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HYPER LINK = WEBSITE HOUSE KEEPING: Remember when you click on the pictures in "Where's Johnny Jet," they will open up in another window. Just click the "x"(close) in each picture to get back to the newsletter. This should alleviate complaints about closing Johnny Jet. Thanks again for your support, and remember: If you book trips on the web, please go through JohnnyJet.com. (It will save you money). "Maps of Johnny's travels courtesy of MyTripJournal.com. Start a travel website of your own for free now." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Greetings! We left off last week in NYC. I was headed to Midtown to meet some old friends for lunch, but was 30 minutes early. Instead of waiting out in the cold or being tempted to spend money in the shops, I went to St. Patrick's Cathedral. Since my mom passed away, it's become a tradition of mine whenever I walk by St. Patrick's to go in and light a candle for her. When I walked in I was quickly reminded that St Patrick's has weekday masses (7, 8, 9, and 10:15 a.m.; noon, 1, and 5:30 p.m.). Mass was just beginning, so I sat in a pew for part of it. Gazing at the high, ornate ceilings reminded me of the time my mom and I attended a Latin mass at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Although I didn't understand one word the priest said, it turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip. It's amazing how a routine event in a foreign place can have such a lasting memory. That’s a great tip for travelers: Instead of running into a place of worship to admire the structure, go on a tour or snap pictures, why not attend the local mass or ceremony (no matter what religion it is, or you follow)? I’m sure you will get a much better feel for the place and the people. Cathedral of St. Patrick's, 460 Madison Avenue, New York, NY; tel.: 212-753-2261. After sneaking out before mass ended (sorry, God -- I had people to meet), I had an incredible lunch at Fresco by Scotto. I went with old friends, Peggy and John. We sat upstairs in the Tuscan Room, enjoying our $23 bowl of pasta. I know, that price for pasta is a rip any time of day, but for lunch it's ridiculous. I have to admit, though, it was so good that my Grandmother DiScala would have said, "Molto bene!" Fresco by Scotto Restaurant, 34 E. 52nd St. (between Madison and Park), NY; tel.: (212) 935-3434. At lunch my friends were talking about how fabulous the new Time Warner Building over in Columbus Circle is. I had never been, so of course after filling my belly I headed right over. I found that the 750-foot, twin-towered multi-use complex that opened in 2004 has more than just offices (only one of which is the headquarters of Time Warner). There are also 225 condominium apartments, a 250-room Mandarin Oriental hotel, a jazz facility, and some of the best retail stores and restaurants around. Talk about expensive food, though -- there is a restaurant there that sells a $90 burger! That $23 bowl of pasta suddenly looks cheap, huh? Time Warner Building, 10 Columbus Cir., NY. The new Time Warner Building also has a Whole Foods Market on the bottom floor (a great place to get food for a Central Park picnic). Even if you don't like to shop or eat you should stop by this magnificent complex, simply to people-watch or stare through the humongous glass windows overlooking Central Park. I did both, and also took a tour of CNN on the third floor. Tours depart every 20 minutes; they take 45 minutes, and cost $15 for adults. Children ages 4 to 12 are $11; children under 3 go free, while visitors over 65 pay $13. Lucky me, I had my own private tour (I happened to be the only person to show up at that time). Like all visitors I got a behind-the-scenes look at CNN production. I learned all about the network’s history and technology, and took a peek at their working newsroom. I even got to play anchorman reading off the teleprompter, and tried being a weatherman in front of a green screen. What a nightmare! I have new respect for those guys, because trying to point at the blank screen while looking through a monitor is not easy. I discovered that's why weathermen never actually point; instead they use a sweeping motion around the general area. The "Inside CNN" tour takes place Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For reservations, call 866-4CN-NNYC (1-866-426-6692), or visit www.cnn.com/insidecnn. I walked back to my apartment through snow-filled Central Park. It was absolutely beautiful. The next morning I met my brother Frank and his fiancee Cricket at one of my favorite breakfast places in the city: Norma's. It's in Le Parker Meridien Hotel, there is usually a long wait on weekends. Their tasty gourmet breakfast dishes (link is in PDF) are worth the wait (and the high prices). For starters, everyone gets a shot glass of the fresh smoothie of the day (ours was strawberry and raspberry – ummmm!). Frank and I couldn't decide what to order, so we split banana pancakes with macadamia nuts ($17) and apple pear crepes ($17). Don't be shy about asking for another glass of their $7 fresh squeezed O.J. -- refills are free. Norma's, 118 W. 57th St., NY; tel.: 212-245-5000. It's open Monday-Friday (6:30 a.m.-3 p.m.), Saturday-Sunday (7 a.m.-3 p.m.). Frank and Cricket were kind enough to drive me back to Connecticut. The temperature rose considerably, into the mid-50s, and it felt like a gorgeous spring day. Would you believe people were at the beach with their shirts off? At that temperature in California, people would bundle up in winter jackets and ski hats! It was so nice out that Frank fired up the hot tub, then tried to convince me that lying face down in the snow in between dips was rejuvenating. I told him he was crazy. I think it he was his way of shocking his body, because Cricket was off looking at wedding dresses. I flew back to L.A. on Delta. When I called to change to an earlier flight I learned that Delta does not allow passengers on deep- discounted tickets to fly standby for free on the same day of departure (some other major carriers do). However, Delta has a policy called "same day confirmed" that allows passengers to call three hours before the flight they want to get on. If there are seats available there is a $25 fee. Tip: If the flight you want to take is later than your scheduled one, be sure to call the night before and again the morning of just to make sure there will be space available. If there is no room, and your scheduled flight has already departed you forfeit your ticket. Ouch! I didn't get upgraded this time, but I got something almost as good: a whole row to myself. That allowed me to sleep, work and watch one of the two movies (“Friday Night Lights" and “Sideways") on the 6-hour flight. They showed two movies since the flight was a little longer than normal due to strong head winds. Because the flight was so long, I tried their buy-onboard food. Although it's not as good as their sister airline, Song, my ham and cheddar on ciabatta ($8 cash or credit) blew away United's BYOB food. I made it back home just in time to go out to Distant Lands in Pasadena. This is one of the country's best travel bookstores, and I was excited when they asked if I would sign copies of my book, You Are Here Traveling With JohnnyJet.com. I figured I would sit at a table while a few stragglers strolled by. You should have seen my face when I walked in and saw theatre-style seating, with all 40 chairs filled. As I was being introduced I thought, Oh boy, what am I going to say to these people? (I hadn't prepared a thing.) Luckily, I decided to tell my story about how I got started, then gave a bunch of tips for using the internet to travel. The hour went by so fast, and everyone loved my talk. Still, I was relieved when it was over – and happy that every one of the books in stock was sold. One guy bought three! Crazy, huh? Distant Lands, 56 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA; tel.: 800-310-3220; 626-449-3220. Afterwards I walked a few blocks around Old Town Pasadena, then had dinner with my cousin Dennis and his girlfriend Joelle. We went to Mi Piace, a great find for us. The Italian food is not only tasty, but inexpensive. Nine dollars for a bowl of pasta -- that's more like it! Mi Piace, 25 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA; tel.: (626) 795-3131. Before I go, I’d like to introduce you to my new girlfriend. I know all you guys are giving me a virtual high five, and all the ladies are shaking their heads in disgust. Paris is a great girl, and we will be moving in together soon (probably to her pad, because it's a little nicer than mine). Unfortunately I haven't yet informed her of the move (I’m still trying to get her phone number.) Okay: That picture was taken Sunday night at Usher and Entertainment Weekly's party in Hollywood. What a crazy weekend! I not only got to hang out at some amazing parties, but ran into friends I hadn't seen in a long time. Geisha House, 6633 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, CA; tel.: 323-460-6300. Saturday night I was at the House of Blues (that pic is from my camera phone - no real camera's were allowed in) to see John Legend and the Black Eyed Peas. What better way to kick off Grammy's weekend? The Black Eyed can really get the party started. House of Blues, 8430 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA; tel.: 323-848-5100. Finally, this advice: If you haven't seen the movie “Sideways," go watch it. Next week we take a "Sideways Tour" through wine country. Happy Travels, Johnny Jet *Please tell us what you think of this week's newsletter! RESOURCES Gorilla Mobile |
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Top five off-peak destinations for spring 2005 Generally speaking, off-peak travel entails visiting a destination when the weather is less than perfect in exchange for lower travel prices and less crowding. However, we found numerous destinations that have near ideal weather in spring but not the popularity of summertime. So, if you can beat the summer tourists, you may be able to enjoy the perks of off-peak travel without sacrificing decent weather. Click Here To Read Article |
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