Many visitors to New York City come for the shopping. What to do with all those bargains and souvenirs when it’s time for dinner? You could stow them at your hotel or use a left luggage desk at a transportation center like Port Authority, but what if your day takes you different places?
Cubby is a new bag check and luggage storage service on Manhattan’s Park Avenue South and 23rd Street (perfect location for a post-shopping lunch at Shake Shack) that will not only watch your bag but also send them via bicycle courier to the destination of your choice. The shop is open daily from 8am to midnight and has an iPhone and Android app you can use to make a reservation and get a discount on storage. Cubby charges $5-8 for the first bag with lower rates for additional bags and $10 for courier service.
The current Gramercy location is a pop-up until October 31, but they are working on making it a permanent store and looking to expand to further downtown locations.
Hat tip to Jeanine Barone for the find. Photo courtesy Cubby.
I’m often skeptical when Hollywood forays into the realm of ‘travel films’.
Don’t get me wrong; there have been some wonderful movies in recent years that capture the true essence of the world of travel & the beauty of venturing on a grand journey: Lost in Translation, Into the Wild, L’Auberge Espagnole, Before Sunrise, Up in the Air, and The Beach (did you really think I wouldn’t mention it?) are just a few examples of travel narratives done right.
But those successes aren’t enough to stop the certain feeling of dread I get whenever I learn that Hollywood has again attempted to tackle the travel theme. Perhaps certain blasphemies like Sex & the City 2 or the recent rendition of Gulliver’s Travels keep this fear alive every time I shell out $11 to go on a two-hour cinematic adventure.
That being so, when I first heard about The Way; a film directed and developed by Emilio Estevez and starring his father, Martin Sheen, I expected the worst. An adventure film produced on the magical wings of nepotism? Sounded like the perfect storm.
But Wednesday night’s New York City premiere in partnership with the Walkabout Foundation promised a dazzling list of A-listers (Former President Bill Clinton, Ivanka Trump, Dhani Jones, Wyclef Jean, & the Sheens, among others) and promised to benefit a good cause, so I packed my cynicism away for a few hours and decided to see the film.
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So, is it worth the trek to the theater? Click on through to find out.
The Way is the story of a Tom (Martin Sheen), a father that loses his intrepid son, Daniel (Emilio Estevez) as Daniel sets out in the French Pyrenees on a solo journey along the historic Camino De Santiago. Devastated by the loss and desperate for a way to reconcile their distanced relationship, Sheen’s character decides to embark on the Camino himself, carrying his son’s ashes every step of the way.
In brief, the Camino De Santiago (or the Way of St. James) is a 500-mile trail that starts in France and ends near the Northwest tip of Spain. It was first trekked in the 9th Century by pilgrims hoping to visit the remains of the Apostle St. James upon their initial discovery. In the early days, it was an arduous undertaking; weather, meager provisions, and difficult terrain all took their toll on the dedicated peregrinos. But by the 14th Century, it’s estimated that 25% of all Europeans walked the Camino and today, over 200,000 hikers complete the pilgrimage every year; for many different reasons.
Through Tom’s journey and the friends he makes on the trail, a very poignant illustration of the Camino De Santiago is presented; the beauty of the environment is vivid, the community among pilgrims is familiar to anyone that’s bonded with strangers on the road, and over the course of the film, the mood of sun drenched afternoons walking, eating, and drinking through the Spanish countryside is tangible. The characters all feel genuine and there’s enough clever humor throughout to make the film a fun adventure to be a part of.
One of the best parts of the film is that the story feels real; from a traveler’s perspective, it’s relatable and stays true to its roots of telling the story of the Camino. It strays from the typical over-dramatized treatment that Hollywood loves and instead tells a very real story that will resonate with many people who have trekked the Camino & anyone that’s ever ventured on a journey to cope with a personal battle. For this reason, I think it joins some of the other great travel narratives as a movie that’s definitely worth seeing for those interested in adventure.
The Way succeedsin staying true as a travel story partially because of how it was produced; Estevez insisted that the crew was never larger than 50 people (including actors), a large part of the film was shot on the go using a versatile Super 16mm setup, and the actors actually hiked a good portion of the Camino throughout the course of production.
In all, I give The Way 4 out of 5 St. James’s Shells. It opens for a limited release in theaters today and a wide release on October 21st. So long as you don’t have to make a pilgrimage of your own to go see it, give The Way a second look this weekend.
Those who find themselves traveling through San Francisco International Airport (SFO) from October 8, 2011- March 12, 2012, will be happy to hear they will be able to take in some art and culture while waiting for their flight. Located beyond security screening at Terminal 2 you can find Revolutions per Minute: The Evolution of the Record, which illustrates the evolution of the record as well as displays a variety of album artwork from different musical genres. See wind-up phonographs, old record players, and designs from artists like Andy Warhol and Jim Flora. Viewing of the exhibit is free.
Art is nothing new to SFO, which houses the SFO Museum. This museum was established in 1980 by the Airport Commission in order to educate the public as well as humanize the airport and display the unique culture of San Francisco. What makes it really special is that it is the only accredited airport museum to date. In fact, you can find about 20 different galleries throughout the San Francisco International Airport, all with rotating exhibits.
Doing anything 10,000 times is no easy feat, but Art Director Nicole Meyer has embarked upon the near impossible. A project to create unique branding for all of Minnesota‘s 10,000 lakes, a project she estimates will take her 27 years.
The talented Meyer is 83 lakes in, and we’ll admit we’re impressed by the images she’s crafted of everything from Black Lake (a simple black on black design) to Leech Lake, which, shockingly, isn’t as gross looking as we’d anticipated.
Meyer’s Branding10000lakes.com is just part of her overall design portfolio. It’s an impressive and inspiring passion project – and we hope one that lands her a job. Which of the lakes so far is your favorite? Which one should she brand next?
This service is available from 7AM to 8PM daily, with a promise of the food arriving 20 minutes after orders are placed. If the delivery is late or a flight leaves early customers will receive a full refund. JFK International Airport is also participating in the program, with the Chicago O’Hare Airport to jump on board this month.
To take advantage of this service, smartphone users should download the B4 YOU BOARD app, which is free.