Team SJ Marriott Best 10K in the World 2009

From the San Juan Marroitt to Condado, Yerba Buena Baby

From the Marriott San Juan we headed down into the Condado main drag and on a Friday night the streets pulsated with rhythms not found in Cottekill, NY. Travel & Leisure recently did an insider piece of the area and no doubt that beneath my 15th floor room action is happening such was certainly the case at Yeba Buena. I devoured a plate of delicious huge shrimp covered with a Creole sauce, washed down with a few mojitos. Feeling in a winning mood I took $50 from the Stellaris Casino, okay so big time I wasn’t. Still it covers the cost of lousy airport food eaten on the way down.

Return to the San Juan Marriott

A long day but I have returned to the San Juan Marriott and all is right again. The smell of the ocean and the view from my 15th floor view has created a Caribe Coma already.Pulling up to the hotel was a great feeling and I feel home. Loving this place!

EWR Holiday Inn

Hate the EWR Holiday Inn,get me to the San Juan Marriott ASAP!Free wireless, not, food, not, service not.

Back to the Marriott San Juan to Cover the World's Best 10K

This Friday I head back to San Juan to cover the World’s Best 10K race, I will not be running but attending the race and all the big events. While the runners are losing weight I will be packing it on as I also plan on checking out local foods and the resurgence of Puerto Rico’s coffee industry. Pulpo, Mero and Pasteles will be downed in quantity.

Another big plus is my return to the Marriott Stellaris, where I stayed when on my adventure trip last visit. The place was fabulous with their super rooms and Island feel. Morning wake up will be a dip in the vodka clear water and I suppose my days will end that way also.

Best Job in the World, Island Caretaker on Hamilton Island Australia, Video Entry Closed

The drama builds as the entry videos to the Best Job in the World closes. All over face book I am seeing people comment about waiting to see the results of cut #1 and who made the next group of 50 candidates, for caretaker on Hamilton Island. This campaign is said to have garnered close to 80 million in coverage. It has been covered in all types of media world wide. Perhaps I was most surprised at the article in the Tehran Times. Could this PR campaign bring the world closer together? Only time will tell, best of luck to all that entered, my flip video entry shouldn't’t be in the way at all.I still am drawn in to watch till the finish.

Ulster County and Oscar Winners, Tim McArdle and the Future

We are all hoping for a Melissa Leo victory in the Oscars for the best actress category tomorrow night. Leo is a Stone Ridge resident with a rep for fitting right in. Ulster County also is home to some past victors in the hunt for Oscar, husband and wife Joel Coen and Frances McDormand being prime examples. The talented and gorgeous Jennifer Connelly grew up here and any county would hold that dear. Forget the fact that Dafoe, DeNiro, and Adian Quinn fit in here with their houses, many more walk Ulster’s domain.

Now though I want to think about upcoming talent such as my friend Tim T George McArdle, a very gifted guy, better yet a gentleman. Tim is also a very skilled musician as well as screenwriter and director, award winning I may add. I am so looking forward to the release of his new movie, “Spin Slowly”. On April 18th I plan on being at the party, I wouldn’t miss it. Perhaps some day I will add Tim into the Ulster County Oscar Club, it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. You are sticking it out Tim and that gets an award and thumbs up from me.

France Guide Prestige 2009, A Must Read

Last week at the French Tourism party I picked up the new copy of France Guide Prestige 2009. Reading it made me salivate with visions of foie gras served to me beneath the blue skies of Beaune. Especially after reading Becca Hensley’s article French Cooking Passion. I returned in my mind anyway to the fantastic Hotel de la Cite in Carcassonne, I had a wonderful stay there two years ago. Sylvie Bigar captured the hotel’s essence perfectly.

Just as important were all of the things yet to be done covered in the Guide, such as described by the article On the Road from Picasso to Chagal by Irvina Lew. Chagal lived a bit just a mile from my home in High Falls. I would love to take a pilgrimage to the Chagal Musee some day. For the person who travels often or the person that dreams about it the France Guide Prestige 2009 is a must read. To get a copy mailed to you email info.us@franceguide.com or call 514 288-1904.

Facebook for Travel Editors and Writers

Once again Max Hartshorne has dragged me into this century kicking and screaming, similar to years ago when he suggested doing this blog. This time it is Facebook and I love it! To become friends with traveling people like Keith Bellows, Peter Greenburg, Christopher Elliott, Rudy Maxa and Rolf Potts is amazing. Sure I know they really don’t need another editor/writer as a friend but still they accepted my hand, at least symbolically.

More amazing is the ability to keep up with writers that really are friends, even though we have met face to face. I can finally see where Johnny Jet is before his newsletter. I can find out when David Farley is having a reading at Lolita’s in NYC or if Sean E Keener is on the East Coast. I would have put links on all the names but instead look me up on Facebook and I will fill you in. I always am looking for friends.

Update for Best Job in the World, Hamilton Island, Queensland

Just four more days till the application acceptance for the Best Job in the World, is over. Over 15,500 videos were sent in as of now though the exact number fitting the criteria I don’t know. I cannot wait to see who is a step closer to living for six months on Hamilton Island in the great villa I checked out. I really think the 150,000 Australian will take a sideline to the experience, I would use the bucks to do every excursion available in Queensland, flying in friends along the way.

I really enjoyed watching the video entries sent in, some horrible but some fantastic. I got to preview good buddy, Sony Stark’s entry recently. Being pro shows in her entry, go Pilot Girl. I got to watch tons of people jump into frozen lakes and rivers emphasizing their need for warmth. I plan on following this genius PR move till the very end, mate.

Belfast Walls

From NY Times Travel Writing Seminar to Twitter and Facebook

In giving our NY Times Travel Show seminar I got to admit I also learned a lot, I have been dragged into the present. I joined Facebook, Twitter and Slide.com yesterday so it has been a day of learning. Max first got me blogging about 5 years ago reluctantly; he can testify that I am a true addict now. About now he is probably chuckling knowing that an online monster has been created! I am ready to swim with the fishes!

Kenya Safari Trip

Biking the Burgundy Wine Route

France's Bash at Tribeca Grill and Connecting With Travel Media Pros

It was a fantastic night at the Tribeca Grill and the Francophiles were out in force for the French Tourism’s event. It was great food and divine wines matched with old and new friends. Between traveling and dealing with other things it reminded me how important it is to reconnect with people in our business. France’s Katherine and Jessie looked fantastic as usual. Old friend Nora Brossard from Spring O’Brien and Melissa Bravermann from Quinn & Co. were a delight to catch up with, I have traveled with both and loved it.

Some new folks were NY Times reporter Glenn Collins and media mogul Meryl D Pearlstein leader of MDP Publicity. I am renewed and rejuvenated by last evenings event, something I needed. I love the world I live in.

Back to NYC and the French Tourism Event, Camera in Hand

The bags are repacked for the French Tourism event tonight at the Tribeca Grill and the chance to visit with my number one Francophile friend Katherine Johnstone and her cohort Jessie is going to be great. After looking through my pictures taken in NYC during the NY Times Travel Show a visit to socialize will be a nice change of pace.

I thought the picture of the 937 billion dollar bail out on Fox’s neon reader was more interesting when added to the cab ad for Flash dancers. The other picture is of an attendee at the comic show also at the Javitts Center this weekend. I am bringing my camera back to NYC; you never know what pops up in NYC.

Frommer, Steves, Farley and GoNOMAD, New York Times Travel Show Seminars

It is the last day of the NY Times Travel Show the dreaded; Sunday pack up is a few hours away. Fighting traffic, looking for a place to load up the truck and the drive home is tough to face. It was a good show but my hat goes off those that do it for a living, I couldn’t. We did our seminar yesterday about travel writing and it went well with 180 audience participants who sat for an hour and a half. It was an audience that seemed very interested about travel writing and they asked some great questions. Arthur Frommer and Pauline Frommer gave a great presentation as did Rick Steves and David Farley. Home soon for a night then back to NYC for the French Tourism bash Monday night.

GoNOMAD on Stephanie Abrams Show

In a NYC Bar Talking a About a Radio Show in California about a place in Queensland

We went to a bar on Broome St. last night to meet up with some of the writers gathered for the NY Times Travel Show and had a great time. I met some new scribes one who said she heard the Around the World Radio spot about Queensland done yesterday. It seemed kind of weird to be in NYC talking about a radio show I did in California, about a place as far away as Queensland. The modern world is amazing! Then another asked why on my blog I have sun glasses on makes it hard to see me, she said. In response I said I would post a new picture, now you know, I have a face for radio.

Intelligent Travel, National Geo Traveler, Great Stuff

National Geographic Traveler has a blog Intelligent Travel that is great to read and filled with info, it is no secret that I am a huge fan of the magazine. I would have to recommend that if you are really a travel buff a subscription is a must. I rarely make such statements like this but in these tough days of publishing I felt I must. Meanwhile take advantage of their great blog and keep up on travel trends and tips, it is well done! If you happen to live near NYC stop in to the NY Times Travel Show, Max and I will be giving a seminar on Travel Writing Saturday at 4:30.

Back to Lapland With Globe Trekker

I went back to Lapland in the middle of the night at least via the TV with Globe Trekker. It made waking up in the middle of the night that much easier. It is close to a year since I traveled to Finland’s Sámi zone. Watching the presenter travel by dog sled, reindeer sled and snowmobile brought back some great memories of one of the world’s best adventures. It did little though for helping me get back to sleep! Click for facts about Globe Trekker. My GoNOMAD Article

Paris Hotel Le Parc Trocadero, One of My Favorites

While picking out some pictures from France for an article, I came across one of my hotel in Paris where I stayed, the Hotel Le Parc Trocadero, a Renaissance property. I had a few days to spend in Paris before heading to Champagne so I hunkered down there. I immediately made myself at home in this refurbished gem. One of the historical buildings housing this boutique hotel was a home to Alfred Nobel and another was the workshops of Bagues.

My room was large, stylish and so very comfortable. The hotels location just down from the Trocadero and near the Champs Ely sees was a perfect place to spend time at cafes and just getting into the rhythm of one of my favorite cities. I was brought back to my stay while looking at the picture, a hotel I would love to return to next time in Paris.
http://www.parisrenaissance.com/

Radio Report about the Best Job in the World, Queensland on Around the World Travel Radio

I caught up with the archives of Around the World Travel Radio and listened to Sue Frause’s report about the Best Job in the World campaign. It was cool to hear it because I happened to be invited there to Hamilton Island for the Queensland launch. This Thursday before heading to NYC for the NY Times Travel Show, I will be phoning in my report about my trip to Hamilton Island, Lizard Island and Fitzroy Island. In fact it will give a little insight to what I actually saw on the Great Barrier Reef and maybe some tips to what they are looking for in a candidate.

The radio report can be heard live Eastern Time 1:50 PM on this Thursday if you click the blue here. It will later be on the archives here. This PR campaign from Queensland has me amazed so I am keeping track of it and the newest news I can find is that over 10,000 videos have been sent in. However more than half didn’t fit the guidelines so if applying follow directions.

Little Blue Peep, Virgin Blue