2010 › May

Food & Wine Classic in Aspen offers day passes to debauchery

by Laurel Miller on

It’s almost time for the 28th annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, and day passes are back by popular demand. The June 18-20 festival features seminars, cooking demos, grand tastings, and book signings by featured chefs like Thomas Keller, Mario Batali, and Giada De Laurentiis. All of this goodness in an alpine wonderland doesn’t come cheap, which is why the $295 Grand Tasting pass is such a steal.

The price includes attendance at two Grand Tastings in a single day, on Friday, June 18 or Saturday, June 19. Highlights include tastings from over 200 vineyards, breweries, and distilleries, as well as food samplings of meats, cheeses, olive oils, and chocolate. There’s also a Spanish pavilion dedicated to wines, spirits and foods of Spain.

Full consumer passes are $1,185, which include access to all Grand Tastings, wine seminars, and cooking demonstrations. If you really want to splurge (read: schedule follow-up appointment with your cardiologist), spring for some of the special events, such as the Food & Wine magazine Best New Chefs 2010 Dinner, or Reserve Wine Tastings. New this year is the Grand Cochon finale, featuring ten chefs, ten heritage breed pigs, and ten wines. Sounds like food porn just got really kinky.

The Original Running of the Bulls

by Gadling Staff on

Each week, Gadling is taking a look at our favorite festivals around the world. From music festivals to cultural showcases to the just plain bizarre, we hope to inspire you to do some festival exploring of your own. Come back each Wednesday for our picks or find them all HERE.

Most people outside of Spain got their first glimpse of los encierros (The Running of the Bulls) thanks to the 1926 Ernest Hemingway novel, The Sun Also Rises. Inspired by Pamplona’s San Fermín festival, his novel in turn has inspired millions to visit, and even participate in, this most unusual and iconic celebration. What few people realize, even in Spain, is that Pamplona is not the only place where los encierros are performed. To experience the most historic of these fiestas with an authentic flair, head inland to Cuéllar.

The small Segovian village of Cuéllar, north of Madrid, has been hosting its own running of the bulls, Los Encierros de Cuéllar, the last week in August every year since 1499 (and possesses historical documentation referencing dates as early as 1215), a celebration which few outsiders have witnessed.

Despite the town’s modest fame, tourism from the surrounding villages can double the town’s small population over the week of the festival, giving a welcome boost to the agricultural economy.

A foreign visitor to Cuéllar, Spain, which is relatively hidden away and known only to those with a family or geographical connection, will find that the town is as interested in them as they are in it and its celebrations, and they will feel welcomed and encouraged to take part.

Want to learn more about this lesser-known Spanish festival? Keep reading below…To kick off the festival, the peñas (groups of friends) convert garages and storage spaces into makeshift dens where they can eat, drink, and gather for the week. The peñas then parade in the town square for the pregón, or opening ceremony, where the guest of honor (usually a minor Spanish celebrity) addresses the crowd and the queen of the fiesta is presented. What ensues is a heady mix of drinking, street parties, tapas (fried pig’s ear is one local specialty, exquisitely prepared by the Las Bolas cafe, Calle de San Pedro, 20), live music, and, of course, the running of the bulls.

It is the locals that make this rural Spanish festival really special and most are more than happy to indulge visitors with stories of the fiesta and the village’s history. One former fiesta queen, Cecilia, now in her late nineties, loves to share stories about strange, inexplicable happenings at the fiesta. In one of her favorites, a local man was cornered and attacked by a bull years ago and left miraculously unharmed, but stark naked.

While Cuéllar may seem like another world, travel there is simple. Daily buses from Madrid’s central station carry passengers from the capitol in 90 minutes, adding accessibility to the charm and wonder of the place known to its residents as “la isla en un mar de pinos,” or “the island in a sea of pine trees.” Want to check out this year’s festivities? Make your way to Spain at the end of August to check out this great Spanish celebration.

Test-drive the Olympus E-PL1 through the power of augmented reality

by Scott Carmichael on

Interested in testing the Olympus E-PL1 without leaving your desk? If you have a computer with a webcam, you can head on over to the Olympus PEN 3D site for the first online augmented reality camera test-drive.

To get the test-drive started, you’ll need a “camera card” – these will be included in the June issue of Wired and the July issue of Popular Photography. Alternatively, you can just download the PDF and print one of your own.

Once you have the paper camera, install the browser plugin and hold it up in front of your webcam – augmented reality will turn the flat paper card it into a 3D model of the E-PL1, and you’ll be able to play around with all the features of this amazing camera.

Once you’ve learned about the features on the camera, you can even enter to win one of five E-PL1 cameras and $5000 cash! One lucky winner will be invited on an all-expenses paid trip to New York, where they’ll get to show their creation on a giant video screen at the US Open! The contest (and rules) can be found here.

Travel Trends: Pet travel

by Gadling Staff on

From doggy daycare to feline pampering to gourmet food and beyond, pet owners in the United States shower their furry companions with a healthy dose of attention. Although this affection is shown through lots of play time and generous ear scratching, it’s most easily recognizable by the billions of dollars spent every year in the pet industry.

Since 1994, the American Pet Products Association (APPA) has kept track of just how much Americans spend on their pets. The data verifies that with every new year, U.S. pet owners have spent increasingly more on their four-legged counterparts. In fact, within the 10 years between 1994 and 2004, the spending literally doubled from $17 billion to $34 billion. Fast forward to 2010, a mere 6 years later, and that number has skyrocketed to approximately $47.4 billion.

While money spent on pets includes vet fees, food and other typical expenses, a large chunk of that is devoted to leisure-related activities like pampering and lodging. This increased amount of spending is partially due to a growing trend in the pet industry that has owners toting their pets along with them on vacation.

The Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) released data in January of 2009 that said the most popular animal that pet owners bring with them on vacations is a dog. This is likely due to the canine’s happy-go-lucky attitude and ability to adapt to new environments quickly. Coming in at second place are felines at 15 percent, followed by birds at 3 percent and “others” at 2 percent (other includes ferrets, fish, rabbits).

As for how pets travel, transportation via cars is by far the most common. And, according to a the same travel poll conducted by TIA, only 6 percent of animals travel with an airline and 10 percent travel in a recreational vehicle.

Once a pet and its owner have finally reached their destination, finding a place to stay is the next detail to figure out. As of 2009, 32 percent of travelers stay with someone who they already know, such as a friend or relative. Twenty nine percent stay in a hotel, 16 percent opt for a recreation vehicle or tent and the final 10 percent stay in a cabin or vacation home. This information is also based on data gathered by TIA.

This discussion “begs” the question: do you travel with your pet(s)? No? Then be sure to check out “Ask Gadling: How to prepare for not traveling without your dog.”

Data Sources:

See more Travel Trends.

Ask Gadling: How to prepare for traveling without your dog

by Mike Barish on

This week’s question comes from Quincy in Oshkosh, Wisconsin:

“I have always taken my dog, Jasper, on camping trips and road trips. But my girlfriend and I are going to Bermuda for our anniversary and need to leave Jasper home. I’ve never left him behind and don’t really know what to do. How do I make this comfortable for my dog and less stressful for me?”

This is a fairly common dilemma and one that causes nearly every dog owner stress and anxiety. Thankfully, we have a game plan for traveling without your pooch.

View more Ask Gadling: Travel Advice from an Expert or send your question to ask [at] gadling [dot] com.

Gadling: Pet ownership is a wonderful thing. Several of us Gadlingers have dogs, cats or wives – and we all travel – so we can relate to this problem. While leaving your dog behind can be stressful, you can make things easier for everyone (including your dog) by planning well in advance.

Your dog is not your only best friend

The best case scenario is having someone you know and trust dogsit for you. Hopefully, you have a friend or family member who lives close by, knows your dog and can watch him for you. In advance of leaving, spend extra time with your friend and your dog so that they can bond and get used to each other. This will make the transition easier when they are alone together.

If your friend can stay at your place while you are away, even better. Your dog will feel comfortable because he’s in his own home. If having your friend stay at your home is not an option, be sure to bring your dog to your friend’s home a few times before you go away so that it becomes a comfortable space.

Details, details, details

Write down everything that you can think of that will make watching your dog easier. This includes:

  • Your contact information and itinerary
  • When and how much food to feed your dog
  • His walking schedule
  • Any behavioral quirks (he’s scared of the vacuum, he chews shoes, he hates the sound of Lady Gaga’s voice on the radio, etc.)
  • Your vet’s name and contact information
  • Any preexisting medical conditions and instructions on how to deal with them

Boarding

What happens if you are traveling with all of best dogsitting options or no one is available to watch dog? In a pinch, you can find a boarding facility. The upside is that you dog will be staying in a space specifically designed to keep dogs safe and comfortable. The downsides include the cost and potential for illness.

Boarding is never cheap. If it is your only option, seek recommendations from your vet or friends so that you know that it will be money well spent. Visit the kennel before your trip to meet the staff and allow them to interact with your dog. Ask for a tour of their facility to make sure that you are comfortable with the cleanliness. Ask questions, listen to their answers and build a rapport with them.

Creature comforts

Be sure to give your friends (or the boarding facility) some of your dog’s favorite toys, more food than needed in case your return is delayed, the dog’s bed, leash and poop bags. It may also help to leave a shirt or other article of clothing that smells like you. This has been said to comfort dogs in their owners’ absence. For your friend’s sake, refrain from leaving underpants. Your dog shouldn’t be comfortable with that smell anyway.

No matter who is watching your dog, it’s your job to ensure that they have all the supplies that they need. They should not have to go to the pet store to pick up anything unless there is an emergency situation.

Accidents happen

Changes in routine can cause dogs to get anxious. Even the most well-trained dogs will urinate in the house, vomit or chew on things if their owner disappears for a few days. Explain to your friend that you will replace anything that is broken or stained by your dog. Then be sure you actually do so if that happens. Let your friend know how your dog has reacted to stress in the past so that they aren’t caught off guard.

Help your friend prepare their home for your dog’s visit. Spend time assisting them with tidying up, hiding any fragile or treasured items and creating a comfortable and safe space for your dog.

Check in

While you’re away, give your friend a call, shoot them an email or send a text message. Something to let them know that your trip is on schedule. Don’t be a pest and call several times a day, though. Just check in enough to make you comfortable and let them know that you’ll be home soon.

Say thank you

Watching your dog may be a joy for your friend (they get to play with your pup, have a companion and maybe even pick up women) but it is also a burden. The best thank you is a gift from your trip to let them know that you were thinking of their generosity while you were away. Find something that properly thanks them for their efforts in easing your mind and making your dog happy. That means buying them something more substantial than a souvenir spoon. Taking your friend out for dinner after you return is also a wonderful way to say thanks.

Leaving your dog behind will always be somewhat stressful. You can mitigate that stress by properly preparing yourself, your friend and your dog well in advance of your trip. Hope you all come home to wagging tales when you return home.