by Nola Lee Kelsey   (pub. Dog's Eye View Media, 2010)

 Not Your Stockbroker's Vacation

The author writes, “This unique animal rescue center cares for over 100 endangered sloths and the numbers continue to increase. Many are orphans...Sometimes babies fall from a tree and their mothers are too simply too afraid to descend to the ground to retrieve them because of their natural fear of predators, humans, and dogs....Adult sloths arrive with life-threatening injuries from power lines, encounters with cars, dogs, even cruel humans. Baby sloths are quite delicate...” Check it out at www. slothrescue.org and to check out the book, go to Amazon.

Houston 27 July Continental Airlines is doing a 180 and business travelers are loving it. The carrier has launched service on its 25^th airplane that offers  BusinessFirst  seats and some extra amenities. It happened when the plane, a Boeing 757-200, flew from Orlando (MCO) to Newark (EWR) on July 12..

The Boeing 757 BusinessFirst fly between Newark and Amsterdam, Barcelona, Belfast, Berlin, Birmingham, Bristol, Copenhagen, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hamburg, Lima, Lisbon, London/Heathrow, Madrid, Manchester, Oslo, Paris, Shannon and Stockholm. On the  other hand, Continental Boeing 767-400 BusinessFirsters fly between Newark and Athens, Brussels, Geneva, Paris, Paris and Rio de Janeiro. Rome and Zurich; and between Houston and Amsterdam, Paris and Rio de Janeiro.

There are 16 seats in the  BusinessFirst  class For more information, click here.

Orlando 16 July What’s black, cold, vast and totally indifferent. If you guessed the universe, give yourself a prize. On the other hand, space is kinda all warm and fuzzy in the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. And this summer, new activities make the experience so much more fascinating. You can go boldly to “Star Trek Live!,” described as an ‘interactive stage show.” The audience members plays the role of Starfleet Academy cadets; and, in the process, learn about  science.

What’s New this Summer at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex:

• ”Exploration Space: Explorers Wanted” is a  interactive, multimedia 10,000 foot exhibit that makes you feel as if you are in space and discovering wonders and wonder

• ”Science On a Sphere” is all about the Earth; but it is as if you were looking at the blue marble from space. You see hurricanes, air traffic, changes in sea currents and temperatures on a globe that has a six-foot diameter.

• The IMAX film, “Hubble 3D” is also at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. (see below)

And, of course, there are the permanent exhibits and installations. For more information, call 877.313.2610 or click here.

Hubbled Masses in New York

New York 14 July At last! A film, filled with adventure and discovery and profundity and Leonardo DiCaprio, is here. We’re not talking Hollywood blockbuster. And, no, it’s probably not at a theater near you; but it —The IMAX film Hubble— is at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. The stirring DiCaprio-narrrated,  43-minute documentary about the Hubble Space Telescope recounts the amazing eye in the sky’s story. In the course of the film we see  thrilling footage of rocket blast-offs, walks in space, Astronaut training,  the Earth from space, and —most of all—space.  Nebulae, galaxies, myriad stars are all displayed in the stunning, crisp, powerful  IMAX format. Screenings of the film take place daily every hour on the  half-hour between 10:30 AM and 4:30 PM. For tickets, call 212.769.5200 or click here

New Robert Mondavi Sparkling Wine

Woodbridge When is a new wine good news for travelers? (Hint: always.)

The recent launch of Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Brut Sparkling deserves attention. The new bubbly white has all the attributes a wine drinker can adore  — delightful taste, goes with most anything, and it’s inexpensive ($9.99/750ml.). Traveler calls it “10-buck Bob.” It’s a perfect take-along for a day (or night) at the beach, a picnic, music under the stars, an out-of-the-way  BYOB restaurant, post-guided tour hotel room relaxation moment and so on. For more information, click here.

 Single Parents and Kids Vacation Idea

St. Simons Island, Georgia No, It’s not a couples getaway or a girlfriends getaway. It’s a “Single Parents Family Getaway,” and it’s taking place at The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort. The idea is to create a package (and a destination) for single parents who want to take summer trips with their kids The package includes  a “Sand Pail” of  filled with information about such things to see and do as St. Simons Ghost Walk, Sea Turtle Center, Golden Isles Speedway, Helicopter Ride above the Golden Isles, St. Simons Historic Trolley Ride and Eco Tour and Kayaking; free breakfast buffet for each parent; and Family Snack delivered to your room. The “Single Parents Family Getaway,” is available for the following dates: 9-11 July, 20-22 August and 27-29.August. King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort also is offering its “Beach, Bed & Breakfast Package.” In addition to the room, starting at $215 per night, the package includes ·a  Full “Southern Breakfast Buffet” for Two each morning. the package is in effect through 14 August.

For more information, call 800.342.0212  or click here.

New Andaz Hotel on Wall Street

 New York On 2 February 2010, Hyatt opened its third Andaz brand hotel. An Aquarius, then – cool, friendly, modern, liberating, and thrillingly odd. It is sited at Wall and Water Streets in the heart of New York City's Financial district. (The other two are in London and West Hollywood.) The Andaz Wall Street is a short sprint away from South Street Seaport and a shake of a lamb’s tail from Trinity Church. In a few more blocks you’re at St. Paul's Chapel and that holiest of tourist holies, Century 21 department store. Andaz Wall Street is in the heart of a NYC beehive; and when you step inside, you’re at rest. At ease, soldier.

Traveler had to investigate.

When concocting this new brand, Hyatt may have also launched a new hotel category — defined  not so much by price point (although  it gives plenty of bang for the buck), as by the indie spirit. Pampering but not luxe; cost-saving but not shabby.  It’s kind of just right. Goldilocks would love it.

New York State of Mind

Each Andaz hotel is designed to be awash in local vibe. This new location, designed by David Rockwell and Rockwell Group, conveys New York City’s 24/7 activity and yet offers comfort and ease to its guests. All  the bustle  and none of the hustle.

A smiling “host," carrying an ultra small laptop greets you. Don't worry. The host won't ask you to sign a petition. Instead he or she will take you to comfortable chairs in the airy, cheery Lounge (a/k/a/ lobby) and offer you wine, soda, juice or coffee, and then gently check you in. Hosts also carry your bags, give information and act as concierges.

The Lounge  has an intimate feel. guests can gather here for a welcome (and complementary) croissant, coffee, little snacks, juice and wine (depending on time of day). Wait a minute! Something is missing. The stylings are contemporary. Art is all over the place: but... but where’s the 'tude?  Allow yourself the faintest of smiles. The guest — that's you — is the one who’s cool here.

Hip and modern the  Andaz Wall Street hotel may be, but its corridors manage to have pinstripe grey walls without being gloomy. In fact, they are futuristic. Lighted room numbers are beamed onto the doors. Welcome to room 1012.

 The Rooms

While the hotel leans toward the minimalist, it never takes you into frost territory. With white walls and black tiles, plenty of whites. blacks and greys meet the eye. They are tempered by textures or patterns or both.

The space ordinarily would be a suite divided into separate rooms. Instead it suggests New York style loft-living. Discreet areas have clearly defined functions. Pale ash furniture both pleases the eye and is utilitarian. A long blonde table, bridging  office and sleeping areas, serves several roles. A 42” flat screen TV rests on the section facing the bed. Beneath the TV are the fridge and safe. (By the way, minibar snacks and nonalcoholic drinks are free as are wireless internet access and local phone calls.) The other side of the table serves as desk and vanity table. The telephone and so-easy-to-access electrical outlet on the work surface make it fun to play office. Under the adjoining table section is a bench facing a mirror. Actually the vanity mirror is mounted on (are you ready for this?) the back of the TV screen.

The –ahem- facilities are separated from the rest of the room by a glass door. Like Gaul, the WC is divided into three parts. In the center is the sink and all that serve it. Turn left and go through the glass door for the shower and its rainfall showerhead.  There’s another glass door to the sink’s right and that leads to the commode. What solitary bliss! It is as black and tall and shiny in there as a monolith from 2001; A Space Odyssey. Toilet amenities are lovely Bigelow lavender/peppermint goos and gels. There’s no shower cap, but they cheerfully beam you one up,  with toothpaste and extra pillows on request. (Traveler not only has an airport hotel fetish but a pillow fetish.) The Andaz pillows are made by San Francisco-based Down Etc. Enough of sleep. Traveler must work.

 The Restaurant

Opposite a Bolton’s, Duane Reade drug store and a Verizon shop is a hidden haven, the hotel’s restaurant, Wall & Water. It offers seasonal dishes, crafted from regionally sourced ingredients. Traveler chowed down in the final days of the restaurant’s winter menu. Again the word  intimate arises. With its roomy, open, stainless steel kitchen, the dining area is divided into three sections: the 12-seat chef’s table by the kitchen, the main dining room, and a lovely, private dining  room.  The main dining room has olive-toned banquettes. Live wood tables are made of Guanacaste. Tilted mirrors way up high reflect the street views revealed by large windows - Oh, look! There goes another taxi! -.and give a subtle sense of constant activity.

Traveler did not have to search for vegetarian dishes. They had a menu category all their own, with a selction of three (two more than you often find in other places).

Try to resist an excellent crusty farmhouse bread, served with well salted butter? Not possible. Then, starters – an endive salad  (endive, candied brazil nuts, blue cheese), pumpkin  soup (poured from a pitcher into tea cups, containing a soft dot of goat cheese, fresh ginger strips and baby carrot strips), and mushroom salad with oysters, criminis and chanterelles. Entrees were vegetarian pie (with carrots, onions, and chickpeas in a lovely flaky crust) and  a. winter greens plate (with ricotta cheese baked until it looks like a flat matzo and tender Swiss chard, sprinkled with raisins).  Dessert was berry crumble with crème anglaise and prune with Armagnac ice cream. Both the vegetable pie and the crumble were served in black iron ramekins

For the winter menu, the chef chose a lot of humbler vegetables and did  them nicely. Although not a fan of root vegetables, Traveler appreciated the preparation. Gabi, our server was top class; her menu suggestions were pitch-perfect.

Breakfast also is served at Wall & Water.  Eggs can be Florentine with Hollandaise or Béchamel sauce. Traveler opted for both. Traveler loved the spherical poached eggs —so very outer space — and the accompanying cippolini onions and grilled cherry tomatoes. Do not miss the generous side of woodsy mushrooms, so delicious they might as well have been psychedelic. The personable Kevin McQueen, breakfast server, would do a billionaire power breakfast proud, and does.  Masters of the Universe expect nothing less.

New Luxury Inn in Oregon

Copyright © Andrea Johnson Photography

 New York If you’re hankering for something a  bit more exotic than, say, international travel and you’re in New York, you might want to stop by the American Museum of Natural History. Its Rose Center for Earth and Space (a/k/a/ the Hayden Planetarium) is now showing one of its inimitable space shows, Journey to the Stars. Narrated by Whoopi Goldberg and using incredible images from space plus some beautiful simulations, the show depicts the life  cycle of stars. You’ll see supernovas, the birth of Earth’s sun, galaxies, clusters and other assorted space wonders. It’s  not the most informative show ever seen in the museum; but it’s still an extravaganza and it’s still space. For more information, click here.