10 best cities for a winter vacation

Salzburg, Austria

With its backdrop of Christmas carols and traditional markets, this is a perfect city for a winter break.

"Silent Night" was performed for the first time in the Oberndorf on the outskirts of Salzburg on Christmas Eve in 1818.

The city's main market is held in the shadow of Salzburg's Hohensalzburg fortress, but the one held in Mirabell Square is especially popular with foodies who come to sample local delicacies such as halusky -- pieces of dumpling mixed with fried bacon.

Where to eat: Goldener Hirsch on Getreidegasse. This beautiful restaurant is located within the old stables of an historic townhouse. The food is traditional Austrian with a modern twist.

Goldener Hirsch, Getreidegasse 37, Salzburg; +43 662 80840; everyday noon-2 p.m. and 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Where to sleep: The Statkrug. A beautiful four-star Austrian hotel with one of the city's best roof terraces.

The Statkrug, Linzergasse 20, Salzburg; +43 662 8735 45-0

What to do: For a different perspective on Christmas, there's the Christmas manger exhibition at the Panorama Museum on Residenzplatz between November 29 and January 12.

Panorama Museum, Residenzplatz 9, Salzburg; +43 662 620808-730; everyday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

source:http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/25/travel/winter-cities/index.html?hpt=travel_hp_blogroll

10 of the best cocktail bars in Berlin

Berlin's best cocktail spots offer a blend of classic drinks and innovative tipples, says Slow Travel Berlin founder Paul Sullivan

Shochu Bar

For something a little different, try the Shochu bar, an addendum to the well-received Uma Japanese restaurant in the centre of town. As the name suggests, Shochu serves special cocktails made from the potent Japanese liquor of the same name, which is made from distilled rice or potato. They're lovely, fragrant things served with exotic elements such as saffron, bergamot, yuzu, cardamom, Nashi pear, sesame, green tea or jasmine blossoms – as well as classic, cognac-based drinks and gin martinis. Being located close to Unter den Linden, the clientele tend to be dressy and well-manicured, though DJs at weekends play chill out and more.

• Behrenstrasse 72, Mitte, +49 30 3011 17 328, ma-restaurants.de. Open Mon-Sat 6pm-2am

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Paprika: A primer on Hungary's spicy obsession

(CNN) -- It's as red as blood and, for the traditional Hungarian chef, no less essential for a healthy life.

But humble paprika -- national spice and integral to all the most treasured Hungarian dishes -- has been having a rough time.

Hungarian paprika production has slumped as buyers across the world have turned to cheaper supplies from Spain, China and Latin America.

And two years of unpredictable weather in Hungary may mean this year's crop of capsicum annuum peppers -- the raw ingredient of paprika -- is the poorest in 50 years.

Horror of horrors, Hungary may even resort to importing the crop.

But despite these trials, and past upsets such as the communists nationalizing paprika production, the spice remains as crucial as ever to the Hungarian soul.

To understand Hungarians, you need to know a little bit about their favorite ingredient.

And if all else fails, this paprika primer will make for good talking points if you're stuck in a Budapest goulash restaurant on a rainy afternoon.

source:http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/29/travel/paprika-hungary/index.html?hpt=travel_hp_blogroll

In the Air | The Gold Standard

BY SYLVIA RUPANI-SMITH

On the runway and off, gold is more glamorous than ever.

source:http://www.nytimes.com/video/t-magazine/100000002531210/in-the-air-the-gold-standard.html?playlistId=1194812905212

The Beatles, Bob and Mick: 50 years since pop culture's youth revolution

Editor's note: Author Robin Morgan is former editor in chief of the UK's Sunday Times Magazine. Ahead of his forthcoming book and exhibition, "1963: The Year of the Revolution," Morgan sets out the case that 50 years on, modern art, fashion and music still owe more to those 12 months than any other period in history.

(CNN) -- Fifty years ago this month, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy numbed the world.

But as the front pages of history were being printed, there was one scoop slipping by virtually unnoticed: the western hemisphere was witnessing a youthquake.

Only weeks earlier, "Beatlemania" was born, when thousands of screaming girls at London Heathrow greeted a young boy-band home from a short tour of Sweden. Passing through the airport was stalwart American TV host Ed Sullivan who, on seeing the hysterical adulation offered up to four mop-topped boys, decided to have them on his show.

Whether anyone was aware of it at the time, the youth revolution was underway. It had been gathering momentum all through 1963 -- pied pipers with guitars inspired young people to seize the day, to reject the lives led by their parents, and create their own music, fashion and culture.

source:http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/26/world/the-beatles-bob-and-mick/

10 of the best rooftop bars in London

Top drinking spots with bird's eye views of one of the world's greatest cities

London does pubs and pints famously well but you can increasingly add rooftop bars to the superlatives list, too.

True, summer lasts only about two weeks here but that hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm for an alfresco cocktail or two -- most of these spots are open year-round with outdoor heaters and cozy blankets if you want to leave the sheltered inside space.

These 10 panoramic places will be among the best perches in town for New Year revels.

source:http://travel.cnn.com/10-best-rooftop-bars-london-563856

Wanderlust Wednesday – Europe’s 10 Coziest Mountain Villages

With some of us preparing for winter, we are pulling our heavy winter coats out of summer hibernation and are mentally preparing for less light and the onset of snow. But these glorious photos are a pleasant reminder of the coziness this holiday season brings with it. Oh baby it’s cold outside, so come inside and listen to the fireplace roar. Stay warm, cozy, and safe.

source:http://minusthebox.org/2013/11/20/wanderlust-wednesday-europes-10-coziest-mountain-villages/

Poland has become the land of the giants.

In cities across the country artists have transformed the sides of houses and apartment blocks with enormous murals, some pieces stretching upwards of ten stories.

The artists behind most of the colossal pieces are Przemyslaw Blejzyk and Mateusz Gapski, also known as Sainer and Bezt, and collectively as "Etam".

The two twenty-somethings met at art college in the central Polish city of Lodz having been into graffiti in their teens. They now work together on many of the projects.

The duo has also worked with Natalia Rak, another young Polish artist who has produced her own larger-than-life pieces in Poland and the United States.

Most of the recent projects by Rak and Etam have been commissioned by local city festivals, which have given the artists permission to paint without worry about being caught or prosecuted.

From a tumbling jockey to a fantasy tree house, the artists employ a mix of modern styles and motifs from traditional Polish folklore.

Each piece takes around a week to produce, says Blejzyk, and the reaction from the public is usually positive.

"For us most the important thing is to create an illustration where people could stop in front of it and turn on their imagination for a couple of minutes," he says.

source:http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/11/travel/bigger-than-banksy-polish-street-art-goes-large/index.html

Eight must-see Budapest buildings

- Just about every capital city in Eastern Europe seems to have been called "the Paris of the East" at some point.

Unlike most other cities in the region, however, Budapest doesn't need the comparison.

The grand old dame on the Danube is one of Europe's finest capitals by any measure.

The eight landmark buildings below give you a feel for both Pest and Buda -- originally separate cities, divided by the river, but united about 150 years ago to form the modern metropolis.

 Click on the map to expand it.Click on the map to expand it.

Visit these sights in the order presented here and they form a walking tour of sorts (see map to the left), albeit with the option of jumping on public transport or taking the odd taxi.

Taxis are easy to spot in their bright new yellow livery. Take the subway and you'll be traveling on the world's second oldest underground railway and, on Line 1, a World Heritage Site.

source:http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/26/travel/budapest-must-see-buildings/index.html?hpt=hp_bn5

WELCOME TO THE CLEAR FAMILY where life begins to chill. Come on in, choose your favorite table/sofa and hang out as long as you like. Clear Cafe’s philosophy is “eat the food you wish to be”. In the spirit of this idea we have created a must see sanctuary where everyone can enjoy organic, delicious, pure and natural food while experiencing the magical and nurturing ways of Clear’s pure Balinese team.

source: http://www.clear-cafe-ubud.com/

Power Meals Every Man Should Be Able To Make

10 Power Meals Every Man Should Be Able To Make

Shannon Clark If you want to maintain an active lifestyle and perform your best, it’s vital that you feed your body the quality nutrients it requires. Preparing your own classic standby meals is a great way to not only increase your enjoyment from eating but also treat your body right.

In a world where far too many men are dining out or relying on convenience or fast food for sustenance, it’s time to revamp your cooking skills and create your own dishes.

source: http://uk.askmen.com/top_10/fitness/top-10-power-meals-every-man-should-be-able-to-make.html

1. Massaman curry, Thailand

Emphatically the king of curries, and perhaps the king of all foods. Spicy, coconutty, sweet and savory, its combination of flavors has more personality than a Thai election.

Even the packet sauce you buy from the supermarket can make the most delinquent of cooks look like a Michelin potential. Thankfully, someone invented rice, with which diners can mop up the last drizzles of curry sauce.

“The Land of Smiles” isn’t just a marketing catch-line. It’s a result of being born in a land where the world’s most delicious food is sold on nearly every street corner.

source: http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/eat/worlds-50-most-delicious-foods-067535

Mercat de San Josep de la Boqueira, Barcelona

El Mercat de la Boqueria Barcelona

Mercat de Sant Josep Boqueria embodies the hearty way of life in Barcelona.

Barcelona’s great food market is so beautiful that, although it exists to provide fresh produce to locals, it's become an icon of the tourist trail.

In the heart of Las Ramblas, the Mercat de San Josep de la Boqueira is recognized as one of the finest markets in the world, as well as one of the oldest -- there has been a market on this site since the 15th century.

Fresh fruits, fish and shellfish, hams and chorizos, freshly baked bread and pastries -- everything is here.

Traders call you to taste their goods -- around the market's circumference are stalls where you can enjoy breakfast, coffees or tapas throughout the day.

Full of locals buying and gossiping, and visitors viewing and tasting, the market is the soul of the city.

How to get there: From the city center and the Plaza de Catalunya walk straight down La Rambla, the city’s most famous thoroughfare. La Boqueira is half way down on your right. Walk slowly and it should take 8-10 minutes.

source:http://travel.cnn.com/europes-amazing-city-markets-354731

Budapest's best ‘ruin bars’

How derelict industrial spaces became hip Hungarian watering holes

By Mary Novakovich, for CNN 24 October, 2013

Kuplung -- the bar where a car repair shop used to be ("kuplung" means clutch).

It's funny they call them ruin bars because for their founders it’s generally led to good fortune.

It started around 2001, so the story goes, with a bunch of young men looking for cheap places to drink.

From their thirst and shallow pockets have grown some of the most lively and stylish places to drink in Budapest -- so-called ruin bars.

Derelict buildings and unused outdoor spaces have been transformed into friendly, pleasingly chaotic bars where you can still get a large beer for less than $2.

source: http://travel.cnn.com/budapests-best-ruin-bars-051056

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWF-grbzgjw

http://www.brodyhouse.com/rooms/eattauffer

Restaurant Michael Schwartz checks in at the Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach

Restaurant Michael Schwartz at the Raleigh Hotel accomplishes the rare hotel-restaurant feat of appealing to locals as well as tourists.

Its tree-shaded poolside dining area — quintessential Miami Beach — will wow visitors. So will some of the new dishes from James Beard Award-winning chef Schwartz.

Elegant steak tartare topped with crunchy fried shallots and a creamy quail-egg yolk, ginger-spiced triangles of shrimp toast and shishito peppers sauteed with citrus and soy are small-plate successes.

READ MORE: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/11/20/3764953/restaurant-michael-schwartz-checks.html  

C2C - Down The Road (official video starring Richie Jackson)

Over the past decade, about sixty thousand independent tortilla shops in Mexico have shut their doors, while supermarkets have continued to open up. Macario del Angel doesn't know how much longer his tortilla stand can stay afloat after losing half of his business.

Producers: Tania Miranda

Location: Mexico City, Mexico

source

The Aymara indians used to despise the wild vicuña. But with prices of vicuna fur skyrocketing, their attitudes have changed. Now the entire village goes on a wild vicuña hunt to capture and shave as many as possible. They then sell the fur to manufacturers, who use it for designer scarves and sweaters. The practice may have saved the llama-like animal from extinction.

Producers: Noah Friedman-Rudovsky

Location: San Andres de Machaca, Bolivia

Source

Images of the latest gleaming aircraft models regularly pepper websites (including this one), but where do all of those dead airplanes go?

The numbers are huge: approximately 12,000 aircraft are set to be decommissioned by 2020.

In addition, 2,000-3,000 planes are estimated to have been abandoned around the world (primarily in developing countries) according to the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association (AFRA).

As their aircraft near the end of their service lives, aircraft owners must find ways for dealing with retirees.

For aircraft at that awkward stage when they're no longer safe to fly but still too sturdy to demolish, there are storage facilities like that at Marana Aerospace Solutions in Arizona or the Mohave Air and Space Port in California.

The problem is, they're only temporary.

source

Moon to Moon

 

if you have a small kitchen and a tight budget, like me, it can be a bit of a struggle to find the space to keep your pots and pans, and plates.... especially if like me you would rather spend money on yummy food than the tiles you dream of  :)

I love the idea of shelves in the kitchen rather than cupboards.. I also love those rails with hooks... perfect way to utilize a small space and show off your best enamelware and dried herbs...

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Master of the house: Google's 'home of the future' is an on-message eye-opener

Cooking using your voice, watching films with a dongle and improving snaps with an app...Simon Usborne visits the house in London that the company has chosen as a showcase for the way it wants to run your life.

SIMON USBORNE  Author Biography   Thursday 07 November 2013  

Stepping into the domain of those select companies which present an ethos that requires relentless smiling (see also: Disney) can feel less like drinking the Kool-Aid than receiving a Kool-Aid enema in a Kool-Aid carwash; you leave feeling cleansed but shaken and a tiny bit violated.

Which brings us to Fitzroy Square in London on Wednesday afternoon. A Georgian townhouse there was once a hangout for the Bloomsbury Set in which to show off the art and design of the time. Picasso popped in for tea. It's now a posh house for hire and, for two days only this week, a four-storey showcase for the way Google wants to run your life.

When the black door with its Google "G" knocker opens under a fanlight stained in Google colours, Googlers pounce with rictus grins. They and we know what a Google office looks like – the slides, scooters and breakout spaces have slipped into cliche – but what about a Google house?

In the Google kitchen, Ben and Jamie cook Google sweet potato bhajis. They are part of a collective of cooks who run a Google-owned YouTube channel called Sorted Food that has half a million subscribers.

"Convert 250 grams into ounces," Jamie tells his tablet. "250 grams is 8.82 ounces," a robotic woman replies (a big screen linked to his device shows 8.818 ounces, which is very precise in bhaji terms).

Voice searches like this one are not new but Google wants to show it's winning a vocal arms race with smarter search technology released this week on its updated search app for iOS 7. It wants to outwit Siri –Apple's tablet and iPhone devices – on her own turf.

"Remind me to buy some turmeric next time I'm at Tesco." Ben's tablet registers his spice shortage, as well as the location of his nearest Tesco. The next time he's there, his tablet will know it, ping and tell him to buy turmeric.

Chromecast dongle, a nameless Googler hosts a Google/Siri search-off. "How old is the Queen?" Both get it right (87). "Who is she married to?" The Duke of Edinburgh, Google says confidently.

A silent Siri shows a random selection of similar results. "How many children does she have?" Google displays pictures of them all and says they "include Charles and Anne". Siri offers the Wikipedia entry for "child." Hopeless.

Elsewhere, two Googlers stage a real-time, slightly cringey German-English roleplay using Google Translate. One takes a photo of a restaurant menu and translates a dish by stroking it with her finger.

In the sitting room a vast TV streams The Great Gatsby via a Google Chromecast dongle (Google) In the sitting room a vast TV streams The Great Gatsby via a Google Chromecast dongle (Google)

They demonstrate Auto Awesome, a new photo app that automatically excludes duplicates and duds from a gallery of holiday pics, and takes the smiles from a series of photos of the same people and pools them into one, perfect shot. 

After an hour of Google immersion, before Team Google packs up and heads to Paris and then Hamburg, the rain-splattered pavement outside represents a welcome return to the present. But in a final test, can Google show me the way from Google House to my house? "What's the best way to get home?"

At last, Google is stumped. The first result it offers is a Yahoo Answer to the question: "What's the best way to get rid of mice in your home?" I turn back to ask a Googler for directions to the nearest station, and put my phone in my pocket.

source  

A Transparent Addition to a London Townhouse

Article DetailsDiane Chan

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Article Details29 days agoTags: Residential

With a nip and a tuck, Moxon Architects give an historic home a facelift, providing the homeowners more light-filled living space.

In the affluent area of Chelsea, a London neighbouhood that has in the past counted J.R.R. Tolkien and The Rolling Stones among its illustrious residents, local firm Moxon Architects recently completed a renovation and addition to a mid-century three-storey town home. The property is protected by the government (it’s registered on the Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest) because of its particularly beautiful terrace (a rarity in central London), and for other original details such as stucco cornices, openwork balustrades and cast-iron spearheaded railings and window guards.

According to the firm’s press release, the goal was to “treat the existing structure as a geometric guide for the setting out of new material and spatial interventions.” By removing internal partitions, the London firm reconfigured the layout, replacing multiple small rooms with larger open-plan living spaces. The addition of a new top floor, plus a rear extension on the lower ground floor that opens onto a rear courtyard, increased the total volume of the house by over 25 per cent to 30 square metres.

The one-and-a-half-storey extension occupies the same footprint of the previous add-on and is clad with clear, white Pilkington Low Iron glass, which allows natural light to flood the lower ground floor. The renovation also includes a lime-finished, English oak staircase that serves multiple purposes. Overlooking the new double-height annex, the stair also functions as a library and is equipped with a retractable writing desk and secret storage compartments. The combination of light wood and clear glass gives new life to this British mid-century dwelling.

source

Hunger Hurts (A Girl Called Jack)

Today has seen fourteen job applications go in, painstakingly typed on this Jurassic mobile phone, for care work, shop work, factory work, minimum wage work, any kind of work, because quite simply, this doesn’t work.

For reasons unbeknownst to me, this month my Housing Benefit was over £100 short. I didn’t get a letter that I know of, but I can assume that it’s still the fallout from the cockups made by the various benefit agencies when I briefly went back to work from March to May. Whatever the reason, it’s easy to work out that £670 of rent can’t be paid of £438 of Housing Benefit. So I’m a week in arrears, almost two, as by the time Thursday comes and the next £167.31 is due, there’ll still be nothing coming in. The Income Support went on keeping me afloat, briefly, as did the Child Tax Credit. Now I’m not only in arrears, but last night when I opened my fridge to find some leftover tomato pasta, an onion, and a knob of stem ginger, I gave the pasta to my boy and went to bed hungry with a pot of home made ginger tea to ease the stomach pains.

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Learn to Cook Hungarian

Chefparade Cooking School

A fun way to truly experience Hungary is by taking a cooking class. Hungarian cuisine is rich and famous and you can learn about the main ingredients and master the basics of Hungarian cooking to impress your family and friends back home.

Chefparade Cooking School offers hands-on courses in a modern, cosmopolitan cooking studio set up for up to twelve people. Courses start with a visit to Budapest’s Central Market Hall (optional), guided by the chef. After purchasing the ingredients and learning about the main components, the cooking adventure begins. Classes, start in the morning and run for about four hours. Each class consist of cooking (and eating) a simple three-course meal. It’s a fun way to meet new people and learn about Hungarian culture and traditions. No cooking skills are required. We know it's an awesome class because we tried it ourselves. Chefparade is also a top ranked Budapest activity on Tripadvisor. Oh, and by the way, classes are in English.

Cooking classes

Cooking classes are offered every day when there are enough participants. It's a popular activity so your requested date +/-1 day should be available.

Meet: 9 am - at Fővám tér followed by a shopping tour of Central Market Hall (optional)

Cook: 10 am - cooking classes start with a short overview of the dishes and recipes

Eat: 1 pm - eat what you cooked, hopefully you listened to the instructions carefully

Chefparade's recommendation for a three-course Hungarian menu:

Soup: Sour cherry soup OR Potato soup with sausage

Main: Chicken paprikash OR Mushroom paprikash with 'nokedli'

Dessert: Sponge cake Somló style (with chocolate and vanilla) OR Hungarian crepes OR Sweet cottage cheese dumplings - See additional menu options

Chefparade cooking classes are available in two flavors

Standard package: EUR 129 / 2 persons, EUR 69 / 1 person

(EUR 177 / 3 persons, EUR 236 / 4 persons, EUR 245 / 5 persons and EUR 49 / 1 person for groups of 6-10 people)

The ingredients: cooking ingredients, recipes that you can take with you after the course, chef's help, kitchenware and utensils, use of aprons, refreshments (soft drinks), and of course lunch, the one you cooked

Premium package upgrade: EUR 39 / 1 person

The ingredients: one bottle fine Hungarian wine + one Culinaria Hungary cookbook + one Chefparade apron and taxi from Hotel to the Market Place or Chefparade Cooking School

The optional Central Market Hall visit costs EUR 19 per person. You can even invite a friend to taste your cooking for EUR 19 per person. Chefparade can also accommodate groups. For a quote, please provide group details in the form below.

New: Chocolate making course

Chefparade's new Chocolate Factory takes you to a world of handcrafted bonbons, truffles and other chocolate treats. To master the techniques, chocolate lovers can now sign up for a hands-on chocolate making course.

Chocolate making package: EUR 129 / 2 persons, EUR 69 / 1 person
(EUR 177 / 3 persons, EUR 236 / 4 persons, EUR 245 / 5 persons and EUR 49 / 1 person for groups of 6-10 people)

The ingredients: cooking ingredients, recipes that you can take with you after the course, chef's help, kitchenware and utensils, use of aprons and refreshments (soft drinks). Classes are 3-3.5 hours long.

Source: http://visitbudapest.travel