Gadling

I once heard that you shouldn't eat in the bathroom. I don't know if that's true, but here's a twist. How about eating out of a bowl that looks like a toilet while you sit on seat that looks like a toilet? If that's not enough toilet for you, dishes are also shaped like urinals and bathtubs. My friend Tom Barlow over at Blogging Stocks gave me the heads up on this one.

Leave it to someone in Taiwan to think of this and open a chain of them. The restaurants named Marton--Chinese for toilet--are popular with families with kids and young people. I can see the attraction. Novelty is key. Apparently, the food is also worth going back for. And if you like the idea of toilet dinnerware, you can pick up a ceramic toilet bowl on the way out. Unfortunately, the chain opened after I moved so I've never had the pleasure. I have some friends who still live in Taiwan who have probably eaten there. I wouldn't be surprised if Hsinchu, the city I lived in, doesn't have a Marton in a couple locations.

Here's another post with wonderful photographs I found at 2dayBlog.

Lately, I've been pretty slack with some of my self-imposed writing goals. It's all well and good to say "I'm going to write that article" or "I'm going to draft that book proposal" -- but we all know that actions speak louder then words. And words don't mean anything to a freelance writer unless they are typed out, spell-checked and on their way to an editor!

So I was happy to come across two travel writing tips, posted today by some of our friends around the web. Tidbits like these often help me kick-start stalled writing projects: First up, Eva Holland's 9 Things I Learned About Travel Writing at Book Passage is up at Brave New Traveler. Eva, who also writes for World Hum, has compiled a great summary of her conference experience -- she shares valuable tips from travel writing pros that she met during the annual travel seminar hosted by the Bay Area bookstore. And at BootsnAll, I found a book review for Crafting the Travel Guidebook: How to Write, Publish and Sell Your Travel Book. Reviewer Norm Goldman gives high marks to Barbara Hudgins "nitty gritty" look at guidebook writing. Once I've got a few more articles and stories under my belt, I'll have to get my hands on a copy. But for now, of course, I best get going with some writing!

No, it's not what you are thinking. Ski-Mojo is gear that will help you ski longer should you not be able to keep that squat while skiing for an extended period of time.

The little mechanism that is strapped to your backside and rods down to your knees and somehow connects into your boots, has been in development for the last 11 years and finally hit the stores last week for a whopping £289 -- but then skiing has always been an expensive sport.

Apparently it reduces fatigue and enhances your control and balance on the slopes. I suppose the mojo lets you rest on it in some way; but will you still build the muscle? or will you have to forgo the tight-butt and thigh muscle cuts?

Although I wouldn't buy it (I'd feel really old), it's available for skiers of all standards. Want it or not, the website ("this is no hoodoo") is funny and worth looking at for a giggle.

[Via Guardian]

Around August last year, I was living in Valencia and went to Madrid for the weekend. As I was aimlessly walking down Gran Via -- the main commercial street in Madrid's city center -- I distinctly remember thinking "I could live here". A few months later I moved and it was one of the best decisions I made.

Being someone who lately has been repelling anything big and mercantile, it's funny I had that thought on Gran Via, of all other places in the city.

There's this inanely rare charm that street eludes.
It's high-street-big-city-for-tourists bustling, but it also radiates something that pins it down as being traditionally Spanish.

Often referred to as the 'Spanish Broadway', perhaps it's early 20th century buildings, no skyscrapers, and nonchalant nature dampens it's commercial side, making it an unexpected representation of Madrid as Spain's traditional capital.

I can't put my finger on what exactly allures me about this street, but it's the reason I moved here.

On the 100th anniversary of Gran Via's conception, the newspapers splattered the history and development of the street over the last century.

Haven't seen it in the international press, but for those interested who don't speak Spanish, you can check out this "Madrid in Black and White" gallery of the Gran Via that takes you through its historical significance.

[Via El Mundo]

More than 13,500 readers voted for the 21st edition of Guardian's Travel Awards that were recently held in Seville.

The Guardian is one of my favorite newspapers, and although I couldn't take part in the survey (UK only!), I was curious to see what was on other readers hit-lists.

Here are some of the internationally interesting results:

Best Online Booking Service: www.i-escape.com

Best Long-Haul Airline: Singapore Airlines (expected - they are fantastic)

Best Short-Haul Airline: www.jet2.com

Best Business Airline: Emirates Airlines (expected -- it's a great airline but also there are over 100,000 British Expats living in Dubai)

Best Overseas City: Hong Kong (didn't expect that!)

Best European City: Berlin (yeah...I understand this choice)

Best European Country: Switzerland (huh!?)

Best Long Haul Country: Cambodia (huh!?) -- what does Long-Haul Country mean anyway?

I think such country based surveys say a lot about the general travel-mind of the country -- and honestly some of the results surprised me.

[Link Guardian]

We've all head the announcement over the intercom at the gate asking for "volunteers" to take a later flight. And most of us know that you can earn a couple of flight vouchers or sandwiches for giving up your seat, but does anyone really want to do this? Is it worth the time and suffering for a lousy plane ticket and some free airport food?


Yes, my friends, it is. And if you take ten minutes before your flight to do a little research, it can be damn gratifying.


Consider the relative discomfort that you have to endure for a few hours in exchange for a free ticket or a monetary travel voucher. Imagine where you can go or who you can surprise with that ticket; a weekend trip to Puerto Rico, dinner with friends in New York, that pickup game of badminton you've been dying to get in on in Phoenix. Take yourself out of the mindset of a business or suffering traveler and focus on really getting away. The evening that you invest in this bump voucher will pay off one hundred fold when you tell your girlfriend that you're taking her to Fort Lauderdale instead of your parents' place for the weekend.


It's not that hard to do. Pack light, be patient and follow Gadling's instructions below and you'll be on your way to greener pastures in no time. I've broken down the process into four steps.

• What is overbooking and how do I take advantage of it?
• Preparation and online tools: checking your flight loads.
• Preparation and online tools: the alternate route
• Execution and voucher collection

Follow along as we explain the process.

I've bought new cars and I've bought used. My last used car smelled lovely. The friend of mine who sold it too me must have either used wonderful soap daily ---or wore a light, fabulous perfume. New cars don't have to work hard to smell special. Smelling new like the grown up version of a fresh, just taken out of the box vinyl toy is enough--unless it's brand new leather shoes, and then double yum.

A brand new airplane must really smell fantastic. I have no idea, though, since I've never been on a brand new airplane that I can recall. According to the latest news on U.S. carriers, it might be awhile before anyone will get the experience--at least if one is getting from here to there on an airplane from an American company.

A couple years ago, when I was writing a magazine article on best fall foliage places in West Virginia, a person working at a visitors and convention bureau told me that Tamarack Art Gallery is a place to shop. Actually, not a place, but the place. If you're looking for anything artsy, Appalachian and West Virginian, this is it. (Not all art is Appalachian in subject matter, but it does showcase Appalachia's finest work.) I was interested to see a feature article about the place in The Columbus Dispatch.

Part of the success of this gallery, I think, is that the crafts and art for sale are juried pieces. This means that artisans have to apply to get their work accepted--it'sa more formal and strict process for selecting what will pass muster. The result is a collection of high quality pieces that represent more than 2,800 artists. Therefore, if you shop here, you can't go wrong. West Virginia's art bounty is huge and Tamarack reflects this. Usually for less expensive pieces the gallery also pays the artists upfront instead of the artists selling their work on consignment. I like that. It seems fair. The reason behind the gesture is so artists have a shot at making a decent living from their work and have the support to practice their craft at a higher level.

Tamarack also has a restaurant that serves up traditional Appalachian fare. I wonder if there are soup beans and cornbread on the menu--or is this a Kentucky specialty? There are also changing exhibits and demonstrations. Here's an audio slide show designed to bring you there. I love listening to the accents. They remind me of where my mom is from. By the way, you can also shop on-line if driving to this spot in West Virginia is too far.

When I lived in Dubai I worked in PR so I have been witness to many a crazy publicity stunts -- but this one takes the cake.

Designer brand Chanel will put a huge gleaming white "Mobile Art Container" in the sky to fly the world from 2008-2010, displaying work of 20 international artists. Brainchild of Chanel's creative head Karl Lagerfeld, the container has been designed by Iraq-born artist Zaha Hadid and will be made of collapsible fiber glass.

The artists were given a brief to create art in connection to Chanel's handbags and curious participants include Lennon's wife Yoko Ono, celebrity yoga guru Subodh Gupta, and offbeat modern artist Arakinbuyoshi.

They've tagged the mad idea a "noble research investment". Urrrm -- no I don't understand either, but I'd go check it out just to walk into an absurd container like that.

Not sure how it's going to fly -- but over a two year period the thing will travel form Hong Kong to Tokyo, New York, Los Angeles, London, Moscow and Paris.

[Via Wallpaper]

Although the primary mission of the National Trust for Historic Preservation is to save historic places and revitalize America's communities, their program offerings go beyond the 50 states. National Trust Tours have been operating for 35 years, focusing on destinations that explore the traditions and cultures of the world, with a special emphasis on the effect that art and architecture has had on them. And now, their more moderately priced Great Places tour offerings has expanded.

These more affordable tour options are characterized by shorter stays, free time within the course of the tour (with staff suggestions on how to spend your time) and guided touring with their experts. Destinations scheduled for 2008 include: Australia and New Zealand, Ireland, Austin, Poland and a river cruise through Belgium and Holland aboard the M.V. Heidelberg. Although these tours may still be too steep for some budgets, others may find these tighter packaged itineraries to be just right.