Where was Justin Bieber in February?

by Alex Robertson Textor on

Twitter is good for lots of things, among these: encouraging solidarity in the name of toppling governments, publicizing breaking news, finding people with similar obsessions, and tracking the travel predilections of celebrities.

And there are few bigger celebrities at the moment than Canadian singer Justin Bieber. Mr. Bieber, 17 years old as of yesterday, has become an enormous star thanks to marketing brilliance, his actual talent as a performer, and a fair bit of good luck.

So what did the world’s most famous teenager get up to over the course of the month? A huge share of Bieber’s tweets in February were focused on promoting his 3-D feature documentary Never Say Never, which hit theaters on February 11.

And where was Justin Bieber in February? He spent time in Toronto, New York, Los Angeles, London, and Paris, though what’s really striking is how few of Bieber’s tweets are about geographic location. Instead, they revolve around sites divorced from geographic specificity: television studios, movie multiplexes, and basketball games.

Below are the most travel-oriented of his tweets for each individual day over the past month. On those days when Bieber didn’t post a location-oriented tweet (see February 7, 20, 22, 25, 27, and 28) I went for whatever came closest.

A hour reviewing a month of tweets from Justin Bieber is instructive. The kid has his eyes on the prize. The spoils of success never materialized. There was no detailing of hotel suites. He attended premieres and award shows, watched the Super Bowl, and retweeted his followers like no one’s business. And he relied on multiple exclamation points along the way.

Mr. Bieber is constantly working. At some point, he should really take a vacation. And tweet about it.

Without further ado, Justin Bieber’s February travel (or travelish) tweets:February 28. im never gonna change…i will always remember…i will always be that kid from stratford…I will always be grateful.

February 27. shoutout to all of Latin America…i got love for all my Latin Girls

February 26. just got some new gear for the #MYWORLDTOUR – we coming to EUROPE next week…after MY BIRTHDAY!!!!

February 25. zero gravity + my stomach = not so good . lol

February 24. heading to zero gravity! #adventure

February 23. Just had a great time with the ladies at The Talk…they surprised me good. Met a hero of mine…

February 22. Rockin out the new #ThatShouldBeMe Video with @RascalFlatts !! EPIC!! #NsNremixes http://yfrog.com/h796zmkj

February 21. great night courtside at the All Star game… @kingjames with the triple double and my guy KOBE with the MVP!! #greatbasketball

February 20. Dream BIG and #NeverSayNever

February 19. we flew 13 hours to make the #allstargame but the French Premiere of #NSN3D was crazy…je t’aime – http://youtu.be/0D6GADVArfI

February 18. Just landed from a 13 hour flight. Rocked #NSNremixes on the plane. @chrisbrown our song is crazy!!

February 17. PARIS Premiere of #NSN3D was INSANE!! vid coming soon!! je t’aime

February 16. In route to the London Premiere! #NeverSayNever3D in the UK! Leggo!!

February 15. Headed to the BRITS!

February 14. 2nite was a great night. I got to perform at the grammys with my mentor @usherraymondiv and I feel like we did u guys proud

February 13. gonna head out and surprise some more theatres for #NSN3D – u support us so it only makes sense we support u. #thatslove

February 12. see! the crew with me to surprise theatres….we are grateful and excited. hope u are enjoying the movie – #NSN3D http://twitpic.com/3yt8er

February 11. Just surprised another theatre.. Midnight showing! That was awesome! #NeverSayNever3D is out Now!!

February 10. grammy rehearsals with @usherraymondiv – we are gettin it in

February 9. Just surprised the entire audience at @theellenshow – everyone is coming to the Premiere!!! Leggo!!

February 8. LA PREMIERE DAY!! #NEVERSAYNEVER3D !!!

February 7. 1 more quarter. game is getting serious. #superbowl #greenandyellow #blackandyellow – who do u got?

February 6. Thanks to everyone at SNL for having me. Had a blast. #5Days

February 5. in NYC causing a ruckus with @itsryanbutler and @chazsom3rs

February 4. IN THE BUILDING at @MTV !! GET READY FOR @thesevenmtv LIVE!! LEGGO!! #7DAYS

February 3. about to head over to @106andPark and show love. #8Days #Feb11th

February 2. now getting ready for NYC Premiere for #NEVERSAYNEVER3D ….my guy LA REID told me he is bringing a special guest.

February 1. And the secret Toronto Premiere for #NeverSayNever3D is at…. Dundas Square AMC!! Leggo #Canada !!! #ProudCanadian

[Image: Flickr | Snow DQ]

Coast to coast: Best hotels for Oscar viewing parties

by McLean Robbins on

Want to live it up like an A-lister? You don’t have to hit the red carpet in Los Angeles to make like the stars of The Social Network, The King’s Speech, True Grit or Black Swan. Hotel bars, particularly at luxe properties, have long been beloved by the see-and-be seen set. But if what you really want to see is the annual Oscars / Academy Awards … you’re in luck at these great Oscar viewing parties:

New York

Head to the W Hotel Union Square for Refinery 29’s Oscars bash. $40 admission nabs gourmet popcorn, an open bar, passed apps and Refinery editrixes moderating a style panel of Timo Weiland, Carol Han and designer Jonathan Simkhai, plus prize giveaways. Get your tickets here.

Washington DC

Get swanky just four blocks from The White House at The Jefferson hotel. For $95, you’ll snag admission to their Oscar party at Quill bar, where you’ll enjoy a private viewing area, glass of rose Champagne, a movie-inspired cocktail from their in-house mixologist, truffled popcorn, caviar tacos, foie gras bon bons, mini gold-plated chili cheese dogs and a copy of all recipes for the speciality cocktails served that evening. Snag tickets here.

[Flickr via Dave_B_]

Miami
74 degrees? We’ll take it. Lounge poolside at the chic South Beach hotspot The Delano, where they’ll be screening the Oscars broadcast by the pool.

Seattle
Don’t miss Hotel 1000’s charity bash. $75 gets you admission to the red carpet event, which offers a “paparazzi experience,” cocktail, drink tickets, apps and a swanky swag bag. You even get a chance to win prizes for being the best celebrity look-alike or having the hottest outfit.

Las Vegas
It’s Vegas. Who would expect anything less than an over-the-top event? Party at The Palms, where, for between $50 and $100, you’ll enjoy a celebrity red carpet, private screening of the Oscars broadcast, an after-party at The Playboy Club, and more. Shell out for the VIP tix and you’ll also enjoy VIP after-party access,the official 83rd Academy Awards Program, admission to the Celebrity VIP Reception in the Brendan Celebrity Suite with hosted bar and complimentary hors d’oeuvres, and private balcony theater viewing of the ABC telecast. Buy tickets here.

San Francisco
Don’t miss the great views and private screening at the Intercontinental’s chic Top of the Mark restaurant. Nibble apps like Nob Hill Sliders and Shrimp Cocktail while you fill out your ballots. Choose right, and you’ll be entered to win a luxe gift bag filled with a gift card for brunch for two, complimentary cocktails for two, a limited edition Evian water bottle made by Issey Miyake, and Ghiradelli chocolates. The event is free, but reservations are suggested.

Los Angeles
Would you expect anything less than black tie for this star-studded city? Of course not. Join The Beverly Hills hotel for a swank bash. Tickets are a pricey $1,000, but we’ve heard rumors that actual celebrities may attend.

The Bahamas
Who says it’s just adults that can have fun? Atlantis is offering an exclusive party in their new CRUSH teens club, where atendees can compete for best-dressed prizes, sip Oscar-themed mocktails and enjoy screenings of Twilight and The Social Network.

JW Marriott Los Angeles celebrates first birthday with $1 room packages

by McLean Robbins on

Want to live like an A-lister for just a dollar? That’s just what will happen to ten lucky travelers who book the JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. Live’s special first birthday package.

The hotel, celebrating its first anniversary on February 15, is offering a “Happy Birthday” package to the first ten reservations. The package, valued at almost $4,000, includes:

· Overnight accommodations in the Chairman Suite, the hotel’s most luxurious 1,566 square-foot suite over looking the Los Angeles skyline
· Two glasses of Champagne at gLAnce Wine Bar
· Breakfast for two at LA Market restaurant
· Complimentary valet parking

The “Happy Birthday” package will go on sale at 8:00 a.m. PST on February 15 for $1.00. The package will be available for a Friday or Saturday night stay only between August 6, 2011 and September 10, 2011. The package will be available online only with code ES6.

In town on the 15th? Hotel guests will be treated to commemorative cupcakes throughout the day while hotel employees will give back to the local community through volunteering at Midnight Mission, a non-profit serving the homeless of the city located in downtown Los Angeles.

A travel guide to the 2011 Oscar movies

by Meg Nesterov on

The 83rd annual Academy Awards are coming up in a few weeks and the Oscars race is on. This year’s nominations contained few surprises, with many nods for Brit period piece The King’s Speech, Facebook biopic The Social Network, and headtrip Inception. While 2010’s ultimate travel blockbuster Eat, Pray, Love failed to made the cut, there’s still plenty to inspire wanderlust among the Best Picture picks.

Read on for a travel guide to the best movies of 2010 and how to create your own Oscar-worthy trip.

127 Hours – Location: Danny Boyle’s nail-biter was shot on location in Utah’s Blue John Canyon near Moab and on a set in Salt Lake City. Go there: Should you want to explore Moab’s desert and canyons while keeping all limbs intact, check out Moab in fall for bike races and art festivals.



Black Swan – Location: Much of the ballet psychodrama was shot in New York City, though the performances were filmed upstate in Purchase, New York. Go there: To see the real “Swan Lake” on stage at Lincoln Center, you’ll have to hope tickets aren’t sold out for the New York City Ballet, performing this month February 11-26.

The Fighter – Location: in the grand tradition of Oscar winners Good Will Hunting and The Departed, the Mark Wahlberg boxing flick was filmed in Massachusetts, in Micky Ward’s real hometown of Lowell, 30 miles north of Boston. Go there: For a map of locations in Lowell, check out this blog post and perhaps spot Micky Ward at the West End Gym.

Inception – Location: The setting of this film depends on what dream level you’re in. The locations list includes Los Angeles, England, Paris, Japan, even Morocco. Go there: There are plenty of real locations to visit, including University College London and Tangier’s Grand Souk. Canada’s Fortress Mountain Resort where the snow scenes were shot is currently closed, but you can ski nearby in Banff.



The Kids Are All Right – Location: Director Lisa Cholodenko is a big fan of southern California, she also filmed the 2002 Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles. Go there: Love it or hate it, L.A. is still a top travel destination in the US and perhaps this year you can combine with a trip to Vegas, if the X Train gets moving.

The King’s Speech – Location: A prince and a commoner in the wedding of the century. Sound familiar? This historical drama was shot in and around London, though stand-ins were used for Buckingham Palace’s interiors. Go there: It might be hard to recreate the vintage look of the film, but London is full of atmospheric and historic architecture and palaces to visit. If you’re a sucker for English period films or places Colin Firth has graced, tour company P & P Tours can show you around many historic movie locations like Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice.

The Social Network – Location: Another Massachusetts and California movie, this very academic film shot at many college and prep school campuses, but none of them Harvard, which hasn’t allowed film crews in decades. Go there: If you enjoyed the Winklevoss rowing scene, head to England this summer for the Henley Royal Regatta June 29 – July 3.

Toy Story 3 – Location: The latest in the Pixar animated trilogy is set at the Sunnyside Daycare. Go there: Reviews are mixed, but Disney’s Hollywood Studios has a new Pixar parade, to let fans see their favorite characters in “person.” Visit any Disney gift shop to make your own toy story.

True Grit – Location: The Coen brothers western remake may be set in 19th century Arkansas, but it was filmed in modern day Santa Fe, New Mexico and Texas, taking over much of towns like Granger. Go there: If you’re a film purist or big John Wayne fan, you can tour the locations of the original film in Ouray County, Colorado.

Winter’s Bone – Location: Many moviegoers hadn’t heard of this film when nominations were announced, set and shot in the Ozark Mountains in southern Missouri. Go there: The difficult film centers around the effects of methamphetamine on a rural family, but travel destinations don’t get much more wholesome than Branson, Missouri. Bring the family for riverboat shows and the best bathroom in the country.

[Photo by Flickr user Lisa Norman]

Virgin America kicks off service to Cancun

by Stephen Greenwood on

Dying to get your Spring Break on in style? Then pack your sandals, sunscreen, sombrero and head on over to Virgin America’s website to grab some great fares or a chance to win a VIP getaway to Cancun, Mexico.

This morning, Virgin America is launching their service from LAX & SFO to the Mayan Riviera (aka Cancun) and Gadling is onboard to witness the festivities. Remember the Goo Goo Dolls? Apparently they’re still churning out the hits and have brought VH1 aboard to tape a mile-high episode of the Top 20 Video Countdown and show us how to travel like rock stars.

So if you have questions for the Goo Goo Dolls or song requests for the in-flight sing along that’s bound to break out, leave them in the comments below!

You can sign up to enter Virgin America’s VIP giveaway right here. If you don’t win, fares from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Cancun start from $139 each way and depart five days a week.

We’ll do our best to get in every shot of VH1’s special Top 20 Video Countdown episode, so tune in on January 29th at 9am EST to catch our ugly mugs.