Jun
23
ThingsAsian Press has just released To Myanmar With Love: A Travel Guide for the Connoisseur. The second in a new series of books that fall somewhere between the traditional travel guide and the personal anthology, To Myanmar With Love offers an intimate collection of essays, tips, and recommendations from seasoned travelers and people who live and work inside the country.
Combining information with inspiration and practical, insider’s knowledge, the book has been called “a one-of-a-kind guide for the passionate traveler.” Contributions are organized by themes such as “Moveable Feasts,” “Secret Gardens,” and “Paying it Forward.” To Myanmar With Love is edited by Morgan Edwardson, with photographs by Steve Goodman.
Jun
23
May 26 2009 — A tiger reserve in India and a former military training area in Germany are among the 22 new sites from 17 countries added by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today to its World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
Today’s additions brings the total number of sites on the list to 553 sites in 107 countries, UNESCO announced during its International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB-ICC) meeting on the Island of Jeju in Korea. Ten of the sites are in Asia, with Europe getting six and the rest divided among Australia, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas.
Jun
23
Paul Hawken: You Are Brilliant, and the Earth is Hiring
June 23, 2009 | 1 Comment
Thanks to Jim Land for sending along this inspirational message from Paul Hawken:
Paul Hawken is a longtime friend of CharityFocus, renowned entrepreneur, visionary environmental activist, founder of Wiser Earth and author of many books—most recently Blessed Unrest. He was recently presented with an honorary doctorate of humane letters by University of Portland, when he delivered this superb commencement address to the class of 2009.
University of Portland, May 3rd, 2009
When I was invited to give this speech, I was asked if I could give a simple short talk that was “direct, naked, taut, honest, passionate, lean, shivering, startling, and graceful.” Boy, no pressure there.
Jun
23
Boeing 727 Hotel
June 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment
People send me the strangest stuff! This was circulating on the web; sorry I don’t have more info:
727 Hotel in Costa Rica
The fully outfitted, meticulously detailed, two bedroom, Boeing 727 fuselage suite. We have refurbished a vintage 1965 Boeing 727 airframe, which in its prior life shuttled globetrotters on South Africa Air and Avianca Airlines (Colombia). Our phoenix is now ready for its future duty as the most exclusive hotel suite in Costa Rica.
Jun
23
Finding Your Niche
June 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Thanks to Karen Misuraca for forwarding this POV about micro-niches and “experience engines.” (Beekeeping tourism in Slovenia—who would have thought…?)
The following is an excerpt from an article entitled “Riding Out the Rough Seas: Some New Ideas for Success,” by Karen Weiner Escalera, principal at KKWE group and one of the leading marketing/PR experts in luxury travel, hospitality and lifestyle (KWE represents a variety of resort, destinations and other travel-oriented entities).
Escalera writes, “We must focus on niches and micro niches for our markets, products, delivery of these products and distribution channels. It’s no longer sufficient to pitch products to a broad category, such as the family market. Tomorrow’s success stories will cater to new subsets of a mature family niche, such as gay/lesbian parents, teens, single parents, active families, multi-generational travelers, multi-cultural families, and family reunions. And then there are the new travel niches, from grief tourism (visiting Holocaust sites and Ground Zero), to danger tourism, slum tourism and glamping (glamorous camping). For example, in late 2008, Slovenia was quick to capture an offshoot of eco-tourism, beekeeping tourism. Months later the Fairmont Royal York’s urban beekeeping initiative
Jun
23
Litquake 2009 Update: Lewis Black and Marc Maron
June 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment
| June 28, 2009 | ||
| 8:00 pm |
From Litquake:
Lewis Black in conversation with Marc Maron
June 28, 8 p.m.
Herbst Theater, Van Ness @ McAllister
San Francisco
For its biggest fundraiser of the year, Litquake proudly presents comedian, actor, author, and Daily Show contributor Lewis Black, live and uncensored! This will be the curmudgeonly comic’s only Bay Area appearance to promote his bestselling book Me of Little Faith, just released in paperback. In a freewheeling onstage conversation, Black and comedian/radio host Marc Maron will gleefully dissect politics, religion, and other American foolishness.
Jun
13
Trazzler.com
June 13, 2009 | 2 Comments
Thanks to Arvis Northrup for telling me about Trazzler.com, which uses “virtual teleportation” to place you “emotionally into specific moments and locales all over the planet.”
What I think is most interesting about Trazzler is that, as a travel writer, you can submit a short post to Trazzler that links to your longer articles elsewhere on the web, and thus drive traffic to your other articles. In fact, Trazzler encourages this: “You are always free to republish anything that you submit to Trazzler or to submit previously published (copyright-friendly) material that is edited to fit Trazzler’s style. Published Trazzler trips always come with a prominent credit/byline for the author, appear on a profile that you can customize, and look professional, so please feel free to use them to promote yourself and your writing.”
Jun
13
| September 1, 2009 | ||
| 12:00 am |
Travel writing that helps to sustain or enhance the unique and valuable character of a place—its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and/or the well-being of its residents.
Categories:
Best Travel Article or Essay for Planet Earth
Best Travel Book for Planet Earth
Jun
12
The Best Women’s Travel Writing 2009
June 12, 2009 | 1 Comment
| June 18, 2009 | ||
| 7:00 pm | to | 8:30 pm |
| June 28, 2009 | ||
| 3:00 pm | to | 4:30 pm |
The Best Women's Travel Writing 2009
I hope you’ll join the fun as authors (including myself, Laurie McAndish King) read from the Travelers’ Tales anthology, The Best Women’s Travel Writing 2009.
Thursday, June 11: We’ll be reading at Get Lost Books in San Francisco (1825 Market Street) at 7 p.m.
• Bonnie Bruinsslot is comforted — and then some — by a handsome young Italian man.
• Pamela Alma Bass considers love and loss in San Miguel de Allende.
• Francesca de Stephano discovers pain, pleasure, and porcini mushrooms in Liguria.
• Kathryn Kefauver loses her privacy in Laos — but gains something equally valuable.
• Laurie McAndish King hunts lions on foot, and without a gun, in Botswana.
• Stacey Tuel inspires a Mexican housewife to rediscover her youthful exuberance.
Jun
9
Janice Cook Newman and Afghan Women Writers Project
June 9, 2009 | 1 Comment
Janice Cook Newman
From Janice Cook Newman: Just posted the first essay from one of my students in the Afghan Women Writers Project. It’s heartbreaking & lovely. Read it, and please help spread the word. We want to get these women’s voices out there.
“When I was child I wished to be a doctor like my uncle, who wears a white shirt and everyday checks on lots of ill people. But one day, all of my wishes were destroyed. It was the day the Taliban came to our country, Afghanistan…”
[And, from your editor, Laurie McAndish King: I'm experimenting with using Apture links in this post. If you click on Janice's name above, there should be three related links. Try it!]
Apr
13
Writing Workshop in Turkey with Larry Habegger
April 13, 2009 | Leave a Comment
| June 12, 2009 | ||
| 12:00 am |
Learn how to craft a travel article, write a memoir, and publish your book.
Two 7-day Intensive Workshops
September 12-19 & 19-26, 2009
Turkey, aboard a Turkish yacht!
Registration Deadline: June 1, 2009
Class Size: 10 Participants
Info: http://www.larryhabegger.com/teaching/
Heads up writers! It’s that time of year to reserve your spot for the popular September Writing Workshop on the Turkish coastline led by Larry Habegger, Executive Editor of Travelers’ Tales and organized by Robin Sparks. These workshops, limited to 10 participants, have been so popular that Larry and Robin have scheduled two sessions to meet the demand. Don’t miss the experience of a lifetime to get your writer on while partaking in one of the most beautiful, luxurious, relaxing experiences in the world. There is nothing like a Blue Voyage on the Turkish Coastline aboard a hand built Turkish yacht! What will you learn?