More lists – for 2012 though. Here’s the round up of the best places to see and be seen: Some are about pristine, untouristed locations, others have been chosen as best-for-your-buck; and then there’s the offbeat, off-trail adventures. There’s something for everyone, local or afar, and as a special treat, I’ve added a section on [...]

“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” Albert Einstein How about that – Einstein and I have something in common. Some of the most interesting finds I made in 2011 were random – and local – discovered while walking around the city. As the world struggles through economic challenges, political uprisings and [...]

Way back when I first began writing the curious g, I wrote a post about a great book, a travel essay, called Shadows Across the Sahara by John Hare. I happened upon an interview that Mr Hare did with NPR, and some video of his journey. How timely as I’m about to reread the book [...]

Star date 9.10.11: On September 8, 1966, the first regular episode of Gene Roddenberry’s TV series Star Trek aired, launching one of the greatest sci-fi franchises in TV and film history. For true Trekkies who know most everything about Star Trek, there are few surprises in space.com’s infographic that details the series’ first 45 years. [...]

One of my favorite mountains that I’ve never climbed, K2, is in the news this week. Known as the “Savage Mountain” because of its treacherous ascent to the summit, K2 notched another first this week. Austrian mountaineer Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner reached K2’s summit along with three others from the National Geographic team. She is the third [...]

It was a perfect Bronx Zoo day on a not-so-gorgeous spring Sunday. The animals, especially the big cats, were all about being seen. The polar bear was a performing fool, and the male peacocks were more than happy to strut their stuff – a worthwhile trip (and the bus was even on time). As the [...]

Little did I know that my curiosity would lead me to not one, but three posts about ducks, rubber or otherwise: If it looks like a duck… If it quacks like a duck… , and now, Moby-Duck: Journalist Donovan Hohn talks on NPR’s Fresh Air about his new book. Hat trick. “In 1992, a cargo [...]

I’ll take Manhattan. And apparently so will 1,629,053 of my closest friends. Thanks to chief engineer and surveyor John Randel’s proposed plan, known as the Commissioners’ Plan of 1811, the foundation for Manhattan’s future growth was put in place. The original grid illustrated 11 major avenues and 155 crosstown streets. It’s the map that made [...]

Things won are done, joy’s soul lies in the doing. Shakespeare :: Troilus and Cressida, Act I / Scene ii Here’s what the Globe is doing. How great is this? To celebrate the 2012 London Olympics, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre will present each of William Shakespeare’s 38 plays in a different language. The six-week theater season [...]

With no working experience in the travel industry, I can’t predict 2011 travel trends, but I can put up my wish list and hope that most of my future destinations don’t fall into the mass-travel categories. I want off the beaten path. While the travel industry has expanded the definition of adventure travel to “experiential [...]