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oundup of my favorite things this week…. follow it, don’t judge it.

Eat. Chefs Cook for Japan.
I’ll take any excuse to splurge on sushi… Next Wednesday, some of the world’s most acclaimed chefs will take to the kitchen to benefit Japan. The evening will include a dine-around tasting featuring over 10 chefs including Marcus Samuelsson of The Red Rooser Harlem, Anita Lo of Annisa, Jose Garces of Amada and more, specialty cocktails from Julie Reiner of Clover Club, Lani Kai, Daniel Boloud and Masaharu Morimoto. 100% of net proceeds will be donated to the Japan Society…. so chew on that for charity at Chefs Cook for Japan. 

Hotel. Anantara Seminyak — Bali.
From yoga retreats in Ubud to point breaks in Kuta, Southeast Asia’s island gem, Bali, is a land devoted to escapism. On the southwest coast, the upscale resort area of Seminyak fulfills the niche for world-class dining and nightlife, fashion boutiques and vanguard hotels. On prime beachfront in the heart of Seminyak, the Anantara Seminyak Resort is a celebration of Balinese understated luxury and western trend setting, with 59 modern suites, one penthouse, a renowned rooftop lounge and two infinity swimming pools (one is only available for Penthouse guests) at the edge of the Indian Ocean. Check in, and check (yourself) out on Jetsetter.

Photography. National Geographic’s Best for 2011.
There’s no introduction needed here. National Geographic is simply the best… at making me want to pack my bag, throw in the towel, and live life on the road capturing spectacular people and places. This year’s best are as inspiring as the rest - I’m specifically obsessed with their pick for Best Pro “Arts & Culture” Picture (below) of a man enthralled during an open-air cinema show in India. Administered by the World Photography Organisation and sponsored by Sony, the awards are chosen by a panel of 12 judges. The 2011 winners were chosen from more than 51,000 submissions from 148 countries. Killer. 

 
Note: Linked photos, rights of National Geographic - see more winning shots here. 

R

oundup of my favorite things this week…. follow it, don’t judge it. 

Advice. Jetsetter’s New Personal Travel Planning Service.
I love nothing more than sharing the gift of travel, and here at Jetsetter we live to pass on our tips of the trade to you. Enter Jetsetter’s new Travel Planning Service where you can get advice based on our Expert’s extensive experience with your destination, i.e. tips no internet search can get you and obtain an itinerary created just for you by an Expert who shares your interests, i.e. this isn’t your standard chapter in a Frommer’s book. Plus, we’ll top it all off by booking your hotels, i.e. Jetsetter Verified hotels and packages that we love, and you can trust. Now all you need to do is pack your bag, which we can probably help you do also, wink. 

Tune in on our Facebook page LIVE at 3 PM today to chat with one of our most beloved, well-traveled and sassy correspondents, Paul Rubio about anything and everything travel. And check out our new Expert Service… promise, we won’t bite! 

Admire. National Geographic’s Adventurers of the Year.
To say that I admire National Geographic’s Adventurers of the Year would be an understatement of massive proportions. For the last six years, NatGeo has searched the globe high and low (literally), and selected one person for their extraordinary achievements in adventure sports, conservation and exploration. It’s my own version of “I Wanna Be Like Mike”…Matt Moniz climbed to the highest point in all 50 United States in just 43 days; David de Rothschild journeyed across the Pacific in a 60-foot sailboat made of 12,500 plastic bottle; and Jessica Watson sailed around the world, alone, as a teenager….And I thought Semester at Sea was tough.

Get inspired with NatGeo’s Adventurers of the Year and cast your vote for the People’s Choice Adventurer of Year.

Hotel. Grand Hyatt Shanghai.
At the Grand Hyatt Shanghai, guests feel like they’re on top of the world in this exuberantly designed skyscraper, looking down on Shanghai’s changing-by-the-minute skyline and the historic buildings of the riverfront. With six restaurants that span cuisines of the world and three bars (all with those up-in-the-clouds views), you never need to leave the hotel. But when you do, Shanghai’s dynamic restaurant/club/cultural scene is just a short underwater metro ride across the Huangpu River… not to mention, the world’s best soup dumplings, ever. 

Feel on top of the world, literally, at the Grand Hyatt Shanghai on Jetsetter.com!

nationalgeographicmagazine:

Rajasthan, India
Photograph by April Maciborka
“This portrait was taken in a city called Bundi in Rajasthan, India. This man shone in the setting sun, his skin glistening, his eyes vibrant and his turban matching the color of the old painted wall behind him. I just couldn’t let the photographic opportunity pass me by.”—April Maciborka

This picture reminds me why I do what I do. 

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NatGeoNews: Pictures: Giant Sinkhole Pierces Guatemala: Yes, it’s real. See multiple views of the 30-story-deep sinkhole http://bit.ly/cUl3FI