On the Road Again
City Gardens: Up, Down, and Sideways
The sky’s the limit when it comes to urban gardening. Across the country, higher food prices have made growing your own produce the right thing to do for 43 million Americans, according to the National Gardening Association’s 2009 survey. But for city dwellers, where outdoor space is scarce, that means creative plotting.
In the 1970s, community gardens in metropolitan areas sprang up as a way to return to our roots. Today, they are a key ingredient in urban renewal projects, offering job training, sustenance, and recreation. A decade later, urbanites embraced hydroponic gardens, and began planting vertically along building walls as a natural method to keep the structures cool. These living walls can also be harvested, such as the 72-square-foot wall of herbs at Pizzeria Mozza in Hollywood, CA.
The latest wave of city greenery is up on the roof. This spring, nonprofit Bread for the City in Washington, DC, installed a 3,500-square-foot produce garden on its building’s roof to educate its clients about food sustainability. And in New York City, the 94-seat restaurant Bell, Book and Candle developed the city’s first hydroponic rooftop-to-table vegetable garden, using 60 vertical towers for its melons, mint, tomatoes, lettuce, and other produce. A pulley system neatly transports the greenery to the kitchen. It doesn’t get any fresher than that.
Unique way to "wear" your airport carry-on items
Designed with 33 pockets and the airline traveler in mind, the Carry-On Coat by ScotteVest has room for toiletries, shoes, your iPad and can even hold clothes for a 3 day trip. Allowing travelers to skip baggage check-in and have their coat sent directly through x-ray offers both a time and money savings with this new invention for hands-free travel.
2011 Hot Travel Destinations
Pack your bags! The following locations, according to Free Press Research, were named notable travel trends for 2011: Corfu (Greece), Sicily, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkey, West Africa and Zambia. If you’re looking for the best cocktails on your trip then Travel & Leisure lists Chicago, Las Vegas, New Orleans, New York City and San Juan-Puerto Rico as the places to drink and be merry. But if you’re looking for destinations on the verge of becoming the next big trend you should check out: Cesme Peninsula, Turkey; Nahanni National Park in Northwest Territories, Canada; Ponza & The Pontine Islands of Italy; and Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica.
Cave Hotel in Turkey
If you think a hotel can’t also be a tourist attraction, think again! Presenting the cave hotel of the wonderful Cappadocia in Turkey. The artistic imagination was at its peak when sculptors cut through these soft volcanic rocks to form pillars and minaret to give the guests a unique experience with local appeal.
First Music Hotel opens in Berlin
The first European hotel catering to musicians is now open with its cutting edge whimsy, a state-of-the art recording studio and guitars on the room service menu. Uniquely designed, the Nhow Berlin Hotel also has a neon colored lobby and offers rooms in hyper glossy designs of pink, blue or gray.
Luxury spa with pet-friendly benefits
Forget about extra fees and non-refundable deposits typically associated with standard hotel rooms for pet travel. Now you and your pet companion can stay in style at hotels such as Las Ventanas al Paraiso in Los Cabos, Mexico. This luxury resort spa provides pet cabanas free of charge and has four-legged menu services ranging from jet-lag massages, staff beach walks and custom ordered dining menus for the ultimate pet vacation.