Conde Nast Traveler stuntman Mark Schatzker is on a mad quest to make himself into a modern-day Da Vinci during a month's stay in Europe. So far Mark has "mastered" golf in Scotland, "excelled" at gardening in England, "ruled" the kitchens of Paris, and tinkled the ivories in Vienna. His next task: visit an old friend in Cilento, Italy.

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Rice distribution in Rangoon.
Associated Press

After an exhausting week dealing with (and living through) Cyclone Nargis and meeting with Washington, D.C., decision makers, John Hetherington, Myanmar's country representative for Population Services International, sat down with Conde Nast Traveler's Julia Bainbridge to tell her what the situation in Myanmar is like now, how PSI plans to address problems there, and how you can help.

Conde Nast Traveler launched the Five & Alive Fund with Population Services International.

CNT: Have you been on the ground in Myanmar since the cyclone? Could you briefly describe what the situation was like there?

JH: I was in Yangun with my family during the cyclone, which was pretty intense--130-mph winds sustained for six hours. We slowly got our things and moved into a one-room house where rain wasn't coming through the roof. We got the team together, assessed our own staff--we have 400 staff in the region--and helped them get on their feet. Most of them lost roofs; many lost families. This was a major task: We had no electricity, no water, no phone, no fuel, no access to money. We started by counting money in the safe, taking inventory of petrol, and getting in vehicles to drive around and talk to people, but this was difficult since 80 percent of the trees were ripped up (100-year-old oak-size trees). So sort of like on planes when they tell you to put on your oxygen mask before those of your children--we had a meeting, got our own staff up, and then turned towards others.

CNT: How many people does PSI currently have in Myanmar?

JH: We have 500 core staff, but when you count field outreach workers and those from the community who work with us on a daily basis, it's somewhere between 600 and 700.

CNT: What services did PSI provide before the cyclone hit?

JH: We're a health organization in Myanmar; we've been there for 12 years and it's a pretty broad program. There's a network of 800 private-sector doctors who deliver health care to low-income populations, addressing malaria, TB, pneumonia, reproductive health, and AIDS prevention, among other things. Beyond that network, we have around 22 drop-in centers for female sex workers and men who have sex with men (where we distribute condoms, provide sex education, etc.).

Kick back, plug in, and nosh.

by Barbara S. Peterson

A few days ago, Singapore Air rolled out what it touts as the industry's first all-business-class wide-bodied plane. I was one among a handful of voyeurs who slipped onto the jet at Newark Airport for a brief look before the real passengers took their seats.

The moment you board, the plane definitely has a different feel--it will be a feeling of relief for some, since there's no worrying about your upgrade and no fear of being sentenced to middle-seat hell. The Airbus A340 has 100 business-class seats in a 1-2-1 layout, so every seat is on an aisle. Each podlike compartment has an oversized video screen, a work area, and pulls out into a flat bed (it's no surprise to learn they were designed by a yacht builder). Seats are 30 inches wide versus the normal 20 inches for seats in this league. In its former incarnation, the aircraft held 181 seats in two classes: executive economy and business. And the plane is also the first to feature iPod connections in the entertainment system. Using a unique in-flight cable, passengers will be able to use their iPods or iPhones throughout the flight.

The plane debuts on the Newark to Singapore run--an 18-hour nonstop marathon--and a second jet with identical seating will start departing from Los Angeles in September. (Flying time from LA to Singapore clocks in at 18.5 hours, the longest in the world.) Fares begin at $7,000, and fliers get all the Singapore touches, including use of the airlines' airport lounges, and an "all flight" buffet, which allows you to eat--and rest--when you want. The airline has wisely kept its snack bar areas on this plane, so you can always slip back and raid the larder if you're bored.

Conde Nast Traveler stuntman Mark Schatzker is on a mad quest to make himself into a modern-day Da Vinci during a month's stay in Europe. So far Mark has "mastered" golf in Scotland, "excelled" at gardening in England, "ruled" the kitchens of Paris, and tinkled the ivories in Vienna. His next task: visit an old friend in Cilento, Italy.

If I learned one thing in Vienna, it was this: Piano does not qualify as cardio. At least, not if you're barely competent. Similarly, if you didn't know how to ride a bike, then going for a bike ride wouldn't be very good exercise at all. Add to that my daily habit of demolishing the complementary sweets tray at the Hotel Sacher, and a dietary regimen that included sausages, Wiener Schnitzel, and boiled beef (don't knock it till you try it), and it doesn't take a genius to see that I my heart could use a bit of a break. Especially when you consider that my next stop is Florence.

Now on my shelves.
Random House

by Mollie Chen

Owing to the minuscule size of my apartment, I have to think twice before bringing home another cookbook. But when Cathy and Tony Mantuano's just-released Wine Bar Food came across my desk, I immediately shoved it in my bag.

The Mantuanos, owners of Chicago's celebrated Spiaggia restaurant, were inspired by many years of eating and drinking in the various wine bars of the Mediterranean (I should be so lucky). Their slim, intelligent book is organized according to city and specific wine bar tradition, from Roman crudo bars to Barcelona tapas counters. It's perfect for overextended twenty-somethings who don't have the energy to pull together elaborate meals but who want tasty snacks to go with their wine (sound familiar?). There are plenty of tempting recipes--porchetta panini, anyone?--but my favorite section is the list of must-have Mediterranean pantry items and suggestions for how to serve them. A fantastic grocery list for any traveler headed to Europe, it has favorites like Spanish piquillo peppers and Moroccan harissa, plus others I had never heard of--Italian lampascioni, or marinated wild hyacinth bulbs, sounds especially intriguing.

The husband-and-wife duo was in our office the other day to talk about their upcoming projects, including a restaurant in the soon-to-open Renzo Piano addition to the Chicago Art Institute and an onsite wine bar at this summer's U.S. Open. They've also got an enviable travel schedule: In addition to their twice-yearly pilgrimage to Italy, the couple is researching eating and drinking itineraries in Southern Spain and Lisbon. I'm predicting a Wine Bar Food focused entirely on jarred edibles and pasteis de nata, the habit-inducing Portuguese egg tart. I also got Tony to tell me about his favorite pantry staple (one that didn't make it into the book): Rosamarina, from his grandparents native Calabria, is a bright red preserve made from chili peppers and tiny fish. "You smear it on bread, add it to pastas for that anchovy, umami flavor," he says. "It's so delicious." He's never seen it in the U.S. and neither have I--but now I'm going to start looking.

Abbott Lake, Virginia, along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Photo: Keith Lanpher/VTC

by Brook Wilkinson

Looking to stay close to home for this summer's eco-friendly vacation? If you're on the east coast, look no further than Virginia. The state's tourism office has recently launched VirginiaGreenTravel.org, a site dedicated to green attractions, hotels, and restaurants around the state. What's nice about this site is that the definition of green isn't limited to the great outdoors--though Virginia has plenty of state parks worth exploring. You can also find ideas for walkable city vacations in Richmond or Roanoke, and sun and sand in Virginia Beach. And if you're headed to the greater Washington, D.C., area, consider staying at either the Morrison House in Alexandria, or the Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner in McLean; both Virginia Green properties were named to Conde Nast Traveler's 2008 Gold List.

To spot Virginia Green members on the ground, look for the following logo:

The Olympus LS-10.

Conde Nast Traveler stuntman Mark Schatzker is on a mad quest to make himself into a modern-day Da Vinci during a month's stay in Europe. So far Mark has "mastered" golf in Scotland, "excelled" at gardening in England, and "ruled" the kitchens of Paris. His next task: playing the piano in Vienna.

Contest: Can You Hear Mark?
Listen to the clip below of Schubert's Moments Musicaux. Part of the piece was performed by Albert Frantz, famed piano teacher. And part was performed by our very own "Renaissance Man," Mark Schatzker. The first five individuals to identify the portion (in seconds) played by Mark win a copy of the anthology The Conde Nast Traveler Book of Unforgettable Journeys.

CLICK PLAY

To enter, just Post a Comment.

Vin a la aluminum.

by Julia Bainbridge

Nothing says summer like kicking back with a can of wine. Well, not quite, but one vintner is selling aluminum-clad wine starting this season. Already a pioneer of biodynamic farming practices and alternative packaging, Boisset Family Estates just launched a new eco-friendly option: Its Mommessin Beaujolais Grande Reserve now comes in 750-ml aluminum bottles. We recently got the low-down on the new packaging from Patrick Egan, Boisset's Innovation Brand Manager.

Egan says the energy needed to produce an aluminum bottle is similar to that needed to produce a glass bottle, but that's where similarities end on the sustainability front.

An average glass bottle weighs nearly twice the amount of an average aluminum bottle (a case of wine bottled in aluminum is 22 pounds, while a case of wine bottled in glass weighs 40 to 50 pounds); "extrapolate even further over the whole transportation cycle of a wine and these differences really add up." More fuel is required to haul and ship heavier packages, for example. What's more, nearly twice as many aluminum cases can fit onto a pallet as glass cases (90 cases of aluminum to 56 cases of glass)--size matters when talking about environmental shipping costs.

Once every last drop of that Beaujolais has been consumed (and I hope it is), the benefits of aluminum packaging continue. For one thing, aluminum is more durable--imagine chucking your water-filled glass wine bottle at the foot of the track before a run (eesh). Egan says aluminum recycles at twice the rate of glass in this country. And even when glass is recycled, the life of the material is much shorter than that of aluminum. (Ninety-nine percent of an aluminum container is retained and reused, as opposed to glass's 50 percent.) "So while the energy costs may start out similar for glass and aluminum, they quickly diverge as you follow the life cycle of the container."

Another cool factor about Boisset's Beaujolais: A small dot on the label changes color to let you know when your wine has chilled to the perfect serving temperature. Amazing.

Associated Press

William Voss is a longtime safety expert who has held senior posts with the Federal Aviation Administration and the International Civil Aviation Organization. He is now the president and CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation, an independent watchdog organization based in suburban Washington. He recently spoke with Conde Nast Traveler's Senior Aviation Correspondent Barbara S. Peterson about the groundings that stranded hundreds of thousands of travelers, prompted by revelations that Southwest Airlines had been permitted by FAA minders to fly aircraft without performing mandated maintenance fixes. American, Delta, and United later underwent inspections for compliance with a required fix of the wiring bundles in the engines of their MD-80s.

CNT: A few weeks ago, air travel in the U.S. was severely disrupted by a wave of maintenance-related groundings at major airlines. Was it necessary to take hundreds of aircraft out of service with virtually no notice? Were there really any safety-of-flight issues here? 

VOSS: There is no question that the FAA had a management problem with one of its offices in the southwest region. What happened at Southwest Airlines was clearly a case of a small group of people going way too far in terms of leniency with the airline they were supposed to be monitoring. But what followed was a fairly substantive audit by the FAA of the whole operation, which found that compliance [at Southwest] was actually pretty good. And there wasn't a pattern of other violations. Keep in mind that the FAA issues thousands of safety directives every year, and in the particular one that caused the groundings of the American and Delta planes, the companies had been given a year and half to comply.

Maddalena Archipelago.

by Ondine Cohane

I'm just back from Sardinia for a Conde Nast Traveler feature story (I won't say what the subject is, but for now let's just say it involves the sand and sea). I used to go to this Italian island every summer when I was a kid during the days when my parents had delusions of grandeur (i.e., they thought we should keep a sailboat in Porto Cervo in summer and ski for a month in the Alps come winter, despite the fact that we were far from affluent) and I have both fond and scared memories of boating into secret exquisite coves and to other islands like Corsica. The scary memories involve my father heading off into obvious storm conditions--I think he was an eternal optimist--while my parents' three dogs and I were put into life jackets and tied to the mast (no, I am not kidding) as the waves grew bigger.

Conde Nast Traveler stuntman Mark Schatzker is on a mad quest to make himself into a modern-day Da Vinci during a month's stay in Europe. So far, Mark has "mastered" golf in Scotland, "excelled" at gardening in England, and "ruled" the kitchens of Paris. His next task: a camera review?

Gear Review: Canon 40D
If anyone out there has mistakenly concluded that I am a halfway decent photographer, allow me to clarify the matter. As a writer, I occasionally have the opportunity to work with professional photographers. And if there's one thing I've learned, it's this: equipment matters. I am merely the beneficiary of good equipment. And it shows.

Associated Press

by Julia Bainbridge

As news reports continue to come in on the difficulties in supplying aid to the people of Myanmar in the wake of Cyclone Nargis, we're happy to report that at least one organization, Population Services International (PSI), Conde Nast Traveler's partner in the Five & Alive Fund, has managed to make a difference.

So far PSI's 600 in-country staffers have been able to:

* Help deliver a water purification solution capable of treating enough water for 998,000 people for one month.
* Work with its network of Sun Quality Health doctors to deliver medicine and health services to those desperately seeking medical attention.

But the work has just begun. The International Committee of the Red Cross estimates that the number of deaths caused by Cyclone Nargis may be as high as 200,000. With millions still homeless and without access to food, clean water, and medicine, the number could skyrocket.

In the coming months, PSI will require an additional $1 million to address the longer-term health implications of Cyclone Nargis. If you're looking to help, Conde Nast Traveler cannot more strongly recommend that you consider PSI as a possible recipient of your donation.

Stay tuned to the Daily Traveler later in the week, when we talk to PSI Myanmar's Country Representative (who is currently in Washington, D.C.) about ways to help the organization's efforts.

Magic ticket.

Conde Nast Traveler stuntman Mark Schatzker is on a mad quest to make himself into a modern-day Da Vinci during a month's stay in Europe. So far Mark has "mastered" golf in Scotland, "excelled" at gardening in England, and "ruled" the kitchens of Paris. His next task: playing the piano in Vienna.

I bought the most expensive ticket to what may be the finest philharmonic in the world, which just happens to play in what may be the finest concert hall in the world, and the whole event was marred by ugly controversy.

Let me explain.

These past few days, I have been studying piano--if "study" is indeed the correct verb--at Vienna's Bosendorfer Studio. The studio is basically a showroom for some of the world's very best pianos, but if you're well connected, you can take lessons there. It's the musical equivalent of learning how to drive at the Ferrari tent in Monaco during the Grand Prix, only there tends to be a lot less cologne worn in Vienna than in Monaco. The Bosendorfer Studio is situated in Vienna's Musikverein, which is bound by Bosendorferstrasse--basically Bosendorfer Street. I'm guessing that at some point locals thought about changing the name of Vienna to Bosendorfer Town, but it would translate as Bosendorferdorf, and that sounds silly even to a German ear.

Towel boy.
Nintendo of America

by Tom Loftus

Westin Hotel & Resorts guests jarred awake by nocturnal rumblings coming from another room now have something else to blame: the Nintendo Wii. This week two Westins, the Westin Times Square in New York City and the Westin Bellevue in Washington state added the video game console to their fitness centers as part of the hotel calls its WestinWORKOUT program. An additional eight Westins will receive their Wiis later in May.

Video games in the gym?  Surely this must be one of the signs of the Apocalypse! But this is the Nintendo Wii, the console credited with getting couch potatoes back onto their stubby appendages--called "legs" in the pre-remote control era--thanks to its unique motion detection controllers. 

Sidenote: I've played the Nintendo Wii and can vouch for the sweat (as well as the humiliation) generated in a quick match. 

The "Westin Wii's" will come outfitted with Wii Sports, the title credited with causing tens of thousands of dollars of household damage nationwide as players flogged their controllers as if they were playing the Centre Court at Wimbledon, as well as Wii Fit, the platform's first exercise game. According to Nintento's Web site, Wii Fit will allow players to do everything from engage in muscle toning and flexibility exercises to checking their body mass index. 

Does this signal the end of the hotel gym as we know it?  More important, where do you get your towels?

Image: Microsoft Research 

* With Earth conquered, Microsoft follows Google into (virtual) space.

* It's time you learned how to pack your own bag.

* Don't know what they think about graffiti in Argentina, but this is cool.

* Politicized like the Olympics, but with slightly tackier costumes.  We "heart" the Eurovision Song Contest.

* The Marriott goes to Funkytown.

Brad and Angie.
Photo: AP

by Beata Loyfman

The bad news: Poor Brad and Angie couldn't find a place to stay in the French Riviera, so they've settled for bunking with a friend.

The good news: The friend happens to be Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, and the home is a little place called Villa Maryland -- a massive, fully-staffed $60 million mansion overlooking the Mediterranean.

With friends like these . . .

Did the Jolie-Pitts accidentally forget to invite you for a Cannes Film Festival getaway? Don't take it to heart. There are several great lodging options in Cote d'Azur, even for those not on Paul Allen's speed dial.

Check out our picks after the jump.

Image: Associated Press 

by Barbara S. Peterson

If high prices are making you think twice about traveling to Europe this year, here's one trick to ease the pain: Keep an eye out for airlines about to launch transatlantic service and grab one of their introductory fares before they vanish.

Soon to arrive on our shores is an Italian upstart line, Air One. While hardly a household name outside Europe, it's no puddle jumper, either: It operates several hundred flights a day with a narrow body fleet of nearly 60 planes, connecting Italian hubs like Milan and Rome with other cities in Italy and in Europe. When the financially ailing Alitalia scaled down its Milan presence several months ago, Air One smelled an opportunity--the carrier will roll out its first U.S. flights from the northern Italian hub next month. Starting June 14, Air One will fly five times a week between Milan and Boston (Tuesdays and Thursdays off), followed by daily (except Wednesday) Milan-Chicago flights as of June 21.  You'll need to act fast if you want a bargain: A promotional fare of $799 round trip will be valid for flights booked before June 14; after that the fare will rise to just over $900. Air One also has low connecting fares to other cities like Rome and Naples. Note: The carrier has inked code-share deals with United and US Airways so you can earn or use miles interchangeably.

Conde Nast Traveler stuntman Mark Schatzker is on a mad quest to make himself into a modern-day Da Vinci during a month's stay in Europe. So far, Mark has "mastered" golf in Scotland, "excelled" at gardening in England, and "ruled" the kitchens of Paris. His next task: playing the piano in Vienna.

Everybody, meet Albert Frantz.

When Albert was in kindergarten, his mother went to pick him up one day and the teacher asked, "Where did Albert learn to play piano?" It was a strange question, considering that Albert was five and the only thing in his life that he had truly mastered was using the potty. And yet, when the principal would play something on the school's battered yellow upright piano, Albert would head on over, sit down at the bench, and play back what she played.

His parents, naturally, arranged for lessons. After Albert's first-ever lesson, his brother slammed Albert's fingers in a car door. (It was claimed to have been an accident.) That ended that. There was another round of lessons, and on his way to his second one the car was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer. (No serious injuries.) Despite the obvious Gypsy curse that had been placed on their son's piano prospects, Albert's parents found a third teacher. Among her many unexpected qualities, this teacher possessed the gift of frankness. She told Albert's parents that they should take the money they were paying for piano lessons each week and just throw it in the garbage because Albert Frantz was never going to play the piano.

The seal of petrochemical-free
approval.

by Mollie Chen

The beauty products cluttering up my desk promise to clear my skin, smooth my wrinkles, erase my sun damage, quiet my mind, and tone my butt. (Never mind that I never thought I had wrinkles until I started working at Conde Nast.) I find it all utterly baffling. Even more baffling, however, is that increasingly many of these very expensive, very packaged products bear cheery labels professing their all-natural, organic, and sustainable properties. With all the talk about toxic parabens and petrochemicals, I am slowly trading out my old-school products in favor of green alternatives. But it's not easy separating the good green stuff from the icky synthetic stuff--even the Whole Foods beauty section can be a bit overwhelming.

As Burt's Bees' Mike Indursky said at the recent Natural Products Association press conference, "There are a lot of products out there claiming to be natural and a lot of them have nice flowers on their labels. But that doesn't mean anything." Something I didn't realize is that the term "natural" is not regulated. Anyone, even a company testing its paraben-laden shampoos on animals and filling up landfills by the dozen, can claim to be green. The NPA, which is helmed by industry big wigs like Indursky, Aubrey Organics' Curt Valva, and Weleda's Erk Schuchhardt, recently launched a new seal that aims to help befuddled consumers like myself. They will only certify the products that meet four simple criteria: They must be nonsynthetic (95 percent all-natural ingredients); safe; not tested on animals; and sustainable (biodegradable and environmentally sensitive). The bottom line, Josh Dorfman, the Lazy Environmentalist, said, "Is that we want to stop putting crap into our bodies and stop putting crap into the environment." Consumers can expect to start seeing the seal as early as midsummer. Some of my tried-and-true favorites: Burt's Bees grapefruit and sugar beet shampoo and lip balms, Dr. Hauschka sunscreens, and Kiss My Face tinted moisturizer.

by Tom Loftus

With parts of Sichuan Province in southwest China in ruins following a 7.9 magnitude earthquake that is already blamed for 19,500 confirmed deaths, travel is discouraged. But for those who have no choice, travel service Abercrombie & Kent has this report.

* The government has ordered that the military make it a top priority to open the roads for aid. Airlines are also ferrying in rescue personnel to help.

* Chongqing Airport is open and most of the flights are expected to arrive/depart as per original schedule.

* Yichang Airport is open and flights are on time. No damage has been found on the dam.

* Xian Airport is open and flights are on time. All tour sites are also open.

* Chengdu Airport was closed right after the quake, but it has reopened.  Because Chengdu has become the major destination for aid flowing into the area we recommend that travelers defer travel there until June.

Is that a nut butter in your pocket?

by Mollie Chen

When I was a kid, the most coveted lunch box item was the single-serving Nutella pouch, which was shaped like a mini Nutella jar and came with its own tiny plastic spoon. Now that I'm a big kid, I have moved on to more grown-up foods. Like peanut butter. And almond butter. And really any nut in spreadable form. PB and banana sandwiches are a staple of my diet, as well as my go-to plane snack. Recently, while wandering through Whole Foods (my version of therapy), I ran across Justin's Nut Butters. Thinking outside the jar, the company sells "squeeze packs," tidily packaged two-tablespoon packets of its most popular flavors, including honey peanut and maple almond. They also just launched 100-calorie sizes--but honestly, I don't think that would be enough to tide me over. For my next trip, I'm going to pack a couple of flavors along with a bag of sliced apples and some fresh bread from Amy's. Or maybe I'll just eat it straight, like in the good ol' Nutella days.

Chef Norbert and his "cajinci."

by Julia Bainbridge

More and more people are looking to make something better out of their vacations than a few lazy, mojito-fueled days (and nights, perhaps) by the ocean. Some are teaching in Cambodia, while others simply want to stick a toe in the other side of their hotel dining rooms.

Hotel & Spa Rosa Alpina opens in San Cassiano, Italy, this summer with a "Flavors of the Dolomites" cooking class weekend featuring twice Michelin-starred Chef Norbert Niederkofler. From June 20 to 23, Chef Niederkofler will show you how to smoke, vacuum, and low-temperature cook, as well as how to choose appropriate wines for sipping and serving. The hearty fare of his homeland favors meats, soup, and polenta, but this chef will also teach earnest kitchen-goers how to make his very untraditional pine needle risotto. (The weekend will include a visit from the local cheese producer who fashions the regional specialty Graukase--literally, "gray cheese"--served in Niederkofler's signature cajinci ravioli dish.)

For those who can't fit in the international flight, Maine's White Barn Inn offers a culinary escape, too. Chef Jonathan Cartwright, who helms the kitchen at the inn's Mobil 5 Star, AAA 5 Diamond restaurant (the only one so rated north of Manhattan, no less), is now giving guests private cooking classes. Small-world fun fact: The White Barn invites guest chef-instructors to teach classes annually, and this year Chef Niederkofler was there from Rosa Alpina.

Rock me, Amadeus!

Conde Nast Traveler stuntman Mark Schatzker is on a mad quest to make himself into a modern-day Da Vinci during a month's stay in Europe. So far Mark has "mastered" golf in Scotland, "excelled" at gardening in England, and "ruled" the kitchens of Paris. His next task: playing the piano in Vienna.

The truth about miracles is that they do happen, and they happen to those who are undeserving. As proof, take the example of me. Or, to be more precise, my physical mass. You would think that spending five days in Paris would lead to an increase in said mass. After all, I ate something like one full lobe of foie gras, several fish, three to four steaks, a baker's dozen sausages, a pallet of eggs, three udders' worth of full-fat cream, 20 pounds of butter, 50 crayfish, a whole lot of veal tripe, and two servings of head cheese.

I capped off my visit to Paris with a trip to the fabled Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee for my first-ever experience of a three-Michelin-star meal. So add to the above list the following: langoustines topped with Ossetra caviar, a Brittany lobster, roast squab, a chocolate raspberry souffle, a chocolate raspberry bar, and a serving of baba au rhum topped with several dollops of whipped cream.

And yet, when I stepped back on the scale in my hotel bathroom, something magical happened: The room filled with an impossibly bright yet soothing light, an angelic choir burst out in celestial harmony, and the needle of the scale went no further than it had days earlier. I was, in other words, the same weight.

by Brook Wilkinson

Some of you might have followed the most recent Where's Brook? Contest on our sister blog, the Perrin Post. I was on assignment in Costa Rica, on a trip planned for me by Richard and Irene Edwards of GreenSpot Travel. I've known Richard since he worked at Wildland Adventures several years ago (he also lived in Costa Rica for many years before that). But what brings me to write about him here is his latest venture: the first-ever nonprofit travel agency, to my knowledge.

Richard and Irene have started GreenSpot in order to plan customized, luxurious trips to Central America while also giving something back to the local communities. All the profits from the trips they create--after the couple takes home a reasonable salary--will go to sustainable projects that they have started in Central America. The first such project is a used-clothing store in Costa Rica. The Edwardses and their clients will bring gently used items from the States to be sold there, and the profits from the store will pay for computers and environmental programs at a local school. Once the first store becomes financially self-sufficient, GreenSpot will plow its profits into opening other such stores in Panama and elsewhere.

Want to help? Of course, you could call up GreenSpot and start planning a trip to Central America. But if you've got some clothes lying around that you haven't worn in several seasons, you can give them a second life by mailing them to the following address:

GreenSpot Travel
Costa Rica School Project
4741 Secret Valley Drive
Billings, MT 59101

If you let Irene know that you're sending some clothes by e-mailing her at info@greenspottravel.org, she'll send you updates on the project's progress.

To market, to market.

by Mollie Chen

Within minutes of arriving in Savannah, I was smitten. Three days later, I was an avowed convert to the church of porch swings, Spanish moss, and shabby chic decor. I found myself continually ooh-ing over the picturesque square lined with antebellum mansions and oak trees, and I couldn't get over how unfailingly nice everyone was. I started to contemplate leaving New York to pursue a career as a southern belle.

And then there was the food.