Members’ Selections

Ed Boitano – T-Boy editor:

• Space Needle — Seattle:  I would be amiss not to place this space age tower that has come to define my hometown at the top of my list. As a first-grader, each day at recess I would rush out to my elementary school playground and watch this architectural wonder’s construction, marveling at its new growth and futuristic space age splendor. Little did I know that in 1962 we were at the cusp of new era with the assassination of JFK and the arrival of the Beatles. And with the completion of the Space Needle for the 1962 Century 21 Exposition — Seattle World’s Fair, my little maritime town, seemingly hidden in the northwest corner of America, became a world-class city for the rest of the planet to see.
• Duomo di Milano — Italy: The stunning Gothic cathedral took nearly six centuries to complete, and today is the largest church in Italy; a technicality with the larger St. Peter’s Basilica in the State of Vatican City. Occupying an entire city block, the cathedral’s façade of pink-veined white Candoglia marble is adorned with 3,400 statues, 135 gargoyles and 700 figures, and a gold-colored statue of the Madonnina, standing on the terrace’s highest spire.
• Roman Colosseum — Italy: The forerunner of the modern sports stadium, the Roman Colosseum (Anfiteatro Flavio) was the largest amphitheatre the world had ever seen. Constructed in AD 80 with travertine limestone, volcanic rock and brick-faced concrete, it was an engineering marvel with an enormous retractable awning to protect 50,000 to 80,000 spectators from the beating Roman sun. Programs included gladiatorial contests, mock sea battles on water, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology.
• Newgrange — Ireland: This megalithic mound was built by Neolithic farmers approximately 5000 years ago. Considered a place of astronomical and religious significance, at the dawn of winter solstice — December 19th to 23rd — the passage and chamber are illuminated by 17 minutes of light.
• Chicago Architecture River Cruise — The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 burnt down 3.3 square miles of the city, destroying 17,500 buildings. The rebuilding began almost immediately with architects pouring into the city, anxious to try out new architectural styles. You can see the results on a Chicago River cruise where 40 notable buildings are on display.

Richard Carroll – T-Boy writer:

• Tikal in Guatemala, dating to 200 A.D.
• Palenque in Chiapas, Mexico, 600 A.D. The Maya sites in Mexico and Guatemala are stunning as old as the Egyptian Pyramids, but a huge step above, as they were cities, and much more thoughtful and intriguing than the pyramids.
• La Cite du Vin Bordeaux: Rising 55 meters into the Bordeaux sky, the creative and unusual architecture appearing like a huge ship’s hull or with a little imagination a wine barrel. The wine complex/museum is ranked number one in the world focusing on cutting edge technology, with incredible videos, like something Disney would create.
• Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, the forefront of architectural design, construction began in 537 A.D. and with enough history to fill a library. A breathtaking experience to visit Hagia Sophia.
• Eiffel Tower in Paris

Here in the U.S.:

• Statue of Liberty
• Empire State Building
• Golden Gate Bridge

Stephen Brewer – T-Boy writer:

• Fallingwater – Pennsylvania
• Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba – Spain
• Acropolis – Athens, Greece
• Empire State Building – NYC
• Mont–Saint–Michel – Normandy, France

Susan Breslow – T-Boy writer:

• Fontainebleau Hotel, Miami Beach
• Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria
• Sydney Opera House
• Dancing House, Prague
• La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona
• Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles
• Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City
• St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow
• Chrysler Building, NYC
• Taliesen West, Arizona

Jim Gordon – Co-host & co-producer Travel Guys TV:

• 300 ft tall Buddha statue in Leshan, China (filmed there in 2008, just breathtaking)
• Glasgow Cathedral in Scotland (filmed there in 2019, walking through a century of history, snuck a camera in, could’ve stayed for a day)
• Sydney Opera House in Australia (filmed there in 2005 & 2011, stood in awe of the design)
• Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (filmed there in 2009, I’ve seen many similar building designs, but this one with the city’s park beside it, the lights, stunning)
• Old Trafford, Manchester, England (filmed there in 2008, not my team, hate them, but to stand and film in that empty stadium, sporting cathedral really, left me breathless as a British football fan)

Richard Frisbie – T-Boy writer:

• In Sevilla – Parasol Metropol: the world’s largest wooden structure, a series of mushroom-shaped, interconnected buildings with undulating walkways over and through them – simply stunning – with the Roman ruins in the basement that prevented it from becoming the transportation hub it was designed for!
• In Saugerties – Opus 40: one of the oldest and most magnificent earthworks in the US – a series of stairs, ramps, and pools all made of bluestone, centering around a huge stone obelisk, created and built by one man, Harvey Fite.
• In Rio de Janeiro: the black and white tiled walks and walls created by Roberto Burle Marx. Also – any of his gardens, especially the one at his home: Sitio Santo Antonio da Bica.
• In Brasil – Oscar Niemeyer’s Museum: that looks like the star ship Enterprise, from the Star Trek series.
• The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain: Frank Gehry’s undulating titanium masterpiece.

James Boitano – T-Boy writer:

• St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow
• Stave Churches of Norway
• The ‘Three Bridges’ of Ljubljana, Slovenia
• Aya Sophia Mosque in Istanbul
• Grand Coulee Dam, Washington State

Allan Smith – Artist & T-Boy writer:

• Sagrada Família, Barcelona, Spain. Architect: Antonio Gaudi
• Chrysler Building, NYC, New York. Architect: William Van Alen
• Great Pyramids, Giza, Egypt. Architect: unknown
• Bird’s Nest Stadium, Beijing, China. Architect: Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron
• Reims Cathedral, Reims, France. Architect: Jean d’Orbais
• Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey. Architect: Anthemius of Tralles. Isidore of Miletus
• The Space Needle, Seattle, Washington. Architect: John Graham & Company
• Neuschwanstein Schlosse, Bavaria, Germany. Architect: Eduard Riedel
• Himeji Castle, Hyōgo Prefecture of Japan. Architect: Toyotomi Hideyoshi
• Yellow Crane Temple, Wuhan, China. Architect: unknown

Deb Roskamp – T-Boy writer:

• Duomo di Milano – Milan, Italy: The awe-inspiring magnificence of scale… breathtaking!
• Statue of Liberty – NYC: Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…T E A R S.
• Arch de Triomphe – Paris: So much history transcribed in its triumphal sculpting.
• Walt Disney Concert Hall – Los Angeles: Makes me happy every time I see it.
• The Space Needle – Seattle, Washington: Whimsical memories of the 60s in my home state.

Alex Brouwer – T-Boy writer:

• Machu Picchu – Peru
• Teotihuacán City/Pyramids – Mexico
• Chichen Itza – Mexico
• Stonehenge – England
• Eiffel Tower – France
• Honorable mention: Roman Colosseum and Leaning Tower of Pisa

Ringo Boitano – T-Boy Writer:

• Neuschwanstein Schlosse – Bavaria, Germany
• Taos Pueblo – New Mexico
• Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor) – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Brooklyn Bridge – NYC
• Emperor’s Palace – Imperial City of Huế, Vietnam

Brent Campbell – Musician & Composer:

• St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow
• The Guggenheim Museum in NYC
• Chicago Bean (aka Cloud Gate) in Chicago
• Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing 
• Seattle Space Needle

Greg Aragon – T-Boy Writer:

• Panama Canal
• Hoover Dam, Nevada
• California Aqueduct, which transports water 444 miles from Northern California to Southern California
• Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge (886 ft-high), which spans the Colorado River between Arizona and Nevada
• Mount Rushmore, South Dakota

Fyllis Hockman – T-Boy writer:

• The Great Pyramids – Giza, Egypt
• Empire State Building – NYC  
• Chichen Itza – Yucatan, Mexico
• Mount Rushmore – South Dakota
• The Hermitage – St. Petersburg, Russia

T.E. Mattox – T-Boy music critic:

• Eiffel Tower – That guy lived in an apartment up there
• Roman Colosseum – Massive
• Musee d’Orsay – Paris. Train, train
• Toji – Buddhist Temple in Kyoto, Japan 
• Duomo di Milano – Milan, Italy.  Majestic

David Erskine – T-Boy VP of advertising:

• Knossos on the Isle of Crete – Greece
• Taj Mahal – Agra, India
• Love Temples – Khajuraho, India
• Eiffel Tower – Paris
• Wat Pho ‘Temple of the Reclining Buddha’ – Bangkok, Thailand
• Blue Mosque – Istanbul, Turkey
• Acropolis – Athens, Greece
• Roman Colosseum – Italy
• Empire State Building – NYC
• Munich Franuenkirche – Germany
• Red Fort – Delhi, India

Tom Tapp – Film & music critic:

• Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain
• The Ruins at Petra, Jordan
• The Anasazi cliff dwellings in Gila, Arizona 
• Highway 1 in California 
• The Medina of Marrakesh, Morocco

Raoul Pascual – T-Boy co-founder, illustrator and art director:

• Empire State Building, NYC
• Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy
• Great Pyramids,  Giza, Egypt
• Statue of Liberty, Liberty Island in New York Harbor
• Singapore Changi Airport, Changi, Singapore

Lee Olson – TV producer & writer

• Summer Palace in Bejing – China
• Angkor Wat – Cambodia
• The Alhambra – Granada, Spain
• Versaille Chateau – France
• Chichen Itza “El Castillo” Pyramid – Yucatan, Mexico

Rourke – Film critic & musician:

• Eiffel Tower, Paris
• Roman Colosseum, Italy
• Brooklyn Bridge, NYC
• Saint Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City
• Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong

Honorable mentions:

• Trevi Fountain, Rome
• Holocaust Memorial, Boston
• Pan Pacific Theater, L.A. (burned years ago)

Chloe Erskine – Educator:

• The Golden Gate Bridge – San Francisco
• The Walls of Benin – Edo, Nigeria

The post The T-Boy Society of Film & Music’s Favorite Man Made World Wonders appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Courtesy Nina Kokotas Hahn

Seattle, the South, and New York women dominated last week’s awards in Chicago

Turns out that Seattle is now the place to go for amazing Southern food at a restaurant run by a French-trained chef. Edourado Jordan scored the most coveted loot at last night’s James Beard Awards — the so-called Oscars of the food world—taking home Best New Restaurant for Seattle’s buzzy JuneBaby and Best Chef: Northwest for Salare. Jordan’s first restaurant, the French-Italian Salare, was followed by JuneBaby, which Jordan says tells the story of Southern food in America.

“I’m able to tell that story 3,000 miles away from where it first landed on American soil, and people are hearing me and understanding what I’m trying to do,” Jordan told us. “It’s an amazing feeling to be in the Pacific Northwest and have a Southern restaurant that people are listening to. I think with Salare and JuneBaby, we’re waking up the country that Seattle is a force to be reckoned with from a food standpoint.”

Other big James Beard Award winners of the night were Gabrielle Hamilton of New York’s Prune for Outstanding Chef, Camille Cogswell of Philadelphia’s Isreali-themed Zahav for Rising Star Chef of the Year, and Birmingham’s Highlands Bar & Grill for Outstanding Restaurant. Dolester Miles of the Alabama restaurant, who made it to stage with tears of joy, also took home the Outstanding Pastry Chef award.

Here’s the complete list of winners:

2018 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards

Best New Restaurant JuneBaby, Seattle
Outstanding Chef Gabrielle Hamilton, Prune, NYC
Outstanding Baker Belinda Leong and Michel Suas, B. Patisserie, San Francisco
Outstanding Bar Program Cure, New Orleans
Outstanding Pastry Chef Dolester Miles, Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL
Outstanding Restaurant Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL
Outstanding Restaurateur Caroline Styne, The Lucques Group (Lucques, a.o.c., Tavern, and others), Los Angeles
Outstanding Service Zuni Café, San Francisco
Outstanding Wine Program FIG, Charleston, SC
Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional Miljenko Grgich, Grgich Hills Estate, Rutherford, CA
Rising Star Chef of the Year Camille Cogswell, Zahav, Philadelphia
Best Chef: Great Lakes Abraham Conlon, Fat Rice, Chicago
Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic Jeremiah Langhorne, The Dabney, Washington, D.C.
Best Chef: Midwest Gavin Kaysen, Spoon and Stable, Minneapolis
Best Chef: New York City Missy Robbins, Lilia, Brooklyn, NY
Best Chef: Northeast Karen Akunowicz, Myers + Chang, Boston
Best Chef: Northwest Edouardo Jordan, Salare, Seattle
Best Chef: South Nina Compton, Compère Lapin, New Orleans
Best Chef: Southeast Rodney Scott, Rodney Scott’s BBQ, Charleston, SC
Best Chef: Southwest Alex Seidel, Mercantile Dining & Provision, Denver
Best Chef: West Dominique Crenn, Atelier Crenn, San Francisco
Restaurant Design Award for 75 Seats and Under The MP Shift (Amy Morris, Anna Polonsky, and Julie Nerenberg) for De Maria, NYC
Restaurant Design Award for 76 Seats and Over Aidlin Darling Design with a l m project (Joshua Aidlin, David Darling, Adam Rouse, and Andrea Lenardin Madden) for In Situ, San Francisco
Design Icon The American Restaurant, Kansas City, Missouri

8 Popular Destinations Where Air Pollution Could Ruin Your Trip

Air pollution does a lot more than cause canceled or postponed vacations — it kills millions of people worldwide every year, according to the World Health Organization. Some of the worst places for air pollution are also home to bucket-list-worthy sights. But missing them might be the least of your problems if smog ramps up during your visit: Symptoms of air pollution sickness include nausea, coughing, headache, itchy eyes — and air pollution can cause long-term breathing problems.

Here are some of the worst destinations for smog, especially if you already suffer from asthma or other respiratory problems.

India

The Taj Mahal attracts thousands of travelers every day, but the city it’s in is one of the worst in the world for air pollution. Smog in Agra can cut visibility so dramatically that you can’t see much more than an outline of the giant tomb, and visitors who don’t cancel their trip during a period of heavy smog can be seen wearing face masks to visit.

Agra, however, isn’t the worst place in India for smog: Delhi, Mumbai, and Calcutta are known to have some of the worst air quality in the world. Even lesser-known India destinations are affected by smog: the city of Jodhpur, which attracts tourists to its colorful and quaint “blue city,” has also been known to suffer from poor air quality.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Hoping to spot historic forts and towering skyscrapers that draw travelers to Saudi Arabia’s financial hub? Harmful emissions paired with dust storms can create near-unbreathable air conditions that might keep you from visiting. Riyadh is a manufacturing hub rife with cars that, when sand kicks up around the Saudi capital, can see thick smog that greatly blurs visibility and irritates lungs.

Los Angeles, California

It’s not just developing countries that suffer from poor air quality. Los Angeles is the worst place in the U.S. for ozone pollution, according to the American Lung Association, and the state of California is home to many of the other worst-ranked cities for air quality. Thanks to a combination of cars, the Golden State’s weather and topography, and added smog from less rainfall and more frequent wildfires in recent years, the air quality index is often over 100, which is considered “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”

Buenos Aires, Argentina

The third-largest city in South America, Buenos Aires can get thick with smog on hot summer days thanks to the fact that many cars in the city run on diesel fuel, which burns particularly dense emissions. The city ranks slightly worse than Los Angeles for air quality, according to data from the World Health Organization, and slightly better than Paris and Rome.

Beijing, China

Crowded China has a reputation for smog, so most travelers to Beijing might know what to expect: crowds in gauzy face masks and buildings with heavy grade air filtration systems. Why? The air quality index here can get as high as the 400s — and have even surpassed the maximum grade of 500 before.

Paris, France

Paris, which has gone so far as to ban old-model cars (pre-1997) in an effort to go green, is still striving to fight car emissions that contribute to its poor air quality. Paris public transit is free to passengers on days with high smog, a move meant to encourage residents and visitors to ditch their vehicles and instead use the sprawling Metro system to get around. Recently, legislators have even proposed making free public transit permanent to improve air quality.

Bangkok, Thailand

Thailand is a popular bucket-list vacation for its awe-inspiring natural wonders and religious sites, but flying into Bangkok brings a heavy dose of urban air pollution. Air quality in the Thai capital can hit dangerous levels that cause residents – especially children — to stay inside until the smog lifts, and make masks commonplace.

Lagos, Nigeria

The largest metropolis on the continent of Africa is in the country ranked worst in the world for air pollution. Lagos, Nigeria is infamous for traffic and home to an unreliable electrical grid that means many residents rely on diesel generators instead. The intense sunlight near the equator only worsens the air quality index, making for thick smog and health problems for many of its residents. Lagos’s resort-addled Victoria Island is no exception.

The post Seattle and James Bear Award Winners; Air Pollution and 8 Travel Destinations appeared first on Traveling Archive.

The line “Made in China” was synonymous with cheap, poorly made, disposable junk for
many years. Today, as the world’s largest economy, the country produces and exports a
vast range of goods, from Apple computers to Trump neckties.

As a traveler to China, what’s worth buying when you visit? Americans are permitted to
bring in $800 worth of goods duty free, and there are a surprising number of places
to shop and unique souvenirs to collect.

Follow this journey from a superstore in Beijing to the Terra Cotta Warriors of Xian to the priceless
gems of Hong Kong and discover the riches of China along the way. (Photo by Susan Breslow)

Perhaps your first foray into shopping in China takes place inside one of Beijing’s humongous SOGO
department stores. This Japanese chain offers a quick study into what China’s exploding
middle and upper classes covet. Photo by Susan Breslow

Promptly at 10am, employees open the doors to a world of luxury heretofore unknown in China.
International brands, from Armani to Zegna, tempt shoppers to part with their Yuan. There’s
a pharmacy and grocery in SOGO’s basement and a food court on the top floor.
Photo by Susan Breslow

In addition to clothing, cellphones, and computers, the many levels of SOGO Beijing feature
household goods. Items such as this bed pad, unfamiliar in the West, shed a light on how
Chinese households decorate. Photo by Susan Breslow

The Chinese have a tradition of being generous gift givers, and SOGO offers a large selection of
giftware. Many items depict animals that represent the 12 signs of the Chinese Zodiac.
Photo by Susan Breslow

Not all commerce takes place in skyscraping towers. On the street level, entrepreneurs display
their wares. Photo by Susan Breslow

Sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and lettuce are driven directly from a farm and sold from the
back of a truck in one of Beijing’s ancient rundown hutongs (connecting courtyards).
Photo by Susan Breslow

A variety of convenience foods and just-add-water items fill the shelves of this small store inside
the hutong. Photo by Susan Breslow

They say no trip to China is complete without a visit to the Great Wall. I say: When it’s teeming
rain and you discover that this UNESCO World Heritage Site is more like the Great Slippery
Staircase of China, take shelter in a nearby café and souvenir shop and wait until the rest of
your party come to their senses. Photo by Susan Breslow

Plate collectors who buy a disk that depicts Xi Jinping and his wife could get a lot of use out of it,
as now he can be president for life. Photo by Susan Breslow

Retro-traditionalists can add a Chairman Mao plate to their collection, or one that depicts scenes
of ancient China. Photo by Susan Breslow

And would any trip to China be complete without a relic of the Buddha? A fishtail enhances the
cover of this small box. Photo by Susan Breslow

If you are on an organized tour, it’s likely that you will be taken by bus to large craft shops. This
building is a gateway to a mini-course in jade, teaching just enough to create the desire to
possess some. On the top floor there’s a restaurant where your group can be served
a traditional Chinese menu.

Although much for sale in China is mass-produced, artisans in traditional crafts continue to turn
out work of astounding beauty. This tour leads past jade carvers at work and into a room
where the varieties of the treasured mineral are on display and described.
Photo by Susan Breslow

Talented artisans create sculptures of astounding beauty and skill, such as this herd of wild
horses. Photo by Susan Breslow

Think you can leave without buying a bangle, a bauble, a bead? This large jewelry store features
a massive selection of traditionally styled bracelets, earrings, and other bijoux.
Photo by Susan Breslow

If you visit China on a Viking Cruise, you will have the time and luxury to shop aboard. Tailors can
custom-make a silk garment to your size and specifications, a jeweler can help you pick out a fine
strand of pearls, and the tea shop can acquaint you with the varieties of the beverage and the
beneficial effects of each. Photo by Susan Breslow

In 1974 a group of farmers outside of Xian stumbled upon a few Terra Cotta Warriors. It turned out
that there were thousands of them, and each soldier was unique. They had been created more than
2,000 years ago and buried with Emperor Qin Shi Huang to ensure he would rule in the afterlife.
Bottom: Today you can amass own your own private troop, although mass-produced ones
lack individuality. Photo by Susan Breslow

Should you desire a life-size Terra Cotta general or another statue modeled on a long-ago officer,
this shop outside the dig will gladly package and ship one to your home overseas.
Photo by Susan Breslow

Almost lost among the warriors and cavalry was this little lady with her pet dog, an enduring
reminder that if you find something and fall in love with it, buy it on the spot. You will not
pass this way again. Photo by Susan Breslow

However, if you do pass this way again, make sure it’s in a palanquin, a private chair designed
so you can be carried upon the shoulders of four strong people willing to indulge you.
Photo by Susan Breslow

If Shanghai is on your itinerary, shopping in this open-air agora near the Ming-era Yuyuan Garden
is a pleasant way to browse a variety of products, from silk scarves and bed linens to chopsticks,
porcelain bowls, teas, and toys. Photo by Susan Breslow

When you come all this way, it’s a shame to not see Hong Kong. This magnificent city on Victoria
Harbor is simply dazzling — and the countless jewelry stores everywhere from the Bund to the
airport are intended to separate you and your remaining cash.

Unless, of course, you’re like my friend, who announced on the first day of our journey:
“I’m not buying anything. As soon as the plane lands in New York, I’m heading to Chinatown
and getting all my souvenirs there.” Photo by Susan Breslow

The post Made in China appeared first on Traveling Archive.