Everett Potter's Travel Report

The Interview: Alexander Lobrano, author of "Hungry for Paris"

Back in the 80's, I was one of those Americans who never went to Paris without my dog-eared copy of "The Food Lovers Guide to Paris" by Patricia Wells. Wells opened my eyes, and those of countless others, to the bounty of Parisian restaurants, food shops and market places. But that book is long out-of-print and many of those bistros and brasseries are closed or long past their sell-by-date. So I was more than happy to receive a copy of Alexander Lobrano's newly published "Hungry for Paris: The Ultimate Guide to the City's 102 Best Restaurants."

Lobrano is Gourmet magazine's European correspondent, an American who has been living in Paris since 1986. That's good street cred, but his book is even better, offering more than the title promises. It's focused on food, but it's also about friendship, Parisian life and what it means to be an expat. Written with humor and intelligence, these aren't restaurant reviews so much as 102 expertly drawn vignettes. I can hear the echoes of Wells here, but also of A.J. Liebling and M.F.K. Fisher, good company indeed. It's pitch perfect and delightfully conversational.

When you dip into "Hungry for Paris," you'll get to know Lobrano's dining companions (he has interesting friends) and the cast of characters that populate a restaurant (like the aristocratic loden-coat wearing locals in Le Florimond). There's lovingly detailed writing about the food and the wine: he clearly knows his turf, his chefs and his arrondisements. And you'll also learn a lot about Parisian dining habits (reservations are absolutely essential) and tips on the art of eating alone in Paris (dress well, go armed with a sense of humor, and never refuse the suggestion of an aperitif before dinner). It's a true rarity, both an armchair read and a book that deserves to be in your carry-on the next time you head to Paris.

Did you set out to write something that was a hybrid guide-memoir or was it more organic than that?

I think the traditional guidebook, with its neutered and anonymous voice and dogmatic pretensions of expertise, has been killed off by the internet. In terms of Paris dining, hundreds of sites offer tips and judgments on where to go -- the problem is that almost none of them establish their credentials persuasively enough to be credible, which is why I receive dozens of emails every week from people who need Paris restaurant advice. Hungry for Paris is my answer to all of these calls for help. From the start, I knew that I wasn't writing a guidebook. Instead I wanted to write a book that could be the knowing, friendly, informed gastronomic companion for anyone traveling to Paris, a book that would be both a good read and an invaluable reference. 

"Metro Stop Paris: An Underground History of the City of Light" by Gregor Dallas

Reviewed by Richard West

I adore books written about Paris. My collection doesn't fill the 250 feet of shelving Thomas Jefferson required to hold the books he brought home from Paris but mine are many. My heart sank, however, when I read the title of Mr. Dallas's new book, thinking it was about the construction of the Paris Metro which opened rather late in 1900, compared to London's in the 1860's and New York's in 1870. Tedious books on building things disturbs my inner wa.

Instead the clever Mr. Dallas uses the underground system as the book's structure, halting at twelve of the almost 300 Metro stops in sprawling Paris to illuminate an historical event or spotlight a person associated with, say, Gare du Nord or Palais-Royal. At the Gard du Nord we get both: a riff on Vincent de Paul whose nearby church is, generally, where he founded the city's largest foundling children's institution, the Daughters of Charity (1683), and an abysmal picture of the city's abandoned infants in earlier centuries. As late as 1863, one in ten newborns was abandoned, over half of them surrendered to poor mercantile wet-nurses recruited from rural France.

Affordable Paris Apartment Rentals

 

Paris may be enchanting in the spring, but for diehard devotees of the City of Light, the season is completely beside the point. The city is always a treat. And believe it or not, even now, when the euro is a wallet-busting $1.55, Americans are flocking to Paris. According to AAA's first international forecast, which was released yesterday, American travel to France is expected to be up 6.7 percent this year.

"Americans are working harder and longer than ever, and they feel their vacation is a benefit that they have earned," says Betsy Sell, Managing Director of Travel for AAA. "Foreign travel is still the ideal trip for many Americans, and summer is the prime season to go. So, Americans will rearrange their budgets and postpone some trips, but they are still interested in traveling abroad."

But how do you actually make Paris (somewhat) more affordable?

Try renting an apartment.

There are hundreds of apartments for rent all over the city, from diminutive studios to spacious three bedrooms. Okay, you might not get a view of the Eiffel Tower or the Place des Vosges. And Catherine Deneuve may not live in your neighborhood. But you will have a place to call your own that won’t break the bank. Most of these apartments must be rented on a weekly basis. But there are exceptions, so if time is short, look for single night rentals. Prices obviously vary, but the cost is usually a lot less than a hotel room. That's especially true if you're traveling with a number of people and you rent an apartment with multiple bedrooms. On a room-by-room cost, a hotel just can't compete. There’s also a feeling of freedom. You awaken to your own clock, not a hotel's.

And there are lots of added benefits. Like space. Studio apartments tend to be bigger than the average Parisian hotel room, which is small indeed. And larger apartments are a godsend for families, since they usually have a living room, dining room, and even an eat-in kitchen in some cases, as well as bedrooms. Since every rental comes with a kitchen or kitchenette, dining out is an option, not a requirement. So there are no room service tabs to dread. You can go to the markets or do take-out. Here are some good bets for Paris rentals:

The Insider's Guide to Cruising the Inside Passage

  I saw the pod of orcas in the early morning, slicing through the wake of my cruise ship, the 102-passenger Spirit of Endeavour. The captain saw them, too, and he stopped the engines so we could get a closer look. What made the moment a world-class experience was the backdrop: Glacier Bay National Park, a 3.3-million-acre preserve the size of Connecticut.

Welcome to the heart of Alaska's Inside Passage, a spectacular labyrinth of deep channels that twist around thickly forested islands, sawtooth mountain ranges and the ice-blue glaciers of southeast Alaska. From the deck or cabin of a comfortable ship, you can see some of the most glorious scenery in North America and observe bald eagles in flight and orcas swimming alongside your ship. There is simply no other cruise like it. If you don't believe me, just ask the more than one million people who take an Alaska cruise every year.

Dozens of cruise ships pass through these majestic waters during the season, between May and September, sailing north from Vancouver, British Columbia. They call at such ports as Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Skagway, Haines and Seward. Smaller ships may call at Petersburg and Metlakatla. Others occasionally visit Canadian ports such as Prince Rupert, Alert Bay and Victoria; some depart from Seattle or, sometimes, San Francisco. Frankly, a cruise ship is not only the best way to hopscotch between the ports of call on Alaska's Inside Passage -- it's the only way, short of flying in a seaplane, because most of these towns and cities, including the state capital, Juneau, have no road connections to major highways. But the range of available cruises in Alaska is daunting. There are ships that are essentially floating hotels with 2,000 passengers and 100-person vessels where formal dress means fleece and jeans. There are ships with low cabin prices and others with fares that resemble a down payment on a luxury car.

To help you find the ideal trip, here's a look at the three major cruise ship categories and the pros and cons of each.

Surviving The Unfriendly Skies

It's hardly news that flying is no fun anymore. Blame it on cramped seats, disgruntled airline workers and fellow passengers on the verge of air rage. Airports are jammed, security lines are lengthy, and onboard service is rudimentary at best. Chances are you'll spend longer than ever on your flight these days. Only 73% of flights arrived on time in the 12 months ending July 2007, according to the Department of Transportation (DOT). Four airlines -- ATA, Aloha Airlines, Skybus, and Oasis -- have recently stopped flying, while Frontier Airlines just filed for bankruptcy protection. Then there were the hundreds of flights canceled by American Airlines and other carriers this past week. But you don't need statistics to tell you that there's turmoil up in the skies, do you?

Flying these days is all about survival. And that means planning carefully, from choosing the right seat and creating your own comfort zone to knowing how to improve a bad situation. It's also about cultivating a little patience, because there will be times when there's nothing you can do except stay calm.

Teton Ridge Ranch

BACKSTORY: Most guests who come to the Teton Ridge Ranch have high expectations of perfection. But it’s an expectation based on more than the hefty tab that they'll pay to hide out at this remote 4,000 acre spread that lies on the western flanks of the jagged Teton Mountains in Idaho. It’s because the ranch is owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. And as the owner of The Seattle Seahawks and the Portland Trail Blazers, Allen is known to be something of a perfectionist. At Teton Ridge, that attention to detail begins with the lodge, a log building that's one part National Park, one part Ralph Lauren. There is ample space in the Lodge's Great Room for lounging around, swapping tales of moose and bear sightings, or curling up before one of the two enormous stone fireplaces that flank the room.

Vacations Go Green

There's no hotter travel topic, if you'll pardon the expression, than green vacations. With global warming weighing on everyone's mind, many travelers are suddenly examining how their habits affect the earth. But what is green travel? It's more than just renting a hybrid car the next time you go on a trip or choosing an eco-lodge over a Hyatt. It can be about offsetting the carbon dioxide generated by the airplane that flies you to Thailand or Italy, as well as the energy a San Diego hotel is expending to keep you comfortable. Still, in a field that's in its infancy, there are prophets, nonprofits and profiteers, all ready to take advantage of your good intentions. Which means that it's buyer beware in a movement that seems to be growing and changing by the minute. So here's a look at how to navigate this fast-evolving world.

(Photo: Hotel Terra, Jackson Hole, WY)

The Interview: Wen-I Chang, Gaia Napa Valley and Gaia Anderson

Wen-I Chang is the visionary builder behind Gaia Napa Valley Hotel & Spa, the world's first, LEED Gold hotel, which opened in March, 2007. Now the Taiwanese-born hotelier, who lives in California, is about to unveil his next green hotel, Gaia at Anderson, California. Built for $14 million the hotel opens on April 1, 2008. The new property will have 122 rooms and it features low-VOC paints, recycled carpets, and energy-saving air conditioners and heaters. The wood used in construction is certified new growth wood and the landscaping on the 11 acre site adjacent to the Sacramento River is chemical-free. Solar lighting is being used to illuminate the public areas of the hotel via SolaTubes, which focus the light of the sun. They replace electric lights and energy consumption during the day. Solar power provides more than 12 percent of the hotel's electrical needs. And a real-time display in the lobby will show how much energy and water is being used by the hotel and keep tabs on CO2 savings. Naturally, Chang hopes to achieve LEED Gold status for this property as well. The LEED Green Building Rating System, by the way, is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. It was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. Chang's next green hotel will be in Merced, California. He spoke with me recently from his office in California.

What does Gaia mean?

In ancient Greece, Gaia was the goddess mother of earth, mother earth. It's the same idea in ancient China. The idea was developed and called the Gaia Hypothesis by Dr. James Lovelock back in the 1960's. You have to think of the earth as a living organism like us. The rivers are blood vessels, the trees and grass are hair, the rocks and mountains represent our bones.

The Cliff Lodge & Spa, Snowbird, Utah

BACKSTORY: Snowbird is a mountain lauded for its steep and deep terrain, 500 inches of powder yearly, and cliffs that inspire the craziest skiers and boarders to make the leap of faith. At its base sits the Cliff Lodge & Spa, a 10-story symphony in cement that looks like a prize piece of Brutalist architecture. The raison d'etre for the gruff facade is that the hotel lies in Little Cottonwood Canyon, one of the most avalanche prone areas of the United States. The Cliff was built to withstand mother nature, and it's not uncommon to have the local police enforce interlodging (a form of martial law), which confines every guest within the building while cannons shoot explosives that trigger big slides that can be cleared off. This giant pillbox (and the rest of the resort) is owned by and imprinted with the singular vision of Dick Bass, an heir to serious Texas oil money, a man who has done all seven summits (as in Everest, K2, etc). Inside this mixed metaphor of a hotel, Bass' 2,000 plus collection of oriental carpets are hung against unadorned concrete walls and draped over the vast Atrium at the heart of the building. 

Word of Mouth: Travel Photography in Tuscany with Howard Millard

Take a great professional photographer, add the backdrop of Tuscany, and you have the makings of a great learning getaway. My colleague Howard Millard is offering his "Travel Photography in the Digital Age" workshop in the rolling hills of Tuscany from May 10 to 17, 2008. You’ll stay at a country villa nestled among vineyards and olive groves and you'll have a chance to photograph those memorable Tuscan landscapes, venerable hill towns and outdoor markets. You'll also get a chance to photograph the medieval cities of Florence and Siena, learning techniques to make stunning images for personal, editorial and fine art use. Covering both digital and film, Howard gives personal, hands-on instruction and reviews your work to help refine your personal vision and maximize your photographic and digital skills. Topics include photographing people, architecture, the natural world, nurturing a personal style, natural and artificial light, equipment, and working with Photoshop. Millard's work has been published internationally by clients including Travel and Leisure, The New York Times, Abrams and Rizzoli. The $1,695 course fee includes lodging, instruction and many magnificent meals. For complete details and to see photos from last year's workshop, please go to: ilchiostro.com or telephone 800-990-3506.

(All photos copyright Howard Millard)

10 Good Reasons to Visit Banff and Lake Louise in Late Winter

(Banff Springs Hotel)

By Ed Wetschler

Go to Banff and Lake Louise next week. This isn't some out-of-left-field imperative; this is good advice. And not just for skiers. March may be the most beautiful month of all in the Canadian Rockies, and given the region's grandeur from late spring through midwinter -- I'm talking scenery that gives you cramps in your shutter finger--that's saying something. The pristine peaks, forests, and lakes are still covered with white stuff, but the midday mercury averages about 40 degrees F, and the sun brightens your day until around 7:40 or even later.

It's a brilliant sun, too. When I was in Banff last week, I used sunscreen on my nose that first day but forgot to put it on my ears. By 3 p.m. the ears looked like Melba toast. Dumb, but I'm happy to report that everything else I did was smart, even brilliant. Which brings me to those 10 reasons for visiting Banff now:

Grand Hotel du Lac, Vevey, Switzerland

THE BACKSTORY: Start with a storybook setting. The Grand Hotel du Lac is an 1868 hotel set along the shores of Lake Geneva in the quiet Swiss city of Vevey. Across the lake are the snow capped Dents du Midi, the most noteworthy peaks in this part of the French Alps. By day, sailboats tack and forth between countries, while at night, you can see the lights of Evian in the distance. You can imagine exiled royals encamped for months in this hotel, back in the days when royals did such things. Deeply atmospheric, it was the setting for Anita Brookner's novel, Hotel du Lac. When I slept here nearly a decade ago, it was all faded charm, yet still a delight. But last weekend, a stay here was of a higher order of pleasure. The hotel has undergone a radical refurbishment, a makeover that rightfully restores the "grand" to its name. The lounges are posh, plush and suitably clubby, the chandeliers sparkle, and the staff exudes the quiet calm of people who know what they are doing. The look is courtesy of Pierre Yves-Rochon, the decorator who did the interiors of the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris. The results are nothing short of stunning, and have earned the property membership in Relais & Chateaux. It is a grand hotel reborn.

The Interview: Michael West of The Wayfarers

I first muddied my hiking boots with The Wayfarers in the early 90's, when they led me on a week-long walk through the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire. A few years later, I joined them on the Coast to Coast Walk of England, from the Lake District through Yorkshire and down to the sea at Whitby. And I've long been impressed by their dedication to that most English of pursuits, walking. That's walking as in eight or 12 or even 16 miles a day, stretching the legs in some of the most beautiful countryside on the face of the earth. They are purists when it comes to going up hill and down dale, albeit purists who know the merits of a good fire, a good dinner, a couple of pints of Old Peculier and a comfortable bed at day's end. And they've expanded way beyond England's borders to offer walks in more than a dozen countries, from Italy and the Czech Republic to the United States and New Zealand. I first met co-founder Michael West back in the early 90's, on that stroll through Izaak Walton's fishing beat in Derbyshire, and quickly became a fan of The Wayfarers. I caught up with him recently for an update on The Wayfarers in their 25th season.

Where are you now?

I'm sitting at my desk in my Dorset farmhouse in southwest England. From my office I can look down the valley and see the sheep grazing and look forward to my daily walk through the fields with the dogs.

Tell me about the origins of The Wayfarers, who came up with the idea, and when did the company actually start?

Christopher Hague and I were daydreaming one day in the early 80's about combining our love of the outdoors with our need to earn a living. And so we decided to give it a go - not as a business plan born of acumen but as a way of life - and we put together an itinerary in the Dorset of Thomas Hardy, where I live and which we both greatly love. It has proved to be an inspired decision. We have introduced thousands of guests to the delights of walking, in some 20 countries on four continents. Many of those guests have become dear friends. All our leaders and managers, too, are friends, or friends of friends, and we have truly created a family business, a family of friends. As a way of life, it has been a triumph.

Honolulu on the Cheap

by Tom Passavant

Hawaii may be one of the United States, but unless you've got your own sailboat, getting there involves a flight of 2,500 miles from the West Coast, which explains why no visit to the islands is truly cheap. (And good luck using your frequent flier miles to get a free ticket.) From a box of cereal in a Waikiki grocery store ($5.95) to the gas for your rental car (a buck per gallon more than back home), prices reflect that slog across the Pacific. 

Once on the ground, visitors to Honolulu get a break due to sheer numbers: five million tourists a year on Oahu means there's some modest price competition among hotels and car rental firms. But you'll find the best deals if you are willing to get off the beaten path in Honolulu, and explore the nooks and crannies of this vibrant, profoundly multi-cultural city. Even Waikiki itself is full of surprises that won't set you back more than a few coconuts.

Chain, Chain, Chain: Hotels for Recessionary Times

What are the basic requirements for a good, affordable hotel room? "A clean, well-lit place," to paraphrase Ernest Hemingway. But if the novelist were traveling to Miami or Chicago today, he might well have demanded an adjustable Garden Sleep System king size bed, yoga equipment and free WiFi. Not to mention an ergonomic Herman Miller MirraTM chair to lounge in while he watched matadors or sportfishing on a 26" Philips high-definition LCD television. But we're not talking Four Seasons or Ritz Carlton here. These are the amenities now on offer at many Hilton Garden Inn hotels( see photo), a group of moderately priced properties that is part of the Hilton family. And you'll pay 50% less than at a luxe hotel.

Not so long ago, a stay at a less expensive chain hotel was something few people looked forward to. Why should they? Who wants a lumpy mattress, paper-thin walls and free watery coffee served in plastic cups in the lobby? Well, there's been a sea change in the world of these midpriced hotels in the past couple of years. Much of it has to do with protracted grumbling from business travelers. Exposed to such comforts and perks as Westin's Heavenly Beds and free WiFi at most Kimpton Hotels, these road warriors complained mightily about having to make do with a lot less at the chain properties.

Companies like Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Courtyard and Holiday Inn Express listened. They improved the quality of their mattresses, realized that free WiFi was an inexpensive giveaway, and expanded breakfast offerings. The irony is that WiFi and breakfast are perks that you're typically charged for at a full-service hotel. The Hilton Chicago, for example, gets $12.95 per day for Internet access, and the bill for even a simple breakfast at its Pavilion restaurant can come to about $15.

"Parmigianino's Antea: A Beautiful Artifice" review by Bobbie Leigh

   "Who is Sylvia? What is she, that all our swains commend her..." Substitute Sylvia for Antea and you have some idea of the love affair between viewers and the radiant portrait, "Antea," at the Frick Collection. As the superstar of a single painting exhibition, Antea doesn't hang on the wall. This enigmatic portrait is set on a pedestal, free-standing in the middle of the Frick's Oval Room surrounded by portraits of elegant women who pale compared to her. Parmigianino painted Antea as a young woman, perhaps 16, around the 1530s, roughly five or ten years before he died far too young at 37 in 1540. (The painting was mistakenly dubbed "Antea," the name of a famous Roman courtesan, by Giacomo Barri in his 1671 work, "A Painter's Voyage Through Italy," but who or what she was is still in question).