The U.S.S. Constellation welcomes visitors to Baltimore's Inner Harbor

I’ve taken the train through Baltimore many times, going back and forth from New York to Washington. In fact, I first met my husband getting on to the train at Union Station in DC, so I essentially rode through Baltimore on our first date. But I had never actually set foot in Baltimore until this past weekend.

One of the stained glass skylights at Baltimore Penn Station

So what finally brought me to Charm City for the first time in my life? SATW (Society of American Travel Writers) invited me to give a workshop on Social Media at their Northeastern Chapter Convention in Baltimore. Not only was I excited to share my social media tips with some of the world’s top travel writers, I was looking forward to spending 24 hours in a new city.

Another view of the Inner Habor in Baltimore -- the Chessie paddleboats look like so much fun!

Of course, I took the train to Baltimore. The station, which I had passed through countless times, didn’t have much to offer in way of shops or food but it did have beautiful stained glass skylights that date back to 1911. There was also an unmistakable Southern vibe, although that might have been the warm weather greeting us after an overly air-conditioned ride. Regardless, I could feel that I was south of the Mason-Dixon line.

I had arrived in Baltimore with Linda Bernstein, my fellow social media adjunct at Columbia Journalism School. A car whisked us away to our hotel, so we could freshen up and then join the SATW folks on an art tour. We might have made it to the tour’s first stop, the Baltimore Museum of Art, but our driver persuaded us to check out the hub of the Inner Harbor instead.

An intact bomb right out of the lyrics of the "Star-Spangled Banner" at the Maryland Historical Society

I’m so glad I didn’t miss out on the hub of the Inner Harbor, with the beautiful ships like the U.S.S. Constellation (photo at top) that I hope to tour next time I’m there. I’m sure at times the Pratt Street area of the Inner Harbor is frightfully crowded but on this beautiful Friday afternoon in May, it wasn’t crowded at all. Linda and I caught a quick lunch al fresco at La Tasca with a perfect view of the people paddling in Chessie boats, which are named for the supposedly fictional Chesapeake Bay monster.

After lunch, we joined the SATW art tour at its second stop: the Maryland Historical Society. Much of the museum’s gallery space was under renovation for the upcoming War of 1812 , but they let us poke around the vaults so that was pretty cool. The Civil War exhibit was fascinating, as the residents of Baltimore were on both sides ideologically.

The Rusty Scupper, as seen from my room at the Baltimore Waterfront Marriott

One of the Maryland Historical Society’s main highlights is the original manuscript of the “Star-Spangled Banner,” which Francis Scott Key composed during the Battle of Baltimore in 1814. The bellicose lyrics of our national anthem really come to life when you see an intact bomb — one of the bombs from that war that didn’t burst in the air.

We had dinner at the Rusty Scupper, where I ate a delicious crab cake, which was a relief because I had vowed not to leave Baltimore unless I had one and I pretty much had to leave on a train right after the social media presentation the next day so only room service would have saved me. But instead of resorting to that, I had an outstanding specimen at the Rusty Scupper, which serves 2.7 million crab cakes a year. In fact, it might be worth it to return to Baltimore just for that crab cake, especially since it’s such an easy getaway from NYC.

Seeking a slightly more romantic destination, perhaps Hawaii? Check out these Honolulu hotels.

Visit Uluru in a time lapse video; photo by Global Oneness Project/Flickr

I’m joking, of course, but time lapse videos are my new obsession. These videos are created using a technique where the frame rate is much lower than that used to view the sequence. In other words, the photographer will take a photo every minute, and then string these photos together at a rate of 100 photos in a minute. So instead of spending the evening watching the sunset with a cocktail in hand, you only need 90 seconds in front of your computer.

So if have a few minutes now, here are four of my favorite Time Lapse Videos of Australia.

Australian TimeLapse Montage by BonbonOverdose is by far the slickest of the group. It includes footage taken over a year, including some major festivals with a funky tilt-shift effect. Geographically, it focuses on the Sydney area but it also ventures over to Lake Eyre in South Australia.

Sydney – Uluru – Sydney: Time Lapse from Stefan Knauff reminds us that a regular commercial flight can often be a sightseeing experience. Most of the footage is taken from the three-hour flights to/from Sydney and Ayres Rock, with of course some gorgeous shots of light against Uluru.

The quality on Australia´s Northern Territory Timelapse by MoosKurrat isn’t so great because it was done in 2008 and it’s incredible how photo technology has improved in just few years. But don’t let that distract you from the amazing content: 160,000 photos taken from Darwin to Alice Springs, which is a 1500 km drive.

Epic Australian Road Trip Time-Lapse by CWCcougar is epic indeed — it’s over 30 minutes long. But that’s actually pretty speedy when you consider that they cover over 12,000 km over 28 days.

The above post was brought to you by Travel Insurance Cover. Planning a visit to one of the above Australian destinations? Arrange your travel insurance online.

Tel Aviv Museum of Art's incredible new Herta and Paul Amir Building

Dennis Cieri, a New York writer, filmmaker and founder of Cieri Media, recently traveled to Tel Aviv where he discovered that the modern day Promised Land is a lot more fun than he thought it would be. Not only was he wowed by Tel Aviv’s dining scene, but he was very impressed by the city’s cultural offerings.

Tel Aviv boasts one of the best museums in Israel, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. And in honor of the inauguration of museum’s gorgeous Herta & Paul Amir Building exhibiting the world’s largest collection of Israeli art, the city has declared 2012 as Art Year with tons of events in various venues in addition to the museum itself.

While the Tel Aviv Museum of Art is the main attraction, don’t miss  the Ilana Goor Museum in Jaffa, where metal, wood, glass and leather weave together into anything from chairs and lighting fixtures to necklaces, bracelets and sculptures. A belt buckle she designed was sought by Bloomingdales and her work has been sold throughout Europe and United States. Originally a hostel for Jewish pilgrims, this 250-year-old building serves as Goor’s residence, but is open to the public and is a true Jaffa jewel only a short ride away from downtown Tel Aviv.

Tel Aviv is a true shoppers’ paradise; that’s where Israel’s top designers have their stores. Noa Yaron’s boutique has a new silk collection and Gadi Elimelech’s styles are bold and showy. And while not everyone may be able to afford Alon Livne’s or Mira Zwillinger’s evening gowns, trying them on doesn’t cost anything so plan to stop by.

Shuk HaCarmel Market in Tel Aviv; photo by Dennis Cieri

These days every big city loves to boast its market. Rome has Piazza Testaccio, Vienna has Naschmarkt and Tel Aviv is no exception: Carmel Market or as the locals call it “Shuk Ha’Carmel” where hundreds of vendors sell everything from fresh fruit and fish to spices and Judaica. While there, try some sizzling falafel or spicy shwarma, and wash it down with a frozen limonana, a popular lemon-mint slushy.

For another incredible market, take a day trip to Jerusalem, where of course you’ll visit the old city, the Arabic quarter and the Machne Yehuda market. But, if you want to dine at the Machne Yehuda restaurant, you must make your reservation weeks in advance or as soon as you book you flight. It is the hardest-to-get-into Israeli restaurant where three celebrity chefs Asaf Granit, Yossi Elad and Uri Navon cook a different food medley every day with the market’s best and freshest ingredients. But if you can’t score a reservation, just come back to terrific restaurants of Tel Aviv.

Comped but never compromised: Dennis went on a press trip to Tel Aviv sponsored by the David Intercontinental, but he is free to write whatever he wants.

Tel Aviv; photo by Jeremy Price

Dennis Cieri, a New York writer, filmmaker and founder of Cieri Media, recently traveled to Tel Aviv where he discovered that the modern day Promised Land is a lot more fun than one may expect — with incredible culinary offerings.

Some people travel to Israel to see family, others to visit religious sites. Some come to explore the ancient walks of Jerusalem, others to relax at the Dead Sea or Eylat resorts. Yet, its capital, Tel Aviv, often seems to be off the tourists’ path.  When the planes land on the hot concrete runways of the Ben Gurion Airport, most visitors hop on a bus or rent a car and rush to their final destinations, never setting foot in this global urban metropolis with a modern art scene and a bustling nightlife.

But that is starting to change.

Lonely Planet named Tel Aviv the number three city to visit in 2011, dubbing it “a modern Sin City on the sea,” and a “San Francisco in the Middle East.”  Want it kosher? No problem.  In Tel Aviv, there is something for everyone, especially in Neve Tzedek, a trendy neighborhood where bars and restaurants face designer shops.

David Intercontinental in Tel Aviv; photo by Dennis Cieri

If you want action, choose David Tel Aviv, the Intercontinental hotel where I stayed. Smack in between the chic Neve Tzedek downtown and the hazy blue shoreline, it offers a breathtaking city view from your room and a white-sand beach out the door. From here, Jaffa, with its seaside promenade, and even more restaurants, is only a short ride away.

When coming to Tel Aviv, bring your appetite. In this urban international city you can discover menu fusions you won’t find anywhere else. Tel Aviv is perhaps the only place in the world where North African stews can rub shoulders with Polish pickles and Tunisian spices make acquaintance with Russian dairy. Food possibilities are endless.  Jaffa Court at David Intercontinental will satisfy every one of your morning cravings, from coffee to eggs to waffles while keeping you kosher.

Tazza d'Oro; photo by Edward Kaprov

For posh choices head to Benedict. No matter what time of day it is – it serves its impressive variety of poached eggs as well Texas style steaks and organic breakfast 24/7.  Another dish to try in this Mediterranean capital is shakshuka eggs poached with tomatoes and onions, although Tazza D’Oro in Neve Tzedek has a different twist on the sauce: spinach and Swiss shard.

For lunch try Heder Ochel with its long wooden tables setting inspired by the kibbutz communal-style dining.  Yet its food is anything but. Here Chef Miller invents his Nuevo Israeli creations: beef Carpaccio and Jerusalem artichokes, kreplach (dumplings) stuffed with pulled veal neck with sour cream and veal kubbeh with a tabbouleh and pomegranate salad.

The local saying is: “Jerusalem prays and Tel Aviv plays,” so when the night descends, the nightlife blossoms. Time Out Tel Aviv says a city visit is not complete “without making it to at least one sunrise.”  Pubs, wine bars and beer houses are aplenty and if you are staying in Neve Tzedek, they are a short walk away. Tel Aviv is also home to a large gay community; the city’s annual pride parade is known to get rowdy.  (This year it’s June 8th.)

Dinner choices are copious too. Walk to Dalal from David Intercontinental for shrimp risotto and seafood bouillabaisse.  After that take a short stroll along Kol Israel Haverim to the Dalal Bakery. Or visit Herbert Samuel, for Asian-Mediterranean fusion such as calamari with warm tahini sauce and amber-colored truffle soup with beans and crunchy chestnuts.

Vicky Cristina in Tel Aviv

Hungry for more eccentric culture blends?  Head over to Vicky Cristina where España meets Eretz Israel with tapas such as tender calamari sautéed in spiced olive oil and eggplant with garlic and onions on a pita, served with wine to Latin music.

But if this is your last night in town and you feel like staying local don’t miss the David Intercontinental’s signature Aubergine where Chef Louise Noiman takes kosher gastronomy to new heights. Since meats in cream sauces are strictly prohibited, she creates dishes with alternative ingredients that will leave you wondering why you ever needed the combination. Add to this a fine selection of local kosher wines and you have just found the best place for a Passover vacation. Chag Pesach Sameach!

Comped but never compromised: Dennis was on a press trip to Tel Aviv sponsored by the David Intercontinental, but he is free to write whatever he wants.

One of the tartan looms at Geoffrey Tailor, a large tartan and souvenir store by Edinburgh Castle.

Yes, Geoffrey (Tailor) is touristy, but in a good way.

Today, April 6, is National Tartan Day, which is an American holiday that began in 2005 to celebrate Scottish Americans. To me, however, it sounds like we’re celebrating tartans, beautiful woven patterns which are certainly are worthy of celebration. And that made me think of the kilts I saw in August 2010 in Edinburgh.

It takes a special kind of tourist to wear a kilt when visiting the Edinburgh Castle.

Most of the tartans that I saw were on tourists, staff members at tourist attractions, touristy shops along the Royal Mile and at Geoffrey Tailor, which is huge tartan and souvenir store complete with tartan looms. It’s aptly located next to the Edinburgh Castle and it’s the perfect place for gifts or to fully outfit yourself in a custom-made kilt, complete with straps, socks and sporrans.

Real Scots do wear kilts. But they wear them on formal and semi-formal occasions, none of which I was attending while in Scotland. At Scottish weddings, for example, kilts are the typical dress for men. And sometimes at American weddings, the groom and groomsmen will wear them if they’re of Scottish descent. It’s tough to pull off though.

Oh, and don’t think I didn’t try to convince my husband that he needed to buy a kilt! Neither of us are of Scottish descent, but you never know when you might be invited to something that requires (or even subtly suggests) a kilt. There are so many great patterns to choose from, and the custom-make it so it fits and flatters you perfectly. But not only was the high cost a factor, there was also the problem that my husband really did not want one. As for me, I wore a kilt (Dress Campbell) as my uniform all through high school, so I’m set for life. We did end up with nice plaid cashmere scarves though.

Felix's Restaurant in New Orleans; all photos by Jill Martin Wrenn

Guest blogger Jill Martin Wrenn and her family (three kids under five!) had a great time visiting all of the children’s attractions during their weekend in New Orleans. But you can’t go to New Orleans and not indulge in the fabulous food, so they made sure to go to some kid-friendly restaurants that the grown-ups were impressed with too.

While we realized that some of New Orleans’ more formal restaurants were out of our reach seeing as our party included a one-year-old, a three-year-old and a five-year-old, we were determined to sample some of the city’s famous cuisine. On our first real day of sightseeing, we paid an obligatory visit to Café Du Monde, a restaurant crowded with tourists lining up to sample the beignets, a New Orleans staple. Our kids loved the deep fried dough smothered in powdered sugar, while my husband and I liked the café au lait.

A delicious beignet at Cafe du Monde in New Orleans

On our second night, we ended up at Felix’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar, just down the street from our hotel in the French Quarter, after a friendly local warned us that our original choice had white table cloths and a fancier atmosphere. Felix, a well-known Creole seafood house featured the local dishes we wanted to try, like gumbo and po-boys (big submarine sandwiches filled with fried fish). And nobody was alarmed when our three-year-old had a temper tantrum.

There wasn’t a line outside Felix’s at 6 PM on a Thursday night — but it was a different world on Friday. The French Quarter was heaving the first night of the weekend, even at 6 PM. I had thought our cunning plan of visiting the city just after Mardi Gras meant that we would miss the crowds of revelers.

Asleep at the dinner table at Felix's

That was a naive assumption. We arrived on a Wednesday, then watched the crowds build into the weekend. We realized that a double stroller was not the best mode of transport on a Friday night in the French Quarter.

While pushing our two sons across streets teeming with cars, but lacking in traffic lights, we encountered a scene that looked fun for adults, but potentially treacherous for toddlers. There were throngs of people milling around the Bourbon Street area, enjoying live music and ample drinks.

Lines stretched outside nearby restaurants, where we discovered half-hour long waits. So we retreated back to our hotel, the Iberville Suites, which shares a building with the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. We got a great rate on a one-bedroom suite, and enjoyed taking advantage of the Ritz’s amenities — particularly when I ran into several Dallas Mavericks in the gym, including Dirk Nowitzki.

Returning from our thwarted Friday night out with the kids in the French Quarter, we dined on gumbo, po-boys and sliders in the enclosed courtyard outside the Ritz’s bar, while the kids played in a gazebo under the moonlight. They say that the evening was their favorite part of the trip. And the bill was unexpectedly reasonable.

Even with toddlers, a visit to New Orleans can be full of surprises.

Read about the Wrenns’ favorite family attractions in New Orleans.

Read about the Wrenn family’s adventures in Italy, Birmingham, England, and Disney World.

Storyland in New Orleans; all photos by Jill Martin Wrenn

When you hear New Orleans, you think “let the good times roll” not “let the strollers roll.” But Jill Martin Wrenn, family traveler extraordinaire (you may remember her guest posts about Italy, Birmingham, England, and Disney World during Thanksgiving), just spent the weekend there with her three kids and found that there’s plenty for little ones — and their parents — to enjoy in the Big Easy.

From streetcars to sugary treats, New Orleans has a lot to offer children.  I saw a side to the city that I didn’t know existed when I visited with my three kids, ages five, three and one.

Hands-on fun at the Louisiana Children's Museum

I was inspired by photos of Angelina Jolie, touring the city with her brood.  Even if our budget isn’t quite as high as hers, having only three kids — instead of six — seemed relatively manageable in comparison.

Our nearly eight-hour drive from Atlanta went as smoothly as possible, thanks to iPad videos, minimal traffic, sunny weather and several well-timed stops at McDonald’s.  The Star Wars toys included in the Happy Meals provided us with opportune bribes for our three-year-old.

We arrived at our hotel in the evening, then spent our first morning at the Louisiana Children’s Museum.  It has activities for all three kids’ age groups, including a story time with a very friendly reader, who delighted my five-year-old when she said: “The weather in New Orleans is crazy!”

It was certainly unpredictable.  During the first week of March when we visited, the temperature touched 80 degrees on our first full day, making us wish we had brought shorts.  It then fell to 55 degrees with rain on our last day, leaving us regretting that we had left behind our coats.

New Orleans Canal Streetcar

We went a bit farther afield on our second full day and visited City Park, about half an hour by streetcar from downtown.  The bright red color of the Canal Street line resembled a fire engine, so our three-year-old son was impressed. But the length of the ride took its toll, and the kids got a bit antsy by the end. In fact, our one-year-old threw up.

But once we walked into City Park, past the massive oak trees, and fed ducks in a pond beside the New Orleans Museum of Art, our son had recovered.  We walked through the park to Storyland, a playground that showcases an array of fairytales.

New Orleans Museum of Art

Our kids climbed on Captain Hook’s pirate ship, slid down a dragon slide and posed with statues of Snow White and the Three Little Pigs, while I chatted with a mom we had just met about New Orleans restaurants that welcome the younger set.

She, like many locals we encountered, was proud of her city, and happy to share tips — especially for navigating the French Quarter, the area known for its revelry, with children.  She warned us that the restaurant where we had planned to dine that night had white tablecloths.  That sounded a bit too formal for our group, so we opted for a more casual option.

Where did the Wrenns find family-friendly dining? Read about the kid-friendly restaurants they found in New Orleans, which the adults loved too!

Turbulence helps my toddler sleep like a baby!

Lots of people hate turbulence. Lots of people hate flying with a toddler. Neither are pleasant situations, and perhaps the thought of combining the two of them has you thinking that you’re better off staying at home than jetting off to that beach vacation. Well, would you be surprised to learn that I’ve discovered that flying with my toddler has a given me more positive attitude toward turbulence? Let me explain…

I have unfortunately become the kind of flyer who really dislikes the run-of-the-mill “fasten your seatbelt” turbulence that happens during almost every flight. Turbulence makes me nervous even when I know that it is par for the course, absolutely routine and all that stuff that people who are cool about turbulence will tell you.

And I knew last week (and the week prior) that when I flew from NYC to Sarasota and back again with my 15-month-old completely alone (except for 100+ other passengers and the flight crew), I would definitely experience some turbulence. While New York and Florida were enjoying great weather, there were plenty of storms in between to provide “potholes in the air” as my friendly Jet Blue captain put it.

There was some degree of turbulence for the entirety of both flights. Hardly ever a break from it and that was not my idea of fun. I had planned to walk around the plane with my toddler to give him a break from sitting in his carseat but I’m not one to get up when the “fasten your seatbelt” sign is lit, and especially not when they make an announcement about “having to suspend beverage service temporarily.” Safety first, thank you very much.

Naturally, my toddler did not appreciate my commitment to safety insofar as it meant that he was stuck in his carseat. And he was quite vocal about his displeasure at times, making me everyone’s least favorite passenger on the plane. (Because they can’t hate the baby, right?) It’s interesting to note that on European airlines, they don’t recognize carseats as being safer, which means that during turbulence, takeoff and landing, the parent is required to take the baby out of the carseat and attach him to your seatbelt with a special baby seatbelt that does not exist on American airlines.

On both of my flights, I noticed that whenever the turbulence would get worse, my son would get calmer. Just as the turbulence reached its peak — and I reached the peak of my stress — my son drifted off to sleep. That’s right — the same motion that I found so nerve-wracking, he found soothing. And it makes perfect sense, seeing as I still have to rock him in a stroller to take naps. (But that’s a whole other post.)

So after experiencing an unhappy toddler and moderate turbulence, I was now experiencing a sleeping toddler and moderate turbulence. The situation was much improved — thank you, turbulence! This being Jet Blue, I decided to relax by watching Bravo and sitcom reruns while my son napped for about 45 minutes each time. I’m relieved that he’s making me almost appreciate turbulence, because the last thing I want to do is give him a negative attitude toward turbulence or flying. I’ve got big travel plans for him and I want him to see the magic in flying through the air in a big metal bird.

So why has flying with a toddler made me like turbulence? Because it puts him to sleep. Yeah, I guess this could have just been a six-word-long post.

Check out my tips for flying with a baby and my interview on ABC News Now about what you need to know when flying with a baby.

The ceremonial opening of the world's first Ski-In, Ski-Out Starbucks; photo courtesy of Squaw Valley

It seems like there are Starbucks everywhere… except when you need one. Like at the middle of the mountain when you’re skiing and you want cappuccino that doesn’t come from an instant hot chocolate machine. And that’s why I’m in awe of the world’s first ski-in ski-out Starbucks, which opened on Saturday in Squaw Valley, CA.

The best part of this Starbucks is that it has a takeout window — that’s what makes it truly ski-in ski-out. Therein lies the brillance. You can get a drink or a snack without removing your skis! I hate having to take off my skis, prop them up against the fence along with my poles (have them fall down and possibly knock over other people’s skis) only to walk with that awkward gait that ski boots give you. I always feel like I’m going to fall, especially when I get inside and the floor is wet and slippery. I’ve often though that the hardest part of skiing is not what happens on the actual mountain but dealing with all that gear… But at least a dose of caffeine makes it a little easier!

Incroyable Almande and Framboise Macarons

Although Laduree, the world-famous macaron purveyor, opened their first U.S. location in April, it took me until this week to walk to the mere mile from my home in Manhattan. The good news is that by the time I got there, the lines had died down because all of the true macaron lovers had already made their pilgrimage to the Parisian macaron mecca on Madison.

Instead of ganache, the filling inside the new Incroyable Almande has the texture of a marshmallow.

But the even better news is that I was just in time for a new flavor that was introduced to commemorate their 150th anniversary: Incroyable Almande. Take that, early adopters!

The Incroyable Almande’s shell is nearly the same color as the  standard pistachio macaron, but it has a subtle almond essence instead. What really distinguishes the incroyable almande from the rest  is its filling — it’s has a spongy, marshmallow texture and taste.

Hard to choose, but I managed...

While I was excited to have the opportunity to sample the latest flavor, I liked the other macaron I bought much better. The pink Framboise was as delicious as it looks: a raspberry shell filled with raspberry jam. (Laduree sells jam and some other treats too, but it’s most macarons.) Ganache is actually the most classic filling, but I didn’t have any of those.

So yes, I managed to limit myself to two. That’s because visiting the beautiful Laduree store is part of the experience, and I wanted an excuse to return soon! There are 13 flavors, giving me plenty of reasons to go back. Being in the store transports you instantly to Paris from NYC, just like how the macarons are transported instantly from NYC to Paris. OK, maybe not instantly, as these delicate desserts face a seven-hour plane ride from France. Amazingly, new batches are flown in every other day or so. It’s a Francophile’s dream, but a locavore’s nightmare. But for a true taste of Paris, it’s very convenient (864 Madison Ave., at 71st street) and affordable ($2.70 per macaron). Unfortunately, it could also be addictive…