Serge the Concierge

Snowshoeing Best Way to Burn Calories Piled Up at Holiday Parties

After piling up the calories at holiday parties, can we shake some of them off?

Acccording to Get Fit for the New Year (December 27, Inside Vancouver), Snowshoeing beats jogging or hiking by making you burn up to 1000 calories per hour.

They offer 3 local options including Discovery Trails on Mount Seymour.

Closer to my New Jersey digs, John P. Kelly in Snowshoeing in New Jersey mentions abandonned rail trails like the Sussex Branch Trail as good options.

John P. Kelly notes that there are 2 types of showshoes, bearpaws ans teardrops. He recommends teardrops for newcomers.

Want to give showshoeing a try, check Tips for New Snowshoers by Snowshoe Vancouver.

A pair of adult snowshoes might cost anywhere from $140 to $300 if results of my quick search were accurate.

All you need is snow.

(* Showshoes photo by Willmcw from snowshoe piece on Wikipedia)

No Haunted House, Halloween 5 K Run or Walk Sponsored by Realtor Hermann London, October 29

There will be no underwater theme or ghost or haunted house on the itinerary of Halloween 5 K sponsored by realty company Hermann London in Missouri.

Dogs are welcome as you can see from their 'Dress your Pet to Impress' invitation.

Proceeds go to The Women's Safe House and Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence

Race starts at 10 am with Check-In at 9:00 a.m. at the Marietta parking lot, 7359 Marietta Ave, Maplewood, MO 63143

Forest Therapy, Hiking in Hinohara Tokyo Citizen's Forest

Tokyo residents can escape their urban landscape for a day and have a little 'Forest Therapy' in Hinohara Tokyo Citizen's Forest located about an hour away from Tokyo.

Located in Okutama area, halfway up Mt. Mito, the Hinohara Tokyo Citizen's Forest offers hiking trails with various level of difficulty that can accommodate everyone from children to seniors.

According to Tokyo Tourism Info where I discovered this green oasis, here's your first (best?) option:

"The most recommended course is the “Waterfall Route Course ,” which is also known as “Therapy Road.” “Forest therapy” refers to scientifically explaining the effects of walking through forests and using them for one’s health. The Waterfall Route is the first place in Tokyo that has been authorized as a “Forest Therapy Road.” It has a total length of one kilometer and takes 20 minutes each way."

Best way to get there again according to Tokyo Tourism Info:

"Take the Nishi Tokyo Bus from Musashi-Itsukaichi Station on the JR Itsukaichi Line to Kazuma; 15-minute ride from the Kazuma bus stop on the shuttle bus"

Getting an oxygen fix for Tokyo Thursdays #193

Previously: Art Nouveau Influence on Japanese Floral Imagery and Vice Versa, Le Japon Artistique

(* Image of trail from Hinohara Tokyo Citizen's Forest site , Japanese only)

Virginia Wine Country Inaugural Half Marathon, June 4, Today is National Running Day

The Wine Sisterhood reminds us that National Running Day is today, June 1, 2011.

They question the wisdom of drinking wine before or while running.

Over the years, various wine regions have added half marathons to their calendar of events.

On June 4 , Virginia Wine Country joins the fray with its first ever race.

It kicks off at Breaux Vineyard and ends at Doukenie Winery.

This is the 5th such event put together by Destination Races and first on the East Coast.

As is the case with other 4 including Napa Sonoma Half Marathon, the official poster for Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon was designed by Jean-Pierre Got who I mentioned last for his Pol Roger, Champagne and Golf Poster.

Jean-Pierre will be present at the Virginia Inaugural race to sign limited edition posters.

With a little help from Athletes for a Fit Planet, event will watch its environmental footprint.

If you thought of joining the run after reading this, registration is unfortunately closed.

(* Event logo from event pages)

100 San Francisco Bike to Work Banner Messenger Bags, Get 1 before May 12

With all the preparations before my flight to San Francisco for Hospice du Rhone on Thursday, I thought I had missed Bike to Work Day 2011 when message from Timbuk 2 rolled in announcing their limited edition San Francisco Bike to Work Banner Messenger bag.

Only 100 were made from recycled banners from previous events.

Off the $100 price tag, $50 goes to the San Francisco Bike Coalition.

I did not miss Bike to Work Day 2011 by the way.

In San Francisco, Bike to Work Day 2011 is on Thursday, May 12.

Check Program for Details.

I could use a bag for my new laptop.

Should I collect banners from Hospice du Rhone 2011 on Sunday morning and drop them at Timbuk 2 door before boarding my return flight for my own special edition carry on?

One can dream.

P.S: I don't know if it's a coincidence with May being National Bike Month in the U.S yet I have noticed a number of bicycle themed books in the upcoming titles list of various publishers.

(* For full disclosure, I don't own a Timbuk 2 bag, this is not an ad, just a nod to a neat creation)

London Wasps tackle Bath, Rugby for St George’s Day 2011, April 23

One of my uncles who lived for a while in the south of France is a die-hard rugby fan.

I don't know if he plans to watch London Wasps versus Bath, a rugby game played at Twickenham on St George's Day on April 23, 2011.

I learned that both teams have a 150 year history. 

As I mentioned in 2010, Catalans celebrate it as La Diada de Sant Jordi, with roses and books rather than muscles.

The St George's Day Entry on Wikipedia notes that holiday is also popular in various forms in Palestine and also othodox countries like Georgia.

(* image of London Wasps in action from official St George's Day Game page)

Snow Shelter Illustrated Guide, How to Build an Igloo, Must Have Book

Experts said that snowstorm that just visited us on the East Coast produced snow too powdery for snowballs or snowmen.

I guess it qualifies as too flaky for igloos too.

I will have to peruse How to Build and Igloo 'and other snow shelters' (W.W. Norton, 2007) to find out once I get my hands on a copy.

"In this instructive, whimsical, illustrated manual, Norbert E. Yankielun, a seasoned cold-regions explorer and researcher, takes readers step-by-step through the process of constructing and inhabiting a range of useful snow structures—from the most basic to the more complex. Whether you’re a veteran backcountry skier or a backyard builder, this is one book you won’t want to be without." (illustrations by Amelia Bauer)

No need for yeti woman a la Robert Crumb.

Try Yabbies, Don't Forget Sunscreen on Summer Christmas Holiday in Sydney

The last 10 Do's and Don'ts was London by Ms Marmite Lover. I thought that with winter gripping Europe and part of the US of A, some of you might like to taste a little sunshine from the Southern Hemisphere.

With that in mind I asked long distance penpal, Australian food writer Carli Ratcliff for suggestions. She shares her 10 Dos and Donts of a summer Christmas holiday in Sydney. She was actually very generous and came up with twenty, 10 of each.

Here they come.

Do's:

1. Embrace the season, and by that I mean high summer. The sun is shining, the beaches are full and there is no use channeling the white Christmases of your childhood. Throw on your bikini or your speedos and head for the sand. Lie in the sun and swim in the ocean on Christmas Day, something you can’t do comfortably in the Northern Hemisphere this time of year. 1A Do wear sunscreen at all times. That hole in the ozone layer is directly above us, so when people say you'll burn, they ain't kidding! Apply 30+SPF, nothing less, you will go home with a tan without even trying, I guarantee it.
2. Eat Australian on the big day. Most Australian’s celebrate the season with a family lunch on Christmas Day. From mangoes and cherries to cherax destuctor aka yabbies (baby Australian crayfish) seasonal wonders abound. Kangaroo and emu are also available, most Aussies skip these meats (in favour of turkey, ham and pork) and they don’t know what they are missing, the local’s reluctance is due, in part, to the fact that both animals are on the nation’s coat of arms. However oysters, scallops and rock lobsters are not, and all make for a magnificent meal come lunchtime on December 25.
3. Eat a traditional dessert with a twist. Our links with Britain and the Empire’s traditional Christmas fare have not waned in the dessert department in more than 200 years. Christmas pudding is what you’ll find on most Australian tables for dessert. You’d think necessity would be the master of invention in this heat, but no, a slight tweak at best in most homes, where you might come across an ice cream Christmas pudding, which is exactly as it sounds, vanilla ice cream moulded into the shape of a pudding dotted with dried fruits and nuts and more than a splash of brandy. If you are really lucky you might be the guest of an inventive Australian host (like Rebecca Varidel at Inside Cuisine) who comes up with something suitably celebratory and acclimatized.
4. Buy local. If you are visiting, and a keen gift giver, buy something unique that the recipient can enjoy here, a surfing lesson on Manly Beach, tickets to Sydney Theatre Company’s Uncle Vanya (Cate Blanchett is the Artistic Director and stars alongside Hugo Weaving and Golden Globe nominee Jacki Weaver)  or a gift certificate for dinner at Guillaume at Bennelong inside one of Jørn Utzon’s famous sails of the Sydney Opera House, arrive in time for sunset around 7pm.
5. Play cricket, if you must. Two things tend to happen once the lunch feast is over on Christmas Day, either people nod off, usually upright in an air-conditioned living room, or they head into the backyard with bat and ball for a game of cricket, beer in hand.
6. Take a ferry ride, across Pittwater, past bushland and private beaches to Sydney’s Central Coast for a long lazy lunch at Bells Killcare. They’ll collect you from the ferry wharf and drive you to the property where chef Stefano Manfredi will treat you to the best seasonal produce Sydney and its surrounds has to offer, some of it straight out of Bells kitchen garden.
7. Eat leftovers. December 26 is a public holiday known as Boxing Day (also observed in some European and African countries) a name that came about for any number of reasons, some say it refers to the metal boxes the Romans placed outside churches to collect money for the needy, others believe it harks back to Victorian England when wealthy landowners gave their servants the day off and a box of leftovers to go with it. Whatever the etymology, in recent years lobby group Planet Ark has dubbed December 26 ‘National Leftovers Day,’ in response to the amount of food Australian’s waste (more than 3.3 million tonnes each year) and it's only sensible to follow suit, refashion leftovers into a pie, a pasta dish or a soup Chef Frank Cammora, of Melbourne’s acclaimed MoVida restaurant suggests this pastry recipe. 
8. Watch cricket, if you must. It's not for me, but if I said that out loud, I'd be dragged out and shot. Cricket is a national obsession and it doesn't get much bigger than the Boxing Day Test  even the national broadcaster ABC (our equivalent on the BBC) airs only cricket coverage! Hell on wheels for sporting philistines like me, especially if you're on a road trip. And most of Australia are.  
9. Leave early, very early if you are driving up or down the coast or to any beach on December 26. It's the unofficial first day of Australia's summer holidays, schools aren't in until January 31 so coast roads around the country are crammed with frustrated parents, hot whinging children and eskys filled with food, surfboards are strapped to the roof and bikes are clinging to the back, and we sit, bumper to bumper until we get to 'our' beach, on Boxing Day the journey always takes two to three times longer than it would any other day of the year.
10. Stay for the fireworks. On Boxing Day, the Sydney to Hobart super yacht race begins in the harbour, the Sydney Festival fills the city with exciting events and come New Year’s Eve there's not a patch of grass spare on the harbour foreshore, as picnickers and revelers spread their rugs and flip open their eskys for a night by the harbour. Arrive early, and by early I mean before midday, the very keen camp out the night before to secure the best vantage point for the fireworks that are spread along the harbour on five barges, so everyone gets a squiz, while the grand finale is always focused on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Don'ts:

1. Feel you need to stand on ceremony. Despite our reputation Australian’s tend to be polite, so if you are invited to someone’s home for Christmas lunch, they’ll more than likely work to make you feel comfortable, which means they’ll try and cook ‘your’ food. If you accept an invitation ask if you can have an ‘Australian’ Christmas, every family is different so I am not sure what you’ll get, but you will, at the very least, leave with an insight into how one family deals (or not) with tradition and heat.
2. Adorn your car with antlers and a red nose. This is the first year Australian’s have decorated their vehicles with furry antlers and plush-toy red noses. It has caused considerable scratching of heads, ‘why would anyone do this?’ 
3. Head to Bondi Beach on Christmas Day unless you want to be crushed. Bondi Beach is the venue for ‘Backpackers Christmas’ where every visiting backpacker descends on the country’s most famous beach. The scene once included lots of beer, more than a few arrests and plenty of overworked lifeguards fishing drunk backpackers ‘out of the drink’ (sea). However the local council and police have declared the area an alcohol free zone in recent years so it’s now a dry party.
4. Ask the cab driver to turn the cricket off the radio. You will likely be thrown out of the taxi.
5. Drink and swim, drive or sail a boat. Random breath testing is taken very seriously in Sydney, particularly at this time of year. Police units are set up beside the city’s roads to randomly test blood alcohol limits. If you are on the water you are not immune, Sydney’s water police also randomly breath test the skippers of pleasure craft across the harbour.
6. Don't plan on catching a taxi home from the New Year’s Eve fireworks, take your walking shoes. As mentioned the harbour foreshore is packed and come 12.30am everyone wants to head home. Your chances of hailing a cab are less than slim, so best to wear your walking shoes.
7. Show up at a restaurant on Christmas Day and expect to be able to eat. Best to book ahead. Like cities the world over, most Sydney restaurants have set menus on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve and some are closed Boxing Day, so reservations for lunch or dinner throughout Christmas week will ensure you don’t go hungry.
8. Celebrate ‘Christmas in July’. This is an appalling recent phenomena best ignored by visitors. Each July when the mercury drops to a chilly, say 10 degrees Celsius, Christmas-fanatics use the excuse to have a second Christmas, complete with fake snow (there is real snow in Australia in July but you have to drive an awfully long way to get to it) and an un-seasonal Christmas tree, and sit down to a table groaning under the weight of roast meats which they wash down with mulled wine, usually beside a roaring fire.
9. Forget your sunscreen (as mentioned in the ‘Do’s’) or your mosquito repellent. At dusk the mossies descend and they are often ferocious, prevention is better than cure, red dots, like red skin, are very unattractive.
10. Visit in any time other than summer. The city is at its best at this time of year. In January everyone is on holidays so the CBD is a ghost town, which means public transport is less crowded, you can get a dinner reservation, theatre tickets or a cab without too much trouble, the sun is shining, the harbour’s sparkling and Sydneysiders are smiling, because they don’t have to go to work.

Christmas Holiday in the sun!

Want more, Carli Ratcliff serves weekly slices of the Australian food scene on Hunter Gatherer (SBS Food). That's how we connected.

(* All photos by Carli, from Posting Holiday Cards to Setting Table for Christmas Lunch, the Sydney Harbour, last Christmas Day in Sydney)

Skate on the Eiffel Tower, Things to Do in Paris during the Holidays

I did not see dancing at the Bain Douches as one of of the activities offered in What to do in Paris during the holidays (en Anglais) by Mairie de Paris, Paris City Hall in English parlance.

First thing that caught my attention was Skate at the Hotel de Ville and then more of the winter sports with Skate on the Eiffel Tower which sounded dangerous at first until I read the fine print spelling that it's "the highest skating rink in Paris … on the first storey of the Eiffel Tower! Rink open to the public every day from 10.30 am to 10.30 pm. From 15 December 2010 to Wednesday 9 February 2011. Free entry for visitors to the Tower, but you have to buy an entry ticket to the Tower to enter the rink. Skate hire (personal skates not allowed)."

Getting back to the first Skating option Skate at the Hôtel de Ville has "a 1636 m2 skating rink awaiting you! Displays and demonstrations are in the programme: ice hockey, curling, dancing.
From Friday 17 December to Sunday 27 February 2011 – Free entry – skate hire: 5 euros. Place de l’Hôtel de Ville – Paris 4th  - Metro: Hôtel de Ville (lines 1 and 11).
Times: From Monday to Friday from midday to 10 pm. Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays from 9 am to 10 pm, do note last entries 1 hour before the rink closes."

If you are in Paris with children, merry-go-rounds will sound mighty good thanks to " Free Rides in These Locations on Wooden horses and illuminated merry-go-rounds for children of all ages on rides in many areas of the capital. From 18 December to 2 January, from 10 am to 7 pm."

(* Details on Free Rides are all in French but since it's only locations (addresses) you should be able to understand)

Casa Italia Atletica 'Taste and Beauty' Marathon Reaches NY on Eve of NY Marathon

Sport and gourmet food unite under the banner of Casa Italia Atletica.

I missed the rest of their worldwide 'Taste and Beauty' marathon:

The first stop was the Marathon in Madrid (April 22-24), while the second was the European Championship in Barcelona  (July 26 – August 1 ) and now the third and final phase, the New York Marathon. All three initiatives are a way to promote Italian products and cultural traditions while linking them to a healthy Mediterranean diet and promoting  Italian terriority.

On November 4th they offered sports travel seminars.

On Friday, November 5th, food and wine will be on the agenda. I will be attending.

What will we be exposed to? Here's what the plan is:

"Entitled “The Italy that still runs - genuine passion”, will be held on Friday, November 5.and will be hosted by the illustrious Fred Plotkin, a journalist and an author who is quite well versed in everything Italian. Plotkin is knowledgeable about all things related to Italian wine and food thanks to  his many travels and trips to the country. He also resides in Italy part of the year. He has written “Italy for the Gourmet traveler” and “The Authentic Pasta Book” as well as many other books on Italian food and wine.

For this occasion, Pasquale Di Lena has written a book called, “The Italy that still runs - genuine passion”, which will be distributed in New York in order to promote healthy living and diet."

Other than the government entities, partners mentioned for this effort are "Fontana di Papa, Asics and Mondo as well as a variety of Italian regions such as Molise, the region and the city of Reggio Calabria, the autonomous region Friuli Venezia Giulia, as well as the provinces of  Ascoli Piceno and Siena."

Will we all get a new pair of sneakers courtesy of Asics?

File under 'mediterranean diet'?

(*illustration from Casa Italia Atletica website, Italian only, no English version)