Grand finale: "Trio of Miniature Housemade Gelato Cones" at John Ash in Santa Rosa, CA., July 5, 2007.

by Wendy Perrin

The results of the WHERE'S WENDY? contest have been tallied, and it should surprise nobody that the  grand prize -- a free three-night stay in a deluxe room at the J.W. Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa -- goes to Tracker1312.  Anyone who's been following our game from the start -- and, if you haven't, you can click here to replay it in its entirety --  knows that Tracker's ability to divine where on earth I am at any moment is superhuman.  Some WHERE'S WENDY? players even wondered if Tracker was hiding in my suitcase. Personally, I was most bowled over when she guessed which cruise-ship cabin I was in!  Tracker, please shoot me your address and I'll mail you your prize certificate.

The title of Runner-up goes to LoriB, who won 3 rounds and showed great sportsmanship throughout. LoriB, you get lunch or dinner with me at the restaurant of your choice. Honorable mention goes to the two players from New Zealand, Kiwiwriter and TheGlobalTraveller, who hung in there till the end, despite sleep and travel schedules that made any thought of winning virtually impossible.

Good job, everybody, and happy travels until our next contest!

The dining room at John Ash & Co., where I always dine when I'm in Sonoma County, CA.

by Wendy Perrin

Congrats to LoriB, who aced half of the final round of the WHERE'S WENDY? contest by guessing I was at John Ash, a culinary mainstay of Santa Rosa, CA.  But nobody has managed to guess what I was drinking. In other words, I finally stumped the WHERE'S WENDY? crew  --  about time, huh? -- and I did it by choosing a cocktail that is no longer on the menu!  Pictured at left is the mystery drink, should anyone care to take another stab at it.  At right: Another treat not on the regular menu: peach, plum, and apricot crisp with vanilla gelato. And, below, one of my favorite things on the menu:

The Ahi Tuna Tartare Tower, comprised of wasabi potato salad and guacamole topped with tuna and tobiko caviar, and served with wonton chips. Yum!

At Safari West near Santa Rosa, California, giraffes come right up to you . . .

. . . and may try to give you kisses.

by Wendy Perrin

Kudos to Kiwiwriter, who won yesterday's WHERE'S WENDY? round by guessing I was at Safari West, a wildlife park in Sonoma County where the kids had a blast:

Here's a close-up of the plane I landed next to yesterday, July 3, 2007.

by Wendy Perrin

Okay, folks, I'm finding this WHERE'S WENDY? contest a little frustrating:  You guys are too clever! Try as I might, I never manage to stump you.  TheGlobalTraveller and Tracker1312 both figured out where I was yesterday: The Sonoma County Airport in Windsor, California. In case you're wondering what airborne vehicle I landed in:

My husband gave me a balloon ride for my birthday. Two balloons went up at once (which helps one's photos enormously).

Look who joined in the fun:

by Wendy Perrin

I shot this picture as we were landing here this morning, July 3, 2007.

There are only 3 rounds left to the WHERE'S WENDY? contest, so it's time for me to get really tough. 

Where am I?  Please name the place, city, and state.

Doug, 3, and Charlie, 5, all geared up for a local parade, July 1, 2007.

by Wendy Perrin

I'm still in a state of astonishment that Tracker1312 managed to figure out, in fewer than 40 minutes, where I was in the last WHERE'S WENDY? round.  After a week-long business trip spent first on a ship in the Mediterranean and then driving through Spain, I'm now reunited with my husband and kids.

In the boys' wagon were 50 pounds of Tootsie Rolls (each wrapped in American-flag wrapping, naturally), which Tim helped the boys throw to the kids watching yesterday's early-July-4th parade.

Where am I?  A couple more clues:

by Wendy Perrin

I spent today among more vineyards and rolling hills.

Lunch was prosciutto and mozzarella on focaccia, with a glass of Chardonnay.

by Wendy Perrin

This artisan textile studio handweaves gorgeous wool scarves, shawls, and blankets.  Buy them here and  you'll pay half what you'd pay if you bought them in boutiques elsewhere in Spain.  Where am I?

This is the main square of the town where the shop is located.

A few more clues:

by Wendy Perrin

Tracker1312 managed to guess where I was yesterday: San Millan de la Cogolla, Spain.

The Monasterio de Yuso in San Millan is an important pilgrimage site with many claims to fame, but the one I find most interesting is this:

See the handwriting next to the printed Latin text?  Those are the first words ever written in the Spanish language.  They were scribbled by a monk up on the hill at the Monasterio de Suso -- the one that looked familiar to LoriB:

by Wendy Perrin

This sign hangs at the entrance to the town of Laguardia in Spain's La Rioja wine country. It reads, "Peace to those who arrive. Health to those who live here. Happiness to those who leave."

When you last heard from me I was in the charming village of Laguardia, but of course I've moved on from there.  Can you guess where I am?  Here are your clues:

This truck is driving on a road that leads to . . .

The terrace of the vinoteca at the Hotel Marques de Riscal, designed by Frank Gehry.

by Wendy Perrin

Okay, you found me: Yesterday I stopped by the stylish new hotel attached to the Marques de Riscal winery. It's in Elciego (which means "The Blind Man") in the heart of Spain's La Rioja wine region, and it also happens to be on Conde Nast Traveler's 2007 Hot List.

Marques de Riscal is one of Spain's oldest and most venerated wineries.

Afterward I stumbled upon fiesta preparations in a nearby hilltop village:

by Wendy Perrin

Yesterday, on my way north from Zaragoza, I stopped here for a glass of wine with a view. 

Where am I?  Name the town and the vinoteca.

by Wendy Perrin

Here I'm in the middle of a street looking in one direction.

And here I am on the same street, looking in the opposite direction.

One more clue:

On some nights when it's in Valencia for the America's Cup, Silversea Cruises' Silver Whisper docks right next to Port America's Cup.

Port America's Cup as seen from the ship as it pulled out to sea for another afternoon of race watching today.

by Wendy Perrin

The WHERE'S WENDY? gang has deduced I'm onboard the Silver Whisper.  But nobody's pinpointed the correct cabin number yet.  A few clues:

The port of Algiers, Algeria, at 5:00 p.m. today.

by Wendy Perrin

Tracker, do you work for the C.I.A.?  How on earth do you find me so quickly?   I'm not sure how I'm going to stump you, so let's try this:  What's my next stop?   Even harder, where am I at this moment?   Here's one more clue:

by Wendy Perrin

Today I explored this ancient Roman city by the sea.

The Autoridad Portuaria de Valencia, Spain, June 24, 2007.

by Wendy Perrin

Apparently at the same moment that I was publishing my last clue saying that nobody had correctly named the building, Tracker was posting a comment correctly naming the building. Congrats, Tracker!

The SuperYacht Marina at Port America's Cup.  Note the balloon in the distance. How fun would that be?

by Wendy Perrin

Hey Kiwiwriter, you didn't wake up too late!  You say that Tracker and Lori "seem to have listed every possible name for the white building" . . . except that they haven't.   Nobody has correctly given the name of the clock-tower building as written (in Spanish) on its facade.  Just in case there's any confusion, I'm talking about the sea-facing facade: the one that was behind me when I shot the photo above.

Tracker, you're right:  Valencia is a really cool city.  I only wish I had more time here.  Gotta keep moving, or you guys might get bored.  Lori, I promise: No more building names!  And Kiwiwriter, just for you I'll wait till tomorrow evening (my time) to post the next clue. (And yes, I'm up waaaaay too late... and I'm not even partying with racers or doing a tapas pub crawl. I'm furiously writing my September issue Perrin Report!)

I snapped this picture as I strolled around Port America's Cup this morning.

by Wendy Perrin

As the WHERE'S WENDY? gang has cleverly guessed, I'm in Valencia, Spain, at the 32nd America's Cup.  (Hooray!  New Zealand won today!)

But can you guess where I am more precisely?  Name the white building in the photo above. Here's another peek at it:

Behind the spectator boats, you can (just barely) make out Switzerland's Alinghi (white spinnaker) and Emirates Team New Zealand (red spinnaker)-- the two sailboats that raced today in the first match of the 32nd America's Cup. June 23, 2007

by Wendy Perrin

I'm not sure anyone has correctly named the port and building yet!  The city is indeed Valencia, and the jets are indeed the Patrulla Aguila -- the aerobatic demonstration team of the Spanish Air Force which, together with the Patrouille Suisse, kicked off the 32nd America's Cup with an air show.  As for the port and the building, the names given so far are not the same as what's written on the America's Cup maps and literature around here.  So I feel I've got to be a stickler and ask again: What's the official name of the port, and what's the official (Spanish) name of the building?

Here's the port at night, viewed from about the same vantage point as yesterday. See the lit-up building on the left with red lights on top?  That's the team base for today's winner, Alinghi.  June 23, 2007

by Wendy Perrin

And this building was completed only last year.

Where am I?  Name the city, port, building, and jets.

Charles De Gaulle Airport, Paris, June 22, 2007. This morning I transferred to the terminal pictured above to catch a connecting flight to the city where I am now.

by Wendy Perrin

Another day, another delay.  My Newark-Paris flight arrived two hours late, so I missed my connecting flight.  I rebooked to a later flight . . . which also ended up being delayed.  After finally taking off, we were in the air for 1 hour and 25 minutes before touching down in the city where I am now.  It's a city whose name is the title of a song in a show playing on Broadway.  And here's your last clue:

This sign is in the final airport where I arrived at long last, 6 1/2 hours late.

Okay, all you aficionados of airline schedules, low-cost carriers, and Broadway show tunes:  Where am I?  Name BOTH the Paris terminal I flew out of (pictured at top) AND the city where I am now.

Upon learning that my flight was delayed 5 1/2 hours, I stood in this line for a whopping 2 hours to get my ticket switched to another airline.

by Wendy Perrin

There's nothing like a 5 1/2-hour airline delay to kick off a trip.  I was supposed to take a 5:10 p.m. flight that was scheduled to land at 6:40 a.m.  The delay would have made me miss my onward connection, so I switched airlines. Now I'm taking off at 7:10 p.m. and touching down at 8:40 a.m.  No, wait!  They just announced another delay!  Aaaarrrggh.

One more clue as to my whereabouts:

Where am I?  Name both the airport and the terminal (and, if you really want to impress me, the gate).

The Where's Wendy? Contest begins on the afternoon of June 21 and ends on July 8.  Click here to read the official rules.

 
Tracker1312 guessed it! This is Podvorye, a famed Russian restaurant near the entrance to Pavlovsk Park outside St. Petersburg.

 
Inside Podvorye: The entertainment may be a bit kitschy, but the food is fabulous, the atmosphere welcoming, and the location perfect for lunch after a morning spent exploring Catherine Palace.

by Wendy Perrin

Congrats to Tracker1312, who guessed yesterday's clue: The place is Podvorye, a traditional dacha-style restaurant serving authentic Russian country fare and located in the town of Tsarskoe Selo (which translates as Tsar's Village and was formerly known as Pushkin). Rumor has it that Podvorye is Vladimir Putin's favorite restaurant; he took the former President Bush there.

If you followed the trail of guesses in response to yesterday's clue, you know that Tracker1312 had help: TheGlobalTraveller was first to place the mystery building near one of the Imperial parks outside St. Petersburg. Very impressive indeed. Kiwiwriter also helped, by deducing that the mystery building was a restaurant.

But the truth is that this game could have been won by anyone holding a March 2007 issue of Conde Nast Traveler. Look at the picture on p. 98!

This little brainteaser was just to put you in the mood for the WHERE IN THE WORLD IS WENDY? contest that starts tomorrow in the late afternoon. For info on the rules and the prize, click here. And fasten your seatbelts!

 
Me and my notebook in Catherine Palace -- a must-see on any Russian iconic itinerary -- in Oct 2006, before lunch at Podvorye.

Can anybody guess where on earth this is?  Clue: It's in one of the countries I've written about on this blog.

by Wendy Perrin

I'm getting excited. So are KiwiWriter and LoriB, two of the stars of the last WHERE'S WENDY? contest, who have written in to say they're psyched to play again.  CoralsO?  Tracker1312?  Seafarer?  Scory?   Are you gearing up again too?  I hope all the rest of you loyal readers are ready to join in the fun as well.  It's gonna be a wild ride this time.  I may end up hitting three continents.

Here's how the game works: Every day I post photos of the place in the world where I am, with accompanying clues.  If you think you know where I am, you click on "Post a comment" and enter your guess.  The first person to guess my location wins the round.  There will be 15 rounds, and whoever wins the most rounds wins the contest.

Last time the prize was lunch with me at the restaurant of the winner's choice. This time we've upped the ante. In addition to lunch, the winner gets a free three-night stay in a deluxe room at the J.W. Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa.

To help get you in the mood for the game, take a look at the photo above.  Can anybody guess where I was when I shot this?  Name both the town and the building.

The mystery lunch spot: Bartley's Burgers, across from Harvard Yard in Cambridge, Massachusetts, June 8, 2007.

by Wendy Perrin

Congratulations to TheGlobalTraveller for guessing -- based on the few clues provided -- where I took WHERE'S BROOK? contest winner Susan Cory to lunch on Friday: Bartley's Burgers in Cambridge, Mass. Great job, GlobalTraveller!

CoralsO, don't think we've forgotten about you:  I know we owe you lunch too, since you aced the final WHERE'S BROOK? round that had everyone else stumped.  CoralsO, please email either Brook, if you're headed out to San Francisco any time soon, or me, next time you're back in New York, so we can coordinate.

GlobalTraveller, you deserve lunch too, dontcha think?  Especially since you were the only one to even hazard a guess in response to this latest brainteaser!  (Of course, that could also be because of the problem with our comment-posting mechanism over the last few days; hopefully that glitch has been ironed out for good.)  GlobalTraveller, please let me know where you're traveling during the next few months, as I'll be on the move too.  Perhaps our paths will cross for lunch.  If not, I'll be sure to let you know next time I'm bound for that fabulous country of yours -- my favorite in the world!  (Note to Perrin Post neophytes: GlobalTraveller also happens to be Kiwi Flyer, one of the forces behind FlyerTalk's blog The Gate, which in my opinion is required reading for any frequent business traveler.)

Speaking of travel this summer, all you loyal readers should know that I'll be off on another trip -- and starting another WHERE'S WENDY? contest -- next Thursday, June 21. This time I may actually end up hitting three continents. And this time the thoughtful folks at J.W. Marriott are donating a prize!  So, in addition to winning lunch with me at the restaurant of your choice, the winner will also get a free 3-night stay in a deluxe room at the J.W. Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa.  So mark June 21 on your calendar!

One slice of the menu at Bartley's -- a Cambridge landmark.