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Best national park campgrounds

We’ve all been there. One minute we’re enjoying the fresh air on a warm summer day, looking ahead to a free weekend, when, suddenly, the mood to go camping strikes. Hard. But all the best campsites have already been booked.

Securing a place to pitch a tent can be tough between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Luckily, America’s most coveted campgrounds generally start taking summer reservations during ski season, with sites bookable six months prior to your date of arrival on a rolling basis. Meaning if you want to spend the Fourth of July weekend in a popular wilderness area, you should be ready to book by 10:00 AM EST on February 4. Recreation.gov is the best resource for booking national park campsites while Reserve America is helpful for state parks and other protected spaces.

With campsites beginning to open up for booking for the coming summer season, and with Memorial Day just six months away, now’s the time to reserve your dream campsite. For inspiration, here are nine of America’s favorite campgrounds that you don’t want to sleep on.

1. Mather — Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Photo: Andy Dean Photography/Shutterstock

Named for the first director of the National Park Service (NPS), Mather is the sole campground in Grand Canyon Village, located on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. It’s the largest and busiest of the park’s three campgrounds, owing to its 327 tent and RV sites and proximity to the visitor center, shuttles, and trails. Mather’s also relatively cushy, making it a stress-free choice for families and newer campers. All sites come with a campfire ring, grill grate, and picnic area, plus shared amenities like showers, laundry facilities, and a nearby general store. Mather will open in March in 2020, and reservations are highly recommended.

2. Blackwoods — Acadia National Park, Maine

Photo: Romiana Lee/Shutterstock

Maine’s Acadia National Park protects the far Northeast’s Atlantic coast, celebrating its islands, headlands, woodlands, and rocky beaches. The park has three campgrounds, all of which operate on a reservation-only basis. Blackwoods is the most popular, located roughly five miles south of Bar Harbor and just 10 minutes from the ocean. The NPS warns that Blackwoods tends to fill up from mid-June to mid-October, and reservations can only be made online. Though not quite as competitive as Blackwoods, Seawall is another campground worth keeping your eye on. It sits on the western end of Mount Desert Island and is known for its relative seclusion, rugged scenery, and romantic Bass Harbor Lighthouse.

3. Madison — Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Photo: Lee Prince/Shutterstock

It’s not surprising that campsites in America’s first national park are a hot commodity. Of Yellowstone’s 12 campgrounds, five allow reservations, and Madison’s 278 sites are some of the fastest to book up. (You can also reserve sites at the Bridge Bay, Canyon, Fishing Bridge RV Park, and Grant Village campgrounds.) Accessible by way of the park’s West Entrance, Madison sits 16 miles north of Old Faithful on the river it’s named after, a popular spot for anglers. It’ll open on May 1 in 2020, so you can already book a weekend away.

4. Reverend’s Ridge — Golden Gate Canyon State Park, Colorado

Photo: Jennifer CC Carter/Shutterstock

Reverend’s Ridge Campground in Colorado’s Golden Gate Canyon State Park makes camping comfy with sites for tents, RVs, groups, yurts, and cabins, plus amenities like flush toilets and laundry facilities (though you won’t get cell reception or WiFi here). While Golden Gate Canyon is a go-to summer getaway for Denverites, as it’s located just an hour west, Reverend’s Ridge manages to stay pretty peaceful thanks to its relatively secluded loops, ample shade, and fewer than 100 campsites. When you get here, take advantage of hiking trails like the Mule Deer Trail and hike to Panorama Point.

5. Fish Creek and St. Mary — Glacier National Park, Montana

Photo: Dan Breckwoldt/Shutterstock

Glacier National Park, located in Montana’s Rocky Mountains, offers around 1,000 campsites spread across 13 campgrounds. Most are first-come, first-served with the exception of Fish Creek, St. Mary, half of Many Glacier, and group campsites at Apgar. Fish Creek is the park’s second-largest campground after Apgar, with 178 relatively private campsites and amenities like restrooms and showers. It’s an excellent place for birding and wildlife-viewing in general around Camas Road. Hikes like the Rocky Point Trail are not to be missed, and you can often count on ranger-led talks and activities at the on-site amphitheater during peak season.

St. Mary is the largest campground on the park’s east side. It’s conveniently located near the visitor center and shuttle system, though it also has its fair share of hiking trails, as well as opportunities to get out on the water. Large parties can book group sites up to a year in advance.

6. Elkmont — Great Smoky National Park, Tennessee

Photo: Dave Allen Photography/Shutterstock

Great Smoky National Park straddles North Carolina and Tennessee. Located just outside of Gatlinburg, the Elkmont Campground typically opens earlier than other campgrounds, which is part of what makes it so popular. It’s also the park’s largest campground with 200 sites for tents and RVs, including 20 walk-in sites. Nearby, the Little River and James Creek make good spots for fishing and cooling off in the water while the summer sun blares down. There are also great hiking trails and a cluster of historic structures from the area’s logging days close by.

7. Watchman — Zion National Park, Utah

Photo: Asif Islam/Shutterstock

Zion National Park welcomes millions of visitors every year, providing those interested with three campgrounds for overnights. Both South and Watchman, located in Zion Canyon, accept reservations, though South only allows bookings up to two weeks in advance. Watchman is available six months in advance on a rolling basis, and the NPS recommends securing a spot early if you plan on camping from mid-March to late November. Campers have easy access to the visitor center and trailhead shuttles, which also work stops at nearby climbing sites into their routes.

8. Julian Price Memorial Park — Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina

Photo: Dave Allen Photography/Shutterstock

The Blue Ridge Parkway spans nearly 500 miles of Appalachian Highlands in Virginia and North Carolina, connecting the Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains national parks. There are eight campgrounds scattered across the parkway, all of which take reservations except Crabtree Falls. The Julian Price Memorial Park Campground sits at the foot of Grandfather Mountain at Milepost 297, a couple of hours northwest of Charlotte, North Carolina, by car. It has 119 tent sites and another 78 for RVs, plus five wheelchair-accessible sites. While here, tackle at least one of the five nearby trails, which include Tanawha and Green Knob. Kayaking, canoeing, fishing, and bouldering are also possible around Julian Price Memorial Park.

9. Mazama — Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

Photo: Bill45/Shutterstock

Crater Lake is Oregon’s lone national park, and Mazama is one of just two campgrounds. It’s also the largest, offering 214 sites to the Lost Creek Campgrounds’ 16 sites, and the only one that takes reservations. Mid-July through September is the ideal time to visit, though the park stays crowded throughout the summer months. In 2020, Mazama will be first-come, first-served when the campground opens in mid-June, but reservations will be possible for July through September.

More like this: The actual differences between national parks, monuments, and recreation areas

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Famous savory pies around the world

In the United States, pie is generally associated with dessert. It’s the sweet treat at the end of a holiday meal and breakfast the next day if there are leftovers. Yet, while there are other regions around the world that appreciate sweet pies, savory fillings are much more common.

Savory goes back to the earliest days of pie. The word itself is believed to have come from the Latin word pica, the term for a magpie bird (old English translations pronounced it pies or pyes). One likely reason the dish was named for magpies is that the birds were a popular filling. While the name also could have been inspired by the magpie habit of taking anything and everything it could find and gathering it all in one little nest, it’s undeniable that birds of all flocks and feathers were traditionally baked inside the hard crusts (or coffyns) of early pies. Variations on dough casings with savory ingredients were soon invented and brought to all areas of the world.

Today, there’s no doubt it’s a sweet world out there. But when it comes to pie, don’t sleep on the savory.

1. Pot pie

Photo: Wow Pho/Shutterstock

The most basic of all savory pies, pot pies date back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Chicken pot pie, arguably the most famous of today’s pot pies, is a distant relative of those early pies people ate when the general population was much less picky about the type of bird on their plate. The English had a penchant for pot pies with deer, mutton, pork, and all other types of meat.

Pot pies of some type landed pretty much wherever the British landed. The first documented pot pie recipes in America are in the first American cookbook, American Cookery. The book had chicken pot pie, beef pot pie, and one named sea pie. The latter got its name from how it was made on ships with whatever preserved meats could be gathered from the larder.

2. Sfiha, or esfiha

Photo: Arantes93/Shutterstock

Originally from the Levant, sfiha is an open-faced pie traditionally made with a mix of pomegranate molasses, tahini, tomatoes, onion, parsley, soft cheese, and ground lamb or beef. It somewhat resembles a pizza pie and is common in eastern Mediterranean countries. It’s also a popular dish in Brazil and Argentina, where it’s known as esfiha. Immigrants introduced esfiha to this part of the world in the 1900s.

3. Xian bing

Photo: OlgaBombologna/Shutterstock

These Chinese meat pies are made with a fried or steamed casing of dough filled with beef, vegetables, and spices. Xian bing are disc-shaped and hand-sized, meant to be eaten as a snack (xiaochi) or on the go.

4. Meat pies

Photo: Phassa K/Shutterstock

England is the home of meat pies. Like pot pies, meat pies landed wherever British sailors and colonizers traveled. The main difference between the two is that meat pies are smaller and designed to be eaten by hand rather than with a fork and knife. The shape can either be a smaller version of the traditional circular pie or a half-moon shape.

Arguably the most famous meat pies are eaten in Australia, where they’re an unofficial national dish and are served with ketchup. Nigeria’s meat pies are a descendant of the British pie tradition, as well. This version is typically a street food and especially popular in Lagos, which once served as a popular port for British sailors. These meat pies include the usual meat and vegetables but add curry powder, cayenne, and other spices.

5. Empanadas

Photo: Alexandr Vorobev/Shutterstock

These half-moon shaped hand pies are some of the most ubiquitous in the world. Originally from Spain, you can now find versions of empanadas all over the Caribbean and Central and South America. Similar to how British sailors spread meat pies across the world, the Spanish Navy helped make empanadas popular beyond its shores. Seafood versions date back to the 1500s on the Iberian Peninsula, and another version is also prepared using chorizo as the main ingredient. Today, each empanada-eating region adds local ingredients. Argentina and Uruguay are particularly famous for their beef empanadas.

6. Pastilla

Photo: Konstantin Kopachinsky/Shutterstock

The pastilla is a Spanish meat pie comprised of a thin layered pastry crust and topping. Its creation dates back to when Arabic, Jewish, African, and Galician influences all mingled on the Iberian Peninsula. One of the most famous types of pastilla today can be found in Morocco, where it’s pronunciation has changed to bisteeya. Here, it’s traditionally made with squab or another bird that’s chopped up with a long list of spices and egg. The top has a dusting of powdered sugar and cinnamon.


More like this: The signature, iconic pie for every state in the US

The post 6 mouth-watering, savory pies from around the world appeared first on Matador Network.

Dresden museum jewel heist

Dramatic jewel heists don’t just take place in movies. The most unbelievable capers can also occur offscreen, and this week, thieves in Dresden, Germany, proved that to be true.

Before 5:00 AM this morning, two thieves entered Dresden’s Royal Palace via a grilled window, smashed a display cabinet, and stole three sets of 18th-century jewelry from the Grüne Gewölbe (Green Vault). Although officers were on the scene within minutes, the thieves escaped and are still at large.

German media has described it as the biggest theft of its kind since World War II, given the value of the jewels: over $1 billion, according to Reuters.

The stolen items include diamonds and rubies belonging to an 18th-century collection of jewelry deemed to be one of Europe’s greatest collections of treasures.

According to experts, selling the stolen items would be impossible considering how unique and recognizable they are; however, they could be disassembled and melted to be sold more easily.

One of the museum’s most valuable pieces, the Dresden Green Diamond, is on loan at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.


More like this: 7 historic treasures destroyed in wars that travelers will never get to see

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Best time to drive on Thanksgiving

Your uncle’s political rants won’t be avoidable this Thanksgiving. But thanks to modern technology, the other most unpleasant part of Thanksgiving — crowds — can be. The omniscient force known as Google Maps, in collaboration with the Google News Initiative and Polygraph, figured out when malls, movie theaters, roads, and other Thanksgiving hotspots will be the least and most crowded. It also broke it down by city in the country’s 25 largest metros in a fun, interactive chart. Here are the biggest takeaways, and the best time to do everything around Thanksgiving, from leaving your house to buying more booze.

Photo: Mapping Thanksgiving/

Leaving before Thanksgiving

If you’re looking to avoid Thanksgiving traffic, you may want to start developing a taste for Mini Thins. Not surprisingly, the clearest times on the roads are early in the morning, generally between 2:00 AM and 3:00 AM on Wednesday or Thursday. If you think you can safely drive during a time your body wants to be in bed, the highway’s all yours.

Interestingly, which day is less congested depends on the region. Wednesday is easier almost everywhere except the I-85 corridor between Atlanta and Charlotte; the upper Midwest in Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland; and Dallas and Houston in Texas. Early Thanksgiving morning makes for the easiest driving in those places, as well as in Seattle.

The worst time in every city on the list? Between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM on Wednesday.

Photo: Mapping Thanksgiving/

Picking up bread and dessert

The best time to grab all the rolls, cookies, and pumpkin pies from your local bakery? That’ll be at 2:00 PM on Tuesday. That’ll also yield some slightly stale bread by Thursday night, but hey, we all make sacrifices to avoid standing in line. The worst time to grab your baked goods will be 2:00 PM on Wednesday, presumably when everyone realizes they still haven’t bought dessert.

Going to the movies

Perhaps thanks to the NFL and Black Friday, but going to the movies isn’t quite a time-honored Thanksgiving tradition as it is at Christmas. The emptiest theaters you’ll find will be Tuesday at 11:00 AM when you’ll be sharing the theater with all the people desperate to escape their homes to the serenity and relative calm of a pre-noon, weekday showing of Terminator: Dark Fate. That same peace won’t be so easy to achieve later on Friday, however, as the 6:00 PM showings (likely after shopping) will be the most crowded of the weekend.

Stocking up at the liquor store

Tempting as it might be to do your best Leaving Las Vegas and camp out in front of the liquor store before it opens on Wednesday morning, you’re actually better off — both in terms of crowds and societal acceptability — going the night before. Tuesday at 10:00 PM will see the fewest people buying fuel for animated dinner table discussions. Wednesday at 5:00 PM brings the longest lines at the liquor store, which can either be interpreted as kicking off the celebration of a long weekend or preparing to cope with the onslaught of family.

Grocery shopping

Really, the best time to buy all your non-perishables for Thanksgiving is a month before. But if you have to grab some gluten-free stuffing because your niece just announced she’s allergic to gluten this year, late-night Tuesday is the time to go as crowds are lightest at 9:00 PM. If that same niece waits until 5:00 PM on a Wednesday to tell you she now needs a tofu turkey because she also went vegan, tell her she’s SOL; crowds at the grocery store hit their peak at that time, and salad is a perfectly fine dinner.

Hitting the mall

If you’re down to knock out your holiday shopping at Walgreens, you may have just hacked Christmas. Thursday at 7:00 AM will see the smallest crowds of the year at shopping centers, which is a bit of a misleading statistic since only Walgreens, CVS, and Scrooge’s House of Misery are actually open Thanksgiving morning. Even the black hearts at Best Buy and Walmart give their employees a chance to grab an early plate before opening after 5:00 PM.

The worst time actually isn’t on Black Friday, but rather Wednesday at 5:00 PM, which is shaping up to be the best hour of the year to not leave your house.

Avoiding the Black Friday crush

Laugh all you want at the masses pitching tents outside Target, but early morning actually sees the fewest crowds both on the roads and at the mall on Black Friday. Laze around the house and you may as well do your shopping online: By 1:00 PM on Friday, shopping centers and the roads around them will be in full-on chaos. At that point, it’s either dealing with the devil you know versus the devil you don’t.

Going home

If your family hasn’t driven you to drink half a bottle of vodka for dinner, you’ll be able to leave right after your food coma. Friday between 2:00 AM and 3:00 AM will have the clearest roads all weekend, save for people trying to get that first spot in line at Target. Boston is the only outlier here, where Sunday at 2:00 AM will be fastest.

Bostonians apparently like to get away from their families as quickly as possible too, as Friday at 3:00 PM will have the busiest roads leaving Beantown. That’s also the case in most other cities with the exceptions of DC, Pittsburgh, New York, Atlanta, Charlotte, and San Francisco, who all like to stick around until Sunday, when 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM makes for the worst driving — especially if this year finds you carpooling with your uncle.


More like this: Thanksgiving traditions you can start this year, no matter where you are

The post The exact best time to do everything this Thanksgiving, from travel to buying booze appeared first on Matador Network.

What to do in Tokyo for LGBTQ travel

Compared to any other city in Japan, Tokyo shines as a destination filled with art, culture, nightlife, and all things queer. While the Japanese government still does not recognize gay marriage, many vibrant communities exist that support and celebrate LGBTQ people and their accomplishments. Additionally, the country remains one of the safest places in the world for both tourists and locals alike, making it a welcoming destination for queer travelers.

Tokyo mixes centuries-old traditions with modern, fast-paced technology. Neighborhoods such as Harajuku display avant-garde street fashion right next to old Shinto shrines that ancient emperors once frequented. During the day, visitors can spend hours visiting museums in Ueno Park, immersing in the busy youth culture in Shibuya, or strolling the outdoor markets in Asakusa. At night, standing bars and yakitori stalls popular among the after-work crowd open all across the city, and izakayas offer all-you-can-drink specials on anything from beer to plum wine.

For the LGBTQ crowd, there is no better part of the city than Ni-Chome. This energetic neighborhood is located in Shinjuku, Tokyo’s busiest area, which is marked by sky-high neon buildings and pulsating crowds of people. Ni-Chome has everything from saunas to taco stands, and all things in between. It has bars for drag shows, bars for bears, and bars for queers of all kinds to come dance and drink together.

Bars and nightlife

Photo: Dragon MEN/Facebook

Dragon Men

Dragon Men might be more of a dive bar than a polished night club, but every weekend it draws queer customers of all kinds with its upbeat music and cheap drinks. The clientele is mostly made up of men, but allies and other LGBTQ partiers are more than welcome to join the fun. The venue occasionally hosts all-you-can-drink specials or discount days, but the price of alcohol is reasonable regardless of the day. If you’re looking to dance and make some friends, Dragon Men is one of the best places in Ni-Chome to go.

Where: 2-11-4, Shinjuku City

Arty Farty

Arty Farty is known for its large crowds of friendly partiers and great music. LGBTQ customers of all kinds can enter and enjoy a night out of drinking and dancing. The club is open every day from 8:00 PM and stays open until 4:00 AM on all days except for Friday and Saturday, where the hours extend one extra hour. Entrance to Arty Farty gives access to two separate places, Arty Farty and the Annex, which is a calmer, more laid-back cocktail bar for customers seeking a brief respite from the energy of the club.

Where: 2−11−7, Shinjuku City

Photo: Gold Finger/Facebook

Gold Finger

Gold Finger is a small and intimate bar intended for women seeking women but allows all LGBTQ customers to enter on every night except Saturday. Expect free popcorn and karaoke while visiting here. Every month it has special parties with DJs, dancing, and unique themed events. If you’re planning ahead, customers who register for parties in advance can receive a special discount. While there are countless venues for women seeking women throughout Ni-Chome, Gold Finger is without a doubt the most well-known.

Where: 2-12-11, Shinjuku City

Kamari

An energetic bar that is open to all orientations, Kamari is run by former model and current LGBTQ activist, Ayako Ichinose, and focuses on creating a welcoming and friendly environment. The small space allows for an easy flow of conversation, whether with old friends or new. The bar is usually open from 8:00 PM to 3:00 AM but extends hours on Saturday until 5:00 AM the following day. For an easy transportation option, Shinjuku-sanchome Station is located only a few minutes from the venue.

Where: 1F, 2-18-10, Shinjuku City

Shinjuku Dialogue

A cafe and bar that is just as focused on social activism as it is on the beverages, Shinjuku Dialogue prides itself on the inclusion of all types of people. While located closer to neighboring Shinjuku-sanchome than Ni-Chome, the cafe is still easily accessible and welcoming to a queer crowd. Shinjuku Dialogue is more than just a place to drink; it is a shop focused on discussion and making change. The store holds monthly events and discussions, such as a forum on intersex issues in Japan, and a part of every drink order is donated to a charitable cause of the customer’s choice.

Where: 3-1-32, Shinjuku City

Restaurants and cafes

Photo: Savvapanf Photo/Shutterstock

Dorobune

Dorobune is one of a few locations in Ni-Chome that caters specifically to queer women. No men are allowed, but women can bring their dogs if they wish. The restaurant serves okonomiyaki, a savory Japanese dish that is often compared to a pancake or pizza and can be filled with a variety of different ingredients. The umeshu, a sweet Japanese plum wine, and traditional sake are the standard drinks to order here. For advance reservations or customers looking to hold a banquet or party at the restaurant, different menu options are available. The venue is closed on Mondays and special holidays.

Where: 7-3-305, Shinjuku City

Photo: Rainbow Burritos/Facebook

Rainbow Burritos

Rainbow Burritos is a queer-run Mexican restaurant located in Ni-Chome. It specializes solely in burritos and offers a daily choice between chicken, beef, and a rotating veggie selection. It is a great destination for queer travelers who prefer quieter evenings yet still wish to be immersed in local queer culture. The restaurant is located in the same area as all the other bars and nightlife venues, making it a good place to start off at for an evening of partying. It also hosts monthly events for the community as an additional way of supporting local LGBTQ culture.

Where: 3-1-32, Shinjuku City

Donyoku

Japanese citizens of all ages and backgrounds enjoy onsens — the art of bathing and relaxing in natural hot springs while naked. At Donyoku, the clothes stay on, but customers can still soak their feet in hot spring water while sipping on a steaming cup of tea or coffee. The cafe is located in the heart of Ni-Chome and happily flaunts its LGBTQ support with a giant Pride flag that hangs from the front window. The cafe also has hammock seats and serves a wide variety of food, such as bahn mi and shaved ice, in addition to drinks.

Where: 2-7-3, Shinjuku City

Shopping

Check

Ni-Chome is undoubtedly known for its nightlife scene, with hundreds of bars, clubs, and midnight events. However, the neighborhood still has its share of daytime facilities to visit. Check is a sex-friendly, queer venue located in central Ni-Chome that sells fetish items, erotic films, and other sensual paraphernalia. It’s a good location for browsing, exploring the queer sex culture in Tokyo, or picking up a few new toys that couldn’t fit in your luggage.

Where: Kurihara Building 1F, 2-18-8, Shinjuku City

Accommodation

Photo: アパホテルズ＆リゾーツ（APA Hotels&Resorts)/Facebook

APA Hotel

APA Hotel is a nationwide brand in Japan that provides a high standard for service regardless of location. This branch of APA is centrally located in Kabukicho, the part of Shinjuku with a lively nightlife scene. Shinjuku Station is a short walk away, as well as Ni-Chome. The hotel rooms are neat and well-kept, and many offer views of the city.

Where: 1-20-2 Kabukicho, Shinjuku

Photo: Hotel Gracery Shinjuku – ホテルグレイスリー新宿/Facebook

Hotel Gracery Shinjuku

Hotel Gracery is located in the heart of Shinjuku. The hotel is queer-friendly and offers views of the city below. If you’re lucky, some rooms even look out at Toho Cinemas’ famous Godzilla head, which peeks out from Shinjuku’s skyline. The rooms are spacious and the hotel itself is a five-minute walk from Shinjuku Station, Tokyo’s largest train station, making for easy access to the rest of the city.

Where: 1-19-1 Kabukicho, Shinjuku

Tours

Photo: Mr. JK/Shutterstock

Tokyo Gay Night Tour and the Tokyo Lesbian Night Tour

As many of the destinations in Ni-Chome are separated by sexual preference, there are two distinct queer nightlife tours offered: one for gay men and another for lesbian women. Both the gay and lesbian night tours are operated by the same company and last roughly three hours from start to finish. The tours select three establishments to visit and locations can be changed according to guests’ tastes and interests.

LGBTQ Tokyo Past and Present

Compared to the tours above, this LGBTQ tour package explores the traditional history of Tokyo and the queer movement, in addition to taking customers out to explore Ni-Chome’s bars and izakayas after dark. The guides take visitors to markets and shrines at Asakusa, small yakitori stands, and casual, queer bars in the heart of Shinjuku.


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‘Elf’-themed Christmas hotel suite

There’s nothing like Christmas in New York City, and if you’re going to do it, you may as well go all out. That means staying in this hotel room inspired by the classic Christmas movie Elf starring Will Ferrell.

The suite at Wyndham Midtown 45 comes adorned with hundreds of paper snowflakes, popcorn garlands, golden ornaments, sweet treats, a large Christmas tree, and a big pile of presents — it’s like a Christmas card on steroids.

Photo: Club Wyndham/Facebook

In the kitchen you’ll find a fridge stocked with candy, candy canes, candy corn, and maple syrup, as well as spaghetti, marshmallows, chocolate sauce, Pop-Tarts, and rolls of cookie dough — the perfect ingredients to recreate Buddy’s breakfast spaghetti.

Photo: Facebook/Club Wyndham

According to Noah Brodsky, chief brand officer for Wyndham Destinations, “Every detail of this Elf-inspired suite was designed to put families in awe from the moment they walk in. Visiting New York City during the holidays is at the top of many travellers’ bucket list, and Club Wyndham wants to help our owners check that list off in a spectacular way. We think there’s no better way to do it than to get families immersed into Buddy the Elf’s whimsical Christmas world.”

Photo: Club Wyndham/Facebook

Unfortunately, the suite is booked up, but that shouldn’t stop you from having a jolly time in the city during the holidays, especially with events like the world’s largest lantern festival happening.


More like this: 10 amazing Christmas markets you need to go to this holiday season

The post This ‘Elf’-inspired hotel suite in NYC is pure Christmas magic appeared first on Matador Network.

Uber’s London license revoked

If you regularly depend on Uber to get around London, it may be time to rethink that Oyster card. The Transport for London (TfL) agency has identified a number of passenger safety breaches by the popular ride-sharing app, leading the regulator to deny the renewal of Uber’s operating license in the British capital.

According to Agence France-Presse, Uber has 3.5 million customers and about 50,000 drivers in London.

One of the most dangerous breaches permitted unauthorized drivers to upload their photos to the accounts of legitimate drivers, allowing them to pick up passengers even though the rides were uninsured. Another major breach allowed dismissed or suspended drivers to create another Uber account and carry passengers.

Helen Chapman, director of licensing, regulation and charging at TfL, said, “As the regulator of private hire services in London we are required to make a decision today on whether Uber is fit and proper to hold a license. Safety is our absolute top priority. While we recognise Uber has made improvements, it is unacceptable that Uber has allowed passengers to get into minicabs with drivers who are potentially unlicensed and uninsured.”

Uber has 21 days to appeal the decision and prove that it’s safe for passengers to use. The ride-sharing app can continue to operate during that time.


More like this: The 7 worst airports in the world for getting an Uber (and how to get one)

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Best Disney travel films on Disney+

With the recent release of Disney+, many people have signed away their credit cards and their next few weeks as they binge watch everything the new streaming service has to offer. Not only does Disney+ have the typical House of Mouse offerings, such as Disney princess and Marvel movies, but the wide-ranging selection is also made up of movies and shows from places you wouldn’t expect to be related in any way to it — National Geographic, 20th Century Fox, and so on. Instead of spending the foreseeable future indoors staring at a screen, there are a ton of options that’ll inspire you to get up and out there to explore the big, beautiful world we live in. Here are seven films available on Disney+ that will inspire your next trip.

1. Up

Photo: Disney

This Disney-Pixar animated collaboration follows Carl Fredricksen, a retired balloon salesman, on a journey to fulfill a promise to his wife Ellie. The pair met through their mutual love of a famous adventurer, Charles Muntz, who claimed to discover an exotic bird at Paradise Falls in South America. While revealed to be a lie, Muntz’s claim sparked Ellie’s dream to someday move her house to a cliff overlooking the very same falls. One day, Carl’s resolve is renewed and he ties thousands of balloons to his house to fly to the falls.

His journey from there is filled with unexpected surprises, good and bad, that showcase the movie’s main themes of learning to let go; cherishing the small moments as they come; and knowing that an adventure can be both far and wide, and in daily life. Besides making you constantly reach for the tissues, Up will inspire you to both spring for that dream trip you’ve always wanted to go on and explore the place you’re already in.

2. Free Solo

Photo: National Geographic

A National Geographic documentary, Free Solo is about free solo climber Alex Honnold as he prepares to achieve his lifelong dream of being the first person to solo climb El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, California. As the name suggests, free solo climbing involves climbing some surface without the assistance of ropes, a harness, or other equipment. While the name of the activity alone is already enough to give you goosebumps, El Capitan is a dizzying 3,000 feet. The documentary is interspersed with interviews with people from Alex’s life, like his mother and girlfriend, who highlight their worry over the climb. It also provides insight into Alex life, painting a picture of a man who is, surprisingly, relatable despite his dangerous desire. At its core, Alex is someone we can all see at least part of ourselves in — normal people with one crazy dream — though perhaps not to such an intense scale. Above all else, Free Solo will make you want to test your body’s limits and get outdoors.

3. Moana

Photo: Disney

One of the newer additions to the Disney Princess lineup, Moana is the daughter of her island’s chief and will one day become chief herself. While dutiful and loyal to her people, she’s spent her whole life with an innate curiosity about the world beyond her island, being particularly drawn to the sea. When the island’s food supply begins dying and Moana suggests going beyond the reef to figure out why, her father forbids her from doing so.

Of course, she sets sail anyway. Her mission to save her people is a beautiful one, marrying her sense of duty and adventure, which she previously thought were mutually exclusive, and showcasing the type of heroine she is: fearless, strong-willed, and adventurous. Moana will not only motivate you to indulge your curiosity and venture beyond, but it also relays an important lesson about our environment that’s especially topical — we have to take care of our planet, and taking too much for the sake of greed and vanity will only lead to negative consequences.

4. Coco

Photo: Pixar

Set in Mexico, Coco is about a young boy named Miguel who yearns to become a musician one day. His family is completely against the idea and forbids him from pursuing music, but that doesn’t stop him from doing so in secret. During Día de los Muertos festivities, he unwittingly ends up in the Land of the Dead, and to return home, he must find a family member before sunrise.

A tearjerker if there ever was one, Coco offers a look into Mexican culture, from traditions to music, and will leave you with a newfound appreciation for it. It’ll make you want to experience Día de los Muertos in its home country, delve beneath the surface level of such a wonderfully rich culture, and hug your loved ones a little tighter.

5. The Lizzie McGuire Movie

Photo: Disney

The Lizzie McGuire Movie is, for all intents and purposes, the finale to the television series of the same name (though there is a reboot in the works for Disney+). You don’t actually need to have watched the entire series to follow along or understand the movie’s takeaways, though you should because it’ll only add to your enjoyment, and it’s just a great show in general. The movie centers around Lizzie’s junior-high graduation trip to Rome (sidenote: what?) with several of her classmates.

Once she’s in Italy, Lizzie gets mistaken for a famous pop star, Isabella, as the two look identical. Crazy hijinks follow, and viewers get taken all around Rome as Lizzie impersonates Isabella. She falls in love with the city, and some boys along the way, but regardless of its far-fetched events, the movie will make you want to book tickets to Italy faster than you can say its full title. The film also imparts some wisdom that can apply to any trip: Not everything will go as planned, and sometimes, you just have to embrace the moment as it happens.

6. Johnny Tsunami

Photo: Disney

An oldie but a goodie, this Disney Channel Original Movie might just give you the push you need to make that big move somewhere, whether you want to live abroad or move within country lines. In Johnny Tsunami, the main character is Johnny Kapahaala, a teenage surfer living a good, comfortable life in Hawaii. When his father gets a job transfer, Johnny and his parents have to move to a place that’s quite the antithesis of a tropical paradise — Vermont.

The cold, snowy landscape is a drastic change for the family, particularly Johnny, who attempts to make the most of it by learning how to snowboard because he figures it’s similar enough to surfing. What ensues is a heart-warming, albeit a little cheesy, tale that’ll leave you wanting to get out of your comfort zone and visit someplace completely different than what you’re used to. Whether that’s just a temporary trip or you’re actually taking the plunge and moving abroad, what’s for sure is that if a kid can do it, so can you.

7. Ratatouille

Photo: Disney

While many of us wouldn’t want to see a rat running through the kitchen of the restaurant we’re eating at, let alone touching the food, there’s something about Ratatouille that assuages any fears we might have about rats and makes them seem endearing for the nearly two hour runtime. Set in Paris, gifted Remy the rat dreams of becoming a famous French chef, but the likelihood of it happening seems unlikely, for obvious reasons.

One day Remy observes a garbage boy, Alfredo, attempt to fix a spilled soup and Remy secretly fixes his mistakes. He’s caught in the act by Alfredo, and the two form an unusual partnership so that Alfredo can keep his job and Remy can be a chef. There’s a wide array of French cuisine shown throughout the movie that looks absolutely delectable, rat chef aside. There’s no better place to try French food than France itself, but if you can’t make it there, then hopefully the film will push you to try some new cuisines wherever you’re based.


More like this: Where to travel according to your favorite Disney Princess

The post 7 films you can stream on Disney+ that will inspire you to travel appeared first on Matador Network.

Helsinki for Wes Anderson fans

Helsinki tends to evoke little more than a cold, isolated, and boring Nordic outpost. But if you look a little deeper, a whimsical and slightly offbeat vibe come through in its aesthetic. The Finnish capital’s East-meets-West atmosphere (due to the nation having been part of Russia and Sweden through its history) complements its Finnish functionalism, Nordic National Romanticism, and Jugendstil architectural styles, almost screaming to be the backdrop of a long, single-frame shot. The vintage public transportation, pale pink and green edifices, Art Nouveau castle-like apartment buildings, and pastel-colored churches hiding in parks are exactly what you’d expect to see in a Wes Anderson movie. If you’re a fan of The Grand Budapest Hotel or The Royal Tenenbaums, no other destination will tickle your fancy the way Helsinki will.

1. The city tram

Photo: Mariia Golovianko/Shutterstock

Helsinkians are proud of their yellow and green tram, and they should be. You too will be charmed by the vintage-looking public transport the moment a streetcar veers around a corner and into view. Any picture of the tram against a backdrop of an iconic building will be a keeper — and there’s no need to kneel down on the tracks in front of an oncoming car. A shot of the white Lutheran Cathedral as the tram moves by is a classic photo, an ideal place to reenact the iconic scene of Margot Tenenbaum in that fur coat with the old green public buses behind her.

2. Töölö Church

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This pink church was built in 1930 is a fine example of Nordic Classicism. The Töölö Church reopened in early 2016 after three-and-a-half years of renovations. Helsinki is known for its urban forests, and this church is sort of hidden in the woods of the Taka-Töölö district, where there’s also a beautiful lake to check out for some contemplative time.

Where: Topeliuksenkatu 4, 00260 Helsinki

3. Taidehalli

Photo: Taidehalli/Facebook

Taidehalli is an art exhibition space founded by Finnish artists and art associations in 1928. Another beautiful example of Northern Classicism, it was designed, like Töölö Church, by famous Finnish architect Hilding Ekelund. You’ll be fascinated by its baby-pink exterior and porthole-style indentations on either side of a thin vertical window, as well as the wooden front door with matching graphics in keeping with Anderson’s use of negative space and trademark symmetry.

Where: Nervanderinkatu 3, 00100 Helsinki

4. The Wonderful Place apartment building

Photo: Nataliia Sokolovska/Shutterstock

If you want to hang with the hipsters, head to gentrifying Kallio, on the east side of the city. A landmark of the area, this castle-like apartment building called Ihantola (“Wonderful Place”) was built between 1905 and 1907. It’s spot-on Wes Anderson — the decorated gables, pink walls, and green turrets of its Nordic National Romantic architecture give it the touch of a louche fairytale.

After you’re finished ‘gramming the building (don’t forget to zoom in on the gorgeous wrought-iron balconies), head out to explore Kallio. The once-rough, now-cool neighborhood is full of up-and-coming bars, craft beer pubs, vintage stores, and near-celebrity chefs. You might catch one shopping for fruits, veggies, or reindeer charcuterie at the grand Hakaniemi food market.

Where: Itäinen Papinkatu 3, 00530 Helsinki

5. The Yrjönkatu swimming hall

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This Art Deco swimming pool was Helsinki’s first public indoor pool, opened in 1928, and it was recently fully renovated. A consistent aesthetic of cool blues and greens, you could almost picture Chas Tenenbaum and his sons swimming here. The pool sits in the middle of a balcony-lined building designed by architect Väinö Vähäkallio. Aesthetics aside, what you’ll find special about Yrjönkatu is that swimming is traditionally done naked — though bathing suits are optional if you’re timid — and women and men have separate swimming times. Get the full vintage swim-hall experience by also renting a private changing room. The tiny white-and-blue tiles and the single day bed to rest in look straight out of the 1930s.

Where: Yrjönkatu 21 b 00100 Helsinki

6. The Chapel of Silence

Photo: Karavanov_Lev/Shutterstock

The Kamppi Chapel, also known as the Chapel of Silence, is a quirky and modern take on Finnish wooden architecture. It’s not a functioning church in that no ceremonies take place here. The small, circular, windowless chapel stands in the middle of a busy city center square next to a giant mall and is meant as a place of respite from the hustle of the city. Inside, there’s just the pews, a pulpit clad in a bright green textiles, and a stream of light coming through a skylight. Go in and take a seat on one of the wooden pews, and take in the ultra-minimalist aesthetic.

Where: Simonkatu 7, 00100 Helsinki

7. Jugendstil streets

Photo: Igor Grochev/Shutterstock

Helsinki has entire streets dedicated to the Jugendstil architectural style, displaying a color palette reminiscent of Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom. Others of a similar architectural style seem to feature all the shades of yellow of his Hotel Chevalier. No Wes Anderson fans will ever tire of looking at the fanciful buildings, especially when they are covered with snow.

8. Lasipalatsi restaurant

Photo: Ravintola Lasipalatsi/Facebook

Lasipalatsi, the locally beloved 1930s functionalist building also known as the Glass Palace, is eye candy from all angles. But of the many Wes Anderson-like shots in the complex, the best is the Lasipalatsi Restaurant. Finnish families have for decades dined here when the occasion calls for something big to celebrate. Enjoy the streamlined 1930s aesthetic with red upholstered chairs and a curved, checkered ceiling.

Where: Mannerheimintie 22-24, 00100 Helsinki

9. The Vaasa Barracks

Photo: Sofia Rita/Shutterstock

Take a short, 15-minute ferry ride to Suomenlinna Island and go through the pastel pink Vaasa Barracks and its arched entrance to the Sea Fortress, which looks like it belongs to The Grand Budapest Hotel. This fortress was controlled at points by Russia and Sweden and now is a favorite city excursion for both visitors and locals who want to spend the day on the island’s sandy beaches.


More like this: The 5 most beautiful towns in Finland tourists miss

The post Helsinki is like a Wes Anderson movie come to life appeared first on Matador Network.

Makeup Museum in New York City

The first-ever museum dedicated entirely to makeup is coming to New York City next year. The Makeup Museum will be centered on the history of beauty and its impact on society. The museum’s first exhibition, scheduled to open in May, 2020, will be an installation called “Pink Jungle: 1950s Makeup in America,” which will explore the decade’s beauty icons, artifacts, and entrepreneurs.

Doreen Bloch, the museum’s Executive Director and co-founder, said in a press release, “The Makeup Museum is a critical institution for the cultural landscape in New York because makeup has a 10,000-year history. There is so much that the Makeup Museum wants and has to explore. The 1950s is a perfect time period for the Makeup Museum to start within the debut exhibition because the 1950s is the birth of the modern cosmetics industry.”

Brand sponsors will play a major role in the exhibition, showcasing never-before-seen pieces of makeup history, like a collection of Marilyn Monroe and Greta Garbo’s facial products by Erno Laszlo. Visitors will also find vintage makeup artifacts, educational material, and spaces that harken back to the aesthetic of beauty’s rich history.

Tickets for the museum go on sale in March 2020. Although they can’t be purchased just yet, you can sign up for the early access waitlist. And considering the amount of beauty bloggers out there, there’s a high chance that waitlist will fill up fast.


More like this: The 7 most incredible museums to visit in 2019

The post The first-ever makeup museum is coming to New York City in 2020 appeared first on Matador Network.