Category Archives: United States

Flipping through DK Eyewitness Guides’ Revisions

To tweak an old saying, travel pictures are worth a thousand words. As mobile and digital platforms are providing more visual appeal for travelers, guidebooks must adapt to meet their readers’ evolving needs. The latest DK Eyewitness Travel Guides are doing just that.

On Tuesday night, at City Winery in New York City, DK Publishing marked the series’ 20^th anniversary by unveiling 10 bestselling titles, updated for 2014, and new first-ever edition on Russia. The event also marked the company’s redesign relaunch for all their travel guidebooks. These changes consist of a new look for the jacket and clearer details on the inside pages.

DK Eyewitness Guides stay true to being pictorial, yet new adjustments to these books make certain sections easier to follow. While keeping its photo stance, top revisions in design and copy include the following:

– New itineraries based on length of stay, regional destinations, or theme. City and country guides also have extended itineraries.

– Listings underwent major changes with descriptions for hotels and restaurants, with simplified categories for prices and cuisine.

– Overall, maps become more readable, with new bullets, colors and symbols.

2014 titles currently available include Berlin, New York City, Washington, D.C., Paris, Prague, London, Italy, San Francisco, and Rome.

As another milestone for this publishing house, the first Russia edition comes out in timing with next year’s Winter Olympics in the city of Sochi. At the NYC event, a DK representative explained that the Russian guide helps make a trip to this destination, which can be described as not the easiest place to travel to, more “doable.”

Also coinciding with current events, an updated guide to Ireland is released in timing with The Gathering Ireland 2013, a yearlong festival celebrating all things Irish.

Future release dates for 2014 series will pick up again in January and continue on through the end of next year.

My Guest Post on Honey Harvest Pairing in Weston, CT

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I have to thank my friend Billie Frank for inviting me to contribute a guest post on her and her husband, Steve Collins’ blog, Santa Fe Travelers. My published piece is on Red Bee Apiary, a small bee farm in Weston, Connecticut, that centers on producing single-origin, artisan honeys. Single-origin means that honey comes from only one flower source.

This past Sunday, Red Bee’s founder and owner Marina Marchese organized a small honey tasting in timing with the fall harvest season. As guests like myself tried pairings of her honey brands with specialty foods, we were instructed to first taste each honey separately to be able to distinguish its specific flavor and then share about our thoughts about what we had sampled.

In accompanying our meal, the staff at Saugatuck Grain & Grape in nearby Westport invented three specialty cocktails featuring honey syrups as one of the main ingredients. Small drink samplings were served, along with explanations on trying to emulate them at home.

You can read my piece by clicking here. Below are additional photos of mine as well.

What to Do Before and When Visiting the 9/11 Memorial

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As we commemorate the now 12 years that have passed since 9/11, I wanted to share my tips for visiting the key signature reminder of that day: the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City. Or, also known as the 9/11 Memorial.

In reflecting on today, I wanted to share my experience in visiting this significant place two years ago, and what you should expect and do if you want to come here.

Completed a decade after the terrorist attacks impacted countless lives, and changed the physical scope of Lower Manhattan, the 9/11 Memorial can be viewed publicly by time-reserved reservations. I was fortunate enough to obtain a visitor’s pass online about a month after the memorial’s opening in 2011. In early October, I headed downtown with my printed ticket, getting off at the Fulton Street subway stop and making my way to the monument.

The 9/11 Memorial was designed to remember the names of those two lost their lives on 9/11 at the World Trade Center site, at the Pentagon, and near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and also at the first World Trade Center bombing in February 1993. It consists of two reflective pools, with waterfalls in their centers and surrounded by a layout of bronze panels listing the names of the deceased. The North and South Pools, as they’re called, are placed across from where the original center, or also known as the “Twin Towers,” once stood.

Names of these carved panels are in categories ranging from the flight numbers of the hijacked planes, to first responders and to what buildings people were in. I lingered for a while over the name Todd Beamer, a passenger on Flight 93 who is now recognized as one of the people on that plane who attempted to gain entry to the cockpit. Another person’s name I recognized was Mychal Judge, the chaplain for the New York City’s fire department.

Another name to find, at the South Pool, is Welles Remy Crowther. He worked as an equities trader in the South Tower and is credited with helping people get out of the building after it was hit. He used a red bandana, that he carried everywhere with him, to cover his face from the smoke. His bandana is said to be among the artifacts that will be in the upcoming National September 11 Memorial Museum.

There is also a nice pathway where you can walk around the memorial, and when I visited, there were patrolmen who were nice to answer visitors’ questions. One thing to keep in mind here is that this place is for some like a cemetery. It gets very quiet.

Also upon visiting, the security checkpoint area is sort of in comparison like what you might find at the airport. So go in mind with that thinking. It’s best to avoid carrying stuff like large bags with you or leave them at home. Be patient too.

Admission to the 9/11 Memorial is free but you need a visitor’s pass to enter. I recommendation booking your reservations online, so that way you can plan better for when and what day to visit. Although, note you will be charged a $2 nonrefundable service fee per pass. Same-day visit passes are available as on a first-come, first-served basis and don’t carry the service fee, but you have to get them in person at the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site at 20 Vesey Street.

Either way, getting the visitor’s pass is definitely worth it. And your time at the memorial will be well spent!

At Lyman Orchards, Sunflowers Are A-maze-ing

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On Sunday, I walked among a field of sunflowers. And yes, to sound like a dork, it was “a-maze-ing.” I’ll also add that it’s definitely worth paying a visit to Lyman Orchards, a 1,100-acre farm in Central Connecticut, this month. At this farm in Middlefield, an absolutely beautiful sunflower maze is open for exploring now through Sunday, August 25.

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More than 300,000 sunflowers make up this two-mile maze. Before heading in, go up on an observation deck first to get a nice overview. Then as you are walking through the maze, keep an eye out for shades that go beyond the typical sunflower yellow. My friend and I spotted a few reds and oranges, and even darker tinted ones like a rich purple or even black.

sun 11 The size of some of the flower heads were close to matching dinner plates, and, due to weight, a few were bent over a little bit. We even spotted one or two little ones still waiting to bloom.

The maze’s path is pretty simple, and there are a few place markers but finding your way isn’t too bad. There is an admission fee of $10, with $1 going to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. And while you are at Lyman Orchards, take advantage of the opportunity to do some picking. The orchard here is quite impressive, as almost 100 different types of fruits are grown from June through October.

In keeping with what’s in season, right now your picking options include blueberries, pears and peaches, and pretty soon, apples. I haven’t gone picking before, so I grabbed a container and headed for the blueberry bushes. After digging and going around nets (and having my friend tug me free from one thanks to my pants getting caught), I got a handful of berries to bring home.

If farming isn’t really your thing, and maybe golf is instead, there is a golf course down the road. Also owned by Lyman Orchards, Lyman Orchards Golf has three different style courses. And if you miss out on the Sunflower Maze, there will be a corn maze set to open August 31 and run through November 3. For getting to the orchard, at 3 Lyman Road, I suggest taking Merritt Parkway to CT-66 E but you can also go on I-95 to pick up I-91.

Russian & Turkish Baths: An Old World Approach to Modern Health

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Going to a spa is one thing, but have you ever been inside a banya or booked a platza? You can find out what they are at Russian & Turkish Baths, a traditional bathhouse in New York City’s East Village since 1892.

On East 10th Street and near 1st Avenue, this institution is an old-school health club. Both men and women get basic services such as massages and scrubs or sit in steam rooms or saunas to relax or rejuvenate. If you’re used to upscale venues, here’s an important thing to keep in mind before your visit. There are no frills. It is very simple in appearance and formalities.

Upon entering, the staff at the front desk gives you a locker key (they take your wallet and keys for safe keeping inside a safety deposit box at the desk). You can grab a robe (a plain black one that is short in length) and black shorts to slip on and a pair of sandals. Pick up your towel or two before you walk into either the men or women’s locker room to get ready.

I decided to come to the bathhouse after seeing a daily deals promotion that included admission (a separate fee) plus the cost of a service. During my recent visit, I got a massage that ended up being a shiatsu, and headed to the upper level of the building where the massage rooms are. After the massage, my masseuse pitched some additional treatments such as scrubs I could purchase and have while I was still there. I found I had to be a bit firm but still polite on my decline. Also, keep in mind, there is a tip scale requirement. When I was ready, he took me around the building to show me where other services were.

Also upstairs, there is a sun deck which is an outdoor patio with lounge chairs for relaxing and hanging out. The lower level of the building houses two different saunas, a steam room, a pretty cold dipping pool and showers. A section called the Russian Room gets its heat from hot stones but has a shower head for cooling down quickly (I jumped at that one). This room is also where a treatment called platza happens. You’re scrubbed hard with a broom made of fresh oak leaves, which have a natural astringent, and dripping with olive oil soap. It’s said to be a major skin cleanser.

The lower level can also get quite communal, as you sit alongside both genders and various ages. Just relax and get comfortable. It also makes for some good people watching. Being a newbie, a few guys were kind to point me in the right direction to restrooms and showers and suggested how and when I should cool off. I also chatted with a couple that came here often and other women who were new to the place like me.

The Russian & Turkish Baths are co-ed most of the day on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. There are times for women only are on Wednesday mornings through early afternoon and then men only times most of Thursday afternoon and then again Sunday morning until early afternoon. Also note: the place is owned and operated by two different men who have separate schedules. You can only use admission passes you buy during the shift of the manager you bought it from. Don’t forget to bring a bathing suit and a bottle of water with you. Check the website for more information and a full schedule beforehand.

Still Turning Pages: Connecticut’s Independent Bookstores

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As much as online retailers and chain stores make shopping for books more convenient, I’m glad to see that independent booksellers aren’t fading away. Like many states across the U.S., Connecticut has a good number of stores successfully staying in stock. They have mass selections or promote specialty genres, carry a signature look and know the importance of good customer service.

While I’m trying to hit up as many book sellers as I can around Connecticut, start off with these two “good reads”:

The Book Barn, Niantic

Many friends of mine have driven up to this fun place. So I had to see it too. It’s right off of I-95, and I made it the first of two stops on my literary day trip.

In 1988, Randi White and his wife Mo turned a new chapter in their lives when they co-founded The Book Barn, an always-evolving book business that is a collection of amusements. Literally.

On the grounds adjacent to a three-story barn, which is called the Main Barn and contains nonfiction, teens and children’s, The Book Barn has a fun approach to stacking. Whimsical makeshift homes along the property shelve various paperbacks and hardcovers by category or subject.

Named after the famous landmark, Ellis Island is a depository for new arrivals (the public can bring books for potential sale) to be sorted. Some section names are fitting, others fun. The Haunted Bookshop has mystery and suspense, while Hades holds romance and chick-lit. As for books, the inventory contains a wide range of rare finds and popular titles, dating back to the 1600s up to this week’s bestseller.

Along with its main location on West Main Street, there are two other venues in Niantic: Book Barn Downtown and Book Barn Midtown.

RJ Julia Bookseller, Madison

This second stop is not too far from I-95. Though a Main Street fixture in Madison, RJ Julia Bookseller gets visitors from all across the United States and some even from overseas. They are authors who frequently come in for lectures and signings. Wall photos show off many guests such as the late writer Nora Ephron and celebrity TV chef and local resident Jacques Pepin.

Opening its doors in 1990, owner Roxanne J. Coady founded her store in an empty brick building with the notion of caring for and calling her customers as what they are: readers. With two levels and a separately run café and bistro, the store is graced wooden panel shelves and a neat green ceiling above the main cash registers.

An attached yellow building extends RJ Julia’s holdings with a children’s section and has space for visiting authors that come in for appearances at least a few times every week. Recently the bookstore invented its own Espresso Book Machine to encourage aspiring authors to bind personal writings and mementos into freshly made paperbacks. I understand that Coady has been looking to retire and sell her store. However, as a staff member told me, she’s waiting for the right buyer to come that will stay in line with her shop’s mission.

So, tell me. What’s your favorite “indie” bookstore?

Seeing Familiar Places and New Ones on Connecticut Open House Day

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Indoors or outside, the weather was great this past Saturday, June 8 for Connecticut residents to check out our state’s annual Open House Day. With more than 100 attractions statewide participating, I decided to stick around Fairfield County to get reacquainted with two museums that I last saw as a child. Plus, one has a new neighbor that is worth climbing around.

First, I headed out to The Discovery Museum and Planetarium on Bridgeport’s Park Avenue, near the city’s border with Fairfield. A mainstay since I can remember, the three-level museum pays tribute to milestones in science, innovation, and exploration. On the main level, the museum’s “Adventure Science” section starts with a jungle gym set up that provides a miniature version of the Adventure Park located next door. Younger visitors didn’t hesitant to try it out, climbing, jumping and running around the structure.

Moving on across the wing, the next space shows how Bridgeport and other places in Connecticut made major strides in engineering such as Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, whose founder Igor Sikorsky is credited with launching the U.S. helicopter. With space exploration, Hamilton Sunstrand Space Systems in Windsor Locks (now known as UTC Aerospace Systems) developed a portable life support system for NASA space suits worn by Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong for the 1969 moonwalk.

Speaking of outer space, the lower level holds the museum’s Planetarium and a Challenger Learning Center, along with AV displays about the planets and enlarged photos of the cosmos. Here youngsters can also go exploring with MoonBase Discovery, a section with shuttles for climbing inside and getting behind the wheel. Don’t forget to head up to the third floor for more hands-on activity with a mixture of exhibits highlighting energy in all its various forms.

Going back outside, my next stop was at The Adventure Park at The Discovery Museum, which is behind the museum’s property. Opened two years ago, the aerial attraction sits on five acres of woods in Veterans Memorial Park, with 11 different course levels that encourage you to climb, crawl, pull through and step across one platform to the next and reach the end point by zip lining.

Choose to stick in your comfort zone, starting with a new purple line, or perhaps challenge yourself to reach a level like the double black diamond (60 feet up). Go at your own place. Other things help put fears aside. The park’s crew members suit you up in a fitted harness and gloves and give clear instructions about the magnetic clips you’re given to get to each point.

And you’re not left hanging mid-course. Call for help by saying “staff,” which I did, and they will come. I finished with a needed upper body workout and a confidence boost.

Finishing out the day, I drove up to Stamford for a quick jaunt around the Stamford Museum & Nature Center, which is close to the Merritt Parkway. The 118-acre property has a nice mix of family activities: hiking trails, a working farm, a children’s playground, nature center, a nature preserve, and an observatory. Heckscher Farm is home to goats, sheep, pigs and chickens, with an organic vegetable garden and an animal embassy. Step inside Bendel Mansion and Museum Galleries to see the former summer home of New York designer and department store owner Henri Willis Bendel.

Even if Connecticut Open House Day is now closed, get out and see these places!

Umbria Tourism Goes Tech with MultiMedia App Launch

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Known as the “green heart of Italy,” Umbria is symbolized by food, wine, ceramics, history and culture. It’s also quite picturesque, as this central and landlocked region is noted for its scenic character with rolling green hills and historical towns like Assisi.

To better market its visual appeal, Umbria’s tourism board has taken a tech savvy approach that connects old-world traditions with modern-day applications. At a June 3 reception at Eataly in New York City, representatives unveiled English versions of UmbriaApp, a collection of roughly 20 apps using a multimedia storytelling approach to showcase the region’s offerings.

During the reception, officials described the process of creating the UmbriaApp line as a “imaginary bridge” between Umbria’s past and future innovation, in terms of shaping the direction in which tourism hopes to go.

As of this writing, the English apps will be released first for iPad, with versions for iPhone and Android to follow shortly. Italian versions are currently available. Developed by Sesinet Snc, an Italian company, all apps are free and can be downloaded through iTunes.

Varying by subject, apps cover art and history museums, festivals, bike tours and particularly food and wine.

One of the new apps that is quite appetizing is “Umbria Enogastronomia.” This culinary app is a virtual cookbook on Umbria’s authentic wines and cuisine, covering the region’s meats, cheeses, fruits and vegetables. Users can also replicate a taste of this region in their kitchen by browsing through the app’s range of recipes, complete with photos, ingredients, and preparation notes.

The unveiling at Eataly kicked off “Umbria Week 2013,” a week-long roster of activities in Manhattan from June 3 through June 8 that serves as a precursor to a “Sensational Umbria,” a month-long celebration scheduled for November.

In highlighting Umbrian cuisine, samplings of traditional dishes such as lentil soup (with its recipe included in the culinary app) and pesce crudo were offered. Tastings provided by Goretti Winery in Perugia, Umbria’s capital, complimented the evening.

Visit New and Familiar Places During Connecticut’s Open House Day June 8

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If you’ve grown up in Connecticut, it’s most likely that you visited the state’s major attractions through family outings. You went to landmarks and museums for a homework assignment or with your classmates on a field trip. Even more so, you probably explored a state park, nature preserve or family-owned farm.

Yet there are still many hidden gems throughout its regions that deserve a second look.

Each year, the CT Office of Tourism organizes Connecticut’s Open House Day, a marketing promotion that encourages CT residents to stop by or spend more time at the diverse public offerings across the state. This year, the open house falls on Saturday, June 8.

As of this writing, 188 locations are providing free or discounted admission, gifts or special activities. From Coastal Fairfield County up through River Valley, long-time favorites and local names are scheduling tours or sample tastings, offering giveaways or unveiling new exhibits.

With attractions suitable for many ages and personal interests, here are some spots worth a visit (or revisit):

Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo: From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., admission will be free for the first 100 visitors. Bridgeport, (203) 394-6565.

Spa at Norwich Inn: From 7 a.m. until 8 p.m., the Spa is offering a 15 percent discount on day spa treatments and dining. Also, free tours of the historic property are scheduled. Norwich, (860) 886-2401.

Westford Hill Distillers: From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., this distillery, which is not generally open to the public, will offer free, guided tours. Ashford, (860) 429-0464.

Lime Rock Park: Open from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., each visitor get a free hot dog and Coca-Cola drink. Come in the morning to watch Lime Rock Drivers Club travel over the tracks and the afternoon, the Eastern Motor Racing Association. Lakeville, (860) 435-5000.

The Glass House: Visitors will receive a complimentary hard cover coffee table book, “Modern Views,” and can explore the interior of this iconic house and its 47-acre landscape. The two-hour tours leave at 9:45 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:15 a.m., noon, and 1:30 p.m. Advance reservations are required. New Canaan, (203) 594-9884.

To get a full list of participants in Connecticut’s Open House, visit http://www.ctvisit.com/dontmiss/details/1256. As for me, I’m going to hit up the Discovery Museum in Bridgeport and Stamford Museum & Nature Center.

From Coastal Farming to Current Wineries: Exploring Stonington, CT

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Whether driving by via I-95 or following the northeastern part of Connecticut’s Wine Trail, Stonington is worth making a car stop. This town still reflects its agrarian days with lush green fields and colonial era houses lined with stonewalls, with its founding dating back to the mid-1600s as a trading post. With two lighthouses, Stonington encompasses a number of villages including Pawcatuck, Stonington Borough, Lords Point, Wequetequock, and the eastern halves of Mystic and Old Mystic.

Speaking of Connecticut’s Wine Trail, a few wineries are found in Stonington. With the right timing and planning, it’s possible to visit them all in a single day. Last Sunday, I trekked up to join an afternoon group meeting at just one of them: Saltwater Farm Vineyard.

Like its name, Saltwater Farm Vineyard has both unique surroundings and just as interesting back story. Upon arriving at its location, it’s understandable to think at first whether or not you’re at the right place or if your GPS led you astray. It’s fine and appropriately fitting. The 100-plus acre vineyard borders the tidal marshes of Wequetequock Cove, a saltwater field that provides a nice backdrop setting against an inlet.

The exterior also has a link to Stonington’s past, as a portion once used as farm land until the early 20^th century. Here’s also where the winery’s story gets neater. In the late 1930s, a small commuter airport opened on the grounds, with a hangar built there, and had operated until the U.S. entered World War II.

After the war ended, the airport became a flight school for a few years. Over time, the hanger turned into a restaurant, a warehouse, and a manufacturing facility, and then eventually became abandoned.

Its new life as a winery came in 2001, when the property was bought by a lawyer and converted. The former aluminum-sided hanger now houses an open-air tasting room/reception hall with large stainless steel tanks on the ground floor and a second level for bar service with a walkout terrace for overheard views of the vines and surrounding marshland. Here you can also picture what the sight was previously: the airfield.

Though its airport days are long gone, the venue still has a grassy landing strip. A server told me that it still is used on occasion. Perhaps for guests flying in?

The winery also hosts live music performances on Sundays with a vendor providing fresh-shucked oysters. During my time, tasting notes included a Manager’s Choice, with the selection of the day being a Rose; a 2011 Chardonnay aged in the steel tanks; a 2008 Merlot; and a 2010 Cabernet Franc/Merlot Blend. The later two wines are aged in French oak barrels. Also note: glasses are sold separately.

While in Stonington, definitely visit nearby wineries such as Stonington Vineyards, about 10 or 15 minutes from Salt Farms, and Jonathan Edwards Winery, which is in North Stonington and about a 20- to 30-minute ride.