food::eating fast

In a quandry about where to grab your next fast food meal? With so many different fast food places out there,  the decision can be tough. But Eating the Road comes to the rescue with it's carefully thought out (and amusing as well)  flowchart that makes navigating the fast food chain a piece of cake. It's based on queries like “Are you drunk?”, “Do you have more than $3” and "Is it Sunday?". If you can follow the maze of questions it will direct you to your best fast food restaurant choice. Is it accurate? Well...if you live out in the sticks like I do, it isn't . Damn, we need a Chick-Filet around here. And a DQ, a Sonic, a White Castle ......

Still it's fun and JUST COOL!

via grubstreet

travel :: southwest makes it fun

It's fun flying Southwest. Even when they do pack us in like sardines... And here's why...

Southwest just makes things more interesting ...and JUST COOL!

food :: baby bottle winos

Last December an unusual restaurant opened on the corner of Prince and Elizabeth Streets in New York. At La Cave des Fondus the fare is not unusual - true to it's name it specializes in tasty fondues. It's the bottle service that you'll find a bit different since wine and other beverages are served up in baby bottles instead of classic stemware. Jacques Ouari, owner of the Manhattan restaurant strived to make this restaurant a faithful replica of the fun Montmartre restaurant Le Refuge des Fondus in France, where Parisians eagerly suck down their wine just like real babies suck down formula.

But what about the sanitary factor? The health department gave Oari the green light to open as long as all bottles went through the dishwasher. Still, how sanitary can that be? Really... eeeewww... I think I'll stick with my platex disposable bottles. ( Place looks JUST COOL though )

travel :: wine barrel accomodations

Looking for an unusual getaway? A hotel in Stavoren, a very old port in northern Holland may be just the place, especially if you are a wine lover. Why? Because the room you will be staying in is actually a 15,000 litre wine barrel that once contained Beaujolais wine.

Hotel De Vrouwe van Stavoren's old oak casks make excellent (and I imagine fragrant) rooms and rates for a cask room are priced from 74-119 Euros a night with discounts of up to 75% off depending on the season.

via

travel :: standard it ain't

Maybe it's name is standard but this opulent NY hotel is anything but! Get this.The Standard Hotel of New York boasts 337 Guest Rooms with insane views, wall-to-wall floor-to-ceiling windows that open, 300 thread count italian sheets, large & lofty pillows, massive showers and over sized tubs, xl fluffy towels, 6 piece kiss my face organic bath amenities, mood lighting, comfortable work spaces, huge hd tvs, ipod ready sound system, overstocked min-bars, room service, free wireless internet and thats just for starters. Not only are the views insane and the decor California Cool - but the architecture itself is something to flip over as well!

With posh and luxurious rooms starting at $250 a night this place is JUST COOL!

travel :: crossed out

Happy Sunday everyone! Time for some religion and a visit to the infamous Hill of Crosses.

photo via squierj

If you are ever in Lithuania be sure to visit this sacred landmark that has long been shrouded in mystery. Studded with over 50,000 crosses, it began in the 14th century before Christianity even came to Lithuania and Russia and is of pagan origin. The story behind the crosses goes that good luck would follow anyone who claimed his spot on the mountain with his very own cross. Despite it's turbulent history (the soviet government went as far as burning and removing all the crosses and bulldozing the site), faith prevailed and the Hill of Crosses rose up even stronger and is now covered with tens of thousands of crosses - so many that they have stopped counting them! Today the Hill of Crosses remains the symbol of Lithuanians’ Christian faith and is one of the main pilgrimage sites in the country.  On September 7, 1993, Pope John Paul II visited it declaring it a place for hope, peace, love and sacrifice.

Those lucky Lithuanians - how JUST COOL!

via leisureguide

pets:: flying safe

Finally! An airline that caters especially to your pet. Pet Airways is a new and unique air transport service for pets. Co founders, Dan Weisel and Alysa Binder got the idea when traveling with their dog, Zoe (who, btw bares a striking resemblence to Poppy Petunia!)

Instead of being treated like baggage in the cargo hold, your pet enjoys secured accomodations in the main cabin making for a safer, less traumatic trip for Fido and Fluffy. The "pawsenger" is checked in at the Pet Lounge at the airport, where a doting pet "attendant" will give him a potty break before boarding. On board the attendants are always present, attending to each pets every bark and meow. And if you want to check on how your pet is doing, a pet tracker is provided to monitor your pets trip.The airline has scheduled its first flight for cats and dogs on July 14th, and will serve five US cities - New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles.

So make your reservations now! Pet Airways - it's JUST COOL!

via BBC news

travel ::the best vacations are free!

Looking for an action packed, fun in the sun place to vacation this Spring? Well look no further because Kissimmee is the place to go for you and the family! Kissimmee is an epicenter of fun conveniently located in Central Florida. The sky is the limit when it comes to things to do since Kissimmee provides it's guests with a vast selection of action packed attractions ranging from laid back relaxation to heart pounding thrills for those of you who love living life on the edge! With so much to do and so little time to do it in, what will you choose to do? How about joining the kids in a wet and wild visit to the area's popular water parks that have every kind of water ride imaginable. Or take a ride in a fast paced go-cart race, float up to the clouds in a hot air balloon or travel the headwaters of the Florida Everglades gliding through wetlands on an exhilarating wind-in-your-face airboat ride and stare a 500 pound eleven foot alligator in the face. There's lots to do that's free in Kissimmee too, like shopping the shops in Olde Town, viewing the art entries in the Kissimmee Sculpture Experience and if you're a nature lover Lake Lizzie Nature Preserve, the Osceola County Environmental Center, the Wildlife Management Areas of Bull Creek, Prairie Lakes, Three Lakes, and Triple N Ranch—all offer great hiking and picnicking options.

If you're not convinced yet then check out the website and enter for a free vacation on Kissimmee! Right now Kissimmee is giving away three weekend getaways (3 days/2 nights) for two ; and two week long vacations for four. Drawings will be held on or around 4/1/09, 5/1/09 and 6/1/09. So go enter for your chance to win. After all, the best vacations are free!

travel:: the suitcase voyeur

Have you been a victim of lost luggage? And what exactly happens when luggage gets lost on a flight and is never claimed by it's owner? It goes to an auction and is auctioned off for charity. Or it gets bid on by this strange duck and goes up on his website called Is This Your Baggage.

The anonymous owner of the website posts pictures of the luggage along with the baggage contents hoping to find it's owner so that those of us who have lost baggage might claim it. Or not.

Nice guy! And what a JUST COOL idea...but maybe a little creepy?

travel :: weird waves!

The coolest waves of all aren't found in the sea but are sweeping and swirling along the border of Arizona and Utah in a stunning 190 million year old rock formation called "The Wave". This unbelievable sand dune turned striped mammoth rock sculpture is accessible only by foot and permit. It's a three mile walk into this surreal landscape of swirling drama and from the looks of these spectacular photos, well worth the hike!

catching these waves is definitely JUST COOL!

via LAT

Travel :: Kissimmee for fun in the sun

I think this has been the longest Winter yet up here in the Northeast. It's time to get away for a relaxing vacation in the warm Florida sunshine! And what better place to relax then in Kissimmee Florida. In fact there's no other vacation destination quite like it with all the wonderful things it has to offer. From flying through the air at 60 miles an hour on a roller coaster and watching the smiles on the kids faces when they meet up with their favorite Disney characters to a myriad of water sports like zooming across Lake Toho on an airboat, or taking advantage of all of the great fishing spots it has to offer.Not only is there golfing at Florida’s most celebrated golf courses and dining in world class restaurants in Kissimmee, but there are lots of things to do for free too. In fact some of Kissimmee’s best-kept secrets are free! Hike nature trails, and get acquainted with Old Florida. You can dance the night away, or cruise the classic cars at Old Town. If you like art like I do, then meander through the downtown area to see the Kissimmee Sculpture Experience. Each year artists submit their work and a dozen works are selected for exhibition along the tree-lined streets.

So has all this vacation talk peeked your interest yet? Well I haven't finished because here is the best part. Right now Kissimmee is giving away three weekend getaways of 3 days/2 nights for two; and two 2 week long vacations for four .Drawings will be held on or around 4/15/09 and 5/21/09. So don't miss your chance for this one and enter the sweepstakes now. Who knows, maybe you'll win your vacation of a lifetime!

travel :: hotel du petit moulin - paris chic!

Leave it to designer Christian Lacroix to punch up the renovated interior of this once 17th century bakery with his colorful eccentric style. Hotel du Petit Moulon is a bargain for the wallet and eye candy for the senses when visiting Paris. CL was inspired by "the slightly twisted perspectives, the maze-like passageways on the different floors and the new functional areas which have been added repecting the "old Paris" style of the building."
The glitsy glam polka dot King went to town when he transformed each of its seventeen rooms into his signature fashion fantasy swathed with mod printed silks, velvets, linens and exotic murals in rainbow colors. There is no one style in this place - it runs the gamut from Baroque, and sci-fi to Scandinavian modern - heck, the hotel even has a polka dot staircase! And when you step through the door of this ancient pâtisserie , gone is the aroma of fresh baked baguettes, replaced by divinely scented aromatic candles.The seventeen luxury rooms include modern amenities such as air-conditioning, Wi-Fi access, a flat-screen television, a guest safe and a minibar.

Planning a trip to Paris? Check out the Hotel du Petit Moulin - It's JUST COOL!
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advertising :: all you can eat

Here's an enticing way to get you to stop at the rest area for a bite to eat ...

Or give you driver's angst. Yikes - It's JUST COOL!

via adpunch

virtual travel :: please remain seated

The Taj Mahal, India

Half the fun of traveling to exciting destinations is the exilaration you get from discovering these far off places first hand. But suppose you'd like to tour...say the Taj Mahal... from the comfort of your home? Without the hassle of airports, lost bags, jet lag etc. Now it is possible.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Last month, 3Dreamteam launched it's unique informational and educational portal, www.vizerra.com., making a virtual journey to the famous remarkable locations in 3D format a reality! National Geographic Russia is the project’s information partner for the first few locations and the site promises to be a popular one with more great destinations in store. Right now you can take a virtual tour of The Taj Mahal ,Angkor Vat, and Tatev Monastery. The tour is free - so check it out!

Its JUST COOL. Of course!

travel & art:: Death Valley Fantasy

Move over Michelangelo. In the remote California ghost town of Death Valley Junction stands the Amargosa Opera House, where for the past 33 years former New York dancer and artist Marta Becket has performed her own ballets in the small theater she spent seven years restoring and hand-painting with lively, colorful murals.

In 1967 Marta Beckett, a dancer and artist touring the US, got a flat tire in Death Valley, California and stumbled upon the abandoned Amargosa borax building & old run-down theatre. She purchased it the following year, eventually buying the town of Death Valley Junction in 1974. She created the Opera House, painting every inch of it with fantastical murals of medieval audiences, dancers and elaborate balconies and architectural dodads. There she gave performances, (dance, theatre, spoken word) every Saturday, sometimes to audiences of zero. But she didn't care because she had her "painted audience" to watch her!
I remember my sister telling me about this amazing theater that she had visited in the early 1970's - about the stunning murals that Marta painted and how Marta herself grew up in our own hometown of Niskayuna New York. After doing some research I found these fab photos of the theater which I find utterly incredible! The theater's centerpiece mural is of a King and Queen and when Marta performs, she is performing to them. Even now, at a young 82 years of age, this talented woman is still performing.

Watch her soon to be released documentary - Amargosa

If ever you are in Death Valley or near there, take the time to visit this unusual hotel and opera house. It is JUST COOL!

via the foo files

architecture :: its a buddha-full building

This bodacious Buddha, built in the 1960's is actually a building measuring 86 feet tall and located on top of a small hill in Chang Hua China. Visitors can descend the inside of the big Buddha and view the surrounding scenery through windows that go up his back and vents in his ears.

How buddhaful is that? It's JUST COOL!

via travelpod

travel :: a hotel worth licking

I thought the Ice Hotel was JUST COOL but the salty Hotel de Sal Playa may have it beat. Located near the famous Uyuni salt deposit in the southwestern part of the Bolivia, the Salt Hotel was built in 1993 to take advantage of all the tourists it draws to Uyani, (one of the world's largest salt deposits of its kind). So get this - the whole hotel is made entirely of salt. The walls are made of salt blocks held together with mortar made from (you guessed it!) salt and water. The fifteen room 'Salt Hotel' is so salty that even the beds, tables and chairs are made of salt and the floor is granulated salt too. Im getting all crusty thinking about it ;)

But wait, the fun doesn't stop there because this salty destination is also known for it's dramatic sunsets, giant cactuses, hot springs and sulphur pools, not to mention some amazing psychedelic lakes - a white lake made from borax, a red lake infested with red algae, a yellow lake due to sulphur concentrations, and blue one from the manganese.

Hey this place sounds JUST COOL! Now watch the video.

Travel :: bald heads seeking New Zealand Adventure

My daughter Bex is always up for adventure so I mentioned a cool contest to her that www.airnewzealand.com has going on. I think she would be the perfect candidate for it! Plus she needs a hairstyle change ;)

Air New Zealand is holding a casting call in late October to select 30 adults who will be shaved and tattooed to serve as cranial billboards as part of the airline’s marketing campaign promoting life-changing journeys to New Zealand. Now I know my Bexxy would be up for that! She has some crazy tattoos already, plus she is wild at heart - the crazier the idea, the more likely she is to do it. She just finished a three month hike on the Appalachian trail and this adventure would fit in nicely between that and the Africa trip she has planned for next year. Each cranial billboard winner will choose a cash prize or an economy round trip ticket to New Zealand. 30 human billboards will go about their bald lives hat-free, carrying their message and, when asked, communicating about individuals’ needs for change and the transformation that a journey to New Zealand will offer. Hey, that's easy enough. And the tattoos aren't the real pain inducing tats either, but temporary, two-week henna tattoos. The back of Rebecca's head will look like the guy below.

At her age I had many life changing adventures, and it's great that she has the opportunity to travel and experience all that the world has to offer. One of my favorite trips was when I was 19. It was in the early 70's, when hippie-dom was alive and well. A few cohorts and I drove an old Rambler from NY to California and spent two years of amazing adventuring in reckless abandonment, up and down the West Coast, living in all sorts of weird places. It was certainly an enlightening time back then. I made some wonderful friends from all over the US, in fact some who are still my good friends today. So how exciting would this adventure be for Bex? A trip to New Zealand, a place that I have heard the most awesome tales about, a place of unsurpassed beauty and thrilling adventures?

It would of course, be JUST COOL!

transportation :: a modern day gypsy

A mini home on wheels, the Tonke Camper isn't just your run of the mill mold injected RV. It's a throwback to an era of fine handmade craftsmanship. Inspired by gypsy caravans and classic yachts of old, this cool camper van is part monster truck, and part little house on the prairie. Tonke campers are the brainchild of a Dutch documentary film-maker named Maarten Van Soest. Each is hand-built in the village of Wagenberg Netherlands.

The nifty little home on wheels is constructed with all quality materials including porcelain sink, stainless steel fixtures and glowing teak wood accoutrements. In fact it looks like the inside of a yacht, doesn't it? With a shower, toilet and kitchenette on board, the Tonke is designed for camping in the wild and is fully self sufficient. The camper unit can be lifted off the van chassis in 15 minutes, allowing it to go solo as a self-contained guest house, office or mini house.

I always wanted a gypsy wagon! It's JUST COOL!

more at www.tonkecampers.nl