At Fells Point, Maryland ghosts reside year-round

by Jamie Rhein on

Even though it’s almost Christmas, and Halloween is long gone, it’s not the end of haunted travel. Fells Point, Maryland is one of those towns where ghosts and their stories don’t go on vacation until the next season of fright delight. In Fells Point, the ghosts are woven into the town’s lore all year long.

Located on the waterfront as a section of Baltimore, Fells Point, founded in 1763, is one of those U.S. locations that has gradually woven its historic lore into modern amenities.

The result is cobblestone streets edged with an eclectic mix of buildings that range from the pubs, to independently owned shops and eateries to museums that touch on area history.

Amid it all, ghosts wander. At the Admiral Fell Inn ghosts are embraced as an important feature.

Ranked in 2007 as the “Best Place to Stay in Baltimore” by Philadelphia Style Magazine this hotel offers ghost tours every Friday and Saturday evening. The tours are family-friendly and a chance to hear about Fells Point’s unique history. Some say that Edgar Allen Poe’s ghost is one of the area’s visitors. Fells Point is the last place he was seen alive.

The hotel which consists of seven different buildings has had many purposes over the years. Starting in 1770, it has been a ship chandlery, a guest house for sailors and a theater among other things.

There are other haunted places in Fells Point. For a guided ghost walk tour you’ll have to wait until March when the season starts. Tickets are on sale for 2010 at Baltimore Ghost Tours. The company also has ghostwalk tours of Mt. Vernon.

Here’s a preview of the ghosts at Admiral Fells Inn. If you go, ask about the ghost tour package at the hotel.

Four ways to throw an international New Year’s Eve party

by Katie Hammel on

After years of the same old New Year’s Eve parties, singing Auld Lang Syne, counting down at midnight and kissing as the clock strikes 12, it may be time to shake things up a bit. With some creativity, you can host an international-themed New Year’s Eve party that incorporates traditions from around the world. Here are a few ideas.

Say cheers
As you clink champagne flutes with your guests at midnight, try saying cheers in another language. Offer a “cin cin” or “a votre sante” as a toast to the New Year.

Food and drink
Branch out from the typical offerings and add some international flare to your food and beverage service. Incorporate drinks, wines or beers from around the world and serve some traditional foods from other countries. If you hang with an international crowd, ask each person to bring a food or drink from their home country.

Count it down
If you live in the US, it may be harder to pull this off, but depending on the hours of your party, you can start the night by counting down each time another timezone passes the midnight mark. If you chose a different country, countdown in the local language and toast with a native drink. Help everyone keep track of the countdowns by hanging clocks around the party space, setting them to the time in another location, and labeling them with the name of the country of city they represent.
Celebrate cultural traditions from around the world
Every country seems to have its own special way of celebrating the passing of the old year and the welcoming of the new. In Germany and Scandinavia, Herring is served on New Year’s Eve while in Denmark, people eat marzipan cake for dessert. In Greece, it’s customary to eat Vasilopita, a cake baked with a coin inside. The person who bites into the coin will have good fortune for the next year. In Mexico, Spain and Portugal, people eat 12 grapes as the clock chimes 12 times at midnight. Each grape represents one wish for the coming year.

In many cultures, wearing red underwear on New Year’s Eve is said to bring love, while yellow will ensure money comes your way. In Hungary the people burn effigies known as “Jack Straw”, who represents the misfortunes of the past year. Burning the effigy is supposed to get rid of the bad luck. In several cultures, it is also believed that carrying a piece of luggage at midnight will ensure that you have many safe travels for the coming year.

Tiger Woods spotted cavorting with Hooters waitresses in Aruba

by Aaron Hotfelder on

Well, sort of.

Tiger’s had enough trouble recently, and we don’t mean to pile on, but I couldn’t help posting these photos I saw in Aruba earlier today at that “delightfully tacky yet unrefined” restaurant Hooters.

A bunch of restaurant patrons were gathered around the photos, laughing, and speculating as to whether these shots of Tiger, which look like they were taken eight or ten years ago, were a glimpse into Tiger’s future philandering.

And, oh yeah, if you’re wondering why I was spending precious island time at Hooters, I’ll tell you. For the chicken wings, of course.

Check out Tiger mugging for the camera with ten of his favorite Aruban Hooters girls below:

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Washington DC to become gay marriage destination

by Tom Johansmeyer on

A new bill passed by the Washington, D.C. city council is already getting the hotel community excited over the possibilities. When Mayor Adrian Fenty signs it into law, gay marriage will be legal in our nation’s capital. For the hotel industry, that means a larger market from which to draw wedding clients and pump up some revenue in what has been a dismal market for the travel and hospitality industry.

It looks like March is the earliest the law could take effect. Even though it’s still a few months away, that isn’t nearly enough time to plan a wedding! But, the deals are nonetheless starting to pop up. The Affinia Liaison Capitol Hill is celebrating by extending its Pride Package rates for a year, to December 31, 2010. The rates start at $199 a night and include daily breakfast for two at Art and Soul restaurant and champagne cocktails for two from ArtBar. And, for each package booked, the hotel is going to donate $10 to White Knot for Equality, a non-profit that’s working for equal rights for the gay and lesbian community.

Remember to use the code PRIDE when you book your room!

[Photo by Keshet: GLBT inclusion in the Jewish Community]

The music beat in Dakar: Another version of West Africa

by Jamie Rhein on

Grant’s series “Into Dakar” brought back memories of my own travels there. For another intimate look into life in Dakar, check out, “The Songs of Senegal” a recent article in the New York Times. For me, reading the article was a trip back to an evening I spent in Farafenni, The Gambia, dancing to a live performance of Youssou N’Dour.

If you travel to The Gambia or Senegal without taking in the music scene, you’ll miss a vital part of each country’s vibrancy.

As Seth Sherwood, the article’s writer, points out, Dakar is one of the least touristed music centers in the world, but one of the most vibrant. This means for anyone traveling there, you can easily become immersed in a scene that is not meant for you.

Each year, the annual Africa Fête, a week long music festival that began on December 12 and ends on 19th, brings top notch groups together for a varied trip into Senegalese music landscape. The scenery is diverse. From folk style to pop to reggae, each music venue offers a unique flavor. If you have designs on a visit to Senegal, December is a terrific month to aim for. The rainy season is long gone, and the temperatures have yet to heat up to sweltering.

Sherwood’s article is an excellent place to begin a musical journey into Dakar even if your journey is not going to bring you much further than the music store closest to you. While you browse the West African music selection, imagine the images Sherwood’s words evoke.

For a taste of Dakar’s music scene, here’s a video of Youssou N’dour in concert. N’dour, however, could be heading your way. If you ever have a chance to see him and his musicians live, go.