's 500,000 population doubles in size. Dominated by the festival fringe, the EIF offers a traditional and tasteful counterpoint to the goings on in Edinburgh's Underbelly and other outr� venues around the old town.Highlights There is the premiere of a new production of Jan�c?ek's The Makropulos Case by Opera North (�16-�66) and a concert performance of Tristan und Isolde with Welsh National Opera and Ben Heppner (15 Aug, �12-�46). Two epic choral works bookend the festival: it opens with Delius's A Mass of Life, with the Edinburgh Festival Chorus joined by Sir Andrew Davis and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (�12-�46), and closes with Walton's Belshazzar's Feast, with Welsh baritone Neal Davies (�12-�42).? 0131-473 2000, eif.co.uk, edinburgh.orgLammermuir Festival, East Lothian, 16-23 SeptemberThe festival Now in its third year, the Lammermuir offers an eclectic selection of ancient and modern, from Bach and Albinoni to contemporary composers William Sweeney and David Fennessy. Walks, talks and gardens will punctuate concerts, with the magnificent church of St Mary's Haddington playing a central role.The setting It spans East Lothian, the sweeping coastal plains and rolling hills east of Edinburgh, where neat villages are connected by quiet country lanes. There's an imaginative use of the spaces for venues: in addition to the churches, Tantallon Castle looms large this year, as did the Concorde hangar at East Fortune for last year's memorable performance of Philip Glass's 1,000 Airplanes on the Roof. Good use is made of the area's many stately homes. Look out for Yester House, Gian Carlo Menotti's former home at Gifford.Highlights The spectacular world premiere of Tantallon! These Lands, This Wall, a sound and light show by William Sweeney, in the grounds of the castle. The artist in residence is young Scottish guitar virtuoso Sean Shibe, who plays Bach, Britten and Fennessy at Lennoxlove on 18 September. And much more ?? 0131-473 2000, lammermuirfestival.co.uk, visiteastlothian.org ScotlandClassical musicFestivalsHighlandsFestivalsEdinburghMark Porterguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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The best new holidays in Morocco
From luxury desert camps and riad hotels to Atlas mountains walks and cooking lessons in the souks of Marrakech, we round up the best new holidays in MoroccoCampingNomadic beach retreat, Atlantic coastA new trip combines the best elements of different holidays ? a pinch of city break, a dash of fitness retreat, a soupcon of beach-bumming ? to make a very appealing one. It begins and ends in a boutique riad in Marrakech, with spa treatments and delicious dinners. There's time for lunch in Essaouira and a night in a coastal village villa before the retreat begins in earnest. Each day, early-morning meditation is followed by four hours of walking along secluded beaches, then a luxury camp is set up while you enjoy an afternoon of yoga, reiki, swimming and sunbathing. Drinks are served at sunset and dinner is eaten around the campfire to the sound of tribal singing. The camp moves along the coast each day, with camels carrying everything ? and you, if you get tired. ? �1,150pp for seven days including two nights at a riad, one at a villa and three at a luxury beach camp, all food and drink, hammam, scrubs and massages; and five days of reiki, yoga and meditation. The first trip starts 5 July, +212 6 6121 5062, moroccoretreats.com Scarabeo Camp, AgafayCamp Bling (camp-bling.com) is a new website bringing together the most luxurious campsites around the world ? it's not just glamping, it's camp-bling, geddit? There are floating lodges in Cambodia, a luxury Galapagos safari site, a New Zealand campsite only accessible by helicopter, and now Scarabeo Camp, a nomadic encampment in Morocco. Eventually there will be four bivouacs across the country but the first to open is the Stone Camp, based in the desert of Agafay, around 40km from Marrakech. The camp moves location according to the season, but there are always views of the desert and the Atlas mountains beyond. Fresh bread is baked daily in a traditional earth oven.? From ?155 half-board for two people in a luxury tent, scarabeo-camp.comSahara Safari Camp, Draa ValleyA new luxury tented wilderness camp, Sahara Safari Camp, opened in February near Zagora and Tagounite, south Morocco, and has now added some budget tents. They still contain proper beds and duvets, and each one has a private bathroom tent a few metres away. The camp has excellent eco credentials: bio-loos, solar lighting, local produce and partnerships with the tribal community to help minimise impact on the land. ? From �30pp pn for two people and a budget tent, including dinner and soft drinks, specialistmorocco.comHotels and riadsMarrakechNew ones to watch include the Sirayane hotel (doubles from around �120 a night, uk.sirayane.com), in the newly-hip area of Hivernage and the Route D'Amizmiz, designed in a simple style by architect Imaad Rahmouni, with an outdoor swimming pool facing the mountains and a small but stylish spa, plus an hourly free shuttle bus into the medina, around 10 minutes away. The Selman Marrakech (opening offer: around �290 B&B a night, selman-marrakech.com), a glamourous country club-style estate which opened this month, is owned and run by a Moroccan family and home to 16 Arabian horses. Ten are thoroughbreds and not for riding ? they're more of a living art installation, roaming the 15-acre grounds ? but the remaining six horses can be hired for trekking.L'iglesia, El JadidaBoutique Souk, the Morocco travel concierge service, is launching a new property in El Jadida this month. L'iglesia is a converted 16th-century Spanish church, now decorated in a 1940s/50s style, overlooking the sea. A separate wing of the property is housed in the old US consulate, which dates from the period of Portuguese occupation. El Jadida is a relaxed port town on the Atlantic coast, 60 miles south of Casablanca, with long beaches and a Unesco-recognised old town.? From around �98 a room, boutiquesouk.comNumber Thirty, EssaouiraThis quirky townhouse, billed as "Essaouira meets Brighton", is ideal for self-caterers who are looking for something a little different. There are plain walls, splashes of bright colour and retro fabrics ? and not a traditional rug or tile in sight. It's in a quiet street in central Essaouira, an easy walk from the beach and restaurants, and has a roof terrace for sunbathing.? From �100 a night, sleeps six, book through i-escape.comTemple des Arts, OuarzazateOuarzazate, a Berber city in south?central Morocco, is a good base for expeditions into the Dr�a Valley and the Sahara. The Temple des Artes, a seven-room luxury guesthouse, opened there last year. It is owned by a Moroccan film producer and is a celebration of cinema, with movie-themed suites and brilliantly ostentatious decor. The Atlas Film Studios, among the largest movie studios in the world, are just five miles down the road. They are well worth a visit for the strange site of old movie sets decaying under the desert sun.? From around �105 a night, templedesarts-ouarzazate.comChez Max, TagadertThis new earth house has been built in the Berber hamlet style, around central courtyards, in a sleepy village near Marrakech. There are six airy rooms and plenty of nooks and crannies, terraces and balconies for reading and relaxing, plus gardens and a swimming pool, and staff to do all the cooking.? Five nights from �672pp B&B, including flights from London, lawrenceofmorocco.comActivitiesWalking week, Bougmez ValleyKE Adventure Travel has a new easy walking holiday in the Bougmez Valley, a lesser-trodden area of the Atlas mountains. The trip is based at the Touda Ecolodge in the village of Zawyat Oulmzi. Daily guided walks may take you to Lake Izourar in an ancient glacial valley, Ait Ourit, a peak with magnificent views, or to the market town of Tabant.? �545 for eight days, excludes flights but includes transfers from Marrakech and all meals, departures 1 July, 9 September and 21 October, keadventure.comHistory walk, Atlas mountainsWalks Worldwide's new Morocco trip, Raiders of the Lost Kasbah, follows the old caravan trade route across the Tizi n'Telouet pass, stopping at famous fortresses and fortified towns. Accommodation is mainly basic hostels with a night's camping, plus a couple of nights in a three-star in Marrakech.? Eight days from �475pp, excluding flights, walksworldwide.comHorse riding, DiabatExplore the deserted beaches, fishing villages and argan forests south of Essaouira on horseback. You'll ride alongside goat herders, spot turtles and visit argan oil producers. Three nights are spent in a boutique hotel and three in a Berber tent, and the trip is suitable for all levels of experience.? Seven days from �780pp, excluding flights, golearnto.comFamily holiday, multi-locationTime in Fes and Marrakech will appeal to the grown-ups on this new family holiday, while kids will be happiest in the mountains searching for Barbary apes, discovering dinosaur footprints, playing traditional Berber games and camping under the stars. Accommodation is a mix of hotels, village houses and basic tents.? 15 days from �799 adults and �732 children excluding flights, explore.co.ukFoodieTagine cookery class, Marrakech Urban Adventures has launched short tours in more than 80 cities around the world, where locals take visitors off the beaten track for a few hours. On the Tagine Cookery Class you have a short Arabic lesson to learn the words for key ingredients, go to the souk to shop for fresh produce, have a hands-on cookery lesson, then eat your salads, tagines and couscous for lunch.? �36 for a four-hour class, urbanadventures.comBerber lunch, ImlilThe Atlas village of Imlil is the centre of Moroccan mountain tourism and the starting point of many treks. Fleewinter's new day trek is designed to get people into the mountains for a taste of real village life. The highlight is lunch with a Berber family, overlooking one of the valleys. Mules will carry your bags and children.? Prices vary depending on size of the group, fleewinter.co.ukCulinary tour, multi-locationTrip Feast specialises in cultural tours with a culinary slant. On the new Exotic Flavours of Morocco trip, you'll make bread and other Fassi specialities in Fez and sample wine in Meknes. You'll meet olive growers and honey producers in rural villages on the way to Marrakech, where you'll go spice shopping, have cookery lessons, sample street food and eat in a hidden palace restaurant. Accommodation is in four-star riads and kasbahs.? �1,295pp for eight days excluding flights, or �1,595 with flights, including breakfast and some other meals, departing 10 November or 23 March, tripfeast.com.MoroccoHotelsCampingAdventure travelFood and drinkRachel Dixonguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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