Obama to hold election night party at Chicago’s Grant Park

by Meg Massie on

Want to spend election night with Barack Obama and thousands of his closest friends? The Obama campaign announced yesterday that the Democratic nominee for president will be hosting what he hopes is an election night celebration outdoors at Grant Park in Chicago.

Obama will appear at Hutchinson Field at the south end of the park, which is often referred to as Chicago‘s “front yard.” The park is often used for major events like festivals, sporting events, and concerts. Pope John Paul II held a mass here in 1979 that drew a crowd of nearly 1 million people.

The Obama campaign has not yet announced ticketing details, but those who wish to attend will likely need to register online or get tickets in advance, as the Illinois Senator and Presidential hopeful has been drawing huge crowds throughout his campaign.

If you’re going to attend, be sure to dress warmly. The windy city can be bitterly cold in November.

Virgin America completes inaugural JFK – Vegas flight

by Grant Martin on

As we’ve been reporting on all week, Virgin America just kicked off service between JFK and Las Vegas with their inaugural flight. Christening an A320 aircraft “Entourage Air”, the cast of HBO’s Entourage showed up in a hangar at JFK to squirt Champagne all over an eager Adrian Grenier-googly-eyed audience, then quickly slipped off for other premier events all over the country.

On the way to the kickoff party at the Palms in Las Vegas, passengers were treated to some of the amenities that first class passengers can expect on Vegas bound flights later this fall: (very) plush “Entourage Air” blankets, Godiva chocolates, Altoid mints and Kiehls amenitiy kits with moisturizer, shampoo and lip balm. We also got to see a preview of season five’s opener, which should be airing this weekend – you can catch that and other episodes on their RED entertainment system from now on in flight.

Las Vegas airport was ready for us with a fire engine salute when we got there, and as we taxiied into our gate two giant plumes of water arced over the aircraft – I later learned that traffic at the airport has tapered off recently, no doubt because of decreased demand for vacation flights – so the tourism board is doing whatever they can to make Virgin happy.

In that light they threw an opening reception at the arrival gate, complete with showgirls, cake, more Champagne and a few fine words from local oil tycoons dignitaries.

It took a while to transfer and check into the Palms – apparently they didn’t realize that when an airplane full of people is going to check in that you need to staff your front desk – but near 9PM the party started to get rolling at the Playboy Club up on the top of the tower. We quickly found out that drinks were on “special” until nine thirty, so stocked up on Red Bulls & vodka since most of us were still on Eastern time.

I could tell you about all of the exciting things that went on at the Playboy club and then later on that night – shots, gossip and photos with the Virgin America crew, Michael Phelps apparently showing up at the bar and the wild, wild affection that some of our fellow bloggers share for each other – but you’re probably not interested in that.

The prevailing point is that New Yorkers now have a direct line into Vegas on Virgin America, Travel and Leisure’s “Best Domestic Carrier” and one of the most innovative airlines in the skies. If you have a tenth as much fun as Gadling did on your flight out to Sin City, it’ll be worth every dollar you spent.

How to spend your time in Todos Santos, Mexico

by Kelsey Mulyk on

Todos Santos, once Baja’s sugarcane capital, is a small town located about an hour outside of Cabo San Lucas. Known for its laid back vibe, great surfing and large artisan community, this small pueblo has managed to retain some authenticity in spite of the huge growth of tourism here in the last 15 years.

We chose to settle here for a few months so we could complete a work project before continuing on our drive. When we were looking for a place to stay we knew that a city like Cabo San Lucas was not for us, but realized the benefits of being close to a bigger city. With Todos Santos located only an hour away from Cabo, it was pretty much the perfect fit. So far it has been great; it’s easy to work here and, for a relatively small town, there is quite a bit to do. Those who prefer activity packed vacations will probably prefer to only spend a day or two here. But for the more laid back traveler who prefers to mosey through their holiday time Todos Santos offers a great mix of activities and allows for ample down time.

Here is what you can do in Todos Santos:

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Learn to surf at Los Cerritos
The most popular beach in Todos Santos is Los Cerritos, which has a small beach club and restaurant on-site. With small waves and a sandy bottom this is the ideal beach to try your hand at surfing. Surfboards, skim boards, wetsuits, boogie boards and other water gear can be rented from either El Diablo Blanco Surf shop or Costa Azul’s small surf kiosk. One thing to be aware of at this beach is the rip tide which tends to carry one out to the rocks. Try to stay in front of the beach club when you are in the water to avoid getting too close to the rocks. This rip varies in strength daily. The road to Los Cerritos is located at km 64 and is marked with a sign, take a right and follow the road straight to the beach.

Relax in the Sun at Las Palmas
The very bumpy road located off the Highway 19, across from Campo Experimental at km 57 (all kilometers are marked in Baja Mexico), takes you to this secluded beach which is great for sunning and swimming. There are rip tides in the area and swimming is safest in the middle of the beach. This beach is open from 6am to 9pm daily. Be sure to lock your car and don’t bring any valuables as break-ins have occurred here.

Buy Fresh Fish at Punta Lobos
Also referred to as the fisherman’s beach, you can get to this beach by turning off the highway at km 54, watch for the old cannery to make sure you are on the right route. Between 1:00pm and 3:00pm, you can watch the fisherman return in their panga boats with the catch of the day. If you feel like a cooking adventure you can purchase fresh fish from one of the two fishing cooperatives in the area.

Watch Serious Surfers at San Pedrito
Unless you are a pro surfer you probably won’t be surfing this beach. Big breaks and a rocky bottom are a lethal combination for the beginner surfer. However, it is a nice beach to sit and relax on while admiring others, with much better surfing skills, take to the waves. To get here, take highway 19 out of Todos Santos and turn right at about km 60 (you will see the San Pedrito RV Park sign, this is where you need to turn.)

Getting to any of these beaches requires a car. There is a Budget Car Rental office in Todos Santos or, if you’d prefer not to bother with renting a vehicle, taxi rides to any of the beaches can easily be arranged. Don’t forget to arrange a pick up time as well!

Yoga: Stretch it out (if you can)
During high season, December to April, there are a variety of yoga classes available daily at La Arca, the community center which is located on Topete Street. Classes range in price from $50 Pesos ($5 US) to a donation (we tend to donate $50 pesos). You might want to find out how long classes run for, Tom and I learned this the hard way after a 2 hour yoga class which definitely stretched some muscles we both hadn’t used for a long time. The yoga class schedule can be found in the local publication El Calendario.

Shopping
Like most tourist towns you will find an array of Mexican arts and crafts, all of which have been imported from the mainland. There are about 15 shops all carrying the same things, ceramics, cheesy t-shirts, shot glasses, tequila, silver jewelery and vanilla. But ,if you are looking for something that is actually made in the Baja region, try the small pottery shop right beside the bookstore called Catalina. Kathy, the owner, sells ceramic cookware handmade by local women who live in the Baja Mountains. These pots can be put directly onto stove-tops as well as in the oven and are extremely easy to cook with. If you have friends who are foodies these will make an impressive gift.

El Tecolote bookstore should be the first stop on your shopping expedition. If you are looking for a good read, books on Baja, postcards or little gifts this is the place to be. Traditions, a little arts and crafts store tucked away in the back of the bookstore, offers Mexican art from all over. If you need to know anything, Janet, El Tecolote’s owner, is the woman to ask. She will be more than happy to help you find whatever you need. But be careful as an avid dog-lover and dedicated animal rescue worker she might just try and send you home with a new pet.

Tour the Galleries
As an artist town, Todos Santos has many galleries full of everything from paintings to handmade copper work. Galeria Indigo, found on the main street, has a nice selection of work and Gallery de Todos Santos displays work by local Baja artists. For a list of all galleries click here.

Book a Local Tour
Fishing, surfing, hiking, visiting mountain potters, horseback riding and Sea Turtle eco-tours are just some of the activities are offered by most of the tour companies in Todos Santos. You will definitely pay a hefty fee to partake in these groups but it is a great way to explore the area if you have limited time. Try Todos Santos Eco Adventures or La Sirena Kayak and Surf Rental.

Nightlife
Todos Santos is generally pretty quiet after about 9pm, well if you discount the roosters and dog fights. But The Sandbar, in Pescadero (about 10 minute drive away at km 63, just off Highway 19), is a good place to hang out on Friday and Saturday nights. The young overly energetic bartender pours strong drinks and local reggae band, KL, gets crowds grooving on Friday nights. If you really need to get out there and party rent a car, and head to La Paz to experience some authentic salsa clubs….you might want to brush up on your dance moves first.

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“No Wrong Turns” chronicles Kelsey and her husband’s road trip — in real time — from Canada to the southern tip of
South America in their trusty red VW Golf named Marlin.

Virgin America’s Los Angeles – Seattle launch party

by Grant Martin on

Virgin America‘s service between LA and Seattle kicked off this week with a bang, and Gadling was invited along for the ride.

The event, celebrating the link between two musically rich cities, started with a rock-concert send off by The Donnas at the VA gate in Los Angeles. After a brief ceremony where CEO David Cush and several Donnas members cut the symbolic ribbon, everyone jumped on the short flight up the coast.

Once things got organized, Cush said a few corporate words then Cisco Adler (Mischa Barton’s ex boyfriend and lead singer of Whitestarr) and his pal Shwayze got up, grabbed a guitar and started serenading the plane as AP and Virgin photographers stalked them through the plane. Three songs deep, the duo handed the baton off to Michael Tolcher, who, after three songs handed the baton off to the Bamboo Shoots. The four of them rocked up and down the plane for a few songs handing out goodies, standing in seats and banging on things.

The aircraft was met with by a howling crowd of Virgin America employees who, lined up on either side of a red carpet, would wildly cheer every time someone deplaned. A brief arrival party with (more) Champagne took place at the gate, then everyone dispersed to meet up for the after party at the venue, The Showbox at the Market later that evening.

The Showbox was tricked up special for the Virgin America party. Photographers were on hand to take media photos of the celebrities on hand, including Rebecca Cardon from Bravo’s Work Out and Lukas Haas. They took places in a special VIP judging section, and after a few more corporate words, Virgin hosted a quick battle of the bands where the winner was given a free music video shooting.

After the battle, The Bamboo Shoots came up for another set, followed by Thurston Moore (formally of Sonic Youth) and his new band.

You have to admit, Virgin does know how to throw a party. I met several interesting people along the road that I’ll be telling you about over the next few days once I can put my thoughts and pictures together and my hangover wears off. Stay tuned for an interview with CEO David Cush, details about the in flight experiences (business and coach), video and an unofficial report about some of the chicanery that went on, including shots with Shwayze and Cisco, the Banana Republic marketing team and a trip to the hospital.

Spain nightlife: it really doesn’t get any better!

by Abha Malpani on

Ever since I’ve moved to Spain, I go out till the wee hours of the morning at least 4-nights a week, I drink way more than I ever used to, yet work better and feel healthier. Be it a Sunday night or a Monday night, for Spaniards there is no excuse not to head out.

The country is built around a culture of cañas (half-pints), elaborate menus of the day and tapas at night alongside the inborn need of Spaniards to talk (a lot!); the result — a long long life.

The average life-expectancy in Spain is 78.79 years, higher than China which stands at 72.88 years. Also, Spaniards have the general mentality of spending everything they earn on eating / socializing / partying: “what else do we work for!?” I often hear them say. This also explains why the number of people going out drops drastically in the last week of the month as their money starts running out!

So, it was no surprise that according to Country Brand Index, Spain is the hottest country for nightlife, followed by the US and Mexico. So if your plan is to party when you travel to Europe — Spain should definitely be your high on your list.