The postcard goes 3-D

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Even with all the technical developments like email, Skype and Twitter that help travelers stay in touch, the urge to send postcards never seems to go away. There’s something strangely thrilling about sending and receiving one of these decidedly analog pieces of cardboard by snail mail. The physical sense it has traveled vast distances across strange lands to reach you at the mailbox outside your front door.

It’s unlikely then that the postcard is going away any time soon. Instead, it seems to be evolving in form. The fine craftsmen at Wurlington Brothers Press are taking the stodgy old postcard to the next level with their “Build Your Own” series. Much like their 2-D brethren, Build Your Own cards begin as flat pieces of cardstock, featuring famous landmarks from New York and Chicago. But each card also features an added bonus, allowing the recipient to construct a miniature 3-D model of the structure using instructions.

The postcard is already a particulary sensory experience, a tiny remant of the sights of faraway places. Perhaps now the old postcard can add one more trick to its book, adding a sense of space, size and scale to a particularly low-tech medium. Now if we could only get that next email to show up in 3-D as well…

[Via PSFK]

Gay pride parades around the world

by Jamie Rhein on

June is the month of gay pride parades. Last Saturday, in Columbus, Ohio, High Street took on a festive vibration as a mixture of art groups, political organizations, churches and business made their way from the state house to Goodale Park in gay pride solidarity. Both people in the parade and those that lined the streets whooped it up in a joyous sound of shouts and applause.

Today that scene is being repeated in other parades in other cities. New York City is one of those where this weekend is filled with events. The parade is just one of them. It’s a grand happening for good reason. The first such parade in New York took place on June 28 in 1971, one year after the Stonewall riots in Greenwich Village in Manhattan. The riots were caused after police raided the Stonewall Inn and people resisted arrest. If you saw the movie “Milk” this year, there’s footage of both of the events.

In 1971, parades also happened in Chicago and San Francisco. Back then the message was mostly political, but over the years the tone has changed and the number of cities and countries that hold pride parades have increased.

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Political groups still participate, but these days, the tone and purpose is mostly celebratory. No matter what’s happening with gay rights, during the parade, life is a party.

Like all parades, there is a continuity among them that ties them together. There are also aspects that are quite unique and take on the character of the places where they are held. Years ago, I was at the gay pride parade in West Hollywood. It mirrored the flashiness that one might attribute to this part of California.

In Columbus, Midwest tastes and sensibilities factor into the line-up. Last year, there was a group of guys dressed up like the Brady Bunch singing the Brady Bunch-theme song and other Brady Bunch hits.

Browse through pictures of gay pride and you’ll see images that look like they’re from an earnest Mardi Gras parade with a heartfelt message. The variety of pictures are as varied as the countries where gay pride parades happen. The absence of some countries among the Flickr photos can also be noted. Also, important, anyone can be in a gay pride parade whether gay or straight, Republican or Democrat, or religious or not. You name a category and there will be someone who fits it–well, almost. Some people just aren’t that happy.

(The first picture was taken in France. The man with the rainbow on his cheek was in Mexico.) Click through the gallery to see which other countries are pride friendly.

Layover: Chicago O’Hare

by Scott Carmichael on

If you are flying across the country, or heading abroad, then chances are you’ll be passing through O’Hare International Airport.

The airport itself is not a horrible place to be, but it is hardly the kind of location you’d want to spend a large portion of your day. As an international gateway to (or from) the United States, O’Hare is pretty unimpressive. So, if you find yourself stuck at the airport on a layover, check out some of these tips on how to survive.

Of all the major airports in the country, O’Hare probably has the least to offer in the way of entertainment and shopping – but its location also means you won’t really be able to leave unless you have more than 4 hours between flights.


Shorter (2 hour) layovers

Unless the prospect of walking from terminal to terminal appeals to you, you’ll probably want to stay in your own terminal. You can walk from terminal 1 to terminal 3 (there is no terminal 4, and terminal 5 is not connected to the others by walkways).

Terminal 1 (occupied by United Airlines) has a fairly underwhelming assortment of your average airport food, but it is also home to a Berghoff cafe, selling “authentic” German food, sandwiches and of course Berghoff drinks. You’ll find Berhoff’s in the C concourse of Terminal 1 by gate 25. One other “highlight” in Terminal 1 is the Billy Goat Tavern in the food court located in concourse C.

Don’t fall for the “authentic Chicago pizza” or “Chicago hot dog” stands located throughout the terminal – they are not authentic, unless authentic is code for overpriced and bad.

Right behind the TSA security zone in Terminal 1 is a replica dinosaur, on loan from the Chicago Field museum. Next to this dino is a Field museum store, which is great if you want souvenirs for people, without actually having to visit the museum itself.

Terminal 2 is home to a Children’s play area. It is a pretty long walk from the other terminals, but may be worth the trek if you need to entertain kids for any length of time. A similar play area can also be found in terminal 5 (International terminal).

Terminal 2 is also home to a small medical facility, where you can get a quick checkup or flu shot (in the winter season) as well as other immunizations.

American Airlines takes up most of Terminal 3, which happens to be the terminal with the best assortment of concessions. Sadly, this terminal is also one of the worst to navigate, and moving from one are to the next can easily take 20 minutes. The terminal is also cramped, so on a busy day you’ll be stuck in walking traffic.

There are virtually no stores at O’Hare Airport, especially if you are used to nice international airports like Hong Kong or Amsterdam. Of course, you’ll still be able to find the usual assortment of Hudson News, Brookstone and the Sunglass Hut, but don’t expect to find any cool stores where you can waste any of your time (or money).

If you have the time and energy to leave the secure area of the airport, you can head towards the (connected) airport Hilton, where you’ll find a decent bar, health club and even a tiny underground hotdog joint. Just keep in mind that the trip back through airport security may take up to an hour.

If you decide to stay in the airport, you can also splurge and get access to one of the many airport lounges. Unless you are an elite member with access rights, expect to pay about $50 the the “privilege’ of a couple of free drinks. If you are stuck at the airport for just a few hours, I’d suggest saving your money and not bothering with the lounges, none of them are really worth your money.

WiFi is available in the entire airport, access is $6.95 per day. The airport is also home to several free charging stations where you can power your gadgets for the next leg of your trip.

Longer layovers (+4 hours)

Downtown Chicago: O’Hare is about 13 miles from downtown Chicago, but this still translates to a 45 minute train ride. During the day, trains operate every 10 minutes and are fairly reliable. On weekends, the transit authority is often doing construction work, so be sure to check before you get on a train or you may lose valuable time with a bus transit between closed stations.

Once downtown you can of course enjoy the 1000’s of things Chicago has to offer, as long as you keep an eye on the time. If you have the time, try taking a quick trip to Millennium park by taking the Blue line (from O’Hare) and getting off at Clark/Lake. Change to the Brown line and get off at Randolph/Wabash. It’s then a short walk to the park. Other destinations worth checking out are the stores on Michigan Avenue or one of the many museums.

Unless you are 100% sure that traffic is light, I would not recommend a cab – it’ll take longer, and cost substantially more than public transit.

The area around O’Hare: O’Hare is surrounded by a whole lot of nothing (mainly offices), but there are still a couple of gems within 10 minutes of most terminals. Muvico is an all-digital movie theater just 10 minutes from the airport. The theater also features are very decent restaurant. You can get to Muvico with a $10 cab ride, or a 5 minute train (from O’Hare to the Rosemont station), followed by a 10 minute walk.

Rosemont is also home to a large convention center, so check out their schedule, perhaps there is something really interesting in town.

Rosemont is not much more than hotels, restaurants and the convention center, but it is also home to some very good restaurants. In the main “hotel row” of the village you’ll find a Mortons, Gibsons and Carlucci’s.

Cheaper food can be found towards the Allstate Arena area with a Steak and Shake, Panda Express and a Target. It may be boring, but it’s only an $8 ride away, and may be a simple way to kill some time.


Gadling picks the world’s best “second cities”

by Jeremy Kressmann on

We like winners. Whether it’s the winning army of a war or the world’s fastest 100 meter runner, we lavish attention and praise on the victors and relegate the losers to the dustbin of history. The same is true of travel – the most important travel cities like New York, London, Sydney and Tokyo are favored by visitors while lesser-known destinations are skipped, scratched from the itinerary or just plain ignored.

The destinations we visit win our attention for good reason. They’re typically the biggest cities – meaning they have the best restaurants, biggest museums and largest inventory of hotels. Yet when we travel to only the “most popular” or “biggest,” we ignore a fundamental truth of travel. What we know about a place has as much to do with what we’re told as it does with what we actually find once there.

With that in mind, Gadling is bringing you a compilation of our favorite “second cities” – large urban areas that are among the biggest in their country but frequently overshadowed by more famous capitals. The following picks boast many of the same amenities that make their bigger rivals so famous – top notch cultural institutions, unique local charm, great cuisine and nightlife. How many have you visited? Take a look below:

  • Second City #1 – Osaka, Japan – travelers love to talk about Tokyo, but focusing exclusively on Tokyo does serious injustice to the city of Osaka. What Osaka lacks in population, it more than makes up for in its citizens’ lust for life and sheer zaniness. Along the streets of Osaka’s Dotonbori district you’ll find a raucous party of eating and drinking that is virtually unmatched anywhere on earth. In addition to the city’s famous Takoyaki octopus balls and grilled snow crab, Osaka also boasts cultural attractions like Osaka Castle and the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum.

  • Second City #2 – Gothenburg, Sweden – Stockholm is unquestionably Sweden’s capital and its largest city. But not nearly as many have been to Gothenburg, the country’s second largest metropolis and home to Sweden’s largest university. The large population of students means Gothenburg has a surprisingly fertile arts and culture scene, frequently rivaling its larger sibling Stockholm for an unassuming, fun experience – all at a fraction of the price.
  • Second City #3 – Krakow, Poland – Krakow has slowly become of one Poland’s greatest tourist attractions in recent years, steadily easing out of the shadow of much larger Warsaw. Unlike Warsaw, which was leveled by bombing during World War II, Krakow retains much of its historical architecture – a unique feature that will have first time visitors in awe.
  • Second City #4 – Melbourne, Australia – neighboring Sydney might boast the Opera House and stunning harbor views, but Australian visitors ignore Melbourne at their peril. The city is packed to the brim with top-notch shopping, hidden laneways and world class events like the Australian Open tennis tournament.
  • Second City #5 – Wellington, New Zealand – Auckland might appear to dominate New Zealand’s economic and cultural agenda, but in truth it’s modest-sized Wellington that’s really calling the shots. In addition to being New Zealand’s capital city, Wellington has a world-class museum at Te Papa, killer food and what might be the best cocktails this side of the Pacific.
  • Second City #6 – Montreal, Canada – any visitor that’s been to the capital of Canada’s Quebec province can tell you: Montreal will give Toronto a run for its money any day of the week. In addition to hosting two fantastic music festivals each summer and bohemian nightlife, Montreal is also full of plenty of French colonial architecture and charm.
  • Second City #7 – Chicago, USA – a list of “second cities” would not be complete without Chicago, arguably the birthplace of the term and perennial competitor to bigger American cities like New York and Los Angeles. Make no mistake about it though: Chicago might be called the second city, but it has first-city amenities, including amazing museums, some of the best food in the U.S. and plenty of friendly residents.
  • Second City #8 – Salvador, Brazil – picturesque Rio de Janeiro and glitzy Sao Paulo may get all the attention in Brazil, but it’s Salvador that’s really stealing the show. The city’s laid-back citizens, fantastic beaches and historic colonial architecture make it strong competitor for best place to visit in Brazil. Plus, if you want to go to Carnival, Salvador hosts some of the country’s most authentic celebrations.
  • Second City #9 – Galway, Ireland – true, rowdy Dublin has the Guinness Factory and Book of Kells. But don’t forget about Galway, a gem of a town along Ireland’s wild and windy West Coast. Galway’s position as home to many of the country’s university students, rugged natural beauty and frequent festivals make it strong contender for Ireland’s best-kept secret.
  • Second City #10 – Barcelona, Spain – if you’re among the many travelers already raving about Barcelona’s many charms, this pick comes as no surprise. Madrid might be the cultural and political head of Spain, but it is freewheeling Barcelona that is its heart. Between the picturesque city setting nestled between craggy foothills and the Mediterranean Sea, top-notch nightlife and shopping, warm climate or the burgeoning arts scene, there’s a lot to love in Barcelona.

Did we mention your favorite second city? Think we missed a hidden gem? Leave us a comment below and let us know what you think.

Kids and long airport layovers

by Brenda Yun on

I was wandering the wide halls of Chicago O’Hare’s Terminal B early this morning when I spotted for the first time an enormously tall dinosaur skeleton. The parents of a young toddler tried to occupy their daughter by shooting photos of her standing next to the dinosaur’s feet.

It was 5:45 in the morning, and this young family were by far the most chipper travelers I’d seen. This got me thinking: what other fun things are there to do with kids at airports during long layovers? Who said long layovers had to be boring?

If you’re stopping through one of these airports, bring your kids to one of these fun spots.

  • Chicago O’Hare: There is a “Kids on the Fly” exhibit in Terminal 2 that features a mini-helicopter, cargo plan, and luggage station. Over in Terminal 5, you can visit the “Play it Safe” exhibit dedicated to teaching children about safety. Let’s not forget the four-story, 72-foot-long brachiosaurus skeleton on the upper level of Terminal 1 (jast as you pass through security in the B Concourse).
  • Seattle-Tacoma: There is a 1,400 square-foot play area filled with aviation-themed foam toys, including a baggage cart that can prepare little ones with adult flying.
  • San Francisco: Take a nine-minute ride on the AirTrain Red Line to the Aviation Library and Museum, where children can play in the Kids’ Spot and enjoy interactive weather-related exhibits.
  • Singapore Changi: Kids can take a dip in the Bali-themed rooftop pool.
  • Munich: The ball pit and giant LEGOs at Kinderland are a huge draw for kids. The advantage for parents: your child can be left there free of charge and watched by airport staff.