They say that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, and I’m sure that’s true in more ways than I’d ever dare to imagine. But with the Strip’s increasingly luxurious resort hotels, intoxicating nightlife, and fanfare-worthy entertainment, Las Vegas is becoming the vacation destination that you can’t help but tell everyone about. Why have the time of your life in one of the most daydreamed-about places on earth, and not boast about it to your buddies?

Case in point: Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of staying at The Palazzo, a brand-new, all-suite resort hotel and casino nestled between The Venetian and Wynn Las Vegas. Now, I’m not the most ardent Vegas vacationer out there--I generally just tag along for the odd bridal shower or birthday. But I soaked up every second of this trip, and left yearning to return as soon as possible.

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Posted in Bars & Nightlife, Entertainment, Green Travel, Hotel Travel, Las Vegas, Shopping, Spas
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Paris by day is elegant and refined. But you don’t have to scratch too far beneath the picture postcard surface of the City of Light to discover there is a deliciously louche, borderline seedy side to the world’s most-touristed city.

How do I know? Because I have been living here eight years, because I have spent an inordinate amount of time and money in cafés and bars conducting “research,” and because the fruit of that labour – a new book called A Town Like Paris - has just been published.

At the heart of the book is a love story. My love story. I came to Paris from Australia as a swinging bachelor – a young man bent on adventure, determined to foist myself upon an unsuspecting French female population and, in the process, eat my fill of Hemingway’s fabled moveable feast.

Photo of Shay courtesy of Carla Coulson.

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Posted in Bars & Nightlife, Entertainment, France
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In the battle of the YouTube all-stars, Battle at Kruger reigned supreme, snagging the 2007 YouTube Video Award in the Eyewitness category.

I watched the 8-minute opus for the first time this weekend, and (like 27 million others before me) sat glued to my computer screen as lions stalked a buffalo calf, battled a crocodile for it, and staged a Sharks-Jets-style showdown when the young buffalo’s herd returned. And the most amazing part of all? The gnawed-on calf survives the tug-o-war.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member sjmclaughlin

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Posted in Adventure Travel, Entertainment, Offbeat
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Yesterday marked the official beginning of Chinese New Year. To many people, this late winter holiday means vibrant street festivities complete with fireworks, colorful dragon floats, and tasty Chinese goodies galore. To others, the term “Chinese New Year” barely rings a bell. But given the growing influence of Chinese culture, more people are learning about the holiday and making plans to participate in celebrations across the country and the world.

Let’s start with the basics. Chinese New Year takes place on the first day of the first lunar month of the Chinese calendar, and as such is also called the Lunar New Year. The ancient Chinese believed that a man-eating beast called the Nián emerged from his lair each year on this day to prey on humans. Believing this beast to be sensitive to loud noises and the color red, the early Chinese frightened it away with fireworks and bright red colors. These customs eventually evolved into the scintillating celebrations we enjoy today.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member captain oddsocks.

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Posted in Asia, California, Entertainment, Family & Kids, Festivals & Events, Holiday & Seasonal, International Travel, London, New York City, Shopping
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Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned Vegas veteran, there’s never been a better time to visit. As the new year begins, Vegas offers an incredible array of new resorts, renovations, nightclubs, and more. The city has never been the center of so much excitement.

Among the most captivating of these new additions is the Palazzo, which opened earlier this month and is the newest and largest resort in the city. The sister property of the Venetian, it is connected to its neighbor by walks and waterways, and its elegant architecture evokes a similar Mediterranean charm. Its luxurious sports bar and lounge, the 40/40, was created by hip-hop mogul Jay-Z. And with a spacious pool deck overlooking the Strip, suites with sunken living rooms, plenty of premium restaurants, and 50-plus international boutiques, it’s poised to be the premier new hotspot in Las Vegas.

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Posted in Bars & Nightlife, Casinos & Gambling, Culinary Travel, Entertainment, Las Vegas, Spas
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How can one possibly talk about football on a travel blog, you ask? Well, I’m not sure, but I’m going to try. Besides, reindeer running and paintball have already been done. To begin with, my experience with this year’s NFC Championship game was an international one. The New York Giants were playing the Green Bay Packers in frigid Wisconsin, and I convened with my brothers, Max and Will, at Will’s apartment. Also present were Will’s fiancée and her two friends, all three of whom are Canadian. While we Davidson boys sweated and swore and tried to sweet-talk the game in our favor, the ladies chatted and enjoyed some wine, and watched, more or less dumbfounded, at the depths of obsession that they were witnessing from three blue-bedecked, grown men on the couch. As my brother once said, “We’re not religious, but we watch the Giants every Sunday.”

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Posted in Entertainment, Family & Kids, Festivals & Events, Ski & Sport
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Welcome to The Window Seat Podcast!
In this episode of The Window Seat Podcast, we're going to Orlando, Florida.

We tell you where the "young at heart" can find romance, find out what goes on behind the scenes of theme park attractions, talk to a travel expert about family-friendly shows, and discover where speed junkies go to get their fix.

Listen to the whole show: [24:17]

Or listen a la carte:

Young At Heart [6:43]

Behind The Scenes [6:31]

Shows [6:24]

Speed Demon [6:58]

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Posted in Entertainment, Family & Kids, Florida, Theme Parks, Trip Tips
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Editor’s Note: It’s “holiday week” on The Window Seat, and our editors get into the spirit of the season with a series of articles exploring the many facets of this busy travel period.

To so many Americans, Thanksgiving means being together with friends and family which, in turn, means traveling to see those people. As one of the busiest times of the year for the travel industry—somewhere around 25 million people will fly next week—Thanksgiving can strain more than your belt. So what to do when trains, planes, and automobiles seem to be more trouble than they’re worth? Well, my answer is “stay home.” Of course, I have it easy: when I go home for the holidays, I walk there. You don’t need family in The City though to enjoy all that it has to offer.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo Member Jose Kevo

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Posted in Culinary Travel, Entertainment, New York City, Thanksgiving '07
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Editor’s Note: It’s “holiday week” on The Window Seat, and our editors get into the spirit of the season with a series of articles exploring the many facets of this busy travel period.

We all have favorite movies that we answer when people ask, and favorite movies that are for more private consumption. For me, that movie is Home Alone. And the dorkiest reason why I love New York is that, during the holidays, the city is very reminiscent of the sequel to that movie—which I also love.

So I was relieved to discover that other people appreciate how Home Alone 2: Lost in New York lends itself to tourism and that organized tours of Central Park actually market sites from the movie as part of their itineraries.

Whether your idea of a holiday classic is It’s a Wonderful Life or National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, here’s a rundown of ways you can celebrate the holiday season on celluloid—and get out of town:

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member RoBoNC

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Posted in Entertainment, Holiday & Seasonal, New York City, Thanksgiving '07
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As a seasoned San Franciscan, I can tell you a lot about the Golden Gate Bridge. I can also talk your ears off on the subjects of crooked Lombard Street, funky Haight-Ashbury, our fleet of highly polished retro-chic cable cars, or even eccentric local legends Emperor Norton and Frank Chu.

My grasp of San Francisco lore unravels, though, once the subject turns toward the city’s spookier aspects (excepting, of course, the infamous Zodiac Killer. He’s got his own blockbuster film, after all). Otherwise, I don’t know much about the haunted parts of the Bay Area. Ghosts, ghouls, and graveyards--this fascinating side of the city always seem to come alive as Halloween approaches at this dark time of year.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member kona.

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Posted in California, Educational & Historic, Entertainment, Family & Kids, Festivals & Events, Holiday & Seasonal, Louisiana, New Orleans, San Francisco
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Karaoke might be the perfect ice breaker for travelers. Whereas 100 years ago, travelers used to gather around the inn piano for a good old-fashioned singalong, we now can find an instant sense of camaraderie beneath disco lights and the LCD screen. Plus, even if you’re a total bomb at the mic, the beauty of karaoke on vacation is that you never have to see any of your audience again.

Today you can find karaoke almost everywhere (except for North Korea, where they banned it in July). Finland, of all places, holds the world record for the most people singing karaoke together at one time (imagine 80,000 people singing heavy-metal hit “Hard Rock Hallelujah” in an attempt to usher in the “arockalypse” to Helsinki).

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member angelsil.

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Posted in Bars & Nightlife, Cruise Travel, Entertainment
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Welcome to the Window Seat Podcast!
In this episode of the Window Seat Podcast, sponsored by Travelocity, host Amy Ziff takes off to Hawaii.

There are eight islands that make up the Aloha State: Hawaii (also known as "The Big Island"), Oahu, Kauai, Maui -- and the lesser-known islands of Molokai, Lanai, Niihau and Kahoolawe. In this episode we're focusing on the four most popular islands.

You'll learn about the early history of the Big Island, get swept away on a romantic trip to Kauai, hear from a travel expert about the best kid-friendly spots to check out wildlife on Maui, and get a native's tour of Oahu beaches.

Listen to the whole show: [29:54]

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Posted in Beaches, Entertainment, Hawaii, Podcasts
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Guess who’s having the best week ever? You are, if, like me, you’re a Harry Potter fan. The fifth Potter movie opens today, and my pre-ordered copy of the final book will arrive on July 21.

I don’t care as much for the witches and warlocks as I do the backdrops: the sky-high Gothic halls of Hogwarts School, the haunting (sometimes talking) landscapes, the oh-so-British town of Hogsmeade (specifically, the butterbeer served there). And like any determined traveler, I won’t let the fact that these places are fictional stop me from visiting them.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member Glamazon22.

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Posted in Celebrities, Entertainment, Family & Kids, Theme Parks
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Welcome to the Window Seat Podcast!
In this episode host Amy Ziff takes you to Las Vegas. You'll find out what makes Sin City one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world.

Listen to the whole show: [23:47]

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Posted in Entertainment, Hotel Travel, Las Vegas, Podcasts
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Think of the popular travel writers publishing today and the names Bill Bryson and Pico Iyer come to mind. Soon enough, their books will sit on the shelves next to a new sort of travel book, written by a person who is wildly popular, but who does not actually exist.

Over the weekend, CNN reported that Borat, the fictional Kazakh reporter who recently made such a big hit at the box office, now has set his literary sights on dishing out travel advice. The book deal has already been signed with Flying Dolphin Press. Coming to the shelves in November, the book will be entitled "Borat: Touristic Guidings to Minor Nation of U.S. and A." and "Borat: Touristic Guidings to Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan." That's two books in one. Nice!

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I’m back from Las Vegas and am proud to say that I only lost $5. My Vegas experiences have varied widely, from the time my friends won big at the craps table and sprung for a hot tub suite, to the time I went with my parents to see Siegfried and Roy, to the time I was attending all-day work meetings. Through all these visits, though, one thing remains constant: this is a city that always outdoes itself, over and over again.

*Photo courtesy of Byron Lobos.

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Posted in Casinos & Gambling, Entertainment, Hotel Travel, Las Vegas
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Last week, the Godfather of Soul shimmied on up to the big boogie-fest in the sky, and I paid my respects in the only way I could: By roller skating in Redwood City. For this brilliant idea, I can only thank a friend of mine who passed along the news of a roller rink jam tribute to James Brown, with the promise of music and costumes. Even though I hadn’t been on skates in years, how could I turn that kind of homage down?

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Posted in Bars & Nightlife, Celebrities, Entertainment, Festivals & Events
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My memories of cultural dance performances are not fond ones. Taking the stage to a thunderous "A-LOHHH-HA" and demonstrating the hula to hundreds of tourists at the Polynesian Cultural Center was not my idea of a good time when I was 10. Then there was that time at the Greek Easter festival when an elderly man pulled me into a humongous dance circle to solicit a good laugh at my expense. But I digress...

More recently, I met my mother for an indulgent week of eating and shopping in Buenos Aires. I was keen to distinguish us from the tourists who had no doubt shelled out lots of cash to see one of the famous tango shows (you know, the ones with live horses on stage?). Being cheap – I prefer "frugal" – I mused that only tourists go to those shows. Travelers like us sit in bars until 4 a.m., drinking Malbec and smoking cigarettes, even if we're ardently anti-smoking at home.

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Don't wear your lowriders on the FlowRider®! That's the best advice I can give you after checking out the surf pool on board Royal Caribbean International's newest cruise ship, Freedom of the Seas. This summer, I had the opportunity to scrape the surface of this floating skyscraper – its ice skating rink and boxing ring, the mini-golf and rock-climbing wall, its 22 bars and, yes, the fabled FlowRider, which became titillating in ways I don't think the designers intended.

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Posted in Cruise Travel, Entertainment
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As someone who makes a living inspiring travel, I can't help but feel a little sorry for Kazakhstan, given the flogging it's taken lately with the success of "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan." In the optimistic spirit of The Other Iraq (yes, really) and travel ads for Chernobyl, Kazakhstan has launched a slew of TV ads, promoting it as the "heart of Eurasia." I love a savvy marketing campaign as much as the next gal, but I'm guessing it's going to take a whole lot more to get people to spend their summer vacations in, say, Northern Iraq. All empathies aside, "Borat" might just be the funniest movie I have ever seen.

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Posted in Celebrities, Entertainment
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