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March 31, 2006
Write a Story, Win a Trip
Has traveling changed you? Then get your creative juices flowing because The Next Fork is inviting submissions from anyone anywhere who would like to share a story or essay on how travel has changed their life or the life of someone they know.
The Grand Prize winner will receive a free trip on one of The Next Fork’s intriguing journeys. Guidelines may be found on www.thenextfork.com.
The Next Fork’s groundbreaking series of transformative journeys examine a broad range of timely lifestyle issues including: creating more work-life balance, rediscovering a sense of purpose, embracing change and transition, and exploring your creative path.
Posted by insideoutmag at 12:51 PM | Comments (0)
Japanese Ear Cleaning: The Next Big Spa Treatment?
I've linked to Springwise before and now that they have a blog they update daily, I'll probably be linking to them even more because every time I visit the website, at least one story catches my attention.
This time, it's a short write-up about Japanese ear cleaning. I recently wrote about ear cleaning in India for Student Traveler Magazine. The Japanese take is much more upscale.
Spring wise reports "Using an ear-pick equipped with a tiny camera, professional ear cleaners can show clients exactly how much wax is being removed. The Mimi Kurin salon, shown above, opened in December 2005, and charges JPY 500 (EUR 3.50 / USD 4.25) for a quick five-minute clean, with the deluxe twenty-minute service going for JPY 2,000."
Seventy percent of Mimi Kurin's customers are men, and the service has been so successful that a second store will open in Yokohama later this month.
Read write-up here.
Posted by insideoutmag at 09:51 AM | Comments (0)
March 30, 2006
InsideOut Travel Bargain: Quantas Aussie AirPass
Starting on April 1 until June 30th, travelers heading to Australia should check out the Quantas website as the company is offering a deal that's hard to pass up--a round-trip ticket and three flights within Australia for $999 per person.
The Qantas Aussie AirPass will fly you to Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. You can then choose three one-way flights within Australia to places like Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Launceston, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Cairns, Hamilton Island, Townsville, Alice Spring, Ayers Rock, Darwin, Broome, Perth and Hayman Island, Port Lincoln, Kangaroo Island, and Coffs Harbor.
Small Print: Additional airport taxes total $137 per person and there is a seven-day minimum and 21-day maximum travel period. Travelers need to book tickets by April 13.
Posted by insideoutmag at 08:47 AM | Comments (0)
March 27, 2006
Changes Ahead at WrittenRoad.com
Aspiring and seasoned travel writers should already know about Jen Leo's blog, WrittenRoad.com. If you've haven't heard of it yet, check it out today as Jen lists useful information such as market leads, writing contests, etc.
Reading WrittenRoad today, I found out that there are some changes ahead. They are adding writers and will now be sending out a weekly newsletter. She's asking readers to let her know what they want more/less of in the blog, so check it out today and help Jen make WrittenRoad an even better resource for travel writers!
Posted by insideoutmag at 01:49 PM | Comments (0)
Cheap of the Week
CheapTickets just announced a new weekly online deal called "Cheap of the Week." This weekly online deal will list special online offers. This week's Cheap of the Week features deals to Puerto Rico. Here's what they're offering:
Cheap of the Week Deal: March 27 - April 3
It's time to experience something out of the ordinary...it's time to
treat yourself to a vacation in beautiful Puerto Rico. This is the
perfect time to experience the breathtaking ocean, beautiful beaches and fantastic weather. Plus, Puerto Rico offers fine dining and a nightlife that is sure to make your trip unforgettable.
Get $50 off Puerto Rico Hotels & Vacation Packages
Select a Puerto Rico hotel or vacation package, and enter promotion code CHEAPPR under "total cost." The offer is good for stays of 3+ nights for travel through May 31.
Receive $100 food and beverage credit at the Courtyard by Marriott Isla Verde.
Plus, guests of Courtyard by Marriott Isla Verde receive $100 food and
beverage credit for travel from April 1 through May 31. Book by March
29 and save!
The page will be live this evening, check it out here.
Posted by insideoutmag at 10:57 AM | Comments (0)
March 23, 2006
We're Finalists in the 2006 Foreword Magazine Book of the Year Awards
Just wanted to let you know that I was in Phoenix for a few days. I took advantage of some time off (well I'm still working, just not as much as I have been) to fly down and spend some time with my Mom.
I also had some exciting news to share. Josh and I recently found out that our book, "San Francisco: The Unknown City" is a finalist for the 2006 ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards honoring the year's best books from independent presses. We're in the travel guide section, next to Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, and Michelin Travel Guides titles.
Check out all the finalists here.
Posted by insideoutmag at 01:19 PM | Comments (0)
March 21, 2006
Travelers Happy Hour Report
Thanks to everyone who joined us at EZ5 last night, it was great to meet so many new people and catch up with people we've met at past events. A few people came up to me yesterday to thank us for organizing these events because it allowed them to meet some very interesting travelers. I heard some talk about their three-year trip around the world on a motorcycle, some are heading to Turkey and others had just gotten back from Thailand. Many exchanged e-mail addresses.
Josh, Alex and I started these happy hours two years ago to get travelers together so we're really happy that so many people showed up and that all seemed to be having a great time. This happy hour was the first that Kerri Gilbert, our contributing editor, was able to attend since she just recently moved to San Francisco, and we were really excited to have her there. We'll have pictures of the event soon so check back on our homepage.
The slide show Alex put together was very cool--so many amazing pictures to choose from! We announced our three picks last night and we'll announce the grand prize winner (another photo that Alex, Josh, Kerri and I agreed on) in our next newsletter. Here are the picks:
Photo Editor's Pick:
Photo of sunset in Burma by Michael Sheridan
Publisher's Pick:
Photo taken in Uzbekistan by Joel Carillet
Editor's Pick:
Photo of building in Arequipa by Ryan Luikens
Congratulations to these three photographers! And thanks again to everyone who submitted. We'll show some of the best photos on the website so check back. If you like to read travel stories and hear about travel events as soon as we post them, get on our mailing list and add this blog to your feed.
Posted by insideoutmag at 11:23 AM | Comments (0)
March 18, 2006
Wonders of the World Photo Contest Update and Happy Hour on March 20
Wow, I just looked through the last submissions we received for our photo contest and I'm impressed. We've gotten some beautiful photos and I'm excited to have Alex set up the slide show on Monday March 20 at our Travelers Happy Hour.
The party is happening at EZ5 in San Francisco. Here's the address again:
682 Commercial St
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 362-9321
Let us know if you're planning on coming so we can make sure to talk to you! Send me an e-mail at editor@insideoutmag.com.
See you on Monday!
Posted by insideoutmag at 01:50 PM | Comments (0)
March 17, 2006
SustainLane.com--Picking an Eco-Conscious Hotel
I came across a nicely presented website today that posts articles on healthy and sustainable living. SustainLane's mission is as follows:
"SustainLane is the first on-line media company dedicated to identifying, educating, and connecting cities, residents, and businesses striving to create a healthier and more sustainable life."
I went straight to the travel section to see what they had and liked their "Picking an Eco-Conscious Hotel" story. Here are some of the tips they list:
- Some hotels purchase renewable power sources, like wind or solar energy. Lower fossil fuel consumption means cleaner, healthier air for all of us.
- Hotels can lower landfill load by instituting ambitious recycling programs. Plus, many hotels with excellent recycling programs—including everything from bottles to computers—act as educators to guests.
- Some inns or lodges make a point of purchasing all-natural, biodegradable and organic soaps, lotions and cleaning products. These are healthier for the immediate environment and for you.
- Sustainability goes beyond the natural environment. Lodging options that pay fair wages and support the community’s economy also ensure that your experience with the locals will be mutually beneficial.
For the full story, click here.
Posted by insideoutmag at 10:50 AM | Comments (0)
March 16, 2006
100th Anniversary of 1906 Earthquake in San Francisco
Although to some it may be strange to want to celebrate such a tragic event in the city's history, San Francisco's been hard at work on organizing several events around April 18, 2006 to commemorate the 1906 earthquake that destroyed most of the city. My personal favorite is the painting of a gold fire hydrant in the Mission district.
The fire hydrant is said to have been the only one functioning when fires broke out in the neighborhood following the earthquakes. Residents were able to put out the fires and they now honor their gold-painted fire hydrant every year on the day of the anniversary.
You can find the fire hydrant at the corner of Church and 20th Sts.
The San Francisco Chronicle includes a list of events online. Here are some of them:
-- 1906 Great Earthquake and Fire Exposition at Pier 48. April 15-April 17, 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. daily. Free to the public. Sponsored by the San Francisco Fire Department Historical Society. The event will feature memorabilia from the quake, vintage fire equipment, earthquake and fire safety awareness exhibits and live entertainment. Local schools are encouraged to take field trips to the expo on Monday, April 17, when the focus will be on education. For more information visit: www.1906expo.com.
-- 1906 Expo Firefighter Ball, Pier 48, Shed C. April, 15, 8 p.m.-midnight. Tickets are $50 each. Sponsored by the San Francisco Fire Department Historical Society. There will be a dance, live entertainment and a costume contest. Attendees are encouraged to wear turn-of-the-century attire. For more information visit www.1906expo.com, or to order tickets call 1-800-310-6563.
-- Gala dinner at the Palace Hotel. April 17, reception begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $500 per person or $1,500 for two tickets to the dinner, an overnight stay at the hotel and a commemorative breakfast the following morning. Sponsored by the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society and the Chinese Historical Society of America. For more information visit www.sfhistory.org.
-- Lotta's Fountain annual commemoration. April 18, 4:30-5:30 a.m. Market Street, at the intersection of Kearny, Third and Geary streets. This is the centerpiece of the city's anniversary events and will pay tribute to those who perished, feature more than a dozen quake survivors and mark the exact moment the quake struck. For more information, visit www.SFrising.org.
-- 1906 Earthquake and Fire Parade. April 18, 10 a.m. The parade begins at City Hall and proceeds down Market Street to Justin Herman Plaza, where there will be live entertainment and historic exhibits.
More information on centennial events around the Bay Area can be found at www.SFrising.org, www.1906centennial.org and www.sfvisitor.org.
Read article here.
Posted by insideoutmag at 07:23 AM | Comments (0)
March 08, 2006
Calistoga
Where I have been you ask? Working, on two big deadlines. I haven't been able to come up for air much and now that I can, I'm sick. So, please forgive the lack of posts, I'll try my best.
Hopefully I'll get better soon because I'm going to Calistoga and plan on enjoying the hot mineral pools at the hotel I'm staying in. Last time I was there, I picked up a local map that I'm going to have to study again. It's called Mattioli's In Your Pocket Guide. The map isn't available online so let me know if you're heading that way, I'd gladly recommend some places to check out. Here are some things I liked last time:
-Riding bycicles to nearby wineries (much easier on the way there than back). There are a few bike rentals in town that offer similar deals for a half day or the entire day. I went with Palisades Mountain Sport, 1330-B Gerard, 942-9687.
-Favorite wineries:
Clos Pegase, 1060 Dunaweal Ln. Winetasting and art. 942-4981.
Frank Family Vineyards, 1091 Larkmead Ln. Free winetasting. 1-800-574-9463.
Silver Rose Cellars, 400 Silverado Tr., 1-800-995-9381, Winetasting.
-For a cheap meal, head to Palisades Market's cheese section. I hadn't seen so many types of cheese since France.
-And the hot mineral pools and massages of course.
Ah, I can't wait...
Posted by insideoutmag at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)
March 03, 2006
Yelp Us...
find a good place to eat/sleep/shop/relax--that's what Yelp.com does. The new website is like Citysearch in the sense that it lists reviews of restaurants, stores, concert venues, among a lot of other places. The difference here is that all reviews are written by users and not an editorial staff. As it says on Yelp's website, it's "Real people, real reviews."
The website has reviews for a bunch of cities now, so be sure to check it out when planning your next domestic trip.
Out of curiosity, I looked up EZ5 in San Francisco since we're hosting a Travelers Happy Hour there on March 20. The reviews varied greatly but here's one
While you're at it, check out SFist.com. Eve Batey just posted a funny interview of the man behind Yelp, Jeremy Stoppelman. You'll learn interesting factoids like the fact that Jeremy is a scorpio and that he once saw Willie Brown, San Francisco's former mayor, using the urinal next to him.
Posted by insideoutmag at 02:26 PM | Comments (0)
Job Abroad Opportunity of the Day: Geekcorps Volunteers
What a cool idea this is! Geekcorps is an international non-profit that sends skilled technology volunteers abroad to teach communities how to use innovative and affordable information and communication technologies to solve development problems.
Geekcorps needs programmers and other IT experts for spring and summer 2006 assignments in Ghana, Zambia, Kenya, South Africa, Morocco, and Lebanon. All volunteers must be willing to work with people and innovate with minimal technical equipment in a developing country. Assignments usually last about four months, working on multiple projects and teaching small groups in a hands-on setting.
As usual, I'm including the small print so you don't have to go digging for it.
How much does it cost? Who pays?
We pay for airfare, accommodation, insurance and a monthly living stipend. Volunteers' only out-of-pocket expenses come from medical exams (one conducted within the last 12 months is required) and any incidentals or personal purchases. We can't, obviously, cover things like rent, car payments or other at-home expenses that a volunteer might incur while on a project. While we understand that there may be a significant amount of lost income while a geek is volunteering, we are sympathetic and do what we can to make it virtually no-cost to do a Geekcorps project.
It costs several thousand dollars to send a volunteer abroad for four months. If you are in the enviable position of being able to help defray the costs, a tax-deductible donation to Geekcorps/IESC for that purpose would be very much appreciated. Some volunteers get their companies to sponsor them, which enables us to engage even more volunteers.
Today's job was found via Metroblogging San Francisco
Click here for more information
Posted by insideoutmag at 09:41 AM | Comments (0)
March 02, 2006
Why Do We Travel?
To discover new places, meet people, relax on the beach--there are many reasons to travel. The New York Times has a nice slideshow titled "Why We Travel" that I would recommend checking out. The pictures are simple and the stories easy to relate to. Here's the first one I read this morning. It's below a photo of Sebastian Asam, on Koh Mak, Thailand
"Sebastian Asam, 25, a filmmaker and architecture student from Hamburg, Germany. "It was my first time traveling all by myself. I tried to go to Koh Chang but took the wrong ferry and ended up in Koh Mak. It's really gorgeous there, so I stayed. I met Josef, the photographer and asked if he could take some pictures of me to send to my girlfriend because I didn't bring my camera. He said, 'Get on that rock,' and he took the picture. But on Koh Mak there was a bad Internet connection. Ten days later, I found a computer and was trying to send her the picture, but she had broken up with me. I got an e-mail that she had another guy."
Why do you travel?
Posted by insideoutmag at 09:57 AM | Comments (0)
March 01, 2006
Who Says You Need A Lot of Money to Travel? $1 Will Fly You to Cancun!
USA 3000 is having a $1 to Cancun. Sure it will be more than that once you add up sales tax and other hidden fees but it's worth a look. Here's the fine print so you don't have to go digging it for it:
ALL USA3000 AIRLINES TICKETS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE. Fares shown do not include Airport Passenger Facility Charges (PFC) of up to $9; the September 11th security fee of up to $5 is not included. Fares do not include segment taxes up to $3.20 per segment. (A segment is defined as a takeoff and a landing). International fares do not include US International Departure and Arrival Fees, US Customs and Immigration, Agriculture and Foreign government taxes. Name changes are allowed for a $50 per person fee. You must be over the age of 18 years to purchase tickets online. When making reservations for unaccompanied minors or someone requiring special assistance complete purchase and call the reservations center at 1-877-872-3000 (for wheelchair, travel with pets, etc. Note travel with pets is restricted based on capacity. Pets are not accepted to/from international destinations.
Posted by insideoutmag at 09:44 AM | Comments (0)