Video: The Beautiful Sights And Sounds Of Yellowstone

by Kraig Becker on

Yellowstone National Park is one of the most beautiful locations in all of North America. Its lush forests, snow-capped peaks and unique geothermal activity make it a place that is unlike any other. Those amazing landscapes have been admired by visitors for more than 140 years, but now the park is being recognized for its amazing soundscapes as well.

The video below gives us some great examples of both the landscapes and the soundscapes of the park, where the wildlife, running rivers, geothermal features and other natural elements all blend together to create a sensory experience that will delight visitors of all ages. The howling of a wolf, babbling of a brook and rushing of the wind all contribute to making Yellowstone a special place, and the National Park Service wants to preserve those sounds as much as the sights.

This video was added to Yellowstone’s new YouTube channel a few days ago as the park continues to expand its use of social media. In addition to YouTube, Yellowstone now has a Twitter feed, Facebook page and a Flickr stream, and fans of the park will no doubt find something to like in each of them.


Video Of The Day: Florence Time-Lapse

by Elizabeth Seward on

Semper Firenze

I came across this time-lapse video from a New Year’s outing in Florence, Italy, on Vimeo (user MattBen) today. It struck me immediately as dramatic, but also mesmerizing. The time-lapse starts off and ends with slow sounds and visuals. The video climaxes in the middle with chaotic and dissonant music paired with footage of people moving along the streets of Florence furiously. Time-lapses are something I like because, when done well, they present to us the image of a longer span of time in a place than a single snapshot can provide. With that we can view the changes that take place in a destination over the course of a few hours, a day, weeks, or months. If you know of any good time-lapse videos you’d like to share with us, please do so in the comments.

Grandma Moses’ Early Home Among Buildings Added To Virginia Landmarks Register

by Sean McLachlan on


The Virginia Landmarks Register has just added 17 properties to its list of important sites. One of them is a home lived in by Grandma Moses and her family before she became famous as a folk artist.

The c. 1850 brick farmhouse in Mount Airy in the Shenandoah Valley was home to the painter in 1901 and 1902. While her stay was brief, it is the best preserved of any of the homes she lived in in the area. Grandma Moses only turned to painting when she was well into her 70s, yet she became world famous and her simple yet evocative folk paintings, such as the one pictured here, remain popular today.

Some of the other properties that have been added to the register include an African-American cemetery dating to the Civil War, the late 18th century Galemont farm in Fauquier County and a one-room schoolhouse in Springfield that operated right up until the 1930s.

[Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons]`

8 Websites Offering Unique Local Tours Around The World

by Jessica Festa on

While it can be worthwhile booking a tour through a big-name company when traveling, it can get boring seeing a new city in the same old fashion. To do something off beat and interesting, these companies are offering unique tours and activities created and led by locals.

Gidsy

A marketplace for local and unusual experiences, Gidsy was started in 2011 in Berlin by two brothers, Edial and Floris Dekker. The idea was formed in an unusual way, when the hungry brothers were looking for someone to take them mushroom picking so they could make mushroom risotto. Thus, Gidsy was born. The business puts an emphasis on the host, trying to show off their personality and unique skill or knowledge.

“The experiences are better because they’re expressions of an individual’s personality and passion,” explained Edial to VentureBeat. “Instead of attending a yoga class at a gym, for example, you’ll find an expert on Gidsy offering candle-lit yoga classes on a rooftop.”

It’s free for hosts to make a profile and offer their service, and a great way for them to meet new people and make a profit. Some unique tour options include making sock monkeys for charity in New York ($18.88), learning to eat fire in Los Angeles ($25, pictured above), getting a relaxing singing bowl massage in Amsterdam ($19) and partaking in a twilight Berlin underground walking tour ($24.58).HipHost

Founded by Mario Ricciardelli in June 2011, HipHost was started with a “vision of empowering anyone to share their passion and expertise by creating awesome local tours.” The company focuses on allowing travelers to go local in a new city, and also on helping them to save money. You can check how trustworthy a guide is through interviews, personal recommendations and reviews. Additionally, they have a great money back guarantee – if you’re not satisfied, you’ll be issued a refund immediately. Some of their unusual offerings include exploring the haunted spots of Phoenix ($22), a sunrise meditation and beach walk in Miami Beach ($9), a medical marijuana dispensary and music tour of Los Angeles ($76) and a tour that takes you to film locations from the movie “Twilight” in Portland, Oregon ($73).




CanaryHop

Described as a “marketplace for activities, tours, lessons and experiences,” CanaryHop is a helpful tool for connecting travelers with local hosts in a city. The idea for the site, which was cofounded by Andy Samberg in June 2011, came when the founders were traveling through the South of France with their families. After searching the web for hours, they still couldn’t find anything to do. They knew there had to be a better way to make the most of vacations.

“Our solution is to give travellers around the world a diverse set of local activities that they can book for their kids, for themselves and can be accessible by locals, tourists, travel agencies and more in booking travel around the world,” CanaryHop told Tnooz.

CanaryHop is designed around the idea of a canary, or host, and travelers “hopping” along with the tours around the world. You can search via activity, lesson, location, price or level of child-friendliness. And, if you find the same tour cheaper somewhere else, CanaryHop will refund you the difference. Some interesting tours to find on CanaryHop include a scavenger hunt in Denver ($40), a tour through Salem based on the pages of “A Walk Through Salem” and “A Walk Under Salem” ($10), a private sandcastle lesson in South Padre Island ($200) and gladiator classes in Rome ($338).

GuideHop

Started in 2011, GuideHop is a “peer-to-peer marketplace for tours and guided activities.” The company aims to connect people from around the world, and help travelers and those interested in making discoveries try new things. It integrates social media by allowing you to post your activities to Facebook and Twitter, and also focuses on giving guides fair rates, while at the same time showing those signing up for tours exactly how much the guide receives from the price.

“Your hotel room should not be what you write home about. An uninspired bus tour of all the obligatory sites shouldn’t be the only way you experience a city,” the founders told Tnooz in an interview. “It’s no fun burying your nose in a guide book but you don’t want to waste your precious spare time on some lackluster tourist trap.”

Users can search by location, activity or top guides. Some of their unique experiences include taking a brewery tour while riding a 15-person brewcycle ($30, pictured above), playing unicycle football in Austin ($15) and a Beatles walking tour of New York ($34).

Triptrotting

Triptrotting is a versatile site that not only allows travelers to connect one-on-one, but also through tours and activities hosted by locals. The idea began to take form in 2008, although the venture was formally founded in July of 2010. When traveling through Thailand, the founders felt like “clueless tourists,” being herded from one site to the next. While they took photos of numerous monuments, they couldn’t help but feel as though making a connection with locals was the key factor missing. They wondered what natives their age did, and from there, the idea for Triptrotting was born.

Triptrotting is passionate about global citizenship, stating on their “About Us” page, “Through face-to-face interaction, people will learn to understand each other beyond cultural differences and boundaries. With the help of the Triptrotting community, we hope to make the world a better place through cultural exchange and understanding.”

Some interesting tour and activity options offered include a nighttime photo tour of New York ($90), a Lincoln Park urban nature tour in Chicago ($55), a Segway experience of Santa Monica and Venice Beach ($128) and a tour of the hidden areas of Berlin ($38).




Vayable

Vayable, which the site defines as “the best way to find unique, insider travel experiences, worldwide,” has the unique mission to better the world through experiences. For example, a study by UNESCO showed that tourism is one of the greatest threats to global sites by which it sustains itself. Vayable tries to respond to this problem.

“… the survival of the industry translates into the survival of the communities that sustain it, particularly in developing countries,” Vayable says in their mission statement. “For many countries, tourism presents the greatest promise of prosperity and economic mobility. Vayable provides these communities with a new, safe and fun way to accomplish this.”

The idea for Vayable came when co-founder Jamie Wong went on a trip to Morocco. Guidebook in hand, she wandered into a carpet shop and began telling the owner how much she wanted to visit the Sahara Desert. Moments later, they were driving for 15 hours through the Atlas Mountains to the desert, where Wong met the shopkeeper’s cousin, Ali, who was head of the caravan tribe. Wong got to travel for five nights on camel, sleeping under the stars and eating bread baked in the sun. When the trip was over, she realized the small amount of money she had spent – well, what she saw as small, anyway – had given Ali and his cousin enough to live on for a month. Wong’s new understanding of the world lead her to want to make a difference. From here, the idea for Vayable was born.

Some interesting experiences they offer include touring Paris by scooter at night ($80), doing a fake hipster tour of London ($24), urban spelunking in New York ($90, shown in the video above) and an educational homelessness walking tour through San Francisco ($20).

SideTour

SideTour, whose tagline is “Challenge the ordinary,” was launched in the summer of 2011 by Vipin Goyal within the TechStars incubator in New York City. They set up travelers and curious locals with hosts who can show them unique skills and facets of the city. While many similar companies use a listing system, where users find an interesting activity and contact the host to arrange to meet, SideTour uses an event outline. Hosts plan an activity for a specific date and time, and then interested parties can purchase tickets. For now they’re focusing on New York only; however, they will be spreading to other cities in the near future.

“We update our site weekly with the most uncommon and unexpected activities, so you’re always in the know with whatever’s going on around you,” says SideTour. “Our NYC-based team curates each and every listing so you can book knowing that a great experience is guaranteed.”

You’ll need to create an account or sign in with Facebook to see events. Upcoming activities they’re offering include having lunch with a monk ($20), discussing national security with an ABC news reporter ($25), getting insider access to Hollywood’s secret weapons depot in SoHo ($60, pictured above) and spray painting your own graffiti tag with an NYC crew ($75).

Meetup

While often overlooked by travelers, Meetup is excellent way to find unique activities to enjoy with like-minded people. With more than 9,000 groups and about 340,000 monthly meetups in 45,000 cities, they boast being the world’s largest network of local groups. You can search for meetup groups that interest you, join, then attend interesting activities and events. The concept for Meetup began shortly after 9/11, when founder Scott Heiferman read the book “Bowling Alone.” He realized the less people interact with those they don’t know, the less they trust strangers. Because of this, they end up interacting less. Additionally, Heiferman used to go see a band he loved, Luna, often times alone. Although he would see the same people at every show, he usually felt awkward going up to them.

“…it’s not just find the people that have a similar interest because the other people that like that band were in the same place multiple times a year, but it’s more about giving them permission to talk to people, giving them license to talk to each other,” Heiferman explained in an interview with Betabeat.

What’s really great is the activities and events are usually free or extremely inexpensive to attend. You’ll have to join the groups to RSVP to events, although there is an option to contact the group moderators. Simply let them know you’re coming to town and interested in attending an upcoming event. While it’s hard to narrow down just a few offbeat groups to join on Meetup, some include:

  • Long Island Role Players– This is great if you’re interested in fantasy-meets-reality role playing games, like “All Flesh Must Be Eaten,” a survival horror game, “Four Color Blues,” a superhero adventure game and “Dungeons and Dragons,” a game of political rule.
  • Sydney Arthouse and Foreign Films– Join this group if you’ll be in Sydney, and are interested in arthouse and foreign films and going to events like film festivals, open-air movie screenings and coffee and drink gatherings with other cinema-lovers.
  • Dublin’s City Life Drawing– This group meets on Tuesdays at a studio in Dublin to draw still life and have constructive discussions. The members also go for drinks afterwards at a local pub.
  • Free Fun in Las Vegas– If you’re looking to save money but have fun in Vegas, this group hosts activities that are $5 or less. They post events like free movies and swimming, $5 improv comedy shows, free farmers markets and free poetry slams.

Exploring Western Colorado’s Undiscovered Wine Region

by Jessica Festa on

While many people know Colorado for its rich beer culture and plethora of breweries across the state, their wine regions have somehow managed to go undetected. The reality is, western Colorado is home to many fertile vineyards, boutique wineries and vino-related events. To help shed some light on the subject, here is a guide to exploring western Colorado’s wine region.

History

Historically, western Colorado was too dry to grow the grapes and fruit necessary to make wine. While the soil was rich and the climate mild, the precipitation was uncertain and the land barren. Then, in 1882, water from the Colorado River was diverted to irrigate orchards and vineyards. Because a reliable water source had been secured, fruits and vegetable crops began to flourish. Although Prohibition in the 1920s halted wine production for a bit, it didn’t stop it forever. Today, there are more 100 wineries, many of which are boutique venues putting an emphasis on quality over quantity.Wine Regions

There are two regions in western Colorado that are designated American Viticultural Areas (AVA), The Grand Valley AVA and The West Elks AVA. These areas feature unique geographies and climates that allow for grape growing. The Grand Valley AVA includes Grand Junction and Palisade, residing along the Colorado River. Moreover, the West Elks AVA rests around Paonia and Hotchkiss, along the North Fork of the Gunnison River.

What Makes Western Colorado Wines Unique?

The elevation alone makes western Colorado a unique wine region. The dryness of the area helps vintners to control the water because they’re forced to irrigate. Too much water can actually be detrimental to the fruits, so this gives them a leg up in production. Additionally, the elevation, about 4,700 feet, allows the strong sun to beat on the grapes and fruit, making them more flavorful. And, because the region is new, they barely have to deal with pesticides and diseases many wine regions encounter. The dry and mild climate actually kills many popular crop diseases, so this may never become a problem for the region.

Wine Tasting In The Grand Valley AVA

The region makes 70 percent to 80 percent of Colorado’s grapes. They have the longest growing season in the state, thanks to the cooling effect from nearby canyons, and the milding effect from the surrounding Grand Valley. While there are myriad wineries in the area, my top picks include:

Carlson Vineyards– Open since 1988, Carlson Vineyards offers free tastings in a fun environment. While low-key, the staff is extremely knowledgeable about wine and the region. For example, they informed me that wine doesn’t have to have grapes, but can be any fermented fruit, which you can sample with their numerous fruit wines. Make sure to try their cherry wine, described as the original “cherry pie without crust.” They serve it in a small plastic cup with the rim dipped in chocolate. Likewise, their cherry lemonade, which contains Carlson Cherry Wine and frozen lemonade is delicious. If you’re interested in buying a bottle, it’s $12.99 or less.

Colorado Cellars Winery– Open since 1978, Colorado Cellars Winery is the state’s oldest winery and the only one allowed to have Colorado in the name. What’s really nice about tastings at the winery is it’s self-serve, with numerous pull handles to pick and choose from (shown above). They’re also well known for their meads, which are extremely sweet and combine wine and honey. And if you’re hungry for some vino-inspired foods, they sell goodies like garlic riesling mayo, zinfandel orange mustard, merlot chocolate almonds and chardonnay havarti cheese. There are often free samples of these out, as well.

Grande River Vineyards– Grand River Vineyards has an extremely charming ambiance, with bottles and knick-knacks set up around an oak room. The winery features numerous wines with quirky labels, for example, their “Havin’ A Cow” features a clothed cow sipping wine and jumping on a pogo stick. Their focus is on French-style wines, using grapes grown from western Colorado. A tasting of three is free, while five will cost $3.50.

Wine Tasting In The West Elks AVA

There are many excellent vineyards and wineries to visit within the West Elks AVA. This is where you’ll find the highest wineries in the northern hemisphere, making the products exceptionally unique. When I visited, my favorites were:

Terror Creek Winery– At 6,400 feet, Terror Creek Winery is the highest estate bottled winery and vineyard in the northern hemisphere. The winemaker, Joan Mathewson, is a woman who studied the craft in Switzerland, and came to Colorado to open her own boutique winery. She makes Alsatian-style wines, featuring a dry riesling, a spicy gewurztraminer, a unique chardonnay vinted without oak, a dry and fruity pinot noir and her own creation, a light red chalet. All grapes used to make wines are from western Colorado. From the tasting room, you’ll be able to look out at the vineyards and West Elk Mountains.

Azura– Another excellent place to stop into is Azura in Paonia, an art gallery and winery combined. The space features contemporary fine art from artists and sailors, Ty and Helen Gillespie. Not only is it beautiful inside, but also outside, as the winery has a relaxing courtyard overlooking the North Fork Valley.

Black Bridge Winery & Orchard Valley Farm Market– Also in Paonia is the Black Bridge Winery & Orchard Valley Farm Market. This place is unique in that it’s a lot more than just a winery. They sell and do tastings of boutique wines, while also being one of western Colorado’s only orchards and vineyards combined. You’ll be able to pick your own produce, while also purchasing homemade jams, honeys, sauces, dried fruits, nuts and meats.

Wine Trails

Numerous worthwhile wine trails reside in western Colorado. Some of the best include:

Front Range Wine Trail– This trail contains 24 wineries and tasting rooms from Cañon City, near the Royal Gorge, to Estes Park by Rocky Mountain National Park. You’ll head west on I-70, traversing through Georgetown, Dillon and Winter Park, while sampling wines at high altitude. Additionally, these areas feature opportunities for adventure sports like skiing, snowboarding, rafting and hiking.

Heart Of Colorado Wine Country Trail– Resting between Glenwood Springs’ famous hot springs pool and Fruita’s challenging mountain biking trails, this wine route encompasses both the Grand Valley AVA and the West Elks AVA. Follow I-70 along the Colorado River, from Palisade to the base of the Colorado National Monument, just west of Grand Junction. From there, you’ll be able to drive south on US Highway 50, passing Delta to visit the sweet corn capital of the world, Olathe. Afterwards, you’ll turn east at Delta onto CO Highway 92, veering north on CO Highway 65. Here you’ll find wineries along Surface Creek, on the south slope of Grand Mesa, the largest flattop mountain in the world. You can take the outer loop of the mountain, following the Gunnison River along CO Highway 92 east until you reach Hotchkiss for some tastings, before going to Paonia. The drive is very scenic, and offers many excellent opportunities for the lover of wine and nature.

Four Corners Region– This trail mixes history and scenery with wine. Start at Durango, home to the narrow gauge steam railway, then head west to Cortez and the Four Corners Region near Mesa Verde National Park. You’ll see ancient pottery shards, ancestral puebloan ruins and, of course, vineyards.

Upcoming Wine Events In Western Colorado

West Elk Wine Trail (August 4 to 5, 2012)- This event will help you experience wine, food and closeness to the land as you set off to venture the West Elk Wine Trail. The nine participating wineries will feature local food and wine pairings, activities and complimentary vino. Email lisafairbank@gmail.com if interested.

Food, Farm, Film And Wine Festival (August 10 to 12, 2012)- Taking place in Paonia, this event will focus on local foods, wines and films. Click here for more information.

Dinner In The Vineyard At Stone Cottage Cellars (August 18, 2012)- The event begins with barrel tastings with the winemaker at Stone Cottage Cellars, tours of the vineyard and wine making demonstrations. A five-course dinner follows, emphasizing the art of food and wine pairing. Contact info@stonecottagecellars.com if interested.

Colorado Mountain Winefest (September 13 to 16, 2012)- This year will be the event’s 21st anniversary. It is the largest wine festival in Colorado, and will include wine tastings, food, music, art, golf, celebrity chef dinners, demonstrations and winery and vineyard tours. Click here for more information.

Uncorked Wine And Music Festival (September 15, 2012)- Surrounded by the beautiful San Juan Mountains, attendees will listen to live music while sipping wine and sampling delicious local foods. Click here for more information.