Archive for the 'Reportagens' Category
Os pilotos e comissários da British Airways iniciaram hoje, dia 24, uma nova greve reivindicando melhorias salariais e questões relacionadas a demissões e condições de trabalho.
A greve deve durar até o dia 29. Os voos dos aeroportos de Gatwick e City em Londres não foram afetados.
A British Airways afirma também que operará até 60% dos voos de longa distância e 50% dos voos de curta distância do aeroporto Heathrow permitindo que os passageiros cheguem a seus destinos.
Além disso, mais duas greves estão programadas para ocorrer, caso o sindicato e a British Airways não cheguem a um acordo. As futuras greves estão programadas, mas não confirmadas, para os dias: 30 de maio a 03 de junho e 05 a 09 de junho.
Se você tem passagem marcado para essas datas, entre em contato com a British Airways e confirme o seu voo.
Você encontra aqui os telefones das principais companhias aéreas do mundo.
Reportagem: Jeff Schlegel
New York Times Syndicate
Tradução: George El Khouri Andolfato
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A evolução da Filadélfia de local para passeio de um dia a cidade destino é tamanha que é possível passar um fim de semana prolongado lá sem visitar qualquer endereço do século 18, nem mesmo sentir falta deles. A abertura de restaurantes reforça a crescente reputação culinária da cidade – apesar do obrigatório filé com queijo ainda acertar em cheio. Os bairros em transição oferecem bons endereços para compras e vida noturna, enquanto outras áreas ainda mantêm a postura da antiga Filadélfia.
Alugue uma bicicleta e observe a linda paisagem e remadores deslizando pelo rio Schuylkill. Photo: Mike Mergen/NYT
Sexta-feira
15h30 – Outro prédio famoso
O Salão da Independência pertence às eras; a Prefeitura (ruas Broad e Market; 215-686-2840; www.phila.gov/property) pertence à Filadélfia. Este prédio do século 19, com 167 metros de altura, é mais do que um grande amontoado de granito interrompendo o tráfego no coração da cidade – no seu topo encontra-se uma estátua de bronze de 27 toneladas de William Penn, uma das 250 estátuas de Alexander Milne Calder que ornamentam o prédio por dentro e por fora. Tome o elevador ao topo (US$ 5) para uma vista de 56 quilômetros do mirante.
17h30 – Sem torta de merengue de limão
O Silk City Diner Bar & Lounge (435 Spring Garden Street; 215-592-8838; www.silkcityphilly.com) é um dois em um, com uma boate no piso inferior em um lado, e uma lanchonete-restaurante tradicional do outro, com iluminação vermelha à meia-luz para dar clima. Pegue um lugar no balcão do restaurante e escolha entre a grande seleção de cervejas engarrafadas ou um drinque como o martini de morango Pantera Cor-de-Rosa (US$ 7).
19h30 – Estranho casal
A fusão chinesa-peruana no Chifa (707 Chestnut Street; 215-925-5555; www.chifarestaurant.com) pode matar dois desejos com um prato. O quarto e mais recente restaurante latino do chef e proprietário Jose Garces na cidade, ressalta a chifa, a culinária influenciada pelos imigrantes chineses no Peru do século 19. As refeições começam com bolinhos de farinha de tapioca, uma iguaria quente mergulhada em creme de goiaba batido. O cardápio de pequenos pratos é uma amálgama de sabores – como o chaufa, que mistura arroz frito com chouriço, coberto com soja doce caramelizada (US$ 9). A chupe é uma suculenta sopa de frutos do mar com mexilhões, um camarão inteiro e batatas roxas (US$ 12).
22h – Jogando boliche e lanchando
O Grande Lebowski encontra um lounge elegante no North Bowl (909 North Second Street; 215-238-2695; www.northbowlphilly.com), uma oficina mecânica convertida onde trechos do piso original de concreto e da parede de tijolos se misturam com parede pintadas com cores alegres, arte abstrata e pinos que brilham no escuro. Há 13 pistas de boliche no primeiro andar, quatro pistas no segundo e bares em ambos os andares. A trilha sonora em uma noite recente incluía Blondie e ritmos cubanos; o cardápio oferece tacos de peixe e espetinhos de carne tailandeses e podem curar um caso de fome de fim de noite.
O Silk City Diner Bar & Lounge possui boate e uma lanchonete-restaurante com iluminação vermelha à meia-luz para dar um clima. Photo: Mike Mergen/NYT
Sábado
10h – Labirinto de arte
Alguns lugares não podem ser plenamente capturados apenas por fotos e palavras. Isso resume o Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens (1020-1022 South Street; 215-733-0390; www.philadelphiasmagicgardens.org), um centro de arte e bizarro labirinto ao ar livre de cimento, pneus de bicicleta, garrafas, tecidos, obras de arte e suvenires sem valor. A obra máxima do muralista Isaiah Zagar da Filadélfia é um labirinto de múltiplas camadas e texturas que deixa os visitantes entretidos, talvez confusos. “Eu acho que ele comunica algo, mas não sei o que é”, disse Zagar, que frequentemente perambula por suas criações e ouve perguntas dos visitantes.
11h – Fatia de cor local
Aromas provocantes de linguiças, queijos e doces caseiros enchem o ar ao longo do Ninth Street Italian Market (9th Street, entre as ruas Wharton e Fitzwater; www.phillyitalianmarket.com). Os vendedores de hortifrutis empilham seus produtos sob toldos verdes e vermelhos diante de lojas que vendem especialidades italianas e produtos diversos nesta feira ao ar livre centenária no sul da Filadélfia. Com fome? A Lorenzo’s Pizza (ruas 9th e Christian; 215-922-2540) é uma loja de esquina despretensiosa que serve uma das melhores fatias de pizza da cidade (US$ 1,50 a US$ 2). O segredo: eles não economizam no tempero.
13h30 – Bem-vindo, Galileu
Lembrado por seu modelo gigante de dois andares de um coração humano e outras exibições ligadas à ciência, o Instituto Franklin (222 North 20th Street; 215-448-1200; www2.fi.edu) exibirá “Galileu, os Médicis e a Era da Astronomia” até 7 de setembro de 2009 (US$ 20,75 para adultos, US$ 19,75 para aposentados, US$ 14 para crianças de 4 a 11 anos). A exposição destaca as realizações de Galileu e exibe alguns de seus instrumentos, incluindo um de seus dois telescópios restantes. Também em exibição estão pinturas, gravuras e manuscritos da coleção Médici.
16h – Mais que tecidos
A Fabric Row (4th Street, entre as ruas South e Catherine) há muito é o local onde comprar uma bobina de tecido. As lojas de tecidos ainda empilham seus produtos, mas elas dividem a rua com estúdios de tatuagem e uma mistura eclética de varejistas neste animado bairro de Queen Village. A Armed & Dangerous (623-25 South 4th Street; 215-922-4525) vende produtos de “estilo gótico romântico”, juntamente com uma variedade de máscaras de baile venezianas importadas (de US$ 25 a US$ 300). A Bus Stop (750 South 4th Street; 215-627-2357; www.busstopboutique.com) é especializada em calçados de grife da Europa e América do Sul, incluindo a marca Coclico, desenhada na França e fabricada na Espanha, e a marca ecológica Terra Plana.
20h – O quê, sem canja de galinha?
Situado em um prédio quadrado com vão livre na Society Hill e nas cores da pedra de Jerusalém, o Zahav (237 St. James Place; 215-625-8800; www.zahavrestaurant.com) oferece receitas israelenses e uma boa dose de pratos do Norte da África e do Oriente Médio. O cardápio de degustação é um bom começo para os não iniciados – primeiro uma tigela de homus cremoso e um grande pão chato redondo feito em casa, seguido por três pequenos pratos e então a sobremesa (US$ 36). O Sabra é um saboroso frango grelhado servido com cuscuz leve; a salada é um pot-pourri de oito pratos pequenos, que inclui cenouras marroquinas picantes temperadas com cominho e pimentas, que faz sua boca apitar.
22h – Faça a viagem
Se o seu lance é absinto, o lounge no segundo andar do Time (1315 Sansom Street; 215-985-4800; www.timerestaurant.net) oferece cinco versões da bebida (de US$ 11 a US$ 16,50), que era a preferida entre os artistas parisienses do século 19 e, até recentemente, era proibida nos Estados Unidos. Se não for o seu lance, o uísque bar no andar de baixo oferece cerca de 75 scotches e outros uísques. Em um recente fim de noite no salão de jantar do outro lado da sala de espera, uma banda de jazz com sete integrantes fazia uma apresentação ruidosa, com alguns membros fazendo uma pausa no meio da música para se misturarem com o público antes de retornarem ao palco.
O clima divertido do Grande Lebowski faz dessa lanchonete-boliche um ótimo lugar para ver os amigos e matar a fome no fim de noite. Photo: Mike Mergen/NYT
Domingo
9h30 – Não desligue o despertador
Três das certezas da vida: morte, impostos e uma longa espera por mesa para o brunch no Sabrina’s Cafe (1804 Callowhill Street; 215-636-9061; www.sabrinascafe.com). Mas se acordar cedo você poderá reduzir a espera. As porções são grandes, o café é bom e os garçons são prestativos. O Barking Chihuahua Breakfast Burrito (US$ 9) é um mistura mexicana que mantém uma pessoa satisfeita o dia todo; o Sabrina’s até mesmo serve um filé vegetariano com queijo, se algo assim realmente existe (US$ 9). Mas, falando sério, chegue cedo.
11h – Passeio no rio
Siga para o Museu de Arte da Filadélfia (26th Street e Benjamin Franklin Parkway; 215-763-8100; www.philamuseum.org) e tire uma foto ao lado da estátua de Rocky. De lá, caminhe atrás do museu até a Breakaway Bikes (215-568-6002; aberta aos fins de semana de abril até outubro) para alugar uma bicicleta (US$ 10 por hora, capacete e cadeado inclusos) e passear pela trilha paralela ao rio Schuylkill. Observe os remadores enquanto deslizam pelo rio e aprecie algumas das 200 esculturas do parque.
O básico
O Aeroporto Internacional da Filadélfia é atendido pela maioria das companhias aéreas. A maioria dos endereços-chave fica a uma distância de caminhada ou a uma rápida viagem de táxi do centro. A Amtrak possui uma linha de trem frequente entre a Penn Station de Nova York e a 30th Street Station na Filadélfia. Uma recente pesquisa online revelou passagens de ida e volta a partir de US$ 90.
The Independent (1234 Locust Street; 215-772-1440; www.theindependenthotel.com) é um hotel butique com 24 quartos em um prédio de estilo neogeorgiano reformado em Center City. Alguns quartos têm lareiras, outros têm paredes de tijolos e tetos de catedral. Diárias a partir de US$ 169.
The Alexander Inn (301 South 12th Street; 215-923-3535; www.alexanderinn.com) oferece 48 quartos elegantes com motivo déco. As diárias neste hotel de Center City são a partir de US$ 129 para um quarto duplo. É recomendado fazer reserva com um mês de antecedência.
Outro hotel em Center City, o Courtyard Philadelphia Downtown (21 North Juniper Street; 215-496-3200; www.marriott.com) oferece 498 quartos em um prédio reformado de 1926. Diárias a partir de US$ 189.
Reportagem: Susan Stellin
New York Times
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Fique por dentro dos novas regras da aviação cívil nos Estados Unidos que visa proteger os direito dos passageiros frente ao descaso das companhias aéreas.
The federal government is taking a stronger hand in regulating how airlines treat passengers, and new rules limiting long tarmac delays are just the first step.
“I don’t know of another time in the department’s history when we’ve stood up for passengers and said enough is enough,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, mentioning the overnight stranding of passengers on a plane in Rochester, Minn., last summer as the tipping point prompting government action.
“There were actually personnel in the terminal who could’ve let people off the plane — that was ridiculous,” Mr. LaHood said.
Even before the latest rules, which went into effect April 29, the government had fined airlines for violations of existing regulations that cover baggage-reimbursement policies, fare advertising and compensation when passengers on over-booked flights are denied boarding.
It seems carriers may be getting the message. Although airline executives predicted “unintended consequences” and widespread cancellations if planes were required to return to the terminal after sitting on the tarmac for three hours, there have been no reports of this happening in the two weeks after the rule took effect. And tarmac delay problems have declined significantly ever since government officials signaled they would take action after the Rochester incident.
In fact, other provisions in the new rules may ultimately have an even bigger impact on travelers. The Transportation Department is also requiring carriers to better inform passengers about frequently delayed flights before a ticket is purchased, improve processes for dealing with complaints and develop more transparent customer service plans.
Other rules regarding topics like baggage fees and fare advertising are in the works, and the Transportation Department expects to issue a proposal in June soliciting comments on its next round of regulations. Here’s an overview of what’s been adopted so far, and what’s under consideration.
No More Nights On the Tarmac
If an aircraft sits on the tarmac, airlines now have to give passengers the option to deplane after three hours (with exceptions for safety and security), and offer snacks and drinking water at the two-hour mark. They must also maintain working lavatories and provide medical attention, if necessary, and publish plans outlining how they will deal with lengthy tarmac delays.
Since the most egregious examples of passengers being stuck inside a plane on the tarmac have occurred because lower-level employees did not know what to do or even whom to call, the requirement to have a plan — and a designated airline representative to make decisions — may be the most effective way to prevent further headline-grabbing embarrassments. The three-hour time limit applies only to domestic flights; for international flights, carriers can set their own time limit but must disclose it in advance.
Late-Flight Records Will Be Exposed
The Transportation Department granted airlines a 60-day extension on a less-publicized new rule: a requirement that carriers publish each flight’s on-time record and how often it has arrived more than 30 minutes late within their search results. Special note will be made of flights that have arrived more than a half-hour late more than half the time. Airlines will also have to indicate the cancellation rate for any flight canceled more than 5 percent of the time.
Although the rule takes effect in late June, carriers will have until late July to begin publishing this information, since it is based on the previous month’s statistics for each flight. This provision may end up reducing delays: if travelers start choosing flights based on a flight’s on-time record and avoiding flights that are frequently late, airlines will have to correct unrealistic schedules. The Transportation Department has also deemed it “an unfair and deceptive practice” to continue operating a chronically delayed flight and will fine airlines that do so.
Complaining Will Be Easier
Another less-publicized new rule is that carriers now have to publish contact information for consumer complaints on their Web sites and on all e-ticket confirmations. The Transportation Department has also redesigned its aviation consumer protection Web site, airconsumer.dot.gov, to make it easier for passengers to file complaints.
While it may seem like filing a complaint to a government agency is a futile exercise, it’s not, and may be more effective than complaining to the airline. Transportation officials say they review every complaint and investigate when there’s a clear violation of government rules or a pattern of misbehavior that needs to be addressed, and sometimes these investigations result in financial penalties to the airline. The complaints also help investigators spot emerging problems that may require further regulation, such as whether airlines should have to refund checked baggage fees if a passenger’s luggage is lost or late.
Charges Should Be Fair and Transparent
Even before the new rules went into effect, the Transportation Department was working on another set of proposed regulations, which it plans to announce and open for public comment in June. Among the topics under consideration: how extra fees — such as for baggage or seat reservations — are disclosed, how fares are advertised and how and when airlines should provide alternative transportation for passengers on canceled flights. Also under discussion is the possibility of prohibiting airlines from pre-selecting extra options for passengers buying tickets (like travel insurance), so that consumers don’t have to un-check a box to avoid paying additional charges.
Kate Hanni, founder of Flyersrights.org, the advocacy group that pushed for the tarmac delay rule, said that she had been communicating with legislators and transportation officials about addressing these and other issues for many months. Although it took years to get the tarmac delay rule adopted, she believes government action is key to getting the airlines to change.
“This is the only way we’re going to see any meaningful change in the way airline passengers are treated,” she said.
Stay tuned for the next round of regulations.
Fonte: O Globo: Clique aqui
Neste domingo, foram os aeroportos do norte da Itália que precisaram ser fechados por conta da nuvem de cinzas do vulcão islandês Eyjafjallajokull, que chega à região. Por volta das 8h (3h no horário de Brasília), teve início o bloqueio de voos, que deve durar até 14h. Estão fechados os terminais Linate e Malpensa, em Milão, além dos de Bérgamo, Turim, Gênova, Bolonha, Verona, Pisa e Florença. Os aeroportos de Veneza, Trieste e Rimini seguem abertos.
Segundo especialistas, a nuvem deve comprometer o espaço aéreo italiano até o fim da tarde. Depois, ela segue em direção aos Bálcãs, Grécia, Alemanha e Áustria. Os voos no Aeroporto Internacional de Guarulhos, em São Paulo, e no Aeroporto Internacional Tom Jobim, no Rio, não foram afetados até o momento.
Foto do Eumetsat mostra a nuvem de cinzas, uma mancha laranka e vermelha, saindo da Islândia (em cima), passando pelo Atlântico e chegando à Europa pela Península Ibérica neste domingo. (Foto: Reuters)
A Eurocontrol, autoridade europeia de aviação, informou que cerca de 40% dos voos entre a Europa e a América do Norte sofreram atrasos ou foram cancelados neste sábado, depois que as cinzas vulcânicas se elevaram até 9,1 quilômetros de altitude e cobriram uma área de dois mil quilômetros.
Na Espanha, os aeroportos reabriram neste domingo, mas o fechamento de 20 terminais no sábado prejudicou cerca de 40 mil passageiros e fez o governo reforçar outros serviços, como os trens. Na França, pelo menos 20 voos foram cancelados. A companhia Ryanair suspendeu partidas e chegadas em Marselha. Já a Easyjet cancelou voos em Nice, no sul do país. Em Portugal, pelo menos 104 voos foram suspensos neste sábado. O aeroporto do Porto, que foi fechado, só deve ser reaberto até o meio-dia deste domingo, segundo o site G1.
No começo da semana, os espaços aéreos da Irlanda, da Irlanda do Norte e partes da Escócia foram afetados pelo problema. No mês passado, nuvens de cinzas vulcânicas vindas da Islândia provocaram o fechamento de aeroportos europeus por seis dias. Cem mil voos foram cancelados e estima-se que a indústria da aviação possa ter sofrido prejuízos de quase US$ 6 bilhões.
Revelers at Music Hall in the Starco Center. Photo: Bryan Denton for The New York Times.
Reportagem: Seth Sherwood
New York Times
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Want a Beirut investment tip? Concrete. Thanks to a couple of years of political calm, the palm-fringed Middle Eastern city is bingeing on new buildings and cultural projects. A fast-expanding night-life strip, an upstart design district, new hotels and the country’s first contemporary art museum have all sprouted in the last few years. And they’re certainly not going unnoticed. A record number of travelers showed up to discover Lebanon and its capital in 2009. If the peace holds, look for an even bigger swell this year.
Friday
5 p.m.
1) SMOKE ON THE WATER
Muslim women in headscarves, scruffy locals in rock T-shirts, Filipina baby sitters: come dusk, Beirut’s seaside walkway known as the Corniche becomes host to a city on parade. To watch it and enjoy views of the glittering Mediterranean while you’re at it, start across from the Hard Rock Cafe (where an outdoor banner reads, “The time will come when you see we are all one…”) and stroll west past the fast-rising hotels, luxury apartment buildings and the leafy campus of the American University of Beirut. The Manara Palace Cafe (961-1-364-949), next to the lighthouse on the water, is a perfect place to absorb the salt air, wash of waves, cry of seagulls and fiery sunset while drinking fresh mango juice (7,500 pounds, or $5 at 1,492 Lebanese pounds to the dollar) and smoking sweet fruit tobacco from a narghile pipe (12,000 pounds).
8 p.m.
2) DUELING FLAVORS
The city’s top two regional cuisines, Lebanese and Armenian, are served up masterfully at Al Mayass (Wadih Naim Street, Ashrafieh; 961-1-215-046), an Old World-style restaurant where a lively soundtrack is provided by roaming musicians. Itch, a zesty cold salad of bulgur, finely chopped parsley, diced tomato, lemon and spices, cuts the Middle East heat. But the marquee attraction is the grilled kebab in syrupy cherry sauce. Dinner for two with arak, the local aniseed liquor, runs about 140,000 pounds.
11 p.m.
3) MIDEAST GROOVES
Late night unleashes a sea of C’s — Champagne, Chivas Regal, Cohibas, Cartier, cleavage — at Music Hall (Starco Center, Minet El Hosn; 961-3-807-555; elefteriades.com), where dolled-up young professionals, cigar-smoking captains of industry and local celebrities fill the plush red booths and chairs to watch more than a dozen musical acts belt out a globetrotting playlist. Backed by an orchestra in red robes, the talents range from leopard-print divas doing Beyoncé covers to the Chehade Brothers, a Palestinian pair who kick out rollicking Arabian jams in exotic scales. Book in advance. The $55 cover charge is applied toward drinks. (Note that prices are often quoted in American currency, and dollars are widely accepted.)
Saturday
11 a.m.
4) FARM FRESH
Find an empty suitcase and wheel it down to Souk El Tayeb (Saifi Village parking lot; 961-1-442-664; soukeltayeb.com), Beirut’s first farmers’ market, which started in 2004. Drawn from a broad spectrum of Lebanon’s diverse faiths and rural regions, the dozens of growers, producers and artisans who gather every Saturday (9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) represent both a subtle social experiment in national reconciliation and an excellent market for snapping up local olive oil, tomatoes, cheeses, jams, breads, soaps, baskets, flowers and nearly everything else from Lebanon’s horn of plenty. It’s a prime spot to assemble a farm-fresh brunch. The Earth & Co. stand serves hot manouche (5,000 pounds), warm thin sourdough bread wrapped around thyme, labneh cheese and sliced tomato.
1 p.m.
5) THE LEBANESE AESTHETIC
Whether you’re furnishing a sultan’s palace or a mere studio, the Ottoman-style town houses in Saifi Village are quickly filling with boutiques from top Lebanese design talents. Nada Debs (Moukhalsieh Street; 961-1-999-002; nadadebs.com) mixes Far East and Middle East styles, like a cube-shaped oak candleholder inlaid with geometric mother-of-pearl patterns ($100). And Bokja (just off Moukhalsieh Street; 961-1-975-576; bokjadesign.com), run by the design duo Maria Hibri and Hoda Baroudi, takes iconic chairs and sofas by Western designers, like the classic Eames lounger, and reupholsters them with kaleidoscopic collages of fabrics from the Middle East, Central Asia and beyond.
4 p.m.
6) AVANT-GARDE AFTERNOON
With the new Beirut Art Center (Jisr El Wati, Street 97, Building 13; 961-1-397-018; beirutartcenter.org), the Lebanese capital is emerging as a strong contender for the art capital of the Middle East. Opened last year, the nation’s first contemporary art museum is an airy white two-level space that holds rotating exhibitions — often two at a time — all year long. From the experimental films of the Lebanese architect Bernard Khoury to the photographs of Emily Jacir, a Palestinian conceptual artist, the museum’s rotating exhibitions are the most unusual, adventurous, intellectually challenging and envelope-pushing that you’ll find in Beirut.
8 p.m.
7) A RETURN TO PARIS
A clutch of new French restaurants seem bent on recapturing Beirut’s long-ago nickname as Paris of the Middle East. Opened in November, the neo-bistro Couqley (The Alleyway, Gouraud Street, Gemmayzeh; 961-1-442-678; couqley.com) is run by the French-American-Belgian chef Alexis Couquelet, who is a veteran of top Gallic kitchens including Paris’s Market and La Bastide de St.-Tropez. Twice a week, he receives shipments of beef and duck flown in from France, resulting in a thick filet de boeuf with a Bordelaise sauce, and a confit de canard jazzed up with fresh raspberries that cut the fatty duck with fruity acidic zing. Book in advance. Dinner for two, without wine, about 120,000 pounds.
11 p.m.
8) THE COCKTAIL DISTRICT
Mashroob is the word for a drink in Arabic, and you’ll find a whirlwind of them in the red-hot Gemmayzeh district. There’s a bar for every clique and mood. Bourgeois singles and 40-something divorcées sip Chateau Ksara wine and crowd the long bar at Kayan (Liban Street, Gemmayzeh; 961-1-563-611), an airy and vaguely British colonial-style bar. For live Arabian music, backgammon and water pipes, try Gemmayzeh Café (Gouraud Street, Gemmayzeh; 961-1-580-817). And when it’s time to dance to D.J.-spun electro, house and indie rock, the self-styled cool kids and creative set swill Almaza beer in the velvety confines of Behind the Green Door (across from Electricité du Liban, Gouraud Street, Mar Mikhael; 961-70-856-866).
Sunday
Noon
9) A BEIRUT BRUNCH
If you’re still feeling the excess of your Arabian night, mimosas and Bloody Marys await at Casablanca (Dar El Mreisseh Street, Ein El Mreisseh; 961-1-369-334), an Ottoman-era mansion restored with funky colors and contemporary art. Menu items like French toast, eggs Benedict and bagels with smoked salmon suggest a New York City diner. But the chatter of Arabic, French and English from Lebanese brunchers brings you back to cosmopolitan Beirut. Brunch for two, about 60,000 pounds.
2 p.m.
10) LEVANTINE SHORES
In a city of many faiths — Christian, Sunni, Shiite, Druze — at least one religion is universally practiced: sun worship. One of the most pleasant temples is Lazy B (off the airport highway, Jiyeh; 961-70-95-00-10; lazyb.me), about 20 miles south of Beirut. From May to October, the tranquil beach club features a smorgasbord of sandy coast, rocky coves, grassy expanses, scenic outdoor terraces, swimming pools and other spots where hordes of heliophiles absorb ultraviolet rays and cultivate their bronzed exteriors. So here’s a final Beirut investment tip: suntan oil.
IF YOU GO
Many airlines including Air France, Lufthansa and Egypt Air offer flights to Beirut from New York City with a layover. A recent search found a Lufthansa flight in May from Kennedy Airport, with a change in Frankfurt, for about $1,200.
The newest luxury hotel is the Four Seasons Hotel Beirut (1418 Avenue Professor Wafic Sinno, Minet El Hosn; 961-1-761-000; fourseasons.com/beirut). Opened this year, the 230-room hotel has a sleek Mediterranean restaurant and a plush colonial-style bar, with doubles from $250.
Orient Queen Homes (John Kennedy Street, Ras Beirut; 961-1-361-140;orientqueenhomes.com), near the American University of Beirut, opened last year and has 71 apartments and suites done in angular Ikea-esque style. Studios start at $150.
A good budget bet is the Mayflower Hotel (Yafet Street, Hamra, 961-1-340-680; mayflowerbeirut.com), a British colonial-style hotel that was spruced up in 2007 and offers Mediterranean vistas and a rooftop pool, with 85 rooms from $130.
The scene at Manly Beach, just north of Sydney. Photo: Tony Sernack for The New York Times
Reportagem: Celia McGee
New York Times
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SUNNY, fashion-forward and multiethnic, Sydney is an animated city bent on making its mark. But with its skyline already crowded with skyscrapers, and its place on the world stage firmly set, the city seems to be in the midst of a historical revival. Traditional Australian cuisine like meat pies is being remade in the locavore age. Sports like surfing are being celebrated in their national birthplace. And older buildings are enjoying an architectural second act as salons for the city’s cognoscenti, who can’t seem to get enough of Sydney’s homegrown charms
Friday
4 p.m.
1) DOWNTOWN REBORN
Young Sydney is rediscovering downtown along George Street. Stroll back in time at the 19th-century Strand Arcade (412-414 George Street; 61-2-9232-4199;strandarcade.com.au), the last of the glass-domed late-Victorian shopping bazaars where Australian labels in the style forefront like Manning Cartell, Jayson Brunsdon and Little Joe by Gail Elliott have set up shop. Less kitschy than the more famous Queen Victoria Building, the arcade includes Strand Hatters (61-2-9231-6884;strandhatters.com.au), which carries the kind of straw hats that are fashionable again, and Haigh’s Chocolates (61-2-9221 6999; haighschocolates.com.au), a venerable outpost of the Adelaide-based chocolatier where even locals line up for its newest confections.
6 p.m.
2) SCALING THE HEIGHTS
Unless you suit up and make the climb up the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the best spot to catch the sunset may be the top of the Rocks, the historic district where young merchant princes and professionals like to pub crawl from the Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel(19 Kent Street; 61-2-9251-4044; lordnelsonbrewery.com), one of the city’s oldest continuously operating bars and now also a hotel and microbrewery, to the Hero of Waterloo (81 Lower Fort Street; 61-2-9252-4553; heroofwaterloo.com.au), with stone cellars hiding tunnels once used for smuggling. Another hot spot is the plaza outside the MoS Cafe (37 Phillips Street; 61-2-9241-3636; moscafe.com.au) at the spiffy Museum of Sydney, faintly perfumed by the Royal Botanic Gardens.
8 p.m.
3) COVERING THE WATERFRONT
Walsh Bay, by the gigantic old wharves, is being reborn as an arts and culinary neighborhood. The revitalized Sydney Theater Company (Pier 4, Hickson Road; 61-2-9250-1777; sydneytheatre.com.au), under the artistic direction of Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton, her husband, often showcases emerging Australian playwrights. Pretheater or after, join an affluent crowd at Restaurant Arras (24 Hickson Road, 61-2-9252-6285; restaurant-arras.com.au), a well-tailored establishment in a former wool store that serves cleverly updated Anglo fare, like snapper with potato napoleon and cockles, or spiced mulloway, lentils and bacon, mead and rye. Dinner for two, about 120 Australian dollars, or $113 at 1.06 Australian dollars to the U.S. dollar.
10 p.m.
4) ASIAN MAJOR
The city’s bright young things relish their night life, and no one has tapped into this more glamorously than the chef Neil Perry. His latest two boîtes, both in the soaring Art Deco City Mutual Building, are Spice Temple (10 Bligh Street; 61-2-8078-1888;spicetemple.com.au), a chinoiserie-style restaurant that serves 12 cocktails named after the Chinese zodiac signs, and the snappy Rockpool Bar and Grill (66 Hunter Street; 61-2-8078-1900; rockpoolbarandgrill.com), where 6,500 cocktail glasses hang at the ready for more members of the Champagne set.
Saturday
9:30 a.m.
5) CUPS AND SAUCERS
Follow the black-fluted paper cups to La Renaissance Café Patisserie (47 Argyle Street; 61-2-9241-4878; larenaissance.com.au), a leafy courtyard cafe favored by coffee connoisseurs. Order a cappuccino, flat white, latte or long black (hold the milk), along with a fresh croissant, before diving into the Rocks Markets, a tasteful street fair held every weekend that carries everything from hand-sewn children’s clothes to vanguard tea ware.
10 a.m.
6) SUSHI FOR BREAKFAST
The gigantic Sydney Fish Market (1 Bank Street, Pyrmont; 61-2-9004-1100;sydneyfishmarket.com.au) remains a very active seafood bazaar, with some 100 species of fish auctioned off every day. There are also seafood bars, a takeout deli and a waterfront deck where you can sample your fresh purchases. But to get closer to the source, sign up for a two-hour cooking class at the market’s Sydney Seafood School, redesigned last year with stainless steel cooking stations, a high-def demonstration screen and a dining room with fishnet chandeliers. Classes, which include hands-on lessons on seafood “barbie” and dishes like Singapore-style chili crab, start at 80 dollars.
1 p.m.
7) DEEP DISH
Australia’s academic art is having a comeback at the beaux-arts Art Gallery of New South Wales (artgallery.nsw.gov.au), but the Powerhouse Museum (500 Harris Street; 61-2-9217-0111; powerhousemuseum.com), in the former Ultimo power plant, offers a refreshing primer on Australia’s arts, crafts and industries. On view through this year is the rollicking “Eighties Are Back” exhibition, with colorful artifacts that include Michael Jackson’s iconic sequined jacket and silver glove. Afterward, swing by Hannah’s Pies (562 Harris Street; 61-2-9211-2506), a nearby takeout stand known for its hot tarts like chicken and mushroom pie, and lean beef and curry pie (4 to 7 Australian dollars). To avoid the long line, go on the later side.
3 p.m.
8) THE HILLS ARE ALIVE
The Edwardian architecture of Surry Hills keeps up with the youth-quake with fashion, housewares, furnishings and antiques shops aimed at the creative caste. The basement of the former Griffiths Teas Building is the home of Halfsleeve (133 Goulburn Street; 61-2-8021-0869; halfsleeve.net), a men’s clothing store that carries designer T-shirts and jeans. Mrs. Press (136a Darlinghurst Road; 61-2-9331-7732; mrspress.com) belongs to Clare Press, a former features editor of Vogue Australia, who likes to mix new and vintage, lingerie and slinky blouses.
8 p.m.
9) TRY THAI
Some of the city’s best Vietnamese, Korean and Thai restaurants are in the chill Darlinghurst neighborhood, recognizable by its Victorian town houses and gay-friendly vibe. A popular Thai establishment is Spice I Am (296-300 Victoria Street; 61-2-9332-2445; www.spiceiam.com ), a stylish offshoot of a takeout shop in Surry Hills. Favorites include a green curry chicken stuffed with apple eggplant and pea eggplant (34 Australian dollars) and crispy pork belly with chili jam, cherry tomato and spring onion (30 Australian dollars).
10 p.m.
10) NIGHT FARM
An artsy new scene can be found at the Commons (32 Burton Street; 61-2-9358-1487;thecommons.com.au). Housed in an 1850 sandstone farmhouse, the space has been transformed by a group of inventive art and architecture graduates into a restaurant and wine bar with old wooden floors, modern-rustic furniture and a backyard patio.
Sunday
10 a.m.
11) BEACH BUNS
In the nautical hierarchy, the beach resort of Manly may be lower-profile than Bondi’s more chic surf culture, but that’s exactly what makes it such a treat, starting with a quick ferry ride seven miles north of the city. (This year Manly is celebrating its official recognition as the birthplace of Australian surfing.) The town is sprucing up the Manly Scenic Walkway that winds through a large nature preserve. At the other end of the beach, Manly Surf School (North Steyne Surf Club, Long Reef; 61-2-9977-6977;manlysurfschool.com) offers rentals and lessons starting at 60 Australian dollars.
3 p.m.
12) SEA FOR MILES
On the roof of the dignified 19th-century Customs House is the ritzy Cafe Sydney (31 Alfred Street; 61-2-9251-8683; cafesydney.com), which has a raw bar and a seafood-rich menu that includes a grilled swordfish with baby squid, panzanella and tapenade (37 Australian dollars). On Sundays there is the live jazz or classical music of Cafe Sydney Sunday, a nice accompaniment to the forever views of the Opera House and the whale-size cruise ships moored in Sydney Harbour.
IF YOU GO
Flights between Sydney and New York City require a connecting flight, usually on the West Coast. A recent Web search found Delta flights from Kennedy, with a connection in Los Angeles, from $1,035 round trip for travel this month.
One of the best-situated and most celebrity-studded hotels is the Park Hyatt Sydney Hotel (7 Hickson Road, the Rocks; 61-2-9241-1234; sydney.park.hyatt.com). The 158-room hotel wraps around a scenic spit of the Rocks opposite the Sydney Opera House. Doubles start at 695 Australian dollars, about $650.
A new budget option is the Vibe Hotel Sydney (111 Goulburn Street; 61-2-8272-3300;vibehotels.com.au) on the edge of Chinatown. The 191-room hotel has a retro-modern décor, a popular bar and rooms starting at 165 Australian dollars.
David Lahuta
New York Times Syndicate
Tradução: George El Khouri Andolfato
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As Bermudas tiveram muito o que celebrar em 2009. Há quatrocentos anos, um navio inglês naufragou neste arquipélago no Atlântico, dando origem ao país das Bermudas, um que atualmente está em modo de festa total. Com os veleiros enfeitados com luzes natalinas, apresentações de dança folclórica e festivais de música repletos de astros (Quincy Jones e John Legend), é uma festa de gala quatro séculos em preparação. Sim, os charmes pitorescos ainda estão ali – homens trajando bermudas e meias até o joelho, praias de areias rosadas, pessoas circulando em motos scooters – mas com 400 anos de maturidade, não seria de outra forma para as Bermudas.
Sexta-feira
16h – Chá de shorts
Em um país com uma Union Jack em sua bandeira, não causa surpresa que muitas tradições britânicas perdurem. Entre para tomar um chá no Heritage Court (76 Pitts Bay Road; 441-295-3000; www.fairmont.com/hamilton), um salão de jantar com toalhas de mesa brancas no Fairmont Hamilton Princess, um hotel de 124 anos onde os hóspedes saboreiam sanduíches de pepino, petit fours e scones feitos na hora de damasco e figo com geléia de kumquat e creme de leite (34 dólares; os dólares das Bermudas valem o mesmo que o dólar americano e ambos são amplamente aceitos).
Happy hour no Newstead Belmont Hills Golf Resort & Spa, em Bermuda; o local parece estar em constante clima de festa. Foto: Michael Nagle/NYT
18h – Happy hour
Os bermudenses levam a sério o happy hour de sexta-feira, quando a ilha sai do trabalho e o ponche de rum entra para dar início ao fim de semana. Moradores locais bem vestidos vão para o Newstead Belmont Hills Golf Resort & Spa (27 Harbour Road; 441-236-6060; www.newsteadbelmonthills.com), que realiza uma festa semanal ao ar livre, com banda ao vivo e tudo, em seu pátio frontal com porto. Experimente um dark ‘n’ stormy: rum e cerveja de gengibre das Bermudas.
21h – Peixe na Front Street
A maioria dos clientes do Port O Call (87 Front Street; 441-295-5373; www.portocall.bm) se concentra nos especiais – peixe local fresco dourado na frigideira e servido com um vinagrete cítrico. De setembro a março, experimente a lagosta, partida e preparada na grelha. Após uma recente reforma, este endereço favorito da Front Street está parecendo melhor do que nunca com banquetas meia lua, paredes revestidas em madeira e um bar revestido de granito cheio dos poderosos da ilha. Jantar para dois, cerca de US$ 70, sem incluir vinho.
Sábado
8h – Mergulhe em um navio naufragado
Quando Peter Benchley estava pesquisando para seu romance “O Fundo do Mar”, ele encontrou inspiração submarina no Constellation, uma escuna de quatro mastros que afundou nas Bermudas em 1943. Até mesmo novatos podem explorar o navio naufragado bem preservado a meros nove metros de profundidade, com um mergulho introdutório dado pela Bluewater Divers & Watersports (Robinson’s Marina, Somerset Bridge; 441-234-1034; www.divebermuda.com; 165 dólares). Em um grande negócio dois por um, a cerca de 15 metros do Constellation se encontram os destroços do Montana, um navio a vapor inglês que afundou 80 anos antes. Veja pedaços de sua carga, como cacos de porcelana, garrafas de vidro e até mesmo uma mesa de bilhar, entre grandes cardumes de peixe-donzela, garoupas e barracudas.
13h – Disputa da sopa de peixe
É difícil encontrar um restaurante que não sirva sopa de peixe das Bermudas, uma sopa picante com frutos do mar e legumes, que é tradicionalmente saboreada com uma dose de rum Gosling’s Black Seal e molho Outerbridge’s Original Sherry Pepper. Duas das favoritas da ilha, ambos em Hamilton, são a do Hog Penny Restaurant & Pub (5 Burnaby Hill; 441-292-2534; www.hogpennypub.com; 6,50 dólares), um pub inglês clássico, e o Lobster Pot (6 Bermudiana Road; 441-292-6898; www.bermuda.com/lobsterpot; 6,75 dólares), um café com tema náutico e um novo pátio ao ar livre. Quando terminar, vá tomar um sol na ampla Elbow Beach, a poucos minutos de distância em Paget Parish.
15h – Artistas da ilha
A comunidade artística ficou agitada quando o Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art (183 South Road; 441-236-2950; www.bermudamasterworks.com) foi inaugurado no Jardim Botânico das Bermudas no primeiro semestre, para exibir sua coleção de pinturas inspiradas na ilha, incluindo obras de Georgia O’Keeffe e Mardsen Hartley. Sua mais recente exposição, “Nós Estamos Navegando”, examina a ligação das Bermudas com o mar e inclui a aquarela de Winslow Homer, “S.S. Trinidad”.
Com um trecho de cerca de 800 metros de areia fina rosada, na Warwick Long Bay, nas Bermudas, você certamente encontrará um espaço só seu. Foto: Michael Nagle/NYT
16h – Escolha um presente
Para bolsas de grife e bugigangas brilhantes, leve sua carteira a Hamilton, a capital portuária das Bermudas. Mas para itens bermudenses autênticos, vá à mais tranquila Saint George, no extremo leste da ilha. A Book Cellar (Tucker House Basement, Water Street; 441-297-0448) é especializada em livros históricos, náuticos e de arquitetura sobre as Bermudas. Sinta os perfumes artesanais da Bermuda Perfumery (5 Queen Street; 441-293-0627; www.bermuda-perfumery.com), situada em uma casa do século 18 com paredes de pedra de coral e vigas expostas de cedro. E compre bermudas autênticas das Bermudas na English Sports Shop (30 Water Street; 441-297-0142), onde você encontrará todas as cores do arco-íris (a partir de 39,95 dólares).
20h – Ao ar livre ou não?
Se você estiver atrás de um jantar com spray do mar, vá ao Mickey’s Beach Bistro & Bar (60 South Shore Road; 441-236-9107; www.mandarinoriental.com/bermuda), um restaurante ao ar livre no Elbow Beach Hotel, em Paget Parish, que serve massas, peixes e frutos do mar (jantar para dois por cerca de 60 dólares, sem incluir vinho). Não quer jantar ao ar livre? Sente-se perto da janela no Ocean Echo in the Reefs Hotel (56 South Shore Road; 441-238-0222; www.thereefs.com). Empoleirado em um penhasco em Southampton Parish, o restaurante oferece versões criativas de pratos locais favoritos, como bolo de peixe das Bermudas com molho de ameixa preta (16,50 dólares) e perca dourada na frigideira com beurre blanc de maçã (37,50 dólares).
23h – Hora do Martini
Há uma abundância de bares de hotel para coquetéis pós-jantar. Mas para uma ação mais local, vá a um trecho margeado de árvores de Hamilton, conhecido como “restaurant row”. Lá você encontrará o LV’s (12 Bermudiana Road; 441-296-3330; www.lv.bm), iluminado a meia-luz, com sofás baixos e recantos para uns amassos. Quando se cansar de checar a clientela simpática trintona, vá ao Opus Cafe & Lounge (4 Bermudiana Road; 441-292-3500; www.opus.bm), um agitado cocktail bar que toca música pop e rhythm and blues.
Domingo
7h30 – Riscos na água
Reaberto em junho após uma reforma de US$ 14 milhões, Port Royal (5 Port Royal Drive; 441-234-0974; www.portroyalgolf.bm; taxa, 165 dólares) é supostamente o melhor campo de golfe das Bermudas, com vistas do mar em quase todos os buracos. Não esqueça sua câmera no 16º. O buraco em forma de lua crescente de 215 metros abraça a costa com nada além do oceano entre o tee e o buraco.
Reaberto em junho após uma reforma de US$ 14 milhões, Port Royal é supostamente o melhor campo de golfe das Bermudas, com vistas do mar em quase todos os buracos
11h – Vá à igreja
Church Bay (baía da igreja) é uma pequena enseada com alguns dos melhores lugares para mergulho com snorkel da ilha, com peixes-anjo-azul, peixes-papagaio e ricos corais a apenas 100 metros da costa. Alugue equipamento da loja de mergulho no vizinho Fairmont Southampton Hotel & Resort (101 South Shore Road; 441-238-2332; www.fairmont.com/southampton, 20 dólares por duas horas). Quando terminar, evite as multidões dos navios de cruzeiro na Horseshoe Beach e vá para a praia mais tranquila, Warwick Long Bay. Com um trecho de cerca de 800 metros de areia fina rosada, você certamente encontrará um espaço só seu.
O básico
Os turistas não podem alugar carros nas Bermudas, então tome um táxi por 30 dólares (o dólar americano e bermudense, com valor igual, são ambos aceitos) do aeroporto até Hamilton, onde é possível alugar uma scooter. Um endereço confiável é o Smatt’s Cycle Livery (74 Pitts Bay Road; 441-295-1180; www.smattscyclelivery.com), com aluguéis a partir de 80 dólares pelo primeiro dia, 45 dólares pelos dias adicionais. Prefere não dirigir à esquerda? Considere tomar o ônibus, que parte com frequência de Hamilton e cobre grande parte da ilha (3 dólares).
O elegante Fairmont Southampton (101 South Shore Road; 441-238-8000; www.fairmont.com/southampton) oferece abundância de confortos, incluindo um campo de golfe com par três, um spa William Stream com 2.880 metros quadrados e uma balsa gratuita para Hamilton Princess, sua propriedade irmã em Hamilton. Quartos duplos a partir de US$ 189. Reaberto no primeiro semestre de 2008 como um hotel só com suítes, o Newstead Belmont Hills Golf Resort & Spa (27 Harbour Road; 441-236-6060; www.newsteadbelmonthills.com) possui quartos decorados com bom gosto com balcões de granito, tapetes de sisal e pátios ou sacadas com vista do porto. Quartos duplos a partir de US$ 290. O Tucker’s Point Hotel & Spa (60 Tucker’s Point Club Drive; 866-604-3764; www.tuckerspoint.com) é mais novo resort das Bermudas, um retiro luxuoso do extremo leste que foi inaugurado em abril com um campo de golfe com 18 buracos, quadras de tênis e um elegante clube de praia branco. Quartos duplos a partir de US$ 340.
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Representantes de pilotos e comissários de bordo da companhia aérea British Airways (BA) confirmaram nesta sexta-feira o início de uma paralisação de três dias a partir deste sábado contra planos de reestruturação da empresa, depois que fracassaram negociações de última hora para impedir a greve.
A expectativa é de que um total de 1,1 mil voos de um total de 1.950 marcados para os dias de protesto sejam cancelados.
Nos nove últimos meses de 2009, a empresa registrou um prejuízo de 342 milhões de libras (cerca de R$ 922 milhões).
Diante dos maus resultados, a BA anunciou que pretende reduzir o número de tripulantes em voos de longa distância de 15 para 14 e congelar os salários por dois anos.
Em todo o mundo, a BA pretende eliminar 4,9 mil postos de trabalho até o fim de março.
Tom Woodley, secretário-geral do sindicato representante da categoria, o Unite, acusou a BA de querer uma “guerra” com o sindicato.
Por sua vez, o presidente da companhia aérea britânica, Willie Walsh, afirmou que a greve é “profundamente lamentável”.
Plano de contingência
Depois do anúncio da greve, a British Airways anunciou um plano de contingência que vai permitir que 65% de seus clientes sejam atendidos durante o período de greve.
Todos os voos de longa distância e mais da metade dos voos mais curtos devem ser realizados normalmente a partir do aeroporto de Gatwick, ao sul de Londres.
Já no aeroporto de Heathrow, o mais importante que atende a capital britânica, mais de 60% dos voos de longa distância vão operar normalmente, e apenas 30% dos voos mais curtos devem ser realizados, segundo a previsão da empresa.
A empresa afirmou que não há indicação de alteração dos voos que opera do Brasil, de São Paulo e do Rio de Janeiro a Londres ou Buenos Aires, no primeiro período da greve, entre 20 e 22 de março.
A British Airways, entretanto, recomenda que passageiros chequem regularmente sua página na internet para verificar possíveis alterações.
A verificação é recomendável especialmente para passageiros que fazem conexões em Londres ou Buenos Aires para outros destinos.
Em sua página na internet, a companhia afirma que, para atender seus passageiros durante a greve, vai usar até 22 aeronaves, com suas respectivas tripulações, que serão emprestadas por outras oito empresas diferentes da Grã-Bretanha e Europa.
Os grevistas anunciaram que pretendem realizar outra paralisação no dia 27 de março caso não haja avanços nas negociações com a empresa.
By Denny Lee
New York Times
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Clunky Trabants belching car exhaust along Karl-Marx-Allee. Red-and-yellow East German flags fluttering from storefronts. Retro-chic bars that resemble cold-war bomb shelters. The Berlin Wall may have fallen 20 years ago next month, but in certain pockets of this pulsating German capital, it seems to be going back up — at least for those too young to recall what life was like in the German Democratic Republic. From stylish hotels that resemble 1970s Soviet housing to boutiques that elevate kitschy East German goods to high design, Berlin is still divided — on whether the Iron Curtain was cool. There’s even a German word for it, “ostalgie,” a combination of the words “ost” (east) and “nostalgie” (nostalgia).
The revolving restaurant on the Television Tower. Photo: Denny Lee/The New York Times
Friday
5 p.m.
1) EASTERN TIME ZONE
Few vestiges remain of East Berlin. Bullet holes have been filled in, squatters evicted and weedy lots paved over for entertainment complexes. But spend enough time strolling the twisting backstreets and you might come across a building, a courtyard or a block that looks frozen in 1989. Most are on the city’s fringes, but there’s a stretch of Auguststrasse, the art mile in the Mitte district, in drab contrast to the slick galleries and Ikea-fied apartments. A former Jewish hospital at Nos. 14-16 is still gray as charcoal. A block away, at No. 5a, one side of a courtyard is pocked with bullet scars. Look now, before construction cranes encroach.
7 p.m.
2) TV DINNER
The Sputnik-inspired Television Tower was erected in the 1960s by East Germany to demonstrate its technical superiority. At 1,207 feet, it remains Berlin’s tallest structure, as well as one of its most touristy. Skip the line by dining at its space-saucer-style restaurant, Telecafé (Panoramastrasse 1A at Alexanderplatz; 49-30-247-5750; www.tv-turm.de), which offers revolving views of the once-divided city. It’s every bit as cheesy and memorable as it sounds. Not much seems to have changed since Erich Honecker was the leader of East Germany: dishes like veal roulade with potato dumplings (15.50 euros, about $23 at $1.50 to the euro) are served by older waitresses with big perms. Reserve online and early (at least six weeks ahead) for the sunset seating. After dinner, stroll Alexanderplatz, where a colossal open-air exhibition on the Wall (www.fallofthewall09.com ) is up until Nov. 14.
11 p.m.
3) PARTY LIKE IT’S 1989
For modern beats in a retro lounge, climb the rickety scaffolding to Klub der Republik, or K.D.R. (Pappelallee 81; www.myspace.com/klubderrepublik), a grungy hangout in Prenzlauer Berg named after the Palace of the Republic, the dismantled East German parliament building. Indeed, the globe lamps were salvaged from there. The music, as eclectic as the beer selection, is played by a rotating cast of floppy-haired D.J.’s. If there’s music across the street, pop by Ballhaus Ost (Pappelallee 15; 49-30-47-99-7474; www.ballhausost.de), a former dance school that occasionally hosts late-night gatherings.
Saturday
10:30 a.m.
4) HELLO, LENIN!
Berlin has 170-plus museums, but only one examines how ordinary East Berliners lived under Communist rule — another example, perhaps, that reunification is a work in progress. The small, privately financed DDR Museum (Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 1; 49-30-847-12-3731; www.ddr-museum.de) opened in 2006 and offers a playful trip behind the Iron Curtain with authentic artifacts and archival film. Those haunted by the 2006 Oscar-winning film “The Lives of Others” should also pay a visit to the Stasi Museum (Ruschestrasse 103; 49-30-553-6854; www.stasimuseum.de), housed in the former Stasi offices.
Noon
5) EMBASSY SWEETS
If the weather is nice, head north to the leafy district of Pankow, where the East German elite lived. Along the way, stop by Stavanger Strasse, the old embassy row where the Cuban flag still flies, before heading to Majakowskiring, a road lined with stately villas including No. 29 — the former home of Wilhelm Pieck, the first president of East Germany. For hearty salads and sweet plum cakes, sit under the linden trees at Majakowski Gasthaus (No. 63; 49-30-4991-8250), an inn with a delightful garden cafe. End your visit at the Schönhausen Palace (Tschaikowskistrasse 1; www.spsg.de), a baroque castle that once served as the seat of the East German president; it is scheduled to reopen in December.
3 p.m.
6) NEUE GALLERIES
Karl-Marx-Allee, the monumental but graying boulevard of Stalinist architecture, is welcoming a steady parade of art dealers. In the last year or so, galleries like Capitain Petzel (No. 45; 49-30-2408-8130; www.capitainpetzel.de) and Krome Gallery (No. 82; 49-30-280-946-59; www.krome-gallery.com) have planted their flags along the concourse, giving other new art districts in Berlin a run for their money. Private collectors are also taking over palatial spaces, including Sammlung Haubrok (Strausberger Platz 19; 49-30-8061-9287; www.sammlung-haubrok.de), which showcases contemporary artists like Jonathan Monk and Martin Boyce.
5:30 p.m.
7) CUDDLY CARS
Berlin was a huge city even when it was divided. To cover more ground, see old East Berlin behind the wheel of a Trabant, the plastic car that was a symbol, for better or worse, of the Communist regime. Trabi-Safari (49-30-2759-2273; www.trabi-safari.de) has a cuddly fleet that chortles past landmarks like the East Side Gallery in Friedrichshain (www.eastsidegallery.com), at the longest existing piece of the Wall, which is being unveiled next month after a controversial mural restoration. Tours start at 30 euros.
9 p.m.
8.) WESTERN BEOUF
See how the other side lived. While East Berliners were scouring markets for fresh fruits and vegetables, Iggy Pop and others were drinking absinthe and ordering entrecôte at the Paris Bar (Kantstrasse 152; 49-30-313-8052; www.parisbar.de), in the upscale Charlottenburg district of what was West Berlin. The storied bistro still wears its affluence on its sleeve. On a recent Saturday, there were white-shoe bankers popping Champagne bottles, an artsy couple with electric-blue hair and two elegantly dressed woman squeezed into a wine-red leather banquette under a large photograph of Yves Saint Laurent. Steak frites for two, with wine, about 100 euros.
Midnight
9.) PARTY SPREE
During the cold war, Berlin turned its back to the Spree River, which was itself divided. Now the riverfront has some of the city’s coolest night life, whether it’s the urban beach bars that seem to wash up wherever there’s open space or the perpetually long lines outside the Watergate Club (Falckensteinstrasse 49; www.water-gate.de). If it’s warm, beat a path to Club der Visionäre (Am Flutgraben; 49-30-6951-8942; www.clubdervisionaere.com), a riverside bar in Kreuzberg that feels like a shipwreck overrun with hip 20-somethings. When the sun rises, spy the concrete watchtower across the street; it’s one of the last surviving that were built by East Germany to police the wall.
Sunday
11 a.m.
10) PEOPLE-OWNED GOODS
Plastic blue egg cups. Interflug luggage tags. Vintage drink carts. For groovy East German goods at moderate prices, bring your tote bag to Arkonaplatz, a little park at the edge of Mitte that becomes a retro-trendy flea market on Sundays (www.troedelmarkt-arkonaplatz.de). Cute cafes ring the park. Still looking for those big sunglasses? Walk along Bernauer Strasse to the sprawling flea market at Mauerpark, or Wall Park (www.mauerparkmarkt.de). While the quality has gone down, there are still some treasures among the pirated DVDs.
2 p.m.
11) (ALMOST) FREE WINE
Continue your capitalist spending spree in Prenzlauer Berg. Retail highlights include VEBorange (Oderberger Strasse 29; 49-30-9788-6886; www.veborange.de), a cluttered antiques shop that has a huge assortment of funky lamps and ostalgie memorabilia, and Da Capo (Kastanienallee 96; 49-30-448-1771; www.da-capo-vinyl.de), a music shop that carries artists like the Puhdys, who once recorded for the state-run Amiga label. When you’re finished, work your way to Weinerei Forum (Veteranenstrasse 14; 49-30-440-6983; www.weinerei.com), a wine bar where customers rent a glass for a euro or two. Pour as many whites and reds as you like. Before leaving, just throw some bills into the glass jar, based on what you think you owe. Socialism never tasted so good.
THE BASICS
Continental flies nonstop to Berlin from Newark Liberty International Airport, and Delta flies nonstop from Kennedy Airport. Fares start at about $570 this month, based on a recent online search.
After a drought, a wave of hotels is opening on both sides of where the Berlin Wall once stood. To the east is the Ostel (Wriezener Karree 5; 49-30-2576-8660; www.ostel.eu), a “communist retro” hostel with East German interiors, not far from the Ostbahnhof. Doubles with private bathrooms start at 61 euros ($91.50 at $1.50 to the euro); bunk beds start at 9 euros.
A worthy rival in the former East Berlin is the Arcotel John F. (Werderscher Markt 11; 49-30-405-0460; www.arcotel.at), a cosmopolitan hotel with 190 rooms, starting at about 108 euros, based on a recent Web search. It’s a good value because of its central location, well-designed furniture and attentive staff.
A maior feira educacional de intercâmbio da América Latina e uma das maiores do mundo reunirá entre 10 e 21 de março, nas cidades do Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Brasília, em Belo Horizonte e Porto Alegre, de março, mais de 50 universidades, Escolas de Ensino Médio, escolas técnicas, de línguas, e instituições de pós-graduação e de MBAs, entre elas a Universidade da Califórnia, a Universidade Estadual de San Diego, a Universidade de Artes de Londres e a Universidade Católica de Milão.
A Expo Estude no Exterior possibilita aos estudantes um contato direto com os diretores das mais importantes instituições de ensino do mundo. A inscrição ocorre pelo site da feira (Clique aqui) e permite aos visitantes acesso gratuito ao evento.
Com o dólar cotado a menos de R$ 2, a oportunidade daquele tão sonhado intercâmbio cultural está mais próxima do bolso dos brasileiros. Assim, a 18ª edição Expo Estude no Exterior é uma ótima chance para você buscar informações sobre universidades, cursos de pós-graduação, MBAs, escolas técnicas, de idiomas ou high school, tudo reunido na maior feira de interçâmbio da América Latina que ocorrerá, ao longo do ano, em mais de 35 cidades da América do Norte, da Europa e da América Latina.
Agora, anote aí: No Brasil, o evento será gratuito e realizado no mês de março em cinco cidades: Rio de Janeiro (dias 10 e 11), a São Paulo (dias 13 e 14), Brasília (dia 16), Belo Horizonte (dia 18) e Porto Alegre (dia 21).
Além dos expositores, estarão presentes na Expo Estude no Exterior consulados, como o da Austrália, da Inglaterra e dos Estados Unidos, assim como agências de intercâmbio, que poderão suprir todas as suas dúvidas quando a preços, documentação, trabalho remunerado, bolsas, vistos e destinos. Ao todo serão mais de 40 instituições de diversos países, dentre eles, Estados Unidos, Suíça, Austrália, Canadá, Espanha, Itália, Inglaterra e Brasil.
Nesta 18ª edição da feira você encontrará, dentre as opções de curso de idiomas, o Centro de Inglês de Vancouver, no Canadá, e o Programa Intensivo de Inglês da Universidade de Miami. Nos cursos técnicos, estão confirmados a Universidade Europeia de Estudos em Gestão, da Espanha e a Politécnica de Milano, da Itália, bem como a Escola de Arte e Design de Savana, dos Estados Unidos.
Além da oportunidade de conversas e tirar todas as suas dúvidas com os representantes das instituições presentes na Expo Estude no Exterior, um dos pontos fortes da feira são as palestras ministrados pelos próprios expositores que fornecem ainda mais detalhes para quem quer planejar e qualificar o currículo no exterior.
Nesse ano, as palestras abordarão temas de grande interesse do intercambista, como: Estudando no Reino Unido, Estude, trabalhe e viaje pela Austrália e Canadá, Nova Zelândia: Onde Estudos e Diversão Caminham Juntos, Como Garantir o Sucesso de seu Programa de Intercâmbio, Estudar e pesquisar na Alemanha. Para saber mais sobre as palestras, clique aqui.
Não perca tempo, acesse o site do Expo Estude no Exterior, cadastre-se, compareça a feira e concorra ainda a duas viagens de quatro semanas, com acomodação e passagens aéreas, para a realização de cursos de Espanhol na Argentina ou de Inglês no Canadá.
Alguns números
Se você acha que está ficando velho para fazer intercâmbio veja confira esses números:
Anote a data e o endereço da Expo Estude no Exterior na sua cidade
- Rio de Janeiro, 10 e 11 de março, das 16h às 21h – Hotel JW Marriott (Avenida Atlântica, 2.600, Cobacabana)
- São Paulo, 13 e 14 de março, das 14h às 19h – Hotel Intercontinental (Alameda Santos, 1.123, Jardim Paulista)
- Brasília, 16 de março, das 16h às 21h – Hotel Mercure Brasília Eixo Monumental (SHN, Quadra 5, Bloco G, 0 – Asa Norte)
- Belo Horizonte, 18 de março, das 16h às 21h – Hotel Mercure Lourdes (Avenida do Contorno, 7.315, bairro Lourdes)
- Porto Alegre, 21 de março, das 14h às 19h – Hotel Sheraton Porto Alegre (Rua Olavo Barreto Viana, 18, bairro Moinhos de Vento)
By Paola Singer
New York Times
Para acessar a página do NY Times e conferir essa matéria, clique aqui.
Contemporary Argentine history is a roller coaster of financial booms and cracks, set to gripping political soap operas. But through all the highs and lows, one thing has remained constant: Buenos Aires’s graceful elegance and cosmopolitan cool. This attractive city continues to draw food lovers, design buffs and party people with its riotous night life, fashion-forward styling and a favorable exchange rate. Even with the uncertain economy, the creative energy and enterprising spirit of Porteños, as residents are called, prevail — just look to the growing ranks of art spaces, boutiques, restaurants and hotels.
Lunch time at Miranda Grill House in Palermo. - Photo: Horacio Paone for The New York Times
Friday
1) 4 p.m.
URBAN WALLS
Young offbeat artists are putting their stamp on Buenos Aires. Take to the streets of Palermo to see the impressive mural outside Hollywood in Cambodia (Thames 1885; 54-9-11-6289-6258; hollywoodincambodia.com.ar), a gallery devoted to street art. For the full graffiti experience, book a tour with Graffitimundo (graffitimundo.com), 75 pesos, or $20 at 3.72 pesos to the dollar, which highlights up-and-coming neighborhoods like Villa Crespo, where rising names like Pum Pum paint their whimsical creatures on abandoned walls. The design scene is also booming. Check out Nobrand (Gorriti 5876; 54-11-4776-7288; nobrand.com.ar), a store that reinvents Argentine items like mate gourds, giving them a quirky, cartoonish look.
2) 6 p.m.
TASTE OF ENGLAND
Ties to the Old World were broken long ago, but some traditions are in full swing. Sirop Folie (Vicente Lopez 1661; 54-11-4813-5900; siroprestaurant.com), on a quaint alley in the upscale neighborhood of Recoleta, serves a very British afternoon tea that includes fresh scones, homemade marmalades, finger sandwiches, cakes and fragrant blends by Tealosophy (70 pesos for two). Well-dressed families show up after 5 p.m., filling the comfy, pastel-colored window banquettes. For Asian-inspired tea, try the new Tea Connection (Avenida Cerviño 3550, 54-11-4807-5034; teaconnection.com.ar). Whatever you do, don’t skip this meal; dinnertime is ages away.
3) 9:30 p.m. JAZZ IT UP
Live music is one of Buenos Aires’s top bills, and contemporary jazz is stealing the spotlight thanks to a new generation of talented musicians who developed their own style. Check out a live show at Thelonious Club (Salguero 1884, first floor; 54-11-4829-1562; theloniousclub.com.ar), a lounge with vintage black leather sofas, battered hardwood floors, and a back-lit bar. Some of the acts are avant-garde. The composer Fernando Tarrés, for example, incorporates video and computer-generated sounds into his new art-music project Trespass. Others appeal to a broader audience, like Ricardo Cavalli, considered by some to be the best saxophone player in the country.
4) 11:30 p.m.
MIDNIGHT MEAL
On weekend nights, Porteños take late-night dining to the extreme. Mingle with stylish night owls at intimate Tegui (Costa Rica 5852; 54-11-5291-3333; tegui.com.ar), a glamorous addition to the city’s stable of hidden restaurants. The entrance to this au courant spot in the outskirts of Palermo is camouflaged by a wall of graffiti — the work of the stencil virtuosos Vomito Attack. Germán Martitegui, the chef, offers an ambitious, locally sourced menu prepared in an open stainless-steel kitchen. Try the slow-cooked tenderloin with poached egg and toasted manioc flour. Dinner about 200 to 240 pesos.
Saturday
5) 10:30 a.m.
SAY OM
Flow with the local fitness craze with an energizing yoga class at Valle Tierra (Costa Rica 4562; 54-11-4833-6724; valletierra.com), a modern, airy studio in youthful Palermo Soho. After a series of challenging warrior postures, ask for a hot stone massage (140 pesos). Then go for a leisurely stroll through El Rosedal — a romantic rose garden inside the 400-acre Parque Tres de Febrero. Often overlooked, the garden was recently spruced up with thousands of new roses, repaired pergolas and paths. If the mood strikes, rent a paddle boat and ride around the surrounding lake, crossed by an arched bridge.
Buenos Aires - New York Times
6) 2 p.m.
CHIMICHURRI
Get your steak fix at Miranda (Costa Rica 5602; 54-11-4771-4255; parrillamiranda.com), a bustling new-generation parrilla where the décor is cool and the staff is hip, but the food remains traditionally no-frills. This loftlike industrial space manages to feel cozy thanks to potted plants, wall textiles, wood accents and a steady stream of film executives who work in nearby studios (the surrounding area is aptly named Palermo Hollywood). Order classics like provoleta, a char-grilled, herb-seasoned slice of thick cheese, and bife de chorizo, a juicy sirloin strip steak (about 60 pesos for lunch). This timeless favorite comes with excellent house-made fries and a side of chimichurri marinade.
7) 5 p.m.
HOUSE OF XUL
The painter, sculptor and writer Alejandro Xul Solar is Argentina’s answer to Paul Klee. Before his death in 1963, the artist selected 50 paintings that were to be exhibited in the museum he envisioned, set up by his widow, Micaela Cadenas, 30 years later. The Museo Xul Solar (Laprida 1212; 54-11-4824-3302; xulsolar.org.ar) has 86 works inside a modernized building from the late 1800s. Glimpse a surreal world: reinvented tarot cards, a piano with three rows of rainbow-colored keys and other fanciful inventions. Solar’s former residence, scheduled to open for special viewings in the near future, remains untouched on the top floor.
8) 10 p.m.
ARGENTINE PASTA
Historians estimate that about a million Italians settled in Argentina by the early 20th century, which probably explains why Buenos Aires has such delightful pastas and gelati. Sottovoce (Libertador 1098; 54-11-4807-6691; sottovoceristorante.com.ar is a classic family restaurant that always gets it right. The moment you sit down, an attentive waiter brings a basket of breads and a plate of pâté and marinated white beans. Most pastas are handmade. Pair them with any sauce: the Sottovoce, made of tomato, basil, oregano, garlic, olive oil and Parmesan, is delicately flavorful (about 95 pesos for dinner). For dessert, try the delectable dulce de leche ice cream, or walk a few blocks to gelato galore at Un’ Altra Volta. Good luck choosing among the 60 flavors (Quintana 502; 54-11-4783-4048; unaltravolta.com.ar).
9) 1 a.m.
BURN THE FLOOR
Tequila (Avenida Rafael Obligado Costanera and La Pampa; 54-11-4781-6555), a night-life staple for nearly two decades, reopened in October after a lengthy makeover. The intimate boîte is now decked in boudoir-style red velvet curtains, studded leather walls, chandeliers and more chandeliers. In the crowd you’ll find banker types, fashion models and the odd hipster or vixen. The door policy hasn’t changed since back in the day, which means “sorry” if you’re not on the list. There’s always haggling with stern-faced bouncers, or getting table service for about 3,000 pesos. Who said cavorting with the sexy Porteños was easy or cheap?
Sunday
Noon
10) BOUTIQUEY BARRIO
Cobbled San Telmo is known for old-school tango shows, staid antiques shops and a Sunday street fair packed with vintage finds. But there’s new life in this old barrio. Check out Zavaleta Lab (Venezuela 567; 54-11-4342-9293; zavaletalab.com), among the contemporary art galleries that recently moved to the neighborhood. This Chelsea-like space, with iron pillars, exposed brick ceilings and austere white walls, is where artists like León Ferrari — winner of the Golden Lion at the 2007 Venice Biennale — exhibit their work. For a last-minute fashion update, stop by Niño Bien (Avenida Belgrano 302; 54-11-4342-5599; ninobien.com.ar), a new boutique that stocks posh Argentine brands like Maria Cher and La Martina and will introduce its own men and women’s line later this year.
11) 2 p.m. CATCH A MATCH
It would be a shame to leave soccer-obsessed Buenos Aires without watching archenemies River Plate and Boca Juniors battle it out on the field. Even if you’re not a fan of the sport, the crowd’s roaring passion is a riveting show. Don’t go solo (unless you feel comfortable around boisterous South American fans); book a seat through an established tour operator like Go Football (54-11-4816-2681; gofootball.com.ar; about 300 pesos). Bilingual guides pick you up at the hotel, stay with you during the game and teach you the local cheers.
IF YOU GO
American is among the airlines that fly nonstop to Buenos Aires from New York. A recent Web search showed round-trip fares on American starting at $1,157 for travel in March. The 20-mile taxi ride to the city center runs about 120 pesos, about $32.
The Argentine capital is filled with well-appointed hotels where most staff members speak English.
Soon to open is Algodon Mansion (Montevideo 1647; 54-11-3530-7777; www.algodonmansion.com), a luxury 10-suite hotel in a renovated mansion in Recoleta. It will have butler service, sheet and pillow menus, in-room DVD libraries and bathrooms awash in Italian marble. Rooms start at $800.
Opened in 2008, Vitrum (Gorriti 5641; 54-11-4776-5030; www.vitrumhotel.com) in Palermo Hollywood has a colorful glass facade and spacious, retro-futuristic rooms. On the terrace is a spa with an oversized Jacuzzi. Rooms from $224 (breakfast included).
