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Co-Curate a Chelsea (NYC) Art Show

Agathe de Tremontels for Street Show

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Art and technology event revolutionary Aram Bartholl has installed a USB drive into the façade of the Eyebeam Center for Art and Technology in the Chelsea section of New York City, with the center's consent of course. On that USB is Street Show: The Things Between Us, a collection of 22 works by new media and Internet artists that reflect on the idea of "transfer." Anyone with a laptop and USB port can hook up and access the files and become a co-curator of this virtual art exhibition. 

Venice Beach and Santa Monica: Where Models and the Beatles Play

Viceroy View, Santa Monica

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We drove up to the Viceroy in a rented Ford Fusion and immediately scrambled to clean up the inside of our vehicle when we saw the notice: Valet parking only. The backseat was littered with garbage bags, recycling, a gigantic cardboard box with our camping equipment spilling out and bikinis drying in the hot sun. Outfitted in bohemian maxi dresses and floppy hats, my friend Gemma and I gave the valets our names and they placed our luggage on a wheelie carrier; even carefully placing my reusable Vegas tote holding hijacked toiletries from previous hotels delicately on the hook at the top of the cart’s brass curve. A gloved man opened the main hotel doors for us and as we entered the hotel, we smacked into a wave of real-life models exiting.  

Thai Elephant 2: Something Other than Italian Fare Finds its Way to Pawling/Patterson, NY

Thai Elephant 2 summer rolls.

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Finally, some non-Italian fare breaks up the monotonous culinary mood of the Pawling/Patterson, NY area (Northeast of NYC). My family has lived in Pawling for over 30 years and since childhood, the only real style of cooking that was abundantly available in town was Italian. This March, Thai Elephant 2, helped inject some other-worldly flavors into the area, by opening up on Rt. 22 in Patterson, Pawling's neighbor. In a building that has had many culinary incarnations over the last decade, at first I was wary of the place. But, after eating their food TWO weekends in a row, I can say with complete confidence that it is: downright delicious.

Yotel: Japanese Capsule Lodging Comes to NYC

 Photo courtesy of Yotel.

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Yotel, a hotel chain offering a larger, upgraded version of Japanese capsule lodging (popular hotels with rooms slightly larger than coffins, which cost around $30 a night), has come to New York. With locations in London and Amsterdam airports, the chain's first US location on 42nd and 10th avenue opened mid-June.

Desert Hot Springs: Soaking in the Views

The Spring, Desert Hot Springs, CA.

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Set in the midst of a residential area in Desert Hot Springs, California, is The Spring, "A natural hot mineral spring resort and spa." An oasis with swaying palm trees, impressive views of the San Jacinto and San Gorgonio mountains, The Spring boasts "some of the richest mineral water in the world." Part of "Miracle Hill," a hotbed for powerful, healing mineral waters, its aguas have been compared to the miracle waters of Lourdes, France. People flocked to The Spring in the 50s to take advantage of its waters' restorative properties. The property includes an indoor pool, outdoor jacuzzi, sauna, massage rooms, outdoor fire pit and a large swimming pool, around which are most of the boutique spa's rooms.

Grand Canyon: Living on the Rim

Mr D'z Route 66 diner, Kingman, AZ.

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The Grand Canyon is a 6-7 hour drive from Las Vegas. It’s a drive with an impressively expansive, flat, no-man's-land feeling landscape. There are long stretches of road with few rest areas, so bring provisions. We made a pit stop at the Hoover Dam, which straddles Arizona and Nevada.

El Gran Cañón: Una Vida en el Extremo

el cafetería Mr D'z en el famoso autopista 66, Kingman, AZ.

(haz click aquí para regresar a la versión en inglés)
Desde Las Vegas, el camino hacía el Gran Cañón dura 6 o 7 horas. El paisaje que encuentras durante el camino es muy plano y a veces se siente como que eres la única persona en el mundo, porque pasa tiempo sin ver ni una casa, ni un área de reposo. Es importante tener bastante comida y agua en el coche. Parabamos para ver la Presa Hoover, que está en la frontera de los estados Arizona y Nevada.

Las Vegas: One-Night Stand

Mandalay Bay on the Vegas strip.

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Snap! Snap! Snap! That was the sound that greeted my travel companion Gemma and I during our first and only walk along the iconic Las Vegas strip. As we made our way past the new $8.5 billion City Center 7-building complex; Luxor and Mandalay Bay hotels, in the direction of the classic Las Vegas welcome sign, we were accosted by mini-teams of florescent clad folks flicking stacks of naked lady cards in our faces. This was just one assault on our senses as there were pungent scents of perfume and cologne wafting through the air, mist from peculiar outdoor bar mist machines hitting our skin and the dizzying flashing of multi-colored lights from the massive hotels and billboards. Here are some tips for surviving the sensory-overloading adult playground that is Sin City:

*When renting a car, as we did, get a comprehensive quote before making a reservation. Ask about upgrade (for power locks and windows), GPS and insurance costs. Also see if there are penalties for returning a car late/picking it up early. Take photos of the vehicle at pickup, so you won’t mistakenly be charged a surprise later!

Bar Basque: Worth it for the drinks and view, but not for the food

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I was really looking forward to sampling the fare at Bar Basque, a tapas restaurant on the second floor of the swanky new Eventi hotel between 29th and 30th on 6th Avenue in Chelsea. I ventured there after work with my friend Danny, a former Barcelona, Spain resident as well.

As we approached the hotel, there were no signs indicating BB's existence. When we stepped off the elevator on the second floor we were confronted by a red wall with plastic computer chip replicas embedded into it. We were confused. The decor was deranged, with a sci-fi meets coastal Mediterranean fine dining restaurant weirdness.

Napa Shmapa: Go to Sonoma!

Ledson winery

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On a tip from a co-worker, while I was visiting my brother and his fiancée in San Francisco, I was to instruct them to take my friend and I wine tasting in Sonoma County. Less crowded and less pretentious than Napa, the same co-worker suggested we head to Healdsburg and tour the Alexander Valley and Strykker wineries. My brother had other plans. After living in San Francisco for nearly three years and taking many house guests wine tasting, he had committed a personal wine tasting tour map to memory. We were driven to the city of Sonoma and sampled sips at Jacuzzi, Schug, Ledson and Chateau St. Jean. The one thing I was not prepared for was the mass quantities of wine I would be imbibing.

San Francisco: City? Borough? Hippy? Fifties?

San Francisco cable car

Many people told me that I'd fall in love with San Francisco as I had with Barcelona, Spain, my former home. I was shocked to find that the two are quite different and was surprised when I didn't fall as hard for SF. While the two don't look all that alike, both cities are at the core wholly European. In San Francisco the pace of life is slower, palm trees abound and the skyscrapers only block the sun from shining down on a small portion of the city, something this NYC gal can appreciate. Electric public transportation rules and buses even have racks in the front to carry your bicycle to your final destination. It's a curious city that feels more like an expansive borough, even though it's only 7 x 7 square miles. The style is a bit hippy, with plenty of Jesus lookalikes walking around, yet at the same time it has a 50s rockabilly air. Here is a sampling of the best SF has to offer:

*A small airport warning for traveling ladies: Do NOT wear maxi dresses or any other long/flowy garment to the airport, that is unless you fancy a security pat-down.*

Heinchon's Old Farmhouse: An Upstate NY Ice-Cream Institution

Heinchon's Old Farm House

For nearly eight years, I scooped ice-cream at Heinchon's Old Farm House on Rt. 22 in Pawling, on a stretch of highway connecting Manhattanites to their weekend homes in Connecticut and Massachusetts. It was hard work. Don't laugh. Over the years I nearly sprained my wrist several times digging into the hard, homemade ice-cream. I even had to wear a wrist bandage on more than one occasion for extra support. I also endured teasing from my brothers: "Carey: cone or cup?" "It's so much more than that," I would screech back. 

What's harder than scooping the ice-cream is making it. It is both costly and time-consuming to recreate traditional family recipes, but Heinchon's keeps doing it. 

Falafel on Broadway: Life-changing hummus and hot sauce

I was first introduced to Falafel on Broadway by a colleague, whose boyfriend stumbled upon this Middle Eastern fare jewel by accident. Located in Harlem, near the 1 train station at 125th street on the West side, it opened several months ago. Occupying a slightly cramped space, it has a high takeout counter that would dwarf anyone but the tall Turkish men who stand behind it preparing kebabs. There are four small dining tables in the back corner and nothing more. What it lacks in decor, it makes up for in the food, providing cheap and delicious treats. Highlights include their life-changing hummus and hot sauce.

Buttermilk Falls Inn and Spa: An upstate NY Secret Kept from Locals

Buttermilk Falls Inn, Milton, NY

Tucked away in the midst of a residential area caught between two sleepy Ulster County cities; a 1.5 hour trip from New York City and just a 30 minute drive from Dutchess County, NY;  lies Buttermilk Falls Inn and Spa. Until recently, the 16-room inn and luxury spa has been kept a secret from locals. A former trading post and private family homestead, the property was purchased in 2001 and converted into an Inn and Spa. Traditionally, the Inn and Spa has advertised in NYC publications and lured Manhattanites into the country for stays. The current owner, also the proprietor of NYC's Great Jones Spa, opened a farm-to-table restaurant on the property a few months ago and is looking to pull in more locals.

Barcelona, Spain: FULL DISCLOSURE

view from Barceloneta (Barcelona) beach apartment 

This photo features my good friend Anna and I relaxing on a couch after an afternoon BBQ at a friend of a friend's Barceloneta Beach apartment. It is, I believe, the perfect photographic representation of Barcelona: a spectacular seaside city filled with great people, great food and fantastic views.

After bouncing back and forth between the US and Spain for 10 years and working as an English teacher and later as a staff writer and editor at a cultural magazine in Barcelona, I've compiled a comprehensive list of places to shop and eat at, as well as visit in the city I consider my other home.

Mountain Side Gear Rental: Camping Equipment Rentals Delivered to YOU

Mountain Side Gear Rental

I'm in the midst of planning a West Coast adventure trip. The fun will start at a close friend's wedding outside San Francisco and continue with a road/plane trip with another friend coming in from Barcelona, Spain, to explore the vineyards in Sonoma and cities like Las Vegas. The highlight: a camping adventure inside the Grand Canyon. One of the greatest obstacles though, until now, was figuring out how we would pull of our camping outing. We couldn't possibly smuggle all the necessary gear on the different planes we are taking to California from NYC and Barcelona respectively. And with airlines now charging for checked luggage, we needed a smart solution. I searched online for camping rental shops near the Grand Canyon and was about to give up, when I stumbled upon a forum, where a woman mentioned Mountain Side Gear Rental. 

What do they do? Rent camping and backpacking equipment, everything from tents to cooking sets. 

Goosepimp: Boston Funkliciousness April 16th at Vassar College's The Mug

Goosepimp  

Goosepimp Orchestra, an 8-member music group from Boston is not involved in waterbird prostitution (as the name might imply), but works to make music that combines different styles, resulting in the creation of a Goosepimp, or "superbeing." GPO will bring their unique brand of funk, Latin and psychedelic-liciousness to the stage at The Mug (or Matthew's Mug) at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY this weekend. I caught up with GPO founding fathers Michael Cantor and Bob Greel, who note Charles Mingus, Pantera, Sly and the Family Stone and the Buena Vista Social Club as musical favorites and influences, a couple days before the show. 

David Sedaris: He had me at "Haven't we met before?"

How Sedaris signed a copy of Me Talk Pretty One Day for a friend.

"Haven't we met before?"


"No, this is my first time," I giggled. 


And that is how my meeting with David Sedaris began at his book signing post-reading at Proctors in Schenectady, NY (he is currently touring the US and then will be in the UK from May on). I had braved the 2 + hour drive up from Pawling, NY, a drive that was pretty spectacular (rolling NY hills, a random white Buddha head sculpture on one of them in near a place called Austerlitz) and boring. 

Wanderlust Revelation: Rockstar Storyteller on Tour (worldwide)

My copy of Sedari's When You Are Engulfed in Flames, signed thanks to my friend Sara

David Sedaris, a modern storyteller of rockstar status (as he sells out venues across the country) kicks off the Canada and US legs of his world tour tomorrow, March 29th. The self-effacing, sardonic storyteller who is a master manipulator of bon mots, has a huge following throughout the world, with people postings themselves reading his words on YouTube, to which I can only utter: wow! 

Wanderlust Revelation: Hudson Valley Restaurant Week (NY)

 Hudson Valley Restaurant Week

From March 14-27, enjoy three-course lunches at popular Hudson Valley eateries for $20 and dinners at $28 (tips not included).

Modeling itself after NYC's Restaurant Week, the 5th edition of Hudson Valley Restaurant Week highlights locales on the stretch of farmland, wineries and suburbs that flanks the Hudson River crawling up the state of NY from Manhattan. Simply look over the list of 100+ HV eateries (read over the special details column as some places have surcharges or will not have special pricing during the weekend), make a reservation for a date that falls within the specially priced two weeks (via Internet or phone) and enjoy. 

Wanderlust Revelation: Auto-Tune Antidote: Musician Dan Lavoie Performing March 14 (NYC)

To The Waters Edge Cover (RAD Graphic)

What's happened in the music world? Since when are tone deaf, reality TV housewives, suped up by auto-tune and backed by mega-marketing machines our era's music popstars? I'm not completely against auto-tune, it does have its place: in karaoke bars or to help the musically challenged win a round of SingStar. But, what happened to honest, pure music and the uniqueness of that, with all the cheesy, cliched things that come along with witnessing it: chills, hairs standing on end?

Wanderlust Revelation: Bang Bang Boogaloo Label Launch Party March 8, 2011 (NYC)

 Bang Bang Boogaloo

It's been my experience that 90% of the time 'Boogaloo' is used in the title of an event, it is a sign of a guaranteed good time.

I got the tip-off on Bang Bang Boogaloo's Label Launch party happening Tuesday, March 8, 2011 from another blogger, Vivian Kelly, of the Fashion Examiner, who is not only hip to what is happening with factions of fashion, but is clued into many cool cultural city happenings. Unfamiliar with the Bang Bang Boogaloo crew (an NYC record label/blog dedicated to authentic music and specializing in digital compilations of relevant artists), I emailed my personal music guru (a dynamite DJ, who puts on fantastic funk/soul and boogaloo -there it is again, that magical, fun workout word for your mouth muscles- sets every Friday in Barcelona, Spain under the heading 'Friday Nite Funk Fry') and while he wasn't familiar with the BBB either, he did say it "sounds like some white boy blues thang... could be fun." 

Wanderlust Revelation: Naked Art Hunting (NYC)

by ryanrocketship

There ARE good kinds of hunts: egg hunts, scavenger hunts, manhunts. Why not see NYC in a new way, by putting a 'hunt' spin on your tour. Now you can huntify your NYC adventure in one of two ways: DIY (Do-It-Yourself) or go with a company like Watson Adventures, which specializes in organizing private and public hunts, not only in NYC, but in cities like Boston and San Francisco.

Wanderlust Revelation: Underheard & BBH's Barn (NYC)

by Hazzat

One of the most celebrated films at the 2011 Oscars was The King's Speech, taking home statues for Best Director, Best Actor and Best Film. The most thunderous applause, however, came for the message of the film: no matter the obstacle (even a stubborn stammer), a voice is meant to be heard!

Wanderlust Revelation: RAW Catalyst February 24, 2011 (TONIGHT) and March 31, 2011 (NYC)

courtesy of RAW: natural born artists

Ever been in a pickle about where to go or what to do on a Thursday night? Deciding among catching a concert, an art opening, or even a snake charmer's performance? What if there was a magical artistic wonderland where a diverse collection of art forms and their practitioners could come together in one event...enter Catalyst, happening tonight, February 24, 2011 and March 31, 2011 from RAW: natural born artists.

Wanderlust Revelation: The Lambs Club Pre/Post Theater Prix Fixe (NYC)

by jfeuchter

One of the challenges of going to see a Broadway show in NYC is finding a good place to eat in the theater district (a strip that stretches from 42nd street to 53rd between 6th and 8th avenues). The food factions found there are as follows: old-world and eccentric (Le Rivage, a French spot), iconic places (Sardi's), family-style joints (Carmine's) and the usual, luster-lacking chain restaurants. Finding something new and fresh is a bit tricky, until now. Bringing back the swank to Broadway is The Lamb's Club. 

Wanderlust Revelation: Salseek.com Launch Party February 18, 2011(NYC)

Salseek.com is having a sizzling launch party 

February 18, 2011 at Hudson Terrace.

Natalie Maniscalco, CEO and founder of Salseek.com, a digital magazine showcasing all things salsa, says she's wanted to learn how to dance salsa "probably from the first time I saw the movie Dirty Dancing." Personally, I think my first encounter with the big world of sexy Latin American dance styles was via a screening of the film Lambada in the basement during a birthday party in 6th or 7th grade (if I recall correctly).

Wanderlust Revelation: Travel Bug Baby

by fsse8info

It is never too early to get kids into travel. So, when I was prepping for a baby shower for my younger cousin's first little one, aka baby Dittmer, I wanted to pick up something that would spark the global scouting spirit in the wee-one and also be representative of auntie Carey. This is what I found/did:


Mapbag -  What is it? A bag with the map of NYC on it (including Brooklyn) that I picked up in Pylones, a quirky little store in Grand Central Terminal. The bag is quite durable and has inside pockets, even a large one with a zipper and comes with an erasable marker so the user can draw various NYC routes on it. Not only that, but the bag can function as a diaper bag and will also serve as a gift bag, as I stuff it with all the other baby travel goodies I pick up. Other cities available as mapbags include Tokyo, Barcelona and Rio de Janeiro.

Wanderlust Revelation: Livemocha

by jetheriot

There we were huddled on the train platform in the bitter cold, snowflakes falling and latching onto our eyelashes and making it harder to see by the second. We were waiting for instructions from the conductor and when they came, we were told we would board a second train, go one more stop, and board a third train to make it to our final destinations. 

It is no secret that New York (actually the entire US Northeast) has been pounded by one major snowstorm after another (and even some ice and windstorms to vary the mix) this winter. A lot of daily commuters into NYC (me being one of them) have had to endure train delays, mid-ride malfunctions and having to wait out in the harsh elements while the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) troubleshoots. And here we were waiting again. 

Wanderlust Revelation: Dining Divinity for Vegetarians, Vegans and the Lactose Intolerant (NYC)

by motograf

On a somewhat sleepy stretch of Park Avenue in NYC's Murray Hill section sits Franchia (meaning free, lavish and generous in Korean), a triplex Korean vegetarian tea house.

Wanderlust Revelation: Douglas Hodge in La Cage Aux Folles (NYC)

by Video4net

My brother and future sister-in-law got my mother and I a Broadway gift certificate for Christmas. About two weeks after Christmas, my mother and I began looking into shows we wanted to see. With Angels in America being done as a two-parter and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown about to close, we thought, why not La Cage Aux Folles? After all, it had won the 2010 Tony for Best Revival of a Musical, Kelsey Grammer had won for his performance, so it had all the makings of a good thing.

Wanderlust Revelation: Vanessa's Dumplings (NYC)

by scaredy_kat

While our decision to walk from Bryant Park to the Lower East Side (about 40 blocks) on that cold, wintry NYC night was not the wisest, our choice to eat at Vanessa’s Dumpling House (picked by my friend Danny) couldn't have been better.

Vanessa’s Dumpling House is at 118 Eldridge Street on the LES (Lower East Side) between Grand and Broome. You'll be lucky to snag a spot at one of their seven small two-seater tables as Vanessa's is always mobbed with people in search of one thing: delicious, fresh food that is CHEAP!