Allergic Girl to the rescue.

New York Magazine recently alerted the Daily Traveler to Sloane Miller, a.k.a. Allergic Girl, a woman on a mission to help people with severe allergies enjoy all aspects of life . . . including travel. After falling in love with her eating-allergy blog, Please Don't Pass the Nuts, the DT got a chance to ask some questions. 

CNT: So, I'm allergic to peanuts, and I'm going to Thailand. What do I do?

Miller: Oy, do you have to go? Okay, okay, you do, I hear it's wonderful. My tips: Do your homework before you leave. Bring a chef card in Thai and any other indigenous languages you may need. Selectwisely.com has translated cards. Talk to the Thai consulate; they should be a font of information on cuisine and travel. Go to your local Thai restaurant; ask them what dishes should be safe for you whilst there. Go to the library and pick up some books on Thai cuisine; familiarize yourself with the names of traditional dishes that could be problematic so you can identify them. Concierges at top Western hotels in Thailand should be able to guide you, and they will speak English (the restaurants in those hotels will probably be safer, as well). Take your prescriptions; take extras. Make sure you have the names of Western doctors in Thailand. Get traveler's insurance. And, oh yeah, have a great time!

CNT: How did you become an expert on this subject?

Lisa Gill, keeper of the List

by Tom Loftus

Another introductory post here, and this time we're debuting 5 Questions with... where Conde Nast Traveler editors sit down with a person of interest to the world of travel. Our person of interest this week? Senior editor Lisa Gill, who only just put down her pen from this year's Hot List. Find out what she has to say about the process below.

CNT: So what makes a property worthy of the Hot List?

Gill: There is no checklist per se, but a hotel is mostly evaluated for the combination of its design, service, location, and value for the money. Moreover, we also look for a "wow" factor that leaves an impression on the guest. There's a real broad range of properties--from a smart guesthouse in Siem Reap that goes for $70 a night to a winery estate/hotel on 900 acres in the Douro Valley that goes for 1,000 euros a night. And lots of stuff in between.