I attended the book launch party at Idlewild Books – which happens to make the book! Idlewild is a great bookstore for any travel lover, and they organize their books by region so that you can find guides, biographies, literature, and even cook books side-by-side. They also have an incredible number of book readings and launch parties, so you should check out their event listings if you are ever in NYC.

I was also happy to see two more of my favorite neighborhood haunts on the list: The High Line (which I’ve previously written about) and the Rubin Museum of Art. I love the Rubin Museum because it has a great collection of Himalayan art, including special exhibits like “Mandala: The Perfect Circle” and “The Red Book of C.G. Jung: Creation of a New Cosmology”. I’m especially drawn to this museum and their collections because of my love for the Himalayan region and also because I create mandalas myself (read more about Wanderlust Mandalas).

What the book doesn’t explain, however, is that the RMA has a great gift store and café, which I love to go to during the day to focus on writing and at night for some cocktails with friends. They also offer a varied series of events – from Friday night movies and jazz concerts to lunchtime discussions and storytelling programs. They also have an amazing list of guest speakers. Those participating in the C.G. Jung series alone have included Tibet scholar Robert Thurman, novelist Alice Walker, comedienne Sarah Silverman, screenwritier/director Charlie Kaufman, musician Billy Corgan, and even Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey.

Some of the places featured in the book that I have yet to explore but am very much looking forward to include:

• Bowne & Company Stationers – a vintage print shop located in the Seaport
• The Map Room of the New York Public Library – I love maps!
• The Grolier Club – a distinguished club for bibliophiles
• Tender Buttons – a tiny shop with a vast collection of unique buttons
• The Noguchi Museum – a space dedicated to the simple sculptures of Isamu Noguchi

Do you know of any gems in NYC that you’d like to share with others? And discover some more with New York’s Unique and Unexpected Places.

There is just something about his colors and shapes that speak to me and I’ve found that I love to use similar geometric patterns (if not a bit more simple) in the works I create, from mandalas to logos. Even he was inspired by the color & composition of Monet’s work, not necessarily the subject matter. So it’s no surprise that Kandinsky’s work even inspired the creation of the Guggenheim building itself.

So it was great to return to the Guggenheim during its 50th Anniversary celebration, in which the museum is filled with the canvases that encouraged its inception.

Together with the Centre Pompidou and Städtische Galerie, the Guggenheim has assembled one of the greatest collections of Kandinsky work in one place. If you are not familiar with the artist, you can read more about the Kandinsky exhibit on the Guggenheim site, but I also highly recommend you visit the museum itself. The exhibit runs through January 13, 2010.

The High Line runs along the west side of NYC from Gansevoort Street to 34th Street (currently open to 20th Street). It was built in the 1930’s and originally served as an elevated rail line that delivered livestock to the meatpacking plants in the area. It was abandoned in 1980 and set for demolition until a group of resident advocates set out to preserve it and have it reutilized as public space.

Thankfully the advocates won out, because today it is a beautiful park space and oasis amongst the brownstones and brick buildings surrounding it. Along the walk way are still remnants of the train tracks, covered with beautiful wild flowers – similar to the flowers that grew there when it was abandoned. And the park benches and double-wide loungers make for great resting spots, where you can enjoy views of the Hudson River, read a book, or catch up with friends. You can also grab a bite to eat from one of the outside concessions, or grab a picnic lunch from one of the many vendors in Chelsea Market right below it.

They have also implemented some very creative public art space.

The inaugural artwork on the High Line, by artist Spencer Finch, is The River That Flows Both Ways. Its title comes from the original Native American word for the Hudson River, Muhheakantuck. This work is located on the High Line in the semi-enclosed former loading dock between 15th and 16th Streets, where the High Line passes through the Chelsea Market building. Finch transforms the site’s existing casement windows with 700 individually crafted panes of glass representing the water conditions on the Hudson River over a single day. To create the project, Finch photographed the Hudson River 700 times from the deck of a boat and then carefully matched each unique image to a pane of glass.

From The High Line website

I love the fact that since the park is elevated approximately four stories, it gives you a great perspective of the city that you wouldn’t see from ground level. Looking down at the cobblestone streets of the Meatpacking District takes me back in time and lets me imagine NYC in a different era.

Whether you live in NYC or come for a visit, take the time to visit the High Line and enjoy this great neighborhood project. Hopefully you will find some inspiration there as well.

I found it in the hearts of my fellow Salvation Army volunteers, many who traveled across the country, as we served food to rescue workers at a temporary morgue. I found it in the generosity of the police officers who drove me home after working those 12 hour shifts. I found it in the gentle spirit of Buddhist Monks during a work encounter. And I found it in the tears of the many rescue workers who just finished shifts at Ground Zero, as I bought beers for them at my favorite pub.

I’m reminded of those people as I look through my journal. And I’m thankful that I did keep a journal during that time, as I never want the memories and emotions of that period to fade as they usually do with time. Here are some excerpts from my journal:

Right now I should be in Hong Kong at the beginning of my three-month trip through SE Asia and Nepal. Instead, I am sitting in Union Square at the site of a shrine for the victims of one of the most unspeakable acts in history.

I was awakened on the morning of the 11^th – my departure day – by the phone ringing off the hook. It was my mom to say that all area airports had been closed and two planes had just crashed into the Twin Towers. In disbelief and shock, we ran down to the water to see the tops blazing with smoke. It was only a matter of minutes before both towers collapsed.

The crowd just stood stunned in complete and utter disbelief. It was surreal – it was a movie of the week – it didn’t really happen. The rest of the day was spent glued to the TV set. A similar attack was made on the Pentagon and another plane went down in Pennsylvania – apparently heading to the White House. That plane, eerily, was hijacked out of Newark heading to San Francisco – the route I was to take later that day. For the most part of the day I was trying to reassure my friends and family that I was safe. No easy task considering phone service was poor.

I’ve now been at a loss the past few days, trying to figure out what I should do and where I should go. I’m currently homeless and jobless and my trip is up in the air. I was planning on carrying on with it, but even though the airports are closed, I know that I need to be here.

Though I left my job in production for my travels, I was able to work on a freelance basis a few times.

I was up at 4am for work as EPG was hosting a press tour for a Buddhist Monk from Vietnam (Thich Nhat Hanh). He was promoting his book on “Anger” and how to embrace it – very appropriate for the time. With him were 24 monks and nuns who would meditate while he was conducting his interviews. I could relate to so much of what he had to say about embracing ones anger and recognizing it so as not to use it to cause more harm. And so much of the views of Buddhism are based on common sense. It’s just so sad that people are too ignorant to recognize these basic principles.

When I wasn’t freelancing, I was volunteering with the Salvation Army.

I worked the noon to midnight shift at the canteen on First Ave. and 30^th Street in NYC. The location is one of the morgues where they bring bodies, or more likely, parts for identification. I spent the day working the grill, serving food, and monitoring the generators. Everyone was so nice – the Salvation Army staff, caterers, and especially the rescue workers, police, and state troopers. I even got a ride home from some Nassau County cops.

We had to first drop off & pick up someone at Ground Zero. It was indescribable – very spooky. We had about 15 checkpoints as we drove by residents raising “thank you” signs. It was like a war zone – a lot happening everywhere and the mouth of the destruction before us. It was past midnight, so the lights were reflecting off the smoke, water and destruction. It has to be so traumatic to be working down there constantly, not to mention exhausting.

I had the opportunity to meet some of those who volunteered at Ground Zero at my favorite mid-town pub.

Boy was I ready for the Irish Pub. I had been in a couple of weeks ago, about one week after the tragedy. I befriended some structural engineers who were in town as part of the rescue/recovery effort. They were from Florida and Pennsylvania and I let them pick tunes out on the jukebox. They just needed someone to take their minds off of the situation for a little bit.

I’ve been finding that’s the case most of the time. I’ve been meeting a lot of rescue workers and firemen, and I seem to be a sounding board for them. I really don’t mind, I just wish I had more to say. And I’ve never seen so many men break down crying.

When I went back (to the Irish Pub) this past Friday with the EPG crew, I was left a t-shirt and a very sweet note from one of them: “I want to thank you for your act of kindness asking me to select music at the juke box. This may seem small & trivial but made a big difference in my emotional well being.”

If only he knew how much he inspired me.

A month after 9/11 I found myself finally on my way to SE Asia.

The events of the past month have been insane, tragic, and nerve-ridden for everyone. And if something like this had to happen, I am grateful I was home with my family & friends. To have been so far away at a time like this would have been upsetting & heartbreaking for me.

During this time I met so many wonderful police officers, rescue workers, medical examiners and volunteers working at the canteen. And I was able to witness how wealthy and generous of a country we have. And despite everything that has happened, we are all so lucky and should be so grateful for where we live and all those we have in our lives, not to mention the opportunities and freedoms open to us.

But it is time for all of us to slowly move on. And for me that means on with my travels.

On this Anniversary of 9/11, I can’t help but think about all of these people that I encountered during that time. I can only hope that they have been able to carry on with their lives and are healthy & happy, especially those that volunteered at Ground Zero. I believe that I am where I am in my life today because of them.

It was a beautiful ride as we meandered our way up the coast from San Diego to San Francisco, with every turn offering an amazing view. And the further north we got, with the sharp cliffs and pounding seas, the more we were reminded of the Great Ocean Road in Australia – but even better. Ending with a camping trip in Yosemite, those two weeks were the highlight of our trip.

I loved being with Michael the first time he was going to experience driving down the PCH. It was 2006 and we were heading from San Francisco to Los Angeles. With stops in Monterey and Big Sur along the way, the views seemed better than I remembered. And it was from a photo on this trip that inspired this California Mandala.

What pleased me the most about this mandala was that is was the first one I’ve known of that really spoke to someone. I was showing it at a local art fair in New Jersey and noticed a woman observing it for a period of time. When I introduced myself she expressed how much it drew her in and she had no idea why. Talking further, we figured out that the photo it originated from was taken from the same area in Big Sur that she grew up.

The magic of the mandala – nothing pleased me more.

MOONWORK’S Evening of Original Work
I was first introduced to Moonwork in 2001 and have been a big fan ever since. Their “Evening of Original Work” series runs monthly from September – June and presents original work of emerging and established artists, comedians, and musicians. Hosted by Tom Shilllue, it’s a great way to be introduced to new talent just getting started. You may also recognize many faces from the Daily Show and Comedy Central on occasion.

In 2002 a friend and I fell in love with a new comedian for his very dry humor and unique talents of incorporating drawings and musical instruments into his act. We soon began following his act throughout New York City and saw his venues and fans begin to grow at a huge rate. Soon he was appearing on the Daily Show and even had his own series on Comedy Central. And this week his movie, “Taking Woodstock” opens – his first lead-starring role (and cast by none other than Ang Lee). By “finding” Demetri Martin in the beginning of his career at Moonwork, I am so inspired by how far he has come.

Now the best part about Moonwork? It’s set in a high school gym set up to resemble a cabaret. Even better? It costs just $20 and includes all the beer you can drink until it runs out. And one final plus? They have a kids program that works to develop new and innovative ways to bring theater to kids.

UPRIGHT CITIZEN’S BRIGADE
There are many great venues for seeing comedy in New York City, but they can be very pricey, especially when you factor in the minimum drink costs (and they aren’t cheap drinks either). So besides Moonwork, I like to get my comedy fix from Upright Citizen’s Brigade.

UCB presents three to four sketch-comedy and long-form improvisation shows nightly, seven days a week. Every show is unique and different, especially if it’s improv, and many times the audience gets to have a say in the direction of the show. And since it was co-founded by Amy Poehler, the chances are pretty high that you may even see comedians from Saturday Night Live and even 30 Rock perform.

And you definitely can’t beat the price. Most shows average $5 with the occasional $10 entrance fee. And if you’re open to seeing some of the students of their improv classes perform, you can go for free. My favorite part? $2 PBRs. Nothing but class.

THE MOTH
Another form of live performance, though not always on the comedy level, is The Moth, a not-for-profit storytelling organization. The Moth began as an informal gathering of storytellers in 1997 and has now grown into a monthly series in various venues throughout New York City. Each show has a theme and features five or six storytellers who share a ten-minute story from their lives – without notes. You never know who you are going to hear as potential storytellers must submit their names just prior to the show and then chosen at random.

Most shows are performed at small, intimate venues and cost just $7. But be warned, the popularity of the shows has grown to the point that you need to line up an hour before.

I recently attended a “less-crowded” Moth performance where students of their community program, MothShop, performed and it was just as great as seeing accomplished storytellers. This outreach program offers storytelling workshops to students and marginalized adults from underserved communities in New York City.

Four times a year graduates of these programs perform as part of the “Stories on Stage” series at The Nuyorican Poets Café. At the one I attended, I heard a young man recall how the first time he was left home alone at the age of 12 set him on the path of independence. A young woman opened up about the first time her mostly neglectful father wanted to spend time with her, only to have him walk out of their lives shortly afterwards, never to be heard from again. And a grandmother of seven remembered being upstaged by a young man, Jimmy Brown, at a local dance only to upstage him later at the Apollo Theater when he was known as James Brown.

BOOK READINGS
There are a number of great venues that host book readings in New York City, but my two favorites are The Half King and Housing Works Bookstore Cafe.

The Half King is a restaurant/bar owned by “The Perfect Storm” and travel writer, Sebastian Junger. Their weekly Monday readings usually feature authors and journalists who have some sort of travel angle to their works. Among the many I’ve attended included readings by Liz Gilbert (Eat,Pray, Love), Rolf Potts (Vagabonding), and Laurence Gonzales (Deep Survival). They also feature a gallery of inspiring works from various photojournalists and war photographers.

Housing Works Bookstore Café is part of the non-profit organization Housing Works, which is committed to ending the twin crises of AIDS and homelessness. They provide services for homeless men, women, and children living with HIV and AIDS in New York City.

All proceeds from their used bookstore and many thrift shops go to this cause. The bookstore is a great venue for book readings, concerts, and Moth events. And even without an event, it is a great atmosphere for perusing used books, writing, or catching up with friends over a coffee or beer. Some of the readings I’ve attended featured Alex Garland (The Beach) and Dave Eggers (What is the What), and I’ve even seen small intimate concerts, including one with English jazz-pop pianist Jamie Cullum.

So be sure to check out some of these local events the next time you are in New York City. And let me know some of your favorites!

When we decided to get married we didn’t want to go the typical route – church, big wedding party, 4-hour reception. It wasn’t enough time to celebrate! We essentially wanted a big party that lasted for days as our friends and family rarely have a chance to get together.

The question was how to pull that off. Neither of our hometowns meant much to the other, and our current hometown, NYC, was too expensive for just such a party. So it was easy to settle on Long Beach Island, NJ – a place we both spent a lot of time during our “early” years and a place in which we’ve vacationed together since we’ve met.

Since it wasn’t a typical wedding (we had funnel cake instead of wedding cake), we didn’t want typical invites. Good thing I’m a designer!

For both our save-the-date and invite, I based the design on the vintage postcards from the shore, with their “Greetings from….” feel. They evoked the laid-back essence of our celebration in a way that a traditional invite couldn’t. Not only were we thrilled with how they turned out, but guests loved the uniqueness of them as well.

And that got me thinking – maybe there are other couples that would love something different to announce their destination wedding. So I decided to create a line of destination wedding save-the-dates inspired by vintage travel postcards.

As eight of the top ten wedding destinations are beach-related, I started with designs for tropical destinations. All of the postcards are templates and can be customized for the couple, the destination, and the date.

I’d love feedback as this project unfolds and if you know of anyone who is planning a destination wedding, please forward this on!

Click on image to view larger

As an avid traveler, I’m embarrassed to say that my passport is extremely dusty. It hasn’t seen the light of day since February of 2008. But in my defense, I’ve been spending the past year and a half helping to inspire others to travel through my website, Briefcase to Backpack.

The ironic thing in all of this is that I live in a place where most people from around the world would love to visit – New York City. Yet I spend most of my time in my home office, in front of a computer screen, preaching the wonders of exploring the world. Why not explore my own world?

I saw an opportunity to escape from my 8’x8’ space when a friend from Australia, Lauren, came to visit. This was a great time to embrace the tourist in me and see parts of the city in a new way – beyond the typical tourist attractions.

One of my favorite activities actually took me to a place that I commuted in and out of for a year – Grand Central Terminal (often referred to as Station, which is in fact the name of the post office). As I raced to and from work, I rarely took the opportunity to really take in the beauty of the terminal. And to think, it was nearly demolished in the 1970’s to make room for some non-descript towers until Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis stepped in to intervene. With her help and a Supreme Court ruling (the first on a matter of historic preservation), the Terminal was saved. A plaque in her honor is in Vanderbilt Hall, a place I had often visited for its holiday craft fair, but this I never noticed before.

The current beauty of the Terminal is due to a restoration project that began in 1998. At the time, the gorgeous celestial ceiling and marble was completely covered in black, which was believed to be from coal and diesel smoke. It was later discovered to be 80% tar and nicotine from tobacco smoke. A small patch still remains to remind visitors what it was like. I personally think that alone would make a great anti-smoking campaign!

These facts, and many more, were unveiled during a very entertaining and enlightening 90-minute walking tour sponsored free by The Municipal Arts Society (suggested donation of $10). The tour meets every Wednesday at 12:30pm at the center information booth on the Main Concourse.

While we were in the area, we decided to stop by the New York Public Library, an area I’ve been to countless times visiting Bryant Park, but had never been inside. It was like a journey back in time to see hundreds of people actually using the library for research and study purposes, though a bit ironic that just about everyone had a laptop in front of them. It was, however, a pleasant surprise to see some tables reserved for “non-computer” purposes.

It was great to take the opportunity to revisit places I’ve been to countless times but see them as if it were the very first time. And one place that I did visit for the first time with Lauren was Governor’s Island. The island served as a military base for British and American forces for over 200 years and was transferred to the Coast Guard in 1966. And on January 31, 2003 was transferred to the people of New York through the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation.

The future of the island is still in development but current plans have it serving as a great public open space – and it does. Open Friday-Sunday, access to the island is just a short 5 minute free ferry ride from Downtown. Once on land, there are a variety of activities to do, including car-free biking (rentals are $10 an hour, free on Fridays), running paths, picnic areas, mini-golf, historic walking tours, and art & cultural activities. There is even a beach area with picnic tables, concessions, and concerts. Or if you prefer, you can just relax on the grassy hills or hammocks.

For our part, we decided to take advantage of the free bikes and thoroughly enjoyed being on two-wheels for the first time in many years. (Note, I love biking, but I think bikers in NYC are really gutsy. Being able to do it without worries of a car door opening on me or a taxi side-swiping me was a delight.)

These were just a few highlights for me during Lauren’s visit. In addition, it’s one of my greatest pleasures sharing what I love about the city with visitors like Lauren. NYC is so inspiring in so many ways, so I plan to share more of what I love about it on my Inspiration Blog.

When I decided to travel to SE Asia in 2001, I knew that Cambodia had to be on the itinerary. Most people who travel to Cambodia do so to visit the vast complex and amazing temples of Angkor, and that too was on my to-do-list. But people who pass over visiting Phnom Penh, the Killing Fields, and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, are doing a disservice to themselves and the lives that were lost.

Of course, Angkor Wat and the various other temples in the heart of the country are miraculous to see in person. The complex was begun in the 12th Century as a Hindu temple and later converted to Theravada Buddhism. Most people recognize the main temple, Angkor Wat, but there is believed to be over a thousand temples in the area. You can easily spend weeks exploring all that the complex has to offer. And like most temples that have been deteriorating over time and lie in ruins, your imagination is put to the test.

(Incidentally, National Geographic recently published a great article on the history of Angkor – “Divining Angkor: After rising to sublime heights, the sacred city may have engineered its own downfall”)

For my Cambodia Mandala, I wanted to evoke the sadness that the horrors of the Killing Fields brought on, yet celebrate the rich history of Angkor. I feel the contrast of the two emotions is represented in the cold grays of the stonework and the brightness of the Buddhist robes. And I think that because of this dichotomy, this has always been one of my favorite mandalas. But I know it is not for everyone. Maybe it makes other people uneasy without them realizing it, and if that is the case, then I think it is successful.

What does this mandala evoke in you? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Our guide served as both our tour leader and driver, and our small group of 11 served as cooks, camp set-up/clean-up crew, and overall entertaining company. In our two-weeks on the road we had many incredible adventures, including:

• Flying by seaplane to our camp site in Kachemak Bay, where juvenile eagles soared overhead as we enjoyed the first salmon of the season;
• Carefully navigating our kayaks through the chunks of ice that calved the night before off of Schoop Glacier as seals swam along side us;
• Camping along the river banks in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and tramping on Root Glacier where we set-up ropes on an ice wall for some intense ice climbing;
• A breathtaking flight over the Alaskan Range;
• And four days of 100% visibility of the majestic Denali (Mt. McKinley).

Being in Alaska was like a breath of fresh air – its beauty is invigorating and the only other time I felt so alive was in Nepal. There must be something truly magical in areas where mountain ranges and glaciers dominate. And that is the essence I wanted to portray in my Alaska Mandala.

If one color were to represent Alaska it would have to be blue; from the sea to the sky and iceberg to glacier, its vibrancy is everywhere. And for me, this mandala completely encompasses the electricity that Alaska created in me.