Gadling Exclusive: Blickling Hall to open 17th century cabinet!

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The dates have finally been announced! I know there are at least a few people out there who have been dying to know when Blickling Hall would open the doors to its famous 17th century cabinet. The designs on the inside, I’m told, are a sight to be hold, yet so rare that even the National Trust volunteer working the room had only seen it in photos.

The doors of the cabinet will be opened from Wednesday, October 14, 2009 through Friday, October 19, 2009 – from 11 AM to 5 PM – according to a comment left by Claire Graves, of the National Trust. If all goes well, the gentleman who showed me the photos will be around to see the real thing this year.

While you’re at Blickling Hall, be sure to ask about the footman and the odd man (particularly the latter). All joking aside, the gardens outside are nothing short of stunning. Inside, however, every answer raises only more questions, such as, “Why didn’t the footman return to his £1-a-week job after serving in World War II?” and “What did people do for exercise in the 17th century?”

This announcement is the first of its kind, from what I’m told, as the doors are usually opened without fanfare … so, you saw it at Gadling first.

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Amsterdam Hilton Celebrates John and Yoko Ono

by Jamie Rhein on

A few months ago, a Gadling reader e-mailed a question about what to pack for a move overseas. The reader was flummoxed about what to ship and what not to ship. Jeff White, in a help out a fellow traveler effort, wrote a long response with suggestions based on his own experience as one who has lived overseas himself. I was struck by Jeff’s generosity and thoughtfulness. As Kraig posted, Jeff , one of the most thoughtful among us, shared some of his packing tips with Gadling readers.

Yep, Jeff’s thoughtfulness-and curiosity appeared over and over again in his posts. Working with Jeff these months has tuned me into tidbits I would have missed such as this one on the Amsterdam Hilton’s tribute to John Lennon and Yoko Ono this past March. As part of the song goes (I know that because Jeff tipped us off)

“I said, “We’re only trying to get us some peace”.

Christ you know it ain’t easy…”

Jeff, John Lennon would have been pleased and proud to be remembered by someone like you. As for me, I’ve been in such a funk knowing that you have died. It ain’t easy.

Drove from Paris to the Amsterdam Hilton,
Talking in our beds for a week.
The newspaper said, “Say what you doing in bed?”
I said, “We’re only trying to get us some peace”.

Christ you know it ain’t easy…

– The Beatles, “The Ballad of John and Yoko”

That’s one of my favorite Beatles songs, and both John Lennon and Yoko Ono helped to make the Amsterdam Hilton one of the world’s most famous hotels, if at least for rock ‘n roll fans, when they picked the spot to camp out in bed for seven days during their honeymoon in 1969.

Right now, the hotel is in the middle of a special exhibition celebrating the famous couple and their “Bed-in for Peace,” during which they gave interviews, from bed, to scores of international journalists and furthered the anti-Vietnam movement that was really getting going in ’69.

There are photo exhibits, music and literary events planned through March 29 at the Amsterdam Hilton.

If you’re in town, go check it out.

Marylebone: decent digs in Westminster

by Tom Johansmeyer on

There are plenty of luxury hotel alternative in London, and they’re more than happy to let you spend as much as you’d like. Finding a hotel that’s a bit more affordable but still in an interesting part of town, though, can be a challenge. When I set foot in the Marylebone Hotel in Westminster, I realized that comfort did not have to destroy my budget. While it’s not a luxury establishment, the hotel does play on the upscale side of average and has all the on-site necessities that separate it from the city’s proletarian options.

Tucked away on Welbeck St. – near but not choked by Westminster‘s busier roads – the Marylebone provides easy access to public transportation and local attractions. The Thames River is a short hike away, but it is walkable for the typical city-dweller. Oxford Circus is nearby, as well, with plenty of shopping available (it feels a bit like Manhattan’s Broadway between W 69th St and W 85th St, though a little busier).

The property itself shows a surprising sense of design for a British property (sorry, guys, but its true), eschewing the traditional trappings for a sleek, modern feel. The rooms are quite large, with a desk/work area that is far enough from the bed to help you separate relaxation from any professional demands you may experience while on the road. Americans should remember that this is a European hotel: the lights won’t work until you “plug” your room key in by the door.

Speaking of plugs, perhaps the most impressive detail nailed by the Marylebone is electrical. Sockets are available for UK, U.S. and European plugs. So, if you forget your adapter (which happens to everyone from time to time), you’ll have no reason to lose your cool.

The only major problem I found with the Marylebone was dining. If you are hungry after 11:30 PM, look elsewhere. What was initially described to me by the front desk as a “limited bar menu” turned out to be a ham sandwich when I called room service. At this hour, the bar is open, but it doesn’t serve food either (aside, I imagine, from the ham/bread combo). You’ll have to walk a few blocks to find food late at night – it’s just the nature of the neighborhood.

The exchange rate has made London a decent deal for the first time in years, but the city’s hardly cheap. If you pull together decent deal on British Airways (which are available) and stay at the Marylebone instead of an up-market chain, your travel dollars are likely to go a lot farther.

Disclosure: Visit Britain paid for this trip. But, as you can see over my late-night room service debacle, my soul is not for sale, even for the price of a midnight meal.

Hitler: Scary wax dummy or radioactive monster?

by Sean McLachlan on

While this isn’t one of Jeff’s features, only a news piece, it really stuck in my mind. Perhaps it was the surreal nature of the story, or the issues it brings up. How to make a museum about the Third Reich without it becoming a shrine to neo-Nazis? How far should protesters go to make their voices heard? Why didn’t someone rip off the real Hitler’s head?

The trippy photo is cool too, and fits perfectly with the odd subject matter of the story. If you scroll up so that only the top centimeter is showing, it looks like a nuclear explosion. If you scroll down so that only the bottom centimeter is showing, it looks like an infrared image of a naked woman lying on a bed. Or maybe that’s just in my mind. My wife’s out of town, you see, and I’m a bit lonely.

So long, Jeff. We’ll miss your sense of humor and eye for weird detail. You were one of the good ones.

Last year I wrote about the ill-fated Adolf Hitler exhibit at Berlin’s just-opened Madame Tussauds museum.

A man obviously unhappy with the museum’s decision to have a wax likeness of the 20th Century’s most evil leader waited patiently in line on opening day before rushing, tackling the wax Hitler and ripping off its head — all the time shouting, “Never again!” Several security guards were also injured in the fracas.

So, how much will Germany fine you if you decapitate Hitler?

The man known in the local media here only as “Frank L” was in court today, where he was given a suspended sentence and fined 900 euros, or roughly $1,200.

Was he sorry? No. He told the court that he’d do it again.

As for the Hitler statue, it is back at Madame Tussauds, in a more secure location.

Gadling quiz – guess the skyline (international edition)

by Scott Carmichael on

So, you think you know your way around the world? Think you’ve seen it all? Prove it, and take the Gadling skyline quiz. We’ll show you 10 skyline images from around the world, and if you really are made of what they make great world travelers out of, you’ll score at least 8 out of 10. Anything less and you really need to get back on a plane to see more of the globe.

Click read more to start the quiz.