Pittsburgh restaurant features ‘conflict cuisine’

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Most American travelers will never set foot in Iran, but at least now if they make it to Pittsburgh, they can enjoy some of the country’s delicious cuisine. It’s the idea behind a new take-out restaurant called Conflict Kitchen, a new eatery that’s attempting to feature cuisine from countries the United States is in conflict with.

Conflict Kitchen might serve food, but it’s hardly your normal carry-out joint. The project, which was started by artist Jon Rubin, will regularly shift themes to feature a different “conflict country” and promote cross-cultural understanding. The first four months are devoted to a collaboration with Pittsburgh’s Iranian community. In addition to delicious food like the Kubideh Sandwich, Conflict Kitchen also plans to host events, performances and discussion surrounding this much discussed Middle Eastern country. Though there’s been no announcement on the project’s website, chances are good that other “rogue states” like North Korea, Venezuela and Afghanistan will get similar treatment.

The Conflict Kitchen project raises an interesting question. Who are we demonizing when we disagree with a country’s politics? Is it the government of that country? Or is it also the people who live there, many of whom have nothing to do with the policies we dislike? Perhaps by traveling and through projects like Conflict Kitchen we can learn to better differentiate between the two.

Travel + Leisure names the world’s best hotels

by Melanie Nayer on

You deserve the very best. You’ve worked hard, probably played a little hard, and you’re ready to reward yourself by splurging on a much-needed gateway. So, where do the best of the best go when they want to escape?

With the help of their readers, Travel + Leisure editors released the 2010 World’s Best awards. The lists include everything from airlines to islands, and hotels to cruise ships. Here’s a look at the number one hotel rated in each region. For the entire list, click here.

US/Canada
Resort: San Ysidro Ranch, A Rosewood Resort, Santa Barbara, California
Large city hotel: Trump International Hotel & Tower, Chicago (pictured right)
Small city hotel: Hotel Bel-Air (reopening in 2011), Los Angeles
Inns: Triple Creek Ranch, Darby, Montana

Caribbean
Resort: Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, Nevis

Hawaii
Resort: Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Hawaii Europe
Resort: Palazzo Sasso
Large city hotel: Olissippo Lapa Palance, Lisbon
Small city hotel: The Lanesborough, London
Inns & Small Country hotel: Domaine des Hauts de Loire, Onzain, France

Asia
Resort: Oberoi Vanyavilas, Rajasthan, India
City hotel: The Peninsula, Bangkok

Africa/Middle East
Lodges/Resort: Fairmont Mara Safari Club, Masai Mara, Kenya (pictured below)
City hotel: Four Seasons Hotel, Cairo at the First Residence

Mexico
Resort: Esperanza, an Auberge Resort, Los Cabos
City hotel: Four Seasons Hotel, México D.F., Mexico City

Latin America
Resort: Blancaneaux Lodge, San Ignacio, Belize
City hotels: Alvear Palace Hotel, Buenos Aires

Australia/New Zealand/South Pacific
Lodges/resort: Huka Lodge, Taupo, New Zealand City: The Langham, Melbourne

STA takes $200 off of ANY FLIGHT until 11AM on Friday

by Grant Martin on

It took us a bit of time to suss out the details, but we’ve now verified it. STA Travel has is having an epic sale on airfares. Basically, they’re offering $200 off of any airplane ticket you can find, provided you book it through an STA agent over the phone or in person.

Here’s how it works: From 11AM on Thursday, July 1 to 11AM on Friday, July 2nd, STA has been offering the rebate on international fares by region. From 11AM to 5PM it was from the US to Europe. From 5 – 11PM it is (was) to South and Central America. From 11PM – 5AM it’s to Africa and the Middle East and from 5AM – 11AM Asia and the Pacific will be on sale.

All you need to do is find your ideal itinerary, take it to an agent (or call them@ 800.781.4040) and then ask them to book the ticket with the discount.

Dubious? We were too, so this afternoon we took a $323 fare from Chicago to Bogota, Colombia to the STA Travel near Gadling Labs in Evanston, IL and asked to book the flight. After ten minutes of typing the travel agent was NOT able to find the same fare that Kayak found — however, she found a similar, $392 fare that was bookable. Subtracting the $200 promo and adding a $30 booking fee, we were thus presented with a bill for $222.

For a ticket from Chicago to Colombia, that’s not bad.

The caveat? There appear to be only a certain number of rebates available for each block of time. Right now the Latin America fares are already sold out, and with more people in the know, Africa/Middle East and Asia fares may go quick. Our advice is to do your research early and pick out ideal flights. When the time comes, call the STA desk and ask for specific flights — if you get the right agent he or she will make magic happen.

Air Berlin’s two-for-one promo

by Alex Robertson Textor on

Air Berlin, the German low-cost carrier that gets typically great reviews for its various old-school perks seldom associated with budget airlines (assigned seating, checked bags carried through to connecting flights, and free snacks, drinks, and newspapers) is promoting a great special offer, today through June 28.

The offer sees the airline selling two-for-one Berlin-Miami and Berlin-Dubai fares. Some of Air Berlin’s beginning fares are already quite reasonable, so the two-for-one offer is nothing to be sneezed at. The lowest fare I was able to find for both Berlin-Dubai and Berlin-Miami flights is €408, a decent deal for a single traveler. For two, €408 for a round trip Berlin-Miami or Berlin-Dubai fare is a downright steal.

Helpfully for American tourists, this offer also applies to journeys originating in Miami. Air Berlin’s deal thus provides a cheap route for South Florida-based travelers to one of Europe’s most exciting cities. The Berlin-Dubai two-for-one offer also provides a great opportunity to inexpensively extend a Europe jaunt to Dubai.

Remarkably, as of right now, there are Berlin-Dubai flights still available at the starting €408 fare for travel during the high-demand weeks around Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

While the two-for-one flights have to be booked by June 28, the travel period covered by the promotion is broad. The two-for-one deal can be booked for travel between November 1 and April 30, 2011.

(Image: Flickr/woody1778a)

Next clubbing hotspot–the West Bank?

by Sean McLachlan on

One thing that travel teaches you is that wherever you go, people want to have fun. You just don’t expect that people are able to have fun in some places.

The West Bank is commonly perceived to be one of those places. The Israeli blockade, factional power struggles, terrorism, and poverty should be enough to kill all the fun in the region. Yet some Palestinians are determined to buck the vibe by opening nightclubs to give locals the chance to relax in what has to be one of the most stressful places in the world.

One popular club is al-SnowBar in Ramallah, 10 km (6 miles) north of Jerusalem. Their Facebook page, which has more than 550 fans, explains that the club offers day and night activities. By day, “families can relax and enjoy both good food and swimming. Al-SnowBar offers a full restaurant with its own personal chef, full bar service, and argyleh (hooka) service. Al-SnowBar is soon to be offering a basketball court.”

How many Ibiza clubs offer a basketball court?

At night it becomes more like what you’d expect from a club with “Jazz nights, weddings, exclusive parties, and DJ nights.” There’s also a bonfire that clubbers like to dance around.

Sounds pretty cool, and it’s only one club among many, but as a BBC report points out, only a small percentage of Palestinians can afford to go to such places. The clubs are doing well, however, and draw in people from other towns. A Palestinian woman from Jerusalem explained that she comes to Ramallah to party because she doesn’t feel welcome in Jewish-owned clubs. So while Palestine isn’t about to join places like Goa in the international clubbing circuit, it’s nice to know that even in the toughest conditions, people can still have a good time. If you want to join them, check out this handy guide to traveling safely in the West Bank.

Photo of Ramallah courtesy Soman via Wikimedia Commons.