Mobissimo

Fine dining in the US is more about being casual rather than an event.  Americans kinda strive to make things less formal.  In Paris, and well, most of the other dining cities of the world, the dining experience is exactly that, an experience and not a fuel stop.  So things in Paris are always a little bit different for Americans, even though we saved them from speaking German twice, they seem to enjoy looking at us like cretins.  The 10 commandments via Fodor's.  Read more and try to fit in.

The rituals of dining in Paris are far less complex than, say, in Japan, but observing these few basic principles of dining will increase your chances of obtaining good service.

Wallpaper* magazine is the style arbiter for the cosmopolitan set - hip and cool are the only things that matter to them around the world.  Long has Wallpaper* been the leader and standard for listing the world cities and most up to date restaurants, hotels, galleries, nightlife, shopping, etc.  Auckland, NZ however, does not make the cut.

An international travel guide has taken a crack at Auckland and Aucklanders, saying the city is far from world class and locals are renowned for their arrogance.

The Wallpaper City Guide, aimed at the design- conscious traveller, says the city has no iconic civic buildings and its hotels are overly air- conditioned, badly decorated and a "far cry from the sophisticated design options" across the Tasman.

But, says the guide, Auckland is becoming more akin to its "grander, more glamorous cousin, Sydney".

It's not all bad news - the compact city guide also highlights Auckland's natural beauty, boutique shops, excellent coffee and restaurants. Auckland may be "young and isolated", reads the introduction, "but its potential is huge".

Sigh*  Nothing really new here, via the Herald.

LONDON: London police arrested the co-pilot of a passenger jet on suspicion of being over the legal alcohol limit, minutes before the flight was due to take off for the U.S. on Sunday, authorities said.

London police said officers boarded the Virgin Atlantic Airbus A340-600 as it was undergoing final checks before takeoff from Heathrow Airport to Miami. A 42-year-old crew member was arrested.

Well, it's official, all the fanfare, the delays, the headlines, but the Airbus A380 has taken to the skies.  The Singapore flight from Singapore to Sydney carried a little under 500 passengers, this is actually less than a 747.  Why then, does this airplane need to exist.   Anyway, read more here via the Guardian.

At a few minutes after eight on Thursday morning, aviation history will be made at Singapore's Changi International Airport. The world's largest, most luxurious passenger airliner - with a wingspan nearly the size of a football pitch and first-class 'suites' complete with double beds - will lift off for its maiden flight to Sydney.

The debut of the A380 'Superjumbo', nearly two years behind schedule and billions of pounds over budget, is the culmination of an audacious gamble by its creators, the European consortium Airbus, on the future of world air travel.

I think we're moving towards destination type guides here, things that spark your interest, I mean who out there is really interested in Boeing 787 delays? So here you go, food, cheap, great destination. Malaysia, if you haven't been, well, I'm not saying you should go, but definitely worth a visit once in your life.

PENANG, Malaysia — There's fresh crab, live from the tank, and bowls of miniature clams ready for frying in a spicy sauce with garlic and lime.

The air smells of roasted ducks and skewers of charcoal-grilled chicken. One stall sells herbal soup; another grills seafood on a stick.

Asia has many, many, many beaches which are unbelievable.  However, lying on a beach probably has less cache in the east than for most westerners.  The beach is meant for family time, sports, etc ... just lying on a beach is pretty much for westerners only, plus the fact that asians seem to like to swim with all their clothes on, perhaps a modesty issue.  Here's something from Concierge.com.

Forgive me if I feel compelled to debunk the myth of the Asian beach. This vast geographic expanse, with its exotic islands, fabled archipelagoes, and crenelated coastlines, offers few exquisite and accessible strands compared with, say, the Caribbean or the Mediterranean. "Nonsense," barked everyone with whom I discussed this assignment. When asked for nominations, however, the so-called experts divulged a mere handful and the neophytes conjured a largely mythical Bali Ha'i.

JFK is one of the busiest airports on the eastern seaboard, if not the most - I think Atlanta is pretty close.  I avoid JFK like the plague, not only because it's an instant $90+ (tolls and tip) for a taxi, but because it's always busy.  Here's a proposal to alleviate the problem.

 NEW YORK - Delay-plagued John F. Kennedy International Airport shouldn't try to handle more than 80 takeoffs or landings per hour, substantially fewer than are now scheduled for some peak travel times, U.S. transportation officials say.

JFK now has some hours when airlines plan for as many as 100 flights, a number nearly everyone agrees is more than the congested hub can handle, even in ideal weather.

La Guardia is a constant victim of weather, JFK has traffic problems.  Newark folks, that is the solution.  Or, if you have a loaded friend with a private jet (like I do), Teterboro.

Well, the name says it all, an almost perfect grading system in the French clothier's realm. Only in France could 80% be considered good. A little more here via CitySearch.

Seize sur Vingt means 16 out of 20, a near-perfect mark in the French grading system, but owners James and Gwendolyn Jurney are being a bit modest. Their clean, beautifully cut men's and women's Egyptian cotton button-downs have found a burgeoning market among young and old. Pristine yet warm and welcoming, the minimalist space consists of a few rolling racks of perfectly pressed ready-to-wear shirts, pants and suits in various colors.

If you've traveled around, even just somewhere a couple hours away, most likely you'll experience something that is fairly noteworthy, if not to you, maybe to someone else. Not all of us have compelling stories like being help captive in Tangiers by a Berber rug trader or dining with an ancestor of Genghis Khan in Ulan Bator, but here's betting you got something, maybe even little thing you could share with others in a travel documentary.

So you want to make a travel documentary. Anyone these days can grab a camera and shoot. To make a good documentary you should first think of a few things:

-What is the story?

-Why is it important?

-Who are the characters?

-What is the character’s main goal?

-Who is the target audience?

Imagine boarding and deplaning on something like this.  Even now it takes an eternity, but imagine with 500+ seats.

An AAP report says that while Singapore Airlines has been busy showing off its new A380 super jumbo in Toulouse, the giant's manufacturer, Airbus, already is speaking of a stretch version of the plane that would even further expand the number of seats on offer.

A light and sound show accompanied a formal handover ceremony in the French city of Toulouse, as Singapore Airlines splashed its livery all over the double decker passenger plane ahead of its inaugural commercial flight from Sydney to Singapore next week.

Well, looks like the A380 is off th ground and none too soon, Airbus is still reeling from the delays, which Boeing is now experiencing with its own planning debacle the 787.

While MobiBlog doesn't pay for blog post or articles, here's a list of some sites that do.  Do you have a budding Theroux in your family, are you the next Pearl S. Buck or Hemingway?  Great literary careers were launched by writing about travel, here's your chance.

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United Airlines is having a major sale to London and Europe, fares as low as $180 one way to London and$200 to Europe. Many United destinations available for this super fare sale. Last day to book is 19 October, last day to travel is 13 March. Book now for incredible fares to Paris, London, Milan, Munich.

Fare Sale to London.

Fare Sale to Europe.

Libya, once a stronghold for the Roman Empire in North Africa was once, well, not very well received by the rest of the world.  Lockerbie among others nasty events kept them on the sanction list, but now, all is forgived and it's time to move forward.

 CYRENE, Libya - From thousands of miles of pristine Mediterranean coastline, to sweeping desert sand dunes and ancient ruins that rival Greece and Italy, Libya has a lot to offer travelers looking for a rare off-the-beaten path destination — but obstacles remain.

U.N. sanctions kept tourists from visiting this North African country for more than a decade. Now the former pariah state best known for its eccentric leader, Moammar Gadhafi, is slowly opening its doors as it tries to shed its rogue state status.

Honestly, I don't know if Mobissimo searches flights to Tripoli, but hey, give it a shot and post back.

Fine dining is always a good thing, trying to find places to do so is not so easy. Gridskipper has a pretty cool map or places to dine this fall in New York, easy to use, easy to find, here's a little more about a personal favourite from Gridskipper.

El Quinto Pino

401 W 24th StNew York, NY 10011

I've never been a Tia Pol obsessive, but the diminutive tapas joint boasts scores of rabid and ravenous fans that will no doubt flock to this -- even smaller! -- offshoot in October

I'm sure you've been to the Prado in Madrid, seen the Las Meninas, portrait of Charles V, Goya, Murillo, Zubaron, Velazquez, etc.  One of the most amazing collections in the world is getting a renewal.

The 167,023-square-foot wing, designed by Spanish architect Rafael Moneo, incorporates the cloister of the 17th century monastery of San Jerónimo el Real. It's the first expansion for the museum in 200 years. To show off its modern space, the museum is opening a temporary exhibit in the new wing; "The Rediscovery of a Collection: The 19th Century at the Prado" will feature 100 paintings and sculptures, including works by Francisco Goya, from Oct. 30 to April 24.

Ahh, Madrid, so much city, so little time.   Enjoy, I will be there as well.