Travel Diary: Loving the Loire Valley

I don’t quite know what it is about going on holiday that inspires a desire for adventure, but as I find myself en route to a bike path that runs along the Loire river, I am certain that it could only be the fact that I’m on vacation that I am considering an activity I would never engage in were I at home. That said,  I am eager to find out it it’s true that one never forgets how to ride a bicycle as I have not been on one in nearly a decade. God help me! ...more

October 24, 2007

Travel Diary: Loving The Loire Valley

Though Paris may be France’s crown jewel, there is a great deal more to be learned outside of Paris that will only serve to grow one’s appreciation for the City of Lights or at least so I have come to believe with each passing exploration of the diverse regions of France, the latest of which found me in the lush and historic Loire Valley. ...more

October 23, 2007

Letter from Paris

Busy Busy Busy! This is the best way to describe October in Paris—we would need a hundred pages to list all that is happening this month in the City of Light. Paris is packed in October… but we Parisiens are always happy to welcome you! ...more

October 16, 2007

The Re-Birth of Marie Antoinette

If interest in Marie-Antoinette had ever waned at all, it has now swung back into high gear thanks to Sofia Coppola’s controversial, rock n' roll spin on France’s last queen and the renovation of her ‘Domaine’ at the Chateau of Versailles in last year's Marie Antoinette. ...more

September 11, 2007

The Netherlands Nocturnal…

When most people think of The Netherlands, they either think of quaint villages and wooden clogs, awe-inspiring tulip gardens and interlocking canals, or exceptional dairy products and those special cafes with the ‘psychedelic’ menus. What many people don’t think of however is the ever-growing nightlife scene that is slowly transforming Holland into a world-class party destination. ...more

August 22, 2007

Heard from Paris…

This month, many Parisians are deserting the city for places in the country or at the beach, and are being replaced by a new, friendly and cool international crowd in the heart of Paris. It is still Paris, but it feels like London, Vienna, Amsterdam and Saint Tropez, all mixed together. ...more

August 21, 2007

Under the Gay Ibiza Sun

When the last record has been spun and the bouncers have dragged the last of the die-hards from the clubs that dominate European nightlife hub, Ibiza,there is a sun-soaked spot on the other side of Ibiza where the gayest of the party people go for a little r & r and it is called Es Cavellet beach. ...more

August 13, 2007

Champagne Anyone?

A fictional Patrick Dennis once famously said of his most beloved relative, 'Auntie Mame is a froth of whipped cream and champagne and daydreams and Nuit de Noel perfume. She's not mortal at all.' Such is the way that Champagne factors into most of our lives. Join us for our pop spin on a historic destination. ...more

August 09, 2007

Paris: A Love Affair

As I think back over my life, perhaps my longest-running love affair has been not with a man or a woman, but with the country of France. Returning to Paris this past year was like meeting up with an old lover for whom the flame never dies. You may not see each other for years and years, but when you are together again, the passion is as torrid as ever and you fall back into sync as though you had never spent a day apart. ...more

August 08, 2007

Las Fallas of Valencia

Explosions to the left and to the right every 5 seconds, all colours of the rainbow on the dresses of the locals jumping in frenzy to traditional music, millions of people with no sleep for 4 days and giant 15-20 metre caricature effigies grinning at you at every crossroad, many with hard-punching satire and even sexually explicit scenes. This is Disneyland purchased by the Lord of the Underworld, this is Fear and Loathing in Valencia – Las Fallas. ...more

August 1, 2007

Valencia – The City That Has It All

Western Europe is such an ultimate travel destination that anything worth seeing has already been triple-packed. It is practically impossible to find a place that has major attractions yet has retained its innocence. And, out of all countries, Spain – the place where annual tourist head count overtakes that of its residents – is a very unlikely candidate for such location. ...more

July 26, 2007

The Crimean Peace

Tatar palaces, Turkish fortresses, magic stalactite caves, lush sub-tropical mountains, miles and miles of beaches, mellow coastal climate… Sounds like Russia? Known only perhaps for its 19-th century war with the English, Crimea remains largely unknown to the traveller. Yet there can’t be that many places on the planet that are so multi-dimensional it makes your head spin. ...more

July 25, 2007

Experience Rome Like a Pro

In his new book and CD audio guide, UNABELLAVISTA ROME: How to Tour Italy, author Anthony Capozzoli begs questions like: Can you fall head over heels in love with a city? According to Capozzoli, who actually did fall in love with Italy, if Rome were a woman, she’d seduce you with her ageless beauty, mysterious secrets and her zest for life. If Rome were a man, he’d embrace you with his majestic strength, enduring artistry and romantic charm. ...more

July 25, 2007

Marie-Antoinette’s, Beaumarchais’ or Christian Lacroix’s Bed?

When you want to sleep in the bed of someone famous, it can be hard to choose. But there is one thing the beds we’ve chosen have in common: they are all located in Paris' gay Le Marais district. ...more

July 18, 2007

Top Ten Fun Things to Do in Gay Paris

Few cities in the world offer that special blend of fun and glamour that is intrinsic to life in Paris. Similarly there is no area of Paris that offers that uniquely Parisian combo with a gay twist quite like Le Marais, the city’s gorgeous and randy gay district. That said, here’s a look at ten of the most fun places to visit in  Paris' Le Marais district according to ParisMarais.com, the veritable bible of gay life in Paris. ...more

July 16, 2007