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Thursday, Aug 21, 2008
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OUTBOUND: Planet Hollywood, fly Seattle-Frankfurt direct, Hawaii, Miss Universe in Vietnam |
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| OUTBOUND: Planet Hollywood, fly Seattle-Frankfurt direct, Hawaii, Miss Universe in Vietnam | |
| by Albert Rodriguez -
SGN A&E Writer REVIEW OF NEW PLANET HOLLYWOOD COMING SOON Seattle Gay News was one of the first guests to stay at the newly opened Planet Hollywood Hotel Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. OUTBOUND writer David Nguyen, on a recent trip to Sin City (for The Spice Girls concert!), got a premier glimpse of the massive compound - casino, multiple restaurants, adjacent Gay-friendly bar, trendy shops - and was seated for dinner just a few feet away from Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis. How's that for star treatment? If you're planning to visit Las Vegas, oh let's say for Bette Midler's coming-soon exclusive run, consider Planet Hollywood for accommodations (www.planethollywoodresort.com). It is THE place to be on the Vegas strip these days. OUTBOUND is pleased to feature a review of the hotel in our January 18 issue. On a side note, Las Vegas will celebrate its 25th annual Pride on May 2-3. GERMAN AIRLINE BEGINS DIRECT SEATTLE- FRANKFURT SERVICE IN MARCH Ah, Germany. Tall men, strong beer, Puma sneakers, VW bugs, and host of the 2010 Gay Games. A country that must be explored at least once in your lifetime. If not for the tall men and beer, than just because. Getting to Deutschland just got simpler. Lufthansa, the nation's largest carrier, will launch non-stop service between Seattle and Frankfurt on March 30. The 5,083-mile trek, operated on an Airbus A330-300, is offered daily and can accommodate up to 221 passengers: 8 first class, 48 business, and 165 economy. Connecting flights to Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Dresden and Cologne are as easy as saying "BMW." Flight time to Frankfurt is 9 hours, 55 minutes and 10 hours, 15 minutes on the return to Seattle. In addition to providing an easy gateway to Germany and Europe, Lufthansa's new service to Frankfurt will provide in-flight personal entertainment screens for economy passengers and six-foot, six-inch beds for business class travelers. I visited Germany in 2000, and I was fascinated by its sophistication and appeal - bright lights, packed nightclubs, gorgeous countryside, and some of the friendliest people on the continent. Less thrilling was the cuisine, though I got by with frequent jaunts to McDonalds. Gay districts in each major city are hopping, and they'll hop even more when Cologne welcomes the Gay Games in two years. Make flight reservations at www.lufthansa.com. FEBRUARY IN HAWAII, ROMANCE OR A GOOD LEI IN PARADISE This February, get lei'd in Hawaii. With Valentine's Day around the corner, now is the time to surprise your partner or yourself with a trip to the islands. Direct flights to Honolulu from Seattle, including direct service aboard Alaska Airlines, are a mouse-click away. Nonstop flights to Maui are also available via Alaska and Northwest. As a former islander, I strongly recommend going in late winter, spring or fall; you'll find less tourists, better rates, and more suitable temperatures. Oahu is the most popular island in Hawaii, per tourists and residents. If you've never been to this tropical paradise, start on Oahu. If you have, I suggest Maui or the Big Island. Just-launched super ferry service between Oahu and Maui makes it possible to visit these two islands in one trip without having to board a separate airplane, though flying inter-island is still easier by air (Aloha, Hawaiian, Island, or Go airlines). Hawaii is a terrific place to spend a romantic occasion, such as V-day, and if you happen to be unattached... well, the island is full of possibilities - tanned, Speedo-wearing, beach volleyball-playing, surfboard-toting possibilities. As part of the Gay tennis tournament circuit, the Aloha Tennis Open takes place on Oahu in mid-May. Begin your trip by visiting www.gohawaii.com with travel information on all islands. VIETNAM CHOSEN TO HOST 2008 MISS UNIVERSE FESTIVITIES You've come a long way, baby - a long, long, long way. Once a struggling nation overshadowed by its Asian siblings - Japan, China, and Korea - showtime has finally come for Vietnam. The country, now a bustling epicenter in the Far East, was selected to host the 2008 Miss Universe Competition this summer. The news gives Vietnam a much-needed boost in global tourism as delegates from around the world will participate in month-long preliminary and cultural events prior to the main pageant in Khanh Hoa. Beauty competitions, often disregarded by American TV watchers, draw huge viewership ratings throughout Latin America and Asia. Gay men traditionally represent a significant percentage of these viewers, and some actually travel yearly to the host country to experience the glamour in person. Pageant prognosticators with online publications and blogsites, many of whom are Gay males, will offer full coverage of the competition starting from the arrivals of the delegates in Vietnam. An official date for Miss Universe has yet to be announced, however, details and travel information can be found here in OUTBOUND in the coming months. Japan's Riyo Mori, a strong advocate for HIV-AIDS awareness, is the current Miss Universe titleholder. |
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