NWA pilot: lots of misinformation, but can’t talk about it

by Tom Johansmeyer on

All eyes are on the Northwest Airlines crew that missed Minneapolis by 150 miles. Rumors abound, such as dozing and arguments in the cockpit. Richard Cole, a crewmember on Northwest Flight 188, wouldn’t talk, except to say that it wasn’t his fault: “But other than that, I cannot tell you anything that went on because we’re having hearings this weekend, we’re having hearings on Tuesday. All that information will come out then.”

The flight had 144 passengers and five crewmembers and left San Diego for Minneapolis. At one point in the trip, there were 78 minutes of radio silence, and when the air traffic controllers reconnected with the crew, it had overshot the airport by 150 miles. The police who met the plane said the pilots were “cooperative, apologetic and appreciative.”

California hotels offer third night free

by Katie Hammel on

35 California hotels run by the Joie de Vivre boutique hotel company are offering a third night free when you book and pay for two nights. To book the deal, go to the Third Night Free page on their blog or just use the promo code JOIE. Prices at the Joie de Vivre hotels range from $79 to $459 per night.

The Joie de Vivre group operates 35 hotels in San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, Mill Valley, Tiburon, Sonoma, Big Sur, Santa Cruz, Sacramento, Silicon Valley, Huntington Beach, Brentwood, Long Beach and Venice Beach. I checked out the Gaige House, a 23-room boutique hotel set on three acres in wine country and was able to book the deal, saving nearly $200 off the regular rate.

The offer is good for stays from November 1 to June 15, 2010 and must be booked online by May 31st.

[via Los Angeles Times]

West Fest: 40th Anniversary of Woodstock is FREE!

by Jamie Rhein on

If you missed Woodstock forty years ago, or feel that counterculture may have passed you by, the West Fest: 40th Anniversary of Woodstock festival is a place to catch up.

At Golden Gate Park in San Francisco this Sunday, Oct. 25th, counter culture is using its voice again–big time.

From 9 a.m to 6 p.m, hundreds of San Francisco-based musicians, Beat Generation poets, anti-war speakers, members of the Free Speech Movement, members of the Green Movement and others are joining forces to celebrate California’s trend-setting role in the counterculture movement.

As part of the venue, 3,000 musicians will play Jimmy Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” at the same time in an effort to break the world record for the largest guitar ensemble.

Several of the musicians are from groups that might sound familiar, i.e., Starship, Jefferson Airplane, The Doors, Greg Allman’s Band, and the Byrds. To be clear–this doesn’t mean these bands will appear, but people who are from these groups will be performing.

As the West Fest page of the Woodstock Story website points out, the San Francisco area is where the Free Speech Movement, Free Love Movement, Farm Workers Movement, Women’s Movement, Gay Rights Movement, and the Sexual Revolution first took hold.

Whether you’re a counterculture type or not, West Fest sounds like an event not to miss if you’re within shouting distance of San Francisco. Couldn’t you use a bit of peace, love and good cheer?

As a plus, unlike 40 years ago, the weather on Sunday in San Francisco is supposed to be sublime. How does mostly sunny and a high of 75 degrees sound?

During three days of the four-day Woodstock concert, it mostly rained.

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly place to stay in San Francisco, check out The Good Hotel.

Ground-level intelligence on the top restaurants in the country

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Everybody loves to publish lists, but few have so much data as OpenTable upon which to draw. So, when that site puts out a list of top spots, it’s definitely worth a look. The latest, “Fit for Foodies,” is the result of 3 million restaurant reviews, which ultimately led to 50 restaurants that are definitely worth your time. Upon quick inspection, I haven’t been to any of them (which probably makes the list even more legit — my palate is disappointingly simple).

What’s pleasantly surprising is that there don’t appear to be many clichés. Rather than go with critic favorites, this list runs down what eaters dig, so if you find yourself in one of the 13 states represented, ditch the guidebook and take a stab at what turns the locals on.

Unsurprisingly, California turned in the greatest presence, with 15 of the spots on the list (30 percent of the total). New York came in with nine (18 percent). After that, it gets interesting. Illinois gives us seven restaurants, Massachusetts and Washington (state) three and Louisiana, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Texas responsible for two. Georgia, South Carolina and Maine each posted one.

Click here to see who made the top 50 >>

Teenage Aussie set to sail around the world

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Jessica Watson likes to travel, but she approaches the concept a bit differently. The 16-year-old Australian just left Sydney Harbor today, and she wants to take on the world. Her goal is to sail 23,600 miles alone — through some of the toughest waters in the world — and become the youngest person in history to do so.

The trek has kicked off some debate in Australia as to whether Watson’s parents are nuts for letting her attempt this (not a position that’s hard to imagine).The family claims that the kid is plenty salty and knows her way around a ship, and she’ll have radio and e-mail access. She’ll be blogging, too. In the Netherlands, a pair parents disagreed on whether to let their 13-year-old daughter, Laura Dekker, attempt the same feat. A Dutch court put Dekker in the custody of childcare authorities while the parents fought it out.

For Watson, just getting her pink, 34-foot yacht to the starting line has been difficult. Last week, she collided with a cargo ship while sailing to Sydney to make a few last preparations for her journey. And, strong winds last week prompted the sailor to push back her start date.

There are two ways to categorize these around-the-world trips: assisted and unassisted. Watson is gunning for the latter. The youngest person to do this so far is Jesse Martin, also an Australian, who was 18 when he circled the world in 1999. To qualify as “unassisted,’ the vessel can’t take any new supplies, materials or equipment on board once the trip starts. Repairs can be made, but they must use stuff already on the yacht.

The youngest circumnavigating sailor is Mike Perham, from Britain, who went 28,000 miles in nine months, but his trip counts as “assisted,” because he stopped for repairs. Zac Sunderland, from California, was a few months older than Perham when he completed the trip in 13 months, but his was also assisted.