Posts Tagged ‘USA’
ride em’ cowboy
bull riding at rodeo
bull riding at forth worth…
Texas is a State teeming with must-sees and cant-misses. And inspired by the new destinations we have on our radar this year, we wanted to give you a bit of everything too by showing the enormous contrasts that exist in The Lone Star State: From the city’s bright lights and non-stop rhythms, to epic Cowboy landscapes. Want more? How about experiencing Texan space age modernism and then Wild West rodeo?
6th street in aust
block rockin’ beats in austin
The area from around East Sixth Street up to Red River Street, near to Austin’s prestigious university, is the world’s live music mecca…and that’s no exaggeration. This area, no more than a handful of blocks, rocks to the tune of Texas’s finest performers. Find all of the favourite Texan sounds here, for every type of Rock, Indie, Grunge and Punk, all the way to the other end of the scale with good ol’ Texan Honky Tonk, Country, Blues and Jazz. To get the most out of the sheer quantity of live music on offer here, work your way around on a loop in an eclectic whistle stop bar hop, taking in all of the tunes on offer.
rodeo in fort worth
fort worth stock yards
In the heart of Cowboy country, Fort Worth is the place to discover your Wild West side. Head on down to the Fort Worth Stock Yards and find all manner of Cowboy culture waiting for you. This is the place to catch a rodeo, swat up on your cowboy history, ride a bull and shop for your authentic Cowboy outfit. When the sun goes down, the Cowboys ride out and we can’t recommend catching a live rodeo show highly enough. On horseback, the riders show off their skills in a series of events such as barrel racing, calf roping and the most famous of all, bull riding. Yee haw.
space travel in houston
nasa space center
We love travelling around the globe, but travelling beyond it has always been a secret little obsession of ours. And while holidays to Mars feel like they’re still a few light years away, a trip to the Johnson Space Center will show you just how close we are. This is the center where NASA operates; designing, building and controlling the space missions of the last fifty years and still to this day. As well as a tour of the training facilities, the command modules and the enormous rockets that propel them there, you’ll be able to take a front seat at the command centre and see all the space age gadgetry that is used.
For more tips on Texas check out our new trips
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Loading ...cravings for a summer feast
As an ex resident of the USA, I’m sometimes surprised by the things I miss the most. Friend’s recent trips to Boston and Miami have had me thinking about American summers and my sense memory is flooded with one thing in particular…
the only utensil you need
The perfect summertime crab feast.
Food is one of the most important parts of any travel story (unless you’re the type to hunt down the nearest ‘Irish’ pub no matter what country you’re in…let’s hope not). Crab feasts are something of an East Coast specialty, especially in the state of Maryland where their native blue crabs (perfectly red once cooked) fall on the plates of people from all walks.
All you need is a big wooden bench covered in newspaper, a bucket (for shells), a hammer (for cracking said shells), a cold libation and a pile of freshly steamed Maryland Blue Crabs. Preferably covered in Old Bay spices. Dig in.
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...time’s ticking: ten for april
As the fuzzy folk bards Simon and Garfunkel once sweetly harmonised ‘AAAA-A-April, come she will’, and boy oh boy did she come around quick this year. Spring has now officially sprung and, now the sun’s out (every now and then at least), we thought it only right to share some worldly wisdom and fill you in on ten of April 2011’s best (and least known) global events.
all fools’ day
someone always takes it one step too far
Roll up hoodwinkers, jokers come forth; April is here and, for one day only, the farceur is King. Eagerly anticipated by troublemakers everywhere, April the First (aka April Fools’ Day) is, as we all know, a day when normality sleeps and would-be jesters lurk round every corner. Cue 24 hours where hoaxes, white lies and practical jokes are not just for the kids. Indeed, it’s now the case that the national media are responsible for some of the tallest stories told on this most mistrusted of days. Famous swindles include the supposed discovery of hotheaded naked ice borers in Antarctica in 1995 and Burger King’s so-called left-handed Whopper in ’98. Rest assured though, we’d never sink so low…
queens day
Queen's Day
Koninginnedag, or Queen’s Day, takes place every year on April 30th, the Dutch Queen’s official birthday. If you’re thinking another nondescript public holiday, then think again. In an all-consuming burst of garish patriotism, Oranjegektel (orange craze) sweeps through Amsterdam, ensuring that, from food to clothes, hats to hair, nothing is left untangoed. Now if only the British Queen’s birthday prompted something similar in London… A flotilla of patriots wailing the national anthem across the Thames… On second thoughts, maybe it’s best we leave it to the Dutch, whose concerts, parties and vrijmarket (a sort of car boot sale) seem far more civilized.
nevis triathlon
nevis say never...
If the words ‘sport in the West Indies’ still conjure little more than images of cricket on the beach and Jamaica’s famous bobsleigh team, then it’s time to pick up the pace and get with the times. Running (swimming and cycling) from the 1st till the 2nd, the Nevis Triathlon is the perfect excuse to experience a different side to the beautiful island from which it takes its name. Broken down into three routes to cater for athletes of all levels, the race can be completed either individually or in relay format, perfect for those of you who like to follow a leisurely spot of holiday competition with a far more leisurely spot of flop on the beach.
hand in hand with love
two hearts make a whole
At the crossroads of East and West, the spectacular city of Istanbul bubbles along like a sun-kissed melting pot of creativity and culture. Hand in Hand with Love is an annual arts fest bringing together the diverse communities of Turkey’s capital throughout April. Facilitating inter-cultural understanding and putting on quite a show in the process, this is the perfect chance to sample local music, cast your eye over the visual arts and the marvel at the literary all sorts among this year’s multiplicity of Turkish delights.
sequences
the conSequences of colour
Iceland, a land frozen in time. Or so you might think. Taking over the capital Reykjavik from April 1st to 10th, Sequences is an annual arts festival whose focus is dynamism and movement – more ‘wow did you see that geyser?’ than ‘oh look, there’s that iceberg, the one we saw last time’. Expect mindblowing photography, performance art and sound and video installations that’ll give you more goosebumps than a northern gale. Expect to be wowed.
saborea
opening the door to the food of puerto rico
FOODIE ALERT. CODE TASTY. It’s not every day a country appears on the menu, but between April 1st and 3rd, you’re invited to ‘Taste Puerto Rico’ at Saborea, the country’s annual food fest. Set on the idyllic Escambrón Beach in Puerta de Tierra, the shining lights of this Caribbean territory’s gastronomic scene gather like seagulls and cook up a storm. Saborea is a big deal, so follow the aroma down to the waterfront and rub shoulders with the celebs during mouthwatering cooking demos and taster sessions.
las palmas international film festival
who'll grab the golden lady?
Sunlight(s), camera, action. Between the 1st and the 9th, Las Palmas, the gorgeous capital of Gran Canaria, plays picture-perfect host to one of our favourite film festivals. Culminating in the Golden Lady Harimaguada award for best film, the festival will showcase features and shorts from around the world.
barcelona guitar festival
buzzing like a strum-ble bee for barcelona
Every April, the Catalonian capital Barcelona tunes up its tuners for the city’s annual Guitar Festival. The country that gave us flamenco virtuoso Paco de Lucía opens its doors to the world’s best strummers, welcoming a groups and musicians from Spain and abroad. Running from the 1st to the 7th, Barcelona’s bars and concert halls are bound to be busy, so get over there quick and, well… Viva la musica!
st. petersburg festival of speed
what's the russian for va-va-voom?
St. Petersburg, Rush-ia. Got a need for speed? Look no further, just buckle up, put your foot down and head East for three days of 007 heaven. From April 1st to 3rd, connoisseurs, collectors and wide-eyed motorheads assemble for a spine-tingling showroom explosion of epic proportions. Drink in the petrol guzzling panorama of vintage Le Mans veterans, supercars, powerboats, custom bikes and high-performance planes, all gathered under an aircraft hangar kitted out for a very glitzy schmooze ‘n’ booze.
rallye aïcha des gazelles
oh damn, it was LEFT at the oasis
Misogynist drivers of the world take heed: Steer clear of the Moroccan desert or prepare to tsk and toot like never before. The Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles is a woman only race-cum-orienteering challenge running 2,500 km across the south of Morocco, and this year’s event is fast approaching its conclusion. With little but dunes and the occasional oasis to negotiate, the chance of a crash is negligible, but we hear Bedouin camel trains are keeping a safe distance nonetheless. Sisters are driving it by themselves. You’ve been warned.
James Snowdon is Editorial Intern at Black Tomato
(5 votes, average: 4.20 out of 5) Loading ...pure cali
spectacular vinyards and rolling hills
Sophie set out to explore a little bit of California earlier this year. Hear about what she saw, and more importantly what she ate…
After a surprisingly relaxing flight with first class service and champagne, I landed in San Francisco. I got the feeling I was in for a few treats during my back to back schedule.
First I headed south to Los Angeles along California’s stunning Central Coast.
My culinary experience of California began with a huge breakfast of waffles, freshly made Spanish omelette, continental cheese and meat, all types of eggs and freshly baked pastries with jam, (to name but a few hearty delights.)
I stayed at the Fairmont Hotel in Copley Square, San Francisco. The Fairmont claims every US President to have visited San Francisco has stayed here. (There’s even a secret staircase Marilyn Monroe apparently took to meet President Kennedy…)
Next stop was the luxurious Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay Hotel, a tranquil Northern California spa resort with a cool relaxed oceanfront vibe. Nick’s Seafood Restaurant in Pacifica, (just on from Half Moon Bay) serves up the largest platters of mussels, crab, oysters and prawns that I’d ever seen.
After all the food it was time to try some Californian wine . Barterra Winery offers some superb local tipple. I was served up some savoury nibbles to compliment my wine tasting experience. Sones Cellars is another superb tasting room run by a husband and wife winemaking team that share their wine making secrets (you’ll have to go yourself to learn them…).
At the end of the famous Santa Cruz Beach, beside the world’s most popular seaside amusement park is the Aquarious restaurant. It boasts some of the freshest pasta dishes in town and serves up desserts to die for, make sure you save some room, they’re simply too delicious to miss out on…
california - the home of surfing
After all that food I found the perfect way to burn it off. Surfing. This is Santa Cruz after all; it’s where the sport was born and still boasts more surf breaks than anywhere else in the world.
To quench my thirst, it was time for a little more wine tasting… The Bridlewood Estate Winery is a spacious Spanish colonial winery with a vast cellar that I took a tour of. It is set in some beautiful grounds, a great place to relax, picnic and sit back and enjoy the views of the lake.
Hadsten House is a boutique style hotel located in the heart of charming Solvang, which is a lovely quaint town complete with the occasional thatched roof properties and windmills affirming its Danish settler roots. It’s a great base for wine touring. For food lovers you can’t beat Hadsten House’s excellent menu – I’d highly recommend the steak which was absolutely divine…
Santa Monica was the final stop on my Central Coast foodie trip and it certainly didn’t disappoint. The Lobster Restaurant is a busy, bustling and excellently located restaurant right at the end of the pier overlooking Muscle Beach. Here I ate some of the tastiest sea food I’d ever eaten, it’s no wonder this place is a popular celebrity hang out.…
Along with the fantastic natural surroundings, one of the best ways to get a
highway 1 - big sur
feel of California is on Highway One to Big Sur. It’s truly one the world’s greatest pieces of tarmac and really lifts the lid on what California is all about.
California certainly offers a rich and diverse array of fresh produce. By the time I had eaten and drank my way down the central coast, I was ready to roll back into my first class bed albeit with one final glass of champagne to celebrate such an incredibly indulgent trip…
(2 votes, average: 3.50 out of 5) Loading ...from south beach to shoreditch
retro south beach
Claire has just returned from a few days in the heart of Miami’s South Beach. To think it was all just a few hours ago…
My Monday morning commute was a bit more long-winded than usual today. It started in Miami and ended here Shoreditch where I am shifting through photos of the art deco infused sunny shores of South Beach thinking ‘was that only 24 hrs ago?’. And, ok, the old school look in these pics may have been helped by Hipstermatic but the yesteryear feel of the pastel hued iconic architecture had me wondering if the 747 I stepped out of this morning was actually a time machine.
That said, let’s not kid ourselves, Miami is a huge modern city and whilst ‘high-rise’ is not usually something I look for when choosing a beach destination, here it works and I loved it. After a hectic week at work we mooched, ate, drank and people watched. Taxing on the brain? No. Exactly what we needed? Totally.
Right, time for me to catch up on London happenings and stop looking through these pics… (click through the images to see more)
taxi please
soho miami beach house
roses
miami beach
essex hotel
miami crescent
boulevard
miami skies
(6 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...the fat radish
the fat radish
Lauren Scott is living it up in New York and confesses her long lost love for the Brits abroad. Read on to find out her latest (British) find in the Big Apple.
I love living in New York.
The noise, the notorious bright lights, the energy, it’s been three years and I haven’t tired of it yet.
new york's new brit invasion
I have tried every possible cuisine in the city, stayed up later than I would care to admit and become almost accustomed to the extraordinary sights one sees every day just walking down the street.
I have American friends, South-American friends, European and African friends and at the beginning of my life here, took pains not to just jump into a British expat crowd. That would have been far too easy.
But now, in my fourth year in NYC, I am finding myself gravitating towards these Brits and I love it. There is something about the British men and women in New York that is totally magnetic. Perhaps we all come here with the same sense of excitement, the same sense of wonderment that the weather is generally sunny, and the same small pot of marmite at the bottom of our suitcases. As much as we all love the city, there is the comfort of being able to keep a little bit of home with you in the friends you surround yourself with.
And so it is with a particular sense of pride that I reveal to you New York’s newest, hottest, British created restaurant – The Fat Radish.
porkpie anyone?
Only a month old, The Fat Radish, has fast become the place to see, be seen and, most importantly, eat some of the most innovative and delicious food in the city.
Any Brit who has been to NYC knows the Americans love an accent – there is something about having their words spoken to them in a crisp British accent that they can’t resist (“Say hot-dog, cookie, biscuit, water”, my first few days in the office were pretty easy!). Similarly the Fat Radish’s British interpretation of a perfect New York dining spot has gone down a storm.
Brought to you by the two young Brits behind catering and events company Silkstone, the menu features porkpies, beet crumble, oysters, kedgeree….and of course, radishes. You can’t go wrong on the menu here so be as brave as you like.
(7 votes, average: 4.57 out of 5) Loading ...top 10 spas
The ideal spa means different things to different people. Some people want a punishing, boot camp mentality experience where they are whipped into shape and forced to endure a low calorie diet. Others prefer a mellower time, which involves languorous spa treatments and dinner topped off with red wine. And if you'd rather not spend your week cooped up in a treatment room, there are also outdoor adventure spas, where the focus is on challenging yourself in a beautiful setting. Here's a look at some of our favourite spas around the world.
Terme di Saturnia Spa Resort, Tuscany
Legend has it the
Terme di Saturnia was created by a bolt of lightening thrown to earth by the
god Saturn in a fit of rage. We’re not sure about that, but what we do know is
that the resort sits in the middle of land with therapeutic hot springs, where for over a 1,000 years more than 200 gallons per second of 98.6
degrees sulphuric water have been erupting from the earth. Spa treatments include Aquarelaxation, where you float in a private
thermal pool while being massaged by a therapist, and thermal plankton massage,
an best of all, meals include wine.
If you’d rather relax in a high
octane way, consider the Grand Prix at Monza, just
outside Milan. This is one of the most glamorous and fun car racing events in
the world.
L'Agapa, Brittany
This 1950s-style beach resort sits above the rocks of the
Granite Rose Coast of Brittany. While the building design is contemporary, the
property also boasts a Zen garden and an herb garden. L'Agapa guests can stay in three
different areas: try to book a room with a sea view. But guests come here
mainly for the spa, not the rooms, and they won’t be disappointed. The spa
offers views of the Seven Islands Archipelago, and treatments include a scrub
massage with pink relaxing salts and hot algae; and a purifying skin treatment
with sea mud and herbs.
The Ananda, India
The Ananda is arguably the most luxurious spa in India.
Located in the foothills of the Himalayas, the spa is housed in a refurbished
palace, which was once the residence of a Maharajah. Over 79 treatments are
offered, ranging from Swedish massage to yoga and facials. The Ananda is also
home to the only Ayurveda Beauty Institute in India, and if you get tired of
practicing your downward dog, there’s also a squash court; 6 hole golf course,
rafting, trekking, and wildlife safaris.
To really appreciate the calming properties of the Ananda,
spend a few days in Mumbai first, where India’s big money and beautiful people
hang out. Check out the Bollywood sets, as well as the hedonistic nightclubs
and designer boutiques.
Seychelles
The Banyan Tree Seychelles sits on land once
owned by Peter Sellers and George Harrison, but its celeb past isn’t what it
makes it a standout. A highlight of any stay there is the spa. The treatment
rooms are crafted from individual, pale marble villas tucked high up in the
hills, with gorgeous ocean views. The glass walls are only at half-height,
allowing the ocean breeze to come in – and blow the sheer white curtains.
Everything from facials to basic massages is offered but for a real treat book
a two or three hour treatment.
Amansala,
Mexico
Although the accommodations at the Amansala cannot be
compared to say, a Four Seasons hotel, what makes it luxurious is its
beach-front setting. The hotel is home to Bikini Boot Camp, a fun way to whip
yourself into bathing suit ready shape (its open to men and women). Days start
with a beach or jungle walk followed by some toning classes or pilates, and
days end with yoga and meditation. In between the power squats, there are
swimming and snorkelling trips, as well as visits to Mayan ruins. Food is tasty
and healthy, such as grilled fresh fish, mangos, and jicama salads.
boot camp, consider Isla Mujeres, one of Mexico’s best-kept secrets. This tiny
island boasts beaches, turquoise waters, and lazy days spent exploring an
incredibly beautiful and undeveloped tropical island.
The Beau-Rivage Palace
Located in Lausanne,
the elegant Beau-Rivage Palace, where Coco Chanel and Noel Coward once stayed, is
all about old-world décor, but the new spa is thoroughly modern. The Cinque-Mondes Spa incorporates design
elements and treatments from all over the world, including China, Japan, Africa
and Bali. Some of the treatments are spread over two to five days, including
the Ritual from Siam Sojourn, which includes a Balinese massage, a Thai massage
and a scalp and facial massage. The spa also has traditional Japanese baths.
Pura Vida Spa, Costa Rica
If you’re a fan of yoga, or want to learn how to do it, why
not try it out in a beautiful setting? The Pura Vida Spa in Costa Rica is set
in a 12-acre private retreat. In
between working on yoga poses, guests can also sign up for eco-adventure tours
and whitewater rafting. Pura Vida also offers meditation classes, hikes through
coffee fields and weekly salsa dancing classes.
Want
to see more of Costa Rica? Start in the capital, San José, and then spend a few
days white-water rafting and mountain biking, before heading to the Pacific
beaches of the incredible Nicoya Peninsula.
Cowley Manor, Gloucestershire
From the outside, Cowley Manor looks like a traditional
Italianate home. As soon as you cross the threshold, that’s where the
traditionalism ends. Window-seats are covered in pony-skin and instead of
antiques and taxidermy, you’ll find red lacquered tables and papier-mâché
‘hunting trophies.’ The in-house spa, C-side, has a modern look, complete with
glass walls and dark green slate. Everything from hot stone treatments to
Swedish massage is available at the spa.
One & Only Ocean Club, Bahamas
The One & Only Ocean Club is one of the most luxurious
places to stay in the Caribbean- where else can you get staff spritzing you
with Evian face misters on the beach, and serving up fresh sorbet? The same
high standards apply to the spa, where all massages are performed in a private
villa. Try the Elemis ocean wrap, the Royal Thai massage or the sunburnt
treatment if you overdid it in the sun.
If you’re looking for a different type of Bahamian retreat,
consider the Abaco Club on Winding Bay, the golf course of choice for Ernie Els
and Greg Norman. The club sits on a private 550- acre peninsula and has a
world-class Scottish Style ‘tropical links’ championship golf course, bone and
deep-sea fishing, and scuba diving.
If you’d rather relax and get into shape by heading to the
great outdoors instead of the inside of the gym, try the Red Mountain Spa.
Located in St. George, near Bryce Canyon, The Grand Canyon and Zion National
Park, the spa is best billed as an adventure resort, where guests can get fit
by hiking and biking. Classes are also offered by geologists and
archaeologists, and there’s also a spa for easing those sore muscles.
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