The 3 Best Trips to Take This Fall

August 27, 2015 by

The seasons are about to change, and for travel lovers that often means getting the travel itch! Fall is a great time to explore the world, and I’ve collected a few favorites just for you.

Salzburg, Austria

Image of travelAside from Salzburg being a beautiful place to visit, it’s also perfect timing for celebrating The Sound of Music’s 50th Anniversary. Fans of the 1965 classic movie have been flocking to Salzburg all year in celebration. There are even Sound of Music-themed events, including the Sound of Music Gala 2015 (October 17) at the historic Felsenreitschule and the Sound of Music musical at the Salzburg Landestheater, you can join in on.

While you’re there, eat at the iconic Sternbräu is one of Austria’s largest restaurant complexes. It opened around 1542 as a brewery and was completely renovated in 2014. Austrian dishes such as fiakergulasch (meat and sausage goulash) and Salzburger nockerl (an egg soufflé dessert) are served in the multiple dining rooms, bars, and beer gardens.

There’s a ton of museums, shops, and cafés just beyond the old city walls, as well as beautiful parks and lakes. If you stop at the Gössl Gwandhau​s​, or “​Gössl ​​cloth hall​,” you can see a​ showcase of the Salzburg-based Gössl clothing brand’s famous dirndls, lederhosen, and boiled wool jackets. It’s housed in a centuries-old country palace surrounded by gardens and meadows and a small museum chronicling the evolution of dirndl and lederhosen fashion. You can take a tour, then enjoy a glass of award-winning Austrian wine at the elegant terrace restaurant.

Kangaroo Island, Australia

Image of travelKangaroo Island is one of Australia’s most preserved locations. Over half of the 1,705-square-mile island is covered in native, old-growth vegetation. Much of the wildlife, including kangaroos, koalas, and possums, are nocturnal, so after dark is usually the best time to explore. Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary offers 90-minute guided wildlife walks every night that begin at sunset. Species that call the island home include the tammar wallaby, western gray kangaroo, brushtail possum, southern boobook owl, echidna, Cape Barren goose, and many species of birds.

While you’re there, eat at The Oyster Farm Shop in American River where they process and package harvest from the island’s largest commercial oyster farm. The farm runs a weekday lunch shack across the street from its processing sheds where you can try freshly shucked or smoked oysters, plus crayfish, abalone, whiting, and marron.

Also make sure to stop in at Jon and Sarah Lark’s Kangaroo Island Spirits at Cygnet River where they serve an affogato with honey and walnut liqueur made from freshly roasted walnuts and Kangaroo Island’s famous Ligurian honey.

Andros, Bahamas

Travel pictureThis pristine island is somewhat of a Bahamas secret, and a scuba divers dream. The “island” consists of a 104-mile-long archipelago of small islets and mangrove-covered cays full of thousands of species of underwater creatures. It’s home to the second largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere. It’s most famous for having the world’s largest known concentration of blue holes (underwater caves). Check out the Blue Holes National Park to discover a ton of them.

While you’re there, stop by the middle island, called Mangrove Cay, to eat at fishing guide Shine Greene’s waterfront Conch Shack for fresh conch ceviche and a bottle of Kalik, the “beer of the Bahamas.” You can also go to Davis Creek, just north of Andros Town on North Andros, for some tasty tropical drinks on the oceanfront dock at Brigadiers Restaurant.

If you want to get out of the water for awhile, take a tour the Androsia batik factory to see beautiful pieces of cotton fabric, hand-printed with nature-inspired designs and hand-dyed in vibrant colors. You can purchase the Bahamian batik fabric by the yard or as clothing, pillows, drawstring backpacks, tablecloths, and more at the factory’s outlet store or make your own if you sign up for a batik lesson ahead of time.

Once you’ve scratched that fall-time travel itch, you can get back to the grind. That is, before winter sets in and suddenly you’re in need of an amazing skiing vacation. Happy travels!

Filed Under: Jerry Daskoski, Leisure, Travel Tagged With: , , , ,

Top 5 Airbnb’s to Explore

July 21, 2015 by

Airbnb, the widely popular site providing short and long term stays in apartments, homes, cabins and even buses, provides housing across the globe. Here’s a look at some of the top rated places to stay during your travels, as provided by Airbnb:

Casa Caracol “The Seashell House” in Isla Mujeres, Mexico

For $249/night, you can stay at this five-star rated two bedroom, two and a half bathroom house. The home, designed by Raquel and Eduardo Ocampo, boasts a gorgeous pool and view of the beach, and is truly an architectural marvel. The design concept and interior decor provides an experience unlike any other, offering privacy sitting atop a cliff, close to beaches and golf courses on the 7km long, 650 meter wide island of Isla Mujeres.

Jerry Daskoski

Tile House in Twentynine Palms, California, U.S.A.

The house, a mosaic made of Mexican tile, smalti, handmade Perry Hoffman ceramics, tile and fused glass, recovered desert tiles, found objects, stained glass, and ceramic bric-brac, this desert-surrounded structure creates an indoor/outdoor osmosis experience. For $148 a night, you and your guests can sleep soundly on queen sizes beds after spending the day in the outdoor hot tub or gathered around the firepit listening to music blasting from the iPod dock speakers. Comfortably accommodating 4, the Perry Hoffman creation is colorful, intricate, and amazing, and only 7 miles from the east entrance of Joshua Tree National Park.

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St. Pancras Clock Tower Guest Suite in London, United Kingdom

Ever wonder what it’s like to spend a night in a clocktower? Here’s your chance! Located in Sir George Gilbert Scott’s 1869 gothic revival railway hotel building, the mini apartment is located in the clock tower at St Pancras Station. Accommodating groups of four, the 1 bedroom/1 bathroom apartment is ideal for weekly holidays at $241 a night. Located in the neighborhood of Kings Cross, the British Library is your nextdoor neighbor, and the West End is a 20ish minute walk away; it’s the perfect central location to explore all that London has to offer.

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Historical Nakagin Capsule Tower in Ginza, Tokyo, Japan

Designed in 1972 by Kisho Kurokawa, the historical tower is a rare example of Japanese Metabolism and was the world’s first example of capsule architecture built for actual use. Located in the center of Tokyo, the tiny space rents out for $75 a night, and is able to squeeze in two guests, shower not included. If you’re looking for a no-frills, one-of-a-kind stay in one of the world’s most fascinating cities, try this architecturally fascinating building, close to the Upmarket shopping area and Salaryman District.

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Modern Glass Tree House in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.

The two floor, open-concept home is available for both overnight stays and hosting private events, meetings, and retreats. Tucked into a cluster of mature hardwood trees, the house boasts high ceilings, large spaces, and unbeatable amounts of natural light. Featuring modern, custom-built lofts, giant doors and windows, as well as four outdoor terraces, it easily accommodates four to six guests. At $500 per night, the modern space offers a unique experience in a natural environment.

Jerry Daskoski
Filed Under: Favorites, Jerry Daskoski, Travel Tagged With: , , ,

Lets Talk About Game of Thrones!

June 2, 2015 by

Game of Thrones came about during an era of door-stopper fantasy series that are apparently endless. Its often tedious to consider entering the world of newbies when there are so many other attention grabbing fantasy book series hitting the shelves. After all, Robert Jordan or Terry Goodkind are already taking over the feild so why try anything else huh? Haha.. But in all honesty, each book should be judged on its own merits. For example: George R.R Martins A Song of Ice and Fire proves that there’s still room for diamonds among the rough.

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The initial book in the series is the award-winning A Game of Thrones. Describing the book is not an easy task. Mainly because a short summary will miss one of the precious facets of a great piece work. But here’s an attempt to give those who’ve never read the book a feel:

Imagine a feudal kingdom on a massive continent in a world filled with many cultures and half-legendary lands, all connected together through an ancient history. Imagine a time where dragons once lived but magic is now dwindling,where the seasons can be long or short, bringing glorious summers or terrible winters that last years at a time. Imagine an iron throne from which seven kingdoms are ruled, with false knights and true all gathered about it in hopes of blood or glory or profit, and shadows behind it pushing the pieces that make up the game of thrones.

That’s the book for you, well…in a nut-shell. But if you want something more specific, try this:

The story begins with an immensely frightening prologue that announces who the truest “enemies are”, suddenly we enter the castle of winter-fell. We are then introduced to the Starks, King Robert and his Iron Throne. Yes, the beginning includes a man being executed and on the same bloody day direwolf pups are found next to the dead body of a huge direwolf, killed by a broken antler in her neck.

Later on down the line we the readers are introduced to a series of events such as a shock of fear that arrives when Stark Motto announces, “Winter is Coming”, this serves as a reminder that there’s a great danger that almost no one is paying attention to. Game of Thrones consists of Politics, murders, and conspiracies. Tournaments, love, hatred. War, battle, trials. Disaster and victory. But, thats not even the half, Game of Thrones is notably one of the best fantasies written in the last decade, and it stands proudly up there right next series such as The Lord of the Rings.  In short, If you want something written in a straightforward tone without the use of political intrigues,  minus bloody battles or frank language and sexual situations, without the use of a  huge cast of characters, then A Game of Thrones may not be for you. But if you are looking for a fantasy book series that surprises you and leaves you yearning for more but also leaves you elated, angry and sad by the turn of the page, then give it a try! I promise you, you wont be disappointed.

Filed Under: Epic Fantasy, Fiction, Jerry Daskoski, Literature Tagged With: , , , , ,