When you decide to trek through Iceland, one of the world’s most extreme climates, I highly recommend outfitting yourself like an Icelander. In that regard, when I climbed Hvannadalshnúkur, Iceland’s highest peak, in May I made sure to bundle up in a 66°NORTH jacket. This bright red Vatnajökull Softshell uses a new fabric called Polartec Power Shield Pro.
The Atacama Desert is the driest place on earth; I have the hiking boots filled with red dust to prove it. Nevertheless, it’s also one of the most alluring places around. (Think flamingo-filled salt flats, multicolored lagoons and hot springs galore.) Fly in to Santiago. Catch a quick flight to Calama and drive an hour to San Pedro to start your all-inclusive journey at Tierra Atacama, a family-owned, 32-room boutique hotel.
It’s 7 o’clock in Mantaville. Population uncertain. We’re motoring along in a skiff, a small, inflatable craft with an outboard motor. It quickly transports us from the Safari Explorer, a luxury mega-yacht that is our home base for the week, to an area off the coast of Kona, Hawaii. On board, seven manta ray watchers from Denmark, Australia, and the U.S., snugly outfitted in wetsuits and snorkel gear, anxiously await what comes next.
If there’s one thing Jim Ward loves more than photographing Hawaiian spinner dolphins, free-falling into waterfalls and carving up waves in White Plains, it’s his girlfriend, Alicia Franco. If it wasn’t for this spunky bikini model, he wouldn’t be living in Oahu at all. Quick recap: Alicia was thumbing through the June 2010 of ISLANDS when she landed on page 22. There was her dream man (aka Jim). Toothy smile. Golden tan. Washboard abs.
My train-riding experience — except for a few jaunts around Europe — has mainly consisted of trips around Florida via Amtrak. Those trips, as many train trips are, were for one purpose: to get from point A to point B; they definitely had nothing to do with sightseeing. With that said, there was a lot left to be desired. When I heard about a luxury train in Canada, The Rocky Mountaineer, I knew it was gonna be good. Here are the highlights:
What’s better than gliding through the barrel of a 6-foot wave? Gliding through it with a GoPro HD Surf Hero cam strapped to your board. That way, you walk away not only with bragging rights, but with the footage to prove it. That’s why when my friend told me about this itty, bitty camera, I knew I had to have one. Not only because he was so thrilled about this particular camera, but also because it’s the camera that Discovery Channel uses it, too.
I’d come to a small town in Iceland to test my prowess, to do something I wasn’t sure I could handle. No, it wasn’t eating fermented shark that had me panicky, although that was pretty formidable. And it wasn’t boating with Iceland’s Search and Rescue Team that I was worried about. No and no. That was all cake compared to summiting the tallest peak in Iceland. Needless to say, I had my quibbles.
It was an overcast afternoon at Discovery Cove’s SeaVenture attraction as I shimmied my way down a ladder into 70-degree water. As I did so, a 70-pound helmet, which was connected to the air supply, was lowered onto my shoulders. Picture what a snork looks like — you know, those cartoon characters with snorkels attached to their heads — and you’re not far off. Soon enough I was 15 feet underwater trotting along the sea floor with ease.
Hula dancing, it goes without saying, is embarrassing for newbies like me. My hips swaying to and fro, my belly shaking like nobody’s business and my lanky arms flailing in unfamiliar directions. It’s not a pretty sight. Good thing there’s no audience at Studio K, an entertainment facility featuring the largest offering of dance classes for adults in Central Florida.
If you could pick up and move any place on the planet, would Colombia top your list? It did for David Lee, editor in chief of medellinliving.com and gobackpacking.com. I recently checked in with him to find out why Medellín, the City of Eternal Spring and once one of the most dangerous places in Latin America, is pulling on his heart strings. And I couldn’t agree more. My recent trip there had me feeling the same way.
It’s a drizzly September morning in Quebec as I hop into my temporary new ride — a shiny, silver Range Rover Sport. I take the wheel and drive around a bit with a big goofy grin on my face. Already, I can tell, it’s everything I imagined it would be. But, I don’t even know the half of it yet. Just as I’m getting used to the ultra-luxe SUV and the two-footed driving that’s required, my instructor points to a steep incline.
I can only imagine the want ads for Mystère performers. We’re looking for a person with 3 percent body fat who can do a one-armed handstand atop of said coworkers head who, by the way, is walking a tightrope. Seriously, how does Cirque find these people who make near impossible feats look effortless and oh-so-graceful?
Caesars Palace was once a boxing hot spot. The “Home of Champions” hosted more than 160 boxing contests over a two-decade span featuring famed fighters like Muhammad Ali. These days the competitive prizefighting has faded away (unless you count a summer taping of Shaq vs. Shane Mosley). But its celebrity sightings have not. Today, Caesars…
While traipsing around the South Rim of the Grand Canyon last month, I brought back a few nuggets of wisdom that might be helpful next time you plan a trip. (Note: Consider going on Nov. 11 when the U.S. National Park system offers a fee-free entrance day.) Rule # 1 — Never put down your camera. As soon as you do, there’s an unexpected and amazing shot like a giant raven trotting along the rim or an 800-pound elk nibbling on the gorgeous grass outside of your hotel room. Therefore, keep your lens cap off and be ready to shoot at all times.
At first glance I think Parc des Chutes Coulonge in the Outaouais region of Quebec might be just another zip line park. But within the space of 30 minutes, well, it is apparent — clearly I am wrong. Let me explain. The day begins with a series of zips that are enjoyable, but not off the charts in the thrills department. Yes, I am swinging from the treetops, and yes, I am having a spectacular time, no doubt.
During my lifelong stint of adventuring, I’ve rafted my way through giant waterfalls in Costa Rica, paddled through a torrential downpour in North Carolina and taken family-friendly rides in Tennessee. All good fun. However, I’ve never, ever thought to hop aboard a zodiac at 10 p.m. and raft until nearly 1 a.m. — by the light of the full moon. On the Ottawa River. In 50-degree weather. Now, that’s something new.
Dear Utah: You had me at first glance. As soon as I peered out the airplane window at 30,000 feet, your snow-capped mountains welcomed me, as if saying where have you been and why have you been skiing the East Coast your whole life? (Okay, truth be told, that’s really what a local said to me the next day, but isn’t it more romantic for the mountain to narrate? Anyway, Mr. Ski Man jokingly said it’s as if I’ve never really been skiing.
It’s time to gear up for ski season. And what better place than Park City? For newbies, Brighton Resort and Park City Mountain Resort are great slopes to play on. For advanced skiers, check out the Ski Utah Interconnect Tour. Warning: don’t boast about your skills. Seriously, not a good idea. This tour is for ski pros only (meaning you must be able to handle off-piste turns, moguls, etc.).
I was strolling down the streets of Chicago on a sunny morning about six years ago when the fresh smell of melted mozzarella and marinara sauce grabbed me by the nostrils and ushered me inside a small shop. Much to my surprise, it was a DiGorno Pizza store that had set up temporarily on the Magnificent Mile. And, they were offering up the doughy freebies. What a great idea, I thought, a “pop-up” form of marketing.
To liven up the table talk at your next meal, I suggest adding a contortionist, an aerialist and perhaps a fire eater. That’s what you get at Circus, a trendy cabaret restaurant I visited in Covent Garden this summer. By 8 p.m., the swanky hotspot was swarming with hipsters (but no sight of celebs like Leona Lewis, Jude Law and Sienna Miller, who visited earlier this year).
The goofy grin on my face said it all; I had just feasted on chocolate for breakfast. And I’m not talking Cookie Crisps cereal or a syrup-drizzled croissant. I’m talking almond-sized chunks of pure chocolate washed down with a creamy cup of, you guessed it, hot chocolate. It’s only happened once, you see, rarely do go cuckoo for cocoa at any time of day. I’m not one for scarfing down a Hershey’s bar for a 3 p.m. pick-me-up; I’d opt instead for an organic apple or soy crisps.
SoBe Surf is a secret Cocoa Beach hideaway that you’d never find if you weren’t looking for it. I, indeed, was looking for it. Ready for my 8 a.m. stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) lesson, I strolled around to the back of the charming resort and found curly-haired instructor Girard and his sidekick Iain — both award-winning paddleboarders — and Kona, the lovable half-dalmation, half-terrier.
It was as if I had turned off Central Florida Parkway and wandered onto a lush Caribbean island complete with hammocks and the soft rhythm of steel drum music. Nothing here really looked much like Orlando, not only because of the exotic vibe, but because the theme park element, surprisingly, just wasn’t there. Instead, I was shepherded through the nature trail by the sweet smell of jasmine and ginger plants.
My friend Kristin told me a few months ago that she has a friend who does aerial workouts. Say what? What’s an aerial class? You know, like Cirque du Soliel style. Like hanging from the ceiling? Yep. Sweet. Count me in. I want a piece of that action. So I lcalled up Jennifer Drabik Pierce, the owner of Orlando Aerial Arts, and drove out to Kissimmee.
My brother, Dan, goes fishing nearly every weekend. It never seems to get old. Guy Harvey t-shirts are a staple item in his wardrobe. Blue marlins adorn his flip-flops. His Blackberry is full of, you guessed it, digital proof that he’s a master fisherman. It never made much sense to me, until today, when I experienced fly-fishing for the first time. Truth be told, I wasn’t all that sure I’d like it, but I am always game for trying something new.
“We take time at the beginning of class to fill our glasses with wine,” said Marci Arthur, owner of Truffles & Trifles, where I’d chosen to spend the evening bumping up my cooking cred. “I am, of course, the queen, Marci Arthur,” she announced next, as her lips curled into a smile. It didn’t take me long to agree with that statement wholeheartedly. When it comes to cooking, she is hands-down a regal being.
By the time I was 8, the trampoline had become my world. I’d race home after school, just to spend a few hours flipping around. Front flips, backflips, handsprings. You name it, I was all about that giant, bouncing contraption. With that said, it’s easy to see why my eyes lit up as I walked into the Orlando Circus School. To my right, a unicycle sat propped against a bright green wall.
A photo class with Curt and Stephanie is a great way to gain a mother lode of hands-on photography experience and get up-close and personal with the downtown area at the same time. From the first moment you walk into the Nu Visions gallery (at CityArts Factory), these two go-getters are welcoming and gracious. No pretension here. And judging by the photos mounted on the walls, it’s easy to see you are studying under the best in the industry.
As a soccer player, I’m pretty familiar with kicking people in the shins and, likewise, enduring a few wallops myself. However, I’ve never considered getting this barbaric off the field. On the other hand, in the rolling hills of the Cotswolds, about a 1 1/2-hour drive from London, it’s a national pastime. Seriously, at the Cotswolds Olimpicks, shin-kicking is highly acceptable
Two things I love about Park City: Olympic gold medalist Ted Ligety lives there, and the Roaming Gnome occasionally makes a cameo, too. (Apparently, he loves skiing as much as the next lawn ornament.) Turns out, the 2-foot-tall celebrity had just passed through Park City a few weeks before my ski trip in mid-February.
