Jul 17, 2011

As the world’s hearts and minds are turned towards Japan, a reminder of the country’s beauty and strength has bloomed in our own nation’s capital. The annual National Cherry Blossom Festival is underway in Washington, DC, and this year the festival is perfectly poised to bring awareness to Japan Relief Efforts through donation collection and fundraising

Mar 14, 2011

Lonely Planet is eleasing a brand new iPhone city guide for Austin and it will be FREE from March 9-15 for those heading to SXSW! Even if you spend most of your time at the festival venues, you’ll want to take advantage of everything Austin has to offer. With the new location aware app, you’ll know the best place to grab a late-night meal at the end

When I first started In The Know Traveler almost five years ago. I never planned to run a single story about the United States. Yes, I know that it’s my home and a great place to live and visit, but I had planned to promote destinations outside of it. After all, the US is the number one traveled place in the world and I have driven across it several times

At the end of September, Miami will have a new attraction worth visiting. It’s a park with the famous Miami Circle as its center piece. The Miami Circle was discovered, by accident, in 1998. It’s a sacred site of the Tequesta Indians, a civilisation which lived long the Miami River 2000 years ago. It’s also (so far) the only testimony of the

Sightseeing makes hungry and what the exhausted traveler needs to calm those grumbles in his stomach is a nice place to eat and rest, with great and abundant food at a price that won’t burn too big a hole in the budget. Tobacco Road Restaurant in downtown Miami fits the bill perfectly. For starters, the place is full of history. It’s Miami’s

You simply can’t visit Miami and not go on a tour of the Everglades. I didn’t hire a car this time, so I went on a guided tour. Mine happened to be with Duck Tours who also do the hilarious trips around Miami and Miami Beach on an amphicar, but that’s another story. There are several tours to choose from, so it doesn’t really matter which

I love B & B’s. Nice ones anyway. So I was so excited to find one right in my own backyard. (I’m also a VERY big fan of “in-town getaways”…) The Daisy Polk Inn in Dallas, Texas is one of the last remaining, impeccably restored Arts and Crafts houses in the city. It has been decorated and furnished to period perfection. When I

Pagoda is a fun place to eat with the family when you’re on Oahu. Both Locals and tourists alike enjoy the relaxed atmosphere, and the friendly service. The most unusual aspect of this restaurant is that it is surrounded by a large Koi pond, so it seems like the restaurant is “floating” on the fish pond. When friends come from the mainland to visit, I

OK. Maybe I’m a bit biased when it comes to Hawaii. While I’m not the least bit surprised that National Geographic Traveler has named Kona Village Resort to its annual “Stay List,” I’m surprised that only five Hawaii properties were actually tapped for this prestigious group. Regardless, I have included this wonderful retreat on my own personal roster

I saw a hilarious comedy at the Hawaii Theatre last night. Defending the Caveman is a Broadway show starring Isaac Lamb, who has been performing the comedy for 5 years. He has great mastery for the timing of the show and really owns the stage. The show explores the differences between men and women in some ways that I’ve never heard before. It is endearing,

Welcome to my new column “Surround Sounds” dedicated to giving you the hotness on what’s good in the city. Let’s start with a staple. Two words, two syllables a piece, and a haven to discuss finance and what little details you can disseminate about your Vegas weekend. Yes, my friends the blissfully fleeting moments known as Happy Hour. Nikki’s

Real men don’t eat salads. But grown men do. As your favorite grown man reporting on the best places to do all things LA, I sit in West Subs doing just that, and enjoying it. No, I haven’t gone soft but this healthy green salad accompanying my meal has thrown me a curve ball. It’s disregarded my maturity level, strategically placing raisins atop my fork

With my trip to Ireland just around the corner, St. Patrick’s Day brings with it an added touch of nostalgia for all things Irish. And what better place to plant yourself for the National Holiday of Ireland than on the streets of Dublin? Well, if in addition to the Irish obsession, you’ve also got a hankering for all things Italian, New Orleans might be the

I never consider myself much of a “foodie,” someone who knows and understands the complexity of making delicious meals. Moreover, I don’t know how to write about food — within itself also an art form. However, I like food, a lot! I love eating, and believe that food can be one of the great joys in life. Even though I lack the skills to

You’re never too old to learn something new. Any traveler can tell you that. I learned this week that for a real baseball fan, attending a spring training game can be a more enjoyable experience than a regular season game. The Cactus League, in Arizona, hosts spring training games for many major league teams every year, and has been doing so since 1946