Fly the Friendly Skies?

Do you ever wonder what happened to the Friendly Skies?

Let me tell you, after months of dealing with heavily-accented, relatively-inept customer service reps, it kinda makes you miss the old United Airlines spirit.



Shoddy customer service, punctuated by Rhapsody in Blue on hold: It's a sign of the times.

Sunset in Puerto Vallarta

Where I was hiding last week:

Existential Travel Hub

Next time you complain about having your quart-sized bag examined as you shuffle along through the metal detector, painfully aware of the thoroughy visible hole in your left sock, remind yourself that you could be flying through here:


Prague's Franz Kafka International Named World's Most Alienating Airport

You Look Good in That

Who knew clothes hangers could make you smile?

Apparently the good people over at Apartment Therapy and the Ace Hotel in New York City do.


Proof, yet again, that good design can hang in the most-unlikely of places.

Baring it all in-flight!

No, this is not about about that creepy guy who decided toshow off his birthday suit midflight.

What it is, is a not-so-bare naked reason to want to hop on an Air New Zealand flight to Auckland sometime soon.

Pay close attention to what they're wearing...

Cuba Libres

I figure it's time to jump start the engines here a bit.

Unfortunately some well-timed Cuba Libres could interfere with that.

But don't fret. I haven't forgotten about all of you.

In fact keep checking in over the next few days.

There's a veritable juke box locked and loaded on here.

Here's to 2009!

Salud!

É Uma Partida de Futebol

Today's elimination of the U.S. Soccer Team in the medal chase reminded me of an fave older tune from Brazilian rockers Skank:



Perhaps this catchy old tune could have rallied their way, and saved the game for the old red, white and blue.

In the meantime I was glad to find that Skank has a few fresher albums waiting to join my collection down in the land of samba. It's been years since i stumbled upon a concert of theirs in Portugal and nabbed all the older CDs in Brazil. Great band way back then!

Dance.

If this doesn't make you smile, there's no hope left.



Thanks to my friend Heath for making me grin on a Friday night.

One down, fifty-two to go

The New York Times has anointed 53 Places to Go in 2008, and for the most part it is an intriguing globe-trotter's challenge.

Number 12, in particular, is a pleasant surprise.

As far as our longtime beach hideaway is concerned, the secret, pardon the pun, is out.

Cuba Libres and Cazadores await us, just a short wintery month away. I can't wait!

A New York City Tuk-Tuk?

Having ridden in many a Tuk-Tuk and motorbike taxi in Asia, I do know the benefits of small, nimble public transport options. I also know how dangerous and impractical they can be.

So it is with some bemusement and interest that I found this modern take on a small motorbike cab over on Core77. According to them, the cool-looking City Swing could be a green hybrid transportation solution for congested cities.

I think most people who propose these things haven't ridden on a tuk-tuk or motorcycle taxi in a congested city. They may be able to weave through tighter spaces, but they come with their own set of major issues.

When the weather is warm and dry you are fine. Throw in some rain, let alone a New York snowstorm, and their lack of enclosure becomes a big wet windy problem.

Even when it is nice out: You know the exhaust from the bus and the cars in front of you? It likes to collect on your face and clothing as you drive through it.

Their small footprint also make them dangerous targets in traffic, compared to your standard yellow taxis.

While the artist renderings make a point of giving each rider a helmet as they cruise gleefully through Times Square, would drivers really stop and make sure everyone is wearing one? Not to mention the health issues of sharing helmets...

Keep in mind, I am a scooterist. I have made my peace with two-wheelers and love riding my scooter around town. I know my scooter is easier to park, and often maneuver, than my car. I even find shared scooter concepts, like this one, intriguing.

Urban transportation alternatives are not what makes me skeptical. Moto-taxis, tuk-tuks and the City Swing are simply a different animal, with serious faults. They are little more than a novelty. Even in Bangkok and Hanoi, I would much rather be in a taxi any day.

The City Swing would look really cool on the streets.

Clearly I have gambled my life on similar contraptions in the past.

The real question is: Just because it's snazzy would I want to subject myself to risk and fumes more often?

Thanksgiving metropolis postcript

New York City, over Thanksgiving, is chaotic.

But then again, when is it not?

The city thrives and depends on chaos. It breeds vitality.

For those of you I neglected to warn, it would have been pointless between all the Thanksgiving and wedding events we hopped to and from.

Mazel Tov to my cousin and his new wife! It was a gorgeous, intimate ceremony. I am glad I was included.

My sister deserves some congratulations, as well, for pulling off a turkey smorgasbord with aplomb in the confines of a tight New York apartment.

We did manage to sneak away here and there for some exploration. As always, New York had plenty of pleasant surprises for us.

Keep an eye out here for highlights including a couple neat exhibits and and some unique shopping.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving with your friends and families.

I know I am thankful everyday for mine, and am lucky to have you all in my life.

Intimacy trumps bibles in the bedstand

There was a time a time when an often-ratty Gideon bible was all a hotel would encourage to keep you company at night.

The hotel industry is now coming to the realization that their younger, upscale clientele is often more interested in other overnight activities than passive proselytization.

As Newsweek is reporting, it's out with the bible and in with slightly more salacious replacements. While you will probably still find the Christian word of God in your suburban chain hotel, hipper establishments are finding that they are not ashamed of other activities they may choose to pursue away from home.

So next time you check in, don't be surprised to find an "intimacy kit" in lieu of reading material. It's an open acknowledgement that what really happens in hotel rooms around the world, doesn't need to be so hush-hush anymore.

It's a welcome sign of the times.

This winter, I will be able to take this photo too...

They call it a used bar of soap. I prefer Chiclet.

Now that Apple has currently cornered the market on cool high tech phones, the Japanese are aiming in a different, stylishly colorful direction:


Check out the Au Infobars over at Core77.

Surprisingly sexy. Surprisingly similar to those pieces of gum kids try to sell you on the street in Mexico. Not-so-surprisingly only available in Japan.

You're not integral to the project. You're the pretender.

Here's two completely divergent musical directions for you to peruse today:

1) Foo Fighters, "The Pretender"

It's been a few weeks, and I'm still pretty stoked about the Foo Fighters new single The Pretender. It's a perfect blast-yourself-awake-in-the-morning-driving-to-work song. Turn the volume up and give it a whirl:



Now that you've been rocked out, let's shift gears.

2) Pet Shop Boys, "Integral (Perfect Immaculate mix)"

As part the Pet Shop Boys upcoming Disco 4 collection, they've gone and remixed a great song from their last album and given it a fresh new video. Watch closely. There's more to it than meets the eye:


(UPDATED: The original link I posted was a more basic version. You can still find it HERE. If that link doesn't work, check out the Popjustice link below.)

For the surprising subliminal explanation of what you just saw head over to PopJustice. It's a brilliant concept that cleverly plays into song's message. This is what we call cutting edge interactive technology.

Of course, my iphone doesn't quite have the bells and whistles to play along. Considering what I recently ruminated HERE, not being so integral may be better anyways.

The song, however, sounds and looks fantastic.

What happens in Macau stays in Macau?

I have fond memories of working in Macau.

A year before the Portuguese handed over their Pearl River Delta colony back to the Chinese, it was still a sleepy, dense little city overshadowed by the flash and sizzle of Hong Kong next door. There were plenty of cute alleys full of old antiques, an odd mix of Portuguese and Chinese traditions, and a general discord between the tacky, supposedly crime-ridden, casinos and basically everything else.

The seeds, however, were already being planted for a drastic reinvention. Fast forward to today: With the Chinese government's smart decision to break up the old gambling monopoly it is quickly en route to becoming Las Vegas' biggest rival. Seedy old casinos are giving way to big brand new palaces from the exact same people that have made Nevada a global destination.

The New York Times has a great snapshot into the new Macau here.

I'm not sure I would recognize it.

One of these days I'll wander back to see if any of the old Macau is still there.