October 27, 2005
My Heart and I Left San Francisco
By Ron Kapon
"The City by the Bay"." I left my heart in San Francisco". San Fran is the favorite city for tourists in the US. Perfect weather; fine dining, great sights, and only a short drive to Napa and Sonoma. Been there, done that many, many times. It was time for a change. Two conventions brought me back to San Francisco, but with an extra two days to play around.
This is the story of those two days. " The City by the Bay" is also Oakland. Just 15 minutes by public transportation from San Francisco, or a quick drive across the San Francisco- Oakland Bay Bridge. The fifth largest port in North America, the 400,000 people there have Jerry Brown as their mayor. The former California governor stated, "The prices are low, the people friendly, and the weather is ideal" (It tends to be about 10 degrees warmer than its neighbor). Oakland may be the most ethnically diverse city in the US, with 81 different languages and dialects spoken. It also has three major league sports teams that all play at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Complex- Baseball (the A's)- Basketball (the Warriors)- Football (the Raiders).
I stayed at the Clarion Suites- Lake Merritt Hotel. Built in 1927 in Mediterranean Art Deco style, it was restored in 1990 into 50 suites. The hotel overlooks America's largest urban saltwater lake, Lake Merritt. The 122-acre Lakeside Park takes up the northern shore of the lake. There are Japanese, Cactus and Polynesian gardens, boat rentals, wind surfing and sailing lessons. The oldest wildlife refuge in the US is located here. Gondola Servizio is a 55-minute cruise in an authentic, handmade Venetian gondola ($55 per couple). Children's Fairyland, at the edge of the park, depicts fairy tales and nursery rhymes and was Walt Disney's prototype for what was to become Disneyland.
The newly opened (June 2000) Chabot Space & Science Center overlooks the city and San Francisco from Skyline Boulevard in Joaquin Miller Park. It is a hands-on learning center, with an emphasis on astronomy and space exploration. The Challenger Learning Center has a space station and" mission control" simulators, while the 360-degree science theatre features presentations about outer space, shuttle missions and the ocean floor. Eight "Discovery Stations" involve the visitor in hands-on experiments in chemistry and physics. The planetarium presents live and recorded shows, and three telescopes are available for public viewing ($8 admission- extra for theatre and planetarium at $8.75 and a $4 parking fee).
Other sites I visited included the Asian Cultural Center, the largest in North America, and the Oakland Museum of California. Three main galleries located along terraced gardens featured California art, history and culture ($6). The Western Aerospace Museum is housed in a 1940 hanger and is a collection of unusual aircrafts as well as exhibits about the history of aviation ($6).
My evening started at Heinhold's First & Last Saloon. Built in 1880 it is a National Literary Landmark (29 total in US). Jack London began writing "The Sea Wolf" and "Call of the Wild" here. Dinner was at Jack's Bistro in Jack London Square. There are restaurants and shops in this former dock area. During the summer an outdoor concert series takes place there. The nearby Alameda/Oakland Ferry whisks you to Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, and back. The USS Potomac is docked here. It was FDR's former floating White House and was also owned by Elvis Presley. Yoshi's World Class Jazz House was the finish of my evening.
For more information- contact the Oakland C&VB- 475-14 Street- #120- Oakland, Ca. 94612-(510) 839- 9000. http://www.oaklandcvb.com email - akcvb@inreach.com
Day 2 and I was off on a 45-minute drive Oakland to Livermore Wine Country (better known as Wente Wine Country). From San Francisco airport, it is 40 miles or about one hour. The BART train system goes as far as Pleasanton (15 minutes away). The Wente family owns the estate winery that bears their name, plus Murrieta's Well and are partners in Concannon Vineyards and Ivan Tamas Winery. They produce sparkling wines in the renovated Cresta Blanca winery. Wente was founded over 100 years ago, and the fifth generation just began working there. It is the country's oldest, continuously- operated, family-owned winery. 50% of their 300,000 case production is white wine and they export 50% of their production to 152 countries.
Livermore is at the base of San Francisco Bay's coastal range. The rocky soil, warm summer days are moderated by cool morning fog and afternoon winds. 15 miles long (east to west) and 10 miles wide (north to south), the area is surrounded by the coastal range mountains.
Visitors can combine a round of golf at the Greg Norman designed (1998) 18 hole public course with dinner at the Wente Vineyard Restaurant. Opened in 1986 all 18 Livermore wineries are represented on the Wine Spectator's "Best of Award of Excellence" wine list. The golf course plays through three ecosystems of Livermore Valley; Native woodlands of oak, cottonwood and sycamore; producing vineyards; and rolling hills of natural grasslands. One can add the Concerts at the Vineyards 15th annual summer series to the golf and dinner. Gardens, vineyards, hillsides and winery buildings surround the outdoor amphitheater. Chicago, Willie Nelson, Kenny Loggins, The Breach Boys are all featured during the 2001 season. There is also general admission seating that does not include food or beverages. Prices are $59 to $200 per person. To add to the complete package, the Wente family will begin construction of casitas and a spa in a few years.
TRAVELERS INFORMATION
For more information- http://www.trivalleycvb.com or http://www.wentevineyards.com
SoGoNow.com by: Ronald Kapon on: 4:43 PM | What do you think? (0)
October 26, 2005
All Aboard! Next Stop Chinatown New York City
By David Currier
Dazzling lights and sounds of Time Square and Broadway! Art-Deco glamour and pre-Depression architecture at the
With these choices available to visitors of
The answer is, "No, there's lot's more!" A vacation to
memorable experiences during your Big Apple vacation. There may be no better way in the USA for a family to expose inquisitive, impressionable children to another culture, another pace-of-life, and fast-food options other than McDonald's (though McDonald's is here).
What's more, Chinatown, the largest Chinese community in the
As you plan your trip, do some research on seasonal festivals that may be scheduled during your visit: Chinese New Year and its accompanying Lantern Festival, Ghost Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Chung Yang or "Double Yang" Festival. These events are scheduled according to the Chinese calendar so do not occur on the same dates every year.
Chinatown is compact enough that escorted or independent walking tours are the best way to visit the area. You'll never experience the hectic and exhilarating
A visit to 
Within sight of the Empire State Building, tucked into lower "SoHo-Manhattan", east of Broadway, north of South Street Seaport, and south of Little Italy, Chinatown is located in the area of the Five Points (of Gangs of New York movie fame) where many ethnic groups first settled when emigrating to America .
Beginning roughly at the coordinates of Grand and Mott Streets and spreading southward across the main artery of Canal Street, 
Mulberry (next to Columbus Park ) has its funeral parlors, Pell Street has its barber shops and hair salons, and Mott (between Canal Street and Park Row) is home to food emporiums and restaurants.
Scents of mysteriously pungent spices waft from local grocery stores. At open-air markets, the crackling cacophony of Chinese voices eagerly hawking fresh fish, meats, fruits and vegetables 
(many unknown to most Americans) pierces the air.
As I meandered through various
In one grocery store sat plastic boxes filled with 
live green frogs. Cartons of imported Asian pears stacked on the curb, the squeaky hand-trucks laden with baskets of crisp, green bok choy being delivered to vibrant colorful markets, rough-skinned Durian fruit (tastes like Heaven, smells 
like Hell) hanging from a Grand Street market's awnings, all brought back memories of the now destroyed Les Halles, the ancient belly of Paris.
Purveyors of fine teas like Ten Ren Tea and Ginseng Company (75 Mott) sell elegant, exotic, even rare teas that delight our senses of smell and taste – and comfort our soul or perhaps heal the body. Here, your hostess Miu Lui performs a ceremonial tea service and teaches you the 
traditional art and etiquette of serving fine tea.
Female shoppers in
Like a scene from Harry Potter, before your eyes, herbal pharmacies like the Lin Sister Herb Shop (4 Bowery Street) blend ancient Chinese medicines from boxes of traditional herbs, and provide relief from your aches and pains with a Chinese foot massage or acupuncture
.
For most 
choices include China's Cantonese, Shanghainese and Szechuan cuisines as well as those from Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, Malaysia, Japan and Indonesia.
Several 1950's American diner-like establishments such as Dim Sum Go Go at 5 East Broadway or Green Tea Cafe at 45 Mott 
Street are frequently packed with neighborhood residents - always a good sign.
Silk Road Mocha (30 Mott Street), Tea and Tea (51 Mott Street) and other small tea houses are excellent places to experience the youthful energy of contemporary
Many of the restaurants and tea houses are open late- until the wee hours of the morning; so dining in
Take-out-groceries offer memorable experiences in Chinese-American culture and some of the lowest prices on the
Proprietor John Hung's May May Gourmet Dim Sum and bakery at 35 Pell Street shop has been a supplier to restaurant chefs for 40 years. While chatting with John, trays of steaming rice packets wrapped in banana leaves were delivered from the basement kitchens for anxious customers.
The upscale Peking Duck House at 28 Mott Street, with starched white linens, is not as 'typical' as most dining options that thrive on the narrow streets of Chinatown, but their whole Peking duck (with wraps) carved tableside, and the Grand Marnier jumbo prawns with a few glasses of sauvignon blanc was the perfect Chinese meal for three famished American travelers.
Oh! If you've run out of cute things to say on those postcards you're mailing, expand your dining experience by forcing yourself to eat with traditional chopsticks. You'll laugh at yourself as your fingers work though various hand-yoga contortions - and as that precious piece of shrimp is catapulted across the dining room! (How do the Chinese eat that last grain of rice with these things?) Describe that experience to the folks back home.
We Americans are known for eating on the run - never enough time.
Perhaps capitalizing on what brings many tourists down to 
Yet? The Chinese Restaurant in
The Tea Bag Open Mic (downstairs at 30 Mott Street) or Yello Bar (32 Mulberry Street) provide evening entertainment. (Check their schedules.) Nightlife in bars and clubs is a new addition to the
There are several hotels near-by to
Getting to Chinatown from anywhere requires you to first get into
From there, unless you are familiar with the NY subway, take a taxi (approx. $5-10) to your pied a terre in
All aboard!
Text and Photographs © 2005 David Currier
SoGoNow.com by: Guest Author on: 5:22 AM | What do you think? (0)
Spend An Afternoon With a Showgirl
By Rich Grant
For decades, the tall, statuesque showgirl was an icon of
Ah, but what a production it is. Jubilee is pure Vegas- an over-the-top spectacle with 100 dancers, wearing 1,000 different costumes, all on a stage that is half the size of a football field. Twice a night, the $50 million production of Jubilee explodes on the stage- literally. Each show uses five pounds of explosives in pyrotechnic displays and 1,000 pounds of dry ice. From the sinking of the Titanic in 3,000 gallons of water to Samson crashing a five-story temple, Jubilee is one dazzling special effect after another.
But no special effect can top the showgirls- 85 stunners, 35 of them topless, wearing some 10,000 pounds of rhinestones, 8,000 miles of sequins, 4,000 pounds of feathers....and not much else.
While the show is stunning, one of the most fascinating ways to enjoy it is on a backstage tour. Led by one of the showgirls, the tour takes people into the dressing rooms and behind the curtains to see the amazing amount of work it takes to put on this type of production.
Our tour guide, Paula Allen, has been with Jubilee for eight years and is now one of the four featured dancers. Meeting us in one of her costumes, but without makeup, she looks like the girl-next-door. Which is exactly what she is. Paula began dancing in Disney shows and has been dancing all her life. What soon becomes obvious is that showgirls may look glamorous, but there is little glamour in being a showgirl. It requires a rare combination of artistry, dance, grace, athletic skill, strength...and guts.
The cramped dressing rooms are two stories below the stage. Paula has 11 costume changes, which makes each show like an hour on a Stairmaster. While the costumes are revealing, they are also surprisingly heavy...some weighing 20 pounds with all the rhinestones. The incredible feather headdresses can weigh eight pounds and stretch out six feet in length. Paula says, "The stairs on the stage are 12 inches high, twice normal height. Walking up and down those, in high heels, wearing a 20 pound costume, a headdress that sticks out three feet on each side, hitting your mark exactly to avoid bumping into all the other 85 dancers on the stage...and doing it topless...is quite a challenge."
The girls are required to do warm up exercise for 20 minutes before each show and they must stay in shape. Every six months they have to audition to keep their job and there are always newer and younger dancers waiting on the sidelines. Dancers make $650 a week to start, $50 more if they are topless.
"Was it difficult going topless?" someone in our group asks.
"That's a good question," Paula says, pretending she's never heard it before. She worked in the show four years before going nude, but going topless is the only way to advance in the show and the only way to become a featured dancer. Her mother came to her first night topless and gave her a standing ovation. "Sometimes people in the audience are embarrassed during the first act, which features all 35 nude dancers," Paula says. "They are afraid to make eye contact with the dancers and they look all around. But by the second number they're used to it and by the end of the show the nudity is no big deal. It's just Vegas."
The stage of the theatre is immense and looks to be a minefield of things to trip over. It is impossible to imagine how 85 people can be in constant motion here without bumping into each other and Paula admits there are flubs. Once a dancer got her heel stuck in a hole on the stage and had to adlib movements in place while she frantically tried to pull it out.
Behind the curtain are dozens of sets, props and backdrops that become everything from the boiler room of the Titanic to Samson's great temple. Giant elevators can whisk 100,000 pounds of sets up to the stage in seconds. Some of the headdresses are so elaborate and huge they are suspended above on ropes and must be lowered on to the dancer's heads. Every type of feather, from peacock to vulture, is used in the costumes, which were originally designed by Bob Mackie. His original sketches are in the costume shop, where all the costumes are made and repaired.
Unfortunately, the costumes are so elaborate, they can't be washed more than once a week- and some can never really be cleaned at all. "The good news is that everyone has their own personal set of costumes, so you get to wear your own stink," Paula says.
And then there's the makeup. Because it must be exaggerated for the stage, it takes 20 minutes to put it on. Using a 2-way mirror so the tour group can watch, Paula puts her makeup on during the tour, explaining each step. The girls have to provide their own makeup and do it themselves for each show. To fit the headdresses on, they cover their hair with a cap made from the leg of pantyhose. It is not an attractive look.
With her makeup finally on, Paula leaves the stage for two minutes and comes back covered in 
rhinestones with a costume from the show that features an incredible pink boa hat. The transformation is complete and it is hard to imagine that this spectacular, beautiful showgirl is the same girl you just spent two hours with on the tour.
"All the dancers are like a big family," Paula says. Some are married, some have children. The oldest dancer retired at 51. They are some of the hardest working and most talented dancers in
If You Go: Jubilee has been a 
SoGoNow.com by: Richard Grant on: 4:32 AM | What do you think? (1)
October 25, 2005
Up, Up and Away: My Trip To New Mexico
By Ron Kapon
A week long travel conference for the North American Travel Association brought me to New Mexico for the first time in 10 years. The population is under two million but is the fifth largest state in area. I had convinced former talk show host Sally Jessy Raphael to be the keynote speaker so she, her husband Karl and yours truly spent seven days traveling to Santa Fe, Taos and Albuquerque. Sally is a member of NATJA and has written three articles for their online magazine Travel World International. Currently she is hosting the first world-wide internet talk show.
It was less expensive to rent a car for a day after landing in Albuquerque (with free drop-off in Santa Fe, a 1 1/4 hour drive) than pay for three people on the shuttle bus ($20 vs. $60); thank you Avis. Southwest Airlines supplied all the writers attending the conference with comped "green tickets" so even though the flight left from Islip/McArthur airport in Suffolk County it still was a good deal. Sally's TV show has been off the air for over two years yet people in the airport and aboard the flight came up to talk to her and ask for advice. Her appearances on the highly rated VH1 show Surreal Life has kept her face before the viewing public.
The conference headquarters and our home for four nights was the Eldorado Hotel, with 203 rooms and suites the largest in town, and a few blocks from Santa Fe's main square. The staff was friendly and very helpful and the hotel had everything one would want for a vacation stay. The Old House Restaurant located in the lobby was Zagat's top choice in town, a Mobil 4 Star and AAA 4 Diamond restaurant. You will not hear a positive review from me or anyone in my party. Average food, understaffed and expensive; enough said. Try Coyote Café, Dinner For Two, Los Mayas, The Compound or La Plazuela. Please remember you are 7,000 feet above sea level so drink lots of water and take it easy for the first few days. Santa Fe's population is 65,000 and 150,000 for the metro area.
A bit of history- 1540 Francisco Vasquez de Coronado leads the first Spanish exploration to New Mexico; 1610 Santa Fe is established as the first capitol of New Mexico; 1821 Spanish rule ends, New Mexico becomes part of Mexico and the Santa Fe trail opens; 1846 the US claims New Mexico; 1912 New Mexico becomes the 47th state. There are eight sovereign Indian Pueblos near town with Indian artists and craftspeople selling their original wares. The descendents of the original Spanish settlers are continuing to maintain their Hispanic culture.
Must See- This is a walking city so get out your map and go first to the Plaza established in 1610 and the heart of the city. Certified Native American vendors sell their handicrafts next to The Palace of the Governor built in 1610 and the oldest public building in the US. Continue to St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral with its Romanesque architecture and 375 year old statue of the Virgin. Stop and rest at the Cathedral Park next door. The Loreto Chapel is home to the "miraculous" staircase (no visible supports) built in 1878. Skip the Oldest House as St. Augustine is the oldest city in the US with Santa Fe number two. The circa 1610 Barrio de Analco is America's oldest neighborhood. Santa Fe means "Holy Faith" in Spanish and is the oldest capitol city in the US. Be sure to see the extensive art collection throughout the capitol building and then walk to Canyon Road and its art galleries galore. Not to be missed is New Mexico's most famous artist with her very own Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. The Museum of Fine Arts emphasizes artists working in the southwest.
Half Day in Taos- Early on Sunday we drove two hours following the Sangre de Cristo mountain route through Espanola and San Juan Pueblo. We stopped briefly at the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, (8 miles outside Taos whose population is 6,300) a breathtaking drop of 650 feet where the river cuts a narrow slice in the earth. Hold on to the railings as this is the second highest suspension bridge in the US and I am told the #1 suicide site in the south west. We had a short stop at the Taos-Tiwi Pueblo and its adobe houses. The town is designed around a plaza, the site of the original settlement, and the perfect place to have lunch and park the car. We then set out on a two hour self-guided walking and shopping tour. The historic district has over 65 galleries, 5 museums, shops and restaurants. On returning to Santa Fe we choose the low road through Chimayo famous for its weavers. Since it was Sunday all the shops were closed. The Santuario de Chimayo is called the "Lourdes of the Southwest" for its "miraculous dirt" found in the 19th century chapel.
On The Way to Albuquerque- We ventured off the freeway and into the Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway linking Santa Fe and Albuquerque (60 miles) stopping at the old mining towns of Cerrillos, Madrid, Golden and Sandia Park. Our lunch was at the Mine Shaft Tavern, one of the last great roadhouses where the bartender looks like he stepped out of a John Wayne movie. When Madrid's last coal company closed, the town of 4,000 overnight became a "ghost town" of thirteen. The Tavern was purchased from the coal company and restored in 1982. The Old Coal Mine Museum next door preserves mining and railroading relics as well as vintage vehicles. One man's junk is another's treasure. Our last stop was the Tinkertown Museum in Sandia Park. It is a living memorial to the late Ross Ward and his 40 years of carvings and collecting. Over 50,000 glass bottles surround a 22 room museum. His miniature wood-carved figures are interspersed with wagon wheels, old fashioned store fronts and wacky western memorabilia making this a must see as any description would be useless.
Albuquerque- 3/4 million population call this home (remember there are only 2 million in the whole state). 2006 will be the 300th anniversary of Albuquerque's founding. Our home for three nights was the Nativo Lodge, 10 minutes outside the city center. The building was being renovated so the fitness center and pool were closed and scaffolding and construction materials were everywhere. Despite some minor glitches like the room keys not working the staff did their best to accommodate us.
Must See- This is not a walking city except for Old Town with its shops, galleries and museums. Within Old Town walk to the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science; the National Atomic Museum where I read the history of the development of the Atom Bomb; Albuquerque Museum of Art & History and my favorite, the American International Rattlesnake Museum, the largest in the world. We rode the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway (world's largest aerial tramway built 40 years ago) for dinner at High Finance restaurant over 10,350 feet above the city. One glass of wine and I needed oxygen (no joke) to recover. The next day our group visited the National Hispanic Cultural Center and its adjacent Roy Disney Center for Performing Arts as well as the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center where the 19 Pueblos displayed their weavings, pottery and jewelry. Speaking of jewelry we also spent some time at the Turquoise Museum to listen, learn, tour and buy. For our last day it was early to rise for ballooning with The Rainbow Ryders, a very "uplifting" experience. Then to the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum opening in October 2005 in time for the International Balloon Festival, the largest in the world. This nine day festival takes place the first week in October with over 700 balloons in flight. The temperature was well over 90 degrees so our visit to the Petroglyph National Monument was cut short. We did listen to the park rangers explain that there are 17,000 ancient Indian Petroglyphs carved into the rocks. I am afraid we did not do justice to the Albuquerque Biopark and its three venues: Zoo, Aquarium and Botanical Gardens. Since two were outside our melting bodies thought about diving into the pool at the Aquarium but the sharks dissuaded that idea. We drove along Historic Route 66 that weaves its way through town and stopped at the Nob Hill area, home to restaurants and boutiques. Eat at- Church Street Café (breakfast), Graze (Tapas portions), Chama River Brewing Company and the 1,000 seat El Pinto Mexican Restaurant.
There was much more to the state that we did not see but that will mean a return trip soon.
Before You Go- Sally Jessy Raphael Show- www.sallyjr.com
Southwest Airline- www.southwest.com
Eldorado Hotel- www.eldoradohotel.com
Santa Fe CVB- www.santafe.org
Taos Chamber of Commerce- www.taoschamber.com
Tinkertown Museum- www.tinkertown.com
Nativo Lodge- www.nativo.com
Old Town- www.albuquerqueoldtown.com
Museum of Natural History- www.nmnaturalhistory.org
National Atomic Museum- www.atomicmuseum.com
Museum of Art & History- www.cabq.gov/museum
International Rattlesnake Museum- www.rattlesnakes.com
Sandia Peak Tramway- www.sandiapeak.com
National Hispanic Cultural Center- www.nhccnm.org
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center- www.indianpueblo.org
Rainbow Ryders- www.rainbowryders.com
International Balloon Festival- www.balloonfiesta.com
Petroglyph National Monument- www.nps.gov/petr
Albuquerque CVB- www.itsatrip.org
SoGoNow.com by: Ronald Kapon on: 2:51 PM | What do you think? (1)
October 22, 2005
Vegas Halloween Fright Dome
A rite of passage for a Las Vegas teenager is a annual trip to the Fright Dome located in Circus Circus, this is a dressed up and scary version of the Adventure Dome. My 13 year old son begged to have this adventure and as overprotective parents we went on the pilgrimage with him much to the dismay of our now shattered eardrums.
My husband and I volunteered to take a group of 13 year old boys to the Fright Dome because as my friend Toni said, she was told it was a “mixed crowd”. As we entered the Dome after paying $30.00 per person we immediately noticed something about the crowd, it was 80% 13 year old girls.
The amusement park turns off all the overhead lights on fright dome nights and it is downright dark and eerie in many places. This is where you will run into many masked and costumed workers trying to scare anyone they can, it is effective; I added several shrieks to the mix, not that they could be heard over the din. My son and his friends were chased out of the bathroom by a demon with a chainsaw. I choose not to ask about specifics. My husband and I went to Cell Block 13 which was one of 4 haunted houses in the park. It was very scary with several surprises and many real masked actors popping out of dark corners just often enough so that you never caught your breath.
After the haunted house and bumper cars my husband and I spied an oasis in this 13 year old infested desert- a makeshift bar. We made a beeline to the sign that read 22 ounce beer for $2.00. I commented to the bartender that my husband needed a beer in order to spend any more time in the Fright Dome; the bartender commented that he would need a lot more than alcohol to endure the Fright Dome. With alcohol beverages in hand we went to sit down and wait to see the Jim Rose Circus. My thought was, “it’s a Circus, how scary can it be?” As it turned out, it was really beyond anything we had ever seen before, the more tame acts included a performer lifting a car battery off the ground with his nipple rings and watching a beautiful pink haired girl have a bowling ball thrown on her chest. I won’t give away the finale but suffice to say that my macho fighter pilot husband who has never looked away from anything in his 45 years of existence had his head burrowed in my hair during the act. It involved regurgitation in various forms, enough said.
James and I had to punt and leave the boys to their own devices and of course the Vegas teen necessity of a cell phone while we went to the Pink Pony Coffee Shop in the relatively silent casino. The food was great and the waitress was fabulous and eventually the boys decided that they had had enough fun for one night and emerged from the depths of the Fright Dome as well. This is a definite must do if you are 13, or act like you are 13, or think like a 13 year old. It is scary and I can’t imagine anywhere else having anything like it in the world. Once again Vegas rocks and shrieks!!
SoGoNow.com by: Kellie Archuletta on: 6:14 PM | What do you think? (1)
The Best of Malaysia: Wilds of Borneo and Sophistication of Kuala Lumpur
I came to
What I wasn't prepared for was the sophistication of the beautiful city of
I did not anticipate the modern city of
As the King and Queen arrived and passed just a few yards in front of me I realized that Merdeka is a very special event in
I stayed at the Putrajaya Shangri-La, situated on a hilltop in the center of Putrajaya, located within easy walking distance of everything in the city, including a shopping mall where there were ongoing events throughout the Merdeka celebration. They had fashion shows, exhibits, even a break dancing contest! This is thoroughly modern
I thought
My first stop on the
As the races continue throughout the day there is time to wander past the vendors along the banks of the
Kuching known as the "
I toured the
But this is still not what I'm looking for. This is not quite "National Geographic" stuff. Next stop for me is the Hilton Batang Ai Longhouse Resort. A four hour drive from Kuching and then the road ends. Then a 10 minute boat ride across a lake and deep into the
Finally, we arrive at a small village on the edge of the river and the guide lands our boat beside a rickety dock at the edge of the water. We climb out and explore the little Iban community and are invited to join the chief in his longhouse. The chief and an Iban youth perform a ceremonial welcome dance. In our conversations following we learn that he is in his mid eighties and is a former headhunter. I am told that headhunting no longer exists in
I don't have room to tell you about the caves- you'll have to check them out for yourselves. But I 
can't leave out the Orang Utan Centre at Sepilok. Once you've made your way to the city of
I walked along a trail through the jungle and arrived just as the naturalists were beginning to feed the orang utans. Most of the animals are either young and orphaned or older and injured. I 
guess you could call them semi-wild. They are free to go and come as they please. They are fed daily but allowed to roam in the forest and eventually learn to become self sufficient. Success is measured here when they no longer come for the handouts. I don't know why or how but it seems to work. If you've visited national parks in the
To watch them come swinging along the rope trail into the feeding area is a joy. The carefree attitude and the sheer athleticism and strength of these creatures are a marvelous sight. And the antics of some are hilarious. Hanging upside down by one foot, or by both hands with feet overhead draped over the rope is sometimes comical. Watching two of them swinging in unison one behind the other is something you'll not likely see anywhere else- certainly not in a zoo!
There is so much to see and do in Kota Kinabalu and in all of
And you can bet I'll be flying
When YOU go:
http://www.shangri-la.com Malaysia Tourism: www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my They will answer any questions that you can't find the answers to on their website
Shangri-La Putrajaya: www.shangri-la.com
Kuching Hilton: www.kuching.hilton.com
Hyatt Regency Kinabalu: www.kinabalu.hyatt.com
Sepilok Orangutan Rehab. Centre, for information e-mail: soutan@po.jaring.my
SoGoNow.com by: Guest Author on: 4:19 PM | What do you think? (0)
October 20, 2005
Mexico City Revisited
When the opportunity to revisit 
horrendous pollution, poverty and danger. Fourteen years ago, while some of these descriptions were appropriate, others were greatly exaggerated. Still my recollections focused on the positive, beautiful architecture, engrossing history, and friendly welcoming people.
Upon my recent return to
visitor's eyes with 36 statues of national heroes, elaborate fountains, towering palms and monuments. Reforma also passes through the Zona Rosa (the pink zone), which is packed with exceptional hotels, shopping districts, art galleries, restaurants and cafes. In the evening, the Zona Rosa transforms itself to a popular nightspot with late closing bars, discos and clubs.
Heading North from Zona Rosa the visitor will arrive in the Polanco and
The district of Polanco is considered by many to be the Beverly Hills of Mexico City where some of the wealthiest residents live and work. The area boasts a large variety of high-end dining and luxury hotels such as the new W hotel recently opened in
To see a complete representation of
A must see for any visitor to 
Gods". This city flourished between the 4th and 8th centuries and is primarily comprised of the Pyramids of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Walkway of the Dead. Descendants of the ancient Teotihuacanos once inhabited this world-renowned archaeological zone. The Mexica subsequently discovered it centuries after it had been abandoned. They deemed it to be a graveyard for kings who were eventually transformed to Gods. The legends speak of the Gods who sacrificed themselves to create a Sun; as a result, the altars (Pyramids) were built for the Gods. Follow the spirits and stroll the Walkway of the Dead, climb the magnificent pyramids to absorb the mystical energy of the Pyramid of the Sun.
As the white-gloved butler leaves my last order of champagne and orange juice on the desk, I look out from my luxurious room at the Sheraton Maria Isabel. Gazing down at the Angel of Independence, I smile to myself; my revisit to
Access:
Mexicana Airlines:
www.mexicana.com.mx
Sheraton Maria Isabel
Paseo de la Reforma 325
Mexico D.F. 06500
Tel: 52 55 5242 5555
www.sheraton.com/mexicocity
Mexico Tourism Board:
Tel 800-446-3942
www.visitmexico.com
Photos by Donna Yuen
SoGoNow.com by: Guest Author on: 2:19 PM | What do you think? (1)
October 19, 2005
"Think Quick, Think Pink, Think Bermuda": Fairmont Southampton is Bermudaful
By 
A romantic island retreat has become an anniversary tradition for my husband and I (you could even call it an incentive after 16 years of marriage). This year's
We found the best of 
resort, surrounded by an executive golf course, tennis, six restaurants, and
Each of the palatial pink hotel's 593 rooms offer water views and while it is not directly on the water (which seems like a hindrance at first), an efficient trolley delivers you to a spectacular private beach club, or to a ferry dock where you can ride a free water shuttle to the capital city of Hamilton or the Royal Dockyard for shopping.
Within a short walk of the rosy Hotel, we discovered some of 
Adjacent to the Fairmont's exclusive beach club is stunning South Shore Park and famous Horseshoe Beach, considered one of the top 10 beaches in the world (deservedly so- I concur). From
Other than that, you really don't need to leave the inclusive pink property. By day, you can snorkel or kayak right in the resort's protected cove, take an excursion boat, play golf, croquet or tennis, or do nothing at all but savor the glorious setting and sip a frosty drink delivered by the Cabana boy.
Treat yourself to the Hotel's Willow Stream Spa one day- you will get a fluffy robe and slippers, fitness facilities, a private indoor pool and outdoor hot tubs with spectacular views of the ocean plus very personal service (with a head-spinning list of the latest a la carte body treatments).
By night, stroll to the Italian bistro called Bacci overlooking the golf course, watch the sunset as you dine beachfront at The Whaler, or bayside at the historical 1670 Waterlot Inn. You will want to save a special night for the four-diamond elegance of the Hotel's mahogany yacht-inspired Newport Room.
After dinner, soak in the Spa's Jacuzzi with a splendid sunset (the spa facility is complimentary for 
hotel guests after 6:30 p.m.), or savor a cool drink with some hot jazz in the cozy Wine Cellar. The Jasmine Lobby Bar is also a happening spot for cocktails and music till late (afternoons, this is the setting for traditional High Tea if cucumber sandwiches are your thing).
If you feel the tug to explore beyond the resort, grab a free ferry from the hotel dock, a cab or bus, or rent a moped - just know that Bermuda roads are narrow and curvy so don't "pitch a hot" (local term for getting tipsy). Visitors may not rent cars.
After excursions to several beach resorts along the South Shore, to the Naval Dockyard and to the humming port of Hamilton (where you can visit the more urbane sister Fairmont property- The Hamilton Princess), we would return to the Fairmont Southampton and remark that we had the best beach club, best views, best walks and some of the finest restaurants on the island.
Bermuda is a fabled isle (actually a coral reef atop a dormant volcano). Early explorers called it the "Isle of the Devils." The prominent reefs surrounding the main island claimed over a hundred ships helping make for today's ideal snorkeling and diving. I did not see any devils throughout the entire romantic retreat, just friendly "onions" (localism for Bermudians). I did spot countless gentlemen sporting brightly colored Bermuda shorts and dark knee-highs – this delightfully proper male dress code exceeded my expectations. I resisted the touristy urge to snap photos of their nickered knees.
And last but not least,
As Mark Twain said after spending time there, "You go to heaven, I'll stay in
Bermuda Do's and Don'ts
Do bring a water bottle and walk the 2-mile
Do meet some "onions"- the local term for native Bermudians- they are truly charming people with a genuine love of sharing tales and truths about their idyllic island.
Do ride the bus- a great way to meet "onions," and save money on cab fares.
Do ride the water shuttle to Hamilton and the Royal