Travel Weekly Roundup by TravelingIQ

Gee, thanks, Sandy

Global Correspondent Ivan Quintanillais an actor, traveler and blogger extraordinaire. Once a week he provides a re-cap of noteworthy travel stories. We pilfer his round-up (with his permission) so you don’t have to. Follow his travels at TravelingIQ.

*It has been a rough week for the eastern coast of the United States.  Much of the region devastated by Hurricane/ Superstorm Sandy is still without power and is reaching an economic damage pricetag of $50 Billion.  (via USA Today)

*For those still trying to coordinate travel during the aftermath, every major U.S. airline is waving changing fees (via USA Today), and though the hotel situation in New York is grim, one website guides you through the options.  (via Hotel Chatter)

*In other news, the U.S. is electing its next president on Tuesday.  Take a politically inspired trip to get you in the spirit (via CNN), or escape the sound bites, talking heads and potential four years of horror–after voting, of course–by burying your head in warm sand.   (via CNN)

*Your vacation album will be the envy of all your Facebook friends after posting pictures from these top photography destinations.  (via Lonely Planet)

*Navigating a new city can be challenging, your iPhone can help.  (viaAupairJobs.com)

*When it all just becomes too much to handle, escape to one of the “World’s Most Sensational Spas.”  (via Passport)

What did I miss?  Share your favorite travel news in the comments below or by posting on the Traveling IQ Facebook page.

Sandy Cam Live Shots From NY Times Building

We have our eyes on you, Sandy

Check out the live camera feed from the 51st floor of the NY Times Building in Midtown for shots of Hurricane Sandy.

Click here.

 

Jake Gyllenhaal on Stage: A Great Reason to Visit NYC

Candid pic by Ed Salvato after show

Here’s another good reason to come to New York City as well as an excuse to gratuitously show a close-up picture of the handsome Jake Gyllenhaal. He’s seen here exiting the Roundabout Theatre where he’s performing in the dark comedy If there is I haven’t found it yet. He’s terrific in the show and, I just noticed, he has a lot of a’s and l’s in his name.

If you decide to come to New York to see Jake or for one of the other countless great reasons to visit the Big Apple, be sure to download ManAboutWorld’s summer 2012 issue chock full of up-to-the-minute recommendations for where to stay, eat, play, meet and soak up culture.

New York’s Best Vegetarian Restaurants

Flickr.com/photos/comprock/5104728271/

One of our readers asked us for our recommendations for the city’s top vegetarian restaurants. He must have missed the ones we included in our recent issue! So we’re surfacing them here.

There’s nothing inherently gay about any of our choices for best vegetarian restaurants in New York, except they’re in neighborhoods our readers are most likely to explore when they visit.

It’s hard to find great vegan cuisine anywhere, but the “animal-caring” Blossom has three outposts serving great vegan, including gluten free, fare all organic and sourced as locally as possible. Blossom is in several locations though we like the one in Chelsea best (natch).

The Undisputed Queen of the High Seas to Visit New York

Picture me on this ship on August 28

The Queen Mary 2, the largest ocean liner** ever built, is scheduled to cross the Atlantic Ocean from New York City to South Hampton in seven days, departing the Big Apple on Tuesday,  August 28 and arriving in Southampton, England, on Tuesday, September 7.

And I’ll be on board.

There are larger ocean-going ships but the QM2 is the largest cruise liner (**see below) and by all reports one of the most elegant vessels on the high seas. If placed vertically next to the Empire State Building, it’d rise just over a 100-feet shy of New York’s most storied skyscraper.

Cunard Line, the company that operates the QM2, Cunard’s flagship, and her sister ships the Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Victoria, has been in continuous operation from 1840. My paternal grandparents arrived into the New World from Italy on a ship. With the barest of necessities on board—not quite the same level of luxuries as the QM2. That is the last time anyone in my family crossed the Atlantic by ship. I’ve always wanted to take the QM2 across the pond and I’m delighted to do it a century after the Salvatos established their family name in the U.S.

I’ll be traveling with a colleague and we plan on Tweeting, blogging and Facebook posting our experiences (before, during and after). I wonder if the experience will be:

• Overwhelmingly straight (we hear that it’s gayer than you’d expect);
• Too formal (there are two balls planned during the week); or
• Too stuffy (the people in the photos sure look relaxed!).

So be sure to follow me here, on Twitter and via Facebook to get a sense of a cruise on the QM2 and if it’s the right kind of experience for you.

**What’s the difference between ocean liners and cruise liners or ships? Turns out there’s a subtle but  significant difference according to Cunard publicist Laruel Davis:

“A cruise liner/ship is made to do just that: cruise at lower speeds. An ocean liner such as Queen Mary 2 is made specifically to cut through major bodies of water such as the Atlantic at higher (read: non-cruise) speeds. This is why she, more than any other ship, is so well suited to regular Transatlantic service.

Eventi Hotel Pride Special

Happy pride participants enjoying a gorgeous day in NYC.

Lots of hotels offer NYC Pride specials, but since we particularly love the Kimpton Hotel Group, we are happy to include the Eventi Hotel‘s contribution: the I Swing for PRIDE package which includes the following:

• A bottle of bubbly
• A 2-hour trapeze class for two at The Trapeze School
• PRIDE-only wine hour on the 5^th floor terrace on the night before the parade
• Sleep in and enjoy breakfast in bed and morning mimosas the day after the parade
• Complimentary upgrade to next room type if available
• 10% of your rate will be donated to Broadway Cares

Fine print:

• Starting at $449, guests can book online or call 1-866-996-8396 and mention rate code PRIDE for travel now until July 31, 2012. Rates subject to availability. Taxes and gratuities not included. Blackout dates may apply.

From Kimpton:

• Kimpton is proud to be the only hotel brand to score 100% on the HRC Corporate Equality index for four years in a row and has provided continual support to the LGBT community through KPride, the company’s employee resource center, along with many other initiatives.

 

Frieze Art Fair Invades Manhattan May 4-7

Live from Frieze Art Fair this is LuckyPDFTV
Commissioned and produced by Frieze Foundation for Frieze Projects 2011
Frieze Art Fair 2011
Photo by Anna Kari
Courtesy of Anna Kari/ Frieze

For four days in early May, all eyes in the art world will be on Randall’s Island in New York with the arrival of the Frieze Art Fair, May 4-7, 2012. This is the first time Frieze has come to the U.S.

The most progressive art galleries in the world exhibit over 1,000 of the hottest artists on the globe. There are also specifically commissioned works, panel discussions, and lectures. Fear not having to leave Manhattan, there will be plenty of dedicated transportation to and from Randall’s Island.

There are other events associated with Frieze taking place in other boroughs, including “Chelsea Night” on Saturday, May 5 with galleries remaining open till late, a block party and food trucks. The HuffingtonPost has a nice round up.

Visitor information/tickets: http://friezenewyork.com/visitors/tickets/

“Zero Feet Away” from the Center of New York

That's close!

This sexy billboard is raising all sorts of eyebrows. To announce its new mobile app, Manhunt bought time in this rotating electronic billboard ad featuring two hot, shirtless guys. And they plunked it in the middle of one of the busiest spots in New York  amongst the tourist hordes.

Like Grindr, Manhunt’s new mobile app, may prove to be another arsenal in today’s gay male traveler’s tool kit for meeting other likeminded fellows when gallivanting around the globe.

 

New York City for the Holidays: My ProudFM Radio Spot

Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/amatuerphotographer/

New York City is one of the most exciting destinations to visit, well, ever, but it’s particularly energetic, vibrant and fun between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The sidewalks are packed with eager shoppers from around the world. Stores try to one-up each other with festive window displays. The sounds of horse-drawn carriages clomping by and smells of roasted chestnuts for sale by street cart vendors add to the multi-media holiday extravaganza.

I was a guest on ProudFM’s Travel Tuesdays. Here are suggestions for a terrific time this season in New York. (Click here to listen to this 3-minute radio spot.)

More NYC info

• Click here for more holiday suggestions from NYC & Co, the Big Apple’s official tourism group.
• Click here for gay-specific suggestions from NYC & Co.

Who Wants to Get Lei’d? New Air Service NYC to Hawaii

The Airbus A330-200 seats 294 passengers,

Hawaiian Airlines announced it is launching new direct, non-stop service between Honolulu, Hawaii and New York City’s JFK Airport.

The new service begins June 4, 2012. The Honolulu-bound flight will depart JFK daily at 10:00 a.m. and arrive at Honolulu International Airport at 3:00 p.m. The NYC-bound Flight 50 (“Hawaiian 5-0″) will depart Honolulu daily at 3:05 p.m. and arrive in New York City at 6:55 a.m. the following morning.

• Click here for more information about the fight.
• Hawaii is super gay-friendly and gay-popular. Click here for other recent Hawaii-related articles.

But check out these introductory rates (and accompanying fine print).

In celebration of its new service, Hawaiian is offering special introductory fares of $212 each way in Economy Class and $808 each way in First Class (212 and 808 being the area codes of New York City and Honolulu , respectively).

The introductory fares are available for purchase from today through November 20, 2011 and are valid for travel between June 4 and June 30, 2012 . Seats are limited. Additional taxes and fees apply. Tickets can be purchased on Hawaiian’s website at HawaiianAirlines.com, by calling Hawaiian’s reservations department toll-free at 1-800-367-5320, or through any professional travel agent.