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Volume 5, Issue 29, July 17, 2007 |
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Few of the seven wonders of the world that we learned about in school exist any more. It’s about time that somebody picked new ones that frequent travelers can check off their lists. So that’s what the New7Wonders Foundation — with the help of 100 million global voters — has done. The winners are on four continents, in China, India, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Peru and Brazil.
To promote the protection of “humankind’s heritage across the globe,” the NW7 foundation, based in Zurich, began a campaign in 2005 to solicit nominations for the seven modern manmade wonders of the world; a panel winnowed the group down to 21, and opened the selection to vote from Jan. 1, 2006 until early July 2007.
The top seven vote-getters are the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, the Colosseum in Rome, Petra in Jordan, Chichen Itza, Machu Picchu, and the statue of Christ Redeemer overlooking Rio de Janeiro. Runners-up included Stonehenge, the Statue of Liberty, the Sydney Opera House, the Kremlin and the Alhambra, plus various castles and palaces. The pyramid of Giza made the original list of finalists, but was given an honorary mention since it is the only member of the ancient list still standing (anyone seen the Hanging Gardens of Babylon lately?).
Next up: a new competition for the seven natural wonders. How those will differ from the existing list of natural wonders, since none of those have disappeared, we wonder (pardon the pun), but if it helps raise revenue for restoration and preservation of winners and losers alike (which is where 50 percent of all revenues generated by these promotions goes), it’s a good thing anyway. 
Passengers holding American Airlines tickets can now change their flight to another one within 12 hours of their originally scheduled departure and receive a new, confirmed reservation for a fee of $25. Previously, the window was only three hours; outside that window, change fees have been $50-$100 for confirmed seats. You are out of luck, however, if you need the change because you missed your flight; you must be able to cancel your original reservation before the flight departs in order to qualify.
You know the world has changed when the Ho Chi Minh Trail refers to golfing. Vietnam’s big new effort to promote its golf tourism is the Ho Chi Minh Golf Trail, which pairs top golf courses with luxury accommodations. Three of the courses are in the far north, near the China border; the other four are in the south, including the Nick Faldo-designed Ocean Dunes links course near the South China Sea. Hotels in the north are paired with the Emeraude, a luxury paddlewheel-style steamship that cruises Ha Long Bay; participating hotels in the south include the Novotel Ocean Dunes Resort, the Sofitel Dalat Palace, and the five-star Caravelle in Saigon. For some thoughts on this–and other ruminations on the world of travel–see Global Traveler's blog.
Traveling on business to Chicago, pressed for time, need to relax? The Conrad Chicago is adding services to its room service menu. For $55, you can request a half-hour spa manicure treatment in your room. Other in-room services offered are a 45-minute pedicure, a 50-minute-facial, and a one-hour massage, all arranged by a call to the concierge.
Just opened: the Paris Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. Marriott bought the 757-room hotel from Sofitel a year ago, and has put it through an extensive refurbishment. It has the largest convention space of any hotel in Paris, and a great location on Boul. St. Jacques. Introductory rates start at $265 a night, through August.
US Airways has introduced a new Trial Preferred Program for Dividend Miles members who don’t hold elite status. Any non-elite member can pay $200 to upgrade to silver status, $400 for gold, and $600 for platinum, all good for 90 days. Elite members pay $200 to bump up an additional grade. The purpose behind the program is to give current members a fast track to higher status; those who participate in the trial and fly 10 segments or 7,500 miles (double that for gold and triple for platinum) get to keep the new status through Feb. 28, 2009. How existing elite members will feel about this program is questionable, since it means more competition for upgrades. The trial offer can be used once in every two-year period.
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar
2001 Siesta Dr.
Sarasota, FL 23810
tel 941-358-9463
www.flemingssteakhouse.com
A client picked Fleming’s as a convenient choice for a business lunch since I was staying on Siesta Key, but even if it weren’t so convenient to all Sarasota’s main thoroughfares, it would have been worth a trip.
The ambience of Fleming’s is pretty close to the traditional upscale-steakhouse atmosphere, but with a little less of the men’s-club feel that many have, with fine china and handblown stemware. The service is if anything too attentive, with waitstaff and managers both stopping back to make sure your steak is done just right and that you’re enjoying your meal.
Several of the appetizers seemed more like my idea of dessert, so I had the Fleming’s salad, seasonal greens with candied walnuts and dried cranberries, dressed just enough; my host had the tenderloin carpaccio with caper-Creole mustard sauce, and seemed as content with his choice as I was with mine. For entrees, he had the rare tuna mignon with poppyseed au poivre, which looked terrific. I went with the atmosphere and had the petite (8 oz.) filet, which was perfect and could be cut with a fork. Fleming’s uses aged prime beef, cut by hand daily, and broils at 1,600 degrees to seal in the juices and flavor, which certainly worked in my case. Side dishes are a la carte, and the mashed potatoes are famous. I had the gorgonzola mashed, which went great with my steak; truffles and jalapeno-cheddar are other options.
For dessert we shared the baked brie in puff pastry with candied walnuts and sliced apple, from the appetizer list, and the Florida Key lime pie in a gingersnap crust. I could happily go back and make a meal from the appetizers and desserts alone – but then again, that would mean passing up the broad list of other steaks of various sizes (up to 20-oz.) and some of the other seafood options that caught my eye.
The “wine bar” in the name is legit. Fleming’s has an extensive wine list, including 100 wines served by the glass alone. I tried a flight of three reds to go with my steak (they added up to about one full glass), which is a great way to sample the wine fare. The small bar is popular with the after-work crowd, and I was warned that it gets noisy at night, but at lunchtime the atmosphere was plenty conducive to productive conversation. Which was a good thing, productivity-wise, since the check was more than $100, before the tip.
Score: ••••• Mary Hunt
Take a Friend to London for Free is Silverjet’s latest promotion. Through July 30, buy one ticket for travel between Newark Liberty Airport (EWR) and London’s Luton (LTN) for the going rate--$1,798 round trip — and get a free companion ticket. That works out to less than $450 a person, each way, for business class. The deal is good for travel through Sept. 14. Use the promo code LONDON4FREE.
Save 33 percent — at least $700 — if you need to stay three nights in London anytime the rest of this year. Durley Lane Hotel, an elegantly furnished all-suite boutique hotel on Sloane Street has just introduced a Stay Another Day package. One-bedroom suites start at about $700 a night, two-bedroom suites at about $830, so the third-night savings are substantial.
Novotels in Canada are pairing up with the Canadian Wildlife Federation to offer a variety of Kids Gone Wild packages this summer. The packages, available at Novotel locations in Ontario and Quebec, include a room for four, breakfast, a gift for kids, late checkout, and tickets to a kid-friendly local attraction such as the Metropolitan Toronto Zoo or the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa. The packages start at $157 a night, $10 of which goes to the CWF.
To promote its new Web site www.panpacificwest.com, Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts in the Pacific Northwest — Seattle, Vancouver and Whistler — are holding an online contest that will reward three entrants with two-night trips to one of its four hotels in those three locations. To enter, add a suggestion to the list of “Things You’ve Never Done In…(Seattle/Vancouver/Whistler).” A panel will judge the entries based on creativity; the contest runs through Aug. 31. One prize will be awarded for each destination.
Delta Air Lines is holding a Hawaii flight sale on tickets to Honolulu (HNL) from 15 U.S. cities purchased by Aug. 1. From Atlanta (ATL), Jacksonville (JAX), Los Angeles (LAX) and Salt Lake City (SLC), flights to Maui (OGG) are also on sale. Round-trip fares range from $398 to $658.
