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JustLuxe: 5 Hotels To Find Celebrities At The Cannes Film Festival

2013-05-19T15:01:53Z

(Photo Courtesy of Hôtel Majestic Barriere)

Whether in town for business or pleasure, celebs are more than happy to take time out of their busy schedules to jet off to the South of France for the Cannes Film Festival; and could we really blame them? It is one of the most celebrated and publicized film festivals in the world, which means they'll be flocking toward the flashbulbs like a moth to a flame any second now. With 65 years of festivals already behind them, certain luxury hotels around town have established themselves as a place for the rich and famous to call home during the annual event. So if you want to "coincidentally" run into one of them, here's where to do it:

(Photo Courtesy of Hotel Martinez)

A historic property that's been roaring since the 20s, Hôtel Martinez is a Cannes staple of grand proportions. The hotel's private beach is the largest on prestigious Boulevard de la Croisette; its restaurant, La Palme d'Or, holds two Michelin stars; and rooms and suites offer private terraces with views of the Mediterranean Sea, Esterel Mountains, and the Cannes cityscape. Celebs love this spot because of the hotel's dedication to its guests' privacy. Supposedly, you can't even walk through the front door unless you're on a list of hotel guests. Eva Longoria, Bruce Willis and Robert Pattinson must've been lucky enough to make the list, because they've all been seen looking fabulous here.

(Photo Courtesy of InterContinental Carlton )

Just a few blocks away from Hotel Martinez is InterContinental Carlton, which just celebrated its 100th anniversary. The Belle Époque building is listed as a registered historical monument and has become a point of reference for locals and tourists alike due to its location on Bay of Cannes and unique façade. InterContinental Carlton has hosted the likes of Grace Kelly, Antonio Banderas, and Jessica Chastain throughout the years. You can expect a lot more famous faces with the addition of the Cannes Movie Stars Lounge that has been set up in one of their sprawling suites. Journalists, actors, and photographers will be gathering here throughout the 11-day festival to promote some of the films with round tables, interviews and press conferences.

(Photo Courtesy of Hôtel Majestic Barriere)

Conveniently situated just steps from the Palais des Festivals (the site of the film festival), Hôtel Majestic Barriere features 349 spacious sound-proof rooms and suites, along with two penthouses, one with a private pool. Offering more just than just proximity to all the action, the hotel also boasts world-class dining at La Petite Maison de Nicole; the entirely renovated 5,000-square-foot U Spa Barriere; and 18 different meeting and event spaces to host any social or business function. Facing the Mediterranean, picturesque panoramic views are always readily available, and guests can take advantage of access to the private beach and jetty. Last year, Robert De Niro, Matthew McConaughey, Jane Fonda and Paris Hilton were seen enjoying the French Riviera fun from this historic hotel.

(Photo Courtesy of Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc)

At the very southern tip of Cap d'Antibes on beautiful Côte d'Azur, Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc has been a five-star haven for artists, writers, European aristocracy, and of course movie stars for over 140 years. Nestled into 22 acres of lush gardens and pine forests, the property provides the utmost privacy for its guests, especially during the film festival. If they're not being put up in one of the elegant suites, my guess is that celebs are vying for stays in the two three-bedroom villas set off of the main building. Fancy dinners, TV junkets and fabulous parties will bring many stars on property in the next week, but the A-list roster is already quite long and extremely star-studded: Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Kevin Costner, and Sharon Stone, to name-drop a few.

(Photo Courtesy of Five Seas Hotel Cannes)

For a more intimate experience, the five-star boutique Five Seas Hotel Cannes is a popular choice on the French Riviera. With just 45 rooms (half being suites), a roof top infinity pool and bar lounge, a tea room offering gourmet French desserts, the chic Spa Cinq Mondes & Carita, and access to a private yacht, Hollywood's hottest can't help but flock here, film festival or not. Located right next to Palais des Festivals, it's easy for guests to hop over for screenings and interviews and return for a relaxing spa treatment to keep them looking camera ready at all times.

By Tara Imperatore

The Best Travel Photos Of The Week

2013-05-19T13:32:54Z

The Victoria Day long weekend is here and that means there's bound to be some travelling involved over the next few days.

Of course with any long weekend, there are plenty of options when it comes to transportation. There's the tried-and-true road trip, a short flight to a nearby city or even a short jaunt... on a camel?

Yes, the theme for this week's travel photo round-up is all about transportation and there are plenty of examples thanks to some new submissions from Canadian abroad. For example, take the team of Deb and Dave who hopped on a plane to get a better view of the Flinders Ranges in South Australia.

Or how about the tale of Cailin O'Neil who ran into some locals looking to lend their camels out to visitors in the Wadi Rum of Jordan? And for travellers looking for something with a little adrenaline kick, there's always a trip on a snowmobile and a tour of the powder-lined hills in Akureyri, Iceland.

Now for those who'd rather sit home, crack up a two-four and watch fireworks this Victoria Day, know this: there's nothing wrong your decision but here's what you may be missing out on.

What was your favourite photo from this week? Let us know in the comment section below or on Twitter @HPCaTravel

LOOK: Submit Your Bay To Breakers Photos!

2013-05-19T06:32:41Z

It's the most wonderful time of the year, San Francisco. Bay to Breakers 2013 is finally here.

And we want to see your costumes, your photo-finishes, your crazy, creative, only-in-San-Francisco moments. Check out some photos from the event, and submit your own in our slideshow below!

Famed Farmers Market Turns 20

2013-05-18T18:48:41Z

This city may have its bars, restaurants and celebrity chefs. But there's one place that truly represents what San Francisco food and drink is all about: CUESA's Ferry Building Farmers Market.

It's where Daniel Patterson can be found plucking asparagus at the crack of dawn; where Christopher Kostow occasionally splits a beer behind the grill with the guys at Tacolicious; where cameras chase Anthony Bourdain and Alice Waters as they parade through the stands. But more importantly, it's where the good people of San Francisco come together to get really--really--excited about food.

And this month, San Franciscans can celebrate 20 years of our beloved farmers market.

"When the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market debuted the spring of 1993, it was one of just three farmers markets in San Francisco, a city which now boasts over 25 markets each week," wrote CUESA (Center for Urban Education About Sustainable Agriculture) in a release. "Over the years, the market has served as a key link between the city and the local food producers, supporting numerous small businesses, farmers, chefs, and food artisans. The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market has played an important role in the evolution of the Bay Area’s farm-to-table movement, and remains a critical part of the local culinary community."

Check out photos from the 20th Birthday Bash in the slideshow below. Here's to another 20 years!

George Hobica: New American Airlines Planes Give Foreign Carriers Serious Competition

2013-05-18T18:07:02Z

For years now, profitable foreign-based airlines have offered newer, more luxurious aircraft than their poorer U.S.-based competitors. British Airways has had sophisticated entertainment systems in all classes and lie flat seats in their premium cabins for years now. But if you flew on American, Delta, or United, it was probably in an aging 757 or 767, maybe with one of those 1980's-era T.V. monitors hanging from the ceiling. Lie flat seats? Good luck.

But finally, the remaining legacy U.S. airlines are stepping up their game to compete with foreign-based carriers. And it can't come too soon. We have suffered long enough with those embarrassing, elderly planes. Now that they've merged and capacity-cut they're buying new planes, refurbishing older models from top to bottom, and adding amenities that used to be found only on British Airways, Singapore, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa and other aviation icons.

While we wait for the 787's to fly again, you can experience this new world of air travel on American Airlines' new Boeing 777-300ER, and on some of United's refurbished Boeing 757-200's flying between New York and Los Angeles or San Francisco, which have been retrofitted with fully lie-flat beds in the front cabin.

Delta, too, has reconfigured many of its trans-continental 767's and 757's with lie-flat business class seats and in-seat video in economy class, but again, these aren't new planes, just new interiors.

Oddly, it's beleaguered American Airlines, still in bankruptcy court, that is actually adding completely new planes. American is also taking delivery of new Airbus A321 models (first deliveries in November) to replace those aging 767's on transcontinental routes, with fully lie-flat seats in business and first, part of 460 new planes the airline has on order. Economy class cabins will have in-seat touch-screen monitors.

But the really cool ride is on the 777-300ER, which currently flies or will fly soon from New York and Dallas to London, New York and Dallas to Sao Paulo, and Los Angeles to London. And lest you think that the goodies are confined to business and first class only, a ride on AA's 777-300ER (for extended range) will dispel that quickly. All cabins have new in flight entertainment and WiFi. But not just any entertainment or WiFi. The programming is amazingly extensive and hip (I spent my entire flight flipping channels and watching new releases and Hollywood classics, and the WiFi works domestically as well as internationally.

I flew in business class from New York to London and back, a route that I normally fly on British Airways. How did AA compare to its OneWorld alliance partner British Airways?

Food: better on AA. This was a surprise. In addition to meals served at seat, the crew lays our a buffet of delightful edibles (sandwiches, canapés, puddings, fruit) in the walk-up kitchen in business class.

Cabin décor: AA. Not that BA is shabby, for from it, but the lighting, colors, fabrics and other design elements are just a bit more pleasing on AA. The cabin has touches of wood that makes it look a bit like a cabin cruiser, plus red and blue mood lighting.

Cabin service: about the same.

Business class seats: a toss up. AA wins for no climbing over your neighbor (full aisle access for all seats), but the AA seats are not quite as cushy as BA's recently upgraded Club World seats (IMHO).

Premium class lounges: hands down, BA.

In flight entertainment: AA blows all other airlines away (I know, sounds hard to believe), even before you add the Bose noise-cancelling headphones and the international Internet. It's not just the quantity of selections, it's the quality. Lots of clever, unexpected choices in both audio and video.

But watch out, U.S. airlines. Don't think for a minute that the foreign competition will be resting on its laurels. We hear that Singapore Airlines has some new cabin enhancements up its corporate sleeve, and we doubt that British Airways will stand still either when it introduces Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 service later this year.

3 People Still In Critical Condition From Train Crash

2013-05-18T15:50:46Z

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Officials in Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's office say the governor will meet with representatives from the National Transportation Safety Board and Connecticut's two U.S. senators at the site of a Metro-North Railroad crash that injured 70 people.

Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and other Connecticut officials will also participate in the tour, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. EDT Saturday near Bridgeport. The delegation will update journalists with the latest details of the crash after surveying the area.

Three people remain in critical condition following the rush-hour crash Friday between two commuter trains that serve the northern suburbs of New York City.

Sea Turtle Numbers Rebound!

2013-05-18T15:28:20Z

GRANDE RIVIERE, Trinidad — Giant leatherback turtles, some weighing half as much as a small car, drag themselves out of the ocean and up the sloping shore on the northeastern coast of Trinidad while villagers await wearing dimmed headlamps in the dark. Their black carapaces glistening, the turtles inch along the moonlit beach, using their powerful front flippers to move their bulky frames onto the sand.

In years past, poachers from Grande Riviere and nearby towns would ransack the turtles' buried eggs and hack the critically threatened reptiles to death with machetes to sell their meat in the market. Now, the turtles are the focus of a thriving tourist trade, with people so devoted to them that they shoo birds away when the turtles first start out as tiny hatchlings scurrying to sea.

The number of leatherbacks on this tropical beach has rebounded in spectacular fashion, with some 500 females nesting each night during the peak season in May and June, along the 800-meter-long (875-yard) beach. Researchers now consider the beach at Grand Riviere, alongside a river that flows into the Atlantic, the most densely nested site for leatherbacks in the world.

"It's sometimes hard remembering that leatherbacks are actually endangered," said tour guide Nicholas Alexander as he watched more emerge from the surf.

With instincts honed over 100 million years, these mighty leatherbacks have migrated from cold North Atlantic waters in Canada and northern Europe to nest. The air-breathing reptiles can dive to ocean depths of more than 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) and remain underwater for an hour. They are bigger, stronger, and tolerate colder temperatures than any other marine turtle.

On a recent night, the protected beach was so busy that female leatherback turtles bumped into each other as they trudged up the sloping beach. Occasionally grunting from the effort, the big reptiles swept away powdery sand with their front flippers and then painstakingly dug holes with their rear flippers, laying dozens of white eggs before heading back to the ocean. These same females will be back in about 10 days to deposit more eggs.

The resurgence of leatherbacks in Trinidad is touted by many as a major achievement, with more than half of all adult leatherbacks on the planet having been lost since 1980, mostly in the Eastern Pacific and Asia.

When local conservation efforts started here in the early 1990s, locals say a maximum of 30 turtles emerged from the surf overnight during the peak of the six-month nesting season. Now, at Grande Riviere and in the eastern community of Matura, where another major leatherback colony has grown, locals say more than 700 of the turtles appear overnight at the very height of the season, in May and June.

Flourishing turtle tourism is providing good livelihoods for people in formerly dead-end farming towns, with the Trinidad-based group Turtle Village Trust saying it brings in some $8.2 million annually. The inflow of visitors, both domestic and foreign, to Trinidad's northeast coast jumped from 6,500 in 2000 to over 60,000 in 2012. Officials with the U.S.-based Sea Turtle Conservancy say Trinidad is now likely the world's leading tourist destination for people to see leatherbacks.

Hopes are high that tourism boom can help the creatures survive a slew of pressures. In a 2009 global study on the economics of marine turtle tourism, researchers from the environmental group World Wildlife Fund found turtle tourism earned nearly three times as much money as the sale of turtle meat, leather and eggs.

While Trinidad supports some 80 percent of total leatherback nesting in the Caribbean, with a population of some 15,000 females laying eggs every two years, the turtles are also flourishing in other spots around the region.

In northern Guyana, leatherbacks have become the most abundant marine turtle species instead of the rarest one as it was in recent decades. In neighboring Suriname, the creatures' numbers have jumped tenfold, according to a 2007 assessment by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Earlier this year, Puerto Rico protected a swath of beach along the island's northeast coast that hosts over 400 nesting leatherbacks per year. In 2012, Florida wildlife officials surveyed some 250 miles of beaches and counted some 515 leatherback nests.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Pacific leatherback population has collapsed to some 1,700 females, according to Aimee Leslie, marine turtle manager with the World Wildlife Fund.

The number of Atlantic leatherback has likely grown due to a variety of factors such as nesting beach protections, modifications of fishing gear in some places and increased public awareness, according to Jeanette Wyneken, a sea turtle expert at Florida Atlantic University. Leatherbacks may have also encountered growing stocks of the food they depend upon, mostly jellyfish and gelatinous sea creatures called salps.

Len Peters, a founding member of the Grande Riviere Nature Tour Guide Association, which patrols and manages the Trinidadian village's nesting beach, said local conservation hasn't come easy. When he started out as a 23-year-old volunteer in the early 1990s, protecting turtles was rough, sometimes intimidating work. His group would physically drag people off the beach if they were bothering leatherbacks.

"That kind of approach wasn't really helping. People were becoming very aggressive toward us, called us the turtle police," Peters said. "Now, the villagers here feel proud knowing that people come from all over the world to see the turtles. On a whole, the community has really embraced the opportunities these turtles have brought to them."

But for local fishermen, the six-month turtle nesting season from March through August is a hardship to endure.

Ervan James, a veteran fishermen from Grande Riviere, recognizes turtle tourism has been a boon for his village, but he and other fishermen are calling for the government to compensate them for not casting wide gill nets during the turtles' nesting season. Perhaps anticipating being paid not to fish, the number of fishing boats at Grande Riviere has expanded from three a few years ago to about 20 now.

Since sea turtles must surface at regular intervals to breathe, they drown when entangled in nets. Roughly 3,000 leatherbacks are snared off Trinidad's nesting beaches each season, with about 1,000 of them drowning after getting caught in the net for an hour or getting their flippers hacked off by frustrated fishermen trying to untangle their damaged nets.

"This needs very urgent attention because too many turtles have been losing their lives in nets. For a night, five or six turtles could end up in one of these nets, you understand?" James said, pulling up some of a nylon gill net piled on the beach.

Conservationists have showed fishermen modified equipment, even distributing fish finder instruments, to help balance turtle protection with profitable fishing. But local fishermen continue to use gill nets instead of trolling with hook and line, insisting they work best during the time of year that leatherbacks swim offshore.

A looming and potentially greater threat is climate change. According to one modeling analysis, beach nesting sites for sea turtles in the Caribbean will come under significant danger due to beach erosion associated with sea level rise.

A warmer climate may also create too many females since turtle gender is determined by ambient temperatures in the sand where eggs are incubating. Cooler temperatures favor males, while warmer temperatures result in females.

"However, many turtle beaches already seem biased toward the increased production of females so it's anyone's guess whether the climate change scenarios will really change sex ratios," said Scott Eckert, who has researched the turtles in Trinidad since 1992 as science director for the U.S.-based Wider Sea Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network.

Even without such threats, the dangers are many. Experts have even long estimated that just 1 in 1,000 eggs will result in an adult turtle.

"These leatherbacks are the world's last living dinosaurs," said Alexander, the Grand Riviere tour guide, as three young apprentices learned to tag a nesting turtle's flipper on the town's beach. "We have to protect them for the next generation."

___

David McFadden on Twitter: http://twitter/com/dmcfadd

Vitamin Daily: The Girl's Guide to Huntington and Fishing

2013-05-18T12:46:56Z

Beach babes, long boards, and bellini bars -- it's all about Huntington Beach, California. Here with, VitaminDaily.com Sarah Bancroft's OC picks

stay

The Shorebreak Hotel's front desk features a massive wave, there are surf films projected on the walls of the lobby, cruiser bikes and vintage surfboards in the rooms, all done incredibly stylishly. www.jdvhotels.com

Beach volleyball, all year round! And then, of course, there are the surfers (er, we mean the surfing) in and around the famous pier. It's not called Surf City USA for nothing.

eat

The Huevos Rancheros (pictured, $9) at Zimzala in the Shorebreak Hotel, with excellent coffee and a bellini bar in a breezy room was our idea of brunch heaven. The name of the restaurant means "peace with sand between your toes."

play

Order one of the massive longboards from Huntington native Peter Hamborg a firefighter and father of 5 surfing, modelling, lifeguarding boys (why does this sound like a reality TV show in the works)? Cruise The Strand, 10 miles of paved track along the beachfront. www.hamboards.com

instagram

Lucky you if you get a sighting of one of the famous surf Woody's like we did!

--Sarah Bancroft

www.surfcityusa.com

Trevor Gair: Death and Re-birth in Kurdistan

2013-05-18T12:46:38Z

I visited northern Iraq for a reason. It does not boast the historical monuments of neighboring Syria nor a wide range of landscapes like Turkey, however I had read that the ethnic Kurdish people ranked second to none for hospitality. During the first half of my week in the area, I had enjoyed some heartwarming experiences in Dohuk, Erbil and Suleymanieh. With each day, there was growing evidence that these people were extremely gracious and welcoming. Overpaying for meals was never an issue. In fact, paying for a meal at all was the challenge.

For my final night in Kurdistan I slept in Halabja. The village-cum-town has a particularly horrific history. During Saddam Hussein's rule as leader of the Ba'athist Socialist party, he committed atrocious massacres of the Kurdish people. Arguably the single most inhumane act was to drop a chemical bomb on the town of Halabja on March 16, 1988. Within 60 minutes of detonation, more than 5,000 civilians lay dead and thousands more devastated by the mustard gas.

My ride to Halabja from Sulaymanieh offered beautiful views of the surrounding countryside, rolling hills and to the east, the snow-tipped mountains that formed the border with Iran. I was dropped off in the centre of town. My first mission was to find a place to sleep. I had no information and my Kurdish language skills were as abysmal as when I arrived five days earlier.

The word 'hotel' and the gesture of my hands under my head as a pillow had done the trick in the past. I would give it another go. As I walked the bazaar, there was not a single pair of eyes that was unaware of my presence. A slow head nod and a spoken 'Salaam' turned glares of curiosity into smiles of welcome in 98 per cent of cases.

Two men dressed in camo fatigues slung with AK rifles approached me. Kurdistan is littered with checkpoints manned by Peshmerga (soldier in Kurdish). They usually just wanted to see my passport and visa stamp. I never felt threatened. That said, this was the first time I had been stopped in the street. "Password" demanded the mustachioed man. I did my best to swallow the words 'Open Seasame!' and supress the giggles mounting in my throat. I knew he meant 'Passport'. I reached into my secret pocket and produced the goods. I was not concerned. Just like the random men that flanked the street, he was only curious about who I was and what I was doing on his turf. The soldier just happened to have a gun and so was entitled to inquire more deeply.

After combing over each of the 24 pages with child-like fascination they smiled and I was on my way. Down the road I gave my Hotel? act to a couple of men. They pointed that it was down the road but also communicated that I would need a taxi. I voiced displeasure. Seconds later I was in the back cab of a civilian pickup truck and off to the hotel courtesy of a couple young guys driving by. A kilometre down the road they yelled at two other guys strolling the street. The newcomers jammed in beside me.

Upon arrival at the hotel, they each wanted a picture taken with me. To investigate the action, the hotel receptionist had wandered outside. He said that I could not stay there. I didn't really push as I wasn't keen on staying this far outside the centre of town anyway -- too isolated.

Giddy, we jumped back in the truck and zoomed off, slowing only for the speedbumps -- innocent goats be damned.

We arrived at Salzan Motel. The guys raced up the stairs ahead of me. They weren't carrying their life on their back. I interrupted the conversation upon arrival in the lobby salon. I was keen to manage this interaction as I wasn't sure how many accommodation options were in Halabja and didn't want to again be declined a stay before I even got in the door.

The receptionist wasn't interested in entertaining my hand gestures and so handed me the phone. On the line, some broken English garbled into the ear piece.

I understood what was on offer and negotiated the price passing the phone back and forth between me and the receptionist.

It wasn't looking good. They guy was firm on charging me 40,000 dinars ~ $35 USD. The only room had three single beds a kitchenette and living room. It was obviously way more than I needed, but Kurdistan holds some bizarre accommodation norms.

I thanked him and left. After weighing the limited options available to me I returned 30 minutes later. We settled on 35,000 dinar for the night.

I unslung my pack on the bed, washed my face and walked out into the puddled street. I was in search of a cay (tea) to recharge. On a side street is sat down on the front bench of a cay shop. I began exchanging pleasantries with the man beside me. He spoke a fair amount of English. I would later learn that he had spent several years in Birmingham, England.

After 10 minutes, Osman invited me to his house. I had no agenda. He didn't seem to either and so I graciously accepted the invitation. We trudged less than five minutes through back alleys to his front door.

I slipped off my boots and entered the atrium of his concrete home. He gave me a short tour of the kitchen, one bedroom, bathroom and TV room before gesturing for me to be seated on the floor. He introduced me to his wife who greeted me with a hesitant smile. She couldn't have been more than a couple years older than me. He was 43.

She prepared and served us Nescafe as he sat comfortably, and me awkwardly, on the carpet beside the block heater. As our conversation continued I commented on how meticulously spotless his house was. He beamed, his next inhale lingering momentarily in his chest. It was such a welcomed contrast from the village street and shops. I didn't mention this particular observation.

He offered dinner and feeling at ease, I accepted. His wife spoke rapidly and he turned with an apologetic look to me, "We have no meat as we didn't expect a guest." I effused that I was more than content with the beans, rice and aubergine that were available.

Dinner was a good spread. I made attempts to engage his wife in conversation, but the language barrier combined with the cultural taboo of addressing women proved insurmountable at this point. Osman had switched on his flat screen TV as we sat down to eat. BBC World in English felt strange but fitting.

After the meal, cay was served. By this point, we had nearly exhausted the topics of conversation. My hips and ankles were now feeling the strain from sitting on the floor after nearly three weeks of inactivity. I had yet to incorporate downward dog or child's pose into my daily bazaar wandering, cay sipping and bus sitting routine.

Osman translated that his wife would like to see photos of my family. The two print images of my family that I had brought for this very purpose were in my main pack, back at the motel. As disappointment spread onto their faces, I remembered that I was carrying my old HTC smartphone. I had no SIM card so it was useless as a phone, but as an alarm clock, calculator and flashlight it had served a purpose to date.

I produced the phone from my pocket and navigated to the photo album. I had switched to a different phone back home in April and so had little memory of what pictures were in the album. This was a risk.

I zipped through the deck until I found some photos of my family during my mom's birthday party last December. They were good and I expected they would satisfy the request. The eyes of my two new Kurdish friends remained intently trained on my phone screen. There were new expectations. To stow my machine now would be a killjoy. I hesitated though. I really did not know what other pictures were in this 400-strong album. My thoughts raced to past random bar nights, drunken wrestling matches, dance floor make outs and best-kept-private volumes of skin exposure. What care-free moments had I, a 23-year-old Canadian dude in his Canadian cultural comfort zone, captured and how many of them would be appropriate to share with a conservative Islamic couple in nowhere Iraq? Indeed, only a half an hour earlier Osman had explained how it wasn't OK to take pictures of women fully clothed, complete with hijab, nevermind...ahhhhh...

I went for it.

The following five minutes were intense. With each scene of a wholesome family or stunning Rocky Mountain background the slight quiver in my outstretched hand stabilized and a deep breath fought off heart failure. With each montage of a beer can pyramid, a female on male piggy back ride, or a topless bromantic embrace I clutched my teeth into a half-smile and gauged their respective reactions through my peripheral.

At the end of the session, they were pleased or at least not offended. Afterwards they returned the favour, showing me the photos of their wedding day 15 months earlier.

Osman announced that we would go to a friend's house nearby. I did not protest as I was keen to deepen the cultural exchange. Moments later a horn sounded and we piled into a Camry-like car.

We entered another house, very similar in layout to Osman's. Already seated on the carpeted floor were men, women and children. Like a junior high dance each sex lined up along opposite walls. I shook each man's hand, acknowledged the women with a smile and sat against the wall perpendicular to the mock standoff.

No one else spoke English, but smiles and hand motions in my direction made me feel welcome. I did my best to show my appreciation for the warmth I felt. Osman acted as interpreter. I learned more throughout the evening about the circumstance and the relations. Cay and cups of water were served to the men multiple times by little girls.

There were two new babies in the group. One was two months old and the other 10 days. The freshest addition to the village scene had yet to be named Osman explained pointing to a baby names book written in Arabic. Soon after learning this, I jokingly suggested that we should draw names out of a hat to dub the newborn. This was well received (thank goodness), but not acted upon.

The climax of the evening occurred an hour later when the baby was christened.

In this moment, the sleeping child was laid in the arms of Papa Sherma (an old man seated beside me with a heartmelting smile). The family had fetched their old camcorder to document the event. Through the few teeth that remained, the grandpa began humming. The buzz crescendoed into a chant. Kisses were planted on the forehead of the child and a discrete celebration was noted. Smiles all around. And thus the baby was named Armand. It was pretty magical.

The camcorder was promptly plugged into the TV and the newly recorded scene played in the background while a different team of young girls served baklava, fruit and cay. I capitalized on the screening to discreetly snap pictures of the women. Their presence was too central to my experience to leave out.

Slowly families left into the rain to return home. Towards 22:30, I encouraged Osman to do the same. I would attempt to cross into Iran the next day and needed all of the rest I could afford.

In the cab of a miniature pick-up, I huddled between the house host cum chauffeur and Osman. As the rain lashed the window panes we drove out of town. I knew we were headed to the wrong hotel, but to avoid the otherwise inevitable confusion I waited until we arrived to tell them that it was not my home. Luckily I had paid attention during my other pickup joy ride earlier in the day and so could direct them to Motel Sazan.

I thanked them in the most genuine language I could articulate without leaving them scratching their heads and disappeared upstairs.

In a place whose history begs to be forgotten, I will never forget.

6 Most Affordable Places To Retire

2013-05-18T12:15:44Z

How would you describe your perfect town? Bucolic. Quaint. Active. And don’t forget affordable. We’ve found six beautiful U.S. cities where the cost of living is lower than the national average and the state income and sales tax won’t take a chunk out of your wallet.

Read more on Grandparents.com

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5 Biggest Retirement Questions Answered
3 Ways to Get Bigger Social Security Checks

We're Seeing Green

2013-05-18T07:45:35Z

In case you missed the memo, climate change is happening. Luckily those of us who wish to wise up and cut down on our energy consumption can do so in style. We're excited about Taschen's "100 Contemporary Green Buildings," a survey of eco-friendly architecture at the cutting edge of design and environmental awareness.

Gathered from around the globe, the following selection of green buildings range from permanent camping grounds to schools. Architectural giants such as Frank Gehry as well as lesser-known architectural forces hailing from all over the globe are channeling the spirit of Mother Nature in their inventive architectural forms.

Check out the slideshow below and prepare to see green.

The Airports With The Scariest Takeoffs And Landings (PHOTOS)

2013-05-17T23:43:27Z

In order to reach some of the world’s most beautiful and remote locations, tourists may have to deal with a few scary takeoffs and landings along the way. Many of the airports on this list got their frightening reputations because their runways sit at high elevation or are too short and made to adapt to their natural surroundings, built on cliff sides or even right by the beach. See which white-knuckle airport approaches made the list.

WHERE: A Few of Our Favorite Breweries

2013-05-17T22:22:50Z

To the brewers, those of you who end your days with grain chaff in your cuffs, whose entire existence has a yeasty odor and who labor in a world of chilled stainless steel vessels, we writers and editors at Where want to thank you for brewing the malt, for double hopping the IPA and for making the bitter extra special. In honor of Craft Brew Week, we raise our beer glass to you -- a glass filled with a frothy ale you provided us. And in honor of you, our Where editors from around the world would like to thank the people behind some of our favorite craft breweries. Travelers, if you're in these cities and need some suds, consider these well-brewed destinations for a flavorful pint of repose.

508 GastroBrewery, New York, N.Y.

This charming brewpub marries the rustic Mediterranean-American dishes from chef and owner Jennifer Hill, with an in-house brewing program from Chris Cuzme that is garnering positive reviews from patrons and critics alike. Cuzme’s love of beer led him to help organize NY Craft Beer Week with Josh Schaffner, held earlier this year. At the pub, the warm room, with communal tables, muted, mottled walls and ubiquitous candles, encourages flirtatious conversation over a Colonial Nugget Stout, Beauty Booty Blond Ale, Spraytan (the unpale ale) or Hamber Smoked Amber Ale.
508 Greenwich St., New York, N.Y., 212.219.2444

Black Acre Brewing Company, Indianapolis, Ind.

Nestled in the Irvington neighborhood, on Indy's east side, Black Acre has come roaring onto the local brew scene. Recent offerings on tap include Street Lamp Blonde, Goat Race Maibock, Saucy Intruder, a hefty 9.3 percent ABV tripel, along with nearly a dozen guest taps showcasing craft offerings from around the country. Add in a small-but-mighty menu with an extreme locavore focus (ham, capocollo, pastrami and other meats from Smoking Goose, baked good from Roll With It Bakery, house-cut fries and sweet potato fries), and you've got all the makings of a good, long visit.
5632 E. Washington St., Indianapolis, Ind., 317.207.6266

The Boston Beer Company, Boston, Mass.

Back in 1985, Jim Koch debuted his first beer, and in doing so, fermented the modern, American craft beer movement. Today, Koch’s acclaimed original Samuel Adams Boston Lager remains a full-bodied favorite, as do other familiar flavors like Cherry Wheat, Noble Pils, Whitewater IPA and Cream Stout. Visitors can tour the flagship Samuel Adams Boston Brewery located in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood and then sample a few of Boston Beer Company’s more than 50 beers on every day but Sunday.
30 Germania St., Boston, Mass., 617.368.5080

Cigar City Brewing, Tampa, Fla.

This rustic brewery is home to some well-known beers that have hit the craft beer shelves in the United States such as Jai Alai and Florida Cracker. Their tasting room is home to all the beers they brew and offers pints starting at $5. A tour of their 6,600 square feet of brewing space will leave you more knowledgeable on Tampa Bay’s brewing history all thanks to their passionate staff. Cigar City Brewing often hosts weekend food truck roundups so you can pair your brew with some delicious grub. Check their online calendar for weekend events.
3924 West Spruce St., Tampa, Fla., 813.348.6363

DC Brau, Washington, D.C.

In 2011, Brandon Skall and Jeff Hancock opened D.C.’s first distribution brewery in 60-plus years. The drafts and cans premiered to huge crowds at Meridian Pint. And soon scores of other bars and restaurants served The Corruption, The Citizen and The Public, the last an American pale ale described as “a beautiful abundance of hops” with “tawny hues of caramel and amber.” Now beer lovers also go directly to the source. The brewery, brightened with quirky art like Pixel Pancho’s “Robot Reindeer,” opens for free tours and tastings most Saturdays from noon to 4 pm and fills growlers to go.
3178-B Bladensburg Rd. NE, Washington, D.C., 202.621.8890

Deep Ellum Brewing Co., Dallas, Texas

The brewmasters of DEBC are a little obsessed. Just one read through their “Beerfesto” and it’s obvious these guys have an addiction to high-quality, craft-brewed beer. Head to their brewery in the heart of Dallas’ music district for a tasting tour on a Thursday or Saturday, with a wide range of year-round, seasonal and small-batch lagers, IPAs, ales, porters and more to choose from. Or stop in during one of the tasting dinners or special weekend events for food, live music and lots of beer-sipping.
2823 St. Louis St., Dallas, Texas, 214.888.3322

Guinness Storehouse, Dublin, Ireland

Ireland’s most famous export (in addition to U2) is celebrated in this huge venue, once the site of where the mighty Guinness stout was brewed. It was founded by Arthur Guinness in 1759, and stands very close to his former family home. Inside the storehouse, you can see the World Of Guinness exhibition, which includes fascinating adverts from over the decades, plus explanations of how the world-famous pint is created. The highlight (literally) is the breathtaking glass-enclosed Gravity Bar on the top floor, almost 200 feet above ground, where you can enjoy a pint of the black stuff, included in your ticket price.
St. James Gate, Dublin 8, Republic of Ireland, +353 1 408 4800.

Goose Island Brewpub, Chicago, Ill.

Before it was snatched up by Anheuser-Busch in 2010, Goose Island Brewpub fueled its own local buzz thanks to its quality craft beers. With two brewpubs, one in the bustling, hip Lincoln Park neighborhood, the other within sight of Wrigley Field, the brand is now delivering beers to all 50 states and in Europe. See where it all began 25 years ago by touring the original Clybourn brewery. With a Goose Island brewer leading the way, you’ll get to try six current beer selections, or if you’re on the lookout for the next great brew, stop by on Thursday nights, for a tap and taste of the weekly premiering beer. Their summer brew, 312, is slightly hoppy, fruity and smooth; the Green Line Pale Ale is exclusive to Chicago.
1800 N. Clybourn Ave., Chicago, Ill., 312.915.0071

Heist Brewery, Charlotte, N.C.

This newcomer to the Queen City’s burgeoning craft-brewing scene is already a local favorite. The brewpub is housed in a historic textile mill in the North Davidson Arts District (that’s “NoDa” to locals) and is loved not only for its tasty craft options like hefeweizen and oatmeal stout but its industrial interior. The inventive menu offers up both hardy and healthy options from salads to burgers and flatbreads, but you won’t want to miss the oven-roasted beer cheese—perfectly paired with pretzel sticks.
2909 N. Davidson St., Ste. 200, Charlotte, N.C., 704.375.8260

Maui Brewing Company, Maui, Hawaii

Cherries, lilikoi and papaya seeds may be common ingredients found in a Hawaiian chef’s pantry, and now they’re also starting to show up on labels at Maui Brewing Company. Since 2005, Garrett Marrero has been on a mission to create lagers and ales that are distinctly different from the Millers and Budweisers. Embracing the craft beer culture, Marrero and his spouse Melanie first took over what was once the Fish & Game Brewing Company & Rotisserie and turned it into a seven-barrel brew pub with more than 20 beers on tap, including Bikini Blonde, Coconut Porter and Big Swell IPA. Tours: Friday: 3, 3:30 and 4 pm; Saturday: 10:30 and 11:30 am; and 12:30 pm. Private tours are available for groups of 10 or more during tasting room hours (Tue-Fri: noon to 5 pm; and Saturday: 10 am to 2 pm).
Brew Pub: Kahana Gateway Center, 4405 Honoapiilani Highway #217, Maui, Hawaii, 808.669.3474; The Brewery: 910 Honoapiilani Highway #55 Lahaina Town, Maui, Hawaii, 808.661.6205 or toll free 877.628.4273

NOLA Brewing Company, New Orleans, La.

Beer has a long and heady history in the Crescent City, dating to the mid 1800s and owing to the large number of Germans who settled here. At one time, 10 breweries operated within the city limits. Today there’s just one: NOLA Brewing Company. In addition to its signature lagers and ales (NOLA Blonde, NOLA Brown Hopitoulas, 7th Street Wheat), the craft brewery also produces seasonal offerings, such as its fittingly named summer release, Hurricane Saison. Sample a pint fresh from the tap during the brewery’s free weekly tours and tastings, each Friday from 2 to 3:30 pm.
3001 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, La., 504.896.9996

Sweetwater Brewing Company, Atlanta, GA

Founded by college roommates Freddy Bensch and Kevin McNerney in 1997, Sweetwater is now the 24th largest craft brewery in the nation. Specializing in aggressive West Coast style beers, the brewery’s award-winning lineup includes SweetWater 420, IPA, Exodus Porter, Blue, LowRYEder IPA and Georgia Brown, plus specialty and seasonal beers throughout the year. Taste it for yourself during fun (and very social) tours of the brewery, which are offered Wednesday through Saturday (Sunday tours are available beginning June 2).
195 Ottley Dr NE, Atlanta, GA, 404.691.2537

Urban Chestnut Brewing Company, St. Louis, Mo.

They call it "beer divergency," which is a high-falutin' way of saying they learned the rules of brewing inside and out ... so they could know best how to break them. The renegades at UCBC produce side-by-side lineups in their "Revolution" (artisanal, craft upstarts) and "Reverence" (homage to heritage-brewed classics) series. The handsome tasting room is a convivial place to sit and practice your pronunciation of "Zwickel" and "Wolpertinger" ... but you can also just point and smile. Great small bites and a charming, twinkle-lit patio make this a must-visit.
3229 Washington Ave., St. Louis, MO, 314.222.0143

Westbrook Brewery, Charleston, S.C.

Tucked away but worth a tasty trip, Westbrook Brewery is known in the Lowcountry for its White Thai and IPA, as well as rotating seasonals and one-time specials -- like Weisse Weisse Baby, Vanilla Tree Dubbel and Mexican Cake. It all started with homebrewing: Morgan Westbrook’s family had a history with beer, her husband had a great chef’s palate, and after seven years of brewing to friends’ rave reviews, the pair decided to “start a brewery or just stop talking about it.” Get a sample sip on tap in the tasting room, or take a bottle, can or growler to go.
510 Ridge Rd., Mount Pleasant, S.C., 843.654.9112

Wicked Weed Brewing, Asheville, N.C.

This newcomer to Asheville’s hops scene has already made a name for itself. While best known for its saisons and IPAs, you’ll also find unique tastes like bourbon-barrel-aged porters and stouts. Upstairs is a high-quality brew pub restaurant which is often packed thanks to its downtown location; downstairs is all about the brews, served in a rustic-industrial tasting room. If it's nice out, take your pint outside to one of their two patios. The name? That comes from a King Henry VIII quote: “Hops are a wicked and pernicious weed.”
91 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, N.C., 828.575.9599

Yazoo Brewing Co., Nashville, Tenn.

After years of home brewing, one-time Bridgestone tire engineer Linus Hall and his wife, Lila, decided it was high-time to open their own brewery. So Linus quit his job, got a business degree from Vanderbilt, a craft brewing education at the American Brewers Guild and some hands-on experience at Brooklyn Brewery English. Now the microbrewery offers eight British, Irish and Scottish-style ales, stouts, porters and wheats to choose from including Gerst Amber Ale, created in partnership with Nashville’s original brewery, Gerst Brewery. The taproom is open Wednesday through Saturday, or take a brewery tour on Saturday.
910 Division St., Ave., Nashville, TN, 615.891.4649

Photo credits (from top): ©Katie Allen; ©Seegull Media; Courtesy Samuel Adams Boston Brewery; Courtesy Cigar City Brewing; ©Katie Knorovsky; ©Tait Lifto; Courtesy Mark McGovern and Philip Ryder, Guinness Storehouse; Courtesy Goose Island Brewpub; Courtesy Heist Brewery; Courtesy Maui Brewing Company; Courtesy NOLA Brewing Co.; Courtesy Sweetwater Brewery; ©D. Lancaster; ©Colin Robison; Courtesy Wicked Weed Brewing; Courtesy Yazoo Brewing Co.

Historic Milwaukee Bar's Bra Ban Lifted

2013-05-17T22:03:17Z

MILWAUKEE — A historic Milwaukee bowling alley and bar almost went without the appropriate support after a city inspector decided dozens of bras hanging from its ceiling were a fire hazard.

Holler House owner Marcy Skowronski said she and some of her friends started the tradition 45 years ago, when they had a few drinks and threw their bras onto skis hanging from the bar's ceiling.

They've amassed dozens of all sizes and colors over the years, even replacing old bras with new ones at the bar's 100th anniversary five years ago. Many times people sign and date the bras or leave notes on them.

But an inspector that visited in April apparently wasn't as accepting of the tradition. She said the bras were a fire hazard and Skowronski needed to take them down.

"They've been hanging there for 45 years," Skowronski said Friday. "I had inspectors here for 45 years. Every year they come and nobody's said anything."

The 87-year-old great-grandmother, who has worked at the bar for 59 years, went to the city Tuesday to appeal but missed the deadline. So her son-in-law took the bras down for fear they would get a fine, which according to the official inspection order can run from $150 to $10,000 a day.

Taking the bras down made Skowronski even more frustrated. She called a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel columnist, hoping publicity would help, and her alderman, Bob Donovan. Donovan made some calls, and within a day the city backed down.

"Long story short, common sense prevailed and the city backed down," Donovan said.

"We're going to have a rehang the bras party over there and perhaps charge at the door," he added. "And any money we are able to bring in, the proceeds will go to buying a little common sense for the Department of Neighborhood Services."

Besides the bras, the bar started by Skowronski's in-laws in 1908 is also known for its two downstairs bowling alleys, which are the oldest certified in America according to its sign.

LOOK: 12 Things NYC Desperately Needs

2013-05-17T21:57:21Z

New York City is a lot of things: A place full of possibilities? Definitely. A "concrete jungle where dreams are made of?" Sure.

But perfect? No way.

In fact, most who call New York home have a love-hate relationship with the city.

We love the sheer number of bars you can hit in a one-block radius in the East Village, and the ease of having almost anything delivered to your door at any hour of the day or night is just fantastic.

But we hate commuting during rush hour and doing laundry in this city. Oh, and don't even get us started on Times Square.

Alas, we'll never live in a "perfect" New York, but if we did, this is what would be required: