June 7th, 2010
Over Memorial Day weekend, one of the world’s most anticipated literary festivals, Calabash Literary Festival, took place for the 10th year in a row at Jakes, the seaside retreat located in Treasure Beach on Jamaica’s south coast. The quiet fishing town plays host to the annual festival, which attracted over 2000 guests this year. On a stage decked in coconuts and conch shells, guests were entertained by global literary talents including Nigerian-native Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka and U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins. The three-day cultural festival features readings, discussions, reggae music, film screenings and yummy authentic Jamaican cuisine (Jerk chicken! Ackee! Salt fish!)
While out of sight and many miles away, the recent turmoil was not out of mind for the festival-goers as the theme of the necessity of arts in a time of crisis was a consistent thread throughout the weekend. The Wall Street Journal perfectly described the event as “all that’s right about Jamaica”.
The festival takes place annually in May. Check back for more information on the 2011 event!
June 2nd, 2010
Florence Nightingale just might be the most famous nurse of all time, but does anyone know how she earned herself the nickname of “The Lady with the Lamp”? Learn this, and more, at Claydon House in Buckinghamshire where for the first time a selection of Nightingale’s personal papers and memorabilia, including letters and journals, are on display. Members of the Royal Oak Foundation gain free entry to this exhibit, as well as countless other National Trust properties throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Nightingale is no stranger to the Claydon House, as it was formerly the home of Nightingale’s brother-in-law, Sir Harry Verney. Since May 8, aside from the various photographs and documents available for visitor’s perusal, the National Trust has recreated a sitting room in the house using photographs from Nightingale’s archives, allowing visitors to get a tangible feel for how this fearless female lived.
So why “The Lady with the Lamp?” Nightingale was given this name during the Crimean War because she often made rounds at night with a lamp in hand, tending wounded soldiers. Nightingale then later helped establish professional nursing as a career by starting the world’s first secular nursing school.
December 18th, 2009
2010 is drawing nigh, which means it’s time to start drafting your list of resolutions. What changes will you make for a fresh start? Exercise more? Eat healthier? Try not to elbow so much during that hectic morning commute on the subway?
A New Year presents a clean slate for penciling in vacations abroad, but often travelers forget that a trip is also an opportunity to appreciate a foreign culture and support the local businesses.
So lace up those sneakers, swap that hunk of fruitcake for a carrot, and read up on some sound travel resolutions from Ethical Traveler’s Jeff Greenwald. In “Thirteen Tips for the Accidental Ambassador,” Greenwald outlines the secrets to making a positive impact overseas.
One of our favorites? Learn – and respect – the traditions and taboos of your host country! Each culture has its own customs, and they’re often taken very seriously. For example, never pat a Thai child on the head, enter a traditional Brahmin’s kitchen, or refuse a cup of kava in Fiji!
For the full list of rules, click here.
December 10th, 2009
Relive the glory of a 1950s and 1960s American road trip with the latest exhibition “Icons of the Highway” from the National Trust. Starting January 9, 2010, the Fox Talbot Museum at Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire (also the location for the filming of Harry Potter, Pride and Prejudice, and The Other Boleyn Girl) will display images by Dorset-based photographers Tony and Eva Worobiec depicting an era of leisure time in post-war middle class America.
Members of the Royal Photographic Society and lovers of all things contemporary-artsy, the couple has bound these snapshots and others in the book, Icons of the Highway; A Celebration of Small-Town America.
Plan a trip across the pond for a window into classic Americana: motels touting electric neon signs for weary travelers, flamboyant over-sized automobiles, aluminum Air-Stream caravans, colorful burger shacks, bustling 24-hour diners, and rich red brocaded cinemas of old Hollywood glamour.
Members of the National Trust’s U.S. affiliate – The Royal Oak Foundation – enjoy free admission to the exhibit and the rest of the museum. Visitors can also branch out to explore the surrounding Lacock Abbey and village – or overnight in the newly-opened holiday cottage at the heart of the sleepy town.
Make sure to dig into your slice of American nostalgia before the exhibit ends on June 27, 2010.
October 6th, 2009
When a city-wide celebration and an amazing deal collide, it’s the recipe for a perfect getaway. From October 25, 2009 to February 28, 2010, the charming Inn on the Alameda becomes even more enticing. In honor of its 24th year, guests can get the third consecutive night of their stay for just $24! Located in the heart of downtown Santa Fe, but tucked away behind thick adobe walls, the Inn on the Alameda provides the calm we’re always craving, but is just steps from the action. And there’s action to be had this year, as the city is commemorating its 400 year legacy since being declared a Spanish villa in 1610.
The 400th Anniversary events calendar is full of theater productions, live music, history and children’s programs and an arts and lecture series. Be immersed in the rich heritage of Santa Fe’s Native American, Spanish, European and African-American cultures while staying at a cozy inn that prides itself on capturing this multi-faceted spirit.
July 13th, 2009
Think you have a dating problem?? Think again!! The Liwa Date Festival is one event where you are sure not to be singled out! Held annually just outside of the city of Abu Dhabi, the Liwa Date Festival pays homage to this deliciously sticky fruit and the date palm from which it hails. This year’s festival runs from July 17 to the 26, drawing thousands of farmers, brokers, and date fanatics alike to see the best of this year’s crop in the largest date festival in the United Arab Emirates. As part of the festivities, 140 couples are expected to be married in a group wedding on Friday, July 24, in the Liwa wedding hall.
If you can’t make it to Abu Dhabi in time to get hitched at this year’s date festival, be sure to check it out next July! Etihad Airways offers non-stop service from three North American hubs (New York, Chicago, and Toronto), so getting there will be a breeze. And, be sure to shack up in the most impressive resort on the block….the soon-to-be-opened Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara, just a 90-minute drive from the city of Abu Dhabi. Featuring the ultimate in luxurious desert living accommodations, you’ll definitely want to check it out. No dates required.
May 27th, 2009
From Tanglewood in the Berkshires to the Grand Teton Music Festival in Wyoming, Americans seem to be wild about classical music festivals. Soaring sonatas just seem to jive with summertime and fireflies and big open spaces.
Switzerland has its own summertime festival, highly acclaimed within Europe. Indeed, many aficionados see it as the classical music counterpart to Salzburg’s operatic tradition. This year, the Lucerne Festival in Summer will last from August 12 to September 19, 2009. The theme is Nature, and it will open with the “cry of nature” of Gustav Mahler’s First Symphony. The performances are held in what’s known as the KKL, or Culture and Congress Center. This strikingly modern building, designed by Pritzker Prize-winner Jean Nouvel, houses some serious acoustics.
The Palace Luzern is where all the maestros (and divas) stay during their festival run. This grande dame hotel sits on the bank of Lake Lucerne, across from the concert hall, and guests who book the special festival package are whisked over to and from the concert hall by boat. This passage is a good time to meditate on the green Alps and blue lake. Perhaps think about jumping in for a morning swim, or maybe taking a sail tomorrow.
How summery.
May 21st, 2009
Memorial Day Weekend not only inaugurates the season of white clothing but also the stream of summer blockbusters. This year pits the latest installments in the Terminator and Night at the Museum franchises against each other. Yet, the movie we’re most excited to see is Easy Virtue, a Brit rom-com starring Colin Firth, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Jessica Biel. The real star, though, is sure to be Wimpole Hall, a National Trust estate in Cambridgeshire, where the film’s big hunting scene was shot. This summer and fall, take a trip full of cinematic intrigue and visit one of many National Trust properties that have played roles in the iconic films of our time.
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May 11th, 2009
Ever wondered where the Beatles gathered to rehearse and write their songs or even what John Lennon’s childhood bedroom looks like? Travelers “across the pond” can enter these spaces and tour many others that were once occupied by the likes of Winston Churchill, Sir Isaac Newton, and, yes, even an American – George Washington! These places are protected and preserved by the National Trust of Great Britain.
Americans visiting should be sure to join The Royal Oak Foundation – the U.S. membership affiliate of the National Trust, which protects and conserves some of the country’s top gardens. Royal Oak membership, just $55, grants free access to such homes with famous past residents as well as all other Trust properties – over 300 historic houses and gardens, 700 miles of coastline, and 620,000 acres of open countryside.
“We’re with the band”
Mendips – Woolton, Liverpool and 20 Forthlin Road, Allerton – Allerton, Liverpool
Who would have thought it was in a little terrace house in Liverpool that one of the greatest musical groups in history met? Sure enough on Forthlin Road at Paul McCartney‘s childhood home, the Beatles congregated to rehearse and compose many of their songs. Not too far away is Mendips, John Lennon‘s home. Both are filled with photos and memorabilia, making this just as much of a “must see” as Abbey Road.
What goes up, must come down …
Woolsthorpe Manor – Grantham, Lincolnshire
Watch out for that falling apple! Sir Isaac Newton, one of the most famous scientists in history, must have learned this lesson the hard way, here, at his family home, where he developed his remarkable work about life and gravity. Visitors can actually visit the famous apple tree and discover the scientist’s ideas in the hands-on Science Discovery Centre on site.
“Prime” Real Estate
Chartwell – Westerham, Kent
This was family home of former Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, who lived here from 1924 until his death. The rooms and gardens remain as they were when he was in residence, with pictures, books, maps, and personal mementoes from his career and wide-ranging interests. Also on view in his garden studio are many of his own paintings.
“Father of His Country’s” Motherland
Washington Old Hall – Washington, Tyne & Wear
It’s all in the name. OK, so George Washington never actually slept here, but his ancestors did! This 17th-century stone manor house includes portions of the original medieval home of Washington’s ancestors, and it is from this house that the family took its surname. Inside is an exhibit on the first U.S. President. Guests may wander through the garden on the property; see if you can find any cherry trees!
Healthy Travel
Claydon House – Buckingham, Buckinghamshire
Florence Nightingale was a regular guest at the home of the Verney family (Nightingale was Sir Harry Verney’s sister-in-law). Today Claydon House is home to many of her personal belongings, and new this year is an exhibit entitled “In Sickness and in Health,” which chronicles health care during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries through the family’s archives and relies heavily upon Nightingale’s writings.
