Washington, U.S.A.  – U.S. News Travel released the 2012-2013 editions of several popular Best Vacations ranking lists. These rankings include — for the first time — destinations from Asia, Australia and the Pacific, Central and South America, and Africa and the Middle East. The new rankings are available online at http://travel.usnews.com/.

The top-ranked destinations in three popular categories are listed below:

The complete Best Vacations rankings, overall and sorted by region, are available here:http://travel.usnews.com/Rankings/

The new rankings identify the top vacation spots based on a methodology that combines expert and consumer opinions. They reflect how strongly a destination is recommended by travel experts and U.S. News Travel website users.

“We are pleased to expand our coverage of top travel destinations to a worldwide scale,” said Chad Smolinski, Vice President of Rankings and Reviews at U.S. News & World Report. “This expansion allows us to make comparisons between places as geographically disperse as Bali, Corfu, and Rio de Janeiro. For someone planning a major vacation or a honeymoon, this can be important.”

The launch is a part of the 2012-2013 U.S. News Best Vacations rankings. In total, more than 200 destinations were considered in the current rankings.

About U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report is a multi-platform publisher of news and analysis, which includes the digital-only U.S. News Weekly magazine, www.usnews.com, and www.rankingsandreviews.com. Focusing on Health, Personal Finance, Education, Travel, Cars, and Public Service/Opinion, U.S. News has earned a reputation as the leading provider of service news and information that improves the quality of life of its readers.

U.S. News & World Report‘s signature franchise includes its News You Can Use® brand of journalism and its annual “Best” series of consumer web guides and publications that include rankings of colleges, graduate schools, hospitals, mutual funds, health plans, and more.

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Dallas, U.S.A. — Your choice of travel mate can make or break your ideal vacation experience. One sloppy best friend or chain-smoking cousin could put an immediate damper on the dream trip you’ve been planning forever.

Hotels.com recently conducted a national survey that sought out the top traits Americans look for, and avoid, in a hotel roommate. The poll also investigated additional elements essential to a perfect retreat, including the most popular destinations vacation-goers would choose to spend a free night, which celebrities they most wanted to share a room with, and which ones they would want to give the boot.

“Americans have spoken, and according to our survey findings, travelers are looking for smart, funny, like-minded individuals to enjoy their wanderlust journeys with,” said Taylor L. Cole, director of public relations and social media for Hotels.com in North America. “Hotels.com is perpetually fueled by the idea of ‘what drives you to travel,’ whether it be cuisine, adventure, shopping or art. This survey is an interesting extension of this endeavor because it takes a closer look at the question of ‘who drives you to travel.’”

Make me laugh

The top three characteristics that consumers most look for in someone they are to share a hotel room with are a sense of humor, trustworthiness, and similar lifestyle values. Intelligence, which came in fourth overall, was ranked higher in importance by men than women. Nevertheless, one thing both genders fully agreed on was that hygiene was important enough to round out the top five most sought-out characteristics.

The ultimate deal breaker

When it comes to characteristics travelers least look for in someone that they are to share a hotel room with, being a smoker was the undisputed, least desired trait with a total of 66 percent of respondents ranking it as the most unwelcome trait.

Sharing the presidential suite

Of the over 1,500 hotel-goers who took part in our survey, 18 percent of them voted First Lady Michelle Obama to the top of the list of celebrities, historical, fictional or political figures Americans would most want to room with on their next vacation.

The 18-29 age group was the only faction to set their sights on another potential roomie – Will Ferrell. Ferrell took the number one spot among the youngest group of respondents, followed by Beyonce. Michelle Obama tied for third with Natalie Portman and David Beckham.

The leading lady with the top vote from male respondents was Natalie Portman, who received 19 percent of the vote. Marilyn Monroe was another favorite among the guys, coming in a close second with 18.7 percent of the vote.

Don’t want your poker face

One public figure clearly emerged from the rest as the least preferred travel mate of all. With 24 percent of the overall response count, Lady Gaga was voted an undesirable travel mate by all age groups represented in this survey. Other objectionable figures include Ryan Seacrest and Spiderman.

No place like rome

When asked to identify the perfect place to spend a free hotel stay, the survey participants across genders and age groups almost universally agreed that Rome, Italy was the place to go. Again, the only group that diverged from this conclusion was the 18-29 year-old age sect, who favored the glitz and glam of Las Vegas, before Rome, which they listed as their second favorite.

Rome received 22 percent of the overall vote, while the second most popular choice overall was Paris, receiving 14 percent of the votes. Las Vegas proved to be popular among more than just the twenty-somethings by coming in third overall with 13.5 percent of the total vote count.

To earn free hotel stays, sign up for the Hotels.com loyalty program, Welcome Rewards, which gives members a free hotel night after booking and staying 10 nights. Even better, members have more than 65,000 properties to choose from, with no blackout dates.

Image Courtesy of  Domain Barnyard

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After tasting Patrick Roger’s chocolate, it is easy to see why he is called an artist. Not only does he make the most exquisite chocolate, he also creates large sculptures made of chocolate. In an attempt to bring awareness to environmental issues, he has sculpted chocolate into animals that are on the verge of extinction. The sculptures are displayed in his boutiques, located in France and Belgium, every summer. At his 45 Avenue Victor Hugo location in Paris, the walls are covered in pictures of a gorgeous, sunlit forest, and a stunning sculpture of hippopotamuses for customers to admire.

Once inside one of his beautiful shops, it is very hard to choose which chocolates to buy. There is a great variety of tempting chocolates that can be purchased in ready-made boxes and bags, or you can ask the salesperson to fill up a bag of a variety of chocolates of your choosing. There is also a box on the counter where customers can sample the chocolate for free. The ingredients Patrick Roger uses are top-quality and come from all around the world, including Ecuador, Scotland, and over 30 other countries. His specialties range from hazelnut ganaches and delectable truffles to chocolate with fruit and fruit jellies.

The chocolates’ appearance is smooth and delicate, and the instant you place one inside your mouth, it instantly begins to melt, releasing a variety of intoxicating flavors. Some of his chocolates are a whimsical mix that you would not expect to be delicious. For instance, a chocolate with the name, “Zanzibar,” is mixed with thyme and lemon, and the flavors complement each other exquisitely. It is not only the ingredients that can be whimsical, but also the names of the chocolates. “Fantasy,” “Opium,” and “Allegory” are a just few of the imaginative names that Patrick Roger bestowed upon his creations. Some of the names reflect the emotions that they are intended to represent, like “Mellowness,” “Arrogance,” “Savage,” and “Tenderness.”

The names, ingredients, presentation, and store displays of Patrick Roger show a great attention to detail and an amazing level of creativity and passion for his art. If you are planning a trip to Paris, Il-de-France, or Belgium, you must put one of Patrick Roger’s chocolate boutiques on your list of places to visit. A box of chocolates would also make a great gift and souvenir for family and friends. If you will not be traveling any time soon, you can order some of his chocolates at his online boutique.

Image Courtesy of  Patrick Roger

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The pre-eminent love story takes a futuristic approach as 1821 Comics tackles a literary classic. A tale of star-crossed lovers and family feud explodes across the comic book world in an adaptation that is sure to excite new readers. Written in a modern language style that has an easier flow than old Shakespearian English, the artwork is similarly modern but no less beautiful. The fight scenes are higher flying and more action packed than ever before.

The Special Hard Cover Collector’s Edition is a beautiful solid landscape novel with included artwork and storyboards, while a softcover is also available. This is not only a comic book but a masterful retelling of this epic tale, created by Terry Dougas and Stan Lee himself. With this new interpretation of the classic comes writing by Max Work and artwork by Skan Srisuwan.

The few sample images available on the web are completely representative of the level of detail present on each and every page of this comic book. This comic is available for pre-order through 1821 Comics and is in stores January 25th.

However, to expect that this comic would be a facsimile of the original Shakespearian tragedy would be a mistake. The one disappointment, which can be expected, is that dialogue is much shorter, with some of the famously spoken lines removed for story pacing’s sake.

Additionally, the comic book medium allows for variations in storyline since this takes place in the future where science has cured many current day illnesses. In particular, the plague has no presence within this comic, whereas in the original, it plays a pivotal role within the lives of Romeo and Juliet.

Another difference is the usage of weapons, for which the original story had swords. Various movie adaptations have before parted from the original, in particular the 1996 adaptation with Leonardo DiCaprio, which featured a handgun called a Sword 9mm. This comic version of Romeo and Juliet features little usage of bladed weapons and instead uses guns – lots and lots of them. Still, a lot of the combat is done hand to hand with punches and kicks.

Juliet herself is a striking representation of feminine grace and beauty. Her appearance is almost too angelic in quality, all light colors and shapes. By contrast, Romeo is dressed in a darker motif signaling in some ways his own bio-mechanical changes and reflecting a lack of light in his heart. Together they see an opposite equal in one another. Of note is the one line in Old English that Juliet does speak, calling out to Romeo from her balcony.

The Montagues are one half of Verona’s military and are specifically bio-mechanically altered so that their limbs are replaceable if destroyed. They were the first of the military during the war with the outside world to use enhancements to combat regular forces. Montagues are built to last and are hard to fight.

Benvolio is one such character and though he is a peacemaker of sorts, he still fights and is the one injured during the escape from the Capulet ball. On the other hand, the Capulets are genetically altered for superior speed and flexibility. With eerie bright blue eyes and white clothing, these are not your ordinary citizens of Verona either.

Tybalt, for example, appears to be a much more flexible fighter with kicks and punches that showcase fluid movements – even on comic book pages. Additionally, within the House of Capulet there exists the idea that Juliet is pure and that she should continue the Capulet bloodline.

Juliet’s engagement to the Count Paris still has significant meaning and aside from the warring families, remains the driving force that brings Romeo and Juliet together in this comic. Paris himself, in his duel with Romeo during the final moments of the play is a critical character in the storyline for Romeo and Juliet.

His actions greatly affect the life of Romeo and Juliet, placing him at the forefront for the title of most hated antagonist in this re-imagined comic epic. A few pivotal moments of time in this comic were all the difference between life and death as the actions of Count Paris provide a small unfortunate twist at the end.

In a world much like our own, riddled with hatred and strife, the love that was shared between Romeo and Juliet is one of the greatest love stories of all time. No matter how fleeting, their story features the classic themes of light and darkness, of hate versus love. Fate and chance play their part as well in a story where the passage of time literally means the difference between life and death.

Though different than the original or any variant since then, Romeo and Juliet: The War remains an excellent comic and a great read for fans.

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According to award-winning novelist and relative of Columbine shooting victim, Daniel Rohrbough, there is a direct link to school shootings and Al-Qaeda. “When I researched school shootings, more and more evidence pointed to how the Internet is being used to infiltrate, deceive, and recruit boys into the dark world of terrorism,” says Linda Rohrbough.

Formerly a computer book author, Rohrbough discovered a link between school shootings and Al-Qaeda while searching for answers after her nephew was gunned down at Columbine. “My first inkling of the connection to Al-Qaeda was when I attended the Columbine memorial service. I recognized General Colin Powell at the center of the platform in full military dress. He was never mentioned or introduced, and he never spoke. He was just there.”

Powell is an expert on the Middle East, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and credited for successful execution of Operation Desert Storm, which expelled the Iraqi army from Kuwait.

Further reports unveiled the Columbine shooters bragged theirs would be the first of many shootings. Also, the teenage shooters low-level formatted the hard disk drives of their computers before heading out to kill. Rohrbough wanted to know, “How could they know other shootings would follow? And why erase their hard disk drives? What were they trying to hide?”

Fortunately, in two cases, the authorities got to computers before the low-level format was complete. First, in a school shooting in Paris, and second, when a teenager in Florida flew his dad’s plane into a building. In both cases, e-mails traced back to Al-Qaeda operatives. Most recently, three teens in Louisiana were caught before shooting and are being held on conspiracy to commit terrorism charges.

Rohrbough’s extensive research resulted in her new novel, The Prophetess One: At Risk, published on April 20th, 2011, the 12th anniversary of the Columbine shooting.

Image Courtesy of  Randy Miramontez / Shutterstock.com

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Traveling for many people means spending a lot of money for leisure and fun. It can also mean harming the environment. The fact is, it is entirely possible to travel in an environmentally responsible way while saving money. Walking is the simplest and easiest option to save money, improve your health, and help the environment.

By leaving the car behind and simply walking or riding a bicycle, you are doing both your health and the environment a favor. Of course, walking for long distances is not a good option for far away destinations. Renting a bicycle for those trips rather than renting a car can strengthen muscles, improve cardiovascular health, reduce congestion, and generate zero emissions.

Public transportation is widely considered to be the holy grail of environmentalism. Buses, trains, metros, subways, and trams are great ways of getting around. Most towns and cities have adequate coverage. Furthermore, the tourist will not get lost as easily because the driver knows where they are going.

It would be an adventure from buying tickets to finding a seat to knowing when to get off plus saving energy. Also, public transportation is the cheapest method to travel around the city compared renting a car or hiring a taxi during the trip. Tram and metro networks can be found in a lot of cities around the world such as Tokyo, Vancouver, Baku, Rome, Valparaíso, Paris, San Francisco, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, and Pittsburg.

Many airports have good public transportation links, which means getting a bus or train to reach to the airport instead of driving there is easy. In some countries, carrying a bicycle onto public transportation is accepted, especially in Scandinavian countries and the Netherlands. In cities that do not allow bicycles on their public transportation systems, using foldable bicycles is a good choice.

Simply choosing an electronic ticket rather than a paper ticket would reduce the wasted papers and inks. It can also help in reducing the number of trees cut. If you are flying, it is better to bring light luggage rather than a large suitcase. The more a package weighs, the more fuel the plane uses, which affects the surrounding enviornment.

Many airlines also have a weight limit, and will charge you for luggage that exceeds the limit. That might lead to unexpected charges to the travel budget you have planned. Selecting a green hotel during the trip is also a great way to save the environment. Tourists can find numerous environmentally friendly hotels, B&B’s, and lodges for different budgets and rates on the Internet.

While staying in the hotel, try not to waste resources. You can do this by turning off the TV, switching off all the lights off, and turning off the air-conditioner or heat down when no one is in the room. Opting for short showers and using your own toiletries instead of the small and usually over-priced toiletries provided by the hotel can also help reduce your carbon footprint.

Last, try to avoid disposable cameras and bring your own digital camera. Like other modern devices, which takes loads of energy to make and only get used once before being dumped, disposable cameras can be wasteful.

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The summer festival Rock en Seine, was held in Paris on the last weekend of August. The 9th edition of the Rock en Seine festival took place on the Park of Domaine National de Saint Cloud, asuburban area very closed to Paris, from August Friday 26 to Sunday 28. This eclectic music manifestation welcomed around 108,000 visitors who enjoyed the art of 63 bands.

During these three days, the audience was able to appreciate numerous styles of music. Each category of bands/singers were performing on 4 different stages. Each stage represente d a type of artist. The bigger stage (Grande Scène), with a most important audience and usually for the most popular bands, the Scène de l’Industrie, the Scène de la Cascade and the Scène Pression Live.

Every year, this festival presents a programme of various performers that always tend to outdo the ones of the previous years. The concerts were composed of rock music, folk, groove, hip-hop and electro. For many years, Rock en Seine kept some kind of balance between top of the bill bands and others which are willing to be known, mixing both type of bands on the same stage.

Plus, the Parisian festival remained faithful to the idea of having a show with French and international performers. We can say that the festival has come a long way from the first edition, nine years ago, which used to last a day. The festival back then only took place on two stages.

The festival started on Friday, with Biffy Clyro, an alternative-metal band from Scotland. We also had the pleasure to see Dave Grohl and Foo Fighters, The Kills, CSS (Cansei de Ser Sexy: fed up to be sexy, an electo-pop band), Kid Cuddy, Herman Dune (folk), Death in Vegas and many others.

Saturday included music from the Arctic Monkeys, The Streets, Hushpuppies, Keren Ann, CocoRosie, BB Brunes, The Wombats, and Blond Redhead. The last day included a 30 musician orchestra which amazed the audience. Fans of neo metal were more than delighted to prove that they remember the Deftones’ songs.

My Chemical Romance, Simple Plan, Tinie Tempah, Lilly Woods and the Pricks and many others performed to make this week end unforgettable. A specificity of the festival is Mini Rock Festival for children, to teach them how to be the rock stars of the future, with games and fancy clothing.

If you want to see more of French music festival, look forward to La fête de l’Huma, which has great importance and will be in September.
Image Courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/fabionascimento/

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A marvelous palace, following by astonishing gardens, columns, fountains, labyrinths, fire, water, trees, and classic music makes this night at Versailles Palace, a night taken out from a fairy tale.

The Château de Versailles (Versailles Palace) in Paris, France, serves as an iconic symbol of wealth, luxury and beauty. Going back to the time where Louis XIV in 1660’s showed the peak of achievement of the French Monarchy by being the monarch and owner of the palace and the Royal Garden.

The Palace contains an enormous extent of gardens that cover around 800 hectares. Where trees, paths and bushes create a new reality of exuberant beauty.

In 1979, The Palace and the gardens were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Until the 3^rd of September the Castle will be hosting a magnificent  night  that occurs every Saturday, known as “Les Grandes Eaux Nocturnes” or the Fountains Night Show.

As night falls, the Versailles Palace transforms into a fairy tale place where everything is possible, combining sights and sounds together transforming the majestic place into a dream. Throughout the night, visitors walk unstoppably through the interminable garden paths. Encountering new areas containing several fountains with different sceneries and lighting.

The water coming from the fountains exposes a magnificent show for the eyes, moving with the sound of music that resonates though the entire place. The fountains are adequate with astonishing installations exposing an incredible elegance impossible to surpass.

After enjoying the fountains shows the night does not end there, but all the visitors gather to the center of the Garden waiting for the amazing closure of the night with a firework display.

The music continues as fireworks begin to appear and explode as if they were playing with the rhythm of the music interpreted by the French baroque music interpreted Reinhard Goebel and his orchestra, the Musica Antiqua Köln.

The night finishes with the last firework and the peoples faces eradicate happiness and amazement.. The young and old know something is certain, which is that everyone enjoyed this amazing night.

There are only two Fountains Night Shows left until the shows are finished.

If you are in Paris, don’t hesitate in missing this amazing night.

The average price for an entry is around  20€.

• 18 years old and older: 22€

• 6-17 years old :18€

• 0-5 years old : Free

• Group: 18€

For further information please visit:

http://www.chateauversailles-spectacles.fr/home.php

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When you think of this “City of Lights”, you think of romance, arts, delicious French Cuisine, and for some – it’s the place to fall in love. While many might say the city is “overrated”. Well, I think the city is very well lives up to its reputation. It’s one of a kind city.

Paris, as many of us know, is full of attractions – the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, and Notre Dame are just a few examples.  Sure, when we travel, we want to see the most talked about destinations but what funny is most of the times, we are mesmerized by the lesser known, hidden spots.

The fact is there is so much to see that sometimes visitors tend to overlook these great details about Paris – the places, which in my case, made my top 3 best Paris experience.

The Museums

You can be a fast traveler, but the truth is one simply can’t visit Paris in one day. Museums such as the Louvre and Musee D’Orsay can easily takes a day to enjoy. True, most visitors do go to these museums, but the “go” they’re talking about is to just take pictures from the outside.

Believe it or not, this is actually a pretty common mistake. First and foremost, the point of these wonderful museums is for everyone to see the world class arts – from up close. However, if you happen to have a time constraint and able to be in the city for only a couple of days, try this: go to the Louvre if you have a deep interest in arts reflecting in Medieval, Roman, and Renaissance history.

Also home to the world-renowned Mona Lisa painting, the Louvre contain more than 35,000 works which means you might want to start prioritizing which ones you really love to see from the rest.

On the other side of the Seine, Musée D’Orsay, a train station turned museum, covers the whole spectrums of arts from Impressionisms, Neoclassical, Art Nouveau, Naturalism, photography, cinematography, to urban planning and more. If you are a big fan of Monet’s paintings, this might just be your heaven.

Montmartre

Being a lovely artistic area outside the Paris’s center, Montmartre is home to the beautiful basilica, Sacré-Cœur. This is where one of my best Paris pictures was taken – it was on the steps in front of this stunning place on a sunny day.

To get there, take a metro to Abbesses station and walk alone Rue Yvonne le Tac and Rue Tardieu, then walk up its steep steps. Please note that this is not the closest route but it gives you a chance to appreciate Montmartre and its surroundings.

Interested in having your portrait drawn by a local painter? Look for an artist who actually has the works showcased in their own shop and pay more for the painting, instead of letting a passerby asked to paint your picture for 30-40 euros (or more!) because you will simply end up paying ridiculous amount of money for a drawing that your 8 years old niece could probably do a better job at.

Paris Dinner Cruise

Though many guidebooks suggest a Paris architectural cruise as part of the day time sightseeing, I, on the other hand, think the Paris dinner cruise has everyone’s heart. The cruise we took was run by Bateaux Parisiens. They offer different types of tour, though the Paris Illuminations is the one not to be missed.

What is a better way to see Paris at night than to hop on board of a glass-encased boat, sampling traditional French Cuisine, listening to live music while this gorgeous city is just outside the window? At approximately 8:30 pm, the cruise departed the dock near the Eiffel Tower. From there, it will pass Les Invalides, La Cathédrale Notre-Dame, L’Hotel de Ville – just to name a few.

This is truly an amazing way to see Paris transform from day to night. As the matter of fact, Bateaux Parisiens’s dinner cruise was my best Paris experience. My suggestion: take the cruise, and you will dicover why this metropolis is nicknamed the “city of light”.

Other notable places worth visiting: Place des Vosges, Jardin du Luxembourg, and Latin Quarter.

F.C.G. / Shutterstock.com

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“Designers all have a world, but Azzedine Alaia has a universe,” said Donatella Versace.  (www.fashionologie.com)

After eight years of abstaining from the runway, Azzedine Alaia closed out the Fall 2011 couture season on Thursday. Alaia is not connected on facebook, twitter or in advertisements but he still seems to bring the world to him. His clothes just speak for themselves.

In his most recent fashion show in Paris he showcased elegant and feminine styles and designs on the runway. The models wore a variety of neutral beige colors and he also incorporated darker colors such as  black and red for the fall season. Among the designs were several dresses that reached above the knee with feathers, hooded couture dresses, reptile skinned pencil skirts and blazers, long trench coats and fur coats. All articles of clothing displayed were  meant to flaunt a woman’s  natural shape and beauty.

Among the most uplifting designs was a loose-fitting halter dress in a black punched fabric with an attached metallic slip. The collection of this couture season also included the designer’s signature sculpting techniques which made their way into his famed skater skirt featured on coats and cocktail dresses, some of which came finished with Mongolian fur at the hem. Fur also made its way onto select shoulders for a lush finish.

Alaia is a Tunisiam born couturier and shoe designer. He has been known to refer to himself not as a fashion designer but as a “batisseur”; a builder or a couture architect. His designs emphasize structure and purity of form. The fabrics, rigorous tailoring and sewing are exquisitely constructed to engulf the body comfortably. He is a born perfectionist who hand finishes each garment in his collections.

Today, he demands a formidable presence on the fashion scene, but for thirty years he was virtually unknown. Alaia studied sculpture at the Beaux-Arts in Tunis before coming to Paris in the 1950′s and taking on fashion design. He lived in a tiny apartment on the Left Bank, paying rent by babysitting and designing clothes for the Comtesse de Blegiers. An apprenticeship at Christian Dior lasted a mere five days, followed by two full seasons with Guy Laroche; a French Fashion designer.

The well known Alaia style started to emerge in the early 1980′s. It consisted of models walking on the runway wearing riveted leather, zipped dresses and a prevalence of knit fabrics in addition to  experimental mixes of lace and leather.

Throughout the years, he has had his designs worn by celebrities of all styles and taste. Ranging from the young starlets to the older icons including Miley Cyrus, Megan Fox, Rhianna, Michelle Obama, Katie Holmes, Jennifer Anistonand, Victoria Beckham and the list is endless.

Alaia is like an artist, skillfully creating his artwork. Artwork that may not be showcased on a canvas or painted with a brush like Picasso but art that is worn on the body to inspire and create draw dropping masterpieces that can enthuse a generation.

The finale featured a floor-skimming belted dress in a gold-on-black fleur-like brocade pattern that fell down to the ankles. Leaving everyone to wonder what Alaia will have in store for next season.

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After a decade of complicated neuroticism, Woody Allen returns this year with Midnight in Paris, a refreshingly delightful romantic comedy. Albeit incomparable to his comedy classics Annie Hall and Sleeper, Allen succeeds in combining a witty script, professional cinematography, and quality acting against the stunning backdrop that is Paris.

Gil (Owen Wilson) is a struggling novelist with a fiancee (Rachel McAdams) who seems more interested in her pretentious friend Paul (Michael Sheen) than in him. To make things worse, his parents-in-law (to be) hate him, and we all know that never bodes well. All of this is compounded by the fact that he feels out of place, and I don’t mean physical location. Gil, as he walks through the beautiful jardins of Paris, yearns for the 1920′s and the bohemian artists and writers who lived and loved at that time.
Suddenly, by way of an old-time motorcar, Gil is transported back in time to his beloved era, and meets the famed greats like F. Scott Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston), Cole Porter (Yves Heck), Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll) and Pablo Picasso (Marcial Di Fonzo Bo). One takes enjoyment watching Gil party with literary heroes, where, thanks to Owen Wilson’s splendid acting, you can see the excitement dancing in his eyes.

Johanne Debas and Darius Khondji make movie magic with their cinematography, sweeping the audience up in the quiet cobblestone streets   of the culture capital. Throw in a warm lighting and flapper couture, and one could swoon for the City of Romance right then and there.

All in all, the charming simplicity at the heart of Midnight in Paris leaves the audience with butterflies and a few simple questions in their conscience. What would you do if you could time travel into a world so different then your own? if you could meet your hero? Gil has a chance for self-exporation through artistic creation, inspiration, and criticism, thus realizing his life is made better through art, thanks in part to his larger-than-life heroes.

That sweet reminiscence and Woody Allen’s characteristic wittiness brings together an all-in-all great star-studded film, a perfect date night movie.

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One cheaply wise man told me one day that a journey begins the second you clearly make the decision to leave. On the one hand, sure, you must get prepared, inquire about the country, try to picture what it looks like, realize that I leave soon and that I really need a mosquito net. Kind of foreplay with your tourist guide. On the other hand, this theory remains pretty dumb, especially if your project is called India.

Forget about the globe-trotter stories, the neighbors’ pictures or Tintin In Tibet: you should entirely assume your ignorance before landing there your foot. I bought five or six books about India but I only read one because I had to go to the barber. It was about sacred cows and semolina cakes, I decided to check the other books on the plane. I could say I like surprise effects, but the truth is I don’t know where to begin. I’m getting ready to have a six months working experience in Kolkata, so if I may choose, I prefer being emotionally slapped by some seedy slums than a detailed Lonely Planet. Or perhaps this “not-ready” theory is just my peculiar laziness disguised as a two rupees prude opinion. Still, here I am flying from Paris to Kolkata, cultured about India like an Inuit about mangos but my five senses all set to experience.

It’s four o’clock sharp when the plane opens its doors. My rucksack on my back I go out the airport, find my way through the fruit dealers, beggars and cabdrivers, and head for a welcoming palm tree. I stay there for two-cigarettes time because I don’t have a clue where to go yet. Then a very short guy comes to me, he’s a taxi driver and sometimes guide for tourists in a hurry when he’s in the mood (now he shows me a non-laminated card). After chatting about why I am here or the different price of bananas according to Indian towns, I’m surprised at the dozen more people around me. “Give the man a tip, sir”, my original friend says pointing at a sleepy fellow leaning back against a wall behind me.

I look straight at the dude’s eyes, I never saw him before and except sunbathing he doesn’t look so busy. The confusion makes me smile: I am in India, no doubt. “What for?” I ask, so he quietly shrugs his shoulders in answer. Well I can’t blame him, he tried. I tell him “NO” right in his face and get into his yellow cab. After haggling over during two sunsets, I feel comfortable and tell my driver to hit the road downtown. I get ripped off a bit, sure, but not that much. Also I kind of like his circle glasses, so who cares.

Hundreds of tiny shops, some buffalos chewing plastic bags, five girls wearing shiny purses, an old bearded man selling vegetables and car wheels, two kids water-fighting, lots of advertising posters which don’t belong to reality, and in the distance a gigantesque palace building site: this is what I see through the taxi window. I spend time to ask myself questions I can’t respond and even to breathe in gasoline in abundance. I drop my luggage off the cheapest guesthouse in the quarter, I kick the cockroach’s ass under my bed and I go outside, making one’s way towards the sun so I finally find out where it sets.

“Children from Kolkata” is one of the ten thousands nongovernmental organizations of the city. It’s situated in the deep South Pallisree district, where the usual tourist doesn’t go probably because there is nothing to visit.

The single underground line –three other ones would open sooner or later (since 1995)– takes me to one rickshaw which drives me to a spot by the roadside, between a rusty bus and a homemade fountain. The driver shouts at me some inaudible english speech meeting sign language, I tell him back “yes” because that’s my philosophy in case the instructions are unclear. I start walking in a labyrinth of alleyways in order to find the NGO. I get lost four times, turn back twice, ask my way to all living beings I pass and then I stop for a while so I can sweat in silence. At last one student helps me to look for the address and ten minutes later I am standing at the bottom of a five floors building which doesn’t look Alice-wonderful but the door gets cute colors, therefore I come in without ringing (there is no doorbell). “Hello, you must be the french volunteer!”, I hear as my foot is on the last stair.

The voice belongs to Sohail who runs the organization while the Boss is back in France. He shows me the place, introduces me to the children I will teach and offers me a memorable big-time-sugared coffee. My first pupil is a five years old boy who only speaks a few words of english: the numbers until twenty, the word “cat” and all the most sophisticated cricket vocabulary. It sounds like a good start, so I ask him to describe the game rules, and after lots of Hindi sentences and an approximate Pictionary, I still don’t understand. Only dumb people don’t change the subject, so I decide to teach him numbers until fifty. The three next students are teenagers who have good English skills and who study for an exam. We are supposed to revise free-market economy lessons but on the first day we talk about Bollywood actresses and Brazilian football players.

Around four, it’s free time: the children play football and cricket outside, occasionally Russian roulette, but most of the time it means football and I play with them. (At first I was crushing them, but after thirty minutes out of breath, I felt consequences of Parisian nights showing up and the opposing team scored six goals in eleven minutes.) Anyway, after this stinging defeat I study with a group of seven little boys: I help them with their homework and read them tales, they teach me some Hindi phrases and show me magic tricks. Fifty-fifty, you guess. At eight o’clock I leave the NGO my eyes sparkling and I join the main street without getting lost this time. Sleep tight, Kolkata.

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When we recently visited the beautiful passages of Paris, I was awestruck. I had heard of these places in stories, full of wonder and carnival-esque mystique. Somehow it had never quite occurred to me that these niches of dreams existed in reality, gems of history laden with memories. Built in the early 1800’s, these passageways were technological wonders, offering unheard of amenities to the emerging class of bourgeois consumers. Gas lighting and heated shelter protected from rain and mud, while creating a beautiful setting for copious goods, services, cafes and restaurants where one could rest and observe fellow lingerers. These cathedrals of commerce and leisure were a luxurious option over the shopping experience of hunting and gathering all around town.

Unfortunately they became somewhat distinct after the introduction of department stores, falling out of fashion permanently and becoming home to vagrants and gamblers. Today, only 20 or so remain out of the 150 original arcades, most of which have rebuilt repeatedly. Those precious few that remain still showcase the artistic wonder that kept Paris alive, filled with ancient book shops, art galleries, and cafes. The light twinkles through the glass roofs, and sunlight slices clouds of dust like mist over a waterfall, recalling stories past. It only takes one to shut their eyes and the soft hum of music boxes and the ring of children’s joy comes flooding back.

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“I am 21 years old, I take advantage of being young in order to experience new things, and hope that I won’t change as time passes by.”

Rafael comes from Paris, and loves to travel and discover new cultures. In a personal interview he said, ” I spend four months in Sahara in Niger. I’ve also been to Laos and Panama. What I love the most about traveling is the free drinks you get on the airplane! (Joking) You discover so many things, you get to eat and try new food, eat in restaurants any time, you get to see new girls in bikini, which is always nice for a man! I guess. But the most important thing is that every time I travel I have the opportunity to feel alive, because I am always learning and discovering new things. For me, if I’m traveling its like I have more chance that something will happen to my life, sometimes something great, sometimes something bad.

What is it for you being part of ToonariPost? ” I always saw this like a bright light. I just think this is an interesting experience, cause you get to know about other cultures. You are just discovering, and when you discover you make your own hypothesis and theories. It’s like being a scientist but without the boring part!”

When you write you are making sociological comparisons within cultures. How did you come up with this idea? “Well, I don’t believe in politics anymore. They are always the same thing; the economics don’t grab my interest. It’s always about capitalism and liberalism. The only thing that will, and keeps changing, is the culture. The culture is what makes something different, and there is much more to talk about when you are talking about culture.

What things do you take into consideration when you write? “Anything is funny, and you can even explain why the German, for example, behave this way and not that way…why the Panamanian behave this way and not the Ecuadorian’s way. With this aspect you are able to understand why this man is acting in a certain manner, I’m not taking this like a criticism cause nothing is wrong. You just get to learn the culture of the other. If something is normal for others and different for me, I have to accept it and mainly understand why they do or belief so. I just try to understand; most of the people offend cultures without any purpose, and they do this just because they don’t know about the other culture really.”

What is a message you want to give to your readers? “Well I would end this interview with two quotes of Shakespeare, that I think when both are connected they intend to sell a very interesting message.

“‘Tis better to be vile than vile esteemed”. When you are doing something, just do it 100 percent of yourself, go for it, and don’t mind what other people say. “My words fly up, my thoughts remain below, Words without thoughts never in Heaven go”. Body and mind have to be connected 100 percent, if you just are sure 99% about something don’t do it, cause this little one percent can change anything.”

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