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Wild China

I had the good fortune to have lunch last week in Boston with Mei Zhang, founder of Wild China. For more than a decade, the Harvard MBA grad has brought visitors to the remote parts of China, telling me that “over 80 percent of travelers to the country see less than 20 percent of the land mass.” More than likely they get a glimpse of the Great Wall in Beijing, go on a Yangtze River cruise, and, if they have time, see the Terracotta Warriors of Ancient China in Xi’an. But what about that impressive mountain and river scenery found in the backdrop of Zhang Yimou films? To immerse yourself in that otherworldly beauty, you’re going to have to sign up for one of Wild China’s trips. Zhang is keen on taking people to her native Yunnan Province, north of Laos and Burma. Here you’ll find centuries-old Hill Tribes making bricks of tea high up in the mountains and the Tea & Horse Caravan Trail, a southern Silk Route still being used that links southwestern China with Tibet. The trade route will be featured in the May issue of National Geographic, a perfect time to take the weeklong jaunt with Wild China, according to Zhang. She also offers hiking trips on the 19th-centruy French Explorers’ Route, along the Mekong and Salween Rivers, and trekking in the heart of Shangri-La.
 

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This is the Summer to Go Rafting in Idaho

With the deluge of snow and rain in the Northwest thanks to El Nino, whitewater rafting outfitters are already predicting this could be a banner year due to high water levels. ROW Adventures, once named the world’s #1 Tour Operator by Travel & Leisure magazine, offers 5 and 6-day jaunts on Idaho’s legendary Snake River including all food, beer, wine, guides, rafts, and full-service camping. Cruise through Hells Canyon on Class III and IV rapids on a rip-roaring ride through the deepest river gorge in North America. This is not the Colorado River, where you freeze your butt off in the water. Temps on the Snake average a perfect 70 degrees in summer. Or sample the Salmon River, one of the original rivers in the 1968 Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The Middle Fork of the Salmon boasts more than a hundred rapids in as many miles. What this means is a rip-roaring ride through narrow canyon walls, with glimpses of bighorn sheep and Rocky Mountain elk on the shores and eagles and ospreys flying overhead. Once you reach land, you can hike up side canyons, soak in natural hot springs, fish to your heart’s content, or use the time to gather your thoughts and simply breathe.
 
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Biking the Emerald Necklace to View the Fog Sculptures

I’ve always visited one Emerald Necklace park at a time, say a stroll around Jamaica Pond or through the century-old maples and gardens at Arnold Arboretum. And that’s pretty much how the great landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, intended-to treat each one of his verdant urban oases as a jewel. But when the Emerald Necklace Conservatory decided to display five works of Japanese fog artist Fujiko Nakaya across all their green spaces, I decided it was time to connect the dots and bike most of the seven-mile long stretch from Olmsted Park to Franklin Park. On display until October 31st in Boston, "Fog x FLO" is a unique treat, where fog is spewed out of nozzles at specific times to create a hazy display through the woods or on the water. 

 
We parked at Willow Pond at Olmsted Park and biked along a trail to Leverett Pond, just in time to see the fog rolling out on the water, reflecting the clouds above. That whet our appetite for the rest. We retraced our steps past Willow Pond and up to Jamaica Pond to eye the next fog display on the beach. Stick to the sidewalks and bike lanes to reach Arnold Arboretum, the only real tricky part of the bike ride. It’s worth the effort to view "Fog on the Hill," an 8-minute spray of immense fog that goes off on the hour. We watched as the fog rolled down the hillside, splintered with sunshine. Then we were off to our final stop, Franklin Park, on newly paved bike trails and a bike lane the entire way. Here the fog spews out into the ruins of a building Olmsted originally designed the structure as a field house to use as a changing room or view the sports on the adjacent fields. A mile later, I was downing a Santa Fe Salad at The Dogwood, across from the massive Forest Hills T Station. My reward for all the biking. A wonderful outing, especially on a Sunday! 
 
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Three of My Favorite Places to Cross-Country Ski in New England

Since Boston just got walloped with another winter nor’easter, dropping more than 15 inches of snow, I thought I’d devote this week to winter adventure in New England. First up, three wonderful cross-country ski areas:

Grafton Ponds
Grafton Ponds is one of the few cross-country ski centers in New England that provides snowmaking (a 5 km loop). If there’s already decent snow coverage, head from the center’s main lodge up through the dense forest on 30 kilometers of groomed trails. Make it to Big Bear Shelter atop the ridge and your reward is a cup of piping hot chocolate and views of the village of Grafton below.

Blueberry Hill
Lost within the Moosalamoo National Recreation Area, 12 miles down the road from Middlebury, is the classic Vermont inn and cross-country ski center, Blueberry Hill, celebrating its 40th season in 2011. The 50 kilometers of groomed trails include the highest run in the state, at an elevation over 3,000 feet, and gentler routes through the pines.

Jackson Ski Touring Foundation
With over 150 kilometers of trails, Jackson Ski Touring Foundation is the largest cross-country skiing network in the northeast.  Novices can opt for the easy Ellis River Trail, which borders a babbling brook as it heads into the forest, while more experienced skiers should sample the challenging Wildcat Valley Trail, a classic 1930s throwback that slides steeply down the backside of the Wildcat ski area to the town of Jackson. Or take the Groomed Trail Challenge on February 12th, where avid x-c skiers try to do as much of the network as possible in an eleven-hour day.
 

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Marriott Marquis Set to Open in Washington, DC On May 1st

Fans of the Marriott Marquis in Times Square, New York, will want to know that a new Marriott Marquis will make its debut in the nation’s capital on May 1st. Minutes from the National Mall, the $520-million, four-star property will house 1,175 rooms, five restaurants and bars, and a state-of-the-art bi-level fitness center. To celebrate the opening, the hotel is offering a number of deals for folks visiting DC this spring and summer. From June 1 through September 1, Marriott Marquis is offering a Summer Weekends Deal that promises 40% off 2-night stays and 50% off 3-night stays. Reservations must be purchased in advance and include a Friday and/or Saturday overnight. 2-night stays start at $108 per night, with 3-night stays starting at $90 a night. This summer is an exciting time in DC with the debut of the CityCenterDC, a $700-million luxury retail center that The New York Times dubbed the “Rockefeller Center of DC.” Visitors can cool down from shopping with a stroll through the “American Cool” exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery (through September), or the Degas and Cassatt display at the National Gallery of Art, which will be the only US stop for the blockbuster show.

 
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New Brunswick Week—Ending on a Good Note in Fredericton

After hearing about the Beaverbrook Art Gallery for years, it was great to finally tour the collection. Even with many of the more noteworthy works by the likes of Turner, Dali and Lucian Freud on the road in Calgary, the art museum still impresses. See the portrait of Lord Beaverbrook by Graham Sutherland, a work the wealthy press baron thought resembled a “mischievous gnome.” Nearby is Sutherland’s portrait of Beaverbrook’s good friend Winston Churchill and several paintings by Churchill himself. The highlight this summer is an exhibition by Canadian abstract landscape painter Eric Atkinson. Atkinson uses mixed media, including sand and glue, to create textural pieces like “Love You, Walk On The Beach” where the words “love you” are inscribed in the sand. Another one of his recent works, the vibrant blue “Harmony of Clouds over Huronia” showcases his newfound love of color. 
 
I had lunch at Lunar Rogue Pub, a local favorite, where the owner is one of the preeminent collectors of Scotch in the world. His latest count is 509 different types of whiskey. Thanks to his vast knowledge on the subject, Fredericton has become home to one of the foremost whiskey festivals in North America, the NB Spirits Festival which takes place in November. Along with the Brewer’s Bash in mid-July, the Highland Games in late July, and the Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival in September, Frederick has garnered a reputation as the Festival Capital of the Atlantic Maritimes. I caught up with David Seabrook, one of the founders of the Harvest Festival, over a tasty Picaroons Yippee IPA at the new locale of the King Street Ale House. He told me that the line-up for the 24th annual festival is one of the best yet, with the Blues Travelers, Robert Randolph, moe, Dr. John, and Buckwheat Zydeco among the 150 performers on hand for the 6-day event. 
 
Of course, I planned my trip around the Fredericton Farmers Market, recently voted one of the "Top 10 Farmers Markets in the Country" by Canadian Geographic. The Market is open every Saturday from 6am to 1pm with over 200 vendors selling produce, home baked goods, meat, maple syrup, flowers, handcrafts, jewellery and much more. I grabbed a cup of coffee and made a beeline straight to the guy selling lobster rolls. The only way to end a trip to New Brunswick! Thanks to Tourism New Brunswick for designing another memorable trip to the province!
 
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New York City Unveils $3.3 Billion Plan to Improve Waterfront

On a bike trip around Manhattan last summer, I was delighted to witness the improvements New York was making along its shoreline. Like many American cities, New York has reconnected with its waterfront setting over the past decade, converting dilapidated docks and toxic marsh along the rivers into manicured parkland. Biking near 170th Street under the steel arch High Bridge, we spotted recent additions to the Harlem River shoreline, most noticeably a new boathouse at Swindler Cove Park and an adjoining children’s garden. Now Mayor Bloomberg has announced a $3.3 billion plan for new parks and environmental improvements to its 578 miles of shoreline to help boost recreation and real estate. I look forward to experiencing the new parks and shoreline walks in Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
 

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