Tours in Buenos Aires

Pottery and Provisions in Mashiko

Sarah — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:30:00 +0000

Founded by creative genius Hiroshi Baba, Starnet is a compound of sorts, showcasing the work of artists across several mediums, including music, ceramics, clothing, and woodwork.

Located in Mashiko, a town long noted for its earthy pottery and rustic glazes (and an easy hour's train ride from Tokyo), Starnet encompasses a shop, cafe, gallery, and studio housed in renovated farm buildings. Baba was one of the first in Japan to embrace organic gardening; much of the produce used for the cafe is grown on the premises. Their reach has expanded to include a line of Starnet Foods and a custom line of ceramics available in their new Tokyo and Osaka Starnet outposts.

Above: Image via Kitchen Label

Above: The Starnet store in Mashiko features locally made goods and other handcrafted pieces.

Above: A handmade leather bag with a display of berries.

Above: A collection of subtly colored scarves.

Above: Cherry wood cutting boards made by a woodworker in a neighboring town.

Above: A collection of pastel-colored ceramic vases by Mamiko Wada (whose work is also available at Tortoise in Los Angeles).

Above: Handpainted vintage pendant lights.

Above: The gallery space features a display counter for a row of ceramic bowls.

N.B. This post is an update, the original version ran on September 12, 2007.

The Best Seat in the House

Janet — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:30:00 +0000

Will the Washlet catch on where the bidet has failed in the US? We prefer the former for its innovative approach to personal hygiene.

When it comes to toilets, the Japanese company Toto gets the nod from architects and homeowners in the know. The Washlet, an innovative toilet seat, makes it possible to retrofit an existing toilet with the latest in Toto technology; as the name suggests, it includes the functionality of a bidet—and more. With an "integrated water cleansing system," the Washlet comes in no less than five models, with a range of options that include air drying, an integrated air freshener, heated seat, and automated lid closure—all activated by convenient remote controls. The Washlet seat is is available in round or elongated sizes and fits most standard toilets.

Above: Toto toilets consistently get top marks for performance, quality, and technological innovation. The entry-level Washlet C110, shown atop a Toto wall-mounted toilet, offers warm-water washing and heated seat options. It is available as a round or elongated seat; $409.86 at Amazon.

Above: The newest addition to the Washlet series is the Toto Washlet B100, with similar features to the C110, but with a new hidden cord design; $440.43 at Home Click.

Above: The Toto Washlet S300, pictured here, includes warm air-drying, an air purifier, and a wireless remote control; $657.69 at Amazon. For the ne plus ultra of toilet seats, the Toto Washlet S400 (which only works with select Toto toilets) has auto-flush sensors and a lid that automatically opens and closes; $992.50 at Home Click.

A Luxurious Spa Towel from Japan

Alex — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:30:00 +0000

Spotted at the New York International Gift Fair in January: Kontex's take on the classic waffle-weave towel.

Produced in the coastal town of Imabari, the Kontex Lattice Towel, like others from the company (see Fabrics & Linens: Kontex Towels from Japan), is made from hand-picked cotton and is luxuriously soft. The lightweight waffle texture is voluminous and highly absorbent.

Above: The Kontex Lattice Towel is available in brown (shown here) and gray this March at Rikumo.com; prices range from $18 to $118, depending on the size.

Above: The Kontex Lattice Towel in gray.

My Weekend in Las Vegas – Part I | Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino

Marian Krueger — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:18:00 +0000

If you haven't already noticed, I love to travel. Whenever I get the chance to travel, I'm on the road and I never look back. I was ecstatic when my husband informed me that he was going to attend a conference in Las Vegas. I hadn't been to Las Vegas in a few years and so this was going to be the perfect opportunity to get back to Sin City. My husband's conference was going to take place at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and we were excited to stay at a newer resort. Formerly the new Aladdin resort, Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino opened in 2007. I love the location being central to everything including the other resorts like Paris, the new Cosmopolitan, and Caesar's.

After our uneventful non-stop flight from Boston on JetBlue, we arrived at McCarran International Airport and headed toward baggage claim. Normally I bring carry on luggage only, but as my husband was checking his bag, I decided to check mine as well. I do believe our bags were some of the last ones off the plane and it took forever to retrieve them. From there we took the quick shuttle bus over to the rental car center and we thought we would be out of the airport in just a few minutes, but was I wrong. Apparently, everyone coming to Las Vegas found the same great deal I did on the Dollar car rental web site. I was able to book a mid-size car for $13 per day and although a great deal, the one hour wait in line was pure torture. When I finally go to the counter I asked if it was always this bad with the lines. I was told that four employees called in sick that day and as a result, long lines. Part of it might have been the short staffing issue, but the other part was that people would engage in long conversations with the counter person. Renting a car is simple and goes like this:

1. Reserve your car before you arrive at the airport.
2. Say "Hi" and at the same time present your driver's license and credit card.
3. Provide a reservation number that you have handy and not one that you have to dig through your bag to retrieve.
4. Understand all of the insurance options available prior to renting a car. If you have auto insurance, will it cover you if you rent a car? Not sure what is covered and what isn't? Check out this great article.
5. Know what you want and stick with it. Don't be persuaded to upgrade your car and then spend 10 minutes trying to decide between a full size and a mid-size car. It doesn't really matter does it? Don't be persuaded to get a GPS if you don't really need one. The car rental companies love to push the upgrades at the counter and if you are easily persuaded, you'll be spending more money than you wanted.
6. Gas: If you aren't going to drive that much, don't choose the fuel option where you return the car and they charge you to fill it up. I ended up only needing to put in $5 worth of gas, which was significantly less than what I would have paid if I let them refill the tank. If you plan to drive a lot, then return it empty to take advantage of this option.

After getting the car, I easily made my way out of the rental car garage and to the hotel. If you are staying at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, they have free self-parking as well as valet parking. If you decide to park the car in the garage, you'll need to walk through the Miracle Mile Shops to the resort, which isn't too far unless, of course, you have lots of luggage. Otherwise, considering dropping your car off at the valet and taking advantage of the easy access to the registration desk and elevators. The line to check in wasn't terribly long and when we checked in, I inquired if there were any upgrades available, which there were and we were upgraded. We took the south elevator to the eleventh floor and to room 1150. A nice sized room of approximately 560 square feet, this resort room didn't overlook the strip, but we had a nice view of the mountains in the background. The room is outfitted with two queen beds, two cushy chairs, a desk area, and a wall unit containing a closet, drawers, and a wall mounted television.

The bathroom was large with a huge bathtub, a toilet area behind the door to the left of the tub, a shower area, and two large vanities with sinks at either side of the bathroom. This was probably one of the largest bathrooms I have had in a standard hotel room. Overall, the room appeared to be a great one upon first inspection. It was the Ali Baba room with memorabilia from the film by the same name. However, the more we looked over the room, the more issues we found. The biggest issue was that the wall unit had one door missing and another that came completely off its hinges while we were there. All of the furniture had dings, dents, and chips and the hardware in the bathroom was truly on its last legs. They were moving easily and I felt if I touched a handle, it could very well fall off. We did have an issue with two things at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. The first is that the resort's fitness center is not free, but $25 per day to use. That's just crazy! The second item to note is that Internet access is $13.99 per day. That doesn't sound so crazy at first considering what most hotels these days charge, but wait. This is per computer per room per day. We had two laptops and were charged $13.99 per day per laptop. That's just greedy! Considering it's WiFi, I'm not sure why anyone has to charge for it at all. When we checked out, I mentioned the issues with the wall unit's doors (or lack thereof) and was told that "Yes, we are going through a renovation." What? I guess apologies are never in order when providing an inferior product at this resort. I wasn't expecting anything from them when I mentioned it, but to sound like it was no big deal and we should have known that the product was not up to par, but oh well, it is what it is? Disappointing to say the least.

The resort itself was stylish and modern and I do prefer the look of this type of resort over the old school resorts like the Bellagio, Caesar's, or even the MGM Grand. Speaking of which, we went over to see the lions and guess what? They're gone! Yes, as of January 31st, the lion habitat is no longer there as they are making changes to the resort. But back to Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Their casino floor is modern and they have just about everything you need right there. With multiple bars and lounges as well as restaurants, including the best buffet in Las Vegas (Spice Market), and Starbuck's. Expect a long wait in line at Starbuck's and if you pay with a credit or debit card, make sure you have your ID handy as they won't let you pay without one. Consider a show like one at Planet Hollywood like Peepshow or a performance in the famous Pussycat Dolls Burlesque Saloon, or buy a ticket on the casino floor for one of the many shows in Vegas. There's something for everyone in Las Vegas and with so much to do, you won't get bored any time soon.

In my next post I'll cover more of the fun I had in Las Vegas including entertainment and dining so bookmark this page and don't forget to come back!

Marian Krueger
Email: mkrueger@travelshopgirl.com

Finnish Sauna by a Lake

Julie — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:30:00 +0000

The Scandinavian devotion to the sauna is well documented: this Nordic hot house, devised by UK-based Denizen Works for a family in Finland, has the added appeal of portability.

Made from locally sourced timber and recycled windows, the structure cost less than $6,000 to build; during the winter months, it can be towed out onto the frozen lake aboard a wooden raft. During the warmer months, it sits on the land, perched atop removable concrete blocks. To see additional photos and to read more about the project, go to Dezeen.

Photographs by Tiina Tervo.

Above: The building sits on removable concrete supports.

Above: A narrow window offers a view of the lake beyond.

Above: A sleek glass door adds a note of modernity to the structure.

What is the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group?

Ric Garrido — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:26:45 +0000

The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group Global Business Conference 2012 last week in Nassau, Bahamas is the third annual conference I have attended. This is the annual conference bringing together hotel owners, managers and parent company executives for the hotel brands of Radisson, Country Inns & Suites, Park Inn and Park Plaza hotels.

The Radisson hotel chain has puzzled me for a decade as I tried to understand the difference between several different Radisson brand names like Radisson in the USA and Radisson SAS, then Radisson Blu in Europe and Radisson Edwardian in London.

The variability in earning points in goldpoints plus depending on whether your hotel stay was in the U.S., Asia, Europe or Africa was another confounding aspect of the hotel loyalty program. Goldpoints plus had the feel of IHG Priority Club and InterContinental Ambassador, another program where hotel brand acquisitions brought together a European/international program with a US based hotel loyalty program and an odd mix results.

This Loyalty Traveler post will attempt to share the basics of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group for readers who may have recently joined the Club Carlson program after the 2011 Q-4 Big Night Giveaway for 50,000 points with one hotel stay at a Radisson. This is an overview of the hotel chain and I will follow up with another post describing the Club Carlson loyalty program in detail.

Ambition 2015

In 2010 the Carlson Hotels company launched a five year initiative – Ambition 2015 – to create a stronger global presence as a major hotel company and hotel loyalty program.

Two years ago in Orlando the company executives pledged an investment of 1.5 billion dollars to support the five year improvement plan.

The 2012 conference last week at Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas provided updates to the accomplishments of the past two years.

A step back into history

Curtis L. Carlson – one of the founders of loyalty marketing

In 1938 Curtis Carlson founded the Gold Bond Stamp Company in Minneapolis as a way to generate customer loyalty through earning reward stamps for shopping at specific grocery stores, drug stores and gas stations. By the 1950s the Gold Bond Stamp Company was nationally known.

The trading stamp phenomenon peaked in 1968. Trading stamps had value that could be redeemed for merchandise. I remember going with my grandmother as a child in the mid 1960s to a store in Los Angeles where she could redeem her books of Green Stamps for merchandise. Loyalty stamps were the 1960s equivalent of frequent flyer miles and hotel points.

In 1960 Curt Carlson purchased a stake in a Minneapolis hotel called the Radisson Hotel opened in 1909 and he acquired full ownership in 1962. Expanding into the hospitality business with Radisson Hotels grew the company in the 1960s.

This history of Carlson Hotels explains why the name “gold points” has lived on as the loyalty currency of Club Carlson.

1975 – Carlson acquires TGI Fridays restaurants.

1987 – Country Inns & Suites hotel brand launched.

1994 – Carlson Wagonlit Travel formed from alliance of Carlson Travel and Paris based Wagonlit Travel.

1994 – Radisson Hotels and SAS Hotels form partnership for international hotel development.

1997 – goldpoints plus loyalty program launched to take trading stamps electronic.

2000 – Carlson acquires Park Inn and Park Plaza brands.

2002 – Rezidor Hotel Group acquires franchise rights to additional Carlson hotel brands in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

2006 – Rezidor Hotel Group listed on Stockholm Stock Exchange.

2010 – Carlson acquires majority share in Rezidor Hotel Group.

2011 – Club Carlson loyalty program replaces goldpoints plus.

Jan 19, 2012 – Carlson Hotels and Rezidor Hotel Group renames as Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group.

Why did Carlson Hotels recently become Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group?

The company structure of Carlson Hotels is a combination of the privately owned Carlson Group which includes Carlson Hotels, TGI Friday’s restaurants and Carlson Wagonlit Travel and the publicly traded company of Rezidor Hotel Group listed on the Stockholm Exchange which franchises and manages hotels in Europe, Middle East and Africa regions.

Hotel companies measure their size by number of rooms. The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group jumped ahead of Hyatt Hotels to become the #9 hotel chain globally by number of rooms. Source: Hotels Magazine Sep 2011.

InterContinental Hotels Group = 647,000 rooms
Marriott = 618,000
Wyndham = 613,000
Hilton = 605,000
Accor = 507,000
Choice = 495,000
Starwood = 309,000
Best Western = 308,000
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group = 162,000
Hyatt Hotels = 128,000

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has seen the removal of more than 15,000 rooms in the past two years as properties have been removed from the system.

Hotel Brands in Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group:

421 Radisson hotels (Blu and green combined). 111 in contracted pipeline.

Radisson Blu – upper upscale market segment, primarily located in Europe where Radisson Blu is the largest upper upscale hotel brand by number of hotels (169) and rooms (38,900). Hilton is a close second (145 hotels) and Marriott (87 hotels) a distant third. Radisson Blu wins awards internationally.

The opening of Radisson Blu Aqua Chicago is the first high end Radisson for the US market. A second property at Mall of America Minneapolis will open Q1 2013. The Radisson Blu logo developed from a simple change to the former Radisson SAS brand which used a blue box for SAS. Radisson Blu website.

One of the major announcements from the global conference last week is the rebranding of 13 Radisson Edwardian hotels in London and Manchester to Radisson Blu.

There are currently 229 Radisson Blu hotels in operation and another 30 expected to open in 2012, including:

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Chongqing Nan Bin Lu, China
Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Ajaccio Bay, Corsica, France
Radisson Blu Nantes, France
Radisson Blu Hotel Ludhiana, India
Radisson Blu Maputo Mozambique
Radisson Blu Hotel Doha, Qatar
Radisson Blu Istanbul, Turkey

Radisson (green) – upscale market segment, primarily in the USA. One of the major objectives of Ambition 2015 is to upgrade the Radisson brand in North America. It was stated that about 20% of the hotels were removed from the system reducing the rooms by 50,000 in the brand. Radisson website.

Ambition 2015 has an objective to complete hotel property improvement plans at 100% of the hotels in the Americas by 2015. The past two years have seen 25% completion and the goal is 49% completion by year end 2012 and 100% completion by year end 2014.

Park Plaza – upscale – 43 hotels with 18 in hotel pipeline. This hotel brand is primarily located in Germany, Netherlands, UK and India. Only one property currently in USA in Bloomington, Minnesota. Park Plaza website.

Park Inn – upper midscale – 127 hotels with 65 in the pipeline. This brand is primarily in Europe and just starting to pop up around the USA in seven states and fewer than 15 hotels in North America. I see there is a Park Inn now in Fresno, California. I’ll have to go check that out on my way to the Sierra Nevada mountains this spring. Park Inn website.

Park Inn hotels use vibrant colors and remind of the Starwood Aloft brand.

Country Inns & Suites – midscale brand with 484 hotels, primarily in the USA although brand development in India is taking off. There are only 44 hotels in the pipeline. Country Inns website.

Country Inns offer all guests free internet and free breakfast. One of the features of the hotel brand is non-disposable dining ware. Country Inns is the only major midscale brand in the USA not using disposable dining ware for complimentary morning breakfast.

Country Inns are looking to add a Grab & Go snack program in 2012.

The Club Carlson loyalty program change in 2011 was a huge boost for Country frequent guests when the earn rate changed to 20 points per dollar from the formerly 15 points rate. Country Inn is actually one of the best hotel brands for leveraging low cost stays with high value redemption opportunities. There are far more Country Inns than Four Points by Sheraton or Hyatt Place hotels for midscale travel on a budget. I have not stayed in enough Country Inns to give a real travel comparison to these other brands.

Hotel Missoni – luxury brand. There are only two hotels open in Kuwait and Edinburgh and four more hotels in development. This new brand is less than one year old and not yet incorporated into Club Carlson. I have been told that Hotel Missoni will be included in the Club Carlson loyalty program, possibly within a year, and that it is actually more complicated than you would think to set up the hotel brand with Club Carlson.

Club Carlson Hotel Loyalty Program Membership Growth

2009 = 5.1 million members
2010 = 6.3 million members
2011 = 8.0 million members

Club Carlson US Bank Visa card

Club Carlson US Bank Visa card agreement has been signed and a cobranded credit card is expected to debut Q4-2012.

This post ends here and I will follow up this piece with a post focused on Club Carlson hotel loyalty program. I learned some interesting things about hotel loyalty programs in general from the 2012 conference.

Blogger disclosure: Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group provided complimentary access to the 2012 global conference and paid for 3 nights at Atlantis Resort ($875 value). I covered my airfare and all other expenses associated with travel to Nassau. I was one of about a dozen media attendees.

Anthem Cafe & Bar in Japan

Julie — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:30:00 +0000

The spare yet evocative interiors of Anthem Cafe & Bar in Japan were designed by Tokyo-based Tamiser Antiques (profiled yesterday on Remodelista). Stacks of vintage magazines, tin cans filled with beach stones, and simple, rough-hewn furniture comprise the decor.

Located on the fourth floor of a traditional wood building, the space also serves as a venue for Baroque concerts (lute, harpsichord, gamba, violin); the menu includes pesticide-free vegetables grown in the Hyogo Prefecture. For more information, go to Anthem Cafe & Bar.

Explorer Announces Great African Expedition

Kraig Becker — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Explorer and adventurer Julian Monroe Fisher has announced his next expedition, and it is an ambitious one to say the least. Last year we followed Julian as he walked across Africa, and now he has plans to return to that continent, where he'll undertake a multi-year, multi-expedition adventure that will take him to the deepest heart of the African wilderness.

Julian has dubbed his new project the Great African Expedition, and the plan is for him to spend the next five years following in the footsteps of some of the greatest explorers in history, while studying how the Ethnographic make-up of the continent has changed since the 19th century. During the Victorian Age, much of Africa was mapped and explored for the first time. Since then, the ethnic landscape has undergone dramatic transformations, and it should be fascinating to find out what has changed, and what has remained the same.

The first phase of the journey is set to get underway next month, when Fisher will travel overland from Cairo, Egypt to Khartoum, Sudan, along the Nile River. On that expedition, he will be tracing the path taken by British explorer Samuel White Baker back in 1861. When Baker took that route, there were a number of unique and distinct tribes living throughout that region, and Julian will be exploring what has happened to those tribes and the state of the ethnic make-up along the Nile in the 21st century.

The second phase of the expedition will take place later this year, and will begin in Khartoum, and will continue to follow the Nile southward into the new nation of South Sudan. From there, he'll attempt to circumnavigate Lake Albert, before following the Lamia River into the Rwenzori Mountains of Uganda. Along the way, he'll continue his study of the changing, and evolving, Ethnographic landscape of Africa.

Fisher outlines the rest of the expedition on his website, where you'll find information on each of the seven phases that he has planned. This will be a difficult and demanding project, as he intends to travel on foot, in dugout canoes, by camel, horse, and other non-motorized modes of transportation. But the Great African Expedition won't just be a grand adventure, it should also be an important study of the current status of the ethnic make-up of that continent.

Upper Peninsula Bound!

Kraig Becker — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

I'm off on a short adventure of my own over the next few days. I'm headed to Michigan's Upper Peninsula for a little fun in the snow. While there, I'm going to be snowshoeing, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, and attending the World Ice and Snow Sailing Association's Championship. The WISSA competition involves wind powered sleds flying across the ice at breakneck speeds, which of course, sounds like great fun.

For those unfamiliar with the Upper Peninsula, it is a fantastic wilderness destination that offers a lot to the outdoor enthusiast all year round. In the summer, it is great place to hike and camp, and since it falls on Lake Superior, paddlers will find plenty to do as well. The UP is one of those remote places that few people visit and many don't even know exists, but it is truly one of the great outdoor locations in the entire U.S.

Of course, I'll share more about the trip when I get back, and updates will likely be sporadic the rest of the week. Hope everyone is having their own adventures while I'm away.

Japanese Soaking Tub Roundup

Janet — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:30:00 +0000

The history of the wood soaking tub in Japan stretches back to ancient times: it's only (relatively) recently that the eastern ritual has caught on in the western world.

The ofuro, a traditional Japanese soaking tub, is a straight-sided tub deep enough to immerse a human in hot water. Traditional ofuro are made from Hinoki wood, a cypress found only in Japan, prized for its piney scent, anti-bacterial qualities, and longevity. Create a similar sanctuary using the following sources (for accoutrements, consult Hinoki Wood Bath Accessories).

Above: The serene bathrooms in the Galerie Sofie Lachaert bed-and-breakfast in Tielrode, Belgium, feature elliptical Japanese ofuros.

Above: This Hinoki Elliptical Ofuro, by Alaska-based Sea Otter Woodworks, is made from cedar and hinoki; prices start at $4,050.

Above: Founded by Italian architect Iacopo Torrini, Tokyo-based Bartok Designs produces custom tubs and ships worldwide.

Above: A rectangular ofuro crafted from knotty hinoki by Bartok Designs.

Above: The Rectangular Hinoki Bath by Oxfordshire-based Indigenous Tiles is available with either straight or sloped ends.

N.B. This post is an update, the original post ran on July 2, 2009.