New York City is a petri dish wherein cool, innovative things grow–like phone booth libraries. John Locke, an architect in NYC, recently took on a literary repurposing project. Phone booths, which still ornament NYC streets, have become nostalgic landmarks in the city. More people than ever now have cell phones and, if I had to guess, fewer people than ever carry spare change in their pockets (Dollars? Quarters? If I ever need to use a pay phone, let’s hope it takes my card). While the phone booths throughout NYC are still useful (a shelter during inclement weather, a place to make out), Locke’s newest project has turned some phone booths into mini-libraries, thus making the phone booths exponentially more useful than before. Locke has outfitted these phone booth libraries with fitted shelves. Pedestrians are invited to take, borrow, or exchange books from the shelves within these booths. Which other commonly found, stationary objects do you think will be repurposed in the years to come? Will trash cans be our new food pantry drop-off bins? Will bus stops one day be on-the-go charging stations?
Travel agents on the rebound with insider information
Travel agents, once being run out of business by Internet travel buying options, are making a comeback. Experts agree that using one as part of an overall travel buying strategy is a good idea, if for no other reason than to verify that what we did on our own makes sense. But the ongoing big problem with travel agents is finding a good one that actually does add value to the equation.
“A competent travel adviser can be your greatest asset when you’re planning a trip,” says consumer advocate Chris Elliott. “Good travel agents have an edge over almost any other seller of travel. They know what you want. They speak your language.”
A good, neutral source of information for helping sort out travel agents might also be your local Better Business Bureau who will have a score on any travel agency that has been in business long enough. The Better Business Bureau received more than 7,000 complaints nationally last year against travel agencies and bureaus.
Most complaints relate to consumers being misled by travel offers that failed to deliver or had paid money for travel arrangements that were never made. The Better Business Bureau offers some tips on using travel agents:
- Ask family and friends to recommend a company they’ve used.
- Get all vacation details in writing.
- Verify reservations.
- Consider travel insurance.
- Pay with a credit card.
- Be on the alert for travel scams.
Looking for advice on how to find a good travel agent? Elliott recommends interviewing a certified local agent. “The only way to know for certain if your travel agent is a keeper is to see what happens when you run into trouble,” he says.
“If they leave you hanging or do nothing more than send you the company’s 800-number, they’re not your agent. Chances are, they’re just in it for the commission.”
Some good reasons to use a travel agent, once you find a good one, include:
- They may have access to deals you can’t get– Travel agents are notified of the latest offers, bargains and discounts first. Connected agents know even more, including what travel options are likely to go up or down in pricing and/or availability, and what can be critical information in a buying decision.
- They speak the language of the service provider– Anyone who has ever tried to work with airline fare codes, codeshare rules or other cryptic travel speak meant for behind-the-scenes travel pros knows having one in their back pocket can bring huge advantages.
- They almost always result in a better value- They may not be able to get a ticket to paradise for less than Discount Joe’s Travel Barn but they’ll probably be able to match it and throw in a perk or two that Joe knows nothing about.
Flickr photo by PinkMoose
Food & Wine Classic at Aspen celebrates 30 years, tickets going fast
Who would have guessed that 30 years ago, a high-altitude, fancy-pants gathering of some chefs, winemakers, and hungry and thirsty revelers would have evolved into the nation’s preeminent food and wine festival?
This year, from June 15-17th, Food & Wine magazine will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the legendary Food & Wine Classic at Aspen. Join the nation’s top chefs including Jacques Pépin, Mario Batali, Ming Tsai, Michael Symon, and Tom Colicchio, as well as internationally renowned winemakers, master sommeliers, brewmasters, and mixologists at the most anticipated and prestigious culinary event of the year.
The three-day weekend also features over 80 cooking demos, wine and interactive seminars, panel discussions, tasting events, and classes on food and wine pairing, as well as a bacchanalia involving 300 winemakers, craft brewers, distillers, and food purveyors in the Grand Tasting Pavilion. This year, new seminars and demos include “Game on!” with Andrew Zimmern; Ming Tsai’s “Asian BBQ;” “Undiscovered Grapes of Spain” by Steve “Wine Geek” Olson; “Fried Chicken for the Soul” by Marcus Samuelsson, and “Swill for the Grill” by uber-restaurateur Danny Meyer.
Special anniversary events are also on the menu, including a hands-on knife skills seminar, “Butchering for Beginners,” by acclaimed chef John Besh, a 5K charity run, an anniversary party, and a late-night dessert bash (Fact: your metabolism actually speeds up at 8,000 feet!). Additional special events will be announced over the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen Facebook page over the next few months. Psst…tickets are selling fast, so hop to it.
Tickets are $1,125 before March 15, 2012 and $1,225 thereafter. Food & Wine donates two percent of the net proceeds from all tickets sold to Grow for Good, a national initiative dedicated to supporting local farms and encouraging sustainable agriculture. To purchase tickets, click here.
Need an affordable place to stay after splurging on said tickets? Here’s an insider tip.
Civil War Battle of Pea Ridge to be reenacted
One of the most important Civil War battles west of the Mississippi is going to be reenacted next month.
The Battle of Pea Ridge was fought from March 6-8, 1862, in northwestern Arkansas. In the first year of the war, Union forces had pushed most rebel forces out of Missouri. Now they moved into Arkansas and slammed right into a Confederate army on its way north to try to regain their losses. In a bloody battle involving some 26,000 soldiers, more than 3,000 men were killed or injured, including three Confederate generals killed. The Union army decisively defeated the rebels. This ended any serious chance for the rebels to take Missouri and was the first step toward the Union capture of Little Rock the following year.
One interesting aspect of the battle was the multiethnic nature of the two sides. Half the Union soldiers were German immigrants, some of whom didn’t speak English. The Confederate side included about 800 Native American troops from various tribes.
The Battle of Pea Ridge’s 150th Anniversary will be held on the weekend of March 9-11 and will include a mock cavalry fight, a concert of period music, guided hikes of the battlefield, lectures, artillery and rifle fire demonstrations, and encampments where you can see how the soldiers of both sides lived. Events will take place both at the Pea Ridge National Military Park and in the nearby town of Bentonville.
Image courtesy Library of Congress.
An inspirational bike ride across America
This video is more than just one man’s trip biking across the United States. It’s a philosophical look into what makes life itself such an incredible journey. The filmmaker, Ryan Van Duzer, began his expedition using a quote from Helen Keller as his inspiration: “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”. Beginning in San Diego, California, he made his way toward Tarpon Springs, Florida, cycling from town to town and asking people what they loved most about life. Throughout the video, you will meet unique individuals and hear an array of answers while also getting to see the diverse landscapes of the United States.