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Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category

Best Roller Coasters and More Adventures

In Adventure, Cultures, Environment, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Travel, Досуг, Культура, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/05/26 at 16:23

‘Don’t let people drive you crazy when you know it’s in walking distance.’ ~Author Unknown

Roller Coasters, Cruises, Biking, Etc.

Roaller Coasters on BootsnAll.com
Nothing compares to the anticipation of an unseen drop, the whirl of a sudden spin or an unexpected plummet from a too-tall tower … a beating heart … sweaty palms … a dry mouth. People love fear-and roller coasters deliver it. Coasters have fascinated the world since their inception in the 1800s and now more than ever thrill-seeking globe-trotters are seeking these experiences when they travel. Here are seven of the best roller coasters in the world. Look ‘em up, track ‘em down and give ‘em a whirl.
Eejanaika in Fujiyoshida, Japan …
Full Story: …
… 7 of the World’s Best Roller Coasters; By Cherrye Moore

Cruises on the TimesOnline.co.uk
It used to be quoits on deck and dressing up for the captain’s table. Now it’s surfboard simulators and voyages up the Amazon.
You may find this hard to believe, but some people think cruising is dull. Really. Sit on a boat, visit some ports, eat too much, go home. Fine as far as it goes, they say, but a bit old hat, isn’t it? They don’t know what they’re missing. Cruising is full of the unexpected. If they came on board this summer, the sceptics could find themselves sipping champagne under billowing sails as they slip into Santorini; …
Full Story: This summer’s 18 coolest cruises; by Stephen Bleach

Biking on BootsnAll.com
Jay Jacobson’s passion for cycling takes him into Australia on several trips, with his wife and solo, for a total of hundreds and hundreds of miles.
Planning my usual getaway from New York’s February weather was a bit more complicated in
2009 due to the economic situation. A month in India (which would have been my third trip there) included an upscale bike trip, 5 days in the Maldives, a luxury train ride and river cruise. However due to logistical and cost considerations, it just didn’t seem to be the best choice for 2009. …
Full Story: Biking in Australia; By Jay Jacobson
Photo from Wikipedia

More Interesting Links!
~ The best business travel blogs; TimesOnline.co.uk


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Liquid Gold: from Most Expensive Whiskies to Mixology 101

In Cultures, Gastronomy Guide, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Wines Spirits Etc, Еда и Напитки, Стиль Жизни on 2009/05/24 at 14:30

‘The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.’ ~Mark Twain

DRINKS, SPIRITS ETC.

Whiskies on StyleCrave.com
Grain, water, a wooden barrel and a little time. Whisky is a colorful character with an ever-changing spirit. The subject of literature, culture and folklore throughout the world, finicky booze-hounds have long paid a pretty penny for bottles of the most coveted casks. Pour a finger or two and hit the jump to drink in 10 bottles of whisky that truly break the bank.
10: Ladybank Single Malt: $4,700 …
Full Story: …
… Liquid Gold: The 10 Most Expensive Whiskies in the World; By Joe Wertz

Cognacs on StyleCrave.com
To bear the name “cognac”, this 300-year-old spirit must be produced from a specific blend of grapes, distilled twice in copper stills and then aged for at least two years in French oak casks– and that’s just for the cheap stuff. The liquid is made, quite literally, from the waters of life, and some collectors have dedicated the finances of their own lives to its pursuit. Want to learn a bit more? Pull out a snifter, pass the Courvoisier and hit the jump for 10 of the most expensive cognacs ever bottled.
10. $5,000 – Courvoisier L’Esprit Decanter
Full Story: Costly Consumption: 10 Incomprehensibly Expensive Cognacs; By Joe Wertz

More Interesting Links!
~ Rum Drinks; Food and Wine Magazines
~ The 20 Best Summer Drinks; Food and Wine Magazines
~ Its a Celebration, Perras! Cinco De Mayo Margarita Recipes; StyleCrave.com


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Curious About Mongolia?

In Adventure, Asian Twist, Cultures, Environment, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Культура, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни, Экология on 2009/05/21 at 07:44

Travel’s Adventures on DivineCaroline.com

Travel: Single
Ever wonder what it’s like to stand on the Mongolian steppes and feel the wind on your face, looking west? Ever wanted to go there?… Living there takes tremendous determination and considerable survival skills. Traveling there requires great patience, good shocks, suspension, tires, and navigational skills because there are no road signs!
Full Story: …
… Curious About Mongolia? (Part 1); By Pam

The stated purpose of this trip was to observe the solar eclipse and we flew to the Altai Mountains, to a private ger camp located on the “perfect” path. They’d brought a group of Mongolians (and their families) out there to build the camp and we later learned they’d actually been living in the gers we occupied for two days.
Full Story: Curious About Mongolia? (Part 2); By Pam

Photo: Mongolian Landscape from Wikipedia;

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Travel: Adventure for PLus Size Women and More

In Adventure, Cultures, Environment, Holidays Et Celebrations, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/05/20 at 08:53

Travel on DivineCaroline.com

Adventure Travel
Plus size women raise families, work themselves up the corporate ladder, attend their children’s sports meetings, dedicate their time and money to charities they support, but one area where they are missing is in adventure travel. Why is this so?
Full Story: …
… Adventure Travel for Plus Size Women; By Anne Huysman

Letters from Italy
When I think of Florence, images of beautiful, curvy women rush in: Venus rising from the sea in Botticelli’s painting. Infinite Madonnas. The giant breast-shaped Duomo. With all that female adoration as an inspiring base, I feel buoyed in Florence as I indulge in her pleasures: admiring the handsome men (including Michelangelo’s David), tasting wine, gelato, and bisteca. Even in these weak-dollar, budget-crunching times, Florence offers great bargains.
Full Story: Florence on a Budget: Letters from Italy; By Susan Van Allen

Girlfriends’ Gateaway
So you think Disney Cruises are for kids only? Think again! Disney Cruises are perfect girlfriend getaways, as I learned on my recent cruise (without kids). I spent three fabulous days on Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Wonder. I thought I would miss my kids badly during this trip, especially when seeing all the happy families together, but no—I was able to take a well deserved break from mommy duties and have some fun with girlfriends on a cruise that was full of luxurious surprises.
Full Story: Disney Cruise Is a Perfect Girlfriend Getaway; By Skimbaco Lifestyle

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Dream Trips 2009: Cappadocia, Turkey

In Adventure, Cultures, Environment, Reviews, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия on 2009/05/18 at 05:24

DREAM TRIPS 2009 on BudgetTravel.com
Check in to a cave hotel; then take off in a balloon. In this surreal stretch of central Turkey, volcanic rock formations and underground cities await.
Your first question: Have I landed on another planet or …
… woken up in a Salvador Dalí painting? Spread across 1,500 square miles in the middle of Turkey, Cappadocia (which locals pronounce “cap-pa-doe-ki-a”) might be Mars: Picture naturally formed drip castles the size of apartment buildings, meringue-like hills, and fields of capped stone cones aptly called fairy chimneys. Standing amid it all, you can’t help but wonder …
Full Story: Float Over Cappadocia; By Gisela Williams

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Florence, [Italy], the Jewel of Renaissance

In Cultures, Holidays Et Celebrations, Italy, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Travel, Досуг, Культура, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/05/17 at 08:23

Italy on BootsnAll.com
Several weeks before departing for my semester abroad in Florence, Italy, I read about all the things you could see and do in a week. The thought of living in such a place filled me with excitement because I would not be spending a week in this famous Renaissance city; …
… I would be spending an entire semester. As expected, once I arrived in Florence, I fell completely in love with the place. While almost all travel guides will include the major tourist attractions such as Il Duomo and the Uffizi, most fail to highlight the less-known cultural spots. These “behind-the-scene” gems …
Full Story: Do Florence Like a Florentine – Italy, Europe; By Brendan Alberts
Photo from Wikipedia;

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Jericho, the Oldest City in the World

In Adventure, Cultures, Reviews, Travel, Досуг, Культура, Путешествия on 2009/05/16 at 09:03

Archeology on BootsnAll.com
“Do you want to drive or do you want to walk?” Saed asks, stopping the car. We have arrived at the bottom of a small mountain on the outskirts of Jericho, in Israel’s West Bank. Believed to be the oldest city in the world, …
… Jericho is also the lowest, at 244 meters below sea level. We look up the trail that winds its way to our first destination – Saint George’s Monastery on the Mount of Temptation, which sits at 350 meters above sea level. I elect to walk. Sitting is far too boring. …
Full Story: Ruins and Real Life – Jericho, West Bank, Israel; By Sabina Lohr
Photo of St. George Monastry, from BiblePlaces.com

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Venturing Into the Depth of Six National Parks

In Adventure, Environment, Holidays Et Celebrations, Reviews, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия, Экология on 2009/05/15 at 18:23

National Parks on BootsnAll.com
With the value of the dollar jumping, sliding and scooting around other world currencies, jet-setting world travelers might rethink their next international voyage and opt for the purple mountain majesties of the good ‘ole USA. …
… Attendance at national parks has risen over the last two years, with many parks reporting record highs. So, maybe you’ve seen the Grand Canyon twice and think Yellowstone is too common for your adventurous spirit–if so, branch out. Here are six national parks you have probably never seen. …
Full Story: Six National Parks You’ve Probably Never Visited; By Cherrye Moore

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Where Food and Booze Dictate Travels’ Plans

In Adventure, Gastronomy Guide, Holidays Et Celebrations, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Travel, Wines Spirits Etc, Досуг, Еда и Напитки, Кулинарные Тенденции, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/05/08 at 16:04

Travel’s Destination on BootsnAll.com
Museums are fine for some people, but some prefer to learn by sampling the native spirits! Lucy Corne gives us ten possibilities where we can get hammered and cultured at the same time. …
… Recently I was chatting to a fellow travel aficionado and happened to mention that food and booze had begun to dictate my travels somewhat. Now admitting that you travel to eat is perfectly acceptable, but letting slip that you wander the world to sample local liquor, micro-brewed beers and seek out offbeat vineyards tends to raise eyebrows. The travel snobs look down on you, …
Full Story: Ten Places to Get Drunk and Call it a Cultural Encounter; by Lucy Corne

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Poll Find: Paris Overrated, Brussels Boring, London Has Bad Food!

In Economy, Holidays Et Celebrations, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Travel, World News, Досуг, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/05/06 at 10:40

Travel on The Sidney Morning Herald
A TripAdvisor poll of almost 2,400 travelers delved into their thoughts on European cities. Travelers said London was the dirtiest and most expensive and had the worst-dressed inhabitants. Paris was seen as overrated, the second most costly and the least friendly city. …
… Holidaymakers, be warned: London has the worst food, Paris is the most overrated and Brussels is the most boring, according to a survey of what travellers think about European cities.
In the poll of nearly 2400 travellers, by website TripAdvisor, …
Full Story: Europe’s most boring, dirty and overrated cities;

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Потепление на Алтае грозит лесных пожаров … [Environment]

In Environment, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни, Экология on 2009/04/25 at 11:05

РИА Новости
Увеличение числа лесных пожаров в горах Алтая ожидается в ближайшие дни в связи с приходом тепла в регион, сообщил РИА Новости представитель Алтайской базы …
… авиационной охраны лесов Валентин Варванец. В регионе установилась теплая похода с температурой до плюс 20 градусов, что способствует активному сходу снега в горах. …
весь сюжет: Потепление на Алтае грозит увеличением лесных пожаров в горах региона; Максим Кошмарчук.

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Walled Cities Around the World

In Holidays Et Celebrations, Reviews, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия on 2009/04/24 at 10:14

Cultural Travel on BootsnAll.com
Take a tour of 11 of the best-preserved walled cities on earth.
While today’s modern cities certainly are graced by large fortifications, since the first days of civilization walls have been built around cities to protect citizens from outside invaders and attacks. …
… In fact, as early as the 8th century BCE, the city of Jericho in what is now the West Bank was protected by a wall. For thousands of years following this time, when cities were often ruled as city states and needed protection from their neighbors, walls and …
Full Story: Walled Cities Around the World; By: Julie Blakley
[Photo: Commune of Carcassonne]

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U.S. Whitewater Spots Worth A Visit

In Adventure, Healthy, Holidays Et Celebrations, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия, Спорт и Здоровье, Стиль Жизни on 2009/04/07 at 20:00

Travel on Forbes.com
A panel of experts came up with 10 of the best towns for people who love to paddle. It’s springtime. The days are longer and warmer, and the water on America’s rivers has begun to rage. It’s time to wet a paddle, …
… whether it’s from your kayak, whitewater canoe or in a big ole rubber raft with the entire family. Fortunately, this doesn’t necessarily mean a long flight, a difficult hike into the wilderness or a multiday road trip to get to a good spot. …
Full Story: U.S. Whitewater Spots Worth A Visit; by Monte Burke

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Want to Escape the Crowds? 6 Emptiest Tourist Destinations

In Adventure, Holidays Et Celebrations, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/04/04 at 07:58

Adventure on BootsnAll.com
Are you looking for a little peace and quiet? Are you tired of traffic-filled streets and tedious queue lines? Then …
… how about taking your next vacation somewhere far from the muddle of over-crowded cities and too-touristy towns? Here are six of the least-densely populated nations on earth, where you are more likely to find yourself than meet a stranger. …
Full Story: Six of the Least-Densely Populated Nations in the World; by Cherrye Moore

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Six Great Women Travelers in Asia

In Adventure, Asian Twist, Gastronomy Guide, Holidays Et Celebrations, LifeStyle Etc, Portraits, Reviews, Travel, Досуг, Кулинарные Тенденции, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/04/01 at 23:26

Travel Blog on WorldHum.com
March is Women’s History Month, so this seems a good moment to call out a few of history’s great women travelers. Because so many 19th- and early 20th-century adventurers found themselves drawn to Asia, …
… I’ve narrowed this list to women who made their mark on that continent, fording the Indus River or crossing the Tibetan Plateau, in defiance of social norms and often at great risk. These are the women I wish I’d been in another life. Herewith, my top-six list of the most intrepid Western female travelers to take Asia by foot, camel or donkey. …
Full Story: Six Great Women Travelers in Asia; by Julia Ross

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Sea Kayaking in Mexico

In Adventure, Holidays Et Celebrations, Reviews, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия on 2009/03/30 at 16:34

Mexico on BootsnAll.com
Pristine beach camping, a soak in a private tide pool hot spring, and sea kayaking the vivid blue waters of the Sea of Cortez awaited Andrea Davis on this adventurous travel. …
… Driving the dusty gravel road with our tandem sea kayak and surf boards strapped to the top of our truck, the coastline of Sea of Cortez awaited in the distance, fourteen miles off the pavement from Baja Mexico’s Route 1. At first the road to the village of Agua Verde was gently undulating with the dips and swales of the plateaued topography of the Sierra Madre mountain range. …
Full Story: Sea Kayaking in Baja – Mexico; by Andrea Davis
Map of the Gulf of California from Wilipedia

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Cruising the Yangtze River – China, Asia

In Adventure, Asian Twist, Holidays Et Celebrations, Reviews, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/03/27 at 10:28

Daily Travel Dose on BootsnAll.com
Cruise down China’s longest river and the third longest in the world with Pam MacNaughtan. I lucked out, the long distance bus I was traveling on wan air-conditioned, with plush seats and it was clean. As we traveled down the highway from Chengdu to Chongqing, …
… the woman beside me kept offering little snacks. She was traveling with her husband, who was quite advanced in years, they seemed to enjoy giving the only foreigner on the bus – me – snacks. I felt like a baby who gets to eat solid food for the first time; my parents beaming with pride. …
Full Story: Cruising the Yangtze River – China, Asia
Map of the Yangtze River from Wikipedia

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9 Places to Experience Now Before They Literally Vanish

In Adventure, Holidays Et Celebrations, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/03/25 at 06:53

Adventures on MatadorTrips.com
From tropical islands to glacial terrain, beloved places around the world are literally disappearing due to various issues from global climate change and deforestation to abusive or poorly-managed tourism. …
… 1. Tuvalu
This Polynesian island nation is only 10 square miles and 4.5 meters above sea level… at its highest point. Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world and is slowly disappearing into the Pacific Ocean. …
Full Story: 9 Places to Experience Now Before They Literally Vanish; by Kelly Parker

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Spin the Globe

In Adventure, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/03/24 at 08:05

EXPERT ADVICE from BudgetTravel.com
Dreaming of an around-the-world trip? We asked eight nomads for the nuts and bolts.
1. THE ROUTE “Many people are too ambitious and want to make 14 stops in four weeks. …
… I like to spend at least a week in each place to become really familiar with it.” —Tom Michelson, corporate vice president, AirTreks, an airline broker that specializes in around-the-world tickets.
2. DOCUMENTS “Before a long trip, you often can’t get all of your visas because some are valid only for three to six months. Instead, pick them up at travel agencies along the way. …
Full Story: Spin the Globe; By Heather Eng

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Camping in Europe – A First-Timer’s Guide

In Adventure, Holidays Et Celebrations, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия on 2009/03/23 at 08:06

Camping on BootsnAll.com
Until you’ve actually tried it, you probably don’t realize how fun, cheap, and easy camping in Europe can be. Longtime expert Jennifer Miller gives you all the information you need to get started yourself. …
… When we started planning our year long European Odyssey on bicycles with our four kids, our first consideration was lodging. Where could we stay on a budget of $100 a day, for everything? The answer? Not in hotels. Not in hostels. We could camp! …
Full Story: Camping in Europe – A First-Timer’s Guide; by Jennifer Miller

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Meet Martini’s Ancestor, the Martinez

In Gastronomy Guide, Ingredients, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Wines Spirits Etc, Азбука Вкуса, Еда и Напитки, Кулинарные Тенденции on 2009/03/17 at 03:38

HOW’S YOUR DRINK from The WSJ.com
The rough lineage of the martini starts with the Manhattan, a mix of whiskey and sweet vermouth, that began the Martinez, a mix of sweetened gin and sweet vermouth that soon became known as a martini. …
… Where did the Martini come from? It is a question the exact answer to which is lost to the boozy mists of barroom history. But the rough lineage of the drink is known: the Manhattan — whiskey and sweet vermouth — begat the Martinez, a mix of sweetened gin and sweet vermouth, a drink that soon came to be known by the more popular name Martini. …
Full Story: Reviving the Martini’s Lost Ancestor; By ERIC FELTEN

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How to Cope with Toilets You’ll Meet on Your Travels!

In Adventure, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/03/15 at 14:08

Travel Tales from BootsnAll.com
Experienced travelers know that relieving oneself on the road sometimes isn’t easy. Lucy Corne describes ten “unusual” toilets you are likely to come across, and how to deal with each of them. I don’t know if it’s because we all have this in common or whether it’s the most shocking part of life on the road, …
… but toilet tales seem to be a favourite topic for travelers who’ve just met. Once the banalities (where are you from, where have you been, where are you going) are out of the way, I find, as once pointed out by a singing cast of Scrubs, that everything comes down to poo. …
Full Story: Ten Toilets You’ll Meet on Your Travels (and how to cope with them); by Lucy Corne

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A Worthwhile Maori Tour – Kaikoura, New Zealand

In Adventure, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/03/11 at 07:04

Travel News on BootsnAll.com
It’s a tour with Heather Hapeta and a direct descendant of the ancient Maori. Herbal medicines and family history combine to provide one of the great tourist ventures in Kaikoura, New Zealand. …
… Maori Tours takes guests sightseeing, tracing local and family history and a bush walk to explore the medicinal properties of the native trees and bush. “Most of, the remedies possess validity,” says Dr. Raymond Stark in his book, MAORI HERBAL REMEDIES (1979). Over the years, trial, success and failure …
Full Story: A Worthwhile Maori Tour – Kaikoura, New Zealand
Photo from The National Geographic

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Heady Flavours Put Whisky on the Map

In Gastronomy Guide, Ingredients, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Wines Spirits Etc, Азбука Вкуса, Еда и Напитки, Кулинарные Тенденции on 2009/03/10 at 09:17

Food & Drink on the Telegraph.co.uk
There is a single malt for everyone, you just have to find it and then stick to it. Never one to rush things, I came late to the charms of uisge beatha. Indeed, …
… it took several decades for me to develop any sort of taste for whisky (or even whiskey). Single malts are still hit-and-miss and just when I think I’ve cracked it, managing to identify my all-time favourite, I get stopped in my tracks by some overly medicinal, iodine-laden, tonsil-tormentor. …
Full Article: Whisky tasting: Heady flavours put whisky on the map; By Jonathan Ray

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10 Best Hiking Trails in the World

In Adventure, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия on 2009/03/08 at 05:00

Travel News on BootsnAll.com
BootsnAll staff writer Julie Blakley brings you the 10 best hiking trails in the world – where you can trek through the most dramatic scenery anywhere. …
… If everyone placing personal ads who claimed the hobby of “hiking” really did it with any regularity, the earth would have been trampled flat decades ago. But those who really do enjoy this peaceful outdoor activity have plenty of incredible choices in every corner of the world. Here are the ten best hikes on the planet, each with a combination of scenery and …
Full Story: 10 Best Hiking Trails in the World

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Exotic Animals of the World that You Can Ride

In Adventure, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия on 2009/03/06 at 14:20

Adventure Rides on BootsnAll.com
Hop on board with BootsnAll staff writer Jessica Spiegel to see which exotic animals you can ride on your journeys around the world. …
… You don’t have to be a cowboy-wannabe to find the idea of riding exotic animals around the world enticing. After all, it’s not everyday you get a chance to climb on the back of an elephant or a water buffalo, right? You’re already making some great travel memories on your trip, and this is just another chance to add to that tally – not to mention get a few interesting travel photos in the process. …
Full Story: Exotic Animals of the World that You Can Ride; by Jessica Spiegel
Photo from: GTCreations.com

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Canistel is a Tropical Fruit Worth Trying

In Adventure, Gastronomy Guide, Ingredients, Reviews, Travel, Азбука Вкуса, Еда и Напитки on 2009/03/06 at 05:23
Тропические фрукты

Tropical Fruits on the MiamiHerald.com
The tropical fruit canistel, or egg fruit, tastes like a sweet potato and calabaza, but sweeter. It can be incorporated into sweet and savory dishes. …
… It is early afternoon, and the blazing sun blinds me as I keep pace with Noris Ledesma, moving swiftly between rows of small, bushy tropical trees. I am still recovering from a close encounter with a pair of noisy geese who think the Colombian-born horticulturist is their mother …
Full Story: Tropical fruit: Canistel is an easy sell; by MARICEL E. PRESILLA

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Beauty and Brutality of Cambodia, Travel Journal

In Adventure, Asian Twist, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия on 2009/03/04 at 08:10

* Красота и Жестокость Камбоджи, Дневника Путешествия *
Travel Articles from BootsnAll.com
The contrast between the beauty and brutality of Cambodia divides Rebekah Pothaar’s feelings as a traveler. – It’s 11:00 am, the Irishman is already nursing a Beer Chang at the next table. His bloodshot eyes are shining, evidence of yesterday’s binges. His T-shirt is emblazoned with scull, …
… crossbones and red lettering: Danger. Mines. Cambodia. In the airy restaurant of the Thai guesthouse, I’m picking at a plate of fruit, paging through Lonely Planet Cambodia and wishing travel guides had more photographs. Boredom compels me to ask the man about his T-shirt. …
Full Story: Danger: Mines – Cambodia, Asia; by Rebekah Pothaar
Photo: from Angkor-Cambodia.org

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12 Most Amazing Pools in the World

In Adventure, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия, Спорт и Здоровье, Стиль Жизни on 2009/03/03 at 08:49

Travel News from BootsnAll.com
Fancy a dip, but can’t stand the thought of slumming it with the riff-raff in a normal hotel pool? Check out Daved Brosch’s list of pools that put the standard Olympic-sized ones to shame. …
… It used to be that all you had to attract people to your hotel was build a pool. As tourists evolved, the pool was considered a must. Thus the indoor pool became a standard of luxury. Today, both of those types of pools are anything but impressive. It is this reason that many hotels are spending thousands, if not millions, on their pools in hopes of attracting customers. …
Full Story: 12 Most Amazing Pools in the World; By Daved Brosch

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One Night in Novosibirsk, Russia

In Adventure, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/03/02 at 14:14

Budget Accomodations from BootsnAll.com
Dave Guilford catches a weather-related delay in Siberia and learns the Russian definition of “budget accomodations”. …
… My first trip to Novosibirsk was not a welcome break in my itinerary. After an 11-hour flight from Atlanta to Moscow, with the knowledge that I was facing another 10-hour flight from Moscow to Magadan, I was not pleased to learn that I had a two-hour layover in the middle of nowhere. …
Full Story: One Night in Novosibirsk – Russia, Europe; By Dave Guilford

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Hiking on the Red Sea Coast of Yemen

In Adventure, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия on 2009/03/02 at 12:06

Daily Travel Dose from BootsnAll.com
I woke up at three in the morning, hurting, having a headache and hungry. The sand was uncomfortably hot, my body and my mind so tired. I must have fallen asleep, at least for a few hours. …
… Now, my stomach was moaning, my muscles were demanding repayment for the energy I had wrung from them all day long. I remembered I had some heavy Turkish soldiers’ bread (kudam) in the hood of my backpack. Kudam is, by far, the densest bread I have ever eaten. It is said to have nourished the Ottoman Turkish army in their massive conquests …
Full Story: The Southern Cross in Yemen – Middle East; by Chris Dawson
Photo: Antique Map from helmlink.com

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Armenia, Middle East – Monastery Day

In Adventure, Reviews, Russia, Travel, World News, Досуг, Путешествия on 2009/02/28 at 07:21

Daily Travel Dose on Bootsnall.com
A day in the countryside of Armenia for scenery, sights, spectacular views and within a reasonable distance from Yerevan, its capital. …
… One of the nicest day trips from Yerevan for distance, scenery and sights is heading up to Dilijan via Lake Sevan. We left on a crisp autumn day; we’d heard the leaves were changing colors in Dilijan. We drove north from Yerevan for about 45 minutes with the landscape remaining similar to that of Yerevan before hitting the northern tip of Lake Sevan. The huge lake (5% of the country’s surface area) is surrounded by rolling hills, …
Full Story: Monastery Day – Armenia, Middle Eastby Raffi Kojian
Photo: Sevanavank Monastery from PlanetWare.com

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The Belly of Paris – Travel

In Gastronomy Guide, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия on 2009/02/26 at 13:58

Travel on Saveur.com
Les Halles, the great Parisian central market, is long gone, but the bistro spirit it nourished lives on deliciously. At seven o’clock in the morning, eight butchers, who have been working all night preparing meat for scores of Parisian restaurants, are sitting …
… still in their overalls, around a table that bears all the signs of a heartily relished meal: the dregs of three bottles of brouilly, decanted straight from a barrel precariously perched on the bar; crusts of baguettes; smeared mustard pots; a plate with the remains of a half-dozen cheeses so pungent their rinds seem to smolder. …

Full Story: The Belly of Paris; by Megan Wetherall

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12 Incredible Temples to Visit in Asia

In Asian Twist, LifeStyle Etc, Photography, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/02/25 at 07:56

Destinations on BootsnAll Travel
Places of worship tend to be popular tourist attractions the world around. If you are heading to Asia anytime soon you’ll do well to work several of Deanna Hyland’s suggestions into your itinerary. …
… All over Asia you’ll find unique temples — Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim Mosques and others. Some are brightly colored in reds, greens, blues and yellows. Some are silver or gold. Some are made from bamboo, others from brick, marble or ancient stones. Often the pungent smell of incense will fill the air as you explore these masterpieces. …

Full Story: 12 Incredible Temples to Visit in Asia; by Deanna Hyland

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Bubbles: Первый и П…! [An Evening @ Bubbles Moscow]

In Gastronomy Guide, Reviews, Russia, Russian, Досуг, Еда и Напитки, Русский, Стиль Жизни on 2009/02/22 at 14:40

Shaken & Stirred – Как и полагается по традиции в пятницу вечером я со своими любимыми подругами вышла на осмотр и пробу новых мест, которые как грибы открываются в Москве не зависимо от бушующего кризиса. …
… На этот раз мы решили пойти в новый champagne bar в центре Москвы – Bubbles, который расположился на Садово- Триумфальной улице. Дизайн бара сделан в странном миксе модерна и поп-арта в стиле 60-х c больнично – белыми стенами,яркими стульями и разноцветной подсветкой.
Больше всего нас девушек поразило в том зале куда нас проводили это,внимание – отсутствие мужского пола в качестве клиентов как такового.В зале сидела единственная пара в конце зала и думаю, что этот бедный единственный мужчина так и не понял зачем его привести в это засилье « бабьего царства»!!! Такого явного отсутствие мужчин в пятницу вечером в новом месте Москвы я не видела никогда!!!! Не то чтобы мы с подругами приходили в такие места задавшей целью с кем то познакомиться или пофлиртовать, но присутствие мужского пола в зале – явно делает вечер интереснее.
Если говорить об остальных атрибутах вечернего ресторана и времяпрепровождении, то однотонная музыка в стиле «тынс тынс тынс», психоделические цвета, видео инсталляция на стене и жутко неудобные стулья ситуацию совершенно не спасали, так что просидев в Bubbles около часа и заплатив жутко кусающийся от цен счет мы с подругами удалились оттуда на встречу ночи клятвенно пообещав друг другу туда никогда не возвращаться.
Photo: Restorate.ru

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World’s Famous Capitals on the Cheap

In Adventure, Economy, Holidays Et Celebrations, Reviews, Russia, Travel, World News, Досуг, Путешествия on 2009/02/21 at 07:19

Tips & Experts on BudgetTravel.com
Strategies for navigating notoriously pricey cities like Honolulu, London, New York, Moscow and Tokyo, along with unique experiences in each that won’t cost you a penny. …
… LONDON
At about $5 for a pint and $8 for a single Tube ride, that London pub crawl is going to cost you. But London does have a better choice of hotels in all ranges than most other European capitals, and most of its fantastic museums are always free.

Full Story: Expensive Cities on the Cheap; by Tim Leffel

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Paris: Eating Haute for Not a Lot

In Gastronomy Guide, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Еда и Напитки, Кулинарные Тенденции, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/02/20 at 07:09

Budget Travel Blog on Newsweek
For savvy gastronomes, going to an extraordinary restaurant for lunch rather than dinner is a no-brainer. Here are more money-saving tips and recommendations for sampling haute cuisine …
… Bistro cooking—simple, homey, and affordable—is one of my favorite things in Paris. However, it’s not really the type of cooking for which the city is renowned. Haute cuisine, the kind that’s prepared by an army of toque-wearing chefs, is what many imagine French food to be. …

Full Story: Paris: Eating Haute for Not a Lot; Posted by: Meg Zimbeck

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11 Holidays to Solve a Mid-Life Crisis

In Adventure, Holidays Et Celebrations, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, World News, Досуг, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/02/19 at 09:35

Travel> Holiday Type> Active on Times Online
Ditch boring holidays – here are a host of adventures that remind you you’re still alive. Try some deep breathing. Counting sheep actually works. Or maybe get up and get some milk. Then grab a pen and scribble down a few resolutions, so you can forget all about it and get back to sleep. …
… In the morning, you can revisit your late-night To Do list and get started. Number one: “Get new life.” The life crisis. Some people believe it’s a fictitious creation of our neurotic modern era; others point out that, for example, the Mongols only started tearing chunks off Asia when Genghis Khan was a bored, restless fortysomething who’d felt the spark go out of his marriages. …

Full Story: 11 holidays to solve a mid-life crisis; by Jeremy Lazell and Brian Schofield

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The World’s 21 Best Activity Holidays

In Holidays Et Celebrations, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, World News, Досуг, Путешествия, Спорт и Здоровье, Стиль Жизни on 2009/02/18 at 09:43

Travel> Holiday Type> Active on Times Online
Make 2009 a refreshing one with our step-by-step guide to the best active breaks to kick-start the year. If the thought of wasting another holiday sleeping by a crowded pool leaves you cold, read on. …
… We’ve found the best in adventurous activity holidays in 2009: whether you’re a cautious dabbler, a certified thrill-seeker or a full-blown adrenaline addict, there’s a trip here that will leave you leaner, fitter and more fulfilled. Choose from riding, walking, road cycling, mountain-biking, sailing, mountaineering or surfing, or try all seven. …

Full Story: The world’s 21 best activity holidays; by Chris Haslam

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Think You Know London? Take a Quiz!

In Adventure, Holidays Et Celebrations, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/02/18 at 06:10

TRIVIA QUIZ on BudgetTravel.com
Put your city smarts to the test by taking our 12-question trivia quiz. Each answer reveals a neat tip for your next visit.
Londoners take their city’s epic sweep in stride. …
… They think nothing of it that Oxford Street—the city’s busiest shopping corridor—traces the route of an ancient road built by Roman conquerors. Commuters barely bat an eye at the local architectural styles, which span 900 years. But unlike natives, visitors are understandably bowled over by the British capital’s weighty history. …

Full Story: Think You Know London?; By Claire Oldman

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Lonely Planet’s Top 20 Big Trips

In Holidays Et Celebrations, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, World News, Досуг, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/02/17 at 09:25

Travel> Holiday Type> Adventure on Times Online [Photo: Art and treasures in the Hermitage, St Petersburg]
It started with the Grand Tour. Way back in the 17th century, upper-class British kids would complete their education by heading over to parts of Europe to experience museums, …
… paintings and, more importantly, wines that they’d only studied or read about in school. For a few months they’d tour the continent, though most only went as far as Italy (probably something to do with the wine). All of them returned with enough stories, souvenirs and sores to last a lifetime. …

Full Story: Lonely Planet’s top 20 big trips; by George Dunford

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Strange Hotels, Unusual Places

In Adventure, Holidays Et Celebrations, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, World News, Досуг, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/02/16 at 09:50

Travel on CNN.com
Wary of blowing your travel budget on another characterless hotel room? Hoping for a trip with a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’? Check out these weird and wonderful hotels to ensure a touch of travel sparkle, …
… even when the purse strings have been tightened. A must for aviation enthusiasts, the Jumbo hostel is the first aircraft in the world to be converted into a hotel. The former Pan American Boeing 747 parked near Arlanda Airport in Stockholm, Sweden holds 25 rooms, each with a bunk bed, an overhead luggage compartment and a flat-screen TV. …

Full Story: Strange hotels, unusual places; By Emma Clarke

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20 of the Best Adventure Holidays

In Holidays Et Celebrations, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия, Спорт и Здоровье, Стиль Жизни on 2009/02/16 at 09:15

Travel> Holiday Type> Adventure on Times Online
Lost temples, enchanted forests and poisonous frogs await you on these challenging adventure holidays. If your idea of immersing yourself in local culture involves a yoghurt-based spa treatment, and …
… your concept of an adventure is the latest Wilbur Smith on a sunbed by the pool, you might want to turn the page. If, however, you judge a holiday by the number of jabs you need and the variety of parasites you pick up, stay with me, because you’ve never had it so good. Mysterious destinations once accessible only to professional explorers can now be booked as easily as a beach break in Benidorm. To prove it, here are 20 of the newest, most exciting trips on offer,…

Full Story: 20 of the best new adventure holidays; by Chris Haslam

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Minneapolis New Mixology Scene

In Gastronomy Guide, Ingredients, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Wines Spirits Etc, World News, Еда и Напитки, Стиль Жизни on 2009/02/16 at 09:13

Entertainment> Dining + Nightlife on the Star Tribune
The new Bradstreet Craftshouse Restaurant is bringing serious mixology to Minneapolis. Bartender Toby Maloney and his business partner Jason Cott, also known as Alchemy Consulting, were recently hired to come from New York to provide a training session. …
… On a Friday afternoon in early January, a dozen bartenders and servers were lined up at the bar inside the Bradstreet Craftshouse Restaurant. It was their last day of intensive training at this new cocktail lounge. Although some of them had worked top-tier bars in the Twin Cities, none had been through anything quite like this before. …

Full Story: Nightlife: Kings of the classic cocktail; By TOM HORGEN

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Compete in an ‘Amazing Race’

In Holidays Et Celebrations, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия on 2009/02/15 at 08:01

Travel News on BootSNAll Travel
If you’ve long dreamed of competing on “The Amazing Race,” but are too introverted or you’ve never been a part-time model, then you’ve now got your chance, sort of. A new company called Competitours …
… is going to pit 20-or-so pairs of travelers against each other in a series of tourism-related challenges as they move from one European country to another, and the only hurdle is coming up with the entry fee, which starts at $1,995 and includes almost everything except your meals. …

Full Story: Compete in an ‘Amazing Race’ Without Having to Audition and Quit Your Job; By Roger Wade

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Route 129 in Tennessee and North Carolina, is a Favorite of Bikers.

In Adventure, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/02/12 at 08:25

Travel> Escapes on The New York Times
IT is axiomatic that all mountains have crazy roads. Engineers can’t build them straight up and over, after all; they must find reasonable grades and accommodate geological asymmetries. But there are crazy roads and there are crazy roads. …
… Consider the section of United States Route 129 that winds through the Appalachians of eastern Tennessee into western North Carolina. It’s called the Tail of the Dragon because it bends 318 times in just 11 miles, some of the turns seemingly tight enough to snap a motor home in half. Motorcyclists and sports car drivers flock from all over North America to ride it. …

Full Story: Cruising Carolina; By DAVID HOWARD

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When Air Time Is Playtime

In Adventure, LifeStyle Etc, Portraits, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/02/11 at 05:46

Frequent Flier on The New York Times
It is a rare to find business travelers who actually enjoy everything about flying, but they do exist. Air travel can be an adventure.
I WRITE about video games and technology for a living. …
… I love my job, but I think I got into it because when I was a child my parents never allowed me to have an Atari. Now, as an adult, I actually get paid to play and review games.I never truly realized how much I have traveled doing this type of work until an American Airlines agent recently asked me for my AAdvantage number and …

Full Story: When Air Time Is Playtime; By SCOTT JONES

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Seven of the Best Hidden Beaches in the World

In Adventure, Holidays Et Celebrations, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/02/10 at 09:07

Travel on BootsnAll.com
To travel to a hotspot before it’s hot, to explore it when still untouched by mass tourism it’s a trip on its own. Here are seven of the best hidden beaches in the world, …
… If you are like me — and admit it, you are — you like being the first in your group to see a new country, to have visited a hotspot before it was hot and to have discovered a gem that is still untouched and untarnished by tourism overkill. Well, cities can be quaint and attractions, charming, but nothing beats the discovery of a new-found beach paradise. …

Full Story: Seven of the Best Hidden Beaches in the World; by Cherrye Moore

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Valentine’s Day Vacation Packages

In Economy, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/02/09 at 11:10

Frugal Traveler on The New York Times
For years the Frugal Traveler has wondered: Are these packages actually bargains? Valentine’s Day vacation packages follow a standard script: a few nights in a far-flung resort, a cozy country inn or …
… a luxurious urban hotel tower; chilled champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries; a couple’s spa treatment; and a romantic dinner. And something quirky: a rose-petal bubble bath (as offered at the Garden Gables Inn of Lenox, Mass.), free Twister in your room …

Full Story: Wine, Chocolate and That Special Deal; by Matt Gross

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In Russia a Déjà Vu, Barter Is Back!

In Adventure, Economy, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, World News on 2009/02/09 at 08:51

World News > Europe on The New York Times
MOSCOW — Does the Taganrog Automobile Factory have a deal for you! Rows of freshly minted Hyundai Santa Fe sport utility vehicles are available right now. In exchange, well, do you have any circuit boards? Or …
… sheet metal? Or sneakers? Here is a sign of the financial times in Russia: Barter is back on the table. Advertisements are beginning to appear in newspapers and online, like one that offered “2,500,000 rubles’ worth of premium underwear for any automobile,” and another promising “lumber in Krasnoyarsk for food or medicine.” …

Full Story: Have Car, Need Briefs? In Russia, Barter Is Back; By ELLEN BARRY

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How to Travel by Trans-Siberian Railway

In Adventure, Holidays Et Celebrations, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия on 2009/02/06 at 06:42

Trans-Siberian on The Man in Seat Sixty-One
This page explains how to plan & book an overland journey from London to China or Japan by Trans-Siberian Railway, cheaply & independently. …
… Overview of the 3 Trans-Siberian routes
Moscow – Vladivostok: Every second day, the ‘Rossiya’ (‘Russia’, train number 2 eastbound, train 1 westbound) leaves Moscow on its 7-day journey to Vladivostok. This is almost the longest train ride of them all, 9,258 km or 6,152 miles. …

Full Story: How to travel by Trans-Siberian Railway from London to China & Japan

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New Locomotive Engine in Nearly 50 Years

In Adventure, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, World News, Досуг, Путешествия on 2009/02/05 at 08:53

Travel > Travel News on The Telegraph.co.uk
The first new mainline steam train to be built in Britain for almost 50 years has embarked on its maiden passenger journey. …
… Around 1,000 people gathered in York to wave off the £3 million Tornado – Peppercorn class A1 Pacific locomotive – which was built using money from enthusiasts.
Crowds packed on the platforms at the city’s historic station to watch it leave for its first mainline run to Newcastle.

Full Story: Full steam ahead for first new locomotive engine in nearly 50 years; By Jonathan Wynne-Jones

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2009 Will Be a Bumpy Ride for Russian Hoteliers

In Adventure, Economy, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, World News, Путешествия on 2009/02/04 at 14:43

Hotels & Lodging on The Travel Daily News
Moscow has experienced the first signs of the economic downturn, with a five-point drop in chain hotel Occupancy Rate (OR) for 2008, reaching 70%. Average Daily Rate (ADR) ended the year at €251, only a 5% increase compared to 2007, …
… whilst Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) decreased slightly to €175. “These performance indicators released by our market monitoring database, Hotel CompSet, clearly illustrate the first phase of the downward cycle. Although Russia is an emerging market for hotel developers, and indeed will become a goldmine destination in the years ahead, the economic crisis has hindered performance in 2008,” …

Full Story: Signs of downturn in Russia come with hope

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Bartenders Are Getting Philosophical

In LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Wines Spirits Etc, Азбука Вкуса, Еда и Напитки on 2009/01/28 at 09:03

Beverage News
Interviews with bartenders around the country show that the increasingly sophisticated cocktail movement has split into distinct approaches and philosophies. Some bartenders focus on century-old recipes, while others use modern techniques, chemicals and seasonal ingredients. …
… TEN years ago, cocktail seekers would have been hard-pressed to find a bar that used fresh juice in sour mix (never mind adding microplaned zest), and ordering an Aviation would have earned a cold look instead of a refreshing but potentially lethal mixture of gin, lemon juice and maraschino liqueur. Today drinkers don’t need to search far to find bartenders who not only squeeze their own citrus, …

Full Story: Let 100 (O.K., 8) Bartending Philosophies Bloom; By OLIVER SCHWANER-ALBRIGHT, on the NYTimes

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One Blogger, One Impossible Recipe at a Time

In Gastronomy Guide, Ingredients, LifeStyle Etc, Portraits, Reviews, Russia, Азбука Вкуса, Еда и Напитки, Кулинарные Тенденции on 2009/01/27 at 00:33

Food and Dining
“O Grant, why hast thou forsaken me?” Carol Blymire says as she places a bowl of popcorn on a kitchen scale. She’s in the midst of making a recipe called Caramel Popcorn, Liquefied. The 75 grams of kernels have netted 106 grams of popped corn, …
… not the dictated 125 grams, which Blymire needs to cook with butter, sugar and salt, then puree, then top with a caramel foam. Grant is Grant Achatz, the wunderkind chef of Chicago restaurant Alinea who is famous for using industrial gums and powders along with classical techniques to transform food into a kind of gastro-theater. …

Full Story: Do Try This at Home; By Jane Black, on the WashingtonPost.com

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A Chef’s Good Deed Fills Empty Stomachs

In Economy, Gastronomy Guide, LifeStyle Etc, Portraits, Reviews, Russia, Кулинарные Тенденции, Стиль Жизни on 2009/01/11 at 08:09

Portraits
The Ball State University professor and chef recently published “Harvest Handbook,” a recipe book “for folks who cook in soup kitchens.” As a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, Lois Altman can match spatulas with the best chefs in the country. …
… Fridays, however, she cooks for hungry folks who need a free dinner. “We have really nice meals,” said the professor and director of Ball State University’s Hospitality Food Management Program, who heads a cooking crew at Harvest Soup Kitchen one day a week.

Full Story: Chef’s recipes fill bellies, as well as needs; By JOHN CARLSON, on TheStarPress.com

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A Fix for Your Writer’s Block

In Adventure, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, World News, Еда и Напитки, Стиль Жизни on 2009/01/10 at 14:01

BoÎte
Palihouse, a hotel/restaurant/bar that quietly opened in West Hollywood last year, has managed to stay under the radar long enough to establish itself as a chic hangout for the 30-and-up set. West Hollywood, Calif. A SCREENWRITER walked into a bar. She noted a drink called Writer’s Block on the cocktail menu and decided to bring her laptop next time. “This is a nice environment to get some work done,” …
… said Alissa Kokkins, 32. “It’s like a loft in New York City.” Welcome to Palihouse, a hotel/restaurant/bar that quietly opened here last year, managing to stay under the radar long enough to establish itself as a chic hangout for the 30-and-up set. The mellow vibe coupled with a sophisticated décor make it Los Angeles’s answer to Soho House, …

Full Story: A Fix for Your Writer’s Block; By DEBORAH SCHOENEMAN, on the NYTimes.com

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Life’s Too Short for Diets

In Gastronomy Guide, Holidays Et Celebrations, Portraits, Reviews, Russia, Азбука Вкуса, Кулинарные Тенденции on 2009/01/07 at 08:36

‘Why deprive yourself just when you really need cheering up?
There’s nothing more annoying than people droning on about their January diet. I just don’t get it. Why deprive yourself of one of life’s great pleasures at a time of year when you need cheering up the most? First on the list for putting a bit of well-needed comfort back into your life is a recipe for meatballs. …
… Out of all the recipe requests I receive, would you believe meatballs continue to be the most popular? I like to combine a mixture of pork and beef mince and flavour it simply with lemon zest, parmesan, garlic and fresh herbs. Many would think the addition of breadcrumbs is just a cheap way to make the meat go further, …

Full Story: A new year menu: life’s too short for diets; by Gordon Ramsay, on the TimesOnline.co.uk

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Kyoto Celebrates a 1,000-Year Love Affair

In Adventure, Asian Twist, Holidays Et Celebrations, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, World News, Досуг, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/01/05 at 07:49

Travel > Asia > Japan > Kyoto
ON a glaring, color-drenched day in Kyoto, I walk unsteadily out of the traditional restaurant where I have spent the morning being costumed, painted and bewigged. Two chic dressers who turned a tatami room into a staging area for a literary fantasy mind the train flowing behind my heavy robes. …
… Hiking up my red silk trouser skirts as I mince forward, I squint without my glasses — a modern touch that would betray the fact that I’m only pretending to be a noblewoman straight from “The Tale of Genji.” …

Full Story: Footsteps - Kyoto Celebrates a 1,000-Year Love Affair; By MICHELLE GREEN, on The NYTimes.com

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Vladivostok: Extravagance at Russia’s Edge

In LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2009/01/04 at 14:35

Travel > Russia > Vladivostok
ANCHORING the far end of the 5,757-mile Trans-Siberian Railway, the Russian port city of Vladivostok did not exactly welcome visitors during the Soviet era. Despite its strategic position — near the Russian border with China and North Korea — Vladivostok occupied its own world during the cold war and was off limits to everyone, even Russians, …
… since it was also home to the Russian Pacific Fleet. But its ports have swung open in recent years, not just as a thriving trading post at the edge of Asia, but also as a surprisingly picturesque city of hillside mansions, scenic bays and, these days, extravagant night life fueled by the booming shipping and commercial fishing industries. …

Full Story: Surfacing | Vladivostok - Extravagance at Russia’s Edge; By ROBERT REID, on the NYTimes.com

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Italian Buckwheat Noodles Anchor a Hearty Winter Dish

In Gastronomy Guide, Ingredients, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Азбука Вкуса, Кулинарные Тенденции on 2008/12/31 at 19:03

The Minimalist
For the Italian dish called pizzoccheri, buckwheat noodles are cooked with potatoes, cabbage, cheese, butter and bread crumbs for an easy, filling meal. This recipe uses less butter than the original, but is still quite rich. …
… I LEARNED how to make pizzoccheri over a number of trips to northern Italy simply by ordering it every time I saw it. Eventually, I figured it out. It wasn’t easy (on my arteries, that is) because traditionally this dish is made with an unconscionable amount of butter …

Full Story: From Italy, Buckwheat Bathed in Butter; by Mark Bittman, on The NYTimes.com

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A dozen 2008 recipes to remember

In Gastronomy Guide, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Азбука Вкуса, Еда и Напитки, Кулинарные Тенденции on 2008/12/30 at 08:32

FOOD DETECTIVE:
Getting recipes from area restaurants for your favorite dishes. For those reviewing their portfolios, 2008 most likely looks dour. Yet, as the Dow and dollar dropped, our cakes and biscuits rose. Solace, somehow, reigned in countless kitchens. It’s there that many found comfort, whether in something as simple as mashed potatoes or …
… as memorable as a cake made from a mother’s recipe. As generous as ever, restaurateurs continued sharing their secrets and revealing their recipes for everything from sweet potatoes to chocolate cake, from spaghetti sauce to white sauce, from shrimp to slaw.

Full List: A dozen 2008 recipes to remember; by Lynn Grisard Fullman – Birmingham News, on Everything Alabama

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Еда с Сергеем Пархоменко

In Adventure, Gastronomy Guide, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russian, Travel, Досуг, Кулинарные Тенденции, Путешествия, Стиль Жизни on 2008/12/28 at 20:38

Еда
Вот так вот выдохнуть, и начать все сначала.
Порыться день-другой в интернете, на сайтах мелких маклерских контор, потом взять билет до Ниццы, там машину и поехать на запад, вдоль моря, не торопясь. Почти сразу за Монпелье, где Прованс, собственно, уже кончился и начинается Лангедок, свернуть направо и наверх в горы, через Синьяк и Аниан, …
… вдоль тесной долины Эро. В общей сложности дорога займет часа четыре, не больше. После средневекового Чертова моста (это не тот Чертов мост, где Суворов, тот вообще в швейцарских Альпах, но этот старше лет на четыреста) въезд налево в деревню почти сразу. Тут оставим машину, дальше пешком: …

Еда с Сергеем Пархоменко; Журнал «Weekend», kommersant.ru

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Hosting a Holiday Party on a Budget

In Gastronomy Guide, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Еда и Напитки, Кулинарные Тенденции on 2008/12/22 at 23:56

LIFE & STYLE
Seven cost-saving tips for throwing a fete without losing flair
The current economic malaise doesn’t mean it has to put a damper on holiday festivities. While your pocketbook may be lighter this year, there are ways to throw just as festive an affair on a tighter budget. Here are seven tips:
Buy Cheese From the Big Chains …
… Instead of going to a specialty cheese store, which may have more variety but often costs more, check out big-chain stores like Wal-Mart and B.J’s Wholesale Club. As consumer interest in cheese has grown, big box retailers have expanded their selection, often offering great buys on quality cheeses, says San Francisco-based cheese and wine writer Laura Werlin. …

Full Story: Hosting a Holiday Party on a Budget; By PERVAIZ SHALLWANI, on WSJ.com

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Europe’s Top 10 Motorbiking Roads

In LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия on 2008/12/21 at 06:39

Travel/Road Trips
What makes a good biking road? Well, there’s a saying among motorcyclists that driving a car is like watching a movie, whereas riding a motorbike is like being in one. And I guess it can all distil down to that: open to the elements and without a metal box around you, the feeling of vulnerability and danger merely serving to heighten the senses, …
… you really do feel part of the world around you. A great biking road should have twists and turns so you can get your knee down and your heart rate up, certainly. If it’s got a smooth surface and has good visibility, all the better. Add in an epic landscape and a real sense of adventure and you’ve got biking nirvana. …

Full Story: Europe’s top 10 motorbiking roads; Mike Carter has put tyre to tarmac on some of Europe’s most exhilarating motorbike rides in search of the perfect mix of hair-raising bends and staggering scenery.

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Do We Really Need to Add Flavourings?

In Gastronomy Guide, Healthy, Reviews, Russia, Азбука Вкуса, Стиль Жизни on 2008/12/17 at 19:20

Flavourings are substances used to impart taste and/or smell to food.
Food manufacturers have been using flavouring substances for many years in a wide variety of foods, from confectionary and soft drinks to cereals, cakes and yoghurts. EU legislation defines different types of flavourings, such as natural, …
… natural-identical (chemically identical to natural substances but obtained by chemical processes) and artificial flavourings, as well as flavourings of plant or animal origin and smoke flavourings.
EU framework
Flavourings have a long history of safe use and are utilised in comparatively small amounts …

Full Story: Flavourings, [© EFSA.EUROPA.eu]; on NewsFood.com

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Afghan Dishes Rely on Pumpkin

In Adventure, Gastronomy Guide, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Еда и Напитки, Кулинарные Тенденции, Путешествия, Русский on 2008/12/14 at 18:24

Seasonal Cook
Some of the most interesting Afghan dishes happen to feature that iconic American fall vegetable the pumpkin. Dishes like borani kadoo and pumpkin bolani show off the vegetable’s mellow sweetness.
When I heard about the Asian Art Museum’s fall exhibition, “Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Exhibition,” it got me thinking about another hidden treasure of this beleaguered country: its delicious food. …
… Some of the most interesting Afghan dishes happen to feature that iconic American fall vegetable, the pumpkin. Unlike in the United States, where most pumpkins land as decoration on the front stoop, pumpkins in Afghanistan are prized …

Full Article: Afghan dish brings pumpkin out of its shell; by Katie Sullivan Morford, on The Chronicle

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Great Meals for Two, Under $100 (It’s Possible)

In Economy, Gastronomy Guide, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Еда и Напитки, Кулинарные Тенденции, Путешествия on 2008/12/13 at 00:34

Critic’s Notebook
COST is always on my mind when I dine out in New York City, but usually in a narrow, targeted way. I ask myself whether a restaurant’s rib-eye warrants a $38 tariff, whether its markup on wine is conventional or criminal, whether the overall pleasure the restaurant provides is commensurate with the price it charges. And …
… I judge it accordingly.
I don’t set spending ceilings, the way most diners do, or approach restaurants with the goal of wringing maximum value from them.
But on a recent week, that’s precisely what I did. I ate out with dollar signs instead of stars in my eyes, choosing and using five restaurants over five nights …

Full Story: Great Meals for Two, Under $100 (It’s Possible); By FRANK BRUNI, on NYTimes.com

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World’s 10 Most Secluded Beaches

In LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Досуг, Путешествия on 2008/12/12 at 08:00

Travel / Путешествия
These beaches are harder to get to, but they’re cheaper and quieter than tourist hotspots.
Pauline Frommer, 42, remembers first visiting Cancun as a seventh-grader when her father, Arthur, author of the famous Frommer Travel Guides-reported on the coastal city’s very first hotel. …
… “It was completely deserted back then,” says Frommer, also a travel writer. Unfortunately, such secluded beaches rarely stay that way for long.
Cancun has morphed into a sun worshiper’s Mecca as famous for its high-rise hotels and nightclubs as for its beaches. …

World’s 10 Most Secluded Beaches; Pascale Le Draoulec, on Forbes.com

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The World’s Richest People Blogs

In Adventure, LifeStyle Etc, Portraits, Reviews, Travel, World News, Досуг on 2008/12/10 at 21:15

The World’s Richest People
They’re rich, they’re powerful and they love to talk.
When the SEC charged Internet billionaire Mark Cuban with insider trading on Nov. 17, the brash mogul’s followers knew where to look for the best commentary. Not newspapers, not cable TV but …
… his uncensored personal soapbox, blogmaverick.com.
By Nov. 18, Cuban had posted two statements by his attorneys to the blog and dismissed the SEC’s conduct as “results-oriented, facts-be-damned.” In a single day, his Web traffic tripled. …

The Billionaire Bloggers; by Devon Pendleton, on Forbes.com

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Michigan News – Теперь больные имеют право курить марихуану

In Adventure, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, World News, Русский, Спорт и Здоровье on 2008/12/09 at 23:49

Здоровье
Вчера в американском штате Мичиган вступил в силу весьма необычный закон – теперь все люди, которым врачи прописали марихуану в лечебных целях, могут спокойно употреблять ее. …
… Также, пациенты, страдающие от хронических заболеваний, могут спокойно хранить наркотическое средство. …

Мичиган: теперь больные имеют право курить марихуану; on AmericaRU.com

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Paella Cakes as Vegetarian Entree

In Food Styling, Gastronomy Guide, Ingredients, Reviews, Russia, Еда и Напитки, Кулинарные Тенденции on 2008/12/09 at 08:14

Paella cakes as vegetarian entree for a big family Thanksgiving, and they were… fine. They didn’t hold up so well to reheating, and I didn’t have all of the flavor components in place. I had some of the rice left at home and made them again the next day with much more success. …
… This time I ditched the fruit-vinegar reduction, and added a sprinkle of smoked paprika and cinnamon, a slice of melting manchego, and candied Seville orange peel. …

Full Story: Paella Cakes with Manchego and Candied Seville Orange Peel – Recipe; on Herbivoracious.com

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Italians Drinking Up New Craft Brews

In Gastronomy Guide, Ingredients, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Travel, Wines Spirits Etc, Еда и Напитки, Кулинарные Тенденции on 2008/12/08 at 21:46

Travel & Dining
Italian brewer Teo Musso has helped lift the profile of craft brews in Italy with the flavors coming from his small brewery, Le Baladin. Craft beer is gaining an Italian following, and some specialty brews are being paired with haute cuisine. …
… HALFWAY through our six-course tasting menu of regional Piemontese cuisine, the sommelier arrived with a special beverage to accompany the plate of raviolini stuffed with local pumpkin and asparagus. …

Full Story: Savoring Italy, one beer at a time; By Evan Rail, on

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Об Излюбленном Китайском Деликатесе: Акуле

In Asian Twist, Gastronomy Guide, Ingredients, Reviews, Russia, Досуг, Еда и Напитки, Кулинарные Тенденции, Русский on 2008/12/07 at 17:36

Коммерсантъ Weekend
Об излюбленном китайском деликатесе — акуле — рассказывает шеф-повар ресторана “Династия” Тие Лун.
Каким образом вылавливают акул?
Акулы очень тяжелые, поэтому их вылавливают сетями с наживкой. После вылова из туши акулы необходимо выпустить кровь и разделать — тогда есть шанс, что аммиак, …
… который начинает вырабатываться в теле акулы в момент ее смерти, не испортит мясо.
Если же аммиака немного останется, то у поваров есть разные способы избавиться от его привкуса, например, замочить в воде с лимонным соком или уксусом. А пока тушу необходимо отчистить от кожи и разделать на филе. …

Продолжение Статьи: Еда с шефом; Kommersant.ru

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Latest GMO Research: Decreased Fertility, …

In Gastronomy Guide, Healthy, Reviews, Russia, World News, Еда и Напитки, Кулинарные Тенденции on 2008/12/07 at 16:27

GMO
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are created through an inexact science of shooting genes spliced from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or humans with a .22 caliber pistol into the DNA of plants or animals laced with a metal such as tungsten. This unsafe science ostensibly supplants millions of years of evolution with little or no scientific justification. …
… In fact, recent research on GMO crops have reported yields to be between 4 to 20 percent less than conventional crops [1-6].
In the 1970’s when genetic engineered was pioneered, scientists believed the genome was static and genes could be altered …

Full Story: Latest GMO Research: Decreased Fertility, Immunological Alterations and Allergies; by Dr. Gregory Damato, Ph.D., on NaturalNews.com

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Unami, The Secret Ingredient

In Asian Twist, Gastronomy Guide, LifeStyle Etc, Reviews, Russia, Еда и Напитки, Кулинарные Тенденции on 2008/12/05 at 00:10

Food & Drink
First identified in Japan a century ago, umami is a subtle flavour which makes certain savoury foods intensely satisfying. But it is only now taking Europe’s kitchens by storm. Umami – the so-called “fifth taste”, [umami = savoriness], (after the western traditional four: sweet, sour, salt and bitter) …
… is 100 years old this year. It is unlikely, however, that anyone will make an umami-flavoured cake to celebrate. While the word translates from Japanese as “deliciousness”, umami is characterised by a satisfyingly meaty, savouriness. There was a birthday party of sorts though; the New Frontiers of Taste Umami Symposium, which was held in San Francisco, …

Full Story: The secret ingredient; By Andrew Shanahan, on Guardian.co.uk

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Yummy and Easy Rolls

In Gastronomy Guide, Reviews, Russia, Еда и Напитки, Кулинарные Тенденции on 2008/12/02 at 20:21

The Minimalist
AS finger food, sushi rolls have a lot going for them. They’re easy to eat neatly, even while standing with a glass of wine in one hand. They’re often made with raw ingredients, so there’s actually little to cook. And they’re gorgeous. The problem: the production process is not easy to master. …
… But a roll is in fact pretty easy to execute with other ingredients. Think about it: Sushi is the vinegared rice that, along with nori seaweed, holds fish or vegetables in the roll form. …

Recipe: Prosciutto Rolls with Asparagus and Arugula
Full Story: So Guests Don’t Have to Juggle; By MARK BITTMAN; on the NYTimes.com

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Did Britain Just Sell Tibet?

In Adventure, Economy, Reviews, Travel, World News on 2008/12/01 at 13:43


Op-Ed Contributor
Did Britain Just Sell Tibet?
By ROBERT BARNETT
Published: November 24, 2008

THE financial crisis is going to do more than increase unemployment, bankruptcy and homelessness. It is also likely to reshape international alignments, sometimes in ways that we would not expect.