Florida

I grew up in Europe and when i was a teenager it was very common to travel to Florida as it seems to be a big dream come to true during the early nineties. Well as I do many things not "on time" I decided to give it a try during my recent stay in California as First Class Travel on United is nowadays a different story to cattle class the "dream come true guys" where on. As I had some flights in and out of Tampa International so I opted for the very nice Intercontinental Tampa , as they do offer free of charge Airport transfer. The Hotel is located in an office building, so not a resort like place you might think of, when going to Florida. But the service received was very nice. Rooms where comfortable and they do have free Wifi. I you are in a hurry in the morning, I would recommend the Illy coffee shop on lobby floor. During the weekend we had two days off- perfect for a road trip to Miami! In my opinion Florida is famous for jewish grannies, the gay community, white dressed and black skinned guys and of cause Florida Rolf. So what do you think what car I opted for at Avis counter- right! A huge white convertible car!!! Perfect for cruising around Miami Beach and hunting for an alligator in the Everglades.

After a day of driving via Orlando, West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale we finally arrived in Miami, but make sure you have the right address in your GPS (the Avis one sucks) as we first stopped at a "spaniocal" Hyatt before heading to our reserved Hyatt Miami
If you are seeking some more entertainment besides some beers at the bar and a final "Presidente" beer before going to sleep you should consider one of the following places:
White Room

Bella Rose

BLACK SUNDAY ft TROUBLE & BASS from Alexis Mincolla on Vimeo.

Merry x-mas and a happy new year

Dear fellow reader,
I wish you all happy holiday and a good start into the upcoming new year. I am already excited about my new destinations and you will kept up to date with my in depth reports on traveling New York, Brussels, Shanghai, Cairo, Bahrain, Bangkok (all are fixed already) and hopefully many more. Keep in touch and all the best- your Bule!

Travel the world

Time is passing by and my recent stay in Berlin sucks- not just because its Berlin, its more about Me, Myself and I. So what's the best way to escape- right, I need a change!
As my plans are fixed for London, Shanghai, Istanbul, Jakarta and Singapore I do need something new for november. This time I will do a traditional mileague run in the states: LAX, ONT, ORD, CLT, TPA, PHL and as it might be my last trip for this year I will add a sidestep to Vancouver and Hong Kong!
So if you are around- drop me line and stay tuned for my upcoming reports on traveling the world!

NU Hotel Brooklyn

As I stayed last time in Manhattan I was looking forward something special with a certain kind of NYC vibe for my recent stay in New York. After some research on the web I thought Brooklyn might be a good option and indeed it is! I felt in love with the area and the hotel from the very first moment. The hotel is easy to reach from LGA by taxi for about 30USD- from JFK you could easily take the MTA. The subway is within walking distance- just 5 minutes and it will take another 3 minutes to downtown Manhattan!
Check In was a swift- Justin even recommend a diner across the street, called New St.Claires (its worth a visit) and helped me out with a dental set. Staff at all was very friendly and kindly helped with every request. The whole property is a boutique hotel- which is well done for people who know how something like that should look like!
We stayed in a Standard Queen room on the third floor- very quiet with a view to the backyard. Bed was very comfy as the whole ambience of the room. Wifi was included in the room rate as well as the continental breakfast in the morning which is a very good start as the coffee, freshly baked pastries, juice and fresh fruits are delicious! If i wanna a huge buffet breakfast- I would choose a Shangri La e.g.!
If they keep the quality on this level I will return for sure!

Hot Spots

View My Saved Places in a larger map

Stay tuned for updated versions!

Bar Contest

Last night I had a couple of Singha, my well loved refreshing drink besides Bintang. Today I recognized that Singha in cooperation with Lonelyplanet is seeking Your favorite spot to hangout and cool down. So vote for your favorite watering hole! To bad that the "erotic knucklebone lady" from the night hawker in Sala Daeng Rd. is not listed.

Las Vegas

The desert, the Mustang, Punsch and me! Well after 3 days of driving around 1500 Miles from SFO to LAS onwards to LAX and returning on Highway number one to SFO I must admit that the part throughout the desert was the most spectacular one. Even if you prefer to take a plane for every route this one should be done by car to get the right feeling. The only Problem is the lack of DJ Dizzy after a couple of hundred miles leaving SFO, as this is dam cool shit!!

Places to Stay:
Las Vegas is full of huge Hotels and Casinos, so you are able to get a very good deal during the week in off seasons. Hotels like the Wynn, Mandalaybay or the Bellagio are available for under 100 bucks often including resort credits and redemptions on shows, so shop around. If you are on a budget check out Hyatt Place.
Enjoy:
During your stay in Las Vegas or on your onward journey to Los Angeles you should stop by @ famous Hoover Dam which is on the border to Arizona. Nearby Boulder City is good for quick bite in between- stop by @ Mel's Diner for a great atmosphere and tasty american food.

From my point of view there is nothing really cool on offer in Las Vegas, besides you are into gambling. You might visit one of the many available shows, go out for dinner (if you are into draught beer try Gordon-Biersch) or double your budget in a Casino. Have a look to the old City Center of Las Vegas- stroll around the little alleys and enjoy the heat.

During your stay in Las Vegas or on your onward journey to Los Angeles you should stop by @ famous Hoover Dam which is on the border to Arizona. Nearby Boulder City is good for quick bite in between- stop by @ Mel's Diner for a great atmosphere and tasty american food.

San Francisco

I am not yet sure why San Francisco became one of my well loved places. Maybe because of the liberal, gay, straight, Asian , American, European vibe? Or is it the structure itself: the location by the sea, the hills and the architecture? It seems to be the mix indeed. You really don’t get the feeling that you are in a huge urban city, but you will find everything an urban guy like me need.


Transportation:


Compared to other American cities, San Fran is one of a few with an excellent public transportation system. To and from the airport one could use the bart train service, which is cheap, fast and reliable. For every visitor is a ride on the cable car a must. One way tickets are 5USD but you can opt for a day pass (one day is 11USD) for unlimited rides on busses, cable cars and subways within the Muni system.

Places to stay:
There are plenty of options from cosy boutique hotels to large Chain Hotels downtown or posh options on Nobb Hill. If you are on a budget trip and don’t really care about a certain Hotel you should consider Priceline.
I stayed recently in Parc 55 -which is next to Union Square and right at Powell Station. Well its not cool but indeed a solid option if you wanna explore the city. Other places you should consider are the Intercontinental, the MO or Craigslist.
Next to the airport I would strictly recommend the Hyatt!

Enjoy:
Besides strolling around the city, walking across Golden Gate Bridge and taking a ride on the famous Cable Car there are many different districts to explore. Well worth a visit is The Castro- home to the famous gay area. It’s a lifely area with lost of bars and restaurants where you even can have a drink midday without being looked at. For the different neighborhoods you should have a look @SFO Gate.
After dinner go for some drinks in The Castro and later to one of the many clubs or event locations like the 111Minna, The Endup or Werd for dancing.

California rocks!

My recent trip was a usual a mix of work and fun- it is always good to get some new inspirations for upcoming “placemaking” projects. California is simply amazing and San Francisco is in my personal top 10 list. Las Vegas is not that bad as the way through the desert is an amazing ride if you have the right car. I had- so the fun was indeed huge! Vegas is good for a marry on the spot- so I did, but the well talked about first night was a little uninspiring. But the next morning was indeed maximum success- could you believe how amazing the Hoover dam is and how beautiful the desert is?!
Well Los Angeles sucks- as traffic is hell and Americans are poor drivers. I got lost thanks to my GPS and need to pee, stopped at one place what ones could tell a ghetto…so I quit the idea of leaving my Mustang and used the turbo boost to escape.

Stay tuned for my in depth reports on traveling California!

California

Anybody around in mai?

New York City

There is no place like NYC on this planet. One could easily say that they would never travel to North America as they might think it is boring. Indeed most places within the States or Canada aren’t interesting at all, but NYC is not America- NYC is an Urban Agglomeration of the World. If you aren’t able to move there you should at least came by to get an impression of the very special lifestyle. Skip the stuff what is recommended in your guidebook. Just stroll down the different parts and you might be able to realize what’ s all about!



Places to stay:
NYC is not cheap at all, but due to economic crises and the weak dollar you will find a places which suits to your budget.
For good offers check out Travelzoo or bid for a room on Priceline. I am not a fan of chain hotels and New York is a good place to look for something different than a Mariott or Hilton.
If you are on a shoestring but would like to have a little bit more comfort try Pod Hotel in Manhattan. This venue offers rooms with and without private bathrooms. Boutique Hotels are very famous in NYC and prices are sometimes out of the world, but there are options if you are willing to stay for example in Brooklyn. Sure you have to travel to Manhattan, but depending on the area you like to go it might takes just a few more minutes. Try Nu Hotel on Smith Street. This is a very new design oriented hotel in a very hip area.
Getting around:
There are three main airports- JFK, EWR and LGA. If you can choose I would strictly recommend to use La Guardia as this is the smallest airport of the three, located in Queens. Flying in and out is amazing as you have a very nice view on the city. There is a bus service connecting to the MTA, but its worth to think about a taxis to your hotel. A taxi to Nu Hotel in Brooklyn will cost about 30 bucks all in and if your traveling together with somebody its a bargain for the 25 minutes ride.
Organizing travel during your stay is pretty easy as you should use public transport! A ride on the subway will set you back 2 bucks. You have to buy a Metro Card at the vending machines within the stations. Buy a 20USD card which is worth 23USD- you need to walk a lot anyway as a first timer. Keep in mind that you can use the Metro Card also for two people.

Stay tuned- Will be continued!

Fully booked

Right after a couple of days into the new Year I am already fully booked until april! Amazing destinations as well as the chance to meet you all again. I am straight looking forward to meet you in NYC, BKK, JKT, DPS, JOG, JKT (yeah- twice!!!!), SIN, BKK, MNL, TAG, MNL, HKG, ICN, PAR and who knows where else. Stay tuned for my upcoming reports on this destinations.

Anyway- its done!

The Great Schlep from The Great Schlep on Vimeo.

Flight Tracker

Last weekend a very good friend of mine from Singapore came over and he used the ultra longhaul by Singapore Airlines to New York. As I used to fly by myself a couple of times with SIA I would strictly recommend to spend a few extra bucks on their service. My friend was really enthusiastic about the service received. The world famous Singapore Girl in the typical Sarung makes the difference. It would be a pleasure if one of the girls slop a Singapore Sling over my trousers just for "the" sorry on her lips. The Kosher meals provided are produced by the kosher caterer Hermolis and are not bad!

Oh, gosh! I’m so happy to live in New York!

Nestled among meatpacking plants and hard-core gay bars, Florent was an anomalously egalitarian enclave beloved in equal measure by celebrities on the A list and hedonists on the edge, and a prism through which certain aspects of the city’s evolution could be seen with unusual clarity. There is a menu of French stalwarts and American interlopers that were available virtually round the clock: onion soup, mussels, pâté, steak frites, hamburgers, cheeseburgers. And he created an institution that became both a timeline and a time capsule of downtown life. Anyway- On June 29 Florent will close. Its rent was to rise to more than $30,000 a month. It started with paying $1,350. The neighborhood, the city and the people who felt it belonged to them were different then.

Have a look to the special movie, linked in the title and stay tuned for more melancholy stories worldwide

Wanna join?

There are marked the stations of my recent trips. Indeed I will return soon- so it would be nice if I could catch you up for a Cremant or just a coffee. Feel free to show me your maps!