Photo of the Day (11.08.10)

by Mike Barish on
My earliest travel memories are of my first trip to Disney World. I remember waking up before sunrise to go to the airport. I remember sharing a hotel room with my sister and thinking that we were very cool for doing so. And I remember the breakfast buffet at the hotel. Breakfast at my house as a kid consisted of cereal, bagels, eggs and, on special occasions, pancakes with bacon. I’ve loved bacon from an early age. My mother, being a caring parent, made sure to limit how much bacon her children ate to avoid us developing poor eating habits. However, on that first trip to Disney World, upon seeing the tray of bacon at the breakfast buffet, all of my mother’s attempts at making me a responsible eater were undermined by one plate that I filled entirely with bacon.

I was reminded of that story when I saw this photo by Flickr user JasonBechtel. You see, I still tend to graze when I travel. Sure, I eat proper meals, But, I also eat unorthodox meals such as pre-breakfast, second breakfast, linner, dunch, second dinner, late night snack, etc. Travel allows us to convince ourselves that eating is about far more than just fuel. It’s about culture. Passing up a chance to eat something is not an option. We don’t want to be closed-minded. So, we indulge. We gorge. We fill up those plates with bacon.

Sorry, mom. At least I’m cultured.

Have a picture of yourself grazing a buffet? Or maybe just some great travel photos? Submit your images to Gadling’s Flickr group and we might use one for a future Photo of the Day.

Ferrari already looking at more theme parks

by Leigh Caldwell on

Ferrari World just threw open its doors in Abu Dhabi this weekend, but already, Ferrari is thinking about expanding its theme park franchise.

Michelle Pignatti Moreno, head of new business for Ferrari, tells Bloomberg that Ferrari World’s opening is “a dream come true for us as Ferrari. This is our first one, we may have plans for more.”

Company officials look are looking at Ferrari World as a branding exercise – a way to get people who may not be able to buy Ferrari’s closer to the Ferrari brand.

Ferrari World opened on Friday on Yas Island, after a one-week delay due to a Sheikh’s death. The theme park has not released weekend attendance figures, but the park is expected to attract up to 10,000 people per day.

There are 20 attractions in all at Ferrari World, as well as a large collection of Ferrari race cars and an Italian trattoria. The biggest draw is the Formula Rossa roller coaster, now the world’s fastest with a top speed of 149 miles per hour.

Daily Pampering: Swiss watchmaking excursion in Geneva for $12,000

by Melanie Nayer on

For the man who has everything, this little excursion will send him spinning: Pure Entertainment Group has created an exclusive watchmaking excursion in Geneva for the serious watch aficionado.

Upon landing in Geneva, guests will be transported to their Junior Suite at the renowned Five-Star hotel Beau-Rivage Geneva via private transportation, where you will be greeted with a complimentary bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne, fresh flowers, and Swiss chocolates.

The 4-night package includes everything from guided tours of the city to dinner for two at the Michelin-Starred restaurant Le Chat Botté. The sublime offering, however, is the limo to the De Bethune watch manufacture in La Chaux L’Auberson, where you’ll receive a showing of the De Bethune private watch collection. Rumor has it, during your discussions with De Bethune founders David Zanetta and Denis Flageollet, there’s a possibility De Bethune will create a bespoke watch for just for you.

The cost of this once in a lifetime watchmaking package? The 4-night stay starts with private transfer services, dinner for two and the visit to the De Bethune starts at EURO 8,600 per couple (approximately $12,068).

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Microsoft launches Windows Phone 7 in the U.S. today

by Scott Carmichael on

Today is the start of a new era for Microsoft – it marks the day Windows Phone 7 becomes available in the U.S, and that people will start forgetting about its mixed mobile past. I’ll admit that I have a warm place in my heart for Windows Mobile.

The mobile operating system powered that vast majority of smartphones I’ve used in the past decade, starting with the Philips Nino back in 1999. Since then, a lot changed in the mobile phone market, and ever since the iPhone and Android phones hit store shelves, Windows Mobile became a niche player, mainly loved by hardcore geeks.

But Microsoft is now back with a vengeance, and their Windows Phone 7 devices look set to change things for good. The mobile operating system is launching today on AT&T and T-Mobile, and by the end of the year, there will be Windows Phone 7 devices on all major carriers.

Later this week, we’ll bring you a full review of one of the first Windows Phone 7 devices with a strong focus on travel – and whether this new operating system really is worthy entrant back into the market. In the meantime, check out the full lineup of Windows Phone 7 reviews at Engadget. To learn more about the various Windows Phone 7devices, head on over to Microsoft.com.

Starwood Preferred Guest program offers FaceTime customer support

by Scott Carmichael on

As a kid, I remember playing with a video phone at the local phone store – and thinking how cool it would be if we all had access to video phones in the future. Well, the future came, and along with a total lack of jet packs, video phones never really took off.

Apple has managed to change that with their FaceTime application, and while it is by no means the first video calling application, it is the first to become mainstream. Thanks to its easy to use interface, lack of need for configuring settings, and massive install base, FaceTime is a huge hit.

And with that huge hit, comes new ways to use the service. One of the first customer support applications in the travel industry comes from Starwood Preferred Guest, the loyalty program for Starwood hotels.

On Twitter this morning, an SPG rep announced that they will be offering live chat sessions with their customers using FaceTime. The actual practical applications are relatively limited, but some customers may prefer to talk to a rep face to face instead of using email or phone. What do you think? Would you use a FaceTime chat session instead of picking up the phone, or do you think this is more of a gimmick designed to make them look cool?

%Poll-55451%