"My trip from the Bay Area to Los Angeles on a chartered semiprivate plane with JetSuiteX cost a fraction of a traditional flight and convinced me I'd never suffer through a giant airport for the journey again. There was no wait, minimal security protocols, and a comfortable lounge with free snacks, drinks, and WiFi."

The rest of the story:
I flew home for the holidays on a little-known airline with zero wait time that feels like a chartered jet, and I'm never flying 'normally' again by Erin Brodwin (Business Insider)

The scientific theory I like best is that the rings of Saturn are composed entirely of lost airline luggage. -- Mark Russell

Focusing on architecture, art and design, each of Phaidon's Wallpaper City Guides is illustrated with more than 50 color photographs and protected by Pantone covers. These pocket-sized travel bibles point you toward a city's hippest nightlife, buzziest hotels, coolest retail, most influential art galleries and cultural spaces, and the best in local design and contemporary architecture. More than 100 destinations are available, from Atlanta to Zurich. Ten volumes are also available in French.

Also distributed for iPhone and iPad, Wallpaper City Guides apps are more portable and interactive than the book versions, with extra features such as photo galleries and in-app web browsing. Tap the screen to call a restaurant to book a table, locate it on our map, and use GPS to discover where to go for a drink nearby.

Why the publisher would bother to print the books in French but neglect to make the apps available for Android is not explained.

Wallpaper City Guides are available in many book and travel stores, from Phaidon and at Amazon.

The American Bar at The Savoy London took home this year's Spirited Awards Crystal Trophy and the honor of being recognized as the best bar in the world.
Here are the winners of this year’s Spirited Awards given annually by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, an organization that supports education and research for the hospitality industry. The regions represented are Europe, the Middle East & Africa, Asia Pacific, the Americas (Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada) and, three regions in the US: East, Central and West. A juried Top 10 list was chosen for six bar categories for each part of the world. All the lists have been arranged in alphabetical order.

EUROPE
Best Cocktail Bar – Europe
Happiness Forgets – London, UK, named Best International Cocktail Bar
Jerry Thomas Speakeasy Bar – Rome, Italy
La Botticella – Rome, Italy
Le Syndicat – Paris, France
Paradiso – Barcelona, Spain
Satan's Whiskers – London, UK
Tales & Spirits – Amsterdam, The Netherlands
The Gibson – London, UK
The Kinly Bar – Frankfurt, Germany
Three Sheets – London, UK

Best High Volume Cocktail Bar – Europe
Baba Au Rum – Athens, Greece
Callooh Callay – London, UK
Dirty Dick – Paris, France
HIMKOK – Oslo, Norway
Odori Vermuteria Di Atene – Athens, Greece
Oriole Bar – London, UK
Panda and Sons – Edinburgh, UK
Skyline Rooftop Bar – Venice, Italy
Super Lyan – London, UK
The Clumsies – Athens, Greece

Best Restaurant Bar – Europe
Blind Pig – London, UK
Bonhomie – Paris, France
Cub – London, UK
Danico – Paris, France
Divin Ostilia – Rome, Italy
Hawksmoor Spitalfields – London, UK
Sager & Wilde – London, UK, named Best International Restaurant Bar
Sexy Fish – London, UK
The Clove Club – London, UK
Tjoget/Linje Tio – Stockholm, Sweden

Best Hotel Bar – Europe
Atelier Cocktail bar – Gran Canaria, Spain
Bar du Bristol – Paris, France
Dukes Bar at Dukes – London, UK
Punch Room at London Edition – London, UK
Scarfes Bar at Rosewood – London, UK
The American Bar at The Savoy – London, UK, named Best Bar in the World
The Distillery/ The Resting Room - London
The Lobby Bar at The London Edition - London
The Zetter Townhouse Clerkenwell - London
Zetter Townhouse Marylebone - London

Best New Cocktail Bar – Europe
Antique American Bar – Bratislava, Slovakia
Bar Three – London, UK
Coupette – London, UK, named Best New International Cocktail Bar
Flying Dutchmen Cocktails – Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Horatio Street Social Club – London, UK
Les Grands Verres – Paris, France
Scout – London, UK
The Mint Gun Club – London, UK
Two Schmucks – Barcelona, Sparin
Waeska Bar at the Mandrake – London, UK

Best Bar Team – Europe
Baba Au Rum – Athens, Greece
Danico – Paris, France
El Copitas Bar - St. Petersburg, Russia
Le Lion Bar De Paris – Hamburg, Germany
Le Syndicat – Paris, France
Panda & Sons – Edinburgh, UK
Swift – London, UK
The American Bar, The Savoy – London, UK
The Clumsies – Athens, Greece
The Connaught Bar – London, UK

THE AMERICAS

Best Cocktail Bar – The Americas
Bar Raval – Toronto, Canada
El Baron – Cartagena, Colombia
Florería Atlántico – Buenos Aires, Agentina
Gift shop bar – Toronto, Canada
Guilhotina Bar - São Paulo, Brazil
Le 4e Mur – Montréal, Canada
Licoreria Limantour - Mexico City, Mexico
Nosso - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Pretty Ugly – Toronto, Canada
The Keefer Bar – Vancouver, Canada

Best High Volume Cocktail Bar – The Americas
Alejandro's – Panama City, Panama
Bar Pamplemousse – Montreal, Canada
Juan Sebastiån Bar – Caracas, Venezuela
Jules Basement - Mexico City, Mexico
La Factoria - San Juan, Puerto Rico
Mahjong Bar – Toronto, Canada
SubAstor – São Paolo, Brazil
Tennessee Tavern – Toronto, Canada
The Box Lounge Groove – Guatemala City, Guatemala
Uptown & the Bronx - Buenos Aires, Argentina

Best Restaurant Bar – The Americas
Acre Restaurant & Cocktail Bar - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Alo - Toronto, Canada
Bar Kismet - Halifax, Canada
Central Restaurant – Lima, Peru
Kaito Izakaya - Mexico City, Mexico
La Casita de Rones – San Juan, Puerto Rico
Oncle Antoine – Quebec City, Canada
Sidecut – Whistler, Canada
The Monkey Beach Club – Cozumel, Mexico
UVA Wine & Cocktail Bar – Vancouver, Canada

Best Hotel Bar – The Americas
Alvear Roof Bar at the Alvear Palace – Buenos Aires, Argentina
Bar Artéfact at the Auberge Saint-Antoin – Quebec City, Canada
Copacabana Piano Bar at the Belmond – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Fifty Mils at Four Seasons Hotel- Mexico City, Mexico
Frank Bar at the Maksoud Plaza Hotel – São Paolo, Brazil
Lobby Lounge at the Fairmont Pacific Rim – Vancouver, Canada
Nacarat Bar at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel – Montreal, Canada
Roofbar at the Tantalo – Panama City, Panama
The Drake Hotel – Toronto, Canada
Townhouse Boutique Hotel & Rooftop – Cartagena, Colombia

Best New Cocktail Bar – The Americas Bar Nacarat – Montréal, Canada
Botanist – Vancouver, Canada
Carmela y Sal – Mexico City, Mexico
Carnaval – Lima, Peru
El Gallo Altanero – Guadalajara, Mexico
Goldie – Toronto, Canada
King Cole Bar - Mexico City, Mexico
Presidente – Buenos Aires, Argentina
The Coldroom – Montreal, Canada
The Strangers Club – Panamá City, Panama

Best Bar Team – The Americas
Civil Liberties – Toronto, Canada
Fifty Mils - Mexico City, Mexico
Guilhotina Bar - São Paulo, Brazil
Kaito Izakaya - Mexico City, Mexico
La Factoria - San Juan, Puerto Rico
Licoreria Limantour - Mexico City, Mexico
Pretty Ugly – Toronto, Canada
Sub Astor Bar - São Paulo, Brazil
The Coldroom – Montréal, Canada
The Keefer Bar – Vancouver, Canada

MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA
For Middle East and Africa we had more nominations than ever before but this remains an emerging scene for cocktail culture so we are pleased to be able to share a Top 5 for each category.

Best Cocktail Bar - MEA
Lost & Found – Cyprus
XO – Accra, Ghana
House of Machines – Cape Town, South Africa
Sin and Tax – Johannesburg, South Africa
Weslodge – Dubai, UAE

Best High Volume Cocktail Bar – MEA
Brew Bar – Nairobi, Kenya
Central Station – Beirut, Lebanon
Iris – Dubai, UAE
Miss Lilly’s – Dubai, UAE
Pacifico – Beirut, Lebanon

Best Restaurant Bar - MEA
Buddha Bar – Dubai, UAE
Coya – Dubai, UAE
La Petite Maison – Dubai, UAE
Marble – Johannesburg, South Africa

Best Hotel Bar – MEA
Eau de Vie Bar at the Phoenecia Hotel - Beirut, Lebanon
Gold in 27 at the Burj Al Arab – Dubai, UAE
Hendrick’s Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel – Dubai, UAE
Imperial Cocktail Bar at the Imperial Hotel – Tel Aviv, Israel
Planet Bar at the Mount Nelson Hotel – Cape Town, South Africa

Best New Cocktail Bar – MEA
Botanical Bar – Cape Town, South Africa
Cause & Effect – Cape Town, South Africa
Mootee – Johannesburg, South Africa
Motel – Tel Aviv, Isreal

Best Bar Team - MEA
Central Station – Beirut, Lebanon
Coya – Dubai, UAE
House of Machines – Cape Town, South Africa
Imperial Craft Cocktail Bar – Tel Aviv
Lost & Found – Cyprus

ASIA & PACIFIC
Best Cocktail Bar - ASIA & PACIFIC
28 Hong Kong Street - Singapore
Above Board – Melbourne, Australia
Atlas - Singapore
Bar Orchard Ginza – Toyko, Japan
Bulletin Place – Sydney, Australia
Caretaker – Auckland, New Zealand
Native - Singapore
Operation Dagger - Singapore
Smoke & Mirrors - Singapore
Speak Low – Shanghai, China

Best High Volume Cocktail Bar - ASIA & PACIFIC
Eau-de-Vie – Melbourne, Australia
KOR Taipei - Taiwan
Molly – Canberra, Australia
Quinary - Hong Kong
Shady Pines Saloon – Sydney, Australia
The Barber Shop – Sydney, Australia
The Baxter Inn – Sydney, Australia
The Everleigh – Melbourne, Australia
The Gresham Bar – Queensland, New Zealand
The Lobo Plantation – Sydney, Australia

Best Restaurant Bar - A & P
Cassia – Auckland, New Zealand
Charlie Parker’s - Sydney, Australia
Cut by Wolfgang - Singapore
Hubert’s – Sydney, Australia
Bar Luca – Sydney, Australia
Maybe Frank – Sydney, Australia
NOLA Adelaide Whiskies and Craft Beers – Adelaide, Australia
Otto e Mezzo - Hong Kong
Sober Company – Shanghai, China
Zuma - Hong Kong

Best Hotel Bar - A & P
Bamboo Bar at the Mandarin Oriental- Bangkok, Thailand
Charles H at the Four Seasons- Seoul, South Korea
Eichardt's Bar at the Eichardt – Queenstown, New Zealand
Elephant Bar at the Raffles Hotel - Phnom Penh, Cambodia
EQUIS at the Four Seasons – Beijing, China
Lobster Bar at Island Shangri-La- Hong Kong
Manhattan Bar at Regent - Singapore
Pascale Bar and Grill at QT – Melbourne, Australia
The Ritz Carlton Bar & Lounge at The Ritz Carlton - Macau
Social Club Hotel de Arts - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Best New Cocktail Bar - A & P
Caffe Fernet - Singapore
COA Hong Kong - Hong Kong
Duke of Clarence – Sydney, Australia
Employees Only – Hong Kong
EQUIS Four Seasons Beijing – Beijing, China
Jungle Bird – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Origin Bar at Shangri-La Hotel - Singapore
The Old Man - Hong Kong
The Parasol & Swing Company – Auckland, New Zealand
Three X Co. – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Best Bar Team A & P
Black Pearl – Melbourne, Australia
Manhattan Bar - Singapore
Maybe Frank – Sydney, Australia
Quinary - Hong Kong
Shady Pines Saloon – Sydney, Australia
Sober Company – Shanghai, China
Speak Low – Shanghai, China
The Baxter Inn – Sydney, Australia
The Gresham Bar – Brisbane, Australia
Tippling Club – Singapore

USA
Best American Cocktail Bar - USA - East
Amor Y Amargo - New York, NY
Bar Goto - New York, NY
BarMini by Jose Andres - Washington, D.C.
BlackTail - New York, NY
Employees Only - Miami, FL
Mace - New York, NY
PDT - New York, NY
Pouring Ribbons - New York, NY
Proof - Charleston, SC
Ticonderoga Club – Atlanta, GA

Best High Volume Cocktail Bar - USA - East
Archipelago - Washington, D.C.
Bathtub Gin - New York, NY
Buffalo and Bergen - Washington, D.C.
Drink - Boston, MA
Jack Rose, Washington, D.C.
Porchlight - New York, NY
R House - Baltimore, MD
The Anderson - Miami, FL
The NoMad Bar - New York, NY, named Best American High Volume Cocktail Bar
Ward III - New York, NY

Best Restaurant Bar - USA East
27 Restaurant & Bar - Miami, FL
Alter - Miami, FL
Bastion - Nashville, TN
Gramercy Tavern - New York, NY
Kimball House - Atlanta, GA
Nightbell - Asheville, NC
No. 9 Park - Boston, MA
Silver Dollar - Louisville, KY
Teresa's Next Door - Wayne, PA
The Baldwin Bar - Woburn, MA

Best Hotel Bar - USA East
Analog at Hutton Hotel - Nashville, TN
Brothers and Sisters at The Line Hotel - Washington, D.C
Casimir’s Lounge at The Mansion - Savannah, GA
Covina at Roof Park South - New York, NY
Élevé at The Grand Bohemian Hotel - Charleston, SC
POV at The W - Washington, D.C
The Broken Shaker at The Freehand - Miami, FL, named Best American Hotel Bar
The Living Room at The Dewberry Hotel - Charleston, SC
The Roof at Park South - New York, NY
The Velvet Bar at the Hard Rock - Orlando, FL

Best New Cocktail Bar - USA East
Attaboy Nashville - Nashville, TN
Barely Disfigured - Brooklyn, NY
Blossom Bar - Brookline, MA
Death or Glory - Delray Beach, FL
Madrina's Bar - Gainesville, FL
Maydān - Washington, D.C.
The Aviary - New York, NY
The Edison - Orlando, FL
The Office NYC - New York, NY
The Pool Lounge - New York, NY

Best Bar Team - USA East
Bar Goto - New York, NY
Clover Club - Brooklyn, NY
Columbia Room - Washington, DC
Dante - New York, NY
Drink - Boston, MA
Kimball House - Atlanta, GA
Leyenda - Brooklyn, NY
PDT - New York, NY
Sweet Liberty - Miami, FL
The Dead Rabbit - New York, NY

Best Cocktail Bar - USA Central
Anvil - Houston, TX
Downstairs at The Esquire Tavern - San Antonio, TX
Lost Lake - Chicago, IL, named Best American Cocktail Bar
Juniper Tar - San Antonio, TX
Manifesto - Kansas City, MO
Planters House - St. Louis, MO
Porco Lounge and Tiki Room - Cleveland, OH
Scofflaw - Chicago, IL
The Aviary - Chicago, IL
The Office - Chicago – IL

Best High Volume Bar - USA Central Atomic Lounge - Birmingham, AL
Celeste - Chicago, IL
Eight Row Flint - Houston, TX
LBM - Lakewood, OH
Marvel Bar - Minneapolis, MN
Roosevelt Room - Austin, TX
Sportsman's Club - Chicago, IL
The Robin Room - Madison, WI
Three Dots and a Dash - Chicago, IL
Péché – Austin, TX

Best Restaurant Bar USA Central Bad Hunter - Chicago, IL
Balise - New Orleans, LA
Cherry Circle Room - Chicago, IL
Coltivare - Houston, TX
La Petite Grocery - New Orleans, LA
Meauxbar - New Orleans, LA
Sepia - Chicago, IL
Spoke & Steele - Indianapolis, IN
The Rieger - Kansas City, MO
Trattoria Stella - Traverse City, MI

Best Hotel Bar USA Central
Alto Bar at the Ace Hotel - New Orleans, LA
Broken Shaker at the Freehand, Chicago, IL
Compère Lapin at The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery - New Orleans, LA
Midnight Rambler at The Joule - Dallas, TX
Sable Kitchen & Bar at The Palomar - Chicago, IL
Sternewirth Tavern at The Emma Hotel - San Antonio, TX
The Commons Club at the Virgin Hotel - Chicago, IL
The Driskill Bar at The Driskill Hotel – Austin, TX
The Iron Horse Hotel - Milwaukee, WI
The Living Room at The W - Minneapolis, MN

Best New Cocktail Bar USA Central
Academia Austin - Austin, TX
Beatnik - Chicago, IL
Better Luck Tomorrow - Houston, TX
Eugene's Monkey Bar & Grill - Mobile, AL
Golden Teardrops – Chicago, IL
LBM - Lakewood, OH
Ludlow Liquors - Chicago, IL
Nickel City - Austin, TX
Prairie School - Chicago, IL
ROCA Restaurant and Bar - Vicksburg, MS

Best Bar Team USA Central
Arbella - Chicago, IL
Bar Tonique - New Orleans, LA
Manifesto - Kansas City, MO
Midnight Rambler - Dallas, TX
Porco Lounge and Tiki Room - Cleveland, OH
Sportsman's Club - Chicago, IL
The Aviary - Chicago, IL
The Esquire Tavern - San Antonio, TX
Violet Hour - Chicago, IL
Vol. 39 - Chicago, IL

Best Cocktail Bar - USA West
ABV - San Francisco, CA
B&GC - Denver, CO
Bar Leather Apron, Honolulu, HI
False Idol, San Diego, CA
Pacific Cocktail Haven - San Francisco, CA
Rumba - Seattle, WA
Trick Dog - San Francisco, CA
Under Tow - Phoenix, AZ
Walker Inn - Los Angeles, CA
Williams & Graham - Denver, CO

Best High Volume Cocktail Bar USA West
Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour - Phoenix, AZ
Harvard and Stone - Los Angeles, CA
Melrose Umbrella Co. - Los Angeles, CA
Occidental - Denver, CO
Pagan Idol - San Francisco, CA
Polite Provisions - San Diego, CA
The Double Standard - Oakland, CA
Oven & Shaker – Portland, OR
Zig Zag Café, Seattle, WA
Shady Lady, Sacramento, CA

Best Restaurant Bar USA West
Bar Agricole - San Francisco, CA
Clyde Common - Portland, OR, named Best American Restaurant Bar
Gwen - Los Angeles, CA
Hatchet Hall - Los Angeles, CA
Heartwood Provisions - Seattle, WA
Liholiho Yacht Club - San Francisco, CA
Nopa - San Francisco, CA
Otium - Los Angeles, CA
PABU - San Francisco, CA
Redbird - Los Angeles, CA

Best Hotel Bar - USA - West
Blue Hound Kitchen and Cocktails - Phoenix, AZ
Carbon Beach Club / Malibu Beach Inn - Malibu, CA
Charmaine’s at The Proper Hotel - San Francisco, CA
Grant Grill at the US Grant - San Diego, CA
Lehua Lounge at the Andaz - Wailea, HI
Libertine Social at The Mandalay - Las Vegas, NV
Mandarin Bar at Mandarin Oriental - Las Vegas, NV
The Dorsey - Las Vegas, NV
The Spare Room at The Roosevelt Hotel - Los Angeles, CA
YNK - Irvine, CA

Best New Cocktail Bar USA - West
Bibo Ergo Sum - Los Angeles, CA
Broken Shaker LA - Los Angeles, CA
Cold Drinks Bar - San Francisco, CA
Navy Strength - Seattle, WA, named Best New American Cocktail Bar
NoMad LA Gianinni Bar - Los Angeles, CA
Rudolph's Bar and Tea - Los Angeles, CA
Slipper Clutch - Los Angeles, CA
The Way Back - Denver, CO
True Laurel – San Francisco, CA
Lono – Los Angeles, CA

Best Bar Team USA - West
Accomplice Bar - Los Angeles, CA
Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour - Phoenix, AZ
Bootlegger Tiki - Palm Springs, CA
Broken Shaker, Los Angeles, CA
Herbs & Rye - Las Vegas, NV
Libertine Social - Las Vegas, NV
Pacific Cocktail Haven - San Francisco, CA
Trick Dog - San Francisco, CA
Valkyrie - Tulsa, OK
Williams & Graham - Denver, CO

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. -- Attr. Augustine of Hippo

You just have to get there.

Standing in a pit in the red soil of a mountaintop forest in northern Mozambique, Dr Simon Willcock was dirty but very excited. “Undisturbed forest is incredibly rare,” he said. “That is why we scaled a 125-metre-tall cliff with a pickaxe.” Willcock, from Bangor University in Wales, knew of no other rainforest in Africa that scientists can confidently say has not been disturbed by humans. “It’s a unique site in Africa,” he said, plunging the axe down into the chest-deep hole with a whump.

Like a villain’s fortress in an old James Bond movie, Mount Lico rises vertically from the land around it, the ancient centre of a volcano with the forest nestled in its crater. It was discovered by Dr Julian Bayliss, who examined satellite imagery looking for an undisturbed tropical rainforest. When he spotted Lico on Google Earth, he said, the forest on top “was isolated and appeared totally undisturbed”. With a smile, he added: “That makes it very exciting.”

The rest of the story: A ‘dream team’ of scientists scaled Mount Lico and found a wealth of new species. Mozambique: the secret rainforest at the heart of an African volcano by Jeff Barbee (Guardian).

It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on earth has ever produced the expression 'as pretty as an airport.' -- Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul

"In other markets, on other shores, the unfamiliar fishes may be vivid, mysterious, repellant, fascinating and bright with
splendid color; only in Venice do they look good enough to eat. In Venice even ordinary sole and ugly great skate are striped with delicate lilac lights, the sardines shine like newly-minted silver coins, pink Venetian scampi are fat and fresh, infinitely enticing in the early dawn." — Elizabeth David, “Italian Food,” 1954.

Elizabeth David was one of the first food critics to explore the full range of Italy's regional cooking. The foods of Italy, she reported in vivid prose, reached far beyond the simple pleasures of minestrone and ravioli to complex traditions in Tuscany, Sicily, Lombardy, Umbria, and many other regions:
Italian Food (Penguin Classics) by Elizabeth David, foreword by Julia Child (Amazon).

'The Land of the Mutts,' on an abandoned farm in the mountains of Costa Rica, is a dog sanctuary where adoptable dogs outnumber people by at least 100 to one.

A guidebook for the bike rider who wants a bit of adventure, Mike Wells' Cycling London to Paris: The classic Dover/Calais route and the Avenue Verte (Cicerone Cycling Guides) leads you around Paris and
London and the country roads linking the two great cities by two cycle routes: the 490km/304mile 'classic' from the Tower of London to the Eiffel Tower and the 387km/240mile Avenue Verte from the London Eye to Notre Dame. Passing through rolling countryside, charming market towns and medieval walled villages, suburban streets and country roads take you past historical landmarks, museums and iconic monuments. The daily sections -- 25 to 40 miles -- should be within the capabilities of moderately fit riders, and one direction should take less than a week, according to the publisher, meaning that a round trip, including a few days sightseeing in Paris, can easily be accomplished in a fortnight. Itineraries include directions, points of interest, elevations, and abundant maps. "A comprehensive introduction covers all the practicalities, such as Channel crossings, accommodation and what to take, and also offers a fascinating historical overview of southern England and northern France. A summary of facilities, useful contacts and an English-French glossary can be found in the appendices." Mike Wells is the author of six biking guides, including treks along the Danube, the Rhine and the Rhone.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization announced last week that Spain overtook the United States as the second-most visited destination in the world (France remains number one) in 2017. The U.S. welcomed 72.9 million foreign visitors last year — down about four percent from the previous year’s 75.9 million.

"Frank Horvat: History of a Photographer" at Chiablese Hall of the Royal Museums of Turin until 2018/05/20.

✓ The Raymond Chandler Mystery Map of Los Angeles by Aaron Blake (Amazon).
✓ This 1987 map investigates the settings of some of the best detective novels in literature. CityDig: Find Your Way Around Raymond Chandler’s Smoggy, Sultry Los Angeles by Glen Creason (Los Angeles magazine).
✓ See the map bigger.
✓ Also: Literary Map of Los Angeles by Aaron Blake (Amazon).

Now at at Turner Contemporary Margate through 2018/05/07.

La Condesa, Mexico City

Socrates did not blush to play with little boys, Cato used to refresh his mind with wine after he had wearied it with application to affairs of state, and Scipio would move his triumphal and soldierly
limbs to the sound of music … It does good also to take walks out of doors, that our spirits may be raised and refreshed by the open air and fresh breeze: sometimes we gain strength by driving in a carriage, by travel, by change of air, or by social meals and a more generous allowance of wine: at times we ought to drink even to intoxication, not so as to drown, but merely to dip ourselves in wine: for wine washes away troubles and dislodges them from the depths of the mind, and acts as a remedy to sorrow as it does to some diseases.

-- Lucius Annaeus Seneca, On Tranquility of Mind.

In Full Upright and Locked Position: The Insider's Guide to Air Travel, Mark Gerchick, former chief counsel of the Federal Aviation Administration, demystifies the airline industry -- from uncomfortable seats and chinese menus of add-ons and fees to the real dangers of air travel. This is a fact-packed, engaging, user-­friendly, nuts-and-bolts survey of contemporary commercial air travel. Not for reading on the plane.

“Illuminating… The insights provided will make the turbulence a little easier to bear.”  -- Publishers Weekly

Unesco: World Heritage Sites 

Between every two pines
is a doorway to a new world.

                         -- John Muir

In Mexico City, it seems like pretty much everybody has a dog, and dog walking -- it looks more like dog sitting -- is an important job.

"Companies like BlueSmart, Raden and Away make luggage that includes GPS tracking, can measure its own weight, and yes, charge phones. But for all those features, these pieces of luggage need power in the form of lithium-ion batteries, which are generally seen as fire risks on planes. Last year, the FAA noted that their testing of plane fire safety showed that 'current cargo fire suppression systems cannot effectively control a lithium battery fire.'"
The rest of the story:
Your suitcase may charge your phone, but that's useless if it's not allowed on a plane: Why You Shouldn't Buy 'Smart' Luggage by David Grossman (Popular Mechanics).

Follow up: Raden and Bluesmart are already gone: Smart luggage firms close because of airline battery rules (BBC News).