76-Second Travel Show: 'America's best beach'

Episode #036
F E A T U R I N G * 4 2 * B O N U S * S E C O N D S

Dr Beach, aka Stephen Leatherman, has picked America's best beach for 20 years, based on all sorts of factors like sand condition, temperature and whether you can smoke on it or not. Over the years Hawaii has dominated like a German bobsled team, taking the honors 12 times. Florida has six gold medals, North Carolina one and (this year) New York one, as Coopers Beach in Southampton* took the honors.

It's worth pointing out what this means.

Sorry Brian Wilson, but New York is a better beach destination than California. It's also better than more commonly considered beach destinations like Texas, Oregon, New Jersey, Massachusetts, South Carolina and Alabama.


I went to Southampton a few days ago to talk with year-rounders about the effect of the news ('surprise!' was a word I heard a lot, even the mayor said so). But one guy -- my favorite -- was not moved by it all. In fact he was disgusted.

Sitting on a giant chopper in the center of Southampton Village, outside Dunkerley's stationery store (travel rule: never go past a stationery store without stepping in), on Main Street between (Ted) Nugent Street and (Mick) Jagger Lane, he had the single most-impressive Viking helmet of all time. Triumphant horns -- closer to tusks -- shot out either side, and a swoop of plastered-on Mohawk hair ran between. And his dog -- a sweet collie with a Jimmy Buffet bandana on -- was in the bike's back basket.

I asked him about Coopers Beach being America's best. 'You kidding? I'm from Montauk. Come to Montauk and I'll show you real beaches.' I told him I believed he would. 'Really, come out there and we'll BS awhile.'

I'm guessing it won't be hard to find him.

* That's right Coopers, not Cooper's. No one seems to know when the apostrophe dropped. Fewer care. The Cooper in question is John, an original settler from 1640 -- and the guy who ran the lone tavern, fish-drying and whaling business. Quite a Cooper, that one.

76-Second Travel Show: 'Billy Joel Winners'

Episode #030

The love we're seeing at the SSSTS studios regarding the emerging notion of 'Billy Joel Travel' has been astounding. And pleasing. But only three winners could be chosen for the first-ever 76-Second Travel Show Road Trip, on Joel's 61st birthday -- Sunday May 9.

And those winners are 'Rutila,' 'Brooklyn' and 'Matt.' I seriously hope you can do this. We'll be back before dark.

Email reidontravel[at]gmail[dot] com for details.

Trip in brief:

* we'll get a Cold Spring Harbor breakfast
* track down the 'village green' Billy sings of
* see the 'Miracle Mile' from 'It's Still Rock'n'Roll to Me'
* maybe see a Billy Joel car-wreck site
* see if we can find someone Billy Joel beat up (he boxed) or other Billy Joel experts
* AND grab either a bottle of red or white at the restaurant which MIGHT be the 'Italian Restaurant' from 'Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.'

Meanwhile, check back for more Billy Joel Travel updates, including a road video and theme song 'We Didn't Invent Travel.'

76-Second Travel Show: "Billy Joel Roadtrip Contest"

Episode #029
F E A T U R I N G * 3 1 * B O N U S * S E C O N D S

The 76-Second Travel Show wants to take you on a Billy Joel roadtrip in New York's Long Island to celebrate the 'guitar man's' 61st birthday on Sunday, May 9, 2010.

The trip begins from Brooklyn, NY, that morning and should be back around dusk.

The itinerary is mostly a secret (ie still being formed) and will include some food, a look at Cold Spring Harbor (which Billy named his first solo album after in 1971 -- though it was released too fast, by accident), the 'village green' where Brenda and Eddie hung out at in 'Scenes from an Italian Restaurant' (see this video done by Mexico City students) and a look at the 'miracle mile' from 'It's Still Rock'n'Roll to Me.'

To enter, just tell us what you think Billy Joel thinks of travel.

Two random winners will be picked on April 20.

Scarborough Fair (UK) vs Woodstock (USA)

IT'S ON!
What camp are you in, beadful headbanders with flowers in their hair (and LSD in their bloodstream)? Or flowing neck-to-ankle 'kirtle' tunics, sleeveless jackets (the prequel to muscle shirts) and a little bustle in your hedgerow?

Forty years ago Saturday the world's most famous three-day testament to peace, LSD and jams hit the (upstate) New York skies in a field nowhere near, relatively speaking, its namesake, Woodstock. Traditionalist Brits -- who sat out the event (see the blog Traditionalist Brits Against Woodstock) -- have protested ever since, noting how an American upstart timed its opening as the same day as a Medieval event on England's east coast called Scarborough Fair. (True fact: both events began on August 15.)

And the gloves have been off ever since.

--> Let's VOTE to decide who would win in a fight: Woodstock or Scarborough Fair.
Please hit the buttons to the right this week to determine, democratically (something medieval Scarborough couldn't comprehend). Voting ends 3pm Friday Woodstock time.

GAUGING THE EVENTS
Before you click twixt or twaxt, consider these four factors of festivals and fairs.

"EVENT SUCCESS"
I wondered what makes a festival a success, so I called Mr Orvis Melvin of Waxahachie, Texas' Scarborough Renaissance Festival. The festival, which turns 29 next April, was named after the Simon and Garfunkel version of "Scarborough Fair."Melvin said he would have preferred to have been at Woodstock ("a historical thing we're still talking about"). Regarding success, he offered these nuggets.

'A successful festival is when people can walk in and sort of forget all the myriad of problems, small and large. It's pure escapism. And you get an enormous variety of stimulus -- the smells of food, the sounds of music and cries of hawkers, the colors of costumes and signs.'

Edge: Woodstock


"INTEGRITY"
Some critics have suggested Woodstock was naive, or a manipulation of yuppie businessmen looking to rake in on hippie fanaticism. But then again, Scarborough Fair was just a mall. Merely a 45-day trade fair with artisans in cloaks SELLING the things they made.

On the other hand, Mr Melvin noted how renaissance and medieval fairs in the US are not a "faithful re-creation." He added, "Americans are great at creating worlds that never existed." Even his fair? "We try to limit the reality of the times -- the plague, the filth, the crushing poverty."

Analysis: draw.

"THE MUSIC"
Compare



with


Edge: Woodstock

"LEGACY"
While Scarborough Fair remains known for its bizarre ask-for-the-impossible song -- which infuriates me, for one -- the fair itself didn't warrant a mention in Lonely Planet's new entry for Scarborough -- and the town's website seems more keen about its cricket festival than the fair, which has no mention. Woodstock has had a scattering of sequels and one really bad song devoted to it. But nothing as thuggish as these demands.

Slight edge: Woodstock

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Who wins? It's up to you.
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--> Reader result: Woodstock over Scar Fair, 3-1, with two votes for a draw.