Stop worrying, start pedaling
Photo: Flickr

by Sara Tucker

What's the happiest country in the world? That depends on your criteria. The Happy Planet Index gives top honors to a little-known island in the South Pacific; several other surveys finger a chilly country on the Baltic Sea. Australia ranks high by some standards, low by others. According to the World Values Survey, Nigeria rules.

There's "something dodgy about happy stats" that produce such a mishmash. What, exactly, are they measuring? It's often hard to know. Happiness isn't a scientific term, and researchers are free to use whatever criteria they want. The Happy Planet Index, for example, factors into its score a country's "ecological footprint," a washy concept that pulls the happiness rug out from under developed countries and is dismissed by some critics as irrelevant: "It is quite conceivable," says one blogger, "that people living in countries with a large ecological footprint could be happy even if it was the case that their lifestyles were unsustainable." Well, sure, but they wouldn't be happy for long.

Once you've sifted through the reams of scientific evidence, however, the advice we get from self-professed happy people is remarkably universal:

Could Zacnessa be in the crowd?
The Shibuya-Eki-Mae Crossing
in Shibuya, one of Tokyo's hottest
neighborhoods.
Photo: Philip-Lorca di Corcia
for Condé Nast Traveler

by Beata Loyfman

Just like our side of the ocean, Japan is plodding through a massive economic slowdown. So it's no surprise that record numbers of New Year's pilgrims journeyed to temples all over the country to offer Hatsumoude prayers for . . . you guessed it, prosperity. The beautiful Meiji Jingu shrine in central Tokyo saw some 3 million visitors in the first days of 2009.

Always the philanthropist, Hollywood is doing its part to help out the struggling Japanese economy. Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens (Zacnessa?), the handsomely wholesome leading couple of Disney's High School Musical juggernaut, brought their considerable star power to Tokyo this week. But the tween stars are small potatoes compared to the frenzy caused by the arrival of the biggest superstar couple in the entire universe. We speak, of course, of Brangelina, who recently took the Benjamin Button train to the technicolor city. Check out this video--fans nearly expire at the sight of the Jolie-Pitt clan arriving at Narita airport. Swoon!

Even if you don't have a film to promote, this is a great time to explore the land of the rising sun, especially if you time your trip to coincide with the annual cherry blossom festival in the middle/end of March (check here for dates all over the country). Kayak has nonstop flights on multiple carriers from the northeast for just $1,000 (I paid double that two years ago). ANA's Eco Value fares can get you there for even less, depending on departure city. Konichiwa!

Further reading:
* Etiquette 101: How to eat sushi properly in Japan
* Boldface: Celebrity travels

Jeffrey Sachs spoke at Condé Nast
Traveler's 2008 World Savers
Congress in New York City.

by Dinda Elliott

President Obama calls the bonuses Wall Street took last year "shameful," and there is now talk in Washington of "clawback" policies that might force some Fat Cats to give them back. For his part, Jeff Sachs, the swashbuckling global economist, crusader against poverty--and the subject of a feature in Condé Nast Traveler--has some suggestions for how we might start making up the $5 billion shortfall the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria will face if the U.S. and other governments don't step up to the plate: "Where can we find the money? Just look at Wall Street bonuses announced last week! There were $18.4 billion in Christmas bonuses in an industry that lost $35 billion last year!" he said yesterday. "If people could open their eyes to the broken promises and unbelievably egregious practices," he added, we might be able to put some of those dollars "into the mouths of those who need it."

I was listening in on a conference call briefing by global health experts, and the heads of the Global Fund (Rajat Gupta, the fund's chairman, and Peter Chernin, head of Malaria No More) phoned in from the World Economic Forum in Davos, thinking that somehow, we have to dig into our pockets despite the economic crisis. "In a global economic downturn, it's tempting to scale down global health spending," said Chernin. "That would be the worst thing we could do." We at Traveler are doing what we can.

by Susan Hack

I agree with Dinda Elliott's point, responding to President Obama's interview with Al Arabiya, that we as Americans need to listen to the world, especially when we travel.   

I just got back from a trek through the mountains of the Sinai Peninsula where I met Bedouin families living in remote communities that still lack running water and reliable electricity. At night I would sit with families around charcoal braziers, and the first question people had for me was, "What do you think of President Obama?" They are fascinated that a man of African and Muslim heritage has become the leader of the United States, and they are eagerly waiting to see if his eloquent pledge to seek a "new way forward" in the Muslim world--words they follow on car radios and shared generator-run television sets--will be matched by actual deeds. Obama gave his interview to Al Arabiya, and his new Mideast envoy George Mitchell was in Cairo while I was in the Egyptian mountains. More than the new shuttle diplomacy, the people I met were interested to know whether I as an American citizen have faith in Obama and think he's for real. They made me feel that individual American travelers have a role in Obama's mission of listening and engagement. 

What do you think? Can individual travelers play a role in Obama's call to listen and engage?

Susan Hack is a contributing editor at Condé Nast Traveler and an expert on the Middle East, from Dubai's booming art scene to Egypt's most famed antiquities guru. Read her piece on the changing Arab world here

Click on the image to go to the site.

by Barbara S. Peterson

I just heard from Kate Hanni, who'd seen my recent post on the prospect of taking airlines to court if they don't live up to the service standards in their contracts of carriage. She worries that consumers might get the wrong idea and think it's easy to sue a big airline if, say, the flight attendants run out of pretzels before they get to your seat. Hanni has a good point: The airlines' current contracts have enough wiggle room to drive the proverbial tank through.

"The DOT is only requiring that the airlines have a plan," not what they put in that plan, Hanni told me, adding that she expects the airlines to craft the usual escape clauses such as "reasonable amount of time" rather than a precise time limit on how long they'll hold passengers aboard a plane that's going nowhere. But Hanni points out that may all be moot: Bills to legislate airline behavior in such cases are back in the hopper on Capitol Hill (Senate Bill S. 213 and House Bill H.R. 624), and since President Obama had cosponsored the same bill when he was a senator, she's got high hopes for passage this year.   

Still, a reality check is in order.

by Mollie Chen

The economic downturn has had many interesting side effects, from the sad tales of i-banker girlfriends having to curtail their spending sprees to amazing restaurant deals. But one of the best offshoot products I've seen is Blue Q's brand-new "This Economy Sucks" coin purse. The tiny bag, made from 95 percent recycled water bottles, is perfect for saving your pennies. And, at $4, it's the kind of retail therapy I can afford. 

Further reading:
* Check out Blue Q's Web site for a list of where you can buy their items
* A portion of the proceeds of this collection benefit The Nature Conservancy, the world's leading conservation organization working to protect ecologically important lands and waters across the globe
* Health & Beauty: Looking, feeling good

by John Oseid

Regrets? Musically speaking, I've had a few. For some time, I've been hearing about the young Sicilian rocker Carmen Consoli, who's developing a passionate audience in the Americas. When the singer-guitarist toured here last fall I was AWOL. Bummer. But reading about the island's young generation of movers and shakers in Ondine Cohane's January feature story, Not Your Grandfather's Sicily, got me curious about Consoli, as well as traditional Sicilian music.

A native of the eastern city of Catania, the bellissima singer and songwriter Consoli is one of the most popular talents in the whole country. In the above clip, she performs her wistful song "L'ultimo bacio" (The Last Kiss) live at the ancient Greek Teatro di Taormina. Preceded by an Arabic-influenced flute solo, she and her red dress don't enter the stage until the three-minute mark. But be patient--her performance, backed by an enormous orchestra, will leave you wanting more. Bell. Issi. Mo!

North Beach, San Francisco's Italian
neighborhood, was a favorite
of Beat poets.

Earlier this week, Daily Traveler readers tpoqa04 asked: My husband and I are being sent on a weeklong trip to wine country and San Francisco, including a dinner at French Laundry. I think we will probably stay close to the Laundry for the first couple of nights to dine, see some vineyards and maybe have some spa time. Then the rest of the week we'll be in SF. Thoughts on what to do/where to go? Oh, tpoqa04, we have many. One of the DTers is a born-and-bred San Franciscan, one lives there now, and the rest of us have done our fair share of hopping (and eating) around that hilly city and the nearby wine country. Here goes:

Responsible Traveler and San Franciscan Brook Wilkinson recently plotted out five perfect days in California wine country for Condé Nast Traveler. You could pick anything from this piece--Brook has ferreted out the Napa Valley's treasures and secrets. She advises that you stay overnight in Yountville, so that you can dine at the Laundry and other places in town without having to drive home. The Vintage Inn, home to a great spa, is offering 25 percent off through the end of the month, and might well have another deal after that. Here are some more Napa Valley properties from CNT's 2009 Gold List--Solage Calistoga also made last year's Hot List.

While in Yountville, go for a dinner at the modern but plush Redd, one of Brook's favorite restaurants anywhere, and if you like the French Laundry, you can enjoy Thomas Keller's cuisine a second time for quite a bit less at Ad Hoc. There, the wünder-chef takes a step back and lets you serve yourself from family-style platters. The menu is scrawled on a blackboard and the servers claim to be the best-fed staff in town. Ubuntu is another top spot to keep on your radar. As for wineries, Brook enjoys Ceja and Swanson, and heartily recommends the Round Pond Olive Oil Tasting--"they give you so much food you can call it lunch."

Read after the jump for San Francisco ideas.

Condé Nast Traveler reader Beverly
Orthwein volunteering at an eye
clinic in Kenya.

by Dinda Elliott

So here's the $64 million question: How much do you, as travelers, care about whether your hotel is trying to improve surrounding communities? Here's why I ask: This week, on the very same day, Bill Gates and New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, two of the world's most generous philanthropists, reasserted their commitment to increase their giving, not decrease it, in light of the current economic downturn. This comes just at a time when we editors at Condé Nast Traveler are worrying about the future of corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects in the travel industry, a topic that has appeared regularly in the pages of our magazine--particularly in our annual World Savers feature. Travel industry heavies recently weighed in on this at an off-the-record brown bag lunch in the Condé Nast Traveler conference room. To find out what they said, read on. . .

Save some cash and help the planet.

by Brook Wilkinson

Itching to plan a late-winter ski getaway? Check out some fantastic deals from Vail Resorts, a winner of Condé Nast Traveler's 2008 World Savers Awards. (The company offsets all of its electricity use with wind power credits, and contributes $1 from every season pass, room stay, and lift ticket purchased online to the National Forest Foundation.)

Breckenridge: Ski for three days and nights, and get your fourth day and night free, plus a bottle of organic Bonterra wine and a $50 resort voucher. This deal is good through February 15th. Or if you've only got a weekend, save 20 percent on all Breckenridge lodging through April.

Vail: Buy three nights at the Lodge at Vail, and get a fourth night free plus a $150 spa credit. This one's good on certain dates through mid-April.

Keystone: Pay just $99 for a room at the Inn at Keystone, Slopeside Studios, Gateway Mountain Lodge, Lakeside Village, or the Ski Tip Bed & Breakfast if you book by January 31.

Further reading:
* Top Ski Resorts and Hotels
* We are now accepting applications for the 2009 World Savers Awards
* Responsible Traveler: Making a difference

Part I of the Al Arabiya interview is above.  Click here to play part 2.

by Dinda Elliott

The fact that President Barack Obama chose Al Arabiya, an Arab-language news channel based in Dubai, for his first official interview is a historic signal to the world that the U.S. will be rebuilding bridges. What a relief. It's time for Americans, starting with our own government, to stop fearing the world and to start reaching out instead. That applies to us travelers, too. Some readers criticized an interview I did last year with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

But I believe Albright got it right when she said the world thinks Americans are "selfish." She called for Americans to learn as we travel. "Globalization has made the world smaller," she said, "so we need to know about the cultures and histories that we deal with." In President Obama's message, we have the opportunity to shed that selfish image.

Right or wrong, the State Department warns us about the dangers of visiting countries like Syria, Iran, and Pakistan because they are home to some terrorist activities. The nuance that the State Department misses is what we gain by going. To wit: In a fascinating piece about Cairo, "the Arab world's aging movie star: seductive, repulsive, complex, and compelling" Condé Nast Traveler's Susan Hack reveals the magic of one of the world's most important Muslim capitals. That's where U.S. special envoy George Mitchell, who helped negotiate peace in Ireland, arrived today in the first leg of a trip to the Middle East. He has been instructed by Obama to "listen." Obama also reminded his Al Arabiya interviewer that he has Muslims in his own family. "To the broader Muslim world," he said, "what we are offering is a hand of friendship." We as travelers should do the same, and realize that the "other" is not so different from ourselves.

With Obama as our new president, do you think it's important for us as Americans to travel to Muslim countries? How can we improve our image?

Further reading:
* An Al-Arabiya journalist reflects on the Obama interview
* Make a Difference: Regular coverage of social responsibility and travel

It happens all the time. Two people in a bar start arguing about what is better: New York- or Chicago-style. Having lived in Ohio all your life, you refrain from pitching in. Heck, you are too embarrassed to admit that you don't know the difference, pizza-wise. Until now.

This site now offers the definitive list of pizza styles. Not only will it tell you the difference between Chicago, New York, and (shudder) California styles. It will also inform you that even Ohio has its own style: Ohio-Valley.

Crystal Symphony, one of
the poll's top medium ships.

After nine years of surveying the cruise industry, Wendy Perrin and her team have discovered that change is its only constant. Given the bounty of new ships, destinations, and amenities, it's tough to keep up, but Perrin can rely on the savvy of Condé Nast Traveler readers, 11,242 of whom rated more than 400 ships according to the highest seafaring standards. Here's a preview of some new ships offering passengers everything they never knew they needed--or wanted:

Carnival Dream (September; 3,646 passengers): Parents can relax in the Cloud 9 spa and adjacent suites, while the kids tackle the four-deck high slide in the water park.

Celebrity Equinox (August; 2,850 passengers): Adjacent to the glassblowing studio, the top deck has a manicured lawn for croquet, putting, and feeling the grass between your toes.

Oasis of the Seas (December; 5,400 passengers): The largest vessel ever built houses Royal Caribbean's first seafaring baby nursery within its 29,000-square-foot Youth Zone.

Click here for more from this year's poll.

Further reading:
* Perrin Report: Snagging cruise deals
* More you must know before scooping up a cruise deal
* Cruise Finder: Choose the right cruise
* Cruising 2.0

Coming soon: Kimchi doughnuts
with green chutney dipping sauce.
Photo: Dirt Candy

by Julia Bainbridge

Chef Amanda Cohen loves vegetables, which she affectionately calls "dirt candy," and has worked at numerous vegetarian restaurants in New York. Her nickname for all things rooted in the earth or growing on trees has become the name of her first solo venture, which she opened in New York's East Village in October 2008.

"I don't care about your health. And I don't care about your politics either. But I do care about cooking vegetables," Cohen says on the Dirt Candy restaurant Web site. Case in point: Jalapeno hush puppies with maple butter and the kimchi doughnuts pictured at left. In non-fried options, Cohen and her sous-chef (they are the only two cooks in the kitchen) serve up spinach soup with smoked tofu dumplings, lemon confit, and water chestnuts; crispy tofu with green ragout and Kaffir lime beurre blanc; and mixed greens--although they get topped with grilled cheese croutons and candied grapefruit pops.

The DT spoke to Cohen last week about healthy snacks she brings to the airport when heading to her hometown of Toronto. Her answer was simple: A picnic. "The last couple times I traveled were soon after 9/11, so the airport was basically shut down," she said. "There was a new terrorist alert--I had to get to the airport early, and I knew I was going to be stuck there forever, so my husband and I had a little picnic. We brought grapes, bread, cheese--although we made sure we didn't buy any smelly cheeses--and cookies." When asked if she went with the theme and brought a blanket to spread on the terminal floor, she said it wasn't necessary. "This was when airlines were still giving away blankets."

As for spots to hit upon arrival in Toronto, find some of Cohen's favorites after the jump.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: We are accepting applications for the 2009 World Savers Awards. To apply, download and complete the relevant applications below. All of them must be sent to worldsavers@cntraveler.com by Monday, February 16, 2009.

Click on these links to download applications for:
* Hotel/Resort Chains
* City Hotels
* Tour Operators
* Resorts, Lodges, Camps
* Cruise Lines

To nominate a business, send its name and any contact information to the same email address, worldsavers@cntraveler.com. For more information on the World Savers Awards, see our 2008 winners.

Further reading:
* 2008 World Savers Congress
* Matt Damon, who opened the 2008 World Savers Congress, on the power of travel
* Go here for regular coverage of social responsibility and travel, a partnership with Population Services International, a commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative, and the creation of the annual World Savers Congress underscore Condé Nast Traveler's desire to make a difference
* Responsible Traveler: Brook Wilkinson, Condé Nast Traveler's consumer news correspondent, covers ecotourism on the Daily Traveler

Last week we told one of our readers how best to find a pad in Venice. This week, the DT turns its attention towards Tuscany. Reader go.cruise asks: Am looking for a small house or an apartment in Tuscany for May or June. Any advice, or Web sites to browse?

Wendy Perrin and her team annually update a list of best villa rental agents, and one of the go-to Tuscany sources is Suzanne B. Cohen of Suzanne B. Cohen & Associates. Her collection includes affordable cottages and, thanks to her warm relationships with villa owners, she can open doors to the best restaurants and private art collections. Contact her through her Web site or directly at 207-622-0743 or suzanne@villaeurope.com.

As far as browsing Web sites goes, Ondine Cohane, contributing editor and Italy expert, says Tuscany Net, Via Travel Design, and Papavero Villa Rentals are all good resources. Feel free to email her, too, if you'd like some insider information: ondine_cohane@condenast.com.

And if you're traveling through Rome and want an apartment there, just check out our sister site, the Perrin Post.

Be honest with yourself: Is this
your idea of roughing it?

by Ondine Cohane

Between November and April I tend to live a pretty nomadic lifestyle, traveling both for work and to visit friends and family. On a recent trip to the Mayan Riviera (as I mentioned in my last entry), I stayed in numerous places, both high-end and low-key, so I thought a lot about the importance of managing expectations when booking into a hotel.

I am comfortable in both luxury spots and more rustic getaways, but I'm frustrated by false advertising or heedless service. (Even if a place costs a couple hundred dollars, the people who work there should make sure guests are having a great time.) Before I commit, I take care to look for places that give a specific and accurate sense of what to expect, and then I make sure those descriptions match my needs and wants. So, how do you go about safeguarding your expectations before devoting time and money to a getaway?

Kenya is Obama country.
Photo: Zoriah

by Sara Tucker

"Obama-mania is here," reported ABC News in the heady days of November. "From delis to barber shops and business offices to bookstores, visitors have been seeking out the Illinois lawmaker's favorite Chicago stomping grounds, sending business spiking . . . The city is not about to miss out on the tourist gold mine."

Neither are a lot of other places: Obama country stretches far and wide. "Ripple effects of Barack Obama's election are already being felt in Kenya," reported the Wall Street Journal, "where the beleaguered tourism industry is preparing for an inaugural-season surge of visitors eager to trace the President-elect's African roots."

From Kenya's Daily Nation: "The once sleepy village [of Kogelo] has been catapulted into the international limelight, in proportions beyond its wildest dreams."

From the Jakarta Post: "U.S. President-elect Barack Obama carries the hope for Bali's tourist industry that his election will bring more visitors to the island."

From The Age: "With his cool cat reputation, [Obama] is expected to do for Washington what the Guggenheim Museum did for Bilbao."

"To see all the places connected to Obama's life story, you'd have to visit three countries, six time zones and six states," pointed out an AP story. "Obama grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia, has roots in Kansas and Kenya, and went to school in Los Angeles, New York and Boston."

Now that President Obama has settled into the Oval Office, tourism officials want to know: Will he deliver the hoped-for masses? Expectations are high.

San Francisco (as portrayed in Milk), Tropic Thunder's Vietnam--actually Hawaii--and Barcelona as filmed by Woody Allen in Vicky Cristina Barcelona are all up for this year's golden trophies.

by Beata Loyfman

Forget about the new president, the skyrocketing unemployment, or even George Clooney's latest acting turn. The real news this week is the announcement of the Academy Award nominations! And why do we care? Because this is one of the most travel-centric collections of films the Oscars have ever seen.

Here are a few examples:
*For those who haven't seen all the nominated films, we apologize for any spoilers*

* The crux of Frost/Nixon is its setting. If Dick Nixon's henchmen hadn't rummaged around the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., in 1972, shining flashlights all over the place and destroying stuff, none of this could have been possible. Ahh, memories.
* Harvey Milk became a national symbol of gay equality and jump-started the movement when he successfully campaigned out of his camera store in the Castro district for a spot on San Francisco's Board of Supervisors. Today, San Fran is one of the country's most liberal cities, and surly Sean Penn has another shot at the podium.
* Penelope Cruz deserves four out of the five Supporting Actress nominations for her turn as the volatile but lovable nutbag in Vicky Cristina Barcelona (Marisa Tomei can have the fifth nom -- we've got a soft spot for her "always a bridesmaid" movie career).
* Suburban Connecticut turns into the sixth circle of hell for the idealistic couple at the center of Revolutionary Road. Its perfect hedges, white picket fences, and Stepford-esque vibe stifles Kate and Leo's bohemian dreams. Heavy.   
* Mumbai unfolds through the doe eyes of Slumdog Millionaire's titular orphan vying for the top spot on Indian Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Just don't expect the locals to break into impromptu Bollywood dance numbers when you visit.
* The Vietnamese jungle is crucial to just about every hilarious plot turn in Tropic Thunder--the film that made us believe in the magic of Tom Cruise all over again (especially that scene where he dances the lawn mower while covered in layers of fat, latex, hair, and moisture). Top that, anti-aging Brad!

Have you ever watched a movie that made you want to travel to its locales (or stay the heck outta town)? Tell us about it. 

Further reading:
* Woody Allen's Barcelona
* Boldface: Celebrity travels

by Barbara S. Peterson

As divers prepare to raise the airplane engine of US Airways flight 1549 from the depths of the frozen Hudson River, the warm and fuzzy--if not saccharine--coverage of the "miracle" on the Hudson continues apace. Unless you've been on Mars, you know what I'm referring to. In the week after flight 1549 averted disaster and splashed down in the Hudson River minutes after taking off from LaGuardia, we've been treated to the christening of a hero--that would be Captain "Sully" Sullenberger, who scored invitations to the presidential inauguration and a key to New York City; hundreds of human interest stories about the remarkable crew and the passengers' bravery in getting off the plane in the frigid waters; a nod to the generosity of the airline--which cut a check of $5,000 for each passenger to compensate them for the inconvenience of waiting what might be months to get their bags back, and some very weird attempts to capitalize on the crash--such as shoe designer Kenneth Cole's billboard over Manhattan's West Side Highway, which today read: "In tough times, some land on their feet (others on the Hudson),"  and went on to thank everyone involved for "all you do."

One of the most unusual aspects of the story so far, however, has to be the admission by a lawyer at a well-known plaintiffs' law firm that there may be few if any lawsuits over US Airways flight 1549.

by John Oseid

If the zeitgeist of our age is irony, how perfect that urbane German crooner Max Raabe and his Palast Orchester have revived the world-weary, tongue-in-cheek cabaret hits of the Weimar era. On a recent bitter cold evening, I traveled to upper Fifth Avenue and nestled into the Neue Galerie's intimate Viennese-style Café Sabarsky. The tuxedoed baritone, accompanied by pianist Christoph Israel, punctuated his sly expressions and exaggerated rolling Rs with dry wit: "Music has always been closely tied to destiny and personal tragedy. Who cares, as long as you're not involved." Over the course of the show, Raabe shifted seamlessly into falsetto--and the two of them can whistle like nobody's business. It took four curtain calls before the audience let the duo retire for the night.

Forty-six-year-old Raabe doesn't put on some sort of parody act. His waltzes, rumbas, tangos, and fox-trots are the real thing. Now you can discover him, too, on the new two-CD set Heute Nacht Oder Nie (Tonight or Never), recorded with his full 13-member Palast Orchester during their live 2007 Carnegie Hall performance. Was, Du sprichts kein Deutsch? Doesn't matter, the album is filled with zany rhyming tunes. "Mein Gorilla hat 'ne Villa im Zoo" is a hoot even if you can't quite suss out that your gorilla has a villa in the zoo. Plus, his repertoire features plenty of English standards like "Singin' in the Rain" and "Cheek to Cheek."

Over the weekend, Daily Traveler reader Vmccurly asked: I need an apartment or bed and breakfast for six nights in Venice, Italy.  Do you have any recommendations?  What is the best way to travel from Pisa to Perugia and then on to Venice?

Start with a visit to Wendy's Rolodex of Top Villa Agents. There you will see that the right person to contact for an apartment is Denise Corsile of Venice Rentals in Quincy, Massachusetts. Based in Venice eight months of the year and married to a Venetian, Corsile knows her properties. You won't find info about individual apartments on her Web site; after an initial consultation over the phone, she'll send links to the Web pages of the properties she deems most suitable (617-472-5392; mail@venicerentals.com; venicerentals.com).

And of course, our readers aren't shy about pushing their favorite Venetian hotels.

With President Barack Obama now snug inside a security blanket of Secret Service agents and assorted military hardware, it's doubtful that he will be saddling up for a burger at the Kua 'Aina Sandwich Shop anytime soon. But his misfortune could be your benefit the next time you are in Oahu.  The February 2009 issue Condé Nast Traveler pays its respects to the 44th president with a guide to Obama's Hawaiian haunts--a sampling of eateries, beaches, and hang-outs blessed with a local vibe.

A sample below:

Kua 'Aina Sandwich Shop This perpetually packed North Shore burger joint is an Obama favorite; he visited in 2006, shortly before he announced his candidacy, and again last summer. It was on the 2006 trip that Condé Nast Traveler contributor Pico Iyer first encountered Obama, an experience he recalls fondly: "To meet the future president in a little shack over celestial avocado burgers is something you couldn't hope for at the Four Seasons or La Tour d'Argent" (66-160 Kamehameha Hwy.; 808-637-6067; burgers, $7-$9).

Airplot is Greenpeace's
scheme to prevent a
third runway at Heathrow.

by Brook Wilkinson

Last week, Greenpeace announced that it had bought up a plot of land intended for Heathrow's proposed third runway, which was recently approved by Parliament. The environmental group intends to distribute ownership of the field among thousands of its supporters (including actress Emma Thompson) in an attempt to stymie Heathrow's expansion--you can sign up online to claim "beneficial ownership" yourself. Greenpeace argues that the added air travel will raise the U.K.'s greenhouse emissions to unacceptable levels. The planned runway would also require the bulldozing of the entire village of Sipson. The British government argues that the expansion will create much-needed jobs, but a study commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund found that the project would in fact lead to a $7 billion loss.

If you were traveling through Heathrow around noon last Saturday, you likely ran into masses of demonstrators wearing bright red "STOP Airport Expansion" T-shirts. This flash mob was also the work of Greenpeace U.K.

And if you have indeed been through Heathrow lately, you no doubt have encountered its infamous delays. We at Condé Nast Traveler do whatever we can to fly through an alternate European hub (I'm a fan of Amsterdam's Schiphol, personally). But a third runway is likely only to increase congestion, and according to the World Development Movement, it will produce the same amount of greenhouse gases annually as does the entire nation of Kenya. Sounds like some poor planning to me.

Further reading:
* Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon and Emma Thompson fall out over the third runway
* Responsible Traveler: Making a difference

Some of the nation's top chefs will be taking their talents on tour with the aim of helping to feed hungry kids. A Tasteful Pursuit, as the tour is known, kicks off on January 26 at New York's Lever House Restaurant, where chef Bradford Thompson will be joined by Terrance Brennan and chocolatier Jacques Torres. Other stops on the tour include Palm Beach, Nashville, Washington, D.C., and Dallas.

A Tasteful Pursuit is the brainchild of Share Our Strength, an organization devoted to ending childhood hunger in America.  According to the organization's Web site, more than 12.6 million children in America--that's one in six--are at risk of hunger. Here are some more sobering stats. Thankfully, chefs such as Michelle Bernstein (Michy's, Miami), Don Yamauchi, (Forté Restaurant, Birmingham, MI), and Zach Bell, (Café Boulud Palm Beach) will be cooking for the country and, ultimately, its kids.

Check here for a schedule of this year's dinners.

Further reading:
* Bradford Thompson is also involved with Chefs for Humanity
* Condé Nast Traveler's Five & Alive Fund: Improve the health of children five and under
* Catch of the Day: International noshables