New US embassy in London to be bigger, sexier, stronger

by Grant Martin on

With today’s modern threats all around us, US embassies have become a bit of an eyesore of late, many circumferentially heaped with piles of concrete, checkpoints, armor, guards and other, nefarious security. One would never imagine that those sorts of security facets could tastefully be integrated into a structure, but lo and behold, the folks at Philadelphia-based KieranTimberlake have pulled it off.

London’s new US Embassy, an update to the current, less-secure digs, looks less like an iron and concrete government building (J. Edgar Hoover building what?) and more like an architectural masterpiece from the 21st century.

As KieranTimberlake describes it:

The expressive challenge is to give form to the core beliefs of our democracy – transparency, openness, and equality – and do so in a way that is both secure and welcoming. At the same time, the building must confront the environmental challenges all nations face with leading edge sustainable design.

And so the building will rise, a glass cube on the south shore of the Thames with an integrated urban park, photovoltaic (solar cell) roof panels and energy efficient design throughout.

That said, the new building will also still have plenty of security features, from a giant moat to (shrubbery infused!) barriers to blast resistant glazing.

Check out the full details over at KieranTimberlake. The new building should open up in 2013

[Via PRI’s The World]

Travel insurers pay mostly for Brits beaten up in Asia

by Tom Johansmeyer on

It’s a pretty specific trend, which makes you wonder just what the hell is going on. According to the latest data from travel insurance provider WorldNomads.com, more than 65 percent of all major claims submitted by UK travelers are for injuries sustained in Asia. North America, on the other hand, is only good for 25 percent … I guess there aren’t too many Brits twisting their ankles on the Times Square sidewalks. Nineteen percent of the claims involved road travel accidents, and there was a shocking increase in mosquito-borne illnesses, such as Dengue Fever and Malaria, which are responsible for 14 percent of claims.

“The rising increase in incidents relating to road traffic accidents and mosquito borne diseases is of great concern and traveler education needs to play a large role assisting to reduce this,” says Nick Pound of WorldNomads.com. “Travelers also need to understand that the rules of the road that apply at home in the UK are thrown out the window when traveling by road through Asia. Extra precaution when crossing roads, driving scooters and hire cars needs to be taken.”

Dengue is a viral illness spread by infected Aedes mosquitoes and is no longer confined to Southeast Asia. It’s now more common in Latin America, Asia, Africa, North America and even Australia. Nicknamed “breakbone fever” because of the muscle cramping it causes, Degue has no specific treatment and carries a case fatality rate of 40 percent to 50 percent if left untreated (and if it progresses to Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever).

“Travelers headed to areas with Dengue activity should travel prepared to do what they can to prevent mosquito bites. Caution should also be used when looking at the time of year traveling occurs, especially during rainy seasons,” comments Dr. Erik McLaughlin, WorldNomads.com’s roving medical expert.

“Dengue is a serious and persistent health risk and savvy travelers need to be aware of it and start getting used to taking proper precautions.”

Daily Pampering: Visit Vinopolis, London’s wine mecca

by Annie Scott on


If you’re into the sauce, one place you absolutely must visit is Vinopolis in London.

Located just south of the Thames near the Globe Theatre and the Tate Modern, Vinopolis, “London’s Wine & Spirit Destination” is essentially an enormous warehouse filled with booze and dressed up pretty. Vinopolis means city of wine, and in this educational city, you can learn whatever you want, from exactly how wine is made to how to pair it with food.

Vinopolis hosts hen nights (or as we know them, bachelorette parties), regular wine tastings, other spirit tastings, whisky and cocktail masterclasses, and also have a lovely microbrewery, wine bar, bar-bar (Bar Blue) and cantina. If you happen to have a free afternoon in London, I recommend dropping in (Thursday and Friday 12 – 10 PM, Saturday 11 AM – 10 PM, Sunday 12 – 6 PM, last admission 2.5 hours before closing time) and taking one of their fabulously drinky self-guided tours. They literally handed me a taste of mulled wine when I walked in the door. It’s like that.

Self-Guided Tour Packages at Vinopolis have various foci and included perks, such as “How to Taste Wine” sessions, tastings of champagne, absinthe, rum, whisky, beer and more, Bombay Sapphire cocktails and audio guides for the Vinopolis Wine Tour (the part you walk through). Each includes a kicky little Vinopolis tasting notebook and they range in price from £19.50 to £37.50. Just walk in, step up to the front desk, tell them what you feel like tasting and they’ll set you up. You can also visit the Vinopolis website for more information.

Click through the gallery for a peek inside Vinopolis.
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Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

This trip was paid for by VisitBritain, but the ideas and opinions expressed in the article above are 100% my own.

Ryanair dumps passengers on wrong island – doesn’t care

by Scott Carmichael on

A planeload of passengers on a Ryanair flight from the UK to Lanzarote (one of the Spanish Canary Islands) learned the hard way that low cost carriers carry a hidden price.

Instead of landing in Lanzarote, the plane landed in Fuerteventura (about 30 miles from their intended destination).

Bad weather had forced the plane to divert, but usually when a plane has to divert, a normal airline takes care of its customers.

Obviously, Ryanair isn’t considered to be a normal airline, so the passengers were told to get off the plane, and after refueling, the plane took off, leaving the passengers to fend for themselves.

There were no Ryanair staff at the airport, and with no way to reach anyone from the airline, the passengers had to book hotels for themselves.

The next morning, the passengers were able to grab a ferry to their correct destination, losing a night of their vacation and any hotel nights they had booked.

A Ryanair spokesman confirmed that the flight had indeed been diverted, but was quick to point out that “if flight disruption is outside the control of the airline, no monetary compensation is due.”

So there you have it – flying with Ryanair really is a gamble, and you don’t even know whether you’ll actually arrive at your destination. Perhaps they can make some more money by starting a “will we get to our destination” lottery on their flights.

(Image: Getty)
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Palate cleanser: Glasgow

by Annie Scott on

Ah, Glasgow. Rarely do you find a city with such lovely people, such sexy accents and such stunning architecture. If I were Glaswegian, I would be totally full of myself, but their unassuming Scottish attitude is refreshingly humble and charming. If you’ve ever met someone from Glasgow, you know.

The Scottish are known for a few things: their witty storytelling, their fantastic rolling landscapes and their ability to make delicious haggis out of actual tripe. To me, the landscape is so appealing I caught myself thinking “If one were to live in or even visit beautiful, green Scotland, why on Earth would they want to be in a city?” Glasgow answers that question with Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

The Scenery

If scenery is your thing, you will never be disappointed with Glasgow. The Charles Rennie Mackintosh stamp is all over the place, both authentic and imitated, from churches to tea rooms. Add to that the River Clyde and museums like The Kelvingrove featuring some of Europe’s finest art, and you’ll find your need for beauty well-nourished. For big CRM fans (like me), you can actually take a tour of the Glasgow School of Art (below), which he attended and then designed — his simple, elegant design featuring progressively growing wrought iron plants along the windows (swon him his alma mater’s new building commission in 1896.


Another must-see is the mysterious Queen’s Cross Church in Maryhill, Glasgow, which is a bit of a walk from the train but definitely rewarding. The church now serves as the headquarters of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society. See the gallery for pictures.

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Eat

When you’re done with your sight-seeing and ready for a bite to eat, a couple places I’d recommend include:Fifi & Ally, where they have unbearably fresh food and swarms of women (in case you’re into that), Cafe Zique, a West-End quirky brunchy beauty near the Kelvinhall subway station and walkable to The Hunterian and Kelvingrove art galleries and Stravaigin (means “to wander”), a luscious 2-floor gourmet restaurant with haggis so good you’d give it to your mother (and the rest of the food, both classic and experimental like the wild mushroom and savoy pierogi below, provided big wows as well).

Nightlife

The nightlife in Scotland can be a little … intense. The Brits are famous for their clubbing tendencies, and gritty Glasgow is no exception. You’ll find scantily, impossibly clad women young and old on the streets with men in shirts and jeans until well into the wee hours. Some of the bars and clubs are nice, one is called Nice n Sleazy. Good luck with that. Most of the best places are a little ways off the main drags like Buchanan Street, where all the mainstream shops are. One place I happen to like is a little champagne bar (and ristoranto) called Mediterraneo over on Ingram Street, and my very favorite bar in the entire world is Blue Dog at 151 West George Street (below). I’m not being hyperbolic; I visited Blue Dog for the first time the year it opened (at age 22) and decided it was the best bar I’d ever been to. I just went back, and not only was I proud of my 22-year-old taste, but the entire pack of journalists I was with loved it, too. It’s loungey, with amazing cocktails and a singer/piano player hammering out Van Halen and Radiohead. The bartenders take unheard of amounts of time with each drink, making sure every one is perfect, so be patient — and be sure to try some of the Saffron Gin.

Details

Glasgow is really easy to get around by subway, and the rates aren’t tricky like they are in London. Cabs are not hard to come by if you’d rather not go underground. If you’re looking for a rock-bottom hotel price, consider the Euro Hostel, which I stayed in as a youngin’ and totally survived. If you’re a little older, I can safely recommend the ABode Hotel — no frills, but the prices are decent and the rooms are clean and comfortable and have internet. I hear that the place to go if you’ve got the cash is the 5-star One Devonshire Gardens in the heart of the fashionable West End — they have a spa, a gym, private walled gardens and award-winning food.

Whether you’re heading to Glasgow for one of the many music festivals, to see the art, or are just looking for an Edinburgh alternative or a place to fly into on your pilgrimage to Loch Ness, it doesn’t take much time to walk around and fall in love with Glasgow’s gothic, yet easygoing charm. Be sure and chat up your bartenders and other locals you meet; you’ll hear hilarious tales you’d never hear outside of Scotland.

This trip was paid for by VisitBritain, but the ideas and opinions expressed in the article above are 100% my own.