Travel now! march issue two

TRAVEL MARCH ISSUE

COAST MOVE EASILY WITHOUT POWER

48 HOURS IN NEW YORK - DONT WASTE IT

EDITOR'S

LETTER

Lazy and inspired is the focus of this issue traveling both the east and the west along with everything in between and with spring now in session and summer not far behind, we know everyone’s getting itchy feet.

But it’s not just a place but a sensory expedition, one of just letting go, no schedule, be wherever you are.

For me, coasting is the road trip, the playlist you make before you leave that becomes the soundtrack to the year, taking the casual walk after you check in that becomes the best night of your life only to be replaced by the following night. For others it might be the moving cross country towards an unknown future like Sidney Wilson did when she ditched it all for a life in Los Angeles.

For others it might be casually finding those hidden gems in vintage stores around the Bay area after snacking on some devilled crab with rock shrimp served with cucumber slices. Perhaps fried oysters encrusted in smoked corn meal and topped Manchego foam and Cohiba smoked scallops made with chorizo dust and served in a cigar box. Only in New Orleans of course.

As this is our first real issue in a design sense, we’re taking it easy.

Coasting if you will, but that doesnt mean our passsion is diminished, no we’re just getting started. Glad you could join us.

QUARTER

TIME PERFECT

DISTRACTION

48

HOURS IN NEW

YORK TRAVEL

TRAVEL

THE COUCH SURFER DIARIES

MARCH ISSUE

HOTTEST

TALENT POOL

CITIES IN 2015

SIDNEY WILSON

SURVIVAL

HIDDEN

GOLD

KIT LOS ANGELES

TALENT POOL WITH THE RIGHT DNA & ATTITUDE TO MATCH, IT'S TIME FOR A DIP

L.A's BEST ROOFTOP BARS BY ROB THURLOWE

Skybar@Mondrian

victory in life is told by those who coming out on top, by being at the right place at the right time and although there’s no magic crystal ball to tell you when the right time is, you can certainly be at the right place when that time arrives. An rooftop bar in L.A seems a pretty good place to start but even then there’s too many that don’t quite make the grade. These ones however set the world standard in rooftop bars where the sunset demands your attention.

EVERY

HIGH AT HOTEL ERWIN Serving almost as an eye-candy observation deck over Venice beach and boardwalk, High is the place where you can perouse the boardwalk nutters, the starlets of the strip and the playboys of the hills and once they both become too much you can just let the pink and purple sunset hypnotize you while you sip your Mojito.

PERCH Take one Art Deco building, a twist of French cuisine, two outdoor fireplaces and mix well on the fifteenth floor and you have the perfect evening. Welcome to Perch, where if you’re here in the summer a jazz band will be providing the soundtrack to an L.A sunset over the city skyline.

Move up to the 16th floor for an even more relaxed experience with a vast cocktail menu, crafted beers and exclusive Cognacs and of course excellent D.Js. On the other hand you can stay in the building and visit Mrs Fish, the rock ‘n’ roll bar that has recently opened in the basement.

Peninsula Beverly Hills Perch ANDAZ WEST HOLLYWOOD The Hindu word ‘Andaz’ translates as ‘Unique style’ and this venue has that and then some. Being a part of the Hyatt chain and having the highest rooftop swimming pool gives it credibility that attracts many from around the globe and with the Sunset strip and the Hollywood Hills at your feet you can expect to mix it with the cream of social Hollywood.

PENINSULA BEVERLY HILLS ROOF GARDEN This high-end playground for the rich and famous is a regular venue for Beverly Hills Residents and hotel guests so expect a hefty credit card bill if you want to visit. Fot those after the once-in-a -lifetime King-and-Queen experience, take a cabana by the pool and be a part of the 1 percentile. The menu consists of coriander crusted halibut , citrus-marinated prawns and epazote-scallion marinated pacific swordfish (droul).

REDBURY HOTEL The Redbury

Located in the very heart of Hollywood, the Redbury features Katsuyas restaurant (designed by Phillipe Starck), Redbury is more your classy L.A place to be and not somewhere to find muscleheads and barbie dolls so if you’re up for something a little less ‘Like, like’, then this is the place.

THE STANDARD ROOFTOP BAR The ultra-modern Rooftop Bar crowning The Standard Downtown hotel offers a swanky environment for sipping cocktails under the stars along with a bird’s-eye view of LA and a funky décor featuring animal topiary. Bikinis and swim trunks dominate the pool (title image) during daytime while creatives control the night on white rocking chaises, watching movies projected onto the high rise opposite the roof. Owner and hotelier Andre Balazs knows a good thing when he sees it, which is why he also owns some of the best hotels in the world, including the legendary Chateau Marmont. In a different part of the Hotel there is the Spin Standard, a professional Ping Pong club (seriously).

MONDRIAN SKY BAR This veritable forest in the sky remains one of L.A’s top and most exclusive venues and it’s not hard to see why.

With regular world class D.Js and a regular stream of celebs coming through the door you need to know you belong her when you leave the house. The bar overlooks the pool from a separate floor so the socialising moves around but still with an excellent cocktail menu and some of the best views in L.A, this is a venue that could change your life.

SIXTY BEVERLY HILLS ROOFTOP Take a Cabana for a day, sip a potent cocktail at the Swarovski encrusted bar, and swim around after a poolside massage. That’s a pretty standard experience at the Sixty Beverly Hills provided you are a guest of the hotel or a member. Formerly known as the Thompson, it, like the others in this list has magnificent surrounding views with outrageous sunday pool parties. One word to sum it up: Glamour ROOFTOP POOL AT THE LONDON WEST HOLLYWOOD The formidable style at the London West Hollywood is made for the jetset crowd where Los Angeles DNA meets

British tradition throughout, from the garden rooftop pool to the private cabanas and fire pits. You can rent a cabana for a day without being a hotel guest though using the pool may require some schmoozing.

SUITE 700 AT THE SHANGRI- LA HOTEL Once the penthouse suite, management saw sense and opened up this art-deco space to an appreciative crowd and has never looked back. The beachside feel maintains the vibe here with panoramic views of Venice beach and the pier. The hotel does have a pool but only on the ground level.

Suite 700 at The Shangri La

egardless of which bar you find yourself in, here is a must-know list of cocktails and their origins for when you find yourself on the spot and want to know what you are talking about.

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SINGAPORE SLING, A mix of gin, cherry Heering liqueur, Benedictine and pineapple and lime juice, the Sling was invented in the Raffles Long Bar sometime around 1915 and is now synonymous with Singapore’s drinking establishments with there being several popular variations of the original, including the tasty Courtyard Sling. While you can still sample the original at Raffles, the bar itself is no longer in its original position in the hotel.

THE TIKI DRINKS WHEEL, LOS ANGELES. This is more about location as L.A could probably lay claim to a dozen cocktails in venues of varying standards but for Californian cocktail heritage the Tiki Ti bar should not be missed. Opened in 1967 when tropical drinks bartender Ray Buhen turned a former violin shop into one of the tiniest, and most authentic, tiki bars there ever was.

The menu includes: Zombie, mai tai, a Vicious Virgin or a Missionary’s Downfall and dozens of others if you are game to step up and spin the drinks wheel which is perfect when you are this spoiled for choice.

Other worthy mentions are the White Russian,Tequila Sunrise and Long Island Iced Tea

MOJITO One of the oldest cocktails around, the Mojito goes back to the 16th century and it’s popularity hasn’t waned at all. Originally a sailor’s drink made using white rum, sugar or sugar cane juice, lime, carbonated water and mint muddled together mostly to mask the bad rum made before the introduction of copper stills.

SIDECAR) The Sidecar mixes equal parts brandy or Cognac, Cointreau and lemon juice and supposedly gets its name from the mode of transportation used by an army captain that frequented Harry’s bar in Paris. Asking for this will either get you a nod of respect or asked where your slippers and cardigan are, depending on the venue.

THE MANHATTAN) Widely regarded as the King of Cocktails, The Manhattan is a very potent drink consisting of a mixture of whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters and garnished most often with a maraschino cherry. there are differing accounts on how this coctail came to be but most agree it originated at The Manhattan Club in the early 1870’s THE MARTINI,) Arguably the most famaous cocktail, Originally more like a Gin Manahatan until it became the more contemporary drier version that includes gin, vermouth and bitters and was supposedly first made popular when John D. Rockefeller started downing them at the turn of the 20th century.

EVERYTHING IS FINE

LE BERNARDIN With more awards than I can mention here, Le Bernardin has been maintaing very high standards here since 1986 with three-course prix fixe for US$49 ($63), of which US$5 is donated to the city’s poor and hungry through City Harvest. Previous menu items have included: saffron-mussel soup with Maine lobster, poached skate with sea beans and organic salmon laced with yuzu butter sauce. They dont do lunch reservations so arriving early is recommended. le-bernardin.com; 155 west 51st Street; +1 212 554 1515

AI FIORI Ai Fiori, chef Michael White’s celebration of Italian and French Riviera cuisine, has twice been awarded a Michelin star and in 2012 was lauded as the No. 1 new restaurant in NYC by the respected Zagat guide. Canny diners can enjoy a memorable two-course lunch for US$45 ($58), with choices of starters, pasta and mains. Wrestle with choices – the pan-roasted chicken or the seared sea scallops; the duck confit risotto or the blue crab spaghetti – or make a pact to return over several days and sample more of the menu. A four-course dinner prix fixe is available for US$97 ($125). aifiorinyc.com; 400 5th Avenue (at Langham Place Fifth Avenue hotel); +1 212 613 8660 Regardless of whichever country you’ve travelled from, BOULEY you are likely to be on a budget of some kind so when I The most expensive prix-fixe lunch on this list – US$55 say fine dining you may recoil and say ’Let’s keep looking’. ($71) for five courses – is still a steal. Chef David BouIt is however quite possible to enjoy some of the finest ley, who says he follows a French approach to purity and restaurats New York has to offer by doing lunch instead. integrity, but does not follow recipes, wows them at his Aim for the prix-fixe lunch deals (we’ve listed six of the Tribeca fine-dining restaurant with inventive seasonal best) and you’ll feast on the finest dishes for a fraction of menus. This season, prix-fixe lunchers can choose organwhat they cost at dinner time. But dont ask for a doggie ic Long Island duck, slow braised Kobe-style beef cheeks bag. and Bouley’s signature chook baked “en cocotte”. Save room for the hot Valrhona chocolate soufflé. So Frenchy, JEAN-GEORGES so rich.

Three michelin stars and impeccable standards is what makes Jean- Georges so outstanding along with hamachi davidbouley.com; 163 Duane Street; +1 212 964 2525 sashimi, sauteed gulf shrimp, roasted sweetbreads, ArcDEL POSTO tic char and more. A prix-fixe lunch here is US$48 for two An Italian feast awaits at Mario Batali’s Del Posto: US$49 courses which for fine dining is like I said, outstanding. ($63) for three courses and a bounty of delicious choices.

I could have eaten the pumpkin cappellacci with brown GOTHAM BAR AND GRILL butter and slivered almonds three times over. The sliced Gotham Bar and Grill on east 12th Street is known for its lamb with gnocchi alla Romana, warm figs and pistachio classic American fine dining and the US$35 Greenmarket prix-fixe lunch is excellent value with three choices of gremolata is hard to go past for second course, while three courses. The second course will drive you crazy with sweet tooths will be torn between the ricotta with honey, grilled semolina cake and butterscotch semifreddo. crisp hake, or pappardelle with braised veal shank or an elegant arrangement of roasted autumn vegetables to choose from and Chocolate lovers need look no further than the signature Gotham cake, served warm with salted almond ice-cream. gothambarandgrill.com; 12 east 12th Street; +1 212 620 4020

delposto.com; 85 Tenth Ave; +1 212 497 8090

THE COUCH SURFER DIARIES DIVIDE. CONQUER. SLEEP

he first time I heard the term ‘couch surfing’ must have been a few years after High School when quite a few of my friends had either gone to college out of state or travelled around Europe. The concept itself was not new to me as I had passed out on many unknown couches over summers past though couch surfing as we know it in the social media age, started with students who had recently graduated while staying in somebody else’s place and soon grew into a network

T

The website itself, couchsurfing.org started in 2003 and was liquidated in 2011 with it’s assets sold to a private for profit company and currently has a board of directors though as a privately held company is under no obligation to release financials and it has not been without problems.

Reviews for couchsurfing vary greatly form “...a nightmare cultish community full of moochers and people who are just there to take from you what they can.” to “It gives you the chance to really meet the locals and to see parts of the city that 99% of tourists never experience. It also gives you the chance to meet people on a deeper level and hopefully you’ll make life-long friends”. So try at your peril or advantage.

If you do decide to take the plunge there are some tips and pointers that will certainly make the experience run smoothly both as surfer and couch provider.

THE SURFER • Target households that are used to sharing their living space; groups of students or shared houses are best. No one there owns the place so there’s no strong attachment to the place • Don’t stay at the one place for more than 3 nights unless the host has specifically said you could stay longer and always try to be up and about before the host/s leave for work, let them know you’ll be leaving the house to do something.

• Arrive in the evening and with gifts of some description. If the host mentioned going for drinks as something they do, have something to offer when you arrive. This will ease any awkward tension.

• Try to include the host in any activities you are planning. Even if they are busy you were polite enough to ask. Not asking can leave a sour taste as if they were subsidising your social activities.

• Never try to talk your way into anybody’s bed unless you are invited. Sex makes the whole thing more complicated.

• Never use the last of the milk, toilet roll, teabags, sugar or bread. Arrive with supplies • Don’t turn up with 2 huge suitcases and a friend who came at the last minute. This isn’t Airbnb.

• Obviously, there are things such as cleanliness, personal hygiene and language. Keep everything you have in your bag at all times.

THE HOST Most couchsurfers are specifically looking for a genuine host, who takes the philosophy of couchsurfing seriously. Use your description to demonstrate that you are one of these people.

Talk about how you discovered couchsurfing, and give your thoughts on the project.

• Add a keyword to your profile and request they use it at the end of their messgae when requesting a couch. This way you’ll know if they actually read your profile instead of just copying and pasting a request into numerous profiles.

• If someone cant give you a time of arrival within a 2 hour window, or doesnt know what time their flight/train arrives, avoid them. Potential hitch hikers.

• Be clear about what you offer as a host. Are you ok with leaving them a key, if not say so. Do you have time to spend with them, let the know if you dont.

• Meet them away from your house, not at your house.

You can screen them and avoid the crazies as well as the likelyhood of people getting lost. Also pays to make sure the number of people arranged is the number that arrive.

• Host people you actually want to meet. After reading their request, does your gut feeling tell you that you and this person would get along? Do you feel like this person would bring a positive vibe to your home? If they have atleast three good references then you should know but if possible look at the others that have hosted them.

• It doesn’t hurt to offer a basic breakfast such as cereal on the first morning and and if they appreciate and reciprocate then you’ll know for future reference that they’re not just hustlers.

With all that said, rules can be broken and it’s your gut instinct that will make the final decision but for starters these should get you through.

PERFECT

DISTRACTION ULTIMATE SHORT BREAKS IN SOUTH AMERICA

BY PAUL MAPLESDEN

you know you’ll be staying in the States for a while either as working visa or student, this is your best chance to make a quick trip to any number of Latin destinations combining amazing weather with beautiful geography, friendly people and a rich and vibrant sense of history and culture. Here are some superb places that you’ll definitely want to visit and experience for yourself.

IF

beach is wide, sandy and well sheltered from the crashing Pacific making it the ideal place for sharing a bungalow with friends which is also possible at PUNTA HERMOSA, capital of Peru’s rich surfing tradition with a marine reserve teeming with sea life. A short boat ride will allow you to vast colonies of sea lions, penguins and the many other seabirds

PERU

ECUADOR

AREQUIPA - The second largest city in Peru, Arequipa is a bustling center of commerce and industry, with a rich history as a focus for rebellions as Peru developed into republic. The center of the city is a World Heritage Site that occupies over 300 hectares of land and contains over 5,500 buildings, richly decorated in a style called ‘School Arequipa’. These are complemented by several important churches and cathedrals and a wealth of gardens in the city. About 100 miles outside, you will find Colca Canyon. At over 13,000 feet deep, the canyon is over twice the depth of the Grand Canyon in the US and is a perfect place for walking and hiking.

MACHU PICCHU - Regarded as one of the most famous and important archaeological sites in the world, Machu Picchu is a 15th century Inca site located nearly 8,000 feet above sea level. The site has become the most important tourist attraction in Peru and draws hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Theories about the use of the site include it being a temple for ‘The Virgins of the Sun’, that it was the last Incan city, that it was built to respect the landscape around it or that it was a retreat for Incan royalty.

There are of course beaches to recover on for a few days after your Incan mission and the north of Peru is where you’ll find ORGANOS, a sleepy fishing village where the

QUITO - Quito is the highest capital city in the world, located at nearly 10,000 feet up in the mountains. You can see absolutely breathtaking views across the city and the mountains, especially from the spectacular cable car ride from the city up to Cruz Loma at 13,500 feet. Other great places to visit in the city include the incredibly well-preserved historic city-center, the Carondelet Palace, which is the main government building, the Basilica del Voto Nacional, the Cathedral of Quito, several renowned museums and many art galleries.

But then if you have had enough of mountains, the modest fishing village of MOMPICHE has become a backpacker hub of late due to perfect surfing conditions and an impressive setting with thickly forested hills dropping down to a wide beach backed by palm trees with hiking and horseriding common. Mompiche offers one of the biggest left point breaks in South America and attracts surfers from around the world in high season (December to April).

COLUMBIA CARTAGENA - A port city on the north coast of Columbia, founded in the early 16th century, Cartagena contains a beautiful walled city and fortress that can be explored over two or three days. You can also visit the Cartagena Gold Museum, the Palace of the Inquisition and many other historic sites, several of which were heavily influenced by piracy in the Caribbean area. The Islas de Rosario islands can be easily reached by ferry and boast some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

BOGOTA- with the unstable period of the 90’s long behind it, Bogotá is in the midst of a Latin renaissance and is now doing what it does best: making artistic ventures work by combining them with other activities. La Peluquería, for example is certainly not a conventional hairdressers.Its graffitied walls and reclaimed mannequins insist on experimentation and the stylists are all visual artists rather than trained hairdressers (on Wednesdays haircuts are free, provided you let them do as they please (lapeluqueriabogota.com). The city’s culinary scene has also come on hugely in recent years and there are some great, middle-ground places which combine tradition and innovation at good-value prices.

Theories about Machu Picchu: A temple for ‘The Virgins of the Sun’, It was the last Incan city.

Built to respect the landscape around it.

It was a retreat for Incan royalty.

MEDELLÍN - The second largest city in Columbia, founded in the early 17th century, Medellín is now a major center of education, science, commerce, technology, culture and festivals. It is a very easy place to travel around and one of the most beautiful cities in the whole of South America. Located in the Andes mountains, the weather is very good throughout the year and the locals are very welcoming of travellers. Places worth visiting there include Arví Ecotourism Park, the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Palacio de la Cultura.

ARGENTINA BUENOS AIRES - As the wealthiest city on the continent, Buenos Aires has an incredible mix of architectural styles, cuisine, tourist attractions, history, culture and much more. As one of the world’s largest and most important cities, Buenos Aires has been nicknamed ‘The Paris of South America.’ The city boasts the highest concentration of theaters anywhere and is a vibrant center of art, history and culture. The former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, went on to become Pope Francis.

IGUAZU FALLS - An utterly spectacular group of waterfalls that need to be seen to be believed, Iguazu Falls are a set of waterfalls almost two miles wide, featuring nearly 300 individual waterfalls that fall between 200 and 300 feet. The falls can be reached from the city of Puerto Iguazú in Argentina and they are a third again as high as Niagara falls in North America. Not to be missed.

CHILE VALPARAISO - A friendly, relaxed and artistic city commune on Chile’s coast, Valparaiso is one of Chile’s major cities and seaports. Officially declared the cultural capital of Chile, the historic quarter is also a World Heritage Site.

The combination of beautiful architecture and cobbled streets has made Valparaiso a popular destination with varied culture ensure that it’s a friendly, diverse place to visit.

BRAZIL RIO DE JANEIRO - One of the most beautiful places on the continent, Rio is a very popular destination in South America and one of the largest cities in the world, with over 6 million inhabitants. The city celebrates a diverse range of people, cultures, cuisines and outlooks, and this, combined with Brazil’s love of the outdoor lifestyle, sports and passionate living makes for an amazing place to visit. There are dozens of ‘must see’ sights in Rio including Maracanã Stadium, Christ the Redeemer, many miles of beaches, cable cars, the Theatro Municipal and much more.

SALVADOR DA BAHIA - Situated on the north east coast of Brazil, Salvador celebrates a very rich African-Brazilian heritage replete with great history, culture and a welcoming atmosphere. The city is known as Brazil’s ‘Capital of Happiness’, due to the large number of parties and outdoor events that take place there. This includes the Salvador Carnival, reputedly the best carnival in Brazil. Additionally, Porto da Barra Beach was voted one of the best beaches in the world.

QUARTER

TIME

INDULGING THE

SOUTHERN SENSES

BY MICHELLE COSTES

here are many cities across the US that are known for one particular thing over anything else. Memphis, San Francisco and New York all have something that inspires puts forth an image in your mind instantly but New Orleans on the other hand is in a class of it’s own. You hear it, you taste it, you smell it.

Everything you visit is a sensory exploration from the Jazz to the Gumbo and and there is nowhere else in North America that you will find anything like it and if you arrive for Mardi Gras get ready for an explosion.

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Starting life as a French port (then Spanish then back to French) followed by The United States and it’s slavery period and later European immigration, it’s widely regarded as the birthplace of modern music, the enduring legacy of which can be found in the French Quarter closest to Bourbon street. This is the beating heart of New Orleans and there are more heritage-listed buildings in this area than any other city in America as well as some of the finest restaurants in the world.

Bourbon street is by far the busiest but not so authentic anymore And the Jazz. Oh the Jazz.... Even if you’ve never been one for the brass sound it’s impossible not to be swept up in the vibe here particularly on Bourbon st and in it’s bars. One place to check out, is Preservation Hall on Saint Peter Street. Opened in 1961 to maintain old style jazz it does not serve anything at all apart from music. It started life as an art gallery in the ‘50s with some of the areas jazz legends invited to jam and it went on to become a national treasure.

Bourbon street does have a high number of tourists though and if you are after something a little less obvious try Frenchman street about 10 minutes walk away in the Marigny. Without question this is one of the best places to hear a wide range of sounds on any given weekend, stretching along 3 blocks with a reggae band, a swing band, or you can check a rock gig at Checkpoint Charlies (and do your washing too. Seriously, they have a backroom laundromat). A few doors up you’ll find some awesome funk at Blue Nile with Big Sam’s Funky Nation after checking out the nearby art market on thursday nights.

And as good as the music is, dining out is equally spectacular (unless you’re a vegan), in fact few would disagree it’s a foodies paradise. Long before there were Celeb Chefs on T.V, New Orleans Chefs were deemed veritable rock stars regularly invited on tour with a slew of rock bands. People are passionate about food here and that’s just the locals because the very spirit that went into

the creation of Jazz went into the food from the hue of the roux, to the size of the Gulf shrimp or the dark crawfish goodness emanating from a perfect etoufee, New Orleans is arguably the best place to eat in America.

Some very worthy mentions are Commanders Palace where you’ll be treated to oysters with absinthe and skillet-seared gulf fish but you’ll have to make the effort, this is a dressy venue requiring a collared shirt and pants (and preferably a jacket, they may lend you one).

If laid back, Big Easy is your style then chef Phillip Lopez’s Root is probably for you. A 70-seat Warehouse District space with exposed wooden beams sets the modern tone here. Phillip, a Spaniard with molecular gastronomy cred quite commonly serves dishes such as menage à foie, fried oysters encrusted in smoked cornmeal and topped Manchego foam and Cohiba smoked scallops made with chorizo dust and served in a cigar box.

Falling somewhere between the first two is Cochon (left). Working with locally sourced pork, fresh produce and seafood, Cochon pays homage to the old style Cajun Boucherie with the hand crafting of boudin, andouille, smoked bacon, and head cheese. Chefs Stephen Stryjewski and Donald Link have set up shop in the rustic, yet contemporary interior of a renovated New Orleans warehouse.

This is the place to sip a flight of Moonshine, then tuck into a succulent crawfish pie and roasted gulf fish “fisherman” style or Rabbit dumplings (pictured).

So now that your ears and mouth are satiated, lets work on the eyes.

There are a number of tours that can take you behind the scenes at many of the warehouses where the Mardi Gras floats are being constructed and you will get the best Mardi Gras experience without actually being there though these tours pause a month before and after Mardi Gras and really, being there is the better option and if you are her in april, there is also the French Quarter festival which is Cochon, 930 Tchoupitoulas St now the city’s second biggest estival originally starting as a small celebration for New Orleans’ most famous neighborhood during the 1984 World’s Fair.

Assuming that you’ve recovered from your Jazz-fuelled Gastro-orgy you could go for round two at Cafe du Monde and partake in a hot, crispy, sugar-dusted beignet paired with chicory-infused cafe au lait and a bit of people watching at this tourist-meets-locals intersection. Or there’s the option of a ride around town in the worlds oldest continually operating

Gulf oysters poached with bacon, artichokes, tarragon, absinthe and cream under a pastry shell.

The Aloo Gobi at Root, an Indian-spiced cauliflower with potatoes and homemade corn nuts.

streetcar for $1.25 taking you through the middle of St Charles, Canal and Carrolton streets on to City park, a green space bigger than Central Park. The New Orleans Museum of Art is situated at it’s entrance and inside the park you have the choice of biking, golf, tennis, kayaking, horseback riding or a big lazy picnic to end your stay.

If you’ve managed to do New Orleans (N’awlins to the locals) in the way I have you still have only scratched the surface. Shopping, eating, exploring the outdoors and downright enjoying yourself is what The Big Easy is all about.

NEW ORLEANS CALENDAR OF EVENTS April

May

June

July

August

Jazz and Heritage Festival - April 24 - May 3 - Outdoor stages host jazz, R&B, gospel, African, Caribbean, Cajun, blues, ragtime, folk, bluegrass, reggae and country music, with evening performances happening at venues all around town. Hundreds of unofficial street bands, local artists, crafts and food.

New Orleans Wine and Food Experience - May 20- 23 - Join the outstanding restaurants that make New Orleans a premier culinary destination as signature dishes are paired with exceptional wines from around the world during this five-day event.

New Orleans Oyster Festival - May 30 - 31 - An oyster themed festival in New Orleans’ Woldenberg Park. Festival includes an oyster shucking contest, oyster eating contest and live music.

Cajun Zydeco Festival - June 6 - 7 - This year the festival moves to Armstrong Park in Treme. The mainstay of the festival is Cajun-Zydeco music and dancing (there will be lessons).

FestiGals - June 11- 14 - A party for women, by women. Enjoy world-famous cuisine, culture and of course cocktails while discovering your inner diva!

Go 4th on the River - July 4 - Annual 4th of July celebration, with activities and entertainment for the entire family along the riverfront, ending with a spectacular fireworks show over the Mississippi River.

San Fermin in Nueva Orleans (Running of the Bulls)July 9 - 12 - Paying homage to the world famous encierro of Pamplona, Spain. In New Orleans style, our bulls are none other than members of the Big Easy Rollergirls and select participants from other roller derby leagues across the country!

Satchmo Summerfest - July 30 - August 2 - New Orleans’ native son, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, is honored in true New Orleans fashion White Linen Night - August 1, 2015 - Explore the hippest art scene in New Orleans followed by Dirty Linen Night - August 8, 2015 in the French Quarter - Dirty Linen Night (usually one week after White Linen Night) showcases art galleries, antiques, jewelry and specialty shops along the culturally rich and elegant Royal Street.

COOLinary New Orleans - August 1 - 31 - This summer restaurant promotion features affordably priced mouthwatering three-course menus. It’s going to be a delicious summer, with famous New Orleans restaurants offering specially priced summer menus that will cool down your wallet while warming up your appetite.

48 HOURS TO BURN IN THE MOST DYNAMIC CITY IN THE WORLD, DONT WASTE IT

48

HOURS IN NEW

YORK

BY JAMES ENGLAND

Tickets and passes for the bus and subway system in New York City can be purchased in the same place – at any subway station. You can purchase “pay-per-ride” or 7 and 30 day unlimited passes for subway. If you plan on making more than 13 stops over the course of your stay – you’ll save money with the 7 day unlimited pass.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is the major governing body over the Greater New York Metropolitan Area’s light rail, metro rail, and bus line service. It incorporates both the metro lines that go all the way from the Bronx to Brooklyn and everywhere in between. The great news is that means you really don’t need to have a private vehicle as long as you plan on going no further west than Jamaica Queens. It also means that no matter which major airport you land in – JFK or La Guardia – you have a direct connection to the subway.

However, this intricate metro system is very overwhelming for newcomers. Thankfully, plenty of smartphone apps can help you plan your trip. If you plan on spending 48 hours in New York City and not dedicating it to memorizing subway lines, then this is certainly the recommended route.

Right now, the MTA has one trip planning app for iOS however plenty of private producers have developed their own for Android OS. This one is recommended because it doesn’t rely completely on a solid internet connection – something hard to get in the underground tunnels traversing New York City.

Worth noting, if you plan on visiting Staten Island, there is a ferry service interrupting the rail-to-rail transfer so be prepared to board a ferry. And if you’re feeling mighty adventurous and want to wander into North Jersey, check out the NJ Transit system that connects through Penn Station (near Times Square).

CULTURE CLUB (20 WEST 39TH STREET) If you want to experience the cutting edge in terms of electronic dance music and lay witness to some of the best dance floors Manhattan has to offer – the Culture Club should be your jam. It gets packed and there’s a quite eclectic crowd running the show but everyone who goes promises friendly staff, great security and some earth-shatteringly good music. Fair warning – all the bathrooms are unisex but the wait time to use them is very low.

QUIET CLUBBING (155 BETHUNE) Don’t like the music? Change the station! An odd new scene forming in New York City is the advent of a strange new sensation – quiet clubbing. Everyone wears sound dampening ear phones and dances to the beat of their own drummer while house DJs compete for your attention. Begs the question - what’s the sound of one hand clapping?

SMALLS JAZZ CLUB (183 W 10TH STREET) New York City is a city of soulful artistry. And in no better place is this exemplified than in Smalls Jazz Club. Taking in the old speakeasy style of Jazz clubs that dotted the recesses of Manhattan in the 20s, Smalls doesn’t seek to simply recreate but also re-imagine. Every night of the week and into the early hours of the morning you can hear legendary jazz musicians play their hearts out for an intimate venue.

BEDLAM (40 AVENUE C) If diverse crowds and music is of interest and you want to see a great cross section of the melting pot that is New York City’s dance scene – Bedlam is a fantastic choice. Featuring caring and nurturing staff, this wonderful collective place to romp has been a fast stayed favorite amongst New Yorkers and travelers alike.

Open every day from 4pm to 4am, Bedlam is ready when you are.

OUTPUT (74 WYTHE AVE, BROOKLYN) If you find yourself on the other side of the Hudson and crave one of the best sound experiences of a lifetime, check out Output.

Featuring some of the best and most talented trance and electronic dance music acts in the world, this has become a premier destination to get lost in the sway and movement of ecstasy.

JAZZ ON THE TOWN (307 EAST 14TH STREET) Located on the second floor of the building, be prepared to lug your bags on up. However, if you can make that short journey, a very spacious home away from home awaits you. Affordable, comfortable, and great for meeting other worldly travelers – Jazz on the Town is a fast favorite for adventurers at heart.

THE MISSING LANTERN GUESTHOUSE (1156 DEAN STREET, BROOKLYN) Okay, so you want to explore and adventure through the grand expanse of New York City and still want an affordable way to get a nice, clean and quiet place to sleep? The Missing Lantern Guesthouse is the top pick. Located across the Hudson and easy access from the metro, this place is a reserved little hostel dedicated to making your stay as positive as possible.

SCHWARTZ TRAVEL - PENN STATION & GRAND CENTRAL STATION With multiple locker locations throughout Manhattan, Schwartz has become a trusted name in public lockers. Most of their lockers can be found in major public transportation hubs such as Grand Central Station and Penn Station.

Pro-tip: if you know you’re going to be needing one, reserve in advance to get a better price.

NEW YORK BUDGET INN (200 EAST 34TH STREET) An oldie but goodie – the New York Budget Inn features a clean, reliable place to crash. With secure lockers and the option to take on your own private room, this place has become a great way to stay on budget while enjoying all New York City has to offer.

TRUMP SOHO NEW YORK (246 SPRING STREET) Want to feel like a Wall Street banker for the night? For a much more affordable price, Trump SoHo can deliver. With panoramic views of the New York City skyscape, you’re above it all. Infinity tubs, elegant room service and the feeling of being a Fortune 500 executive are all yours with a couple pushes of a button.

GRAMERCY TAVERN (42 E 20TH ST) Do you want to dine in a restaurant that lives up to the hype? New York City is a veritable melting pot of culinary styles – old establishments and new. Yet, throughout the peaks and troughs, Gramercy has emerged as the people’s choice for high-society dining. A dinner jacket is a required and a tie is considered in good taste. The meals? A fantastic mix of classic fare such as lamb loin & shoulder to delicate smoked trout. It’s a place prided on as much for the food as the ambiance and sublime service.

MANHATTANVILLE COFFEE (147 EDGECOMBE AVE) Fresh bagels, exposed brick walls, great music – this is where you can come in and get your thoughts together. With free wifi, it’s a great place to sit and catch up on email, look up future places to visit and see as well as enjoy a fantastic roast.

PAUSE CAFE (3 CLINTON ST) It’s a friendly neighborhood café that’s become a staple of the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Breakfast served all day and a memorable blend of great roasts and coffee drinks – they also feature freshly squeezed smoothies perfect for recovering after sleepless nights spent exploring New York City.

BEE HIVE OVEN BISCUIT CAFE (182 S 2ND ST) Spending 48 hours in New York City shouldn’t mean depriving yourself of Southern-style comfort food. This is where chicken meets biscuits, honey, and homemade sausage gravy to form the picture perfect breakfast or brunch.

HOUSE OF SMALL WONDER (77 N 6TH ST, BROOKLYN) Growing out of the center of this small Manhattan café is a sprawling tree nearly as old as the building itself. It’s a place for more than just coffee and a place to collect one’s thoughts – the House of Small Wonder is where locals and in-the-know tourists come for a refreshing array of sandwiches and light fare as well as ambiance.

DUTCH KILLS (27-24 JACKSON AVE, LONG ISLAND) If you like complex cocktails you can melt into – Dutch Kills is a mixologist’s dream come true. Located in a nondescript section tucked away in Queens, it features fantastic happy hour drink specials, tantalizing food options and populated by trendy locals.

And depending on when you are in New York, here are a list of things for 2015. (hopefully are on when you’re there).

There are more of course but these are the main ones

TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL APRIL 15 - 26

The TriBeCa Film Festival was founded to celebrate and further establish NYC as a major filmmaking center and to contribute to the long-term recovery of Lower Manhattan. With over 250 films and 1,000+ screenings the TriBeCa Film Festival has become one of the most prominent film festivals in the world.

Prospect Park Bandshell. Performances take place at both indoor and outdoor venues starting in mid-June over a period of two weeks.

MERMAID PARADE JUN 20 The famous Mermaid Parade takes place every year in Coney Island on the first Saturday after the summer solstice. Join thousands of other Mer-creatures and celebrate the beginning of summer (mermaid-type costumes highly recommended). The parade begins at 2:00 pm and can best be viewed on Surf Avenue between West 10th and 15th Streets, or else on the Riegelmann Boardwalk between the same cross streets.

NEW YORK BOOK FESTIVAL

The New York Book Festival event includes a daytime celebration and an evening awards ceremony. The day festival is free, open to the public and family-oriented and HAVANA FILM FESTIVAL APRIL 9 - 17 will feature vendors, book panels, light entertainment, The Havana Film Festival New York (HFFNY) has become clowns, face-painting, celebrity signings and speakers, an internationally recognized film festival celebrating Latstorytelling circles and more. in American cinema with new full-length features, documentaries, short films, classics and animation from Cuba, NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL JUNE 26 - JULY 11 the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America and the U.S. Presented by Subway Cinema, the NYAFF is an annual film festival held at both the IFC Center and the Japan SoNEW YORK ARAB - AMERICAN ciety, featuring around forty films each year representing COMEDY FESTIVAL APR 30 - MAY 7 the very best of Asia’s current film scene. The festival also The New York Festival was founded in 2003 by comedian offers Q&A’s with directors and actors, giveaways, and Dean Obeidallah and comedienne and actress Maysoon other events.

Zayid to showcase the comedic talents of Arab-American CELEBRATE BROOKLYN actors, comics, playwrights and filmmakers and FESTIVAL MAY - JUNE challenge as well as inspire Arab-Americans to create outstanding works of comedy.

Celebrate Brooklyn is one of New York City’s longest running, free, outdoor performing arts festivals. Launched in THE MUSEUM MILE FESTIVAL JUNE 19 1979, as a catalyst for a Brooklyn performing arts scene Once a yearNew yorks finest museumson Fifth Avenue, and to bring people back into Prospect Park after years collectively open their doors for free to New Yorkers and of neglect, Celebrate Brooklyn has been an anchor in the visitors for a mile-long block party and visual art celebrapark’s revitalization and has become one of the city’s foretion. This traffic-free, music- and art-filled celebration fills most summer cultural attractions. the street and sidewalks of Fifth Avenue from 82nd to NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL 105th street, the mile now officially designated as Museum Mile. Over 50,000 visitors attend the festival FRINGE FESTIVAL AUGUST 14 - 30 annually.

The New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC) is the largest multi-arts festival in North America, with more NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL than 200 companies from all over the world performing JULY 31 - AUGUST 2 for 16 days in more than 20 venues, with a total of more The New York Jazz Festival sponsored by JVC presents than 1300 performances showcasing some of the best some of the greatest living jazz musicians playing at reemerging theater companies and performing artists. nowned New York venues, such as Lincoln Center, The Rose Theater, Brooklyn Masonic Temple, and

HOTTEST

CITIES IN 2015

NEW ORLEANS

GRANADA,

Hurricane Katrina was 10 years ago and it shows. The last decade has been spent re-building and improving using it as an opportunity to learn from the past. A recent flux of creatives from food to film has seen New Orleans enter a new renaissance largely due to the revitalised arts district created out of abandoned warehouses. Of course it’s always had cosmopolitan heritage but now the future has caught up.

The oldest Spanish town on the mainland was in need of a pick-me-up and luckily it arrived courtesy of the Spanish government among others ultimately turning many of the cobblestoned streets into pedestrian thoroughfares alongside boutique hotels and bustling local cafes. Mombacho volcano is a day trip away and an archipelago consisting of 300 islets is made for kayaking.

CARTAGENA, Colombia is one of the world’s fastest emerging tourist destinations, but Cartagena, with its UNESCO walled city, salsa and ancient cobblestoned streets bathed in colour is certainly the standout. Cocktails at Cafe del Mar at sunset are a must.

Across Europe there’s no shortage of small cities whose heyday has passed though many are re-emerging as remarkable alternatives to clogged the metropolis. Bordeaux is one such city, fast becoming one of Europe’s liveliest cities. Embracing the ability to live outside the centre and with that comes the the hip areas and the cafes.

VALPARAISO,

BRISBANE,

‘Kind of like a Latin Berlin’ is how this city was first described to me ‘but sunnier’. Once a major port, it’s luck ran out with the completion of the Panama canal leaving Valparaiso in Chile with cheap housing and sunny climate making it a haven for writer, artists and musicians. Throw in some Frenchified manor houses, Swiss-style cottages, turreted mansions and creaking iron shanties with Romeo- and-Juliet balconies and you have the city to write your life story in. The best parts the city is in the hills, accessed by a funicular or cable car.

Try to imagine scooping up ‘60s Notting hill, London then dropping it in New Orleans 10 years from now and thats kind of where Brisbane is at the moment. A long established laid back riverside culture brushing up against newly established world class restaurants with Southbank’s Gallery of Modern art playing host to exhibitions such as Andy Warhol in 2009 (the second biggest Warhol collection at the time) and the Japanese Fashion exhibition until Feb 15 this year. Do the summertime rooftop bar crawl after touring the vintage clothing shops and saturday markets, you wont be the same. Oh and the river has an artifical beach too.

BORDEAUX,.

ANTWERP, Europe’s second biggest port yet only half a million people, this very walkable city has both world class museums, classic architecture and a thriving design and fashion scene as well as an eclectic electronic music scene. The pop up concept is catching on here so the options available for the travelling foodie will soon be increased. Get here in may and you could probably make it to Brussels for the Botanical nights festival.

The Funicular in Valparaiso.

Previuos page:Dongdaemun Design plaza, Sth Korea

VENICE, Really? Surprisingly, yes. As of this year cruise ships of over 96,000 tons are no longer allowed within 300m of St Marks square in addition to the 20% reduction in the number of 40K + ton ships in nearby Giudecca Canal where ship movements are now limited to 5 a day. This of course means less crowding so if you’ve been to Venice, you’ll know how awesome that is.

A fairly recent inclusion to Venetian activities is kayaking. You could spend a weeks pay to ride an over-hyped gondola or kayak through the kanals with your friends at sunset preferably during the the Venice Carnival takes place between January 31 and February 17, 2015.

SEOUL, Having had a bit of a rep as corporate and dull, they seem to have seen the benefits of tourism.

A UNESCO city of design, most obvious with the recently completed Dongdaemun Design plaza. Housing a Design market, Museum and restaurants, it has a slight space ship look about it. Adding to that is the newly established city campus of the National Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art, showcasing the work of local and international artists where the building sits next to an ancient palace, to illustrate the range of cultural leanings here. On the nightlife side hit the Hongdae district next to Hongik University. A hotbed of shops, cafes, bars and nightclubs, it’s an energetic expression of young creative Seoul. It’s the place to hang out at a cat cafe by day, before taking in a live K-pop band by night.

Sydney Opera House during the Vivid Festival

Ruin Pubs in Budapest

BUDAPEST, Over the last two decades Budapest has seen it’s sootscarred buildings cleaned, squares planted with flowers and trees and ultimately residents emerging with newfound energy enthusiasm. The city has turned itself into one of Europe’s most impressive capitals, confident and ever-changing. The city is abuzz with fashion shows and film festivals, always-evolving boutiques and a seeming over-supply of cafes and eateries some of which have garnered Michelin stars for their contemporary reinventions of Hungarian cuisine and lively ‘ruin pubs’ – the Budapest version of pop-up bars – are invigorating disused spaces and derelict buildings on a regular basis.

SYDNEY Sydney, Australia. Again, really? Yes. Sydney has grown up in a way no one would have thought possible 10 years ago. Frank Gehry's first building here has just been completed and in may as part of the Vivid festival a disco musical from former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne and DJ Fatboy Slim will be formed out of shipping containers in the Walsh bay theatre district. The musical is called 'Here lies love' about the colourful life of former Philippines' First Lady, Imelda Marcos.Hey, Nice shoes.

LOS ANGELES (DOWNTOWN) Long considered a city without a centre, the revitalisation of the downtown is in full effect. Like many cities arounf the world now, the dilapidated inner city areas languishing in urban grit have become home to creatives and foodies. Check out the Ace Downtown LA hotel bar where big name bands commonly check in and are likely found in the rooftop bar.

VIENNA There are numerous reasons why Vienna deserves to be on this list but I’ll mention only one. EUROVISION. The annual orgy of kitsch is great fun at a house party but nothing compares to being there. Only a few times a year can you be in one place where so many up-for-it Europeans are gathered like this. There is also of course the art, culture and architecture.

Ace Downtown L.A hotel bar

Cartagena’s ancient cobblestoned streets bathed in colour

THE 2015

TRAVEL SUMMER

FESTIVAL GUIDE

WHAT THE FESTIVAL This is a progressive and rather immersive rave and Festival, complete with numerous electronic music, a splash pool and held in camping near the famous Mt. Hood National Forest. Electronic music of all kinds dominates this festival: instrumentals, dub step, trap music, bass music, house music, techno tracks, and also down tempo— with performances often set against dazzling light shows. This year’s festival will be held on Jun 19 – 22 at Dufur, Oregon

LUCIDITY FESTIVAL Every year, Lucidity has had a theme that transcends its many presentations; 2015’s will be elders and ancestors. People will pay homage to the wisdom of those who came before us through all the art forms that will present themselves at this festival, starting from the live music on the three main stages up to the words spoken by artists that appear in the smaller venues, down even to the local vendors who sell food that’ll transport you back to a simpler, wiser time. Not surprisingly, Lucidity is a very environmentally conscious event with their festival ethos: “Leave it better than you found it.”

Lucidity festival will be held on live Oak Camp, Santa Barbara, California. April 10, 2015

SONIC BLOOM Our summers choice of a festival in Colorado this year is Sonic Bloom, which celebrates it’s 10 year anniversary this year, is a four-day camping event that is played out and is surrounded by the Rockies’ mountain rugged terrain accompanied by electronic music, dance, art and human performance . will run from Jun 18-21.

COACHELLA Originally starting in 1993 as a Pearl Jam concert with the aim of boycotting venues controlled by Ticketmaster, the viability of the venue for large events was obvious and Coachella soon followed in 1999. Usually consisting of several stages, this is one of the most significant festivals on the US circuit,it’s hosted a range of diverse acts such as Snoop Dogg, Prince, Paul McCartney, Arcade Fire, Wu-Tang Clan, The Killers, Radiohead, Daft Punk, Madonna, The Cure, Kanye West, Eminem. This years headliners include: AC/DC, David Guetta, Jack White, Interpol, Kimbra. Runs on two weekends, 10-12 April and 17-19 April in Palm Springs

\BURNING MAN When it comes to once-in-a-lifetime-have-to-bethere-events, nothing surpasses Burning Man. Sure, in terms of technical production and talent performances there are others such as the above list but when you are talking about way-out-west anything-goes freakiness, this is the event.

Starting in 1986 in San Francisco and migrating to northern Nevada. The centrepiece is of course The Burning Man, a wooden effigy standing (2014) at 105ft which is set alight during the week-long event, august 30-september 7.

SUMMERFEST Summerfest festival was founded in 1968 by Milwaukee’s mayor Henry W. Maier, who was inspired by his visit to Oktoberfest in Munich, but it had originally been in the works for most of that decade as the city undertook many studies to determine its feasibility. Initially inspired by Oktoberfest,the first festival sprawled among 35 locations throughout the city and included events as seemingly disparate as an air show, a film festival and a beauty pageant—in addition to all the different types of music played. This year’s summer fest will run from Jun 24 - 28, 2015, and then also on Jun 30 - Jul 5, 2015 both at Milwaukee, Wisconsin

MOE .DOWN FESTIVAL Moe.Down, is a great popular jam band whose members and managers had been talking about a moe.down the band members hosted an event for around five or six years before it emerged later as a full-fledged reality. The festival was founded in 1999.Last year, moe. down celebrated its fifteenth year, with a lineup that included O.A.R., Lotus, Les Claypool’s Duo de Twang, Soulive, Gogol Bordello, the Jerry Douglas Band, Everyone Orchestra, and Wild Adriatic, and many others. Previous years have seen a far-ranging batch of artists that include jam-oriented acts, of course, but also jazz, indie rock, blues, and more. This year’s moe.down festival will be held on Sep 5 - 7, 2015 on Snow Ridge Ski Resort, Turin, New York, United States

ELECTRIC FOREST FESTIVAL This gathering is rooted in the jam band and electronic music scene. A four-year-old fest, it packs the dirt dance floors with happy feet similar to the UK-based All Tomorrow’s Parties, Electric Forest takes place at a fairly posh resort, the Double JJ, whose sprawling grounds offer an expansive experience. The electric forest festival will be held on Jun 25 - 28, 2015 Rothbury, Michigan

HANGOUT MUSIC FESTIVAL The annual hangout music festivalis just like MTV’s Spring Break writ large for this century. Organized in 2010, the name really says it all. It’s a rather standard multiday music festivalwith the main differentiator being that it’s on the beach in Gulf Shores of Alabama. The founders of the festival ShaulZislin and A.J Niland first came up with the idea for the hangout music festival while they were walking along the beach together in Gulf Shores. They wanted a festival to continue to bring people together down to the area after being hard hit by the British Petroleum Deep-water Horizon oil spill in April 2010. The festival will run from May 15 - 17, 2015 at the Gulf Shores, Alabama.

GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL

WESTMANS ISLANDS FESTIVAL Westman Islands festival is an annual festival which takes place in westmans islands in iceland. The beautiful island chain has a particularly volatile history when they were formed just 10,000 years ago, a baby in geologic terms. The youngest island, Surtsey, didn’t appear until 1963, celebrating the anniversary of more than 1,000 years of settlement of this frozen, northern outpost. Iceland is highly prone to wild weather and isolated communities, the national holiday on the Westman Island grew into a huge celebration. This year’s festival has been confirmed to be held from July 31-August 3.

The 2015’s summer’s arrival will be given a grand welcome at Glastonbury festival. This festival is the father of modern festivals. It is a music festival which is celebrated by both the young and the old crowds of people. This festival has the best lineups of some of the world’s most talented acts, from wannabes to mega stars. The festival will run from Jun 28-Jun 29, 2015 in Pilton, England.

PARIS TECHNO PARADE This year in September, performances will be unavoidable in Paris because the Paris Techno Parade will prove itself along the three miles of the City of Light. You will come across street music turned up to eleven: international DJs, gigantic subwoofers, and sound-mixers sit atop decked-out flatbed trucks, which play through a heaving sea of 400,000. Paris techno parade will run from Jun 18-21.

PINKPOP FESTIVAL This annual sea of pink is arguably Europes oldest rock festival with thousands of up-for-it music fans either dyeing their hair pink, wearing pink t-shirts or donning one of the official pink hats sold by the organisers (or any other way of expressing pink). Pinkpop generally has three stages the two largest at opposite ends of the festival grounds with alternating time slots leaving crowdsregularly travelling between the two. Pinkpop will run from jun 12-14 in Landgraaf, Netherlands and headlining will be Muse, Pharrel Williiams, Foo Fighters and Robbie Williams.

WAY OUT WEST FESTIVAL Named for its location on the southwest coast of Sweden, WOW has earned itself accolades from arounf the globe such as MTV’s Most Innovative Festival as well as developing partnerships with Sony and Spotify.This year’s event will be held on Way out West on August 7-9 with headliners Florence and the Machine, Belle and Sebastian and Alt-J.as compared to other European countries. The 2015 festival will run from run from august 10-17.

AIR GUITAR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Air guitar world championship is a festival that lets people rock a crowd without even the use of a guitar or any other instrument. In this festival you get to showcase your skills and body moves in front of thousands of the festivals fans. The festival first gives a four day tutorial on how best to exaggerate. This year’s event has been confirmed to take place on August 2628 in Oulu, northern Finland.

ROSKILDE FESTIVAL One of the largest and most signicant festivals in Europe most importantly for the not-for-profit organisation behind it recently giving festival punters a vote on where the proceeds should be directed to. This is Denmark's first music-oriented festival originally being for hippies when it began but now covers mainstream Scandinavian youth and attacts around 130,000 people a year. 27 June - 4th of July. Headliners in 2015: Florence + The Machine, Pharrel Williams, Muse with more yet to be announced.

ROCK AM RING This is Germany’s premier rock festival having hosted a slew of bands over the past two decades and draws crowds of over eighty thousand to witness around 80 acts and there is also a twin festival (Rock im Park) held over the same weekend on the Nurburgring racetrack in the Eifel mountains jun 5-7. This years headliners include Interpol, Marilyn Manson, Motorhead and Slipknot.

SZIGET FESTIVAL SzigetFestival is the grand music festival in Hungary, usually hosted in Budapest. The music event has in the previous years attracted over 300,000 people worldwide. The event runs for seven days with the performance of about 1000 performers. The festival has become a huge success and increased its popularity. The event is not only about music but there are also handfuls of other activities. One major advantage of this festival is that most of the items are relatively cheaper as compared to other European countries. The 2015 festival will run from run from august 10-17.

COASTAL

BREEZES Just north of the Golden Gate bridge on highway 108 is Rodeo beach where you’ll find an absolute haven for sun-worshippers, dog-walkers and those who like to be ‘at one with nature’ (it’s a nude beach). Swimming conditions aren’t always the best but it faces the Pacific ocean so what can you do? Take the Sausalito exit on 101 and follow signs for Marin headlands.

Point Lobos state reserve is known for occasional fierce winds but it’s also a favourite for diving (free and Scuba), numerous coastal walking trails and tide pools, hence earning the mantle of being the ‘Crown Jewel in the state park system’ during spring you’ll find numerous adult and baby harbour seals around

With 15 volleyball courts on Cowell’s beach you know that every day is going to be an active one, for both spectator and participant. Aside from being buffed-and-toned-eyecandy central, it’s also a great place to learn to surf as it rarely gets big swells and the locals aren’t very territorial about the break.

As far as Malibu’s celebrity and beach jet set are concerened there is really only one option available to get away from the crowds and that’s El Matador Beach. A favourite for just about every half decent photographer in L.A, it’s down 3 flights of very steep, rocky stairs but it will be worth it when you lazily wade through numerous tidal rockpools in the afternoon sun. Pack a picnic lunch or sunset dinner, grab a blanket and set yourself up in one of the hidden nooks and coves to enjoy the incredibly romantic atmosphere.

Rincon beach, Santa Barbara is considered one of the best Venice beach doesn’t really need much of an introduction surf spots on the central coast as a result of its being on as it’s featured on dozens of films from Xanadu to White the point just north of Ventura. men can’t jump as well as being one of the birthplaces of Dockweiler beach, L.A isn’t the most scenic beach but its modern skateboarding (the other being Santa Monica). pretty social as the three mile shoreline abounds with fire- Here you’ll find a 3-ring urban street circus, complete with pits and barbecues and it’s one of the few beaches in Los philosophizing artists, trash-talking hoopsters, preening Angeles county that allows bonfires. weightlifters, barefoot sand sculptors, skaters, bladers and more.

There’s never a shortage of seaside fun at Santa Monica Pier where the beach meets the boardwalk in a festive display of amusement park rides, aquarium wonders and festival food. It’s free to stroll the historic boardwalk and peruse the goods, and even if you don’t go for thrill rides, there’s no charge for the show-stopping sunset at the end of each day.

HIDDEN

GOLD

DOING THECITY THE NATIVE WAY

BY JOHN MANN

e’re all familiar with the big ticket San Francisco attractions that everyone needs to see: Golden Gate Bridge; Alcatraz; Fisherman’s Wharf; cable cars. They’re going to be in any Bay Area travel guide that you’ll ever pick up in your lifetime, and with good reason. All are icons, and are all worth checking out at least once should you find yourself in the legendary cosmopolitan city.

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However, there is more to the place locals affectionately call The City than gigantic red bridges and offshore prison fortresses. Do a little digging, and you will see a few lesser known attractions that, if they were in a different city, might be considered top level attractions in their own right and due to the influx of of high-tech firms, many areas are experiencing a further reneissance such as the mid-market area of San Francisco where you’ll find the Cavalier, San Francisco’s version of a hunting club.

Stuffed animal heads and cushioned booths form much of the décor accompanied by Californian twists on British culinary classics like Welsh rarebit or devilled crab with rock shrimp served with cucumber slices rather than with bread, and the rarebit is actually a soufflé.

Hill, one of San Francisco’s older areas is the worlds ‘Most Crooked street’ along with an eclectic range of boutiques such as Velvet da Vinci where anything from earrings to wire sculptures are on display and the staff are craftspeople of various disciplines who are more than willing to explain the the pieces.

When its time to wind back the cool factor here, grab your camera and head towards the Sutro Baths Ruins , once touted as the world’s largest indoor swimming pool venue. It once housed seven swimming pools including six salt water baths; a museum; an 8,000 seat concert hall, and even an ice skating rink. Eventually, the complex lost its drawing power, shut down, and was marked for demolition. However, a fire broke out in the middle of it being demolished in 1966, and city officials decided to leave whatever remained unscathed. Today, people can wander to the cliffs to explore what’s been left to overlook the ocean, including walls, stairs, passageways, and a shimmering rectangular concrete pool. Black and white photo enthusiasts will enjoy this as well as the sprawling artwork known simply as The Wave Organ which consists of a series of pipes that open up to the bay’s waters; the waves interact with the mouths of the pipes, producing musical sounds and tones that fluctuate based on tide levels. The structure features several places where people can sit near some of the pipes, so they can get an up close and personal listen to the unique tunes that are produced.

Commissioned by the city’s highly lauded science museum The Exploratorium, it serves as a fascinating study on what happens when the power of nature intersects with the ingenuity of man and it’s art, music, and science.The Wave Organ is located on the shore of the San Francisco Bay east of the Presidio.

The Cavalier There is of course the mission district for a strong dose of trendy mixed with strong Latino roots with traditional mexican groceries sill available here alongside bars with names like Trick Dog, a former warehouse space operated by a trio of mixology masters originally basing their menu on Pantone colours moving on to signs of the Zodiac or stores such as Viracocha where you can pick up a refurbished typewriter, an antique piano, handmade furniture, vintage cameras, records and ‘zines, letterpress greeting cards plus a performance space downstairs hosting poetry readings to brass bands.

Once a maze of factories, shipyards and warehouses an area affectionately known as Dogpatch is home to a wide range of art studios and restaurants carved out of industrial buildings such as the American Can Company. This is where you’ll find the Museum of Craft and Design, one of the few US museums dedicated to contemporary craft and design and not far way is Magnolia Pub & Brewing Company which has also taken advantage of Dogpatch’s industrial spaces to expand their brewing capacity in addition to their Haight-Ashbury digs and over in Russian

The illustrious Wave Organ Walt Disney Family Museum - It may surprise people to see a museum devoted to Walt Disney up in San Francisco, since the man behind the Disney legacy and mystique is so deeply attached to Southern California. And it is technically not part of the modern, 21st Century version of the Disney Empire; it is owned and operated by Walt’s heirs and not the eponymous corporation. Yet in a way,

Magnolia Pub, Dogpatch that familial involvement adds an even more substantial layer of authenticity to this museum. Since its opening in 2009, it’s been home to a treasure trove of personal artifacts and documents that celebrate Walt in a more intimate manner. The famous miniature Oscars he won for “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” are here, but so is the Presidential Medal of Freedom that he was awarded for film in 1964.

San Francisco Ferry Building - From a functional standpoint, this massive structure located on the Embarcadero serves as a major transportation hub, as commuters flock to the building to catch a bus, take the subway, and - of course - ride the ferry across the San Francisco Bay. And while the building’s Beaux Arts design and 245-foot clock tower makes it a pretty breathtaking sight to behold, it’s what is inside that truly makes it worth your while; a wallto-wall funhouse of artisanal foods that are born from

passion first and the bottom line last.

From obscure teas and fresh oysters to weird cheeses and honey practically scooped from the hive, it is Nirvana for hardcore foodies.

Yerba Buena Island - Ever see one of those photos of the San Francisco skyline fronted by glimmering bay waters?

Of course you have. Chances are those photos were taken from Yerba Buena Island. This tiny island located in the waters between San Francisco and Oakland has an interesting military component to it - a man-made structure known as Treasure Island was essentially affixed to it in 1939 and used by the Navy for several decades, and the natural island boasts several buildings associated with the US Coast Guard. There’s really not much to do here except find a spot along the shore and gaze out onto the skyline with a picnic perhaps.

However, the panoramic view is so spectacular, that’s really all you need.

AS MUCH AS A RENEGADE TRAVELLER THAT YOU ARE OR PLAN TO BE, THESE RECENT RELEASES WILL MAKE THAT EXPEDITION JUST THAT LITTLE BIT MORE ENJOYABLE AND STRESS FREE

BOSE SOUNDLINK BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES

SEA TO SUMMIT TRAVEL DUFFLE Silky-thin but tough, this zippered bag is ideal for those times when you’re experiencing severe suitcase bulge from overenthusiastic shopping, or dealing with wet and/ or smelly clothes. Weighing in at just 80 grams, the travel duffel swallows 40 litres of bulky excess baggage yet squishes down to a fist-size bundle. paddypallin.com.au

Cables are just so yesterday, and these compact Bluetooth headphones have transformed my travels. They’re on-ear rather than over-ear and thus not noise cancelling but they make up for that with full, rich sound, light weight and sheer comfort. Battery life is phenomenal, way more than the 15 hours that Bose claims, and there’s FUJI INSTAX MINI 8 a built-in microphone for taking incoming calls. RRP Want to spread love, joy and smiles in a Third-World vil$329. global.bose.com lage? Nothing beats a portrait shot you can give to your COCOON GRID-IT ORGANISER subject, which is just what this moulded plastic miracle camera produces - instantly. This is a fantastic icebreaker The ultimate clutter killer, the wide elastic rubberised grips on this semi-rigid base grip my charger, phone, eye that will guarantee happy faces if you also want to shoot digital-camera images. Credit-card size prints cost about mask, pens, travel adapter, those pesky cables and all $1 each. the other junk that I seem to need in-flight. Available in different sizes, but my version also has a handy pouch on the reverse for stowing my tablet. cocooninnovations. com.au

MINI CREE LED FLASHLIGHT Let your light shine, especially when there are dark and slippery streets between you and home, or even or reading the menu in that candlelit bistro. This military-styled torch takes a single AA battery, fits in your palm, casts an umbrella-size pool of light around your feet and it’s cheap as chips. amazon.com

ZIP-LOCK PLASTIC BAGS Pack your suitcase with see-though bags and you’ll never have to burrow for that elusive item. For hotel-hopping travellers without time to unpack properly, zip-lock bags are a gift from the travel gods.

CLOTHESLINE Still hanging wet laundry on your hotel room towel rail?

They’ll dry a lot quicker on a clothes line. I use the Go Travel washing line. Slip your clothes through the braided elastic cord and they’re held tight, no pegs needed.

SIDNEY WILSON

SURVIVAL

KIT LOS ANGELES

os Angeles. Sexy people and a sexier nightlife that breeds a certain vanity-fuelled desire, to be see and be seen. From ordering a coffee to ordering a room, every activity involves an I-do-what-I-want attitude that oozes sex appeal.

L

table. (Seriously). Another is Fiesta Cantina in West Hollywood. This is a great place to go to watch any major sports event, major awards show, fashion show etc.

Nachos and gigantic l margaritas are what make this place a go to for starting off the night.

Confidence is everywhere.

And since we are speaking of West Hollywood, you have to make your way to the winner of, “World’s best gay club”, The Abbey. Whether your gay or straight, the go go dancers offer a little eye candy for everyone. After one of my many wild nights here, I woke up and noticed I had severely bruised knees. My friend asked me, “Don’t you remember, you were twerking all night long! I thought, “I was twerking?!!” Using my best fake laugh, I said “Of course I remember! Move over Miley Cyrus!” No place will get you on your knees quicker then The Abbey.

The suited man tossing his keys to the valet without a second glance, the woman in heels that will tell you what she wants just by her stare. Dreams come true here.

It’s not called the City of Angels for nothing though the things I’ve seen and where I’ve been seen lead me to believe the place where angels don’t go is a lot closer. The bright lights, dazzling parties, Colgate smiles and foreign cars are a distraction, for there are many, myself included, that live in the that middle zone taking in a bit of the downtown sleaze and a bit of the high life, bathing in the greedy sin that lies within the belly of the city. Yes, it’s a highly controversial and contradictory place where, if you’re someone who takes chances, isn’t offended by lust-driven power and enjoys partying all night with beautiful people...then I welcome you, to Los Angeles.

Of course, I speak from my own personal experience. I am someone who comes from out of state and I was not a sheltered child by any means, but reality is about perception so when I arrived in Los Angeles those realities shifted slightly. But it took a while. On a regular basis my jaw would drop at the daily bizarreness of L.A until my housemate offered the suggestion of simply ‘Acting like it’s normal’. My jaw is still intact and no is surgery required.

Exchange LA

On any given weekend you’ll find me playing up at a number of other venues such as Exchange LA in the downtown Nightlife is unquestionably what brings the millions to L.A area, an incredible 4 floor, 6 bar, Art-Deco nightclub and every year, with bars and restaurants in their thousands dance venue hosting musical luminaries from David Moproviding an endless supply of places to let loose rales to Carl Cox and Sasha. The building was once and indulge in some late night debauchery. If the LA stock exchange, hence the name and you plan to live here long-term like I have you believe me the trading still happens but have to have a plan so any place you go to, in different parts of the building. Avalon remember that the doorman and bartenders is another superb electronic venue that are your best friends because chances are has hosted everything from the Beatles to you’ll see them again Paul Oakenfold. It’s been there since the so maintaining some kind of friendly, first 1920’s but only after a massive make-over name rapport is key to ensuring a great in 2003 did it become a dance music temple night out again and again. They will rewith queues around the block. member your friendliness and repay you in On the other hand if heaving, sweaty kind. clubs aren’t your thing, a venue I spend Another thing to keep in mind is that most time at is The W situated between Bel bars don’t really get going until Air and Beverly Hills and the venue isn’t about 10 so a pre game must is so exclusive where your name has to be Mother Lode in West Hollywood. on the list. The restaurant at the hotel is This place may just be where you excellent and it becomes more of a lounge end your night instead of starting atmosphere as the evening progresses and it but Lord have mercy they have a there’s a swimming pool right beside it for strong pour here! Two shots and I am when the night descends into madness and doing the macarena by myself on a pool becomes a impromptu fully-fledged-LA-style

Skybar @ Mondrian pool party and let me assure you, it does. Similarly, Skybar at The Mondrian Hotel is a venue that should not be missed under any circumstances. A gorgeous open air venue, dressed in all white with ivy decorating it’s walls and interior with of course the requisite pool (It’s LA people!) There’s also no guest list here provided there’s no function being held but it’s also home to many private after parties. Not on the guest list? Not a problem, If you’re persuasive and show a little cleavage, you can sneak your way in. Unless you’re a guy. Tough luck pal.

As you may have guessed by now, there is nowhere better to be and party during summertime than LA. That brings me to The Standard. Similar to the aforementioned poolside venues, The Standard differs in that it’s patrons has a significantly stronger focus on the fashion aesthetic.

Your invite might say pool party but it’s more like a fashion show next to a pool that happens to be surrounded with beds, a rooftop dance floor and champagne flowing around every corner? My kind of summer party!

Of course I learned the hard way to dress to impress here. I was told by my friend that it was a pool party, so

naturally being an out of towner, I show up in my old navy flip flops and shapeless sun dress over my bathing suit. When I arrived EVERY girl looked magazine cover ready. Even the hotel bartenders were better dressed then me.

Lesson learned, next!

Large sun hat? Check.

Leopard bikini? Check.

6 inch wedges? Check.

This outfit to a pool? Absolutely.

Hotel Sixty in Beverly Hills is definitely a rooftop pool/ lounge where this is acceptable, if not appreciated. Any place that serves pitchers of cucumber water and has linen covered lounge chairs is enough to make me want to change my name to Zsa Zsa and live off champagne.

Of course it’s not all a party. Well it is just not always indoors. If you are looking for a beach that’s kept a hidden gem by the locals? Behold Paradise Cove. Far enough away from the big city that you feel you’re on vacation.

Oyster specials and two for one drinks around noon, the restaurant shack and bar here will get you wet, then hang you out to dry! My first time at this beach, I got picked up by a co worker and thrown into the ocean! It would have been harmless fun, if my bikini bottoms hadn’t become untied and washed to shore..without me in them. (Not my proudest moment).

L.A truly is a place you have to spend some time in to really know it. Either watching the paparazzi chase celebrities at the clubs or trying to mentally process being served a rather expensive bottle of Tequila by a rope-swinging Oompa Loompa to your VIP table and runway shows in the middle of dance floors.

One thing is for certain, you will never be bored any day of the week here. Partying isn’t only designated for the weekends, and weekdays aren’t just for work. LA gives a whole new meaning to 24/7.

Sidney Wilson is an LA Based blogger who moved to Los Angeles from Washington. and this is part one of a three-part story.

You can find her at sidneymarenwilson.wordpress.com