World Walker

Boston really does have something for everyone. Choose from a variety of exciting tours to discover this American city.

You are not the average tourist. Sure you like to eat at some nice restaurants. Maybe visit a museum or two. But you have no interest in seeing the city through a bus window. And another thing: You like to walk. Well, Boston has tours that will exercise both your brain and your body. You can take steps to learn about the literary scene, food, movies and photography. In one of the US’s oldest cities, history is a given.

Culture vultures

Most visitors only sample Boston’s early American history, cream pie and beans. The 19th century literary scene is a nice respite and you don’t have to be a bookish guru to enjoy it. The Literary Trail of Boston (website: www.literarytrailofgreaterboston.org) begins at the Omni Parker House Hotel. Not only the birthplace of Boston cream pie and Parker House rolls, it’s where the ‘Saturday Club’ once met. Such notables as Longfellow, Thoreau, Emerson, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Harriett Beecher Stowe and Nathaniel Hawthorne were regulars. Charles Dickens would always drop by when he was in town. He performed his first reading of The Christmas Carol there.

The tour moves to the Boston Athenaeum (a 19th century library). Amid shelves, balconies and alcoves, this literary haunt houses 700,000 original volumes and manuscripts, as well as the sculpture and artwork. To see poet Longfellow’s home, you must ride the ‘T’ (the train) to Cambridge.

When he was a language professor at Harvard, Longfellow lived at 105 Brattle Street. He was a fan of George Washington, and this house was extra special to him. It once served as general’s headquarters during the siege of Boston between July 1775 and April 1776. Wandering through the home and seeing some of his possessions will give you an understanding of Longfellow, the man.

The literary legacy of Greater Boston still thrives. Many well-known authors, such as Sylvia Plath, Eugene O’Neill, John Updyke and Doris Kearns Goodwin, have called the area home.

Foodies

So do many Italians. The three-hour North End Market Tour combines history, Italian culinary with lots of yummy tastings and handouts such as an explanation of different Italian pastries. Strolling through narrow streets in the country’s oldest ‘Little Italy,’ you will likely hear the sounds of Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin and see senior citizens sitting on the front steps gossiping, just as you might envision in the old country.

A chef/guide explains that, to Italians, food is a very big deal. So is digestion, which is why fennel, liquorice and anisette are frequently used. While visiting ethnic, family-owned bakery, cheese, wine and spice shops, you will learn about regional cooking and foods. For example, bakery goods that contain sesame seeds reflect Arab influence and are from southern Italy. At Alba’s Produce, guests discover how to tell the difference between a male and female aubergine.

Few cities bring to mind such images of sheer excess as Las Vegas. Located in the middle of the arid Mojave Desert, at the southern tip of the state of Nevada, Las Vegas is an oasis of life, energy and money – a city whose raison d’être is entertainment.

Over 35 million people visit Las Vegas year round, staying in the city’s 150,000 hotel rooms. According to the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, Las Vegas is now the fastest growing city in North America with an estimated two acres of land being developed every 24 hours, and seeing approximately 50,000 people annually choosing to make the city and suburbs their home.

Ironically, Las Vegas’ beginnings were, if anything, humble. In the 18th century, the spot where the city now stands earned the named Las Vegas (Spanish for ‘The Plains’), because of a natural spring that created greenery in the dry desert. The city itself was founded in 1905 (as a stopover on the Union Pacific railway between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City) but it remained a remote backwater until the 1930s.

In 1931, however, gambling was made legal and Las Vegas quickly began to assume its present character. At first, it drew the droves of workers building the nearby Hoover Dam. Soon, it became a gambling and vacation mecca for the entire country – it attracted stars like Frank Sinatra, Elvis and Liberace and became America’s premier entertainment hub.

The 1990s saw a trend towards building enormous hotel complexes competing with one another for the title of largest hotel in the world, and it has not let up to this day. The competition was won by the city-like MGM Grand, whose capacity of over 5,000 rooms has yet to be bettered, although the Bellagio, the Wynn Las Vegas and the newly opened Palazzo have certainly raised the bar in terms of lavish luxury and unchecked hedonism.

Today, Las Vegas is booming like never before. Entertainment so dominates Las Vegas that it is the backbone of the city’s economy, creating vibrant hotel, retail and hospitality industries. The city’s sheer exuberance in attracting visitors has created something along the lines of a city-sized theme park. Its residents lead normal lives in normal suburbs, but to visitors, it is an endless playground of neon lights, hotel lounges, topless revues, live entertainment and casinos.

By 2010, the face of the Strip is expected to be completely transformed following the completion of Project CityCenter and Echelon Place, two multiple high-rise, mixed-use residential and commercial developments that will boast the latest in contemporary urban design and architecture.

‘Bring the Heat’ to New Mexico Magazine’s First-Ever Salsa Contest

No place on Earth has a more beloved, and specific, local cuisine than New Mexico. In a land where the state question is “red or green?” one can only conclude that New Mexicans take their eating seriously.

They also take their recipes seriously. Home-grown New Mexico cuisine is a mosaic of all cultures. Its ingredients have intermingled and complemented each other since Coronado’s expedition. New Mexicans had better be given a pretty compelling reason for sharing a prized recipe with the world.

New Mexico Magazine is now offering a couple of good reasons – recognition and prestige – through its first-ever New Mexico Magazine Salsa Contest.

“Few states can boast such a rich culinary heritage,” said Michael Cerletti, Secretary of the New Mexico Tourism Department. “By increased recognition and promotion of New Mexico’s vibrant culinary industry, we can bring more visitors to the Land of Enchantment, further enhancing economic and community development, and fostering greater pride and appreciation of diversity among New Mexicans.”

Geared toward commercial manufacturers only, entry to the “Bring the Heat” contest is limited to ready-to-eat salsas that are either made in New Mexico or made with New Mexico ingredients and available for purchase online or in retail outlets.

The contest winner will be featured in New Mexico Magazine’s “New Mexico’s Best Eats” June issue; earn prestige as New Mexico’s best salsa of 2010; and be given the New Mexico Magazine Salsa Contest Winner’s Seal.

Deadline for entry is February 1, 2010.

Salsas will be tasted by a panel of three judges: “King of the Road” contributor Lesley S. King; “Southwest Flavor” contributor Rocky Durham; and author of “Gil’s Thrilling and Filling Blog,” Gil Garduño. In the event that a judge is unable to participate, New Mexico Magazine will appoint a qualified person. The decision of the judges is final.

Contestants may submit as many varieties of salsa as they choose. Each entry must include one jar of the salsa and one entry form, which can be downloaded at http://www.nmmagazine.com/imgs/NMM-SalsaContest-2010.pdf. To qualify, entries must be tamper-proof and arrive undamaged. Broken and/or unsealed jars will be disqualified.

By submitting your product to the contest, you grant New Mexico Magazine the right to publish images of it in its publications, websites, e-mail newsletters, and any promotional material (i.e. press releases or advertising).

Mail your entry to:

New Mexico Magazine Salsa Contest

495 Old Santa F e Trail

Santa Fe, NM 87501

For more information contact Ashley Biggers, New Mexico Magazine associate editor, abiggers@nmmagazine.com or 505-476-0223

Las Vegas is a city of lights, entertainment, and action. There are hundreds of thousands of subjects to photograph here, all of which may be flashing or constantly moving. Getting a good snapshot in can be a challenge, and sometimes it isn’t worth the hassle to get a good photo. On the other hand, Las Vegas is a beautiful city that deserves to be in the spot light. Here are 5 tips for taking magnificent travel photos for your memories.

1. Try to avoid view obstructing objects. The farther you are away from people and trees, the better your photos will be. Therefore, rooftops and parking garages make great locations for “certain” photos. If you can get to a parking garage with a good view of something, take advantage of the lack of people and high height. Rooftops are hard to get on top of, but they are the perfect place to take quality photos. Any time you can be higher than the general public, is most likely a good time to get beautiful photos of the nearby buildings.

2. Don’t use flash unless you have a professional camera. Flash on a regular digital point and shoot will be disastrous. All of your photos will likely come out ugly and overly bright. Since Las Vegas is already lit up, you will have all of the light you need. If you are taking photos of people, then flash may be necessary. Otherwise, it really messes up photos and you will go home with nothing to show!

3. Use tripods, but only during less crowded times. It is frustrating to take photos in a big city with thousands of people walking the street, if you have a tripod. They can be knocked over, broken, and they also crowd walkways. It is extremely rude to try to take a photo with a bulky tripod if other people are trying to walk by. The best thing is to learn to hold still and take a photo without a tripod.

4. Adhere to the rules. Some hotels, such as the Luxor, have a strict policy on no photography. This is protect those staying in the hotel, but also to protect the hotels image. If you are caught taking photos in the hotel they do have the right to either kick you out, or take your camera. None are worth it just to get a few photos. If you are a professional or own a website for reviews, they may give explicit permission to photograph certain things within the hotel.

5. Some restaurants are absolutely beautiful, as are most of the malls and shops. If you want to take photos, ask. It is important to respect the privacy of others, and it is extremely rude to take pictures without asking. Plus, if you have permission you are more likely to get in a good shot or two, rather than trying to be sneaky and missing an opportunity.

Sushi is a delicacy to behold, and many people travel to certain cities just for the sushi. Las Vegas has plenty of sushi restaurants, and some are simply better than others. This list of 5 restaurants contains the absolute best sushi in the area, for a great price as well.

1. Sumo Sushi is a very popular sushi joint in Las Vegas. It is located near Green Valley and has a full menu of delicious sushi options. There are even a few small dishes for those that prefer something other than sushi. Sumo Sushi is fun to say, has an extremely friendly environment and has received rave reviews.

2. Sumo Sushi 2 is the original Sumo Sushi’s little sister. This restaurant is located on W. Warm Springs road, and has a full menu of all types of sushi. The staff here is also friendly and helpful. You can pretty much order whatever you want, however you want. The chefs are skilled and the environment is beautiful. This restaurant has a massive fish tank as well, so you can relax in a casual environment. This place is located way off the strip, but is worth the 15 minute drive.

*Both Sumo Sushi restaurants offer similar food, but the location, environment, and chefs, are all different. If you love sushi, try both restaurants before you leave Las Vegas! You won’t be disappointed with the exceptional service.

3. Yellowtail at the Bellagio is an upscale sushi restaurant. Meals here will cost between $30 and $70 per person, but are quite worth the cost. If you prefer ritzy environments, this restaurant is a must see. The Bellagio dining establishments are the absolute best on the strip, and Yellowtail is no exception. While it is expensive, the environment and experience is well worth the cost. Book for reservations far in advanced.

4. Sushi Roku is an upscale and high fashion location inside of Ceasars Palace hotel and casino. This restaurant will cost at least $20 per person. The food here is also exquisite, but the prices make it a little less appealing to some of us.

5. The Wazuzu at the Encore is another sushi place. This restaurant is more affordable, and each meal will only cost $10 to $40. It is a fun and upbeat restaurant with numerous menu choices. If you can’t afford the other sushi places on the strip then Wazuzu is for you. They also serve more than just sushi here, so even picky eaters will find something delicious they will enjoy.

When choosing a sushi restaurant in Las Vegas, it is important to understand the portion sizes and quality of the food. To have good sushi, it must be fresh and prepared nicely. If you like big meals, some of the upscale restaurants will not satisfy your hunger. If you want more food for less money, consider Sumo Sushi over the rest. The portions they serve are large, filling, and taste just as exceptional as the food from an upscale restaurant.

Mexico is full of culture, delicious foods, and beautiful beaches. Some of the more famous locations aren’t the best, but still impress with their wonderful spa treatments and fashion. Here is the list of the top 5 beach resorts in Mexico!

The Caminoa Real Las Hadas is one of the top beach resorts. It’s luxury hotel rooms leads the way to charm and romance. This isn’t your average overpopulated resort hotel, in fact, it is one of the little known treasures in Mexico. The beach here is stunning and tropical, making it one of the most perfect locations for a summer retreat.

The Fiesta Americana luxury resort is surprisingly affordable, yet luxurious. This resort is a 5 diamond resort, as stated by AAA. This resort has numerous activities for visitors to partake in, not even including the nearby adventures to be had outside of the resort. If you stay at the Fiesta Americana, you can expect nothing but the absolute best in traveling and luxury resorts. This resort is non-stop fun for families, couples, and singles looking to explore the very best in Cancun. This resort doesn’t even require you to leave the safety of it’s walls. You could easily spend your entire vacation here.

The Fairmont Acapulco Princess is one of the top luxury resorts in Acapulco. This grand resort has a stunning view of the beaches and mountains nearby. Despite all of the amenities and lush surroundings, the rooms are designed to be intimate and luxurious. They are cozy and comfortable without being overbearing or too crowded. This mega-resort is the perfect place to spend your vacation.

The Westin Regina Puerto Vallarta is a newer resort but it doesn’t fail to stun. This resort is a one of a kind, surrounded by beautiful palm trees and adobe styled buildings. This resort is packed with plenty of activities, located in the wonderful Puerto Vallarta. There are numerous options for water sports, lounging, eating, and dancing the night away.

If you have a taste for fine Mexican cuisine and Mediterranean style, mixed with French themes, then you will adore the Le Meridien Resort & Spa. This exquisite resort is located in Cancun and offers plenty of pools, food, golf, and beautiful beaches. Everything you could hope for is available here, and you will not be disappointed! The design alone is stunning and breathtaking, and you will surely enjoy the opportunity to wake up every morning to the decor that surrounds you.

Mexico offers plenty of resorts for those that don’t have an issue with money. Most of them are all-inclusive and offer numerous budget friendly options. Some are more intimate and designed for couples, and others are kid and family friendly. The best thing to do when visiting one of these resorts is to ask people you know for reviews. While all are lovely in their own way, each one certainly has something different for different people.